* 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. [00:00:06] GOOD EVENING. WELCOME [CALL TO ORDER] TO OUR DECEMBER 3RD, 2024 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT IS 7:02 PM MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION. UH, TODAY, UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR, UH, INVOCATION BY PASTOR MASON OKUBO FROM EMMANUEL FIRST CHURCH AND MAYOR PRO TEM WU WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALL RISE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. LET US PRAY. FATHER IN HEAVEN, AS YOU ARE THE AUTHORITY ABOVE ALL AUTHORITIES, I ASK YOUR WISDOM TO BE UPON US AND OUR CITY COUNCIL, THAT THEY MAY CARRY OUT YOUR WILL IN GUIDING OUR CITY. WE RECEIVE THEM AS A GIFT FROM YOU, BLESS THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR CITY. SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT AMONG US THAT WE MIGHT WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA AND FOR OUR WORLD. THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO GIVE THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO SERVE OUR CITY. AND WE ASK YOU IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AMEN. HEART FLAG, FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS, WHY NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, D, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN CONTOS HERE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VITO, PRESENT, MAYOR PRO WU. YEP. MAYOR CALDRON. PRESENT CITY ATTORNEY. IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? NOTHING TO REPORT, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING. SO WE WILL NOW [CITY MANAGER'S REPORT] MOVE, UH, TO OUR CITY MANAGER'S REPORT, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY OUR CITY MANAGER, PAULINA MORALES. I'LL USUALLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT , YES. RIGHT TO THE STAFF, UH, TO THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. SO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, JUST WANTED TO BRIEF REMINDER TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT, UM, IN JANUARY WE DO HAVE OUR BUSINESS RENEWAL PROCESS. SO IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO RENEW YOUR BUSINESS LICENSE. UM, THEY ARE DUE, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR BY THE END OF JANUARY. SO OTHERWISE, THERE ARE PENALTIES THAT COME WITH NOT RENEWING WITHIN THAT FIRST MONTH. SO JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER. YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, UM, TO RENEW YOUR BUSINESS LICENSE. IT'S ALL DONE ON OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. NEXT, UM, IS, UH, PET LICENSE AMNESTY PERIOD. SO IF YOU WANT TO RENEW YOUR PET LICENSE, UM, FROM DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH, UM, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CONTROL, ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL WILL BE WAIVING ANY FEES OR PENALTIES FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY RENEWED THEIR, UH, PET LICENSES. UM, SO, UH, DURING THIS PERIOD, PENALTY FEES WILL BE ENTIRELY WAIVED FOR PET OWNERS PURCHASING OR RENEWING THEIR PET LICENSES, ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS WHO OTHERWISE MAY HAVE FORGONE A PET LICENSE TO ASSOCIATED FEES. SO WE ENCOURAGE THOSE, UH, TO RENEW THEIR PET LICENSE DURING THIS PERIOD. UM, WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO RECEIVE LETTERS TO SANTA ON HIS BEHALF. UM, WE DO HAVE THE DROP OFF BOX, UH, OUTSIDE, UH, THE ENTRANCE TO CITY HALL. UM, THE LAST DAY, UH, TO DROP OFF WILL BE, UH, FRIDAY, UH, DECEMBER 6TH, UM, WITH AN ADDITIONAL DROP OFF DAY ON THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, WHICH WOULD BE DECEMBER 14TH FROM 9:00 AM UH, 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM. SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR LETTER TO SANTA, PLEASE DO SO. UM, BEFORE FRIDAY OR, UM, UH, THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. UH, JUST A COUPLE, UH, FRIENDLY REMINDERS WITH THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP. WE HAVE A COUPLE, UH, CITY HALL CLOSURES. CITY HALL WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12TH FROM 1230 TO ONE 30. AND THEN, UM, MONDAY, DECEMBER 23RD TO JANUARY 1ST WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY, UH, CLOSURE. UH, AND WE'LL BE REOPENING FOR BUSINESS JANUARY 2ND. UM, WE HAVE, UH, SOME UPCOMING EVENTS. UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE LETTERS TO SANTA. WE ALSO HAVE THE LET IT SNOW EVENT, THIS SAT, OR THIS FRIDAY FROM SIX TO 9:00 PM HERE AT THE WEST COVINA CIVIC CENTER. UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARADE IN SANTA'S VILLAGE, UH, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH FROM NINE TO 1:00 PM IN THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA. AND THEN FOR THE LET IT SNOW EVENT, WE ARE RELOCATING IT. SO IT'S STILL GONNA BE AT CITY HALL, BUT INSTEAD OF THE COURTYARD AREA, WE'RE EXPANDING IT. IT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT. SO TO ACCOMMODATE MORE PEOPLE, WE ARE MOVING IT TO THE PARKING, UH, LOT, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE CIVIC CENTER. UH, WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. COUNCILMAN CONTOS, UH, MADAM CITY MANAGER. CAN YOU, UH, [00:05:01] UH, TALK ABOUT THE EVENT THIS SATURDAY, THE DISTRICT MEETING? OH, THAT'S RIGHT. I BELIEVE THERE'S A DISTRICT MEETING THIS SATURDAY AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE ADDRESS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. UM, LET ME PULL IT UP AND IT'S, I FORGOT THE TIME. I APOLOGIZE. THAT'S OKAY. IT'S, IT'S AT, IT'S AT 10:00 AM THIS SATURDAY AT THE HOME OF, UH, THE SANDERS FAMILY, AND IT'S AT 8,600 COURTNEY CIRCLE, AND IT'LL BE DISTRICT, UH, FOUR COUNCIL MEETING WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS. THANK YOU. UM, ONE LAST ITEM SINCE , THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME. UH, WE DO HAVE A, UH, SPECIAL MEETING, UM, ON THURS AT THURSDAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK, UH, FOR THE, UM, MAYORAL ROTATION AND THE CERTIFICATION OF THE VOTES. SO JUST WANTED TO LET LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE [ORAL COMMUNICATIONS] TO ORAL COMMUNICATIONS. UH, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, PLEASE FILL OUT AN ORANGE SPEAKER CARD, 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 AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER? THANK YOU. JOHN SCHUMAKER, FOLLOWED BY R ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PAT. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. ONE COMMENT I WANNA MAKE, BUT IT PROBABLY WOULD SHOW UP IN JANUARY 7TH, SO I BETTER NOT, UH, AMAZING TO OPEN THE NEWSPAPER AND FIND OUT THAT WE'RE FIRING, UH, OUR FIRE CHIEF. YOU KNOW, I GUESS BECAUSE, UH, PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL DON'T HAVE TO PAY THEMSELVES. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE GONNA BE GOING OUT. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS IMMENSELY INTERESTING ABOUT IT THOUGH, WAS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAD PROBLEMS IN THE PAST WITH IT. WELL, NO, WE HAVEN'T HAD PROBLEMS IN THE PAST WITH GETTING THAT GRANT. IT'S JUST THAT, AS I HAVE SAID, YOU HIRE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE, OVERTIME DISAPPEARS. AND THAT'S NOT THE DEAL THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE ON THIS CONSOLE HAVE MADE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO DO THAT. I WONDER HOW YOU LOSE CONFIDENCE IN SOMEBODY WHO GOES OUT AND SAYS, HERE'S HOW WE CAN GET FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS MORE FIREFIGHTERS TO HELP THE PUBLIC. YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOU'D LOSE CONFIDENCE IN THAT ONE. YOU WANNA DO JUST THE OPPOSITE. IT'S LIKE I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS, MEMBERS OF THIS CONSOLE AREN'T FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY. THEY'RE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. GIVING THEM WHAT THEY WANT. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A FIREFIGHTER WITH OVERTIME MAKING A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, AND YOU HIRE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE, GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? AND YOU DON'T CHANGE THE MOU TO GO TO FOUR INSTEAD OF THREE, YOU INSTANTLY START LOSING ALL THAT OVERTIME. 'CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU'RE NOT BELOW MINIMUM STAFFING, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE, AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENS IN THREE YEARS? YOU HAVEN'T BEEN SPENDING THAT MONEY ON OVERTIME, BUT YOU, YOU NOW CAN CONVERT IT TO PEOPLE. SO ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON NO LONGER HAPPEN. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT, THAT'S NOT WHAT CERTAIN PEOPLE HERE WANT TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, OF HOW TO MAKE THE CITY SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT AND ACTUALLY DO THINGS. BUT I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THREE VOTES AND YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE FOUR COMING UP THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT, WANNA DO THINGS. THEY'RE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT KEEPING THEIR TITLES, AND THEY ARE ABOUT WHAT, DOING, WHAT'S HELPING, UH, THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. THERE IS ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO, I WANNA SAY. UH, THE OTHER DAY, UH, MY DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND WERE INVOLVED IN, AS THE CHIEF REFERS TO THINGS, UH, CRIMES AS INCIDENTS. AND I FOUND IT AMAZING HOW WITHIN A DAY OR TWO A DETECTIVE WAS ASSIGNED AND AN ARREST WAS MADE. AMAZING. WHERE HERE WE ARE, ALMOST TWO MONTHS INTO IT WITH VIDEO. AND MYSTERIOUSLY, WEST COVINA WAITED A MONTH BEFORE THEY PUNTED. AND THERE'S VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT. I WONDER WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS. I WONDER WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS. THE PERPETRATOR WASN'T A COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYBE, OR A FAMILY MEMBER OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW? SO I JUST KIND OF SCRATCHED MY HEAD, SAID, WELL, THANKFULLY THAT PERSON'S OFF THE STREET, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN ALL, ALL MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WITH THOSE THINGS. SO WE'LL JUST KEEP GOING. KEEP PLUGGING AWAY. KEEP BEING A PAIN FOR PEOPLE. , YOU TAKE CARE. BYE. OUR ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATCHES, FOLLOWED BY MARIO EVENING. OUR FOUNDING FATHERS COULD NOT [00:10:01] IMAGINE THE CESSPOOL, THE BUSH LEAGUE OPERATION, ALSO KNOWN AS THE US CONGRESS, WHICH HAS EVOLVED. THE US MUST APPLY ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION FOUR OF THE US CONSTITUTION, WHICH GUARANTEES THAT THE UNITED STATES SHALL WARRANTY TO EVERY STATE IN THIS UNION, A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND IT MANDATES PROTECTION AGAINST INVASION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THIS MEANS THAT EACH STATE IS TO BE GOVERNED AS A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERVENING. IF A STATE REQUESTS HELP DURING SIGNIFICANT UNREST OR VIOLENCE, OR EVEN IF THEY DON'T REQUEST HELP, THE COUNTY CONSTITUTIONAL SHERIFFS CAN MOBILIZE, UH, THAT IS BE ORGANIZED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE. AND, AND THEN THE MATTER IS SUBMITTED TO A COUNTY GRAND JURY FOR INVESTIGATION, THE BORDER PATROL MUST BE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR JOB, AND THE FEDS, OR DOD NEED TO BE STATIONED AT A SECURED NATIONAL BORDER. ACCORDING TO ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION FOUR OF THE CONSTITUTION, SHERIFFS BACKED UP BY STATE NATIONAL GUARD, ORGANIZED TO BE, UH, DEALING WITH UNCOOPERATIVE MAYORS AND GOVERNORS WHO ILLEGALLY PROVIDE UNLAWFUL SANCTUARY, UH, SANCTUARY