* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:07] GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO OUR JUNE 4TH, 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT IS 7:01 PM MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION. TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR BRUCE MCCLAIN FROM CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH. AND MAYOR PROAM WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALL RISE, LET'S PRAY. DEAR ONLY FATHER, AS WE COME INTO THE WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT TO DISCUSS IMPORTANT MATTERS, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE OMNISCIENCE AND WISE IN ALL THINGS. SO WE ASK FOR GUIDANCE, WISDOM FROM YOU HEAVENLY FATHER, TO BE GIVEN TO ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, DEPARTMENT HEADS TONIGHT AS THEY DISCUSS THESE MATTERS. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WE ARE TO PRAY FOR KINGS AND THOSE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY. SO, FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE MAYOR, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY STAFF, THE DEPARTMENTAL HEADS, THE BUSINESSES HERE IN WEST COVINA, AND THE FAMILIES THAT MAKE OUR CITY THE GREAT PLACE THAT IT IS. MAY YOU GRANT THE CITY OF WEST COVINA SUCCESS AND ALL THE PLANNING DISCUSSED TONIGHT. WE ALSO PRAY FOR PEACE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, SAFETY FOR OUR POLICE, AND OUR FIREMEN WHO SERVE OUR CITY. MAY YOU CONTINUE TO GRACE THE CITY OF WEST COVINA. MAY OUR CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT BE RESPECTFUL AND PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT. WE LOVE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL GOOD THINGS. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AMEN. ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN CONTOS HERE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VITO, PRESENT MAYOR PRO. TIM WU. YEAH. MAYOR CALDONE TABBA PRESENT. THANK YOU. CITY ATTORNEY. IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? NOTHING TO REPORT ON, MR. MAYOR. THANK [PRESENTATIONS] YOU. OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO PRESENTATION. TESTING, TESTING, TESTING. ALL RIGHT. IF I CAN INVITE MS. FRANCOIS COLTON TO THE FRONT. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. GREAT TO HAVE YOU. THE FIRST FRIDAY IN JUNE IS RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY, HUNDREDS OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HOST EVENTS TO COMMEMORATE THE ANNUAL EVENT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HASHTAG WEAR ORANGE DAY. THE INAUGURAL NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY OCCURRED IN 2015. ORANGE IS THE COLOR THAT HAD PENDLETON'S FRIEND WORE IN HER HONOR WHEN SHE WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN CHICAGO AT THE AGE OF 15, JUST ONE WEEK. AFTER PERFORMING AT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SECOND INAUGURAL PARADE IN 2013, AFTER HER DEATH, HE'S FRIEND AND FAMILY ASKED US TO STAND UP, SPEAK OUT, AND WEAR ORANGE TO WEAR, TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE. SINCE THEN, ORANGE HAS BEEN THE DEFINING COLOR OF THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MOVEMENT. GUN VIOLENCE TOUCHES EVERY SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY AND IMPACTS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. WE DESERVE MORE THAN TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE FIREARMS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT AS INCIDENTS OF GUN VIOLENCE HAVE GROWN, SO TOO HAS THE MOVEMENT TO STOP IT TOGETHER. WE CAN BUILD A FUTURE FREE FROM GUN VIOLENCE. UH, SO TODAY, UH, OUR PROCLAMATION DECLARING THE FIRST FRIDAY, UH, IN JUNE TO BE NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY. UH, AND SO FRANCOIS, I'M GONNA, UH, GIVE YOU THE MIC. I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY, UH, AND ALSO, UH, SPEAK ABOUT AN EVENT WE'RE HAVING THIS SATURDAY. SO HERE YOU GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, AND THANK YOU. THE CITY OF, UH, WEST COVINA. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DEAR TO ME. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, IT'S BASICALLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THE, THE TRUE STATISTICS, BUT 120 PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY IN THIS COUNTRY. AND, UH, MANY MORE ARE HURT [00:05:01] EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, UM, AND AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY IT. AND SO, BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT'S WHY I GOT INVOLVED IN THIS MOVEMENT. UM, I BECAME A VOLUNTEER FOR MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA. IT'S A NON-PARTISAN, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION MADE UP OF BOTH NON-GUN OWNERS AND GUN OWNERS WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND IMPROVING GUN SAFETY FOR EVERYONE. WE BELIEVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT CAN BE RESPECTED WHILE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY BETTER PROTECTING PEOPLE THROUGH COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION. AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UM, WHERE ORANGE, UH, WAS CREATED AFTER THE TRAGIC KILLING OF HADIA PENDLETON IN CHICAGO IN 2013. SHE WAS IN A PLAYGROUND. SHE WAS JUST 15 YEARS OLD. AND, UM, HER FRIENDS CHOSE THE COLOR ORANGE 'CAUSE THAT'S THE COLOR THAT, UH, HUNTERS WEAR WHEN THEY'RE HUNTING. UM, IT'S ALSO A COLOR THAT SYMBOLIZES THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE. SHE WOULD'VE BEEN 27 YEARS OLD THIS PAST JUNE 2ND. NOW, PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES RECOGNIZE NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS IN STATE, AND WHERE ORANGE IS IN TRIBUTE TO NOT ONLY HADDA PENDLETON, BUT THE COUNTLESS OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE. SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 8TH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FIRST WHERE ORRIN EVENT IN WEST COVINA. IT'S CALLED, UM, COMMUNITY PICNIC. WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT AT CAMERON PARK. UH, AGAIN, THAT'S SATURDAY, JUNE 8TH, BEGINNING AT 11:30 AM THE PURPOSE TO HONOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE. SO WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE WHO ARE SURVIVORS TO BRING PICTURES OR NAMES OF THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO THEY WANNA HONOR ON THAT DAY. WE'LL HAVE, UM, THE COUNTY WILL ACTUALLY COME OUT TO, UH, THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION WILL BE GIVING OUT GUN LOCKS, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME RESOURCE TABLES. SO IT SHOULD BE, UM, A REALLY POWERFUL AND MEANINGFUL EVENT FOR MANY. 'CAUSE AS I'VE SAID, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN KILLED YEARS AGO STILL FEELS LIKE IT HAPPENED TODAY. YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T GO AWAY. I MET SOMEBODY, UH, A FRIEND OF A FRIEND WHO SHE KILLED HER BROTHER WHEN SHE WAS SEVEN. YOU KNOW, IT'S REAL. IT HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, KIDS FIND GUNS UNSECURED OR SECURED, AND IF THEY'RE UNSECURED, THEY WILL USE THEM AS TOYS. UM, SO IT'S, IT'S JUST CHILLING, YOU KNOW, FACTS. BUT, UM, WE JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD AND EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCKING GUNS. AND I'M SURE SOME OF THE POLICEMEN HERE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT AS WELL. UM, SO, AND WE ALSO ASK PARENTS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE KIDS GOING TO HAVE A PLAY DAY WITH SOMEBODY, ASK THOSE, THOSE KIDS' PARENTS, HEY, IS YOUR GUN SECURED? YOU KNOW, TAKE AN EXTRA STEP BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST IN THEIR OWN HOME. IT COULD BE IN THEIR BEST FRIEND'S HOME, RIGHT? SO, SO IF YOU HAVE A GUN, LOCK IT. KEEP THE BULLETS SEPARATELY. EVIDENCE DOES SHOW THAT GUN OWNERS STILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO USE THEIR GUN IF IT IS LOCKED. UM, AND DON'T OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THE BEST. SO, AND I ALSO WANNA MENTION, UM, SUICIDE UNFORTUNATELY, IS, UM, IS BASICALLY IN THIS COUNTRY, SIX OUT OF 10 GUN GUN DEATHS IN THE US ARE FROM SUICIDE. AND SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING THROUGH A CRISIS, OR IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A CRISIS, WE NOW HAVE THAT 9, 8, 8 NUMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL. SO, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TEXT OR CALL, OR YOU CAN GO TO 9 8 8 LIFELINE.ORG/CHAT TO CHAT WITH A COUNSELOR FROM THE SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE. SO, JUST LIKE WITH COVID, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES. UM, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, IT COULD BE ANYBODY AT ANY TIME. AND WE JUST NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. WE NEED TO EDUCATE. SO, THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THIS, AND THANKS FOR ALSO HELPING TO, UH, SPONSOR THIS EVENT ON, ON SATURDAY, THE WEAR ORANGE, UH, COMMUNITY PICNIC. UH, I HOPE YOU CAN COME AND IF YOU DO, JUST BRING A CHAIR, BRING YOUR OWN FOOD, AND SOMETHING TO DRINK. AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HOPE TO MAKE IT A MEANINGFUL TIME FOR EVERYONE. NOW, I HAVE SOME FLYERS, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. I, I WANTED TO FIND OUT. CAN I JUST LEAVE THEM WITH YOU? OKAY. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [00:10:04] THANK YOU. OKAY. AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, UNIKA MONTEZ TO THE FRONT. UH, KIARA MOUTH FORMATION IS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT IN WHICH THE CEREBELLUM EXTENDS THROUGH THE OPENING AT THE BASE OF THE SKULL. THE CEREBELLUM IS THE PART OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROLS BALANCE. THE EXACT CAUSE OF CHIRA MALFORMATION IS UNKNOWN, BUT SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS DURING FETAL DEVELOPMENT AND GENETICS MAY PLAY A ROLE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF KIRA MALFORMATION AND CREATE IMPROVED TREATMENT AND PREVENTION PLANS. AND SO, I, I MET, UH, UNIKA AT A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING NOT TOO LONG AGO. AND, UH, SHE SHARED HER STORY WITH ME, WHICH IS ALSO IN THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK THAT SHE HAS WRITTEN. UH, AND, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA ALLOW HER TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, BUT I, I THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT. UH, KIARA MALFORMATION MONTH IS ACTUALLY IN SEPTEMBER. BUT AFTER SHE SHARED HER STORY, UH, I UNDERSTOOD, UM, WHY IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY FOR, FOR PARENTS, UM, OF CHILDREN WHO MAY BE SUFFERING FROM THIS DISEASE, UH, TO HEAR IT NOW, AND, AND TO, TO GET AWARENESS TODAY. BECAUSE THE SOONER THAT THEY CAN, UM, BE AWARE AND IT CAN BE DISCOVERED, THEN THE SOONER THEIR LIVES CAN IMPROVE. AND SO, UNIKA, IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE, MY NAME IS UNIKA MONTEZ. I WAS BORN WITH ARNOLD CHIARI MALFORMATION, TYPE ONE CHIARI IS A CONDITION WHERE YOUR CEREBELLAR TONSILS IS PROTRUDING INSIDE OF YOUR SPINAL CANAL, RESTRICTING SPINAL FLUID TO YOUR BRAIN. SO EVERY TIME I LAUGH, I GET A HEADACHE. WHEN I SNEEZE, I GET A HEADACHE. WHEN I COUGH, I GET A HEADACHE. WHEN I BEND OVER, I GET A HEADACHE. WHEN I GET EXCITED, I GET A HEADACHE. ANY FORM OF PRESSURE TO MY BRAIN WILL CAUSE ME TO HAVE A HEADACHE. I SUFFER FROM BLURRED VISION, SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT, NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN, NUMBNESS IN MY FINGERS AND TOES, VERTIGO. MY BALANCE IS UNSTEADY. UM, I'VE, I'VE HAD TWO BRAIN SURGERIES. I'M A TWO TIME BRAIN SURGERY SURVIVOR, SPINAL MENINGITIS SURVIVOR. I SUFFER FROM MAAL. MYSIA, WHICH IS A SPINAL CORD, IS, IS DAMAGED FROM SEARING. MY, SO I, I SUFFER FROM A LOT OF CONDITIONS, BRAIN FOG, MEMORY LOSS. SO, UM, AFTER I WAS DIAGNOSED AND AFTER MY TWO BRAIN SURGERIES, I WAS DISCOURAGED. I FELT LIKE MY LIFE WAS OVER. I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MY LIFE HAD A PURPOSE. AND ONE OF MY CHILDHOOD FRIENDS CALLED ME AND SHE SAID, NIKA, GOD PLACED IT ON MY HEART FOR ME TO TELL YOU. YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK. AND, YOU KNOW, I LAUGHED AT HER, AND I WAS LIKE, ME WRITE A BOOK. AND SHE, I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I HAVE A HEADACHE. YOU KNOW, I WAS ABOUT TO LIE DOWN, TAKE A NAP. AND SHE SAID, NO, I DIDN'T CALL TO TALK TO YOU. GOD JUST PLACED IT ON MY HEART FOR ME TO TELL YOU THAT YOU NEEDED TO WRITE A BOOK. AND I SAID, OKAY. I TOOK MY NAP, AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. BUT MY CHILD, EVERYTHING THAT I HAD GONE THROUGH AS A CHILD, PLAYED OUT IN A DREAM. AND I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED TO WRITE. SO THAT'S, I WROTE THIS BOOK FOR CHILDREN WHO CAN'T EXPLAIN THEIR SYMPTOMS. I USE MY WALKER AND I WILL WALK TO A SCHOOL DISTRICT ANYWHERE THAT I CAN [00:15:01] TO SPREAD AWARENESS. AND THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TODAY. SO, I THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, I GREW UP HERE. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN WEST COVINA FOR 40 YEARS. SO I THANK MY CITY FOR THIS HONOR. IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO HELP SPREAD AWARENESS FOR CHILDREN WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. AND TRUST ME, CHILDREN LIVING WITH THIS, IT'S AN INVISIBLE, IT'S NOT A DISEASE, IT'S AN ABNORMALITY. AND CHILDREN CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW THEY'RE FEELING. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO, HOW TO ARTICULATE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR BODIES. SO I'LL DO WHATEVER I HAVE TO DO TO HELP SPREAD AWARENESS AND SPEAK FOR CHILDREN WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. AND ADULTS. CHIARI MALFORMATION AFFECTS ONE OUT OF A THOUSAND PEOPLE. ONE OUT OF A THOUSAND DOCTORS DON'T KNOW ABOUT CHIARI MALFORMATION. PEDIATRICIANS NEVER HEARD OF CHIRI MALFORMATION. A LOT OF OUR NEUROLOGISTS NEVER HEARD OF KIARI MALFORMATION. I WAS 47 YEARS OLD WHEN I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH KIARI. 