What Huntington Beach is about to decide

The council convenes Tuesday for a closed session on three labor negotiations and four lawsuits, then reconvenes at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, 2000 Main Street. These are pending decisions from the posted agenda — not outcomes. Every item links to the official record.

Source: City Council/Public Financing Authority agenda (PDF) · Legistar meeting detail · Next regular meeting: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Civic Center Council Chambers, 2000 Main Street

✅ What actually passed (confirmed from the Legistar vote record): Per the city’s meeting record, the two lobbying contracts (Item 14) were put off: the recorded action is a motion by Kennedy, seconded by Twining, that the record labels “Alternate Motion: Two week delay,” which carried 7-0. On the $628,600 Newland House Museum & Water Tower contract (Item 20), the recorded action is a motion by Gruel, seconded by Kennedy, labeled “Alternate Motion - Deeper Dive,” carried 7-0; the record does not spell out that motion’s terms and does not show the contract awarded as posted. The $388,625.00 Huntington Harbour dock contract (Item 22) was approved 7-0 on a motion by Burns, seconded by McKeon — accepting South Shore Marine Construction, Inc.’s bid, appropriating $27,487.50 from the Infrastructure Fund and allowing change orders up to a 10% contingency. The Consent Calendar (Items 13–22) was adopted 7-0 on a motion by McKeon, seconded by Van Der Mark; Items 14, 16, 20 and 22 were also voted separately. The Main Street Branch Library 75th-anniversary plaque (Item 16) was approved 5-2, Gruel and Williams opposed, after an alternate motion by Williams, seconded by Gruel — labeled in the record “Gruel, Williams replace their names” — failed 2-5. The America 250 plaque design and inscription for the Pier Plaza Memorial (Item 23) was approved 5-2, Gruel and Williams opposed. On the Art Center Committee (Item 24), a motion by McKeon, seconded by Burns, that the record labels “Return at the next meeting” carried 5-2, Gruel and Williams opposed. The City Attorney’s closed-session report is recorded as “None.” The minutes are still marked draft.

The headline: the biggest money on this agenda is lobbying — $270,000 for state legislative advocacy from Kahn, Soares and Conway LLP and $234,000 for federal advocacy from Stapleton & Associates, two contracts recommended by the council’s Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Two construction contracts go out to low bidders: $628,600 to restore the Newland House Museum and Water Tower and $388,625.00 to demolish and replace docks in Huntington Harbour. Behind closed doors the council takes up contract talks with its police management, firefighter and fire management units and four pieces of litigation, including the state’s housing-element case, People of the State of California/Bonta v. City of Huntington Beach.

🔒 Closed session — before the 6:00 PM public meeting

Three labor negotiations. Conferences with labor negotiators under Government Code Section 54957.6 covering the Police Management Association, the Huntington Beach Firefighters’ Association, and the Fire Management Association. The agenda names the city’s designated representatives as City Manager Travis Hopkins, with Assistant City Manager Marissa Sur, City Attorney Mike Vigliotta and Chief Financial Officer Zack Zithisakthanakul also in attendance. Items 26-801, 26-802, 26-803
The state’s housing lawsuit: existing litigation under Section 54956.9(d)(1) in People of the State of California/Bonta v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., Case No. 30-2023-01312235-CU-WM-CJC. Item 26-804
Three more litigation matters: one conference under Section 54956.9(d)(4); Mirabal (Jonathan Andrew) v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., OCSC Case No. 30-2024-01398616-CU-PA-CJC; and Clayton-Tarvin (Gina) v. City of Huntington Beach, OCSC Case No. 30-2026-01574649. Closed-session litigation matters are confidential by law; any reportable action is announced when the public session opens. Items 26-805, 26-806, 26-812

🏛 Lobbying: two advocacy contracts

$270,000 professional services contract with Kahn, Soares and Conway LLP for state legislative advocacy services, and $234,000 with Stapleton & Associates for federal legislative advocacy services. Both are recommended by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, and both would be executed by the Mayor and City Clerk. Item 14

🛠 Construction contracts

$628,600 to restore the Newland House Museum & Water Tower (CC1788). The council is asked to accept the lowest responsive and responsible bid from Newbuild Construction and Restoration, Inc. — $589,600 base plus $39,000 in optional additive costs for painting the Newland Barn — and to appropriate $101,385.40 from the Infrastructure Fund. The agenda’s change-order clause reads “within the approved contingency amount of twenty percent (5%) of the contract amount”; the written figure and the numeral do not match on the posted agenda. Item 20
$388,625.00 for Huntington Harbour dock demolition and replacement (CC1896), awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, South Shore Marine Construction, Inc., with an appropriation of $27,487.50 from the Infrastructure Fund and change-order authority up to a 10% contingency. Item 22

🏦 Grants & federal reporting

$100,000 state alcohol-enforcement grant. Resolution No. 2026-35 would authorize a one-year California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control grant agreement and approve the appropriation and expenditure of $100,000 on enforcing state laws regulating alcohol sales; the agenda states the amount is to be fully reimbursed. Item 17
CDBG and HOME year-end report to HUD. The council is asked to adopt the FY 2025-26 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report for Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds and authorize the City Manager to transmit it to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by September 30, 2026. Item 15
CalRecycle grants. Resolution No. 2026-36 would authorize submittal of applications for all CalRecycle grants for which the city is eligible. Item 19
Gang prevention services extended. Amendment No. 1 to the city’s agreement with Waymakers for gang prevention and intervention program services. The agenda does not state a dollar figure. Item 18

🪑 Also on the agenda

A developer’s bond released. The council is asked to release Guarantee and Warranty Bond No. PB03010409024-M for the HB Walk Project (Tract 19157) and notify the developer, Olson Urban-Huntington Beach 4, LLC, and the surety, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company. Item 21
A new Art Center Committee. An item submitted by Mayor McKeon, Councilman Burns and Councilman Kennedy would request the City Manager to form a Brown Act committee of 7–9 residents, appointed by two council liaisons, to help the Art Center with scheduling events, education classes and curating exhibitions, and to coordinate with the Surf Museum. Item 24
Two plaques. The council considers approving the design, inscription and installation of a plaque marking the 75th anniversary of the Main Street Branch Library, and separately the design and language for the America 250 plaque at the Pier Plaza Memorial. Items 16 & 23
A Republic Services update on its services to the community; a commendation to the Daughters of the American Revolution naming Constitution Week 2026 (September 17–23); approval of the September 1, 2026 minutes. Items 12, 11, 13
Council roster as printed on the agenda’s roll call: Gruel, Kennedy, Twining, McKeon, Burns, Van Der Mark, Williams. Roll call

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.