[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
GOOD EVENING.WELCOME TO OUR MAY 7TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IT IS 7:00 PM MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION.
TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR MATT CHAVEZ FROM ONE IN ALL CHURCH AND COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ.
VITO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
LORD JESUS, WE THANK YOU, GOD FOR THESE AMAZING COUNCILMEN, FOR THIS COUNCIL TEAM, AND LORD, FOR YOUR CALLING THAT THEY'VE ANSWERED TO ANSWERED HIGHER CALLING LORD.
THEY'RE HERE, LORD, SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, SERVING OUR CITY, SERVING OUR PEOPLE LORD, SERVING OUR FAMILIES, LORD.
AND THAT YOU'RE DOING AMAZING THINGS.
GOD ASK YOU, LORD, JUST TO BLESS THEM, GOD WITH WISDOM, INCREASED WISDOM, GOD, UNITY AS WELL, LORD, AMONGST ALL OF OUR PEOPLE, LORD JESUS, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT YOU'RE DOING MIGHTY WORKS THROUGH THEM.
GOD, OUR LEADERS, GOD, WE PRAY FOR STRENGTH, FOR THAT EXTRA COURAGE, LORD.
AND WE THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOU ALL BOUNDED ALL OF 'EM, LORD, IN THEIR HEARTS WITH LOVE.
WE THANK YOU, GOD BLESS THIS EVENING, LORD, THAT ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS AND, AND IDEAS AND THOUGHTS AND TALKS, LORD, BE CENTERED, LORD, BASED ON YOUR LOVE, LORD, WE THANK YOU GOD.
IN JESUS' NAME, EVERYBODY SAID AMEN.
PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
READY? BEGIN ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS NATION, ONE NATION UNDER, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
VITO, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO TE WU.
HERE, MAYOR CALDONE TABBA, PRESENT CITY ATTORNEY.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? NOTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT, MR. MAYOR.
UM, AND THEN GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO ADVISE THAT WE ARE POSTPONING THE PRESENTATION ON THE SOBER LIVING.
SO THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AT A FUTURE MEETING, I BELIEVE, UH, MAY 21ST.
[PRESENTATIONS]
ON TO PRESENTATIONS, TESTING, TESTING.I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, CHIEF RICHARD BOW TO THE FRONT.
UH, TODAY, UH, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL POLICE WEEK, UH, MAY 12TH THROUGH MAY 18TH.
GREAT NATIONAL POLICE WEEK OFFERS HONOR, REMEMBRANCE, AND PEER SUPPORT WHILE ALLOWING LAW ENFORCEMENT SURVIVORS AND CITIZENS TO GATHER AND PAY HOMAGE TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
IN 1962, PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY SIGNED A PROCLAMATION, WHICH DESIGNATED MAY 15TH AS PEACE OFFICER'S MEMORIAL DAY AND THE WEEK IN WHICH THAT DATE FALLS AS POLICE WEEK.
THE MEMORIAL SERVICE BEGAN IN 1982 AS A GATHERING IN SENATE PARK OF APPROXIMATELY 120 SURVIVORS AND SUPPORTERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
DECADES LATER, THE EVENT MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK, HAS GROWN TO A SERIES OF EVENTS WHICH ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO OUR NATION'S CAPITOL EACH YEAR.
UH, AND, UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, CHIEF BOW, WE WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR, FOR LEADING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AGAIN, WE, WE, WE HAD A, A FEW INCIDENTS AND, AND WHEN SPEAKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, JUST THE HIGHEST PRAISE FOR YOUR OFFICERS AND, AND JUST THE PROFESSIONALISM.
UM, AND I THINK ALL OF US IN THE CITY, UM, REALLY JUST APPRECIATE THE, THE DAY IN DAY IN AND OUT WORK THAT, THAT ALL OF YOU DO.
UM, WE'RE IN SOME UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.
UM, SPEAKING OF, UH, NATIONAL POLICE WEEK, WE GENERALLY HAVE FOUR OR FIVE WRITERS FROM OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT.
THEY WILL ASCEND ON WASHINGTON, DC AND I THINK THEY RIDE FROM NEW JERSEY TO WASHINGTON, DC.
AND THIS YEAR WE WILL BE HONORING, UM, I BELIEVE OFFICER ORTIZ FROM OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, I'M REAL THANKFUL FOR THAT.
UM, AND ON TOP OF THAT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITIZENS.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO IF, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE YOU.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY.
[00:05:15]
OKAY, THANK YOU.AND IF I CAN NOW INVITE, UH, NICHOLAS LEWIS, OUR ELECTED CITY CLERK TO THE FRONT.
UH, TODAY WE ARE ALSO PROCLAIMING AND CELEBRATING THE 55TH ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL CITY CLERK WEEK, MAY 5TH THROUGH MAY 11TH.
UH, THIS WEEK IS A TIME OF CELEBRATION AND REFLECTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
THE MUNICIPAL CLERK IS THE OLDEST OF PUBLIC SERVANTS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ALONG WITH THE TAX COLLECTOR.
OH, EVERYONE'S FAVORITE PERSON,
THE PROFESSION TRACES BACK BEFORE BIBLICAL TIMES.
OVER THE YEARS, MUNICIPAL CLERKS HAVE BECOME THE HUB OF GOVERNMENT, THE DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE INHABITANTS OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND THEIR GOVERNMENT.
THE EMINENT POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, PROFESSOR WILLIAM BENNETT MONROE, WRITING IN ONE OF THE FIRST TEXTBOOKS ON MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION IN 1934, STATED, NO OTHER OFFICE IN MUNICIPAL SERVICE HAS SO MANY CONTRACTS.
IT SERVES THE MAYOR, THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, AND ALL ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS.
WITHOUT EXCEPTION, ALL OF THEM CALL UPON IT ALMOST DAILY FOR SOME SERVICE OR INFORMATION.
UH, BUT IT DEMANDS VERSATILITY, ALERTNESS, ACCURACY, AND NO END OF PATIENCE.
THE PUBLIC DOES NOT REALIZE HOW MANY LOOSE ENDS OF CITY ADMINISTRATION THIS OFFICE PULLS TOGETHER.
SO IT'S A PROCLAMATION, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY IF YOU WERE.
MY NAME IS NICHOLAS LEWIS AS THE ELECTED CITY CLERK.
I AM THE CEREMONIAL HEAD OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AS I DO EVERY YEAR.
UH, I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, LISA SHEIK, WHO IS REALLY THE PERSON WHO DOES ALL OF THE ACTUAL WORK AS THE CITY CLERK.
GIVE HER, GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, UH, TRANSPARENCY IN THIS CITY STARTS WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO IF YOU HAVE A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION, YOU'RE COMING TO SEE LISA OR ONE OF ONE OF HER UNDERLINGS
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS, HAS SOMEONE A GO-TO SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE INFORMATION THEY NEED, UH, TO UNDERSTAND AND HOLD OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, SO ULTIMATELY, UM, THAT'S WHAT SHE DOES, AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR HER AND AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER CITY CLERK IN THE UNITED STATES WHO, UH, PERFORMS AN ADMIRABLE ROLE IN THAT, UH, IN, IN THAT REGARD.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, LISA, AND IF YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING, OH, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO
UH, WELL, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE MAYOR COUNCIL AND NICK FOR ACKNOWLEDGING OUR OFFICE.
UH, WE DO DO, UH, A LOT OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.
UM, WE ALSO TAKE IN SUBPOENAS AND SUMMONS FOR THE CITY.
UH, WE ROUTE CONTRACTS FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
THAT'S JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW.
WE ACT AS THE ELECTIONS OFFICIAL AND ARE THE TRANSPARENCY DEPARTMENT OF CITY HALL.
AND SO I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO THE STAFF I HAVE CURRENTLY WORKING FOR ME, UM, YVETTE RODRIGUEZ, WHO IS A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE, AND SHE'S BEEN DOING AN AWESOME JOB.
SHE'S BEEN HERE SINCE ABOUT SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN I ALSO HAVE A PART-TIME OFFICE OF AID, LAURA, WHO IS JUST REALLY STEPPED INTO THE ROLE AND HAS BEEN HELPING US WITH, UM, OFFICE DUTIES.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM AS WELL FOR THIS EVENING.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
MANAGER'S REPORT, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER, PAULINA MORALES.I WAS HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
[00:10:01]
BEING SLOW.SO GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, JUST TO GIVE A COUPLE UPDATES ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE CITY.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HAD A RECENT COMMUNITY SERVICES, UH, EVENTS.
UH, WE HAD, UH, GET CRAFTY ON APRIL 18TH.
IT'S, IT WAS A WORKSHOP, UM, AT THE SHADOW OAK COMMUNITY CENTER ON APRIL 18TH.
UM, THIS EVENT WAS FREE AND OPEN TO CHILDREN AGES 16 TO 11, A TOTAL OF 13.
UH, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 13 PARTICIPANTS AT THIS EVENT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN HOSTING, UH, READING ADVENTURES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE LAST ONE WAS AT THE SHADOW OAK COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, THIS PAST APRIL, THE, UH, EVENT WAS HELD, UH, TUESDAY, APRIL, UH, ON TUESDAY, APRIL 20TH.
BETWEEN THREE AND SIX, UH, CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ A BOOK AS THEY WALK THROUGH ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARKS.
SO WE ENCOURAGE OUR, OUR RESIDENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UPCOMING, UH, READING ADVENTURE.
UM, THIS LAST ONE WAS THE NIGHT, THE DRAGON AND THE EVIL KING AND QUEEN, UH, ALSO AT PALM VIEW CENTER, WE HELD ITS FIRST MEETING OF THE GARDENING CLUB ON APRIL 25TH WITH A TOTAL OF 48 PARTICIPANTS.
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROGRAM WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING A THERAPEUTIC AND INCLUSIVE GARDENING EXPERIENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, ON A, UH, SATURDAY APRIL 27TH, WE CELEBRATED EARTH AND ARBOR DAY HERE, UM, AT THE CIVIC CENTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WEST COVINA.
WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO DEDICATE THREE TREES THIS YEAR, UM, AND THE EVENT FEATURED TREE PLANNING CEREMONY, GARDENING PRESENTATION IS STORYBOOK, WALK, FACE, PAINTING, AND STORY TIME BY LA COUNTY LIBRARY.
UM, A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO WEST COAST ARBORISTS FOR DONATING THE TREES AND FOR WEST COVINA.
BEAUTIFUL FOR CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH US TO HOST THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
UM, AND ALSO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THIS YEAR, WE ALSO HAD OUR, UM, WEST COVINA CHEFS, UH, CATER THE EVENT.
AND THE FOOD IS ALWAYS DELICIOUS.
SO WE ENCOURAGE THIS, UH, MORE RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE NEXT YEAR, ENJOY WITH THE FESTIVITIES AND HONORING COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ALSO, UM, ENJOYING SOME DELICIOUS FOOD.
UH, WE ALSO HAD OUR SMALL BUSINESS, UH, WEEK EVENT LAST, UH, THURSDAY.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED BACK IN 2016 AS A WAY TO REACH OUT TO OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THEM.
UM, A HUGE THANK YOU TO SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, SBDC AND LAVERNE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND AMERICA'S JOB CENTER OF CALIFORNIA FOR CONTINUING TO BE OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO THANK OUR SPART, OUR, UH, FOOD SPONSOR, SHAREABLE BOARDS, BUN STREET.
I KNOW DOUG AND MATT ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
UM, TAKE YOUR, UH, SWEET LIGHT AND EUPHORIA.
WEST COVINA BISTRO FILIPINO, UM, FOR THE DELICIOUS FOOD THAT THEY SPONSORED.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE EVENT, UM, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LAUNCH, UH, WEST COVINA CHAMBER.
AND SO WE HAD SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO, TO, UH, BECOME A MEMBER AND SOME OF THE BENEFITS.
SO, UM, WE ARE ACTIVELY NOW LOOKING FOR MEMBERSHIPS FOR THE CHAMBER.
AND WE HAVE A VIDEO OF OUR CINCO DE MAYO AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
SO, JUST WANNA THANK OUR COMMUNITY, UH, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE STAFF AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING ONE OF THOSE EVENTS, BUT THEY'RE VERY LIVELY AND WE DEFINITELY, THERE'S A, DEFINITELY A HUGE CROWD.
AND SO WE LIKE TO CELEBRATE WITH OUR SENIORS.
AND SO THAT WAS OUR LAST EVENT.
UM, AS WE HAVE ON THE BUDGET 10, OR SORRY, ON THE AGENDA.
AGENDA TONIGHT IS OUR BUDGET, UM, PRESENTATION.
WE ARE GONNA BE HAVING TWO BUDGET WORKSHOPS.
UM, ONE WILL BE HELD, UH, TOMORROW AT THE CAMERON COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, AT 6:00 PM AND THEN ON MONDAY, MAY 13TH AT 6:00 PM HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.
[00:15:01]
SO, UM, WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THOSE WORKSHOPS, GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.UM, HELP, YOU KNOW, GET FEEDBACK AND, AND GET SOME, UH, COMMENTS FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
SO WE ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ATTEND.
UH, A COUPLE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO, UM, IT'S, UH, ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE FOR OUR NEW PERMITTING PROCESS FOR FIREWORKS.
SO CURRENTLY IT DOES COME TO COUNCIL.
MOVING FORWARD, IT'LL BE DONE AT ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL WITH, UH, THE FIRE CHIEF.
UM, SO JUST TO GIVE A HEADS UP TO, I KNOW SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE FIREWORKS FOR THEIR GRADUATIONS NEXT YEAR, IT'S GONNA BE A DIFFERENT PROCESS, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE TO, UH, INFORM THEM OF WHAT THAT NEW PROCESS IS.
UM, SECONDLY IS THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR CORTES SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER ROOF AND HVAC IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP IMPROVE THAT FACILITY FOR OUR SENIORS.
UM, WE ARE USING, UH, CDBG FUNDS TO, UH, FOR THE REPAIRS.
AND THIS ITEM IS CONTINGENT OF, UH, UPON COUNCIL'S APPROVAL TONIGHT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON YOUR AGENDA.
AND SO THAT ITEM REALLY IS TO, UH, REALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
SO, JUST WANTED, UH, TO POINT THAT OUT.
UH, WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING EVENTS, UH, MAY 27TH.
WE HAVE MEMORIAL DAY, UH, HERE AT THE CIVIC CENTER AT 10:00 AM WE HAVE OUR WEST COVINA FIRST ANNUAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SENIOR EXPO AND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY SENIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT.
THAT'S GONNA BE MAY 30TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 4:00 PM AT THE WEST COVINA SPORTSPLEX.
SO THIS IS A NEW EVENT HERE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR SENIORS.
UM, BUT, UM, EVERYONE'S INVITED
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, MAY, UH, NOT MAY 2ND.
UM, WE ARE STARTING OUR SUMMER CONCERTS NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
WE HAVE SOME GREAT BANDS LINED UP, ALL THE INFORMATION'S ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND, UM, WE HOPE TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY OUT THERE THIS YEAR.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, PLEASE FILL OUT AN ORANGE SPEAKER CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME BEING CALLED, PLEASE START LINING UP IN THE CENTER ROW.
THE TIMER WILL START WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED TO SPEAK.
UH, ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IS, UH, RE REQUEST TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON NON-AG AGENDA ITEMS. SO WHEN YOU DO FILL OUT YOUR CARD, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING ON AN AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO NOTE IT SO THAT WAY YOU CAN, UH, SPEAK FIRST.
UH, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE TONIGHT? MAYOR, WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKER SLIPS.
UH, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL THE FIRST SPEAKERS.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JIM GRITCH, FOLLOWED BY JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY JOHN CARSON, UH, ASSISTANT C CLERK.
IF WE COULD START THE TIME, ONCE THEY GET TO THE MIC.
I TURNED MY CARD LAST, BUT I GET TO TALK FIRST ANYWAY.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
UH, MY ACTUAL CONCERN ABOUT THE BUDGET IS THE RECEPTIVITY OF THE COUNCIL TO THE COMMUNITY.
I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE SOME HEARINGS SET UP FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.
AND I'VE BEEN TO ALMOST ALL THOSE HEARINGS IN HISTORY, UH, UH, SEVEN YEARS NOW.
AND IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE NOTICED VIRTUALLY NO RESPONSE BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO SAY.
UH, SPECIFICALLY, THE COMMUNITY HAS, IN VARIOUS FORMATS, PEOPLE TALKING IN SURVEYS, ET CETERA, HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY SAYING THEY THINK THEY NEED MORE POLICE ON, ON THE STREET.
UH, ESPECIALLY TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.
I HEARD SPEAKER AFTER SPEAKER SPEAK IN THIS ROOM, SPEAK AT THE HEARINGS, AND YET WE HAVE A BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT USES THE WORD ROLLOVER.
