[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
ALL RIGHT.WELCOME TO OUR APRIL 21ST, 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 CUMMINS.
UH, BEFORE THE ORAL COMMUNICATION SPEAKER CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION HAS STARTED.
UH, TONIGHT'S INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR ALEX HONG FROM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH OF WEST COVINA, AND ROMAN RIVERA FROM SIERRA VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WE THANK YOU FOR GIVING US RULERS IN CITY OFFICIALS WHO GOVERN WELL SO THAT WE MAY LIVE PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIVES.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY PEOPLE REPRESENTED HERE WHO CONDUCT BUSINESS ON OUR BEHALF, SO THAT WE ARE FREE TO LOVE YOU AND LOVE.
NEIGHBOR LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR BLESSING ON OUR CIVIL SERVANTS, FROM OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, TO OUR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THEM AND GIVE THEM WISDOM FROM ABOVE TO GOVERN JUSTLY IN YOUR SIGHT AND IN THE FAVOR OF MEN.
YOUR WORD ALSO TELLS US THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A CITY AND A NATION, BUT SIN IS A APPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE.
SO WE PRAY THAT OUR LEADERS WOULD CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN THE FEAR OF GOD, INTEGRITY OF HEART AND SPEECH, AND TO SEEK TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THEY GOVERN WITH HUMILITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.
LORD, WE ALSO PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF WES COVINO.
WE'LL BE SUBJECT AND RESPECTFUL TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES, KNOWING THAT BY YOUR HAND, YOU HAVE ORDAINED OFFICIALS AND RULERS TO PROTECT AND SERVE THOSE UNDER THEM, KNOWING THAT OUR OFFICIALS ARE GOD'S SERVANTS TO CORRECT THE WRONGDOER AND CAUSE FLOURISHING FOR THOSE UNDER THEIR CARE.
AND LORD, WE PRAY FOR THE PROTECTION AND PEACE OF OUR CITY, SO THAT YOUR PEOPLE WILL REFLECT THE PEACE OF AN HEAVILY CITY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
WE THANK YOU FOR OUR GRACIOUS SAVIOR WHO SHED HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS AND ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD TO PROCLAIM PEACE TO ALL AND BRING PEACE FOR THOSE WHO LONG AND YEARN FOR PEACE.
THANK YOU LORD, FOR PROVIDING OUR DAILY BREAD THROUGH THE MANY PEOPLE WHO SERVE AS AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR GRACE AND PROVISION FOR OUR LIVES.
THANK YOU FOR THE MANY HANDS AND LIVES WHO SERVE SO FAITHFULLY, SO THAT WE CAN LOVE AND ADORE YOU BY THE POWER OF YOUR SPIRIT.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS GATHERING WITH YOUR GRACE, KNOWING THAT THE PLANS OF THE HEART BELONG TO MAN, BUT THE ANSWER OF THE TONGUE IS FROM THE LORD, FOR FROM YOU AND THROUGH YOU, AND TO YOU BELONG.
ALL THINGS TO YOU BELONG THE GLORY FOREVER.
THIS IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
AGAIN, I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ HERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? NOTHING.
[PRESENTATIONS]
PRESENTATIONS, TESTING.SO THE FIRST PRESENTATION, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE PASTOR ALEX HONG TO THE FRONT WHO LED US IN THE INVOCATION.
SO, CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH BEGAN AS A HOME BIBLE STUDY IN WEST COVINA AND ROLAND HEIGHTS IN 1985.
THEY HELD THEIR FIRST WORSHIP SERVICE ON APRIL 6TH, 1986, AND THEY ARE NOW CELEBRATING THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY TO THAT FORTIES? GOOD NUMBER? YES.
UH, 15 YEARS AGO, WE WERE HERE, UH, APPLYING FOR A RELIGIOUS, UH, UH, PERMIT, AND WE GOT OUR BUILDING.
AND IT IS JUST A, UM, A CIRCLE MOMENT THAT WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE 40 YEARS.
WE LOVE PREACHING THROUGH BOOKS OF THE BIBLE, AND OUR MISSION IS TO LEAD PEOPLE TO KNOW CHRIST AND GROW PEOPLE TO BE LIKE CHRIST.
AND WE WELCOME YOU TO WORSHIP WITH US EVERY SUNDAY AT 10 30.
AND, UH, IT'S A SMALL FAMILY CHURCH, AND, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A JOY.
ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS OF MY LIFE.
AND I ACTUALLY BECAME A CHRISTIAN THERE, UH, THROUGH A HOME BIBLE STUDY 21 YEARS AGO, AND I'M NOW ONE OF THE PASTORS THERE.
[00:05:01]
THANK YOU.AND WE HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU, UH, FOR OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.
WE GOT SOME SWAG, SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET A TOTE BAG AND SOME BOOKS, AND AN ANNIVERSARY BOOKLET AS WELL.
FOR THOSE WHO'D LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE, FEEL FREE TO JUMP ON IN.
I KNOW SOME OF US, UH, USE THE BIBLE AS A FOUNDATION TO ALL THE ANSWERS OF HOW WE LEAD AND SO FORTH.
AND ON BEHALF OF, UH, WEST COVINA, WE'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH ON THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.
NEXT, WE HAVE CERTIFICATES HONORING SIERRA VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE LONE HILL MATH COMPETITION.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE ADMINISTRATORS FROM SIERRA VISTA TO COME UP TO THE FRONT.
SIERRA VISTA PARTICIPATED IN THE LONE HILL MATH COMPETITION, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE OUR MATH LEADS FOR THEIR AWESOME PERFORMANCE.
A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MRS. MEG, WHO STEPPED UP AS A COACH AND JUMPED RIGHT IN SEVENTH GRADERS.
UH, SEVENTH GRADERS TOOK THIRD PLACE OVERALL, AND THE SIXTH GRADERS BROUGHT HOME FIRST PLACE.
SPECIAL CONG, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO MARTIN LIANG FOR EARNING FIRST PLACE OVERALL IN THE SIXTH GRADE DIVISION.
KEPT GOING THIS PAST WEEKEND AT THE L-A-C-O-E ANNUAL MATH FIELD DAY, WHERE OUR FALCONS COMPETED AGAINST MORE THAN 700 STUDENTS FROM OVER 25 MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
I'M SO PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS AND GRATEFUL FOR THE STAFF WHO SUPPORT THEM.
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT YEAR.
WE WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE ANNOUNCE ALL THE CHILDREN.
IT'S MY FIRST YEAR AT SIERRA VISTA, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THESE STUDENTS AND, AND THESE ATHLETES THAT REPRESENT EVERYTHING IT IT MEANS TO BE, TO BE A FALCON.
AND KIND OF LIKE YOUR SPEECH SAID, UH, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY DO NEXT, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GONNA ACCOMPLISH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE.
I'D LIKE, WE'RE GONNA BE BRING UP THESE AMAZING MATH LEADS UP.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, FIRST CALL UP EVER.
MELISSA'S ALSO AT, OKAY, LET ME KNOW WHO'S HERE.
COLEMAN IS COLEMAN SCOTT, COME ON UP.
AND THE ONE WHO LED US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
CAN YOU STAY UP HERE PLEASE? MATTHEW SALAZAR.
SO STUDENTS, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? IS MATH EASY, HARD? I KNOW MATH IS EVERYWHERE.
MATH IS, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING WRONG OR MY, I DON'T KNOW.
FIRST PLACE WINNER, BUT, UH, ONCE YOU LEARN HOW TO DO IT, IT BECOMES KIND OF EASY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TOUCH TODAY? WE JUST WANNA THANK, UM, THE COUNCIL, UH, THE BOARD FROM, UH, BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR HONORING THESE STUDENTS AND FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
AND I LOVE THAT QUOTE, MATH IS LIFE.
WE ALWAYS COUNTING THE NUMBERS EVERY YEAR.
[00:10:12]
THANK YOU.ONTO TASTE OF WEST COVINA PRESENTATION, RECOGNIZING BJ'S RESTAURANT.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE RYAN LOPEZ TO THE FRONT.
THE BEAUTY OF THESE TASTE WEST COVINA.
YOU GET TO SEE THE OWNERS, EVERYONE.
HEY, THAT'S AWESOME TO SEE THE ONE WHO'S BEHIND THE SCENES.
SO, DO WE HAVE RYAN RIGHT THERE? OKAY, COME ON IN.
SO, BJ RESTAURANT AND BREWHOUSE IN WEST COVINA IS SERVING UP A MENU FULL OF FAVORITES FROM DEEP DISH PIZZAS AND HANDCRAFTED BURGERS TO FRESH SALADS AND THEIR SIGNATURE PKIS THAT EVERYONE LOVES.
WHETHER IT'S CASUAL LUNCH, FAMILY DINNER, OR A NIGHT OUT WITH FRIENDS.
BJ'S IS THE GO-TO DESTINATION FOR GREAT FOOD AND A WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE.
STOP BY AND TREAT YOURSELF TODAY.
SO STARTING TODAY AND RUNNING UNTIL MAY 15TH, BJ'S RESTAURANT WILL OFFER CUSTOMERS 10% OFF OF THEIR ORDER.
SIMPLY MENTION TASTE OF WEST COVINA ON YOUR VISIT.
SO, RYAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BJ'S RESTAURANT? GOOD.
SO RYAN COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
UM, WE JUST WANNA THANK OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY OF WEST COVINA FOR THIS REALLY GREAT RECOGNITION.
UM, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY PROUD AND, UH, LOVE WHAT WE DO AND WHO WE ARE.
UM, WE EMPLOY ABOUT 150 TEAM MEMBERS, ROUGHLY, UM, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE
SO ANYONE RECRUITING, SO ANYONE INTERESTED, PLEASE COME ON BY.
OR IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT WOULD LOVE TO SEND THEM OUR WAY.
UM, EMMY, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS BEEN WITH THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION FOR 26 YEARS.
SO SINCE, SINCE THAT LOCATION OPENED, UH, WE ALWAYS JOKE THAT SHE CAME WITH THE BUILDING.
THAT'S THE FAR WE WANTED, THOUGH.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, SOMEONE AS TENURED AS EMMY, UM, NOT AS TENURED AS EMMY, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE COME AND ON.
BUT JUST LIKE HER, YOU KNOW, WE ADORE EVERYONE THAT COMES TO AND FROM.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE SO HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL FOR THIS LOVELY RECOGNITION.
WHAT TIME DO YOU CLOSE? UM, OUR HOURS ARE EVERY DAY, 11 TO MIDNIGHT.
UM, AND ON CERTAIN HOLIDAYS, LIKE MOTHER'S DAY, FATHER'S DAY, WE DO OPEN AT 10.
UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THOSE, THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, OR YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL US OR SEND US AN EMAIL.
THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES AFTER A COUNCIL MEETING WE'LL BE THERE.
'CAUSE THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PLACES CLOSED, SUPER LATE.
SO, ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA, WE'D LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
FOR THE TASTE OF WEST COVINA, BJ'S RESTAURANT.
YOU CAN COME TONIGHT AND ENJOY THEIR FOOD.
THE BIZO, THE, THE COOKIES, I CAN'T SAY ZUKI.
SO DESSERT RIGHT AFTER YOUR MEAL.
SO COME ENJOY THEIR BJ'S RESTAURANT.
SO GO AND VISIT AND MENTION A SAY WHAT TASTE OF WEST COVINA.
RIGHT HERE, BEGINNING NEXT, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE, RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE NATALIA LDI TO THE FRONT.
SO TONIGHT WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK, A TIME DEDICATED TO HONORING THE WOMEN AND MEN WHO SERVE AS A CRITICAL FIRST POINT OF CONTACT DURING EMERGENCIES.
THESE PROFESSIONALS ARE DISPATCHERS AND CALL TAKERS PROVIDE CALM, SKILLED, AND COMPASSIONATE SUPPORT.
WITH, WITH OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS IT THE MOST.
THEY ARE THE STEADY VOICES BEHIND EVERY 9 1 1 CALL, GATHERING ESSENTIAL INFORMATION, COORDINATING POLICE, FIRE, AND MEDICAL RESPONSES,
[00:15:01]
AND HELPING ENSURE THE SAFETY OF BOTH OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.THE WORK IS OFTEN UNSEEN, BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY VITAL.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, UH, CITY COUNCIL, WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS FOR THE PROFESSIONALISM, DEDICATION, AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THE CITY'S PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK 2026.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO HEAR, WELL, HERE'S A VOICE THAT YOU HEAR AND SAY A FEW THINGS.
I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UM, I KNOW A FEW COUNCILS AGO THEY SHARED A STORY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE LOSING I, I BELIEVE THEIR BIKE OR A WHEELCHAIR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY COLLABORATED AND THEY SENT THAT OVER.
UM, I WOULD COME AND VISIT AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S A CHILD THAT CALLS HOME ALONE AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'S REASSURING THEM, AND IT'S AMAZING.
AND THE PRESSURE THAT THEY GET, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE EVERYTHING.
SO, I DO APPRECIATE YOU, BUT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL.
WE FIRST WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
WE DO APPRECIATE THIS RECOGNITION.
WE ARE NEVER SEEN, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS HEARD WE'RE THERE FOR THE PUBLIC AND TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING PATIENT WITH US.
I KNOW SOMETIMES WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S ONLY JUST TO KEEP YOU SAFE.
THE OFFICERS SAFE IN THE FIELD.
UM, THESE DISPATCHERS WORK VERY, VERY HARD.
THEY WORK 12 AND A HALF PLUS HOUR SHIFTS THREE DAYS A WEEK OR MORE IF THEY'RE MANDATED TO DO SO.
I KNOW THAT THEY, THEY REALLY LOVE AND ARE PASSIONATE FOR WHAT THEY DO.
AND WE JUST WANNA, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
I KNOW I SAW TWO OF THEIR DISPATCHERS WALKING BEFORE OUR CLOSED SESSION, AND I'M LIKE, ARE YOU JOINING US? THEY'RE LIKE, NO, WE HAVE TO GO AND WORK.
SO THEY'RE WORKING FROM SIX A, UH, 6:00 PM TO 6:00 AM MAKING SURE THEY'RE WATCHING US
SO, UH, THIS PROCLAMATION I JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS, WHEREAS EMERGENCIES THAT REQUIRE POLICE, FIRE, EMERGENCY, MEDICAL SERVICE CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHEREAS AN EMERGENCY OCCURS.
THE PROMPT RESPONSE OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS IS CRITICAL TO THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY.
AND WHEREAS THE SAFETY OF THE POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS IS DEPENDENT ON THE QUALITY AND ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CITIZENS WHO CONTACT THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
EMERGENCY AND COMMUNICATION CENTER, AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE FIRST AND MOST CRITICAL CONTACT OUR CITIZENS HAVE WITH EMERGENCY SERVICE.
PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE SINGLE VITAL LINK FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND PARAMEDICS BY MONITORING THEIR ACTIVITIES, BY RADIO, PROVIDING THEM INFORMATION AND ENSURING THEIR SAFETY.
PUBLIC SAFETY, TELECOMMUNICATORS OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA HAVE CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS, SUPPRESSION OF FIRES AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS.
EACH DISPATCH HAS EXHIBITED COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, AND PROFESSIONALISM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR JOB IN THIS PAST YEAR.
AND THESE ARE ALL WOMEN, RIGHT IN THERE.
SO THIS IS AMAZING AND THEY RUN THE WORLD.
SO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ACCEPTING THE PROCLAMATION.
MAYOR, YOU WANT TO LET CHIEF SAY SOMETHING? YEAH, I THINK HE'D PORT
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE AND EX EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE AMAZING WORK, UH, OUR DISPATCH TEAM DOES.
AND LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, UM, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY CALLS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE DISPATCH TEAM IS THE FIRST VOICE THAT IS HEARD.
AND WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE CALLING WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION TO A TREMENDOUSLY HUGE CRISIS OCCURRING WITHIN THEIR LIFE, UM, THESE GIRLS ARE ALWAYS THERE WITH PROFESSIONALISM, WITH COMPASSION, WITH EMPATHY, AND WITH AN OVERARCHING DESIRE.
IT'S JUST TO ENSURE THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE SAFE AND THAT ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE SAFE.
AND WE COULD NOT DO OUR JOB AS POLICE OFFICERS WITHOUT OUR DISPATCHERS.
AND, UH, WE KNOW THEY WERE HERE 24 7 HOLIDAYS.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT NEVER, NEVER CLOSES IN DISPATCH.
AND I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
AND ON BEHALF OF ALL THE COMMAND STAFF, WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE, RECOGNIZING ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF MIKE BROWN.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE HIM UP TO THE STAND.
SO THE CITY OF WEST COVINA EXTENDS
[00:20:01]
ITS SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY.AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE DO HAVE A NEW FIRE CHIEF ON BOARD, AND HE HAD TO FILL IN DURING ALL THOSE TIMES AND HE DID AN AMAZING JOB.
AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT HAD THE CONFIDENCE IN ME TO TAKE ON THIS JOB.
I THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THEY GAVE ME WHILE I WAS IN THE POSITION.
I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT CITY STAFF.
MY, UH, FELLOW BROTHERS IN THE FIRE SERVICE, UM, CITY STAFF, SHERRY, EVERYBODY IN THE OFFICE.
UM, BUT MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE.
UM, SHE WAS ON THIS JOURNEY WITH ME, UH, COULDN'T HAVE DONE HER WITHOUT IT.
UM, SHE'S GONNA HATE THAT I'M RECOGNIZING HER, BUT BEHIND, NO, SHE'S NOT.
OH, SHE'S WATCHING, SHE'S WATCHING
SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY AND WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT I GOT, UH, WHILE IN THIS ROLE IN THE ACTING ROLE, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE IT BACK TO THE FLOOR AND IT'S JUST GONNA MAKE ME THAT MUCH BETTER IN MY CURRENT ROLE.
I JUST, SO MIKE BROWN IS AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING AS WELL.
HE IS SO MUCH FOR WEST COVINA.
MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, UH, WE USED TO PLAY AS, UH, IF IT STILL EXISTS, THE GAME CANDY CRUSH.
AND I USED TO PLAY AND I WOULD SEE THIS LITTLE PERSON COME IN AND LIKE WE'D, HE WOULD BEAT ME AND THEN I'LL COME OVER.
SO IT WAS JUST, THERE'S LIKE FUN IN GAMES TOO.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND ON, ON BEHALF OF CITY OF WEST COVINA, WE JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
SO, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR ONE LEGACY SAVING LIVES THROUGH ORGAN EYE AND TISSUE DONATION.
AND I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND BRING YOU UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE, UH, PROCLAMATION FIRST BEFORE SHE, UH, CONTINUES ON.
SO APRIL, 2026, IT'S DMV DONATE LIFE WHERE ORGAN EYE, TISSUE MARROW AND BLOOD DONATION ARE LIFE GIVING ACTS RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE AS EXPRESSIONS OF COMPASSION TO THOSE IN NEED.
MORE THAN 103,000 INDIVIDUALS NATIONWIDE AND MORE THAN 23,000 IN CALIFORNIA ARE CURRENTLY IN THE NATIONAL ORGAN TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST.
AND AN AVERAGE 17 PEOPLE DIE EACH DAY WHILE WAITING.
THE NEED FOR DONATED ORGANS IS ESPECIALLY URGENT IN HISPANIC, LATINO AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.
A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL'S DONATION OF THE HEART, LUNGS, LIVER, KIDNEYS, PANCREAS, AND SMALL INTESTINES CAN SAVE UP TO EIGHT LIVES.
DONATION OF TISSUE CAN SAVE AND HEAL THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 75 OTHERS.
ORGAN DONORS SAVED MORE THAN 40 16 LIVES, 46,000 LIVES LAST YEAR.
ANY PERSON CAN REGISTER TO BE AN ORGAN EYE TISSUE DONOR REGARDLESS OF AGE OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
BEING A REGISTERED DONOR DOES NOT IMPACT THE QUALITY OF LIFE SAVING MEDICAL CARE OR A A PERSON RECEIVES IN AN EMERGENCY.
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS CAN SIGN UP WITH A DONATE LIFE CALIFORNIA DONOR REGISTRY ONLINE AT ANY TIME BY VISITING WWW.DONATELIFECALIFORNIA.ORG.
