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WELCOME TO OUR FEBRUARY 21ST, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IT IS 7:00 PM THE MEETING IS IN SESSION.
TONIGHT'S IN VACATION WILL BE HELD BY PASTOR MASON ABU FROM EMMANUEL FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH AND COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ.
VITO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
BEGIN FLAG THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THANKS TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
WE HAD, UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TODAY.
[PRESENTATIONS]
PRESENTATIONS.TONIGHT WE ARE PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS FIRST PROPOSED BY SCHOLAR CARTER G WOODSON IN 1926, WHO CHOSE THE SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY TO COINCIDE WITH THE BIRTHDAYS OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, A FAMED ABOLITIONIST TO ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY.
AND PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LICHEN, WHO FORMALLY ABOLISHED SLAVERY.
CAN WE KE UH, PLEASE CALL MS. COOPER.
TESTING, TESTING, TESTING, TESTING.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? WELL, I DIDN'T REALLY COME PREPARED TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I DO WANNA THANK YOU FOR HONORING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE CALL IT BLACK HISTORY MONTH, IT IS AMERICAN HISTORY.
GO ATION FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
TONIGHT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM AIR QUALITY UPDATES PRESENTED BY SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
MICHAEL COCHITI, GOVERNING BOARD, VICE CHAIR.
YOU'RE MY BOSS FOR THESE 34 CITIES.
I REPRESENT FROM CLAREMONT WEST THROUGH WEST COVINA TO PASADENA, ALL THE WAY UP TO SANTA CLARITA.
SANTA CLARITA LAST WEEK AND WEEK BEFORE THAT IN POMONA.
SO I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO FOR THE 34 CITIES AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY I CAN HELP YOU.
AND I MET WITH ALI JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, ASKED SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, AND I REPRESENT THOSE 34 CITIES.
WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SOME PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE OR COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY NOT KNOW THE A Q M D.
A PICTURE ON THE LEFT WAS THE 1976, A LITTLE BIT AFTER THE EPA WAS FORMED BY THE CLEAN, UH, AIR ACT IN WASHINGTON.
AND THESE ARE INLAND EMPIRE ELECTED OFFICIALS SAYING, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE POLLUTION THAT'S COMING FROM LA ALL THE WAY INTO THE INLAND EMPIRE.
SO THE A M D IS FOUR COUNTIES, THE NON DESERT PORTIONS OF LA RIVERSIDE, SAN BERNARDINO, AND ALL OF ORANGE COUNTY.
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WE PERMIT 28,000 TYPES OF, OF FACTORIES, LANDFILLS, UH, SEWAGE SYSTEMS, OIL REFINERIES, ET CETERA.THERE'S A BIG ISSUE HERE WITH AIR POLLUTION BECAUSE ONE THIRD OF THE US CONTAINERIZED CARGO TRAFFIC COMES THROUGH OUR PORT, THE TWIN PORTS OF LA AND LONG BEACH AND HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS GOING DOWN TO 10, THE 60, AND ALL THE WAREHOUSES FROM HERE TO THE INLAND EMPIRE.
NEXT, THERE'S TWO REALLY SOURCES OF POLLUTION WHERE YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND IT.
THERE'S STATIONARY SOURCE, WHICH ARE A Q M D BOARD, OVERSEAS AND MOBILE SOURCES, STATIONARY SOURCES, PAINT, GAS STATIONS, POWER PLANTS.
THE MOBILE SOURCES ARE ALL THOSE SHIPS, LOCOMOTIVES, AIRPLANES, OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT COULD INCLUDE LARGE LAWNMOWERS THAT CUT YOUR GOLF COURSES AND YOUR LAWNS.
NEXT AIR POLLUTION, THIS IS WHAT IT IS ON THE LEFT IS OZONE.
ON THE RIGHT IS PARTICULATE MATTER.
SMOG IS FORMED BY EMISSIONS FROM YOUR CARS AND TRUCKS, LAWNMOWERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
MIXES WITH VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, VOCS, AND PRODUCES SMOG ON THE RIGHT.
THIS STUFF IS REALLY DANGEROUS.
THAT GRAY STICK IS, UH, IMAGINE YOUR HUMAN HAIR.
THE LITTLE BLUE GLOBES, THAT'S PARTICULAR MATTER.
THAT'S HOW SMALL DUST PARTICLES ARE.
THE REAL DANGEROUS PARTICLES ARE THOSE LITTLE RED GLOBES, PM PARTICULAR MATTER 2.5 FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION.
THEY INCLUDE METALS, EVEN SMALLER THAN OUT ARE THE ULTRA FINEING PARTICLES, WHICH WILL GO THROUGH YOUR BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER INTO YOUR ORGANS.
NEXT, THIS IS WHY WE'RE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT AIR QUALITY, NOT JUST WE'VE GOTTA COMPLY WITH FEDERAL STANDARDS, BUT THIS IS YOUR BODY, YOUR PARENTS' BODY, YOUR KIDS, THE KIDS ON YOUR SOCCER TEAM, THE SOCCER TEAM I COACH.
WHEN THOSE EMISSIONS FROM YOUR CAR, YOUR TRUCKS, YOUR LAWNMOWERS, EVERYTHING, IT GOES INTO OUR BODIES.
IT GOES INTO YOUR BLOOD SYSTEM.
IT CARRIES THROUGH YOUR TISSUES.
AND THE SMALLER IT IS, AND MORE DANGEROUS IT IS.
SO WE KNEW FOR YEARS IT WAS LUNG PROBLEMS, ASTHMA, CANCER.
NOW HE KNOWS COGNITIVE PROBLEMS AND CARDIOVASCULAR AND STROKE.
IF WE CAN GET OUR AIR CLEANER AND MEET THESE PUBLIC STANDARDS ON THE LEFT, WE'LL PREVENT 1500 DEATHS A YEAR IN THE FORT COUNTY AREA.
PREVENT KIDS IN ADULTS FROM GOING TO HOSPITALIZATION BY ASTHMA ATTACKS.
WHEN IT'S REALLY BAD POLLUTION, YOU'LL SAVE 163,000 DAYS LOST FROM PEOPLE AT WORK SCHOOLS.
I COACH SOCCER A YSO FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I'VE HAD MORE THAN ONE KID HAVE ASTHMA ON MY TEAM.
MAKE SURE THEY HAD THEIR INHALER AT GAMES.
I'VE HAD TO PULL KIDS OUT NEVER BEFORE.
UH, AND FINALLY, THE, THE LONG TERM SAVINGS, IF WE CAN CLEAN IT UP FROM NOT GOING TO THE HOSPITAL, PEOPLE DYING EARLY, ET CETERA, 19 BILLION A YEAR NEXT.
SO THERE'S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS.
WE'VE MADE PROGRESS CHART IN THE LEFT, THAT'S OZONE.
IF YOU LOOK SINCE 1992, IT'S GOT GOTTEN BETTER.
BUT ON THE, ON THE RIGHT ALSO, THAT'S CANCER.
THOSE ARE THE MULTIPLE AIR TOXIC EXPOSURE STUDY.
SO CANCER RATES HAVE DROPPED 50% SINCE 2012, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD NEWS.
NEXT CHALLENGES, AGAIN, AKIM D ONLY REGULATES STATIONARY SOURCES.
ALL THESE TRAINS AND TRUCKS AND OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT, NEXT THREE AGENCIES IN THE MIDDLE REGULATE AIR POLLUTION ON THE LEFT U US E P A.
THEY REGULATE ALL THOSE MOBILE SOURCES AS SHIPS, THE AIRPLANES, ET CETERA.
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD IN THE MIDDLE STATEWIDE REGULATES MOBILE SOURCES, SOME AND STATIONARY AND US ON THE RIGHT HERE IN THE REGION.
WE REGULATE BASICALLY JUST STATIONARY SOURCES.
IF WE DON'T MEET THESE FEDERAL STANDARDS ON THE LEFT OF THE BOTTOM, WE COULD LOSE.
WELL, FIRST, IF ANY OF YOUR RESIDENTS HAVE A BUSINESS AND THEY WANT TO PERMIT IT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD COME IN AND CHARGE HIGHER RATES.
USE THAT MONEY TO INCENTIVES TO, TO CLEAN UP THE AIR.
WE COULD LOSE UP TO $600 MILLION IN FEDERAL, UH, FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION ON THE RIGHT.
SOME FEDERAL IMPLEMENTA IMPLEMENTATION PLANS WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD COME IN EPA, THEY WOULD HAVE NO DRIVE DAYS.
SO THIS IS WHY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CLEAN UP THE AIR.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR YOUR RESIDENTS, NOT A MAYOR.
THEY WANT TO INVEST IN A CLEAN FURNACE PROGRAM.
IF THEY WANNA GET AN ELECTRIC, IF THEY'VE CUT THEIR OWN GRASS, GET AN ELECTRIC LAWNMOWER.
TURN YOUR OLD ONE IN UP TO $250 FOR A SELF-PROPELLED MOWER.
THIRD, IF YOU WANNA GET AN ELECTRIC CHARGER OF A VEHICLE, WE'LL GIVE YOU MONEY.
$250 UP TO $500 FOR AN ELECTRIC CHARGER, YOUR RESIDENCE OR YOURSELVES REPLACE YOUR RIDE.
IF A PERSON HAS, I'VE GOT DEALING WITH A COUPLE PEOPLE NOW, UH, IN THE CITY OF PASADENA, THEY'VE GOT AN OLD VEHICLE 2001, AND YOU WANT TO TURN IT IN.
YOU CAN GET UP TO NINETY FIVE HUNDRED, A HUNDRED NINETY $500 TO GET A CLEANER VEHICLE.
A HYBRID PLUG-IN, HYBRID ELECTRIC OR HYDROGEN FUEL CELL IF YOU WANT.
WE'VE EVEN GIVEN A COUPLE E-BIKES.
IF YOU TURN IN YOUR, YOUR POLLUTING CARS NEXT ROAD TO CLEAN AIR, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESSES, CITIES,
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ET CETERA.WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PROGRAM COME OUT IN A FEW, PROBABLY NEXT MONTH OR APRIL FOR SURE.
COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT FOR CITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, NONPROFITS, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES.
WE'LL GIVE YOU 80% OFF, BUT YOU GOTTA SCRAP YOUR EQUIPMENT.
HOWEVER, RIGHT NOW THERE'S, THERE WAS $27 MILLION AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER.
NOW IT'S ABOUT $6 MILLION AT THE STATE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SCRAP IF YOU TELL YOUR GARDENERS OR EVEN YOU AT THE, YOU KNOW, WELL, THE CITY CAN'T GET THIS ONE RIGHT NOW.
THEY CAN GET THIS ONE COMING UP.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT WITH OUR GARDEN.
IF WE PASSED A BAN ON A GAS POWER LEAFBLOWER HAD 50 RESIDENTS COME AND, UH, COMPLAIN AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
BUT WE'RE ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE BECAUSE LIKE AN ELECTRIC CAR, YOU NEVER HAVE TO BUY GAS AGAIN.
SO THEY'RE, AFTER A YEAR, THEY'RE GONNA START MAKING, ACTUALLY SAVING A LOT OF MONEY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR FUELING STATIONS.
LIGHT DUTY, UH, OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT.
TWO SOUTH PACO, A SHUTTLE THROUGH SOME OF THESE STATE PROGRAMS, ABOUT $70,000 OFF AN ELECTRIC SHUTTLE.
NEXT, YOUR CITY'S DONE WELL, MADAM MAYOR, YOUR YOUR CITY MANAGER'S DONE A GREAT JOB WITH YOUR STAFF.
YOU'VE TAKEN A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE SOUTH COAST.
THEY CAN BE, WHAT, 1.5 MILLION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND USED IT FOR DIFFERENT PRO PROGRAMS. REPLACE YOUR RIDE FOR SOME OF YOUR RESIDENTS CLEAN FUELS.
CARL MOYER, LIKE TURNING OVER PUBLIC WORKS, EQUIPMENT, TRUCKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THERE'S STILL MORE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR CARL.
LARGE HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS, MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS.
THERE'S MOBILE SOURCE AIR POLLUTION.
F YOU'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT TOO FROM SOME GRANTS, WHICH IS GREAT.
ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS THERE.
AND THE LAST CATEGORY AT THE BOTTOM, AB 20 ASSEMBLY BILL 27 66 EACH YEAR ON EVERY CAR THAT'S REGISTERED IN YOUR CITY, $4 COMES.
40% OF THAT $4 GOES TO YOU EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
SO EVERY CAR, EACH OF YOU HAVE THE CAR, 40% OF THAT $4 GOES TO YOU, 30% GOES TO THE A Q M D.
AND 30% GOES TO THIS MOBILE SOURCE AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION COMMITTEE.
A GROUP OF LEADERS FROM THE FORT COUNTIES JUST GIVE OUT GRANTS EVERY YEAR.
SO YOU CAN USE THAT MONEY, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE USED FOR REDUCING MOBILE SOURCE POLLUTION.
YOU CAN BUY ELECTRIC CARS, TRUCKS, BUSES, SHUTTLES, VANS, ELECTRIC LAWNMOWERS, HYDROGEN FUELING STATIONS, UH, YOUR OWN CHARGING STATIONS, BICYCLE PATHS.
SO GET PEOPLE OUTTA CARS SO YOU, EVERY YEAR THAT MONEY BUILDS UP.
SO MAYBE WORK WITH YOUR STAFF AND SEE HOW YOU CAN USE THAT MONEY.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO COMBINE WITH GRANTS IN THE MIDDLE ROW.
THERE'S AN INTERESTING GRANT WE THAT THE, UH, THIS MOBILE SOURCE AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION COMMITTEE DID.
IT'S A NEW OR EXPANDED MICROT TRANSITS.
YOU'VE GOT ABOUT A MONTH TO APPLY FOR THAT.
WHAT THEY'RE ENCOURAGING ANYBODY TO DO IN THE FOUR COUNTIES, YOU MAY HAVE FIXED TRANSIT.
LIKE I JUST TOOK THE, THE GOLD LINE TO THE FOOTHILL HERE.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE MAYBE A SHUTTLE, YOU WANNA RUN TO A, TO A TRANSIT STATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? APPLY FOR IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE THERE.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR LIKE MOUNT SAC.
CAN YOU GET A SHUTTLE TO MOUNT SAC TO ANOTHER PLACE? SOMETHING THAT'S JUST NOT NORMAL, BUT MAYBE EVEN HAVE A SHUTTLE THAT JUST RUNS AROUND THE CITY.
THEY'LL PAY FOR NOT PURCHASING IT, BUT OPERATIONS FOR 18 MONTHS.
SO I, I WOULD APPLY, RECOMMEND LOOKING AT THAT.
OUR STAFF WILL HELP YOU RAINBOW OUR STAFF.
OR BEN WONG, ONE OF YOUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MAYORS WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT NEXT.
SO IF YOU HAVE SMALL BUSINESS IN YOUR, YOUR CITY, LIKE A CLEANERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, A FACTORY, THEY NEED HELP.
WE'LL SEND STAFF THERE TO WORK WITH THEM IF THEY WANT SOME HELP.
WE WANNA ENCOURAGE BUSINESS TO SUCCEED IF YOU SMELL A BAD ODOR.
WE'VE HAD, GOSH, THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OFF TO TWO 10 AND SYLMAR.
WE'VE HAD 20 TO 40 ALMOST EVERY WEEK IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS JUST COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ODORS ARE SO BAD.
SO WE GO OUT THERE, WE TAKE SAMPLES, WE INTERVIEW PEOPLE, AND UNFORTUNATELY HALF THE HALF OF THEM WERE CORRECT.
SO WE HAD TO ISSUE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION.
YOU'VE GOTTA CLEAN IT UP OR YOU'RE GONNA GET FINED.
WE'VE GOT THAT DOWN AT THE PORTS.
WE'VE GOT IT DOWN AT A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLAN AT HYPERION, WHERE THE RESIDENTS IN SEPULVEDA NEARBY, UH, WE'RE GETTING JUST OVERWHELMED WITH COMPLAINTS, BUT WE RESPOND.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR HEALTH, WE'LL RESPOND AND TRY TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESS.
BUT IF THEY DON'T CLEAN IT UP, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND THEM.
AND THEY'VE GOTTA IN, IN INCREASE THEIR, UH, THEIR SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
SO AS I COME TO MY CITIES, I'LL HAVE THE APP AND I'LL SEE WHAT THE AIR QUALITY IS IN WEST COVINA, POMONA, ELHAM, EL PASADENA.
UH, WE HAVE 39 MONITORS THROUGHOUT THE FOUR COUNTIES.
AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BREATHING, THERE'S A FREE SENSORY EVALUATION TOOLKIT.
I'M GONNA HAVE A, WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE A LUNCH UP AT THE, UH, DISTRICT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
INVITE EVERYBODY UP THERE AND CHECK OUT OUR LABORATORIES, WHAT WE DO, OUR CHARGING STATIONS, GET SOME IDEAS NEXT.
DOES THIS ALSO COVER ELECTRIC GENERATORS? SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST GUESS INTERESTING.
I JUST GOT THAT QUESTION FROM A PASSING AND
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UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WE JUST SENT A EMAIL TO STAFF.THEY HAVE A, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT'S AN OLD, OLD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN ONE OF THEIR SCHOOLS.
AND APPARENTLY WHEN IT GETS REALLY HOT, IT, THE SYSTEM IS OVERWHELMED AND IT JUST, THE ELECTRICITY CUTS OUT.
SO THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT ELECTRIC GENERATORS.
I'LL GET THAT ANSWER TO YOU CUZ IT JUST ASKED YESTERDAY.
I MEAN, IT'S ALSO FOR LIKE SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, FESTIVALS, VENDORS ARE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THEY BRING OUT THE GENERATORS RIGHT THERE, THE NOISE AND THE GAS.
WE'RE EVEN LOOKING MAYBE SOLAR POWERED.
WE, UH, SOME OF THE, UH, AT THE OPEN, OPEN STREETS EVENTS WE JUST DID IN A HARBOR ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE MISSION AND EMISSION, UH, ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN, OREGON HAD A SOLAR PANEL.
GENERATOR WAS DURING THIS, DURING THE DAY.
SO MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE AN ANSWER TOO.
PLEASE LET US KNOW AND HOPEFULLY IT DOES COVER.
SO IS THAT POSSIBLE? YOU CAN TALK TO THEM.
THEN THEY CONVERT, LIKE YOU SAY, THE CLEAN AIR.
SO MAYBE THEY CAN CONVERT ALL THEIR BUSES INTO THERE, SMALL BUSES, MEDIUM SIZE.
SO MAYBE YOU CAN KIND OF WORK WITH THEM SINCE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
SO MAYBE, AND WE HAVE, UH, OKAY.
AND UH, WESTLAND, WE HAVE, UH, SENIORS, SENIOR RESIDENT.
SO CAN WE USE AS AN ELECTRIC TRUCK? OKAY.
AND THEN MAYBE YOU CAN HELP THEM TO CONVERT.
ALL THIS TRANSPORTATION IN OUR CITY, THAT WILL CUT DOWN A LOT OF EMISSION AND, UH, AND POLLUTION.
WE'LL MEET, I'LL BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH THEM, MY STAFF AT A QM D WHETHER IT'S A DIRECT GRANT FROM US OR M SRC MAYBE.
SO FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE HAD THE S RRC HAD $50 MILLION THAT HAD BUILT UP FROM ALL THE, UH, YOUR CAR REGISTRATIONS FOR THE FOUR COUNTIES.
AND HE PUT OUT, WE WANT TO CONVERT A LOT OF THE HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS TO COME THROUGH OUR NEIGHBOR, WHICH ARE THE WORST POLLUTERS.
SO THEY HAD AN A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN AMAZON GOT LIKE 10 UPGRADED COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS TRUCKS.
SO IT, HIS PRIVATE BUSINESS GOVERNMENTS, AND OF COURSE I'LL BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH HIM, GET TO GET US THE INFORMATION.
YEAH, I THINK IF YOU CAN CONTACT THEM AND, UH, TRY TO WORK THEM OUT REGARDING SOME GRAND OKAY.
SOME PROJECTS SO THEY CAN MAYBE HAVE A CHANCE TO CONVERT.
ANOTHER ISSUE IS A DIESEL IN DIESEL TRUCK.
EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE ME, YOU SEE THE BIG, LIKE OPU.
THEY'RE COMING OUT WITH A VERY DARK OKAY, UH, SMOKE.
SO, SO HOW WE CORRECT THAT ISSUE, AGAIN, A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE.
SO LIKE I SAID, WHEN WE GAVE 50 MILLION A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE DECIDED TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE INLAND EMPIRE.
I ACTUALLY RAISED MY HAND AT THE BOARD MEETING I 13 BOARD MEMBERS AND SAID LA NEEDS SOME OF THAT MONEY.
SO UNFORTUNATELY 50 THAT MILLION DOLLAR.
BUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S GOOD FOR US BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE TRUCKS GO BACK AND FORTH TO THE PORTS OFF TO 10, OFF TO 60, OFF TO TWO 10.
SO THEY'RE COMING THROUGH OUR BASIN.
SO WE TOOK SEVERAL HUNDRED TRUCKS OFF THE ROADS AND THEY, THEY COULD APPLY FOR THAT GRANT AND THEY GOT, YOU KNOW, 50,000 OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND OFF A TRUCK.
THEN I'LL GIVE TO MY COLLEAGUE.
OKAY, LAST QUESTION WOULD BE, AZUA IS NO SOUTH AZUA? NO SOUTH FROM AZUA CITY.
FROM THE GO LINE IT GOES THROUGH, OKAY.
AND, UH, COVINA WITH, UH, METRO LINK AND GO TO 10 FREEWAY.
SO YOU HAVE A 2 10, 10 FREEWAY AND GO TO 60 AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY STOP ON THIS.
SO HAVE YOU THINKING ABOUT CAN HELP ALL THIS FIVE CT CONVERT THIS IN SE NIGHT TRAFFIC SIGNAL TO CUT DOWN THE, THE STOP AND GO AND THEN THE IDLING.
AND AGAIN, BECAUSE NORTH AND SOUTH, ALL THESE CONNECTIONS IS ONLY A SUSE AVENUE.
SO HOW YOU CONNECT THIS WITH A SYNCHRON NIGHT TRAFFIC SIGNAL, OKAY, WE CAN HELP PEOPLE TO LIKE YOU DRIVING 35 MILE PER HOURS, THEN EVERYTHING WILL BE GREEN LIGHT.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A FULL HILL TRANSIT OR MASS TRANSPORTATION, WHEN THEY HIT ON THE SUSE WILL BECOME GREEN LIGHT.
SO WE IN MAYBE HELP PEOPLE MORE TAKING THE MASS TRANSPORTATION, GO TO THE GOLD LINE, GO TO THE OKAY.
AND IN THAT WAY, MAYBE MOST OF MORE, MORE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO, YOU COULD SAVE A LOT OF TIME AND GAS.
HAVE, HAVE, YOU CAN TRY CUT DOWN A LOT OF AIR POLLUTION.
I'VE TAKEN THAT ROUTE FROM THE GOLD LINE, THE IRWINDALE STATION DOWN AZUA, ALL THE WAY TO PU HILLS MALL.
THIS TIME I STOPPED HERE TODAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF STOPS IN AT TRAFFIC IDLING.
WE'VE GIVEN MONEY FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALIZATION.
TOOK A LOT OF MONEY A COUPLE YEARS AGO OUT IN SAN BERNARDINO FOR THAT CITY MANAGER.
DID YOU SEE? HE'S GOING GIVE US MONEY,
SO WE ARE GOING TO APPLY THROUGH YOUR, WE, WE WANT THIS, WE WANNA WORK WITH ALL THE CITIES SO WE CAN SYNCHRONIZE ENTIRE AZUA AVENUE.
AND SOUTH BECAUSE NO, AND SOUTH WE ONLY HAVE AZUSA.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHERWISE YOU HAVE TO GO
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TO 6 0 5 OR 57.BUT IN THE MIDDLE IT'S A, IT IS AZUSA.
YOU JUST HAVE TO GET THE AGREEMENT OF ALL THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.
I DON'T MIND WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT TOO.
AND, BUT WE NEED A ICT WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE WE HAVE A PORTION AND YOU HAVE COVINA, AZUA AND THE SOUTH LA POINTE AND THE SEED OF INDUSTRY.
SO IF WE CAN WORK IT OUT TWO 10 YEAH.
AND I THINK THEN YOU WILL BE LEGENDARY
HEY, WOULD YOU, MAKES SENSE YOUR IDEA.
FIRST OF ALL, AT A, AT A PERSONAL LEVEL, MR. VICE CHAIRMAN, DID YOU BRING YOUR BIKE TODAY? YOU KNOW WHAT, I, UH,
I WAS GOING, I TOOK, I TOOK THE GOLD LINE FROM SOUTH PASADENA
SO I ENDED UP IN NORTHERN AUSA, BUT I WAS ABLE TO HOP OFF THE OTHER BUS AND GET BACK HERE WITH TWO MINUTES TO SPARE.
WELL, WELL I ONLY ASKED THAT ALMOST RHETORICALLY JUST BECAUSE I WANTED TO SAY PUBLICLY HERE HOW I APPRECIATE YOUR EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, YOU TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ALL OVER THE PLACE.
YOU, YOU DID THAT THE DAY WE MET.
AND I REMEMBER MR. WONG WAS GUARDING YOUR BIKE WHEN WE HAD CONCLUDED OUR MEETING, WHEN WE HAD STEPPED AWAY FOR A MOMENT.
IT WAS REALLY GREAT, REALLY COMMENDABLE.
UH, THE OTHER OF THE MORE SERIOUS QUESTION IS, UH, DO YOU HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, POSTS READY TO GO FOR US TO USE AND FORWARD? SO THAT WAY WE CAN, WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT THE DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS THAT ARE PARTICULAR TO DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES, WHETHER THEY BE INDIVIDUAL, UH, DRIVERS OR BUSINESSES OR NONPROFITS AND, AND SUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER, AFTER TALKING TO YOU, I'LL, I'LL COORDINATE WITH OUR STAFF AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET A SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECT PROGRAM THAT YOU WANT AND I'LL HAVE OUR STAFF AT A Q M D WORK WITH YOUR STAFF ON THAT.
WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST TAILOR TO WHAT YOU WANT.
AND, AND, UH, THE, MY NEXT QUESTION IS TO WHAT EXTENT, UM, IS THE A Q M D, UM, ABLE TO, TO SEND MAILERS DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS TO TELL 'EM ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THEY'RE ELIGIBLE? YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T REALLY, BECAUSE IT'S SO HUGE.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE HAVE A LIST.
BEN'S WRITING DOWN THE LIST WITH RAINBOW.
WE'LL WORK WITH YOUR CITY MANAGER AND COME BACK TO YOU WITH RESPONSES.
I, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO RESPONSE TO AN EMAIL THAT I SENT YOU ABOUT SOME OF THIS, UM, RECENTLY.
UH, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVES.
SO I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S NOW, UH, THE MOVE BECAUSE OF THE AIR QUALITY INSIDE THE HOME.
THE MOVE AWAY FROM THE GAS RANGES TO THE ELECTRIC RANGES.
AND SO, UH, I WAS WONDERING IS, IS THAT ON THE HORIZON? YES.
AND, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU BRING THAT, UH, THAT SLIDE UP AGAIN ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVES? AND I, I WAS RUSHING THROUGH, I FAILED TO SAY IT, BUT GOOD CATCH.
THERE AT THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE THE LITTLE BOTTOM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, SO YOU CAN FUND SOME OF THE APPLIANCES, WHETHER IT'S TO AN INDUCTION STOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OR, AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO ONE OF THESE STORES, YOU CAN EVEN GET JUST ONE LITTLE STOVE, A LITTLE ONE FOR LIKE 95 BUCKS OR SOMETHING.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT DOING A, UH, THERE'S MANY, YOU KNOW, A LOT.
WE, I WAS AT A A, A COOKING DEMONSTRATION TODAY IN SAN GABRIEL AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT IN VALLEY BOULEVARD.
AND THERE WAS SOME DEBATE GOING ON ABOUT GAS STOVES VERSUS VERSUS ELECTRIC.
AND IN THE CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY CAN, CAN THEY USE ELECTRIC STOVES? SO WE MAY DO A DEMONSTRATION, SOME OF THESE GREAT CHEFS THAT WERE THERE TODAY ABOUT AN LUXURY STOVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WAS AT THE EVENT THAT YOU WERE AT, UH, ONE OF YOUR, UH, TESLA CHARGING STATIONS.
BEFORE YOU DID THAT, TESLA CALLED THIS AREA A DESERT UNTIL YOU PUT IN CHARGING.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
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, MAYOR? WE HAVE 33 SPEAKER CARDS THIS EVENING.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE ARE GOING TO LIMIT THE ORAL COMMUNICATIONS TO THREE MINUTES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MARSHA SOLARIO, FOLLOWED BY JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY HERMAN ARMANDO.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF AND RESIDENTS.
MY NAME IS MARSHA SOLARIO, THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY, MAINLY INFORMATIONAL FOR
[00:25:01]
ITEM NUMBER SIX.UM, DURING MY REVIEW OF THE ATTACHMENTS, I NOTICED THAT ATTACHMENT NUMBER TWO AT A COUPLE OF POTENTIAL ISSUES UNDER THE AUDIT COMMITTEE LINE.
SO UNDER MEETING DATE AND TIME, IT SAYS AT LEAST ANNUALLY WITH ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AS NEEDED.
OUR CURRENT RESOLUTION STATES THAT WE MEET QUARTERLY AND AS NEEDED.
SO THAT'S JUST AN EDIT FOR YOU.
AND, UM, UNDER REPRESENTATIVE, IT'S ADDING MR. CANTOS, WHICH WELCOME, BUT OUR RESOLUTION, THIS STATE, WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND LISA JUST LET ME KNOW THAT MAYOR DIAZ HAS REAPPOINTED HERSELF.
AND SINCE I'M UP HERE, I WAS GONNA ASK CITY STAFF FOR AN UPDATE ON OUR OPEN POSITION IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
ARE WE CLOSE TO APPOINTING SOMEONE? CUZ THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY HERMAN ARMANDO FOLLOWED BY JOE WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
VERY BRIGHT GENTLEMAN THAT I KNEW MADE THE REMARK ONE TIME.
DEFINED WHAT IGNORANCE AND STUPIDITY WAS.
IGNORANCE WAS THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.
STUPIDITY WAS THE INABILITY TO LEARN.
AND HE SAID, YOU'LL NEVER FIND IT IN THE SAME PERSON.
I WISH HE HADN'T HAVE DIED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
CAUSE I'D BRING IN ONE OF THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR MAYOR.
YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE'S MADE COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, SHE'S BEEN KNOWN TO SAY, ALTHOUGH I'M A HISPANIC WOMAN, I DON'T THINK LIKE THEM.
WHAT IS THEM? YOU KNOW, HER HUSBAND HAS GOTTEN UP HERE AND SAID THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD RECRUIT MORE YOUNG WHITE FAMILIES INTO WEST COVINA,
AND HE BRAGS ABOUT HOW HIS WIFE, WHO IS NOW OUR MAYOR, HAS ATTENDED HUNDREDS OF MEETINGS WITH HIM.
SO SHE WAS HERE WHILE HE WAS SAYING ALL THOSE THINGS.
SHE HAS SENT EMAILS TO RESIDENTS WHO ASKED HER TO JOIN DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SO SHE COULD BECOME AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SHE SAID, I REPRESENT DISTRICT THREE.
DURING THE CAMPAIGN, OUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS RECENTLY REELECTED, TALKED ABOUT HOW ASIANS NEED TO STICK TOGETHER.
NOT THAT HE'S QUALIFIED, BUT I'M THE SAME COLOR AS YOU, OR I'M THE SAME RACE AS YOU, SO YOU NEED TO VOTE FOR ME.
JUST THE OPPOSITE OF COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS WHO TALKED ABOUT HIS ABILITY AND WHAT HE WANTED TO DO ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
MANY, MANY DIFFERENCES WHEN YOU HAVE THAT.
HER HUSBAND ON FACEBOOK SAID THAT SHE HAD GONE TO HELL.
AND WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT A PERSON WHO WAS RUNNING BASICALLY JUST RIPPED INTO ME FOR BRINGING IT UP AND OTHERS, SHE STOOD, SHE SAT BACK THERE AND WAS LAUGHING.
SHE WAS LAUGHING AND GIGGLING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THERE'S A PICTURE OF, THEY'RE LOOKING AT HER LIKE, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? I MEAN, THEY WERE EVEN SHOCKED.
THEY WERE EVEN SHOCKED AT THE, AT HER CONDUCT.
SO AS YOU GET UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, AS, AS A, EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE GETS UP HERE AND TALKS AND WANTS TO BRING THINGS FORWARD THAT YOU'VE LOST TRUST.
IT ISN'T GONNA MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT YOU SAY CUZ SHE DOESN'T CARE AND NEITHER DOES TONY.
BUT PLEASE GET UP HERE AND UTILIZE YOUR TIME AND MAKE YOUR POINT CUZ WELL DESERVED.
HERMAN, FOLLOWED BY ORDER, FOLLOWED BY MIKE.
VERY SURPRISED YOU HAVEN'T WARNED ME OR SUBJECTED ME TO YOUR PERSONAL TEXTS SINCE I'M YOUR INFAMOUS SPEAKER.
ACCORDING TO THE WRITER FROM, UH, MR. MONTOYA IN THE BACKGROUND OVER THERE WHO A LOT OF B******T ABOUT A PUBLIC SPEAKER LIKE MYSELF.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND I TRULY STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT I AM PROTECTED BY THAT FREE SPEECH BECAUSE THE N A A C P TOLD
[00:30:01]
YOU THAT I AM YOUR BEST SPEAKER.AND I USE A LOT OF INTENSIFIERS TO STEER PEOPLE UP TO TALK ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF WEST COVINA, FOR EXAMPLE, ON, UH, DECORATION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AS A SURPLUS.
WELL, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE SELLING OR GIVING OUR PROPERTIES OUT.
WELL, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HERE NEED HOUSING.
AND COME MARCH WHEN THE E B T MONEY RUNS OUT AND INFLATION'S HIGH AND THEY'RE HITTING AND BUMPING PEOPLE FOR FOOD HELP AND MONIES TO GET INTO AN APARTMENT OR THEY ON THE WAY OUT OF THE APARTMENT, I REALLY WANNA SEE YOU, THE MAYOR, TAKE THE INTEREST TO MAKE THAT BETTER FOR THEM.
BECAUSE THE MERRILL GARDENS RIGHT HERE OFF OF WEST COVINA, THAT'S A SHAM PUT ON THE LIGHTS.
BUT YET THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT ARE SHOWING YOU IN A FORCE OF 30 PLUS ON CARDS THAT THEY WANNA KNOW MORE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN WEST COVINA SINCE APPARENTLY YOU SEEM TO HAVE A MONEY TREE SOMEWHERE.
AND THEN ALL THESE BARGAININGS ON ITEM 11, RIGHT BEFORE I WALKED IN, THE LIGHTS WERE OFF AND ALL THE UH, DOWNEY POLICE WERE HERE JARGONING WITH YOU GUYS ABOUT HOW TO GIVE THEM THE BEST RAISES AND HOW TO GET THEIR, UM, SECURED RETIREMENTS.
BUT FOR THE REST OF YOU AND THE REST OF YOU, THERE'S NO RETIREMENT OTHER THAN YOU GOTTA WORK JUST AS HARD AS I DO BECAUSE I TALK ABOUT THE UNITED STATES VERSUS BAG DARIEN.
I TALK ABOUT SNYDER VERSUS PHELPS, AND THEN I GO INTO THE POLITICAL ARENA USING AN INTENSIFIER UNDER A DIRTY N CUZ I WON'T SAY IT TONIGHT CUZ I, I KNOW MOMMY AND MONTOYA AND THE OTHER DUMB ASS WRITERS FROM SAN GABRIEL KEEP SAYING IT'S HATE SPEECH WHEN IT'S NOT.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO USE YOUR OWN MIND AND PROCESS WHAT YOU LEARN IN A LIBRARY UNDER BRANDON BERG VISTAS, OHIO.
AND I THINK IF A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE HERE WOULD GO TO THE LIBRARY AND RESEARCH THAT, THEY'LL FIND OUT THAT I AM NOT TALKING A LOT OF NONSENSE.
AND EVEN TONY WOO WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A PHRASE CALLED A DIRTY N****R.
NO OFFENSE TO THE N A A C P, BUT WHEN YOU LEARN FROM GOING TO A LIBRARY, AND ALL MY DOCUMENTS HERE ARE ON RECORD, THANK YOU.
FOLLOWED BY MIKE, FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW SMITH.
COME OUT ALL MY PUBLIC RECORDS TESTIMONY.
I AM NOT FROM THE CITY, BUT A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE FROM THE CITY.
AND WHAT I READ AND WHAT I SAW ABOUT HOW THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY WERE BEING TREATED THIS PAST SATURDAY WAS VERY EMBARRASSING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PERSON WHO I'M LOOKING AT AND THE PERSON NEXT TO HER.
IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT A MAYOR AND A COUNCIL MEMBER REFUSED A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THOUGHT OR WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
BUT IF YOU FELT THREATENED ABOUT IT, YOU GOTTA STOP BECAUSE YOU, YOU CROSSED THAT LINE BECAUSE THE DAY BEFORE YOU INVITED A A PASTOR, YOU MUST REMEMBER THERE'S A SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.
YOU ALREADY CROSSED THAT LINE BY INVITING HIM AND REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.
I WOULD NEVER PUT ANYBODY BEF BENEATH ME.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU GUYS NEED TO BUILD BRIDGES WITH THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY WERE, THEY WERE HERE FOR HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS, NOT A HUNDRED YEARS, HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
CAN YOU STOP MY TIME? YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF CITY HALL MEETINGS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY VOTE YOU GUYS IN.
AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO SPEAK OUT, THAT'S THE RIGHT, YOU'RE ALREADY SEEING WHAT HAPPENED IN LA COUNTY WITH DELEON.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE SHOULD BE BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER BAD ENOUGH.
WHERE I COME FROM, MY CITY, OUR MAYOR DOESN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE BLACK LIVES MATTER.
AND IT'S VERY SAD AND IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT THAT FAR.
I JUST PICKED UP SOME BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY ABOUT THE TONGVA TRIBE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD JUST GO TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY AND GET A REFRESHER AND LEARN ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RECESS.
[00:35:01]
MIKE, FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW SMITH, FOLLOWED BY RICARDO MARTINEZ.I'M SORRY, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? MIKE LUMOS.
I'M REPRESENTING THE KISH GARINO ABANDONED MISSION INDIANS.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS OF WEST COVINA.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE KESH NATION GARINO ABANDONED MISSION INDIANS AS A DIRECT LEINO, THE SENATE OF THE KESH PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE OF THIS VERY AREA
WE ASKED THEM TO FIRST VERIFY IF ANY OF THE GROUP ASKING, IF THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS ON THE AMERICAN, THE, ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE LI CONTACT LIST, IT IS VITAL THAT THEY CHECK AND YOU GUYS DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE THERE ARE ARE AIR PEOPLE THAT ARE FALSELY CLAIMING TO BE INDIGENOUS OF THIS AREA.
