[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
WELCOME TO OUR NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING RIGHT NOW.
UH, MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION.
ANY PERSON, WHICH TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL DURING THE ORAL COMMUNICATION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER CALL THAT IS PROVIDE ADD ENTRY TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AND SUBMIT THE CALL TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE COM COMMENCEMENT OF ORAL COMMUNICATION.
SPEAKER CALL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION HAS STARTED TONIGHT.
INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR KUBO AND COUNCILMAN KENTO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEASURE OF LEGION ALL RIGHTS, PLEASE.
THANK YOU MS. PRAY FATHER IN HEAVEN AS YOU ARE THE AUTHORITY ABOVE ALL A AUTHORITIES, I ASK YOUR WISDOM TO BE UPON OUR CITY COUNCIL, THAT THEY MAY CARRY OUT YOUR WILL IN GUIDING OUR CITY.
WE RECEIVE THEM AS A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM YOU AND BLESS THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR CITY.
SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT AMONG US THAT WE MIGHT WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY.
THE GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA.
THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO GIVE THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO SERVE OUR CITY.
AND WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME.
ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH HATS ARE INVITED TO REMOVE THEM.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, A NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ROLL CALL CO.
AND, UH, CITY ATTORNEY HERE, IF ANYTHING, REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION.
[PRESENTATIONS]
OUR PRESENTATION, UH, VERY, VERY GOOD PRESENTATION FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.UH, WE HAVE, UH, A GREAT PRESENTATION OF RECOGNITION TONIGHT FOR OUR WHOLE TEAM.
AND I'M GOING TO READ THIS SCRIPT BECAUSE THEY PREPARED THIS AND HAVE A, A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION.
SO AFTER THAT, I'M GONNA HANGOVER FOR OUR CHIEF OFFICER JOSEPH MALLOW.
AND OFFICER DOMINIC MARTINEZ HAVE SET THE STANDARD FOR EXCELLENCE AS THE TWO MEMBER HOMELESS OUTREACH AND PARK ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
IT'S CALLED THE HOPE HOPE TEAM.
DESPITE THEIR SMALL SIZE ONLY TWO, THEY HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY BY ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, ENHANCING SAFETY IN OUR PARK AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND BUILDING LASTING PARTNERSHIP WITH SERVICE PROVIDER, THE CITY DEPARTMENT, AND THE LOCAL BUSINESS.
THEIR WORK GO FAR BEYOND THE ENFORCEMENT.
THROUGH COMPASSION, PERSISTENT AND COLLABORATION, THEY HAVE HELPED CONNECT HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUAL WITH HOUSING AND CRITICAL RESOURCE, WHILE ALSO RESPONDING TO THOUSANDS OF CALLS FOR SERVICE AND ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS.
CITYWIDE THEY HAVE A CLEAR, DANGEROUS ENCAMPMENT ASSIST BUSINESS WITH A PREVENTION MEASURE AND A CONSISTENT SHOW INNOVATION.
AND IN INITIATIVE OF TACKLING COMPLEX ISSUE.
IN THE PAST YEAR ALONE, THE EFFORT LED TO MORE THAN GOT READY.
1600 CALL FOR SERVICE OVER 17 HUNDREDS.
CONTACT 143 ENC CAMAN REMOVE, AND THE 111 PEOPLE HOUSED THROUGH LATA.
THIS NUMBER REPRESENT LIFE CHANGE AND A SAFER, CLEANER COMMUNITY FOR ALL.
OFFICER MELO AND MARTINEZ EMBODY THE DEPARTMENT'S CORE OF VALUE OF TEAMWORK, OWNERSHIP, COMMUNITY, AND EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING THEY DO.
AIR, DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND RELENTLESS COMMITMENT TO SERVE WEST COVIN TRULY EXEMPLIFY THE SPIRIT FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.
[00:05:01]
WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZE THE HOPE TEAM WITH A MERITUS UNIT CITATION IN HONOR OF THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT ON OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY.I REMEMBERED, UH, JUST WANT TO HAVE A EXAMPLE.
UH, NORTH RESTAURANT ON THEA, OUR BORDER, AND THEY HAVE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH HOMELESS, OKAY.
IN THE PARKING LOT, THIS AND THAT.
THEY ALMOST SHUT DOWN THE BUSINESS READY TO MOVE OUT THE CITY.
BUT WHEN THE CEO CALL ME AND I TRANSFERRED TO THE POLICE, CHIEF, POLICE CHIEF HAVE HOPED IN, AND THE LIEUTENANT AND THE ALL SHOW UP AND, UH, SOLVE THE ISSUE INSTANTLY.
AND NOW LOOK, THE NORM IN WEST COVINA, THEY REMODEL THE PLACE.
YOU HAVE A LONG LINE, THE GOOD SERVICE, THEY FEEL SAFE, AND THEY SHOW UP IN OUR STATE OF CITY AND SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, WEST COVIN.
I LISTENED TO THEM BECAUSE OUR POLICE, POLICE DEPARTMENT, VERY PROACTIVE, IF THEY NEED AN ISSUE, THEY WILL GO TO HELP.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CITY RESIDENT, UH, LIVELIHOOD.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION, CHIEF.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO, UH, EMPHASIZE THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN OF JUST HOW MUCH WORK.
UH, THESE TWO OFFICERS, UH, DID THIS LAST YEAR, UM, ALONE, THEY HANDLED 1600 CALLS FOR SERVICE, MADE MORE THAN 1700 CONTACTS THAT WERE SELF INITIATED ON THEIR OWN.
REMOVING THE ENCAMPMENTS IS A TEDIOUS, UH, PROCESS, AND IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF TAKING AND REMOVING OF 'EM, IT'S ASSISTING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, UH, UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS WITH GETTING 'EM SHELTER, UH, FINDING ALTERNATIVE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR 'EM.
UM, SOME OF 'EM HAVE ANIMALS AND YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WORK ON PAPERWORK TO GET THEIR ANIMALS TRANSPORTED.
SO, I MEAN, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT JUST GOES INTO THAT ALONE.
AND, UH, ALSO THEY MADE A OVER 125 ARRESTS BETWEEN THE, THE TWO OFFICERS ISSUED OVER 29 CITATIONS.
BUT AS ME WU SAID, UM, THEY HAVE HELPED HOUSE OVER 111, UH, PEOPLE THAT WERE UNHOUSED WITHIN OUR CITY, AND I THINK
AND, UM, IT'S, THEY'RE AVERAGING OVER A HUNDRED, UH, PEOPLE THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOUSE EACH YEAR.
AND, UM, OFFICER MELLOW IS NOW CORPORAL MELLOW.
HE WAS RECENTLY PROMOTED TO CORPORAL, SO HE'S NOW, UM, ROTATED BACK TO THE, UH, PATROL DIVISION, BUT AS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER.
BUT WHAT'S GREAT IS ALL THE NEW OFFICERS THAT COME IN, UM, HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO SHARE A LOT OF THE SKILLS WITH, UH, HANDLING, UM, OUR HOMELESS ISSUE AND, AND TRANSITION THAT SKILL SET RIGHT TO OUR NEW OFFICERS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, IT'S MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE CORPORAL JOSEPH MELLOW AND OFFICER DOMINIC MARTINEZ WITH THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AS THE TWO PERSON HOMELESS AND OUTREACH AND PARK ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
SO AT THIS TIME, LET'S CONGRATULATE THEM.
I'M GONNA HAND 'EM THE CERTIFICATE.
AND, UH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE OFFICERS REAL QUICK TO SAY A COUPLE WORDS.
UH, THANK YOU CHIEF, UH, COMMAND STAFF.
UM, I WAS ON THE TEAM FOR FOUR YEARS.
WE WERE UPWARDS OF 140, 150 HOMELESS.
UM, TODAY WE'RE DOWN TO RIGHT AROUND 40.
IT'S TOUGH, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT THERE, UH, GETTING ACTIVE AND HOPEFULLY MAKING THE CITY A BETTER PLACE FOR YOU GUYS.
UH, YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION.
UH, I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY, IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR YOU GUYS, UH, WITH THIS HOMELESS, UM, ISSUE WE HAVE, BUT WE DO OUR BEST WE CAN.
UM, WE ARE OUT THERE HITTING ALL THE PROBLEM AREAS, EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS MAY NOT SEE IT.
UM, BUT ANY COMPLAINT THAT COMES THROUGH, I WOULD SAY 75% OF THE TIME WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY OUT THERE BEING PROACTIVE.
UM, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO OUR BEST FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING, UH, THE TESTAMENT TO THEIR, UH, DEDICATION.
I KNOW AS A FACT, OUR HOPE TEAM TAKES CALLS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM OUR WATCH COMMANDERS, OUR FIELD SUPERVISORS, OUR OFFICERS, UH, JUST TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW TO HANDLE CERTAIN SITUATIONS OR TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE 'EM, UH, INTEL ON CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.
SO AGAIN, THE DEDICATION IS JUST BEYOND THEIR WORK HOURS.
[00:10:01]
KNOW THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OKAY.AND, UH, I THINK THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND A LOT OF ISSUE, INCLUDING THE OKAY.
BRAGGING AND THE HOMELESS AND THE CRIME, BUT, OKAY.
HOMELESS ALWAYS, UH, NUMBER ONE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ISSUE IN THE PARK, THE CHILDREN PLANE, THAT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY IN CAMP OVER THERE, AND HOW CAN WE HANDLE THOSE OKAY.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FIND THE RESOURCE AND THE HOUSING FOR THEM AND HELP THEM TO OFF THE STREET.
AND IF THEY, UH, IS OKAY DOING DRUG, DRUG EDIT OR ALCOHOLIC, AND HOW CAN WE FIND AGAIN, THE RESULT TO HELP THEM.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT JUST, OKAY, WE TRY TO SHIP THAT AROUND, BUT WE TRY TO FIND A WAY, A LONG TERM SOLUTION, AND HAVE THEM TO OFF THE STREET AND USING NOT ONLY OUR RESOURCE AND HOPEFULLY COUNTY IF THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE US SOME RESOURCE.
AND THEN THE MENTAL HEALTH OKAY.
AND ALL THAT TO COMBINE TOGETHER.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, A LOT OF OUR RESIDENT, A LOT OF OUR NON-PROFIT CHURCHES, THEY'RE ALL WILLING TO HELP AND ALL NETWORKING TOGETHER WITH POLICE, AND THAT WE CAN REALLY HELP OTHER PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, TO MAKE SURE, OKAY.
SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENT SAFETY TO WALK IN THE PARK.
WE HAVE A 16 PARK AND WE ONLY HAVE A TWO PERSON, HOPEFULLY NOT RIDING THE BIKE OR HORSES TO GO TO OUR PARK,
I WOULD SAY, HEY, MAYBE CHIEF, WE CAN GET SOME HORSES FOR THEM TO RIDE ON IT AND GO THROUGH THE PARK, BUT THE ONLY BAD THING IS WE NEED TO PICK UP ALL THE POOL.
OTHER THAN THAT, SO THE BICYCLE, I SAW THE, ALL THOSE ELECTRIC BIKE LOOK LIKE PRETTY GOOD, BUT GO AHEAD.
YOU WANNA PRESENT A CERTIFICATE OR SOMETHING? OKAY.
YOU, YOU, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
IN, IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE CERTIFICATES, EACH OF THESE OFFICERS WILL BE ALSO, UM, AWARDED A RIBBON THAT THEY CAN WEAR ON THEIR CLASS A UNIFORM AS WELL.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, YOU TWO FOR, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
IT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED, UM, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, OUR CITY STAFF, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND, AND, UH, CT WILL OKAY.
YOU CAN SEE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A MORE FANCIER CERTIFICATE DUE TO THEY HAVE A BETTER BUDGET, AND THE CITY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL GOLD PRINTED CERTIFICATE TO RECOGNIZE YOUR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.
BUT WE THANK YOU SO MUCH OKAY.
WITH YOUR HARD WORK AND OUR CITY SAFER EVERY DAY.
THAT'S, UH, DOMINIC, RIGHT? OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND KEEP OUR CITY SAFE.
AND SINCE YOU HERE YOU AND THEY SAY PRESENTATION, DO YOU HAVE ANY PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR WHOLE TEAM THE WAY, AND, UH, SO THE RESIDENT CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WE APPROACH CURRENT, OUR SITUATION, AND HOW WE CONTINUE HAVE OFFICE, AND SHE GOT, UH, HE GOT, UH, PROMOTED AND WE HAVE, UH, ONE AND ARE WE GOING TO INCREASING OUR HOMELESS OKAY.
AND HOPE TEAM IN THE FUTURE TO FROM TWO TO THREE OR FOUR? YEAH, I CAN, I CAN SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO YEAH, OUR GOAL ONCE WE GET STAFFING UP, UH, IS TO INCREASE OUR, OUR HOPE TEAM, AND WE CAN SEE THE WORK THAT THESE TWO OFFICERS DO, BUT EVENTUALLY WE'D LIKE TO PUT TWO MORE OFFICERS IN AND MAYBE EVEN ADDITIONAL TWO AFTER THAT.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THEY'RE SO SUCCESSFUL, ASIDE FROM JUST THE TWO OF THEM, IT'S THEIR, THEIR COLLABORATION WITH EVERYBODY.
LIKE WE MENTIONED, THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH, UH, LA KATA OR LATA.
THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH LASA.
THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.
IF SOMETIMES IF YOU SEE, UH, SOME OF THE HOMELESS THAT MIGHT BE ON THE FREEWAY ON RAMPS AND OFF RAMPS, THAT ACTUALLY IS, UH, STATE PROPERTY AND UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL AND CALTRANS.
BUT AGAIN, WITH THROUGH THEIR PARTNERSHIP, THEY'RE ABLE TO GO OVER THERE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.
UM, THEY JUST RECENTLY HAD A, A GENTLEMAN THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET OFF OF THE ON-RAMP FOR YEARS, AND THEY FINALLY, UH, WERE ABLE TO GET HIM HOUSING IN AN APARTMENT IN THE CITY OF PASADENA.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S GONNA FINALLY BE OFF OF OUR STREETS AND IN A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR HIMSELF.
SO AGAIN, IT'S THE COLLABORATION AND THEY ONLY WORK DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS.
SO THEY ALSO ATTEND A LOT OF THE NIGHT, NIGHT SHIFT BRIEFINGS, THE WEEKEND BRIEFINGS, AND TRAIN THE, UH, OFFICERS THAT ARE WORKING THOSE SHIFTS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE, UH, LEGAL ISSUES AS WELL AS THE RESOURCE ISSUES SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THAT, UH, GOING AROUND THE CLOCK 24 7.
SO THEY'RE, THEY BE REALLY BECOME A FORCE MULTIPLIER
[00:15:01]
JUST DUE TO THEIR ABILITY TO NETWORK AND COLLABORATE.AND THAT'S WHERE THE, THE KEY TO IT IS.
AND AGAIN, WITH, ALONG WITH ANY OF OUR POLICE WORK, UH, WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY'S, UH, HELP AS WELL.
SO IF YOU SEE, UM, ANY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OR YOU SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NEED OF HELP, PLEASE CALL US.
UM, CALL OUR, UH, NON-EMERGENCY LINE IF IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY, AND WE'LL GET THE RESOURCES OUT THERE, UH, TO HELP, HELP PEOPLE OUT.
SO, AGAIN, YOU, THE COMMUNITY OR THE EYES AND EARS FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF OFFICERS THAT CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING GOING ON, BUT IF YOU GUYS, UH, HELP US IN THAT EFFORT OF, OF POLICING AND, AND REPORTING WHAT YOU SEE OUT THERE, WE'LL BE OUT THERE TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ]
WE MOVE ON TO THE OVERALL COMMUNICATION.I'M NOT GOING TO REEL THIS LONG PARAGRAPH, UH, JUST, UH, THREE MINUTES, OKAY.
PLEASE, UH, SIT IN THE FRONT OKAY.
WE WILL LISTEN EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO ADDRESS TO US.
SO, UH, HOW MANY SPEAKER WE HAVE? MAYOR, WE HAVE YOU GONNA SPEAK 11 SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
WE'LL START OFF WITH MR. JOSH MURRAY, JOHN SHOEMAKER, AND JAMES MOORE.
UH, HELLO AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JOSH MURRAY, AND I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA LIBRARY.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITY, AGES FIVE TO 12, AND THEIR PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS TO OUR FALL FAMILY STORY TIME ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, TOMORROW FROM THREE 30 TO 4:30 PM COME AND HEAR STORIES ABOUT THANKSGIVING AND GRATITUDE, AND THEN MAKE A COLORFUL, THANKFUL TREE CRAFT.
AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO INVITE THE ADULTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR KNIT AND CROCHET CLUB ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, FROM 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM WHETHER YOU ARE A BEGINNER OR AN EXPERT, COME JOIN US FOR FUN AS WE KNIT, CROCHET AND LEARN PATTERNS.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
SO, HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING TONIGHT? HOPEFULLY, UH, WELL, UH, BUT IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING TO, UH, KEEP READING ABOUT WHAT, UH, IS GOING ON, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET TO THAT ON A LATER DATE.
UH, BUT I SEE, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS FOR PEOPLE GETTING PAY RAISES AND, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, UH, WHERE, WHERE THIS MONEY KEEPS, UH, KEEP, KEEPS MAGICALLY APPEARING AND WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY CUTTING OUT IN ORDER TO, TO MAKE THOSE, UH, PAYMENTS.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH, AND I REMEMBER WHEN THE CITY WAS COMPLAINING WHEN IT WAS, UH, PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING AND THE CITY WAS COMPLAINING WHEN THE PAY RAISES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WERE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE AT, YOU KNOW, 65% OF THE BUDGET AND 70 THEN 75, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST HURTING OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THIS, UH, CITY.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IT'S SOMEWHAT REASONABLE FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
YOU KNOW, DON'T, UH, DON'T OBJECT TO IT.
I DO HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION THAT, UH, MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER CAN ANSWER OR AFTERWARDS, OR SEND ME AN EMAIL.
IS THERE A POLICY ON WHEN ARE POLICE OFFICERS SUPPOSED TO TURN ON THEIR CAM, THEIR BODY CAMS? AT WHAT POINT DO THEY TURN 'EM ON, AND WHAT POINT ARE THEY ALLOWED TO TURN 'EM OFF? BECAUSE I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO GET AN IDEA FOR, UH, WHEN, WHEN THOSE ARE USED, YOU KNOW, AND HOW THEY'RE BEING USED, YOU KNOW, TELLING EVERYBODY THEY HAVE BODY CAMS, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT TURNED ON IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, IS IT REALLY GIVING US THE, UH, THE EFFECT? AND IN, AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT IS IN MANY, MANY CASES, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, LITTLE RESEARCH THAT I DO IS HAVING THEM ON ACTUALLY IS A BENEFIT TO THE OFFICER, BECAUSE THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE CELL PHONE VIDEOS THAT PICK UP SOMETHING AT, UH, AT THE LA YOU KNOW, AT THE LAST MINUTE, UH, SOMEBODY ATTACKS AN OFFICER, AND WHAT, UH, THE, THE CELL PHONE CAMERA PICKS UP IS THE OFFICER PUSHING THEM AWAY OR GRABBING THEM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE OFFICER WAS THE PERSON IN CHARGE OR COMMENTS BEING MADE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'D JUST BE, YOU KNOW, GET A GOOD IDEA FOR WHAT, UH, WHAT'S BEING DONE THERE.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SO THANK YOU.
[00:20:04]
HI, I AM JAMES MOOREI'M GONNA TAKE UP ALL MY TIMES.
I'M A DRIVER PARTNER WITH VIA, YOU KNOW, THAT THING THAT YOU GOT GOING? I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHOLE YEAR.
I STARTED BEFORE ANYBODY EVER STARTED.
I'M THE FOREMAN AND I DEAL WITH THE DRIVERS.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME ISSUES GOING ON.
THEY WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE WAY EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD FROM THE OUTSIDE.
WE, WE PICKED UP 27, 20 8,000 PEOPLE THIS YEAR.
THERE'S ONLY FIVE OR SIX OF US DRIVING AND SOME, AND FOUR OR FIVE, FIVE VANS.
BUT IT LOOKS GOOD FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD FROM THE OUTSIDE.
THE DRIVERS ARE ANGRY, AND THEY, THAT'S ME.
AND I REPRESENT ALL THEM BECAUSE VIA WON'T OUR, OUR FIELD MANAGER, THEY WON'T MEET WITH US.
WE, I SENT 'EM HUNDREDS OF MESSAGES.
WE HAVE DRIVERS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS MOST OF THE YEAR, LIKE ME.
EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO GOOD, BUT HERE'S WHAT'S THEY HAVE CONCERN IS OUR DRIVING EXPERIENCE IS AWFUL.
AND WE FEEL THIS INHUMANE, AND IT'S TORTURER, IT'S TORTURE, AND IT'S REALLY INCONSIDERATE OF US, MEANING THIS, WE COME IN TO DRIVE AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS OKAY, I SAY FIRST IN DECEMBER, BUT WE HAVE, WHEN YOU OPEN UP SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHICH IS FOR THE WHOLE CITY, AND IT'S CALLED ON DEMAND, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN YEAH.
AND THEN YOU SAY, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT, UH, VIRTUAL, THAT'S HORRIBLE BECAUSE SOMEBODY DIDN'T THINK THIS THING THROUGH, BECAUSE WE STARTED IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY, IT'S GREAT.
WE HAD A DECEMBER CHRISTMAS PARTY OUT HERE.
I DROVE THE VAN, BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS WE INCREASED LIKE 50 TIMES.
OKAY? THE DEMAND 50 TIMES WHAT WE HAD IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
SAME DRIVERS, AVERAGE FIVE DRIVERS.
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH HE BOAST ABOUT, I FIELD MANAGER, OH YEAH, ALL THESE 28,000.
AND I'M A DRIVER TO SAY, WHAT ARE WE GETTING OUT OF IT? WE'RE MINIMUM WAGE.
WE'RE 10 99, WHICH MEANS YOU, YOU HAVE NO, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU WE'RE NOT EMPLOYEES.
I'M A VIETNAM VET, BUT I'VE BEEN AN ACCOUNTANT OVER 48 YEARS.
I GRADUATED IN 1978 WITH MY COUNTY AND BUSINESS DEGREE.
AND I'VE BEEN DOING ACCOUNTING, FINDING ALL THIS FOR ALL THIS TIME FOR 50 YEARS.
LAST WORK FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, LAST WORK, THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE AUDITOR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
SO I KNOW HOW 10 99 CONTRACTOR, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS 50 YEARS, HOW THIS STUFF WORKS.
THEY'RE NOT DOING THIS, RIGHT? THEY'RE SAYING, WE'RE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, SO THAT MEANS THAT WE DON'T HAVE LABOR LAWS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF STUFF.
SO WE STARTED DRIVING AND IT WAS FUN AT FIRST, YOU KNOW, BUT THEN THEY START, YOU KNOW, WE PICK UP 40, 50 WRITERS A DAY, EACH ONE OF US, AND IT'S NONSTOP.
AND I TELL MY BOSS, THIS IS, THIS IS INHUMANE.
THIS IS, THIS IS JUST UNGODLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
NO BREAKS, NO LUNCH, STUFF LIKE THAT.
I USED TO DRIVE 50 TIMES OUT, TIMES OFF.
YEAH, YOU COULD PUT A, TO MEET WITH ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO TALK.
OUR DRIVERS ARE ANGRY, OKAY? BECAUSE THERE ARE NO BREAKS, AND WE DRIVE 50 HOURS A WEEK.
WE CAN GIVE THE INFORMATION TO OUR, OKAY.
I, I DROVE HIM TWO OR THREE TIMES TO HIS HOUSE.
YOU, ALI, ALI, YOU HAVE THE POOR GUY, ALI.
NEXT WE HAVE TONY MARTINEZ, DENNIS JONES, AND ERIC FRANKLIN.
GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL AND STAFF.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER, EXCUSE ME, NUMBER EIGHT.
I KNOW THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION, BUT I COME HERE TO THROW MY HAT IN THE, UH, IN THE RING.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF NORTH STAR LANDCARE.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CHANCE TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO YOUR CITY.
WE ARE VERY INTERESTED, INTERESTED IN BECOMING YOUR NEXT TREE MAINTENANCE PARTNER, AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU'VE PUT INTO THE PROCESS.
NORTH STAR IS BUILT FOR MUNICIPAL WORK.
I HAVE OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE MANAGING LARGE CITYWIDE TREE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I'VE BEEN A CERTIFIED ARBORIST SINCE 1993 AND HOLD THE CERTIFIED UTILITY SPECIALIST CREDENTIAL.
OUR CREWS ARE CERTIFIED TO WORK SAFELY, NEAR ENERGIZED LINES, AND WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, MANPOWER, AND SYSTEMS NEEDED
[00:25:01]
TO TAKE ON ANY CITY THE SIZE OF WEST COVINA.WE ALSO UNDERSTAND WHICH OUR URBAN FOREST IS FACING.
WEST COVINAS TREES ARE AGING AND THE WEATHER HAS BECOME MORE UNPREDICTABLE.
OLD MINIMAL PRUNING CYCLES NO LONGER MEET THE NEEDS OF MODERN TREES OR MODERN CITIES.
AT NORTH STAR, WE TRIM, WE TRIM THROUGH BIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS, NOT OUTDATED ROUTINES.
WE USE A PREDICTABLE DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH SUPPORTED BY OUR OWN PROPRIETARY DATABASE THAT TRACKS SPECIES BEHAVIOR, FAILURE PATTERNS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS.
THIS HELPS US REDUCE EMERGENCIES, PROTECT YOUR CANOPY AND LOWER LONG-TERM RISK.
BUT BEING THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR IS ABOUT MORE THAN DOING THE WORK.
IT'S ABOUT BECOMING AN EXTENSION OF YOUR CITY.
IF SELECTED, WE WILL SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT MATTER MOST TO WEST COVINA, MULCH GIVEAWAYS, ARBOR DAY EVENTS, TREE DONATION PROGRAMS, ARTS AND LITERATURE INVOLVEMENT, AND OTHER LOCAL ACTIVITIES THAT BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER.
PARTNERING WITH THE CITY MEANS SHOWING UP ALL YEAR, NOT ONLY WHEN A CONTRACT IS UP FOR RENEWAL.
THIS IS THE NORTH STAR DIFFERENCE.
WE ARE INTERESTED, WE ARE FULLY CAPABLE, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING WEST COVINA WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND COMMUNITY PRIDE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'LL BE IN THE BACK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL.
I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CITY'S TREE CONTRACT.
A PRIMARY AND URGENT FLAW IS THE STANDARD OF PRUNING CURRENTLY BEING PERFORMED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY VOICED THIS SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS REGARDING THE TYPE OF PRUNING YOU ARE RECEIVING.
TREE CARE SHOULD NOT BE A LIABILITY MITIGATION CHECKBOX.
IT SHOULD BE ABOUT PROPER TREE HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE ROOT OF THIS PROBLEM GOES BACK DECADES OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
YOUR INCUMBENT WCA PIONEERED AN EXTREMELY LOW COST MODEL, FAMOUSLY KNOWN FOR A $39 A TREE PRICE POINT.
THIS MOVE WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FOR THEM.
THEY, THEY, THEY GOT THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER CITIES.
HOWEVER, THIS STRATEGY HAD A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON MUNICIPAL TREE CARE.
ACROSS THE BOARD, IT SET AN ARTIFICIALLY LOW MINIMALISTIC STANDARD WHERE CITIES PRIMARILY CARED ABOUT SAYING A TREE WAS PRUNED TO DEFEND AGAINST LIABILITY CLAIMS, RATHER THAN ENSURING THE WORK WAS DONE CORRECTLY AND PROMOTED LONG-TERM TREE HEALTH.
THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, AND THE PRICES AND WORK ADVERTISED IN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WILL LIKELY RESULT IN MORE OF THE SAME MINIMAL INADEQUATE CARE.
ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT FLAW IS THE PERCEIVED UNFAIR ADVANTAGE IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WC HAS WITH MANY CITIES.
THIS APPEARANCE OF FAVORITISM IS COMPOUNDED BY WCA A'S EXTREMELY BUSINESS SAVVY MODEL THAT CREATED A PREP PROPRIETARY SYSTEM OF DEPENDENCY.
THEY DEVELOPED THEIR OWN GIS TREE INVENTORY SYSTEM CALLED ARBOR ACCESS.
IN AN INGENIOUS MOVE, THEY TOOK THE PUBLIC'S VALUABLE TREE DATA AND BEGAN HOSTING IT IN THEIR PRIVATE DATABASE.
THIS ACT ESSENTIALLY BEHELD CITIES TO THEIR CONTRACTS, MAKING IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO SWITCH VENDORS AS THE CITY WOULD FACE LOSING EASY ACCESS TO ITS OWN TREE INVENTORY DATA DATA.
FURTHERMORE, WCA BEGAN TO SET AND WRITE THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR MANY OF THEIR 350 CITY CONTRACTS, INCLUDING THE VERY STANDARDS YOU SEE PROPOSED IN THIS CURRENT PROJECT.
THE SITUATION CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE CONTRACTOR NOT ONLY PERFORMING THE WORK, BUT ALSO WRITING THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE WORK, ENSURING THE PROJECT ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH THEIR OPERATIONAL STRENGTHS AND PERPETUATING THE CYCLE OF MINIMAL LOW BID MAINTENANCE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE SAKE OF THE CITY'S URBAN FOREST, YOU MUST CHALLENGE THIS ENTRENCHED MODEL.
I URGE YOU TO LOOK BEYOND THE CONVENIENCE OF A LONGSTANDING CONTRACTOR AND PRIORITIZE THE QUALITY OF YOUR TREE CARE.
A CONTRACT ME THIS HISTORICAL MINIMAL STANDARD WILL CONTINUE TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR TREES FOR YEARS TO COME.
HELLO, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM EIGHT ALSO.
[00:30:01]
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.I'M ERIC FRANKLIN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF UNITED PACIFIC SERVICES.
I'VE WORKED IN YOUR CITY IN THE PAST, TRIMMING YOUR TREES PRIOR TO WCA HOPE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW MY EMAIL REGARDING MY CONCERNS OF WEARING THIS RFP TONIGHT.
I WANNA POINT OUT SOMETHING ALSO IN YOUR RFP.
DURING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT THE CITY HAS LIMITED FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT AND THE COST IS A PRIORITY.
LOOKING AT JFP PROPOSAL, ITEM 10 POINT 10, PAGE NINE, A NEW YOUR CRITERIA, MAXIMUM POINTS LIST.
PROPOSED COST WAS ONLY 20 POINTS OUT OF A HUNDRED.
WITH LIMITED FUNDING BEING A PRIORITY, YOU SHOULD HAVE RAISED THE PROPOSED COST FROM 20 POINTS TO AT LEAST 60 TO 80 POINTS OUT OF A HUNDRED AND ADDITION.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THE BIDS BEING SUBMITTED, UPS SUBMITTED A LOWEST COST PROPOSAL FOR YOUR TREE TRIMMING AND TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACT.
UNITED PACIFIC SERVICES A UNION CONTRACTOR BASED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AND WE ARE A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.
WE HAVE THREE YARDS LOCATED IN LA COUNTY FOR THIS CON FOR IN THE LA COUNTY.
AND FOR THIS CONTRACT, WE U UTILIZE OUR CLOSEST YARD LOCATED IN ROLAND HEIGHTS.
WE DO NOT HAVE A NEED TO PARK TRUCKS AND STORE EQUIPMENT AND ROLL OFF CONTAINERS AT YOUR CITY YARD.
UPS WILL PROVIDE YOU THE VERY BEST TREE INVENTORY PRODUCT ON THE MARKET TREE KEEPER, WHICH IS AN ONLINE NATIONWIDE TREE INVENTORY MAINTENANCE SYSTEM BY THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT COMPANY, FOUNDED IN 1880, WHICH HAS SALES OVER 1.6 BILLION A YEAR.
IN ADDITION, A NEW PRODUCT CALLED TREE KEEPER CANOPY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY, WHICH OFFERS THE LATEST CANOPY DATA TECHNOLOGY ON THE MARKET.
WARREN, THIS CONTRACT TO UPS WILL KEEP YOUR CITY'S DOLLARS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, SUPPORT A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS AND SAVE YOU THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
NEXT SPEAKERS ARE NICK ALAGO, DOUG FOUR AND SCOTT GRIFFITH.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF WEST COAST ARBORISTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT, AND THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING WCA FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.
YES, WE HAVE BEEN YOUR TREE CONTRACTOR FOR 30 YEARS.
IT HAS TRULY BEEN OUR PRIVILEGE TO CARE FOR WEST COVINA URBAN FOREST AFTER 30 YEARS.
WE KNOW YOUR TREES, WE KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE KNOW YOUR RESIDENTS.
THAT KIND OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE MATTERS.
AS A SAYING GOES, IF IT ISN'T BROKEN, WHY FIX IT? TONIGHT, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE VALUE WCA BRINGS, UM, AND WHY WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS YOU SELECT THE CITY'S NEXT CONTRACTOR.
NUMBER ONE, LOWEST OVERALL COST.
W C'S RATES REMAIN AMONG THE LOWEST OVERALL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE SERVICES WEST COVINA USES MOST, WHICH INCLUDE ANNUAL TRIMMING, REMOVALS, PLANTINGS, AND HOURLY RATES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ANNUAL PROGRAM, WEST COVINA PROVIDES THE STRONGEST LONG-TERM VALUE FOR THE CITY.
NUMBER TWO, ARBOR ACCESS WCA A'S TREE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WEST COVINA HAS RELIED ON W'S TREE MAINTENANCE AND INVENTORY SYSTEM ARBOR ACCESS FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
OUR FULL-TIME IT DEPARTMENT IS CONSTANTLY UPGRADING OUR PROGRAM AND OFFERS 24 7 SUPPORT AND TRAINING.
THE SYSTEM IS FULLY INTEGRATED WITH THE CITY'S GIS AND MANAGES NEARLY 23,000 TREES, INCLUDING COMPLETE WORK HISTORY, DATING BACK TO 2000 BY CONTINUING WITH WCA WEST COVINA KEEPS ITS ENTIRE TREE INVENTORY INTACT, ACCURATE, AND FULLY SUPPORTED WITHOUT THE RISKS OF DISRUPTION, DATA LOSS, AND DUPLICATE SYSTEMS. NUMBER THREE, LOCAL WORKFORCE AND EXPERIENCE AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
WCA HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 53 YEARS.
WE EMPLOY OVER 1000 FULL-TIME LABOR UNION EMPLOYEES AND OPERATE OVER 1500 TREE MAINTENANCE VEHICLES.
MORE THAN A HUNDRED OF OUR EMPLOYEES LIVE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND 11 RIGHT HERE IN WEST COVINA.
THAT MEANS REAL LOCAL RESPONSE 24 7 DURING STORMS, EMERGENCIES, AND DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
NO OTHER PROPOSER HERE TONIGHT HAS THE DEPTH OF STAFFING OR THE PROXIMITY THAT WEST, THAT WCA BRINGS TO WEST COVINA SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE.
IN 30 YEARS OF CARING FOR WEST COVINAS TREES, WEST WCA HAS MAINTAINED AN EXCELLENT SAFETY RECORD WITH NO SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS OR COMPLAINTS.
[00:35:02]
THAT LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE COMES FROM STRONG TRAINING, OSHA COMPLIANCE, AND THE PRIDE OUR CREWS BRING TO EVERY JOB.WE PARTICIPATE IN ARBOR DAY EVENTS, SUPPORT COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND SHOW UP WHENEVER THE CITY CALLS.
WE ARE GENUINELY INVESTED IN WEST COVINA IN CLOSING FOR ALL THESE REASONS.
COST SAVINGS, DATA INTEGRITY, SAFETY IS OKAY.
I HAVE BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT THREE.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR HAVING THE CITIZENS ACADEMY.
UM, IF YOU ARE A CITIZEN HERE IN THIS GREAT CITY, UM, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE THEM UP ON ATTENDING THE NEXT CITIZENS ACADEMY.
IT IS AMAZING OF WHAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
UM, SO THANK YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR, UM, SUPPORTING THAT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OLLIE FOR HIS WORK ON BRINGING ALL MOUS CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS TO AGENDA, UH, STARTING DECEMBER AND YOUR MOVEMENT ON THAT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK BRIAN FOR YOUR WORK WITH, UM, WHY TRANSTECH IS IN CHARGE OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE STOOD HERE FOR ONE YEAR NOW ASKING FOR TRANSTECH TO DO, UM, TO TELL US WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THE $750,000 THAT THEY WERE AWARDED.
UM, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE DOING OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF OUR PARKING SIGNS.
UM, ALSO THE RFP FOR, FOR TREE TRIMMING.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
FROM THE LAST MEETING, AND AGAIN HERE TONIGHT, UM, I AM NOT AGAINST, UM, OR ATTACKING WEST COAST ARBORIST.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT WE NEED TO BE FAIR TO EVERY COMPANY THAT'S COMING IN.
THIS CONTRACT IS WORTH $54,896 AND 15 CENTS A MONTH.
THAT IS ALMOST $55,000 A MONTH THAT WE ARE SPENDING ON TREE TRIMMING.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS RFP IS THAT NOBODY COULD PARK ON THE CITY YARD, BUT OUR CURRENT VENDOR HAS 38 VEHICLES ON OUR CITY YARD.
SO ARE THEY REMOVING ALL OF THOSE? ARE WE GETTING PAID FOR THOSE? WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR THEM TO PARK THE WHOLE FLEET HERE? AGAIN, I'M NOT AGAINST THEM, I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO BE FAIR.
WE NEED TO DO BETTER AS A CITY, RIGHT? UM, IN THIS VERY CHAMBERS, UM, I WILL BRING IT UP ONE LAST TIME, BUT IN THIS VERY CHAMBERS, WE NEGOTIATED MR. WU NEGOTIATED WITH THE ARCHITECTS ON BUILDING FIREHOUSE ONE AND ADDED THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE HERE.
YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT AND WE SHOULD HAVE STARTED A NEW RFP IF THINGS ARE BEING ADDED TO THEM.
WE JUST NEED TO DO BETTER AS A CITY.
NEXT SPEAKER SCOTT GRIFFITH, FOLLOWED BY JIM GRITCH.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, WOW, FIVE DIFFERENT TREE COMPANIES, ALL GREAT COMPANIES.
I KNOW ALL OF THEM, AND ALL OF US ARE, ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
YOU'VE PICKED VERY GOOD COMPANIES.
I'VE HAVE, OUR COMPANY HAS, HAS THREE YEARS LESS EXPERIENCE IN WEST COAST.
WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS 50 YEARS.
UM, AND WE HAVE A SOFTWARE SYSTEM, ALL OF THE SAME THINGS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS.
WHAT I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT TONIGHT IS THAT, UH, THERE WAS, THE COUNCIL HAD BEEN ASKED, UH, HAD ASKED THE STAFF TO COME UP WITH A REPORT AND, AND, AND, AND GIVE REASONS FOR ONLY WHY ONE COMPANY.
THE INCUMBENT GOT TO GET A BEST AND FINAL LOOK WHEN TWO OTHER COMPANIES WERE SCORED HIGHER THAN THAT COMPANY.
SO HOW IS IT FAIR THAT, THAT THAT ONLY ONE COMPANY GOT A BEST AND FINAL OFFER, UH, AND THEY MIRACULOUSLY LOWERED THEIR PRICE 50 CENTS BELOW, UH, THE, UH, THE, OUR PRICE, UH, FROM WHERE THEY, FROM WHERE THEY WERE TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY WERE GIVEN THAT INFORMATION, BUT IT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY, THEIR NEW PRICE IS LITERALLY 50 CENTS LESS THAN US.
UM, YOU GUYS HAD ASKED THE STAFF TO, TO UH, UH, DO A, A REPORT, A FULL REPORT, AND THE STAFF MEETING TODAY LOOKS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO WHAT I DID TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO WHAT IS THE ANSWERS THAT YOU GUYS GOT? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT INFORMATION YOU GUYS GOT TO SWAY THAT.
THE THIRD, THE PERSON IN THIRD LEVEL, UH, WAS GIVEN LA WAS GIVEN AN, AN EXCLUSIVE TO GET A BEST AND FINAL THAT NOBODY ELSE DID.
YOU TALK ABOUT NOT BEING, YOU GUYS WENT A LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AND MAKE IT FAIR FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM IN THIS CASE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
SO, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO, UM,
[00:40:01]
THE CITY GUYS EXPLICITLY DIRECTED THEM TO CONDUCT A, A REVIEW, UH, AND TO BE COMPLETE AND TRANSPARENT.BUT I, BUT IN THE REPORT, THERE'S, IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN THIS STAFF MEETING OR, OR INFORMATION THERE IS, WE, THERE WAS NO REPORT THAT WE SAW.
SO DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS GOT SOMETHING, UH, BEHIND THAT.
THAT WAS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT, BUT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT DOESN'T, DOESN'T SHOW THAT ANY DIFFERENCE.
UM, NO INTERVIEW SCORING DOCUMENTATION WAS PROVIDED DESPITE YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS ASKED, EVEN ASKED ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S NO SCORE SHEETS, THERE'S NO WRITTEN EVALUATION NOTES, THERE'S NO WEIGHING METHODOLOGY, AND THERE'S NO EXPLANATION OF HOW THE INTERVIEW SC SCORES WERE DE DETERMINED.
SO I JUST AM CURIOUS AS HOW THEY CAN TAKE THE HIGHEST SCORE PERSON, THE COMPANY, AND THE SECOND HIGHEST COMPANY, DISREGARD THEM AND TAKE THE THIRD COMPANY AND ALLOW THEM A FIN A, A BEST AND FINAL THAT THEY DIDN'T ALLOW TO EVERYBODY ELSE.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S MY MAIN POINT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, UH, SAY APPRECIATE IT.
AND, UM, IF, IF, OF COURSE, WE'RE AWARDED JUST EVERYBODY ELSE, WE HAVE A LARGE STAFF AS WELL.
WHEN WE TOOK OVER A CITY OF NEWPORT AND IRVINE THAT ARE 40 AND 60,000 TREES AFTER WEST COAST HAD HAPPENED FOR 20 YEARS, WE, OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM WILL TAKE THAT INFORMATION.
THE 20 YEARS OF INFORMATION YOU HAVE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HOLD IT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IT FOR YOU FOR THE FUTURE AS WELL.
HELLO, JIM RAVICH, UM, SPEAKING TO YOU ACTUALLY IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT CAPACITIES TONIGHT.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE SEEMS TO HAVE STOPPED MEETING FOR SOME REASON, THAT'S A QUESTION TO THE CITY STAFF.
WHAT HAPPENED BY NO MORE MEETINGS.
SECOND ISSUE IS, UH, I'M GONNA READ SOMETHING FROM A AUDIT REPORT THAT'S ONLY 10 MONTHS OLD WEST COVINA.
INEFFECTIVE FISCAL MANAGEMENT THREATENS ITS ABILITY TO MEET ITS FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.
THAT'S FROM THE STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT.
IN ADDITION, THE STATE AUDITOR ALSO SAID, UH, THE CITY HAS A LACK OF OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT CONTRACTS PROVIDE BEST VALUE.
AND WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, I WAS, I DID PUBLIC CONTRACTS FOR 40 YEARS FROM VERY SMALL TO MUCH LARGER THAN ANYTHING WEST COVINA EVER DID.
AND THE FIRST RULE OF CONTRACTING IS YOU HAVE TO GET GOOD VALUE.
TO GET GOOD VALUE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OPEN COMPETITIVE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB, FOR THE BEST PRICE.
UH, FANCY LINGO FOR THAT IS CALLED A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
I WAS VERY DISTURBED WHEN I WATCHED THE MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE NO EFFORT AT A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR THIS TREE TRIMMING CONTRACT.
SECOND BLATANT WASN'T FAIR, ECHOING WHAT THE LAST GENTLEMAN SAID.
YOU DON'T JUST LET ONE COMPANY HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK AND BEAT EVERYBODY ELSE'S PRICE.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY CONTRACTING'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.
EACH COMPETITOR SHOULD HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS.
I REFER TO A FAMOUS DOCUMENT CALLED THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.
THERE'S A FAMOUS LINE IN THERE THAT SAYS, EVERYBODY IS ENTITLED TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LOSS.
AND WEST COVINA SHOULD ADMINISTER THEIR LAWS IN AN EVEN HAND TO ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, THE CONTRACTORS, THE RESIDENTS.
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.
AND IN THIS CASE, I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENED.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT YOU REDO THE PROCESS AND PERHAPS YOU NEED TO BRING IN SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO MONITOR IT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JD, JD U I'M GONNA BE REAL QUICK, I PROMISE.
UM, NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE TREE TRIMMING, THOUGH.
I'VE GOT CONCERNS, BUT I THINK THEY'VE BEEN COVERED TONIGHT.
MY REAL, UH, CONCERN IS STREET SWEEPING.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE WITH THIS, BUT HONESTLY, WHERE I LIVE, BOTH SIDES OF THE STREETS HAVE THE APPROPRIATE TYPE OF SIGNAGE,
[00:45:01]
AND YET NOBODY IS BEING OBLIGATED TO MOVE THEIR CAR.WHAT RESULTS IS THAT I MOVE MY CAR, I BOTHER TO MOVE MY CAR.
ONCE THAT'S ALL DONE, THEIR TRASH COMES FLOWING DOWN TO THE FRONT OF MY RESIDENCE.
AND NOW I EITHER HAVE TO TOLERATE IT OR SAY SOMETHING TO A NEIGHBOR.
THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CITY NOT AS A RESULT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING BEFORE, BECAUSE WE ALL UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS GONNA COME ONLY ONCE A WEEK OR OR WHENEVER IT CAME.
THE OTHER THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT AFTER ALL OF THIS WAS APPROVED, THE CITY MANAGER SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU WON'T HAVE TO MOVE YOUR CAR OR YOU WILL MOVE YOUR, YOU WILL HAVE TO MOVE YOUR CAR.
BUT IF YOU THINK THAT STREET SWEEPING HAS COME BY, THEN YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PARK WITHIN THAT PERIOD OF NO PARKING HOURS.
I FIND THAT PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO PROVE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, OR THE PERSON THAT RECEIVES A CITATION, WHETHER THE STREET SWEEPING CAME BY OR NOT.
THEY'RE GONNA SAY, NO, I THOUGHT IT, IT HAD COME BY.
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BACK AND FORTH STUFF.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK US NOT TO PARK WITH BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR, THEN LET IT BE THAT AND ENFORCE IT.
AND THEN THE PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE THE SIGNAGE MEETS THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW, THEN PLEASE ENFORCE IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT SITTING AROUND HAVING TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE'S NEGLIGENCE.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR THE EVENING MAYOR.
AND, UH, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE RESPOND, UH, TO SPEAKER THEIR QUESTION ISSUE? SURE.
UM, JOSH MURRAY, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR UPDATES ON THE, UH, LIBRARY, UH, JOHN SCHUMAKER FOR YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET AND YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE BODY CAM, UH, CAMERAS THAT PD WEARS.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEST COVENA PD WEBSITE, THE POLICY FOR THE BODY CAMS IS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW, UM, MR. MOORE, UM, A DRIVER FOR ONE OF OUR SHUTTLE VANS IN THE CITY.
I'LL PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH KELLY MCDONALD, WHO'S THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PROGRAM, UM, FOR THE CITY.
UM, DOUG, FOR THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS REGARDING THE CITIZENS ACADEMY, IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM PUT ON BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I DO ENCOURAGE ALSO RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THAT.