OR FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS, WWW DONE VIDA CALIFORNIA.ORG.
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS CAN SIGN UP TO BE AN ORGAN EYE TISSUE DONOR WHEN APPLYING FOR OR RENEWING THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ID CARDS IN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES CALIFORNIA.
RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN SAVING A LIFE THROUGH LIVING KIDNEY DONATION MAY VISIT WWW LIVING DONATION CALIFORNIA.ORG.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY ENTIRE COUNCIL, WE HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL, 2026 AS DMV DONATE LIFE MONTH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US AND I GET TO COME BACK HERE EVERY YEAR.
UM, I WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE FEW THINGS THAT I JUST LEARNED THIS YEAR THAT THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO SIGN UP.
AND I KNOW, UM, MR. CONTOS WAS ASKING ME, HOW IS WEST COVINA DOING? SO I DRILLED AND I DRILLED, AND ONE LEGACY FINALLY CAME UP WITH SOME NUMBERS SAYING THAT
[00:25:01]
IN THE DMV HERE IN TOWN LAST YEAR, IT'S ABOUT 18% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS SIGN UP TO BE REGISTERED DONORS.SO OF COURSE, THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT,
BUT THERE'S OTHER, THERE'S TWO OTHER NEW WAYS TO SIGN UP THAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS YEAR WHO FILES AN INCOME TAX RETURN WITH CALIFORNIA.
DID YOU NOTICE AT THE END, BEFORE YOU SIGN OFF ON YOUR NAME, THERE'S A QUESTION THERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DONATE AND WOULD YOU BE REGISTERED DONOR? SO THEY HAVE NOW GONE IN COLLISION WITH SACRAMENTO AND THE, THE DATABASES, AND SINCE YOU'RE ASKING, YOU KNOW, FOR A REFUND, LET'S SAY, OR WHATEVER, AND THEY ASK FOR YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, I GUESS THAT'S HOW THEY MATCH IT.
AND YOU, YOU PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE WAS ONE MORE THING THAT I FOUND OUT IT WAS, UH, THE EPIC CHART THAT IS IN THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. IT'S A SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT CONTAINS ALL YOUR RECORDS.
YOU'RE ALLOWED TO UPLOAD YOUR ADVANCED DIRECTIVES THERE.
AND THAT INFORMATION ALSO CAN GO INTO THE NATIONAL REGISTRY.
SO THAT WAS, THAT HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR ANOTHER 130,000 PEOPLE SIGNING UP IN THE LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S NEW AND EXCITING FOR US.
AND I'M HERE BECAUSE SOMEBODY DONATED A HEART TO ME FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
I'VE TOLD MY STORY BEFORE TO THE TOWN, BUT I WANNA SHARE MY TIME WITH FIAN, WHO IS A STAFFER FROM ONE LEGACY FOR CIVICS OUTREACH.
I HANDLE COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
UM, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL FOR HONORING OUR MISSION AND, UH, PLATFORMING OUR AMBASSADORS LIKE SUSAN HERE, WHOSE LIVES WAS SAVED THROUGH ORGANIZED TISSUE DONATION AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN VALINDA.
SO WEST COVINA WAS MY FIRST EVER IMPRESSION OF A CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS MISSION AND TO ENSURE THAT, UM, YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, DISPEL ANY MYTHS.
'CAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, ORGAN DONATION'S A HEAVY TOPIC FOR ANYBODY.
UM, REGARDLESS OF YOUR ETHNIC IDENTITY, YOUR PERSONAL IDENTITY, IT'S A VERY HEAVY TOPIC.
SO WE'RE HERE TO ALWAYS, UM, MAKE SURE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDLESS OF, UM, ANY FEARS THAT ONE MUST HAVE.
SO WE VERY MUCH, AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, AND WE INVITE Y'ALL TO, UM, VISIT OUR FACILITY, UM, IF THE TIME EVER COMES.
SO YOU GUYS CAN ALSO TAKE A TOUR AND AS OUR ELECTED LEADERS, UH, BE ABLE TO BRING BACK KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION ABOUT ORGAN ORGANIZED TISSUE DONATIONS SO THE, UH, CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA CAN FEEL MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT SAYING YES TO BECOMING AN ORGAN DONOR.
SATURDAY IS OUR RUN WALK AZU AT PACIFIC COLLEGE EARLY IN THE MORNING, WHOEVER'S ATHLETIC AND WOULD LIKE TO COME, IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK, UM, MR. CONTOS ALSO FOR COMING TO THE FIRST LOOK AT THE ROSE PARADE FLOATS AND SO FORTH.
HE'S BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL THIS PAST YEAR HELPING US OUT AND GETTING OUR AD INTO YOUR NEWSLETTER IN TIME FOR THE RUN WALK AND SO FORTH.
AND WE, UH, ABBIE AND I WERE AT THE OCTOBER CAR FEST, UM, HALLOWEEN EVENT.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT NEXT YEAR.
AND I GUESS WE'LL BE AT BOBA FEST, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO TALK TO THE RESIDENTS, SO COME ON OUT.
SO ON YOUR DMV, GO AHEAD AND YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS TO DONATE, OF COURSE.
I MEAN, AND, UM, JUST REMEMBER, YOU'RE ALSO SAVING SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE SO THAT OREGON CONTINUES ON.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH ON BEHALF OF CITY OF WEST COVINA, WE THANK YOU AND WE APPRECIATE EVEN THE STORIES THAT WE'VE HEARD IN THE PAST WHEN THEY CAME OUT TO AND THOSE THAT THEY SAVED.
SO UP NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE DISTRICT MANAGER, JASON FERNANDO, TO THE FRONT.
SO WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE MIC HERE AND I'LL RETURN TO MY DESK.
THANK YOU, UH, MADAM MAYOR AND, AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME.
I ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ AS SHE SITS ON OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
UM, YES, PRE WE'RE GETTING IT.
ALRIGHT, WELL THAT'S COMING UP.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
MY NAME IS JASON FARNET, I'M THE DISTRICT MANAGER FOR THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT.
AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR DISTRICT AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND TO SERVE WEST COVINA COMMUNITY.
THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT, OR SGV MOSQUITO FOR SHORT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY CREATED UNDER THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.
AND OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM
[00:30:01]
MOSQUITOES AND OTHER VECTORS THAT CAN SPREAD DISEASE.WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT, MEANING WE ARE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY CREATED BY AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
FORMED IN 1989 IN RESPONSE TO ST.
OUR WORK HAS EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER TIME, AND TODAY WE PROVIDE SPECIALIZED SURVEILLANCE, PREVENTION AND CONTROL SERVICES TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DISEASES LIKE WEST NILE VIRUS AND DENGUE FEVER.
WE SERVE 26 CITIES, THAT'S ABOUT 1.5 MILLION RESIDENTS.
AND WEST COVINA IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SERVICE AREA.
WHAT WE DO IS OFTEN BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT IT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS EVERY DAY.
WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT MOSQUITOES, THEY THINK ABOUT NUISANCE.
BUT FOR US, MOSQUITOES ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
THEY CAN TRANSMIT DISEASES LIKE WEST NILE VIRUS AS WELL AS ST.
LOUIS AND ENCEPHALITIS AND INCREASINGLY DENGUE FEVER, WHICH IS NOW BEING TRANSMITTED LOCALLY HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A CLEAR SHIFT IN THE LANDSCAPE OF VECTOR CONTROL.
THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE MOSQUITO SPECIES LIKE EIGHTIES EGYPT DIE COMBINED WITH EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS HAS MADE MOSQUITO CONTROL MORE COMPLEX AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
AND SO WHILE, UH, WE'RE ALSO FACING EMERGING DISEASES THAT CALIFORNIA HAS NOT HISTORICALLY HAD TO DEAL WITH AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
AND SO OUR ROLE IS TO STAY AHEAD OF THAT RISK.
AND, ALRIGHT, I HAVE SOME SLIDES HERE.
THEY SHOULD BE COMING UP SHORTLY.
MOSQUITOES ARE WORSE THAN THIS.
SO THEY'RE PULLING UP THE SLIDES WHILE HE IS WAITING FOR THE SLIDE.
I GUESS IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, IS THERE A CERTAIN BLOOD TYPE THAT MOSQUITOES TEND TO LIKE? BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES, LIKE I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO NEVER GET BITTEN AND I'M IN THE SAME AREA AND THEN OTHERS GET BITTEN LIKE CRAZY.
YEAH, AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON QUESTION THAT I GET.
AND THERE'S NO DEFINITIVE EDIT EVIDENCE RIGHT NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES ABOUT BLOOD TYPE AND DIET AND, UM, UM, SWEAT, SWEAT, SWEAT AND ACTIVITIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU DO.
AND SO THERE, THERE'S NOTHING DEFINITIVE OF WHY SOME PEOPLE GET BITTEN MORE, MORE THAN OTHERS.
LET'S GO TO SLIDE NUMBER FIVE.
SO, UM, WHAT WE DO, UH, IS THROUGH, UM, A SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH KNOWN AS INTEGRATED VECTOR MANAGEMENT.
IT'S HOW WE WE MANAGE MOSQUITOES AND THAT COMBINES SURVEILLANCE, PREVENTION, AND TARGETED CONTROL AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND SO, AT THE CORE OF OUR, OUR EFFORT AT THE CORE OF OUR EFFORT IS OUR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM.
OUR FIELD SPECIALISTS AND ENTOMOLOGISTS MONITOR MOSQUITO POPULATIONS YEAR ROUND TEST FOR DISEASE AND TRACK TRENDS.
AND THAT DATA ALLOWS US TO TARGET OUR EFFORTS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED MOST.
OUR OPERATIONS TEAM USES THAT INFORMATION TO PROACTIVELY MANAGE MOSQUITO HABITAT ACROSS THE REGION, INCLUDING PUBLIC SPACES, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, STORM DRAIN SYSTEMS, NATURAL AREAS LIKE THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER AND NON-FUNCTIONAL SWIMMING POOLS.
AND BEHIND THE SCENES WE MANAGE THOUSANDS OF ROUTINE MOSQUITO SITES USING A SYSTEM THAT HELPS US PRIORITIZE WORK AND RESPOND QUICKLY WHEN CONDITIONS CHANGE.
AT THE HEART OF OUR PROGRAM IS OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, WHICH USES EDUCATION OUTREACH AS A CORE PUBLIC HEALTH TOOL, WE KEEP RESIDENTS INFORMED THROUGH COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, TOWN HALLS, AND AS STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE.
OUR OUTREACH TEAM WORKS DIRECTLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS CONDUCTING DOOR TO DOOR EDUCATION, ATTENDING DEFENSE AND, AND LEADING SEASONAL CAMPAIGNS.
AND OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM LED BY CREDENTIALED TEACHERS BRINGS THIS WORK INTO CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE REGION.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY, INFORMED COMMUNITIES ARE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
AT ITS CORE, OUR PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT DISEASE RISK BEFORE IT STARTS NEXT SLIDE.
BUT AS CONDITIONS CHANGE, EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND INVASIVE MOSQUITO SPECIES MEAN THAT WE MUST BE PROACTIVE AND PREPARED TO RESPOND WHEN CONDITIONS SHIFT.
AND THAT INCLUDES RESPONDING TO DISEASE, OUTBREAKS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS LIKE THE EATEN FIRE THAT CAN SUDDENLY CREATE MOSQUITO HABITAT AND INCREASE RISK.
SO, MOSQUITO CONTROL IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT CAN BE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED OR SIMPLY SPRAYED AWAY WITH PESTICIDE.
IT REQUIRES ONGOING COMMITMENT FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND TO SUPPORT THAT, WE PROVIDE SERVICES LIKE A TIP LINE FOR REPORTING MOSQUITO ACTIVITY AND STANDING WATER FREE PROPERTY CONSULTATIONS WITH CUSTOMIZED MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT PLANS, MOSQUITO FISH FOR PONDS AND NON-FUNCTIONAL POOLS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS,
[00:35:01]
AND REAL-TIME ALERTS TO KEEP RESIDENTS INFORMED BEYOND OUR WORK.I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW INITIATIVES.
FIRST IS THE LOCAL DENGUE TRANSMISSION.
IN 2023, CALIFORNIA SAW ITS FIRST LOCALLY TRANSMITTED CASE.
AND IN 2024, LOS ANGELES COUNTY EXPERIENCED ITS FIRST DENGUE OUTBREAK.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD PREPARED FOR WORKING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERS.
WE ACTED QUICKLY TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FURTHER TRANSMISSION.
AND THAT WORK CONTINUES TODAY THROUGH ENHANCED SURVEILLANCE, OUTREACH AND CONTROL.
ANOTHER MAJOR EFFORT IS OUR RESPONSE TO THE EATON FIRE.
A YEAR AGO, MORE THAN 1000 RESIDENTS WERE DAM UH, SORRY, 1000 SWIMMING POOLS WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED, CREATING CONDITIONS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TENS OF MILLIONS OF MOSQUITOES WITH STATE SUPPORT.
WE'VE ASSESSED AND TREATED EVERY ONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES, AND WE'LL CONTINUE PROVIDING MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT SERVICES AS THE COMMUNITY REBUILDS.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE INVESTING, INVESTING IN INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS INVASIVE MOSQUITOES LIKE EIGHTIES AEGYPTI.
ONE EXAMPLE IS A STERILE INSECT TECHNIQUE, WHICH USES STERILE MALE MOSQUITOES TO REDUCE POPULATIONS OVER TIME.
AND THIS REPRESENTS THE NEXT GENERATION OF VECTOR CONTROL, WHICH IS TARGETED, SUSTAINABLE, AND BUILT FOR CHANGES AHEAD.
OUR WORK IS ROOTED IN PREVENTION, GUIDED BY SCIENCE, AND STRENGTHENED BY PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AS THE, AS RISKS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, SO DOES OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REMAIN PROACTIVE, RESPONSIVE, AND READY TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO WE'RE PROUD TO SERVE WEST COVINA AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITIES, SHARE OUR WORK WITH YOU TONIGHT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PARTNERSHIP AND ENSURING YOUR RESIDENTS REMAIN SAFE, INFORMED, AND PROTECTED.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM MAYOR.
JASON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, RE RELATIVELY RECENTLY UNDER, UH, THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILWOMAN, UH, DIAZ, WE HAD TRAININGS HERE FOR, FOR FOLKS REGARDING, UH, MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AND SO FORTH.
HOW, HOW CAN RESIDENTS, UH, BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU, UH, TO TO HAVE THEIR OWN HOMES AND, UH, CHECKED SO THAT WAY IN ADVANCE OF WHEN SUMMER ARRIVES, THEY CAN WORK ON MAKING SURE THAT THAT MOSQUITOES DON'T MULTIPLY.
UH, I, I SUGGEST THE FIRST PLACE YOU GO IS TO OUR WEBSITE, SGV MOSQUITO.ORG.
UM, THERE YOU'LL FIND ALL SORTS OF MATERIALS AND EDUCATION ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.
UH, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CALL US AT (626) 814-9466 AND YOU CAN SCHEDULE A PROPERTY CONSULTATION.
WHILE WE'RE COME OUT AND MEET WITH THE RESIDENTS, WE'LL TOUR THEIR PROPERTY AND LOOK FOR DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE, UH, MOSQUITOES MIGHT BE BREEDING, ELIMINATE ANY SOURCES AND PROVIDE A CUSTOMIZED MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT THEY CAN WORK INTO THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT MOSQUITOES AREN'T GROWING ON THEIR PROPERTY.
ASIDE FROM THAT, WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK FOR STANDING WATER AROUND THE COMMUNITY WHERE MOSQUITOES GROW.
SO ANY POTHOLES OR PUDDLES, UH, WHERE MU WATER MIGHT BE POOLING AND WILL COME OUT AND TAKE CARE OF THAT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS PERSONAL PROTECTION, THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MOSQUITO BITES AND MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES IS TO WEAR MOSQUITO REPELLENT, UH, WITH DEET OR ONE OF THE, UH, CDC, UH, RECOMMENDED ACTIVE INGREDIENTS FOR REPELLENT.
AND WHAT ARE THE COSTS FOR RESIDENTIAL INSPECTIONS, JASON? UM, ALL OF THAT IS FREE.
SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE FUNDED THROUGH A PROPERTY ASSESSMENT THAT'S PROVIDED EVERY YEAR THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES.
AND SO ALL OF OUR SUBSEQUENT SERVICES, UH, ARE FREE.
ON THE, I'M, I'M TRYING MY BEST TO MAKE SURE MY FRONT YARD, BACKYARD, NO STANDING WATER DESIGN, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, WHEN I GET OUT, TRY TO DO THE YARD WORK, I GET BIT LIKE CRAZY.
SO, SO I HAD TO SPREAD THE, OKAY.
SO HOPEFULLY DETER THE, THE MOSQUITO COME TO ME.
BUT THE THING IS, WE, I KNOW ONCE UPON BLUE MOON, A LONG TIME AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAVE, UH, LIKE OKAY, AIRPLANE TO PUT SOME KIND OF FILM TO KILL THE, THE FLY, THE FRUIT FLY, THAT, THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK CURRENTLY IN CALIFORNIA WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO ANY KIND OF THIS POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE OR HEALTH HAS AN ISSUE, BUT INSTEAD HAVE SOME KIND OF A OKAY, BIOLOGY WILL FAIL, LIKE YOU LET GO THE MALE MOSQUITO AND THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE.
WE HAVE ANY OF THAT, THAT TECHNOLOGY.
SO THAT'S THE STER TE SET TECHNIQUE.
IT WAS, UH, USED HERE IN CALIFORNIA VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
IN FACT, IT STILL IS TO CONTROL, UH, THE, THE MEDFLY.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO USE STERILIZED MALE MOSQUITOES TO CONTROL THE POPULATION.
AND SO, UM, THAT, THAT RESEARCH IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE AROUND THE WORLD.
BUT HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SEVERAL MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICTS ARE TRYING OUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO USE STERILIZED MALE MOSQUITOES, RELEASING 'EM INTO ENVIRONMENT.
THEY MEET WITH THE MI WILD FEMALES AND THEN THE FEMALE'S EGGS ARE UNVIABLE.
AND SO WE'RE DOING A PILOT PROGRAM IN, UH, UH, BASSETT PARK THIS SUMMER, UH, KIND OF A PROOF OF CONCEPT TO SEE HOW IT WORKS, HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE MORE
[00:40:01]
INFORMATION, WE CAN SEE IF THIS IS A VIABLE TOOL FOR OUR TOOLBOX.UM, AND AS SOON IF WE FIND THAT IT IS, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, RELEASE IT MORE BROADLY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
SO, SO YOU'RE STARTING TO RELEASE ALL THOSE POTENTIAL OKAY.
MALES MOSQUITO TO GO TO OUR COMMUNITY AND I, I WILL BE VOLUNTEER, HELP YOU TO GIMME A BUNCH OF, UM, OH, WE'LL PUT YOU ON THE LIST.
I GIVE YOU, I'M TEXT YOU MY ADDRESS.
YEAH, SO, SO HOPEFULLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE E EVEN I KILL THE MOSQUITO IN MY YARD, BUT MY NEIGHBOR OKAY.
THIS, AND THEY CAN FLY AROUND.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN USE THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.
AND THAT'S KIND OF HARMFUL FOR THE AIR, FOR THE PAD, FOR THE HUMAN, BUT SO HOPEFULLY WITH THAT MEL ISSUE TO CANNOT REPRODUCE FOR THE FEMALE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SUCK ON YOUR BLOOD TO REPRODUCE.
SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WE CAN BE FREE BECAUSE EVERY, ANY PLACE I I, I WENT, I HAVE A NEIGHBOR COMPLAINING ABOUT A KIND OF, UH, OUTBREAK FOR ALL THESE MOSQUITOES.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, WE CAN OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU WELCOME.
UH, IS THERE CERTAIN PLANTS ALSO TO DETER MOSQUITOES? UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE CERTAIN PLANTS THAT, UM, REP REPEL MOSQUITOES AROUND THE PLANT.
