[00:00:03]
THAT'S RIGHT.[Budget Town Hall Meeting on June 9, 2021]
IT'S SIX O'CLOCK AND I LOVE MEETINGS THAT START ON TIME.IF THERE'S A VOLUNTEER TO LEAD THE PLEDGE, YOU'D BE WELCOME TO DO SO, JIM, PLEASE, FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PUBLIC.
I SEE MOST OF THE SAME PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE THE INTEREST IN THE BUDGET.
IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR FINDING THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE.
GO WITH THE SAME PRESENTATION WE DID THE LAST LINE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AGAIN? I'M INCLINED TO DO IT AGAIN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AND WELCOME OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, STEPHANIE, AND, UM, SHE CAN, SHE CAN GO THROUGH THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS AND THEN WE'LL TURN TO QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATION.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO START BY GOING OVER AN OVERVIEW OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE USED TO DEVELOP THE BUDGET, THEN MOVE ONTO A MACRO VIEW OF ALL FUNDS.
THEN MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL FUND, A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AND THEN THE NEXT STEPS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND THEN WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THE RECOVERY FUNDS BEFORE WE TAKE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE MARK IS GOING TO WALK AROUND WITH THE MIC AT THAT POINT.
SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, A NATIONAL PANDEMIC WAS ISSUED LAST MARCH AND THERE WAS ANTICIPATED TO BE A MAJOR LOSS IN SALES TAX REVENUE.
HOWEVER, IT DIDN'T END UP BEING AS BAD AS PREDICTED DUE TO ONLINE SALES, BUT THE CITY DID EXPERIENCE A LARGE LOSS OF CITY BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CLOSURE OF RESTAURANTS IN THE MALL.
MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS AND THERE WAS TALK ABOUT A POTENTIAL SECOND WAVE.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE RISING CROP COST ACROSS ALL SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO CITIZENS STAFF TO USE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IN PREPARING THE BUDGET.
HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THAT, THERE'S A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT OF 2.3 MILLION.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER ON AND GET INTO THE OVERTIME ISSUE.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS BUDGET WAS DEVELOPED WITH OUT THE WEST COVINA SPORTSPLEX AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL GET DIRECTION ON THOSE AT A LATER DATE FROM COUNCIL AND BUDGET AMENDMENTS WILL BE MADE.
THIS BUDGET WAS A ROLLOVER BUDGET.
MEANING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS SIMPLY ROLLED OVER TO THIS YEAR'S UNLESS THERE WERE SPECIFIC SITUATIONS IN WHICH STAFF KNEW WE ARE GOING TO INCREASE OUR DEN DECREASE DUE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OR CPI INCREASES.
STAFF CONTINUED TO IDENTIFY GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES THAT WOULD BE TAKEN TO A SPECIAL FUND SO WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE USE OF ALL THE FUNDS AVAILABLE AND ELIMINATE THE EXPENSES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
ADDITIONALLY, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, STAFF HAS BEEN EVALUATING ONGOING CONTRACTS AS THEY COME DUE TO DETERMINE IF WE GO OUT FOR A BID OR TRY TO GET LOWER PRICES.
LASTLY, WE ANTICIPATE SALARY SAVINGS THROUGH ATTRITION AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, WITH ALL FUNDS AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THERE IS ONE, ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE 0.7 MILLION IN REVENUE ACROSS ALL FUNDS WITH GENERAL FUND BEING THE MAJORITY OF THAT AT 47% ON THE PHONE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THERE IS 159.6 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES ACROSS ALL FUNDS WITH THE GENERAL FUND ACCOUNTING FOR 42%, THERE IS THE REASON THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE IN THE SPECIAL REVENUES VERSUS EXPENDITURES IS GENERALLY THAT WE ACCUMULATE FUNDING AND THE SPECIAL REVENUES OVER TIME TO DO SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE DO A PROJECT AND EXPEND A LOT ALL AT ONCE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THAT THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE EXPENDITURE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES ACROSS ALL FUNDS.
YOU CAN SEE SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ARE BOTH 29% FOLLOWED BY CAPITAL PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES AT 27%.
MOVING ON TO THE GENERAL FUND ON THIS CHART.
REVENUES ARE IN BLUE AND EXPENDITURES ARE IN RED.
OVER THESE SEVEN YEARS OF DATA.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS A LOT OVER THE YEARS AND EXPENDITURES WERE QUITE HIGHER THAN REVENUES.
THOSE WERE THE YEARS AS CINDY WAS SPENDING DOWN THE RESERVES FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 21, 20 22, 2 0.3 MILLION OF RESERVES IS BEING PROPOSED TO BE USED AND REVENUE IN ORDER TO BALANCE AGAINST EXPENDITURES WHILE THIS IS NOT IDEAL AND REALISTIC EXPECTATION FOR COUNCIL, THAT THE CITY SHOULD EXPECT LESS REVENUE DUE TO LAST YEAR AND
[00:05:01]
IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC.YOU IS 67.8 MILLION WITH PROPERTY TAX ACCOUNTING FOR 42% FOLLOWED BY SALES TAX AT 23 AND OTHER TAXES AT 12 COMBINED TAXES ACCOUNT FOR 66% OF THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE CHART, YOU CAN SEE THAT 3% THAT I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED FOR FUND BALANCE.
UM, BUT IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, IT WAS NECESSARY EXPENDITURES.
THIS YEAR ONLY INCREASED 1.7% IN GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
HOWEVER, THE LOSS REVENUE WAS GREATER.
SALES TAX WAS DOWN A MILLION TRANSIENT HOTEL MOTEL TAX WAS ONLY 600,000.
ADDITIONALLY THE FALSE ALARM PROGRAM WAS ELIMINATED NATE ELIMINATED, WHICH WAS ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT IN CONTRACTOR LICENSE WAS ALSO ELIMINATED, WHICH IS ABOUT 300.
SO IT WAS PROPERTY TAX FROM 2009.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A VERY STABLE REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE CITY AND CONTINUES TO GO UP.
IT HAS NOT INCREASED BY A LOT EVERY YEAR, BUT IT GOES UP A LITTLE FOR 2022 STAFF IS ESTIMATING IT TO GO UP ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM 28.1 MILLION TO 28.2 MILLION.
NEXT IS THE SAME HISTORY FOR SALES TAX REVENUE.
IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE FLUCTUATING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, BUT IT'S STILL A FAVORABLE, FAIRLY STABLE REVENUE SOURCE THAT, UM, CONTINUES TO INCREASE OVERALL OVER TIME.
OKAY, THIS SLIDE, THE TWO LARGEST REVENUE SOURCES, PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX HAVE BEEN COMBINED AND SHOWN AGAINST POLICE AND FIRE EXPENDITURES.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, OUR EXPENDITURES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY GREW A LOT HIGHER THAN THE TWO REVENUE SOURCES.
HOWEVER, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE LEVELED IT OUT A LITTLE BIT.
THIS IS FROM STAFF CUTTING COSTS AND STREAMLINING EFFICIENCIES WITHOUT SACRIFICING SERVICES THAT WE GET ON PUBLIC SAFETY OUT OF THE 67.8 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, POLICE AND FIRE ACCOUNT FOR 60%.
I JUST CLOSE THAT EXPENSES IN THE GENERAL FUND ARE LABOR EXTENSIVE, THAT SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THROUGH THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS MAKEUPS 61% AND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IS ONLY 39.
YES, TABLES SHOW FISCAL 1920 FISCAL YEAR 1920 IN ORDER TO COMPARE ACTUAL TOTALS FOR EACH YEAR.
OVERTIME FOR POLICE WAS ABOUT 2.9 MILLION LAST FISCAL YEAR AND 2.6 MILLION FOR FIRE.
AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT BOTH OF THEM ARE OVER THAT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
ONCE WE ENDED INCLUDING WHAT THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET WAS, A REPORT THAT REGARD A REPORT REGARDING FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICES AND STAFF HAS CONTINUED TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE SERVICES AS AN ISSUE THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS COMING YEAR OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S OVERTIME, OKAY.
OR ALL THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE IS PROJECTED TO BE 21.4 MILLION BY JUNE 30TH, 2021, 3.5 MILLION OF THAT IS NON SPENDABLE, WHICH INCLUDES LOANS THAT THE, THAT ARE DUE TO THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY AND LAND HELD FOR RESALE.
AFTER TAKING THOSE INTO ACCOUNT ON A SUN FOUND BALANCE IS PROJECTED TO BE 17.8 MILLION, WHICH IS 20% OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES, WHICH IS 9% OVER THE FUND BALANCE POLICY ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, WHICH IS 17%.
WE ARE NOW FULLY STAFFED AND FOCUSING ON A LOT OF CLEANUP THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO THESE NUMBERS COULD CHANGE AS STAFF CONTINUES TO CLEAN UP ISSUES FROM THE PRIOR YEARS, HERE'S HISTORICAL LOOK AT THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BALANCE OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE EARLY YEARS, THE FUND BALANCE WAS BEING SPENT DOWN AND THEN IT TOOK A NOSE DIVE IN FISCAL YEAR, 13, 14.
THOSE WERE THE YEARS OF THE DISSOLUTION DISSOLUTION OF REDEVELOPMENT AND FISCAL YEAR 2015, THE CITY STARTED RECEIVING REDEVELOPMENT PAYMENTS BACK AND THE FUND BALANCE BEGAN RISING AGAIN, AFTER THAT IT STARTED TO DIP AGAIN, BUT IT HAS BEEN COMING BACK UP FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
NOW, MOVING ON TO THE CIP, THE CITY IS ON TRACK TO INVEST 6.6 MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
THIS FISCAL YEAR EXPENDITURES ARE PROJECTED TO JUMP TO 38.7 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 21, 22, MAINLY FROM THE 20 MILLION IN FEDERAL RECOVERY FUNDS, WHICH WE'LL TOUCH BASE LATER ON IN THIS PRESENTATION, HERE'S A GRAPHICAL DEPICTION OF THESE NUMBERS FOR FISCAL YEAR 21, 22.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE MAJORITY WILL BE IN RECOVERING FUNDS,
[00:10:01]
FOLLOWED BY STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, UM, AND THEN PARKS.THE NEXT STEPS IS THE BUDGET WILL GO BACK TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION.
ON JUNE 15TH, FOLLOWING THAT STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES TIMELY.
SO WE'LL INCLUDE BRINGING QUARTERLY REPORTS AS NECESSARY AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST AND ADJUSTMENTS TO, BUT TO THE BUDGET, WE ARE ALSO STARTING TO SHIFT FROM REACTIVE TO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE BY ADDRESSING BUILDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO OUR ADOPTED POLICIES AND WORK TO PLAN, TO RESOLVE THE GENERAL FUND STRUCTURAL DEFICIT AND MAINTAIN GENERAL FUND RESERVES FOR THE CITY.
LASTLY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR NINE DIFFERENT UNIONS THROUGH INTEREST BASED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT, UM, A SUMMARY OF THESE WILL ALSO BE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT'S GIVEN TO COUNCIL ON THE JUNE 15, MEANING THE SUMMARY OF THE FEEDBACK WE GET FROM THE PUBLIC, MOVING ON TO THE RECOVERY FUNDS.
THE CITY IS GOING TO RECEIVE 19.5 MILLION AND RECOVERY FUNDS THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT.
AND THESE FUNDS, UM, 50% WILL WERE RECEIVED IN MAY AND THEN WE'RE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE THE OTHER 50% NEXT MAY WE HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 TO OBLIGATE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND THEN DECEMBER 20, 26 TO ACTUALLY SPEND ALL OF THEM, THEIR RECOVERY FUNDS ARE INTENDED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH EXPENDITURES, ADDRESS NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, REPLACE LOST PUBLIC SECTOR REVENUE, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES, PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, INVEST IN WATER AND BROAD BRAND INFRASTRUCTURES.
AND WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES CAN BE SOMEWHAT BROAD FOR SOME OF THEM.
UM, SOME OF THE FUNDING RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE FUNDING FOR IS THEY CANNOT BE PAID.
THEY CANNOT PAY INTEREST ON PRINCIPLE OR OUTSTANDING DEBT.
THEY CANNOT REPLENISH ANY RAINY DAY FUNDS OR OTHER RESERVE FUNDS.
IT CAN NOT BE USED TO PAY SETTLEMENTS OR JUDGMENTS.
THEY CANNOT BE DEPOSITED INTO A PENSION FUND AND THEY CANNOT BE USED TO MATCH NON-FEDERAL GRANTS.
THE CITY IS PROPOSING TO SPEND ITS FUNDING ON WHICH IS 9 MILLION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED EXPENDITURES.
AND THIS INCLUDES, UM, EKG FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE AND FIRE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT IN THE FORM OF RADIOS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR THAT FIRE STATION REPAIRS AS THEY WERE USED AS VACCINE POINT OF DISTRIBUTION RESPONSE FACILITIES.
AND THEN, UM, THERE IS ABOUT 98,000 GOING TO THE PUBLIC, THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
OVERALL AGAIN, IT'S NON MILLION TOWARDS PUBLIC HEALTH EXPENSES.
THE CITY IS ALSO PROPOSING TO USE 1 MILLION FOR, UM, JOB TRAINING AND CREATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION.
AND THEN FOR THE LAST 9.2 POINT LAST 9.5 MILLION, SORRY.
UM, THE CITY IS ANTICIPATING TO GET THIS FROM IT'S LOST REVENUE, WHICH IS A BROADER CATEGORY OF USE.
UH, WE STILL HAVE TO USE ALL THE FUNDING, BUT AS LONG AS IT FALLS UNDER A GOVERNMENT SERVICE OR A NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT, WE CAN ESSENTIALLY USE IT UNDER THIS CATEGORY.
AND SO THE CITY IS LOOKING AT DOING A LOT OF ONE TIME ITEMS TO ADDRESS A LOT OF NEEDS.
THE FIRST BEING, UM, IT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITY IN THE FORM OF OUR MICROWAVE SYSTEM THAT IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED A NEW ELECTRONIC FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE SYSTEM.
SO WE CAN BE MORE TRANSPARENT AND EFFICIENT, UM, PARK PATHWAY AND SPORTS FIELD LIGHTING, AN ADA TRANSITION PLAN, REMOVAL COMMUNICATION TOWER THAT WE'RE NO LONGER REALLY USING, BUT PAYING MONTHLY FOR.
AND THEN PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, WHICH CONTAINS, UM, AS CBAS PUMPER TRUCKS, TWO OF THEM, AND THEN A LADDER QUENTIN TRUCK.
AGAIN, OVERALL, THIS WILL BE 9.5 MILLION TO GET US TO THE TOTAL OVERALL OF THE 19 MILLION WITH THAT.
ALL RIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO BE COMING AROUND WITH THE MIC.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I WOULD RECOMMEND WE JUST FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURE WE DID THE LAST TIME.
