[00:00:03]
[Call to Order]
KAREEM LANE WILL COME TO WEST COVINA, SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ON I'M SO GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY BACK IN THE ROOM.AND AGAIN, WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING AND TONIGHT.
IN VOCATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR.
FAR WEST COVINA HILLS, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH FOLLOWED BY A PLEDGE OF LEGION LED BY ME.
MEETING IN SESSION, ALL RISE, PLEASE.
IT HAS BEEN A STRANGE SEVERAL MONTHS TO SAY THE LEAST.
I PRAY THAT WE DO NOT TAKE THE PRIVILEGE OF GATHERING LIKE THIS FOR GRANTED THAT WE MAKE BEST USE OF THE MEDIUM THAT WE USE IT TO INFORM.
AS EACH OF THE DECISION MAKERS HERE CONSIDERS THE VARIOUS ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
I PRAY ALSO LORD, THAT YOU WILL MAKE EACH OF US VIGILANT ABOUT RESPONDING WELL TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF.
BUT LORD, I ALSO THANK YOU FOR HOW YOUR HAND HAS BEEN STAYED IN THE MIDST OF THIS, THAT THERE ARE SO MANY HEALTHY HERE.
LORD, I PRAY FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN THESE CHAMBERS DURING THIS MEETING IN JESUS NAME.
AND EVERYONE, PLEASE FOLLOW MY LEAD.
PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND TO YOUR HEART AND FACE THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBER SHOEMAKER HERE.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING WE PULL OUT FROM OUR SESSION? NOTHING.
[Nogales High School - Graduating Class of 2020]
NOW WE ARE GOING TO OUR PRESENTATION AND I KNOW I WANT TO WELCOME OUR SUPERINTENDENT FOR ROLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL AND TATTOOED JULIE.AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU TO SHOW UP IN PERSON IS REALLY OUR OWNER.
AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN EVENT AND WE INVITE, OKAY, WELL THE UNIFIED SCHOOL, YOU ALWAYS SHOW UP AND TO SUPPORT THE CT AND THE SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL.
A CONGRATULATION FOR ALL THE KID, UH, FALLEN, ROLLING.
I UNIFY A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEN THE NON GALA HIGH SCHOOL IS KIND OF IN OUR WEST COVINA ADDRESS WEST COVINA, BUT IT'S ON THE COUNTY.
AREA BY SURROUNDED BY THE WEST COVINA RESIDENT AND MOST OF OUR SOUTH SIDE RESIDENT.
AND THEY'LL WANT TO GO TO YOUR SCHOOL.
WELL, A UNIFIED UNIFIED SCHOOL TO OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND THE FRONT.
AND A BIG DAYDREAM SOUTH SIDE AND TWO VALLEY LAYS OUR CT AND ALL GO TO YOUR SCHOOL.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO HELP US.
AND I WENT TO, I WENT TO YOUR EVENT WITH ORCHESTRA, A MAGNIFICENT TO SEE, OKAY.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR THIS SCHOOL.
SO OUTSTANDING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND YOU CAN GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BECOME VERY GOOD HIGH SCHOOL, SO, OKAY.
AND MAYBE YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING OKAY.
CHILDREN AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF THEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR SENIOR CLASS.
AS WE REQUESTED, WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE REGARDING HOW WE HONORED AND RECOGNIZED OUR GRADUATES IN THE CLASS OF 2020.
SO AS WAS SHARED, THIS HAS BEEN CLEARLY A UNIQUE YEAR ON MARCH 13TH.
OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION, UM, HAD AN EMERGENCY MEETING AND WE, UM, DISMISSED ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THAT AFTERNOON AND OUR STUDENTS DID NOT RETURN.
UM, AND WE ARE PLANNING FOR THEIR RETURN AUGUST 10TH, BUT WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL IN CLASS ON CAMPUS, UM, AT SCHOOLING, BUT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS STARTING MONDAY, MARCH 16TH, WE'RE ENROLLED ONLINE AND LEARNING THROUGH VIRTUAL LEARNING AND DISTANCE LEARNING.
SO WE CONTINUED OUR CONTACT ON A DAILY BASIS WITH OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR SENIORS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF THEIR TRADITIONAL SENIOR ACTIVITIES FROM THEIR SENIOR PROM TO THEIR, UM, SENIOR SUNSETS, THEIR GRADUATION, MANY OF THEIR ACTIVITIES.
SO WE DID TRY OUR BEST IN TERMS OF
[00:05:01]
HOW CAN WE RECOGNIZE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.UM, WE HAD PART OF THE VIDEO YOU'LL SEE IS WHEN THEY'RE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP THEIR CAPS AND GOWNS.
SO JUNE 4TH WAS OUR LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.
SO WE GRADUATED EVERY STUDENT, ONE STUDENT AT A TIME.
SO WE SET UP A STAGE IN FRONT OF THE CAMPUS AND EACH STUDENT HAD A RED CARPET WALK TO POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE HAD THE PROCESSIONAL, UM, AND WERE ABLE TO GRADUATE WITH THEIR FAMILY IN THE CAR, RIGHT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, HAVE THEIR NAME, READ, HAVE VIDEO AS WELL AS PHOTOGRAPHY TAKEN FOR THEM, UH, ARE TAKEN OF THEM.
SO WE DID, IT WAS A, UM, A LONG AND WARM DAY, BUT 110% WORTH IT TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO OUR STAFF WAS THERE TO CHEER THEM ON ALL, UM, ALL PARTICIPATING IN PHYSICAL DISTANCING, BUT REALLY HONORING THEM AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THEY HAD, UM, ON MONDAY NIGHT, JUST THIS PAST MONDAY NIGHT AT SIX O'CLOCK, WE HAD A FACEBOOK LIVE EVENT WHERE WE TOOK THAT IN VIDEO OF THE ENTIRE DAY OF GRADUATION.
AND WE RECOGNIZED AND SHOWED EACH STUDENT ONE BY ONE WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE.
SO THEY WERE ABLE TO WATCH GRADUATION AS A CLASS FROM THEIR OWN HOMES, UM, AND SEE IT ON FACEBOOK LIVE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.
IT'S A FEW HOURS LONG, BUT IT'S ALL THE STUDENTS' SPEECHES.
THAT'S THERE TO RECOGNIZE THE CLASS OF 2020.
SO WE JUST HAVE A SHORT CLIP TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
YEAH, GO AHEAD AND PLAY THE VIDEO PLEASE.
ANDREA BERNBACH PRINCIPAL AT NO GALA HIGH SCHOOL.
I AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE CLASS OF 2020 IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, DESPITE OUR GRADUATE HISTORIC AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
THEY HAVE COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL WITH GRACE AND HONOR, AND WE WERE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON CAMPUS.
WE ARE PROUD OF THESE STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS AND THEY'RE UNUSUAL AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES YET DUE TO THEIR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT, THEY WERE ABLE TO SHINE, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020.
I WAS THINKING OF, YEAH, YOU CAN PLAY ALL DAY LONG, BUT BUD, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
ON THE OUTSTANDING, WE SO PROUD WITH ALL THOSE KIDS AND GRADUATED CLASS 2020, AND WE WANT TO WISH THEM ALL THE BEST FOR THEIR RENDEZVOUS FOR FUTURE.
WE VERY CONFIDENT ALL THIS WEST COVINA KIT, I WILL BECOME SOMEBODY.
THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE AND FIGHTING FOR OUR FUTURE.
AND THAT AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR DEDICATION.
AND AGAIN, HOW MANY TIMES WOULD BE HERE? MANY, MANY NUMEROUS TIME FOR SHOP LOCAL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
AND FOR SOME KIND OF DONATION FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM FOR THE KID, HAVE A GOOD PROGRAM.
AND THERE, WHO CAN I, I SAW IT IN MY EYE AND HOW PROUD OF THOSE CHILDREN AND TO PLAY ORCHESTRA, TO PLAY INSTRUMENT AND A, AND APPEAR PROUD.
AND OUR MEMBER AND FOR THEIR FUTURE.
I CANNOT THANK YOU MORE FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP FOR WHAT A UNIFIED.
WE HAVE THREE MAJOR SCHOOL COVINA VALLEY UNIFIED WEST COVINA UNIFIED, AND A ROLLING UNIFIED ABOUT 90% OF OUR POPULATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION.
YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TOO.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT AND FOR RECOGNIZING OUR STUDENTS AND DR.
BROWN BOSS SENDS HER REGRETS THAT SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE AS WELL, BUT YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE HER A LITTLE BIT AND HEAR HER.
SHE'S THE PRINCIPAL AT NOGALES HIGH SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE STUDENTS AT NOGALES HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US
[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA]
WE MOVE ON TO ORAL COMMUNICATION AND THAT WE HAVE A LIVE AUDIENCE OVER HERE.[00:10:01]
WITH OKAY.THE AUDIENCE FIRST AND THEN WE GO TO THE, THE PERSON SEND THE EMAIL OR PEOPLE ON THE PHONE.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JERRY PATCHES FOLLOWED BY MR. JAMES, JIM.
MY QUESTION IS REALLY FOR THE OR COMMENT AND QUESTION, ISN'T REALLY FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND IT'S REALLY MORE OF ONE FOR REASSURANCE FOR SOME OF US, A CLARIFICATION AT THE JUNE 3RD FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING CONTRACTING WITH LA COUNTY FOR FIRE SERVICES WAS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.
AND AT LAST NIGHT'S TOWN HALL, THE, UH, CISION ABOUT CONTRACTING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY FOR LA COUNTIES FOR FIRE SERVICES WOULD NOT BE MADE AT THIS TIME.
SO AM I CORRECT THAT WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE BUDGET TONIGHT, I'M ASSUMING THEY WILL.
UM, THEY, AREN'T ALSO APPROVING A SWITCH TO COUNTY SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AGAIN TONIGHT.
AND FOR THE QUESTION YOU ARE CORRECT WHAT THE COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE TONIGHT AS THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, WHICH REFLECTS NO CHANGES TO FIRE SERVICE.
ALTHOUGH THERE'S SOME CHANGES TO THE LINE ITEMS AFFECTING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY ON THE OVERTIME PORTION OF THEIR BUDGET.
THE, UM, THE OTHER OPTIONS FOR FIRE SERVICE ARE STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION, BUT WE'RE AWAITING SOME MORE DATA.
I SPOKE TODAY TO DARYL OSBY, THE LA COUNTY FIRE CHIEF WHO'S WELL AWARE OF HOW KEENLY WE NEED THOSE NUMBERS BEFORE ANY DECISION COULD BE MADE.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING BY THE END OF THIS WEEK OR THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK.
AND HE'S WORKING VERY HARD ON THAT, BUT THERE'S NO PART OF THIS MEETING TONIGHT THAT AFFECTS THAT ASPECT.
I JUST WANTED TO ASSURE YOU, WE LOVE THE SOLID NUMBER.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS ABOUT COUNTY FIRE BY NOW.
WE ONLY TALK ABOUT BUDGET NOW ABOUT THE COUNTY FIRE MAYER DISCUSSING THE BUDGET ITEMS TONIGHT AND WHAT WAS IN IT.
THE, UH, I'VE BEEN, AS YOU KIND OF MENTIONED, JUST NOW SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE TREES AND TONIGHT I TALK, UH, WHICH MEANT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW, I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FOREST, WHICH IS THE WHOLE BUDGET.
UH, I'M CONCERNED THAT THE BUDGET THAT'S ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW WAS THE, WAS JUST LABELED THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
UH, IT'S NOT REALLY BALANCED THERE'S WORDS IN THE DOCUMENT THAT SAY IT'S BALANCED, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY BALANCED.
THE FINANCE DIRECTOR HAS SAID SEVERAL TIMES THAT THEY THEY'RE, THEY EXPECTATION NOW IS THAT OUR REVENUE WILL NOT BE AS HIGH AS THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
AND THERE'S ALSO ISSUES WITH THE BALANCE FROM LAST YEAR.
UH, UH, SHE ALSO STATED THAT IT'S FELT NOW THAT THE BALANCE WON'T BE AS HIGH AS IT WAS STATED IN THE PUBLISHED IN THAT DOCUMENT, THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, BASICALLY THAT MEANS YOU HAVE LESS RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR YOU THIS COMING YEAR THAN IT WAS IN THE PRINTED BOOK.
YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO ADOPT THAT DOCUMENT, KNOWING THAT SOME OF THE NUMBERS AREN'T RIGHT.
AND IT'S ALSO A PROBLEM WITH RESPECT TO THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY, BECAUSE WHILE THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME THINGS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE OVERALL SITUATION THAT THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE REDUCTIONS.
AND I THINK SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS TO MATCH THE REVENUE.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE AND IT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE SOON, UH, TO MATCH THE REALITY.
UH, I'VE DONE MY OWN ANALYSIS.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN BY CITY STAFF.
AND I BELIEVE THAT RIGHT NOW THE CITY IS PROBABLY ABOUT $4 MILLION SHORT BASED ON WHAT I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACCURATE, BUT IT'S MY BEST JUDGMENT AT THIS TIME, BUT IT, I, THE NUMBER HAS TO BE BIG.
AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE CITY GOING TO DO? WE CAN'T JUST CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL.
[00:15:01]
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW SOME CHANGES.AND RIGHT NOW THE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THAT BUDGET ARE ALL, UH, WHAT THEY ARE.
THEY'RE NOT $4 MILLION LESS, OR ANY, ANY NOTE NUMBER LESS, EXCEPT FOR THE OVERTIME OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S THE ONLY NUMBER THAT ACTUALLY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN LAST YEAR.
SO I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT A REAL BUDGET, NOT AN ADOPTED BUDGET.
IT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT IN MY MIND WOULD BE A TENTATIVE BUDGET.
AND I HOPE THAT SOMETIME SOON THE CITY WOULD BE ADOPTING AN ACTUAL, REAL BUDGET, A REAL PLAN WITH REAL NUMBERS, UH, THAT W WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH.
SO IF I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE CALLING THIS BUDGET WHEN WE ADOPTED TONIGHT, BUT I'M SUGGESTING TENTATIVE.
AND THEN PERHAPS IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE COME BACK WITH A FORMAL ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS.
I JUST GOTTA SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS, UM, OR WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET TOO.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT WE'RE ABOUT CHANGING OUR SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WE STARTED IT JUST CAUSE OF THE ISSUES IN THE BUDGET.
