[ Call to Order]
[00:00:07]
WELCOME TO OUR JANUARY, 1920 21 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR KELLY TO PAY FROM FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH.
AND I WILL BE LEADING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
CAN YOU HEAR US? YES, GO AHEAD.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING AND WORKING IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
AND WE PRAY TONIGHT THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FATHER.
WE LIFT UP OUR CITY, WE LIFT UP OUR STATE AND OUR NATION DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
AND WE THANK YOU, LORD THAT YOU'RE WITH US.
GOD, WE PRAY THAT THIS PANDEMIC WOULD END LORD.
WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THE ROLLOUT OF THE VACCINES AND KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.
FOR THE WORK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE DOING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY, LORD, WE PRAY YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM AND BLESS THEM.
WE LIFT UP OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT TONIGHT.
PRAY GOD THAT YOU WOULD KEEP THEM SAFE LORD, AS THEY SERVE US AND SERVE YOU LORD BY BEING ON THE FRONT LINES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR GOODNESS.
THANK YOU LORD, FOR YOUR BLESSING.
THANK YOU GOD, FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN TONIGHT'S MEETING IN JESUS NAME.
THANK YOU, PASTOR ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER
[REPORTING OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION]
LOPEZ BEATO AS A CITY ATTORNEY.IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT? YES.
MADAM MAYOR WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER ONE ON A VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO DISMISS ITS COMPLAINT AGAINST THE DEFENDANT AND RETURNED THE DEFENDANT AGREED TO PAY THE CITY A HUNDRED, $105,000 IN EACH SIDE WERE BETTER THAN THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE, UH, CHIEF BELL'S END OF THE YEAR REPORT AT THE END UNDER THE DEPARTMENT MATTER.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? OKAY, SO THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS THE END, BUT SHE FELL WE'LL START OUR FIRST PRESENTATION VIDEO BY A CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, CITRUS PEST AND DISEASE PREVENTION DIVISION.
AND THEY HAVE A VIDEO, CORRECT.
THE PRESENTER'S HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY LOGGING IN, PERHAPS WE CAN, UM, GO TO THE DOCTOR AND THEN BACK TO THE PRESENTER.
[3. Presentation by Dr. Vassantachart, Medical Advisor Consultant]
WILL GO ON TO DR.BAZELL FROM MEDICAL ADVISOR CONSULTANT.
HE'S COME UP, WE'LL HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE GETTING, UH, HONORABLE MAYORS, UH, MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL AND A MEMBER OF A CITY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
UH, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS IN, UM, ABOUT HOW TO ASSIST THE CITY IN IMPROVING THE HEALTHCARE OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE THIS EVENING.
[00:05:01]
LITERALLY, UH, TALKING ABOUT STUFF FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, HELPING A GROUP AND FAMILY OF PATIENT COMING DOWN WITH COVID-19 TRIED TO HELP THEM, HOW TO MANAGE THEMSELVES AND HOW TO GET THE, UH, INFUSION FOR THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES.AND, UM, AND WHEN TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, LASTLY, IT IS A DEFINITELY DISASTER IN MY I'M BEING MYSELF A COVID-19 SURVIVOR AFTER 12 DAYS IN ICU.
UH, SO I KNOW HOW THAT FEW AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I, I DO MY BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS PROJECT.
I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE MYSELF, UH, I GUESS THE POWERPOINT IS NOT HERE YET.
SO, UM, I'M A GRADUATE OF, UH, LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
AND I THINK MY POSTGRADUATE TRAINING IN WHITE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER, UH, MY INTERESTS ARE IN FAMILY PRACTICE AND ALSO WITH EMPHASIS IN PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND, UH, PUPPET, UH, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, AND, UM, WHAT LEGIBLE FOR PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, MY, UH, LET'S SEE, UM, I'M THE PRESIDENT AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR VALLEY PHYSICIAN, UH, MEDICAL GROUPS.
AND FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, I HAVE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR SEVERAL LOCAL HOSPITAL HERE FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, INCLUDING PAST CHIEF OF STAFF CHAIR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE AND FAMILY PRACTICE.
UH, CURRENTLY I'M ALSO SERVE AS THE CME SURVEYOR FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WITH THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
I RECENTLY BEING ALSO APPOINTED AS A TRIO OFFICE FOR A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
UH, IN THE EVENT, THEY HAVE TO GO INTO A CRISIS CARE, NOT A GOOD POSITION, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT.
UH, AND HOPEFULLY THAT THEY NOW COME, UH, SOME ACCOMPLISH.
I HAD DEVELOPED, UH, EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING AND MANAGING A NETWORK OF FAMILY PREVENTIVE AND INDUSTRIAL, UH, CLINIC FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS.
I PROBABLY STARTED THE FIRST TIME IN DAYS, A FAMILY CONVENIENT CARE IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY 40 YEARS AGO IN THE EARLY 1980S.
I ALSO FOUND AN, UM, COMPETED AT PROJECT NOAH, UH, IS A NEW ORGANIZATION OF OUR HOSPITAL.
WHEN THE HOSPITAL GO INTO CHAPTER 11 AND DRAIN MILLION OF DOLLARS FROM THE CITY GENERAL FUND, I FOUND IT AND HAD A, UM, GROUP OF, UH, OVER 70 PHYSICIAN WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO TAKE OVER THE HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT AND EVENTUALLY TURN THE HOSPITAL AND MERGED FROM THE BANKRUPTCY AND RUN A CAMPAIGN WITH MAJORITY VOTE TO SELL THE HOSPITAL FROM THE CITY TO A FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.
AND NOW HMC IS ONE OF THE LARGE LOCAL REGIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH SYSTEM, UH, OF 10 HOSPITAL AND THIS GROWING, UH, I HAVE ALSO ORGANIZED, UM, AND PROVIDED, UM, WHOLE GRADUATE LEVEL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR THOUSAND OF LOCAL COMMUNITY PHYSICIAN FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS THROUGH OUR CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
I HAVE ORGANIZED SMALL AND LARGE SCALE OF REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH FAIR WITH SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, CHURCHES, UNIVERSITY, AND CD.
FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, I HAVE ALSO PROVIDED LOCAL COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYER, PERSONAL FAMILY AND OCCUPATIONAL ADVICES, INCLUDING EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM AND REQUIRE THE COMPLIANCES WITH LOGO CITY COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE POINT THIS EVENING, THE APPEALING DISCUSSION OF HOW TO DEVELOP A ALTERNATE MODEL TO ASSIST THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN IMPROVING THE HEALTHCARE OF OUR CITY.
ONE OF THE MODELS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IS TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO WHAT IS THE NEED AND GOALS? UM, YES, PLEASE.
UM, THE CITY BY STATUTE HAS AUTHORITY TO UNDER THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ASKPAT SHUT OUR OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
SINCE THE 1960S, THE CITY HAS WITH THE LA COUNTY TO PROVIDE THE ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES WITH PRESENT PANDEMIC.
UH, THERE'S A CONCERN THAT OUR COUNTY WILL NEED MORE ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE TO OUR UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ON LOCAL DEMOGRAPHIC AND MY BENTO DATA.
UH, WE DO NEED TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE MODEL IN HOW THE CITY CAN ASSIST OUR COUNTY TO FOCUS ON THIS LOCAL NEEDS AND TO BETTER SERVICE SERVICE AND TO PROTECT AND TO END THIS PRESENT PANDEMIC, UH, AT THE PERSON THERE'S SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, BUT THERE'S STILL NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL REACH THE END SOON.
WE NEED A LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE WITH A GUIDING LIGHT TO FOLLOW AND PREVENT THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND PROACTIVE TO PREPARE AND STARTING NOW IN HOW TO PREVENT AND MANAGE FUTURE EPIDEMIC, PANDEMIC AND MAJOR.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST, ACCORDING TO THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST, UH, PREDICTION, THIS PRESENT PANDEMIC HAS BEEN PREDICTED FOR YEARS, THERE ARE MORE TO COME.
[00:10:01]
PUT OUR CAT TONGUE AND PREPARATION IN ONE FORM OR THE OTHER IS AND NEEDED.UM, A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S ONLY THREE CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT HAS THEIR OWN FOOD SERVICE, LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED OVER A CENTURY AGO AND HAVE GROWN SINCE THEN, UH, ACTUALLY IN 1980, THERE'S ACTUALLY ANOTHER CITY WITH A POPULATION OF ONLY 120 POPULATION THAT HAS AS THE RUBBISH, THEIR OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT REALLY IS SERVING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ONLY.
SO I WOULD NOT INCLUDING THIS ONE IN OUR DISCUSSION HERE, THE FEE THAT, UM, OFFER THE SERVICE IS INCLUDING THE BUDGET OF 20 MILLION TO OVER 150 PLUS MILLION.
THEY HAVE, UM, A SUPPORTIVE STAFF OF A FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT FROM A HUNDRED TO 350 PLUS THE CITY POPULATION WE'RE ALREADY BETWEEN 120,000 HALF A MILLION A MIX.
SO THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDED, INCLUDING, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL, AND MENTAL SERVICE, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH EVENT HERE, AND POLICY PROGRAMS, MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE SERVICES, AGING AND ELDER SERVICE, AND ALSO TO PROVIDE A SAFETY NET FOR OUR RESTAURANTS, FOR THEIR RESTAURANTS.
A COUPLE OF EXAMPLE, UM, NEXT, UH, THIS ON THE CITY OF PASADENA, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WHEN SERVICE LISTED AND NEXT IS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THAT'S OKAY.
UH, NEXT, SO WHAT'S THE PO, UH, WHAT'S THE POST FOR YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT? UH, THE CDC HAS A BETTER CONTROL MANAGE AND RESPOND TO REVENUE, LOCAL HEALTH ISSUES TO BETTER ASSIST, SUPPORT AND COORDINATE WITH THE CDC AND LOCAL COMMUNITY REGARDING TO A LOCAL HEALTH NEED SERVICE AND FIVE WAYS TO END THIS PRESENT PANDEMIC.
AND IN PREPARATION FOR FUTURE A BIT, THEN MAKE PANDEMIC AND MAJOR DISASTERS.
A THIRD IS TO IMPROVE BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WORKING WITH THE COUNTY STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOURTH IS TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN, UH, ADDITIONAL DIRECT REVENUE THROUGH GRANT FROM VARIOUS AGENCY OF THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL COMMON TO FUND OUR VARIOUS LOCAL PROGRAM AND TO FOCUS IN BUILDING THE CITY OF WEST COVINA IS SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO PLAY WORK, LIVE AND GROW GENERATION OF FAMILIES.
UH, THE CON OF COURSE, IS THE EXPANDING THE EXPENSE OF STARTING AND MAINTAINING.
UH, EXPANDING, UH, MAINTAINING A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A STAFFING ISSUE REQUIRING A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONALS, UH, EXPERTISE AND POTENTIAL NEGATIVE RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHEN THERE'S A, A WHISK ACTION THAT WE HAD TO BE TAKEN THE NEED TO KEEP THE CITY BUDGET NEUTRAL IN THE TIME OF LOSING REVENUE.
AND ALSO WE WOULD NEED A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO DEVELOP A FOOD SERVICE, LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A MIX.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT THROUGH LICENSING FEE AND PERMIT AND TAKE A LOOK AT A LOT OF THE CITY BUDGET.
THEY, INCLUDING FIVE, BUT HOPEFULLY, UH, RUN A GOOD DEPARTMENT.
YOU SHOULDN'T GET TOO MANY PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.
WE'D BE, UH, ASSESSING A FINE, BUT ANY TRANSFER TAXES GRANTS IS VERY IMPORTANT GRANT FROM VARIOUS COUNTY STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY, UH, DONATION FROM PHILANTHROPY AND NEXT, UM, FOUND THE OPTION ON ESTABLISHING A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN HAVE A FOOD SERVICE, A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LIKE THE THREE CD THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, INCLUDING PASADENA LONG BEACH AND BERKELEY, UH, AND ALL OTHERWISE THE BASIC LIMITED HEALTH DEPARTMENT MORE FOR ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.
UH, THE THIRD OPTION IS WE TRY TO NEGOTIATE CERTAIN AUTHORITY AND DUTY WITH THE LA COUNTY NIXON AND A POSSIBLE OPTION TO OPERATE.
THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS TO COMPLETE OUTSOURCED OUTSOURCING MODEL TO CONTROL COSTS AND EXPENSES, AND TO GUARANTEE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVIDED, UH, SECONDLY IS TO PARTIALLY OUTSOURCING WITH JUST THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT AND MAINTAIN A STAFF OF LOCAL SUPPORTIVE STAFF OR 30.
IT JUST SIMPLY CONTRACT FOR A HEALTH OFFICER AND CONSULTANT ONLY, UH, JUST SAY A COUPLE OF SLIDES AS THE EXAMPLE OF SAUDI FINANCIAL IS, UH, FORM.
UM, I THINK THIS IS WHAT IT'S FROM CITY OF PASADENA.
AND THE NEXT ONE IS FROM THE, UM, UH, CITY OF LONG BEACH,
[00:15:02]
UH, LONG, UH, PASADENA AND, UH, BERKELEY CITY OF BERKELEY IS ABOUT A SIMILAR SIZE AND EXPENSES.WELL, THIS THERE'S A, IN MY PRESENTATIONS, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL TRY TO ANSWER A QUICK BRIEF OVERVIEW.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, AND UH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
AS A, UH, HEALTH COMMISSIONER, WE KINDA APPOINT YOU TO HELP US TO SEE ANY OPTION.
AND THEN WE WENT OUT CURRENTLY, WE DEPEND ON THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW DOING DEAL WITH THE 11 MILLION POPULATION, WHICH HAS SUCH A VAST, HUGE DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND THE GEOGRAPHY DIFFERENT LOCATION.
AND, UM, MARCH TO THIS YEAR, ALMOST ONE YEARS.
SO FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WE DO EVERYTHING.
STAY IN COUNTRY REQUESTS, SHUT DOWN.
AND WE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET BETTER, BUT NOW CURRENTLY EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORST SITUATION AND ANY OTHER COUNTRY.
SO WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THE REASON YOU HEAR IS WE TRY TO HELP OUT A COUNTY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER OPTION TO HELP US TO GET LOCAL DATA, LOCAL HOSPITAL, A LOCAL, OKAY.
POLICY TO HELP TO GET RID OF THIS PANDEMIC.
BUT CURRENTLY WE SEE, WE ONLY HOPE IS A VACCINE.
IF THAT REALLY BECOME ANOTHER STRING OF A VIRUS COMING IN, WHAT HAPPENED TO US? ARE WE GOING TO SHUT DOWN THE BUSINESS? SO, SO THE POINT IS, OKAY, WHAT IS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL FOR SUCH A LONG, 40 YEARS? OKAY.
WHY YOU SEE, OKAY, WHY YOU CAN HELP US? I THINK IT'S VERY SIMPLE, UH, HOW REALISTIC WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
HOW SOON WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE, OUR COMMUNITY AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS PEOPLE WONDERING HOW ABOUT THE BUDGET, HOW MUCH IT WILL COST? BECAUSE WE EVERYBODY KNOW WE CURRENTLY ARE NUMBER NINE BASED ON THE HOT STATE, ALL THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO HOW WE CAN PAY FOR SOMETHING.
SO YOU NEED TO TELL US OKAY, HOW WE CAN MAKE THESE THINGS SO WE CAN TELL THE PUBLIC THAT IS TO ABOUT BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO COST US.
SO WOULD YOU PLEASE ANSWER A COUPLE OF THOSE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
IS THERE A WIDE RANGE OF QUESTION HERE? SO LET ME FIRST, UH, UH, DISCUSSING WELL IS ALWAYS, WE NEED TO LOOK FOR AN ATTORNEY FIRM MODEL.
THE PERSON MODEL IS NOT POVERTY, QUITE HELPFUL TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S A COMMUNICATION GAP.
UH, SO WHAT DO WE NEED, IF YOU HAVE A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LIKE PASADENA LONG BEACH, THEY ALREADY PROVIDING THE VACCINE TO THE HOSPITAL, TO THE RESIDENTS AND SO FORTH.
LIKE LAST SATURDAY, THEY'RE ALREADY PROVIDING A VACCINE TO ALL THE 65 AND IN LONG BEACH, PASADENA IS COMING UP.
UH, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ALLOCATION OF VACCINE AND TESTING AND SO FORTH.
SO, UH, THAT IS MORE RESPOND TO THE LOCAL NEED COUNTY SOMETIMES WHY THEY OVERLOAD INTO A BAD JOB BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES THEY CAN HELP, THEY CAN DO A BETTER JOB.
UM, SO MANY IS IF WE WANT TO DO A, UM, A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND IT? SO, UH, I THINK WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO DO IS AN OUTSOURCING MODEL.
SO BECAUSE FIRST WE NEED TO KEEP OUR CITY BUDGET NEUTRAL.
UH, WE READ THE ONE TO TRAIN THE GENERAL FUND HERE IN THE CITY.
SO HOW WE CAN DO IT IS THAT WE HADN'T TRANSFERRED THE TAX THAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING TO THE LA COUNTY, UH, BACK TO THE CITY OF, UH, WEST COVINA AND THEN THROUGH THE PERMANENT LICENSING AND SO FORTH WHERE TO TRY TO WORK BUDGET.
AND MAYBE I THINK ULTIMATELY IS WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CDS, INFORMALLY COALITIONS, SO WE CAN GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO DO A GOOD JOB.
WE WANT TO FORM A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO DO A GOOD JOB.
WE DON'T WANT TO DO A MEDIA, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT.
AND YET WE WANT TO HAVE A COALITION OF CITY THAT ABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPOND BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BECAUSE EACH CITY IN THIS AREA IS VERY UNIQUE AND WAY DIFFERENT.
UH, SO THROUGH THE POOLING OF RESOURCES AND THIS, I THINK IT CAN HAPPEN.
AND THEN THE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OUTSOURCING, WE WANTED TO KEEP A BUDGET NEUTRAL DEPARTMENT.
WE WANT TO HAVE THE COALITION OF CITY THAT ABLE TO HAVE THE OWN LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ PHONE, IF SO WE WOULD NEED HER TO MUTE HER COMPUTER SO THAT SHE CAN HEAR COUNCILMAN DIAZ.
CAN YOU CONFIRM
[00:20:01]
YOU WANT TO KEEP THE CITY, UH, NEUTRAL.SO WHATEVER FUND WE HAVE THROUGH THE SHARING RESOURCES WITH OUR NEIGHBORING CITY, WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN BASICALLY.
AND WE CAN GO THROUGH A MATHEMATIC MODEL TO LOOK AT IT BEFORE WE TAKE ANY ACTIONS.
AND SO BASAL YOU SAY, WE DON'T COME TO TOUCH OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
IT WILL BE COMING FROM THE STATE AND THE OKAY.
BECAUSE ALL OTHER CITY I TALKED TO LAST YEAR, ALL THE SURROUNDING CT, EVERYBODY WANTED TO JOIN BECAUSE THERE'S A, WHAT THEY WORRY BECAUSE NOBODY SEE THE END GAME CURRENTLY.
AND SO WHILE WE CAN DO, UH, HAVE ANOTHER OPTION TO TRY TO HELP TO SAVE LIVES AND SAY THE FUTURE.
SO, SO THIS IS WHAT IS ABOUT TO SEE, OKAY.
MAKE THE THING HAPPEN TO SHOW.
AND SECOND THING ABOUT HOW ABOUT YOUR COSTS.
HOW MUCH WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND YOU TOLD US WE, WE BASICALLY DO THIS OUTSOURCING.
AND SO MEANING NO CALLS AND COORDINATE YOU, HOW YOU'RE DOING IS NO COST TO US.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS MY PASSION, AS I SAY, I HAVE A COVID-19 SURVIVOR, I'LL TELL THE CHILD IN ICU.
AND AFTER THE BREACH OF PROTECTION, SAFETY PROTOCOL IN THE FACILITY, THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN EXPOSED.
SO I REALLY HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND IS FOR THE FUTURE TO COME AND WITH THE CITY AND ALL THE CITY WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS, THEY NEED TO TAKE PREPARATION IN PREPARATION FOR IT.
SO AS FAR AS THE COST IS CONCERNED, FIRST THAT WE HAD TO SET UP A CONCEPT.
WE ALL KNOW WE WANT TO KEEP THE CITY HOME.
JUST LIKE WHEN I DO THE PROJECT, NOAH, I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT FOR A HOSPITAL TO CHAIN THE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL CITY FUND.
WE DO WANT TO DO A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SELL, SUSTAINING WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CITY FUND.
OF COURSE YOU HAVE PERMIT, YOU HAVE, UH, LICENSING AND SO FORTH.
THAT'S THE ONLY SMALL AMONG OF THE OPERATION FOR THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THREE CITY, UH, THEY'RE MOST INCOME IS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL, ALL THIS PROGRAM, HEALTH CLINIC, AND SO FORTH, THE RPO, MEDICARE, THEY BUILT A NUMBER OF REVENUE THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GENERATE.
90% OF THE INCOME IS NOT FROM THE LICENSING FEE AND FIRE AND NOT ADVERTISING IS ONLY A SMALL PERCENT, BUT WHERE THEY START SMALL.
AND WE HAD TO START SOMEWHERE IN PREPARATION, OR THESE THREE CITY IS ALWAYS CENTURY OLD AND THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A LOT OF SERVICE.
THEY REALLY SERVE AS A SAFETY NET FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, SO I WILL KEEP OUR COUNCIL CALL.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.
SO MY LAST QUESTION OR SOME PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE IT DOESN'T COST US.
AND PRODUCING AND THE HELP OUR COMMUNITY WITH HOUSE CONCEPT AT THE SAME TIME, SET UP THIS THING AND TO HAVE ALL THE CD TO JOIN US.
WE CAN THIS MAKE A DISTINCT HAPPEN? SO MEANING WE, I KNOW NOW THIS GUY GOING TO OUR GENERAL FUND EVENT, THE FUTURE AND THE HOW OF A HOUSE, SO WE CAN MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.
WELL, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE CONTRACT, UH, SHOW, UH, WITH LA COUNTY.
SO, UH, ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACT, UH, AND THE SAME WITH ALL THE CITY, YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE LA COUNTY A NOTICE FIRST YEAR TO APPOINT A HEALTH OFFICER FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN, UH, YOU PLAN THE WAY IT LOOKS.
THE PROBABLY MORE LIKELY IT WILL BE 20, 21 BEFORE 2022, BEFORE ANYTHING WOULD HAPPEN, BUT IT TAKE TIME TO PREPARE.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU NEED TO HIRE STAFFING SALARIES DEPARTMENT, DO A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, UH, AND MAYBE GET OTHER CDS JOIN AS A COALITION, UH, THAT, THAT WE CAN SHARE THE RESOURCE TOGETHER TO MAKE A VERY WELL RUN A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EARLY, UH, PROBABLY MIDDLE OF, UH, UH, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 22, BUT YOU HAD TO APPOINT A CD.
SO YOU CAN BASICALLY ACTUALLY ESTABLISH A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
AND IN THE PROCESS THOUGHT PROCESSING SOME, UH, APPLICATION FOR DIFFERENT AGENCY WITHOUT THE FULL AUTHORITY.
SAVE LIVES, HOW TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE.
WITH THIS, BECAUSE WE SAVE A LOT, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONIES, ALMOST SEVEN 80% TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND NOW THIS VIRUS KIND OF WIPERS OUT, WIPE OUT BUSINESS EDUCATION, AND EVERYBODY HAVE TO SAFER AT HOME.
AND EVERYBODY'S BASICALLY STUCK.
WE ONLY WENT OUT, DEPEND ON COUNTY TO ALLOW US TO DO ANYTHING.
SO THE LOCAL DATA, LOCAL, SOME LOCAL POLICY IS SO IMPORTANT TO KIND OF, TO SEE WHAT'S ALWAYS COINCIDENCE BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA DATA.
AND WE DON'T EVEN ALLOW TO GET THE HOSPITAL OKAY.
[00:25:01]
A LOT OF ISSUE, WE, AS LONG AS WE WANT TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE IT.SO, SO THIS IS WHAT I THINKING ABOUT THE LOCAL WITH A LOCAL OKAY.
AND A COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT AND TO KIND OF, UH, HAVE US HAVE EASY THE WAY TO CAN KIND OF, UH, OKAY.
ECONOMY AND, UH, HAVE A SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND TO HAVE OUR EDUCATION, OUR CHILDREN, OKAY.
TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THE WHY, WHY HE IS OKAY, THE CHILDREN STILL STUCK AT HOME.
WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE A GENERATION.
I THINK THIS IS ALL THE PASSION FOR OUR COUNCIL.
BUT OTHERWISE WE SIT OVER HERE.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU NOW.
AND, UH, I JUST WONDER THE LAWS I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU IS I, LAST YEAR I TALKED TO ALL THE SURROUNDING CITY NAME.
MAYOR, EVERYBODY WANTS TO JOIN.
EVERYBODY WANT, WE HAVE A KIND OF A LOCAL OKAY.
SO WE REALLY CAN HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH DATABASE UP.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN.
UM, SO TH THIS COALITION OF CITIES, UM, HOW, HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN LOS ANGELES COUNTY? THE COUNTY IS A COALITION OF CITIES.
SO HOW WOULD THIS, THE CHANGE, THESE A CONCEPTUAL.
SO WHAT HAPPENED? YOU LOOK AT THE MODEL AT THIS TIME.
UH, LOS ANGELES COUNTY HAS BEEN RUNNING THE, BASICALLY THE SHOWS FOR THE, ALL THE CITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIVIDED FIVE REGION.
BUT THERE'S REALLY TRULY, WHAT I FIND OUT IS FROM ALL THE DISCUSSION HERE IS THEY NEVER TALK TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY.
AND COMMUNITY ITSELF IS VERY CONFUSED.
IF THE CITY GOVERNMENT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW? SO WHAT THE CONCEPT IS, WE HAVE TO GIVE THE CONTROL BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
BY FIRST, THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME HIGHER ORGANIZATION DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE ABLE TO CON COMMUNICATE WITH EVEN LEVEL THIS COUNTY, THE STATE, THE FEDERAL, AND THE HOSPITAL.
IT'S JUST A, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN WHO WAS SAYING, THEY CANNOT EVEN GET DATA FROM THE HOSPITAL.
YOU RUN A CITY, ACTUALLY YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, JUST BECAUSE OF THE JURISDICTION HERE.
SO THE CONCEPT HERE IS, AND MAYBE THE LA COUNTY WOULD CHANGE THEIR MIND TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO EACH CITY.
SO IS TO SET UP A HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS EACH CITY.
IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN 50,000 POPULATION, IF NOT THERE THE CONTRACT WITH WEST COVINA TO SET UP A HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO FROM THERE, WE'LL HAVE A HEALTH OFFICER RESPONSIBLE TO THE CITY AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY EACH CITY INDIVIDUALLY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES WE CAN DEVELOP GIVEN PROGRAM.
EACH PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT WITHIN EACH CITY.
SOME MAY WANT SOMETHING ELSE, SOME MORE ASSAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, A CD OF WUHAN.
AND THEY HAVE ONLY 120 POPULATION AND THEY HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY, WHAT THEY GEAR TO IS FOR THE BUSINESS, FOR CERTIFYING MANUFACTURING AND OTHER THINGS, THEY NEED THAT RESPONSIVE OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PASS THROUGH ALL THIS REGULATIONS INSTEAD OF DEPENDING ON LA COUNTY.
UH, SO THAT'S WHAT THEIR NEED IS, HOW LEGAL THAT IS.
UM, I'M, I'M A QUESTION, BUT THAT'S UP TO A LEGAL PEOPLE, BUT FOR US IS, IS WE NEED THE IN EACH CITY DO NEED TO HAVE THE ONLY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO CANCEL THE CITY COUNCIL TO RESPOND TO THE LOCAL BUSINESS.
EVERY S EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA CAN GIVE VACCINE TO 65 AND ABOVE THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UH, MY SISTER, MY, UH, IN-LAWS IN TENNESSEE, THEY ALREADY HAVE GIVING ALL THE VACCINATIONS A FEW WEEKS AGO ALREADY.
AND HERE IN CANADA, WE STILL CANNOT GIVE THE VACCINATION UNTIL THE CANTY SUPERVISE.
THE
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF HEALTH, UH, PROVIDE THE HEALTHCARE WORKER THAT NEED THE VACCINE.
BUT ACCORDING TO A SURVEY, UCLA SURVEY, UH, BEFORE THE VACCINE, THERE'S ONLY 30% OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKER WILLING TO GET THE VACCINE.
AND FOR LOCAL, UH, HOSPITAL STATISTIC, UH, EMINENT HELP MAY HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE, BUT SOME OTHER SYSTEM I HEARD THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 60 TO 70% OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKER WILLING TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE.
BUT NOW YOU'RE HOLDING A BUNCH OF VACCINES THERE AND NOBODY WANTED TO TAKE IT, AND YET YOU'RE HOLDING IT.
[00:30:01]
IT TAKES A EXECUTIVE ORDER TO RELEASE IT.SO THE SAME THING WITH EACH LOCAL CITY, YOU DO, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE HELL OFFICER WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO COME UP WITH AN EQUITABLE PLAN FOR THE LOCAL AREA.
LOOK AT CITY OF LONG BEACH, THEY RECEIVED THEIR LOCATION.
WE GIVE IT TO A HOSPITAL RIGHT AWAY.
THEY GIVE IT TO A LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENT RIGHT AWAY.
NOW, LAST SATURDAY
SO I THINK IT'S MORE THAN RESPONSIVE TO THE EACH LOCAL CITY.
SO THE CITY COUNCIL IN SOLVER, BECAUSE YOU ARE ULTIMATELY, YOU ARE THE GOVERNING PARTY.
YOU NEED TO BE DIRECTION FOR THE CITY.
AND IF YOU HAVE THAT TOO, TO WORK WITH IS A LOT EASIER.
THAT'S WHY THIS TO HAVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT, THIS COMMUNICATION SOMEWHAT FAIL.
THEY REALLY DIDN'T TALK DIRECTLY TO ECD.
THEY SHOULD, WE HAVE A DIRECT CHANNEL TO THE CITY.
COUNCIL IS IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON, UPDATE YOU JUST LIKE IT SAYS THE CDC OR THE INFECTIOUS PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A WEEKLY, WEEKLY TAVI CONFERENCE FORUM, TELEPHONE UPDATE, ALL THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND SO EVERYBODY UP TO DATE, BUT SO FAR, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY COMMUNICATION HERE IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
NO, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE NEWS REPORT, THE NEWS CONFERENCE AND SO FORTH.
AND THAT'S REALLY NOT THE RIGHT COMMUNICATION FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
SO, BUT OF COURSE THERE ARE ALL, THESE ARE LEARNING.
SO WE ARE THE ONE FORM OR THE OTHER, WE HAVE TO START TAKING ACTION TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THERE'S A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR WHETHER WE HAD TO WORK WITH LA COUNTY TO, HEY, LET'S DEVELOP A NETWORK OF THINGS THAT WE CAN NATURALLY COMMUNICATE AND RESPOND DIRECTLY TO LOCAL DDS.
SO, SO ARE THERE ANY, OH YEAH.
SO, SO ARE THERE ANY OF THE, I GUESS, RECOMMENDATIONS IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, MASK WEARING SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, NO, NO, UH, YOUTH SPORTS RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT, THAT THE COUNTY HAS PUT IN PLACE FOR, FOR ALL OF THE CITIES THAT ARE PART OF THIS COALITION CALLED LA COUNTY, UH, THAT, THAT YOU, YOU WOULD FEEL WAS, HEY, THAT, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, IN A COMMUNITY LIKE WEST COVINA, THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A POOR, RIGHT.
W WE SHOULDN'T MAYBE HAVE MASK POLICY IN WEST COVINA VERSUS AN ALMANI OR MAYBE THEY SHOULD, I GUESS I'M JUST, I'M JUST CONFUSED AS TO WHAT DIRECTION OR WHAT WAS PROJECTED BY THE COUNTY THAT APPLIED TO CERTAIN CITIES IN LA COUNTY THAT WE WOULD SAY, YES, THAT WAS THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT HERE IN WEST COVINA, IT WASN'T THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BECAUSE THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT WE, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, BORDERS ARE, YOU KNOW, DON'T REALLY EXIST, RIGHT? SO THAT WE SAY, ONCE YOU CROSS OVER, THIS IS WEST COVINA.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FREE FLOW, RIGHT? THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AT, YOU KNOW, ANNA'S PIZZA ARE FAR USED TO JOIN.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY LIVE IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND THEY'RE BEING, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPOSED TO COVID AND THEY RETURN TO THEIR CITIES, AND I'M KIND OF THINKING OF, UH, HIGHER DENSITY CITIES, CITIES THAT ARE CLOSER TO, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, FREEWAYS AND THOSE KINDS OF TOXINS, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT HAVE CREATED, YOU KNOW, HIGHER, HIGHER CASES OF, UH, ASTHMA AND LUGGED LUNG DISEASE THAT ARE RIGHT.
MORE IMPACTED BY, BY THINGS LIKE COVID.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE A SOCIETY.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS FIRST OFF, WHAT DIRECTION IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH COVID, WOULD YOU SAY YOU DISAGREE WITH THAT? WE GOT FROM THE COUNTY, UM, AND THEN WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE DO CONSIDERING WE DON'T LIVE ISOLATED, RIGHT? THAT A LOT OF THE EMPLOYEES, A LOT OF THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY OF WEST COVINA ACTUALLY LIVE OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY.
AND MANY OF THEM, ESPECIALLY IN, IN A LOT OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE SAY IN OUR GROCERY STORES OR WHO, WHO WORK IN THE KITCHENS OF OUR RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED, THEY LIVE IN, UM, YOU KNOW, HIGHER DENSITY, LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES, WHERE THEY HAVE WORSE HEALTH OUTCOMES.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO, TO THINK ABOUT, RIGHT.
ARE WE TRYING TO, ARE WE TRYING TO ISOLATE CERTAIN COMMUNITIES BASED ON CAUSE, CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S GREATER WEALTH AND
[00:35:01]
THEREFORE THE COVID IS NOT BEING TAKEN BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE CAPABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, WORK FROM HOME WORK REMOTELY.SO I WOULD LIKE YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS.
NO, I THINK I CAN, I, CAN I, CAN I SAY SOMETHING QUICKLY, TOO? OKAY.
I KNOW I LISTEN TO WHAT YOU SAY.
UH, LET ME, BEFORE HE ANSWER, I WANT YOU TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHY WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU SEE PASADENA IS THE LONG BEACH.
THEY GET THE VACCINE ADVOCATE TEST CENTER, AND WE ARE 120,000 POPULATION PICK CT.
YOU HAVE A POMONA, A PIG, CT, YOU HAVE A MOUNTIE, A SIM SIMILAR SIZE OF CT AND YOUR POTS THAT YOU NOW HAVE THEIR OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
TELL ME COUNTY, GIVE US ANYTHING.
COUNTY TWO, WE GIVE A TEST CENTER IN WEST COVINA.
DO WE HAVE A VACCINATION CENTER IN WEST COVINA? DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, MONTE JUST, OH, OKAY.
AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN ANOTHER TWO AND THEY ARE GOOD TO KEEP THEM THERE.
OH, A MOUNTAIN WEST COVINA, A HUNDRED HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION.
IF WE HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT WE WERE REQUESTS, WHO'S GOING TO COME TO US SO WE CAN SAY, OKAY, GIVE OUR RESIDENTS THE TAXPAYER, THE PEGS, THE CENTEX, LIKE EL MONTE.
BUT WHY WAS COVINA HAVE FUCKING NOTHING? WELL, I, I GUESS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, BEING THIS MY FIRST, UH, PUBLIC MEANING, UH, I, I W I WOULD HOLD MY ON THE COUNCIL ACCOUNTABLE, YOU KNOW, W WHAT KIND OF OUTREACH HAVE I BEEN DOING TO, UH, SUPERVISORS? UM, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF PUSH HAVE I BEEN, HAVE WE AS A CITY? I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND W YOU KNOW, UM, WE JUST HAD A FOOD DRIVE, UH, HERE AT THE CITY HALL, WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, BUT THAT WAS OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR FIRST, UH, FOOD DRIVE THAT, THAT, THAT WAS SET UP, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I, UH, OUTREACH TO, TO THE COUNTY.
I UNDERSTOOD IT COMES OFF FOR FIVE YEARS.
UH, THE SUPERVISOR HILDA, I WAS OKAY ON KISSING.
SHOULD WE NEED TO HELP OUT TOO, WHICH IS WHY HERE DOES SAY, WOULD YOU RECOGNIZE A SPEAKER LIKE TO FINISH? GO AHEAD.
UH, COUNCILMAN TABATA BY LET HIM CONTINUE AND THEN FINISH YOUR QUESTION.
LET HIM ANSWER THE QUESTION WE UNDERSTAND.
WHEN I PLAY ON THE COUNCIL, WE DIDN'T DO OUR JOB.
I'M GOING TO USE YOUR COUNSEL, PLEASE.
I MEAN, WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LET COUNCILMAN
AND IF YOU COULD ANSWER IT'S, LET'S LET, LET HIM COMPLETE IT.
UH, AS I WAS SAYING, UH, YOU KNOW WHAT, COUNCILMAN WILL GO AHEAD.
WELL, SO, SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO, MY QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE LIVE IN, IN, IN AN OPEN SOCIETY, RIGHT? AND SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE CLOSED BORDERS.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, AS, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A COALITION OF CITIES.
WELL, WE, WE, WE CURRENTLY ARE A COALITION OF CITIES IT'S CALLED LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
UH, AND, UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE COUNTY, YOU AS AN EXPERT, UM, W WHAT ARE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT, THAT YOU WOULD SAY, WELL, THO THOSE, THOSE WERE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR, MAYBE NOT FAR ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AGAIN, AS, AS A CITY, THAT IS PART OF THE COUNTY, AND THAT IS PART OF RIGHT.
FOLLOWING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, I THINK INTERNALLY TO W WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES AS A CITY, HOW WELL HAVE WE DONE IN, IN ENFORCING SOME OF THOSE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STARTING A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE PROACTIVE, YOU, YOU LOOK AT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT THESE OTHER HEALTH DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CREATED THEY'RE, THEY'RE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, AND THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES WITH A HUNDRED YEAR OLD ORGANIZATION.
AND SO WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING WELL WITH, WITH PUSHING VACCINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
100 YEARS OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, RIGHT.
[00:40:01]
EFFICIENCY, YOU KNOW, SO TO, TO ALSO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUT THE HAT ON, WELL, IF WE HAD OUR OWN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IT WOULD, IT WOULD RUN SMOOTHER.AND IS THERE A DIRECT QUESTION YOU'D LIKE TO ASK HIM, CAN YOU PLEASE GO DIRECTLY TO THE PART ABOUT THAT? SORRY.