CITIES OR SANCTUARY STATES CRIMES PERPETRATED TRADE. THESE PAST YEARS MUST BE FAITHFULLY PROSECUTED. THE HUNTERS WILL BECOME THE HUNTED. BLUE STATE GOVERNOR'S RISK BEING FOUND GUILTY OF SEDITION OR TREASON. ALL THEIR LAWFULLY ADMINISTERED OATHS MUST BE RESPECTED. UNLIKE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, ALL PROVOCATIONS MUST BE IGNORED. IN THE NEXT MONTHS, THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE IS MAINTAINING THE PEACE AND RECOGNIZING FALSE FLAGS. WHATEVER THE SPARK, UM, BOTH SIDES WILL BE POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. MOREOVER, THE FAKE NEWS WILL CONTINUE TO DISTORT REALITY AND TRUTHFULNESS. GET READY FOR A HOST OF FALSE FLAG OPERATIONS, STAGED UPRISINGS TO DESTROY THE PEACE AND ASSURE MARTIAL LAW IS IMPOSED UPON US, AND THUS GUARANTEED TYRANNY. WE HAVE TO AVOID IMPOSITION OF MARTIAL LAW. TAKING OUR NATION INTO WAR IS A TIME HONORED TECHNIQUE SO PEOPLE LOSE FOCUS AND FORGET ALL THE CRIMES PERPETRATED ON THE PEOPLE DURING THE PAST FOUR YEARS. PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO SHIELD ALL THE GUILTY SOLVING THE BUSH LEAGUE CONGRESS PROBLEM IS SIMPLE. A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NEEDS TO BE ENACTED TO ESTABLISH TERM LIMITS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 10 YEARS AND SENATE 12 YEARS. UH, THIS AMENDMENT PASSAGE IS BECOMING ESSENTIAL. I MEAN, OUR FA FATHERS COULDN'T IMAGINE WHAT IS, WAS WHAT, WHAT WE'VE BECOME. UH, MANY REPRESENTATIVES ARE DUAL CITIZENS AND FORGET THAT THEIR PRIMARY MISSION IS TO STAND UP FOR AMERICA FIRST. BUT FIRST, WE NEED TO GIVE, GET THROUGH THE NEXT 48 DAYS. I FEAR THAT THE PRESIDENT ELECT DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE PERSONAL PROTECTION. WE MUST JOIN IN COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT ESTABLISHED CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS IS ENACTED. SO THEN ALL THE LOBBIED BOUGHT AND BRIBED REPRESENTATIVES CAN AND WILL BE TURNED OUT TO PASTURE. PRAY FOR PEACE. THE H ONE N ONE BIRD FLU IS COMING. THE LATEST BIO WEAPON TO BE FOISTED UPON AMERICA MAY EMERGE AND MAY KICK INTO HIGH GEAR SOON. I MEAN, NOW EPIDEMICS ARE CALENDARIZED, UH, THESE DAYS. THAT'S, IT'S RIDICULOUS. UM, SO, SO, UH, LOOK, LOOK FOR ME, MEDIA FEAR MONGER MONGERING, WHICH WILL REAP LARGE PROFITS FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICAL PRO COMPLEX. SO WE CAN EXPECT THE, THE BIRD FLU TO BE AROUND US ABOUT, UH, FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025. BUT DON'T WORRY, THE VACCINE CULT WILL SAVE US. UH, AND IF YOU BELIEVE THIS, I'VE GOT SOME OCEAN BOTTOM LAND THAT I'D LIKE TO SELL YOU REAL CHEAP. SO, UH, YOU CAN EXPECT MORE ALARMISM AND, UH, AN AND THE NEXT EPIDEMIC TO BE SOLVED BY MORE WEAPON, UH, WEAPONIZED DEADLY JABS. UH, SO WE'VE ALL GOTTA, UH, PULL OUR GOOD IDEAS AND, UH, PRAY FOR PEACE IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, UH, GOT ELECTED TO HIS SECOND TERM, BUT HE ONLY SERVED 42 DAYS OF [00:15:01] HIS SECOND TERM. YOU KNOW THAT, THAT CAN'T BE, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS. BILL JERRY PATES, FOLLOWED BY MARIO, FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW. GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. MAYOR, I'M HERE TO THANK YOU. I HAVE FOUND IN THE FOUR YEARS YOU'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, YOU'VE BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL. WHEN I HAVE HAD A QUESTION, YOU'VE RESPONDED TO IT, YOU HELPED WITH THE PALM VIEW PARK AIRPLANE, A PAINTING THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE, YOU TAKE AN AWFUL LOT OF GARBAGE FROM PEOPLE, AND IT'S INAPPROPRIATE HOW MUCH YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN. EVERYBODY IN HERE SHOULD HAVE TREATED YOU WITH THE SAME RESPECT THAT THEY EXPECTED TO GET RECEIVE. AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I'M NOT THE ONLY CONSERVATIVE PERSON IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA THAT FEELS THIS WAY. I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR PEOPLE, BUT I HEAR FROM 'EM. THIS LAST YEAR WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT IN TRYING FOR A LOT OF US, BUT YOU HANDLED IT VERY PROFESSIONALLY. YOU SET A GOOD STANDARD, AND I HOPE OTHERS FOLLOW. THANK YOU, MARIO. FOLLOWED BY MATTHEW, FOLLOWED BY RAY VARGAS. ALL RIGHT, UH, GOOD EVENING. MAYOR TABBA, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I AND MANY OTHER RESIDENTS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RUSH SCHEDULING OF THURSDAY'S SPECIAL MEETING. THIS PROCESS ISN'T JUST UNUSUAL. IT UNDERMINES THE PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS, AND RESPECT THAT SHOULD DEFINE THIS COUNCIL'S ACTIONS. THE, THE REORGANIZATION OF THE COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW MAYOR, IS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT FOR THE CITY. TRADITIONALLY, THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE DURING THE NEXT REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS DECEMBER 17TH. YET HERE WE ARE WITH A HASTILY CALLED MEETING ON DECEMBER 5TH, A DATE CLEARLY CHOSEN TO ALIGN WITH THE LET IT SNOW EVENT ON NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 6TH. LET'S BE CLEAR, THE LET IT SNOW TREE LIGHTING SHOULD BE A JOYFUL FAMILY-ORIENTED CELEBRATION FREE FROM POLITICAL OVERTONES BY RUSHING THIS TRANSITION. JUST TO ENSURE THAT TONY WU IS A MAYOR IN TIME FOR THIS EVENT, THE CITY RISKS POLITICIZING WHAT SHOULD BE A UNIFYING MOMENT. THIS PUTS THE FOCUS ON POWER PLAYS RATHER THAN THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. IT'S NO SECRET THAT SPECIAL MEETINGS LIKE THIS HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN CALLED AT THE REQUEST OF TONY WU SINCE AT LEAST 2018 TO THE CITY MANAGER, I ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR SCHEDULING SPECIAL MEETINGS? AND WHO MADE THE DECISION TO HOLD THIS ONE TO THE CITY COUNCIL? I ASK YOU, IS THIS MEETING TRULY NECESSARY, OR IS IT SIMPLY TO SERVE PERSONAL OR POLITICAL INTERESTS? THESE ARE CRITICAL QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERING, BECAUSE THE OPTICS HERE SUGGEST A LACK OF BALANCE AND FAIRNESS IN HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE. THE PROCESS SURROUNDING THIS SPECIAL MEETING HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF CONFUSING. THE CITY CALENDAR DOESN'T LIST THIS MEETING, A GLARING OMISSION FOR AN EVENT OF THIS SIGNIFICANCE. THE AGENDA ORIGINALLY LISTED THE WRONG DAY. TUESDAY INSTEAD OF THURSDAY, LEAVING RESIDENTS CONFUSED ABOUT WHEN THIS MEETING ACTUALLY IS HAPPENING. RED ENDS ARE LEFT, RESIDENTS ARE LEFT WITH ONLY ONE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE. THIS CONCERNS. TONIGHT'S MEETING JUST TWO DAYS BEFORE THE SPECIAL SESSION. WHY IS IT THAT SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS A COUNCIL REORGANIZATION FEELS HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC VIEW? THIS IS NOT HOW YOU BUILD TRUST WITH YOUR COMMUNITY. ANOTHER LAYER TO THIS RUSH PROCESS IS THE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ELENI KUNAKI, WHO IS SCHEDULED TO SWEAR, AND BRIAN GUTIERREZ AND ROSARIO DIAZ. THE IRONY HERE CANNOT BE IGNORED. BOTH GUTIERREZ AND DIAZ CAMPAIGN ON PLATFORMS THAT OPPOSE THE POLICIES OF GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY GEORGE GASCON. YET NOW THEY'RE INVITING NEWSOM'S CLOSEST ALLY TO PRESIDE OVER THE SWEARING IN. HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO VOTERS? THIS COMES ACROSS AS HYPOCRITICAL, AND AT BEST, DISINGENUOUS AT WORST. I ASKED HIS COUNSEL TO EXPLAIN, HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THIS CONTRADICTION WITH THE PROMISES MADE TO THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA? FINALLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS WHAT I SEE AS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR MAYOR BRIAN TABBA. THIS RUSH MEETING DENIES HIM, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS SUPPORTERS, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PROPER FAREWELL DURING A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. MAYOR TABBA HAS SERVED THE CITY WITH DEDICATION AND INTEGRITY, AND HE DESERVES MORE THAN TO BE HIRED, HURRIED OUT OF OFFICE AS PART OF A POLITICAL CONVENIENCE. BY RUSHING THIS PROCESS, THE CITY NOT ONLY DISRESPECTS HIM, BUT ALSO DIMINISHES THE DI THE DIGNITY OF THE ROLE OF MAYOR. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT ONE PERSON. IT'S ABOUT UPHOLDING THE VALUES AND TRADITIONS OF OUR CITY. TONIGHT I'M ASKING FOR CLARITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WHY IS THIS MEETING HAPPENING ON DECEMBER 5TH INSTEAD OF DECEMBER 17TH? WHY WASN'T THIS MEETING LISTED ON THE CITY CALENDAR? WHO SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THIS MEETING? AND WHAT WAS THE JUSTIFICATION? WESTS COVINA [00:20:01] DESERVES LEADERSHIP THAT IS TRANSPARENT, RESPECTFUL, AND FOCUSED ON SERVING ITS RESIDENTS, NOT JUST POLITICAL TIMELINES OR OPTICS. THE CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY SLOWING DOWN AND CONDUCTING THE COUNCIL REORGANIZATION DURING THE DECEMBER 17TH MEETING. DURING, SO WOULD RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST AND ENSURE PROCESS AT VALUES INTEGRITY OVER EXPEDIENCY. THANK YOU, MATTHEW. FOLLOWED BY RAY VARGAS. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. UH, WEST COVINA IS AT A BREAKING POINT. THE RECENT $4.1 MILLION JURY VERDICT ORDERED A FORMER FIRE CHIEF LARRY WHITHORN FOR WRONGFUL TERMINATION IS MORE THAN A LEGAL DECISION. IT IS A DAMNING INDICTMENT OF OUR CITY'S LEADERSHIP. IT EXPOSES A CULTURE OF DISCRIMINATION, WHISTLEBLOWER, RETALIATE, RETALIATION, AND A BLATANT DISREGARD FOR ETHICAL GOVERNANCE. THE QUESTION WE MUST CONFRONT, CONFRONT IS SIMPLE. HOW MUCH LONGER WILL WEST CO'S RESIDENTS BE FORCED TO FOOT THE BILL FOR LEADERSHIP FAILURES? CHIEF WHITHORN DISMISSAL WAS A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE DRIVEN BY RELENTLESS PRESSURE FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS. THIS CASE IS NOT JUST, IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. IT'S PART OF A LARGER, DEEPLY CONCERNING PATTERN. IN NOVEMBER, CITY HALL BECAME A BATTLEGROUND WHEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT THREE, HER HUSBAND, AND SEVERAL RE RESIDENTS WERE INVOLVED IN A PUBLIC ALTERCATION. NOW, UNDER AN INVESTIGATION, THIS DISGRACEFUL INCIDENT, COUPLED WITH THE ABRUPT TERMINATION OF FIRE CHIEF VINCENT CAPELLI HAS LEFT OUR CITY IN CHAOS WITH POLICE CHIEF RICHARD BELL RETIRING ON DECEMBER 27TH. OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS ARE TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF INSTABILITY. THE SITUATION HAS BEEN FURTHER EXACERBATED BY LONGSTANDING TENSION TENSIONS BETWEEN FIRE CHIEF CAPELLI AND OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, WHICH ESCALATED INTO A HIGHLY PUBLICIZED CONFRONTATION IN 2022. MAYOR PRO TEM MAYOR PROM'S ROLE IN THIS ONGOING CONFLICT IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD AND MUST BE SCRUTINIZED. ADDING TO THIS TURMOIL, THE FORMER CITY MANAGER HAS FILED A POLICE REPORT ALLEGING THREATS FROM MAYOR, FROM THE MAYOR PRO TEM. THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP. IT'S A FAILURE TO UPHOLD THE BASIC STANDARDS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. THESE INCIDENTS ARE NOT RANDOM. THEY ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF YEARS OF POOR DECISION MAKING AND A TOXIC LEADERSHIP CULTURE THAT BEGAN WITH PIVOTAL DISMISSALS. IN 2019, THE SAME INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE THEN ARE RESPONSIBLE. NOW ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AS A TAXPAYER AND RESIDENT OF THE CITY A DEMAND ANSWERS AND IMMEDIATE ACTION. NUMBER ONE, A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT THREE MUST RESIGN IMMEDIATELY. HER ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE A CLEAR LACK OF THE INTEGRITY REQUIRED TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE. NUMBER TWO, MAYOR PRO TEM MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS ROLE IN FOSTERING