AND WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO LOOK AT THE NATIVE AMERICAN, UM, HERITAGE CONTACT LIST.
UM, LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DOES HURT IF YOU'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THE WRONG PEOPLE.
MATTHEW SMITH, FOLLOWED BY RICARDO MARTINEZ, FOLLOWED BY ELSIE MESSMAN.
UH, I'M WEARING TWO HATS TONIGHT.
FIRST HAT IS SAN GABRIEL SENIOR SOFTBALL.
UM, WE'VE SUBMITTED THE INSURANCE AND THE APPLICATION TO GO BACK UP.
WE CALL IT THE HILL BACK TO THE SPORTS COMPLEX, UM, TO USE DODGERS STADIUM.
AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR AN AGREEMENT TO GET UP THERE, WHICH WE HOPE, YOU KNOW, IS WITHIN A WEEK AND A HALF IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.
BUT, UM, WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO GET BACK UP THERE.
SO WE, WE MISSED DODGER STADIUM.
WE, WE, WE APPRECIATE CAMERON PARK, BUT WE MISSED DODGER STADIUM, SO WE HOPE TO GET UP THERE, UH, VERY SHORTLY.
THE SECOND HAT I WEARING TONIGHT IS I'M CO-OWNER OF BUN STREET, SCOOP STREET AND SOMALI STREET.
AND THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY IN FRONT OF THE STOREFRONTS THERE IN SIX YEARS AS THE BEST WEEKEND, UH, THAT BUN STREET HAS EVER HAD.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE, UH, SELECTION OF, OF WHERE IT'S AT ON FRIDAY.
I SAW THE STAGE GOING UP AND ABOUT SEATING FOR 300 RIGHT IN FRONT OF MOLLY STREET, AND I THOUGHT, THIS IS GONNA BE A GOOD WEEKEND.
THIS IS GONNA BE A GOOD WEEKEND.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, ON ANOTHER NOTE, UH, WE HAVE AN OUTDOOR OPEN EATING AREA THAT WAS PUT UP BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY DURING C O V I D.
IT, IT REALLY WAS A LIFESAVER.
UH, WE PURCHASED ABOUT EIGHT TO 10 BENCHES, UMBRELLAS, UH, FOR THAT AREA.
AND WE LET ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS USE IT, NOT JUST SCOOP, TAMALE AND BUN ONE WORLD MACOS.
WE DON'T KICK ANYBODY OFF OF IT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST ALL OF US ARE TOGETHER OVER THERE.
UM, WE DID GET AN EMAIL TODAY FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN REGARDS TO DISMANTLING THAT WHILE CODE IS BEING, UM, LOOKED AT AND REVIEWED AND WE'RE EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR, FOR EVERYTHING THE CITY'S DONE.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO WHILE CODE'S BEING REVIEWED, IS TO KEEP THAT UP.
IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS A BARRICADES BACK.
WE'RE WILLING TO GET PLANTERS AND, AND MAKE IT LOOK NICE AND STILL LET EVERYBODY USE IT.
BUT OUR REQUEST IS TO, TO, UM, KEEP IT OPEN WHILE THE CODE'S BEING REVIEWED.
AS SPRING COMES, SUMMER COMES, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY NICE TO EAT OUT THERE DURING SUNSET, DUSK, ET CETERA.
MAYBE HAVE KARAOKE NIGHT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO WHAT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WORK WITH THE, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, DEPARTMENT AND THOSE THINGS AND SEE IF WE COULD GET KIND OF EXTENSION FOR THAT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
LIKE I SAID, IF THEY NEED THE, SO, UM, FOR BOTH AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, UH, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GREAT.
AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, MAYOR.
I THINK CITY MANAGERS OR PAULINA AS CITY MANAGER, WE CAN MAYBE END THE 10, MAYBE MAKE NICER.
SO MAYBE YOU CAN HELP US MAKE AREA NICER.
SO WORK WITH THE NO, YEAH, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK, ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO WORK WITH.
AND I THINK THE, THE OUTSIDE EATING AREA IS NEEDED, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN WORK WITH OUR PLANNING TO SEE HOW TO DECORATE.
MAKE IT, WHY NOT LOOK PRETTY? YOU CERTAINLY DO PLANNERS, TREES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THE CITY, THE CITY GAVE IT TO US.
HE'S RESPONDING TO A QUESTION.
WHAT CAN I DO? QUESTION ORDER PLEASE.
WE ARE CONDUCTED CITY, PLEASE.
AND WE ARE WILLING TO LISTEN TO YOU.
[00:40:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.RICARDO MARTINEZ, FOLLOWED BY ELSIE MESSMAN, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN ZONG.
I'M A RESIDENT FROM LA PUENTE AND I'M, I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED FOR YOU, UM, MAYOR ROSARIO ELLIOT DIAZ AND, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TONY WOO.
REALLY EMBARRASSED, UH, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEBODY WHO I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND NEIGHBORING LA PUENTE, THE CITY OF LA PUENTE, WHERE I GREW UP.
AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT CONSTITUENTS, RIGHT? ALL OF THEM.
AND YOU TOO ARE THE REASON WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE DISTRUSTFUL OF THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR OWN DEMEANOR RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SHOWING WHO YOU ARE.
I DON'T PERSONALLY KNOW YOU, BUT YOU'RE WHOLE DEMEANOR OF TRYING TO SHUT EVERYBODY UP RIGHT NOW TELLS YOU A LOT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU REPRESENT.
AND IT'S SHAMEFUL AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING.
THIS WEEKEND IN CELEBRATION OF WEST COVE'S 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, YOU, YOU FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS CITY IS, IS INDIGENOUS LAND.
THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE SIT, WE'RE WE'RE IN INDIGENOUS LAND, RIGHT? AND YOU DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, WHAT DID YOU SAY? I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAID TO JAMIE THAT LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS QUOTE UNQUOTE TOO POLITICAL AND TOO POLITICAL.
I, I, I'M, I'M REALLY BAFFLED BECAUSE I ASSUME YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND BASIC FACTS RIGHT? ABOUT US HISTORY.
YOU SHOULD KNOW OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THE CITY'S HISTORY.
AND IT, IT TELLS ME THAT YOU DON'T.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU WHAT, WHAT JOE SAID.
GO TO A LIBRARY, READ A BOOK, AND, YOU KNOW, LEARN ABOUT INDIGENOUS HISTORY, ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY, RIGHT? AND LET ME READ WHAT LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS.
THIS IS, UH, FROM JAMIE BECAUSE IT SEEMS YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW AND YOU ARE SO IGNORANT ABOUT THAT.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS A TRADITIONAL CUSTOM THAT DATES BACK CENTURIES IN MANY NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THIS WEEKEND.
TODAY LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARE USED BY NATIVE PEOPLE AND NON-NATIVE PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO ARE THE ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF THE LAND, WHICH WE ARE, WE, WHICH WE NOW LIVE.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU REALLY, BOTH OF YOU REFLECT, MA'AM, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, BOTH OF YOU, YEAH.
YOU REFLECT UPON WHAT YOU DID AND WHAT YOU DID NOT DO THIS WEEKEND, AND REALLY RECONSIDER, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE TO, NOT ONLY WILL YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE, BOTH OF YOU, I GUESS SHE'S NOT LOOKING AT ME ANYMORE.
YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO JAMIE AND THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU, YOU REALLY HAVE TO EITHER PROCLAIM A RESOLUTION OR WRITE A RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS NATIVE LAND.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT AND CONSIDER THAT.
ELLC MESSMAN, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN ZONG, FOLLOWED BY CINDY MITCHELL.
COUNCIL STAFF AND EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS ELSIE MESSMAN, A RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA.
I'M GONNA START ON AN ARTICLE EIGHT REGARDING ANOTHER RETAINER FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE FOURTH WHEN KIMBERLY BARLOW IS HERE.
WE HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER AND STAFF THAT DID, THAT HAD EXPERIENCE AND THE RETAINER WAS ONLY $15,000.
THEN I REALIZE PRICE HAS GONE UP.
BUT NOW THEY'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE THEY'RE GETTING $30,000 A MONTH AND NOW THEY WANT 40,000 A MONTH.
WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP? DC WEST COVINA AND A FEW EXTRA DOLLARS.
BUT REMEMBER THIS MONEY IS NOT GONNA LAST FOREVER AND WE STILL HAVE TO PAY 'EM.
IF WE HAVE NO MONEY, WE STILL HAVE TO PAY 'EM.
THE $40,000 PLUS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
THE ATTORNEY WAS PAID, WAS PAID $84,400.
AND IN DECEMBER THEY WERE PAID $66,400.
WAS THAT, UH, AND WE WERE CLOSED FOR ONE WEEK IN DECEMBER.
ANYWAY, I THINK THAT, UH, UH, THIS SHOULD COME TO A STOP.
AND, UH, CUZ THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ATTORNEYS
[00:45:01]
THAT HAVE, UH, THAT ARE DOING, THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS CITY ALSO.NOW, THE ATTORNEY IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, OR IS A COMPANY WORKING, UH, WORKING FOR US.
REMEMBER, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW PEOPLE THAT KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS DONE WHAT, WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE HAS LEFT EITHER THE PEOPLE WHO THEY EITHER LEFT, RETIRED, OR FIRED WITH A LAWSUIT PENDING SINCE THERE HAS BEEN A MAINTENANCE YARD DECLARED, DECLARED SURPLUS LAND.
I GUESS WHEN WE SELL REAL ESTATE, ANYTHING THAT IS OPEN IS RE SUR SURPLUS LAND.
HERE WE GO AGAIN, WANTING A HOTEL.
I THINK ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAS A HOTEL ON HIS BRAIN LOOKING FOR OPEN SPACES.
AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE, SING POLLEY AND ANOTHER, UH, ANOTHER HOTEL AT B K K.
HOW MUCH HAS THIS CITY SPENT ON THESE TWO PROJECTS? NOT LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN THERE'S GOING, UH, THE AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER, UH, AND THE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID.
SO START USING YOUR OWN HEAD AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
AND THE THREE CASES OF PEOPLE LET GO, THE MANAGER SHOULD KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
THIS IS COSTING THE CITY A LOT OF MONEY.
ALSO, THE ATTORNEY AT LEAST WAS, REACHED A SETTLEMENT FOR $55,000 AND THE MAIN NAME WAS NOT MENTIONED BECAUSE THE CITY LOST.
BUT WHEN THE CITY WINS, THE NAME IS, UH, PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND ANYWAY, WE STILL HAVE TWO ASSISTANT MANAGERS.
CINDY MITCHELL, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS MILLER.
GOOD EVENING, MISS, UM, MISS MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, UM, MISS THE CITY MANAGER, STAFF AND AUDIENCE, AND EVERYONE WATCHING THE HOME.
UH, I'M ONE WINK
AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME, UM, TALK ABOUT THE LIBRARY TONIGHT.
UM, FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
WE JUST, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND AT THE LIBRARY WE HAVE QUITE A FEW, UH, SPECIAL PROGRAMS, UM, TO CELEBRATE IT.
AND, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE TWO, UH, PROGRAMS COMING UP THIS WEEK.
AND ONE IS, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN GENEALOGY WORKSHOP.
AND THIS PROGRAM WILL BE THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE 24TH AT 11:00 AM AND THE OTHER ONE IS, UM, THE COMPTON COWBOYS ELECT, A LEGACY OF AMERICAN, UH, LEXI OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN UKRAINE AND, UH, WESTERN HERITAGE.
AND THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO ON SATURDAY, UM, THIS SATURDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
AND THESE, BOTH THESE PROGRAMS ARE VIRTUAL.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE, UM, GO TO THE LA COUNTY LIBRARY'S WEBSITE AND, UM, YOU GO TO THE LIBRARY'S, UH, VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING WEBS, UH, WEBPAGE TO REGISTER THE WEBPAGE, UM, IS, UM, LA COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG, UM, SLASH VIRTUAL, UM, HYPHEN AND PROGRAMMING.
AGAIN, THE THE PROGRAM, UM, THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM ON OUR LIBRARY'S WEBSITE IS LA COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG/VIRTUAL DASH.
UH, PROGRAMMING ON WEST COVINA LIBRARY IS CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR MAJOR RENOVATIONS.
UM, UM, WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SIDEWALK HOST PICKUP SERVICES AND THE PHONE SERVICE.
IF YOU NEED TO RESERVE LIBRARY BOOKS AND, UM, MATERIALS AND THE PICK UP AT THE LIBRARY, PLEASE CALL THE LIBRARY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, INFORMATION QUESTION OR REFERENCE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL THE LIBRARY.
AND RIGHT NOW IS THE TAX SEASON.
AND IF YOU NEED A TEXT FORMS AND PLEASE CALL THE LIBRARY, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PRINT THEM OUT FOR YOU.
AND, UH, WELL THE LIBRARY ALSO, IF YOU WANTED TO RETURN THE LIBRARY BOOK.
SO THE LI UH, THE BOOK JOB AT THE LIBRARY ENTRANCE IS OPEN 24 7.
IF YOU NEED IN-PERSON SERVICE, IN-PERSON LIBRARY SERVICE, PLEASE VISIT OUR NEIGHBORING, UM, LIBRARY, INCLUDING, UH, ORWIN PARK LIBRARY, LA POINTE LIBRARY, SUNCAST LIBRARY.
THEY ARE ALL WITHIN, UH, A FEW MILES FROM WEST COVINA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.
[00:50:01]
CHRIS MILLER, FOLLOWED BY BRIAN GUTIERREZ.MAY AARON COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS CINDY MITCHELL.
UM, ROBERT HAS A DISABILITY AND COGNITIVE DISORDER, SO IT AFFECTS HIS SPEECH.
SO IF YOU JUST BE PATIENT WITH HIM TONIGHT, HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU FROM HIS HEART.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER I PEOPLE GATHERED HER.
I, I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS NOT BEING THEIR TIME TO BE ON THEIR OWN LAND AND WHY I AM NOT INDIGENOUS MYSELF.
I LIVE ON
I HAVE, UH, NATIVE GARDEN IN MY NERD AND IT BRINGS ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS.
AND THIS IS A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS.
LISTENING TO INDIGENOUS SPEAKERS AND LIKE NICHOLAS HUMMINGBIRD AND ALSO ABOUT WHAT THEY STILL DO TO HELP CARE FOR THE LAND, JUST LIKE THEY WERE CARING FOR WAY BEFORE ANY OF US GOT HERE.
UM, BEFORE I ST SPEAK ON ITEM 14, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I AM DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND.
UH, IT WAS UNCALLED FOR NEXT, THE OUTSIDE, UH, EATING TOTALLY FOR THAT.
DO NOT MAKE 'EM DISMANTLE IT BECAUSE IT'S USEFUL.
YOU KNOW, UH, TAMALE STREET AND SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES DON'T HAVE INSIDE SEATING AS WHERE THAT HELPS TO ENJOY WHATEVER YOU'VE BOUGHT.
SO ON ITEM 14, I'VE PONDERED A LOT SINCE TALKING TO VARIOUS PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK WITH THE INTERSECTIONS.
AND ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY AND HOW PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THINGS AND SORT OF LIKE THE, THAT GETS FOCUSED IN THEIR DRIVING.
YOU BECOME DISTRACTED AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
YOU GO BACK EAST MIDWEST DRIVING DOWN A FREEWAY, 300 YARDS OUT, PEOPLE
[00:55:01]
MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT.THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE CONSIDERATE.
THEY THINK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, RULES OF THE ROAD HERE.
YOU PUT IN TRAFFIC, CALMING THINGS.
IT'S JUST GONNA AGGRAVATE PEOPLE SUCH AS NO TURN ON.
RIGHT? SO NOW THEY HAVE TO WAIT.
LET'S SAY THEY'RE RUSHING TO GET THEIR CHILD TO SCHOOL LIKE I DO.
MANY MORNINGS STARTING ON PUENTE, TURNING RIGHT ON VINCENT GOING INTO ST.
WELL, IF YOU HAVE TO WAIT THERE FOR THE RED LIGHT MEANS YOU HAVE TO DRIVE EVEN FASTER GOING THROUGH TO TRY TO MAKE THAT TIME.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE THING IS MAKING DRIVERS AWARE OF THE LIGHTS IN THE INTERSECTIONS.
COMING FROM OUTBACK TONIGHT, I WAS DRIVING DOWN AZUSA LIGHT TURNED YELLOW ON UH, CYPRESS.
OH WAIT, THERE'S A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE.
I THINK HAVING THAT, EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT, BIG BROTHER AND OTHER THINGS, IT MAKES YOU SECOND GUESS ABOUT RUNNING THAT LIGHT CUZ YOU WILL GET A TICKET.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS ENFORCEMENT.
IF PEOPLE, IF THE, THE PROBABILITIES OF GOVERNMENT TICKET ARE A LOT HIGHER, PEOPLE ARE GONNA SECOND GUESS ABOUT RUNNING REDS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF IRONIC.
I WAS DRIVING WITH MY BOYS TO PECON AND A BLACK MUSTANG ON LAR ELLEN RUNS THROUGH A LIGHT, A RED LIGHT THAT HAPPENS DAY IN, DAY OUT.
THE NUMBER ONE THING IS STOPPING PEOPLE FROM ACCIDENTS OF RED LIGHTS.
CAUSE IT'S CLEAR THE THREE LAST ACCIDENTS HAVE ALL BEEN RUNNING REDS.
BRIAN GUTIERREZ, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE DERPHY, FOLLOWED BY HEIDI.
MY NAME IS, UH, BRIAN GUTIERREZ AND I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND IT'S JUST A, A DISAPPOINTMENT AND SHAME THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN TABBA TOBA HAS SPREAD RUMORS AND LIES ABOUT CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL DISHONORING NATIVE AMERICANS IN OUR NATION AND IN OUR STATE.
THEY WERE NA NATIVE AMERICANS ARE A PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND I'M MOST CERTAIN BASED UPON THEIR ACTIONS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE TONY RU AND MAYOR DIAZ HAVE SHOWN AND COUNCILWOMAN, UH, LATI LOPEZ VIDO HAS SHOWN, AND COUNCILWOMAN MCC CANTOS HAS SHOWN THAT REGARDLESS WHERE ONE MORE PERSON COMES FROM IN LIFE, THERE WERE ALL EQUAL AND WE ALL ACHIEVE.
I'M CONFUSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TABBA VICE'S ADVOCACY BECAUSE ON HIS OWN SOCIAL NON-LICENSED F P C SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, HE ACKNOWLEDGES THE GABRIELINO SHONE NATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SHOSHONE.
BUT THIS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE GABRIELINO BAN OF MISSION INDIANS.
KISH NATION TABBA IN THE PAST HAS IGNORED ASIAN AMERICAN HATE SPEECH.
HE'S HEBA HAS SUPPORTED DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION BY ALLOWING AN ENDORSING CANDIDATES WHO SAID PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
HE VOIDED AGAINST HIRING 10 ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS.
WHEN OFFICERS WERE READY TO RETIRE.
HE DID NOT WANT TO REFILL THEIR POSITIONS BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT THE COMMUNITY DID NOT DESERVE PUBLIC SERVICE.
YOU SUPPORTED WHEN, WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS HELP, WHO YOU CALL 9 1 1, YOU SUPPORTED CANDIDATES WHO SAID PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE BLIND SHOULD NOT SERVE IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
YOU SPREAD A LIE TO THE TENT OF PEOPLE ABOUT FOUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU LET US, LET US NEVER FORGET THERE WERE A NATION OF DEMOCRACY.
EVEN YOUR OWN MENTOR, ALI COUNTY SUPERVISOR HILDE SALISE ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2022, GAVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF CERTAIN LANDS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
BUT SHE DOES NOT MENTION THE SHUAH NATION PART OF THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGE TO AN EXTENT BY CERTAIN AGENCIES THAT OVERSEE CULTURAL HISTORY.
AND SO REGARDLESS OF THE P THE FACTS, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND, AND, AND LOOK AT THAT REGARDLESS THAT THIS IS AMERICAN HISTORY, NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY IS IMPORTANT, BUT WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT WE, BEFORE WE GIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, THAT WE DO NOT HARM ONE OTHER AND NOT PROCESS, AND THAT WE DO OUR HOMEWORK AND THAT WE WE'RE NOT HYPOCRITICAL ABOUT
[01:00:01]
INEQUALITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS BECAUSE THIS MEMBER RIGHT HERE HAS CLEARLY SUPPORTED DISCRIMINATION.MICHELLE DURPHY, FOLLOWED BY HEIDI, FOLLOWED BY DON QUICK.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND A MOTHER AND A TEACHER HERE IN THE SANG GABRIEL VALLEY.
AND I WAS RECENTLY MADE AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND THAT MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSING ABOUT HOW IT WAS DECIDED THAT A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WAS PLANNED BY ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD NOT BE APPROVED.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN FOR ATTEMPTING TO INCORPORATE THAT SIMPLE.
BUT IT WAS AN ATTEMPT FOR A SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL AND INCLUSIVE ELEMENT IN THE PROGRAM OF THIS WEEKEND'S CELEBRATIONS.
AND AS AN EDUCATOR, WE ARE TRAINED IN THE PRACTICE OF INCLUSION.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PRACTICE.
AND AS A MOM, AND I KNOW MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM ARE PARENTS, WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO ALWAYS INCLUDE OTHERS AND EXTEND SPACE AT THEIR LUNCH TABLE.
AND I THINK SOMEONE EARLIER MENTIONED IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER EMBRACING A MORE INCLUSIVE APPROACH WHEN PLANNING COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE FUTURE.
I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO PLAN THAT WE DON'T SEE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
THE BURDEN OF TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY IS BIG AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO BEHIND THE SCENES THAT WE DON'T SEE AND THE CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT WAS MADE AND WE HOPE THAT ALTHOUGH THE OUTCOME DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT THIS WEEKEND, THAT THAT WILL NOT DETER YOU IN THE FUTURE IN TRYING TO ALWAYS MAKE A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
FOLLOWED BY DAWN, FOLLOWED BY NELLY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I AM AN INDIGENOUS FILIPINO WOMAN FROM AUSA WHO PRACTICALLY GREW UP IN WEST COVINA, PATRONIZING THE SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS OF AMMAR AND AUSA IN THE HOPE THAT THIS DOESN'T GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER.
I WANT TO EXPRESS IMMENSE DISSATISFACTION AT MAYOR DIAZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER WU FOR SHOWING DISRESPECT TO NOT ONLY MS. JAMIE ROCHA, BUT FOR IMPLYING THAT INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARE POLITICAL AND HAVE NO PLACE IN CELEBRATIONS OF CITY HISTORY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT ONE, MS. ROCHA IS A LIFELONG WEST COVINA RESIDENT.
AND TWO, THE INDIGENOUS HISTORY AND CULTURE IS INHERENTLY PART OF THIS TOWN'S HISTORY.
AND THREE CULTURAL CEREMONIES AND EVENTS ARE THROWN BY THE COMMUNITY WITH NO ISSUE.
I AM AN INDIGENOUS FILIPINO WOMAN, BUT MY TRIBE, MISS MAYOR DIAZ, PLEASE, I'M AN INDIGENOUS FILIPINO WOMAN, BUT MY TRIBE AND CULTURE IS LOST BECAUSE LEADERS AND POWER HAD DECIDED THAT MY PEOPLE'S CULTURE WAS IRRELEVANT TO THEIR AGENDAS AND MISSION.
I WOULD HOPE THAT IN 2023 LEADERS OF COLOR IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE BETTER.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THE LEADERS OF WEST COVINA HOME TO SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES WOULD ALSO BE BETTER.
BUT YOUR DISMISSIVE ATTITUDE OF A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER WOO SAYS DIFFERENT.
IT IS ON THE WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL NOW TO REBUILD BRIDGES AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND LEADERS OF THIS LAND.
DON, FOLLOWED BY NELLY, FOLLOWED BY JOSIE.
I'M HERE TO, UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
I'M HERE TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE NATION, UM, AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE ON INDIGENOUS LAND.
I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TEACHER AND ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN LEARNING MORE ABOUT EXPLORING IS, UH, FOSTERING INDIGENOUS PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION IS SO IMPORTANT, SO CENTRAL REALLY, IT NEEDS TO BE CENTRAL TO WHAT WE DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HOW WE HELP THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, INDIGENOUS FOLKS, UH, ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN PROTECTING MOST OF THE PRISTINE LANDS THAT ARE LEFT ON OUR EARTH, LIKE 80% OF IT.
UM, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF IT'S BEEN STOLEN FROM THEM.
I COMMEND YOU TO A SHORT READER.
IT'S A REALLY SHORT READ, UM, AND GIVES YOU THE MAIN POINTS.
UM, IT'S A COMPANION PIECE TO THE GREEN NEW DEAL, UM, WHICH WILL, UH, IF APPLIED, UM, HELP THE ENVIRONMENT IMMENSELY.
[01:05:02]
UM, I FELT A LITTLE BIT LIKE DURING THE, UH, QUESTION ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY THAT SOME DID NOT LISTEN TO THE PRESENTATION, UH, AND THAT SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT STALLING.BUT, UM, BIKE LANES, UH, WE CAN'T BIKE HERE BECAUSE THE BIKE LANES ARE ALL SHUT OFF BY GATES.
UM, WATER LEAKS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UM, IT TAKES ENERGY TO UH, GET WATER AROUND HERE.
UH, THE, UM, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU TO THE WORDS OF, UH, BRIAN, UH, ABOUT THE, UH, FROM LIVABLE WEST COVINA, UH, ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
UM, MAINLY I'M HERE TO, UH, STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE INDIGENOUS FOLKS WHO ARE DISRESPECTED.
UM, JAMIE ROCHA, THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE NATION, NATIVE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES FROM THIS AREA AND BEYOND.
ALTHOUGH THAT WASN'T ILLEGAL, IT WAS UNETHICAL.
WITHOUT THIS LAND AND THE ORIGINAL TAKERS, WEST COVINA WOULD NOT BE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
DAMAGE AND VIOLATION OF TRUST PERPETUATED BY THE MAYOR OF WEST COVINA, ROSARIO ELLIOT DIAZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER TONY WU IS IRREVERSIBLE.
WEST COVINA DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE PART IN THE HISTORIC ERASING OF INDIGENOUS HISTORY, BUT THROUGH THE ACTIONS OF TWO LEADERS IS DOING JUST THAT.
BY THE SILENCING JAMIE ROACH'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, YOU ERASED THE HISTORY OF WEST COVINA AND THE 500 YEARS OF TRAUMA SUFFERED BY NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO REBUILD BRIDGES TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS LAND.
FOR THE DAMAGE DONE HERE BY MAYOR ELLIOT AND COUNCIL MEMBER, WOO, DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE TRUE HISTORY OF WEST COVINA.
THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO BETTER.
NELLY FOLLOWED, OH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BRIAN TABATA AND HIS WIFE.
THANK YOU, CALK, FOR SUPPORTING JAMIE ROCHA AND FOR STANDING UP TO THOSE WHO WOULD ERASE HISTORY AND 500 YEARS OF THEFT OF THE LAND, MURDER AND SILENCING.
UH, NELLY IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
I THOUGHT YOU GAVE ME A DIFFERENT CARD.
UM, SINCE I WAS APPOINTED IN 2020, WE HAVE MADE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT A HABIT, NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT, NOT A JUST IN CASE.
POLITICAL SCIENCE 1 0 1 MEANS STATES IN THOSE LESSONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BOARD MEMBERS NEVER REACT TO.
PUBLIC SPEAKERS ARE THE AUDIENCE.
THAT MEANS YOU DON'T SMILE, YOU DON'T NOD, YOU DON'T GET UPSET, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING.
YOU JUST SIT THERE STONE FACE.
THAT'S WHY THEY TELL US YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE NO EMOTIONS.
IF YOU'RE DOING THAT, YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB WELL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, OKAY? AS A COMMISSIONER, MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A PERSONNEL COMMISSIONER IS TO OVERSEE HIRING AND FIRE AND EMPLOYEES.
NOW, THAT ALSO MEANS I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS.
DO I ALWAYS LIKE WHAT THEY SAY? NO, BUT I AIN'T GOT NO PROBLEM WITH CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM THAT HELPS US DO OUR JOB BETTER.
OUR CITY COUNCIL MADE SURE AT OUR FIRST CHICANO HERITAGE FESTIVAL AUGUST 28TH, WE HAD LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WITH THE AZTECA DANCERS, WITH THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT, THAT I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE INDEPENDENT AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT OF ORANGE COUNTY.
THEY'RE PRESIDING OVER IT WITH A CO CHAIRWOMAN FROM THE HASSMAN NATION LEADING THAT LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AND SHE DID NOT LEAVE OUT ANY OF THE NATIONS SURROUNDING, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED.
MATIA WASE MEANS THAT WE ARE ALL RELATED, OKAY? I WILL NOT STAND BY AND WATCH ANYBODY DISRESPECTED AS DIGNITARIES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ALL INCLUSIVE OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND NOT IGNORE THE HISTORY THAT'S HERE.
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH OTHERWISE, THOSE WHO ELECTED YOU CAN ALSO RECALL YOU, WHICH WE KNOW THAT HAPPENS QUITE A BIT.
YOU ONLY NEED SO MANY SIGNATURES.
THAT'S HOW YOU SHOW THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE YOU SHOW WHAT KIND OF CONTROL YOU HAVE, WHAT
[01:10:01]
YOU CAN DO.SO NOW IN SANTA ANA, WHENEVER WE HAVE AN EVENT, GUESS WHAT THEY CALL ME BECAUSE THAT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY WHEN I COME UP AS A NATIVE AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS, NOT JUST TO SIT THERE AND GET ALL GLORIFIED, IS TO BRING EVERYBODY ELSE UP WITH ME.
I KNOW PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
THEY WILL HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE.
IF I DON'T DO WHAT I SAY I'M GONNA DO, THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY YELL AT ME.
I GOT PLENTY OF AUNTIES AND NIECES IN HERE THAT'LL YELL AT ME.
THAT'S HOW WE HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
SO THIS COMMUNITY'S GONNA HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.
AND MAYOR, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S GONNA BEAR THE BRUNT OF IT BECAUSE YOU SET THE TONE FOR YOUR WHOLE CITY.
AND IF YOU SET THE TONE TO NEGATIVITY AND EXCLUSION, GUESS WHAT? THAT'S WHAT SANTA CITY, UH, COVINA IS GONNA BE KNOWN BY.
ROSEMARY, I USED TO DITCH IN COVINA.
BACK IN THE DAY, YOU COULDN'T BE THE MAYOR.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I'M INFURIATED.
NOT ONLY HAVE YOU DISRESPECTED THE ANCESTORS OF THESE LANDS, YOU FORGET THAT YOU ARE ON NATIVE LAND.
AND THAT IS IN JUST UNETHICAL, JUST SUCH DISRESPECTFUL.
AND BY THE WAY, THE FACES THAT YOU ARE MAKE AT OUR PEOPLE, YOU DON'T DESERVE THAT SEAT.
YOU NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THAT SEAT.
THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS TO YEAH, YOU GIMME THAT FACE.
YOU THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS NOT ONLY APOLOGIZE, BUT REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THAT SEAT.
BECAUSE N NOT AS AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN, YOU'RE DISRESPECTING ALL INDIGENOUS NATIVE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WRONG BECAUSE THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU'RE SITTING IN THAT SEAT, BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE GOT YOU ON THAT SEAT.
AND FOR YOU, TONY, WOO, IT'S A PERSON THAT NEEDS TO ALSO RESPECT YOUR OWN ANCESTORS AND YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
YOU ARE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LAND THAT YOU'RE STEPPING ON.
YOU ARE ON THIS SEAT AS WELL BECAUSE OF OUR PEOPLE PUT YOU THERE.
REMEMBER, EVERY PERSON THAT IS SITTING HERE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, AND THIS COMMUNITY GOT YOU THERE.
AND THE REASON THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR THE PROPER RESPECT IS BECAUSE WE DESERVE IT.
OUR PEOPLE, OUR ANCESTORS DESERVE IT.
AND THE WAY YOU'VE CAME IN HERE, MAKING THESE FACIAL FEATURES NOT ONLY SHOW THE DISRESPECT, BUT THE UNEDUCATED THAT YOU ARE.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I ASKED MY PEOPLE THAT I IS HERE TODAY, LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD.
NO, I'M GONNA ADDRESS EVERYBODY BECAUSE YOU DON'T DESERVE MY TIME.
CUZ YOU DID NOT, YOU DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE LENGTH YOU ARE STEPPING ON.
AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, MISS, MS. DIAZ.
YOU WANT RESPECT, YOU GIVE RESPECT.
YOU LOST THAT RESPECT THE MOMENT YOU, YOU DISRESPECTED ONE OF OUR SISTERS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I ASKED THE, MY PEOPLE OF THIS LAND, MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT VOTE, YOU'RE OUT OF THAT SEAT.
FOLLOWED BY JESS, FOLLOWED BY VIOLET.
I AM A COMMUNITY LEADER AND RESIDENT.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS DEEPLY HEARD BY THIS INTENTIONAL ACT OF EXCLUSION.
THIS WAS DIRECT DISCRIMINATION OF NATIVE AMERICANS IN 2023.
HAVE YOU CALLED TO ORDER RACIST COMMENTS HERE? I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ALLOWED THIS RACISM IN THESE SACRED CHAMBERS AND HAVE NOT CALLED TO ORDER OR HAVE PEOPLE REMOVED SHAME ON THE LEADERS ALLOWING THIS.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS SEEN YOU CONDONE RACIST AND HATEFUL ACTS BY NOT STANDING AGAINST IT.
UH, ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL EVENTS, I WAS AT THE DINNER.
[01:15:01]
WE CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL, WHICH IS THE STRENGTH OF THE SANG GABRIEL VALLEY.AND AS WE CELEBRATED A P I HISTORY AND TRADITIONS AND EVEN CHRISTIAN HISTORY.
AND LET ME JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WEST COVINA IN THE UNITED STATES IS NOT CHRISTIAN.
THIS IS A FREEDOM OF RELIGION.
AND I ALMOST EVEN FIND IT OFFENSIVE FOR OTHER RELIGIONS IN THESE SPACES.
I'M ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED, SHOCKED IN DISMAY THAT OUR LEADERS WOULD NOT BE EMPATHETIC AND UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATED ON THIS SUBJECT.
THIS IS SO DISRESPECTFUL TO OUR ENTIRE BEAUTIFULLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
EITHER IT WAS OUT OF IGNORANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECTING THE LAND THAT YOU NOW CALL HOME, OR IT WAS INTENTIONAL OUT OF PERSONAL PREJUDICE AND A HORRIBLE ABUSE OF POWER TO USE YOUR TITLE TO ATTACK AND BELITTLE AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
EITHER WAY, THIS IS SHOCKING THAT YOUR A YOU THOUGHT YOUR ACTIONS IN SILENCE WOULD NOT COME TO LIGHT BEING AS SMART AS YOU ARE, I BELIEVE THIS WAS INTENTIONAL.
THIS WAS A DIRECT ATTACK ON INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
THIS HAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE INTENTIONAL DISREGARD FOR NATIVE COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL INDIGENOUS HISTORIES BY ROSARIO ELLIOT AND TONY.
PROGRESS DOES NOT MEAN FORGETTING OUR PAST.
I AM TONG AS WELL AS SHMA, AS WELL AS YO ROSA.
YOU SAID THAT JAMIE DOING AN OPENING WOULD BE LIKE CELEBRATING HER SWEET 16 AT SOMEONE'S KEENAN.
BUT YOUR IGNORANT COMMENTS AND EVEN YOUR 100 YEAR CELEBRATION CAN BE COMPARABLE TO HAVING YOUR QUINCEANERA AT OUR WOMEN'S COMING OF AGE CEREMONY.
A CEREMONY THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITH OUR WOMEN LONG BEFORE YOU OR ANY OTHER SQUATTER'S OCCUPIED, ARE UNSEATED TERRITORIES.
YOUR COMMENTS WERE RACIST AND UNETHICAL.
YOU HAVE PROVEN TO BE NO BETTER THAN NURI MARTINEZ.
AND I AM DEMANDING THAT YOU AND TONY WOO, WHO TURNED JAMIE AWAY FROM OPENING YOUR CELEBRATION FOR A 100 YEARS CELEBRATION OF YOUR CITY, WHICH SITS ON OUR ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS NEAR AA, WHICH IS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLDER THAN YOUR CITY, THAT YOU BOTH RESIGN FROM YOUR POSITIONS AS NURI AND OTHER RACISTS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO DO.
TO BE HONEST, A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
WE HAVE GABRIELINO,
I MYSELF AM A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, A RAPPER AND A SINGER.
AND THERE WERE SO MANY WAYS THAT YOU COULD HAVE INCLUDED US THAT WERE NOT POLITICAL, BUT YOU CHOSE TO ATTEMPT TO ERASE US.
AND I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THESE WORDS IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE FIRST NATIONS OF THIS LAND, THAT THAT IS FOR OUR ANCESTORS.
[01:20:01]
THAT IS HOW WE HONOR OUR ANCESTORS.AND THAT IS WHAT MY SISTER SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT VERY NIGHT.
AND I EXPECT YOU TO EITHER RESIGN OR DO BETTER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIOLET, FOLLOWED BY TINA, FOLLOWED BY JAMIE ROCHA.
I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA, BUT I AM A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BORN IN GLENDALE, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AND NOW A RESIDENT OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
AND I'M HERE BECAUSE MY RELATIVE JAMIE LET OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DISRESPECT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE BY THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WITH ONE OF OUR SISTERS.
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
I AM A THIRD GENERATION CHIANA AND I UNDERSTAND STRUGGLE AND OPPRESSION.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT AT THE CENTER OF THESE COMMUNITIES, AND I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE TYPE OF STRUGGLE AND OPPRESSION THAT IT IS TO BE ON YOUR OWN LAND AND TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN SUCH A WAY.
AGAIN, I'M NOT AT THE CENTER OF THESE COMMUNITIES, BUT WHY AM I HERE TONIGHT? BECAUSE OF LOVE? I'M HERE BECAUSE MY MENTOR AND MY GODMOTHER, TOGA ELDER JULIA BOGAN TAUGHT ME RESPECT.
I, I'M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, BUT I AM PROUD TO SAY I DO NOW.
AND SHE MENTORED ME, HER AND HER COUSIN, BARBARA DRAKE AND MANY OF MY RELATIVES HERE TONIGHT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGE BEFORE THE COUNCIL, BEFORE ACKNOWLEDGING THE COUNCIL, THE TRADITIONAL ANCESTORS OF THIS LAND, THE RELATIVES AND RELATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HERE TODAY.
NICK ROCHA, THE ROCHA FAMILY, JAMIE THE
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT ON NOVEMBER OF 2022, THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ADOPTED A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AS THEIR FORMAL PRACTICE.
SO ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BEING TOO POLITICAL NEEDS TO BE DONE AWAY WITH BECAUSE THIS, AS MY SISTER JESSICA LITTLE SAID, ISN'T EVEN ENOUGH.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARE OLD NEWS.