THAT MEANS YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A BUDGET PLAN AT ALL.
YOU'RE JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE, AND THERE'S GOING TO COMMIT ANY CHANGES.
AND I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CITY'S PRIORITY, TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS AND COME UP WITH SOME PLANS ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING WITH A LOT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY GIVES YOU, UH, AND NOT JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DOING.
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE? THIS PARTICULAR DOCUMENT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A PLAN AT ALL.
IT JUST LOOKS LIKE AN ACCOUNTING DOCUMENT.
THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE.
THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPENT.
[00:20:01]
BUDGET.A BUDGET IS WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? UH, I, I, I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER ITEM ON THE AGENDA ABOUT A NEW CITY MANAGER.
AND, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE NEW CITY MANAGER WOULD TAKE TO WHAT I JUST SAID TO HEART.
THE CITY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT THE FUTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND IT ISN'T THE SAME AS WHAT THE PAST WAS.
AND THE INSTRUMENT TO DO THAT IS CALLED THE BUDGET.
UH, ONE SPECIFIC THING I WANNA MENTION ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER APPOINTMENT.
I, I'VE HEARD, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I HOPE IT'S NOT TRUE, BUT I, THERE APPARENTLY HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE TO AN INQUIRY ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INTERVIEWED FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
I, I THINK THE PUBLIC'S ENTITLED TO AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INTERVIEWED FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER BY THE CITY COUNCIL? THANK YOU.
JOHN SCHUMAKER, FOLLOWED BY JOHN CARSON, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN Z.
JUST TO MAKE A COUPLE LITTLE, UH, COMMENTS.
I DOUBT THE NEW CITY MANAGER WILL CHANGE ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME PERSON WHO HELD THE JOB LAST YEAR.
SO WHY WOULD THEY MAGICALLY DO THINGS? BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA ITEM THAT SOMEBODY WAS BEING APPOINTED, I WENT, GREAT.
YOU KNOW, FINALLY, SOMEBODY'S GONNA BE IN, THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE OFFICIALLY.
I WENT, WHO IS GOING TO TAKE JUST ONE YEAR? AND THEN ALSO HAVE ADDED THAT I CAN HAVE MY OLD JOB BACK IF I DON'T WORK? SO IT TOLD ME A COUPLE THINGS THAT AFTER A YEAR, THE PERSON WHO'S BEING APPOINTED DOESN'T HAVE THE FULL CONFIDENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MAKING IT A YEAR WITH NO OPTIONS, WITH NO OPTIONS.
THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT CONCERNS ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS TWO THINGS.
DOES THE PERSON THEMSELVES, WHO'S TAKING THE JOB, HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEM? 'CAUSE THE CITY, CITY COUNCIL ALREADY HAS SAID THEY DON'T, BY THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT, THERE'S TWO, TWO THINGS.
ONE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA SAY, WELL, I WANT MY OLD JOB BACK IF I FAIL, BECAUSE YOU HAMSTRING THE NEW PERSON OF HAVING THE STAFF THAT THEY WANT.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE WAY IT WORKS, THAT YOU'RE KEEPING THE OLD ADMINISTRATION IN, ESPECIALLY AT THAT LEVEL.
AND THEN IT ALSO MAKES IT LOOK LIKE WHOEVER COMES IN TO BE THE ASSISTANT OR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IS, WELL, HOW LONG DO I HAVE MY JOB FOR? SINCE I CAN BE BUMPED OUT OF IT.
IF THE PERSON ABOVE ME FAILS, THAT'S DISCONCERTING IN ITSELF THAT YOU HAVE THAT.
SO YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMETHING LOOKS GOOD, WE FINALLY, YOU KNOW, FINALLY ARE DOING SOMETHING, GETTING IN PLACE.
THEN YOU GET UNDER THE COVERS AND YOU SCRATCH YOUR HEAD AND WONDER WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN EXPRESSED THAT THE PERSON WHO IS GETTING THE JOB, THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT IT, OR PROBABLY THE CASE.
AND THIS WOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT.
SHE KNOWS WHAT KIND OF BIZARRE PEOPLE ARE SITTING ON THIS CONSOLE AND NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
AND THAT'S THE GOOD WAY OF PROTECTING YOURSELF.
HEY, YOU KICKED ME OUTTA HERE BECAUSE ONE DAY I SAY SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T LIKE, I'M GONNA GET THROWN OUTTA HERE NO MATTER HOW TRUTHFUL IT IS.
AT LEAST I KNOW I'M GONNA GET A JOB FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE I FIND SOMETHING ELSE IN ANOTHER CITY IF I DECIDE I WANT TO LEAVE.
SO EVEN WHEN YOU GUYS START TO DO SOMETHING, YOU LOOK AT IT AND GO, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON? WHAT IS GOING ON? TH THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS UNHEARD OF, OR AT LEAST YOU KNOW, IN THE REAL WORLD.
SO AT LEAST YOU HAVE SOMETHING COMING FOR YOU.
IF, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY GO OFF ON, UH, ONE OF THEIR TANGENTS, YOU DON'T, UH, KISS THE RIGHT RING, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE, UH, TERMINATED.
YOU KNOW, UH, LIKE, UH, ONE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WAS TERMINATED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T
[00:25:01]
INTRODUCE TONY FIRST AT A MEETING.SO I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD AGREE TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S SAD, BUT, BUT THEN HOPEFULLY IN A FEW MONTHS, WE WON'T BE WORRYING ABOUT THAT ANYMORE.
JOHN CARSON, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN ZONG, FOLLOWED BY MIKE MORALES.
I'M HERE TO TALK TONIGHT ABOUT MY, UH, SUPPORT FOR NATHAN, NATHAN HOCKMAN.
HE'S CURRENTLY RUNNING FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY LA COUNTY IN NOVEMBER, 2024.
I KNOW IT'S EARLY SEVEN MONTHS, BUT IT'S GONNA BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT.
UH, NATHAN IS THE FORMER ASSISTANT, UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CALIFORNIA.
NATHAN IS THE RIGHT PERSON FOR OUR NEXT DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO WILL RESTORE LAW AND ORDER IN OUR COUNTY.
VIOLENT CRIMES AND PROPERTY CRIMES HAVE SURGED DURING GAS ON'S TIME IN OFFICE.
UNDER GASCON VET, UH, VETERAN PROSECUTORS RESTRICTIVE THEIR ABILITY TO FILE APPROPRIATE CHARGES AGAINST VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS, WHICH PREVENTS VICTIMS FROM SEEING OFFENDERS APPROPRIATELY PUNISHED, AND, UH, PUTTING ALL OF US AT RISK.
ONCE UH, NATHAN IS ELECTED FOR OUR NEXT DA, HE WILL MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY NUMBER ONE.
I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON HIM, AND HE'S THE GUY WE WANT.
UH, UH, WE DEFINITELY NEED ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, EVERYBODY I TALK TO IN THE STREETS, EVERYBODY'S TIRED OF THE CRIME, NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT'S TIME TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER.
AS A FATHER OF A MURDER CHILD, I AM PROUD TO ENDORSE NATHAN.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO JUST DO YOUR RESEARCH ON HIM.
WIN-WIN ZONG, FOLLOWED BY MIKE MORALES, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ACTING CITY MANAGERS, STAFF, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'M
IT GIVES ME PLEASURE AND HONOR TO TONIGHT TO ANNOUNCE WEST COVINA LIBRARY.
YES, 1:30 PM WE ARE ALL VERY, VERY EXCITED TO GET THE LIBRARY REOPENED, AND WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THE NEWLY DESIGNED SPACES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
MIKE MORALES, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY, AND I'M SORRY, I CAN'T READ IT.
SO, I'M GONNA READ OFF OF THIS 'CAUSE IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO READ, TO WRITE IT.
SO, AROUND A MONTH AGO, IT WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, CONCERNS REGARDING THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF GROUP HOMES, INCLUDING, INCLUDING SOBER LIVING RESIDENCES ACROSS WEST COVINA.
UH, THESE HOMES, UH, CURRENTLY OPERATE WITHOUT OFFICIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR REGULATION FROM THE CITY.
CONSEQUENTLY, RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED DISTRESS OVER VARIOUS NEGATIVE IMPACTS, RANGING FROM NOISE DISTURBANCES, UH, TO INCREASE DEBRIS AND PARKING ISSUES.
UH, DISTURBINGLY, THERE HAVE BEEN ALARMING INCIDENTS REPORTED, SUCH AS FINDING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA IN THE NEIGHBOR'S POOL, POSING A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF 4-YEAR-OLD, AND THE UNSELLING PRESENCE OF A NON-REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER OF RECITING JUST ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND NEXT DOOR TO THE SAME LITTLE GIRL.
WHILE I CAN'T PROVIDE AN EXACT COUNT OF GROUP HOMES, BUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT HAD BEEN MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE POTENTIALLY OVER 200 JUST IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
I COULD PERSONALLY ATTEST TO AT LEAST TWO GROUP HOMES LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM EACH OTHER NEAR MY OWN HOME.
THIS CLUSTERING OF FACILITIES CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER IS DEEPLY TROUBLING AND CAST A SHADOW OVER THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
[00:30:01]
THE WEST COVINA LACKS REGULATIONS FOR THESE GROUP HOMES, INCLUDING SOBER LIVING FACILITIES, IS CONCERNING.AND IN RESPONSE, I'VE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO DRAFT A PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT AIMS TO ESTABLISH CLEAR REGULATIONS FOR THESE ESTABLISHMENTS.
SOBER LIVING FACILITIES ARE VITAL SPACES WHERE INDIVIDUALS COMMIT TO MAINTAINING SOBRIETY, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT OFFERING FORMAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, CURRENTLY, THESE FACILITIES OPERATE WITHOUT OVERSIGHT OR LICENSING FROM THE STATE.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE SEEKS TO AMEND SECTIONS OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM SUCCESSFUL REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER CITIES.
THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THESE REGULATIONS ARE TO UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, ENSURE FAIR HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS, AND MINIMIZE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
BY IMPLEMENTING THESE REGULATIONS, WE CAN ENSURE THAT THESE FACILITIES OPERATE WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND COMPASSION, ACKNOWLEDGING THE INVALUABLE SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE TO INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY.
ULTIMATELY, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE SEEKS TO STRIKE A DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN PRESERVING THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND EXTENDING ESSENTIAL SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED.
THIS ORDINANCE SERVES AS A CRITICAL STEP IN ESTABLISHING A POLICY THAT GOVERNS THE OPERATIONS OF GROUP HOMES AND SOBER LIVING FACILITIES.
ALIGNING WITH THE CITY'S AUTHORITY UNDER STATE LAW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PERMIT ARE EXPECTED TO BE COVERED BY THE PERMIT FEE TO BE DETERMINED.
WHILE THE DRAFT OF THE ORDINANCE IS NEARING COMPLETION.
ACHIEVING FULL READINESS WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STEPS, INCLUDING CREATING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION, DETERMINING APPROPRIATE FEES, REFINING DEFINITIONS AS NEEDED, ASSIGNING AN ORDINANCE NUMBER, ASSESSING MUNICIPAL AND ZONING CHANGES, AND CONDUCTING A FINAL REVIEW BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I I'M SURE YOU GUYS RECEIVED THEM, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
R ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY MR. CASTELLA, FOLLOWED BY, AND I'M SORRY, I CAN'T READ THIS GENTLEMAN'S WRITING EITHER.
IT LOOKS LIKE DON TRON, UH, AARON BUSHNELL.
UH, HE WAS AGED 25, A SENIOR US AIRMAN.
UH, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHY HE DIED ON FEBRUARY 25TH THIS YEAR, UH, IN FRONT OF THE, UH, DC ISRAELI EMBASSY.
AND, UH, AL JAZEERA HAD SOME, UH, PROBLEMS RECENTLY.
UH, MAYBE YOU GUYS KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT THAN I DO, BUT, UH, MAYBE WHAT HAPPENED TO AL JAZEERA, UH, MIGHT HAPPEN TO THE, UH, NEW YORK OR LA TIMES, OR THE WASHINGTON POST, UH, UH, THAT THAT WOULD BE A, A SHOCKING THING, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, AL JAZEERA HA HAD A RECENT PROBLEM, AND THEN THERE WAS, UH, 1967.
UH, IF ANYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE, UH, USS LIBERTY THAT NARROWLY, THAT BOAT, UH, NARROWLY, UH, AVOIDED BEING SUNK, UH, IN 1967 IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
BUT, UH, I'LL, I'LL JUST, UH, SHUFFLE ON TO PRO, UH, TO TOPIC NUMBER TWO.
UH, ARIZONA'S UH, TURNING AROUND, UH, THEIR REPUBLICAN PARTY, INCLUDING MARICOPA COUNTY IN JANUARY, HAS, UH, DECLARED, UH, COVID-19 INJECTIONS, BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL WEAPONS.
UH, THEY PASSED A BAN, THE JAB, UH, REV RESOLUTION BY A 95% VOTE.
UH, ALSO, UH, UH, ALL, UH, AI, UH, MESSENGER, RNA TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE BANNED AND RECALLED AS A BIO WEAPON UNDER FLORIDA LAW AND A THREAT TO THE HUMAN GENOME.
THERE IS NO BENEFIT FOR THIS GENETIC EXPERIMENT.
PLEASE STOP THE GLOBAL B WEAPON, WAR ON HUMANITY.
[00:35:01]
UH, SELF-INFLICTED NEURO, UH, NANO WEAPON.UH, AND THIS PARTICLE, UH, TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN, THE EXPERIMENT IS PAID FOR BY THE CARES ACT, WHICH, UH, I'M NOT A DOCTOR, BUT IT, UH, CLOBBERS, UH, ONE'S IMMUNE SYSTEM, AND IT TRIGGERS, IT IS BEEN TRIGGERING A WAVE OF TURBO CANCERS.
EVERY, EVERYBODY YOU KNOW IS GONNA GET, UH, EVEN UNDER 50, EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, IS GONNA GET, UH, CANCER BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVE A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM.
THIS IS COMING FROM A NON-DOCTOR, SO I, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A VILLAGE IDIOT.
UH, UH, UH, ANYWAY, UH, ANOTHER POINT IS ALL LAWS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO THE US, UH, CONSTITUTION ARE VOID ACCORDING TO MARBURY VERSUS MADISON.
UH, AND I THINK A MASS MURDER AND GENOCIDE WOULD QUALIFY AS BEING SOMETHING THAT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UH, CONGRESS PASSED, UH, UH, VOLUME 10, UH, UNITED STATES CODE 1107 LAW AUTHORIZING THE US PRESIDENT TO WAIVE THE FAKE INFORMED CONSENT PROVISION OF THE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION LAW.
THAT'S AN OPTION TO ACCEPT OR REFUSE UPON A PRESIDENTIAL, A PRESIDENT'S WRITTEN DETERMINATION THAT THE DEATH JAB IS IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL SECURITY, UH, A TACTICAL MOVE IN THE MULTI-DECADE, TUG OF WAR BETWEEN PRESIDENTS, UH, DEFENSE SECRETARIES, AND, UH, FDA LAWYERS WHO LIKE TO FORCE POISON MILITARY, UH, TO FORCE POISON MILITARY PERSONNEL USING VACCINES AND OTHER INHERENTLY TOXIC BIOCHEMICAL AGENTS.
AND THE, AND THE HANDFUL OF CONGRESS MEMBERS AND FEDERAL JUDGES WHO SOMETIMES FEEL A LITTLE UNEASY ABOUT PROVIDING, UH, LEGISL LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL COVER FOR THOSE POISONING PROGRAMS. AND TO TRY TO PIN THE CULPABILITY ON THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND TREAT CITIZENS AS JUST, UH, COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
AMERICANS HAVE HAVE LEARNED THAT, UH, MANY OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS HAVE NEVER BEEN PERFORMED BY US GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL.
AND NONE OF THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE VACCINES PRODUCED BY OR FOR AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AND ADMINISTRATE AND ADMINISTERED TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD CAN BE CONCLUSIVELY DEMONSTRATED TO BE.
CAN WE, CAN WE CUT THE MIC AND BE CONCLUSIVELY DEMONSTRATED TO BE SAFE OR EFFECTIVE IN A BE BEFORE THE, THE, THE NEXT PERSON? UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE, WE TAKE THIS, UH, FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT, UH, VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
BUT WE ALSO RESPECT, UH, EVERYONE WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE.
SO IF WE COULD RESPECT THE FIVE MINUTES.
FOLLOWED BY MR. TRON, FOLLOWED BY RAY VARGAS.
I'M NOT HERE TO ASK YOU TO, UH, CHANGE NATIONAL POLICY OR, YOU KNOW, REDO THE BUILDINGS.
I'M NOT GONNA ASK ANY OF THAT.
