[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.WELCOME TO OUR FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL DURING ORAL COMMUNICATION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER CARD THAT IS PROVIDED AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND SUBMIT THE CARD TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF ORAL COMMUNICATION.
SPEAKER CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION HAS STARTED.
TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR AL RICHARDSON FROM NEW BEGINNING CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF WEST COVINA, AND STUDENT DANICA VINOS FROM SAN JOSE CHARTER ACADEMY WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WE'LL HAVE THE PASTOR, PASTOR, PASTOR FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE YOU LOVE YOUR EXCITEMENT,
PREPARE YOUR HEARTS AND MIND AS WE GO BEFORE THE LORD IN PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GATHER HERE TO SEEK WISDOM, REASON, AND COMPASSION IN THE SERVICE OF OUR CITY.
MAY OUR DECISIONS BE GUIDED BY INTEGRITY, FAIRNESS, AND THE WELLBEING OF ALL RESIDENTS.
HELP US TO LISTEN WITH PATIENCE, DEBATE, WITH RESPECT, AND TO ACT WITH COURAGE.
MAY OUR WORK HERE TODAY STRENGTHEN THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND MOVE US TOWARD A SAFER AND HEALTHIER AND MORE JUST CITY FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS SPACE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD.
MAY WE PROCEED WITH CLARITY AND PURPOSE.
NOW, LORD, WE WANNA LIFT UP EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN HONORED HERE TONIGHT.
LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GUIDE THEM AND STRENGTHEN THEM FOR THEIR GIFTS AND TALENTS THAT THEY'VE STORED UPON THIS CITY FOR THE REASONS OF THEIR HONORING AND JESUS'S NAME, AMEN.
MY NAME IS DANEL DINOS, AND I'M A, I'M A SIXTH GRADE STUDENT IN SAN JOSE CHARTER ACADEMY.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO LEAD YOU IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
FACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY IN JUST STRONG.
COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ HERE.
[REPORTING OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION]
ATTORNEY.IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? THERE IS, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION TO CONSIDER LITIGATION AGAINST COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ IN LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT RELATED TO A CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ OBLIGATION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT, UH, CITY DOCUMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER DIAZ MOVED AND COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED FOUR ZERO TO FILE SUIT WITH, UH, UH, AGAINST COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GUTIERREZ RECUSING HIMSELF.
THANK YOU ON TO PRESENTATIONS.
NO, THERE'S NO COMMENTS ON THIS.
WE'RE GOING TO, I HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE NO COMMENTS.
MAYOR, YOU'RE DISRUPTING THE MEETING.
HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO CALL SERGEANT AND MATT ARMS HAVE I HAVE A RIGHT COMMENT GOING TO PRESENTATIONS ON, I HAVE A RIGHT TO CALL.
SO, UH, I'M SORRY, EVERYBODY, UH, WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
I'LL ARMS, I MAKE MY COMMENT WHEN YOU'RE SERGEANT OF ARMS, PLEASE, SO WE CAN CONTINUE THIS.
HE'S DISRUPTING THE MEETING SERGEANT AT ARMS. SO THIS IS A OF SERGEANT AT ARMS OF RETALIATE.
RETALIATION, THIS IS, NEED A RESET.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS GONNA HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE DON'T TURN IN THEIR MONEY.
THIS IS NOT THE AGENDA ITEMS. TAXPAYER, PLEASE.
SO I AM, I'M MAKING MY COMMENT.
I'M MAKING MY COMMENT DISRUPTING.
AND I HAVE FINISHED MY COMMENT.
WE HAVE ONE COUNCIL PERSON RECESS.
THAT IS NOT, WE'LL DO A QUICK RECESS.
UH, PETE WILL HAVE A, I I'M FINISH WITH MY COMMENT.
WHAT YOU GONNA DO? WASTE PEOPLE'S TIME.
ARE WE ARE? CAN WE CONTINUE THIS MEETING? I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER DUMB QUESTIONS ALREADY.
I'M FINISHED DISRUPTING THE MEETING.
YOU WANNA REMOVE THEM SO WE CAN DO PRESENTATIONS RIGHT AFTER.
DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE PRESENTATIONS? YEAH.
IF YOU TELL ME, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M WRITING CHARGES? NOW SHE'S, THAT'S NOT HOW THE LAW WORKS.
[00:05:01]
ALL RIGHT.WELL, WE ARE BACK SESSION'S BACK IN SESSION.
EVERYBODY SETTLED IN? UM, THANK YOU.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT SHORT BRIEF, UM, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER.
IF HE'S READY TO COME BACK, WELL BEHAVED.
HE'S MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN US AND PRETENSE THAT HE WILL BEHAVE.
[PRESENTATIONS]
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START OUR PRESENTATION.PRESENTATIONS ARE FOR THE GOOD NEWS, GOOD TIMES, GOOD EVERYTHING.
AND WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THAT.
UH, THE FIRST PRESENTATION IS A CERTIFICATE AND STREET SITE CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF LIEUTENANT MIKE WEATHERMAN.
SO PLEASE COME UP TO THE FRONT AND CHIEF CORINA, PLEASE COME UP TO THE FRONT AND JOIN US.
SO TONIGHT WE RECOGNIZE LIEUTENANT MIKE WEATHERMAN ON HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 28 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, HAVING RISEN THROUGH THE RANKS FROM JAILER TO LIEUTENANT, WHILE SERVING IN NUMEROUS SPECIALIZED AND LEADERSHIP ROLES.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET THE CHIEF SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE GIVE IT TO YOU.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE RETIRING.
I I TRIED TELLING HIM THAT TOO.
UM, BUT BEFORE I SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT LIEUTENANT WEATHERMAN, UM, WE HAVE A, A LITTLE SLIDESHOW WE PUT TOGETHER FOR HIM.
HE DOESN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT THIS YET, SO HERE WE GO.
UM, BUT IS THIS JUST A LOOK AT THAT? LOOK HOW YOUNG HE LOOKS THERE.
PICTURES OF HIM WHEN HE WAS YOUNG.
SO, LAST YEAR, ALL ONE YEAR AFTER ONE YEAR OF BEING A LIEUTENANT, I KNOW THAT'S JUST A SLIGHT SUMMARY OF, OF MIKE'S CAREER.
MIKE HAS PRETTY MUCH DONE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING POSSIBLE WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM, AS YOU SEE, BEING PART OF THE MOUNTAIN UNIT, RIDING HORSES TO FLYING ABOVE US, PROVIDING AIR SUPPORT TO RIDING MOTORCYCLES.
UM, IT'S A BITTERSWEET MOMENT FOR ME.
UM, MIKE AND I, I THINK, ARE THE TWO MOST SENIOR, UH, OFFICERS HERE IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
SO NOW I'M LOSING MY, UH, MY PARTNER HERE IN CRIME.
UM, AND IT'S A BITTERSWEET MOMENT FOR ME.
UM, MIKE, IT'S JUST BEEN AN HONOR WORKING WITH YOU ALL THESE YEARS.
AND, UH, BUT I, AT THE SAME TIME, I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.
[00:10:01]
NEXT CHAPTER, AND, UH, I'M JUST VERY HAPPY FOR YOU AND YOUR, YOUR JUST BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.AND, UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO, UH, LIEUTENANT MICHAEL LES WEATHERMAN IN REC RECOGNITION OF 28 YEARS OF DEDICATED AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE WEST CAMINO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.
LIEUTENANT WEATHERMAN BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH THE DEPARTMENT AS A JAILER IN 1998.
HE WAS PROMOTED TO POLICE RECRUIT IN JANUARY OF 2000, AND SWORN IN AS A POLICE OFFICER IN MAY OF 2000.
THROUGH HARD WORK PROFESSIONALISM AND STEADFAST COMMITMENT, HE ADVANCED THROUGH THE RANKS TO CORPORAL IN MARCH OF 2013, SERGEANT DECEMBER, 2020, AND ULTIMATELY LIEUTENANT IN DECEMBER OF 2024.
THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, LIEUTENANT WEATHERMAN SERVED WITH DISTINCTION IN NUMEROUS ASSIGNMENTS, INCLUDING MOTOR OFFICER, CANINE HANDLER, MOUNTED UNIT SIMULATOR, INSTRUCTOR, AIR SUPPORT, TRAFFIC, AND DETECTIVE CORPORAL TRAINING BUREAU, UH, SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT DETECTIVE, DRIVER'S TRAINING, INSPECTOR INSTRUCTOR, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR.
UH, HE OVERSAW OUR DEPARTMENT'S COMMAND POST, UH, AS PART OF OUR MAJOR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TEAM AND EXPLORER ADVISOR AND OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S RADIO SYSTEM.
UM, AND HE ALSO SERVED AS A TRAINING SERGEANT IN 2022, CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANT TO THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS THAT YOU SEE HERE AT THE WEST CAMINO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND HAS REALLY HELPED OUR, UH, OPERATIONS CONTINUE IN A POSITIVE WAY.
HIS LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONALISM, AND LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE LEFT A MEANINGFUL AND ENDURING IMPACT ON THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.
HE HAS FAITHFULLY SERVED FOR THE PAST 28 YEARS.
SO, WITH THAT, CONGRATULATIONS, MIKE.
OH, WAIT, YOU GOTTA GET, LET'S ONE FIRST TIME.
AND, UH, ONE MORE, UH, TRADITION BEFORE I HAND OVER THE MIC TO MIKE HERE.
UM, AS OUR RETIREES EARN A WEST COVINA STREET SIGN, THEY CAN PLACE ANYWHERE THAT THEY WANT TO IN THEIR HOMES.
SO WE DID WEATHERMAN CIRCLE HERE.
UM, WHAT'S GREAT IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MIKE DEDICATED HIS, HIS ENTIRE ADULT LIFE TO SERVING AND PROTECTING THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT HE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK UP, WHETHER IT'S ON HIS WALL, IN HIS HOUSE OR GARAGE, OR WHEREVER IT MAY BE, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GET THAT FEELING BACK OF, OF THE HONOR AND HOW IT FEELS IN YOUR HEART TO SERVE A COMMUNITY.
SO I'M VERY, VERY HONORED TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU, MIKE.
AND I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK SOON.
OH, I THINK YOU THE WORDS TOO.
I WANTED YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I MEAN THAT YOU'VE DONE A LOT, YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE ANYTHING TO SAY? AND YOU COULD ALWAYS COME BACK AS A VOLUNTEER, THE CITIZEN ACADEMY VOLUNTEER.
SO WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU HERE, BUT GO AHEAD HERE.
SO, AS PEOPLE KNOW, I'M A MAN OF FEW WORDS.
UH, I'M GONNA KEEP THIS SHORT AND SWEET JUST BECAUSE, UH, ENRIQUE'S GOT A BET THAT I'M GONNA START CRYING.
SO I WANNA MAKE HIM, I'M WANNA PROVE HIM WRONG.
I WANT TO, AGAIN BY SAYING THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION AND FOR RECOGNIZING MY RETIREMENT.
AFTER 28 YEARS OF SERVICE, IT TRULY MEANS MORE TO ME THAN I CAN EXPRESS.
WHEN I STARTED THIS CAREER NEARLY THREE DECADES AGO, I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT WOULD SHAPE MY LIFE.
THERE'S A QUOTE, MY FRIEND, UH, DAVE, UH, IN THE BACK TAUGHT ME BY JOHN MAXWELL THAT HAS ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME.
HE, HE WHO THINKS HE LEADS, BUT HAS NO FOLLOWERS, IS ONLY TAKING A WALK.
IT'S ABOUT INFLUENCE, EXAMPLE, AND EARNING THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO WORK ALONGSIDE INCREDIBLE LEADERS AND EVEN BETTER TEAMMATES WHO MADE ME BETTER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK GOD FOR PROTECTING ME THROUGHOUT MY CAREER IN A PROFESSION WHERE EVERY SHIFT CARRIES UNCERTAINTY.
THE GRACE AND PROTECTION THAT ALLOWED ME TO COME HOME SAFELY TO MY FAMILY.
AND I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT, BOTH SWORN AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
[00:15:01]
THE REASON THIS CITY IS SAFE AND STRONG.I'M PROUD TO HAVE STOOD BESIDE YOU TO OUR CITY LEADERSHIP AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TRUST OVER THE YEARS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER, MY FAMILY.
THANK YOU FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU MADE SO I COULD SERVE.
YOU CARRIED THE WEIGHT AT HOME SO I COULD CARRY THE BADGE WITH HONOR, I LEAD WITH A FULL HEART.
GRATEFUL FOR THE FRIENDSHIPS, THE LESSONS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS GREAT COMMUNITY FOR 28 YEARS.
IT HAS TRULY BEEN THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME.
AND AS HOUSTON SAYS, SEE YOU SHORTLY.
AND BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER TO COUNSEL, I'M SURE WE'LL MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK ALL THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR BEING HERE TO SUPPORT MIKE TONIGHT.
AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE RETIRED WEST COVINA POLICE CHIEF DAVID FAULKNER, WHO'S ALSO IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT.
SO, BEFORE WE CONTINUE, UH, EACH COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU AND WISH YOU, UM, WELL IN WHATEVER ENDEAVORS YOU WANNA DO.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR PICKING WEST COVINA TO SPEND YOUR WHOLE 28 YEARS AND SAVING OUR COMMUNITY AND KEEPING IT SAFE.
AND I'M SURE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE WEST COVINA PD ARE REALLY GONNA MISS YOU, AND WE'RE ALL GONNA MISS YOU.
I WANTED TO, I WANT TO COMMEND, UH, LIEUTENANT WEATHERMAN.
UH, YOU ARE A LIEUTENANT AND AN OFFICER FOR OUR DEPARTMENT WHO HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND ALWAYS, UH, HELPING OUR COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR LEGACY, AND, AND THE FOUNDATION YOU CREATED FOR THIS DEPARTMENT WILL LIVE ON FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND FOR BEING A, A ROLE MODEL, UH, TO NOT ONLY TO YOUR FELLOW, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT.
COUNCILMAN, OH, MAYOR PROTE, UM, CONTOS MIKE, I, I REALLY HAVE GOT TO, TO JOIN WITH OTHERS IN THANKING GOD FOR, FOR WHO YOU ARE.
UH, YOU WERE THE ONE WHO, WHO TAUGHT ME THE BASICS WITH CITIZEN CITIZEN ACADEMY WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED HERE.
AND YOU TAUGHT ALL OF US WITH SUCH PASSION AND HEART AND SUCH A DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND BEYOND ALL THOSE WONDERFUL QUALITIES, YOU ARE A GOOD MAN.
YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO LOVES HIS FAMILY.
YOU CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND YOU, AND YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY.
I REALLY FEEL PRIVILEGED TO KNOW YOU AND, UH, AND TO COUNT YOU AS A FRIEND.
AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT OUR, THAT OUR PATHS HAVE CROSSED.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT.
AND YOU, YOU, YOU ARE A GOOD SALES PERSON.
OKAY? YOU TELL ME YOU NEED MONEY, OKAY? AND I JUST DONATED $7,500 TO YOU.
AND IT, AND THE CHINESE ASSOCIATE DONATE $7,500 TO YOU.
REMEMBER, BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD SALES PERSON, YOU PLAYED THE VIOLIN SO GOOD.
WE NEED THE, THE POLICE, POLICE, UH, EXPLORER TO GO TO SAN DIEGO TO, TO COMPETE.
AND, UH, YOU, YOU, YOU SUCH A GOOD LEADER, OKAY? YOU GIVE THE INSPIRATION TO ALL THE YOUNG, OUR FUTURE POLICE OFFICER AND GIVE THEM THE CHANCE.
AND YOU, YOU TOLD A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO HELP OUT, OKAY? AND THAT'S WHY THEY PITCHING TO HELP ALL THE PEOPLE THAT YOU INFLUENCE AND TO GO TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
AND WE SO PROUD ABOUT OUR WEST COVINA PD.
THAT'S HOW WEST COVINA IS SAFE.
AND PEOPLE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU, AND I HOPE YOU WILL THINK ABOUT YOUR RETIREMENT.
MAYBE YOU WANNA SEND A CONTRACT AGAIN, BUT YOU ARE SUCH A, A GREAT, GREAT LEADER, AND I THINK MAKE EXAMPLE TO OUR FUTURE POLICE OFFICER TO FOLLOW YOUR FOOTSTEP.
DON'T, DON'T BE A STRANGER COERCE, OKAY? AND STOP BY TO SAY HI AND CONTINUE TO TRAIN OUR EXPLORER BECAUSE I THINK THEY NEED YOUR TRAINING.
AND THEY, THEY REALLY OBEY YOU AND HONOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
BUT OF COURSE, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE YOUR FAMILY.
IF YOUR FAMILY CAN COME UP AND BE
[00:20:01]
HERE AND STAND BY HIM THIS LAST TIME IN HIS UNIFORM.UH, YOU ARE THE SUPPORT, THE LOVE.
AND WITHOUT YOU, OBVIOUSLY HE CAN'T BE HERE WHERE, WHERE HE IS TODAY.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY, YOUR LOVING FAMILY.
DID YOU GUYS WANNA SEE A FEW WORDS? AW, THEY, THEY WHISPERED THAT THEY LOVE HIM VERY MUCH.
UP NEXT, WE'D LIKE, UH, THE CERTIFICATE RECOGNITION FOR STUDENT LEADING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WE'D LIKE TO INVITE MS. DANICA VALDO, UH, VALDO VINOS TO THE FRONT, AND ERIN TO THE FRONT AS WELL.
SHE'S THE ADMINISTRATOR OF SAN JOSE CHARTER.
SO MS. DANICA'S, A STUDENT AT SAN JOSE CHARTER ACADEMY.
AND IN THE SIXTH GRADE, CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THE LIGHTHOUSE, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THE LIGHTHOUSE AS A LIGHTHOUSE LEADER? WHAT DO YOU DO AS LIGHTHOUSE LEADER AND WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS LIGHTHOUSE IS LIKE, YOU GO TO OTHER GRADES AND YOU TEACH ABOUT THE SEVEN HABITS AND THE CORE VALUES.
ANN, WOULD YOU LIKE ANYTHING TO SAY? OH, FIRST, WELL, I, I WANT TO JUST EXPRESS THAT DANICA AS, UM, A FIVE YEAR, FOUR YEAR LIGHTHOUSE LEADER, UM, IS, HAS REPRESENTED SJCA WITH PRIDE, UM, AND HER POISE IS AND LEADERSHIP COME FROM HER MOM, OUR BOARD CHAIRWOMAN, UH, NICOLE VINOS, AND SUPPORTED BY HER GRANDPARENTS, HER BROTHER AND HER DAD.
AND, UM, AND THANK YOU DANIKA, FOR REPRESENTING US.
WELL, SHE DID NOT HESITATE ONE BIT TO COME AND PRESENT, UM, THE FLAG AT THIS COUNCIL MEETING.
AND SO, ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL.
MOM, YOU WANNA, WE'LL DO ONE MORE WITH A MOM.
MOM'S THE ONE WHO TOOK YOU HERE TODAY, RIGHT? THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL OR LEADER, WORK WITH GOVERNMENT.
OH, HERE, HERE SHE, SAY THAT AGAIN.
SHE HAS A LOT OF STRONG OPINIONS.
SO SHE'LL COME IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THEY ALSO COMMENTED, OH, GO, GO AHEAD,
THEY ALSO COMMENTED THAT SHE IS A GREAT WRESTLER, AWARD-WINNING WRESTLER.
WE'D LIKE TO HONOR AND SEE THAT AND PUT THAT INTO THE NEXT COUNCIL.
NOW WE HAVE PRESENTATION BY UEI.
WE'D LIKE TO INVITE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IRMA PERONE AND LYNN MULHERON, VP OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
SO UEI BELIEVES THAT EVERY STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE.
THEIR SUPPORTIVE FACULTY AND STAFF ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING STUDENTS REACH THEIR GOALS, EVEN WHEN CHALLENGES ARISE.
FROM HELP WITH CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER PATH TO FINDING A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER AFTER GRADUATION, UEI IS COMMITTED TO BEING YOUR PARTNER IN SUCCESS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.
DID YOU KNOW THAT WEST COVINA IS HOME TO AN ACCREDITED TRADE COLLEGE THAT HAS BEEN SERVING CALIFORNIA SINCE 1982? TRAINING RESIDENTS FOR ESSENTIAL IN DEMAND CAREERS THAT COLLEGE IS U-E-I-U-E-I COLLEGE HAS BEEN PART OF WEST COVINA SINCE 2018.
AND AFTER FOUR YEARS WITH UEI AND OVER A DECADE OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO REPRESENT OUR SCHOOL AND THE STUDENTS WE SERVE
[00:25:01]
AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERE AT THE COLLEGE.EVERY DAY MY TEAM AND I GET TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE WEST COVINA RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A BETTER PATH AND CAREERS THEY CAN BUILD A LIFE AROUND RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS. OUR STUDENTS TRAIN IN HANDS-ON LEARNING LABS, AND WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE CITY TO HELP PLACE THEM IN THEIR NEW CAREERS.
TODAY, UEI SERVES MORE THAN A THOUSAND STUDENTS RIGHT HERE IN WEST COVINA.
THEY'RE IN TRAINING FOR CAREERS SUCH AS ELECTRICAL, HVAC, AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIANS, MEDICAL AND DENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND MEDICAL BILLING AND CODING PROFESSIONALS.
OUR PROGRAMS ARE AFFORDABLE AND ELIGIBLE.
UM, STUDENTS CAN APPLY FOR GRANTS AND LOANS.
WE ALSO REINVENT THOUSAND, REINVEST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BACK INTO THE CAMPUS TO OUR LABS, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT.
IN FACT, WHEN YOU WALK INTO OUR CAMPUS AND YOU GO INTO ONE OF OUR DENTAL LABS, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'LL BE LIKE WALKING RIGHT INTO A DENTAL OFFICE RIGHT DOWN TO THE EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND IT FEELS JUST LIKE, UH, A DENTAL OFFICE, RIGHT? EVEN DOWN TO THE SMELL HERE.
WEST COVINA ALONE, UEI HAS GRADUATED MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS.