I THOUGHT THE DIALOGUE WAS CONSTRUCTIVE, BUT IF WE COULD JUST TAKE TURNS AND BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER, THAT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
[00:15:02]
ALL RIGHT.WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK WITH ALL OF YOU JIM GURVICH? UM, LAST TIME WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, WHETHER THE BUDGET'S BALANCED OR NOT, AND I APPRECIATE THE CHANGE IN LANGUAGE.
SO WE WEREN'T SAYING IT WAS A BALANCED BUDGET.
UH, HOWEVER, I THINK EVEN USING WORDS THAT WERE USED IN THE PRESENTATION TO SAY THAT WE USE THE RESERVES TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, I THINK IS INAPPROPRIATE.
UH, AND THE REASON WHY I'M FOCUSED SO MUCH ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT IS BECAUSE THE STATE AUDITORS MADE A REALLY BIG DEAL OF THE CITY'S CONTINUOUS PRACTICE OF DEFICIT SPENDING, SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN YOU TAKE IN, IN REVENUE.
THIS BUDGET ACTUALLY IS PLANNING TO DO THAT.
IT, UH, THE NUMBER WAS $2.7 MILLION DEFICIT.
UH, I THINK THAT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND SOMETHING THAT I WASN'T PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT LAST WEEK THAT I WANT TO MENTION ACTUALLY AGAINST THE CITY COUNCIL'S POLICY.
UH, AND THEREFORE, I THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR MANAGEMENT TO PRESENT A DEFICIT SPENDING BUDGET.
AND I'M GOING TO QUOTE FROM THE BUDGET POLICY AS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, THE CITY, THIS IS PAGE EIGHT OFF OF THE BUDGET POLICY.
IT SAYS THE CITY DEFINES ITS BALANCED OPERATING BUDGET AS USES OF RESOURCES FOR OPERATING PURPOSES DOES NOT EXCEED THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES OVER THE BUDGET PERIOD.
AND THEN IT DEFINES, UH, WHAT RESOURCES, OUR RESOURCES, OUR REVENUES, UH, AND THEN USES OUR EXPENDITURES.
ESSENTIALLY THE POLICY IS THAT YOU CANNOT PLAN TO EXPEND MORE THAN YOU TAKE IN THAT USING THE SIMPLE ENGLISH.
AND FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, I THINK WOULD REQUIRE THE CITY COUNCIL TO DELIBERATELY, UH, ADOPT A SUSPENSION OF THEIR OWN BUDGET POLICY.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF, UH, THIS, THE AUDIT REPORT THAT THE CITY RECEIVED FROM THE STATE, WHICH SAID THE WHY YOU'RE IN BAD TROUBLE FINANCIALLY IS BECAUSE THE CITY HAS HAD A PRACTICE OF SPENDING MORE THAN IT TAKES IN.
AND SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT JUST ME TALKING LIKE THIS.
YOU HAVE OFFICIALS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS SAYING THE SAME THING.
AND I THINK IT IS REALLY NECESSARY THAT THE CITY DO SOMETHING, UH, TO, UM, CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF IT.
UH, AND I MADE A SUGGESTION AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT COULD CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF IT.
AND THE FINANCE STRUCTURE GOT REALLY ANGRY WITH ME FOR MAKING THE SUGGESTION, BUT I'M GONNA MAKE IT AGAIN, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
UH, IT APPEARS THAT IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT WAS PRESENTED, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS CHOSEN TO UNDER BUDGET, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, AND RELATIVELY EASY WAY TO BALANCE A BUDGET.
AND THIS IS INCREASING YOUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
UH, I'VE ONCE AGAIN, EXAMINED, UH, PROPERTY TAX AND ITS REVENUE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, THE CITY HAS CONSISTENTLY UNDER BUDGETED PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, THE RECEIPTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS HIGHER.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE CASE, THE CASE THIS YEAR, TOO.
UH, AND, UH, I, THAT MAKES THE PROBLEM HALF OF WHAT IT WAS IN TERMS OF, UH, CHANGES THAT COULD BE MADE, UH, TO BRING IT CLOSER INTO BALANCE.
UH, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH ANGER ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SUGGESTION THE LAST TIME, BUT I'M REPEATING MYSELF BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN EASY ONE.
THE OTHER ONES, UH, I DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER REVENUE CHOICES.
THE OTHER CHOICES ARE EXPENDITURES, AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT EXPENDITURES.
AND IN OTHER FORUMS, I OUTLINED THEM IN SOME DEPTH ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE CITY IS, UH, WORKING ON DOING, TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE OR THE CITY TO ACCEPT THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERDRAFTS ITS OVERTIME BUDGET BY AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS AND HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING
[00:20:01]
TO CHANGE THAT.AND THAT'S HAPPENED ALL SIX YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS.
SO THAT'S, AND I ALSO, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO REPEAT ALL THE SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS THAT I'VE SAID BEFORE ON HOW THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT I, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY HAS TO HAPPEN.
THAT'S IT? THAT'S MY LITTLE SPEECH.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE I'M GOING TO SURPRISE YOU? YEAH, I KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR USING AND PUTTING IN, UM, INTEREST BASED BARGAINING THAT I REMEMBER MENTIONING THE LAST TIME AND CHANGING A SLIDE ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SLIDE.
UM, LAST TIME I MET, I REMARKED THAT I KIND OF AGREED WITH YOUR APPROACH DEALING WITH THE CITY STUFF.
I STILL KIND OF AGREE, BUT IF THERE'S ANY WAY AND IT SORT OF FLIES CONTRARY A BIT.
I AGREE WITH WHAT JIM SAID ABOUT THAT COMPLETELY.
I WOULD TWEAK THE PROJECTION BASED ON DATA, NOT JUST GRABBING IT OUT OF THE SKY.
I THINK IT IS REALISTIC, BUT THE PRICE OF HOUSING AND MY 7,000 AND SOME PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, BUT RESIDENTS THAT I HEAR FROM ARE BOTHERED THAT THIS FEDERAL MONEY ISN'T BEING USED TO HELP BUSINESS.
SO I DO THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT FOR THE CITY TO COME UP WITH SOME WAY OF HELPING BUSINESS, NO INTEREST FREE LOANS OR SOMETHING.
THERE'S A MAGIC HAT FOR YOU TO FIND SOMETHING.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, STEVE BENNETT RESIDENT.
I WAS GOING TO COMMENT ON WHAT JIM SAID.
I HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION ON WHY THEY DON'T LIKE TO RAISE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS THAT GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS LATER FOR THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T PLAN FOR.
SO I THINK IT'S PERSONALLY A DIFFERENT SCENARIO.
I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT MONEY TO USE LATER AND TO SAY, OH, WE GOT MORE.
UM, SO THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION ON WHY THAT'S THERE.
UM, CAUSE THEY'RE FAMOUS FOR DOING BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.
UM, I AGREE ON WHAT JERRY SAID.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING A FEW GRAMMATICAL THINGS TO WHERE IT'S MORE REASONABLY EXPLAINED.
I SAW A FEW ON THERE, SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT.
UM, I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO GIVE THANKS WHERE THEY'RE DUE.
UH, CAN WE GO BACK TO THE CIP PAGE? YEP.
UM, OR DID YOU MEAN IN THE FEDERAL? IT COULD BE EITHER ONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WILL FALL INTO, SO MAYBE I'LL LET YOU DECIDE THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT ANSWER MAY BE.
I KNOW AS A FORMER, UM, YOUTH SPORTS VOLUNTEER AND SOMEONE WHO WAS A PRESIDENT OF A LITTLE LEAGUE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS AT LITTLE LEAGUE IS THE FOUL BALL AND NETTING GETS DETERIORATED.
UM, AND THERE ARE MANY, UH, FIELDS THAT HAVE HAD THEIR FOUL BALL AND UP FOR 10, 20, 30, 40 YEARS, THE FIELD THAT I WAS AT, I DON'T THINK HAS HAD IT REPLACED.
AND I WAS PRESIDENT OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE NET ON ONE SIDE WHERE FOUL BALLS CAN GO INTO PEOPLES.
SO I KNOW WE'RE DOING LIGHTING, I'M ASSUMING IT'S LED OR ENERGY EFFICIENT.
I'M SITTING, THAT'S THE PLAN AS IT NEEDS TO BE.
UM, BUT I'M THINKING THAT, UM, IN ONE OF THESE TWO POTS, WHETHER IT BE THE FEDERAL OR THE STATES OR THE CITIES NORMAL CIP PROGRAM, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW TO GET SOME OF THAT STUFF DONE AND THAT'S EXPENSIVE BILLS.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOME THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE DONE FROM A, FROM A YOUTH SPORTS PERSPECTIVE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR FIELDS THAT WAY.
UM, JUST, JUST AS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, UH, AS FOR THE LIGHTING, LIKE I SAID, ENERGY EFFICIENT, I'M FINE WITH, UH, FOR THE MOST PART.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT THAT REALLY STUCK OUT.
I'M REALLY, I'M REALLY CURIOUS HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO HANDLE THE FIRE TIME, CONTINUED FIRE TIME OVERTIME, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER TIME.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN EPIDEMIC IN ITSELF AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S TIMES THAT THEY HAVE TO, I GET IT.
UM, IT'S NOT A JOB THAT WORKS IN 95.
BUT, UM, IT'S, THERE HAS TO BE BETTER SCHEDULING.
AND AFTER THIS MANY YEARS, THEY CAN'T SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO KNOW THEY CLAIM THEY'RE EXPERTS ON, ON WANTING TO GO TO COUNTY BEFORE, AND THEY'RE NOT EXPERTS ON MANAGING THEIR OVERTIME.
SO I JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S PICK AND CHOOSE.
SO I STILL THINK THAT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WITH, WITH, UH, JIM ON THE, ON THE BUDGET FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE,
[00:25:01]
I THINK SOME OF THOSE REVENUES ARE BEING HIDDEN SO THAT THEY CAN BE USED LATER FOR THINGS THAT AREN'T IN THE BUDGET.THAT'S, THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION.
I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN A LOT WITH THIS COUNCIL, WITH THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL WHERE THINGS COME UP AND IT'S LIKE, OH, WE ENDED UP GETTING MORE MONEY THAN WE THOUGHT IN THIS.
AND IT NO LONGER MEANS WE'RE BUDGETING PROPERLY.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, WE GOTTA DO IT RIGHT.
AND WE GOTTA HAVE A BLUEPRINT FOR WHERE THE CITY WORKS BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CITY BE, YOU KNOW, DROPPING IN NUMBERS IN THE STATES.
UM, WORST CITIES, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A NUMBER ONE I WANT TO BE.
AND, AND SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE SPOTTED THAT ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH LONG RANGE PLANNING, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY NORMAL, LARGE COMPANY DOES SHORT RANGE PLANNING AND LONG RANGE PLANNING.
AND THEY REVIEW IT EVERY YEAR, FIVE AND 10 YEARS OUT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE NOT DOING THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL.
SO I'VE BEEN A PART OF SEVERAL LONG RANGE PLANNING MEETINGS OVER THE YEARS AND WITH PRIVATE SECTOR STUFF.
SO I KNOW THEY DO IT AND I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE WE DON'T.
SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW.
I'M GOING TO LET SOME OTHER PEOPLE HERE SPEAK, UM, THAT I'M SURE THERE'S A FEW MORE, BUT, UM, MAYBE I'LL TALK AGAIN IN A MINUTE.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, DAVE STEWART HERE, I WAS A HUMANIST LATE GETTING HERE, BUT I SAW PROPERTY LAST THREE QUARTERS, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN THE, UH, 19 MILLION INFLUXES COMING IN.
UH, I NOTICED IT'S ALL GOT A NUMBER BESIDE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IF THE THINGS ARE CHANGED OR YOU'RE ALLOWED TO CHANGE WHAT YOU HAVE ON THAT LIST.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT ALL HAS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2 0 2 3.
IT HAS TO BE USED BY TWO OR THREE, THREE AT THE END.
SO WE HAVE UNTIL 20, 24 TO ACTUALLY FORMALIZE OUR LIST AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON AND OBLIGATE IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE UNTIL 20, 26 TO ACTUALLY USE ALL THE CASH.
BUT ONE THING I THOUGHT ABOUT IS I NOTICED NEXT WEEK COMING OUT IN THE CITY COUNCIL IN REGARD EIGHT MILES OF SEWERS IN THE CITY THAT NEED, NEED TO WORK ON THEM AT THE TUNE OF $14 MILLION.
IN MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE NEVER HAD A SLUSH FUND FOR THAT PURPOSE THAT I CAN THINK OF.
SO IS THERE SOME WAY OF PUTTING IT ON, ON THIS LIST HERE AND SUBSTITUTING SOMETHING ELSE? I MEAN, I SEE THREE FIRE TRUCKS ON THERE AND A MILLION DOLLARS FOR, UM, UH, EDUCATION, WHATEVER IT SAID, BUT, UH, MAYBE WE GOT SOMETHING TO HER IMPORTANT THAT HER IN, IN THE PAST, AND I'LL TELL YOU, TRUTH THEATER DAY.
I LOOKED AT THE, UH, USED TO BE BIG LEAGUE DREAMS. NOW IT'S THE WEST COVINA SPORTS CLASS THAT, YES, IT IS ONE MESS DOWN THERE.
WE NEED MONEY TO HELP THAT AND SEND 14 REGARD BACK IN THAT CONDITION.
BUT IF YOU CAN MAKE, IF YOU CAN MAKE CHANGES, WHY THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE, MIGHT BE CONSIDERED AND, UH, SEE HOW THAT WORKS, THAT GOING FORWARD.
WHAT ELSE WE'D LIKE TO SPEAK? I GUESS LAST NIGHT'S PLANNING COMMISSION PROBABLY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
LONG-TERM, UH, BUDGETING THAT STEVE ALLUDED TO BECAUSE THERE WAS A LAUNDRY LIST OF THE WISHLIST IS WHAT IT WAS BEING IDENTIFIED AS, AND I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS REGARDING SOME OF THOSE, UH, ITEMS. UM, ONE IDENTIFIED USE OF THE GENERAL FUND AS A MEANS OF FUNDING, THE, THE OBJECTIVE AND THE OTHER WAS A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM CITY WIDE.
THAT WAS RATHER CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE, UH, TWO OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS COULDN'T DECIDE WHETHER IT WAS A POLICE, UH, PROPOSAL THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL ALREADY, OR IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
BUT IN ANY CASE, THERE ARE MONEY ALLOCATED TO THIS WISHLIST.
IS THAT MONEY BEING REFLECTIVE IN THIS, UH, THIS REPORT, THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT? SO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS AN EXCERPT OUT OF THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
AND SO THAT'S THIS TABLE THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
WHERE DOES THAT SHOW THE SURVEILLANCE AS WELL AS THE JUNK? THE, LET ME SEE IF I CAN SHARE IT.