ALSO, THE COMPLIMENTS FOR OUR COUNCIL AND THE IDEA OF BRINGING THE RFPS FOR, UH, FORWARD, THE MOUS TO THE COUNCIL, SO THERE'S A PUBLIC DISCUSSION IS A POSITIVE, UM, JD ON THE STREET SWEEPING, I'M GONNA COMMENT ON THAT.
AND DURING MY CITY MANAGER REPORT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO COVER YOUR QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME FOR MR. MARTINEZ, MR. JONES, MR. FRANKLIN, MR. ALAGO, MR. GRIFFITH, AND MR. GR GRIFFITH AND MR. GRITCH.
UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT WILL BE DISCUSSED, UM, IN JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE, INVOLVING THE RFP FOR THE TREE TRIMMING SERVICES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
TO THE CITY MANAGER REPORT, PLEASE.ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, CITY'S LOADING, LOADING, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, CITY STAFF DISCOVERED A LEAK WHICH CAUSED A SINKHOLE UNDERNEATH THE CONCRETE.
INSIDE THE HOCKEY RINK BUILDING AT ORANGEWOOD PARK.
STAFF COMPLETED ALL REPAIRS AND CONTINUES TO IMPROVE, CONTINUES TO IMPROVE AND BECOME MORE PROFICIENT IN SEWER AND WATERLINE REPAIRS.
UM, THE CITY OF WEST VENA'S ANNUAL VETERANS DAY CEREMONY WAS HELD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH AT WEST COVINA CIVIC CENTER COURTYARD IN FRONT OF THE VETERANS MEMORIAL.
THE EVENT INCLUDED SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS GUEST SPEAKERS, AND A VIP BARBECUE FOR VETERANS AND GUESTS.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CEREMONY.
ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH, THE CORTEZ COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER CELEBRATED ITS VETERANS WITH A SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND LUNCH FEATURING A PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE BY TAP CHICKS.
UH, WE HOSTED APPROXIMATELY 200 GUESTS AND RECOGNIZED EIGHT VETERANS, A DELICIOUS MEAL PREPARED BY CHEFS HOLLY AND THERESA.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE WEST CONA FIREFIGHTER NAOMI FORGE FOR LENDING AND HELPING A HAND AT THE BEVERLY HILLS EMPOWERMENT CAMP, HOSTED BY BEVERLY HILLS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE RIGOROUS CAMP WAS FILLED WITH FIREFIGHTING SKILLS, TEAMWORK, AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE WEST COVINA COMMUNITY THAT SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IS QUICKLY APPROACHING, TAKING PLACE ON
[00:50:01]
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH.OBSERVED EACH YEAR ON THE SATURDAY FOLLOWING THANKSGIVING, THE EVENT ENCOURAGES COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN WEST COVINA, TO SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE ECO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION HAS RECEIVED THE MARKETING MATERIAL SHOWN HERE FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS AND WILL BE COORDINATING DISTRIBUTION TO PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES.
THERE IS STILL TIME FOR WEST COVINA BUSINESSES TO GET INVOLVED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT OUR ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION AT 6 2 6 9 3 9 8 4 1 7, OR VISIT OUR CITY WEBSITE.
IN OCTOBER, THE STATE UPDATED AND PASSED SB 7 0 7, WHICH, UH, AFFECTS THE, THE BROWN ACT IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY HAD ASKED ME, UH, TO JUST BRING FORWARD A FEW QUICK BULLET POINTS.
SO, SBS, UH, 7 0 7 WILL SUBSTANTIALLY REVISE THE RALPH M. BROWN ACT.
CALIFORNIA'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPEN MEETING LAW.
ALTHOUGH MANY PORTIONS OF SB 7 0 7 TAKE EFFECT IN JANUARY ONE OF 26, ITS MOST SUBSTANTIAL REVISIONS TAKE, TAKE EFFECT IN JULY OF 2026 WHEN NEW GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54 9 53 0.4 BECOMES EFFECTIVE.
ESSENTIALLY, THIS WILL ALLOW FOR REMOTE MEETINGS.
UH, WE WILL ESTABLISH A REMOTE MEETING POLICY AND POLICY FOR TRANSLATING AGENDAS, UH, TO ELIGI ELIGIBLE LEG LEGISLATIVE BODIES, ALSO EFFECTIVE STARTING IN JANUARY ONE.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WILL KICK INTO EFFECT IS TELECONFERENCE, UH, PARTICIPATION BY LEGISLATIVE BODY MEMBERS, A DA ACCOMMODATING DISABILITIES FOR LEGISLATIVE BODY MEMBERS.
UH, ANOTHER ITEM IS BRINGING EXECUTIVE SALARIES, UM, BEFORE THE COUNCIL, UH, ANYBODY THAT SERVES IN A POSITION EQUIVALENT TO A DIRECTOR.
IT ADDRESSES, UH, DISRUPTIVE PARTICIPANTS, SPECIAL MEETINGS AND PUBLIC RECORDING ACTS, PUBLIC RECORDING RIGHTS, UM, STREET SWEEPING UPDATE.
UM, ON AUGUST 19TH, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING STAFFED WAS DIRECTED TO DEVELOP AN ALTERNATE SIDE STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM THAT WOULD ALLOW SWEEPING ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET ON ONE DAY AND THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET ON ANOTHER DAY, THEREBY PRESERVING, UH, ON STREETS, ON STREET PARKING AVAILABILITY FOR RESIDENTS.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ENFORCING THE POSTED SIGN RESTRICTIONS AT THIS POINT, 'CAUSE THE COUNCIL ADOPTED TO SWITCH TO ALTERNATING SIDES OF THE STREET.
UH, AT THE DECEMBER 16TH COUNCIL MEETING, UH, WE PLAN TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND PRESENT CONSIDERATION OF A REVISED PROGRAM TO INCLUDE ALTERNATE SIDE STREET SWEEPING ROUTES AND RESTRICTIONS, REVISED DAYS AND TIMES FOR STREET SWEEPING, WHICH REQUIRE, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE NEW SIGNAGE OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXISTING STREET SWEEPING SIGNS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OUT THERE.
AND WE'LL ALSO GO OVER THE FISCAL IMPACTS FOR INCREASED CONTRACT COSTS, STAFFING AND EQUIPMENT.
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE TO UPDATE CHAPTER 22, TRAFFIC REGULATIONS OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE TO UPDATE STREET SWEEP REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER PROJECTS I'M, I'M LOOKING AT AND AND REVIEWING IS, UM, THE HIGH COST OF ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES IN THE CITY.
SO BASED ON DATA FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA HAS EXPERIENCED A SUSTAINED INCREASE IN, IN ANIMAL ADMISSIONS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, PARTICULARLY COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES SERVED BY THE BALDWIN PARK ANIMAL CARE CENTER THAT HAVE ADOPTED MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER ORDINANCES.
UH, THESE RISING ADMISSIONS CONTRIBUTE TO A HIGHER CONTRACT COST DRIVEN BY LONGER LENGTHS OF STAY AND GREATER NEED FOR VETERINARY CARE.
I JUST PUT A LITTLE BREAKDOWN AT THE BOTTOM WHAT OUR, OUR CURRENT COST IS FOR HOUSING ANIMALS AT THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER IN SEPTEMBER WAS 114,000, UH, AUGUST 83,000.
SO JUST IN FOUR MONTHS, WE SPENT OVER $400,000 TO HOUSE ANIMALS AT THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER.
AND, AND THESE NUMBERS ARE, ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE AS, AS THEY CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND SOMETHING IN THE CITY, UH, NEEDS TO LOOK AT.
UM, LETTERS, UH, TO SANTA ARE BACK IN WEST COVINA.
SANTA'S MAILBOX OFFICIALLY OPENS ON NOVEMBER 17TH.
DROP OFF YOUR LETTERS AND GET YOUR REPLY STRAIGHT FROM THE NORTH POLE.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH THROUGH SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH.
UH, THE MAIN ENTRANCE CITY HALL.
DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE A SELF ADDRESS STAMPED ENVELOPE SO SANTA CAN WRITE BACK AND BONUS DROP OFF.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH FROM 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT THE CHRISTMAS CHILDREN'S DAY PARADE AND SANTAS VILLAGE.
GET READY FOR MAGICAL WINTER NIGHT FILLED WITH SNOW SMILES AND HOLIDAY CHEER.
DATE, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, 2025, SIX TO 9:00 PM HERE AT WEST COVINA CITY HALL.
SEA OF WEST COVINA IS HOLDING A CEREMONIAL DESIGN COMMENCEMENT OF THE AZUA AVENUE SYNCHRONIZATION
[00:55:01]
PROJECT ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, TOMORROW FROM 11:00 AM TO 12:00 PM AT FIRE STATION FOUR.PLEASE JOIN THE WEST COVINA FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, 3 2 2 6 AND WEST COVINA FIRE EXPLORERS.
POST 4 6 5 FOR THE SPARK OF LOVE CLASSIC CAR SHOW ON DECEMBER 6TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:00 PM LOCATED AT CORTE CORTEZ PARK SOUTH PARKING LOT.
PLEASE BRING IN AN UNWRAPPED TOY, NO REGISTRATION FEE.
THE EVENT INCLUDES, UH, BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER, AWARDS, MUSIC, AND SANTA AS THE HOLIDAYS.
APPROACH THE CITY ON DEMANDS TRANSIT SERVICE GO.
WEST COVINA WILL OPERATE DURING EXTENDED HOURS SO WRITERS CAN SHOP, DINE OUT AND ENJOY HOLIDAY FUN.
EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER, 1125 THROUGH JANUARY 2ND, 2026, GO.
WEST COVINA WILL RUN 7:00 AM TO 10:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
THE SERVICE WILL NOT OPERATE ON HOLIDAYS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT.
A LOT OF, UH, ACTIVITY AND, UH, LOOK GREAT.
AND, UH, OKAY, SO WE ARE PUTTING OUR RESIDENT TOGETHER.
SO WE SAW THE EVENT AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? ANYBODY? YES.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I THINK SOME OF THE LAW TAKES EFFECT ON JANUARY 1ST, 2026.
UM, IS THE CITY IS TOM OR MR. DOUGHERTY WILL HA WILL, WILL WE BE PASSING SOMETHING BY THE SECOND MEETING OF DECEMBER? PASSING? WHAT DO YOU MEAN PASSING SOMETHING? UM, DOES, I THINK OUR CODE DOES WORD, WOULD OUR CODE NEED TO BE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE NEW LAW? SOME OF THE NEW REQUIRE, SOME OF THE NEW EXCEPTIONS.
WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T UPDATE OUR CODE EVERY, ANYTIME THE STATE STATUTE IS AMENDED, IT STILL, WE STILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH IT.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T COMPLY WITH OUR MUNI CODE.
WE COMPLY WITH THE STATE IF IT MANDATES THAT WE COMPLY WITH THE STATE.
NEXT? UH, NO, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S IT.
I MEAN, BESIDES, UM, YEAH, I THINK, UH, LIKE LIN STATED, I THINK IN JULY THE REST OF THE HALF OF THE LAW WILL BECOME IN EFFECT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, WHO SERVE IN ELECTED OFFICE.
AND THEN, UH, LATER ON, I BELIEVE IN JULY, UH, THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER VIDEO CONFERENCE IN OR, OR JOIN BY TELECONFERENCE.
AND THAT'S A NEW LAW THAT THE GOVERNOR AUTHORIZED.
ANY OTHER, ALI, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING SINCE YOU ARE THE A, DA? NO.
HOW ABOUT THE REST MEMBER SAID ANYTHING? NO.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
TO CONSENT CALENDAR.AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ONE, TWO A.
ANYBODY WANT TO PULL ANY, UH, AGENDA? UH, POOL THREE AND, AND, UH, EIGHT.
UH, NOW WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THE MOTION BESIDES THREE AND EIGHT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SO WE HAVE FIRST AND SECOND, SO BESIDES THREE AND EIGHT.
MAYOR, I HAVE A STATEMENT TO READ.
THIS REPORT IS BEING PROVI PROVIDED PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 3 SUBSECTION THREE, EXCUSE ME, SUBSECTION C3.
AGAIN, THAT CODE IS 5 4 9 53 SUBSECTION C3.
ITEM ONE ON THE AGENDA IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL DEPARTMENT HEAD CLASSIFICATIONS FOR FISCAL YEARS 20 25, 20 26, AND 2027.
[3) CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF FINAL TRACT MAP NO. 74976]
NUMBER THREE.UM, LET'S SEE IS REGARDING THE ZONE CHANGE? YEAH.
SO THIS IS A CONSIDERATION OF A FINAL, UH, CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A FINAL TRACK MAP.
UM, WITHIN THE STAFF REPORT, I NOTICED THAT IT SAID I, THE PLANNING, RESCUE AND PLANNING DIVISION APPROVED TENTATIVE TRACK MAP NUMBER 7 4 9 7 6.
THE TRACK MAP SUBDIVIDES TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PARCELS.
AND THEN IT SAYS, IN, IN DISCUSSIONS IS THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS SATISFIED ALL CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF THE TRACK MAP, MAP THE TRACK, THE TRACK MAP ATTACHED NUMBER ONE WAS REVIEWED BY THE CITY CONSULTANT, TRANSTECH.
[01:00:01]
NOW, BEFORE I BEGIN, ANY QUESTIONS I WANT TO BE WHERE WE, I WANNA BE CLEAR ON THE RECORD, THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO STALL ANYTHING.THIS IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSURING THAT PROCUREMENT LAWS ARE FOLLOWED TODAY.
I WAS INFORMED THAT TRANSTECH HAS BEEN PROVIDING PLANNING DEPARTMENT SERVICES FOR OVER A YEAR TO THE CITY OF WEST VENA.
THE COUNCIL WAS NEVER BRIEFED THAT NO RP WAS ISSUED AND NO EMERGENCY DECORATION WAS MADE TO AUTHORIZE IT.
AND NO FORMAL CONTRACT AMENDMENT WAS PRESENTED TO THIS BODY.
AS A CITY, WE CANNOT ALLOW MAJOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO BE ASSIGNED OR EXPANDED BEHIND THE SCENES.
WE ARE A GOVERNMENT, NOT A PRIVATE CORPORATION, AND THE LAW REQUIRES OPENNESS, COMPETITION AND CONSULT APPROVAL.
WITH THAT, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND, AND I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE TRANSECT IS LISTED IN THIS STAFF REPORT, SO IT'S RELEVANT.
UM, MR. UM, MR. UM, CITY MANAGER, UM, WHO SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED TRANSECT TO BEGIN PERFORMING PLANNING DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS? UH, DO YOU KNOW THE DATE THAT IT WAS AUTHOR AUTHORIZATION GIVEN? I BELIEVE IT WAS DONE BY THE FORMER CITY MANAGER? CORRECT.
UH, THAT WAS ALL DONE UNDER PRIOR ADMINISTRATION.
UM, WHAT, DO YOU KNOW, UH, I KNOW IT WAS NOT DURING YOUR TIME, UM, BUT WAS THE COUNCIL EVER NOTIFIED VERBALLY IN WRITING OR IN ANY STAFF REPORT THAT TRANSECT WAS BEING PLACED INSIDE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNCIL WAS NOTIFIED OR NOT.
AND, AND AGAIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UH, THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY, UM, FIX WHILE WE WERE SHORT STAFFED, BROUGHT SOMEBODY IN JUST TO KEEP THE WORKFLOW GOING.
UM, THEY'RE NOT PERMANENT EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE CONTRACT STAFF.
THEY WORK AS NEEDED, UM, UNTIL WE GET FULLY STAFFED UP AND AS SOON AS WE FINISH THE HIRING PROCESS HERE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, AND THERE WON'T BE ANY TRANSTECH EMPLOYEES IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE WE'LL HAVE CITY STAFF AGAIN.
AND, AND, AND MY CONCERN IS OBVIOUSLY YOU DIDN'T MAKE THAT DECISION AND I WANNA BE CLEAR ON THAT.
UM, BUT FOR A, FOR A CONTRACTOR TO OVERSEE BUILDING, UH, UH, BUILDING AND, AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT, UH, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, WHAT OTHER, WHAT ARE, UH, NOW THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, BUT WHAT, WHAT OTHER AGENT ENGINEER ENGINEERING SERVICES? CORRECT.
SO THAT'S LIKE ALMOST OPERATING THE WHOLE, EVERY CITY, EVERY REGULATORY DEPARTMENT'S BEING OPERATED BY TRANSECT.
'CAUSE THE COUNCIL NEVER TOOK ACTION ON THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE FORMER CITY MANAGER ENACTED.
UM, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. DOHERTY.
MR. DOHERTY, DID, DID YOUR OFFICE EVER REVIEW OR SIGN OFF ON ADDING PLANNING FUNCTIONS TO TRANSECT SCOPE? AND, AND, AND IF SO, WHERE IS THAT OPINION OR APPROVAL RECORD? I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE DID OR NOT.
AND THEN IF THIS WAS, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT DURING YOUR TIME, UH, MYLAN, BUT AGAIN, EVEN IF THE FORMER CITY MANAGER WAS TO CLAIM THAT THIS WAS DONE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, UM, WHERE IS THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION REQUIRED UNDER STATE LAW AND CITY PURCHASING RULES TO BYPASS COMPARATIVE COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT? AND I THINK TO, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE MAAM, DO YOU KNOW IF THAT EXISTS? I DO NOT.
UM, DO YOU KNOW IF, UH, I, MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR KR, BUT IS TR HAS TRANSIT BILLED THE CITY FOR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WORK UNDER THE EXISTING, EXISTING ENGINEERING AND BUILDING CONTRACT? AND IF YES, UNDER WHAT LINE ITEM OR SCOPE DESCRIPTION ARE THOSE CHARGES BEING LOGGED? THAT'S, I'LL DEFER TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
COULD KAREN ANSWER THAT FAST? NOW AMERICAN COUNCIL MEMBERS, COULD YOU PLEASE RESTATE THE QUESTION? YES.
HAS TRANSECT BILLED THE CITY FOR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WORK UNDER ITS EXISTING ENGINEERING AND BUILDING CONTRACT? IF YES, UNDER WHAT LINE ITEM OR SCOPE DESCRIPTION? ARE THOSE CHARGES BEING LOGGED? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
AND IT'S PROBABLY UNDER OTHER SERVICES.
UM, TO, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, UH, KAREN, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT HERE EITHER WHEN, NOT THIS, WHEN
[01:05:01]
THIS HAPPENED, BUT DID STAFF CONDUCT ANY MARK MARKET COMPARISON, RATE ANALYSIS OR DUE DILIGENCE TO DETERMINE WHETHER TRANSECT WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED OR COST EFFECTIVE OPTION? OR WAS THE EXPANSION GRANTEE SLOWLY, UH, SOLELY BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY A VENDOR? UM, I DON'T KNOW.MYLAN, DO YOU KNOW THAT? AND IT'S OKAY.
I CAN, I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE APPROVE BEFORE YOUR TIME AND WHEN WE, UH, LET GO.
UH, WE, I THINK WE LET GO OF THE CONTRACT.
THERE'S WELDON, WHY CHARGES US LIKE ANY PERMIT ME COMING IN, ANY, UH, APPLICATION OR COMPUT AND SAFETY, THEY CHARGE YOU LIKE 70%.
AND THEN WHEN THEIR PERFORMANCE IS NOT THERE, UH, I THINK THE MAJORITY CITY COUNCIL OKAY.
AND THEN THEY COME AND LET TIME CITY COUNCIL, UH, CITY MANAGER OKAY.
SINCE THEY SERVICE A LOT OF CITY AND WE NEGOTIATE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC, UH, FOREIGN, OKAY.
IN THE COUNCIL MEETING, THEY $250,000, THEY CHARGE 50% OF PER MEAT.
SO CT RECEIVE 50%, ANYTHING ABOVE THAT FOR 150 TO 250 CT RECEIVE 60%.
AND THEN ANYTHING ABOVE THAT CT RECEIVE, I THINK 65%.
SO BASICALLY, UH, CT HAS A PRETTY GOOD CONTRACT AND LEAD TIME.
SO 5 0 5 CITY COUNCIL APPROVE.
AND THE BENEFIT OF THE CT D, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE STAFF, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE RETIREMENT FUND, UH, WE BASICALLY RECEIVE AND THE REVENUE BASED ON LEAD.
SO, AND, UH, THE PERFORMANCE IS, UH, THE THREE STRIKES SYSTEM.
IF THEY HAVE A COMPLAINT OR MAKE A MAJOR MISTAKE FOR THREE STRIKES, OKAY, THEN THEY WILL BE REMOVED, LIKE, LIKE, UH, WELDON.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE RECEIVE, UH, THE COMPLAINT AGAINST THEM.
BUT THE, WHILE THAN PREVIOUS ONE, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINT.
SO ANYWAY, THIS IS THE HISTORY BEFORE YOUR TIME, JUST WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK BOTH OF THEM KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THERE YET.
AND SO I WAS, THIS, THIS IS THE CONTRACT.
THAT'S WHY WE APPROVE, I THINK THAT TWO, TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO.
BUT I, I'M ACTUALLY REFERRING TO PLANNING SERVICES.
'CAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL NEVER APPROVED FROM THEM TO DO PLANNING SERVICE PLANNING SERVICES IS OUR, IS OUR DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OPERATING IT NOW.
I THINK WE JUST HIRED THE DEPUTY NOW.
SO MY NAME'S GONNA CHANGE THAT.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A PLANNING FROM, I DON'T, OKAY, SO YOU HAVE A CONTRACT OUT TO THE PLANNING? NO.
SO WE HAVE ONE TRANSTECH EMPLOYEE THAT HAS BEEN FILLING IN UNTIL WERE ABLE TO HIRE THE REMAINING CITY STAFF TO FILL THE PART DEPARTMENT.
UP UNTIL A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE ONLY HAD ONE PERSON IN THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS THAT ONE CONTRACT EMPLOYEE.
MY, MY UNDER, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS JEFF ANDERSON, OUR FORMAL PLANNER WAS THE CONTRACT OKAY.
IN CHARGE OF OUR FILL IT IN DUE TO WHEN JOANNE LEFT.
WE HAVE NO PLAN IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO, SO, SO WE, WE CONTRACT AND, UH, JEFF ANDERSON RETIRE FOR US AND, UH, WORK FOR WELDON, THE COMPANY.
AND HE WORK AS A CONTRACT, A PLANNER FOR US WITH A COUPLE OF THE PROJECT GOING ON.
THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I DON'T THINK TRANSTECH IS IN CHARGE OF OUR PLANNING.
WE CONTRACT WITH, UH, CURRENTLY
TRANSTECH, I BELIEVE IS PROVIDING THIS WITH A PART-TIME PLANNING ASSISTANT.
SO, BUT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, APPLICATION AND THE BUSINESS COMING INTO OUR CITY.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY TO FILL IN, UH, EVERYBODY APPLY TO CT IS THE MONEY COME TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY BUSINESS.
UH, WE CANNOT HAVE, UH, BECAUSE WE MISS OUR STAFF AND, UH, THEN WE, WE, WE NEED TO, UH, ENTERTAIN AND, UH, SERVICE ALL THE BUSINESS APPLICATION.
AND, UM, AND SO AGAIN, I, I'M, I WANNA COMMEND MYLAN, UH, FOR LEADING THE WAY AND, AND HOLDING THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS HERE AT CITY HALL.
AND I KNOW THIS WAS DONE PRIOR TO YOUR TAKING THE OFFICE.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, YOU HAVE NOW HIRED A DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT HIGH AL STANDARD.
AND, UH, MY NEXT QUESTION, AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT, UM, DO YOU KNOW WHY, UH, WHY THE CONSOLE WAS NEVER PRESENTED WITH
[01:10:01]
A, AND, AND I THINK IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT, THAT KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.'CAUSE YOU WOULDN'T, YOU WERE NOT IN THAT DEPARTMENT, BUT WAS THE COUNCIL.