UH, WE'RE JUST A COUPLE OF YOUNG KIDS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE ISSUES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE SEE A GLARING ISSUES IN THE BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO FIX.
UM, LIKE JIM GRIFFITH SAID, I REALLY WANT TO PUSH FOR THE BUDGET TONIGHT TO BE TENTATIVE AND FOR IT TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A PANDEMIC GOING ON.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS HAVE COME FROM THE PANDEMIC IS JUST WRONG.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS IN ORDER TO FIX THAT BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC IS REAL.
UM, ALSO I WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT DEFUNDING THE POLICE MEANS.
I KNOW THAT'S A VERY SCARY THING TO SAY.
IF PEOPLE, IF YOU, IF SOMEBODY HEARS SOMEONE SAY THAT, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BUT IT SIMPLY JUST MEANS A REALLOCATION OF FUNDS AWAY FROM THE POLICE.
UM, I, MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT THE POLICE HAVE ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS IN THE COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE TO DO THINGS THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY SHOULDN'T BE DOING.
HOMELESSNESS IS NOT A CRIMINAL ISSUE.
UM, MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS, SOCIAL SERVICES SHOULD BE DOING A LOT OF THE JOBS THAT POLICE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK IF YOU ASK ANY POLICE OFFICER, IF THEY WOULD TAKE LESS PAY IN ORDER TO DO A SIGNIFICANTLY LESS JOB THAT FITS THEIR TRAINING MORE, I THINK OVERWHELMINGLY, THEY WOULD SAY YES.
UM, IF, IF ANYONE THINKS HIS IDEA IS RADICAL, I CAN ASSURE YOU.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE SEND ME THINGS FROM CITIES LIKE RIVERSIDE CITIES, LIKE ATLANTA WHO HAVE TAKEN MONEY AWAY FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND REALLOCATED THEIR FUNDS.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN JUST A PERSONAL OPINION OF MINE.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS, UM, I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT PUBLIC PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR OUR RIGHT NOW ARE REALLOCATING FUNDS IS THE BEST CHOICE TO TRY TO DIG US OUT OF THE HOLE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW A LITTLE BIT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO RETHINK WHAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS IN MY OPINION, AND, AND KNOW THAT CRIME IS NOT RANDOM AND MOST LIKELY CRIME HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'M I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE WEST COVINA FAILS THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE REALITY IS, UM, THIS BUDGET WILL BE VOTED ON TONIGHT.
UM, I URGE, YOU KNOW, US TO MAKE ACTIONS IN FAVOR OF THE RESIDENTS, UM, AND YOU KNOW, 90 SPECIAL INTERESTS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MAKE PUSHES TO CHANGE WEST COVINA.
IT'S NOT CHANGED RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND WE JUST ASKED FOR TRANSPARENCY, SHOW THE BUDGET RESULTS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE IT ON THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, UM, PEOPLE SAID POLICE SERVICES WERE THE LEAST OF THEIR PRIORITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE SAID.
UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HARM OF LETTING PEOPLE VOTE ON.
A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST PUSHING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND LETTING THE PEOPLE VOTE.
UM, I HAVE MY OWN OPINIONS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD GO IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCES.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
UH, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE LAND WE INHABIT TODAY WAS THE STOLEN HOME OF THE GARBER LENO, TONGA PEOPLE, THE ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF THIS LAND, THIS LAND, THE LAND THAT SURROUNDS US.
IT'S MUCH MORE THAN WHAT IS IN FRONT OF OUR EYES.
THIS LAND REFLECTS OUR HISTORIES.
I FIND MYSELF ONCE AGAIN, IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL, REFLECTING ON HISTORY, THE HISTORY OF OUR PEOPLE, THE HISTORY OF OUR SYSTEMS, THE HISTORY OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AS A HISTORIAN KNOWLEDGE OF THAT PAST GIVES MEANING TO OUR STORIES.
WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PAST THE ANTIDOTES WE CHOOSE TO SHARE SIMPLY BECOME AN EXPRESSION OF OUR BIASES, OUR PREJUDICES, OUR IGNORANCE.
AND YET WE UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF STORIES.
IT'S WHY A STORY OF A PETTY THEFT OR A DEAD CHILD IN SAN DIEGO GETS SHARED.
[00:20:01]
IT'S YWC PD SHARES THE IMAGES OF RECENT ARRESTS STORIES.WHEN SHARED BY A PERSON IN LEADERSHIP CAN JUSTIFY A BLOATED POLICE BUDGET OR THE MOVING A FIRE TO THE COUNTY.
IT BECOMES THE TOOL TO STOKE FEAR THE TOOL TO MAINTAIN POWER.
SO TODAY I CHOOSE TO SHARE A STORY OF MY OWN, BUT NOT A STORY ALONE.
ONE THAT IS STEEPED IN CONTEXT AND IN HISTORY ON DECEMBER 7TH, 1941, INFANT TREATMENT, JOHN F. RODRIGUEZ STATIONED IN HAWAII FOUND HIMSELF IN A WORLD OF CHAOS.
MY THEA LISA WOULD SHARE THOSE WORDS WITH ME.
THE ONLY WORDS HER FATHER EVER SHARED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES IN THE WAR, FROM THE CHAOS OF PEARL HARBOR AND HIS SUBSEQUENT TOUR IN EUROPE, JOHN WOULD RETURN TO HIS WIFE AND SETTLE IN BOYLE HEIGHTS.
ONE OF THE FEW PLACES THEY WERE ALLOWED TO LIVE THROUGH HARD WORK AND SAVING THE FAMILY WOULD OPEN A DELI ACROSS FROM GENERAL HOSPITAL AND LOOK TO MOVE EAST TO THE NEW HOMES.
ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE, MODERN DAY WEST COVINA CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF REMARKABLE EXPANSION DURING THE POST WORLD WAR II BUILDING BOOM WEST COVINA BECAME AMERICA'S FASTEST GROWING CITY BETWEEN 1950, 1960 WITH THE POPULATION INCREASING 1000% FROM LESS THAN 5,000 TO MORE THAN 50,000 CITIZENS.
THOSE WORDS EXPANSION 1950, 1000% SO MUCH IN THOSE LINES YET.
SO MUCH HISTORY LEFT OUT OF THAT STORY.
THOSE WHO KNOW THE HISTORY KNOW THE FUEL WAS NOT WORLD WAR II, BUT THE SUPREME COURT IN 1948, THE U S SUPREME COURT AND THE LANDMARK CASE, SHELLY VS.
KRAMER STRUCK DOWN RACIALLY, RESTRICTIVE HOUSING COVENANTS, AND ONE RULING.
THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE OF URBAN CITIES WOULD FOREVER BE CHANGED.
AND THE SUBURBS WOULD BE BORN THE BUILDING BOOM, FUELED BY WHITE FLIGHT.
AND THE FEAR OF INTEGRATION IN LOS ANGELES CREATED THIS PLACE, OUR PLACE, IT WOULD BIRTH OUR INSTITUTIONS, OUR SYSTEMS, OUR POLICE.
IT WOULD PRODUCE A FEAR THAT WOULD DENY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE A HOME TO MEN LIKE VETERAN JOHN RODRIGUEZ, A FEAR THAT WOULD CREATE A SYSTEM, A CITY HOSTILE TO THE OTHER.
JAMES BALDWIN ONCE SAID NOTHING.
NOT EVERYTHING THAT IS FACED CAN BE CHANGED, BUT NOTHING CAN BE CHANGED UNTIL IT IS FACED.
THIS IS THE HISTORY OF OUR BIRTH.
IT IS A HISTORY THAT CITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE BEING ASKED TO CONFRONT MANY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
IT IS THE HISTORY THAT INFORMED MY DECISION TO SPEAK IN DECEMBER.
IT IS THIS HISTORY THAT MOTIVATED MY COMMENT ON THE 16TH AND MY LETTER TO THE TRIBUNE.
AND IT IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TODAY.
OUR CITY HAS A TROUBLING RACIAL HISTORY.
IT IS TIME WE MOVE TOWARDS HEALING.
I WANT TO AGAIN ASK THE COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND THAT WCPT STOP THE PRACTICE OF SHARING, BOOKING IMAGES, WHICH ONLY SERVE TO MAINTAIN A RACISM.
WE SHOULD HAVE LONG MOVED PAST.
I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO BEGIN ENVISIONING A BUDGET THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT A FEAR OF ITS NEIGHBORS, BUT ONE THAT HONORS THE LIVES OF ALL RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE ON OUR STREETS.
I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO BEGIN TO IMAGINE A WEST COVINA THAT DIVESTS FROM FEAR AND INVESTS IN THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
STEVE BENNETT FOLLOWED BY COLEEN ROSATI CITY TREASURE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST LOOKS LIKE THAT GUY.
BUT, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU'RE DOING AND YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH.
YOU GOT THANKED, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE, I THINK EVERY TIME WHILE YOU'RE DOING THIS, CAUSE I THINK YOU DESERVE IT.
UM, SO I HAD SOME PREPARED COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO MODIFY THEM.
CAUSE JERRY TOOK SOME OF MY THUNDER.
UM, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT YOU'RE DISCUSSING THE CITY BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021, THAT FISCAL BUDGET THAT FISCAL YEAR STARTS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND IN THIS BUDGET YOU HAVE REVENUES VERSUS EXPENSES AS BEING FLAT.
SO WE KNOW THAT THIS BUDGET IS NOT RIGHT.
THIS BUDGET, THE NUMBERS ARE WRONG.
UM, YOU'RE ALSO TRYING TO EXTEND, UH, AN EMERGENCY TONIGHT AND EMERGENCY ORDER.
YOU'RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF A FISCAL EMERGENCY, WHICH I THINK IS A BUNCH OF FAKE FISCAL EMERGENCY.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THIS CITY FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT.
UM, I PERSONALLY THINK THE FISCAL EMERGENCY IS A SMOKE SCREEN TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO GET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SWITCHED OVER TO COUNTY.
UM, IF WE HAVE TRULY FLAT INCOME AND REVENUE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE A FISCAL EMERGENCY.
DO WE HAVE FISCAL PROBLEMS? YES, BUT IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY.
IF WE HAVE A FISCAL EMERGENCY IT'S BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED THINGS WITH THE BUDGET LAST YEAR THAT WERE IN ADDITION TO THE SPENDING THAT WE HAD ALREADY APPROVED,
[00:25:01]
THAT WE DIDN'T GET THE REVENUE FOR THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN.BECAUSE AS SOMEBODY ONCE SAID AT THIS COUNCIL MEETINGS, CAUSE YOU GUYS KEEP SAYING, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS COUNCIL.
WE NEED TO STOP DOING THESE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, DON'T SPEND IT.
EVERYONE LIKES TO TALK ABOUT THE MOU FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I LOVE MY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT MY FIRE DEPARTMENT POLICE DEPARTMENT TO STAY WEST GREEN PD, BUT YOU GUYS APPROVED A 12% PAY INCREASE, WHICH COMES OUT BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS ABOUT TWO POINT $4 MILLION.
ACCORDING TO THOSE REPORTS, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF EQUIPMENT TO REPAIR FOR THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT LAST YEAR THEY WEREN'T CONCERNED ABOUT EQUIPMENT.
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PAY.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S CONCERNED ABOUT EQUIPMENT.
TWO POINT $4 MILLION WOULD PAY FOR A LOT OF REPAIRS.
THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO AS A COUNCIL AND AS A CITY IS WE NEED TO GET THOSE MLUS RESCINDED.
THOSE WERE ON THE GUISE OF THEM GETTING A SALES TAX PASSED WHILE THEY FAILED.
80% SAID, NO, JUST LIKE IN 1997, 71% SAID NO TO GOING TO COUNTY FIRE.
I HAVE A FEELING YOU GUYS DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND, OR LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
MAYBE NOT YOU GUYS, CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T HAD THAT DECISION BROUGHT TO YOU YET.
I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE VOTES MEAN.
MR. CITY MANAGER, THE CITY HAS SAID NO TO COUNTY FIRE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BATTLE, STEVE.
HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M SAYING.
THANK YOU, MISS CITY ATTORNEY.
SO I HOPE THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL LISTENS TO THE RESIDENTS.
I HOPE YOU GUYS ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THAT MEETING LAST NIGHT.
CAUSE IT WAS LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT WANT COUNTY FIRE.
WE'RE OPEN TO SOME IDEAS WE'RE OPEN TO FIXES.
ONE OF THOSE NEEDS TO BE THE RESCINDING OF THOSE MOU.
THAT'S TWO POINT $4 MILLION WE CAN USE AS FOR THE PANDEMIC.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT UM, WE'RE IN A UNIQUE TIME AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COME BACK HERE AND STAND BEFORE YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT IN THE FUTURE.
I WANT TO THANK THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
UM, MR. PETER, DAN, HE'S BEEN VERY ANIMATED ABOUT SOME THINGS AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOME YOUNG INDIVIDUALS GETTING INVOLVED IN OUR POLITICS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO DO MORE.
ALL OF YOU, UM, WHATEVER SIDE OF THE AISLE, WHATEVER SIDE OF THE POSITION YOU SIT ON TO OTHER PEOPLE KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I KNOW I'M NOT TALKING TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS IN THE FUTURE.
WE CAN ELBOW BUMP IN THE FUTURE AGAIN, RESCIND THOSE MOS.
COLEEN, ROSATI CITY TREASURER.
COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, COLEEN ROSATI ELECTED CITY TREASURER.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT IN REFERENCE TO THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, ADOPTION OF CITY'S FINANCIAL 2021 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET.
EXCUSE ME, NOTED ON THE REPORT UNDER FUTURE CHALLENGES.
I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU MAY FEEL THAT PENSION COSTS WILL BE ESPECIALLY HIGH TWO YEARS FROM NOW? THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE PLAN TO BRING ANTIQUATED BUSINESS LICENSE TAX STRUCTURE UP TO PAR? WHAT IS THE WITH THE X S S WITH THE ESCALATING COST? THE CITY'S CURRENT ARE, ARE THEY CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN RFP FOR A NEW ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICE IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, AN AMENDMENT OF 161,000 WAS MADE TO THE BUDGET DUE TO UNFORESEEN COST HOMELESS SERVICES UPDATE.
IF YOU COULD GIVE US THAT INFORMATION, CAN YOU TELL US WHERE THE CITY STANDS CURRENTLY ON MEASURE EIGHT FUND DUDE FROM THE COUNTY? AND LASTLY, CAN YOU UPDATE THE PUBLIC WHERE WE STAND CURRENTLY ON SALES TAX REVENUE? IT WAS MENTIONED IN MAY THAT WE WERE PROBABLY GOING TO BE IN A SHORTFALL OF TWO TO $4 MILLION.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKER CARDS I HAVE.