CAUSE I TRYING TO GET TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET UP, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT UP ON THAT SCREEN.
JD, THE QUESTION OF THE CAMERAS WAS ADDRESSED AT COUNCIL MEETING THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS AGO AND THE INTENTION AT THAT TIME AND THE DIRECTION WAS THAT WE WOULD USE
[00:30:01]
FOR THE STARTUP OF THAT SYSTEM FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'D USE ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY.SO THERE'S NO GENERAL FUND MONEY IN THAT AS IT'S NOW CONSTITUTED, NOR DOES THE CAPITAL BUDGET HAVE GENERAL FUND MONEY IN IT.
IF I WERE TO IDENTIFY A SHORTCOMING IN THIS BUDGET, THE CITY'S BUDGET GENERALLY WE'RE WAY UNDERFUNDED AND WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THE CAPITAL NEEDS OF THE CITY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT THE DREAM CITY YOU'D SPEND A THIRD, A THIRD, A THIRD, A THIRD OPERATING THIRD MAINTENANCE, AND YOU IMAGINE, AND A THIRD CAPITAL, BUT HERE WE SPEND ALL OF OUR GENERAL GENERAL FUND MONEY ON OPERATING.
AND THE, THE CAPITAL MONEY IS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT OKAY.
IT WASN'T THE GENERAL FUND MONEY WAS GOING TO BE USED FOR THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
THERE WAS ANOTHER, UH, ITEM ON THAT WISHLIST THAT, UH, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER, UH, NICK LEWIS IDENTIFIED AS, AND HE READ VERBATIM THAT IT REFERRED TO GENERAL FUNDS, UH, USAGE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A WISHLIST.
UM, BUT AS A WISHLIST THAT ACTUALLY GOES OUT TO, I BELIEVE 20, 24, 25.
UM, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THOSE YEARS THERE ARE NO MONEY IDENTIFIED ON ANY OF THESE PROJECTS.
NOT SURE WHY IT WAS SHOWN THAT WAY, BUT FOR THIS COMING NEW FISCAL YEAR, UM, THE MONIES THAT WERE SHOWN, APPARENTLY ONE OF THEM IDENTIFIED GENERAL FUND USAGE.
I HAD PULLED UP THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UP ON THIS RIGHT NOW AND TRYING TO MAKE IT, UM, UM, WHICH CATEGORY WAS THAT OFF OF? I FIGURED IT WAS EITHER UNDER BUILDING OR DO YOU RECALL? THEY DIDN'T GET A LOT OF HANDOUTS AND I DON'T THINK THEY CATEGORIZED IT.
IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE, CAUSE THIS WAS, I DID SEE THE PACKET AND IT WAS JUST AN EXCERPT OUT OF OUR BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S BUILDING AND THEN I'M UNDER GENERAL CHAMBERS.
SELF-CONTAINED PORTABLE RADIOS SOFTWARE, BUT EVERYTHING HERE IS EITHER PEG OR, UM, SENATE BILL TWO OR OTHER ALARM BE, WOULD NOT BE LONG RANGE.
SO I'M NOT SURE WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO, I DON'T SEE IT.
IT'S NOT STICKING OUT AT ME RIGHT HERE.
WERE THE CAMERAS FOR PARKS OR OTHER STUFF.
DO YOU REMEMBER MR. MINTER? EVERYWHERE.
SO LIKE CITYWIDE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS BASICALLY.
IS IT THE CITYWIDE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SOFTWARE SYSTEM? THE CITY-WIDE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR 2 MILLION? NO, LET'S LET'S JUST HOLD THIS THOUGHT.
I'LL I'LL I'LL I'LL OWE YOU THAT ANSWER, JERRY.
SO ARE THEY TALKING, TALKING ABOUT PUTTING CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY? BECAUSE WHEN THAT'S COME UP IN THE PAST, SO IT IS NOT BEEN SOMETHING RIGHT.
SOME CONVERSATIONS LAST NIGHT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL AT ALL YET.
SO YOU ARE CONFIRMING THAT WHAT WAS PROPOSED LAST NIGHT IS NOT THE SAME AS WHAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY, IS THAT CORRECT? JD? I I'M GONNA OWE YOU A RESPONSE ON HIS QUESTION.
I WASN'T AT THE MEETING LAST NIGHT AND I HEARD ABOUT IT FROM ONE OF MY STAFF THAT WAS THERE, BUT I'M GOING TO OWE YOU THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION TONIGHT.
I DON'T WANT TO EAT ONE W I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
AT THE ONE THAT WAS APPROVED WAS THE FOG.
IS THAT WHAT THEY CALL IT? WHERE IT IDENTIFIES LICENSE PLATES AND FLOCK? THANK YOU.
FLOCK IS THE CAMERA SYSTEM AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BROUGHT FORWARD THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS AGO, CORRECT? USING ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY, BUT IT WASN'T GENERAL FUND MONEY.
THERE WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AT THE MEETING THAT THAT WAS ONLY A LIMITED TIME TERM CONTRACT FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS.
I FORGET CORRECT IN THAT IF NO
[00:35:01]
GENERAL FUND MONEY WERE TO BE IDENTIFIED AT THAT SYSTEM WOULD THEN SUNSET AT THE END OF THAT INITIAL PERIOD.AGAIN, THE SYSTEM THAT I'M REFERRING TO THAT WAS CONTROVERSIAL LAST NIGHT WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, THAT GENERAL FUND, UM, I ALLUDED TO WAS A DIFFERENT ITEM ON THE WISHLIST.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE CITYWIDE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE THAT WAS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, HAD ANY RELATIONSHIP TO GENERAL FUND.
THERE'S A DIFFERENT ITEM ON THERE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A CONNECTION, NOT THE CITY-WIDE CAMERA SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LICENSE PLATE READER.
I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE CAMERAS AT INTERSECTIONS UNLESS THERE IS A HAZARD AT THAT INTERSECTION.
I AVOID CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS IN THE CITY OF CONVENER.
I WANT TO SEE A POLICE OFFICER PULL ME OVER, BUT WHERE THERE IS KNOWN HAZARDS, LIKE AT A TRAIN CROSSING OR SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IF AN ACCIDENT GOES HAPPENS, THE PEOPLE SUE THE CITY ON THE TRAIN COMPANY AND STUFF, AND THAT GIVES A RECORD, BUT JUST TO PUT CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM, I THINK FOR A LOT OF US, BUT THE LICENSE PLATE READER, THAT JUST KIND OF MAKES SENSE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE MEN IN BLUE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE HIRED THOUGH.
UH, I WANT TO TALK OR ASK A QUESTION ACTUALLY ABOUT IT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER ABOUT A SEWER, UH, UH, UH, ACTUALLY IT'S ON THE, IT WAS POSTED IN THE PAPER.
IT WAS BASICALLY SAYING THEY WANTED TO RAISE THE SEWER ASSESSMENT FOR EVERYBODY TO PAY A HIGHER FEE AND REFERRED TO A $14 MILLION.
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS $14 MILLION.
AND I KNOW THERE WAS A STUDY DONE ABOUT SEWERS MANY YEARS AGO IN THE CITY, BUT I, I DUNNO WHAT THE DOLLAR FIGURE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS 14 MILLION.
SO I'M CURIOUS WHERE THAT NUMBER CAME FROM.
AND I I'M REALLY BOTHERED ABOUT THIS.
DECISION-MAKING BY THE CITY COUNCIL WITHOUT FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ATTACHED IT'S WAS IN THE STATE AUDIT IT'S IN OUR FISCAL RECOVERY PLAN THAT WE WON'T DO THAT YET.
THERE WAS A DECISION MADE TO PLACE THIS AD THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HEARING ON AN INCREASE IN THE SEWER ASSESSMENT, UH, TO, UH, TO PAY FOR FIXING THE SEWERS.
THAT THAT MAY BE FINE AND OKAY, BUT THERE'S NO FINANCIAL ANALYSIS.
THERE'S NO PROJECT, NO DISCUSSION IT'S YOU DON'T MAKE THE DECISION FIRST, THEN WORRY ABOUT THE MONEY LATER.
THAT'S WHAT THE STATE SAID TO US.
AND YET IT STILL KEEPS HAPPENING.
AND IF I COULD SPEAK TO THE QUESTION OF THE SEWERS, YEAH.
THE CITY DID A MASTER PLAN OF SEWER SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND IDENTIFIED UNFUNDED NEEDS THERE FOR CLEANING OF THE LATERALS, CLEARING THE HOTSPOTS, A NEW LIFT STATION THAT WAS NEEDED ON AZUSA AVENUE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND WHEN THEY SET THIS CITY-WIDE SEWER DISTRICT, IT CONTEMPLATED THAT RATHER THAN JUST ELEVATOR UP TO WHAT THE COST SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, WHENEVER THE STUDY WAS DONE, IT WOULD GRADUALLY INCREASE IT OVER THE PERIOD OF OF FIVE YEARS.
THAT'S THE HEARING NEXT TUESDAY IS TO SET THAT IN KEEPING WITH THE INCREASES THAT WERE CONTEMPLATED BY THAT MASTER PLAN OF SEWERS.
WELL, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY, AND PERHAPS I'M NOT SAYING IT VERY WELL.
I'M NOT TRYING TO ARGUE THE POINT THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE SOURCE SYSTEM.
UH, THAT ISN'T, THAT ISN'T MY ACTUAL ISSUE.
MY ISSUE IS THAT WHEN SOMETHING IS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR ACTION, THAT INVOLVES DECISION, UH, IN THIS CASE TO SPEND THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY TO INCREASE THE ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS WHAT THIS IS, IT'S A TAX INCREASE.
I, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CALLED A FEE, UH, THERE SHOULD BE A FINANCIAL PLAN ATTACHED TO THAT.
A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ATTACHED TO THAT DECISION.
EVERY TIME THERE'S A DECISION THAT SPENDS MONEY, THERE SHOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT MONEY.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LITTLE THINGS.
[00:40:01]
THERE SHOULD BE A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ATTACHED TO IT.THAT'S WHAT THE STATE ASKS FOR.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK FOR.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
UH, I HAVE SOME OTHER QUIBBLES ABOUT THE SEWER FUND BECAUSE I HAVE MADE A SPEECH I ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO TO THE COUNCIL.
HOW COME WE'RE NOT SPENDING ANY OF THIS MONEY? UH, NOW, UH, THAT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, WE DIDN'T SPEND IT.
WE APPARENTLY BUDGET 2 MILLION EVERY YEAR, BUT WE DON'T REALLY SPEND IT FOR IMPROVE FIXING THIS PROBLEM.
UH, AND I, I, UH, THERE'S NO CAPITAL PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH SOURCES.
I MEAN, THEY'D SPEND MONEY ON CLEANING OUT STUCK SEWERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT IT NEEDS AS YOU, YOU RATTLED OFF SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED AND, AND I'M, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE NOT DOING ANY OF THAT STUFF.
ACCORDING TO THIS OLD REPORT THAT I'M REFERRING TO THAT WAS DONE, THAT SOME OF THE SYSTEMS ARE IN DANGER OF FAILURE AND WE SHOULD BE AT LEAST TRYING TO FIX SOME OF IT NOW, NOT WAITING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AT THAT SITE.
THAT'S AN OPERATIONAL QUESTION.
AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS WE ARE DELIVERING CAPITAL PROJECTS OUT OF THE SEWER FUND TO FIX THE SEWER SYSTEM.
THE MOST RECENT ONE BEING THE SEWER LIFT STATION ON AZUSA AVENUE, JUST FULL OF EMAR.
THAT'S IN A, IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THERE ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS DELIVERED OUT OF THE SEWER FUND AS, AS IT SHOULD.
WELL, I, WHEN I LOOKED, OF COURSE, MY PROBLEM IS I'M NOT GETTING ANY CURRENT FINANCIAL REPORTS, SO WE'RE NO EXPENDITURES THIS FISCAL YEAR NOW, PERHAPS IN A LATER FINANCIAL REPORT, PERHAPS WE CAN GET FINANCIAL REPORTS AND MAYBE THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
AND I WOULD KNOW THAT THAT PROJECT YOU JUST REFERRED TO ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
I KNOW IT WAS PLANNED BECAUSE I REMEMBER THEM TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT I HAVE NO, THEY HAD NO INFORMATION ON WHETHER IT REALLY HAPPENED OR NOT.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ENOUGH ABOUT SOURCE? ANYONE ELSE? I'M GOING TO ASK A QUESTION.
I THINK THAT DAVE KIND OF STARTED OVER THERE.
UM, HE HAD MENTIONED THE SPORTSPLEX AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T REALLY DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET WHEN THE FIRST SLIDE, I THINK YOU WERE SAYING THAT IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WEREN'T IN THIS, UM, IS THE PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS AND FIELDS ON THE CIP CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT? IS THAT ANY MONEY BEING SPENT AT SPORTSPLEX? SO NONE OF THE CIP MONEY IS GOING TO SPORTSPLEX.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A COMPLETE BUDGET AMENDMENT WHEN IT COMES UP.
UM, UM, BEFORE YOU MAKE IT BETTER, IF I COULD MAKE IT WORSE, THE SPORTS PLEX HAS SOME SERIOUS NEEDS OF CAPITAL REPAIRS.
WELL, I KNOW, UH, AIR CONDITIONING HVC SYSTEM THAT WASN'T EVEN MAINTAINED AND IT'S BEEN IN SERVICE FOR 13 YEARS, THE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM, UM, NOT FUNCTIONAL FIRE ALARMS AND FIRE WATER DELIVERY SYSTEMS. UM, BUILDING MAINTENANCE HAS SUFFERED IS QUITE SAD.
UH, FIELDS, MAINTENANCE, QUITE SAD, THE THING HASN'T EVEN BEEN PAINTED.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE DONE.
A LOT OF ATTENTION IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE PAID TO, UM, TO THE SPORTS PLEX.
SO SINCE YOU GAVE ME ALL THAT, MAKING IT WORSE BEFORE YOU MAKE IT BETTER MENTALITY, UM, LET ME MAKE IT EVEN WORSE.
WHERE ARE WE AT IN THAT PROCESS? IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING WE'RE, WE'RE QUANTIFYING THE COST OF THE REPAIRS FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE THERE.
UM, H VAC, ROOFS, LIGHTING, LANDSCAPING, BUILDINGS, SPORTS, FIELD LIGHTING, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S GOING TO BE QUITE A LOT OF DATA COMING, COMING TOWARD US ON THAT FACILITY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S AN RFP OUT RIGHT NOW FOR SOMEONE TO OPERATE THE FACILITY.
IS THAT TRUE? WELL, THE RFP PERTAINED TO A RESTAURANT OPERATION, SO WE ISSUED AN RFP AND, UM, HAVE HAD INTEREST IN, ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE RESPONDED TO THAT.