THE ONGOING INSTABILITY IN THE CITY. THIS INCLUDES A FULL AND TRANSPARENT LEADERSHIP INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM. THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MUST PUBLICLY ADDRESS THESE INCIDENTS AND IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST. SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION. AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION MUST BE LAUNCHED INTO RECENT TERMINATIONS AND THE OVERALL CONDUCT OF CITY LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABILITY IS OVERDUE. WEST COVINA IS BETTER THAN THIS. WE DESERVE LEADERS WHO SERVE WITH INTEGRITY, COMMUNICATE TRANSPARENTLY, AND PRIORITIZE THE WELLBEING OF THIS COMMUNITY OVER PERSONAL AND POLITICAL AGENDAS. THE DYSFUNCTION AND SCANDALS OF 2024 MUST NOT DEFINE OUR FUTURE. IT'S TIME TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF MISMANAGEMENT AND AMOUNT REAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THE COST OF INACTION IS TOO HIGH, AND THE STAKES FOR OUR CITY ARE TOO GREAT. LET US STAND UNITED FOR A FUTURE BUILT ON JUSTICE, INTEGRITY, AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP. WEST COA CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT. THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. UH, PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WILL HAVE, UH, DIFFERENT SAY AND UM, DIFFERENT OPINIONS. BUT MY OPINION, YOU HAD FOUR YEARS TO DO, GET THE JOB DONE, DO WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR THE CITY, FOR THE RESIDENTS, THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT PUTTING PAINT ON A PARK AND PUTTING NEW SAND IN THE PLAYGROUND. THAT'S ALL GOOD. ANYBODY COULD DO THAT. BUT I'M SAYING GET THE JOB DONE. HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OR OUT OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE LOST LOVED ONES ON PUENTE AND VINCENT? THERE'S BEEN PEOPLE HERE ON HOLIDAYS GRIEVING, YOU KNOW, LOSING THEIR LOVED ONES. IT DIDN'T [00:25:01] MATTER TO YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU WERE AT ANOTHER LEVEL, YOU KNOW, YOU WANTED TO BE THE STAR, THE COACH, THE TEACHER, THIS, THAT, WHATNOT. HEY, UH, AND WE COULD PAUSE THIS TIME. UH, JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE, WE HAVE FUNDED AND WE ARE SET TO DO THAT LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON PUENTE AND VINCENT. IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS A PRIORITY OF THE CITY. IT'S BEEN PASSED LONG AGO. UH, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN. UM, ALSO, AS, AS COUNCIL, WE'RE, WE'RE PART-TIME. UM, MY, MY FULL-TIME JOB IS A TEACHER. I, THAT, THAT IS MY JOB. UH, I SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, BUT, BUT ONE THING TO, TO NOTE, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT I WON'T BE ON THE COUNCIL ANYMORE. MY FAMILY DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY HOUSE PAYMENT. 'CAUSE I'M A TEACHER. THAT'S MY CAREER. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE FIRE CHIEF LOSES HIS JOB, WELL, HE DOES HAVE TO WORRY. HIS FAMILY DOES HAVE TO WORRY. IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY A COUNCIL LIKE OURS, THAT'S PART-TIME, RIGHT? IF YOU HAVE A FULL-TIME, CITY COUNCIL, THEN THAT, THAT IS THEIR LIVELIHOOD. SO A FULL-TIME, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, WHEN THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS, THEY, THEY REALLY DO HAVE TO WORRY. WELL, IF I DON'T GET REELECTED, I, I MIGHT LOSE MY HOUSE. BUT A PART-TIME COUNCIL MEMBER, IT DOESN'T AFFECT OUR LIVELIHOOD. UH, AND SO I UNDERSTAND, I SEE YOU. UM, SO JUST, JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT, WOULD YOU PLEASE LET HIM FINISH? YOU CAN. I I I HE HAS A FREEDOM OF SPEECH. LIKE, OH, HE DOES. I I, HE'LL, HE'LL HAVE HIS ENTIRE TIME HE FINISHED. HE WILL. AND YOU CAN REBUTTAL. HE, HE WILL HAVE, HE WILL HAVE HIS ENTIRE TIME. AND DON'T CUT HIM OFF. LET HIM FINISH. I I, I HAVE THE FLOOR. I HAVE THE FLOOR, BUT I THINK HE WILL ATTORNEY. OKAY. SEE, SHOULD WE LET THE MR. MARYJO ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS, LET THEM I HE CAN RESPOND AFTER IT'S CLOSED. SEE THE ATTORNEY, I, I UNDERSTAND. WHAT, ONE THING I DO I WANNA RECOGNIZE IS THAT, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM WAS NOT RECOGNIZED. AND SO, I, I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. SO, SO RAY, I JUST, BECAUSE I KNOW WE, WE COME UP AND WE GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THE COUNCIL NEVER RESPONDS. AND AS A RESIDENT, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT BEING HEARD. AND, AND YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD. AND AGAIN, AS, AS THEY JUST MENTIONED, RIGHT, THIS, THIS, WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW IS NOT PROPER RIGHT. TO SPEAK BACK TO YOU. BUT SINCE IT IS WHAT I WANT, RIGHT? AND SINCE IT'S MY LAST MEETING, I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT LIBERTY AND I COULD BE REPRIMANDED. THAT'S OKAY. . UH, BUT, UM, I, I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW, RIGHT? ALL THOSE TIMES YOU'VE SPOKEN, I'VE, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD FOR VINCENT AND PUENTE AND, AND IT HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION ALMOST EVERY MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT I'VE HAD. AND THIS COUNCIL DID APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR IT. AND, AND SO I KNOW IT DOESN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH. AND I KNOW THOSE FAMILIES THAT CAME ON THANKSGIVING, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH. AND IT DOESN'T, AND I WISH WE COULD, ALL OF US DO. UM, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT PLEASE GIVE HIM HIS, UM, FIVE MINUTES SO THAT WAY YOU CAN START FRESH. I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE TIME. NO, THAT'S FINE. GO BACK TO FIVE MINUTES, MAYOR. BUT THE THING IS, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, THIS IS PART-TIME. THAT WAS A CHOICE AND DECISION YOU MADE. WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR PART-TIMERS. WE'RE LOOKING FOR FULL-TIMERS. SOMEBODY'S GONNA TAKE IT SERIOUS, YOU KNOW, WITH INTEGRITY, LEADERSHIP, AND DO SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, I GOT HOMELESS PEOPLE. I WAS JUST TALKING WITH, UH, TONY CORINA NEXT DOOR IS EDISON. YOU KNOW, EDISON CLEANED UP AND PUT THE IRRIGATION AND NEW GRASS AND EVERYTHING. GOT HOMELESS PEOPLE TRYING TO GET IN THERE, TRYING TO GO UNDER THERE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PUSH THEIR LITTLE BUGGY BASKETS IN THERE. UH, PUT OUT, UH, SLEEPING TENTS, YOU KNOW, WERE CHASING THEM THE HELL OUT OF THERE. SAME THING ON THE ON AND OFF RAMPS. VINCENT AUSA CITRUS. YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG GROWING THING. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE TO ADDRESS EVERY CALL, EVERY ISSUE YOU CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SWAMPED. THEY'RE, THEY GOT, THEY'RE OVER CALLED. BUT YET YOU GUYS ARE BUILDING A CORRUPTED ENFORCEMENT. YOU GUYS WERE FOCUSED ON THAT. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED KIDS OUT THERE PLAYING, UH, COPS AND ROBBERS. YOU KNOW, A GOOD EXAMPLE THAT OFFICER HERNANDEZ, [00:30:02] WHEN, UH, HE GOT THAT ROBBERY AT SEVEN 11, YOU THINK MILAN AND, UH, HIS CORRUPTED ENFORCEMENT ARE GONNA STOP A ROBBERY LIKE THAT? NO. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PUTTING PEOPLE, YOU AT THE WRONG POSITIONS, THE WRONG JOBS. YOU'RE INCREASING HERE, BUT YOU'RE DECREASING WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED OFFICERS ON THE STREET. THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU'RE OUT THERE ON MERCED, YOU'RE UP THERE WHATNOT. YOU DON'T SEE WHAT GOES ON WHERE I'M AT WAY UP IN THE NORTH. YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH THIS DAY IN, DAY OUT, AND LIKE I TELL YOU, THAT WAS A CHOICE AND DECISION YOU MADE. BUT WE DON'T NEED PART-TIMERS. WE NEED FULL-TIMERS. WE NEED SOMEBODY DEDICATED TO THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE RESIDENTS, AND BUILD OUR SAFETY AND OUR PROTECTION. YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CARS ARE GETTING STOLEN? HOW MANY CARS ARE GETTING VANDALIZED BROKEN INTO THE PARKS? YOU GOT HOMELESS IN DEL NORTE, ALSO DOWN NORTH. WE NEED OUR KIDS. THEY PLAY BALL THERE. WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE? YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE TAKING FROM THE KIDS TO BUILD THESE APARTMENTS, CONDOS, WHATEVER IN THE HELL IS GOING ON THERE, THAT'S FOR THE KIDS. YOU GUYS DON'T TALK ABOUT IT. YOU GUYS DON'T BRING IT UP. YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SELFISH. THAT'S NOT RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I, I'VE TALKED TO YOU PLENTY OF TIMES. YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA MAKE THESE CHANGES. YOU WERE GONNA DO THIS, YOU WERE GONNA DO THAT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU FELL INTO THE MUPPET SHOW. YOU DID, YOU FELL INTO UNDER HIS WING. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. AND S**T DIDN'T GET DONE. I'M DONE. MR. G, UH, I'M SORRY. REALLY QUICK. I, I WILL, I WILL SEE THE FLOOR TO MAYOR PROAM WU, I, I JUST WANT TO THE RESIDENT, THAT PROPERTY DOESN'T BELONG TO THE CITY. THAT THERE ARE NO SCHOOL BELONG TO. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. A SCHOOL DISTRICT WANT TO SELL IT A CITY. WE HAVE NO SAY, JUST WANNA SHARE WITH YOU TO GIVE HIM SOME JUSTIFICATION, BUT JUST LET YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY, NOT BELONG TO THE CITY. THANK YOU. YES. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE STAFF, TO THE COUNCILMAN. TO THE MAYOR. HAPPY HANUKKAH. NOW WE CAN COME TOGETHER, NOW WE CAN FOCUS ON FAMILY, AND WE START A NEW YEAR. WHAT HE WAS SAYING WAS JUST RAISE THE STANDARDS. RAISE IT TO WHERE IT USED TO BE WHERE I COULD BE A FIVE YEAR-OLD KID, RUN AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD, GO A MILE AND A HALF, TWO MILES BY MYSELF, GO PICK UP A LOAF OF BREAD FOR MY MOM AND DAD, COME BACK HOME, BE UNMOLESTED BECAUSE THERE WERE RESIDENTS. I ASKED ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, MR. TY, TO GIMME A DEFINITION. WHAT A RESIDENT OR A CITIZEN THAT ARE TRANSIENTS OR TRANSIENT, WHY DO WE SPEND MONEY ON THEM? I THINK IT'S A CITY OF NORWALK OR PICO RIVERA, ONE OF THOSE CITIES THAT SAID, WE STOP GIVING MONEY TO THE STATE FOR THEIR HOMELESS PROGRAM. I CAN EMPATHIZE FOR THEM, OKAY? BUT IF YOU MAKE BAD DECISIONS, WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT? WHY DO THE CITY OF WEST COVINA HAVE TO PAY FOR IT? THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THAT MAN WAS SAYING. BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU MAKE THE CRITICAL DECISION EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. YOU, YOU ARE KNOWN BY YOUR DECISIONS AND ACTIONS, NOT YOUR WORDS. AGAIN, I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH THOSE SIMPLE WORDS OF MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH. AND MAY YOUR FAMILIES BE BLESSED IN NEW YORK. NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. UH, CITY MANAGER. UM, YES, IN REGARDS TO, UH, PERSONNEL MATTERS, I WON'T BE DISCUSSING THAT, UM, OR RESPONDING TO THAT. UM, IN REGARDS TO MARIO'S CONCERN ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING, UM, I WOULD AGREE THAT TRADITIONALLY, UM, THE CITY WOULD DO THE MAYORAL ROTATION, THE SECOND MEETING IN NOVEMBER, UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ELECTION YEARS WHERE IT WOULD BE AT THE NEXT, UH, MEETING FOLLOWING THE CERTIFICATION [00:35:01] OF THE ELECTION RESULTS. UM, RECENTLY, AS OF, I THINK A MONTH OR TWO AGO, THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED A, AN ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT CHANGED THE, UH, MAYORAL ROTATION PROCESS TO ALLOW FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE A YEAR TERM. UM, SO WE ARE NOW OPERATING UNDER THAT NEW ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE MAYORAL ROTATION TO OCCUR AT A REGULAR OR SPECIAL