WE, AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
WE KNOW THAT IT CAN BE PRONE TO PERFORMATIVITY, BUT IT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE? I I'M NOT GONNA USE MY WORDS TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL.
I'M GONNA USE THE WORDS OF MY MENTOR, TONGVA ELDER JULIA BOGANI, WHO SAID THAT TONGVA WOMEN NEVER LEFT THEIR LAND.
AND AGAIN, UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE IN THIS ROOM, UNLESS YOU CAN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE TO BE INVISIBLE IN SUCH A WAY ON YOUR OWN LAND AND DENIED THE RIGHT TO SPEAK WITH A SIMPLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ON A A PUBLIC EVENT, WE HAVE NOTHING TO SAY HERE.
AND YOU, AND UNLESS YOU KNOW THAT PAIN, UNLESS YOU GO HOME WITH A STINGING PAIN IN YOUR HEART, THE PAIN THAT YOU FEEL COMING UP FROM THE EARTH, THE PAIN YOU FEEL OF YOUR ANCESTORS, UNLESS YOU KNOW THAT PAIN, THEN YOU ARE NOT CLOSELY IN PROXIMITY.
SO BE THANKFUL, THANK YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT PAIN, BUT DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DO FEEL THAT.
THANK YOU LORD TINA CALDRON, FOLLOWED BY JAMIE ROCHA, FOLLOWED BY SHAZ SHAZA SHAZI.
I'M TINO OR I TOO AM GABRIEL
I AM THE MOTHER OF JESSICA LERON AND THE GRANDMOTHER OF HONOR CALDON.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU DIRECTLY AND I AM HERE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR MY NIECE JAMIE ROCHA.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARE NOT POLITICAL.
THEY ARE A TRADITION OF SHOWING RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE LANDS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE LANDS.
THIS VILLAGE HERE
AND SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SAYS, WHAT TRIBE IS DELINEATED
[01:25:01]
FOR TODAY'S TIME, WHAT MATTERS IS THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR EARTH MOTHER.THE WATER THAT RUNS THROUGH HER VEINS, THE MINERALS, THE LANDS, THE PLANT RELATIVES, THE ANIMAL RELATIVES, AND US PEOPLE ARE PART OF THAT NATURE.
SO A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGES FIRST THE LAND AND THEN ALL OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL LIFE FORMS AND PEOPLES THAT RESIDE HERE.
SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND, IT IS NOT POLITICAL.
AND I KNOW THAT MY NIECE WOULD'VE GIVEN GOOD WORDS, SHE WOULD'VE GIVEN A BLESSING.
SHE WOULD'VE OPENED IT IN A GOOD WAY TO CELEBRATE 100 YEARS.
WE ARE CELEBRATING OVER 10,000 YEARS, SO WE KNOW WE ARE CONNECTED TO THIS LAND, DEEPLY CONNECTED.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT HOW YOU FEEL NOW THAT YOU ARE RESIDENTS UPON THESE LANDS.
BUT PLEASE DON'T ERASE US AS THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT AUNTIE JULIA TO BE VISIBLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO BE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STAND UP AND SPEAK OUR PEACE AND OUR MIND AND, AND DO OUR CEREMONIES.
SINCE 1974, WE WERE HAD TO GO DOWN UNDERGROUND.
UP UNTIL THAT TIME WHEN THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION AS PASSED, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME OUT, SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, SING OUR SONGS, PERFORM OUR CEREMONIES, AND SHOW OUR PROUD CULTURE.
I AM THE, I AM A TRIBAL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE GABE SHOSHONE TRIBAL COUNCIL, SUFFOLK, CALIFORNIA.
I AM ALSO THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF CHIEF VERA ROCHA, A VERY PROMINENT, UH, ELDER LEADER WHO, UM, IS WITH ME HERE IN SPIRIT.
UM, WE ARE ALONG WITH MY RELATIVES IN NOT ONLY THE GABE SHOSHONE, BUT THE GABE MONK IN KEY BANDS.
WE ARE THE ORIGINAL TAKERS OF THIS CITY OR THIS LAND.
NOW YOU CALL WEST COVINA, EVEN THOUGH TO US AS
BUT BEYOND, I'M HERE BECAUSE I SEEM TO BE A CENTER OF A CONTROVERSY.
BUT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT ME, THIS IS ABOUT MY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY AND OTHER INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE.
WE COULD GO OVER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED SATURDAY.
YOU WERE THERE, YOU WERE THERE, YOU WERE THERE, I WAS THERE.
WE COULD TALK ABOUT HOW COUNCIL MEMBER TONY WU DIDN'T HAVE THE DECENCY EVEN TO COME AND ACKNOWLEDGE ME OR EVEN COME TALK TO ME.
I JUST SAW YOU PHYSICALLY JUST STOMP AWAY IN ANGER OR SOME KIND OF UPSET.
AND I'M KIND OF REALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT MAKES ME THE, THE MOST SAD ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, UM, AS I WALKED COUNCILMAN BRIAN THROUGH A LAND OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OPENED UP TO INTERPRETATION.
I WAS ALWAYS WELCOME TO CONSULT WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.
AND I KNOW YOU, ESPECIALLY TWO MEMBERS WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHO KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BATTLES AND YOUR OWN STRUGGLES.
I WOULD EXPECT A LITTLE MORE FROM TWO PEOPLE REPRESENTING WEST COVINA.
I WAS, I WAS INVITED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DABA DABE.
AND HE CAME WITH THE GREATEST INTENTIONS, WENT THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS EVEN I TAUGHT EVEN PERSONALLY SP SPEAKING TO ROXANNE LERMA.
YES, I I CAME A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT WE WENT THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS TO MAKE SURE I WAS INVOLVED AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT AS AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR LOCAL TRIBE.
BUT I CAME TO THE, MET WITH THE DETENTION OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY.
BUT I'M NOT COMING HERE WITH ANY VENGEANCE.
PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG WITH ANY VENGEANCE OR KIND OF HATRED.
I COME HERE TO EDUCATE YOU AS LEADERS ARE HERE TO, TO REPRESENT A COMMUNITY.
YOU CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH COMMITTEES YOU WANT TO REPRESENT, ESPECIALLY AS PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND I'VE SEEN YOU SPEAK BEFORE TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT HOW CAN YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU'RE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THE LONG TRAINING, LONG STANDING TRADITION OF WHITEWASH INDIGENOUS HISTORY? BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, THIS IS HISTORY.
THIS IS WEST COVINA IS INDIGENOUS HISTORY.
I CARRY THE BLOOD OF MY ANCESTORS THROUGH WHERE I COME FROM.
THE REGINA I EXPECT TO DO BETTER.
I AM HERE TO REPAIR REP AND, AND HAVE WEST COVINA DO BETTER.
OTHERWISE, YOU'VE SEEN THE POWER HERE AND ADDED THIS UGLINESS THAT CAME ON SATURDAY CAME THIS BEAUTY AND A WISH CANK TO EVERYONE TO SUPPORT.
[01:30:02]
SHAAR.MY NAME IS ZAS AND I'M A WEST COVINA RESIDENT.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WU AND MAYOR ROSARIO DIAZ FOR THEIR DECISION TO EXCLUDE THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE TRIBE FROM ENGAGING IN WEST CO'S 100TH YEAR CELEBRATION.
THE CENTENNIAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN INCLUSIVE EVENT WELCOMING ALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCEEDINGS AND TAKE PRIDE IN THE CITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE.
INSTEAD, THE TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVE WAS TAKEN OFF THE PROGRAM EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY STAFF, WHICH CONCERNS ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED.
POLITICAL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S REALLY THE RE REAL REASON.
WAS IT BECAUSE MR. TABATA BY OR ARRANGED IT? I'M NOT SURE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THEN I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS DECISION WAS MADE.
UH, THE CITY THAT THIS COUNCIL REPRESENTS ONCE BELONGED TO THE GABRIELINO SHAWNEE TRIBE.
THEIR FOOTPRINTS IS WHAT SET THE STAGE FOR WEST CORINA'S EXISTENCE DENYING MS. JAMIE ROCHA THE OPPORTUNITY TO BLESS OUR CITY.
UM, AFTER STAFF HAD ALREADY APPROVED THE PLAN AND HAD ACTUALLY PUT HER ON THE AGENDA OR PROGRAM WAS VERY HUMILIATING FOR HER.
AND SHE AND THE, UH, THE TRIBAL MEMBERS DESERVE AN APOLOGY.
MS. ROCHA HAD PREPARED, PREPARED FOR THE EVENT, AND AS A PROUD WESTCO RESIDENT WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, A LAND.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, BUT I DID LOOK IT UP.
IT'S AN, UH, IS A FORMAL STATEMENT THAT A PUBLIC EVENT IS TAKING PLACE ON LAND ORIGINALLY INHABITED BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT? WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE FOR, FOR YOU GUYS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANNA SUPPORT THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF AN ELDER OF THE TRIBE WHO MADE WEST COVINA HER PERMANENT HOME? YOU GUYS BROKE HER HEART.
AND IT HURT ME TO LISTEN TO HER.
I REALLY FEEL BAD ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED.
AND I DO THINK THAT IF YOU GUYS APOLOGIZE, THERE MAY BE AN A WAY THAT THINGS CAN BE RESOLVED IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
I ALSO WANT TO, UH, COMMENT ON THE BKK PROPERTY.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR ME.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S DECISION TO ACCURATELY DESIGNATE THE TWO PARCELS OF LAND THAT ARE, UM, A PART OF THE, UM, BKK UH, DESIGNATING IT.
YEAH, THEY DESIGNATED IT AS A SURPLUS LAND.
AND THIS TO ME, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ACCURATE, BUT IT MEANS AND SOUNDS LIKE, UH, IT, IT, SELLING THE LAND TO A DEVELOPER FOR THE PURPOSES OF BUILDING THANK YOU, IS NO LONGER TRUE.
LET ME, LET ME KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ISAAC C FROM WHITTIER.
ISAAC FOLLOWED BY ELENA, FOLLOWED BY MARISOL.
UM, I WAS BORN IN TAIWAN, GREW UP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND HAVE RESIDED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR 28 YEARS.
UH, I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER AND EDUCATOR AND, UM, I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF ROOTS, UH, BOTH WORLD ONE HAS COME FROM AND WHERE ONE HAS CHOSEN TO PUT DOWN ROOTS.
UH, I WANNA MAKE THREE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TONIGHT.
FIRST, THAT I'M A GUEST ON TONGVA, UH, TRIBAL LAND.
UH, THIS IS THE, UH, TRADITIONAL VILLAGE OF WNA THAT WE CALL WEST COVINA TODAY.
SECOND, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT INDIGENOUS ROOTS RUN DEEP IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, WHETHER IT'S MALIBU IN THE WEST, PNA IN THE SOUTH, TONA TO THE NORTH, MNA TO THE EAST, AND YNA AT THE CENTER MEMORY OF VILLAGES PERSIST TO THIS DAY.
UH, RATHER THAN BEING CONTROVERSIAL, I BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF AS RESIDENTS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
WE SHOULD BE PROUD THAT WE LIVE IN A LAND WITH A LONG HISTORY.
INDEED IT'S AN ANCIENT HISTORY.
THIRD, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ANTI-RACISM SPANS AMERICAN HISTORY, WHICH INCLUDES MUCH OF WEST COVE'S LAST A YEARS.
WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOLITION OF AFRICAN SLAVERY IN
[01:35:01]
THE 19TH CENTURY, THE RESISTANCE TO CHINESE AND JAPANESE EXCLUSION IN THE EARLIEST 20TH CENTURY AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS OF THE LATE 20TH CENTURY.THIS IS ALL PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND INDEED OF WEST COVINA.
I HOPE THAT THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY WILL INVOLVE A REDISCOVERY OF THIS LAND'S RICH INDIGENOUS CULTURE AND HISTORY FOR THEY HAVE A LOT TO TEACH US OF WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE HERE.
AND INDEED, THERE ARE ANCESTORS AS WELL.
FOLLOWED BY MARISOL, FOLLOWED BY JEREMY.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON INDIGENOUS LAND.
MAYOR DIAZ AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
NOW I'D LIKE TO SHARE A QUOTE FROM ROANNE ORTIZ.
UNDER THE CRUST OF THAT PORTION OF EARTH IS CALLED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ARE INTERRED THE BONES, VILLAGES, FIELDS, AND SACRED OBJECTS OF AMERICAN INDIANS.
THEY CRAY OUT FOR THEIR STORIES TO BE HEARD THROUGH THEIR DESCENDANTS, WHO CARRY THE MEMORIES OF HOW THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED AND HOW IT CAME TO BE.
THAT IS WHY I STAND HERE TODAY AS AN ALLY OF MY INDIGENOUS, BECAUSE INDIGENOUS HISTORY IS THE REAL HISTORY.
AND MOST RECENTLY, MAYOR DIAZ ATTEMPTED TO PERPETRATE THE ERASURE, THE ERASURE AND CENSORSHIP OF INDIGENOUS HISTORY.
UH, NOT ONLY IS THAT DESPICABLE AND SHAMEFUL, BUT IT'S EMBARRASSING.
YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A LEADER.
YET HERE YOU ARE FAILING YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THE STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE LIVES OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.
THAT IS WHY I ASK YOU TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE, ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LIMITATIONS AS A LEADER AND DO BETTER.
YOU ARE A POLITICAL FIGURE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND YOU NEED TO OFFER A SINCERE PUBLIC APOLOGY TO THE NATIVE COMMUNITIES AND TO THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE TRIBAL COUNCIL.
ALTHOUGH I THINK YOU CAN DO MORE, AND I EXPECT YOU TO DO MORE BECAUSE AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, MY STUDENTS ARE WAY MORE COGNIZANT AND AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AND IF THEY DON'T, I DON'T MIND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE 12.
WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE? I NEED YOU TO DO BETTER.
I NEED YOU TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE A LOT OF LEARNING TO DO.
FOLLOWED BY JEREMY, FOLLOWED BY ALBERT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MARI SALT SANCHEZ.
I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT JAMIE ROCHA AND THE GABRIELINO NATION AND THE REST OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS LAND FROM BEING DIS DISRESPECTED FROM A RECENT COMMUNITY EVENT THAT THAT WAS PUT ON BY THE CITY.
THEY NEAR AN ACTS OF MAYOR ROSARIO DIAZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER TONY WU IS A REFLECTION OF AMERICA'S CONTINUING ERASURE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
THIS COUNTRY HAS A MASSIVE DEBT TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THIS LAND AND ACROSS THE WORLD, FROM THE POLLUTION OF THEIR LANDS TO THE DEHUMANIZATION OF THEM AS PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURES.
THE BETRAYAL AND CHILDISH COMMENTS MADE BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER IS UNACCEPTABLE.
WHILE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK TO BE DONE TO GIVE REAL REPARATIONS THAN HEALING THAN NATIVE PEOPLE DESERVE.
AT LEAST YOU OWE IS AN APOLOGY.
DO NOT ERASE THE PEOPLE WHO HISTORICALLY LIVED ON THIS LAND.
THEY DON'T DESERVE TO BE ERASED FROM THE PERIOD OF COLONIZATION TO NOW.
WE ALL KNOW OUR HISTORY BOOKS ALREADY ERASED THEM.
AND THAT'S SAD CUZ OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE BEING TAUGHT LIES ABOUT THE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA.
DON'T GIVE US PERFORMATIVE ACTIONS OR PROMISES.
DO THE REAL WORK THAT IT TAKES TO PRE REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUT UNDER PRESSURE IF YOU DRAG YOUR FEET.
I'M THE GREAT-GREAT GRANDSON OF JENNY KUYA.
I COME HERE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR MY COUSIN JAMIE AND MY RELATIVES.
ONE THING YOU GUYS GOTTA UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS THAT WE'RE SITTING IN A ROOM TOGETHER.
[01:40:01]
DO YOU REALIZE THAT, THAT WE OCCUPIED FROM TOPANGA ALL THE WAY TO REDLANDS.HUH? IT MEANS INTEREST TO THE VALLEY AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T CARE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE WRITING DOWN, BUT YOU'RE NOT EDUCATED.
AND YOU'RE NOT EDUCATED ABOUT YOUR OWN PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU WOULD KNOW YOUR LANGUAGE, THE NAWA LANGUAGE, AND YOU WOULD HAVE AN ALTAR AND YOU WOULD READ A BOOK AND YOU WOULD KNOW ABOUT A MEDICINE BAG AND YOU WOULD HAVE RESPECT.
WE'RE THE FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE.
I WANNA SHOW YOU GUYS SOMETHING RIGHT HERE.
BRIAN, CAN YOU COME UP AND READ THIS, PLEASE? IS THAT ALLOWED? CAN HE GRAB THIS FROM ME? OKAY.
WELL, WHAT IT SAYS, IT SAYS, THANK YOU JEREMY GONZALEZ FROM THE KESH NATION FOR THE PROTECTIONS OF LINCOLN HEIGHTS AVENUE 34 IS POISON.
YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I SHUT DOWN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR SITE THAT WAS SPEWING GASES TO YOUNG CHICANO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN LINCOLN HEIGHTS.
SO THINK OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO BUILD HERE.
THINK OF THAT, THINK OF MY ANCESTOR'S BONES THAT MIGHT BE IN THESE BURIAL GROUNDS WHERE YOU WANNA BUILD THINGS.
THINK HOW LONG I CAN HOLD THAT UP IN COURT.
THINK HOW LONG YOU WON'T GET NOTHING BUILT.
I CAN BRING AN ANTHROPOLOGIST OUT HERE AND WE COULD COLLECT ARTIFACTS, WE COULD COLLECT OUR BONES.
ANYTIME YOU GUYS WANT TO BUILD ANYTHING AND HAVE OUR PEOPLE REGULATED, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO THEN? WHEN YOU WANT YOUR MONEY? YOU WANT YOUR GREED.
YOU, YOU WANT TO LET THE COLONIZER SPEAK ON EXTRA TIME, BUT YOU WANT TO TAKE OUR VOICE.
I SUGGEST YOU READ A BOOK CALLED THE MEDICINE BAG AND YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT YOUR HERITAGE.
AND I SUGGEST YOU LEARN ABOUT YOUR HERITAGE TOO, SIR.
ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO ASIAN PEOPLE AND WE SUPPORT THEM, BLACK FOLKS SUPPORT THEM, WHITE FOLKS SUPPORT THEM.
AND YOU TURN AROUND AND DO THIS TO MY RELATIVES.
HAVE YOU GUYS APOLOGIZED INSTEAD OF SMILING? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS? DO YOU KNOW WHAT? A SEVENTH DIRECTIONS PRAYER IS? THE SEVENTH DIRECTION I'M GONNA TELL YOU THIS IS THE WITHIN, OKAY IS THE WITHIN.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO LOOK WITHIN YOURSELVES.
AND I THANK YOU BRIAN FOR SUPPORTING US AND SUPPORTING MY FAMILY.
ELDER GABRIELINO NATIVE ELDER.
COME HERE TO SUPPORT MY COUSIN JAMIE AND THE ROKA FAMILY WHO HAS SHOWN GREAT DISRESPECT.
OKAY? CAN I ASK YOU, DO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE GABRIELINO INDIANS, SIR? NO MA'AM.
PARDON ME? WE'RE NOT HAVING A CONVERSATION.
YOU CAN'T ACKNOWLEDGE WHETHER YES OR NO, I'M NOT ASKING FOR A DIALOGUE.
ALL I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WANTED.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, TRADITIONS OF, UH, THE GARINO INDIANS? SIR, MA'AM? NO.
WELL, I SUGGEST YOU TAKE TIME, OKAY? YOUR OWN PERSONAL TIME TO LEARN ABOUT IT AND UNDERSTAND IT, OKAY? YOU SIT ON GARINO TERRITORY, IT HAS BEEN SINCE TIME BEGAN, AND IT'LL ALWAYS BE GABRIEL TERRITORY.
YOUR ANCESTORS WILL COME AND GO, BUT THE LAND WILL ALWAYS BE GONO.
OKAY? IF I CAME INTO YOUR HOUSE AND SHOWED DISRESPECT TO YOUR MOTHER OR YOUR MOTHER, WOULD YOU ALLOW IT? WOULD YOU, CAN I HAVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT? MA'AM? I'M NOT HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH YOU, SIR.
CONTINUE WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR CONVERSATION.
I CAN SEE WHY MY, MY RELATIVES ARE UPSET WITH YOUR ATTITUDE.
OKAY? AND I APPLAUD YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR, UH, COMMITMENT TO THE, UH, INDIGENOUS INDIANS HERE.
OKAY? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF TOY PURINA? I DON'T NEED TO EVEN ADDRESS YOU.
OKAY? I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER.
SHE WAS A SHAMAN IN THE BEGINNING OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SANG GABRIEL MISSION.
OKAY? SHE LET A REVOLT AGAINST SPAIN, THE FIRST INDIGENOUS NATIVE FEMALE TO LEAD A REVOLT IN THE LAND
[01:45:01]
OF THE UNITED STATES.WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY COUSIN, THE SPANIARD DID THE SAME BECAUSE THEY TRIED HER AND THEY BANISHED HER UP NORTH, NEVER TO COME BACK TO HER TERRITORY.
BUT IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HISTORY, IF YOU DON'T RESPECT IT, IF YOU DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT, YOU WILL ONCE AGAIN DO THE SAME CRIME.
FOLLOWED BY ROLAND, FOLLOWED BY TRINIDAD, ALFRED MENDOZA.
IS IT ALFRED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND GUESS YOU TONIGHT, UH, UH, MY NAME ALFRED MENDOZA.
UH, WITH A PERMISSION OF MY ANCESTORS.
I WANT TO ASK FOR PERMISSION OF THE ANCESTORS OF LAN TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
UM, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF JAMIE ROCHA AND, AND OTHERS HERE WHO ARE SHARING THEIR FRUSTRATION AND ARE DISCUSSED FOR THE WAY THEY WERE TREATED AND THE WAY THEY WERE REJECTED, THE WAY THEY WERE RAISED, THE WAY THEY WERE, IN A WAY EXCLUDED.
AND, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT YOU DID, AND WHAT YOU PROBABLY CONTINUE TO DO IS YOU'RE REVISITING THE NIGHTMARES, THE HORROR OF WHAT WE CALL THE SETTLER COLONIALISM, RIGHT? WHICH STARTED 500 YEARS.
AND THAT'S 500 YEARS OF WHAT WE SAY IN SPAN 500.
THIS, UH, DISRESPECTS 500, BETRAYALS 500, UH, AND MORE OF, OF THE ERASURE, RIGHT? AND, AND THOSE ARE THE, UH, THE THINGS YOU'RE REVISITING.
CELL COLONIALISM TRIED TO ERASE, TRY TO EXCLUDE, TRY TO DISPLACE AND TRY TO COMPLETELY VANISH THE PEOPLE OF THIS LAND.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DID THIS SATURDAY.
YOU EXCLUDED, YOU VANISHED AND YOU REVISITED THE HORRORS OF SETTLER COLONIALISM ON THESE, ON THESE, ON, ON, ON THESE RELATIVES OF THESE, UH, THESE NATIVES.
AND, UM, I'M JUST HERE TO, TO SHARE THAT FRUSTRATION BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I TEACH MY STUDENTS, RIGHT? I TEACH HERE IN THE REGION.
I TEACH ETHNIC STUDIES, AND THAT'S THE FIRST THING I TEACH MY STUDENTS.
KNOW WHAT LAND YOU'RE ON AND KNOW WHOSE LAND IS ON, THAT YOU ARE ON.
AND KNOW THE LAND THAT YOU'RE FROM TOO, RIGHT? YOU GOTTA SHOW THAT RESPECT.
YOU GOTTA SHOW THAT COMMITMENT THAT YOU'RE A GUEST ON THIS NATIVE LAND.
TOO MANY OF US ARE GUESTS HERE TOO.
BUT TO CONTINUE AS MANY I SAID TODAY, RIGHT? THESE HORRORS OF SETTLE OF COLONIALISM, YOU'RE JUST RECUTTING THE WOUNDS OF OF, OF THE PEOPLE HERE, WHICH ARE DEEP, DEEP WOUNDS THAT ARE WAY OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, UH, OF WOUNDS THAT, THAT THE NATIVE PEOPLE DOES NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THAT, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE REPEATING, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE REVISITING WHEN YOU TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING AND WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER 500 YEARS WHEN THE HISTORY OF THIS LAND WAS INTERRUPTED, THE NATIVE HISTORY OF THIS LAND, WHICH IS OVER, AS MANY HAVE SAID, OVER 10,000 YEARS OF HISTORY OF THIS LAND.
AND FOR YOU JUST TO ERASE IT AND THROW IT AWAY LIKE THAT AND SHOVE IT OUT AND, AND TRY TO EXCLUDE IT.
YOU'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT COLONIZERS DO YOU ARE.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
YOU SHOULD RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND BE VERY COGNIZANT THAT ALL THESE SIMPLE THINGS LIKE ATLANTIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AIN'T POLITICAL.
IF, IF ANYTHING, IT SHOULD BE LAND BACK RIGHT TO THE NATIVE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA.
BUT THAT'S NOT EVEN WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT, RIGHT? THEY'RE SIMPLY ASKING TO ACKNOWLEDGE A SIMPLE TRADITION, A SIMPLE RITUAL OF ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO BE HERE.
AND WHOSE LANCE YOU'RE ON? THANK YOU ROLAND.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ROLAND CONLEY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA, DISTRICT THREE.
I'M HERE TO ASK FOR A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE TRIBAL COUNCIL TO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
AND I GOTTA POINT OUT, FIRST OFF, I'M NOT INDIGENOUS, BUT I'M NOT OKAY WITH THIS EITHER.
I HAVE PRIVILEGE, CLEARLY I'M WHITE.
I HAVE A DEGREE, A DEGREE IN HISTORY.
THAT'S, THIS ISN'T SOME NEW WORLD.
WE HAVEN'T SUDDENLY FIXED THAT.
[01:50:01]
SO I JUST WANT HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE THE CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO ANSWER, JUST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED DIDN'T HAPPEN LIKE IT DID.SO FIRST OFF WHAT THE TIMELINE WAS, BECAUSE IT, IT WAS SET UP, IT WAS SET UP THAT THIS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WOULD HAPPEN.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT INVOLVEMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WHAT COMMUNICATION WAS GIVEN TO THEM.
BECAUSE YOU ARE REPRESENTATIVES, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR.
AND AS PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, IT'S DISAPPOINTING AND CONCERNING BECAUSE WHAT HAS BEEN REPRESENTED FROM MY DISTRICT, I'M IN DISTRICT THREE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I BELIEVE AND NOT WHAT I THINK, BUT I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT.
CAUSE I MOVED HERE, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET TO VOTE.
AND I HAVE TO WAIT BECAUSE THE DISTRICT'S MOVED.
AND AS SOMEONE WHOSE BIRACIAL CHILD WILL GO TO SCHOOL, WILL READ HISTORY BOOKS, PART OF HER CULTURE IS NOT GONNA BE REPRESENTED EITHER.
LILY, RIGHT? THIS MATTERS TO EVERYBODY FIRST.
ONE OF THE BIG POINTS, THE, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, THE EXISTENCE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IS NOT POLITICAL.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT NOW, BUT I WANTED TO SAY THAT AGAIN BECAUSE YOU GUYS SHOULD KNOW THAT AS PEOPLE OF COLOR, THEY EXPECT BETTER.
YOU KNOW, YOU WERE ASKED BY RESIDENTS TO SURF, NOT LIKE YOU DIDN'T GET TO JUST HOP UP HERE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT A FULL-TIME JOB.
BUT YOU, YOU CHOSE TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU CHOSE TO REPRESENT US.
AND THE MESSAGE THAT WAS GONNA BE BROUGHT, THE, THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, IT WAS NOT EVER GONNA RUIN THE MOOD OF THE FESTIVAL.
IT WAS NEVER GONNA, IT WAS JUST A GOOD THING.
AND THE PRAYER AND THINGS THAT WOULD FOLLOW.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANNA FI FINALLY AND RESTATE AGAIN THAT WE, WE DON'T KNOW BETTER NOW, CLEARLY, BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED.
HELLO? UH, MY NAME IS TRINIDAD.
I AM MEXICAN CHICANO, CHIK GUAM.
UM, I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY RELATIVES, UH, AND MY SISTER JAMIE ROCHA AND THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE, UH, FOR THE DISRESPECT THAT WAS DONE TO THEM ON SATURDAY.
NOW, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL ACT.
A LATIN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS NOT A POLITICAL ACT.
BUT LET'S TAKE YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT, RIGHT? THAT IT'S A POLITICAL ACT.
WELL, YOU LACKED THE POLITICAL COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND THE FALLOUT IS YOU ERASED THE HISTORY, THE TRUE HISTORY OF WEST COVINA.
YOU ERASED 500 YEARS OF TRAUMA DONE TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS TERRITORY.
YOU ERASED A, AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN'S VOICE BECAUSE OF YOUR POLITICAL COWARDICE.
AND HERE YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT, OH, WELL WHO CARES IF WE DISRESPECT JAMIE WHO'S GONNA COME OUT AND SUPPORT HER? THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT.
AND SO I REALLY, REALLY, YOU DO, YOU DO YOURSELVES NO FAVOR BY CALLING THIS A POLITICAL ACT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BECAUSE YOU SHOW YOUR POLITICAL COWARDICE.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO YOU, WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING IS REALLY HAVING A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BEFORE EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND AN APOLOGY TO THE GABE SHOSHONE, TO JAMIE ROCHA, TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND MAKE, AND TRY AND BEG TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT AFTER THIS AWFUL, AWFUL INSULT.
FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS, FOLLOWED BY GRETEL JANESSA HOWARD, FOLLOWED BY NICHOLAS ROCHA, FOLLOWED BY GRETA RODRIGUEZ.
HI, MY NAME IS JANESSA HOWARD.
I'VE WORKED ON TONGVA EXHIBITS FOR POMONA FAIRPLEX AND PUBLISHED ARTICLES FOR ELDERS SUCH AS MARSHALL MCKAY.
I HAVE WORKED JULIA BOK AND OTHERS AS WELL.
[01:55:01]
WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA FOR GENERATIONS THAT UNDERSTAND THEIR ANCESTORS AND THEIR HISTORY TO BE IMPORTANT TO MAYOR DIAZ.BEING A AMERICAN WOMAN FROM TEXAS, I KNOW THAT YOU DISASSOCIATE YOURSELF FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S HISTORY AND CULTURE.
UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMPANY THAT YOU KEEP WHEN THEY TERM THE COIN COCKROACH, THAT IS A 1909 EUGENICS MOVEMENT TERM, REFERENCING MEXICAN WOMEN FORCED STERILIZATIONS.
THIS IS PART OF CALIFORNIA HISTORY.
YOUR CLAIM IN MEXICAN DESCENT MEANS THAT YOU'RE SPANISH AND NATIVE.
YOU ARE A RESULT OF COLONIZATION.
YOU'RE A TESTAMENT TO YOUR FATHER'S AND MOTHER'S TENACITY TO SURVIVE AGAINST THAT STRUGGLE.
THE
YET YOU DISASSOCIATE YOURSELF.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I DON'T.
THEY ARE TRYING TO SURVIVE THE TRAUMA, THE TRAUMA OF GENOCIDE BY HONORING THEIR ANCESTORS' LEGACY YOU.
ABOVE ALL, PEOPLE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT YOUR NATIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO START THE HEALING PROCESS.
NOT JUST FOR THEM, FOR YOU, FOR YOU.
COLONIZATION HAS AFFECTED YOU TO THE POINT WHERE YOU FORGET WHERE YOUR BLOODLINE COMES FROM, TO THE POINT OF INSULTING YOUR ANCESTORS' BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS.
TELL ME, HOW CAN YOU LEAD A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE BY FORGETTING THAT WHICH HAS DIRECTLY AND EFFECTIVELY HISTORICALLY AFFECTED YOU? TELL ME, YOU CAN'T TO COUNCILMAN WU.
THERE'S A HISTORY OF CHINESE IMMIGRANTS HERE IN CALIFORNIA WHO WERE ALSO SURVIVORS.
THEY CAME FROM, UH, HERE AS IMMIGRANTS FROM OPIOID WARS IN CHINA AND WORKED ON TRANS CONTINENTAL RAILROADS, THE CALIFORNIA'S ORANGE INDUSTRY TO SEND MONEY BACK HOME TO THEIR LOVED ONES.
I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THIS, THEY WERE RUN OUT OF TOWNS BY WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
BECAUSE THEY WERE BELIEVED TO TAKE ALL THE JOBS.
THE ONLY JOBS THAT THEY COULD TAKE WAS LAUNDRY AND COOKING.
COULD YOU IMAGINE BEING BLOWN UP JUST BECAUSE OF A TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD SUFFERING HEAT STROKE, BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED HERE.
TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED THIS AS WELL.
NOT ONLY JUST FROM THE SPANIARDS THAT CREATED THE ADMISSION SYSTEM, BUT ALSO FROM THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE HEAT STROKES.
I AM ON TONG VILLA LAND, AND NOW YOU ACTUALLY, IT'S THE SECOND, OH, NICHOLAS ROCHA, FOLLOWED BY GRETA RODRIGUEZ, FOLLOWED BY ALEJANDRO.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GODLY SHOSHONE TRIBAL COUNCIL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AND I FIRST WANNA SAY, I KNOW YOUR JOBS ARE HARD.
LEADING IS HARD, OKAY? BUT WE GOTTA LEARN FROM WHO WE LEAD, NOT FROM OURSELVES.
EVERYBODY HAS TO BE A PART OF EACH OTHER.
MY JOB IS TO LISTEN TO MY PEOPLE.
MY JOB IS TO LISTEN TO MY SPIRITUAL LEADERS.
I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT I COULD COME HERE AS AN ANGRY DAD, CUZ I'M JAMIE'S DAD, OKAY? AND YEAH, I COME HERE WITH AN OPEN HEART.
YOU KNOW, UM, MY MOM TOOK ON A LOT OF BIGGER PEOPLE THAN, THAN ANYBODY REALIZES.
SHE TOOK ON SPIELBERG, SHE TOOK ON DREAMWORKS, SHE TOOK ON HUGHES CORPORATION, HUGHES AIRCRAFT USE HELICOPTER CORPORATION.
AND SHE, SHE SAVED BY WETLANDS.
SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR THE AWANDA SAGE FIELDS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO CONTINUE HER LEGACY.
UH, JUST TAKING CARE OF THE LAND, TAKING CARE OF EDUCATION.
THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT EDUCATION.
THAT'S THE WAY I LIE TO MY DAUGHTERS.
WE FALL A LONG STANDING TRADITION.
CAN YOU GUYS SAY THE SAME THING AS YOURS? CAN YOU SING? WOULD YOURS KIDS STAND UP HERE AND TALK TO YOU IN THAT MANNER THAT SHE SPOKE YET? OPEN HEART.
[02:00:01]
THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR.YOU KNOW, AN APOLOGY WOULD BE NICE, BUT WE WANT YOU GUYS TO LEARN FROM OUR, YOUR MISTAKES BECAUSE WE LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKE.
WE, WE, WE SURVIVED THE MISSION SYSTEM.
WE FI WE WE SURVIVED INDENTURED SLAVERY.
YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE WE SURVIVED RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS.
SO WHEN THE WAY WE DID THAT WAS AS A COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY HERE AT YOUR DISPOSAL FOR YOU TO ENGAGE WITH AND BE A PART OF.
I MET YOU AT GEORGE'S CAFE BEFORE.
AND, UH, WE, WE TALKED, YOU KNOW, AND I, I OFFERED OUR SERVICES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS' ENVIRONMENTS, YOUR, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENT WHEN THEY GROW OLDER.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T STEP UP, WHO, WHO DON'T, WHO WILL? WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC THANK YOU.
RETO RODRIGUEZ, FOLLOWED BY ALEJANDRO, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL LUNA.
I TRAVELED FROM SAN DIEGO ABOUT FOUR HOUR TRAFFIC TO BE HERE.
WHEN OUR NATIVE AMERICANS ASK US TO BE ALLIES, THAT'S, I SHOW UP AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT OF THAT.
I'M STARTING OFF WITH A POEM IN LA YOU ARE MOTHER ME.
IF I DO HARM TO YOU, I DO HARM TO MYSELF.
IF I LOVE AND RESPECT YOU, I LOVE AND RESPECT MYSELF.
AND THAT'S A POEM I TEACH MY STUDENTS SO THAT WHEN THEY GROW UP, THEY HAVE THE COMPASSION AND LOVE.
THAT WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THEY HURT YOU RESPOND, YOU RETRACT, YOU SAY YOU'RE SORRY.
70% OF OUR COMMUNICATION IS OUR BODY LANGUAGE.
I LOOK AT HOW YOU ACT AND WHAT YOU DO MORE THAN WHAT YOU SAY.
SO POLITICIANS SAY WHAT THEY NEED TO SAY TO GET VOTED IN.
WE'RE LEARNING TODAY WHERE YOU'RE AT.
YOU CAN RECOVER FROM THIS WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION.
YOU CAN RETRACT AND NOT DOUBLE DOWN.
YOU CAN BE RACIST WHEN YOU MAKE A RACIST ACT AND JUST SAY SORRY.
YOU CAN BE RACIST AGAINST YOUR OWN.
WHEN YOU HAVE POLITICAL POWER, YOU HAVE POLITICAL POWER.
MISTY IS, I FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE A PART OF MY COMMUNITY AND I HAVE TO ALSO BE A PART OF THAT GROWTH AND THAT RESPECT FOR YOU.
AND I NEED YOU TO DO THAT FOR ME AND TO DO IT FOR OUR RELATIVES.
YOU'RE INDIGENOUS AND YOU DON'T KNOW IT BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS SO DESIGNED TO ERASE THAT, TO KEEP US FROM BEING INDIGENOUS.
IN MEXICO, WE HAD DOCTRINES OF WHITE SUPREMACY WITH
YOUR PROOF THAT THAT WORKED WHEN YOU DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR INDIGENOUS BACKGROUND, WHEN YOU DON'T RESPECT OTHER, OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
LOOK UP THE LEMON GROVE INCIDENT IN SAN DIEGO WHERE I LEARNED AS A CHIK THAT THAT WAS THE START OF THE ERASURE OF US IN HERE.
BECAUSE IN ORDER TO GO TO W WITH WHITE STUDENTS, WE HAD TO LABEL OURSELVES WHITE.
WE RACED OUR INDIGENOUS, OUR EVEN OUR SPANIARD.
WE, WELL ACTUALLY THE SPANIARD IS WHITE, SO ACTUALLY IT'S ACTUALLY CORRECT.
BUT UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT HISTORY.
AND THE ONLY REASON I KNOW IT IS CUZ I WENT TO COLLEGE.
AND THAT'S WHY ETHNIC STUDIES IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WOULD'VE HAD ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
EVEN OUR A P I STUDENTS DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND THEY'RE LEARNING IT THROUGH ETHNIC STUDIES.
WHEN THE A P I COMMUNITY WAS HURTING DURING THE PANDEMIC, I WAS AT EVERY MARCH AT EVERY RALLY TO MAKE SURE YOUR COMMUNITY WAS SUPPORTED.
