[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
ALRIGHT.WELCOME TO OUR SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
RIGHT NOW IS 7:00 PM MEETING IS NOW IN SECTION.
ANY PERSON WISH TO ADDRESS TO THE CITY COUNCIL DURING THE ORAL COMMUNICATION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER CALL, LET IS PROVIDE AT ENTRANCE TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AND SUBMIT THE CALL TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK OR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF ORAL COMMUNICATION.
SPEAKER CALL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION HAS STARTED TONIGHT.
INVOCATION WILL BE LEFT BY PASTOR L RICHARDSON, UM, FROM THE OUR, UH, NEW BEGINNING FELLOWSHIP CHURCH.
AND THE COUNCIL MAN KENTO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF LEGION.
PREPARE YOUR HEARTS AND MIND AS WE GO BEFORE THE LORD IN PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY.
WE GATHER HERE TO SEEK WISDOM, REASON, AND COMPASSION IN THE SERVICE OF OUR CITY.
MAY OUR DECISIONS BE GUIDED BY INTEGRITY, FAIRNESS, AND THE WELLBEING FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
HELP US LISTEN WITH PATIENCE, DEBATE WITH RESPECT, AND ACT WITH COURAGE.
MAY OUR WORK HERE TODAY STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND MOVE US TOWARD A SAFER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE JUST CITY FOR EVERY NEIGHBOR.
NOW LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SPACE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD.
MAY WE PROCEED WITH CLARITY AND PURPOSE.
NOW, LORD, I LIFT UP THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU STRENGTHEN THEM, KEEP THEM COVERED IN JESUS' NAME.
PLEASE PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND ON YOUR HEART AND, AND ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE REQUESTED TO REMOVE THEIR HATS.
AND FOLLOW MY LEAD, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC.
IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROCO, PLEASE.
MAYOR, YOU HAVE A QUORUM, MR. SO MUCH.
AND TONI, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING WE PULL OUT TO THE CLOSED SESSION? NOTHING TO REPORT.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, BEFORE WE GET STARTED TONIGHT, I'M GONNA BE PULLING ITEM NUMBER TWO FROM THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE FOR, UM, FUTURE MEETING SEPTEMBER 16TH.
AND, UH, MR. MAYOR, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO REQUEST? YES, I, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TO BE AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS, UH, RIGHT BEFORE ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.
SO I SEE ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE.
[PRESENTATIONS]
OKAY.NOW I'LL GO TO THE PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THING TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, OKAY.
THE FIRST PRESENTATION IS, UH, OUR YOUNG FUTURE LEADER AND THE FILM IT OKAY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, OKAY.
YOU GET RECOGNIZED BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR COUPLE YEARS.
SO, UH, FILM IT LEADER COME UP.
I THINK EMILY AND YOUR PARTNER, LET'S GIVE HER A HAND.
AND, UH, AND I THINK, OKAY, YOUR PARTNER IS HERE.
IT'LL BE ON TIME, BUT IT'S OKAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S A, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE OUR, YOUR MENTOR.
I THINK, UH, OUR MALE PERSON, LADY LOPEZ VIDO, YOU WANNA COME DOWN BECAUSE I THINK YOU THE PERSON TO HELP OUT ALL THIS YOUNGSTER TO KNOW HOW TO ORGANIZE AND THEN TO RUN A BIG EVENT.
[00:05:01]
OKAY.I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY WILL BE OUR FUTURE.
WE NEED TO START PASS THE BATUM TO THEM.
SO MAYBE, UH, LETTI, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING FIRST AND THEN WE GIVE EMILY, THEN I CAN START RECOGNIZE YOU.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, I STARTED THIS SEVEN YEARS AGO, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT I PASSED THIS ON TO THE YOUTH, OUR FUTURE.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO TAKE THE LEADS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, EMILY, SHE WAS OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER THREE YEARS AGO.
SHE TOOK ON THE ROLE TO BE THE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR.
SHE'S THE ONE WHO LEADS EVERYTHING.
SHE'S THE ONE WHO MAKES ALL THIS HAPPEN.
AND THESE ARE ALL STUDENT LED, STUDENT ORGANIZED, UM, ALL STUDENT BASE.
THE ONE JAYLENE, WHICH SHE'S ACTUALLY DRIVING WITH HER MOM RIGHT NOW.
UM, SHE IS, UH, ALSO, IT'S HER VERY FIRST YEAR.
AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE JAYLENE BECAUSE SHE SPENT A LOT OF HOURS AND TIMES AND WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE WAS ALSO A KEANI MEMBER.
BUT I, I BROUGHT THIS BECAUSE JAYLENE, UM, I'M HOPING SHE COMES IN, BUT SHE'S THE ONE WHO CREATES THIS, UH, BROCHURE.
SHE DID PUBLIC MARKETING AND, UM, SHE GOT TO HAVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.
AND SHE CREATED THIS BEAUTIFUL BROCHURE AMONG, UM, BOTH, BOTH OF THEM COMBINED.
THEY'VE DESIGNED, THEY PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
THERE WAS THE ONE WHO WAS ORDERING.
SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND SAY A FEW WORDS, BUT WE JUST REALLY WANNA THANK YOU.
YOU WANT VIDEO? CAN WE SHOW THE VIDEO FIRST BEFORE, SO THEY, IT'S IN THE STUDENT.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS EMILY DELATORRE AND I'M THE FILM DIRECTOR FOR THIS EVENT.
WE, AS A CITY CONTINUE TO GET TO TRANSFORM OURSELVES THROUGH POSITIVITY AND THROUGH DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR ABILITY TO MAKE LIFE BETTER EVERY DAY.
I HOPE THAT THESE STUDENTS GAIN THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE ON THIS INDUSTRY.
THIS INDUSTRY IS VERY CUTTHROAT, VERY COMPETITIVE, AND I REALLY HOPE, AND MY GOAL TO ACHIEVE FOR THIS FESTIVAL IS THAT THEY GET THE MOTIVATION THEY NEED TO MAKE IT FAR IN THIS INDUSTRY.
YOU ALL WOULD FEEL LIKE TO DO DANCE CIRCLE WHILE THEY'RE PLAYING SCENES.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE DANCE WITH Y'ALL.
WE ARE POP TWO FROM CITRUS COLLEGE AND WE ARE GOING TO PLAY A VARIETY SONGS FOR YOU TODAY.
WHAT'S UP, WEST'S COVINA? WE'RE THE LAWN CHAIRS.
YOU JUST KEEP GOING AND MEETING PEOPLE AND BEING FRIENDLY.
AND LIKE TONIGHT, HOW MANY FILMMAKERS ARE HERE TONIGHT? HAVE ALL THOSE FILMMAKERS MET EACH OTHER? I REALLY THINK THAT THIS ENGLISH IS A TEAMWORK AND GREAT STORIES ARE BEING TOLD BY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COLLABORATE WELL.
SO THAT WAS A GREAT MOMENT FOR ME TO BE PART OF.
THANK YOU TO ALL MY PRACTICE AND CONTESTANTS.
I LOVE ALL THE FILMS EACH YEAR AND THEY JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.
SO, ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE GIVE A RIDE TO WALL TO ALL OF OUR INTESTINE.
THE BEST FILM EDITING GHOST WHO? THE FOREST NEVER.
P SOME PLACE WITH THOSE TWO UNSPOKEN.
THE FIRST PLACE WINNER IS DRUM ROLL PLEASE.
THERE WERE ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THE ONE WHO VIDEO RECORDED THIS.
WATCHING THAT VIDEO JUST LIKE MADE ME REMINISCE.
LIKE THE GREAT MEMORIES I HAD, UH, HOSTING THAT FESTIVAL FOR 2025.
AND ALSO TRIGGERED PREVIOUS MEMORIES WHEN I WAS A CONTESTANT WHEN I RAN IT LAST YEAR TOO.
IT'S MY SECOND RODEO DOING THIS.
UM, AGAIN, THE GOAL IS STILL THE SAME.
TO HIGHLIGHT STUDENTS THE WAY HOW I WAS RECOGNIZED, THE WAY HOW FILM IT RECOGNIZED ME IN 2023.
I WANNA DO THE SAME THING BECAUSE DOORS OPEN AND I WANT THESE STUDENTS TO FIND THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S, IT'S WHAT I LIVE FOR FULFILLMENT.
AND IT'S AN HONOR TO MAKE THAT MISSION COME TO LIFE THROUGH FILM IT.
I'M SO HONORED TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR MY GENERATION.
I WANT MY GENERATION TO KNOW THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
IF YOU ENVISION IT, THEN GO GET IT.
NO, BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE, IF YOU'RE DREAMING IT AND YOU'RE ENVISIONING IT, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE, GO GET IT.
AND I WANNA BE LIKE THAT REMINDER.
I WANT FILM IT TO BE THAT PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FEEL THAT ENERGY.
BECAUSE IN ORDER TO EVEN ACCOMPLISH THAT, YOU NEED TO FEEL THAT ENERGY.
[00:10:01]
ENERGY IS THERE.I FILM IT, IT'S ALIVE, IT'S THRIVING, IT'S POPPING.
I LOVE WHAT I DO FOR THE CITY.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE ON MANY, MANY YEARS.
I, I I THINK YOU IS THE, ANOTHER PERSON I CAN TELL CAN SPEAK MORE THAN ME.
UH, AND IF YOU ATTEND ABOUT THE FILM, IT IS OUR WEST COVIN YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL.
IT'S ABOUT YOUTH, IT'S ABOUT OUR OKAY.
SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND THE COLLEGE STUDENT, THEY PUT THIS TOGETHER AND THEY LEAD IT.
OKAY? AND THEY ORGANIZE AND THEIR, THEIR FUNDRAISING.
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS ABOUT WESTCO, WESTCO MEDIA IS A COMMUNITY ABOUT, WE ARE BASICALLY DEVELOP OUR YOUTH, WANNA MAKE SURE THERE WILL BE OUR FUTURE LEADER ONE DAY.
I DON'T KNOW, YOU WANT IT, IT'S KIND OF TOUGH FOR POLITICS, BUT MAYBE YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE POLITICS, GOOD LUCK.
BUT, BUT THIS, SOMEBODY HAVE COME OUT TO SERVE.
BUT MAYBE YOU CONTINUE TO WORK ON YOUR FILM, CREATE CREATION OKAY.
CREATIVITY AND HELP ALL, ALL THE YOUNGSTER TO COME OUT TO FOLLOW YOUR FULL STEP AND CONTINUE TO CARRY ON.
I TRY TO KILL SOMETIME FOR YOUR PARTNER TO SHOW UP.
SO, SO HOPEFULLY THEY DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND, UH, TRAFFIC'S BAD, BUT I HAVE TO, THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
I NEED TO GO TO THE REPRESENT THE GREAT CITY OF WEST COVINA.
WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE TO RECOGNIZE YOUR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.
LET'S GIVE HER A HAND, PLEASE.
AND AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER ONE IS FOR YOUR PARTNER, LENE.
I KNOW SHE'S, UH, POSSIBLE ON THE WAY WITH, UH, HER MOM.
I SAW HER IN THE EVENT AND WORKING WITH YOU VERY, VERY HARD AND TRY TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
PUT THIS, UH, MAGNIFICENT EVENT.
YOUR PASSION IS ABOUT OUR YOUTH AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
CAN MY MOM OH, MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM.
MOM AND ANYBODY? ALL THE FAMILY.
I JUST WANNA SAY WE DO HAVE A BOARD AND ON THE THESE, ON OUR BOARD, WE DO HAVE TEACHERS, MENTORS AND EVERYTHING.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS HERE TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS.
SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT, WE'RE JUST JOYFUL AND HAPPY.
YOU PICK, YOU MAY BE ON THAT SIDE.
SUMMER FEST AND THEY PICK THEIR CITIES OF THE YEAR.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, OKAY, THIS YEAR THEY HAVE JO.
WHERE'S YOUR MOM? OKAY, WE HAVE THIS.
WE HAVE TO RESTART FROM THE BEGINNING.
YOU WANT THE PARENT COME OVER HERE TOO.
WOULD YOU PLEASE COME? THANK YOU.
[00:15:01]
WE WAITED AND WE, WE TRY TO KILL SOMETIME, BUT, OKAY.AND YOU CAN, WELL, I WANTED HER, SO THIS IS JAYLENE AND THIS IS HER FIRST YEAR TO EVER DO THIS.
SHE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS, NIGHTS, I THINK ONE NIGHT WE STAYED TILL UP TILL MIDNIGHT.
SHE IS, UH, WORKING ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SHE WAS THE ONE WHO CREATED THE BROCHURE, WHICH I SHOWED THEM YOUR BEAUTIFUL BROCHURE, YOUR DESIGN, HER MARKETING AND EVERYTHING.
SO WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? UM, WELL, I'M JUST HONORED TO BE WORKING, UH, WITHIN FILM IN ESA AND BEING WORKING WITH THE CITY.
UM, THIS STARTED OFF ACTUALLY BECAUSE IN MY HIGH SCHOOL I HAD TO DO A CAPSTONE PROJECT.
SO MY CAPSTONE PROJECT WAS BASED ON EXPANDING LOCAL FILM OPPORTUNITIES.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO PARTICIPATED BACK IN FILM IT BACK WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, UM, I KNEW IT WAS A GREAT THING TO DO TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, I'M GRATEFUL TO LETTY AND EMILY AND EVERYONE OF THE FILMIC COMMITTEE FOR TRUSTING ME WITH HELPING OUT FOR THIS YEAR'S FILM FESTIVAL.
YOU MADE, SHALL I REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN ABOUT, UH,
WE HAVE, UH, THEY PICKED THEIR CITIES OF YEAR THIS YEAR.
AND I WANNA HAVE A LLOYD JOHNSON, MICHAEL FRIEND LLOYD COME OVER HERE.
THEY DON'T EVEN ALLOW ME TO VOTE.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU, THEY PICK THE RIGHT PERSON.
ALSO PICK, UH, THE MAGNIFICENT CONTRIBUTION, THE PRESERVATION FOR THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE HISTORY OF WEST COVINA.
GLENN KENNEDY IS ANOTHER GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
BUT, BUT BOTH OF THEM ARE WORKING SO HARD.
OKAY? AND LLOYD, I KNOW YOU FOR ANOTHER 15 YEARS, THIS AND THAT.
I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY PICK YOU.
OKAY? YOU, YOU, YOU DRIVING YOUR TRUCK, GO TO PLACES AND, BUT YOU ALWAYS HELPING PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE A BIG HEART, OKAY? YOUR HEART IS SO GOOD AND TRY TO HELP PEOPLE.
PLUS YOU ARE A VETERAN PURPLE HEART, OKAY? HAS GREAT SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE, IN DEPTH OF YOU AND GLEN, I KNOW YOU FOR, I DUNNO, 17, 15 YEARS.
OKAY? I KNOW YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU ALWAYS TRY TO GET RID OF GRAFFITI AND THIS AND THAT AND, UH, OKAY.
I THINK LORI, WE ALL KIND OF HELPING YOU TO GET ABOUT THE GRAFFITI ISSUE AND THAT YOU DID A GREAT JOB FOR THE CITY.
I WANT YOU TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE I GIVE YOU A CERTIFICATE.
SO WHO WANT, WHO WANT TO GO FIRST? THAT LET HIM GO FIRST? YES.
YOU WANT ME TO GO FIRST? ARE YOU SURE YOU WANNA GIMME THE MICROPHONE? ARE YOU, ARE YOU SURE? OKAY.
YOU'RE GONNA, WE HAVE ALL THE TIME FOR YOU.
SO, UH, HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WHAT WE'VE DONE, IT'LL, WE'VE COME FULL CIRCLE.
UM, NOW WE HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS WE DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO 10 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MARIO.
I KNOW MARIO'S NOT HERE, BUT I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MARIO BECAUSE HE'S, HE'S A BIG HELP.
AND SO I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE AND, UH, DOING THE HISTORY IS BASICALLY A LABOR OF LOVE.
AND, UM, WHAT WE DO, WE WE'RE TRYING TO BRING BACK PEOPLE FROM THE TWENTIES AND THIRTIES AND TEENS AND THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT.
AND WE TRY TO BRING 'EM BACK TO LIFE.
AND WITH THIS TECHNOLOGIES, IT'S AWESOME 'CAUSE, 'CAUSE 'CAUSE WE CAN, WE DO A, WE'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND WE'LL ONLY GET BETTER AND, UH, KIND OF LESS OF ME AND MORE SOMEBODY ELSE IS PROBABLY BETTER.
UH, AND, AND, UH, GLEN OKAY? IS ALWAYS TRY TO PUT THE HISTORY TOGETHER.
OKAY? OUR CITY BUILT BECOME A CITY IN 1923.
AND, UH, WE WENT THROUGH OKAY, THE, A LOT OF OKAY.
HISTORICAL MOMENT, INCLUDING THE WORLD WAR II AND THIS, AND, UH, THEN THE, THE VETERAN COME, CAME BACK, OKAY? AND WE HAVE A FREEWAY TANK GO THROUGH OUR CITY AND FOUND SEPARATE WITH COVINA, OKAY? AND 700 OF OUR RESIDENT, OKAY? OUR FIRST, OKAY, MAYOR MAX.
AND, UH, BUILT OUR CITY TOGETHER.
HE EVEN BUILT ON SUNSET THE FIRST, OKAY? UH, CHURCH SCHOOL.
SO WE CAN SEE THIS IS WHAT THE HISTORY SEE, I STUDY US HISTORY VERY WELL.
[00:20:01]
OUR HISTORY AND OUR YOUNGSTERS, THE YOUTH SHOULD KNOW THE HISTORY.OKAY? AND I KNOW CITY CHANGING A LOT, BUT THIS IS STILL OUR HISTORY SINCE 1923 AND CONTINUE TO MOVE ON RIGHT NOW, 2025.
AND NO MATTER WHAT, WE HAVE ALWAYS REMEMBER WHERE WE COMING FROM AND APPRECIATE ALL THESE PREVIOUS PEOPLE FIGHTING, OKAY? AND PUT IT TOGETHER.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE 120,000 POPULATION BIT COVINA, LIKE 42,000 POPULATION.
SO WE ARE THREE TIME BIGGER THAN THEM.
EVEN WE ARE SEPARATE FROM THEM.
BUT YOU CAN SEE WE DOING BETTER BECAUSE WE ARE STRONGER AND BIGGER.
AND NOW OUR CITIZEN OF HERE, LORI JOHNSON, SAY SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
IT WAS AN HONOR BY THE REST OF BEING THE SOCIETY FOR NOMINATED, YOU KNOW, I, I FIGURED THIS YEAR THEY FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT
AND I THINK IT'S FINALLY GREAT THAT THEY'RE FINALLY DOING IT THAT WAY.
THIS IS MY CITY NO MATTER WHAT I'M DOING.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR OVER 53 YEARS.
I'VE KNOWN KENNEDY FOR OVER 35 OF THOSE YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND WE DO THINGS NOT TO BRING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
WE DO 'EM BECAUSE IT'S OUR CITY.
LIKE I SAID, WHEN HE SAID, I GO AROUND AND I PICK UP TRASH.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN OFF THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE OUR CITY GOING TO THE DUMP.
YOU KNOW, IF I SEE IT, I STOP AND I PICK IT UP.
IF WE HAVE MORE CITIZENS SEE IT, STOP AND PICK IT UP, WE CITY WILL LOOK A LOT BETTER.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR DOING IT.
I WANNA THANK THE CITY COUNCIL.
I WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR OUR CITY.
AND MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US.
CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING PLEASE? UH, JUST SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT I'M, ONE THING I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT, ME AND LOIT, ALONG WITH GEORGE ARDEN, WE, WE, UH, WE BUILT THAT, UH, VETERANS MEMORIAL OUT THERE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF IT.
I YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO SAY SOMETHING? OH YEAH, WELL, LIKE IT, LIKE I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT BEN SAID.
WHEN OUR VETERANS MEMORIAL OUT THERE, IT WAS A CONCEPT.
UH, GEORGE OGDEN LINCOLN AND I, WE HAD A CONCEPT THAT WE'VE SEEN VETERANS MEMORIALS AROUND, BUT WHY DIDN'T OUR CITY HAVE ONE? YEAH, THEY HAD THE, THE VETERANS THING OUT THERE, BUT IT WASN'T A VEGETABLE MEMORIAL.
IT WAS ABOUT ALL THE VETERANS.
AND WE SAID, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE WENT THROUGH THIS, WE DID THAT.
WE COULDN'T COME UP WITH THE MONEY.
SO WE WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY COUNCIL SAID, YES, WE WANNA BACK YOU, WE TAKE THE MONEY.
THEY HAD MONEY THAT WAS IN THE PUBLIC ARTS WHEN BUSINESS DO BUSINESS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY TOOK THE MONEY OUT THERE TO HELP US BUILD IT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, BOTH OF US, GLEN AND I, BOTH VETERANS, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOVE.
EVERY TIME I GO DOWN THERE, I GET A JEREMIAH.
TO THIS DAY I DO, BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THE NAMES ON THERE, AND ALL THOSE NAMES WERE FROM ESA AND THIS PAST MEMORIAL, WE PUT THREE MORE NAMES ON THERE THAT WAS MISS OVERLOOKED.
AND THANK TO MARIO AND GLENN AND THEM, THEY FOUND, THEY FOUND THE NAMES, YOU KNOW, NOW THEY'RE ON.
NOW I STILL THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOMEONE FROM KOREA THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND, BUT I THINK EVENTUALLY SOME A NAME WILL COME UP AND WE'LL, WE'LL, IF WE DO, WE'LL PUT 'EM ON THERE.