SO I HAVE ABOUT 14 EMAILS THAT I'LL READ INTO THE RECORD.
OUR FIRST IS FROM A CALLER MR. CHIN, AND HE WANTED TO ASK THE COUNCIL WHEN THE CORTEZ SENIOR CENTER WAS GOING TO OPEN.
AND IF WE COULD STOP FIREWORKS, I HAVE HIS EMAIL,
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I'LL WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND GET A RESPONSE BACK TO HIM NEXT, PLEASE.OUR NEXT IS FROM MR. JIM BROOD, RUFF MAYOR, WOO MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ BEATO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTELLANO'S COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHOEMAKER, ALTHOUGH ENGAGED IN ALL THE EVENTS THAT MAKE UP THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE WEST COVINA COMMUNITY AND THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT IS A RARE OCCASION THAT THE WEST COVINA FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION TAKES ANY ADVANCED STANCE ON POLITICAL ISSUES BEING DEBATED.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OCCASIONS THAT FITS THE EXCEPTION AND WE FELT IT WAS NECESSARY THAT YOU DIRECTLY HEAR OF OUR SUPPORT FOR CONTACTING CONTRACTING WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE IN UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THIS OPERATION, AND I FEEL THAT THE OTHER OPTIONS ARE LESS LIKELY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS.
ALL OF US IN THIS FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ALL OPTIONS SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ AND SHARE THE ATTACHED LETTER FROM OUR ASSOCIATION, PRESIDENT MIKE FOUNTAIN WRITTEN IN BEHALF OF WEST COVINA PROFESSIONAL FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, LOCAL FOUR OR FIVE, NINE, FOUR ON A BROOKE HONORABLE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS MIKE FOUNTAIN AND I REPRESENT THE WEST COVINA FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
I HAVE PROUDLY SERVED THE COMMUNITY OF WEST COVINA FOR OVER 25 YEARS, SERVING AS A FIREFIGHTER FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC FIRE CAPTAIN, AND NOW ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF.
THE POSITION I'VE HELD FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS TRADITIONALLY THE FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION HAS REMAINED NEUTRAL AS IT RELATES TO LOCAL POLITICS AND CONTROVERSIAL LOCAL ISSUES.
BUT I FELT THE NEED TO REACH OUT TO ADDRESS CURRENT ISSUES DIRECTLY IMPACTING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE SAFETY OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE PROUD OF OUR HISTORY OF WORKING WITH THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROVIDING FOR THE WELLBEING AND SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TAKEN ON A DUAL ROLE, ESSENTIALLY TWO JOBS AS BOTH A BATTALION CHIEF AND THE ADDITIONAL ROLE AS AN ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF.
OUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON JUUL RESPONSIBILITIES HAS PUT US IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO GAIN SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT INTO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL AND THE MANY UNIQUE CHALLENGES IT TAKES TO PROVIDE FIRE AND EMS SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE COMMUNITY.
DURING THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE CITY AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE FACED SEVERAL CHALLENGES MAGNIFIED BY RECENT NATIONAL EVENTS, WHICH HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CONTINUE TO SEE MISLEADING AND FALSE INFORMATION BEING REPRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY AND FEEL COMPELLED TO OFFER OUR AND INSIGHTS AS IT RELATES TO COST OF MAINTAINING CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS COME TO THE FOREFRONT.
THE FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION CAN NO LONGER REMAIN SILENT CONTRACTING WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BECOME A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC, GENERATING INCORRECT AND IRRESPONSIBLE DISINFORMATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY BY CRITICS OF CONSOLIDATION OF FIRE AND EMS SERVICE.
AS A PART OF, AS PART OF A THOROUGH NEEDS ASSESSMENT FACT FINDING AND PROPOSALS FOR SERVICE, IT HAS BECOME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT CONTRACTING WITH THE LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A SOLUTION THAT WILL LIKELY OFFER THE BEST COMPROMISE FOR MAINTAINING FIRE PROTECTION AND EMS DELIVERY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
A REGIONAL APPROACH TO PROVIDING FIRE AND EMS SERVICE IS WITHOUT EXCEPTION SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER OPTIONS.
AND OUR CUTS CURRENTLY BEING PROPOSED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE ONGOING DETERIORATION OF OUR FACILITIES APPARATUS EQUIPMENT AND OTHER NEEDS CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED AND MUST BE ADDRESSED.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WILL PROVIDE STABILITY TO CITY FINANCES WHILE ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS VOCAL CRITICS OF OUR FIRE CHIEF ACCUSED HIM OF PRESENTING A SKEWED ANALYSIS OF THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR PROVIDING FIRE AND EMS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO MAY ACCUSE HIM OF ACTING IN HIS OWN BEST INTEREST, WHICH COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
THE WEST COVINA FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION FULLY SUPPORTS FIRE CHIEF CAPELLI AND HIS LEADERSHIP AS THE FIRE CHIEF, HIS CAPELLI AS AN EXTREMELY CAPABLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PRACTICAL LEADER WHO IS INVESTED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY HE SERVES HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE ARE WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE FIRE SERVICE COMMUNITY.
CHIEF CAPELLI PROVIDES TRUE INSIGHT INTO THE REALITIES OF WHAT IT TAKES TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY MANAGE A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FIRE CHIEF CAPELLA WOULD NOT RECOMMEND CONTRACTING FOR SERVICES WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT THEIR OWN CONSIDERATION OF ALL FACTORS AND OPTIONS.
THE FIRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION FULLY SUPPORTS HIS RECOMMENDATION AS A 25 YEAR VETERAN, WHO HAS SERVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I WOULD NOT BE COMMUNICATING WITH YOU IF I THOUGHT IT WAS NOT PARAMOUNT.
IF IT WAS NOT OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO URGE YOU TO GIVE YOUR SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO CONTRACTING WITH THE LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FIRE AND EMS SERVICES, THE POSITIVES OF A PROVEN REGIONAL APPROACH FOR FIRE PROTECTION COMBINED WITH THE LONGTERM SAVINGS TO THE CITY CANNOT BE IGNORED AND
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PROVIDE FOR MUCH NEEDED ECONOMIC STABILITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAINTAIN NOT TO REDUCE SERVICE LEVELS IN THE COMMUNITY.I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CAREFULLY EVALUATE ANY SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL AND COST ASSOCIATED, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. SEAN WISE, DEAR MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT IS WITH GREAT HUMILITY AND PRIDE THAT I WRITE TO YOU, URGING YOU TO SUPPORT CONTRACTING FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES FIRE.
I HAVE BEEN A PROUD AND DEDICATED MEMBER OF THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR 10 YEARS AND HAVE POURED MY HEART AND SOUL INTO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT THE IDEA OF DISSOLVING THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAW MYSELF HAVING ANY LONG AND DEDICATED CAREER HERE.
IT IS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE.
AND ONE THAT IS HARD FOR ME TO ADVOCATE FOR.
HOWEVER, I FEEL IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
MY ENTIRE TENURE HERE HAS CONSISTED OF UNCERTAINTY AND TURMOIL.
DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF VERY HARDWORKING FIREFIGHTERS, WE HAVE ALWAYS FACED SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, STAFFING, REDUCTIONS, LAYOFFS, AGING, FIRE STATIONS, OUTDATED PERSONNEL, PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY AND FIRE ENGINES THAT HAVE LONG OUTLIVED, THEIR INTENDED SERVICE LIFE.
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES THE BEST AND SHOULD SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS.
THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED OUTSTANDING SERVICE FOR DECADES, BUT WITHOUT THE CERTAINTY OF THE FUNDING NEEDED TO PROVIDE WHAT IS REQUIRED OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
AND THE 21ST CENTURY, UNCERTAINTY WILL ALWAYS EXIST AND WE WILL STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SERVICE LEVELS.
THIS IS UNFAIR TO THE COMMUNITY AND UNFAIR TO THE FIREFIGHTERS.
THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT BRINGS A LEVEL OF DEPTH, RESILIENCY, AND STABILITY THAT COULD NEVER BE ACHIEVED BY OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE EXPECTATION OF OUR COMMUNITY IS FOR WELL-TRAINED WELL-EQUIPPED FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS TO SHOW UP PROMPTLY WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED, THE COUNTY CAN PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE WITH GREAT CERTAINTY.
SADLY, THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT CANNOT WHEN LIVES AND PROPERTY ARE ON THE LINE.
A GOOD ENOUGH FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE VOICED OPPOSITION AND CONCERN ABOUT A MOVE TO THE COUNTY.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE TREPIDATION, THE REASONS FOR THEIR OPINIONS SEEM TO BE EMOTIONALLY DRIVEN OR BIASED ON MISSING FROM BASED ON MISINFORMATION AS THE ELECTED LEADERS OF OUR CITY, I TRUST YOU WILL EVALUATE THE FACTS AND NOT BE SWAYED BY A VERY SMALL MISINFORMED GROUP.
THE COMMUNITY TRUSTS YOU TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND ENSURE COMMUNITY IS RECEIVING THE BEST EMERGENCY SERVICES POSSIBLE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DECAL IS ON THE FIRE ENGINE DOOR.
THIS INCLUDES PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE, A SYSTEM THAT IS PROMPT, EFFECTIVE, FULL SERVICE, AND FINANCIALLY STABLE, SUSTAINABLE FOR DECADES TO COME WHEN DECIDING BETWEEN THE COUNTY OR MAINTAINING OUR DEPARTMENT.
TO ME, THE ANSWER IS CLEAR AND I HOPE IT IS CLEAR TO YOU AS WELL.
SINCERE RESPECTFULLY, SEAN WISE, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CARRILLO CASTA, NEDA.
IT WAS A, IT WAS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE PRE COVID-19.
THAT WAS COVINA FINANCES WERE IN BAD SHAPE.
AND OCTOBER, 2019, CALIFORNIA RANKED WEST COVINA 17TH AND WORST FINANCIAL FINANCIAL SHAPE IN THE STATE.
THIS RANKING WAS APPARENT IN VARIOUS SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
NOT ONLY INCLUDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO OUR PUBLIC WORKS NOT ONLY OUR NUMBER OF WEST COVINA PARKS RUNDOWN, BUT FIRE STATION.
NUMBER ONE LOOKS LIKE A CRACK HOUSE.
IF THE CITY CANNOT FIND THE, THE INTESTINAL FORTITUDE TO PROPERLY FUND OUR DEPARTMENT, THEN MAYBE WITH THE COUNTY IS A GOOD OPTION.
IF CONTRACTING WITH THE COUNTY INCLUDES UPGRADES TO ALL EQUIPMENT AND FIREHOUSES, THEN I AM ALL FOR IT.
I SERVED IN THE NAVY WHEN DONALD RUMSFELD, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE STATED YOU GO TO WAR WITH THE ARMY.
YOU HAVE NOT WHAT THE ARMY YOU WANT OR WISH TO HAVE AT A LATER TIME, NOT GIVING YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
THE PROPER EQUIPMENT TRAINING OR SUPPORT IS JUST PLAIN WRONG AND CAN END UP COSTING MORE THAN DOLLARS.
CONTRACTING WITH THE COUNTY WILL PROVIDE WEST COVINA WITH GREAT COVERAGE UTILIZING FAR SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT BY MEN AND WOMEN WHO RECEIVED SOME OF THE BEST FIREFIGHTER TRAINING IN THE NATION.
SINCE WEST COVINA HAS PROVEN AND CAPABLE OF CONTROLLING ITS OWN BUDGET AND PROPERLY FUNDING EMERGENCY SERVICES.
I VOTE TO CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY.
THE CITY HAS HAD MORE THAN AMPLE TIME TO GET THEIR FINANCIAL AFFAIRS IN ORDER AND HAS CONTINUOUSLY FAILED TO DO SO.
IT IS TIME TO CONTRACT WITH LA COUNTY FIRE
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BILL MANN SEWER AT WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIRE CAPTAIN CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA.
MY CURRENT RANK IS FIRE CAPTAIN AND I HAVE BEEN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 19 YEARS AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THE CITY OF WEST COVINA HAS DECLARED A FISCAL EMERGENCY AND GIVEN THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER EMERGENCY
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POWERS TO MANAGE THIS ISSUE, ONE OF THE OPTIONS YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO MANAGE THIS FISCAL EMERGENCY IS TO CONTRACT FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICES.SO LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT RESULTING IN A THREE STATION MODEL WITH THE CURRENT SURROUNDING CONTRACT CITY'S SUPPLEMENTING SERVICE.
OUR CURRENT FIRE CHIEF HAS PRESENTED TO YOU THAT THIS MODEL WILL IMPROVE RESPONSE TIMES, RESOURCES AND SERVICES RESULTING IN A SAVINGS OF APPROXIMATELY 50 MILLION OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
ALL OPTIONS PRESENTED TO YOU INCLUDE SOME SORT OF CUT, WHETHER IT BE TWO STATIONS OR LAYING OFF EMPLOYEES AND REDUCING THE OVERTIME BUDGET.
ADDITIONALLY, IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU BY OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER AND OUR CURRENT FIRE CHIEF THAT THE OPTION TO CONTRACT FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICES WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THE MOST VIABLE OPTION FOR THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
DUE TO THE CURRENT FISCAL EMERGENCY.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALSO STATED NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THE CURRENT FISCAL EMERGENCY IS UNEQUIVOCALLY DUE TO LOST REVENUE FROM THE CURRENT AND EVOLVING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHICH IS WHY THESE OPTIONS ARE BEING PRESENTED TO YOU.
NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IN FEBRUARY, 2019, THE WEST COVINA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND OUR FORMER FIRE CHIEF, WHO WAS TERMINATED IN APRIL OF 2019.
THIS LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED SOMETIME AROUND THE FINAL QUARTER OF 2019 PART OF THE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND THE WEST COVINA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION WAS TO OBTAIN A FULL SURVEY FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IF THE PUBLIC SAFETY TAX FAILED DURING THE MARCH, 2020 ELECTION.
THIS SETTLEMENT ALSO INCLUDED THAT IF THE PUBLIC SAFETY TAX SUCCEEDED, IN ADDITION TO THE CURRENT 12% RAISES GIVING TO THE WEST COVINA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION MEMBERS WOULD ALSO RECEIVE RETRO PAY AND ADDITIONAL RAISES THROUGH PAY BENEFITS AND OR INCENTIVES.
