By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kaiser attorney Jennifer Lynch

April 23, 2025 (El Cajon) – For 23 years, ever since an old medical facility was torn down, Kaiser Permanente has been promising to build a new hospital at its property on Main Street near Greenfield Ave.in El Cajon.  Frustrated by the lack of action, the City Council yesterday considered changing the zoning to residential—a proposal that surprised Kaiser representatives.

“We received no notice,” Kaiser representative Skyler Denniston told the Council.  “We would like the site developed as a hospital,” he said, adding that Kaiser representatives had just spoken with the City Manager and felt they were making “good progress.”  He asked for a 30-day extension of any proposed rezoning.

Mayor Bill Wells indicated that while he was open to an extension of 30 days or more, he wants to see a development agreement to assure that construction will commence soon. “I have no confidence that a hospital will be built within five years,” he said, adding that the vacant property attracts homeless camps and is an eyesore.  “Our constituents are screaming at us to do something,” he said.

Source:  City of El Cajon

April 1, 2025 (El Cajon) - The City of El Cajon is excited to announce the launch of a new online dashboard, providing residents with real-time updates on the progress of the City Council’s 2025 Action Plan. This innovative tool offers transparency and insight into the City’s priorities and ongoing initiatives. Residents can explore the dashboard at https://www.elcajon.gov/your-government/elected-officials/2025-city-council-action-plan

Update April 4, 2025:  The text of the bill is now available here.

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2025 (El Cajon) – Four members of El Cajon’s City Council yesterday voted to send letters of support for H.R. 1680 to its author, Colorado Republican Gabe Evans, and ask local Congressman Darrell Issa to co-sponsor the bill--even though the text of the bill has not yet been released.

The only description on the Congressional website states that the measure will “amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to expand the prohibition on State noncompliance with enforcement of the immigration laws, and for other purposes.”  But according to Congress.gov, no text of the bill has yet been submitted to the Legislative Analyst. So we don’t know how the bill would affect immigrant enforcement locally, nor what “other purposes” might be included.

Two members of the public spoke, both opposed to the action. 

Rebecca Branstetter called the bill “a pig in a poke” since there’s no text on the Congressional website yet. “If we can’t read and understand the text of the bill, we can’t know what Council is asking for in its letter to Darrell Issa.” She asked that the measure be tabled until text is available for residents and Councilmembers to review.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Doris Bittar, a Lebanese-Palestinian woman with a Jewish husband, wants a resolution that protects everyone equally without infringing on free speech rights.

March 12, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon’s City Council once again waded into contentious waters at yesterday’s meeting, weighing a resolution to condemn antisemitism, with the Council majority refusing to remove a definition of antisemitism that has drawn controversy.

By Miriam Raftery

November 5, 2024 (El  Cajon) – All three incumbent El Cajon City Councilmembers have won reelection.  Councilmembers Michelle Metschel and Phil Ortiz ran unopposed.  Councilmember Steve Goble has more than twice as many votes as his opponent, Courtney Hall, 69.64% to 30.36%.

Story and photos by Christianne McCormick

Photo, left: Director of Finance Clay Schoen presents budget breakdown

June 25, 2023 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon’s City Council on June 13 received a presentation on the Preliminary Annual Budget for fiscal year of 2023-2024.  Council also moved forward on a ban on homeless camping on public property that would be similar to the City of San Diego’s new ordinance.

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo: Rich Riel announced settlement in lawsuit over violations of open government laws by Downtown El Cajon Business Partners

January 25, 2023 (El Cajon) – Downtown El Cajon Business Partner is settling a lawsuit over Brown Act violations, according to testimony presented at Tuesday’s El Cajon City Council meeting. But complaints remain over no-bid contracts for downtown events.  The City Council also heard plans to bring back Foodie Fest during the America on Main festival, expand a tiny homes program for the homeless, and build a veterans’ memorial.

By Christianne McCormick

August 12, 2022 (El Cajon) -- A new increased sales tax initiative was proposed during Tuesday night’s El Cajon city council meeting. If approved by voters on November 8, this measure would repeal proposition J, the half-cent sales tax enacted in 2008 to fund basic services, and replace it with a new one percent tax, or one cent per dollar.

The proposal passed unanimoulsly. Mayor Bill Wells joined with Councilmembers Gary Kendrick, Steve Goble, Phil Ortiz and Michelle Metschel to vote in favor of putting this initiative on the coming ballot.  