NEVER, WHY WAS THE COUNCIL NEVER PRESENTED WITH A CONTRACT AMENDMENT, STAFF REPORTER BRIEFING OUTLINING THE RISKS OF CONSOLIDATING, BUILDING ENGINEERING, AND NOW PLANNING SERVICES UNDER A SINGLE PRIVATE VENDOR WITHOUT COMPETITION? SO THE, UH, I'LL TALK TO THE, THE BUILDING AND THE ENGINEERING WAS ALREADY IN PLACE.
THOSE ARE, UH, CONTRACT EMPLOYEES FROM TRANSTECH.
UM, A WHILE BACK WE HAD ONE PART-TIME TRANSTECH PERSON THERE.
'CAUSE WE WERE VERY SHORT STAFFED.
THEN THE REMAINING CITY HALL STAFF, CITY EMPLOYEES LEFT TO OTHER CITIES, WHICH LEFT US ONLY ONE TRANSTECH UH, CONTRACTED PART-TIMER IN THE OFFICE.
FROM THERE, THAT PERSON LEFT TO ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT.
SO I BACKFILLED WITH ANOTHER TRANSTECH EMPLOYEE TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING.
'CAUSE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN THE OFFICE, ALL OF OUR SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS WOULD'VE STALLED.
IN ADDITION, I DID A PROFESSIONALS, UM, CONTRACT WITH WILLAN FOR OUR FORMER DIRECTOR TO COME IN AND ASSIST WITH SOME OF THE, THE LARGEST PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO IN TOTAL, FOR THE PAST MONTH, WE'VE HAD TWO CONTRACT EMPLOYEES WHILE WE'RE IN THE, UH, CURRENTLY ONBOARDING AND HIRING, UH, CITY HALL STAFF.
AND DO YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE ALL SINCE YOU HAVE A DEPUTY DIRECTOR NOW, WHEN WILL BE, UH, TRANSECTS LAST SERVICES RENDERED FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT? UH, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY HIRING THREE ADDITIONAL BODIES, INCLUDING THE ASSISTANT PLANNER, THE ASSOCIATE PLANNER, AND THE PART-TIME PLANNER, WHICH SHOULD BE GETTING ONBOARDED HERE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
THEN WE'LL WIND DOWN WITH THE, UH, THE USE OF A PART-TIMER FROM TRANSTECH.
BUT AGAIN, I, I WILL SAY THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SERVICES OF THESE TWO PART-TIME CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, ALL OF OUR SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS AND, UH, WOULD WOULD'VE STALLED.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE BAD PEOPLE.
I JUST SAY, I'M JUST SAYING THAT THERE'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND I THINK TRANSECT IS NOT THE ONLY COMPANY OUT THERE.
AND IF TRANSECT WINS THE COMPETITION, THEN THEY WIN.
BUT, UM, DO YOU, DO YOU FORESEE, DO YOU KNOW IF, IF THIS IS GONNA GO BEYOND DECEMBER OR, I DO NOT KNOW YET.
SO IF, IF IT REACHES A POINT WHERE, FOR TRANSPARENCY REASONS BACK, HEY, CAN, WE CAN HAVE A SEAT.
AND AGAIN, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH TRANSEX CONTRACT.
UM, MOST OF OUR CONTRACTS WE HAVE, UH, INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES AS NEEDED.
AND THIS MAY FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A QUICK STEP TO KEEP THE BALL MOVING UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE PEOPLE.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, I'M GONNA MOTION TO APPROVE.
ROLL CALL WITH THE MAYOR WU, MAKING THE FIRST MOTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ ABSTAIN.
I ALREADY, I'M NOT LEAVING YET.
[8) CONSIDERATION OF AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP NO. 2026-01) FOR TREE TRIMMING AND TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES TO WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC.]
AGENDA NUMBER EIGHT.UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, DO YOU, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND JUST START THIS OFF.
CAN WE HAVE A SEAT FIRST? I'LL ASK THAT.
SO THIS ITEM'S CONTINUED FROM THE NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING.
FOR THE, UM, PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, THEY'RE QUESTIONING ABOUT THE STAFF REPORT ITSELF.
IT IS THE SAME STAFF REPORT COMING BACK.
'CAUSE WE'RE JUST CONTINUING IT.
SO WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE STAFF REPORT.
WE'RE PICKING UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF LAST TIME.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF POINTS BROUGHT UP LAST TIME, UM, CONCERNS.
AND MY ROLE AS CITY MANAGER WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST TO GET WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, MAKE SURE THE CITY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING UNLAWFUL.
SO WITH THAT, WE FOUND NOTHING THAT WAS DONE THAT WAS ILLEGAL.
AND AT THIS POINT, UH, I HAVE STAFF HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE PROCEDURES, HOW WE WENT THROUGH THINGS AND ANSWER ALL THAT.
BUT I WANNA ASSURE THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT WE FOUND THAT NOTHING UNLAWFUL WAS DONE, AND THAT AT THIS TIME, THE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO STILL THE SAME, TO
[01:15:01]
AWARD THE CONTRACT TO WEST COAST ARBORIST.UM, BEFORE I BEGIN, UH, I'D LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A COPY OF, UM, THE CITY'S CONTRACT, RFP THAT WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND SO THE PUBLIC COULD HAVE A COPY OF THAT IF THEY WERE LIKE, I'M ALSO GONNA GIVE THE PUBLIC, UH, A COPY OF THE BIDS THAT THE PANELISTS WROTE OUT, UH, WHICH SCORED THE PANELISTS FROM A, A RATING BETWEEN ONE TO FIVE.
AND YOU'LL ALSO HAVE, UH, COMMON BOXES WHERE YOU COULD SEE THAT TOO.
CAN WE GET COPIES? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BEING PASSED ON.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY THIS WASN'T AHEAD OF TIME, SO ALI'S NOT ABLE TO.
AND, AND SO THIS, THESE ARE ALL, UM, THE SCORING SHEETS FROM THE PANEL LISTS.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OVER HERE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN THIS ITEM, I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING SAID AT THE NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM SUGGESTED THAT I WAS MICROMANAGING AND MAYOR TONY WILL ACCUSE ME OF BEING ON A WITCH HUNT.
HOLDING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE IS NOT MICROMANAGEMENT.
ASKING QUESTIONS IS NOT A WITCH HUNT.
IT IS OUR ETHICAL AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY UNDER STATE LAW AND OUR MUNICIPAL CODE AND OUR OATH OF OFFICE.
PUBLIC MONEY DESERVES PUBLIC HONESTY.
WHEN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT SHOWS IN CONSISTENCIES, IN REGULAR SCORING, MISSING DOCUMENTATION, MID PROCESS RULE CHANGES, THAT IS NOT A WITCH HUNT.
WHEN AN ACT, WHEN AN ACTING DEPARTMENT HEAD TESTIFIES THAT CERTAIN SCORING INSTRUCTIONS WERE IGNORED, WHEN PANELISTS ADMIT THEY CHANGE OF EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT WERE NEVER DISCLOSED IN THE RP WHEN THE CITY MANAGER STATES HE NEVER REVIEWED THE SCORING POINT OVER, HOLD THE POINT OVER, OKAY.
UH, IF YOU GO TO THE LAST MEETING, I NEVER ACCUSE YOU OF WITCH HUNT.
I HOPE YOU DON'T WANT ACCUSATION AGAIN.
I LET YOU DO ANYTHING YOU WANT.
I DIDN'T EVEN SAY YOU ARE WITCH HUNT THIS AND THAT.
SHOW ME WHEN I EVER SAY, WHICH HUNT ON THE LAST MEETING, I LET YOU DO YOUR PROCEDURE.
I SAY, WELL, OKAY, LET'S HAVE, UH, SINCE THE, THE STAFF ALREADY HAVE ALL THIS OKAY.
FUTURE DIRECTOR TO REVEAL AND BRING BACK.
I TOLD YOU, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WEST COAST TOO.
WHEN I EVER SAY I HAVE WITCH HUNT ABOUT YOUR PROCEDURE, YOU, YOU MADE THE COMMENT AFTER.
WHEN I HAVE THE COMMENT, SHOW ME BECAUSE I WANT, WELL, LOOK, I WANNA CLARIFY BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RIGHT ACCUSATION.
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR OWN ACCUSATION.
YOU CAN HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STAFF, BUT YOU DON'T ATTACK YOUR COLLEAGUE.
LIKE, WHICH ON THIS, IF I ATTACK YOU, I, I I'M GIVING I I'LL I WILL ADMIT, I'LL ATTACK YOU.
I NEVER ATTACK YOU ON THE DIET.
YOU WANT TO DO INVESTIGATION, GO FORWARD, BUT DON'T JUST BLAME ON YOUR COLLEAGUE.
IS A POLITICAL MOVEMENT, IS SIDETRACK ABOUT WHY YOU WANT TO DO THE FINDING? YOU MAKE THE COMMENT, I'M ALMOST SUPPORTING YOUR THING, AND NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THIS NONSENSE ABOUT WITCH HUNT, ABOUT MICROMANAGEMENT.
YOU JUST GO THROUGH YOUR, OKAY.
I AM MAKING, I AM, I AM MAKING, I DON'T TALKING ABOUT THAT'S ARE YOU GONNA YELL AGAIN? YOU'RE YELLING AGAIN.
CAN I DO MY JOB AND, AND CONTINUE MY SPEECH? NO.
DON'T EVER ACCUSE YOUR COLLEAGUE.
IF YOU WANNA DO THE INVESTIGATION, I GIVE YOU THE FORUM.
I ALLOW YOU TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANT.
UH, YOU DON'T LET, OKAY, ACCUSE WHAT, WHICH HUNT? THIS AND THAT, THAT IS POLITICAL.
YOU SAY THIS, YOU SAID YOU STATED THAT.
SHOW ME A CLIP THAT I TOLD YOU AS A WITCH HUNT.
OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK TO A CLIP.
BUT ANYWAY, I HAVE LOOK FOR IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ON YOUR INVESTIGATION, LISTEN TO THAT.
YOUR COLLEAGUE AND ALL THAT KIND NONSENSE.
ACTUALLY, AT THE END OF THIS COUNCIL MEETING, WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL REQUESTS, I ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW REQUESTS IN REFERENCE TO THAT.
BUT IN, IN REFERENCE TO YOURS, PLEASE FOCUS ON THE MATTER AND ASK OR DEAL WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TONS OF PAPERS, SO PLEASE GO AND HANDLE BUSINESS.
I'M DOING MY JOB AND I HAVE THE RIGHT, DO YOUR JOB, BUT DON'T TELL YOUR
[01:20:01]
COLLEAGUE I HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREEZE.YOU HAVE YOUR RIGHT, BUT NOT ATTACK YOUR, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO MY JOB FROM MY RESIDE FOR DISTRICT ONE.
YOU, I LET YOU CALL, BUT CAN I SPEAK? YOU'RE CUTTING ME OFF.
I CAN LET YOU SPEAK, BUT DON'T ATTACK YOUR COLLEAGUE.
FOCUS ON YOUR, YOU LIKE TO YELL, YOU LIKE TO THREATEN PEOPLE.
CAN WE PLEASE HANDLE BUSINESS AND GO AHEAD AND CAN DO MY JOB? I'M TRYING TO NO, YOU, YOU SETTLE ALL OTHER, YOU'LL ATTACK.
WE WILL GO BACK TO DEFEND OUR OURSELF.
CAN I CONTINUE? WHEN THE CITY MANAGER STATES HE NEVER REVIEWED HIS SCORING SHEETS, WHEN A CITY ATTORNEY GIVES LEGAL INTERPRETATIONS THAT CONTRADICT PROCUREMENT STANDARDS, THAT IS NOT MICROMANAGEMENT TO ASK QUESTIONS.
MY RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO RUBBER STAMP FLAW PROCESSES.
MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE RESIDENTS WHO TRUST US WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER FUNDS.
AGAIN,
YOU HAD THE PERSON HAVE NO RE AT ALL.
JUST ASK QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCEDURE.
I'M USING FRI I DOING MY JOB TIME.
I'M, I'M GOING TO, OH, SO YOU WANNA SIGN IN PEOPLE RIGHT NOW? I'M NOT SIGNING PEOPLE.
BUT DON'T ATTACK, DON'T GRANDSTANDING.
GO BACK TO WHAT YOUR QUESTION.
NOT ABOUT YOUR COLLEAGUE, NOT ABOUT GRAND STANDING.
I AM EXERCISING A NON-ELIGIBLE LEGAL DUTY UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW TO ASK OVERSIGHT QUESTIONS REGARDING $3 MILLION PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
MAYOR RU, THESE QUESTIONS ARE DIRECTLY TIED TO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR MUNICIPAL CODE.
THE BROWN ACT AND STATE PUBLIC CONTRACTING LAWS OVERSIGHT IS NOW RETALIATION.
GARY, ALL THIS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INTERPRETATION ON AGENDA ITEMS. FOCUS WITHOUT ARBITRARY INTERPRET INTERRUPTION.
ACCUSING ME OF RETALIATION SIMPLY BECAUSE I AM ASKING FACTUAL YES.
I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA, ILL SECOND.
SO NOW I WILL CONTINUE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
MR. MAYOR, YOU CAN, YOU CAN ASK FOR A MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE.
I'M GONNA MOTION TO APPROVE THIS.
MR. MAYOR, I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS.
I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT NOT MR. MAYOR, YOU HAVE A MOTION? I I HAVE A MOTION.
WHO DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK THE APPLICANT.
NO, I, NOW I HAVE QUESTIONS, SO I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.
YOU MOVING ON WITH YOUR TIME? I'M GOING TO THE QUESTIONS NOW.
IS THERE A SECOND? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
ALL YOU WANT A QUESTION? YOU WANT, YOU WANT A QUESTION? YES.
I, I'M JUST, I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS.
UM, MAY I GO AHEAD? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UH, THE, THE, THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS IS TO STAFF.
UH, WITH, WITH, WITH REGARD TO THE, THE, THE THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, UH, WCA, UM, BEING OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UH, OFFER A COUNTER, UH, TO A LOWER PRICE PER TREE.
UH, CAN STAFF DESCRIBE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THAT SAME OFFER WAS GIVEN TO EVERY, EVERY, UH, BIDDER TO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOWER THE PRICE? THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
UM, I'LL ASK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO COME UP WHO'S AN EXPERT ON PROCEDURE.
AND HOLD ON ONE SECOND PLEASE.
HE ASKING A QUESTION, BUT I HAVE A MOTION ABOUT, OKAY.
AND, UH, OUR COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ MOTION AND I SECOND.
BUT THIS IS REGARDING THE ACTION OF, UH, GUTIEREZ.
AND NOW HE HAS ASKING QUE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS I WANT, I WANT TO ASK.
BUT YOU CONTINUE TO POLITICIZE.
YOU NEED TO RETRACT ALL YOUR NONSENSE SPEECH.
I I, OTHERWISE I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU CONTINUE BECAUSE YOU ARE ATTACKING YOUR THREE COLLEAGUES OVER HERE.
OKAY? YOU, YOU SHOULD ATTACK, YOU JUST FOCUS WITH, SUPPORT YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING, BUT NOT SIDETRACKING.
USING THIS GRANDSTANDING ATTACKING YOUR COLLEAGUE.
YOU ARE ALWAYS ATTACKING PEOPLE.
SO CITY ATTORNEY, YOU, YOU CAN ALLOW QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALSO ASK QUESTIONS.
DO YOU WANT TO, WE ALLOW THEM TO ANSWER, RIGHT? SURE.
MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION, FIRST I'D LIKE TO OUTLINE WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE.
SO, UM, THE EVALUATION SUMMARY SHEET FOR THE MEETING WITH THE UNE CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT WAS TO DISCUSS THE NEXT STEPS AS WEST COAST ARBS, ALSO KNOWN AS WCA WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED, BUT NOT THE LOWEST BIDDER.
[01:25:01]
IN THE RFP 2026 DASH ZERO ONE SECTION NUMBER 10 POINT 10, WHICH IS THE EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS.IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO READ WHAT IT STATES IN ACCORDANCE TO THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION TWO DASH 3 3 4.
THE CITY WILL AWARD BID TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER AS DEFINED.
THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER IS THE ESTATES.
THE PRICE WOULD BE CONSIDERED, ALONG WITH OTHER FACTORS, THOSE INCLUDING AND, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE ABILITY, THE CAPACITY SKILL OF A BIDDER TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
WHETHER THE BIDDER CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES WITHIN A TIME SPECIFIED THE BIDDER'S RECORDS OF PERFORMANCE ON PREVIOUS ORDERS OR CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY, WITH OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES.
AND THE QUALITY, THE AVAILABILITY AND ADAPTABILITY OF THE BIDDER'S SERVICES.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THE PUBLIC WORK SUPERINTENDENT CONTACT THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
JONES AND MEYER SPOKE TO THE PARTNER, MS. ROBERTO, FOR LEGAL ADVICE AS TO IF WE CAN NEGOTIATE WITH WEST COAST ARBORS FOR THIS PROPOSAL.
WE WERE DIRECTED BY THE PARTNER OF THE FIRM THAT CONFIRMED, YES, THE CITY MAY AND CAN NEGOTIATE THE PROPOSAL WITH WEST COAST ARBUS.
THEREFORE, ON OCTOBER 13TH, 2025, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THE PUBLIC WORK SUPERINTENDENT MET WITH WEST COAST ARIS.
WEST COAST ARBORS HAD AGREED TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR CURRENT RATES.
THESE CURRENT RATES ARE LOWER THAN WHAT WAS PROPOSED IN RFP 2026 DASH OH ONE CAUSE PROPOSAL.
NOW, BASED ON THE SECTION 10 POINT 10 IN THE RFP, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THE PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT DETERMINED THAT WEST COAST ARBUS WAS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
AND PER SECTION RFP 20 26 0 1, SECTION 10.6, WHICH IS THE DISCLAIMERS AND RESERVATIONS OF RIGHTS, IT STATES THAT THE CITY HAS THE RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE WITH ANY QUALIFIED PROPER AND RIGHT TO DECLINE TO AWARD THE AGREEMENT OF ANY PROPOSERS.
SO THEREFORE, THE CITY HAD RECEIVED.
UM, SO THAT'S THE CONCLUSION, AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, WHICH IS WEST COAST ARBORIST.
AND AGAIN, THAT WAS PER OUR CODE, PER OUR RFP AS WELL AS WE GOT LEGAL ADVICE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, WITHIN THE, THE DOCUMENTATION IS, IS THERE DOCUMENTATION REGARDING HOW THE SCORES ARRIVED AT THE CONCLUSION THAT WCA WAS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM LISTENING TO THE LAST MEETING, FROM AFTER I HAD DEPARTED THE MEETING, UH, THERE I DIDN'T, THERE WAS, THERE WASN'T, EXCEPT FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL.
THERE WAS NO COMMENTS THAT WERE DESCRIBING THE, THE RATIONALE FOR THE SCORES.
SO ABSENT THE DOCUMENTATION THAT DESCRIBES WHY THE CONCLUSION WAS MADE THAT WCCA IS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER CAN, UH, UH, THE QUESTION BE ANSWERED AS TO HOW IT CAN BE, UH, SHOWN WHERE, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A BASIS AS DOCUMENTED IN THE PAPERWORK TO SHOW THE, THE RATIONALE FOR SUCH A CONCLUSION.
WELL, IF I COULD JUST EXPAND UPON THAT.
SO THE EVALUATION SHEET INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEWING QUESTIONS.
THIS MIGHT HAVE SOME INSIGHT FOR YOU.
ONE IS THE COMPANY EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY, THE STAFFING AND TRAINING KNOWLEDGE OF THE TREE CARE STANDARDS, EQUIPMENT SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT APPROACH TO SERVICE AND RESPONSIVENESS, THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISPOSAL PRACTICES COST EFFECTIVENESS, AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATION COMMUNICATIONS.
SO THOSE WERE THE CRITERIA THAT WE USED FOR THE EVALUATIONS FORMS THAT THE PANELISTS USED TO MAKE THEIR DETERMINATION AND RANKING.
SO IN, IN LIGHT OF THAT CRITERIA, DOES, IS THERE WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS FROM THE EVALUATORS THAT SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR WHY IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT W-C-I-C-A WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED AND LEAST AND MOST RESPONSIBLE AND, UM, UH, UH, UH, UH, BIDDER, UM, UNDER THAT, IN LIGHT OF THE CRITERIA? YES, THE EVALUATIONS WERE FORMED.
FIRST OF ALL, THE EVALUATION FORMS WERE GIVEN TO EACH EVALUATOR INDEPENDENTLY.
SO THEY RECEIVED THE BIDS, THEY GOT THE FORMS, THEY'D DONE THEIR EVALUATION INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER, AND IT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE MANAGEMENT ANALYST WHO THEN COLLECTED ALL THE RESULTS, COMPILED IT, PUT IT IN A SUMMARY FORM.
SO EACH EVALUATOR DID NOT SEE OTHER EVALUATORS RANKING.
AND CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE FORM ITSELF THAT, THAT, UH, TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE, THE NEED FOR COMMENTS? IS IT, IS IT REQUIRED OR IS IT, IS IT OPTIONAL? IT'S OPTIONAL.
UM, AS, AS WE GO THROUGH INTERVIEWS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR, UM, JOB APPLICATIONS, JOB INTERVIEWS, MAYBE 10 QUESTIONS.
[01:30:01]
OUR RANK PER THAT QUESTION.WE ABSORB, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTERVIEW RESPONSES WERE AND THEN WE MAY RANK, SOMETIMES WE MAY RATE A COMMENT AND SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT.
IT IS NOT WRITTEN THAT A COMMENT IS REQUIRED FOR EACH CRITERIA.
IT IS REQUIRED THAT YOU HAVE A RANKING NUMBER, NOT A COMMENT.
SO CAN, DOES THE, CAN YOU PLEASE READ WHAT THE FORM SAYS? I LITERALLY DON'T KNOW 'CAUSE I JUST GOT THIS IN THIS FORMAT.
SO WHERE DOES IT, WHAT DOES IT SAY WITH REGARD TO, UH, PROVIDING COMMENT? I MEAN, IT, IT MAY BE SILENT ON THAT, BUT IF YOU CAN READ THAT REQUIRE OR THAT, THAT SECTION OR, SURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE TITLE OF THIS FORM IS CALLED THE INTERVIEW EVALUATION FORM RFP 2026 DASH ZERO ONE TREE TRIMMING AND TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES C WEST COVINA.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE EVALUATION PANEL.
FIRST, EACH PANEL MEMBER SHALL INDEPENDENTLY SCORE EACH PROPOSER RATE EACH CATEGORY USING SCALE FROM ONE TO FIVE, AND ONE BEING POOR, AND FIVE BEING EXCELLENT BY COMMENT, TO SPLIT YOUR SCORE SCORES WILL BE TOTALED IN AVERAGE TO BE DETERMINED TO FINAL RANKING.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A MANDATORY COMMENT.
WIDE COMMENT POINT OF DON'T I DON'T INTERRUPT.
HE, I AM SAYING A POINT OF VOTER.
YOU HAVE TO RESPECT YOUR COLLEAGUES.
I DON'T ALLOW YOU TO BE, IF I SAY POINT OF VOTER, BE ATTORNEY, YOU NEED TO BE MISLEAD, MR. MAYOR.
HE NEEDS TO BE, DOES NOT STATE.
HE NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY YOU.
WHY DON'T RECOGNIZE DON'T CUT IT.
DON'T, DON'T ALLOW YOU PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA LIE TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
IT DOESN'T SAY THAT ON THE FORM.
OKAY, MR. ATTORNEY, YOU NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK.
AM I RIGHT? YEAH, YOU ARE INTERRUPT.
YOU'RE NOT GOING REMOVE THE I POINT OF ORDER.
NO, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
CAN I, CAN, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION REMOVING YOU REMOVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FROM THE DIOCESE? IT DOESN'T MATTER.
