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Westminster council votes 3–1 to request councilmember stop changing camera angles while recording; workshop sets follow-up timelines
Summary
A motion carried 3–1 asking Councilwoman Fan West to stop moving her phone camera during the Oct. 6 strategic planning workshop, prompting a brief recess. The council also set research and reporting timelines across strategic-plan objectives, including annexation, code updates, part-time wages, parks and facilities planning.
Westminster — The City Council voted 3–1 on Oct. 6 to request that District 1 Councilwoman Fan West refrain from changing camera angles while recording from the dais, a motion that interrupted the start of a strategic planning workshop and led to a short recess.
Vice Mayor Manzo made the request and Mayor Winn seconded it; the roll call showed a 3–1 vote with Councilwoman Fan West voting no. The city attorney advised the council that a member may have a First Amendment right to record public proceedings but that the council could request behavior changes if the recording is disruptive. After the vote the mayor called a five-minute recess.
‘‘This is my right. It is a public arena and I am allowed to record,’’ Councilwoman Fan West said during the exchange, defending her choice to record and objecting to the motion.
Following the recess the council resumed the workshop and the consultant and staff continued a full review of the strategic plan matrix. Highlights and outcomes from the workshop included:
- Direction to staff to research revenue options: Councilmembers agreed by consensus to have staff study the viability of a transient occupancy tax (TOT) and a cannabis tax and to commission survey research to test community support (see separate article).
- Annexation and county islands: Staff reported re-engagement with county officials and LAFCO; progress depends on county data and state interaction related to housing element/RHNA requirements. Staff anticipated updates within months and a six-month check-in window.
- Fees and business improvement district: Staff will study traffic-impact and park fees, and prepare a more detailed BID analysis for council consideration later this year.
- Zoning and general-plan implementation: Staff said the environmental impact report addendum and code text refinements are on a timeline to allow code review in early Q1 next year.
- Workforce and compensation: Staff presented turnover data and proposed a two-step review of part-time wages to improve retention, beginning with a fiscal-impact analysis and potentially returning with policy recommendations by November–December.
- Customer service and business licensing: The concierge business-license work has been implemented and will remain on the matrix for periodic updates; staff proposed citywide customer-service training and flowchart orientation materials for residents and developers with follow-ups in March–April 2026.
- Public art, beautification and identity: Council asked staff to return with options for public-art policies (including utility-box art and art on new bridges), design standards for city infrastructure, and a rebranding/mission-vision review; staff noted OCTA funds are available for bridge art components.
- Facilities and parks planning: Staff said an RFP for a facilities master plan will go out soon with consultant selection targeted by January 2026; parks master plan updates were also scheduled for a January update.
The workshop closed with the mayor thanking staff and the public. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.