SO JUST, UM, IS THERE ANY DISAGREEMENT, I GUESS, WITH WHAT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH LA COUNTY, UH, DEPARTMENT PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, RECOMMENDATION, THEY HAD WORDING MESS IS IMPORTANT.
SOCIAL FISCAL DISTANCING IS VERY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE BEST TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, THE ISSUE IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THOSE IS ISSUE IS REALLY NUMBER EASY.
FOR EXAMPLE, VACCINATIONS, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAY NO VACCINATION FOR 65 AND ABOVE, AND TAKE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO OVERRULE THAT RULES.
SO THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH OFFICER HAS TO DISCUSS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE A PLAN FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL CITY.
AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART, BUT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE NOT, YOU TAKE A POLL OF SUPERVISOR TO DETERMINE FOR HOW MANY CITY IN LOS ANGELES CAN WE COUNT THESE 11 MILLION PEOPLE WITH ONE HEALTH OFFICER, JUST REALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL NEED? UH, SO, AND ALL THIS INFECTIOUS DISEASE IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE IT BIG PART, BIG EFFECT AFFECT HEAVY PARTY IN THE, IN THE PLACES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PREVENTION PROGRAM NEED TO BE, UH, DONE.
UH, AND I'M NOT SURE THE COUNTY, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T REALLY WORKED WITH THE CITY HERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH EFFORT HAD BEEN PUTTING INTO LOCAL CITY LEVEL.
UH, AND FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE GRANT AND SO FORTH SUBSTANTIALLY FROM STATE, FEDERAL, AND ALL THESE TO RUN DIFFERENT PROGRAM GEARED TO YOUR LOCAL NEED.
THE COUNTY IN THE CENTER IS SO BIG.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES, BUT SOMETIME IT'S DIRECTLY JUST FOR EXAMPLE, SOME EXAMPLE, AT LEAST EARLIER TO ONE AREA IS NOT TO ANOTHER AREA, BUT IF YOU HAVE YOUR
SO, UH, AND THERE WILL BE IN A COST EFFECTIVE WAY.
WELL, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON, ON THAT QUESTION REGARDING JUST LOCAL, BUT TO KIND OF TOUCH ON THE POINT.
I DID REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY AND HAD A CONFERENCE CALL AND REQUESTED NOT ONLY A COVID SITE, UH, WHICH AS I UNDERSTAND IS BEING WORKED ON.
SO I DID DO THAT OUTREACH BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY A LACK OF, OF, OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY.
I ALSO REQUESTED A VACCINATION SITE.
I ALSO POINTED OUT TO THEM THAT, UM, THE WAY THIS ROLLOUT IS OCCURRING AND THEY AGREED IS DISASTROUS IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, IS THIS EFFICIENT EVIDENCED BY WHAT DR.
BAZELL JUST SAID AND WHAT THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS THAT EVEN THOUGH 65 AND OVER WAS AGREED TO AN ORDERED BY THE STATE, UH, YOU KNOW, A WEEK AGO OR OVER THE WEEKEND, WE WEREN'T READY.
UM, AND I POINTED OUT TO THEM, I MEAN, LET'S TAKE FLU VACCINES.
AS AN EXAMPLE, VACCINES ARE ADMINISTERED TO A POPULATION BY WAY OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PRIMARY CARE OFFICES, URGENT CARE OFFICES, HOSPITALS, PHARMACIES, FLU CLINICS IN EVERY WAY, SHAPE AND FORM.
AND NOW THOSE PARTIES, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE OMITTED FROM THIS PROCESS.
HOW IN THE WORLD ARE HOSPITALS BY THEMSELVES AND PHARMACIES GOING TO ROLL OUT THIS UNPRECEDENTED, THEN IT ACTION.
SO PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THAT AREA.
AND SO I DID REACH OUT AND THEY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE, BUT I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME WORK TO BE DONE THERE.
BUT BACK TO MY ORIGINAL POINT AND QUESTION TO YOU, DR.
BAZEL, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO MODIFY LOCAL HEALTH ORDINANCES TO OUR LOCAL NEEDS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY OR SOME FORM OF THAT? WELL, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEN YOU CAN SELL YOUR ORDINANCE ACCORDINGLY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE THE CALIFORNIA STATE HEALTH AND SAFETY SAFETY CODE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE LA COUNTY HEALTH ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THE CHECK WITH THE CITY HERE WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ANY CITY ORDINANCE, BUT YES, IF YOU HAVE A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, YOU'LL BE A LOT MORE RESPONSIVE TO WHAT YOUR NEED HERE.
DOESN'T NEED A COUNTY ORDINANCE TO GOVERN EVERYBODY THE SAME.
AND OF COURSE YOU WOULD NEED LEGAL COUNSEL TO MAKE SURE, OKAY, IT'S DONE PROPERLY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS, OKAY.
WELL, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND IF I'M SURE IF THE COUNCILS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THEY ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CALL YOU OR EMAIL YOU.
MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL YOSHI.
[1. Presentation by California Department of Food & Agriculture’s Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Division]
OH, THIS IS OUR NEXT[00:45:01]
PRESENTATION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE CITRUS VIDEO.MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M UNMOLD YOSHI WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE'S CITRUS PEST AND DISEASE PREVENTION DIVISION.
JOINING ME IN THIS PRESENTATION IS KEN PELLMAN PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU TODAY ON A CRUCIAL ISSUE OF THE STATE'S CITRUS INDUSTRY AND CENTRAL STREET OWNERS.
THE CITRUS PEST AND DISEASE PROBATION PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF THE DEADLY, SUCH AS DISEASE LONG, LONG BING OR HLB.
FOR SURE IT SHALL BE SPREAD BY A PAST TO NAME THE ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID OR ACP THE PAST, WHICH HAS BEEN FOUND THROUGHOUT THE STATE TRANSPORTS THE BACTERIA THAT CAUSES HLB, AS IT FEEDS ON HOST PLANTS, THE SALAD AND DISEASE THREATENED CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA'S 3.4 BILLION CITRUS INDUSTRY, AND IT'S 22,000 JOBS.
AND THE CITRUS TREES OWNED BY 60% OF CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS.
THE ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID OR ACP IS ABOUT ONE EIGHT OF AN INCH LONG ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF RICE AND FEEDS AT EIGHT 45 DEGREE ANGLE.
THE BEST WAY TO STOP THE SPREAD OF HIV IS TO SUPPRESS CELL POPULATIONS.
ONCE A TREE IS INFECTED WITH HLB, IT WILL DIE.
ALTHOUGH A DEATH SENTENCE FOR TREES, HLB WILL NOT HARM HUMAN OR ANIMALS, ALTHOUGH THE FRUIT WILL TASTE RANCID.
OTHER SYMPTOMS OF HLB ARE ASYMMETRICAL, YELLOW LEAVES, HORKEY VEINS AND SMALL MISSHAPEN FRUIT THAT DROPS PREMATURE TO DATE OVER 2200 CITRUS TREES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE INFECTED WITH HLB.
NONE OF THE INFECTED TREES WERE IN A COMMERCIAL GROW ONCE.
IDENTIFY INFECTED TREES ARE PROPERLY REMOVED BY CDFI.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE 1,536 SQUARE MILES.
EACH WILL BE QUARANTINE AREA OUTLINED IN BLUE CDFI, ROUTINELY SURVEY PROPERTIES.
FIRST CONTACTING PROPERTY OWNERS.
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A PROPERTY IS NECESSARY.
STAFF WILL SEND PLANT SAMPLES TO THE CDFI LAB.
IF IT WILL BE SUSPECTED IF SAMPLES TEST POSITIVE FOR HLB CDFS STAFF REMOVES TREES AT NO COST, A PROPERTY OWNER.
IN ADDITION TO TREATMENTS, ANOTHER AVAILABLE TOOL TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF PSYLLIDS IS THE INTRODUCTION OF A BENEFICIAL WEST CALLED TAMARIXIA.
THIS WAS, IS NOT HARMFUL TO HUMANS OR PETS, BUT IS A NATURAL PREDATOR OF THE ASIAN CITRUS PSYLLID.
ALTHOUGH THE TAMARIXIA IS NOT A STANDALONE SOLUTION, IT HELPS LOWER ACP POPULATIONS.
ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO EACH LB.
THE RESEARCHERS AT UC RIVERSIDE ARE INVESTIGATING THE USE OF PEPTIDES FOUND IN THE AUSTRALIAN FINGER LINE AS A POTENTIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE IT MADE HAY.
IT MAY BE YEARS BEFORE THIS POTENTIAL TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE.
WE ARE ASKING GROWERS AND HOMEOWNERS TO REMAIN VIGILANT, TO CONTINUE PROTECTING THEIR CITRUS TREES.
ALTHOUGH CDF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITRUS PEST AND DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM.
THERE ARE MANY PARTNERS INVOLVED, INCLUDING FEDERAL STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, GROWERS, AND OTHER INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.
AND OF COURSE, SUCH AS THREE WINNERS, I WILL NOW TURN TO KEN PELLMAN FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE TO TOUCH ON HIS ROLE.
UH, THE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVERAL THINGS RELATED TO AGRICULTURE WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS, UH, WE SCREEN FOR INSECT PESTS AND PLANT DISEASES, UM, TO PREVENT THE SPREAD FROM COMING INTO THE COUNTY OR LEAVING THE COUNTY AND BEING SENT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO WE'RE INVOLVED IN THAT AND WE DO INSPECTIONS AND SHIPPING CENTERS, NURSERIES, UH, CERTIFIED FARMER'S MARKETS, UM,
[00:50:01]
CITRUS PRODUCERS, AND PACKERS, JUST ANYWHERE WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND, UH, PLANTS BEING SHIPPED.IN ADDITION, WE ARE ALSO, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS.
SO WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, A PRIVATE COMPANY AND DOING A TERMITE TENTING OF A HOUSE, OR WHETHER IT IS THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, UH, APPLYING LOCALLY, WE ARE, UH, INVOLVED IN MONITORING THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT SURE THE PESTICIDES ARE BEING APPLIED CORRECTLY AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE PROTECTIONS ARE BEING USED.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE AWARE THAT THEY SHOULD ONLY MOVE CITRUS FRUIT OFF THEIR PROPERTY.
IF IT HAS BEEN WASHED AND INSPECTED, UH, THE PSYLLIDS, UH, ARE, WILL BE ON LEAVES OR, UM, STEMS OR PARTS OF THE PLANT OTHER THAN THE FRUIT.
SO IT'S OKAY TO MOVE THE FRUIT.
IF THEY HAVE WASHED THE FRUIT, THEY'RE NOT TRANSPORTING LEAVES ARE NOT TRANSPORTING A WHOLE PLANT, UH, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, WE'RE ASKING THAT RESIDENTS TO HAVE CITRUS TREES INSPECT THEIR TREES MONTHLY, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE WATERING, PRUNING THE TREES, UH, WE ASKED THEM TO PLEASE COOPERATE WITH, UH, AGRICULTURAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE DOING THE INSPECTIONS AND, UH, THE ERADICATION EFFORTS, UH, SUCH OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO HAVE PROPER IDENTIFICATION.
THEY'RE ALMOST ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN UNIFORM.
UH, AND IT, THEY WOULD NEVER NEED TO GAIN ENTRY INTO THE RESIDENCE.
THEY WOULD WANT TO GO TO THE BACKYARD, MAYBE DEPENDING ON WHERE THE INDUSTRIES ARE.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE A KIND OF RESIDENCE WHERE THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAYBE A TOWNHOME OR SOMETHING, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO A CITRUS TREE WOULD BE GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE.
THAT'S AN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT YOU'RE JUST NOT A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY SHOULD BE EXPECTING.
AND WE'RE MO MOST RESIDENTS WOULD BE EXPECTING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD WANT TO GAIN ENTRY TO THE HOUSE.
SO, UM, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS TO TREAT ACP THEMSELVES.
NOW THERE'S OVER THE, OVER THE COUNTER, UH, PESTICIDES FOR THAT, IF THEY'RE CONCERNED, BUT IF THEY ARE IN A TREATMENT AREA, IT'S UP TO THE, UH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST LET THE CDFI HANDLE IT.
UH, IT'S ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY THEIR OWN PESTICIDES.
UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN CALL IF THEY HAVE ANY CONCERNS, IF THEY THINK SOMETHING'S WRONG, I THINK THEIR TREE MIGHT BE INFECTED.
UH, THEY CAN CALL THE PEST HOTLINE.
THERE'S AN 800 NUMBER, IT'S 800 OR NINE ONE ONE EIGHT, NINE, NINE.
UH, THEY CAN ALSO CONTACT OUR OFFICE IS, UH, LOCALLY, UH, AT THAT (626) 575-5471 NUMBER.
WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE STATE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, THE CITRUS PEST AND DISEASE PROBATION PROGRAM CAN PROVIDE OFFICIALS WITH VIDEOS AND COLLATERAL MATERIALS, FREE OF CHARGE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THESE MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
WAS IT JUST THE VIDEO OR ARE THEY ALSO ONLINE TO ASK QUESTIONS? IT WAS JUST THE VIDEO DEAL.
SO THAT ENDS, UH, ALL THE PRESENTATIONS, UM, BEFORE MOVING TO ORAL COMMUNICATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN TONIGHT'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF GABRIELA ELIZABETH, THE HUDDLE PEREZ.
WIFE, DAUGHTER, SISTER, AND BEST FRIEND GABBY AND HER HUSBAND WERE VICTIMS OF A SENSELESS DRIVE BY SHOOTING.
GABBY HAD GOALS THAT EVERYBODY WISHES TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND SHE WAS ON THE RIGHT PATH GOALS TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS, RAISE A FAMILY AND SAVE LIVES.
GABBY WAS THE EPITOME OF A PERFECT WIFE, PUSHING HER HUSBAND TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF HIMSELF WHILE LOVING AND SUPPORTING HIM IN EVERYTHING HE DID.
GABBY WAS A PERFECT DAUGHTER, HAVING A BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH HER PARENTS, BROTHER AND GODSON.
GABBY WAS SELFLESS AND ONLY WANTED WHAT'S BEST FOR OTHERS WHILE PURSUING HER DREAMS. THE NAME GABRIELLA ELIZABETH
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - Five (5) minutes per speaker]
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO ORAL COMMUNICATION.IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, PLEASE FILL OUT A YELLOW SPEAKER CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
ADDITIONALLY, DUE TO THE CURRENT AND ONGOING PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE BEING ACCOMMODATED VIA TELEPHONE CALLS REQUESTS BY 5:30 PM.
ANY EMAILS RECEIVED BY 4:00 PM HAVE BEEN POSTED TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
[00:55:01]
ARE PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE TONIGHT? WE HAVE 12 SPEAKERS AND HOW SUDDEN WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR CALLERS.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS HERMAN FOLLOWED BY MIKE GREENSPAN FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATRAS.
SO ACTUALLY, UH, I HAVE SOMETHING FOR HERMAN, SO HI, HERMAN, HAPPY NEW YEAR.
HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH YOU BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I KNOW YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO LISTEN.
I CAN EASILY WALK AWAY, BUT, UH, WHILE YOU'RE SPEAKING, BUT I WANT TONIGHT, UM, I SEE HOW PASSIONATE YOU ARE.
AND I'M THOUGH I MAY AGREE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SAY IT WOULD BE A SHAME NOT TO HEAR YOUR MESSAGE.
UM, DUE TO THE FOUL LANGUAGE, WE DO HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE WATCHING THIS.
SO THE MINUTE THE F BOMBS START DROPPING, UM, QUICKLY TURNING OFF THE MIC, BUT I'M READY TO LISTEN.
AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE TO RESPECT THE CHAMBER.
SO THANK YOU AND WELCOME BACK.
AND YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO BEGIN RESIDENTS WEST COVINA.
DO YOU APPRECIATE THE CONTROL OF YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY? THERE ARE FIVE COUNTY BEES, MOMMY BEES THAT RUN THE SHOW REGARDING CONTROL OF VOID ADMINISTRATION FOR VACCINES.
BUT YET YOU SEE THAT YOUR BUSINESSES, YOUR SOCIAL LIFE AND ALL THE OTHER MATTERS THAT PERTAIN TO YOU.
HAVING A ENJOYABLE 2021 IS A APPREHENSION OF LIES.
SHALL WE HAVE A RIGHT TO THAT ACCOUNTABILITY, AS YOU HEARD THE ARGUMENT BETWEEN TONY WOO, MR. BRIAN, ARE YOU NOT SURPRISED? I'VE ALWAYS BEEN RIGHT CONSTITUTIONALLY TO PROTECT THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND NOT WHAT YOU HEAR, BUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BELIEVE, WHAT AMERICA'S ABOUT.
NOT THE 11 MILLION AMBER GRANTS TOLD TO COME BACK TO AMERICA, TAKE YOUR JOBS, FILL YOUR RENT CONTROL HOMES AND LEAVE YOU SLEEPING IN THE GODDAMN STREETS.
SO POLITICAL ARENA IS OFTEN ABUSIVE.
PUBLIC ISSUES SHOULD BE UNINHIBITED ROBUST, WIDE OPEN INCLUDE VM MEN, CAUSTIC, SHARP ATTACKS AGAINST THE VERY UNPLEASANT LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT VIOLATES YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT.
YOUR FOURTH AMENDMENT, YOUR 14TH AMENDMENT, YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT ON YOUR FIFTH AMENDMENT.
WHEN DOES IT END? WHY DO WE GET A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PROTECT OUR LIVING AND THE UNITED STATES FROM THESE LIES HILDA? SO LEASE NORI MARTINEZ AND ALL THE JACKASSES FROM THE STATE CAPITAL GAVIN NEWSOME, I'VE DONE NOTHING BUT LIGHT AND MISLED YOU ALONG.
WHAT THOSE OTHER TWO WITCHES FROM THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CHRISTINA, GOLLY, AND YOU BARBARA FOR ARE A WASTE OF MY FUCKING TIME.
CHINA'S ON AMERICAN AND NOT THE CLOCK.
THE MIC FOR THE OUTSIDE AUDIENCE.
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STOP STEALING OUR FUCKING MONEY.SO IF YOU CAN LIKE LANGUAGE LIKE GREENSPAN, I BLEND BUTT-KICKING FLORIDA GATOR, UM, AND WANT TO THANK THAT PASTOR FOR REMEMBERING JESUS.
IF HE HAD COME BACK IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, HE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN ANY CHRISTMAS DINNER AT HILTON ELISA'S KATHRYN BARGER OR JANICE HAHN'S JONATHON CLUB, BECAUSE HE'S JEWISH.
WE ONLY SERVE CHRISTMAS DINNER TO OUR CHRISTIAN MEMBERS AT THE JONATHON CLUB.
JUST THOUGHT I'D LET YOU KNOW NOW FOR ALL THOSE WHO ALWAYS ASK WHAT HE WOULD DO NOW.
I'VE GOT A KING JAMES COMPANION BIBLE AND MR. HERMAN APPARENTLY IS ON GOD'S SIDE.
WHEN TALKING ABOUT HOMOSEXUALS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WELL, LET'S GO TO THE BIBLE ABOUT IT.
I PUT ON MY READING GLASSES, 1822.
IT SAYS, UM, EXCUSE ME AS I, NEITHER SHELL.
IT SAYS IF A MAN ALSO LIE WITH MANKIND, AS HE LIES WITH A WOMAN, BOTH OF THEM SHOULD HAVE COMMITTED AN ABOMINATION.
THEY SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH.
THEIR BLOOD SHALL BE UPON THEM JUST FOR THAT CUB REPORTER WHO SEEMS TO HAVE BE AGAINST SCOTT.
WELL, MR. HERMAN ISN'T ANYWAY.
NOW WHAT'S A NICE CITY LIKE WEST COVINA DOING IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, THE COMPLETE ANTITHESIS OF THEM, GAVIN NEWSOME, WHERE YOU'RE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOB CREATION, ALL THE STUFF GAVIN NEWSOME HATES.
AND IF YOU LIKE THE WAY THAT THEY ARE DOING WITH THE HOMELESS ISSUE WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU'LL LOVE THE WAY THEY ARE DOING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
FOR THE, AFTER ALL, NORMALLY I WOULD BE AGAINST THE CITY HAVING A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH THOSE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WE HAVE, AND THEIR PENSION QUEENS AND KATHERINE BARKER SAYS, WELL, JUST HAVE THEM HAVE THEM GO ONLINE FOR THE PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER TO SIGN UP.
WELL, NOT EVERYBODY IS FULL OF PENSIONS.
THEY'RE NOT ALL PENSION QUEENS, LIKE THOSE FIVE ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NEW GOVERNOR DAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF GAVIN NEWSOME.
THE COMPLETE TOTAL ANTITHESIS OF WEST COVINA IS GOING TO BE NICE TO SEE HIM GO.
AFTER ALL GAVIN NEWSOME HAS DONE NOTHING EXCEPT GO OUT TO EAT.
WHEN WE HAVE TO STAY HOME TO HANG WITH LOBBYISTS.
WHEN WE HAVE TO SIT AT HOME, I THINK WE'RE TIRED OF GAVIN NEWSOME.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GET A BIG BAT WELFARE CHECK.
EVEN JOE BIDEN'S $2,000 WHOOP DE DO WELL.
THAT REALLY MAKE UP FOR THE LOST REVENUE.
IT'S TIME TO GET A NEW GOVERNOR.
GRAY DAVIS GOT RECALLED IN A SECOND TERM, BUT GAVIN NEWSOME, IF THE
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VOTERS APPROVE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE THREE QUARTERS OF A TERM AFTER ALL TONY, WU'S A GREAT SOUND BITE PERSON.ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL WELL.
AND IT'S TIME TO GET A GOVERNOR WHO WILL RESPOND AND LISTEN TO US.
AS I SAY, WHAT'S A NICE CITY LIKE WEST COVINA DOING IN A COUNTY LIKE LOS ANGELES, THAT HATES BUSINESS THAT WILL DESTROY JOBS, NOT CREATE THEM.
AND WHAT CAN I SAY THE BEST WAY WE DO IT? SIGN THE PETITION, GET RID OF THE GOVERNOR, GET A NEW GOVERNOR.
WHEN GOVERNOR ARNOLD CAME IN, PEOPLE GOT UPSET AT ME BECAUSE I VOTED FOR ARNOLD.
AND I SAID, WELL, PEOPLE WITH ACCENTS VOTE FOR PEOPLE WITH ACCENTS AND SOUTH GEORGIA LIKES PEOPLE FROM AUSTRIA.
THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE AFTER ALL GREAT DAVIS.
DOES ANYBODY GIVE HIM A JOB? DOES HE CARE ANY MONEY? NO.
GOOD FOR THE VOTERS IN CALIFORNIA.
NOW WE'LL DO THE SAME WITH GAVIN NEWSOME.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM GO AFTER ALL.
HE COULD SIT HOME AND PLAY WITH THIS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND GO ONLINE AND, AND EMAIL AUNT NANCY, NANCY PELOSI, AFTER ALL IT.
WASN'T THAT A GREAT JOB THAT HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON.
THE PROTEST, THE LEFT WING GOT A TASTE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE.
NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JERRY PATCHES FOLLOWED BY SPITFIRE RAMIREZ FOLLOWED BY MR. AARON PEREZ.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA NEIGHBORS.
WE WELCOME THE NEW CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE ENCOURAGED THAT THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO MEET AGAIN.
WE'RE ANXIOUS TO SEE HOW THE REACTIVATION OF THAT COMMITTEE UNFOLDS AND HOW IT WORKS.
WE'RE ALSO GLAD TO SEE A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE STATE AUDIT IS IN THE WORKS BEYOND THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
FURTHER TRANSPARENCY IS BADLY NEEDED.
WE ASKED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL LIMIT THE USE OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR TO ITS PARLIAMENTARY PURPOSE, APPROVING NON-CONTROVERSIAL ITEMS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE MUCH.
IF ANY DISCUSSION RESIDENTS NEED TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS.
THE RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CURRENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UNDER THE SECTION FOR QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS, THE MOST CURRENT FINANCIAL REPORT FOR WHICH THERE IS NOT A DEAD LINK IS DATED MARCH 31ST, 2018 FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT IS NEARLY TWO YEARS OLD.
PLEASE PROVIDE CURRENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO THE YOU SERVE.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH YOU TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. YOU CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
NEXT SPITFIRE RAMIREZ FOLLOWED BY MR. AARON PEREZ FOLLOWED BY MR. JIM.
GRIBBON HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE WELL-DESERVED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS TODAY.
I WANT TO START BY EXPOSING THE HORRIFIC ABUSES SUCH AS YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.
IN MOST OF YOUR SUPERIOR COURTS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, THE ABUSES INCLUDE THE DENIAL OF ACCESS INTO SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENTS THAT DENIAL TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, DENIAL TO HOMELESS WHO HAVE NO PHONE TO SCHEDULE A COURT APPOINTMENT AND DENIAL OF DUE PROCESS RIGHTS, THE DENIAL OF REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PRIVACY OR SOME DISCRETION AND MISINFORMING AND MISDIRECTING YOUTUBE BY SMALL CLAIMS, STAFF AND SUPERVISORS, DENIAL OF RECEIVING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS OF COURT DOCUMENTS AND THE DENIAL OF RECEIVING YOUR COURT DOCUMENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
YOUR COURT DOCUMENTS AND EVIDENCE BEING SUBMITTED BY MAIL INTO THE SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT GETS INTERCEPTED MISDIRECTED AND OR MISPLACED AND DELIBERATELY LOST, UH, TO THE NOT BEING SENT TO THE JUDGE AND WHO WILL NEVER SEES IT.
ARE THESE GANG STALKERS IN THE PASADENA COURTHOUSE? ABSOLUTELY.
THESE EVENTS HAVE HAPPENED TO ME AND OTHERS ALL AT THE DOOR BY THE NOTORIOUS INCOMPETENT IN EFFECTIVE AND INEPT SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.
THE PASADENA SUPERIOR COURT AT 300 EAST WALNUT STREET,
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PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, 91, ONE ZERO ONE AT THE SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT TO BEGIN ON JANUARY 13TH, 2021.I WENT TO MY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT AT 2:00 PM AT THE PASADENA COURTHOUSE, SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT WITH ANTHONY WINDOW, NUMBER THREE, A NICE LATINOS.
SO I THOUGHT AS IT WAS SCHEDULED BY ANTHONY, UM, ON JANUARY 12TH, 2021, WE HAD NO PROBLEMS AS I APPROACHED THE WINDOW.
NUMBER THREE, I WROTE IN A PIECE OF PAPER TO PLEASE DON'T SAY OUT LOUD AND WRITE ANY RESPONSES, PLEASE.
I WROTE DOWN THAT I NEEDED MY ENTIRE CASE SINCE MY COURT DOCUMENTS, ALONG WITH MY OTHER IMPORTANT BOOKS WERE STOLEN FROM ME AT THE, BEEN A STORAGE PLACE FOR THE HOMELESS IN UGLY JUNKIE, FILTHY SKID ROW.
AND THANKS TO OUR IN CORRUPTED, IN WICKED AND INHUMANE LA POLITICIANS, BOTH THE LA CITY AND THE LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UM, THEN ANTHONY READ THE PAPER AND I WROTE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT I NEEDED TO FILL OUT, HE WENT TO INQUIRE AND I NEEDED TO FILL OUT THREE LEGAL FORMS, WHICH I DID AND SUBMITTED TO HIM.
ANTHONY SAID THAT THAT WAS ALL THAT I NEEDED TO DO.
THEN I ASKED ANTHONY IF HE COULD SCHEDULE ME FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, HE SAID, YES.
I ASKED IF THAT FRIDAY IN THE AFTERNOON WAS TOO SOON.
SO WE SCHEDULED IT FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2021 AT 3:00 PM.
HE SAID, YOU'LL GET COPIES OF EVERYTHING.
MY RESERVATION NUMBER WAS TWO P AS IN PAUL, FIVE D AS IN DOG SIX ON JANUARY 15, 2021.
I ARRIVED MINISTRY FOR 3:00 PM MY SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT.
SO I THOUGHT BUT MUCH TO MY SHOCK AND HORROR.
I STOOD FIRST IN LINE AT THE PASADENA SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT.
I SAW, UM, ANTHONY GETTING UP AND LEAVING A CUBICLE WINDOW, NUMBER THREE AND ROSLYN ROSLYN, A LOVELY ASIAN FEMALE TOOK OVER.
THEN I WROTE ON A PIECE OF PAPER ONCE AGAIN, NOT TO SAY IT OUT LOUD AND WHO I WAS IN MY RESERVATION NUMBER AND MY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT.
IN MY CASE NUMBER, SHE LOOKED BAFFLED COULD NOT FIND ME ON THE COURT DOCKET.
AND SHE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO HELP ME OR SO WHAT, WHAT, SHE DIDN'T RUN THIS DOWN.
I THOUGHT THAT ANTHONY, THAT LATINO JACKASS BEFORE LEAVING AND WHO SAW ME BEFORE GOING ON HIS BREAK AND WOULD HAVE AT LEAST COMMUNICATED TO ROSLYN THAT I WAS TO SOLELY PICK UP MY COURT DOCUMENTS SINCE ALL MY PAPERWORK HAD BEEN SATISFIED YET, WHILE SHE COULDN'T FIND MY APPOINTMENT, NOR MAYA, UH, REQUESTED COURT DOCUMENTS.
SHE WENT TO GET A TALL BLACK FEMALE WITH A MASSIVE CHIP ON HER SHOULDER AND ALL TATTOOED.
SO THIS INDIVIDUAL CAME TO WINDOW.
NUMBER THREE, BEFORE SHE SPOKE.
I TOLD HER POLITELY, PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT.
THEN ONCE AGAIN, I WROTE ON A PIECE OF PAPER THAT I DIDN'T WANT HER TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.
COULD SHE WRITE IT DOWN? THEN SHE RUDELY AND LOVELY BLURTED OUT IN HER GHETTO, YOUR BIONICS, NO, I'M NOT GOING TO WRITE IT DOWN.
AND THEN SHE OUT LOUD, BROADCASTING IT WITH OUR BIG MOUTH.
UM, AND THEN I ASKED HER FOR HER NAME AND SHE OUT LOUD AND PATRONIZING ME SAID, DAWN ALEXANDER.
SHE WAS LOUD, OBSTREPEROUS AND OBNOXIOUS.
I GUESS THIS IS ALL YOU NEED TO WORK IN THE PASADENA SMALL CLAIMS DEPARTMENT.
I ASKED TO SPEAK TO HER SUPERVISOR.
AND I ASKED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ABOVE HER.
AND ONCE AGAIN SHE RETORTED AND HER VICIOUS MONOTONE.
I AM THE SUPERVISOR, THESE NASTY NIGGER CON SUPERVISOR, UH, CONTINUE PLEASE LANGUAGE PLEASE.
WHAT IS IT TODAY? AARON PEREZ FOLLOWED BY JIM.
MY WIFE IS GABRIELLA ELIZABETH.
WE WERE THE VICTIMS OF THE DRIVE-BY SHOOTING THAT OCCURRED JANUARY, 2021.
I'M SAT IN TO SAY THAT MY WIFE WAS SHOT AND MURDERED.
NO ONE DESERVES TO GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF PAIN.
NO ONE DESERVES TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSTANT LOOP OF A MOMENT.
DRIVING HOME, HEARING THE SOUND OF A GUN POP GLASS SHATTERING REALIZING MY WIFE AND I ARE BEING SHOT AT TRYING TO SAVE YOUR WIFE WHILE GOING INTO SURVIVAL MODE AND TRYING TO GET TO SAFETY.
THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE I DO NOT WISH ON ANYONE.
AND THIS ALL HAPPENED IN A CITY.
SHE HAD AN ENTIRE FUTURE AHEAD OF HER.
MY WIFE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF HER NURSING PROGRAM, WORKING TO SAVE LIVES.
WE WERE GOING ON OUR THIRD YEAR OF MARRIAGE, INVESTING ON BUYING A HOME AND WORKING TO START OUR OWN FAMILY.
THE SAME DREAMS THAT ALL OF US LISTENING WISH TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND THIS HAS ALL BEEN RIPPED FROM US.
NOW I'M AT THE EDGE, NOT SURE WHAT THE FUTURE HAS FOR ME, BUT I WILL FIGHT FOR WHAT IS GOOD.
AND WHAT'S LURKING OUR STREETS RIGHT NOW IS PURE EVIL.
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I WANT TO MAKE ONE THING CLEAR AS PEOPLE OF POWER.YOU CAN NOT CONTINUE TO LET THESE MONSTERS HAVE A FREE TICKET TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER WEST COVINA AND NEIGHBORING CITIES NEED TO JOIN TOGETHER AND STAND UP FOR WHAT'S AS SIMPLE AS WHAT'S RIGHT FROM WRONG.
SO WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT? HIS HEINOUS CRIME HAPPENED IN OUR CITY.
INNOCENT BLOOD WILL CONTINUE TO SHED IF CHANGE DOESN'T HAPPEN.
THIS ISN'T JUST A CITY OF WEST COVINA.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE COUNTY.
OUR CITY NEEDS TO BE PROACTIVE AND PUSH FOR CHANGE.
WE NEED TO TAKE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES BY FUNDING, THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ITS GANG ENHANCEMENTS.
PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY ARE SCARED TO GO OUTSIDE.
THIS ISN'T THE WEST COVINA THAT WE GREW UP IN.
THIS IS HELL'S GATES BEING OPENED.
GABBY'S NAME WILL NOT GO IN VAIN OR DREAM WAS TO SAVE LIVES AND I'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH HER LEGACY AND SAVE THE FUTURE LIVES.
AND WE'RE SO SORRY AGAIN, TO HEAR OUR CONDOLENCES.
GURVICH FOLLOWED BY BRIAN GUTIERREZ FOLLOWED BY ANGIE GILLIAM.
I'M PLEASED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AS CHOSEN TO PUT ON THE AGENDA, THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN, UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE CITY IS RESPONDING TO THE STATE AUDIT.
I'M ALSO PLEASED THAT THE CITY HAS CHOSEN TO S UH, PLAN A MEETING FOR THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE SO THAT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN YOUR CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.
I WANT TO REPEAT SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID THAT THE STATE IN THEIR AUDIT SAID THAT THE CITY HAS MISMANAGED ITS MONEY.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THE CITY CAN START CHANGING THAT AT THIS MEETING, THERE ARE FIVE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, THE SPEND NEW MONEY THAT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, EACH OF THOSE ITEMS WILL ADD TO THE DEFICIT SPENDING FOR THIS YEAR, PRECISELY THE ISSUE THAT THE STATE CALLED UNACCEPTABLE FINANCIAL BEHAVIOR.
I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO BE AWARE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.
THERE IS NOTHING IN THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR COUNCIL REPORT THAT SAYS THAT YOU'RE ADDING TO THE DEFICIT.
IN FACT, I REMEMBER AT THE LAST MEETING IN DECEMBER WHERE I SPOKE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT THEY HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE FINANCIAL PROBLEM OF THE CITY.
AT EACH TIME, THE CITY VOTES YOU VOTE TO, UH, SPEND MONEY.
YOU DON'T HAVE BUDGETED THAT IS DEFICIT SPENDING.
I HOPE THIS PROBLEM WILL CHANGE.
THERE ARE FIVE ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA THAT SPEND NEW MONEY.
THEY ARE ITEM NUMBER 18 CONSIDERATION OF BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR NECESSARY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF FIRE SERVICES.
ITEM 20 SHORT-TERM AGREEMENT FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, ITEM 22 INCREASE IN HOURLY RATE.
UH, I IN 25 CONSIDERATION OF, UH, UH, ADJUSTED PAY FOR ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR IN ITEM 28, UH, AMENDMENT TO THE WEST COAST ARBORISTS CONTRACT PER CITYWIDE SERVICES, THE TOTAL INCREASE IS ROUGHLY $2.8 MILLION.
ALL I'M ASKING FOR AT THIS MEETING IS THAT THOSE ITEMS WOULD BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR AND AT LEAST TALKED ABOUT, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY WOULD SPEND THAT KIND OF DEFICIT MONEY AND NOT EVEN MENTIONED IT.
THANK YOU, RYAN GUTIERREZ FOLLOWED BY ANGIE GILLINGHAM, FOLLOWED BY COLEEN ROSATI.
HELLO, UH, WILL BE BEFORE I BEGIN.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, QUICKLY, UH, QUICKLY COMMEND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, TONY WOOL AND, AND DAUGHTER TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LOOKING INTO AND DOING RESEARCH, UH, IN REGARDS TO DEVELOPING OUR RESPONSIBILITY PLAN FOR THE ALLIE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE LD WAS IS THAT, UH, WHEN THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE RESIDENTS WAS BECAUSE, UH, THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T ORDER FOLLOW BY, UH, THE COUNTY
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HEALTH DIRECTOR CONDUCTED AN ORDER, WHICH DID NOT CORN SIDE.AND I BELIEVE IN END OF THE DAY, GOT TO REMEMBER THAT THAT COULD HARM BUSINESSES BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT GENERAL FUND IS THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FUNDS COME FROM OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
BUT NEVERTHELESS, UH, HELLO, MY NAME IS BRIAN GUITARS.
I RAN FOR DISTRICT ONE AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE OVER 3000 VOTERS WHO CAST THEIR VOTE FOR ME.
I LIKE TO SHOW MY APPRECIATION FOR MAYOR, LET THE LOPEZ
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR VOTERS AND MAYOR, AND I PROMISE TO MAKE OUR RESIDENTS PROUD.
THANK YOU, ANGIE GILLINGHAM FOLLOWED BY CALLING ROSATI FOLLOWED BY DANNY DELOREAN.
I AM HERE TONIGHT TO INFORM AND EDUCATE THE MAYOR ON HER RECENT INTERVIEW.
UM, FED ON DECEMBER 15TH IN THE SAN GABRIEL TRIBUNE, WHEN SHE WAS ASKED, WHAT MAKES THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY SPECIAL AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO THE LITERACY PROGRAMS. FIRST, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS, THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, OR A VOLUNTEER GROUP MADE OF MOSTLY RESIDENTS FROM OUR CITY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE OF OUR MOST ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS WHO LIVES IN LA PONY.
THE GROUP WAS FORMED IN 1962 AND CONTINUES TODAY.
MANY ARE OUR MEMBERS SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS AND MORE THAN ONE COMMUNITY LED GROUP IN OUR CITY AT A TIME, THE COUNTY HAS 85 LIBRARIES IN TOTAL, AND WE ARE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY THAT SERVES, UM, 38,234 ACTIVE USERS.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL READING PROGRAMS ALL YEAR LONG FOR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN TO ENJOY THE LIBRARY AS CONCERTS AND ADULT ZOOMBA CLASSES, WHICH WERE WELL ATTENDED BY THE PUBLIC.
CURRENTLY, THE COUNCIL, THE LIBRARY HAS ADAPTED TO THE COVID SITUATION BY TURNING MANY OF THESE PROVIDED SERVICES TO ONLINE SERVICES.
