[Call to Order]
[00:00:07]
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL MEETING, ERIC.
TODAY IS FEBRUARY THE SEVENTH, 2023, AND IT IS APPROXIMATELY 6 59.
THE MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IF ANYONE CAUSES A DISRUPTION HERE TONIGHT, YOU WILL BE GIVING WARNING, A WARNING.
AND IF ANOTHER DISRUPTION TAKES PLACE, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.
THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING AND WE ARE HERE TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE, WEST COVINA, TONIGHT'S INVO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE HELD BY PASTOR SAMUEL MARTINEZ FROM AMAZING LOVE MINISTRIES AND MAYOR PRO TEM TABBA TOBA WILL BE THE LEAD, WILL LEAD US INTO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
FATHERS, WE GATHER HERE THIS EVENING.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE LIBERTIES THAT WE ENJOY ENJOYING AMERICA.
WE THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT WE CAN GATHER IN THIS VENUE.
FATHER, AROUND THE AFFAIRS OF OUR CITY, WE REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE PSALMS OF ALL THAT UNLESS THE LORD BUILT THE HOUSE, THEY LABOR IN VAIN WHO BUILT IT.
SO WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, ASKING YOU FOR WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND DIRECTION FOR OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCIL, AND ALL THOSE IN AUTHORITY IN THIS CITY.
FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU BLESS THEM AND THAT YOU BLESSED THEIR FAMILY'S FATHER, FOR THEY GIVE SO MUCH, AND AT TIMES THEY'RE AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WE SPEAK THE PROTECTION OF YOUR ANGELS OVER THE FAMILIES, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR.
WE PRAY THAT YOU BLESSED THEM WITH THEIR, WE PRAY THAT YOU BLESSED OUR CITY, CITY, SCHOOL'S, FATHER, AND THAT OUR SCHOOLS STAY SAFE HAVENS.
WE PRAY FOR THE BLESSING OF GOD OVER OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
FATHER, MAY THEY BE FREE OF VIOLENCE, FATHER.
AND WE PRAY FOR OUR BUSINESSES THAT THEY PROSPER IN EVERY WAY.
FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU ALSO GIVE WISDOM TO OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU AND WE PRAISE YOU FOR THE UPCOMING CELEBRATION OF OUR CITY, OUR CENTENNIAL.
FATHER, YOU'VE BEEN GOOD TO US, AND WE THANK YOU THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE 100 YEARS.
AND WE PRAY THAT NOT ONLY YOU BLESS THE DAYS OF THE CELEBRATION, BUT ALL THE PREPARATION THAT IS STILL GOING ON.
FATHER, WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AND WE THANK YOU THE GUIDANCE OF YOUR SPIRIT UPON THIS MEETING.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, AND GOD BLESS OUR BELOVED CITY, WEST COVINA.
PLEDGE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
LIBERTY, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
[REPORTING OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION]
ATTORNEY.IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? YES, MME. MEYER.
MAYOR, WITH REGARD REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER ONE ON A VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO COUNSEL DIRECTED STAFF TO PAY THE PLAINTIFF $55,000 AND IN RETURN, PLAINTIFF AGREED TO DISMISS HIS COMPLAINT.
[PRESENTATIONS]
TONIGHT, I, UH, WE WILL HA BE HAVING SOME PRESENTATIONS.WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, CONGRATULATING ASSISTANT CHIEF JIM RUDRA ON 40 YEARS OF SERVICE.
SO IF WE CAN PLEASE, I'M SORRY.
IF WE CAN PLEASE CALL, UM, CHIEF CAPELLI AND, UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF J UH, JIM RUDOLPH, YOU CAN COME DOWN.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, CITIZENS.
TONIGHT WE'RE HERE TO, UH, RECOGNIZE ASSISTANT CHIEF JIM WOODRUFF AS, UH, THE MAYOR STATED FOR, UM, 40 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, CURRENTLY JIM IS THE SHIFT COMMANDER ON THE B SHIFT.
SO HE RUNS ALL THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPENED ON, UH, THAT SHIFT.
[00:05:01]
UM, JIM GOT HIRED IN JANUARY 29TH, 1983.SO THAT'S, UH, OVER 40 YEARS IF WE'RE COUNTING, WHICH WE ARE.
SO 40 YEARS OF SERVICE, ACTIVE SERVICE.
HE'S, HE'S WORKED AS A FIREFIGHTER, FIREFIGHTER, PARAMEDIC, FIRE ENGINEER, FIRE CAPTAIN.
AND NOW, LIKE I SAID, HE IS ASSISTANT CHIEF ON THE B SHIFT.
SO I MEAN, HE'S HELD EVERY SINGLE RANK WELL OTHER THAN FIRE CHIEF, BUT MAYBE SOON
JIM HAS LECTURED FOR INCIDENT COMMAND MULTI CASUALLY.
HE'S, UH, LECTURED AT QUEEN VALLEY HOSPITAL IN CONTINUING EDUCATION AND, UH, AS A EXPERT IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND DONE SOME LECTURES WITH THAT, AS WELL AS LECTURED ON THE TACTICAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL, UM, SERVICES, WHICH IS LIKE SWAT TEAM FOR PARAMEDICS.
HE'S AN EXPERT ON RESPONDING TO TERRORISM EVENTS AND HE'S ALSO LECTURED IN THAT AS WELL.
HE'S BEEN AN INSTRUCTOR AT MOUNT SAC.
AND LIKE I SAID, HE'S A SUBJECT MATTER E EXPERT IN DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRST IN GUIDE FOR TERROR AND RESPONSE EVENTS.
SO THERE WAS A GUIDE THAT WAS PUT OUT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
JIM ASSISTED IN CREATING THAT GUIDE.
BACHELOR'S IN SCIENCE AND ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE BEEN RECOGNIZED SIX DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AWARDS.
HE'S HAD THE FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR.
COMME, HE HAS A SERVICE AWARD, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, NOTORIOUS SERVICE AWARD ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
AND IT'S ALSO BEEN GIVEN BY THE LOS ANGELES EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIVISION AS A COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS EXPERT.
SO, UH, HERE TONIGHT WITH JIM, WHICH I'M SURE HE IS GONNA THANK IS LINDA.
SHE'S ALLOWED HIM TO WORK WITH US FOR THESE 40 YEARS.
AND, UH, HIS EXTENDED FAMILY LIKES TO TRAVEL.
UM, SIR, YOU WANNA TALK RIGHT, JIM? SURE.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING A FIRE SERVICE, UH, THIS LONG AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
JIM DOES A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S SERVED THIS COMMUNITY WELL AND OTHER COMMUNITIES, BUT HE HAS DEFINITELY A SERVICE, A, A PUBLIC SERVANT FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE HIM ALL THESE YEARS AND CONTINUED SERVICE.
40 YEARS TO BE WORKING FOR OUR CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UM, YOUR FAMILY MUST BE SO PROUD OF YOU.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR US, FOR US.
AND I WANNA PRESENT A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU.
SO HERE, THE CERTIFICATE FROM THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, RECOGNIZING YOU FOR 40 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UH, WHEN I REALIZE THAT THE CITY'S CELEBRATING A HUNDRED YEARS THIS MONTH, 40 YEARS JUST DOESN'T SEEM THAT LONG.
AND THE YEARS OF SERVICE HERE HAVE GONE BY FAST.
I'D LIKE TO SAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN EASY.
UH, I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH.
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOOD FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY DUE TO INJURIES.
UH, FORTUNATELY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAY ON AND WORK FOR THE 40 YEARS, AND WHENEVER I DID HAVE DOWN DAYS, I ALWAYS COUNTED ON THE TEAM TO HELP ME OUT, WHETHER IT BE THE TEAM OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT I HAD A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH OVER ALL THOSE YEARS, OR WHETHER IT'S BEEN THE CITY TEAM.
THE ONE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED IN WORKING AT THE CITY, WE DO A LOT OF PROJECTS FOR THE CITY.
WEST COVINA IS VERY ACTIVE, TRIES TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE CITIZENS AND THE CITY IN GENERAL.
AND SO I'VE HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS, WHETHER IT BE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER IT BE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHETHER IT BE THE HEAD STAFF MEMBERS OF THE CITY, WHETHER IT BE SOME OF THE CITY COMMUNITY GROUPS OR SERVICE CLUBS, OR JUST THE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OF THE WEST COVINA.
I KNOW EVERYTHING THAT I'VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST HAS BEEN MADE BETTER BY THE TEAM
[00:10:01]
HERE AT WEST COVINA.THE TEAM THAT'S PROBABLY SUB SUPPORTED ME MOST WAS MY FAMILY.
UH, I APPRECIATE MY WIFE FOR ALL THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT IN HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO, UH, PROCEED AND, AND FURTHER MY CAREER GOALS HERE AT WEST COVINA.
WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE HERE FROM THE SENATOR'S OFFICE.
CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT, 40 YEARS OF SERVICE FROM THE OFFICE OF SU, SUSAN RUBIO'S.
WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE HERE FOR YOU.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GETTING A ROLLING
THIS IS WEST COVINA
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? LINDA
UM, TONIGHT WE'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CHARAG DALL, WEST COVINA, GOOD SAMARITAN WHO HELPED UNCONSCIOUS CA UM, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER IN A MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH ON THE I 10 FREEWAY NEAR THE BARRANCA STREET EXIT, UM, IN WEST COVINA ON DECEMBER THE 14TH, 2022.
AND YOU, YOU'RE A HERO AND THANK YOU FOR DOING EXCUSE ME.
UM, AND, UH, I JUST, WE WANNA JUST RECOGNIZE YOU.
SO WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE HERE.
CERTIFICATE, UH, RECOGNITION FOR CHARAG.
WHO SAVED THIS? OFFICER? MAYOR.
ROSA MAYOR ROSARIO, OUR CHP OFFICER.
I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, LIEUTENANT, UM, OH, I JUST FORGOT HIS NAME.
SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS THERE WAS A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 14TH, AND, UH, MR. J WAS AT, IT HAPPENED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS BUSINESS, WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.
IF EVERYBODY KNOWS THE 10 FREEWAY GOING EASTBOUND, THERE'S THE DAYS IN THE ACCIDENTS ON THE FREEWAY, SCALED THE FENCE, JUMPED THE FENCE, JUMPED ON THE RADIO, CALLED THE CHP LIKE HATERS A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT.
CHP IS INVOLVED TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE FIRST RESPONDERS RESPONDING AND ASSISTED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HURT.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUMPING IN AND DOING THAT, TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.
NOT ONLY JUMPING THE FENCE, RISKING YOUR LIFE, GETTING ON THE FREEWAY, WHICH ANY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS POLICE OFFICERS HERE ARE SAYING THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS JOB BEING ON THE FREEWAY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR HELPING US OUT AND BEING THAT WAY.
AND LIEUTENANT IS VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO JUMP ON THE RADIO AND DO THAT AS WELL.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? UM, CITY OF WEST CAMINO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU GUYS AS, AS, UH, THEY DO, BUT YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB EVEN WITH THE CHP YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THERE'S STUFF GOING ON ON THE FREEWAY, I SEE IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE, UH, 22 PEOPLE THAT DID SEND ME WHAT HATE MAILS.
YOU COULD KEEP SENDING THEM, BUT I DON'T REALLY CARE BECAUSE I'LL DO IT FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS ANYTIME
[00:15:09]
WE HAVE VIDEO.OH, UM, WE HAVE A VIDEO TO PLAY, I GUESS, DOWN OFFICER DOWN NOW AT FOUR, A GOOD SAMARITAN JUMPS INTO ACTION AFTER A CHAIN REACTION CRASH LEAVES A CHP OFFICER INJURED.
GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M JUAN FERNANDEZ.
WE FIRST BROUGHT YOU NEWS THAT OFFICER HURT A CRASH AS BREAKING NEWS HERE ON K L NINE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
AND NOW WE'RE HEARING FROM THE MAN WHO CALLED IN THE ACCIDENT FROM THE OFFICER'S PATROL CAR AND GOT HELP K L NINE'S.
THE OFFICER'S UNCONSCIOUS OR HIS HEADS DOWN, HE'S BLEEDING.
Y'ALL JUMPED INTO ACTION AFTER THIS.
TH H P PATROL CAR WAS REAR-ENDED IN A CHAIN REACTION CRASH.
THE OFFICER WAS WORKING A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN HE BECAME A VICTIM.
IT HAPPENED ON THE 10 FREEWAY IN WEST COVINA IN FRONT OF THE DAYS IN THAT DAY, ALL OWNS D Y'ALL AND I ARE ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT.
IN ORDER FOR HIM TO HELP THE OFFICER, HE HAD TO GET OVER THIS WALL AND FENCE TOTALLING ABOUT 10 FEET.
HE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT FAILED.
THEN ANOTHER GOOD SAMARITAN CAME BY.
HE PUT HIS HANDS TOGETHER AND WAS LIKE, JUMP ON MY SHOULDER AND MY BACK.
AND THEN PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER AND, AND BOOSTED ME UP.
THE OFFICER WAS STILL UNCONSCIOUS WHEN DEON GOT TO HIM.
SO HE STARTED HITTING THE TWO BUTTONS ON THE RADIO AND SAID WHAT CAME TO HIS MIND? OFFICERS INVOLVED IN, UH, OFFICER DOWN, OFFICER DOWN.
AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE OFFICER CAME TO, AND HE, UH, TOLD ME HIS BADGE NUMBER AND HIS NAME, AND HE WAS ASKING IF I COULD CALL HIS WIFE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THE OFFICER'S SMARTWATCH THAT WAS CONNECTED TO HIS PHONE.
CONVERSATION WITH THE WIFE WAS VERY, VERY BRIEF.
UM, BUT HE, HE IS, UH, IT WAS A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT.
BOTH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE CHP WERE ABLE TO HELP GET THE INJURED OFFICER TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL IN POMONA.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD HE SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES.
NO ONE EVEN OUTTA THE THREE CARS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT.
NO ONE, NO ONE GOT OUTTA THEIR VEHICLE WHERE THAT'S RIDICULOUS TO ME.
THE PEOPLE IN THE TWO OTHER CARS HAD MINOR INJURIES.
THE CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION IN WEST COVINA.
AGAIN, WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION FROM, UM, THE OFFICE OF, UH, SUSAN RUBIO'S OFFICE, THE SENATOR FROM THE 22ND DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS GIVEN TO, UH, SHE DE FOR HIS, UM, HIS, UH, HEROIC EFFORTS IN, IN, UM, TAKING CARE OF THIS OFFICER.
GOOD JOB, MAYOR ROSARIO, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
WHEN YOUR VOICE COME OVER THE RADIO, WE KNOW WHEN IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR OWN.
WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND, UH, WE THANK YOU.
OFFICER MILLER WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE IS, UH, HE'S NOT DOING WELL, BUT, UM, HE IS ALIVE.
UM, AND, UH, WE DON'T KNOW HIS PROGNOSIS YET, BUT, UH, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND HE WANTS TO MEET YOU HIMSELF AND, AND, AND, AND HE HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU.
SO IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL VISIT US AND, UH, WE WILL PRESENT YOU WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
OKAY.UM, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, PLEASE FILL OUT A YELLOW SPEAKER CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? I HAVE EIGHT SPEAKER CARDS.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS IRMA COOPER, FOLLOWED BY ARMANDO HERMAN, FOLLOWED BY JIM GR.
[00:20:08]
GOOD EVENING.TO THE COUNCIL, THE MAYOR STAFF, AND TO MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY NAACP.
I WANT TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH VERSUS HATE SPEECH.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF ALL AMERICANS, INCLUDING THE CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA.
WE AGREE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, SUPPORTS OTHER FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS SUCH AS TO A PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS, FREEDOM OF RELIGION.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY FOR ME TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE LIST, BUT THE BEHAVIOR THAT HAPPENED AT THE JANUARY THE 17TH, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS NOT IN ISOLATION.
IT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO CONTINUE SINCE 2020.
THE WEST COVINA LEADERSHIP STATES ITS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE SUED.
IS THAT LEADERSHIP OR THE EASY WAY OUT AS NO ONE WILL STAND UP AGAINST THIS RATIONALE.
SO OVER FOR TWO YEARS, THE CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA HAS BEEN HELD HOSTAGE BY TWO CITIZENS WHO DO NOT HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THE DAY AFTER THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND THE ST.
GABRIEL VALLEY IN NAACP CELEBRATED MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.
BASED ON WHAT I SAW IN THE VIDEO ON JANUARY 17TH AND THE DISPLAYING OF THE CONFEDERATE FLAG, I BELIEVE IT'S HATE SPEECH, NOT FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
THEREFORE, IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE SECTION 4 22 0.6 AND 51.7.
OUR GOAL IS TO PREVENT HARM AND ENSURE EQUALITY.
SO EVERYONE HAS THE EQUAL RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC MEETINGS.
THIS MEANS WITHOUT STRENGTH, THREATS, INTIMIDATION, OFFENSIVE RACIAL LANGUAGE, NO DEMEANING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR RACE AND NAME CALLING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WEST COVINO COUNCIL.
THE CITY ATTORNEY NEEDS TO REVIEW THE CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE ON HATE CRIMES AND HOW TO HANDLE DISRUPTIONS TO A PUBLIC MEETING WITHOUT VIOLATING FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR THE BROWN ACT.
THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY NEED TO MEET WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES TO ATTAIN INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES ON HOW TO HANDLE EXCESSIVE RACIAL DISRUPTION IN A CITY MEETING.
THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL NEED TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT THEY DO NOT SUPPORT RACIAL DISRUPTION AND BEHAVIOR THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER TWO YEARS IN THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND PUT A STOP TO IT.
ALSO, TO APOLOGIZE TO THE CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA AND DENY, DENOUNCE THIS TYPE OF DIVISIVE BEHAVIOR THAT IS NOT PRODUCTIVE FOR THE CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA.