DO YOU KNOW IF WE'RE GETTING IT'S ACTUALLY A REVENUE STREAM? WELL, IT CAN BE DEPENDS ON HOW IT'S RAN.
UM, HAVE, HAVE WE DETERMINED IF WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN OUR ALCOHOLIC LICENSE ON THAT FACILITY OR IS THAT GOING TO HAVE TO BE REAPPLIED FOR, OR IS THAT GOING TO GO AWAY? THE NEW OPERATOR THAT'S PROPOSED ASSUMES THAT, THAT HE'LL GET A LIQUOR LICENSE AS PART OF THAT OPERATION.
ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW YOUTH TO USE IT? I KNOW YOU LITERALLY CAN'T OPERATE ON ANY FIELD THAT HAS LIQUOR NEARBY.
SO THAT ELIMINATES A LOT OF THE YOUTH SPORTS.
I KNOW GIRLS SOFTBALL PLAYS THERE OCCASIONALLY OR HAD, UM, I KNOW ADULT SOFTBALL PLAYS THERE.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT BY HAVING ALCOHOL, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A MONEY REVENUE
[00:45:01]
STREAM OR CAN BE IF IT'S MANAGED, RIGHT.UM, ALSO PREVENTS WEST GREEN RESIDENTS, KIDS, LITTLE LEAGUES, SPECIFICALLY LITTLE AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT YOUTH SPORTS, BUT IT PREVENTS THEM FROM PLAYING THERE.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, I'M GOING TO PASS THIS OFF TO JD AND LET HIM ASK HIS QUESTION AND THEN MAYBE I'LL ASK ANOTHER ONE.
SO IF A LITTLE, IF THE LEGS CAN'T PLAY WHERE THERE'S ALCOHOL, COULD THEY PLAY IF, WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING, THEY CAN'T, THERE'S NO ALCOHOL SOLD.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER FOR A FACT THROUGH LITTLE LEAGUE BYLAWS, CAUSE WE JUST NEVER PLAYED WHERE THERE WAS ALCOHOL, BUT I, I WOULD SAY IT'S DEFINITELY A QUESTION WE SHOULD ASK A LITTLE OF INTERNATIONAL, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY, THE ONLY YOUTH SPORTS GROUP I KNOW OF PERSONALLY THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THE CHILDREN TO PLAY AT A PLACE WHERE THERE'S ALCOHOL.
UM, LIKE I SAID, GIRLS SOFTBALL IS PLAYED THERE AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT HAVE PLAYED THERE.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT JUST THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY, UM, I KNOW WHEN WE GOT INTO TRAVEL BALL WITH MY SON, WE PLAYED THERE UNDER TRAVEL BALL.
CAUSE IT WASN'T SANCTIONED BY LITTLE LEAGUE, SO IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SCENARIO.
BUT UM, LITERALLY SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS, I REMEMBER AS A PRESIDENT WITH THE YOUTH SPORTS, LITTLE LEADERS WOULD LOVE TO PLAY ON THOSE REPLICA FIELDS BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF COOL, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE YOUNG AND IT WOULD BE KIND OF FUN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE ALCOHOL WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO, AND WE MAY DO, IT'S NOT THAT HUGE OF A DEAL, BUT I GUESS IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHAT THE REVENUE STREAM IS.
IF THERE IS ONE, BECAUSE IF THERE'S NO MONEY BEING MADE, THEN WHY DO IT? SO THAT'S MY PHILOSOPHY ANYWAYS, CAUSE I HAVE THAT PHILOSOPHY ON EVERYTHING.
UM, REASON I STARTED OFF WITH THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA CONTROVERSY LAST NIGHT BECAUSE I HONESTLY RETURNED TONIGHT HOPING THAT I'D SEE A LITTLE MORE CONSIDERATION TOWARDS THE NATIVE POLICE ON THE CITY WE HAVE, SINCE I'VE MOVED INTO WEST COVINA, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR POLICE FORCE, JUST DWINDLING DOWN TO AN INSIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
AND WITH THE RECENT EVENTS OF ACCIDENTS THAT RESULTED IN FATALITIES.
I HAD FIVE CAR PILE UP IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, THE BURGLARIES NAME IT IS THERE A FOCUS BEING PLACED ON, UM, WAY TO MITIGATE THIS PROBLEM OF NOT HAVING, HAVING SUFFICIENT POLICE.
WE SEEM TO PALE IN TERMS OF SAFETY, HEALTH, AND SAFETY, COMPARED TO THE OTHER CITIES SURROUNDING US, ANDORRA SUSAN, ALL OF THEM PARK THERE, POLICE FORCE SEEMS TO BE A LOT STRONGER.
AND CERTAINLY WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, WE SEEM TO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO STRENGTH IN THAT AREA.
WHY IS IT THAT THIS PRESENTATION DOESN'T SEEM TO ILLUSTRATE MUCH IN TERMS OF POLICE, ADI? I SEE A NEED AND I GUESS THE, AS YOUR CITY MANAGER, THE QUESTION I WOULD ASK YOU IS WOULD YOU PREFER THAT WE TAKE THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES YOU'RE REQUESTING OUT OF THE OPERATING SIDE OF THE BUDGET OR OUT OF RESERVES? I'M GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION THIS WAY.
I THINK THAT THE FOCUS OF ENFORCEMENT NEEDS, WHICH IS PROBABLY A POLICY, A QUESTION NEEDS TO COME FROM COUNCIL AS TO HOW FORCEFUL THE EXISTING POLICE FORCE WE HAVE IS WILLING OR AS INSTRUCTED TO GO OUT AND DO THE JOB NOW, IDEALLY I THINK, YEAH, WE CAN PROBABLY CUT BACK WHERE WE NEED WHEN IT COMES STEW POLICE AND FIRE HIGHER, BECAUSE THOSE ARE TWO INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE WILDLY IMPORTANT TO OUR EXISTENCE.
THAT'S NOT A CLAIM AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT WE DON'T WANT CRUNK CLEAN PARKS.
WE DON'T WANT STREET CLEANING, BUT WE'VE SEEN MANY OF THOSE THINGS ALREADY GO AWAY AND WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A STRONG POLICE FORCE.
SO YOUR QUESTION KIND OF BEGS THE, THE, THE ANSWER BECAUSE IT, NEITHER, NEITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS HAS REALLY, REALLY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
AND IN FACT, THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN EXPLORED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
YESTERDAY, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, WE HAD A GANG SHOOTING IN TOWN AND BULLETS FLEW, SOMEBODY GOT HIT.
[00:50:01]
AND WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON, TWO SCHOOLS HAD TO BE LOCKED DOWN AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS DEALING WITH TWO CHILDREN, VERY YOUNG, MINOR CHILDREN, WANDERING THE STREETS COMPLETELY UNSUPERVISED THAT I NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERS IN THAT MOMENT.WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS PRESENT A BUDGET, WHICH IS IN KEEPING WITH THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PAY.
SO ON ONE HAND YOU SAY YOU WANT MORE SERVICES.
I AGREE, BUT GETTING THERE AS THE HARD PART, BECAUSE RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.
I HEAR YOU WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WHAT I'M SEEING IS YOU CREATED A BRAND NEW DEPARTMENT KIND OF CONNECT IT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THAT IS CODE ENFORCEMENT.
AND, AND I'M THINKING, OKAY, WELL, WHY AREN'T WE CHANNELING THE MONIES AND THE EFFORT TOWARDS ACTUAL PEACE OFFICERS OR, OR MAYBE THE, UH, STRUCTURE THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT IN SUCH A WAY THAT COULD BE A COMPLIMENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF GIVING OUT CITATIONS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LIMITATIONS ARE, BUT I DON'T SEE THE FOCUS IN THAT DIRECTION.
I'M SEEING THE FOCUS AND A LOT OF THE COSMETICS OF THE CITY, WHICH IS VERY ATTRACTIVE TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT THERE'LL BE NO USE.
WE END UP DEAD BECAUSE SOME CRAZY MANIAC BREAKS INTO OUR HOMES AND KILLS US.
GOD FORBID, UM, OR WE GET RUN OVER BY HOMELESS WE'RE WE DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE PARKS ANY LONGER.
SO THAT SEEMS TO ME TO TAKE PRIORITY OVER MANY OF THE ITEMIZED, UH, PROJECTS LISTED HERE, YOU KNOW, JD, I THINK IT KIND OF HIT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT AND YOU KNOW, THE TOPIC THAT I'M FAMOUS FOR LATELY, I GUESS, IS THE
UM, IS THERE ANY WORK ON GETTING THOSE I'M GONNA USE THE WORD CHANGED? UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE EASIEST WORD.
THE MOU IS THAT WE'RE PAST THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD, UH, IN 2019, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT TOOK 3, 4, 5, 6 MILLION OUT OF OUR BUDGET, AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OFFICERS WE COULD'VE KEPT, UM, INSTEAD OF PAYING THE ONES THAT ARE HERE CURRENTLY.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THERE ANY WORK ON GETTING THAT DONE TO CHANGE THAT STRUCTURE OF THOSE MOU, MAYBE RESCINDING THEM OR GETTING THEM TO, TO GO AWAY CAUSE THE TEMPORARY, THE TEMPORARY PART OF THAT MOU OF THEM GIVING BACK THAT'S EXPIRED AND SO WE'RE WE'RE PAST.
AND SO NOW WE'RE BACK TO FULL STRENGTH ON WHAT THE MOU IS WERE BEFORE.
YEAH, THIS CITY'S EMPLOYEES ARE ITS BEST ASSET.
HAVE A HARDWORKING, DEDICATED WORKFORCE.
WE HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE TO BE A FULL SERVICE CITY.
WE HAVE CONTRACTS, WE HAVE LABOR AGREEMENTS WITH NINE UNIONS, PLEASE FIRE.
AND THE SEVEN OTHERS, A CONTRACT IS A SERIOUS THING AND WE'RE GOING TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW AND WE'RE AT THE TABLE.
THAT'S WHERE THOSE CONVERSATIONS NEED TO OCCUR.
AND DURING THE TERM OF A CONTRACT, UM, NEITHER PARTY GETS TO JUST UNILATERALLY CHANGE IT.
WE WENT THROUGH A PERIOD DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH ALL OF OUR UNIONS WHO GAVE BACK AND THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO DO SO, BUT, BUT THEY ALL DID, UM, SAY ONE BUT EIGHT OF NINE DID.
AND WITH THE NINTH WE, WE IMPOSED.
BUT, UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH OUR, WITH OUR LABOR GROUPS AND THOSE ISSUES.
WE TALK ABOUT INTERSPACE BARGAINING.
THAT'S WHERE IT BELONGS AT THE TABLE.
I THINK WE AGREE ON THAT ON PROBABLY ALL THE APPROACH THAT YOU JUST KIND OF SAID.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A LEGAL THING.
UM, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE IS YOU ASKED JD HERE, DO YOU WANT IT TO COME OUT OF CAPITAL, YOU KNOW, UH, OPERATING COSTS OR RESERVES OR RESERVES, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE CAN'T TAKE IT OUT OF RESERVES CAUSE THAT'S DEFICIT SPENDING AND I'M OPPOSED TO THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND HOW BUDGETS WORK A BUDGET AT MY HOUSE TOO.
UM, TYPICALLY MY WIFE TELLS ME WHAT I CAN'T SPEND AND I GO, I GO AGAINST IT.
SO I'M THE DEFICIT GUY, BUT NO, THE, THE, THE HONEST ANSWER THOUGH, IS, IS THOSE, THOSE RAISES CAME OUT OF OPERATING.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, OUR ASSETS, OUR EMPLOYEES, I THINK ARE OUR BEST ASSET.
AND THE CITY IS, IS ABSOLUTELY THE STAFF THAT RUNS THE CITY.
THERE'S NO QUESTION, BUT IN THE SAME BREATH, THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, PUT US MORE IN A HOLE WHERE WE COULD BE HIRING MORE PEOPLE.
SO J D HAS GOT A POINT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING IF IT COMES OUT OF OPERATIONAL YEAH.
AND, AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE ABSOLUTELY
[00:55:01]
NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME THINGS, BUT SOME RAISES ARE TOO MUCH, I GUESS NOBODY'S IN A HURRY, BUT LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.W WE WE'VE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPLOYMENT.
IF THE NATIONAL STANDARD IS AN OFFICER PER THOUSAND POPULATION, WE SHOULD BE AT 104.
DURING THE LAST TWO YEAR PERIOD, WE WERE DOWN TO 78 AND, UM, PEOPLE WERE LEAVING FINE.
I MEAN, CHRISTMAS, I THOUGHT ONTARIO WAS THE PROMISED LAND FOR A WHILE.
THERE, SOMEBODY WENT OVER THERE, SIGNALED BACK TO HIS COLLEAGUES AND COWORKERS, HEY, THE WATER'S FINE.
SO THE PLAN CAN'T BE, WE'LL NEVER GIVE ANYBODY ANOTHER RAISE EVER BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING FOR LABOR AND IN A LABOR MARKET, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BALANCE THIS AS WE GO.
WE CAN'T JUST ADD MORE OFFICERS AND ASK EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WORKS HERE.
300 PEOPLE WORKING HERE TO, TO NEVER GET A PAY RAISE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE ADULT IN THE ROOM.
AS WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE WE'VE GOT A BUILDING CONDITION REPORT ABOUT FIRE STATION ONE AT THE TABLE.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONDITIONS AS WE'RE WE MANAGEMENT.
WE GOT A WRITTEN REPORT SAYING, UM, EVERYTHING EXCEPT MOVE OUT IMMEDIATELY.
NOW WE'RE GETTING BIDS FOR TEMPORARY CREW QUARTERS, AND WE'RE GETTING BIDS FOR ROLL-UP DOORS ON THE FORMER CITY SHOP BUILDING ON AN INTERIM BASIS.
INTERIM IN THIS TOWN COULD MEAN YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET GOOD TRAILERS.
AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO DEMOLISH THAT BUILDING.
AND WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS.
WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH THESE THINGS EVERY DAY IN REAL TIME.
AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT DANG, THAT WE DON'T GIVE RAISES, BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THERE.
I THINK THOSE WERE EXORBITANT.
I THINK THEY WERE, THEY WERE MORE THAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
I KNOW YOU SAY PEOPLE WERE LEAVING AND I GET THAT.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET HIRED, UH, IN THAT INDUSTRY.
AND I THINK WE COULD HAVE EASILY DONE THAT.
I DON'T LIKE TO SEE ANYONE LEAVE, BUT ATTRITION HAPPENS.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LEAVE, PEOPLE CHANGE JOBS.
THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE BUSINESS.
UM, AND, AND IF SOME OF THOSE FELT THAT ONTARIO WAS THE GREENER PASTURE, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT AND FIRE, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CHANGED DEPARTMENTS.
THEY LATERAL ALL OVER THE PLACE.