AND IMPORTANTLY, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE GRADUATES ARE WORKING FOR EMPLOYERS RIGHT HERE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
UEI IS PROUD TO BE PART OF WEST COVINA, AND WE ARE POISED TO DO EVEN MORE.
WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT OUR CAMPUS JUST AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WU AND DIAZ AND CITY MANAGER HAVE ALREADY DONE, AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE US SHARE THE STORY THIS EVENING.
SO THAT WAS THE PRESENTATION ONLY, AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, FEEL FREE TO SWING BY.
THIS IS A HANDS-ON TRADE THAT TECHNOLOGY AI CAN'T DO BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'S ACTUALLY DENTISTRY, ELECTRICIAN AND ALL THOSE.
SO FEEL FREE ADULTS, CHILDREN COME ALL AND REGISTER AND BE THE YEAH, BE PART OF THE EDUCATION.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PRESENTING THIS.
NOW FOR THE TASTE OF WEST COVINA, WE WILL HAVE FRESCO PIZZA.
PLUS WE'D LIKE TO INVITE KENNETH KIM TO THE FRONT FROM SUSHI HOLLIS.
SO SUSHI HOLIC IS A VIBRANT DINING DESTINATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER CREATIVE JAPANESE CUISINE AND A MODERN, ENERGETIC ATMOSPHERE, KNOWN FOR ITS FRESH, HIGH QUALITY INGREDIENTS AND ARTFULLY CRAFTED ROLLS.
SUSHI HOLICS OFFERS AN EXPANSIVE MENU FEATURING CLASSIC SUSHI FAVORITES, SIGNATURE SPECIALTY ROLLS, SASHIMI, NIGIRI, AND A VARIETY OF HOT KITCHEN SELECTIONS.
THE RESTAURANT PROVIDES A WELCOMING SPACE FOR EVERYTHING FROM CASUAL LUNCHES TO EVENING GATHERINGS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
STARTING TONIGHT AND ENDING ON MARCH 17, SUSHI HOLLIS IS EXCITED TO OFFER 10% OFF YOUR PURCHASE.
SIMPLY MENTION THE TASTE OF WEST COVINA PROGRAM AT YOUR VISIT.
SO LET'S, UH, SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT YOUR WONDERFUL RESTAURANT.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME'S KENNETH KIM.
UM, WE OFFER ALL YOU CAN EAT, SO THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
AND WHAT'S YOUR MAYO? THEY HAVE A SIMPLE FOOD FOR US TO TRY.
WAS THERE A SAMPLE? I DIDN'T GET THE MEMO.
YOU GET THE MEMO, BUT EVERYBODY COULD COME.
JUST MENTION TASTE OF WEST COVINA.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SUSHI? UH, SALMON OR YELLOW TAIL.
UH, SO ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA, WE HOPE THAT EVERY, EVERYONE COMES AND VISITS.
SO EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO TRY DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS AND PLACES.
AND WE'D LIKE TO HONOR SUSHI HOLS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND WE HAVE, UH, INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.
SO NOW WE HAVE FRESCO PIZZA PLUS, AND WE'D LIKE TO INVITE ASME KAHILI.
SO FRESCO PIZZA PLUS IN WEST COVINA IS A LOCAL FAVORITE KNOWN FOR ITS FRESH INGREDIENTS, GENEROUS PORTIONS, AND WELCOMING NEIGHBORHOOD VIBE FROM HANDCRAFTED PIZZAS LOADED WITH FLAVORFUL TOPPINGS TO CLASSIC ITALIAN SPECIALTIES, HARDY PASTAS, CRISP SALADS, AND HOT SANDWICHES.
THE MENU OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, WHETHER YOU'RE GRABBING A QUICK LUNCH, PICKING UP DINNER FOR THE FAMILY, OR CATERING A GATHERING.
FRESCO PIZZA PLUS DELIVERS QUALITY, VALUE AND SATISFYING
[00:30:01]
FLAVORS THAT KEEP THE COMMUNITY COMING BACK, STARTING TONIGHT AND RUNNING UNTIL MARCH 17.FRESCO PIZZA PLUS IS PROUD TO OFFER A 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL PIZZA ORDERS.
THERE'LL BE NOT, THERE WILL NOT BE A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF PIZZAS THAT CAN BE ORDERED.
SO ORDER ALL THE PIZZAS, HAVE A PIZZA PARTY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? THANK YOU.
UH, WE ARE, UH, A NEW BUSINESS IN WEST COVINA.
UH, OPENING, UH, A NEW BUSINESS IS NOT EASY AT ALL, BUT, UM, ESPECIALLY FROM THE SCRATCHES.
UM, BUT ALSO I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
I REMEMBER MRS. NORMA, SHE WAS VERY NICE TO HELP PROFESSIONAL, AND SHE WAS REALLY, REALLY CLEAR, UH, BUILDING DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WAS SUPPORTER MORE THAN INGRID AND, UM, UH, INSPECTIONS.
UH, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE INSPECTION TEAMS, ESPECIALLY ART.
IN THE BEGINNING I WAS NERVOUS, BUT, UH, WORKING WITH HIM, IT WAS REALLY NICE.
HE GIVE ME THE TIME TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING.
I'M GLAD TO, TO SERVE THE GREAT COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, THE, THE TASTE, UH, OF WEST COVINA PROGRAM, UH, CHANGED THE IDEA ABOUT THE, THE, THE CITY IS NOT ONLY A REGULATOR, IT'S HELPED THE SMALL BUSINESS TO GROW UP.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYBODY.
I'M PROUD TO, TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN WEST COVINA.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE, I I HAVE A QUESTION.
CREATE THE LOCATIONS ON THE NEXT UI COLLEGE.
YOU HAVE A THOUSAND STUDENTS, MAYBE YOU CAN USE A U SERVER.
NOW YOU GET 20% OFF AND YOU COULD TELL ALL THE STUDENTS.
SO WE ACTUALLY DO APPRECIATE THOSE WORDS.
IT'S NICE TO HEAR THAT STARTING A BUSINESS IN WEST COVINA IS GOOD THAT WE ARE WEST COVINA BUSINESS FRIENDLY, SO THANK YOU.
AND WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR PIZZA OR YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA THAT MOST PEOPLE? ME BARONI SAUSAGE JALAPENO.
OH, WE GOT SOME PEOPLE SAYING.
ALL RIGHT, SO ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA.
SO WE'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RESTAURANT, YOUR BUSINESSES, AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HERE SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESS.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.WE'LL BE GIVEN BY ACTING CITY MANAGER MILAN, PLEASE PROCEED.
PUBLIC WORK STAFF ASSISTED THE HOPE TEAM WITH CLEANUP OF A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT THAT FORMED BEHIND THE PROPERTY.
LOCATED AT 2 4 3 5 SOUTH AZU AZU AVENUE AND A AMAR ROAD.
UM, CITY STREET CREW UPDATED SEVERAL RED CURBS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND DO THE FORECASTED RAINS RAINSTORMS PUBLIC WORK CREWS WILL BE ON STORM WATCH AND PROACTIVELY MONITORING CITY STREETS TO INCLUDE FLOOD ZONES AND CITY STREETS FOR FORMULATION, FORMATION OF POTHOLES, AND REPAIR THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UM, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA WILL SHORTLY WELCOME KATCH CAFE KLA COFFEE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'LL CELEBRATE ITS GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST AT 9:00 AM KLATCH COFFEE IS LOCATED 2 6 3 0 EAST WORKMAN AVENUE, INSIDE SPROUTS FARMER'S MARKET.
ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE CELEBRATION AND WELCOME THE NEWEST BUSINESS TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE CITY WEST COVINA WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE COMMERCIAL FACADE PROGRAM TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THE PROGRAM IS A STOREFRONT FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT WILL AWARD 10 ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES WITH $10,000 REIMBURSEMENT, UH, THROUGH A-C-D-B-G GRANT.
BUSINESSES LOCATED WITHIN THE ELIGIBLE CDD CENSUS TRACK ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY DURING THE APPLICATION PERIOD, WHICH WILL OPEN IN EARLY APRIL, 2026.
ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT OUR COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION TO APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, WEST COVINA TRASH PROFILE.
UM, SO FAR, BUSINESS ACCOUNT AND ACCOUNT OVERVIEW, UH, TOTAL BUSINESSES IN THE CITY IS AT 3,400 BUSINESSES.
TOTAL COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS ARE 807 MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS ACCOUNT FOR 233.
UM, OUTWARD OUTREACH AND COMPLIANCE EFFORTS, UM, ACCOUNTS CONTACTED ALL 807, UM, CAL CAL RECYCLE WAIVERS ISSUED 112, UM,
[00:35:01]
CON CONTACT RATE.100% OF COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS WERE CONTACTED.
CAL RECYCLE COLLECTION SERVICE WAIVER PROGRAM.
CAL RECYCLE CAN WAIVE COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR ORGANICS RECYCLABLES FOR A TEMPORARY FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
WEST COVINA MAY APPROVE BUSINESSES OF DIMI DI MINIMUS WAIVER.
THEY HAVE VERY, WHEN THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE ORGANIC MATERIAL, LESS THAN 20 GALLONS A WEEK, UH, PHYSICAL SPACE AND WA PHYSICAL SPACE WAIVERS.
WEST COVINA MAY APPROVE PHYSICAL SPACE WAIVER.
IF THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS OR PROPERTY OWNER DOESN'T HAVE SPACE FOR CONTAINERS NEEDED FOR COLLECTION ON THEIR PROPERTY, ATHENS SERVICES AND THE CITY OF WEST COVINA WILL WORK WITH BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE MOST SPACE CONSTRAINTS CAN BE SOLVED BY ATHENS SERVICES WASTE.
AND THEIR PHONE NUMBER IS ATTACHED.
ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH, SHADOW OAK COMMUNITY CENTER HOSTED ITS FIRST SIP AND PAINT NINE EVENTS.
A GUEST ENJOYED, RELAXING AND CREATIVE EVENING FEATURING GUIDED PAINTING, DELICIOUS APPETIZERS AND ADULT BEVERAGES WITH 30 PARTICIPANTS IN ATTENDANCE.
THE EVENT WAS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS AND PROVIDED A FUN AND WELCOMING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CONNECT AND UNWIND.
ON FEBRUARY 13TH, THE CORTEZ COMMUNITY PARK SENIOR CENTERS CELEBRATED LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP DURING ITS ANNUAL VALENTINE'S DAY EVENT, 200 PARTICIPANTS ENJOYED ENTERTAINMENT WITH DJ RUDY EMIL BY CHEFS HOLLY AND THERESA, AND CRAFT ACTIVITY WITH A SPONSOR, COMFORT KEEPERS.
PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR NEXT EVENT ON MONDAY, MARCH 16TH FOR ST.
PATRICK'S DAY, THE ADAPTIVE RECREATION PROGRAM AT PALMVIEW PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER HOSTED ITS ANNUAL VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH.
IT WAS A HEARTWARMING AND INCLUSIVE EVENT THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS OF ALL ABILITIES TO CELEBRATE LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP.
WITH OVER 40 PARTICIPANTS IN ATTENDANCE, THE PARTY FEATURED A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING VALENTINE'S DAY THEME GAMES, FACE PAINTING, BALLOON TWISTING PIZZA, AND A DANCE PARTY.
WITH MUSIC EVERYONE COULD ENJOY.
A RELATIONSHIP WORKSHOP WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH AT THE CORTEZ PARK COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER.
THE EVENT REACHED FULL REGISTRATION WAS OFFERED AT NO COST TO THE COMMUNITY, HOSTED BY MAYOR LETTI LOPEZ VTO AND RELATIONSHIP COACH KELLY DPU.
THE EVENING INCLUDED DINNER, INTERACTIVE GAMES, COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND GIVEAWAYS WITH GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT FROM ATHENS SERVICES.
THE WORKSHOP PROVIDED COUPLES WITH A MEANINGFUL TOOLS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND DEEPEN THEIR CONNECTION.
TO ADDRESS INCREASED VOLUME OF PUBLIC RECORDS, REQUESTS AND DOCUMENT PROCESSING, THE CITY'S CLERK'S OFFICE WILL TEMPORARILY CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC 2:00 PM ON TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.
WE APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION.
CITY OF WEST COVINA INVITES THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND MICRO BUDGET WORKSHOPS HELD EVERY FRIDAY IN MARCH.
THESE SESSIONS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP AND GIVE INTERESTED RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW BUDGET INFORMATION AND ASK QUESTIONS SPACES LIMITED.
UH, PLEASE RSVP TO DIANA CAMPOS AT DE COMPOST@WESTCOVINA.ORG TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENTS.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT DAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A QANTAS CLUB OF WEST COVINA IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD AT THE WEST COVINA CIVIC CENTER.
EASTER EGG EXTRAVAGANZA, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE QANTAS CLUB OF WEST COVINA IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH, 2026 AT CORTEZ PARK AND AT DEL NORTE PARK.
AND THAT INCLUDES MY UPDATE FOR TONIGHT.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE ACTING CITY MANAGER.
UH, WITH, WITH REGARD TO THE CDBG MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE WITHIN THAT, UH, PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC AREA, CAN YOU, UH, TELL FOLKS WHAT THAT GEOGRAPHIC AREA IS SO THAT WAY THEY WOULD KNOW IF THEY FALL WITHIN THAT ZONE, PLEASE? SURE.
IT'S GONNA BE NORTH OF THE 10 FREEWAY SOUTH OF BADILLO.
YEAH, YOU COULD SEE IT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE BETWEEN AZUSA AVENUE AND HOLLENBECK, AND IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
IS THAT POSSIBLE? WE CAN APPLY LIKE GLENDORA AVENUE BECAUSE IT'S SOME OF THE OLD BUSINESS OVER THERE.
THEY CAN HAVE A GRANT FOR CDBG FUND TO HELP THEM TO OKAY.
SO MAYBE MORE APPEARING UNDERSTOOD.
I I WILL CHECK WITH OUR CDBG COORDINATOR AND SEE IF WE CAN INCLUDE THAT AREA.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
ALL RIGHT.SO WE'LL MOVE TO ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.
COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER, UNLESS MODIFIED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER OR THE CITY COUNCIL REQUEST TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTIVE TO THE ORDERLY
[00:40:01]
CONDUCT OF THE MEETING, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SPEAKING OFF TOPIC, SPEAKING BEYOND THE SPEAKERS ALLOTTED.TIME LIMIT MAKING SLANDEROUS OR PROFANE REMARKS ARE USING LOUD, THREATENING OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, WHICH DISRUPTS, DISTURBS, IMPEDES, OR RENDERS INFEASIBLE THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT THREATEN ANY PERSON WITH PHYSICAL HARM OR ACT IN A MANNER THAT MAY REASONABLY BE INTERPRETED AS AN IMMINENT THREAT OF PHYSICAL HARM.
WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME BEING CALLED, YOU MAY SIT IN THE FRONT ROW DESIGNATED FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
THE TIMER WILL START WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE TONIGHT? MAYOR? WE HAVE 13 SPEAKERS.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS TOM KI, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATES, FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY DUKE.
I'VE SEEN EVERYBODY HERE BEFORE.
I VOLUNTEER ONLY A COUPLE MILES FROM HERE AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, BUT I DRIVE QUITE A DISTANCE TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS.
AND AS I'M COMING HERE, IT TAKES ME ABOUT AN HOUR BECAUSE THERE ARE RULES, THERE ARE LAWS, THERE ARE SPEED LIMITS, THERE ARE LANES I HAVE TO STAY IN.
AND THEN I GOT HERE AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF BUMP.
WE ALL HAD TO GO OUT AND POLICE WERE HERE.
AND THERE WAS RULES AND THINGS THAT YOU ALL DO HERE.
AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE I STARTED SPEAKING, YOU READ A LIST OF RULES.
BUT THE ONLY THING THAT I'VE EVER HEARD FROM A CITY COUNCIL PERSON AGAINST SPAY, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING IS I REALLY DON'T WANT TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
MATTER OF FACT, I'LL TELL YOU A STORY.
UM, LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I WAS WITH A GROUP OF THREE OTHER PEOPLE AND WE SPOKE AT A FEW DIFFERENT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND AT ONE OF THEM, AFTER WE GOT DONE SPEAKING, THE MAYOR ACTUALLY SAID THAT, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
AND THE VERY NEXT THING HE SAID WAS HOW YOU COULDN'T HAVE FIREWORKS.
I LIKE FIREWORKS, BUT HE WOULDN'T LET US DO FIREWORKS.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT SPAY AND NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING.
YOU ALL ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT LATER.
WE HAVE PROBLEMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH OVERCROWDING.
THE ANIMAL WELFARE DATA NETWORK POSTED ON FEBRUARY 3RD, THAT 15,000 870, 57, 8, EXCUSE ME, 15,857 ANIMALS WERE EUTHANIZED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN ONE YEAR.
YOU ALL ARE HERE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU THINK THEY SHOULD DO.
I DON'T REALLY WANT TO HEAR ALL YOU TALK ABOUT ALL YOUR ANIMALS AND HOW GREAT YOU ARE WITH YOUR ANIMALS.
I'M SURE YOU ALL DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT.
THEY'RE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BEND RULES.
THE SHELTER IS FILLED WITH ANIMALS RIGHT NOW, AND ANIMALS DIE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND PEOPLE HAVE TO DO THAT JOB EVERY DAY.
IT'S NOT ONLY AN ANIMAL PROBLEM, IT'S A HUMAN PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE.
SOMEBODY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF SPEED LIMITS YEARS AGO AND SPAY NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING IS NOT NEW OR REVOLUTIONARY.
PLEASE MANDATE SPAY, NEUTER AND MICROCHIPPING.
JERRY PATES, FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY DUKE, FOLLOWED BY MARIO AVARO.
I AM A STRONG ADVOCATE OF SPAYING, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING.
I RECENTLY, LAST YEAR ANYWAY, ADOPTED A DOG THAT WASN'T NEUTERED.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE 400 BUCKS FOR A MALE DOG.
UM, I'VE CONTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE TO HELP THEM DO SPAY AND NEUTERING.
I DON'T, MY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH TONIGHT'S CONCEPT IS NOT THE CONCEPT OF SPAY AND NEUTERING, THE NUMBER OF DOGS AND CATS THAT ARE BEING KILLED.
WHAT I ACTUALLY AM CONCERNED ABOUT ON THE STAFF REPORT IS THAT IN ONE WAY, IT'S A VERSION
[00:45:01]
OF YOU CAN'T PARK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET DURING STREET SWEEPING.IT SAYS THAT THIS WAS WHAT COUNCILMAN, UM, CANTOS ASKED ABOUT, BUT HE ASKED FOR.
I WENT AND I WATCHED THE MEETING.
COUNCILMAN ASKED ABOUT CITIES, HOW OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THINGS.
COUNCILMAN LOU, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT BROUGHT IN LA COUNTY IN THE MEETING.
THE, UH, HAVE YOU READ PART OF LA COUNTY? I ACTUALLY WENT AND GOT THE LA COUNTY.
I DIDN'T PRINT ALL 80 PAGES OUT.
BUT IF YOU DO IT THIS WAY, THE MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAM, THERE'S PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF ANY PART.
FIRST VIOLATIONS A FINE UP TO $250 IF YOU FAIL TO CORRECT WITHIN 30 DAYS, IT'S DEEMED A SECOND VIOLATION.
THE SECOND VIOLATION IS WITH CURSE WITHIN A FIRST YEAR OF THE FIRST VIOLATION.
THAT'S A MIS DEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT IN COUNTY JAIL FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO SIX MONTHS OR A BY A FINE OF UP TO 1000 OR BOTH FOR FINE AND IMPRISONMENT.
THAT WASN'T IN, THERE WASN'T ANY CONSEQUENCES.
IF YOU GO TO THE COUNTY THING THAT WAS IN THAT STAFF DEVELOPMENT REPORT, I THINK THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
THEY CAN IMPOUND YOUR UNALTERED DOG OR CAT, AND THEN THEY HAVE SOME REASONS HOW YOU CAN GET IT OUT AT YOUR COST.
AS THE DOG OWNER, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO BACK TO WHAT COUNCILMAN CANTOS ASK.
AND HE WOULD ASK FOR SUPPORT IN RESEARCHING OTHER CITY APPROACHES TO SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
THAT WOULD BE NOT JUST COUNTY, BUT IT WOULD BE.
THERE'S I THINK, THREE ANIMAL SHELTERS IN LA THIS, THAT SERVICE, THIS AREA.
WHAT DO THE CITIES IN THOSE AREAS DO? HOW DO THEY HANDLE IT? THE HEAVY HANDED APPROACH IS NOT WHAT I THINK.
COUNCIL, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS HIS INTENT.
THERE'S NOT ONE CITY MENTIONED IN THIS.
KIMBERLY DUKE, FOLLOWED BY MARIO.
SO BAVARO FOLLOWED BY JOHN SHOEMAKER.
MY NAME IS KIMBERLY DUKE AND I VOLUNTEER FOR BALDWIN PARK SHELTER.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPOKEN AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND I APPRECIATE THIS TIME TO SPEAK.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER THE MERITS OF SPAY NEUTER FROM BOTH THE PERSPECTIVE OF REDUCED COST OF SHELTERING TO THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
AND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A SITUATION I'M GOING TO DESCRIBE NOW.
THESE WORDS WERE WRITTEN BY ME BACK IN SEPTEMBER, ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER READING A POST ON INSTAGRAM.
THE POST SHARED A HEARTBREAKING UPDATE ABOUT A DOG NAMED FCO THAT I LIKED VERY MUCH.
FCO WAS SURRENDERED BY OWNER IN LATE JULY.
AND DESPITE BEST EFFORTS OF STAFF NETWORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS, FCO LINGERED IN THE SHELTER FOR WEEKS.
ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, A HARDWORKING VETERINARY TECHNICIAN WAS ASSIGNED A TASK.
HE OR SHE WOULD PULL OUT A METAL CARD ON WHEELS TO ROLL IT.
WHEELS CLACKING, NOISILY TO RECOS KENNEL.
I IMAGINE FREAKO WAGGED HIS TAIL IN EXCITEMENT TO SEE ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY WHO CARED DEEPLY ABOUT HIM.
FREAKO WAS PROBABLY EXCITED TO BE LET OUT OF HIS CONCRETE KENNEL, ANTICIPATING THE FREEDOM TO STRETCH HIS LEGS, DO SOME GOOD SNIFFS AND FEEL THE MORNING SUNSHINE ON HIS BODY.
BUT SADLY, THAT METAL CART WAS NOT HEADED FOR THE PLAY YARDS.
INSTEAD, FCO WAS WHEELED TO A SMALL ROOM IN THE CENTER OF WHICH IS A METAL EXAM TABLE.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THAT ROOM, BUT I IMAGINE THAT AS THE VET TECH PREPARED THE MEDICATION THAT WOULD STOP FICO'S HEART.
ALTHOUGH I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE VET TECH, I IMAGINE IT IMPACTS THEM IN WAYS THAT PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE.
VET TECHS ARE CARRYING INDIVIDUALS.
THEY DEVOTE THEIR CAREERS TO THE WELLBEING OF ANIMALS AND THE COMMUNITY.
I IMAGINE AS THAT VET TECH INSERTED THE NEEDLE THAT WOULD PUMP THE FATAL DRUG INTO ONE OF KO'S VEINS.
HE OR SHE WAS STILL MET WITH THE GAZE THAT HELD HOPE, TRUST, AND LOVE.
I IMAGINE THAT BEING FORCED TO END THAT HOPE, LOVE, AND PERHAPS MOST PAINFUL TO BREAK THE TRUST THAT THESE DOGS HAVE IN US.
I IMAGINE THAT HURT THE MOST COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M NOT BLAMING YOU IN ANY WAY.
I IMAGINE YOU'RE ALL AMAZING AND RESPONSIBLE PET PARENTS, AND I DON'T BLAME ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NOT REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THESE SHELTERS.
BUT I DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL KEEP THE MENTAL IMAGE OF FREAKO HIS JOYFUL, LOVING FACE AS HE COLLAPSED ONTO THAT SMALL RICKETY TABLE FROM A MASSIVE OVERDOSE THAT TOOK A LIGHT FROM THIS WORLD FREE.
[00:50:01]
THAT SOMEHOW YOU CAN HEAR US TONIGHT, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THERE'S NO TEARS IN HEAVEN, BUT IT'S HARD TO SPEAK THROUGH THE TEARS HERE ON EARTH.MARIO AVARO, FOLLOWED BY JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY GLEN KENNEDY.
UH, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL, UM, HERE TO SPEAK ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. UH, SPECIFICALLY KNOWLEDGE NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN RESPONSIBLE DOG AND PET OWNERSHIP.
UH, BUT I WILL C SIDE WITH JERRY ON THIS ONE.
THAT, UH, STAFF REPORT PROBABLY LOOK NEEDS A LITTLE LOOKING OVER.
UM, YEAH, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
UH, NEXT THING, UH, THERE WAS A DEL NORTE UPDATE BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ONE OF THE SLIDES SHOWED THAT, UH, WEST COVINA IS REQUESTING 1.5 ACRES OF LAND FROM THE MERITAGE PROJECT.
SO, UM, THAT, UH, I THINK WILL MAKE SOME PEOPLE HAPPY THERE.
UH, LASTLY, UM, COVINA VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS, UH, ASKED GLENN AND I TO DO A PRESENTATION, UH, HISTORIC PRESENTATION AND WHAT BETTER PRESENTATION TO DO IN COVINA THAN WHY WEST COVINA BECAME A CITY.
SO
WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION, BUT WE'RE MAKING THIS A LITTLE SPECIAL 'CAUSE WE'VE ACTUALLY INVITED STUDENTS FROM COVINA SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WEST COVINA SCHOOL DISTRICT SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS. AND WE ARE GONNA TAKE THE AUDIENCE BACK TO 1922.
AND THEY'RE GONNA DO PERSUASIVE SPEAKING ON, UH, COVINA, ARGUING THEIR POINTS, WEST COVINA ARGUING OUR POINTS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S FRESH NEWS.
COVINA JUST AGREED TO THAT THIS MORNING.
AND WE WILL BE SENDING INFORMATION OUT ON THAT AND HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN MAKE IT.
JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY GLEN KENNEDY, FOLLOWED BY JOSH MURRAY.
SO ALREADY JUST GOING OVER A COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICK.
UH, AND APPARENTLY IN A COUPLE DAYS THERE'S GONNA BE A TOWN HALL MEETING HERE.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS RATHER INTERESTING THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, BRIAN GUTIERREZ, WHO NEEDED A SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION FOR HIS MEAL, THAT IT COULD NOT COME FROM.
PORTOS IS SERVING THE PUBLIC PORTOS.
SINCE I NEED A SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION, CAN I HAVE SOMETHING FROM JERSEY MIKE'S? THE OTHER THING THAT'S UH, INTERESTING ABOUT THIS THING IS THERE'S A STATEMENT ON THERE WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE PERFECTLY LEGAL.
I'M NOT A A A LAWYER, NOT AN EXPERT IN THAT AREA THAT SAYS, NOT PAID FOR BY PUBLIC FUNDS.
OKAY? THE PERSON WHO DEMANDS THE MOST OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY IN THIS CITY, WHY DIDN'T HE PUT WHO PAID FOR IT? WHY DIDN'T HE PUT HE PAID FOR IT OR WHO DID PAY FOR IT? YOU KNOW, ALL TALK.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO HIM HAVING TO DO IT, AND I KNOW HOW HE'S TURNED SOME OF YOU IN FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE INVITED TO A PARTY AND IT TURNED IN TO BE, IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
HE TURNED ME IN BECAUSE MY, FOR SOME REASON, MY PAPERWORK, I PAID FOR EVERYTHING MYSELF.
HOW MUCH CLEARER COULD IT BE? YOU KNOW? BUT NO, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOTTA, HE'S GOTTA DO THAT.
AND THEN HE PUTS SOMETHING WELL, HE'LL SAY, OH, IT WAS LEGAL.
YOU KNOW, HOW ABOUT IT BEING ETHICAL? OR IT FITS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M GONNA TELL EVERYBODY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
WHY NOT PUT WHO PAID FOR IT? THE OTHER THING THAT I FOUND KIND OF INTERESTING IS THAT THIS PERSON WHO WANTS TO HEAR ALL VIEWS, WANTS PEOPLE TO APPROACH 'EM, APPARENTLY TERMINATED A MEMBER OF ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONS BECAUSE THE PERSON HAD THE AUDACITY TO ASK, WHY'D YOU VOTE THAT WAY ON THAT ISSUE? AND THEN, WHAT DOES THIS COUNCIL MEMBER DO? WHO WANTS THE PUBLIC TO QUESTION AND ASK FIRES THE PERSON? DOES HE CALL 'EM UP ON THE PHONE AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU WENT OVER A LINE.
HAS STAFF DO IT? REALLY COURAGEOUS.
AND THE ONE LAST THING IS, WHY IS CITY STAFF IN THIS ROOM MEASURING DISTANCES FOR A COURT RELATED ACTIVITY THAT IS NOT RELATED TO THE CITY? ISN'T THAT MISAPPROPRIATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS? WHY WAS CITY STAFF IN HERE DOING THAT FOR HIM? I'D LIKE THAT INVESTIGATED TOO.
FOLLOWED BY JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY DOUG FOR GOOD
[00:55:01]
EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.JUST A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT, I'LL BE REAL QUICK HERE.
UH, JUST LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW THAT, UM, UH, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WE'RE GONNA DO OUR MEET AND GREET MARCH 6TH.
OKAY, I GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME.
3 33 38 SOUTH GLENDORA AVENUE.
UH, WE WILL BE SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, THE FIGHT AGAINST FOREST LAWN AND, UH, HOW WEST CAMINA TURNED HIM DOWN TWICE.
I DON'T WANNA GET AWAY THE WHOLE STORY, BUT IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING.
AND, UM, ALSO, UM, OUR, OUR HISTORY ROUND TABLE THIS THURSDAY HAS BEEN CANCELED 'CAUSE I HAVE TO GO OUTTA TOWN, SO I'D LIKE TO, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY DOUGLAS FOUR, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY BARIAN.
I'M JOSH MURRAY AND I'M FROM WEST COVINA LIBRARY.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE TEENS OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE TEEN CHINESE LANTERN PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, FROM FOUR TO 5:00 PM IN CELEBRATION OF LUNAR NEW YEAR, TEENS ARE INVITED TO CREATE THEIR VERY OWN CHINESE LANTERNS AND LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF LUNAR NEW YEAR.
THIS PROGRAM IS FOR AGES 12 TO 17 AND WILL BE HELD IN THE LIBRARY SEMINAR ROOM.
ALSO CHILDREN AGES ONE TO FIVE IN THEIR PARENT OR CAREGIVER, OR INVITED TO JOIN US FOR A VERY SPECIAL CHILDREN'S MUSICAL SING-ALONG ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH AT 10:15 AM JOIN US FOR A JOYFUL JAM SESSION WITH KEY AND HARMONY.
WE'LL SING SOME WELL-KNOWN, UH, CHILDREN'S SONGS AND LEARN ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS AND RHYMES.
AND, UM, THIS PROGRAM WILL BE HELD IN THE LIBRARY'S MEETING ROOM.
DOUGLAS FOUR, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY BIAN, FOLLOWED BY DENNIS PHILLIPS.
I HAVE THREE BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT THREE SUSHI HOLICS.
I'VE BEEN A CUSTOMER OF YOUR FOR YEARS.
UM, GREAT, GREAT GO-TO AND I CAN'T WAIT TO TAKE MY KIDS TO YOUR PIZZA PLACE.
SO, UM, BEING A RESTAURATEUR ALSO, UM, THE TRASH, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE TRASH AGAIN, GUYS.
UM, UH, IN DECEMBER WE WERE TOLD ABOUT A 17% INCREASE.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID ATHENS NEED FOR THIS SENATE BILL? NO ONE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
HOW MUCH MONEY DID THE 17% TO 303% INCREASE GIVE ATHENS EACH MONTH? I HAVE MET WITH ATHENS SIX TIMES.
NOW I'M EXHAUSTED MEETING WITH THEM, BUT THEY REFUSE TO ANSWER IT.
THE COUNSEL, I'M GUESSING, DOES NOT KNOW THAT ANSWER EITHER.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE LIED TO YOU GUYS.
UM, IT WENT FROM 14.5% INCREASE IN NOVEMBER TO 17 TO 303% IN DECEMBER.
WHO MADE THAT INCREASE? HOW, HOW DID IT CHANGE TO THAT? ATHENS HAS TOLD ME THAT ALL CITY STAFF AND THIS COUNCIL KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING UP TO 303%.
UM, BASED ON YOUR GUYS' QUESTIONS, FOUR OF YOUR GUYS' QUESTIONS TO LIZ, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ATHENS ON DECEMBER 16TH.
I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS WERE LIED TO.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT CITY STAFF WHO READ THIS CONTRACT, WHO MET WITH ATHENS FROM THE CITY, WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO YOU GUYS THE CORRECT NUMBERS? PLEASE BE TRANSPARENT.
I ALSO FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE SPENT FOUR HOURS ON TREE TRIMMING PROPOSAL, 10 HOURS ON GOING OVER LINE BY LINE OF COUNCIL CONDUCT.
BUT THE BIGGEST CONTRACT IN THE CITY THAT YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, NOBODY READ IT HERE.
IT, IT JUST, IT'S MIND BOGGLING.
OR THE $1.5 MILLION THAT YOU GUYS GOT.
SO YOU JUST LOOKED THE OTHER WAY AND JUST SIGNED OFF ON IT.
ALSO, THE $150 GOLD BOXES OF SEAS CANDY THAT WAS BROUGHT IN TO THE CITY FROM ATHENS DAYS AFTER THIS CONTRACT, WHO TOOK THOSE GOLD BOXES OF SEAS CANDY, 22 BOXES WERE GIVEN OUT TO COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF DAYS AFTERWARDS.
ALSO, IT WAS EARLIER REPORTED THAT A GENEROUS DONATION FROM ATHENS, IT'S A GREAT EVENT THAT YOU DID, BUT A GENEROUS DONATION FROM ATHENS.
IS THAT WHY YOU GUYS JUST VOTED? YES.
'CAUSE EVERY TIME YOU ASK FOR MONEY, THEY GIVE IT TO YOU GUYS.
ARE YOU GUYS GONNA HOLD LIZ, THE VP FROM ATHENS ACCOUNTABLE FROM LYING OR MISLEADING YOU GUYS? 'CAUSE SHE DID.
IT'S CLEAR AS DAY ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, FOUR OF YOU GUYS CONTACTED HER AND ASKED HER FOR THAT.
PLEASE REMEMBER THEY SAID THAT THERE'S NO INCREASE FOR RESIDENTIAL IN THIS NEW CONTRACT.
THAT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT WRONG IN FOUR MONTHS AND 11 DAYS.
THERE'S AN INCREASE COMING TO RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESSES AGAIN ON JULY 1ST.
SHERRY ILIAN FOLLOWED BY DENNIS PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY ERIC P.
[01:00:01]
IS SHERRY BRILL AND I'M ALSO HERE TO TALK TRASH.THIS WHAT YOU GUYS DID IS IS RIDICULOUS.
THE CITY'S GONNA GET $1.5 MILLION.
WHAT THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IS NOT 1.5 MILLION THIS YEAR.
ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION NEXT YEAR AND ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION THE NEXT YEAR.
THAT'S LIKE PAYING YOU TO SCREW THE BUSINESSES.
YOU SAID 17%, NOW THEY'RE PAYING 300, 3%.
DOES THAT INCLUDE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS? ARE THEY CONSIDERED A BUSINESS? WHAT ABOUT THE BFW? WHAT ABOUT THE ELKS LODGE? WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE WHO'S JUST TRYING TO MAKE A BUSINESS GO AND YOU GUYS ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS OFF OF THEIR BACKS? YOU WANNA HIRE 10 NEW POLICE OFFICERS.
I'LL TELL YOU HOW TO HIRE 10 NEW POLICE OFFICERS WITHOUT TAKING THE $1.5 MILLION.
BUT YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT $1.5 MILLION.
AND ATHENS HAS A LOW INCOME PROGRAM.
WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL $20 OFF THEIR BILL? YOU NEED TO HAVE A SENIOR PROGRAM BECAUSE ONCE YOU RETIRE AFTER 65, YOU'RE LIMITED ON YOUR INCOME.
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT FOR THEM TO GET 20 OR $30 OFF THEIR BILL AND THEN THEY TAKE THE BI, THE, THE, THE ALL THE BUSINESSES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THAT? THAT'S WHAT YOU COULD DO WITH 105, BUT YOU'RE BEING GREEDY ABOUT IT.
YOU WANNA PAY FOR YOUR POLICE, OKAY, YOU TAKE THE SPORTSPLEX, QUIT TRYING TO RUN A BUSINESS THAT'S GOING DOWNHILL, THAT COSTS THE CITY $1 MILLION A YEAR.
YOU'VE JUST MADE UP $1 MILLION.
NOW YOU HAVE A SECOND BUSINESS, WHICH YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS RUNNING, WHICH IS A CHAMBER.
THAT'S $1.8 MILLION A YEAR YOU COULD BE USING TO PAY FOR THOSE POLICE OFFICERS AND NOT TRYING TO RUN A BUSINESS.
IT'S TIME SOMEONE STOOD UP FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY NEEDS TO STOP TAKING ALL OF THE BRIBE MONEY THAT THEY'RE TAKING.
DENNIS PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY ERIC P FOLLOWED BY JENNY PHILLIPS.
UH, DENNIS PHILLIPS BY, UH, THE MIC, IF YOU COULD SPEAK ON THE MIC.
UH, DENNIS PHILLIPS 9 2 5 SOUTH BELINDA AVENUE.
UM, AS WE TRY TO WRAP UP THIS RECEIVERSHIP ON THE PROPERTY, UM, ALL OF THE, THE REIMBURSEMENT BACK TO THE RECEIVER HAS TO GET DONE.
SO I HAVE THE MOST RECENT MONTHLY STATEMENT, UM, AND IT WOULD APPEAR, UH, THERE'S A, ON THAT STATEMENT, THERE'S 130,000 LEFT, 230,000 LEFT OF THE 310,000, UM, LOAN THAT WAS PUT AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
AND SO WE HAVE, UM, BEEN CONVERSING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND OF COURSE THE RECEIVER.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE PAYOFF NOW IS 140, UH, $8,000.
SO, AND AGAIN, BASED ON THE STATEMENT, I'M LOOKING ABOUT 90,000 BASED ON THE LAST STATEMENT.
SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS A HUGE NUMBER COMPARED TO WHERE WE THINK WE MIGHT BE AT TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THIS THING.
AND THEN I REQUESTED, UM, LOAN DOCUMENTS TO TRY TO FIGURE UP WHERE ALL THIS MONEY IS GOING.
THE RECEIVER IS FAILURE TO SUPPLY US WITH THAT INFORMATION.
SO I AM GOING TO ESTIMATE MY COSTS HERE AS BEST I CAN.
BUT WE HAVE A LOAN COST OF ABOUT 45,000 FOR A $310,000 LOAN THAT HAS LASTED FOR NINE MONTHS.
IT'S OCCURRING INTEREST AT THE RATE OF $102 A DAY.
THE MONEY OWED IS NOT PART OF THAT INTEREST BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT PUT INTO ANYTHING.
WE HAVE INSURANCE ON THE PROPERTY AT, AT DATE.
THAT'S FOR 14 MONTHS OF INSURANCE AGAINST A $310,000 LOAN.
AND THE PAYOFF ON THAT INSURANCE RATE IS $322,000 IS THE FULL COVERAGE.
SO THE ONLY COVERAGE THAT $18,000 IS COVERING IS NOT THE HOUSE OR THE PROPERTY.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S TOO MUCH TO GO ON HERE.
UM, BUT I MEAN, AND THEN WE HAVE
SO WE HAVE 10,000 OR 8,000 IN ATTORNEY FEES.
UH, WE HAVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR CODE ENFORCEMENTS OF $3,200.
WE HAVE UNPAID FINES OF $2,200.
[01:05:04]
I I MEAN IT'S FOR SOMEBODY THAT NEVER KNOCKED DOWN A WEED.I DID THAT AT, AT 11 MONTHS INTO THIS PROCESS.
NOT THEM ERIC P FOLLOWED BY JENNY PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY JD.
UM, MY QUESTION IS JUST REGARDING THE NOR DEL NORTE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I LISTENED TO, WELL, COULDN'T BE HERE AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT A GENTLEMAN CAME UP HERE STATING THAT THERE WAS A CLOSED MEETING AND THAT THERE WAS, UH, NEGOTIATIONS HAPPENING WITH MERITAGE.
AND SO NOW I'M POSSIBLY HEARING FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR 1.5 ACRES IS THE PROCESS.
I'M JUST HAVE BEEN COMING HERE THE PAST FEW MONTHS REGARDING THE DEL NORTE AND COMING TO EVERY, UH, CITY PLANNING MEETING.
AND SO IS I'M WORKING WITH OTHER NEIGHBORS TRYING TO GET OUR, OUR SENTIMENTS AND OUR NEEDS, UH, OUR REQUESTS BROUGHT TO YOU AND TO THE CITY PLANNING.
WHAT IS THE, ARE THE STEPS THAT ARE HAPPENING IS WHAT'S, ARE YOU, DO YOU WAIT ON THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE CONTINUING WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH MERITAGE? OR IS 'CAUSE OF ALL MY EFFORTS ARE ARE IN VAIN THEN I JUST WANNA KNOW, BASICALLY HOW IS THAT PROCESS? I DON'T KNOW.
UH, AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE CITY MANAGER WILL RESPOND TO ALL THE COMMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PASTOR EARLIER AL UH, HE, HE SAID, SEEK WISDOM.
WE'RE HERE TO HAVE INTEGRITY WELLNESS WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WILL HAVE A, UH, STRENGTHENED THE FABRIC AND HAVE A SAFER, MORE JUST COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, I WAS JUST, UM, SPEAKING WITH SOMEBODY THAT TOLD ME ABOUT A, UM, DEVELOPMENT SIMILAR TO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, HAPPENING IN SAN BERNARDINO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE DEVELOPER, UM, TWEAKED THE BOOKS ON ASSESSING CERTAIN THINGS OF TRAFFIC AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND CITY COUNCIL WAS AWARE, WENT THROUGH AND POST, UH, EVERYONE'S IN, IN COURT, ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS ON HOLD AND THERE'S A LOT OF INVESTIGATIONS.
THE WHOLE CITY IS, UH, IN THAT AREA STOPPED, UM, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T INTEGRITY.
UM, SO I JUST REALLY, YOU KNOW, CALL YOU GUYS TO HAVE THAT INTEGRITY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I, I HEAR A GENTLEMAN NOW SPEAKING OF THE ATHENS AND HE'S STATING THAT THERE WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THE INTEGRITY ON ATHENS TO TO, TO THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, UNIT HERE TO ALL OF YOU COUNSEL.
SO I, I BEG YOU TO HAVE THAT INTEGRITY BECAUSE IN THE END, I LIVE RIGHT NEAR THE PARK, AND IF YOU DEVELOP IT AND IT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING, I'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU KNOW SOMETHING'S WRONG, ETHICALLY WRONG AND NOT FAIR, AND YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO BED WITH THAT.
AND IT MAY NOT IMPACT YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LIVING BY THERE, BUT IT WILL IMPACT YOUR LIVES WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT RIGHT AND YOU'RE CALLING ON A, ON A GODLY MAN TO COME AND PRAY OVER YOU, AND YOU GO AGAINST THAT, HIS BLESSING TO YOU, YOUR, YOUR FAMILY WON'T PROSPER.
YOUR BUSINESS WON'T PROSPER, YOUR LIFE WON'T PROSPER.
AND I THINK WE WANT TO HAVE A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I REALLY, UM, WILL CONTINUE TO COME AND SUPPORT YOU.
BUT WE, WE DO NEED TO HAVE INTEGRITY.
JENNY PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY JD.
SO JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON WHERE DENNIS LEFT OFF, THAT $148,000, BASICALLY, THEY WANT US TO WRITE THEM A CHECK BETWEEN YOU AND THE RECEIVERSHIP FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T DO.
UM, REMEMBER THAT ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE DAVID PASSED AWAY IN HIS HOUSE, THE RECEIVER WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE FULL CONTROL AND POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY AND TAKE SUCH ACTIONS NECESSARY TO ABATE THE PUBLIC NUISANCE AND REMEDY ALL THE STATE AND LOCAL BUILDING AND ZONING CODES.
SO THEN, UM, THEY, THEY DIDN'T, OH, OBVIOUSLY YOU REMEMBER, YOU DIDN'T CONTACT ANY FAMILY MEMBERS.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
UM, THE COURT APPROVED THE RECEIVER'S REHAB PLAN AND STATED THAT CONTRACTOR WOULD BEGIN WORK IN MARCH OF 2025, NEVER ATED A WEED, DIDN'T CLEAN OUT THE 16,000 POUNDS OF TRASH THAT THEY PULLED OFF THE PROPERTY, DENNIS, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, THEY MADE EXCUSES LIKE THE PERMIT PROCESS TOOK LONG, SO THEY COULDN'T GET ANYTHING DONE.
BUT YOU DON'T NEED A PERMIT TO ABATE THE WEEDS.
THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST DONE THAT TO MAKE THE, THE, THE CITY LOOK A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, OF COURSE, THE MAIN THING IS BECAUSE THEY WROTE MULTIPLE PARAGRAPHS.
I COUNTED LIKE 60 OR 70 DIFFERENT FULL PARAGRAPHS DESCRIBING THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HORRIBLE CONDITIONS THAT HE WAS LIVING IN, THE LIFE SAFETY RISK AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THE, AND THE RECEIVER DID HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TO, AND THEY HAD THE MONEY ALREADY BUDGETED IN THEIR PLAN TO TAKE HIM OUT AND PUT HIM IN A SAFE PLACE SO HE WOULDN'T DIE IN THE FILTH.
UM, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY A BIG SHAME BECAUSE HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE TODAY.
UM, DENNIS HAS DONE ALL THE WORK.
HE'S GOTTEN RID OF ALL THE TRASH OUTTA THE HOUSE.
[01:10:01]
OFF THE PROPERTY, ALL THE BROKEN DOWN CARS OFF THE PROPERTY.HE'S GOTTEN PERMITS FROM THE, THE CITY OF WEST COVENA TO GO AHEAD AND START WORKING ON IT.
AND YET THE RECEIVER BETWEEN THE RECEIVER AND THE CITY, THEY WANT US TO PAY THEM THE $148,000.
THEY STOOD IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE PROBABLY LIKE THIS, AND MADE A LITTLE PEDALING TO THE JUDGE, WHATEVER THEY DID.
BUT THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO THAT.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS TO CLEAN OUT THE HOUSE AND, AND FIVE OR SIX WEEKS TO DO THE REHAB.
AND THEY NEVER EVEN SET FOOT INSIDE THE HOUSE.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THEY WANT US TO WRITE THEM A CHECK FOR $148,000.
THEY LEFT HIM IN A FILTHY HOUSE THAT NO ONE KNEW ABOUT OTHER THAN YOU GUYS AND THE RECEIVERS.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT JUST SEEMS OBSCENE TO ME.
I MEAN, WHY WOULD WE GIVE THEM ONE PENNY FOR, I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, WHY WOULD WE GIVE THEM ONE PENNY FOR WHAT THEY DID? THEY DIDN'T DO ANY OF THE WORK THAT THEY PROMISED THE COURT TO DO.
THEY WERE UNDER CONTRACT BASICALLY TO DO THAT.
AND THEY WALKED AWAY AND THEY SPENT THE MONEY AND THEY, YOU KNOW, FIDDLED AROUND WITH WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING.
AND THEY NEVER ONCE TOUCHED THAT PROPERTY.
AND NOW DENNIS IS GONNA HAVE TO TRY TO GO TO A BANK AND GET $148,000 FOR, AND, AND ALL THE EXTRA FEES THAT HE ENUMERATED JUST NOW IS ABSOLUTELY OBSCENE.
THE INTEREST RATE IS 15% OR SOME RIDICULOUS AMOUNT.
AND THEY WENT TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY THAT JD FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT THEY SHOULD BE CHARGING.
UH, I STEP UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, SPAY AND NEUTERING, UH, WHILE I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH DOG ABANDONMENT, WITH ANIMAL ABANDONMENT.
'CAUSE IT ISN'T JUST CANINE, WE'RE LOOKING AT FEED LINES AS WELL, RIGHT? UM, BUT THERE IS AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE FROM THE DEMAND OF NEUTERING ON FAMILIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT.
AND IF THE CITY CAN'T HELP IN THAT AREA, OR IF LA LA COUNTY SHELTER CANNOT PROVIDE THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WHEN THESE ANIMALS ARE ABANDONED, THEN I THINK IT WOULD BE ALMOST SIMPLE TO JUST DEMAND FOR THESE ANIMALS TO BE NEUTERED AND SPADE WITHOUT ANY SORT OF SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE.
WE KNOW THAT AFTER THE PANDEMIC ENDED, MYSELF, I WAS A RECIPIENT OF AT LEAST SIX ABANDONED DOGS AT CAMERON PARK.
NEIGHBORS CAN TESTIFY TO THIS, FOLKS HERE CAN TESTIFY TO IT AS WELL, BECAUSE I POSTED IT.
AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE AS SOON AS THE PANDEMIC WAS OVER, PEOPLE JUST SAID, HEY, I DON'T NEED THIS FUR BABY.
I DON'T NEED THIS PUPPY NO MORE.
AND THEY LEFT THEM OUT IN THE PARK.
THE LAST INCIDENT WITH TWO LARGE GERMAN SHEPHERDS, MYSELF AND A NEIGHBOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARK, SAT OUT HAVING THESE TWO DOGS PINNED IN THE DUGOUT FOR SIX HOURS.
WE CALLED THE SHELTER, THEY REFUSED TO COME OUT.
WE CALLED WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT.
WE CALLED SO MANY TIMES, THEY EVENTUALLY REFERRED US TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THEY CAME OUT, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING AS WELL.
FINALLY, AT ABOUT SIX O'CLOCK THAT EVENING, ANIMAL SHELTER CAME OUT AND PICKED UP THOSE TWO LARGE GERMAN SHEPHERDS.
WELL, IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THAT NEIGHBOR AND MYSELF, THOSE DOGS WOULD'VE BEEN PROBABLY KILLED OUT THERE IN THE STREET.
THAT'S THE RESULT SOMETIMES OF THE ACTIONS THAT YOU TAKE.
THOSE ARE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
AND SOMETIMES, LIKE THE CLICHE SAYS, YOU KNOW, THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.
SO PLEASE BE MINDFUL AND CONSIDERATE WITH REGARDS TO ALL OF THE POSSIBILITIES AND WHAT'S REALLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL OF REDUCING ABANDONMENT OF DOGS AND CATS AND OTHER ANIMALS.
WE HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKER CARDS, MAYOR.
UM, ACTING CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, CONCERNS THIS EVENING? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, FOR TOM, JERRY, KIMBERLY, MARIO, AND JD.
UM, THERE IS A PRESENTATION, UM, SEEKING DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL, UM, LATER IN THE AGENDA, SO I'LL RESERVE COMMENT UNTIL THAT'S PRESENTED.
UH, MR. SCHUMAKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GLENN KENNEDY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK WITH HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
[01:15:01]
MARCH 6TH AT 6 30, 3 38 SOUTH GLENDORA AVENUE, UM, FOR DOUG, UM, SHERRY ON THE TRASH CONTRACT.UM, FIRST WE DO HAVE A, UH, IN THE CONTRACT THERE IS A SENIOR DISCOUNT PROGRAM THAT HASN'T BEEN TAKEN AWAY, THAT THAT'S STILL IN EFFECT.
UM, DOUG, FOR YOUR, UM, CONCERNS, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S ROUGHLY 3,400 BUSINESSES IN THE CITY.
UM, ALL OF THOSE ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY STARTED WITH THE HIGHEST GENERATING, UM, TRASH PRODUCERS FIRST.
UH, A FULL WASTE ASSESSMENT WAS DONE, AND THEN A RIGHT SIZING OF, UH, SERVICE WAS ATTEMPTED FOR EACH OF THOSE CUSTOMERS.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOUR ACCOUNT HAS GONE DOWN BELOW 17%, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING, IT HAS AT THIS POINT, UM, THROUGH A SHARED, UH, BIN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES.
SO INSTEAD, EVERYBODY HAVING THEIR OWN TRASH SERVICE, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A SHARED AGREEMENT ON A LARGER BIN.
SO I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU OFFLINE ON THAT.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS EVERYBODY THAT WAS ABOVE THE 17%, MARK HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN REDUCED DOWN.
UM, SO I HAVE A MEETING WITH, OKAY, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, BUT I HAVE A MEETING AGAIN THIS WEEK WITH ATHENS TO FOLLOW UP ON THESE THINGS.
I'VE, UM, AND I'LL GET WITH YOU ON ANY SPECIFIC CONCERNS, BUT, UM, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS FAR AS THE COSTS.
I'M AWARE OF THOSE TWO QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE POSED.
BOTH ATHENS, YOU'VE ALSO SENT ME THOSE QUESTIONS, AND I SAID I HAVE FOUR OF THOSE ON ATHENS AS WELL.
I'M STILL WAITING TO GET A FULL REPLY.
UM, SO FAR, I KNOW THAT THE INITIAL OUTLAY, UH, WAS FIVE THOU $5 MILLION IN EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS THE BLUE BINS, THE BLUE TRASH CANS, THOSE TYPE THINGS.
I'M NOT COUNTING STAFF, UM, TIME FOR THAT.
SO I WILL GET YOU A BETTER ANSWER ON THAT.
I'M STILL FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UM, ATHENS IS COMMITTED.
I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY AS THE ROLLOUT OF 1383 IS BEING DONE.
AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE HICCUPS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT, UH, DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UM, JOSH MURRAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATE ON THE WEST COVINA, UM, LIBRARY, UH, FOR THE, THE PHILLIPS FAMILY.
UM, I AM, I'M AWARE THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, MANAGER, MATTA AND I ACTUALLY MET YOU OUT AT THE PROPERTY ONE DAY AND WALKED THROUGH.
YOU'VE CLEANED UP THE PROPERTY, EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY, THE CITY ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR YOU TOOK CARE OF WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS.
UM, SO WHILE THE CITY HAD BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR, UH, RELATIVE FOR QUITE A WHILE, UM, YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT VERY QUICKLY.
AND I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW, SO THE PUBLIC DOES KNOW THAT BEFORE WE START A RECEIVERSHIP ACTION, UM, THE CITY ALWAYS TRIES TO REACH OUT TO RELATIVES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR LAST NAME IS A MORE OF A COMMON HIT LAST NAME.
SO WE COULDN'T NARROW DOWN, UM, WHO WAS RELATED TO THE, THE OCCUPANT AT THE TIME, BUT THAT WAS DONE.
UH, MOVING FORWARD, I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO NEXT IS, UM, CONTACT MATT AND LET'S SET UP A MEETING BETWEEN MATT, THE RECEIVER AND MYSELF.
AND WE'LL SIT DOWN IN THE OFFICE AND WE'LL GET THIS WORKED OUT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING TO MEETINGS.
UM, I, I, LISTENING TO WHAT YOU'VE EXPLAINED, I I THINK WE DO HAVE A PATH TO REDUCE THAT BY QUITE A BIT.
SO WE WILL WORK, WORK WITH MATT TO SET UP THE MEETING AND I WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE, UM, FOR ERIC P UM, ON THE DEL NORTE PROJECT.
UH, THE PROPER PROCESS IS IT WILL GO THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION FIRST AND THEN COME TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, I'VE ONLY SEEN WHAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED BY, UM, DEL NORTE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN REVISIONS THAT ARE PLANS AS OF YET.
I BELIEVE THOSE WILL COME BACK AT THE NEXT, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AS SOON AS IT'S SCHEDULED.
UM, UNTIL THEN, UH, THE COUNCIL WON'T PROVIDE DIRECTION ON ANYTHING UNTIL IT GOES THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION FIRST.
SO THAT IS YOUR FIRST STEP TO WORK WITH THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION WITH YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR CONCERNS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES MY RESPONSES FOR TONIGHT.
UM, AFTER ATHENS CORRECTS ALL THOSE ISSUES, PLEASE HAVE ATHENS COME HERE TO PRESENT AND LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THEY ANSWER ALL THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE.
YEAH, I, I SPOKE WITH THEM TODAY AND WE ARE SCHEDULING FOR THEM TO COME BACK.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE, UM, ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
HOPEFULLY WE GET ALL THOSE RESOLVED AND WE COME BACK WITH A GOOD PRESENTATION, UH, SOMETIME IN MARCH.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES, AND I THINK, UM, UM, I KNOW I THINK, UH, ONLY CONS, MAYOR PRO CONTOS MADE A, A COUNCIL REQUEST ABOUT ATHENS.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU JUST MADE A COMMENT ON CON ATHENS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ATHENS BROUGHT IN THE SUSTAINABILITY PAYMENT TODAY TO CITY HALL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IDEALLY WE SHOULD PROBABLY NOT CASH IT UNTIL WE GET THOSE ANSWERS, BUT THAT'S MY OPINION.
[01:20:01]
ALL RIGHT.ANYBODY ELSE? UH, COUNCILMAN WOLF? UH, I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP, BUT THERE ARE NO OKAY.
REGARDING, UH, SELLING THE PROPERTY.
OKAY? THERE ARE NOT, SCHOOL IS SELLING BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OKAY? AND IT'S NOT BY THE CITY.
OKAY? THEN THE, THE CITY, THE BENEFIT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY, THEY WANT TO USE THOSE FUNDS AND TO BUILD THEIR CENTRAL KITCHEN AND THIS AND THAT.
SO, UM, IF, UH, UH, THE RESIDENT OVER THERE HAVE ANY ISSUE, THEY SHOULD TALK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REGARDING THEIR CONCERN.
OKAY? AND AS A CITY ONLY CAN, BASED ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND TO CHANGE THE LAND USE ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SCHOOL USE BECOME A MULTIFAMILY, UH, AGAIN, AGAIN, OKAY.
THE, THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY IS NOT FROM THE CITY.
THE SALE OF PROPERTY IS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, UH, DUE TO THEY HAVE SCHOOL OVER THERE, AND THE, THE, THE LAW OVER THERE HAVEN'T BEEN USEFUL OF FOREVER.
OKAY? AND THAT'S WHY THEY WANT TO SELL THEIR LAND.
AND THEN, AND THAT'S WHY I TOLD THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY NEED TO WORK WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY NEED TO SELL THIS LAND.
OKAY? WHY THEY NEED TO USE THE FUND FOR WHAT? OKAY.
TO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN TO CENTRAL KITCHEN, THIS AND THAT.
OKAY? AND, UH, AGAIN, AGAIN, THE CITY JOB IS JUST BASED ON DEVELOPMENT.
IS THAT GOOD DEVELOPMENT WHERE THERE TOO MUCH IMPACT TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD AND RESIDENT, BUT THE RESIDENT TO DECIDE IS THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD DEVELOPMENT FOR THEM.
PLUS IS THE CHILDREN CAN GET THIS, I DON'T KNOW, $50 MILLION FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IMPROVE OR THEIR BENEFIT FOR THERE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS A KIND OF A WIN-WIN OR A LOSE LOSE.
IT DEPEND ON HOW YOU SEE THE SITUATION.
SO, UH, IF THE RESIDENT HAVE ANY ISSUE, I THINK THEY CAN TALK TO THEIR SCHOOL BOARD ELECTED BY YOU GUY, AND ALSO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SEE, OKAY, WHAT'S THEIR PLAN, OKAY.
TO USE THEIR MONEY AND TO IMPROVE THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR WHICH COULD BE A UNI UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I JUST WANT TO ANSWER THAT RESIDENT REGARDING THAT.
CITY DOESN'T OWN THE LAND, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OWN THE LAND.
SO JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
NOW WE ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO CONSENT CALENDAR.UH, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? I'LL DO A NUMBER IF WE COULD VOTE NUMBER ONE BY ITSELF.
SO YOU WANNA PULL NUMBER ONE? YES.
SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ONE THROUGH FOUR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUMBER ONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION I MAKE, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT.
CALENDAR ITEMS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
[1) CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 3, 2026, CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY REGULAR SESSION MEETING MINUTES, THE FEBRUARY 3, 2026, AND THE DECEMBER 16, 2025 CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY REGULAR SESSION MEETING MINUTES CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY CLOSED SESSION MEETING MINUTES.]
ONTO AGENDA ITEM ONE.I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO VOTE, VOTE IT SEPARATELY.
SO I'LL VOTE NO ON IT, SO IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION FOR IT.
SO TO GET AMENDED, UH, WELL, U USUALLY IF IT'S A NO, IT'S THERE'S A REASON.
IS THERE A MISTAKE ON HERE THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT? OR DID YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT IS, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO GIVE A REASON ONLY IF I ABSTAIN, BUT I'M NOT ABSTAINING.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WU, A SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM CONTOS TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026, CITY COUNCIL SUCCESSOR AGENCY, REGULAR SESSION, MEETING MINUTES AND CLOSED SESSION.
MEETING MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 3RD, AS WELL AS THE DECEMBER 16TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL SUCCESSOR AGENCY RE REGULAR SESSION MEETING MINUTES.
[5) UPDATE ON ESTABLISHING A VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ]
ALL RIGHT, NOW ON TO CITY COUNCIL, REQUEST FOR REPORT STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION.ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UPDATE ON ESTABLISHING A VETERAN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ACTING CITY MANAGER WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROX, ER, ROXANNE LERMA WILL PRESENT.
VITO, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BLAST IN THE PAST.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A MOTHER MAY I REQUEST, UM, THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL BY COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN GUTIERREZ, UM, ON JANUARY 21ST, 2025.
SO WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF CATCH UP WORK THIS EVENING.
[01:25:01]
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.UH, DO WE DO CONSULT REQUESTS LATER ON? UH, AS WE ALWAYS DO.
LOOKS, LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT, OKAY.
THIS IS THE, UM, OH, IS IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT ITEM? I DON'T, NOT SURE.
UM, AS STATED, THIS WAS A REQUEST FOR AN UPDATE, UM, BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO WE ARE BRINGING IT FORWARD TODAY.
SO, REAL QUICK, WE WANNA GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, SOME BACKGROUND REGARDING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF VETERAN POPULATION IN WEST COVINA.
SO, APPROXIMATELY 3,295 VETERANS RESIDE IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA COUNTY FOR ROUGHLY 4% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.
UM, AND THIS ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH REGIONAL STATISTICS, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE RISK DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, UM, ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS, 179,579 VETERANS, SO AROUND 2.5% OF RESIDENTS.
AND TAKING A LOOK AT A SNAPSHOT OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, AGAIN, BASED ON THE CENSUS DATA, 2,900 VETERANS, APPROXIMATELY 3.5% OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY POPULATION.
SO AGAIN, UM, WEST COED ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT ROUGHLY 4% OF ITS POPULATION BEING OF, UM, VETERANS ARE MADE UP OF VETERANS.
IT, IT TRACKS NICELY WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY STATISTICS.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF A, OF A VETERAN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ESTABLISHING SUCH A COMMITTEE WILL FOSTER STRONGER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CITY AND ITS VETERAN COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT LOCAL SERVICES ARE EFFECTIVE AND TAILORED TO MEET THEIR UNIQUE DEEDS, NEEDS AND CHALLENGES.
UM, THE COMMITTEE WOULD FOCUS ON ADVISING CITY PROGRAMS. UM, SO SOME OF THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ADVISE ON OR THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND WOULD BE THE VETERAN'S DAY, MEMORIAL DAY.
UM, THE, UH, THE, UH, MILITARY BANNER PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN, UM, KIND OF LAYING QUIET FOR A BIT, UM, DEVELOPING OUTREACH STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE OUR VETERANS AND IDENTIFYING RESOURCE GAPS AND ENSURE EFFECTIVE SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR OUR LOCAL VETERAN COMMUNITY.
WE DO HAVE SOME PROPOSED COMMITTEE COMPOSITIONS AND STRUCTURES FOR CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, APPOINT A FIVE MEMBER COMMITTEE, UM, HAVING A TWO EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SIT ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
SO, VERY SIMILAR TO LIKE YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE PER SE.
UM, POSSIBLE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP TO INCLUDE, UM, HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERANS, MILITARY SERVICE, FAMILY MEMBERS OF VETERANS.
UM, AND THEN STAGGERED TERMS ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS FOR CONTINUITY.
AGAIN, TAKING A LOOK AT THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
SO MIRRORING COMMITTEE WITH COMMITTEE, UM, CON SOME PROPOSED NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO CONDUCT FURTHER RESEARCH AND BENCHMARKING.
SO TO CONTINUE REVIEW SUCCESSFUL MODELS FROM NEIGHBORING CITIES, UM, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS, WHICH WOULD CONS CONSTITUTE, UM, CONSULTING WITH VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL VETERANS FOR INPUT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, DRAFT FRAMEWORK.
SO ESTABLISH MISSION, GOAL STRUCTURE AND ADVISORY SCOPE, AND COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS APPROPRIATE.
AND THEN BRINGING BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, AT A FUTURE MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION.
SO AS AN UPDATE, UM, THAT IS THE WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE THUS FAR.
UM, STAFF IS, UM, SEEKING DIRECTIONS AND ALSO AVAILABLE, UM, TO TAKE IN ANY COMMENTS, UM, TO HELP STEER, UM, WHAT THE COUNCIL AS THE BODY WISHES TO SEE, UM, OF A VETERAN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, YEAH, I, I THINK, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I, I THINK THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS WE'RE GONNA APPOINT, I THINK THE CONS REQUEST ORIGINALLY WAS TO APPOINT EACH OF US GETS ONE APPOINTMENT EACH.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T MIND EITHER.
OR APPOINTING AS A COUNCIL OR, OR APPOINT INDIVIDUALLY.
COUNCILMAN W UM, I THINK LIKE ALL THE COMMITTEE WE SHOULD SEND TO THE, ON OUR WEBSITE TO SEE WHO WANT TO APPLY.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, THE QUALIFIED VETERAN.
AND THEN WE WILL TELL THEM THIS, THE VETERAN COMMITTEE, WHAT THEY FOR IT MUST HAVE, UH, WHAT'S THEIR FUNCTION IS NOT JUST OKAY, A FIXTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WILL IN CHARGE OF THE PROGRAM FOR THE VETERAN DAY OR MEMORIAL DAY OR ANYTHING ABOUT OUR CITY, ABOUT VETERAN SERVICE BENEFIT.
SO MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE A LAB POST ABOUT WHO WANT TO SERVE IN WEST COVINA RESIDENT.
AND THEN WE RECEIVING THE APPLICATION, LIKE ALL THE COMMITTEE THEN THEY BRING TO US, WE CAN JUST APPROVE ALTOGETHER RATHER THAN WE CHOOSE ONE THIS AND THAT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER JUST POST FIRST TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE APPLY.
I THINK GRAND CANDIDATE CAN BE A GREAT CAN CANDIDATE TO BE A COMMITTEE MEMBER,
[01:30:01]
SO OKAY.SO THEY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE AND WE KNOW, SO THIS IS MY SUGGESTION TO POST FIRST, SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE APPLY, THEY'RE WILLING TO SERVE FIRST.
THE PROBLEM IS WE, MAYBE WE CANNOT FIND ANY PEOPLE WILLING TO SERVE.
SO ANYWAY, THIS IS MY SUGGESTION, MAYOR.
AND, UM, I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID HAVE SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WORKED HARD IN CREATING THAT PLAQUE, THAT WHOLE VETERANS DAY AREA, THE PLAQUE.
AND WE DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO REACH THEM.
I KNOW THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WITH THE LAST VETERAN, THEY PUT IT TO LIFE WHERE THEY HAD THE BOOTH OF ALL THE VETERANS AND THEY DID A LOT OF THE WORK IN RESEARCHING THE FAMILIES, THE HISTORY.
BUT YES, I DO AGREE THAT WE SHOULD OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY INTERESTED THAT WOULD TAKE PART AND ACTUALLY HELP AND ASSIST.
AND IN WORKING THE HANDS-ON IS JUST INSTEAD OF JUST TELLING US WHAT TO DO,
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOUGH, THAT IT IS POSTED OUT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS I WANT TO ADD QUICKLY? I'LL GO AHEAD.
UH, I, I THINK THAT LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE CAN PERSUADE THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE LLOYD JOHNSON.
HE WAS A FORMER MAYOR, BUT HE PUT ALL HIS TIME TO COVINA.
SO IF HE CAN COME BACK TO WEST COVINA, OKAY.
AND, UH, THEN WE HAVE LET HIM TO DONATE HIS TIME IN THE WEST COVINA VETERAN PROGRAM.
AND THEN, SO RATHER THAN GO TO COVINA, OKAY, COVINA, WHICH COVINA IS TWO DIFFERENT CITY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN PERSUADE THEM TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FORMER LLOYD JOHNSON REALLY HAS A HEART OF THE VETERAN PURPLE HEART.
HIS VEHICLE, IF HE EVER SEE HIS CLASSIC CAR, IT'S FULLY LOADED OUT ON, UM, JUST THE PRIDE OF BEING A VETERAN.
SO DEFINITELY I'D LOVE FOR HIM TO COME BACK TO WEST COVINA AND BE PART OF THIS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ TO APPROVE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ALONG WITH, UH, POST OR TO POST THE, UM, POST THE APPLICATION ONLINE AND SEE WHO WE HAVE THAT APPLIES AND THE JOB TITLE AND JOB AND JOB AND A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE WILL DO.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE DIRECTION.
UM, SO OUR NEXT STEPS WOULD BE WE WOULD COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, SO THAT WE WOULD BRING A STAFF REPORT BACK SO THERE WOULD BE AN, A RESOLUTION THAT'S ADOPTED, UM, SO ON AND SO FORTH, SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT STEPS OF POSTING THE APPLICATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BE UPFRONT WITH THE DIRECTION THAT WE WOULD BE HEADED.
I JUST GONNA TAKE REAL, REAL QUICK.
COUNCILMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ AYE.
[6) PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR CITY-WIDE SPECIAL EVENTS]
ALL RIGHT, I, ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENT ACTING CITY MANAGER, WHO WILL PRES, WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROXANNE LERMA.SO THAT, JUST AS I HAD PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE COMING BACK WITH SOME, UM, REPORTS, UM, THAT ARE IOUS, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO THIS PARTICULAR, UM, PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT FORWARD ORIGINALLY FOR THAT REQUEST BY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER OR COUNCILMAN TONY WU.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT STRATEGIC MARKETING AND VISION FOR CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENTS.
UM, SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS POSITION WEST COVINA EVENTS FOR SUCCESS.
UM, OUR EVENTS ARE PREMIER EVENTS.
UM, AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? UM, WEST COVINA AIMS TO BE THE LEADING DESTINATION FOR EVENTS IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
WE'VE CERTAINLY DONE SO, UM, WITH SOME OF OUR HALLMARK EVENTS SUCH AS OUR, UM, SPRING FESTIVAL, UM, OUR 4TH OF JULY, OUR, UM, FESTIVAL OF FRIGHTS EVENTS, UM, AND ATTRACTING VISITORS AND ESTABLISHING A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN HOSPITALITY AND ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, WE WANT TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY BY HOSTING DIVERSE EVENTS.
WE'LL ENHANCE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, FOSSIL SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND CREATIVE VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE THAT CELEBRATES OUR UNIQUE WEST COVINA CULTURAL IDENTITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, INCREASED ECONOMY.
OUR STRATEGY FOCUSES ON DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INCREASED EVENT ATTENDANCE, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND GENERATING REVENUE FROM COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT CURRENT LANDSCAPE AND OPPORTUNITIES.
AS I HAD PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, I KNOW IT'S A CUTE PICTURE,
UM, SO THE PICTURE, UM, IF I MAY FOR MAYOR PRO TEM, THE PICTURE, UM, DEPICTS, UM, YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ONE ON THE FIRST PICTURE, THE ONE ON THE LEFT.
[01:35:01]
THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT THE AGE OF 10 YEARS OLD WHO'S JUMPING.UM, SHE'S WITH HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS AT ONE OF OUR WATER DAY EVENTS.
THEY'RE STANDING IN FRONT, UM, OF A BACKDROP THAT SAYS WEST COVINA PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER.
AND THERE ARE TWO COLORFUL PILLARS OF BALLOONS.
SO THEY ARE LOOKING LIKE THEY ARE REALLY ENJOYING THEMSELVES AND HAVING A FANTASTIC TIME.
AND THEN THE SECOND PICTURE THAT'S LOCATED ON THE RIGHT, UM, IS A YOUNG BOY, I WOULD SAY MAYBE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD.
I'M GONNA PLACE HIM AT, UM, HE LOOKS LIKE HE IS IN ONE OF OUR, UM, MAINTENANCE VEHICLES.
UM, AND HE HAS A YELLOW CONSTRUCTION HAT ON.
SO OBVIOUSLY FROM OUR, UM, ANNUAL TOUCH OF TRUCK EVENTS.
SO I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST ILLUSTRATE THAT FOR YOU.
UM, SO OUR CURRENT LANDSCAPE AND OPPORTUNITIES, REALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT HARNESSING, UH, LEVERAGING OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, NOT ONLY IN MARKETING THEM, BUT ALSO IN SECURING SPONSORSHIPS.
UM, SO SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC GOALS, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR YOU, IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SAY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE OUR SUCCESS.
SO OUR STRATEGIC GOALS AIM TO INCREASE ATTENDANCE BY 20%, GROW DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT BY 40%, AND VENDOR PARTICIPATION BY 25% OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, ENSURING A VIBRANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
UM, AN INTEGRATED MARKETING STRATEGY.
UM, DIGITAL EXPANSION, FOCUSING ON INCREASING ONLINE VISIBILITY THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT LANDING PAGES, AND ENGAGING VIDEO CONTENT TAILORED TO ATTRACTING DIVERSE AUDIENCE AND ENHANCING PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL EVENTS.
UM, WE WILL ALSO UTILIZE, CONTINUE TO UTILIZE TRADITIONAL OUTREACH.
UM, SO LOCAL MEDIA, NEWSPAPERS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES SUCH AS DIRECT MAIL.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE YOUR DISCOVER.
WE SEND OUT, UM, OUR GRAPHICS, OUR FLYERS TO THE SCHOOLS.
THEY SEND THOSE OUT TO THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR STUDENTS WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR BANNERS THAT ARE HUNG ACROSS THE, UM, THE STREETS, UM, AS WELL AS OUR REALLY HARNESSING, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR DIGITAL MARQUEES.
UM, BOTH THE ONE AT THE PLAZA, UM, THE ONE AT THE AUTO PLAZA, AND THEN OF COURSE PLAZA WEST COA AUTO PLAZA.
AND THEN THE ONE THAT'S RIGHT UP HERE ON SUNSET.
UM, AND REALLY LEVERAGING THOSE AND THEN CONTINUING, UM, TO USE, UM, THE LOCAL PUBLIC ACCESS ACCESS CHANNEL.
UM, REALLY, UH, WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, GOING BACK TO THE DIGITAL EXPANSION, REALLY DRIVING EVERYTHING BACK TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL, UM, FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
THE WEBSITE IS AN IMPORTANT KEY COMPONENT, UM, IN REALLY OUTREACHING OUR COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER WU HAD A COMMENT.
JUST WANTED TO HAVE A COMMENT AFTER YOU'RE DONE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS TO FOSTER AN AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS THROUGHOUT WEST COVINA PARTNERSHIP, STRONG ALLIANCES.
AND WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ONE OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS BECAUSE, AND I'M GONNA TAKE THE MOON FESTIVAL AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU HAVE OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS AND WE'RE INVITING OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN'S, TO COME OUT TO BE PART OF THE ENTERTAINMENT AND TO PARTICIPATE, NOT ONLY ARE THEY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS, BUT YOU'RE ALSO BRINGING WITH THEM THEIR PARENTS, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, THEIR SUPPORTERS TO COME TO OUR EVENTS.
UM, ALSO WORKING WITH THE WEST COVINA CHAMBER AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, TO CREATE SPONSORSHIPS THAT PACKAGES THAT SUPPORT EVENTS AND AMPLIFY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND INVESTMENT.
UM, EVENTS IS CATALYST FOR GROWTH.
SPECIAL EVENTS SERVE AS A SIGNIFICANT, OR CAN SERVE AS A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DRIVERS ENHANCING LOCAL RESTAURANT TRAFFIC AND VENDOR REVENUE WHILE PROMOTING RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES.
OUR STRATEGY INCLUDES BUSINESS INCENTIVES AND SPONSORSHIP TIERS TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT.
THE STRATEGY WILL ALSO INCLUDE ALIGNING, AGAIN, WITH THE WEST CONA CHAMBER FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT.
AND WE'RE GONNA TALK TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.
UM, FOR 2026, AGAIN, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA OFFER YOU.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SAY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT AND WHEN WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
UM, SO DURING THE FIRST QUARTER, WE'LL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING THE EVENT CALENDAR, WHICH WE'VE DONE, UM, WORKING ON SECURING SPONSORSHIPS.
UM, THE CITY'S, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED A SPECIAL EVENTS SPONSORSHIP PACKET.
UM, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, PROMOTE THAT AND GET THOSE INTO THE HANDS OF, UM, LOCAL BUSINESSES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN, UM, SPONSORING OUR EVENTS, UM, AND CREATING NECESSARY PROMOTIONAL ASSETS TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER.
SO BOTH QUARTER TWO AND THREE, WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON THAT PROMOTION.
PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS WILL BE EXECUTED, INCLUDING MEDIA OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, UM, WITH LOCAL AMBASSADORS.
SO WHO DO WE LOOK AT AS LOCAL AMBASSADORS? THOSE ARE LIKE OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
THOSE ARE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THEM IN ORDER TO,
[01:40:01]
UM, PROMOTE OUR, OUR CITY EVENTS, UM, TO GENERATE EXCITEMENT AROUND UPCOMING EVENTS.UM, EVALUATION QUARTER FOUR IN THE LAST QUARTER, RULE ASSESS EVENT ATTENDANCE, FINANCES, AND GATHER FEEDBACK THROUGH SURVEYS TO PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHTS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND ADJUSTMENTS, AND OF COURSE, ONGOING COORDINATION.
SO AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS TIMELINE, UM, THERE'S CONTINUOUS COORDINATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE ALL EVENTS ALIGN WITH CITY'S VISION, ALIGN FOR ADAPTATION AND REFINEMENT OF STRATEGIES BASED ON REAL TIME DATA.
SO, DID THIS WORK AT THE LAST EVENT? IF IT DIDN'T WORK, WE'RE NOT GONNA APPLY IT IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA APPLY IT IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN, UM, BY THAT STATEMENT.
WE LIKE ACTION AND WE LIKE ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THAT? UPDATE THE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY IN MARCH OF 2026.
UPDATE THE CITY'S BRANDING AND MARKETING GUIDELINES IN MARCH OF 2026.
RECRUIT FOR TWO SOCIAL MEDIA INTERNS IN MARCH OF 2026.
DEVELOP A SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT TEAM WITHIN THE CURRENT STAFFING IN APRIL OF 2026.
SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO, UM, EXPAND OUR STAFFING RESOURCES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING A LOOK AT OUR TALENT FROM WITHIN AND HOW WE HAVE, AND WE HA HAVING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXCITED ABOUT PROMOTIONS, WHO ARE EXCITED ABOUT SOCIAL MARKET OR SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND GETTING THEM ALL TO THE TABLE.
UM, DEVELOP SURVEYS USING TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL METHODS TO GAIN COMMITTEE FEEDBACK IN APRIL, 2026 AND REPORT PROGRESS BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE OF 2026.
UM, SO ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES AND COUNCIL SUPPORT BY 2028.
WE EXPECT REGIONAL RECOGNITION AND ENHANCE COMMUNITY PRIDE USING THE COUNCIL TO ENDORSE OUR FRAMEWORK, PROVE NECESSARY FUNDING AS IT BECOMES, AS THOSE REQUESTS BECOME OR COME FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL AND SUPPORT COORDINATION FOR THRIVING WEST COVINA EVENTS LANDSCAPE.
UM, THAT IS THE MARKETING PLAN IN A NUTSHELL.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND HOWARD FROM OUR, UH, CITY STAFF OKAY.
I JUST WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, UH, PRIOR TO 2018, THE CITY BARELY HAVE ANY EVENT BESIDES THE SUMMER COUNCIL.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A JULY 4TH.
AND DUE TO THE FINANCE ISSUE AND THE, THE CITY MANAGER ISSUE, BUT LOOK RIGHT NOW, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE, WE WENT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, BUT AFTER THAT WE COMING OUT VERY STRONG.
AND, UH, WHAT, AND WHAT I SAY SO MANY TIMES, WHAT, WHY IS THE REASON WE SITTING OVER HERE, WHAT, WHAT WE WANT TO OKAY.
PRODUCE, WHY WE WANT TO HELP TO OUR RESIDENT IS WE WANT TO PROVIDE, WHICH TRY OUR BEST, THE HAPPINESS, THE UNITY UNITED.
OUR RESIDENT TOGETHER, UNITED, ALL THIS SO-CALLED THE FREEDOM OF OUR COUNTRY AND, UH, AND UNITED WITH ALL DIFFERENT KIND OF BACKGROUND PEOPLE.
BUT WE ARE LIVING IN THE SAME COMMUNITY.
WE WHAT? AND WHAT WE CAN HELP IS, IS PROVIDE THE UNITY, THE, THE PROGRAM.
OKAY? AND THE PROGRAM, LIKE I SEE SO MANY PROGRAM YOU, YOU HAVE, UM, OKAY, YOU HAVE, UH, UH, PALM VIEW PARK, YOU HAVE, UH, A DA FOR THE, FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS A GREAT PROGRAM TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN NEED.
OKAY? AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, SHADOW PARK, YOU JUST HAVE THE PAINTING THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE LEFT BEFORE.
AND NOW IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE ALL THIS SMALL EVENT, COMMUNITY SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THE BIGGER ONE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, OUR CHILDREN PARADE, LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL IT'S LED.
ALL THE KIDS SO HAPPY THEY UNITED THE WEST COVINA.
OKAY? AND THEN WE HAVE A FINITE, OF COURSE WE HAVE, UH, THE NEW MAYOR WITH THE TREE LIGHTING THE TREE REALLY MUCH BIGGER THAN LAST YEAR.
BUT LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP.
AND THE, UH, TREE LIGHTING EVENT.
I'VE SEEN PACK WITH PEOPLE, MEANING YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY, IT WORK FRIDAY NIGHT PACK.
MORE FESTIVAL A LITTLE BIT, BUT MAYBE WE CAN IMPROVE.
IT, IT IS, UH, SOMETIME YOU MISS HERE.
SPRING FESTIVAL LAST YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT MISSED.
BUT NO MATTER WHAT, I WANT TO THANK THE, THE CITY STAFF, ER, AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, SUZIE PERE, UH, VANESSA, UH, MIGUEL, UH, OKAY.
LESLIE, UH, ALL THIS, THE NAME I'M HORRIBLE WITH NAME, BUT THIS ALL THIS PERSON NAME I CAN REMEMBER BECAUSE I SEE THEM ALL THE TIME WHEN THEY ARE SERVING OUR CITY.
SO THEY, THEY, THEY REALLY TRYING, THEY'RE VERY, THEY,
[01:45:01]
THEY WORK VERY HARD.PROBABLY WORK PEOPLE PUT A STAGE TOGETHER AND THIS AND THAT.
WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE OUR CITY, TO IMPROVE THE RESIDENTS LIFE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE SIT OVER HERE OKAY? AND TRY TO SACRIFICE OUR PRIVATE TIME.
AND WE, WE HAVE THE MISSION TO HELP EACH OTHER.
OKAY? I, I, I WANT, AGAIN, AGAIN, I CANNOT SAY MORE TO, UH, SHOW MY APPRECIATION, OKAY? FOR ALL OUR STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER, BRING HAPPINESS TO OUR COMMUNITY, BRING UNIT, OKAY.
TO OUR COMMUNITY, BRING CHILDREN.
OKAY, WELL, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO SEE OUR BUDGET BECAUSE THE POLICE FIRE BLOCK THE STREET.
BUT YOU GUY HAVE TO BUDGET THAT THING AND YOU GUY CAN RUN IT BECAUSE YOU SHOULD KNOW, OKAY, THIS IS WORKING OR THIS TOO MUCH MONEY CONTROL.
OKAY? BUT IF AS LONG AS YOU CAN PUT MORE EVENT, I THINK THAT IS HOW PEOPLE ARE HAPPY LIVING WEST COVIN.
AND THAT'S WHY RIGHT NOW WE ON THE MAP, EVERYBODY WANT TO MOVE TO WEST COVINA.
A LOT OF BUILDERS START BUILDING, BUT THEY STILL WANT TO BUILD WEST COVINA BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
THE MARKETING, BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED BEFORE THAT WE DON'T DO ENOUGH FOR MARKETING, THEN OUR EVENT WASTE OF THE EFFORT.
BUT LAST, THE END OF LAST YEAR, COUPLE EVENT IS PACK AND LOOK AT YOUR MARKETING WORK AND YOUR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WEST COVINA HAS AN AMAZING COMMUNITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I WENT TO THEIR TRAINING, THEY ARE THE BALM, THEY'RE GREAT.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY ALSO BRAVO TO THE WHOLE TEAM.
WEST COVINA IS THRIVING AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, THEY HOLD VERY DEAR TO ME.
IT'S, IT'S A BIG PASSION THAT I HAVE.
AND SINCE I GOT IN, I REMEMBER IN 2018, WE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY FROM TODAY THAN WHAT IT WAS BACK THEN.
AND THESE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN WHEN RESIDENTS GIVE US FEEDBACK OR THEY WANNA SEE.
THAT'S WHY THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE DO, AND EVEN MYSELF AS DOING THIS AS A VOLUNTEER DOING THESE ACTIVITIES, WE'RE TRYING TO TARGET DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY OF ALL AGES.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
UM, WE, SOCIAL MEDIA, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THAT UP.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE AND THEY MISS OUT AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I MISSED OUT.
SO THAT WAS A BIG PUSH THAT I WAS TRYING TO HAVE.
IT WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN MANY YEARS BACK WITH PD WHEN PD POLICE WAS, UM, KNOWN NEGATIVELY.
AND I WORKED WITH THE PD DEPARTMENT AND WE PUSHED FOR THE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, FOR THE COMMUNITY POLICING.
AND THAT ALSO TURNED WHERE IT'S ON A POSITIVE SIDE.
SO OUR, OUR POLICE IS REFLECTED ON THAT.
AGAIN, THAT IS TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS MORE ON A CITYWIDE EVENT.
UH, ROXANNE, YOU DO AN AMAZING JOB AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UM, THINGS THAT YOU PRESENTED, UM, THIS IS AT A CALIBER I KNOW FOR CPRS OR RENEWING MY, UH, NATIONAL PARK, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS WHOLE MARKETING PLAN IS WHAT THEY PRESENT.
AND SO YOU PRETTY MUCH HIT EVERY TOPIC THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE, WE TARGET.
SO I, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU KUDOS FOR DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE THE FIRST TO MOTION THIS, BUT I'LL LET OTHER COUNSEL SPEAK.
UH, DOES ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? IF NOT, I MOTION THIS SECOND.
WE HAVE IT FIRST AND A SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEDO, A SECOND BY MAYOR PRO, EMILY CONTOS TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ON ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS THE PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENTS.
I WANT TO COMMEND OUR CITY STAFF FOR WORKING EXTRAORDINARY HARD, ESPECIALLY, UH, ROXANNE, WHO ALWAYS GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UH, SHE WORKS VERY HARD AND, AND, AND LIN, UM, AS WELL.
UM, BUT SINCE WE ARE, UH, SINCE THERE IS MONEY STILL OWED TO THE CITY FROM AN EVENT IN OCTOBER OF 2025, I'M GONNA HAVE TO VOTE NO ON IT.
[7) DIRECTION FOR SPAYING, NEUTERING, AND/OR MICROCHIPPING OF PETS]
ITEM SEVEN, DIRECTION FOR SPAYING, NEUTERING, AND OR MICROCHIPPING OF PETS, ACTING CITY MANAGER WHO WILL PRESENT THE CITY STAFF REPORT.I'M GONNA HAVE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGER, UH, MATTHEW ZA PRESENT,
[01:50:01]
AND THEN BOTH MATT AND MYSELF WILL HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END.GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR LOPEZ.
MAYOR PRO TEM CONTOS, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME'S MATTHEW REZA, AND I SERVE AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGER HERE FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
I'M HERE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE STAFF REPORT BEFORE YOU, UH, AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON APRIL 1ST, 2025, MAYOR PRO TEM CONTOS REQUESTED THAT CITY STAFF EXPLORE THE OPTIONS COSTS OF REQUIRING SPAIN AND NEUTERING AND OR THE MICROCHIPPING OF PETS.
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA CONTRACTS WITH, UH, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES INCLUDED, INCLUDING ANIMAL SHELTERING, FIELD SERVICES, INSPECTIONS, AND PET LICENSING.
THE CITY HAS ADOPTED TITLE 10 OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES AS ITS ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE SUBJECT TO AMENDMENTS.
WITH OUR AMENDMENT, WITH OUR AMENDMENTS.
THE CITY DOES NOT REQUIRE MANDATORY SPAY OR NEUTER PROGRAM FOR DOGS OR CATS OR MICROCHIPPING.
THE PRIMARY EXPENSE UNDER OUR CONTRACT WITH LA COUNTY IS THE COST OF ANIMAL SHELTERING FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 20 25, 20 26.
THE CITY IS PROJECTED TO SPEND, UH, 980,000 ON SHELTER SERVICES FOR APPROXIMATELY 850 ANIMALS.
THIS EQUATES TO $105 PER DAY, OR ROUGHLY $1,050 PER IMPOUND IN FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT THE CITY WILL BE BILLED MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION FOR THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE.
THIS EQUATES TO $128 PER DAY, OR ROUGHLY $1,208 PER IMPOUND.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL ENCOURAGES CONTRACT CITIES TO CONSIDER STRATEGIES TO MANAGE INCREASING ANIMAL SERVICE COSTS WHILE PROMOTING POSITIVE ANIMAL WELFARE OUTCOMES.
THIS INCLUDES ORDINANCES THAT REQUIRE THE SPAIN AND NEUTERING OF DOGS AND CATS AS WELL AS MICROCHIPPING OF PETS.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PROVIDE DIRECTION ON THE OPTIONS OF SPAIN AND NEUTERING AND OR MICROCHIPPING TO HELP REDUCE COSTS ASSOCIATED, ASSOCIATED WITH ANIMAL SHELTERING.
AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE MY SUMMARY.
UM, ACTING CITY MANAGER, UH, RAKI AND I ARE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ARZA, I I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK PUT INTO THE REPORT.
I, I, I DO NEED TO ASK, UM, WOULD THERE BE A WAY IN TERMS OF GIVING US THE INFORMATION NEEDED FOR THE DIRECTION THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE IN MOVING FORWARD? THAT YOU COULD EXAMINE THE, THE DIFFERENT ORDINANCES DONE BY DIFFERENT CITIES? BECAUSE CONTEXTUALLY ON APRIL THE FIRST, I SPECIFICALLY HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE, I THINK, AT LEAST I REMEMBER MENTIONING THAT THERE WERE 38 CITIES THAT WERE, THAT ALREADY HAD ADOPTED A SPAYING, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING ORDINANCE.
AND SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD EX YOU, YOU CAN COME BACK, EXPAND ON THIS REPORT TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATIONS OF WHAT DIFFERENT CITIES HAVE DONE AND HOW WELL THEY HAVE OR HAVE NOT WORKED.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS EARLIER WITH ONE OF THE, THE, THE SPEAKERS DURING ORAL COMMUNICATION, IT LITERALLY MOVED ME TO TEARS TO THINKING ABOUT THE ANIMALS THAT ARE, THAT ARE LOST EVERY DAY.
I'M A REAL BIG DOG PERSON, SO THIS IS REALLY EMOTIONAL FOR ME.
UM, BUT WE HAVE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT, UH, ENSURES THAT WE, WE PROTECT AGAINST UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
THE THING THAT I'M WONDERING ABOUT IS CAN YOU, CAN YOU LOOK AT THE EXISTING ORDINANCES OF DIFFERENT CITIES AND, AND SEE EXAMPLES OF HOW WELL THEY HAVE WORKED SO THAT WAY YOU COULD COME BACK WITH, WITH EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AND MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US SO THAT IT'S STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT, THAT PROMOTES ALL OF THESE IDEALS, BUT WITHOUT UNNECESSARILY HAVING ANY TYPE OF UN ANY TYPE OF CONSEQUENCE THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE ANTICIPATED.
AND, UM, YEAH, WE'LL LOOK TO BRING THAT BACK.
UM, MAYOR PERAM CONTOS, YES, WE CAN COME BACK WITH A FAR MORE DETAILED REPORT ON WHAT OTHER CITIES CAN ARE DOING.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE ALREADY, UM, REVIEWED THE, UH, SIX SURROUNDING CONTRACT CITIES THAT SURROUND WEST COVINA THAT USE LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL.
UM, ALL SIX DO USE A SPAY AND NEUTER AND MICROCHIP PROGRAM.
UM, THOSE CITIES FOUND THAT IN THE FIRST YEAR, THEY REDUCED THEIR SHELTERING COSTS BY ABOUT 10%.
AND AS THE PROGRAM CONTINUED, THE UH, DECREASE IN SHELTERING COSTS CONTINUED.
SO, AGAIN, I CAN COME BACK WITH MORE DETAILED WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
UH, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND IS THE BIGGEST EXPENSE OF ANY CITY IN LA COUNTY.
IT'S GONNA BE THE SHELTERING COSTS.
UM, ALL OTHER SERVICES, FIELD SERVICES IS MINIMAL
[01:55:01]
LICENSING ENFORCEMENT SERVICES MINIMAL.IN FACT, YOU DON'T SEE, UH, FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENT, YOU DON'T SEE ANIMAL CULTURAL TRUCKS ROLLING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS OF WEST COVINA.
BUT WHAT YOU WHAT WE ARE GONNA SEE IS ON OUR INVOICES, A LARGE AMOUNT FOR THE SHELTERING OF ANIMALS, WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN PICKED UP IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, OR THEY'VE BEEN TURNED OVER OR SURRENDERED AT THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER FROM WEST COVINA RESIDENCE.
AND THAT INCLUDES, LIKE JD MENTIONED, SOMETIMES THERE'S STRAY PETS AT PARKS OR ON STREETS.
RESIDENTS CALL, THEY'RE PICKED UP, THEY'RE HELD FOR A MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS, AND RIGHT NOW IT'S $105 A DAY.
SO A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS, UH, PER IMPOUND.
UH, THOSE COSTS ARE GONNA GO UP IN 2026 UNDER NEW CONTRACT TERMS. UM, SO, UH, RIGHT NOW WE, THEY HOLD ABOUT 800 ANIMALS, 850 ANIMALS A YEAR FOR US.
UM, IF THOSE, UH, NUMBERS CONTINUE, IT'D BE ABOUT A $1.2 MILLION COST AND JUST SHELTERING SERVICES.
UH, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT, UM, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AS FAR AS, UH, DECREASING COSTS AND ANSWER, UH, SHERRY'S QUESTIONS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND GONE THROUGH LINE ITEMS THAT OTHER CITIES ARE USING.
AND AGAIN, THE BIGGEST COST IS THE SHELTERING.
AND FOR OUR INITIAL SURVEYS HAVE FOUND THAT, UH, CITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE SPAY AND NEUTER HAVE REDUCED THEIR COSTS CONSIDERABLY.
I, I REALLY, UH, I I COMMEND JD AND OTHERS FOR, FOR THE KIND OF WORK THAT THEY DO TO, TO PROTECT OUR ANIMALS.
WE ALL LOVE OUR, OUR DOGS AND CATS AND, AND OTHER, OTHER PETS.
AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SUCH A GOOD THING THAT THIS, THIS IS BEING DEDICATED THERE.
THERE'S A TENSION BEING DEDICATED TO THIS TODAY.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE, MY, MY RECOMMENDATION TO OUR COUNCIL IS THAT FOLKS HERE AGREE THAT, THAT WE COME, THAT YOU COME BACK, UH, WITH, WITH LANGUAGE THAT WILL MODEL, UH, AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MODEL THE BEST PRACTICES, BUT ALSO BRINGING BACK, UH, AN ANALYSIS OF COSTS INCLUDING ENUMERATING, THE DIFFERENT CITIES THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED THAT I DIDN'T SEE IN THE REPORT HERE, BUT PROB PERHAPS MAYBE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DUE TO TIME, BUT ALSO THAT IT'D BE DONE IN RELATIVE SHORT ORDER BECAUSE THE FASTER WE CAN ADOPT THIS, UH, UH, AND THERE COULD BE A REPORT THAT COMES BACK THAT THE MORE QUICKLY WE COULD, WE COULD SAVE MORE ANIMALS AND, AND CUT AND CUT ON, ON COSTS IN ADDITION TO THE SURROUNDING CITIES, THE SIX CONTRACT CITIES THAT SURROUND US.
WOULD YOU LIKE US TO EXPAND TO, UH, A LITTLE FARTHER OUT AND, AND INCORPORATE MORE CITIES IN OUR SURVEY? YES, PLEASE.
AND, AND, UH, THAT SHOULD ALSO IDEALLY INCLUDE IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT MAY BE GOOD TO INCLUDE WOULD BE A SUPPORT FOR, FOR LOW COST, UH, VETERINARY ALTERNATIVES, SUCH AS THE EVENT THAT WE HAD SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY WELL RECEIVED.
AND IT WAS, IT BOOKED REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THERE'S SUCH A NEED OUT THERE FOR SPAYING AND NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING.
AND IF THERE WERE SYSTEMS PUT INTO PLACE FOR US TO HAVE CLINICS ON A PERIODIC BASIS SO THAT WAY WE COULD ACTUALLY SAVE COSTS WITH RESIDENTS, UH, THAT WOULD ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPT IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF DIRECTION THAT WE SHOULD TAKE IN MOVING FORWARD.
UH, COUNCILMAN WU? UH, YEAH, I SUPPOSE, UH, MAYOR PROTEIN COUNCIL REGARDING ALL THIS, OKAY.
AND THE METHOD OR RESEARCH, BUT I, I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS JUST LIKE, UH, THE SPEAKERS LAST YEAR OR YEAR BEFORE THEY SPOKE TO US MANY TIMES, THEY SAY, W COVINA IS THE MOST ABANDONED PET IN THE, OKAY, THE BOWING PARK, THE COUNTY, AND THEN WE CONTRACT SERVICE WITH THEM.
SO LOOK LIKE WE HAVE A THOUSANDS OF ANIMAL AND, AND IT BASICALLY HAVE TO BE PULLED ASLEEP, THIS AND THAT.
SO THIS IS, UH, INHUMAN FOR US TO HAVE TO PET AND ABANDON THEM.
SO, SO HOW WE STOP THE PEOPLE, THE RESIDENT, TO HAVE PET AND THEN ABANDON? I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO SEE WHAT KIND OF METHOD WE HAVE.
CAN KIND OF DISCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JUST FOR A MOMENT THEY WANT TO HAVE, AND THEN THEY LIFT.
RUNNING FREE IN THE PARK OR ON THE STREET.
SO WHAT THE MECHANISM WE CAN STOP THEM TO DO IT BECAUSE, OKAY, THAT IS ONE, I THINK THERE'S A MAJOR ISSUE.
WE HAVE SO MANY ABUNDANT PET AND DOG AND CAT, THIS AND THAT.
AND SECOND THING, AS I REMEMBER, SINCE I LIVE IN WEST VALLEY SINCE 1989, AND I ALWAYS HAVE DOG AND THAT WE ALL HAVE A LICENSE.
AND I REMEMBER WE ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE KNOCK ON MY DOOR TO CHECK ABOUT THE LICENSE.
AND I ASKED LAST TIME, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT WE PAY THE FEE.
I HAVE THREE DOOR, WE PAY THE FEE EVERY YEAR LICENSE, AND WE HAVE TO GIVE TO THE, THE SHOT, OKAY, REVENUE SHOT, THIS AND THAT TO PROVE SO YOU CAN GET A LICENSE BECAUSE THEY WILL BE SAVED NOT ONLY FOR THE DOG, BUT ALSO FOR THE HUMAN.
[02:00:01]
SO THE, THE ALL THIS, WHEN YOU HAVE A PET, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY LIKE THE CHILDREN, YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, BRING IT TO THE VET REGULARLY, AND THAT IS THE COST.MAKE SURE POSSIBLE THE EDUCATION OKAY.
TO TELL THE PEOPLE THEY WILL COST YOU AND DON'T JUST GET A DOG AND JUST LET THEM RUN FREE.
OKAY? BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF EXPEND EXPENSES, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL TO VACCINE, OKAY.
AND THEN ISHA EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND THEN YOU NEED TO REGISTER TO THE, OKAY, THE COUNTY, SINCE WE CONTRACT WITH THEM, I KNOW THEY DON'T DO DOOR KNOCKING ANYMORE, BUT POSSIBLE OUR CD CAN DO IT.
SO IN THAT WAY THE PEOPLE CAN PAY LIKE US, WE PAY THE FEE.
SO THOSE LICENSE FEE CAN OFFSET WHAT THE CITY PAYING OKAY.
TO THE COUNTY, THE ANIMAL, HUMAN SOCIETY, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THEN REGARDING, OH, MY DOG, THEY ALL FIX THIS AND THAT, BUT THEY COST REALLY TREMENDOUS.
OKAY? AND SO HOW WE HELP THE RESIDENT AND THE MAYBE COUNTY AND FIND A WAY TO REDUCE THE COST.
AND THEY SOMETIMES THEY GO TO THOUSANDS DOLLARS PER DOG.
SO, SO, AND NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
AND JD SAY IT, A LOT OF PEOPLE MAYBE JUST DON'T WANT TO, THEY, WHEN PEOPLE KNOCK ON THE DOOR, THEY JUST LET THEM GO FREE.
SO HOW WE KIND OF EDUCATION AND TELL PEOPLE, AND PLUS MAKE SURE THAT THE DOG IS GOING TO CAUSE THEM AND EXACTLY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU BRING THEM TO THE EARTH AND YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
SO I THINK THERE'S ALL THE THINGS, JUST A SUGGESTION FOR YOU ALL THE ANGLE AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WE DON'T PRODUCE SO MANY ABANDONED.
IT'S A, IT IS PRETTY EMBARRASSED THAT W COVINA IS THE NUMBER ONE IN THIS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, HAS THE MOST ABANDONED BASED ON HIS NUMBER.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN REDUCE AND, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR PET OWNER, NOT JUST FOR THE BIRTH OF MOMENT AND THEN ABANDON THEM.
SO THIS, MY SUGGESTION GOES TO LOT OF COUNCIL COUNCILMAN LOU.
UM, AS YOU MAY, MAY RECALL, AFTER UH, 2021, WHEN COVID CAME TO AN END, UM, LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL DISCONTINUED THE CANVASSING SERVICES, UM, TO LOCAL CITIES BY CONTRACT, UM, FOR 2026, THEY HAVE NOW OFFERED AGAIN CANVASSING SERVICES.
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA IS ON THE LIST, AND WE WILL BE INITIATING CANVASSING SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
WE SAW A STEEP DECLINE IN PET LICENSING WITHOUT THE CANVASSING SERVICES AND THE EDUCATION TOOLS.
SO, SO IF WE CAN EDUCATE THE RESIDENT AND, UH, USE THE PEN PAMPHLET OKAY.
AND THE EDUCATION OR OUR WEBSITE TO LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU CAN GO TO.
DON'T JUST, JUST ABANDON THEM.
SO WHERE WE CAN DO THE ADOPTION AND THIS AND THAT, OKAY.
AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE FINANCIAL ISSUE, HOW CAN WE HELP THEM? OKAY.
OR THEY CAN GET SOME HELP ON THE COUNTY SINCE WE PAY FORWARD AND ALSO THING, OKAY.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN REALLY REDUCE OKAY.
THE ABANDONED PAD INTO THE SHELTERS AND THEY WILL BE PUT ASLEEP.
OKAY? SO, SO HOPEFULLY IN NO TIME WE CAN REALLY OKAY.
BE MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE HAVE.
SO, AND THERE'S A FAMILY MEMBER TOO.
OKAY? SO, AND, AND YOU CANNOT JUST, JUST, JUST LEAD APPEND THEM.
SO ANYWAY, THIS IS, UH, A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS.
OKAY? OR HOPEFULLY, I, I THINK THE COST ABOUT, OKAY, NEWLING OKAY.
I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
I THINK MICROCHIPS NOT REALLY THAT EXPENSIVE.
UH, BUT, UH, BECAUSE THREE OF, I HAVE TWO, TWO YEARS OLD GOVERNMENT, OKAY? AND WE WENT THROUGH ALL THE, THIS AND THAT.
OKAY? SO WE, I KNOW JUST THE OPERATION BECAUSE THE FEMALE IS PRETTY PRICEY.
SO, SO I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE, BUT REGARDING GUIDELINES, OKAY, THAT WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS.
SEE, WE SHOULD PUT A COURT ORDINANCE ABOUT THAT.
UM, ACTUALLY FOR WORK, I JUST HAD TO DO A PERMIT FOR A ONCE A MONTH LOW COST PET VACCINE AND MICROCHIPPING THAT JUST OCCURRED LAST SUNDAY.
SO I, I JUST DID THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT IMPLEMENTED.
UH, IF WE CAN PLEASE BRING THAT TO OUR CITY AND HAVE THIS, UH, SERVICE, I'LL, I'LL ASK THAT DOCTOR IF MAYBE HE CAN BRING IT OVER HERE,
BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE A DOG PARK AND UNFORTUNATELY, I KNOW WHEN I SAW A LOT OF THAT IN COVID, EVERYBODY WAS STAYING AT HOME.
THEY ADOPTED ALL THESE PETS, BUT
[02:05:01]
THEN WHEN THEY WENT BACK TO WORK, THEY JUST LET THEM GO.NOW MY QUESTION IS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A DOG PARK, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL RELEASE THEIR PETS TO A LOCAL DOG PARK, WHICH HENCE WHY I COULD SEE WEST COVINA HAVING SO MANY PETS AND THEN OFF TO THE STREETS.
UM, SO IF THEY DO HAVE A MICROCHIP THAT BELONGS TO A DIFFERENT CITY, BUT WE CALL THEM IN, ARE WE CHARGED FOR THAT? OR TECHNICALLY THAT CITY.
SO THAT, THAT IS, IF YOU HAVE THE ANSWER, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, I'D LIKE TO BRING THIS TO PRE BE PRESENTED? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, MY OTHER CONCERN IS ALL THESE PENALTIES AND VIOLATIONS MAKE IT HARD TO OWN A PET, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE LOW INCOME.
AND WE DO WANT TO CATER TO THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SIGN AT DEL NORTE PARK THAT LISTS ALL THESE RESOURCES, THAT LISTS ALL THESE INFORMATION SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO.
NOT, I WANNA MAKE IT EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE PET OWNERS.
PUT A Q CARD, QR CODE, OR ANYTHING THAT IS JUST THERE, WEBSITE INFORMATION, AND HAVE THAT IN OUR CITY SO THAT WE CAN HELP ALL THESE, UM, THINGS.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF OUR INFORMATION.
IF YOU CAN BRING THAT BACK TO US, UH, WE DO LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE NEIGHBORING CITIES DO BECAUSE I, I KNOW SOMETIMES THE NEIGHBORING CITIES JUST GO TO OUR CITY AND, YOU KNOW, DROP THEM OFF.
AND COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
UM, DO WE KNOW WHEN THE RFP FOR DEL NORTE IS GONNA COME BACK? 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S HUGE HOLES IN THE DIRT AND IT'S FALLING APART.
UM, ON THE, UM, WHEN IS THE, WHEN IS THE PARKS PLAN COMING BACK? 'CAUSE I KNOW SHE'S ASKING FOR SIGNS.
NO, MY INFORMATION IS RELATED TO THE SPAY AND NEUTER.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION TO KNOW WHERE TO GET THE STAY AND NEUTERED AND TO BRING ALL THESE, UH, THINGS TO OUR YEAH.
AND I, AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT.
SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S HUGE HOLES IN THE GROUNDS.
CAN WE FILL THEM UP? THAT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM.
LET'S STICK WITH THIS, PLEASE.
I'M, I'M JUST STATING THAT THERE'S MAJOR HOLES IN THE GROUND THAT YOU JUST REFERRED TO OF A DEL NORTE DOG PARK.
SO I'M LETTING STAFF KNOW THERE'S HOLES ON THE GROUND.
WE NEED TO FIX THAT BECAUSE IT'S A LIABILITY.
UM, BACK TO THE SPAY AND NEUTER.
WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL AND REQUESTED THEIR, UM, CLINICS, THEIR FREE AND LOW, UH, COST CLINICS TO COME TO WEST COVINA.
WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO PRIVATE SECTOR TO BRING THOSE TO WEST COVINA.
SO WE WILL INCLUDE THOSE, UM, STAFF WILL BE PREPARED TO BRING THIS BACK ON MARCH 17TH.
UM, FOR FULL REVIEW, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF LEGWORK.
I MEAN, THIS INITIAL REPORT COULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, 10 PAGES IF WE PUT EVERYTHING IN THERE.
THIS WAS MORE TO SEEK DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL, UH, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN US PURSUING, LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER, WHETHER CITIES DO AND WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, I'VE WORKED AT CITIES WHERE I'VE ACTUALLY, UM, STARTED, UM, AN IN-HOUSE ANIMAL CONTROL PROGRAM.
SO I'VE BEEN THERE FROM, UH, FROM JUST LICENSING TO ALSO HOUSING.
UM, IT'S NOT AN ENDEAVOR WE WANNA DO, BUT I, I'M WELL AWARE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE ANIMAL CONTROL FIELD THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO REDUCE COSTS.
I, I THINK THIS IS THE WHY PEOPLE ABANDON THEIR PET THIS ON THAT.
IF WE CAN HAVE A, HAVE A OKAY THEM TO COME IN WITH A LOWER COST TO DO THE FIXING THIS ON THAT, I, I THINK IT'S GOING TO REDUCE, UH, A LOT OF ISSUE.
WE PRODUCE AND THEN SO, SO I THINK TO, CAUSE I THINK IS A MAJOR ISSUE TO THE RESIDENT OR PET OWNER.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN BRING THIS TO THE CITY AND WE CAN PROMOTE OKAY.
AND BRING TO THE, I REMEMBER SO MANY YEARS AGO BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, I SAW THEM CAME TO OUR PARK.
THEY, THEY HAVE A GATHERING AND THEY BASICALLY DO THE EDUCATION AND THEY PROVIDE SERVICE.
SO I THINK THIS SOMETHING, THEY REALLY TEND TO REALLY DO SOMETHING.
RIGHT NOW, I BARELY SEE ANY OF COUNTY PEOPLE ABOUT A DOG, THIS AND THAT.
EVEN YOU WANT THEM TO COLLECT, UH, SOME KIND OF A RUN AND LOSE PET DOG THAT THEY BARELY SHOW UP.
SO, OR THEY RACCOON AND THEY, THEY RESIDENT TOLD ME THEY DON'T SHOW UP.
SO I HAVE TO HAVE, UH, OUR CD STAFF TO HELP OUT.
OTHERWISE, PUT THE PLASTIC BACK.
BUT, SO ANYWAY, I THINK THIS IS THE COST.
IF WE CAN REDUCE AND GET THEM TO HELP US, I THINK THAT WILL HELP THE RESIDENT A LOT AND REDUCE REPRODUCTION.
WHEN RESIDENTS CONTAIN A DOG OR A CAT OR WHATEVER ANIMAL, CAN YOU FIND OUT HOW LONG THAT IT, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR THEM TO COME? BECAUSE I'VE PERSONALLY HAD TO CONTAIN,
[02:10:01]
UH, A PET, AND, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME I'M DONE WITH WORK, THEY'RE STILL NOT THERE.BUT YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TO CONTAIN.
SO WE'D LIKE TO FIND THAT OUT.
THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHERE THERE'S, UM, KIND OF A DELAY IN RESPONSE, UM, DUE TO LACK OF STAFFING OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE, UH, I'VE HAD CONTACTS AT ANIMAL CONTROL THAT DO RESPOND.
UM, THEY, THERE'S A CHANGE OF STAFF, UM, REPEATEDLY.
SO, UM, THOSE CONTACT, I DON'T HAVE THOSE CONTACTS ANYMORE, BUT, UM, WHEN I DO OBTAIN A, UM, A, A RELIABLE CONTACT WITH ANIMAL CONTROL, THEY USUALLY DO RESPOND, UM, FAIRLY QUICKLY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL DEFINITELY LOOK FOR, UM, A RELIABLE CONTACT AND MAYBE IN CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY AT BALDWIN PARK.
AND YES, UH, THE EDUCATION COMPONENT IS VERY CRUCIAL FOR A COUNCIL PRESENTATION AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE LOCATION OF WHERE IT IS.
SO THEY, WE NEED TO DEFINITELY PROVIDE THAT.
UM, DID I, DO I HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HERE? THANK YOU.
YOU WANNA GO AHEAD A MOTION? APPRECIATE I, I MOVE, I, I MOVE, UH, ADOPTION AND I'LL SECOND THANK YOU.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM CONTOS, A SECOND BY MAYOR LOPEZ.
VITO, UH, REGARDING ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DIRECTION FOR SPAYING, NEUTERING, AND OR MICROCHIPPING OF PETS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'VE CAPTURED ALL OF YOUR REQUESTS.
AND SO WE WANT TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH LANGUAGE, INCLUDING AN ORDINANCE, UH, REGARDING SPAY, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING, AND ALSO INFORMATION ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON LOW COST VETERINARIAN SERVICES, INCLUDING SPAIN AND NEUTERING, AND MECHANISM TO, UM, A MECHANISM TO HOLD RESIDENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR ABANDONED PETS.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BRING BACK, UH, LICENSING EDUCATION TO, UM, THE RESIDENTS IS DID I MISS MADAM MAYOR? THIS IS WHY LISA SHERICK IS THE BEST AROUND.
I KNOW YOU READ THE MINDS COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ AYE.
MOTION PASSES ON CITY, CITY COUNCIL REPORTS.
CONFERENCE AND MEETING REPORT.
CITY COUNCIL REQUEST? MOTHER MAY I, COUNCIL MADAM MAYOR.
THE FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
UH, YET AGAIN, THE MOST RECENT MEETING, THERE WASN'T A QUORUM.
I'M WONDERING IF STAFF CAN LOOK INTO THE EXTENT TO WHICH FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED ARE NOT REGULARLY ATTENDING.
AND THAT INCLUDES FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE WHENEVER WE A QUORUM, UH, CAN'T BE ASSEMBLED, THEN WE CAN'T PROCEED FORWARD WITH BUSINESS AND IT, AND IT CREATES A BIG TIME WASTE FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES TAKE THE TIME TO COME.
SO WOULD THERE BE A WAY THAT, THAT THE STAFF CAN PLEASE DO A, A CHECK AS TO, UH, WITH THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RECORDED NOT TO BE IN REGULAR ATTENDANCE, AND ESPECIALLY IF THE ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN LACKING FOR, FOR THREE OR MORE.
SO THAT WAY, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO, TO MAKE THE COMMITMENTS, THEN WHOEVER APPOINTEES THEY BELONG TO, THEN, THEN WE CAN MAKE, UH, CHANGES ACCORDINGLY.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE A ROBUST FUNCTIONING BODY.
AND, UH, ANOTHER THING I HOPE THE CT CAN GIVE THEM A PROPER NOTICE.
AND, UH, I REMEMBERED I TALKED TO SOME OF, UH, COMMISSIONER, I SAY, WHY YOU GUYS DIDN'T SHOW UP? AND THEN BASICALLY WE DON'T HAVE A QUO.
AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, OH, I EVEN DON'T KNOW.
SO WANNA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE NO EXCUSES.
SO WE POST AND WE SEND AN EMAIL, MAYBE WE EVEN CALL THEM, OKAY.
MAKE SURE SAY, YEAH, THANK YOU.
SO IN THAT WAY, THIS KID DON'T SHOW UP AND WE SHOULD KNOW WHO, WHO DOESN'T SHOW UP.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE SAY, IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO IT, WE MIGHT HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY TO DO IT.
RATHER YOU JUST TAKE THE, THE POSITION.
SO I, I SUPPORT THAT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROXANNE, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE IS TAKING A LOOK AT THE DAY OF THE WEEK.
SO PERHAPS LOOKING TO SEE, WE, WE WANT, WE WANT OUR COMMISSIONERS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
SO PERHAPS PULLING THOSE COMMISSIONERS TO FIND OUT MAYBE THERE'S A DAY THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.
UM, AND MYSELF AND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION REGARDING THAT.
UM, AND LOOKING INTO IT, DOES THIS REQUIRE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE? DOES IT NOT? AND THEN LOOPING IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT'S ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE IS TO POLL THE COMMISSION AND SEE IF THERE IS A BETTER DAY.
SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL? THANK YOU.
[02:15:01]
MY SECOND THERE ONLY THREE.UH, MY, MY SECOND, UH, REQUEST HAS TO DO WITH CITY WALKABILITY.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING I, I KEEP FORGETTING TO BRING UP, UM, FROM PAST MEETINGS, BUT IF THE STAFF CAN LOOK INTO WAYS TO IMPROVE WALKABILITY BY LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE THERE IS NO PEDESTRIAN PATHS OF TRAVEL TO GO FROM HOMES TO DIFFERENT PLACES OF BUSINESS, UH, THAT, THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE I PERSONALLY WALK AROUND ALL OVER AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE PLACES THAT AREN'T, AREN'T ALL THE WAY WALKABLE, BUT I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.
AND IF THE STAFF CAN, CAN DO SOME CHECKING AROUND OR, OR HELL OR AWAY TO DO A STUDY OR TO CHECK TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR CITY MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
I, I WOULD REALLY, I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT FOR OUR CITY.
UH, COUNCILMAN WILL, AND THE CITY HAS A LOT OF AREA, INCLUDING MY AREA, THEY DON'T HAVE A WALKWAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CITY TO LOOK INTO IT AND MAYBE BUDGETS IF WE WANT TO PUT THE SIDEWALK AND THERE WILL BE TREMENDOUS OKAY.
SO I DON'T THINK CITY HAVE A LEAD UNLESS WE CAN GET FROM FEDERAL STATE GRANT.
I DON'T THINK THEY WILL GIVE US A D OKAY.
SO, BUT, BUT, BUT A SURVEY WALKABLE, OR, MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT KIND, WHAT KIND OF DEFINITION OF WALKABLE? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK MM-HMM
AND, UH, I SAW THE KID, THEY, THEY, THEY CANNOT WALK ON THE SIDEWALK AND THEY WALK ON THE STREET.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT SAFE.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE JUST HAVE WAY TOO MANY AREA.
NOT ONLY OUR CITY, A LOT OF CITY NOW THEY HAVE, UH, ALL THE STREET HAS A SIDEWALK UNLESS THEY'RE A NEW CITY.
AND THEN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, THEY MUST HAVE A SIDEWALK.
BUT WE, 1923, A LOT OF AREAS STILL DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK, SO MM-HMM
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, YOUR DEFINITION OF WALKABOUT OH, SURE.
HOW TO, HOW TO MAKE CITY TO AMERICA NOT SPEND WAY TOO MUCH.
UH, BUT STILL CAN IMPROVE NOW RATHER THAN JUST RESEARCH.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
I, I THINK THAT, LET'S SAY IF, IF THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR THE RESIDENTS TO WEIGH IN WHO, WHO WOULD, WHO NEED MORE WALKABLE PATHWAYS AND WHO WOULD LIKE IT IN THEIR AREAS.
AND, UH, THAT WAY IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE DRIVEN BY WHAT THE RESIDENTS WANT.
'CAUSE THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE, WHERE, UH, IT'S, UH, THEY, THE RESIDENTS MAY NOT WANT IT BECAUSE, BECAUSE SOME OF THE WOODEN NEIGHBORHOODS, THE WAY THAT THE STREETS ARE LAID OUT.
BUT, BUT, BUT IF IT WERE RESIDENT DRIVEN WHERE RESIDENTS CAN SAY, HEY, I WANT MY AREA TO BE MORE WALKABLE, THEN THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
AND IF THERE ARE OTHER PLACES, LIKE WE IN YOUR AREA ON COUNCILMAN MO, WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT DISLIKE IT THE WAY IT IS, THEN THAT COULD BE OFF THE LIST.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT COULD CREATE A HYBRID APPROACH THAT WOULD BE DRIVEN BY RESIDENT, UH, FEEDBACK.
UM, I, I KNOW WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS A WHILE BACK, AND I DO SEE YOU WALKING SOMETIMES.
I'M LIKE, OH, THERE'S ONLY WALKING THE BUS.
SO IT'S, UH, NICE TO SEE YOU WALKING.
UM, I AGREE ON THE MAJOR STREETS AND SO FORTH.
I, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION A WHILE BACK, AND A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THAT THEIR GRASS GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE YARD.
AND, UM, THEY MENTIONED, WELL, OUR SPRINKLER SYSTEM IS ALREADY THERE.
UM, SOME DIDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD IMPACT THEIR SPACE AND AREA, AND THEN I KNOW THE COST OF THE CITY.
UM, SO I MEAN, IF THERE IS SPECIFIC AREAS, UM, BUT I, I KNOW THAT COST IS GONNA BE A LOT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE OF LIKE, THEIR SPACE AGE AND, AND SO FORTH, AND, YOU KNOW, BAR BARRICADES AND A BUNCH OF OTHER REASONS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND THAT MAKES, OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, MADAM MAYOR, BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENT AREA, THERE ARE DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE CITY.
SO THAT'S WHY THE FLEXIBILITY WOULD BE THERE FOR PEOPLE TO JUST TO SORT OF EXPRESS WHETHER THEY WANT THEM OR NOT.
AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T.
AND IF THEY DO, THEN AT LEAST IT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
AND EVEN, EVEN THEN, IF IT'S CONSIDERED, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'LL BE ADOPTED.
BUT AT LEAST WE, WE HAVE THAT ON OUR, ON OUR RADAR THAT RESIDENTS IN A PARTICULAR AREA NEED SOME WALKWAY TO, TO GO FROM WHEREVER THEY ARE TO, LET'S SAY A, A PLACE A SHOPPING CENTER OR WHEREVER.
HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS IF ONE OF THE NEIGHBOR WANTS IT AND THE RIGHT NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR DOESN'T WANT IT, IT IS JUST GONNA BE A COOKIE CUTTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
NOW, WE, WHAT COULD BE DONE THERE? IS THERE, THERE COULD BE SOME, UH, FEEDBACK OR WE JUST TALK ABOUT IT.
AND MAYBE THE ANSWER MAY BE THAT WE DON'T PUT IT THERE.
WE, WE, THE, THE EASIEST LOW HANGING FRUIT WOULD BE IF AN, IF THERE'S AN AREA WHERE RESIDENTS UNIVERSALLY REALLY DO WANT IT, THEN WE COULD FOCUS ON THAT.
AND IF THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THERE'S DISAGREEMENT, THEN THAT COULD JUST BE SOMETHING TO BE REVISITED AT ANOTHER ANOTHER TIME.
BUT AT LEAST WITH THAT HYBRID APPROACH, IF THERE ARE A CLUSTER OF RESIDENTS IN A CERTAIN AREA WHO DO WANT IT, AND WHO, AND WHO CAN SHOW THAT WHY IT'S NEEDED AND THEY ALL WANT IT, THEN IT
[02:20:01]
CAN AT LEAST BE CONSIDERED FOR, FOR FUTURE FUNDING IF POSSIBLE.AND IF THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT, THEN THAT COULD BE FURTHER DEBATED AMONG THEMSELVES UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO, TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH HOW TO RESOLVE THAT.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
I, I THINK ONE OF MY FIRST COUNCIL REQUESTS, UH, WAS THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY PICKING COMM CERTAIN AREAS TO DO IT.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY CREATING A SYSTEM AND A STUDY THAT WHEN A RESIDENT DOES COMPLAIN OR WISHES TO INQUIRE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW, UH, IN MY DISTRICT, THERE IS VETERANS WHO ARE HANDICAPPED, WHO ARE IN A WHEELCHAIR, WHO CANNOT GO, THEY HAVE TO GO IN THE MAIN STREET TO WHEELCHAIR THEMSELVES TO THE, TO WHERE THEY GOTTA GO.
AND SO I KNOW IN SPECIFIC AREAS, UH, THERE IS CONCERN.
AND, AND I THINK IF WE COULD CREATE SOME SORT OF SYSTEM THAT, UH, THAT AT LEAST INTAKES IT AND SEE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS IT IN THE LONG RUN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT'S A NICE IDEA.
HOWEVER, I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY, COUNCILMAN CONTOS LIVES IN HIS WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD, DOESN'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.
UM, I KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN, UH, TO TONY, WOO, HE DOESN'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.
I JUST THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A HUGE EXPENSE TO PUT IN SIDEWALKS.
I I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD GET THE MONEY FOR THAT.
CROSS STREET DOESN'T HAVE A SIDEWALK.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE, THERE'S RESIDENTS THAT THEY PUT IN THEIR OWN SIDEWALKS.
SO THEY EITHER PUT LAY SOME BRICK THERE AND OR ELSE, SOME OF 'EM DO HAVE SOME CEMENT THERE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THERE'S NO SIDEWALK.
SO, UM, I MEAN, IT'S A NICE IDEA, BUT I JUST THINK THAT IT'S, UM, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN HAVE, UM, A PETITION OF SOME SORT.
MAYBE THE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD SIGN, UM, THEIR NEIGHBORS CAN SIGN SOMETHING AND BRING IT TO CITY COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT SIDEWALKS.
AND MAYBE SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN THAT WAY.
BUT I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE THE STAFF TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF A PLAN.
WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, I JUST, CAN I SAY OKAY, UH, JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHEN YOU SAY WALKABLE, IS THAT ABSOLUTELY NEED A SIDEWALK OR A WALKABLE IS HOW CAN WE MAKE SOME INTERSECTION WITH MORE OKAY.
WITH A MORE WALKABLE, SAFE, WITH, UH, CROSSWALK THE PAINT.
OR THE, THE STRIP SIGNAL AND THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.
SO THINKING HAPPEN SIDEWALK, BECAUSE THAT ENTIRE CITY IS 16 AND HALF SQUARE MILE, WE HAVE, UH, ALMOST 60% POSSIBLE NO SIDEWALK.
SO HOW WE, HOW SO YOUR DEFINITION OF A WALKABLE WILL BE NEED TO KIND OF SEE IF YOU WANNA SEE, WANNA CHANGE EVERYTHING WITH SIDEWALK.
I DON'T THINK IT'S PHYSICALLY OKAY.
FINANCIALLY, YOU GOING TO BANKRUPT THE CITY, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO, SO, BECAUSE THAT'S TREMENDOUS.
EFFORT PLUS THAT, LIKE, UH, A COUNCILWOMAN DIA TALKING ABOUT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ALREADY PUT OKAY, SPEAKING TO THE FIRST FIVE FEET THAT'S BELONG TO THE CITY, BUT DUE TO SNOW SIDEWALK.
AND, UM, THEY ALREADY PLANTED TREES, SPRINKLER, FLOWER, THIS, THAT.
SO, SO AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED AND A TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL BURDEN.
AND THE, IN THE PERFECT WORLD, IN THE NEWER CITY, THEY ALL HAVE SIDEWALK BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT ALREADY REQUEST.
BUT THE OLDER CITY, YOU SEE, ALL THE OLDER CITY, EVEN PASADENAS AND MARINA, OKAY, EVEN ACADIA, A LOT OF OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY HAVE NO SIDEWALK AT ALL.
SO, SO IF WE, HOW TO IMPROVE THE WALKABLE POSSIBLE, HAVE CITY LOOK INTO HOW WE IMPROVE THE WALKABLE NOT NECESSARY IS THE SIDEWALK OKAY? MAYBE HAVE ENGINEERED TO LOOK INTO HOW TO IMPROVE THE CITY, HOW TO NET PEOPLE CAN, CAN WALK A LITTLE BIT SAFER WITH A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, WITH A PAINTING INTERSECTION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DOABLE.
AND, UM, MORE, MAYBE MORE EFFECTIVE TO HELP THE POTENTIALLY MUCH SAFER TO WALK ON THE STREET.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO WALK ON THE STREET AND, UH, IN THE MORNING, IN THE EVENING, I SEE SO MANY PEOPLE WALK ON THE STREET.
ESPECIALLY, I LIVE IN THE, UH, MESA ELEMENTARY AND THE SOUTH HILL HIGH SCHOOL NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE DEFINE, OKAY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE CITY TO SPEND THE TIME.
SO, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT, IT'S DOABLE AND IT'S SOMETHING
[02:25:01]
WE CAN IMPROVE THE CITY.UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S PRECISELY WHY PUTTING A PROCESS INTO PLACE WHERE THERE WOULD BE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
LET'S SAY NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ AND MINE, AND, AND, AND YOURS, COUNCILMAN WU, THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS.
AND MAYBE OUR FOLKS WILL WANT IT, BUT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE MAYBE A CLUSTER DUE.
SO IF THERE WAS AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS THERE, THAT WOULD JUST ALLOW THAT, UH, FLEXIBILITY TO JUST LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY, NOT NECESSARILY EVEN TO APPROVE IT, BUT AT LEAST TO CONSIDER IT.
AND THEN MAYBE TO PUT IT ON THE CIP LIST, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ, IF THERE'S A WHEELCHAIR USER WHO, WHO HAS NO REAL WAY TO, TO, TO TRAVEL AS A PEDESTRIAN, THAT MIGHT BE A VERY, VERY GOOD REASON, OR THAT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD REASON TO, TO PUT IN A, A REQUEST FOR THAT.
BUT THEN IN OTHER PLACES, LIKE, LIKE WHERE, WHERE, UH, VARIOUS OF US ARE, MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE.
SO THE, THE, AT THE, THE FACT OF FLEXIBILITY IS WHAT WOULD BE FACTORED IN TO AN APPROACH WHERE IT'S NOT, THERE'S NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S AT LEAST A WAY FOR, FOR A CITY STAFF TO CONSIDER REQUESTS.
AND I WAS GONNA SAY, I'M FINE WITH CITY STAFF TO LOOK INTO HOW MANY THAT DOESN'T HAVE SIDEWALK.
IT'S GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW HOW, HOW MANY ACTUALLY DOES.
AND I DO LIKE WHAT COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ HAS MENTIONED ABOUT RESIDENTS CREATING THEIR OWN SIDEWALK.
IT'S NOT A BURDEN ON THE CITY IF SOMEHOW A-C-D-B-G OR THE LOAN PRESERVATION, IF THAT COULD BE INCLUDED, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS WELL, SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO COVER THE COST.
IF THEY SELL THEIR HOME, YES, THEY COULD PAY IT BACK.
SO IF THE LOAN PRESERVATION NOT ONLY IS FURTHER OUTER HOME AND THE BASIC NECESSITY, BUT MAYBE SIDEWALK IS INCLUDED ON THAT ONE AS WELL AS WELL.
SO YES, UH, WE COULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT JUST TO SEE THE INFORMATION THAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO US.
IT'S, IT'S GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW.
AND, AND MY DISTRICT TOO, THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.
I KNOW WHEN WE WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S PORTIONS WHERE WE GO ON THE STREET SIDE, BUT, UM, THOSE ARE SMALLER STREETS.
IT'S NOT HEAVILY IMPACTED BY VEHICLES.
SO IT'S NOT AS A CONCERN VERSUS THE MAJOR STREETS, THE MAJOR PEDESTRIAN AREAS.
THAT ONE, OF COURSE, I, THE SAFETY IS IMPORTANT AND THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IMPROVEMENTS ON, ON THOSE PORTIONS WHERE EVERYONE ELSE WALKS.