I AM ONLY AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE OUR FORMER ACTING FIRE CHIEF WHO PROMOTED TO THE POSITION FROM THE RANK OF FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC AND FOR ME OF THE SETTLEMENT SHORTLY AFTER THE SETTLEMENT HAD BEEN AGREED UPON AND FINALIZED THE FORMER ACTING FIRE CHIEF IS NOW THE WEST COVINA FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION UNION PRESIDENT, AND WAS INDIVIDUALLY NAMED AS A CLAIMANT IN THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY.
WHILE HE HELD THE ACTING FIRE CHIEF POSITION SUBSEQUENTLY AFTER COMPLETING HIS TIME AS ACTING FIRE CHIEF, HE WAS GIVEN ANY NON BUDGETED ADMINISTRATIVE FIRE CAPTAIN'S POSITION AND TOLD ME IT WAS PART OF HIS CONTRACT FOR SERVING AS ACTING FIRE CHIEF.
THE SAME INFORMATION WAS CONFIRMED TO ME FROM ONE OF OUR CURRENT ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEFS, AS WELL AS OUR CURRENT FIRE CHIEF, IF TRANSPARENCY IS TRULY WHAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO CONVEY TO ITS CITIZENS, WHY NOT MAKE THIS SETTLEMENT PUBLIC DOCUMENT SO YOU CAN SEE WHY I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED AND MORE SO CONCERNED THAT THESE IMPORTANT FACTS HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO OUR CITIZENRY AND LIEU OF THE UP STAINABLE CURRENT FISCAL EMERGENCY.
THESE MISREPRESENTATIONS GO AGAINST CITY CORE VALUES, SPECIFICALLY ETHICAL AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
FINALLY, I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS SMALL PIECE OF INFORMATION, WHICH I BELIEVE FRAMES THE OPTICS FOR THESE UNETHICAL PERSONNEL AND QUESTIONABLE FISCAL ACTIONS TO A LARGE DEGREE ON OR ABOUT MAY OF 2019 WHILE ATTENDING A CONCERTS IN THE PARK EVENT.
OUR CURRENT MAYOR SAID TO ME, IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR FORMER MAYOR AND ANOTHER WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, YOU DON'T DO YOUR JOB.
THAT'S WHY I FIRED CHRIS FREELAND AND HIRED CARMONEY TO THE FIRE POLICE CHIEF AND THE FIRE CHIEF ON THE SAME DAY, UNPRECEDENTED, HE EXCLAIMED CURRENTLY PRACTICALLY EVERY NEW EMPLOYEE AND OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD HAS BEEN HIRED, HAVE DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER OR THOSE HE HAS HIRED IN HIGH POSITIONS TO BE CLEAR, BECOMING A LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE WOULD BE A RELIEVING REPRIEVE FROM THE CURRENT HARASSING HOSTILE AND HARMFUL WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
I HAVE ENDURED WORKING IN THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PAST 19 YEARS.
THESE PURPOSEFULNESS REPRESENTATIONS, OMISSIONS AND INACCURATE INFORMATION ARE NOW WHAT THE CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA DESERVE MAYOR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. EDWARD DONG, HELLO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LIVED IN BALDWIN PARK FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AND LATER MOVED TO EL MONTE TO COMPLETE MY MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL AND MOVED BACK TO THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY POST-COLLEGE GRADUATION.
I PRETTY MUCH LIVED IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND HAVE FRIENDS, FAMILIES, AND FAVORITE PLACES TO VISIT ALL THROUGHOUT THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
I DON'T USUALLY WRITE LETTERS TO THE COUNCIL, BUT I FEEL TIME I'M DONE STAYING SILENT.
WHO DOES THE CITY COUNCIL? THANK Y'ALL REPRESENT.
WHEN WE SAW THE BALDWIN PARK CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THEIR CITY BUDGET FOR 2020 DASH 2021, IT SURE DID NOT FEEL LIKE THEY REPRESENTED THE COMMUNITY.
WE DO NOT WANT TO USE OUR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS IN FUNDING, A POLICE SYSTEM THAT IS RACIST AGAINST MINORITIES, ESPECIALLY OUR BLACK COMMUNITIES OF COLOR INVEST IN HOUSING SCHOOLS, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, OUR ROADWAYS AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS WHAT WE NEED SUPPORT IN.
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DO NOT NEED MORE POLICE TO INVOKE FEAR IN OUR COLORED COMMUNITIES.IN ORDER TO GAIN DOMINANCE, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO DECRIMINALIZE DRUG OFFENSES.
DRUG ADDICTION IS A DISEASE LIKE GAMBLING AND OR SMOKING CIGARETTES.
WE DON'T CRIMINALIZE OR LOCK UP PEOPLE WHO HAVE GAMBLING OR SMOKING PROBLEM.
WE PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES FOR THOSE PEOPLE ADDICTED, STOP LOCKING UP OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES FOR PETTY DRUG OFFENSES.
AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN ME TOO, BECAUSE THAT USED TO BE ME.
I MAY NOT HAVE THE CLEANEST RECORD, BUT I DID PUT MY FAMILY THROUGH MANY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS TO MAKE ME KNOW THAT I WAS DOING WRONG.
SEEING MY MOM AND DAD CRY WHILE VISITING ME IN JAIL WAS ENOUGH OF A WAKE UP CALL FOR ME TO LOOK FOR HELP, SURPRISE, SURPRISE.
IT ONLY TOOK ME THREE TIMES GOING TO JAIL OVER $20,000 IN COURT FEES AND FINES AND SEEING MY MOM, DAD, AND BROTHER CRY AGAIN IN A GRIN.
AND AGAIN, IN ORDER FOR ME TO GET IT, MINORITIES HAVE SUCH A HIGH RATE OF REPEATING THEMSELVES AFTER THEY'VE GONE TO JAIL.
ONCE I WISH THERE WERE MORE PROGRAMS OUT THERE TO HELP PROVIDE WITH RECORDS, GET ANOTHER CHANCE IN SOCIETY AND NOT FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NO CHOICE, BUT TO SEE STEAL, SELL DRUGS OR LIVE ON THE STREETS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT, MAYBE I WOULDN'T NEED TO GO TO JAIL THREE TIMES.
IF THERE WERE PROGRAMS SET UP FOR ME TO REASSEMBLED IT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND BE PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL.
LET OUR MOMS WITH HER CHOCOLATES, BE THE HAND OF JUSTICE, NOT THE POLICE.
PLEASE DEFEND THE POLICE AND LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CINDY ORTEGA.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I AM CONCERNED IF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CUT BACK AND HOW MUCH IT WILL AFFECT MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OTHER RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA.
IF THERE ARE CUTBACKS IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, RESPONSE TIME WILL BE DELAYED AND LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
I AM ASKING THAT LA COUNTY HANDLE OUR CITY'S FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ALSO OUR FIREMEN AND FAMILIES.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CITY HERE IN WEST COVINA, AND I WANT THE BEST FOR OUR CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FROM THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
PROGRESSIVE ACTION, DEAR MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY PROGRESSIVE ACTION.
WE'RE A GRASSROOTS COLLECT COLLECTIVE OF SOUND OF WEST COVINA AND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY RESIDENTS DEDICATED TO AMPLIFYING THE DEMANDS OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT.
WE DEMAND THAT YOU WILL LISTEN TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND DEFUND THE POLICE AND THE 2020, 2021 BUDGET, INCLUDING POLICE SALARIES AND PENSIONS.
WE INVEST THE POLICE FUNDS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SUCH AS HOUSING, TRANSIT, HEALTHCARE EDUCATION, AND SOCIAL SERVICES ACROSS THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
PEOPLE ARE UNITING AROUND THE CALL TO DEFEND DEFUND TO THE POLICE.
THIS IS NOT JUST A RALLYING CRY.
IT IS A TANGIBLE ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, A FRAMEWORK OF HOW CITIES CARE FOR PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE 47% OF THE GENERAL FUNDS, $31,163,716 GOES TO POLICE IS UNJUST.
PLEASE REDUCE THAT PERCENTAGE BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
AT LEAST 10% OR MORE MANY RESIDENTS IN WEST COVINA ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC QUESTIONING, WHETHER THEY CAN AFFORD RENT OR FOOD, IF THEY WILL GET COVID HEALTHCARE, HOMELESSNESS, CLIMATE CHANGE JOBS, EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION.
THESE ARE ALL AREAS WHERE THE CITY COULD INVEST.
INSTEAD OF POLICE, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET, THEY DO NOT WISH TO COMMIT CRIMES.
INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITIES ARE WHAT DRIVES PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT POLICE FUND SERVICES, NOT POLICE.
WE URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO OUR DEMANDS, TO DEFEND THE POLICE.
WE IMPLORE YOU TO FOLLOW THE MODEL OF THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET LA, WHICH IS GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY VOICES AND PURPOSES, A REDUCTION OF FUNDING AND POLICE FROM 54% TO 6% AND THEY REINVEST BEST MINT IN UNIVERSAL AID AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT BUILD ENVIRONMENT AND REIMAGINED COMMUNITY SAFETY.
RE-IMAGINED PUBLIC SAFETY DEFUND THE POLICE.
THANK YOU, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS APOLLONIA ABALONA.
I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS REGARDING TONIGHT'S MEETING SPECIFICALLY THE LACK OF OUTREACH AND TRANSPARENCY.
I AM A YOUNG MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO IS ACTIVELY DEALING WITH MY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH PERSISTENT THERAPY TREATMENTS.
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET MORE INVOLVED WITH OUR CITY THROUGH ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS AND INITIALLY SENDING OUT EMAIL TEMPLATES, TEMPLATES THAT HAVE HELPED ME VOICE MY THOUGHTS TO BE MET WITH PATRONIZING REMARKS FROM DAVID CARMONEY LEDDY AND OTHERS HAS
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BEEN DISHEARTENING THROUGH YOUR LACK OF RECOGNIZING YOUR PRIVILEGE.YOU CAST ASIDE THOSE LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, WITH COMMENTS LIKE THIS.
THIS DOES NOT ENCOURAGE YOUR COMMUNITY IN ANY WAY, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ISSUES LIKE TONIGHT'S TOPIC, THIS IS YOUR JOB TO REMEMBER PEOPLE LIKE US AND PROPERLY REACH OUT TO US IN AN EFFECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT WAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROSALIND SILVA.
THE DECISION WHETHER TO KEEP OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT OR OUTSOURCE TO THE COUNTY AS A DECISION THAT CONCERNS MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS GREATLY AS IT IS IMPORTANT TO US ALL, IT FEELS WRONG THAT A DECISION BE SO HASLEY MADE WITHOUT COST BREAKDOWNS AND OBJECTIVE STAT STATISTICS, COMPARISONS OF THE EFFECTS OF KEEPING OUR SERVICES LOCAL OR NOT.
I URGE OFFICIALS TO SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO AND PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO WE MAY FEEL MORE ASSURED IN OUR ABILITY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR OUR CITY.
WE HAVE USED COVID AS A SCAPEGOAT FOR OUR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. WHEN OUR POOR DECISIONS AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT CAME BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC, AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, I HOPE WE CAN WORK HARDER COLLECTIVELY TO CHANGE THE CITY FOR THE BETTER, THROUGH TRANSPARENT COLLABORATION AND TIMELY ACTION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA LAREDO.
I AM A RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE KNOWING THAT IT WOULD TAKE LONGER TIME FOR HELP TO COME.
WHEN I OR MY FAMILY ARE IN NEED.
I BELIEVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE UPGRADED TO LA COUNTY SO THEY COULD BE PAID MORE.
AND SO THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF, ESPECIALLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
I DO NOT WANT ANY OF THE FIREMEN TO LOSE THEIR JOBS OR THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
A CONCERNED CITIZEN, MELISSA LAREDO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY WONG, DARE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I LIVE IN EL MONTE, BUT LIKE TO GO TO WEST COVINA AND SHOP AND EAT WITH MY FRIENDS, I SUPPORT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND URGE YOU TO DEFEND THE POLICE.
REINVEST THE POLICE FUNDS INTO COMMUNITY SERVICES, SUCH AS HOUSING, TRANSIT, HEALTHCARE EDUCATION, AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AN EXPERT EXCERPT FROM THE CUT DEFENDING THE POLICE DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN GETTING RID OF POLICE ALTOGETHER.
RATHER IS IT ABOUT IT IS ABOUT REDUCING POLICE BUDGETS AND REALLOCATING.
THOSE FUNDS TO CRITICAL AND NON NEGLECTED AREAS LIKE EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING, AND YOUTH SERVICES.
IT'S PREDICTED ON THE BELIEF THAT INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES WOULD ACT AS A BETTER DETERRENT TO CRIME BY DIRECTLY ADDRESSING SOCIETAL PROBLEMS LIKE POVERTY, MENTAL ILLNESS AND HOMELESSNESS ISSUES THAT ADVOCATES SAY POLICE ARE POORLY EQUIPPED TO HANDLE, AND YET ARE OFTEN TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE POLICE IS LIKE A FRAMEWORK SHIFT.
I BELIEVE WEST COVINA SHOULD APPLY TO THE 20 2021, 2020, 2021 BUDGET, A PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE'RE 47% OF GENERAL FUNDS GOES TO POLICES UNJUST.
MANY RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES IN WEST COVINA ARE STRUGGLING DUE TO COVID-19.
IT'S SPREADING QUICKLY WITH MORE CASES AND DEATHS EVERY DAY WITH NO VACCINE IN SIGHT, PLEASE HELP MAKE SURE RESIDENTS BASIC NEEDS ARE MET.
NOT POLICE NEEDS FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET LA, WHERE THEY DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL TO INVEST IN UNIVERSAL NEEDS, HOUSING SECURITY, PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTHCARE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND WELLNESS AND DIVEST FROM TRADITIONAL FORMS OF POLICING.
THE WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL SHOULD KNOW THAT COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ARE WATCHING CLOSELY AS TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
ALLOCATING 47% OF THE GENERAL FUND TO POLICE IS A MORAL AND WRONG.
IN FACT, IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHER ALLOCATIONS OF GENERAL FUNDS TO POLICE IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.
I DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL TO ONE DEFUND THE POLICE TO INVEST GENERAL FUNDS COLLECTED THROUGH TAXES AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WARM REGARDS ANDREW, YET MAYOR.