I'VE, I'VE GOT FRIENDS THAT ARE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE BEEN WITH FOUR AND FIVE DEPARTMENTS.
AND, AND IT'S ALL BASED ON WHAT THEY THINK AT THE TIME.
I'VE HAD FRIENDS THAT WERE AT ONE CITY LEFT TO GO TO ANOTHER ONE AND LATERALED BACK BECAUSE THE GRASS WASN'T GREENER, IT HAPPENS.
I KNOW OFFICERS HERE HAVE DONE THAT.
UM, BUT I STILL THINK MY PERSONAL OPINION.
AND I THINK THOSE OTHERS, UM, THAT ARE OUT THERE FEEL AS THOUGH THAT THOSE WERE A LITTLE BIT OVER THE TOP.
AND, AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT $6 MILLION, FIVE, $6 MILLION.
AND AS YOU PUT IT, UM, OPERATING EXPENSES THAT HAVE NOW BEEN GOING ON THAT WOULD PAY FOR SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, OFFICER'S OUT THERE AS JD SAYING, YOU SAID WE HAVE 90 RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WHEN WE BUDGETED FOR 99, AT SOME POINT, WHAT ARE WE AT RIGHT NOW? BUDGET BUDGETED FOR 90.
I THOUGHT FOR SURE, TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE BUDGETED FOR 99.
WE'RE AT 90 WAS WHERE WE WERE.
I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK, CAN LOOK.
CAUSE I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO DISAGREE ON THAT ONE.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, HAPPY TO BE PROVED WRONG, BUT AS I RECALL, AND I LOVE PROVING PEOPLE WRONG, SO IT'S GOOD.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THAT THERE'S ISSUES AND WHERE THOSE OPERATING COSTS HAVE WENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S REALLY SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO DO SOME WORK, THOSE MOU WERE VERY POORLY WRITTEN AND NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT HAS TO GO TO THE TABLE.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A NEGOTIATION.
MY QUESTION IS, IS, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT ARE WE MAKING AN EFFORT TO MAKE THOSE MOU MORE PALATABLE TO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE.
AND HONESTLY, IT'S WHY MEASURE WC GOT VOTED DOWN IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE PISSED ABOUT IT.
AND, AND WITH AN 80% VOTE, NO ON MEASURE WC THAT CAME RIGHT AFTER THOSE.
IT SAYS A LOT IN MY OPINION ABOUT WHERE WE SIT AS RESIDENTS AND WHO FEELS WHAT, AND IT'S A BIG VOTE, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EXTRA TAX MONEY, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THOSE EMO USE ARE PROBABLY MOSTLY WHAT COSTS MEASURE WC.
AND THAT WAS AGAINST MEASURE WC FROM THE START.
IF YOU GAVE US A SUGAR COOKIE, WHEN YOU GUYS GO TO THOSE IN, OR THE COUNCIL VOTED THOSE IN.
BUT LIKE I SAID, FROM A STANDPOINT OF, OF OPERATING COSTS OF WHAT JD SAID, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT AFFECT THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS ON THE STREET.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE WORK DONE IN THAT AREA TO TRY TO INCREASE IT BECAUSE I DO THINK THERE'S ROOM.
AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS JUST THAT THE 15% WAS A BIT HIGH AS RES, BUT I THINK WHAT'S IT 12, I'M SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE I GOT 50 12%.
[01:00:01]
UM, BUT THE TIMING, RIGHT.AND THEN AS WELL AS THE TIMING THAT IT WENT TO FIRE AND POLICE, UM, AND AGAIN, UM, I, I DON'T THINK WE'RE REALLY, ASIDE FROM THIS PANDEMIC.
I DON'T THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS OVERWHELMED WITH FIRES IN THIS CITY WHERE WE CAN SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S WELL WORTH INVESTING IN.
I'M NOT TRYING TO DEMEAN THEM IN ANY WAY.
BUT WHAT I REALIZE IS THIS IS A NEW YORK CITY.
THERE ARE NO HIGH RISERS HERE IN WEST COVINA.
AND FIRE IS PRETTY MUCH A MEDICAL PROVIDER.
TRANSPORTATION-WISE POLICE ON THE OTHER HAND IS, UH, AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN NOWADAYS YOU HAVE THEM OR NOT YOU PER SE, BUT THE COUNCIL AND ITS WISDOM HAS THEM WORKING ON PROJECTS SUCH AS, UH, THE WHOLE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S ONE OFFICER THAT'S ONE LESS, UH, THAT'S USED FOR STREET SURVEILLANCE.
UM, HE'S ASSIGNED TO THE HOMELESS HOMELESS PROJECT.
HOPE ISN'T IT? THE HOPE THAT THERE'S CALLED HOPE.
UM, SO AGAIN, MY FOCUS, MY, MY CONCERN IS THE FOCUS OF THE POLICE, AS WELL AS WHY ISN'T MONEY BEING INVESTED IN CREATING A MORE STABLE, GREATER TYPE OF POLICE FORCE AND THE 12%, UH, SPREAD, YOU KNOW, TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EQUALLY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST PROBABLY NOT THE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT THERE BEING AN ADULT IN THE ROOM.
SOMETIMES THERE HAS TO BE AN ADULT IN THAT NEGOTIATING ROOM AND KNOW HOW TO DRAW THE LINE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE EVENTUALLY WE'RE NOT ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A RAISE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO EMPLOY YOU BECAUSE THIS CITY'S GOING TO GO BELLY UP.
I THINK THOSE RAISES TOOK US, BROUGHT US ONE CLUE, ONE STEP CLOSER TO BOND CELL TO BIND, TO SELLING THOSE, TO TAKE IN SOME OF THE MEASURES THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO KEEP THE CITY RUNNING.
UM, AS A RESIDENT, I'M NOT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WAS THE BEST CHOICE, BUT I'M NOT AN EXPERT.
SO I I'M I'M, YOU KNOW, I, ALL I CAN SAY IS LOOKING AT THE OBJECTS, THE, THE RAISES TO THE BOTH DEPARTMENTS FOLLOWED BY, UH, SELLING BONDS AND TRYING TO GET AN INITIATIVE THROUGH THE VOTERS THAT REALLY WASN'T AGAIN, BROUGHT TO THE CITY TO DISCUSS DIDN'T GO OVER VERY WELL BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT VOTE.
SO WHY NOT HAVE A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON THE POLICE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO BEEF IT UP? SOME, I SUSPECT YOU GET TIRED OF THE MOU.
UM, BUT IT IS STILL TALKED A LOT ABOUT AMONG RESIDENTS.
UM, I THINK THAT EMPLOYEES, ALL EMPLOYEES, THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET A RAISE DESERVED A RAISE, AND I'VE SAID THIS TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE IN MAYBE TO YOU, I THINK IT WASN'T GIVING A RAISE.
IT WAS THE AMOUNT OF RAISE AND TRYING TO BRING EVERYTHING UP SO QUICK, VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE SITTING HERE WORKED IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OR WORK WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PLUS STUFF.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S LIMITS ON BUDGETS FOR ME.
AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER TIME CANNOT HAS TO GET CONTROLLED.
I DON'T THINK THAT CAN BE SAID TOO MANY TIMES.
I THINK THAT IT HAS TO HAPPEN.
WE WERE TOLD THAT ONE, IT WAS FULLY STAFFED BY OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE OVERTIME WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME, AND THEY STILL DEFICIT IT.
AND I'M SAYING THIS MORE FROM THE RESIDENTS IN HERE, IT'S NOT, WE CAN'T, AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING UNDOING THE 12%.
IT'S THAT SECOND PART THAT KICKS IN THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, I AM HOPING IS BEING DISCUSSED RESPONSIBLY AND AT THE TABLE AS PART OF INTEREST'S BARGAINING GARY, LET ME ANSWER THAT QUESTION IN THIS WAY, THE
[01:05:01]
MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT IS OFTEN USED BY CITIES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF TOTAL COMPENSATION IS A CLASSIFICATION COMPENSATION STUDY, RIGHT? WE'VE ISSUED AN RFP FOR THAT.UM, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO DO AN EXAMINATION OF HOW PEOPLE ARE CLASSIFIED AND HOW THE CITY IS ORGANIZED, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU SURVEY YOUR, YOUR COMPARABLE CITIES IN THIS LABOR MARKET WITH WHICH WE COMPETE FOR TALENT ON A TOTAL COMP BASIS.
AND THEN YOU SET THE PAY RANGES AND KEEPING WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE CITY CAN DECIDE HOLISTICALLY AND COMPREHENSIVELY.
WHERE DOES IT WANT ITS COMPENSATION TO BE AMONG ITS LABOR MARKET CITIES? WHAT ARE THOSE CITIES TRUE? AND WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE? DO YOU WANT TO BE THE WORST PAID CITY IN THE LABOR MARKET? DO YOU WANT TO BE THE MEDIAN? DO YOU WANT THE SALARIES ON THE LEADING EDGE AND THE BENEFITS ON THE TRAILING? CURRENTLY, WE SEEM TO HAVE THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.
SO THAT REPORT IS RECOMMENDED ON NEXT TUESDAY'S AGENDA TO GO OUT WITH A CLASS COMP STUDY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO FAIR ON A COUNCIL AGENDA, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, THE WAY IN WHICH THESE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED.
AND AS A COMMUNITY, THEY'D BE DECIDED FRUSTRATING TO ME.
THE CITY HASN'T DONE IT IN 20 YEARS.
WELL, WHERE I HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT WAS IN THE MOU WHERE IN A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AND I'VE DEBATED THIS AND SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THE FIRE UNION PEOPLE, UM, A WHILE BACK, WE DID THOSE PRACTICES THAT WERE IN THAT WE JUST DIDN'T PUT IT IN A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
WE WOULD GO BACK TO THE TABLE AND I'VE SEEN OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY CONTRACTS WHERE THEY'D SAY, WE'RE GOING TO USE CITIES A, B, C, D E, BUT THEY DIDN'T SAY WHAT RANK THEY DIDN'T GO.
I THINK WEST COVINA WENT INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL IN A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST THE CLASS COMP STUDY.
I MEAN, I KNOW YOU APPRECIATE HR ISSUES.
THE CITY HAS A PERSONNEL RULES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADOPTED, REFRESHED THIS CENTURY.
I WORKED IN THE SAME TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT IN MY LAST PROJECT.
AND SO AT THE TABLE, WE'RE NEGOTIATING ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BIG WORK AHEAD OF US.
IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN MY VIEW IS ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A SMALLER RACE.
I MEAN, THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET A RAISE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN SOMETHING.
AND THE FACT THAT TWO PEOPLE, TWO GROUPS GOT A BIG ONE AND OTHER PEOPLE GOT NOTHING THAT'S DEMORALIZING FOR EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS.
I'VE SPOKEN A LOT ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE A SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED.
I THINK IT WAS STEVE, MAYBE J D MAYBE BOTH.
UH, IN MY MIND, THIS IS JUST JIM.
THE RESOURCES ALLOCATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE EXCESSIVE AND THE RESOURCES ALLOCATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEED REPLENISHMENT, INCREASE, WHATEVER YOU, WHATEVER WORD SEEMS TO FIT.
SO I'M TRYING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY, HOW I WOULD DEAL WITH JDS REQUEST, WHICH IS TO PROVIDE, TO MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT SAFER FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE REASON I SAY WHAT I SAID ABOUT THIS IS JD IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IF YOU TALK TO THE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY, WHAT, WHAT THEY NEED, THEY WANT TO FEEL SAFE.
AND THEIR ISSUE THAT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT IS NOT THAT THEIR HOUSE WAS GOING TO BURN DOWN THEIR ISSUE IS THAT OUR CRIMINALS GOING TO HURT THEM AS THEIR ISSUE.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAID WHAT I SAID ABOUT MOVING MONEY FROM FIRE TO POLICE TO DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION OF, AND MY DATA I'M A DATA-DRIVEN PERSON IS THAT THE CITY REALLY DOESN'T HAVE VERY MANY FIRES.
IN FACT, ONE OF OUR STATIONS HARDLY HAS ANY.
AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHY DO WE HAVE THIS STATION? I DON'T KNOW, UH, WHEN THERE'S REALLY NO WORK FOR THE MEN TO DO.
AND, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE'S TWO OTHER STATIONS THAT ARE CLOSE BY DO ADEQUATE,
[01:10:01]
ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS, RESPONSE, TIME COVERAGE.UH, BUT YOU KNOW, IN, IN A LOT OF PLACES, NOT JUST GOVERNMENT, WE KEEP DOING THINGS BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THEM.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE DIRECT ANSWER THAT I DO HAVE ONE NEW THING ON THE SUBJECT TO SAY, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE IS I THINK THE LAST TIME WE MADE THIS LITTLE SPEECH WAS WHEN WE HAD A PREVIOUS CENTER MANAGER, BUT, UM, I SPENT A PART OF MY LIFE, UH, DEALING WITH, UH, THE HORRIBLE PENSION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS THE REAL CAUSE OF ALL THESE TROUBLES.
IT WAS, IF THE PENSIONS WEREN'T SO EXPENSIVE, UH, THE CITY WOULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, PURE AND SIMPLE.
UH, AND THE PENSIONS ARE SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THE CHANGE THAT WAS MADE IN 1999 TO, TO MAKE RETIREMENT AGE WAY TOO YOUNG, AND IT WAS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND IT'S STILL NOT SUSTAINABLE, BUT I DON'T THINK POLITICALLY THAT CAN BE CHANGED.
IT MIGHT BE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE, BUT I HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC SUGGESTION ON THOSE SUBJECT.
I LOOKED AT THE HR WEBSITE OF THE CITY AND IT SAYS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITING NEW FIRE OF FIRES, BUT THEY ONLY WANT TRANSFERS, NO NEW RECRUITS.
I SAID, WHY DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM? BECAUSE WE ONLY HIRE THE MOST EXPENSIVE FIREFIGHTERS POSSIBLE.
AND I, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE POLICE DON'T DO THAT.
THE POLICE WILL HIRE NEW RECRUITS.
ONE OF THEM WAS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
THE OTHER ONE OF YOUR BRAND NEW POLICE OFFICERS GOT TO SIT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WITH HIS TRAINING OFFICER.
HE WAS DOING A TRAFFIC, UH, ANYWAY, UM, UH, THE, UH, UH, I DID A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE COST OF A TRANSFER VERSUS THE COST OF A NEW RECRUIT.
AND THE WAY THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING IS HIRING WITH ONLY HIRING TRANSFERS, ESSENTIALLY DOUBLES THE RECURRENT RETIREMENT COSTS.
AND LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS.