SO UNDERSTAND THERE'S COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS YOU.
WE'RE NOT ABOUT FREEWAYS, WE'RE NOT ABOUT FIESTAS AND TACOS AND QUIN WE'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SO AS YOU TRY TO PROFIT OFF OF US IN YOUR CAMPAIGNS, THINK BETTER THAN THAT.
FOLLOWED BY DANIEL LUNA, FOLLOWED BY MARIA
[02:05:01]
UH, MY NAME IS ALEJANDRO SH JUAREZ AND I'M OF UA MAT ANCESTRY.
UM, I AM HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND GIVE THANKS TO MY RELATIVES, MY TOVA, GABRIELINO SHOSHONE KE RELATIVES.
AND I'M HERE, UM, TO ALSO SHARE A LITTLE HISTORY OF MYSELF IN TERMS OF MY RELATION TO WEST COVINA.
UM, I GRADUATED, I ACTUALLY WAS IN RINCON INTERMEDIATE, WHICH BECAME TELESIS AND WENT TO NOGALES HIGH SCHOOL.
I WAS EXPOSED FROM BOTH OF THEM, UH, BECAUSE OF A RACIST SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT PUSHED ME OUT AS A STUDENT, UM, WHEN I REALLY NEEDED SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES CUZ MY FATHER PASSED AWAY AND WE LOST OUR HOUSES, UM, THROUGH MY PATH.
I MADE IT TO UCLA AND RECENTLY GRADUATED WITH MY BACHELOR'S AND IT WILL BE APPLYING HOPEFULLY FOR MY PHD.
AND NOTHING HURTS ME MORE THAN SEEN MY CITY AND THIS LAND.
AND AS PUBLIC OFFICIALS SHOW DISRESPECT TO MY RELATIVES, TO MY NATIVE PEOPLE, RIGHT? I'M HERE TO SHOW SUPPORT TO JAMIE ROCHA, WHO I'VE NEVER MET AND NEVER HAD THE HONOR TO, TO SHARE SPACE WITH.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND DO NOT TOLERATE THAT.
I'M VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU MR. WOO, MRS. DIAZ, RIGHT? WHEN YOU SMILE UP HERE AND WHEN YOU LAUGH OR WHEN YOU SHOW SOME FORM OF SMIRK, YOU'RE LAUGHING AT THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE KILLED IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THIS NATION.
YOU'RE LAUGHING AT NATIVE CHILDREN THAT WERE USED AS TARGET PRACTICE WHEN THEY FIRST CAME.
THESE EXPLORERS, RIGHT? THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN THAT WAS HAPPENING HERE IN THIS NATION, RIGHT? THE LYNCHING AND THE BURNING OF NATIVE PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU LAUGH AND WHEN YOU SMILE AT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE SHARING THESE COMMENTS, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SMILING AT.
AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT PROUD OF THAT, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T SHOW PRIDE IN THAT.
AND THAT'S THE WAY YOU REPRESENT THESE SEATS.
THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY.
IT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN WITH ACTION.
AND ACTION IS NOW NOT YESTERDAY, BUT TODAY.
WE NEED AN APOLOGY AND A SINCERE APOLOGY TO EVERYONE HERE.
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HERE, HERE.
WE NEED TO MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT FOR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE INDIGENOUS STUDIES IN EVERY SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT HERE IN WEST COVINA.
WE NEED INDIGENOUS CULTURAL CENTERS.
YOU NEED TO HAVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN A SEAT RIGHT HERE THAT MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT LAND AND WATER AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH THE CITY.
AND ALL OF YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TODAY.
THOSE THAT AREN'T INVOLVED IN THIS ARE NOW INVOLVED IN THIS TO HOLD YOUR FELLOW PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND FOR YOU TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY NOW, THE BALLS IN YOUR COURT.
PLEASE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
DANIEL LUNA, FOLLOWED BY MARIA, FOLLOWED BY BILL ROBINSON.
UH, MAYOR DIAZ AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A RESIDENT HERE AT WEST COVINA AND I MEAN GUYS, UH, REALLY DID IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT SURPRISING, UM, WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE I, I'VE SEEN, UM, MR. TONY WU, WHO JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT THE MAYOR.
AND AS I HEAR WHAT HAPPENED, YOU GOT INVOLVED IN SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, THROUGHOUT YOUR TENURE WHERE YOU MAKE DECISIONS THINKING THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF WEST COVINA.
AND JUST AS YOU DID WITH THIS DECISION OR TO, UH, SABOTAGE THE, THE BLESSING, YOU DIDN'T DO IT.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, OF THINGS WHERE YOU GET INVOLVED IN THINGS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF MR. TABBA HAD MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THIS TO BE DONE, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
YOU SQUANDERED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY TO RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY, THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THIS, UH, LAND.
YES, IT WAS INCORPORATED A HUNDRED YEARS AGO INTO THE CITY, BUT THERE'S PRIOR HISTORY THAT'S STILL WITH US TODAY.
NOW AT EVENTS THAT I'VE BEEN AT RECENTLY, WE'VE STARTED ALL OF THEM WITH INDIGENOUS PRAYER.
IT'S MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE, BROADER.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO NOD, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT PLAYING POLITICS, BUT YOU STRAIGHT UP ARE PLAYING POLITICS JUST BY DECIDING CUZ IT'S IN LINE WITH YOUR REPUBLICAN STRATEGY.
AND YOU NEED TO STOP, OKAY? BECAUSE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS YOU BROUGHT A, A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF VISITORS, AND I WELCOME THEM TO OUR CITY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DO THINK THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE
[02:10:01]
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS THAT DON'T WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HISTORY, THAT ARE AFRAID OF CHANGE, THAT ARE AFRAID OF SEEING OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.WE'RE ASKING FOR A BLESSING FOR THIS LAND, FOR THIS CELEBRATION TO BE GREAT.
WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? OKAY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, I, I ECHO WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.
THERE DOES NEED TO BE, AT A MINIMUM, AN APOLOGY MADE TO FOLKS THAT WERE, UH, TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR SCHEDULE TO ATTEND THIS EVENT.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA, UH, THANK TABATA BY FOR SPEAKING UP.
AND I, I THINK THAT ALL THIS HAS TO BE RECTIFIED.
AND, UH, IT IS, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR ALL OF YOU TO LEARN TO BE MORE OPEN-MINDED AND TO EMBRACE CHANGE AND BE MORE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS.
FOLLOWED BY BILL ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY VANESSA.
HELLO? UM, CITY HALL MEMBERS AND COUNCILWOMEN.
UM, THEY CALL ME TONY CUZ MY MIDDLE NAME'S ANTONIO.
UM, PEOPLE COME FROM CENTRAL MEXICO.
WE ACTUALLY MADE THE CITY OF
THAT'S HOW DEEP OUR ROOTS GO TO THIS LAND.
THAT MAKES ME NATIVE AS WELL, WHAT THEY CALL US AS INDIGENOUS.
BUT I'M A NATIVE PERSON TO THIS WHOLE LAND.
MY FAMILY IS, I CAN TRACE MY BLOODLINE.
I'M ALSO, I'VE GRADUATED FROM MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE.
I GOT MY DEGREE IN SOCIAL AND HUMAN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES.
I TRANSFERRED OVER TO CAL POLY POMONA, WHICH IS TOGA LAND, WHICH THEY ACKNOWLEDGE, WHICH AT MY SCHOOL, WHICH I GRADUATED FROM DURING COVID, WE ALWAYS HAD LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
HOW HARD IS IT FOR A CITY TO DO THAT? UM, IT IS QUITE EMBARRASSING TO BE HERE HAVING TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE WE COME FROM.
ONE OF OUR MAJOR CONCEPTS IN OUR TEACHINGS IS THAT WE ARE ALL RELATED.
SO I'M RELATED TO YOU, YOU'RE RELATED TO ME, YOU'RE RELATED TO ME.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE, WE'RE ALL RELATED.
AND IN THIS WAY, WE'RE ALL IN A CIRCLE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TEACHING THAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU, THAT MY ELDERS HAVE IMPARTED TO ME.
MY TRIBE WAS ALREADY, UM, DISSEMINATED.
I'M GRATEFUL AND LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY MY ELDER AND ELDERS.
I HAVE WORKED WITH THE LON PEOPLE WHOSE LANDS ARE ORIGINALLY FOR IN SAN FRANCISCO, BUT HAVE THEY HAVE BEEN DISPLACED HERE? AND I HAVE WORKED WITH THE, UM, MANY OTHER TRIBES THAT I'M ABLE TO.
SO I GRADUATED FROM CAL POLY WITH AN ANTHROPOLOGY DEGREE.
I AM AN ANTHROPOLOGIST AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW.
EVEN BOB MARLEY SAID, WITHOUT ROOTS, YOU CANNOT KNOW YOUR FUTURE.
IT DOESN'T DISCUSS ME, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU.
MA'AM, YOU GUYS ARE BOTH EDUCATED, SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF? BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO TO, TO ME AND TO MY COMMUNITY, YOU ARE DOING TO YOURSELF.
LIKE I SAID IN OUR TEACHINGS, WE ARE ALL RELATED.
SO NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, IT'LL ALL COME BACK IN A CIRCLE.
UM, BESIDES MY PEDIGREE AND MY OWN EDUCATION ON THAT, MY FAMILY FOR A LONG TIME WERE ASHAMED TO TELL US OF OUR, OF OUR ORIGINS.
BECAUSE IN MEXICO IT WASN'T ACKNOWLEDGED.
AND IT'S NOT ANYTHING PEOPLE ARE PROUD OF.
BILL ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY VANESSA, FOLLOWED BY GOOD EVENING.
UH, YOU HAD WHO HOSTED A SPEAKER FROM THE AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
AND, AND I WAS, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, WHAT HE HAD TO SAY, STATIONARY SOURCE POLLUTION AND, UH, MOBILE SOURCE POLLUTION.
BUT I VIEW OF WHAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TONIGHT AS SORT OF A DISTRACTION,
[02:15:01]
BECAUSE THERE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN OHIO ABOUT SEVEN, SEVEN DAYS AGO.AND THIS IS A DISTRACTION FROM THAT.
UH, B K K, UH, WAS A DISPOSAL SITE FOR A LOT OF VINYL CHLORIDE.
AND THERE'S A TRAIN WRECK AND A LOT OF VINYL CHLORIDE WAS SPILLED.
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR GOVERNMENT IS, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT, UH, THEY DID EXACT EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE.
THEY, THEY, THEY BURNED THE FINAL CHLORIDE AWAY, WHICH, THAT'S A BAD PRACTICE.
YOU DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT, IT CREATES DIOXIN.
AND THE EVENT WAS NEAR THE OHIO RIVER AND THERE'S THOUSANDS OF DEAD FISH AND, AND, UH, MISS THE OHIO RIVER IS THE WATERSHED FOR 30 MILLION AMERICANS.
AND HERE WE ARE TONIGHT, BEING DISTRACTED BY, YOU KNOW, IT'S TYPICAL FOR ME.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT HERE WE ARE.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR, FOR, FOR AN HOUR, BUT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY HISTORIES AND MANY, UH, TIMELINES.
UH, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS BORN IN NINETEEN OH OH FIVE IN, IN INDIAN TERRITORY IN 1907.
IT BECAME THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
AND, UH, THE CHEROKEES, UH, THEY HAD, THEY ENCOUNTERED THE WHITE, UH, SETTLERS RIGHT AWAY PRE IN PRE-COLONIAL TIMES.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE NEGOTIATING AND TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT AND TRIED TO LIVE, LIVE PEACEFULLY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
THIS WAS BEFORE THE US CONSTITUTION.
THEY HAD, THEY HAD A BASKET FULL OF TREATIES THAT THEY CONCLUDED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE.
THEN THEY TOOK THOSE TREATIES TO THE US SUPREME COURT IN 1831, AGAIN IN 1832, AND THEY WON.
BUT PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON SAID, WELL, THE US SUPREME COURT DOESN'T HAVE A CONTROL OF THE US ARMY.
AND PART OF MY FAMILY HISTORY IS THAT, IT'S CALLED THE TRAIL OF TEARS.
PEOPLE ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM, ARE ALL OFFENDED AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WELL, IN THE DEAD OF WINTER TO THE CHEROKEES, I THINK IT WAS AROUND 1838, WERE HERDED LIKE CATTLE TO OAK, TO INDIAN TERRITORY, TO OKLAHOMA.
AND ABOUT THIRD OF THEM DIED ON THE WAY.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY WEREN'T EVEN, I, I GUESS THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WERE REALLY OFFENDED.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE JAPANESE AMERICANS, PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II, THERE WAS WAR HYSTERIA AND, UH, THEY HAD THEIR PROPERTY TAKEN.
I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD JUST TAKE A DEEP BREATH, YOU KNOW.
I'M SORRY, BUT I INTENDED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
CHANCE? I'LL NEXT TIME? NEXT TIME.
VANESSA FOLLOWED BY UA, FOLLOWED BY CHEYENNE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS VANESSA MARQUEZ.
BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE ROOM THAT ARE HERE FROM THE KISH GABRIELINO, THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE, AND THE TONGVA LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT CAME HERE.
I JUST WANNA MENTION, I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER.
ALL THE CHAPTERS AND OTHER GROUPS, NATIVE GROUPS, A LOT OF 'EM FROM LOS ANGELES ARE, ARE IN THE DAKOTAS RIGHT NOW.
I PROMISE YOU, IF THEY WERE NOT THERE, I WE COULD PACK THIS PLACE EVEN MORE.
SO I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF MY FRIENDS AREN'T HERE, AND I JUST HAPPEN TO LEAVE A DAY LATE.
I COME FROM, I HAVE CAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, APACHE, AND PUEBLO BLOOD.
I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I WENT TO CAL POLY, AND I'M TRYING TO GET MY PHD RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MY LOCAL FAMILY HISTORY.
MY FAMILY LIVED RIGHT THERE ON IRWINDALE BOULEVARD, ARROW HIGHWAY AREA.
MY FAMILY HAD TO LEAVE HERE IN THE FORTIES BECAUSE THEY WERE BURNING HOMES DOWN AND HANGING PEOPLE.
THIS WASN'T A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, 200 YEARS AGO, THERE WERE BOARDING SCHOOLS THAT DIDN'T CLOSE UNTIL THE LATE EIGHTIES.
SO OUR, OUR PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH IT.
THERE'S STILL STUFF THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING.
I JUST, I JUST NEED TO MENTION THAT WASN'T A LONG TIME AGO.
SO MY FAMILY FROM THIS AREA LEFT TO NEW MEXICO IN THE FORTIES.
CUZ THEY WERE, THEY WERE, THEY WERE KILLING OUR COMMUNITY.
[02:20:02]
THERE WAS A LOT OF RACISM OUT HERE.AND THEN MY FAMILY CAME BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND WHEN THEY CAME BACK, WE WERE TRYING TO CONNECT AND, AND, AND BUILD OUR COMMUNITY BACK AGAIN.
IN THE TIME MY FAMILY LEFT, WE LOST A LOT OF HOMES AND A LOT OF LAND.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I'M STANDING HERE.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND I CANNOT BELIEVE SOMEBODY'S TELLING ME THAT THIS IS, OR OR SAYING EVEN THAT THIS WAS A HUNDRED YEARS AGO OR A LONG TIME AGO.
A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY DO EVERYWHERE NOW.
IT'S, IT'S BASIC, BASIC PROTOCOL.
IT'S THE SIMPLEST THING THEY DO.
A BUNCH OF THESE PEOPLE HERE I SEE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY, I RUN INTO THEM AT ALL SORTS OF EVENTS DOING LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
I JUST, I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M HERE.
THAT'S ALL I I, I, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN THANK YOU.
CHANGE THIS, FIX THIS, APOLOGIZE, BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU WE WILL BE BACK.
JUT FOLLOWED BY CHEYENNE, FOLLOWED BY MARCOS.
HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS JOY ROY BA CASTLE.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I RESIDE ON THE GABRIELINO TONGVA TERRITORY.
I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE PEOPLE.
AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE GABRIELINO KISH PEOPLE.
I AM ABSENTEE SHANI, AND I AM MUSKOGEE CREEK.
AND I WAS BORN TO THE CREE PEOPLE IN ALBERTA, CANADA AT SMALL BOY CAMP, WHICH WAS A RESURGENCE CAMP IN THE SEVENTIES.
MY PARENTS ARE ROSEMARIE ROY BALL.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN TO WORK IN THE WHITE HOUSE UNDER CARTER, UNDER FORD, UNDER NIXON.
MY FATHER IS RICHARD DEAN CASTLE.
HE'S AN OSAGE SPIRITUAL PERSON.
HE WAS THE PROPHECY CARRIER FOR THE HOPI PEOPLE.
WE ARE NOT HOPI PEOPLE, BUT HE WAS ELECTED BY THE HOPI ELDERS, THOMAS PENA, IN SPECIFIC.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT YOUR WATCH, MR. WOO.
ANYWAYS, UM, I'M HERE IN A QUINCEANERA DRESS BECAUSE OF THE DIS DISPARAGING REMARK THAT YOU MADE TO JAMIE ROCHA.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU LIKENED IT, OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND OUR WAY OF LIFE TO A QUINCEANERA OR A SWEET 16, WE DON'T CELEBRATE EITHER.
SO WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO IS CONTINUE TO ERASE OUR PEOPLE.
WHILE I RESIDE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, I SIT ACROSS FROM PEOPLE LIKE THE L A U S D SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE WE'RE PUSHING THINGS CALLED INDIGENOUS EDUCATION NOW.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE EDUCATING PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES LIKE THIS WITH GROWN ADULTS.
SO I DON'T WEAR THIS OUTFIT TO PLEASE YOU.
I WEAR THIS OUTFIT IN, IN SOLIDARITY WITH MY SISTER JAMIE ROCHA.
HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE NATION.
HOW DARE YOU RESPECT, DISRESPECT OUR PEOPLE.
WE CAN NEVER GO BACK AND REDO THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.
WE CAN NEVER HAVE THAT DAY BACK.
AND I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT YOU LET THAT MAN SLIDE UP HERE IN BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND SLIDE THE N WORD IN HERE WITH A HARD R UNCALLED FOR, BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
MY PEOPLE THAT CAME FROM OKLAHOMA ON MY DADDY'S SIDE, THE OLD SAGE, THE ABSENTEE SHAWNEE, AND THE MUSKOGEE CREEK, OKAY? NOT THE CHAR, NOT THE CHEROKEE, BUT, UM, THOSE PEOPLE WERE ALSO CALLED PRAIRIE ENDS.
SO WHEN WE SAY WE'RE ALL RELATED, WE'RE ALL RELATED.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY BLACK RELATIVES FOR THIS MONTH IN, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT YOU DISRESPECTED TO OUR ELDERS.
IT WAS UP HERE AND Y'ALL WERE JUST DISRESPECTING HIM.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTEND FOR THAT WITH ANCESTORS.
YOU DON'T DO THAT TO OUR ELDERS.
CHEYENNE, FOLLOWED BY MARCOS MHA.
[02:25:01]
THE ONE WHO YOU GLADLY WELCOME THE WARM WELCOME WITH OPEN ARMS. THEY SAY THAT SARCASTICALLY BECAUSE I'M WITH THE GARINO SHOSHONE, MY FATHER'S NICHOLAS ROCHA.AND YOU KNOW, MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE'S NOT HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT SHE'S HERE WITH US IN SPIRIT.
AND SHE WOULD'VE BEEN INFURIATED, INFURIATED.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN WEST COVINA ALL MY LIFE.
AND I AM DISGUSTED BY THE ACTIONS THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE WHEN MY, MY MOM HAD CALLED ME ABOUT MY SISTER, AND DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED.
I WAS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED BECAUSE AS MY SISTER, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS HERE TO DO A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO SHOW WHOSE LAND RON RANDY GABRIELINO.
I'M SHAKING WITH ANGER RIGHT NOW.
DON'T, DON'T JUST SHAKE YOUR HEADS BECAUSE YOU AREN'T EVEN LOOKING AT US IN THE EYES WHEN WE ARE SPEAKING YOU, YOU TWO HAVE INFURIATED IN ME BECAUSE THIS IS OUR LAND.
WE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE OUR CULTURE FOR MY ANCESTORS.
I COULDN'T EVEN, COULDN'T EVEN SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS ISN'T JUST YEARS AGO OF HISTORY.
THIS, THIS JUST, THIS JUST ISN'T THE PAST.
WE'RE STILL LIVING IN THIS TRAUMA.
WE'RE STILL LIVING IN THIS TRAUMA.
AND FOR YOU GUYS TO JUST LAUGH AND MOCK AND SMILE, THAT IS DISGUSTING.
I'M TELLING TWO GROWN ADULTS THEIR ACTIONS.
AND I THANK YOU TO BRIAN TAB, MR. TABBADA, FOR, FOR THE SUPPORT HE'S GIVEN.
AND I THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR WIFE FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DID.
YOU KNOW, I, I COULDN'T EVEN SLEEP FOR THREE DAYS CUZ I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO SAY.
I WASN'T EVEN COMING UP HERE PREPARED TO WHAT TO SAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST OBSERVING YOUR ACTIONS AND YOU GUYS LAUGHING AND MOCKING, YOU KNOW, MY, MY FAMILY AND MY RELATIVES IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.
I DON'T CARE HOW MANY MINUTES I HAVE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK.
WE'RE NO LONGER TO BE SILENCED.
I HOPE YOU GUYS GIVE SOME KIND OF APOLOGY TO MY SISTER, TO MY FAMILY, TO MY RELATIVES WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, THAT YOU GUYS MAKE SOME KIND OF CHANGE.
AND I'M ASKING THAT FOR TRUE GROWN ADULTS, WHAT TO DO.
AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FROM THIS, THIS LINE OF HERITAGE.
AND, AND YOU'RE STILL IN DENIAL THAT THAT IS WHAT BAFFLES ME.
BUT I HOPE YOU GUYS COULD REALIZE AND CHANGE YOUR WAYS, WHAT YOU GUYS DONE, AND MAKE AN APOLOGY.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY TODAY.
AND NOW WHAT? MY MATERNAL LANGUAGE, I'M RECOGNIZING THE LAND IN WHICH WE'RE STANDING AS A GABRIELINO SHOSHONE KESH TONGVA TERRITORY.
AND I'M THE CHUMASH PEOPLE AS WELL, CONSIDERING ALL OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
I SERVE AS A, AN EDUCATOR AND HAVE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
AND A PART OF ME WANTS TO CALL YOU IN EXPECTING THAT YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND PART OF ME RECOGNIZES THAT THE REASON WHY YOU SAID THIS WAS TOO POLITICAL WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR POLITICS, WAS BECAUSE THERE'S HATE BEHIND THAT WORD OF POLITICAL WAS BECAUSE THERE'S A VISION ABOUT THE WORLD THAT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S EXISTING TODAY CAN'T FIT IN, IN YOUR WORLD, CAN'T FIT IN.
IN YOUR VISION OF WEST COVINA, I'M ASKING THAT ALL OF THESE PROTESTS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED TODAY BE ENTERED INTO THE RECORD OF THIS MEETING TO BE ACTED UPON.
AN APOLOGY WILL NOT BE ENOUGH.
[02:30:02]
TO PREPARE FOR THIS MOMENT AND YOU LOST IT.THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA HAS FORMALLY APOLOGIZED TO ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
NATIVE TO CALIFORNIA IS WORKING ON LAND BACK SOLUTIONS TO RETURN LAND AND RESOURCES TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
I THINK THAT THIS GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO DO THAT AS WELL.
THIS TERRITORY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO WAS SEGREGATED.
AND TODAY WE HAVE TO HEAR THAT OUR OWN PEOPLE ARE THOUGHT OF AS COCKROACHES.
THAT OUR OWN PEOPLE ARE THOUGHT OF AS UNWELCOMED IN THEIR TERRITORY, IN THEIR CITY.
AND THOSE POLITICS OF HATE ARE YOURS.
WE APPRECIATE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR LISTENING TO COUNCIL MEMBER JAMIE ROACH'S WILL TO, TO DO A GOOD THING.
WHO ARE THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS EVENT WHO DIDN'T BOTHER TO GO OUT AND SEEK OUT PROPER CONSULTATION TO BE PRESENT AS A PART OF THIS ANNIVERSARY? THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL.
I HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKER CARDS, MAYOR.
UM, I'M GONNA MAKE A STATEMENT.
I AM THE MAYOR OF WEST COVINA, AND I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE CHANGE OF THE EVENTS THAT WERE TO TAKE PLACE THAT LAST MINUTE SATURDAY.
ON FEBRUARY 28TH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS, MAYOR PROTI AND I CAME TO A CONSENSUS TO HAVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PRESENTED BY MAYOR PROTI.
IN ADDITION, MS. ROCHA WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A PRAYER FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
SHE DID NOT, SHE WAS NOT DENIED HER OPPORTUNITY.
WE, WE LISTENED TO YOU WHOLE NIGHT.
TONY, NOW LET'S, OKAY, RECESS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA CONTINUE SECOND, OKAY.
MARY PRO 10 PROMPTLY MADE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT OUR CITY, SAYING THAT WE AS A CITY REFUSED TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
THIS WAS A TIME TO CELEBRATE A HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF WEST COVINA AND TO BRING THE PEOPLES TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY COUNCILMAN WOO AND I ARE BEING LABELED AS RACIST.
THIS IS UNCALLED FOR AND NOT TRUE.
COUNCILMAN WOO WAS NOT PART OF THE DECISION MAKING.
AGAIN, THIS AGREEMENT WAS MADE BETWEEN COUNCILMAN CANTOS, MAYOR PRO TIM, AND MYSELF.
THE NEGATIVE MESSAGE THAT IS BEING SPEWED ABOUT COUNCILMAN WU ME AND THE CITY HAS PUT THE BLACK CLOUD OVER THE CITY.
THEREFORE, I'M REQUESTING THAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY INITIATED THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION TO REVEAL THE TRUTH.
ALL PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING SHOULD BE INTERVIEWED AND A REPORT SHOULD BE PRESENTED.
THE REPORT SHOULD DISCLOSE HOW AND WHY THE SITUATION WAS BROUGHT TO US AT THE LAST MINUTE.
THIS REPORT SHOULD DISCLOSE ANY RACIAL BIAS FROM EACH INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF.
AND IT SHOULD REVEAL ANY QUESTIONS OF TRANSPARENCY.
DO I HAVE A CONSENSUS? CITY ATTORNEY? CAN WE ARRANGE THIS INVESTIGATION? YES, I WILL.
CITY MANAGER, CAN WE, UM, CAN YOU RESPOND TO THE REST OF THE COMMON SET? GO HAVE, UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.
CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, THIS IS THE PORTION OF THE AGENDA WHERE THE CITY MANAGER IS ASKED TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL, UH, EVENING.
UM, NEVER SEEN THIS NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT ALL ARE WELCOME AND, AND YOUR COMMENTS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
[02:35:01]
THAT PEOPLE COME HERE TO SEEK REDRESS OF THEIR GRIEVANCES.UM, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS I CAN.
MARIN COUNSEL, UH, MARSHA SOLARIO, UM, COMMENTED ON THE OPEN POSITIONS.
WE HAVE SOME VOLUNTEER POSITIONS OPEN, UH, RESUMES FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
WERE GIVEN TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH YOUR WEEKLY UPDATE LAST WEEK, AND I HOPE WE GET SOME CANDIDATES AND YOU CAN APPOINT TO FILL THOSE RANKS PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, ARMANDO HERMAN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, WHICH HE EXERCISES THAT AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING.
AND HE CAME AGAIN TONIGHT, AND WE WOULD DEFEND HIS RIGHT TO HAVE HIS TIME, HIS THREE MINUTES, HIS FIVE MINUTES, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND WE DO NOT LIMIT CONTENT WHEN HE SPEAKS.
HE SAYS THINGS SOMETIMES THAT ARE OFFENSIVE TO EVERYONE, BUT WE DEFEND HIS RIGHT, HIS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO SPEAK.
UM, WE HAD, UM, LC MESSES TALK ABOUT, UM, ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
ITEM EIGHT, CONCERNING THE CITY ATTORNEY CONTRACT.
THE, THE RULE OF THUMB WITH RESPECT TO EXPENDITURES FOR CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES WOULD BE YOU'D WANT TO SPEND BETWEEN ONE AND 2% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET ON YOUR LEGAL.
WITH THIS CONTRACT, WE'RE AT ABOUT ONE HALF OF 1%, AND WE'RE GETTING GREAT SERVICE FROM THIS FIRM.
SO I RECOMMEND THAT CONTRACT ON YOUR CONSENT CALENDAR TONIGHT.
WIN-WIN ZANG, OUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR WAS HERE TALKING ABOUT EVENTS AND UPDATES TO THE LIBRARY.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMPLIMENT WIN-WIN THAT, THAT THE LIBRARY SPONSORED SOME OF THE EVENTS AT OUR FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND.
THE MAGICIAN FOR THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAM.
CHRIS MILLER, UM, TALKED ABOUT OUR HAZARD SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AGENDA ITEM 14.
WE'VE GOT OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER TONIGHT WHEN WE GET TO THAT ITEM.
AND, AND CHRIS, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON YOUR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE OUTDOOR DINING AS WE CLOSE DOWN OUR COVID EMERGENCY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REDO OUR ZONING A LITTLE BIT TO ALLOW IT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY PROBLEMS ABOUT IT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE SAFE.
UM, SHAAR TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE BKK PROPERTY, WHICH IS TONIGHT RECOMMENDED TO BE DECLARED AS SURPLUS.
SO THAT'S GOING AS, AS SHE SUGGESTED.
UM, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE 35 PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK TONIGHT ON THE QUESTION OF, UM, WHAT HAPPENED AT OUR CITY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.
UM, I THINK THE, THE COMMENTS OF ALL 35 WERE BEST SUMMED UP BY, UM, WENDY MITCHELL'S SON, ROBERT, WHO SAID, AND I QUOTE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, WERE NOT ALLOWED TIME TO SPEAK.
MY INTENT AT THIS EVENT WAS TO ALLOW A SPACE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AS A CITY.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A DUTY TO GIVE EVERYONE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
UM, ALL HERE TONIGHT ARE IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF THE WEST CAMINA COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, ALL VOICES DESERVE TO BE HEARD.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PEOPLE CAME OUT TONIGHT.
I WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS EVENING'S EVENT, BUT I SURE HEARD ABOUT IT RIGHT AWAY.
UM, I CALLED, UM, JAMIE ROCHA RIGHT AWAY, CALLED IT THE VERY NEXT DAY.
AND WE SPOKE FOR SOME TIME ON THE PHONE TO HAVE THAT.
I COULD APOLOGIZE TO HER FOR WHAT HAPPENED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
AND TONIGHT I'M DOING SO PUBLICLY.
UM, JAMIE WAS ON THE PROGRAM AND, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOME TO SPEAK.
UM, I WANT THE CITY'S HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY TO BE POSITIVE.
UM, I REACHED OUT TO HER AND, UM, JUST WANT, UH, JAMIE, YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WANT TO SET THIS RIGHT.
AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR, UM, RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING.
THANK, UH, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT IF THIS WAS ORIGINALLY IN THE PROGRAM PLAN, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
UM, I KNOW WEST COVINA IS NOT LIKE THAT.
WE INCLUDE ALL, WE WELCOME ALL.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY NICE TO HEAR POSITIVE SIDE.
I KNOW WHEN PRO TE TEVA COMES UP AND SPEAK ABOUT THE TONGVA PEOPLE, HE ALWAYS OPENS UP WITH, THIS IS A STOLEN LAND.
BUT I KNOW HE FOCUSES ON LIKE, THE HURT, THE NEGATIVE, THE VIOLENCE.
BUT TODAY, I REALLY APPRECIATED HEARING THE POSITIVE.
THAT, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR.
WE WANNA FOCUS ON ALL THE POSITIVITY.
SO I KNOW, UM, JAMIE'S DAD, THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS.
AS LONG AS, UH, ALONG WITH THE OTHER ONES WHO, WHO MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF THIS LAND.
I MEAN, WE ALL ARE HERE TOGETHER.
UM, YOU WITH A BEAUTIFUL VOICE.
UM, I MEAN, WE HAVE MORE FESTIVITIES COMING UP.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOU PERFORM.
I DON'T KNOW, UNLESS SOMEBODY SPONSORS OR YOUR
[02:40:01]
ORGANIZATION SPONSORS YOU SOMETHING, UM,UM, IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
AND JUST AS YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A TIME MACHINE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S HERE, IT HAPPENED, LESSON LEARNED.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE MAKE IT CLEAR.
WEST COVINA IS NOT EXCLUDING YOU.
IT'S NOT EXCLUDING ANY VOICES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND WE DO WELCOME EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I LIKE, I JUST SORRY THAT THAT HAPPENED.
MISCOMMUNICATION, MISUNDERSTANDING.
UM, BUT WE DO LOOK FORWARD, UH, FOR ANY PARTNERSHIP OR ANY, YOU KNOW, PERFORMANCE.
LIKE I SAID, LOVE TO HEAR YOUR VOICE
SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, AND I HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND, AND KEEP IT POSITIVE.
KEEP, YOU KNOW, WEST COVINA STRONG AGAIN WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILMAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE ATTENDANCE.
COULD YOU COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS TO US? I WANT TO SAY I LEARNED A LOT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO LAUGH AT YOU.
I THINK I'M JUST ENJOYING A LOT OF HISTORY, A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE.
LET, I LACK OF, SO I LEARNED A LOT, ESPECIALLY OKAY.
THE HISTORY AND SOME OF, UH, BEAUTIFUL VOICE.
AND, UH, I ENJOY EVERY MINUTE ABOUT YOUR SCENE.
OKAY? I HAVE NO PROBLEM ABOUT ALL THESE INDIGENOUS CULTURE.
I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND IN INCLUDING MYSELF, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW I'M AN ASIAN IMMIGRANT, SO I HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED SPIT ON MY FACE WHEN I WAS IN CHICAGO STUDY.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE STRUGGLING AND IT LOOK DIFFERENT AND PEOPLE BASICALLY TRY TO GIVE YOU A HARD TIME.
OKAY? SO, SO THE, THE REASON I WANT TO SHARE WITH, UH, MS. OSHA, OKAY, I'M NOT ANGRY WITH ANYTHING.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WE HAVE THE PROGRAM.
THE CITY MANAGER OR OUR INCIDENT MANAGER NEVER TOLD US THAT, THAT THIS HAS BEEN ARRANGED.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU WANT TO DO A PRAYER.
WE ONLY HAVE A MR. TAB BACK, COME TO US, HAVE A CELL PHONE, A BUNCH OF STATEMENT HE WANT TO MAKE TO US.
AND I SAY, SINCE I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, OKAY, ABOUT WHAT THAT ANY PEOPLE MAKE A DECISION FOR CITY COUNCIL DOESN'T EVEN KNOW.
WE DON'T KNOW YOU HAVE A PROGRAM BECAUSE ON OUR ITINERARY AND PROGRAM, WE ONLY HAVE, UH, WESTERN MUSIC COMING UP.
AND THAT THE REASON WE ARE SHOWING UP, WE ALWAYS TRY TO WARM OKAY? THE, THE, THE, THE PLACE AND SAY WELCOME EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD TIME.
SO I WANT TO APOLOGIZE THE FEELING YOU HURT.
OKAY? THAT IS NOT INTENTION FROM US.
WE REALLY WANT TO WELCOME ANYBODY HAVE A CHANCE.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE BEAUTIFUL FOR YOU TO START THE EVENT AT THE BEGINNING, PROPERLY INTRODUCE, OKAY? AND LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO BLESS THE LAND AND BLESS THE WEST COVINA.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT RATHER THAN AT THE NIGHTTIME THEN WILL NOW VERSE EVEN KNOW YOU ARE SHOWING UP THE CT OR C CITY MANAGER IS OKAY.
AND, UH, OUR MANAGER NEVER EVEN TOLD US WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM OR CHANGE.
OKAY, THE ONLY THING WE OKAY, HAVE AN ISSUE IS WHY WE DON'T KNOW THIS INSERT COMING IN.
SO THAT IS THE, I THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM WE HAVE.
SO, SO AGAIN, AGAIN, OKAY, ANYTHING IF SHOWING DISRESPECTFUL OR SOMETHING, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE.
I HOPE WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN TO DISCUSS WITH YOUR CULTURES AND THAT YOU ARE STRUGGLING.
THIS, THIS IS THE LAND OF INDIGENOUS.
OKAY? WHO DOESN'T KNOW I HAVE A MATH DEGREE IN FINE ART.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS LAND AND ALL THE PEOPLE FIGHTING AND STRUGGLING AND TRY TO HAVE A LESS CIVIL RIGHT.
YOUR VOICE SHOULD BE HEARD, YOUR CULTURE SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
AND NOW WE WELCOME YOU TO PERFORM.
OKAY? AND I THINK WE, SINCE YOU MAY RE REQUEST THE INVESTIGATION REGARDING WHAT HAPPENED, WHY WE DIDN'T GET NOTIFIED, I THINK THIS IS A CHANCE WE CAN DISCLOSE HOW IT HAPPENED AND HOW TO AVOID IT HAPPENED AGAIN.
SO WE HAVE THIS MISUNDERSTANDING AND CREATE ALL THE ENERGY KIND OF WASTE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT'S GOOD WE KIND OF CAN COMMUNICATE EACH OTHER TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS LAND.
AGAIN, OKAY, IF WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE, WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK TO EACH OTHER, COMMUNICATE AND, AND TALK TO ME, HAVE A MEETING WITH ME.
I WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO MEET EACH OF YOU WILLING TO SHARE WITH ANYTHING WITH ME.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND I AGAIN, AND SORRY TO MAKE EVERYBODY UPSET, OKAY? AND IT IS NOT INTENTION AT ALL.
[02:45:01]
THE PROBLEM IS THIS CITY SHOULD GIVE A CHANCE ABOUT THE CHANGE OF INA OR ANYTHING.SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN COME BACK AND TO PERFORM YOUR BLESSING.
HOPEFULLY YOU WILL NEED TO COME BACK AGAIN IN ANY OF OUR EVENT.
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE PUBLICLY INTRODUCED.
I WANNA ASK IF HE WHAT? COUNCILMAN CANTOS? DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? UH, THANK, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
UM, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO START BY I BY SAYING TO YOU THAT I, I, I SEE YOU, I REALLY DO.
UM, UH, ALL OF US HERE HAVE A DEEP SENSE OF HISTORY.
BUT IT'S TALKS CHEAP, RIGHT? SO WHAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LEARN.
AND IT MEANS THAT WITH, UH, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, WE, WE, WE LET, LET ME JUST START OFF BY, OR JUST CONTINUE BY, BY SAYING THAT I, I JOINED WITH OTHERS IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE, THE HISTORY HERE.
THAT WEST COVINA WAS NOT THE FIRST SETTLERS TO COME HERE.
THAT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, YOUR RESPECTIVE TRIBES HAVE BEEN HERE.
YOU'VE RAISED YOUR CHILDREN HERE, GRANDCHILDREN, GREAT, GREAT.
UH, FOR, FOR SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF GENERATIONS THAT ARE COUNTLESS.
AND THOSE, THOSE TIES ARE, ARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GENETIC.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE WITHIN EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING.
AND BECAUSE OF, OF THE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE, THE ONENESS THAT, THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE WITH THIS LAND, I, I JOINED WITH OTHERS IN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
AND SO WITH EVERYTHING THAT THAT HAPPENED, UM, MY, MY GOAL WITH, WITH WHEN I SAW WHAT WAS, UH, OCCURRING WAS, WAS TO TRY TO, TO MAKE EVERYONE COME TOGETHER.
AND, AND I, I REALLY, UH, WANT TO, TO TELL ALL OF YOU THAT I, I REALLY MEAN THAT WITH EVERY FIBER OF, OF MY BEING BE BECAUSE THE, THE FACT IS THAT THERE, THERE ARE, UM, A NUMBER OF ALL, ALL OF US, WE ALL, UH, DO NOT HAVE THE AWARENESS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, INCLUDING ME ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS AREA.
AND I, I, I'M THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T, BUT I WANT TO.
AND, AND, AND I DON'T MEAN LIP SERVICE.
I DON'T MEAN WHETHER IT'S MEDIA OR CAMERAS OR WHATEVER.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I NEED TO KNOW, AND I WANT TO LEARN, AND I WANNA SPEND TIME WITH, WITH EACH OF YOU, NOT JUST AS A GROUP, BUT AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS FRIENDS, AND AS EVERYBODY HERE.
BECAUSE THE, THE FACT IS THAT, THAT IN STRIVING HARD TO BE ONE WEST COVINA, WE RECOGNIZE THAT ONE MEANS ALL.
AND WHEN ONE MEANS ALL, THAT MEANS THAT WE, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN LIFE HISTORIES, THEIR OWN STORIES THAT ARE INDELIBLY TIED TOGETHER WITH ONE ANOTHER.
BECAUSE THE, THE FACT IS THAT ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF YOUR ANCESTORS ARE FORE BEARERS OF THIS LAND.
I SAY THAT WITH LOVE AND RESPECT.
I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT YOUR RESPECTIVE PEOPLES HAVE HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS TO JOIN WITH OTHERS IN, IN BEING A VOICE OF, OF HEALING AND LOVE AND SUPPORT, AND TO LEARN AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH, UH, THERE'S A LOT THAT I DON'T KNOW, I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT I WANT TO BE TAUGHT.
AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF SOME POLITICAL THING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
I HAVE A HISTORY THROUGH, THROUGH DECADES OF WANTING TO LEARN OF WHAT I DON'T KNOW.
I, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, CALLER AND A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO, TO VARIOUS MIS AND MISCONCEPTIONS OR ABSENCE OF UNDERSTANDING.
IT'S NOT THE SAME THING, BUT THE FACT, THE COMMONALITY THERE IS THAT THEY'RE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME BASED ON STEREOTYPES.
AND THE SAME IS TRUE WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND SO THAT IS OUR COMMONALITY.
AND WHEN ALL OF US, WHEN WHEN THE MAYOR, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, UM, A MAYOR PROTE TABATA AND, UM, UM, COUNCIL, UM, WOMAN, UH, UH, LOPEZ, VITO AND, AND COUNCILMAN WOO AND ME, WE, WE WE'RE ALL HAVE, HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
BUT THE THE THING HERE THAT I WANT TO SAY TO YOU IS, IS I WANNA JOIN WITH YOU AND, AND MOVING FORWARD IN SOME WAY, AND, AND I, AND, AND THE SPECIFIC OF THAT, SPECIFICS OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S, IT'S LITERALLY SAYING THAT I DON'T WANT TO PREDETERMINE WHAT I THINK THAT LOOKS LIKE.
[02:50:01]
OF SELF-DETERMINATION FOR ALL OF YOU IN SPEAKING FOR YOURSELVES TO TELL US WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THEN TO FIND A WAY TO BUILD THOSE BRIDGES.EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY DESERVES TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR HISTORY BECAUSE YOUR HISTORY IS OURS.
AND IN THE SAME WAY THAT, THAT WE COME HERE WITH OUR HISTORY, OUR HISTORY IS, IS, IS ONE IN WHICH THAT, THAT INTERSECTS WITH YOURS.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE THE FACT IS THAT EVERY DAY WE CREATE HISTORY THROUGH THE LIVES THAT WE LIVE, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.
AND SO, I MEAN, JUST FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, I, I'D LIKE TO JOIN WITH, WITH OTHERS AND, AND REALLY WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD IN A SPIRIT OF, OF LOVE AND POSITIVITY.
NOT BECAUSE OF ANY PRESS STUFF OR ANY OF THAT STUFF.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT, THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT ACTUALLY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER.
SO I HOPE THAT, THAT YOU'LL ALLOW ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT, THAT ALL OF US HERE WANT TO DO THE SAME, TO, TO REALLY WORK, TO BUILD HEALING AND NOT JUST LIP SERVICE.
I MEAN REAL, REAL ACTION SOME WAY.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? YOU WANT HER TO GO COUNCILWOMAN? OKAY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SHARE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, ALREADY IN OUR CITY, WE DO HAVE A HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUILDING, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AT THAT SAME FESTIVAL.
UM, SO IF YOU WALK DOWN THAT STREET OF, UH, DOWNTOWN GLENORA, WE DO HAVE A HISTORICAL SOCIETY THERE WHERE THEY DO BRING ON GUEST SPEAKERS.
UM, AND YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SHARE YOUR STORIES.
AND YOU KNOW, THE CITY WILL DEFINITELY PROMOTE THAT OUT AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW THAT AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNOW I'M BIG ON COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY'S ALWAYS BEEN A FOCUS, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY AND THAT SAME WORD IS UNITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO FOCUS THAT OF JUST MAKING SURE, SURE.
THAT WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AND THAT WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD.
BUT YES, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS, UM, ANOTHER AVENUE TO SHARE YOUR STORIES.
SOME OF US HAVE, AND THEY'VE IGNORED HER.
THEN WE CAN HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER SPEAK TO THE, UH, FOREST TENANT.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR FOR GIVING ME THE FLOOR.
UH, FIRST, UH, I WANT TO, UH, THANK, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, I WANT TO AGAIN, THANK JAMIE.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ONCE AGAIN APOLOGIZE FROM THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE CAME HERE TONIGHT TO HEAR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE SILENCING, AND WE DID NOT GET THAT.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS ASKED FOR AND, AND I WELCOME IT BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT A STANDARD HAS BEEN SET FOR THE GABRIELINO SHOSHONE TOVA NATION.
THAT WASN'T THE STANDARD FOR ANY OTHER PERFORMER, FOR ANY OTHER PERSON WHO WAS ON THAT STAGE.
WE, WE RECEIVED AN AGENDA OF WHO WAS GOING TO PERFORM.
WE WERE NOT ASKED TO VOTE ON IT.
OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AS HER JOB PUT ON THE EVENT, THE CITY MANAGER APPROVED, AS HE SAID TONIGHT, HE SAID, WHO WAS TO BE ON THAT STAGE AT SIX 30? JAMIE AND I WERE SCHEDULED TO BE ON THAT STAGE AT SIX 30.
I RECEIVED THE TEXT MESSAGE FROM CITY MANAGER DAVID CARNEY, SAYING WE WERE TO BE ON THAT STAGE.
I RECEIVED THE PHONE CALLS FROM CITY LEADERSHIP THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THAT STAGE.
SO TONIGHT, WHICH YOU HEARD WERE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY, WHO WHO, WHO CONTINUE TO DOUBLE DOWN AND THINK THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO TALK AND TALK AND TALK, AND THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AND, AND, AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AS WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ON SATURDAY, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO HEAL AGAIN.
[02:55:01]
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE BRIDGES THAT COUNCILMAN CANTOS IS ASKING FOR.AND, AND, AND THAT CAN'T HAPPEN UNTIL PEOPLE TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE HARM THAT THEY CAUSED.
AND SO, AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE WE HAVE FAILED TO MEET THAT MORAL OBLIGATION TONIGHT, AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL STAFF THAT WAS INCLUSIVE OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND WE AS A COUNCIL AT THE END OF THE DAY, FAILED TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THE ORIGINAL FAMILIES FROM THIS ANCESTRAL LAND.
LAST, LAST THING I WANNA SHARE BEFORE I SEE THE FLOOR.
UM, JAMIE TOOK ME THROUGH THE, THE, THE, THE RITUAL WITH THIS BURNING SAGE, UH, TO, TO COME WITH POSITIVITY AND OPEN HEART.
AND AS I WAS HAVING THE SAGE WAF OVER ME, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A YOUNG BOY, I WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD, AND JAMIE SAW HIM AND HE SAW JAMIE AND HE KNEW AND SHE KNEW, RIGHT? AND SHE ASKED HIM, DO, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THE BLESSING? AND HE SAID YES.
AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.
IT WAS, HE WAS BEING SEEN ON THE STREETS OF WEST COVINA AS HE HAD PROBABLY NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE AT, AT, AT, AT AN EVENT, AT A FESTIVAL JUST OFF TO THE SIDE, RIGHT? WE WEREN'T BEING PERFORMATIVE, WE WEREN'T BEING ASKED BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT VOICE.
NOW YOU CAN COME ON OUR STAGE.
NO, IT WAS, I'M HERE IN MY COMMUNITY SEEING ONE OF MY RELATIVES DOING SOMETHING.
MY GRANDMOTHER PROBABLY DID, AND I'M HOME.
AND THAT WAS WHAT WE MISSED ON SATURDAY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT UNTIL WE GET ACCOUNTABILITY, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THERE.
AND SO I WELCOME WHAT COMES FROM THE INVESTIGATION.
I WELCOME THAT EVERYONE SPEAKS THE TRUTH BECAUSE WE KNOW THE TRUTH BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE THERE, MY MOM WAS THERE, MY WIFE WAS THERE.
THEY, THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, THEY LISTENED WHAT HAPPENED, AND THAT TRUTH WILL COME OUT.
AND THEN PEOPLE WILL BE MADE TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT THEY DID.
AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE REASON WHY I SAID THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING IS BECAUSE I WAS AT THAT FESTIVAL FOR THREE LONG DAYS.
WE HAD A BOOTH FILM AT WEST COVINA WITH STUDENTS THERE, UM, PROMOTING THE, UH, FILM FESTIVAL AND THE SUBMISSION.
SO I WAS THERE FOR THREE DAYS.
I DID NOT GET THAT INFORMATION.
I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU SAID WE ALL DID.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I DID NOT SAY, OH, COME THERE CUZ I WOULD'VE BEEN THERE.
I I WAS AT THE VERY END WHEN I WALKED AFTER, BUT I, I WAS THERE, BUT I WASN'T AT THAT SITUATION BECAUSE I DID NOT GET THAT COMMUNICATION.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THE WHOLE COMMUNICATION THING.
UM, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GET IT.
UH, NOW I'M TRYING TO FIND EXCUSES.
OKAY? I WAS THERE THREE DAY TWO, OKAY.
AND, UH, ENTERTAIN THE RESIDENT AND SAME PROBLEM TOO.
NEVER GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT LAB PROGRAM.
OKAY? AND LET'S, WHY I CAN'T, THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE INVESTIGATION.
WHY FOR CITY COUNCIL NEVER RECEIVE ANY NOTIFICATION WHY THE CITY MANAGER, C MANAGER DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING.
DIDN'T EVEN GIVE US, TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF THEY, THEY TOLD US IT'S LIKE KIND OF LAST MINUTE THING.
OKAY? AND THAT EVEN CITY MANAGER TOLD ME SHE WAS AT THE DINNER RECEIVED THIS REQUEST.
WHY CITY COUNCIL FOUR AUTO FIVE NEVER GET ANY INFORMATION FROM YOU REGARDING, SINCE WE DID NOW YOU THERE? OKAY.
WE DID TRY TO START THE EVENT.
SO ANYWAY, ALL THESE THINGS SHOULD BE
[03:00:01]
INVESTIGATED.WHY? FOR CITY COUNCIL OUT OF FIRE NEVER RECEIVE ANY OF THIS, THIS EVENT AND THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY WANT TO PRAY FOR THE CITY.
IF, UH, WE HAVE BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED, SO HOPEFULLY THE INVESTIGATION WILL COME OUT.
THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
I ALREADY, I ALREADY APOLOGIZE.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR NO, I I I REALLY ENJOY, BY THE WAY, THE HISTORY, I LEARNED A LOT.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KIND OF SHARE WITH US AND I REALLY WANT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO KIND OF SIT DOWN WITH YOU GUY.
OKAY? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT HISTORY.
WE NEED TO KNOW EACH OTHER, OKAY? WE NOT ONLY SIT OVER HERE, I'M JUST ONE OF THE RESIDENT, OKAY? AND WE OVER HERE TRY TO TAKE CARE ALL THE ISSUE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT SOMETIME THINGS HAPPEN.
NOW WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? WE DO YOUR APOLOGY AND THANK YOU.
I TRY TO ACCOMMODATE MS. ROCHA.
I AM NOT APOLOGIZING FOR NOT NOT APOLOGIZING.
I DIDN'T DO, I TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE HER.
WAIT, SAYING THAT, MR, WAIT A MINUTE.
DOESN'T YOUR ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER? THANK YOU.
ARE ARE WE ALL DONE? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CONSENT CALENDAR.
COUNSEL, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING WE WANNA PULL FROM THE CONSENT CITY MANAGER REPORT? OH, I WANTED TO PULL
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
A NUMBER FOUR.UM, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MARIN COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, I WILL BE EXTREMELY BRIEF ON MY MANAGER'S REPORT.
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT OTHER BUSINESS TO GET TO.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION AS ONE OF THE EVENTS, WE HAD A QUITE SUCCESSFUL CENTENNIAL DINNER AND I WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK OUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THE CREW THAT PREPARED THAT WONDERFUL FEAST FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER.
UM, THEY, THEY REALLY STEPPED UP AND I WAS SO PROUD OF, OF THEM IN THAT EVENING.
YOU'LL WAIT UNTIL THEY YEAH, WE'LL JUST WAIT TILL THEY ACCIDENT.
YOUR MOM MAY, IF I MAY CONTINUE, I WILL BE BRIEF AS I CAN.
UM, I THOUGHT THE CENTENNIAL DINNER WAS A REAL BRIGHT SPOT, 460 OF OUR CLOSEST FRIENDS.
I WANTED TO THANK OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR ALL THE WORK SHE DID TO MAKE THIS CENTENNIAL EVENT QUITE SPECIAL.
AND ESPECIALLY THANK OUR STAFF FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER WHO SERVED AS OUR, UM, BANQUET COOKS AND, UM, CATERERS THAT NIGHT.
THEY REALLY STEPPED UP AND IT WAS, IT WAS A TERRIFIC EVENING.
LIKEWISE WITH THE SPRING FESTIVAL ITSELF, THE, THE LIBRARIES I MENTIONED SPONSORED A MAGIC SHOW.
OUR OWN WEST COVINA HEALTH, UH, SAW OVER 200 PEOPLE OVER, OVER TWO DAYS AND, AND HAD ONE RESIDENT THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY RECOMMENDED TO SEE THEIR, UM, UM, PERSONAL PHYSICIAN FOR A FURTHER EVALUATION AND POSSIBLE BIOPSY FOR A, A REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT
[03:05:01]
HEALTH CONDITION.UM, AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE THERE WITH GLAD HEARTS AND, AND I WAS GRATEFUL FOR THEM.
WANTED TO MENTION, UM, THREE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, UM, HAVE NOW COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE SIX MONTH PARAMEDIC PROGRAM.
AND, UM, THEY ARE JORDAN ABEL, BILLY JACKSON AND JUSTIN GONZALEZ.
THEY WENT THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROGRAM AT THE LA COUNTY TRAINING INSTITUTE AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT THEY ARE NOW, UH, PROMOTED WITH THOSE SKILLS.
UM, WANTED TO MENTION THE GRAND OPENING OF JOLLY B IN THE EASTLAND SHOPPING CENTER OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON FEBRUARY 17TH.
UM, COUNCIL HAD ASKED ABOUT THE PAYMENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
IT'S GONNA TAKE TILL ABOUT SEPTEMBER FOR THAT WORK TO BE FINISHED.
WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIVE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT THAT'S MOVING FORWARD AS A, AS A PROACTIVE WAY TO MANAGE A PORTION OF THE CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
WE'VE SCHEDULED A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE FIRE CHIEF, UH, MARCH THE 15TH FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
THIS WAS AN OUTCOME OF OUR, UH, BUDGET PROCESS.
THEY WANTED SOME FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT STANDARDS OF COVERAGE AND RESPONSE TIMES AND OVERTIME.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THOSE ISSUES IN DEPTH THE EVENING OF MARCH THE 15TH.
LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF OUR TWO ONLINE SURVEYS, WHICH ARE ONGOING REGARDING THE BUDGET AND THE, UM, HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR THE, UM, ISSUES, UM, INVOLVED IN IDENTIFYING HEALTH ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT THIS EVENING.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
COUNSEL, UM, ANYTHING YOU WANNA PULL? UH, NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE.WELL, OKAY, WELL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF UM, FLOOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO, MOVE, I'LL SECOND.
BEFORE, UM, I, UH, DO ROLL CALL, I WOULD LIKE TO READ AN UH, ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION OF FOURTH AMENDMENT TO RETAINER AGREEMENT FOR CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES.
ITEM EIGHT, UH, ON THE CAL CONSENT CALENDAR IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY RETAINER AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S RATE TO $4,000 PER MONTH FOR GENERAL LEGAL SERVICES.
DID I SAY 4,000 OR 40,000? EXCUSE ME.
WITH 4,000
EXCUSE ME, I APPROVE OF NUMBER FOUR.
SO WE HAVE, I READ, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS AND A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ PEDO TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER.
[4) CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING A CENTRAL INVENTORY AND DECLARING CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES AS SURPLUS LAND PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54222]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR AGAIN, IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A CENTRAL INVENTORY AND DECLARING CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AS SURPLUS LAND PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 2 22.UH, THE REASON I PUT THE ITEM NUMBER FOUR BECAUSE THE BKK VERY SENSITIVE ONE.
BUT, BUT WHY WE HAVE TO GO TO THE CELL PLAZA SURPLUS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS FOR RESIDENTIAL, MY UNDERSTANDING, OKAY.
OPEN SPACE AND MAYBE SOME AREA CAN DO SOME MAYBE CLUBHOUSE.
WE BACK IN, I DON'T KNOW, PO OKAY, BACK IN, WHAT, 2008 OR EVEN EARLIER, WE HAVE THE GOLF CORRESPONDENT.
WE SPEND ABOUT $13.5 MILLION AND SQL APPROVED TO BUILD AGING WHOLE OF GOLF COURSE AND A CLUBHOUSE, IT'S APPROVED PROJECT FOR WE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND WE BECOME A SUCCESSOR AGENCY.
BUT LATER ON THE OVERSIGHT BULB, OKAY? AND GOING TO THE CITY AND THE CITY WENT NOW ON THE LAND, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO PAY OUR BOND IS IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
SO IF THIS IS APPROVED PROJECT, WHY WE HAVE TO GO TO SURPLUS THEN AT, SINCE THIS IS SUPPOSEDLY IS ALREADY APPROVED DEVELOPMENT AS A
[03:10:01]
GOLF COURSE AND A CLUBHOUSE THAT'S HOPE STATUTORILY, WE GOTTA GO THROUGH THIS ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR.AND WE LIST OUR PROPERTIES THAT ARE SURPLUS.
THERE'S, THERE'S PROPERTIES THAT, UM, INCLUDE HOUSING ON IT.
AND, AND TONIGHT WE HAVE, UM, ONE THAT DOES, OR A COUPLE THAT DO THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, BRING IT TO YOU TO EITHER SAY, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATING AND SELLING A PROPERTY OR TO DECLARE IT EXEMPT.
AND WITH RESPECT TO THE ENTITLEMENTS, THE EQUA AND THE PRIOR, UH, ON OTHER PROPERTIES, THAT'S, IT'S KIND OF APPLES TO ORANGE.
IS THERE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS JUST GOING THROUGH THE STATUTORY REQUIRED PRO PROCESS, GETTING IN, GOING INTO AN, UH, SENDING OUT RFP, ENTERING INTO NEGOTIATIONS, OR WE'RE GONNA DECLARE THE PROPERTY EXEMPT.
SO BASICALLY, OKAY, WE GO TO CELL PLAZA DUE TO, BASED ON YOUR STATEMENT, OKAY, WE HAVE A 71.52 ACRE LAND.
SO MEANING THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BUILD THE RESIDENTIAL? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, SO SOME OF THAT PROPERTY IS DEED RESTRICTED AND SOME ISN'T.
AND FOR US TO DECLARE IT, UH, EXEMPT, IT'S GOTTA BE DEEDS RESTRICTED BY A THIRD PARTY.
THE CITY CANNOT ZONE IT IN A MANNER SAYING YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T BUILD HOUSING THERE.
SO I'M VERY SURPRISED THAT THEY HAVE AN UNRESTRICTED DEED ON THIS LAND.
THAT 70.5 POINT 71 POINT, UH, FIVE TWO.
SO TIMES 77% IOMA IS A 55.07 ACRES LAND.
THAT'S A HUGE LAND WITH A BILL.
AND WE CAN GO TO SURPLUS LAND TO POTENTIALLY BUILD RESIDENTIAL IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE WILL BE WORTH A LOT OF MONEY TO THE CITY.
AND ANOTHER THING IS 63.774%, THAT'S EQUALLY 2.55 ACRES.
SO LET'S, I THINK THAT'S THE SOUTH SIDE.
OVER THERE, RIGHT PAULINA? YEAH.
SO UP ON THE SCREEN WE HAVE A MAP, AN AERIAL OF THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT SITE.
IT'S THE PARCELS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE CITY.
UM, IT OUTLINES EACH PARCEL AND IT OUTLINE, THERE'S AN OVERLAY OF CIRCLES, UH, YELLOW CIRCLES, AND THAT IS THE PROPERTY THAT IS DEEDS RESTRICTED, UM, EITHER THROUGH, UM, A DEED RESTRICTION THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE CONTROL OR A US FISH AND WILDLIFE, UH, BIOLOGICAL OPINION FOR, UM, UH, HABITAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
SO WHAT IT TO DO WITH OUR APPROVED PROJECT OF 18 HOLE, 18 HOLE GOLF COURSE AND THE CLUBHOUSE, BECAUSE IN 2016, UH, WE WANT TO SELL THIS LAND SO WE CAN GET OUR MONEY BACK.
WE CHANGE THE CLOUD HOUSE, BECOME A POTENTIAL HOTEL.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN BUILD HOTEL, BUT POTENTIAL, UH, LIKE A, A RESULT.
BUT AS NOW LOOK LIKE OKAY, RIGHT NOW BASED ON WHAT YOU SAY, THEY HAVE SOME UNRESTRICTED LAND.
SO BASICALLY, SO YEAH, GO TO SURPLUS LAND APP IF WE SOME DEVELOP OR WANT TO BUILD HOUSES OVER THERE.
SO THE AREA ON THE TOP RIGHT CORNER, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT BLUE AREA, THAT'S THE AREA THAT IS NOT DEEDS RESTRICTED OR HAS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR HABITAT SO THAT YOU CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE PROPER ENTITLEMENT PROCESS, UM, PROPOSED TO BUILD, UH, RESIDENTIAL.
SO WE CAN PERMANENT RESIDENTIAL, WE CAN FORGET A GOLF COURSE BOND.
THINGS WE CAN GO TO TO SURPLUS THEN ACT TO POTENTIALLY RESIDENTIAL.
SO AS, UM, WELL THIS IS SUCH A, THE ATTORNEY WAS SAYING BECAUSE THOSE ARE DEED RISK PRICE, YOU CAN'T BUILD PERMANENT HOUSING ON A PORTION OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS DEED RESTRICTED.
SO THAT MAKES IT EXEMPT FROM THE SURPLUS LAND ACT AND WHOEVER PURCHASES IT CAN, CAN, UM, WITH, WITH ENTITLEMENTS, WITHOUT THE ENTITLEMENTS, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT THEY COULD IN MAYBE IN THE FUTURE BUILD DIS OR GET INTO CONVERSATIONS WITH THE THIRD PARTY DEED RESTRICTIONS AND, AND, AND MAYBE, UM, SO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THE PROPERTY.
SO THE, YOUR RECOMMENDATION WILL BE GO TO SURPLUS, LET US STAY TO GIVE US SOME BLESSING.
YEAH, SO IT, YEAH, IT WOULD BE FOR THE PARCEL THAT HAS THE, UH, THAT HAS DOESN'T HAVE THE DEED RESTRICTION.
SO, SO THE OTHER PARCELS THAT ARE DEED RESTRICTED WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE, SO BASICALLY WE CAN STILL GO TO THE GULF COAST POND.
SINCE THAT EXPIRED, THE, THE SEQUENCE FOR THE EDITING OF GULF COAST AND CLUBHOUSE OR POTENTIAL HOTEL, IS THAT THAT PROJECT EXPIRE OR IS THAT STILL GOING ON? OR? WE CAN REPLAY WITH ANYTHING LATER ON.
ANY DEVELOPMENT WOULD REQUIRE TO GO THROUGH ENTITLEMENTS THROUGH THE CITY AND, UM, THROUGH WHICH WOULD INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, UM, WHICH IS A C Q PROCESS.
[03:15:01]
BASICALLY, AND THE ADDITIONAL APPROVALS, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED THROUGH THE, UH, D TS C UM, AND THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE, WHICH ONCE AGAIN ARE PART OF GOT IT.SO BASICALLY WE GO TO THE SURPLUS, HAVE THE STATE TO DECIDE OKAY.
AND DECIDED, AND THEN WE COME BACK TO US, THEN WE CAN DISCLOSE THIS IS, UH, IP, SINCE WE STILL OWE $13.5 MILLION.
SO YEAH, THE PROPERTIES ARE REQUIRED.
ANY LAND SALE PROCEEDS WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO REPAYING, UM, THE CITY, THE, UH, THE BONDS PLUS ANY INTEREST AND ANYTHING OVER THAT WOULD BE SHARED AMONGST THE TAXING ENTITIES.
SO THAT WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED.
WE'D HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT REQUIREMENT.
AND WHAT TO DO WITH THE 80 ACRE OF TOP DECK OF, UH, BKK OWN LAND.
THAT IS, WE HAVE A, WE CAN USE FOR 99 YEARS.
SO THAT WILL BE STRICTLY OPEN, UH, OPEN SPACE, RIGHT ON, ON THE TOP, TOP DECK.
THAT, UM, IS NOT BECAUSE THE CITY DOES NOT OWN IT.
WE DOES, IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO THE SURPLUS LAND ACT.
INCLUDING IN THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AS AN OPEN SPACE MM-HMM.
SINCE IT'S SO FLAT, WE CAN MAYBE BECOME A SOCCER FIELD, THIS AND THAT.
SO SOMEBODY CAN MEN MAINTENANCE SO PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THE VIEW.
BUT ANOTHER QUESTION WILL BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THE TAXI LANDFILL CURRENTLY SUPERVISE.
UM, MANAGED BY THE BKK WORKING GROUP AND THE ASSETS BY THE DTSC.
SO WHAT IT TO DO WITH US IN THE FUTURE, SINCE THAT THING IS ALMOST 50% OF THE BKK LAND, AND THAT IS VERY CLOSE TO THE RESIDENTIAL OKAY.
SO HOW WE TO DO WITH THIS DTSC SUPERVISED MANAGE OF THE LAND, I THINK IT'S ABOUT HUNDRED ACRE, RIGHT? IT YEAH.
UM, WE WOULD, SO IT'S, THE PROPERTY'S STILL OWNED BY THE B KK CORPORATION AND IT IS, AS YOU MENTIONED, MANAGED BY, UH, D TS C.
UM, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH BOTH ENTITIES TO SEE WHAT KIND OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE YOUR PROJECT WOULD BE ALLOWED UP THERE AND YOU KNOW HOW THEY WOULD WANNA PROCEED WITH THAT AS A PROPERTY OWNER.
BECAUSE ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE YOU CAN DEVELOP ON THE TOP AND YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING ON THE TAXI LANDFILLS CURRENTLY MANAGED BY THE DTS E DSC MM-HMM.
SO, SO DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DTS C WHAT THEIR PLANS, SINCE THEY WANT TO DISSOLVE, THEY WANNA DISSOLVE THE WORKING GROUP BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY WANT THE MONEY.
SO WHAT, WHO IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SO-CALLED PROBLEMATIC TOXIC LANDFILL ON THE SOUTH SIDE? I THINK THERE WERE SOME INVESTIGATIONS THAT THEY WERE DOING, AND I THINK ONE OF THEM, THEY HAD STARTED, UM, MAYBE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO IN THOSE, TAKES SEVERAL YEARS TO COMPLETE.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH D T S C, SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THEIR INVESTIGATIONS IN CLOSING THE LANDFILL IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, BIG ONE ON LANDFILLS AS SOLAR, UM, OR GREENHOUSE SOLAR.
UM, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH D T S C AS TO WHERE THEY'RE AT THEIR INVESTIGATIONS.
I I I UNDERSTAND THE SOUTH SIDE CLOSED MORE THAN 35 YEARS AND THE NORTH SIDE CLOSED 1996.
OUR SIDE IS A NON-TAX, NON-TOXIC, THE OKAY.
I THINK BASICALLY IT'S ALL HOME WASTE.
ON THE NORTH SIDE LED THE 80 ACRE, BUT ON THE SOUTH SIDE, LE IS A LIQUID TOXIC, OKAY.
THEY'RE BACK IN 1980 AND THE CLOSED DOWN, SO IT'S MORE THAN 30, 40 YEARS.
SO WHAT, UH, DTAS PLAN TO DO, BECAUSE THEY SUPPOSEDLY THEY SHOULD DO THE ESTHETICS ACCEPTABLE TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT NOW STILL, UH, EMPTY HILL.
AND, UH, WITH A BUNCH OF PIPE, WHAT THEY TO DO? I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO SEND THIS TWO TO THE THEM PLUS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CAN WE MAYBE MAKE A APPOINTMENT WITH DTCS? THEY CAN GIVE A PRESENTATION WHILE THEY WANT TO DO WITH OUR FUTURE, SINCE THIS IS ON OUR LAND.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION.
AND THEN FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DON'T GO TO SEE THE KIND OF, UH, EMPTY SPOT AND WITH A BUNCH OF, UH, PIPES STICKING UP.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WU AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A CENTRAL INVENTORY AND DECLARING CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AS SURPLUS LANDS PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 2 22.
[03:20:01]
AYE.[12) PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING CODE AMENDMENT 22-04 AND ORDINANCE NO. 2511 PERTAINING TO STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SHOPPING CART CONTAINMENT.]
NUMBER 12, RIGHT? YES.UH, PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER 12 REGARDING CODE AMENDMENT 22 DASH ZERO FOUR AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 11 PERTAINING TO STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SHOPPING CART CONTAIN MAT, THIS MATTER SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING CONSISTS THE CITY INITIATED CODE AMENDMENT NUMBER 22 DASH FOUR AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 11, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING CHANGES TO CHAPTERS 15 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
AND CHAPTER 26 ZONING STANDARDS OF REQUIREMENTS FOR CARD CONTAINMENT AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA QUALITY ACTS Q AQUA PURSUANT TO C Q A GUIDELINES, SECTION 1 5 62
WILL THE CITY CLERK VERIFIED PROPER LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDINANCE.
THERE WILL FIRST BE THE PRESENTATION OF THE STAFF REPORT, THEN WE SHALL HEAR FROM THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE, THEN THOSE IN OPPOSED.
MAYOR, FOR THIS ITEM AS WELL AS THE NEXT ONE, PRIVILEGED TO HAVE WITH US TONIGHT, OUR PLANNING MANAGER, JOANNE BURNS, WHO'S GONNA PRESENT A BRIEF REPORT.
UH, THIS IS A PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE WITH AN ORDINANCE.
OKAY, GOOD EVENING, HONOR OUR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2022, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ADOPTED A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE, ESTABLISHING STANDARDS IN REQUIREMENTS FOR CAR CONTAINMENT MEASURES IN ORDER TO MAKE BUSINESSES RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING THEIR OWN CARTS.
AND SO THAT THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, COLLECT ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS AS WELL.
THE CITY SURVEYED, UM, EIGHT DIFFERENT CITIES, UM, NEARBY REGARDING HOW EACH OF THE CITIES ARE ADDRESSING SHOPPING CARTS.
SEVEN OF THE EIGHT CITIES REQUIRED BUSINESSES UTILIZING CART TO OBTAIN APPROVAL OF A CART CONTAINMENT PLAN.
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, IN THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE, THREE OUT OF THE EIGHT CITIES SURVEYED CONTRACT WITH THIRD PARTY TO COLLECT ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS.
SEVEN OF THE NEARBY CITIES HAVE ORDINANCES AND THAT SPECIFIED THAT THE CITY WILL COLLECT ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS WITHIN THREE DAYS.
THE, THE, UM, PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS IN TWO PARTS.
THE FIRST PART IS WITHIN CHAPTER 15, WHICH IDENTIFIES CARTS REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES OF BUSINESSES AND ABANDONED AND ABANDONED AS A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF, OF THE PUBLIC.
THE CITY WOULD HAVE AUTHORITY TO PICK UP THE SHOPPING CARDS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF NOTIFICATION, AND IF, AND OR IF IT'S LOCATED W UM, WITHIN AN AREA THAT'S A, THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THAT OBSTRUCTS THE SIDEWALK OR IS A HAZARD, THE CITY CAN REMOVE IT RIGHT AWAY.
THIS ALSO ALLOWS THE CITY TO FIND BUSINESSES FOR VIOLATING, UM, THE, UM, BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN VIOLATION.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THE CITY TO CO TO RECOVER COST IN, IN, UM, IN IMPLEMENTING THE ORDINANCE, IT SPECIFIES THAT UNCLAIMED CARDS WILL BE SOLD, UM, OR DISPOSED OF WITHIN 30 CALENDAR DAYS.
UH, IT ALSO REQUIRE, IT ALSO ALLOWS CI THE CITY'S THE CITY TO DISPOSE OF, UM, CARDS THAT ARE MARKED UNMARKED IMMEDIATELY.
THE PROPOSED CAR CONTAINMENT, UM, REQUIREMENTS IN CHAPTER 26, WHICH IS THE ZONING SECTION OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE, REQUIRES THAT BUSINESSES HAVE C UH, CAR CONTAINMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IN, IN FOUR, FOUR DIFFERENT PARTS WOULD EITHER REQUIRE A, A WHEEL LOCKING OR STOPPING MECHANISM WITH A MAGNETIC BARRIER, A DEVICE THAT PREVENTS CARTS FROM BEING REMOVED FROM THE INTERIOR, A PHYSICAL BARRIER ON THE SITE.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO LIKE, UM, BALLARDS OR ANOTHER OPTION THAT WOULD BE REVIEWED AND DETERMINED AS ACCEPTABLE BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
THIS, THIS ORDINANCE APPLIES TO ALL BUSINESSES IN THE CITY.
AND APPROXIMATELY, UM, 35 BUSINESS IN THE CITY WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE ORDINANCE.
UM, BECAUSE THEY CURRENTLY HAVE OR UTILIZE SHOPPING CARTS WHAT, OR CARTS IN GENERAL.
ONE THIRD OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY HAS ALREADY CART CONTAINMENT MEASURES IN PLACE.
[03:25:02]
THE IMPACT THAT BUSINESSES INCLUDE, GROCERY STORES, RETAIL STORES, AND LAUNDROMATS BUSINESSES.UTI UTILIZING SHOPPING CARTS WILL BE PROVIDED 12 MONTHS TO INSTALL THE PROPOSED OR APPROVED CART CONTAINMENT MEASURE.
UM, IT IS APPROVED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
WE, UH, THE, THE, UM, THE CARTS, UM, THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO RETRIEVE THE CARTS RIGHT AWAY AS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE, UM, THE SECOND READING IF THIS IS ADOPTED, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE IN EFFECT WITH THIS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT ORDINANCE.
25 11 STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN CANTOS WITH REGARD TO CURRENT CONTAINMENT MANAGEMENT, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE MAGNETIC BORDERS SUCH SIMILAR TO WHAT VAUGHNS HAS ALREADY PUT INTO PLACE? BECAUSE, UH, I'VE, I'VE LEARNED THAT WHENEVER THOSE SORTS OF BORDERS ARE THERE, IT MINIMIZES THE POSSIBILITY OF CARTS BEING, BEING, UH, MOVED OFF OF OFFSITE BECAUSE THE WHEELS STOP WORKING ONCE THE MAGNETIC STRIPS ARE PUT IN TO KEEP THE CARTS FROM MOVING OFF OUT OF THE PARKING LOT.
THAT WOULD BE ONE THAT, THAT IS INCLUDED AS ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE THAT WOULD, THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WOULD APPROVE.
AND RIGHT NOW, TO WHAT EXTENT HA HAVE BUSINESSES EMPLOYED THAT SPECIFIC STRATEGY IN ADDITION TO VAUGHN? SO THAT'S ONE, BUT HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE LEVERAGED THAT, UM, WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE STORES OR PLAN TWO? UM, I, I DON'T HAVE A FIGURE FOR THAT.
A, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, HOWEVER, I DO KNOW THAT VAUGHN STATER BROTHERS AND SOME OF THE LARGER, UM, CHAIN GROCERY STORES, UM, HAVE THOSE IN PLACE.
AND I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN TO THE BUS, THE BUSINESS MANAGER OF SF MARKET, WHICH IS THE CITY'S NEWEST GROCERY STORE, AND HE STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT BECAUSE MOST CITIES IN THE AREA ALREADY REQUIRE A CART CONTAINMENT PLAN AND THAT, AND HE IS AWARE, UM, AND KNOWS HOW TO IMPLEMENT THAT REQUIREMENT WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR GROCERY STORE.
UM, WE HAVE A SHOPPING CART ALL THE PLACES.
AND THEN I'VE BEEN HELPING RESIDENT AND, UH, TAX OUR, UH, PUBLIC WORK TO PICK IT UP.
AND THEN IT IS REALLY BECOME A ISSUE.
IT'S LIKE ON THE STREET, IT'S LIKE ON OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
SOMETIMES ONE, SOMETIMES TWO, SOMETIMES THREE.
AND IT'S REALLY BECOME A MAJOR NEWS.
AND SO DO WE HAVE A TEASE SO WE CAN OKAY.
FIND OUT WHO THIS SHOPPING CART IS.
THEY HAVE TO PICK IT UP, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE WASTE OUR CT RESOURCE TO PICK IT UP.
SO CAN WE HAVE, UH, LIKE A FINE OR SOMETHING TO THE, UH, THE SHOPPING CART OWNER? SO IN THAT WAY THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE TO EAT TO PICK IT UP, OR WE WILL HAVE THEM TO PAY FOR THE MANPOWER TO
UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, IN PREPARING THE ORDINANCE, WE MET WITH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, MANAGER AND WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, IN ORDER TO GET FEEDBACK ON HOW TO BEST, UM, ADDRESS THOSE SHOPPING CARDS THAT, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS, UH, THESE STORES HAVE TO MARK THEIR GROSS, THEIR CARTS.