MEETING HELD APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR FROM THE INSTALLATION DATE OF THE OUTGOING MAYOR. AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE FOLLOWING. UM, AND I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY OTHER, UM, RESPONSES. RAY VARGAS, I THINK, UH, THE MAYOR RESPONDED TO PUENTE AND VINCENT, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. WE APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH THE, UM, CONTRACTOR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. UM, WE ARE ORDERING THE PARTS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, UH, GET THAT MOVING FORWARD. THERE IS A DELAY IN THAT. UM, WE ARE, UM, UH, PRIORITIZING THAT SPECIFIC INTERSECTION SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND START THERE. UM, SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH IMPROVEMENTS AT THAT INTERSECTION. AND I THINK THAT CONCLUDES MY, UH, COMMENTS. UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, AS USUAL. UM, MARIO, I JUST WANNA CORRECT YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR FACTS WRONG. THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS NOT SWEARING ME IN, SO THAT'S FALSE. YOU GOT YOUR FACTS WRONG. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. LOVE LOPEZ. VITO. ALRIGHT, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT, BUT, UM, FOR RAY VARGAS, I KNOW, UM, THEY TEND TO HIT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT A LOT AND, UM, STATING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GO HAND IN HAND AND PD DOESN'T, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET HIM AND THE RESIDENT KNOW THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSIST WEST COVINA PD VERY CLOSELY. THEY ACTUALLY WORK, UM, MILAN, IT WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH CAPTAIN CORINA. SO THINGS THAT THEY MENTION, OH, CAPTAIN CORTINA DOES THIS. WELL, THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH, UM, MYLAN, BUT THEY, CODE ENFORCEMENT NOT JUST HELPS WEST COVINA PD, BUT THEY ALSO HELP WITH FIRE. UM, THEY ASSIST IN ALL EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, INCLUDING TRAFFIC CONTROLS. UM, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MANNING THE FIXED LOCATION. SO WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT'S HELP, THEY ACTUALLY RELIEVE PD, UM, FROM THAT LOCATION SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GO TO BE AT YOUR HOUSES, TO BE OTHER, AT OTHER LOCATIONS. UM, THEY, YOU KNOW, RELIEVE ABOUT FOUR TO SIX AT A TIME. AND SO, I MEAN, I WOULDN'T MIND, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY COME IN TO PRESENT, UM, THE THINGS THAT THEY DO. THAT GOES HAND IN HAND. SO IN REALITY, CODE ENFORCEMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT DOES THAT OFFSET PD FIRE AND UTILIZES THOSE RESOURCES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SEE. THEY THINK CODE ENFORCEMENT JUST ENFORCES CERTAIN THINGS, BUT THEY DO MUCH MORE. SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, NOTE THAT. AND IF THERE'S MORE, UM, PLEASE DO SHARE. BUT I WOULD LOVE, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ACTUALLY GIVE A PRESENTATION ON EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO, INCLUDING THE ASSISTANT THAT OFFSET A LOT OF THE COSTS THAT A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS DON'T SEE. SO THANK YOU. AND WE CAN MAKE THAT REQUEST IN A FEW MOMENTS. , ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, NO. UM, I, I GUESS, UH, LASTLY, UH, ON THE, UH, HOMELESS SITUATION, UH, I THINK THIS, THIS COUNCIL HAS, UM, HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PATHS. UH, AND HOPEFULLY I KNOW THAT IT WAS REQUESTED, UH, A WHILE AGO, UH, TO HAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, ON OUR HOMELESS PLAN. AND SO, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO THAT COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE. UM, SO WE CAN, UH, SEE HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. ALRIGHT, SO, UH, I THINK WE ARE READY, [CONSENT CALENDAR] UH, TO MOVE ON TO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR. UH, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SEEING NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT? CALEN, YOU NEED, I NEED TO FINISH MAYOR PRO 10 . I DO, I DIDN'T DO IT. ALL RIGHT. UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS? NUMBER ONE THROUGH FOUR WITH THE AH, NUMBERS ONE THROUGH FOUR? I'LL MOVE THE MOTION SECOND. ALL RIGHT. CITY COURT BEFORE TAKING ROLL, I'LL JUST READ ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 5 2 4 INTO THE RECORD IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA AMENDING DIVISION TWO, PURCHASING PROCEDURES OF ARTICLE VII PURCHASES AND SALES OF CHAPTER TWO, ADMINISTRATION OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ IN A ACCOUNT. A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CONTOS. COUNCILMAN CONTOS AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? AYE. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VITO AYE. MAY. TIM WU. AYE. MAYOR CALDONE. AYE. ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR, PASS, FIVE ZERO, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. [CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION] DO WE HAVE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS? [00:40:01] HAVE COUNT? OKAY. UH, CITY COUNCIL REPORTS. COUNCILMAN CONTOS, YOU HAVE A REQUEST AS, AS A REQUEST. UM, I'M WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT AS STAFF, UH, PUT TOGETHER, UH, UH, GO THROUGH THE, THE, THE SERIES OF COMPLAINTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, BY RESIDENTS WITH REGARD TO TREES, UM, OR, AND, UH, AND JUST TO, TO SEE ABOUT, UH, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THERE HAS BEEN RESPONSIVENESS, AND THEN IF THERE HASN'T BEEN FOR THEM TO, UH, WORK ON GETTING THOSE TAKEN CARE OF AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, THAT THERE'S A HIGH RESPONSIVENESS WITHIN THAT CONTEXT. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE CONSENSUS THERE. AND, UH, YES. COUNCILMAN LOPEZ. VITO, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A REQUEST. THANK YOU. AND IT'S THE CONTINUATION OF THE REQUEST THAT I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER TO HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT PRESENT, UM, THE WHOLE FOUR THINGS. SO, THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR, DO, DO WE NEED A WE'RE WE'RE GOOD? YES. NO OBJECTION. MAYOR PRO TEM. W UH, JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP OKAY. WITH EMAIL FROM COUNCILMAN KENTO REGARDING THE UPDATE THE WEBSITE WITH ALL THE INFORMATION. WE NEED THAT, OKAY. PLEASE. OKAY. JUST A REQUEST TO, IF WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION, WE NEED TO RIGHT AWAY UPDATE OUR WEBSITE. SO, AND, UH, JUST LIKE THE EMAIL MENTIONED, OKAY. AND YOUR TITLE IS THE ACTING CITY MANAGERS. OKAY. SO HOPEFULLY THAT THING HAS BEEN CHANGED AND ALL THE EVENT, AND THERE HAVE BEEN POST ON THE WEBSITE, INCLUDING A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING FOR A JOB. SO POSSIBLE JOB OPENING FOR OUR CITY SO PEOPLE CAN SEARCH DURING THIS TIME. SO, UH, THE REQUEST IS, PLEASE UPDATE OUR WEBSITE SO OUR RESIDENT OR OTHER PEOPLE CAN REALLY RESEARCH AND TO GET THEIR INFORMATION THEY WANT FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. ANY COUNCILMAN CONTOS? YES. ONE MORE. UH, IN, IN SUPPORT OF, UH, UH, INCREASING THE COMMUNITY'S FEELING OF SAFETY WITH REGARD TO THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE CITY. UH, WE KNOW STATISTICALLY THAT, UH, THE, THE CRIME LEVEL HAS DROPPED IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES, BUT THE DIFFICULTY IS THAT, UH, RESIDENTS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T HAVE A FULL AWARENESS OF THE EFFORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT PREPARE A PRESENTATION FOR US AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY REGARDING THEIR ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SPECIFIC ASKS REGARDING HOW WE CAN JOIN FORCES WITH THEM SO THAT WAY WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE, UH, THE COMMUNITY CAN PROVIDE FURTHER INPUT REGARDING IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE SOUGHT, AS WELL AS HOW TO PROTECT BUSINESSES, UH, AND RESIDENTS FROM, FROM, UH, A FEELING OF, OF NOT REALLY FEELING AS BEING AS SAFE WITH REGARD TO CRIMES THAT ARE BEING COMMITTED THAN COMMUNITY CITY MANAGER. MORALES? YES, I WAS GONNA MENTION THE RESPONSE TO THE, UH, CITY MANAGER COMMENTS, BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP MR. UH, OR COUNCILMAN CONTOS. UM, YES, I MET WITH, UH, THE CHIEF, UM, REGARDING THE CRIME RATE IN WEST COVINA, AND OVERALL IT HAS DROPPED. SO I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU GUYS AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. UM, OF COURSE. AND WE'LL STILL, UH, UM, MEET THE COUNCILMAN'S, UH, MOTHER. MAY I REQUEST. ALRIGHT, ANY [CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS] OTHER COMMENTS? YES, MAYOR PROAM. WU. THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY, I THINK THIS IS, UH, UH, YOUR LAST MEETING TO HOST. OKAY? OUR OKAY FOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE, I WANNA SAVE THIS FOR THE THURSDAY, BUT STILL, BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR LAST MEETING YOU HOST, I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE, WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE. UH, UH, I REALLY ENJOYING DEBATING WITH YOU, UH, DURING THESE FOUR YEARS BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR BELIEF AND I HAVE MY BELIEF AND, UH, WE ARE FIGHTING FOR EACH OF OUR, WHAT WE THINK IS RIGHT, AND, UH, BUT I THINK WE STILL OKAY IN VERY CIVILIZED MATTER, OKAY? AND, UH, OUTSIDE, WE ALL FACING THE PUBLIC, WE ALL UNITED TOGETHER. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, OKAY, UM, FOR THAT, OKAY? THIS IS JUST POLITICS, POLITICS, NOT EVERYTHING, OKAY? IT'S NOT LIFE AND DEATH, NOT ENEMY. IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT OPINION. AND, UH, SO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. I RESPECT YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY, OKAY? I JUST TAKE IT NO MATTER HOW THE RESIDENT SAY ATTACK THIS, I, I, I TOOK IT. OKAY? SO AGAIN, AGAIN, THIS IS HOW THIS COUNTRY'S ABOUT DEMOCRACY. AND YOU SIT OVER THERE, OKAY? AND YOU WILL HAVE A SIGH BENEFIT IF PEOPLE WILL NO MATTER WHAT SECOND GETS YOU. AND, UH, YOU SHOULD, OKAY? AND, UH, HAVE YOU HEAD HIGH, OKAY? AND I WANT TO WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. AGAIN, I WANT SAVE THIS FOR THE THURSDAY, OKAY? BUT, UM, AGAIN, AGAIN, FOUR YEARS AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A LEFT AND RIGHT MAJOR DIFFERENCE, BUT I ENJOYING AND I DON'T KNOW, FUTURE, OKAY? WITHOUT [00:45:01] YOU WHO I'M GONNA DEBATE WITH POSSIBLE GUT, OKAY? SO ANYWAY, AND, UH, BUT ANY OTHER THAN THAT, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ, VIRO. THANK YOU. UM, AND I'LL SAVE THE REST FOR LATER, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU. UH, I KNOW EVERYBODY COMES IN AND HITS, UM, OUR TWO FAMOUS, YOU KNOW, NIGHT AND DAY. UM, THEY'VE BOTH, UH, SO THOUGH YOU MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENCES, THERE IS ONE COMMON THING THAT YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH BOTH OF YOU IS THAT YOU GUYS GET HIT A LOT BY THE PUBLIC. SO, UM, YOU GUYS BOTH TAKE THE BEATING. UM, SO THAT IS THE COMMONALITY. BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN AND I'LL, I'LL BE SHARING MORE, UH, WORDS ON OUR LAST DAY. BUT THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IT WAS A PLEASURE SERVING, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. UH, WELL, UH, I WILL SAVE MY, UH, LAST COMMENT FOR THURSDAY. WELL, YOU TOO LONG. WELL, UH, , I DON'T WON'T PROMISE ANYTHING THERE, . UM, BUT I WILL SAY, I CAN GUARANTEE THAT THE WEBSITE WILL PROBABLY BE UPDATED REAL QUICK ON THAT COUNCILMAN PAGE. * 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.