HI, CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF.
MY NAME IS
MY PARENTS AND I ARE NOW MY THREE CHILDREN RESIDE IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT.
I USUALLY DON'T INVOLVE MYSELF IN CITY POLITICS BECAUSE IT HAS NEVER BEEN SOMETHING I FELT COMFORTABLE SPEAKING ON.
HOWEVER, LATELY I FEEL COMPELLED AND I TURNED INTO THE LAST MEETING.
I WORK AT QUEEN OF THE VALLEY AND OF COURSE IN PASSING, I'VE HEARD OF
[00:55:01]
RUMORS OF THE CITY GOING BANKRUPT, LAYING OFF 30 FIREMAN OR POSSIBLY GOING COUNTY.I MUST SAY THERE IS NO MORE CLEAR OF A TIME THAN NOW TO TRANSITION TO THE COUNTY OPTION.
I SEE LA COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS COME INTO QUEENS AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE NEWEST EQUIPMENT NEW OR AT LEAST MATCHING PPE POWER GURNEYS, ET CETERA.
OUR CITY, OUR FIGHTER FIGHTERS REGULARLY COME IN WITH HOLES IN THEIR KNEES OF THEIR PANTS.
HAND ME DOWN YELLOW JACKETS WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME ON IT.
A MANUAL GURNEY WHEN EVEN THE SMALLEST AMBULANCE COMPANIES HAVE POWER.
YOU SAY YOU HAVE PRIDE WHEN YOU SEE YOUR ENGINES DRIVING BY WHEN I DRIVE BY STATION ONE ON MY WAY TO WORK, YOU KNOW WHAT WORD DOESN'T COME TO MIND PRIDE.
MS. SHOEMAKER, DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY? THAT YOU DON'T CARE WHETHER OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE PPE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS OR I'VE BEEN TESTED OR SLEEP IN FACILITIES THAT AREN'T DISCUSSING? AS LONG AS YOU CAN CALL THE CHIEF INTO THE OFFICE WHEN YOU'RE UPSET, I'VE NEVER HEARD SOMEONE SPEAKS SO ARROGANTLY WHILE SITTING IN SUCH A POSITION DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
YOUR DEPARTMENT'S STRUGGLING MIGHTILY TO GET BY DESPITE HOW GREAT THEY DO WITH WHAT THEY CAN.
SANTHI SANKOH THANK YOU NEXT PLEASE.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS I HAVE MAYOR.
ANY AUDIENCE WANT TO ADDRESS TO COUNCIL? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
MY NAME IS MY NAME IS
I AM CONCERNED BUT CONCERNED PUTS IT MILDLY.
ACTUALLY I'LL JUST SAY CONCERN THOUGH.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY UNDERMINED EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OTHER THAN PUBLIC SAFETY THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED WITH 47% OF THE FUNDS CLOSE TO HALF.
YOU HAVE LEFT PUBLIC SERVICES OF 9% COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WITH 3% SUPPORT SERVICES WITH 9% BUDGETS, I BELIEVE EXEMPLIFY THE RESIDENCES VALUES.
THEY ARE AN EXPLICIT REMINDER OF WHAT WE HOLD.
THIS CITY IS LITTERED WITH BROKEN SIDEWALKS, DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AND ME MEASLY PUBLIC SPACES.
AS A RESIDENT HERE, I BELIEVE THAT IF WE REALLOCATED MONEY TO OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, MORE PEOPLE WOULD LIKELY COME TO OUR CITY.
WE COULD PUT MORE MONEY INTO MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE CAN ENHANCE AND DEVELOP OUR PUBLIC SPACES.
EVERYONE IN THE CITY CARES ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT THIS IS A SAFE CITY WITH POOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. PLEASE REEVALUATE THE BUDGET AND PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS TO OUR BENEFIT AND NOT THE POLICE AND FIRE'S BENEFIT.
THIS IS TERESA COZADD THERESA.
YEAH, I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING.
I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT, BUT I HEARD SOMETHING BY THE TREASURER THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
AND THAT IS, ARE YOU THINKING OF CHANGING THE SERVICES FOR ANIMAL CONTROL? NOT YET.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS TONIGHT AT BUDGET, RIGHT? RIGHT.
BECAUSE I KNOW, WELL, I KIND OF HEARD THAT THERE WERE CONCERNS WITH INLAND VALLEY MONEY CONCERNS.
MAYBE THEY WEREN'T LICENSINGS OR WHATEVER, BUT I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF A PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED WITH NOT INLAND VALLEY, BUT ACTUALLY LA COUNTY.
AND BE I HAD THIS HAPPEN WITH MY OWN DOG THAT LA COUNTY DID NOT TRANSFER OVER THE FILES TO THE INLAND VALLEY.
SO THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW UP.
WHEN I TRIED TO REGISTER MY DOG AND GAVE THEM THE INFORMATION FROM LA COUNTY, THEY COULDN'T DO IT.
AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE STILL WAITING.
THAT WAS LIKE TWO YEARS AGO OR WHATEVER, WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED WITH INLAND VALLEY.
AND I THINK THAT ISSUE IS STILL PERSISTING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOW GOING OUT.
INLAND VALLEY IS NOW GOING DOOR TO DOOR IN JULY TO MAKE SURE ALL THE ANIMALS ARE LICENSED.
SO THAT WILL GIVE YOU SOME MONEY.
I ALSO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IN THE VALLEY IS A NO KILL SHELTER.
SO YOU DON'T WANT YOUR ANIMAL PICKED UP AND THEN LATER KILLED.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT IN YOUR CONSIDERATIONS TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE ANY, ANY OTHER SPEAKER? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
AND THEN DO YOU HAVE A CARD YELLOW? OKAY.
LET'S GET YOU CAN, AFTER YOU SPEAK OR YOU CAN JUST FILL UP THE TWO.
I'M 20 YEARS OLD, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA.
[01:00:01]
WANTED TO SPEAK FOR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAT THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA FEEL WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.I KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO THE SWITCH TO THE COUNTY, A LOT OF RESIDENTS AREN'T EVEN, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S EVEN ON THE TABLE.
THEY DON'T KNOW IT'S AN OPTION.
I SPOKE TO MY PARENTS ABOUT IT AFTER ATTENDING LAST NIGHT'S MEETING, THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
AND I THINK THERE'S JUST A BIG DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE RESIDENTS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HERE.
SINCE WE STARTED CHANGE WEST COVINA, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE'VE HAD DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE COME AND TALK TO US, ASKING US FOR INFORMATION.
WE'VE PUT IN THE WORK AND WE DO HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR THEM, BUT I THINK RESIDENTS SHOULD BE GETTING THAT FROM THEIR LOCAL OFFICIALS.
AND I JUST REALLY URGE YOU TO PUT MORE THINGS ON LIKE THE WEBSITE.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT SOMETIMES TO KNOW WHEN THERE'S MEETINGS, UM, WHEN WE'VE DONE OUR OWN RESEARCH, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF, FOR FLARE EHRS BROKEN LINKS.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS A LOT OF INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO I THINK MAKING THAT A LOT MORE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT, SO RESIDENTS CAN COME TO THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS AND THEIR OWN OPINIONS ON CITY TOPICS COMPONENT.
ANY OTHER SPEAKER WANTS TO ADDRESS US? OKAY.
IF NOT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND NUMBER TWO MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE RESPOND SOME OF THE CONCERNING WE CALL IT TRANSPARENCY, THE BULK AND LINK AND UH, ANIMAL SHELTERS REGARDING THE OKAY.
THE DEFICIT BY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
EGO, HOW TO STOP THE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.
AND WHEN THE SENIORS, UNTIL WE'LL BE OPEN AGAIN.
AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, I THINK YOU HAVE SOME RECORD THAT GO HOME.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING.
OR NUMBER OF COMMENTS NOW, THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR SPENDING THE TIME TO SHARE THESE CONCERNS AND THOUGHTS.
AND I'LL TRY TO RESPOND TO AS MANY OF THESE AS I CAN.
THE COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET ACTIONS.
THAT'S A AGENDA TOPIC FOR LATER TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STAFF REPORT AND THEN SOME COUNCIL DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
UM, REGARDING THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PENSION COSTS RISE, WE DO GET AN ACTUARIAL REPORT EVERY YEAR AND HAVE BRIEFED COUNSEL ABOUT THOSE IN DISSIPATED COST INCREASES IN THAT CATEGORY.
I KNOW AT THE FEBRUARY MEETING, THERE WAS A POWERPOINT AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH, UM, WITH OUR TREASURER, UM, REGARDING THE RFP FOR ANIMAL CONTROL.
I WOULD SAY GENERALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS IN SERVICE PROVISION, INCLUDING, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL.
THAT'S ONE WHERE THERE REALLY ARE ONLY TWO OPTIONS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH RIGHT NOW, UM, REGARDING SALES TAX REVENUES.
UM, WE'VE GOT DETAILED REPORTS FOR EVERY MONTH OF THIS YEAR THROUGH MAY.
AND WE CAN LET THE FINANCE DIRECTOR SPEAK TO THOSE THINGS AS PART OF THE BUDGET REPORT.
UM, SEVERAL SPEAKERS SPOKE ABOUT LA COUNTY FIRE AS MENTIONED EARLIER THIS EVENING, THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, BUT IT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
AND FRANKLY, BEFORE THE COUNCIL COULD BE ASKED TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS ABOUT THOSE OPTIONS, WE NEED, WE NEED SOME MORE DATA.
WE NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION.
I SPOKE TODAY, DAILY COUNTY FIRE CHIEF FOR THAT ONE PARTICULAR OPTION.
AND HE ANTICIPATES HAVING SOME BETTER FIGURES FOR US, MORE COMPLETE FIGURES FOR US BY THE END OF THIS WEEK OR THE FIRST PART OF NEXT.
AT LAST NIGHT'S TOWNHALL MEETING, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS THIS MONTH, BUT AT LAST NIGHTS, SEVERAL OF THE RESIDENTS WANTED ANOTHER MEETING WITH THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ISSUE.
AND I PROMISED THEM THAT ONCE WE HAD THIS FURTHER INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY, WE'D RECONVENE PROBABLY IN THIS CHAMBER SITE.
UM, THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE WEBSITE LINKS BEING BROKEN.
I'LL REVIEW THOSE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THOSE ALL FUNCTIONING.
REMIND ME, MAYOR, WERE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WANTED ME TO TRY AND, AND A SPEECH HERE TO STOP THE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.
IT'S HAPPENED ALL THE PLACES IN NIGHTTIME.
I CAN HEAR ALL THE PLACES TOO.
I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO COUNCILMAN CASIANO HOME.
LIKE JULY 4TH PROFESSIONAL ON THE STREET.
AND I THINK IT'S ALL CONTROL AND WE NEED, HAVE TO OKAY.
I'LL RESIDENT TO KIND OF WHAT, THE WAY WE CAN STOP THIS.
WE KNOW, WE KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND AND PANDEMIC PEOPLE STAY HOME AND NOW THEY, THEY FRUSTRATION.
SO THEY MAYBE ADD ON SOME OF THIS AND WE UNDERSTAND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO BE COURTESY.
AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AND THE OKAY.
DEV PAD, THE CHAOS, OR THEY HAVE A BABY.
SO THOSE ARE HOW, HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WEST COVINA.
WE ARE ZERO TOLERANCE ABOUT THE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.
[01:05:01]
A SENIOR CENTER ACQUAINT WILL BE OPEN AND WE WILL ADDRESS ABOUT A SENIOR MALE, UH, PLAN TO, OKAY.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR THEM.
SO THIS IS WHAT I THINK THE PEOPLE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
WELL, I'LL TAKE THE LAST QUESTION.
FIRST REGARDING THE SENIOR CENTER, WE INTEND TO BE REOPENED THERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO TRANSITION BACK TO NORMAL WITH OUR PARKS AND OUR COMMUNITY CENTER.
SO WE'RE AIMING FOR JULY 6TH REGARDING THE SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
WE USED TO SERVE 150 SENIORS A DAY CONGREGATE STYLE WITH OUR CITY EMPLOYEE AS THE CHEF, A HOT MEAL IN THE SENIOR CENTER THAT ALL CHANGED UNDER THIS SITUATION AND HAS BLOOMED INTO MORE THAN 525 OR 550 MEALS BEING DELIVERED EVERY DAY.
WE DID GET SOME SUPPLEMENTAL MONEY FROM THE COUNTY AND FROM THE COMMUNITY, ALL THE BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WATCH THOSE CONTRACTS VERY CAREFULLY AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE MEETING SEVERAL NEEDS.
I THINK CITY MANAGER, I THINK OKAY.
WITH CURRENT, OUR INCREASING OF CONFIRMED CASES.
BECAUSE THE, WE OPENED UP, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR SENIORS STILL STAY HOME.
I REALLY DISAGREED FOR THEM TO COME TO SENIOR CENTER RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ONE MONTH TO MONITOR THE SITUATION.
I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO CARRY ON OKAY.
DELIVER TO THEIR HOME TO MAKE SURE THEY SAVE BECAUSE OKAY.
RIGHT NOW WE JUST WANT THEM TO BE HEALTHY.
AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GET SICK.
BECAUSE THEY COME TO A SENIOR CENTER TO PICK UP THE FIELD.
SO I HOPE YOU CONSIDER IT ABOUT THAT AND CONTINUE TO CARRY ON ABOUT THE SENIOR SENIOR MEAL PLAN FOR DELIVER AND MAKE SURE I KNOW COUNTY POSSIBLE CUT DOWN THE FUNDING, BUT WE NEED, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO ADJUST OR ADDRESS THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS NOW THE, THIS IS ON OUR EMAIL.
AND SO IN, BUT I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO CARRY ON.
AND, UH, REGARDING THE YOUNG LADY OR REGARDING THE, OKAY.
YOU CAN TALK TO PAULINA REGARDING HOW TO HELP US TO MAKE SURE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE PEOPLE CAN RECEIVE THE INFORMATION.
AND WE, WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU YOUNG PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN TO OKAY.
AND YOU ARE VERY TECH SAVVY, SO MAYBE SHOW US WHAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
AND WE DON'T MIND PARTNERING ALSO.
UM, BEFORE I GOT HERE, OUR PUSH FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL THAT, WASN'T AS GREAT.
UM, OF COURSE IT'S NOT TO THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY AND EVERYTHING TO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO BE.