Source: City of El Cajon

Photo: El Cajon, CC by SA

January 10, 2022 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon City Council is hosting its fourth Redistricting Hearing on Saturday,  January 22 at 10:30 a.m. at El Cajon Valley High School, located at 1035 East Madison Avenue, in El Cajon. Redistricting is the process of adjusting City Council voting districts, following the US Census, to ensure that each district has roughly the same number of residents.

By Elijah McKee

Photo, left: Rebecca Branstetter, East County Homeless Task Force, testifies to El Cajon City Council

December 18, 2021 (El Cajon) — The El Cajon City Council addressed several agenda items at its last meeting that had potential to either help or hurt those in the homeless community who rely on cars or RVs. 

According to the East County Homeless Task Force (ECHTF), the Cajon Valley Union and Grossmont Union High School Districts serve a known homeless population of over 550 families, at least 30 of which are unsheltered and sometimes living in vehicles. 

However, after lengthy discussion, the two pressing items — a Safe Parking Program proposal and a zoning code update on RVs — were pushed off to a future meeting so that City staff could look at them in greater detail. Many who spoke at the meeting hoped to see clear actionable steps and less policy mazes on these issues, but the City Council sought to strike a balance. 

By Rick Griffin

Reprinted from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

January 18, 2021 (El Cajon) - As a young man in his 20s, Steve Goble set a goal to retire from work on his 60th birthday and devote the rest of his life to public service.

Video of district 2 forum is now posted.  Click here to view video. 

Video of the district 4 forum is now posted. Click here to view video.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top row:  District 2 candidates Humbert Cabrera, Stephanie Harper, Juan Carlos "Charlie" Mercado, Michelle Metschel and Martin Van Dinteren

Second row: District 4 candidates Estela de los Rios, Phil Ortiz, and Dunia Shaba

September 19, 2020 (El Cajon) - East County Magazine will host two forums for El Cajon City Council candidates:

District Four:  Monday Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.

District Two: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

The forums will be on Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EastCountyMagazine.  Video will also be posted later on our website for those unable to watch live.  

The public can send questions to editor@eastcountymagazine.org up until noon the day of the forum.

Ten candidates are on the ballot in the highly competitive District 2 and 4 races.  (In District 3, Councilman Steve Goble is running unopposed.)

All candidates in District 2 and 4 have been invited. Eight have agreed to participate. In District Two, participants will include Humbert Cabrera, Stephanie Harper, Juan Carlos Mercado, Michelle Metschel and Martin Van Dinteren.  In District Four, participants confirmed are Estela De Los Rios, Councilman Phil Ortiz, and Dania Shaba. The fouth candidate, Billy Thigpen, advised ECM that he is suspending his candicacy and endorsing De Los Rios.

Below is information on all candidates running in Districts 2 and 4. Click each name to view the statement of qualifications submitted to the city of El Cajon.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Video Coverage

City of El Cajon press release on COVID-19 actions

April 17, 2020 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to set forth a major million-dollar effort to support local residents, businesses, and the homeless during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic crisis, extending after the state declares the emergency over.

The City Council approved a dozen programs to help the community including:

• Providing residents assistance with utility bills and rent
• Delaying sewer bills through June and eliminating any late sewer fees in 2020
• Assisting seniors to access groceries
• Promoting and financially supporting existing food distribution throughout the community
• Setting up a business resource website and reaching out to businesses
• Waiving late business license renewal penalties
• No longer enforcing banner and temporary use regulations at business sites
• Providing additional homeless shelter opportunities, providing transportation to the homeless to access regional resources
• Providing free on-line recreation classes, discounted structured recreation classes after the emergency declaration has been terminated.

In addition, the City Council adopted a resolution strongly recommending that owners of rental properties in the City to refrain from raising rent for a 60-day period beginning Apr. 15.

Update Sept. 27, 2019 -- Estela de Los Rios,  a community leader who plans to run for El Cajon City Council, sent these comments objecting to the demise of the commissions.  "I believe it our right as citizens of El Cajon to have these board commissions and have them open until we seek people to serve on them. There has to be a better way to recruit. This is a prime example of the city council's actions that need to change for the best interest of our city. It makes no sense to have a Magnolia Performing Center but no Arts Commission?"

By Miriam Raftery

 

September 23, 2019 (El Cajon) – The agenda for tomorrow’s El Cajon City Council meeting includes second reading and adoption of a code amendment to eliminate three city entities  The Veterans’ Commission, the Commission on Arts and Culture, and the Human Relations Commission, which advises the council on diversity issues.