THE LIBRARY ALSO SERVES THE PUBLIC AT FLU SEASON TIME WITH GIVING FLU SHOTS PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY AT ELECTION TIME, A DROP-OFF BOX IS PLACED FOR THE PUBLIC TO DROP OFF THEIR BALLOTS.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE WE'RE DYING, UH, AS YOU STATED IN THE PAPER AND BACK ON, UM, NOVEMBER 11TH, EXCUSE ME.
UH, NOVEMBER, 2011, THE FRIENDS AT THE LIBRARY WERE FIRST INFORMED OF A MEDICAL BUILDING DEVELOPMENT THAT THE THEN CITY COUNCIL HAD ENTERED INTO WHERE THE CITY OWNED THE PARKING LOT, ADJACENT TO THE LIBRARY, WHICH WAS GOING TO BE UP FOR SALE.
THEY OBJECTED TO THIS DEVELOPMENT AS IT WOULD CAUSE DISRUPTION, THE LIBRARY POPULATION, THE LOSS AND THE LOSS OF MATURE TREES WERE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY CAME TO THE COUNCIL AND RAISED CONCERN.
THEY CAUGHT THE INTENTION OF THIS AND SUPPORT OF THE WCIA, WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN HIRING A LAWYER AND ISSUED AN INJUNCTION TO ENSURE THE PROPER STEPS SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT DID NOT GO FORWARD AND WE HAVE OUR TREES TODAY BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDS.
I AM CONFUSED BY YOUR STATEMENT IN THE SAN GABRIEL TRIBUNE THAT YOU WISH FOR A HIGHER PURPOSE FOR THE LIBRARY.
MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO AFFORD FOR A HIGHER PURPOSE TO OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
WHEN WE RETURN, WE WOULD PROVIDE A TOUR THROUGH THE LIBRARY TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE MONEY RAISED THROUGH OUR BOOK.
SALES IS USED TO SUBSIDIZE AND PURCHASE COMPUTER DESK CHAIRS AND OTHER FURNITURE WHERE STUDENTS COME TO COMPLETE THEIR HOMEWORK ON A DAILY BASIS.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
THANK YOU, EILEEN ROSATI FOLLOWED BY DANNY.
DELARIO FOLLOWED BY DOMINIQUE GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE COLEEN ROSATI ELECTED CITY TREASURER, ALONG WITH PRESIDENT OF WEST COVINA.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE ISSUES.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA FOR COMING OUT AND HELPING US WITH THE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY TOUR, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAD CLOSE TO 8,000 FOLKS THAT WERE ENGAGED IN EITHER TAKING THE TOUR OR GIVING US FEEDBACK ON OUR THREE SITES AND VOTING JUST A QUICK LITTLE UPDATE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DIDN'T SEE THE FACEBOOK POST FIRST
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PACE WAS THETHAT WAS AT TWO 27 SOUTH LARK, ELLEN IN SECOND PLACE WAS THE DODGER BLUE HOUSE, WHICH WAS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN AT 26 OH ONE ALTAMIRA THIRD PLACE.
THERE WAS A TIE, THE REYES FAMILY THAT HAD THE CUTE LITTLE EMOJIS IN THE SLED ON CAMERON FLORES, FAMILY ON FERNWOOD WITH THE LITTLE CAROLERS.
AND OF COURSE THE BEAUTIFUL HOME OF THE FRANKLINS AT 27 35 SOUTH CITRUS AVENUE, UM, GOT AN HONORABLE MENTION.
WE HAVE HONORED THEM WITH RECOGNITION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, AND I THINK IT KIND OF CELEBRATED THE BEAUTY OF WEST COVINA.
ON ANOTHER NOTE, NORMALLY IN FEBRUARY, THE CITY HAS THEIR BIRTHDAY BASH.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE 97TH BIRTHDAY OF WEST COVINA, WHICH WAS INCORPORATED IN 1923.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS YEAR WEST COVINA WILL NOT BE HOLDING THE BIRTHDAY BASH, BUT WE WILL BE CELEBRATING IN, UH, IN OTHER WAYS, WE'RE GETTING CONTINUED TO DO THE BEAUTIFICATION AWARDS FOR BUSINESS, RESIDENTIAL AND ART AND PUBLIC PLACES.
AND WE'LL BE HONORING THOSE FOLKS IN FEBRUARY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A QUICK LITTLE UPDATE ON WHAT WEST COVINA BEAUTIFUL IS DOING.
WE CONTINUE TO BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE HERE IN THE CITY, AND I'M HONORED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THAT ORGANIZATION.
ON A SIDE NOTE, I'M ALSO YOUR ELECTED CITY TREASURER AND PROUD TO BE SO, AND THE COUNCIL, I'M SURE YOU MIGHT HAVE ALREADY NOTICED ON THE INVESTMENT REPORT, WHICH TONIGHT YOU HAVE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER'S REPORT.
AND I'M SURE YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT IN OUR LEAF ACCOUNT, THERE WAS A 67,570,000 AND CHANGE BALANCE.
NOT ONLY FOR OCTOBER BUT NOVEMBER.
I FOUND THIS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE THE BALANCE STAYED THE SAME.
DIDN'T CHANGE A PENNY, EVEN ON THE DECEMBER REPORT.
SO I DID ASK THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, HOW DID YOU MANAGE NOT TAPPING INTO THOSE FUNDS? AND SHE REPLIED WITH, SHE WAS ABLE TO PAY OUR BILLS WITH INCOME THAT HAD COME IN FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES.
SO I'M COMMENDING ROBIN FOR, FOR DOING THAT AND KEEPING THAT RESERVE AT THE 67,500,000.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LINE UNDER TOTAL INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT THAT AMOUNT IS OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN MY SEVEN YEARS AS YOUR ELECTED CITY TREASURER.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT BOTTOM LINE AS HIGH AS IT IS ON EACH OF THESE REPORTS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU HAVE THE BOND MEASURE FOR 2020, WHICH IS 16 MILLION THAT DOES REFLECT THAT AMOUNT TO CAUSE AN INCREASE ON THE REPORT.
THE INVESTMENT REPORT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TALK FAST.
THE INVESTMENT REPORT IS PRESENTED TONIGHT AND WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT NOVEMBER 30TH, THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO HAD A MARKET VALUE OF 76,997,000 AND CHANGE WITH A BOND RESERVE MARKET VALUE OF $23,000,078 OCTOBER.
THE INVESTMENT REPORT MARKET VALUE IS 79 MILLION, 670 WITH A BOND RESERVE OF A MARKET VALUE OF 23 MILLION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UH, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE AND FILE THE INVESTMENT PORT FOR THE END OF OCTOBER 31 AND THE END OF NOVEMBER 30TH.
YEAH, DANNY, DELARIO FOLLOWED BY DOMINIQUE FOLLOWED BY JAN.
THE HUDDLE, YOU WILL REMEMBER THE NAME.
MY NAME IS DANNY DATTO, PROBABLY BROTHER AND RESIDENT OF YOUR CITY OF WEST COVINA.
CALL ME SELFISH AND SAY WHAT YOU WILL, BUT I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE FACT THAT NO AMOUNT OF GOOD OR CHANGE RESULTING FROM MY ACTIONS AND MOVEMENT WILL BRING YOU BACK.
I WALK INTO YOUR HOUSE TO FAMILIAR SOUNDS AND VOICES, AND YET IT FEELS EMPTY NO MORE LATE NIGHT CONVERSATIONS, NO MORE LAUGHING, NO MORE SASS AND SMILES.
I WILL NOT SEE YOU AT FAMILY GATHERINGS.
YOU'RE PINNING CEREMONY TO DELIVERY OF YOUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILY GETAWAYS CALL ME SELFISH.
BUT THE TRUTH IS YOU WERE TAKEN FROM US AND NOTHING WILL BRING YOU BACK.
NONE OF YOU EXPERIENCED THIS EVIL THAT IS LURKING IN OUR STREETS.
AND IF THE ROLES ARE REVERSED, I HAVE NO DOUBT.
[01:30:01]
YOU WOULD HAVE BROKE, BUT YOU NEVER, YOU WOULD HAVE REMAINED POSITIVE.YOUR HEART, NEVER TAINTED YOUR FAITH ON QUESTIONED.
DO I BELIEVE IT WAS YOUR TIME? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
DO I BELIEVE THIS WAS GOD'S PLAN EXPLAINED TO ME HOW HE COULD CAUSE SO MUCH PAIN? DO I BELIEVE YOU WERE CHOSEN FOR A GREATER GOOD? DO NOT WANT TO BELIEVE IT, BUT YOU'VE GOT HIM HERE TO ME HERE TONIGHT.
SO I UNDERSTAND NOW MORE THAN EVER THE TRUTH BEHIND THAT STATEMENT.
MY SISTER BROTHER-IN-LAW FAMILY AND I ARE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, BUT SHE IS FUELING SOMETHING GREATER.
NOW WE NEED YOU TO USE YOUR PLATFORM AS CITY OFFICIALS, REPRESENTATIVE AND MAYOR WORK WITH THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, CREATE REFORM, PRESS TO COUNTY FOR MORE RESOURCES, MORE QUALIFIED OFFICERS, REINTRODUCTION OF GANG ENHANCEMENT.
BUT BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IN PLACE NOW DOES NOT WORK, CRIMINALS ARE NO LONGER AFRAID WHEN THEY'RE CAPTURED AND RELEASED THE SAME DAY.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING AND IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE WITH THE ADDITION OF GUEST GONE.
OUR FRIENDLY AS A FAMILY HAS BEEN VESTED IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA FOR 20 PLUS YEARS, WHERE WE PLAN TO RAISE OUR YOUTH.
WE SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR WEST COVINA PD.
AND MY SISTERS FIGHT TO COMBAT THE GANG VIOLENCE THAT IS NOW SPILLING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CHERISH EVERY MOMENT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES.
DOMINIQUE FOLLOWED BY PETER GN FOLLOWED BY STEVE BENNETT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY COUSIN, GABBY AND HER FAMILY AND I MYSELF, A FORMER COMMUNITY MEMBER OF WEST COVINA OR PROUD OF WHERE WE GREW UP IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS.
IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT GANG VIOLENCE IS ON THE RISE IN THE CITIES WE KNOW AND LOVE TONIGHT.
FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE GATHERED TO SEE TO IT THAT THE COUNCIL TAKE A APPROACH AND CREATING CHANGE FOR A BETTER FUTURE.
WE ADVOCATE FOR GABBY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES.
AND SO THAT NO OTHER FAMILY HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS TRAGEDY.
WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE AGENDIZE PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE NEXT MEETING AND COLLABORATE WITH SURROUNDING CITIES TO ADDRESS THE INCREASE IN SHOOTINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN LA COUNTY VOTERS HAVE SHOWN THEIR SUPPORT TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY AND WHAT THAT, AND WHAT THE NEWLY ELECTED DA AND THE PASSING OF MEASURE.
J IF WE DON'T GET ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES, THEN YOU WOULD BE FAILING YOUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE HEAR OUR VOICES TODAY AND SUPPORT US AND TAKING STEPS TOWARDS KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
THANK YOU, PETER GN FOLLOWED BY STEVE BENNETT, RIGHT? HELLO EVERYBODY.
I'M HERE TO MAKE A COMMENT TODAY.
UH, FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HAS MADE A COMMENT, ESPECIALLY BRIAN GUTIERREZ FOR COMING OUT FOR HIS FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT.
I REMEMBER WHEN I MADE MY FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT, I WAS PRETTY NERVOUS, BUT I'M GLAD THAT HE CAME OUT OF WHATEVER CITY HE LIVED IN TO MAKE A COMMENT HERE.
UH, SO TODAY MY QUESTION TO THIS COUNCIL AND MY ONGOING QUESTION TO THE COUNCIL ALWAYS IS WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES? WHEN I CAME INTO THIS MEETING, THE FIRST THING THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WAS A NEW, UM, YOU KNOW, A NEW LOCAL COUNTY, I MEAN A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR OUR CITY, RIGHT? AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, I CAN SEE THE ARGUMENT FOR THAT IN A LOT OF WAYS, I CAN SEE THE CONCERN ABOUT THE LA COUNTY, THE CONCERN ABOUT VACCINATION SITES, BUT IN A LOT OF WAYS IN MORE WAYS THAN THAT, I CAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WERE DOING THAT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE THAT ARE IN PAIN.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT ARE IN PAIN RIGHT NOW, AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THAT PAIN WITH, WITH ALL THESE POLITICAL CONVENIENCE, VIRTUE SIGNALING MO MOVEMENTS.
I RESPECT THAT BRIAN T IS ASKING QUESTIONS.
I DO NOT RESPECT THAT, THAT THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN OUR CITY, I DO NOT RESPECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, IT LOOKS LIKE A CLOWN SHOW.
YOU GUYS ARE ARGUING EACH OTHER OUT THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I, IF THIS ANTIQUE COUNTY SENTIMENT IS TRULY BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT OUR CITY WOULD DO BETTER OFF LOCALLY, WHY DID WE ENTERTAIN A CONVERSATION FOR SO LONG AND ARE STILL ENTERTAINING A CONVERSATION ABOUT LA COUNTY BEING TAKING OVER OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT? WHY AREN'T WE DOING THAT? I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE NO VACCINATION SITES IN THIS CITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ANTI COUNTY SENTIMENT IS VERY STRONG WITHIN THE CITY, BUT I CAN NOT GO ALONG WITH THIS SORT OF CONSPIRATORIAL MESSAGE THAT FOR SOME REASON, LA COUNTY IS AGAINST US.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD BE AGAINST US ON PURPOSE.
I REALLY, I CAN'T, I CAN'T, I CAN'T FATHOM THAT, THAT ARGUMENT OR THAT COMMENT AT ALL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUTSIDE GRIEVING AT CENSUS VIOLENCE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND, AND, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THEIR PAIN WHEN MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
BUT I CANNOT SIT OVER THERE AND, AND, AND LOOK AT PEOPLE, MAKING COMMENTS AND, AND THEIR PAIN, THEIR PAIN.
WE NEED TO EMPATHIZE WITH PAIN.
[01:35:01]
IF YOU'RE STILL RECORDING MY PUBLIC COMMENT, HELLO TO YOUR, TO YOUR VIDEO CAMERA, BUT I CANNOT SIT UP THERE AND NOT DENOUNCE THE WORDS THAT ARE BEING SAID, DON DID NOT DENOUNCE THE HATE SPEECH THAT IS BEING SAID, BUT THE HATE SPEECH COMES FROM TRUE PAIN.AND WE NEED TO, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, BUT THAT TRUE PAIN, IT CAN BE BLAMED ON DEMOCRATS.
YES, I MYSELF, DO NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT GAVIN NEWSOME AIDEN'S SIDE, WHILE HE, THE DEMOCRATS ARE TELLING US THAT WE CANNOT EAT INSIDE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE ANSWER IS NOT TO BLAME DEMOCRATS, NOT TO BLAME REPUBLICANS.
THE ANSWER IS TO TALK ABOUT THE SYSTEMS AND OUR LEADERS, EVEN ON A LOCAL LEVEL AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT DOING FOR US, AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT DOING FOR US IS ADDRESSING THE POVERTY THAT IS RISING UP IN THIS CITY.
WHAT THEY'RE NOT DOING FOR US IS ADDRESSING A VERY VALID CONCERNS IN THIS CITY ABOUT VIOLENCE, VERY VALID CONCERNS IN THIS CITY ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY AS WELL.
WHAT WE ARE DOING INSTEAD IS ENTERTAINING A CONVERSATION ABOUT A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT OUT OF A REACTION TO A PANDEMIC THAT PROBABLY WON'T BE HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF 2022.
SO THOSE THINGS AND CONNECTING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, I JUST DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
AND I SAW A MAN THAT COME UP HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S STILL SITTING HERE HOLDING THE BIBLE IN HIS HAND AND BRING OUT LEVITICUS, WHICH LEVITICUS A LOT OF CHRISTIAN PASTORS AND A LOT OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS.
THEY NOW DENOUNCED THAT ENTIRE CHAPTER.
UM, AND, AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CHRISTIANITY.
I WANT TO SAY THAT THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST TO ME IS NOT A MESSAGE OF HATE.
IT'S NOT A MESSAGE OF HATE SPEECH IS NOT A MESSAGE AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO ALL BE LIKE CHRISTIANS, LIKE JOHN BROWN ABOLITIONISTS, WHO BELIEVED THAT HIS GOAL BELIEVE THAT HIS MESSAGE FROM GOD WAS TO ABOLISH SLAVERY.
WE MUST BE LIKE THOSE CHRISTIANS.
WELL, WE CELEBRATED THE DAY YESTERDAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
THE PAIN IS REAL, BUT THE HATE SPEECH THAT COMES OUT OF THE PAIN SHOULD BE DENOUNCED.
WE NEED TO START TAKING PROACTIVE ACTION AND WE NEED TO NOT HAVE ACTIONS OF POLITICAL CONVENIENCE AND CREED.
THIS CITY HAS BECOME OVER POLARIZED.
THE CITY HAS BECOME A PARTISAN CESSPOOL AND THE PEOPLE THAT SUFFER THE MOST ARE ALWAYS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WHEN I WAS CANVASSING EVERY DAY WHEN I GO OUT AND I SEE PEOPLE AND OFTEN THERE WAS MY FAVORITE PART OF IT WAS SEEING PEOPLE'S LIVES AND SEEING POCKETS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.
WHEN I OPENED THEIR DOOR AND SEEING HOW HAPPY PEOPLE WERE TO BE IN THE CITY.
I WANT PEOPLE TO BE SAFE AS EVERYONE ELSE, BUT WHAT I WANT US TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE RIGHT THINGS.
I AGREE THAT SOME POLITICIANS ARE BAD, BUT I CAN NOT GO WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT IS AGAINST IMMIGRANTS TO GO WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT IS AGAINST PEOPLE.
THE ENEMY IS TO ME, THE ENEMY IS THE ALLOCATION OF WEALTH TO PEOPLE THAT DO NOT SERVE US.
THE ENEMY IS THAT WEALTH HAS INFILTRATED OUR, OUR POLITICS AND THE ENEMY, OUR LEADERS THAT SIMPLY DO NOT CARE FOR US.
SO TRULY PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH AND COMMIT TO IT.
DO NOT COMMIT TO A BLUE OR RED ARGUMENT, COMMIT TO AN ARGUMENT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE CARE FOR YOU, YOUR NEEDS, YOUR WELFARE AND CARE THAT YOU ARE LIVING ON THE STREET AND ARE FIGHTING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO OUR PHONE CALL MARK FIRST ONE OF THE YEAR.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO MY COMMENTS, I JUST, I KNOW THAT THE FAMILY OF GABBY HAS ALREADY LEFT.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY THAT, UM, WE MOURN WITH THEM.
AND, AND WE, UM, GRIEVE WITH THEM.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT, UH, WE CAN SAY TO TAKE THEIR PAIN OR THEIR, UM, THEIR EMOTIONS OR, OR THINGS AWAY.
AND, UH, AS A RESIDENT, LIFELONG RESIDENT MYSELF, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE, UH, TO GO THROUGH THAT.
SO I, UM, I EXPRESS MY CONDOLENCES TO THEM AS WELL.
AND THERE'LL BE HALF OF I'M SURE, MANY, MANY HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS THEY DO AS WELL ON A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER NOTE.
FIRST OF ALL, FIRST MEETING A YEAR WITH THIS MEETING SETS THE TONE FOR THE YEAR WE ARE IN FOR A FUN RIDE.
LET ME TELL YOU, UM, I, I ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS TO SAY, AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING INTENTLY AND I'M ONE WHO TENDS TO, UH, SPEAK MY MIND QUITE WELL.
AND EVEN I'M SITTING HERE KIND OF IN AWE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS, LADY ON ELEVATING THE MAYOR.
I KNOW IT'S A ROTATIONAL THING, BUT STILL CONGRATULATIONS.
DID I KNOW IT'S THE FIRST MEETING FOR YOU? UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, GINGER ELLIOTT FOR HER ELECTION AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A NEW COUNCIL AND, UM, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I RAN FOR A SEAT.
UM, AS LONG AS THE FIVE THAT ARE UP HERE ARE GOING TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN.
THERE'S A FEW THINGS ON THE AGENDA THAT MATTER.
UM, AT LEAST TO ME, UH, I AGREE WITH PETER.
I THINK THAT WE, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON.
UH, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME THINGS THAT, UM, WE DIFFER ON AND THAT'S OKAY.
I THINK I ENVISIONED, UM, SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY IN THE CITY.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS MEETING AGAIN THAT HAS BEEN, UH, LACKING AND THERE COULD BE ARGUMENT THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF COVID.
THERE COULD BE ARGUMENT THAT IT WAS FOR WHATEVER
[01:40:01]
OTHER REASON, UM, BUT IT'S, UM, REFRESHING TO SEE THAT THEY ARE MEETING AGAIN.UH, AND I HOPE THAT THEY MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS VIRTUALLY WE'RE AT A POINT NOW, UM, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE MEETINGS VIRTUALLY, AND WE'RE DOING THAT A LOT IN THE CITY.
AND I THINK THAT COMMITTEE CAN MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, I THINK IT WILL PROVIDE A LOT OF INSIGHT AS TO THINGS, UM, ON THE, UH, AMBULANCE SERVICE.
UH, I I'M ENCOURAGED THAT WE'RE TRYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, MYSELF AND MANY RESIDENTS HAVE, UH, EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO USE CARE INSTEAD OF OUR CURRENT AMBULANCE SERVICE.
I KNOW IT'S A TEMPORARY SYSTEM.
UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST COMING OUT OF THE FUND THAT WE DON'T HAVE AS JIM POINTED OUT.
I'M NOT A FAN OF DEFICIT SPENDING.
UM, WE HAVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I KNOW ONLY THREE OF YOU WERE PART OF THAT, THAT WE'VE DONE SOME DEFICIT SPENDING AND WE'VE MADE SOME BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT ARE AFFECTING US NEGATIVELY FINANCIALLY.
UM, AND, AND LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE SAID, I THINK THAT SOME OF THE, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT HOW IT'S BEEN BLAMED ON OTHER COUNCILS.
I THINK IF YOU READ THE, UM, STATE AUDIT, IT, IT ALSO SAYS CURRENT, UM, DECISIONS ARE MAKING IT WORSE.
SO I THINK THAT THE THERE'S EQUAL BLAME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I I'M ENCOURAGED BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE AMBULANCE SERVICE ACTUALLY COULD PROVE A POINT THAT WE CAN DO TO YOUR DISPATCHING, WHICH HAS BEEN AN IDEA ON THE TABLE FOR AWHILE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A WAY TO GO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BASIC LIFE SUPPORT AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT IN THE WAY OF AMBULANCES.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WE COULD SEE A FUTURE OF SAVING SOME MONEY.
SO I'M ENCOURAGED TO SEE IF THAT GOES, BUT LIKE I SAID, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE DEFICIT SPENDING OF THE GENERAL FUND, UM, ALL IN ALL, I, I PRETTY WELL WRAPS IT UP.
I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENTS PRETTY TAMED TONIGHT BECAUSE I LET'S FACE IT.
YOU GUYS HAVE HAD SOME GOOD ONES.
UM, AND, AND I, I'M DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO ADD TO THAT, THAT, UH, THAT FUN.
SO AGAIN, I WISH YOU GUYS THE BEST, UM, IT'S FIRST MEETING OF A NEW YEAR, FIRST MEETING WHEN NEW COUNSEL AND, UH, I'M OPTIMISTIC, BUT DON'T, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I WILL BE BACK UP HERE COMPLAINING IF I DON'T THINK YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.
SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS AT THE NEXT MEETING SMILE, CAUSE IT'S PROBABLY THE LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MARCIA SOLARIO.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY, COUNCIL, CITY, STAFF, AND RESIDENTS.
MY NAME IS MARCIA SOLORIO, 20 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA AND COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
I'M CALLING IN TONIGHT TO LOOSELY ADDRESS ITEM NUMBER 29 ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
FIRST, I WANT TO SAY WELCOME TO OUR NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU BOTH WHEN IT'S SAFE TO DO SO.
UM, SO ONTO MY TOPIC FOR LIKE MANY OF US, AS SOON AS I SEE THE AGENDA ALERT EMAIL, A QUICKLY CLICK THE LINK TO PERUSE THE ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED AS THEY MADE MY WAY DOWN THE LIST.
I WAS A BIT SURPRISED TO SEE ITEM NUMBER 29 CONSIDERATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE DECEMBER, 2020 STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT.
I FOUND THIS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE ALL THE VARIOUS ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO SCHEDULE A MEETING.
THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS NOT HAD A MEETING SINCE JUNE.
AND THIS MEANS THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THAT REPORT AND CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN BEFORE IT IS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO THIS NOW MAKES IT TWO RECENT AUDIT REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL BEFORE IT IS BROUGHT TO THE COMMITTEE.
AS I HAVE MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS COMMENTS, THE USUAL PROCESS IS THAT A REPORT IS FIRST PRESENTED TO AN AUDIT COMMITTEE, HAD BEEN PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
THIS PROVIDES COUNCIL AND THE RESIDENTS ASSURANCE THAT ANY MAJOR ISSUES OR FINDINGS TO BE ADDRESSED HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE COMMITTEE'S FEEDBACK.
WELL, WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, NO, BUT OUR COMMITTEE COVERS A WIDE SCOPE OF AREAS OF EXPERTISE WITHIN FINANCE AND AUDIT, READY TO ASSIST IN STEWARDSHIP OF THE CITY'S FINANCIAL AFFAIRS, AS STATED IN OUR RESOLUTION.
THEREFORE, TONIGHT, I WON'T COMMENT ON THE CAT BEING PROPOSED, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MANY COMMENTS, BUT HUMBLY REQUEST THAT MOVING FORWARD, CITY STAFF MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT POSSIBLE TO PRESENT ANY AUDIT REPORTS TO THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
FIRST, WE ARE HERE AND WILLING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL LUNA FOLLOWED BY CHRIS MILLER.
UH, WELL FIRST, FIRST OF ALL, A GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I PARTICIPATE, UM, IN COMMENTS SINCE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
SO THERE HASN'T BEEN THAT MANY MEETINGS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE NEWEST CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP.
UM, I SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY AGENDA ITEMS, UH, FOR YOU TO REVIEW.
[01:45:01]
UH, I, MYSELF, I'VE ALSO REVIEWED THE, UM, UH, STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT AND THEN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.UM, AND IT DOES, UH, IN READING IT AND HEARING THE DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE EARLIER, UH, ABOUT THE CITY ADOPTING A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT JUST, IT ONLY HIGHLIGHTS MORE CONCERNS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THE STATE AUDITOR MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS, UH, A LOT OF MISMANAGEMENT, UH, BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY GOVERNMENT IN ASSUMING THE CITY MANAGER INVOLVING PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING CONTRACTING IN PARTICULAR.
AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE, UH, MEDICAL ADVISOR IS TRYING TO SUGGEST THAT CONTRACT B, NOW THIS SERVICE IS WHAT'S GOING TO WORK, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT REALLY MAKES SENSE AT THIS MOMENT.
UM, I THINK, UH, I COMMEND, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER IT'S ABOUT TO BUY FOR QUESTIONING THAT DECISION OR QUESTIONING THE FACT THAT, UM, WHAT IS IT EXACTLY THAT, UM, UH, IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT OR BETTER? UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, I MEAN, I I'M, I WAS A BIT TAKEN ABACK BY COUNCIL MEMBER WU AND HIS DEFENSIVENESS AT THE QUESTIONING AND JUMPING IN BEFORE THE, THE, THE, UM, UH, SPEAKER WAS, WAS ABLE TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM THAT IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF GRAND STANDING.
IT'S A LOT OF, UH, THESE ARGUMENTS THAT ARE RAISED TO, UH, GIVE PEOPLE FALSE HOPE TO DISTRACT PEOPLE.
UH, AND IN REALITY, THE CITY NEEDS TO, UH, GET OTHER AFFAIRS IN ORDER, UM, LIKE WHATEVER IT IS AT THE OUTLINE AND THE, UM, UH, THEY'RE THEY'RE, UM, CORRECTIVE ACTION, WHICH IS TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO, UM, SAVE MORE MONEY TO POSSIBLY WANTS THIS COVID 19 PANDEMIC SUBSIDES THAT THEY RENEGOTIATE.
UH, MAYBE SOME, UH, SOME OF THE UNION CONTRACTS FIGURE OUT WAYS TO LOWER.
UH, THE PENSION COSTS MAY BE JUST LIKE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DATA A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH STATE WORKERS.
UH, MAYBE THE WORKERS NEED TO CONTRIBUTE A BIT MORE, UH, TRYING TO BE CREATIVE, UH, FOR, UH, TO, UH, FIND SOME COST SAVINGS AND ALSO LOOK INTO THE PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING NOW OF, OF, OF GOODS AND SERVICES, BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE THAT WE PUT ALL THOSE THINGS ON HOLD AND, AND NECESSARILY THAT, OH, JUST DEFICIT SPENDING BY ITSELF IS, IS BAD.
THERE'S THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SPENT AND THAT WE STILL NEED TO INVEST IT.
UM, AND I'M MORE OPTIMISTIC AND HOPEFUL THAN SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT THINK EVERYTHING IS JUST GONNA, UM, UH, END UP, UH, BEING BAD OR NEGATIVE.
IT'S WE NEED TO FIND A WAY OUT OF THIS.
AND I THINK THAT IF YOU GUYS REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THE COSTS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS THAT YOU ENTER INTO, UM, I THINK THERE'S WAYS THAT THERE COULD BE SOME COST SAVINGS.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THE TIME AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS MILLER FOLLOWED BY COLOR ENDING IN THREE ZERO THREE THREE, CHRIS, GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, SIR.
UM, FIRST I WANT TO START OFF WITH IS, YOU KNOW, JUST AS I THOUGHT WITH BRIAN TAVA COMING ON, COUNCIL IS GOING TO, HE'S GOING TO BE DIVISIVE.
YARI HAS BEEN ON FACEBOOK AND BY THROWING ALL SUPPORTERS OF ONE SIDE INTO A BRIAR PATCH, UM, AND THEN ALSO THE COMMENTS MADE ABOUT COVID TO ME IS VERY DIVISIVE TO WHEN YOU DON'T LOOK AT THE FACTS AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SAYING, IT'S PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER IS CAUSING THE SPREAD.
YOU KNOW, I WORK IN A HOSPITAL DOING A PROJECT.
A LOT OF MY TEAM HASN'T GOT IT, BUT THEY HAVE GOT IT BY GETTING TOGETHER, UM, WORKED FOR A
AND THE METRICS ACTUALLY KIND OF FALL IN LINE WITH, UM, LA COUNTY'S METRICS OF, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS AND THE PERCENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL GOT IT BY GETTING TOGETHER WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
UM, NEXT ON THE ITEM IS ITEM FOUR IS THE, UH, REPEAL OF THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY.
ONE THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S BROKEN AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE MORE BROKEN PER CODE.
A SEX OFFENDER CHILD SEX OFFENDER CAN NOT BE NEAR A SCHOOL WITHIN 2000 FEET YET WORKMAN OR NOT.
SORRY, NOT WORKMAN ROWAN AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THERE'S A SEX OFFENDER RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AT WALMART AUTO PARK, WHICH IS A, A PARK AND NEXT TO A SCHOOL, THERE'S A SEX CHILD, SEX OFFENDER, TWO BLOCKS AWAY,
[01:50:01]
WHICH IS LESS THAN 2000 FEET.SO I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT ONE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT COMPLYING WITH MEGAN'S LAW OR ANY OF THE SEX OFFENDER LAWS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER VIOLATIONS.
UH, THE NEXT IS CONSIDERATION FOR A GRAND JURY REPORT, UH, DIET FOR LANDFILLS.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THOSE THAT SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OVERPAYING FOR WIRE TRASHES.
SO NOW IN THE BRIEF READING, THEY'RE EXPECTING HOMEOWNERS TO SEPARATE THEIR WASTE AND TAKE FOOD WASTE TO FARMER'S MARKETS AND OTHER THINGS.
AND TO ME, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF HAVING ATHENS, THE REASON WHY MONEY RAN OUT OR DIDN'T RUN OUT THE RECYCLING HAS GONE DOWN IT'S BECAUSE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RAN OUT OF FUNDS.
SO THEY CHANGED THE PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE ONLY TAKING, UM, CRV AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOES TO TRASH.
SO I THINK IN ESSENCE, WHAT THE STATE AND WHAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO IS LOOK AT A HOME BAY, NOT HOME-BASED, BUT A STATE-BASED RECYCLING PROGRAM TO TAKE THE USED MATERIAL, TURNED INTO RESIN AND PUT IT BACK INTO INDUSTRY.
I DON'T AGREE THAT WE SHOULD STILL BE IN AN EMERGENCY, UH, ORDER THAT CONTROLS SHOULD GO BACK TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, ITEM 12, KIND OF, UH, REINFORCES WHAT JIM GRIFFITH HAS BROUGHT UP, JERRY AND STEVE.
AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE DEFICIT SPENDING, ONE OF MY BIG GRIPES IS WE ALWAYS HAVE THESE EMERGENCIES THAT COME UP TO SPEND ON WHEN, WHY DON'T WE DO A MASTER PLAN, LAY THINGS OUT AND PLAN FOR IT.
WHY ARE WE SPENDING $60,000 FOR A PLAYGROUND OF MONEY WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW? YOU KNOW, HOW MANY KIDS ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING IN THE PLAYGROUNDS RIGHT NOW? UM, BECAUSE OF COVID, UH, YOU KNOW, SAME THING WITH THE, ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE FIRE STATION THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, UM, POSSIBLY PUTTING IN NEXT YEAR.
AND ALSO THE OTHER THING IS WHY ARE WE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON THE FIRE STATION, ESPECIALLY FIRE STATION THREE, IF WE'RE GOING TO COUNTY, MOST OF THE CITY DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO COUNTY.
SO IF WE SPEND THE MONEY, WE BETTER STAY CITY RUN.
YOU KNOW, I AGREE WHEN I DID A TOUR OF THE FIRE STATION AT CORTEZ PARK, I THOUGHT THE CARPETS WERE IN REALLY BAD SHAPE.
SO I AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE SEVENTH BUDDY HAS TO BE SPENT, BUT IT HAS TO BE PLANNED, NOT ALWAYS THESE EMERGENCY, UM, FUNDS.
AND THEN ALSO ON THAT, I WOULD SAY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER TECHNOLOGIES OF CLEANING AND SEALING DUCT RIGHT NOW IN HOSPITALS.
IT'S AN AUTOMATED, UH, SEALING SYSTEM FOR DUCK SYSTEMS FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU, CALLER ENDING IN THREE ZERO THREE, THREE.
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, COLOR ENDING, AND THREE ZERO THREE, THREE.
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT A FEW ISSUES, HAPPY NEW YEAR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THE FIRST IS I DID LISTEN TO THE, UH, REPORT FROM THE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE, THE VALUE OF, OF DOING THAT AIMING AT MID 2022 IS I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY OPTIMISTIC.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT OTHER ACTIONS THINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MOVE THAT FORWARD, BECAUSE IT SEEMS VERY UNREALISTIC TO ME.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS ON, UH, TRANSPARENCY.
I KNOW IT'S A NEW YEAR, BUT THERE'S A FEW ITEMS, UM, WHEN I'M WATCHING IT ON YOUTUBE AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE CHAT HAS BEEN DISABLED, WHICH DIDN'T USE TO BE THE CASE.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE WEBSITE HAD DIRECTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH TELEPHONE.
AND OTHER MEANS IT IS ON THE ACTUAL AGENDA DOCUMENTS, BUT IT WOULD BE MORE USER-FRIENDLY WHO WE'RE ALSO ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL.
UM, BUT THE THIRD THING AND THE, THE MAJOR THING IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP BY OTHER RESIDENTS.
AND THAT IS THE FACT THAT ALMOST EVERY ITEM ON THE BUDGET ON THE AGENDA IS ON CONSENT.
AND THAT INCLUDES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF SPENDING THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DO WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THOSE ITEMS. AND THAT IS ALL, AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, DEF THAT SPENDING JUST AS ONE EXAMPLE, ITEM
[01:55:01]
NUMBER 18, UM, THAT'S $1.6 MILLION THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING ON CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AS A BUDGET AMENDMENT.UH, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY CRAZY.
UM, THERE IS A CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PLAN THAT IS ALWAYS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I DON'T REMEMBER THESE BEING DISCUSSED IN EITHER OF THE TWO PAST BUDGETS, AND IT'S NOT EXPLAINED WHY THEY SHOULDN'T BE DISCUSSED FOR THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS.
THAT IS WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
IT'S IRONIC THAT ON THE SAME MEETING WHERE YOU'RE DEALING WITH AN AUDIT RESPONSE ABOUT DOING BETTER, MAKING REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE BUDGET PROJECTIONS, YOU HAVE ALMOST $3 MILLION IN SPENDING THAT YOU DIDN'T BUDGET FOR WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT'S COMING UP.
SO ON THAT ONE PARTICULAR ITEM NUMBER 18, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE REPLACING THE CARPETS, GETTING STAINLESS STEEL COUNTERTOPS, DOING INTERIOR PAINTING.
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHY THESE ARE EMERGENCY MEASURES THAT HAVE TO BE DONE OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AT THIS TIME.
SO I THINK SOME EXPLANATION IS DUE FOR THAT.
UM, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO DID THESE ASSESSMENTS? IS IT THE SAME PEOPLE WHO BASICALLY PRESENTED AN IDEA TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THERE WOULD BE BETTER SERVICES BY CLOSING TWO OF THE FIVE FIRE STATIONS IN WEST COVINA? BECAUSE IF IT IS THE SAME PEOPLE, I'M A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL IN TERMS OF THE ASSESSMENTS OF THE NEEDS.
SO I THINK SOME EXPLANATIONS IN ORDER, I THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE OFF A LOT OF THESE ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR TRANSPARENCY'S SAKE.
I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
UM, ANOTHER ITEM JUST ON THE CONTRACTS, I KNOW THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BROUGHT THAT UP JUST AS AN FYI.
WE DID DO A REPORT ON CITY CONTRACTS AND ALL THIS UNIT CONTRACTS WERE POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL.
IF THEY'RE NO LONGER THERE, THE STAFF SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY THEY'RE NO LONGER THERE, BUT THERE WAS A REPORT AND ITEMIZATION OF ALL THE MAJOR CITY CONTRACTS.
UH, AND THEN THE LAST THING IS I HAD HEARD OR UNDERSTOOD THAT SOME APPOINTMENTS FOR COVID VACCINES WERE BEING DONE THROUGH EAST VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER.
SO MAYBE SOMEONE ON STAFF CAN DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE THE MEETING IS OVER, BECAUSE IF THAT IS THE CASE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUBLICIZE THAT TO YOUR RESIDENTS.