UM, SO, UM, THINGS LIKE, UH, EUCALYPTUS AND LEMON GRASS, UH, ROSEMARY, UM, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GOOD.
THEY WON'T KEEP MOSQUITOES OUT OF YOUR ENTIRE YARD.
UM, BUT MOSQUITOES DON'T LIKE TO REST THERE.
AND SO, UM, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONLY WHERE MOSQUITOES GROW, BUT MOSQUITOES REST.
IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF FOLIAGE AND A LOT OF SHADE IN YOUR YARD, UH, IT WILL ACTUALLY ATTRACT MOSQUITOES TO, TO HANG OUT THERE.
UM, SO THERE ARE PLANTS, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED, AND THEY'RE ALL LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE THAT, UM, THAT YOU CAN PLANT IN YOUR YARD THAT, UH, WILL KEEP THE MOSQUITOES AWAY FROM THE PLANT, NOT NECESSARILY AWAY FROM YOU.
JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
WE, WE GET OUR PRESENTATIONS PRIVATELY.
UM, BUT I WANNA SAY I AM SO HAPPY THAT I'M PART OF THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH AND I'M VERY CONSCIENTIOUS NOW IN MY YARD BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE CAP FULL OF WATER CAN BRING MOSQUITOES.
AND, UM, SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME OTHER, UM, EVENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE PRESENT OR MAYBE NOT YOU, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOSQUITO VECTOR THERE.
AND, UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE REALLY COOPERATIVE AND, AND YOU THANK I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR DOING THIS PRESENTATION AND DOING THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS AT OUR CITY.
SO RESIDENTS, GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE, GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION AND HELP REDUCE THE MOSQUITOES.
I KNOW I'VE SEEN RESIDENTS ALSO REPORT ON NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY LEAVE STAGNANT WATERS OR THEY JUST, YEAH, JUST A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THREE YEARS AGO, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A RESIDENT REPORT IT, EVEN ON OUR END ON CITY WHEN THERE'S STAGNANT WATER, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT IS.
SO CONTINUE TO PUT THOSE IN AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN DO THEIR BEST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE MUCH A MOSQUITO PROBLEM IN OUR OWN CITY.
[CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
MANAGER'S MANAGER'S REPORT, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY ACTING CITY MANAGER.UM, THIS PAST WEEK, CALTRANS MET WITH CITY REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS MAINTENANCE ISSUES ALONG THE INTERSTATE 10 FREEWAY CORRIDOR WITHIN WEST COVINA.
CITY LIMITS ISSUES ADDRESSED TO KEEP WEST COVINA BEAUTIFUL, INCLUDE TRASH AND DEBRIS, WHEAT ABATEMENT, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, AND LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE.
CALTRANS IS BEING PROACTIVE TO CITY REQUESTS AND WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA CELEBRATED EARTH DAY AND ARBOR DAY WITH A COMMUNITY CLEANUP AT GELTER PARK.
THE EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 200 PARTICIPANTS.
PARTICIPANTS ENJOYED LUNCH, LOCAL VENDORS FACE PAINTING AND BALLOON TWISTERS, CREATING A FUN AND FAMILY FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE.
THE EVENT FEATURES A SPECIAL TREE PLANTING CEREMONY, HONORING RESIDENTS WHO HAVE MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE CITY.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WEST COVINA BEAUTIFUL.
OUR TONY TOTS, OUR TINY TOTS STUDENTS HAVE BEEN BUSY LEARNING AND EXPLORING AND HAVING FUN.
THIS MONTH THEY WORKED ON THEIR ABC'S NUMBERS AND NAME TRACING, WHILE PARTI PRACTICING COLORS SORTING AND MATCHING THROUGH HANDS ON ACTIVITIES.
STUDENTS ALSO ENJOYED CREATIVE ART PROJECTS.
YOU'LL BALANCE AND COORDINATION DURING MOVEMENT TIME.
AND CELEBRATED WITH SPECIAL VISIT FROM THE EASTER BUNNY, MAKING IT A MONTH FULL OF FUN AND SMILES.
CAMERON COMMUNITY CENTER HOSTED ITS FOURTH MOVIE NIGHT OF THE YEAR ON APRIL 17TH, FEATURING DR.
SEUSS'S THE LORAX IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY.
BEFORE THE MOVIE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENJOYED GAMES, FOOD, AND FUN CRAFT ACTIVITIES.
LAZY DOG JOINED AS A VENDOR PROVIDING CANDY
[00:45:01]
AND EARTH THEMED COLORING SHEETS FOR PARTICIPANTS.THE EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER A TOTAL OF 30 ATTENDEES FOR AN EVENING OF COMMUNITY FUN AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS.
OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF ATTEND THE ANNUAL CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION FOR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL CONFERENCE HELD THIS PAST WEEK IN PALM SPRINGS.
THE CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GAIN VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE, BUILD MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS, AND DISCOVER INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIC GROWTH.
OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, RECENTLY INTRODUCED OUR NEW COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE ON OUR CITY WEBSITE.
THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES WITHIN THE, UH, SHOWN CDBD CENSUS TRACK AREA.
THE GRANT WILL HELP WITH EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS UP TO $10,000.
PLEASE CONTACT CONTACT THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION AT 6 2 6 9 3 9 8 4 1 7 WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE WAIT IS OVER.
MR. MTO WILL CELEBRATE ITS GRAND OPENING ON SATURDAY, MAY 2ND, 2026.
COME JOIN THE CITY COUNCIL AS THEY WELCOME THE NEWEST RESTAURANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
DOORS WILL OPEN AT 8:00 AM AND THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY WILL START AT 10:30 AM THE CITY OF WEST COVINA WILL SHORTLY WELCOME ITS NEWEST AUTO PARTS STORE TO THE COMMUNITY.
O'REILLY'S AUTO PARTS IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE LOCATED AT 1000 WEST COVINA PARKWAY.
IT'S PROPOSED GRAND OPENING DATE IS SLATED FOR MAY 23RD.
WE WILL KEEP THE COMMUNITY UPDATED AS MORE INFORMATION IS RECEIVED.
ON MARCH 30TH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, OBTAINED AN ABATEMENT WARRANT FOR A SEVERELY OVERRUN VACANT LOT BY AN ABSENTEE PROPERTY OWNER.
THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY POSED A SIGNIFICANT FIRE RISK TO NEARBY HOMES AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD FOLLOWING THE COURT'S AUTHORIZATION, SWIFT ACTION WAS TAKEN ON SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH.
THE PUBLIC'S WORKS DEPARTMENT COORDINATED WITH THE CITY'S CONTRACTOR BRIGHTVIEW TO CLEAR THE OVERGROWN VEGETATION.
THE WORK WAS COMPLETED THE SAME DAY, ELIMINATING THE HAZARD AND RESTORING SAFETY TO THE AREA.
THIS EFFORT IS A STRONG EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN CITY DEPARTMENTS WORK TOGETHER WITH URGENCY AND PURPOSE.
THROUGH COLLABORATION AND COMMITMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS A SERIOUS CONCERN AND HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
PUBLIC SAFETY HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY AND COLLABORATIVELY WITH REGAL THEATER, FORMERLY EDWARD SINEMA, TO ADDRESS AND IMPROVE SIGNAGE, AESTHETICS, AND OUR OVERALL SITE APPEARANCE.
THROUGH ONGOING COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, AND COOPERATION BETWEEN BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND REGAL THEATER REPRESENTATIVES, MEANINGFUL PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TOWARD BRINGING PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE.
REGAL THEATER HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE AND ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND IS CURRENTLY IN ITS FINAL STAGES OF COMPLETING THE AGREED UPON IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PROJECT REMAINS ON TRACK WITH AN ANTICIPATED ANTICIPATED COMPLETION DATE IN MAY.
AT ITS MEETING ON APRIL 7TH, 2026, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A FORMAL FINDING OF EMERGENCY CONDITIONS AT FIRE STATION THREE.
WHILE REMEDIATION WORK IS UNDERWAY, TEMPORARY LIVING QUARTERS HAVE BEEN ARRANGED TO ACCOMMODATE FIRE PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THAT STATION.
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA HAS BEEN AWARDED $250,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING BY CONGRESSMAN GIL CISNEROS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW FIRE STATION NUMBER ONE.
THE CHECK SIGNIFIES THE BEGINNING OF OUR NEW FIRE STATION.
WEST COVINA PD IS HAVING COFFEE WITH A COP WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22ND, WHICH IS TOMORROW AT PANERA BREAD.
LOCATED AT 10 36 WEST COVINA PARKWAY.
8:00 AM TO 10:00 AM MEET YOUR LOCAL OFFICERS, ENJOY A CUP OF COFFEE, ASK OR SHARE SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
ISS FIRST ELECTRIC BOBA FEST AND NIGHT MARKET WELL IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY MAY 30TH FROM 4:00 PM TO 9:00 PM IN THE WEST COVINA CIVIC CENTER PARKING LOT.
THE EVENT WILL FEATURE BOBA VENDORS A BOBA TASTING CONTEST, LIVE DJS ENTERTAINMENT, ALONG WITH FOOD AND RETAIL VENDORS.
FUN ATTRACTIONS AND FAMILY FRIENDLY GAMES ARE ALSO PART OF THIS ELECTRIFYING EVENT.
BUDGET WORKSHOPS FOR THE 20 26 27, UH, FISCAL YEAR BUDGET HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AND WILL BE HELD 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM AT THREE LOCATIONS A DATE THAT INCLUDE, UH, LAST NIGHT WE HAD ONE HERE AT CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS APRIL 22ND, WHICH IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT CORTEZ PARK COM.
UH, COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER.
AND THEN ON THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD AT PALMVIEW PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM COME OUT, HEAR ABOUT THE BUDGET AND MOVING THE CITY FORWARD.
THE CITY OF WEST CO IS COOPERATING WITH VACCINE VETS
[00:50:01]
TO OFFER PET VACCINE CLINICS ON THE FOURTH SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH AT DEL NORTE PARK.DEL NORTE PARK FROM 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM.
SERVICES WILL INCLUDE A COMBINATION OF FREE AND LOW COST OPTIONS ON A WALK-UP WALK-IN BASIS ONLY A PRESENTATION WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN MAY TO INTRODUCE THE COMMUNITY TO VACCINE VETS.
COFFEE WITH A COP TOMORROW AT PANERA BREAD, COMMUNITY BUDGET WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY TOMORROW AT CORTEZ PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
OUR THIRD BUDGET WORKSHOP, THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD AT PALMVIEW COMMUNITY CENTER PET VACCINE CLINIC HOSTED BY VACCINE VETS SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH AT DEL NORTE PARK AND THE EAST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, UM, CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH AT PLAZA WEST COVINA.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
FORWARD TO ORAL COMMUNICATION.COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER, UNLESS MODIFIED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER OR THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING.
UH, I JUST ASK THAT EVERYBODY BE RESPECTFUL AND THE TIMER WILL START WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE TONIGHT? WE HAVE 11 SPEAKERS.
JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY PAMELA FARLEY, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATRAS.
TWO ITEMS TONIGHT FIRST RELATES TO THE, UH, SPORTSPLEX.
AT THIS POINT, IT'S CLEAR WE CAN'T MANAGE THIS THING.
OUR REPUTATION WITH THE PUBLIC IS IN THE TOILET.
NOBODY WANTS TO BE BOTHERED UP THERE.
AND AFTER SIX YEARS, IT'S TIME TO ADMIT DEFEAT.
TEAR THE THING DOWN, USE THE MONEY TO PAY OFF THE DEBT, INSTEAD OF WASTING, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR WHEN IT COULD BE SPENT OTHER PLACES.
SECOND, THE ONGOING PATTERN OF LITIGATION COMPLAINTS AND LEGAL ACTION INVOLVING COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ AND HIS ASSOCIATE JOHN DOE.
SINCE SEPTEMBER, THE PUBLIC RECORD REFLECTS A SUSTAINED SERIES OF LEGAL ACTIONS, INCLUDING TWO WORKER COMPENSATION CLAIMS, A REQUEST FOR AN INJUNCTION TO STOP, UH, C HEARINGS, CRIMINAL COMPLAINT THAT WAS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE, WITH NO APPEARANCES TO WRITE TESTIMONY ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, POLICE REPORTS ALLEGING THREATS INVOLVING DIFFERENT PERSONNEL IN, UH, IN THE CITY.
MULTIPLE CEASED AND DESIST LETTERS DIRECTED INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN CRITICISM OR INQUIRY, CLAIMING IT HARMS A SAFETY.
ADDITIONAL LAWSUITS ATTEMPTING TO HALT THE SENSOR PROCESS.
A CLAIM ALLEGING VIOLATION OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT, AT LEAST ONE RESTRAINING ORDER SOUGHT AGAINST THE CITY EMPLOYEE AND FURTHER LITIGATION CHALLENGING ENFORCEMENT OF COUNCIL RULES AND CONDUCT.
THIS IS NOT NORMAL OR ISOLATED, IT'S A STAINED AND ESCALATING USE OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AS PART OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN REPEAT AND EXTENSIVE REQUESTS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS OF THE OF PUBLIC BUSINESS.
THESE INCLUDE OTHER THINGS REQUESTING FOOD PREFERENCES, LIGHTING CHANGES, SEATING ARRANGEMENTS, AND EVEN TIMING AND MANNER OF SPEAKING DURING MEETINGS, ALONG WITH BROADER REQUESTS FOR PROCEDURAL ADJUSTMENTS RELATED TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE AT MEETINGS.
WHILE DISABILITY RELATED INFORMATION IS PRIVATE, WHEN ACCOMMODATIONS EXPAND INTO CONTROL OVER BASIC OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS OF A PUBLIC MEETING, IT RAISES LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSISTENCY, PRACTICALITY, AND FAIRNESS IN HOW PUBLIC BUSINESS IS PRESENTED.
WHO REPRESENTS US? BRIAN GUTIERREZ, JOHN DOE OR CHAT GPTA BROADER CONTRADICTION.
ONE HAND IS A REPEATED DEMANDS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY.
WHILE CLAIMING YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ME AND THE LEGAL ASPECTS THAT GO WITH IT, YOU CANNOT DEMAND MAXIMUM VISIBILITY FROM EVERYONE ELSE WHILE SHIELDING YOURSELF UNDER PHONY NAMES AND CLAIMS OF, UH, AND CLAIMS. ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT SELECTIVE.
TRANSPARENCY IS NOT CONDITIONAL, AND YOU CANNOT INVOKE THE COURTS AS AN OUTLET FOR CHILDISH TEMP TEMPER TANTRUMS WHEN YOU'RE TOLD NO THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER PAMELA FARLEY, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATRAS, FOLLOWED BY VERONICA.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, MY NAME IS PAM FARLEY AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA FOR OVER 35 YEARS.
AND I'VE ALSO BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT THE LA COUNTY ANIMAL CARE CONTROL CENTER IN BALDWIN PARK FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
AND I'M HERE SPEAKING TODAY IN MY OWN CAPACITY AS A RESIDENT TO RECOMMEND A REQUEST.
THE MANDATING OF SPAIN, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING OF DOGS IN WEST COVINA, SPAIN, AND NEUTERING PETS
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SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE OVERPOPULATION OF UNWANTED PETS.SPAIN AND NEUTERING WOULD KEEP UNALTERED DOGS FROM ROAMING IN SEARCH OF A MATE AND WOULD GREATLY DISCOURAGE BACKYARD BREEDERS WHO OWN DOGS STRICTLY FOR PROFIT.
UM, THESE DOGS ARE VERY OFTEN SURRENDERED TO OUR SHELTER, UM, PUPPIES THAT OUR BREEDER, THE BREEDERS CAN'T SELL, END UP AT OUR SHELTER.
THE MALE AND FEMALE BREEDING DOGS ONCE THEY'RE NO LONGER VIABLE, END UP AT OUR SHELTER.
SPAY OR NEUTER REQUIREMENTS DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION AND CITIES THAT ADOPT THESE ORDINANCES CONSISTENTLY SEE LOWER SHELTER INTAKE NUMBERS AND LOWER COSTS AS A SHELTER VOLUNTEER.
I WITNESSED THE SUFFERING OF THESE REJECTED PETS AND HELPING THESE PETS IS REWARDING.
BUT IT'S ALSO FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MANDATING SPAIN AND NEUTERING WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE VOLUME OF PETS ENTERING OUR SHELTER.
UM, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE INDULGE ME.
I I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU, TAKE YOU TO THE SHELTER BY GIVING YOU A MENTAL IMAGE OF THE SHELTER ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THIS AUDIO IF I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
AS SOON AS YOU WALK INTO THE FACILITY, YOU HEAR THAT CONSTANT DEAFENING SOUND OF BARKING AND HOWLING.
IT'S SO LOUD YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR.
THE PERSON STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU IS SAYING THE CONSTANT BARKING IS QUITE LITERALLY A CRY FOR HELP FROM THESE VOICELESS, VOICELESS ANIMALS.
MANDATING AND MANDATING SPAIN AND NEUTERING WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM OF WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE WAREHOUSING AND SUFFERING OF DOGS UNTIL THEY'RE EITHER ADOPTED OR EUTHANIZED.
UM, THERE'S ONLY TWO WAYS THAT THE DOGS LEAVE OUR FACILITY.
THEY'RE ADOPTED OR THEY'RE EUTHANIZED.
MANDATORY SPAIN AND NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING ORDINANCES ARE HUMANE.
THEY'RE PROACTIVE, THEY'RE EFFECTIVE, AND THEY'RE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
JERRY PATRAS, FOLLOWED BY, BY VERONICA VAR, FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY DUKE.
I HAVE ACTUALLY, UM, TYPICALLY I DON'T CARE FOR MANDATES.
I HAPPEN TO SUPPORT THIS MANDATE WITH THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN AT THE SHELTER, I WAS WITH A GROUP, I DID THEIR NEWSLETTER, AND I WOULD PERIODICALLY GO TO THE SHELTER AND TAKE PICTURES OF THE DOGS.
IT IS REALLY HEARTBREAKING TO SEE THESE LOVELY ANIMALS.
IT'S, I'M NOT GONNA USE THE EUPHEMISM, BUT STOPPING THE KILLING OF UNWANTED DOGS IS IMPORTANT.
I APPRECIATE THE CHANGES THAT YOU'VE PUT IN THIS ORDINANCE SINCE THE LAST TIME IT WAS BEFORE YOU.
I THINK THAT THE, UM, FEES ARE REASONABLE.
THE RESIDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT OUT THERE.
JUST, UM, SHE GOT MY ATTENTION
UM, THEY RANGE FROM A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO $500 BASED ON THE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS THAT SOMEBODY'S DONE.
AND I GAVE YOU AN EXCERPT FROM THE CITY'S WEBSITE ON, UM, WHAT IS IT, ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL SERVICES AND COEXISTING WITH COYOTES.
IN THE SECTION OF OTHER UPDATES, I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER PUTTING LINKS TO THE WONDERFUL NEW THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH ANIMALS, SUCH AS HAVING A WEEKLY OR A MONTHLY CLINIC.
FOR ME AS A RESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT I COULD GO TO THIS ONE PAGE OF THE WEBSITE AND CL CLICK A LINK.
THAT'LL JUST TAKE ME TO WHEN THE, UM, DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US WITHOUT HAVING TO SEARCH AND LOOK, PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE TOO.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BROADEN WHAT, MAYBE PUT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID ON REASONS WHY SPAYING AND NEUTERING.
IT DOES REDUCE, IT ALSO HELPS KEEP 'EM AT HOME.
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PREVENT CERTAIN DISEASE CASTRATION AND STUFF.THEY DON'T GET CANCER 'CAUSE THE PARTS AREN'T THERE AND STUFF.
MAKE A LITTLE USER FRIENDLY THING.
AND I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU LIST THE, UM, FINES IN A POSITIVE WAY.
I USED TO DO THAT SOMETIMES AT WORK AND I FOUND IT SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE YOU'RE POSITIVE, YOU GO POSITIVE, A LITTLE NEGATIVE AND THEN A POSITIVE.
BUT IF YOU COULD ADD TO THIS PAGE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINICS, THE VI VACCINATIONS, IT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL.