MR. MAYOR, IF, IF, IF HE'S GONNA DISRUPT, WE CAN TAKE A BREAK AND THEN COME BACK.
CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST YES, THAT WAS, I WILL STATE THAT.
AGAIN, THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE EVALUATION PANEL.
EACH PANEL MEMBER SHALL INDEPENDENTLY SCORE EACH PROPOSER RATE EACH CATEGORY.
YOU'RE USING THE SCALE FROM ONE TO FIVE, ONE BEING FOUR, AND FIVE BEING EXCELLENT.
PROVIDE COMMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR SCORE AND SCORES BE TOTALED IN AVERAGE TO DETERMINE FINAL RANKING.
AGAIN, IT DOES NOT STATE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING COMMENTS TO YOU.
SUPPORT YOUR SCORE IS MANDATORY.
THE INSTRUCTION SOUNDS LIKE IT SAYS PROVIDE COMMENTS.
IS THAT, UM, AT LEAST FROM THAT SENTENCE, AS THAT FORM CURRENTLY READS, IT SAYS, PROVIDE COMMENTS THAT, THAT TO SUPPORT YOUR SCORE, SUPPORT YOUR SCORE, YES.
SO THAT IT SAYS THAT AS, AS AN INSTRUCTION, IT DIDN'T, DOES IT SAY THE WORD OPTIONAL DOES NOT, NOR DOES IT SAY MANDATORY.
SO FOR THE APPEARANCES FOR IN, IN TERMS OF APPEARANCE, IT COULD LEAD, UH, THOSE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE THE CONTRACT POTENTIALLY TO, TO, UH, CLAIM OR FILE LITIGATION BASED ON ALL ON THOUGHTS THAT THE PROCESS WAS NOT FAIR.
IS THAT ALSO POSSIBLE? IN LIGHT OF THAT SENTENCE, I'LL DEFER TO OUR SIGNATURE, MR. DE MAYOR.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A DISCUSSION OBVIOUSLY FOR CLOSED SESSION, UH, UH, ABOUT FOR LIABILITY.
BUT OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY ALL KNOW ANYBODY CAN SUE ON ANYTHING.
THAT, THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MAYOR PUTIN, GO AHEAD.
SO, AS EVERYBODY, UH, IS AWARE AT THE LAST MEETING, I KNOW THIS WAS ALSO ADDRESSED.
I HAD MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE DOING INTERVIEWS IN OTHER CITIES, IT'S THE SAME THING TO PROVIDE, BUT IT WAS NOT MANDATORY.
UM, BUT, UH, AS YOU REMEMBER, THE THE ONE THAT WE ANNOUNCED, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR THAT WAS HERE, UM, HE WAS TASKED ON TO LOOK INTO THE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, HE RESIGNED, UM, BECAUSE OF A SAME COUNCIL MEMBER WHOSE CONDUCT WAS PREVIOUSLY, PREVIOUSLY LED TWO OTHER DIRECTORS TO RESIGN.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, I DID SPEAK TO HIM ABOUT THIS TREE, UM, TO SEE HOW THE WHOLE THING OF, TO BRING THAT BACK.
UM, SO HE SAID REGARDING THE TREE ISSUE, HE NOTED THAT IT WAS A STANDARD ROUTINE ACTION HANDLED PROPERLY AND CONSISTENT WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS USED AND DONE IN MANY OTHER CITIES.
AND HE, UH, MENTIONED DIFFERENT CITIES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BACK, BUT SINCE HE RESIGNED, UM, YEAH.
SAME REASON WHY TWO OTHER DIRECTORS RESIGNED BECAUSE OF ONE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE.
AND I, AND THAT'S GONNA BE TALKED ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT MY COUNSEL REQUESTS.
BUT I'LL MOVE THAT LATER 'CAUSE I WANNA STICK TO BUSINESS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO RELAY THE MESSAGE THAT HE STATED.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT SINCE HE WON'T BE HERE ANYMORE, BECAUSE HE'S
[01:35:01]
NO LONGER WITH THE CITY.UM, I'LL START OFF WITH MILAN.
BUT, UH, MILAN, WHEN YOU STATED THAT THE INTERVIEW SCORING DETERMINE THE AWARD, DID THE CITY ATTORNEY HAVE EVER ADVISE YOU THAT THE REP MUST DISCLOSE ALL EVALUATION METRICS, INCLUDING ANY ORAL INTERVIEW SCORING BEFORE THE PROCESS BEGINS? UH, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAD THE DISCUSSION.
DID THE CITY ATTORNEY EVER WARN YOU THAT CHANGING WA WA WAITING OR IGNORING PRICE SCORING DURING THE ORAL INTERVIEWS COULD VIOLATE CALIFORNIA PROCUREMENT STANDARDS AND EXPOSE THE CITY TO, TO PRO PROTEST CLAIMS? UH, I DON'T BELIEVE WE DISCUSSED ANYTHING.
UM, BEFORE PLACING THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA, DID YOU RECEIVE ANY LEGAL DIRECTION FROM MR. DOHERTY ON WHETHER THE MISSING OR INCOMPLETE SCORING DOCUMENTATION COMPLIED WITH THE CITY'S OWN RP REQUIREMENTS? UM, AFTER REVIEW WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, WE FOUND NOTHING WAS DONE UNLAWFUL.
DID MR. DOHERTY EVER ADVISE YOU THAT A VENDOR CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACT TERMS AFTER, OR, OR, OR DID MR. DOR? I WANNA SKIP THAT ONE.
WHEN I PROVIDED THE PRO, WHEN, WHEN I MADE MENTION THE CONCERNS LAST TIME AND EVIDENCE SHOWING MISSING SCORING BOXES, ONE WORD, EXPLANATIONS AND IGNORE INSTRUCTIONS.
DID THE CITY ATTORNEY TELL YOU THAT THIS WAS ACCEPTABLE UNDER THE LAW? I DON'T BELIEVE WE DISCUSSED THE SCORING SHEETS.
I BELIEVE I ADDRESSED THAT AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, WERE YOU EVER ADVISED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT THE INTERVIEW PANELS, UM, THAT THE DOCUMENTS PRESENTED, UH, WHICH STATED THAT, UM, TO PROVIDE SCORING WITH COMMENTS, UM, OR TO TO FOLLOW, TO FAIL TO FOLLOW THE WRITTEN SCORING INSTRUCTIONS ON A DOCUMENT COULD INVALIDATE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS? NO, THAT WAS NOT DISCUSSED.
I BELIEVE I TOUCHED ON THAT AS WELL AS THE LAST MEETING.
UH, DID, DO YOU KNOW IF, UM, THIS MR. DOHERTY HAS REVIEWED THE FREE PARKING FREELANCE USE SUBSIDY ISSUE INVOLVING WEST COASTS ARBORIST BEFORE RECOMMENDING THIS CONTRACT MOVE FORWARD? I DO NOT KNOW.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MIKE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, MR. MR. KRISA, UH, DID THE WRITTEN REP STRUCTURES CLEARLY REQUIRE EACH PANELIST TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN EXPLANATION FOR EVERY SCORE THEY ASSIGN? YES OR NO? IT WAS NOT MANDATORY.
IT WAS, IT WAS NOT MANDATORY, BUT IT, THE FORUM, UM, DID SAY IT RIGHT.
I MEAN, THE, IT DOES SAY PROVIDE COMMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR SCORE.
UM, AS A SENIOR PANELIST, DID YOU TAKE ANY A, WELL ACTUALLY IT WAS, I GUESS ASSISTANT SENIOR MANAGER, BUT AS A SENIOR PANELIST, DID YOU TAKE ANY ACTION TO ENFORCE THE WRITTEN SCORING REQUIREMENTS? BUT I'LL SKIP THAT ONE.
UM, DID YOU INFORM ANY PROPOSER BEFORE THE INTERVIEWS THAT THE PRICE WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE SECOND ROUND SCORING, EVEN THOUGH THE RP CLEARLY WEIGHTED PRICE? IN ROUND ONE, WE DID NOT DISCUSS THAT.
TWO PANELISTS PUBLICLY TESTIFIED THAT THEY DID NOT CONSIDER PRICE AT ALL IN THE INTERVIEW ROUND.
DID YOU TELL THEM THAT THIS WAS PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE RFP OR WE DIDN'T COME UP? UH, IT DID NOT COME UP.
A, UM, AFTER THE INTERVIEWS, DID THE PANEL RESCORE, UH, WEST COAST ARBORS IN A WAY THAT RESULTED IN THEM JUMPING AHEAD OF GREAT SCOTT, DESPITE GREAT SCOTT LEADING IN THE PUBLISHED RP SCORING? IT DID CHANGE AFTER THE INTERVIEW PANEL.
DID, DID YOU BEGIN NEGOTIATING CONTRACT TERMS WITH WEST COAST ARBORISTS ONLY AFTER THEY WERE DECLARED THE WINNER, MEANING THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE NOT PART OF THE PUBLISHED RP SCORING CRITERIA? WELL, WE DON'T DECLARE THE WINNER.
SO IT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, AFTER MEETING WITH LEGAL, TALKING WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, MAKING SURE WE MET ALL PROCEDURES, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND I SAT DOWN WITH WEST COAST ARBORIST AND NEGOTIATED.
AND IS IT CORRECT, UM, THAT YOU WERE INSTRUCTED BY THE, AS ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, BRITTANY ROBERTO, TO REMOVE THE INTERVIEW SCORING, UH, PANEL SCORES FROM THE PUBLIC AGENDA? UM, FROM THE COUNCIL AGENDA BEFORE
[01:40:01]
THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO REMOVE THE INTERVIEW PANELS ON THE STAFF REPORT PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING.AND DID SHE YEAH, MR. MAYOR, WE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE DON'T MANDATE WHAT GOES IN STAFF REPORTS.
THAT'S UP TO STAFF AND THAT'S UP TO THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL.
YEAH, NO, NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT.
BUT MR. CRISP JUST SAID THAT HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE IT.
UM, AND, AND WE COULD DENY THAT, WHATEVER, BUT THOSE AREN'T THE RIGHT.
AND YOU WEREN'T INSTRUCTED IT WAS RECOMMENDED.
THE STAFF REPORT WAS DISCUSSED AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO REMOVE THE, TO REMOVE THAT, YEAH.
AFTER RECOMMENDATION FROM A, THE ATTORNEY, UH, DEPUTY, THE ATTORNEY, ROBERTO.
DID YOU PERSONALLY TELL, DID YOU PERSONALLY, UM, I MEAN, I MEAN, IS IT TRUE THAT WEST COAST ARBS NEVER PROVIDED FREE, FREE RETREAT PLANTING THAT THEY PUBLICLY CLAIM IN JUNE AND THAT YOU WANTED TO TELL THE CONS FOR MONTHS? BUT WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT THAT IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE I DO NOT, WE DO NOT SEE THAT IN THE CONTRACT.
UM, MYSELF, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LERMA AND ANALYST RENEE CHAVEZ SAT DOWN WITH WEST COAST ARBORIST WITH, UM, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY, ROBERTO WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE CONTRACT.
THE WAY WE SEE THE CONTRACT IS A TREE IS TO BE REPLACED.
IF THERE'S NEGLIGENCE FOUND IN REMOVAL OR, OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING IN THE CONTRACT TO STATE THAT THEY'RE TO REPLACE EVERY TREE THAT WE REQUEST TO BE REMOVED.
SO THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING IN ANY OF OUR CONTRACTS HAS SAID, WE'LL, IF WE REMOVE A TREE, WE'LL REPLANT IT FOR FREE.
I AM NOT, UH, I'VE ONLY LOOKED AT THE CURRENT CONTRACT, WHICH IS FIVE YEARS OLD AND A A LITTLE BIT OVER FIVE YEARS OLD.
BUT GOING THROUGH THAT, I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING.
AND AFTER REFERRING TO OTHER STAFF MEMBERS AND CITY'S LEGAL TEAM, WE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING IN THAT CONTRACT TO STATE THAT.
UH, DURING, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU.
I'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR WEST COAST ARBOR.
LET HIM FINISH, YOU KNOW, UH, WEST, WEST COAST.
DID YOUR COMPANY EVER RECEIVE ANY INFORMAL ASSURANCES, SINGLES, OR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM ANY CITY EMPLOYEE SUGGESTING THAT YOU WERE THE PREFERRED VENDOR BEFORE THE REP SCORING WAS COMPLETE? NO.
DID ANY STAFF MEMBER AT ANY POINT DISCUSS WITH YOU THAT THE ORAL INTERVIEW WILL CARRY GREATER WEIGHT THAN THE WRITTEN SCORING, EVEN THOUGH THE REP NEVER DISCLOSED SUCH A SECOND ROUND SCORING SYSTEM? NO.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU AWARE THAT TWO PANELISTS SUBMITTED THAT, UM, A MINUTE, DID NOT CONSIDER PRICE? UH, WE'LL MOVE ON.
UM, SO DO YOU PROVIDE, UH, WHEN A TREE IS REMOVED, DO YOU, DO YOU PROVIDE THAT FOR FREE TO OUR CITY OR DO YOU CHARGE US TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ NOT, I CAN'T REMEMBER ONE CONTRACT THAT WE'VE EVER, EVER ENTERED INTO TO WHERE THAT IS A REQUIREMENT.
AND AFTER MY DISCUSSIONS, UH, WITH COUNCIL HERE, AND THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, I, I WAS THINKING AND I THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF.
AND I WENT BACK TO OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND CHECKED WITH THEM.
THEY COULD NOT FIND IT OR REMEMBERED ANYTHING.
SO I REACHED OUT TO STAFF AND SAID, LOOK, WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT IS, IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL WAS, UH, SAYING THAT WE WERE, UM, REQUIRED TO DO.
SO THEY IN TURN, LOOKED AT THE CONTRACT, WE HAD OUR TEAM LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, AND IN FACT, IT WAS NOT IN THE CONTRACT TO DO THAT.
SO I WAS RACKING MY BRAIN ON WHERE YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT IDEA.
AND I SPOKE WITH MIKE CRESS UP THAT IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE OFFERED THE CITY UNDER A GRANT PROGRAM WHERE IT WAS A REMOVAL, UH, PROJECT, AND THE GRANT WAS GOING TO REPLACE ALL THE REMOVALS WITH, WITH TREES.
BUT THAT GRANT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION BECAUSE, UH, THE, UM, UH, CAL FIRE HAD PULLED IT AND IT NEVER WENT FORWARD.
SO I'M THINKING MAYBE THAT'S WHERE YOU GUYS GOT THE INCLINATION.
BUT YEAH, BECAUSE I, I THINK, UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, MAYOR PEARL TE LOPEZ, SEATTLE, I THINK ASKED YOU THE QUESTION IN THE JUNE MEETING.
AND THEN I ALSO JUMPED IN AND SAID FOR FREE, UM, I, I THINK I, YOU DON'T REPLACE, I THINK I HAVE THE TAPE.
UM, AND I'LL PLAY IT BRIEFLY JUST SO YOU CAN RECALL IT.
WANT THE TREE REPLACED? ABSOLUTELY.
WE WILL GRIND, UM, REPLANT AND THEN PUT THE GRATE BACK END, BUT THAT'S AT CITY REQUEST IF THEY WANNA REPLACE A TREE OR NOT.
AND DOES CITY REQUESTS TO REPLACE THOSE? UH, USUALLY WHEN IT'S IN A SETTING WITH A TREE GRATE IN A DOWNTOWN AREA THAT YEAH, THEY WANNA REPLACE A TREE, YEAH, MOST LIKELY THEY WILL BE REPLACED.
[01:45:01]
SOMETIMES IN LIKE REDEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, PROJECTS, UH, TO WHERE THEY WANT TO DO AWAY WITH THE GRADES AND THEN JUST FILL THOSE IN WITH CONCRETE, UH, IT'S, IT'S ENTIRELY UP TO THE CITY ON WHAT THEIR PLAN IS.AND WE FOLLOW THOSE DIRECTIONS.
THAT'S THOSE THREE BLANK, PLEASE.
YEAH, I WAS ASKING THE CONCEPT DEFINITION.
OH, I MEAN, MEAN, THE, THE, THAT THAT'S, IS, THAT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT REGARDING REPLACING THE TREES? YES, YES.
SO, SO I, SO IT'S, IT'S, YEAH.
SO LAST TIME YOU DID TELL HER, AND, AND I, AND AGAIN, I WAS TAKING IT AT HER, YOU KNOW, HER WORD THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE CONTRACT, BUT WHEN I WENT BACK AND CHECKED, BECAUSE AGAIN, I THOUGHT MAYBE OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, UM, AMENDED THE CONTRACT TO INCLUDE THAT.
SO THEREFORE I AGREED WITH, WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND WENT BACK AND THEN THAT'S WHEN STARTED THE WHOLE CONVERSATION WITH CITY STAFF ON WHERE, I MEAN, CAN YOU, CAN I DID HAVE YOU MET? I MEAN, I'LL, I'LL LET, I MEAN, I'LL LET, OKAY, YEAH, I'LL LET THE MAYOR PROTO ANSWER THAT LATER ON IN HER QUESTION.
BUT I MEAN, IF IT'S IN THE CONTRACT, YEAH, I WILL HONOR IT.
YEAH, THAT WAS THE MAYOR'S PRO TIP.
SO I'LL LET HER ANSWER THAT LATER.
BUT, UM, MY LAST QUESTIONS, UM, IS FOR, UM, MR. DOHERTY, AND THAT'S IT.
AND I, AND I THINK EVERYONE ELSE WILL HAVE QUESTIONS.
MR. DOHERTY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOUR OFFICE ALLOWED THE ORAL INTERVIEW PANEL TO CONDUCT A SECOND SCORING ROUND THAT USE CRITERIA NOT DISCLOSED THE RP, INCLUDING COMM MAYOR, WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS AT ALL.
SO ALL THAT LINE OF QUESTIONING ISN'T RELEVANT.
UM, DO YOU, WELL, I'LL MOVE ON FROM THAT QUESTION, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, YOU DON'T KNOW IT, BUT DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY CAN, UH, DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IN GENERAL THAT THE CITY CANNOT LEGALLY CHANGE SCORING METHODOLOGY, MID COMPETITION WITHOUT PUBLIC NOTICES? I'M NOT GONNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, AND I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS ANY POTENTIAL LIABILITY OUT HERE IN OPEN SESSION.
CAN YOU JUST SKIP THAT ONE? SKIP? OKAY.
SO, UM, YOU DONE, OH, NO, ALMOST FINISHED.
YOU SAY YOU HE'S HE'S THE LAST ONE.
UH, LET, I NEED TO GIVE, UH, YES.
UH, ALSO WOMAN, THE CHANCE, GIVEN THE PATTERN.
SO I GUESS MY, MY LAST, MY LAST, MY, MY CONCERN HERE IS, UM, AND, AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL, UM, RESEND THEIR, THEIR, THEIR MOTION, BUT LATER ON, BUT, UM, MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT, UM, THE RF UM, YEAH, THE, THE RRP, UM, DID NOT DISCLOSE, UM, IN THE RRP THAT THE, THE INTERVIEW STAGES WERE GONNA HAVE A TOTALLY NEW METRICS OF VOTING.
IT DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT AT ALL.
LET ME GIVE, UH, YEAH, BUT GO AHEAD, COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, I JUST WANNA GO BACK TO LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE HAD, AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY MIKE, MAYBE IT WERE, UM, RENEE, IF YOU WANNA COME UP.
SO ARE THESE THE RANKING SHEETS THAT YOU GUYS USED TO SCORE? YES, THOSE ARE THE RANKING SHEETS THAT WERE, UM, THAT COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ WAS SAYING THAT THERE WERE NO COMMENTS.
IS THIS THE ONE, THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE RANKING SHEETS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THERE ARE, THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMENTS ON HERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE WAS SAYING THAT THERE'S NO COMMENTS AND ALL THERE ARE SCORES, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE.
AND I JUST WANT THE AUDIENCE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND LIES.
I MEAN, THAT'S A LIE WHEN YOU SAY THAT THERE ARE NO COMMENTS HERE.
AND THERE ARE, AND, AND IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT IT PUT YOU GUYS ON THE SPOT SAYING THAT YOU DIDN'T COMPLY OR YOU DIDN'T DO THIS.
SO I JUST, I WANTED TO SAY THAT AND I MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS, UM, MOTION TO APPROVE BECAUSE OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAS ALREADY TOLD US THERE'S NOTHING WRONG THAT'S HAPPENED.
WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE ARE NO COMMENTS, THAT IS NOT FAIR AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT.
AND I JUST WONDER HOW MANY CALLS WERE MADE TO SOME OF THESE ARBORISTS OR THESE TREE TRIMMING COMPANIES TO HAVE 'EM COME IN? 'CAUSE I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS MANY PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND BASICALLY TRY TO, UM, CHANGE OUR MINDS OR, OR, OR AT LEAST, UM, CHANGE YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND I MEAN, WE PUT SOME CREDIT INTO OUR STAFF AND OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA REVIEW STUFF.
IF WE HAD THIS, AND IF HE CAME UP WITH THIS KIND OF INFORMATION, THEN I WOULD'VE SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
ARE THERE CO ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, BOXES THAT ARE EMPTY? YES.
[01:50:02]
FORMS HAVE NUMBERS AND THEY HAVE COMMENTS.AND I JUST THINK IT'S VERY UNFAIR THAT THEY PUT US ON THE, ON THE STAND LIKE THIS.
AND THAT'S MY CHANCE TO, TO KIND OF, UH, FOCUS, JUST NOT GET SIDETRACK ON THOSE NONSENSE ARGUMENT, BUT I THINK THIS IS A CITY HAVE THE RIGHT TO IP AND TO INTERVIEW PEOPLE, AND WE WANT TO, THAT'S A FAIR PROCESS.
SO BASICALLY THIS IS A TWO ISSUE OVER HERE.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK AS A CITY OVER HERE FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
AND, UH, WHEN, WHEN CHOOSE IS THE FAIR PROCESS, OKAY.
THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE PERFORMANCE IS THE PERSON, OKAY? GET PICKED WHERE THEY PERFORM OR THEIR PREVIOUS WORK IN OUR CITY, THEY DOING A GOOD, GOOD PERFORMANCE AND WE RECOGNIZE THEM OR THEY HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE.
I THINK THIS IS, WE SHOULD FOCUS, OKAY, IS THE, THE PROCEDURE IS FAIRNESS.
OKAY? OR ANOTHER SECOND THING IS THE PERSON GET PICKED.
OKAY? THE VENDOR, THEIR RECORD, THEIR PERFORMANCE, THE NEW COMPANY, OKAY, I HAVE NO IDEA THE PERFORMANCE AND FOR WEST COAST, OKAY? SINCE THEY OKAY.
ALREADY SERVICING OUR CITY, OKAY? AND I KNOW THEIR PERFORMANCE AND SOME PERFORMANCE, I REALLY HAVE A ISSUE.
OKAY? I DON'T KNOW THE ISSUE IS BECAUSE, OKAY, UH, YOU ARE, UH, THAT'S NOT IN YOUR CONTRACT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY AREA.
SO MAYBE WEST, WEST COAST CAN COME UP.
I I REALLY DON'T QUITE, YEAH, PLEASE.
I REALLY, THE PROCESS, I HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE CITY INTEGRITY.
OKAY? EVEN, I'M NOT THE FAN OF THE WEST COAST, BUT I HAVE TO SUPPORT THE CITY DECISION, OKAY? BECAUSE THIS, YOU SPEND TIME, THIS AND THAT.
AND THE CITY MANAGER, OUR ATTORNEY, OUR CITY MANAGER, THEY ALL PUT THEIR REPETITION TO IT.
IF WE JUST BLINDLY DECLINE EVEN, I'M NOT TOO HAPPY ABOUT YOUR PERFORMANCE, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE CT DECISION BASED ON THEIR PROCEDURE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
OKAY? AND, UH, REGARDING YOUR PERFORMANCE, AND UH, AGAIN, I TALKING TO SO MANY RESIDENTS DUE TO MY AREA, IT'S MOST OF THE HILLSIDE.