UM, AS MIKE, UH, MY NEIGHBOR MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CITY COUNCIL'S PRIMARY CONCERN AND DUTY SHOULD BE PRESERVING AND PROMOTING A HEALTHY FAMILY LIVING IN WEST COVINA.
UM, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A STATE MANDATE.
WE NEED TO PRESERVE A HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
BUT WHERE DOES IT START? AND I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD IT FROM ME BEFORE, AND YOU'VE HEARD IT FROM SEVERAL GENTLEMEN HERE AS WELL, WITH A STRONGER POLICE FORCE.
THREE WEEKS AGO, UH, A DEPUTY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WAS SHOT IN THE BACK AT THE CORNER OF, UH, OF CAMERON NEXT TO THE 10 FREEWAY.
HE HAS HIS, HIS BODY GEAR ON, AND THE, UH, CRIMINAL WAS CAUGHT.
A DAY LATER, THERE WAS A POLICE CHASE WHERE TWO SUVS CRASHED IN THE VERY SAME SPOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
FOUR OFFICERS LOST THEIR LIVES IN NORTH CAROLINA.
I DON'T THINK WE VALUE OUR OFFICERS ENOUGH.
I THINK, AND I'M, I'M NOT GONNA ARGUE WITH YOU ABOUT THE BUDGET.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE MUCH BETTER AT IT THAN I AM.
YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE THE MONEY GOES, HOW IT'S DONE.
BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO PRESERVE THAT HEALTHY
[00:40:01]
WAY OF LIFE IN WEST COVINA, WE NEED A STRONG POLICE FORCE.THERE'S A REASON WHY WE DON'T GET INVADED AS A COUNTRY.
WE'VE GOT THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY ON THE PLANET.
YEAH, WE HAVE SCRIMMAGES AROUND, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS HERE AND THERE, BUT THERE'S A REASON BECAUSE WE HAVE STRONG PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS IN PLACE SINCE, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S BEEN WATCHING IT, BUT SINCE I CAME UP HERE AND ASKED FOR MORE POLICE, I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TALKING TO ME ABOUT MILITIAS.
I DON'T THINK A MILITIA IS A GOOD IDEA.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG MILITARY.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT A STRONGER POLICE FORCE WOULD MAKE EVERYONE FEEL BETTER.
ALL OUR EVENTS WOULD BE SAFER.
OUR, YOU KNOW, CONCERTS IN THE PARK, WE WOULD ALL FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE COMING OUT, HAVING PROBLEM AREAS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE CHIEF IS, IS DOUBLING UP ON DOUBLE PATROLS.
AND, AND I'VE HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND MEMBERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO DOUBLE A PATROL.
SO OFFICERS AREN'T THERE BY THEMSELVES.
BUT AS SOMEONE WHO'S RUN A LARGE BUSINESS, WHEN YOU OVERWORK THESE PEOPLE, SOMETHING'S GONNA GIVE.
THE ANSWER IS NOT MORE OVERTIME, IT'S MORE OFFICERS.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE YOUNGER OFFICERS.
OFFICER GARCIA CAME OUT, UH, AND BY THE WAY, THANK YOU, CITY WEST COVINA.
OVER THE WEEKEND, MY, UH, WALL WAS TAGGED, UH, BY MONDAY MORNING IT WAS GONE.
WHATEVER MECHANISM, CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE CITY.
NOT ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO CHANGE OR ANYTHING.
JUST, UH, AND I'M NOT HERE FOR ATTENTION.
I'M HERE AS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE SAYING, WE NEED MORE OFFICERS.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE DOWN SUNSET AND NOT SEE A HOMELESS GUY COPPING A SQUAD AGAINST ONE OF THE WALLS IN THE DENTAL OFFICES OVER HERE, ACROSS FROM THE KAISER.
THAT WOULD BE NICE, YOU KNOW, UM, NOT SEEING HOMELESS WOMEN LIFTING THEIR TOP BY, UH, BY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS THEY'RE WALKING BY.
UM, MAYBE WE CAN PASS RESOLUTIONS SAYING, HEY, IF YOU REALLY LOOK LIKE YOU NEED HELP, WE'LL GET YOU THE HELP.
AND IF THEY REFUSE IT, THEN WE GOTTA TAKE ANOTHER STEP.
BUT I THINK IT ALL BEGINS WITH A LARGER POLICE FORCE.
APPARENTLY WE PAY WELL ENOUGH.
OUR BENEFITS ARE GOOD ENOUGH HERE.
WEST COVINA, WHERE IT'S A COVETED POSITION AMONGST OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, AGENCIES.
UM, I THINK WE'RE DOING GOOD BY, BY OUR OFFICERS, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE FAILING THEM IS BRINGING THEM MORE BACKUP, MORE HELP.
UM, THAT'S ALL I GOTTA ASK FOR.
LET'S MAINTAIN OUR, OUR WAY OF LIFE AND PROMOTE IT.
YOU GUYS DO ENOUGH TO PROMOTE IT.
LET'S JUST GET THAT ONE LINCHPIN.
A STRONGER POLICE FORCE WILL GIVE US ALL OF THAT SECURITY THAT, THAT PEACE OF MIND THAT WE ALL REALLY NEED.
MR. TRON, FOLLOWED BY RAY VARGAS, FOLLOWED BY GLEN KENNEDY.
MAYOR TABBA AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS DAN TRAN AND I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU AND TO THE CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA AS I'M A CANDIDATE FOR STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 48.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVITUDE AND WHEN ELECTED IN NOVEMBER, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU GUYS TO CONTINUOUSLY APPROVING WEST COVINA.
I'LL BE HERE UNTIL THE END OF THE MEETING TONIGHT, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME.
RAY VARGAS, FOLLOWED BY GLEN KENNEDY.
FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING AND, UH, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO THE ONES THAT ARE MOTHERS.
UM, BUT IF YOU GUYS HEARD FROM THE FIRST SPEAKER AND THE SPEAKER THAT JUST LEFT RIGHT NOW, TALKING ABOUT MORE OFFICERS, AND, UH, TO ME IT'S A WASTE OF TIME COMING HERE.
'CAUSE THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE, THEY WOULD COME HERE AND SPEAK AND ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A PUPPET SHOW HERE.
EVERYBODY HERE IS TONY W'S OUR PUPPET.
AND YOU BECAME ONE OF HIS PUPPETS.
YOU USED TO SIT OUT HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND YOU HAD SO MUCH STUFF TO BRING UP AND THIS AND THAT, AND PUT HIM ON BLAST.
WE NEED MOTORCYCLE COPS FROM VINCENT
[00:45:01]
AND PUENTE TO SUNSET ON PUENTE AVENUE.THE CARS JUST REV ALL THE WAY DOWN.
AND THEN YOU HEAR ACCIDENTS, YOU HEAR SIRENS AND WHATNOT.
YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU SEE PARAMEDICS AND THIS AND THAT.
YOU'RE TOO BUSY TRYING TO BE A BIG CELEBRITY.
YOU'RE TRYING TO BE SOMETHING THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE A COUNCILMAN FOR WEST COVINA.
TAKE CARE OF WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR PLATE.
DON'T TRY AND TAKE NOTHING ELSE ON.
WERE APPOINTED BECAUSE YOU FOOLED MYSELF AND THE REST OF US THAT YOU WERE THE, YOU WERE THE ANSWER.
AND I'M HERE TO TIE TO YOUR FACE.
YOU KNOW, YOU MADE A FOOL OUT OF US, BUT NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE MAKE A FOOL OUTTA ME.
BE A GOOD PERSON HERE IN WEST COVINA.
STOP HIRING THESE PEONS, CORRUPTED ENFORCEMENT.
THEY'RE DRIVING BRAND NEW SUVS.
THEY'RE DRIVING BETTER CARS THAN THE POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
I HOPE HE'S NOT ON OVERTIME RIGHT NOW.
THAT MILEING, HE'S SITTING UP THERE.
ARE WE PAYING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW? YOU KNOW, I GOT NO RESPECT FOR YOU.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
A TEACHER, A COACH, A COUNCILMAN.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YOU'RE, YOU FELL IN THE SAME BRACKET.
THE OUT DID, DID, EXCLUDING CONTOS.
YOU KNOW, ROSARIO, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE DOES.
BUT YOU WERE IN OUR DISTRICT, I AND YOU FAILED.
AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING HERE, CHIEF BELL, HE'S CAPABLE OF DOING IT, BUT YOU GUYS ARE SETTING HIM UP TO FAIL.
HE DON'T HAVE THE DAMN TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND RUN THIS CITY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE RUN.
TONY CORINA, HE KNOWS HOW TO RUN IT.
MAYBE THEY SHOULD BE SITTING WHERE YOU'RE AT.
SO WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, WHATEVER GAMES YOU'RE PLAYING, WHATEVER B******T YOU GOT GOING ON OUT THERE, PUT IT TO THE SIDE.
LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON NEXT DOOR TO ME.
THEY'RE TEARING DOWN EDISON AND ALL THAT S**T.
THEY'RE, THEY STRUCTURES MOVED ALL OVER THIS AND THAT.
YOU DON'T LIVE THERE, YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW.
I GOT HOMELESS PEOPLE GOING INTO THAT GATE USING THAT PUBLIC BATHROOM.
THEY GOT OUT THERE AND WHATNOT.
I'M CHASING THEM OUT OF THERE.
I BROUGHT MY BROTHER FROM EAST LA.
I SAID, I GOTTA GO TO WORK AT NIGHT.
MAKE SURE NOBODY GOES IN THERE.
UH, GLENN KENNEDY, TONIGHT I'M REPRESENTING THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE CITY COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY HERE TO SUMMER FEST.
IT'S, UM, SATURDAY, OH, LEMME SCREW THIS UP.
UH, AUGUST 17TH AT HEARST RANCH.
THAT'S, UH, THE NIGHT THAT WE GIVE THE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS SOMEBODY THEY WANNA LIKE TO NOMINATE, THEY CAN CALL ME.
UH, I'M ON THE BOARD 6 2 6 4 7 9 0 4 0 0.
THAT'S MY PERSONAL CELL NUMBER.
I, I DO ANSWER THE PHONE, BY THE WAY.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE EVERYBODY THERE.
[00:50:01]
A SECOND NOTE, UH, MR. MAYOR, I, I STOOD UP HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR, AND ASKED, UH, IF WE COULD BRING THE FIRETRUCK TO, TO HEARST RANCH, AND YOU DISCUSSED IT AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, AND THOUGHT IT WAS ALL A GOOD, GOOD DEAL.UH, CAN I GET AN UPDATE ON THAT? YOU KNOW, UM, EVERY WEDNESDAY WE HAVE A A, A CLASS.
THE THIRD GRADE CLASS COMES FROM ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND WE SHOW 'EM HOW THE FARMERS USED TO DO IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR LITTLE RITUAL STUFF AND, UH, AND THE FIRE TRUCK.
SO WE, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE IT BACK AS IF WE CAN.
AND COULD I GET AN UPDATE ON THAT, MR. MAYOR? THANK YOU.
SEEING EVERYBODY HAVE A NICE EVENING.
I HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKER SLIPS, MAYOR.
UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER, MAY YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENT CONCERNS.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE ITEMS, THE BUDGET AND THE CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER CONTRACT THAT I WILL DEFER MY, OR DEFER COMMENTS TO THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WILL BE PROVIDED LATER THIS EVENING.
UM, I KNOW WE HAD SOME ENDORSEMENTS AND A CANDIDATE SPEAK TONIGHT.
WE HAVE AN ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, RESEARCH THE CANDIDATES THAT BEST REPRESENT YOUR VALUES AND VOTE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, THANK WIN-WIN FOR THE GREAT NEWS THAT THE LIBRARY LIBRARY'S GONNA BE OPENING UP.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED, UM, TO, TO ATTEND THAT OPENING AND TO GET THE, UH, COMMUNITY BACK INTO OUR COUNTY LIBRARY HERE IN WEST COVINA.
UM, I WILL, I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE BROUGHT UP THIS EVENING AT NEXT COUNCIL MEETINGS PRESENTATION.
UM, AND IF THERE'S CONCERNS WITH, UH, IF, IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S ISSUES, UH, BREAKING THE LAW, THEN WE CAN PUT YOU GUYS IN TOUCH WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADDRESS LOCALLY.
UM, SO I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, THANK RAFAEL CASTILLO, UM, FOR THE APPRECIATION FOR THE QUICK CLEANUP ON OUR GRAFFITI.
I KNOW THAT, UM, GRAFFITI'S AN ISSUE IN EVERY COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE TWO DEDICATED STAFF MEMBERS THAT GO OUT EVERY DAY THAT THEY COME INTO WORK TO CLEAN UP GRAFFITI.
AND SO SOMETIMES THAT WORK DOESN'T GET NOTICED BECAUSE THEY GO IN ON MONDAY, AND BY TUESDAY OR TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY IT'S BACK UP.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR GRAFFITI TEAM THAT DO ADDRESS IT AS BEST AS THEY CAN.
AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NEVER ENDING ISSUE.
SO THAT APPRECIATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED TODAY.
UM, AND I WANTED TO THANK GLEN FOR THE INVITE TO THE HEARST RANCH SUMMER FEST.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IF YOU WANT TO SEND US THE INFORMATION, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH, UH, THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE FIRE TRUCK, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON SCHEDULING A MEETING TO, UH, COME UP WITH A, AN AGREEMENT THAT, UH, BENEFITS HEARST RANCH IN, UH, SHOWCASING OUR ANTIQUE FIRETRUCK, BUT ALSO PRESERVING IT AS THERE'S BEEN AN INVESTMENT, UM, BOTH IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM HEARST RANCH AND FROM THE CITY TO RESTORE THAT VEHICLE.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE CAN SHOWCASE IT AND SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO, UH, PRESERVE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO RUN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT FOR EVENTS LIKE OUR 4TH OF JULY THAT WILL BE COMING UP.
SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES MY, UH, COMMENTS.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? COUNCILMAN CONTOS, MR. MAYOR, ITEM NUMBER THREE, IF THAT'S THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, BEFORE I TAKE, OH, SORRY, I NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.
UH, MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA NUMBER ONE AND TWO.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TIM WU, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LOPEZ ANO TO APPROVE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE AND TWO.
BEFORE I TAKE ROLL CALL, I HAVE AN ORDINANCE TITLE I'D LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA AMENDING SECTION 5 6 0 8 2 PERMIT REQUIRED OF SECTION 5 6 0 8 FIREWORKS DISPLAY OF CHAPTER 56, EXPLOSIVE AND FIREWORKS OF THE 2022 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE AS SET FORTH IN ARTICLE TWO, FIRE CODE OF CHAPTER 10 VIA PREVENTION AND PROTECTION OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE.
[00:55:01]
CALDONE TABBA AYE.[3) CONSIDERATION OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR CORTEZ SENIOR & COMMUNITY CENTER ROOF AND HVAC IMPROVEMENTS - PROJECT NO. 24009]
RIGHT.UH, IF WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
UH, MADAM, ACTING CITY MANAGER, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT MONEY, THE SOURCE BEING CDBG MONEY, UH, TO COVER FOR THOSE COSTS AT THE CORTEZ SENIOR CENTER.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO THE INTENDED FUNDING FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE COMPLETELY, UM, CDBG FUNDING.
THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CDBG FUNDING SOURCES, AND I KNOW KELLY MIGHT BE ABLE TO BETTER ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT PART OF IT IS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM TONIGHT, WHERE WE ARE REALLOCATING FUNDS FROM OUR PROGRAM YEAR BUDGET, UH, 2019, AND THAT IS PART OF THE CO FUNDS THAT WE GOT.
UM, AND THEN PART OF THAT IS FROM PROGRAM YEAR.
I'M LOOKING UP, SORRY, UH, PROGRAM YEAR 2023.
SO WE'RE REALLOCATING FUNDS WITHIN CDBG TO COVER THE COST OF THE, I THINK IT'S 1.6 MILLION FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT KELLY, IF YOU CAN CLARIFY THAT'S CORRECT, SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO SOURCES.
SO WHAT IS THE PROPORTION BETWEEN COVID MONEY AND THE SECOND POT OF MONEY? LET'S SEE, THE
SO THE C MONEY CAN BE USED FOR VARIOUS, UH, PURPOSES, UH, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE, THE CITY OPERATIONS OR THE RESIDENTS OR BUSINESSES OF THE CITY.
SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, RECONSIDER THIS TO ACTUALLY DIRECT THAT MONEY TO SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESSES DIRECTLY.
I DON'T RECALL FROM THE $20 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED PREVIOUSLY, THAT MONEY HAS BEEN DIRECTLY USED TO SUPPORT LOCAL WEST COVINA BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THAT MONEY BEING A AVAIL, UH, THERE, I REALIZE THERE IS A VITAL NEED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, INCLUDING TO FIX THE ROOF.