SO YES, IT'S A, WE GO, WE, WE WILL SUPPORT YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? HE HAS? HE HAS A NUMBER THREE.
AND THE LAST ONE ARE THE DOGGONE MEDIANS AND THE SHOPPING CENTERS.
OH MY GOSH, I KEEP GETTING CALL AFTER CALL E EMAIL, OTHER COMMUNICATIONS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE HERE CAN VERIFY PEOPLE ARE REALLY GETTING UPSET AND, AND DOWNRIGHT ANGRY ABOUT HOW THE WAY THE CITY HAS LOOKED LATELY.
UH, IT'S, I, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
I KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, FOLKS ARE WORKING HARD, UH, FROM A RESIDENT STANDPOINT.
UH, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO GET THIS STUFF FIXED, LET'S SAY, UH, THAT THE, THE SHOPPING CENTER ON, ON, AT WHERE THE IKEA IS, APPARENTLY THERE'S NO LANDSCAPING, IT'S JUST DIRT.
OR THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE THE MEDIANS AREN'T PLANTED WELL OR THERE ISN'T APPROPRIATE LANDSCAPING.
WHERE THERE'S A MIX BETWEEN, BETWEEN SUCCULENTS AND FLOWERS OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO, UH, IS THERE A WAY THAT THAT STAFF COULD, COULD GO AROUND AND TELL US WHAT THEY SEE AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE FIXING SO THAT WAY WE DON'T, UH, THE, THESE ISSUES OF BEAUTIFICATION, UH, UH, ARE, ARE RESOLVED.
I, SINCE I GOT HERE, I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP ISSUES FROM TIME TO TIME.
BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST DIFFICULT WHEN, WHEN THESE ISSUES KEEP RECURRING OR THEIR WEEDS OR THEIR THERE THINGS WHERE OF, OF ISSUES RELATING TO BEAUTIFICATION THAT ARE STILL OUTSTANDING UP THROUGH NOW.
SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD, AS A COUNCIL, ASK STAFF TO LITERALLY GO THROUGH WHERE ALL THE MEDIANS ARE, SHOW US WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED? SO THAT WAY, I MEAN, WE, UM, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ AND I, WE GO AROUND AND WE, WE LOOK, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE DONE BY, BY, BY STAFF AS WELL, TO GO AROUND AND TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND THEN TO FIX EVERYTHING OR TO IDENTIFY WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, TO TELL US WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, SO THAT WAY WE, WE CAN RE RETURN TO BEAUTIFICATION THAT WE ONCE KNEW BEFORE.
BECAUSE APPARENTLY LATELY I KEEP HEARING ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, I, I HAVE TO ADMIT, FULL DISCLOSURE, I HAVE NO WAY TO VERIFY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS TRUE
SO, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, BRING THIS UP HERE.
AND I, I COMPLETELY, UH, AGREE WITH YOU.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE PRIOR TO EVEN YOU COMING IN
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I REMEMBER HAVING TO, WHEN I FOUND THAT, UH, ONE OF THE TREE OR THE, ONE OF THE CONTRACTS THAT SAID MEDIANS WERE THEIR THING, I WAS LIKE HARBORING ON THEM THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB ON THAT.
AND I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ ON THE BEAUTIFICATION AND THE MEDIANS, UM, OF COURSE, WE ARE A BIG CITY AND WE FOCUS ON LIKE THE AREAS
[02:30:01]
WE'RE AT, THE, UH, DISTRICT RESIDENTS GIVE US AN EMAIL ON AND THEY LET US KNOW, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE RAINS, THE WEEDS JUST GROW HUMONGOUS.I KNOW, UM, LIKE ON VINCENT AND GLENDORA, THAT BIG PATHWAY OF LIKE WHERE THE FORK IS, THAT MEDIAN IS JUST UGLY.
UM, I KNOW I'VE MET WITH THE CITY MANAGER ON MY REQUEST ON THE MEDIANS AND THE TREES AND THE BEAUTIFICATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE MAJOR AREAS WHERE WE GET A LOT OF VISITORS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, NOT JUST WITHIN.
SO THAT IF WE CAN PUSH, UH, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT MOVES FORWARD, UM, AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK YEAH.
TO THE COUNCIL AND BRINGING THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER.
I, I'M HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT.
I THINK WE BOOK RECORD TALKING ABOUT MEDIA AND BEAUTIFICATION AND THIS AND THAT, BUT AKE, I BELONG TO COVINA.
I, I WANT AKEA TEXT CALLED TO WEST COVINA.
SO, SO, SO IF WE CAN CALL COVINA TO CLEAN IT UP.
BUT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THE MEDIA OKAY.
ALL THOSE ISSUE, I THINK IT'S A CONTRACT ISSUE.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW WE STILL HAVEN'T SETTLED WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WE CAN LOOK AT MERCHANTS DOING OKAY.
AND, UH, LIKE BY VIEW OF OUR MEDIAN STILL, I THINK WE ALREADY FIRED THEM THREE TIMES, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
UH, WHO IS GOING TO CLEAN OUT OUR MEDIAN.
I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE ABOUT CONTRACTOR.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN FIND SOMEBODY REALLY WILLING TO SERVE OUR CITY TO MAKE IT NICE THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR MEDIANS AND OUR SIDEWALK AREAS DO NOT LOOK GOOD.
UM, THE CITY HAS GONE OUT FOR RFP, THAT RFP WILL BE CLOSING THIS WEEK.
STAFF WILL THEN REVIEW AND INTERVIEW THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE SUBMITTED BIDS, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO GET A SERVICE PROVIDER ON AS SOON AS WE CAN.
BUT WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY DO NOT LOOK GOOD.
AND THE AREAS, UM, THE MEDIANS AND SIDEWALK AREAS, SPECIFICALLY ON OUR MAIN CORRIDORS, WE'RE ALL UNDER A CONTRACT, AND THAT CONTRACT DID NOT WORK OUT.
UH, ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS? COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
UM, WHEN IS THE FIRE STATION COST ANALYSIS COMING BACK? IT'S, YOU WANT IT AS A COUNCIL REQUEST? UH, NO, IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME BACK.
SO BEFORE I MAKE MY COUNCIL REQUEST, I WANNA UNDERSTAND, DO WE KNOW WHEN IT'S COMING BACK? I DO NOT.
BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT, SO WE, WE DID A, UH, A VOTE AND WE REQUESTED A COST ANALYSIS ON FIRE STATION ONE, BUT I WAS GIVEN, AFTER THE VOTE, I WAS GIVEN SEVEN DIFFERENT FIRE STATION DESIGNS, UH, THAT BBK WHISTLE BLOWED ON SAYING THAT SOMEONE GAVE HIM ORDERS BEHIND THE SCENES TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE PROJECT.
AND SO WHEN THAT COST ANALYSIS COMES BACK, UH, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS CONSOLE IS INFORMED THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY SEVEN DIFFERENT DESIGNS HERE THAT WERE, WERE, THAT WERE NEVER, UH, MADE PUBLIC TO THE PUBLIC NOR TO THIS CONSOLE AS A WHOLE.
SO WHAT IS YOUR REQUEST? THAT THAT'S YOUR REQUEST? THAT, THAT WE MAKE SURE IT'S INCLUDED.
ANY OTHER REQUESTS THEN? MY, MY LAST ONE IS, IS TO CONSIDER AN RFP TO BE CONDUCTED BY HR FOR LEGAL SERVICES PROPOSED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY POSITION FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA BASED UPON OVERAGES FOR THE LAST, I THINK FIVE YEARS OR SINCE THEY'VE HAD THIS CONTRACT, UH, ON MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MONTHS, BILLS OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY HA UH, BILLS OF OUR CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M REQUESTING THAT WE HIRE AN ATTORNEY AUDIT FIRM REGARDING THE BILLS.
SINCE THEY PROVIDE VERY LITTLE DESCRIPTION OF DETAIL, UH, AT TIMES THEY'RE GOING OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, THAT I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR A PANEL OF ATTORNEYS TO PROVIDE LITIGATION AND LEGAL SERVICES TO THE CITY AND WILL AND WOULD REQUEST THE STAFF HR TO START AN RFP FOR SOLICITATION PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE PROVIDING LITIGATION SERVICES TO THE CITY.
IS THERE ANY SUPPORT FOR THAT SECOND AS A MATTER OF, OF JUST COST ANALYSIS AND SUCH? COST ANALYSIS OF THE SURE.
JUST TO, TO, TO LOOK AT THE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOOD FOR US TO SEE HOW WE SPEND OUR, OUR MONEY ON LEGAL BILLS JUST TO, SO WE CAN TRY TO WORK ON SAVING MONEY SO WE COULD SPEND ON OTHER THINGS.
[02:35:01]
FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT RISK AND LIABILITY LITIGATION? UM, IT'S, IT, IT'S FIGURE OUT, UH, KIND OF LIKE A COST ANALYSIS.LIKE WHY WE, WE HAVE, WE, WE EXECUTED AN AGREEMENT THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MONTHLY FEE, BUT THEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AT TIMES IT'S GOING OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND, AND I KNOW IN SOME CITIES, UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A, A PANEL OF, OF, UH, I BELIEVE A PANEL OF LAWYERS, UH, THAT GET TO SOLICIT AN RFP.
BUT THIS IS JUST TO, UM, GET A COST ANALYSIS AND, AND, AND, AND INFORMATION PUBLIC.
THE COST ANALYSIS, I'M OKAY, BUT HIRING AN RFP AND DOING ALL THAT AND GETTING OTHER ATTORNEY, WELL, FIRST, FIRST IT'S THE COST ANALYSIS.
SO, UH, FIGURING OUT WHY, UH, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHY OUR LAWYER BILLS HAVE GONE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO
I THINK A COUPLE YEARS AGO BEFORE YOUR TIME.
AND, UH, OKAY, THIS TIME STEPHANIE, AND THEN THEY SAY, UH, THEY INCREASED, UH, REQUEST AND THEY HAVE INCREASED FOR THREE, FOUR YEARS.
AND I ASK HER, IS THAT THAT LEGIT, OKAY, FOR THIS INCREASE? AND SHE SAY, YES, BECAUSE THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME FOR RETURN.
AND I SAY, OKAY, CAN YOU MAKE SURE THE CITY IS REALLY NOT OKAY, PAY OVERPAY.
THAT'S, I THINK IT'S ABOUT TWO, THREE YEARS AGO REGARDING THE ISSUE.
SO, AND ALL THE INFORMATION CAN RECEIVE FROM OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE NEED A MOTHER.
MAY I OVER HERE, SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS GUT.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UM, IS KAREN HERE, BUT I'M NOT GONNA PUT HER ON THE SPOT, BUT, UH, KAREN TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO PROVIDE FINANCIALS ANYMORE, UH, TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THAT SHE WAS INSTRUCTED THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH A CP CA, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS.
UM, AND IF KAREN WANTS TO SAY, IF I'M LYING OR NOT, FEEL FREE TO, BUT SHE WAS TOLD THAT.
SO IS THAT ACCURATE OR GO AHEAD.
UM, CITY AND AG, AGAIN, COUNCILMAN GILLO, I WANNA A CLARIFICATION.
WE USE MULTIPLE ENTITIES FOR OUR LEGAL SERVICES.
WE USE ONE FOR OUR, UM, LITIGATION THROUGH JPIA, WHICH IS A PANEL OF PROBABLY A HUNDRED ATTORNEYS THAT WE USE THERE.
UH, WE HAVE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES, OUR, UM, LABOR ATTORNEYS, THAT'S A, A LARGE FIRM THAT WE USE AS WELL, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS THERE.
WE ALSO USE SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR, UH, A NUMBER OF, UM, ITEMS. YEAH.
AND, AND THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT AT NO POINT DID WE EVER DO, WE, WE MAY HAVE A LOT OF LAWYERS ON, ON GETTING PAID, BUT AT NO POINT DID WE EVER, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, ASKING FIRST FOR A COST ANALYSIS TO BE PRESENTED TO US.
BUT, UH, AT NO POINT DID WE EVER GO FOR AN RFP FOR ALL THESE OTHER LAWYERS WE HAVE ON PAYROLL.
AND, AND I THINK TRANSPARENCY, UH, IS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL FEES.
UM, AND, AND SO I'M NOT ASKING, UH, I'M, I'M ASKING FOR A COST ANALYSIS TO BE DONE, UM, TO BRING, BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE CONSOLE.
UH, AGAIN, I DID ASK KAREN TODAY FOR SOME FINANCIALS, AND SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO WITHHOLD THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE CONSOLE.
AND THE CONS HAD TO GO THROUGH THE CPRA RECORD, UH, PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT KAREN ON THE SPOT, BUT SHE, SHE COULD TELL YOU IF I'M LYING OR NOT, BUT MA MADAM MAYOR, GO, UH, MAYOR PROTO PRACTICE, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE IDEA, I THINK THAT IT IS A GOOD THING TO LAY OUT TO THE PUBLIC WHAT COSTS ARE RELATED TO DIFFERENT THINGS.
LET'S SAY IF THERE ARE LITIGATION COSTS AND WHAT DO THOSE MATTERS PERTAIN TO, IF THERE ARE OTHER, UH, LEGAL MATTERS THAT PERTAIN, I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WAY THE, THE, THE PUBLIC CAN SEE.
SO IF THERE, IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UH, COSTS FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, LET'S SAY IF OUR LITIGATION EXPENSES GO UP, THAT WHAT IS THE, WHAT ARE THOSE EXPENSES FOR, OR IF THERE'S, UH, ANOTHER SET OF MATTERS RELATING TO LABOR OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, BUT AT LEAST, AT LEAST WE'LL BE ABLE TO THEN SEEK, UH, TRANSPARENT TRANSPARENTLY HOW MUCH DIFFERENT ITEMS, UH, OR DIFFERENT MATTERS COST, UH, THAT HAVE, HAVE BEEN COSTING THE CITY.
SO, SO THAT WAY EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
SO I'M FOR, IN SUPPORT OF WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM CONTOS HAD SAID, UM, IN REGARDS TO GIVING A PRESENTATION ON WHERE THESE FEES AND WHERE THEY GO TO, I KNOW WE DO HAVE A RETAINER FEE.
[02:40:01]
A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WANTED TO PREVENT, UM, A LOT OF RISK SPECIAL LAWSUITS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HAD DISCUSSED, WE HAD VOTED THAT, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE'VE CHANGED THINGS AROUND BEFORE, UM, THESE TWO COUNCILS HAD ARRIVED.SO I AM IN SUPPORT WITH WHAT MAYOR POT CONTOS SAYS IN A PRESENTATION OF WHERE THE, THE FEES, THE ATTORNEYS, THE COSTS, UM, THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT GOES.
SO I WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF HIS, THAT WAS MY REQUEST.
SO, BUT NOT, NOT A CON MAYOR, PRO TEM CONTOS, JUST CLARIFY MY REQUEST.
BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE AN RFP, IT WOULD BE A OKAY.
I KNOW, BUT HE CLARIFIED IT, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH HIS, HE CLARIFIED IT FOR ME.
SO IN SUPPORT OF MAYOR PRO TE CONTOS, THANK YOU.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TO WHAT HE SAID, ROLL CALL.
THAT'S THE FIRST AND SECOND I AGAINST, YOU'RE AGAINST, I WON'T SUPPORT THIS.
THIS IS LIKE ANOTHER WITCH HUNT.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE THREE, JUST THE BASIC, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AND SO I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ WITH CLARIFICATION BY MAYOR PRO CONTOS TO PROVIDE A CON A COST ANALYSIS PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, BASICALLY SEPARATING, SORRY, IS IT A COST ANALYSIS OR A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT A, A BREAKDOWN OF THE, IT'S A BREAK.
LIKE LITIGATION, UH, YES, CORRECT.
LAWSUITS HO WHERE, SO WHERE THE, UM, DIFFERENT COST, LEGAL COST GO TO, AND I HAD A SECOND BY YOU MAYOR PRO TEM.
AB SOMETHING, ACTUALLY IT WAS A SECOND BY THE MAYOR POLICY.
UH, THE REASON IS THIS, WE DON'T WANT A LAWSUIT ALSO COST MONEY, BUT WE, IT IS LIKE, UH, WE CANNOT AVOID THE PEOPLE SUING US.
OKAY? AND SO WHEN PEOPLE WANNA SUE US, THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THIS ATTORNEY, I HOPE WE CAN LIVE, DEFEND THE, UH, UTOPIA.
WE DON'T HAVE A LAWSUIT, BUT UNITED STATES A FREE COUNTRY.
PEOPLE ARE FREE TO SUE EACH OTHER.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THIS ATTORNEY AND THIS AND, UH, EVERY TIME, OKAY, WE, IN THE CODE SECTION, THIS IS ALL ABOUT LAWSUIT, OKAY? AND ALSO COSTS A LOT OF MONEY AND WE HAVE ONE CITY COUNCIL, OR WE COST SO MUCH LAWSUIT ON THIS AND THAT.
SO IN THAT WAY, AND THIS SOUND LIKE A RETALIATION TALKING ABOUT IT, OKAY.
ABOUT THIS, OKAY, DON'T IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
I'M TALKING, YOU DON'T INTERRUPT.
SO IN THAT WAY IT SOUND LIKE A RETALIATION.
IT SOUND LIKE THIS IS A WITCH HUNT.
SO THIS IS JUST NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS.
YOU CAN DO THE PUBLIC RECORD AND GET ALL THE NUMBER, OKAY.
AND IT SHOWS TO US, THEY SAY, THIS IS WRONG, THIS IS WRONG.
RATHER THAN PUT SOMEBODY, SOME PEOPLE ON THE SPOT, LIKE SOMEBODY DOING THE CORRUPTION, THE TYPICAL, THE, AGAIN, THE SAME ISSUE.
SO I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PAST AS WELL THAT, UH, I, I HAD REQUESTS, I HAD MADE A REQUEST THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, SEE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY, OH, WASTING TAXPAYERS FUNDS, WELL THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE COUNCIL HOW MUCH EACH COUNCIL HAD WASTED TAXPAYERS FUNDS.
SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE THAT IS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF LEGAL FEES.
I'D LIKE THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW WHAT THESE COSTS ARE, BECAUSE EVERY TIME SOMEBODY SUES US, WHETHER THEY WIN OR LOSE, IT COSTS THE CITY MONEY.
AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT SUE SHOULD BE OUT IN THE OPEN.
BUT OF COURSE, I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T GO IN FULL DETAILS, BUT I HAVE REQUESTED THAT SPECIFIC DETAILS IS WHAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAS ALREADY WASTED AND COST CITY TAXPAYERS FUNDS.
SO THAT WOULD BE UNDER THIS UMBRELLA AS WELL, UNDER THIS WHOLE UMBRELLA BECAUSE A COUNCIL MEMBER CAN COST THE CITY MONEY AND NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS, THE EMPLOYEES, UH, THE RESIDENTS.
SO THAT IS WHAT I'D LIKE THAT WHOLE UMBRELLA OF JUST TO SEE WHERE THINGS GO, WHAT IT COSTS.
UM, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE AGREEING TO.
UH, FURTHER IN ALL THAT, I KNOW WE HAVE OUR INTERNAL THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING, UH, AND WHETHER IT'S A WITCH HUNT OR DOING ANY OF THAT, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH JUST THE BASIC OF WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM CANTO SAID.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO, UH, AN ARGUMENT, UH, WITH MAYOR RU, BUT WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COSTS, WOW.
I THINK WHITHORN ARE FORMER FIRE CHIEF JUST WON A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT.
SO MAYOR, IF I MAY PLEASE TAKE A VOTE.
COUNT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WU, BEFORE I SAY NO, I SAY
AND THE PERJURY HIMSELF 49 TIMES, THAT'S
[02:45:01]
WHAT THE REASON WE LOST.BUT INSURANCE PAY FOR THE REST, NOT US.
ANY OF, UH, PEOPLE WANT TO SUE US.
SO, SO, AND THE CITY, WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO SPEND MONEY TO HIRE CITY ATTORNEY OR EVEN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY.
THIS'S ALL WASTE OF MONEY, ALL EXTRA CHARGE.
UH, WE HOPE WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON THE LEGALITY OR LEGAL ISSUE AND THIS AND THAT.
HOPEFULLY IT'S ALSO MONEY CAN GO TO THE POLICE AND FIRE.
SO IT'S NO COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, NO MAYOR PROAM CONTOS.
AND MAKE SURE IT'S ONLY THAT NOTHING FURTHER BEING BLOWN UP TO PROPORTION.
UM, ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL REQUEST, UH, ONTO CITY? OH, DO YOU HAVE NO.
[CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS.WILL BE THAT MUCH LIKE TO NOTE.
I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE HAVE A MAGNIFICENT LUNAR NEW YEAR.
TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF A LUNAR NEW YEAR, AND I'M SITTING OVER HERE ARGUING.
OKAY? NORMALLY, THE, THE NEW, NEW NEW YEAR, THE FIRST DAY, THE YEAR OF THE HORSE, YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY AND, UH, EATING FOOD WITH YOUR FAMILY.
AND I SAID OVER HERE, SACRIFICE MYSELF TO DONATE MY TIME TO IMPROVE OUR CITY.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH TO WITH ME.
I WANT WISH EVERYONE HAVE A MAGNIFICENT NEW NEW YEAR, BUT MOST IMPORTANT THING, HEALTH, GOOD HEALTH, OKAY? NOT NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GOOD HEALTH.
NO HEALTH, EVERYTHING IS JUST NONSENSE.
AND THE SECOND THING, HAPPINESS.
WISH YOU ALL HAPPINESS OF THE CEO OF THE HORSE.
AND NUMBER THREE, PROSPERITY OR PROSPERITY BRING YOU ALL THE GOOD LUCK.
OKAY? SO I WANNA WISH EVERYBODY A MAGNIFICENT, THE E OF THE HORSE, OKAY? AND, AND THEN GOCHI
AND I ALSO WANNA WISH, UH, EVERYONE CELEBRATING, UH, A VERY HAPPY, UH, LUNAR NEW NEW YEAR AS WELL.
ANYBODY ELSE? OH, AND YES, HAPPY LUNAR YEAR.
SO YEEHAW, UH, RIDE ON HOME SAFELY,