THAT'S ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT CONCERNS? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT, SALT TRY AND BE CRISP AND, UM, RESPOND AS, AS BEST I CAN.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, UM, CALL ATTENTION TO THE STATE AUDIT REPORT AND THE CITY'S CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN AND FINANCIAL RECOVERY PLAN, WHICH IS BEING ADDRESSED, UM, DIRECTLY AS PART OF THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, INITIALLY, AND THEN WE'LL SUBSEQUENTLY GO TO THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
UM, ONE OF THE CALLERS, I FORGET, WHICH, UM, SUGGESTED THAT THE REPORT SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE MEMBERS AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL, MR. GURVICH I, THE COMPLIMENT HIM PUBLICLY.
HE FOUND THE TIME TO CALL ME AND COME IN AND MEET WITH ME AND GO OVER THE REPORT, UH, REVIEWED THE FIRST DRAFT OF IT, MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
I DIDN'T TAKE ALL THE SUGGESTIONS, BUT A NUMBER OF THEM.
AND, UM, THAT'S A BETTER REPORT AS A RESULT OF HIS EFFORTS.
IT'S OUR INTENTION, ASSUMING THAT THE COUNCIL IS OKAY WITH GIVING THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN BACK TO THE STATE, THAT WE IMMEDIATELY BEGIN WORK IN THE SEGWAYS OVER TO THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR THE REAL WORK, WHICH IS THE PREPARATION OF THE FINANCIAL RECOVERY PLAN.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN THAT AGENDA ITEM COMES UP LATER, IT'S, UM, VERY IMPORTANT WORK OF THE CITY.
NUMBER OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT, UM, ARE GRIEVING AS WE ALL ARE, OR THE LOSS OF A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I WILL BE PARTICIPATING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TOMORROW TOGETHER WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND A REGIONAL MEETING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEVERAL OF THESE CRIME ISSUES IN THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR TOGETHER WITH A NUMBER OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES THAT'S TOMORROW MORNING AND I'LL BE, UM, PRESENT AND A PART OF THAT.
UM, I DON'T THINK I'VE GOT RESPONSES IN THE OTHER COMMENTS.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
I'M HAPPY TO MOVE RIGHT INTO THE MANAGER'S REPORT IF IT'S TIME FOR THAT.AND SOME SPEAKERS SAID IT, SO I'D LIKE TO REPEAT IT.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY, OUR WISHES FOR A BETTER YEAR THAN THE ONE WE HAD LAST YEAR.
SO, UM, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
UM, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY RESULTANT OF THE ECONOMY AND CONDITIONS.
GENERALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
[02:00:01]
AND I THOUGHT THAT THE WORK OF THE LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK AND, UM, THIS, THIS ONE MORNING'S EFFORT WAS, WAS REALLY A BRIGHT SPOT.WE SERVED, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 2000 FAMILIES WITH SOME FOOD.
AND, UM, I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS KIND OF RESPONSE, BUT WAS HEARTENED BY IT.
SO KUDOS TO THEM FOR ALL OF THEIR GOOD WORK AND THE STAFF CITY STAFF THAT HELPED.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TALK TONIGHT AS PART OF THIS AGENDA ABOUT OUR CONTRACT FOR CARE AMBULANCE SERVICES JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE IT FEELS TO ME LIKE A NUMBER OF THINGS ARE COLLIDING ALL AT ONCE HERE.
THE COVID-19 IS ON A RAMPAGE AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN THAT HE LAUNCHED TODAY IS, IS TO RETURN KIDS TO SCHOOL AND PEOPLE TO WORK IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
I CAN TELL YOU AS YOUR LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER, UM, DEMANDS FOR SERVICES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF.
WE NORMALLY RUN THREE AMBULANCES EVERY SINGLE DAY ON 24 HOUR SHIFTS.
AND SINCE CHRISTMAS WE'VE BEEN RUNNING DOUBLE THAT NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE, NORMALLY IN THE RANGE OF 2021 CALLS A DAY, WE'RE IN 40, THE 40 RANGE NOW.
AND WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY POWERS THAT ENABLED ME TO EXECUTE THIS CONTRACT WITH, WITH CARE AND PUT IT IN PLACE IMMEDIATELY.
I'M, I'M QUITE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WELL-SERVED.
AND I GUESS THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS, UM, THE RESIDENTS WANT THE CITY TO STEP UP AND TO PROVIDE SOME LEADERSHIP.
THIS HOLIDAY SURGE THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCED FROM THANKSGIVING FORWARD AS CLEARLY CAUSED A LOT OF CASES, NOT ONLY IN OUR COUNTY, BUT WORLDWIDE, UH, RIGHT HERE IN WEST COVINA.
UM, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING A REALLY AMAZING JOB DOING THEIR VERY BEST THROUGH DURING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
AND THIS, THIS CARE AMBULANCE SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACT WAS ESSENTIAL TO THAT EFFORT.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, SOME OF THE NEEDED REPAIRS AT THE VARIOUS FIRE STATIONS.
WE'VE GOT, UM, THESE CONDITIONS IN FIRE STATION THREE, NEXT SLIDE, THESE CONDITIONS, UM, SEWAGE WATER AND RESTROOMS, SUBSTANDARD ELECTRICAL STATION TO, UM, THAT ENTRANCE TO THE APPARATUS BAY WHERE OUR LADDER TRUCK QUINT IS NORMALLY HOUSED AT STATION FOUR.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THERE JUST BEFORE THE ROLL-UP DOOR THAT, UM, BRICK WORK WAS, WAS CUT.
I DON'T THINK IT MEETS ANY KIND OF A STANDARD, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS IN OUR FIREHOUSES, WHICH ARE JUST SIMPLY NOT TO STANDARD.
AND THE, THE, THE MAINTENANCE PHILOSOPHY HAS LONG BEEN, UH, WE CALL IT RUN, FAIL.
YOU PUT AN ASSET INTO SERVICE AND YOU RUN IT UNTIL IT FAILS.
AND THEN YOU ACT SURPRISED WHEN IT DOES, BUT I REGARD THESE REPAIRS THAT I'M RECOMMENDING TO YOU LATER TONIGHT AS PART OF THIS AGENDA TO BE ESSENTIAL.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN DEFER THEM.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN POSTPONE THEM.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN DELAY THEM.
THIS IS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
SOMEBODY ASKED TONIGHT ABOUT IF THESE REPAIRS WOULD BE GIVEN OVER TO THE COUNTY, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR FIRE SERVICE, A NUMBER OF THEM UNDER ANY SCENARIO.
THESE ARE OUR CITY FIRE STATIONS AND OUR BUILDINGS AND WILL REMAIN SO UNDER ANY OF THE SCENARIOS THAT ARE PRESENTLY BEING CONSIDERED.
I JUST THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE TO ALLOW THESE KINDS OF CONDITIONS IN CITY FACILITIES IS SIMPLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.
UM, GOOD NEWS, THANKS TO SOME REALLY GREAT WORK.
WE HAD SOME EFFORTS BY, UM, OUR MAYOR PRO TEM AND OUR FIRE CHIEF AS A TEAM WORK TO GET, UM, WEST COVINA APPROVED AS A POINT OF DISTRIBUTION VACCINATION CENTER, THE COUNTY APPROACH HAS BEEN, UM, TOP DOWN THROUGH THE BIGGER VENUES.
YOU CAN NAME THEM RACETRACKS AND DODGER STADIUM AND FAIRPLEX, UM, BUT THE, THE SMALLER VENUES ARE ALSO GOING TO BECOME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THIS.
IT'S NOT READY NOW, BUT WE'LL PROVIDE LINKS TO THE WEBSITE WHEN PEOPLE CAN REGISTER.
ONCE THIS IS IN OPERATION AND AVAILABLE.
ONCE WE GET PAST THE FIRST TIER, UM, THE MOST RECENT NEWS, SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY, THIS SLIDE JUST HIGHLIGHTS IT, THAT, UH, RESIDENTS 65 AND OLDER CAN GET IT.
AND THE WAY TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT IS TO WWW VACCINATE COUNTY.COM.
WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THAT SYSTEM.
WE EITHER HAVE A PLAN AND A SYSTEM FOR IT, OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF CHAOS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S IT'S BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
AND WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, NEXT SLIDE.
THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT FOR SLIDES THAT COMPLETES MY REPORT.
THANK YOU, COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OKAY.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
TO THE CONSENT[02:05:01]
CALENDAR? IS THERE ANY AGENDA ITEM THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN TABATA.UH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, PULL, UH, SIX, 18, UH, 23 AND 25.
I WOULD PUT NUMBER 17, 17, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I LIKE TO PULL THE NUMBER 28, PLEASE.
20, UH, UH, COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ.
AND SHE INFORMED ME NUMBER 27.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND STICK WITH THAT THEN, UNLESS YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO PULL ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.
SO I HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO BE PULLING OUT SIX, EIGHT, 17, 18, AND I'LL BE PULLING OUT 2023, 25, 27 AND 28.
ANYTHING ELSE TO BE FOOLED? NO.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 28 WITH THOSE EXCEPTIONS SIX EIGHT 1718 2023, 25, 27, 28.
SO MOVE SO AGAIN, I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER
MAY I APPROACH HIM CASTELLANO'S THERE? LOPEZ V AUTO.
I, IF I MAY, MAYOR, I NEED TO READ AN ORDINANCE TITLE BEFORE WE MOVE ON ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO, FOUR SEVEN FIVE, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA REPEALING SECTION 15 DASH 19, SEX OFFENDER, RESIDENCY RESTRICTIONS OF ARTICLE ONE IN GENERAL OF CHAPTER 15, MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE.
WE CAN GO TO THE FIRST ITEM POOLED.
[6) CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2021-01 DETERMINING THERE IS A NEED TO CONTINUE THE LOCAL EMERGENCY]
UH, THAT IS ITEM NUMBER SIX, COUNCIL MEMBER.UH, SO THIS, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE LOCAL, UH, EMERGENCY, AND, AND, AND I KNOW YOU, UH, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR LEADERSHIP AND MAKING TOUGH CALLS.
SO, UH, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, TH THIS POWER THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO YOU DURING COVID, UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE, I GUESS THE SYSTEMS YOU'VE PUT IN PLACE FOR YOURSELF TO WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE PROCESSING, YOU KNOW, IT COMES TO YOU, UH, THIS IS THE SITUATION, THIS IS THE SURGE, AND YOU WENT THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE CHECKLIST THAT YOU, YOU WENT THROUGH BEFORE YOU MADE THE DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND CONTRACT WITH CARE AND THIS SCENARIO, UM, LET ME ANSWER THAT MORE BROADLY AND GET TO IT MORE SPECIFICALLY, BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AM TO BE IN THE CHAMBERS TONIGHT, BECAUSE THIS IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE ALL KNOW, AND THAT I REALLY LOVE.
WE PRESENT REPORTS, WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE PROPOSE COUNSEL DISPOSES.
THIS IS A COMPLETELY ABNORMAL TIME.
UM, GOSH, I WAS CITY MANAGER IN MALIBU.
WE HAD ONE OF THE MAJOR CONFLAGRATIONS AND 269 HOMES BURNED TO THE GROUND AND THREE PEOPLE DIED, BUT IT WAS AN EMERGENCY.
THEY HAD A FINITE BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END.
IT LASTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE WE MOVED INTO CONCLUSION OF THE STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY.
AND YOU GOT A LOT OF RESOURCES IN A HURRY IN THIS CASE, THERE AREN'T A LOT OF RESOURCES IN A HURRY TO BE HAD BECAUSE IT'S A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND EVERYBODY'S IN IT.
AND IT'S ALSO ABNORMAL IN THAT IT'S RUN FOR MONTHS.
SOMETIMES YOU WONDER IF IT'S EVER GOING TO END.
SO IT'S A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT.
UM, IN THIS CASE, THE FIRE CHIEF AND I, WE TALK ALL THE TIME AND WE WERE WATCHING QUITE CLOSELY THE CLIMB IN TERMS OF COVID NUMBERS AND ESPECIALLY OUR PART IN IT, WHICH IS TO SCOOP AND RUN.
WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE THE CARE THEY NEED.
WE WANT TO GET THEM CARE ON THE SCENE.
WE WANT TO GET THEM INTO THE, THE MEDICAL SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT THE KIND OF SITUATION WHERE WE COULD CALL ON OUR NEIGHBORS FOR AUTOMATIC AID OR MUTUAL AID OR OUT SOME KIND OF SUPPLEMENTAL, I THINK NEVER IN MY LIFE AND MY CAREER HAVE BEEN MORE GLAD TO BE AN INDEPENDENT CITY THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY TO BE GARNERED FROM, FROM OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO IN THIS CASE, UM, IT WAS JUST AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
[02:10:01]
TO AN IMMEDIATE NEED.AND I THINK THAT THE TRIGGER FACTOR IN MY MIND WAS IF WE AREN'T RESPONDING TO CALLS PEOPLE DIE.
AND IT ACTUALLY, AT ONE POINT GOT TO WHERE WE HAD, UM, ONE CALL WHERE I THINK DISPATCH TOLD THE RESIDENT SOMEBODY'S COMING.
AND THERE WAS A BRIEF MOMENT OF PANIC THERE WHERE WE WEREN'T SURE SOMEBODY WAS.
AND SO I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHOICE.
AND HOPEFULLY THE COUNCIL WAS INFORMALLY INFORMED ABOUT AS WE WENT.
AND, UM, I MADE THE DECISION INDEPENDENT OF THAT, THAT IT WAS JUST SOMETHING WE HAD TO DO.
LIKE IT WAS SUCH AN OBVIOUS DECISION.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE WE HAD ANY CHOICE.
AND I THINK IN THE ESSENCE, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THESE POWERS UNDER THE STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SPEND THOSE POWERS VERY JUDICIOUSLY AND WISELY, BUT IT WAS, UM, JUST, JUST TO SAVE LIVES.
WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT NOT ONLY LIFE AND PROPERTY, BUT ESPECIALLY LIFE RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.
SO IF, IF THE, LET'S SAY THE STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS, WAS NOT IN PLACE, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE NORM NORMAL PROCESS IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS? WELL, UM, WHAT MAKES THIS POOR CUMIN UNUSUAL IS WE NORMALLY HAVE QUITE, UM, DETAILED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ABOUT HOW WE BUY THINGS, UH, INCLUDING, GOSH, AT ONE POINT IN THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY, I DUNNO, MAYBE HITTING THE PANIC BUTTON.
WE THOUGHT IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE WORKING FROM HOME, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED COMPUTERS.
WE WENT OUT TO BEST BUY AND BOUGHT FIVE LAPTOPS THINKING.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THEM IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THEY RUN OUT.
AND THERE WAS A BIG QUEUE OVER THERE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE AUDITORS EVEN MENTIONED.
LIKE, I'M NOT SURE IT WAS A MATERIAL FINDING ON THEIR PART, BUT IT WAS AT LEAST SOMETHING THEY OBSERVED THAT WE NEEDED TO FOLLOW THE CITY PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASING.
UM, THOSE ARE FOR LUMINOUS, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, QUITE CLEAR WRITTEN POLICIES ABOUT IT, BUT IT WASN'T, UM, THIS CASE FOLLOWED.
SO WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH OUR NORMAL SYSTEM TO REQUEST PROPOSALS AND TO GET ALTERNATIVE BIDS.
WE DID SATISFY OURSELVES THAT WE GOT A GOOD PRICE.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD SAY, THIS IS THE SAME PIGGYBACK PRICE THAT THE CITY OF OLD HARBOR GOT, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE GETTING VALUE FOR OUR DOLLAR.
BUT, UM, WE JUST WENT AROUND ALL THE NORMAL PROCEDURES SO WE COULD GET TO THE RESULT WE HAD TO HAVE.
DO I, AND ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? NO QUESTION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? OH, ONE MORE THING.
I MAY HAVE BE OVERSELLING THIS, BUT ANOTHER KEY POINT IS BECAUSE WE'RE UNDER THIS STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY, WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE WITH RESPECT TO THESE PURCHASES AND THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE GOING TO GET REIMBURSED THROUGH THE OES FEMA SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S A DEFINITE, UH, RESPONSE TO THE, TO THE CRISIS AND TO THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE, WE HAVE A, IT'S NEVER A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, BUT WE'RE FAIRLY CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING TO GET ALL OF THESE MONIES REIMBURSED THROUGH THE SYSTEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND THEN WITHOUT IT, WE WOULD NOT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
COUNCILMAN BU ALL COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ, MAYOR PRO TEM.
CASTELLANO'S MAYOR LOPEZ V AUTO AYE.
THE NEXT ONE, NUMBER EIGHT, AGENDA ITEM EIGHT.
SO YOU APPROVE EACH SO CITY MANAGER THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IF I MAY, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR ASSISTANT CITY CLERK TO KIND OF WALK US THROUGH THIS, UH, REPORT BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO THE REPORT.
YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO BE APPROVING TONIGHT AS TERMS OF WHO'S APPOINTING HOME TO WHICH COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED A COUPLE OF VOTES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH REAPPOINTING, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOW SERVING ON THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO LISA, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, I HAVE PLACED ON YOUR DIOCESE BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE AGENDA ITEMS. SO IT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE ONE THAT WAS IN YOUR BOOK, EXCEPT IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LINE THAT SAYS UPDATED JANUARY 19TH, 2021.
SO IT WAS A LOOSE PAPER ON YOUR DESK.
AND THIS STAFF REPORT REFLECTS THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BY COUNCIL.
WOMAN D IS A MAYOR PRO TEM CASTELLANOS AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
IT'S ABOUT SUB-I AND MAYOR, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN, UM, AS OUR CITY MANAGER SAY TO TAKE THIS ITEM IN A FEW DIFFERENT STEPS, UH, IF WE CAN FIRST APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SENIOR SERVICES COMMISSION,
[02:15:01]
HUMAN RESOURCES, COMMISSION, AND PLANNING COMMISSION FIRST.SO FIRST, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SENIOR SERVICE COMMISSION, HUMAN RESOURCE AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
COUNCILMAN MAYOR PRO TONY'S SECOND ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER
CASTELLANO'S MAYOR LOPEZ V AUTO I.
[8) CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS CITY COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES]
OKAY.SO THE NEXT ONE IT'S TO OPEN IT UP FOR NOMINATIONS TO FILL THE COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION LEFT VACANT BY COUNCIL WOMAN A SHOEMAKER.
IS THAT YES? CORRECT? YOU'RE CORRECT.
SO THERE WAS A STAFF COUNCIL MEMBER.
THERE WERE TWO THERE AND YES, ROMAN BEFORE THE FINANCE.
SINCE SHE WAS A FINANCE AND THE AUDIT, FINANCE AND AUDIT, SHE WAS A MEMBER THERE.
SO WE JUST NEED TO OPEN NOMINATIONS TO FILL THE COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION.
YES, I WILL NOMINATE A, WAS ALIA DIAZ.
SO SHE WILL FILL HER SPOT IF APPROVED.
DO I A MOTION TO APPROVE A SECOND? THERE'S NO.
I MAY APPROACH TIM COSTA LLANOS MAYOR LOPEZ BEATO AYE PASSES.
AND THEN WE HAVE, I'M ALSO ON THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THIS WOULD BE A VACANCY FOR ONE OF THE MEMBERS AT LARGE.
WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES TO BE FILLED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THEIR APPLICATIONS.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR NO MONEY NOMINATIONS TO FILL THE FIRST VACANT SPOT WITH A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WITH A TERM ENDING JANUARY, 2022.
DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY NOMINATION OF THE MAYOR? I DO.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE JIM GRITCH.
WE'D LIKE TO SECOND I'LL SECOND ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER IT'S ABOUT DUBAI COUNCIL, WOMAN.
COUNCILMAN BU COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ, MAYOR PRO TEM.
CASTELLANO'S MAYOR LOPEZ V AUTO.
UH, FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NOMINATION TO FILL A VACANT SPOT WITH A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WITH A TERM ENDING JANUARY, 2022.
UH, DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY NOMINATION? EXCUSE ME, MAYOR.
I WANTED TO NOMINATE MARSHA SOLARIO.
YEAH, SHE'D BEEN A SENIOR AUDITOR, SO I WON.
NOMINATE HER TO CONTINUE TO THE JOB.
COUNCIL MEMBER TABATA BY COUNCILMEN.
COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ, MAYOR PRO TEM.
CASTELLANO'S MAYOR LOPEZ AUTO AYE PASSES.
UM, NUMBER WILL GROW WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO GO
[17) CONSIDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HDL SOFTWARE, LLC FOR BUSINESS LICENSE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT & COMPLIANCE]
TO ITEM NUMBER 17.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WU, COUNCILMAN.
UH, REGARDING THIS AGENDA NUMBER 17 AND I ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT, OKAY.
AND, UH, I GOT COMPLAINED REGARDING THE HOUR.
UH, THE BUSINESS LICENSE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE CASE THEY TAKE FOREVER TO GET ISSUED A LICENSE.
SO IT CREATED A PROBLEM FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M THINKING ABOUT IS THAT POSSIBLE CT CAN REVIEW IT.
WILL THAT CREATE A BURDEN TO OUR GENERAL FUND? OKAY.
WHICH ONE WOULD BE MOST EFFICIENT AND IF WE CANNOT DO IT OKAY.
I WE'D HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A FIVE YEARS CONTRACT.
I THINK WE SHOULD SHORTEN THE OKAY.
CONTRACT SO WE CAN REVIEW THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LONG CONTRACT AND WE STUCK WITH STAMP, WHATEVER.
SO, BUT MOST IMPORTANT THING, ANY POSSIBILITY.
WE CAN HAVE IN IN-HOUSE SO WE CAN, THEY CAN HAVE A MORE REVENUE OR THIS IS MY QUESTIONS.
UM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, BIRD TO ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS.
CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
YET YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS TO RENEW THE CONTRACT WITH THE BUSINESS LICENSE.
IT'S BEEN WITH HDL FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS.
UM, IN 15, 16, THE REVENUES WERE ABOUT 1.8 MILLION AND THEY'VE CONTINUED TO RISE
[02:20:01]
DUE TO THEM, LOCATING BUSINESSES IN THE CITY THAT DIDN'T HAVE A LICENSE AND GETTING THEM IN COMPLIANCE.SO NOW IT'S UP TO ALMOST 2.5 MILLION.
UM, EACH LICENSE THAT THEY ISSUE IS A MINIMAL FEE TO THEM OF $13 AND 31 CENTS.
THERE'S A SMALL COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT EVERY YEAR OF ABOUT 2%, WHICH IF YOU TAKE THE 1331 AND ADD 2%, IT'S ABOUT 25 CENTS PER LICENSE.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 5,700 BUSINESSES IN THE CITY.
UM, AND, UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE TO THIS, UM, CONTRACT PRIOR TO CONTRACTING THIS SERVICE OUT, THERE WERE TWO EMPLOYEES AT APPROXIMATELY WITH SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
IT WAS GONNA COST, IT COSTS US ABOUT $165,000 A YEAR.
UH, WHAT HDL CHARGES US IS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 PER YEAR.
SO, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR THAT THING THROUGH THE CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, UH, ROBIN.
SO YOU SAID ABOUT 160,000 FOR TWO EMPLOYEES AND 80,000 THROUGH HDL AND THROUGH, THROUGH HAVING IT IN-HOUSE WITH TWO EMPLOYEES THAT INCLUDES, UH, CONTINUED ACCUMULATION OF, UH, PENSION LIABILITIES, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE, RIGHT? THANK YOU ROBIN.
YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A MUCH BETTER BARGAIN TO HAVE, UH, ALSO SEEN, I WAS THINKING ABOUT MAYBE WE CAN, OKAY.
GET MORE REVENUE AND UP IS A SAVING BECAUSE WHAT EIGHTIES? ALL THE DOLLAR COMPARED WITH 160 OLD DOLLARS.
BUT MY QUESTION IS ABOUT HOW ABOUT CONTRACT IS THAT FIVE YEARS WILL BE TOO LONG OR ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW OUR CONTRACT, WE KIND OF TRY TO SHORTEN THE TIME SO WE CAN CONSISTENTLY WE VIEW.
SO IN THAT WAY WE DON'T STUCK IN SOME SITUATION, ALL THE CONTRACT WE CAN NOT GET OUT.
OF COURSE IT'S, IT'S THE COUNCIL'S DECISION IF YOU WANT TO ONLY EXTEND IT FOR TWO YEARS.
AN EXTENSION WITH, UH, ONE YEARS THEN IF THEY'RE GOOD, WE CONTINUE TO RENEW.
IF WE, IF THE REVENUE LOOK GOOD AND THE COST IS A MINIMUM, SO IN THAT WAY POSSIBLE.
BUT ANYWAY, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.
CONTRACT WAS A ONE YEAR EXTENSION.
SO WHEN TWO YEARS UP, THEN WE CAN RENEW IT IF THEY ARE DOING STILL DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY CUSTOMER SERVICE BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE DO THEIR COMPLAINT REGARDING OKAY.
ON THE, THE, THE APPLICATION TIME FOR THEM TO HAVE A BUSINESS, TO SET UP WITH A BUSINESS LICENSE, THEY CAN US SET UP THEIR BUSINESS.
SO MAYBE WE CAN TELL THEM AND SAY, CAN YOU KIND OF, UH, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO CALL YOU GUYS EXTRA EXPERTIZE.
SO IN THAT WAY THEY CAN AUTOMATICALLY TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS.
UM, ARE THE BUSINESSES OUT THERE SATISFIED WITH THE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING OF HOW THE ACQUIRING THE BUSINESS LICENSE AND THE WHOLE PROCEDURE? HAVE YOU GOT ANY COMPLAINTS OR ANYTHING OR WE'VE BEEN GOOD? I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS.
I KNOW, UM, FROM TIME TO TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL GETS DIRECT CALLS FROM BUSINESSES IN, AND THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
I'VE BEEN IN EIGHT CITIES NOW AND EVERY CITY HAS A SIMILAR PROCESS.
AND ABOUT THE ONLY TIME THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HEARS FROM THE PEOPLE IS WHEN, UM, THEY'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE AND WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THEM IN COMPLIANCE.
ANYBODY ELSE? HAVE A QUESTION? GO AHEAD.
I THINK TWO YEARS WITH ONE YEAR EXTENSIONS IS GOOD AT ALL.
KEEP THEM ON THEIR TOES AND MAKE SURE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS WHAT WE NEED AS A CITY.
THAT'S A, WE ALREADY HAVE A COUNCILMAN.
UH, MY, MY QUESTION, UH, MORE, MORE HAS TO DO WITH A CONTENT CALENDAR AND PROCESS.
SO, UH, ACCORDING, ACCORDING TO THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE SKIPPING OUR NORMAL BIDDING PROCESS, RIGHT.
STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT TO, UM, TO CONTINUE, UH, WITH THIS, UH, HDL, UH, REALLY IS, UH, NOT ONLY TO THE BENEFIT, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICAL, USELESS, RIGHT.
UH, AND SO WHEN IN OUR ACTION PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS IT DID TALK ABOUT WAS, UM, SHORING UP, RIGHT? UH, THE BIDDING PROCESS AND, AND TRANSPARENCY.
AND SO, UH, UH, IN, IN, IN AN ISSUE LIKE THIS, UM, IS THERE, IS THERE A WAY GOING FORWARD,
[02:25:01]
WE CAN KEEP IT OFF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SOMETHING DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC WHEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL BIDDING PROCESS.IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DO? UM, THROUGH THE CHAIR? I TAKE THE POINT.
UM, I, I KNOW I'VE BEEN DOING SOME REALLY GOOD WORK IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS A NOW IN TERMS OF THE LACK OF RESOURCES THERE.
AND WE'VE GOT A DIFFERENT ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT AND YOUR DOCKET TONIGHT ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER COLLAPSING TWO POSITIONS AND CREATING A BIGGER ONE, WHICH WOULD GIVE US SOME MORE EXPERTISE IN SOME CAPACITY.
WE DON'T NOW HAVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE THINGS AS A PROJECT.
AND WE ARE STRETCHED, UM, QUITE CLOSE WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE WORST OF THE TIMES, IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL FUND CASH RESERVES.
UM, WE, AT ONE POINT WERE WONDERING, ARE WE GOING TO EVEN MAKE PAYROLL? WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THE PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS.
UM, STAFFING IS INSUFFICIENT THERE.
AND THESE THINGS JUST TAKE TIME.
I'M NOT AWARE OF A COMPETITOR OF THIS CALIBER.
UM, AND SO I'M COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING IT TO YOU TONIGHT, BUT I, I TAKE YOUR POINT.
YOU'D PREFER TO SEE THIS, UM, AS A DEPARTMENTAL MATTER, IN A DIFFERENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA, NEXT TIME WE DO ONE LIKE THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WE HAVE, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ROLL CALL NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER
NOW IT'S A WOMAN DIAZ MAY APPROACH HIM.
[18) CONSIDERATION OF BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR NECESSARY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT FIRE STATIONS]
NOW TO AGENDA ITEM 18.UH, SO, UH, I HAD, UH, QUESTIONS, UH, REGARDING, UH, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT ON, ON, UH, THE FIRE STATION, UH, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, AND, AND SO AGAIN, RIGHT, WE'RE TALKING, TALKING PROCESS HERE.
UH, SO, UM, WHAT, I GUESS, WHAT IS IT THAT, THAT, THAT MOTIVATED, UH, THE NEED TO ADDRESS, UH, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT, AT THIS TIME INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL, UH, BUDGETING PROCESS? WELL, TAKE US BACK TO SEPTEMBER, 2019 WHEN I BECAME FIRE CHIEF.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WAS WE WENT THROUGH THE FIRE STATIONS AND WE EMPLOY DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT TO GO THROUGH.
AND WE GAVE THEM A TASK OF IDENTIFYING OUR NEEDS, WHICH WE PUT TOGETHER IN POWERPOINTS THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH PEOPLE, UH, FIND DEPARTMENT NEEDS, UM, SUBSEQUENTLY TO PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER AND COME TO COUNCIL, GO TO CITY MANAGEMENT, TO SHOW WHAT WE NEED, COVID HIT.
AND WE GOT STUCK WITH ALL THAT.
UM, WE FINALLY KIND OF GOT A CHANCE TO CIRCLE BACK TO THESE THINGS, TAKE IT BACK A LITTLE FURTHER.
A LOT OF THE ITEMS JUST ABOUT EVERY ITEM IN HERE HAS BEEN NCIP PROJECTS AND ISSUES NEED TO BE DONE SOME ALL THE WAY BACK TO TWO AND SEVEN.
SO ONCE ALL THIS GOT DONE AND I'VE MET WITH STAFF AND WENT OVER WHAT IT IS, WE DETERMINED THAT ALMOST ALL OF THESE ARE EMERGENT ITEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
UM, FIREMEN LIVING IN A SPECIFIED WRITTEN FIRE STATIONS, WALLS THAT DOING SEWAGE COMING UP IN THE TOILETS, UNSAFE, UM, ROOFS, UNSAFE OPENINGS AND A FIRE STATIONS, UM, PAINT.
THAT'S NOT EVEN ON THE WALL CARPET WITH BOLD IN IT.
UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE JUST NEED TO DO.
AND WE TOOK ALL THIS TOGETHER, WENT AND GOT BIDS, AND WE WENT AND GOT QUOTES FOR THEM AS BEST WE COULD.
AND WE BROUGHT THE NUMBERS TO CITY MANAGER AT THE RING IT TO YOU.
AND JUST, JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT JUST MAJOR NEGLECT OVER, LIKE I SAID, BACK TO 2007, YOU BRING OUT THE CIP REQUESTS GOING ALL THE BACK BACK.
THEN A LOT OF THESE THINGS WERE ON THERE AND THEY JUST WEREN'T DONE.
THEY HAD ANOTHER COMPOUND HAD EVEN WORSE.
UM, A LOT OF THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE ON HERE JUST NEED TO BE DONE.
AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE IT AT SOME OF THEM WERE ON THE CIP FOR THIS YEAR, BUT THEY WEREN'T ALLOCATED IN DO FUNDS BEING AVAILABLE OR MOVED AROUND FOR IT.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT TO YOU GUYS AND, UH, THE, THE WAY THEY, THEY, THEY ARE PRESENTED, UH, IN TERMS OF PR PRIORITY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, AGAIN, UH, IN THE SITUATION WE'RE IN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, 1.6, $2 MILLION, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ACCESSING RESERVES W WITH, WITHOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, LISTING IN ORDER OF PRIORITY, DO YOU HAVE A, AN ORDER OF PRIORITY THAT YOU COULD GIVE US THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THESE,
[02:30:01]
THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY, I WOULD, YOU WOULD SAY NON-NEGOTIABLE THAT, YOU KNOW, TH TH NEED NEED TO BE DONE.UH, VERSUS, UH, AGAIN, OTHER AREAS THAT, UH, HERE WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE ALMOST 15 YEARS OLD, UM, THAT WERE RIGHT ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO NOT BE FIXED.
UH, AND THEN THE QUESTION GOES TO, UM, WELL, WHY, WHY NOT? RIGHT.
UH, WHAT WAS IT ABOUT IT THAT OATH, YOU KNOW, STAFF COUNCIL AND, UH, FIRE WAS OKAY WITH, UH, ALLOWING IT NOT TO, UH, GET FIXED.
UM, I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL HERE OR THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.
I JUST KNOW THAT SOME OF THE ITEMS WERE BROUGHT OVER THE YEARS AND JUST NOT FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED FOR THEM.
UM, I CAN GO THROUGH THE LIST IF YOU WANT IT TO, BUT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ARE, SOME OF THEM ARE, SOME ARE PURELY DANGEROUS TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND LIVING IN OUR STATIONS.
AND, UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE WOULD LIVE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD WITH ANY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE HERE AT ALL.
I HATE TO SAY, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER WU HATES THE EMERGENCY THING, AND I HATE TO DO IT THIS WAY, BUT IT WAS, WE WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO DO IT IN THE MID, IN THE MID-YEAR OF THIS BUDGET.
WE DECIDED LET'S BRING IT, AND WE HAVE THE NUMBERS AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO, WE WANT TO TRY TO ASK FOR THE MONEY TO GET IT DONE BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS, AND WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
NO, PREDICTABLE IS PREVENTABLE.
I WANT TO FOLLOW, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TABATA BY, I THINK HE HAS A GOOD POINT THAT, UH, I TOLD ALL THE SEVEN.
SO, AND BY THE WAY, I SAW THE PICTURES AND, UH, OKAY.
LET NOBODY WANT TO LIVE IN A SUBSTANDARD.
THE KIND OF SITUATION IS NOT HEALTHY.
I THINK WE NEED TO ACCEPT IT, BUT UNTIL I WANT TO ASK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE MONEY? OKAY.
ALL THESE THINGS NEED TO BE FIXED.
AND THE DUTY, MY FIVE YEARS, THIS THING NEVER BRING UP TO US.
AND NOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN NOW SUDDENLY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS, OKAY.
AND I EVEN DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HIT THEM ALL GENERAL FUND.
AND DON'T EVEN HERE, WE TRY TO SAVE OUR RESERVE OR IF I'M BALANCED.
BUT NOT THE SINK GOING TO HIT US.
AND WHY YOU ACCUMULATE SUCH A LONG TIME.
EQUITY IS SUCH A, A MAJOR PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU DON'T FIX SMALL THING.
AND THEY TOLD HIM TO COME UP BIG THING LEAKING, DON'T FIX THE LEAK.
AND NOW WE DO NOT WANT ANY LAWSUIT.
WE WANT TO AVOID WHY YOU CAN NEVER BRING UP OKAY.
FOR SUCH A LONG TIME TO US FROM PREVIOUSLY.
DIDN'T TRY TO GRADUATE, FIX UP THE ISSUE RATHER THAN WHY NOW CERTAINLY BECOME A MAJOR.
I WISH I HAD THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT PEOPLE DID BEFORE ME, BUT IT WAS ONE OF MY, ONE OF MY THINGS I WANTED TO DO AS FAR TO, TO FIND OUT WHAT WE NEEDED.
WHAT WERE WE DOING WRONG? WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? RIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU REALLY WANT THESE THINGS.
I WANT TO, AS OUR FINANCE DIRECTORS, OKAY, TOO, WE HAVE FUN FOR THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
CAN WE GET AWAY? I KNOW IF WE DON'T DO IT, WE MIGHT HAVE EVEN PICK A PROBLEM.
SO MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE WITH US.
SO IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, UM, THERE WAS ALMOST $12 MILLION THAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY.
FOR PENSIONS, SINCE THAT BUDGET WAS ISSUED, WE ISSUED 205 MILLION IN PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT.
SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS, UM, TAKING THIS 1.6 MILLION FROM IS OUT OF THAT SAVINGS OF THE PAYMENT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE BALANCE OF OUR BUDGET.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE IMBALANCED.
UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AS WE GO THROUGH THAT LIST THAT THE CHIEF HAS, UM, PRESENTED AT THINGS LIKE STATION NUMBER ONE, WHICH MAY NOT, UM, BE A VIABLE, UM, PROJECT OR A STATION FOR THE FUTURE.
THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOMETHING DONE WITH THAT.
SO BASICALLY THE MONEY WE SAVE ON THE, WE FINANCE NOW, I'M GOING TO SPEND ON THEM.
WE TRY TO SAVE YOU ON THE RESERVE AND NOW WE HAVE TO SPEND ON YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
UH, BUT I SEE THE, THE, THE CEILING, THE LEAKING IS REALLY, REALLY BAD.
I MEAN, THE STATIONS HAVE AS BEST AS THE FIVE MINUTES
[02:35:01]
WE'RE LIVING.I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU LIVE OVER THERE, YOU LIVE OVER THERE, YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND THEN REALLY NOT FAIR FOR YOU GUYS INTO THE BEAN, THAT SITUATION THAT SHOULD BE DONE LONG TIME AGO.
BUT I DON'T JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I NEVER BRING UP TO US TO DO NOW.
AND THEY'RE DOING THIS PANDEMIC, SO WE SHOULD BRING THIS UP MUCH EARLIER.
YOU'RE NOT CHEAP, BUT EVEN WHEN YOU ACHIEVE, OKAY, YOU SHOULD BRING UP OKAY.
I'VE GOT THE FIRST DAY AND TELLING US, OH, WE GOT A PROBLEM WHEN YOU ACHIEVE.
YOU'RE NOT EVEN CONDEMN ME YET.
I HAD, I HAD COUNSEL MAYOR,
WE MET AND GAVE THEM ALL THIS STUFF.
WE TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS GOING ON THE CITY MANAGER.
YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? UM, I, I SEE THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE PHILOSOPHY OF RUN, FAIL, PUT AN ASSET INTO SERVICE, RUN IT TILL IT DIES DEAD BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR WHATEVER, WITH ANYTHING THAT WE OWN WITH RESPECT TO BUILDINGS, WE'RE UNDERFUNDED FOR MAINTENANCE.