SPEAKER VERONICA VAR FOLLOWED BY KIMBERLY DUKE, FOLLOWED BY TOM KI.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A SPEECH PREPARED.
UM, AND I DON'T VOLUNTEER AT THE SHELTER, BUT I LOVE ANIMALS AND I LOVE THE VULNERABLE POPULATION.
PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, CHILDREN, ELDERLY ANIMALS.
IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE WE FIRST CAME AND SPOKE HERE ABOUT WANTING TO PUSH MANDATING, UM, SPAIN AND NEUTERING.
AND AT FIRST I WAS REALLY GRATEFUL 'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PA CAMINO SEEMS REALLY RECEPTIVE.
AND YOU KNOW, LAS CAMINO IS A BIG CITY.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF, I MEAN, THEY HAVE TV SHOWS FILMED HERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S INFLUENCE THERE.
BUT THEN IT JUST STARTS TO FEEL LIKE IT'S DRAGGING THEIR FEET.
AND FOR ME, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN UNTIL WE SAW ONE OF THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS.
AND YOU KNOW, FOR THE VOLUNTEERS, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO REALIZE HOW MUCH TIME HAS GONE BY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE SEEING IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE ANIMALS, THEY, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE, OH, NOT THAT MUCH.
TIME HAS GONE BY AT ALL BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE SUFFERING, EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EUTHANIZING AND KILLING THE ANIMALS, THEY'RE SEEING THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND IT'S NOT WHAT'S COMING FAULT THAT'S CREATING EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF US THAT WANT TO FIX THE SENSELESS KILLING OF ANIMALS THAT REALLY, THERE'S NO REASON WHY PUPPIES SHOULD BE DYING.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY IT, IT'S JUST REALLY CRAZY THAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY CONDONING THE KILLING OF INNOCENT BEINGS.
YOU KNOW, UM, KINDNESS SHOULD EX EXPEND TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST HUMANS.
UM, SORRY, I'M TOTALLY GOING WAY OFF TANGENT.
BUT THE POINT IS, I KNOW US COVINA CARES AND I HAVE A LOT OF HOPE IN YOU GUYS BECAUSE I SEE THE VACCINE CLINICS, I SEE THE, THE COLLABORATION WITH BRINGING IN, UM, THE SPAY AND NEUTER GROUPS.
AND IT JUST REALLY TAKES YOU GUYS LEADING THE CHARGE IN THE RIGHT WAY AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WEST COA IS NOT, IT'S GREAT THAT THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY, BUT COMMUNITY EXPANDS BEYOND BORDERS.
YOU KNOW, AND IT DOES INCLUDE THE OTHER CITIES AND THE OTHER CITIES THAT HOUSE THESE ANIMALS.
AND YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I'M SORRY, I'VE KIND OF LOST, WENT ON A TANGENT.
I GOT REALLY SIDETRACKED WHEN THEY PLAYED THE AUDIO OF THE DOGS BARKING.
'CAUSE IT, IT JUST REALLY BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE THERE IS A SOLUTION.
AND IT'S CRAZY TO ME THAT IT COMES DOWN TO LIKE NUMBERS AND, WELL, HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH? HOW MUCH IS IT GONNA COST THE CITY? AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S LOGISTICS, BUT I, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND PUTTING A COST TO A LIFE.
BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND I THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR BRINGING POSITIVE CHANGE.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO ALSO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES THAT MAYBE HAVE NOT ADOPTED THIS YET, BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT PROGRESS FORWARD, BUT IT'S LONG OVERDUE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CATCH UP AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA GET RESOLVED JUST, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT.
SO THE MORE SOONER THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN, THE BETTER.
KIMBERLY DUKE, FOLLOWED BY TOM KEES, FOLLOWED BY LINDA LOCKLEAR.
GOOD EVENING MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S KIMBERLY DUKE AND I VOLUNTEER WITH THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPOKEN AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, I DESCRIBED THE STORY OF FREAKO.
A SWEET YOUNG DOG HAD A VERY SMILEY FACE AND A JOYFUL HEART.
AND SADLY, RECO WAS EUTHANIZED SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE WERE JUST TOO MANY DOGS AT THE SHELTER.
AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, WHEN I HEARD THE SHELTER SOUNDS, IT ALSO BROUGHT BACK, UM, MEMORIES THAT WE ALL HOLD.
AND LIKE MY FELLOW VOLUNTEERS AND FRIENDS HERE TONIGHT, WE CARRY THOSE MEMORIES.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE COUNTLESS HEARTBREAKING STORIES I COULD SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
INSTEAD, I'D LIKE TO SHARE HOPE.
COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE YOU CAN HONOR DOGS LIKE FREE CO AND GIVE HOPE TO THOSE CURRENTLY IN SHELTERS.
AS YOU'RE ALREADY AWARE, SHELTERS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARE OVERWHELMED.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WEST COVINA ALONE CANNOT SOLVE THIS CRISIS.
WE ARE ONE OF 88 CITIES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
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BUT WHEN WEST COVINA LEADS, OTHERS FOLLOW VOLUNTEERS AND RESCUERS ARE SHOWING UP EACH DAY WITH HOPE.ALTHOUGH WE DO KNOW WE'RE CURRENTLY LOSING THIS BATTLE, BUT WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR CHANGE BECAUSE EVEN SMALL STEPS SAVE LIVES.
THEY PROVIDE COMPANIONSHIP FOR LONELY.
THEY COMFORT THE SICK IN HOSPITALS AND THEY PROTECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
THEY GIVE US A LIFETIME OF UNCONDITIONAL DEVOTION AND IN RETURN, THEY ONLY ASK FOR A CHANCE TO LIVE BEYOND THE LOVE OF DOGS.
THERE'S FISCAL REASON TO MANDATE SPAY AND NEUTER.
HIGH IMPOUND RATES AND LONG SHELTER STAYS ARE A DRAIN ON WEST COVINA RESOURCES.
AND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING THE COUNCIL CAN DO TO REDUCE THESE COSTS AND PREVENT ANOTHER TRAGEDY IS TO MANDATE SPAY, NEUTER AND MICROCHIP.
THESE THREE REQUIREMENTS ARE THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE FLOW OF ANIMALS ENTERING THE SYSTEM.
AND TO ENSURE THAT ANIMALS ARE RETURNED HOME QUICKLY.
INSTEAD OF OCCUPYING A KENNEL, A TAXPAYER EXPENSE, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO BE A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK, PLEASE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE ANIMALS.
MANDATING SPAY NEUTER ISN'T JUST THE COMPASSIONATE CHOICE, IT'S ALSO FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND FOR DEMONSTRATING YOUR COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP.
TOM KI FOLLOWED BY LINDA LOCKLEAR, FOLLOWED BY ANNA MONTE MUNOZ.
WE'VE BEEN COMING HERE OVER A YEAR.
I LITERALLY HAVE SEEN YOU MORE THAN ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY,
SO I WROTE THIS SPEECH LAST NIGHT AND THEN WENT OVER IT THIS MORNING.
AND THEN SINCE ABOUT NINE 30 THIS MORNING TO 5:00 PM I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING AT THAT SHELTER.
I'M A VOLUNTEER AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT SHELTERS ALL OVER LA COUNTY AND, UH, I DON'T NEED THIS SPEECH.
WHAT YOU HEARD, WE HEAR THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME WE GO.
SPAY AND NEUTERING IS NOT PERFECT.
BUT EXPERTS AND VETERINARIANS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ALL AGREE.
IT'S THE BEST SOLUTION WE HAVE AT THIS POINT.
THERE MAY BE SOMEONE IN YOUR DISTRICT OR TOWN OR CITY THAT'S AGAINST IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BREED IN THEIR BACKYARD OR THEY HAVE A SHOW DOG OR THEY HAVE A, A THING ABOUT DOGS TESTICLES.
I'M HERE AS A INDIVIDUAL IN MY OWN CAPACITY.
TITLE 10 ALLOWS PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR LEGAL BREEDING FOR EXCEPTIONS TO THOSE RULES.
SO ANYONE SAYS, OH, WE DON'T WANT THIS BECAUSE IT'S BLACK AND WHITE.
THERE ARE WAYS THAT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO BREEDING THE RIGHT WAY CAN STILL BREED DOGS.
AND NONE OF US ARE FANS OF BREEDING.
'CAUSE WE SEE ALL THE WASTE, THE WASTED LIVES.
WE GET TO KNOW THEM PERSONALLY.
THE FUNNY THING IS, THOUGH, I'VE BEEN COMING AND I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ALL AND I'VE SPOKEN TO OTHER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I REALIZE I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE, ANIMAL LOVERS.
YEAH, WE ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ANIMALS.
BUT ALL YOUR VOTERS WHO DON'T LIKE ANIMALS, THEY ALSO WANT TO SEE YOU PASS THIS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER.
THEY DON'T WANT TO NARROWLY MISS CA UH, DOGS RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET.
THEY DON'T WANNA HAVE TO CALL ANIMAL SERVICES FOR THE DEAD ANIMALS ON THE ROAD.
THEY DON'T WANT ANIMALS OFF LEASH IN THEIR PARKS OR, OR PAYING FOR BACKYARD BREEDERS TO DUMP ANIMALS OR SHELTERS.
THOSE PEOPLE, I GUARANTEE WANT SPAY, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING SO THE ANIMALS GO BACK TO THE HOMES.
SO NOT ONLY DO ALL OF US AND THE ANIMAL LOVERS, AND PROBABLY ALL OF YOU WANT THIS IMPLEMENTED, BUT SO DO THE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH ANIMALS.
THEY DESERVE TO NOT HAVE DOGS RUNNING DOWN THEIR STREETS UNLEASHED.
SO PLEASE, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
LINDA LOCKLEAR, FOLLOWED BY ANNA MONTE MUNOZ, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER.
MY NAME IS LINDA AND I AM A RESCUE AND SHELTER VOLUNTEER AT THE BALDWIN PARK ANIMAL CARE CENTER.
AND, UM, THE SHELTER IS FULL OF PEAS AND KITTENS AND THEY'RE ADORABLE.
WHAT'S NOT AS CUTE IS THAT THEY DON'T ALL MAKE IT OUT.
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VERY HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE THIS AGENDA ITEM AND THAT SPAY AND NEUTER, ABSOLUTELY 100% IS THE ANSWER TO THIS ANIMAL CRISIS AND OVERCROWDING AND OVERPOPULATION THAT WE'RE SEEING AT ALL OF OUR SHELTERS.SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS.
I THINK THAT YOU HAVE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO SET AN EXAMPLE.
PLEASE PASS SPAY AND NEUTER ANNA MONTE MUNOZ, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER T AND JOSH MURRAY.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
YOU PUT OUT A MIC, ANNA, A MIC.
YOU WANT ME TO START AGAIN? YEAH.
DID I GET MY NINE SECONDS BACK?
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY MISSION BEGAN IN THE THIRD GRADE WHEN I RESCUED A KIN FROM BEING SWUNG BY ITS TAIL.
FROM THAT DAY ON, I BROUGHT HOME EVERY SUFFERING CAT I FOUND ON THE STREETS WITH MY MOTHER ACTING AS MY ACCOMPLICE TO HELP HIDE THEM FROM MY FATHER SO WE COULD CARE FOR THEM.
THAT CHILDHOOD PASSION HAS GROWN INTO 18 YEARS OF FOSTERING FOR VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDEPENDENTLY IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE.
MY STUDENTS AND CALL COLLEAGUES CALL ME THE CRAZY CAT LADY.
I WEAR THAT TITLE WITH PRIDE BECAUSE I USE IT TO TEACH MY STUDENTS HOW TO BE ADVOCATES.
BUT LATELY THIS WORK HAS BECOME A HEAVY BURDEN.
TOO OFTEN I HAVE TO TURN MY BACK ON PEOPLE, FRIENDS OF FRIENDS, STUDENTS, AND MY LITTLE NEPHEW WHO CALLS ME OFTEN TO TELL ME OF ANOTHER KITTEN I MUST RESCUE AND SAVE BECAUSE THE RESCUES ARE FULL AND I AM AT MY LIMIT.
IT DESTROYS ME EVERY TIME BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IS ONE MORE KITTEN THAT WILL SUFFER AND EVENTUALLY DIE ON THE STREETS.
CURRENTLY, I AM FOSTERING A CAT LEFT BEHIND WHEN A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT WAS CLEARED.
ANIMALS LIKE THESE ARE TREATED WITH TOTAL DISREGARD, ABANDONED SUFFERING, SCARED ILL.
I HAVE SEEN THEM BRUTALIZED, USED AS BAIT FOR DOG FIGHTS FED TO SNAKES OR HUNTED FOR FUN.
WHEN WE FAIL TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE STERILIZATION, WE FEEL A CYCLE OF EXTREME SUFFERING FOR GOD'S INNOCENT CREATURES.
WEST COVINA RELIES ON THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER, WHICH IS PERPETUALLY OVERWHELMED BECAUSE LOCAL RESOURCES ARE EXHAUSTED.
I HAVE PERSONALLY FUNDED THE TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS TO OTHER STATES.
WE ARE EXPORTING A PROBLEM THAT WE SHOULD BE SOLVING HERE.
WE ALSO MUST FIGHT THE MYTH THAT MALES DON'T NEED TO BE FIXED.
ONE UNSTERILIZED MALE CAN FATHER DOZENS OF LITTERS A YEAR.
AND DID YOU KNOW THAT FEMALES CAN GET PREGNANT AS EARLY AS FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS OF AGE? I LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY THIS DIRECTLY INCREASES THE CONTRACT FEES WE PAY TO LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL.
WEST COVINA IS ALREADY PAYING FOR THIS CRISIS.
IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO PREVENT A LITTER THROUGH A NO FEE PROGRAM THAN IT IS TO PAY FOR THE CAPTURE HOUSING AND EVENTUAL EUTHANASIA OF ABANDONED ANIMALS.
BOLAND PARK ANIMAL SHELTER IS A KILL SHELTER WITH EUTHANASIA RATES REACHING AS HIGH AS 82% FOR CATS MOST HEALTHY.
CAN I JUST FINISH? JUST HAVE LIKE ONE, ONE SENTENCE, NINE SECONDS.
IS IT ONE SENTENCE? NOT THE WHOLE THING.
I URGE YOU TO MANDATE AND TAKING IT A BIT FURTHER.
IMPLEMENT A SUBSIDIZED, SUBSIDIZED SPAY, SPAY AND NEUTER INITIATIVE.
NEXT SPEAKER, ALEXANDER BAI, FOLLOWED BY JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY JESUS GOMEZ.
UH, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF.
MY NAME IS ALEX BATISTI AND I WORK FOR VIA TRANSPORTATION.
I'M THE DEDICATED PARTNER SUCCESS MANAGER FOR WEST COVINA, AND I WORK CLOSELY WITH KELLY MCDONALD IN OPERATING OUR GO WEST COVINA MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE.
AS A REMINDER, WE LAUNCHED GO WEST COVINA IN THE WINTER OF 2024.
IN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, WE HAVE SERVED MORE THAN 50,000 RIDES FOR ABOUT 2000 ANGELINOS THAT USED THE SERVICE IN RECENT WEEKS.
WE'VE SET RECORDS FOR RIDERSHIP AND EFFICIENCY, SERVING MORE THAN FIVE PASSENGERS EVERY VEHICLE HOUR.
BY COMPARISON, BEFORE WE LAUNCHED THE SERVICE WEST COVINA, RED AND BLUE TRANSIT LINES THAT THIS SERVICE REPLACED SERVED ONLY 1.5 PASSENGERS PER VEHICLE HOUR AT A COST PER RIDE OF ABOUT $80.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT OUR COST PER RIDE NOW WITH GO WEST COVINA IS $16,
[01:15:01]
ABOUT 75% LESS.THE SERVICES OF TRUE SUCCESS WITH BEST IN CLASS METRICS RELATIVE TO THE 800 OTHER SERVICES THAT VIA SUPPORTS WORLDWIDE.
BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS AND POPULARITY OF OUR SERVICE, THOUGH, DEMAND IS BEGINNING TO EXCEED SUPPLY.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, KELLY AND I HAVE IDENTIFIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO CO-MINGLE GO WEST COVE'S MICRO TRANSITS SERVICE WITH, UH, THE CITY'S DIALER.
RIDE SERVICE COMMINGLING IS WHEN YOU USE A SINGLE FLEET AND A SINGLE APP FOR MULTIPLE TRANSIT SERVICES.
THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO UNLOCK ADDITIONAL SUPPLY AND RIDERSHIP WITHOUT NEEDING TO PUT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS BEHIND THE GO WEST COVINA PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY, UH, VIA HAS TAKEN THE SAME APPROACH IN NEIGHBORING ROSEMEAD.
WE OPERATE THEIR MICRO TRANSIT AND THEIR DIAL AIDE IN A COMMINGLED FASHION AND ARE SEEING SIMILARLY EXCELLENT METRICS.
UH, WE PLAN TO TAKE THIS PROPOSAL THAT I REFERENCED TO COUNCIL LAST FALL, BUT DUE JUST THE LOGISTICAL CONSTRAINTS WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET TO PRESENT HERE, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT WITH THAT, I'M BACK TODAY JUST TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF AND EXPRESS KELLY AND MY INTEREST IN PURSUING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, WE ARE GONNA COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN A NUMBER OF WEEKS.
PRESENT THIS IN FRONT OF YOU ALL.
I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE AND LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M GONNA FOLLOW OVER EMAIL, MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO RUN THROUGH THE NUMBERS, WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, ASK QUESTIONS, LEARN ABOUT IT.
MY CALENDAR IS COMPLETELY OPEN TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA RUIN THE SURPRISE, BUT WE HAVE A TEAM OF INTERNAL TRANSIT PLANNERS AT VIA THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED WHAT, UH, THE COST SAVINGS WOULD BE OF CO-MINGLING THESE TWO SERVICES.
AND WITH RIDERSHIP PREDICTIONS, WE BELIEVE THAT CO-MINGLING WILL SAVE THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, $500,000 IN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF THE SERVICES OPERATING UNDER A SINGLE APP IN A SINGLE FLEET.
UM, SO WITH THAT, JUST THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR BEING EXCELLENT PARTNERS.
I BRAG ABOUT GO WEST COVINA IN EVERY OTHER COUNCIL MEETING, SO IT'S NICE TO ACTUALLY BE HERE WITH THE SOURCE.
IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO FOR AS LONG AS YOU'LL LET US.
JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY JESUS GOMEZ, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA MENDOZA.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA LIBRARY.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE TEENS OF THE COMMUNITY TO TEEN GUEST THAT JELLYBEAN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22ND FROM FOUR TO 5:00 PM TEENS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAMPLE VARIOUS JELLY BEANS AND GUESS THE FLAVORS.
THE TEEN WHO GUESSES THE MOST CORRECT FLAVORS WILL RECEIVE A GIFT BAG, AND THIS PROGRAM IS FOR AGES 12 TO 17.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE THE CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR PARENT OR CAREGIVER TO ENJOY MUSIC TIME WITH MS. KIM ON THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD FROM 10 15 TO 11:00 AM JOIN MS. KIM FOR AN INTERACTIVE MUSIC PROGRAM WELL, UH, WHERE YOU WILL ENJOY A DELIGHTFUL AND ENRICHING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE THAT NURTURES CHILDREN'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
JESUS GOMEZ, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA MENDOZA.
AND PATRICIA, YOU WILL BE TRANSLATING, CORRECT? YES.
PATRICIA'S GOING TO TRANSLATE FOR JESUS.
AND THEN, AND THEN SHE'S GONNA SPEAK.
LAST NAME IS MENDOZA, AND I'M AN INTERPRETER FOR JESUS GOMEZ.
AND, UH, TODAY I'M BRINGING THIS THIS MATTER, WHICH IS SAD.
UH, SHE'S BEEN A VICTIM OF FRAUD CORRUPTION IN HER PROPERTY.
SO SHE BOUGHT HER IN EL MONTE.
SHE BOUGHT HER CONDO TOWNHOUSE, UH, IN 2005.
AND, UH, THE OWNER THAT SOLD HER THE CONDO, HE WAS INTO REAL ESTATE WORKING INSIDE HIS CONDO.