UH, IF YOU HIRE SOMEBODY THAT'S, UH, 35 YEARS OLD, INSTEAD OF SOMEBODY THAT'S 22 OR 23 YEARS OLD, THAT PERSON'S GOING TO RETIRE IN 10, 15 YEARS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY ALMOST ALL OF US RETIREMENT BECAUSE THE WAY THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM PAYS IS IF THEY'RE SPLIT BETWEEN TWO AGENCIES, IT'S BASED ON MONEY PAID, WELL, YOU MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY AT THE END OF YOUR CAREER THAN YOU DO AT THE BEGINNING.
SO THE AGENCY THAT EMPLOYED THE PERSON AT THE END OF THEIR CAREER PAYS OFF ALMOST 80, 90% OF THEIR RETIREMENT COSTS.
AND THE OTHER AGENCY GOT 10, 15 YEARS ESSENTIALLY FOR FREE ON RETIREMENT.
UH, AND THAT THAT'S, THAT'S LIKE $50,000 A YEAR PER MAN.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, UH, AND, UH, IF YOU HIRE THEM EARLY AND FORTUNATELY THEY DECIDED THEY WANT TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU JUST SAVE THAT SAME $50,000.
AND, UH, WHAT YOU, THE CITY HAS BEEN COMPLAINED ABOUT AS A BAD THING THAT THEY LEAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR CAREER IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.
FINANCIALLY THEY'RE MUCH, MUCH LESS OFFENSIVE.
THEY ONLY WORK IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.
AND I, SO I, YOUR HR SITE IS UPSIDE DOWN.
THEY SHOULD BE DOING NO TRANSFERS.
THEY SHOULD ONLY BE HIRING RECRUITS.
UH, AND, UH, AND THAT WAY YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE MY CA OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO WAIT A FEW YEARS FOR ALL THIS TURNOVER TO HAPPEN, BUT YOU COULD HIRE FIVE OR SIX POLICE OFFICERS JUST WITH THE MONEY.
I JUST TALKED, TAKE YOUR POINT.
I, I ALSO THINK THIS CONVERSATION IS, IS INTERESTING IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPES OF SERVICES DOES THE CITY WANT IT.
AND WE'VE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT FIRE TONIGHT AND QUITE A BIT ABOUT ELISE, WHICH IS WHERE THE MONEY IS.
THESE ARE OUR TWO MAJOR DEPARTMENT.
IS IT, IS IT YOUR THINKING TO, TO BETTER MANAGE THE OVERTIME THAT WE WOULD ROUND OUT A FIRE STATION AS WE, AS WE GO FORWARD? WELL, I'VE TALKED ABOUT BROWNING OUT, BUT ONLY AS THIS IS, THIS IS A IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY, NOT A FINAL SOLUTION.
I WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL THE WAY I TALK ABOUT BROWNING OUT IN CASE EVERYBODY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT BROWNING OUT MEANS.
BROWNING OUT MEANS THAT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU HAVE, UH, A STATION ABSENT, YOU JUST SIMPLY DON'T REFILL THE STATION ON OVERTIME, A STATION ABSENT, UH, NOW IN FIRE STATION TERMS, THAT MEANS A CAPTAIN
[01:15:01]
AND ENGINEER AND A FIREFIGHTER, THREE PEOPLE, UH, IF THEY'RE ALL ABSENT, THEY COULD BE ABSENT BECAUSE THE POSITIONS ARE VACANT.THEY COULD BE ABSENT BECAUSE THERE'S THAT MANY PEOPLE OUT ON INDUSTRIAL, WHICH I THINK WAS THE CASE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UH, UH, AND YOU JUST DON'T SIMPLY DON'T FILL IT ON OVERTIME.
YOU JUST LEAVE IT DEAD IN THE COUNTY.
THEY DON'T CALL IT BROWNING OUT.
THEY USE A DIFFERENT WORD, THEY CALL IT DARK FINE.
UH, UH, THE CAUSE THE COUNTY DOES THIS.
UH, AND IT'S INTERESTING IN OUR FIREFIGHTERS WANT HER TO GO TO THE COUNTY AND IT DOES ALL THE PRACTICES THAT THEY SAY ARE AWFUL.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, UH, THE, UM, UH, UH, THAT'S THAT'S, BUT THAT'S A TEMPORARY THING.
IT'S ONLY WHILE WE HAVE ATTRITION AND WE'RE GRADUALLY ACCUMULATING ENOUGH VACANCIES SO THAT WE COULD ESSENTIALLY CLOSE STATION FOUR.
AND WHY I SAY STATION FOUR, THAT'S THE ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY FIRES DURING THE YEAR.
UH, UH, THE, UH, BUT THAT'S, THE BROWNING OUT WOULD BE A TEMPORARY PHENOMENON THAT WOULD OCCUR PROBABLY TAKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TURNOVER IS.
UH, IT PROBABLY TAKES MAYBE TWO YEARS FOR THE FULL TURNOVER TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE STATION COULD BE CLOSED DURING THAT PERIOD, THERE'D BE BROWNING OUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY BROWNING OUT.
IT'S, UH, I DO NOT RECOMMEND OR LAYOFFS AS A METHOD OF IMPLEMENTING THIS.
AND THE REASON WHY IS, UH, I'VE HAD A LOT OF NEGATIVE, UM, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH THAT CONCEPT, UH, MAINLY ON THE, UM, MORALE ISSUES.
I MEAN, YOU GAIN SOME MONEY, BUT YOU LOSE, YOU LOSE PRODUCTIVE STAFF.
SO I, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT, UH, THE, UH, UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I USE USE THAT TERM, BUT I TRIED TO EXPLAIN IT IN A LONG EMAIL TO THE STAFF.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE SEEN THIS AND WRITING BEFORE WHAT I JUST SAID, BUT I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY ELSE HERE HAD HEARD THIS.
SO, UH, UH, THE, UM, AND THAT'S A MEANS TO IMPLEMENT WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT MOVING RESOURCES FROM FIRE TO POLICE.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU SAID THAT THE FUND, THE RECOVERY FUND HAD BECAUSE YOU LISTED QUITE A FEW.
AND I WONDER, IS THERE A RESTRICTION FROM USING THE FUNDS INSTEAD OF THE RESERVE FUNDS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET? SO THE, BY DOING THAT, YOU WOULD BASICALLY BE REPLENISHING ANY OF YOUR RAINY DAY OR RESERVE FUNDS.
IS THAT ONE, JUST PUT IT BACK INTO OUR FUND.
WE'D HAVE TO SPEND IT ON SOMETHING.
THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WANTS US.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS US TO SPEND THE MONEY TO KIND OF STIMULATE THE ECONOMY AS WELL.
SO WE NEED TO SPEND IT ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE POLICING THE RESERVES AT ALL.
SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
AND I, I HOPE STEPHANIE ANSWERED IT.
I CAN TELL YOU HAVING WORKED IN GOVERNMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MY WHOLE LIFE, I'VE NEVER SEEN THE EQUAL OF THIS IN TERMS OF THE SUDDEN AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL MONEY TO DO THINGS.
I WAS ON THE PHONE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WITH, UM, OUR CONGRESSWOMAN GREYSTON PANTANO.
WE HAD PUT IN FOR A ROADWAY PROJECT FOR AZUSA AVENUE, AND SHE CALLED TO TELL ME WE WERE GETTING IT.
AND, UM, IT WAS, UH, SHE'S A VERY HARD-WORKING LADY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE HER, BUT WE ARE GOING AFTER EVERY AVENUE SOURCE PROGRAM, POT OF MONEY FOR WHICH THE CITY IS ELIGIBLE OR WHATEVER, THEY MAY LAY IN FRONT OF US IF IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, OR IF IT'S, UM, WHO KNOWS I'M GOING TO KEEP GOING AFTER THEM.
AND SO FAR, OUR BATTING RECORD HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD.
AND I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE MAKING IT MUCH EASIER NOW FOR, FOR CITIES, FOR MUNICIPALITIES TO HELP THEM SPEND OUR MONEY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING IT JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY.
DO YOU WANT TO ELABORATE ON WHAT THE AZUSA THING IS? IS IT CENTER DIVIDERS OR WHAT YOU, YOU OPEN THE DOOR? NO, NO, IT'S, UM, IT'S A INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, SIGNAL SYNCHRONIZATION AND HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY.
[01:20:03]
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK THERE ON SIDEWALKS.IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, UH, CURB RAMPS.
AND, UH, THE IDEA THAT FEDERAL MONEY COULD BE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT AND TO DO SIGNAL SYNCHRONIZATION, DOESN'T JUST NEED TO BE DONE IN THIS JURISDICTION, BUT THE ONES TO THE NORTH END TO THE SOUTH AS WELL.
BUT THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT IN TERMS OF, UM, CAPACITY ON THAT STREET.
IF WE COULD MAKE IT, MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS TOO WELL.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO, TO PUBLIC SAFETY FOR A SECOND.
AND I KNOW IT'S THE 80% OF OUR BUDGET OR WHATEVER IT IS, 90%, WHATEVER THE NUMBER THAT IS, UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE, LET JIM HAVE HIS BROWN OUT.
I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TEAR DISPATCHING THAT HE'S BROUGHT UP BEFORE.
UM, DO WE HAVE, HUH? THAT WOULD BE MORE RIGHT.
CAN THIS GO TOWARDS THAT TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EQUIPMENT? YEAH.
WELL, WE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF UNFUNDED LIABILITIES IN THAT AREA TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT AND NEEDS.
UM, SO THIS PLAN INCLUDES, UM, $265,000 FOR, UM, EKG SCAN.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE IN EVERY FIREHOUSE.
WE'VE GOT $1.2 MILLION FOR THE BREATHING APPARATUS, THE CBAS, WE'VE GOT $3.3 MILLION FOR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT RADIOS FOR THE POLICE AND FOR THE FIRE.
UM, CAN WE FIND SOME OTHER ELIGIBLE USE AND QUALIFY IT, MAYBE IF YOU'VE GOT A SUGGESTION, UM, I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE THERE, THERE DOES SEEM TO BE SOME LATITUDE HERE.
MY FOCUS HAS BEEN JUST TRYING TO GET THINGS TO STANDARD THAT ARE NOT NOW THERE ANY OBJECTIVE LOOK AT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN JUST HOLDING IT TOGETHER WITH BAILING WIRE AND DUCT TAPE.
UM, THIS IS A CHANCE TO GET THINGS CURRENT AND, AND, AND GET US OUT OF THE REALM OF, UM, OSHA VIOLATIONS AND THINGS THAT ARE JUST NOT, NOT TO STANDARD.
UM, WE HEAR ABOUT THESE THINGS KIND OF PIECEMEAL.
I FORGET WHO COMES TO THIS MICROPHONE? ALMOST EVERY MEETING REMINDS ME OF THE BAD CONDITION OF THE BATHROOMS HERE AT CITY HALL.
BUT THAT REPAIR TRIGGERS, UM, PLUMBING FROM ONE FLOOR TO THE NEXT TRIGGERS, HIS BESTEST TRIGGERS.
IF YOU GET OVER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD, UM, UH, FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND, UH, PREVAILING WAGE, IT'S GOING TO COST A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN JUST REPLACING A FAUCET.
IT'S, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE PROJECT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GET ON THE CIP TO GET DONE, BUT IT'S A DAILY STRUGGLE HERE TO GET THINGS TO, TO AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD.
SO YOU BRING BRINGING THINGS BACK TO YOU.
NO, NO BAILING WIRE AND DUCT TAPE, BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO DO THAT, WOULDN'T IT BE GOOD TO GO FROM THAT SPOT INSTEAD OF REPAIR IT AND THEN REPLACE IT, KIND OF DO THE REPAIR AND REPLACE IN ONE SHOT, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO WHAT WE TOUCH, TOUCH AND DO IT ONCE AND DO IT RIGHT? WE'VE WE'VE GOT A NOTICE TO PROCEED NOW ON OUR ENERGY PROJECT, $3.3 MILLION WORTH OF SOLAR PANELS.
YOU CREATE MONEY TO CREATE REVENUE $3.2 MILLION WORTH OF MEASURES.
THAT'LL SAVE MONEY, 7,500 LIGHT BULBS, NEW ROOFS, NEW COOL ROOFS, NEW HPAC SYSTEMS. AND WE'RE PAYING FOR IT OUT OF THE ENERGY SAVINGS THAT WE CREATE WITH A LOAN.
UM, EVERYTHING WE TOUCH, STEVE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT RIGHT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE PARK, UH, SPORTS FIELDS, THE LIGHTS, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO PUT UP, YOU KNOW, LAST CENTURIES, NO METAL HALIDE OR WHATEVER IT WAS, WE'RE GOING LED.
AND WE'D LIKE TO GET A, UM, I KNOW YOU'RE A SPORTS PERSON, MUSCO LIGHTING, SO IT'S NOT JUST NEW LIGHT BULBS, BUT IT'S, UM, AN OPERATING SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN SAVE PERSONNEL COSTS BY USING THIS AS THE ON OFF BUTTON.
AND IT CAN BE DIALED IN VERY PRECISELY IN TERMS OF WHEN THE SUNSETS, WHICH THE USER GROUP IS, WHETHER THEY'VE PAID FOR LIGHTS OR WHETHER THEY HAVEN'T.
UM, SO WE CAN, WE CAN KEEP OPERATING COSTS TO AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM BY GETTING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE AS WE TOUCH IT OR TRYING TO GET IT FROM, FROM DECREPIT TO, TO MODERN.
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THE CITY INTO A NEW HORIZON OF GETTING THINGS, UM, PROPER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROOF DECK OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE HERE, VC BENNETT THERE, AH, YE I MEAN, THOSE METAL STANCHIONS ARE FALLING OFF.
AND WITH THIS PROJECT, WE'RE GONNA PULL THEM OFF AND KEEP THE METAL STANCHIONS AND, AND DRENCH THAT THING WITH SOLAR PANELS, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE ROOF OF CITY HALL.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM IN A LOT OF PLACES,
[01:25:01]
BUT EVERYTHING WE TOUCH, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT.WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK NEXT, NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH, NEXT YEAR, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO PUT IN PLACE SOMETHING.
THAT'S, IT'S A KNOWN INDUSTRY STANDARD.
WHEN I LOOK AT THESE CHAMBERS AND THE CONDITION OF THOSE CHAIRS AND THIS CARPET THAT LITERALLY IS BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH DUCT TAPE UNDER MAYBE NOT YOUR FEET, BUT MINE IT'S, IT'S NOT RIGHT.
WE CAN DO BETTER, AND WE WILL DO BETTER.
SO ON THE FIRE BACK TO THAT, UM, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE GENERATE ON THE, UH, AMBULANCE PROGRAM? ALMOST NOTHING.
SO IT'S BREAKEVEN KIND OF IT'S NEGLIGIBLE.
SO IF WE WERE THE CONTRACT, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR AMBULANCE SERVICE OUT TO CARE, WE COULD STILL BILL THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND THEN WE JUST PAY CARE.
WELL, UM, CONTRACTING IS I GUESS, A POSSIBILITY.