THE RULE OF THUMB WOULD BE TAKE THE VALUE OF AN ASSET.
YOU SHOULD SPEND 1% OF THAT VALUE EVERY YEAR ON MAINTENANCE, BUT WE'VE EVACUATED THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE BUDGET.
AND SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF ALL OF THAT.
I KNOW WE RECENTLY BROUGHT TO COUNCIL FEW MEETINGS BACK THIS WHOLE PROBLEM WITH THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
WE HAD TURNOUTS THAT WERE 20 YEARS OLD AND HAD THE NAME OF SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT FROM ORANGE COUNTY ON THEM AND TOLD A NUMBER OF THESE THINGS.
OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH IT, BUT IT'S A RISK MANAGEMENT EQUATION.
IF SOMEBODY FILES AN OSHA COMPLAINT, WE LOSE.
AND SO I'D RATHER TRY AND USE RESOURCES.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THESE LEGITIMATE NEEDS.
UM, THE QUESTION SOMEBODY RAISED EARLIER, IF YOU HAD TO PRIORITIZE, WHICH ONE OF ALL OF THESE, WHICH ONE ARE THE MOST CRITICAL, IT'S LIKE ASKING HOW MANY STARS ARE IN THE SKY.
THE ANSWER IS ALL OF THEM, ALL OF THESE ARE ONES THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE EXHAUST SYSTEMS AND THE ASPARAGUS AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND THE PLUMBING, THE CREW QUARTERS THAT WERE MODIFIED YEARS AGO, WITHOUT BENEFIT OF PERMITTANCE DON'T MEAN EXITING IN A FIRE STATION, NOT ACCEPTABLE.
AND SO I RECOMMEND HIGHLY THAT YOU CONSIDER THIS TONIGHT AND ALLOW US TO PROCEED WITH BIDDING OUT AND PURCHASE ORDERING AND GETTING THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, TENDED IT'S IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT FALSE PRIDE OR THERE'S REAL NEED HERE.
UM, TELL, TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT, SO FOUR OF OUR FIVE STATIONS HAVE DIESEL EXHAUST PROBLEMS. YEAH.
SO, WELL, THEY ALL HAVE MINOR THINGS, BUT I MEAN, YOU, YOU, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS, THE, THE STAFF AT THE FIRE STATIONS HAVE TAKEN UPON THEMSELVES TO DO LITTLE THINGS ON THEIR OWN.
SOMETIMES OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS, SOME OF THE LITTLE PAINTINGS OF LITTLE REPAIRS, THE CARPET, A STATION TWO, THEY PULLED UP AND THEY CLEANED THE FLOOR AND SOME GUYS HAVE FIXED SOME OF THE DIESEL EXHAUST THEMSELVES.
BUT, UM, WE, SOMEWHERE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE BOUGHT NEW DIESEL EXHAUST SYSTEMS AT ONE OF THE FIRE STATIONS, BUT DIDN'T PUT THE SAME ONES THAT WE HAVE AT THE OTHER STATIONS, WHICH IS JUST RIDICULOUS.
SO ONE FIRE ENGINE CAN'T EVEN GO TO THAT FIRE STATION.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM UNIVERSAL.
SO EVERY FIRE ENGINE HAS THE SAME CONNECTOR ON THEIR EXHAUST PIPE AND THEY WORK THE SAME STATION TOO.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE PROPER DIESEL EXHAUST SYSTEM.
IT'S A FAN ON THE SIDE OF THE WALL THAT SUCKS THE AIR OUT.
SO IF YOU'RE STANDING THERE, DIESEL EXHAUST FROM ONE SIDE GOES RIGHT THROUGH YOU OUT THE OTHER END, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR TODAY'S FIRE SERVICE.
IT'S NOT COLLEGE THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN DONE MANY YEARS AGO.
SO YEAH, I THINK AS OUR CITY MANAGER SAID, ANY OF THESE THINGS IT'S BEST AS THE DIESEL EXHAUST SYSTEM, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS MENTIONED WOULD BE, UM, PRETTY BAD OSHA VIOLATIONS.
UM, WHAT I, I THINK, UH, I THINK WE GOT TO FIX SOME OF THESE THINGS NOW, BUT ONE THING I WANT TO ASK IS MAYBE TWICE A YEAR, YOU COULD MEET WITH ALL OF US TO REMIND US, OR, OR HIGHLIGHT ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, THAT ANYONE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SEES AS A SEVERE PROBLEM LIKE THESE, UH, YEAH.
CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT THAT A LOT OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN ON THE CIP, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE THINGS LIKE THE BREATHING APPARATUS AS THE TURNOUTS, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, THE AS BEST AS I, I WASN'T AWARE UNTIL, AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
WE GOT TO ADDRESS THESE, AS YOU MENTIONED AS WELL.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD BE OKAY WITH LIVING IN THOSE CONDITIONS.
SO, UM, YEAH, MAYBE TWICE A YEAR GOING FORWARD, ANYTHING NEW THAT COMES UP LET'S, LET'S MEET, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
LET'S HIGHLIGHT IT HERE IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO EVERYONE'S AWARE, AND THERE'S NO CONFUSION ABOUT
[02:40:01]
WHERE IT CAME FROM.UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE, I GUESS WE COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THE NEGLECT.
I LOVE A BLANK CHECK AND I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S TAKEN CARE OF, BUT IN OTHER JOKING, BUT, BUT BACK TO SERIOUSNESS, YEAH.
WE WANT OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO BE SAFE.
WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE SAFE.
AND UM, SO YEAH, ANYTHING THAT'S REALLY EMERGENT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION, OH, GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN.
UH, TH THIS, THIS FOR THE CITY MANAGER, UH, W ONE OF OUR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IS, UH, AND I'LL READ IT HERE TO BETTER ENSURE CITY ONGOING FINANCIAL STABILITY IMPLEMENT A FORMAL PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF REASONABLE BUDGET PROJECTIONS, THAT ADEQUATELY ADEQUATELY ACCOUNT FOR THE IMPACT THAT SIGNIFICANT EVENTS SUCH AS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC MAY HAVE ON REVENUE.
BUT WHAT I TAKE FROM THAT, THAT FIRST PART, RIGHT, IS THIS, THIS, THIS FORMAL PROCESS.
AND IT JUST HERE, HERE WE ARE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR IN, AND WE'RE, THIS ISN'T THE FORM, RIGHT? THIS WOULD NOT BE A FORMAL PROCESS OF, OF DOING THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE NEEDS, AND, AND AGAIN, WE WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE PUT A LOT OF THESE THINGS OFF.
THERE IS, THERE IS A PROCESS WE WANT TO ESTABLISH, UH, AND, AND WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY ESTABLISH NORMS AND HABITS.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, I'M, I GUESS I'M, I'M QUESTIONING, UM, WHY, WHY ALL OF IT NOW, WHY, WHY DON'T WE HAVE A LIST OF PRIORITIES? YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUESTION, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, CASIANOS ASKED, AND, AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE EXHAUST AND, YOU KNOW, THE DANGER TO FIREFIGHTERS AND THAT'S IT, RIGHT? SO W YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC AND EVERYONE WOULD, ALL OF THESE THINGS MEAN, UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, YOU KNOW? AND SO MY QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER IS, UH, AGAIN, WELL, WHY ARE WE NOT, WHY ARE WE CHOOSING NOT TO FOLLOW THE FORMAL PROCESS? THE OTHER QUESTION TOO, THOUGH, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY DID WE CHOOSE TO PUT THIS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ALSO? UM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT IT HAD TO BE PULLED.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S AN ISSUE.
AND SO I'D LIKE YOUR RESPONSE.
HE'LL TAKE THE THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IF I MADE THE TAKE THE SECOND ONE FIRST, UM, WE GOT A LOT OF BUSINESS ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT WHERE I THINK WE'RE PAYING THE PRICE FROM, UM, NOT HAVING A PREVIOUS MEETING.
AND IF I EVER SUGGEST THAT AGAIN, REMIND ME, WELL, YEAH, NOT TO DO THAT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS THAT GOT US HERE, UM, ALONE, THAT I I'VE BEEN HERE, WELL, IT'LL BE TWO YEARS IN APRIL, MY FIRST THREE WEEKS ON THE JOB.
I WAS IN EVERY FIREHOUSE, PROBABLY THREE TIMES.
AND ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS SAID TO ME, GEE, BOSS, YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS FIREHOUSE MORE TIME THAN THE LAST THREE WEEKS THAN, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS, YOU SPENT HERE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS OR SOMETHING.
AND SO YOU WALK AROUND AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT LOOKS WRONG, JUST INTUITIVELY YOU KNOW, THAT DAY I WAS IN FIRE STATION FIVE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.
IT LOOKS LIKE A DRYER EXHAUST ON STEROIDS THAT HOOKS UP TO THE EXHAUST OF THE PUMPER ENGINE OR THE LADDER TRUCK OR WHATEVER IT IS.
YOU'RE ROLLING STOCK AND GOES INTO THIS SYSTEM.
SO THE GUYS DON'T HAVE TO BREATHE IT THAT PARTICULAR DAY.
UM, THE PRIME EVENT HOSTS TO ON PER ENGINE FIVE, WENT UP TO ABOUT EYE LEVEL AND WAS MISSING A SECTION OF HOSTS FOR ABOUT THE NEXT FOUR FEET NORTH, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN EYE LEVEL AND THE CEILING.
AND MY REACTION TO THAT WAS CALLED CLIMB EVENT RIGHT NOW, STAT.
I THINK WE WENT THROUGH WITH CHIEF, CAPELLI A VERY THOROUGH PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIRST QUANTIFY AND THEN COST ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE WRONG IN THE FIRE STATIONS.
AND WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF ENERGY DOING THIS PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE.
WE DON'T PLAN TO COME BACK IN MARCH AND SAY, OH, WE FORGOT BECAUSE WE THINK WE'VE GOT THE ESSENCE OF THE CRITICAL ONES IN FRONT OF YOU HERE.
SO I DON'T THINK WE JUST DREAMED IT UP.
WE SPENT A LOT OF ENERGY COMPREHENSIVELY LOOKING AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SUBSTANDARD TO GET TO THIS, TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S NOT JUST TRYING TO RUN AROUND WITH BUCKETS ON RAINY DAYS.
IT'S STEPPING BACK AND LOOKING AT IT, UM, DEPARTMENT WIDE ON, IN ALL FIVE
[02:45:01]
FIREHOUSES.UM, THE, ONE OF THE SHORTCOMINGS HERE IS, YOU KNOW, FIRE STATION ONE IS SO BAD.
WE'RE GONNA SAVE THAT FOR A FUTURE TIME.
I THINK IT PROBABLY JUST NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
UH, WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT, LIKE A HOLE IN THE HEAD, BUT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND I THINK FOR NOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT WRONG.
IN FACT, IT'S RIGHT, THAT WE, WE ADDRESS THESE CRITICAL NEEDS, UM, WHICH IS WHY WE BROUGHT THEM TO YOU.
I CAN ADD IS THAT THESE ARE THERE'S, THE LIST HAS LEFT A LONGER, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH MORE.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LIVING QUARTERS FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS AND STAFF NEEDS, NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, BUT THE LIST IS LONGER.
SO WE DID PRIORITIZE, WE COULD'VE ADDED MORE STUFF.
WE WILL DO THE MORE PROCESS WITH THE BIDDING AND THROUGH THE CIP OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'D BE DONE.
THESE ARE THE CRITICAL ISSUES.
AND WE STOPPED AT THESE ARE, THE LIST COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH LONGER, FURTHER QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, AND IN TERMS OF, OF THESE, UM, THESE, THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UM, THE, THE, THE STANDARD WE'RE USING FOR, UH, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE PROJECTS AND, AND W WE'RE WE'RE RIGHT.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IT TO A LEVEL, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE BASING THE, THE, WHERE WE NEED TO BRING IT IS, IS BASED ON, ON, ON WHAT SO, WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE IN, WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT OUR CARPETING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PAINT THAT THAT'S BEING USED, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE FLOORING THAT'S BEING USED, ALL OF THIS IS BASED ON, ON WHAT WHAT'S STANDARD.
WELL, I, I WOULD SAY STANDARDS OF THE INDUSTRY.
WE'VE GOT, UM, SOME DEPARTMENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE BORDERLINE PREMADONNA.
I CAN NAME A COUPLE, BUT I WON'T WHERE THEY HAVE RULES IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT THAT THEY CAN'T PICK UP A PAINTBRUSH BIG THICKER THAN AN INCH.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT GOING ON.
OUR GUYS ARE QUITE WILLING TO PITCH IN WHERE THEY CAN, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CRAFTS AND TRADES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO HELP, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED CARPET THEY'RE OUT ON SOMETIMES GRUESOME SCENES AND BRING THEM BACK BLOODBORNE PASSENGER, AND GOD KNOWS WHAT UNDER CARPET.
I THINK THE SOLUTION IS RIP OUT THE CARPET AND, YOU KNOW, PAINT THE CONCRETE AND LIVE ON THAT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID IN STATION TWO, KIND OF ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS.
UM, PAINT, ONCE IT GETS TO THE PLACE WHERE IT'S PEELED OFF THE WALLS, YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU'RE NOT PAINTING IT ON SCHEDULE, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO CON WINK AND TELL YOURSELF, YOU'RE JUST PAINTING IT, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED, THEN REALLY YOU'RE NEVER PAINTING IT.
AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THINGS TO A SCHEDULE AND TO A STANDARD.
WE DON'T WANT THE ROOFS TO LEAK.
WE DON'T WANT THE CLIMB EVENT TO BE FAULTY.
WE DON'T WANT THE KITCHENS TO BE FUNCTIONAL, AND IT'S NOT LIKE A KITCHEN WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, FILM A TV SHOW.
IT'S A HOUSE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE THERE 365 DAYS A YEAR.
I MEAN, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, FLY BY NIGHT CABINETRY AND STUFF.
THAT'S GOING TO FALL APART WITH ALL THIS UC GETS.
SO I WOULD SAY, AND CHIEF, CORRECT ME IF I GOT IT WRONG.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT STANDARDS OF THE INDUSTRY, THE TRYING TO MEET THE MINIMUM OF, OF, OF MAINTENANCE.
SO, SO AGAIN, BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION, UH, PRIOR, PRIOR ABOUT, UH, WHETHER, WHETHER WE, WE KEEP OUR, WHERE, UH, OUR FIRE IN SYDNEY OR WHETHER WE WOULD MOVE TO COUNTY.
AND PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MOVING TO COUNTY WAS BASED ON NECESSARY, UM, FIXES.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION, UH, I GUESS, UH, TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, UH, ARE, ARE THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UH, DO THEY, WOULD THEY MEET THE STANDARDS OF, OF THE COUNTY? IS THAT PART OF THE CALCULUS? UM, OR ARE WE, ARE WE NOT HAVING THAT IN OUR MINDSET? AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO US LATER AND SAY, OH, WE NEED TO RIP OUT THIS TILE OR RIP OUT THIS.
SO, UH, I GUESS THAT, THAT WAS, WE'RE NOT FORECLOSING ANY OPTIONS BY THINGS IN THIS WAY.
AND I GUARANTEE YOU, IF THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY WERE TO DECIDE AND THE COMMUNITY WHERE TO SAY, GEE, WE JUST HAVE TO GO COUNTY, UM, COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO RUN THEIR FIREFIGHTERS OUT OF STATIONS IN THESE CONDITIONS EITHER.
NO, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT MY QUESTION WAS THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
DO THEY MEET THE COUNTY STANDARDS? BECAUSE AGAIN, UH, WELL, I'M TRYING TO ASK FOR A STANDARD, YOU'RE KIND OF GIVING ME A GENERAL, LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULDN'T LIVE THROUGH THIS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW FOR WHAT IS A FI WHAT IS A FIREHOUSE? WHAT IS THAT STANDARD IT NEEDS TO BE, AND IS THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? RIGHT.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND $1.6 MILLION JUST KIND OF AD HOC.
AND THEN WE FIND OUT THAT IT DIDN'T MEET THESE CRITERIA.
AS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT COUNTY HAVING SUCH REQUIREMENTS,
[02:50:01]
RIGHT.IT HAS TO BE THIS TYPE OF PAINT, RIGHT.
IT HAS TO BE THIS LEVEL OF TILE BECAUSE THEY BRING IN TOXINS.
SO IS THAT WHAT YOU BROUGHT US HERE? UM, DOES IT MEET THOSE STANDARDS? BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T MEET THOSE STANDARDS AND THEN YOU BRING TO US THAT IT'S A NECESSITY TO MOVE TO COUNTY, AND WHAT DID WE JUST DO? AND SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, I BELIEVE IT WOULD, UM, DIFFERENT COUNTIES HAVE DIFFERENT RULES, ORANGE COUNTY, THEY HAVE A FIRE STATION, DEVELOPMENT GUIDE AND FACILITY STANDARDS, BOOKLET.
IT'S ABOUT FOUR INCHES THICK IN LA COUNTY.
THE STANDARD THEY QUOTE IS INTERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND THIS WOULD MEET LA COUNTY ISD STANDARDS.
AND IT WOULD, UM, COMPORT WITH THOSE.
IT WOULDN'T BE AT COUNTY ISD PRICES.
I CAN TELL YOU BECAUSE THEY TEND TO BUILD THINGS GOLD-PLATED AND THEN CODE THEM IN TITANIUM OR SOMETHING.
THEY REALLY SPEND UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, BUT I THINK IT WOULD MEET THE STANDARD.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT ANY LA COUNTY FIREHOUSE, WHICH THEY INSPECT ANNUALLY WITH THE KIND OF REPORT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, UM, THAT WOULD GET THESE STATIONS TO, TO THE MINIMUM STANDARD.
SO AGAIN, I, THE LANGUAGE REALLY NEEDS TO BE PRECISE, I THINK.
SO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING ASKED FOR, UM, DO THEY MEET THE STANDARD OF ALLIE COUNTY? YES OR NO? LIKE DO YES.
SO YOU'RE SAYING, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY YES, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GUIDING OUR DECISIONS ON THAT.
WE'RE JUST, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE PROVEN AT THIS POINT TO GO WHAT'S LA COUNTY WANT ALL THERE TO BE AND DO IT.
AND THINKING OF THE FUTURE WE WANT TO HAVE, THEY WOULD JUST WANT PAINT ON THE WALL TILE ON THE FLOOR, THINGS THAT AREN'T BROKEN.
I KNOW THAT FOR FACT, THIS IS A REAL DISCUSSION WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR OVER A YEAR IS A POSSIBLE MOVE TO COUNTY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $1.6 MILLION ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, WE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, UH, NO, WE'LL NOT BE DOING ANYTHING.
THAT'S NOT OUT OF WHAT THEY WANT.
I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE FIRE STATIONS IN LA COUNTY, A NUMBER OF OTHER LOCAL DEPARTMENTS AROUND AND SAW WHAT THEY DO.
AND THEY'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
THEY'VE MODERNIZED TO BRING, BRING DOWN THE PATHOGENS, CANCER CAUSING THINGS.
AND THEY'VE DONE THOSE THINGS ALL THE SAME.
MOST OF ALL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
AND THEY'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH STANDARDIZED AT STAINLESS STEEL, MAKING SURE AS FESTUS TO LEAD THE PAINTS PROPER.
THERE'S NO TRACKING OF PATHOGENS ON YOUR FEET.
YOU HAVE THE ROLLED LINOLEUM ON THE FLOORS.
WE BE DOING THE SAME AS WHAT THE STANDARD OF THE INDUSTRY IS.
SO YES, I DO BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HERE WOULD MEET LA COUNTY WITHOUT ANY EXTRA COSTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? OH, SORRY.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN ROOM.
I KNOW, I KNOW WE WANT TO FINISH THE, ALL THE AGENDA, BUT OKAY.
WE WANT TO FIX THE SUBSTANTIVE LIVING.
WE NOT TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING.
AND, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED ANYTHING ABOUT THE COUNTY.
AND THE THING
I HAVE TO COME OVER HERE TO PRESENT ANY NUMBER TO US.
SO IS THAT LIKE A, POTENTIALLY THIS IS SET UP FOR GOING TO COUNTY.
I THINK THIS IS A COUNCIL ON COUNCIL.
WANT TO DO IS IF YOU HAVE SUBSTANTIVE LIVING THEN NEED TO BE REPAID.
WE DO NOT WANT OUR FIREFIGHTER LIVE IN THE SUBSTANTIVE LIVING AND THEY STAYED THERE AND DO THE SERVICE FOR US.
WE WANT TO TREAT THEM FAIRLY, UH, CAN KEEP THEM SOMETHING, UH, A TOILET.
AND WITHOUT THE ONES WHO SIT ON THE NICE TOILET, OKAY.
THIS SIT OVER THERE SO THEY CAN ENJOY IT.
SO SOMETHING WE NEED TO GIVE AND IT'S NOT EVEN EXPENSIVE.
SO, SO, SO, BUT I THINK THE POINT IS NOT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GIVE YOU THIS MONEY TO SET UP, LIKE IN THE FUTURE IS POTENTIALLY TO GO TO A COUNTRY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OKAY.
WE WON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO WASTE THE MONEY THAT GO $1.6 MILLION.
LET'S CAN BE OVERHAUL AND STORED AWAY AND WASTED.
SOMETIMES GOVERNMENTS ALWAYS GO BECOME A WASTE.
SO WHAT THE POINT OVER HERE? I THINK RIGHT NOW I KIND OF PUT TOO.
IS, ARE WE GOING TO FIX THIS BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIX THIS OR WE FIXED, THIS IS POTENTIALLY WE COULDN'T SET UP THIS FOR COUNTRY.
AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S A WAR COUNCIL.
ONE, BECAUSE IT COMES FROM HEAVEN TO HAVE ANY NUMBER, ANY INFORMATION YET PEOPLE ALWAYS TAKING ABOUT, OKAY.
CITY COUNCIL, OR WE THAT WE NEVER DECIDE ANYTHING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY NUMBER.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON COUNTRY TO CHARGE THAT WOULD BE SAVING MORE MONEY.
BY THE SAME TIME WE REALLY WANT TO IMPROVE OKAY.
[02:55:01]
THE FIRE STATION AND TO MAKE SURE OKAY.ALL THE FIREFIGHT TO GET TREAT.
A STANDARD LIVING CONDITION LIKE THEIR HOME.
SOMETHING THAT IS NOW HEALTH HAZARD.
UH, CD MANAGERS CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION.
WE DOING THIS OTHER REQUIREMENT.
ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LET IS, DID EVEN THE SUBSTANTIVE BUILDING.
AND IT'S NOTHING TO DO IS COME TO YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO THE COUNTY OR ANYTHING.
WE'RE DOING THESE BECAUSE THESE CONDITIONS ARE SUBSTANDARD.
WE WANT TO GET THEM UP TO STANDARD.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBACCA BY ASK, IS IT A THROWAWAY? IF THE ULTIMATE DECISION WHERE TO GO COUNTY, I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE NECESSARY IN EITHER CASE, BUT CITIES THAT CONTRACT WITH THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, STILL ABOVE A MINIMUM THRESHOLD, HAVE TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN BUILDINGS ANYWAY AND ULTIMATELY REPLACED THEM.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A, UM, ROAD LEADING NOWHERE.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S DRIVEN TONIGHT BY, BY THE NEED IN OUR EXISTING FIRE STATIONS.
AND THEN THEY WILL BE OUR FIRE STATIONS UNDER EITHER SCENARIO.
ULTIMATELY, OTHER QUESTIONS, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION TO APPROVE.
IT'S ABOUT TO BUY NO COUNCILMAN WU COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? CASINOS MAYOR LOPEZ V AUTO.
[20) CONSIDERATION OF SHORT-TERM AGREEMENT FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES]
UH, AGENDA ITEM 20.UM, I KNOW THIS HOLDS DEAR TO ME, THE I'M LOOKING AT THE STAFF REPORT.
IT SAYS, UM, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GUARANTEED.
ARE WE GUARANTEED TO AMBULANCE? AND ON THIS, IT SAYS, UM, WITHIN THE BREAKDOWN OF THE HOURS AT TWO ADDITIONAL DEDICATED AMBULANCE FOR THE NEXT SHIFT, IS THAT ADDITIONAL TWO OR IS IT JUST TWO PER SHIFT? THE OBJECTIVE AND THE SPIRIT OF THIS IS PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID EARLIER WAS, IS THE PROBLEM WAS WE WERE HAVING FOUR, SIX, EIGHT, 10, 12 HOURS FOR OUR PARAMEDICS AND OUR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION UNITS TO LEAVE THE HOSPITALS, OFFLOADING THE PATIENTS AND GETTING BACK IN THE FIELD TO GO TO THE NEXT CALL.
UM, SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS LET'S BRING IN CARE WHO HAS ABUNDANCE AMOUNT OF AMBULANCES.
AND WE CAN USE THEM TO TWO, THE FIRST TWO TRANSPORTS, THEY TRANSPORT FOR OUR, AND OUR PARENTS CAN IMMEDIATELY LEAVE THE HOSPITAL AND THEY CAN STAY WITH THE PATIENTS, WHICH GIVES US A CHANCE TO HAVE TWO MORE CALLS TO GO TO, UM, DO THE COVID CARE ITSELF HAD OVER 80 AT ONE POINT EMPLOYEES WITH COVID.
SO THEY WERE UNABLE TO FILL THE SECOND AMBULANCE EVERY DAY SINCE THE LAST LIKE SEVEN DAYS.
I BELIEVE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO FILL TWO AMBULANCES EVERY DAY FOR A TOTAL OF 20 HOURS.
NOW I KNOW YOU SAID, UH, WELL ON THE STAFF REPORT THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE NO AMBULANCE OR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT CARE WAS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.
UM, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY, SEVERAL INCIDENTS THAT, UH, NO.
I JUST, I JUST HAVE THE ONES THAT WERE WHERE I'VE BEEN CALLED AND IT'S JUST, THERE'S BEEN TIMES WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY TO GO AND JUST NOBODY, NOBODY AVAILABLE.
AND, UM, COUNTY WILL COME WITH THEIR PARAMEDICS AND OUR FIRE ENGINE AND THE PARAMEDICS ARE SITTING THERE WITH NO AMBULANCE.
CAUSE WE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UM, TO TRANSPORT PATIENTS IN WEST COVINA.
SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT WITH OUR TWO OH ONE RIGHTS.
BUT JUST TO CLARIFY, IT'S JUST TWO PER SHIFT.
RIGHT? TWO PER SHIFTS FROM CARERS IS WHEN OUR DEDICATED, UM, CONTRACT IS, UM, IT'S JUST ON THE STAFF REPORT.
IT SAYS, UH, BUT WE'LL GUARANTEE ONE DURING THE TIMES IDENTIFIED SO THEY CAN GUARANTEE ONE, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GUARANTEE TWO BECAUSE OF THEIR COVID ISSUES.
HE DOESN'T KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW IF TOMORROW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A HUNDRED HUNDRED PEOPLE OUT.
SO PER DAY YOU'RE DEFINITELY ONLY GOING TO HAVE ONE CARE, BUT WILL WE, UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FEEL THE TWO AND THAT, LIKE I SAID, THE LAST SEVEN, MAYBE 10 DAYS, I THINK IT WAS I AND WHY CAN'T, IF, IF THERE'S A CONTRACT TO GUARANTEE TO WHY CAN'T THEY GUARANTEE TO UNFORTUNATELY, MALWARE WE'RE IN A, WE HAVE A FIGHTER UPON, WE CAN'T EVEN GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO CALLS.
[03:00:01]
I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN A PARAMEDIC AND AN IN THE EMS SYSTEM FOR OVER 35 YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IS MY WHOLE CAREER THOUGHT I EVER WOULD WHERE YOU'RE SITTING ON THE WALL FOR 12 HOURS WITH A CRITICAL SHORTNESS OF BREATH, PATIENT NOT GETTING CARE.AND IT'S JUST, THERE'S NO WAY I CAN.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COST IS ONLY FOR THAT ONE GUARANTEED UNIT, CORRECT? YEAH.
SO WE'RE ONLY GETTING CHARGED FOR WHAT WE HAVE AND HOURS THAT THEY'RE HERE.
SO IF, IS IT ONLY FOR THE HOURS? SO IF WE HAVE THE SECOND UNIT THAT IS AVAILABLE HALFWAY THROUGH THEIR SHIFT, ARE THEY GOING TO INFORM YOU? AND WE'RE STILL, ARE WE PAYING THEM THAT PRICE COMMUNICATING CLEARLY AND WHO IS MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE, UH, DOUBLE CHECKING THAT THEY'RE ON THEIR SHIFT, THEY ARE HERE AND THEY'RE IN OUR CITY ACTUALLY ADDED OUR RADIO FREQUENCY TO THERE.
SO OUR DISPATCH IS ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AND THEY'RE TELLING THEM WHEN THEY'RE CLEAR FROM THE HOSPITAL AND WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
I REMEMBER WE HAVE A FOUR PARAMEDIC, RIGHT? AND WHY UNSPOKEN DUMB.
SO WE ONLY HAVE A THREE IN SERVICE.
AM I RIGHT? OR I'M WRONG? YOU'RE TALKING TO THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL VEHICLES.
HOW MANY SEEN SERVERS RIGHT NOW? OUR NOT KALE, AMBULANCE, OUR AMBULANCE PHYSICALLY RIGHT NOW THAT'S IN USE THAT CAN GO OR BECAUSE, UH, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THREE SCHOOL, WE STARTED A, ANOTHER PARAMEDIC UNIT.
SO WE PUT A FOURTH PARAMEDIC UNIT IN, SIR, WE HAVE A FOUR AMBULANCE THAT WE CAN SEND OUT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST CONTRACT TO, OKAY, SO WE DIDN'T GET TO CRY TO THE AMBULANCE, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF SIX.
SO WE STEP UP OKAY, DOING THIS PANDEMIC.
SO THE THOUGHT IS WE ARE GOING TO, AND WE HAVE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THIS AS A COVID RELATED CARES ACT, REIMBURSABLE ITEM, AS THIS IS EVER CHANGING.
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES WHAT THEY WANT.
THEY CAN IDENTIFY, DECIDE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
BUT IT APPEARS THAT AT LEAST THE CARE AMBULANCES WE'RE EVEN GOING TO PUT THE OTHER OR MEDIC UNIT ON THERE TO HOPEFULLY GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, INCLUDING PAPERCLIPS ON THE REIMBURSEMENT.
THEY'RE GOING TO WRITE IT DOWN AND THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US, YES, NO ONLY WE JUST, OKAY, HAVE THIS SURGE.
WE NEED TO STEP UP SPECIALTY PEOPLE IN, IN DISTRESS.
AND THE CURRENTLY OUR RESPONSE TIME, DO YOU, AFTER WE HAVE THIS CARE AMBULANCE, CAN WE IMPROVE OUR RESPONSE TIME OR THE WAIT, HOW LONG PEOPLE GO NOW ON ONE DAY, BUT SOME SHORT BREATH TO, AND THAT HOW SOON WE CAN GO OVER THERE TO HELP THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM IS MOST OF THE CALLS ARE GOING ON NOW ARE ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT WHERE THEY'RE NOT BREATHING.
AND SOMETIMES MANY TIMES IT NEEDS THE FIRE ENGINE AND THE AMBULANCE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT FIRE ENGINE TO GO.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE MORE FIRE ENGINES THAN WE HAVE PARAMEDIC UNITS.
BECAUSE WHEN THE TURMERIC UNITS, TRANSPORT, FIRE ENGINES BACK IN THE DISTRICT AND THEY CAN GET THERE QUICKLY.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THEY'RE HAVING TO FOLLOW UP TO THE HOSPITAL, TO THE PATIENTS THAT WOULD NORMALLY JUST BE BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, BROKEN ARMS, MAYBE A FLU OR SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T EVEN GO INTO THE HOSPITAL.
WE'RE ALLOWED TO LET THEM SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU NEED TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR WHERE YEARS, MANY YEARS WE WOULD TAKE THE HOSPITAL.
ON MANY DAYS, WE'RE MORE THAN DOUBLE OUR CALL VOLUME MORE THAN W WE, WE, WE HAD, WE HAD ONE FIRE ENGINE THAT PUT THE PATIENT IN A CAR, FOLLOWED THEM TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND THE ANSWER, MY QUESTION IS HOW SOON, OKAY.
THE PAIR ROMANTIC WOULD SHOW UP.
ON THE AMBULANCE WILL SHOW UP IF THEY CALL NINE ONE ONE.
AND WHEN YOU SHOW YOU A DO A SURVEY, OKAY, SHOULD WE GO TO THE HOSPITAL? OR SHOULD WE JUST STAY HERE? QUARANTINE YOU A HIGH FEVER, JUST TAKE SOME ASPIRIN OR SOMETHING.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, OKAY, NOW WE GOT SIX AMBULANT.
IT'S STILL UP, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THEIR DELAY AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO WHEN HOURS, WHEN THEY PEOPLE CALL IT HALF HOURS OR NO, NO, NO.
WE'RE GETTING THERE WITHIN THE 10, 12 MINUTES.
DON'T ALWAYS SHOW UP, BUT IT'S SUBJECT TO GET DEBBIE IN ROWING TO THE HOSPITAL AND NOT DO TO DAY OVERWHELMING
SO WE HAD THREE PARAMEDIC UNITS, RESCUE OUNCES AT 20 CALLS A DAY, WE'VE ADDED ONE MORE PARAMEDIC UNIT FOR 40 CALLS A DAY.
SO THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT, NO, WE'RE STILL NOT MEETING WHAT WE NEED TO DO DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, NOBODY IS IN, IN THE FIRE SERVICE RIGHT NOW.
IT HOSPITALS AREN'T EVEN DOING WELL.
WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE TASTING THIS FRIDAY.
I WANT TO PUT A FIFTH ONE IN THAT.
WOULD IT BE IDEAL TO HELP US OUT MORE? THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T HAVE THE VEHICLES TO DO THAT.
WE DON'T PHYSICALLY HAVE RESOURCES THAT CAN STAND THE STREET.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO, AND THE GUYS ARE TRYING TO GET THEM, PUT THEM TOGETHER
[03:05:01]
AND WORK IN IT AND WE COULD DO IT.BUT THEN YOU HAVE, HOW MANY GUYS DO WE HAVE OUT ON COVID? HOW MANY GUYS DO WE HAVE SICK? WE'RE FORCING MORE GUYS TO DO THAT, WORK ON THAT, TO DO THIS MORE.
SO WE HAVE A TWO CONTRACT CARE.
CAN WE INCREASE CARE TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE? SO IF WE NEED MORE, CAN WE, CAN THEY HELP AND KALE COME UP? I THINK WE COULD, BUT I THINK THE BEST FOR THE CITY IS TO PUT IN THE ANOTHER, ANOTHER PARAMEDIC UNIT OF OUR OWN, BECAUSE THIS WAY WE GET THE CARE THAT THE PATIENTS WERE GOING ON NEED THAT PARAMEDIC CARE CARE IS JUST BASICALLY TWO GUYS DRIVING WITH A GURNEY.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, THE EXPERTISE, OR THE TRAINING OR CERTIFICATION TO ACTUALLY SAVE YOUR LIFE OXYGEN TANK.
WELL, IT'S MORE THAN AN OXYGEN TEAM.
IT'S IVS MEDICATIONS, UH, EKG.
UM, SOMETIMES CDPAP, IT'S INNOVATING PATIENTS.
WE'RE BASICALLY USING THEM JUST TO TRANSPORT THE PATIENT FOR US SO WE CAN GET OUR PARAMEDIC.
WHO'S TRANSPORTING WITH THEM BACK AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT CALL.
IDEALLY, IF THIS CONTINUES OUR NUMBERS CHANGE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A FIFTH ONE IN FOR TIME AND WE CAN SHUT THEM DOWN.
ANYTIME WHEN THINGS START GOING DOWN, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS WHAT'S MY BENCHMARK.
WHEN DO I SAY TODAY'S THE DAY WE SHUT IT DOWN? AND THEN TOMORROW WE HAVE 50 CALLS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY FLUID AND THE GUYS ARE STEPPING UP AND DOING IT AND WE'RE ALL STEPPING UP TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO, UH, IF YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THE PERSONNEL, DO WE HAVE BUDGET FOR THAT? OR THIS CAN BE REIMBURSED FUND THE STATE.
IT'S LIKELY IT WILL BE, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
I KNOW BETTER THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IT'S LIKELY WE'LL BE REIMBURSED FOR THESE.
UM, I THINK THE, THE RULE OF THUMB I WOULD USE IS THE PEOPLE THAT COME OUT FROM OES FEMA, SIX MONTHS, A YEAR LATER, DON'T REMEMBER THE EXIGENCY OF THE MOMENT.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY DON'T HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH IN THAT TIME.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR TRAIL, YOUR, YOUR RECORD, KEEPING YOUR FORMS. ARE THEY SUFFICIENT? AND WE JUST HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO ACT LIKE WE JUST WON THE LOTTERY BECAUSE IT'S FEDERAL MONEY.
WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING TRUE TO THE, JUST MEETING THE NEED.
AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THIS SUGGESTION OFFERED TONIGHT THAT WE LOOK AT STAFFING UP EVEN FURTHER BEYOND THESE THAT'S IN THIS CONTRACT.
I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE A DUTY TO DO THAT.
MAYBE THE SURGE IS GOING TO CREST AGAIN BEYOND WHERE IT IS NOW.
KEEPING IS A MAJOR ISSUE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN NUMBER WE HAVE A COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU IS THE RECORD KEEPING.
WE NEED TO HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE TRAIL.
WE DON'T WANT TO BECAUSE CHANGING PERSONNEL AND THE PAPER DISAPPEAR, AND THEN WE STUCK WITH THE BAIL.
WE ACTUALLY IDENTIFY THE, THE MOUNTAIN OF THE STAFFING THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THROUGH THESE UNITS.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY IDENTIFYING IT IN THE PAYROLL THAT, THAT, THAT WAS A COVID SURGE UNIT.
DOESN'T HELP THE RESOURCES TO SAVE PATIENTS.
THEY'RE JUST A TRANSPORT UNIT.
IDEALLY IT'S THE PARAMEDICS, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO GET THERE AND SAVE A LIFE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING.
AIR AMBULANCE IS, IS, IS OUR BANDAID.
THE PARAMEDICS IS THE SURGERY.
IF I CAN GIVE YOU A SCENARIO, A ANALOGY THERE, KARA KARA IS GREAT.
AND IT WAS, IT'S A GREAT THING.
HELP US TO GET OUR PARAMEDIC BACK, BUT WE WANT THE PARAMEDIC.
THAT'S GOING TO GET THERE AND SAVE A LIFE.