AND THE COUNT COUNCIL MAY WANT TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE ORDER OF THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE LOVE OUR CITY OF WEST COVINA.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE OUR 24 YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, BUT WE WILL NOT SUPPORT DISRUPTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WITH HATE SPEECH AND THE DISPLAYING OF THE CONFEDERATE FLAG.
WEST COVINA IS CELEBRATING ITS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY AND HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS ONE OF THE MOST SAFEST CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
LET'S NOT LET HATE TARNISH OUR CITY.
LET'S CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CITY OF WEST COVINA BE THE BELOVED COMMUNITY THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING ENVISIONED
[00:25:01]
IN HIS DREAM SPEAKING AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NAACP AND AS A PERSONAL CITIZEN AND AS A VETERAN OF 30 YEARS WHO HAVE SERVED IN A COMBAT AREA AND LED TROOPS IN IRAQ.I AM TOTALLY OFFENDED TO SEE THAT TROJAN FLAG HANGING AND REPRESENTING IN THIS CITY COUNCIL.
AND I KNOW OTHER VETERANS FEEL THE SAME WAY.
30 YEARS REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES FLAG, NOT A TREASON FLAG.
ARMANDO HERMAN, FOLLOWED BY JIM GRGE, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATRIS.
SOUNDS LIKE A BUNCH OF SQUIRMISH NEST GOING ON AROUND HERE, BUT LET'S FACE THE, THE ARENA WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT WILL BE SHARP, IT WILL BE ROBUST, AND IT WILL DEFINITELY SHOCK THOSE OF YOU PITIFUL, WEAK, UNPLEASANT GOVERNMENT ON, ON AIDING TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE POLITICAL ARENA, WHICH IS ABUSIVE.
NOW THIS LADY HERE IS SPEAKING ABOUT A FLAG.
NOW, WHETHER MY INTERPRETATION IS IS PRESENTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT, THIS MIGHT BE MY FIRST AMENDMENT, A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PRESENT TO YOU THAT THE UNITED STATES VERSUS BAGIAN LET HIS COUNTRY BE F****D FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.
A BLACK PERSON DONE YES, SOMETIMES WORSE WILL FOR BREAK AND CAUSE AN ACTION OR REACTION.
THE COUNCIL IS BEHIND ME, THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU, MAYOR.
AND SO AGAIN, AND INBERG VERSUS OHIO, US 3 90, 69 HAVE TO LOOK AT.
BUT LET'S PUT IT IN THESE WORDS.
AND THERE'S NOTHING IN VIOLATION HERE.
HOW FAR IS THE N****R GOING? YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO THE N*****S.
GIVE THEM BACK TO DARK GARDENS.
MARRY THE N*****S WE ATTENDED.
WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, GAVE US OUR STATE RIGHTS AND FREEDOM FOR THE WHITES.
N****R WILL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR EVERY, AND SHE GETS FROM NOW ON.
SO BRENDAN RIS, OHIO, AND ALL THESE OTHER GESTURES OF FIRST AMENDMENT, YOU SEEM TO BE OFFENDED.
WHAT IS SNYDER VERSUS PHELPS TALKS ABOUT WHEN A RELIGIOUS GROUP SIMPLY GOES OUT AT A CEMETERY AND IT READS ON THEIR PLACARDS.
AND I'LL READ INTO THE RECORD, 5 62 US 4 43 DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.
DO NATION NOT BLESS, JUST CURSE.
THERE IS NOTHING OFFENSIVE ABOUT THIS.
THESE ARE DECISIONS IN WHICH I'M GONNA TURN INTO THIS COUNCIL AS A PUBLIC RECORD LIKE I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, BECAUSE AGAIN, THREATS REST.
WHAT YOU FIND AS A THREAT IS NOTHING BUT UTTERANCE OF FACTS AND TRUTHS.
NOW, THIS IS HOW THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT RULES ON DECISIONS AND ACTIONS MADE BY FAULTY LACK OF SUPERVISION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
NOT THAT MS MAYORS ANY BETTER THAN ANY OF US.
I MEAN, HER BOYFRIEND OR HUSBAND CAME IN HERE THREATENING, OR MR. PROTE.
[00:30:01]
TAKEN.BUT THAT WAS A SERIOUS THREAT AGAINST A COUNCILMAN FROM HIS CITY.
AND I SIMPLY JUST READ THE VERBIAGE THAT I GO TO A PUBLIC LIBRARY AT A LAW LIBRARY DOWNTOWN AND PULL OUT THE INFORMATION FOR YOUR MAYOR SO THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS CAN UNDERSTAND THAT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED FREE SPEECH UNLESS THERE'S A THREAT.
NOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IN LA TODAY ABOUT A 50 CALIBER.
WELL, IF YOU READ BACK TO BACK TO ZAN VERSUS UNITED STATES, THE GENTLEMAN BACK TO ZION FROM PASADENA VERSUS UNITED STATES OF PASADENA, SIMPLY PUT IT IN VERY GOOD WORDS.
HE SAID HE WOULD SHOOT THE BLANK WITH A 50 CALIBER.
NOW YOU CAN RULE THAT AS OFFENSIVE AND THREATENING, AND WE RULE THAT AS A PROTECTIVE FIRST AMENDMENT FOR SPEECH.
YOU WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MAYOR AND KEEP YOUR G*****N POLICE CHIEF FROM PUTTING HANDS ON PEOPLE AND KICKING US OUT.
UM, I'M ALSO GONNA TALK ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
AND I HOPE YOU DON'T HOLD THE LAST SPEECH AGAINST ME.
THE, UM, LAST WEEK SEVERAL RESIDENTS ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL ABOUT ITEM NUMBER THREE ON YOUR AGENDA, UH, REGULATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE CITY HAS CHOSEN TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS AND REVISE THE ORDINANCE.
HOWEVER, UH, I FEEL THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN NOW IS STILL INCOMPLETE, BUT ONLY INCOMPLETE BY PRECISELY ONE WORD.
UH, I'M GOING, I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO AMEND, UH, THE ORDINANCE AS PRESENTED TO YOU TO ADD ONE WORD, UH, THE WORD CANDIDATES TO THE ORDINANCE, SPECIFICALLY, UH, COMMUNICATIONS BY PERSONS.
AND NO CANDIDATE OR CAN CANDIDATE'S, I'M ADDING THE WORD CANDIDATES COMMITTEE SHALL RECEIVE FROM ANY PERSON, ANY CONTRIBUTION IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO ANY CANDIDATE FOR ELECTIVE CITY OFFICE IN EXCESS OF $650.
THE ORDINANCE AS PRESENTED TO YOU, IS AMBIGUOUS AND VAGUE, UH, CAN BE INTERPRETED IN MORE THAN ONE WAY.
AND IN, IN, UH, MY OPINION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.
UH, IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS LAST TIME BECAUSE SOME OF THE, UH, LANGUAGE HAS BEEN CORRECTED, BUT THEY'RE STILL THE THE ONE ISSUE, UH, AND I WANNA STRESS THAT STATE WAS VERY SPECIFIC WHEN THEY WANTED THE CAN LIMITED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES.
AND THE REASON WHY THEY WERE, WAS BECAUSE OF CORRUPTION.
IF CANDIDATES COULD RECEIVE LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO CORRUPTION.
WAS CALLED, EXCUSE ME, HERMAN, STOP DISRUPTING THE, THE, UH, MEETING.
IF A CANDIDATE WOULD RECEIVE A LARGE CONTRIBUTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL, THEY'D BE SUBJECT TO WHAT'S CALLED QUID PRO QUO.
YOU HAVE TO VOTE THE WAY I WANT THE SUPREME COURT IN SEVERAL CASES AS RULED THAT THAT IS OKAY TO LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES.
WHAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS ALSO RULED IN SEVERAL CASES, AND ALSO APPELLATE COURTS, IS YOU CANNOT LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS BY GENERAL PURPOSE COMMITTEES OR WHAT IS OTHER OTHERWISE CALLED INDEPENDENT COMMITTEES.
AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE ADDED THE WORD CANDIDATES COMMITTEE TO THIS LANGUAGE SO THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THAT IS THE ONLY COMMITTEE THAT'S RESTRICTED BY THE SIX 50.
JERRY PATRIS, FOLLOWED BY DAVID SCHWARTZ,
[00:35:01]
FOLLOWED BY PETER G. GOOD EVENING, JERRY PATRIS WESTCO RESIDENT.TONIGHT I'M GONNA COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM THREE, CAMPAIGN FINANCE, REGULATION ORDINANCE 2,513.
CHRIS SALCEDO, A POPULAR TELEVISION SHOW HOST WHO REFERS TO HIMSELF AS THE LEV LIBERTY LOVING WHAT TINO OFTEN SPEAKS ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
HE RECENTLY COMMENTED, THOSE WHO DENY FREE SPEECH ARE NEVER THE GOOD GUY.
THE STAFF REPORT FOR AGENDA ITEM THREE CLAIMS. YOU ARE CORRECTING A STAFF ERROR ON THE VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE ATTACHED TO THE STAFF REPORT.
WHEN ORDINANCE 2 510 WAS ADOPTED, THAT IS INCORRECT.
SUPREME COURT CASES ON THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF ORDINANCE 2 510 WERE BROUGHT TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION BY A LAW FIRM.
THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE CHANGE IN ORDINANCE 2 510 AND CREATED ORDINANCE 2 513.
NOT AN ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR, AN ADDITIONAL CORRECTION IS NEEDED IN ORDINANCE 2 513.
THE WORD CANDIDATES NEEDS TO BE INSERTED IN THE FRONT OF THE WORD COMMITTEE.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CANDIDATE CONTROLLED COMMITTEE AND AN INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE.
WITHOUT THAT CHANGE, WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT ORDINANCE 2 513 IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL TOO.
CANDIDATES ONCE IN OFFICE BECOME ELECTED OFFICIALS SUBJECT TO INFLUENCE PING BRIBERY, COLLUSION, AND OTHER FORMS OF CORRUPTION.
WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A LEGITIMATE INTEREST TO IMPOSE LIMITS ON CANDIDATE CONTROLLED COMMITTEES.
JUSTICE CALIFORNIA RECENTLY DID INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES.
THOSE COMMITTEES THAT ARE NOT CONTROLLED BY CANDIDATES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
THESE PACS SUPPORT OR OPPOSE CANDIDATES OR MEASURES, AND THE COURTS HAVE UPHELD THEIR RIGHT TO DO SO.
NO MATTER HOW OFFENDED AND ANGRY YOU MAY BE ABOUT MAILERS SENT AGAINST YOU DURING THE NOVEMBER, 2022 CITY COUNCIL ELECTION, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS TO INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES.
INSERT THE WORD CANDIDATES IN FRONT OF THE WORD COMMITTEE.
DAVID SCHWARTZ, FOLLOWED BY PETER G, FOLLOWED BY GEORGE OGDEN.
GOOD EVENING, EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MEN AND WOMEN.
UH, MINE'S GONNA BE VERY SHORT.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LAST MONTH WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE STREET SWEEPING, UH, THE FINALLY SHOWED UP THIS LAST WEEK.
SO I'M HOPING IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS.
UM, MY SECOND ITEM IS ALSO HAS TO REFER, UH, TO, UH, TO THE STREET MAINTENANCE, UM, IN TWO AREAS.
ONE IS ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, THE CITY CAME AND CUT DOWN THREE TREES, CITY TREES, UM, ON 12 12, 12 16 AND 1226 EAST SERVICE AVENUE.
THEY PROMISED THAT THEY WERE GONNA REPLANT THE TREES BECAUSE THE ONES THEY TOOK OUT, THEY FELT WAS WERE DANGEROUS AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO REPLACE IT.
AND TO THIS DAY, THEY STILL HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
UM, I SPOKE WITH, WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND BASICALLY THE NEIGHBOR AT 1226 STILL WANTS THIS TREE REPLANTED.
AND, UH, THEY'VE CONTACTED STREET MAINTENANCE SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY TO GET THE TREE RESOLVED AND THEY JUST HAVEN'T ACTED.
SO IF YOU GUYS COULD BE KIND ENOUGH TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BUG THEIR EAR OR SOMETHING FOR THAT.
AND IN THE SAME SENSE TOO, THAT ON THAT SAME CORNER ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SERVICE IN PIMA, WHICH IS THE ADDRESS OF 1226 EAST SERVICE, UM, ABOUT, I WOULD SAY ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS WHEN WE HAD THE WINDSTORMS HAD KNOCKED DOWN THE STOP SIGN AND THE STREET SIGNS AND WE CONTACTED, UM, STREET MAINTENANCE.
AND MYSELF AND SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS, UH, WE CALLED AND FINALLY, LIKE SIX WEEKS LATER, THEY CAME AND PICKED UP, OR SOEN PICKED UP THE THE SIGN AND, AND IT WAS GONE.
AND THEN ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE STOP SIGN WAS REPLACED, BUT THEY NEVER
[00:40:01]
PUT THE STREET SIGNS ON IT.SO I ASKED THAT IF YOU COULD PLEASE CONTACT MIKE OR WHOEVER OVER ITS STREET, UH, MAINTENANCE TO PUT THE STREET SIGNS BACK ON.
PETER G FOLLOWED BY GEORGE OGDEN, FOLLOWED BY JOHN SHOEMAKER.
COUNCILMAN'S PROMP, MAYOR FIRST AMENDMENT.
I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT I UNDERSTAND RESPECT.
I RESPECT THE WOMAN WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
I RESPECT THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
I FIND, HOW DO YOU SAY RUDENESS WHEN SOMEONE, THEM, WHEN WE SAY THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE AND PEOPLE SIT DOWN AND LEAVE THEIR HAT ON.
I WAS TAUGHT BEING THE CITIZEN OF THIS CITY, ALMOST SEVEN DECADES.
MY FAMILY'S BEEN HERE, SO IN FACT, MY FATHER KNOWS YOU.
MANY YEARS AGO, WORD COUNCIL DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT LOOKS NOW.
SO OUTTA RESPECT AND ALL THIS STUFF, FIRST AMENDMENT'S, FIRST AMENDMENT.
WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR A LOT OF STUFF IRRITATES PEOPLE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S PART OF THE UNITED STATES CONFLICT OF BEING WHO WE ARE.
BUT I ACTUALLY AM JUST HERE FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION OF WEST CAVINA.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OR DECADES, I'VE NOTICED YOU'VE HAD PEOPLE PUTTING THEIR GARAGES INTO APARTMENT BUILDINGS, PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING THEIR BUSHES, SHRUBS, AND TRASH OUT IN THE STREET THAT DOESN'T BEAUTIFY AT ONE TIME.
WEST CAVINA ACTUALLY FIND THE MAN A LAWYER, A MAN OF THE LAW, AN OFFICER OF THE COURT BECAUSE HIS GRASS WASN'T GREEN, WASN'T MOWED.
SO IF YOU WANT TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN TO RESPECT, LET'S RESTART LIKE WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE WORKING ABOUT BRINGING SOMEBODY IN FROM LOS ANGELES.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN LA LA THEY LIVE IN WEST COVINA.
BUT AS FAR AS BRINGING SOME LAWYER FROM THE LA TO WEST CNA, THANK YOU.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND MAY, AMEN MAY BE DISRUPTING, BUT THAT'S THE CONSTITUTION.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I RAISED MY HAND FOR THE SERVICE OF THAT CONSTITUTION.
SO I MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT I HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.
GEORGE OGDEN, FOLLOWED BY JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY COLLEEN ROSATI.
OKAY, MY NAME IS, UH, GEORGE OGDEN.
I'M THE ASSISTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND ALSO THE COMMANDER FOR THE VF W I WANT TO THANK, UH, COLONEL IRMA COOPER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAAC A NAAC A AND THE REST OF THE PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP FOR HER SUPPORT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I GOT VFW RIGHT.
I, I'M GONNA HEAR ABOUT THIS ONE.
BUT THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE HATE SPEECH THAT WENT ON AT THAT LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND THE RACIST FLAG THAT WAS DISPLAYED BLOCKING THIS THROW AWAY.
HERE I HAVE, UH, THERE'S A PICTURE IN THE NEWSPAPER OF IT THAT CAME DOWN, AND I'M SHOWING IT ONLY THAT IN MY HAND.
AND SO I, WE'VE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF EMAILS ON THIS AND TALK ABOUT EIGHT MILL
ANYWAY, UM, THAT FLAG WAS HELD UP BY GREENSTEIN AND, AND, AND ARMANDO HERMAN, WHO WAS SITTING BEHIND US WHEN HE CAME UP TO SPEAK THE FIRST TWO WORDS OUT OF HIS MOUTH, AND THERE'S A YOUNG CHILD HERE, WAS G D.
AND THEN HE LOUDLY YELLED OUT THE N WORD.
AND AS HE APPROACHED THE MIC HERE, AND THEN HE WENT ON AND, AND IN THE PAST, HE'S CALLED FEMALE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE C WORD HILDA SALISE FOR BEING ONE OF THEM.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS HONORABLE TONY WOO.
[00:45:01]
MEMBER WHO'S DONE WELL.AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER COMMENTS THAT'S GOING ON.
OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS ACTUALLY A BUSINESS MEETING.
IT IS NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKING FORUM, OKAY? THAT'S NOT THIS PLATFORM.
THE COUNCIL MEETING IS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE WEST COVINA AND THE OPERATIVES OF WEST COVINA.
IN OTHER WORDS, BUSINESS PEOPLE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HERMAN IS A RESIDENT HERE IN WEST COVINA.
UH, HE USES FELON VULGAR LANGUAGE AS EXTREMELY OFFENSIVE IN THE THREATENING AT TIMES.
WELL, IT HAPPENED A FEW SECONDS AGO, AND HE IS ALSO MADE GESTURES TOWARDS ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
WHEN SHE WAS BENDING OVER TALKING TO A CLERK, UH, HE WAS GYRATING HIS HIPS IN A SEAT.