SO HER HUSBAND WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.
SO HE SAID, DON'T WORRY, FROM ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I MET, I LIKE YOU GUYS, I'LL DO THE PAPERWORK.
BUT HE GOT THEM APPROVED AND HE GOT THEM TWO LENDER SHARKS IN TEXAS, 180% THE OTHER IN 20.
AND, UM, SHE, AS OF TODAY, SHE'S PAYING HER BIG MORTGAGE, WHICH SHE WAS 437 IN 2005.
AND SHE STOPPED PAYING 500 IN 2007 WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION FROM THAT MORTGAGE LENDER.
AND JUST LIKE 2022, SHE GOT LEGAL ACTION, GIVING THEM NOTICE AT THE PROPERTY THEY'RE GONNA TAKE OVER AND PUT IT IN, SELL IT, AND GO THROUGH FORECLOSURE AND PUT IT IN PUBLIC AUCTION.
[01:20:01]
THE PROPERTY WENT IN PUBLIC AUCTION IN APRIL IT DIDN'T SELL, BUT IT DID SELL.IN 2024, SHE DID HIRE A COMPANY THAT'S RIGHT HERE IN ELSA, IT'S RE MAX.
SHE SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
UH, ON WEEK, ON THE WEEKEND IN 2023, THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD CASH WILLING TO PAY 600 AND SOMETHING.
AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE A SHORT SALE OR, OR DO THE BANKRUPTCY.
SO THESE PEOPLE PROMISED HER AND HER HUSBAND.
BUT WHAT THESE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE HIRED ANOTHER OFFICE THAT DOES FORECLOSURE LOAN MODIFICATION AND THE BANKRUPTCY, THEY ALSO DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
SO THE SECOND PUBLIC AUCTION WAS SOLD APRIL, 2024.
THEY'D BEEN KICKED OUT BY THE SHERIFFS, AND UH, SHE'S STILL PAYING TO THE TWO MORTGAGES AND THE SAD PARTIES, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO BANKRUPTCY 'CAUSE IT'S A FEDERAL COURT.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE POWER TO CONTROL THE 20%, GET RID OF IT, MAKE AR ARRANGEMENTS.
SHE WOULD'VE NEVER BEEN THROUGH FORECLOSURE AND SHE WOULD'VE BEEN SAFE IN LIVING THERE.
AND NONE OF THESE PEOPLE HELPED HER.
SO SHE'S GONNA BE FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS.
AND THE REASON WE'RE HERE BECAUSE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO SHARE HER STORY, WHERE IN THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, SHE CAN HAVE YOUR SUPPORT ONCE WE FILE THE COMPLAINTS TO ALL THE AGENCIES, LIKE THE STATE BAR AND OTHER PEOPLE.
SO, UM, SHE THANKS YOU FOR YOUR PATIENT AND FOR LISTENING.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE REAL QUICK.
I WAS BITTEN BY THESE BED, WHAT IS IT? THESE BLACK, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED? MOSQUITOES.
MOSQUITOES, 10 YEARS AGO IN MY BACKYARD.
AND I DID HAVE PUDDLES OF WATER IN BUCKETS.
AND I WAS TRYING TO CLEAN FAST 'CAUSE I WAS GOING TO PALMDALE TO WORK.
AND, UH, A FEW DAYS AFTER, LIKE A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS, I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL IN THE ER.
AND THE FEMALE DOCTOR SAID, I GOTTA POP THAT LITTLE INFECTION YOU HAVE INSIDE.
AND IF YOU SAY NO, IT CAN GO THROUGH YOUR BRAIN AND YOU CAN DIE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT THE BONE RIGHT HERE WAS GOING BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, THIS BONE RIGHT HERE IN MY NOSE, LIKE HOW YOUR HEARTBEATS.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SELLING THESE LAMPS AT BIG LOTS ON WASHINGTON AND, AND NORWALK AND LIKE, THEY'RE LIKE A REGULAR SIZE.
I THINK THEY'RE LIKE 20, $25 AND THOSE THINGS KILL THOSE.
AND THEY'RE GOOD FOR THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE AT BIG LOTS.
UM, ALSO, I WANTED TO SHARE, I'VE HAD DOGS IN MY HOUSE SINCE I WAS LITTLE.
I PICKED UP ALL DOGS, RATS, I MEAN, SORRY, UH, NOT RATS OUT.
CATS FISHES, UH, RABBITS DOGS.
AND I'M USED TO HAVING 25 DOGS.
BUT YOU KNOW, I, THEY, THEY HAVE TO BE TRAINED.
YOU KNOW, ONE GROUP GOES IN THE OUTSIDE TO PLAY AND THE OTHER GROUP COMES BACK INSIDE.
AND I THINK THERE SHOULD BE NEW LAWS WHERE YOU PRESSURE, ESPECIALLY THE HISPANIC AND MEXICAN COMMUNITY, THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET FINED.
AND, UH, IF THEY DON'T TAKE THESE DOGS, TAKE CARE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NONPROFITS WHERE THEY HAVE TRUCKS LIKE SIMON'S, SO A PRIVATE NONPROFIT, AND THEY DO EVERYTHING FOR FREE, LIKE THE SHOTS AND EVERYTHING.
BUT IT'S GOOD TO START GIVING FINES TO THESE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THEY THROW ALL THEIR FURNITURE.
THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO CALL 3 1 1, LIKE IN DOWNTOWN.
AND IT LASTS THERE FOR MONTHS AND WEEKS.
SO ALL THAT CREATES COCKROACHES AND RATS.
BUT I WANTED TO SHARE ON MY FRIEND'S CASE, I'M GONNA BE HELPING HER.
I'M FROM DOWNTOWN LA BORN AND RAISED THERE SINCE 1963, NOT TOO FAR FROM THE CITY HALL.
AND THEN ONE OF THE PARENTS THAT FOUGHT FOR ROY BALL LEARNING CENTER, THAT SCHOOL BORN AND RAISED THERE.
I'M AN ACTIVIST AND I DO ATTEND, UM, THE CHIEF POLICE.
AND TODAY WE ATTENDED DOWNTOWN THE MAYOR'S.
AND TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN AMANI.
BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, I WANTED TO SHARE THIS STORY IN HER BECAUSE THE FA IS THERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, ESPECIALLY THE MEXICAN, THE HISPANIC PEOPLE.
BUT I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE, WHEN YOU BUY, WHEN YOU DO THE, UH, BUY A HOUSE, YOU GET A TITLE, PAPERWORK, INSURANCE.
THEY COVER YOU FOR THE 15 OR 30 YEAR LOAN, YOU CALL THEM.
YOU DEMAND, YOU DEMAND, THEY SELL THE ACCOUNTS, AND IT GOES TO OTHER TITLE COMPANIES.
THEY GIVE YOU FOR FREE ATTORNEYS, CORPORATE, YOU'RE NOT HAPPY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR NOTHING.
I HAVE A LATE REQUEST FROM MARIO TO SPEAK AGAIN.
COME TO EARLY COUNCIL MEETING NEXT TIME.
[01:25:01]
WE'LL TALK.IS IT, IS IT, OH, YOU WANNA MAKE THIS YOUR LAST? MM-HMM.
WE'LL, WE'LL AND HANDLE NEXT TIME.
I'LL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE NIGHT MARKET AFTER.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, CONCERNS? THANK MADAM.
UM, MS. MENDOZA AND, UH, MS. GOMEZ, THANK YOU, UH, FOR LET US KNOW YOUR, UM, THE PROBLEM YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO ASSIST YOU AND DIRECT YOU TO THE RIGHT AGENCY OR PARTIES TO CONTACT, UM, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, IF YOU DO GO TO EL MONTE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND GO TO FILE A REPORT OR TALK TO SOMEBODY, UM, EL MONTE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO REFER YOU TO ANYBODY.
THEY HAVE A UNIT THAT'S INVOLVED WITH, UH, REAL ESTATE FRAUD AND THEY ALSO WORK WITH LA COUNTY SHERIFFS.
THEY HAVE A SPECIALIZED UNIT THAT DEALS WITH THIS TYPE, UM, FRAUD.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE I'VE GOT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
I'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND I'LL MAKE SURE I ASSIST YOU IN, UH, DIRECTING TO THE RIGHT AGENCIES TO TALK TO.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THIS STORY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATES ON THE LIBRARY AND, YOU KNOW, JELLY BEANS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
THE CITY MANAGER'S A BIG FAN OF JELLY BEANS.
SO IF ANY OF YOU LEFTOVER, PLEASE FEEL TO BRING THOSE BY.
ALEXANDER, THANK YOU FOR, UM, VIA TRANSPORTATION, THE UPDATE ON GO WEST COVINA.
AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE WORKING WITH, UH, KELLY MCDONALD ON, ON, UH, MOVING THIS PROGRAM FORWARD AND GROWING IT.
UH, MR. SCHUMAKER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT ON THE SPORTSPLEX.
UM, THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL BE ADDRESSING, UH, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MEETINGS.
AND WHEN WE BRING TO A PRELIMINARY BUDGET TO THE COUNCIL ON MAY 5TH, UH, FOR PAMELA, JERRY, VERONICA, KIM, TOM, LINDA ANNA.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, FIRST OF ALL FOR VOLUNTEERING AT THE SHELTERS.
UH, ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES, LISA AND HER HUSBAND, VOLUNTEER AT THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER, AND PRIMARILY WORK WITH THE, THE LARGER DOGS.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND ALL THE SAD STORIES.
WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE HIGH SCHOOL AND I SEE HER POSTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY EUTHANIZED IF THEY'RE NOT ADOPTED.
SO, UM, IT'S AN ITEM THAT'S BEING GONNA BE CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
SO I WON'T GIVE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENTS OTHER THAN SAY, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY OF WEST COVINA, UH, WE THANK YOU FOR DEDICATING YOUR TIME.
AND I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE MANY, MANY A TIMES, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GO DOWN THERE EVERY DAY OR EVERY WEEK.
IT IS VERY DEPRESSING AND SAD TO SEE THE CONDITIONS DOWN THERE.
BUT AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WE REALLY DO THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
CALENDAR, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? I WILL, UH, VOTE NO ON ONE.UH, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL TO APPROVE? I MOVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ONE TO SEVEN A MOTION.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WU, A SECOND BY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ VOTING NO ON ITEM ONE.
MOTION PASSES NOW ONTO DEPARTMENTAL
[8) CONSIDERATION OF INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 2539 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING BY REFERENCE PORTIONS OF TITLE 10 (ANIMALS) OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO SPAY AND NEUTER AND MICROCHIPPING REQUIREMENTS AND AMENDING CHAPTER 6 (ANIMALS AND FOWL) OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE]
REGULAR MATTERS.ITEM EIGHT, CONSIDERATION OF INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 5 3 9.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING BY REFERENCE PORTION OF THE TITLE, 10 ANIMALS OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY CODE OF COURT ORDINANCE RELATING TO SPAY AND NEUTER AND MICRO TRIPPING REQUIREMENTS.
AND AMENDING CHAPTER SIX ANIMALS AND FILE OF WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE MS. KOVICH, WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL 1ST, 2025, MAYOR PRO TEM CONTOS REQUESTED THAT CITY STAFF EXPLORE THE OPTIONS AND COST OF REQUIRING SPAYING AND NEUTERING AND THE MICROCHIPPING OF PETS AT ITS MEDIUM.
FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026, THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVED A STAFF REPORT TITLED DIRECTION FOR SPAYING, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING OF PETS PROVIDED DIRECTION TO STAFF TO RETURN WITH A PROPOSED ORDINANCE REQUIRING THE SPAYING, NEUTERING, AND MICROCHIPPING OF PETS CITY COUNCIL.
FURTHER DIRECTED STAFF TO RESEARCH SIMILAR REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IDENTIFY AVAILABLE LOW COST VETERINARY SERVICE PROVIDERS, OUTLINED PUBLIC EDUCATION OUTREACH STRATEGIES, AND DEALT DEVELOP ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM
[01:30:01]
MECHANISMS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH PET LICENSING REQUIREMENTS.AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA CONTRACTS WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CONTROL TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES, INCLUDING ANIMAL SHELTERING FIELD SERVICES, INSPECTIONS, AND PET LICENSING.
AS REQUIRED BY THE AGREEMENT, THE COUNTY, THE CITY HAS ADOPTED TITLE 10, UM, ALLEY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES BY REFERENCE AS ITS ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE INTO CHAPTER SIX OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE WITH CERTAIN AMENDMENTS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER SIX, WHICH EXPRESSLY EXCLUDES THE CITY'S ADOPTION OF TITLE 10, PART FOUR, MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAM FOR CATS, DOGS AND CATS.
AND SECTION SIX FIVE E, WHICH EX EXPRESSLY EXCLUDES THE CITY'S ADOPTION OF TITLE 10 10.2 MICROCHIPPING.
CONSISTENT WITH THESE PROVISIONS, THE MANDATORY AND SPAY AND NEUTER AND MICROCHIPPING REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE 10 HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN ENFORCED IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
THE PRO PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD AMEND THE CITY'S EXISTING ADOPTION OF TITLE X TO EXPRESSLY INCLUDE PROVISIONS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY EXCLUDED, SPECIFICALLY THOSE RELATED TO MANDATORY SPAY, NEUTERING AND MICROCHIPPING OF ANIMALS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE ORDINANCE BECOME EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2026, TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S FISCAL 2026 CONTRACT YEAR WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL, ENSURING CONSISTENCY IN SERVICE, DELIVERY, ENFORCEMENT, AND ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION.
A NUMBER OF NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS HAVE ADOPTED MANDATORY SPAY AND NEU ORDINANCES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF WALNUT, CITY OF INDUSTRY, CITY OF AZUSA, CITY OF AMANI, AND CITY OF BALDWIN PARK.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ALSO REVISES SECTION 6.7 REGARDING PENALTY PROVISIONS.
AND AS A NEW SECTION 6.9 REGARDING ADMINISTRATIVE CITATIONS.
THESE REVISIONS MIRROR PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN TITLE 10 CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SETS FORTH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTING ANOTHER ORDINANCE BY CODE OR REFERENCE PURSUANT TO SUCH REQUIREMENTS.
AFTER FIRST READING OF THE TITLE OF THE ADOPTING ORDINANCE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD ADOPT PORTIONS OF TITLE 10 THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED.
STAFF RECOMMENDS FOLLOWING THE RE THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CITY COUNCIL INDUCES ORDINANCE 2 5 3 9 AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE STATE COUNCIL SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UH, MAY 19TH, 2026.
UM, A LOT IS, WAS, WAS SAID DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I'M SURE THE COUNCIL HAS, UM, SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
COUNSEL, ANY REQUESTS OR QUESTIONS? UH, COUNCILMAN HARRIS? YES.
UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE SCENARIOS WHEN IT COMES TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES? WOULD, WOULD THIS POTENTIALLY PUT A BURDEN ON LOW INCOME FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD, UH, THE SERVICE OR WHAT, BECAUSE I, I DIDN'T SEE ANY, UM, ANYTHING IN THERE TO ADDRESS POTENTIALLY LOW, LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN OUR CITY AND POTENTIALLY, UM, UH, RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL, UH, EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE PROGRAM.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AND EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, IN ADDITION TO OUR VACCINE CLINICS, UM, SPAY AND NEUTER TYPE CLINICS FOR THE CITY.
AND I WILL, UH, ALSO SAY THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL DOES OFFER VARIOUS RESOURCES FOR FREE AND LOW COST, UM, SPAY AND NEUTER SUPPORT.
THIS INCLUDES VOUCHERS THAT CAN BE REDEEMED FOR UP TO A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF THE COST OF SURGERY FOR CATS AND SMALL DOGS, AND UP TO $300 FOR LARGE BREED DOGS AND RESIDENTS MAY APPLY FOR THESE VOUCHERS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL, UH, CARE AND CONTROL.
AND FOR A LOT OF OUR LOCAL VETS, I'VE DEALT WITH OTHER CITIES IN THIS TYPE PROGRAM, A LOT OF OUR LOCAL VETS THAT WOULD COVER THE COSTS OF THE SPAY AND NEUTER.
OH, MAYOR POT SANTOS, YOU HAD A QUESTION.
OH, UH, CAN YOU, CAN YOU DES DESCRIBE, UM, THE, THE, THE ONGOING EFFORTS THAT, THAT WOULD BE ENTAILED WITH REGARD TO OUR EFFORTS TO HAVE FUTURE VACCINATION CLINICS AS WELL AS, UH, SPAY AND NEUTERING CLINICS AND FOR MICROCHIPPING AND SO FORTH, JUST TO, TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY WITH WHO, WHO WANT TO, TO TAKE PROACTIVE ACTIONS IN, IN RESPONSE TO, UH, OUR CALL TO ACTION HERE? ABSOLUTELY.
LIKE I, I MENTIONED THAT WE WILL BE EXPLORING AND CONTINUING TO SEEK OUT, AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL, UM, TO BRING, UM, THOSE TYPE PROGRAMS TO OUR CITY AT NO COST TO RESIDENTS OR
[01:35:01]
LOW COST TO OUR RESIDENTS.AND, UH, FACILITATE THOSE AT EITHER ONE OF OUR PARK CENTERS OR CIVIC CENTER.
UM, AND ALSO SEEK OUT OTHER GROUPS THAT WOULD BE OFFERING THROUGH VET, VET SERVICES AND OTHER AGENCIES TO ASSIST US AND PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO, UH, PUBLICLY EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ASSISTANT THE CITY MANAGER, ROXANNE LIMA, WHO REALLY, UH, PLAYED A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN, IN DOING THE ONES THAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY.
IS THERE A REASON WHY, UM, SO LA PUENTE AND COVINA DO NOT HAVE THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE? IS MY, I DIDN'T SEE 'EM ON THE LIST.
WE SERVE THE SURROUNDING CITIES.
I BELIEVE LA PUENTE DOES HAVE THE SPAY AND NEUTER ORDINANCE, AND THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN SHELTER NOW, AND THEY, THEY'RE PROACTIVELY TRYING TO REDUCE THE PET POPULATION THERE AS WELL.
HOW ABOUT COVINA? UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT COVINA STATUS IS RIGHT NOW.
WE DID THE SURROUNDING CITIES HERE AND I DON'T SEE COVINA AS ONE OF OUR SURVEYED CITIES.
THEY'RE A BIG CITY, BUT, OKAY.
AND, UH, SO, UM, THE PROCEDURES RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE GO TO HEARING, TO THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
SO WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO TO VOTE? OKAY.
FIRST AND THEN SENT TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO BASICALLY WE, TONIGHT, WE BASICALLY DECIDE IS THIS WILL BE THE ORDINANCE REQUIRED BY THE CT O.
AND, UH, SPAY AND NEW ALL THE TIME IS MUCH HEALTHIER FOR THEM.
AT THE SAME TIME THEY ALL LOST.
AND, UH, TO DO A CHECKUP LIKE YOUR CHILDREN, LIKE YOUR KID, LIKE YOUR FAMILY, SO, AND, UM, MY WIFE ALWAYS RELIGIOUSLY.
AND, UH, TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DIRE.
UH, MAKE SURE THEY DON'T OVERWEIGHT AND THEY EXERCISE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THIS IS WELL OF YOUR MEMBER FAMILY.
THE ISSUE IS, OKAY, I THINK THE REQUIREMENT IS LEGIT.
HOW CAN WE AND THE EDUCATION, HOW CAN WE PERSUADE OKAY.
HOW HAVE THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT, OKAY.
TO CONTROL AND TO HAVE, TO HAVE YOUR PET.
LIKE A, WHEN YOU HAVE PET, IT'S LIABILITY, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY.
HOW, HOW WE EDUCATE THEM, OKAY.
AND TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO CONTROL THE POPULATION AND THE HEALTH AND THIS AND THAT, AND THIS EDUCATION IS ONE THING, HOW WE IMPOSE THE EDUCATION.
SECOND THING, HOW, OKAY, WE CAN FIND A LOW COST FOR THE PEOPLE.
BECAUSE I THINK THE COST IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR MOST OF THE FAMILY.