BUT I, I CAN THINK OF A LOT OF WAYS TO SPEND $700,000 TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES WHO CAN'T NECESSARILY AFFORD THE, THE PAINT AS MUCH BECAUSE OF ALL THE GRAFFITI REMOVAL, UH, MAKING SURE TO, TO NEGOTIATE LOWER PRICES FOR SUCH EFFORTS, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULT ECONOMY AND OTHER SUCH THINGS.
AND SO, IN LIGHT OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER, UH, OUR, OUR, UM, ADJUSTMENT OF THIS, UH, TO REDIRECT THIS MONEY DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, WE CAN CREATE A GRANT STRUCTURE WHERE IF THEY HAVE SPECIFIC NEEDS, WE CAN HELP THEM.
WE DON'T WANT OUR BUSINESSES, UH, TO STRUGGLE AND FOR NONPROFITS TO NOT HAVE AS MUCH OF AN ABILITY TO DO THE WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I REALIZE ROOFS ARE IMPORTANT.
I, I'M BIG ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND I, AND ITEMS ON THE C UH, CIP LIST, C THE, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UM, CIP LIST.
YOU GOT IT, RIGHT, UH, UH, PROJECT LIST.
UH, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES AND DIRECT IT STRAIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH ORGANIZATIONS, UH, NONPROFITS AS WELL AS BUSINESSES.
AND IT ACTUALLY CAN, CAN HAVE THE EFFECT OF, OF BOLSTERING BECAUSE WE, UH, KEEP TRY WORKING TO, TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO BUSINESSES THAT WE ARE A BUSINESS FRIENDLY CITY.
IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAYS TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES THRIVING, AND THEY END UP EITHER GOING BANKRUPT OR GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT'S MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY THAN WE LOSE THAT TAX REVENUE, WE LOSE THE ECONOMIC ROBUSTNESS THAT WOULD'VE HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY THOSE BUSINESSES FURTHER BEING SUPPORTED.
AND THIS WOULD REPRESENT A MAJOR INFUSION THAT HAS, THAT I, AT LEAST AS FAR AS I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND IT WOULD ALSO CREATE A BUZZ AROUND THIS.
SO AS WE PREPARE TO GO TO THE, THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF SHOPPING CENTERS, WE CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE GRANT MONEY READILY AVAILABLE THAT PE THAT BUSINESSES CAN APPLY FOR.
SO IF THEY COME TO THE CITY, AND IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE ENTICING ENOUGH FOR US, THEN WE CAN SUPPORT THEIR DEVELOPMENT SO AS TO DIVERSIFY THE, THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO COME HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE MONEY TO OFFER ON THE TABLE.
AND WHEN BUSINESSES HAVE IN, IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALONE, THEY HAVE 88 CITIES TO CHOOSE FROM, THEY'RE GOING TO GO WHEREVER IT LOOKS FRIENDLIEST TO THEM.
SO THAT WAY THEY'LL WANT TO SET UP SHOP.
AND IF WE HAVE THIS MONEY AND WE DE WE REDEDICATED TOWARD THESE SORTS OF SUPPORTS, INCLUDING MONEY, UH, FOR, FOR ATTRACTING BUSINESSES, THEN IT CAN REALLY BE A GAME CHANGER FOR US.
AND SO, AS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, UH, MADAM ACTING CITY MANAGER, HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE WE, UH,
[01:00:01]
PRESENTLY ALLOCATED FOR ICSC IN TERMS OF BOOTH RENTAL, HAVING STAFF THERE TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS, WE ARE SHOWCASING THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.HOW, HOW MUCH MONEY HAS CURRENTLY BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THAT PURPOSE TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES? UM, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION,
LET'S STICK TO THIS ITEM RIGHT NOW AND NOT DISCUSS ICSC AND PART OF IT, THIS, THIS APPROVAL IS CONTINGENT UPON THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S LATER.
MAYBE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OKAY TO, TO, TO BUMP THIS, OR YOU WANNA PUT THIS TO THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE THE ARGUMENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER CONAL SHOULD COME IN ON WHERE YOU WANT TO ALLOCATE THAT MONEY.
THIS SAYS IN THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS CONTINGENT UPON THAT, IF I COULD JUST TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO DO MUCH NEEDED REPAIRS AT THE SENIOR CENTER ROOF.
AND PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED, UH, THE CDBG FUNDING FROM COVID IS BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE HVAC SYSTEM THAT'LL BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE PART OF THOSE COVID PARTICLES OR PARTICLES IN THE AIR SO THAT IT'LL MAKE IT A SAFER FACILITY FOR OUR SENIORS SHOULD WE FACE ANOTHER PANDEMIC IN THE FUTURE? AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALLOCATED, UM, WE'VE ALREADY SPENT, UM, MONEY FROM THE CDBG FOR THE FOOD BANKS, MEALS ON WHEELS AND SENIOR MEALS PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS COVID TESTING.
SO THIS PORTION OF THE COVID FUNDS WAS ALLOCATED FOR THAT IMPROVEMENT AT THE SENIOR CENTER ROOF.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ADD.
SO I'M NOT SURE PROCEDURALLY, MAYBE THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN ADVISE, UH, IF, IF I WANTED TO MOVE THAT WE, THAT WE AT LEAST PUT, SET THIS ASIDE FOR CONSIDERATION IN LIGHT OF A LATER DISCUSSION.
DO WE HAVE THAT, UH, DISCUSSION LATER? AND WE JUST SUSPEND THIS FOR NOW UNTIL WE HAVE THAT LATER DISCUSSION? SINCE THE DECISION ON THIS ITEM HAS TO, THAT WE'LL HAVE A DIRECT BEARING ON, ON THE OUTCOME OF OUR DISCUSSION LATER, WHAT WOULD BE PROCEDURALLY APPROPRIATE? MS. MR. MAYOR, YOU GUYS CAN MOVE THE ITEM TO THE END OF THE AGENDA DEPENDING ON, UH, CONSENSUS IT SHOULD BE.
CAN I ADD ONE THING? SORRY, ONE LAST THING.
UM, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE GET APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM.
WE, UM, GOT NOTICE THAT WE ARE NOT SPENDING OUR CDBG FUNDS FAST ENOUGH.
AND SO IN ORDER TO MEET THAT, WE NEED APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN THEN, UM, GET THE CONTRACT UNDER BID.
SO THAT'S, JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ VIRO, IN REGARDS TO THIS AGENDA ITEM, I DO LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD JUST BECAUSE IT IS AFFECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND HVAC, UH, IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE COVID AND IT STATES HERE, UM, WITH THE FILTRATION SYSTEM, THE ULTRAVIOLET, IT REDUCES THE RISK OF SARS, COVID NO ANY TRANSMISSION INSIDE.
SO WHEN WE HAVE ALL THE MOST VULNERABLE IN THAT SPACE, THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED.
UM, I BELIEVE ALSO THIS, UH, FACILITY HOUSED DURING THE SUMMER, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT SUMMER WHEN IT, WE HAVE THE EXTREME HEAT WAVE, IT ISN'T A SITE THAT ALL RESIDENTS, CHILDREN, FAMILIES CAN GO TO, TO, UH, GET RELIEF.
SO, UH, THAT BEING SAID, SUMMER MONTHS ARE COMING.
HEAT, UH, HEAT WAVES AND STUFF, UH, THE MOST VULNERABLE NEEDS THIS, AND THEREFORE, I'D LIKE TO MOVE, MOVE FORWARD, UH, MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS SECOND.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE BEFORE WE DO ROLL CALL? THANK YOU.
I, I WOULD REQUEST THAT THIS, THIS BE MOVED TO THE END OF THE MEETING BECAUSE OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THERE MAY BE A WAY TO ADDRESS THIS, BUT, UH, I, I JUST, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY IN A BROADER BASE WAY THAN ONE BUILDING.
AND I REALIZE IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST THAT FOR FAR TOO LONG WE, WE, WE'VE SPENT MONEY IN SO MANY OTHER THINGS, AND I, AT LEAST I'M NOT DIRECTLY AWARE OF MONEY THAT'S SPENT DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS THIS WAY WHERE THEY CAN COME TO US FOR HELP AND WE CAN MAKE IT MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GONNA LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND AS FAR AS THE SPENDING GOES, WE CAN IMMEDIATELY AL ALLOCATE THIS MONEY FOR, FOR, UH, USE BY THE BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFITS.
SO, I MEAN, AT LEAST THAT'S, SO I DON'T, I, I'D REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL, UH, ALLOW US TO AT LEAST MOVE THIS AGENDA TO THE END OF THE MEETING RATHER THAN JUST RAILROAD THIS THROUGH, BECAUSE IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS THIS.
AND THEN AFTER THE DISCUSSION MAY BE, THEN FINE.
IT MAY, IT MAY MAKE SENSE, BUT I MEAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS TIED TO THE OTHER ITEM WITH A HEARING, I THINK THAT IT MAY BEHOOVE US TO, TO EXERCISE RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS REGARD BY JUST MOVING IT TO THE LATER PART OF THE SAME MEETING SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
MR. MAYOR, IF I, IF I MAY, YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PONTO, YOU CAN MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO THE MEETING AND SEE IF YOU GET A SECOND, OR ELSE IT'LL GET ACT, IT'LL GET VOTED ON RIGHT NOW.
[01:05:01]
THEREFORE REQUEST TO MAKE, UH, MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO MOVE THIS AGENDA ITEM TO THE END OF THIS CURRENT MEETING.UH, NOT HEARING A SECOND MOTION FAILS.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I AGREE, UH, WITH COUNCILMAN KENTO REGARDING HOW TO HELP THE SMALL BUSINESS.
I THINK IT'S VITAL FOR THE CITY SURVIVAL AND THE BUSINESS SURVIVAL, AND, UH, THAT'S WHY WE APPROVED TO HAVE A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, OKAY? AND, UH, PROVIDE GRANT, PROVIDE, UH, SBA LOAN, PROVIDE NETWORKING, PROVIDE ANY RESOURCE WE CAN FIND.
AND, AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN AND HOW EVEN MYSELF IS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW HOW STRUGGLING DURING CURRENT SITUATION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OKAY, CITY, OKAY, HAVE THE CVID 19 MONEY NEED TO SPEND, OKAY.
ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND THE, AND WITH, UH, THE ROOF, I THINK EVEN THE FIRE STATION NEXT TO THE, THE, THE SENIOR CENTER, I SAW THE ROOF IS LEAKING TOO, BECAUSE I SEE THE PLASTIC ON THE TOP.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
AND, UH, REALLY FIX AND REPAIR.
AND, UH, CURRENTLY I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALREADY, PREVIOUSLY, ALREADY SPEND THE MONEY AND TRY TO IMPROVE OUR SENIOR CENTER, OKAY? AND TO DELAY THIS MAY BE A POTENTIAL OKAY.
BUT WE, WE, WE WANT TO HELP THE SMALL BUSINESS.
WE REALLY, THAT'S WHAT CHAMBER COMMON IS COMING OUT.
WE DOING THE, UH, THE, THE, THE NETWORKING OVER HERE AND WE WANNA GROW AND WE WANT TO FIND A FIND, OKAY? UH, UH, AND THE RESOURCE AND THE FUNDING AND THE GRANT AND THE SBA AND ANYTHING WE CAN HELP THE SMALL BUSINESS.
UM, AGAIN, AGAIN, SOMETIMES IT, IT'S NOT THE MONEY YOU CAN HELP THE SMALL BUSINESS.
SOMETIMES IT IS A PROMOTION OR THEIR BUSINESS.
AND BECAUSE BUSINESS, A LOT OF TIME, IF YOU DON'T WORK ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION, IT, IT FAILS.
SO, SO, SO THE, THE TRAINING, THE PLANNING AND, UH, I, I, I JOINED THE SMALL BUSINESS WITH THE PRESENTATION AND, AND THE PERSON TALK ABOUT HOW TO PLAN AND HOW TO YOU OKAY? FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO VIBRANT.
AND SO, BUT AGAIN, AGAIN, UH, I THINK THIS VITAL TO MOVE, THIS MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, AND THAT IS FOR THE CITY, UH, TO BE MORE SAFE.
OKAY? UH, SO I WILL SECOND COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN CANTOS, I, I DO AGREE WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO CDBG AND I, I WILL SUPPORT YOU IN REGARDS TO DISCUSSION OF THE CDBG FUNDING AND USAGE, UM, THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AT THE VERY END.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THIS, OBVIOUSLY, I, I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS PORTION TO APPROVE BECAUSE IT IS A NEEDED, UH, NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR A CITY.
UM, WE, I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT YOU GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF GRAFFITI.
AND SO, UH, I KNOW WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, YOU'VE SEEN ME, I'M FULL SUPPORT OF LIKE THE GRAFFITI REWARD.
SO HERE, ANY RESIDENTS WHO CATCHES THE GRAFFITI, YOU DO GET A REWARD.
SO THEY GET FUNDING, UM, AT LEAST IF YOU CATCH THE, UH, THE ONES WHO COMMITTED GRAFFITI.
BUT WE ALSO PUT IN THE REQUEST TO HAVE THE CITY PROVIDE PAINT.
SO, UM, LIKE WHEN RESIDENTS, AND THIS IS NOT JUST BUSINESSES, BUT THIS IS RESIDENTS, UM, FAMILIES AT HOME, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE GRAFFITI AT THEIR HOME CITY, CAN'T TOUCH THEIR PROPERTY, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING WHERE IT HELPS SUPPORT, WHERE WE CAN KIND OF SUBSIDIZE THAT AND COVER THE COST AS WELL AS BUSINESSES, BECAUSE BUSINESSES GET HIT ALL THE TIME.
AND IT COMES FROM THE, THE POCKETS OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND THAT, I KNOW WE DID PUT IN A REQUEST THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CITY, UM, HELP THAT OUT AND COVER THOSE COSTS IN THAT.
SO, BUT IN REGARDS TO MOVING FORWARD IN C-D-B-C-D-B-G FUNDING, UM, AT THE END OF THE MEETING WITH ALL THE TOPICS OF DISCUSSION OF WHERE THESE FUNDINGS GO, I AM FULL IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
BUT, UM, IN REGARDS TO THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, I, I STILL WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
MR. MAYOR, MAN, CONTOS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I, I, I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS.
IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR SKIN IN THE GAME BY SHOWING BUSINESSES THAT WE ARE READY TO PUT UP MONEY IN ADDITION TO THE SBA GRANTS AND SO FORTH, THEN HOW, HOW WILL BUSINESSES SEE THAT THIS COUNCIL IS NOT APPROVING OF THE VERY ASSISTANCE THAT SOME OF THEM MAY NEED WHO ARE ALREADY HERE? I LITERALLY HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY WITH A BUSINESS WHO IS STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
THEY, THEY HAVE TO SPEND $11,000 TO TRY TO KEEP AFLOAT.
AND IF, IF THEY DON'T GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, EVEN PARTLY WITH THEIR MARKETING OR WHATEVER ELSE, THEY'RE GOING TO GO DOWN.
AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A HAND IN, IN THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE AN, AN OVERREACH WITH REGARD TO BUSINESSES.
BUT IF BUSINESSES NEED HELP, AND IF WE CAN, WE CAN HELP THEM.
AND, AND WE HAVE THIS RESOURCE AVAILABLE.
AND, AND, AND IF, LET'S SAY THERE WAS A DELAY BY EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF A FEW MONTHS, AND, AND WE WERE TO ALLOCATE MONEY IN THE FUTURE FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE BOOTH, WE COULD STILL SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES, BUT IT WOULD SEND A REAL MAJOR MESSAGE RIGHT NOW THAT IF WE SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS AND MONEY'S AVAILABLE, THEN WE CAN INVITE INNOVATION AND SAY, SHOW US WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS, AND HOW DO YOU
[01:10:01]
COLLABORATE WITH OTHER BUSINESSES? THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE.SHOW US WHAT YOU'VE GOT SO WE CAN SUPPORT YOU.
AND THAT WAY YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
SO, SO IT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY AVIDLY, UM, FEELING THIS WAY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LOPEZ, A SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM WU FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AND, UH, AS HAS BEEN REQUESTED, I'LL READ THE TITLE OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, CONSIDERATION OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR CORTEZ SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER ROOF AND HVAC IMPROVEMENTS, PROJECT NUMBER 2 4 0 0 9.
[4) CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE PROGRAM YEAR (PY) 2019 AND PY 2023 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) ACTION PLANS]
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.UH, CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE PROGRAM YEAR.
UH, AND PROGRAM YEAR 2023, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACTION PLANS.
UH, THE MATTER SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING IS A CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE PROGRAM YEAR 2019, AND PROGRAM YEAR 2023, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACTION PLAN.
WILL THE CITY CLERK VERIFY THE PROPER LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN? PROPER LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN.