THAT'S OUR LEGACY THAT THIS CITY'S GONNA FOLLOW THROUGH NO MATTER HOW LONG THE REST OF US ARE HERE OR HOW LONG THAT VETERAN WALL WILL BE THERE TO ETERNITY.
OKAY? I, I THINK, OKAY, I THINK, I THINK YOU CAN SEE THE PASSION OF, UH, THESE TWO GENTLEMEN, THE VETERAN THAT REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE ALL THE PERSON OKAY.
DID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND THAT THEIR NAME SHOULD BE OVER THERE BECAUSE THIS IS HOW THE HISTORY, HOW THE PEOPLE SACRIFICE FROM OUR CITY.
AND THEN NOW THE, WE THE REASON WE CAN HAVE A FREEDOM, OKAY? HAVE ALL THIS, OKAY? AND THE EVENT AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE OKAY, THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING AND FIGHTING FOR US, AND THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
YOU BIG GOAL, YOU, YOU PLAY PRETTY GOOD.
OKAY? I DUNNO, IT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT YOU, YOU CAN BLOW THAT BIGO, OKAY? AND THAT, THAT IS VERY TOUCHING AND EVERYBODY'S SO, SO REALLY MOVE IN, IN THAT EVENT.
AND, UH, WE, NOVEMBER VETERAN DAY, I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN HELP OUT.
AND THIS IS, UH, YOUR OKAY, CT HELP THE CT TO THE VETERAN DAY.
WE WANT YOU TO HOST, OKAY? THE VETERAN SHOULD HOST IT, OKAY? NOT THE POLITICIANS SHOULD BE THE HOST BY THE VETERAN AND HOST ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
THE, THE, THE PROGRAM, THE VENUE AND EVERYTHING, THE MUSIC.
INVITE ALL THE VETERAN TO COME BACK TO OUR CITY, OKAY? AND, UH, AT, AT OUR CORE YARD, THE WAY YOU GUYS SET IT UP SO WE CAN CELEBRATE ALL THE VETERAN AND DECIDE YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
OH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY, THERE'S ANOTHER THING I HAVE IN MY I PASSION THAT I DO, IF ANY OF YOU KNOW, A VETERAN
[00:25:01]
THAT ARE SICK AND INDEED WHATEVER, I DO HAVE AMERICAN FLAGS THREE BY FIVE THAT FOLDED UP, THEY FLEW ON THE FIELD OF VALOR THAT I'D BE GLAD TO TAKE TO THEIR HOME.OR IF THEY'RE IN THE HOSPITAL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
I WOULD BE GLAD TO DELIVER TO 'EM BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT, THAT'S, WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR OUR VETERANS.
AND IF WE CAN GIVE 'EM A LITTLE PASSION, SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I WOULD GIVE A FLAG TO THEM FOR ME FROM A GRATEFUL NATION, FROM THE FIELD OF ALL AND ALL OUR VETERANS TO THEM.
SO IF ANYONE FINDS AND KNOWS ONE LIKE THAT, PLEASE LET, LET US KNOW.
IF CAN'T GET IN TOUCH WITH ME, GET IN TOUCH WITH THE CITY RIGHT HERE AND GET IN TOUCH WITH GLEN OR EVEN THE MAYOR.
FORTUNATELY I HAVE EVERYTHING
I, I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL OKAY.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE A UNITED, OUR VETERAN AT THE SAME TIME UNITE OUR RESIDENT TOGETHER.
WE HEAR, OKAY, WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE, BUT UNITED, WE STAND, I THINK IMPORTANT AND WE ALL GOOD FRIEND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND NO MATTER WHAT THIS AND THAT WE HERE TOGETHER FIGHTING FOR THE BETTERMENT FOR OUR CITY FUTURE.
THAT'S WHY WE HERE TO SERVE BECAUSE I SEE YOU GUYS SERVING AND I KNOW MEAN WE RUN TOGETHER IN 2015.
OKAY? WE HAVE THAT KIND OF A OKAY, OKAY.
KIND, KIND OF PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER.
LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER HAND, PLEASE.
AND THE NOT, THE LAST ONE WILL BE THE CAWC PRESENTATION, UH, CWS.
AND, UH, SOMEBODY WANT TO PRESENT IT.
PRESENTATION DISC, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO GIVE TO THE, OH, YOU ARE WEAK.
AND THE CLIP OR SOMETHING I THINK THEY HAVE OVER HERE.
UH, PROAM, UH, THANK YOU EVERY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE FELLOW RESIDENTS OF THE VAS COVINA.
UH, IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE, UH, THIS EVENING WITH, UH, OUR, UH, CAWC FOUNDER ANDREW TRUE.
AND OUR CONTENT, UH, JERRY, UM, TO, UH, HAVE, UH, A VERY IN, UH, TREASURE THIS CHANCE TO SHARE THE STORY OF THE, UH, CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF S COVINA.
UH, SO LET'S SEE THE, UH, OKAY, UH, I, I'M THE DANIELS HALL FROM, UH, I'M THE SECRETARY OF THE OF S-C-A-W-C.
UH, LET US TO, IN, UH, INTRODUCE GOOD EVENING.
THE RESIDENTS, MAYOR, MAYOR POIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MANAGERS, UM, STAFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE CAWC.
MY NAME'S ANGEL CHU, THE ORIGINAL FOUNDER FOR CAWC.
THIS IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT, UH, THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, HOW TO WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE LEADER TOGETHER, BUILD A STRONGER, MORE VIBRANT WEST COA.
AND ALSO, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CWC FAMILY MEMBER TO COME OVER TO SUPPORT.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL PAULIN AND EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT.
I'M THE ACCOUNTANT FOR CAWC, AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
I'M NOT A MEMBER OF THE C-A-A-W-C.
LET'S START UP, UH, OUR PRESENTATION.
UM, OUR, OUR ASSOCIATION WAS FOUNDED IN THE 2017 BY, UH, OUR FOUNDER MR. ANDREW TRU, UH, WHO GATHERED THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT THE ORLANDO KTV HERE IN THE VAS COVINA TO VENICE, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF, UH, CAWC.
UH, THEY ALL SEE THE ASSOCIATION FUND THAT DAY, UH, AS CAWC.
UH, OUR MISSION, OUR MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UH, CLEAR.
OUR GOAL IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DONATION AND THE SUPPORT FOR CULTURAL AND, UH, ECONOMIC GROWTH IN VESA.
TOGETHER, WE ARE BUILDING A STRONGER AND MORE, UH, UH, VIBRANT, UH, S COVINA.
UH, OUR MAIN, UH, SOURCE OF THE REVENUE, UH, FROM THE MA MEMBER DONATION
[00:30:01]
BIANNUAL, UH, DONATIONS FROM ALL MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN AND GROW OUR PROGRAMS. PRESIDENT SPONSORS $3,000, A VICE PRESIDENT SPONSORED $2,000, AND DIRECTOR SPONSORED A $1,000, AND BOARD MEMBERS SPONSORED A $500.AND WE CURRENTLY, UH, TODAY WE HAVE, UH, 36 BOARD MEMBERS, AND TOTAL MEMBER IS MORE THAN 500 AND GROWING.
I'M VERY GLAD TODAY OUR MEMBERS COME HERE.
AND IN TWO, IN, UH, 2017, OUR FOUNDER MR. ANDREW CHU, I INTRODUCED CAWC TO CITY COUNCIL SEEKING THE COLLABORATION WITH CITI.
AND IN 2017, UH, OUR FOUNDING C-A-A-W-C PRESIDENT JAMES SUE, UH, DONATED $10,000 TO WEST COVINA SCHOOL PROGRAMS. AND 2017 CAWC HELPED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH BEIJING FANG HAI.
IN 2017, CAWC HELPED ESTABLISHMENT OF A SISTER CITY.
YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE IS AT THAT MOMENT IS THE MAYOR CORY AND THE MAYOR SHOE SIDE, THE SISTER CITY IN THE CITY HALL.
BY THE WAY, YOU'LL SEE THE, THIS LADY, UH, A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE SHE, UH, PERSONALLY SELECT, UH, PHOTO BY HERSELF.
UH, CAWC BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL CHEN DONATED $6,000 TO VAS COVINA SCHOOL PROGRAMS. OKAY.
AND 2018 CAWC BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL, UH, HE IS A VERY GENEROUS TO DONATE 6,000.
I WISH THIS YEARS HE CONTINUED TO DELAY 6,000 FOR US FOR THE STUDENT PROGRAM AT THAT MOMENT.
UH, THE KID, UH, NEXT TO MICHAEL IS, UM, JACKIE CHAN.
JACKIE CHAN IS A, A HIGH SCHOOL KID RIGHT NOW.
HE ALREADY GRADUATE FROM UC, BERKELEY.
IN 2018, CELEBRATION OF FIRST INSTALLATION WITH NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS TO BE SWORN IN BY CONGRESSWOMAN GRACE NEPAL.
THIS IS IN THE SOUTH HILL, UM, COUNTRY CLUB, UH, 2019.
UH, THIS IS A SPONSORSHIP OF STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR THE SISTER CITY BEIJING FTA 2019.
I HELPED SOUTH HILL ACADEMY AND FTA DISTRICT TO BUILD THE SPONSORSHIP OF A STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE OVER 30 STUDENTS TO JOIN INTO THE PROGRAM.
AND ALSO TODAY, I SAW A LOT OF, UH, STUDENTS HERE, MAYBE IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAVE AN EXCHANGE STUDENT PROGRAM FOR YOU GUYS, OKAY? AND 2020, UH, CAWC DONATED $9,000 TO WEST COVINA SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND THE $2,000 TO WEST COVINA SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM.
AND 2020 PANDEMIC HAPPENED, BUT WE DID NOT STOP GIVING.
SO PPE DONATE, UH, PPE DONATIONS.
WE DONATED MORE THAN HUNDRED THOUSAND PPE SETS TO HEALTHCARE FACILITIES SUCH AS QUEEN OF THE VALLEY HOSPITAL, KAISER, USC, CITY OF HOPE AND MORE, AND FRONTLINE, UH, WORKERS, UH, UH, WEST COVINA POLICE STATION AND FIREFIGHTERS, AND THE CITY STAFFS AND OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE COMMUNITY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, UH, OUR, OUR CHILDREN, OUR PEOPLE ARE SAFE, WAS PROTECTED.
I THINK EVERYONE KNOW THE PAN PANDEMIC THAT HAPPENED AT THAT, THAT THAT PERIOD AND, UM, 2020, UH, PANDEMIC, UH, CAWC DONATED DRINKS AND THE MILLS TO WEST COVINA POLICE AND THE FIRE ALSO 250 MILLS TO QUEEN OF THE VALLEY'S HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
YOU CAN SEE THE FOOD IS VERY DELICIOUS.
AND THE 2021, UM, CAWC PARTICIPATED THE A FOOD BANK EVENT AS VOLUNTEERS AND DONATED 200, UH, 2,500 TO A FOOD BANK.
AND 2021 CAWC DONATED A A 12,000 SETS OF THE CHILDREN'S PPE AND BACK TO THE SCHOOL ITEMS. SO WHERE IS, WHERE ARE YOU, ANDREW? I'M PROBABLY IN THAT TIME.
I'M MOVING THE PPE AND THE BEDSIDE SIDE.
YEAH, I'M WORKING FOR HARD WORK.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE WANT TO MAKE, MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN WAS PROTECT AND, AND SAFE IN 2022, A SPRING FESTIVAL WELCOMING
[00:35:01]
THE SPRING AND UNITY, UH, AFTER THE PANDEMIC.I THINK EVERYONE KNOW, REMEMBER THAT, UH, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT AT THE 2022 UNITED WITHSTAND.
AND AT THAT TIME, WE HAVE, WE GOT, UH, SEVEN LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SUPPORT.
THEY'RE THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VES COVINA, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, AND A A CP AND THE FILIPINO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VAS COVINA, UH, KOREAN COMMUNITY CHURCH IS THE SAINT GABRIEL VALLEY JAPANESE COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE VAS COVINA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND THE KIVAN IS THE CLUB VAS COVINA.
2022, UH, CAWC REORGANIZATION EVENT AT THE VAS CONA SPORTSPLEX CENTER WITH NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT SOPHIA LEE, AND DONATED $3,500 TO CT SCHOOL PROGRAMS. UH, THE RIGHT OF PHOTO AT THE LEFT IS OUR, UH, PRESIDENT SOPHIA LEE.
SHE IS RIGHT NOW IN THE NEW YORK, 2023, UH, CAWC SPONSORED THE FIRST ANNUAL WEST COVINA MOON FESTIVAL.
THAT IS, UH, REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, YOU CAN SEE A, UH, THE, IN THE PICTURE, WE HAVE A DOWNSIDE, UH, AND A LOT OF THE, THE CULTURE PERFORMANCE AT THAT YEAR.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO THE FINANCIAL REPORT BALANCE SHEET 2023.
I INVITED JERRY, UH, TO EXPLAIN THAT.
UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME NUMBERS I CANNOT REALLY SEE.
I NEED TO COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
SO IN EVERYTHING WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS 2023.
AND FIRST THING, FIRST, UH, ANGEL OR I WORKED WITH ANGEL FOR A FEW YEARS AND SHE GAVE ME THE, ALL THE FINANCIAL REPORTS, BANK STATEMENTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND PUT THEM TOGETHER.
SO MAINLY THEY ARE GETTING DONATIONS FROM MEMBERS AND ALSO MEMBERSHIP DUE AS WELL.
SOMETIMES THEY MAY GET A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE COMMUNITY DONATION AS WELL.
SO, AND ALSO, 2023 WAS THE FIRST YEAR THEY HOSTED THE, UM, MOON FESTIVAL EVENT, AS I REMEMBER, JUST RIGHT NEXT TO THE MALL, THAT WAS THE, WHERE THE EVENT WAS AT.
AND THEY MAY, THEY GET ABOUT $17,000 FROM VENDORS.
SO THAT IS THE VENDORS FEE THAT THEY CHARGED TO EACH VENDORS.
AND THEN IN TOTAL FOR THAT YEAR, INCLUDING MEMBERSHIPS AND DONATIONS AND EVERYTHING, THEY MADE ABOUT $62,000.
AND OF COURSE, WHEN YOU HAVE IN, WHEN YOU GET SOME DONATIONS, AND WE HAVE SOME INCOME IN, DEFINITELY THERE WILL BE SOME EXPENSES AS WELL.
AND THEN AS YOU WILL SEE, THE MAJORITY IS THE $28,000 JUST TO RENT THOSE BOOTHS.
UH, SPEAKERS, UH, HELPERS, NOT HELPERS, BUT ALL THE RENT, ALL THE EVENT RELATED STUFF.
AND ALSO THEY GIVE US SOME DONATIONS TO, UH, THE PARTICIPANTS.
AND FOR THE YEAR, JUST FOR THE, UH, EVENT ITSELF, IT SPENDS ABOUT $42,000.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A RESIDUAL ABOUT 19,000 LEFT FOR THAT YEAR.
UH, IN 2024 C-A-W-W-C IN, UH, INSTALL, UH, UH, INSTALLATION BANQUET AT THE SOUTH HILLS COUNTRY CLUB AND DONATED $2,000 TO FILM IT WEST COVINA AND THE AZURE HIGH, UH, HIGH SCHOOL, UH, CHOIR IN 2024.
THIS IS THE SECOND ANNUAL VAS COVINA MEGA MOON FESTIVAL BECAUSE THE LAST YEAR IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
SO, UH, SO THE 2024, UH, SO, UH, WE DECIDE TO SPONSOR THE TWO DAYS EVENT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE IS, UH, IS A ALMOST 10TH 10, 10,000, 10,000.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
THE 2024 MEGA MOON FESTIVAL HAD, UH, MORE THAN 10,000 ATTENDEES PACKED PERFORMANCE, SHOWCASING THE CULTURAL, UH, DIVERSITY OF VAVINA.
WE HAVE, UH, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE MEXICAN, UH, CHILDREN, UH, DANCING.
AND THEY, WE HAVE A FILIPINO AND, UH, AND THE CHINESE, UH, ASIANS CULTURE DANCE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE COSPLAY PERFORMANCE.
AND, UH, THE WINNER, UH, UH, OF THE COSPLAY, UH, WILL GET THE $100 AND CASH, AND THEY WILL SPEND ON, UH, TO THE, AT THE, THE VENDOR.
[00:40:01]
ON MEGA MOON FESTIVAL'S FINANCIAL, UH, REPORT.OKAY, SO THIS IS THE 2024 MOON FESTIVAL REPORT.
AND THEY GET DONATIONS AND MEMBERS DO ABOUT $43,000.
AND THEN, BECAUSE THIS WAS A TWO DAYS EVENT IN 2024, THEY'LL VENDORS FEES, THEY CHARGE WAS ABOUT 31 DO THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH IS MORE THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, AND THEY ALSO PAY MORE TO RENT A BOOTH AND EVERYTHING.
AND FOR THAT YEAR, THEY TOTALLY PAID.
THAT WAS ABOUT 60, 60, ALMOST $70,000.
AND FOR THAT YEAR, THE RESIDUAL WAS ONLY LIKE ABOUT $3,700.
UH, 2024 CAWC DONATED, UH, $3,000 TO WEST COVINA PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY.
UH, $1,000 TO HELLO CREST MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND.
AND $1,000 TO BALLET OF, UH, FOLK LOWER RICO ARE INTERNATIONAL.
UH, I REALLY REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE WHAT MY, MY PHOTOS HERE,
OH, THIS ONE I REALLY LIKE IT.
IT'S A-C-A-W-C DONATED, UH, $7,500, AND THE MAYOR WOULD MATCH ANOTHER $7,500.
TOTAL IS $15,000 TO SPONSOR THE S COVINA POLICE, UH, EXPLORE PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO, WE WANT, WE HOPE THE, OUR S COVINA HAVE THE FUTURE OF THE POLICE OFFICER.
AND THE CAWC DONATES, UM, ANNUALLY $1,000 TO KIVAN CLUB.
SO I, UH, JUST ASKED THE AUDIENCE WHO ATTEND FOR THE KIWAN CUP FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
YOU CAN SEE FOR BRAD THERE, UM, CWC DONATE ANNUALS 1000 TO KIWAN CUP FOR CHILDREN CHRISTMAS PARADE.
THIS YEARS WE CONTINUE TO DO, DONATE FOR $1,000 TO KIWAN CUP FOR THE CHILDREN'S, UH, PARADE BECAUSE, UH, WE, UM, THIS IS CALLED UNITED.
WE WORK WITH THE, UH, THE LEADER AND WE WORK TOGETHER AND GET, UM, OUR WEST CO WINNERS BETTER AND BETTER.
AND, UM, NEXT IS THE THIRD ANNUAL WEST CO SUPER MOON FESTIVAL COMING SOON.
AND, UH, AND THIS IN THIS FESTIVAL, WE'LL HAVE, UH, SOME NEW, UH, SECTIONS.
UH, THEY ARE LIKE, UH, UH, THE FREEDA HEALTH ZONE AND, UH, THE CAR SHOW, UH, PRESENT BY THE, UH, NEW BEGINNING, UH, CHURCH AND, UH, KEY ZONES BY THE CITY.
AND, UH, AND THE COSPLAY CONTEST THAT WILL INVITE, UH, EMILY, UH, TO, UH, TO, TO COME TO THIS EVENT AND PRESENT, UH, UH, HOSTED BY THE FILM.
AND, UH, WE HAVE THE AUTOZONE, UH, UH, PRESENT BY THE ENVISION, UH, CAR DEALER.
WE WANT TO SHOWCASE THE S COVINA.
UM, AFTER OUR MEMBER, UH, BOARD MEMBERS APPROVE, IT'S WILLING TO TRANSFER ALL THE FUNDS, INCLUDE THE VENDORS FREE SPONSORSHIP DONATION FUND OF A 2025 FOR THE SUPER MOON FESTIVAL, WEST COVIN FOUNDATION.
SO ALL THE FUND IS TO HELP CITY COVER ALL EXPENSE RELATING TO, FOR THIS EVENT, WE REMAIN COMMIT SUPPORT CITY, HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT, AS WELL AS A FUTURE CHARITY TO COMMUNITY EVENT, SUCH AS, UM, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, FOOD BAND, SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM, POLICE AND FIRE EXPLORER PROGRAM TO HELP MAKE OUR COMMITTEES BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
AND, UM, UH, NEXT, UH, UH, UH, BESIDES, UH, AND THE PANDEMIC, WE, UH, DONATE THE PPE SETS AND, UH, MASK AND, UH, A LOT OF MASKS.
UH, I THINK ALL PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT, AND THE FOOD.
AND WE ALSO DO THE, MAKE THE MONETARY DONATIONS TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY.
FROM 2017, YOU CAN SEE FROM 2017
[00:45:01]
TO TWO TH UH, 2025, WE DONATE ALMOST $70,000 TO THE COMMUNITY.WE DONATE, UH, LIKE, UM, DANCE DRILL AND THE HIGH SCHOOLS PROGRAM, AND THE ACADEMY, AND, UM, FIELD COVINA AND, UH, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, WE WANT TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND, UM, AND MAKE OUR, OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
AND A LOT OF OTHER, UH, PROGRAM, AS I MENTIONED, BE, UH, BEFORE.
SO THANK YOU, UM, UH, GIVE US THIS CHANCE TO, UH, TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO CONTINUE AND CONTINUE TO GIVE AND TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, ANY COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT? YEAH, YEAH, I HAVE, GO AHEAD.
SO, UH, BEFORE I I SAY MY COMMENTS, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT CULTURE OR TRADITIONAL, WHERE THE RESIDENTS ENJOY THE MEGA MOON FESTIVAL.