CARE'S JUST ARE, ARE, ARE UBER, ARE, ARE LYFT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? UBER AMBULANCE BASICALLY, BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST TRANSPORTING OUR GUYS TO GET THEM BACK, TO GET TO THE NEXT CALL.
UH, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW REAL IS THIS? CAUSE YOU REALLY SHARE THAT WITH, WITH THE PUBLIC, THIS, UH, THE COVID SURGE THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE SEEING AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH AND, AND JUST YOU'RE ON THE GROUND.
UH, SO IT JUST REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, FOR OUR, FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE CITY TO, TO, TO HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR CHIEF, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THIS IS LIKE.
WELL, I, I MEAN, I COULD TELL YOU SOME STORIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DO IT.
I MEAN, I MEAN, WE HAD ONE FIRE ENGINE THAT WAS DOING CPR ON A 40 YEAR OLD MALE THAT THEY GOT PULSES AND RESPIRATIONS BACK, BUT WE HAD NO AMBULANCE ANYWHERE THAT THEY LOST THEM AGAIN.
AND THEY WERE THERE WAITING ALMOST 40 MINUTES.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
THE PERSON HAD OTHER AILMENTS.
AND SO I CAN'T SAY IT WOULD'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE.
I HOPE IT MAY HAVE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
UM, WE HAD TWO OF OUR PARAMEDICS WHO TRANSPORTED A DECEASED BODY AFTER SITTING ON IT IN AN AMBULANCE THREE HOURS TO THE HOSPITAL, THANKS TO TIM CASTELLANOS.
THEY TOOK A PATIENT, THEY TOOK THE DISEASE BODY TO QUEEN THE VALLEY.
THAT'S BASICALLY AGAINST THE POLICIES AND THIS, THIS IS STUFF THAT OUR GUYS ARE DOING.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING STUFF ON THE LINE THAT IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
THEY'RE GOING ON, PATIENTS THAT ARE DYING IN FRONT OF THEIR HANDS, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
AND IT'S HAPPENING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
[03:10:02]
UH, STORIES OF OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS THERE, THEY'RE GETTING SIX, EIGHT, 10 CARDIAC ARRESTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.IT'S EVERYTHING YOU HEAR ON THE NEWS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND, AND COMMUNITY SPREAD AND PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES AS REAL THIRTY-FIVE YEARS.
I NEVER, NEVER THINK LIKE THAT.
UM, I MEAN, CAN YOU, UH, SHARE, UH, THE EXPERT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT SHOULD WE AS RESIDENTS DO? SO, SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, RELIEVE, I GUESS THE, I MEAN OUR EMERGENCY SYSTEM, OUR, OUR HOSPITALS, UH, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN GET A HANDLE ON THIS AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, HEARING FROM YOU, I MEAN, WE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THERE.
CAN YOU JUST SHARE, HEY, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU SAY WE SHOULD BE DOING CALL NINE 11, UNLESS YOU REALLY NEED US, WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE MY FIRST THING, BECAUSE WHEN A FIRE ENGINE AND PARAMEDIC UNITS RESPONDING TO SOMEBODY WHO MAYBE DOESN'T NEED THEM, THAT TAKES AWAY FOR THE NEXT INCIDENT THAT MAY NEED THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN.
SO IF WE'RE DOWN TO ONE PARAMEDIC IN OUR 18 SQUARE MILES AND THEY HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTH END FOR A, A COUGH OR A CUT FINGER OR SOMETHING, WHICH HAPPENS, AND NOW WE HAVE A, A REAL CARDIAC NEED OR CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR A SEIZURE, A DIABETIC EPISODE ON NORTH END OF THE CITY, THE RESOURCES ISN'T THERE.
AND WE NORMALLY CALL UPON OUR PARTNERS TO DO IT.
WE'LL THEY'RE, THEY THEY'RE COMING, BUT THE AMBULANCES AREN'T THERE, OR THEY'RE SITTING AT HOSPITALS AND ARE WAITING.
SO DON'T CALL NINE 11, UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN'T DO ANYTHING YOURSELF, CALL YOUR DOCTOR AND SEE WHAT YOUR DOCTOR SUGGESTS WOULD BE MY WORDS OF WISDOM AT THIS POINT.
AND IT, WASN'T NO EXPERIENCE ABOUT COINCIDENCE.
AND DOING THE CHRISTMAS TO BE OKAY.
AND, UH, HE HAS A HIGH FEVER WHILE ALL THREE, AND HE JUST CANNOT GET OFF THE BED.
WE ARE SO WORRIED BECAUSE COLBY, ALL THIS AND, UH, AND THE HIGH FEVER AND THE OKAY.
AND THE OLDEST SYNDROME, BUT WE DIDN'T CALL AMBULANCE.
WE CALL, WE WENT TO THE URGENT CARE TO DO A SWAP.
TO MAKE SURE THE DIZZY IS OKAY.
AND WE WENT IN THE CAR AND, UH, WE GOT, UH, SWAB IS A NEGATIVE.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS, AND THEN THERE'S FEVER CONTINUE.
SO, SO WE, WE, WE CALL THE DOCTOR.
WE COULD HAVE AN URGENT CARE DOC TO HIS OWN DATA AND TRIED TO MONITOR THE CJ AGENT.
AND HE'S REALLY CANNOT GET OFF THE BED FOR A DOUBT, MAN.
SO MEANING THIS IS VERY SEVERE.
FOUR, UH, 28 YEARS OF, UH, OKAY.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS, WE DIDN'T USE IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE WE WANT TO AVOID ANY SITUATION, BUT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO GO TO THE, USING THE URGENT CARE WITH A TATA MONITOR AND MAYBE SOME ANTIBIOTICS.
SO WE CAN SWAP SECOND TIME AND THEN WENT TO THE PRC THE THIRD TIME.
AND IF IT WAS THREE DAYS AND SO NEGATIVE, BUT HE DIDN'T TOTALLY RECOVER FOR TWO WEEKS FINALLY.
CAN HE CAN EAT AND GRADUALLY RECOVER.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS IS A BLESSING.
UH, WE DIDN'T RUN TO THE HOSPITAL.
UH, WE TRY TO USE THE URGENT CARE.
WE TRIED TO USE THE FAMILY DOCTOR AND YOU PRESCRIBED OKAY.
I'M ONLY TO, AND THE FAMILY CONTINUED TO MAKE SURE, OKAY.
OH, THE DOCTOR AND THE URGENT CARE AND IT WAS SWAB.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? THIS IS A NEGATIVE KOBE, BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY SICK.
SO, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS A LOT OF PEOPLE OKAY.
A FEVER, HIGH FEVER IS SO WORRY AND THEY RIGHT AWAY RUN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THE OVERWHELMING, THE MEDICAL.
SO MAYBE THEY CAN TRY TO GO TO URGENT CARE OR THEY'RE AT THE, YOU SAY THE DUTCHER.
TO, TO SEE AND MAYBE GET A SWAP.
AND TO MAKE SURE, OKAY, THIS IS OKAY.
FROM WHAT YOU SAY, SO MAYBE PEOPLE CAN SAY, PLEASE JUST DON'T RUN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE WHY NOT JUST OKAY.
TOO MUCH OF, OH, I'M IN OF A MEDICAL OCCURRENCE SYSTEM.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE NOT TO CALL IT.
THAT'S WHAT I DEFINITELY WANT THEM TO, IF THEY NEED US, CALL US, CALL NINE 11, IF YOU'RE IN NEED, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY BE DELAY IF IT'S NOT THAT EMERGENT OR NOTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO TELL PEOPLE, DON'T CALL ON PEOPLE TO CALL WITH THEM, TO GET CARE IF THEY NEED IT.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN TEACH PEOPLE AND EDUCATE WITH WHEN, WHEN AN EMERGENCY IS ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? I HAD A FINAL
[03:15:01]
QUESTION.I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WE ARE DOING OUR OWN BILLING.
SO WITH THIS CONTRACT, CAROL WILL BE FORWARDING ALL, ANY, AND ALL INFORMATION.
THEY GET ON THE TRANSPORT OF THE PATIENT AS WE WILL, WHEN WE FIRST MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PATIENT AND OUR BILLING COMPANY WE'LL CONTINUE WITH, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE DOING THE INVOICING.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTED, UM, REVENUE WOULD BE FOR THAT? UH, W I MEAN, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM WHAT, DEPENDING WHAT MEDICAL INSURANCE THEY HAVE, IF THEY HAVE MEDI-CAL MEDICARE OR, YOU KNOW, CONTRACT PRICES, OR IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAVE TO PAY THE FULL COUNTY PRICE THAT I THINK IS THAT $2,100 IN TRANSPORT FOR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
I JUST WANT TO, JUST TO SEE WHAT THE OFFSET OF THE COSTS WERE.
I MEAN, WITH THE REVENUES, LET'S SAY, LET'S SAY FOR SOME REASON WE HAD TO, WE KEPT THEM FOR THE WHOLE SIX MONTHS, WHICH I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT.
AND THE COST WE DID, IT WOULD BE OFFSET WITH OUR REVENUES.
IT WAS, IT WOULD BE COVERED THROUGH THAT.
UH, THANK YOU ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS NOW, WHO WOULD LIKE TO MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I'LL CALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT DUBAI COUNCILMAN WU COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ.
I MADE A PRO TIM CASTELLANO'S MAYOR LOPEZ.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, THANK YOU.
[23) CONSIDERATION OF REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT SERIES JOB DESCRIPTIONS]
GOING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 23, COUNCILMEN BOUTS OF I GO AHEAD.I TH I THINK I, YES, AND I DID.
SO, UH, TH THE, THE CHANGES TO THE, TO THE CLASSIFICATIONS, UH, I WAS REALLY KIND OF FOCUSED ON, UH, ON CAPTAIN.
UH, I NOTICED, UH, ONE OF THE CHANGES WAS, UM, IT WENT FROM, UH, FIVE YEARS OF, OF FIRE EXPERIENCE TO, UH, FIVE YEARS OF FIRE EXPERIENCE INSIDE THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
AND SO, UM, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD, UM, EXPLAIN, UH, THE RATIONALE THERE.
AND SECONDLY, UM, A CONCERN WOULD BE NOT, NOT HAVING, UH, THE ABILITY TO STAFF THAT LET'S SAY WE WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME RETIREMENT OR PEOPLE LEAVE.
AND, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD HAVE, UH, ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS WITH FIVE YEARS IN THE CITY OF WEST COAST, RIGHT.
UH, WEST COVINA VERSUS HOW WE HAD IT BEFORE, WHERE IT WAS JUST FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
SO BASICALLY WHAT WE DID WAS WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND THEY WERE NOT CONSISTENT.
THEY WERE, I MEAN, SOME WERE MISSING THINGS THAT WERE VITAL.
WE JUST STREAMLINED THEM, ALL THE HR DEPARTMENT FIREFIGHTER, AND WE TALKED THEM THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, WE JUST BASICALLY MADE THEM STREAMLINE AND ALL, BASICALLY THE SAME ENGINEERING CAPTAIN DEFINITELY NEEDED TO BE IDENTIFIED THAT THEY ARE IN-HOUSE PROMOTIONAL, BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY VITAL, IMPORTANT POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO KNOW, UM, THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND HOW WE DO BUSINESS HERE, HOW THE WEST COVINA WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
AND, UH, IT JUST, IT JUST CLEANED IT UP.
IT JUST, IT JUST MADE IT SOUND RIGHT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
WE'VE NEVER DONE A LATERAL FOR ENGINEER CAPTAIN.
CAPTAIN'S THE ONE YOU'RE DISCUSSING.
SO IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP THE WAY IT SHOULD.
IT SHOULD BE IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS JUST LEFT OUT.
A LOT OF THINGS WERE LEFT OUT ON A LOT OF THE FLYERS WHEN WHOEVER DEVELOPED AND WHENEVER THEY WERE DEVELOPED.
SO, SO THEN THE, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, IN YOUR YOU'RE SAYING, THERE, THERE WOULDN'T BE A CONCERN, UM, ABOUT, UH, LEAVING, UH, UH, I GUESS, UH, UH, RIGHT.
UH, NOT HAVING ENOUGH PERSONNEL, RIGHT.
TO FILL THAT, THAT CAPTAIN, THAT WOULD NEVER BE THE ISSUE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MOTION TO APPROVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL SECOND WE'LL CALL, MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT DUBAI COUNCILMAN WU COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ.
MAY I APPROACH HIM CASTELLANOS MAYOR LOPEZ, VITA.
[25) CONSIDERATION OF REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION AND ADJUST PAY GRADE]
ITEM NUMBER 25, COUNCILMANUH, MS. TRAN, UH, SO, UH, AT, UH, A QUESTION, UM, SO THIS, UH, THIS ADJUSTMENT AND, AND POSITION, UM, COULD YOU TAKE US THROUGH THE, THE, THE, THE RATIONALE FOR,
[03:20:01]
UH, TH THIS, THIS PAY ADJUSTMENT AND, AND, UM, THIS, UH, ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, JOB, UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR.UM, WE, UH, I WORKED WITH THE FINEST DIRECTOR IN THAT TO LOOK AT THE ASSESSMENT AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THERE WAS A NEED FOR FEELING, UH, HAVING AN ASSISTANCE, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR VERSUS, UH, THERE'S OTHER POSITIONS DOESN'T DEPARTMENT THAT WE TALKED TO ACCRUE ACCOUNTING MANAGER AND SO FORTH, AND IT WASN'T GONNA WORK OUT, BUT LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OVERALL AND THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT, IT WAS MO MOST, UH, APPROPRIATE TO BRING IN A VICE DIRECTOR.
SO LOOKING AT THAT POSITION, WE LOOKED AT WHAT WAS IT CURRENTLY, AND, AND, UH, DID A LITTLE SURVEY GOING OUT THERE TO ENSURE THERE'S COMPETITIVENESS AND TO ENSURE THAT YOU COULD RECRUIT THE BEST PERSON TO COME INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND REALLY ASSIST THE CITY'S FISCAL, UM, UH, CONDITION.
SO THAT WAS HOW WE PROPOSED, UH, THE JOB SPEC.
IT WAS MINOR UPDATES, UM, AND THE SALARY THAT WAS PROPOSED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO MOTION TO APPROVE? OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE SECOND, SECOND ROLL CALL.
HI, COUNCILMAN WU COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ, MAYOR PRO TEM.
[27) CONSIDERATION OF AGREEMENT FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR CITY BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES]
ITEM 27.UH, THIS IS COUNCIL WOMAN DIAZ.
I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE, UM, WHY, WHY IS IT THAT DIDN'T GO WITH THE LOWER BID? UH, WE DECIDED IF THERE ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR, UM, THE, UM, THE, OF THAT GOOD EVENING COUNCIL WOMAN, THIS IS, THIS IS A MICROSOFT PUBLIC SERVICES, SUPERINTENDENT, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE REASON THAT WE RE, UM, RECOMMENDED TO NOT USE THE LOW BIDDERS, WE FELT THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE IN MUNICIPAL WORK IN THIS CONTRACT.
UH, THERE'S THE, THE LARGEST PORTION OF THIS CONTRACT IS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S WHERE WE NEED THE MOST SERVICE THERE'S, UH, EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECKS, TIMES THINGS THEY NEED OF THAT NATURE.
THEY'D ONLY WORKED FOR ONE MUNICIPALITY, AND THAT WAS FOR THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, AND THEY'D ONLY, THEY ONLY DID PARK RESTROOMS THERE.
THEY ONLY CLEANED PARK RESTROOMS, SO THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE, UM, THE MUNICIPALITY EXPERIENCE IN INDOOR FACILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THE POLICE STATION.
UM, IT'S A SMALL COMPANY WITH A VERY LIMITED STAFF AND, UH, WE JUST DIDN'T FEEL THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THE CITY'S NEEDS.
UM, SO THAT'S, UH, THE PRICE WAS VERY GOOD, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE EXPERIENCE, WE JUST FELT IT WASN'T THERE.
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP, UH, COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ REGARDING, OH, OKAY.
A HUNDRED DOLLARS MORE, WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE, OR THEY ARE USING CURRENTLY, WE ARE USING THEM.
WE'VE BEEN USING THEM FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UH, OUR, YOU KNOW, CONTACTING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE WE WENT OUT, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO EVERYONE THEY'VE BEEN HAPPY WITH THEIR SERVICE.
UM, THEY HAVE SUPERVISORS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT, YOU KNOW, OUR FACILITY MANAGERS, EACH FACILITY HAS A, A MANAGER THAT OVERSEES THE MAINTENANCE AND THEY'VE HAD, THERE'S BEEN CONTACT THERE AND WE HAVE HAD OPEN ACCESS TO THE OWNER AS WELL.
SO WE VERY RARELY HAVE HAD TO ESCALATE TO THE OWNER, BUT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, SEEMED, YOU KNOW, THEY MEET OUR NEEDS.
UH, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AT THE POLICE STATION WITH STAFFING AND, AND EVERYTHING WE NEED THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE, WE RECOMMENDED THEM, BUT THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS KIND OF TIP DOING OUR BUDGET CRUNCH CURRENTLY.
AND THE, I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM TO PICK SOMEBODY IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE OKAY.
UM, CAN WE, CAN WE HAVE A CHANCE TO, WE BID TO, FOR SOMEBODY AND THEY'LL LOOK AROUND AT DIFFERENT PROVIDERS TO SEE, WE CAN GET A FAIR CHANCE TO GET A BETTER BIT, BUT THEN WE STILL STICK WITH SOMEBODY VERY HIGH PRICE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN ALWAYS REBID MAYOR.
UM, IN OUR EXPERIENCE THE LAST TIME THIS WAS DONE, I WAS NOT IN CHARGE OF THIS, BUT WHEN THIS WAS DONE IN 2015, AROUND THAT TIME, WE WENT WITH A LITTLE BIT, WE WENT WITH A COMPANY THAT WAS VERY CLOSE.
[03:25:01]
IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE OTHER PRICE.THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET OUR NEEDS.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET PEOPLE FOR PD.
WE, IT JUST DID NOT WORK FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN, AND THEN WE, WE REALLY GOT INTO A PROBLEM BECAUSE REPLACING THEM AND GETTING SOMEBODY IN THERE, IT WAS REALLY A PROBLEM.
SO, UM, OUR, OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT, YES, WE WANT FAIR MARKET VALUE.
AND TRUST ME IN MY DEPARTMENT, FUNDS ARE ALWAYS AN ISSUE.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL HAD CONVERSATIONS HERE.
WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE IT'S, WE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY.
IF WE FELT THAT THE $90,000 LOWER BID WOULD GET US GET THE JOB DONE, WE WOULD HAVE SAID YES, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE WILL GET MUCH BETTER ABOUT IT.
DO WE HAVE URGENCY TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT? DO WE HAVE TIME TO LOOK INTO SOME OTHER OPTION BECAUSE THIS IS A PRETTY DAY $400,000 DIFFERENCE.
TO LOOK INTO IT, TO SEE SOME OF THE OPTIONS.
IF YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT 10,000, $20,000, UH, I PAY THE SERVICE, BUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN DEFINITELY REBID IT, BUT THE CONTRACT IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE.
SO WE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO GO MONTH TO MONTH AT OUR CURRENT RATE OR CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CAN SO WE CAN KEEP MOVING SO WE CAN KEEP OUR GENERAL TURELL WHILE WE BID THE PROCESS.
WHY DON'T WE, I MEAN, UH, HOW CAN WE, WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN IN-HOUSE MAINTENANCE TO CLEAN IT.
UH, I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO COST, YOU KNOW, LABOR FOR US IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT IS IN A CONTRACT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CONTRACT EMPLOYEES AND IN-HOUSE EMPLOYEES, UM, IN THE FINANCIAL REPORT, LONG-TERM LIABILITY IS, IS THE MAIN COST.
SO BEFORE MY TIME, I THINK THINGS HAVE TRANSITIONED THAT WAY BECAUSE TO GET RID OF THE LONG-TERM LIABILITY.
SO I THINK THAT HAS BEEN THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR IT, YOU KNOW? UM, IT'S NOT, IT DEFINITELY IS POSSIBLE TO DO, BUT FOR 244,000, I THINK THE CHIEF AND ALL THE NEEDS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT WOULD BE HARD TO FILL.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE OTHER COSTS AS WELL.
SO BASICALLY THAT TO SUMMARIZE THAT IT'S THE PENSION COSTS THAT COME WITH IN-HOUSE AND OBVIOUSLY I'M SPECULATING ON, UH, IN, IN I'VE OBVIOUSLY I'M A TIME EMPLOYEE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, YOU KNOW, I DO NOT RECALL US EVER HAVING IN-HOUSE CLEANING, WE'VE ALWAYS CONTRACTED OUT JANITORIAL.
UM, I'M JUST SPECULATING TO WHAT I'M SPECULATING TO WHAT I THINK THE THOUGHT WAS AND WHY THEY WENT CONTRACT.
AND IF I GO CONTRACT ANYWHERE, THAT USUALLY IS SOME OF THE THOUGHT BEHIND IT.
NOW MY QUESTION ABOUT ALVAREZ ENTERPRISE SERVICES, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE, WHEN THEY CAME TO MEET, W WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO SAY IN TERMS OF THEIR PLAN, THAT WHERE THEY DID THEY HAVE A PLAN? I MEAN, DID THEY SAY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT? WE'VE GOT A CONTINGENCY, WE'VE GOT LIKE FOUR BACKUP PEOPLE IN CASE SOMEONE'S SICK, OR DID THEY GO IN DEPTH IN TENNECO? THAT IS WHERE THE, YOUR QUESTION HIT, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION YOU JUST ASKED IS WHAT YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
UM, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
IF SOMEBODY GOES DOWN, IF SOMEBODY ISN'T ABLE TO COVER PD, IF SOMEBODY SHOULD GET COVID THOSE THINGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN SOME PLACES YOU CAN BRING ANYBODY IN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN'T JUST BRING ANYBODY IN.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH, THEY HAVE TO BE VETTED.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND AND THEN GET APPROVED TO GO IN THERE.
SO THAT WAS THE MAIN DETRACTOR AND WHY WE DIDN'T GO WITH AWESOME.
SO THEY WERE BASICALLY JUST STUMPED AND STARING AT YOU.
THEY DIDN'T STARE, BUT IN ESSENCE, KIND OF LIKE, YEAH, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL DO WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO DO TO GET THE JOB DONE.
THEY DID SAY THAT, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE AN OUTLINE PLAN OF WHAT THEY WOULD DO IN THAT SCENARIO.
AND THAT IS THE QUESTION THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, SAT WITH US WITH THE COMMITTEE.
IT WAS COMMUNITY SERVICES AND MAINTENANCE TOGETHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT FROM BOTH STANDPOINTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE COMMUNITY CENTERS NEED.
WE'D REACHED OUT TO PD BEFOREHAND AND DONE THAT.
SO, UM, THERE WASN'T A THOROUGH, THERE WAS NOT A THOROUGH ANSWER TO THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF JANITORIAL SERVICES.
THERE WAS NO QUESTION THERE THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO QUESTION ALSO THAT THEY WOULD WORK HARD FOR US.
DO THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO? AND WHAT WILL, WHAT WILL THEY DO IF THAT SITUATION ARISE AND UNITED MAINTENANCE HAS LIKE EXCESS STAFF, OR ARE THEY LARGE ENOUGH TO WEATHER THAT KIND OF, OH, THEY WORK IN C UH, EXCUSE ME.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFFICER.
UM, THEY WORK IN A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES, LA CITY BEING THE BIGGEST, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE CONTRACTS IN LA CITY AND WE'VE NEVER IN THE FIVE YEARS, WE'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH STAFFING.
YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM, IF WE HAVE A, IF WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE, WE NEED TO SWITCH OUT, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REPLACE THEM INSTANTLY.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT ISSUE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE LONG ENOUGH.
PUPPY WALKER IS WORKING FOR US, INCLUDING ALL THE PLACES CLEANING UP IS ON THAT 22 PERSON.
I TOTALLY DISAGREE LEAD TIME, 2018 BUDGET.
[03:30:01]
AND HOW MUCH WE SAVE.WE SAVED ABOUT $180,000 FOR 22 PEOPLE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM FUNDING HAS COME FROM MAJOR A OKAY.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS OKAY.
AND NOW WE SPENDING THAT MUCH OF MONEY.
TO CLEAN UP ALL THESE THINGS AND WE CAN EASILY THAT TIME.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT SOMETIMES ALL THESE PUBLIC STEPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND I THINK POSSIBLE CHEAPER BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME AUTO FUNDING.
THAT'S WHY I REMEMBER IT BACK IN 2018 BUDGET.
SO, SO, SO I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM TO KIND OF WASTE THIS MONEY IN, INTO OKAY.
I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK SOME OPTION.
AND TO SEE WHAT WE CAN HAVE SAVING, YOU NEED THIS BUDGET CRUNCHED.
AND, UH, SO WE, WE TALK ABOUT CURRENTLY WE REALLY UNDER THIS UNDER STAFF ON THE PUBLIC WORK, THE ORANGE PEOPLE.
HOW WALKING PEOPLE, AND I DON'T KNOW, WE CAN HIRE SOME PEOPLE BACK TO YOUTUBE.
AND THE, WE ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SERVICE.
AM I RIGHT? I THINK WHEN WE TALK, OUR ONE-ON-ONE, WE ALL TALK ABOUT, WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER SERVICE DUE TO, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, WELL, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, AS FAR AS THE ORANGE SHORTS GO, YOU KNOW, I'M OUT THERE WITH THEM EVERY DAY.
I WORKED SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THEM ON, ON ALL THINGS.
WE DO NEED MORE ORANGE SHIRTS.
UM, I HOPE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS TO PROPOSE TO YOU WAYS TO GET MORE ORANGE SHIRTS OUT THERE IN THIS INSTANCE, I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, THOUGH, THAT THIS IS STRICTLY GENERAL FUND MONEY.
THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR SERVICES IN, IN, UH, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT COMES OUT OF GAS TAX, UH, SEWER TAX, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS IS STRICTLY GENERAL FUND.
SO JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE, UM, WE HAVE NO PROBLEM.
RFP JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN YOU, SO THE JANITORIAL, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POLICE STATION IS I'M SURE VERY SPECIFIC AND THERE, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS CERTAIN EXPERTISE NEEDED TO DEAL WITH WITH THE POLICE STATION VERSUS, UH, OTHER, OTHER BUILDINGS.
IS THAT WHAT I'M, IT'S NOT EXPERTISE IN ACTUAL, IN THE DUTIES THEMSELVES, IT'S THE BACKGROUND REQUIRED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T JUST LET ANYBODY INTO A POLICE STATION.
SO VETTING THE PERSON TO COME IN AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, DO NOT HAVE A PRIOR HISTORY OR DO THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THEY'RE VERY TIGHT WHO THEY ALLOW IN THE POLICE STATION, BUT THE DUTIES THEMSELVES ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO IN OTHER AREAS.
AND, AND THEN, UH, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, NONE OF THESE PRICES INCLUDE SERVICES FOR SPECIAL SANITATION, UH, SANITIZING FOR COVID-19.
UM, WE DISCUSSED, WE DISCUSSED ADDING THOSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN WAS HOW MUCH WOULD THEY INCREASE BE? YOU KNOW, A BUDGET IS, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO REMAIN IN BUDGET HERE, AND THOSE ARE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TRY TO STAY, WE WANT TO STAY WITHIN BUDGET AND WE THOUGHT THE COST WOULD GO, UH, WOULD BE EXORBITANT.
SO, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE GIST WE GOT FROM THE CONTRACTORS THAT BEING SAID, THIS CONTRACT DOES LEAVE OPENING TO NEGOTIATE AND DO THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IF WE NEEDED TO NEGOTIATE SOME SORT OF A SPECIAL CLEANING THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WE COULD DO IT.
UM, WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
I THINK ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SPOKE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, UV SYSTEMS, FOR INSTANCE, HVAC SYSTEMS. LAST WEEK, I WAS ON A MEETING WITH, WITH THE COMPANY THAT DOES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS SYSTEMS THAT SUCK AIR IN UV DISINFECT, AND THEN SEND IT INTO THE HVAC.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS AND SEE WHAT ARE FEASIBLE.
WE'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY PEOPLE THAT WILL COME IN AND SPRAY AND DO THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST WHETHER IT'S COST-EFFECTIVE OR NOT.
SO, UM, IN, IN THE TALKS WITH ALVAREZ, UM, W W DID D DID THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO SANITIZE FOR COVID 19 AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, WAS THAT PART OF THEIR CAPACITY, OR THEY DID NOT CALL OUT ANY SPECIAL DISINFECTANT OTHER THAN THE OTHER AGENCIES FOR DISTANT, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY WOULD BE THE STANDARD, YOU KNOW, STANDARD CHEMICAL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
EVERYTHING WAS IDENTICAL BETWEEN THE THREE COMPANIES THAT WE, WE, UM, INTERVIEWED.
SO THERE WAS NOTHING, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING DIFFERENT OR SPECIFY ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD, COUNCILMAN WILL.
WANT TO MAKE MOTION TO TABLE THIS? OKAY.
AND, UH, MAYBE FURTHER TO THIS AGAIN, INVESTIGATE AND MAYBE HAVE A IT TO SEE, OKAY.
SOME OTHER COMPANY CAN PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE AND BETTER PRICING.
I THINK A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE.
I THINK HIS CURRENT SITUATION IS PRETTY TOUGH.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT I'LL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER.
[03:35:04]
WOMAN DIAZ.MAY I APPROACH HIM? CASTELLANO'S AYE.
MAYOR LOPEZ V AUTO AYE PASSES.
AND SO, UH, LIKE THAT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO GO MONTH TO MONTH PENDING, FURTHER INVESTIGATION, RIGHT? OH, THAT WAS GOOD.
IT'D BE MY, MY QUESTION AND RECOMMENDATION TO YOU THAT YOU JUST WRECK THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A EXTENSION MONTH TO MONTH TILL WE RETURN WHEN THEY EXPIRE.
UH, THE NEW CONTRACT WAS FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO I'M IMAGINING IT'S THE END OF JUNE, JANUARY 31ST, 2021.
WE WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION TO JUST TAKE YOUR DIRECTION IF YOU DON'T.
I DON'T, I DON'T NEED A MOTION.
I'M HERE FOR THE NEXT ITEM AS WELL.
[28) CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC. CONTRACT FOR CITYWIDE TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES]
AND FINAL ITEM.UM, SO THAT'S THE THREE CONTRACT WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED.
ISN'T IS AN INCREASE FROM FOUR 85 TO SEVEN 85.
UM, I GUESS I'LL START FROM JUST SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY? WHAT ARE DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS DO? THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE I'VE STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND.
MAYBE I COULD GO OUT WITH YOU ONE DAY.
WHAT KIND OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT DO WE DO? CAUSE THAT'S EVEN BEFORE MY TIME ON COUNCIL, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE'S CONCERN OVER FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS.
WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORKERS THAT WE HIRE, BECAUSE THESE CONTRACTS ARE MASSIVE, WHAT DO WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THERE ON TIME? THEY'RE NOT TAKING EXCESSIVE BREAKS, REALLY DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO AND NOT LEAVING EARLY THINGS OF THAT NATURE? WELL, IN THE CASE OF THIS CONTRACT, IT'S PIECEWORK IS PER ITEM.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A COST FOR TRIMMING A TREE AND WE PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR TRIMMING THAT TREE.
IT'S I DON'T KNOW WHAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT FOR A GRID TREE TRIMMING, IT'S ABOUT 60, 60, SOME DOLLARS IN THAT RANGE.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WE SEND THEM LISTS.
THEY CONFIRM TO US, WE HAVE A LOT OF EMERGENCY WORK.
SO IF SOMETHING GOES DOWN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE CONTRACT IS EMERGENCY WORK.
IT COULD BE REMOVALS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE SEND THEM A LIST OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, AND THEN WE FOLLOW IT UP.
WHAT WE DO IS WE MONITOR EVERY MONTH, WE GET OUR BILLS AND WE CONFIRM IT'S THERE.
WE DOUBLE-CHECK WITH ARBOR ACCESS TO MAKE SURE IT MATCHES IN AND DO THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A CONTRACT COORDINATOR THAT THAT'S HIS RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT'S WHAT HE DOES.
UM, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TREE WORK IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ENDLESS, IT'S ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, TREE WORK AND GRAFFITI IS, IS WHERE WE'RE THE BUSY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HANDLED THE MOST.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO GOES TO VERIFY THAT THE WORK'S BEEN DONE AND DONE PROPERLY, NOT FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMS. VERY CORRECT.
WE DO HAVE SOMEONE THAT DOES THAT.
WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC SCOPE, HOW THE TREES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TRIMMED, HOW A GRID IS DONE, NOT TO BE TOPPED.
IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY, YOU KNOW, IT'S STANDARD FOR THE INDUSTRY AND IT'S PRETTY SPECIFIC ON WHAT IT IS.
AND WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY DOING THAT.
YES, THAT GOES OUT AND HANDLES FOR THAT IN, IN GOOD TIMES WHEN THINGS WERE BAD, THERE WAS ONE PERSON THAT JUST DID THAT, THAT HIS, HIS JOB WAS JUST THE TREE CONTRACT.
UM, NOW WE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIVERSIFIED AND TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
SO IT'S NOT 100% ONE PERSON, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT MONITORS IT REGULARLY AND WE ARE VERY REACTIVE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING SURE BUS ROUTES, AREN'T HITTING TREES, WE'RE MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE RESIDENCES AND WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF RESIDENTS USE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND THERE IT IS, IT IS A LARGE COST AND WE DO HAVE WEST COAST ARBORS HERE IN CASE YOU WANNA ANSWER, ASK THEM ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL, BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR YES, IT DEFINITELY, IT DEFINITELY DOES.
I MEAN, AT LEAST PARTIALLY DO ALL OF OUR LANDSCAPING CONTRACTS WORK IN THE SAME FASHION.
WELL ACTUALLY THERE'S A VERY, THERE'S A VERY SPECIFIC SCOPE IN THAT, AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OUT AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE ARE BROKEN UP INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE HAVE LAND MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE CITY-WIDE, WE THERE'S A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS THAT, THAT PLAY INTO THAT.
UM, WE CAN ALSO WORK ON, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK ON DOING A PRESENTATION FOR COUNCIL ON WHAT THE LAND MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS ARE, WHAT CONTRACTORS DO, WHAT I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE HERE TO DO A SERVICE AND IT'S MY GOAL TO GET TO EVERYONE.
SO I THINK WE DEFINITELY SHOULD, SHOULD.
THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, HELPFUL, USEFUL FOR NOT ONLY ALL OF US UP HERE, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT AT LEAST FOR ME KIND OF LIKE AN AIR OF MYSTICISM AND JUST NOT KNOWING REALLY DETAILED.
SO DEFINITELY I'LL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT.
GOING WITH YOU, BUT ALSO FINDING THESE EASIEST WAY TO GET US THAT IN INTEL.
[03:40:01]
SO OKAY.WITH THE COUNCIL, WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT BACK IN ABOUT A MONTH.
MAYBE NOT THE NEXT TO ME, BUT A MONTH GO FROM THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO SOONER, LET ME KNOW.
BUT, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS GOING TO STATE BEFORE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR WEST COAST ARBORS, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, JUST REMIND THAT, UM, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT WAS DONE IN OCTOBER AND THIS MONEY WAS APPROPRIATED IT'S CITY-WIDE MONEY.
THE MONEY'S ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED.
SO THERE'S NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY.
THE MONEY WAS ALREADY APPROPRIATED.
WE WERE JUST ASKING TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT SO WE CAN DO THE WORK.
THE PLAN IS TO TAKE THIS 300,000, HIT OUR MAJOR, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR MAJOR ARTERIALS HIT, UH, THE DEAD TREES AT SOME THAT ARE IN HILLSIDES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND DEFINITELY MAKE THIS MONEY PUT TO GOOD USE THINGS THAT WE CAN SEE WITH OUR EYES THAT WE CAN TANGIBLY GO, OKAY, WE'VE IMPROVED OUR CITY AND DONE THAT.
SO THAT'S THE GOAL WITH THIS MONEY.
AND AS SOON AS IT'S APPROVED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH WEST COAST, ARBORISTS, AND COME UP WITH A PLAN AND DO THAT.
AND IN THE CITY MANAGERS, UH, REPORT WHEN THOSE THINGS ARE DONE IN THOSE AREAS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL PUT PICTURES UP AND SHOW WHAT WAS DONE WITH THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION ABOUT WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM, FROM THE BUDGET.
UM, AND DEFINITELY I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, WEST COAST ARBORISTS OF MY, OR YES, SIR.
MY QUESTION WILL BE AGAIN, THE BUDGET YOU SAY.
W W WHAT IS PROJECT COMING FROM? WELL, CITYWIDE, THE CITYWIDE IS, UH, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITYWIDE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT IS, IS TAX DOLLARS COLLECTED.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE ABOUT WHAT 60 STREET.
AND THE NOSE, I HAVE TWO OR THREE IN THE SOUTH SIDE FOR THREE.
SO THIS IS BASICALLY A DISTRI OKAY.
SO WE USING THE DISTRICT LIKE A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION, THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR TAXES.
THEY COLLECT WE'LL SIT IN A MOUNTAIN.
NOW WE'RE USING THE AMOUNT, LIKE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION THAT WE BECOME, THAT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
WE, WE TAKE TICTAIL TEXAS FOR LIKE $2, $4.
AND WE ACCUMULATE FOR THEIR HISTORY AND FOR THEIR CLEANUP, FOR THEIR TREE IN A LOCATION.
SO THIS BASICALLY IS ENOUGH ON THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THIS STILL IS DISTRICT MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS MONEY, OR WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS, OKAY? WELL, WE, THIS, WE ARE USE ALL IN ALL.
IS WHEN ARE WE GOING TO APPROVE WHICH DISTRICTS IT IS? OKAY.
THIS IS CITY-WIDE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT.
63 WILL INCREASE THESE $200,000.
BECAUSE THE INCREASE OF THEIR LABOR FEE OR SOMETHING, NO, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
NO, IT'S NOT PART OF THEIR LABOR FEE.
THIS IS THE CITY MANAGER APPROACHED ME AND SAID, BECAUSE WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE THAT WE WANT TO INCREASE.
SO THERE WAS MONEY IN THIS ACCOUNT.
SO IT'S MONEY THAT WAS SITTING IN RESERVES.
WE WANTED TO INCREASE IT, TO DO THIS, TO IMPROVE THE CITY.
SO BASICALLY USING THIS MONEY, THAT'S SITTING OVER THERE TOO.
YOU THE OVERGROWN TREE, BECAUSE WHY NOW? I UNDERSTAND CURRENTLY WE ARE SEVEN YEAR CYCLE, RIGHT?
WE WANT TO BECOME FIVE YEARS CYCLE DUE TO THE TREES, REALLY OVERGROWN AND SEVEN YEARS, LIKE WAY TOO LONG.