MAYOR, UH, AT THIS TIME, I SHALL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE, UH, PY 2023 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ACTION PLAN.
UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, FIRST BE THE PRESENTATION OF THE STAFF REPORT, THEN WE SHALL HEAR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, MS. MORALES, WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, KELLY MCDONALD, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE PROVIDING THAT PRESENTATION.
BUT BEFORE I TURN IT OVER, SINCE WE DID KIND OF HAVE A DISCUSSION ON YES, THE FUNDING, I DID WANNA BRING UP THAT DURING COVID, WE DID, UH, BUILD OR ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE, UM, CDBG FUNDING FOR OUR BUSINESSES BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO ASSIST THEM DURING THAT, UM, PANDEMIC TIME, THE DIFFICULTIES THAT A LOT OF, UH, BUSINESSES WERE FACING WITH THE CLOSURES AND THE CONSTANT CHANGE CHANGES OF THE REGULATIONS AND HOW THEY COULD OPERATE THEIR BUSINESSES.
SO, UM, WE DID ALLOCATE FUNDS, AND I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD OR HOW MUCH MONEY WAS ALLOCATED DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GRANT IT TO TWO DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
UM, THE DIFFICULTY IN HAVING THE BUSINESSES, UH, QUALIFY WAS THAT AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS THE PPE, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, FUNDING FOR THESE BUSINESSES AT A FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND SO CDBG DOES NOT ALLOW FOR, UM, A DUPLICATION OF FUNDS.
SO IF YOU'RE ALREADY GETTING FEDERAL FUNDING, WE COULDN'T GRANT THESE BUSINESSES, UH, OUR CDBG PROGRAM FUNDING.
UM, BUT WE DID, WE WERE ABLE TO GRANT TWO BUSINESSES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A, UH, BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM USING CDBG FUNDS.
AND THAT, UM, WE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR GAUCHO GRILL, AND THAT WAS BASED ON, UH, THE CREATION OF, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, WE DO HAVE A HISTORY OF USING CDBG FUNDING TO HELP OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KELLY.
UH, THIS HEARING CONCERNS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE PROGRAM YEARS 2019, AND PROGRAM YEAR 2023 CDBG ACTION PLANS.
AS A RECIPIENT OF CDBG FUNDS, THE CITY'S REQUIRED TO PREPARE AN ANNUAL ACTION PLAN THAT DESCRIBES THE INTENDED USE OF THE FUNDS.
UH, THE PLANS CAN BE AMENDED AT ANY TIME CONSISTENT WITH HUD REQUIREMENTS, AND, UH, CERTAIN AMENDMENTS REQUIRE A, UH, 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE 2019 ACTION PLAN ON JUNE 4TH, 2019.
UH, SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CARES ACT WAS SIGNED ON IN APRIL, 2020.
IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19, IT INCLUDED $5 BILLION IN CDBG CV FUNDING TO PREVENT, PREPARE FOR, AND RESPOND TO COVID-19.
THE DEC, THE CITY RECEIVED A TOTAL OF NEARLY 1.2 MILLION THROUGH, UH, TWO SEPARATE ALLOCATIONS.
THE 2019 ACTION PLAN WAS AMENDED TO INCLUDE AND PROGRAM BOTH ALLOCATIONS WITH THE SECOND PROGRAM TO AN UNSPECIFIED PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITY, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE FUNDS WOULD BE REPROGRAMMED AT A LATER TIME.
NOW, THOUGH A UH, PORTION OF THE ALLOCATION WAS USED TOWARD PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES, NEARLY $704,000 REMAINS AVAILABLE TO BE REPROGRAMMED.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE 2019 ACTION PLAN IS TO REPROGRAM THE BALANCE OF FUNDING TO A PUBLIC FACILITY IMPROVEMENT
[01:15:01]
SPECIFICALLY TO PROJECT, UH, 24 0 0 9 APPROVED PREVIOUSLY ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF HVAC UNITS AND THE ROOF AT THE SENIOR CENTER.THE 2023 ACTION PLAN WAS APPROVED ON MAY 6TH, 2023.
UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, UH, NUMBERS ONE THROUGH THREE CONSIST OF CLOSING OR CANCELING PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN FUNDED ACTIVITIES FROM THE ACTION PLAN.
WHEN CLOSED OR CANCELED, THE UNENDED BALANCES, UH, RETURNED TO THE CITY'S LINE OF CREDIT WITH HUD AND MAY BE REPROGRAMMED TO OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.
THE HOME IMPROVEMENT LOAN ACTIVITY WAS OPENED IN 2015.
UH, SINCE THEN, THE ACTIVITY HAS, UH, ROLLED OVER ANNUALLY WITH AMENDMENTS TO FUNDING.
UH, AT THE REQUEST OF HUD, THE OLD ACTIVITY IS BEING CLOSED AND REOPENED AS A NEW ACTIVITY IN THE CURRENT YEAR WITH THE, UH, BALANCE OF FUNDING REMAINING, UH, RELATIVE TO AMENDMENT, PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO FUNDING WAS ALLOCATED TO AN UNSPECIFIED NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ACTIVITY WITH THE INTENT TO REPROGRAM FUNDING ONCE AN ACTIVITY WAS IDENTIFIED AND RELATIVE TO, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, THE SHIP PROGRAM WAS DISCONTINUED SINCE, UH, THE CLOSURE OF THE CITY DAYCARES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THE PROGRAM IS BEING REEVALUATED.
AND, UH, AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, UH, GUESS WE'RE GONNA BRING THAT BACK NEXT YEAR.
SO THAT'LL BE PART OF NEXT YEAR'S ACTION PLAN.
UH, CONTINUING ON WITH THE 2023 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS NUMBER FOUR AND FIVE, ADD ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING TO THE 2023 ACTION PLAN.
THE, UH, HOME IMPROVEMENT LOAN PROGRAM SINCE REBRANDED AS THE HOUSING PRESERVATION PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO BE ADDED AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED, ALSO A NEW ACTIVITY AND FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT, UH, 24 0 0 9 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HVAC AT THE SENIOR CENTER AND ROOF AT THE SENIOR CENTER IS PROPOSED.
UM, THIS HEARING WAS NOTICED ON APRIL 5TH, AND NO COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
THE, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS HAVE NO IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND, SO IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE, THE PROGRAM YEAR 2019, AND PROGRAM YEAR 2023 CDBG ACTION PLANS, AS WELL AS A RELATED BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE NO SPEAKER CARDS.
MAYOR BILL ROBINSON ROOF, JUST ROOF CAN BE REPAIRED FOR FREE.
YOU JUST REPAIRED IT A YEAR OR TWO AGO, AND MAYBE IT'S UNDER WARRANTY.
AND, UH, IF THEY PUT ON A BAD ROOF, UH, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD MAKE IT A GOOD, GOOD ROOF IF IT'S A NEW ROOF.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN CANTOS.
YEAH, IF YOU WANNA BE A BUSINESS FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, YOU OUGHT TO USE SOME OF THIS FUNDING TO, UH, SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, I'VE SPENT THE LAST THREE YEARS TALKING TO THE WEST COVINA HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND, UH, PERHAPS, UH, YOU DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UH, THE COVID TESTING FACILITY OVER AT THE, UH, SENIOR CENTER.
IT'S, UH, DIFFERENT CYCLE THRESHOLDS, AND, UH, IT LEADS TO A LOT OF FALSE POSITIVE, UH, THE, UH, DEVELOPER OF THE PCR BILL.
BILL, YOU HAVE TO STAY TO THE YEAH, I'M ON THE, UH, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PR.
THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO THE COVID TESTING FACILITY OVER AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
IT'S NOT, NO, YOU NEED TO STAY ON TOPIC.
UH, THE, THE, YOU WERE FUNDING THAT COVID TESTING, UH, DEPARTMENT OVER AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
WAIT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ITEM.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ITEM IN FRONT OF US.
IT'S TALKING ABOUT A ROOF IN THE HVAC.
WELL, I, I, I FINISHED TALKING ABOUT THE ROOF.
IT'S A NEW ROOF, SO I WAS WONDERING WHY A NEW ROOF NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED.
BUT THE PCR TEST, THE GUY WON A NOBEL PRIZE FOR IT.
I HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKER SLIPS.
MAYOR, I SHALL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
OKAY, I MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION.
1, 2, 3, 4, THE C CT TO FOLLOW,
[01:20:01]
ALSO RECOMMENDATION.I WISH TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE, EXCEPT WITH THE ITEM, UH, UM, WITH ITEM NUMBER 2 4 0 0 9 REGARDING RELATING TO THE ROOF AND HVAC FOR REASONS STATED PREVIOUSLY HEARING NO SECOND.
SO WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? YES, I, I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TIM WU, AND A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ TO PROVI, UH, EXCUSE ME, TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
[5) PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET]
RIGHT.WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
UH, PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 25 OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET.
UH, MS. MORALES WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT, STEPHANIE SMA, OUR FINANCE AND HR DIRECTOR.
BUT BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO HER, UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK HER AND HER TEAM, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
UM, I KNOW IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A ROLLOVER BUDGET, BUT IT TOOK A LOT TO GET IT TO BE A ROLL O ROLLOVER BUDGET.
UM, AND SHE'LL GO MORE INTO DEPTH, BUT THERE'S, OUR EXPENDITURES ARE INCREASING AT A GREATER RATE THAN OUR REVENUES.
AND, UM, IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET IT TO BE A BALANCED BUDGET.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK OUR STEPHANIE AND, UH, AND OUR FINANCE TEAM.
SO, THE, UH, CITYWIDE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 20 20 20 24, 20 25 INCLUDES REVENUE FOR ALL FUNDS COMBINED IS OVER A 136 MILLION.
PROPERTY TAX REMAINS THE CITY'S LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE, FOLLOWED BY SALES TAX.
TOTAL EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING TRANSFERS FOR ALL BUDGETED FUNDS IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER 155 MILLION.
OVERALL, THE CITYWIDE BUDGET IS STRUCTURALLY BALANCED AS REOCCURRING REVENUES EXCEED REOCCURRING EXPENDITURES.
ESSENTIALLY, THE CITY IS INVESTING APPLICABLE FUND BALANCES THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS BACK INTO CITY ASSETS.
MANY FUNDS MAKE UP THE TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNT WITH THE LARGEST BEING THE GENERAL FUND AT OVER 76 MILLION OR 49% OF THE CITY'S OVERALL BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED GENERAL, GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAS BEEN STRUCTURALLY BALANCED WITH THE NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE TO BE JUST OVER 1000.
UM, SO BASICALLY WE BALANCED THE BUDGET, BUT THERE IS NOT A LOT OF ROOM FOR ERROR.
THE FUND BALANCE AT FISCAL YEAR END IS PROJECTED TO BE OVER 20 MILLION, WHICH IS ALMOST 22% OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES AND TRANSFERS OF THIS OVER 3 MILLION IS ASSIGNED, WHICH LEAVES APPROXIMATELY 17 MILLION IN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CITY'S BUDGET POLICY REQUIRES THAT THE GENERAL FUND MAINTAIN AN UNDESIGNATED UNAPPROPRIATED RESERVE AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 17% OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 5.5 MILLION.
THE CHART BEFORE YOU DISPLAYS THE FUND BALANCE OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, FUND BALANCE SPIKED TO 25 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, AND MAINTAINED ITS STATUS TO ABOUT 24 MILLION AND THEN STARTED TO DROP TO ABOUT 21 MILLION.
THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN CONSERVATIVELY DESIGNED TO ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN THOSE CITIES RESERVES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE OVER 91.3 MILLION, A 7.6 INCREASE, 7.6% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE OF OVER 6.5 MILLION OVER THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, BUT ONLY 3.8% FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR'S.
END ESTIMATE SALES TAX HAS ALSO JUST BEEN CONSERVATIVELY INCREASED, JUST, UH, BARELY OVER 0.4% IN 20 24, 20 25.
WHILE REVENUE HAS INCREASED, EXPENDITURES HAVE ALSO INCREASED AT A HIGHER RATE.
UH, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ARE PROJECTED TO BE OVER 76 MILLION.
THIS IS $8.4 MILLION INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S ORIGINAL BUDGET.
MOST FOR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES GO TOWARDS SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UN ACCRUED LIABILITY PAYMENTS AND OVERTIME.
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS,
[01:25:01]
THE CITY HAS EXECUTED MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WITH NINE OF ITS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GROUPS.THESE AGREEMENTS INCLUDED SALARY INCREASES RANGING FROM NINE, FROM THREE TO 9% PER GROUP, AND OUR OFFSET BY EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO PENSIONS RANGING FROM 1.5 TO 6%.
MOST OF THESE CONTRACTS EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND ARE CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS.
THUS, NO SALARY INCREASES THAT FOR BARGAINING GROUPS OUTSIDE OF A CONTRACT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET.
EXPENDITURES OVERALL, WERE ANALYZED AND PROJECTED TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL EXPENSE INCURRED BASED ON THE CURRENT YEAR'S ESTIMATE AND PRIOR YEARS.
THE MAJOR EXPENDITURE IMPACTING THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS OUR, THE RETURN OF OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY PAYMENT TO CALPERS OUR UIL PAYMENT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE THE COST OF AN ELECTION, WHICH HAPPENS EVERY TWO YEARS, AND INCREASES IN THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND GENERAL LIABILITY FUNDS HAVE ALSO SPIKED THIS.
OVERALL, THESE IN THESE FIVE CATEGORIES HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR $4 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
LOOKING AT OVERTIME, UM, WE HAVE ACTUALLY, OR ESTIMATED THAT IT'LL GO DOWN SLIGHTLY BASED ON, UH, TRENDS FROM THE LAST YEAR.
UM, MOST OF THE OVERTIME IS FROM POLICE AND FIRE.
THE BUDGET SURVEY WAS MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM JANUARY THROUGH FEBRUARY.
A TOTAL OF 41 PEOPLE RESPONDED, WHICH ARE 83% OF WHICH WERE RESIDENTS RESPONDED, WERE ASKED THEIR OPINION ACROSS 10 DIFFERENT SERVICE CATEGORIES.
AND WHEN ASKED TO RANK WHAT THEY FELT IS MOST IMPORTANT, THEY RANKED POLICE, THEN FIRE AND EMS AND AFTER INFRASTRUCTURE.
ADDITIONALLY, MOST RESPONDENTS ASSIGNED THEIR DOLLARS TO POLICE, FOLLOWED BY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING.
IN COMPARISON WITH THE CITY'S PROPOSED BUDGET EXPENDITURES CITYWIDE HAVE SIMILARLY BEEN ALLOCATED TO POLICE PUBLIC SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES MAINTENANCE OF CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE FOLLOWED BY FIRE.
THE BUDGET IS ESSENTIALLY A ROLLOVER BUDGET IN THE TERMS OF SERVICES.
SO IT'S NOT A ROLLOVER BUDGET IN THE, UM, UH, HISTORICAL TENSE IN THAT WE DIDN'T JUST ROLL OVER THE NUMBERS WHEN WE SAY THAT, WE JUST SAID, UH, WE MEAN THAT WE MAINTAIN THE SERVICE LEVELS THAT ARE IN THE CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET, BUT WE DID NOT ADD ANY NEW POSITIONS.
UM, BUT WE KEPT ALL OF THE RECREATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OFFERED AND EVENTS, WHICH MANY OF THOSE EVENTS, UH, RECEIVE SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS TO COVER THOSE.
WE ALSO KEPT THE QUARTERLY NEWSPAPER AND THE TREE TRIMMING AND LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE, WHICH THOSE, UH, TREE TRIMMING AND LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE COME MAINLY OUT OF THE DISTRICTS IN 2021, THE CITY TOOK OVER THE SPORTSPLEX.
HOWEVER, THE CITY IS CURRENTLY EVALUATING ITS LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE, MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO MAKE THAT FACILITY SELF-SUSTAINING AND INCREASE THE LOCAL TAX BASE FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE STILL SUBSIDIZING THE SPORTSPLEX, THOUGH.
UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS STILL AN ITEM THAT IS CURRENTLY IN A HOLDING PATTERN.
ONCE DIRECTION IS PROVIDED, UM, FROM THE STATE, THEN THE CITY MAY MOVE FORWARD ON PLANNING ACTIVITIES.
BUT AS FAR AS THE 20 24, 20 25 BUDGET, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY REVENUE OR EXPENDITURES FOR A HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THE LAST NOTE I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT THE CITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING A CHAMBER AS A PILOT PROGRAM, AND STAFF WILL BE EVALUATING HOW TO BEST SERVE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES BEING MANAGED AND ADMINISTERED.
THE BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FOR THE CREATION OF A CHAMBER.