WE ALL SUPPORT CULTURAL EVENTS THAT BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY TO TAXPAYERS.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE CITY OF WESTFIELD HAS SPENT MORE THAN $152,000.
THE CITY RESOURCES ON THIS EVENT, POLICE OVERTIME, FIRE PUBLIC WORKS, AND STAFF TIME AND SUPPLIES.
YET THE NONPROFIT PARTNER IN THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST HAS FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES TO TURN OVER THEIR FINANCIAL BOOKS AS REQUESTED BY THIS CONSOLE.
THAT MEANS WE HAVE NO VERIFY NUMBERS SHOWING HOW MUCH VENDOR OR SPONSORSHIP REVENUE WAS COLLECTED, OR HOW MUCH PROFIT OR NONPROFIT WAS RE WAS RETAINED.
TAXPAYERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHY IS PUBLIC MONEY BEING USED TO SUBSIDIZE AN EVENT WHERE THE PROFITS ARE PRIVATIZED? TONIGHT'S NUMBERS WERE PRESENTED, WE MUST REMEMBER, THEY'RE NOT VERIFIED UNTIL THIS NONPROFIT PROVIDES ACTUAL BANK STATEMENTS, SPONSORSHIP RECEIPTS, AND VENDOR FEE REPORTS.
THESE REMAIN UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIMS. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE A LEGAL AND ETHICAL DUTY TO ENSURE TAXPAYER'S RESOURCES ARE NOT MISUSED, AND THAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUTSIDE GROUPS ARE TRANSPARENT.
THAT IS WHY I'LL BE ASKING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW AND TO ENSURE CITY GOVERNMENT IS NOT MISUSED FOR PRIVATE GAIN.
SO, JUST TO START OFF, WHEN DID YOU, UM, DID YOU PRESENT THIS PRESENT? DID YOU GIVE THE, THE, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION BEFOREHAND? OR DID YOU JUST GIVE IT TO 'EM TODAY? I JUST GIVE THEM TODAY.
UM, THE CONSOLE REQUEST YOUR NONPROFIT BOOKS, UH, BY TWO DEADLINES.
WHY HAS CAWC FAILED TO PRODUCE THEM? CAN SAY AGAIN, SORRY.
THE, THE CONS REQUESTED YOUR NONPROFITS RE REQUESTED YOUR BOOKS BY 2D DEADLINES ALREADY.
DOCUMENTS, WHY HAS C EIGHT, WHY HAS THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FAILED TO PRODUCE THEM? OH, BECAUSE OUR, UH, PRESIDENTS AS OUR, OF THE, UH, COUNTRY, SO HE WILL, SHE WILL COME BACK AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE SPREADSHEET, UH, LIST.
AND WE, WE ADD THAT THEY AND CHAP PAYABLE TO WEST COVIN FOUNDATION FOR BY THE WEEKLY RESPONSE, IF WE SHOULD BE REVIEWED FOR THE, UM, THE INFORMATION TO YOU.
BECAUSE AS OUR ASSOCIATIONS, NOT ONLY FOR THE MEMBER, WE ARE BOARD MEMBER AND ALSO PRESIDENTS, BECAUSE SINCE OUR PRESIDENTS OF THE OUT OF THE STATE, SO WE NEED TO WAIT FOR HER TO COME BACK.
WE GIVE YOU THE MORE ANSWER, GET BACK TO YOU.
SO WOULDN'T THAT BE DONE BY THE TREASURER? WHO'S THE MAYOR'S WIFE? HELEN WU? NO.
AND YOUR ACCOUNTANT RIGHT HERE? UH, WE JUST ACCOUNTANT BECAUSE, UM, YEAH, BECAUSE, UH, HELEN HAS A GOOD HEALTH FOR US, UH, JUST FOR THE TREASURE FOR US.
AND ALSO HELEN'S DONATE TWO THOUSANDS PER YEAR FOR OUR ASSOCIATION.
SO, SO IF YOU CLAIMED THE NUMBERS YOU PROVIDED TONIGHT, SO I, I BELIEVE IN, UM, 2022, HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY, UH, SORRY.
IN 2021, HOW MUCH DID YOU GIVE BACK IN, INTO CHARITY? YEAH.
UH, CAN YOU SAY ONE MORE, GET INTO DEATH.
SO THAT'S WHY I CAN SHOW TO EVERYONE.
WHAT IS THE CHARITY WE PROVIDE FOR 2021? YEAH, IT'S ONE OF THE LAST PAGES ON THERE.
YOU SAID WHAT? HOW MUCH DONATION? IT WAS THE LAST SLIDE, I BELIEVE LAST TWO.
I THINK WHEN YOU HAD MONETARY VALUES TO IT, IT HAD MONEY.
THE MONEY WE SAW HOW COUNT? I THINK IT'S, UH, JE JE
[00:50:01]
21.SO HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SAY YOU GAVE BACK TO CHARITY? IN, IN, IN 2021, 2,500 FOR THE FOOD BANK? IS THAT YOU TALKING ABOUT FOR 2021? RIGHT.
BUT YOUR IRS NINE 90 SAYS YOU ONLY GENERATE $500.
BECAUSE AT THAT MOMENT WE DON'T HAVE A, THAT MUCH FOR THE MEMBER BECAUSE OUR, UH, ORGANIZATIONS BOTH YOU TALK ABOUT FOR 500, BECAUSE IN THAT MOMENT WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH.
YOU'RE TELLING THE PUBLIC THAT YOU GAVE BACK 2000 SOMETHING DOLLARS, BUT YOUR IRS FORM SAYS YOU ONLY GENERATED $500.
SO WHY DID YOU GIVE THAT BACK? NO, ACTUALLY WE JUST, UH, WE COLLECT FOR THE, SOME OF THE PEOPLE DON DELAY THE MONEY DIDN'T REPORT FROM A MEMBER.
YOU REPORT, BUT YOU DIDN'T REPORT THAT INCOME TO THE IRS? YEAH.
UM, ACTUALLY IS, UH, WE WILL REPORT, UH, TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL WHEN, UM, PRESIDENTS COME BACK.
CAN FOR THE RECORD THAT THERE'S IN CONSISTENCIES WHERE YOU HAVE PROVIDED UP HERE TO WHAT YOUR IRS FORMS ARE, ARE DETAILING.
SO WHAT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL, LET'S SEE, UM, SO YOU, YOU SHOWED ALSO NUMBERS.
SO WHAT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL FEST REVENUE WAS RETURNED TO THE CITY COMPARED TO THE OVER 150, 2000 TAXPAYER RESOURCES USED? AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT WOULD ONLY BE 5,000 FROM YOUR CHARITY AND 5,000 FROM KONDO, RIGHT? YES.
SO, SO, SO YOU TALKING ABOUT FOR THE 10 THOUSANDS, RIGHT? SO FOR ALL THESE EVENTS THAT YOU'VE HAD WITH THE CITY, SO FROM I BELIEVE 2022 TO THE 2025, THE CITY HAS SPENT OVER A HUNDRED FIFTY TWO A HUNDRED FIFTY $2,000 MM-HMM
BUT YOU ONLY GAVE BACK THE CITY 10,000, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WHY DID THE CITY, SO WHY DID THE CITY ABSORB 50,000 PLUS IN POLICE, FIRE AND OVERTIME COSTS WHILE CAWC KEPT ALL SPONSORSHIP REVENUE? REVENUES? S UM, EVA, YOU WANT? BECAUSE SINCE IT'S, UH, WE HAVE A RECORD WE CAN PROVIDE FOR YOU DETAIL YEAH.
FOR WHAT IS THE STEP BY STEP, WHAT IS THE NUMBER I WILL PROVIDE TO YOU LATER ON BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THE IS IN OUR PRESIDENT'S, UH, COMPUTER, SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT THE TAXPAYERS COULD BE ALARMED WHEN THEY SEE THAT YOU'RE, YOU ACTUALLY MADE A LOT OF MONEY OFF THESE FESTIVALS, BUT YOU MADE THE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR IT, YOU UNDERSTAND? MM-HMM.
SO, YEAH, BECAUSE, UH, THAT WOULD BE, WE CONSULT OUR CPA AND ALSO FOR THE TREASURES, BECAUSE I'M, I'M THE PEOPLE JUST COLLECT FOR THE CHAT.
I'M NOT THE, THE NUMBER PEOPLE.
SO I NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU FOR ALL YOUR QUESTION.
AND SO, C-C-A-W-C SAYS THEY'RE GIVING UP CONTROL OF THE FESTIVAL, BUT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, MAYOR RU HAS TOLD STAFF THAT HE WILL FIRE THE CITY MANAGER IF HE INTERVENE IN ANY WAY TO ENFORCE OVERSIGHT OF THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST FI.
THAT IS INTIMIDATION, NOT TRANSPARENCY.
AND IT GOES DIRECTLY TO WHY THE CONSUL'S AUDIT ORDER HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCED.
MY NEXT QUESTION, WHY WERE FIRE PERMITS WAIVED FOR THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST RENA FOR VENDORS AND SPONSORS? WHEN YOUR ORGANIZATION, UH, WHEN YOUR ORGANIZATION, UH, YOU, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PAY THEM.
SO WHY WERE YOU, WHY WERE YOU, UM, ALLOWED TO HAVE, UH, NOCO FEE FREE WAIVERS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? OH, OKAY.
AND THAT MOMENT, I NEED TO CHECK BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A, SOME OF THE RECORD, WE WILL GIVE YOU THE RIGHT ANSWER BECAUSE SOME OF THE, UM, I IS NOT KEEPING IT FROM ME.
SO WHEN THE RESIDENT COME BACK, I DEFINITELY TO MAKE APPOINTMENT WITH YOU AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL, GET ALL THE DETAILS FREE YOU, YEAH.
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND, LIKE THE, THE TAXPAYERS ARE FUNDING AN EVENT WHERE NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS BEING PROVIDED TO THEM, UHHUH
AND SO YOU WANNA HOST ANOTHER EVENT AND, BUT WHILE PEOPLE ARE BEING THREATENED TO BE FIRED, IF ANYTHING'S CHANGED, BUT YOU, YOU EXPECT THE TAXPAYERS TO FRONT THAT BILL, AND THEN THAT'S AN ISSUE, SORT OF
'CAUSE UH, SINCE I, BECAUSE I'M ONLY FOR THE SECRETARY, I JUST COLLECT THE BILL.
BUT WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A WHOLE GOOD IS DESIGNED FOR THE, FOR THE NUMBER OF SOMETHING.
YEAH, BECAUSE, UM, MY JOB, THIS DESCRIPTION IS, UH, DIFFERENT BY THEM.
SO WHO, SO I CAN GET BACK TO YOU IF YOU MORE FOCUSED FOR THE NUMBER ISSUE.
WE DEFINITELY GIVE YOU THE DETAIL.
AND THEN WHO SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED IT SUPPORT PROMOTIONAL WORK AND CITY SUPPORT FOR THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION'S BEHALF? DID YOU EVER CONTACT THE CITY STAFF YOURSELF OR ANY OF YOUR MEMBERS? UM,
[00:55:01]
NO.AND WHO INITIATED THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST FNA AND THE CITY? WAS IT MAYOR W NO, ME, IT WAS YOU? YES.
AND, AND WHO DID YOU TALK TO AT THAT TIME? THAT'S, I, I AM THE, UM, THE OTHER POSITION IS THE, UM, INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A LOT OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHINA PART.
AND HAS MAYOR EVER ATTENDED CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETINGS, SECURE SPONSORSHIPS, OR PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO VENDORS AT HIS HOME? NO.
SO HE'S NEVER HAD A BOARD MEETING AT YOUR HOME? NO.
THEY ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S HOME, UM, FOR SUNDAY'S HOME OR, AND ALSO FOR, UH, DANIEL'S HOME.
SO WE HAVE A GOING TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S, THE MAYOR, MAYOR, THE MAYOR WILL EVER HOST A BOARD MEETING AT HIS HOME.
I THINK IT IS, UH, ONLY FOR ONE OR TWO TIMES.
HE CAN BE STAY HOME ALL THE TIME.
AND THEN DID MAYOR WU OR HIS OFFICE DIRECT STAFF SUCH AS SUSIE PEREZ, ROXANNE LMA, OR MEYER RIDGE, CARRY OUT THE CHINESE AMERICANS ASSOCIATION'S NEEDS? NO.
SO FOR THIS UPCOMING EVENT, DID YOU EVER, WERE YOU EVER IN CONTACT WITH ANY OF THE CITY STAFF REGARDING PLANNING? NO.
AND IS MICHAEL CHEN A BOARD MEMBER? MICHAEL CHEN IS A BOARD MEMBER.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID HE GIVE BACK THIS YEAR? UM, I WISH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S A MICHAEL CHEN IN THE SURGERY, THE EYE SURGERY, I THINK YOU SAID, I WISH, I WISH HE CAN COME COMPROMISE FOR 6,000, LIKE BEFORE.
SO HE'S GONNA, HE GAVE 6,000 THIS YEAR, AND THEN HOW MUCH DID HE GIVE LAST YEAR? I NEED TO CHAT WITH THE BOOKKEEPER SO I'M NOT, UH, YOU, YOU SAY SOMETHING, IT'S A NUMBER I NEED TO CHAT WITH YOU.
SO THIS, THIS IS AN ACTIVE INVOICE AND IT SAYS AURORA, AURORA LIGHTING, WHICH IS OWNED BY MICHAEL CHEN.
AND THIS IS AN INVOICE FOR $29,555, WHICH VIOLATES THE CITY'S POLICY ON PURCHASE ORDERS.
SO I, I, I CAN CHECK FOR YOU BECAUSE I, I'M, I CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
SO, SO ALTOGETHER, MICHAEL CHEN'S COMPANY HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $185,000 IN TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A COPY IF YOU WANT, BECAUSE, UH, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW FOR, UH, YOUR ISSUE THOUGH, BUT I CAN WECHAT WITH, UH, MICHAEL CHEN SINCE HE'S NOT HERE.
AND SO FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO REMIND OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND OUTSIDE CONSULT THAT UNDER ROUTE 1.3 OF THE CALIFORNIA RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.
YOUR CLIENT IS THE CITY OF WEST GREENA AND NOT ANY INDIVIDUAL OFFICIAL.
THE CONS HAS ALREADY ORDERED VOLUNTARY, AN AUDIT OF THE CAWC, WHERE RECORD YET RECORDS ARE BEING READOUT, FILINGS ARE CONTRADICTORY, AND STAFF HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH BEING FIRED FOR ENFORCING OVERSIGHT.
THESE ARE POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF LAW IN PORTABLE TO THE CITY, AND THEY PUT TAXPAYERS AT RISK.
RULE ONE POINT 13 HAS BEEN TRIGGERED, AND YOU NOW HAVE A DUTY TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY BY INFORMING DISCOVERY AND BODY AND RECOMMENDING CORRECTIVE ACTION.
IF THERE'S NOTHING TO HIDE, WHY NOT PROVIDE THE FINANCIAL BOOKS VOLUNTARILY? SO I, AS I SAY, WE WILL PROVIDE A DETAIL BOOK FOR YOU SINCE OUR PRESIDENTS HOLD IT.
SHE, SHE WILL BE COMING BACK FOR NEXT WEEK.
SO HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE CITY TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR AN EVENT COMING UP ON THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T PROVIDED YOUR BOOKS? NO, ACTUALLY THIS IS, I, AS I TELL YOU, I'M THE ONLY FOR THE SECRETARY, SECRETARY JOB IS NOT A TREASURE.
SO I WILL, I WILL COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION TO YOU.
AND THEN, SO, UH, I BELIEVE HE'S A ACCOUNTANT OR IT'S A ACCOUNTANT.
AND YOU JUST HAD HIM COME FOR TODAY ONLY? NO, ACTUALLY HE HAS THE, SOME OF THE NUMBER, BUT ALL THE MAJORITY'S NUMBERS ISSUES IN OUR PRESIDENT'S COMPUTER.
SO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT TO TAKE OF IT.
AND IS HE A LICENSED CCPA WHO? YOUR, YOUR ACCOUNTANT HERE.
SO YOU ARE A CPA? I'M AN ENROLLED AGENT.
SO I DON'T, SO IT'S A YES OR NO, BUT, OKAY.
UH, WILL YOU COMMIT HERE AND NOW TO PROVIDING FULL FORM NINE 90 TAX FILINGS AND PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENTS FOR 2022 TO 2024 TO THE CITY WITHIN THREE BUSINESS DAYS? I NEED TO, YES.
I NEED TO CHAT WITH THE PRESIDENTS AS I KNOW.
SO DID MAYOR W HELP NEGOTIATE OR AUTHORIZE ANY CITY RESOURCES FOR C WCS FESTIVALS? NO.
BUT YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU, YOU
[01:00:01]
HAVEN'T COMMUNICATED WITH CITY STAFF.SO WHO'S BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH CITY STAFF? USUALLY JUST ME.
I USUALLY CAWC ORDER, LIKE COMMUNICATION IS BY ME.
JUST, YOU JUST SAID YOU HAVE NOT, AND THE EVENTS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER? NO.
ACTUALLY IS, UH, YOU COMMUNICATION, WHAT DO YOU MEAN FOR COMMUNICATION? WHAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION YOU TALKING ABOUT IT? UH, EXPENSES, THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY.
AS I KNOW, I TELL YOU, ALL THE MONEY ISSUE IS BY A PRESIDENT.
OUR PRESIDENTS COME BACK FROM NEW YORK, DEFINITELY TO MAKE APPOINTMENT WITH YOU.
AND SO HAS MAYOR VU EVER INTRODUCED YOU TO CONTRACTORS, SPONSORS, OR VENDORS WHO HAVE PAID FEES TO THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST VNA? UM, CAN YOU SAY ONE MORE TIME, HAS MAYOR VU EVER INTRODUCED YOU TO CITY CONTRACTORS OR BUSINESS? NO.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW ATHENS TRASH SERVICES? OKAY, SO YOU, RIGHT NOW YOU TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE OUR LONG PAST ORGANIZATION FOR CAWC FOR LONG, BOTH PAST EIGHT YEARS ALREADY, WE DO IT FOR THE TRANSPARENCY.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A NUMBER DONATION.
EVERY WORDS IN THERE, THE PROBLEM IS IT DOESN'T MATCH.
AND ALSO IF YOU HAVE A FURTHER INFORMATION MM-HMM.
WE CAN WAIT FOR OUR PRESIDENTS COME BACK AND GET BACK TO YOU.
WELL, THE CONCERN IS, SO THIS IS WHY I'M THINKING THAT'S WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU.
AND SO THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT YOUR IRS RETURNS DON'T MATCH THOSE NUMBERS.
AND SO DID YOU EVER, DID YOUR CHARITY, HAS YOUR CHARITY EVER PURCHASED ANY AIRPLANE OR TRANSPORTATION TICKETS? NO.
DID YOUR CHARITY EVER PAY FOR FIRE PERMIT FEES? NO.
AND IN, IN 2023, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US, IN 2023, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US HOW MUCH YOUR ORGANIZATION REPORTED AS PROGRAM EXPENSES? 2023.
I THINK IT'S, UH, MOON FESTIVAL.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JUST FOR THE MOON FESTIVALS OR OVERALL, UH, OVERALL, YOUR, YOUR PROGRAM EXPENSES FOR 2023.
SO FOR 2023 PROGRAMS, EXPENSES WILL BE ABOUT $43,000.
OKAY? COULD BE 'CAUSE YOUR IRS FORM NINE 90 SHOWS $46,342 IN PROGRAM EXPENSES WHILE YOUR CALIFORNIA RR F1 FORM FOR THE SAME YEAR SHOWS $0 IN PROGRAM EXPENSES.
SO, WHICH ONE IS CORRECT? OKAY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE FORM NINE 90, RIGHT? YES.
THE RR F1 IS THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
CHARITY TRUSTS THAT YOU HAVE TO APPLY YEARLY FOR A PERMIT.
SO WHY, WHY ARE THOSE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH? BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME KIND OF LIKE OFFICE EXPENSE, SMALL ONES, BUT ON YOUR IRS FORM, YOU REPORTED $46,342 IN PROGRAM EXPENSES, BUT TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, YOU REPORTED $0.
WHY IS THAT? CAN I TAKE A LOOK? YES.
I DON'T HAVE THE RF ONE RIGHT NOW WITH ME.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE ONE.
I FORGOT TO PUT IN THAT NUMBER.
SO DO YOU PLAN ON ADMITTING YOUR TAX RETURNS AND FIXING THAT? ACTUALLY, THE, THE TAX RETURNS CORRECT.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCHEDULE CODE, YOU ORDER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR CALIFORNIA AND THE WRONG NUMBER.
SO ARE YOU GONNA FIX THAT NOW? WE CAN FIX THAT ONE.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE, SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT TO TAXPAYERS WHEN YOU'RE REPORTING INACCURATE NUMBERS.
[01:05:01]
SPENDING ON EVENT OR FESTIVAL COSTS IN 2023? UH, EVENT WILL BE ABOUT 40,000, $40,792.BUT YOUR RF ONE, UH, SO YOUR R YOUR RF ONE AGAIN? MM-HMM
DON'T WORRY, I WILL CORRECT IT.
YOU'RE GONNA CORRECT THAT ONE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.
UH, AND THEN HOW MUCH AND HOW MUCH IN DONATIONS DID YOU REPORT IN RECEIVING 2023 RECEIVING? YES.
RECEIVINGS, THAT NUMBER SHOULD BE RIGHT.
44,500 ROUGHLY AROUND, THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU RECEIVED IN, IN, UH, DONATIONS.
THAT'S ALSO INCLUDING MEMBERSHIP AS WELL.