AND NOT ONLY THEY HAVE TO BUY THE DOOR THROUGH AND THEY HAVE TO OKAY.
TRY TO GIVE THEM THE, THE VET AND THE, ALL THESE CHECKUP THING.
SO THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE A PET, YOU HAVE TO DO LIKE A HUMAN.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE REGULAR CHECKUP AT THE SAME TIME YOU NEED TO DO THIS SPACE AND, OKAY,
TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT REPRODUCE UNWANTED.
AND, UH, MUCH MORE HEALTHIER FOR THEM, PROLONG THEIR LIFE WITHOUT ANY OF CANCER IN THEIR, BECAUSE THEY, IF THE DEVICE THEY DON'T USE OR USE THIS AND THAT.
AND IT HAPPENED TO MY BEGINNING, THE FIRST DOG GOT A CANCER OF LAND.
AND NUMBER THREE, ENFORCEMENT, HOW WE CAN ENFORCE AND HOW CAN WE WORK WITH A COUNTY, OKAY.
THE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE RESPOND, THEY ARE PROACTIVE OR BE RESPONSIVE.
BECAUSE I'D HEARD ABOUT A LOT OF TIME WE HAVE A DOOR RUNNING AROUND AND THE RESIDENT CALL THEM, THEY BARELY SHOW UP.
SO, AND AS WE PAY THEM, OKAY, I THINK WE PAID IN QUITE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND HOW CAN HAVE THE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER REALLY HELPING US, OKAY.
AND TO DO THE ANIMAL CONTROL AT THE SAME TIME, HELP US WITH SOME KIND OF LOW COST AND, UH, WITH EDUCATION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK BECAUSE TO APPROVE THIS IS EASY.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT AND MAKE IT WORK AND REDUCE THE POPULATION OF PET.
AND THEN, AND THEN, AND THEN MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THIS ABANDONED PET INTO THE SHELTER AND BE KILLED.
SO, SO I THINK A COUPLE OF, UH, THE EXECUTION AND THE EDUCATION AND THE LOW COST AND THE ENFORCEMENT, I THINK ALL COMBINE AND TO MAKE THIS POLICY WORK.
SO, SO MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE SOME LIGHT WITH US.
I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE THE OUTREACH IS GONNA BE A KEY COMPONENT,
[01:40:01]
UM, TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY, THE VALUE OF THE, THE SPAY PETS, SPAYING PETS, NEUTERING PETS, AND THE MICRO CHIPPING, UM, FOR THOSE THAT OWN PETS AND THE, THOSE THAT DON'T.UM, ANOTHER FACTOR IS YOU, WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH OUR DISCOVER, OUR, OUR NEWSLETTER THROUGH MAILERS, INSERTS WITH OUR, UH, TRASH BILL, THOSE TYPE THINGS.
UM, UPDATING AT OUR CITY EVENTS THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AND AT OUR, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, SENIOR CENTER, AND ALL THE OTHER LOCATIONS, WE PROVIDE, UH, SERVICES TO THE CITY.
ONE THING THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND TOO, IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROJECTED TO SPEND ROUGHLY ABOUT $1.3 MILLION, LOT, A LOT FOR THE SHELTERING OF ANIMALS.
IF WE WERE TO REDUCE THOSE COSTS, THAT MONEY CAN BE REALLOCATED TO OTHER SERVICES IN THE CITY.
THE PAVING OF STREETS, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR PARKS, MAINTENANCE OF OUR FACILITIES FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
SO AGAIN, THE CITY IS, THE COMMUNITY IS ALREADY PAYING A HUGE PRICE FOR UNVACCINATED ANIMALS IN THE SHELTERING, UH, COST AT BALDWIN PARK.
ON THE LOW COST, AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING WITH LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL, AND WE WILL FACILITATE WITH EVERY AGENCY AND ORGANIZATION WE CAN TO PROVIDE LOW COST.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE IS A VOUCHER PROGRAM THROUGH LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL THAT WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE SPAY AND NEUTER ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THINGS.
UH, WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP ACTUALLY WITH LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL.
AND, UM, THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE CITY AND ANIMAL CONTROL AS FAR AS THE ENFORCEMENT IMPLEMENTATION AND THE PROGRAM WOULD BE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGER, MATTA.
AND I KNOW FROM WATCHING THE EMAILS GO BACK AND FORTH, THEY'VE ALREADY EXCHANGED, HERE'S OUR ROSTER OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE.
HERE'S OUR ROSTER OF YOUR PEOPLE, OUR CELL PHONES, ET CETERA.
SO WE DO HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
THE ENFORCEMENT WOULD START, UM, IT'S REALLY A SOFT ROLLOUT AS, AS THEY GET THEIR PET, UH, LICENSE RENEWALS, IT'LL NOW ASK FOR THEM TO PROVIDE PROOF OF VACCINATION, PROOF OF SPAY NEUTER, MICROCHIPPING.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST PHASE OF THE ENFORCEMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE, THIS YEAR, WE WILL BE DOING CANVASSING IN THE CITY.
WE'LL BE ACTUALLY BE GOING DOOR TO DOOR AND, UH, SERVING RESIDENTS, ADVISING THEM THAT THE NEW ORDINANCE, MAKING SURE ALL PETS ARE PROPERLY LICENSED WITH LA COUNTY, WHICH IS OUR SERVICE PROVIDER.
UM, AS FAR AS, UM, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE COST, UH, WE'RE ALREADY PAYING AS THE TAXPAYERS ARE ALREADY PAYING A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE SHELTERING.
THIS WOULD REDUCE THOSE COSTS.
AND, UH, AS I, I MENTIONED MANY, MANY TIMES, OKAY.
AND I REMEMBER BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, OKAY, EVERY TWO YEARS, SOMEBODY WILL RING MY DOORBELL.
THEY WANT TO CHECK THE DO TECH, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE VACCINE VACCINATION OF RE AND THIS AND THAT.
AND, UH, AND, UH, I, I EVEN KNOW, OKAY? AND, UH, FOR YOU HAVE A LICENSE TO HAVE A PET, OKAY? YOU NEED TO REPORT TO THE COUNTY, OKAY? ANIMAL CONTROL, IF YOU SEEN IT, THE, I THINK IT'S ALMOST 50% OFF.
A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION AND, UH, I THINK YOU SHOULD PUT ON THE WEBSITE.
I THINK MY SUGGESTION IS ON OUR WEBSITE REGARDING HOW YOU DEAL WITH THIS ANIMAL OR YOUR FAMILY, YOU A PET, AND HOW WE, OKAY.
IT IS LIKE A, A RESOURCE CENTER.
SO IF PEOPLE HAVE PET, HAVE A ISSUE OR HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL ISSUE, HAVE A, SOME KIND OF, UM, STREET, A STREET DOG RUNNING AROUND AND THEY HAVE A PLACE TO REPORT TO US OR TO COUNTY.
SO I THINK SINCE WE PAY THEM SO MUCH MONEY, HOPEFULLY WE CAN REDUCE.
BUT THE TWO THING IS, ONE IS THE ENFORCEMENT FROM COUNTY.
I REMEMBER THEY, THEY KNOCK ON MY DOOR, RING MY DOORBELL, OKAY.
SO, SO MAYBE THIS CANVASSING, BECAUSE IN THAT WAY, THE PEOPLE AT PET HAVE TO PAY THE FEE AND THAT FEE WILL OKAY.
BASICALLY OFFSET ABOUT WHAT WE PAY.
SO, SO IF YOU OWN THE PAY, YOU NEED TO OKAY.
AND, UH, TO GET A PERMIT, FOLLOW THE LAW AND THIS AND THAT.
SO, SO THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK INFORMATION NEED TO BE ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND THEN REGARDING RECRUIT, A LOT OF OUR LOCAL VET TO JOIN US, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THEM TO GIVE, GIVE THE PEOPLE OUR RESIDENT DISCOUNT.
OKAY? FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE CASE OF WEST COVINA, NOW WE SAY, UH, FIX WEST COVINA.
SO, SO, SO WE CAN HAVE, UH, ALL THIS, UH, PROVIDE A SERVICE, PROVIDE VACCINATION, PROVIDE SOME KIND OF DISCOUNT.
AND FOR THE LOWER INCOME, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF PROGRAM TO, TO HELP THEM.
OKAY? AGAIN, REDUCE THE POPULATION, REDUCE THE NMO ISSUE, WE REDUCE THE COST FROM TAXPAYERS, SO IT'S KIND OF AT THE SAME TIME, OKAY, CANVASING,
[01:45:01]
DOOR KNOCKING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE COMPLY.AND ALL TOGETHER AS A PACKAGE OF OUR OKAY, LIKE HOW TO IMPLEMENT AND ON THIS, THEN I THINK IT IS ONLY WAY WE'LL WORK.
OKAY? OTHERWISE YOU APPROVE AND PEOPLE STILL DO THE SAME THING.
AND WE DON'T ENFORCE AND END UP EVERYTHING IS THE SAME.
EVEN WE HAVE ORDINANCE UNDERSTOOD.
AND, AND I AGREE THAT OUR WEBSITE SHOULD BE A, UH, A LOCATION THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO TO FIND ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
IN THE, THE LAST CITY I WORKED, WE DID HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD A LIST OF PREFER PREFERRED SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR SPAY AND NEUTER.
AND BASICALLY, IT, IT WAS ALMOST A SHOP LOCAL, IT, IT RECOMMENDED THE VETS WITHIN OUR CITY TO, UH, DIRECT PEOPLE.
AND THEY'VE FIXED THEIR RATES AS SUCH THAT IT WAS AFFORDABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THOSE ARE ALL GREAT POINTS.
SO, SO, SO THE, THE CT WEBSITE WILL BE THE INFORMATION CENTER FOR THE ANY ISSUE.
AND, UH, FOR THE PET ISSUE, THIS IS A, A CENTER FOR THEM TO GET A RESOURCE.
AND, UH, I THINK FOR US, WE WANT TO DO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR HEARING, WE WANT THE OTHER RESIDENT TO UNDERSTAND SO THEY CAN INPUT ABOUT THEIR CONCERN AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE.
AND THIS ORDINANCE TO MAKE EVERYBODY PARTICIPATE, FOR US TO JUST PUT A GUIDELINE, PUT THE ORDINANCE, SOMETIMES IT WON'T WORK.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE HAVE TO FOLLOW, OKAY.
AND SO HOW CAN WE WORK THIS OUT AND, UH, HAVE A, LIKE, WE ARE GOING TO THE OKAY, HEARING COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
HOPEFULLY MORE OF THE PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO KIND OF SHARE WITH US WHILE WE WORK AND THIS AND THAT, AND TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND THEN, THEN I THINK THEY WILL REDUCE THE POPULATION AND REDUCE THE KILLING, REDUCE THE SUFFERING.
AND FOR THE ANIMAL, UH, I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, UM, WHY WE DIDN'T SURVEY, UM, THE CITY OF COVINA, THEY USE A DIFFERENT SHELTERING SERVICE.
SO, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO COMPARE THE CITY'S THAT BALDWIN PARK SERVICES TO OURS AND HOW IT COMPARES.
SO I DID, I DID ASK, UH, THE SHELTER MANAGER.
I GO, HOW DOES WEST COVINA COMPARE TO THIS OTHER CITY SURROUNDING US THAT THEY DO SERVICE? AND I'LL QUOTE, BASED ON OUR DATA, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA HAS EXPERIENCED A SUSTAINED INCREASE IN ANIMAL ADMISSIONS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, PARTICULARLY WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES SERVE BY THE BALDWIN PARK CARE CENTER THAT HAVE ADOPTED MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER ORDINANCES.
AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT IS THE COST SAVINGS? AND THEY SAID, THE, IN THE FIRST YEAR, YOU PROBABLY CAN EXPECT A 20%, UM, REDUCTION IN COST JUST BY ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE.
AND EACH YEAR AFTER THAT, IT'LL CONTINUE TO DECLINE AS THE STRAY POPULATION, UH, DECREASES IN THE CITY AND PEOPLE BECOME COMPLIANT WITH THE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S, HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BETTER.
YOU KNOW, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT, AND THIS IS NOT TO TALK BAD ABOUT ANYONE, BUT I ONLY HAVE A PAGE AND A HALF OF, OF INFORMATION THAT ME AS A PERSON HAVE, HAS TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND, AND I THINK THAT IF WALNUT CITY OF INDUSTRY, A SUSE, AND MONTY AND BOWING PARK ALL HAVE A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, MAYBE HOPEFULLY IN, IN THE FUTURE, WE COULD ENSURE THAT THOSE STATISTICS ARE PUT PART OF THE BINDER AND, AND PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC AGENDA.
SO WE COULD SEE IF, IF, IF IT IS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, THAT THEN I WILL SUPPORT IT.
BUT WITHOUT THOSE STATISTICS, I'M KIND OF LEFT IN THE MIDDLE.
L LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW STATS.
SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAKE STAFF REPORTS TWO PAGES, WE CAN MAKE 'EM 20 PAGES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN REQUESTED FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION, I, I WILL PROVIDE YOU, I'LL TELL YOU THAT IN THE FISCAL YEAR, 24 25, THAT THE, UH, UH, BALDWIN PARK SHELTER, UH, RECEIVED 1,268 ANIMALS FROM WEST COVINA, FAR MORE THAN ANY OTHER CITY AS AN ASTRONOMICAL NUMBER.
AND OF THOSE ANIMALS THAT WERE, UM, ADMITTED TO THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER, 962 WERE STRAY ANIMALS, NOT MICRO TRIPPED, NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED.
NINE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO A HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO OF THOSE AN, UH, AN ADDITIONAL 192 ANIMALS WERE SURRENDERED BY OWNER AS INDICATED BY SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, A LOT OF BREEDERS DO IS ONCE THE MOTHER IS DONE GIVING LITTERS, THEY TURN THE MOTHER OVER TO THE SHELTER OF THOSE ANIMALS THAT ARE TURNED OVER TO THE BALDWIN PARK SHELTER.
THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE HERE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT FACILITATE RESCUE GROUPS AND SHIP ANIMALS, UM, OUT OF STATE AND TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THEY, THEY DO THE BEST THEY POSSIBLY CAN,
[01:50:01]
BUT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE ARE OF ADOPTABLE HEALTHY PUPPIES AND DOGS AND CATS, HEALTHY ANIMALS, OVER 300 ARE EUTHANIZED EVERY YEAR JUST OUT OF BALDWIN PARK SHELTER FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.SO, I, I THINK THE, THOSE STATISTICS ALONE ARE PRETTY TELLING THAT IT IS A PROBLEM.
AGAIN, WE'RE CURRENTLY GONNA BE PAYING 1.3 MILLION WITHIN A COUPLE YEARS WITH THE INFLATION AND INCREASED COSTS FOR, UM, CONTRACT COSTS.
WE'LL BE PUSHING 1.5 TO $2 MILLION BEFORE VERY LONG.
MAYOR, THE STRAY ANIMALS, IS THAT, LET'S SAY, I KNOW WE HAVE A DOG PARK.
NOT A LOT OF CITIES HAVE DOG PARKS.
SO THESE STRAY ANIMALS ARE COUNTED AS IF ANYBODY JUST DROPPED THEIR PETS HERE IN WEST COVINA AND THEY RE THEY THE SHELTERS, WELL, THEY GET THE ANIMAL CONTROL GETS IT FROM WEST COVINA.
SO THAT 9 62 IS NOT NECESSARILY FROM LIKE OUR RESIDENCE, IT'S JUST FROM ANYWHERE.
SO IT'S 962 STRAY DOGS CATS PICKED UP IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, WHERE THEY ORIGINATED FROM.
AND THEY WOULDN'T KNOW EITHER.
ALL THEY KNOW IS THEY'VE BEEN CALLED TO PICK UP A STRAY ANIMAL ON A STREET, OR A STRAY ANIMAL'S BEEN BROUGHT TO THE, UM, BALTIMORE PARK FACILITY.
AND THEY SAID, I FOUND THIS, UH, DOG RUNNING ON SUNSET.
AND SO YOU SAID 1200 FROM WEST COVINA, BUT OUT OF TWELVE HUNDRED, NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO OUT OF THE 1200 ARE STRAYS STRAYS.
AND ANOTHER 192 WERE, UH, SURRENDERED BY OWNER.
AND THESE OWNERS ARE WEST COVINA RESIDENTS? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO OUT OF, SO REALLY IT'S 192 RESIDENTS THAT TURN IN THEIR PETS.
192 PETS WERE TURNED OVER BY OWNER SURRENDER.
OWNERS BROUGHT THEIR OWN PETS IN TO DROP THEM OFF AT THE SHELTER.
ANOTHER 962 WERE EITHER DROPPED OFF BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAID THEY FOUND THE ANIMAL IN WEST COVINA OR THE ANIMAL CONTROL CAME OUT AND PICKED UP AN ANIMAL IN WEST COVINA.
AND BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DOG PARK, UM, ARE WE ALSO IMPLEMENTING THAT THOSE THAT ARE NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED CANNOT USE THE DOG PARK AS WELL? ARE WE LIMITING THAT AS, I MEAN, IF THEY'RE COMING INTO WEST COVINA AND ANYBODY'S CROSSING THE BORDER IN WEST COVINA, TAKING THE CHANCE OF STRAIN AND ALL THAT STUFF, IS THAT GONNA BE A, A PUSH? UM, THAT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED YET, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, COULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER.
AND THEN, UM, I KNOW ONE OF THEM MENTIONED ABOUT LIKE THE HOMELESS ENCAMP ENCAMPMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, PETS.
AND WE DO SEE THEM, I MEAN, SOMETIMES THEY'RE ON THE STREET, THEY HAVE THEIR DOGS WITH THEM.
ARE WE FINDING THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SPRAY NEUTER AND ALL THIS VACCINE, HOW ARE WE HANDLING THAT POPULATION? IT'S A, UH, SIMILAR CONCEPT WITH, UM, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ IN REGARDS TO THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD IT.
WHAT, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM? YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, WHEN WE DO THE ENCAMPMENTS AND, AND PETS ARE RETRIEVE FROM THE ENCAMPMENTS.
WELL, WITH THE SPAY AND NEW, NOT JUST ENCAMPMENTS, BUT THOSE THAT ARE IN OUR STREETS, IF THEY'RE HOMELESS WITH THEIR PETS, LIKE I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN ONE, UM, AT THE EXIT OF THE FREEWAYS.
YEAH, WELL, WE WOULD JUST PROBABLY, UH, FOR THE TRANSIENT POPULATION IN THE CITY, THE UNHOUSED, UH, WE WOULD EDUCATE THEM THAT THE PETS NEED TO BE SPAY OR NEUTERED.
UM, I AM FAMILIAR WITH WORKING ENCAMPMENTS, AND OFTEN PETS ARE, UM, TAKEN FROM ENCAMPMENTS AND BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER, UH, FOR THEIR, THEIR OWN WELFARE.
SOME OF THEIR LIVING IN DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS.
AT TIMES, YOU WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO ISSUE CITATIONS TO SOMEONE THAT'S UNHOUSED.
UM, BUT WE CAN ADDRESS, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING THEIR PETS ON LEASHES AND HAVE, UH, THOSE THAT WE CAN ASK THAT THEY, UH, WE VERIFY THE ANIMAL IS SPAY OR NEUTERED.
AND THEN, UM, DO YOU KNOW WHY LA COUNTY DOESN'T MAKE THIS ORDINANCE LA COUNTY WIDE? IT IS A COUNTYWIDE ORDINANCE, BUT CITIES HAVE THE, UH, ABILITY TO ADOPT, UH, BY REFERENCE.
SO THEIR ORDINANCE COVERS LA COUNTY, UNINCORPORATED, ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN WITHIN THE INCORPORATED CITIES, MOST CITIES ADOPT LA COUNTY, UH, TITLE 10 BY REFERENCE AS THEIR ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE INSTEAD OF WRITING THEIR OWN ORDINANCE.
IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY THICK AMOUNT OF, UH, LANGUAGE IN THAT ORDINANCE.