THE PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM INCLUDES OVER 117 MILLION IN PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
5.3 MILLION HAVE RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED, AND OVER 74 MILLION ARE IN PROJECTS UNDERWAY.
36 MILLION ARE PROPOSED NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE MAJORITY OF CIP FUNDING COMES FROM GRANTS.
THE CITY RECEIVED OVER 19 MILLION FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ARPA, UM, BETWEEN FISCAL YEARS 2021 AND 2022, THE MAJORITY OF THE CIP IS IN STREETS, FOLLOWED BY TRAFFIC.
UM, AND THEN GENERAL USES, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS BEGAN LAST DECEMBER WITH THE BUDGET SURVEY.
THEN THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL FORECAST WAS UPDATED AND FILED WITH COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY.
UM, FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, STAFF PROPOSES TO HOLD TWO PUBLIC WORKSHOPS ON MAY 8TH AND MAY 13TH.
AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH COUNSEL WITH ANY, UM, WITH
[01:30:01]
ANY OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED FROM THE RESIDENTS ON MAY 21ST.AND THEN WE ARE PROPOSING, UH, A GO BEFORE COUNCIL BEFORE ADOPTION ON JUNE 4TH.
WE ALSO HAVE PUT TOGETHER ANOTHER BUDGET BRIEF, UM, THAT IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL AS THIS PRESENTATION AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, I JUST WANT TO, UH, THANK THE STAFF.
AND, UH, SINCE 2019, 20, 21, 22, 23, WE ALL BALANCED THE BUDGET.
BUT IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER BACK IN 2018, UH, WE CANNOT BALANCE THE BUDGET.
OKAY? 2018, WE HAVE TO CUT 10% PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE HAVE TO CUT 10% EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, OUR FARM BALANCE DOWN TO $8 MILLION.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ALMOST $21 MILLION.
AND, UH, AND THIS YEAR'S WE SAW, OH, YOU GUYS HARD WORK.
AND WE CAN BALANCE THE BUDGET WHEN ALMOST ALL THE CT ARE FACING A DEFICIT, OKAY? I THINK ON THE NEWS, OKAY? AND LACT HAS A $200 MILLION CUT.
OKAY? AND, UH, STAY, HAVE A MAJOR DEFICIT OF THEIR BUDGET.
SO, SO FOR WEST COVINA, CONTINUE TO CONSERVATIVES, OKAY? AND TO BE OKAY DOING THE BUDGET AND TO STILL PROVIDE ALL THE FULL SERVICE POLICE, FIRE.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE STAFF AND THE BARGAINING OKAY.
UNION, THEY CONTINUE WILLING TO WORK WITH CITI AND FOR THE FUTURE, THE HEALTHY OF OUR FINANCE.
UM, THIS IS THE HOW AND THE STAFF AND ALL OUR CT WORKER AND THE POLICE, FIRE AND, UH, GENERAL.
AND, UH, EMPLOYEE AND WITH ALL TOGETHER UNITED, WE ARE SERVING OUR CITY.
TO SEE THE BUDGET CONTINUE TO BALANCE.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE THE MOTION TO RECEIVE FILE, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CONTINUE TO DO EXCELLENT JOB, MR. MAYOR.
UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS, JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION.
UM, I, I JOINED WITH, WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEMAN, CONGRATULATING YOU ON, ON A BALANCED BUDGET.
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT A LIGHT ITEM.
I'VE ASKED FOR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO GINGRICH PARK, UM, IN, IN PRIOR MEETINGS, UM, AND, UM, WITH, WITH STAFF.
UH, DO WE, WHERE IS THAT, THAT ITEM ON THE CIP LIST? IF I'M JUST CURIOUS.
WHAT WAS THE PARK? THE, UH, GRICH PARK GRICH, WHICH NEEDS A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED WITH STAFF ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.
I CAN FOLLOW UP, I'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THE CIP DIRECTLY TO SEE, UM, IF AND HOW IT WAS INCLUDED.
IF YOU COULD BRING THAT BACK TO THE, TO THIS BODY TOO, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO WE'D KNOW WHERE, WHERE IT IS.
BECAUSE RESIDENTS KEEP ASKING ME.
I DO KNOW THAT, UH, IN PRIOR YEARS, WE DID, UM, ALLOCATE 40,000 TO THE BASKETBALL COURTS.
AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, 340,000 DESIGNATED FOR A PARK TOT LOT.
AND THAT'S FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
SECOND DEMO MOTION, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ.
VIRO, I WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THOSE WHO WERE HERE IN 2018 WHEN THEY SEEN THE PRESENTATION, COMPLETE NIGHT AND DAY.
SO YOUR PRESENTATION IS, UH, SUPERB.
UM, AS FOR RESIDENTS, WHEN THEY HAVE THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, I KNOW IT WAS STATED THAT THE COUNCIL DOES NOT LISTEN, BUT, UM, IF THEY DO REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD LIKE ALL THESE LAWSUITS AND SO FORTH, UM, DURING THE WORKSHOP, IT WAS NOTED WE NEEDED A HR DIRECTOR, RISK MANAGEMENT.
WE DID LISTEN, WE DID PUT THAT IN.
UM, AND WE'VE, UH, ADJUSTED BUDGETS IN THE PAST.
WE'VE ALSO, UM, INCREASED POLICE OFFICERS.
WHEN WE DID THE 10, 10 10, UM, HAD THE, UH, UH, POLICE OFFICER INCREASE, UH, DESPITE WHEN THERE WAS THAT, UH, MOVEMENT OF DEFUNDING POLICE AND THEY WANTED TO LIKE CUT OFFICERS.
AND WE, UH, FULLY HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORTED OUR POLICE OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THAT TIME.
UM, AND IN REGARDS TO POLICE, UM, OFFICERS, I KNOW WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR IN TRAINING.
AND, UM, THERE'S THREE TO FOUR OFFICERS CURRENTLY IN BACKGROUND CHECK.
AND ONCE, UH, THAT LIST EXPIRES, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE RECRUITING FOR MORE.
UM, GRANTED IN TODAY'S AGE, A LOT OF OFFICERS, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BE POLICE OFFICERS.
I MEAN, IT, IT IS A, A SAD TIME, UM, WHERE THE RESPECT LEVEL IS IN A DIFFERENT TIME.
BUT, UH, ONCE THAT LIST COMES UP, WE ARE CONTINUING TO RECRUIT OFFICERS.
WE DO LOVE OUR POLICE OFFICERS, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT KNOWN.
[01:35:01]
UM, SO THE BUDGET WILL ALWAYS REFLECT, UM, THE LEVEL OF OUR OFFICERS AND TO BE PUT ON THE GROUNDS TO, FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS.SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
UM, YEAH, I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, LOPEZ VIRO IS THAT YOU MIGHT THINK THAT WE DON'T LISTEN, BUT WE DO.
WE REALLY WANNA HIRE MORE POLICE OFFICERS.
AND, UH, IT JUST TAKES A LONG TIME.
THEY HAVE TO BE EVALUATED AND THEY HAVE TO BE INTERVIEWED AND THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TRAINING.
BUT, UM, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE TRYING TO HIRE MORE OFFICERS.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA WORK ON GETTING EVEN MORE.
AND ALSO THANK YOU STEPHANIE, FOR DOING A GREAT JOB ON OUR BUDGET.
UH, I'VE, A COUPLE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE, WE, UH, TAKE THE ROLL CALL, UH, VOTE.
UH, FIRST OFF, UH, I KNOW AGAIN, A, A LOT OF FOLKS TALKED, UM, WE SPEND ABOUT 80% OF OUR BUDGET ON, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF PEOPLE WANNA UNDERSTAND IN, IN TERMS OF OUR SPENDING, UM, 80 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR IS GOING TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF WE, IF WE WANNA SPEND MORE, THEN IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO CUT SOME OTHER SERVICES.
SO, SO THOSE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, THE HARD DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
UH, SO SPEAKING ON THAT, UH, UH, FINANCE DIRECTORS, UH, SME, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SUBSIDIZING OF THE SPORTSPLEX, THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS.
UH, CURRENTLY, HOW, HOW MUCH, UH, ARE, ARE WE SUBSIDIZING? YEAH, IF I MAY, I'LL PULL UP A QUICK PAGE FOR REFERENCE SO I GET THE EXACT AMOUNT FOR YOU.
UM, WE, FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE PROJECTING TO TRANSFER ABOUT 750,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE SPORTS PEC FUND.
UM, THAT IS JUST SLIGHTLY UP FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR OR THIS FISCAL YEAR'S ESTIMATE FOR THAT FUND.
UM, BUT A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WHAT 2022 WAS IN, UM, FOR ITS END OF YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST BASED ON THE CURRENT STATUS QUO.
SHOULD THINGS OPERATIONS CHANGE AT THE SPORTSPLEX, THAT NUMBER WILL BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY? YEAH, NO, I, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE CONCERNS.
I, I KNOW THAT, UM, NOT HAVING THE, THE SPORTSPLEX RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY, UH, NOT ONLY IS CAUSING US TO, TO SUBSIDIZE IT, BUT IT ALSO HURTS US IN TERMS OF THE TAX BASE, RIGHT? AS, AS YOU HAVE TEAMS COMING FROM OUTTA STATE PLAYING IN TOURNAMENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT, UH, NOT ONLY THE SUMMER MONTHS, BUT NOW WINTER MONTHS AND REALLY 365 DAYS A YEAR, THAT'S, UH, HOTEL OCCUPANCY, BUT THAT'S ALSO THE BUSINESSES AROUND THE SPORTSPLEX AND THE RESTAURANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, SO I THINK AS A COUNCIL, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CONSIDER, UH, IF WE CAN CONTINUE, UH, AS A CITY TO, TO, TO RUN IT INDEPENDENTLY OR IF WE MAYBE HAVE TO FIND, UH, A DIFFERENT, UH, METHOD OF, OF CONTINUING IN THAT.
UH, THE OTHER, UH, CONCERN I IS ON, ON, ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO I KNOW, UH, IN THE CITY OF PASADENA'S BUDGET, UM, THEIR, THE GRANTS, UH, WAS NOT ABLE TO COVER THEIR, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, I BELIEVE THEY'VE ALLOCATED HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THEIR, THEIR GENERAL FUND AS WELL.
SO, UM, IF IF GRANTS AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER IT, THEN WILL WE, UH, HAVE TO GO INTO RESERVES IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS? IS THAT THE, THE THOUGHT PROCESS? YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND? SURE.
SO AT THIS TIME, UM, AS YOU KNOW, PROVIDED IN OUR PRESENTATION REGARDING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE ARE WAITING FOR THE, UH, REGULATIONS FROM THE STATE.
AND SO ONCE WE GET THAT, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED BY THE CITY.
AND AT THAT POINT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT GRANTS WOULD BE ABLE TO COVER IT.
UM, BUT DOING A FIN A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ONCE WE HAVE THAT AND DETERMINING WHERE THE COSTS ARE GONNA BE.
UM, BUT AS I HAD MENTIONED, THE INTENT IS TO, UM, GET GRANT FUNDING.
THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES, YOU KNOW, THE STATE IS LOOKING AT PROVIDING FUNDING FOR ESTABLISHING A NEW HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BETTER ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, THE FINANCING OF A NEW HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
BUT BASED ON OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR CURRENT BUDGET, WE, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE, UH, ANY, ANY SPACE, UH, IF, UH, GRANTS WERE WEREN'T ABLE TO COVER, UH, FOR, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CORRECT? RIGHT.
I THINK WE HAVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
[01:40:01]
THANK YOU.I THINK, UH, YEAH, THAT WAS ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
ALRIGHT, MAYOR, UH, THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF WE COULD, UH, I KNOW THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION WAS TO RECEIVE AND FILE IF MAYOR PROM W WOULD MIND AMENDING HIS MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I THINK I JUST SAY THAT, RIGHT? I SAY NO, NO, THERE'S A FEW RECEIVE AND FILE.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER, UM, SO YOU WANT ME TO MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE IT? STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS? OKAY.
AND THAT IS A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEMU.
A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
[6) CONSIDERATION OF CITY MANAGER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH PAULINA MORALES]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.JUST I'LL BE PRESENTING THAT MR. MAYOR, MR. MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND PAULINA MORALES TO APPOINT MS. MORALES AS YOUR CITY MANAGER.
AND LET ME HIGHLIGHT SOME KEY PROVISIONS.
IT'S A ONE YEAR TERM THAT AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDS MONTH TO MONTH UNTIL TERMINATED OR UNTIL AMENDED.
THE ANNUAL SALARY IS $242,640.
THERE IS NO SEVERANCE PAY PROVISION IN THE AGREEMENT.
UH, IT REQUIRES AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW EACH YEAR, THE BENEFITS ARE COMMENSURATE WITH THE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT BENEFITS.
UH, THERE IS A THREE YEAR GO BACK PROVISION THAT ALLOWS MS. MORALES TO BE REINSTATED AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, THOSE ARE THE KEY PROVISIONS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, AND STEPHANIE'S HERE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, I'LL JUST MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LOPEZ.
MAYOR CALDERONE IS ABOUT TO BUY.
CAN WE IN INVITE, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER, PAULINA MORALES BACK? I'LL SAY SOMETHING.
SO I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M VERY PLEASED AND I JUST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND HELPING US OUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE NEEDED IT, UH, ACTING, UM, MAN OR CITY MANAGER.
AND, UM, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER A YEAR, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THIS DURING MY MAYORSHIP
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE VERY INTELLIGENT AND I THINK YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER OUR CITY, AND YOU ARE THE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CITY.
AND, UM, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE OUR CITY GREAT.
AND, UH, I JUST WANNA WISH YOU WELL.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN, AND, UM, CONGRATULATIONS.
COUNCILMAN CONTOS, MADAM CITY MANAGER.
I WILL TAKE MY COLLEAGUE'S WORD FOR IT, THAT YOU'RE GLOWING.
I'LL, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST TAKE THAT
I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU, YOU ARE MY FIRST.
UM, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY EXCITING WITH THE, WITH WITH REGARD TO THE TIME THAT, THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE.
UH, AND, AND, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATED WORKING WITH YOU IN THE ACTING CAPACITY AND THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO VARIOUS ITEMS, UH, BOTH WITH INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS, UH, MATTERS, AS WELL AS WITH, WITH BROADER POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.
YOU'VE BEEN WONDERFUL TO, TO WORK WITH.
AND, UH, I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE TO YOU FOR WORKING TO FOLLOW THROUGH.
AND WHILE YOU WERE ACTING CITY MANAGER, I ALSO ASKED YOU IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO DRIVE AROUND DIFFERENT, UH, WAYS TO WHEN YOU COME INTO WORK EVERY DAY ACTIVELY TO LOOK FOR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.
AND YOU, YOU, UH, WERE SAYING THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO DO, AND I JUST REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, AND YOU, YOU'RE, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, ABOUT YOUR TIME NOW.
AND, AND THE OTHER PART OF THIS TOO IS THE STORY OF YOUR ASCENDANCY.
YOU STARTED HERE AS AN INTERN.
AND BECAUSE OF YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR MERIT EACH, EACH STEP OF THE WAY, YOU, YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE CONTINUED TO, UH, TO STAND OUT
[01:45:01]
AND, AND, UH, JUST REALLY, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, YOUR CONTINUING TO LEVERAGE YOUR INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY OF THE CITY OVER 20 YEARS.UM, ALONG WITH, UH, THE WAYS THAT YOU CONTINUE TO, TO STRIVE HARD, TO IMPROVE, CONTINUALLY TO ADAPT TO THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS AND TO, AND TO WORK TO ALSO TO BE RESPONSIVE.
SO, HARDIES, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU
SO ARE YOU THE FIRST FEMALE CITY MANAGER IN WEST COVINA? HEY, WOO.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING, UM, THAT'S AMAZING.
AND, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE THROUGH THE HISTORY BOOKS.
UM, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS.
YOU'VE SEEN IT, ALL THE UPS DOWN, GOOD, BAD, UGLY, AND YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO HAPPY TO ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH A LOT WITH YOU AS WELL, UH, THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER AS YOU MOVED, UH, AND SEEN DIFFERENT MANY THINGS.
SO I WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, UH, FOR THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE AND THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW YOU, WE RESPECT YOU.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA BRING THE CITY DOWN.
I MEAN, YOU MIGHT KEEP IT STATUS QUO, BUT WE'RE HOPING YOU'RE GONNA MOVE IT UP AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THINGS GROW AND, UH, BRING BEAUTY, LIGHT AND EVERYTHING TO OUR CITY.
SO I AM, I'M HAPPY FOR YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GOOD BETTER THINGS, UM, THROUGHOUT YOUR 10, I MEAN, THROUGHOUT YOUR TIME HERE, THAT YOU WOULD IMPRESS, UH, THE RESIDENTS AND YOU'LL MAKE EVERYONE PROUD.