AND THEN HOW MUCH DID YOU GIVE IN DONATIONS THAT YEAR? UH, FROM THE, UH, TAX RETURNS FOR THAT YEAR? $5,500.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIEREZ, HOW LONG YOU WANT TO FINISH? I'M ALMOST FINISHED.
WOULD YOU PLEASE FINISH UP? GREAT.
SO, UM, AND THEN HOW MANY, HOW MANY HOURS PER WEEK DID YOUR OFFICERS, INCLUDING YOUR CFO REPORT WORKING FOR THE ORGANIZATION? SO, WHO OFFICERS, UM, SOPHIA, WHEN DANIEL KAO AND HELEN WU, WHICH IS THE MAYOR'S WIFE, HOW MANY HOURS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS DO THEY DO? ARE YOU ASKING ME? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE.
AND YOU TALK ABOUT FOR THE HOUR, BECAUSE WE ARE IN A CHARITY.
HOW MANY VOLUNTEER HOURS DID YOU DO? YOU CAN'T TELL.
LIKE ONE HOUR, TWO HOURS, SOME.
BECAUSE BOTH OR NOT TWO HOURS.
YOU, YOU CAN'T, DIDN'T SAY, BECAUSE THIS IS A NONPROFIT.
UM, WE ARE, WE ALL IS WORKING.
BUT WE, WE JUST, UH, USE OUR SPEND TIME TO WORK FOR CAWC.
SO, BUT THE PROBLEM IS IRS LAW IRS CODE REQUIRES YOU TO REPORT VOLUNTEER HOURS AND YOU DID NOT.
SO, SO, I'LL, I'LL END, I'LL END WITH THIS STATEMENT.
THE MEGA MOVE FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED AS A CULTURE EVENT, BUT BEHIND THE SCENES, VENDORS AND SPONSORS WERE CHARGED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
MONEY THAT C-A-A-W-C KEPT WHILE TAXPAYERS WERE LEFT PAYING THE BILL FOR POLICE, FIRE, AND CITY SERVICES.
THEIR FILINGS SAY MONEY WAS POURED INTO THE EVENT, BUT THEY REFUSE TO SAY WHAT THAT MEANS.
WHO GOT PAID OR WHERE THE MONEY WENT.
A NONPROFIT MUST SERVE THE PEOPLE NOT HIDE BEHIND ACCOUNTING TRICKS.
THIS COUNCIL ORDER AN AUDIT, AND CAWC STILL REFUSES TO OPEN HIS BOOKS FOR 2022 TO THROUGH 2024.
IF THEY CAN'T SHOW RECORDS FOR THIS YEAR, THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR HIDING THE PAST CAWC.
W NOW SAY THEY'RE GIVING UP CONTROL OF THE EVENT TO THE CITY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MERU HAS DIRECTLY THREATENED STAFF TELLING THEM THAT HE WILL FIRE THE CITY MANAGER IF HE INTERVENED TO ENFORCE OVERSIGHT OF C-A-A-W-C.
YOU CANNOT CLAIM TRANSPARENCY IN PUBLIC WHILE THREATENING TO FIRE PEOPLE IN PRIVATE.
THAT IS INTIMIDATION AND ABUSE OF POWER.
AND TONIGHT, I CALL ON MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILWOMAN ROSARIO DIAZ, WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND THIS COMMUNITY AS AN IRS SPECIAL AGENT, TO USE HER SKILLS AND HER INTEGRITY TO PUT TAXPAYERS FIRST AND HOLD THIS NONPROFIT TO THE SAME STANDARDS.
THE IRS WOULD, WE OWE THE PUBLIC NOTHING LESS THAN ACCOUNTABILITY ATTENDEE PARKS ARE OPEN.
TAXPAYERS CANNOT HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THIS NONPROFIT IS OPERATING FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUT, BUT I I, BEFORE I HANG OVER TO MAYOR PRO, TO OKAY.
AND, UH, FIRST I WANT TO APOLOGIZE.
UH, YOU GUYS DOING THE NONPROFIT TRY TO DO A GOOD THING, CHARITY FOR THE CITY, AND, UH, YOU GOT A TAG OVER HERE BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE.
AND, UH, ANOTHER THING ABOUT I THREAT, UH, CITY MANAGER, I THINK CITY MANAGER CAN PROVE ITSELF.
I NEVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
YOU FIRE HIM, YOU NEED A THREE VOTE.
AND, UH, HOW CAN I GET THREE VOTE? OKAY.
I NEVER SAY ANYTHING TO OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER.
ANYTHING REGARDING ABOUT THE EVENT.
EVENT IS A NON NONPROFIT CHARITY.
WE WANT TO UNITE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE WANT TO UNITED PROVIDE A GOOD EVENT FOR PEOPLE TO
[01:10:01]
BE BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD.OKAY? AND YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THIS IS CONSPIRACY.
MOST OF THE MONEY DONATE FROM THE MEMBERSHIP.
SOME OF OUR BUSINESS DONATION.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S INCLUDING, OKAY.
MY FAMILY, WE ALL TRY TO HELP OUT THE DONATE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A FUNDING TO DO CHARITY.
SO, SO ANYWAY, AND THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WILL SAY, NEVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT INTIMIDATE TO ANY STAFF.
AND I'M THE ALWAYS THE ONLY PERSON TO STAY AT THE END ON THE PROGRAM.
I'M ALWAYS OVER THERE TO CHEER WITH OUR RESIDENT.
I'M ALWAYS OVER THERE TO FINISH UP THE EVENT AND EVEN TRY TO CLEAN UP AND HELP OUR STAFF TO MOVE THE CHAIR, THIS AND THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING SO HARD AND WE SHOULD BE UNITED TOGETHER.
AND THEY'RE HELPING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN IN, IN DIFFERENT OF A DIFFERENT CULTURAL ROLE, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TO PERFORM, YOU CAN SEE IT'S JAM PACKED WITH ALL THE CHILDREN PERFORMANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE SO PROUD ABOUT THEMSELF, UH, REGARDING HOW TO, OKAY.
AND, UH, TO BE THERE TO BE PROUD.
A PROUD CHILDREN WILL HAVE CONFIDENCE AND THEY WILL NOT GO INTO THE WRONG WAY, UH, FOR THEIR FUTURE.
AND THIS IS WHAT BASICALLY, OKAY.
THE MISSION ABOUT CITY COUNCIL AND WHAT WE OVER THERE, OKAY.
AND I WANT THANK CAWC, UH, TRY TO OKAY.
SHARE THE BURDEN BECAUSE OUR SPRING FESTIVAL IS SOMETHING TODAY IN THE SAME LOCATION.
AND THIS ONE, OKAY? IT IS SPONSORED BY CAWC.
NOT TRYING TO MAKE A DIME, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING, NOBODY, OKAY, BASED ON YOUR PRESENTATION, NOBODY CAN PAY EVERYBODY PAY OUT THE DONATION TO HAVE ALL THIS FUNDING.
ONE QUESTION I THINK IS A VERY COMMON I UNDERSTAND MAYBE, OKAY.
NO, NO, I'M NOT ASKING QUESTION.
DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FIVE, THAT'S 20, 21 STILL PANDEMIC.
OKAY? BUT I THINK POSSIBLE THEY HAVE A RESERVE TO PAY $2,500 FOR THE DONATION.
IS TRY TO SAY SOMETHING CONSPIRACY TO A NONPROFIT CHARITY AND TRY TO HELP THE CITY FOR THE CHILDREN PROGRAM TRY TO HELP THEM TO HAVE A BETTER WAY FOR THEIR EDUCATION AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
I THINK THIS IS HOW WE OVER HERE FOR HELP THE COMMUNITY BRING THE EVENT, BRING THIS UNITY OF BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD.
AND, UH, AND ANOTHER THING IS ABOUT ALL THIS DETAIL, MONEY, CHECK THIS AND THAT.
I THINK THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM TO BRING ALL THE RECEIPT, THIS AND THAT.
SO IN THAT WAY, WHERE, WHERE'S THE ISSUE? NO MATTER WHAT, ALL THIS, OKAY.
AND, UH, RESERVE EVERYTHING HAVE TO DONATE OUT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP PEOPLE IN NEED.
OR SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM, OR ANY OF THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM OR ANY OF CITY PROGRAM FOR OUR NON-PROFIT, KWANI CLOUD, THIS AND THAT TO DONATE TO THEM IF THEY IN NEED.
AND THAT'S WHY, BECAUSE CITI DOESN'T HAVE A BUDGET TO PAY, SO WITH CWC AND TRY TO HELP OUT.
AGAIN, YOU GOTTA GET THIS KIND OF TREATMENT BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND HIM.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DONATE YOUR PERSONAL TIME, AND WE NEED TO COME OVER HERE.
OKAY? AND, UH, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T EXPECT FOR THIS KIND OF GRUELING OKAY? BECAUSE SOUND LIKE THE PROSECUTOR AND YOU GOT A BUNCH OF CRIMINAL, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.
IT'S ABOUT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR OKAY.
AND, UH, DEDICATION AND ANY OF THE NUMBER.
MAYBE THE ACCOUNTANT, RIGHT? OKAY.
MAYBE YOU CAN PUT THE DETAIL, THIS AND THAT INTO THE CHECK.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING, I RECEIVE A CC FROM AND THE U ASSOCIATION REGARDING ALL THE NUMBER, INCLUDING ALL THE PERFORMANCE I THINK ALREADY SENT TO ROXANNE.
AND, UH, AM I RIGHT? YOU RECEIVED THE, INCLUDING THE, THE, THE NUMBERS WERE SENT TO SUSIE PEREZ, MYSELF, MYLA RACKAGE, KAREN OGAWA, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WERE CCD ON IT.
SO, SO YOU ALREADY RECEIVED 2025.
THE CITY S THE CITY RECEIVED, UM, SOME OF THE INVER SOME OF THE EVENT INFORMATION IN THE SPREADSHEETS, UM, REGARDING THE 2025 EVENT.
I, BECAUSE I GOT A CC TOO, SO I, I KNOW OKAY, YOU GUYS RECEIVED, IT WAS SENT LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
AND, UH, HOW A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
AND, UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE HOW A POINT OF CLARIFICATION? YEAH.
UH, JUST, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, DID HE, DID THEY RETURN ANY, DID THEY TURN IN ANY OF THEIR PRIOR YEARS?
[01:15:03]
ROXANNE? SO, NO, I WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF THAT.NO, I, I WASN'T INVOLVED IN 2024.
AND IF THAT POSSIBLE IN THE TIMELY MATTER.
AND, UH, IF YOU RECEIVE, OKAY.
AND, UH, MAYBE HAVE THE C TEAM OKAY.
AND SEND YOU A REQUEST SO YOU GUYS CAN HAVE A, BASED ON REQUEST, YOU DON'T SEND TO THEM WITHOUT REQUEST.
SO, SO HAVE A, ANNE, CAN YOU SEND A REQUEST FOR THEM? SO SEND TO THE, UH, YOU HAVE EMAIL ADDRESS, RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE CAWC EMAIL.
SO WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND THE REQUEST SO THEY CAN PROVIDE YOU THE SPREADSHEET AND THEN INCLUDE DETAIL.
AND, UM, MAYOR POTENT, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? GO AHEAD.
UM, IN ACTUALITY THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE CITY SIDE.
UM, WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT PARTNERSHIPS LOOK LIKE IN GENERAL.
IT SHOULDN'T BE JUST AN ATTACK ON, ON ONE NONPROFIT.
UM, THE MOUI UNDERSTAND MOUS ARE BEING WRITTEN, BUT MOU NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED BY WHETHER THE COUNCIL WANTS TO LOOK AT THAT AS A WHOLE TO SEE WHAT THAT IS REQUIRED, UM, AND SHOW WHAT IT INCLUDES.
BECAUSE PARTNERSHIP, IT'S A GIVE AND TAKE.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT WRITTEN OUT OF WHO'S GONNA COVER WHAT, WHAT THE EXPENSES ARE, ET CETERA.
SO, I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO FOCUS AND LOOK AT.
UM, AND SO THE REQUIREMENTS, AND THEN PLUS THIS EVENT IS ALREADY PROMOTED OUT.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS EVENT.
TO CANCEL OR DO ANYTHING WITH THIS AT ITS MOMENT IS JUST RIDICULOUS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HAPPENING THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS WHAT BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
NOW FOR FUTURE, UH, NONPROFITS OR FUTURE EVENTS, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND, AND CONSIDER.
AND THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF ON THAT PARTNERSHIP SPONSORSHIP.
IF WE NEED TO FALL AND BREAK DOWN THE DETAILS, UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THIS, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR CITY SIDE FOCUS, HOW MUCH THE CITY'S WILLING TO SPEND IF THERE IS A CUTOFF, OKAY.
SPECIAL EVENTS, WE CAN ONLY COVER THIS NONPROFITS COVER THAT.
I'M CURRENTLY DOING THAT RIGHT NOW WITH A BIG FESTIVAL AND A PARADE.
AND WE ARE WORKING ON WHO IS GONNA COVER WHAT.
AND THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT, IT NEEDS TO BE DISPLAYED HERE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES MOVING FORWARD.
I WANNA FOCUS ON CURRENT AND FUTURE.
UM, MY, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHAT ARE YOU PURSUING? ARE YOU TRYING TO GATHER EVIDENCE FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO PROVIDE TO THE IRS MM-HMM
OR ARE YOU TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE CITY IS SPENDING, UM, ON THESE FESTIVALS AND SO WE CAN CURTAIL THAT AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY? YEAH.
NOW IF YOU DO WANNA GO AND MOVE FORWARD AND SUBMIT SOME DOCUMENTS TO THE IRS, THEN I SEE THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT THE AUDIENCE NEEDS TO BE PUT THROUGH THAT.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE DOING AN AUDIT RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.
AND I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD GATHER, YOU SHOULD GATHER ALL THIS INFORMATION.
LET HER FINISH HER SPEECH, THEN SUBMIT IT.
SUBMIT IT TO THE IRS AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EXEMPT ORGANIZATION, UM, UM, I NEVER WORKED THERE, BUT THEY HAVE AN EXEMPT ORGANIZATION WHERE THEY CAN AUDIT THEIR EXEMPTION, UM, STATUS.
BUT I THOUGHT WE WERE HERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON, ON OUR, UM, ON THE EVENTS.
HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING ON CITY STAFF UHHUH.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING OF CONCERN NOT JUST WITH THEM THOUGH, BECAUSE THE WAY I SEE IT IS WE'RE TARGETING THEM.
AND IN MY OPINION, I DON'T THINK IT LOOKS RIGHT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO TARGET OR IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT EVERY, UM, SPONSORS OR, UH, NON-EXEMPT, UH, EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS MM-HMM
THEN LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THEM.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE PROBABLY DO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON WITH STAFF.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF AT ALL THESE EVENTS.
SO TO ME RIGHT NOW, WE ALREADY HAVE THIS PLANNED.
I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE MOVED BECAUSE, UM, IN THE FUTURE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AND MOVE IT TO CITY HALL WHERE IT'S LESS, WE WON'T USE THAT MUCH CITY, UM, STAFF, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY CITY STAFF IS USED A LOT WHEN WE HAVE IT AT GLENDORA AVENUE.
AND THAT WAS MY DREAM IS TO PROMOTE GLENDORA AVENUE.
[01:20:01]
CAME AND I BECAME THE CITY COUNCILWOMAN.SO IF I CAN ANSWER THE COUNCILWOMAN QUESTION, 'CAUSE SHE ASKED ME THE QUESTION.
SO THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST FINO, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONLY CHARITY NONCOMPLIANT TO THE VOLUNTARY AUDIT REQUESTS.
UH, SECOND WHEN I'M QUESTIONING THE THEM ON THIS IS BECAUSE THEIR DOCUMENTS, THEY HAVE, THE NUMBERS THEY PRESENTED TONIGHT DON'T MATCH THEIR TAX FILINGS.
UH, CONS MEN DIAZ, AND I KNOW WITH YOUR DISTINCT BACKGROUND COMING FROM IRS, UH, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT WOULD BE A HUGE RED FLAG.
AND, AND THE SECOND THING WAS, THE TAXPAYERS HAVE ALREADY SPENT $152,000 ON THIS EVENT.
BUT WE SAW TONIGHT THAT THEY MADE PROFIT WHILE THE CITY HAD TO PAY THE PAY THEIR EXPENSE.
SO LAST YEAR, UH, LAST YEAR, THE CITY SPENT OVER $120,000.
SO I NOTICED THAT WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, WE DID HAVE THE NUMBERS OF WHAT WE SPEND ON STAFF MM-HMM
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FOR THE KIWANIS.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN HOW MUCH WE SPEND WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR EVENTS.
SO, I MEAN, JUST TO BE CONSISTENT, I DON'T WANNA FEEL LIKE WE'RE TARGETING JUST ONE GROUP.
EVERY, EVERYONE SHOULD TURN IN THEIR DOCUMENTS.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, I WAS TOLD THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, LOPEZ FIDO'S CHARITY TURNED IN THEIR NUMBERS YESTERDAY.
AND, UH, ONE THING IS OKAY, AGAIN, AGAIN, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING THIS YEAR, OKAY? I, I THINK, UH, THE CITY OKAY.
REGARDING S-K-C-W-C, OKAY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE, I THINK ANDREW, YOU, YOU, YOU ASK ME, OKAY, SHALL WE DO THERE OR DO WHICH ONE WOULD BE CHEAPER? OKAY.
AND, UH, I THINK THERE'S, OKAY.
THE, THE SUGGESTION IS, UH, AT THE OKAY.
OVER HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS A HUGE PARKING LOT.
AND THEN THIS IS A, OKAY, LESS COST.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BLOCK THE STREET, BUT I THINK OKAY.
THE STAFF BASICALLY PREFERS STEER, I THINK THEY TOLD ME, OKAY.
AND, UH, BECAUSE OKAY, TRY TO REVITALIZE THE AREA, BUT AGAIN, AGAIN, OKAY.
CD DECIDE WHAT THEY DO, OKAY? THIS IS A CD EVENT, OKAY? AND, OKAY, YOU JUST HELP TRY TO SPONSOR AND PUT A GREAT EVENT, OKAY? AND, UH, AND I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ.
OKAY? IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE I, I, I KIND UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA, OKAY? HOW THE CITY SPEND THE POLICE AND FIRE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU DONATE 10,000 POSSIBLE.
ASSUME THEY SHOULD BE COVERED ENOUGH FOR STAFF, BUT LOOK LIKE IT IS FAR AWAY FROM THE SPENDING, OKAY? AND I'M KIND OF SHOCKED TOO, THAT CITY WILL SPEND THAT MONEY.
THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN ASKING ON MY SIDE, SAY, HEY, CAN WE ORDER THE CT AND BOOK? OKAY? WHY WE SPEND THAT MUCH OF MONEY IF THE, IF YOU GUY ALREADY PAID FOR VERY EXPENSIVE 40,000, 50,000 OF A RENTAL, OKAY? ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, THE FOOD, EVERYTHING, WHY WE NEED THAT MANY STAFF? WHERE'S OVERTIME COMING FROM? SO, SO, SO THIS IS HOW I ASK, OKAY.
AND THE CITY TO ALL THE OURSELF, BECAUSE OKAY, YOU ARE NON-PROFIT, OKAY? WE CITY HAVE NO JURISDICTION TO YOU.
BUT WE AS A CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LOOK INTO OUR OWN BOOK, WHY WE SPENT THAT MUCH OF MONEY.
OKAY? SUPPOSEDLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE IS RENTAL, THE 10, THE STAGE, THE OLDEST, SOME THIS AND THAT.
OKAY? AND, UH, AND WE SHOULD COMPARE THE ONE EVENT SPRING FESTIVAL.
THERE'S A HUNDRED PERCENT CITY AND EVEN JULY 4TH.
BUT AGAIN, THE WAY WON GO INTO IT, THEN CITY WILL BE NO EVENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S SCARED ABOUT MAKE A MISTAKE.
AND, UH, NOBODY WANT TO DO EVENT.
NOBODY WANT TO SPONSOR, AND NOBODY WANT TO WORK WITH CITI.
AND NOBODY EVEN WANT TO DO CHARITY AND DONATE MONEY TO THE KID.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HERE AS A CITY COUNCIL TO SCARE PEOPLE.
OKAY? WE WANT TO INQUISITION AND TRY TO PUT YOU UNDERNEATH AND LOOK LIKE YOU GUY LOOK HORRIBLE.
LIKE YOU GOT A BUNCH OF CRIMINAL.
AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU, GUY.
OKAY? DURING THE BEGIN, NOW YOU CAN PAY YOU GUYS JUST, UH, COME OVER HERE, TRY TO HELP OKAY? AND TRY TO, OKAY, I, I ASKED YOU GUYS WANT TO COME OVER HERE? YOU GOTTA RIGHT AWAY SAY WELDING, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE HAVE ALL THIS KIND OF INQUISITION.
SO, SO THIS IS NOT YOU GUYS SIGN, SIGN UP FOR, BECAUSE I KNOW NOW YOU GET A DIME OR ANYTHING.
DO WE HAVE A, DO THEY HAVE ANY PEOPLE GET PAID? I WISH.
SO NOBODY GET PAID, RIGHT? NO.
UM, AGAIN, THE ISSUES ON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT.
AND ALSO WHEN, YOU KNOW, I FOUND OUT THAT NOT ALL
[01:25:01]
NONPROFITS WERE, UH, ASKED FOR THIS INFORMATION.WE HAVE AMAZING NONPROFITS, UM, SUCH AS THE WEST COVINA, BEAUTIFUL, THAT OUR CITY TREASURER, UM, OVERSEAS, WE HAVE NAACP, WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER NONPROFITS THAT UTILIZES CITY FACILITIES AND NOT, UM, INFORMATION IS NOT, UM, THEY WEREN'T EVEN TAR, UH, THEY WEREN'T EVEN ASKED FOR IT.