HE IS ALSO AT ONE TIME, UM, ATTEMPTED TO INJURE A SPEAKER THAT WAS UP HERE.
TWO PEOPLE CAME UP AND THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN STANDING BEHIND THE SPEAKER.
HE REMOVED A SHOE AND HE KEPT TAKING IT TOWARDS THIS INDIVIDUAL.
I BELIEVE I'VE GIVEN SOME OF YOU THAT INFORMATION AT ONE TIME WITH THE PICTURES IN IT, UH, THE POLICE CHIEF AND CAME DOWN AND REMOVED THAT SHOE.
WE DON'T NEED THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY HERE.
AND SO HERMAN HAS A HISTORY THAT INCLUDES VIOLENCE, INCLUDING A 2 43 PC FELONY ASSAULT CHARGE, IN WHICH ORIGINALLY THE BAIL WAS SET AT $50,000.
OLEUM HOLDING UP, UH, THE DOCUMENTS FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, EXCUSE ME, YOU CAN PROBABLY GET THIS ONLINE NOW.
HE PROBABLY HAS IT FRAMED AT HIS HOUSE.
ALSO, HIS CO-PARTNER THINKS IT'S PRETTY COOL TO WALK UP HERE WITH A JACKET WITH A PENIS DRAWN ON THE BACK OF HIS JACKET SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE HIM.
NOW, AS A VETERAN, I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE DISRESPECT THAT GREENSTEIN AND HERMAN DID DURING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
HE MAY AS WELL P**S ON THE GRAVES OF THOSE VERY VETERANS THAT PROTECTED OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
OKAY, SO THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING, NOT A PUBLIC FORUM.
THESE TWO HAVE COMPROMISED OUR MEETINGS TO THE POINT WHERE SOME PEOPLE WON'T EVEN COME TO 'EM ANYMORE.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM, IT'S CALLED PATRIOT PEN.
AND WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS WE HAVE KIDS COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND SIT THROUGH IT.
I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE LIABILITY WITH MR. HERMAN USING THE VULGAR IN HORRIBLE LANGUAGE.
SO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THEY DO THEIR ORAL COMMUNICATIONS IN THE CITY OF AUSA.
THEY ONLY ALLOW THEIR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK.
AND AT THE VERY END, IF THERE'S ANY TIME LEFT, THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER ALLOWABLE PERIOD TO HAVE SOMEBODY COMMUNICATE TO THAT CITY COUNCIL AND ARE NOT RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I WISHES ALL A LOT OF LUCK.
JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY COLLEEN ROSATI, FOLLOWED BY STEVE BENNETT.
WHAT'S GOING ON? UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN INTO THE TRAP OF WHAT THESE GUYS WANT, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE LAST HALF HOUR HAS BEEN GIVING THEM ATTENTION.
INSTEAD OF IT JUST IGNORING THEM, THEY GO AWAY.
WHEN, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, THAT E LOPEZ VITO WAS, UH, MAYOR, SHE DID A GOOD JOB HANDLING THEM.
SHE JUST IGNORED THEM AND THEY KIND OF SHUT UP AND DIDN'T DO A WHOLE LOT.
THEN WE HAD MAYOR DARIO WHO REACTED AND IT STARTED 'EM ALL OVER AGAIN INSTEAD OF JUST IGNORING IT.
I FIND IT KIND OF STRANGE HOW OUR MAYOR IS OFFENDED AT THE LANGUAGE OR HATE SPEECH WHEN HER VERY OWN HUSBAND HAS GOTTEN UP HERE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, HAS CALLED MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS.
COCKROACHES, EXCUSE ME, DREAMERS, COCKROACHES, YOU KNOW, HE'LL SAY DACA AS KAKA.
THE MAYOR HERSELF HAS STATED THAT I'M A LATINO, A LATINA FEMALE OR HISPANIC FEMALE, BUT I DON'T THINK LIKE THEM.
HOW DOES A HISPANIC THINK? SHE DOESN'T THINK LIKE THEM? NOW, THOSE OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, JUST TAKE THE WORD HISPANIC
[00:50:01]
OUTPUT YOUR RACE OR NATIONALITY IN IT.AND IF SOMEBODY SAYS, I DON'T THINK LIKE THEM, WOULD YOU BE OFFENDED? I THINK YOU WOULD BE.
SO I HOPE THAT WHAT GOES ON IS THAT ALL OF IT IS CONDEMNED.
A COMMENT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR SAYING, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THESE TWO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL 'EM, CONDEMNING IT, BUT LETTING HER OWN SPEECH AND THAT OF HER HUSBAND GO BY IS FAKE AND PHONY IS FAKE AND PHONY.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAY.
BUT THEN THE MAYOR'S OWN HUSBAND HAS SAID A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS ON FACEBOOK, AND AT THIS VERY STAND, HE'S THREATENED PEOPLE.
HE GAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY, I BELIEVE IT WAS A NOTE ONE TIME, BASICALLY SAYING, IF YOU EVER SHUT ME UP AGAIN, HE'S, HE'S ASKING FOR A C C W CONCEALED CARRY WEAPON.
BUT HE, HE'S MADE REMARKS THAT RESULTED IN EXTRA POLICE OFFICERS BEING BROUGHT INTO THIS CHAMBER ABOUT, WELL, WHEN YOU COME TO THE MEETING TONIGHT, DON'T BRING A KNIFE TO A GUNFIGHT.
AND WE ALL KNOW HE HAS A LICENSE TO CARRY A GUN IN HIS JOB AS A SECURITY GUARD.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S GO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA, IF WE'RE GONNA HANDLE IT, HANDLE IT ALL AND MAKE SURE THAT IT ALL STOPS.
BEST THING IS QUIT GIVING THESE GUYS ATTENTION.
I HATE WHAT THEY SAY THAT DESPISE WHAT THEY SAY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN SOME OF IT WAS GOING ON, TWO VERY NICE LADIES WHO LEFT AND I SAID, DON'T GIVE IN TO 'EM.
THEY SAID, WE JUST CAN'T TAKE IT.
I CAN UNDERSTAND, I CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM THE ATTENTION DOES IT.
BUT THEN WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE SITTING ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND A MEMBER OF OUR OWN FAMILY.
SO IT'S KIND OF HOLLOW AND SHALLOW OR ANYTHING TO BE DONE UNLESS IT'S DONE COMPLETELY.
SO I DON'T LIKE, UH, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T LIKE OR ENJOY WHAT THEY SAY, WHAT AT ALL.
I WISH THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE CAN'T OR WE HAVE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO DO IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT IT IS YOU CAN NEVER LEGISLATE COMMON SENSE AND DECENCY.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
NO COMMON SENSE AND NO DECENCY ON THEIR PART.
NOTHING IS OUT OF BOUNDS AND IT SHOULD BE.
COLLEEN ROSATI, FOLLOWED BY STEVE BENNETT, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON.
COLLEEN ROSATI, CITY TREASURER AND PRESIDENT OF WEST COVINA.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE A LITTLE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WEST COVINA WILL BE CELEBRATING THE CITY'S BIRTHDAY AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE OR SIX DECADES.
AND WE'RE ALSO CELEBRATING OUR 75TH DIAMOND JUBILEE, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 75 YEARS, ESTABLISHED IN 1948.
WE'RE THE OLDEST NONPROFIT HERE IN THE CITY, AND WE'RE GONNA BE RECOGNIZING THAT AS WELL AS THE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY OF THE CITY.
AND BY THE WAY, WE THINK THAT IT'S FABULOUS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS.
WE HOPE THAT THERE'S A CENTENNIAL PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST AND A CENTENNIAL 5K RUN, ET CETERA.
WE SHOULD REALLY EMBRACE THIS.
ME, I PERSONALLY HAVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE AND I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS MONUMENTAL HISTORY MOMENT.
SO THE EVENT BEGINS AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T EVER TAKEN A TOUR OF HEARST RANCH, THAT'S WHERE THE EVENT IS LOCATED.
THIS YEAR, THERE'LL BE A GUIDED TOUR ALONG WITH LIVE MUSIC AND A TASTE OF WEST COVINA FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
WE HAVE CASINO NIGHT AND DINNER FROM EIGHT TO NINE ARE THE BEAUTIFICATION AWARDS THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.
AND WE RECOGNIZE AN OUTSTANDING BUSINESS THAT HAS BEAUTIFIED THE CITY TO ENHANCE
[00:55:01]
OUR LIVES, ALONG WITH, UM, A RESIDENT WHO HAS EMBRACED AND HAS EMBELLISHED OR RE-LANDSCAPED HIS PROPERTY ALONG WITH OUR IMPACT PROJECTS, VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AND COMMUNITY PARTNER AND THE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY WINNER FOR 2022.FROM NINE TO 11, THERE WILL BE MORE CASINO DANCING CIGARS AND MAYBE A LITTLE COGNAC.
SO WE HOPE YOU ALL COME OUT AND JOIN US.
YOU CAN GO ON WEST COVINA BEAUTIFULS, FACEBOOK, UM, AND LEAVE US A MESSAGE AND WE'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
STEVE BENNETT, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL STAFF.
UM, I ALWAYS LOVE COMING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS.
YOU LEARN SO MUCH AND, UH, I AM ECSTATIC TO SEE THE NAACP HERE IN FORCE TO DEFEND AND SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF WEST CO VENUS.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR ATTENDANCE.
THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE BETTER IS IF THEY HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COME AND FILL EVERY SEAT BEFORE ARMANDO HERMANN UP, CUZ THEN HE WOULDN'T HAVE A SEAT IN HERE.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, ENTERTAINING AT BEST.
UH, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS, UH, WHILE I'M HAPPY THEY'RE HERE, THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS TO TALK ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
AND, UM, ON JANUARY 17TH, WE, UH, WE SAW THAT GET PASSED.
THERE WERE QUESTIONS ON THIS COUNCIL TO ITS VALIDITY.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT COME TO FRUITION THAT IT WASN'T AS VALID AS MAYBE THE CITY ATTORNEY EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS.
MAYBE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH RESEARCH DONE TO DETERMINE MAYBE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH PROOFREADING.
CUZ APPARENTLY A MISTAKE HAPPENED ON THE DOCUMENT, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS APPROVED A FORM.
SO, AND IN READING THE CHANGES, AND I'M SURE HE'LL TELL US THAT IT'S A MINOR CHANGE.
UM, I ASK YOU GUYS TO RECONSIDER AND REVERT THE ORDINANCE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SIX 50 BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, COST OF LIVING.
PROBABLY IF IT WAS ADJUSTED THIS YEAR, IT WOULD BE AT SIX 50 ANYWAYS IF WE HAD THE OLD ORDINANCE STILL IN PLACE.
BUT I DON'T SUPPORT THE IDEA OF RESTRICTING POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES FROM INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES OR GENERAL PURPOSE COMMITTEES HAVING A LIMIT.
IT'S NOT SOLVING A PROBLEM THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS.
TONY, YOU YOURSELF HAVE ADDRESSED IT, SAYING YOU'RE TRYING TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM DOING THAT.
WELL, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS ALREADY PASSED A LEGISLATIVE, UH, MEASURE THAT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU CAN'T ACCEPT OVER $251 WITHOUT RECUSING YOURSELF FROM ANY ACTION FROM THAT BUSINESS OR PERSON.
SO IF YOU ACCEPT THAT OVER $250, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
SO THE STATE HAS ALREADY PUT INTO PLACE A WAY TO PREVENT YOU GUYS FROM HAVING ANY CORRUPTION, OR AT LEAST WE HOPE.
SO THERE'S ALREADY THINGS IN PLACE THAT ARE FAR BETTER OUT THERE TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT.
PUTTING A LIMIT OF $650 ON A GENERAL PURPOSE COMMITTEE OR EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE ISN'T SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSED.
AND THE STATE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED THAT WHEN THEY ADDRESSED THE REST OF IT, BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO.
JIM GR GAVE A GREAT EXPLANATION AS TO WHY.
AND AT THE LAST MEETING HE SPOKE VERY ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THOSE REASONS.
BUT AGAIN, WE PUSHED THAT THROUGH.
YOU CAN TAKE JIM'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION BY THE WORDING.
I THINK YOU'RE ONLY MAKING A BAD MEASURE, SLIGHTLY BETTER.
IT'S NOT REALLY CORRECTING IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE REMOVAL OF ALL INSTANCES OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN A CANDIDATE CONTROLLED COMMITTEE HAVING A LIMIT OF SIX 50.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE I STAND ON THAT.
AND AGAIN, TO THE DOUBLE AACP.
I HOPE YOU'RE HERE EVERY WEEK FOR THIS AND, UM, I'LL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS YOU UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE THE OTHER PERSON DOESN'T, I HOPE THEY'RE HERE EVERY WEEK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM.
I'M DEFINITELY NOT THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN WEST COVINA AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW.
I DON'T HA I HA I HAVE TO CONSULT A LEGAL DICTIONARY TO FIND OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPEECH AND HATE SPEECH.
UH, I MEAN, I DO KNOW WORDS MATTER BECAUSE WHAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT, UH, I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT IT FOR THREE MONTHS, UH, AB 2098, HOW IT AFFECTS MEDICAL DOCTORS.
AND THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED HE WAS GONNA, UH, CHECK, CHECK LAST TIME.
[01:00:01]
BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT SEVERAL TIMES AND HE SAID HE'D CHECK ON IT.WELL, THERE'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARY CUZ I, I HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT SUBJECT.
UH, UH, A SACRAMENTO, UH, FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGE.
HIS NAME IS SH, S H U B B, UH, BLOCKS DOCTOR'S CENSORSHIP LAW IN CALIFORNIA.
UH, APPARENTLY, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A, A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION GRANTED, UH, TO THE MOTION TO BLOCK THE GOVERNOR AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL BOARD FROM ENFORCING THAT COVID MISINFORMATION LAW WORDS MATTER AND, UH, SOME PEOPLE'S MISINFORMATION IS OTHER PEOPLE'S CENSORSHIP.
AND THE JUDGE POINTED OUT THAT THE, UH, IT'S A FOURTH AMENDMENT VAGUENESS, UH, CHALLENGE, UH, JIM GR WHO IS JUST MENTIONING, UH, UNCONSTITUTIONAL VAGUENESS WITH REGARD TO AN ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING.
WELL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL VAGUENESS MATTERS, UH, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT.
AND THIS DECISION, UH, UH, THAT I'M, UH, TRYING TO EXPLAIN, UH, UH, THE JUDGE FOUND THAT THE PLAINTIFFS HAVE ESTABLISHED A LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS ON THE GROUNDS OF THEIR 14TH AMENDMENT VAGUENESS CHALLENGE.
AND, UH, UH, JUDGE CHUBB'S MEMORANDUM AND ORDER STATES' DRAWING A LINE BETWEEN WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT IS SETTLED BY SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS.
SERGEANT ATAR, CAN YOU REMOVE MR. HERMAN, PLEASE? STOP THE, WELL, WHAT'S, ARE YOU GONNA STOP THE CLOCK? I I'M LOSING MY TIME.
I HE'S NOT DIS NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OKAY.
YOUR TIME HAS BEEN STOPPED, SIR.
WELL, ANYWAY, UH, DRAWING A LINE, I'M TALKING ABOUT VAGUENESS AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, A SETTLED SIGN.
ASSEMBLY AND THE COMMITTEE THAT DREW UP THIS LAW, HE HAS A POLITICAL SCIENCE DEGREE AND THEY CONDUCT POLLS AND FIND OUT CONSENSUS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SCIENCE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
IF THERE'S ONE PERSON THAT, THAT COLLECTS THE DATA AND PROVIDES PROOF, UH, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T, UH, YOU COULD CONDUCT A POLL AND, AND DECIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF, IF THIS, IF THIS, UH, IF CONTINUE, IF I TRIP, I MIGHT FALL DOWN.
AND A AND A POLL DOESN'T MATTER.
AND, AND, AND SCIENTIFIC LAWS AND SCIENCE DOESN'T WORK ON A CONSENSUS VA, UH, BASIS AS THE, AS THE JUDGE POINTED OUT.
WELL, THE ORDER'S CRITICISM OF THE NEW LAW IS, UH, IS REMARKABLE.
REMARKABLE IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, BECAUSE THE TERM SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS IS SO ILL TO DEFINE PHYSICIAN PLAINTIFFS ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR INTENDED CONDUCT CONTRADICTS THE SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS.
AND ACCORDINGLY, WHAT IS PROHIBITED BY THE LAW? THE CONSENSUS CHANGES MONTHLY BASED ON THE COVID TIMELINE, AND THEREFORE THE MEANING OF THE LAW CHANGES CONTINUOUSLY.
AND HOW DO YOU WORK WITH A LAW THAT'S A ALWAYS CHANGING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SAND ON THE BEACH.
VAGUE STATUES ARE PARTICULARLY OBJECTIONABLE WHEN THEY INVOLVE SENSITIVE AREAS OF FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOMS. UH, YOU CAN IGNORE WHAT JIM GICH HAS TO SAY AND MAYBE THE CITY WILL LOSE A A, A SIMILAR 14TH AMENDMENT VAGUENESS CHALLENGE OR WORDS MATTER.
AND, AND, UH, PEOPLE, PEOPLE ATTRACT ATTENTION WITH WORDS.
AND, AND I, I THINK THE COURTS OF RULE THAT RULE THAT YOU CAN, IF YOU WANT, YOU COULD BURN THE AMERICAN FLAG.
WELL, SOME PEOPLE ARE REALLY OFFENDED BY THAT.
BUT COURTS HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
AND, AND WHY PLEDGE TO, TO THE FLAG E EVERY COUNCIL MEETING IF YOU DON'T, UH, UNDERSTAND OR RESPECT THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE US CONSTITUTION.
SO, UH, THANK YOU MR. ROBINSON.
I GUESS I'M DONE, BUT I YES, THANK YOU.
DON'T I? UH, YOU INTERRUPTED ME AND I I I HAVE A COUPLE MORE.
DID YOU GIVE MY STOP THE CLOCK? OH, YOU STOPPED.
WELL, ANYWAY, THE JUDGE BROUGHT US,
[01:05:01]
UH, GOOD NEWS TWO WEEKS AGO AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU.I HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKER CARDS, MAYOR, LET YOU KNOW.
HOW YOU DOING? YEAH, I COULDN'T HELP SEEING YOU SMILE WHEN STEPHEN, A FEW OTHER PEOPLE CLAPPED TO HAVE THAT MAN EVICTED.
I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR HIM DISRUPT HIM MUCH.
I SEE THE NAACP IN HERE, HOPEFULLY ABOUT THE CONFEDERATE FLAG.
BUT THAT CONFEDERATE FLAG SWUNG OUTSIDE THE MANSION IN ARKANSAS FOR A CERTAIN GOVERNOR THAT THEY BACKED UP FOR MANY YEARS NAMED BILL CLINTON.
NOW, I DIDN'T HEAR HIM COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT, BUT THIS KNUCKLEHEAD, WHO'S HIS VULGAR COULD BE COMES IN HERE AND HE CAN'T EXERCISE HIS RIGHT.
I BELIEVE HE WAS EX-MILITARY AS WELL.
IT'S THE FIRST AMENDMENT ONLY ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU BELIEVE, WHAT YOU LIKE, WHAT SOME OF THESE FOLKS IN HERE LIKE, OR DOES IT APPLY EQUALLY TO ALL THAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION? THAT PERSON THAT CAME UP EARLIER AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M A LAWYER.
I DON'T LIKE WHAT HE SAYS, BUT FACT IS HE HAS A RIGHT, HE DOES HAVE A RIGHT.
HE WASN'T ANY MORE DISRUPTIVE HERE TONIGHT THAN I'VE SEEN YOUR HUSBAND, MYSELF, AND SO MANY OTHER HERE TONIGHT BE.
SO, IT'S SHAME ON YOU GUYS THAT YOU ALL GANGED UP ON THIS MAN, JUST CUZ YOU DON'T LIKE HIS WORDS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED STEVE AND ANYONE ELSE THAT WAS CLAPPING WHEN YOU HAD HIM EVICTED, HAD THE POLICE COME DOWN HERE AND EX ESCORT HIM OUT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD STEVE BE QUIET OR THROWN HIM OUT, BUT YOU DIDN'T, YOU SMILED.
NO FURTHER SPEAKER CARDS, MAYOR.
OKAY, WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH OUR MEETING.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND? GOOD EVENING MAYOR.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, I'LL TRY TO BRIEFLY RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED TONIGHT.
WE HAD, UM, SEVEN SPEAKERS TONIGHT TALK ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
UM, LIKE TO SAY THAT IN THESE CHAMBERS WE AFFIRM THE DIGNITY AND THE WORTH OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS REGARDING CONDUCT.
AT THESE MEETINGS, PEOPLE GET FIVE MINUTES TO SAY WHAT THEY WILL, WHAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO IS DE DISRUPT THESE MEETINGS.
THE GOVERNOR SIGNED SOME LEGISLATION THIS WEEK THAT FURTHER CLARIFIED THOSE RIGHTS UNDER THE BROWN ACT FOR FOR RESIDENTS THAT COME.
BUT DURING THEIR FIVE MINUTES, THEY CAN SAY WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE TO SAY, THEY CAN USE WORDS THAT ARE THERE.
WE'RE NOT ENDORSING THEM, BUT WE'RE ALLOWING THEM OR DEFENDING THEIR RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH.
THEY CAN SAY THINGS THAT ARE VULGAR AND PROFANE AND SEXIST AND RACIST AND HOMOPHOBIC AND IGNORANT, AND WE'LL ALLOW IT HERE DURING THEIR FIVE MINUTES.
WE, WE WON'T ALLOW OUR MEETINGS TO BE DISRUPTED.
UM, WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL SHOWN THE DOOR LAST MEETING, MAKING GOAT NOISES.
WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, SHOWN THE DOOR TONIGHT WHEN THE MAYOR IDENTIFIED THAT HE WAS DISRUPTING THE MEETING.
AND THAT'LL BE OUR, OUR BUSINESS PRACTICE.
TWO OF OUR SPEAKERS, UM, TALKED ABOUT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH ESTABLISHES, UM, THE WAY IN WHICH THE CAMPAIGN LIMITS OF $650 ARE DEFINED.
BEFORE I GET TO THE SUBSTANCE OF THAT, I WANT TO SAY ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS I'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS FREE SPEECH ISSUE IS THAT WE SHOULD MOVE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE END OF THE MEETING.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE IT UP FRONT IS WE'RE REALLY HONORING THOSE THAT TAKE OF THEIR TIME TO COME SECRET JUSTICE OF THEIR GRIEVANCES AND TO SPEAK TO AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE THE COUNCIL ACTS ON THEM.
SO WE HAD TONIGHT BOTH, UH, JIM GREENWICH AND JERRY RISS.
TALK ABOUT NUMBER THREE, SUGGESTING SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE WORDING OF THAT ORDINANCE.
BEFORE YOU ACT ON IT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO THINK ABOUT THEIR REQUEST.
I'M GENERALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF AMENDING ORDINANCES ON THE FLY, BUT IF YOU WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT, WE MIGHT NEED SOME MORE WORK ON THAT.
ONE, SUGGEST YOU REFER IT BACK, BUT THAT COMES LATER IN YOUR MEETING.
UM, MR. SCHWARTZ CAME AND IDENTIFIED SOME SERVICE REQUESTS ABOUT SOME STREET TREES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.
AND I'LL SEE TO IT, WE GET HIM SOME TREES AND ALSO, UM, A MISSING STREET SIGN.
I'LL SEE TO IT THAT I TAKE CARE OF THAT AS WELL.
OUR CITY TREASURER, UM, IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF, UM, WEST COVENA BEAUTIFUL EVENTS, INCLUDING A CENTENNIAL DINNER EVENT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HEARD THIS EVENING.
[01:10:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.DID YOU HAVE ANY COUNCILWOMAN, UH, LOPEZ VIRO, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
THERE WAS ALSO, UM, IN REFERENCE TO PETER G REGARDING THE, UH, BEAUTIFICATION AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR TOP PRIORITY.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A GOOD CODE ENFORCEMENT AND ACTUALLY A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS EVEN HIT THAT THEY, WE GOT COMPLAINTS THAT THEY'RE OVERDOING IT.
BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE A APP THAT WE CAN PUT IN.
SO IF YOU DO NOTICE ANY NEIGHBORS OR ANYTHING, UM, YOU CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND REPORT THAT IN.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGER UP THERE, MYLAN.
UM, HE'S RIGHT THERE RAISING HIS HAND.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK TO HIM, UM, DURING THE MEETING.
HE, HE'LL WAIT FOR YOU THERE IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN REFERENCE TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.
BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO KEEP OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN, SAFE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE DO HAVE AN APP TO PUT TO REPORT ANY, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.
AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED LAWYER FROM LA I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT I SAID I WAS NOT A LAWYER.
YOU ARE NOT A LAWYER FROM LA OKAY.
I'M LIKE, OUR LAWYERS ARE NOT FROM LA EITHER PULL OUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST WANTED, BUT I, IN REFERENCE TO JUST CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK TO MYLAN UP THERE.
AND WHY AND SIX WEEKS AND OUR STAFF DIDN'T PICK UP THE SIGN.
SO, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK INTO IT AND SUPPOSED SUPPOSEDLY WE HAVE THE, UH, WEST COVIN APP.
SO IF THEY CALL THE CITY OR THEY PUT THE APP, SO THE THING SHOULD HAPPEN TIMELY MATTER.
SO CAN WE FIND OUT, OKAY, WHY IS THE ISSUE THE SO WE, THIS THING WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN? AND SECOND THING, I THINK IT'S TALK ABOUT STREET SCIENCE AND BEEN PUT IT BACK.
SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE, UH, OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER TO, TO GET SCHEDULED TIME TO PUT A, THE SIGN, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FROM PUBLIC WORK OR FROM OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER.
SO, SO I THINK WE NEED A SIGN BACK.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS THING HAPPEN.
WE ALWAYS HAVE, UH, STONE OR, UM, SOME ISSUE HAPPEN.
SO OUR ACCIDENT, THEY HIT THE STOP SIGN AND THE STOP SIGN LIKE LAYING THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
SO MAYBE WE CAN MAYBE ACT A LITTLE BIT FASTER AND CAN YOU FIND A WAY, UH, TO MAKE THIS THING OKAY.
AND FIND OUT WHY PEOPLE CALL AND OUR CITY STAFF AND DIDN'T REACT.
OR PLEASE USE THE WASTE COVID I APP OKAY.
IF THEY DIDN'T REACT AND LET US KNOW AND WE TRIED TO CORRECT IT AND TRY TO IMPROVE IT.
THANK YOU COUNSEL THROUGH THE CHAIR.
I, I, I'LL RESPOND TO THOSE ISSUES.
I'LL LOOK INTO THEM AND CORRECT THEM.
UM, I, I ACTUALLY WANTED TO, TO SPEAK ON, UM, WHAT WAS SAID TONIGHT.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LANGUAGE, UH, THAT WAS USED, UM, USED TO BE LAW, RIGHT? I WAS THINKING WE ARE, WE'RE A HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.
UH, FOR THOSE FIRST 40 YEARS, THAT LANGUAGE WAS USED BY HOAS, RACIAL COVENANTS, REAL ESTATE LOBBIES, UH, TO KEEP US FROM WEST COVINA, UH, WORK BY THE NAACP.
YOU LIKE THURGOOD MARSHALL, RIGHT? FOUGHT TO, TO HAVE THOSE THINGS REMOVED.
AND, AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK.
UH, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I, I WANTED TO BE ON A COUNCIL WAS TO, TO SEE HOW I COULD AFFECT LAW, RIGHT? I I, I MEAN I, I'VE UNDERSTOOD WORDS AND I'VE UNDERSTOOD THE INTERPERSONAL THAT THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
UM, BUT I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT HOW OUR RACIAL HISTORY IMPACTS WHICH STREETS GET PAVED, UM, WHAT SCHOOL FUNDING LOOKS LIKE, HOW WE APPROACH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND THO THOSE, THOSE HAVE BEEN KIND OF, THE THINGS HAVE BEEN HEAVY ON, ON ME.
I UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE, UH, THE LANGUAGE IS, IS PAINFUL.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOK OUT THERE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I, I WISH THERE WAS MORE THAT, THAT I COULD DO OR I COULD SAY FROM, FROM HERE, UM, BUT JUST AS, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF, OF WEST COVINA, UM, THAT SENTIMENT IS, IS NOT WHAT THE CITY'S ABOUT.
IT IS A SENTIMENT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE DOES NOT INFLUENCE OUR POLICIES, DOES NOT INFLUENCE OUR DECISION MAKING.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT EVEN THOSE THINGS THAT SOMETIMES WE SAY ARE COLORBLIND,
[01:15:02]
WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT HISTORY ISN'T CONTINUING THE DAMAGE OF THE PAST.AND SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, IT IS FRONT OF MIND AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE'VE TALKED FOR TWO YEARS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE, UH, ABOUT THIS CHAMBER TO MAKE IT A SAFE SPACE FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, UM, YOU'RE HEARD AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE HEARD.
AND I, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU.
UM, MAYOR PROTE, TABATA, MADAM MAYOR.
JUST, JUST WANTED TO, UH, REMARK, UH, BRIEFLY ABOUT THE USE OF HATE SPEECH BY READING FROM SUPREME COURT OPINIONS.
UM, I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS SOME THOUGHTS LATER, UH, AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE AGENDA.
BUT, UH, IF THOSE WORDS ARE INTENDED TO INCITE HATE, UH, WELL THEY'RE UTILIZED AS HATE SPEECH AS A FORM OF PROMOTING VIOLENCE OR OTHER TYPE OF AGITATION, THEN I FEEL, UH, THAT IT COULD BE CONSIDERED FIGHTING WORDS, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
I REALIZE THAT RE THERE'S FURTHER ANALYSIS THAT'S NEEDED, BUT THE MERE READING OF THE WORDS CAN'T BE TAKEN IN A VACUUM.
IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT IN CONTEXT AS TO WHY THEY'RE USED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE BROADER REMARKS.
AND SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IN FOR THE RECORD AND TO, TO ADD MY APPRECIATION, UH, TO, UH, PRESIDENT, UH, COOPER, UH, FROM THE NAACP FOR, FOR HER WORDS TODAY.
AND, AND, UH, REALLY APPRECIATIVE TO, UH, THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY NAACP AND ALL ITS MEMBERS AND ALL THOSE WATCHING FOR, FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT THAT, THAT EMBRACES, UH, THE KIND OF CONDUCT THAT, THAT CAN BRING US TOGETHER AS OPPOSED TO TEARING US APART.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ.
UM, AND I KNOW WHAT COUNCILMAN TABBA SAID ABOUT UNDERSTANDING, BUT UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, IT IS FRUSTRATED, UH, FRUSTRATING FOR US.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, WE DIDN'T LET THIS GO
UM, WE WENT TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, THERE'S ARTICLES ABOUT HERMAN, IF YOU'VE READ IT, LIKE WITH CITY OF LA, CITY OF DOWNEY.
UM, HE'S WAITING FOR THAT PUSH, ALMOST LIKE A TACTIC WHEN HE HAS HIS FIVE MINUTE RIGHT OF SPEECH TO GET EJECTED DURING THE SPEECH SO THAT HE CAN SUE.
AND IT HAS HAPPENED WITH, UM, OTHER CITIES.
AND SURPRISINGLY, HE HAS WON, UM, WITH THE CITY OF LA.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UNFOR WELL, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I KNOW HE HAD A POCKET KNIFE, SO IT, IT DIDN'T, IT WAS JUST, IT BROKE EVEN ON THAT ONE, UM, OTHER CITIES AS WELL.
SO THE RIGHT OF FIVE MINUTE SPEECH IS THAT ON OUR END, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT, I KNOW, UM, AS ONE OF THEM MENTIONED WHEN I WAS, UH, FORMER MAYOR, I HAD THE RIGHT TO TURN OFF THE MIC SO THAT THE PEOPLE WATCHING ON YOUTUBE OR LIVE, THEY DO NOT GET TO HEAR THE FOUL LANGUAGE BECAUSE HIS RIGHT IS TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL.
THAT'S WHY I KNOW OUR CURRENT MAYOR SAYS, SPEAK TO THE CURRENT COUNCIL.
HE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, NOW ON, ON THAT NOTE, I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED INTO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, WE WORKED WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY DO? WHAT, UM, THE AVENUES, WHAT ARE THERE? SO I, I BRING IT BACK TO YOU AS A RESIDENT.
AND ONE I GREATLY APPRECIATE WHEN PEOPLE COME UP AND THEY SPEAK ON THE OFFSET OF THINGS.
SO I KNOW HE SPEAKS THE HATE, BUT WE DID APPRECIATE, LIKE WITH THE LAST PASTOR, SPEAK ABOUT THE LOVE, UM, TO OFFSET.
SO WE DO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU KNOW WE CAN DO OR THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT WE DID NOT SEE OR CATCH, BY ALL MEANS, LET US KNOW.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO, THE RESIDENTS NEED TO GO UP TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND GO UP THERE, BY ALL MEANS DO SO.
UM, BUT OF COURSE WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME ACTION, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HERE, THE COUNCIL DOES NOT TOLERATE THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S FILTHY DISGUSTING, JUST ON MANY TERMS AND LEVELS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT WEST COVINA, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT THE CITY WE LIKE TO LIVE IN.
AND, AND WE JUST WANT TO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS WELL TO MAKE IT RIGHT, OR ANY POSSIBLE WAYS THAT OTHER AVENUES, BY ALL MEANS, LET US KNOW OR TAKE IT HIGH ABOVE THERE.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN WITH THAT.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE DO NOT CONDONE THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR.
BUT AS I MENTIONED, UM, BEFORE WE'VE, MANY PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED THAT, WHICH OUR HANDS ARE TIED.
[01:20:01]
AND, UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ANY DISRUPTIONS IN IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, HE WILL BE REMOVED.THAT IS DISRUPTIVE IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, I JUST WANNA, I WANNA THANK, UM, THE PRESIDENT FROM THE NAACP NAACP
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT YOUR WORDS WERE VERY POWERFUL AND, UM, I'VE HEARD, I HEARD 'EM ALL AND THEY WERE VERY TOUCHING AND, UM, UH, I JUST, I I'M, I'M SORRY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, WE, UM, WE'RE TRYING EVERY AVENUE WE CAN'T, WE CAN, UM, TO TRY TO AVOID THIS.
AND, UM, WE JUST HAVE THOSE FIVE MINUTES THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS.
AND, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO SO FAR.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
OH, MANAGER'S REPORT.I JUST HAVE A VERY BRIEF REPORT TONIGHT BEFORE WE GET TO YOUR, UM, AGENDAS BUSINESS.
FIRST I WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT WEST COVINA WAS IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK FOR BEING RANKED AS THE NUMBER THREE SAFEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY FOR CITIES WITH POPULATION OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
THEY USE SOME METRICS BASED ON COST OF CRIME, AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY EFFORTS.
GOT A VIDEO CLIP TO SHARE CITIES IN THE US WHEN YOU LOOK AT CITIES, FOR THE POPULATION OF MORE THAN 100,000, ONE OF THE TOP THREE IS RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
FOX WOMEN'S HELL EISNER LIVE IN WEST COVINA.
THEY GOTTA BE FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT BEING INCLUDED.
HOW, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PRETTY EXCITING TIME HERE IN WEST COVINA.
IT'S THEIR HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY AS A CITY.
AND THEN THEY GET THIS NOTATION IN FORBES MAGAZINE THAT THEY ARE THE THIRD SAFEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES FOR CITIES WITH A POPULATION OF JUST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
YOU'VE LIVED IN WEST COVIN OR YOUR WHOLE LIFE? MY WHOLE LIFE.
NO MATTER WHO WE TALKED WITH, THE ANSWERS WERE ALWAYS THE SAME.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WEST COVIN? UM, IT JUST FEELS GENERALLY SAFE.
YOU FEEL PRETTY GOOD AROUND HERE? YEAH.
YOU EVER WORRY ABOUT CRIME? NO.
I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT, UH, WEST COVINA COMES OUT SO HIGH ON THE LIST.
KEN PLUNKETT IS A CAPTAIN WITH THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT'S BEEN THEIR POLICING STRATEGY? WELL, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE USE A SERVICE AREA POLICING MODEL.
AND, UH, OUR OFFICERS ARE PROACTIVE, AND WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE HOPEFULLY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
TO SOME, IT'S THE SCHOOLS AND THE SHOPPING CENTERS THEY LOVE.
IT HAS GOOD SCHOOLS FOR RAISING CHILDREN.
THIS IS YOUR HUNDREDTH YEAR AS A CITY.
IT IS OUR HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY, YES.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROXANNE LERMA SAYS, WEST COVINA STARTED OFF AS AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY A CENTURY AGO, ORANGE GROVES AND WALNUT GROVES, AND IT TURNED INTO A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN SURVEYS LIKE THIS ARE RELEASED, MORE PEOPLE TEND TO MOVE INTO AN AREA BECAUSE IT'S PERCEIVED TO BE SAFE.
WEST COVINA HAS SEEN A POPULATION GROWTH SINCE THE 2020 CENSUS.
THE CITY IS NOT WITHOUT CRIME.
IT HAS ITS SHARE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CITY.
BUT IT'S CONSIDERED THE THIRD SAFEST CITY IN THE NATION BECAUSE AS MELODY KAS WITH MONEY GIG PUTS IT, IT HAS LESS, MORE SERIOUS CRIME THAN SERIOUS ONES.
WEST COVINA WAS NUMBER THREE ON OUR, UH, ANALYSIS FOR SAFE CITIES.
UM, AND THE REASON BEING IS THAT WEST COVINA IS VIOLENT.
CRIME RATE IS VASTLY BELOW WHAT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS.
KA SAYS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR VIOLENT CRIMES IS JUST OVER 500 VIOLENT CRIMES PER 100,000 RESIDENTS.
AND WEST COVINA IS AROUND LIKE 49, SO THAT'S VERY, VERY LOW.
ANOTHER INLAND EMPIRE CITY RANKING HIGH ON THE LIST IS RANCHO CUCAMONGA.
THAT'S WHY NORMA GUTIERREZ BATO LOVES HER TOWN.
HERE'S, HERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF INFORMATION FROM THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
LAST YEAR, THEY HAD FOUR MURDERS IN THIS COMMUNITY THIS YEAR, SO FAR, NONE.
WHAT'S THAT, ERIC? THERE'S AN ARTICLE ON THE FORBES MAGAZINE HAS THE FULL DETAILS ON THE WHOLE, UM, BREAKDOWN OF EVERYTHING.
[01:25:01]
ITEM TO REPORT, THE CITY WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICE ASSOCIATION FOR SOME EXCELLENCE IN ITS, UM, BUDGET PRESENTATION.WE RECEIVED A DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD.
IT'S REALLY A SHINING MOMENT FOR US AND ALL CREDIT TO OUR REALLY FINE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, OUR DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR, FOR SOME REALLY GREAT WORK GREENS FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, I'M CHRIS MOR, GF FO'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
IT IS MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR RECEIVING THE DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD.
THE PURPOSES OF THIS AWARD PROGRAM IS TO ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST GOVERNMENTS TO PREPARE COMPREHENSIVE AND UNDERSTANDABLE BUDGET DOCUMENTS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL BOTH PROVE TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST IN GOVERNMENT.
TO EARN THE DISTINGUISHED BY THE PRESENTATION AWARD.
YOU MET DEMANDING PROGRAM CRITERIA.
SUCH A RECORD REFLECTS A PROFESSIONALISM, COMMITMENT, AND DEDICATION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION'S LEADERS AND FINANCE TEAM.
WE HOPE THAT THIS AWARD WILL SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO STRIVE FOR THE SAME HIGH STANDARDS IN THEIR OWN BUDGET DOCUMENTS.
THEREFORE, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD.
WANTED TO MENTION IN RESPONSE TO AN INQUIRY ABOUT OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. WE'RE CURRENTLY PRACTICING CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT FOR INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, COUNCILMAN WOO FIRST MADE THE REQUEST TO PUT TOGETHER AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM A FEW YEARS AGO, AND ALL DEPARTMENTS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST INTERNS THROUGH, THROUGH THE HR.
PRIMARILY, OUR VOLUNTEER INTERNS ARE USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET HOURS FOR COLLEGE CREDITS.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING RIGHT NOW IN THIS LABOR MARKET IS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO TRANSITION TO A PAID MODEL, BUT I'LL ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE, TO THE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS.
WE HAD A REQUEST FOR SOME UPDATE ABOUT THE SPORTSPLEX AND ITS RENOVATIONS.
THE BALL FIELDS AT THE WEST COVINA SPORTSPLEX ARE CURRENTLY IN ARREST AND RENOVATION PERIOD, HAVE BEEN UP THERE THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WHILE THE BALL FIELDS ARE CLOSED FOR RESERVATIONS, THE THE SOCCER PAVILION IS STILL BEING UTILIZED FOR SOCCER AND IS AVAILABLE FOR LEAGUES AND CLASSES.
THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW CONSIST OF SPRINKLER REPAIRS, SEATING REPAIRS TO THE FACADE AND REPAINTING, LASER LEVELING OF THE FIELDS AND REPAIRS TO THE RESTAURANTS.
WE ANTICIPATE THE SPORTSPLEX WILL BE REOPENING AND IN USE, UM, NEXT MONTH IN MARCH.
WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF A COMMUNITY MEETING HAPPENING IN THESE CHAMBERS THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE NINTH AT 6:00 PM WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON COMPLYING WITH THE STATE LAW, SB 1 3 83, WHICH IS THE LAW, WHICH WILL TRIGGER THAT WE TREAT IN DIFFERENT WAYS OUR ORGANICS.
I THINK THE THINKING IS THAT THOSE WILL BE PLACED INTO THE GREEN WASTE BINS AND THEN, UM, SEPARATED AT THE MURF.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STATE LAW IS TO HELP PREVENT THE CREATION OF METHANE AT LANDFILLS.
THE COMMUNITY'S GONNA BE FACING SOME OPTIONS, AND WE WANT TO SHARE, UM, A COUPLE OF THOSE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THIS THURSDAY, AGAIN, UH, 6:00 PM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I HOPE YOU WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO COME OUT.
UM, AS PART OF OUR ONGOING, UH, BUDGET PROCESS, WE STILL HAVE UP OUR BUDGET SURVEY, AND WE ALSO HAVE UP A SURVEY ON NOW ONLINE, WHICH IS, UH, GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY OF WEST COVE'S, UH, HEALTH ASSESSMENT.
THE BUDGET SURVEY WILL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL FEBRUARY 23RD.
AND, UM, BOTH SURVEYS CAN BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE 16TH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND DINNER AT THE SPORTSPLEX, STARTING AT 6:00 PM TICKETS ARE $50 PER PERSON.
UH, THERE'S SOME SPONSORSHIP OF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE AND ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE WEST COVINA COMMUNITY SERVICES FOUNDATION.
AND LASTLY, I WANTED TO MEN MENTION OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT OTHER EVENTS PLANNED FOR THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.
WE'VE GOT, UM, SOME, SOME MUSIC LINED UP FOR THE FESTIVAL, WHICH IS FEBRUARY 17TH, UH, FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, THE 19TH TAKE PLACE ON SOUTH GLENORA AVENUE.
UH, WE'RE HOPING PEOPLE WILL JOIN US FOR CARNIVAL, FOR FOOD, FOR VENDORS, FOR ENTERTAINMENT, AND FOR FAMILY FUN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I KNOW IT'S THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY AND A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING, AND I JUST WANTED TO CHERISH THIS.
I JUST REMEMBERED IN 2018 WHEN I RAN, UM, THE CITY WAS GOING DOWN TOWARDS BANKRUPTCY AND I WAS EVEN TOLD, YOU'RE FOOLISH FOR RUNNING BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO
[01:30:01]
ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THE CITY.WELL, OBVIOUSLY HERE WE ARE FOUR YEARS LATER WITH A BIG IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BUDGET, FINANCE, SAFETY, AND JUST A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.
SO THAT IS, UH, TOP-DOWN LEADERSHIP.
AND, UH, SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CITY MANAGER, DAVE CARNEY, FOR LEADING THE CITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY IN, IN THE CITY OF WEST COA HAS DONE TO GET TO THIS LEVEL.
UM, I KNOW, UH, I'VE, I SHARED THAT THE SAFETY, UM, VIDEO AND OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS THIS NEGATIVE NAYSAYERS, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE'S ALWAYS, THERE'S NO 100% SAFE CITY.
WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION I RUN PROGRAMMING, UH, SPORTS AND EVERYTHING, THE BIGGER THE PROGRAM YOU ARE, YOU HAVE THE PROBLEMS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE.
I MEAN, IT'S DEFAULT WITH THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, BUT OVERALL, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WITH THE SAFETY.
THAT IS THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL, VOTING SOME THINGS.
WHEN THERE WAS THAT TIME OF DEFUNDING POLICE.
SO WE, LIKE, WE HAD A, UM, PROTEST ON BARRANCA BRIDGE FOR BLM AND DEFUND POLICE.
AND THE MOST IRONIC PART IS, I THINK I WAS MAYOR OR MAYOR PROIN BACK THEN.
THEY SENT ME AN EMAIL STATING, WE'RE GONNA DO B L M PROTESTS AND, UM, DEFUND POLICE, UM, MAKE SURE YOU SEND YOUR POLICE OFFICERS TO BARRICADE OUR PROTESTORS.
I WAS THINKING, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I MEAN, BUT I DIDN'T WANNA ARGUE BACK WITH THE EMAIL BECAUSE I JUST WANTED THAT ONE PROTEST.
BUT I MADE SURE WE TOLD OUR CITY, WE ARE NOT GONNA TOLERATE ANY RIOTING.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE ANY OF THAT.
AND WE WERE, WE WERE PROACTIVE.
WE BARRICADED, MADE SURE THE ENTRANCE OR IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAP HAPPEN, WE WERE ON IT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THE BUSINESSES AT THE EASTLAND PLAZA LOST BUSINESS THAT DAY BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BARRICADE THEIR WINDOWS.
SO THAT WAS ONE, UM, WE HAD, WE IMPROVED OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE AND FIRE IMPROVEMENT ON THAT.
AND THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE GRAFFITI, BROKEN WINDOWS, ALL THAT, IF YOU LEAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT BROKEN WINDOW THEORY, UH, OCCURS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE CATA CATALYTIC CONVERTER ETCHING.
SOME PEOPLE SAID, WELL, THAT'S STUPID.
BUT GUESS WHAT, WHEN THEY RECOVERED, IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO GIVE IT BACK.
AND YOU, YOU RETAIN, YOU GET TO HAVE THAT PORTION THAT YOU LOST.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAD THE INTENSE TRAINING WITH PD, UM, FOR ACTIVE SHOOTER.
AND THE BIGGEST FACTOR WAS ALSO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FLOCK CAMERA.
UH, THAT ACTUALLY ANY MURDERS OR ANY INCIDENT WAS QUICKLY RESOLVED.
SO PEOPLE OUTSIDE ARE AWARE OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND LEAST BEING PROACTIVE IN EVERYTHING IS, UM, A MAJOR FACTOR.
ALSO, WHY SOME PEOPLE BE LIKE, OKAY, SKIP THIS CITY CUZ YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU HAVE EYES AND EARS.
SO I, ONE, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I KNOW, UM, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND, YOU KNOW, KEEPING SAFE, BEAUTIFUL, AND EVERYTHING.
SO, YOU KNOW, PROMISES WERE KEPT, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, I, OBVIOUSLY, I CAN'T DO IT ON MY OWN.
I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ASSISTANT WITH THE COUNCIL AND, UM, THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY.
SO I DO THINK, AGAIN, THE CITY MANAGER, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND EVERYBODY LEAVING, UM, UH, EVERYBODY DOING THEIR PART IN EACH DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THAT MAKES US ONE.
AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL NEWS TO SEE ALL THIS.
UH, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER, JUST A, A FEW QUICK, UH, QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SPORTS PLEX.
I REALIZE WE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE FOR MARCH, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OPEN, THAT MEANS OPEN DURING THE DAY SO THAT WAY PEOPLE, PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE, OF THE FACILITIES.
I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THAT, JUST THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF I MAY.
UM, MAYOR, I'M GONNA ASK OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LAMA, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY, PLEASE.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, YES, IT WOULD BE OPEN DURING THE DAY.
THERE WILL BE SPECIFIED HOURS BECAUSE THERE ARE OPERATING HOURS FOR THE FACILITY.
UM, I, AREAS THAT WOULD BE OPEN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR BATING CAGES MAKING THOSE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE.
UM, THE BALL FIELDS ARE RENTAL SPACES.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CLASSES THAT DO TAKE PLACE IN AREAS SUCH AS THE SOCCER PAVILION.
UM, BUT YEAH, ONCE, ONCE WE DO REOPEN IT, WE WILL MAKE SPACES AVAILABLE FOR RESERVATION.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE BATING CAGES FOR PUBLIC, FOR PUBLIC USE.
THANK YOU, MADAM ASSISTANT AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
AND SO WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN THAT WILL MEAN THAT, THAT PEOPLE WHO JUST DECIDED TO A PICKUP GAME, THEY COULD JUST GO TO SOMEONE ON STAFF WHO WILL BE THERE DURING OPERATING HOURS.
THERE WILL BE SOMEONE DURING OPERATING HOURS, THEY CAN GO THROUGH, GO TO SOMEONE ON STAFF.
THEY WILL HAVE TO SIGN A WAIVER, JUST LIKE WITH ANY OF OUR RECREATION CLASSES OR PROGRAMS, UM, THAT COME IN, THAT ANYONE PARTICIPATES IN.
UM, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A DEFINITION OF WHAT IS OKAY, A REGULAR PICKUP GAME,
[01:35:01]
YOU KNOW, PEOP YOU KNOW, A FEW PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO COMING AND PARTICIPATING AS OPPOSED TO LIKE AN ORGANIZED LEAGUE.THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND WE, OUR GOAL REALLY IS TO ADDRESS THAT THROUGH A PARK USE POLICY, WHICH DOES NOT CURRENTLY EXIST.
SO BY THE TIME THE SPORTSPLEX OPENS, THERE WILL BE A PARK USE POLICY, AND THEN THERE WILL BE BROAD-BASED, UH, COMMUNICATIONS TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THE PARAMETERS AS WELL AS THE, UH, HOW PEOPLE CAN MAKE USE OF THE, OF THE FACILITIES.
WELL, THE PARK USE POLICY WILL HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL FIRST FOR APPROVAL.
UM, HOW THE TIMING WILL COINCIDE, YOU KNOW, FIRST WE'LL OPEN THE SPACE, WE'LL TAKE RESERVATIONS, WE'LL ALSO ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN, UM, TO FILL OUT WAIVERS AND TO UTILIZE THE SPACES.
UM, BUT THERE WILL BE A DISTINCTION MADE ONCE THAT PARK POLICY IS APPROVED AS TO WHAT CONSTITUTES A LEAGUE OR ORGANIZED PLAY VERSUS WHAT CONSTITUTES INDIVIDUALS COMING, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY COMING IN AND WANTING TO ENJOY THE PREMISES.
SO THAT WILL COME AND ONCE THAT POLICY IS APPROVED, IT WILL BE ENFORCED.
AND SO IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THAT, UH, WILL THERE BE A, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE ITS VIEW SO THAT WAY WE, UH, THEY CAN HEAR, WE CAN HEAR A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE.
SO AS THAT POLICY IS PUT TOGETHER, WE CAN, THAT'S A, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY, UM, PART OF WHAT MAKES FOR GOOD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, BUT JUST RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE APPROVAL PROCESSES THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE JUST AS A FORM OF BEST PRACTICE.
UM, IT'S PRUDENT TO HAVE YOUR COMMUNITY AND SENIOR SERVICES COMMISSION TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR POLICY.
IT'S ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE YOUR, YOUR SPORTS COUNCIL TAKE A LOOK AT THE POLICY BEFORE, JUST AGAIN, FOR FEEDBACK BEFORE IT'S VETTED.
BOTH OF THOSE, OF COURSE, WOULD BE PUBLIC MEETINGS IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SEPARATE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, THAT'S CERTAINLY UP TO THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION AND, AND WE CAN MOVE THAT DIRECTION IF THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL CHOOSES.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THEN FOR, FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO, TO GO TO THE COMMISSION MEETING WHEN THAT IS, WHEN THAT IS AGENDAS, AND THEN CORRECT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THERE.
AND ALSO FOR THROUGH THE SPORTS COUNCIL, PEOPLE MAY EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS THERE AS WELL.
THERE IS A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY DURING THE COMMISSION MEETINGS.
ALL OF OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS COUNCIL MEETINGS ANYWAY, IN ADDITION TO THE, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MEETINGS.
MAGNIFICENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND MR. CITY MANAGER, THE OTHER QUESTION IS ON A DIFFERENT MATTER WITH REGARD TO THE ATHENS EVENT THIS THURSDAY.
UM, WILL THE, WILL THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE WITH YOU, UM, UM, AT THAT MEETING THIS THURSDAY AT SIX, ALSO BE WILLING TO ANSWER GENERAL RESIDENT QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT ATHENS.
I'VE ALREADY, UH, EMAILED THEM TO, TO LET ATHENS KNOW THAT, THAT RESIDENTS DO HAVE QUESTIONS ON ANOTHER NUMBER OF MATTERS.
SO CAN YOU PLEASE RELAY WORD TO ATHENS THAT THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER RESIDENT QUESTIONS BEYOND THE, THE STATED TOPIC OF, OF THAT DAY'S, UM, THAT EVENING'S MEETING, PLEASE.
AND THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE WOULD WELCOME THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THEIR TOP EXECUTIVE, UH, IN ATTENDANCE AND, AND, UM, SURE WE WOULD BE OPEN TO ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS AND, AND QUESTIONS.
NO MORE FURTHER QUESTIONS, MADAM MAYOR.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, THE CONSENT CALENDAR.DOES ANYONE WANNA PULL ANYTHING FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? MADAM MAYOR? UH, NUMBER THREE, PLEASE.
COUNCILMAN, I MEAN, MAYOR APPROACH.
WHAT THE EXCEPTION OF THREE AND TWO.
DO WE HAVE A MOVE TO, UM, TO APPROVE? YOU HAVE A MOTION.
I HAVE A MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER CANTOS AND A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ PIDO TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER TWO, CONSIDERATION OF 2023 CITY COUNCIL GOALS.
AND ITEM NUMBER THREE, CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION TWO DASH 4 0 2 OF ARTICLE EIGHT OF CHAPTER TWO OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS.
[2) CONSIDERATION OF 2023 CITY COUNCIL GOALS City Council consideration and approval of the 2023 City Council Goals: 1) Protect Public Safety, 2) Address Homeless Issues, 3) Enhance City Image and Effectiveness, 4) Maintain Good Intergovernmental Relations, 5) Achieve Fiscal Sustainability and Financial Stability, 6) A Well-Planned Community, 7) Expand Economic Development Opportunities, 8) An Accessible Community, and 9) A Creative and Active Community]
COUNCILMAN? I MEAN, MAYOR PROTE.TABATA, UH, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
[01:40:01]
HERE AT THE, THE TOWN HALL, UH, THAT WE HAD, UH, REGARDING THE GOALS, UH, WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED.I THINK ONE OF THE BEST ATTENDED WE'VE HAD SINCE WE'VE COME BACK, UH, FROM COVID AND A LOT OF GREAT INTERACTIONS.
SO THERE, THERE WERE A FEW ITEMS ON OUR, ON OUR GOALS THAT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, TO TOUCH ON AND, AND MAYBE TO, TO PUT SOME, SOME FOCUS SO WE CAN HAVE, UH, UH, SOME ACTION THIS YEAR.
UH, SO ON, ON GOAL ONE, UH, PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, ONE ACTION, UH, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE IT SAYS, MONITOR, MANAGE, AND AS APPROPRIATE, REDUCE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERTIME EXPENDITURES.
I, I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DISCUSSED FOREVER.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT WE GET A, A PRESENTATION, UH, FROM OUR FIRE CHIEF ON, ON HOW HE'S GONNA APPROACH TO DO THAT.
UH, I, I KNOW WE'VE, WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
UM, BUT IT, IT WOULD BE, UH, I THINK IT'S NECESSARY THAT THE COMMUNITY SEES WHAT MODEL, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE USING TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND, UH, RE REDUCE THE OVERTIME EXPENDITURES.
UH, ON, ON THE OTHER ITEM, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS A BIG TALKING POINT AT THE TOWN HALL, UM, IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'RE NOW, UH, MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN.
AND, AND ON THE BULLET IT SAYS, WITH DUE REGARD TO GENERAL FUND FISCAL IMPACTS.
AND SO, IF, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE COULD HAVE A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF WHAT, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO HAVE A, A FULLY, UH, FUNCTIONAL, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THERE'S A, A PIECEMEAL APPROACH THAT WE WERE, WE WERE HOPING THE, THE STATE WOULD APPROVE.
UM, BUT I, I THINK IT, IT'S NECESSARY THAT WE GET A FULL PICTURE IF WE WERE TO HAVE TO RUN THE ENTIRE, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW THE CITY OF SAN DIMA, UH, DID IT.
UH, AND SO GOING ON YEAR THREE, I, I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT.
UH, THE OTHER ONE ON THIS ITEM IS ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
UH, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, BEST PRACTICES ON THE POLICIES ON, ON HOW TO, TO USE THOSE AND ALSO WHAT, WHAT CAN BECOME PUBLIC AND, AND, AND NOT.
AND SO IF WE COULD GET A PRESENTATION, UH, FROM, UH, THE, THE, THE CHIEF OR, OR THE, THE CAPTAINS ON THE, THE POLICY, UH, FOR THE BODY-WORN CAMERAS AND, AND HOW OUR PD WILL USE IT.
AND, UH, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT BECOMES PUBLIC, WHAT GETS HELD BACK, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, ITEM THREE FOR ADDRESS HOMELESS ISSUES.
UH, AGAIN, AT THE TOWN HALL, UH, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF, UH, PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND BED CAPACITY.
SO IF WE COULD GET A, A PRESENTATION THAT IDENTIFIES AREAS FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, UH, AND TO INCREASE OUR BED CAPACITY SO THAT WAY WE COULD, UH, GO AHEAD AND, UM, AND FOLLOW, UH, BOISE V MARTIN, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE OLYMPICS, NOT TOO FAR AWAY.
UH, THE OTHER THING, UH, IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE RIGHT NOW IS SB FOUR, WHICH IS ABOUT, UH, ALLOWING, UH, A STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR HOUSING TO BE BUILT ON RELIGIOUS, UH, LAND.
AND SO IF WE COULD, UH, IDENTIFY, UH, HOW MANY POSSIBLE PROPERTIES, I, I THINK IT MIGHT BE PART OF OUR HOUSING ELEMENT ALREADY.
SO IF WE, WE COULD HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THAT FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, SO I, I DEFINITELY WANNA FOCUS THERE.
UH, LAST, LAST TWO, UH, FOR NUMBER EIGHT, UH, ENHANCE CITY IMAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS.
AGAIN, UH, OUR WEBSITE,
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES Y WE, WE, OUR STAFF IS BUSY.
OUR STAFF WORKS REALLY HARD, UH, AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TAKE OFF OF THEIR SHOULDERS, UH, SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A REALLY EFFECTIVE, UH, WEBSITE.
UH, AND, AND THE LAST ONE, UH, ITEM NINE, UH, AN ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY.
UH, I THINK ONE THING THAT, UH, HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO, TO ME, HAS BEEN LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY.
UH, AND SO THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE, I'VE REQUESTED IN THE PAST.
SO IF, IF WE COULD, UH, GET A COSTING, UH, OF, UH, WHAT IT WOULD BE
[01:45:01]
FOR US AS A CITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUT, UH, MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS AND, AND MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.AND, AND SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AT.
THANK YOU MAYOR, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN COUNSELS.
UM, AS, AS A RE SUPPLEMENTARY REQUEST, RE RELATING TO THE HOMELESSNESS MATTER, UM, THERE IS A CONCEPT CALLED HOUSING FIRST, WHICH ENTAILS PUTTING, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS INTO SHELTER, UH, INTO, UH, HOUSING, INCLUDING PERMANENT HOUSING, BUT WITHOUT NECESSARILY HAVING ANY CONDITION, ANY CONDITIONS UP FRONT.
IF THERE ARE ANY EFFORTS TO PUT TOGETHER PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THE STAFF LOOK FOR, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT INCLUDE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES, SO THAT WAY PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS CAN, CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS THEY WORK ON RECOVERY AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAN HELP THEM TO, TO, UM, UM, MOVE THEIR WAY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS BY, BY ADDING THAT PRINCIPLE INTO, UH, ANY HOUSING APPROACH THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE IN.
UH, MAYOR, UH, JUST QUICK QUESTION.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE GOAL FOR THE COUNCIL, TRY TO DO IN 2023.
AND, UH, I THINK, OKAY, MALE PROTEIN
SO MY QUESTION OVER HERE, SINCE HE HAS A LIST OF LAUNDRY, OKAY.
ABOUT HE WANT, BUT DOES SL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE THREE VOTE? OKAY.
SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHERE HE SAYS, HAVE SOME GOOD POINT? SO, OKAY.
IS THAT WHAT HE SAY? DO WE NEED A VOTE ON HIS THING, OR SHOULD WE JUST THIS A GENERAL IDEA? OKAY.
AND THEN WE GO THROUGH WHAT THIS, OKAY.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO, OKAY, THEN WE ITEMIZE, OKAY, ONE BY ONE.
AND THEN IN THE NEXT MEETING, WE SEE HOW WE WANT TO DO, HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THING IS A LOT OF STAFF TIME, AND MAYBE WE WANT TO SPEND YOU GUYS TIME, OR WE DISAGREE TO USE LEAD TIME.
IT DEPENDS ON WHY CITY COUNCIL TO DECIDE.
SO WHAT WE APPROACH ON EACH INDIVIDUAL.
I MIGHT HAVE A, A LIST OF LAUNDRY TOO.
SO, BUT, BUT END UP, BUT WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF THING, BUT MAYBE YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE.
SO SHOULD WE, HOW DO WE APPROACH, APPROACH THAT THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IF I MAY SUGGEST, JUST TO GIVE CONTEXT OF THE, THE RELATIONSHIP OF THIS PART TO THE WHOLE TERMS OF OUR BUDGET CALENDAR, WE'RE NOW UNDERWAY WITH PREPARATION OF THE BUDGET THAT YOU'LL BE CONSIDERING FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS SETS THE STAGE FOR THAT.
AND NONE OF THESE HAVE PRICE TAGS IDENTIFIED WITH THEM, BUT THEY ALL COME AT A COST, TAKE ONE THAT I THINK EVERYBODY'S UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTED OF, WHICH IS THE, UM, BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
IT'S MOVED NOW FROM BEING A GOOD IDEA TO BECOME AN ESSENTIAL IDEA, BUT IT'S GOING TO ACCEPTING FOR THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS, HAVE AN ONGOING COST IMPLICATION OF, I DON'T KNOW, QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
BUT UNTIL WE GO THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS AND UNTIL A VENDOR IS RECOMMENDED, AND UNTIL THE COUNCIL APPROVES A CONTRACT, UM, WE WON'T KNOW PRECISELY WHAT THAT COST IS.
SO YOUR CONTROL DOCUMENT COUNSEL WILL BE THE BUDGET ITSELF.
UM, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY GENERAL SUPPORT ON THE COUNCIL FOR UPPING THE QUOTIENT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC INPUT AND TRANSPARENCY AND WANTING TO HEAR FROM THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT THESE IDEAS.
BUT I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD BECOME REALITY UNTIL THEY BECOME LINE ITEMS IN A BUDGET.
SO BASICALLY TONIGHT WE JUST APPROVE A GENERAL IDEA REGARDING BICYCLE SET SETTING.
SO WE CAN MOVE IN MORE IN DETAIL LATER ON.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER THE, THE, THE ONE ABOUT THE HOUSING, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST BOLDEST SCHOOLS THERE IS, WE SAID WE'RE GONNA TRY AND CUT IT IN HALF IN THE COMING YEAR.
WE SAID WE'RE GONNA TRY AND TAKE THE SINGLE DAY HOMELESS COUNT FROM WHATEVER IT IS NOW, 116 TO 50.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT JUST SOME LITTLE 10% GOAL.
AND IF, IF THERE'S RETICENCE ON, ON AMONG THE COUNCIL ABOUT ANY OF THESE GOALS IN ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR YOU TO TELL US.
NOW, ARE THERE ANYTHING ON HERE YOU DON'T WANT US TO BE WORKING ON? THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE ASKING TO DECIDE ABOUT ALL OF THEM TONIGHT.
NO, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE.
WELL, I, I THINK THROUGH THE CHAIR, THE, THE MAIN THING YOU'RE DECIDING TONIGHT IS OF THESE NINE GOAL CATEGORIES, ARE THESE YOUR PRIORITIES? MM-HMM.
UH, ARE YOU UP FOR MAINTAINING GOOD INTER INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS? DO YOU, DO YOU WANT TO ENHANCE THE CITY IMAGE? AND IF I MAY, BECAUSE WE DID A PRETTY EXTENSIVE TOWN HALL TYPE MEETING, THESE REFLECT THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT MEETING AND DID THE BUDGET SURVEYS, THEIR PRIORITIES.
SO THESE AREN'T THE ONES THAT, IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE PRESENTED TO THEM, BUT THEY, THEY'RE COMING BACK TO YOU IN THE PUBLIC'S ORDER.
[01:50:01]
BUT IF, IF YOU'RE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH, YOU KNOW, ANY ONE OF THESE ACHIEVE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY OR ADDRESSING HOMELESS ISSUES OR WHATEVER, I, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR YOU TO TELL US NOW, UH, BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THE BUDGET FIELD, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.SO, UH, LAST, LAST TIME WHEN WE, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, SET OUR GOALS, UM, WE, WE DID SOMETHING SIMILAR, BUT THEN WE DID NOT PUT IT ON CONSENT.
WE, WE ACTUALLY DID GO THROUGH, WE WENT THROUGH, SO WHAT YOU DID AT THE TOWN HALL, YOU DID AT THE TOWN HALL, AND THEN YOU PRESENTED TO US, AND THEN WE WENT THROUGH, AND THEN, UH, I KNOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, LOPEZ VITO, UH, HAD MENTIONED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED SOME, LIKE, SMART GOALS, RIGHT? WE NEED SOME SPECIFIC MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, RIGHT? UH, TIMELY.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT IT WAS ON CONSENT.
UH, AND SO, UH, THIS IS WHY, AND, AND I'D GOTTEN SOME EMAILS FROM RESIDENTS WHO, WHO SAID, HEY, CAN WE GET SOME, SOME SPECIFIC MEASURABLE THINGS, UH, TO THESE GOALS, RIGHT? SO, UH, ONE THING IF, IF, AND I SAW YOU WRITING NOTES, UH, I, I DID NOT, UH, OBVIOUSLY DELETE ANY GOALS, RIGHT? I JUST ADDED SOME SPECIFICITY TO SOME OF THE GOALS, RIGHT? AND I DID, YOU KNOW, I ADDED ABOUT THE, THE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY, UH, THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, UH, WHICH I, I THOUGHT COUNT COUNCILMAN CONTOS, UH, ALSO MADE, UH, SOME GREAT POINTS.
SO I'LL JUST TAG ALONG WITH HIS AND, UH, THE, THE WEBMASTER, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH WAS JUST IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU ALREADY HAD THERE.
SO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS LAST YEAR, UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS HAD THAT LAST YEAR THAT THEY ALSO SAW IT THIS YEAR.
UH, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HEARD, UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS ADD SOME CONTEXT TO IT.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING STAFF MEET ALL THESE GOALS, OKAY? BUT THERE, THERE ISN'T ANY LIKE, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO I GUESS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WANTED TO GIVE SOME, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE GONNA ACQUIRE BODY-WORN CAMERAS AND IT'S GONNA COME IN FRONT OF US TO APPROVE, THEN I'M LETTING YOU KNOW THAT A PRESENTATION ON THE POLICY IS, IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO GONNA BE NECESSARY, RIGHT? UH, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTINUING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND ON THE FIRST BULLET SAYS, WOULD DO REGARD TO GENERAL FUND FISCAL IMPACTS, THEN AS A SMART, RIGHT, A SPECIFIC MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, RIGHT? RELATIVE TIMELY GOAL, THEN A FISCAL COST, RIGHT? SO THAT WAY, THESE GOALS, WHEN WE, WE LOOK AT, OKAY, WELL WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE HERE ON THE DIAS FOR THE PUBLIC? WHILE THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THE PUBLIC SHOULD EXPECT THIS YEAR THAT WE WILL SEE WITH THESE GOALS.
NOW, UM, WHETHER WE, WE VOTE THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WHAT WE WANNA SEE, AT LEAST I AM, I'M SHARING WITH STAFF, A STAFF, THESE ARE SOME IDEAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE THROUGH THE CHAIR.
IF I MAY, THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL, AND I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION.
MY, MY INTENTION THAT BY THE TIME WE FINISH WITH THE BUDGET AND GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU WILL CONSIDER IT TO BE THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET.
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT POLICY OF DOCUMENT YOU'RE GONNA ADOPT FOR THE OPERATION OF THE CITY FOR THE COMING YEAR.
NOT TO PICK ON COUNCIL MEMBER LOPEZ VITO, BUT I REMEMBER LAST YEAR, SHE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AT ONE OF THESE MEETINGS AND SHE SAID, GET MORE GRANTS.
AND, AND SO WE REALLY EMPHASIZED THAT WE WORKED HARD TO GET THE, THE FEDERAL GRANT FOR AZUSA AND THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY GRANTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE YIELDED SOME SUCCESS REGUL RESULTING OF HER BIG REQUEST AT ONE OF THESE MEETINGS.
AND I THINK I'VE GOT A SENSE OF THE COUNCIL HERE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT BACK FOR A DISCUSSION, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT IF, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE IT BACK ON YOUR AGENDA AGAIN.
BUT I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING AND I HOPE YOU CAN COLLECTIVELY, UM, AGREE ON THESE.
UM, WHILE THE WAY I SEE THIS IS IT'S A GOAL, AND, AND, UM, ONCE WE REACH CERTAIN ITEMS THAT WE WANNA PUT ON THE AGENDA, THEN AT THAT POINT IS WHEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND, UM, AND I'M SURE OUR STAFF WILL WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THE MAYOR PROTE HAS REQUESTED.
SO I WOULD SAY, UM, THAT THIS IS A GENERAL GUIDELINE OR A GENERAL, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, GOAL THAT WE'RE SEEKING.
SO, WANNA MOVE IT? WANNA MAKE A MOTION? MADAM MAYOR, MOVE TO APPROVE.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS AND A SECOND BY MAYOR
[01:55:01]
PROTE DIAZ TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TWO, CITY MAYOR PRO BYEBYE.WHAT? PARDON ME? HAVE IT, HAVE IT, HAVE IT.
BUT ON MY VOTE SHEET, I SAID, TOVA
[3) CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 2-402 OF ARTICLE VIII OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS It is recommended that the City Council: 1. Introduce the following ordinance: ORDINANCE NO. 2513 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTION 2-402 OF ARTICLE VIII OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS 2. Find that the ordinance is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exception).]
WE HAD ITEM NUMBER THREE, POOLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION TWO DASH 4 0 2 OF ARTICLE EIGHT OF CHAPTER TWO OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS.UM, UM, COUNCILMAN CANTOS? GO AHEAD.
UH, I, I WANTED TO, TO SAY I REALLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THE INTENTION BEHIND THIS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT, WHAT, UH, FELLOW CANDIDATES AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGH WITH, WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED, UH, CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF, OF, UM, WHAT, UH, MY, UH, COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THINGS IN A WAY THAT WILL PASS LEGAL MUSTER.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO, TO, UH, ASK THAT THIS MATTER BE, UH, REFERRED, UH, TO CONSIDER THE, THE TWO POSSIBLE CHANGES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE SPEAKERS EARLIER.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT IT SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE DONE, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF, IF THE, IF THE WORD, UH, A CANDIDATES CAN BE ADDED TO THE WORD, UM, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE WORD COMMITTEE WITHIN THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE, IF THE, IF THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN, CAN, UM, DO THAT, UH, OR, OR, OR LOOK INTO THAT, UH, AND, AND, AND PUT THAT IN.
UH, JUST IN ORDER TO, UM, TO CLARIFY, UH, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT US TO BE IN A SITUATION LATER WHERE THERE'S LITIGATION WHERE WE COULD LOSE.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT ANYONE CAN SUE US FOR ANYTHING, BUT IT'S ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, I, I, I DO THINK OF FREE SPEECH GROUNDS AND I, AND I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO DOES, DOESN'T END UP FAILING TO PASS CONSTITUTIONAL MUSTER AT THE SAME TIME.
AND THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, I ASKED A LOT OF EXTENSIVE QUESTIONS BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE FACT THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE FURTHER AMENDMENT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS PROPERLY BECAUSE I, I JOINED WITH, WITH THOSE WHO HAVE ASKED FOR, FOR THIS, FOR THIS, UH, ORDINANCE CHANGE, UM, WITH THE SENTIMENTS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, I, I'D LIKE TO, TO MOVE THAT WE, THAT WE ADD THAT WORD, UM, OR, OR AT LEAST, NO, ACTUALLY I'LL, I'LL CHANGE THAT.
THAT WE REFERRED BACK TO, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY, OR IF THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS, UH, ANY, ANY THOUGHTS REMARK? MADAM MAYOR, IF I, IF I MAY.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE WE'RE NOT BRINGING THIS BACK AS WE NEEDED TO AMENDED IT.
WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK CAUSE WE HAD THE INADVERTENTLY ATTACHED THE WRONG DOCUMENT.
SO, BUT WITH THAT SAID, UH, MAYOR PROAM AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROTOS BOTH BROUGHT UP AND, AND, UH, JIM AND JERRY BROUGHT OFF, UM, GOOD, UH, REVISIONS, REASONABLE REVISIONS TO, FOR CLARIFICATION, I WOULD NOT SUGGEST ADDING, AND WE'RE AT FIRST READING, SO WE CAN MAKE THESE CHANGES RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW AND BRING BACK SECOND READING FOR YOU.
I WOULD NOT, UM, USE THE WORD CANDIDATE.
CANDIDATE IS NOT, UH, DEFINED ANYWHERE IN THE, IN THE, UH, POLITICAL REFORM ACT.
THE P R THE WORD CONTROLLED WOULD GO WELL THERE.
IT WOULD BE MORE CLARIFYING BECAUSE IT IS DEFINED IN THE POLITICAL REFORM ACT.
AND, AND WE REFER TO IT IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, WHEN, FOR DEFINITIONS, MAYBE THE BEST REVISION WOULD BE AT THE VERY END END.
AND THIS WOULD BE THE CATCHALL AND IT WOULD ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS AND THE CITIZEN'S CONCERNS.
IF WE, IF WE ADD SOME LANGUAGE, IT SAYS THAT THE CONTR CONTRIBUTION LIMITS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO END EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES, PERIOD.
AND THAT WOULD ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN, CUZ IT'LL BE VERY CLEAR THAT IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO INDEPENDENT EXPEND COMMITTEES.
WE CAN, YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION AND APPROVE IT WITH THAT AT THE VERY END, WHICH I SUGGEST.
AND THEN BRING IT BACK FOR SECOND READING.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED, I THINK THIS IS THE SECOND READING.
IT'S NOT THE FIRST READING, BECAUSE THE FIRST READING WAS LAST YEAR WHEN THE MAYOR DARIA CAST NOW, RIGHT? SO HERE, SO PROCEDURALLY, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.
WE GAVE FIRST READING, BROUGHT IT BACK FOR SECOND READING, ATTACHED THE WRONG DOCUMENT ON SECOND READING.
AND THE ONLY THE DRAFT THAT WE ATTACHED WAS NOT THE FINAL DOCUMENT.
WE BRING IN THIS BACK BECAUSE THE ONLY CHANGE TO THAT DRAFT LAST TIME IS IN THIS SECTION FOR, SO THIS IS A SECOND READING OR THE, IT'S, SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S AN AMENDMENT TO AN ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S FIRST READING OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE, ALEX.
SO THIS IS AMENDMENT OF FIRST? YEAH, WE DIDN'T HAVE, WE COULD, WE COULD HAVE DONE IT IN ONE OF TWO.
WE COULD HAVE REPEALED IT AND BROUGHT IT ALL BACK, BUT THERE WAS JUST THIS ONE.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN NEXT? YES.
AND SO THIS IS FIRST READING, AND THAT DOES
[02:00:01]
CLARIFIED.IT ADDRESSES THE, UH, MAYOR PERENT BROUGHT UP A CASE, UH, TO MY ATTENTION.
IT'S A DC CASE AND A DISTRICT COURT.
IT'S NOT BINDING ON US OUT HERE, BUT IT IS PERSUASIVE.
AND, AND WITH THAT LANGUAGE, AT THE END OF THAT PROVISION, UM, WOULD ADDRESS ANY OF THE CONCERNS.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE A SECOND READING APPROVED LAST TIME, BUT DUE TO THE LANGUAGE ISSUE, SO WE HAVE TO AMENDED.
SO THIS AMENDED WILL BE THE FIRST READING.
SO IF THAT, IF, IF, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, COUNCILMAN, I'M PROTE GO AHEAD.
SO WITH, WITH THAT ADDED LANGUAGE AT THE END, UM, IS, IS THERE, IF THERE ISN'T, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE DON'T JUST SORT OF DRAFT IT RIGHT HERE.
IS IS, IS IT OKAY IF WE WERE TO MOVE TO, TO AMEND IT NOW AND THEN LATER FOR YOU TO PRODUCE A REPORT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD DESCRIBE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ADDED LANGUAGE? ABSOLUTELY.
I, THAT'S MY, UM, SUGGESTION FOR THE LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY THE INTENT.
UM, AND I COULD PROVIDE A MEMO TO YOU BEFORE SECOND READING, UM, TO CONFIRM THAT.
SO IN, IN THAT, IN THAT CASE, IN LIGHT OF THAT RECOMMENDATION, I MOVE TO APPROVE, I BELIEVE MAYOR PROTE, UH, YEAH.
TO, JUST TO BE CLEAR BEFORE I, I, I SECOND.
UH, SO JUST, JUST FOR, UH, PUBLIC RECORD AS WELL.
SO, SO THE CASE WAS, UH, SPEECH NOW.ORG VERSUS FSE.
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, UH, BECAUSE IN THE FINDING THERE WAS THAT OUT OUTSIDE GROUPS COULD ACCEPT UNLIMITED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BOTH INDIVIDUAL DONORS AND CORPORATIONS, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T GIVE DIRECTLY TO CANDIDATES.
SO WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UM, WOULD THEN ADDRESS, UH, THIS CASE.
SO THEN, YEAH, IT, IT, AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT BINDING ON US AND IT DOES ADDRESS IT.
SO, SO THE STATE DEFINES, UM, COMMITTEES.
THERE'S PACS, THERE'S SUPER PACS, BUT THE COMMITTEES, SO THERE'S CONTROLLED, THERE'S SPONSORED, THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES, UH, GENERAL COM, THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMITTEES THAT ARE AT THE BEHEST OF THE CANDIDATE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ADDRESSING HERE.
AND SO THAT LANGUAGE AT THE END, THAT CATCHALL LANGUAGE AT THE END IS MAKES IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES.
SO, SO WE CAN'T, ANYWAY, WE CAN'T, ANYWAY, AND WE ALSO ALREADY HAVE PREEXISTING IN OUR ORDINANCE, A SECTION, UH, THAT DEALS WITH INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES, RIGHT? SO, SO THIS, THIS, THIS, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE APPROVING GOES TO ANY, ANY COMMITTEE THAT THAT, THAT WORKS WITH A CANDIDATE OR A CANDIDATE HAS INPUT INTO.
SO IF, IF A CANDIDATE HAS NO INPUT IN THE COMMITTEE, THEN IT, IT, THE CONTRIBUTION LIMIT DOES NOT APPLY.
CORRECT? IF IT'S AN INDEPENDENT AND, AND WE CAN'T REGULATE.
IF IT'S INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE, WE COULD NOT DO THAT BEFORE.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO MY ATTENTION.
YEAH, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED OVER HERE.
SO, UH, LAST TIME, UH, WE TALK ABOUT THESE ORDINANCE BECAUSE WE WANT TO FOLLOW THE BOWEN PARK.
OKAY? THEY APPROVE ON THEIR, OKAY.
OKAY? 76% OVERWHELMINGLY, OKAY, THEIR VOTER AGREE, THAT SHOULD BE RESTRICTED FOR CANADA FOR I THINK $750 AND PLUS THE PACK FOR 70, UH, $750 ANNUALLY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE FOLLOW THROUGH, AND THIS IS WHY A LOT OF CT ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE.
OKAY? RESTRICTED EQUALLY OKAY WITH THE PACK.
SO ARE WE DOING THE SAME THING OR ARE YOU CHANGING? YES, YES.
AND WE HAD, WE HAD DONE IT BEFORE.
I, LIKE I HAD SAID AND INADVERTENTLY ATTACHED THE WRONG DOCUMENT.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS THERE BEFORE THIS FURTHER CLARIFIES THIS SECTION.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES OF COMMITTEES THAT THE STATE DEFINES.
AND WE, IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE REFERENCE THOSE CODES, REFERENCE THOSE STATUTES THAT DEFINE THOSE.
SO THERE'S CONTROLLED, LIKE I SAID, SPONSORED GENERAL COMMITTEES.
THOSE ARE COMMITTEES THAT ARE CREATED AT THE BEHEST OF A CANDIDATE.
AND WITH THEIR, IF THEY'RE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT, UH, WE DON'T REGULATE THEM.
SO, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE PEG OF, UH, OKAY, UH, THE ACTION COMMITTEE.
OKAY? THAT KIND OF, UH, POLITICAL.
SO WE CANNOT RESTRIC TO $650 DONATION OR WE CAN, IF THEY'RE NOT CREATED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OR AT THE BEHEST OF A CANDIDATE FOR, FOR IF THEY'RE INDEPENDENT, WE CANNOT TOUCH THEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY CREATE AN ENTITY, OKAY, CREATE A PACK AND SUPPORTER ONE CANDIDATE, OKAY? AND THEN IT'S AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES, A PACK, A DATE, IT RESTRICTED $650.
ANNUALLY, UH, CONTRIBUTION, YES OR NO? IT, IT DEPENDS ON HOW THAT PACK IS CREATED.
THE PACK FOR OUTSIDE AGENCY CREATE A P WITH THE CANDIDATE'S NAME, OKAY?
[02:05:01]
LET THEY SUPPORT THIS CANDIDATE, OKAY? WITH THE PERMISSION TO USE THE NAME AT THE BEHEST OF THAT CANDIDATE, CANDIDATE CREATE THAT.SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW IT'S CREATED.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS, OKAY, ANY OF, UH, UH, PACK CAN SEND OUT A MAILER TO SUPPORT CANDIDATE EVEN WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
THIS, THIS, THAT'S AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND WE DON'T REGULATE INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE.
MEANING MY POINT IS, OKAY, ANY OF, UH, INDEPENDENT PACK, THEY SET UP THE OKAY.
COMMITTEE SUPPORTING A CANDIDATE, OKAY.
AND THEN SEND OUT THE MAILER AND ATTACK.
TRY TO, IS THAT RESTRICTED? $650 SPON? OKAY.
AGAIN, IF IT'S CREATED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CANDIDATE, THEN IT IS RESTRICTED.
SO EVEN THIS OUTSIDE AGENCY CREATE SUPPORTING A CANDIDATE.
EVEN THE CANDIDATE SAY, I HAVE NO IDEA WITH, UH, THIS, THIS PACK.
CAN THEY, WILL THEY BE WITH RESTRIC? THEY'RE EITHER, THEY'RE AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE.
THEY CAN DO, THEY CAN RAISE MONEY HOW THEY WANT AND SPEND MONEY HOW THEY WANT.
THE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW US TO REGULATE.
YOU STILL DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION.
UH, ONE OUTSIDE AGENCY OR OR CORPORATION SET OUT THE PACK SUPPORTING A, AN A CANDIDATE.
WE ALLOW, I SAY I, I DON'T KNOW.
THE CANDIDATE CAN SAY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS.
AND THE CORPORATION OR AGENCY, BUT THEY SPEND TOP DOLLAR TO SUPPORT THIS CANDIDATE.
IS THIS, THIS PACK UNDER HIS NAME SUPPORT AS A PACK, WOULD THEY BE RESTRICTED FOR $650 ANNUALLY? DONATION FROM EACH OF THE DONATION THEY RECEIVE? IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CANDIDATE, THEY WILL NOT BE RESTRICTED.
THE BASICALLY THE CANDIDATE SAY, I DON'T KNOW THIS COMPANY AND THIS COMPANY CAN PUT A PACK AND WILL BE UNLIMITED MONEY GOING TO THE PACK.
RIGHT? BUT THERE'S MANY RULES ON HOW THESE PACKS ARE CREATED.
THE STATE GOVERNS THESE RULES VERY, VERY TIGHTLY.
THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT FORMS AND THEY'RE CREATED.
THEY FILL OUT THOSE FORMS AND, AND IDENTIFIES HOW THEY ARE CREATED.
SO THERE'S VERY, THERE'S A LOT OF LIMITATIONS.
MY UNDERSTANDING LAST TIME WE APPROVED IN LAST YEAR WITH, UH, DARIO CA AS A MAYOR, AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND READING LAST TIME, IT'S ABOUT RESTRICTED A PACK, $650.
AND NOW YOU SAY WE CANNOT RESTRICT ANY PACK.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.
WE CAN RESTRICT PATHS DEFINITELY.
THAT ARE CREATED AT THE BEHEST OF A CANDIDATE OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOU, OR GENERALLY SPONSORED BY.
SO ONLY THE, THESE PACKS A SUPERPAC WOULD SET NOT IS SET UP BY THE CANDIDATE.
IF THEY'RE NOT SET UP BY CANDIDATE, WILL THEY BE RESTRICTED BY OR SPONSORED OR IN CONJUNCTION? THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITIONS ON HOW EACH OF THESE PACKS ARE CREATED, UH, IN STATE STATUTE.
AND IT, IT IS, IT IS A, AND THESE PACKS KNOW WHAT TYPE OF PACK THEY'RE GOING TO BE, WHAT TYPE OF PACK THEY WANNA BE, AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE MONEY AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I STILL CONFUSE ABOUT YOUR ANSWER.
THERE IS, OKAY, UH, OUTSIDE ENTITY, SET OUT THE PACK AND SUPPORTING ONE CANDIDATE.
AND THE CANDIDATE SAY, I HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS PACK.
WOULD THEY BE RESTRICTIVE? SIX? THEY WOULD NOT THEN IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING WITH THE CANDIDATE AT ALL, IN ANY MANNER, IN ANY WAY, THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE.
I KNOW, BUT OKAY, THEY'RE UNDER THE NAME OF SUPPORTING THIS CANDIDATE WITH HIS NAME OR HER NAME.
WILL THIS PACK, SINCE THEY HAVE A CANDIDATE NAME OVER THERE, WILL THEY BE RESTRICTED? UM, CAN YOU REPEAT? CAN I, CAN I INTERFERE? I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU.
UM, MY, I I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
COUNCILMAN W UM, IN REFERENCE TO, TO C UH, CIRCUMVENT THE RULES, THE ORIGINAL RULES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY I'M RUNNING, OF COURSE I COULD ONLY TAKE SIX 50 AND SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, I COULD GIVE YOU 2000 AND THEN I'M TECHNICALLY NOT WORKING WITH THIS.
I KNOW THIS COMMITTEE IS SUPPORTING ME.
I CAN SUR CIRCUMVENT THAT INSTEAD OF DONATING IT TO ME, DONATE IT TO THAT, UM, COMMITTEE SO THAT THEY CAN SPEND ON ME, YOU KNOW, CUZ THEY'RE SPENDING ANYWAYS IN SUPPORT OF ME, BUT I'M NOT DEALING WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT IT DOES, IT PREVENTS THIS.