SO RIGHT NOW, LA COUNTY'S RULES THAT IT'S MANDATORY SPAY AND NEUTER, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
BECAUSE I KNOW ON THERE, WHEN YOU APPLY FOR YOUR LICENSE, THEY HAVE TWO FEES.
IF THEY'RE SPAY AND NEUTERED, IT'S ONE FEE.
AND THEN IF THEY'RE NOT, IT'S ANOTHER FEE.
BUT THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT DOESN'T APPLY TO THEIR OWN LA COUNTY RESIDENTS? I MEAN, THEIR OWN LA COUNTY UNINCORPORATED, I'M NOT FAMILIAR IF THEY'RE IN THE UNINCORPORATED
[01:55:01]
AREAS, IF THEY HAVE A DIFFERENCE.THE CITIES THAT I'VE WORKED, THE FIVE CITIES THAT WITH A SPAY AND NEW ORDINANCE, IT, IT WAS A MANDATE, UH, UNDER TITLE 10.
AND IT WAS A MANDATE FOR THE LOCAL CITY TO ENFORCE THAT AS WELL, IF IT WAS ADOPTED AS SUCH, THE CITY HISTORICALLY HAS EXCLUDED THOSE TWO PROVISIONS IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND THEN I DO, I KNOW, I SEE ON SECTION THREE HOW IT'S LIMITED.
SO DOGS, THEY COULD ONLY OWN THREE DOGS AT ANY RESIDENCE.
AND CATS THEY COULD ONLY KEEP, IT'S UNLAWFUL TO KEEP MORE THAN FOUR CATS AT ANY RESIDENCE, UNLESS OF COURSE THEY HAVE AN ANIMAL FACILITY LICENSE.
SO WE'LL BE ENFORCING THESE, UH, THIS RULE AS WELL.
SO WHEN WE ADOPT A, A CODE BY REFERENCE, LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL WILL ENFORCE ALL PROVISIONS OF TITLE 10, AND THEY WILL NOT ENFORCE ANY EXCLUSIONARY PROVISIONS THAT THE CITY ADOPTS.
SO WE WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH LA COUNTY ANIMAL ANIMAL CONTROL FOR THE ENFORCEMENT.
AS WE IDENTIFY VIOLATIONS, WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY, UM, IN THAT EFFORT.
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE FIRST OBSERVED CONDITIONS THAT WARRANT, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL COMING OUT, SUCH AS THE CAT HOUSE WE HAD WITH 80 TO A HUNDRED CATS INSIDE, THEY WERE SECLUDED.
THEY WERE LOCKED IN THE HOUSE THAT WAS ONLY IDENTIFIED ONCE.
UM, CITY STAFF, UH, GOT INSIDE THE RESIDENCE.
AND WE, UM, REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM LA COUNTY.
AND WE DO DISCOVER QUITE A FEW OF THOSE IN THE CITY.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THESE ANIMALS ARE IN ABSOLUTELY DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS, AND THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE RESIDENCE RESIDENTS, THE PROPERTY.
I MEAN, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THE OWNER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE MICROCHIPPING AND SO FORTH SO THAT WE KNOW WHICH, WHERE THESE PETS BELONG TO AND THAT OWNER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, SO THEN IF THE RESIDENTS START REPORTING THEIR NEIGHBORS FOR EITHER THE SPAY NEUTER OR THE, UM, MORE THAN, UH, MORE THAN ENOUGH, LIKE MORE THAN ANIMALS, SORRY, DOGS AND CATS, UM, WHO REPORTS OR WHO GOES TO THAT? IS THAT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OR IS THAT THE, UH, LA COUNTY SHELTER IF THEY'RE REPORTING THESE VIOLATIONS? SO THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WOULD BE LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL.
HOWEVER, IF THEY DID REPORT IT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE WOULD ASSIST WITH RELAYING THAT MESSAGE TO LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL, FILE THE COMPLAINT ON THAT RESIDENT'S BEHALF, AND FOLLOW THROUGH AND MAKE SURE IT'S ADDRESSED.
AND THEN ON SECTION FIVE, UM, ON LETTER B, NUMBER EIGHT, SECTION 10.3 8.0 10, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, A TYPO, BUT IT SAYS KEEPING OF ROOSTERS.
DO YOU MEAN ROSTERS OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ROOSTERS? ROOSTERS, THE, OKAY.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL NOISY.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE THEM.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE MENTIONED ABOUT ROSTERS.
UH, I THINK POSSIBLE WE NEED TO HAVE SOME EXCEPTION BECAUSE, UH, MY DOG ALL HAVE OPERATION WHEN THEY ARE AROUND SIX MONTHS OLD, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OLDER THE DOG, MAYBE THEY HAVE A POTENTIALLY SURGERY RISK.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK INTO IT, BECAUSE IF IT'S, SOME PEOPLE HAVE A DOG, SIX YEARS OLD, SEVEN YEARS OLD, AGAIN, WE WANT THEM TO OKAY, NEW OR OPERATION POSSIBLE.
THEY DON'T, THE, THE OWNER DON'T WANT TO DO IT DUE TO THE RISK.
AND LA COUNTY, UH, WITH THE ADOPTION OF TITLE 10, THE SPAY AND NEUTER, UM, THERE ARE PROVISIONS THAT EXCLUDE CERTAIN ANIMALS FOR CERTAIN REASONS.
UH, I'M SURE THERE'S, THERE'S A MULTITUDE OF REASONS I CAN GET A LIST FOR THE COUNCIL OF, SO WE HAVE A, THAT KIND OF YEAH, LA COUNTY DOES HAVE THAT.
WE FORCE THEM TO GET OPERATION.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOME EXCEPTION, BUT MOST OF THE YOUNG DOG, LIKE SIX MONTHS OLD, SEVEN, SEVEN MONTHS OLD, LESS THAN A YEAR OLD.
AND THEN, THEN THIS WILL BE A REQUIREMENT.
THE, THE LATER THEY, THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE.
SO, SO WE MIGHT, WE, WE MIGHT HAVE A NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF, UH, PROVISION AND EXCEPTION THIS ON THAT.
WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK WITH, IF, IF ADOPTED, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WORK CLOSELY WITH LA ANIMAL CONTROL ON THE SCOPE OF ENFORCEMENT.
AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME RESIDENT CONCERNS THAT, UM, PENALTIES UNDER LA COUNTY WERE TOO STRICT, OR THEY SEEMINGLY WERE TOO STRICT.
ACTUALLY, THEY MIRROR THE, OUR CURRENT MUNICIPAL CODE FOR OTHER, UH, VIOLATIONS OF OUR CODE, WHICH TYPICALLY WE ISSUE A WARNING NOTICE TO START.
IT CAN ESCALATE TO A CITATION.
IT COULD ALSO, UH, UH, EVENTUALLY END UP AS A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT.
UM, AND COUNCILMAN MAYOR PROM, CONTOS HAD ASKED ME, YOU KNOW, WELL, WHEN WOULD WE DO A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, UH, FOR A SPAY NEUTER? UH, NO MICROCHIPPING.
[02:00:01]
I, I EXPLAINED TO 'EM THAT THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS, THE ONLY TIME THAT A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT WOULD EVER BE FILED FOR THAT TYPE OF VIOLATION IS WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH A ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE.UM, SOMEBODY'S, UH, CHARGED WITH A FELONY OR FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY, UH, WE WOULD TACK ON ALL THE ADDITIONAL VIOLATIONS WE COULD, UH, FOR THE, IN THAT SITUATION.
BUT SIMILAR TO, UM, SPAY AND NEUTER WOULD BE TREATED THE SAME AS, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY NOT MOWING THEIR FRONT LAWN.
THERE'S AN ESCALATION OF ENFORCEMENT, THERE'S PROCEDURES IN PLACE.
AND THE LA COUNTY, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL USES, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THEIR CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS.
I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THE COURTS ARE NOT GONNA BE HEARING A BUNCH OF ANIMAL CASES UNLESS THERE'S SEVERE.
UM, I MEAN, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO INCLUDE THE DOG PARK BECAUSE IF WE'RE GETTING SO MANY STRAYS OR JUST DIFFERENT ANIMALS THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR CITY AND JUST DUMPING IT, I WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THIS GETS IMPLEMENTED, THAT THE DOG PARK HAS THOSE RULES.
I MEAN, PREFERABLY LIKE, IF YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING THESE RULES HERE IN OUR CITY TO CONTINUE TO YEAH, FOLLOW THOSE RULES WITH SIGNAGE, UM, INFORMATION, EVEN A QR TO THE SITE, WHICH NEEDS TO BE UPDATED WITH ALL THE INFORMATION, REASONS AND BENEFITS FOR SPAY AND NEUTER AND, YOU KNOW, VACCINE LI LINKS AND FINES AND SO FORTH.
UM, BUT THE DOG PARK SHOULD BE PART OF THIS.
ANYBODY WHO OWNS A PET UNDERSTOOD.
AND I HAVE VISITED OTHER DOG PARKS 'CAUSE I'M AN ANIMAL LOVER MYSELF.
AND THERE ARE PARKS WHERE THERE'S AN ENTRANCE AREA AND THERE IS MAYBE A STAFF MEMBER, UM, OR AT LEAST SIGNAGE SAYING ALL PETS NEED TO BE PROPERLY VACCINATED, SPAYED, OR NEUTERED TO ENTER THIS AREA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I DO FEEL SORRY FOR THESE DOGS.
I MEAN, IT'S, UM, IT'S HEARTBREAKING THE NUMBERS THAT YOU GAVE US, AND I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE DO THIS.
UM, SO, UM, I, I LIKE THE IDEA AND I, ALONG WITH ALL THE IDEAS THAT THE REST OF THE COUNCIL HAS MENTIONED TO ADD TO THE HEARING, AND, UM, I MEAN, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE.
PEOPLE NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
IF YOU WANNA HAVE A PET, YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
YOU CAN'T JUST BUY IT OR GET IT.
IF YOU GET, I MEAN, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THESE DOGS.
AND I JUST THINK THAT'S, I, I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE THE BREEDING.
UM, OUR DOGS ARE RESCUED AND I LIKE IT LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CHIPPED, THEY'RE FIXED, THEY BRING 'EM HOME, AND THEY'RE JUST AS LOVING AS A SIX MONTH OLD, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, I AGREE WITH THIS.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
YOU KNOW, I, I ALSO SEE, SO AGAIN, IT'S GREAT TO KNOW EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE DOCUMENT.
AND, AND SO YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S GONNA BE ENFORCED BASED ON UPON HOW IT'S WRITTEN.
I MEAN, EVEN THE VIOLATIONS, THE FIRST VIOLA, IT DOESN'T SAY NO WARNINGS WILL BE GIVEN.
SO YOU COULD SEE THAT NOW, BUT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW OR 10 YEARS, THERE'S GONNA BE, ANYONE COULD ENFORCE IT, HOW, HOW IT'S WRITTEN.
AND SO THE FIRST VIOLATION IT SAYS IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS SECOND VIOLATION OF THE SAME SECTION OF TITLE 10 WITHIN THE PROCEEDING.
THE THIRD VIOLATION OF THE SAME SECTION OF TITLE 10 WITHIN THE PROCEEDINGS IN 12 MONTHS FINE IS UP TO $500.
AND EACH ADDITIONAL VIOLATION OF THE SAME SECTION OF TITLE 10 WITHIN THE PROCEEDING 12 MONTHS FINES UP TO $500.
AND SO FOR A LOW INCOME FAMILY, A HUNDRED DOLLARS MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE, ESPECIALLY AT, AT THE HIGH PRICING OF GASOLINE CURRENTLY.
UH, AND, AND SO MY CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED A LOT OF GREAT, GREAT INFORMATION, BUT THE PROBLEM IN THE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT I SEE IS IT'S NOT IN THE, IT'S NOT IN THIS DOCUMENT.
AND IF IT'S NOT IN THIS DOCUMENT, TWO OR FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S GONNA BE ENFORCED BASED UPON HOW IT'S WRITTEN.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ADDRESSED CONCERNS EACH OF US.
AND I THINK IDEALLY WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET THIS UPDATED FIRST AND THEN TYPICALLY VOTE ON IT.
UM, SO WITH THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE PENALTY SCHEDULE, THE 100, THE 200 500, THAT IS ACTUALLY A SCHEDULE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY ADOPTED.
FOR ALL OTHER SECTIONS OF OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH ARE A VIOLATION UNDER OUR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, OUR BUILDING CODE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT SCHEDULE.
UM, SOME CITIES, YEAH, THEY MAY GO STRICTLY LETTER
[02:05:01]
OF THE LAW FIRST VIOLATION.YOU GET A, A CITATION FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THAT DOES HAPPEN IN THIS CITY, THIS COUNCIL, UM, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED POLICIES WHERE WE START WITH WARNING NOTICES AND WE HAVE PROGRESSIVE ENFORCEMENT.
WE ARE NOT HEAVY HANDED IN ANY WAY OTHER CITIES MAY BE, BUT THAT'S A POLICY DECISION OF THE LOCAL COUNCILS.
AND GRANTED, IN FIVE YEARS, NONE OF US MAY BE HERE, OR IN 10 YEARS, WE ALL MAY BE HERE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT AS OF NOW, THE IN THE PENALTY SCHEDULE REMAINS THE SAME FOR LA COUNTY CODE TITLE 10 AND THE ADOPTION OF OUR MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND AGAIN, THIS APPLIES TO EVERYTHING WE ENFORCE ON A DAILY BASIS HERE, UM, PROBABLY 25,000 VIOLATIONS A YEAR.
THEY'RE ALL SUBJECT TO THE SAME PENALTY SCHEDULE.
AND THE REASON THE CITY DOES NOT FIND PEOPLE IS 'CAUSE THIS COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED A, UH, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, WORK TO GET VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE AND NOT TO BE HEAVY HANDED.
SO THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS, IT, IT, YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON THE DOT.
WE HAVE TO DO WHAT? IT'S ON PAPER.
WE CAN'T JUST MAKE UP OUR OWN THING OUTSIDE OF WHAT'S THE, OR WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS.
AND, AND SO MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO ADD, UH, A PROVISION IN THERE THAT, UH, THEY GET A WARNING FIRST OR SOME SORT.
BUT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I GOTTA SAY.
SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE IS YOU'D BE ADOPTING TITLE 10, THAT IS THEIR ORDINANCE, THEIR WORDING WRITTEN BY LA COUNTY.
WE ARE ADOPTING IT BY REFERENCE.
UM, SO WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF WRITING AN ENTIRE ORDINANCE OF A THOUSAND PAGES TO COVER THAT.
EVERYTHING THAT LA COUNTY HAS ALREADY COVERED.
I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE WORKED WITH LA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL IN FIVE CITIES, AND THEY ALWAYS ISSUE A WARNING NOTICE FIRST.
THEY'RE NOT HEAVY HANDED UNLESS FOR SOME REASON THE LOCAL CITY AND COUNCIL DIRECTS OTHERWISE.
SO, AND, AND I THINK THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT IF WE'RE COPYING THE COUNTY, COUNTY IS, THE COUNTY, COUNTY IS DIFFERENT THAN THE RESIDENTS WE SERVE TODAY.
UM, AND, AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, THE RESIDENCE IS UNDER LA COUNTY, BUT, UM, PENALTY IN VIOLATION.
IS THERE QUESTION FOR ILLEGAL BREEDERS? I DIDN'T SEE IT HERE.
IS THERE A PENALTY VIOLATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE ILLEGALLY BREEDING? UM, BECAUSE BASED ON THE FEES, SOME MIGHT DON'T MIND PAYING THAT YEARLY.
A AGAIN, THE, THE, WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX HERE.
SO BETWEEN LA COUNTY AND THE CITY, UH, ILLEGAL BREEDER WOULD A A HUNDRED DOLLARS FINE, UM, STOP SOMEBODY FROM ILLEGAL BREEDING? NO.
FILING A MISDEMEANOR COMPLAINT AND SEEKING A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT IN, UM, THE COURT WOULD, OKAY.
WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ROLL CALL.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY THAT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT DETAILED.
[MAYOR/COUNCILMEMBERS REPORTS]
COUNCIL REPORTS.AB 1, 2, 3, 4, CONFERENCE AND MEETING REPORT.
[CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION]
IS THERE ANY YES.COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ FORWARDING UP.
SO, UM, SO I HEARD FROM SOME COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT PRES, UM, SOME SORT OF PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
I KNOW I HEAR FROM, I HEARD FROM GLEN KENNEDY AND, AND OTHERS ABOUT THE TAYLOR HOUSE.
AND, AND SO I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE IS, THERE IS, IF THERE IS A WAY TO, UM, LOOK AT POTENTIALLY CREATING A CITY MANAGER PRESERVATION COMMITTEE WITH SOME RESIDENTS OR, OR WORK IN HOW TO, HOW WE COULD SEE HOW TO, UM, REOPEN THE TAYLOR HOUSE.
DO I HEAR ANYTHING, ANY SECOND? OKAY.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, I, I SECOND THAT WITHOUT, UM, I'VE SPOKEN WITH RESIDENTS, UM, MYSELF TOO.
AND I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO, TO, TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAXIMIZE THAT SPACE IN REGARDS TO THIS.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY SENIOR AND SERVICE COMMISSION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BROUGHT FORTH AND THEY CAN HANDLE AND BRING IN ALL THE RESIDENTS.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVE SPOKEN TO OUR, LIKE, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROXANNE.
AND REGARDING TO THE TAYLOR HOUSE, I'VE PERSONALLY ASKED, UM, A VERY, A FEW DIFFERENT
[02:10:01]
THINGS.BUT WE DO HAVE OUR COMMISSIONERS AND I LIKE TO EMPOWER OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, IF THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, HANDLED AND BROUGHT FORTH ON THAT INSTEAD OF CREATING MULTIPLE OTHER COMMITTEES.
SO MAYBE, UH, YOU COULD, UH, REPORT BACK TO US AFTER IT'S, IT GOES TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION IF APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, FIRST, A SECOND.
OH, WELL WE HAVE NO, SO I DON'T, I DON'T NEED IT.
REPORT BACK TO US ONCE THE, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
JUST BRING THIS TO THE COMMUNITY.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL REQUESTS? THEN THE NEXT ONE IS, UM, SO AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER CONTOS MADE A, A COUNCIL REQUEST TO BRING THE TOPIC OF COLLEGE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS BACK, UH, SOONER BECAUSE POTENTIALLY ANOTHER MEMBER WAS NOT GONNA BE HERE IN THE SECOND MEETING OF MAY.
NOW, IT WAS SAID THAT POTENTIALLY THE CITY MANAGER COULD SERVE IN THE, IN THE POSITION INDEFINITELY.
BUT ACCORDING TO OUR PERSONNEL POLICY, SECTION 6.3, THE ACTING APPOINTMENTS TO A HIGHER CLASS, AN ACTING APPOINTMENT.
AN ACTING APPOINTMENT MAY BE MADE TO A HIGHER CLASS OR POSITION OCCUPIED BY A PER A PERSON ON TEMPORARY LEAVE OR DISABILITY, SUCH AS ACTING ON APPOINTMENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 12 MONTHS.
ACTING APPOINTMENTS SHALL BE MADE FROM EXISTING PROMOTIONAL LISTS, SHOULD NOT, NO PROMOTIONAL ELIGIBILITY LIST EXISTS.
ACTING APPOINTMENTS SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT SECTION OF THE PERSONNEL RULES.
UPON THE RETURN OF THE INCUMBENT FROM LEAVE FOR DISABILITY, THE ACTING APPOINTMENT SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.
SO AN ACTING APPOINTMENT TO A HIGHER CLASS OR POSITION AND A VACANT POSITION SHALL NOT EXCEED 960 HOURS IN A FISCAL YEAR OR 12 MONTHS.
UH, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THAT'S THE PERSONNEL POLICY.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, OUR ORDINANCE, SECTION TWO DASH 14 A VACANCIES, IT SPECIFICALLY STATES, UH, WHEN A VACANCY OCCURS IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL AS SOON AS PRACTICALLY PR PRACTICABLE, AFTER SUCH OFFICE BECOMES VACANT, APPOINT AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER A VACANCY HAS OCCURRED, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL PROCEED WITH RECRUITMENT OF A CITY MANAGER, CANDIDATES USING STAFF OR A CONSULTANT EXPERIENCE IN SUCH RECRUITMENTS AND SHALL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE VACANT POSITION FROM AMONG THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
SUCH APPOINTMENTS SHALL BE MADE AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE POSITION IS VACATED BY THE PREVIOUS INCUMBENT ORDINANCE.