IF I USE A GO SEVEN, SEVEN YEARS AGO, WE HAVE A MAJORS WHEN, OKAY.
THE CJ, ASIAN TIMBO, CT ACADIA OF SAN MARINO, THE TREE COLLAPSED LIKE CUISINE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A POWER FOR TWO WEEKS, REMEMBER, OKAY.
AND THIS, BECAUSE TREES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TREE IN THE TREE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A CBO, CJ, ASIAN, OUR TREES ALL GO ON A QUEST.
THAT'S WHY THAT TIME I REQUEST THE FIVE YEARS.
AND THE DAY I THINK THAT TIME, THE OWNER IS A PATCHY WAY.
YOU SAY, ARE YOU OVER HERE TALKING ABOUT, OKAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S HOW WE GET AT SOME KIND OF COOP PRICE, BUT IT'S A WHILE AGO.
SO THERE WAS SOME DEBATE GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN, UH, COUNCIL DECIDED ON SEVEN, JUST HERE IN THIS RECENT YEAR.
UM, THEY PUSHED TO TO EIGHT, I GUESS, I BELIEVE FOR BUDGETARY REASONS.
IS IT, ARE WE PUSHING THE SEVEN YEAR CYCLE A YEAR OR ARE WE MAKING IT AN EIGHT YEAR CYCLE? THAT'S THE CONFUSION WITH, WITH US AS THE COMPANY, THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY IS GOING IN.
SO IS IT, WE'RE JUST, UH, KEEPING THE SEVEN YEAR, BUT BECAUSE THIS YEAR WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
WE'RE PUSHING IT AN ADDITIONAL YEAR TO GET THOSE THAT SEVEN, THOSE SEVEN GRIDS DONE.
AND THEN AFTER WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE CYCLE, WE CONTINUE ON THE SEVEN YEAR CYCLE.
THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE TODAY.
DO WE HAVE MONEY FOR SEVEN YEARS? OKAY.
[03:45:01]
I REMEMBER SEVEN YEARS AGO, EVEN, I FEEL LIKE IT'S WAY TOO LONG.BECAUSE THE TREE GROW LIKE CRAZY.
AND IT, BECAUSE LIABILITY ISSUE, THE TREE COLLAPSE IS ON THAT AND THE APPLAUSE.
THEY, THEY BECOME A FIRE HAZARD.
WHEN BECOME EIGHT YEARS, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED OVER HERE, WONDERING THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, AND MIKE'S GOING TO COME UP AND HELP ME.
WE WERE JUST LOOKING FOR THIS YEAR, AND THEN THIS ITEM WAS ADVANCED TO YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A FUND THAT HAS A FUN BALANCE.
AND WE DECIDED FUND BALANCE IS DOING OUR RESIDENTS.
NO GOOD IT'S FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
SO WE SHOULD GET IT IN THE GROUND.
I THINK, UM, WE'D PREFER TO BE ON A SEVEN YEAR IF THE MONEY WILL GET US THERE.
SO LET'S JUST MAKE THAT OUR GOAL.
WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TONIGHT IS THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 300,000.
IF WE GIVE THE $300 IN THE SO-CALLED MONEY SITTING OVER THERE, HOW MANY TREE WE CAN DREAM.
POTENTIAL 30 K HAZARDOUS TREE THAT WILL BE WEEDING TAKING CARE TO.
WE NEED TO KNOW HOW THIS MONEY SPENT, HOW MUCH OF A RETURN WE CAN SEE HOW MANY TREE WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THIS MONEY GOES.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS WHEN IT COMES TO TRIMMING, WHEN IT COMES TO JUST TRIM GRID TRIMMING.
SO STRIP STREET TREE THAT NEEDS TO BE TRIMMED, YOU KNOW, 300,000 WOULD GET US PROBABLY 4,000 TREES, APPROXIMATELY AROUND DOLLARS PER TREE ON THE GRID, TRIMMING PRICE.
THAT BEING THAT BEING SAID, IN THIS CASE, THERE ARE THERE DOWN TREES ON HILLSIDES.
THERE ARE TREES THAT NEED TO BE REMOVED.
WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF, OF TREES THAT ARE LIABILITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO ATTACK THOSE AS WELL.
SO WE WILL NOT GET, IT WILL NOT BE ALL GRID STREAMING BECAUSE WE DO PLAN TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS. SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING, TAKING CARE OF THE TREE, WE HAVE A TECH TREE AND FALLEN TREE.
WHY ARE WE HERE? OUTSIDE THE CITY HALL? EVERY TIME I WENT THROUGH.
AND THE TEMPORARY WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT BIG CHUNK OF A RULE, RIGHT, RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN IT BEEN HOW MANY YEARS HAVEN'T BEEN REMOVED OR IT LOOK HORRIBLE AND THE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD TO WHY THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED IT ALL.
IT MAKES CT LOOK REALLY NOT A GOOD IMAGE.
COUNCILMAN WU, THERE IS NO DISAGREEMENT.
IF WE, IF WE HAD OUR DRUTHERS, WE WOULD BE AT, WE WOULD BE AT A THREE-YEAR TRIM CYCLE THAT WOULD REDUCE OUR LIABILITY.
THAT WOULD KEEP, I UNDERSTAND I'M TALKING ABOUT FALLING TREE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE, THE TREE, STAY ALIVE AND TALK ABOUT THE TREE.
THERE WAS A ROOT STICKING OUT TO THE FREEWAY AND YOU GO INTO THE FREEWAY 10, YOU'LL SEE THE RCD HALL.
AND THEY USE THAT, THAT TREE TRUNK.
THAT'S WHY THEY ARE LYING ON THE HILL.
I THINK I'D MENTIONED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I SAY, WHEN WE'RE GOING TO PURIFY THE HALE, THE LIBRARY PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, OKAY, THEY LET THE TREE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT TREE AND THE OLDER ONE COVER SHOULD BE LOOK NICE.
WHY NOT? IT'S JUST NOTHING BUT DIRT.
UM, IT COMES DOWN TO FUNDING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE YEAR AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF, OF OUR EMERGENCIES COVERED, PUT SOME C AND, UH, OKAY.
WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE, WE HAVE A MAJOR, LIKE SOMETHING VERY EXPENSIVE.
DID THEY HAVE DETACHED YOU OVER THERE? AND WE TALKING ABOUT THE TECH TREE OVER HERE.
IF I KNOW YOUR FACE, WHY DO I THINK THEY'VE NEVER BEEN REMOVED AND YOU, I THINK YOU SAW IT RIGHT.
YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE.
UH, I THINK, UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD REALLY HAD TO GO TO THE, THE TRANSPARENCY PIECE AND, AND FOR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, HERE ARE THE COUNCIL OR WE'RE DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WERE TREES LAST TRAM, RIGHT? WHICH DISTRICTS ARE, ARE SCHEDULED FOR TRIMMING, UM, WHICH, WHICH TREES HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, UH, I BELIEVE ARBOR ACCESS.COM UH, HAS A LIST OF EVERY TREE AND WHEN THEY WERE LAST TRIMMED IN, WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE SCHEDULED.
AND I THINK FOR, FOR RESIDENTS AND THE COUNCIL AS WELL TO, TO HAVE ACCESS, TO, TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR TREE IS IN, IN, UH, IN SIX MONTHS IS DUE TO BE TRIMMED.
AND THAT CAN RELIEVE MAYBE SOME OF THE STRESS OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS, THIS TREE IS SET TO BE REMOVED AND THERE'LL BE A NEW TREE PLANET.
AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW? SO, SO RESIDENTS, LIKE YOU SAID, CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR TREES.
WE ARE SET TO, WE KNOW WE SEE IT, RIGHT.
UM, SO, UM, WE'LL, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, GET ACCESS TO THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS.
ONCE YOU POSE THE QUESTION, WE REACHED OUT
[03:50:01]
TO WEST COAST ARBORISTS TO FIND OUT IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY TO GIVE ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC.UM, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, HOW IT'LL WORK, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, UH, AND DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER.
AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT AS WELL.
UH, QUESTION, UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH YOU FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT RESIDENTS CONCERNED REGARDING THE CITY TREES.
SO WE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD ONE RESIDENT THAT HAD THE TREE THAT LITERALLY WAS ALREADY ON FALLING ON THE SIDEWALK.
SO ANY RESIDENTS THAT HAD A WALKTHROUGH HAD TO GO ON THE STREET AND GO THROUGH, UM, THAT TREE PER SE, WASN'T ON THE CYCLE.
UM, AND THEN BUDGET WAS A CONCERN.
AND THEN WE HAD ANOTHER RESIDENT WHO HAD JUST OVERGROWN TREES THAT PRETTY MUCH BROKE THE FENCE, UM, FENCING.
SO WE HAD, WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE, UH, ISSUES WITH THE TREES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MAINTAINED PAST WELL, THEY'RE THAT THEY'RE NOT PART OF THEIR CYCLE, OR IS THIS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED, IS THAT AS THEY'RE GOING TO BE GUARANTEED FUNDING FOR THAT, BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT TO TELL THE RESIDENTS, WELL, YOUR TREE'S NOT IN THE CYCLE.
THE RESIDENTS ARE HAPPY THAT IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF, BUT THAT IS MY CONCERN FOR FUTURE.
UM, FOR OTHER TREES THAT ARE OUT THERE TO BE CLEAR, ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THIS 300,000? YES.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE'RE GOING TO UTILIZE IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE AS MANY HAZARDS AND THINGS AS WE CAN.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO ALL OF THEM.
I CAN'T, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT.
UM, AND AS, AS A MAYOR PRO TEM BROUGHT OUT EARLIER, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
UM,
IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, M D FOR HILLSIDE TREES WILL NOT BE TOUCHED BY THIS $300,000 BECAUSE IT'S FOR CITYWIDE.
SO, UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO IT.
SO, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD AND ALL THE POSSIBLE $66 PER TREE, WE HAVE HOW MANY TREES RESULTING IN THE CITY? UH, OUR MINISTRY
SO, SO WE ARE GOING TO TRAIN 4,000 TREE.
HOW YOU TRAIN IT, YOU TRAIN IT TO THE, OKAY.
AND THEN HOW YOU IDENTIFY, WHICH TREE NEED TO BE TRAINED.
OVER GO ON THE TOP POTENTIALLY.
AS IT DOES COLLAPSE TO THE HOUSE FOR THE, OKAY.
SO, SO HOW YOU IDENTIFY AND HOW THE REST OF US CAN KNOW.
ALL THESE TWO, 4,000 TREES THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED, EACH TREE WILL BE TREATED, UH, DIFFERENTLY.
OBVIOUSLY SOME TREES NEED MORE THAN OTHERS.
UH, IF IT'S A LOW-HANGING TREE, WE'LL DO A RAISE AND CROWN CLEANING.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WAY OUT OF SHAPE, WE'LL DO FLAG PRUNING BACK TO, TO THE SHAPE.
SO IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE SPECIFIC TREE, BUT AS THEY'RE GOING, THEY'LL IDENTIFY WHAT THE TREE NEEDS, AND THEN THEY'LL APPLY THAT TYPE OF PRUNING TO THE TREE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, WE DO ONE LITTLE THING TO ONE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LEAVE THE REST AS I REMEMBER IN 2017.
YOU GUYS HAVE A PRESENTATION OVER HERE FOR WHEN WE KNEW YOUR CONTRACT PREVIOUSLY.
AND I REMEMBER YOU TOLD US, OKAY, EACH TREE, YOUR IDENTIFY, YOU HAVE A LABEL, YOU KNOW, WHICH TREAT THIS AND THAT.
SO REALLY YOU IDENTIFY WHAT 20,000 TREE IN WEST COVINA IT TREE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN.
SO YOU LABEL EACH OF THE TREE, THIS CHOIR, REMEMBER THE, YES.
YOU HAVE A VERY ACCURATE GPS INVENTORY THAT WAS GIVEN A LEVEL ONE TREE RISK ASSESSMENT AT, UH, IN THE BEGINNING.
AND THAT CONSULTING ARBORIST PUT ALL THAT INFORMATION INTO ARBOR ACCESS TO WHERE IT WILL TELL YOU IF THIS TREE NEEDS IMMEDIATE NEEDS, WHETHER IT NEEDS IMMEDIATE REMOVAL, UM, WHETHER IT NEEDS JUST ROUTINE PRUNING.
SO ALL THAT INFORMATION IS AN ARBOR ACCESS FOR YOUR VIEWING.
SO, SO YOU STILL HAVE OLD DATABASE, YOU STILL HAVE OZZIE INFORMATION, THAT'S ALL AN ARBOR ACCESS.
AND THAT IS A, IS A PUPPY PUPPY, OKAY.
SO WE CAN GAIN TWO TO SEE WHEREVER THE TRADE SECRET, OR WE HAVE ASSETS TO WHAT OUR CD TREE, OR HOW COULD YOU TREAT, YOU CAN BE DRAINED.
WILL BE IDENTIFIED BETWEEN THIS AREA TREE AND THE DISTRICT.
NUMBER THREE, HOW MANY TREES HAVE BEEN TREATED? SO WE HAVE A REPORT ON YOU, THE MONEY WE'LL SPEND, THEN WE WILL PULL TO THE TAXPAYER, OH, YOU GUY HAVE BEEN PAYING TAXES.
THIS IS SOME SOMETHING HAVE BEEN PERFORMED.
ALL OF THOSE REPORTS AND QUERIES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH ARBOR ACCESS.
UH, STAFF CAN PULL THEM FOR YOU.
IF YOU REQUEST THEM FROM US, WE CAN PULL THEM FOR YOU AND SEND THEM TO YOU.
UH, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TRAIN STAFF ON IF, UH, THEY NEED TRAINING ON HOW TO PULL
[03:55:01]
ALL OF THESE TYPES OF REPORTS.UH, THE RECOMMENDED REMOVALS THAT WE DID ORIGINALLY, WHETHER TO POORLY STRUCTURED OR DEAD, THOSE ARE ALL IN THE SYSTEM.
UH, AND BACK TO YOUR, YOUR QUESTION, UM, MADAM MAYOR, WHERE YOU SAID, UH, WELL, WHAT IF THE TREE IS NOT IN THAT GRID? UH, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHEN WE, UM, UM, REFERRED THIS PROGRAM OVER TO THE CITY, BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST WAY TO MAINTAIN THE TREES IS ON A GRID PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU'RE TOUCHING THEM REGULARLY.
JUST KIND OF LIKE ON A CYCLE, W WE, WE KIND OF WARNED THE CITY THAT BECAUSE THE CITY WAS SO ILL MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THEY GOT REALLY BEHIND.
AND THE WHOLE CITY WAS IN PRETTY MUCH DISARRAY.
SO THE CITY DECIDED TO GO WITH THIS, UM, GRID, UH, PROGRAM, BUT WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED THE WHOLE SEVEN-YEAR CYCLE YET.
I THINK WE'RE THREE OR FOUR YEARS INTO IT.
SO WE HAVEN'T GOT THAT OTHER THREE GRIDS.
AND THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE AREAS OF COMPLAINTS THAT YOU'RE GETTING, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.
SO HOW WE ADDRESS THOSE IS ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
LIKE YOU SAID, A RESIDENT CALLS AND THE CALL COMES INTO MIKE.
HE WILL PUT THAT ON AN IMMEDIATE SERVICE REQUEST.
HE'LL GO OUT AND QUALIFY THE COMPLAINT AND SAY, YEAH, THIS RESIDENT HAS A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT.
LET'S PUT IT ON A SERVICE REQUEST LIST.
AND WE MAKE, WE TAKE CARE OF THAT INDIVIDUAL TREE TO HOLD THEM OVER UNTIL THEIR POINT OF, OF, OF SERVICE.
SO THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES UP UNTIL WE COMPLETE THE WHOLE SEVEN YEAR CYCLE.
WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE WHOLE CITY, WE HAVEN'T GOT THERE QUITE YET.
SO THAT WAS SO WHEN YOU TRIM THE TREES, WOULD THEY LAST UNTIL THE SEVENTH CYCLE? AND THE REASON WHY I ASK, I REMEMBER I HAD THE PALM TREE, UM, AND IT'S NOT CHEAP WHEN THEY CUT IT.
SO I REMEMBER ONE OF THEM SAID, WELL, IF WE JUST LEAVE THREE LITTLE LEAVES, AT LEAST WE'LL SAVE YOU TWO A LITTLE LONGER INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF HAVING A, UM, THAT'S A, THAT'S A YES AND NO QUESTION.
IT'LL GIVE YOU MAYBE A LITTLE, MAYBE AN EXTRA THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU YEARS TO COMPLETE THE NEXT CYCLE.
PALM TREES ARE WHAT CALLED CYCLE BUSTERS.
USUALLY MOST CITIES GO ON AN ANNUAL, UH, THEY, THEY SEPARATE ALL THEIR PALMS. AND I THINK WE DO THAT FOR YOU ON THE LARK, ELLEN, THE WORKMAN AND ALL THE PALMS AROUND THE, THE MALL THERE, WE DO THOSE ANNUALLY FOR YOU.
UM, SOME OF THEM THAT ARE REMAINING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY DON'T BECAUSE THEY JUST GET DONE ON THEIR REGULAR GRID PROGRAM, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR SEVEN YEARS.
AND WE COULD OBVIOUSLY, UM, ADJUST THAT AND MAKE ALL THE PALM WIDE ANNUALLY.
WE JUST PUT THEM ON THE ANNUAL, UM, GRID CYCLE FOR PALMS. SO, UH, NOW BACK TO YOUR QUESTION IS SEVEN YEARS THAT YOU'RE REALLY, UH, UH, TETHERING ON THE EDGE THERE.
MOST CITIES USE FIVE, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE THE CITY WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN.
AND THEN THEY DECIDED TO GO WITH THE SEVEN.
I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND ANY MORE THAN THAT.
UM, THEN IT YOU'RE KIND OF DEFEATING THE PURPOSE OF THAT MAINTENANCE THING.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, WE, WE, HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE SEVEN YEAR.
UM, ONCE WE DO THAT, WE CAN ASSESS TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT, UH, AT, AT THE COMPLETION OF THAT.
UM, AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, WHAT I DID IS I WENT INTO THE CITY BECAUSE WE'D BEEN WORKING FOR THE CITY FOR PROBABLY OVER 20 YEARS AND WE HAVE WORK HISTORY FOR ALL OF THE TREES.
SO I WENT INTO THE CITY AND I PULLED ALL THIS WORK HISTORY AND THE ONES THAT WERE THE LONGEST THAT HAD ATTENTION, I STARTED THERE FIRST AND, UH, IN THOSE GRIDS.
SO I KINDA LOOKED AT IT, ASSESSED IT AND SAID, OKAY, THESE ARE THE TREES THAT ARE MOST LIKELY GOING TO NEED THE WORK, THE QUICKEST.
AND SO WE STARTED IN THOSE GRIDS AND KIND OF PUSHED THE OTHER ONE THAT HAD MORE RECENT WORK HISTORY TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEVEN-YEAR CYCLE.
SO WE COULD TRY TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF THESE, UH, UH, COMPLAINTS OR CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE HAVING TO GET THEM ALL COMPLETED IN TIME.
WELL, I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, I KNOW CERTAIN TREES, UH, REQUIRE CERTAIN MAINTENANCE, CERTAIN TREES ROW AT A RAPID PACE COMPARED TO OTHERS.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW YOUR GRIDS WORK, BUT IF THERE'S A GRID THAT PRETTY MUCH DOESN'T REALLY NEED MUCH MAINTENANCE, DO THEY, IS THAT JUST A WASTED THING OR WILL THEY ALSO CONSIDER THE OTHERS OR EXPAND THAT GRID? HOW MANY GROUPS DO WE HAVE? I'D HAVE TO PULL UP THE EXACT NUMBER.
UM, UM, AFTER I GET INTO HARBOR ACCESS, BUT, UH, MOST TREES FIVE YEARS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ONES THAT I CALL CYCLE BUSTERS, AND I CAN OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN NAME SOME PALMS, UH, CHINESE ELMS, UH, BRAZILIAN PEPPER TREES, THAT SORT OF THING, BUT LIKE CANARY ISLAND PINES, THEY'LL FOR SURE GO SEVEN YEARS, FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS.
SO AS AN KIND OF AN AVERAGE, THAT'S WHY WE S WE RECOMMEND
[04:00:01]
LIKE FIVE YEARS AS A GRID CYCLE, AND YOU KIND OF ADDRESS ALL YOUR PROBLEMS. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A FEW THAT KIND OF STAND OUT THAT, THAT GROW A LITTLE BIT MORE RAPIDLY, THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET FIVE YEARS OUT OF, BUT YOU PUT THOSE ON LIKE A LITTLE SEPARATE GRID OF THEIR OWN TO ADDRESS THAT MAYBE TRIM THOSE EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS, BUT THE, THE SYSTEM IS SET UP TO WHERE YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE IT ANY WAY YOU SEE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE HAVING, UH, WITH, UH, THESE MORE FREQUENT, UH, TRIMMING CYCLES.I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS CUSTOMIZED TO OUR CITY NEEDS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT PATTERNS THERE, BUT IF THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO CONSIDERATION TO CUSTOMIZE THOSE NEEDS.
YEAH, WE, WE HAVE WITH THE PALMS, UH, AND WE'RE DOING THOSE ANNUALLY, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PALMS. BUT IF AT STAFF'S REQUEST, I CAN ALSO ADD THOSE ONTO THE ANNUAL CYCLE FOR PALMS MAYOR PRO TEM CASIANO.
YOU'VE BEEN, ARE WORKING WITH OUR CITY SINCE 97, IS THAT RIGHT ON TIME? AND, UH, EVEN BEFORE THAT, WITH A PRIOR CONTRACTOR AND, UM, WERE WE EVER AT A THREE TO FIVE YEAR CYCLE, OR I KNOW WE WERE AT A FIVE, BUT WERE WE EVER AT A THREE? NO.
UH, WHEN WE WERE AT A FIVE-YEAR, WAS, WAS THAT ADEQUATE OR WAS THAT STILL LACKING? AS I CAN REMEMBER, WE NEVER REALLY HAD, WE NEVER COMPLETED THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE EVEN BACK 20 YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER WHEN, UH, WE WERE PUT ON A CYCLE, WE WERE, WE WOULD START IT AND THEN SOMETHING WOULD COME UP LIKE EITHER BUDGET ISSUES OR, OR, UM, OTHER REASONS A CHANGE OF, UH, OF STAFF OR COUNCIL THAT WANTED TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AT ALL.
SO I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH A FULL CYCLE ONCE WE GOT IT STARTED.
I THINK WITH, UH, WITH THIS ONE HERE IS THE CLOSEST THAT WE'VE, WE'VE ACTUALLY COME TO, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO THE END OF THAT SEVEN YEAR PLAN THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, EVEN WITH THAT.
I THINK WE'VE SEEN JUST FROM RECENT EXPERIENCE THAT EVEN THAT IS STILL LACKING.
SO THE BIGGER POINT I'M MAKING IS KIND OF WHAT MAYOR LOPEZ BEATO TOUCHED ON, WHICH IS, I THINK WE'D NEED TO REASSESS WHAT THAT IS AND KIND OF WHAT SHE'S MENTIONED, THAT IF THERE'S CERTAIN TREES THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED IN A LONG TIME, BUT LET'S SAY HYPOTHETICALLY, THEY'RE FINE.
REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT'S BEEN THE LONGEST SINCE THEY'VE BEEN TOUCHED NEIGHBOR, WE SKIP THEM OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, I MEAN, MAYBE WE JUST TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS THE GAME THAT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO CATCH UP ON, ON YOUR EXPERIENCE IN OTHER CITIES.
DO OTHER CITIES FACE THESE SAME PROBLEMS OR ARE THERE SOME CITIES THAT JUST SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM? AND IF SO, WHY? IN MY EXPERIENCE, THE CITIES THAT STICK WITH THEIR PLAN RELIGIOUSLY, THEY'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
I CAN NAME A COUPLE OF CITY OF ONTARIO.
THEY WERE PUTTING OUT FIRES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND THEY HAD A BUDGET OF, I BELIEVE AT 150,000 WAS VERY INADEQUATE TO, TO MAINTAIN, UH, THEIR CITY.
THEY WERE GETTING THOUSANDS OF, OF RESIDENT CALLS FOR REQUESTS, AND THEY DECIDED TO GO ONTO THE PROGRAMMING AND THEY, UM, THEY WERE DOCUMENTING EVERYTHING.
AND SO AFTER WE WENT THROUGH AND I THINK, I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON A FIVE-YEAR CYCLE, UH, THEY WENT THROUGH THE CITY FOR A FULL YEAR, AS THEY STUCK TO THEIR PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THEY CAME OUT AND THEY WERE ASSESSING, THE CALLS, WENT DOWN DRASTICALLY.
THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS IMPROVED AND THEY HAD LESS CLAIMS. SO YEARS GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE WERE ASKING TO CUT THEIR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, FIND CUTS IN THEIR BUDGETS.
THEY, THEY DECIDED TO LEAVE THE TREE BUDGET ALONE BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN, IT WAS SAVING THEM TONS OF MONEY, YOU KNOW, IN THE SHORT TERM AT WORKS, BY CUTTING THE TREE BUDGET.
BUT THEN YOU GET BEHIND AS WEST COVINA DID MANY YEARS AGO AND THEY STOPPED TRIMMING THE TREES.
AND THEN FAST FORWARD FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS, WE'VE GOT THIS MESS, THIS CRISIS THAT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO MAINTAIN IT.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THE CITY STAY THE COURSE, UH, AND STAY WITH THE SEVEN YEAR, LET US COMPLETE IT, AND THEN LOOK AT IT.
AND TO THE, TO THE MAYOR'S CONCERN, UH, PUT THE CYCLE BUSTERS ON THEIR OWN LITTLE GRID AND ADDRESS THE ONES THAT AREN'T CYCLE BUSTERS.
BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T GOT TO ON A SERVICE REQUEST BASIS.
LIKE WHEN RESIDENTS CALL AND SAY, MY TREE NEEDS TRIMMING, UH, STAFF WILL GO OUT QUALIFY.
YES, IT DOES PUT IT ON A SEPARATE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LIST OF 10 TREES THAT WE NEED TO GO OUT AND GET DONE IMMEDIATELY TAKE CARE OF THOSE AND PUT OUT THOSE LITTLE FIRES AS WE GET CAUGHT UP ON THESE.
I THINK, I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT THREE MORE GRIDS TO COMPLETE, UH, FOR THE SEVEN YEARS.
HOW MUCH DOES A PALM TREE COST TO SERVE? YES, I WILL.
IN THE, IN THE GRID PRICE, THAT WOULD BE, UH, I BELIEVE
[04:05:01]
IT'S $66.UM, TELL HIM TO LIKE CLEAN IT UP THE REALLY MASSIVE ONES.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL CLEAN BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TRIMMED ANNUAL.
SO WHEN WE GO UP THERE, WE'RE TRIMMING JUST ONE YEAR'S GROWTH AND THEN PULLING THE, UH, THE, THE FRASS OFF SO THAT DOESN'T PEEL OFF.
SO IT, WHEN YOU RUN INTO A PALM THAT HASN'T BEEN TRIMMED FOR LIKE 10 YEARS NOW, YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE THAT ISSUE HERE IN WEST COVINA, UNLESS IT'S SOME, YOU KNOW, OUTLIER THAT NOBODY KNEW ABOUT OR WAS MISSED IN THE INVENTORY OR SOME KIND OF WEIRD THING.
IS IT EVER ADVANTAGEOUS TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE SOME OF THESE CYCLE BUSTERS IS IN YOUR EXPENSES? UH, YES.
UM, SOME OF THE, UH, TREES THAT ARE VERY EVASIVE, UH, CITY OF DOHERTY IS NOW, UM, I GUESS, DOING A WAY WITH THEIR FICUS TREES, YOU KNOW, THE ONES DOWN, UH, I GUESS IT'S, UH, HUNTINGTON DRIVE, UH, AS THEY GO AWAY OR THE NEED TO REMOVE, THEY'RE NOT REPLACING THEM TO REPLACE THEM WITH SOMETHING ELSE, OR THAT'S MORE EASILY MAINTAINED THEIR OPPORTUNITY.
THAT'S EVASIVE ON THE HARDSCAPE THAT THEY WERE HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS, BUT, AND WE CAN ALWAYS ASSIST YOU WITH OUR CONSULTING ARBORIST TO HELP YOU WITH THOSE PLANS.
ALSO, WHEN WE FIND THOSE ISSUES HERE, I THINK WE, WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU COULD HELP US ASSESS? ABSOLUTELY.
NOW, WOULD THAT COME AT A COST OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT BASED ON THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE SHARED? YEAH, IT DEPENDS.
IT DEPENDS TO THE EXTENT, LIKE, IF YOU WANT TO CITYWIDE A LEVEL, ANOTHER CITYWIDE LEVEL, ONE TREE RISK ASSESSMENT, WE COULD, YEAH, IT WOULDN'T COME AT A COST AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.
SOMETIMES IT RUNS TWO, $3 PER TREE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND WHAT W WHAT IT ENTAILS IS A CONSULTING ARBORIST, PROBABLY THE SAME ONE THAT DID THE INITIAL INVENTORY HERE.
WE ARE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS LATER, JUST REDOING THAT THEY GO BY AND THEY DO LIKE A WALK BY, THEY LOOK AT THE TREE, THEY REASSESS IT, IDENTIFY ANY KIND OF PROBLEMS OR ANY KIND OF, UM, STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE TREE.
AND THEN THEY UPDATE THE INVENTORY.
NOW, THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE ALSO DOING THAT WHILE WE ARE, UM, MAINTAINING THE TREES ARE, ARE, ARE, UM, PERSONNEL THAT ARE TRIMMING.
THE TREES ARE CERTIFIED, UH, TREE WORKERS.
SO WHEN THEY'RE UP THERE WORKING, THEY IDENTIFY A PROBLEM OF A BROKEN LAMP OR A DEAD TREE OR SOMETHING.
THEY'RE GOING TO NOTIFY IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND THROUGH STAFF THAT, HEY, THIS TREE NEEDS MAJOR ATTENTION.
THEY TAKE A PHOTO OF IT, THEY HANG IT IN ARBOR ACCESS.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE PROBLEM FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR YOUR MOBILE DEVICE.
AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE THE CALL ON THE RUN, LIKE, UH, IF THEY WERE TRIMMING OUT TONIGHT.
AND THEY SAID THAT THEY SEATS UP AND THEY WOULD, MIKE WOULD GET A, A, AN EMAIL THAT, HEY, THIS TREE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
HE COULD OPEN UP THE, IT, GO INTO ARBOR ACCESS, OPEN UP THAT ADDRESS, AND HE COULD SEE THE PROBLEM OF THE TREE.
AND THEN HE COULD MAKE THE CALL.
YEAH, GO AHEAD AND REMOVE IT, OR I'D TAKE CARE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CAPABILITIES THERE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DEFINITELY WANT US TO EXPLORE, BECAUSE THIS SOUNDS LIKE A PERPETUAL PROBLEM.
I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FULL PRESENTATION OF ALL THIS, BECAUSE AS MORE YOU'RE EXPLAINING THE MORE QUESTIONS WE ARE HAVING, INCLUDING THE GRIDS AND, UM, WHAT IT IS, UM, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO, TO GIVE THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY WHEN I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE TO REASSESS OR CHANGE ANYTHING.
UM, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.
BUT GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN WILL.
I REMEMBER YOU GOT, DID A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION AND VERY IMPRESSIVE.
BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND MY UNDER OKAY.
WE, WE DEBATE SEVEN YEARS AND FIVE YEARS.
SO MEANING NEVER STOPPED PAYING AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS.
SO WHO YOU SAY WE ARE DISARRAYED AGAIN? WE IN TROUBLE, WE CAN NOT CUT UP.
SO I'M KIND OF CONFUSED BECAUSE IF YOU ARE WORKING FOR WE, WE, WE SELL IT FOR 20 YEARS.
AND I REMEMBER DOING MY TIME FOR FIVE YEARS IS ALWAYS GAY.
I WAS FIVE YEARS, BUT DUE TO, I DON'T HAVE A VALID BUDGET ISSUES HAVE BECOME SEVEN YEARS.
AND THE WHY WE WENT OUT WAY BEHIND.
WELL, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A FEW YEARS THERE THAT, THAT THE BUDGET GOT CUT.
I REMEMBER MIKE WALLACH, ONE OF YOUR, UH, UH, EX UH, EMPLOYEES HERE.
HE WAS OUT THERE TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET WITH A PICKUP BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT ALL.
LET, PARDON ME? IS THAT 2000? OH, IT WAS PRIOR TO TWO 17.
OH YEAH, NO, IT'S TWO 10, TWO, 10, 2010.
OH, LADY BEHIND YOU GUYS ARE ON A GOOD TRACK RIGHT NOW.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE COMPLAINTS ARE THAT THE TREES ARE OVERGROWN, EXCEPT FOR IN THE GRIDS THAT WE HAVEN'T GOT TO YET.
[04:10:01]
HAVE A LOT OF OVERGROWN TREE.YOU, YOU ARE WAY BEHIND YOU TRY TO CATCH UP.
SO I JUST FOLLOW WHAT YOU SAY AND THE FIRES YOU HAVEN'T CUT UP.
WHAT I WAS SAYING IS WE'RE TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP TO GET THROUGH THE WHOLE CYCLE.
WE ARE ON SCHEDULE AS FAR AS WE ARE.
WE HAVE, WE ARE TRIMMING ONE GRID PER YEAR.
WE HAVE TRIMMED, UH, FOUR GRIDS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
AND SO WE'VE ONLY GOT THREE LEFT TO DO, TO COMPLETE, TO COMPLETE YOUR SEVEN-YEAR CYCLE.
ONCE WE GET THAT, THEN I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE CRUISING.
I DRIVE AROUND AND SEE THE TREES LIKE OVERGROW A POSSIBLE U-TURN AND THEY GROW BACK AGAIN.
SO, BECAUSE THE GROW FAST, I HAVE A LOT OF TREE ON.
DO YOU HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE OVERGROWN TREES OR SOME AREAS OF THE OVERGROWTH? YOU, YOU, YOU GO INTO THE HILLSIDE ON THE TOP.
YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ON TOP OF OUR CTE AREA BETWEEN THE, BETWEEN THE HOME.
AND YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF TREE OVER THERE, HUGE TREE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE CLEAR.
NOW THE HILLSIDES ARE NOT PART OF THE GRID TRIMMING.
IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A MAINTENANCE DISTRICT AND THOSE ARE SEPARATE ISSUES.
WE HAD THE PROBLEMS LAST YEAR, WE DID 165,000 SEND TOKEN IN SOUTH SIDE.
OH, THE GREEN BELT THERE IS BELONG TO DISTRICT.
WAIT, WHERE'S ALL THOSE TREES.
IT COVERS, IT COVERS OUR PARKS.
IT COVERS ALL TREES ON THE STREETS, NEIGHBORHOODS, RESIDENTS.
AND ON THE BIG DAYDREAM, YOU'RE GOING UP ON ALL THOSE KING PANTRY.
LET'S OUR TREE OR IS IT IT'S ALL? LOOK I CAN TELL.
YEAH, WE WERE TAKING CARE OF THOSE.
AND I WAS GOING ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
SO AS NICK STATED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON A, WE'RE ON A CYCLE FOR PALM TREES, THOSE PALM TREES, IT'S ALL COMPOUND TREE.
THOSE PALM TREES WERE NOT ON THE INVENTORY.
SO WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT PARK WAS BUILT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
WE PUT IT ON THE LIST, IT'S ON OUR INVENTORY NOW.
AND IT SHOULD BE DONE SHORTLY SPEAKING TO THIS FUNDER COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ.
AND SHE, SHE CALLED ME AND THEN, OKAY.
BECAUSE THE TREE LOOKS SO SAD.
IF WE DON'T KNOW IS DEAD OR LIGHT, BUT THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.
PUNCHY, BEAUTIFUL, HUGE PALM TREE ALONG THE, ON THE STREET GOES THE BIG LADY DREAM IT'S ON GMB WAY INTO ZAZA.
BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY WERE NOT ON OUR INVENTORY, BUT THE SECOND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CONTACTED ME, WE ADDED IT TO THE INVENTORY AND THAT WILL BE ON A REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
AND JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, COUNCILMAN WU, THE TREES ON THE RIGHT SIDE NEXT TO HOME DEPOT, ARE THERE TREES THEY'VE ALREADY TRIMMED THEIR TREES.
WE'VE PUT OUR, WE PUT OUR, THE, THE LEFT SIDE THAT WHERE THE AAA PAT IS, AND WE'VE PUT THAT ON THE INVENTORY NOW.
AND THAT SHOULD BE DONE SHORTLY.
UH, HALF BELONGS TO HOME DEPOT ON THE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THE NORTH SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE, BUT WE ADDED THEM BECAUSE WE WANT THE CITY TO LOOK GOOD AND BE ABLE TO USE OURS.
SO WE ADDED IT TO THE INVENTORY, WE PUT IT ON THE LIST AND IT USUALLY TAKES, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PUT STUFF ON A LIST.
SO IT'S NOT AN EMERGING TAKES THREE TO FOUR WEEKS TO GET IT DONE.
SO IT SHOULD BE DONE ANYTIME NOW.
SO IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THESE DECISIONS TO DO CERTAIN TREES ANNUALLY, UH, WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING GEOGRAPHY IN TERMS OF, UH, THE, THE TREES THAT AS YOU ENTER THE CITY.
RIGHT? SO, SO ONE OF THE THINGS AS A CITY, UM, YOU, YOU YOU'D WANT THAT SOMEONE WOULD KNOW WHEN THEY WENT FROM LAQUINTA AND ENTERED WEST COVINA, RIGHT.
OR THEY CAME FROM BALDWIN PARK AND THEY ENTERED WEST COVINA.
AND, AND PART OF THAT IS, IS YOUR LANDSCAPING, RIGHT.
AND YOUR, YOUR ABILITY TO BEAUTIFY ENTRANCES.
AND SO IS THAT ALSO A PART OF THE STRATEGY THAT ANY TREES ON, ON THOSE BORDER ENTRYWAYS, UH, ARE THEY BEING, UM, I GUESS MORE INTENTIONALLY, UH, FOCUSED ON, UH, AS PART OF OUR PLAN? NO, NOT AT THE CURRENT MOMENT.
YOU MEAN TO TRIM THEM, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, THE OTHER CITIES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? WELL, NO, I, I WOULD, UH, MY IMPRESSION AND ESPECIALLY BEING IN DISTRICT ONE, YOU MEAN JUST TO PRIORITIZE, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JUST TO PRIORITIZE, WHAT, WHAT MAKES OUR CITY LOOK BEAUTIFUL, JUST SIMPLY FOR THAT FACT INDEPENDENT OF THE GRID CYCLE, RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE, RIGHT? AS YOU KNOW, IS, IS YOU, YOU LEAVE CERTAIN CITIES AND YOU ENTER OTHERS.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN TELL THAT THE MOMENT YOU, AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SEE A SIGN, YOU JUST REALIZE YOU ARE IN A NEW CITY.