YOU'LL MAKE WEST COVINA PROUD.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, MAYOR PRO TAMU.
AND, UH, JUST SAY CONGRATULATION, OKAY? THAT YOUR DREAM COME TRUE, OKAY? BUT DOESN'T MEAN OKAY, YOU STOP HERE, OKAY? YOU HAVE A TASK.
I THINK, UH, YOURS BECOME, YOU BECOME US, OUR CITY MANAGER.
I THINK IT BRING A LOT OF HOPE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOUNG GIRL WATCHING, OKAY? AND A KID A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND LED ANYBODY, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL AND YOUR DREAM.
YOU ARE THE EXAMPLE AND YOU, THE INSPIRATION FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK UP TO IT.
YOU COME OVER HERE AND YOU TOLD ME YOU ARE PAID INTERN.
MY DAUGHTER WAS A NON-PAY INTERN, OKAY? BUT, BUT IT IS A INTERN IS A INTERN.
YOU CAME IN AND YOU PERSISTENT.
AFTER 20 YEARS IN OUR CITY, YOU PERSISTENT, NO MATTER THIS AND THAT, YOU STICK WITH US.
AND LOOK, RIGHT NOW, YOU ACHIEVE BECOME THE TOP ON THE TOP, OKAY? YOU ARE OUR CEO, YOU ARE THE CHIEF OF STAFF, AND YOU BASICALLY RUN THE CITY.
SO, AND I, I KNOW YOU FOR A WHILE, AND I SEE GOOD AND BAD LIKE ME.
EVERYBODY HAVE A ROOM TO IMPROVE, BUT OKAY, YOU HAVE POTENTIAL.
I THINK YOU HAVE LEFT PERSISTENT AND LEFT
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LAST YEAR, WHOLE YEAR.
YOU BASICALLY ACTING CITY MANAGER.
I KNOW WE USE YOU AS A CHIEF LABOR.
WE ONLY PAY YOU ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, OKAY? AND YOU DOING THE MANAGER JOB, OKAY? BUT THAT'S WHY, AND YOU STILL WITH US? AND NOW WE WANT TO REWARD YOU, AND THEN WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUE EVERY YEAR, OKAY? WE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE EVALUATION, CONTINUE TO RENEW YOUR CONTRACT, AND I KNOW YOU CAN DO GOOD.
I KNOW THEY HAVE A LOT OF YOU OVER THERE TO FIGHT FOR OUR RESIDENT TO SERVE OUR RESIDENT, BUT CONGRATULATIONS, I WISH YOU THE BEST.
AND, UH, AFTER TONIGHT, DON'T PARTY TOO MUCH.
OKAY? WE GOING TO WORK FOR THE SLEEP UP AND OKAY, LET'S FIGHT FOR OUR CT AND, UH, MAKE GOOD THING FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON GETTING A FIVE OH VOTE.
THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY DAY ON THIS DAIS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK FROM TALKING TO A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, NOT ONLY IN WEST COVINA, BUT IN SURROUNDING CITIES IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, UM, JUST A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU.
UM, THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT YOU BRING TO THE POSITION THAT YOU'VE WORKED IN SO MANY DEPARTMENTS.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES AND DIFFERENT STAFFS, WHAT THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE THE CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? AND SO WHILE WE MAY GIVE DIRECTION, ULTIMATELY YOU, YOU MAKE THE TOUGH CALLS.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU, UH, TRUST, TRUST ALL THAT EXPERIENCE, UH, TRUST THAT, THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, UM, THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IT TO, TO EACH OF US, UH, EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES THOSE MIGHT
[01:50:01]
BE TOUGH CALLS.UM, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW BEST, RIGHT? WE ALL COME FROM, FROM DIFFERENT SPACES.
UM, BUT YOU'RE THE ONE WHO COMES FROM, FROM THIS SPACE, UH, THAT UNDERSTANDS IT BETTER THAN ANY OF US.
UH, AND SO YOU HAVE OUR FULL FAITH, UH, TO, TO DO A WONDERFUL JOB, UH, AND TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD.
UH, I, I, I DON'T THINK WE ARE GONNA STAY STATUS QUO.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW.
UH, AND YOU KNOW THAT, UH, AND YOU'RE GONNA LEVERAGE ALL THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, BRING A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
YOU'RE GONNA LEAD THE STAFF AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND YOU'RE GONNA DO A WONDERFUL JOB.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, UH, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE FLOOR TO MAKE YOUR FIRST COMMENTS AS CITY MANAGER.
I, I AGREE TO GET A FIVE OH VOTE.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, I, I'M VERY, YOU KNOW, I STAND WITH BEFORE YOU TODAY, YOU KNOW, WITH PROFOUND GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY AS I ACCEPT THIS INCREDIBLE HONOR, AS LEDDY SAID, BEING THE FIRST FEMALE CITY MANAGER, UM, AND ALSO BEING, I THINK, THE FIRST MEXICAN CITY MANAGER FOR WEST COVINA.
UM, I'M DEEPLY AWARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THIS POSITION AS CITY MANAGER.
UM, AND I, UH, EMBRACE IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
UH, I WANT TO EXTEND MY SINCEREST APPRECIATION, AS I SAID, 5.0, UM, TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOU GUYS, UM, FOR PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME.
UM, YOUR CONFIDENCE IN MY, YOUR CONFIDENCE IN MY ABILITIES, UM, FEELS MY DETERMINATION TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND DEDICATION TO THIS GREAT COMMUNITY, UM, TO OUR WEST COVINA TEAM, UM, OUR DEDICATED STAFF.
AS WE CONTINUE TO EMBARK ON THE JOURNEY TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M HERE TO LISTEN TO SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET AND OUR UNITY AND COLLABORATION IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH.
UM, AS MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT PICKED FROM MY INTERVIEW 'CAUSE I, I THOUGHT I HAD BOMBED IT.
UM, BUT I STAND HERE TODAY ON THE FOUNDATION OF HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE AND THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF MY MENTORS AND COLLEAGUES AND MY, UH, FELLOW COWORKERS ALONG THE WAY OF THOSE 20 YEARS.
UM, MUS COVINA GAVE ME MY FIRST BREAK, AND I'M, UH,
UM, WEST COVINA GAVE ME MY FIRST BREAK, AND I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
IT STARTED IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND IT WAS DURING THIS TIME WHERE I, UM, FELL IN LOVE WITH WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
UM, NOT ONLY PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS, BUT BEING PART OF THAT POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, WEST CVIN IS TRULY AN AMAZING CITY, AND I WILL STRIVE TO CONTINUALLY ENHANCE OUR SERVICES, SUPPORT OUR STAFF, AND ENCOURAGE INNOVATION AND STAND BY THE VALUES OF THIS COMMUNITY, OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY OF WEST COVINA.
AND THEN LASTLY, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY THAT CAME OUT TO SUPPORT ME.
[MAYOR/COUNCILMEMBERS REPORTS]
YES, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.UH, I, I WANTED TO, UH, TO, UH, TO EXPRESS SOME, SOME, UH, WORRIES THAT I HAVE WITH REGARD TO BEAU BEAUTIFICATION OF, OF LATE ESPECIALLY, UH, ESPECIALLY ALONG AZUSA, UH,
THE TR THE TREE WELLS HAVE WEEDS, VARIOUS PUBLIC SPACES.
THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES WITH REGARD TO, UH, UH, COMMERCIAL FACILITIES, UH, LIKE THE HEIGHTS AND OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY'RE JUST WEEDS IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
THEY, THEY DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T LOOK THAT WAY BEFORE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
WE JUST HAVE GOTTA, THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE COMING TO ME NOW ALMOST DAILY, JUST SAYING HOW THE CITY IN RE WITH REGARD TO THESE ISSUES, THEY REALLY WANT THESE RESOLVED.
AND, AND I, I REALLY WOULD WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, THAT, THAT THAT BE DONE.
AND, AND I, IN THE PAST, I, I ASKED WITH, OR I ASKED FOR A REVIEW OF THE, OF THE BRIGHTVIEW CONTRACT, AND I THOUGHT THAT THINGS WERE GOING TO BE ON TRACK, BUT THEY HAVEN'T.
AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA GET GET ANY A, A SECOND ON THIS, BUT I'D LIKE TO HAVE US AGENDA IS THE BRIGHTVIEW CONTRACT AND THEM REPORTING TO US THIS NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, UH, REGARDING THEIR EFFORTS, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN, UH, REGARDING, UH, THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VARIOUS PROVISIONS.
THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY BEAUTIFICATION IS A BIG DARN DEAL.
[01:55:01]
THINGS THAT, THAT, THOSE ARE ISSUES, SO, SO I, I LIKE TO ASK THAT THAT BE AGENDAS FOR LITERALLY THIS NEXT MEETING FOR THEM TO REPORT ON, ON, AND, AND FOR US TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS ON AN ONGOING BASIS, BECAUSE WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS CONTRACT AS WELL AS WHOEVER ELSE WE WORK ON WITH WORK WITH FOR MAINTENANCE.AND, UH, PEOPLE ARE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LITERALLY, I'M GETTING THIS ALL THE TIME NOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST SAYING, THIS IS NOT THE CITY, UH, THAT IT WAS.
BUT I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
THAT'S WHY, UH, I, I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP HERE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, TO REQUEST THAT WE AGENDIZE A REVIEW OF THIS, OF THIS CONTRACT FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND GIVE US A REPORT ON, ON THESE, ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE CONTRACT.
AND THAT THEY'D BE DONE HERE, UH, PUBLICLY.
SO THEY COULD EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC NOT ONLY ARE WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO DO BETTER, BUT WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE THE, THE VISIBLE SITUATION OF THE ABSENCE OF BEAUTIFICATION.
BUT, UM, WANTED TO ASK IF, IF COLLEAGUES WOULD, WOULD APPROVE OF IZING THIS COUNCILMAN DIAZ.
I HAVE BEEN BRINGING THIS UP WITH THE STAFF AND, UM, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF WE HAD, UH, BRIGHTVIEW OR OR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT GIVE US A, A REPORT, LET US KNOW WHAT THE STATUS IS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VERO, UM, I'D LIKE TO CONCUR BECAUSE IF YOU DO REMEMBER WITH OUR LAST CONTRACT, UH, VENDOR, I LOOKED AT THAT, UH, CONTRACT AND I FOUND THAT, THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE XED THEM AND GOT RID OF THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, IN HOPES THAT THIS NEW CONTRACT, AND THAT WAS THE MAIN, UM, PO FOCAL POINT THAT WE DID ADDRESS AND MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE GONNA TAKE CARE OF LIKE THE WEEDS AND THE, ALL THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED.
SO I DO AGREE, AND THEY SHOULD BE HERE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND ANSWER TO NOT JUST THE COUNCIL, BUT THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WE HAVE, GRANTED, I KNOW THE RAIN HAS AFFECTED A LOT BECAUSE EVEN MY SON WAS LIKE, WE JUST DID THE YARD WORK, AND ALL THESE WEEDS ARE THIS HIGH.
SO IT, IT'S BEEN POPPING LIKE CRAZY.
ARE YOU SURE HE DID THE YARD WORK? NO, HE END UP LEAVING US DOING IT.
HE MIGHT HAVE JUST SAID IT'S BEEN RAINING.
UH, JUST I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HERE TO REPRESENT AND ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE.
UH, I THINK WE HAVE CONSENSUS.
ANYONE? UM, COUNCILMAN CONTOS? MAYOR, ONE, ONE SECOND REQUEST RELATING TO WHAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT IS, UM, WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY KEEP THEIR PLACES BEAUTIFUL AND RETURN THEM TO THE CONDITION THAT THEY WERE WHEN THESE VARIOUS COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS WERE, WERE ORIGINALLY OPENED.
UM, AND, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT WE ALSO GET A REPORT ON THOSE, THOSE EFFORTS TO REALLY WORK IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES WHERE BUSINESSES ACTUALLY, UH, MOVE FORWARD IN, IN RESTORING THE BEAUTY THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAD BEFORE.
AND WHAT I'D ALSO LIKE SPECIFICALLY TO KNOW IF BUSINESS, IF, IF OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL FACILITIES DON'T DO THAT, WHAT DO, WHAT DO WE AS STAFF DO, UH, TO, TO DO MORE OF A, A, A STICK APPROACH? IF CARROTS DON'T WORK, UH, WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO? BECAUSE THESE ARE TWO, TWO CONCURRENT ISSUES THAT, UM, IF, IF ADDRESSED WOULD REALLY BE OF, OF INTEREST TO OUR RESIDENTS.
COUNCILMAN LARO, I'D LIKE TO ADD, UM, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN SEEING IT ON A STATE LEVEL, UH, WIDE REGARDING BUSINESSES FOLDING.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW, THE INCREASE OF MINIMUM WAGE HAS A FACTOR TO THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER FACTORS, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO KNOW WHAT, UH, PROBLEMS OR ISSUES THAT OUR BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY ARE FACING, WHETHER IT'S JUST THE CITY LEVEL OR STATE LEVEL OR ANY OF THAT.
WOULD THIS BE A PRESENTATION BY CODE ENFORCEMENT? YES.
A, A DETAILED PRESENTATION THAT INCLUDES SPECIFIC NEXT ACTION STEPS IN DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
IF BUSINESSES ARE DOING A GOOD JOB, IF THEY'RE NOT, WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS THAT BUSINESSES HAVE REGARDING GRAFFITI AND SUPPORT FOR THAT? HOW, HOW IS IT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY DO THEIR PART TO NOT JUST, UM, PAINT OVER, BUT ALSO THAT THEY MAKE IT LOOK NICE? I JUST, ALL OF THAT RELATING TO BEAUTIFICATION OF, OF COMMERCIAL FACILITIES AND SPACES.
ALRIGHT, I'LL, I'LL SECOND CONSENSUS.
OKAY, NOW I WANNA COMPLIMENT OUR STAFF BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS THE ONE THAT'S SENDING OR TAKING PICTURES OF ALL THE GRAFFITI.
AND DO YOU KNOW THAT I REPORT ONE DAY AND IT'S GONE THAT DAY THEY'RE LIKE THIS, AND THE NEXT DAY IT'S UP AGAIN.
I, I'M READY TO, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
I FEEL LIKE PUTTING A CAMERA THERE, FINDING THESE PEOPLE
YOU GUYS DO A WONDERFUL JOB IN RESPONDING.
UH, THEN ANY, ANY COUNCIL COMMENTS? MATT? I'M SORRY.
[02:00:01]
ONE LAST THING.I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ON A ROLL OR IF I'M ROLLED DOWNHILL.
UM, BUT I'D, I'D LIKE TO, UH, TO ASK THAT STAFF FORMALLY, AND, AND THIS MAY ALREADY BE PROCESSED, BUT JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR IT TO BE FORMALIZED HERE, THAT, THAT WE PUT OUT A, A FULL RFP TO, TO, TO ANYONE WITH REGARD TO THE SPORTS, UH, MANAGEMENT OF THE SPORTSPLEX.
IF, IF A BUSINESS PRIVATE ENTITY, A LEAGUE OR SOMETHING DECIDES TO COME FORWARD AND CAN PROPOSE THAT THERE WOULD BE A REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENT WITH US BECAUSE OF HOW THEY WOULD MANAGE THE LEAGUE, BRING IN BUSINESS RESTAURANTS, SO THAT WAY IT'S FULLY OPERATIONAL WHILE STILL BEING OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND LE LEAVE IT TO THE RFP PROCESS TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE COME UP WITH TO COME FORWARD SO THAT IT WOULD RESULT IN OUR NOT SPENDING 700 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT ACTUALLY GENERATING POSSIBLY AT LEAST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE WHILE MAKING SURE THAT THEY MEET THEIR, THEIR, THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO MAINTAIN THE FACILITIES IF THEY'RE GRANTED THE, THE CONTRACT.
MAYOR PROU, UH, I THINK WE HAVE TO HOLD THE IP FIRST BECAUSE I THINK, UH, WE HIRING, UH, OUR DEPUTY, UH, DIRECTOR FOR OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND, UH, WE WANT THAT PERSON TO GIVE A CHANCE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT IS HER, UH, PLAN TO DO ENTIRE 16 PARK OKAY.
AND THEY WILL BE INCLUDING OKAY.
AND AS I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, I KNOW HOW YOU DON'T WANT THE DEFICIT, OKAY.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, AND OUR GOAL IS, AGAIN, WE HAVE A 16 PARK SPORT PLAY IS ONE OF OUR PARK.
AND LET'S SEE HOW THIS NEW HIRE THE DIRECTOR OKAY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO GIVE A PROPOSAL.
LET'S REMEMBER THIS, HOW WE APPROVE LAST TIME, OKAY.