OKAY? I HAVE A NORTH ON THE HILLSIDE, OKAY? AND THERE'S THE STREET CALLED HILLSIDE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A HOLIDAY, OKAY? AND THE HIGHLIGHT, OKAY.
OKAY? THEN YOU HAVE A MONTARY, YOU HAVE A OLD STREET AND WITH A BIG TREE, AND THEY GO SOUTH.
YOU GO ALL THOSE HILL WITH A SHED, OAK.
AND THAT HAS A LOT, A LOT OF TREE.
OKAY? OUR COUNCILMAN KENTO, HIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A LOT, A LOT OF TREE TOO.
OKAY? AND SOME OF THE TREE, WHAT I SEE NEVER BEEN TRAINED, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT TREE THAT YOU COULD LET THE TREE, THAT GIANT TREE, IS THAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY? IS THAT INCREASE THE CONTRACT? NO, MIKE, YOU WANNA COME UP? MAYOR WU, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION THAT'S GONE ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
THE HILLSIDES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
AND, UH, BUT PROMONTORY THE AREAS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MD SIX AND SEVEN, UH, MAINTENANCE DISTRICT TWO AND FOUR FOR, SINCE I CAN REMEMBER WE'VE DONE THOSE ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS IN JUST EMERGENCIES.
THE BUDGET HAS NOT BEEN THERE FOR A TRIM CYCLE.
UM, IN MY TIME IN MAINTENANCE, WHICH HAS BEEN SINCE ABOUT TWO.
SO BASICALLY EVEN WE CHANGED THE VENDOR, THE PROBLEM WILL EXIST BECAUSE THIS IS NOT IN THE CONTRACT.
THIS IS, THIS CONTRACT IS BASED ON PER ITEM AND IT'S WHAT OUR BUDGET CAN AFFORD.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T EXCEED THE 506,000.
AND SO WE DO THE WORK TO THE, TO OUR FUNDS AVAILABLE.
IF, IF YOU GO TO THE SHADOW OAK, YOU, SO THOSE GIANT TREE OVER THE PEOPLE'S ROOF AND YOU KNOW, YOU COLLECT THE TREE, THEY COLLAPSE OAK TREE, THEY COLLAPSE AND, AND, UH, THE SAFETY OKAY, IS THE ISSUE.
AND THEN, OKAY, GLOUCESTER PARK HILLSIDE.
SO TREE CLOSE THE PEOPLE'S HOME IS A FIRE HAZARD.
ALL ALTHOUGH TREE HUGE AND MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN TRAINED FOR 10, 20 YEARS.
SO, SO, SO WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT? UM, THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
IT'S BEEN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT, SO IT, IT IS NOT THEIR JOB? NO.
ONLY IF WE, HOW ABOUT ONLY, I'M SORRY, HOW ABOUT SHE? OH, A LOT OF BIG DEAD TREE.
ON THE HILLSIDES, THAT'S ALL ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
AND, UH, ON OUR WALKWAY, IT DOESN'T HAVE A WALKWAY.
STILL THE DIRT WITH A DEAD TREE.
AND RECENTLY SOME RESIDENT COMPLAINED TO ME, THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A YEAR, OKAY, FOR TRIN DEBT TREE.
AND, UH, SHOWED THE PICTURE I SHOWED TO THE CITY MANAGER, OKAY? AND SHOWED TO YOU GUY THAT DEAD TREE DEAD FOR A WHILE.
[01:55:01]
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT? WELL, IT'S, IT'S WEST COAST RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE IT DOWN IF WE REQUEST IT.DEAD TREES IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE KNOW IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR COUNCIL.
WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A LIST OF TREES, ARBOR ACCESS KEEPS TRACK OF IT, AND THE, THE SIZE OF THE TREE, THE LOCATIONS OF THE TREE, THE, THE TREES ARE DETERMINED HOW HIGH OF A RISK FACTOR THEY ARE.
AND WE TAKE THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND WE REMOVE THE TREES.
SO HIGHEST RISK WORKING TO THE LOWEST LIST, BUT WE STILL HAVE TREES THAT ARE DEAD THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REMOVED, THAT ARE ON THE LIST.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT LIST GROWS.
AND ANOTHER THING, ANOTHER THING IS SINCE WE HAVE THE NEW WEBSITE COMING UP AND THEN, UH, IT'S I THINK SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO, I DON'T KNOW YOU ANOTHER PERSON DID THE, OKAY.
AND THE PRESENTATION, THEY SAY, OH, OUR CT 20,000 TREE, YOU GUYS ALL HAVE A RECORD OF EACH TREE.
WHAT IS OKAY STAGE THEY OKAY, WHAT, HOW BIG, WHEN TO BE BETWEEN, OKAY.
AND THEN THAT'S WHY THEY WANT TO, WE WILL SAY PUT THOSE TREE OR OUR TREE CONDITION INTO OUR WEBSITE.
SO WHEN PEOPLE TYPE IN ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SITUATION, THOSE TREES SHOULD BE BECOME OUT WHEN WE BE TRAINED AND WHEN THE STREET WILL BE PAVED.
OKAY? AND THAT, AND THE, SO BASED ON WHAT YOU, I REMEMBER SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO, THE PRESENTATION IS LESS.
YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE THE RECORD OF EACH TREE IN OUR CITY.
SO YOU LABEL IT OKAY, WHEN THE TREE NEED TO BE EITHER CHOP IT DOWN DUE TO SICKNESS AND, UH, DISEASE, THIS AND THAT.
YES, I REMEMBER THAT PRESENTATION AND WE WERE DECIDING WHETHER IT WAS GOING TO BE A SEVEN YEAR GR GRID CYCLE OR A FIVE YEAR.
I THINK THE CITY OPTED TO DO THE FIVE YEAR AND THEY FUNDED IT.
WHAT MIKE IS TALKING ABOUT IS THOSE, THE GRID TRIMMING DOESN'T INCLUDE THE SLOPES.
IT WAS JUST THE CITY STREET TREES.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, THE PALM TREES, THE ANNUAL PALMS, UH, THAT ARE ON, UM, UM, LARK, ELLEN AND WORKMAN.
SO THOSE WERE IN A, A GRID PROGRAM THAT YOU DO IT, YOU KNOW, EVERY FIVE YEARS ON THE SLOPES, AS MIKE WAS SAYING, THE SLOPES AREN'T FUNDED FULLY TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE TREES IN A GRID CYCLE LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S ON A AS NEEDED BASIS WHERE WE DETERMINE THE ONES THAT ARE CLOSER TO THE PROPERTY LINES THAT WOULD POSE A HIGHER RISK AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IN THAT WAY, CAN YOU GIVE A DESCRIPTION ABOUT WHAT IS REALLY YOUR OKAY.
RESPONSIBILITY OR IS A ALL THE MEDIUM BIG TREE OR SIDEWALK TREE.
AND CAN YOU TELL US, BECAUSE WE KIND OF A LOT, EVEN ME DOING THIS 10 YEARS, I STILL CONFUSE THESE TREES BELONG TO YOU OR BELONG TO THE OTHER CONTRACT OR BELONG TO THE, OKAY.
OKAY, SO WHICH ONE, WHO NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUE? AND SO WHAT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU GOT THIS WHAT, THREE POINT SOME MILLION DOLLAR TREE TRIM CONTRACT.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN OKAY, UH, IN CHARGE TO SERVE OUR CITY? YEAH.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ADMINISTER THE SERVICES THAT STAFF REQUESTS AT WHENEVER.
I MEAN, IF THEY SAY, HEY, WE WANT, UH, OR COUNCIL, YOU GUYS APPROVED, UH, THE FIVE YEAR GRID PROGRAM.
SO WE, WE SCHEDULED YOUR WHOLE CITY, WHICH WAS THE STREET TREES ON A FIVE YEAR GRID.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH, I UNDERSTAND, BUT THIS FIVE YEAR GRID OF TREE IS, WHAT LOCATION IS IT? MEDIAN TREE.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US MEDIAN TREES, SIDEWALK TREES.
EX HOW ABOUT HOW ABOUT THE PARK, THE TREE IN THE PARK.
PARKS ALSO? THAT'S PARK ALSO YOU SAID PARK ALSO BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, IT'S AS NEEDED.
I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE PARKS ARE INCLUDED IN THE GRID, ARE THEY NOT? OH, UH, LET'S DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT, OKAY.
I I THINK THE PARKS ARE INCLUDED.
I, I LIKE YOU ANSWER BETTER THAN MIKE.
SO IS I, I BELIEVE, AND I, AGAIN, WE'LL SHARE, SO THE PARK TREES BELONG TO, IF THEY'RE WITHIN THE GRID THAT'S BEING TRIMMED THAT YEAR, WE WILL DO THE PARK TOO.
SO THE BUG TREE, THAT GIANT TREE, THAT SHOULD BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THE, THE, THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE CHALLENGED, AS MIKE, UH, ALLUDED TO IS FOR BUDGET REASONS.
WE CAN'T GET ALL OF YOUR SLOPE TREES DONE, YOU KNOW, IN, UM, LIKE IN A GRID OR A, UM, A SCHEDULED TIME.
SO WE'RE TAKING 'EM AS NEEDED.
WE ADDRESS THOSE AND WE TAKE IT AS AS THEY COME.
UM, THE LAND MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS, OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL IS TO GET ON A TRIM CYCLE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN, BEEN DISCUSSED AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S FINDING THE REVENUE AND THE, YOU KNOW, AND THE FUNDS TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE A PART OF THE ASSESSMENTS OF THE LAND DISTRICTS.
AND IF THAT IS PRIORITIZED AS ONE OF THE THINGS TO DO WITH WHATEVER FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE LAND MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS, THEN THE GOAL IS TO ADD THE, THE HILLSIDE TREES TO A TRIM CYCLE AS WELL.
I, I, I THINK YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN YOU DRIVE AROUND YOUR PROMISE, YOU KNOW, EACH OF TREE, LIKE YOUR LABEL, LIKE THIS IS, UH, IN OUR DATABASE, BUT YOU
[02:00:01]
CAN SEE SOME OF THE TREES REALLY OVERGROWN IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY YOU COULD LIFT A TREE AND THAT'S GO SO BIG, OKAY? AND, UH, AND WITH SMALL HOME DOWN BELOW, AND THAT GIANT TREE IS, IS OVERHANGING TO PEOPLE AND IT'S KIND OF, UH, OKAY.AND I RECEIVE A LOT OF COMPLAINT ABOUT THOSE THREE ISSUE.
MIKE, YOU RECEIVED MY REQUEST AND I FORWARD TO YOU GUY, BUT, BUT AGAIN, AGAIN, WE AWARD, TRY TO AWARD THIS CONTRACT IS ABOUT, OKAY.
THERE'S, UH, SOME OTHER COUNCIL CONCERN.
MY CONCERN IS MORE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE, WHO CAN PERFORM BETTER JOB, OKAY.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S ABOUT THE SAME PRICE.
50 CENT LESS OR MORE, BUT THE PERFORMANCE IS REALLY THE ISSUE ABOUT, OKAY, AND THE, THE, THE TREE REMOVE THEIR HOLE OVER THERE AND SOMEBODY TRIP OVER THERE.
WE HAVE TWO LAWSUIT OVER THERE, AND THAT IS AN ISSUE, UH, FOR THE CITY.
SO WHOSE LIABILITY TO REMOVE THE TREE FILL OUT THE TREE.
IS THAT CITY OKAY OR THE TREE IS TILLED.
AND, UH, AND THE, THE, THE RESIDENT REPORT TO THE CITY, CITY REPORT TO THE TREE, THE TREAT IS REMOVED AND THEY COLLECT THE PEOPLE HOME AND THE CITY GOT SUED.
SO, SO, SO WHOSE LIABILITY IS THAT? IS THAT THIS IS A, A WEST COAST LIABILITY TO PAY FOR THIS LAWSUIT OR THE CITY.
SO, SO END UP ALL THE TIME IS CITY HAVE TO PICK UP EVERY TAB, AND THIS IS SOME KIND OF ISSUE I HAVE, BUT JUST LIKE AS A CONTRACTOR, YOU MIGHT HAVE INSURANCE OKAY.
UM, SO-CALLED, UH, ALL THIS POTENTIALLY, OKAY.
THIS IS KIND OF A BUSINESS INSURANCE THAT, SO WHEN YOU HAVE THIS ISSUE, THEN THAT CAN COVER OKAY.
JUST LIKE OUR HOME INSURANCE INSURANCE AND BUSINESS INSURANCE.
SO DO YOU HAVE THAT KINDA INSURANCE? SO SOMETHING GO WRONG RATHER THAN EVERYTHING GO TO THE CITY, THE, THE, THE, THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THAT? YEAH.
IN ANY KIND OF LIABILITY CASE, I THINK THE CITY AND THE CONTRACTOR GETS BROUGHT INTO IT.
SO IT'S LIKE, AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE YOUR PARTNERS WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA DEFEND AGAINST ANY KIND WE LEGAL ISSUE, UM, AND WORK WITH CITY ATTORNEYS.
I MEAN, WE DO THAT WITH MULTIPLE CITIES.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S NOT LIKE BOTH, BOTH ENTITIES AREN'T GONNA GET PULLED INTO THE LAWSUIT.
WE WANT TO, WE, WE WANT TO AVOID THE LAWSUITS.
MEANING WHAT? WHEN YOU REMOVE A TREE, A DEAD TREE, UH, UH, UH, A DISEASE INFECTED.
OKAY, TREE, YOU REMOVE, THEY HAVE A HOLE, THEY SHOULD BE FILLED UP OR THEY SHOULD BE PLANTED.
OUR CONTRACT SHOULD BE EXPRESSED ABOUT LEFT THIN.
SO IN THAT WAY SOMETHING GO WRONG.
THEN THE TREE REMOVE THE, THE CONTRACTOR HAVE LIABLE.
SO IN MEANING WHAT? YOU LIABLE FOR EACH OF YOUR ACTION? YES.
WE HAVE A SYSTEM TO, TO, UM, COMBAT THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ALL YOUR DEAD TREES, SHOWED YOU WHERE THEY ARE AND BUDGET, UM, PER, UM, PROVIDING WE'RE, WE, WE WILL GO TAKE 'EM ALL OUT FOR YOU.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE RESTRAINED WITH BUDGETS.
AND THIS IS A BUSINESS LIABILITY.
YOU PRACTICE A BUSINESS, YOU HAVE LIABILITY.
THE INSURANCE COVER THAT BECAUSE SOME OF THE ECOLOGICAL TREE AND THE BRANCHES WITH DROP AND CRACK INTO PEOPLE'S HOME.
AND HE RECENTLY WEED THE FOUR YEARS OLD BOY.
OKAY? HE GOT CRASHED BY THE EUCALYPTIC TREE, COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND.
SO, SO WHAT THE CITY, AND WE HAVE, WE GOT A LOT AT THE SOUTH SIDE, HOW WE AVOID THAT POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS, YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTION? YEAH.
AND THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING THING AND WE'VE TALKED AMONGST OURSELVES, UH, WITH THE OWNER.
SEE, THE ONLY A HUNDRED PERCENT SUREFIRE THAT YOU'RE GONNA AVOID THAT LIABILITY IS TO TAKE THE TREE OUT.
IS THAT INCLUDING OUR BUDGET? NO.
NOT FOR EVERY TREE THAT NEEDS TO COME OUT.
HE, HE LOOKING AT NODDING HIS HEAD THAT YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD AGAIN.
I THINK YOU, HEY MIKE, I THINK YOU WORKING FOR THE WEST COAST.
WE HAVE TO SEE HOW MANY, UH, DEAD TREES OR HOW, HOW MANY REMOVALS THAT COUNCIL'S REQUESTING TO HAVE DONE.
AND THEN WE CAN LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET TO SEE IF IT'S WITHIN THE BUDGET.
SO, SO YOU, YOU, WE HAVE A LONG SUM BUDGET AND ALL THIS, AND IS ANY OTHER VENDOR DOING THE SAME THING AND DID THEY PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICE OR THEY CAN DO EVEN EXTRA MORE.
COMPETITION MAKE SERVICE BETTER.
SO WE, WE PUT A, UH, WE PUT A PROPOSAL TOGETHER OF ALL THE SERVICES THAT WE GET.
THEY GAVE US A PRICE FOR THOSE.
AND, AND THAT'S HOW WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION.
IN ADDITION TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE VENDORS SEEM TO BE QUALIFIED.
WE GAVE THEM A FAIR SHOT AT ALL OF IT.
UM, OUR, OUR TEAM'S RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE
[02:05:01]
BECAUSE OF THE QUALIFICATIONS AND THE RESOURCES THAT WEST COAST ARBORS HAS.UM, THAT'S FOR SCALING SERVICE UP, SCALING SERVICE DOWN, UH, RESPONDING IN EMERGENCY, UM, RESOURCES IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR, LIKE I SAID, LAST WINDSTORM.
AND ON JANUARY 8TH, 37, TREES WENT DOWN AT ONCE.
WE HAD 16 GUYS, SEWER LIFT STATION DOWN AND, UM, WEST COAST.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD ALL THE TREES, ROADS CLEAR WITHIN 24 HOURS.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T LOOK AT.
OBVIOUSLY ALL THE PROVIDERS CAN DO THAT, BUT THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES, HOW MANY THEY HAVE, HOW QUICK THEY CAN RESPOND, THOSE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT AS A TEAM WE SAT DOWN DISCUSSED AND THAT'S WHY WE MADE OUR RECOMMENDATION.
AND, AND ON ALL THIS CONTRACT WE HAVE, UH, OKAY, TERMINATION CLOUD.
RIGHT? MEANING NO FAULT, RIGHT.
ANYTIME WE DON'T LIKE IT, WE CAN TERMINATE THEM, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO WE NO FAULT, MEANING THEY DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY MISTAKE.
WE JUST LIKE THREE CITY COUNCIL, WE DON'T LIKE IT.
JUST LIKE WHAT WE TREAT WITH TRANSTECH OR WILDEN, IT IS NO, NO FAULT.
STOP THE COUNTRY ANYTIME WE FEEL LIKE IT.
SO THIS COUNTRY IS SAME THING TOO, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
ANY OF YES, MR. MAYOR? UH, LET'S GO IN FIRST.
UH, UM, MIKE, WITH WITH, WITH REGARD TO, UH, TREES THAT ARE NOT IN THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, CURRENTLY WITH, WITH, WITH WCA, IF WE, IF WE ASK, UH, THEM TO ADDRESS THOSE, THOSE ISSUES THAT, THAT WERE NOT THERE, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY COMPLY WITH OUR TREE TRIMMING SCHEDULE? BECAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE IF WE HAVE THEM DO OTHER THINGS, THAT MEANS THAT THE TREE TRIMMING SCHEDULE WOULD END UP BEING PUSHED BACK, OR IS, IS THERE AN ARRANGEMENT TO THAT THAT PREVENTS THAT FROM HAPPENING THAT PREVENTS ANY DELAYS? CURRENTLY WE DO NOT IMPEDE THE, THE GRID, THE GRID TRIMMING CYCLE.
SO, UM, OUR STREET TREES ARE TRIMMED EVERY FIVE YEARS CURRENTLY.
AND THAT HAS GONE UP, IT WENT FROM SEVEN TO FIVE BACK, I'M SORRY, FROM FIVE TO SEVEN, BACK TO FIVE.
AND WE, I DON'T EVEN, WE HAVEN'T EVEN COMPLETED THE FIRST CYCLE YET.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT IS SCHEDULED, WE DO THAT WORK.
WE TRY NOT TO POST, I MEAN, ONLY UNDER EXTREME, UH, EMERGENCY WILL WE POSTPONE THAT, AND THAT WOULD COME FROM CITY DIRECTION.
AND THEN JUST FOR YOUR REFERENCE, WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 2000 PALM TREES IN THE CITY.
AND THOSE ARE TRIMMED BI-ANNUALLY.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE DO NOT, THOSE ITEMS ARE TAKEN CARE OF FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THEN WE DEAL WITH OUR HIGH, HIGH RISK TREES AND TAKE DOWN THE MOST LI THE TREES THAT CAUSE THE HIGHEST LIABILITY.
WE REMOVE THOSE AS AS BUDGET PERMITS.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE DEAL WITH RESIDENT REQUESTS.
SO IT'S JUST HOW FAR THE MONEY WILL TAKE US.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY REQUESTING, UM, MORE FUNDS, UH, AT BUDGET TIME.
WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE ASKING TO INCREASE TWO TRIM CYCLES IN THE LMDS TALKING ABOUT OUR ADDITIONAL NEEDS, UM, AND PASS ALONG WHAT, WHAT ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR URBAN FOREST.
SO MIKE, YOU'RE YOU, YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE, WE, WE MAKE CONTINUAL REQUESTS, BUT, BUT YOUR, YOUR STATEMENT HERE IS THAT EVEN WHEN WE DO MAKE THOSE REQUESTS THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON OUR ABSTAIN COMPLIANT WITH OUR PLANNED TREE TRIMMING CYCLE.
WE DO NOT PULL OFF THE TRIM CYCLE.
I HAVE NOT, IN MY, I HAVEN'T MADE THAT DIRECTION.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE, WE WOULDN'T, WE START THE NEW FISCAL YEAR AND WE TRY TO JUMP ON THAT RIGHT AWAY AND GET IT DONE RIGHT AWAY.
UH, THE, THE LA THE LAST THING, I GUESS IT'S MORE OF A, A STATE, UM, JUST A STA A STATEMENT THAT, UM, IN, IN LIGHT OF THE, UM, THE, THE, THE ABSENCE OF, OF CLARITY REGARDING WHETHER COMMENTS ARE REQUIRED OR, OR OPTIONAL SINCE THERE THAT WAS SILENT ON THE FORM.
AND IN LIGHT OF OTHER QUESTIONS THERE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UH, SE SEND IT BACK FOR A FULL RFP BY REJECTING THE CURRENT CYCLE OR THE CURRENT CONTRACT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, JUST GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH, WITH A, A LITTLE MORE, MORE CLARITY.
SO THAT'S MY MO IT'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
THAT I'M MAKING TO, TO ASK THAT WE JUST PULL, PULL THIS BACK AND REJECT THE CURRENT BIDS.
AND, UH, I THINK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ HAS A QUESTION.
SHOULD WE GET SECOND? DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THIS? UH, I, I'LL SECOND, BUT I, I, I, GO AHEAD.
WE GOT A FIRST, SECOND SUBSTITUTE MOTION AND, BUT, BUT MAYOR RU DID BRING UP SOME GOOD POINTS.
BUT, UM,
CAN THE CITY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME? WELL, CAN WE? IT'S A FIVE AND A HALF A YEAR CONTRACT.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE CONTRACT.
I, MR. MAYOR IBEL, I BELIEVE IT'S A 15 DAY NOTICE WITHOUT CAUSE.
SO THE FIVE AND A HALF YEARS DOESN'T MATTER.
WE COULD TERMINATE IT AT ANY TIME.
YEAH, LET ME, LET ME PULL IT UP.
I REMEMBER THIS, HOW OUR CONTRACT IS, BECAUSE I REMEMBER EVERY
[02:10:01]
TIME I PUT THAT CONTRACT, I WANNA BE ABLE FOR ALL CONTRACTS THAT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PULL OUT.NO, IF THEY'RE NOT, NO FULL TERMINATION.
IT SHOULD, YEAH, IT SHOULD BE NO MATTER WHAT WE WANT THAT CLOUD RIGHT THERE.
UM, YEAH, AND THEN LET US KNOW, TOM, WHEN YOU GET THE ANSWER, BUT, UH, SHORTLY.
BUT, UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, I I, I HAD ASKED HOW MUCH SOME OF YOUR INVOICES WERE IN IN JULY ON JULY 10TH, 2025.
UM, AND I'M JUST, I WAS JUST, I JUST ASKED FOR VAGUE, UH, NUMBERS.
BUT IN OCTOBER, ON OCTOBER 2ND, 2025, IT WAS $142,118.
AND THEN JUNE 18TH, 2025, SORRY, BACK ORDER, BUT JUNE 18TH, 2025 WAS $166,873.
DO WE KNOW WHY IT WENT SO HIGH? BECAUSE THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH AGAIN FOR THIS NEW CONTRACT? WELL, A COUPLE THINGS.
IT, IT WAS PROBABLY, IT WAS WORK REQUESTED, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A, UH, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN EVEN 12 MONTH SPREAD BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA START THE TRIM CYCLE RIGHT AWAY, WHICH IS A MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET.
SO THAT WILL BE SPENT IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS IF FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE AND WE CAN COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND WE CAN GET MORE MONEY AND MORE WORK DONE, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AS WELL.
SO THE GOAL IS TO GET THE TRIM CYCLE DONE RIGHT AWAY, TAKE CARE, CARE OF AS MANY RESIDENT REQUESTS AND LIABILITY ISSUES AS WE CAN, AND LEAVE SOME MONEY FOR EMERGENCY JUST IN CASE THERE'S EMERGENCY.
UM, THAT'S HOW WE HANDLE THE CONTRACTS.
WE'RE NOT TO EXCEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STAY IN THAT AMOUNT.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE IS THAT I THINK, UH, THE MAYOR ALSO MENTIONED, UM, HIS DISTRICT AND HIS DISTRICT AND, AND I THINK COUNCILMAN METOS DISTRICT IS VERY WILDFIRE PRONE.
I THINK, UH, FEMA'S MAPS SHOW THAT HILLSIDE IN A MAJOR RED ZONE.
SO IF THERE IS A, A, A F MAJOR FIRE IN THAT ZONE, THOUSAND, HUNDREDS AND, UH, OF RESCUE RESIDENTS CAN BE AFFECTED.
AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT WE HAVE DISASTER PRONE AREAS IN OUR CITY, BUT THE REP DID NOT ASK TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, LIKE HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST TO, CAN WE IT BE, I THINK A FAIR RP THAT SPANS ON EVERY, ALL INFORMATION SHOULD ADDRESS THE MAYOR'S CONCERNS ABOUT HIS DISTRICT AND COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS DISTRICT.
I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REALLY GOOD TREE CONTRACT, IT SHOULD ADDRESS WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO ADDRESS WILDFIRE PRONE AREAS? IS IT PART OF THIS AGREEMENT? AND, AND HOW MUCH CAN, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THAT IT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT.
I, I THINK, UH, REGARDING THE ISSUE POSSIBLE, JUST LIKE WE HAVE A GENERAL PLAN AND WE HAVE DOWNTOWN PLAN, WE HAVE A PKK DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THEY ALL, THEY ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT, SO I DON'T KNOW, IS THAT POSSIBLE? THEY CAN PUT IP, INCLUDING ALL THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, GLA PARK, THAT'S A WELLNESS, OKAY.
THEY HAVE A, HOLD ON, LET HAVE A LOT OF, UH, NOT ONLY THE TREE, BUT BUSHES OR OVERGROWN VEGETATION, DEAD TREE, LYING ON THE GROUND, NEVER BEEN CLEANED, AND THEN HILLSIDE IN THE COMMON AREA, A LOT OF OVERGROWN TREE, AND THEN THE SHE OLD COMMON AREA ALL THERE.
AND THE BIG TREE, I DON'T KNOW, LET THOSE BELONG TO THE SERVICE DISTRICT OR BELONG TO THE CITY.
SO CITY HAVE TO COME OUT A PLAN.
WHAT THIS BELONG TO THIS SERVICE DISTRICT, THEY PAY EXTRA.
SO THIS, IT WILL BE INCLUDING DURING THE TREE CYCLE OR THEN IN OUR GENERAL, MY UNDERSTANDING IN OUR GENERAL AREA, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, CITY, CITY PROPERTY ON THE MEDIAN, THE SIDEWALK, ALTHOUGH TREE CAMERAS OR SOME SORT TREES THAT GROW ON, ON THE MIDDLE OF THE, OKAY.
AND THE STREET AND HOW WE TRIM IT.
SHOULD WE TRAIN AGGRESSIVENESS? OKAY.
SHOULD MAKE IT NICE OR SHOULD WE TRIM? OKAY.
LIKE LITTLE BIT LIGHT TRIM, LIKE YOU WANT TO BUS CUT OR YOU WANT TO TRIM A LITTLE BIT.
LIKE, AND THEN I REMEMBER LAST TIME I ASKED THIS QUESTION, I THINK YOU ANSWER ME, SAY IF YOU WILL CUT A LITTLE BIT TOO AGGRESSIVE, YOU GOING TO GROW EVEN FASTER AND BIGGER.
SO, SO, SO, SO WHAT IS THE, AND OTHERWISE EVERY TIME WE TREAT, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S BEEN TREND BECAUSE IT LOOK THE SAME.
SO, SO I FEEL LIKE THE MONEY DIDN'T WELL SPENT.
SO HOW WE DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE, MEANING ENTIRE CITY WE HAVE ONE THIRD IS A WOOD AREA WITH A LOT OF TREE AND THE, AND THE HILLSIDE AND HOW WE ADDRESS, IS THAT INCLUDING THEIR CONTRACT OR ARE THEY INCLUDING INTO THE IP, UH, FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THEN BECAUSE WHEN YOU PUT THE IP IS YOU GIVE THEM WHAT KIND OF JOB? THE JOB CRITERIA, AND THEN BASED ON THAT CRITERIA TO BID INTO THEIR, THE, THE
[02:15:01]
MA THE LABOR, THE EQUIPMENT, THE TIME, THIS AND THE CALCULATE, AND HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA BID ON IT.SO WE HAVE TO SEND OUT THEM THE CRITERIA, INCLUDING ALL THIS OVERGROWN, THIS AND THAT, OR THAT IS INTO THE SPECIAL FUND.
BUT LIKE WHAT WE DOING WITH THE MERCHANT RIGHT NOW, OKAY.
ANOTHER, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T DO TREE.
THEY, THEY ONLY DO OVERGROWN VEGETATION AND WE GIVE THEM $1.5 MILLION SPECIAL FUND.
WE COME OUT TO DO IT, IT'S NOW OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
SO YOU HAVE TWO KIND REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE TREE TREE MEAN, AND THEN THE SPECIAL TREE CHOPPING.
AGGRESSIVELY OR SOME SICK TREE, DISEASE TREE.
SO, SO THE OLDEST SHOULD BE IN INTO THE CONSIDERATION.
SO IN THAT WAY, WHEN THEY PINPOINT, AND BY BY THE WAY, THE PERFORMANCE, I THINK I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE.
CHEAP DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET GOOD QUALITY.
OKAY? THAT EXPENSIVE DOESN'T MEAN GOOD QUALITY EITHER.
TO GET OKAY, THE RIGHT THING, MEANING, OKAY, THE REPUTABLE COMPANY AND THE INTU, OKAY? AND THE, THE FAIRNESS AND THE GOOD PERFORMANCE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT CT OKAY, INTUIT.
AND PLUS WE GIVE THEM, OKAY, TERMINATION CLOUD.
SO MEANING THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE EDGE, THERE WILL BE FIRE.
SO IN THAT WAY, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CITY NICE AND CLEAN AND SAFE.
SO, SO, SO COULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? IS THAT INCLUDING BEFORE I DEFER TO THE ARBORIST MAYOR WU? UM, THE THING I WANNA STATE, IF FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE AS FAR AS CHIEF SERVICES GO, IF THE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED, WE CAN DIRECT WEST COAST ARBORISTS TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF STER, THE HILLSIDES, UH, THE AREAS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN MAINTENANCE DISTRICT SIX AND SEVEN, IF THE FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE, WE COME TO COUNCIL, WE ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS, AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE DIRECTION AS FAR AS THE GROUND CLEARANCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THAT'S SOMETHING PUBLIC WORKS IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH ENGINEERING AND FIRE ON.
AND, UM, THERE HAS BEEN SOME FUNDS ALLOTTED FOR THAT.
BUT PART OF, PART OF THE ISSUE THAT WE, I'M SORRY, MIKE.
BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS FUND, FUND BUDGET.
BUDGET, OKAY, I'M TALKING ABOUT PERFORMANCE.
SO, SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS, THEY CAN SAY IF WE DO THIS, THIS HOW MUCH WE COST US.
SO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE OKAY, WE GOT THE FUND, HOW MUCH TO, TO CHANGE THOSE HAZARDOUS TREE.
OKAY? AND THEN MAYBE THEY CAN GIVE A ESTIMATE IF WE WANNA DO THIS, HOW MUCH WE COST US, INCLUDING OTHER COMPANY.
SO, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHEN YOU SAY BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET, THEN YOU HAVE TELL US HOW MUCH BUDGET.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WANNA CHARGE US IF YOU LIKE, INCLUDING YOUR IP SO, SO YOUR YOUR POINT IS SUPPOSED TO BE GO TO SAY, IF WE ARE DOING THIS, HOW MUCH IS THAT? JUST LIKE THIS IS THE BASE OF THE CAR, YOU WANT THE RADIO STEREO, THIS AND THAT, THAT THEN YOU ADD ON, YOU WANT TO HAVE A WHEEL BIGGER, THIS AND THAT.
SO, SO YOU, YOU HOW MUCH THEN YOU SEE YOUR BUDGET CAN AFFORD IT, THEN YOU BASE ON WHAT YOUR BASE, OKAY.
AND GRADUALLY PAT ON MAKE IT THE CAR.
YOU LIKE SOMETHING TO THE CITY, OKAY, WE HAVE ALL DIFFERENT TREE AREA THIS AND LADDER HILLS ARE OKAY.
AND, UH, PARK HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT, IF WE WANT TO DO IT, HOW MUCH MAKE SENSE? SO IN THAT WAY, IN THIS RFP IN THAT WAY WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE A CONCEPT THEN WE CAN INTO KAREN'S BUDGET, SAY MAYBE WE CAN THIS YEAR CANNOT DO IT MY NEXT YEAR.
WE WILL, WE WILL SHARE THOSE NUMBERS WITH YOU.
AND IN IS IN THIS RFP, WE DID REQUEST COST FOR THE LAND MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS.
SO IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T AWARDED IN THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT WE HAVE THOSE COSTS.
KEVIN, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YES, I DO.
UM, MAYOR, IF IT IS THE, IF IT IS A PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL FOR US TO LOOK INTO GETTING QUOTES FOR WHAT THE COST BE TO CLEAR OUT SOME OF THE HAZARD TREES IN THOSE AREAS, PLEASE DIRECT US AND WE'LL GET THAT DONE.
I'M SORRY, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT'S THE JOB FOR THE IP? MM-HMM
BECAUSE, OKAY, HOW MUCH WE PAY THIS THREE SOME MILLION DOLLARS, WHY IS THIS JOB OKAY? AND, UH, RESPONSIBILITY? BECAUSE IF, UM, IF THE, UH, SHADOW PARK, THE BIG TREE IS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE I KIND OF CONFUSED, HE'S HE NOD HEAD, HE'S SHAKING HEAD.
SO IF THEY INCLUDED, IF THEY INCLUDED, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN THIS IS, WE KNOW THAT SHE SHOULD BE TRAINED IN CERTAIN TIME, BUT OTHERWISE THAT SHOULD CONTINUE TO GROW, OKAY.
SO, SO, SO WE NEED TO KNOW THESE THREE POINT SOME MILLION DOLLARS BASED ON YOUR INTERVIEW AND CRITERIA THAT EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT THEY GAIN INTO IT, AND THEN WHAT WE KNOW, OKAY, WHAT GONNA SERVICE? SO WE, IF WE KNOW WE WANT TO DO SOME PLACES, OKAY, THEN WE NEED TO PAY EXTRA.
SO IN THAT WAY, OTHERWISE WE'RE KIND OF CONFUSED.
WE ALL SEE THIS WHY, AND THEY GET A BAD REP THAT WE THINK ABOUT THEY DIDN'T PERFORM, BUT END UP IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO, SO, SO THIS IS MY, I WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT THESE THREE
[02:20:01]
POINT SOME MILLION DOLLARS, OKAY.WHAT'S KIND OF A THING THEY HAVE TO DO AND WHAT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PERFORMANCE INCLUDING, OKAY, FILL THE WHOLE PULL THE TREE AND THE TRAIN, HOW BIG THE TRAINS, 20% TRAIN, 30% TREE AND THE DIFFERENT TREE, DIFFERENT AREA, DIFFERENT TREE.
SO IN THAT WAY WE WILL SEE, OH, OKAY, THE TREE HAD BEEN TRAINED IN THIS UNELECT MAYOR WU.
IF IT'S OKAY WITH THE COUNCIL, MAYBE AT A LATER DATE, MAYBE MARCH, WE COME BACK WITH A PRESENTATION.
SO WEST COAST ARBOR COULD DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT THE DREAMS ARE, EXPLAIN THE GRID, PRUNE, AND EXPLAIN ALL THOSE TRENDS OR WHOEVER IS AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO BRING THAT BACK AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE THEY ARE.
SO YOU MET EXPECTATIONS ARE BEING MET, SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
AND THEN YOU PERSONALLY, YOU FEEL THE INCRE INTEGRITY WHEN YOU PICK WITH, UH, ROX, ROXANNE, UH, RENEE, OKAY.
RENEE SANCHEZ, YOU GUY AND THE PANEL OF OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, YOU STRONGLY RECOMMENDED WEST COAST.
YOU THINK THEY ARE THE COMPANY COMPARED WITH THE REST OF THE COMPANY? AS A TEAM, WE ALL RECOMMENDED WEST COAST.
SO BASED ON YOUR INTEGRITY AND YOUR HONESTY, YOU FEEL LIKE THEY CAN PERFORM BETTER THAN ANY OTHER COMPANY? I BELIEVE THAT FOR US, BECAUSE OF THE HILLSIDES AND THE SIZE, SIZE OF OUR URBAN FOREST, THEY CAN, YES.
UM, I THINK IN THE LAST BUDGET, IN THIS MOST RECENT BUDGET, UM, THAT WAS APPROVED, UM, I THINK, UH, $2 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED TO ADDRESS THE HILLSIDES.
I THINK 1.5 0.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5 MILLION.
UM, SUPPOSE IT SHOULD BE DONE BY JANUARY, BUT LOOK AT DAY THEY SAY IS, UH, MORE THAN WHAT THEY EXPECT.
AND DID YOU FIND OUT, UH, TOM, IF, IF THAT IS IN A CONTRACT THAT WAS CORRECT, 15 DAYS NOTICE SO WE COULD TERMINATE TIME WITH OR WITHOUT COST.
UH, THAT CONTRAST ONLY OVERGROWN VEGETATION NINE INCLUDING TREE.
SO ALL THE BIG TREE, UH, MERCHANT, THEY DON'T TOUCH IT.
SO THE 1.5 ONLY CLEAR, OKAY, ALL THE OVERGROWN BUSHES AND THE VEGETATION, ANYTHING MORE THAN 12 FEET HIGH OF THE TREE, WE HAVE TO GET A TREE TREATMENT COMPANY.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, THAT IN AN RP THAT IT SHOULD HAVE, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
IF IF WE, IF WE, IF WE STEP US, IF WE PUT THIS ALL THIS ONTO THE SIDE AND WE LOOK AT URBAN FORESTS AND, AND WILDFIRE PRONE AREAS, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THE MAYOR'S DISTRICT AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS DISTRICT IS, IS WILDFIRE PRONE, AND IT'S A VERY, UH, PRONE TO MAJOR, A MAJOR DISASTER.
AND I THINK THE REP SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST HAD ADDRESSED THAT.
UH, BECAUSE WHAT IS THE COST TO GO UP IN THOSE HILLS AND, AND, AND CUT MAJOR, MAJOR, UH, TOUGH TERRAIN BUSHES? UM, BECAUSE IF, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GETTING CHARGED, UM, OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, OVER $166,000 OR $142,000 A MONTH, WE'RE GONNA RUN OUT, UH, 3.5 MILLION, UH, $3.5 MILLION PRETTY QUICKLY AGAIN, LIKE WE ALWAYS DO EVERY, EVERY YEAR.
AND SO, UH, HAVING A REALISTIC NUMBER NOW IS IMPORTANT, I THINK, OR, OR IN THE RP PROCESS.
BUT MR. MAYOR CALL THE QUESTION, UH, YEAH.
THEN GO TO YOU OR E SO I KNOW WITH CONTRACTS, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAS COME TO US THAT AS IT'S NOT PART OF THE CONTRACT, NOT PART OF THE CONTRACT, UH, I'M ACTUALLY OPEN FOR FUTURE BIDS, UH, IN CONTRACTS OR FOR MAJOR PROJECTS.
SO IF WE HAVE LIKE THIS WHOLE HILLSIDE AND OPEN IT UP, AND IF IT'S ANOTHER TREE COMPANY, I DON'T MIND IF WE HAVE TWO TREE COMPANIES FOCUSING ON PROJECTS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE JUST ONE.
SO THAT PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION FOR A CERTAIN PROJECT.
IF IT'S TOO MUCH WORK FOR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER TREE COMPANY THAT IS, THEN WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO, OH, YOU HAD SOMETHING TO SAY.
NO, YOU, I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POINT.
UH, AND THEN, UM, IN REGARDS TO THESE TREES, I, I'M SORRY, IT IS JUST, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S SAD TO SEE THAT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER KILL SO MANY TREES FOR THE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK THAT IS PRINTED OUT AND PASSED OUT.
I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, ROLLING IN BOXES, SO YEAH.
IN TREES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY MY ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT YOU KNOW IT FOR A DA REASONS.
I MEAN, COUNCILMAN CONTOS IS NOT UNABLE TO READ THIS.
SO THAT'S WHY I, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF COMMENTS IN HERE ON THE COMMENT SECTION.
ONE PERSON OR FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE? NO, FROM EVERYBODY FROM DIFFERENT ONES.
SO, UM, FOR YOUR REFERENCE, THERE IS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, IT'S SAD THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THIS AHEAD OF TIME AND, AND VIEW AND THE COMMENTS.
THERE'S COMMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMENTS,
[02:25:01]
BUT LAST MEETING, I DIDN'T HAVE THIS, SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SEE.BUT MY ISSUE, WE SHOULD SEND BRIAN TO GIVE US A COPY.
IT SHOULD, UM, IT SHOULD, AND THAT'S MY COUNSEL REQUEST LATER ON.
BUT ANYWAYS, UM, MY ISSUE IS THE RELEASE OF THE DETAILS, UM, THAT IS SHOWING THE INDIVIDUAL STAFF RAIDERS THEIR COMMENTS, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THEIR NAMES ADDED TO IT.
UM, NO CITY DOES THIS, UM, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS FOR THE SAFETY OF STAFF WHO RATES, UH, THEY'RE OPEN TO ATTACK AND, UH, PUTTING CITY LIABILITY.
SO THE INDIVIDUAL RATERS THAT IS, I, I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE BLASTED AND SAY, HEY, WHY'D YOU RATE ME SOLO COMPARED TO THE OTHERS? UM, THE BEAUTY OF THIS WITH ALL THE RAIDERS, THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE A FAIR RATING.
AND AS I MENTIONED, UH, WITH A PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WHO RESIGNED, AND I, I DON'T DROP NAMES, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS KEEP IT, UH, UH, VAGUE, BUT IN THIS CASE, YES, IT IS.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ, THE REASON WHY STAFF RESIGNED.
BUT ANYWAYS, YOU, YOU, YOU WANT ME TO ADDRESS THAT NORMALLY, BUT HE SAID, OKAY, CAN WE, CAN WE FOCUS ON YOU, PLEASE? YES, I'M, I'M, I'M FOCUSING IT.
SO AGAIN, I, THAT'S JUST FOCUS ON THE, YOU MENTIONED ON THAT THE, THE THINGS THAT THE CITY STAFF DID IS ALL PROPERLY VETTED AND EVERYTHING, BUT MY ISSUE AGAIN IS JUST THE, THE TACTICS AND THE DETAILS OF THESE THINGS, BECAUSE NORMALLY, LIKE YOU SAID, AS A TEAM, AND I WANNA FOCUS AS A TEAM, BUT IN REGARDS TO HAVING TWO TREE VENDORS AND CERTAIN PROJECTS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
AND YOU WERE GONNA MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE EVALUATORS AND KEEPING IT CONFIDENTIAL SHOULD BE, IT GENERALLY IS NOT PROVIDED, OR IF IT IS, SO THEN WE AT LEAST CAN REDACT THE NAMES.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.
THAT'S VERY MUCH RESPECTED AMONGST ALL OF US AS FAR AS THE HILLSIDE MITIGATION PROJECT.
IT'S 1.5 MILLION IS THE BUDGET, MOST DEFINITELY STAFF CAN PROPOSE.
AND WE CAN GO ON R-F-P-R-F-Q AS COUNCIL'S PLEASURE.
I, I THINK I WANNA FOLLOW WHAT MAYO PROTEIN.
WE, WE ARE BIG CT WITH SO MANY OF TREES OTHER PLACES.
UM, I THINK I KIND OF AGREE WITH MALE PROTEIN.
OKAY, WHY WE NEED TO HAVE ONLY ONE COMPANY.
MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A FOUR OR FIVE DISTRICT EACH DISTRICT, WE, WE SELL WHAT KIND OF, UH, OKAY.
VENDOR TO KINDA SHARE SO EVERYBODY GET A PIECE OF PIE.
OKAY? SO NOT ONLY ONE GET EVERYTHING WINNER, TAKE ALL, OKAY.
AND THEN, THEN, THEN, HEY, WHY NOT SPREAD THE LOVE IF THEY CAN PERFORM? BUT, BUT, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER MAYBE YOU CAN RECONSIDER AND SEE IS LESS POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK WE TALK ABOUT SO MANY TIME REGARDING ALL THE MERCHANT, OKAY, ALL THE BRAND VIEW, ALL THIS CONTRACT MAYBE WAS A BIG CITY, 16, 17 SQUARE MILE, MAYBE WE, AGAIN, WAS DIFFERENT DISTRICT THAN COMPETE EACH OTHER WHO HAVE THE BETTER SERVICE.
I, I THINK ALL CITIES ARE LIKE WARNER.
THEY, THEY LOOK PRETTY GOOD ON THEIR CONTRACTOR.
WHY YOU SMILING OVER THERE? I'M JEALOUS.
OKAY, SO WHY WE CANNOT DO MUCH NICER ON OUR SIDEWALK AND OUR MEDIAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CONTRACTOR? SO, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 30 FULL-TIME STAFF, PROBABLY WORK WARNER HAVE ZERO, VERY FEW FEET OPENS, NONE, AND THEY CAN STILL KEEP IT NICE AND CLEAN.
WHY CAN WE NOT DOING THE SAME THING? AND THEN WE HAVE A MUCH BIGGER FORCE.
SO, SO, SO IT'S A MANAGEMENT ISSUE.
SO HOPEFULLY PROBABLY WORK CAN STEP UP OKAY.
TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY'S CLEAN.
COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN KENTO? YES.
IT WAS JUST A MOTION, UH, JUST TO CALL THE QUESTION TO ASK FOR A VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
YES, WE WILL GIVE YOU A VOTE, BUT THIS DO HAVE A QUESTION OH, OKAY.
AND AFTER THEY FINISH, I WILL GO YOUR SUBSTITUTE.
I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS THOUGH.
AND COUNCILWOMAN MAYOR, YOU KNOW, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT ALL THESE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE HERE CAN DO AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I, I'M SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL QUALIFIED AND I THINK THAT IT'S A BUDGET ISSUE.
I'M SURE THAT ALL OF THESE CONTRACTORS WOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE HILLSIDES, BUT IT'S GONNA COST MONEY.
AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ON A BUDGET, THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T HAVE THE, UM, WEST COAST GIVE US A, AN ESTIMATE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST FOR THEM TO INCLUDE THE HILLSIDES, BECAUSE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO AFFORD.