SO THIS, AGAIN, WAS ONLY TARGETED TO CERTAIN PEOPLE.
THE SECOND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, AND YOU REMEMBER WE HAD THE BIGGEST TOY GIVEAWAY, AND THAT WAS THROUGH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD YOUR NONPROFIT OR, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATION OR ANYTHING, BUT WE, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS SPENT, BUT THAT DAY WAS HALF DAY, WE CLOSED UP STREETS THAT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE NEXT CITY.
SO IRWINDALE IRWINDALE, UM, IT WAS THE BIGGEST EVENT.
IT USED PD, FIRE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, COMMUNITY SERVICES.
WE WORKED, YOU AND I WORKED THAT DAY.
UM, PRETTY MUCH PREPPING PLANNING.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT COSTS THAT CITY STAFF USED.
LISTEN, THAT HAD SO MUCH FRAN TOO WAS EVENT.
AND, AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE IT.
I I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AND SO LEMME FINISH.
NO, I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING, I, I'M JUST, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND THE FOCUS.
AGAIN, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHARITY, AND THAT'S NOT MY CHARITY.
WELL, I DON'T HOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WAS COVERED.
I MEAN, OR WHAT WAS, I MEAN, CITY THEN PRETTY MUCH, IF, IF YOU'RE SAYING WAS ON, WAS I ON A CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME? YOU WERE A COMMISSIONER.
WELL, THIS ORGANIZATION IS, I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH, I'M JUST, I'M GOING, HAS THIS ORGANIZATION EVER GIVEN TO YOUR CHARITY? WAIT, WELL, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
I THINK WOULD YOU DON'T TALK OVER, PLEASE.
WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, THINGS THAT THE CITY SPENDS.
THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT, BUT I COULD ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THAT'S, I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE IT, I JUST WANNA MAKE EVERYBODY KNOWS BECAUSE WE'RE HITTING THIS, BUT WE ALSO USE CITY STAFF.
IT WAS IN, IT WAS IN OUR MINES.
THAT WAS, WOULD YOU PLEASE LET, LET FINISH THEN.
WELL, I'M GETTING, I'M MAKING THE RECORD CLARIFIED.
SO WE WERE, YOU KNOW, THE POINT IS, WE, WE DID IT TOGETHER.
SO I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER QUESTION.
WAIT, WAIT, NO, YOU SPOKE SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA I GET TO SPEAK.
SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA FOLLOW THE, THE, THE PROPER RULES OF ORDERS.
AND, UH, COUNCIL MEN GUT, OKAY.
AND I THINK WE ALL RESPECT YOU TO SPEND TIME.
I'M ADDRESSING A BUT LET LET HER FINISH HER QUESTION, THEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YEAH, YOU CAN WRITE IT DOWN, PLEASE.
MY, MY, MY THING FOR THAT, AND I'M NOT HITTING THIS, I'M NOT HITTING, YOU KNOW, CAW I'M NOT HITTING WHAT WE DID.
I'M NOT HITTING ANYTHING THAT WE GIVE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE WERE HAPPY WE DID ALL THAT.
BUT I KNOW CITY STAFF, THAT WAS A LOT OF EXPENSE.
WE DID IT ON A WEEKEND, BUT WE CLOSED, UH, STREETS.
WE HAD A, WE, WE MET BEFORE WE MET EVENING, WE CLOSED, UH, EARLY MORNING.
AND THEN THAT WAS GONNA GO ON.
THAT WENT ON FOR A QUITE AMOUNT OF TIME.
THAT WAS WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES AS WELL.
SO MY THING FOR THAT, THAT ALONE, I KNOW COSTS A LOT, BUT I THAT'S, I MEAN, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS ALL OUT BECAUSE WE DID THAT TOGETHER.
AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU, YOU BROUGHT IN LOTS OF DONATIONS OR WHATEVER IT IS, AND, UM, WHICH WAS A GOOD DEED FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN BETWEEN WHAT WAS CO COVERED.
SO IT, IT, BUT IT CAME FROM YOU AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU HANDLE IT OR WHO WAS IT, BUT SOMEBODY PAID FOR THAT.
THEY, BUT THE CITY PAID FOR ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, THE OVERTIME, THE STAFFING, AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HAD TO OCCUR.
SO I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AS WELL.
UM, BUT AGAIN, MY FOCUS IS FOR FUTURE MOVING FORWARD.
I JUST WANT WHAT IT'S, IF THE FOCUS IS ON THE CITY SIDE, IF IF IT'S COSTING A LOT, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
HOW CAN WE SAVE COSTS? WHAT CAN WE DO? COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IT'S, YOU LOSE MONEY THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW IT GOES.
IT'S NOT PROFITING BECAUSE WE'RE GIVING IT FOR FREE FOR EVERYBODY TO UTILIZE.
SO THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, BUT WE'VE JUST, YEAH.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
IF, UM, IF A NONPROFIT, WHICH IS A CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION, IF THEY DONATED MONEY TO FILM IT, WEST VENA, WHICH IS THE CHARITY FOUNDED AND OPERATED BY LETTI LOPEZ, RO IS THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST TO THE ATTORNEY? OR YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT.
A CONFLICT OF, OF INTEREST FOR WHO? UH, THE, THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, OPERATES A NONPROFIT CALLED FILM IT WEST COVINA.
AND THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION HAS DONATED TO THAT NONPROFIT.
IS THERE A CONFLICT THERE? NO.
SHE, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THE MAYOR PARTTIME HAS ANY FINANCIAL
[01:30:01]
INTEREST.I DON'T, I ACTUALLY DIDN'T EVEN WANNA DO THE FILM FESTIVAL THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR, BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.
THE STUDENTS DID, THE COMMITTEE, BOARD MEMBERS DID.
SO I, I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE, THE PUBLIC KNOW.
AND ANTONIO ALREADY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
AND, UH, ROSARIO, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YOU, YOU GOOD? OKAY.
OLI, YOU WANNA SAY YOU, YOU GOOD? YOU STAY OUT WITH THIS TROUBLE.
NOW YOU ALL GOOD? EVERYBODY LOVE YOU BECAUSE STAY OUTTA THE TROUBLE.
ANYBODY WANNA SAY ANYTHING? OTHERWISE, I WANT TO CLOSE THIS PRESENTATION.
I'M SO SORRY TO DRAG YOU GUY, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT PREPARED FOR ALL THIS INQUISITION.
OKAY? AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A GOOD HARD ONE TO HELP THE CITY.
I SAW THE EVENT, ALL THE DONATION, THIS AND THAT.
YOU GUYS THE BIGGEST DONOR IN THE CITY COUNCIL, AS LONG AS SIT OVER HERE.
WE SERVE A COMMUNITY FOR THE WEST FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
WE NEVER, EVER HAVE THIS ISSUE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE, I'M THE VOLUNTEER TO, SO WE WANT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HELP THE WEST CO THE NONPROFIT TO GIVE THE, A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY NEEDED DONATION FOR THE SCHOOL.
BUT NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY THAT, BRIAN, TODAY, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
YEAH, I HAVE ONE THING TO SAY.
I, I, I THINK, I THINK IT'S, YEAH, HAVE A SEAT.
SO I WANT TO THANK K-C-A-W-C FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK CAW, UH, C-C-A-W-C, UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS, IT'S, IT'S GIVING, IT'S GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S GIVING BACK TO, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED.
YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS AND EVERYONE ELSE.
UM, AND THOSE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE NONPROFIT.
YOU GIVE YOUR TIME AND YOUR MONEY, EITHER OR, BUT THAT IS GIVING BACK.
SO I DO THANK YOU AND I THANK EVERYBODY ELSE.
I KNOW WE HAVE ONE HERE ALSO WITH A NONPROFIT.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT YOU GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER GUT, GO AHEAD.
AND SO I, I WAS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF MY DISTRICT.
AND WHEN I'M ELECTED TO THIS OFFICE, I HOLD A, A LEGAL AND ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO I AM JUST DOING THE JOB THAT THE PEOPLE ELECTED ME TO DO.
AND, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO BY ASKING QUESTIONS WHEN TAX FORMS DON'T MATCH THE NUMBERS ON RECORD.
AND I'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE ON THIS CONSOLE.
ANY OTHER MEMBER? WANNA SEE SOMETHING? OKAY.
BUT, UH, THE CONCLUSION IS THIS.
AND CWC, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED.
OKAY? I WANT YOU TO PULL YOUR HEAD HIGH, OKAY.
AND, UH, CONTINUE TO DO THE GREAT THING AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN EDUCATION, AND THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
THE OKAY.AND THE MANAGER REPORT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, BY THE WAY, AS ACTING CITY MANAGER TO EVER SWEAR YOU, UH, NO, MR. MAYOR
SO, CORTEZ PARK COMMUNITIES AND SENIOR CENTER CELEBRATED THE END OF THE SUMMER WITH ITS ANNUAL SUMMER LUAU, UH, FEATURING A SPECIAL HAWAIIAN MEAL DANCING WITH DJ RUDY AND FUN RAFFLES.
THANK YOU TO EMINENT HEALTH FOR ITS SPONSORSHIP.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING, I JUST WANNA GIVE A QUICK UPDATE, IS ON THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
SO I'M CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING EXISTING MUNICIPAL CODE AND PERSONNEL RULES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
UH, AT A FUTURE MEETING, I'LL BE PROVIDING RE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXISTING LANGUAGE IN THESE DOCUMENTS.
ALSO, PROVIDING THE COUNCIL WITH A MENU OF OPTIONS TO INCLUDE AN UPDATED CODE OF CONDUCT, UH, PROVIDE A DRAFT COPY TO THE COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, AND THEN PLAN TO PLACE ON A COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL AT A FUTURE MEETING.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE CITY FOR A, A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME, UM, CALLS TO MY OFFICE THIS WEEK, WAS THE, UH, WEST PART AND AMAR, UM, INTERSECTION WHERE WE HAD TWO TRAGEDIES, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY AT BOTH OF THOSE TRAGEDIES.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE INTERSECTION AND EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED THERE.
SO IN, IN RESPONSE TO THE, UH, PREVIOUS COLLISIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF WESTPORT AND A R, THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE ENGINEERING
[01:35:01]
DIVISION TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ALERT DRIVERS TRAVELING ALONG, UM, A R ROAD.I'LL BRING YOU UP TO DATE WHERE WE'RE AT CURRENTLY TODAY.
THE CITY HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING TO CALTRANS, AND IS CURRENTLY PENDING APPROVAL TO BEGIN THE DESIGN PHASE.
UH, ONCE AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE STATE, THE CITY WILL ADVERTISE IN RFP FOR DESIGN SERVICES, AND THE SELECTED DESIGNER WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL PRIOR TO EXECUTION OF THE DESIGN AGREEMENT.
UH, IN THE INTERIM, AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 20, 24, 25, CITYWIDE PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICLE TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL INSTALLED MULTIPLE MEASURES AT AND NEAR THIS INTERSECTION TO ADDRESS CONCERNS RELATED TO SPEEDING TO IMPROVE DRIVER AWARENESS UNTIL WE CAN FINALIZE AND GET THE, UM, DEDICATED LEFT TURN SIGNALS IN, UH, PLACE AT THIS INTERSECTION.
SO SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE INSTALLATION OF OVERSIGHT, SPEED LIMIT, SIGNAGE, INSTALLATION OF NEW AND REPLACEMENT SIGNAL AHEAD, SIGNAGE WITH HIGHLY REFLECTIVE NEON, UM, SIGNS, EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND, INSTALLATION OF YELLOW, UH, BACK PLATES ON EXISTING SIGNAL HEADS REPAINTING IN THE CENTER, MEDIAN NOSE WITH YELLOW REFLECTIVE PAINT, INSTALLATION OF NEW OBJECT MARKER SIGNAGE ON CENTER MEDIANS, INSTALLATION OF LEFT TURN YIELD, AND ON GREEN SIGNS, EAST AND WESTBOUND.
INSTALLATION OF NEW FEEDBACK, SIGNAGE IN ADVANCE OF THE INTERSECTION.
I'VE ALSO ATTACHED A, A COUPLE PHOTOS OF WHERE THESE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN PLACED.
AND ALSO, UH, A PICTURE HERE OF THE, AGAIN, THE IMPROVEMENTS, THE OVERHEAD SIGNALS.
AGAIN, THIS IS TEMPORARY UNTIL WE GET THE PERMANENT, UM, DEDICATED LEFT TURN BAYS INSTALLED.
UM, BUT SINCE TAKING OVER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, THIS INTERSECTION, THIS PROJECT HAS REMAINED A PRIORITY.
UM, I'M WORKING WITH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE CHECKED IN AS RECENTLY AS TODAY WITH THE STATE, UH, TRYING TO EXPEDITE THIS SO WE CAN MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD AND MAKE THIS INTERSECTIONS INTERSECTION SAFER.
UM, SO PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, I, I HADN'T SEEN ANY PRESENTATION BY THE CAWC, AND I HADN'T SPOKEN TO THE COUNCIL, AND I HAD SPOKEN TO MY STAFF ABOUT THE 2025 SUPER MOON FESTIVAL.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED WAS THE CURRENT LOCATION, THE DAYS OF OPERATION, THE FACT THAT THIS HAS NOW BECAME A, A CITY EVENT, AND IT WILL BE TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EVENT IN ALL ASPECTS, UH, INCLUDING THE OPERATIONAL COSTS, UM, ANY PROJECTED INCOME, CITY STAFFING OVER TIME AND BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, UM, TO THE CITY, TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, TAKING ALL THESE ITEMS INTO CONSIDERATION AND REVIEWING PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT LAST YEAR THE CITY SPENT, UM, $120,000 ON THIS EVENT, RIGHT? AND THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT PRICE TAG DO YOU PUT ON THEM? UM, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CWC IS HERE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND EVERYTHING YOU TRY TO DO FOR THE CITY AND HAVE DONE.
UM, FOR ME, I, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, BUT YOU GET BACK TO THE ACTUAL FACTS AND THE ACTUAL COSTS.
AND AGAIN, UM, THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, THAT'S THE FIRST I HAD SEEN OF IT.
I HAD NO IDEA, UH, ACTUALLY WHAT THE CAWC RAISED OR WHAT THEIR EXPENSES WERE.
SO I JUST FACTORED THOSE IN TONIGHT.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYTHING COSTS MORE NOWADAYS, IT WOULD COST MORE THIS YEAR, UM, TO DO IT THAN LAST YEAR.
UM, SO AGAIN, I MET WITH MY STAFF, AND MY STAFF IS GREAT.
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO, WE'LL BE THERE.
UM, WITHOUT HESITATION, AT SOME POINT, YOU, YOU REALLY HAVE TO SIT BACK AND SAY WHAT'S FAIR TO THE STAFF.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY LESS THAN 30 DAYS TO PLAN THIS EVENT AND PULL IT OFF.
UH, WE HAVE STATE OF THE CITY THIS WEEK, SO THIS WEEK'S OUT, UM, WE, THE, WE STILL HAVEN'T GONE TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PULL ANY PERMITS OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT THE LOGISTICS, UH, WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO THE ORGANIZATION OF, UM, VENDORS THAT WE'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE OR WANNA PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE ACTS THAT, UM, PERFORMERS THAT WERE GONNA BE AT THE EVENT.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE, UM, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A CONSENSUS AMONG THE FIVE ELECTED, AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A COMPLETE CONSENSUS AGAINST, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN I FIRST TOOK OVER, I SAID, MY PRIMARY ROLE IS TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY AND RESPONSIBLE TO PROTECT MY STAFF.
[01:40:01]
SO IN DOING THAT, I, I SPENT THIS WEEKEND GOING THROUGH THE NUMBERS, THE LOGISTICS, AND THE ITEMS I'VE IDENTIFIED.SO I'VE MADE THE DECISION AND I'M GONNA MOVE THE EVENT TO CITY HALL.
UM, I'M GONNA TAKE IT OFF OF GLENDORA AS THE RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE IT WOULD COST US ABOUT $200,000 TO RUN IT ON GLENDORA AVENUE.
AND I HAVE FROM THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT, I CAN SEE THAT THEY BROUGHT SOME INCOME IN, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE $200,000.
AND ALSO ON THE CITY SIDE, UM, EVEN IF, UM, THE ORGANIZATION BROUGHT IN ENOUGH TO COVER THEIR EXPENSES, IT STILL DOESN'T ALLEVIATE THE FACT THAT THE CITY SPENT 120,000 LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR WILL COST MORE.
SO TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE CITY.
TO BE FAIR TO MY STAFF, TAKING INTO ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS, UH, WE ARE GONNA MOVE THE, UH, SUPER MOON FESTIVAL TO HERE, TO CITY HALL.
AND WE WILL RUN IT FOR WE DAY FOR SURE, DEPENDING ON THE REVENUE AND, UH, INCOME FROM SPONSORSHIP.
AND THE VENDORS WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION IF WE GO TO DAY TWO.
AND I'LL MEET WITH MY STAFF ON DAY TWO.
BUT AT THIS TIME, UM, THAT IS GONNA BE THE PLAN.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, MR. MAYOR.
AND ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL HAVE A QUESTION, OTHERWISE, I'M MOVING TO CONS.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
COMMUNICATION.UH, HOW MANY SPEAKER WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT? MAYOR WU, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SEVEN SPEAKERS.
AND, UH, COME TO THE FIRST SPEAKER PLEASE.
SPEAKER NUMBER ONE, SHERRY IAN, FOLLOWED BY JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY DOUG FOR, OKAY, I WANT TO SPEAK ON SEVERAL ISSUES TONIGHT.
ONE WAS THE TOWN HALL THAT, UH, BRIAN HAD.
IT'S THE BEST TOWN HALL THIS CITY HAS EVER HAD, BUT I DO NOT THINK YET.
I DO NOT THINK WE NEED THAT TYPE OF TOWN HALL FOR A DISTRICT.
CITY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO US, THE COMMUNITY, TO KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE.
SINCE LAST YEAR, WHAT DO WE HAVE? 120,000 PEOPLE.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY ONLY 10% OF THE ENTIRE CITY KNOWS THAT WE HAVE A NEW CHIEF OF POLICE.
WE HAVE AN INTERIM, UM, CITY MANAGER.
WE HAVE A NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
WE HAVE A NEW HR PERSON, A NEW FINANCE PERSON.
I WOULD RECOMMEND EVERY SINGLE JANUARY YOU PUT ON THAT TYPE OF TOWN HALL RIGHT HERE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL THE CITY TO KNOW WHO THEIR PEOPLE ARE, JUST BY RECOGNITION.
MOST PEOPLE THAT CAME TO BRIAN'S THING GOT ANGRY BECAUSE THEY CAME FOR TWO REASONS.
THE DEL NORTY SITE AND THE STREET SWEEPING.
BUT THE CITY DOES NEED TO DO EVERY JANUARY, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS COUNCIL.
GOD KNOWS SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, WE MIGHT HAVE 10 NEW EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, SO WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT.
AS FOR THE RULES OF DECORUM, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN RULES OF DECORUM HERE AND WHY THIS CHAMBER NOT BREAK INTO LAUGHTER.
WHEN YOU WERE THE ONE WHO ANNOUNCED THE DECORUM RULES, ABSOLUTELY WAS FLOORING OF ANYONE.
YOU HAVE DONE MORE INTIMIDATION, MORE LAWSUITS THAN ANY MAYOR IN THIS CITY, OR ANY COUNCILMAN IN THIS CITY IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.
AND IF WE WOULD SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND MONEY, INSTEAD OF PUTTING ON THESE MOON FESTIVAL, ALL OF THE FESTIVALS, THAT LIGHT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
AND I'M GONNA CORRECT YOU ON THAT.
THERE'S BEEN FIVE DEATHS AT THAT INTERSECTION.
TWO, JUST LAST WEEK, THREE A YEAR AGO.
THE SECOND MOST INTERSECTION IS THE ONE ON PUENTE AND VINCENT, YES, I KNOW EVERYONE KEEPS SAYING, WE'VE PUT THE MONEY IN.
WE PUT THE MONEY IN, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'VE APPROVED IT, THOSE LIGHTS ARE NOT IN THERE.
AND THAT IS PEOPLE'S LIVES, YOUR CONSTITUENTS LIFE, AND YOU'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OF YOUR FESTIVALS THAT THESE LIGHTS ARE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE WEST COVINA LIBRARY.
TEENS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE TEEN ADVISORY BOARD MEETING TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD, FROM FOUR TO 5:00 PM TEAMS WILL COLLABORATE ON THE NEXT MONTH'S TEEN PROGRAM OFFERINGS, TEEN LIBRARY TOPICS, AND THEY WILL PROVIDE THE LIBRARIAN WITH INSIGHT ON WHAT OUR TEENS WANT IN THEIR LIBRARY ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, FROM 10, FROM
[01:45:01]
THREE 30 TO 4:30 PM CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND 12 ARE INVITED TO LEARN ABOUT DRUMS IN OUR UPCOMING PROGRAM BOOK BOOM BANG DRUMS, CHILDREN ARE INVITED TO DISCOVER SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT DRUMS, LEARN SOME BEAT PATTERNS, AND THEN ASSEMBLE AND DECORATE THEIR VERY OWN DRUM TO PLAY.AND I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
HELLO, ONCE AGAIN, I'M HERE TO CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT.
AND REGARDING THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THE CITY NEEDS AND DOES A LOT OF BACKDOOR SPENDING AND TAKES ACTION ON ITEMS THE PUBLIC HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF SECRET HIRES, CONTRACTS.