UM, SO WE DON'T MIND PARTNERING UP AND SO FORTH WITH THAT.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, FIREWORKS, I KNOW HE TOUCHED UP A LITTLE THING LAST YEAR.
SO LAST YEAR I DID WANT TO, I WANTED TO PUSH FOR THE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WE IMPLEMENTED A, THE THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE.
I KNOW THIS YEAR THEY'VE, UH, CONFISCATED A BUNCH OF FIREWORKS FOR ONE.
IT IS HARD TO CATCH CAUSE THE FIREWORKS IS EVERYWHERE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S IN ALL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING, UM, MY AREA WHERE IT IT'S SO LOUD, THE ALARM, THE CARS GO OFF, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO CATCH THEM IN THE ACT.
UM, IF YOU DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION, YOU COULD ALSO EMAIL IT, EMAIL THE ADDRESS SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF SURVEY AND LOOK OUT.
UM, THEY DID, I BELIEVE, UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND CATCH AND THEY DID FIND, UM, THAT ONE, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A GROUP EFFORT CAUSE UM, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE CITY, UM, ANY BROKEN LINKS THAT ANYONE FINDS FEEL FREE TO SEND US AN EMAIL, LET US KNOW.
I KNOW ONE RESIDENT DID ON ONE AND PAULINA QUICKLY FIXED IT.
WE'RE NOT, WE CAN'T CATCH EVERYTHING, BUT IF YOU KNOW, WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN FIX ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.
ARE WE GOOD? OKAY, DAN, I WILL GO AHEAD AND
SO UNLESS IT'S A SPECIAL MEETING, SOME OTHER TIME, THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND THIS.
AND THEN I WANTED TO ADDRESS A COMMENT THAT A RESIDENT, UM, DIRECTED TOWARDS ME.
AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW IT GOT SO LOST IN TRANSLATION, BUT THE DISCUSSION SHE'S REFERENCING WAS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE CHIEF AND I AT THE LAST MEETING WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAD EXPRESSED THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM TO MAINTAIN LOCAL CONTROL AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT I WANT TO CHANGE.
IF I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO CHANGE.
I'VE SUBMITTED APPROXIMATELY AND ASKED APPROXIMATELY 35 QUESTIONS THAT I NEED ANSWERED BEFORE I MAKE THAT DECISION.
SO THE DISCUSSION WAS SOLELY ON LOCAL CONTROL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO IT WAS NOT A DISCUSSION ON WHETHER OR NOT I BELIEVE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT
[01:10:01]
NEEDS THE PROPER EQUIPMENT.I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE ORAL COMMUNICATION.
I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION THAT WAS SAID ABOUT ME AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SHARE EVERYTHING, BUT I LIKE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT I DO HAVE CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS.
I ACTUALLY AM A CAREGIVER TO ONE WITH A MENTAL DISABILITY.
SO WHEN THEY SAY THAT I HAVE NO, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO THAT, IT'S, IT'S A FALSE AND I DO WORK IN, I WORK IN LA.
I ACTUALLY WORK IN, UM, EAST LA BOYLE HEIGHTS AREA.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT OUT THERE SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT I DO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS IN A CERTAIN SITUATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY, IF ANYBODY OUT IN THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, WANTS TO EMAIL ME, CALL ME I'M OPEN.
SO THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DISCUSS ANYTHING FURTHER.
I WILL THINK ABOUT YOU MR. MANAGER.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
OKAY.NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO DO.
A CONSENT CALENDAR IS OKAY TO CITY COUNCIL.
ANY PERSON WANTS TO PULL ANY ITEMS. OKAY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA? ONE, TWO, THREE, MR. MAYOR MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON AND A SECOND BY A MALE POTENT LOPEZ.
COPIES, COUNCILMAN CASTELLANOS, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, OR COUNCIL MEMBER MAKER.
I MAY APPROACH HIM LOPEZ BEATO I MAY OR WILL.
[4) PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING WEST COVINA CITYWIDE SEWER SERVICE CHARGES TO BE COLLECTED ON TAX ROLL FOR FY 2020-21]
TO THE AGENDA NUMBER, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WEST COVINA CITYWIDE SEWER SERVICE CHARGE.THIS MATTER IS SET FOR PUMPING HERE.
WHEN YOU USE FOR ALSO ADVISING THE COLLECTION OF THE ANNUAL SEWER SERVICE CHARGED THROUGH THE COUNTY TAXPAYER AND A CITY MANAGERS.
CD COOK OR VERIFY THE PROPER LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN PROPER NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WEST COVINA CTY SEWER SERVICE CHARGED, UH, MR. COMMUNIST CITY MANAGER, WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT.
MR. PERSICO, THE CITY'S ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILL PRESENT THIS AS THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PUBLIC.
UH, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO, UH, SEPARATE FOR THE UPCOMING CALENDAR YEAR FOR THE CITYWIDE, UH, SEWER MAINTENANCE DISTRICT.
THE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1978 AND IT ASSESSES CHARGES TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THE CITY SEWER SYSTEM.
UM, THE CHARGES, THE COLLECTION OF THOSE CHARGES GO TO MAINTAIN THE CITY SYSTEM AND TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL, PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL IN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 19, EXCUSE ME, 2017, 2018 ADOPTED A FIVE YEAR FEE SCHEDULE.
UH, THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR, UM, OF THOSE, UH, INCREASES ON MAY 5TH.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVED A REPORT ENGINEER'S REPORT, WHICH ESTABLISHED A BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND ALSO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR TONIGHT.
UH, THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE DUE TO COST INCREASES, UH, OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IS, UH, 5%, UH, WHICH WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $3, A LITTLE OVER $3 AND 72 CENTS PER PROPERTY PER YEAR.
UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED RESOLUTION 2020 DASH 62, APPROVING THE SEWER CHARGES AND PLACEMENT OF THE ASSESSMENT ON THE UPCOMING ROLLS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT.
AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, SUSAN CITY MANAGER AND THE, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
AS IN CITY COOK, HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS? OBJECTION, COMMENTS CONCERNING THE WEST COVINA CITY WAS SEWER SERVICE CHARGE.
MR. JIM, GREVETT YOU GO AHEAD.
WHEN I WAS EXAMINING THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, UH, I NOTICED THAT THE SEWER FUND SEEMED TO HAVE AN INCREASING BALANCE EACH YEAR, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD BE INCREASING THE FEES
[01:15:01]
IF THE BALANCE IS GOING UP EACH YEAR.AS A CITY MANAGER, WHO WOULD YOU PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION? CERTAINLY THERE IS A FUND, THE BALANCE, WHICH IS MAINTAINED, UM, IT'S BETWEEN A HALF OF THE ANNUAL YEAR BUDGET AND FULL YEAR BUDGET BECAUSE THE PROPERTY TAXES, I THINK HAS MOST PEOPLE KNOW, COME IN TWICE A YEAR.
SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY THOSE COSTS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
UM, WE ALSO DO HAVE A FUND BALANCE BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UH, THAT WE, THE COUNCIL WE'LL SEE LATER ON TONIGHT WHEN THE BUDGET IS LOOKED AT.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE FUND BALANCE.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT THESE COSTS ARE APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM.
WILL YOU READ ANY COMMON RECEIVE INTO PUBLIC RECORD IS NOW RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE ANY RECORD.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISH TO COME? AND I HOPE JAMES ALREADY COME IN.
ANYTHING WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE SEWER ISSUE? OKAY.
THEN I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
DISCUSSION AND THE QUESTION COLEMAN.
OTHERWISE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION, UM, WITH THE INCREASE IN SAYING THE TOTAL PROJECTED REVENUE WILL BE 3.9 MILLION AND INCLUDING THE BALANCE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR OF 2.4 MILLION, WE'RE ONLY PROJECTING THAT OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 20, 20 TO 21 IS 2.27, 7 MILLION.
SO WHY IS THIS INCREASE NEEDED WHEN WE WOULD STILL HAVE A BALANCE THAT WOULD COVER YOUR HALF TO HOLE THAT WE CARRY IN THERE FOR, UM, THE MONTH TO MONTH OR BIG EXPENSES? UM, WE DO HAVE OUR CONSULTANT HERE FROM, UH, WILL DAN ACTUALLY THEY'RE UH, HERE ON THE PHONE, UH, THEY'VE DIALED INTO THE GOTO MEETING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM AND HAVE THEM TALK ABOUT THE ENGINEER'S REPORT AND THOSE COSTS.
JOHNNY, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? IT'LL JUST BE ONE MOMENT BEFORE WE CAN GET HER.
WE'RE UP ALL NIGHT AT THE MEETING.
ASK HIM WHY HE'S RECOMMENDING THE INCREASE IN WHAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS HE'S ANTICIPATING THAT WE WILL NEED FUNDS FOR WELL SEWER FUN STORY.
IT'S BECAUSE HE'S NOT HERE CONNECTING.
CAN YOU ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE MIC IS REALLY CLOSE? CAUSE YESTERDAY I COULDN'T HEAR WELL SINCE WE ARE WAITING OUR CONNECT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? FOLLOW? OKAY.
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OR SHOEMAKER REGARDING IF THIS PROPOSED INCREASE, UH, AS SOON AS CITY MANAGER AS INCIDENT MANAGER.
IF YOU PROPOSE IN QUITS HOW MUCH PER HOUSEHOLD, OKAY.
INCREASE ON PROPERTY TAX $5 PER SERVICE, $5 PER SERVICE FOR SERVICE.
SO IT'S THE BASE ON WHAT, BASED ON THE PER HOUSEHOLD, NO MATTER HOW BIG THE POVERTY'S THE LAST SIZE ABOUT THE APARTMENT,
BE FAIR TO CHARGE THE SEWER FOR EACH OF A HOUSEHOLD.
AND WE HAVE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT I THINK.
AND THE FIRST THING IS THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE WE HAVE A PANDEMIC.
PEOPLE, WE DID STRUGGLE INTO PAYPAL RIGHT NOW.
SO IS THAT OKAY? AND I UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO ACCUMULATE THE FUNDING FOR, IN CASE BECAUSE WE ARE 1923, HE SET UP THE CT AND MY HOUSE OR THE OVER AT 1950.
SO A LOT OF OLD INFRASTRUCTURE NEED TO UPDATE.
SO, BUT, UH, MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE US A MORE CLEAR FI OUR HOUSEHOLD.
[01:20:01]
OKAY.ADDISON PROPOSED 14% INCREASE.
SO A LOT OF THINGS TO INCREASE, INCREASE ON THE OKAY.
SO WANT TO MAKE SURE NOW THAT THIS IS A PROPERLY, THIS TIME BEING, SO THE FEES ARE FOR RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS.
THAT IS A FLAT FEE PER DWELLING UNIT FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL AS IS SHOWN HERE.
UH, THE FEE IS BASED, UH, SAT AT 667 SQUARE FEET FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, UH, AS WELL AS INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW THE FEES ARE CALCULATED.
THE RATE INCREASE, UM, IS, UH, NOTED IN THE STAFF REPORT AS 5%.
UM, SO THAT IS A INCREASE FROM $74 AND 40 CENTS TO $78 AND 12 CENTS.
IT'S $3 AND $73 75 CENTS PER, PER HOUSEHOLD, PER HOUSEHOLD POVERTY.
SO POVERTY ONLY THAT BETRAY $3 75 CENTS.
THAT IS OKAY FOR OUR POTENTIAL SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATE.
I WISH DO I HAVE TO BE READY? OKAY.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET HER, I'VE COME UP WITH ANOTHER QUESTION BECAUSE, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IN 17, 18 APPROVED FIVE YEARS, THAT WE'RE AT THE END OF THOSE FIVE YEARS, BUT THAT MATH DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
SO ARE WE ACTUALLY BEING ASKED TO CODIFY THAT INCREASE THAT WAS ALREADY THERE? OR IS THIS AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE OVER THE RATES? THEY SET THE ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL TOOK IN 2017, 2018 WAYS TO ESTABLISH THE ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I RATHER THAN WAITING.
COUNCILMAN JOHNSON HAS A SUGGESTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ENGINEERS HERE.
MAYBE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM ON THE PHONE AND ANSWER SOME CRITICAL QUESTIONS THAT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE TO HEAR.
WE CAN'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT MEETING.
THEY'RE COME UP WITH AN ANSWER TO TRY AND GET ON THE PHONE.
IF THIS HAS URGENCY TO APPROVE TONIGHT, NOT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT COME THROUGH.
WE DO NEED TO PLACE THE ITEMS ON THE TAX ROLL.
I BELIEVE OUR DEADLINE IS AUGUST 10TH TO GET THE INFORMATION.
SO JULY 7TH, WE CAN TALK TO IT'S JULY SEVEN.
WE COULD DO THIS AT THE JULY 7TH MEETING.
SO, SO I HAVE A MOTION I WOULD MOVE BY, I THINK TABLE DOES.
ANYTHING INQUIRIES? I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE OUR ENGINEER COME OVER.
HE'LL EXPLAIN TO US WHY I KNOW $3 75 CENTS A YEAR.
IT'S NOT EVEN A BIG DEAL, BUT WHEN YOU ACCUMULATE A LOT OF THOSE, THEN YOU INCREASE AND THEY EXPEND TO, I THINK WESTERN CAN ACCEPT THAT WE ACCUMULATE THIS FOR THE FUTURE SAKE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE POSSIBLE IN QUESTION.
SO I HAVE MOTION MOVED BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON SECOND BY OKAY.
CAN I UNDERSTAND YOUR MOTION TO CONTINUE THE HEARING, CONTINUE THE HEARING AND CONTINUE THE HEARING AND THEN BRING BACK ON JULY 7TH SO WE CAN HAVE A WILD WORLDWIDE TRANSACTS, RIGHT? MR. ENGINEER HERE.
WELL, WE WANT TO ENGINEER HERE IN PERSON.
I THINK IF WE CAN BE HERE, HE CAN, SHE SHOULD BE HERE TO THIS WHISK TOGETHER.
SO ANYWAY, UH, I HAVE A MOTION THAT THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
DARIO DID, BUT I ALSO HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE WE VOTE.
UM, UH, MR. PERSICO YOU WERE ANSWERING MY QUESTION REGARDING THE TIMELINE.
SO THE ACTION THE COUNCIL TOOK IN 2017, 2018 WAYS TO ESTABLISH A FIVE YEAR SCHEDULE OF INCREASES.