AM I RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HANDLE THE TREES THAT ARE ON OUR STREETS, OUR MEDIANS, AND WE HAVE A HUGE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY SPREAD OUT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF TREES, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF THE TREES AND THE MEDIANS ON THE SIDEWALKS, AND OF COURSE, WHENEVER IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
BUT, UM, AS FAR AS THE HILLSIDE, THAT'S I THINK A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
AND I THINK THAT IT, UM, IT WOULD PROBABLY COST A LOT MORE MONEY.
SO I, I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT ALL OF THESE
[02:30:01]
PEOPLE CAN DO THE WORK, EVEN THE HILLSIDES, EVEN YOUR EUCALYPTUS TREES.BUT I JUST THINK IT'S GONNA COST MONEY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY'RE HANDLING IT THE WAY THEY DO IS ON PER REQUEST, YOU KNOW, ON CALL, UH, ON A SPECIAL SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE A TREE AND THAT'S WHEN IT'S DONE.
UM, I MEAN, JUST THROWING IDEAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN FOR FUTURE, LIKE SPLITTING THE CONTRACT, UH, LIKE ALL DISTRICTS, LET'S SAY FIVE TREES FOR FIVE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN COMPARE AND BEAT AND SEE LIKE, OKAY, THIS ONE'S DOING A HORRIBLE JOB OUT ELIMINATE, YOU KNOW, OR TAKE OVER SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT, OR DIVIDE THE CITY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPETITION.
IT, UH, IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE AND HAVE TREES AGAINST TREES.
UM, AND, BUT I JUST, I, I MEAN, I'M ABOUT SHARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EQUITY AND, AND NOT BURDENING JUST ONE, BUT I WANT WHAT'S FAIR FOR ALL.
SO, SO WE HAVE, UH, SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UM, CITY ATTORNEY, IS THIS AN EXCLUSIVITY CONTRACT OR CAN WE, IF THERE'S A PROJECT, ARE WE ALLOWED TO HIRE OTHER THREE COMPANIES? YEAH.
ARE YOU ASKING IF IT'S A FRANCHISE? IS IT'S NOT A, A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT? YEAH, I'M JUST MAKING SURE THERE'S NO EXCLUSIVITY.
UM, ALSO, UH, I NEVER SAID THAT EACH PANELIST LEFT BOXES BLANK.
I SAID THAT THERE WERE SOME PANELISTS THAT LEFT BOXES BLANK.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR SCORING SHEETS, YOU'LL SEE BOXES THAT WERE BLANK.
YOU'LL SEE BOXES THAT JUST SAID YES OR RECEIVED.
AND, AND, AND TO ME, THE WAY I GOVERN, I FIND IT AS A CONCERN, UH, BECAUSE THE, THE QUESTION, THE, THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE VOTING THING SAYS YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE COMMENT TO YOUR SCORE.
AND SO WHEN I SEE BLANK BOXES AND WHEN I SEE THAT, UH, A DIFFERENT, UH, INTERVIEW, VOTING SCALE WAS DONE, I THINK OUR CODE, AND I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THIS, THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S KAREN OR, OR MY, I THINK MYLAN TOLD ME THE CODE EARLIER TOO.
WHAT DOES THE CODE SPECIFICALLY SAY ABOUT FINDING THE LOWEST COMPETITIVE BIDDER, LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, IF I MAY.
WHAT WAS, WHAT DOES THE COLD SAY? SORRY, JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE.
SO LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, I HAVE TOO MANY NOTES HERE.
SO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, UM, IT IS STATED IN THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION TWO DASH 3 3 4 STATES THAT THE CITY WILL AWARD BID TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
IT FURTHER DEFINES WHAT IS A LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
AND THAT IS, UH, IT CAN STATE THE PRICE WILL BE CONSIDERED ALONG WITH OTHER FACTORS, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES AND IS NOT LIMITED TO THE ABILITY, CAPACITY, SKILL OF THE BIDDER TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES.
WHETHER THE BIDDER CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES WITHIN THE TIME SPECIFIED THE BIDDER'S RECORD ON PERFORMANCE ON PREVIOUS ORDERS OR CONTRACTS FOR THE CITY OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES, THE QUALITY, THE AVAILABILITY, AS WELL AS THE ADAPTABILITY OF THE BIDS SERVICES.
SO DOES THAT MEAN, AND MAYBE TOM COULD CLARIFY, TOM, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE PANELISTS IN THE INTERVIEW SHOULD HAVE TAKEN INTO CONSIDER CONSIDERATION THE LOWEST COMPETITOR BIDDER THEY HAD RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
SO WHAT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE WIDE LATITUDE.
IT'S WITHIN THE CITY'S DISCRETION TO, TO WEIGH A NUMBER OF FACTORS AND TO PICK, UH, THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE, UH, LOWEST AMOUNT.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A PUBLIC CONTRACT BID.
THEY HAVE WIDE LATITUDE IN A, A LOT OF DISCRETION.
AND THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, INTERVIEWED PROCESS, AND A NUMBER OF, AS YOU SAW ALL THE FORMS OF, OF ALL THE, OF THE RATING, AND, UM, PRESENTED IT TO COUNCIL FOR WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
AND JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, WHEN TWO PANELISTS SAY THEY DID NOT TAKE PRICE INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE INTERVIEW STAGE, THEN WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THE CODE OR NO, NO, NO.
IF I CAN, IF I CAN EXPLAIN THE PROCESS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN THE SEAL BIDS ARE OPEN AND IT'S REVEALED, THE PURCHASING MANAGER WILL TAKE THE BIDS AND THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL EVALUATE THE COST PROPOSAL.
ONLY THE EVALUATORS DO NOT SEE THE COST PROPOSAL.
SO THEY ARE NOT INFLUENCED IN EITHER AWAY WHAT THE COST BASIS ARE.
THE COST PROPOSAL IS EVALUATED AT 20% VERSUS THE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO AGAIN, THE COST PROPOSAL IS ONLY SEEN BY THE PURCHASING MANAGER ONLY, AND THAT IS NOT
[02:35:01]
PROVIDED TO THE EVALUATORS WHEN THEY DO THEIR INTERVIEWS.WHEN THEY EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS, THEY'RE NOT GIVEN THAT INFORMATION AT THE VERY END OF THE ENTIRE EVALUATION PROCESS.
AGAIN, THE COST PROPOSAL IS ONLY 20% WEIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE EVALUATION.
BUT, AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT OUT BY SAYING IF THAT'S SO, AND IF THE CODE SAYS THAT, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PRICE INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THE RP DID NOT SAY THAT IT WAS NOT GONNA BE CONSIDERED IN THE INTERVIEW ROUND.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A TECHNICALITY, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
IT'S INCLUDED IN THE OVERALL EVALUATION.
IT'S JUST THE EVALUATORS ARE ON THE PANEL AND THE EVALUATION DID NOT HAVE THE COST.
THE COST WAS EVALUATED BY THE PURCHASING MANAGER ONLY.
I, I REALLY WANT TO GO TO THE VOTE.
MR. MAYOR, YOU, WE COULD STAY HERE ALL NIGHT, BACK AND FORTH, THE SAME THING.
UH, I HOPE WE STOP THIS, PLEASE.
YOU HAVE A SUB? WE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
AND, UH, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN, UH, GUTIERREZ.
THAT MOTION IS TO RE, THAT MOTION IS TO REJECT ALL BIDS HE WANT TORF BID.
IT'S TO REJECT ALL BIDS AND SEND OUT A NEW RFP.
SO, AND THEN THE FIRST MOTION IS FROM, UH, OKAY.
AND THE COUNCILWOMAN DS, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE DUE TO OKAY.
AND I SECOND IT BECAUSE THE, THE, THE, THE HEARING.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST, BUT SUBSTITUTE, YOU WON'T HAVE MORE.
UM, BECAUSE I, I KNOW I, I'VE SPOKE TO STAFF, UM, IN REGARDS TO THIS, AND THEY HAVE INFORMED ME, I KNOW OUR, LIKE, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HAD SAID THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH THIS, THEY TOOK A LOT OF TIME.
I THINK ONE WAS TOLD LIKE ALL DAY, JUST FOR THIS TO COMBINE, TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UM, SO IT WASN'T JUST LIKE, HERE, THIS, SO I JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE STAFF WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER DEDICATED A LOT OF TIME IN THIS.
PLEASE BE VOTING ON COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS MOTION.
FIRST TO REJECT ALL THIS, YOU REJECT.
THIS IS SUBJECT TO MOTION, PLEASE.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE COMMENT.
ROLL CALL ON THE SUB MOTION BY CO COUNCILMAN CONTOS.
SO WE GO BACK TO THE FIRST MOTION.
SO WE GO TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
YOU GO TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION OVER THAT ONE? NO, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE, OH, ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, UH, THERE IS IRREGULARITIES IN, IN THIS, IN THIS CONTRACT BID.
AND THE REST YOU'RE NOT OUT OF.
BUT I LIKE TO SEE BIDS ON, ON PROJECTS, PLEASE.
I, I WANT TO OPEN IT UP, OPEN IT UP THE OTHER, AND, UH, DON'T OPEN THE BRIDGE BECAUSE IT'S STILL COMING BACK.
AND IF WEST COAST DOESN'T DO A GREAT JOB, WE CAN TERMINATE.
UH, WE MOVING INTO THE COUNCIL COMMON.
AND, UH, OUR COUNCIL REQUESTS.
DO WE HAVE, UH, UH, AB 1, 2, 3, 4 TO REPORT? IF NONE, THEN WE MOVE
[CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION]
TO THE ALSO COMMAND COUNCIL REQUEST.A MAY PUT GO FOR, SO FOR THE FIRST TIME, I ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW, I ACTUALLY HAVE THREE.
SO I, I HAVE NO, I, I'VE MENTIONED A FEW OF THIS RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT ARE ANOTHER HIGHLY QUALIFIED PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR RESIGNED.
AND I, I WANTED TO ALSO MENTION, WHICH I DIDN'T MENTION EARLIER, UM, THE DIRECTOR STATED THAT WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER SCRUTINIZE AND BERATE STAFF PUBLICLY, IT UNDERMINES PUBLIC TRUST IN STAFF AND MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS.
WHEN THE PUBLIC IS LED TO MISTRUST STAFF, IT CREATES A WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT NO EMPLOYEE SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN OTHER INAPPROPRIATE ACTION TOWARDS STAFF ARE ALSO OCCURRING.
SO, I UNDERSTAND INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY, AND HOPEFULLY THAT INCLUDES THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, I WANNA EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE PROPER CHAIN OF COMMAND.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD WORK THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER RATHER THAN DIRECTING, MICROMANAGING, OR PRESSURING STAFF, INCLUDING ANY FORMS OF HARASSMENT OR THREATS.
WITH THAT IN MIND, MY FIRST, UH, REQUEST IS THAT IF A COUNCIL MEMBER ALREADY KNOWS WHICH ISSUES OR QUESTIONS THEY INTEND
[02:40:01]
TO RAISE FOR AN AGENDA ITEM, THEY SHOULD PROVIDE STAFF WITH ADVANCED NOTICE, AS WE HAVE SEEN IN MANY, EVERY, LIKE, COUNCIL MEETING.UM, IT'S JUST HORRIBLE TO SEE STAFF.
WELL, OF COURSE THEY DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY, THEY WEREN'T AWARE THEY NEED TO REFRESH.
SO THIS ALLOWS STAFF TO PREPARE ACCURATE INFORMATION, GATHER DOCUMENTS, AND BE READY WITH ANSWERS.
WITHOUT THAT COURTESY, STAFF MAY BE UNFAIRLY CRITICIZED FOR NOT HAVING IMMEDIATE RESPONSES, WHICH CAN COME ACROSS AS ATTACKING OR BELITTLING THEM.
SPONTANEOUS QUESTIONS DURING DISCUSSIONS ARE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT PREPARED OR DETAILED INQUIRIES SHOULD BE SHARED BEFOREHAND, SO STAFF CAN BE PROPERLY PREPARED.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE SEE THERE'S PRE-WRITTEN QUESTIONS LIKE WE'RE IN COURT OR SOMETHING, BUT ADDITIONALLY, WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME, AS WE HAVE SEEN, WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER AN AGENDA IS POSTED, THE SAME INFORMATION SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, SUCH AS THE ITEMS GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THIS GIVES FAIR FOR A DA COMPLIANCE FOR ALL OF US WHO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, OUR PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER ENSURE THIS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PRACTICE CONTINUE SO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS REMAIN INFORMED AND UP TO DATE.
SO THAT IS MY COUNCIL REQUEST FOR OH, PERFECT.
NOBODY AGAINST IT, RIGHT? I HAVE A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
IS SHE ASKING THAT SHE WANTS PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS BEFOREHAND? I DON'T AND I CAN ANSWER THAT BECAUSE NO, IT'S PRIMARILY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO OBVIOUSLY WITH YOU, YOU HAVE LIKE PAGES TO DRILL.
I'M NOT, YEAH, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE PEOPLE MY, MY QUESTIONS BEFOREHAND.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN DISAGREE, BUT SHE HAD TO REQUEST, IT'S A COURTESY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T RESTRICT MY FREE MY FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
YOU CAN ARGUMENTATIVE, CONTINUE TO ASK.
I'M ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY, MAYOR, MR. MAYOR.
I THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL REQUEST IS, IT SEEMS TO ME IS THAT WHEN, IF POSSIBLE, IF YOU EXACTLY, IF YOU KNOW OF ISSUES YES.
AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA LET THE STAFF KNOW BEFOREHAND SO THEY CAN BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THOSE QUESTIONS IN OPEN SESSION.
IT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE PUBLIC AND TO EVERYONE AT HOME.
IF WE HAVE, IF, IF YOUR STAFF KNOWS THAT, DON'T SEND BACK TO STAFF IF POSSIBLE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE REQUEST IS.
YES, THAT IS, AND I, I EVEN WROTE DOWN, WE UNDERSTAND SPONTANEOUS QUESTIONS ARISES DURING THESE MEETINGS.
OH, UH, WE ALREADY FOR SECOND.
OH, YOU HAVE A COMMENT TOO OF QUESTION, MR. MAYOR? YES.
IT'S JUST, I, THE REASON WHY I SECONDED IT IS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE, THE PUBLIC TO THINK WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PLAY A GAME OF GOTCHA.
AND SEE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS WHAT'S IN THE AGENDA, AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE NOTES THAT WERE TAKEN FROM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WERE INTERVIEWING THESE PEOPLE.
AND A STAFF DOESN'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA REVIEW THOSE ITEMS. I MEAN, I, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM FAIR.
I SAY THAT YOU, YOU FOCUS ON WHATEVER'S ON THE AGENDA, WHATEVER THEY PROVIDED US, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL WE GET.
AND IT'S JUST NOT FAIR WHEN STAFF GETS HIT WITH THINGS LIKE THIS ON A BIG SURPRISE.
THERE'S A TWO PART WITH THIS ON, ON THE, OKAY.
UH, MOTHER MAY I, WE HAVE FIRST AND SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, IT SOUNDS IF WHEN THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S CLARIFICATION, THEN YES.
THEN THERE WAS TWO PARTS TO IT, BUT YES.
SIMILAR TO ONGOING ISSUES, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE STANDING RULES AND CODE OF CONDUCT BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR REVIEW AT THE DECEMBER 16 COUNCIL MEETING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ONGOING EXTERNAL INVESTIGATION, WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE ANY MISCONDUCT, MAY LEAD TO ADDITIONAL UPDATES TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE THE COUNSEL TO REVIEW WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE, INCLUDING ANY RECENT AMENDMENTS.
I THINK THIS IS, HAS BEEN APPROVED BY ZERO FOR THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
AND SO IN THAT WAY, WE'VE BEEN DELAYED AND DUE TO INVESTIGATION, SO RIGHT NOW, OKAY.
DELIVER ON DECEMBER 16TH TO DISCUSS ANYBODY AGAINST THIS? NO.
SO, UH, SEPTEMBER, DECEMBER 2ND MEETING.
AND WE GOING TO DISCUSS, OH, DECEMBER 16TH.
NEXT, UH, REGARDING CITY HALL ACCESS, THERE HAVE BEEN ONGOING ISSUES.
INVAL INVOLVING A COUNCIL MEMBER ENTERING CITY HALL AT ALL HOURS, SOMETIMES SPENDING UP TO 40 HOURS A WEEK ON STITE, STAYING ALL DAY OR COMING IN WHEN THE BUILDING IS CLOSED AND
[02:45:01]
NO STAFF ARE PRESENT.WE HAVE ALSO NOTICED SIGNS OF TAMPERING WITH EQUIPMENT AND DOCUMENTS TO PREVENT FURTHER PROBLEMS OR DISPUTE.
I REQUEST THAT ACCESS FOR ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS BE LIMITED.
WHILE THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST YEARS, IT HAS BECOME ONE, NO ONE SHOULD BE ENTERING CITY HALL AT 11:00 PM OR 2:00 AM ACCESS ACCESSING ROOMS UNSUPERVISED OR STARTLING STAFF WHO MAY BE WORKING LATE IF NECESSARY.
I WOULD ALSO BE OPEN TO ESTABLISHING SPECIFIC HOURS DURING WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY BE PRESENT.
AS STAFF HAVE REPORTED DIFFICULTIES COMPLETING THEIR WORK DUE TO CONSTANT INTERRUPTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD PROVIDE COURTESY NOTICE WHEN THEY PLAN TO BE IN THE BUILDING FOR MEETINGS RATHER THAN REMAINING THERE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OR SUMMONING STAFF UNEXPECTEDLY.
FOR NOW, MY REQUEST IS TO SIMPLY LIMIT ACCESS AND RESTRICT THE AREAS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN ENTER TO DESIGNATED TIMES AND LOCATION.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR ANY OF US TO BE INSIDE THE BUILDING AFTER HOURS OR ASSESSING SPACES OR MATERIALS WE, WE SHOULD NOT BE HANDLING.
DO, DO I HAVE ANYBODY AGAINST THIS? NO.
ANY OF CITY COUNCIL WANT TO COME? OKAY.
MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WE ARE COMING.
AND, UH, BUT, UH, BE BUSINESS HOURS SO WHEN THE CITY'S OPEN, HAVE STAFF.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL IS COMING.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COUNCIL REQUEST TO REVIEW THE WEST COMMUNITY SERVICES FOUNDATION IRS STATUS.
UM, THE CITY CITY'S OVERSIGHT AND RECENT DONATIONS, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION AT THE WEST KE COMMUNITY SERVICES FOUNDATION, WHICH HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN, UH, REFERENCED AS A CITY AFFILIATE.
WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY CITY'S NONPROFIT HAS HAD.
ITS IRS 5, 0 1, C3 TAX EXEMPT STATUS REVOKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS DESPITE THIS REVOKING OH, DO WE HAVE ISSUE WITH ALWAYS COVINA FOUNDATION? I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THIS IS, UM, VERY, I BELIEVE IT GOES BACK PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE, BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY OUR RESOLVED.
SO I'LL ASK OUR, WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO NITPICKING THE CT.
UM, I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THERE WAS DELAYS, UM, AND DEFERRALS OF FILING THE APPLICATION WE HAVE FILED AND ARE NOW CURRENT.
UM, THEY HAVE TOLD US IT'S GONNA TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS FOR IT TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE.
WE HAVE COMPLIED AND SUBMITTED ALL THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND APPLICATIONS THAT WERE REQUIRED TAX RETURNS.
SO WE'RE UPDATED, BUT IT'LL TAKE A FEW WEEKS.
BUT WE ARE LEGAL WEBSITE, BUT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
IS IT REVOKED RIGHT NOW? IT SAYS REVOKED ONLINE.
WELL, 'CAUSE IT TAKES A FEW WEEKS FOR THEM TO PROCESS IT, BUT WE HAVE SUBMITTED SO YOU JUST COME BACK AND LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S BACK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO, SO, SO MAKE SURE, REPORT TO US.
EVERYTHING'S LIKE, UH, UPDATED LEGAL.
SO SINCE, SINCE YOU SAY EVERYTHING'S OKAY, WE TRUST YOU.
AND, UH, YOU, SOMETHING WANTS, SAY, GO AHEAD.
JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING, A SAFE THANKSGIVING, AND DON'T EAT TOO MUCH.
AND ANYBODY WANNA ANY COMMENT? OKAY.
UH, AND, UH, THIS, THIS POSSIBLE WOULD BE MY LAST MEETING AS A MAYOR TO HOST.
AND THEN, AH, AND THEN, AND I HAVE ALL THE EXCITEMENT TONIGHT.
I WANT TO BE PEACEFUL, BUT SOMEBODY JUST DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO BE PEACEFUL.
OKAY? BUT, BUT I WANT THANK EVERYBODY, INCLUDING MY COUNCIL MEMBER TO GIVE ALL THE DRAMA OKAY.
ALL THIS AND, UH, MAKE OUR SHOW MORE INTERESTING.
BUT I WANNA THANK ALL THE AUDIENCE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU GOT OVER HERE.
BUT, BUT THANK YOU FOR STICK WITH US OKAY.
BUT I WANNA THANK THE STAFF OKAY.
FOR WHOLE YEARS, OKAY? AND, UH, REALLY WORK TOGETHER.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS, WESTCORP ARE DOING VERY GOOD.
IT'S A GREAT CITY AND IMPROVE A LOT.
AND NO MATTER WHAT, OKAY, WHEN YOU STANDING ON THE POSITION, YOU ALWAYS GET CRITICIZED AND YOU JUST MUST HAVE A STOMACH FORWARD.
AND, UH, I WANNA SAY, UH, TO THE STAFF AND THEY DID THE MAGNIFICENT VETERAN DAY CEREMONY.
AND EVERYBODY SAYS, SO BEAUTIFUL, SO NICE.
AND HERE I WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE, UH, WEST RESIDENT SAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
TO PUT THIS WONDERFUL AND SO MANY EVENT TOGETHER TO LET OUR CT WEDNESDAY UNITED.
AND, UH, NO MATTER WHAT, I THINK, UH, DECEMBER 2ND, I WAS STILL AT THE BEGINNING AS A MAYOR, THEN I'M GOING TO TRANSFER MY CROWN TO THE FUNCTION TO QUEEN AND, UH, WISH HER THE BEST,
[02:50:01]
OKAY? AND CONTINUE TO LEAD OUR CITY INTO IMPROVING AND A BETTER, BETTER PLACE.AND SOMETIME WE OVERHEAR, WE ARGUE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO, EVERYBODY HAVE A DIFFERENT POSITION AND TRY TO FIGHT FOR, AND WE TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY CONTINUE TO, WITH OUR OATH TO IMPROVE OUR RESIDENT LIFE.
DO HAVE YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
IN AN HONOR FOR THANKSGIVING, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY STAFF, FOR EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TODAY, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
WE DO WANNA MAKE THIS A FRIENDLY WORK ENVIRONMENT.
AND BY ALL MEANS, IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN LET US KNOW.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AS WELL AND FOR THE RESIDENTS.
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
RYAN, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YES.
I WANNA WISH, UH, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT ONE AND THE WHOLE CITY.
AND I ALSO WANNA WISH, UH, MAYOR TONY WU, UH, MAYOR PROAM LOPEZ VIDO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ROSARIO DIAZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER O CONTOS, A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
UH, MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU, EACH OF YOU.
AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS WEST GREENA.
SUCH A NICE KIND WORLD FOR EVERYBODY.
OKAY? AND I THINK WE CAN ALL GET ALONG.
LET'S, DON'T FORGET ALL THIS GRANDSTANDING, BUT LET'S IMPROVE OUR CITY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? CITY, CITY, UH, CITY MANAGER.
WANNA SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYBODY.
YOU ARE LAUGHING SO HARD BY BRIAN'S SPEECH.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION? OKAY.
HAVE GOOD NIGHT AND A SAFE DRIVE.