47, 47 YEARS OLD. I'VE SUFFERED. I'VE SUFFERED, AND NONE OF MY DOCTORS COULD HELP ME. I HAD STARTED GOING PARALYZED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BODY BEFORE I WAS DIAGNOSED. I HAD TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY BRAIN SURGERY. AND I STILL DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH STILL, BECAUSE NONE OF MY DOCTORS COULD SIT DOWN WITH ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH, WHAT I HAVE NO ONE COULD TELL ME. SO, IT IS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO JUST TAKE THE TIME, YOU KNOW, TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GOING THROUGH SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, LET, LET ME LOOK IT UP. LET ME HELP YOU HELP A CHILD. I'M PLANTING A SEED. SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MEET SOMEONE WHO, WHO'S PROBABLY LIVING WITH KIARI AND DON'T EVEN KNOW IT. SO THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TODAY. AND I THANK YOU ALL. I REALLY DO. I THANK YOU. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU. IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [CITY MANAGER'S REPORT] NOW FOR OUR CITY MANAGER'S REPORT, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY OUR CITY MANAGER, PAULINA MORALES. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, SO WE CAN GO. IT'S UP ALREADY. UH, JUST WANTED TO RECAP A COUPLE EVENTS THAT WE HAD, UM, SINCE OUR LAST MEETING ON, UH, MAY 27TH. WE CELEBRATED, UM, MEMORIAL DAY, AND WE HAD OUR ANNUAL EVENT HERE IN OUR CIVIC CENTER AND OUR, BY OUR MEMORIAL, UH, FOR OUR VETERANS. UM, THE TWO GUEST SPEAKERS THAT WE HAD WERE ED EDWARD JIMENEZ AND ART NOW, BOTH OF WHOM SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES, UH, MARINE CORPSE. UM, WE ALSO HAD OUR POLICE, UH, WEST COVINA POLICE EXPLORERS POST 4 9 9, UH, POSTING OUR COLORS. EDWARD WOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT RE ZLA ZING, NATIONAL ANTHEM. UM, AND, UH, PASTOR EZRA KO OF VICTORY OUTREACH CHURCH, GIVING THE INVOCATION. WE ALSO HAD A SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY CELESIO ENSEMBLE THAT TOOK PLACE BEFORE AND AFTER THE CEREMONY. SO, UM, AND THEN ALSO WANTED TO THANK OUR STAFF WHO DID A WONDERFUL JOB. THEY PROVIDED LUNCH, UH, FOR ALL THOSE THAT ATTENDED, AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD. SO, UH, UH, THOSE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, MAYBE NEXT YEAR, THEY CAN COME AND CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY WITH US. UM, WE ALSO HAD OUR FIRST ANNUAL SENIOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS EXPO, UM, AND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY SENIOR SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT AT THE, UH, WEST CAMINO SPORTSPLEX. UM, SO, UM, THE EVENT TOOK PLACE AT THE WEST FOURPLEX FROM FOUR TO 8:00 AM TO 4:00 PM UH, THE EXPO PORTION FEATURED LIFESTYLE INFORMATION, FOOD VENDORS IN A BEER GARDEN PRESENTED BY THE COVE ENTERTAINMENT AND DJ HEALTH [00:20:01] PRESENTATIONS AND HEALTH SCREENINGS PROVIDED BY WEST COVINA HEALTH. UM, THE TOURNAMENT HOSTED, UH, THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, UH, SENIOR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION. IT INCLUDED MEN'S AND CO-ED TEAMS OF 55 PLUS SOFTBALL PLAYERS FROM ACROSS THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY. UM, MAYOR TABBA THROUGHOUT THE FIRST PITCH. AND COUNCIL MEMBER , WHO WAS UP TO BAT , UM, OPENING CEREMONY, ALSO INCLUDED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPLORERS WHO POSTED COLORS. UM, ADDITIONALLY, COUNCILMAN COUNTESS THROUGHOUT THE FIRST PITCH BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, UH, THAT WAS TOWARDS THE AFTERNOON. SO, UM, IT WAS A REALLY WELL ATTENDED EVENT. IT WAS, UH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING THIS EVENT NEXT YEAR. UM, OUR DISCOVER FOR THE SUMMER IS UP. OH, WAS THERE A VIDEO? THERE IS. OH, WE CAN GO BACK FOR THE VIDEO. I DID NOT REALIZE. LET'S SEE, HOW CAN I MAKE IT BIGGER? CAN WE MAKE IT BIGGER? YEAH. JUST, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM WU DID GET A SINGLE UP THE MIDDLE OFF OF FIRST PITCH. I DID THROW A STRIKE. UH, AS ALWAYS, I AM FIVE FOR FIVE ON FIRST PITCHES. JUST WANNA THROW THAT OUT THERE, . OKAY, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ROXANNE. SO, YEAH, OUR DISCOVER FOR, UH, 20, OR OUR SUMMER EDITION OF THE DISCOVER IS OUT. IT'S, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE. SO IF EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW SOME, WHAT'S PROGRAMMING WE HAVE FOR THE SUMMER SEASON, PLEASE CHECK IT OUT. WE HAVE SOME NEW, UM, EXCURSIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR, UM, WEST COVINA RESIDENTS, UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO ANNOUNCE. UM, ALSO JUST ALL OF THE OTHER PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE, UH, THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES. WE HAD OUR PALM VIEW OPEN HOUSE DATE, THE SECOND ANNUAL. SO, UM, THE DISCOVERY IS JUST A GREAT RESOURCE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S, WHAT PROGRAMMING IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT, UH, EXCURSIONS FROM THE SENIOR CENTER, UM, TO THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES. SO, THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IS ANIMAL CONTROL. SO, ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS RENEWAL OF ANIMAL CONTROL. SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH OUR RESIDENTS. UM, WE ARE STILL SERVICED BY THE COUNTY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY ANIMAL, UH, CARE AND CONTROL. UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, NEEDS WITH, WITH, UH, LOST PETS OR, UM, STRAY ANIMALS, UM, PLEASE GIVE ANIMAL CONTROL A CALL. YOU CAN GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND REPORT AN ISSUE. UM, AND, UH, OR YOU CAN, IF IT'S FOR EMERGENCY REPORTING, THE NUMBER IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND THE NUMBER IS HERE ON THE SLIDE. UM, SO, UH, AND COYOTE SIGHTING. SO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IS THE ONE THAT HANDLES THAT. SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON THERE AS WELL. AND IT'S ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE. BUT, UM, UH, WEST COVINA, THE REPORTING APP ALSO HAS INFORMATION. SO IF YOU, IF YOU PULL UP THE APP, IT'LL GIVE YOU DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND IT'LL TAKE YOU TO THE APPROPRIATE PAGE WITH THE COUNTY TO REPORT AN ISSUE OR GET INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY. UM, NEXT WE HAVE UPCOMING EVENTS. UM, SO WEST COVINA IS GONNA BE CO-HOSTING WITH PLAZA WEST COVINA FIRST PRIDE EVENT, UH, RAINBOW FEST FRIDAY, UM, JUNE 7TH, THIS FRIDAY FROM FOUR TO EIGHT AT PLAZA WEST COVINA. AND ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH WEST, UH, WITH THE PLAZA WEST COVINA MALL, AND WITH THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, L-G-B-T-Q CENTER. UH, THE SUMMER CONCERT STARTS JUNE, UH, 19TH. UH, AND WE'LL GO UNTIL JULY 31ST. UM, FOR THE, UH, SPECIFIC BANDS PLAYING EACH NIGHT, PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE. AND THEN WE ARE ANNOUNCING OUR BIG 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR, WHICH WILL BE HELD JULY 4TH FROM FIVE TO 9:00 PM AT THE WEST COVINA SPORTSPLEX. UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. [ORAL COMMUNICATIONS] UH, 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 YOU REACH THE PODIUM. REQUEST TO SPEAK ON OUR AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. HOW MANY SPEAKERS, UH, DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE SIX MAYOR. OKAY. JOHN SCHUMAKER, FOLLOWED BY JERRY ES, FOLLOWED BY JIM RAVICH. TONIGHT, YOU'LL HEAR THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK [00:25:01] FOR BALANCING A BUDGET THAT IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND. WHAT THEY WON'T TELL YOU ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE MISSING. ONE OF THE THINGS, FOR INSTANCE, IS NEW POLICE OFFICERS STILL AT THE SAME NUMBER THAT'S BUDGETED, BUT WE ALL KNOW THE NUMBER HIRED IS CONSIDERABLY LESS. ALSO, THE DEFINITION OF STRUCTURALLY BALANCED, ALL KNOWN REVENUES AND ALL KNOWN EXPENSES. WELL, ANYBODY WHO'S LIVED AT ALL KNOWS THAT EVERYTHING ISN'T KNOWN. PRIME EXAMPLE IS NOT TOO LONG AGO A POLICE CAR PULLING OFF THE FREEWAY CAUGHT FIRE. IS THAT IN THE BUDGET TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED? THE OTHER THING YOU WON'T BE TOLD ABOUT IS THAT THE BUDGET IS BOUND BY $1,500, BUT THERE'S NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ANY POSSIBLE PAY RAISES THAT WOULD BE COMING UP FOR STAFF. SO RIGHT THERE, THAT SHOOTS A MAJOR HOLE IN IT. ALSO, PART OF THE REASON THAT THE BUDGET IN GENERAL IS BALANCED, OR HAS BEEN OVER THE YEARS, IS THE GAME PLAN THAT GOES ON. PRIME EXAMPLE IS PUTTING A ROOF ON. THE SENIOR CENTER IS COMING OUT OF FUNDS THAT HAD BEEN ALLOCATED TO FEED THE POOR HEALTHCARE FOR PEOPLE. SO THEY'RE TAKING THE MONEY OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF PEOPLE WHO NEED IT TO FIX A ROOF. NOT ONLY IS THE CONSOLE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY'VE USED THE MONEY THAT CAME TO US THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COVID THINGS FOR, WELL, NOTHING THAT WENT TO RESIDENTS WHO WERE HURTING AND NEEDED MONEY FOR RENT. SMALL BUSINESSES THAT NEEDED SOME MONEY TO STAY AFLOAT TO HELP 'EM. WE'RE ALSO DOING THINGS LIKE TAKING MONEY OUT OF CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS. THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE REPAIRING THIS BUILDING, WHICH I HEAR FROM A FORMER MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR NEEDS SOME SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS. BUT WE'RE TAKING THE MONEY TO FIX OUR STREETS, TO FIX OUR BUILDINGS, TO FIX OUR PARKS, TO DO THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE NEED THERE, AND PUTTING IT INTO LIABILITY INSURANCE, LIABILITY ACCOUNTS. SO WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND YOU HIT A POTHOLE, OR YOU SEE A SIDEWALK IS BROKEN, OR A TREE FALLS OVER, JUST REMEMBER THAT THE MONEY THAT PROBABLY WAS ORIGINALLY SET TO PAY FOR THAT WAS MOVED OVER TO LEGAL EXPENSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO PAY FOR THE TONY W LAWSUITS. ALSO, WE CONTINUE TO TELL THE PUBLIC, AND YOU, THEY'LL SIT DOWN AND SAY, WELL, YOU LOOK AT THE GENERAL, THE GENERAL FUND. THAT'S ONE OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDS. WE HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE THERE. WELL, I ASK THE QUESTION, PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT NOTHING WAS FILMED OR NOTHING WAS VIDEOED AND RECORDED. 'CAUSE I ASKED THE QUESTION, WE HAVE ALL THIS MONEY IN SAVINGS. DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE ALL THE POLICE THAT WE NEED, NOT WANT NEED? ARE ALL THE BUILDINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE REPAIRED FIXED? ARE ALL THE ROADS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE REPAIRED, TAKEN CARE OF? ARE THERE ANY NEEDS, NEEDS, NOT WANTS, NEEDS IN OUR CITY THAT HAVE, THAT ARE STILL SITTING OUT THERE? AND THE ANSWER WAS, YES, WE DO HAVE THEM. WELL, HOW CAN YOU SAY WE HAVE EXTRA MONEY LYING AROUND IN RESERVES WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY? IT IS JUST SO LOW AND PATHETIC TO TAKE MONEY. THAT WAS, THAT COULD HAVE GONE TO MEALS ON WHEELS, COULD HAVE GONE TO DIFFERENT SHELTER PROGRAMS FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE ABUSED IN HOMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE'RE USING IT TO FIX A ROOF IN A BUILDING THAT THE MONEY SHOULD ALREADY HAVE BEEN THERE. SO AS PAUL HARVEY USED TO SAY WHEN HE WAS THERE, YOU NOW HAVE THE REST OF THE STORY. THANK YOU. JERRY PATRAS, FOLLOWED BY JIM GRITCH, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON, JERRY PATRAS, WEST COVENA RESIDENT DISTRICT TWO, UM, THE ANIMAL [00:30:01] SHELTER LA COUNTY WE ARE GONNA BE WITH FOREVER. WE'RE THERE. I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONTRACT, ONE OF WHICH IS FOR THE RESIDENTS. WE GET TO HAVE BLANK FORMS. THAT DOESN'T GIVE US A LOT OF INFORMATION. I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS CONTRACTS WITH NUMBERS IN THEM, BECAUSE TO ME, THIS IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. I'VE READ ALL OF THIS STUFF, IT DOESN'T COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT I WILL LET SOMEONE ELSE TALK ABOUT THAT FOR MY FELLOW RESIDENTS. THERE'S TWO THINGS IN THE, THAT I PICKED UP IN THIS. ONE IS INDIVIDUAL LICENSING SERVICES. PET OWNERS WILL BE ABLE, THIS IS A REVISION. THEY MAY BE ABLE TO, UH, THEY MAY OPT INTO A ONE OR THREE YEAR LICENSE OPTION. THAT'S A GOOD THING. DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE FEES ARE, BUT IT IS A GOOD THING. THE OTHER, THEY'VE ALSO ADDED, AND THIS WAS INTERESTING, THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S ANIMAL LICENSING SERVICES NOW WILL INCLUDE MAINTAINING THE RABIES VACCINATION CERTIFICATE TOOL DATABASE THAT SCANS RABIES VACCINATION DATA REPORTED BY PRIVATE VETERINARY CLINICS TO IDENTIFY UNLICENSED PETS IN OUR JURISDICTIONS AND GENERATE COMPLIANCE NOTICES TO PET OWNERS. THAT'S A LITTLE INTERESTING TIDBIT FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T BOTHER TO LICENSE THEIR PETS, BUT GET RABIES CERTIFICATES. GOVERNMENT WORK AT WORK. UM, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, AND IT'S ON PAGE 12 OF THE PRO FISCAL YEAR 24, 25 PROPOSED BUDGET. THERE'S A SENTENCE IN HERE, AND I DID MENTION THIS AT THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, WHICH GOT IGNORED. SO I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU GUYS, THE BUDGET SAYS IT'S TALKING ABOUT PENSION OBLIGATION PAYMENTS FOR THE UAAL. AND ALL THAT'S REASONABLE. THE SENTENCE THAT BOTHERS ME IS THE FACT PROMOTED THE CITY TO ISSUE PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS IN JULY 20TH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. THE RESIDENTS HAD A LEGAL RIGHT TO VOTE ON PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS. YOU DID NOT ISSUE PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS. YOU ISSUED REVENUE LEASE BONDS. WE DID NOT VOTE. THIS IS MISLEADING. IT'S INFURIATING, IT'S INACCURATE. YOU PUT THE STREET, THERE'S NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON THIS. YOU PUT THE STREETS UP FOR COLLATERAL PENSION OBLIGATION BOND. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT. OR YOU'VE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PLAY DO A SWITCH. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU BE ACCURATE AND YOU CHANGE THIS. YOU DID NOT DO PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS. IT'S A TREMENDOUS LEGAL DIFFERENCE. WE COULD HAVE VOTE, WE SHOULD HAVE VOTED. I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE. AND THIS TOOK IT AWAY. SO PLEASE, I ASKED THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO USE THE RIGHT TERMS AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING. PLEASE CHANGE THIS. THANK YOU. JIM GRITCH, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN SONG. YOU'VE HEARD ME SPEAK MANY TIMES ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND GUESS WHAT, TONIGHT, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND YOU GET TO HEAR THINGS I'VE SAID BEFORE. UH, I WILL REPEAT ONE THING. 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S THE CITY RESIDENTS THINK IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THE BUDGET. EACH AND EVERY YEAR, THE CITY RESIDENTS GET UP AND SAY, WE THINK WE NEED MORE POLICE IN THIS CITY. UH, IT'S SAID AT THE WORKSHOPS, IT'S SAID AT THE BUDGET HEARINGS. IT'S SAID, WHEN THE BUDGET'S ADOPTED, ITS ALWAYS IGNORED. UH, AND, UH, I I JUST WANNA REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY FEEL THAT IT IS NOT SAFE ENOUGH AND WE NEED MORE POLICE. AND NOW I WANNA TALK ABOUT AN ITEM IN THE BUDGET. I HAVEN'T RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT, IF I, MY MEMORY IS CORRECT. THE ONLY PERSON THAT WAS ON THE COUNCIL THE LAST TIME I TALKED ABOUT THIS WAS TONY WU. AND THE ISSUE IS ANIMAL CONTROL. UH, ANIMAL CONTROL IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT AS A CONSENT ITEM. AND I, I'M DISTURBED ABOUT THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, UH, THAT ARE PART OF THAT DOCUMENT, IT SHOWS AN ENORMOUS COST INCREASE IN ANIMAL CONTROL. I, I COMPUTED SEVEN, UH, 68% OVER SEVEN YEARS. THAT'S ROUGHLY 10% A YEAR COST INCREASE EACH AND EVERY YEAR. THAT'S AN ENORMOUS COST INCREASE. NOW, ANIMAL CONTROLS COSTING US ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. I REMEMBER A MEETING WHEN TONY WU WAS ON THE COUNCIL WITH THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE COMPLAINING ABOUT [00:35:01] ANIMAL CONTROL GOING, I THINK IT WAS FROM TWO TO 300,000, AND NOW IT'S A MILLION. AND THE REASON I WANNA EMPHASIZE THIS IS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN TWO AUDITS OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA BY THE STATE. BOTH OF 'EM HAVE SAID ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING. THIS CITY, AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE, DOES NOT DO FISCAL ANALYSIS. WHY ISN'T THERE ANY INFORMATION IN THIS AGENDA ITEM ABOUT WHY THE COSTS ARE GOING UP SO MUCH? NOTHING, ESPECIALLY IN YEAR 24. THE COST THIS YEAR WENT UP 25% OR $200,000. THAT'S AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND BASICALLY IN ANIMAL CONTROL ALONE, THE CITY IS ESSENTIALLY INCREASED COST BY A MILLION DOLLARS. AND NOBODY SEEMS TO BE PAYING ANY ATTENTION. UH, WHERE'S THE, UH, COMPARISON TO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, WHAT THEY COST, UH, HOW THEY'RE DOING THINGS, UH, HOW MUCH THEY COST PER RESIDENTS TO TAKE CARE OF ANIMALS IN OTHER CITIES VERSUS OUR CITY. UH, HOW DO THEY DO IT THERE VERSUS OUR CITY? UH, THAT'S FISCAL ANALYSIS. UH, THE CITY DOESN'T SEEM TO BELIEVE IN DOING SUCH THINGS. UH, AND I'M JUST USING THIS ONE THING AS AN EXAMPLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE A MILLION HERE, YOU TAKE A MILLION THERE, A MILLION IN ANOTHER PLACE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE MONEY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU KEEP FUSSING ABOUT, LIKE LEAKY ROOFS AND WHATEVER. BUT WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN EXAMINE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, THE MONEY'S THERE. IT'S JUST ESSENTIALLY THROWN AWAY. AND I'M GONNA GO BACK TO TONY W'S EARLIER TENURE. AND WE USED TO HAVE A PRIVATE AGENCY DO, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL, AND THE COST WAS MUCH LESS. AND WE FUSS ABOUT, 'CAUSE ONE YEAR THEY INCREASED AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND SO WE THREW 'EM OUT AND GOT THE COUNTY COUNTY'S GONNA BE BETTER. GUESS WHAT? THE COUNTY'S MUCH WORSE THAN THAT PRIVATE AGENCY EVER THOUGHT OF BEING. AND I, I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL PULL THIS OFF, THE CONSENT AL UH, CALENDAR AND AT LEAST GET SOMEBODY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. UH, I THINK ANYTHING, ANYTIME COSTS GO UP AT THIS KIND OF RATIO, IT, IT NEEDS SERIOUS ANALYSIS AND CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES. THAT'S THE MOST SERIOUS ISSUE HERE. THERE MUST BE SOME OTHER WAY TO DO ANIMAL CONTROL THAT DOESN'T COST AN AVERAGE OF 10% MORE EVERY YEAR. UH, UH, AND, UH, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT. I, AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD TALK ABOUT OTHER ITEMS, BUT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON JUST ONE 'CAUSE IT'S ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY WIN-WIN ZONG, FOLLOWED BY BILL ELLIOT. UH, ANIMAL CONTROL OUT OF POMONA WAS BETTER. UH, MY REMARKS ARE DEDICATED TO AARON BUSHNELL, AGE 25 OF THE US AIR FORCE, WHOSE LAST WORDS WERE FREE PALESTINE. AND, UH, DAVID ROGERS WEBB, AUTHOR OF THE FREE AUDIO BOOK CALLED THE GREAT TAKING, WHICH I RECOMMEND FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE TROUBLE GETTING TO SLEEP. UH, COUNCIL, UH, WE'RE UNDER WATER, UH, WITH OPE, UH, THE PENSION DEBT, UH, WHICH IS 348 MILLION. AND OUR NATIONAL AND, UH, WORLDWIDE FINANCIAL SYSTEM IS, IS NOW UNSUSTAINABLE IN, UH, PRE COLLAPSE MODE. WE'RE WE, WHAT ARE WEST COVINA PLANS, UH, FOR, UH, THE, THE HARD TIMES THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO FACE FINANCIALLY WITH, UH, DOMINOES AND BANKRUPTCIES EVERYWHERE. AND, UH, SHOWTIME ON THAT IS PROBABLY VERY SOON. UH, WHILE AMERICAN BANKERS FLIRT WITH THE DIGITAL MONEY SYSTEM, THE MONEY SUPPLY AND, UH, SYSTEM IS CON, UH, CONTROLLED BY A PRIVATE BANKING CARTEL. THE 13 US FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS. I CALL 'EM KINKOS PRINTING MONEY. UH, THEY'VE BEEN PRINTING MONEY AT, UH, HISTORICAL LEVELS, UH, VERSUS THE BANK OF INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS OUTTA GENEVA. ANOTHER PRIVATE OLIGARCH, UH, BANKING CARTEL WHOSE AIM IS TO FORCE A DIGITAL MONEY SYSTEM ON, UH, YOU KNOW, DEBT SLAVERY ON A, ON THE WORLD'S 7 BILLION PEOPLE. UH, BIS BOLDLY ACTS, UH, BACKED BY THE CONNIVING EVIL DESIGNS OF THE GLOBALIST RULING CLASS, WHILE AMERICA HAS BEEN SUBVERT SUBVERTED FROM WITHIN BY CHINA, BLACKROCK, VANGUARD HEDGE FUNDS. BUT THE, UH, BUT THE FOUNDATION LAID BY AMERICA'S FOUNDING FATHER'S [00:40:01] LOVE OF FREEDOM, GOD AND COUNTRY MUST PREVAILED DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. CLEARLY, THE HOLDERS OF DEBT, UH, UH, THOSE, UH, FINANCIAL MOB BOSSES OF, UH, FINANCIAL DERIVATIVES, UH, COLLATERAL ASSET TOKENIZES, UH, THAT'S, UH, INTERNATIONAL WIDGETS. I GUESS THEY'RE, THEY'RE CALLING THE SHOTS. AND I'VE MENTIONED DAVID ROGERS WEB BEFORE. UH, HE'S A FORMER HEDGE FUND MANAGER AND AUTHOR OF A FREE AUDIO BOOK, THE GREAT TAKING, WHICH EXPLAINS THE GREAT FINANCIAL CATACLYSM THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE, UH, FINANCIAL STRESS, UH, EVIDENCE. UH, THIS IS FROM WIKIPEDIA. IT'S, UH, ONE EXAMPLE IS, IT IS CALLED L-I-B-O-R. IT'S A LONDON INTER INTERBANK OFFER RATES. THE L-I-B-O-R SCANDAL HAS RUN ITS COURSE AND IS EVIDENCE THAT AMERICA'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM IS SEVERELY STRESSED. ON 28 FEBRUARY OF 2012, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WAS CONDUCTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO A-L-I-B-O-R OF U ABUSE. AMONG THE ABUSES BEING INVESTIGATED, WHERE THE POSSIBILITY THAT TRADERS WERE, WERE IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH BANKERS BEFORE THE RATES WERE SET, THUS ALLOWING THEM AN ADVANTAGE IN PREDICTING WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN. UH, L-I-B-O-R UNDERPINS APPROXIMATELY 350 TRILLION IN DERIVATIVES. UH, ONE TRADER'S, UM, MESSAGE INDICATED THAT EACH BASIS POINT AND L-I-B-O-R WAS, UH, AS IT WAS MOVED, THAT THAT INVOLVED, UH, A NET OF A A COUPLE MILLION, COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS, UH, DUE TO MULTIPLE FACTORS, INCLUDING THE L-I-B-O-R SCANDAL. UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, THE RATE'S, ACCURACY AND CHANGES IN HOW BANKS DO BUSINESS. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO PHASE OUT. IT'S NO LONGER PUBLISHED THAT, UH, THAT IN INDICATOR, ACCORDING TO A MARCH, 2021, IN ESTIMATE, MAJOR BANKS WILL SPEND MORE THAN, UH, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM L-I-B-O-R, FROM, UH, JANUARY, 2022. HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS ECONOMICS LESSONS? ANYWAY, UH, ALTERNATIVES TO, UH, TO THE US UH, L-I-B-O-R BANK INDUSTRY FRAUDSTERS ARE, UH, IT'S CALLED A, UH, ALTERNATIVE REFERENCE RATES COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ASSESSED VIABLE ALTERNATIVES, UH, I MEAN PRIVATELY, RIGHT? THANK YOU. BILL. WIN-WIN ZONG, FOLLOWED BY BILL ELLIOT. FOLLOWED BY RAY VARGAS. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE. GO AHEAD, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, MS. CITY MANAGER, STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I'M WEEN ONG, WEST COVINA LIBRARY MANAGER. THE WEST COVINA LIBRARY RENOVATION PROJECT IS COMPLETE . YES. SO THE LIBRARY WILL REOPEN TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT ONE 30. AND ACTUALLY THE, THE LIBRARY DOORS WILL OPEN AT ONE 15 AND, UM, THE LI THE REOPENING CEREMONY AND THE RIBBON CUTTING AND WILL BE, UH, WILL BE, WILL START AT ONE 30, AND IT WILL BE HELD IN THE LIBRARY'S MAIN FLOOR IN INSIDE THE MAIN FLOOR ON THE FIRST FLOOR. UM, SO THE CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES WERE RIGHT AFTER, UH, FOLLOW AFTER THE, THE CEREMONY AND THE RIBBON CUTTING. AND IT WILL BEGIN AT TWO O'CLOCK. SO WE WILL HAVE, UM, A LOT OF ACTIVITIES AND WE WILL HAVE A 360 PHOTO BOOTH FROM TWO TO SIX IN THE READING AREA ON THE FIRST FLOOR. AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A BUBBLE MAIN, UH, MANIA, UH, IN THE MEETING ROOM AT THREE O'CLOCK TO FOUR O'CLOCK. AND WE WILL HAVE A, MAKE MORE, UH, STEAM ACTIVITIES, UM, FROM THREE O'CLOCK, I'M, I'M SORRY, FROM TWO, TWO O'CLOCK TO THREE 30 IN THE FRONT COURT COURTYARD. AND, UM, WE WILL ALSO HAVE A LOT OF GOODIES TO GIVE AWAY. DON'T MISS THAT. AND, UH, AND THE FRIENDS, OUR FRIENDS OF WEST COVINA LIBRARY WILL PROVIDE A VARIETY OF REFRESHMENTS FOR EVERYONE, UH, AT THE EVENT. AND, UH, IF YOU WANTED TO PARTICIPATE ON TIME, MAYBE JUST, YOU KNOW, TO, TO PARTICIPATE RIBBON CUTTING. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CAR POOL, BECAUSE SO FAR WE HAVE, UH, [00:45:01] OVER 400 PEOPLE REGISTER FOR EVENT AND CLOSE TO 500. SO THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT THE LIBRARY'S BIG , THE LIBRARY'S BIG. SO, AND FOR THOSE FOLKS, THEY HAVE NOT, UM, REGISTERED AND NO WORRY, STOP BY AND JUST COME AND JOIN US. UH, HAVE FUN. THERE WILL BE A LOT OF FUN, A LOT OF, UM, HAPPINESS IN THE LIBRARY, AT THE LIBRARY. AND WE WEST COVID LIBRARY STAFF, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU AT THE EVENT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU THE, THE COMMUNITY. AND ONCE THE LIBRARY REOPENS, WE WILL PROVIDE FULL LIBRARY SERVICES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. BILL ELLIOT, FOLLOWED BY RAY VARGAS, FOLLOWED BY JD. GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. BILL ELLIOT, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA. UH, I WANNA START OUT BY, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRESENCE OF JIM RIVI AND JERRY PATRAS AND THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT. NEITHER ONE OF THEM STOOD UP HERE AND ATE THE CROW. THEY NEED TO EAT BY LYING TO THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA, TELLING THEM THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COMPOUNDED THEIR SALARY. THAT WAS NOT TRUE. THEY BOTH, INSTEAD OF STANDING AT THIS PODIUM WHERE THEY MADE THE ACCUSATION, THEY TOLD THAT UNTRUTH, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE JUST TO SEND AN EMAIL TO SOMEBODY OR A PO A FACEBOOK POST ON THE I HATE 20 WOO PAGE, UH, SAYING, OH, SORRY, THAT WASN'T RIGHT. BOTH OF THEM SHOULD STAND UP HERE AND APOLOGIZE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE AT WEST COVIN THAT THEY LIED TO, BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT TRUE. THE ANTIQUE FIRE ENGINE, EXCUSE ME, THE ANTIQUE FIRE ENGINE, UH, IS A GREAT ASSET FOR THE CITY. I'M SO GLAD TO SEE IT WAS RESTORED AND BROUGHT BACK TO RUNNING CONDITION. THERE'S BEEN SOME CONTROVERSY OVER IT THOUGH, BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T WANNA LET IT GO BACK TO CURSED RANCH. UH, HEARST RANCH DOES A LOT OF GOOD WORK. I, UH, I, I'M TOLD THAT EVERY, I THINK EVERY WEEK OR SO, A FOURTH GRADE CLASS FROM AROUND THE CITY VISITS HEARST RANCH AND LEARNS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WEST COVINA AND ALL THAT. AND THAT FIRE ENGINE IS THE NUMBER ONE DRAW. AND SOMEBODY'S GOT THEIR NOSE OUT OF JOINT AND THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, OKAY, WELL, THEY DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF IT, SO THEY CAN'T HAVE IT BACK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO KEEP IT HIDDEN AWAY. AND THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT FIRE ENGINE BELONGS BACK AT HEARST RANCH. AND I, I EVEN HEARD SOME TALK. UH, WELL, OKAY, BUT THEN THE KIDS CAN'T PLAY ON IT 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BREAK IT. IT'S MADE OF IRON. YOU COULDN'T BREAK THAT FIRE ENGINE IF YOU TRIED. LITTLE FOURTH GRADERS CRAWLING ON THAT FIRE ENGINE ARE NOT GONNA HURT IT. IT BELONGS BACK AT HEARST RANCH. I REALLY ENCOURAGED THE CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN LITTLE TOWN IN TEXAS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY USED TO DO IS THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. ONE DAY EVERY YEAR THEY WOULD RUN AROUND TOWN WITH A SIREN AND THE RED LIGHTS FLASHING AND THE WHOLE KINDERGARTEN CLASS WOULD RIDE. I KNOW THEY CAN'T DO THAT TODAY, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SEED'S GONNA BE PLANTED IN THE, IN THE MIND OF A CHILD. MAYBE THAT'S A FUTURE FIREFIGHTER. MAYBE THAT'S A FUTURE. PARAMEDICS GONNA SAVE LIVES. SO LET'S, UH, LET'S SUPPORT THE CHILDREN. UH, THE CON SUMMER CONCERT SERIES ARE, ARE COMING, UH, VERY EXCITED. WE, MY WIFE AND I WENT TO EVERY ONE LAST YEAR. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE EVER DID THAT. UH, IT WAS REALLY GREAT. I NOTICED THERE'S NO COUNTRY MUSIC THIS YEAR. I KNOW THEY CAN'T BE EVERY YEAR, BUT, UH, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, SOME COUNTRY MUSIC NEXT YEAR. UH, MEMORIAL DAY. UH, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL DAY THAT DAY. IT WAS SO NICE. SO MANY NICE PEOPLE. UH, I WISH THEY HAD. DIDN'T HAVE, DIDN'T SERVE THE, UH, BARBECUE CHICKEN SANDWICHES. THAT'S A HOT DOG HOLIDAY. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE HAMBURGERS AND HOT DOGS ON THAT DAY. THOSE SANDWICHES WERE KIND OF REALLY LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED. SO, UM, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE TRYING HARD AND THEY'RE TRYING TO SERVE HEALTHY STUFF, BUT HAMBURGERS AND HOT DOGS ON, ON A HOTDOG HOLIDAY, PLEASE. UH, THE MAYOR DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB. BUT I GOTTA SAY, YOU KNOW, FROM SOMEONE WHO SEES EVERYTHING THROUGH THE LENS OF RACE, I THINK HE COULD HAVE LEFT THAT PART OUT. UH, ELECT ELECTION SEASON IS COMING. UH, AMERICA'S IN A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS, AND SO IS CALIFORNIA. AND SO IS LA COUNTY. AND WE HAVE THIS PERSON, HILDA SOIS IN CHARGE OF US IN WEST COVINA. AND SHE HATES US. SHE HATES THE CITY. SHE HATES THE CITY COUNCIL. WELL, ALMOST THE WHOLE CITY COUNCIL. AND, UH, WE GOTTA GET HER OUT OF THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT, SHE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE THERE FOREVER. BUT, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE, UH, RUNNING FOR REELECTION, THAT'S, UH, COMING UP AND I, I, I WISH MOST OF YOU LOOK, UH, I WANNA USE A [00:50:01] REMAINDER OF MY TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE, UH, CONVICTION OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER. I DON'T EVEN WANNA MENTION HIS NAME. UH, HE, HE'S HEADED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. AND, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WERE HIS FRIENDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVED IN HIM EVEN AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED. I WONDER WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH HIM. HERB IS GONNA HAVE A ROUGH TIME IN PRISON AND I THINK HE SHOULD DO EVERYBODY A FAVOR AND JUST OFF HIMSELF. 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WHO, RAY VARGAS FOLLOWED BY JD. UH, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. I'M HERE ON, UH, SEVERAL THINGS. UH, NOTHING'S NEW THINGS I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP. UM, LIKE SHOEMAKER SAYS, HOW MANY OFFICERS, UH, HAVE WE INCREASED? YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE LAST MEETING I WAS AT. YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE ACCIDENTS ON PUENTE, VINCENT, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS ALREADY. NOBODY'S MOVING ON IT, NOBODY'S DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. OH, IT TAKES TIME. YOU GOTTA GO TO THIS LEVEL. YOU GOTTA GO TO THIS STAGE. YOU GOTTA GOTTA APPROVED HERE AND THERE AND THIS AND THAT. PEOPLE ARE GETTING HURT OUT THERE. IT'S NOT YOUR LOVED ONE, IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S. THEY'RE STAYING WITH THE PAIN. YOU, LIKE I TOLD YOU BEFORE, YOU SAT OUT HERE, YOU WERE ADVOCATING, YOU HAD GOOD IDEAS AND THIS AND THAT. YOU GOT COMFORTABLE IN THAT CHAIR BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SPEEDING. YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF HIRING OFFICERS, POLICE OFFICERS HERE, YOU GUYS ARE HIRING CORRUPTED ENFORCEMENT. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE REPLACING POLICE OFFICERS WITH THE CORRUPTED ENFORCEMENT AND THE ONE IN CHARGE OF IT, THE SUPERVISOR, HE'S A BIGOT. HE'S RACIST. YOU KNOW THE HASSLE HE'S GIVEN ME. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING ABOUT IT? YOU GUYS AIN'T DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. WHY? IT'S MY PROBLEM. I GOTTA DEAL WITH SOMEBODY LIKE THAT. YOU DON'T CARE. I GAVE YOU A CITATION. I TOLD YOU. LOOK INTO IT. CHECK IT OUT. YOU LET IT GO TO, UM, THE CLAIMS DEPARTMENT. YOU DIDN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. YOU NEVER EMAILED ME, YOU NEVER MESSAGED ME. YOU NEVER CALLED ME. IT WENT TO COLLECTION. YOU DON'T CARE. 'CAUSE IT'S NOT YOU. YOU KNOW YOU WANNA BE A CELEBRITY, YOU WANT THE ATTENTION, YOU WANT THE SPOTLIGHT. GO TO HOLLYWOOD. WE NEED PEOPLE THAT MAKE DECISIONS HERE. WE NEED PEOPLE WITH GUTS. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE 30 MILES FROM HOLLYWOOD. YOU WANT TO BE IN AN ENTERTAINMENT, A MOVIE STAR, WHATEVER YOU WANNA BE. GET OUT THERE. I SAW ONE OF YOUR BANDS. YOU WANT TO BE THE MAYOR, THE COACH, THE TEACHER. LET IT GO. I DEAL WITH WHAT YOU GOT ON YOUR PLATE. I BEAT ALL CASES LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT. SO TELL THAT RACIST GUY, YOU BETTER BACK OFF. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I GO TO LA SUPERIOR COURT. I BEAT ALL 11 CASES. EVEN THE ONE I GAVE YOU. THEY PUT IT IN THERE. THEY DISMISSED EVERYTHING. THE PARKING APPEAL FOR CITATIONS, NUMBER ISSUED, AND ALL THE DEED IS REVERSED. CONTESTANT TO RECOVER ANY DEPOSIT OR PENALTY AND COURT FEES FILING. YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE DO YOU GUYS WANT? IT'S HARASSMENT. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT? YOU SAW WHERE I PARKED MY CAR. IS IT POSTED? DOES IT SAY NO PARKING? DOES IT SAY NO RV? [00:55:01] IS IT A RED CURVE? BECAUSE I GOT OLD MEMORIES IN THE FRONT OF MY LICENSE PLATE. I'M BEING HARASSED FOR THAT. THE JUDGE THREW EVERYTHING OUTTA COURT. HE SAYS, THIS IS HARASSMENT. THIS GUY IS SINGLING YOU OUT. BUT HE DOESN'T DO IT. HE'S HIRING ALL HIS NEW LITTLE SKITTLES, ALL HIS LITTLE PUPPETS, YOU KNOW, RUN AFTER ME. GO, RUN, GO PUT A TICKET, RUN IN THE CAR, AND THEY TAKE OFF. YOU GUYS ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY AND PUTTING MONEY IN THE WRONG PLACE WITH THIS CORRUPTED ENFORCEMENT. GET SOME POLICE OFFICERS. DOESN'T IT MAKE SENSE? YOU HAVE NO ANSWER. YOU, YOU, YOU JUST GOT A BLANK LOOK. YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU NOW YOU ENDED UP ONE OF THE PUPPETS. WELCOME UP TO THE PUPPET SHOW. JD. HELLO, HELLO, HELLO. HELLO. BEFORE I BEGIN, I MUST CONFESS TO YOU EVERY TIME I COME UP HERE, PALMS START TO SWEAT. MY KNEES SHAKE. I HATE COMING UP HERE, BUT I FELT I NEEDED TO, UH, FOR THREE REASONS. I HOPE I CAN FINISH WITHIN TIME. THE LAST SATURDAY, I BELIEVE THE TREES WERE TRIMMED ALONGSIDE THE HIGH SCHOOL. I ASSUME IT'S FOR THE GRADUATION THAT'S TAKING PLACE, STARTING TODAY, AND FOR THE FOLLOWING NEXT TWO DAYS. UM, THOSE TREES WERE TRIMMED AND THE, AND I WAS HOPING THAT THAT SAME SERVICE WOULD WORK ITS WAY DOWN TO THE TREES THAT LINE CAMERON PARK, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SERVICED IN A NUMBER OF YEARS. IN THIS LAST, THIS PAST YEAR WITH THE WINDSTORM IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE RESIDENTS THAT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE PARK END UP WITH, AND THIS IS NO EXAGGERATION, TWO FEET TALL, FOUR FEET WIDE OF LEAVES THAT GET BLOWN UP AGAINST THE, UH, CURBSIDE. I'M SURE IF YOU'VE DRIVEN THROUGH THERE, YOU'VE SEEN THEM. I HAD A REAL HARD TIME GETTING THE CITY TO GO OUT AND PICK 'EM UP THIS LAST TIME AROUND. SO WHEN I SAW THOSE TREE TRIMMING FOLKS OUT THERE, I WAS HOPEFUL THAT MAYBE WE'LL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO MITIGATE IT FOR THE FUTURE. BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO MAYBE I CAN FIND OUT IF THERE'S, THAT'S ON THE SCHEDULE SOMEWHERE IN THE MENU SOON. AND MENTIONING THE GRADUATION THAT'S TAKING PLACE TONIGHT AND FOLLOWS. I WAS WONDERING WHY, LIKE, OTHER GRADUATIONS THAT I HAVE ATTENDED ISN'T CODE ENFORCEMENT MAKING ITS ROUNDS AROUND THE, UH, THE AREA ON THE NIGHT OF GRADUATION TO GET SOME OF THOSE GUYS THAT ARE ILLEGALLY PARKED, LOCKING DRIVEWAYS. MAYBE A LITTLE MORE POLICE PRESENCE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL. BECAUSE WHAT YOU END UP HAVING BEFORE, DURING, AND CERTAINLY AFTER, IS KIDS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDS THAT, UH, OF THOSE THAT ARE GRADUATING, RACING UP AND DOWN THE STREET. AND IT'S GOTTEN SO OUTTA HAND THAT HONESTLY NEIGHBORS ARE NOW STARTING TO COME TOGETHER. NEIGHBORS THAT PROBABLY HAVEN'T SPOKEN IN YEARS ARE NOW STARTING TO SAY, YEAH, WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE HOPE TO PRESENT IT TO YOU OR TO THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE OR SOMEONE SOON BECAUSE IT HAS GOTTEN JUST OUTTA CONTROL. LASTLY, UM, WOO, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SUGGESTING GRASS AT THE, UH, LOT. UNFORTUNATELY WHAT WE GOT WAS MORE DUMPED GRAVEL OVER THERE. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF GRAVEL. I UNDERSTAND THE RFP WAITING FOR THE NEW PERSON TO COME IN, BUT WE'RE NOW GOING ON NUMBER OF YEARS WITH AN EMPTY LOT FENCED AROUND IT. AND THIS IS THE SAME PARK THAT I'M I WAS REFERRING TO WITH THE, UH, OVERGROWN TREES. UM, THAT LOOKS REALLY LIKE AN EMPTY LOT IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. IT'S HORRIBLE. NOW THESE ARE TRIVIAL THINGS IN COMPARISON TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TO YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT, BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE YOU MENTIONED LAST TIME I BROUGHT THIS SIMILAR ISSUE UP, THIS IS A QUALITY OF LIFE AND, AND A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE [01:00:01] IN ADDITION TO THAT, THOSE THREE THINGS, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST LEAVING, DOG DROPPING IN THE PARK AND WE HAVE THE SENIOR CITIZEN, UH, GO OUT THERE AND PLAY AND THEY HAVE TO PICK IT UP BEFORE THEY EVEN START TO PLAY SMALL ISSUES TO YOU, BUT A REAL NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. AND I, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN TO. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND I HOPE THAT I CAN AT LEAST FIND OUT ABOUT THE, UH, THE TREES. WHEN ARE THEY GONNA BE SERVICED. AND JUST IN CLOSING, I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A DISCOVERY MAGAZINE. I HOPE MY ADDRESS WASN'T BLACKED OUT. , I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ONE SINCE IT WAS STARTED UP. AND THAT'S THE HONEST TO GOD TRUTH. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. I NO FURTHER SPEAKER SLIPS, MAYOR. OKAY, UH, UH, CITY MANAGER, WILL YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENT CONCERNS? YES. UM, SO IN REGARDS TO THE COMMENTS MADE ON THE BUDGET, I WILL REFER THOSE TO OR RESPOND WHEN WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET LATER THIS EVENING. UM, IN REGARDS TO THE ANIMAL CONTROL QUESTION, UM, IT IS A BASE ANNUAL BASE RATE OF $80,920. AND THEN BASED ON THE SERVICES THAT WE REQUIRE WITHIN OUR CITY, THAT FEE, THOSE FEES OR THAT FEE GOES UP BASED ON THOSE SERVICES. AND OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS SINCE COVID, WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE, UM, IN THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE BROUGHT IN AND CALL RESPONSES. SO THAT DOES INCREASE THE, THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT. UM, JERRY PORES, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT, UH, PENSION BOND ISSUE ON THE BUDGET. SO WE WILL MAKE THAT CORRECTION, UM, WIN-WIN. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING THE GREAT NEWS AT THE LIBRARY'S OPENING TOMORROW. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO, TO GO CELEBRATE. UM, AND THEN, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE ANTIQUE FIRE ENGINE, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OR CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UH, HEARST STRANDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ANTIQUE FIRETRUCK DOES GET, UM, SHARED WITH THE FACILITY AND THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, USE IT FOR THEIR EVENTS WITH THE, WITH THE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, MR. VARGAS'S ISSUES REGARDING, UH, THE CODE CITATIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU AND GO OVER ANY CONCERNS YOU HAVE WITH THAT. UM, WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS INSTALLING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT QUENTIN VINCENT. UM, I HAD MENTIONED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT IT IS GOING TO BE INSTALLED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. UM, SO THAT IS MOVING FORWARD. UM, THE TREE TRIMMING CYCLE IS ON OUR WEBSITE. UM, SO YOU CAN ALWAYS CHECK AND SEE WHAT TREES ARE GONNA GET TRIMMED WHAT YEARS. SO WE ARE IN A FIVE-YEAR TRIMMING TREE TRIMMING CYCLE. UM, AND CAMERON LOOKS LIKE IT'LL BE TREE TRIMMING 25 26, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY'LL BE TRIMMED IN THAT TIMEFRAME. UH, THE, WE WILL WORK ON GETTING THE DISCOVER, UM, TO YOUR ADDRESS, MR. , JD, UM, AND, UH, CAMERON PARK. WE ARE GOING TO BE CLEANING IT UP AND, UH, REMOVING THE FENCE AND PUTTING GRASS THERE. UM, WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE PUT THERE WILL BE BASED ON OUR PARK MASTER PLAN THAT, UM, WE ARE REVIEWING, UH, THE PROPOSALS RIGHT NOW. SO IN THE INTERIM, WE WILL BE PLANTING GRASS ON THE, THE AREA AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT RESPONDS TO ALL OF THEM. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. YES. UH, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT A QUICK QUESTION FOLLOW UP, JD, REGARDING THE, CAN YOU HAVE A TIMELINE, LIKE HOW SOON WE CAN KIND OF CLEAN UP ALL THOSE FENCE AND, UH, DEMOLISH PLACE AND, UH, REPLACE WITH GRASS? IT, IT SHOULDN'T BE TOO DIFFICULT TO DO IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIMELINE? I WILL PROVIDE A TIMELINE. YOU DO IT LIKE ASAP TO, BECAUSE I THINK I AGREE BECAUSE I SAW TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MM-HMM. AND, UH, IT BEEN EARS OF KIND OF OBOLE. AND THEN IF WE CAN OKAY. JUST REMOVE THE GRAVEL AND ALL THESE DEMOLISHED MATERIALS AND, AND THE PLANT, THE GRASS. OKAY. IT SHOULDN'T BE TOO EXPENSIVE OKAY. TO, TO DO IT. SO IT'S, LOOK AT ONE PIECE OF BEAUTIFUL PARK. SO MOST OF THE PEOPLE WANT AROUND THE NEIGHBOR CAN WALK AROUND TO ENJOYING THE PARK. YEAH, I CAN PROVIDE A TIMELINE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CONTOS. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. AND ALSO IN SUPPORT OF, OF WHAT JD HAD BROUGHT UP. UH, UH, CAN YOU, UH, ALSO, UH, LOOK INTO WHEN THE, THOSE TREES COULD BE SPECIFICALLY TRIMMED? WEST COAST ARBORISTS HAVE DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB WITH A CANOPY OFF OF, UM, OF AMAR. UM, I WAS OFF WITH A, A COUNCILWOMAN, UM, ROSARIO [01:05:01] DIAZ, AND WE WERE GOING AROUND AND SHE WAS DESCRIBING THIS CANOPY. SO JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL. SO I MEAN, IF, IF YOU CAN ALSO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THAT WITH SPECIFICALLY WHEN THAT CAN BE DONE TO, TO, UM, TRIM THOSE TREES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. OKAY. I CAN DO THAT. OKAY. UM, REAL, REAL QUICK, JUST BECAUSE, UH, JUST IN CASE THAT DISCOVER DOESN'T SHOW UP TO J D'S HOUSE, UH, JD UH, THE ATHENS SUMMER CLEANUP IS COMING UP IN JULY AND AUGUST, AND I KNOW THAT WAS TOP OF MIND FOR YOU. UH, AND ALSO A CITY MANAGER. IF, IF YOU COULD SET UP THAT MEETING, UH, AND INCLUDE MYSELF AND IN INCLUDE, UH, MYLAN AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, I WILL. AND, UM, IT IS AVAILABLE ONLINE SO YOU ALWAYS CAN ACCESS IT ON OUR WEBSITE. ALL RIGHT, COUNSEL, [CONSENT CALENDAR] IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? CO COUNCILMAN CONTOS? I THINK IT'S AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR RELATING TO ANIMAL CONTROL AGENDA ITEM THREE, THREE. I'M GLAD I DOUBLE CHECKED. OKAY. THREE. MAYOR PRO TEM. NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE. SO THREE AND FIVE. UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS? NUMBER ONE, TWO, AND FOUR? I'LL MOVE THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUMBER THREE RELATED TO ANIMAL CONTROL. AND NUMBER FIVE, RELATED TO MERCHANTS LANDSCAPE SERVICES. COUNCILMAN CONTOS AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? AYE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VITO AYE. MAYOR PRO TE WU. AYE. MAYOR CALDONE TABBA. AYE. ITEMS PASS. FIVE ZERO, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. UH, [3) CONSIDERATION OF AGREEMENT WITH COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENTOF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL] MOVING ON TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE. UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS. THANK YOU. UM, MADAM, AS MADAM CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING FURTHER INSIGHT REGARDING THE, THE, THE, THE NUMBERS WITH REGARD TO THE, THE ANIMAL CONTROL CONTRACT. CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE HAVE, UH, LOOKED INTO ALTERNATIVE, UH, FOLKS WHO CAN PROVIDE SERVICES? WAS THERE EVER AN RFP PUT OUT OR WAS THERE O OTHER EFFORTS TO, TO SOLICIT, UH, UH, PEOPLE PROVI, UH, OTHER ENTITIES EVEN INCLUDING PRIVATE ENTITIES PROVIDING ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES? SIMILAR TO WHAT THE COUNTY CURRENTLY PROVIDES FOR US. UM, WE DID NOT DO AN RFP FOR THIS PROCESS. THERE IS VERY LIMITED INDIVIDUALS THAT PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. UM, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT IS NEAR US, UH, WE HAD A PREVIOUS CONTRACT AND HAVE SINCE DECIDED TO GO TO THE COUNTY. UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, CHIEF BELL HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, BUT, UM, THEY'RE REALLY THE PROVIDER IN THE AREA. UM, I KNOW OTHER CITIES HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, UM, WHERE THEY DO IT IN-HOUSE AND, UM, THAT WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO DO, RESPOND TO THOSE CALL CALLS. AND SO, UM, WE FIGURED IT WAS THE BEST, UH, METHOD TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND HAS, UH, TO WHAT EXTENT HAS THERE BEEN, UH, AN, UH, A REVIEW OF WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE AND THEIR RELATED COSTS RELATING TO SIMILAR SERVICES TO SEE IF, IF, UH, THE COSTS THAT THAT WERE ESTIMATED HERE ARE, ARE, UM, DONE IN A WAY THAT THAT OPTIMIZES OUR, OUR FISCAL EFFECTIVENESS TO MAKE SURE THAT IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES OUT THERE, UH, THAT COULD CHARGE US LESS, THAT WE WOULD KNOW ABOUT THOSE, OR IF IN LOOKING INTO THOSE OTHER ENTITIES, THEY ACTUALLY WOULD CHARGE MORE, WHICH WOULD WARRANT OUR STAYING WITH THE COUNTY? UM, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. I THINK RIGHT NOW WE ARE A BIT OF A TIME CRUNCH 'CAUSE THIS, UH, CONTRACT EXPIRES JUNE 30TH AND SO WE WOULD BE WITHOUT SERVICES STARTING JULY 1ST. UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT WHEN THIS CONTRACT IS UP. SO FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT, BECAUSE OF WHEN WE WERE PRESENTED THIS, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO GO BACK AND DO SOMETHING WITHOUT ENDANGERING A LOSS OF SERVICES BECAUSE OF A CONTRACT NOT BEING DONE ON TIME. WELL, WE'RE DOING IT BEFORE IT EXPIRES. WE COULD HAVE GIVEN COUNSEL MORE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU'D WANTED IT TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE COUNSEL SOONER. I, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT, NOT JUST WITH THIS, BUT WITH OTHER, UH, PROPOSALS, IF TO WHATEVER EXTENT WE COULD HAVE MORE TIME TO ACCOUNT FOR ALLOWING, UM, OR FACTORING IN, UM, UH, A CRITICAL ANALYSIS REGARDING, UH, [01:10:01] ANY COST COMPARISONS SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF THERE ARE ANY POSSIBLE SAVINGS, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD NEGOTIATE FOR A CONTRACT BECAUSE OF, LET'S SAY, LOOKING AT THE, THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIFIC SERVICES BEING ABLE TO BE PROVIDED FOR LESS SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY EVEN, UH, SPEND LESS WITH THE CONTRACT, UH, THAT WOULD END UP BEING PROPOSED, WHICH IN EFFECT IN ITS AGGREGATE OVER A SERIES OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS COULD RESULT IN OUR HAVING ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR OTHER, OTHER, UH, PROJECTS OR PRIORITIES. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DOABLE? YES. SO I GUESS THE NEXT, UM, THOUGHT AMONG, UH, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WOULD BE, UM, WELL ACTUALLY JUST TO ASK, UH, REAL QUICK, UM, WOULD THERE BE, UH, A WAY THAT YOU COULD, UM, UM, HAVE STAFF DO, UH, THE, THAT TYPE OF ANALYSIS THAT WOULD SHOW THAT THE CONTRACT THAT THAT IS PRESENTLY BEING PROPOSED, IS ACTUALLY THE BEST IN LIGHT OF, UH, OTHER, UM, IN LIGHT OF ANALYZING THE, THE COSTS THAT ARE PROVI OF, OF SIMILAR SERVICES, UH, THAT ARE PROVIDED IN OTHER CITIES. YOU EVER, THE CHIEF IS COMING UP. THANK YOU. CHIEF POWELL AND CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA. COUNCILMAN, UH, CONTOS, UH, I WAS INVOLVED IN THE LAST, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL CONTRACT. MM-HMM. , WHERE WE USED POMONA HUMANE SOCIETY. UH, I THINK IT'S THE ONE IN POMONA. UM, THAT CONTRACT WAS IN JUST SHY OR JUST SOUTH OF A MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT. I THINK IT WAS 907,000. YES. UM, WE, WE, WE LOOKED AT IT THEN. AND, UH, THE REASON WE WENT WITH THE COUNTY IS BECAUSE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE SAVED, UH, CLOSE TO $300,000 BY GOING THERE. NOW THAT'S HELPFUL. NOW, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF PLACES THAT WE CAN USE THAT CAN ACTUALLY SERVICE WEST COVINA, AND THAT'S THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S THE POMONA ONE. SO WE LOOKED AT WHAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE FOR OUR CITY. NOW, I THINK, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK AND LOOK, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT, WHAT IS MORE FEASIBLE. BUT, MM-HMM, $300,000 SAVINGS FROM THE LAST TIME IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. SO, MM-HMM. , UM, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION UPFRONT WOULD HELP, AND I'LL BE MORE THAN, UM, UH, WILLING TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE. RIGHT NOW, UH, THIS CONTRACT IS PROBABLY THE BEST THAT WE HAVE. IF YOU WANT US TO, TO LOOK INTO THAT JUST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, WE CAN, BUT THIS CONTRACT WON'T BE UP FOR A FEW YEARS, SO THE NUMBERS WILL PROBABLY CHANGE BY THEN. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT WHEN WE WENT TO THE COUNTY CONTRACT, IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN A LA CARTE, RIGHT? SO YOU GET TO PICK WHAT SERVICES YOU WANT. AND I REMEMBER STANDING HERE BACK THEN SAYING, WE WANT NEUTER. WE DON'T WANT THIS. WE WANT THAT. WE WANT THAT BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S A COST. SO, MM-HMM. WITH THE, UM, COUNTY SERVICES, WE GET TO TAILOR IT TOWARDS OUR, OUR, OUR CITIZENS, WHICH ACTUALLY BROUGHT DOWN THE COST. SO WE CAN, THE COST IS GONNA, UM, RISE AND FALL BASED OFF OF WHAT WE PICK. I APPRECIATE THAT ADDED CONTEXT. THANK YOU, CHIEF. WELCOME, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VIRO, UH, THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO, UH, COUNCILMAN CANTOS. UH, I REMEMBER GOING THROUGH THIS WHOLE STUDY AND THIS BACK AND FORTH WITH RESIDENTS AND, UM, THE CONTRACTS, UH, BEFORE WE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY LIKE, UH, CHIEF BELL, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING ALL THAT. BUT WE WERE WITH COUNTY FIRST, AND THEN, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE ORDEAL AND THEN WENT TO, UM, POMONA, WHICH WAS THE, UH, PREVIOUS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER'S, UM, FATHER. SO, UH, AND THEN WHEN IT CAME BACK AGAIN, WE HEARD, UM, A FEW COMPLAINTS FROM THE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY, UH, BEING NEARBY. THE, THE HARDEST PART BECAUSE WE WANTED THE OTHER, OTHER, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL. BUT THE PROBLEM IS ALL THE OTHER ANIMAL CONTROLS WERE SMALLER, AND THEY WEREN'T TAKING NEW CITIES AT ALL. OH. SO WE WERE JUST STUCK WITH EITHER COUNTY OR POMONA. UM, SO WE WENT THROUGH A WHOLE ORDEAL, UM, AND THEN WE, UH, WITH THE COST SAVINGS AND THE LOCAL, UH, BECAUSE RESIDENTS SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TOO FAR FOR THEM. THEY WANTED TO STICK BY LOCALLY. BALDWIN PARK IS THE CLOSEST ONE. SO WE END UP COMING BACK TO, UH, COUNTY, UM, BASED ON WHAT THE RESIDENT SAID. UNFORTUNATELY, DURING, WELL, DURING COVID, EVERYBODY ADOPTED PETS, UM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS AT HOME. AND UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER COVID, WHEN EVERYONE WENT BACK TO WORK, YOU SAW AN INFLUX OF JUST RETURNING THE ANIMALS, WHICH WAS PRETTY SAD. 'CAUSE THEY, THEY ALL GOT PRETTY FULL. AND SO, I, I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THE, THE REASON WHY THE COSTS, UH, WENT UP BECAUSE OF, UH, AFTER COVID COVID, YEARS OF RETURNING ALL THESE PETS. SO, JUST A LITTLE HISTORY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR PRO TEM. YEAH. [01:15:01] THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. UH, AND I REMEMBER BACK IN 2017, 2018, OKAY, WE CHANGE FROM OKAY. AND THE COUNTY TO POMONA. OKAY. AND THE POMONA HUMAN SOCIETY. OKAY. AND AT THAT TIME, WE DON'T, I DON'T KNOW. AND THAT, THAT IS OKAY. THAT WILL, OKAY. UH, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, NICOLE, IAN'S FATHER, AND, UH, I NEVER BE TOLD. OKAY, SO, SO, BUT THE POINT IS, I REMEMBER THE CONTRACT IS ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS. MM-HMM. . OKAY. AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2017, 2018, IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS, 900 SOMETHING. NOW AFTER HOW MANY YEARS? SIX YEARS. SO I THINK THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE MILLION DOLLAR, I THINK THEY WILL BE MAYBE 1.2, 1.3 DUE TO SO MANY YEARS OF INCREASE AND THIS AND THAT. OKAY? AND SO THIS IS THE HISTORY, OKAY. AND THAT WE TRY TO FIND WHAT'S THE WAY WE CAN HAVE A SAVING, OKAY? AND THAT'S WHY, OKAY. WE DECIDE TO SAVE IN $300,000 FROM THE POMONA HUMAN SOCIETY. AND WHEN TO, AND BY THE WAY, NICOLE, LATER ON, OUR CITY, CITY MANAGER BECOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE POMONA, OKAY? AND THE ANIMAL, OKAY. HUMAN SOCIETY. BUT THE POINT IS THIS, I'M ASKING, HOW CAN WE REDUCE, OKAY? AND, UH, AND THE CHARGE, AND I REMEMBER, I CAN KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY, HEY, SHOW ME YOUR LICENSE. OKAY? SHOW ME YOUR PERMIT WITH YOUR DOG. SO I HAVE TO COME DOWN WITH THEIR TAG AND WITH A, OKAY, RABBI SHOT THIS AND THAT, BUT IT'S CALLED CANVASSING, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THE CANVASSING FOR THIS SIX YEARS, SEVEN YEARS. SO THE CANVASSING, MEANING WE HAVE TO PAY THE PERMIT, AND THIS PERMIT WILL GO INTO OUR CT PAYING FOR OFFSET SOME OF OUR COSTS. SO IF WE CAN HAVE THE COUNTY TO DO THE CANVASSING, AND WE REQUEST PEOPLE HAVE DOG, INCLUDING MYSELF, OKAY. TO PAY FOR YEARLY, UH, PERMIT FEE. AND I THINK THAT WILL BE DUE AT THE SAME TIME SHOWING THE, THE COUNTY, OKAY. ANIMAL CONTROL ABOUT THE BABY SHARK DISH. THAT TO PROTECT, UH, THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT IS SOME OF THE, ALWAYS THAT CAN HELP OUT. EVERYBODY PAY, I, I FORGOT THEY $25, $35. NOW, I DUNNO. OKAY. I FORGOT HOW MUCH, BUT YOU PAY. I THINK IF ALL THE PET OWNER PAY THE PER ME, THEN WE SHOULD REDUCE OKAY. OUR COST. SO, SO I THINK WE, MY QUESTION OVER HERE IS CAN WE ASK COUNTY WHEN THEY'RE GOING DO THE CANVASSING OR SEND THE MAILER TO TELL OKAY. AND THE RESIDENT, IF THEY OWN PAD, OKAY. THEY NEED TO, OKAY. AND THE PER GUIDELINE AND, UH, PAY THE OKAY. AND THE LICENSE PER ME AND ET CETERA. YEAH. IF AS CHIEF COMES UP, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE, REITERATE, YES, THE LICENSING FEES HELP OFFSET OUR COST. UH, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, UM, THAT, YES, WE CAN ASK THE QUESTION. UM, CERTAINLY, BUT, AND I REMEMBER, UM, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE OUT OF COVID NOW, BUT, UH, DURING COVID AND UP TO AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTERWARDS, UH, THEY WERE NOT DOING CANVASES. THEY, THEY BASICALLY SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT DOWN THEIR SERVICE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY FIRED PERSONNEL OR NOT, BUT I DID NOT PERSONALLY ASK THAT QUESTION, UM, REGARDING THIS CONTRACT. BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN, UM, LOOK INTO IT AND IT CERTAINLY CAN BE ADDED. IT JUST MAY COME AT A COST. YEAH. THE, UH, QUESTION I HAD, AND, AND, AND THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM FOR THAT, BECAUSE I ALSO REMEMBER WHEN WE MOVED TO THE COUNTY, THEY, THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD HAVE LICENSING EVENTS AS WELL, UH, AT OUR DOG PARK. AND, AND I, I'M GUESSING THEY ALSO CAN PROBABLY, UH, COME TO OUR, UH, DIFFERENT EVENTS WE HAVE DURING THE YEAR WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE EVENT, GET THEIR DOGS LICENSED, GET THEIR PETS LICENSED, UM, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT OFFSETS THE COST, RIGHT? THAT'S THE REVENUE. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REVENUE ON THE CHART, THAT'S THE REVENUE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE ONE, MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALWAYS INVITED, RIGHT. TO, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SPACE, UH, AT OUR EVENTS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BRING THEIR DOGS, ESPECIALLY, UM, WHEN WE HAVE OUR CONCERTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, BUT ALSO STANDALONE EVENTS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DOG PARK, ONE OF THE FEW. SO AT DEL NORTE, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. WE CAN, YEAH, WE WILL. UM, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL. HI. WHAT HAPPENED? UH, UH, WITH REGARD TO, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLANNED EVENT FOR DOG LICENSING BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT. I, I HEARD, UH, SOME PRELIMINARY IN, UH, PRIOR TO LAST SEPTEMBER, BUT THEN THAT'S THE LAST WE HEARD. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT HAPPENED. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD YOUR, I DO RECALL THOSE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS. UM, AT THE TIME WE WERE, THEY WERE LOOKING AT DATES THROUGH, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL THROUGH LA COUNTY. UM, THE DATE ENDED UP BEING PUSHED BACK SOMETIME TOWARDS THE SPRING. AND THEN THE YOUNG LADY THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH, THAT THE COUNTY ACTUALLY RECEIVED A PROMOTION, UM, TO ANOTHER OFFICE, AND WE DIDN'T HEAR BACK SINCE. [01:20:03] OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES, GO AHEAD. UH, IN LIGHT OF THE C CONCERNS BROUGHT UP WITH, WITH, UH, COLLEAGUES, WITH A GREAT IDEA OF MAYOR PRO TEM WU, AS WELL AS, UH, WHAT, UH, THE MAYOR HIMSELF HAS ALSO DESCRIBED, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF STAFF COULD AMEND THE, GO BACK AND AMEND THE CONTRACT AND THEN SUBMIT A REVISED CONTRACT IN TIME FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING? SO AS TO REFLECT THE SENTIMENTS THAT WERE EXPRESSED HERE, SO THAT WAY IT'S CODIFIED IN, IN OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY JULY 1ST, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, WE DO. YEAH. WE, SO YOU CAN AUTHORIZE, UH, WITH WHATEVER CHANGES FOR MYSELF TO, TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT WITH THOSE CHANGES SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK. WE CAN INCORPORATE IT, AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTY AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY WITH IT. OH, GREAT. IF YOU COULD, WELL, WHAT CHANGES, SORRY, LET ME CLARIFY. CANVASING. OH, YEAH, THAT'S AN OPTION ABOUT THE LICENSING. YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A CHECK THE BOX IF IT'S AVAILABLE, AND THEN WE JUST PAY FOR IT. YOU DON'T NEED TO ASK 'EM IF IT'S AVAILABLE. OKAY. CHARGES, WE'RE JUST GONNA DO IT TO SAY WE WANT IT, AND IF WE WANT IT, THEN WE COULD CHECK THE BOX IF THEY'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICE. THANK YOU, MR. M, WE DON'T NEED TO COME BACK. WE CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW WITH THAT DIRECTION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, EXCUSE ME, I HAVE, REGARDING ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF AGREEMENT WITH COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL. I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM AND A SECOND BY, UH, EXCUSE ME, A MOTION BY MAYOR CALDRON AND A SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM WU, UH, TO INCLUDE CANVASSING IN THE AGREEMENT AND LICENSING. UNDERSTOOD. COUNCILMAN CONTOS AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? AYE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VITO AYE. MAYOR PRO TE WU. AYE. MAYOR CALDERONE TABBA. AYE. ITEM PASSES. FIVE ZERO, MAYOR. ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO [5) CONSIDERATION OF AWARD OF CONTRACT TO MERCHANTS LANDSCAPESERVICES, INC. FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 202402 - LANDSCAPE ANDMAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR CIVIC CENTER AND CITY PARKS] ITEM NUMBER FIVE, MAYOR PRO TE WU. YEP. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, AND THANKS, UH, UH, REGARDING THE, SO-CALLED, UH, BEAUTIFICATION OF THE CITY AND, UH, BEAUTIFY THE PARK. THE MAINTENANCE IS REALLY WHAT THE RESIDENT WANT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE IS WE HAVE ALSO OPEN SPACE AND GREEN, AND, UH, WE KNOW MERCHANTS WE SEARCH FOR A LONG TIME, AND THAT THEY ALWAYS ARE THE TOP ON THE IFP. SO WE JUST WANT TO KNOW MAYBE THE SCOPE, THE MAGNITUDE ABOUT HOW THEY SERVE OUR CITY AND HOW OUR PUBLIC WORK AS A DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HAVE YOUR STEP TO OKAY. SUPERVISE OKAY. BASICALLY THE CONTRACT AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB AND THAT WE PAY OKAY. IS WHAT WE AGREE UPON. SURE. UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, UH, AND MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, YES. MERCHANTS IS OUR CURRENT, UH, LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR. THEY SERVE AS 16 PARKS AND THE CIVIC CENTER. UH, THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB FOR US. UH, WE COMMUNICATE WITH THEM ON A, APPEAR ON A DAILY BASIS. UH, THEY DO, UH, OUR MOWING OF OUR PARKS, BLOWING ALL THE PARKS, CLEANING UP THE PARKS. UH, THEY ALSO MAINTAIN OUR RESTROOMS, UH, TWICE A DAY, UH, AT ALL THE PARKS. UH, AND WE, THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB FOR US. WE DO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM ON A DAILY BASIS. THEY GIVE US, UH, WEEKLY SUMMARIES, MONTHLY SUMMARIES AS REQUESTED. SO WE, THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH US. UM, SO YEAH, THEY, THEY'RE A GREAT CONTRACTOR. UH, WE DID GO OUT TO RFP AND WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS PROPOSALS AND THEY CAME OUT, NUMBER ONE OF ALL THE PROPOSALS, WE REVIEWED ALL THE PROPOSALS, AND THEY WERE NUMBER ONE BASED ON COST ON SERVICES PROVIDED. UH, WE DID, UH, ACTUALLY INCLUDE, UH, FIELD RENOVATIONS TO ALL OUR, UH, FIELD AS FAR AS INCLUDING OUR BASEBALL FIELDS, OUR FOOTBALL FIELD, AND OUR SOCCER FIELD. SO WE INCLUDE THAT THIS YEAR IN NEW CONTRACT, AND THEY'LL BE DOING THE RENOVATIONS FOR US MOVING FORWARD. SO, UM, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UH, ENTER CONTRACT WITH THEM AT THIS TIME. UM, AND VERY GOOD. WE HAVE, UH, 16 PARKS. YES. OKAY. AND, UH, AND BASICALLY, OKAY, ALL THIS PARK, MOST OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT BATHROOM AND TRASH, SO, SO HOW WE ADDRESS THIS BATHROOM AND TRASH ISSUE. OKAY. SO PEOPLE CAN GO TO A BATHROOM THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SHOCK. AND, UH, AND, UH, OKAY. THE ISSUE I MIGHT UNDERSTAND, BASED ON THE CONTRACT, THEY, THEY DOING TWO CLEAN UP A DAY. SO BASICALLY THIS IS PRETTY FREQUENT, OKAY. TO CLEAN THE, OUR BATHROOM, THAT'S INCLUDE THE SHADOW DOWN, DOWN BELOW. LET THE, SO-CALLED THE NEW BATHROOM. SO BASICALLY ALL THE BATHROOM OR BE CHECKING TWICE A DAY, RIGHT? AND THEN, AND THEN YOU CAN MAYBE ADDRESS SOME TRASH ISSUE. [01:25:01] YES. SO THEY DO SERVICE THE RESTROOMS TWICE A DAY, ONCE IN THE MORNING WHEN THEY OPEN 'EM UP, AND IN THE EVENING WHEN THEY CLOSE THEM. UH, SO THEY DO SERVICE THEM DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY, WHATEVER HAPPENS. UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THERE IS NOBODY TO KIND OF OVERSEE THE RESTROOMS IN THE COURSE OF THE DAY, BUT WHEN, AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY DO COME OVER AND THEN THEY DO SERVICE THEM WHEN THEY COME BACK IN. UH, ACTUALLY I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT, UH, PAT HEALY WITH MERCHANTS ACTUALLY HERE ALSO, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MERCHANTS, YOU CAN ASK THEM DIRECTLY, BUT THEY DO SERVICE THE RESTROOM TWICE A DAY. UH, DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY, IF RESIDENTS SEE ANYTHING, THEY CAN DEFINITELY CALL THE CITY YARD AND REQUEST, UH, SERVICE. AND IF WE DO VERBAL CALLS TO THEM DURING THE DAY, THEY WILL GO RESPOND, UH, TO THE RESTROOMS. UH, IT IS OUR LONG-TERM PARTNER. OKAY. WE HAVE DENT THEIR SERVICE FOR A LONG TIME, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO WALK WITH THEM. AND THE, OKAY. SECOND ISSUE. OKAY, WE GOT A BATHROOM BECAUSE MOST OF THE BATHROOM CREATE THE ISSUE IS WHEN WE HAVE EVENT MM-HMM. , WE HAVE A GAME GOING ON THIS, ON THAT. AND THAT IS HOW THE BATHROOM BECOME A OVERWHELMINGLY OKAY, WHO'S OUT. SO, SO POSSIBLE MAYBE IF WE HAVE EVENT, WE CAN PREPLAN IF THEY CAN COME BACK. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S FEASIBLE. OKAY. SO IN THAT WAY OKAY. SINCE YOU HAVE A COMPARE WITH RANDOM PEOPLE USING IT, NOBODY AND COMPARE WITH, HAVE A GAME AND HAVE TONS OF PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE THE BATHROOM WILL BE OKAY OUT WITH OUT BATHROOM. OKAY. TOILET PAPER AND THEN, AND THEN FLOOD THIS AND THAT. SO HAVE THAT ISSUE. YES. AND, AND DURING THE DAY WHEN THEY DO THEIR SERVICES IN THE MORNING, AFTERNOON, IF THEY SEE ANY ISSUES THAT THEY DON'T COVER, THEY DO NOTIFY US OF, OF CONCERNS WITH TOILET PAPER HOLDERS KNOCKED DOWN OR, OR, OR BROKEN OR DISPENSERS ARE BROKEN. THEY DO NOTIFY US, UH, WHEN THEY DO COME ACROSS ANY ISSUES AND WE WOULD WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE IMMEDIATELY. SO, SO MY, UH, MY SUGGESTION IS MAYBE WE CAN KIND OF PLAN WITH THEM, SEE THAT FEASIBLE WHEN WE HAVE A BIG GAME GOING ON AND THIS AND THAT, THEN WE ARRANGE THEM. HE CAN COME UP TO TALK TO US IF YOU WANT. SEE, THAT IS FEASIBLE TO HELP WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, AUDIENCE AND, UH, ATTENDEE AND THEY NEED A BATHROOM WHERE WE ONLY HAVE THAT FEW BATHROOM OVER THERE. OF COURSE THERE WILL BE OVERWHELMING OVERUSE, BUT THAT TIME OKAY. WE CAN KIND OF EVENTS TO PREPARE MAYBE SOME CLEANUP. YEAH. WHEN, WHEN THERE'S, I'M SORRY, WHEN THERE'S LARGE EVENTS, WE DO HAVE, UH, CITY STAFF THAT WILL, WILL OVERSEE EVENTS AND AT THAT TIME WE COULD HAVE MERCHANTS ALSO JOIN US AND, AND BE OUT THERE AT A, AT A REQUEST. GO AHEAD. YEAH, WE DO THAT FOR OTHER CITIES. WE WOULD EASILY COME IN PROBABLY WITH A ONE OR TWO MAN CREW. UM, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THE EVENT IS, WE COULD BE THERE UNTIL THE END OF THE EVENT AND HELP WITH CLEAN UP. IT IS AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE. IT'S NOMINAL. IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GOUGE YOU WITH IT. UM, PAPERWORK'S INCLUDED. YOU GUYS ACTUALLY SUPPLY THE PAPERWORK. WE JUST DO THE MATERIALS AS FAR AS, UH, CLEANING CHEMICALS, ET CETERA. SO YEAH, IT WOULDN'T BE A HUGE COST TO YOU AND WE CAN DO IT GOOD. SO YOU CAN PROVIDE A SERVICE JUST EXTRA CHARGE. SO MAYBE WE CAN, ON THE BYLAW, TALKING TO THE OLDEST LEAGUE, SEE THEY CAN, CAN HELP OUT, SHARE SOME OF THE COSTS OKAY. BECAUSE IT'S THERE AUDIENCE COMING TO THIS SO WE CAN TALK. BUT MOST IMPORTANT THING IS HOW CAN WE OKAY. KIND OF CLEAN UP AND, UH, UH, TO DO OKAY. AND, UH, MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN USE THE BATHROOM AND THE BATHROOM IS PRESENTABLE, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE OKAY, YOU HELPING BECAUSE, AND ONCE UPON TIME WE HAVE, UH, ISSUE WITH A PERFORMANCE, BUT LOOK LIKE NOW YOU GUYS KIND OF, UH, DOING MUCH BETTER THAN BEFORE. AND I THINK I KNOW, UH, OUR OKAY. AND THIS DISTRICT OKAY. SERVICE DISTRICT AND YOU ARE HELPING US CLEAN UP ALL THIS THING IS ANOTHER BIG JOB. YES. AND YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN WHICH DISTRICT AND, UH, SHADOW OAK? WELL, WE'RE WORKING BOTH OF THEM ACTUALLY. YEAH. WE'RE IN THE SHADOW OAK DISTRICTS AND WE'RE ALSO IN, UH, ZONE ONE. UH, WHICH ONE? ZONE ONE. ZONE ONE. THAT WOULD BE THE FAIR GROVE OAK GRO. RIGHT? OKAY. U GROVE PARK. BEAR GROVE, YEAH. YEAH. AND THEN THE SHADOW PARK, THE AREA, BECAUSE THE MEDIAN, THE, THE COMMON AREA, THE EO AND THE, IT IS ALL OVERGROWN FOR A LONG TIME. SO, BUT I'M GLAD. OKAY. OUR DEPUTY BEAUTY DIRECTOR, YOU LIKE THEM? YEAH. AND THAT'S THE REASON I PULL, I WANT YOU SHOW ON THE TV TIME, SO . OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO, UM, IN MAINTAINING OUR PARKS, UM, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE TRASH CANS THAT ARE OUTSIDE ON THE PARKING AREA? MM-HMM. , YES, IT DOES. SO, UH, BUT THEY'RE ATKINS BINS. LIKE, LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT WALDO PARK. SO THEY, THEY SERVICE THE TRASH CANS THAT ARE IN THE PARK, THE REGULAR FI, UH, 50 GALLON DRUMS, TRASH CANS, THE, THIS, THE, THE BINS THAT ARE IN THE ENCLOSURES, THOSE ARE ATHENS. SO ATHENS GOES AND RIP AND EMPTIES THOSE OUT. OKAY. BUT [01:30:01] MERCHANTS DOES HELP US WITH BULKY TRASH THAT IS THROWN AROUND THE BINS. THEY'LL DO HELP US AND ASSIST US AND CLEAN THOSE AREAS UP. OKAY. OKAY. UM, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS ISSUE AT CAMERON PARK WITH THAT EMPTY LOT THAT'S FENCED IN, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE WORKING ON AREA? NO, THAT IS A SEPARATE IN, THAT IS A SEPARATE, UH, DEAL. WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, WAITING FOR PROPOSALS TO GET THAT AREA, UH, CLEANED UP AT THIS TIME. SO WE HAVE REQUESTED, UH, REQUESTED QUOTES OR BIDS TO GET THAT AREA ADDRESSED AND, AND HOPEFULLY LANDSCAPED AND, AND PREPARED FOR, UH, MERCHANTS TO GO IN THERE AND DO SOMETHING. SO. OH, SO WE'RE GETTING RFPS FOR THAT AREA? YES. WELL, WE'RE WAITING FOR SOME QUOTES AND SEE WHAT IT'S GONNA COME BACK AT. IF IT WON'T BE OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT, NO. IF THE COST IS TOO HIGH, WE'LL PROBABLY, DEFINITELY GO TO RFP AND WE'RE EXPECTING SOME OF THOSE, UH, PROPOSALS TO COME IN ANYTIME SOON. OKAY. THAT'S REALLY MY CONCERN. I REALLY WANT, YES, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. WE WE'RE AWARE OF THAT AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CONTOS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UH, LAST YEAR I RECALL, UM, UNDER, UM, THEN MAYOR, UH, DIAZ'S LEADERSHIP, SHE, SHE ACTUALLY WAS SUPPORTIVE OF, OF BAGS FOR, FOR FOLKS WHO BRING THEIR DOGS TO PARKS. UM, I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THE PROVISIONS WITH, WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THOSE BAGS AND, AND, UM, IN THOSE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ALSO BE A PART OF THE, THE, THE MAINTENANCE OF, OF THE PARKS, THE, THE, IT'S IT BASICALLY WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE THESE PLASTIC BAGS THAT PEOPLE CAN, THE DOCKEY YES. LITTLE BAGS CALL THEM, BUT YEAH. DOGGY STATIONS, NO, THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS CONTRACT. BUT, UH, WITH THE CITY, WE, WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO, UH, POSITION MORE OF THOSE CONTAINERS OUT INTO THE PARKS. ALSO, IF YOU SUPPLY THE BAGGIES AND YOU HAVE THE CONTAINERS, WE CAN WORK IT INTO OUR RESTROOM CREWS TO BE ABLE TO FILL THEM AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. I LIKE THAT. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. MR. MAYOR. YES. UM, CAN, UM, MADAM CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU FACILITATE THOSE LOGISTICS RELATED TO THAT, UH, AT LOOKING AT PUTTING DOGGY BAGS OR STATIONS, UM, AT THE DIFFERENT PARKS? YEAH, WE'LL TALK TO STAFF. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM WU AND A SECOND BY MAYOR COUCH. IS THAT CORRECT OR DID I GET IT WRONG? NO, YOU GOT IT. WE'RE GOOD. OKAY. TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF AWARD OF CONTRACT TO MERCHANTS LANDSCAPE SERVICES FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 2. LANDSCAPE AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR CIVIC CENTER AND CITY PARKS. COUNCILMAN CONCHOS AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ AYE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VIDO AYE. MAYOR PRO TE W AYE. MAYOR CALDER. AYE. ITEM PASSES. FIVE ZERO MAYOR. ALRIGHT, DEPARTMENT, REGULAR MATTERS. [6) CONSIDERATION OF 2024 CITY COUNCIL GOALS] UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, CONSIDERATION OF 2024. CITY COUNCIL GOALS. UH, MS. MORALES WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT, I WILL PRESENT PRESENTATION UP. UM, SO WE ARE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON OUR GOALS THIS YEAR, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THEM IN TIME FOR THE BUDGET. UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAD ON OUR LAST YEAR, AND WE ARE STILL WORKING ON MANY OF THOSE GOALS. SO, UM, WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THEM, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON A LOT OF THEM. SO, UM, LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC IS OVER, WE'VE REMOVED RESPOND TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. UM, WE'VE, UH, COMPLETED, UH, AND EXECUTED INTERLOCAL EQUIPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY OF VERN AND, UH, SAN GABRIEL FOR FIRE EMERGENCY SERVICES. UM, WE ARE NOW HAVE BODY-WORN CAMERAS, UM, THAT ARE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT WEARS. UM, WE HAVE TWO NEW AM, UH, FIVE NEW AMBULANCES. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY OVERACHIEVED ON THAT GOAL. AND, UH, ONE FIRE LADDER TRUCK FROM QUINT. UM, WE WERE, UH, MAINTAINED. WE UPDATED THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. UM, WE INSTALLED A NEW FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH HAS BEEN AN, A HUGE UNDERTAKING FOR OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT. AND, UM, WE'RE GOING LEC OR ELECTRONIC, AND SO THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. UM, WE UPDATED THE PERSONNEL RULES, WHICH ALSO WENT INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR. UM, WE DEVELOPED A MASTER CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY AND CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. UM, AND THAT OBVIOUSLY WILL, WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON THAT. UM, WE'VE, UH, ADOPTED OUR, THE NEW, UH, UPDATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CODE, UPDATE FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THAT WAS ALSO ANOTHER HUGE UNDERTAKING FOR THE STAFF. UM, AND [01:35:01] SO, UH, THAT WAS ABLE TO FACILITATE AND STREAMLINE THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION PROCESS TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, WHICH WE ALSO UPDATED THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT JANUARY, 2023. UM, WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL YEAR FOR THE CITY. UM, AND THEN WE DID REPAIR THE ANTIQUE FIRE ENGINE THAT WE ARE NOW WORKING TO LOCATE, UH, SHARE WITH HER RANCH. UM, SO THE GOALS THAT WE, UH, WORKED ON OR, OR LOOKING TO ADD FOR, UM, 2024 IS WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THE UNHOUSED AND REDUCE WEST COUS HOMELESS COUNT. UH, WE ALSO WANT TO WORK TOWARDS, UH, IMPLEMENTING AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, MV TRANSIT AND, UH, OUR FEASIBILITY OF DIFFERENT, UH, TRANSIT OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO COMING BEFORE YOU GUYS WITH SOME TRANSIT ALTERNATIVES OR OPTIONS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. UM, THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE ADDED WAS ESTABLISH A WEST COVINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT WAS APPROVED THIS YEAR AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, WE LAUNCHED THAT, UM, DURING SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, UH, EVENT THAT WE HOSTED HERE AT CITY HALL. AND SO WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS, UM, BUILDING THAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I THINK I'VE HEARD FROM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ FOR A LONG TIME AND RESONATES WITH ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IS UPDATING OUR WEBSITE AND MAKING IT MORE USER FRIENDLY. SO THAT'S BEEN AN ADDED GOAL FOR, UH, THIS COMING YEAR. YES. UM, AND SO THE OTHER, UH, GOALS THAT WE HAD IN 2023 REMAIN. THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT WE'VE CHANGED FOR, UH, 2024. UH, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAYOR PRO TAMU? UH, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST, UH, HAVE DEMAND. OKAY. I KNOW I, I ALWAYS ASKING THING, BUT, UH, BUT THE, AGAIN, UH, I JUST LIKE ALL THE COUNCIL, WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR SO MANY YEARS HOW TO BE USER FRIENDLY FOR OUR WEBSITE AND THAT PEOPLE CAN PAY MM-HMM. , WE CAN CHECK INFORMATION. PEOPLE CAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SO MANY EVENT GOING ON, THEY HAVE, UH, ALL THE INFORMATION FOR OUR VENDOR THAT WILL BE REQUEST SO MANY YEARS. SO PEOPLE CAN ONLINE APPLY. OKAY. AND, UH, FOR VENDOR, FOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, FOR REQUIREMENT DOCUMENTATION, FOR FILE, ALL THAT THINGS SHOULD BE ONE, STOP SHOPPING OVER THERE AND MAKE IT EASY. OKAY. AND, UH, RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE BARELY USING THE OKAY. THE PAPER. SO SHOULD WE DO PAPERLESS? OKAY. AND SO WE START CHOPPING SO MANY TREES, OKAY. SO WE CAN USE IT ONLINE APPLICATION AND, UH, YOU OKAY? YES, YES, YES. OKAY. . OKAY. YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON USING IT. I, I'M AN OLD TIMER. I'M STILL USING THIS COUNCILMAN SI BELIEVE USE, UH, PAPERLESS. BUT, BUT MY POINT IS, OKAY, HOW SOON WE CAN GET THIS THING ROLLING, AND I KNOW YOU DO THE WEBSITE DESIGN AND, UH, HOW CAN WE DO ONLINE PAYMENT? ONLINE APPLICATION OR LIKE ANY OF OUR, ANY OF OUR COMPANY APPLICATION ONLINE. SO ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE, UH, THAT WAS THERE 2023 AND WE'RE WORKING ON IS WE'RE, UM, UPDATING OUR PERMITTING SYSTEM, WHICH IS GONNA BE A HUGE HELP. SO EVERYONE CAN GO PAPERLESS ON SUBMITTING THEIR BUILDING PERMITS. YES. UM, AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG HELP. UM, WE ALSO DO HAVE, UM, ONLINE PAYMENTS, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE. I KNOW THAT YOU HAD SOME DIFFICULTY. WE HAD TO, SOMETIMES IT'S A THIRD PARTY VENDOR THAT WE PARTNER WITH, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE LINK WORKS AND EVERYTHING, THE CONNECTIONS THERE. UM, BUT DEFINITELY NOT JUST THE, THE IMPORTANT PART'S. NOT IT SHOULD LOOK GOOD, BUT IT, THE, THE USABILITY OF IT AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS. SO WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS THAT. BUT WITH THE NEW WEBSITE, UM, YOU ASKED FOR TIMEFRAME, WE ARE FINALIZING, UM, THE VENDORS, THE PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVED, AND WE'RE HOPING TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL IN JULY. SO IN JULY WE CAN, PEOPLE CAN GO TO FILE THE REQUEST VENDOR FOR JULY 4TH FOR, UM, OKAY. AND, UH, UH, SEPTEMBER MOON FESTIVAL OR FRIDAY NIGHT, SO PEOPLE CAN APPLY THROUGH THE WEBSITE. OKAY. READY FOR THAT OR NOT. JULY WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE, HOPEFULLY A CONTRACT WITH A VENDOR TO HELP US UPDATE IT. JUST APPROVE THE CONTRACT. THEN THAT'S WE FAR, FAR AWAY TO GET WHAT WE WANT. WE CAN LOOK AT WAYS TO SEE, UM, I THINK WE HAVE A FORMAT TO DO IT ON ONLINE RIGHT NOW FOR SUBMITTAL SO WE CAN SEE HOW TO USE AN EXISTING GADGET. I I DON'T SEE OVER IT LONG ENOUGH. I WANT TO SEE THE RESULT, PLEASE. OKAY. LET'S GET THIS THING DONE. OKAY. AND, UH, I THINK WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A WEBSITE FOR SO MANY YEARS AND, UH, WE ALWAYS ASKING FOR CONTRACT, ASKING FOR THAT, BUT OKAY, [01:40:01] WE NEED TO HAVE A ACTION. HOPEFULLY WE GET THIS THING DONE SO PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, EFFICIENT, SUFFICIENT, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT PEOPLE CAN USER FRIENDLY TO SEARCH EVERYTHING TO OUR WEST COVINA CITY WEBSITE. AND, UH, YOU COULD SEE OTHER CITY, OKAY? YOU CAN GO INSIDE TO SEE THE VENDOR REQUEST AND, UH, OR DESIGN. OTHER IS PRETTY CONVENIENCE. WE CAN DO THE SAME THING, JUST WHO IS THEIR VENDOR? WHO, WHO IS THEIR SERVER? WHO IS THEIR CONTRACTOR? WE HIRE THEM TO COME OVER HERE TO DO IT FOR US. GET IT DONE. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CONTOS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UH, JUST, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S REFERENCE, UM, UH, I SPOKE WITH THE CITY MANAGER REGARDING WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY AND OUR NEED TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL DISABILITY RIGHTS LAWS, SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO OUR NEEDING TO BE COMPLIANT WITH ACCESSIBILITY LAWS BY, UH, MARCH, UH, 2026. SO, UM, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT LANGUAGE OR AT LEAST, UH, ASSURE US THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED LANGUAGE TO IN, IN THE RFPS THAT REQUIRES THAT, THAT THEY, UH, UH, MAKE SURE TO, TO, UH, ABIDE BY APPLICABLE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS SO AS TO MINI PREVENT THE NEED LATER FOR US TO HAVE TO RETROFIT. UM, I BELIEVE THAT THAT LANGUAGE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RFP. SO IT IS PART OF THE PROPOSALS TO MAKE US A DA COMPLIANT WITH, UM, ANY PROPOSED OR EXISTING LAWS, WHICH WOULD THEN REQUIRE THAT, THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT SAYS EXPLICITLY THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLY BY MARCH, 2026, BECAUSE I, I'M JUST TRYING TO ANTICIPATE FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THEY END UP MISSING THIS AND THEN IT BECOMES AN OVERSIGHT ISSUE. SO, SO JUST PLEASE MAKE SURE. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? NO. OKAY. UH, SO IS THIS JUST A RECEIVE AND FILE? A RECEIVE FILE? DO WE NEED A MOTION? I MOVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TE W AND A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VIDO. COUNCILMAN CONTOS AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? AYE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VITO AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM WU AYE. MAYOR CALDERONE IS ABOUT TO BUY. AYE. ITEM PASSES FIVE ZERO, MAYOR. MOVING [7) CONSIDERATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET] ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CONSIDERATION OF FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25 OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET. MS. MORALES WHO WILL PRESENT THIS STAFF REPORT, STEPHANIE SIMA, BUT I DID JUST, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT. SO, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK, GRANT FUND, CDBG, UM, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE NOTICE OF 30 DAY PUBLIC REVIEW. SO, UM, ANY RESIDENT THAT WANTS TO KNOW HOW WE ARE ALLOCATING OUR CDBG FUNDS CAN GO AND LOOK AND THEY CAN, UM, PROVIDE A PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, THAT YOU CAN SUBMIT ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE ON OUR PROPOSED ALLEGATION. UH, I CAN'T SPEAK ALLOCATIONS. UM, AND THEN THAT WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, JULY 2ND. UM, THE OTHER THING, THE GOALS THAT YOU GUYS JUST APPROVED, WE WILL BE UPDATING THE BUDGET DOCUMENT TO REFLECT THOSE REVISED GOALS THAT WERE APPROVED THIS EVENING. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STEPHANIE. GOOD EVENING. I JUST HAVE A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION. UM, JUST TO GO AND OVER START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS OF WHERE WE GOT TO TODAY. UM, THE BUDGET PROCESS STARTED IN LAST DECEMBER, SO IT'S GOING ON SIX MONTHS NOW. UM, WE DID A BUDGET SURVEY, THEN WE HAD THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL FORECAST FILED WITH COUNCIL, THEN WE DID THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN MAY. WE HELD TWO COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, UM, AFTER THE WORKSHOPS. WE ALSO DID A SOCIAL MEDIA POST LAST WEEK FOR ANY INQUIRIES OR COMMENTS. AND AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, RIGHT BEFORE COMING DOWN HERE, WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY INQUIRIES OR COMMENTS THAT I'M AWARE OF. NO EMAILS TO THE FINANCE EMAIL THAT WAS POSTED ONLINE. UM, AND THEN, UM, WE DID A BUDGET STATUS MEETING, AND THEN HERE WE ARE WITH JUNE 4TH BUDGET ADOPTION. AND OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR STARTS JULY 1ST. UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR OUR BUDGET. IT INCLUDES, UM, 172 MILLION TOTAL, 91 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND. IT ALSO AUTHORIZES APPROPRIATIONS FOR DONATIONS OF GRANTS UP TO 60,000 TO BE, UM, APPROPRIATED BY THE CITY MANAGER. AND IT INCLUDES AUTH, UH, ROLLING OVER OF THE CIP PROJECT BALANCE BUDGET OR BALANCES INTO NEXT YEAR. UM, AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION, IT AUTHORIZES THE NUMBER OF FULL-TIME POSITIONS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 316. [01:45:03] SO THAT'S A SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU AND I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, OPENING UP FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. MAYOR PRO TEM WU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. UH, I JUST, OKAY. WANT TO, OKAY. UH, THANK OUR FINANCE DIRECTORS AND THE DEPARTMENT TO CONTINUE TO DO A GOOD JOB TO HELP US TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. AND, BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY AGAIN, OKAY, AS A SAME POPULATION, SIMILAR POPULATION, WEST COVINA IS 110, 120 COMPARED WITH, UH, PASADENA IS ABOUT 135,000. OKAY? AND THE POPULATION, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL BUILDING, THEY HAVE A LOT OF THING, BUT THEIR BUDGETS IS OKAY, UH, $900 MILLION. SO I KNOW WE KIND OF FAR AWAY FROM THEM. WE ARE 172. SO WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET, INCREASE IN REVENUE TO COMING IN. SO I THINK THIS, OUR GOAL, SO WE NEED TO INCREASE THE COUNCIL GOAL IS, UH, HAVE A MORE BUSINESS COME TO WEST COVINA, HAVE A MORE OFFER REVENUE COME TO OUR CITY TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET. SO WE INCREASE OUR BUDGET, MEANING INCREASING OUR SERVICE, OKAY? INCREASING WHAT WE PROGRAM THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, UH, FOR OUR, OUR CITY. AND, UH, AGAIN, AGAIN, I THINK, OKAY, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY IS, IS TO INCREASE HOW TO WE AS COUNCIL, HOW TO CITY, HOW IS OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND HOW, OKAY, OUR OKAY. AND, UH, UM, ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, ALEJANDRO, OKAY? THEY WILL HELP US, OKAY. RECRUIT BUSINESS. AND WE NEED TO, LIKE, WHY YOU SAY, UH, BRANDING AND THIS AND THAT TO HELP US, OKAY? FROM 177 MILLION OKAY? BUDGET AND, UH, 9 99 90 $2 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND CAN INCREASE, HOPEFULLY, OKAY? IT'S THREE, $4 MILLION. SO WE CAN HIT THAT $200 MILLION OF, UH, OKAY. THAT KIND OF, UH, A BUDGET. AND THAT WILL BE AS A, AS A GOOD CITY, GREAT CITY OF WEST COVID-19 IS ACHIEVABLE AND HOPEFULLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR OKAY. NEW CITY MANAGER, BUT SINCE YOU COME FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OKAY? AND WE NEED TO HAVE YOU TO HAVE A GOAL TO HELP TO BRING MORE REVENUE AND BUDGET TO, AND THEY CAN MAKE PUT A SMILE ON OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR THAT WE HAVE MORE BUDGET, MORE MONEY TO SPEND AND FOR OUR PROGRAM. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH, OKAY? AND, UH, FOR OUR, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR AND, UH, HIS FINANCE TEAM, AND TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND, UH, STAFF TO WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY, OKAY? AND, UH, TO CONTINUE TO, UH, MAKE SURE OUR FUTURE, UH, FINANCIAL STATUS IS HEALTHY AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S, UH, SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR OKAY. RETIREMENT FUND, OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. OKAY? AND THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS COMMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY, I, I JUST, UM, UH, THANK YOU, UH, STAFF FOR, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS BUDGET AND FOR HOSTING THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND, AND DOING THE EXTRA OUTREACH THAT WE ASKED YOU TO DO AFTER THE LAST MEETING. UH, I GUESS, UH, I, I, I DO HAVE, UM, A COUPLE CONCERNS. UH, I KNOW, UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS, UH, HAD REQUESTED ABOUT AN RFP WITH THE SPORTSPLEX BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY SUBSIDIZING IT. AND I KNOW WE'RE GONNA WAIT AS WE JUST MADE A NEW HIRE. UM, BUT MY, MY BIGGER CONCERN, UH, IS, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, MORALES, YOU, YOU HAD STATED THAT THE, THE STATE WAS PROBABLY BY THE, EITHER THE END OF THIS YEAR, EARLY NEXT YEAR, GONNA A APPROVE US FOR, UH, UH, THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND THIS, THIS BUDGET OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT HAVE, UH, AN ANALYSIS OR, OR ANY POSSIBLE COST OF, OF, OF A HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UH, AND, AND SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A, A MAJOR CONCERN OF MINE. UH, AND, AND IT, IT'S, IT'S THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE THAT, AND, AND, AND WHY I CAN, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS, THIS BUDGET. UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, THE BELIEF IS WE WILL, UM, GET APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT. SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, THE MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE BUDGET. I'LL SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEMU, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN LOPEZ VDO TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET 2024. 2025. COUNCILMAN CONCHOS AYE. COUNCILMAN DIAZ? AYE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VIRO AYE. MAYOR PRO, TIM W AYE. MAYOR CALDERONE TABBA, NO. ITEM PASSES. 4 0 4 1, [01:50:01] MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO CITY COUNCIL REPORTS. DO WE HAVE ANY AB 1, 2, 3, 4 CONFERENCE AND MEETING REPORTS? ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS? OKAY, [CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS] DO WE HAVE ANY CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS? YES. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VITO. UM, WELL, THANK YOU STEPHANIE AND THE STAFF AGAIN FOR THE WHOLE BUDGET. BUT, UM, FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY, IT WAS ACTUALLY A NICE TOUCH THIS YEAR. UH, THEY ADDED A SYMPHONY WHICH BROUGHT, YOU KNOW, A LIVE SYM SYMPHONY OF THE STUDENTS PLAYING LIVE MUSIC, UH, PRIOR TO THE EVENT. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A NICE TOUCH. IT'S BEAUTIFULLY DONE. UM, THANKS FOR KEEPING MY TRADITIONS OF KEEPING DOING A GROUP PHOTO AT THE VERY END. I REMEMBER , I STARTED THAT WHEN THEY USED TO JUST SAY, OKAY, DONE. GOODBYE. AND I'M LIKE, JUST CHERISH THE MOMENT. UM, TAKE THIS PICTURES. UM, BUT THE DECORATIONS, THE, THE WHOLE EVENT, JUST THE WHOLE LAYOUT WAS FABULOUSLY DONE BY YOU AND YOUR STAFF. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. MAYOR PROAM. I, I WANT TO SHUT UP. OKAY? SO YOU CAN GO HOME, BUT I CANNOT HELP . I CAN OH, HAPPY DIE HARD. OKAY. BUT, BUT I JUST WANT TO OKAY. AND THEN FOLLOW THROUGH WHAT, UH, THE EVOLVE CT AND, UH, REGARDING THE OKAY. VERY, IT'S EXTREMELY FUN. THE SENIOR SOFTBALL, I THINK I WANT TO JOIN THEM, OKAY. BECAUSE I'M A RP, SO I WANNA JOIN THEM AND I, THE CAT WITH SENIOR OKAY. AND I HAVE THE TITLE ALREADY. OKAY. SO SINCE LAST YEAR, SO, SO, BUT I, I WANNA SAY THIS, OKAY. AND, UH, YOU SEE PEOPLE THERE PLAYING NOT ONLY SENIOR, AND PLUS YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN, AND THEY WENT TO THE HEALTH WELLNESS OKAY? AND SAW THIS BOOST AND GOING THROUGH, AND I HEARD ABOUT, OKAY. AND THE COUNTY REP, UH, UH, UH, RYAN SERENA, OKAY. AND HE BROUGHT, INTRODUCED SIX, OKAY. COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PEOPLE TO MEET WITH OUR HEALTH OFFICER, UH, UH, DR. BASO, THEY HAVE A VERY FRIENDLY DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER, AND IT'S THAT EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. WE, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO REPLACE THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF COUNTY. WE TRY TO ASSIST, OKAY? WE, WE WANNA GET A NEW FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL, OKAY? AND THEN WE CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THE, OKAY, UH, THE RESIDENT. AND, UH, I THINK SECOND, UH, PERSON, ASSISTANT HEALTH OFFICER OR, OR HEALTH DIRECTOR OF COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT INTRODUCE HIMSELF WITH HIS, HIS OR HER STAFF. OKAY? AND THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. AND THEN, AND RYAN'S VERY NICE TO INTRODUCE, TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, AND THEY TALK, OKAY. THEY HAVE A GOOD COMMUNICATION. THEY SAY, LET'S HELP EACH OTHER. LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE NO MATTER WHAT, LET'S HELP OUR RESIDENT. THAT'S HELP OUR SENIOR, THAT'S HELP OUR CHILDREN. THAT'S HOW OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE GOING TO BE ATTACKED BY THE VIRUS OR ANY DISEASE. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN PREPARE THIS TIME TO HELP OKAY. OUR FUTURE GENERATION. OKAY. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. WE ARE ALL GOVERNMENT, ONE OF THE ENTITY WE WANT HELP EACH OTHER, WE SERVING THE SAME POPULATION. SO I WANNA THANK OKAY. AND THE VERY NICE OF RYAN TO BRING THOSE OKAY. STAFF, OKAY. OFFICIAL AND THE FROM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MEET WITH OUR HEALTH, OKAY. AND OFFICER DR. BEZO TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND COMMUNICATE AND SEE HOW WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER. AND, UH, SO THEY CAN, THEY CAN KNOW WE ARE NOT TRYING TO TAKE AWAY OKAY. THEIR, THEIR ENTITY OR THIS AND THAT. WE TRY TO ASSIST AND HOPEFULLY WE, WE ARE CLOSELY OVER HERE, OKAY. MONITOR OUR POPULATION SO WE CAN GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE, ALL THE LOCATION DO THE SAME THING. AND, UH, TO HELP MAKE SURE OUR POPULATION IS HEALTHY AND SAFE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WELL, UH, I OBVIOUSLY HAVE, UH, SOME COMMENTS AS WELL. I, I WANNA THANK, UH, STAFF FOR, FOR ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PUTTING ON, UH, MEMORIAL DAY. UH, AGAIN, IT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE THE MAYOR ON, ON MEMORIAL DAY IS, IS AN, IS AN HONOR. AND, UH, TO, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT SPACE AND, AND HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AND STAFF ALWAYS DOES A FABULOUS JOB. UH, I ALSO WANTED TO SHOUT OUT, UH, SENIOR SOFTBALL AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND, AND, AND, AND THE COUNTY AND STAFF. AND, AND, AND AGAIN, A WONDERFUL EVENT, YOU KNOW, FROM FROM THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN MAYOR PRO TE WU HIT THAT, THAT THAT LINE SHOT THAT ALMOST KILLED ME, UH, TO COUNCILMAN [01:55:01] CONTOS, UH, THROWING OUT YOUR VERY FIRST, FIRST PITCH. YES. FIR FIRST HAD A GAME LIKE THAT. YEAH. . YEAH. NO, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS, IT JUST A FABULOUS EVENT, UH, KIND OF, UH, A START TO OUR, OUR SUMMER, RIGHT? WITH, WITH ALL THESE WONDERFUL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE LINED UP. UH, SO I WANNA REMIND FOLKS, UH, TOMORROW, THE DAY WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR OPENING OF THE LIBRARY, UM, 1, 1 30 TO TOMORROW, UH, EVERYONE TO SHOW UP. UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING, UH, THAT HAS IMPROVED AND, AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IMPROVING IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, TOMORROW'S ANOTHER GREAT COLLABORATION. ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT, UH, THE EVENT, UH, THIS FRIDAY, UH, FROM FOUR TO EIGHT, UH, RAINBOW FEST. UH, AGAIN, UH, IT'S AN EVENT THAT'S PUT ON AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE, THE REGION, THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY REGION, AS WE'RE PART OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY PRIDE TOUR. UH, IF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT STARTED IN ALHAMBRA ON MONTEREY PARK ON JUNE 7TH, IT'LL BE HERE IN WEST COVINA. UH, AGAIN, UH, JUST, JUST AN EVENT TO SHOW, UH, THAT, THAT EVERYONE IN WEST COVINA AND EVERYONE IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY HAS A PLACE, HAS A SPACE, AND CAN THRIVE. UH, AND I, SO I WANNA SHOUT OUT AN EVENT TODAY. UH, THE PALM VIEW OPEN HOUSE. UH, I REALLY WANNA SHOUT OUT MIGUEL AND THE STAFF THERE, THE, THE RESIDENTS, THE VENDORS, ALL THE FOLKS THAT, THAT USE THAT SPACE. IT, IT IS A SPECIAL SPACE. AND, UH, TO SEE ALL THOSE SMILING FACES AND TO SEE ALL THOSE PROVIDERS, UH, SO MANY OF THEM CAME UP TO ME TODAY AND SAID, MIGUEL IS LIKE, MIGUEL NEEDS TO JUST GO TO EVERY SPACE IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY AND TEACH THEM HOW TO HAVE AN ALL INCLUSIVE, UM, PARK SPACE FOR, FOR THIS COMMUNITY. HE, UM, MIGUEL, JUST WANNA SHOUT YOU OUT. UH, FANTASTIC. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. I WANNA THANK, UM, I'M EXCITED THAT YOU'RE RECOGNIZING MIGUEL, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL, UM, COUNCILWOMAN LADY LOPEZ VITO, RECOGNIZING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE EFFORTS THAT THE STAFF PUT IN FOR MEMORIAL DAY, AND OF COURSE, MAYOR PRO TAMU, UM, RECOGNIZING THE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. AND I THINK WHAT ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE HITTING ON IS, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON IS COLLABORATION, BECAUSE IT TAKES MANY HANDS TO PUT ON AN EVENT, AND WE WANT TO EXTEND THE REACH OF WHAT WE DO HERE IN WEST COVINA AND DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, UM, MAYOR, IS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE, UM, REPRESENTED AND HAVE PLACES THAT THEY FEEL SAFE, JUST LIKE AT PALM VIEW. AND SO IT IS REALLY TO THE CREDIT OF OUR FABULOUS COMMUNITY SERVICES STAFF WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MAINTENANCE AND ALL OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS JUST WORKING COHESIVELY TOGETHER AS A UNIT. SO, I, I DO WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. NO, NO, DEFINITELY. UH, IT SHOWS, UH, ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND THE, THE COMMUNITY AND, AND ALL OF US UP HERE, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UH, LAST, UH, I'LL JUST, UM, MENTION AGAIN THE, THE EVENT FOR SATURDAY, UH, THE WEAR ORANGE EVENT. IT'S, IT'S THE FIRST ONE HERE IN WEST COVINA. UH, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE A, A, A LOVELY PICNIC AND JUST, UH, ANOTHER DAY TO, TO COME TOGETHER AND BE IN COMMUNITY. AND IT, IT'S ONE THING THIS, WE DID OUR COUNCIL GOALS, AND THIS COUNCIL, UH, HAS ALWAYS MADE THAT, I THINK THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IS HOW WE CAN BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER, SPEND TIME WITH EACH OTHER, EAT WITH EACH OTHER, UH, AND YEAH, STAFF IS, IS MAKING THAT HAPPEN. AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. UH, SO, UH, THIS CONCLUDES OUR MEETING. IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO MOTION FOR US TO ADJOURN? I MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. I WANT A STAKE. . ALL RIGHT. MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.