IF THEY DON'T, IT'S AN UNMARKED CAR ART, AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REMOVE IT RIGHT AWAY.
IF IT IS MARKED, UM, AND IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY AND IT'S SAFETY ISSUE, THEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE IT RIGHT AWAY AS WELL.
THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A FINE THAT THEY HAVE TO, UM, PAY IF IT'S PICKED UP AND IT'S A MARKED CART PICKED UP AND WE HAVE TO STORE IT.
THEY ALSO HAVE TO SHOW US, UM, A PLAN THAT THEY CAN, UH, RETRIEVE THEIR CARTS ONCE THEY'VE BEEN, UM, PICKED UP BY THE CITY, OR IF THEY'RE LOCATED, UM, WITHIN, ON OFFSITE OF THEIR SHOPPING CENTER.
SO HOW, HOW MUCH IS THE FINE? WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THAT.
UM, SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BRING BACK.
SO WE JUST APPROVE IN GENERAL.
SO WE HAVE A DETAIL ABOUT THE FINE, AS FOR, AND ABOUT HOW LONG WE CAN IMPLEMENT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE FINE.
IF THEY DON'T, YOU DON'T PICK UP THEIR SHOPPING CARS, SO WE CAN CLEAN OUR CT, A S A P.
SO AS FAR AS THE FINE IS CONCERNED, UM, THERE, THERE IS A SECTION HERE IDENTIFYING WHAT THE FINE WOULD BE.
HOWEVER, IT IS REG, UM, IT IS REGULATED BY THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE.
SO WE, WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO CHARGE $50.
[03:30:02]
UM, WELL, $50.SO THAT IS THE, THE MAXIMUM THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE PER THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE ALLOWED TO RECOVER COST THE CITY'S COST.
SO THE COST RECOVERY WILL BE BROUGHT IN LATER ON, BUT THE FINE IS, IS WITHIN THE ORDINANCE GOT SO $50 ON THE STEAK, UH, GUIDELINE, AND THEN WE CAN CHARGE WHATEVER ABOUT THE MANPOWER, OUR STAFF TIME AND THE GAS.
WE'RE GOING TO PICK IT UP AND STORAGE TIME, A STORAGE CHARGE, SO ALL THAT.
SO THEY CAN TRY TO PROTECT THEIR SHOPPING CART TO KEEP IN THEIR SHOPPING AREA.
UH, MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE.
UH, I, I DID HAVE A, A QUESTION, UM, REGARDING, UH, IT'S A LEGAL QUESTION IN TERMS OF, UM, HOMELESS, UH, WITH THE SHOPPING CARTS AND, AND THE BELONGINGS INSIDE.
UH, I KNOW FOR ENCAMPMENTS THERE'S A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD RIGHT? WHERE WE, WE, WE TAG IT, UH, BEFORE WE CAN CLEAR OUT THE, THE ENCAMPMENT AND THEIR BELONGINGS.
UM, HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT, UH, SHOPPING CARTS THAT, THAT HAVE, UH, BELONGINGS? I BELIEVE THESE ARE ALL, UH, ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS.
SO IF THERE'S WHATEVER'S IN IT, I'M ASSUMING IT IS GONNA GET THROWN.
IF IT'S ABANDONED, IT'S ABANDONED, IT'LL GET THROWN AWAY AND WE'LL TAKE THE CART.
SO, SO THEN IF, UH, IF THAT'S THAT CORRECT, I THINK IT'S ABANDONED CAR COPY, IF I MAY.
I KNOW THERE ARE SPECIFIC RULES ABOUT THIS AND THE BELONGINGS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THESE CARTS TO HOUSE THEIR THINGS.
UM, YOU CAN PUT OUR ACTING CHIEF OF POLICE ON THE SPOT.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE RULES ARE, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE HE WILL.
AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED TO ME ANECDOTALLY THAT IF YOU SEIZE IT RIGHT AWAY, THEN SUDDENLY QUITE VALUABLE THINGS WERE ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN IN THERE.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I OWNED A HOPE DIAMOND AND TOOK IT
BUT WE WILL RESPECT WHATEVER THOSE RULES ARE, AND I KNOW, I'M HOPING THAT, THAT THE ACTING CHIEF CAN TELL US.
HOW ARE YOU GO? CAN YOU ASK YOUR QUESTION? YEAH.
UH, SO I I, I KNOW WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO, TO ENCAMPMENTS AND, AND THE BELONGINGS THERE, THERE'S CER CERTAIN LEGAL RIGHTS.
AND SO, UM, WITH OUR, UH, CART PROGRAM, UH, IF WE, UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE APPROACH A CART THAT, THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, BELONGINGS OF AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHAT WOULD THE RULES BE ON THAT? YEAH.
IF IT'S, IT'S THERE'S PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN THERE OTHER THAN TRASH THINGS THAT ARE OBVIOUS TRASH, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO RESPECT THE, UH, LAW WITH REGARDS TO, UM, MARKING, MARKING THE PROPERTY FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO, SO, SO CARTS FOUND IN THAT CONDITION, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY SEIZE THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IF IT, IF IT'S BELIEVED THAT THERE'S VALUABLES IN THE CART, WE'D HAVE TO MARK IT FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE LAW.
AND ALLOW THE PEOPLE A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO COME BACK TO GET IT.
AND THEN IS THAT, IS THERE AN ESTABLISHED TIME OR THAT'S, THAT'S JUST REASONABLE BASED ON WHAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE IT'S AT, IT COULD BE ABANDONED.
WE COULD SEIZE IT, UH, OR TAKE IT RIGHT AWAY DEPENDING ON THE CONDITION AND WHERE IT'S AT.
BUT IT'S JUST A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
DID ANYONE WANNA SECOND IT? UH, OH.
UH, MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, I HAVE NO SPEAKER COMMENTS ON ANYBODY WHO WAS IN FAVOR OR OPPOSED AND I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY EMAILS.
AND I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WOO, SECOND AND A SECOND BY MAY.
UM, BEFORE, UH, I TAKE A VOTE ON THIS, I'D LIKE TO READ THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE AND ALSO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS ORDINANCE, IN ORDER TO PASS, NEEDS AN APPROVAL OF THREE VOTES, AT LEAST THREE VOTES IN FAVOR.
IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA AMENDING CHAPTERS 15 AND 26 OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE TO AUTHORIZE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CART CONTAINMENT AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT C Q A PURSUANT TO C E Q A GUIDELINES SECTION 1, 5061 B B3 COUNCILMAN CONTOS AYE.
[13) CONSIDERATION OF AN URGENCY ORDINANCE AND MORATORIUM PERTAINING TO DRIVE THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS]
ITEM NUMBER 13.[03:35:01]
HEARING CONSISTS THE CITY INITIATED URGENCY.ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 12 AND URGENCY ORDINANCE ADOPTED TO MORATORIUM PERTAINING TO DRIVE THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.
WILL THE CITY CLERK VERIFY THE PROPER LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN? PROPER NOTICE WAS GIVEN.
MAYOR, THIS TIME I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ORDINANCE.
THERE WILL FIRST BE A PRESENTATION OF THE STAFF REPORT, THEN WE SHALL HEAR THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN AS OPPOSED, DOC, UH, MR. CARMEN, WHO WILL PRESENT THIS PRIVILEGE TO HAVE OUR PLANNING MANAGER JOANNE BURNS.
ON JANUARY 24TH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A MORATORIUM THAT WOULD TEMPORARILY PROHIBIT DRIVE THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, ALONG WITH THE INTERSTATE 10 FREEWAY BETWEEN WORKMAN AVENUE AND WEST COVINA PARKWAY ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY, AND BETWEEN WORKMAN AVENUE AND WALNUT CREEK ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION WAS BASED ON A DISCUSSION BY THE COMMITTEE CODE UPDATE SUBCOMMITTEE COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS COLLECTED AT VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
UM, WHEN IT WAS PRESENTED, A NUMBER OF THE COMMENTS RECEIVED, EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT ABOUT NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS.
DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY, OH, ARE WE DONE? NO, WE'RE DONE YET.
A MORATORIUM IS A LOCAL ENACTMENT, WHICH SUSPENDS A LANDOWNER'S RIGHT TO OBTAIN DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS WHILE THE COMMUNITY CONSIDERS CHANGES TO LAND USE REGULATIONS.
IT, UM, IN SHORT, IT'S DESIGNED TO HALT DEVELOPMENT TEMPORARILY.
IT IS DESIGNED, UM, A, A NEGATIVE IMPACT OF A MORATORIUM IS THAT IT MAY HAVE CHILLING EFFECT ON FREE MARKET PRIVATE INVESTMENTS.
UM, IF ADOPTED, THIS INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE OR MORATORIUM WILL ESTABLISH A 45 DAY TEMPORARY, UM, HALT IN, IN, UM, ALLOWING DRIVE-THROUGH, UM, ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN, WITHIN THE CITY.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY REQUIRES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR DRIVE-THROUGH ESTABLISHMENTS.
UM, THE CITY, AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS DRIVE-THROUGH ESTABLISHMENTS, ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A DRIVE-THROUGH QUEUING ANALYSIS.
UM, THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS ENOUGH VEHICLE QUEUING OR STACKING SPACE ON THE SITE.
UM, IF THE Q UM, IF STAFF IS NOT GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH, APPLICANTS STILL WOULD STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
WOULD THAT STAFF SUPPORT? UM, IF THE MORATORIUM IS ADOPT, UM, IS ADOPTED, THE ANY APPLICATION THAT IS ATTEMPTED TO BE SUBMITTED, UM, WOULD EITHER NOT BE ACCEPTED, UM, OR THE APPLICANT WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE MORATORIUM THAT IS IN PLACE.
REX WEST COVINA HAS APPROXIMATELY 28 DRIVE THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, 12 OF WHICH ARE LOCATED WITHIN ONE 1000 FEET FROM IN THE INTERSTATE 10 FREEWAY.
UM, THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH, UM, ON THE LEFT SHOWS IS AN AREA PHOTOGRAPH OF THE 10 FREEWAY ALONG VINCENT AVENUE.
THERE ARE TWO DRIVE-THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN THIS AREA.
CHICK-FIL-A AND STARBUCKS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UM, IS A MC, UH, PHOTOGRAPH AN AREA PHOTOGRAPH OF, OF THE AREA NEAR ASUZA AVENUE.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS, UM, NEAR THIS AREA AT MCDONALD'S TO NORTH OF THE FREEWAY.
AND, UM, AND TACOS GALVILAN TO THE SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY.
THIS IS, UM, AN AREA PHOTOGRAPH THAT SHOWS EIGHT OF THE RESTAURANTS WITHIN 101,000 FEET FROM THE FREEWAY ALONG OR BETWEEN THE CITRUS AVENUE AND BARRANCA STREET.
UM, NORTH OF THE FREEWAY IS BURGER KING, PANERA BREAD, CARLS JR.
UM, CHICK-FIL-A IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE PANERA BREAD THAT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE SHOPPING THAT IS, IS SAID TO BE IN THE SHOPPING, THE SHOPPING CENTER WITH A GROCERY STORE THAT IS ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY.
THERE'S IN AND OUT MCDONALD'S.
THE, UM, DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING,
[03:40:01]
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD SOME CONCERNS, UM, THAT THERE IS AN OVER CONCENTRATION OF DRIVE-THROUGH OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN THIS GENERAL AREA.IF THE MOR MORATORIUM IS ADOPTED, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A REPORT WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE EXPIRATION.
THIS MEETING WOULD BE SCHEDULED ON OR APPROXIMATELY ON MARCH 21ST, 2023.
UM, ON, ON APRIL 7TH, THE MO THE 45 DAY MORATORIUM WOULD EXPIRE IF IT WAS NOT EXTENDED ON THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND IF THE MORATORIUM IS, UM, IS ADOPTED STAFF, UM, STAFF WILL ADDRESS ANY, ANY REGULATIONS THAT WILL PERTAINING TO DRIVE THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD, UM, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS BETWEEN JUNE AND AUGUST OF THIS, OF THIS YEAR.
WITH THIS STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, OR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE URGENCY ORDINANCE.
BUT, UM, IN A FOUR FIFTH FOOT WOULD, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO, IN ORDER TO ADOPT THIS URGENCY ORDINANCE STAFF HAS, IS AVAILABLE IF THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THE SPEAKER COUNCIL.
CAN I ASK QUESTIONS? AND THEN I'LL, WE DO HAVE ONE, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AFTERWARDS AS WELL.
AND ONE SPEAKER OPPOSED? OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MADAM MAYOR AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS MARK FERNANDEZ AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF CHICK-FIL-A.
UH, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS WALKING INTO TONIGHT.
UH, I, I'VE BEEN A CITY PLANNING COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF WALNUT FOR 10 YEARS, SO, UH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY I RESPECTED ALL YOUR GUYS', UH, RESPONSES AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PROCESS TO WATCH.
UM, BUT GOING BACK TO, UM, WHAT I'M PRIMARILY HERE FOR, UM, CHICK-FIL-A EARLIER THIS YEAR FILED FOR A C U P TO MODIFY THEIR DRIVE-THROUGH TO HELP ALLEVIATE, UM, THE QUEUING ISSUES THAT THEY CURRENTLY FACE AT 200 SOUTH VINCENT AVENUE.
UM, WHEN WE FI AT THE TIME OF FILING, WE WERE INFORMED BY PLANNING STAFF THAT IF THE MO MORATORIUM IS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TONIGHT, THAT OUR APPLICATION WOULD BE HALTED AND ON PAUSE UNTIL, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT CODE IS UPDATED.
AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, YOU KNOW, IT COULD TAKE UP TO A YEAR.
UM, CHICK-FIL-A HAS ON BUDGET TO MAKE THIS MODIFICATION TO, AGAIN CORRECT SOME OF THE QUEUING ISSUES THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY FACES.
SO, UH, THEY'RE KINDLY REQUESTING IF, UH, COUNCIL COULD EITHER POSTPONE OR MAKE, UM, THE MORATORIUM NOT RETROACTIVE SO THEY CAN CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS UP PROCESS AND WORK WITH PLANNING STAFF TO ADDRESS THAT QUEUING ISSUES THAT YOU GUYS CURRENTLY FACE AT THAT LOCATION.
UM, UH, OTHERWISE, IF THE MO MORATORIUM IS PASSED TONIGHT, UM, WE'RE BASICALLY ON PAUSE TILL THE DEVELOPMENT CODE GETS UPDATED.
UH, SO LET'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
COUNCILMAN, I I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
SO YOU ARE CHIEF LE FROM VINCENT, RIGHT? UH, I'M SORRY.
YOU ARE CHIEF LE FROM WHERE? VINCENT? YES.
WHERE'S YOUR LOCATION? YEAH, 200 SOUTH VINCENT.
THE, THE, THE ONE IS ALREADY OPEN ON VINCENT AND LAKE, RIGHT? YEAH, CORRECT.
BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH.
UM, SO THE, THE C P IS A MODIFICATION TO, UM, BASICALLY INCREASE THE, THE DUAL LANE TO WRAP ALL THE WAY UP.
YOU WANT TO ANOTHER DRIVE THROUGH? NO, NO, NO.
DO YOU WANT THE TWO DRIVE? YOU WANT THE TWO UHHUH
YOU WANT TO MAYBE ANOTHER TWO LINE? YES.
SO JUST MODIFY THE CURRENTLY EXISTING OPERATING CHICK-FIL-A TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC.
[03:45:01]
QUESTIONS? DO YOU, UM, MADAME MAYOR, COUNCIL MAN CANTOS WITH REGARD TO THE REQUEST OF THE BUSINESS, UH, IS, IS THERE A A A WAY TO, TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT CONCERN WITHIN THE, THE WRITING OF THE, OF, OF THE ORDINANCE OR WHAT, WHAT IS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION HOW TO, ON HOW TO ADDRESS THAT? THE, THE APPLICATION IS NOT DEEMED COMPLETE BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.SO, AND THIS, THIS, THIS URGENCY ORDINANCE TONIGHT IS FROM THIS DAY GOING FORWARD, YOU'RE GONNA ADOPT, IF YOU ADOPTED BY FORKS VOTE, IT'S, IT'S IN PLACE ALREADY.
AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO IT.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A BLANKET, UH, OR ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES THE, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE OF THE QUEUING AND THE TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA THAT'S DESIGNATED, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED MAYBE A WEEK AGO OR MAYBE 10 DAYS AGO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, AND THEN PLANNING STAFF HAS NOT DEEMED IT COMPLETE YET, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
COUNCILMAN CANTO? YOU DONE? CAN I? YES.
UM, THE MORIAN ABOUT DRIVE THROUGH.
ANY OTHER CITY, DO MO AUDITORIUM OR ANY CITY DO NOT ALLOW, UH, DRIVE THROUGH AND COMPARE WITH CITY? WE HAVE A 28 OR 30 COMPARE OTHER CITIES TO SITUATION WHY IS THE PRO AND COME.
AND THE, UH, WHEN THEY, BECAUSE OKAY.
THE CMO TRAFFIC, I KNOW A LOT OF RESIDENT COMPLAINING ABOUT TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC IDLING.
JUST THE, I THINK CHICK-FIL-A ONE DAY 1300 CAR.
SO, SO, SO CAN YOU KIND SHARE WITH US AND THE WEST COVINA CURRENTLY IS A SATURATION.
CAN WE ENTER 10 MORE? THIS KIND OF BIT TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW? CAN YOU KINDA SHARE WITH US? OKAY.
UM, CURRENTLY THE CITIES OF BURBANK AND GLENDALE ADOPTED A MORATORIUM, UM, AROUND, UM, OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND EXTENDED IN, IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 MONTHS.
THE CITY OF SAN MARINO IN LAQUINTA, FLIN RIDGE, DOES NOT ALLOW DRIVE-THROUGHS.
UH, THE CITY OF PASADENA HAS HA, UM, IN LONG BEACH, HAS HEAVY RESTRICTIONS ON DRIVE-THROUGHS.
PASADENA ONLY ALLOWS DRIVE-THROUGHS OR DO, DOES NOT ALLOW DRIVE-THROUGHS WITHIN 500 FEET OF ANOTHER.
ANOTHER DRIVE-THROUGH SCHOOL OR PARKS.
LONG BEACH ONLY ALLOWS IT IN ONE ZONE.
SO, UH, THESE, THESE ARE, UM, THE CITIES THAT, THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO THAT HA THAT CURRENTLY HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON DRIVE-THROUGHS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, THE DAILY TRIPS, UM, THAT THE LA THE LAST, UM, TWO DRIVE-THROUGHS THAT THE CITY APPROVED WAS FOR CHICK-FIL-A ON WEST GARVEY AVENUE, UM, I'M SORRY, EAST GARVEY AVENUE NORTH.
UM, AND VIJAY ON, ON BARCA STREET.
AND BOTH, BOTH, UM, TRAFFIC ANALYSIS FOR THOSE RESTAURANTS INDICATED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL, UM, BETWEEN 1,200 TO 1,300 ADDITIONAL DAILY TRAFFIC TRA UM, DAILY TRIPS, UM, DURING, DURING THE WEEKDAY.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE, THE, UM, THIS PARTICULAR CHICK-FIL-A ON VINCENT, THE CITY DID A PROCESS, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHICH THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UM, INCLUDED A TRAFFIC, UM, OR QUEUING ANALYSIS, WHICH INDICATED THAT THERE IS ENOUGH QUEUING FOR THE SITE.
INDICATED THAT THERE IS, THAT THE SITE QUEUING, UM, ALLOWS FOR APPROXIMATELY, I BELIEVE 21 OR 27, UM, VEHICLES BEFORE IT GO, UM, SPILLS OVER TO THE STREET.
AND SO BASED ON THAT Q QUEUING ANALYSIS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD APPROVED IT.
UM, E ALTHOUGH STAFF DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS BEC UM, AT THE TIME, BECAUSE VINCENT IS A VERY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED, UM, TRAVELED STRAIGHT, UM, AND I HAVE A, I HAVE A KIND OF CONCERN, OKAY.
THEY HAVE, UM, VERY POPULAR SANDWICH, BUT THE ISSUE IS OKAY, I THINK CURRENTLY THEY TRAFFIC ALREADY THE
JUST LIKE, I WANT TO GO TO THE, UH, THE, UH, THE FESTIVAL, I WANNA MAKE A LEFT TURN.
BECAUSE THEY, THEIR, THEIR CAR IS ALREADY PARKING ON
[03:50:01]
THE LAKE.I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WANT TO VIEW ANOTHER LAND.
WILL THAT BE INCREASING EVEN MORE TRAFFIC OR CAN HELP OUT WITH THE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE A LEFT, YOU HAVE TWO LANES, MAKE A LEFT, AND, UH, THEN WHEN THE OUTER LAND MAKE A LEFT THE RIGHT OF WAY, HIT THE SCREECHING STOP BECAUSE THE CAR PARKING OVER THERE TRY TO GET IN ON THE DRIVE-THROUGH, UH, AND AT THE SAME, OR TRY TO PARK INSIDE AT THE SAME TIME OKAY.
ON THE, IN THE LAND, MAKE A LAUGH AND THEN OUTER LAND TRY TO SQUEEZE OUT, THEY DON'T WANNA STOP.
THEN MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THEATER.
JUST SAY, OKAY, THIS IS, UH, I THINK THIS IS, UH, PROBLEMATIC.
WE NEED A TRAFFIC ENGINEER MAYBE TO STUDY.
I KNOW JENNA IS SMILING OVER THERE.
AND, UH, OKAY, THIS IS, UH, UH, OKAY ISSUE AND THE, AND I KNOW BAREN HASN'T OPENED UP THE CHILE YET, THE
DAVID, WOULD YOU PLEASE? OKAY.
WILL BE AN ISSUE, A DRIVE THROUGH, AND THEN ANOTHER ISSUE OR THING.
THE CONCERN IS RIGHT NOW WE, A LOT OF, UH, FREESTANDING D DI OKAY.
DINER REPLACED BY DRIVE THROUGH AS FEW.
SO WHERE THAT BE IS WHAT THE CITY WANT.
SO, SO I THINK THIS IS A COUPLE ISSUE.
WE, WE, WE DID HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT, BUT THE, MY CONCERN IS JUST THAT CAR IDLING OKAY.
AND, UH,
AND THAT, OKAY, LET'S, UH, ISSUE, I'M A, I'M A MARKET DRIVEN GUY, OKAY? BUT, UM, SINCE SO MANY RESIDENTS COMPLAINING ABOUT ALL THIS DRIVE THROUGH AND, UH, SOME LANDLORD, THEY, THEY MAYBE WILL REMOVE SOME OF THE CITY INTO DRIVE THROUGH POSSIBLE PAY MORE RENT OR SOMETHING.
SO, SO THEY WILL BE ALL AROUND THE FREEWAY OR ENTIRE CITY.
SO, SO I REALLY, WE NEED TO HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS PRO AND COME OKAY.
AND, UH, SO IN THE ISSUE, BUT, BUT IS CAN YOU COMPARE WITH OUR DRIVE THROUGH AND OTHER CITY, THE, THE RACIAL SATURATION, 20 A OUT OF, UH, OUR CITY 28 DRIVE THROUGH OKAY.
THAT INCLUDING THE NEW OPEN THAT INCLUDE THE TWO, RIGHT? AND THEN THEY HAVE, UH, EVEN MORE WANT TO APPLY TOO.
WE, WE DID GET A FEW PHONE CALLS FROM, FROM OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE, THAT HAVE SOME INTEREST IN OPENING UP DRIVE-THROUGHS WITHIN THE CITY.
CAN YOU DISCLOSE SOME AREA? IS THAT ALLOW, OR CAN YOU SHARE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT? I DON'T KNOW, IT'S ALLOWED TO SHARE WITH SOME POTENTIAL.
UM, WE, WE WERE ASKED, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE SITES, UH, UH, SPECIFICALLY ALONG THE FREEWAY, UM, INCLUDING SOME IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA ALONG OFF OF VINCENT DOWNTOWN AREA TO GLENORA, UH, OFF VINCENT OFF, UH, GLENORA AVENUE.
SO THERE'S REST, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT, UM, PROPERTY OWNERS.
AS, UM, OUR PLANNING MANAGER MENTIONED, IT DOES IMPACT MY UNDER THE ABILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO PEOPLE ARE INQUIRING AS TO WHAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO, OR MY UNDERSTANDING DOWNTOWN SHOULD, SHOULD BE, UH, PEDESTRIAN WALKING, CORRECT.
LESS SAFE TO HAVE A DRIVE-THROUGH.
ORIGINALLY, THE DOWNTOWN PLANNING CODE W DID NOT ALLOW FOR DRIVE-THROUGHS.
UM, IT WAS EVENTUALLY INCLUDED TO ALLOW DRIVE-THROUGHS.
THAT'S HOW, UM, FOR THE DRIVE-THROUGH THAT, UH,
SO THIS IS, UH, IT'S ONE KIND OF, UH, USE PERMIT, UH, TO, FOR THIS, IT'S A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, USUALLY PERMIT FOR THE, FOR PARENTS.
SO THEY CAN, BECAUSE AREA MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DOWNTOWN PLAN WAS THE PERSON APPROVED THE AREA SHOULDN'T ALLOW THE, THE DRIVE THROUGH.
THE INTENT ORIGINALLY WAS TO WALK IN FOR, TO MAKE IT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, UM, BE ABLE TO WALK FROM ONE USE OF GLENORA ALL THE WAY TO THE CIVIC CENTER, TO THE MALL.
UM, BUT, UH, EVENTUALLY THEY DID, UH, IT DID GET, GET APPROVED WITH ALLOWING DRIVE-THROUGHS IN THE AREA.
AND PART OF WHAT WE ARE DOING THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE THAT JOANNE MENTIONED IS WE WILL BRING, BRING, BRINGING THAT BACK TO THE, UM, COUNCIL, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO IN INCLUDE STANDARDS FOR DRIVE-THROUGHS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T IMPACT, UH, OUR CITY STREETS AND HAVE A FLOW, OR WHAT IS THE WORD? SO, SO THE FINAL QUESTION, I HAVE FOREMAN STANDARDS, MY COLLEAGUE HAVE A CHANCE, OKAY? FROM THE CHIEF, FROM VINCENT IS THEY APPLY, OKAY.
WANT TO HAVE AN OUTLIER DRIVE THROUGH IS GOING TO HELP OUT OR IT GOING TO INCREASE MORE ISSUE,
[03:55:01]
OKAY? BECAUSE OKAY.IS RIGHT NOW THE TRAFFIC IS HORRIBLE, RIGHT IN THAT AREA, AND VINCENT IS VERY BUSY, OKAY? AND, UH, OKAY, BUT I THINK I TALK TO SOME PEOPLE, THEY SAY POSSIBLE WE CREATE MORE ISSUE.
SO I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
IS IT TRUE OR NOT? I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO A STUDY OR NOT.
OKAY? IS THAT OKAY? OF COURSE, THE BUSINESS WANT TO ENTERTAIN MORE BUSINESS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU WATCH OUT, THE TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY VINCENT OFF THE FREEWAY, IS VERY, VERY BUSY.
AND NOW THEY WANT TO GO INTO LAKE, OKAY? AND, UH, GO TO THEIR HOME WITH, UH, COLONY, OR THEY WANT TO GO INSIDE TO BUY CHEVROLET AND DRIVE THROUGH WHETHER THERE BE, UH, MORE ISSUE.
OKAY? AND, UM, I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHY, UH, OUR CONSULTANT WITH ALL THE OUTREACH ABOUT RESIDENT, UH, REQUESTS TO MONITOR, OKAY? BECAUSE I SAW THE TRAFFIC ISSUE AND ALL THE PLACES OKAY.
AND, UH, WITH THE DRIVE-THROUGH.
UM, TO, TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE, THE, THE CONCERN OF THE, OF THE CHICK-FIL-A ON, ON VINCENT, UH, IS THE, THE, THE NEEDED PROCESS FOR FINALIZING THE, THE PERMIT COMPLETION.
IS IT EMINENT OR IS IT GOING TO BE AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS? THAT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MORE MONTHS? AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT THE PERMIT COULD BE PROCESSED, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY TO MODIFY THE, THE EFFECTIVE DATE JUST SLIGHTLY, JUST TO GIVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO SUBMIT IT SO THAT WAY IT'S COMPLETE.
SO IT COULD BE CONSIDERED, AND THEN IF IT'S REJECTED OR ACCEPTED, THAT'S SEPARATE.
BUT AT LEAST I COULD A ADDRESS THEM GETTING A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR PERMIT PROCESSED.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
I, I THINK I KIND OF UNDERSTAND.
SO WE GIVE THEM A CHANCE, SINCE THEY ALREADY APPLY, CAN WE EXEMPT THEM? OKAY.
IF WE GOT A FULL VOTE TONIGHT.
SO I THINK THIS IS NIGHT, RIGHT? WELL, WELL, NOT EVEN TO EXEMPT, BUT EVEN IF THERE'S A WAY TO, TO JUST SOMEHOW MODIFY THE, THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE STATUTE TO GIVE THEM TIME TO FINALIZE THEIR PAPERWORK, SO THEN THAT WAY THEY CAN AT LEAST GET THEIR PAPERWORK IN.
SO IT'S, IT'S GET A CHANCE TO, TO GET RIGHT FOR, FOR IT TO BE REVIEWED.
AND THEN FROM THERE, IT COULD BE A DECISION COULD BE MADE ACCORDINGLY, BUT AT LEAST TO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE, UH, SINCE THEY'RE ALREADY PROCESSING THE PAPERWORK TO ALLOW THEM TO, IF THEY CAN BE IMPROVED.
MADAM MAYOR, CAN I SAY IT QUICKLY? SURE.
IF, UH, IF A CHIEF LED OKAY, HAVE A CHANCE, OKAY.
TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC SITUATION, LET ZA TO PREVENT, AND IF LED TWO LANE CAN BE A TRAFFIC STUDY, I'M ALL FORWARD.
I BELIEVE THAT HIS REQUEST, IT WILL ALLEVIATE THE TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT'S GOING FROM TWO LANES TO A SINGLE LANE RIGHT NOW WHERE YOU ORDER.
SO NOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY'LL HAVE TWO LANES AND TWO AREAS TO ORDER.
SO IN THAT WAY, MAYBE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO IMPROVE RIGHT.
AREA TRAFFIC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO AVOID ANY OF, UH, I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND OKAY.
AND EXACTLY NOTHING BUT JUST DRIVE THROUGH.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHY WISDOM HATE IT.
BUT, BUT, BUT WE, AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO HELP YOU TO, SO CAN WE, CAN WE, CAN WE CAN WE EXAM DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE.
SO MADAM MAYOR, URGENCY ORDINANCE ARE, ARE INHERENTLY, THEY'RE STATUTORILY DESIGNED FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PRESERVATION, HEALTH AND SAFETY.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
UM, PLANNING MANAGER CAN SPEAK TO THE TIMING OF WHEN THIS APP APPLICATION APPLICATION IS DEEMED COMPLETE.
UM, SO YOUR ACTION TONIGHT ON A FOR FIFTH VOTE, OF COURSE THERE IS SOME URGENCY FOR THIS TO, TO PRESERVE HEALTHY, THIN WELFARE AND FOR THE CITY TO STUDY IT, YOU'LL COME BACK AGAIN IN 45 DAYS.
UM, TO EXTEND IT ANOTHER KIND OF, FOR FIFTH VOTE FOR A YEAR AND 15, UH, DAYS, AND THEN CAN ALWAYS BE ENDED AT ANY TIME DURING, UM, THEIR STUDYING OF THE, OF THIS ITEM.
BUT TYPICALLY THE, IT'S, THERE'S, IT'S AN URGENT INSURANCE COUNCIL NEEDS TO ACT ON ITS, I UNDERSTAND, BUT THE THING IS, OKAY, IF THE CHIEF OF LAY TWO LINE, ONE LINE BECOME ONE LAND AND BECOME TWO LAND TO TWO LAND, HOPEFULLY IF THEY CAN IMPROVE THE SITUATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
SO, SO, BUT IF WE ARE GOING, WE, I DON'T KNOW, DO WE HAVE FOUR OR NOT? BUT IF WE WANT TO HELP OUT THE CITY TO REACT TO THE RESIDENT BY THE SAME TIME THEY TRY TO IMPROVE, OKAY.
OUR TRAFFIC ISSUE WHEN I, ON THE VINCENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LEFT HAND, YOU REALLY CANNOT LEFT TURN.
YOU HIT THE, HIT THE TRAFFIC RIGHT THERE AND THEN PARKING CAR AND IS VERY DANGEROUS.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO? OKAY, WEK, CONTINUE THIS PROCEDURALLY YOU WOULD NOT CONTINUE, YOU WOULDN'T FIND ANY
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URGENCY TONIGHT AND AND YOU WOULDN'T PASS IT BY A FOR FIFTH VOTE.UM, MAYBE WE ASK PLANNING COMMISSION TO RESEND IT UP OR RE-LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
AND MAYBE, UM, BECAUSE WE MONTH, I REALLY WANT REALLY WANT TO TO DISCUSS ABOUT OKAY, OKAY.
OKAY? AT SAME TIME, WE WANT TO GET CHEAP A CHANCE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT EVERYBODY APPLY DURING THIS WINDOW.
THEN WE MIGHT BE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, DRIVES WHO WANT TO COME IN, RIGHT? SO, SO TRYING TO BALANCE, THAT'S PRETTY SCARY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC, RIGHT? SO IF IT'S LIKE A WEEK, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YEAH.
COME UP, UP, COME UP, APPLY TO ALL NEW DRIVE-THROUGH LOCATIONS AS OPPOSED TO CURRENTLY EXISTING OPERATING ONES? GOOD QUESTION.
YEAH, BECAUSE THIS IS THE EXISTING, IF IT WERE TO, OH, SORRY.
AND IT'S EXISTING, HOWEVER, THEY'RE EXPAND, THEY'RE EXPANDING THE DRIVE-THROUGH, SO IT'S NOT, UM, IT THERE, UM, THERE CAN WE, CAN WE JUST PUT THE LANGUAGES FOR THE NEW DRIVE-THROUGH? UM, YOU CAN, WELL THEN THEY ARE EXISTING, THEY WANT TO IMPROVE THE PROBLEM THEY CREATE RIGHT NOW YOU CAN CROSS, UM, IN THE OR URGENCY ORDINANCE.
UM, IT SAYS, IT SAYS, UM, DRIVE APPROVAL OF DRIVE THROUGH FOOD WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
UM, LET'S SEE WHAT SAYS ANY NEW DRIVE.
HE'S A PLANNING, HE'S A PLANNING COMMISSIONER FROM WARNER, SO HE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OR EXPANSION OF EXISTING.
SO WE CAN REMOVE THAT IN SECTION TWO.
WE CAN REMOVE EXPANSION OF EXISTING IN SECTION TWO.
THAT'S THE SUBJECT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER TO REVIEW AND THE TRAFFIC STUDY IF WE COME OUT.
SO IT'S NOT YOU, YOU GOT THE APPROVED, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH OKAY.
THE STUDY AND THIS ON THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN MOVE ON OUR VOTE.
CHICK-FIL-A ISN'T OPPOSED TO WORKING WITH STAFF TO ALLEVIATE, YOU KNOW, WE STILL GO THROUGH THE C U P PROCESS.
SO ANYWHERE WE'RE STILL WORK WITH STAFF, WE STILL HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT IT JUST ALLOWS US YOU A CHANCE.
WE WILLING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE OPPOSED TO YEAH, EXACTLY.
OH, AT THE SAME TIME, I, I DON'T KNOW MY COLLEAGUE WHAT THEIR VOTE IS, BUT OKAY, THIS IS SOMETHING POSSIBLE.
WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THE SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT WE HAVE A WAY TOO MANY OKAY.
UM,
UH, SO, UH, CURRENT, CURRENTLY, UM, WITH, WITH THE WAY WE HAVE OUR, OUR PROCESS, UH, AT WHAT POINTS CAN, CAN THE CITY, UM, UH, STOP A, LET'S SAY A, A RESTAURANT THAT WANTS TO PUT A DRIVE-THROUGH, UM, CURRENTLY, RIGHT? DO, DO WE ALREADY HAVE MECHANISMS TO, UH, NOT APPROVE, UH, DRIVE-THROUGHS? CAN, CAN YOU KINDA SPEAK TO THAT CURRENT? CURRENTLY IT REQUIRES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
SO ANY CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS, WHICH WILL, WHICH IS PRESENTED INITIALLY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND IF THE PLANNING COMMI, UM, COMMISSION MAKES, IT TAKES AN ACTION ON IT, IT CAN APPEAL BE APPEALED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND, AND THERE'S CERTAIN FINDINGS THAT THE, THAT THIS BODY OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS TO MAKE.
UM, IF IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, IT'S, AND THEN WITH THE ZONING, AND IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE AREA.
SO THERE IS A MECHANISM IN PLACE, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS ATTACH CONDITIONS ON THAT.
AND TYPICALLY THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS DO AS WELL.
SO, SO, SO, SO CURRENTLY EVEN WITHOUT THE, THE MORATORIUM, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP NEW, UH, DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS FROM OPENING UP IN, IN THE CITY UNTIL WE HAVE THE, UH, BRAND NEW, UH, ORDINANCES.
THE OTHER THING TOO, UM, IF I CAN ADD IS IF STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A DRIVE-THROUGH, THE APPLICANT CAN STILL GO FORWARD TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND STILL GET APPROVAL.
SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE IS TO MAKE THOSE PERFORMANCE MEASURES WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF QUEUING SO THAT WE ENSURE THERE'S NO SPILLOVER ONTO CITY STREETS.
UM, SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE, BUT THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN PLACE, AS THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION.
THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS IS TO, THIS IS TO, TO STOP, UM, GRANTING THOSE CONDITIONS, PERMIT PERMITS AND FOR STAFF TO STUDY IT AND TO IMPROVE THESE AREAS THAT THEY'VE DESIGNATED.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S BROUGHT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
SO, SO JUST, JUST SO, UM, SO I'M CLEAR.
SO, SO THEN IS, IS THE CONCERN THAT THE, THE
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PLANNING COMMISSION HASN'T BEEN DOING DUE DILIGENCE IN, IN GIVING OUT THESE, UM, CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS? OR IS IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT WHY WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THIS? I MEAN, I, I I'M JUST, IF, IF WE ALREADY HAVE TO APPLY FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND THEN IT COMES TO PLANNING AND PLANNING HAS MECHANISMS FOR DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANTS THAT DON'T, UM, MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN WE CAN ALREADY, YOU KNOW, STOP THIS.SO I GUESS, AND THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE ISSUE, UH, WITH THE VINCENT FACILITY.
SO I, I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE ADDING, UH, ANOTHER, UH, PIECE OF BUREAUCRACY, UH, WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE MECHANISMS IN, IN PLACE, IF I MAY.
UM, ONE, UM, ONE OF, AS FAR AS THE, THE CHICK-FIL-A AND VINCENT, AS I MENTIONED, UM, AS I, UM, BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON EARLIER, UH, IT DID REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND ACCORDING TO THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS THAT WAS, THAT WAS SUBMITTED, THAT THERE WOULD THE, UM, THE, THE QUEUING WAS SUFFICIENT IN ORDER TO HANDLE THAT, UM, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE THE BUSINESS WITHOUT SPILLING OVER INTO THE STREET.
BUT, UM, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT, UM, WHAT WAS SUBMITTED IN, IN PAPER AND THROUGH THE STUDIES.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, UM, IN, UM, WHEN IT WAS IN PLACE, UM, WHEN IT WAS WHEN THE BUILDING OR WHEN THE BUSINESS WAS ESTABLISHED, AND IT IS IN PLACE CURRENTLY.
SO, SO ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH THE, UM, ALTHOUGH, UM, THE STU ENGINEERING STUDIES, UM, THAT TOOK PLACE STATED THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE CUING ANALYSIS, UH, OR ON, ON TRAFFIC, UM, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED IT BASED ON THAT, UH, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ENSURE THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY TRAFFIC ISSUES, RIGHT? I THINK ESPECIALLY IF, IF THEY DIDN'T READ THE MARKET CORRECTLY, RIGHT? AND CHICK-FIL-A OBVIOUSLY IS A VERY POPULAR RESTAURANT FOR WEST COVINA RESIDENTS.
AND SO THEIR, THEIR METHODOLOGY MAYBE DIDN'T, UH, UNDERSTAND OUR LOVE OF CHICKEN SANDWICHES AND THAT SECRET SAUCE.
UM, BUT, UH, SO, OKAY, SO THEN THE, THE MORATORIUM IS, IS PARTLY CONCERNED WITH, UH, OUR CURRENT PROCESS AT LOOKING AT THE, THE TRAFFIC.
AND OUR ANALYSIS IS, ARE WE SAYING THAT, UM, WE THINK OUR ANALYSIS CURRENTLY BEING USED IS, IS FLAWED.
AND, AND THIS IS WHY WE WANT THE MORE, BECAUSE I, UM, IF, IF OUR ANALYSIS IS, IS FINE, AND THIS IS JUST THIS CHICK-FIL-A, WHICH IS VERY POPULAR, AGAIN, I I I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE ALREADY HAVE MECHANISMS, UH, WHY DO WE NEED THE MORATORIUM? UM, IT, THE MORE TERM IS WHAT THE, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, RE RECOMMENDED TO HAVE IN PLACE WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THE DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE, WHICH WOULD ESTABLISH, UM, MORE TRANSPARENT, UM, REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO DRIVE-THROUGHS, UM, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD INCLUDE DEVELOP, UM, PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN PLACE.
OKAY? AND, AND MADAM MAYOR, AND, AND IT'S NOT THAT IT'S FLAWED, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SEEING PROBLEMS AND STAFF, RIGHT? AND SO THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, MAYBE WE NEED TO STUDY THIS AND, AND FIGURE OUT WHY WE'RE SEEING THESE PROBLEMS. WE ARE GRANTING CS, BUT THERE'S STILL ISSUES.
UM, I THINK THAT THE, THE ISSUE IS, UH, TO STAFF DIDN'T RE RECOMMEND THAT THE TRAFFIC STUDY, OKAY? AND THE PLUS THE DOWNTOWN PLAN SHOULD BE A WALKING, WORKING FOR PEOPLE EASIER, OKAY? AND, AND THEN PLANNING STILL APPROVE IT.
OKAY? SO THEN NOW WE GOT THIS ISSUE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU, YOU DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB, YOU JUST GET APPROVED BY THE PLANNING.
BUT NOW WE GOT A TRAFFIC ISSUE ON TOUR AND IT'S PRETTY SCARY, SCARY LEFT TURN, AND NOW YOU TOTALLY PARKING ON ONE OF THE, THE LAND.
SO THAT IS BECOME, THAT'S WHAT THE TRAFFIC STARTED ALREADY, THAT THIS IS WHAT WE NEED SOMETHING TO KIND OF A STUDY.
AND THE PART PROBLEM IS THAT OTHERWISE A LOT OF FREESTANDING, UH, BUSINESS, OKAY? NOW THAT WE APPROACH BECOME A DRIVE-THROUGH, OKAY? AND THEN, AND THEN POTENTIALLY A ISSUE, AND THEN SOMETIMES, OKAY, AND, UH, WE SEE THE BUSINESS, WE JUST WANT THEN RIGHT AWAY EVEN DRIVE TO, I THINK ANOTHER TWO DRIVE TO PROBLEMATIC IS, IS THE OLD HOTEL PLACE THAT BECOME DREAD TO IN FRONT OF, UH, FREEWAY, OKAY?
[04:10:01]
EXIT AND, UH, ENTRIES.AND THAT WILL BE EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE ALL OTHER PEOPLE ON, ON FREEWAY ATTEMPTING TO YOU, WHY YOU WANT TO ON THE FREEWAY EVENTS IS PEOPLE ON FREEWAY COME UP, COME DOWN, AND RIGHT AWAY GO TO YOUR PLACE AND BUY SOMETHING AND GO BACK TO THE FREEWAY.
AND SAME THING, BRECA, OKAY? AND, UH, THAT, THAT INTERSECTION, I THINK I CAN SEE THE MAJOR ISSUE AND PLUS CHICK-FIL-A, NOT CHILE AND JELLY B THAT'S VERY POPULAR.
THERE WILL BE IN THE PARKING LOT, OKAY? IN THE PARKING LOT IN THE DAKOTA SET.
IT'S BASICALLY, AND YOU HAVE A VERY TIGHT CORNER OF DRIVE THROUGH.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, HOW, OKAY, OUR PLAN APPROVE THAT IT, IT WILL BE HAVE A ISSUE, BUT I LOVE JELLY B.
OKAY? BUT, BUT THE DRIVE THROUGH IS, IS A, IS A ISSUE.
SO, SO I WILL RECO, I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER COUNCIL WANNA SAY ANYTHING, BUT I, I'M, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND IT AT LEAST GIVE US 45 DAYS TO STUDY, OKAY? HAVE A TRAFFIC TO SEE ENTIRE CITY, OKAY? AND, UH, SO IN THAT WAY, UH, WE CAN HOPEFULLY SEE HOW THE TRAFFIC GO AND, UH, HOW WE CAN SEE IF THE FUTURE OUR CITY DRIVE THROUGH, WILL THAT BE OKAY? AND, UH, SHOULD WE WELCOME THEM MORE OR SHOULD WE LIKE BULLPEN GLENDALE BECAUSE THEY SEE THE TRAFFIC ISSUE ALREADY.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY DO THE MO AUDITORIUM.
SO I'M, I'M, I MOVE TO APPROVE WITH THE, WITH AMENDMENTS TO THE AMEND WITH, UH, EXISTING AND FOR THEIR EXPANSION.
HOPEFULLY THAT CAN SOLVE OUR CURRENT OKAY.
HOPEFULLY I DON'T WANNA CREATE MORE ISSUE, BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, ISSUES ARE ALREADY THERE.
THAT'S REALLY, REALLY A MAJOR ISSUE.
KEEPING THE CHANCE AND THE STUDY AND, UH, AMENDED.
ONLY FOR THE NEW TRY TO APPLICANT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? IS MY MOTION SECOND? YES.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WU AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
UM, IN ORDER TO PASS THIS ITEM NEEDS FOR FOUR VOTES AND APPROVAL, AN INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA ENACTED PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 65 8 58, ESTABLISHING A 45 DAY TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF DRIVE-THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN CITY LIMITS, DURING THE PENDENCY OF THE CITY'S REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF PERMANENT ZONING REGULATIONS AND OBJECTIVE STANDARDS FOR SUCH USES AND DECLARING URGENCY THEREOF.
AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, PURSUANT TO C A GUIDELINES SECTION 1 50 61 BK THREE, COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? TOK? NOPE.
[14) HSIP CYCLE 10 IMPROVEMENTS UPDATE - PROJECT NO. 23028]
ITEM 14, CITY MANAGER WHO WILL BE PRESENTING THIS REPORT.WE HAVE OUR, UM, TRAFFIC, UH, DIVISION FROM TRANSTECH.
JANNA ROBBINS IS THE, THE HEAD OF THAT DEPARTMENT, AND SHE'S HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW AND TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WE MIGHT HAVE WITH RESPECT TO TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.
AS SHE'S COMING UP, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRAG ABOUT HER A BIT, TO SAY THAT SHE'S DONE A TERRIFIC JOB FOR US, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF EVALUATING SERVICE REQUESTS, THEY COME THROUGH AND TAKING 'EM THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT ALSO THE FIRM.
AND, AND JAN ESPECIALLY, HAVE DONE A AMAZING JOB IN GARNERING, UM, GRANTS TO GET THESE THINGS IMPLEMENTED.
SO SORRY TO TRACK YOU SO FOR SO LATE, ONCE UPON TIME, WE HAVE A LATE ONE.
I HAVE TO GET MY BRAIN BACK ONTO TRAFFIC.
AND THEN JUST A, A LITTLE SHOUT OUT.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU WERE ALL THERE, BUT IT WAS REALLY COLD AT THE DINNER, BUT THE FIREWORKS WERE OUTSTANDING.
WE WERE ALL JUST KIND OF FREEZING, BUT IT WAS REALLY AMAZING.
THIS IS JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION THAT WE WANTED TO BRING TO YOU THAT THE CITY GOT H S I P CYCLE 10 GRANT MONEY FOR IMPROVING 10 INTERSECTIONS.
SO THIS IS JUST A UPDATE ON HOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
SO IN NOVEMBER, 2020, THE CITY SUBMITTED THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, CYCLE 10 GRANT FOR 10 INTERSECTIONS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, GRANTS HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN
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GUIDELINES, SO WE TRY TO FIT WHAT WOULD, UM, MEET THOSE GUIDELINES, TRYING TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THE CITY.SO THE CITY IN, UH, THEREAFTER, THE PROJECT WAS AWARDED.
SO IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THE WAY WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT COLLISIONS AND SAFETY, THE CITY IS A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDED.
THE CITY RE IS GOING TO RECEIVE 3.184, 700,000 MIL, WHATEVER
SO THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR THE CITY.
UM, OCTOBER 7TH, THE CITY RECEIVED AN APPROVED ALLOCATION LETTERS FROM THE STATE ALLOCATING FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 274,600 TO PROCEED WITH PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
AT DECEMBER 6TH, 2022, COUNCIL MEETING, KIMLEY, HORNE AND ASSOCIATES WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN PHASE FOR THE PROJECT WITH ACCOUNTS WITH A CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 194,000 123 AND SOME CHANGE.
ON JANUARY 18TH, 2023, WE MET WITH KINLEY HORN AND HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING FOR THE DESIGN PHASE.
WE WENT OVER EACH INTERSECTION WHAT, UM, THE GRANT WOULD ALLOW AND HOW, AND THEY GAVE US THEIR STEPS TO DESIGN HOW THEY'RE GONNA PROCEED.
AND A TENTATIVE SCHEDULE WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT DESIGN PLANS IS SCHEDULED FOR HOPEFULLY TO BE DONE BY JUNE OF 2 20 23.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR REGULATORY APPROVALS WITH CALTRANS AND ANTICIPATED TO BE FINALIZED LATE 2023.
SO THAT'S THE DESIGN PHASE, AND THEN IT MOVES TO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
AND JUST AS A BRIEF OVERVIEW, WE HAVE WHAT WE CONSIDERED SIX MAJOR INTERSECTIONS, WHICH IS GONNA HAVE, UM, LEFT TURN PHASING, BUT THIS GRANT WAS DIFFERENT.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COME UP AND SAY, HEY, WHY ONLY ONE DIRECTION? NORTHBOUND SOUTHBOUND AND THIS GRANT, WE HAD TO DO, UM, COUNTER MEASURES.
SO IN THIS FA THIS GRANT, WE COULD ONLY ADDRESS THOSE LOCATIONS THAT HAD POCKETS ALREADY INSTALLED.
SO IN THOSE CASES, LIKE IN SOME LOCATIONS, WE ONLY DID THE NORTHBOUND SOUTHBOUND BECAUSE THEY HAD THE LEFT TURN POCKETS.
WE COULDN'T INCLUDE THE EASTBOUND WESTBOUND BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A LEFT TURN POCKET.
AND USUALLY THAT MEANS THERE'S MORE, UM, IMPACTS, MAYBE SOME PARKING REMOVAL, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE THE, THE EVIL WORD
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT LATER.
SO WE HAVE SIX INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE GETTING THE LEFT TURN PHASING IN CERTAIN DIRECTIONS.
UM, SUNSET AT MERCED CAMERON AT ORANGE, VINCENT AND PUENTE.
LAR ELLEN AND VILLO HOLLENBECK AT CAMERON AND SINUS AT LA PUI.
NOW, THE REASON WE PICKED THESE WAS BECAUSE AT THE TIME THEY HAD TO QUALIFY WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COLLISIONS.
SO EVEN THOUGH SOME MAY HAVE MORE TRAFFIC OR PEOPLE MAY WANT THAT, IF THEY DIDN'T MEET THE STANDARDS FOR THE AMOUNT OF COLLISIONS, WE COULDN'T INCLUDE THEM IN THIS GRANT.
IT'S BASED ON WHAT'S CALLED BENEFIT OVER COST RATIO.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THAT'S HOW THEY LOOK AT IT.
THE MORE COLLISIONS YOU GET, MORE POINT VALUE.
SO CITY SCORED A HIGH POINT VALUE, SO THEY WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR EXTRA INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE CONSIDERED MINOR TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
SO IT'S GONNA HAVE UPGRADES TO SIGNAL HARDWARE, REFLECTIVE BACK PLATES, RETRIP CROSSWALK ENHANCEMENTS, PED COUNTDOWNS.
UM, I HAVE A ASTERISK ON NUMBER 10 BECAUSE IT CAME UP EARLIER.
I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN WU HAD SOMEONE THAT HAD THAT ONE AMAR AT SHADOW OAK WITH, IT'S GONNA HAVE THE EXTRA HEADS FACING THE OTHER WAY.
SO WE'VE MANEUVERED THAT INTO THIS GRANT AS WELL.
BUT, BUT WHY CITRUS AND GARVEY IS NOT INCLUDING THIS IS, UH, THAT IS, UH, PROBLEMATIC RIGHT NOW.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TURN ONLY LAST TIME YOU ALREADY CHANGING TO STRAIGHT, BUT THE, THE CROSSWALK
[04:20:01]
STILL ALL FADING AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING ONLY SHOPPING CENTER, CROSS STREET, SO I DON'T KNOW, CITRUS AND GARVEY UHHUH, UH, GARVEY SOUTH IS GONNA BE INCLUDED IN ONE OF OUR TRAFFIC UPDATES.SO, AND THEN WE'RE TRYING, WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME MORE THINGS IN THE HOPPER WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR.
WE HAVE MORE GRANTS OUT THERE, JUST WE HAVEN'T, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE GOT APPROVAL.
SO WE KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED AND THEN OUR NEXT GRANT, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, COMES TRUE, WE HAVE ANOTHER NINE INTERSECTIONS WE CAN INCLUDE WITH MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS.
SOME OF THESE INTERSECTIONS THAT WE DID PICK THAT ARE CONSIDERED THE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE OF THE OLD INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE TO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE POLE, THE MASKED ARM, THE CONTROLLER BOX IS EVERYTHING.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE UP UPDATE.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOUR, YOUR COST GOES.
AND, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITRA AND GARVE, BUT THERE'S SO MANY RESIDENT COMPLAINT TO ME REGARDING NOBODY FOLLOWED THE WRITING.
IT'S AN ONGOING RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, THEY WERE AWARDED THE CONTRACT.
SO WHEN CAN YOU GIMME A SCHEDULE? THAT WILL BE, WE CAN BE WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, I THINK IS WHEN CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO START ON THE NEXT.
WOULD THEY PAINT ALREADY APPROVED? COULD THEY PAINT THE WALKWAY TOO? CORRECT.
WE TRY TO, WHEN WE DO PAVEMENT PROJECTS, WHEN WE TRY TO, WHEN WE DO ANY KIND OF UPGRADES TO THE INTERSECTION, WE TRY TO ALSO, UM, DO ALL THE CROSSWALKS STRIPING.
AND UH, WE KNOW THE, UM, FRONTIER DAMAGE A LOT OF OUR STREET.
WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO HERE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF, ON THE ENGINEERING SIDE, THERE'S A LOT ANGRY RESIDENT
WOULD YOU PLEASE THAT IS, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE CONCERNED.
MAYOR, MAYOR, PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
THE CITY HAS TAKEN A VERY PROACTIVE APPROACH.
MET WITH FRONTIER, SHARED THE CONCERNS THAT WE ALL SHARED ABOUT THE CONDITION FROM THE CONDUIT INSTALLATION, AND IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING TO EVERY SINGLE LOCATION THAT THEY DID THAT.
AND THEY WILL BE SLURRY, SEALING THAT.
AS SOON AS WE GET AN UPDATE OF THE EXACT WORK SCHEDULE, WE'LL SHARE IT WITH CITY MANAGEMENT, UM, AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS AND PROCEED ACCORDINGLY.
WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS INSPECTOR AND THE ENGINEERING TEAM CLOSELY MONITOR WHILE THEY ARE DOING THIS SLURRY SEAL TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS THE EXPECTATIONS OF COUNCIL AND THE CITY.
RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST LIKE PEACE AND PEACE AND EVEN, AND THE SIDEWALK OKAY.
IS A CONCRETE, BUT THEY MAKE IT AS ASPHALT, SO IT'S NOT EVEN WALKABLE FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND THEY WANT TO WALK DURING THE EVENING OR MORNING.
SO IT'S EXTREMELY PROBLEMATIC.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE RE IT GOING ALWAYS BE FIXED, RIGHT? YES.
SO PROBABLY IN APRIL I THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE BEGINNING, BUT AS SOON AS WE FIND OUT, WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.
WOULD YOU BE, WOULD YOU PLEASE NOTIFY? ABSOLUTELY.
SAY WE ARE GOING TO RE I'M GOING, WE PAY THE STREET.
SO BACK TO THE SAME COLOR, MAKE IT EVEN, OR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, THEY'RE LIKELY GONNA DO IS SEAL.
SO WHAT THEY DID IS IN THE INSTALLATION, THEY PUT THE CONDUIT THROUGH KIND OF A, INSTEAD OF CUTTING UP THE ENTIRE STREET, CORRECT.
THEY CUT UP A SECTION TO UHHUH LAY THE CONDUIT.
SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WE TALKED TO THEM, THE CITY EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE COMING BACK AND ACTUALLY REPAINT, NOT REPAVING, SLURRY SEALING THAT AREA.
SO IT'S COHESIVE, IT'S CONTINUOUS AND THERE'S NOT KIND OF PATCHWORK DONE.
AND IT'S AH, SO WHETHER IT'S PATCHED TO PATCH TO CORRECT, IT'S WILL BE ONE JUST LIKE WET STREET? CORRECT.
HOPEFULLY HAPPENED ASAP AND THEN NOT NOTIFY THE RESIDENT IS A VAST AREA, ENTIRE SOUTH SIDE AND ALONG THE BKK, THE RESIDENT, EVERYTHING HAVE UNDERGROUND, THEY ALL HAVE BEEN DAMAGED ON THE STREET.
IS THAT ALSO THE SIDEWALK? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
SO ANYWHERE THAT THEY TOUCHED WHERE THEY DID ANY OF THOSE CUTS, THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND REDO TO OUR EXPECTATION.
JUST SO I CAN GET A VISUAL, I REMEMBER THE, THESE, THESE AREAS WHEN THERE'S PATCHWORK, IT'S BLACK, UH, FROM WHAT IT WAS TOLD TO ME.
AND THEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A CONTRAST WITH THE REST OF THE STREET.
SO YOU'RE SAYING WITH THE SLURRY SEAL, IT'LL ALL LITERALLY BE ALL BLACK, SO YOU WON'T, IT IT'LL BE AS IF WE NEVER SAW ANY OF THE, OF THE WORK THAT FRONTIER HAD DONE.
NO CALLS TO THE CT U A, THEY WOULD PAY FOR EVERYTHING.
FRONTIER WILL BE TAKING CARE OF THAT.
[04:25:01]
THANK YOU.AND I GUESS THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THAT.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS UH, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
UH, SO I HAD TO ADD A, UH, SOME QUESTIONS, UH, CONCERNS.
SO THE VINCENT AND, AND PUENTE, UM, WHICH, UH, HAS BEEN A, AN INTERSECTION OBVIOUSLY IT, IT LOT OF COLLISIONS.
UH, SO I THINK ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS YOU, YOU HAVE THE, THE, THE REALLY LONG STRAIGHTAWAY RIGHT? BETWEEN LIGHTS, UH, AND FROM THE, THE READING I'VE DONE, IS THAT BECAUSE ALSO THE, THE, THE WIDE, HOW WIDE THE LANES ARE, YOU, YOU GET KIND OF A HIGHWAY EFFECT, RIGHT? WHERE SO PEOPLE GO DOWN FASTER.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT WHAT COULD WE DO IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN TO, TO POSSIBLY, UM, GET PEOPLE NOT TO SPEED DOWN THAT STRETCH? YEAH, VINCENT IS A MAJOR STREET.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF OF OUR RESIDENTIAL CORRIDORS, RIGHT? SO IT'S DESIGNED TO HANDLE MOST OF THE TRAFFIC.
UM, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PUT SOME SPEED FEEDBACK SIGNS, BUT I MEAN, IF SOMEONE'S GONNA SPEED AND NOT OBEY THE SIGN, IF I PUT 10 SIGNS OUT, THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA SEE 10 SIGNS
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER THINGS.
NOW WHEN WE GET THE LEFT TURN PHASING IN MM-HMM
SO THAT'S PART OF THE PROJECT.
THE H S I P, THE CONSULTANT KIMLEY HORN IS GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE BEST SIGNAL TIMING FOR THE INTERSECTION.
SO RIGHT NOW MAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TALK TO PD AND FIND OUT WHAT THE REAL CAUSE IS FOR THESE COLLISIONS.
BUT YES, WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE AND THEY INFORM US
SO LIKE I SAID, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS THE CAUSE.
WAS IT JUST TRYING SOMEONE TO BEAT THE LIGHT AND THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT AND MAYBE THE LEFT TURN NOW WILL HELP THAT BECAUSE NOW THERE'S GONNA BE A A, A GREEN ARROW.
UM, WAS IT THEY WENT THROUGH THE RED, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T KNOW UNLESS WE LOOK AT THE ACTUAL POLICE REPORTS TO SEE.
AND, UM, AND IN TERMS OF, UH, WALKING AND AND BIKING INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK THAT THAT WAS ALSO MENTIONED AS PART OF OUR DOWNTOWN PLAN.
UM, BUT I MEAN, OUR CITY'S REALLY KIND OF HOSTILE TO, TO WALKERS AND BIKERS, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING IN TERMS OF MAKING THAT, UM, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, SAFER, UM, AND, AND AGAIN, SLOWING DOWN AND GIVING SPACE FOR WALKERS AND, AND BIKERS? WELL, WE HAVE SOME GRANTS ALSO THAT, UM, COMING UP LIKE ATTP, WHICH IS ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, THE CITY AT THIS TIME IS FOCUSING ON ALL THE AREAS AROUND THE SCHOOLS WITH CROSSWALKS AND, YOU KNOW, SAY, UH, FLASHING AND WHAT THEY CALL RAPID REFLECTIVE LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THE R F B BEACONS AT SCHOOLS AND THE HIGH VIS CROSSWALKS MAKING IT MORE VISIBLE FOR PEDESTRIANS.
THERE ARE FUTURE GRANTS COMING UP THAT WE COULD APPLY FOR THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, UM, LIKE THE SS FOUR A, IT'S CALLED, IT'S ALL ABOUT, UM, PLANNING DOCUMENTS.
SO MASTER PLAN OF BIKEWAYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT, UM, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP.
SO MAYBE THE CITY WILL BECOME MORE BIKE FRIENDLY.
I MEAN, YOU, THERE'S, THERE'S WAYS TO, UM, LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GET HELP FROM SOME OF THE GRANTS AND PLANNING DOCUMENTS THAT PUTS WEST COVINA MORE IN LINE WITH, UM, BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIAN.
WE, I THINK WE'RE WORKING ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE FOR THE BICYCLIST, BUT IT'S ALSO WHERE DO WE PUT THE BIKES? BIKES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT REALISTIC TO, PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BIKE ON A 45 MILE AN HOUR STREET, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S KINDA YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA FIND A SAFE ROUTE.
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PUT A BIKE, YOU KNOW, LAYING THERE.
LIKE CAMERON HAS BIKE LANES, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY BICYCLERS THERE BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, 40, 45 MILES PER HOUR.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A, A BALANCE.
[04:30:01]
OKAY.UH, AND THEN, UH, LAST QUESTION.
UH, MY FAVORITE, UH, WILLOW AND MERCED STOP SIGNS THAT GET RUN OVER OH, ONCE A WEEK.
UH, JU WHAT OTHER TYPES OF SOLUTIONS FOR, FOR AN AREA LIKE THAT, OR, I MEAN, IT'S HEAVILY TRAFFICKED, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S MERCED AND IT'S GOING TO THE 10 FREEWAY.
UM, BUT WE ARE REPLACING THOSE STOP SIGNS WEEKLY.
THEY, SOME OF THOSE HAVE, BECAUSE THEY'RE WIDE STREETS, THEY HAVE TWO LANES AND THEY HAVE THE SMALL MEDIAN ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE, SO THEY'VE PUT THE STOP SIGN.
SOME OF THOSE ARE GOING TO GET FLASHING STOP SIGNS TO MAKE IT MORE VISIBLE.
UM, THERE ARE WAYS TO IMPROVE THE STRIPING AROUND THE, UM, HARD THE RAISED ISLAND.
AND WE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT COMING UP ON SOME OF OUR PROJECTS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT.
AND WE'LL, HOPEFULLY THAT'LL HELP WITH, UM, OUTLINING, YOU KNOW, PUTTING A WIDER YELLOW STRIPE WITH RPMS TO LIGHT IT UP.
YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF THING.
UM, I KNOW YOU, YOU MAY BE LEANING TOWARDS ROUNDABOUTS, BUT ROUNDABOUTS YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER TO BE EFFECTIVE IS YOU WANT THEM TO, YOU NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH CIRCUMFERENCE IN YOUR CIRCLE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, OR THEY'RE JUST GONNA BE GOING THROUGH AND IT'S JUST A LANDSCAPE MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION.
SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY, UM, LOOK AT THAT AND ROUNDABOUTS HAVE SPLITTER ISLANDS, CUZ YOU HAVE TO HAVE MM-HMM.
SO IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT AND BALANCE THERE.
IS IT, THEY'RE KIND OF COSTLY IF YOU USE RAISED MEDIAN, SO YOU KIND OF HAVE TO BALANCE THAT.
SO THERE'S THINGS YOU CAN LOOK AT.
UM, WE ARE GETTING THE FLASHING, YOU KNOW, PUT FLASHING STOP SIGNS, UH, MORE OF THEM THAT ARE COMING AND THEN, UM, BETTER STRIPING IN THE MIDDLE.
AND THEN IF IT DOESN'T WORK, WE'LL TRY SOME OTHER THINGS.
YOU KNOW, TRY TO, YOU KNOW, CUZ SOME OF THEM ARE QUITE COSTLY, SO YOU HAVE TO BALANCE IT OR GET A GRANT, YOU KNOW, TO HELP YOU WITH THE COST.
AND I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, UH, I KNOW SOME OTHER CITIES HAVE HAVE STARTED DOING SOME OF THESE THINGS.
I KNOW AS JUST RECENTLY IN SANTA ANA, UH, AND, AND SIMILAR TYPE STREET.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK AS WE GO FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE AN INITIAL COST THAT'S A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT THEN OVER TIME YOU'RE NOT REPLACING STOP SIGNS.
PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING INTO THE FATAL CAR ACCIDENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
COUNCIL
I'M GOING THROUGH, UH, MANY TIMES ON THE EAST, GAVI AND CHERRYWOOD AND YOU HAVE A LAB BLOCKER.
THEY STILL THERE?
MISSING ONE I THINK COULD BE HIT SO MANY TIMES IT SOUNDS BY MISSING ONE.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT IS ALL PRETTY GOOD.
I THINK THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT, UH, OKAY.
AND THE KIND OF, UH, DIDN'T COMPLAIN TOO MUCH, LIKE I THINK OKAY.
EVERYTHING AND THAT KIND OF SAFE.
AND THEY SLOW DOWN AND THE PEOPLE MAKE A KIND OF SCREECHING RIGHT HAND THAT CURVE.
HE SAID HE WAS VERY HAPPY AND HE THANKED US FOR DOING THIS.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, SAY I THINK THAT THAT WORK.
I, I, I DREW THERE MANY TIMES.
UH, AND ESPECIALLY, UH, THIS, UH, CARNIVAL AND FESTIVAL, UHHUH.
MUCH EASIER THAN GO TO FREEWAY AND GO TO THE OKAY.
CHILE, LET'S NOT, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN.
I THINK IT'S, IT IS, IT'S REALLY HELPS THOSE NEIGHBOR.
APPRECIATE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.
AS A RECEIVING FILE, MAYOR, IF I HAVE NO OBJECTION, WE JUST WILL APPROVE TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
RECEIVE AND FILE RIGHT? RECEIVE AND FILE? YES, SIR.
OH, WE'RE COMING TO THE END HERE.
[CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]
REPORTS FROM, UM, COUNSEL? I ACTUALLY HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION TO SPEAK TONIGHT.[04:35:01]
HAVE A REPORT OR ANYTHING? NO.OH, COUNCILMAN CANTOS OR COUNCILMAN? OKAY, COUNCILMAN, GO AHEAD.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, MENTION THAT, UM, THE, THIS SATURDAY'S, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, HAS BEEN, UH, POSTPONED BECAUSE WE ARE EXPECTING, UH, HEAVY RAIN.
UH, SO THERE WAS GONNA BE A COMMUNITY MEETING AT DEL NORTE PARK THIS SATURDAY, BUT IT HAS BEEN POSTPONED, UH, AND LOOK FOR IT TO BE RESCHEDULED.
COUNCILWOMAN LA LOPEZ, I WAS PROCESSING TODAY EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
UM, BUT NOT, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR YOU PRO TEM TABATA.
UM, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO FUEL THE FLAME AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE POWER TO DEESCALATE.
AND, UM, AS SOON AS IT'S CALM AND WOUNDS ARE HEALING, YOU SEEM TO ENJOY OPENING IT UP AGAIN AND TO RELIVE THE PAIN.
UM, I JUST THOUGHT YOU DID IT AGAIN.
UM, YOU DID IT PRIOR TO THIS MOMENT, YOU KNOW, UM, EVEN RIGHT HERE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE HEALING, WE'RE TALKING AND YOU KNOW, COUNSEL, COLLEAGUES ARE SPEAKING AND YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD AND THEY'RE CALM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN YOU SPEAK AND THEN YOU GET THE CROWD RILED UP AGAIN.
THEN YOU CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
BUT YET, AND THEN YOU SAY THEY JUST TALK, TALK, TALK.
BUT IRONICALLY, YOU DO THAT, YOU TALK, TALK, TALK AND NO ACCOUNTABILITY AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW, WELL, THE MAYOR, UM, WHEN I THINK WHEN SHE MEANT POLITICAL, I DON'T THINK SHE MEANT THEM PER SE.
I THINK SHE MEANT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT HER IN THAT SITUATION, YOUR HISTORY OF YOUR PREACHERS BEFORE REGARDING THE TONGVA PEOPLE, BUT YOU ONLY FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE.
THAT'S WHY TODAY I DID APPRECIATE THAT THEY FOCUSED ON THE POSITIVE, THE GOOD, UM, THE UNITY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE SEEN YOUR SPEECHES.
SO IN THAT, I, I KNOW MAYOR DIAZ HAS A HEART, AND I KNOW WITH THE FRUSTRATION AND EVERYTHING, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE OUR INTENTIONS, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE, I MEAN, YOU ARE PART OF THIS INVOLVEMENT.
SO ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SPEECHES.
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, OVERHEARD LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO WORK WITH YOU ON SOME TO REMOVE ALL THE NEGATIVITY BECAUSE IT IS THE HUNDRED ANNIVERSARY.
AND, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THAT, THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW BEFORE WHEN YOU CAME IN, YOU ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE STOLEN LAND.
UM, YOU'VE ALWAYS PREACHED THAT.
YOU'VE HAD, WHEN YOU GOT ON COUNCIL, YOU'VE HAD THE CHANGE WAS COVINA COME AND PREACH YOUR EXACT SAME WORDS.
AND I REMEMBER LOOKING AT YOU AND YOU SMIRKED AT ME BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT CAME FROM YOU.
AND THAT DIDN'T STOP UNTIL JOHN SHOEMAKER CAME UP THERE WITH A DEED AND SAID, I HAVE A BLANK DEED FOR YOU.
AND YOU KEPT PREACHING ABOUT THIS IS A STOLEN LAND, THIS IS A STOLEN LAND.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT AND YOU PURCHASED A HOME HERE, THAT MEANS YOU PURCHASED STOLEN GOODS.
SO HE GAVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU CAN FILL THIS D OUT AND RETURN THE STOLEN GOODS OR STOLEN LAND THAT YOU STOLE FROM.
AND THEN FROM THERE YOU STAYED QUIET.
NOT EVEN THE CHANGE WAS COVINA.
NOT EVEN YOU EVER MENTIONED THAT AGAIN BECAUSE OF THAT COMMENT.
AND THEN WE RELI ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY, WE HEARD YOU BRING IT UP AGAIN.
I KNOW WE WERE FOCUSING ON HUNDRED YEARS AND, AND YOU BROUGHT UP THE A THOUSAND YEARS.
SO THAT'S WHEN I THINK WHEN IT MEANT POLITICAL, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TONGVA PEOPLE.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
IT WAS JUST THE HISTORY AND EVERYTHING THAT CAME UP.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I MEAN, I LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE NOW, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW YOU SAY, WELL, WHERE'S YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY ON THAT? ON THE THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING AT THE MOMENT? UM, AND SO IT'S JUST, I'M JUST A LITTLE FRUSTRATED, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN SEE YOU CAN BE SNEAKY.
YOU ARE SMART, YOU CAN BE SNEAKY.
YOU, YOU DO A FEW THINGS, UM, TO GET PEOPLE, SOME OF THE STUFF THAT OCCURS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME.
I REMEMBER WHEN THEY CAME AND YOU HAVE A, A LARGE CROWD BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT IS BEING PUSHED AND STUFF.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE INTERNAL POLITICS AMONG US.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE FULL HISTORY OF WHAT'S BEEN OCCURRING.
THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE STAY QUIET BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE TO AIR OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY OUT.
BUT ANYWAYS, THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW YOU, UM, FOCUS AGAIN ON STOLEN LAND.
I WISH YOU WOULD FIGHT THE SAME WAY TODAY WITH STOLEN PROPERTY, STOLEN PERSONAL BELONGINGS, STOLEN LIFE, UM, THINGS THAT HAPPEN TODAY AND THAT HAPPENS TOMORROW, THE HURTING OF NOW BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS THAT AFFECT US.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, I DO HAVE A REQUEST.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST FOR OUR OWN PROSECUTOR.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON GASCONS.
I KNOW WE PUT THAT ON, UM, THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE OUR OWN PROSECUTOR THAT DECLINED IT.
I THINK IT'S TIME TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
[04:40:01]
UM, AND THEN IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PROSECUTE CRIME, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PROSECUTE CRIME AND THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES, AND I KNOW YOU TALK ABOUT CONSEQUENCES AND STUFF AND ACCOUNTABILITY.I WANT ACCOUNTABILITY ON AT LEAST THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT DOES OCCUR IN OUR CITY.
UM, IF HE STILL GASCON STILL REFUSES, I'D LIKE TO PUSH FOR A COALITION, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY ABOUT THIS, BUT I KNOW THAT I, I CAN SEE CERTAIN THINGS WHEN WE RILE IT UP.
BUT I, AGAIN, I KNOW YOU HAVE THE POWER, BUT SOMEHOW I JUST SEE DIVISION.
AND THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME.
I MEAN, I DO REMEMBER WHEN THE, UH, CITY MANAGER GAVE US INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, A, A TAGGING OF ONE.
AND I KNOW THAT WAS AN INTERNAL CAUSE I SPOKE TO THEM WHERE THEY WROTE A DEROGATORY NAME ON THE GARAGE.
YOU TOOK THAT PHOTO, FORWARD IT TO CHANGE WEST COVINA.
AND IT WAS AN INTERNAL THING THAT SAID WE, OUR CITY TOOK CARE OF IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON PERSONAL PROPERTY, WE TOOK CARE OF IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT HATE, WE DON'T WANT DIVISION, WE DON'T WANT THIS.
I WANNA FOCUS ON LOVE, THE POSITIVE AND THE GOOD.
AND YOU TOOK THAT PICTURE FROM HIM AND YOU FORWARD IT.
AND THAT WAS AN INTERNAL THING FOR ALL OF US.
AND THAT WAS, I MEAN, NOT ONLY THAT, I MEAN, THERE'S JUST A, A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT DOES OCCUR.
I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN YOU, LIKE SAFETY'S A BIG ISSUE FOR ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DECLINED THE FLOCK CAMERA, YOU SAID NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
AND THEN WHEN IT'S QUICK THAT THE FLOCK CAMERA COMES OUT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, IT SOLVED THAT 13 YEAR OLD, YOU'RE QUICK TO SEE OUR FLOCK CAMERA DID IT.
AND EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, OH, GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU, TABATA BUYER, WHATEVER IT IS.
BUT I'M LIKE, DON'T DECLINE IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T DENY THAT.
BUT IT'S JUST DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME.
I MEAN, THEY'RE THE PATTERNS OF THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING A LOT OF TIMES.
I KNOW YOU HAVE INVOLVEMENT IN THAT.
AND SO, I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S JUST, I JUST SAW WHAT OCCURRED.
AND I, I HATE WHEN, YOU KNOW, COUNSEL INCLUDING YOU.
I MEAN, I DON'T LIKE YOU BEING ATTACKED EITHER.
UM, BUT I JUST, IT'S JUST THINGS THAT OCCURRED TO ME.
BUT MY BIGGEST, UM, REQUEST IS TO HAVE A PROSECUTOR.
I MEAN, SAFETY'S THE BIGGEST THING.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED ACCOUNTABILITY.
I DO WANNA SEE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.
I, I HATE WHEN OUR RESIDENTS HURT WHEN THINGS ARE STOLEN FROM THEM.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS MY, MY PRIMARY REQUEST.
BUT I, I JUST SAW THAT AND I I CAN'T HOLD IT BACK ANYMORE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AND KEEP MY, SAY MY PEACE.
UH, UH, I THINK THIS IS VERY SAD.
OKAY? AND, UH, FOR OUR HUNDRED YEARS AND 10 YEARS CELEBRATION, EVERYBODY'S VERY HAPPY.
ALL THESE THREE DAY PEOPLE ARE HAPPY AND WE THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND THEN WE WANT TO ENJOY INCLUDING, UH, MR. TABBA AND HIS FAMILY.