I THINK WE SHOULD, IN ALL SERVICES, LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES AND SERVICE PROVISION.
THAT WOULD BE A RADICAL FROM THE SYSTEM.
WE NOW HAVE, THIS CITY HAS LONGSTANDING AMBULANCE TRANSPORT RIGHTS.
AND IF WE WERE TO GO TO WITH A CONTRACT MODEL, WE'D HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT WE KEEP THOSE.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO JUST GIVE THAT UP AND GET IT DRAWN INTO THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
WE'D WANT TO RETAIN THE RIGHT TO DO AMBULANCE BILLING.
AS PART OF THAT CONTRACT, IT WOULD BE A MAJOR CHANGE UNDER THE COUNTY RULES IN TERMS OF HOW YOU TRANSPORT PATIENTS AND WHAT LEVEL OF CARE DO YOU PROVIDE AS YOU TRANSPORT THEM.
IT CAN'T JUST BE SCOOP AND RUN WITH A, YOU KNOW, BOY SCOUT TROOP.
IT HAS TO BE, UM, SOMEBODY THAT MEETS THE STANDARD FOR THAT.
BUT THERE, THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE LONG-TERM FOR THE CITY TO AT LEAST CONSIDER IT MIGHT BE.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STANDARD, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT LA COUNTY REQUIRES A PARAMEDIC TO BE ON A, ON A AMBULANCE WHILE THEY'RE TRANSPORTING HEALTH SERVICES HAS A STANDARD.
CAUSE I KNOW OTHER COUNTIES DON'T HAVE THAT AND I KNOW IT'S AN LA COUNTY SPECIFIC THING, RIGHT? SO BASICALLY YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF THAT WAS TO HAPPEN, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A PARAMEDIC ON THE AMBULANCE, HAVE DONE THIS AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED.
UM, IT WOULD BE, UH, A CHANGED WAY OF DOING BUSINESS HERE.
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONAL CHANGE COMES AT A PRICE SO HIGH, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
I, I HAVE NO INTENTION EVER OF RECOMMENDING WE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY SHERIFF.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PER CAPITA LAW ENFORCEMENT COSTS, I'LL TELL YOU IT'S CHEAPER.
I THINK YOU GET FAR LESS SERVICE, BUT IT'S CHEAPER.
SO IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR OPERATION, THERE'S ALWAYS WAYS TO, TO RETHINK AND MAYBE, UM, RECAST IT GOING FORWARD.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AS WE DO SO THAT WE MAINTAIN GOOD SERVICES.
UH, I'LL FINISH THAT BY SAYING I ALSO DON'T EVER WANT TO GO TO LA COUNTY FIRE.
UM, I THINK YOU'VE HOPEFULLY GOTTEN THAT MESSAGE OUT THE FIVE UP THERE HAVE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE.
UM, SO ON THAT LONG CAST THING, UM, WELL, I MEAN, I'VE GOT EMAILS THAT SAY OTHERWISE, BUT THE, UH, ON THAT CAST THING, I WOULD SAY THAT I'M DOING THE AMBULANCE SAYING I COULD BE IN FAVOR OF IT DOES OFFER THE ABILITY FOR, AS JIM WAS SAYING A REDUCTION IN STAFF IN A, IN A KIND OF AN ATTRITION WAY, AS I'M SAY YOU WERE PROBABLY LOOKING AT AS ATTRITION, BUT, UM, IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REVENUE POSSIBILITIES.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE TESTED CARE ALREADY.
AND, AND I, I SUPPORT THAT IDEA.
UM, I, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF IF WE CAN GO TO CARE OR ANOTHER AMBULANCE SERVICE AMR, WHOEVER IT IS IT'S AVAILABLE, UM, AND PUT A PARAMEDIC AND AN EMT ON THERE, AND WE DO TIER DISPATCHING.
WE MAY NOT HAVE TO SEND A FIRE ENGINE TO EVERY MEDICAL.
WELL, I MEAN, TAKE THE LAST ONE.
FIRST TIER DISPATCHING COMES AT AN ADDITIONAL COST.
WE DON'T, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING THINGS, GUYS, YOU GO IN THE WRONG DIRECTION HERE, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE CITY COULD LOOK AT, UM, STANDARDS OF COVERAGE.
I THINK A FULL FLEDGED SOC WOULD PROBABLY BE NORTH OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU CAN JUST GET INTO THIS ON A READY FIRE AIM BASIS.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT WHAT STANDARD OF CARE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR MEETING AND, AND HOW, UM, I'M NOT SURE WE'RE READY TO EVEN OPEN THAT CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO DO IT IF IT WERE TO BE DONE.
WELL, LIKE I SAID, MY CONCERN WAS THE PACE WE WEREN'T GOING TO GO TO LA COUNTY AND HOW THAT SLOWED DOWN.
THAT'S GOOD, BUT I GUESS I COULD DO THE, UH, I COULD AT LEAST TEMPORARILY LOOK AT THE IDEA OF DOING CARE AND GOING AWAY FROM OUR AMBULANCE.
I THINK THAT'S POSSIBLY A WAY AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE COULD BE REDUCING STUFF WHERE AS YOU PUT IT, THE DIFFERENCES IS NEGLIGIBLE.
AND SO I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE OF IT COULD INCREASE SERVICE OR EVEN PROVIDE A BETTER CONTROL ON OUR EXPENSES BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, UM, RETIREMENT SITUATIONS TELL YOU, UM, HAVING BEEN YOUR CITY MANAGER NOW FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, MORE, THIS TOWN WANTS
[01:30:01]
GOOD SERVICE, NO QUESTION.THIS TOWN EXPECTS GOOD SERVICE.
I'VE NEVER HAD A RESIDENT CALL AND SAY, HEY, UM, I'VE SEEN SOME GRAFFITI WHEN YOU CAN GET AROUND TO IT.
WOULD YOU PLEASE? IT'S I WANTED OUT YESTERDAY, IT'S MY TREE NEEDS TRIMMED.
AND, UM, THE BATHROOM IS DIRTY AT THE PARK AND I WANT IT SPARKLING CLEAN, IMMEDIATELY FORGET IT WAS SPARKLING CLEAN THIS MORNING, SOMEBODY GRAFFITIED IT AND I WANT IT DONE.
THIS TOWN HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR SERVICE HIGH EXPECTATIONS, BUT, BUT HEY, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THE REASON FOR THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY, PRIOR TO THE CURRENT COUNCIL AND EVEN THE LAST ONE, THAT'S THE EXAMPLE THAT THOSE COUNCILS SET IS, YOU KNOW, OUR STREETS WHEN THEY DID THE PAVEMENT STUDY BACK IN, IN, YOU KNOW, EIGHT, 10 YEARS AGO NOW, OR WHATEVER IT WAS, WE WERE IN THE HIGH SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES FOR OUR STREETS.
WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT IN THE PMI ANYWHERE AROUND THAT.
SO IT'S DETERIORATED BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THE COUNCILS THAT MADE THOSE PRIORITIES AND MADE SOME OF THOSE THINGS PRIORITIES, MAYBE AT A COST FOR DILAPIDATING SOME OTHER STUFF THAT'S OBVIOUSLY OPEN FOR DEBATE, BUT THEY MADE THOSE THINGS PRIORITIES.
SO RESIDENTS, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE EXPECTING SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT THEY'VE GOT.
THEY'RE NOTICING THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS LESS THAN WHAT THEY'VE ARE USED TO.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DIRECT REFLECTION, NO OFFENSE.
THAT'S A DIRECT REFLECTION ON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND WHAT'S BEING APPROVED BY, BY VARIOUS COUNCILS.
AND I'M NOT BLAMING THE FIVE THAT ARE HERE NOW.
IT'S, IT'S, IT TAKES TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
AND THERE ARE COUNCILS THAT DEFINITELY HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS.
UM, NOT JUST THE FIVE THAT ARE UP HERE AND TWO OF THEM ARE NOT EVEN UP HERE SIX MONTHS.
SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AS A RESIDENT, I DO EXPECT THAT YOU DON'T WANT A GRAFFITI CONTRACT.
WE HAD A GUY THAT WAS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY WHO PROBABLY COVERED MORE GRAFFITI BEFORE PEOPLE GOT UP IN THE MORNING THAN WHAT HE GOT CALLS FOR.
AND, AND HE WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT IT AND, YOU KNOW, WORKED THROUGH A CONTRACT COMPANY AND HE WAS THE EMPLOYEE, BUT HE DID A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THE AMOUNT OF GRAFFITI COMPLAINTS IN MY OPINION, PROBABLY WERE NOWHERE WHAT THEY ARE NOW BECAUSE WE HAD A QUALITY GRAFFITI ABATEMENT PROGRAM.
AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE COUNCIL THAT GOT RID OF HIM GOT RID OF HIM, OR HE GOT RID OF THE CONTRACT THAT HE WAS WORKING FOR, UM, WE'VE HAD NOW A CONSISTENT DECLINE OF GRAFFITI.
SO WHEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT IT DONE RIGHT AWAY, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE EXPECT SOMETHING THAT IS NEW, WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE USED TO THE RESIDENTS WANT IT DONE CORRECTLY.
SO DO I, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
I, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY CITY MANAGER THAT WOULDN'T.
UM, SO I MEAN, I, I AGREE THAT YOU PROBABLY DO.
I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE REASON WHY RESIDENTS FEEL THAT WAY.
AND, AND SO WHEN RESIDENTS DON'T GET THAT ANSWER.
IT ABSOLUTELY FEELS LIKE THAT THE CITY IS NOT LISTENING NOW, AGAIN, I I'M NOT BLAMING ANY ONE PERSON HERE THAT'S ON THIS COUNCIL OR EVEN THE ONE BEFORE IT THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT CAN LINE UP AND TAKE SOME BLAME ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, GO ALL THE WAY DOWN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD MENTIONED GRAFFITI SITE IS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
IT'S BACK ON THE HOT BUTTON RIGHT NOW WITH THE COUNCIL.
THERE WAS SOME THINGS ON THE REASON MEETING AND PART OF THE ISSUES GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT THAT ONE CONTRACT THAT WAS TERMINATED.
AND IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A STEADY DECLINE FROM THAT EVER SINCE.
AND THAT ONE CONTRACT THEY MADE THE DECISION OF IT'S GOING TO COST LESS.
HERE'S, HERE'S THE, THE, THE, WHAT WE SELL BASICALLY.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, AS YOU PUT IT, FIND IT IN THE OPERATING COST.
CAUSE I CAN'T FIND IT IN THE RESERVES BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY I DO BUSINESS, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FIX THAT.
AND I CONTINUE TO SEE BAD DECISIONS BEING MADE, NOT STAFF SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE A LOT OF IT, YOU HAVE TO GET APPROVED BY COUNCILS.
BUT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UP THERE HAVE OVER THE YEARS MADE SOME, IN MY OPINION, BAD DECISIONS.
AND THAT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO REPAIR.
AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY MONEY'S NOT GETTING EASIER TO GET, BUT IN THE SAME BREATH, WE'VE GOT TO SPEND WHAT WE HAVE SMART.
AND, AND I, I THINK YOU AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT, THE LOGIC OF IT, BUT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FINDING OUT WHERE IT IS AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP SOME THINGS, SO I'M GOING TO STOP.
I THINK I'VE BEEN ON MY SOAPBOX LONG ENOUGH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE IT OFF TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
WE'RE USED TO CERTAIN STANDARDS AND IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO SEE CERTAIN THINGS JUST DETERIORATE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT JUST REALLY FROSTED ME.
THE, UM, PRIOR TO YOU COMING HERE, THE COUNCIL THAT THE THEN COUNSELING STAFF SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THE, UM, FIRE ALARM, FALSE ALARMS, CHARGED THINGS, NICE PRESENTATION.
[01:35:01]
QUITE A FEW MEETINGS.I REMEMBER SAYING A FEW THINGS.
THEY KEPT WORKING ON CERTAIN THINGS AND THEY ADOPTED IT THAT GENERATED SOME REVENUE.
I ACTUALLY WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE IT.
AND I, FOR WHAT I, AS A RESIDENT, I SAW SINCE COMING TO THE COUNCIL, NO REAL GOOD REASON TO HAVE COUNSELED.
UM, I KNOW, UM, POSTCARD HERE, THE DISCOVER AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT I ACTUALLY DO THINK THAT WAS A PROGRAM THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CANCELED.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED AND CONTINUED BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE TO HAVE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY RESPOND TO, UH, A FALSE ALARM.
LET'S LET'S SUMMARIZE WHAT, WHAT DAVE HEARD TONIGHT.
FALSE ALARMS IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
CAUSE I RAN OUT OF SPACE OF JIM'S GONNA MAKE MY LIST LONGER.
UH, I'VE BEEN HEARING AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, NOT FROM MYSELF, BUT PEOPLE WILL GET UP OR SAY IN THE STREETS ARE GOING DOWN MAINTENANCE-WISE AND THERE WAS AN ODDITY THAT I I'VE MENTIONED ONCE BEFORE LAST YEAR, THE, WE DON'T SPEND ANY WHERE CLOSE TO THE MONEY THAT'S IN THE GAS TAX FUND.
UH, EVERY YEAR THERE'S AT LEAST FOUR OR $5 MILLION LEFTOVER.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT PHENOMENON.
UM, THE CITY WENT THROUGH ONE OR TWO YEARS WHEN IT DID DELIVER NO CAPITOL STREET PROJECTS AT ALL, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THEM OUT THE DOOR.
NOW WE'VE GOT A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
UM, THE CENTER PART OF TOWN WHERE WE'VE DONE THE COLD PLANNING AND GENTRY BROTHERS IS GOING TO DO THE PAVING, UM, LITERALLY NEXT WEEK NEAR A WOOD BRIDGE PARK.
THAT, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE TAILS OF THAT, WE'VE GOT THE NEXT PAVEMENT PROJECT CIP PROJECT COMING IN AUGUST THIS SUMMER.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE INCREASING THE PACE AND THE, AND THE DELIVERY.
WE'VE DONE TWO NOW UNDERWAY WITH A THIRD AND COME AUGUST.
WE'LL BE UNDERWAY WITH OUR FOURTH.
SO I THINK WE'RE DOING MUCH BETTER IN TERMS OF DELIVERING GAS TAX FUNDED, MEASURE OUR MEASURE IN FUNDED, UH, STREET PAVING PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM A COMMON RESIDENT HERE IN WEST COVINA.
I HEAR YOU SAY THAT THE RUG UNDERNEATH YOU IS A PROBLEM, BUT I HEAR YOU SAY THAT THE BATHROOM OUTSIDE, BECAUSE IT ESCALATES TO OTHER ISSUES.
AND I THINK YOU'RE NOT HEARING ME.
WELL SAID THAT LET ME RESPOND IN RESPONSE TO THE CITIZEN CONCERN.
I'VE BEEN GETTING BIDS FOR THAT.
AND IT PROVED TO BE NO SURPRISE TO ANYBODY HERE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN I INITIALLY THOUGHT.
AND SO WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING OUT BIDS TO GET IT TO STANDARD.
AND I'M SURE YOU ARE ACCEPTABLE.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A MESS, BUT IT'S BEEN A MESS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, AND I HATE TO HIRE COME BACK TO IT.
BUT WE'VE SEEN DECISIONS MADE BY CITY COUNCIL AND YOURSELF TO SPEND MONEY IN OTHER WAYS THAT HAVE MADE PRIORITY THE RE THE RAISES AND, AND THE, THE, THE BONE, THE OVERTIME CONTINUOUS ONGOING OVERTIME USAGE.
UM, I RECALL A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME IN HERE AND REQUESTED, UM, SPECIAL FUNDING ON CUSTOMIZED MASK FIRE MASKS.
AND THE IRONIC THING IS THAT THEY ADMITTED THAT ONCE THESE, THIS INDIVIDUAL, THAT THE MASK IS A FORM FOR ONCE THEY LEAVE AND THEY RETIRE, THE MASK IS NO LONGER COULD BE USED.
WHY ARE WE IN INVESTING IN THAT? SO IT'S A MATTER OF PRIORITY.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, THE RUG UNDERNEATH YOU TO ME, DOESN'T SUPERSEDE THE BATHROOM OUTSIDE.
AND I DON'T, I'M NOT SAYING YOU, YOU DO, BUT YOU USE IT AS AN EXAMPLE, BUT THE F THE FACT IS THAT PRIORITIES SET BY THIS COUNCIL AND YOURSELF HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC FOR THIS RESIDENT IN TERMS OF WHY ARE YOU DOING X WHEN Y NEEDS THE ATTENTION? I FIND THAT TO BE OTHER CONTRADICTORY.
AND IT, IT, IT, IT ALWAYS KIND OF HITS ME ON THE FACE.
WHY, UH, WHY, WHY YOU'RE APPROVING OR WHY YOU'RE GOING FORWARD WITH SUCH ACTIONS.
UM, CERTAINLY YOU PROMISE YOU'D FIND THE MONEY FOR THE RAISES.
WE DIDN'T SEE, UM, THROUGH, UNTIL, YOU KNOW, BONDS WERE SOLD AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT THAT'S,
[01:40:01]
THAT'S THE KIND OF PRIORITIZING FROM THE CITY THAT I, I GET OFFENDED BY.WELL, LET'S I HEARD TONIGHT, UM, STARTING WITH THE LAST ONE.
FIRST, WE WANT TO REVISIT THE FALSE ALARM PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO EXAMINE THE, THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, ESPECIALLY THE PROPERTY TAXES.
WE WANT TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT CURTAILING FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES OVER TIME, THE POSSIBILITY OF BROWNING OR BLACKING OUT.
WE WANT TO SHOW 'EM AS REGARDS THE, THE REVENUE ESTIMATES, UM, UM, ESTIMATES TO ACTUAL, SO WE CAN GET SOME SENSE OF WHETHER THOSE PROPERTY TAX AND OTHER GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE UNDERSTATED OR OVER.
I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT ON, BUT I GUESS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DATA.
WE WANT TO EVIDENCE SOME LONG RANGE PLANNING IN TERMS OF THE FIVE-YEAR HORIZON.
DID I MISS ANYTHING? NO, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION WHEN YOU'RE DONE.
SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ROADS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, MEASURE M AND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, TRANSPORTATION FUNDS, WHERE ARE WE AT WITH PROP AND PROP C FUNDS? UM, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THE CITY SELLS PROP A FUNDS FOR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AS A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES DO.
UM, WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THOSE? ARE WE SELLING MORE OF THOSE TO TRY TO PAY FOR THE BUDGET DEFICIT? WHAT'S, WHAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN, CAUSE THOSE HAVE SPECIFIC USES OF THE BUDGETED, UM, TRANSACTION IN THE COMING YEAR.
WE'RE CONTEMPLATING DOING THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY IDEA ON HOW MUCH WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN THOSE FUNDS? I'M GOING TO PUT STEPHANIE ON THE BRIGHT SPOTLIGHT.
I DON'T RECALL, BUT ONE OF THE CONCERNS I REMEMBER CONVERSATION WITH ROBIN, UM, SHE REALLY KNOWS HOW WHEN TO TAKE A VACATION, DOESN'T SHE CONFER? UM, WHAT HAS BEEN THE REALLY LITTLE CONCERNED THAT IT MIGHT BE OFF? CAUSE IT WAS DRIVEN BY SALES TAX AND SALES TAX MIGHT BE OFF A LITTLE, BUT I KNOW WE'VE HISTORICALLY DONE IT AND WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IT IN THE COMING YEAR.
DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SELLING IF WE SELL AND WHAT THE PRICE IS? JUST CURIOUS.
I DON'T RECALL IF YOU HAPPEN TO, I REMEMBER I DO NOT REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I'M SURE IT'LL COME THROUGH COUNCIL TOO.
BUT, UM, AND SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE AND IF THERE'S ANY PROJECTS OUT OF THOSE SPECIFICALLY EXTENDED IT'S IN THE BUDGET.
I JUST DON'T RECALL IT THIS EVENING, BUT I'LL, I'LL GET IT FOR YOU.
WE RECEIVED 1.8 MILLION IN PROBATE FUNDS WITH ANOTHER AGENCY RESULTING IN 1.3, 5 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT'S OUR GOAL FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR TO COORDINATE THE EXCHANGE OF 1.8 70 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.
SO ARE YOU GIVING UP ON THE IDEA OF BRINGING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THE IDEAL NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON YOUR LIST AND I, I STILL, I THINK THAT IS, I DON'T WANT YOU TO, JUST TO PUT IT ON THE LIST AS, AS A TOKEN GESTURE ON MY, YOU KNOW, I HONESTLY HONESTLY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO, TO WRESTLE WITH THE IDEA OF BRINGING THE POLICE FORCE BACK TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS, BECAUSE CRIME HAS NOT GONE DOWN, IT'S GONE UP, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR THE GRADUATED NUMBER, BUT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HEARD THAT THE POLICE IS WORKING ON IT WITH A SKELETAL SKELETAL CREW.
THAT'S UNFAIR TO THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
I PERSONALLY I'VE HAD NEIGHBORS SAY THAT THEY'VE CALLED.
AND THE RESPONSE FROM POLICE IS THERE ON AN EMERGENCY CALL.
WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE COME UP AND TESTIFY TO INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY BEING IN THEIR HOMES AND BEING TOLD THAT, UH, FORTUNATELY IN THAT ONE CASE THE PERSON WAS CAUGHT, BUT THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CITY AS OURS.
UM, AND POLICE HAS BEEN MADE A POLITICAL FOOTBALL FOR TOO LONG AND IT'S TIME THAT YOU CITY MANAGER AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND MANY WAYS AND OTHER THINGS WE NOT SO APPRECIATIVE OF, BUT WE CERTAINLY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT A FOCUS IF WHATEVER INFLUENCE YOU HAVE WITH CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU SPEAK UP IN TERMS OF BRINGING OUR POLICE FORCE TO A STANDARD THAT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR A SIZE OF THIS CITY.
NOT A BUDGET TOPIC, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KIND OF JOKED ABOUT BEFORE THIS STARTED YOU AND I CAN HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION KIND OF ABOUT THE FORMAT AND HOW IT'S KIND OF AN OPEN FORMAT.
AND WE KIND OF LIKED THAT, RIGHT? I LIKE HIM OUTSIDE OF THE
[01:45:01]
BUDGET, TAKE THAT OFF THE TABLE.CAN WE HAVE THESE MORE OFTEN QUARTERLY? WE USED TO HAVE COUNCILS THAT DID TOWN HALLS AND, UH, AND RATHER THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE ARE NOT HERE OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO THAT WAY.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN GONE NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I KNOW PEOPLE CAN COME TO COUNCIL AND I KNOW THEY CAN TALK, BUT AS I SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, THIS COUNCIL DOESN'T LISTEN TO US ANYWAYS, BUT MAYBE WE CAN ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AS A TOWN HALL AND PRESENT IDEAS RATHER THAN JUST THREE MINUTES OR FIVE MINUTES, WHATEVER.
UM, I GUESS I'M OFFERING PERSONALLY WHEN I HAVE A CITY MANAGER DISCUSSION COUNCIL OR I I'M JUST LOOKING AT SOMETHING RESIDENT INVOLVED TOWN HALL TONIGHT.
UM, AND I THINK A LOT OF GOOD COMES OF IT, IS IT HONEST CONVERSATIONS? AND I, I APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK THE TWO WAY CONVERSATION LIKE WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE HERE IS WAY DIFFERENT THAN A KIND OF A ONE-WAY CONVERSATION.
YOU GET AT A COUNCIL MEETING AND UNDERSTAND THERE'S PARLIAMENTARY RULES WITH THAT.
SO THAT'S THE WAY IT HAS TO BE.
BUT, UM, I KNOW PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAVE DONE THESE AND I KNOW A LOT OF THINGS WERE LEARNED BOTH BY CITY MANAGEMENT IS BEFORE YOUR TIME BY STAFF, BY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED JUST AD HOC, NOT AS A, AS A NOTICED MEETING, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE THAT, UH, RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO VOICE AND HAVE A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, ASK QUESTIONS, GET ANSWERS IN MOST CASES.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S NOT BUDGET RELATED, BUT YOU AND I BOTH KIND OF JOKED ABOUT THIS AS A GOOD THING.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT MORE OFTEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY VISIONS OF GRAND JURY WITH THE COUNCIL LISTENING, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN GET OUR IDEAS OUT THERE AND MAYBE, MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE I THINK THEY DO.
I KNOW WE TAKE CAREFUL NOTES AND I KNOW YOU DO.
ANYBODY ELSE, ANYTHING AT ALL? WE'VE MOVED OFF THE BUDGET.
UH, I, I WANT TO SAY IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WAY.
UH, I'VE HAD OCCASION TO TALK TO COUNSEL PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY, AND AT LEAST I FEEL THAT THAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE PRODUCTIVE.
AND THE FORMAL THING THAT GOES ON IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND THE IDEA OF A TOWN HALL WITH ALL OF THEM, SEEMS TO ME MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT PRACTICAL EFFECTIVENESS AS A DEVICE.
THAT'S ALL I, IT'S PROBABLY TRUE IN THE ORGANIZATION AT EVERY LEVEL VERTICALLY.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAD TO BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE COFFEE WITH THE CHIEF, I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT.
PEOPLE CAME AND GOT TO JUST CHAT AND VISIT AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
SO MAYBE WE CAN TRY AND DO MORE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK? I KNOW I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT JD SAID ABOUT THE POLICE.
THEY SHOULD BE A PRIORITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UH, WE'RE GETTING SHOOTINGS IN OUR CITY THAT WE'RE NOT USED TO HAVING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
AND THEN THERE'S BEEN OTHER ONES IN THE, UM, RELEASE OF PEOPLE OUT OF THE JAILS FOR WHATEVER REASON.
I THINK THE POLICE ARE REALLY ARE OUR PRIORITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT THIS, UM, NO, I DON'T WANT THE LAST WORD, BUT, BUT THIS GRADUATION AT WAS CAMINA HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I INTENDED TO GO TO THE SUPERINT OR TO THEIR BOARD BECAUSE I SAT ON OUR PORCH.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT, BUT I SAT ON OUR PORCH AND THOSE KIDS THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF THE GATE ON THE CAMERON STREET SIDEWALK WERE BLOWING OFF.
FIRE WORKS JUST AS HIGH AS THE ONES THAT WERE BEING, LET GO INSIDE THE STADIUM.
WE DID NOT SEE NOW ONE POLICE CAR DRIVE BY DURING THE GRADUATION.
BUT WHAT WE DID SEE IN ADDITION TO THOSE FIREWORKS, THOSE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS THAT YOU JUST INCREASED THE FINE ON WAS PEOPLE THAT WERE RACING TO SHOW OFF, I GUESS, FOR THE, THE, THE, THE, THE CROWD.
SO WHEN I TALKING ABOUT EARLIER AND FORCEMENT AND MORE POLICE, IT IS EXACTLY THAT, THAT THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UNKNOWN TO ME, DOESN'T MAKE THOSE KINDS OF STOPS.
[01:50:01]
THEM DAILY ALMOST ON THE HOUR WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE RACING AROUND SCHOOLS IN PARKS.AND IN OTHER STATES, I KNOW FLORIDA THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED RECKLESS DRIVING AND THE CARS WOULD BE IMPOUNDED IN THIS CITY.
IT WOULDN'T DARE THINK ABOUT DOING THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER, WE DON'T HAVE THE LOGISTICS TO DO IT, BUT THOSE ARE EXCUSES BECAUSE THE, THE FIRE, THE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS, THE RACING OF CARS, THE SHOOTINGS, THESE ARE REALLY EXISTENTIAL THREATS TO THE RESIDENTS.
AND THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE PRIORITY, NOT JUST INCREASING THE NUMBER OF POLICE, BUT INSTRUCTING THE POLICE TO ENFORCE THE EXISTING LAWS HARSHLY AND CONSISTENTLY, SO THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE VIOLATING IT WITH IMPUNITY, RECEIVE A MESSAGE.
WHY ARE NOT? WHEN'S THE LAST TIME THIS CITY IMPOUNDED A CAR FOR RECKLESS DRIVING? I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS, THIS CITY ISSUES COMPARED TO THE SURROUNDING CITIES.
YOU'VE DONE A STUDY UP ON PAY SCALES.
WHAT J D TO WHERE IT'S, HOW MANY TICKETS YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER A COUPLE OF THEM.
I KNOW, UM, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS, UM, ON ITS EAR RIGHT NOW.
WELL, THIS YEAR, UH, FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, THE CITY, UM, DID 154 MISDEMEANORS.
AND NONE OF THEM WERE FILED BY THE DA 154 JANUARY TO MAY AT THAT, UM, SCHOOL EVENT.
I KNOW WE HAD POLICE OFFICERS ON SCENE.
THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR UNIFORMED OFFICER ON THE FIELD.
SO WHO WAS SHOOTING OFF FIREWORKS WHEN THEY CAME, WHEN THEY LEFT? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW WE WERE THERE, BUT I ALSO KNOW WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE SRO PROGRAM WITH THE RECOVERY, FROM THE PANDEMIC WE'VE SIGNED AGREEMENTS WITH, UM, I THINK COVINA VALLEY AND WEST COVINA UNIFIED.
UM, WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION WITH, UM, DR.
SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA KEEP A STRONG PRESENCE ON THE, ON THE CAMPUSES.
AND I HEAR YOU ABOUT WANTING MORE, UM, MORE CITATIONS.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING, COMING AGAIN.