AND, UH, AND HAVE A FULL-TIME STAFF OVER THERE TO KIND OF, UH, FIND OUT WHAT CAN GENERATE, UH, THE RESOURCE OR REVENUE TO BALANCE ABOUT CURRENTLY.
A LOT OF TIME WE DID IT FULLY USE, SO LET DEFICITS OVER THERE, BUT I THINK WITH THE NEW HIRE AND GIVE HER, GIVE HIM, GIVE HER A CHANCE.
AND I UNDERSTAND ON THE CITY MANAGER NOW, OKAY, NOT ACTING ANYMORE ALREADY, UH, PUT OUT A OFFER.
AND THE POSSIBLE THE STAFF, THE PERSON WILL COME AND HOPEFULLY GIVE A PRESENTATION AND SEE HOW, WHAT HELP PLAN.
AND THEN WE CAN FROM THERE, SEE, SHOULD WE GO IP? SHOULD WE GO CONTRACT OUT? THE CONTRACT OUT? UH, I HAVE A MAJOR CONCERN.
WE DID IT BEFORE WITH THE BIG LEAGUE DREAM.
AND NOT ONLY WE DIDN'T MAKE MONEY, THEY DESTROYED THE PROPERTY, AND THEN WE TOOK US FOREVER AND, UH, A LOT OF REVENUE TO FIX THE PLACE.
NOW THE PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL NOW, HOPEFULLY WITH IP TO RESTAURANT, WITH, UH, THE NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR COMING IN.
AND THEN WE CAN TURN AROUND AND LET'S GIVE A TRY, UH, FROM THERE.
SO LET IS SAY, HOLD ON THIS IP, UH, TO THE, UH, THIS, UH, NEW HIRE COME OUT, GIVE US A PRESENTATION.
UH, I'LL, I'LL SECOND THE, THE MOTION.
UH, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN CONTOS, UH, AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN A NEW HIRE.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY THE FACT THAT WE ARE ALSO USING A LOT OF STAFF AND A LOT OF CITY RESOURCES ALREADY AT THE FACILITY.
UH, AND WITH, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR BUDGET REALLY HAVING NARROW MARGINS, UH, AND, AND THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED AS A CITY, UH, I REALLY THINK THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING AT THE SPORTSPLEX, UH, NEED TO BE USED, UH, IN OTHER SPACES IN THE CITY.
UH, AND SO, UH, I WILL SECOND, UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS MOTION AND I WANT TO MOVE THE MAYOR PROAM.
I WANT TO MOVE THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
AND TO POSTPONE THIS AND TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM OUR NEW HIRE AND TO SEE WHAT IS HER PLAN.
SUBSTITUTE YOUR MOTION TO IP RIGHT AWAY.
AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I, I MEAN, I, IF I MAY, MAYOR, UM, COUNCILMAN LOPEZ VIRO, I, I'D LIKE TO 'CAUSE THE RFP, IT'S NOT JUST A BRINGING IN THIS OTHER ORGANIZATION, IT'S, IT'S A WHOLE COMPLEX AS A WHOLE.
THERE'S MORE TO THIS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE DO OBVIOUSLY HAVE, WHEN, WHEN THE RESTAURANTS ARE THERE THAT ACTUALLY GENERATES PEOPLE THAT GENERATES REVENUE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT HAVE RESTAURANTS.
SO WITH THE RFP, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
I'D LIKE FOR, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A, A TIMELINE.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT THE NEW PERSON TO COME IN AND THEN WAIT A WHOLE YEAR, AND THEN WE'RE BACK ON THIS BUDGET, AND THEN WE'RE BACK AT THIS TOPIC AGAIN.
SO IT HAS TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THIS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG BEFORE THE NEW
[02:05:01]
PERSON COMES IN BY WHEN WE'LL GET A PRESENTATION, UM, BY WHEN THE PLAN IS.UM, I UNDERSTAND WHEN WE USED TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE RUN IT, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR WEST COVINA TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE IT.
UM, AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WITH THE 4TH OF JULY BEING THERE, IT WAS LIKE A POOL, A TUG.
AND WE'VE NEVER HAD MUCH PROGRAMMING THAT WE KIND OF SEE WITHIN THE CITY BECAUSE THEY OVERPOPULATED AND THEY JUST, THEY JUST USE IT.
THEY, THEY USE IT FOR WHATEVER PURPOSES AND THEY DESTROYED A LOT OF OUR FACILITIES.
SO IF WE CAN, UM, MESH THE TWO, I AGREE WITH BOTH.
UM, AND I, I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S BEST.
I WANT TO, FOR THE SPORTSPLEX, I WANT TO AMEND MY MOTION.
CAN WE HAVE, UM, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, ROXANNE LERMA, AND THEN THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF I MAY, IF I MAY, ADDRESS SOME OF, UM, COUNCILMAN LOPEZ VETO'S CONCERNS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CONCERNS IN THE COUNCIL REGARDING THE SPORTSPLEX, THE OPERATIONS AND THE, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION.
SO YES, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR HAS BEEN TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING A LOOK AT THE OPERATIONS AT THE SPORTSPLEX.
IN THE INTERIM, UM, THE CITY STAFF HAS ALREADY BEEN, UM, TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMAN CONTOS CITY STAFF HAS ALREADY STARTED PREPARING AN RFP FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF THE SPORTSPLEX BECAUSE IT IS THE OPINION OF, UM, BOTH THE, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THAT WE SET UP, WHOEVER COMES IN TO FILL THAT SPOT UP FOR SUCCESS.
SO THEY'RE NOT JUST COMING IN BLINDLY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED, INCLUDING OUR NEW STAFF MEMBERS.
SO THE RFP, THERE IS A DRAFT RFP, UM, IT IS IN THE QUEUE IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY LOOK OVER THAT RFP, BUT ALSO TO GIVE, UM, THAT INDIVIDUAL, GIVE THEIR TWO SENSES FAR AS THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCES AND MAINTENANCE IS CONCERNED.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WAS AN RFP THAT WAS RELEASED FOR, UM, THE RESTAURANTS SEPARATELY FROM THE SPORTSPLEX MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
UM, WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF NEGOTIATION, UM, WITH A POTENTIAL VENDOR.
UM, THIS POTENTIAL VENDOR DOES HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE, UM, WITH SIMILAR SETUPS TO THE SPORTSPLEX AND WORKING, UM, AT A, AT A SPORTS COMPLEX IN ANOTHER CITY, UM, LOCATED IN ORANGE COUNTY.
UM, SO WE, AGAIN, WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF NEGOTIATIONS, UM, FOR THAT.
SO I HOPE, UM, THAT GIVES THE CITY COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, A BRIGHT LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND KNOWING THAT, UM, YOUR STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT, IT'S NOT JUST WE'RE WAITING, UM, WE'RE, WE'VE PUT SOME, UM, THINGS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE KEEP THE BALL ROLLING FORWARD.
SO WE HAD THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BUT, UH, IT HADN'T BEEN SECONDED YET.
SO CAN CAN HE JUST DO A, A, A DIFFERENT MOTION? YES.
IT JUST, UH, AND THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, OKAY.
UH, THE LADY LOPEZ VIDA TALKING ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
I THINK WE CANNOT DELAY TOO LONG.
WE, I THINK WE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THE PERSON YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE.
THE PERSON SHOULD COMING IN AND WITHIN THREE MONTHS YOU PROVIDE OKAY.
MAYBE ONE MONTH, TWO MONTHS, CAN COME IN TO, TO, UH, TELL US THE PLAN AND THEN SO WE CAN KNOW WHAT THIS PLAN AND HOW TO LEASE OUT AND, UH, OKAY.
TO FULLY USE ABOUT THIS, UH, SIX, UH, BASEBALL FIELD PLUS THE TWO RESTAURANT, I THINK LAST TIME REQUEST BY, UH, THE COUNCILWOMAN.
AND I THINK YOU EVEN WENT TO, I DIDN'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT RESTAURANT, BUT I HEARD ABOUT IT'S A GOOD, VERY GOOD RESTAURANTS THAT FIT IN WITH SINCE THIS AND THAT, HOPEFULLY.
SO A LOT OF THINGS IS ALREADY ROLLING.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE PATIENT.
PATIENT IS A VIRTUE AND, UH, TO, TO GET THIS NEW HIRE AND PLUS, OKAY.
ALL THIS ALREADY ROLLING IN A CHANCE TO PLAY OUT RATHER THAN OKAY.
TERMINATE AND WRITE SOMETHING NEW POSSIBLE.
WE ARE GOING TO WAIT FOR IP AND NEGOTIATE WASTING THE TIME.
SO, SO I CAN, ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO MOVE MY MOTION TO HAVE, UH, OKAY.
NEW, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SHE'S, UH, HE OR SHE WILL BE OKAY.
AND TAKING CARE OF THE PARK PLAN AND PLUS OKAY.
THE, THE, THE SMALL PLAN AND HOW TO OKAY.
BE A FULL-TIME OVER THERE AND DO, UH, THE PROPOSAL AND PLUS INTO THE RESTAURANT WITHIN THREE MONTHS.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LERMA.
ONE MORE COMMENT REGARDING, UM, THE 16 PARKS SYSTEM.
UM, AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE CITY DID RELEASE AN RFP FOR A PARKS MASTER
[02:10:01]
PLAN.IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR NOT ONLY THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, BUT THE FUTURE OF THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, WE DID RECEIVE, UM, A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS BACK.
THE PROPOSAL PACKETS ARE RELATIVELY THICK, SO RIGHT NOW STAFF IS GOING THROUGH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE, UM, OR TO CHECK TO FOR COMPLIANCE.
UM, WITH THE, WITH THE RFP, AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER TASK, UM, FOR THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO REVIEW.
UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, UM, THAT PROCESS, UM, IT IS AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS WITH PUBLIC, UM, OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY INPUT, AS WELL AS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE INPUT OF THE COUNCIL.
IF YOU, WHEN A FIRM IS SELECTED, ESPECIALLY A GOOD FIRM IS SELECTED TO, UM, PREPARE THIS DOCUMENT, THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
ANOTHER THING THAT THEY'RE ALSO GONNA LOOK AT IS FINANCIALS, AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL GRANTS.
UM, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE PARKS MASTER PLAN IS NOT ONLY TO SERVE AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR OUR RECREATION HERE IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO HAVE PROJECTS THAT ARE READY FOR GRANTS.
SO WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A GRANT, UM, WHETHER IT'S A FUNDING, UM, MEASURE, A FUNDING THROUGH THE COUNTY, OR, UM, PRIVATE GRANTS OR EVEN GRANTS THROUGH THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY.
SO, SO, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG ONES THAT ARE COMING FROM THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE PLANNED PROJECTS THAT ARE SHOVEL READY.
AND THAT IS WHAT PART OF WHAT YOU ARE INVESTING IN WHEN YOU'RE INVESTING IN A PARKS MASTER PLAN.
UM, THE, THE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AGAIN, WILL BE TASKED WITH THAT.
I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT AS WELL.
SO I WILL BE GIVING THAT PERSON, UM, GUIDANCE IN, IN HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT EXECUTING THAT PROCESS.
I THINK IT WILL BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
MY HOPE IS THAT IT WILL ACHIEVE NOT ONLY THE CITY COUNCIL'S GOALS, UM, BUT THE GOALS OF THE RESIDENTS AS WELL.
SO CAN ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT MOTION IS ON THE TABLE JUST SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND BEFORE WE SECOND, SO I WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YES.
UH, I HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE, UH, ONLY OKAY, SO MOTION.
SO WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THE PREVIOUS MOTION TO DIE.
MAYOR PRO TEM, MAKE YOUR NEW MOTION.
AND I HAVE TO SAY ONE, SO IS SUBSTITUTE A SECOND? WE NEVER HAD, SO WHATEVER YOU SAY.
SO IT'S ENOUGH BECAUSE YOU'RE SUBSTITUTE GO AHEAD.
SO WE, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD STOP THE WILLS IN MOTION ON THE RFPS BECAUSE WE HAVE 'EM GOING AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
ONCE OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR COMES IN, THEN SHE CAN JUST JUMP IN AND START WORKING WITH THE STAFF.
SO I DON'T, WE DON'T NEED TO REQUEST A NEW RFP.
WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
SO WE HAVE OUR RESTAURANT, RFP, WE HAVE THE PARK PLAN, RFP, WE HAVE OUR, UM, THE YES, AND ALSO THE, UM, BASEBALL.
WE HAVE RFPS AREN'T THERE, RIGHT.
IT'S JUST THAT I THINK THAT ONCE THIS NEW DE DEPUTY DIRECTOR COMES IN, SHE'LL JUST JUMP IN.
UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNCILMAN CONTOS TIMELINE QUESTION.
SO WITHIN THREE MONTHS, SO CAN THE MOTION BE THAT, THAT THEY COME BACK COMPREHENSIVELY WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF THE HIRING OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR? THAT WOULD THAT BE AMENABLE TO BY STAFF THREE MONTHS FROM YEAH.
I MEAN, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO COME ABOARD THAT, THAT TRIGGERS A SO YOU AGREE WITH MY MOTION FOR THREE MONTHS?
LIKE, WELL, WHERE ARE WE? ALL RIGHT.
I, I WANT TO, UH, MR. MAYOR, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? MAYOR PRO TEM.
I, I, THE REASON I MOVE THAT SUBSTITUTE MOTION, BECAUSE OKAY.
THE COUNCILMAN KENTO WANT TO, UH, MOVE THE MOTION FOR NEW IFP.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANT TO, BECAUSE I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE NOTHING GOING ON, AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW HIRE COMING IN, SO LET'S ACQUIRE A SUBSTITUTE.
BECAUSE HE WANT TO HAVE A NEW IP TO LEASE OUT, AND I THINK OKAY.
AND, UH, MAYOR CONCUR, SECOND TO HAVE A NEW IP, HAVE A OUTSOURCING FOR PEOPLE.
SOME LIKE BIG TO TAKE OVER ENTIRE PARK.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT WE WANT CURRENTLY, BECAUSE I REMEMBER, OKAY, THE PARK BECOMES CT PROPERTY LIKE OUR 16 PARK BECAUSE IT IS COME FROM MAYOR.
LADY LOPEZ, WHEN SHE WAS A MAYOR AT THE TIME.
[02:15:01]
SAY LOTUS PARK IN LA WHEN YOU WORK FOR THEM AND THEY BECOME, THEY RUNNING THEMSELVES AND BECOME VERY PROFITABLE AND RESIDENTS WHO REALLY USE THE PARK.WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE A BIG LEAGUE DREAM, MOST OF RESIDENTS DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S OUR PARK.
SO NOW WE WANT OUR RESIDENT, THIS IS OUR TAXPAYER, OUR NUMBER 16 PARK, OUR RESIDENT, OUR STUDENT, OUR OKAY, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR HIGH CAN UTILIZE THIS 16 PARK, THEY CAN PRACTICE.
AND OUR, OUR LEAGUE, THEY, THEY'RE RUNNING OUTTA SPACE.
THEY MAYBE CAN USE THAT PLACE.
SO, SO AGAIN, THE PARK DOESN'T MAKE MONEY.
PARK IS PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT PEOPLE, OUR TAXPAYER HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE IT.
THAT'S WHY I REALLY DON'T WANT TO OUTSOURCING AND TRY TO BALANCE, BUT END UP WE LOSING THIS BIG BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY.
OUR PARK LET'S OUR RESIDENT AND OUR KID TO USE THE, THE PLACE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE UH, THE MOTION.
DID SOMEONE SECOND? NO, NO, NO, NO.
I JUST WANTED THIS PROCESS TO, TO MOVE.
I MEAN, IF IT'S GOING TO BE AS COMPREHENSIVE AS IT SOUNDS, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
IF WE COULD SAY, UM, THAT, THAT WITHIN THREE MONTHS WE GET A REPORT BACK THAT BRINGS ALL THESE ISSUES, THEN I'M, THEN THAT WOULD BE FINE.
'CAUSE THAT WAY IT LOOKS, UM, 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND AND THAT'S FINE BY, BY ME.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I REQUEST.
SO THAT'S SOME OTHER MAY I, AND I'M OKAY AND EVERYONE'S OKAY WITH IT.
I THINK I, I I THINK WE, WE WE'RE DEFINITELY OKAY.
I, I THINK I'LL, I'LL, I'LL CLOSE IS, UM, I MEAN WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING THIS, THIS PARK FOR GOING CLOSE TO FOUR YEARS NOW AND MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND AND, AND, AND, AND, AND TO WAIT.
UM, BUT I ALSO HOPE THAT WE ARE OPEN, UM, TO TAKE WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION COMES, UH, AND IF IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT IT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE WAY IT USED TO BE AS A BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
I, I, I THINK, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'RE ALL OPEN TO THAT.
UH, ANY, ANY OTHER CLOSING COMMENTS THEN DO WE, DO WE HAVE A
COUNCILMAN CONTOS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING?