[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
TO OUR JUNE 6TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING.IT IS 7 0 5 AND I AM ROSARIO DIAZ.
YOUR CENTENNIAL MEETING, UH, MAYOR.
UM, THIS MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION.
TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR MASON ABO FROM EMMANUEL FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH AND COUNCIL MEMBER WOOL WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALL RISE, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRIVILEGE THAT IS PRAY.
HEAVEN, FATHER GARDEN AND KEEPER OF YOUR PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE TOLD US THAT THERE'S A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING, THE TIME TO BUILD, A TIME TO TEAR DOWN AND YET DO IT ALL.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN CONTROL.
YOU ARE IN CONTROL AND HAVE PLANS.
WATCH OVER THE MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL.
ENCOURAGE COOPERATION FROM THOSE WHO ARE SERVED AND THOSE WHO SERVE.
PROMOTE ALL THINGS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST SSA AND MAYOR WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED FROM OFFICE.
SO PLEASE PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND TO YOUR HEART AND FOLLOW MY LEAD.
READY CONCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
WHAT ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? TABATA PRESENT.
MAYOR DIAZ, PRESENT CITY ATTORNEY.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO REPORT? NOTHING TO REPORT.
UM, NOW WE'LL HAVE PRESENTATIONS.
[PRESENTATIONS]
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE, UH, UH, MS. ANNAIS MEDINA DIAZ TO COME TO THE FRONT.I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE FIVE SAN JOSE CHARTER ACADEMY STUDENTS FROM WEST COVINA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO COMPLETED OPERATION MOSQUITO GRID, WHICH IS A GROWTH REDUCTION AND INCREASED DETECTION, A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT THAT TEACHES STUDENTS ABOUT MOSQUITOES IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR DIAZ AND HONOR ROLL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, LIKE SHE MENTIONED.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY OUR EDUCATION SPECIALIST, CAROL ANN HEGEL AND, UH, CHRISTIAN LUNA.
AND TONIGHT WE ARE AWARDING THESE STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SHOWN GREAT DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION.
UH, THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IS BESTOWED ON STUDENTS THAT SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED SURVEILLANCE WORK AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR AND REPORT DATA TO OUR AGENCY.
AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROJECT, THE PROCESS OF SIGNING UP FOR THE PROGRAM, PREPARING THEIR PROPERTY FOR MOSQUITO SURVEILLANCE AND SUBMITTING TWO TYPES OF SURVEILLANCE DATA, TOOK ABOUT SIX WEEKS.
OUR VIY AWARD RECIPIENTS DIDN'T STOP THERE.
THEY CONTINUED TO REPORT TO US THROUGH THEIR ONE, THREE AND SIX MONTH CHECK-INS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO TAKE, UH, THANK THEIR TEACHER, MR. BOO, WHO CAN JOIN US FOR INVITING ECOHEALTH INTO THE CLASSROOM FOR THEIR PAST 15 YEARS.
AND WE CANNOT OVERSTATE THE IMMENSE APPRECIATION WE HAVE FOR HIS PASSION, UH, FOR SCIENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND NOW, UM, UH, PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR 20 22 23, UH, VECTOR INSPECTORS OF THE YEAR, UM, FROM SAN JOSE CHARTER ACADEMY.
IF I CAN HAVE, UH, I KNOW YOU'LL BE PRESENTING THE PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE PINS FOR THEM.
WE'LL HAVE YOU LINE UP ON THIS WAY.
[00:05:07]
JASMINE GUZMAN.AND LASTLY BUT NOT LEAST, CAME MEDINA.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, MAYOR DIAZ AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMMITTED TO VECTOR CONTROL, HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
IF WE COULD TAKE A PICTURE, COME OVER ON BOTH SIDES.
NOW I'D LIKE TO, UM, HAVE OR INVITE, UM, CHIEF BELL AND CHRIS BANOS AND THE, UH, BAKER DE VEGAS CAPTAIN AND SERGEANT STEVEN MCLEAN, POLICE UNITY CAPTAIN, AND THE POLICE UNITY TOUR CAPTAIN TO THE FRONT, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS RELATED TO THE BAKER TO VEGAS.
BAKER TO VEGAS IS A RELAY, UM, IT'S MOST POSITIVE EVENT OFFERED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TODAY, OVER 35 PLUS YEARS.
THE CHALLENGE CUP BAKER TO VEGAS RELAY HAS BEEN RUN BY HUNDREDS AND OF THOUSANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL.
THE ORIGINAL IDEA OF THE RACE CONTINUE TEAMWORK, CAMARADERIE, PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COM AND, UH, COMPETITION.
IN RECENT YEARS, THE TERMS HAVE GROWN TO INCLUDE PROBATION OFFICERS, DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, US ATTORNEYS, AND FULL-TIME CIVILIAN POLICE PERSONNEL.
AS A RESULT OF THIS GROWTH, THE RACE HAS FLOURISHED.
TODAY IS THE LARGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT EVENT OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.
WHY ARE THEY ALL OVER THERE? LEMME SEE.
DO YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? YES.
UM, I WANTED TO, UH, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, NOT ONLY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO SEE THE OFFICERS, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ACTUALLY PATROL YOUR STREETS.
MAYBE YOU HAVE SEEN THEM, MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T.
BUT THESE TWO EVENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEAK TONIGHT, SPEAK ABOUT TONIGHT, ARE DEAR AND NEAR TO ME.
THE CAMARADERIE, THE COMMITMENT, AND THE, UH, DEDICATION THAT IT TOOK TO ACTUALLY PERFORM THESE, UH, EVENTS WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.
SO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE, UH, SERGEANT CHRIS POLYGONS JUST A BRIEF MOMENT TO KINDA EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT I KNOW WE DID A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BAKER TO VEGAS, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE IN DEPTH TO IT, SO I'M GONNA GIVE HIM JUST A COUPLE OF MOMENTS.
UM, SO BAKER TO VEGAS HAS A LONG LASTING TRADITION HERE AT WEST COVINA.
UM, EVER SINCE I STARTED, YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GONE BEYOND THAT AS WELL.
UM, THIS YEAR IS SPECIAL TO US BECAUSE, UM, WE BROKE OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT'S, UH, PERSONAL RECORD.
UH, WE FINISHED THIS YEAR AT 16 HOURS AND FOUR MINUTES.
AND I KNOW THAT SEEMS, UH, LIKE A LONG TIME.
BUT, UH, BASICALLY WHAT, WHAT BAKER TO VEGAS IS, IT'S 120 MILE,
[00:10:01]
UH, RELAY RACE, AND IT'S FROM BAKER, CALIFORNIA, AND IT ENDS IN VEGAS.UM, THE TEAM IS COMPRISED OF 24 RUNNERS, SO 20 MAIN RUNNERS, AND THEN FOUR, UH, ALTERNATE RUNNERS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, SUPPORT STAFF OF ANYWHERE BETWEEN 10 TO 15.
UM, IT'S A 24 HOUR EVENT, AND IT'S NONSTOP.
IT'S GOES THROUGH, UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, EXTREME WEATHER, UH, WHETHER IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, HOT AND COLD, UH, SOMETIMES IT SNOWS.
UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A TRUE, UH, TEST TO, UM, THE TEAM'S PHYSICAL FITNESS, THEIR MINDSET AND ENDURANCE.
AND THAT ALL RELATES TO, UH, WHAT WE DO HERE OUT ON THE FIELD.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEING PHYSICALLY FIT, UH, HAVING THAT RIGHT MINDSET.
IT'S A DIRECT REFLECTION OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, A AS TO HOW WE PERFORM OUT THERE ON THE RACETRACK.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK NOT ONLY THE RESIDENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TRUE COMMUNITY EVENT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPONSORS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO NAME A FEW REYNOLDS, UM, UH, DEALERSHIP, UM, YOU KNOW, MIKE TUY, UM, AND SEVERAL OTHERS, UM, WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR, UM, OUR TEAM.
SO, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THANK YOU TO, UM, THE CITY, UH, FOR, UH, LETTING US REPRESENT WHO WE ARE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU GUYS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE FASTEST TEAM IN SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
AND, UM, OUR GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO OBVIOUSLY BEAT THAT AND HOPEFULLY GET FIRST PLACE.
AND CAN YOU HEAR ME? AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
I THINK THAT IS A REMARKABLE, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU GUYS DID.
UM, I TOO WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH BAKER TO VEGAS.
I WAS PART OF A, UH, SUPPORT TEAM, AND I KNOW HOW THAT'S GRUELING.
IT'S FASTER, AND YOU'RE DONE WITH THE RUN AND YOU'RE GONE.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE UNITY TOUR.
NOW, A TOTAL OF SEVEN WEST COVINA POLICE OFFICERS PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR'S POLICY POLICE UNITY TOUR 2023.
WE HONORED OUR VERY OWN WEST COVINA POLICE OFFICERS, FREDERICK HAM, JAY JACKSON, AND KENNY REID, WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH TWO ALANI POLICE OFFICERS, MICHAEL PEREZ AND JOSEPH SANTANA, WHO WERE TRAGICALLY MURDERED IN 2022.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF CERTIFICATES HERE, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M A POLICE SERGEANT WITH, UH, WEST COVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE POLICE UNITY TOUR.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UH, FIRST SAY THANK YOU TO THE ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND BE RECOGNIZED, UH, WRITERS THIS YEAR.
WERE SERGEANT DANNY ARMAS, SERGEANT ENRIQUE MESSIAS, SERGEANT CHASTON, TEDESCO CORPORAL DOUG, WE SHUTTLE OFFICER JOHN ALEXANDER, AND RETIRED CORPORAL CURTIS MCCLEAN AND MYSELF.
UM, ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A THANKS TO, UH, CHIEF RICHARD BELL, CAPTAIN KEN PLUNKETT AND CAPTAIN TONY CORTINA FOR SUPPORTING US IN THIS EVENT AND ALLOWING US TO GO REPRESENT THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE EL MONTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, PARATAS FAMILY FOR SERGEANT MICHAEL PERIS, THE SANTANA FAMILY FOR OFFICER JOSEPH SANTANA, UH, WHO WERE TRAGICALLY AMBUSHED AND KILLED BY GUNFIRE JUNE 14TH, 2022, WHICH IS, UH, JUST AROUND THE CORNER FOR THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
UH, IT WAS AN HONOR TO, UH, RIDE FOR THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY RIDERS THIS YEAR.
SO FOR OUR AGENCY TO REPRESENT THEM IN THIS, UH, NATIONAL EVENT, UH, WAS A TRUE HONOR.
AND, UH, IN MEMORY OF THEIR TWO FALLEN HEROES.
I ALSO LIKE TO JUST THANK YOU, UH, TO OUR SPONSORS THAT HELPED US THROUGHOUT THIS, UH, TIME TO FUNDRAISE AND THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED US DURING OUR FUNDRAISER EVENTS.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, BACKGROUND, UH, AND STATISTICS.
IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO, THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE OFFICERS WERE SHOT.
62 OFFICERS WERE KILLED BY GUNFIRE.
[00:15:03]
AND JUST THIS YEAR ALONE WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, 166 OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY, AND 20 HAVE BEEN KILLED BY GUNFIRE.AND THIS IS NOT INCLUDING OFFICERS THAT HAVE DIED FROM TRAFFIC COLLISIONS OR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
THIS IS JUST KILLED BY AMBUSHES OR GUNFIRE.
SO RIGHT NOW, ON AVERAGE, AN OFFICER IS KILLED BY GUNFIRE EVERY 21 HOURS.
UH, OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLICE UNITY TOUR FOR SIX YEARS NOW, AND OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO HONOR THE FALLEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 23,700 NAMES ON THE OFFICERS EN ENGRAVED ON THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUSTIN MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON DC ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN.
UH, POLICE UNITY TOUR STARTED IN 1997 WITH ONLY 18 WRITERS, AND IT STARTED IN FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY.
AND 26, 26 YEARS LATER, UH, WERE ROUGHLY AROUND 2,500 PLUS OFFICERS, UH, RETIRED, UH, ACTIVE AND SURVIVORS THAT RIDE, UM, FOR VARIOUS PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT ALL MEET TOGETHER ON THE SAME DAY IN WASHINGTON, DC AND RIDE TOGETHER INTO THE NATIONAL, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL TOGETHER.
UH, IT'S ABOUT 300 MILES TOTAL DISTANCE OVER THREE DAYS, UM, FROM NEW JERSEY TO PHILADELPHIA TO BALTIMORE INTO DC.
SO AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY, ALL THE WRITERS FROM OUR DEPARTMENT THAT REPRESENTED OUR CITY AND OUR AGENCY.
AND, UH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
LET'S GIVE OUR OFFICES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
ONE FOR THE BAKER TO VEGAS, TAKE CHRIS.
THIS, UH, CERTIFICATE FROM WEST COVINA TO RECOGNIZE, UM, OUR BANKER TO VEGAS RUNNERS.
AND THIS IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR POLICE UNITY TOUR.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US.
YOU GUYS WANNA COME? YOU WANNA BRING SOME MORE? YEAH.
CAN WE GET SOME GUYS ON THIS SIDE? THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, WE HAVE TWO ADJOURNMENTS.
OUR FIRST ADJOURNMENT IS A MEMORY OF WEST COVINA RETIRED POLICE OFFICER ALAN SI.
CHIEF SILL PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, MAY 14TH, 2023, AT THE AGE OF 101 IN SEQUIM, WASHINGTON WITH HIS FAMILY BY HIS SIDE.
ALLEN SI WAS BORN ON AUGUST 6TH, 1921 IN CLEVELAND, OHIO.
CHIEF STILL MARRIED HIS WIFE LOUISE.
IN 1942, THE SAME YEAR HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY, CHIEF SILL ACHIEVED THE RANK OF CHIEF PETTY OFFICER DURING HIS NAVAL CAREER AND WAS DISCHARGED IN 1945.
ONCE THE WAR ENDED IN 1958, HE WAS THE SIXTH CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
CHIEF SILL RETIRED FROM THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1978, AFTER SERVING 20 YEARS AS OUR POLICE CHIEF, WHICH REMAINS THE LONGEST TENURE FOR POLICE CHIEF IN WEST COVINA HISTORY.
AS PART OF HIS LEADERSHIP LEGACY 12 LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT WENT ON TO BECOME POLICE CHIEFS.
[00:20:01]
CHIEF SI SURVIVED BY HIS SONS, JEFF, A FORMER POLICE OFFICER AT L LAP, P D WESTMINSTER ALLEN, A FORMER C H P OFFICER RICHARD, FORMER BALDWIN PARK POLICE OFFICER AND CHIEF FOR CHINO PD.AND STEVE WHO ENGAGED IN POLITICS BECOMING A STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE WEST COVINA POLICE OFF POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE HONORED TO HAVE HAD SUCH A TREMENDOUS LEADER AND PIONEER SHAPE OUR DEPARTMENT AND PUT WEST COVINA AT THE FOREFRONT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SILL FAMILY FOR SHARING CHIEF SILLS WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
OUR SECOND ADJOURNMENT IS IN MEMORY, A WEST COVINA RESIDENT AND A WORLD WAR II VETERAN, MR. MORRIS BROWN.
MR. BROWN HAS LED AN AMAZING ADVENTURE FILLED LIFE.
HIS JOURNEY BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 13TH, 1932 IN MILTON VALE, KANSAS.
HE WORKED AT BORING AIRCRAFT FROM 1941 UNTIL 1943 WHEN HE JOINED THE NAVY.
WHILE IN THE NAVY, HE WAS A REDMAN THIRD CLASS.
WHILE, WHILE SERVING ON THE USS BLUE, HE BORE WITNESS TO THE END OF THE WAR AS THE ES BLUE WAS ANCHORED NEAR BATTLESHIP MISSOURI.
AFTER LEAVING THE MILITARY, MO MORRIS WORKED IN SOUTH NORTH DAKOTA, WHERE HE MET HIS FUTURE WIFE OF 73 YEARS.
BETTY MURRAY, MURRAY AND BETTY HAD FOUR CHILDREN TOGETHER.
IN 1956, THEY MOVED TO WEST COVINA.
THIS PAST FEBRUARY, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZED MR. BROWN'S 100 YEAR MILESTONE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN MERRILL GARDENS.
MORRIS LEGACY CONTINUES THROUGH HIS NINE GRANDCHILDREN AND 11 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
OUR HEARTS, GO OUT TO THE BROWN FAMILY.
DURING THIS TIME, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MR. BROWN AND HE WAS, UH, SUCH AN ADORABLE MAN.
UM, WE SPOKE FOR A WHILE AND HE WAS, UH, WE WENT TO HIS BIRTHDAY PARTY AND, UH, HE WAS SO GRACIOUS AND, UH, I REALLY ENJOYED BEING WITH HIM.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.IF ANYONE HAS ANY WANTS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, PLEASE FILL OUT YOUR YELLER SPEAKER CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE NINE, MAYOR.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY HERMAN, FOLLOWED BY VALERIE MUNOS.
UH, PROBABLY A FEW MORE OF THOSE COMING.
THE IDEA OF, UH, SELLING THE MAINTENANCE YARD.
YOU KNOW, NOW YOU HAVE THE IDEA OF WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STARTED BY THE CITY.
WELL, THAT'LL PROBABLY WORK ABOUT A, ABOUT AS WELL AS THE WEST COVINA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION THAT TONY WU WAS BEHIND.
THAT WAS AN UTTER AND COMPLETE FAILURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, A WHILE BACK, UH, A COUPLE DAYS AGO, I MADE SOME COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK.
YOU KNOW, THAT PUZZLES ME WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT PUBLIC RE REVELATIONS GOING ON MADE ABOUT TONY WU, WHO I REFER TO AS WOOFER.
AND HIS CONDUCT AS IT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT IS WELL PAST THE TIME FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU KNOW, YOU THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN CONTOS, THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEMS CONDUCT WAS OUTRAGEOUS.
HE HASN'T COST US 4.1 MILLION BECAUSE OF HIS CONDUCT AND THE THINGS THAT HE'S DOING AROUND THE CITY BEING INVESTIGATED FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
YOU OUGHT TO BE MAKING A MOTION TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE ROTATION.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE BEING INTIMIDATED BY LUCIFER, THIS IS JUST LET THINGS CONTINUE.
YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO THINKS YOU CAN BE QUIET AND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, TONY WU
[00:25:01]
AND HIS ENFORCER SITTING OVER THERE ISN'T GONNA DO SOMETHING, JUST CHECK THINGS OUT.THE PERSON WHO WOO HANDPICKED MONTHS BEFORE CHRIS FREELAND WAS FIRED, DID THE, HAD THE AUDACITY TO SAY, OH YEAH, WHAT TONY'S DOING IS HAPPENING.
ANYBODY WHO THINKS THAT THE NEW CITY MANAGER OR THE ONE, THE TEMPORARY ONE, THE ACTING ONE IS GONNA BE ANY DIFFERENT AND PROTECT THEM, THEY DIDN'T GET THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE HIS BACKING.
MATTER OF FACT, HE'LL PROBABLY WANT TO TAKE THE PERSON UNDER HIS WING.
IF YOU DO BECOME THE CITY MANAGER, WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU, IF YOU WANNA BE SUCCESSFUL, WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU, DO THE OPPOSITE.
I MEAN, SOMEBODY WAS ASKING ME, HOW DO I KNOW I'LL, YOU KNOW, IF WHEN I GET ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL NEXT YEAR HOW I'LL BE SUCCESSFUL? HE SAID, REAL EASY, WHATEVER.
TONY DOES DO THE OPPOSITE BECAUSE EVERYTHING HE'S DONE HAS FAILED.
YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH LONGER IS IT GONNA BE BEFORE OUR CURRENT FIRE CHIEF BRINGS A LAWSUIT AND WE LOSE ANOTHER 4.1 MILLION? CUZ WE'RE GONNA LOSE ONE WITH THE, THE POLICE CHIEF.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY OR TWO WAYS THAT YOU'RE SAFE FROM TONY.
YOU COMPLETELY GIVE UP YOUR INTEGRITY, KISS THE RING, AND BUILD THE STATUE, OR GET ANOTHER JOB QUICKLY.
YOU KNOW, IF DAVID CARNEY DID ANYTHING, A CITY MANAGER YELP, BRING TO LIGHT THE REAL TONY WU WITHOUT ACTION FROM THE REST OF THE PUBLIC AND THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, LUCIFER'S GONNA CONTINUE ON.
UNTIL YOU DRIVE A STEAK THROUGH ITS HEART, IT'S GONNA LIVE.
SO YOU GOTTA GET RID OF HIS MAJORITY OR GET RID OF HIM.
IT'D BE BETTER TO GET RID OF HIM.
ARMANDO HERMAN, FOLLOWED BY VALERIE MUNOZ, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN ZK.
WHERE DID WE START? WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR FELON WHO'S BEEN ON PROBATION HERE IN, UH, WEST COVINA.
AND LET'S, LET'S GO INTO A LITTLE PICTURE OF THIS SCENARIO OF A STORY.
ON APRIL 25TH, 2020 AT 7:48 AM THE RESPONDENT IS CAUGHT ON SECURITY CAMERA DRIVING PAST MY PARKED VEHICLE AND THROWING TWO CONDOMS FILLED WITH AN UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE AT MY VEHICLE.
NOW, THAT MAY SOUND FUNNY OR HILARIOUS, BUT IN PARTICULAR, WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED HERE IN THE PARKING LOT IN WEST COVINA, IT, IT SEEMED APPARENT THAT WHILE I WAS IN THIS MEETING, THE MAYOR, THE ACTING PROTE AND THOSE OTHER INDIVIDUALS OF THE WEST COVINA PD ALLOWED SOMETHING TO GO ON OUT IN THE PARKING LOT.
FOR SOME REASON, TWO SLASH TIRES BROKEN WINDOWS AND, AND, AND DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE OF ONLY $8,000.
BUT THE F B I GOT THAT PACKAGE AND THE FBI'S BEEN MONITORING THIS LITTLE RING HOARD OF EVIL BECAUSE AGAIN, WE, WE HAVE A, A FALLON HERE BY THE NAME OF MARIO LEWIS, S O B A L V A DOUBLE R O, THAT THE MAYOR MOMMY HAS BEEN PROTECTING FOR SOME REASON.
AND I JUST CAN'T GET THAT OUTTA MY MIND THAT THIS DEFENDANT AT ONE TIME OWNED THREE HAND GUNS AND A RIFLE.
ISN'T THAT AMAZING? AND THEN WE GO ON TO READ IN THIS, UM, REPORT, THE DEFENDANT PERSONALLY WITHDRAWS HIS PLEA OF NOT GUILTY TO COUNT 10 AND PLEADS NOLO CONTEND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COURT TO THE VIOLATION OF 26 1 0.5 C AND FINDS THE DEFENDANT GUILTY.
THEN WE GO TO WEST COVINA ORDER FOR THE RETURN OF PROPERTY SEIZED BY THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT, SIGNED BY THE COURT AND FILED BY THE DEFENDANT FOR HIS $300 UNDER SECTION 1 2 0 2 0.44.
[00:30:01]
COVINA PD DOS BY RETRACTING I PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT THEY SHOULD DISCLOSE TO, TO PARTIES LIKE THE PLAINTIFF AND THE DEFENDANT.BUT WHY ARE YOU GUYS HIDING INFORMATION? HE'S ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL.
WHERE'S THE CHIEF AT? I COULD HAVE SWORE I SAW THE CHIEF HERE TODAY.
WHERE'S THAT BLACK GENTLEMAN AT? AND THEN WE GO INTO, THE DEFENDANT HAS TO COMPLETE 15 DAYS OF COMMUNITY LABOR.
AND THEN IT GOES ON EVEN TO POINT OUT THAT FOR HIS HIV AIDS TESTING, WHICH UNKNOWN A PURPOSE OF DANGEROUS AND DEADLY WEAPONS, INCLUDING ANY FIREARMS, KNIVES, OR OTHER CONCEALABLE WEAPONS, SUCH AS HIS HANDS, WHEN HE DECIDED TO GRAB A MAN BY THE FLAG AND THEY TUG OF WAR AND HE LET HIM FALL TO HIS D MICE.
SO MAYBE I'M BENDING IT A LITTLE BIT.
I SOUND LIKE, UH, MAYOR DIAZ'S, UM, HUSBAND OR BOYFRIEND, THAT GUY THAT GETS A LITTLE UPSET AND WANTS TO BEAT UP POOR BRIAN HERE.
BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST GIVING YOU SCENARIOS.
UH, THE, THE GENTLEMAN, MR. MARIO WAS KNOWN TO ANNOY, HARASS, AND MOLEST THIS WOMAN.
AND THE WOMAN IN RETURN MOLEST AND HARASS HIM.
WHAT THE F**K IS GOING ON IN WESTCO? GOES ON TO PUT THE DEFENDANT'S HIV TEST RESULTS HAVING BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PURSU TO SESSION 1202 0.1.
BK ARE CONFIDENTIAL HIV AIDS TESTING RESULT.
AUGUST REPORT FOR SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT PROGRAM.
THEN IT GOES TO THE VERY END TO TURN, ACCUSE YOU OF BEING WHAT YOU'RE NOT.
WE FIGHT NOW THAT MARIO LEWIS PLEASE ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IS A FELON ON PROBATION.
AND YOU ALLOW A MAN TO ATTACK ANOTHER MAN IN THIS MEETING WHO'S ON PROBATION IS SO THERE WRONG WITH THE MAYOR, EVERYBODY.
AND THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH WEST COVINA PD.
CAUSE WE SEE HOW THEY RESPOND TO ATTRACT PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU BELIEVE THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB.
AND AT THE VERY END, THE RESULT IS, OR THE RECORD, MOMMY GOD HATES YOU.
VALERIE MUNOS, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN ZONG, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY.
THANK YOU FBI'S NUMBERS ON THE GIVE 'EM A CALL.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M VALERIE MUNOS, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THE CITY OF LA PUENTE, BUT YOU'RE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SAN GABRIEL BASED WATER QUALITY AUTHORITY.
YOU'VE SEEN ME A FEW TIMES AND ALREADY KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE WATER QUALITY AUTHORITY DOES.
BUT FOR THE RECORD, IT WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 1992 AND THIS WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENCY WAS TO FACILITATE AND PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE SANG GABLE BASIN WATER FOR THE CLEANUP EFFORTS.
UM, AS OF NOW, WE HAVE 169 SQUARE MILES, WHICH ESTIMATES TOWARDS CAPACITY OF AROUND 8.6 MILLION ACRE FEET OF DRINKING WATER FOR OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS HERE IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
THE GOAL OF THE WATER QUALITY AUTHOR IS TO HOLD RESPONSIBLE PARTIES IDENTIFIED BY THE E P A AND OTHER AGENCIES TO SECURE FUNDING FROM THEM.
AND, UM, AS OF TODAY'S DATE, WE HAVE SECURED OVER A LITTLE OVER 126 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING, 60 MILLION STATE, AND 700 MILLION FROM RESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
I'VE MET WITH MOST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HOPE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MORE ONE, ONE INDIVIDUALS, UM, ONE-ON-ONE.
UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, UM, OVERALL, LIKE JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE WATER QUALITY AUTHORITY AT AN UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING AND BRING MY DIRECTOR TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND JUST TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR, FOR CITY AND FOR COUNCIL AS WELL.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EDUCATE AND PROVIDE UPDATES OF WHAT WE DO IN THE AGENCY.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. MAYOR DIAZ AND ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, MS. ACTING, UM, CITY MANAGER, STAFF, AND, UM, EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE AND WATCHING A HOME.
MY NAME IS ZA WEST COVINA LIBRARY MANAGER.
UM, THE LIBRARY'S ANNUAL SUMMER DISCOVERY PROGRAM STARTED.
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ON JUNE THE FIRST AND WILL RUN THROUGH, UM, AUGUST, UM, THE 13TH.AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US FOR OUR CELEBRATION OF READING AND THIS, UM, EXPLORATION.
AND THIS PROGRAM IS FOR ALL AGES.
AND WE, UM, UM, YOU, UH, TO, TO GET STARTED AND JUST COME TO THE LIBRARY TO GET A GAME CARD OR YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE, UH, ON THE LA COUNTY LIBRARY WEBSITE.
AND, UM, SO EVERY TIME YOU COMPLETE THE GAME, UM, YOU WILL BE AWARDED, UM, A, UH, PRICE OF A BOOK, WELL, HOW TO COMPLETE THE GAME, UM, WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE AND, UH, ENJOYABLE.
AND YOU CAN JUST READ THREE BOOKS AND DO THREE ACTIVITIES AND, UM, AND THAT'S IT.
AND, UH, OR YOU CAN CHOOSE TO READ THE FOUR BOOKS, DO TWO ACTIVITIES, OH, FIBERS ONE ACTIVITY, OR YOU CAN JUST READ A SIX BOOKS, NO ACTIVITY YOUR CHOICE
UM, SO WHEN YOU COMPLETE IT AND JUST BRING THE GAME CARD TO THE LIBRARY AND TO RECEIVE YOUR AWARD.
AND YOU CAN PLAY THE GAME, UM, AS MANY TIMES IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, UNTIL THE END OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO WHEN YOU GET THE GAME CARD, YOU WILL BE ALSO PROVIDED WITH A LIST OF ACTIVITIES FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM.
UM, OH, ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU IS THAT THE, UH, THE COUNTY LIBRARY HAS ADDED 1000, UM, LAPTOP, UH, LAPTOP KIT FOR OUR CUSTOMER TO CHECK OUT.
AND, UM, SO WEST COVINA LIBRARY, WE RECEIVED EIGHT ADDITIONAL, UH, LAPTOPS.
AND ALL THESE LAPTOP KIT INCLUDE A WIFI, UH, DEVICE, EITHER A HOTSPOT OR INTEGRATED, UM, SYNC CARS FOR INTERNET ACCESS.
SO, UH, AND ANOTHER GOOD NEWS IS THAT, UM, YOU CAN RENEW THE, UH, I MEAN THE, THE, THE BORROWING OF THOSE LAPTOP THAT THE BORROWING PERIOD HAS EX BEEN EXTENDED TO SIX WEEKS INSTEAD OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, FOUR WEEKS.
AND ALSO YOU CAN RENEW IT FOR THREE TIMES AS LONG AS, UH, NOBODY ON THE WAITING LIST.
SO, SO, UM, YEAH, JUST CALL THE LIBRARY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, UH, A LAPTOP, UH, WITH A WIFI ACCESS.
CALL THE LIBRARY TO, UH, RESERVE ONE AND, UH, AND COME AND CHECK IT OUT.
AND ANOTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION THAT, UM, WEST COVINA LIBRARY PROVIDE, UH, FREE COVID TEST, UH, SELF TEST.
AND, UM, THIS IS SPONSORED BY THE LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO NEED A TEST, UM, TE SELF TEST AND JUST CALL THE LIBRARY AND, UH, TO ARRANGE A PICKUP.
AND THE LIBRARY, UM, IS RIGHT HERE AT THE WEST COVINA CITY HALL, UH, UH, CIVIC CENTER.
AND, UH, OUR PHONE NUMBER IS, UM, (626) 962-3541.
UM, WEST COVINA LIBRARY IS CURRENTLY STILL CLOSED OF OUR RENOVATION, AND, UH, WE PROVIDE SIDEWALK SERVICE DURING CLOSURE.
AND WE ARE VERY SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE LIBRARY CLOSURE, AND WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TOWARD REOPENING THIS COMING FALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ENJOYING THE REST OF YOUR EVENING.
SHERRY BURON BURLON, BILL ELLIOT, FOLLOWED BY BILL ELLIOT, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON.
I'M HERE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT THE CHAMBER.
UM, BACK IN JANUARY 13TH, 2011, THE CHAMBER, UH, DECIDED TO CLOSE ITS DOORS.
A COMMITTEE WAS ELECTED, AND THAT WAS AUDREY LINDBERGH, UM, AS THE CHAIR, MIKE MILLER, CO-CHAIR AND MYSELF, SHERRY BRIN, SECOND CHAIR.
IT TOOK THREE YEARS AND THREE MONTHS OF A LOT OF LEGAL MANEUVERING, AND WE GOT IT CLOSED.
I DO HAVE COPIES HERE, SIGNED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE, UM, THE STATE OF, UH, STATE OF CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE CERTIFIED COPIES FOR THE CITY THAT IT WAS LEGALLY DONE.
UM, AT THE TIME OF THE CLOSING, IT WAS ESTIMATED THE CHAMBER WAS IN DEBT BY $262,900 AND 14 CENTS.
BY THE TIME WE GOT IN THERE AND STARTED GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING, THERE WAS $31,348 AND 32 CENTS IN BILLS $366,829
[00:40:03]
AND 29 CENTS IN CLAIMS FOR A TOTAL OF $398, $177 AND 61 CENTS.THAT WAS THE TOTAL DEBTS WE WERE ABLE TO BARTER AND TRADE 17,000 FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE NINETY SIX WORTH OF THAT DEBT WHEN THE DATE OF THE CLOSING IN THE CHAMBER CAME.
OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $280,607 AND 65 CENTS WAS STILL OUTSTANDING.
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO OPEN A CHAMBER OF THE NAME WEST COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT $200,000 DEBT.
YOU CAN OPEN THE CHAMBER UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT NOT WEST COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
YOU CAN CHANGE THE NAME TO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT WEST COVINA.
THE ATTORNEY EVEN SAID YOU COULD PUT NEW N E W ALL IN CAPITALS AND PARENTHESES, NEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT YOU CANNOT USE THE NAME WEST COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
YES, CITY HAS ALREADY, IN ALL OF YOUR BACKGROUND, CITI HAS FUNDED THE CHAMBER.
WHEN I WAS WORKING THERE FOR FIVE YEARS, WE WERE VERY SOVEREIGN WHEN I LEFT IN 2005 BEFORE EVERYTHING STARTED GOING DOWN, YES, THE CITY WAS GIVING US A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
WHEN I LEFT, WE WERE SOVEREIGN AND THERE WAS $10,000 IN THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT GOES DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY.
THE CITY DECIDED TO TAKE IT DOWN FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN 2007 TO EIGHT TO 75,000 IN 2009 AND 10, UH, 2008 TO NINE 50,000.
AND IN 2009 TO 10, THE CITY GAVE THE CHAMBER ZERO.
AND WE TURNED AROUND AND GAVE BACK BECAUSE WE PAID $1,200 IN RENT AS $14,400.
WE PAID THE TAXES OF 5 83 TWICE A YEAR FOR $1,166.
WE PAID FOR THE ELECTRIC AND THE TRASH IN THE CITY PAID FOR THE WATER.
UM, THE EVENTS AT, ON OUR OWN PAPERWORK.
AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH ANYONE FROM THE CITY.
I HAVE CASES OF FILES WITH ALL OF THIS LEGAL STUFF IN IT, AND ALL SPREADSHEETS OF THE FINANCES, EVERYTHING.
THE CHAMBER ITSELF STARTED TO DO THE SAME DECLINE.
WE STARTED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN MEMBERSHIP FEES BECAUSE YOUR PACKET SAYS THE GOAL IS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
THE CHAMBER BROUGHT IN AN ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE EVENTS AND THE, UH, MEMBERSHIP THAT WE HAD.
AND BY THE TIME THAT, UM, BY THE TIME THE CHAMBER CAME TO 2010 AND THE CITY DID NOT GIVE ANY MORE MONEY TO THE CHAMBER, THEY WERE DOWN TO $50,000 IN EVENTS AND MEMBERSHIP, WHICH HIRED TWO FAR TI PART-TIME EMPLOYEES AND NOTHING GOT DONE.
AND THAT WAS THE DEMISE OF THE, UH, THE DEMISE OF THE CHAMBER.
UH, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT IN YOUR PAPERWORK.
IT NEEDS TO BE A, UH, A NONPROFIT, BUT IT IS NOT A 5 0 1
IT'S A 5 0 1
YOU CANNOT, THE CITY CANNOT JUST BECOME A CHAMBER BECAUSE YOU WANNA BECOME A CHAMBER.
THERE IS, IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN SAYING YOU WANNA BE A ROTARY CLUB, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH THE, THE STATE, THE DISTRICT LEVELS AND THE, AND THE, THE NATIONAL ROTARY.
THE SAME WITH THE CHAMBER, SEPARATE ENTITY.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS GONNA LET THE CITY OF WEST COA START A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
THEY WORK TOGETHER, BUT THE CITY DOES NOT OWN.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU GIVE THEM, YOU ONLY GET ONE BOAT OUT OF THE WHOLE COMMITTEE.
THERE IS NO OWNERSHIP IN HERE.
IF YOU WANNA START A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, DO IT LEGALLY WITH YOUR ATTORNEY.
BUT IF THE NATIONAL CHAMBER WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO START YOUR OWN CHAMBER.
BILL ELLIOT, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON.
GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL MAYOR.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I, I WANNA SAY THE CITY LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
EVERYTHING'S BLOOMING AND BUDDING, AND THERE'S COLOR, AND IT JUST LOOKS SO GREAT, SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT USED TO.
UH, RAUL DESERVES A LOT OF CREDIT.
THAT GUY IS SUPERHERO FOR THE CITY.
PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE HE'S GREAT.
UH, THE MONUMENT SIGNS THAT HAVE GONE UP ON AUSA AVENUE AT THE, AT THE UNDERPASS ON BOTH SIDES, THEY LOOKED AWESOME.
UH, WOW, THAT POLICE CHIEF HAD A 45 YEAR RETIREMENT.
[00:45:03]
I'M SURE IT WASN'T LIKE THE RETIREMENT OF TODAY, POLICE RETIREMENT OF TODAY, BUT WOW, 45 YEAR RETIREMENT.THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT, HUH? UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I LEARNED THROUGH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THAT WEST GOVIN USED TO BE CALLED.
WELL, IT WAS CALLED AT ONE TIME THE HEADQUARTER CITY, WHICH KIND OF UNDERWHELMING, BUT I REALLY LIKED THE FACT THAT IT USED, IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE CITY OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BROUGHT BACK.
UH, PLEASE DO YOUR OWN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT CITY MANAGER.
AND PLEASE DON'T SPEND $29,000 ON A CONSULTANT LIKE CHRIS FREELAND JUST THREW A TAXPAYER MONEY INTO THE STREET TO HIRE THAT CLOWN THAT GOT US.
MARK TAYLOR, WHOSE OWN RANK AND FILE OFFICERS VOTED 90% VOTED OF NO CONFIDENCE.
ALL WE GOT WAS MARK TAYLOR FOR THAT $29,000.
WE GOTTA HAVE SOMEBODY, A GOOD FIELD, UH, UH, UH, AT LEAST THREE SOLID CANDIDATES FOR CITY MANAGER SO WE CAN GET SOMEBODY IN.
UH, THE REMARKS ABOUT PAUL, YOU KNOW, PAUL'S 19 YEARS WITH THE CITY.
SHE'S FULLY QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB SHE'S DOING RIGHT NOW, WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO PROMOTE HER OR WE BRINGING SOMEBODY ELSE'S UP TO THEM.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, NOTHING DISPARAGING ABOUT PAUL TONY WU TOO.
TONY WOOS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT EVER HAPPENED TO WEST COVINA.
AND THIS NONSTOP FROM THE YELLOW, GRAY-HAIRED GUY JUST IS KIND OF, IT'S ALSO UNDERWHELMING, UH, THE CONSTITUTION.
I'M SORRY, UH, MEMORIAL DAY NEXT YEAR.
CAN WE PLEASE ABBREVIATE ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS OF ALL THE POLITICIANS THAT SHOW UP? AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICIANS.
THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THIS COUNTRY.
AND I'M SO SICK AND TIRED, I REALLY HAVE HAD IT TO MY EYEBALLS WITH ALL THE PRESENTATIONS.
OH, LET ME GET THIS PERSON UP HERE.
OH, AND THIS PERSON UP HERE A CERTIFICATE.
AND HALF THE TIME, THE ELECTED OFFICIAL DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP.
THEY SEND SOME 20 SOMETHING THAT'S GOT POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS TO COME GIVE A PRESENTATION AND NOBODY CARES.
LET'S NOT MAKE IT ABOUT THE POLITICIANS, ESPECIALLY ON MEMORIAL DAY.
I MEAN, THE OTHER, THE OTHER HOLIDAY IS 4TH OF JULY, WHATEVER YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT, BUT PLEASE LIMIT THOSE PRESENTATIONS IN MEMORIAL DAY.
IT'S INAPPROPRIATE, AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND IT'S INSULTING ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM.
I REALLY WISH THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD TAKE SOME ACTION ON THAT.
UM, D-DAY, 79 YEARS AGO, TODAY, A LOT OF AMERICANS GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THIS COUNTRY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE CONSTITUTION.
THAT'S WHAT THEY SWEAR THE OATH TO.
IT'S NOT THE NATION OR THE MOTHERLAND, IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT THE FLAG, IT'S ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION.
AND THE PERVERSION OF OUR CONSTITUTION THAT'S GOING ON TODAY IS REALLY SHAMEFUL.
AND I'M AFRAID AMERICA MIGHT BE OVER THE FIRST AMENDMENT'S UNDER ATTACK.
WE HAVE CORRUPT NATIONAL MEDIA RIGHT DOWN TO THAT REPORTER AT THE TRIBUNE.
WE HAVE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT, CORRUPT LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRUPT PRESIDENT, WEAPONIZED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SHENANIGANS GOING ON.
UH, SECOND AMENDMENT CONCEALED CARRY.
EVERY FORMER POLICE CHIEF IN WEST COVINA HISTORY FOR THE LAST 45 YEARS THAT DENIED CONCEALED, CARRIED TO LAW, ABIDING CITIZENS VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION.
IT JUST TOOK THE SUPREME COURT THAT LONG TO POINT THAT OUT.
THEY WENT KICKING AND SCREAMING TOO.
UH, WOMEN ARE THE FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC WHO CARRY CONCEALED LADIES.
DON'T LET ANY MAN MAKE YOU THEIR VICTIM.
GET SOME TRAINING, GET A GOOD GUN.
UH, YOUNG MEN, ESPECIALLY YOUNG BLACK MEN, WHOSE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IS HOMICIDE BY OTHER YOUNG BLACK MEN.
THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS VERY LIBERALLY.
GO AHEAD AND FACT CHECK ME, MR. ALTABA.
DUE PROCESS IS FREQUENTLY DENIED AND ONE PARTY RULE.
AND I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SAY SOMETHING I WAS GONNA SAY ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT I'LL SAY IT NEXT TIME.
UH, ROBINSON FOLLOWED BY JIM GR, FOLLOWED BY SUE AINO.
UH, BEFORE I SPEAK ABOUT SYNTHETIC BI BIOLOGY, WHICH IS NOT TAUGHT AT MOUNT SAC, UH, DIRECTED EVOLUTION HYDROGEL, REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE MESSENGER, RNA GENE THERAPY, OR CRISPR CA NINE TECHNOLOGY,
[00:50:01]
WHICH EDITS GENES BY PRECISELY CUTTING DNA N AND THEN LETTING NATURAL D N A REPAIR PROCESSES TAKE OVER.UH, D O D UM, BIOWEAPONS, ALSO ALSO CALLED COUNTERMEASURES, UH, COVERED UP AS A PUBLIC HEALTH EVENT AND, UH, TRANSHUMANISM OR POISON DEATH SHOTS.
UH, TONIGHT'S AN ANNIVERSARY IS ELLIOT POINTED OUT.
I WANT TO DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO OMAHA BEACH.
50 MILES OF BEACHES, UH, ALONG THE NORMANDY COAST.
THE MILITARY HAD A GUT WRENCHING JOB, AND THEY DID IT 158,000 AMERICANS.
UH, SEVEN, UH, 79 YEARS LATER, WE HAVE COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF OUR NATIONAL BORDERS, WHICH MEANS WE ARE BARELY A COUNTRY ANY LONGER.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ARE OFFERING FREE TRAVEL SERVICE CONS AND SECRETARIAL SERVICES AT THE BORDER, WHILE NOT EVEN REQUIRING ANY INOCULATIONS, EVEN AIRLINE PILOTS FLIGHT.
AND MANY MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARE STILL REQUIRED TO TAKE THE JAB.
I DON'T APPROVE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE 5G AND STARLINK TECHNOLOGY FIELD.
IF ANY NATION WANTS TO HARM US, UH, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS INFILTRATE OUR BORDERS AND WAIT FOR A SIGNAL TO FORM UP AT STRATEGIC LOCATIONS.
IF, UH, IF ELECTRICAL SERVICES GET KNOCKED OUT FOR A LONG PERIOD, I, UH, UH, OF TIME.
I, I SUGGEST YOU STUDY HOW TO CONDUCT A COUNCIL MEETING BY CANDLELIGHT.
AND THE LIBRARY'S BEEN CLOSED FOR TWO YEARS.
UH, LET'S KEEP THE, LET'S KEEP THE, UH, CITY HALL OPEN.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PRIVATE DOCTOR PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS LOST.
FEARMONGERING HAS PRODUCED A PUBLIC LESS TRUSTING IN HEALERS.
THERE IS UNIFORMITY AND CONFORMITY THAT THAT'S ENCOURAGED.
AND THE DECISION MAKERS AT THE TOP MEDICAL CORPORATIONS ARE USUALLY NOT PHYSICIANS, AND THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM.
UH, TOP DECISION MAKERS ARE USUALLY LAWYERS WHO, WHO, UH, ARE LOOKING TO MINIMIZE LEGAL, UH, RISK AND ACCOUNTANTS LOOKING FOR MASSIVE PROFITS.
WHEN, WHEN DOCTORS WORK FOR THESE CORPORATIONS, THEN INSURANCE AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE CALL IN SHOTS.
MOREOVER, I I, I DON'T, UH, IN THIS ERA OF, OF MILITARY ACTIVITY, UH, COVERED UP BY PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, I DON'T LIKE THE SELF-ASSEMBLING, UH, D O D ELECTRONIC MONITORING DEVICES INSIDE MY OWN HUMAN BODY.
THAT'S WHAT THE JAB TURNS YOU INTO, AN INTERNET ANTENNA POWERED BY 5G.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO PRESENT A, A BRIEF HEADS UP, UH, ON THE ST.
THE DOCUMENTARY FINAL DAYS PREMIERED WORLDWIDE LAST WEEK, A DOCUMENTARY PRODUCED BY THE STU PETERS NETWORK.
IT IS NOT EASY TO WATCH BECAUSE IT EXPOSES THE FULL NATURE OF THE BIOLOGICAL WEAPON LAUNCHED ON HUMANITY BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE PHARMA CARTEL AND THE, THE BILL AND MA, UH, MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION AND THEIR FRIENDS.
UH, ANYWAY, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED CHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE IS APP IS APPEALING THE DISMISSAL OF A FEDERAL LAWSUIT, CHALLENGING THE AUTHORITY OF U S D A, THE F D A TO, TO, TO GRANT EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION OF, UH, COVID 19 VACCINES FOR CHILDREN.
UH, THIS ORGANIZATION LAST TUESDAY FILED AN APPEAL AT THE US COURT OF APPEALS FIFTH CIRCUIT, SEEKING TO REVERSE THE DECISION OF A LOWER FEDERAL COURT, THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, WHICH IS DIS DISMISSED THE SUIT IN, UH, NOVEMBER, 2022.
SO, UH, THANK YOU JIM GR FOLLOWED BY SUE GINO, FOLLOWED BY JD.
UH, MY ACTUAL TOPIC TONIGHT, UH, IS, UH, IS THE BUDGET.
[00:55:01]
BUT I FIRST HAVE TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FLAG? WHERE'S THE AMERICAN FLAG? I, I'M WONDER, I'M MESSED UP AS YOU AREUH, THE, UM, THERE WAS A PART ON THE BUDGET.
I'VE DONE BUDGETS ALL MY LIFE.
MY FIRST REAL JOB WAS BUDGET PERSON IN LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
I HATE TO SAY HOW LONG AGO THAT WAS, 55 YEARS AGO.
UH, THE, UH, UH, AND THE THING THAT'S EMPHASIZED IN YOUR BUDGET BRIEF THAT YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT IS IN TOP OF THE CHART IT SAYS, EXPENDITURES ARE 26 MILLION HIGHER THAN REVENUE.
WHEN I DID BUDGETS, THAT'S CALLED DEFICIT SPENDING.
AND AT LEAST IN MY LIFE, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN UNACCEPTABLE.
AND I HOPE THE COUNCIL NOTICES THAT AND TRIES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
UH, THE OTHER PART OF THE BUDGET PROC PART THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS THE PROCESS.
THE CITY WENT TO KIND OF AN ELABORATE EFFORT TO BRING THE COMMUNITY INTO THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
THEY HAD TWO COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, UH, ONE OF WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY ROUGHLY 60 PEOPLE, WHICH IS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COME TO A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
BUT MOST PEOPLE THINK BUDGETS ARE BORING.
UH, AND THEY WENT THROUGH THIS ELABORATE PROCESS TO ELICIT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE SPENDING THEIR MONEY ON? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE LEAST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE SPENDING THEIR MONEY ON? AND THE RESULTS OF THEIR LITTLE SURVEY WERE THE FOLKS THOUGHT THE POLICE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON POLICE.
AND THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE STREETS AND MAINTENANCE BASICALLY.
UH, AND WHAT WAS THE LEAST IMPORTANT, THE LEAST IMPORTANT THINGS WERE SOMETHING CALLED THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE SPORTSPLEX, THAT THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE THOUGHT.
AND, AND WHAT'S DISTURBING ABOUT THAT IS THAT THE BUDGET YOU'RE SEEING TONIGHT AS NO REFERENCE TO THAT WHATSOEVER, IT GIVES YOU A BUDGET THAT SAYS IT'S A COPY OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
THEY CALL IT THE WORD THAT USES ROLLOVER.
AND I, I, I JUST DON'T GET IT.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF A BUDGET IS TO PLAN WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT DO YOU, HOW YOU WANNA SPEND YOUR MONEY.
AND YET THERE'S NO EFFORT AT ALL TO DO ANY OF THAT.
UH, NO EFFORT TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS, NO EFFORT TO CHANGE WHAT THE CONTENT OF, UH, THE MONEY IS, HOW TO ALLOCATE YOUR RESOURCES, AND, AND CERTAINLY NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.
UH, AND IT JUST, IT'S VERY DISTURBING.
UH, I, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A PLACE THAT JUST IGNORED PRIORITIES.
UH, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE USED TO BE A LOT OF FIGHTING ABOUT IT.
WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA DO THIS, WE GOTTA DO THAT.
AND THIS CITY, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN.
AND, UH, ESPECIALLY NOW, UH, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION YEARS BACK, BUT NOW I DON'T SEE ANY, UH, SO, UH, MAYBE SOMETIME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, SOMEBODY WILL HAVE AN IDEA.
BUT THAT ISN'T THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PLAN IT OUT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN YOU ADOPT YOUR BUDGET.
UH, THERE WAS A, ABOUT TWO WHOLE MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, KIND OF A MESSED UP HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY CUZ THINGS HAPPENED THAT WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT WHAT CAUSED THAT, IT WAS A LACK OF PLANNING.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADOPTED WITH THE BUDGET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, A PLAN THAT STARTED OUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT.
ANYTIME YOU DO SOMETHING NEW AND BIG, IT SHOULD BE PLANNED OUT WAY IN ADVANCE SO THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, HOW MUCH MONEY'S GONNA BE SPENT, WHO'S GONNA BE DOING WHAT, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
I'M JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY THE BUDGET'S IMPORTANT.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A PLAN ON WHAT YOU DO, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE GONNA SPEND, NOT FIGURE IT OUT LATER.
UH, SO I AM, I HOPE I'M GETTING MY POINT ACROSS THAT I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS PROCESS, AND I HOPE THAT WE, WITH A NEW ADMINISTRATION THAT WILL HAVE A BETTER PROCESS.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT YOU AT LEAST THINK ABOUT HOW YOU SHOULD BE SPENDING YOUR MONEY.
SUE AINO, FOLLOWED BY JD, FOLLOWED BY MR. G.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME IN BEFORE YOU.
I FIRST OFF, MISSED THE FLAG TOO.
DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE 4TH OF JULY
[01:00:01]
CELEBRATION THAT'S COMING UP THIS YEAR.A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT UP AT B K K IS STILL A HUGE HAZARD UP THERE AT BIG LEAGUE DREAMS, HAVING THAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IS A LOGISTICS NIGHTMARE WITH THE POTENTIAL OF REALLY HORRIFIC THINGS.
THERE ARE BILLIONS OF CUBIC FEET OF METHANE THAT ARE STILL BEING EXTRACTED FROM THE LANDFILL EVERY YEAR.
SOME OF THOSE REGULATORS ON THOSE EXTRACTORS ARE BROKEN AND HAVEN'T BEEN MAINTAINED.
THE FIREWORKS COME DOWN, GOD FORBID, HITS THAT METHANE.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? IT'S BEEN EX IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT BK K IS STILL PRODUCING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF METHANE OVER 2 BILLION CUBIC FEET OF METHANE LAST YEAR.
THAT'S IN, THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO 6,000 OR 9,400 GOODYEAR BLIMPS FULL OF GAS.
NOW, THINK OF THAT, THINK OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE SURROUNDING BKK.
THINK OF WHAT THE LOGISTIC NIGHTMARES ARE FOR WEST COVENA AND THE RESIDENTS AND THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPEN UP THERE BECAUSE OF FIREWORKS.
NOT TO MENTION THE BROWN GRASS THAT'S UP THERE, NOT TO MENTION THE FIRE DAMAGE THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND RIGHT NOW, AS A CITY, WE NEED TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT TOO.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND KIND OF PLANNED, NOT REAL WELL TO BEGIN WITH.
BACK IN THE DAY WHEN YOU COULDN'T AFFORD SOMETHING, IF YOU DIDN'T, IF YOU COULDN'T PAY YOUR BILLS AT HOME, YOU DIDN'T GO ON A CRUISE, YOU KNOW THAT HOUSE IS ON FIRE.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WEST COVE IS ALWAYS PUT IN THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOKS SHINY AND NEW.
THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE LOGISTIC NIGHTMARE OF BIG LEAGUE DREAMS, HAVING THAT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE GOING IN ONE WAY AND COMING OUT ONE WAY, HAVING IT BE THE OVERTIME THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO EITHER HAVE THE PEOPLE BUST IN THERE AND BUST OUT LIKE IT WAS FOR THE, THE CELEBRATION LAST TIME.
IT'S NOT WORTH IT, YOU GUYS, IT'S JUST REALLY NOT.
AND THE THERE, THE EVIDENCE IS UP THERE.
CAL FIRE, HIS CAL FIRE LITERALLY SAID THAT BKK AND THE SURROUNDING LAND, INCLUDING BIG LEAGUE DREAMS, HAS THE HIGHEST FIRE RISK IN THE, IN OUR CITY IN TERMS OF RISK AND POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES.
SO I THINK YOU NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH.
THIS WAS BROUGHT TO ME, I LOOKED AT IT TOO.
I THOUGHT, BOY, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING WE DON'T NEED TO DO.
SO PLEASE TAKE THE TIME, LOOK AT THE CONSEQUENCES THAT WE FACE AS A CITY, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE LAWSUITS AND WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE PROBLEMS. WE HAVE ENOUGH OF OUR OWN.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE COUNSEL.
I HOPE, UH, YOU'RE DOING BETTER.
I SEE YOU STANDING, SO PROBABLY STILL FIGHTING THAT, THAT GOD'S BEAT TO YOU.
UM, COME UP TO SPEAK ABOUT ATHENS.
I DON'T WANT IT TO FALL IN THE CRACKS.
THE REQUEST TO CONSIDER, IF NOT, BRING BACK THAT ANNUAL PICKUP.
I KINDA INFERRED FROM, UH, OUR LAST CITY MANAGER THAT SOME OF YOU MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY IN FAVOR OF THE ANNUAL, BUT I WANNA REMIND YOU IT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT AND IT WAS TAKEN OUT WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN THE, UH, ON THE FRONT BURNER.
ON THE SAME SUBJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF GET AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE RECYCLING LEGISLATIVE LAW THAT WAS PASSED REGARDING COUNTING OF ORGANIC BEANS AND SEPARATING THEM IN CERTAIN BINS.
UH, WHEN I LAST ATTENDED ONE OF THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, IT WAS IMPRESSED UPON THOSE THAT ATTENDED THAT WE WERE AT THE PRECIPICE OF BEING FINED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IT APPROVED THAT NIGHT, IT WAS THAT, THAT URGENT URGENTLY IMPRESSED UPON US.
BUT IT'S FALLEN IN THOSE CRACKS AND WE, I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT.
I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER OR ACTING CITY MANAGER WILL ADDRESS THAT POINT TONIGHT.
UM, I HAVE A CONCERN WITH BOTH, MAINLY MY ANNUAL PICKUP.
I'D LIKE TO GET THAT BACKYARD CLEANED
[01:05:01]
UP A LITTLE BIT.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PROTE, KEL WOOD, GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK, GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL.
HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR NEW POSITION PERMANENTLY.
I HAVE A QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE DEFINITION OF A CITIZEN OF WEST GAGAN IS, OR RESIDENT, AND TO ASK THE COUNCIL QUESTION, OF COURSE IT'S NO RESPONSE.
PLEASE, WHAT LAW OR COUNCIL AMENDMENT OR WHATEVER IT IS, GIVES THE COUNCIL THE RIGHT TO SPEND MONEY ON PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CITIZENS.
I NOTICE THAT, UH, WE GIVE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SOMETHING LIKE $50,000.
THE CLERK WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SEND ME AN EMAIL, BUT I MIS MISTOOK IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT THERE WAS A STATISTIC THAT A MAN CAME IN HERE, GAVE AROUND $50,000.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A YEAR OR WHAT, OR A QUARTER OR WHATEVER IT WAS, BUT HE HAD, WAS DRIVING AROUND THE CITY FOR SIX HOURS, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, COLOSSI POLLUTION, TRAFFIC WEARING OFF OF STREETS.
AND HE ALSO SPENT TWO HOURS COMING TO AND FROM, FROM WHEREVER HE WAS FOR THE HOMELESS AS THEY'RE CALLED WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THEY WERE CALLED BUNS, DRUNKS AND BAG BONDS OR PIKES.
MY QUESTION IS, WE HAVE A BUDGET IT GETS FOR THE HOMELESS.
PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR MORE COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR THE POLICE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE PROBABLY FAR MORE BETTER FOR THE CITY OF WEST CAVINA TO MAINTAIN ITS THIRD POSITION AND HOPEFULLY MOVE TO THE FIRST PHYSICIAN OF THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA IF THAT $50,000, BECAUSE HE, ON THE STATISTICS, HE CALLED 300 PLUS ENCOUNTERS A WIN SITUATION JUST BELOW HIS 300.
THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE, MEANING THREE PEOPLE OUT OF A YEAR.
COME ON, I'VE SPENT SOME NICE TIME SINCE NICE HOTELS, BUT I'VE NEVER SPENT THAT TYPE OF MONEY FOR A NIGHT.
SO WOULDN'T WE BETTER SINCE THE POLICE OR HERE OUT ON ABOUT, I GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES, TAKE THAT MONEY, PUT IT IN, IN THE BUDGET, UTILIZE IT PROPERLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
THE OTHER THING IS, THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON HERE WHO CAME, TALKED ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS FROM THE COUNTY OR SOME OTHER PLACE REGARDING LOW INCOME HOUSING, ASKING FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING AS YOU THE CITY WAS ONCE CALLED, THE CITY OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES.
NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE, WHAT YOUR HABITS ARE.
DO YOU HAVE THE SAME STANDARDS, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND VALUES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN YOU RAISE YOUR STANDARDS, PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE THERE.
WHEN STANDARDS GET LOWERED, PEOPLE DON'T WANNA LIVE THERE.
NOW, FAR AS A POLITICS AND WHAT IS GOING ON, I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT PART.
BUT IF EACH AND ON OF YOU ACT ABLY, NOT YOUR PERSONAL AGENDAS, BUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS OR CITIZENS OF THIS STATE? I MEAN OF THE CITY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY LAST MINUTE IN SILENCE FOR THE MEN WHO DIED ON NORMANDY.
[01:10:19]
THANK YOU.PLEASE BEING BLACK TO FLAG NO FURTHER SPEAKERS.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND? YES, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK, UH, VALERIE MUNOZ FOR COMING IN AND PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE SAN GABRIEL WA BASIN WATER QUALITY BOARD.
UM, AND WHEN WING ZANE FOR ALWAYS PROVIDING US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE COUNTY LIBRARY.
I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED THAT, UH, IF YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE OPENING UP IN FALL, LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY A GRAND OPENING OR RIBBON CUTTING EVENT.
UM, CHERRY BRILLIANT, THANK YOU FOR, UH, SHARING THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, JIM GR I THINK MADE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I THINK WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THOSE IN THE, UH, PRESENTATION ON THE, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL AND THE, THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENCE IS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
UM, WE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, DO NOT WANT TO PUT OUR RESIDENTS AT RISK OF OUR 4TH OF JULY EVENT.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN 2018 WE DID HAVE OR HOST THE 4TH OF JULY WITH FIREWORKS AT THE SPORTSPLEX.
SO WE'VE HAD THAT EVENT THERE.
WE DO WORK WITH OUR, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT THAT'S A SAFE EVENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I KNOW IN 2018 THERE WAS ISSUES WITH, UM, IT WAS VERY, UH, POPULAR EVENT, WELL ATTENDED, UM, TRAFFIC WAS AN ISSUE.
WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ADDRESSED THAT THIS, UH, FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT.
UM, WE'RE DEFINITELY TAKING THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, JD I HOPE YOU'RE, UH, HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.
WE HAVE DATES FOR THE BULKY TRASH ITEM PICKUP DATES IN JULY.
UM, SO DEPENDING ON YOUR TRASH DAY, IT'S GONNA BE HELD ON A SATURDAY BETWEEN JULY 29TH AND AUGUST 26TH.
SO THAT INFORMATION'S GONNA BE SHARED, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE AND IN THE UPCOMING ISSUE OF THE DISCOVER, UH, NEWSLETTER.
UM, WE WILL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON SV 1383 AT AN UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHEN WE DO BRING THAT, UM, AGREEMENT BACK.
I THINK, UH, WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S RIGHT TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND EVERYONE'S, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS, UH, THAT, THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US.
HOW ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE UPDATES.UM, AS IT WAS BROUGHT UP, WE DID HAVE A MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE EVENT ON, UM, MONDAY MEMORIAL DAY.
I WANTED TO THANK THE ALL THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED AND JOINED US, UM, IN OUR MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION.
UM, AS A CITY, WE ARE HONORED, WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND RECOGNIZE AND REMEMBER THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK TAMALI STREET, OUR LOCAL BUSINESS THAT, UM, DONATED, UM, TAMALI OR PROVIDED, UH, LUNCH FOR THE EVENT.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK ROXANNE LERMA AND OUR STAFF FOR MAKING THE EVENT VERY MEMORABLE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UM, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT NEXT YEAR'S, UH, CELEBRATION.
I KNOW THAT, UM, THIS SITE HAS BEEN VACANT FOR I THINK ALMOST CLOSE TO A DECADE, AND WE NOW HAVE UM, TESLA SALES SERVICE AND DELIVERY CENTER THAT'S GOING, IT'S OPEN, UM, AT THE FORMER CLIPPINGER CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP SITE.
SO IF YOU GUYS ARE IN NEED OF A TESLA
UM, SO NOT ONLY ARE THEY, UM, TRANSFORMING A SITE THAT'S BEEN VACANT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IT'S GONNA BE, UH, ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
CAR DEALERSHIPS CAN MAKE UPWARDS OF 500,000, UM, AN ANNUAL SALES TAX TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S AN ADDED BENEFIT, UM, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A WIDER RANGE OF CHOICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO BUY CARS.
UM, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE A TESLA, UH, SALES AND SERVICE AND DELIVERY CENTER, JUST WANTED TO MENTION, WE DO HAVE SOME SUPERCHARGING STATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE ONE IN A MCINTYRE SQUARE THAT HAS 16, UH, CHARGING.
IT'S A SUPER CHARGING STATION WITH 16 CHARGING POSTS.
WE HAVE SOUTH HILLS PLAZA, UM, THAT CURRENTLY HAS 24 POSTS, UM, OR 20 POSTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH THE EASTLAND CENTER, UM, UH, PENDING, UH, PERMANENT APPROVAL.
THE NEXT ITEM IS OUR STREET SWEEPING, UM, COMMUNITY MEETING.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING INFORMATION ON OUR CURRENT STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM, UH, BEST PRACTICES FOR SWEEP SWEEPING PROGRAMS, AND THEN GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
THERE'S THREE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, MONDAY,
[01:15:01]
JUNE 12TH, SIX 30 TO SEVEN 30 AT THE CAMERON COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH, UM, FROM 10 TO 11 AT CORTEZ COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER.AND THEN ON MONDAY, JUNE 26TH FROM SIX 30 TO 7:30 PM HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND THAT ONE'S GONNA BE IN PERSON AND IN AND VIRTUALLY, UM, AS WELL.
SO IF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, WE'RE HOPING, UM, THEY CAN ATTEND ONE OF THE THREE, UH, MEETINGS.
I KNOW WE ANNOUNCED THAT WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAMMING AT PALM VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, WE ARE NOW GOING TO BE HOSTING A, UM, OPEN HOUSE FOR OUR NEW ADAPTIVE RECREATION, UM, CENTER, AND WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO ATTEND.
IT'S FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM TUESDAY, JUNE 13TH.
UM, SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND SEE THE PALM VIEW FACILITY THAT'S BEEN, UH, REOPENED RECENTLY.
UM, THE SPORTS PLEX, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S OPEN AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING RESERVATIONS AND BOOKING FOR THE FACILITIES.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF HOW TO GET, UM, MAKE THAT RESERVATION OR RENT THE FIELD.
UM, IF YOU GO TO, UH, OR DISCOVER NEWSLETTER, IT'S ON PAGE 21.
UM, FIELD RATES START AT $50 PER HOUR PER FIELD.
YOU COULD RENT THE SOCCER PAVILION TO HOST EVENTS TO PLAY SOCCER.
UM, SO, UH, WE ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT FACILITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR, UH, IN OUR BACKYARD.
AND, UH, THAT'S IT FOR ME THIS EVENING.
UH, UH, REALLY GOOD CITY MANAGER.
I THINK YOU, WE CAN SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE OR THE OUR RESIDENT, UH, WATCHING.
OUR WEST TOYOTA MOVE INTO THE BIG SITE
SO YOU GONNA SELL, LIKE FIND CAR A MONTH? YEAH.
SO, UM, OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT'S IN, UH, THE AUTO PLAZA ON ASUZA AND GARVEY WILL BE RELOCATING TO WHERE THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WAS, UM, ON CITRUS AND NORTH GARVEY OR NORTH CITRUS AND GARVEY.
UM, THEY ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND AND SO THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THE ENTITLEMENT PRO, UH, PROCESS TO MAKE SOME FACADE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FORMER NISSAN DEALERSHIP.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP.
UM, SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE SOME OTHER MOVEMENTS WITHIN THE AUTO PLAZA THAT ARE GONNA BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, CARS, UM, AND ALSO, UH, HELP IMPROVE THE AESTHETICS OF THE AUTO PLAZA.
UH, JUST, UH, BECAUSE IT, THIS MAKES SENSE FOR THIS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, THERE'S A FREE COMMUNITY VISION SCREENING AND RECYCLED EYEGLASSES, UH, PROVIDED BY THE WEST COVINA ALLIANCE CLUB.
THIS SATURDAY, UH, I THINK IT WAS GONNA BE PART OF THE MANAGER'S REPORT, BUT I DIDN'T MAKE IT IN, UH, SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH AT THE WEST COVINA ELKS LODGE FROM 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM THANK YOU.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL? NOPE.
ANYBODY WANNA MOVE A MOTION? I MOVE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TIM TABATA AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU TO APPROVE A CONSENT CALENDARS ONE THROUGH SEVEN.
[8) FORMING A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE/BUSINESS ASSOCIATION]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.WHO'S GONNA GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THAT? UH, MAYOR.
UM, KAREN COER, PROJECT COORDINATOR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR, WILL BE PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
TONIGHT I WILL BE PRESENTING A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE FORMER, UH, FORMING A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
A CHAMBER FOR ANY CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN DESIGNED TO SERVE AND PROMOTE THE COMMUNITY.
WEST CORINA'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GOALS WERE TO MARKET WEST COVINA BUSINESSES TO THE RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
THEY'VE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO VARIOUS BUSINESSES, EXPANDED ITS
[01:20:01]
BUSINESS ADVOCACY ROLES, EXPANDED ITS ROLE IN DEALING WITH PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENTAL POLICY ISSUES, IDENTIFIED BUSINESS RELATED ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHOM IT COULD PARTNER, EXPAND THE LEVEL OF FREQUENCY OF DIRECT AND CONT, UM, DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN THE CHAMBER AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, UM, THE WEST COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE FORMER WEST COVINA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, WHICH PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 75 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND EVERY FISCAL YEAR.
HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT UNTIL 2009 THE R D EIGHT UM, STOPPED PROVIDING FUNDING DUE TO DEBT ACCRUED BY THE CHAMBER.
THE CHAMBER HAD BEEN OPERATING FOR OVER 55 YEARS.
UM, BUT THE INSTITUTION EVENTUALLY CEASED ITS OPERATION IN EARLY 2011.
UM, CURRENTLY THE GREATER WEST COVINA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM THE CITY, PROVIDES A SIMILAR SERVICES TO OUR CHAMBER.
CURRENTLY, THE COMMUNION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN THE CITY.
WE PROVIDE, UM, BUSINESS AND ENTITLEMENT ASSISTANCE.
WE MANAGE AND ADMINISTER BUSINESS LOANS SUCH AS THE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE LOAN PROGRAM, WHICH HAD BEEN FOR, UM, AWARDED TO ONE BUSINESS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD THE WEST COA COVID 19 SMALL BUSINESS LOAN, WHICH WE REWARDED TWO BUSINESSES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE PROVIDED AND DIRECTED AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND WE CONTINUE TO CONNECT BUSINESSES TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
UM, WE ASSIST PROPERTY OWNERS AND MARKETING AVAILABLE TENANT SPACES AND PROPERTIES.
WE PROVIDE, UM, SITE SELECTION TO PROSPECTIVE TENANTS.
WE MARKET AND PROMOTE THE CITY AT INDUSTRY EVENTS FOR BUSINESS ATTRACTIONS, SUCH AS INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHAMBER OF, UM, INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTERS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS I C S E AND ACRE SOCAL.
THESE ARE BOTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT PUT TOGETHER INDUSTRY EVENTS FOR NETWORKING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.
THEY PUT TOGETHER EVENTS COVERING UP TO DATE REAL ESTATE INFORMATION INDUSTRY EVENTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, ALLOWING ATTENDEES LIKE THE CITY TO CONNECT WITH DEVELOPERS, TENANTS, BROKERS, CONSULTANTS, AND RELATED VENDORS.
UM, WE CONDUCT BUSINESS OUTREACH SUCH AS CONTINUOUSLY CONTACTING PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE CONDUCTED WILLIS, UM, RETAIL SURVEYS TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESSES TO THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE.
IN ADDITION, HIGHLIGHTING THEIR FAVORITE WEST COVINA BUSINESSES.
WE ASSIST NEW BUSINESSES WITH GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUNNING EVENTS.
UH, HOST SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, COORDINATE SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY EVENTS.
WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND AMERICAN JOB CENTER CORPORATION TO BRING RESOURCES TO OUR COMMU BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS OVER 3,600 BUSINESS IN THE CITY PER THE RE REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL.
SOME OF THE WAYS WE CAN INCREASE ECONOMIC EFFORTS SUCH AS BUSINESS ATTRACTION INC.
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, CONTINUING AND EXPANDING CITY ATTENDANCE, UH, INDUSTRY EVENTS AS MENTIONED, I C S E AND ACRE SOCAL, AND POTENTIALLY ATTEND OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS AND CONFERENCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN TARGET RESTAURANTS BY ATTENDING THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW THAT COULD PO POSSIBLY COST US ABOUT $18,000 TO ATTEND THESE EVENTS.
UM, UPDATING THE CITY'S MARKETING CAMPAIGN, WHICH INCLUDES BRANDING AND SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS.
STAFF HAD IN THE PAST RELEASED AN R F P IN 2018 REQUESTING FOR MARKETING AND BRANDING STRATEGY, BUT DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDING AT THE TIME TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT WERE OFFERING THEIR SERVICES WOULD RANGE BETWEEN 50 TO $200,000.
STAFF COULD ALSO COORDINATE MORE BUSINESS AND EDUCATION, UM, NETWORKING EVENTS SUCH AS WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT COULD COST ABOUT $10,000.
SUCH EFFORTS MAY POTENTIALLY COST APPROXIMATELY 78 TO 228,000.
BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WIDE RANGE CAN BE DEPENDING ON THE MARKETING SERVICES WE ACQUIRE.
COUNCIL HAD ALSO REQUESTED TO ESTABLISH A CHAMBER IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A CHAMBER.
THE FOLLOWING WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION ESTABLISHING A NONPROFIT ENTITY SEPARATE FROM THE CITY.
THIS COULD COST ABOUT FIVE TO $10,000, AND A TIMELINE IS POSSIBLY UP BETWEEN ONE TO TWO YEARS, DEPENDING ON STATE AND FEDERAL PROCESSING TIMES.
UM, WE WOULD ALSO NEED TO ESTABLISH A BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BYLAWS.
THIS WOULD REQUIRE THE APPOINTMENT OF INITIAL BOARD MEMBERS AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO ALL REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE STAFFING LEVELS CUZ CURRENTLY THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT DIVISION CURRENTLY HAS TWO STAFF MEMBERS.
[01:25:01]
A PART-TIME POSITION TO START OFF, WHICH COULD COST ABOUT $42,500.UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH A MEMBERSHIP PACKAGE SURROUNDING CHAMBER CHARGES ARRANGED BETWEEN 50 TO $525, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESSES, OR 225 TO $10,000 DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PACKAGES BEING PROVIDED.
UM, THIS WOULD ALSO ENTAIL RECRUITING WEST COVINA BUSINESSES FOR MEMBERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP AND HOSTING EVENTS, UM, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS.
SO UNDER THIS CATEGORY, IT COULD POSSIBLY COST ABOUT $8,000.
IN ADDITION, WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE MORE EXTENSIVE MARKETING SERVICES, UM, TO MEMBERS, SUCH AS, UM, PROVIDING A NEWSLETTER, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT, DEVELOPING A WEBSITE, EMBEDDING A MEMBERSHIP BUSINESS, DIRECTEE DIRECTORY, AND DISCOUNTED SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THIS COULD POSSIBLY COST $42,000.
SO TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A BETTER OVERVIEW OF THE POTENTIAL COST AS ESTABLISHING A CHAMBER, IT COULD RANGE BETWEEN, UM, UH, 97,000 TO POSSIBLY $112,000.
SO THE PRELIMINARY NEXT STEPS IN ESTABLISHING A CHAMBER WOULD INCLUDE DEVELOPING A CHAMBER RUN BY CITY STAFF.
THIS WOULD INCLUDE ESTABLISHING BUDGET AND MEMBERSHIP COST, UM, INCLUDING CONDUCTING A FEE STUDY, IDENTIFYING ROLES WITHIN THE DIVISION, DEVELOPING PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES, IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH OTHER BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ESTABLISHING GOALS FOR THE CHAMBER.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN NECESSARY APPROVALS, WHICH INCLUDES ESTABLISHING THE NONPROFIT AND ESTABLISHING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UH, THE NONPROFIT STATUS, LIKE I HAD MENTIONED, COULD POSSIBLY TAKE ONE TO TWO YEARS, UM, DEPENDING ON THE STATE AND FEDERAL PROCESSING TIMES.
UH, ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE CAN LAUNCH THE CHAMBER AND, UH, AND HOPEFULLY RUN THAT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR BEFORE WE DECIDE TO EVALUATE AND REASSESS TO KIND OF DETERMINE WHAT THE BEST PATH MOVING FORWARD.
AS SUCH, NOW STAFF IS SEEKING CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN WILL.
UH, THE IDEA TO SET UP THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS, UH, IS BECAUSE A LOT OF BUSINESS REQUESTS, OKAY.
THEY REALLY WANT SOMETHING THAT CAN GO DIRECTLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT, THAT HAVE A BENEFIT, THAT HAVE A, HAVE A VEHICLE, OR HAVE A PASSAGE.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 4,000 BUSINESS.
OKAY? AND, UH, WE ONLY APPROACH FEW OKAY.
AND COMPARE WITH THE 4,000 BUSINESS WE HAVE, OKAY.
AND HOW WE SELL SUSTAINABLE WITH THE 4,000.
OKAY? AND THE MEMBER, THEY'RE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IS ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER THEM, OKAY? AND THE REASON THE PREVIOUS, OKAY.
GWC OR THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, OKAY? WEST COVINA IS NOT WORKING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO BENEFIT.
AND HOW YOU WANT PEOPLE TO PAY MEMBERSHIP FEE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A ME, YOU DON'T HAVE A BENEFIT, OKAY? AND THEN IN THAT WAY, NOBODY WILL JOIN OR THEY JOIN ONE TIME, OKAY? YOU WON'T JOIN NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE THEY CAN GET THIS MEMBERSHIP OKAY? WORKING.
FIRST BECAUSE A CREDIBILITY ISSUE AS A, AS A CITY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO RUN THIS THING.
WE WANT THAT GRADUATE, JUST LIKE YOUR B I D ON THE AUTO PLAZA.
WE HAVE PAULINA IS OUR BOARD MEMBER INSIDE THE B I D OKAY? AND WE HELP TO SET IT UP.
BUT WHO RUN IT AUTO PLAZA, OLDER AUTO DEALER.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE NEEDED A BUSINESS TO RUN THE SHOW, BUT WE STARTED, AND THEN WE LET THEM TO TAKE OVER AND WE STAND TO ELECT THEIR PRESIDENT, THEIR BOARD MEMBER.
BUT, BUT SOMEBODY HAVE TO DO IT.
OKAY? AND THEN WITH THE CREDIBILITY OF THE CITY AND THE PASSAGE OF THEM TO KIND OF, UH, WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT, IT ATS CREDIBILITY.
IF YOU GO TO THE COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 50% OF THEIR MEMBERS IS FROM WEST COVINA.
I THINK YOU KNOW IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THEY PAY THE COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND THE LEFT MONEY SHOULD BECOME TO, TO WEST COVINA DOING THE BUSINESS AND WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS OF, UH, OUR GOVERNMENT.
MEANING YOU GOT TO HELP OUR LOCAL BUSINESS AND WHEN THEY HAVE A ISSUE, OKAY? AND THEN THEY CAN GO DIRECTLY TO US.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU HAVE THREE, 4,000 MEMBER INTO OUR, OKAY, THIS MEMBERSHIP AND, AND THEN THIS MEMBERSHIP
[01:30:01]
FEE WILL PAY FOR ITSELF.SO, SO, SO I THINK THAT'S THE IDEA OF WHAT WE TRYING TO DO BECAUSE WEST COMMITTEE A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF BUSINESS POTENTIAL THAT WE CAN RECRUIT AND THAT WE CAN WANT TO BRING THE BUSINESS.
WE WANT TO BRING JOB, OKAY? WE WANT TO RECRUIT THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OKAY, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING, OKAY? AND LET IS WITH THE CREDIBILITY AND LET PEOPLE WILLING TO JOIN, OKAY? AND, AND A LOT OF BUSINESS ALWAYS SAY, IF THIS IS COME FROM US, THEY WANT TO JOIN BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE BENEFIT WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY HAVE AN ISSUE.
YOU GUYS CAN HELP THEM DIRECTLY AND THEY CAN GIVE THEM INFORMATION.
SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE FEE, OKAY? AND, UH, REGARDING THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, I THINK WE CAN TALK TO WESTCO PLAZA, UH, WEST COVINA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
SEE, THEY'RE WILLING TO TRANSFER TO, TO YOU GUYS.
SO YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY OR AWAY FOR TWO YEARS.
WE CAN HAVE THEM TO HELP OUT, TO GIVE TO US WEST COVINA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND AT THE SAME TIME, AND THEN WE HELP OKAY.
TO RECRUIT AN OTHER BUSINESS WITH OUR CREDIT THAT PEOPLE WILL NEED TO COME AND JOIN.
THE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA JOIN, UH, UH, UH, ENTITY LED BECOME A MIDDLE MAN BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THEN, AND, AND, AND THE BUSINESS AND WHERE IS THE BENEFIT.
AND TO SAY SO, SO IF THEY GO DIRECT TO US, THE MONEY GO DIRECTLY TO THE BUSINESS AND RUN BY BUSINESS.
AND, UH, WE JUST SET IT UP FOR THEM.
SO, SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO GIVE A TRY.
AND WE DON'T WANNA SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, OKAY? AND THAT BUSINESS LEVEL, WELL BASICALLY RECRUIT AND THEN WHEN WE NEED SOMETHING, WE CAN SEND INFORMATION.
WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION, WE CAN JUST SEND TO THE, OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND EVERYBODY WILL RECEIVE OKAY.
BUT RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE A DIFFICULTY TO GO TO 4,000 BUSINESS.
SO, SO HOW CAN WE DO IT TO RECRUIT THIS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ENTITY IN OUR CITY? WE DEPEND THEM TO PROVIDE SALES TAX, PROVIDE JOB.
SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING OKAY.
AND TO HELP THEM TO ESTABLISH THE BUSINESS.
SO, SO, SO WE NEED TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND THE, AND SALES SUSTAINABLE.
AND THE, AND THIS BUSINESS SHOULD BE NEUTRAL ONLY FOR BUSINESS.
AND THE LEFT BUSINESS HELP BUSINESS AND, UH, TO HELP, OKAY.
AND THEM TO RESOLVE THEIR ISSUE AT THE SAME TIME, TO RECRUIT MORE BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE TALK ABOUT HOW CAN WE BRANDING AND TO GET MORE BUSINESS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A ONE OF THE START.
SO THIS IS, UH, MY SUGGESTION.
UH, KAREN, TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE WE HAVE WE ENGAGED WITH THE 3,600 BUSINESSES TO ASK THEM WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IN A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS FIRST ABOUT THAT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CANAS, IF I CAN ANSWER.
SO WE HAVE NOT SENT OUT, UH, A, A SURVEY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO OUR CURRENT BUSINESSES.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DEFINITELY DO.
UM, AS KAREN MENTIONED, WE USED TO, UH, DO LIKE A RETAIL SURVEY EVERY, UM, AUGUST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT KIND OF, UM, RETAILERS THEY WANT.
WE'VE ALSO DONE SURVEYS, UM, ABOUT WHAT KIND OF ISSUES OR CONCERNS OUR BUSINESSES HAVE AND TO D TRY TO BRING WORKSHOPS OR SEMINARS, UM, TARGETING OR FOCUSING ON THOSE ISSUES.
SO WE, WE HAVE DONE THOSE EFFORTS IN THE PAST.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, UH, TO WHAT EXTENT DO BUSINESSES HEAR FROM THE CITY ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH REGARD TO BUSINESS SPECIFIC COMMUNICATIONS, NOT JUST, LET'S SAY DISCOVER WEST COVIN OR ANYTHING LIKE RESIDENCE, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY ON BUSINESS CONCERNS.
UM, SO WE, WE HAD A PROGRAM, UM, SO WHEN A NEW BUSINESS OPENS UP IN THE CITY, WE SEND OUT A WELCOME LETTER WITH A, UH, BROCHURE ON THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE AS WELL.
UM, THE BROCHURE, UM, WE ALSO DO, UH, DURING, UH, THE PANDEMIC, UM, WE WERE REACHING OUT TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY CONSTANTLY, UM, TO INFORM THEM OF ALL THE UPCOMING CHANGES WITH THE CLOSURES AND THE REOPENINGS AND THE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, NOW WHAT WE DO IS, BECAUSE WE'RE NO LONGER IN THE PANDEMIC, WE, WE PROVIDE EMAILS, UM, IF THERE'S RESOURCES THAT ARE COMING AVAILABLE OR LOANS, BUT WE CAN ONLY SEND IT TO THOSE, UM, BUSINESSES THAT OPT IN TO RECEIVE EMAILS FROM THE CITY.
[01:35:01]
UM, SO IF THEY OPT OUT, WE TRY NOT TO, UH, OR WE TRY TO RESPECT THEIR DECISION AND NOT SEND THEM EMAILS.AND THIRD QUESTION, A WHILE BACK, I SENT CITY MANAGER LEADERSHIP A SEVEN STEP PLAN FOR WITH RE RELATING TO SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS.
UM, DOES THE STAFF ALREADY, HAS KAREN, UM, ALREADY SEEN THAT, OR DO THEY HAVE A COPY OF THAT? AS, AS I'VE ALSO, UH, SENT COPIES TO COUNSEL, IT'S A SEVEN STEP, UH, UH, PLAN ON HOW TO ENGAGE WITH BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF, IF IT, IF IT IS NOT AVAILABLE, I, I CAN FORWARD IT AGAIN.
UH, SO THAT WAY FOLKS CAN HAVE IT BECAUSE I, I, UH, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THAT BECAUSE, UH, IT, IT COULD HELP SERVE TO, UH, GUIDE WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD MOVE AHEAD AND, AND FELLOW COLLEAGUES HERE ON COUNCIL HAVE ALSO SEEN IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF THAT WOULD BE FINE WITH EVERYBODY.
JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THAT BECAUSE, UM, THE, THE, THE EMAIL THAT I PUT TOGETHER WAS ALSO BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT I GOT FROM THE YOU, JUST FROM FOLKS I KNOW IN BUSINESS AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAVE THAT ALREADY.
AND I BELIEVE ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU DID MENTION WAS THE WELCOME LETTERS.
SO YEAH, WE DO HAVE IT, AND WE WILL RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, UH, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
I HAVE, I HAVE, UH, A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND, AND SOME CONCERNS.
UM, SO, UH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT, LIKE, THE COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, WAS FOUNDED AS AN INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESSES.
AND, AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS IS, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, NO, NO OTHER CITIES ESTABLISHED THEIR CHAMBER THROUGH, THROUGH CITY HALL, RIGHT? WHERE THE CITY RUNS THE, THE CHAMBER.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T KNOW OF ONE THAT IS, UH, OH.
I JOINED THE TEMPLE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS RUN, THEY RUN BY THE TEMPLE CITY GOVERNMENT.
I THINK THEY KEEP THEM FUNDING, BUT OKAY.
SO, SO I OVER HERE, SO THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UH, GIVING FUNDING TO AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION AND THE ORGANIZATION BEING, UM, RUN THROUGH CITY HALL THROUGH STAFFING.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT, LIKE, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS YOU JOINED A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS, UH, TO ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESSES.
SO, UH, I GUESS, UM, FOR, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN, UH, WE WERE DEBATING, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, INDEPENDENT SMALL BUSINESSES CAME OUT TO, TO ADVOCATE FOR CREATING OUR OWN WEST COVINA HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
NOW, IF THE CITY IS RUNNING THE CHAMBER, AND THEN THE CITY IS WANTING TO, TO CREATE, UH, LET'S SAY A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEN ISN'T THERE GONNA BE A CONFLICT THEN IF THAT CHAMBER THEN COMES AND ADVOCATES FOR WHAT, WHAT, LET'S SAY THE POLITICAL BRANCH OF THE CITY WANTS TO DO, WOULD, WOULD THE, THIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY TO, UH, ADVOCATE FOR ORDINANCES? BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, CAN YOU SEE HOW WE'RE, WE'RE CREATING THIS, THIS CONFLICT MM-HMM.
THERE'D BE A SEPARATE EN ENTITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, IS ESTABLISH A SEPARATE ENTITY.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ALL, ALL THE ABILITIES, NOTHING TO BE PROHIBITIVE FOR THEM ADVOCATING FOR A POSITION.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE, OKAY, SO, SO WE, SO THEN IF I'M A BUSINESS THAT ISN'T PART OF THIS CHAMBER, THOUGH, THEN I'M NOT GONNA, RIGHT.
SO, SO YOU, YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? RIGHT? SO THIS, THIS CHAMBER IS BEING ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE CITY IS BEING STAFFED BY THE CITY, IS BEING FUNDED BY THE CITY.
AND SO IF I'M A SMALL BUSINESS THAT ISN'T PART OF THIS CHAMBER, THEN I, I COULD LOSE FAVOR.
WE MENTIONED THE BID ON, ON THE CAR DEALERSHIP, THERE WAS ALSO A LAWSUIT, UM, AND, AND WE WERE OPENED UP TO SOME LIABILITY, UM, BECAUSE PAUL, UM, WAS A MEMBER OF, OF THAT, THAT BID.
SO I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHAT LIABILITY DOES THE CITY OPEN ITSELF TO? UH, IF THERE ARE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER AND ARE, ARE FEELING AS IF THE CITY IS GIVING PREFERENCE TO, TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE PART OF THIS CHAMBER THAT HAS BEEN CREATED THROUGH, UH, CITY HALL, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE ANY LIABILITY IN, IN THAT INSTANCE, IF SOMEONE IS HAVING A FEELING THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING PREFERENCE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, THAT'D BE A LEGAL CAUSE OF ACTION FOR SOMETHING.
I CAN'T, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE ANY, WHAT IF THEY'RE LEGITIMATELY NOT GETTING RIGHT? THEY, THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY BEING TARGETED.
WHAT IF THEY'RE AN UNFAVOR BUSINESS, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT PART OF THIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
[01:40:01]
A REASON WHY CHAMBERS ARE, ARE INDEPENDENT.THERE'S A REASON WHY THERE'S A MAN BETWEEN THE BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA GET INTO CRONY CAPITALISM, RIGHT.
WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS INTERFERING AS FAVORING CERTAIN BUSINESSES THAT, THAT IT'S COMMUNISM.
WE HAVE A FREE MARKET CAPITALIST SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT SEPARATE.
NOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CANNOT PARTNER, BUT YOU, YOU CAN'T RUN THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION THROUGH CITY HALL BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CREATING, UH, E E EVEN IF IT'S JUST THE APPEARANCE OF CORRUPTION, UH, IT'S, IT'S WHY YOU PUT IT AS A PILOT PROGRAM, BECAUSE YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND, UH, AND I KNOW YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW, BUT YOU DO KNOW THAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARE NOT CREATED THROUGH CITY HALL.
YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT CITY MANAGER MORALES, CUZ YOU, YOU, YOU SHARED THAT WITH ME WHEN WE MET.
I SAID THAT, UM, IF I MAY, YES, THAT I DO, I'M NOT AWARE OF A CHAMBER THAT'S BEEN CREATED AS THE WAY THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IT, RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, THROUGH THE CITY, WHAT WE ARE INTENTIONALLY DOING IS CREATING A NONPROFIT, THE CITY'S CREATING THE NONPROFIT FOR THE CHAMBER.
UM, WHICH I THINK THE INTENT IS TO ESTABLISH IT SO THAT IT HAS A STRONG MEMBERSHIP, IT'S PROVIDES BENEFITS TO THE BUSINESSES, AND THAT EVENTUALLY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN TAKE ON THAT, UH, CHAMBER AND LEAD IT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I HAVEN'T SEEN BEEN DONE, WHICH IS NOT, I GUESS, A TRADITIONAL WAY OF FORMING A CHAMBER, RIGHT? BUT, UM, I THINK THE ULTIMATE INTENT IS TO CREATE A SEPARATE ENTITY.
AND BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A NON-PROFIT, THERE WOULD STILL BE A BOARD THAT, UM, WOULD BE SEPARATE THAN THE COUNCIL, AND THEY WOULD MAKE DECISIONS ON THOSE POLICIES, RIGHT? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, D DEPENDING ON HOW THIS B BOARD IS DEVELOPED, IT COULD VERY MUCH BE SWAYED AND LEVERAGED BY POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS.
UH, AND THAT'S AN, THAT'S ANOTHER SEPARATE CONCERN.
UM, BUT I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, CITIES DO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAMS THAT GO AND RECRUIT BUSINESSES AND, AND, AND PAY FOR STAFFING.
AND, BUT THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, RIGHT? A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AGAIN, IS BRINGING IN BUSINESSES, IS, UM, ALLOWING FOR THOSE BUSINESSES TO ADVOCATE TO CITY GOVERNMENT.
UH, AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO HAVE THE SEPARATION.
UH, I GUESS, UH, THE OTHER ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW, UH, CITY HALL, THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS, IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS, OF, OF THE CITIZENS, UH, NOT TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF, OF THE BUSINESS, RIGHT? UH, AND SO, AGAIN, I I'M SEEING A CONFLICT THAT THAT CITY HALL IS GONNA SUBSIDIZE FOR, FOR BUSINESSES, USE TAXPAYER MONEY FOR, FOR BUSINESSES THAT REALLY, THAT TAXPAYER MONEY IS SUPPOSED TO GO AND SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
AGAIN, I, I, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT AN ISSUE IN THE TRADITIONAL, AGAIN, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ESTABLISHED INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CITY, AND THEN THE CITY PARTNERING WITH THOSE BUSINESSES AS HAS BEEN DONE, DONE IN THE PAST.
I THINK ALL RESIDENTS CAN SEE A BENEFIT TO THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU GO THROUGH CITY HALL, WHEN THERE'S POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHEN IT IS CITY STAFF THAT IS RUNNING THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN YOU GET INTO ALL OF THESE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS.
UH, AND, AND THAT THAT IS A HUGE, UM, RED FLAG FOR ME.
AND, AND A AND A DEEP CONCERN, UH, AGAIN, ES ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA USE TAXPAYER MONEY TO SUPPORT, TO SUPPORT WHICH BUSINESSES, RIGHT? UM, HOW, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT ALL BUSINESSES ARE ARE GONNA GET PROPER, PROPER NOTICE TO, TO JOIN, RIGHT? HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH BUSINESSES ARE ACTUALLY GONNA EVEN HAVE THE, THE TIME TO, TO PROPERLY ENGAGE WITH THE CHAMBER? THERE'S PLENTY OF REASONS WHY PEOPLE DON'T JOIN CHAMBERS, BUT NOW, IF IT'S RUN BY CITY HALL, AGAIN, YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO THE ISSUE OF FAVORED BUSINESSES VERSUS BUSINESSES THAT DON'T GET ATTENTION FROM THE CITY.
AGAIN, WE'RE CUTTING OUT THE MIDDLE MAN.
UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN WILL SAID IT, THAT IT'LL ALLOW THESE BUSINESSES TO HAVE ACCESS TO CITY STAFF, TO CITY GOVERNMENT.
THAT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN INTERMEDIARY THERE, THERE, IT, IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE.
BUSINESS HAS ACCESS TO THE POLITICIAN BUSINESS, HAS ACCESS TO THE CITY STAFF.
CITY STAFF DOESN'T WORK FOR BUSINESS, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT, THAT, THAT'S A BIG CONCERN.
AND, AND IT'S WHY I'M, I'M AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, I, I ALSO WANTED TO ASK, UM,
[01:45:01]
IN THE PRESENTATION, KAREN, YOU, YOU HAD DESCRIBED HOW WE ALREADY HAVE A, A GREATER WEST COVINA, UH, BUSINESS, UM, ASSOCIATION, AND THAT, THAT HAS EXISTED FOR A WHILE, BUT ITS GROWTH HAS BEEN VERY LIMITED.I LOOKED THAT, I LOOKED THEM UP, AND I THINK THEY HAVE 110 ORGANIZATIONS, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS HAS, HAS IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE ALL THAT THERE IS.
SO WITH A A CHAMBER, HOW WOULD WE CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH THERE WOULD REALLY BE A, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM WITHOUT CREATING TWO SEPARATE, SIMILAR SOUNDING OR SIMILARLY PURPOSE ORGANIZATIONS? UM, I, I JUST, I WORRY ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, ANY PERCEPTIONS THAT MAY, WELL, THERE'S THIS, THERE'S A CITY CHAMBER, UH, AND THEN THERE'S, THEN THERE'S THE WEST COVINA BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT UM, ASSOCIATION.
SO HOW, HOW WOULD WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT WAY WE'D CREATE SYNERGY WHERE THEY WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THIS NEW ENTITY, IF IT'S CREATED, AND IN A WAY THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, VARIOUS INTERESTS MOVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER RATHER THAN CREATING TWO SEPARATE SILOS OF FOLKS WHO ARE BOTH WORKING ON SIMILARLY SUPPORTING BUSINESSES AND HAVING THE MOTIVATION TO, TO BUILD, UH, BUSINESSES IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, COUNCILMAN COUNTESS, IF I MAY ANSWER ON PLEASE.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND BENEFITS TO OUR BUSINESSES IN THE CITY.
WE WANT TO DO BUSINESS ATTRACTION, RETENTION, AND EXPANSION.
UM, SO ANY WAY THAT THE CITY CAN DO THAT, WORKING WITH, UM, DIFFERENT CHAMBERS OR IN OUR COMMUNITY OR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT.
UM, I THINK THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN, IN WHAT, UM, THE INTENT OF, OF, OF THIS
UM, AND PROVIDING THEM THOSE BENEFITS THAT ARE NOT, UM, THAT INCLUDE, UH, SEMINARS AND, AND, AND, AND WORKSHOPS.
UM, PROVIDING THEM RESOURCES THAT HELP THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE AS KAREN SAYING, SOME OF WHAT WE PROVIDE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SITE SELECTION, THEY COME IN AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT, WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND, WE'RE GROWING.
WHERE IS THAT SPACE IN THE CITY? AND WE CAN HELP IDENTIFY THOSE SPACES, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY STAY IN WEST COVINA.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A BENEFIT FOR THE RES FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, WE, UM, SO I THINK OUR GOAL WOULD BE REALLY TO FOCUS ON, ON PROVIDING RESOURCES, UM, TO OUR BUSINESSES.
SO THE PURPOSE WOULD, WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY ENTAIL FACILITATING NETWORK BUILDING AMONG BUSINESSES THEMSELVES AND, AND PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR, FOR SERVICES.
AND THAT ALSO WOULD NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THAT ENTITY WOULD ALSO SERVE OTHER BUSINESSES IN TOWN WHO AREN'T MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER.
THERE'S, THERE ARE ENTITIES WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER, BUT THEY WOULD NEED HELP.
THEY WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO COME TO THE CITY FOR SUPPORT.
IS THAT RIGHT? UM, WELL, I THINK SINCE THE WAY THAT THIS IS BEING ESTABLISHED, I MAYBE WE'D WANT TO FOCUS ON CITY ONLY, UH, BUSINESSES.
UM, THEN ONCE IT GETS TURNED OVER, WE MAYBE EXPAND IT TO BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
BUT, UM, AS WE'RE ESTABLISHING IT, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT DOES GET SPENT ON THIS, WE MIGHT WANNA FOCUS IT ON CITY, CITY, CITY BUSINESSES.
UM, ONCE IT BECOMES SELF-SUSTAINING WITH THE MEMBERSHIP FEES, THEN AT THAT POINT IT COULD BE EXPANDED.
AND THE LAST QUESTION, UM, UM, DO EITHER YOU OR THE CITY ATTORNEY OR ANYONE ON STAFF FORESEE THESE SORTS OF CONFLICTS THAT, THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM HAS DESCRIBED WITH REGARD TO, UH, DIFFICULTIES THAT COULD ARISE AS A RESULT OF ESTABLISHING THE STRUCTURE? MADAM MAYOR, THIS, THIS IS DESIGNED TO BECOME A, AS A SEPARATE ENTITY.
IT'S GONNA HAVE ITS OWN, UH, MONEY AND IT'S GONNA MAKE ITS OWN DECISIONS.
THE CITY'S JUST HERE HELPING TO START THIS, AND THEN THEY WILL REMOVE THEMSELVES WHEN THAT CHAMBER IS VIABLE.
SO I DON'T FOR, I DON'T FORESEE THAT TY, TY AND TYPICALLY CITIES USE TAX DOLLARS TO HELP FUND CHAMBERS.
THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S A GIVEN FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE.
THESE BUSINESSES ARE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, BRINGS IN PEOPLE, IT BRINGS IN MONEY.
IT'S, IT'S A POSITIVE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
HELP TO SET UP LATER ON THE ROUND SHOULD BE RUN BY THE INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBERS.
AND, UH, THE PEOPLE ELECTED THE BUSINESS WHEN THE BUSINESS JOINED.
JUST LIKE OUR AUTO DEALERSHIP.
[01:50:01]
THEY HAVE THEIR, UH, MEMBERSHIP OKAY.AND THEY HAVE THEIR ELECTION AND SAME THING TOO.
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO HELP OUT.
AND, UH, IN THE HISTORY OF THE 2016 WHEN I ELECTED, OKAY.
AND I FIND OUT WE HAVE, UH, GWC, OKAY, IT'S IN THE CITY HALL, RIGHT? REMEMBER PAULINA, IT'S RIGHT IN OUR CITY, OKAY? AND I, AND NOW WE THINK ABOUT IS ONE OF OUR CITY, AND THEY HAVE A MEMBERSHIP.
PEOPLE COME IN, THEY WANT TO JOIN BECAUSE THEY THINK THIS IS CREDIBILITY.
AND I FIND OUT ONE THING IS THEY ARE NOT NONPROFIT, THEY'RE PROFIT.
SO I, I TALKED TO MONICA AND SAY, YOU NEED TO BE A NONPROFIT.
AND SO YOU CAN, UH, RECRUIT MORE OF, UH, OKAY.
BUSINESS, BUT IT, IT DOESN'T WORK.
IT TOOK ABOUT ONE OR TWO YEARS FINALLY, BUT STILL OKAY.
AND, UH, WHEN THEY MOVE OUT, I THINK THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER WANT THEM TO MOVE OUT DUE TO THEIR PROFIT.
AND THEY ARE NOT BELONG TO THE CITY ENTITY.
SO THEY MOVE TO, UH, PLAZA WEST COVINA.
SO, SO ANYWAY, THIS IS THE HISTORY.
BUT ONCE UPON TIME, WE HAVE DONE IN THE CITY HALL.
AND WHEN I JOINED AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I WAS ASSUME THEY ARE ONE OF THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE CITY.
SO THE, AGAIN, WE TRYING TO HELP OUT ESTABLISH, AND WE HAVE THIS 4,000 BUSINESS.
I THINK THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR SOME LEADERSHIP AND WHEN WE ESTABLISH, OKAY.
AND THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THEM TO TAKE OVER AS A DIFFERENT ENTITY, NONPROFIT.
AND, UH, WITH, UH, SET UP BY THE HELP OUT WITH THE CITY.
AND I HOPE WE ARE NOT USING THE GENERAL FUND.
AND, UH, EVEN WE SET IT UP, WE USE THE GENERAL FUND.
WHEN WE GOT A MEMBERSHIP FEE, CAN WE GET THE MONEY BACK? WE CAN, RIGHT? UH, CITY ATTORNEY, CAN WE GET A, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
UH, THE QUESTION IS IF WE SET UP FOR THE, OKAY.
SOME SET UP FEE AND LATER ON, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE A MEMBERSHIP COMING IN.
AND CAN WE SIT, REIMBURSE MONEY BACK TO GENERAL FUND? YEAH, WE CAN, WE, WE CAN SET ANY TYPE OF ARRANGEMENT WE WANT INITIALLY.
WE CAN, WE CAN WORK IT OUT, ABSOLUTELY.
UH, UH, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING, OKAY, WE NEED TO KIND OF, UH, WITH, UH, OUR CREDIBILITY TO HELP TO SET IT UP.
AND IF THE FUTURE THEY WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE, LET WILL BE THE INDEPENDENT, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR WHAT'S GOING UP.
BUSINESS ASSOCIATE TO HIRE HOW MANY PEOPLE? IT'S NOT HIRED BY THE CITY.
WE HAVE OUR OWN CITY, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE SOME KIND OF, UH, OKAY.
AND LET, WE HAVE ALL THIS HOPEFULLY THREE, 4,000 BUSINESS JOIN IN AND, UH, JUST FOR THEM TO PAY THE MEMBERSHIP FEE.
AND WITH, WITH LIKE YOUR WORKSHOP, THIS AND THAT, THAT IS GOING TO HELP US A BIG TIME.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, I WASN'T FULLY READY, BUT, UM, UH, GWC, I KNOW, UM, I, I WOULD TALK TO THEM BACK IN THE DAYS BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
I WAS HOPING THAT THE BUSINESSES, UH, WOULD JOIN THEM AND EVERYTHING.
UM, THEIR NUMBERS ARE NOT GROWING.
I KNOW A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ACTUALLY JOINED GWC AND THEN ONE YEAR THEY SAID, FORGET IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY BENEFITING THEM.
UM, I KNOW BEFORE THEY WOULD NOT DO NIGHT EVENTS, WHICH THEY WOULD ONLY DO LIKE MORNING EVENTS ONLY AND WEEK.
THEY WOULDN'T DO WEEKENDS AND NIGHTS, WHICH I SAID IF YOU WANNA CATER TO ALL BUSINESS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, DO A VARIETY AND NOT JUST YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
UM, AND SO I DO, YOU KNOW, I I EVEN HEAR THAT THE COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS JUST, IT'S GREAT.
AND I, I REALLY WISH WE HAD THAT IN OUR CITY AS WELL.
UM, ON, ON HOW THIS WHOLE PROCESS GOES.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE, I MEAN, IT MIGHT NOT BE LIKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR WHATEVER IT IS, UM, BUT THEY, SIMILAR TO THAT, UM, WHERE WE CAN, THE CITY CAN HELP PROVIDE AND, AND GET THEM TO THE LEVEL WHERE WE CATER TO THE BUSINESS AND ASSIST THE BUSINESSES FOR ALL THEIR, THEIR NEEDS AND THE RESOURCES AND WHATEVER THEY REQUESTED.
SO, UH, THAT BEING SAID, I, I MEAN, I, I DO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING BEING IMPLEMENTED, CUZ RIGHT NOW, GWC IS, IS NOT TO THE LEVEL OF THE CALIBER WHERE WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.
AND I KNOW CERTAIN BUSINESSES WOULD LIKE THAT GROUP WHERE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BE CATERED OR, OR TO GUIDE THEM ON WHERE IT IS.
UH, FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS CURRENTLY, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN CITY HALL THAT IF BUSINESSES HAVE QUESTIONS OR LIKE, IS THERE A GO-TO PERSON HERE CURRENTLY? WHO AND WHO'S THAT? YES.
UM, SO, UM, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, UM, WE HAVE
[01:55:01]
TWO STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO EXPAND OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SITE SELECTION.UM, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT LEAD IN THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, YES, WE DO HAVE STAFF, AND THEN IF WE DO CREATE THIS, WOULD THIS BE, UM, BE GIVEN OUT AND LATER THAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE OVER IT.
I JUST, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT MAYOR PROAM, UH, MENTIONS ABOUT, LIKE, THIS WHOLE THING.
I KNOW WITH GWC, BECAUSE BUSINESSES HAVE SAID THEY ALSO, LIKE ALL BUSINESSES, THEY CATER FAVOR, WHATEVER.
IT, IT'S JUST, IT'S EVERYWHERE.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S JUST EVEN THERE'S LIKE FAMILY AS WELL HAS THAT.
BUT, UM, THAT BEING SAID, I MEAN, I, I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT CAN GROW AND, AND CATER.
CUZ IF YOU SAID GWC ONLY HAS A HUNDRED, WE HAVE HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES HERE? 3, 600, 3 4,000 BUSINESSES.
AND IT'S NOT, I'M HEARING A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT SAYS IT'S NOT REALLY CONDUCIVE FOR THEM.
SO YEAH, IT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
MAY I PROMPT HIM? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, SO WHEN, WHEN WOULD WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE VIABLE TO BE THEIR OWN ENTITY? WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THAT STANDARD? WHO, WHO DECIDES THAT? WELL, I THINK PART OF THE PROCESS IS WE WOULD, UM, CHECK IN ON THE PROGRAM EVERY YEAR OR ANNUALLY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S BEING SUCCESSFUL, WE PART OF THAT.
SO CAN WE, CREATION WOULD BE SET.
RIGHT? SO, SO, SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE CONFLICT THERE IS IS THAT IF, IF I'M THE POLITICAL MAJORITY AND I HAVE CONTROL OF THIS CHAMBER, THEN IT IS IN MY INTEREST TO, TO NOT ALLOW THE CHAMBER TO GO, RIGHT? SO IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE A A, A SET STANDARD OF, OF WHAT MAKES IT A VIABLE ENTITY TO THEN SEPARATE FROM THE CITY, THEN AGAIN, IT, IT CONTINUES TO BE A POLITICAL ARM.
AND THAT, AND THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S PART, PART OF THE ISSUE, PART OF THE CONFLICT, RIGHT? THAT, THAT THERE, THERE ISN'T A, A STANDARD EVEN THAT WE'RE USING TO SAY AT THIS POINT.
AND I, I THINK ALSO IT'S PROBLEM PROBLEMATIC IS THAT, THAT WE, WE ARE SAYING THAT THIS CHAMBER, THE, THE BENEFIT, RIGHT? WHY WOULD YOU WANNA JOIN IT? YOU WANNA JOIN IT CUZ IT GIVES YOU ACCESS TO CITY HALL, RIGHT? SO LET'S SAY, UH, I WANTED A, A LAND USE CHANGE, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO COME IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? AND SO, SO AGAIN, THE, THESE ARE THE, THE KIND OF LIKE BACKROOM DEALINGS THAT CITIES TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM, RIGHT? YOU, YOU WANNA MINIMIZE THAT LIABILITY.
AND, AND SO IF WE DON'T HAVE A STANDARD FOR WHEN THIS CHAMBER THEN BREAKS AWAY FROM, FROM CITY HALL, UM, AGAIN, THE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THOSE BYLAWS AND, UM, WE'LL REQUIRE THE APPOINTMENT OF INITIAL BOARD MEMBERS, RIGHT? WHO'S, WHO'S DOING THAT, RIGHT? IF WE, IF WE'RE WE'RE DOING THAT AGAIN, THAT, THAT BECOMES A POLITICAL ENTITY.
UH, I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING IT'S GONNA BE A SEPARATE NON-PROFIT, BUT THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE POLITICALLY MADE MAD.
UM, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO, THOSE ARE ALL GREAT POINTS.
THOSE ARE ALL GOOD IDEAS FOR US TO IMPLEMENT AS SAFEGUARDS AS THIS MOVES FORWARD.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SOME SOMEONE DOESN'T SEE.
YOU SEE IT, THEY BRING, THEY, IT BRINGS IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
WE CAN LOOK AT THAT, WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, DISCUSS IT, ADD IT TO THE BYLAWS.
UM, MAYBE YOU COULD BE INVOLVED IF, IF YOU SO CHOOSE AND, AND HOW THAT HAPPENS.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL GOOD POINTS THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED AND, AND SHOULDN'T BE WHEN, WHEN IT COMES VIABLE.
MAYBE IT'S, IT'S SELF-FUNDING.
THEY DON'T, THEY NO LONGER NEED STAFF.
UM, MAYBE AT THAT POINT THEY CAN NOW PAY THEIR OWN STAFF.
THERE COULD BE OTHER, MAYBE THEY REACH A NUMBER OF MEMBERS.
I'M, I'M JUST SPECULATING RIGHT NOW.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL GOOD POINTS THAT, THAT WE CAN ADD INTO THOSE BYLAWS AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE GOALS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE, THE, AND CREATING THE CHAMBER.
WHAT GOALS WOULD MAKE IT VIABLE TO TURN IT OVER FROM THE CITY COUNCIL? MAU? YEAH.
UH, I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR PROTON.
REGARDING, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW GOING TO BE FOREVER CITY COUNCIL, OKAY? WE JUST TRY TO HELP ESTABLISH SOMETHING THAT WE BENEFIT THE FUTURE OF THE CITY.
OKAY? SO, SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A ASSOCIATION LAND, OKAY? THE, THE, OUR BUSINESS GROUP, THEY CAN JOIN AND THEY CAN PITCH IN AND THEY CAN HELP THE CITY, OKAY? DO SOME OF THE EVENT AND THIS AND THAT.
THEY, THEY, THEY WANT TO DONATE, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO AND HOW, WHERE THE ENTITY WE NEED, OKAY, CTE AND THEY MAYBE CAN HELP US WITH, OKAY, DONATE AMBULANCE OR THIS AND THAT.
[02:00:01]
BUSINESS ALL GET TOGETHER, WE, WE IS A, IS A POWER, OKAY? FOR THE NONPROFIT, AGAIN, AS A NONPROFIT HAS TO BE NON-POLITICAL, RIGHT? THERE'S A NONPROFIT GUIDELINE THAT HAS CANNOT BE.AND ANOTHER THING ABOUT AUTO RED FLAG, BECAUSE WE, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT FOR THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE, WE ARE NOT GONNA SIT HERE FOREVER, OKAY? AND MRK MAYBE BECOME ASSEMBLY NO LONGER IN OUR CITY.
OKAY? BUT THE POINT IS, BUT HOW CAN I MIGHT BE OKAY AND, UH, OKAY.
WE, WE ARE NOT HERE FOREVER, BUT HOW WE CAN SET UP A FUNDAMENTAL THAT CAN HELP OUR CITY GROW IN THE FUTURE.
AND THE, THE CITY CAN HAVE AN ENTITY, OKAY? AND DISASSOCIATION, THEY CAN HAVE, UH, INFORMATION.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW A LOT OF BUSINESS DOESN'T HAVE INFORMATION.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO AND THIS AND THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WITH THIS, OKAY, THAT WE CAN KIND OF HELP OUT.
BUT IT'S REALLY HAVE TO SELF-FUNDED.
OKAY? REALLY DON'T WANT TO USE OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY, OKAY? AND, UH, IF WE SPEND ANY MONEY, WE WANT THE MONEY, UH, REIMBURSE BACK TO, UH, THE CITY.
I THINK IF WE GO TO SET UP, SET UP THE GUIDELINES, SET UP BYLAW OKAY FOR THAT.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T WANNA SPEND WAY TOO MUCH MONEY BY ATTORNEY FEE OR THIS AND THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY, OKAY, LET'S ALL INCLUDING A RETURNER SO WE CAN HELP OUT TO SET UP THIS NONPROFIT AND THEN HANGOVER TO THE BUSINESS, UH, COMMUNITY IN WEST COVINA.
HOPEFULLY THEY CAN HELP US TO RECRUIT MORE BUSINESS, CREATE MORE JOB.
SO I WANT TO MO MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE, OKAY.
TO ESTABLISH EITHER, UH, WEST COVINA POLICE ASSOCIATION OR TEMPLE OF COMMERCE TO AVOID ANY POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH OUR PREVIOUS OKAY.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN W TO ESTABLISH A CHAMBER ORGANIZATION WITH THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
[9) CONSIDERATION OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET]
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE.WE WILL GIVE THE PRESENTATION, UH, GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
UM, OUR FINANCE DIRECTORS STEPHANIE SMO IS COMING DOWN AND SHE'LL BE PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION.
SO TOTAL CITYWIDE SUMMARY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2324.
PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES REVENUE FOR ALL FUNDS COMBINED OVER 123 MILLION TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR ALL BUDGETED FUNDS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE OVER 129 MILLION.
ASIDE FROM THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES ARE FROM VARIOUS SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH HAVE ACCUMULATED FUND BALANCES FROM THE CURRENT AND PRIOR YEARS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEL NORTE PARK DEDICATION FEE FUND RECEIVED 1.3 MILLION LAST FISCAL YEAR FROM DEVELOPERS.
WHILE ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS NOT EXPECTED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, STAFF PROPOSES UTILIZING THAT FUNDING.
SO THUS, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN 1 29 IN EXPENDITURES AND 1 23 IN REVENUE.
ANOTHER ONE COULD BE THE SEWER FUND OR A METRO FUNDS.
AND SO AS WE ACCUMULATED THIS FUND BALANCE, UM, WE'VE SET ASIDE PROJECTS TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE THAT IN THE COMING YEAR.
THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAS BEEN STRUCTURALLY BALANCED WITH A NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE ESTIMATED TO BE OVER 176,000.
BY STRUCTURALLY BALANCED, IT MEANS THAT REOCCURRING REVENUES DO NOT EXCEED REOCCURRING EXPENDITURES OR EXPENDITURES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS.
AND SO THIS IS SPECIFIC IN REGARDS TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THE CITY'S BUDGET POLICY ALSO REQUIRES THAT THE GENERAL FUND MAINTAINED AN UNDESIGNATED UNAPPROPRIATED RESERVE AMOUNT EQUAL TO 17%, WHICH IS ABOUT 11.3 MILLION.
LOOKING AT THE CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE OVER THE NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE ABOUT 20 MILLION
[02:05:01]
WITH 17 MILLION IN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.WELL WITHIN THAT LIMIT, TOTAL GEN FUND REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE OVER 81.8 MILLION, WHICH IS A 2.5 INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
GENERAL FUNDED EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ARE PROJECTED TO BE OVER 66 MILLION.
THIS IS ALSO A 2.6 MILLION INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET.
ORIGINAL BUDGET, THE MAJORITY OF THIS GOES TO SALARY BENEFITS AND WHICH INCLUDE OVERTIME.
UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, ESTIMATES THAT, UH, WE WILL END THIS YEAR ABOUT 7.4 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND OVERTIME, AND WE'RE PROPOSING ABOUT 7.2 FOR NEXT YEAR.
MOST OF THIS OVERTIME IS FOR FIRE AND POLICE SERVICE LEVELS ARE PROPOSED TO REMAIN LEVEL ACROSS OPERATIONS.
NO P NEW POSITIONS WERE WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WERE ADDED IN RECENT YEARS AND ARE PROPOSED TO BE MAINTAINED.
SO THE CITY PRO STAFF PROPOSES MAINTAINING RECREATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SPORTS PARK, SPORTS PLEX OPERATIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER, AND THE TREE TRIMMING AND LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE.
IN REGARDS TO THE STATUS OF THE MUNICIPAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, UNTIL DIRECTION IS PROVIDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE CITY IS IN A HOLDING PATTERN.
THEREFORE, OTHER THAN THE C I P PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS FOR THESE PLANNING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, OR OTHER STUDIES THAT MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
UM, THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED C I P INCLUDES OVER 110 MILLION IN PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND THIS IS SPREAD ACROSS, UM, TRAFFIC FACILITIES, STREETS, SEWER PARKS, AND GENERAL USES.
BUDGET SURVEY WAS MADE AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY.
A TOTAL OF 46 PER PEOPLE RESPONDED.
AND WHEN THEY RANKED THEIR, WHAT, WHAT SERVICES ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM? IT WAS INFRASTRUCTURE POL POLICE, AND THE CITY'S IMAGE IN REGARDS TO FUNDING, WHAT WOULD THEY FUND WITH THESE DOLLARS? IT WAS POLICE, INFRASTRUCTURE, FIRE AND EMS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS, UM, SIMILAR TO THE NEEDS OF THE, THAT WERE DESIRED AND THAT IT FOLLOWS WITH POLICE, FIRE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS, PUBLIC SERVICES 21%.
THE, AS I HAD STATED, WE STARTED WITH THE BUDGET SURVEY IN DECEMBER.
WE HAD THE LONG-RANGE FINANCIAL FORECAST PRESENTED IN APRIL WITH A PROPOSED BUDGET.
ALSO IN APRIL, WE HELD TWO COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, WHICH COUNCIL WAS UPDATED ON THE COMMENTS FROM THAT DURING THE LAST MEETING AND OFFERED UP ANY DISCUSSION OR DIRECTION AND CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN REGARDS TO THAT.
UM, AND SO TONIGHT BEFORE YOU, WE HAVE THE FINAL PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, WHICH WAS MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AGAIN WITH THE BUDGET IN BRIEF.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE REASON WHY IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE SPENDING MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE IS BECAUSE THERE'S CARRYOVER FUNDING FROM PRE, UH, PREVIOUS YEAR, WHICH IS NOW BEING SPENT IN THE NEW YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE SPENDING MORE.
BUT THAT MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING IS ACTUALLY FROM A PRIOR BUDGET THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF I MAY.
SO IT'S NOT SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN WE HAVE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY USING THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE ON HAND.
IT'S JUST WE'RE GOING TO BE UTILIZING MORE THAN WE PROJECT TO BRING IN, IN THAT CURRENT YEAR.
SO WE'VE BEEN SITTING ON FUND BALANCES THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THESE SPECIFIC PURPOSES, AND NOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE PROGRAMMED PROJECTS TO UTILIZE THEM.
SO, SO THE FUNDING HAS BEEN ON HOLD.
SO JUST, UH, JUST TO PUT IT OUT THERE, I'M ABSOLUTELY AGAINST ANY DEFICIT SPENDING.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE ARE STRUCTURALLY SOUND, YOU CAN CATEGORICALLY SAY THAT WE, WE ARE NOT HA THIS BUDGET IS NOT A DEFICIT ORIENTED BUDGET EVEN TO, TO A PENNY.
WOULD, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO, TO STATE THAT? SO THE GENERAL FUND IS STRUCTURALLY BALANCED, SO WE ARE NOT GOING INTO A DEFICIT THERE.
NOW, IN THE OTHER FUNDS, WE ARE USING A FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR PROJECTS BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT THAT YOU WOULD SAVE UP FOR YOUR HOUSE.
YOU SAVE FOR YEARS TO RENOVATE YOUR BATHROOM.
WELL THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YEAR YOU MADE ENOUGH MONEY TO RENOVATE THE BATHROOM.
YOU SAVED THAT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT OUR DIFFERENT FUNDS ARE DESIGNED TO DO FOR US TO SET ASIDE MONEY FOR THOSE SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
AND THEN IN A GIVEN YEAR, WE DO A PROJECT AND UTILIZE A BIG CHUNK OF THAT FUND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
YOU EXPLAINED THAT SO
THE ONE PREVIOUS WHO SHE COULDN'T EVEN, UH, SAY STATE
[02:10:01]
WHAT A FUN BALANCE IS AND THEN THAT OTHER BALANCE THAT YOU MENTIONED.AND SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
USE THE, UH, RESIDENTS AND COUNCIL, JUST YEAH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOMENT? UM, I JUST WANTED TO, THANKS.
OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, YOU DOING THE MAGNIFICENT JOB? OKAY.
I WANT TO CONTINUE TO HELP US.
AND I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S VERY CONFUSING WHEN WE SEE THE $6 MILLION WE JUMP.
OKAY, SO, SO WE SAID, OH, WE DON'T WANNA CUT ANY SERVICE BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH 2018.
BUT NOW I KNOW WE'RE DOING MUCH BETTER WITH ALL THE STAFF HELP.
THE CITY DOING, UH, PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE STAFF TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN FOR US.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN TO CONTINUE, KEEP OUR CITY, UH, FINANCE HEALTHY.
DOES, IS THERE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WU AND A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ VIDO TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE CITY'S BUDGET.
MAYOR DIAZ ITEM PASSES FIVE ZERO.
OKAY, WE'RE DONE WITH CON WITH, UH, OUR AGENDA.
NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CITY COUNCIL REPORTS AND 1 23, EXCUSE ME, AP 1 23.
[MAYOR/COUNCILMEMBERS REPORTS]
I'M GOING TO, UM, TALK ABOUT OUR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CONFERENCE OF SHOPPERS SHOPPING CENTERS THAT WAS HELD IN LAS VEGAS THAT WE WENT IN MAY.UM, I WAS, UH, WE WERE THERE ALONG WITH, UH, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALI CANTOS, ACTING CITY MANAGER, PAULINA MORALES AND PAUL PLANNING MANAGER JOANNE BURNS.
WE WERE, WE WERE ALL VERY BUSY AND, UH, PROMOTING OUR CITY AND, UH, TRYING TO GET BUSINESS INTO OUR, OUR CITY.
UM, WE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM SEVERAL COMPANIES WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN BRINGING IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO OUR CITY.
MR. MARK GABA OF CHARLES COMPANY, A DEVELOPER THAT CURRENTLY OWNS WEST COVINA PROPERTY, SHARED SOME OF HIS, HIS IDEAS AND ARTIST RENDERINGS OF FUTURE PROJECTS.
WE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING WITH DEVELOPER JOSEPH PERRY FROM OLSON COMPANY AND SHARED WITH HIM SOME AVAILABLE LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE SUITABLE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN WEST COVINA.
WE ALSO MET WITH RICHARD LEWIS AND ROBERT MARTIN, WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF LAND ACQUISITION FOR LEWIS MANAGEMENT.
WE ALSO MET IN, UM, WITH SAM NARA SHAM FROM, FROM RELIABLE PROPERTIES AND SANDRA ARAS REPRESENTING CIRCLE K, GETTING INSIGHT INTO THE NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IT WAS AN EVENTFUL AND INFORMATIVE TRIP AND IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO REPRESENT THE CITY AS YOUR MAYOR.
AS ALWAYS, COUNCILMAN CONTOS ASKED SOME QUESTIONS, GREAT QUESTIONS.
AND PAULINA AND JOANN BOTH PROVED TO BE VALUABLE ON SPOT RESOURCES OF INFORMATION.
WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE SEEDS THAT WERE PLANTED WILL RESULT IN MANY POSITIVE THINGS FOR THE CITY'S FUTURE.
SO IT WAS A GREAT, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MANY PEOPLE.
I'M SURE I MISSED SOME, SO I'M GONNA ASK COUNCILMAN CONTOS, SEE IF HE WANTS TO ADD, CUZ I DIDN'T REMEMBER ALL OF 'EM.
WE ALSO, UM, UH, UH, TOGETHER WITH, WITH, UH, STAFF, I MET, UH, WITH, UH, RAISING CANES WHO, WHO, UH, WANTED TO TALK WITH US ABOUT COMING TO WEST COVINA.
UH, WE ALSO MET WITH A BROKER OF A RESTAURANT BROKER WHO ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON, UH, BRINGING IN RESTAURANTS.
AND WE, AND WE EXPRESSED OUR DESIRE TO, TO HAVE MORE SIT DOWN BUSINESSES WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
AND THEY TOLD US THAT IN THEIR ASSESSMENT THAT, UH, WE ARE MORE RIPE FOR CASUAL DINING BASED ON THEIR STUDIES AND DEMOGRAPHICS.
BUT WE REALLY WORKED HARD TO NETWORK AND TO MEET AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO BUSINESS WITH US HERE IN WEST COVINA.
AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO TRIED TO DO WAS TO, TO LOOK FOR FOLKS WHO, WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TRADER JOE'S.
I WENT AROUND LOOKING FOR THAT AND, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, UH, THEY ARE NOT IN AN EXPANSION MODE AT PRESENT, BUT I STILL, IT'S A, IT'S ON A, ON A, THE WISHLIST OF MANY OF US.
BUT, BUT IT WAS A VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE TRIP AND IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL SPENDING TIME WITH THE MAYOR AND WITH, UH, JOANNE AND, UH, WITH PAUL.
AND IT WAS JUST REALLY A VERY PRODUCTIVE TIME.
UH, I ALSO WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITY'S MONTHLY MEETING, UH, WHEREAS AS A A COUNCILMAN CONTOS, UM, WE WERE, UH, ABLE TO, UM, UH, VIEW A, A PRESENTATION ON SOME PROPOSED, UH,
[02:15:01]
POSSIBLE CHANGES, UH, TO PROP 47.AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM, UH, THE RETAIL LOBBY.
UH, AND, AND, AND ONE OF THE, THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT, THAT CAME OUTTA THE PRESENTATION, UM, WHICH IS IS SOMETHING THAT I ACTUALLY WANTED TO, TO MAKE A REQUEST ON WAS, UM, THAT THE, THE LEVEL OF SHRINKAGE AT A LOT OF THESE LARGE RETAILERS, UH, IS, IS ACTUALLY, UM, QUITE A BIT OF IT IS, IS BEING CAUSED BY, UH, SELF, SELF CHECKOUT.
UH, THE CEO OF WALMART, UH, JUST RECENTLY MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SHRINKAGE AT SELF CHECKOUT.
SO, UH, I, I GUESS, UM, I, I WANTED TO SEE WHAT, WHAT, UM, WHAT OTHER CITIES OR, OR JURISDICTIONS MAYBE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF, UM, I KNOW WE DID A SHOPPING CART, UH, ORDINANCE FOR, UM, OUR, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND IF WE COULD SEE ABOUT, UM, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IN TERMS OF, UM, SELF CHECKOUT, MAYBE, UH, THE LEVEL OF PERSONNEL NEEDED BY, BY FRONT OF THE DOOR, UH, TO HELP PREVENT, UH, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THAT, UH, THEFT THAT, UH, HAS BEEN CREATED WITH, WITH THE SHELF SELF-CHECKOUT SYSTEMS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN PRO PROLIFERATING, UH, MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES.
[CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION]
MOTHER? MAY I, SORRY.SO THAT WAS A MOTHER MAY I, OH, THE, I, I GUESS I WAS A A, A MOTHER MAY I
SO, SO, UM, MOTHER, MAY I, UH, TO, TO RE RE REQUEST A, A, A, A REPORT ON, ON, UH, CITY, UM, REGULATIONS ON, ON SELF-CHECKOUT TO, TO HELP REDUCE, UH, THEFT BECAUSE, UH, CURRENTLY THE CITY SUBSIDIZES A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES WHEN WE GET POLICE CALLS, UH, AND OH, OKAY.
IT SOUND ABOUT THE STAFFING, IT'S ABOUT IT'S THEFT.
IT'S, IT'S ABOUT, UM, SECURITY SECUR THEIR SECURITY, UM, BECAUSE THE LEVEL OF SELF-CHECKOUT AT A, AT A LOT OF THESE STORES HAS INCREASED THE PREVALENCE OF, OF, OF SHOPLIFTING.
UH, AND SO, UH, THERE, I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME CITIES THAT HAVE STARTED TO PUT, UH, SOME REGULATIONS ON, UH, THESE LARGE BOX STORES THAT HAVE SELF-CHECKOUT ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SECURITY THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT THE DOOR.
WE NEED, WE NEED THEM TO HAVE A SECURITY CALL.
IT, IT COULD BE THAT, IT COULD BE THE, THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL THEY HAVE, UH, WORKING IN THE STORE TO CREATE MORE OF A PRESENCE THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE, ARE THERE THAT, IT'S CALLED THE SENTINEL EFFECT.
WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, IN THEIR, UH, PROFESSIONAL UNIFORMS, IT, UM, CREATES A SENSE THAT YOU'RE BEING WATCHED AND SO PEOPLE DON'T, SO YOU RE REQUEST A MINIMAL STAFFING, BECAUSE I KNOW THE AMAZON FRESH, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK THEY EVEN HAVE A OH, NO.
YEAH, BECAUSE THEIR, UM, TECHNOLOGY IS, ONCE YOU PULL AN ITEM, YOU GET CHARGED.
SO YOU CAN'T STEAL FROM THE AMAZON FRESH.
THE SELF CHECKOUT SYSTEM THOUGH IS YOU GO, YOU SCAN YOUR OWN ITEMS, AND OFTENTIMES ACTUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS SOMEONE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY FORGET TO SCAN ONE OR TWO ITEMS, AND, AND THEY, THEY GET OUT.
AND THAT, THAT HAS LED TO A LOT OF THIS SHRINKAGE, UH, OR, OR THEFT THAT THAT'S HAPPENED AT THESE, THESE RETAILERS.
SO YOU REQUEST CITY TO CHECK INTO ALL THE CITY WHAT KIND OF POLICY THEY HAVE? YES.
I'M SURPRISED THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE WHEN I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL STORES WHERE THEY HAVE SELF CHECKOUT, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE THERE.
DON'T, DON'T, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT LEAD YOU AND SAY, OKAY, GO ON THEN.
SO, SO LIKE AT, UH, AT THE TARGET, THE, THE, THE PERSON IS, IS BEHIND YOU, AND, AND THERE IS NOT NO ONE REALLY, LIKE, THEY'RE NOT CHECKING, LIKE, HOW MANY ARE YOU, YOU CHECKING OUT, RIGHT? UH, I KNOW AT THE, AT THE WALMART THEY HAVE LIKE, LIKE NINE ON ONE SIDE, AND THEN THEY HAVE A BUNCH ON THIS OTHER SIDE, AND THEN, AND THEN YOU HAVE, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE'S NOT KIND OF, FOR ONE, THERE'S NOT A STANDARD.
UH, YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, COSTCO DOES IT THE BEST BECAUSE THEY HAVE IT WAY INSIDE.
PLUS THEY HAVE THE NARROW EXIT
AND SO I HAVE TO CARRY FOR HER, UH, OKAY.
AND BASICALLY WHEN WE, WE DO SALES CHECKOUT.
WE SCAN AND WE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE, UH, GOING OUT.
AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE PUT CHECK EVERYTHING.
SO THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING POSSIBLE.
THE BUSINESS HAVE TO DO THEIR OWN SYSTEM, BUT IT'S NOTHING WRONG TO, TO LOOK INTO ALL OTHER CITY POLICY.
SO, SO I'M, I'M, I'M A SECOND.
DO I HAVE A REQUEST BY MAY I PROTE ABOUT TO BUY A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU TO DIRECT STAFF TO LOOK INTO REGULATIONS WHEN THERE'S A SELF CHECKOUT, UH, FOR ORGANIZATIONS.
[02:20:01]
LOPEZ.MAY I PROTE ABOUT TO BUY? AYE.
ANY OTHER REQUESTS? I'M MADAM MAYOR
I'M, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO EXPRESS A BIT OF ANGER AT THIS POINT.
UH, I AM, UH, BEEN, IT'S BEEN REPORTED TO ME THAT, THAT THE, THERE, THAT THE CITY JUST HAS WEEDS EVERYWHERE.
THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, AND I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BRIGHT OF THE BRIGHTVIEW CONTRACT.
UM, AND I'M REALLY, UH, GRATEFUL TO THE MAYOR FOR HER LEADERSHIP WITH WE, WE SPENT 90 MINUTES LOOKING AT THAT CONTRACT ON SUNDAY.
AND, AND THEN WE ALSO DISPATCHED, UM, I LOOKED AND ASKED SOME PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND LOOK, AND THERE WERE THEN, THERE'S JUST A LOT THAT ISN'T DONE, UH, ALONG THE MEDIANS, ALONG AZUSA AMAR.
IT, IT'S JUST THERE ARE 102 PROVISIONS, UH, THAT, THAT ARE THERE.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE, WHAT THE EXTENT IS WITH REGARD TO THE SCHEDULING OF, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A, A SCHEDULE OF THE, OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
I, I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING IT MAY UN UNLESS MAYBE IT WAS THERE AND I DIDN'T NOTICE IT OR SEE IT, BUT I REALLY AM REALLY BOTHERED BY HOW WE'VE ALREADY HAD THIS CONTRACT IN PLACE AND I REALLY WANT TO KNOW, UH, WITH OUR SPENDING MORE THAN $35,000 PER, PER MONTH, WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR THAT? AND I REALLY THINK THAT I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE BLIND GUIDE OF CHAMPION REIFICATION.
BUT, BUT IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE'RE PAYING THAT THEM, THAT KIND OF MONEY AND, AND WE DEMAND AND EXPECT THAT THINGS BE BETTER.
I MEAN, I KEEP GETTING THESE REPORTS FROM RESIDENTS EACH WEEK ABOUT HOW THINGS AREN'T, AREN'T HAPPENING.
AND, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE DEDICATED THE MONEY, WE, WE REALLY URGE THAT THE, THIS GET DONE.
AND THE THING IS, UH, IT, IT REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE BEEN BEEN DONE.
AND, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE WHERE WE ARE NOW, I'M JUST REALLY WORRIED AND BOTHERED AND ANGERED ABOUT IT.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO DO A MOTHER MAY I, THAT WE LOOK INTO THE, THE, THE, THE, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY'RE BEING SUCCESSFUL AND MOVING FORWARD IN GETTING THE, THE THINGS DONE THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO.
AND, AND THAT THERE ARE NO DELAYS AND THERE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN INFORMATION AND REPORTS MONTHLY AS TO WHAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
AND I'M, I'M PUTTING IT OUT THERE THAT, THAT IF, IF WE DON'T SEE ANY BIG CHANGES, I WILL PUSH, UH, HARD TO, TO SUGGEST THAT OUR COUNCIL CONSIDER RESCINDING THE CONTRACT IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR, THEIR TAIL IN GEAR AND, AND GET EVERYTHING FIXED UP.
I, I REALLY EXPECT TO SEE BRIGHTVIEW HAVING PEOPLE ALL AROUND TOWN, FIXING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF OUR CITY LOOKING LIKE THIS.
AND, AND I DON'T, UH, WANT THAT TO CONTINUE.
AND I KNOW THAT MANY OTHERS FEEL THE SAME WAY.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A MOTHER MAY I, FOR A DETAILED UPDATE REPORT AND FOR US TO SEE PICTURES BEFORE AND AFTER THAT THESE THINGS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, SO THAT WAY WE CAN KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS BEING DONE.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, ONCE IT'S DONE, IT NEEDS TO STAY MAINTAINED.
WE CAN'T JUST HAVE OUR CITY LOOK LIKE THIS.
COUNCILMAN CANTOS,
SO LET ME, LET ME A, SO BASICALLY I WAS SECONDED.
BUT I THINK YOUR POINT IS, UH, CITY TO SUPERVISE THE CONTRACT AND THE PERFORMANCE, IF THEY'RE NOT PERFORMED, WE SHOULD TERMIN THAT.
SECOND COUNCILMAN, UH, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU TO GET A DETAILED UPDATE REPORT ON THE BRIGHTVIEW CONTRACT.
AND PER THEIR PERFORMANCE, UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
MAYOR DIAZ? AYE, EM PASSES FIVE ZERO.
HOWEVER, UH, HE MAY GET THAT REALLY QUICKLY BECAUSE TODAY DURING OUR, UH, CITY MANAGER'S MEETING, UM, I HAD A MEETING WITH OUR, RAUL AND I GOT A, A BIG STACK OF PAPERWORK THAT WILL PROBABLY BE SATISFYING.
AND WE DISCUSSED WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.
BUT I'LL SHARE THAT
WELL, WE STILL GAVE YOU THE MOTHER MAYOR.
WE'RE DONE WITH ALL MOTHER MAYS.
UM, UM, I, I, UM, IN, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN SEEING A, A, A LOT OF TRAGEDIES WITH LOSS OF PETS.
AND I'VE WAITED FOR A WHILE, BUT I WANTED TO WAIT FOR SOME OTHER THINGS TO BE OUT OF THE WAY.
AND NOW, UM, WITH REGARD TO COYOTES AND THE WAY THAT THEY'VE ATTACKED OUR PETS AND HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF TRAGEDY IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WITH MANY FAMILIES, INCLUDING IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER PLACES, I'D LIKE FOR THE CITY TO LOOK AT POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, TO, UH, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT, ABOUT COYOTES AND, AND HOW TO PROTECT THEIR PETS.
BUT ALSO WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE, UH, THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, UH, TO ADDRESS THE COYOTE POPULATION, UH, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, REMOVING THEM OR WHAT, WHATEVER, HOWEVER WAY THAT WORKS.
AND ALSO SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE TORRANCE MODEL
[02:25:01]
WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY HAVE A PROGRAM THERE FOR COYOTE ABATEMENT AND LOOKING AT OTHER MODELS SO THAT WAY WE CAN SEE WHAT POSSIBILITIES THERE ARE FOR US TO, TO SUPPORT PET OWNERS, UH, HERE.BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TIME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, COYOTES, WELL, THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR 7 MILLION YEARS.
WELL, I, AS, AS A RESIDENT AND OTHERS WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY, WHERE, WHERE, YES, COYOTES HAVE BEEN HERE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO WALK OUTSIDE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT, ABOUT OUR PETS.
UH, UH, SOMETHING HAPPENING TO THEM.
AND, UH, LITERALLY A FEW HOUSES AWAY FROM WHERE I LIVE, A COYOTE SNATCHED A PET, UH, FROM THE YARD RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE RESIDENT.
AND IT WAS SO TRAGIC WHERE, WHERE THE, THE, THE DOG HAD TO BE, UH, PUT TO SLEEP LATER THAT DAY.
AND SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF US WHO ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE COYOTE PROBLEM, NOT TO MENTION THEIR AGGRESSION AND THE WAY THAT THEY'VE ALSO BEEN KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED IN THE NEWS TO, UH, ALSO GET TO ATTACK PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S RARE IT HAPPENS.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE COUNT ON, UH, UH, FOR STAFF CONSIDER, UH, REV, UH, TO REPORT BACK TO US.
SO THE MOTHER MAY I, REGARDING THE CO POLICY YES.
INCLUDING LOOKING TO THE TORRANCE, UH, THEIR POLICY TO SEE HOW CAN WE ADOPT THE NEW POLICY.
WE CURRENTLY, WE HAVE A CO POLICY BACK IN 2017.
WE APPROVE AND, UH, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO UPDATE IT BASED ON CURRENT SITUATION.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A TRAGEDY.
YOUR, YOUR PET HAS BEEN EATEN BY THE CO I THINK THAT'S TRAUMATIZED.
SO, SO I, I, I WILL SUPPORT THIS TO LOOK INTO THE CO AND THE, THE PROGRAM.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CANTOS AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS AND THE COYOTES, ADDRESS THE COYOTE POPULATION AND LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE TORRANCE MODEL.
MAY I APPROACH HIM? TABBA AYE.
FIVE ZERO COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ RITO.
SO, UM, I'M BACK
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, UH, I KNOW I'VE BEEN MISSING OUT.
I HAVEN'T FULLY RECOVERED YET, BUT DOING SO MUCH BETTER.
UM, I'VE HAD ACCENTS BEFORE WHERE THEY HIT ME, REAR-ENDED ME, BUT IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THIS.
SO JUST SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AFTER COVID, EVERYBODY SEEMS TO FORGET HOW TO DRIVE, UM, EVERY DAY.
THERE'S ALWAYS AN ACCIDENT THAT I SEE.
UM, THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, I JUST FINISHED TRAINING, PRESENTING AT WESTWOOD REC CENTER, UH, YOU KNOW, IN LA COMING BACK HOME ON A FRIDAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TRAFFIC, NO TRAFFIC.
AND, UH, ON THE FREEWAY, UH, PAST SEVEN 10, WE ALL SLOWED DOWN TRAFFIC AND A BIG WHITE UTILITY VEHICLE.
I COULD SEE IT ON MY REAR VIEW MIRROR, IT'S JUST STILL FULL SPEED.
YOU TAP YOUR BRAKES, IT FLASHES AND THEY WARN YOU TO STOP AND THEY USUALLY BRAKE.
BUT THIS ONE DIDN'T, IT JUST SLAMMED ME.
UM, I ALWAYS GIVE A, A SPACE BETWEEN THE CARS, SO JUST, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THAT SPACE, UH, SO THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE CRUSHED IN.
UM, IT, IT DID A LITTLE BIT OF DAMAGE.
UM, UH, SAN GABRIEL PARAMEDICS DID COME AND SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM.
THEY DID TRANSPORT ME, IT PULLED MY LOWER LUMBER SPINE.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S LIKE FUNNY THOUGHTS CUZ IT, IT, UH, PARAMEDICS WAS LIKE, WE CAN GIVE YOU FENTANYL FOR THE PAIN.
AND I WAS LIKE, I JUST DID TRAINING.
THEY ALL GAVE US, UH, AT WORK, UH, NARCAN FOR FENTANYL AND IT'S IN MY TRUNK RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT UM, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE STREETS VERSUS, AND, AND APPARENTLY PARAMEDICS AND HOSPITALS, THEY GIVE FENTANYL ALL THE TIME.
AND SO, UM, BUT THE PAIN WAS BAD OBVIOUSLY.
I DID THANK THE PARAMEDICS SOON AS EVERYTHING WAS, UH, GOOD FOR LETTING CITY OF WEST COVINA BORROW THEIR AMBULANCE, WHICH WE HAD PASSED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
UM, SO, UH, I THANKED THEM FOR THAT.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO THANK, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS AND I DIDN'T PUT IT OUT THERE, I HAVEN'T BEEN ATTENDING ANY EVENTS.
UM, THE FIRST WEEK I COULDN'T REALLY WALK OR ANYTHING, BUT I'M DOING GOOD NOW.
UH, THANK, YOU KNOW THE WEST COA, FIRE WEST COA POLICE, UH, THE CITY STAFF, YOU KNOW, FOR, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE CARS, THE FLOWERS, BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS, THE UM, SOME PORTS AND YOU KNOW, LITTLE THINGS HERE AND THERE TO JUST MAKE THE TRANSITION AND RECOVERY A BIT SMOOTHER.
BUT I'M, I'M BACK AND IF YOU SEE ME LIKE I KNOW TODAY, IT'S LIKE SITTING DOWN IS LIKE DIFFICULT.
SO I HAD A STANDUP SIT DOWN AND THINGS ARE A LITTLE SLOWER, BUT AS I'M REGAINING MY MOBILITY AND UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING THERE, JUST, YEAH, I'LL, I'LL BE BACK IN ACTION GOING TO ALL THESE EVENTS.
BUT I KNOW SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY HAVEN'T SEEN ME IN ANY EVENTS.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU SITTING THERE REALLY
[02:30:01]
QUICK AND I PROMISE I WANT TO LET HER GO HOME EARLIER SO ACTUALLY I CAN SHUT UP.SO, BUT, BUT I STILL WANNA SAY WELCOME BACK.
I KNOW YOU WENT THROUGH A LOT AND UH, AND THEN THERE IS A TOP OKAY? AND, UH, A PRETTY SEVERE INJURY TO YOU.
AND UH, I KNOW THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THE BACK, THE WHEN YOU SIT AND THAT IS HORRIBLE.
BUT, BUT NICE TO SEE YOU IN ONE PIECE AND COME BACK, OKAY? AND, UH, AND SPEEDY RECOVERY AND UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, WE MISS YOU FOR SO MANY MEETING, BUT NOW YOU'RE BACK.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR TESLA'S IN OUR CITY.
I'M PROBABLY GONNA CONSIDER TESLA.
YOU HAVE TO CHARGE YOU AGAIN SO YOU BETTER TO CARRY.
UH, AND THE IRONIC PART, CUZ CHP TAKES TWO WEEKS TO GET, UM, THE PAPERWORK AND EVERYTHING CUZ YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T DRIVE AND THEN I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE, THE ONE WHO HIT ME IS A WEST COVINA RESIDENT
ANY OTHER, NOTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.