UM, NOW ITS CONTRACTS UNDER 50,000.
IT USED TO BE UNDER 250,000, BUT BRIAN GOT THAT CHANGED.
UM, I STRONG STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU ADOPT WEST COVINA SCHOOL DISTRICT'S POLICY AND GENDERIZING ALL CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS THE CITY ENTERS INTO FOR PUBLIC VIEW AND COMMENTS.
EVERY MOU, EVERY AGREEMENT, EVERY CONTRACT, EVERY HIRE NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA, NO MATTER THE AMOUNT.
I ASK EACH MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL TO STAND UP FOR THE COMMUNITY, STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO JUST ONE PERSON OR DOES WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO DO.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE AT THIS POINT TODAY, AND THAT IS WHY THIS MEETING HAPPENED TODAY.
I DO WANT TO THANK, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING STUFF TO LIGHT MR. WU.
OCTOBER 1ST, LAST YEAR, RIGHT AFTER THAT MEETING, EXCUSE ME, YOUR TIME.
YOU DIDN'T START THE TIME OCTOBER 1ST, RIGHT AFTER THAT MEETING, YOU ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WAS OVER 250 VENDORS THERE, UM, 250 VENDORS.
IF EVERY VENDOR PAID $500, THAT IS WELL OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF VENDOR FEES THAT THEY COLLECTED.
THEY ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THEY COLLECTED $31,000, $431,485.
SO WHAT IS THE RIGHT NUMBER? JUST TELL US WHAT THE RIGHT NUMBER IS.
AND I AGREE THAT, THAT EVERY ORGANIZATION, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE MAKING A PROFIT, NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU GUYS IF THE CITY IS SPENDING MONEY.
UM, THEY ALSO HAD A, A FEE ON THERE THAT I FOUND VERY ODD CONSIDERING ISLAND RESTAURANTS HERE OF $6,100 FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, OF FEES THAT THEY PAID LAST YEAR.
WHAT IN THE WORLD DID THEY PAY $6,100 FOR A TWO DAY, UM, FEE TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT? THAT FEE MAKES ZERO SENSE.
SO I JUST, I, I, I THINK FOR, I THINK THAT THAT HAPPENS.
'CAUSE MAYBE WE COULD START TALKING, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, MAYBE WE DON'T GO BACK AND WE JUST MOVE FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT I ALSO WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT LAST YEAR, THE SPONSORS, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
JONES MEYER LAW, WHICH OUR ATTORNEY WORKS FOR.
HE WAS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE MOON FESTIVAL LAST YEAR.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY, ATHENS ROYAL COACHES, WHICH HAS OUR TOWING IN OUR CITY.
UM, TRANSTECH ALSO WAS A MAJOR SPONSOR LAST YEAR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT STUFF NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY THESE GUYS KEEP GETTING ALL THE CONTRACTS.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JD, FOLLOWED BY JIM RAVICH, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN AND SEAN MARTIN.
YOU GOT ENOUGH ENEMIES ALREADY.
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS WORKED.
I FIND THAT AS LUDICROUS AS FIRING COMMISSIONERS FOR NO CAUSE.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CITY GIVES THEIR EMPLOYEES A CIVIL SERVICE EXAM BEFORE THEY GET HIRED OR PROMOTE MOAT.
SO, TO TELL RESIDENTS THAT THEY MAY HAVE A CITY MANAGER OR A HR DIRECTOR THAT COMES OUT OF MAINTENANCE, AND I'M NOT PICKING UP MAINTENANCE OR OUT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT, JUST BECAUSE THEY MEET THE NUMBER OF YEARS IS CRAZY.
YOU EITHER NEED TO EXAMINE THE EMPLOYEE TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS TO DO THE JOB.
IF NOT, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN THE SAME MESS THAT YOU FOUND YOURSELF TONIGHT LOOKING AT IT AFTER THE FACT.
[01:50:01]
TO SAY ON THAT ISSUE.SINCE I STILL HAVE SOME MORE TIME IN CLOSING, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY SHAME ON YOU, MR. GUTIERREZ.
YOU USED THIS FOR POLITICAL REASONS.
YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS GROUP.
WHETHER THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG OR NOT, YOUR MOTIVE IS NOT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.
YOU'RE DOING THIS FOR SELF-SERVING REASONS.
AND I FEEL THAT YOU WERE WAY OVERBOARD TONIGHT WITH THO THAT THOSE FOLKS, YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN ALL THOSE QUESTIONS, WRITTEN THEM DOWN, AND SENT THEM TO 'EM AND GOTTEN THEIR RESPONSE IN WRITTEN FORM WITHOUT HAVING TO HUMILIATE 'EM.
THIS IS RELATIVE TO WHAT THAT LONG DISCUSSION WE JUST HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW.
I ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL TO ASK FOR A DETAILED ACCOUNTING OF OVERTIME IN THIS CITY.
THERE NEVER HAS BEEN SUCH A OVER ACCOUNTING.
I WOULD ASK SOMEBODY TO PUT IT ON A MOTHER.
MAY I, THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO FIND OUT WHERE ALL THAT MONEY'S GOING.
SECONDLY, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT JD BROUGHT UP, WHICH IS PEOPLE NEED TO BE QUALIFIED TO DO THEIR JOBS.
IT SHOULD BE COMMON SENSE THAT THEY SHOULD BE QUALIFIED.
IT SHOULDN'T BE BASED ON HOW MANY YEARS SOMEBODY SAT IN A CHAIR.
IT SHOULD BE BASED ON KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY.
I SPENT MY ENTIRE CAREER DEALING WITH TRYING TO HIRE THE BEST POSSIBLE PEOPLE AND ALSO HAVING TO FIRE PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB.
AND I THINK IT IS MISERABLE THAT THAT ITEM TWO, WHICH HAS BEEN PULLED IS SAYING, MANAGEMENT DOESN'T EVEN NEED A DEGREE.
NAME ME AN ORGANIZATION, ANY ORGANIZATION THAT DOESN'T THINK MANAGEMENT NEEDS A DEGREE.
AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, UH, 'CAUSE THERE WAS A STATEMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT ANYMORE, WHICH I THINK IS BIZARRE.
I'M, I'M, I I ASKED THIS QUESTION ON THE INTERNET TODAY ABOUT ALL THOSE POSITIONS ON THE LIST.
NOT ONE OF 'EM EXCEPT FOR ASSISTANT CITY CLERK OR FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF DOESN'T REQUIRE A DEGREE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT IN THE REAL WORLD ONLY HERE.
ANYWAY, I WANT THIS PASSED OUT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
YOU WANNA CONTINUE? UH, THE, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN.
'CAUSE WHOEVER WROTE THAT CITY REPORT JUST WRONG, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HASN'T GOTTEN RID OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.
I DUNNO WHERE THE PERSON GOT THAT FROM.
MY DAUGHTER WAS JUST HIRED BY THE SECURITY EXCHANGE COMMISSION ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEY PUT HER THROUGH THE THIRD DEGREE BECAUSE SHE HAD THE WRONG KIND OF MASTER'S DEGREE.
WHERE IN THE WORLD DID THEY GET THE IDEA? YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A BACHELOR'S TO BE A MANAGER.
UM, SHE'S AT LEVEL 12, WHICH IS NOT THE TOP, BUT IT'S, IT'S UP THERE.
AND SHE NEEDED, THEY SAID SHE NEEDED A MASTER'S AND SHE HAD TO GIVE THEM, SHE HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF CERTIFICATIONS, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL, SHE'S WORKS WITH SECURITIES AND CHANGE COMMISSION, AND SHE HAD, UH, A BUNCH OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT SHE'S A FINANCIAL PLANNER, FINANCIAL ANALYST, ET CETERA.
AND SHE HAD TO PROVE TO 'EM THAT THAT WAS AS GOOD AS HER MASTER'S IN DRAMA.
BUT MY POINT IS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE.
TH THIS MESS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH IN THIS CITY IS NOT GONNA GET BETTER IF YOU DON'T.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN AND SEAN MARTIN.
I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY SINCE 1972.
AND THE COYOTES ARE NOT PART OF OUR ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM.
NOBODY'S DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THEM.
WE HAVE THEM LIVING IN OUR YARDS.
A SIX POUND MALTY POO THAT I'VE HAD 11 YEARS.
THEY KILLED HER, JUST INSTANTLY CRUSHED HER.
AND WE ARE VERY PROTECTIVE OVER THAT DOG.
SHE HAPPENED TO GET OUT AND THE COYOTE JUST GOT HER.
CAN YOU, COULD YOU SAY THE LOCATION? OKAY.
THE COYOTE BETWEEN THERE, THERE'S LIKE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR OF 'EM.
THE WHAT STREET? WALNUT CREEK PARK.
UM, I SEE LIKE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR OF, THEY COME IN MORE OFTEN.
[01:55:01]
TIMES THIS WEEK.NORMALLY THEY KILLED THE NEIGHBOR'S TURTLES.
THEY'RE KILLING PETS ALL AROUND.
UM, YOU SEE CATS HEADS AND TAILS IN PEOPLE'S YARDS.
I'M AFRAID OF THE LITTLE KIDS, UH, AROUND THAT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE I SEEN A COYOTE YEAH.
JUMPED, UM, AN EIGHT FOOT BRICK WALL WITH THE CAT IN HIS MOUTH.
AND JUST THINK OF, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY, THAT'S SOME KIDS PLAYING IN THE BACKYARD.
AND THEY ARE NOT PART OF OUR ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 50, 50 YEARS.
NEVER SEEN COYOTES UNTIL THE LAST FIVE OR 10 YEARS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE LIVING, UM, UM, BY THE RIVERBED, UM, BY THE WASH.
AND THEY'RE COMING OUT, UM, THREE TIMES.
THEY, WE, I USED TO SEE THEM LIKE ONCE A MONTH, BUT NOW THAT, THAT THREE TIMES A WEEK, THEY KILLED THE NEIGHBOR.
BUT EVERY TIME I GO, I SEE A COYOTE.
I TELL THE NEIGHBORS, PROTECT YOUR DOGS.
I DON'T EVEN LET MY DOG OUTSIDE EVEN TO GO POTTY.
BUT SHE HAPPENED TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND RAN NEXT DOOR.
AND THE COYOTES WERE THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE EATING THE TURTLES FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
AND IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE ONE KID TO DIE BEFORE ANYBODY DOES ANYTHING.
THEY ARE NOT PART OF OUR, THEY CAN BE RELOCATED.
THAT'S WHAT WE PAY TAXES FOR, YOU KNOW, TO LIVE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE SCARED TO WALK OUTSIDE OF OUR HOUSE.
WE ARE WALKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKING.
AND ME AND THE NEIGHBOR WE'RE WATCHING BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG OLD BUSH AND NOBODY TRIMS IT.
THEY JUST SENT ME THE VOICEMAIL.
THAT BUSH, THERE WAS SOMEBODY HIDING IN THE BUSH.
WE JUST, WE DON'T EVEN GO BY IT ANYMORE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THE BUSH.
DID ANYBODY DO ANYTHING? WE HAVE NO IDEA.
OKAY, THEN WE FIND OUT ACROSS.
THERE'S GROUP OF, AND, UH, WE WILL HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY TO ANSWER YOU IN THEIR VAN, WALKING AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WHAT ARE THE POLICE DOING? GOT IT.
AND, UH, NICE SPEAKER, PLEASE.
WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY OR READ HERE IS UNINTENDED AS A POLITICAL STATEMENT, BUT IT'S A STATEMENT FOR THE CITY THAT I LOVE AND THAT I'VE LIVED IN SINCE 1988, RECENTLY AFTER THE SHOOTING IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, AS CATHOLIC SCHOOL THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE STATEMENT.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU WAS CRITICIZED.
STATEMENTS WERE MADE THAT THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
WE NEED LEGISLATIVE ACTION, POLICE POLICY CHANGE AND TANGIBLE SUPPORT.
AND OF COURSE, TO ALL THAT I SAY THAT'S RIGHT.
HOWEVER, TO DISPARAGE THE STATEMENT, OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU TO DISPARAGE THAT STATEMENT IS TO FAIL TO SEE THE POWER OF PRAYER.
ACTIONS, PRAYER SOMEONE SAID IS NOT PREPARING YOU FOR THE GREATER WORK.
SO I ENCOURAGE ALL PEOPLE OF FAITH IN, IN THIS CITY TO PRAY FOR THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY EMPHASIS TODAY.
BUT AFTER BEING HERE TODAY, I, I REALIZED THAT I NEED TO ENCOURAGE ALL MY FELLOW CITIZENS TO PRAY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, PRAY FOR THE MAYOR, PRAY FOR ALL THE STAFF.
OKAY? BUT SPECIFICALLY, I WANNA SAY, PRAY FOR THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I TELL PEOPLE, I WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND I SAID, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PRAY FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS IN, IN THE COUNTRY OR IN YOUR, IN, IN ALL YOUR, IN, IN, IN ALL THE COUNTY.
JUST PRAY FOR THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I PRAY FOR MESA ELEMENTARY, BARRANCA ELEMENTARY AND SOUTH HILLS HIGH SCHOOL.
'CAUSE I CAN WALK TO ALL THESE SCHOOLS, UH, 'CAUSE THEY'RE VERY, VERY NEUTRAL.
I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS, IN THIS HORRIFIC EVENT IN THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MAY NOT HAPPEN HERE.
AND WITH THAT BEING COGNIZANT OF THE DIFFERENT FAITHS THAT ARE IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, I WANNA PRAY FOR OUR SCHOOLS IN WEST COVINA.
FATHER IN JESUS' NAME COSTS OUR SCHOOLS IN WEST COVINA TO CONTINUE TO BE SAFE HAVENS PLACE YOUR ANGELS OVER OUR SCHOOLS.
WE PLACE THE BLOOD OF JESUS OVER OUR SCHOOLS AND CONFUSE ALL THE WORKS OF THE EVIL ONE AGAINST OUR SCHOOLS.
IN JESUS' NAME AND HEY, MAYOR,
[02:00:01]
CITY COUNCIL, MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU GUYS, LOVE YOU.OKAY, ANY OTHER SPEAKER? THERE ARE NO MORE SLIPS NOW, THEN WE MOVE TO THE OKAY.
AND ACTING CITY MANAGER RESPONSE PLEASE.
UM, SHERRY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE TOWN HALLS, UH, DECORUM AND OBVIOUSLY THE TRAFFIC INTERSECTION AT AMAR AND WESTPORT.
JOSH, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATES ON OUR, OUR LIBRARY.
UM, DOUG, FOR THANK YOU FOR, UM, DISCUSSING AND SPEAKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, UH, THE POSTING, MOUS, NEW HIRES, UH, AGENDA, UM, DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AND, UH, DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW WEBSITE, WE ARE LOOKING TO INCORPORATE, UM, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
UM, JD THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON CITY EMPLOYMENT AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
JIM GRITCH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT, AGAIN, QUALIFYING EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CERTAIN POSITIONS AND ON THE DETAIL OF OVERTIME THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A MOTHER MAY.
I, I'LL ASK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO PROVIDE THAT.
I'LL PROVIDE IT TO THE COUNCIL AND WE'LL DO A PRESENTATION WHETHER IN THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT OR UNDER DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BUT WE'LL PUT THAT ON, UH, AN UPCOMING AGENDA.
YOU DON'T NEED TO MOTHER MAY I, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THE, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD ALREADY KNOW.
UM, RUBEN AND, AND SEAN MARTIN, I OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR PET.
UM, THE ISSUE OF COYOTES, UH, WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING QUITE A FEW CALLS, EMAILS, UH, REGARDING COYOTE ACTIVITY IN, IN WEST COVINA.
AND IT'S SIMILAR, UM, IN SPEAKING WITH A NUMBER OF CITY MANAGERS AND CITIES IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
IT'S AN ISSUE IN ALL THE CITIES RIGHT NOW.
UM, CURRENTLY THE ISSUE OF COYOTES, THE REGULATION, THE ENFORCEMENT, UM, ALL OF THAT FALLS UNDER THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
UM, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT LOCAL JURISDICTIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DO, UM, WITH COYOTES.
THERE'S MAYBE ONE, TWO CITIES THAT HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR COYOTES.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, OUR, OUR COYOTE MANAGEMENT PLAN, UH, WHICH OBVIOUSLY MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT THE CITY DOES RESPOND.
UH, IF WE GET A CALL ABOUT A COYOTE DEN, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THAT ARE IN A, UH, BUSHES NEAR A SIDEWALK OR ON A VACANT LOTTERY OR ANYTHING, UH, WE DO SEND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF OUT THERE.
IF IT'S ON CITY PROPERTY, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WOULD ADDRESS THAT.
AND AGAIN, IF, IF THERE'S EVER AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN WITH A COYOTE, UH, THREATENING, UH, SOMEBODY'S, UH, SAFETY, UM, SOMEONE'S PET SAFETY, UM, YOU CAN CALL OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WILL RESPOND, UH, FOR THOSE EMERGENCIES.
UM, IF IT'S JUST A GENERAL CONCERN ABOUT YOU HAVE AN AREA WHERE YOU BELIEVE COYOTES ARE, ARE BREEDING OR STAYING, YOU KNOW, CALL OUR CITY STAFF, CALL OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND I'LL MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE HAVE OFFICERS INVESTIGATE AND WE'LL TRY TO ELIMINATE THE AREAS THAT THEY FIND, UM, EASY FOR THEM TO RESIDE.
YOU WANNA, UH, MINIMIZE THE FOLIAGE, THE BRUSH IN AREAS WHERE THEY WILL CONGREGATE AND HOPEFULLY IT PUSHES THEM OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS.
UM, THEY DO RUN THE, THE WASH.
UM, THEY DO RUN THE WASH FROM CITY TO CITY.
UM, THEY DON'T, UH, RECOGNIZE BOUNDARIES.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO MOVE ON AS LONG AS THEY CAN FIND FOOD AND WATER.
UM, SO WE WANNA MINIMIZE THE COMFORT ZONE THAT THEY HAVE, UH, AND HOPEFULLY THAT REDUCES THE NUMBER OF COYOTES THAT WE SEE IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, PASTOR MARTINEZ, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR PRAYERS REGARDING, UM, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE RECENT SHOOTINGS WE HAD, AND THAT STEMS, AND THAT COVERS ALL THE TRAGIC EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR KIDS, UM, AND THE BETTERMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR.ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WANT TO PROVE ANYTHING? NO.
OKAY, SO LET'S GO TO THE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE TO 1, 2, 3? I MOVE WITH A MOTION.
FIRST AND SECOND, REAL QUICK FOR CLARIFICATION.
AND, UH, MOVED BY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIA, SECOND BY MALE PROTEIN OR COUNCILMAN O WHICH ONE? TI LETTI.
[5) CONSIDERATION OF INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2533 (CODE AMENDMENT NO. 25-01) TO ALLOW MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING DRIVE-THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS WITH APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT]
MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.[02:05:02]
NUMBER FIVE.CONSIDERATION OF INTRODUCTIONS OF ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO, FIVE, THREE, THREE.
CALL AMENDMENT NUMBER 25 DASH ZERO ONE TO ALLOW MODIFICATION TO EXISTING DRIVE THROUGH FULL ESTABLISHMENT WITH APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PER ME.
AND THIS MATTER, PUBLIC HEARING CONSISTS OF, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 33 WITH THIS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
THE PROPER VERIFICATION, LEGAL NOTICE NOTIFICATION HAS BEEN GIVEN, IT HAS MAYOR, SO IT BEEN VERIFIED.
AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS PROJECT.
THE FIRST WILL BE THE PRESENTATION OF THE STAFF REPORT, AND THEN THEY SHOW HERE ON THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT, THEN OPPOSED? DO WHO IS GOING TO REPORT THIS ITEM? I WILL.
ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2024, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED CODE AMENDMENT NUMBER 23 DASH ONE, ADOPTING ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 19, PROHIBITING THE CONSTRUCTION AND NEW USES OF DRIVE-THROUGH FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, TO ADDRESS OVER CONCENTRATION ISSUES.
ON JUNE 17TH, UH, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED, UH, TO DIRECT STAFF TO EXPLORE, AMENDING THE DEVELOPMENT CODE TO ALLOW FOR EXISTING DRIVE-THROUGHS TO BE MODIFIED, TO CORRECT TRAFFIC, QUEUING, VACANCY, OR OTHER RELATED ISSUES.
NOW SPOTLESS BURGER, ALSO VACANT RESTAURANT WAS USED.
IN AN EXAMPLE, THE SITE'S DRIVE-THROUGH WAS APPROVED THROUGH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AS A REVERSE DRIVE-THROUGH WHERE THE DRIVE-THROUGH WINDOW IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
AND DUE TO ALL OF THIS CONFIGURATION, THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAD A PROBLEM ATTRACTING RESTAURANT TENANTS, WHICH HAVE LED, HAVE, HAVE ALL EXPRESSED THE DESIRE TO RECONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING WITH A DIFFERENT DRIVE-THROUGH CONFIGURATION.
SO ON JULY, UH, 22ND, 2025, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD A, A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE CODE AMENDMENT AND VOTED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, UM, CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
UM, THE AMENDMENT IS, UH, FOLLOWS GENERAL PLAN POLICIES OF A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY, MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE CITY'S CURRENT TAX BASE, UH, BUILD AND GROW WEST COVINA REGIONAL APPEAL AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UH, AND THAT CONCLUDE CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY, SO I HAVE ANY QUESTION IF NOW I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE, ANY SPEAKER, UH, POST OR AGREE WITH THIS? ANYBODY WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NONE.
IN THAT WAY, I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT.
I'M GOING TO BRING BACK TO CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSSION.
IF NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A OH, OKAY.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE CONSIDERATION INTRODUCTION OF ORDER IN SUMMARY 25 33.
I HAVE A FIRST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ A SECOND.
HOPEFULLY THIS APPROVAL THEY CAN FIND A BURGLARY PLACE SO WE PLAY IT LOOK HORRIBLE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN RECRUIT SOME BUSINESS.
HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH, BUT, OKAY.
[CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION]
NOW WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, COUNCIL COMMENT OR REQUEST.DO I HAVE ANY REQUEST? YES, MR. MAYOR? OH, GO AHEAD.
UM, IN, IN RESPONSE TO MR. AND MRS. MARTIN, I, I, THAT ACTUALLY HIT HITS HOME, UM, MY OWN DOG ANGEL WAS LOST, UM, TO A COYOTE ON THE 26TH OF JUNE, 2022.
AND, UH, I JUST WAS WONDERING IF, IF WE, IF I COULD, I'D LIKE TO SEEK APPROVAL FOR THE, OR TO ASK THAT THE STAFF DO A, UM, PRODUCE A REPORT ON RESOURCES, ON STRATEGIES FOR COYOTE ABATEMENT INCLUDING, UM, RE RELOCATION OR OTHER MEASURES TO ABATE COYOTE PRESENCE.
UH, SO THAT WAY THAT INCLUDES, UM, REMOVE REMOVAL AND WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THEM, ET CETERA.
AND, AND ALSO IF THERE ARE SERVICES THAT REMOVE THEM AND WHATEVER, UH, UH, IS OCCURRING THERE, UM, CAN THEY, CAN STAFF ALSO PROVIDE A LIST OF, OF SAMPLES OF, OF ENTITIES THAT DO THAT IN CASE THERE ARE PRIVATE RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO, UH, UTILIZE THOSE SERVICES TO, TO, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES, UH, UM, WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, AND THE, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR CD, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER AS I REMEMBERED, OKAY.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE HAVE, UH, COYOTE OKAY.
[02:10:01]
AND, UH, OKAY.AND I REMEMBER COC AND COUNTY CAME OVER HERE TO DO A PRESENTATION, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COUNTY JURISDICTION OR THIS IS SO, SO BECAUSE IF, UH, IF, UH, OKAY.
SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE POLICY, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A NEW POLICY? WE PLACE THE OLD POLICY OR OKAY.
OR SHOULD COUNTY SHOULD STEP IN OKAY.
TO TAKE CARE OUR CURRENT POTENTIALLY COYOTE ISSUE, UH, BASED ON THE COUPLE, SAY THEY SEE MORE COYOTE.
UH, IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I SEE A PACK OF, UH, COYOTE.
RECENTLY I DIDN'T SEE THEM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY MOVED TO BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING AROUND.
SO, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHOSE JURISDICTION ON THE FOUNDING OKAY.
ABOUT THIS ANIMAL CONTROL ISSUE.
SO THE ISSUE OF COYOTES IS SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ANIMAL CONTROL.
NO, IT'S NOT UNDER ANIMAL CONTROL.
ACTUALLY COYOTES ARE GONNA BE CLASSIFIED UNDER FISH AND WILDLIFE.
SO, UM, WHAT CAN WE DO IF, UH, OKAY.
COUNCILMAN ALI, REQUEST THE CITY TO LOOK INTO SHOULD WE GET FUNDING FROM THE STATE OR WHAT CAN WE DO BASED ON SATISFY HIS MOTHER? MAY I, WELL, IF I UNDERSTAND, UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS AS MOTHER MAY I, ONE, HE WOULD LIKE US TO EXPLORE, UM, OPTIONS THAT MAYBE OTHER CITIES HAVE UTILIZED FOR THE, UM, MAINTENANCE, CONTROL ERADICATION, RELOCATION OF COYOTES.
AND TWO, UM, I'M NOT A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON FISH AND WILDLIFE, BUT I BELIEVE IT'D BE SMART TO HAVE, UH, FISH AND WILDLIFE DO A PRESENTATION ON THE CURRENT, UH, CONDITIONS OF COYOTES IN WEST COVINA, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND ALSO PROVIDE OPTIONS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS OF WHAT CITIES CAN DO SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WILDLIFE.
AGAIN, I'M FAMILIAR WITH ONE OTHER CITY.
SO YOU BASICALLY, BASED ON HIS MOTHER MAY I, WE CAN INVITE THE STAY ANIMAL CONTROL, UH, WILDLIFE.
AND, UH, FISH AND GAME OR FISH AND WILDLIFE TO COME TO CITY TO GIVE US SOME PRESENTATION.
INVITE THEM TO, UH, COME AND DO A PRESENTATION AND ALSO HAVE MANAGER'S OFFICE WORK WITH THE STATE, UH, TO PROVIDE SAMPLES OF WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE, ANYBODY AGAINST THIS? NO.
MAYBE YOU COULD, YEAH, I'M SORRY.
UM, MAYBE YOU COULD REACH OUT TO, UH, ASSEMBLYWOMAN, UH, RUBIO'S OFFICE OR SENATOR RUBIO'S OFFICE AND MAYBE THEY COULD COORDINATE WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE, UM, SPEAKER TO COME OVER, SO, SO, SO, UH, MOTHER MAY I TO HAVE A STAY UNDER FISH AND WILDLIFE OR FISH AND GAME TO COME OVER HERE.
AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THIS INFESTATION OF, UH, COYOTE OVERGROWN HOMES IN SOME NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY MAY BE PUT SOME TRACK, UM, TRACKING TO SEE OKAY.
OF WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE OUR RESIDENTS SAFE AND ESPECIALLY THEIR PET.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? YES, MR. MAYOR.
AND, UH, ANY OTHER MAYOR, MAY I? OKAY.
ARE YOU SURE? BRIAN, YOU DON'T HAVE, I I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, UM, COUNCILWOMAN, UM, OKAY.
DIAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY MOTHER, MAY I REQUEST? NO.
I HOPE YOU CAN BEAR WITH ME TO JUMP ON ME.
BECAUSE THIS NEED TO BRING THIS BACK OKAY.
I WANT TO, LAST TIME WE TALK ABOUT CALL CONDUCT.
SO I THINK THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING TO BRING BACK FOR US TO DISCUSS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT WE CANNOT DO, INCLUDING EVERYBODY, INCLUDING MYSELF, THIS AND THAT.
SO IN THAT WAY, WE, WE ALL ABIDE BY THAT.
LOOKING TO OTHER CITY, HOW WE DO TOWN HALL, SHOULD WE DO LIKE, SAY JANUARY OR THIS ON THAT? OKAY.
WILL THAT CAUSE THE CITY STAFF TIME OR WHAT THAN THAT? SO PUT A SUGGESTION AND PUT BACK FOR CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND THEN AND APPROVE AND THIS ON THAT.
SO IN THAT WAY, AT LEAST WE HAVE A GUIDELINE, UH, FOR THE FUTURE.
HAVE ANYBODY AGAINST THAT? I'LL JUST, MR. MAYOR? YEAH, I'M SORRY.
I'M CONFUSED IF THIS DEALS WITH TOWN HALLS AGAIN.
I, I I I OPPOSE INCLUSION OF THAT IN, IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR REASONS STATED LAST, NO, IT'S NOT A CODE CONTACT, IT'S JUST LIKE, SEE ALL THE CT AND UH, HOW WE DEAL WITH SLASH WE DID A JANUARY LIKE THE LADY REQUEST OR SHALL WE DO SOMETHING AT LEAST SOME KIND OF, UH, OKAY.
AND, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO OR WHAT IS MORE EFFICIENT FOR OUR CT OKAY.
[02:15:01]
OKAY.SO IN THAT WAY, EVERYTHING YOU GOTTA APPROVE, THEN WE GO WITH WHAT YOU GOTTA AGREE UPON, RIGHT? SO IT IS A TRANSPARENCY TO SEE OTHER CITY AND THIS AND THAT.
IT'S NOT LIKE WHO DECIDED NO, HE'S GOING TO COME BACK.
AND FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE WHAT OTHER CITY DOING, WHAT IT COULD BE BETTER TO RUN A TOWN HALL MEETING TO MAKE, MAKE IT ALL THIS TREE OR OKAY.
AND PLUS WE WANT TO SEE THE STEP TIME.
HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY WE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO OKAY.
I, SINCE YOU DIDN'T MENTION NOTHING, YOUR HEAD
BUT WRITING IT DOWN, BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO IT, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OKAY.
YEAH, IF I COULD JUST SAY, UM, I DON'T PLAN ON HAVING TOWN HALLS EVERY WEEK OR EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SO FORTH.
THAT WAS A, PROBABLY A ONCE A YEAR TOWN HALL KIND OF THING.
BUT THE ACTION YOU'RE TRYING TO DO REALLY HARMS, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER OLI CONTOS MISSION AND CONTINUE EFFORTS TO HAVE CONSTANT TOWN HALLS.
AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I DON'T FIND, UH, A ISSUE THAT, UH, CONS, MCC CONTOS HAS HIS TOWN HALLS BECAUSE HE REPRESENTS THE CONSTITUENTS OF, OF DISTRICT FOUR.
BUT, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I WILL URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT FOR ME, BUT REALLY AN ATTACK ON OLI BECAUSE HE'S HAS MORE NO, NOBODY TO ATTACK ANYBODY.
HE'S JUST LOOKING INTO IT AND SEE OTHER CITY.
IF OTHER CITY AGREED TO DO MONTHLY, WEEKLY, AND, UH, IF SOME CITY COUNCIL WANT TO DO IT AND THIS IS A GUIDELINE AND THEN HE DO IT, JUST OPEN IT UP.
IT'S NOT STOPPING ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING.
IT JUST BRING TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS MAYOR RU, IS THAT YOU STATED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT YOU WANTED TO BLOCK COUNCILMAN MCC, CONTOS TOWN HALLS.
I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE HALL AND STAFF TOLD ME THAT YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT MY TOWN HALL.
SO I DIDN'T COMPLAIN ANYTHING.
I HOPE YOU DON'T PUT A PERSONNEL AND DOING ATTACK AGAIN.
I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS JUST PUTTING IT IN TO EVERYBODY LOOKING INTO IT, SEE THAT IT'S OKAY ABOUT STEP TIME AND THIS AND THAT.
YOU GUYS SAY, OKAY, THEN, THEN EVERYBODY GO TO DO THIS WEEKLY.
MAYOR PROTE, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
UM, OF, I'M NOT HERE TO ELIMINATE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I KNOW EVERYBODY SOMETIMES THE WORD TOWN HALL, UM, LIKE I KNOW MAYOR W DID SOMETHING WITH HIS, I HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
I MEAN I, I'VE DONE IT WHERE, BUT I DON'T CALL IT A TOWN HALL, BUT IT'S, IT'S RESIDENCE AND I THINK, UM, ON THIS ONE CURRENTLY, JUST RIGHT NOW WITH THE CITY STAFF, UM, WELL FIRST THANK YOU.
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE GONNA HAVE MONTHLY OR SO FORTH AND THIS, THIS ACTUALLY DERIVED, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IF FIVE COUNCIL PEOPLE HAVE MONTHLY TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND IT IS THE SAME TOPIC DISTRICT, UNDERSTANDABLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CATERING TO YOUR DISTRICT, BUT AS ONE MENTIONED YOUR TOWN HALL MEETING, UM, I DO AGREE THAT SHOULD BE MAYBE A CITY COUNCIL TOWN HALL MEETING ONCE A YEAR.
UM, THAT UTILIZES ALL STAFF, ALL THE COUNCILS ARE THERE.
UM, BUT IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, DEFINING WHAT TOWN HALL MEETING IS, UM, IS IT REQUIRED FOR ALL MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR CITY STAFF? BECAUSE I, I DO FEEL BAD FOR CITY STAFF.
I DON'T WANT THEM TO BURN OUT.
THEY ARE HERE WORKING NIGHTS, MORNINGS.
UM, IMAGINE FIVE TOWN HALL PLUS TWO COUNCIL AND YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD IS LIKE ALMOST THREE HOURS ON YOURS.
AND IF IT'S LIKE LONG HOURS, WHERE IS CITY STAFF GOING TO GET THE WORK DONE? PLUS, UM, GUIDING ON WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
IN THE PAST, WE DIDN'T HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
UM, I KNOW IT OCCURRED, IT STARTED OCCURRING, UH, WHEN ONE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, ONE WAS COMING UP FOR ELECTION AND, AND THIS CAME ABOUT.
AND YOU KNOW, ON THAT SITUATION, I KNOW THEY WANTED TO REPRIMAND ONE OF THE OFFICERS FOR, FOR SPEAKING ON A Q AND A.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE RULES ON THIS? ARE WE MAKING STAFF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THEM IN A SITUATION THAT MAY NOT FALL IN LINE WITH YOURS? UM, IS IT REQUIRED TO MAKE ALL CITY DIRECTORS BE THERE? UM, I KNOW LIKE WHEN I'VE HAD MINE, IT WAS JUST THE AREA SERVICE, UH, OFFICER, JUST TO TARGET THAT, AGAIN, IT WAS A DISTRICT.
HOW IS TOWN HALL DIFFERENT THAN A COUNCIL MEETING? UM, SO I THINK WHAT YOU ARE REQUESTING IS JUST A GENERAL GUIDANCE.
UM, HOW MANY OTHER CITIES ACTUALLY DO CERTAIN THINGS? UM, AND THEN I KNOW, LIKE I KNOW COUNCILMAN CONTOS USED TO HAVE, YOU HAVE TOWN HALLS, UM, BEFORE IT USED TO BE LIKE WEEKENDS, BUT IT HURT THE CITY STAFF.
AND, BUT I'M GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS WORKED OUT AND IT HAS IT DURING WHEN
[02:20:01]
THEY'RE HERE, BUT IT'S HOW OFTEN AND WHAT IT CONSISTS OF HOW LONG, AND IT'S JUST A GUIDANCE.UM, NOT NECESSARILY, I'M NOT HERE TO ELIMINATE.
I KNOW WE, UM, IN THE PAST WE ELIMINATED, WE MADE CATER, UM, WE ADJUSTED THAT ANY COUNCIL THAT IS RUNNING FOR REELECTION WILL NOT HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UM, FOR CERTAIN, AND I FORGOT WHAT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, MONTHS WAS THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
SO THAT, IT JUST MAKES THAT PART I AGREE.
YEAH, BUT SEE AGAIN, YOU AGREE WITH SOME, WE DON'T HAVE ANY GUIDANCE.
SO IN THIS ESSENCE, IT'S MORE TO BRING UP, LIKE THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE COULD HAVE.
SO TO MODIFY AND KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND STUFF.
AMY MAYOR RU'S, UH, WILLING TO NARROW DOWN HIS REQUEST AND, AND TALK ABOUT ELECTION SEASON.
PUT EVERYTHING OKAY REGARDING THE STEP TIME.
BECAUSE THE STEP TIME IT NOT ONLY COST THE CITY MONEY AND PLUS OKAY.
UH, RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING VERY THIN EYE WITH VERY LITTLE OKAY.
AND THE STAFFING, THIS AND THAT, AND I KNOW I CAN SEE THE PAIN OKAY.
OF THE, OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER.
HE WELCOME, COME TO DO ANY TOWN MEETING, DO ANY TIME.
AND I, I EVEN DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, UH, HE DOING THE ELECTION TIME DURING THE TOWN HALL MEETING AS LONG AS, OKAY, WHAT A STEP TIME THIS ON THAT.
I, I THINK STATE, OKAY, TOWN MEETING IS VERY HEALTHY BECAUSE TOWN MEETING IS ABOUT YOU LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENT AND SEE WHAT THEY NEED AND I THINK IT'S VERY HEALTHY.
OKAY? BUT THE ONLY THING ISSUE IS ABOUT THE STEP TIME.
DO WE NEED TO FORCE THEM TO BE THERE AND THIS ON THAT AND THAT THAT IS WHAT OKAY.
WANT TO SEE THE DISCUSSION SHOULD WE DON'T FORCE THEM TO BE THERE OR ONLY REPLACEMENT AND THIS AND THAT.
SO IN THAT WAY, OKAY, WE HAVE SOME, AT LEAST SOME GUIDELINE.
AND THEN THEREFORE, NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT FOR THE FUTURE COUNCIL.
SO IN THAT WAY AND, UH, SOME COUNCIL OKAY, MAYBE WE FORCE THE CT.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A FILE, THEN JUST LIKE MAY PUT SAID THEN WILL BE ANOTHER TIME.
AGAIN, HERE IS NOT, WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS, I THINK HE JUST MOTHER MAY I SEE WE DIS WE SEE HOW IT GOES.
AND THEN, OKAY FOR LEAD, OKAY, OKAY, YOU GUYS WANNA TALK ELECTION, THIS AND THAT.
I REALLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM EITHER.
ANY CITY COUNCIL WANNA DO IT, I GUARANTEE I WON'T DO IT.
AND OR I WOULD DO IT WITHOUT EVEN TELLING JUST BASED ON WHAT THE, WHAT RESIDENT THEY HAVE A ISSUE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBOR, ABOUT THEIR BREAK IN, THEN I WOULD BE THERE, LISTEN TO THEM.
AND THEN I'M NOT GOING TO, UNLESS THEY HAVE A POLICE ISSUE, THEN I WILL MAKE MAKE ABOUT MAYBE THE LOCAL POLICE OR PATROL TO SEE WHY THEY HAVE A BREAK IN.
I'M NOT GOING TO FORCE ANY DIRECTOR AND ANYTHING ANYWAY, JUST A SUGGESTION ABOUT HOW YOU LISTEN.
OKAY? WHAT IS THE TOWN HALL MEETING? THE DEFINITION OKAY.
IS THAT I GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
I THINK NO, NO MATTER WHAT YOU WANT TO GO TO THE RESIDENT, INVITE YOU TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOOK INTO THEIR, OKAY, UH, THE CAR ISSUE, THIS ISSUE, THAT ISSUE.
SINCE YOU GET ELECTED, YOU NEED TO GO.
OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO RESTRAIN.
OKAY? RESTRAIN YOUR ABILITY TO GO.
IT'S JUST ABOUT THE STEP TIME.
SHOULD WE HAVE A LIMITATION ON THAT OR NOT? AGAIN, IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO DISCUSSION AND THAT'S WHAT ONLY MY SUGGESTION IS OPEN THE OKAY.
TRANSPARENCY TO SEE WHAT IS GOOD AND YOU GOT TO DECIDE WHAT TO GO.
SO, UM, DO I HAVE A SECOND, MR. MAYOR? YES, GO AHEAD.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN EXCHANGED, BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE HAD 10 TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I'M GOING TO DO AN 11TH ON SEPTEMBER 25TH.
AND TO HAVE TO, TO SPEND TIME ON SOMETHING THAT PRIMARILY APPLIES MO MOSTLY TO ME, IT JUST, IT'S, THIS IS, IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
IN TERMS OF THE STAFF TIME, IT, IT, IT'S SOMETHING WHERE, WHERE STAFF NEED TO BE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS.
SOMETIMES IT'S WEEKENDS, SOMETIMES IT'S WEEKDAYS, BUT, BUT THEY NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESIDENTS AND FOR, FOR THE, THIS COUNCIL TO TRY TO GOVERN THAT.
I HAVE NOT INTERFERED WITH ANYTHING THAT ANYONE ELSE HAS TRIED TO DO.
WHETHER THEY HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR NOT, OR WHATEVER FORMAT THEY TAKE.
I WOULD ASK THAT THEY JUST, THAT THIS NOT PROCEED THIS WAY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S AN INDIRECT WAY AS A BACKDOOR WAVE TO TRY TO CONTROL HOW I DO MY TOWN HALLS BY YOU EVEN TRYING TO TELL ME HOW WE SHOULD USE OUR STAFF.
IT'S LITERALLY IF WE DO ONE TOWN HALL MEETING PER STAFFER, IT'S THREE HOURS PER QUARTER.
IT'S NOT A LOT OF TIME AND IT HAS BEEN WORKING SUCCESSFULLY.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE COUNCIL, LEAVE ME ALONE WHEN IT COMES TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND NOT TRY TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH STAFF.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HARDLY TAKES UP ANY STAFF TIME AT ALL.
YOU'RE SAYING IT'S A, IT'S FOR
[02:25:01]
EVERYBODY, BUT I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO HOLDS CONSISTENT TOWN HALL MEETINGS.SO IT'S ACTUALLY PRIMARILY ABOUT ME.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO, TO COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ, HE, HE'S HAD HIS TOWN HALL MEETING AND, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND ALL OF YOU HOLDING TOWN HALL MEANS WHATEVER WAY, FORMAT, WHETHER YOU USE STAFF, YOU DON'T USE STAFF, BUT WE, WE SHOULD HAVE OUR INDEPENDENCE TO DECIDE HOW TO GOVERN ON, ON THOSE ISSUES.
WE, WE DON'T TAKE UP SIGNIFICANT STAFF TIME.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THAT, THAT THIS NOT BE ADDRESSED THIS WAY BECAUSE IT IS DIRECTED FOR ME.
OKAY? NOBODY DIRECT TO YOU, PLEASE.
OKAY? WE JUST WANT TO, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR TOWN HALL MEETING, OKAY? NOBODY, I HAVE STAFF OR WHATEVER AT ANY TIME.