AND OFTENTIMES IT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, THAT ATTENTION, UH, TO, TO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AS YOU ENTER.
AND SO I WAS WONDERING IF, IF PART OF OUR
[04:15:01]
THOUGHT PROCESS ON, ON TREES AND PRIORITIES, UM, ARE, ARE WE THINKING AT THAT LEVEL AS WELL? WE NOT, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT AND WE WILL WORK WITH WEST COAST HARVEST TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON THAT.OBVIOUSLY WE WANT OUR ENTRY POINTS TO, WE WANT TO REPRESENT OURSELVES VERY WELL.
WHEN YOU COME IN, WE WANT TO LOOK GOOD.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO RIDE, UH, WAYS AND STREETS AND, AND, UH, MAJOR INTERSECTIONS AND ENTRY POINTS, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE USUALLY HAVE TO PULL OFF AND ACTUALLY CALL WEST COAST ARBORIST AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED YOU TO COME OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE TRUCKS, TRANSPORTATION, BUSES, THINGS COMING IN.
SO THOSE ARE AREAS THAT NATURALLY GET TRIMMED MORE REGARDLESS OF THE GRID CYCLE, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S SAFE.
WE'RE NOT DOING THINGS OF THAT NATURE BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE DO THAT, IT COST US MONEY.
YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF THAT HAPPENS.
SO, UM, WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT THE WAY YOU DESCRIBED, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WILL WORK WITH THEM ON.
BUT, UM, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS, IS MAJORITY OF THE TIME, THOSE MAJOR RIGHT OF WAYS ARE ADDRESSED BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC.
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO MIDNIGHT.
JUST THE FIRST DAY YOU CALLED TO THE MIDNIGHT.
SO LUCKILY I DIDN'T GO TO THE MIDNIGHT OF LAST YEAR, BUT OKAY.
TWO, THEY PUT GEM PACK TOGETHER, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD.
IT, THIS IS A DISTRICT, OR THIS IS OUR GRADES.
COUNCILMAN WILL JUST ALL THESE TRAY ON TOP.
YOU SEE THAT WITH THE BEAR LOOKING OKAY.
SO IT'S BELONG TO OUR GREEK, RIGHT? UNDERSTOOD.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND TO YOUR POINT, WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS ON A ZOOS AS WELL.
AND MAJOR, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
I'VE WORKED WITH JOHN, WHO'S OUR SUPERVISOR.
WE'VE TALKED TO NICK ABOUT THE ISLAND, THE DEAD TREES, THE THINGS LAYING OVER.
IT'S NOT INTENTIONAL TO LEAVE THOSE IT'S ITS RESOURCES.
BUT WITH THIS, WITH THIS MONEY COMING IN, THOSE WILL BE ADDRESSED.
WE'LL ADDRESS ALL THESE ISSUE.
WELL, NOT THE, NOT THE, I MEAN, I HOPE SO WELL, BECAUSE YOU'RE, I, YOU, YOU BROUGHT ME TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU SAID YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING A GRASS OR SOMETHING DOWN OR SEE FUCKING TREE TREES.
THE ANSWER IS, THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T GOOD.
YOU SEE A LOT OF WHAT KIND OF DEAD HAVE DEAD TREE.
BROWN KIND OF STICKING OUT ALL THE PLACES.
IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WE FOUND OUR CITY HALL, CITY HALL AND THE AREA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WILL BE A PRIORITY.
ONCE THIS IS APPROVED, WE WILL BE MEETING THIS WEEK TO ADDRESS IT.
AND WHEN YOU, OKAY, ON VOLUME, FIRST THING YOU SAY, YOU WANT TO MAKE THE CT POP.
PEOPLE COME IN TO SEE BEAUTIFUL WEST COVINA AND I STILL TAKE YOUR FORWARD.
I HAD A LAST QUESTION ACTUALLY, ON, IN REGARDS TO THE, OH, THAT'S JOHN, THAT'S YOUR FIELD SUPERVISOR CONTRACT A ONE A AND ONE B UM, IT STATED THAT ORIGINALLY THE CONTRACTOR WILL PERFORM COMPLETE PRUNES ON APPROXIMATELY 5,000 CITY TREES IN THE GRID EACH YEAR, AND THEN W OVER A PERIOD.
BUT THEN THE PARAGRAPH WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE FOLLOWING CONTRACTOR WILL PERFORM COMPLETE PRUNES ON APPROXIMATELY 3,500 CITY TREES IN EACH GRID.
SO WE JUST REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF TREES.
I MADE A MISTAKE IN, WHEN WE BROUGHT THE STAFF REPORT, WE BROUGHT TO YOU WHAT WAS BEING DONE, BUT WE, IN OUR SCOPE OF WORK, IT SAID 5,000 TREES.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE BID ON A FIVE-YEAR CYCLE.
WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, WE, WHEN WE SENT THE RFP OUT TO ALL VENDORS, IT WAS FOR A FIVE-YEAR CYCLE, UM, WHICH IS A 5,000 TREES.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
SO WE BUDGETED 485,000, WHICH IS ABOUT 3,500 TREES, WHICH GETS YOU TO THAT SEVEN AND A HALF YEAR TRIM CYCLE.
AND THE CONTRACT WAS CORRECT, BUT THE SCOPE OF WORK WAS NOT CORRECT.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WHEN WE HAD TO DO THIS AMENDMENT FOR THE 300,000, WE WANTED TO FIX THAT CLARIFICATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACT WAS CORRECT.
SO THAT'S US CLARIFYING A MISTAKE WE MADE WHEN WE DID THE CONTRACT.
LIKE I SAID, FOR ME, I JUST I'D LIKE TO SEE A FULL PRESENTATION AND I WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M GETTING INTO.
UH, DOES ANYBODY ELSE I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THIS? UM, DO I HAVE A SECOND TO TABLE ALL SECOND AND WE'LL TABLE THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET THE FULL INFORMATION AND YOU COULD PRESENT EVERYTHING, INCLUDING OUR RESIDENTS TO SEE LIKE THE GRIDS AND EXPLAIN THE FULL DETAILS.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
AT LEAST YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THERE.
CAN I GET A ROLL CALL? COUNCIL MEMBER
COUNCILMAN WU, COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ, MAYOR PRO TEM.
SO WE'LL BE SEEING YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.
[04:20:01]
THANK YOU.SO WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK THREE TO FIVE MINUTE BREAK, UH, STAFF NEEDS TO TRANSITION THE SYSTEM, UH, FOR THE NEXT ONE, SO, OKAY.
THANK YOU A, OKAY, SO THAT ENDS OUR, UH, CONSENT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A DEPARTMENT, REGULAR MATTERS, UM,
[29) CONSIDERATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE DECEMBER 2020 STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT]
CITY MANAGER WHO WILL MAKE THE REPORT FOR ITEM, UH, ITEM NUMBER 29.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS, UM, THE AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR'S FINDINGS.
I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME BRIEF BACKGROUND AND THEN, UM, DIRECTOR BIRD IS GOING TO, UM, SHARE WITH US SOME SUGGESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS IN LATE 2019, THE CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR, UM, NOTIFIED THE CITY THAT THEY HAD IDENTIFIED CERTAIN FACTORS THROUGH THEIR RECENTLY PUBLISHED FISCAL HEALTH ANALYSIS OF THE STATE CITIES THAT CAUSED SOME CONCERN THAT THE CITY OF WEST COVINA MAY BE A HIGH-RISK, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
THEY THEN WENT TO THE
THEY'RE FOUND IN YOUR, UM, STAFF REPORT IS ATTACHMENT NUMBER TWO.
THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IS THE PREPARATION OF A FINANCIAL RECOVERY PLAN, WHICH WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE IN JULY OF 21.
THE RECOVERY PLAN WILL ADDRESS THE CITY'S RISING COSTS, PROVIDING SERVICES, AND THE ACTIONS MUST BE TAKEN TO APPROVE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL CONDITION.
I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE RECOVERY PLAN YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO ACT ON TONIGHT.
THERE'S NINE OF THEM, UM, ENSURE THAT THE CITY'S FEES AND ASSESSMENTS CHARGED FOR SERVICES ALIGNED WITH THE COSTS REVIEW, EVALUATE AND MONITOR ALL CITY CONTRACTS, SET ASIDE LAND SALE REVENUES TO REPLENISH THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND RESERVES, PROACTIVELY MITIGATE RISK AND EXPOSURE LITIGATION THROUGH THE USE OF BEST RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
ADDRESS THE COST CURRENTLY INCURRED PROVIDING FIRE AND EMS SERVICES PREPARE A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS TO EVALUATE SHORT AND LONG-TERM FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF SPENDING DECISIONS IMPLEMENT A FORMAL PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF REASONABLE BUDGET, PROJECTIONS LIMIT COSTS RELATED TO EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT AND HEALTHCARE BENEFITS AND IMPROVE INTERNAL PURCHASING PROCESSES.
ASSUMING YOU APPROVE THOSE TONIGHT, THIS WILL BE THE PLAN THAT GETS SUBMITTED TO THE STATE BY THEIR DEADLINE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK DIRECTOR BIRD TO, UM, PICK IT UP FROM HERE.
UM, IT'S REALLY TOO BAD THAT MOST OF THE PUBLIC'S GONE BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ADD TO WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID, EXCEPT FOR, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MEETINGS, I'LL BE COMING TO YOU WITH A MID-YEAR BUDGET.
I'M GOING TO IDENTIFY THE REVENUES, UM, THAT TODAY'S DATE I CAN TELL YOU ARE DOWN 1.9 MILLION, UM, DUE TO COVID-19, UM, AND IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE HAVE DECREASING REVENUE AND INCREASING EXPENDITURES, IF WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT COMING UP WITH A NEW REVENUE SOURCE, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK, UM, NEED TO LOOK IN THE COMING YEAR TO REDUCING SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS, UM, DURING THIS, THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, WHICH ENDED JUNE, UM, JUNE 30TH OF 1920, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR FUND BALANCE BY $12.3 MILLION.
AND, UM, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND IT WASN'T 9.9.
SO IT'S GONE UP 2.4 MILLION IN THE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT 24%, UH, THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE, THE STATE AUDIT.
UM, THEY WEIGHT THOSE ITEMS DIFFERENTLY.
AND I HAD TALKED TO, UM, THE AUDITOR ABOUT HOW THEY CAME UP WITH WHEN THEY MOVED US FROM 17 TO NINE.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS IS OUR DIMINISHING FUND BALANCE.
UM, OVER THE PAST FIVE, SIX YEARS, UM, IT'S CONTINUALLY GONE DOWN AND THEY WEIGHT THAT HIGHER THAN THEY DO, UM, THE OTHER ITEMS. SO I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO REPLENISH OUR RESERVES AND, UM, SHOW THE
[04:25:01]
STATE THAT, UM, OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM, OUR, UM, OUR FINANCES ARE IMPROVING.AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU ASKED ME A QUESTION.
SO SEE, OH, UH, COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ.
YOU HAD A QUESTION? NO, NO, I DON'T.
SO THEN, UH, CAN I HAVE SOMEONE MOTION? IT'S A RECEIVING FILE, CORRECT PROOF.
AND I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND BY MAYOR PRO-TEM COSTA LENO'S COUNCIL MEMBER TO BOTSWANA
I MAY APPROACH TIM CASTELLANO'S MAYOR LOPEZ.
[2. Presentation of the End of Year Report]
ON TO THE END OF THE YEAR REPORT, WHICH WE MOVED FROM PRESENTATION HILL, CHIEF BELL.I'LL CALL YOU DOWN IN A SECOND.
WELL, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL, UM, STAFF AND AUDIENCE.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY VERY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE TO A WESTERN AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS FIRST ANNUAL REVIEW.
NOW THIS WOULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THE REVIEW I GAVE A FEW MONTHS AGO.
YOU'RE REALLY GONNA LIKE THIS ONE.
ONCE WE PRESENTED TO YOU, UM, A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, I VISITED A COUPLE OF AGENCIES AND I SAW THAT THEY HAD A, WHAT THEY CALL IT, A REVIEW, OTHER AGENCIES CALL IT SOMETHING WE'RE CALLING AL'S DAN RSD, HEN ANNUAL REVIEW.
AND WHEN YOU OPENED IT UP, IT GAVE A LOT OF STATISTICAL DATA THAT JUST MADE SENSE, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND I THINK THIS MEETS THAT NEED, ONCE YOU SEE IT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR A BOTTLE OF A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, AND WE TALKED ABOUT NUMBERS AND BEING TRANSPARENT.
AND SHE SAID, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
SO THIS PROJECT THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE HAS TAKEN A YEAR, IT'S BEEN A YEAR IN, IN THE PROCESS.
AND MY GOAL WAS TO HAVE IT READY BY THE SECOND COUNCIL MEETING IN JANUARY.
WELL, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL.
UM, I WILL BRIEFLY, UH, UM, THE ANDREW REVIEW WAS DESIGNED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BECOME MORE TRANSPARENT OBVIOUSLY TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND TONIGHT YOU WILL BRIEFLY, WE WILL BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE AREAS I WANT YOU TO KNOW.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO OVER PAGE BY PAGE.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, IT CONTAINS A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE WILL LOOK AT SOME POSITIVE THINGS ALONG WITH SOME STRUGGLES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DATA, SOME COMPARISONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND, UH, YOU WILL BE INTRODUCED TO EVERY DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU WILL GET A GOOD GLIMPSE OF THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN BOTH SWORN AND NON-SWORN ACTUALLY DO IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
SO I'M REAL EXCITED ABOUT IT AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, UM, YOU YOURSELVES, ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY UPON YOUR APPROVAL, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERUSE THE ENTIRE BOOK FOR YOURSELF AND LOOK AT HIS CONTENT.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE WHOLE YEAR TO ASK ME THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT.
UM, AND I, UH, I HAVE TO PUT THIS OUT BECAUSE I KNOW SOMEONE WILL ASK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURES, WHEN WE GET TO SOME OF THOSE PICTURES, THOSE PICTURES WERE ACTUALLY TAKEN IN 2019, NOT 2020, BECAUSE OF COVID.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GATHER THE WAY THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO.
SO WE TOOK SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT WE WERE DOING IN 2019, BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE ONES WE, WE DID QUITE OFTEN.
AND WE PRESENTED THOSE INSTEAD.
SO DON'T GET ALARMED IF YOU SEE GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT MASK ON IT'S BECAUSE IT WAS FROM 2019.
SO MY GOAL IS TO HAVE AN ANNUAL REVIEW EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD.
AND I THINK ONCE YOU SEE IT, YOU WILL REALLY LIKE IT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS A ORGANIZATION OUT THERE THAT WE SOMEHOW MISSED, UM, IF THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE, I WANT TO SAY, PLEASE CHARGE IT TO MY HEART.
WE TRIED TO PUT AS MUCH AS WE COULD WITH THE BUDGET WE HAD, BUT I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO LIKE WHAT WE CAME OUT WITH.
SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR LIEUTENANT TO COME DOWN.
THIS IS LIEUTENANT TIM ROGERS.
UM, HE HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND HE IS GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH OUR ANNUAL REVIEW
[04:30:01]
AND I'LL BE BACK.IT'S GETTING, GETTING CLOSE THOUGH, THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY STAFF.
UM, I'M JUST GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THIS JUST REAL BRIEFLY.
UM, THERE WILL BE A HARD COPY THAT EACH OF YOU WILL GET A IT'S ALSO ON, IT WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE UNDER THE ABOUT TAB, IT'LL SAY THE ANNUAL REVIEW.
UM, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CLICK ON THAT.
AND WHEN YOU DO SO IT'S GOING TO OPEN UP LIKE THIS.
SO WE'LL JUST GO OVER A FEW PAGES, A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS.
SO WHEN YOU FLIP HERE, IT TALKS ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE CHIEF TALKED ABOUT, UM, BEING TRANSPARENT AND LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE, WHERE WE WANT TO GO INTO THE FUTURE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANS, WE TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.
UM, OUR TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, A NEW CAT RMS SYSTEM COMING ON BOARD.
I THINK IN TWO WEEKS, THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY MARK 43, WE HAVE NEW CAMERA UPGRADE UPGRADES, AND WE HAVE NEW EMPLOYEE TRAINING SOFTWARE THAT KEEPS IN STORES, ALL THE TRAINING THAT THE EMPLOYEES, INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES DO.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS, OBVIOUSLY WITH COVID, IT'S BEEN A BIT, A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO DO THOSE THINGS, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOK THAT WE LOOKED FORWARD TO IN 2019 AND 2020 THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH INTRODUCES OUR COMMAND STAFF.
UM, SERVICE AREA POLICING IS BIG AND BIG AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY AND THEY KNOW WHO TO CONTACT.
IF THEY HAVE AN ISSUE IN THEIR SERVICE AREA, YOU'LL SEE ON HERE, OUR NAMES ARE, UH, EMAIL ADDRESSES AND THE PHONE NUMBERS THAT CAN REACH US.
AND SO THERE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTACT US WHEN WE TOUCH ON PATROL, IT'S THE BACKBONE OF ANY POLICE AGENCY.
THEY HANDLE THE CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT COME OVER THE RADIO THAT COME THROUGH DISPATCH.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THE CITY A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THEY MIGHT DO.
AND IF YOU LOOK THERE, MY EYES ARE NOT AS GOOD AS IT USED TO BE, BUT YOU'LL SEE WHY A LARGE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WE HANDLE.
ALONG WITH TRAFFIC AND CADETS IN OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE IS THEY'RE ALL NUMBERS.
THE COMMUNITY WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE ALONG WITH PATROL OFFICERS, HANDLE CALLS OR GO TO CRIME REPORTS.
THEY GO TO THE DETECTIVE BUREAU AND THE DETECTIVES HANDLE THOUSANDS OF CASES EVERY YEAR, THIS LAST YEAR WITH SOMEWHERE AROUND 4,000 CASES THAT THEY INVESTIGATED OVER THE YEAR.
AGAIN, THEY'LL GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT HAPPENS ONCE IT GOES FROM THE REPORT ONTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, INTO THE DETECTIVE BUREAU DISPATCH.
USUALLY THE FIRST PERSON SOMEBODY TALKS TO IS DISPATCH.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT THEY HANDLE IS OVER 150,000 CALLS THAT THEY'RE ANSWERING LISA 2020, GO BACK, JUST ONE PAGE, OUR CRIME ANALYSTS AND OUR VICTIM'S ADVOCATE, CRIME ANALYST IS, UM, ERICA TAYLOR.
SHE'S A LARGE PART OF WORKING WITH THE DETECTIVE BUREAU AND GATHERING THIS STATISTICS AND KIND OF A CRIME TRENDS AND HELPING THEM SOLVE CRIMES.
AND, UH, ERICA TAYLOR, SHE'S OUR VICTIM'S ADVOCATE.
THAT'S A SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE OUR VICTIMS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND GET SERVICES FROM THEM.
AND AGAIN, THIS WILL GIVE THEM AN IDEA OF WHAT SERVICES ARE OFFERED BY OUR VIEWERS VICTIM'S ADVOCATE.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE, EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED WITH THE TRAINING.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS, WE NEED TO BE PROFESSIONAL.
WE NEED TO BE MAINTAIN OUR TRAINING STANDARDS.
THIS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF TRAINING AND HAS DONE SO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND THIS IS JUST A GLIMPSE OF HOW MUCH TRAINING WE'VE ATTENDED IN 2019 AND 2020, UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE TRAINING INVOLVED, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE UP MULTIPLE PAGES.
BUT THIS IS JUST A GLIMPSE OF THE TRAINING THAT WE ATTEND ON AN ANNUAL BASE.
HE WANTS, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR.
AND THIS TALKS ABOUT OUR GOALS IN OUR UPCOMING YEAR.
WHAT DID THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FORWARD TO? AND WE HAVE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SIMULATOR ON THERE, WHICH AGAIN IS MORE TRAINING.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UM, OTHER ITEMS THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL SEE WHERE THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO GO IN THE FUTURE COMMUNITY CONNECTION.
AGAIN, SOME OF THESE WERE FROM, UH, 2019, SOME OF THESE 2020, BUT THE, THE WAY THE REVIEW IS DESIGNED, YOU LOOK AT 2019 AND 2020 IN COMPARISON.
YOU HAVE TIP OF COP CANINE TOY, DRIVE CHAT WITH THE CHIEF COFFEE
[04:35:01]
WITH A COP.AND SOMETIMES THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T ALWAYS KNOW WE ARE OUT THERE DOING THOSE THINGS, INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET A GLIMPSE OF KIND OF WHAT WE DO.
UNFORTUNATELY LIKE THE CHIEF SPOKE 20, 20 WASN'T AS FRIENDLY TO US TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE DO THE BEST.
WE CAN, SOME PHOTOS AND LIKE ALWAYS, WE NEVER WANT TO FORGET OUR PHONE OFFICERS, THESE THREE OFFICERS OR THE OFFICERS THAT GAVE THEIR ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, SO WE ALWAYS WANT TO REMEMBER THEM AND EVERYTHING.
WE DO FREDERICK CAM, J JACKSON AND KENNETH REEDY GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF WEST COVINA.
SO WE ALWAYS WANT TO REMEMBER THEM AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE BACK THERE IN OUR MEMORY.
THEN, UM, WE HAVE OUR LINKS TO OUR WEBSITE AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, THESE ARE ALL HYPERLINKED.
THIS LINK TO THIS REVIEW WILL BE ON THERE.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO AND CLICK AND GET ON THERE AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE THE WEBSITE ARE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE.
WHEN YOU GO TO THAT WEBSITE, IT'LL CLICK AND IT'LL HYPERLINK TO THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU'LL FIND THIS REVIEW.
UM, THAT BRINGS US TO MY CONCLUSION, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING US THE TIME TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU.
UM, THE ONE PERSON I JUST WANT TO THANK REALLY QUICK.
IT WILL BE REALLY BRIEF IS ALEXIS.
UM, AND THIS, THIS WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT HER.
ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS.
LIKE I SAID, THIS HAS TAKEN A YEAR TO ACCUMULATE THIS DATA, BUT I GAVE IT TO TIM AND ALEXA.
ALEXA IS COMING UP HERE, ALEXA, NAT LISTS.
SHE IS OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS PERSON.
SHE HAS REALLY TAKEN ON THIS ROLE AND MADE IT HER OWN.
WHAT I GAVE HER WAS MY VISION.
WHAT SHE DID WAS SHE BROUGHT IT TO LIFE AND YOU GUYS ARE NOW IN POSSESSION OF THE BOOKS THAT SHE BROUGHT TO LIFE.
UH, EACH OF YOU HAVE THREE OF THEM, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU CAN SEE HOW PROFESSIONAL IT'S DONE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE REALLY DOVE INTO THE DATA THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUESTIONS FOR, BUT YOU'LL HAVE THE ANSWERS RIGHT BEFORE YOU, BUT I CANNOT THANK ALEXA ENOUGH FOR WHY SHE DON'T.
I MEAN, SHE TOOK IT AND MADE IT HER OWN.
AND I AM JUST SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO SEE YOU STEP RIGHT UP HERE BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SEE HER.
UM, SHE'S ONLY BEEN WITH US FOR THREE YEARS.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU, SHE TOOK THE BULL BY THE HORNS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GIVE HER MUCH GUIDANCE.
OBVIOUSLY, TIM IS YOUR SUPERVISOR.
UH, BUT HE JUST BASICALLY KEPT HER IN LINES, BUT SHE TOOK OFF AND SHE REALLY MADE THIS, BUT HE WANTS TO.
ARE THERE ARE OTHERS, UM, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO THANK BRIEFLY, UH, BRANDON CARMEN, ANOTHER LIEUTENANT, ERICA TAYLOR GATHERING SOME OF THE DATA AND I BELIEVE, UM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
UH, THERE'S A YOUNG LADY BY THE NAME OF TRINA RODRIGUEZ WORKS FOR VR INNOVATION MARKETING.
AND THE REASON I BRING HER UP IS BECAUSE WE WE'VE LAUNCHED AT A DEADLINE AND WE NEEDED THIS BOOK YESTERDAY.
SHE MET THAT DEADLINE, THAT DEADLINE, AND SHE GOT US THE BOOKS YESTERDAY.
SO I'M REALLY HONORED ONCE WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO REALLY MAKE THIS WHAT IT IS.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS, AS YOU LOOK AT THE BOOKS, UM, I THINK YOU'LL BE EXCITED.
WE DIDN'T PRINT A WHOLE LOT, BUT UM, IF THE CITY SOUL DESIRES, WE HAVE THE CONNECTION, WE CAN GET SOME MORE PRINTER.
I KNOW THIS WAS ONE OF MY PROJECTS THAT I OBVIOUSLY HIT CHIEF BELL WITH LAST YEAR, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY DURING THAT TIME, WHEN WE WERE GETTING HIT WITH THE DEFUNDING POLICE, THEY DIDN'T SEE WHAT I SAW.
AND I KNOW OUR DEPARTMENT, I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I KNOW YOU GUYS DO SO MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT.
AND SO WHEN I BROUGHT THIS TO THE CHIEF WAR A YEAR AGO AND IT WAS ON HIM ALL THE TIME, I DID NOT EXPECT THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU GUYS DID A FABULOUS JOB.
IT'S MORE THAN WHAT I EXPECTED.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THIS AND I, YOU IMPRESS ME AND, UH, THANK YOU.
I THINK THE CITY MANAGER, I THINK YOU SHOULD BE, MAYBE
YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE, YEAH, YEAH.
THIS IS A, THIS IS JUST A, OKAY.
I'LL STANDING AS A VERY GOOD, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT DID YOU HAVE A LINK FOR RECRUITMENT? OKAY.
FOR PEOPLE SO PEOPLE CAN CLICK.
AND TO PUT THIS, I MEET DALE B OCCASION BECAUSE I THINK WE KUMON OR INTERNSHIP.
I THINK THIS IS YOU WANT TO CREATE OKAY.
AND DEVELOP ALL FUTURE TALENT.
[04:40:01]
WEBSITE HAS A RECRUITMENT LINK.SO IF YOU WERE TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE, SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT.
IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THERE'S A TAB THAT SAYS ABOUT YOU CLICK ON THE ABOUT TAB AND THERE'LL BE A SUB TAB THAT SAYS ANNUAL REVIEW.
YOU CLICK ON THAT NEXT TO THOSE TABS IS THAT RECRUITMENT TAB.
YOU CLICK ON THE RECRUITMENT TAB AND ALL THE RECRUITING IS THERE.
IT TAKES YOU, IT TAKES YOU TO THE GEO SITE WHERE IT HAS ALL THE OPENINGS, NOT ONLY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN THERE'S RECRUITING PAGES THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT POSITIONS, WHAT THE POSITIONS ENTAIL, SALARIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT'S ALL ON OUR DEPARTMENT WEBSITE AND THE INTERNSHIP.
ANY QUALIFICATION DO YOU STATED, WILL PEOPLE WANT TO APPLY AS THE INTERNSHIP? IT GOES THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS AND WHAT IT, WHAT IT ENTAILS.
SO WHAT THOSE STANDARDS ARE ASIAN FOR PEOPLE THEY WANT TO APPLY AND WANT TO GET SOME KIND OF A TASTE OF A GOVERNMENT SPECIALTY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEY WANT TO BE KIND OF A KC.
I'LL GIVE YOU QUALIFY FOR THE FUTURE AS A WALKING THE POLICE, NOT, NOT NECESSARILY SWOLLEN, BUT NON-SWORN TO INCLUDING YOUR DISPATCHER.
SO THERE CAN BE POTENTIAL INTERNSHIP.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, IF YOU CLICK THE RECRUITMENT LINK, AND IF YOU GO TO THE RECRUITMENT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, POLICE, OFFICER POLICE RECRUIT DISPATCHER, IT TELLS YOU WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE.
THERE WILL BE TABS WITHIN THERE THAT YOU CAN CLICK ON QUALIFICATIONS, MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, BENEFITS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AT MY LAST QUESTION, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME BECAUSE WILL GO TO MIDNIGHT ALREADY.
DO YOU GET THE PROMOTION TO THE PEOPLE THAT OUR RESIDENT KNOW WE HAVE THIS, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST SMOKE TOMORROW.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING, UM, I THINK IT'S ALREADY SCHEDULED TO BE, UM, PUT OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, SO EVERYBODY CAN GO ON IT.
UM, AND SHE'LL PUT IT ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM.
UM, WE, I THINK SHE'S GOT OUR INSTAGRAM USERS UP TO OVER 12,000.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE ON OUR WEBSITE, THE LINKS ALREADY READY TO GO.
JUST HIT, SEND IN A WAY IT GOES, HOW MANY ADDITIONS DO WE CAN SEND OUT TO THE PEOPLE CAN PICK IT UP.
AND THEN LOOKING AND KEEP THIS AS A DAILY RECORD.
HOW MANY WEEKS I'M GOING TO LET THE SHEEP ANSWER THAT ONE.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING YOU PULLED IN PEOPLE UNDER KIPP.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT AGAIN, UNDER THE, UNDER THE BUDGET REVIEW, YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, I CAN, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION TOMORROW ABOUT HOW MANY MORE WE COULD OR SHOULD ORDER.
UM, BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW HAVE A VERY LIMITED SUPPLY.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAD IT IN CASE YOU HAD SOME INDIVIDUALS YOU WANT TO GET INTO, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT FURTHER.
ANY OTHER QUICK QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I DO THINK THIS IS, UH, AN IMPORTANT STEP AND, UH, I AM HAPPY TO SEE, UH, THERE, I MEAN, IT TAKES A LOT OF REFLECTION TO DO AN ANNUAL REVIEW, UH, AND THE DATA IS IMPORTANT.
UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK ALL OF US HERE, WHAT WE WANT IS WE WANT THAT, UM, WE CREATE A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELCOMED THAT, UH, THAT EVERYONE IS, UM, RESPECTED AND VALUED, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND RESIDENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OUR INTERACTIONS, UH, ARE POSITIVE.
UH, AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS A BIG STEP, UH, AND A GREAT FIRST STEP.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS, UH, IT'S GOING TO OPEN UP SOME CONVERSATIONS.
UH, AND SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS I THINK WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE.
UH, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK SOME FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS HERE, UH, HOPEFULLY IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM, RIGHT? WE'RE ALL WEST COVINA.
WE ALL ARE WANTING THIS PLACE TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST PLACE FOR EVERYBODY.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS A BIG FIRST STEP, UH, AND I DO APPRECIATE THIS ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, AS OPPOSED TO MAYBE SOME OTHER THINGS WHICH WILL BE A CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I DO FEEL THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THIS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK.
A LOT OF REFLECTION WENT INTO THIS, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY IS, IS GOING TO BE APPRECIATED AS WE ARE.
I THINK, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THIS, OUR RESIDENTS, UH, I'M SURE WILL APPRECIATE IT HAVING THIS ONLINE.
AND I THINK THIS WILL HELP US TRACK HOW WE'RE DOING AND BE A GOOD BASELINE FOR A LOT OF THINGS IN TERMS OF IMPROVEMENT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
UH, YOU MADE MY NIGHT, I'M GLAD THAT WE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.
UNFORTUNATELY, NOBODY'S HERE, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY CAN REVIEW THIS AND THEN WE CAN, UH, DEFINITELY BRING THIS OUT AGAIN AND
[04:45:01]
SHOW PEOPLE THAT THIS IS, I KNOW WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE LONG.WE THOUGHT WE HAD MORE, IT'S A LIVE DOCUMENT.
SO YEAH, IT MAY CREATE SOME DISCUSSIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF OR NOT.
I WANT TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IT WAS NOT.
I KNOW A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, SHE'S THERE.
SHE MEETS AND GREETS THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE.
SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HER FACE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ITS FINEST.
AND YOU HAVE QUALITY WORK AND I, I LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE INTEGRITY, THE QUALITY, IT JUST SHOWS YOU PUT IN A LOT OF HARD WORK IN IT AND YOU KNOW, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT AND WE HOPE THE RESIDENTS CAN APPRECIATE THIS TOO.
UH, REALLY WANT TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE THIS IS SO IMPRESSIVE.
WE DON'T KNOW THIS WILL BE PRESENTATION LIKE THIS.
WE WERE THINKING ABOUT, WE THINK WHERE WE DRY.
IT WAS SITTING OVER THERE WITH SOME VERY BORING, OKAY.
AND THERE WAS SOMETHING WE WENT THROUGH SO MANY TIME, BUT THIS IS THIS ALL.
THEN OUR RESIDENTS, WE KNOW SOMETHING EFFORT AND SO MUCH INFORMATION.
AND A REALLY IMPRESSIVE FOR WEST COVINA TO PETE WISCO, A PD HAVE THIS KIND OF PRODUCTION.
THIS IS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
SO REALLY APOLOGIZE THAT WE PUT YOU IN THE BEGINNING.
THIS IS, SHOULD BE THERE ALL THE AREA PEOPLE TO SEE, BUT WHEN NOT SO LATE, I KNOW.
AND THEY SEE, WE DON'T HAVE AN AUDIENCE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, BUT YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
SO LET YOUR REPUTATION STATUS DO THE SAME, HOW YOU DID AND HIGHLIGHTED ALL THIS.
[Additional Item]
WE ARE GOING TO DO THE MAYOR.COUNCIL MEMBERS REPORTS ANY AB ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR CONFERENCE AND MEETING REPORT FROM COUNCIL.
DID YOU HAVE ANY, UH, AB ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR CONFERENCE, COUNCILMAN.
LET ME THINK OF CITIES WHAT'S COMING WHEN YOU RETURN.
UH, I AM, UH, ATTENDING, UH, THE LEAGUE OF CITIES VIRTUALLY, UH, FROM MY, UH, LIVING ROOM, UH, FOR FOUR DAYS.
UM, SO I WILL MAKE SURE TO CHARGE EVERYTHING FROM MY REFRIGERATOR TO THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE TO BUY THOSE REALLY NICE APPLES.
[30) REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ REQUESTING STAFF TO RESEARCH AND PROVIDE LIST OF ACTIVE CITY CONTRACTS]
UM, ITEM NUMBER 30, COUNCIL, WOMAN DIAZ REQUESTS.GO AHEAD AND SPEAK ON ITS BEHALF.
COUNSEL, WOMAN, D S SHE'S STILL ONLINE.
SHE'S THE CALL IS STILL ACTIVE.
THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 30, YOUR REQUEST.
UM, YOUR REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION FROM A STAFF TO RESEARCH AND PROVIDE A LIST OF ACTIVE CITY CONTRACTS.
SORRY, GO AHEAD THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IF I MAY SPEAK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER, DEYA, SHE'S VERY INTERESTED IN ENGAGING INITIALLY IN THIS WAY, SHE'S ASKED THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL THE CONTRACTS WITH HER INVESTIGATIVE BACKGROUND.
I'M SURE SHE CAN BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE CITY IN THIS AREA.
SHE'S GOING TO GO OVER EACH OF THEM QUITE CAREFULLY, BUT SHE WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS OF COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS AND SEEK YOUR APPROVAL.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR AGAINST IT? NO OBJECTION.
UM, SO THE CITY WILL PROVIDE THE, UH,
[31) REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ REQUESTING TO HAVE STAFF REVIEW ENHANCEMENTS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT INTERSECTIONS]
UM, ITEM NUMBER 31 IS COUNCIL ONE DIAZ REQUESTS AS WELL.DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT BEHALF? IF I MAY, AGAIN, ON HER BEHALF, SHE AND I TALKED AT SOME LENGTH ABOUT HER INTEREST IN HAVING A FORMAL REVIEW BY THE CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER OF ALL THE STOP CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS IN TOWN WITH THE IDEA THAT MAYBE THOSE COULD BE UPGRADED TO THE NEW LED TECHNOLOGY.
WE ATTACHED TO THE STAFF REPORT AT HER REQUEST, THE REPORT FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.
IT IS A DEVICE THAT'S MOVED INTO THE UNIFORM MANUAL.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A RISK MANAGEMENT CONCERN.
[04:50:01]
THINGS THAT ARE TOO ESOTERIC OR NEW.THIS IS STILL A NEW DEVICE, BUT WITH YOUR PERMISSION AT HER REQUEST, THIS'LL BE, UM, REVIEWED THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS OF THE CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND CITY TRAFFIC COMMISSION COUNSEL.
ANY QUESTION? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AT PASSES TO MOVE FORWARD.
[CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]
UH, CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS, COUNCILMAN LEWIS.IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, UH, WEST COVINA.
AND, UH, COHEN, IT WAS STILL, DON'T HAVE A TEST CENTER, IPHONE COUNTY.
AND I KNOW WE MIGHT, WE MIGHT HAVE A FASCINATING, UH, CASE.
UH, THE CENTER, UH, WE NEED TO OKAY.
AND REQUESTS, MAYBE MAYOR AND ALL THE COUNCIL OF A UNITED WE REQUEST COUNTY TO PROVIDE.
UH, JUST LIKE, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, TABATABAIE SAY, OKAY, THE COUNCIL SHOULD REQUEST, OR THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO REQUEST THAT WE WANT, OKAY.
COUNTY TO PROVIDE EQUAL TREATMENT AS A POMONA, SAME SIZE OR A MONTE AMMONIA HEIFERS, THREE TEST SITES.
NOW ON THE NEWSPAPER, THEY GET ANOTHER TWO, A WESCO.
SO WE WANT EQUAL TREATMENT AS A TAXPAYER.
SO COUNSEL, I REQUEST COUNCIL TOGETHER.
WE SEND A LEDGER REQUEST WITH THE MAYOR AND, OH, I WAS IN A CHAIR THAT WE WON'T HAVE SOME TEST CENTER FOR OUR RESIDENT.
TO HAVE A, SOME TREATMENT, LIKE PEOPLE IN EL MONTE OR PEOPLE IN POMONA AND THE SAME THING TOO, WE REQUEST OF US IN 19.
AND SENDING LIKE A MONTE AND THE POMONA AS THE SAME SIZE OF CITY, WE'RE ON THE SAME EQUAL TREATMENT.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
ANY, UH, OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS.
SO WITH, UH, DO I HAVE TO TALK MORE TO YOU? OKAY.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, I'M SORRY.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH AS A CONGRATULATION, UH, MAYOR.
YOU'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
AND THANK YOU TO STOP ME SOMETIMES OUT OF THE LINE.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT AS, AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE IF MY COLLEAGUE, IF I COME OUT TOO STRONG.
AND, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE COLLEAGUES AND THEIR WORK TOGETHER.
AND DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN BEFORE MIDNIGHT, BEFORE I'LL MOVE TO ADJOURN.
I HAVE A SECOND, SECOND MEETING OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.