WHAT THE ITEM BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT IS JUST TO CONFIRM THE FEE INCREASES THAT WERE LAID OUT ORIGINALLY BY THAT COUNCIL IN 2017, 2018, WE ARE NOT DEVIATING, NOR ARE WE INCREASING THE ACTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL LAID OUT PREVIOUSLY.
SO ALSO, CARLA, SO THIS IS A FIVE YEARS.
AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND WE'RE NOW JUST BECAUSE THE TIME'S UP, SO WE NEED TO COME.
WE CONFIRM AGAIN, WELL, AT TIMES EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO DOUBLE CONFIRM AN ACTION TO PLACE IT ON THE TAX ROLLS.
THIS IS JUST ME AND THE REASON FOR FUN.
BECAUSE I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL WHO JUST DID A FIVE YEAR IN PRECINCT CHAIR.
SO WE TAKE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
CAN I CONTINUE? OKAY, LET'S CONTINUE.
COUNCILMAN CASTELLANOS, COUNCILMAN
[01:25:01]
JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBER SHOEMAKER MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ.THE AUTO MAYOR WILL APPROVE PFIZER WILL TO CONTINUE.
THE HEARING FOR NEXT MEETING WILL BE JULY 7TH.
[5) PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ASSESSMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020-21 FOR WEST COVINA CITYWIDE LIGHTING AND MAINTENANCE DISTRICT]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.ITEM NUMBER FIVE WEST COVINA LIGHTING AND THE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT THIS MATTER IS SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE WEST COVINA CITY-WISE LIGHTING AND THE MANDARINS DISTRICT WHERE THE CITY CLUB VERIFY THE PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN PROPER NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN MAYOR.
AT THIS TIME I SHALL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE WEST COVINA WISE LIGHT IN THE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT.
MR. KAMANI CITY MANAGER, WHO WILL PRESENT THE STEP REPORT AGAIN? THIS IS MR. PERSICO THE CITY'S ASSISTANCE.
GO AHEAD AND SAY, YOU DIDN'T SEE THE MANAGER.
MAYOR COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING TO SET RATES FOR THE CITYWIDE, UH, LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING DISTRICT.
THE DISTRICT VOICE ESTABLISHED IN 1976, AND IT DOES ENCOMPASS ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UH, THE CITY ALSO PAYS, UH, ON PROPERTIES, WHICH IT OWNS INTO THE, UH, SPECIAL BENEFIT DISTRICT, UH, IN, ON MAY 5TH OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, RECEIVED THE ENGINEER'S REPORT AND, UH, SET THE PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR THIS EVENING.
UM, THE ACTION THAT IS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL THIS EVENING IS TO INCREASE THESE RATES, UH, BY $1 AND 5 CENTS PER YEAR.
AGAIN, UM, IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, UH, WHICH IS THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
UH, THE RATES WERE, UH, APPROVED BY VOTERS PREVIOUSLY.
AND, UM, AS REQUIRED ANNUALLY, THE CITY COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO PLACE THESE INCREASES TO TAKE AN ACTION TO PLACE THESE INCREASES ON THE TAX ROLL.
SO THE ACTION BEFORE THE CITY IS TO CONFIRM THAT VOTER APPROVED INCREASE.
UM, AND THAT IS 1.9, FOUR OR 5%, WHICH AGAIN IS APPROXIMATELY JUST OVER $1 PER YEAR.
UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT RESOLUTION 2020 DASH 62 CON CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM IN ASSESSMENT FOR THE CITYWIDE LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY STAFFORD.
ANY QUESTION FOR OUR COUNCIL MEMBER? IF NONE? YES, NO, NO, NO.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS? OBJECTION OR COMMENT CONCERNING THE WEST COVINA CITY-WISE LIGHTING AND THE MENDEZ DISTRICT I HAVE RECEIVED NON-MALE OKAY.
AND, UH, ON THE, UH, ANY COMMENT WITH THE POPPY WACO, COFOUNDER SPEAKER, WHO, WHICH ANYONE WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA? JIM, ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE COMMENTS? THIS ONE HAS BEEN NO SPECIAL? NO, NOTHING TO TALK.
YOU GUYS SHOW I'M GOING TO CLOSE.
PROBABLY WRECK PUBLIC COMMENT.
BACK TO THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND THE VOTE.
AND THE QUESTION THAT COME UP, ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY? I THINK IT'S HILARIOUS THAT WE VOTE TO INCREASE ASSESSMENTS ON OURSELF.
THEN I HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION, A MOTION TO OPPOSE THE VERY, VERY PROMOTION.
AND COUNCILMAN JOHNSON MOVED A MOTION AND I HAVE A COUNCILMAN CASIANO SECOND.
COUNCILMAN CASTELLANO'S, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, SHOEMAKER.
I MAY APPROACH HIM LOPEZ MAYOR, WILL I AN EMOTIONAL PROOF FIVE ZERO.
[6) ADOPTION OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA FISCAL YEAR 2020-21 ANNUAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET]
INTO THE, THE MAIN CAUSE OF CHENNAI AND THEN NUMBER SIX, FISCAL YEAR 20 AND 2021MR. KAMANI CITY MANAGER, WHO WILL PRESENT A STAT REPORT.
I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE WITH PETE WITH IT.
THAT'S IN TWO, THREE, FOUR TIMES ALREADY.
WE WANT TO ADD SOMETHING NEW INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE.
AND TO EXPLAIN TO US AND HOW WE APPROVE THIS.
AT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING, WE OFFERED TO PRESENT THIS REPORT AND I ONLY RECEIVED AUDIBLE ROMANS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE THE SAME POWERPOINT THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TIMES THIS MONTH, WE DO HAVE A REEF REPORT TO GIVE YOU, AND I'M A DIRECTOR BURDEN.
I WILL BE DOING THAT TOGETHER, PLEASE.
CARMONEY UM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
[01:30:01]
OF THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START OUT TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THEN GO INTO OUR BUDGET PHILOSOPHY, THE BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD, KEY POINTS AND, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS OUR OUTREACH DATES.UM, ON JUNE 2ND, WE PRESENTED THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
UM, WE RELEASED IT TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT NIGHT, THE FOLLOWING EVENING, WE MET WITH THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE ON JUNE 3RD.
AND THEN THERE WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING THE FOLLOWING WEEK ON JUNE NIGHT AND LAST NIGHT WE HAD ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEETING.
UM, AND THEN, UM, JUNE 3RD THROUGH THE 21ST, WE HAD AN ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY MOVING ON TO THE BUDGET PHILOSOPHY.
SO, UM, WE ADOPTED A, UM, CONSERVATIVE APPROACH.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING A BALANCED BUDGET.
UM, WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO ADD, UM, ADEQUATELY, UM, MAINTAIN RESERVES OF THE CITY AND MAINTAIN LONGTERM FINANCIAL STABILITY, THE BUDGET CHALLENGES, UM, THAT WE ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY.
UM, YOU WILL, UM, REMEMBER ON MARCH 16TH, THE BUSINESSES OF THE CITY WERE SHUT DOWN, WHICH RESULTED IN MAJOR LOSS OF, UM, OUR SIGNIFICANT REVENUES, UM, SALES TAX, HOTEL, AKI, OCCUPANCY TAX, TO JUST NAME A COUPLE.
UM, IT RESULTED IN LOSS OF CITY BUSINESSES.
AND I BELIEVE EVEN WITH THE REOPENING, SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES STILL HAVE NOT OPENED AND I'M NOT SURE THEY WILL COME BACK TO THE CITY.
SO THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT.
AND, UM, WE'RE FACING A POTENTIAL SECOND WAVE.
AND OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS RISING COSTS IN OUR CITY CONTRACTS, SOME KEY POINTS TO, UM, GO OVER.
UM, AND I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT FOR EMPHASIS.
THIS HAS BEEN BY FAR THE MOST DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR THAT I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN MY 25 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
UM, THE STATE AND COUNTY ORDERS CAUSED UNPRECEDENTED BUSINESS SHUT DOWN, CAUSING MAJOR INCOME ISSUES, UM, FOR THE CITY, IT RESULTED IN UNCERTAINTY GOING FORWARD, UM, WITH OUR BUDGET PROJECTIONS, WE BASED THAT ON STATUS QUO BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.
AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE AND BRING THESE BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO DO IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS UNTIL WE GET SOME BETTER PROJECTIONS.
AND, UM, IF WE NEED TO, WE WILL MAKE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET.
THERE ARE NO LAYOFFS PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET.
WE DID INSTITUTE A HIRING FREEZE AND THOSE POSITIONS, UM, WILL BE FILLED AS NEEDED IF WE CONSIDER THEM TO BE ESSENTIAL.
AND I ALSO ELIMINATED ALL CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS CONTINUING ON WITH OUR KEY POINTS.
UH, DURING THE FISCAL EMERGENCY REVENUES ARE DIFFICULT, VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THIS YEAR.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THEM AND CONTINUOUSLY REPORT THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THIS, BY ADOPTING THIS BUDGET TONIGHT, IT'S GOING TO ALLOW THE CITY TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS.
UM, AND WITHOUT ANY, UM, CESSATION IN, IN OUR CURRENT, UM, PROVISION OF SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, WEST COVINA IS ONE OF FOUR FULL SERVICE CITIES IN LA COUNTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SUPPLEMENTAL, DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, THE BUDGET, UM, ROBIN, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'VE RECEIVED QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPARING OUR POLICE AND FIRE BUDGET TO OTHER CITIES.
SO I WANT EVERYONE TO WHO'S, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG AUDIENCE.
WHO'S LEARNING THIS TO KNOW THAT DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN OUR CITY AND OTHER CITIES.
[01:35:02]
CERTAINLY, UM, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA IS ONE OF FOUR FULL SERVICE CITIES IN LA COUNTY WITHOUT A DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE, UH, TO FUND PUBLIC SAFETY, WHETHER IT BE SALES, TAX INCREASES, UM, PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, A UTILITY USERS TAX THAT'S DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.UM, AND THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT COME TO MIND RIGHT AWAY.
THERE COULD BE OTHERS PARCEL TECHS, UH, SAVE TAX.
SO ONLY FOUR CITIES IN LA COUNTY DO NOT HAVE THOSE ADDITIONAL REVENUES.
UM, THE BUDGET REFLECTS CUTS IN EVERY CATEGORY.
UM, WE'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF SWORN OFFICERS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM 99 TO 90.
UM, WE'RE MEETING WITH ALL OF OUR BARGAINING GROUPS AND, UH, MAKING SLOW PROGRESS, BUT SOME PROGRESS.
AND, UH, WE'VE ASKED ALL EMPLOYEES TO TAKE A VOLUNTARY, UM, SUSPENSION OF BENEFITS BY 10%.
UM, WE'VE REDUCED OVERTIME IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND EVEN AFTER WE DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, BECAUSE OF ALL THE UNCERTAINTY, UM, DURING THESE TIMES WE COULD BE FACED WITH DEEPER CUTS, UM, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING, UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU APPROVE RESOLUTION 20, 20 DASH 64, THAT ADOPTS THE OPERATING AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET.
AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
A NEW, ANY MEMBER HAS A QUESTION.
I KNOW YOU WON'T JUST KEEP IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN WAITING.
OH, WHY DO I GET TO BE THE LEAD OFF EVERY TIME? UM, THE ISSUE OF ANIMAL CONTROL WAS BROUGHT UP AND THE REASON WE ARE LOOKING AT IT IS BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN AN ASTRONOMICAL INCREASE IN THE COST FROM INLAND VALLEY AND THEY'VE GENERATED ABOUT A 10TH.
IF I'M BEING GENEROUS OF THE REVENUE, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GENERATE TO OFFSET THE COST THAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.
SO IT REALLY LEAVES US WITH NO CHOICE, BUT TO LOOK FOR POSSIBLE OTHER OPTIONS.
I LIKED THAT THERE NO KILL ALSO, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE TO LOOK BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING WE CAN MAINTAIN WITH THE COST INCREASE.
IT'S GOING TO BE ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 600,000.
AND SO I'M, I'M, I KNOW OUR STAFF IS IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND NEGOTIATING WITH THEM AND TRYING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO THERE HAS BEEN NO DECISION TO CHANGE FROM THEM OR NOT, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE COST, UM, PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO THE FIRE PROPOSAL AND I'M DO MOVE TO COUNTY.
I'M NOT DISCUSSING IT TONIGHT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, YES, THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS PART OF A LAWSUIT THAT THE FFA BROUGHT AGAINST THE CITY.
UM, SOME PEOPLE EXPRESS SURPRISE IN.
I CAN UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WITH LAWSUITS IS WHEN WE SETTLE, IT'S REPORTED OUT AT THE MEETING WHEN WE SETTLE AND IN THIS CASE, THAT WAS ALSO, AND SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO ATTEND THAT MEETING OR LOOK AT THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING, YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD THE CITY ATTORNEY REPORT OUT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CASE.
AND SOME OF THE TERMS, UM, THE PROPOSAL TO GO TO COUNTY, I THINK, IS BEING CONFUSED WITH OUR FISCAL EMERGENCY AND THE PROPOSAL ONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
ONE IS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAWSUIT TOO.
IT'S ALSO PART OF THE DISCUSSION TO ADDRESS STRUCTURAL DEFICITS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON AND TO FIND OUT WHERE THOSE DEFICITS ARE IN A WAY THAT HAS BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD FOR A LONG TIME.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FISCAL EMERGENCY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT IF YOU GET A PAYCHECK THAT YOU EXPECT TO BE A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND YOU HAVE YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU START GETTING $500 A MONTH, YOU START SPENDING INTO YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE CITY IN TERMS OF ITS SALES TAX REVENUE, BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
SO THE FISCAL EMERGENCY IS BECAUSE BY SEPTEMBER,
[01:40:01]
WE WILL NOT HAVE CASH ON HAND.SO THE CITY IS FACING TWO THINGS, ONE FISCAL EMERGENCY, NO CASH TO THE STRUCTURAL DEFICITS THAT WERE IGNORED FOR FAR TOO LONG.
THAT COVID-19 HAS BASICALLY SAID, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TIME ANY LONGER.
UM, I DO HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE BUDGET.
UM, MR. GURAVICH BROUGHT UP A LOT OF THEM AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE SITTING UP HERE WHO SAYS IT'S PERFECT, THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE AMENDED QUITE A BIT.
THE SIMPLE FACT IS WE DO NOT KNOW AT THIS POINT WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE GOING TO BE.
WE KNOW THAT WE USUALLY GET 1.2 AND 1.8 MILLION A MONTH IN SALES TAX.
