What Huntington Beach is about to decide

The council meets Tuesday for a 4:00 PM closed session and a 6:00 PM regular meeting 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: official agenda (PDF) · Full documents: meeting page · Next meeting: Tuesday, October 20, 2026

✅ What actually passed (confirmed from the Legistar vote record): Per the city’s meeting record, after the public hearing the council adopted Resolution No. 2026-27, the FY 2026-27 Downtown Business Improvement District assessment, 7-0 (Item 13) on a motion by Burns, seconded by McKeon. The Consent Calendar (Items 14–23) was adopted 7-0 on a motion by McKeon, seconded by Burns; Items 16, 18, 19 and 23 were also voted separately. The state and federal lobbying contracts (Item 16) were approved 5-2, Gruel and Williams opposed, on a motion by Kennedy, seconded by McKeon, that the record labels “Approve as amended”; the record does not spell out the amendment. On the Park Bench Café lease (Item 18), a motion by Williams, seconded by Gruel, to continue it failed 2-5; Amendment No. 2 and the consent to assignment were then approved 5-2 on a motion by McKeon, seconded by Twining, Gruel and Williams opposed. The $541,750.28 Main Street seatwall contract to Rolcom, Inc. (Item 23), with $200,925.31 appropriated from the Infrastructure Fund (314) balance, was approved 7-0 (Gruel/Van Der Mark), and the FY 2025 Assistance to Firefighters Grant, with $324,083.20 in grant revenues and expenditures appropriated (Item 19), 7-0 (Twining/McKeon). The council voted 7-0 to receive and consider the proposed Police Management Association MOU for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029 (Item 24) — the introduction step, not adoption. Resolution No. 2026-38, establishing the Art Center Advisory Committee (Item 25), was adopted 5-2, Gruel and Williams opposed. On Councilman Williams’s Finance Committee Independence Day Celebration Subcommittee item (listed as “NEW” under Council Member Items), a motion by Kennedy, seconded by Gruel, that the record labels “Substitute motion” carried 6-0, Van Der Mark absent; the record does not spell out that motion’s terms. The record names no separate vote on the other consent items, including the $2,700,000 workers’ compensation contract (Item 20) and the $628,600 Newland House restoration (Item 22). The minutes are still marked draft.

The headline: the largest single item is a $2,700,000 not-to-exceed contract for third-party workers’ compensation claims administration, on the consent calendar. Also on consent: two legislative advocacy contracts, at $270,000 and $234,000, and two construction awards — $628,600 to restore the Newland House Museum and Water Tower and $541,750.28 for the Main Street seatwall, both requiring appropriations from the city’s Infrastructure Fund. The council also holds a public hearing on the downtown business district assessment and takes a first look at a three-year contract with its police managers.

📝 Public hearing

Downtown Business Improvement District assessment, FY 2026-27. The council will conduct a public hearing and, if written protests from businesses representing 50% or more of the total assessment are not received, adopt Resolution No. 2026-27 approving the annual assessment within the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District for Fiscal Year 2026-27. The protest threshold is the thing to watch: under the posted recommended action, enough protest stops the assessment. Item 13

💼 Contracts & professional services

Workers’ compensation claims administration — $2,700,000. On consent, a Professional Services Contract with Pacific Secured Equities, Inc. dba Intercare Holdings Insurance Services for third-party workers’ compensation claims administration and utilization review services, at a not-to-exceed amount of $2,700,000. The agenda does not print a term length. Item 20
State and federal lobbying contracts. On consent, on a recommendation from the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, two professional services contracts: $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 16

🏗 Construction, bids & infrastructure

Newland House Museum & Water Tower Restoration (CC1788) — $628,600. On consent, accept the lowest responsive and responsible bid from Newbuild Construction and Restoration, Inc. at $589,600, plus optional additive costs of $39,000 for painting the Newland Barn, for a total bid price of $628,600; appropriate $101,114.80 from the Infrastructure Fund (314) balance; and authorize construction change orders within a contingency of five percent of the contract amount. Item 22
Main Street Seatwall Improvements (CC1913) — $541,750.28. On consent, accept the lowest responsive and responsible bid from Rolcom, Inc. at $541,750.28; appropriate $200,925.31 from the Infrastructure Fund (314) balance; and authorize change orders within a contingency of ten percent of the contract amount. The recommended action also rejects bids 1 through 7 — bidders 1, 2 and 6 having withdrawn, and bidders 3 through 5 and 7 deemed non-responsive. Item 23
Well 4 Facilities Upgrades (CC1698) — all bids rejected. On consent, reject all bids received for the project and direct staff to re-bid it. The agenda states no reason and no dollar figure. Item 21

🔥 Grants & appropriations

FY 2025 Assistance to Firefighters Grant — $324,083.20. On consent, accept the grant awarded to the city, authorize the Fire Chief and Chief Financial Officer as the officials to execute and sign the award, agreement, amendments and extensions, and approve the appropriation of grant revenues and expenditures in the amount of $324,083.20. Item 19

👤 Labor & city business

Police Management Association MOU, 2026–2029. As an administrative item, the council will receive and consider the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the city and the Huntington Beach Police Management Association for the period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029, pursuant to City of Huntington Beach Ordinance No. 4154. The posted recommended action is to receive and consider — this is the introduction step, not adoption. The agenda carries no cost figure for the MOU. Item 24
Art Center Advisory Committee. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-38 establishing the Art Center Advisory Committee, defining its purpose and composition, and providing for appointments. Item 25
Park Bench Café lease transfer. On consent, approve Amendment No. 2 to the lease agreement with Michael and Christie Bartusick dba Park Bench Café, and consent to the assignment and assumption of that lease to 2R2S, LLC, for the operation of a restaurant and food concession in Huntington Central Park at 17732 Goldenwest Street. Item 18
Tourism Business Improvement District annual report. On consent, approve the Huntington Beach Tourism Business Improvement District (HBTBID) Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Item 17

🔒 Closed session, 4:00 PM

Labor negotiations — two bargaining units. Conferences with labor negotiators under Government Code section 54957.6 regarding the Huntington Beach Firefighters’ Association (HBFA) and the Fire Management Association (FMA). City Manager Travis Hopkins is the designated agency representative for both. Closed Session
Pasea Hotel real property negotiations. A conference with real property negotiators under section 54956.8 over 21091 Pacific Coast Highway (APN 024-281-16), with negotiating party Pouya Honari — Pacific City Hotel, LLC dba Pasea Hotel and Spa, listed on the agenda as not present. Under negotiation: price and terms of payment. Closed Session
Litigation. Conferences with legal counsel on existing litigation in People of the State of California / Bonta v. City of Huntington Beach, et al. (Case No. 30-2023-01312235-CU-WM-CJC), Torres (Florence) v. City of Huntington Beach, Faiella (Jennifer Dawn) v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., Bauer-Oldfield (Ashley) v. City of Huntington Beach, and Grant Parks v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., plus two additional litigation matters noticed under section 54956.9(d)(4). Closed-session matters are confidential by law; any reportable action is announced when the public session opens. Closed Session

🪑 Also on the agenda

Approve and adopt the City Council/Public Financing Authority regular meeting minutes of September 15, 2026. Item 14
Receive and file the City Clerk’s quarterly listing of professional services contracts filed in the City Clerk’s office between April 1, 2026 and June 30, 2026. Item 15
A Mayor’s Spotlight, a Business Highlight presentation, and community event announcements open the public session.

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.