I'M NOT GOING TO, BUT, BUT THE THING IS, IS YOU WILL THEN AVAILABLE OR NOT THAT WE JUST WANT TO DISCUSS, SEE THAT IS FEASIBLE AND HOW THE CITY ACTING CITY MANAGER LOOKING INTO, UH, THE STAFFING AND THIS THAT, JUST LIKE ANYTHING, OKAY, WE WANT TO OPEN NOBODY, OKAY? OL NOBODY WANT TO STOP YOUR TAHOE, YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO TAHOE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED STEP THE ONE THING.
SO ANYWAY, I DON'T WANNA CONTINUE TO DISCUSS OVER THERE SINCE I MOVED, I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I I, I JUST WANNA SAY AGAIN, UH, AND I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES THAT THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON ME AT ALL.
THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OLI AND IF YOU RESPECT OLI AND RESPECT HIS LEADERSHIP, THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
I ONLY HAD ONE, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME, BUT THIS IS REALLY AN ATTACK ON OLI.
UH, IF YOU RESPECT HIM, YOU SHOULDN'T BE VOTING ON A MEASURE LIKE THAT, THAT'S GONNA LIMIT HIS ABILITY TO HAVE TOWN HALLS AND HAVE STAFF MEMBERS AGAIN.
IT'S NOBODY ATTACKING ANYBODY.
JUST LIKE, OKAY, WE WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT IS THE SUGGESTION? OKAY.
IT IS TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE, OKAY, WHAT WE WANT TO LISTEN TO EVERYTHING IN DETAIL AND THIS AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, RIGHT? AND NOW WE WANT TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WILL COST AND HOW THE STEP TIME IS AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
AND THEN WE WANT TO LISTEN TO STEPS IF THEY OKAY WITH THAT OR THEY CAN DO ALL THE ALTERNATIVE WAY.
SO IN THAT WAY WE DON'T, OKAY.
AND, UH, JUST SAY, OKAY, BECAUSE ON THAT THIS COMPLY WITH THIS AND THAT COMPLY NOT COMPLY TO THIS.
OKAY? SO ANYWAY, UH, SINCE THIS I MOVED THIS MOTHER, MAYOR, DO I HAVE A SECOND? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT AN ATTACK ON COUNCILMAN ALI AT ALL.
IT IS THE MAYOR ONLY, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
WHATEVER HE SAYS THAT'S ON HIM.
I DON'T, I'M NOT, DON'T EVEN SPEAK.
THIS IS, THIS IS BECAUSE THIS OCCURRED, UM, THIS OCCURRED WITH, UH, ONE FORMER MAYOR THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD THIS, AND THEN WE HAD AN INCIDENT, BUT THAT'S WHY IT CAME THROUGH.
AND SO THREE YEARS I HAD HIM, BY THE WAY.
BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST, BUT ANYWAYS, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, JUST IN GENERAL, WE'RE NOT, I MEAN, KUDOS NO PROBLEM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
BUT, UM, THIS IS NOT ONLY JUST FOR THIS, IT'S ALSO FOR FUTURE.
SO IT'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYMORE.
THIS IS JUST ALL IN GENERAL, IT'S JUST A GUIDANCE AND, UM, RIGHT NOW, BUT FOR ME, FOR, FOR STAFF, I KNOW WE ARE VERY, VERY SHORT STAFFED AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW WITH CITY HALL STAFF.
I, I DON'T WANT STAFF TO BURN OUT.
BUT THIS NOT JUST TOWN HALL, THIS IS JUST EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, LIKE ALL WHAT WE HAD AND DEAL WITH JUST EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
I DON'T WANT STAFF TO BURN OUT.
BUT POINT IS, IT'S NOT, IT'S JUST A GENERAL GUIDANCE AND JUST TO LOOK AT IF IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S MODIFIED, WHATEVER, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST LET GO OKAY.
NOTHING, NOBODY ATTACK ANYBODY.
IT JUST WANT TO SEE THE NUMBER, THIS AND THAT.
BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD TO KNOW FOR FUTURE.
SO ANYWAY, LIKE, IT'S ALSO GOOD TO KNOW JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HEARD.
SO I WOULD CONSIDER A, YOU KNOW, A YEARLY TOWN HALL COUNCIL MEETING, UH, JUST LIKE WHAT, WHAT ONE OF THE RESIDENTS JUST MENTIONED.
I, I, I THINK, BUT I'D LIKE ALL THAT TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND THEN KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE SINCE I HAVE THIS MOTHER, MAYOR, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
OKAY, I SECOND THE, THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT AND THAT IS, UH, THE RESIDENTS ARE SEEING TODAY, UH, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, THOSE WHO HELP GET, HELP FUNDRAISING AND RAISING MONEY FOR THEY GET THE WAY THEY WANT.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TONIGHT.
COULD YOU STAY WITH THE TOP? CAN WE STAY HERE AND EVERY VOTED GO ON.
COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, UM, PLEASE SAY NO.
MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ, VITO AYE.
AND, UH, PRO THREE, TWO, OKAY.
AND THE CITY, UH, MANAGER TO BRING BACK ABOUT THE CORE CONDUCT PLUS OKAY.
AND TOWN HALL, AND THEN LOOK INTO OKAY.
ALL DIRECTION THAT ALL THE CITY
[02:30:01]
DOING, OKAY.AND BRING BACK FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS, OKAY? SO IN THAT WAY, AND, AND PLUS YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE STEP TIME, JUST BE TRUE ABOUT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE OKAY, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH TIME.
SO ANYWAY, JUST SEE HOW CAN CITY COUNCIL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK CITY COUNCIL WANNA DO THEIR TOWN MEETING, YOU SHOULD WELCOME TO DO IT.
OKAY? AND, UH, TO GET, AND THE REQUEST IS THE STAFF, IF THEY HAVE THE TIME TO HELP YOU.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO IT, CONTINUE TO DO IT.
I THINK IT'S VERY HEALTHY FOR OUR COUNCIL TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING.
BUT JUST BE CAREFUL ON THE STAFF, LET'S SAY.
BUT ANYWAY, NOBODY STOP ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO TELL MONEY, GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY OTHER THING? YES, I HAVE A CONS REQUEST.
OH, WAIT, SO I, I'M SORRY IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH BRINGING BACK A CODE OF CONDUCT AND THEN TOWN HALL MEETINGS, THAT SURVEY, I'M SORRY, SEPARATE.
THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATELY IN APART, THAT'S WHAT, I'M SORRY.
CODE OF CONDUCT ALREADY APPROVED LAST MEETING FOR AND 4 0 4 0 BECAUSE LET, OKAY.
AND THE MAYOR POTENT LETTER, OKAY.
SO IT'S FOUR ZERO APPROVED AND TONIGHT IS A THREE TWO APPROVED TO LOOK AT THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
WHAT IS STEP TIME? WHY IS THAT OTHER CT, WHY IS THE OKAY.
SOMETHING TO BRING BACK TO FORTH TO DISCUSS.
AND I SAID IT IS NOT OKAY ABOUT TO RESTRICT ANYBODY, RIGHT.
IF YOU WANNA DO 10, OKAY, GO AHEAD TO DO IT.
AND YOU HAVE SAID SOMETHING YOU WANNA DO? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE SURE IT WAS CLARIFIED.
CODE OF CONDUCT APPLIES TO EVERYTHING THAT, THAT'S NOT JUST OKAY.
TOWN HALL, IT'S SPECIAL EVENTS, IT'S COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF.
THAT CODE OF CONDUCT IS JUST THE UMBRELLA OF ALL TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
A COMPLETE SEPARATE, TWO SEPARATE ITEMS, TWO COMPLETELY SEPARATE ITEMS. THANK YOU.
SO SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESOURCES AND ALL THAT, SO LET'S, LET'S GO ON ACCOUNTABILITY THEN.
PURSUANT TO MY, PURSUANT TO OUR AUTHORITY ON OUR GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 37 1 0 4 AND SECTIONS 37 1 0 5, I AM FORMALLY REQUESTING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PLACE ON THE NEXT AGENDA, DIRECTING STAFF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE A SUBPOENA TO THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST COVINA.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS SUBPOENA IS TO COMPEL PRODUCTION OF COMPLETE IRS TAX RETURNS, INCLUDING ALL SCHEDULES FOR THE YEARS 20 22, 20 23, 20 24, ALL PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENTS, LEDGERS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION RELATING TO THE MOON FESTIVAL AND THE CITY PARTNER EVENTS.
DURING THE TIME, ALL BANK STATEMENTS, VENDOR AGREEMENTS, AND SPONSORSHIP RECORDS TIED TO THOSE CITY EVENTS, THE COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED NONPROFITS TO PROVIDE THESE FINANCIAL RECORDS ON JUNE 17TH, 2025.
SINCE CAWC HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THAT DIRECTIVE, VOLUNTARILY HAS MISSED MULTIPLE DEADLINES AND HAS PROVIDED DOCUMENTS THAT APPEAR INCONSISTENT WITH IRS FIREARMS. IT IS THE CONSUL'S DUTY UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW, INCLUDING STANSON VERSUS MOB TO SAFEGUARD TAXPAYER FUNDS AND ENSURE PROPER OVERSIGHT OF PUBLIC RESOURCES ISSUING THIS SUBPOENA IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S INTERESTS AND FULFILL OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY.
AND I, AGAINST THIS BECAUSE A POINT OF ORDER, POINT OF ORDER, CITY ATTORNEY, IS THERE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THE MAYOR TO COMMENT ON HIS WIFE'S CHARITY RIGHT NOW? NO, I'M NOT A MEMBER DOES NOT MEMBER HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN, IN, UH, NONPROFIT.
HOW DO YOU KNOW? YOU DONE AN ANALYSIS.
HE PROVIDED YOU ALL THE TAX DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THAT NOT HE NOT I SEE I'M NOT THE MEMBER.
HUH? CAN I SPEAK? I HAVE A, I'M DONE.
HE DOES NOT HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THE NONPROFIT.
HOW DO YOU, HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT IF HE DIDN'T PROVIDE YOU THE TAX FORMS? HE COULD JUST TELL YOU THAT.
BUT YOU, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? FACTS? HE'S TOLD ME HE'S REPRESENTED IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY, THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST.
GO AHEAD AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF YOUR WIFE, LAW, LAW AND OKAY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD WITCH HUNT A NONPROFIT.
FOR THE CITY AND OVER HERE, OKAY? AND THEY DONATE.
YOU SEE THE, THE, OKAY, THE DONATORS, OKAY.
MASK, THEY DONATE FUEL, THEY PAY FORWARD.
WE NEED A ORGANIZATION AND NOT JUST WHICH HARM BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME AND THEN YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD A RUMOR AND THIS AND THAT.
YOU DON'T TRY TO, WOULD YOU PLEASE LET ME FINISH THEN YOU CAN OKAY.
AND CONTINUE TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I NEVER SAID IT BEFORE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THE RUMOR, THIS ATTACK, PERSONAL ATTACK.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE A FREEDOM OF SPEECH TO ATTACK ME, BUT THAT IS SHOWING WHAT YOUR CHARACTER IS, OKAY? AND THAT YOU ATTACK A NON-PROFIT, NOBODY GET PAID.
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO OKAY AT THE SCHOOL, THE CHILDREN, THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND NOW YOU MAKING TREAT
[02:35:01]
THEM LIKE A BUNCH OF CRIMINAL, THAT THEY MAKE MONEY.THE PROBLEM IS THE CITY, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CITY PAY.
OKAY? THIS, THAT THE OVERTIME, THEY, THEY ONLY PAY THE OKAY FOR WHAT? THE EVENT, ALL THE MAJOR RENTAL, THE BATHROOM, THIS ON THAT, AND SHOWING, AND THEY EVEN PAY FOR THE PERFORMANCE FOR THE SCHOOL, FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP.
THIS ON THAT, WE NEED THIS KIND OF ENTITY TO HELP OUR CITY, TO HELP OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP EACH OTHER RIGHT THEN.
OKAY? AND THERE'S TELL LIKE YOU'RE ANGRY, OKAY? AND I'M NOT ANGRY.
YOU'RE NOT, YOU ARE HAPPY WITH ME.
THEY BASICALLY, AND THEY ALREADY CAME OVER HERE WITH A GOOD FACE AND TRY TO SHOW EVERYBODY WHAT THEIR BOOK, IF THEY CAN SHOW OVER THERE.
I THINK THEY HAVE A, DOES IT, DOES IT MATCH THE TAX FILE? LEMME FINISH.
SO IN THAT WAY YOU BASICALLY, OKAY.
AND THEY TRY TO CONTINUE OKAY? AND PUT A SCAPE GOAL, OKAY? PUT YOUR ANGER INTO A VERY SUCCESSFUL NON-PROFIT, OKAY? FOR LESS.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING JUST WHICH HUNT.
SO I WILL A HUNDRED PERCENT AGAINST THIS MM-HMM
ANY OTHER WANNA SAY SOMETHING MR. MAYOR? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UH, JUST TO EXPRESS, OH, I'M GOING TO SECOND THE MOTION, BUT IT'S NOT OUT OF A WITCH HUNT.
IT IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF JUST, THEY'VE ALREADY OFFERED TO SHARE THE BOOKS ANYWAY, SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY OBJECTION TO, TO MAKING THIS.
OKAY? AND THERE'S AGAIN, NON-PROFIT, THEY ARE WILLING TO DO IT, BUT NOT BY SOME KIND OF MENT SUBPOENA, THAT KIND OF THING.
OKAY? AND SO THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM SUBMIT.
SO IN THAT WAY, WHY YOU NEED TO KIND OF TREAT THEM A NONPROFIT.
OKAY? THINKING ABOUT IN THE 2020 PANDEMIC, THEY COME OUT, DONATE ALL THE PPE AND ALL THE FUEL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE THE FIRST GROUP IN MARCH AND APRIL AND DONATE THE GATE.
AND I WAS THERE, I THINK, OKAY, MYLAN WAS THERE TOO.
AND MOVING ALL THESE PPE TO THE HOSPITAL, TO THE DOCTOR AND THE NURSES, RIGHT? YOU REMEMBER THAT DAY? OKAY? AND ALL THE CONTINUOUSLY TILL THE PANDEMIC IS OVER, THEY OVER HERE DONATE ALL THE TIME WHERE THE MONEY COMING FROM THEMSELF.
THEY COLLECT ALL THE MONEY AND PAY FOR ALL THESE PP THEY EVEN DONATE WHAT, 12,000 TO THE SCHOOL FOR THE PPE AND THE, OKAY, THE SCHOOL BACK TO SCHOOL ITEM.
SO WHERE THE MONEY COMING FROM, COMING FROM THE DONATION FOR THE P FOR THE CAWC.
SO, SO, SO YOU WANT TO KILL THIS ORGANIZATION.
THEY DIDN'T BE SCARED AND RAN AWAY.
THEY CAN GO BACK THEIR PRIOR LIFE.
DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY DONATION, DO ANY, ANY, ALL THIS COMMUNITY EVENT OKAY? VOLUNTEER AND TRY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AS A FAMILY.
OKAY? SO I, I, SO AS I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK INTO, WHY WE SPEND $120,000, HOW CAN WE CUT THE COURSE? OKAY.
IS THAT WORTH IT? I STILL THINK ABOUT BRINGING THE PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH ALL THE PERFORMANCE, WITH ALL THE CHILDREN.
SO HAPPY OVER THERE, WALKING OVER THERE, RUNNING AROUND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY SENSE OF, UH, BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD.
AND NOW IT'S UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS NOT HAPPY.
BUT IN THAT WAY IT IS REALLY, IT'S NOT FAIR FOR OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE THIS GREAT EVENT.
P NO, AGAIN, THE FOCUS IS WHAT THE CITY SPENDING AND WHAT THE CITY IS ALLOWING OTHERS, WHETHER IT'S NONPROFIT TO DO AND NOT DO.
THAT IS THE FOCUS, THE FOCUS IS ON CITY NOW TO SUBPOENA A NONPROFIT WHEN THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE 'EM GO THROUGH COURT AND DO ALL THAT.
THEY ARE VOLUNTEERING TO GIVE THE ITEMS, UM, WHATEVER IS NEEDED.
I MEAN, THAT'S A VOLUNTEER THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT SAYING NO, THE HELL WITH YOU, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA WORK WITH YOU.
BUT AGAIN, MY FOCUS IS MOVING FORWARD AND THE FOCUS IS WHAT THE CITY, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID EARLIER, WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES? WHAT DO THE NONPROFIT COVER AND WHAT DOES THE CITY COVER? AND THIS IS FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW.
AND THIS IS A TRANSPARENCY FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO WORK WITH US.
SO THAT, THAT AGAIN, IS MY FOCUS.
WE'RE HERE TO DO CITY BUSINESS, NOT GO ON DIFFERENT THINGS AND TO SUBPOENA.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT I CAN'T, I CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH, YEAH.
SO I'LL, I'LL CLARIFY MY MOTION.
A SUBPOENA IS WHAT THE CONS HAS UNDER ITS AUTHORITY.
AND WE CAN HAVE TOM ANSWER THE QUESTION TOO, BUT IT'S NOT A COURT, IT'S NOT A COURT ORDER, IT'S A SUBPOENA TO COMPEL TO THE CITY CONS AS A MANDATED UNDER LAW.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE CONCERN HERE TODAY, WE SAW AN ORGANIZATION PROVIDE NUMBERS THAT DON'T MATCH THEIR TAX RETURNS.
SO ARE WE GONNA SAY WE'RE GONNA LOOK THE OTHER WAY? IS THAT ALL YOU'RE ASKING FOR? NO, I'M NOT SAYING, BUT THEN AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO ALL THE NONPROFITS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND THIS INCLUDES THE, OUR EVENT, THE TOY JOINT.
I KNOW, BUT THEY DIDN'T COMPLY, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A NONPROFIT.
WELL, ONE, HOW MANY NONPROFITS DO WE HAVE THAT THE CITY WORKS FOR? WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FULL DETAILS BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WAS CONTACTED.
[02:40:02]
I, I, I MENTIONED BEFORE.YEAH, I THINK, WE'LL, WE DON'T HAVE TO ARGUE OVER HERE.
OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND, THEN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
I FIRST FROM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
WE'LL CALL VOTE COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
WHAT AM I SAYING? NO, YOUR MOTION.
YOU SAY NO, YOU HOLD THERE, YOU FALL ASLEEP.
AND, UH, UH, IF NONE, ALL THE WE ANY COMMENT? OKAY.
ANY COMMENT? I HAVE A COMMENT.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, TODAY THE PUBLIC SAW, UH, MY COLLEAGUES LOOKED THE WAY WHEN $152,000 HAS BEEN SPENT ON TAXPAYER FUNDS.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THIS NONPROFIT HAS GIVEN TO MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS COUNCIL.
AND, AND THE MAYOR HAS RAISED MONEY FOR PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL.
SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE TAXPAYERS HAVE TO SUFFER.
AND THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY IN ENSURING HOW THAT $152,000 OF TAXPAYERS MONEY, IT WAS SPENT.
AND WE'RE SAYING IT'S OKAY TO PROVIDE FALSIFYING NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN.
WE AT THE CITY COUNCILS, WE'RE GONNA LOOK THAT WAY.
AND, UH, MAYOR PUTIN, GO AHEAD.
SORRY, I'M NOT GONNA BE PETTY, BUT IF WE'RE REALLY GONNA GO THAT AGAIN, FAIRNESS, ALL NONPROFITS PUT EVERYTHING AND INCLUDING THAT BIGGEST TOY DRIVE, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH DID THE CITY SPEND ON THAT TOY DRIVE THAT ONE DAY WHERE WE BLOCKED OFF ALL THE CITY STREETS WHERE WE, THAT THAT WAS SPENT SO THAT CITY SPENT THAT WAS SPENT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT COMMISSIONER HAS MORE POWER THAN A COUNCIL MEMBER? OKAY.
I'M NOT, BRIAN, CAN YOU PLEASE, PLEASE? OKAY.
I'M NOT HERE TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA GRANDSTAND OR DO ALL THAT AT ANY OF THAT STUFF.
YOU MAKING ALL THIS STATEMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT? I'M SAYING IF YOU WANNA DO THAT ONE, YOU GO FOR ALL, YOU CAN'T JUST GO FOR ONE.
BECAUSE THERE'S ANY INFORMATION THERE IS FOR YOUR NONPROFIT.
THIS GOES TO I'M SPEAKING RIGHT NOW.
THAT ALL I'M SAYING ONE, NOT JUST ONE.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT GONNA GO FOR ALL, AND THAT'S EVEN TOUCHING THE EVENT.
THAT TOY BIGGEST TOY DRIVE IS THAT, THAT INVOLVED THOUSANDS OF MONEY.
THAT WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
DID THE CITY PAY FOR IT? WELL, THE CITY DID PAY WELL, IF YOU WHO PAID FOR IT? HUH? WHO PAID FOR IT? I DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA, COMMISSIONER HAS MORE POWER THAN A CONSUMMATE.
YOU, YOU, YOU WANT, YOU WANT ME TO HELP YOU? OKAY.
YOU WANT ME TO HELP YOU TO YOU'RE PROTECT.
IT'S, WE ALL, WE HAVE A THREE PERSON, WE ALL HAVE HELPING YOU TO GET AN EVENT TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU ARE THE COMMISSIONER.
SO MAYBE WE SHOULD THE CITY CLARIFY YOUR NON-PROFIT.
WHAT'S THIS VAN? YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL CURRENT.
I THINK THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS BECOMING PETTY NOW, NOW IT BECOME LIKE A ZOO OVER HERE.
WE'LL COME TO WEST COVINA ZOO AFTER BRIAN JOIN US.
YOU SMILING AND LAUGHING OVER THERE.
OKAY, SO ANYWAY, UH, ANYBODY WANNA SAY ANYTHING OTHERWISE WANT ADJOURN? ADJOURN THE MEETING.