OKAY? EVERYBODY ENJOYING THE TIME, OKAY? AND THEN FOR US, THAT NIGHT, SATURDAY NIGHT, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO TELL THEM OUR REASON, BUT THEY'RE JUST VERY ANGRY.
THEY COME OVER HERE, PUT MYSELF A MALE, ARE RACIST, AND WE ARE NOT.
AND THEY PUT A FLYER ALL THE PLACES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SEND ME THE FLYER.
THEY PUT MY FACE AND THE MAYOR DE YARD, OKAY? AND SAY, WE ARE OASIS.
COME TO WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT, COUNCIL MEMBER
SO MEANING, MEANING THIS IS SO, OKAY, A PLOT.
OKAY? NO MATTER WE JUST WALKING TO A TRAP BECAUSE FOUR OF OUR CITY COUNCIL HAVE NO IDEA.
AND, UH, EVEN MA OKAY, THIS MORNING WE TALKED TO CITY MANAGER.
HE, HE TOLD US HE HAS NO IDEA BECAUSE HE HAS A DINNER WITH HIS FAMILY AT SIX O'CLOCK.
OKAY? BUT NOW HE SAY, OKAY, UH, THIS IS A PLAN.
THEY WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
BUT WHY WE DIDN'T GET NOTIFIED.
WHY DIDN'T TELL US WHY DIDN'T TELL THE MAYOR.
THAT THING, WHEN WE WALK IN, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.
CITY, CITY MANAGERS NOT THERE.
AND THE MAYOR'S OVER THERE TRYING TO TAKE THE SITUATION, TRY TO ACCOMMODATE YOU AND, UH, YOUR, YOUR GUEST.
AND I DON'T WANT EVEN KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY WANT TO DO THE PRAYER.
WE ARE TOTAL IN THE DARK AND WE WALKING TO THE TRAP, FOUR OF US WALKING TO THE TRAP.
SO THEN YOU DO, THEN, THEN YOU DON'T NO MATTER WHAT, OKAY? IT WILL BE ALL ON OUR SHOULDER AT THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
SHOULD BE OUR MOST ENJOYABLE TIME.
TRY TO PUT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND I CAN SEE, OKAY, UH, MR. KENTO AND, UH, MS. DIA, TRY TO WORK IT OUT FOR YOU.
TRY TO HAVE YOU HAVE A CHANCE, OKAY? AND TO GO THERE, EVEN WE DON'T KNOW THIS EVENT, BUT STILL WANT TO ACCOMMODATE THE PEOPLE ALREADY HERE, ALLOWED THEM TO GO TO THE STAGE TO DO IT.
I JUST SAY, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
I DISAPPROVE ABOUT ALL THIS INSERT WITHOUT EVEN TELLING US.
I EVEN SAY, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
[04:45:01]
OKAY? SO, AND FOR THAT, OKAY? AND RIGHT NOW, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU CHAMPION ALL THESE PEOPLE COME OVER HERE IN OUR CITY, CALL US A RACIST CITY CALLED TWO OF US ARE RACIST.I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE A DECISION FOR YOU GUYS.
JUST SAY YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION.
IT'S SO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE WELL OF OUR CON COUNCIL MEMBER AND THAT JUST TRY TO ROCK THE BOW AND TRY TO MAKE SURE HIS IDEOLOGY STICKING TO OUR THROW AND WE HAVE TO TAKE IT IN THAT TIME.
AND THEN I, WE NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT IF THE CITY, IF THE CITY MANAGER APPROVED THIS, WHY NOT LET US KNOW? WHY NOT TELLING US WE HAVE, UH, OKAY, UH, UH, INDIGENOUS, WANT TO DO SOME PRAYER, THIS AND THAT.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I THINK THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS MR. TAB, I TAKE OUT HIS PHONE, HE WANT TO READ SOME KIND OF POLITICAL STATEMENT ABOUT THE GENOCIDE, ABOUT THE OPERA OF OPPRESSION AND ALL THIS KIND OF THING IN OUR CELEBRATION IN FRONT OF, UH, WESTERN MUSIC GOING, COUNTRY MUSIC GOING TO COME UP.
AND, AND, AND ALL THE PEOPLE COME TO ENTERTAIN.
THEY NEVER COME OVER HERE TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT ALL THIS DARK STORY, A DARK HISTORY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DARK HISTORY, BUT WE WANT TO COME UP TO SHOW WE ARE BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD, ALL RACES ALL TOGETHER, DANCING TOGETHER IN ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND.
BUT WHY WE HAVE TO DO THIS, WHY WE HAVE TO PUT ALL THIS DARK CLOUD TO OUR CENTENNIAL, MAKE IT SO HUMILIATE.
AND I KNOW TONIGHT, AND, UH, MAYOR HAVE BEEN HUMILIATED BIG TIME, OKAY? AND HE CANNOT EVEN REASON TO ANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY ANGRY AND HEATED BY THE MISINFORMATION THAT FAKE, OKAY? AND, UH, BASICALLY THEY ALL ROWDY, OKAY? BECAUSE THEY, THEY VERY UPSET WITH THE FABRICATE INFORMATION THAT WE ARE BUNCH OF RACES AND CITIES RACIST TOWARDS TO INDIGENOUS, INDIGENOUS, THE MASTER OF THE LAND, THE OVER HERE MUCH LONGER THAN ANYBODY ELSE, WE UNDERSTAND.
BUT JUST LIKE, OKAY, BILL, SAY THIS.
HAVE A LOT OF DARK HISTORY IN KUYA, JAPANESE-AMERICAN, CHINESE-AMERICAN, AND THEN, AND THEN THE MEXICAN, OKAY, FARMER, OKAY? THIS AND THAT.
IT'S NEVER END, BUT IT'S NOT A TIME IN OUR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, IT CAN COME TO CITY COUNCIL, ADDRESS US, OR COME OVER HERE, INVITE THEM TO GIVE A PRAYER.
OKAY? WE CAN INVITE THEM, BUT WHY THEY NEVER COME TO CONTACT US, COME TO REACH THEIR EVERY TO US.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WE HAVE THIS GROUP.
I DON'T KNOW THIS GROUP WHERE THIS COME FROM.
I KNOW I GOT AN EMAIL FROM OKAY, KEITH TRIBE THAT WE OKAY, ALWAYS CONSULT WITH DAN WHEN WE WANT TO DO ANY DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEY ARE BASICALLY, UH, WITH THE STAY SB 52.
AND THEY SEND EMAIL, SAY, THIS GROUP, WE SHOULDN'T RECOGNIZE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHICH TRIBE, WHICH TRIBE.
SO SO WHICH TRIBE IS THE ONE WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE? THEY HAVE TO COME OUT THERE.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM TO HAVE ANY KIND OF, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, OKAY? AND WE TALK ABOUT NATURE, THIS, AND I HAVE THEN TO COME TO PRAYER, OKAY? FOR US, BUT NOT THE WAY SNEAK SNEAK IT IN AND, AND IN THE NIGHTTIME, SEVEN O'CLOCK.
AND LOOK LIKE WE TRY TO STOP PEOPLE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO PERFORM AND PERFORM FOR US LIKE A BUNCH OF RACES, ESPECIALLY ME AND THE MAYOR.
BUT I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MAYOR D FOR YOUR TREATMENT TODAY, OKAY? AND I UNDERSTAND, OKAY, IT IS, UH, VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU TONIGHT.
AND THEY HAVE TICKED ALL THIS INSULT AND, UM, AND TAKEN ABOUT WHAT YOUR HUSBAND SAY.
AND NO MATTER WHAT, THEY PUT YOU TOGETHER.
AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF UNFAIR TO YOU.
I SAW YOUR BIG HEART ALMOST IN UNTIL THAT NIGHT TRY TO ACCOMMODATE OKAY? OUR COLLEAGUE, I I, RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK HE DESERVE ANY ACCOMMODATION, OKAY? DUE TO HIS, HE PLAY THIS GAME AGAINST US IS VERY VICIOUS.
IT'S A POLITICAL GAME AND IT SHOOTING IN OUR CENTENNIAL.
I'M VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UH, MR. TAB.
MADAM MAYOR, COUNSEL, UH, COUNTS.
UM, COUNCIL CONTOS, AYE, I, I'VE JUST GOTTA SAY HOW JUST HURTFUL ALL OF THIS WAS IN, IN VARIOUS RESPECTS.
UM, I, I JUST, JUST TO PUT IT OUT THERE FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC TOO, JUST, JUST SO YOU SO
[04:50:01]
FOLKS UNDERSTAND.UM, HISTORICALLY, I HAVE NO ALLIANCES WITH ANY OF MY FOUR COLLEAGUES UP HERE.
UM, ALL OF THEM DID NOT SUPPORT MY ELECTION TO THIS OFFICE.
BUT WHAT I DID IS I CAME IN AND I, I STARTED WITH A CLEAN SLATE AND I GOT TO KNOW EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, AND I REALLY MUST SAY I'VE, I'VE ENJOYED THOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL, ALL FOUR OF MY COLLEAGUES.
THE THING THAT I REALLY WAS BOTHERED ABOUT WAS THE, THE TONE OF THIS THING ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, THE MAYOR AND THE, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN WOO, BEING RACIST.
UH, I, I SEE THE GOOD IN PEOPLE.
AND I ALSO HAVE BEEN AN ACTIVIST IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS WORLD FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND HAD HAD EITHER OF THEM OR ANYONE, OR ANY OF ANYONE HERE, IF, IF, IF THERE WAS ANY RACIAL OVERTONES OR THERE WAS ANY HOSTILITY OR THERE WAS SOME SORT OF IMPLICIT BIAS WHERE, WHERE, WHERE FOLKS SAID THINGS THAT WERE JUST ABSOLUTELY WRONG AND STEREOTYPICAL, I WOULD'VE CALLED THEM OUT ON IT PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY BECAUSE I WILL NOT SELL MY SOUL TO, TO FOR ANY COST.
AND, UM, WHAT WHAT IS REALLY SAD TO ME IS HOW THE, THIS WHOLE THING HAD RACIAL OVERTONES WHERE, UM, IT SEEMED LIKE A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE HERE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT SOMEHOW THE MAYOR TOLD, UH, UM, UM, MS. ROCHA TO NOT, NOT TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I MEAN, IT, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, AND I UN I, THE THING IS, IT'S REALLY A LOSE LOSE SITUATION BECAUSE I'M, I ALSO PUT MYSELF IN, IN MS. ROCHA'S, UM, SITUATION WHERE SHE, SHE WAS CALLED, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, APPROVAL AT THE STAFF LEVEL.
SO SHE CAME IN GOOD FAITH, READY, READY TO, TO DO THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THE PRAYER.
AND THEN SHE COMES, AND THEN SHE SEES ALL OF THIS.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY, WHY SHE'D FEEL U U UNCOMFORTABLE.
I CAME AT PRACTICALLY AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND THEN THERE'S ALL OF THIS, AND THEN AFTERWARDS YOU TELL ME TO DO THIS, THE, THE, THE PRAYER.
BUT NOW IT'S ALL TAINTED BECAUSE I JUST, IT FEELS WRONG BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT ALL FEELS LIKE IT WENT DOWN.
BUT ALL OF THAT WAS UNNECESSARY.
AND THEN ESPECIALLY WHEN JUST HEARING ABOUT THE, THE WAYS THAT, THAT, THAT FOLKS WERE, WERE CALLED RACIST.
IT, IT WAS JUST, IT JUST, IT JUST CAUSED MORE DIVISION.
AND I WAS JUST REALLY SAD BECAUSE I MEAN, IF I WERE THEM AND I HEARD WHAT I HEARD, AND I READ AND I READ WHAT WAS READ TO ME TODAY, I WOULD BE ANGRY.
I'D BE ANGRY AT THIS WHOLE COUNCIL AND SAY, GOSH, WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THAT STUFF ABOUT WEST COTA BEING REALLY WONDERFUL AND SAFE IN A GOOD PLACE.
WELL, I GUESS THEY'RE, BUT THEY'RE FULL OF AT LEAST SUB SOME RACISTS THERE BECAUSE I READ IT ONLINE, THEREFORE, IT'S TRUE.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE REALLY COME TO REGARD THE, THE FOUR OF MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, UH, WI WI WITH IN HIGH PERSONAL REGARD.
I MEAN, I CARE, I CARE ABOUT EACH OF THEM.
BUT I, I'M JUST, JUST CONCERNED THAT, THAT, THAT THE RACIAL OVERTONES OF THIS TODAY, IT, IT WAS JUST REALLY HURTFUL AND I WAS, WAS HURTING FOR THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WERE WERE SAID IN THE WAY THAT THIS WILL STOKE JUST FURTHER.
AND IT'S, IT JUST WAS WRONG BECAUSE I, I KNOW, I'LL SAY IT PUBLICLY.
I'VE SPENT TIME WITH THE MAYOR AND SHE IS NOT A RACIST.
WE, THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, HAVE DISAGREEMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, NO ONE HEARS RACIST THAT'S JUST, UH, ON THIS COUNCIL.
IF ANYONE WERE EVER TO CHARGE THAT, THAT TONY WU OR ROSA DIAZ OR BRIAN TABBA TABBA OR OR LETTI DIAZ VILLATA WERE RACIST, I'D SAY THAT'S WRONG.
THAT'S NOT AN IDEOLOGY, IDEOLOGICAL THING.
WE ARE, ARE NOT, NONE OF US HA HAS THAT SORT OF INTENTION HERE.
WE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND FOR THAT TAINT TO BE, TO BE THAT PAUL TO BE CAST OVER THIS COUNCIL IS JUST, I, I WAS JUST SO SAD TO, IT'S JUST EMOTIONAL.
BE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE TOWN THAT I KNOW.
THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT THE TOWN THAT I'VE SEEN.
WE, WE HEAR, WE'RE ALL NEIGHBORS IN THIS TOWN.
WE'RE FELLOW RESIDENTS HERE IN, IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE A A LOT OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, BUT WE BRING OUR HISTORIES TO THIS TABLE, AND WE BRING OUR LOVE FOR THIS CITY TO THIS COUNCIL.
THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON UP HERE WHO'S RACIST.
THERE'S NOT, AND IF I SAY THAT AND IT ANGERS PEOPLE, FINE, SO BE IT.
BUT, BUT WE'VE GOTTA MOVE PAST THIS WHOLE NOTION THAT FOLKS UP HERE ARE RACIST.
THAT'S JUST ALL IT DOES, IT STOKES DIVISION.
I'VE BEEN WITH THEM FOR HOURS.
I'VE HAD PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, AND WHEN PEOPLE, WHATEVER THEIR REAL ATTITUDES ARE THAT COMES OUT AFTER A WHILE, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH FOLKS BECAUSE OF DOING THIS FOR SO MANY HOURS PER DAY EVERY DAY.
AND SO, I, I JUST, I'M JUST REALLY JUST SO SAD FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE FELT THE HURT THAT THEY DID, AND FOR THIS TO HAVE COME DOWN THIS WAY BECAUSE THIS IS NOT WHO WE
[04:55:01]
ARE.IT'S NOT WHO, IT'S JUST NOT WHO WE ARE.
AND, AND I JUST WORRY THAT, I JUST DON'T WANT RESIDENTS IN, IN THE, THE BROADER PUBLIC TO THINK, WELL, WEST COVINA, THAT MUST BE A PLACE OF A, OF VARIOUS FOLKS WHO ARE RACIST.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT RACISM DOESN'T EXIST.
AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IMPLICIT BIAS DOES EXIST.
WE ALL HAVE IMPLICIT BIAS TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE GROUPS THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND WE DON'T KNOW.
AND THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LEARN.
BUT WE NEED TO DO IT BASED ON THAT FEELING OF LOVE AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS OPPOSED TO GOING THROUGH THE PLAYBOOK OF SAYING, WELL, THEY'RE RACIST, THEY'RE HOMOPHOBIC, THEY'RE WHATEVER.
BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT, THEN ONCE YOU DEHUMANIZE PEOPLE BY CALLING THEM A NAME, THEN FAIR GAME, THEN ANY, ANY ATTACK IS FINE.
AND THAT IS THE WRONG WAY TO BUILD UNITY IN THIS CITY OR ANYWHERE.
WE CAN'T END UP MOVING INTO A SITUATION WHERE STEP ONE, WE JUST DEHUMANIZE BY CALLING THEM A NAME.
THEN STEP TWO, WE ATTACK AND WHATEVER COLLATERAL DAMAGE, SO BE IT.
WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY UP HERE.
AND, AND, AND WE'VE JUST GOTTA FIND A WAY TO MOVE PAST THIS AND TO REALLY BUILD ON THE COMMONALITY AND, AND TO, TO DISPENSE WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S TEARING US APART.
AND THE THING IS THIS, JUST LIKE WHAT SPEAKERS HAVE SAID TONIGHT, WE CAN'T GO BACK.
WE CAN'T GO BACK TO FIX ALL OF THAT.
IT'S THE WAY THAT THAT WENT DOWN THAT WAY AND THE WAY THAT PEOPLE WERE HURT TODAY.
I WAS HURTING FOR US, BECAUSE THEN WHEN PEOPLE THINK THAT WE ARE, ARE THESE AWFUL? OR YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S RACISM HERE, THEN WHAT DOES THAT DO? IT JUST, IT JUST MAKES, IT JUST CREATES A REALLY AWFUL ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CITY.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T ATTACK INJUSTICE WHEREVER IT LIVES.
WE HAVE TO, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT ON WITH, WITH A, WITH A PREMISE OF FINDING COMMONALITY AND BUILDING UPON THAT.
BUT, BUT NOT STOKING THE KIND OF, UH, THE KIND OF LANGUAGE THAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO FURTHER BECOME ANGRY.
BECAUSE ALL IT DOES IS IT CREATES MORE DIVISION, ANGER, MISTRUST.
AND THEN WE'RE BACK HERE AGAIN.
AND I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY MY PEACE WITH THIS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T STOP THIS, THEN THIS, THE, THIS WILL CONTINUE AND WE WILL DIVIDE.
I JUST KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE DIVIDED THIS WAY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE, IF WE REALLY FOCUSED ON, ON, ON THE, THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITY WITH REGARD TO THE VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, WITH REGARD TO RECOGNIZING PEOPLE AND REALLY, TRULY, TRULY SEEING WHO THEY ARE AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, OF COURSE, BUT FOCUSING ESPECIALLY ON JUST THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW, SO THAT WAY WE CAN REALLY BE OF SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY AND BEING WITH THEM AND NOT PRETENDING, YOU KNOW, AND NO ONE IS PRETENDING, BUT I'M SAYING THAT I, I, I WANT ALL OF THE, THE WORLD TO KNOW WITH ANYONE WHO EVER SEES THIS, THESE MEETINGS AND THIS HISTORY, THAT WHENEVER WE HAVE THESE ISSUES, WE'VE JUST, WE'VE JUST GOTTA FOCUS ON, ON WHAT, WHAT, LIKE WHAT COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, LOPEZ VITO SAID ON BUILDING ON THE POSITIVE.
NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THINGS THAT HAPPEN, BUT FINDING A WAY TO BUILD ON SOMETHING.
SO WHEN WE CREATE THAT, WE CREATE THE KIND OF ATMOSPHERE THAT BREEDS MORE, MORE RESULTS IN A POSITIVE, AFFIRMATIVE DIRECTION, AND THEN WHEN WE MOVE IN THAT AFFIRMATIVE DIRECTION, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE CAN REALLY BUILD.
SO, I, IT'S, I JUST NEEDED TO SAY MY PIECE ON THAT.
UM, PROM TABATA, UH, THANK YOU, UH, MADAM MAYOR.
UH, I, I'LL, I'LL START MY, MY COMMENTS, UH, IN THAT AS COUNCILMAN WOO, UH, STEPS AWAY, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT I WAS CALLED MR. TABBA TABBA.
I WAS NOT GIVEN THE SAME RESPECT AS THE OTHER COLLEAGUES.
UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, AS I JUST HEARD, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VITO SPEAK ABOUT MY COMMENTS AS A RESIDENT, UH, DEFINITELY SHOWS THAT THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF RE RESENTMENT FROM THE THINGS I SAID WHEN I WAS A CITIZEN OF WEST COVINA.
AND SO, UH, FROM THE MOMENT I'VE BEEN ELECTED AND I SAT ON THIS DIAS, IT'S BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, COUNCILMAN WU, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VITO, AND NOW MAYOR DIAZ, HAVE NEVER GIVEN THE ELECTED OFFICIAL FROM DISTRICT ONE, THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT THAT HAS BEEN DEMANDED, UM, BY THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ELECTED ME.
AND THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A REALITY.
THAT THAT IS FROM MEETING ONE, WHEN I HAD TO CALL TWO, UH, TWO POINT OF ORDERS AS I WAS BEING INTERRUPTED WHEN I HAD THE FLOOR.
[05:00:01]
I'VE HAD TO WITHSTAND A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, UH, MAKING, UH, POLITICAL COMMENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, VIOLATING THE COMMISSIONER HANDBOOK.UH, AND YET THEY STILL SIT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, SO I'VE, I'VE WATCHED MY, MY COUNCIL PEERS, UH, VIOLATE ALL TYPES OF PROTOCOL.
UH, HAVING SAID THAT, ONE THING I HAVE HELD MYSELF TOO IS TO BE HONEST, AND TO BE HONEST FROM THIS DIAS, UH, TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT, WHAT OCCURS.
UH, AND THOSE THINGS WHEN THEY ARE IJUST ARE NOT EASY TO HEAR.
AND THERE WAS INJUSTICE ON SATURDAY.
I DID NOT WRITE A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
JAMIE WROTE A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, OKAY? I WENT THROUGH THE PROPER AVENUE TO GET THE GABRIELINO SHOSHAN TO HAVE REPRESENTATION AT OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY.
AS FAR AS THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, I DID AS A PRIVATE RESIDENT, I HAD N NOT DONE.
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE DIAS, UH, I DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE ON THE DIAS MM-HMM.
AND WE HAVE A SET OF, UH, STANDARDS WE USE, WE HAVE AN INVOCATION THAT SOMEONE COMES AND DOES.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 100TH.
I DID ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I'VE DONE.
I POINTED TO THE THOUSAND YEAR HISTORY.
I POINTED TO THAT THEY WERE THE BEGINNING OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BUILT UPON, AND IT WAS AN EXTREMELY POSITIVE MESSAGE.
AND THAT POSITIVE MESSAGE WAS TO CONTINUE ON SATURDAY.
NOW, ONCE IT WAS APPROVED, AND JAMIE WAS GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON SATURDAY NIGHT AT SIX 30, IT WASN'T MY ROLE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS NOT THE ONE WHO WAS RUNNING THE EVENT.
OUR ROLE IS NOT TO MICROMANAGE THE EVENT.
NOW, THE FACT THAT COUNCILMAN WOO FELT THAT A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS TOO POLITICAL, THE FACT THAT COUNCILMAN WOO WAS VERY UPSET THAT A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, THOSE, THOSE ARE TRUTHS.
IF COUNCILMAN WOO WANTS TO NOW SAY ON THE DIAS THAT HE WASN'T UPSET, THAT HE DID NOT SAY THAT IT WAS TOO POLITICAL, THAT HE DID NOT SAY HOW, HOW CAN WE HAVE THEM UP THERE AND NOT HAVE THESE OTHER GROUPS, AS HE JUST MENTIONED ABOUT JAPANESE AND JAPANESE INTERNMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT COUNCILMAN WOO TOLD TO STAFF TO ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE WHAT WAS PLANNED TO THEN SOMEHOW BECOME A THING WHERE I WAS BEING ASKED WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
UH, AGAIN, WITH JAMIE, SHE SPOKE WITH OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND THE PLAN WAS SET.
AS I WAS TOLD, THAT WAS THE TIME THAT JAMIE WAS GOING TO GO ON.
AGAIN, IT ISN'T MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SEND MESSAGES BECAUSE AGAIN, I WENT THROUGH CITY STAFF, CITY STAFF SAID IT WAS SCHEDULED, IT WAS PLANNED, AND THEREFORE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE UP TO ME TO NOTIFY ANYBODY WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT NO ONE NOTIFIES ME ABOUT WHO'S GONNA GIVE IN VOCATIONS, WHO'S, YOU KNOW, MY FATHER'S MUSLIM.
THIS ISN'T A SPACE HE NECESSARILY FEELS COMFORTABLE IN WHEN A CHRISTIAN
[05:05:01]
PRAYER IS SAID.BUT I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN WAYS THAT WE'VE DONE IT AS A CITY, AND SO I ACCEPT THAT IT ISN'T MY SPACE, RIGHT? THIS IS A CITY STAFF MAKES THAT DECISION.
SO THE REALITY IS THERE WAS AN INJUSTICE DONE.
THERE WAS, AND IF YOU READ MY APOLOGY, I, I DID NOT SAY WHO WAS THE ONE I WHO HAD AN OBJECTION.
I SAID, A COUNCIL MEMBER HAD AN OBJECTION.
I DID NOT SAY WHAT UNFORTUNATE WORDS WERE SAID.
I DIDN'T MENTION THE SWEET 16.
I DIDN'T MENTION HOW THEY WERE MADE TO FEEL AS IF THEY WERE OUTSIDERS CRASHING AN EVENT, WHICH IS WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.
AND IF, IF THE MAYOR IS, IS CLAIMING THAT, UH, JAMIE IS LYING ABOUT HER COMMENTS, I GUESS THE AMERICANS SAY THAT, BUT THAT IS WHAT SHE POSTED, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT OCCURRED.
NOW, AGAIN, AS FAR AS WHO I WAS AS A RESIDENT, I AM THE MAYOR PROAM OF WEST COVINA, DULY ELECTED JUST LIKE THE FOUR OF YOU.
I HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS ON THIS DIAS AS THE FOUR OF YOU.
AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH MY COMMENTS OR COMFORTABLE WITH MY VIEWS, I DO NOT OVERSTEP PROTOCOL.
I FOLLOW ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
I TAKE MY TURN, I TAKE THE FLOOR.
WHEN I'M DONE WITH THE FLOOR, I SEED THE FLOOR.
I REFER TO EACH OF YOU BY YOUR TITLE, COUNCILMAN CANTOS, COUNCILMAN WU, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VITO MAYOR DIAZ.
I DON'T FORGET WHAT YOUR TITLE IS.
I DON'T FORGET THAT YOU ARE A DULY ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO IS MY PEER.
NOW, THE FACT THAT YOU FEEL EVERYTHING I DO IS POLITICAL SAYS MORE ABOUT YOU.
I AM HERE TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
WHEN I SHARED THAT IMAGE, I SPOKE WITH THAT RESIDENT, THAT RESIDENT SHARED WITH ME HOW HOSTILE IT WAS TO LIVE AS AN OPENLY GAY INDIVIDUAL IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT BRINGING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO LIGHT IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT FEELS UGLY, AND NO ONE WANTS TO FACE THAT THERE IS ANTI L G B T SENTIMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT IF WE AREN'T GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, HOW CAN WE WORK TO REPAIR WHEN A HARM IS DONE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT, AND THEN YOU WORK TO REPAIR.
AGAIN, THIS IDEA THAT THIS CITY IS ABOUT HAPPY.
LET'S DO WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD, HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN.
IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I AM SITTING UP HERE, BECAUSE THAT IS WHO I SHOWED MYSELF TO BE TO THESE RESIDENTS, AND IT'S WHO THEY WANTED TO SIT ON THE DIAS.
SO I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IF THOSE OF YOU WANT TO, UH, HAVE A PRODUCTIVE COUNSEL, THEN SOME OF THOSE OLD GRUDGES AND RESENTMENTS OF THE PAST NEED TO BE LET GO.
[05:10:02]
BECAUSE I AM HERE, AND I AM AN E EQUAL PART OF THIS BODY, AND I REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA JUST AS I, I REPRESENTED EVERYONE WHO SAT HERE, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE LISTENED TO THEM, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD WHY I TALKED ABOUT NO ACCOUNTABILITY, WHY I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE TWO PEOPLE THEY HAD HOPED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY.SO IT ISN'T MY RESPONSIBILITY THOUGH, TO GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND OR GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
THAT'S THE REFLECTION THAT ALL OF YOU NEED TO DO.
BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I WALK OUTTA HERE WITH MY HEAD HIGH.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT I'VE ALWAYS PRESENTED TO RESIDENTS.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES THAT, THAT REALLY DISAGREE WITH ME.
IT'S WHY I CAN VOTE IN FAVOR OF OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND I CAN VOTE IN FAVOR OF DA SWAN AND TALK WITH THOSE RESIDENTS WHO VEHEMENTLY HATE THAT I DID THAT.
I HAVE NO FEAR OF THEM, BECAUSE I CAN COME FROM A PLACE OF TRUTH AND A PLACE OF LOVE, AND MY VOTE IS ALWAYS FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF WEST COVINA.
IT'S WHY I DON'T HAVE TO HIDE.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT, NO, THAT'S NOT MY ISSUE.
I CAN TALK TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHO I AM.
AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT TIME OF REFLECTION AND ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU'RE SO AFRAID OF.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU THAT WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR ISN'T QUITE RIGHT? SO YOU CAN'T BE HONEST, BUT I CAN BE HONEST AND PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE WITH ME.
OKAY, BUT I DIDN'T GET IN HERE TO BE A POLITICIAN, RIGHT? POL POLITICIANS WANNA MAKE SURE THEY DON'T ANGER PEOPLE, SO THEY, THEY, THEY CAN MAKE SURE TO GET VOTES.
UM, I UNDERSTAND I'M POLARIZING, UM, BUT I AM TRUE TO WHO I AM AND I'M NOT GONNA APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT I DO EXPECT THAT ON THIS DIAS, THAT WE FOLLOW PROTOCOL.
THAT'S HOW I SHOULD BE REFERRED TO ANY OTHER TYPE OF REFERENCE I TAKE AS A POINT OF ORDER AND OUTTA LINE, THANK YOU.
MY REQUEST STILL STANDS ABOUT THE PROSECUTOR EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, I DON'T MEAN TO OFFEND YOU IN USING THE WRONG TITLE.
I'VE DONE IT TO ALL MY FELLOW COUNSEL PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S NOT LIKE I'M TARGETING YOU.
I'M, I'M NOT DOING THAT ON PURPOSE.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.
I REALLY WANTED TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, MS. ROCHA.
AND, UM, I DIDN'T WANT THE FESTIVITIES TO BE NEGATIVE AND WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY, WHICH I TO BE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, UH, WHICH NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S NOT.
SO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS MISCOMMUNICATION.
NO, I, IT WA IT WAS WELL, BUT I WOULD NEED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
IT, IT WAS THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
THE WHAT, THE NARRATIVE THAT IS GOING ON IS THAT I WROTE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
I NEVER, I, FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T KNOW WHO WROTE IT.
I JUST KNOW THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING WRITTEN AND, AND, UM, WE WERE CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY.
AND SO I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS SHOULD BE POSITIVE.
AND DURING THIS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY, IT DOES MENTION ABOUT LET'S NOT HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF ABOUT, I, I AM, I GUESS THE STOLEN LAND, AND I JUST WANTED TO KEEP IT POSITIVE.
AND IF I'M IN TROUBLE FOR THAT, IF THAT'S, IF I'M SHAMED FOR THAT, THEN I'M SORRY, BUT I FEEL GOOD
[05:15:01]
AND I FEEL I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.UM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I DID, I MEAN, I DON'T FEEL I DID ANYTHING WRONG.
I WAS TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE HER.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT IF YOU SUPPORT THESE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, THEN WHY DON'T YOU HAVE 'EM PERFORM WHAT THEY DID HERE? THEY DANCE, THEY HAVE THE SINGING, WHICH THAT WOMAN SANG BEAUTIFULLY.
AND THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT BE, CAN COME TO ONE OF OUR PERFOR AS A PERFORMER AT ONE OF OUR OTHER FESTIVITIES.
BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHY I WAS CONCERNED, BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS TALK NEGATIVE, IN MY OPINION.
AND YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WE LIVE ON STOLEN LAND, AND I JUST FELT THAT THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA WOULD NOT WANT TO HEAR HOW THEY LIVE ON STOLEN LAND AFTER WE'RE TRYING TO CELEBRATE THE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY.
AND IF THAT'S A CRIME, OH WOW.
I MEAN, I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT, THE WAY I FEEL AS WELL.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SAYING WHAT I FEEL, WHICH WAS, IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT OUR FESTIVAL.
IF THAT'S A CRIME, I NO, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.
BUT THAT'S WHEN SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO PRAY.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT, PRAY.
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO, SHE WAS OFFENDED.
SO LIKE I SAID, NO
OKAY? AND, UH, MOTHER, MAY I, SINCE YOU ALREADY REQUEST DURING THE, AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION, I THINK NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY, THEY HAVE A HEARSAY HER SAY, OKAY, EVERYBODY HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION, I THINK.
OKAY? YOU REQUEST TO HAVE A INVESTIGATION, THIRD PARTY FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
SO I WANT TO, OKAY, FOLLOW THE MAIL, REQUEST THE MAIL, MAY I, OKAY.
AND, UH, TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT HOW IT HAPPENED, WHY IT HAPPENED, WHY WE DIDN'T GET NOTIFY, WHY WE WALK IN THE SITUATION.
NOW WE ARE FACING A LOT OF ANGRY CROWD, OKAY? IT IS NOT OUR INTENTION, OKAY? NOW THAT PEOPLE SAY, WOW, THIS AND THAT, THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY? EVERYBODY CAN SAY WHAT THEY SAY.
EVERYBODY CAN INTERPRET IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT LET IN THE TRUTH COME OUT, LET THE HAVE, UH, OUR OKAY.
THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATOR INVESTIGATE EACH OF US, OKAY? LOOK INTO WHAT HAPPENED.
WHY THE CITY, THE CITY ATTORNEY.
WHY THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STORY, BUT WHY WE DIDN'T KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
THIS ISSUE, WHY IS CITY ATTORNEY A CITY MANAGER TELL US, SAY, HEY, BY THE WAY, WE HAVE THIS, THAT IT'S SET, BUT WHERE WE DIDN'T GET NOTIFICATION, WE WALKING, WE JUST THINKING ABOUT ONLY EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN WRITTEN, IT'S JUST A BILLBOARD IN FRONT OF, UH, THE DJ IS ABOUT WHAT PERFORMANCE OVER THERE.
WE NEVER HAVE ANY DETAIL EMAIL TO US.
NORMALLY WE HAVE, AND, UH, THIS YEAR I DIDN'T CARE TOO MUCH, OKAY? BECAUSE OUR CC C MANAGER DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND BY THE WAY, I WANNA SAY, OKAY, BESIDE THE SATURDAY NIGHT, OKAY? EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL.
AND, UH, THE STAFF WORKING SO HARD AND THE DINNER IS JUST MAGNIFICENT.
AND THE STEP DID A EXCELLENT JOB.
OKAY? I DON'T WANT TO PUT A DARK CLOUD BECAUSE THEY STARTED SATURDAY NIGHT, AND TODAY WE HAVE SO MANY OF, UH, OLDER PLACES, OUR INDIGENOUS, OKAY, BROTHER AND SISTER COME OVER HERE ANGRY WITH US, BUT IT SHOULDN'T OKAY.
CLOUD US THAT OUR STAFF DID THE EXCELLENT JOB, OKAY? AND SO, AND THE REQUEST MOTHER, MAY I TO HAVE, UH, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY AGAINST LEAD TO GET THIS INVESTIGATION, TALK TO US, TALK TO CITY MANAGER TALK, TALK TO THE AZURE CITY MANAGER, EVEN TALK TO THE JAMIE, OKAY? AND EVERYBODY, OKAY? AND GET THIS REPORT, AND THEN RIGHT AWAY WE CAN ASAP AND, UH, DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC THE FINDING AND WHY IT HAPPENED, HOW IT HAPPENED, WHY BECOME AN ISSUE AND PUT THE DARK CLOUD AT OUR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
ANYBODY, NOBODY AGAINST, RIGHT? OKAY, SO, SO WE, OKAY, WE HAVE A ALL CONSENT.
MADAM MAYOR, REAL QUICK, AS A FOLLOW UP, LAST MEETING, I'D ASKED FOR A REPORT ON THE, THE ANALYSIS OF THE CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE AS REQUESTED BY, BY, UH, UM, PRESIDENT O IRMA COOPER FROM THE NAACP.
AND I, I DIDN'T SEE THAT TODAY.
SO IF, IF SOMEONE CAN PLEASE GET ON THAT SO WE CAN, WE CAN SEE WHAT THE ANALYSIS IS.
IT'S JUST A FOLLOW UP FROM THE LAST TIME WE GOT THAT.
UM, THAT WOMAN LOPEZ RTO, NO, I MEAN, AT THE END, I, I MEAN, I DO WOULD LIKE TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE.
[05:20:01]
PROBABLY THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING WE'VE PASSED.I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY 12:30 AM THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER WENT PAST MIDNIGHT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING IT IS, IT'S ALL, ALL HAS BEEN SAID, ALL HAS BEEN DONE, YOU KNOW, UM, INCLUDING THE FIVE COUNCIL HERE.
UM, WE'VE ALL EXPRESSED WHAT WE NEEDED TO EXPRESS, UM, WHICH IS GOOD AND MOVING FORWARD, UM, I DO HOPE NOW THAT WE CAN, UM, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I STILL, I DO RESPECT YOU STILL, MAYOR PRO, TIM TABATA, TOBI, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, AND YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE JOB, THE ITEMS, UM, THE BELIEFS BECAUSE IT IS CERTAIN BELIEFS THAT WE ALL HAVE.
AND, UM, BUT I, I, I MEAN THE CITY IS DOING GOOD AS A WHOLE.
THE CITY HAS IMPROVED AS A WHOLE.
AND YES, IT DOES TAKE THE COUNCIL, LIKE, AS I SAID, MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S LEADERSHIP TOP DOWN, AND THAT'S ALL OF US.
UM, SO ALL OF US TOGETHER HAS, UM, BEEN TOGETHER AND HAVE IMPROVED THE CITY.
SO ON THAT NOTE, OVERALL, THANK YOU.
UM, I KNOW IT'S A LONG NIGHT AND UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND NO HARD FEELINGS, UM, NO GRUDGES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING IT ALL AND, AND I'M GLAD THAT EVERYBODY, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, YOU'RE ABLE TO, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO EXPRESS WHAT YOU JUST SAID RIGHT NOW EARLIER AND THEY DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
UM, BUT LIKE, LIKE WE SAID, WE KNOW WHAT YOUR, YOUR INTENTIONS, WE KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN AND ALL, EACH ONE OF US, EACH COUNCIL DOES WHAT, WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE OUR INTENTIONS.
SO, UM, THAT BEING SAID, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY GOODNIGHT UNLESS I'D LIKE TO BE HOME BY ONE O'CLOCK.
I THINK WE HAD A FABULOUS FESTIVAL STARTING ON THURSDAY, ALL THE WAY THROUGH SUNDAY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENED.
I THINK OVERALL WE HAD A GREAT WEEKEND AND I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF AND, UM, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THEY ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL.
AND UM, WITH THAT SAID, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.