AND, AND IT'S ORDINANCE 2 2 7 9 1 12 1 15.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO, WE SHOULD DISCUSS THIS SOONER.
UH, CITY ATTORNEY BASED UPON, AND I KNOW IT WAS OFF YOU, YOU WERE NOW AWARE THIS, IT'S UP, IT'S UP TO THE BODY WHEN THEY WANT TO DO THIS.
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT OUR ORDINANCE AND PERSONNEL POLICY, WE DON'T NEED TO FOLLOW? SAY THAT AGAIN? ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR PERSONNEL POLICY? I DID NOT SAY THAT.
SO HOW CAN WE KEEP, HOW CAN WE NOT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? UM, OKAY, FOR THE CITY MA FOR THE, UM, CITY ATTORNEY, WHEN DOES, UM, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER'S TERM END? HIS, HIS TERM DOESN'T, I THINK, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING AT FOR A YEAR.
MYLAN, WHAT'S YOUR YEAR? UH, MAY, MAY 19TH.
AND IT, AND IT DOESN'T END AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
SO WE HAVE UNTIL MAY THE 19TH TO MAKE A DECISION OR TO NO, YOU CAN JUST, IT'S, IT'S UP TO THIS BODY.
YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE A RECRUITER, UH, WAITING.
IF YOU WANNA START THE RECRUITMENT, YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT IT'S UP TO THIS BODY.
IF YOU, IF YOU WANT HIM TO CONTINUE ON, YOU CAN DO THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO APPOINT HIM, YOU CAN DO THAT.
SO MY, MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR FOR MR. MORRIDGE IF HE WANTS TO APPLY TO THE CITY MANAGER POSITION, HE'S GONNA BE UNABLE TO BECAUSE HE DOESN'T QUALIFY UNDER THE COLLEGE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.
AND WE CANNOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITHIN THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF OUR CITY'S ORDINANCE AND POLICY.
AND SO THERE, THEREFORE, I THINK AS A CITY ATTORNEY, YOU SHOULD BE ADVISING US THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW OUR PERSONNEL POLICY AND, AND HOW OUR ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN AND WAS APPROVED BY
[02:15:01]
THE VOTERS.BECAUSE I THINK MR EVENTUALLY WANTS TO APPLY FOR THE PERMANENT POSITION.
AND, AND FOR US TO SAY, MR. MORRIDGE, WE'RE GONNA KEEP YOU IN THIS POSITION.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA LET YOU VIOLATE OUR PERSONNEL POLICY.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE CREATED ISSUE.
THAT CITY MANAGER IS EXEMPT FROM THOSE PERSONNEL POLICY.
SO I JUST SAID HE'S EXEMPT FROM THAT POLICY.
IT DOESN'T SAY THAT MR. THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE.
WITHOUT GETTING INTO CONVERSATION THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE, I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THAT, UM, MR. RACKAGE CAN CONTINUE ON AS ACTING OR CAN BE APPOINTED.
UM, OR YOU CAN BRING BACK THE EDUCATION AND THEN YOU CAN SEND OUT, UM, GET, GET TRIP PEPPI TO START THE RECRUITING.
WHATEVER THIS BODY WANTS, SINCE THERE'S NO LEGAL RAMIFICATION AND WE DO NOT HAVE A SECOND, THE MOTION DIES.
SO THERE CONTINUE ON TO, THERE'S, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND CONTINUE ON.
SO, SO, SO IT'S SUPPOSED SUPPOSED TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO US IN THE SECOND MEETING OF MAY.
SO, AND, AND I DON'T THINK ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GONNA BE HERE IN THE SECOND MEETING OF MAY.
SO IT'S ALREADY, IT'S A, IT IS A COUNCIL REQUEST.
SO IT'S GONNA BE, IT HAS TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE FOUR OTHER COUNCILS HERE AND THAT THERE'S NO OTHER SECOND FOR THAT.
SO WHETHER WHICHEVER COUNCIL'S NOT GONNA BE HERE OR NOT IS DOESN'T REALLY MATTER BECAUSE MOTION DIES.
CAN WE MOVE FORWARD? IS THERE ANOTHER COUNCIL REQUEST THAT, THAT DIES? SO THEN, AND THEN I'LL LEAVE THE REST FOR, FOR CON COUNCIL CONFERENCE.
WELL, HERE, NOW THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING ABOUT COUNCIL REQUESTS AND LET'S, LET ME SHINE LIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE STAFF.
SO RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT EMAIL BY COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ THAT WAS SENT OUT TO ALL CITY STAFF, ALL 400 PART-TIME, FULL-TIME THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE AND MEANT TO EMBARRASS AND RETALIATE, RETALIATE AGAINST THE CITY MANAGER.
HENCE, THAT'S WHY PROBABLY THIS CONVERSATION IS IN CONTINUING AFTER OUR CITY MANAGER SENT A PROTOCOL COMMUNICATION TO ALL THE STAFF AND TO THE COUNCIL, THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED, DISCUSS CODE OF CONDUCT AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER SENT THAT TO ALL, UM, TO ALL STAFF COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS NORMALLY DO NOT SEND.
DO WE HAVE THAT CHAIN? WE'VE MADE IT CLEAR IF THERE IS A CHAIN THAT GOES, BUT COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ SENDS IT TO ALL 400 STAFF.
UM, AND RETALIATING AGAINST THE CITY MANAGER.
I HAVE STOOD HERE AND I DO CONDEMN THIS BEHAVIOR.
AND I AM HERE TO ALSO PROTECT STAFF, CITY STAFF AND EMPOWER THE STAFF BECAUSE IT PUTS THE STAFF IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION.
IT QUESTIONS DIFFERENT THINGS, AND IT'S PUTTING THINGS, AND LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE DO NOT SHARE EVERYTHING THAT IS OUT THERE.
WE TRY TO FIX THE INTERNAL ISSUES AMONG US.
WE DON'T AIR OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY OR ANY OF THAT SORT.
BUT TO SEND THIS A LONG EMAIL, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S UNCALLED FOR.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HAVE STAFF TO LOOK INTO IT PROTOCOLS, UM, IN REGARDS TO THAT BECAUSE NO COUNCIL, INCLUDING MYSELF, SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT, TO SEND TO ALL CITY STAFF AND BRING IN THIS ADDITIONAL DRAMA.
SO I'D LIKE TO PUT THIS REQUEST FORWARD.
DO I HAVE SUPPORT FOR THIS? I'LL SECOND THAT ONE.
SO I GUESS WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
SO THAT IT, OH, GO AHEAD, MADAM MAYOR, I, I, I'D LIKE TO, TO TO ADDRESS THIS, THIS, THIS, UH, ISSUE.
UH, THIS, THIS IS, IT, IT IS REALLY REPREHENSIBLE THE, THE, THIS, THESE TACTICS OF, OF, OF EMAILING ALL STAFF.
I, I, I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT ONE, UH, HOW, UH, THE SIMPLE WAY TO, TO COMMUNICATE WITH, UH, WITH FOLKS IS TO GO THROUGH THE, WE, WE ARE UNDER THE CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
UH, HE'S, IF HE CITES THE SANTA MONICA CASE, THAT DOESN'T COVER THIS, THIS ASPECT OF THINGS.
BUT WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE, THE APP APPROPRIATE APPROACH, WE NEED TO OPERATE UNDER THE CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH MEANS GOING THROUGH THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, WHENEVER I, UH, I HAVE REQUESTS, I GO THROUGH, I MYSELF GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER, AND THEN STAFF CAN BE CC'D, BUT IT IS ULTIMATELY THE CITY MANAGER'S PREROGATIVE TO DIRECT STAFF.
AND THEN IF STAFF RESPONDS, IT WILL HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF COORDINATING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER IS ONE OF TWO PEOPLE THAT WE PER, THAT WE DIRECTLY HOLD RESPONSIBLE, UH, FOR US TO GO BELOW THAT AND USE THE, THE, THE, TO SAY IT'S SIMPLY OVERSIGHT.
IT'S BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO SAY, OH, GOSH, I, IT'S, I'M, I'M EXERCISING MY OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY, WELL, ALL OF US EXERCISE OVERSIGHT, BUT IN, AS PART OF EXERCISING PROPER OVERSIGHT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE ORGANIZED AND DONE THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THEN THROUGH THERE, THEN HE COORDINATES WITH STAFF.
SO, SO THAT THE, THE STAFF CAN RESPOND,
[02:20:01]
UH, ACCORDINGLY.UH, BUT FOR FOR LINE STAFF TO, TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS THAT, THAT RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY, UH, CONVEY THE PERCEPTION OF, OH MY GOSH, THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, THEY'RE MAD, THEY'RE UPSET, WHAT DO I DO? IT JUST CREATES A POTENTIALLY A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
AND, AND I, I JUST THINK IT'S JUST AWFUL.
I, I, I COULD BELIEVE IT WHEN, WHEN I HAD LEARNED ABOUT THAT AND, AND I, I'M, I'M SORRY, I JUST, I HAVE TO JOIN IN CONDEMNING THAT ACTION MYSELF.
SO IT IS A CONDEMNED AND VOTE AND, UH, THE IT PROTOCOLS BY NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF ALL CITY STAFF.
SO I HAVE THE MAJORITY AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT.
SO YOU'RE ASK, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO MR. MORRIDGE AFTER HE SENT AN EMAIL TO THE STAFF, UH, LIMITING MY RIGHT TO ACCESS AND INFORMATION, SO YOU COULD KEEP TALKING, BUT IT'S IN FRONT OF A FEDERAL JUDGE RIGHT NOW.
SO THE FEDERAL JUDGE CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR INTENT.
UH, AND, AND SO WHAT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THE FACT IS YOU, YOU'RE MIX, YOU ARE TANGLING YOUR OWN STUFF WITH STUFF.
BUT, UH, THE FACT IS, IS THAT THERE IS A TIMEFRAME WHERE THE CITY MANAGER COULD SERVE AN X AMOUNT OF TIME, OKAY? YOU, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU DON'T WANNA APPROVE HIS COLLEGE EDUCATION, THAT YOU WANT HIM TO VIOLATE THE POLICY, IT SEEMS LIKE.
BUT, UH, AND, AND IT WILL STAY LIKE THAT.
UH, IN REGARDS TO, UH, COMMENTS REGARDING, UH, EMAIL, THAT EMAIL WAS A, A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO RESPOND TO A DEMAND FROM THE CITY MANAGER TO LIMIT, UH, MY ABILITY TO, TO REPRESENT THE CONSTITUENTS THAT I REPRESENT HERE AT CITY HALL, UH, FOR A CON FOR, FOR THIS, FOR INFORMATION NOT TO BE PROVIDED ON OVERSIGHT AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT CONTINUES TO BE WITHHOLD, UH, CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE HERE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, HE HASN'T VIOLATED, WE HAVEN'T VIOLATED ANYTHING.
SO WE STILL HAVE ALMOST A MONTH.
SO WE CAN DO ANY DISCUSSION NEXT TIME AND THIS AND THAT IF WE COME UP THE TIME SO WE DON'T HAVE TO JUMP UP OKAY.
IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN BEFORE THE TRAIN EVEN COME TO US YET.
SO, BUT ANOTHER THING IS REGARDING SEND OUT THE EMAIL TO ALMOST ALL THE STAFF AND, UH, ALMOST ALL.
LIKE FOUR, 500 OF THEM IS REALLY UNHEARD OF.
ANYTHING OR CO COMMUNICATION? OH, LET'S GO WITH, UH, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER.
WE JUST ELECTED TO DO THE POLICY AND WE DO NOT RUN THE CITY, CITY RUN BY THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS TEAM.
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
AND, UH, ANY DIFFERENCE, THIS AND THAT YOU CAN DISCUSS WITH HIM OR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING UP, YOU GO TO MOTHER MAY I, AND YOU GOT A THREE VOTE, AND THEN THEY CAN BECOME A POLICY OR LOOK INTO IT AND WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER, BUT NOT SEND OUT ALL THIS EMAIL TO ALL THE STAFF AND MAKE ALL THE STAFF IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND SCARED.
AND, UH, AND I THINK THIS IS, WE WANT TO HAVE A REALLY HARMONY OKAY.
AND, UH, THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO, SO I WILL JOIN ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD STOP THIS.
AND LET'S, LET'S WORK WITH FORWARD ABOUT THE CT PROGRESS AND, UH, AND BRING GOOD THING TO OUR CITY, BRING UNIT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I, I THINK THIS IS WHAT WE HOPE FOR.
SO, UM, WE HAVE FOUR CONSENSUS TO MOVE THIS TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, A REPORT, UM, AS I THINK WE SHOULD DO A ROLL CALL.
NO, YOU NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL.
DO I, DO I NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL? OKAY.
I MEAN, AS YOU COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ, YOU HAD STATED YOU DEMANDED, SO, BUT ANYWAYS, DEMANDED.
WELL, YOU JUST STATED THAT, BUT ANYWAYS, GO AHEAD.
ON THE EMAIL, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR LOPEZ, VITO WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ TO DIRECT IT STAFF TO LOOK INTO PROTOCOLS BY THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO PROTECT STAFF MEMBERS FROM EMAILS.
SO I'LL JUST SAY BEFORE I VOTE, UH, YOU HAVE HYPOCRITICAL PEOPLE HERE.
YOU HAD A FORMER FIRE CHIEF FIRED IN RETALIATION FOR BEING A WHISTLEBLOWER.
YOU HAD VINCENT CAPELLI FIRED.
HE ALLEGES THIS IS A ROLL CALL AND WE CAN HAVE ONCE THE REPORT BEFORE CALL THE QUESTION ALSO.
MADAM MAYOR, I CALL THE THANK YOU.
[02:25:01]
THE QUESTION.I'M MAKING A, I SECOND CALL THE QUESTION.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PROM, CONTOS.
SO YOU HAVE A CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
SO MR. CONTOS KNOWS FOR HIS BACKGROUND IN CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER PAR, MR. MADAM MAYOR, UNDER PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, WHEN THE QUESTION IS CALLED, THERE'S NO MORE FURTHER DISCUSSION IF THERE'S A SECOND UNTIL THERE'S A VOTE TO CALL THE QUESTION.
IS THERE A SEC? WE NEED A SECOND.
NEED A SECOND? THERE WAS A SECOND.
THERE WAS A SECOND BY MAYOR LOPEZ.
NO, NO DE NO NO DELIBERATING ON IT.
WE, UH, DISREGARD THE 18 NO DELIBERATING.
THERE'S, HE, HE CAN INTERRUPT.
THERE'S A, NOW THERE'S A ROLL CALL FOR THE, FOR THE CALL OF THE QUESTION.
AND THERE'S NO DELIBERATING ON IT.
AND I, I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER SO I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER.
THAT ROLL CALL IT IS ROLL CALL, YES OR NO? COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ.
SO AGAIN, YES OR NO, I'VE SEEN, UH, A, A A A CIRCUS SHOW GOING ON HERE.
CAN WE MOVE FORWARD? SO I HAVE, I HAVE AN ACCOMMODATION.
NOW, UM, NOW ROLL CALL ON THE UNDERLYING MOTION.
WELL, DID YOU GET MY VOTE? NO.
ON ANOTHER ONE ON THE I DID NOT.
ON TO NOW WE NEED A THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE RULE FOR THE, TO CALL THE QUESTION.
NOW I'M TAKING ROLE FOR THE, THE, UM, YOUR, UM, MOTHER.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE, WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW? YEAH, THIS WAS A MOTION BY MAYOR LOPEZ, VITO WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ TO HAVE IT STAFF LOOK INTO PROTOCOLS BY THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO PROTECT STAFF FROM ALL EMAILS.
YOU TALKING ABOUT FIRST AMENDMENT, RIGHT? OH MY GOD, THAT'LL BE ON THE REPORT.
DID YOU GET MY NOTE NOTED? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, ON TO ANY OTHER COUNCIL REQUESTS? I WANNA SAY SOMETHING.
OH, IT WAS COUNCIL COMMENTS THEN.
OKAY, WE'RE DONE WITH THE REQUEST.
[CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS.COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THIS IS
NO, SORRY, THIS IS NOT REGARDING THIS.
I, I JUST WANNA, I WANNA CONGRATULATE OUR WEST COTA PD BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THE BAKER TO VEGAS COMING IN IN FIRST PLACE IN THEIR CATEGORIES.
I JUST WANNA CONGRATULATE THEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS? A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE STAFF.
AND THE CITY STAFF DID AN AMAZING JOB AT THE ARBOR DAY AT GALSTER PARK.
UH, I'VE ASKED THE QUESTION, WHO HERE IS, IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME BEING HERE.
AND IT WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISING TO SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WAS THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SOMEONE SAID, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY CAN HAVE THEIR WEDDING THERE.
SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THE STAFF'S CREATIVITY TO PUT THAT INTO USE AND HAVE THAT VISION COME TO LIFE.
UH, WE DID HAVE THE YOUTH SCIENCE CENTER THERE AND THE GIRL SCOUT, THE GIRL SCOUT TOOK THE LEAD ON THIS, UH, THE CLEANUP.
SO THEY CLEANED UP GALSTER PARK.
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO BEEN HIKING, HIKE, I ENCOURAGE YOU.
IT'S, IT'S BEAUTIFUL NOW IT'S CLEANER.
UM, AND SO BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO COME AND HIKE THERE.
BUT THESE, UH, TWO ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO UTILIZE THE, THE FACILITY THERE AND MAKE USE.
I KNOW, UM, IT HASN'T BEEN OPENED BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER, UH, ISSUES SUCH AS LIKE THE WATER LINE THAT THERE WERE FIXING, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, BEAUTIFUL.
BUT THE ARBOR DAY, AMAZING JOB.
I JUST WANT, I WANT TO ALSO SAY THE WEST COVINA NIGHT MARKET AT HEARST RANCH WAS AMAZING.
NIKKI, MARIO, THEY DID NIKKI'S HUSBAND, THEY DID A FABULOUS JOB.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW.
UM, I SIT ON THE BOARD, UH, THE HEARST RANCH BOARD, AND I KNOW THEY MENTIONED, LET'S MAKE SURE IT'S RANCHY, NOT RAUNCHY.
IT WAS VERY RANCHY, UH, VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO PLEASE MAKE SURE WE PUT THEM FOR THE TASTE OF WEST COVINA SO THEY CAN SEE ALL THAT.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS GONNA BE HAPPENING NEXT MONTH, AGAIN, ALMOST LIKE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BUT FEEL FREE TO, TO COME OUT AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY NICE.
SO THEY REPRESENTED WEST COVINA TRULY BEAUTIFULLY.
COUNCILMAN, I MEAN, I'M SORRY.
[02:30:01]
MY CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO WEST COVINA.BEAUTIFUL FOR, FOR THE ARBOR DAY EARTH DAY EVENT AND TO HONOR THE, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY PLANTING TREES, UH, UH, IN, IN THEIR MEMORY.
AND, AND THE WAY THAT, THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER THAT DAY WAS JUST AWESOME.
AND I JUST LOVE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHO WESTS COVINA IS.
IT'S REALLY EXCITING AND JUST EVERYONE REALLY CAME TOGETHER THAT DAY.
AND, AND, UH, I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT.
AND THEN THE MARIO, UH, WITH THE, AND, AND, AND OTHER FOLKS WITH THE NIGHT MARKET, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET TO ATTEND THOSE.
'CAUSE I HEARD NOTHING BUT RAY REVIEWS ABOUT HOW AWESOME THAT WAS.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ORGANIZERS OF THAT AS WELL.
I MOTION TO, I HAVE A COMMENT.
SO, AGAIN, I, I, AGAIN, YOU, THE, THE COMMUNITY IS SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW FREE SPEECH IS BEING RESTRICTED AND, AND SO I'LL CONTINUE TO REPRESENT MY RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.