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Residents press Carlsbad council on senior‑center meals, ADA service‑dog access and request disclosure of League of Cities ties
Summary
Multiple residents used public comment to press the council on senior-center meal quality and service-dog access, and one commenter alleged Council member Acosta failed to disclose League of Cities-related activities and donations; the council did not take action on the allegations during the meeting.
Several residents addressed the council during the public‑comment period on Oct. 14, raising concerns on senior services, ADA compliance, planned developments, and local political transparency.
Mary Lucid criticized recent changes to meals at the Carlsbad Senior Center and urged council members to ensure seniors receive better food and activities. "Seniors need their green salad," she said, calling on Park and Recreation leadership to review service and meal options.
A village resident described being refused service entry while accompanied by a legally registered service dog and asked the council to enforce ADA rules; the mayor directed the resident to consult with the police chief to pursue a resolution.
Paige DeSaino urged the council to retain a broader "menu" of measures in the updated Climate Action Plan—including reach codes and solar‑in‑parking measures—so the council has options to implement later. Raul Villamar criticized a proposed Smart & Final development and voiced broader concerns about neighborhood change.
In a lengthy public comment, Jean Walker requested full voluntary disclosure from Council member Celeste Acosta regarding League of Cities votes and fundraising tied to that body, alleged that Acosta had received at least $500 in personal donations to a League‑affiliated PAC and questioned whether a Republic Services donation followed a city contract award that favored Republic Services. Walker cited League of Cities bylaws as allowing roll‑call votes and urged the mayor to call for roll‑call disclosures.
Council did not act on those disclosure requests during the meeting. Later, the City Attorney clarified that campaign‑finance enforcement is handled by the district attorney and that the City Attorney's office cannot use public funds for political purposes or provide legal advice to campaigns.