THAT'S WHY YOU CAN FAIRNESS SIX 50, THAT I CAN ONLY TAKE SIX 50, THEN THIS COMMITTEE WHO'S GOING AGAINST ME OR FOR ME SUPPORT OR OPPOSE IS UM, HAS THAT SAME ABILITY TOO.
RIGHT? BUT YOU WOULD NOT TELL THEM TO GO TO THIS COMMITTEE.
YOU WOULD NOT, THEY WOULD NOT BE DOING ANYTHING AT YOUR BEHEST.
SO YOU DON'T TELL THEM TO DO THAT.
THEY'RE AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE AND THEY'RE RAISING MONEY AND SPENDING MONEY HOW THEY WANT.
THE LAW SAYS WE CAN'T REGULATE THEM.
SO, SO JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO TO, YEAH.
SO THE CANDIDATE CAN'T SAY, DONATE
[02:10:01]
$5,000 TO THIS PACK.THAT, CUZ THEN THAT'S, THAT THAT PACK IS NOW WORKING FOR ME.
SO I CAN'T EVEN REALLY HAVE KNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.
AND THEN I, I DEFINITELY CANNOT SAY, HEY, FUNNEL ALL THE MONEY OVER THERE.
RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE BREAKING, BREAKING THE LAW.
BUT IN TERMS OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AN INDEPENDENT PAC CAN SUPPORT ANY CANDIDATE THEY WANT.
AND, UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO TO REGULATE THAT.
RIGHT? OR THEY CAN OPPOSE ANY CANDIDATE, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE A PRE-EX IN OUR ORDINANCE, WE WERE, IT ALREADY PREEXISTED THAT WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE, UM, MUNI CODES THAT SAY, HERE'S HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN SPEND, YOU GOTTA REPORT TO LEASE, UH, X AMOUNT OF TIME.
THAT'S ALREADY BEEN REGULATED.
AND, AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, UM, THE LAW LIMITS US A LOT IN THIS AREA.
AND THAT'S WHY, UM, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT, THAT, UH, PROVISION AND WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT COUNCILMAN WILL, UH, LIKE MAYOR PUTIN
OKAY? WE STILL ASSOCIATE FRIEND OR AGENCY AND THEN SET UP THAT PACK AND BASICALLY JUST TRY TO UNFAIR, OKAY.
AND TO RUN THE ELECTION COMPARED WITH OKAY, HIS OPPONENT.
I JUST, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE FAIRNESS WITH EACH OF A CANDIDATE, OKAY? AND IF A CANDIDATE WILL RECEIVE $650, IF THE PEG WANT TO SUPPORT ANY CANDIDATE, THEY ENTITLED TO DO IT, BUT THEY SHOULD BE UNDER THE RULE OF A $650 OF A DONATION.
AND THEY GOTTA FILL OUT WHERE THE MONEY COMES AND ALL THAT.
BUT I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO HOW YOU POLICE IT.
THE F P C WOULD POLICE, WE COULD HELP ENFORCE.
BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A, SO, SO BASICALLY POLICE, BASICALLY TODAY YOU PAY YOU SAYING THAT WE CANNOT RESTRICT PACK AT ALL.
NO, YOU WAS TELLING THE PACK CONNECT WITH, UH, A WITH A CANDIDATE THEN IS RESTRICTED BY ANY, IS NOT RESTRICTED WITH THE CANDIDATE.
WE EITHER CANNOT EVEN PROVE THEY HAVE ANY CONNECTION.
AND THEY CAN BE UNLIMITED RECEIVING.
SO INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE, EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES, WE, WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT REGULATE, WE DON'T, EXCUSE ME.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
WE CAN, WE CAN, THIS STILL APPLIES TO PACKS.
I'M STILL DON'T CONFUSED THE COMPLEX AREAS BECAUSE HE, HE TALKING SO, OKAY, IS THIS AND LAND LET THIS AND LAND.
IT'S NOT LIKE, SO WHAT PARK APPROVAL? A PACK ABOUT SIX, $750.
CAN WE LOOK INTO THEIR LANGUAGE? ALWIN PARK, I CAN READ THEIR LANGUAGE FOR YOU.
THEY, THEY USE THE SAME DEFINITION AS WE DO.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT $750 APPROVE.
SO WE, WE JUST, OKAY, WE WANT TO COMPLY WITH THE LOG, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE, HERE'S THEIR LANGUAGE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL, HERE'S THEIR LANGUAGE.
ANY PERSON OR COMBINATION OF PERSON'S FORM FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING OR OPPOSING THE ELECTION OR REELECTION OF A PERSON TO A CITY ELECTED OFFICE.
SOME OF IT'S CUTOFF, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RECEIVES CONTRIBUTIONS OR MAKES INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES CONTRIBUTIONS AT THE BEHEST OF THE CITY CANDIDATE WITHIN THE MEANING OF CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE THERE.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT BALDWIN PARK SAYS.
COULD YOU SEE THE LAST SENTENCE, PLEASE? YES.
LOOK, EVERYBODY, NOT, NOT IN THEIR, I HAVE NO IDEA.
THE HE OF THE CITY CANDIDATE WITHIN THE MEANING OF CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE EIGHT 2013.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR MUNI CODE.
SO WE ARE LIMITING CONTRIBUTIONS TO PACS AS, AS BEST WE CAN, AS, AS, AS FAR AS WE CAN DO IT.
SO BASICALLY THIS IS, UH, THE THING, BASED ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING, REVIEW EVERYTHING, THIS THE BEST YOU, WE UNDER THE LAW, THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO TO TRY TO GET THE FAIRNESS FOR ALL THE CANDIDATES.
SO IN THAT WAY, HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE AN OUTSIDE BIG SPENDER AND SPENDING MONEY, THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.
YEAH, I'M JUST SAYING IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.
NOT ONLY, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THE LAST ELECTION'S ABOUT, BUT BECAUSE THIS CAN HAPPEN BY ANY AGENCY OR ANY CORPORATION CAN SET UP THE PACK AND THEY JUST WANNA SUPPORT THEIR CANDIDATE.
AND THEN WE JUST AVOID ANY SPECIAL INTEREST
[02:15:01]
COMING TO OUR CITY AND, UH, THAT IS THE PURPOSE.AND WE COULD PUSH IT AND, AND, AND WE COULD PUSH IT FURTHER, STRETCH IT FURTHER.
AGAIN, LIKE, I THINK I SAID BEFORE THAT OUR, OUR, UH, CAMPAIGN ORDINANCE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PIECEMEALED TOGETHER.
SO THIS JUST A FIRST READING AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND THEN MAYBE LOOK INTO MORE OF DETAIL.
SEE, WE CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE FAIRNESS.
AND THEN WITH THE RESTRICTIONS.
SO IN THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST, NOT NECESSARILY OKAY.
WHO AND WHO, BUT, BUT MORE IMPORTANT THING IS WE GIVE EVERYBODY A FAIR CHANCE.
SO FOR CLARIFICATION THEN, THE FIRST READING WOULD BE, WELL, I MEAN, I, I PROPOSED THAT, UH, ACCEPTING THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S RECOMMENDATION WITH THAT LAST SENTENCE AT THE END.
UM, WOULD THAT RE, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD THAT REQUIRE, UM, A MOTION TO BE SECONDED AND APPROVED IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BE CONSIDERED PART OF THE FIRST READING? MADAM MAYOR, YOU CAN JUST MAKE THE MOTION AND WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT I SUGGESTED AND THAT'S FINE FOR FIRST READING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS AND A SECOND BY MAYOR PRO BY WITH ADDING THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS DISCUSSED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AT THIS MEETING PRIOR TO ROLL CALL.
I NEED TO READ THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE INTO THE RECORD.
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 513 IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA AMENDING SECTION TWO DASH 4 0 2 OF ARTICLE EIGHT OF CHAPTER TWO OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REGULATIONS.
[5) CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2023-6 APPROVING THE CALPERS EXCEPTION TO THE 180-DAY WAIT PERIOD Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following resolution: RESOLUTION NO. 2023-6 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, MAKING THE REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF JUDY TURNER AS A PART-TIME RETIRED ANNUITANT PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 7522.56 AND 21224]
OKAY.WE'LL MOVE ON TO DEPARTMENTAL REGULAR MATTERS.
CITY MANAGER WHO WILL PRESENT THIS REPORT.
UM, MAYOR COUNCIL ARE ACTING CHIEF OF KEN PLUNKETT WILL PRESENT THIS MATTER.
THIS IS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A CALPERS EXCEPTION TO THE 180 DAY WAIT PERIOD FOR ONE OF OUR, UM, EMPLOYEES WHO HAS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO RETURN TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? EVENING.
WELL, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION THAT'S BEFORE THEM, UH, MAKING THE REQUIRED CERTIFICATION AND APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF JUDY TURNER AS PART-TIME RETIRED ANNUITANT PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS, UH, AS THEY APPLY.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE EXPERIENCING SOME SHORTAGES IN OUR DISPATCH CENTER, OUR DISPATCH CENTER, UH, DISPATCHES, AS YOU KNOW, FOR BOTH POLICE AND FIRE.
UM, THE VACANCIES IN THERE ARE OF, UH, VERY HIGH CONCERN BECAUSE THE, UH, THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PERSONNEL WE HAVE IN THERE WE'RE MANDATING OVERTIME AND, AND EXTRA SHIFTS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE FOUR VACANCIES CURRENTLY, WHICH IS QUITE A LOT.
UM, TO HIRE A, A DISPATCHER AND GET THEM FULLY TRAINED CAN TAKE UP TO CLOSE TO TWO YEARS THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
WE ARE ACTIVELY, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO HIRE SOME DISPATCHERS.
WE JUST GIVE A CONDITIONAL OFFER THIS WEEK, AND WE'RE RECRUITING FOR THE OTHER POSITIONS.
UM, WHAT THIS RESOLUTION WILL DO WILL ALLOW US TO BRING BACK, UH, JUDY TURNER WHO JUST RETIRED IN DECEMBER AFTER 31 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UM, JUDY'S ONE OF OUR, UM, MOST TENURED EMPLOYEES WE'VE HAD.
SHE'S A, A GREAT TRAINER AND SHE JUST HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND BRINGING HER BACK FOR THE, UH, THE RULES OF THE STATE THAT ALLOW IT.
UM, IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO APPROVE IT, UM, IT CAN BRING HER BACK BEFORE THE 180 DAY REQUIREMENT.
AND, UH, IT'LL ALLOW US TO SHORE UP THOSE, THE, THE VACANCIES A LITTLE BIT.
IT'LL ALLOW HER TO USE HER, HER TENURE TO HELP US TRAIN THE NEWLY HIRED PEOPLE AND, AND BASICALLY HIRE HER SUCCESSOR BEHIND HER.
IT'LL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS, UM, IN A, UH, SUCCESSFUL MANNER FOR BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE AND OUR DISPATCH CENTER.
SO, UM, I HOPE YOU, UH, CONSIDER AND PASS THE RESOLUTION TONIGHT.
UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT, UH, ANSWERING THOSE 9 1 1 CALLS TAKES A GREAT MENTAL TOLL ON ANYBODY.
UH, SHE CAN ALSO TRAIN THOSE COMING IN, BUT SHE'S ALREADY BEEN THERE SO SHE KNOWS WHAT TO SAY, HOW TO ACT AND, YOU KNOW, THE CALM, DEMEANING, UH, WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR WHEN THEY'RE ON THOSE NINE ONE ONE PHONE CALLS.
UM, I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO FILL IN THOSE SPOTS.
WISH WE COULD FILL UP THOSE SPOTS IMMEDIATELY, BUT I KNOW THAT THE SHORTAGE IS EVERYWHERE.
BUT, UM, I, I SUPPORT THIS AND I WOULD DEFINITELY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AND APPROVE IT IN A HEARTBEAT.
[02:20:01]
SO I WOULD MOTION THAT.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENT? NO, NO.
I JUST, UH, WANNA AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, LOPEZ VITO, AND, AND THE SOONER WE CAN FILL OUR, OUR DISPATCH.
AND I THINK, UH, HAVING SOMEONE WITH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND, UH, A VETERAN ESPECIALLY FOR, UH, REALLY A MENTALLY TOUGH POSITION.
UH, SO, UH, I, I'LL SECOND THANK YOU.
I'M STILL GONNA SAY SOMETHING THOUGH.
I HAVE A MOTION BY, UH, COUNCILMAN LOPEZ PIDO.
[CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION]
COUNCIL REQUESTS? UM, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN CANTOS.I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, UM, DO A MOTHER MAY I REQUEST FOR THE CITY STAFF TO, UM, HONOR THE REQUEST OF, OF, OF NAACP OF SAN GABRIEL VALLEY BRANCH PRESIDENT, UM, IRMA COOPER WITH REGARD TO THE CALL, CALL TO ACTION THAT SHE RAISED IN HER, UM, DURING ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? HAVING TO DO WITH THE, THE FREE SPEECH AND THE, AND THE ANALYSIS OF, OF PO POSSIBILITIES OF CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE SECTIONS THAT SHE CITED.
DO WE HAVE A I'LL SECOND THAT.
I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD CUZ I'M CURIOUS TOO.
CITY, IF I MAY, ONE OF THE ITEMS IN OUR AGENDA THAT WE SELDOM NEED TO FOLLOW IS THE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS, UH, AB 1, 2 34 REPORTS.
IF YOU ATTEND A MEETING, FOR EXAMPLE, A MEETING OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES, THIS WOULD BE YOUR MOMENT.
COUNCILMAN KATO, DID YOU WANNA SAY THANK YOU? OH MY GOSH, I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING.
UM, THANK YOU MR. CITY MANAGER.
UM, UH, JUST FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC'S, UM, UM, AWARENESS, UM, UH, THE MAYOR AND I ATTENDED THE LEAGUE, CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CITIES, A CONFERENCE LOCALLY HERE IN UNIVERSAL CITY.
WE WENT THERE AND BACK EACH DAY.
UM, IT, IT, IT WAS AN EVENT WHERE FOR NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE, OF CITY COUNCILS ACROSS THE REGION AS WELL AS NEWLY ELECTED MAYORS.
SO WE WENT THROUGH TRAINING ON ETHICS AND PROTOCOL AND HOW TO WORK BEST WITH CITY MANAGERS,
IT WAS INTENSE, INTENSE TRAINING FOR ALL OF THOSE DAYS.
AND, AND, AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE FOR HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND ALSO TO HAVE SPENT TIME WITH, WITH, WITH THE MAYOR.
UH, SHE IS INCREDIBLY, UM, BRILLIANT AND, AND JUST THE WAYS THAT SHE, I SAW HER INTERACT WITH OTHER, OTHER LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION.
THEY WERE JUST REALLY ENAMORED BY HER.
AND AS AM I, SHE'S JUST REALLY, UH, A WONDERFUL PERSON AND I REALLY APPRECIATIVE FOR OUR, HAVING BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE BETTER SERVANTS TO ALL OF YOU.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY MY REPORT.
[CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]
I HAVE TO AGREE, THAT WAS A GREAT CONFERENCE AND, UH, IT WAS LONG, BUT VERYBUT IT WAS, UH, WE MET A LOT OF NICE PEOPLE.
AND YES, IT'S, UH, A WAY HOW WE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH OUR CITY MANAGERS AND STAFF AND COUNCIL, FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND, UM, I REALLY ENJOYED IT AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ATTEND.
UH, I THINK YOU REPRESENT CT WELL.
SORRY, YOU STILL DON'T HAVE A NAME TAG? YEAH.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE MALE NAME, NAME TAG.
SO YOU CAN SHOW PEOPLE YOU THE WEST COVINA MAYOR, BUT, UH, JUST QUICKLY, I WANT TO SAY, UH, IN 2000, UM, 2016, UH, WHEN I JUST GOT ELECTED.
AND I WENT WITH, UH, LOUIS JOHNSON OKAY.
AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH A THREE DAY, TWO NINE, AND IT'S, UH, EXCELLENT.
UH, TRIP TO SACRAMENTO TO VISIT.
MET, MET A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE.
[02:25:01]
IS REALLY WORTH IT.I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, IS A NEWLY LACK AND THE MAYOR AND, UH, REGARDING ALL THIS NETWORKING AND PLUS EDUCATION AND REALLY WAS THE TIME.
THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE SEVEN YEARS.
SO, BECAUSE THE TRAINING I HAVE, I LEARNED ALL THIS, UH, KNOWLEDGE.
SO HOPEFULLY, AGAIN, IT WILL GIVE YOU THE SAME IMPACT, BUT GOOD JOB.
UH, MAY I
UH, I WENT ALL THE WAY TO MY DINING ROOM,
UH, THE COFFEE WAS GOOD THOUGH.
MY, MY TWO LITTLE DOGGIES, UH, BUT, UH, YES, NO, IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I'M HAPPY, UH, COUNCILMAN CANTOS.
I'M HAPPY THAT YOU GOT TO EXPERIENCE THAT.
I'M, I'M HAPPY THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND, UH, REALLY SHOW WHAT WEST COVIN IS ABOUT.
COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ VIE THREE DAYS.
UH, I DON'T ENVY YOU
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COME INTO THE COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT I HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE NEXT WEEK ON, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR THE THREE DAY.
WE HAVE THURSDAY, TECHNICALLY THURSDAY TO SUNDAY.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT YOUR CARNIVAL TICKETS, GET IT BEFORE THE PRICES GO UP SO YOU ALL DAY RIDE.
UM, IT'LL BE A FUN EVENT AND, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT OUR LOCAL VENDORS THERE AS WELL.
UM, BRING FAMILY FRIENDS, BRING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF WEST COVINA IN HERE AND ENJOY THE FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT AND JUST, UH, GALO FUN.
SO WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE AND YEAH.
WELL, WITH THAT SAID, I THINK WE, UH, THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.