THE NEXT MONTH WE GOT 550,000.
AND SO THE BUDGET WILL BE CONSTANTLY LOOKED AT MONITORED AND CHANGED.
UM, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WELL, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT CUTTING EXPENDITURES? ABSOLUTELY.
AND AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED STAFF ON DIFFERENT LEVELS IS THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE MOST WE CAN SAY AT THIS POINT IS YES, BUT A LOT OF THOSE CUTS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CUTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ARE PERSONNEL MATTERS THAT ARE NOT PART OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
AND SO I WISH I COULD TELL YOU MORE OR GIVE YOU MORE ASSURANCE, BUT THERE ARE LAWS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN SAY WHEN IT COMES TO NEGOTIATIONS AND PERSONNEL.
AND SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS THAT I HEARD AND I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR UNTIL I COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
ANY OTHER CONCERNS, MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY GO AHEAD AND CONSULT WITH JOHNSON.
NOW I DO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU MAY CALL AT ONE POINT ABOUT OUR BUDGET YET.
MR. GRIBBETS SAID, ONE THING ABOUT IT SHOULD BE A TENTATIVE BUDGET INSTEAD OF AMENDING IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, AND I DO AGREE THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE, BUT I DON'T THINK OUR FINANCE BANKERS OVER THERE HOLDING A CRYSTAL BALL SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO BE THIS MUCH.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THAT MUCH.
I THINK WE HAVE TO ADJUST AS YOU GO ALONG AS SHE SEES OUR TAX REVENUE COMING IN AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS THEN.
SO I'M WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
NO ONE THAT, AND I DO AGREE WITH YOU, MR. GRIBBETS ON THINGS THAT THIS ISN'T PERFECT.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PERFECT BUDGET OR I THINK WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY UP MONTH BY MONTH, WE CAN LET YOU KNOW ONCE A MONTH WHERE WE'RE GOING AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL AWARE OF IT AND WE WILL MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS AND REMOVAL.
UH, YEAH, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT BOTH COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD MAKE GRAND COUNCIL AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON HAS SAID, UM, IT'S NOT PRETTY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE MONITORING CLOSELY MONTHLY.
WE'VE ALL ASKED ROBIN TO KEEP US ABREAST OF ANY INCOMING REVENUES, ANY CHANGES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT DEFUNDING POLICE.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED OVER 150 EMAILS.
ONE THING THAT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD RECALL, WHICH WAS PAINFUL IS THE OVERLAP SHIFT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN AWAY.
SO THAT WAS A VERY DRASTIC FORM OF DEFUNDING THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
WASN'T PRETTY, UH, NONE OF THIS IS PRETTY, UH, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO TOOK A MASSIVE HIT WHEN FIRE ENGINE FOUR WAS TAKEN OUT OF COMMISSION.
UH, ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE STRUGGLING.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES.
UM, ALSO, WELL PREVIOUSLY WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION OF OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, WHEN SHE WAS GIVING THE PRESENTATION, I WAS IN RESPONSE TO ANDREW YIP.
SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT ALSO, MS. LOPEZ, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR ASKING YOUR QUESTIONS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, LOPEZ VIANO MENTIONED EARLIER, PLEASE, PLEASE EMAIL US ANY, ANYTHING YOU SEE, CAUSE I'M CONSTANTLY CHECKING IN OUR SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE, THE AGENDAS AND MINUTES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE UP.
AND I'M ALWAYS COMMUNICATING WITH OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, LISA, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE UP TO DATE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
THE AGENDAS ARE ALSO POSTED OUT OUTSIDE RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR CHAMBER, AS WELL AS AT THE CITY LIBRARY, UM, COUNTY LIBRARY HERE IN WEST COVINA NEXT DOOR.
AND, UM, FOR USE OF, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UM, WE COULD ALSO PROVIDE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE
[01:45:01]
INFO FOR EVERYONE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND REALLY, I APPRECIATE THE DELIVERY AND THE MANNER BY WHICH EVERYONE HAS COMMUNICATED WITH US TODAY.
IT'S CONSTRUCTIVE AND, UH, WE WELCOME IT.
SO, UH, FOR USE OF, UM, I'LL GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF HOW OUR GENERAL FUND DOES NOT FUND SOME, SOME OF OUR SIDEWALKS AND OTHER THINGS YOU MENTIONED.
BUT, UM, WHAT WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO DO IS, IS KEEP EVERYONE ENGAGED AND INFORMED ABOUT WHICH FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR WHICH THINGS TO CONTINUE THIS CREATIVE THINKING PROCESS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UM, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING SAID, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, SHOEMAKER OR EXPLAINING.
I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING WITH ALL THIS, BUT THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT IT ENTAILS.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO SPOKE YESTERDAY, I KNOW THEY MADE A COMMENT THAT, OH, COUNCIL'S NOT HERE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT THAT WE'RE NOT IN ATTENDANCE.
I'M PRETTY SURE MY COLLEAGUES, UM, LISTENED INTO THE MEETING.
I KNOW I DID FROM BEGINNING TO END AND THERE WAS SOME, UH, PERSPECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, OH, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, FOR SOME OF YOU, I, YOU KNOW, I SPOKE TO YOU RIGHT AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE THESE ASSUMPTIONS, LIKE I'VE ALWAYS SAID YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO US.
AND UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY.
I DO APPRECIATE WHEN YOU COME TO THE COUNCIL OR, UM, COME WITH SOLUTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTIONS.
CAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST COME AND JUST HIT AND CRITICIZE AND BLAME AND THEY DON'T OFFER ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE.
SO, UH, FOR THOSE WHO DO GIVE INSIGHTS, WE APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IT OPENS UP ANOTHER SIDE OF YOU AND PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CAN PROBABLY CONSIDER AND MOVE AND CHANGE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY.
YOU MEAL PUTIN, LOPEZ THE OTHER.
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON MY COLLEAGUE TALKING ABOUT, OKAY.
THE BUDGET IS WHAT TAX PAYERS MONEY.
JUST THE MONEY IS WHAT EVERYBODY PAID AND WE HAVE A, HOW WE SPEND IT AND THE WEEKEND ELECTED.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE FOR OKAY.
YOU MIGHT SITTING OVER HERE AND TO MAKE A TOUGH DECISION BECAUSE 30 YEARS AGO I CANNOT BELIEVE I WILL SIT OVER HERE.
SO YOU NEVER KNOW, YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE OKAY.
TO TAKE OVER THE BATON AND TO CONTINUE.
AND I REMEMBER 30 YEARS AGO WHEN I WATCH HIM, WHEN I'M MOVING WEST COBIA BACK IN 1989, I WATCHING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO SIT OVER HERE, I THINK THE ONE DAY.
DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ABOUT WHY YOUR FUTURE.
BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE, BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH SOME OF YOUR TALKING ABOUT THE FARM, THE POLICE.
AND THEN WHY ARE POLICE? OKAY.
FIREFIGHTERS DEPARTMENT IS 30% IS ALL TOTALLY 77%.
OUR GENERAL FUND ALGERIA VINES WAS $66 MILLION.
MAJORITY FROM PROBABLY TEXTS AND SELL TEXTS, SELL TESTS, 24%.
THEY GO INTO OUR GENERAL FUND.
AND 3% IS TOT TAX IS A HOTEL TAX.
SO THEY ADD TOGETHER IT'S 27%.
THEY GO INTO OUR GENERAL FUND AND WE DID GENERAL FUND, 77, 7%.
HE WILL GO TO POLICE AND FIRE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW CAN THERE BE SO MUCH INTO OUR GENERAL FUND BECAUSE COMPARED WITH SOME OTHER CITY, WEST COVINA STEER, THE LAST TAXES CT THAN ANY OTHER CITY.
AND THEN IF WE, IF YOU LOOK AROUND FOR CT AND OTHER CITIES, SANTA MONICA IS A TOURIST TOWN.
I THINK THEY SUFFER BIG TIME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO INCOME COMING IN INTO OKAY.
AND THEN OTHER ONE BEVERLY HILL.
IT'S NO, NO, NO CITY COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE, THIS MEETING OVER, YOU CAN TALK TO ME OR WE CAN DISCUSS UME.
I HAVE NO POWER AT ALL, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
AND THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WE DON'T HAVE A UTILITY TAX AND THE COVINA HAS 10% UTILITY TAX.
WE DON'T HAVE A PARCEL TAX AND WE, EL MONTE HAS A PARCEL 10 PAY FOR THEIR POLICE.
AND THEN SOME OTHER CT, THEY HAVE LIKE SAN MARINO.
AGAIN, YOU'LL DO THE TEXT PUZZLE TECH CITY TAX TO PEOPLE THEY'LL SERVE AS POLICE AND FIRE.
THEY HAVE A PLACE TO FILE THAT YOU IT'S A MERINO, A POPULATION OF 10,000.
WHY THEY WANT THAT? BECAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY HAVE TO PAY.
YOU CAN SEE SOME, A REAL, IT DOESN'T HAVE A BUSINESS.
THEY DON'T WANT BUSINESS TO COME IN.
SO BREADS, THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY PROPERTY TAX ON THE SALE OF THE TEXT FOR DOTD TAX TO PAY FOR THEIR SERVICE.
SO WEST COVINA, THE CITY, OKAY.
WE ARE MAJORITY BASED ON THE 4,000 BUSINESS, OUR MONEY COMING FROM SALES TAX COMING IN FROM EIGHT HOTEL.
WE HAVE THE TLT TAX AT ABOUT 3% AND WE GET A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE DON'T SHARE WITH COUNTY SELL TAX.
WE ONLY GET ONE PENNY OUT THE A HUNDRED,
[01:50:01]
$1.SO IN A WAY, WE NEED TO SELL A LOT OF CARS, SELL OTHER THINGS.
SO WE CAN USING THAT MONEY TO PAY FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I THINK IF YOU KNOW YOUR HOME AND IF WILL INCOME AND WHILE YOU EXPENDITURE, OKAY, AND THEN NOW THIS 27% DUE TO THE CITY, WE WERE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN.
WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT DOWN, BUT BECAUSE THIS VIRUS OKAY.
COUNTY AND THE STATE AS A, YOU HAVE TO SHUT DOWN.
SO WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN AND OUR BUSINESS, OKAY.
ALMOST 99% OF BUSINESS SHUT DOWN IN WEST COVINA.
AND WE HAVE A 4,000 BUSINESS MOM AND POP BUSINESS, NOT THE STRUGGLING TO COME BACK.
NOT ONLY FOR US, I THINK IT IS FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS, BUT THEY'RE LIFE SAVING, INVESTING WEST COVINA IS VERY, VERY TOUGH.
SO WE WANT TO USE THE CDBG FARM AND WE'RE USING OTHER THINGS TO HELP THEM GIVE THEM $10,000.
HOPEFULLY THEY CAN COME BACK, HIRE EMPLOYEE, HIRE THE STAFF.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW THE CITY IS STRUGGLING IS HOW CAN WE HELP THOSE BUSINESSES COMING BACK TO OUR CITY SO WE CAN CREATE JOB THREE MONTHS AGO, WE WANT TO SAVE LIFE.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY HOME AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WILL MASK AND WE PROVIDE A FREE MAIL.
AND WE BASICALLY PROVIDE A FREE MASK.
NOW AFTER THREE, FOUR MONTHS, WHAT'S NEXT.
WE WANT TO SAY THE ECONOMY, NO JOB, NO ECONOMY.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORK ON WITH.
OKAY, RIGHT NOW TO CREATE A JOB, CREATE BUSINESS.
AND THE PEOPLE SAY, HEY MAYOR, WHY ARE YOU NOW? YOU'RE NOT BEFORE.
TO AVOID THE WELL MASS AND STAY HOME.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE A JOB, WE DON'T HAVE BUSINESS NOW STATE AND THE COUNTY, OR WITH IT ALLOWS TO OPEN UP THE BUSINESS.
SO WE NEED TO INCREASE HER PEOPLE TO HAVE A LIFE AND TO TRY TO STAY AWAY A MESS.
SO YOUR DISTANCE, WATCH YOUR HAND.
BUT MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WE HAVE GRADUALLY HAVE OUR LIFE.
ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU MUST HAVE A FUTURE.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SHUT DOWN THE BUSINESS AND THEREFORE YOUR GENERATION WILL BE IN TROUBLE.
SO, SO IF YOU SEE ALL THIS AND IT WILL BE SO HOT, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE.
I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO PREDICT WHAT JULY INCOME WILL BE ABOUT.
AUGUST OUR IN CAR WILL BE HARVEST SEPTEMBER.
HOW ABOUT OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER? SO, SO THIS IS THE THING, NOT LIKE YOU CAN LAY BACK.
AND LAST YEAR WE CAN, IF WE ARE NOBLE TIME, WE CAN SEE LAST YEAR, HOW MUCH, AND WE CAN PREDICT, AND MAYBE WE HAVE SOME DEVELOPMENT COMING IN TO HELP US SAVE THE DAY, BUT EVERYTHING IS SUSPENDED.
SO IN THAT WAY, WE DEPEND ON OUR FUTURE WILL BE MONITORED MONTHLY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE INCOME TO PAY OUR EXPENDITURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE, OKAY, COUNCIL, COUNCIL, MEMBER, SHUMAKER TALKING ABOUT YOUR BOYS IN ALL.
AND NOW YOU ONLY HAVE TO FIND YOUR DOLLARS.
THE, WE HAVE FIND OUT OTHER WAY TO PAY BAIL.
WE HAVE TO GET A PAYCHECK AND MAKE SURE THE CITY CONTINUED TO OPERATE.
SO THIS IS WHAT TONIGHT'S ABOUT.
AND WE STILL HAVE TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET.
LIKE YOU SAY, TENTATIVE, A BUDGET, OKAY.
THIS BUDGET ABOUT WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR OUR INCOME.
AND BASED ON THAT, IF OUR INCOME NOW HIDDEN ON OUR TARGET, THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER TYPE OF CART.
WELL, PEOPLE HAVE TO SIMPLIFY WITH SERVICE.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR, MAKE SURE.
AND MAYBE IF YOU SEE SOCCER, REVENGE SHOPPING, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE COMING BACK.
AND NOW WE ALWAYS ALLOW HOTEL HAVE A LARGER, WE TRAVEL.
SO MEANING ONE OR TWO HOTEL MIGHT COME BACK TO BUSINESS.
WE MAKE IT GET OUR 10% TOT TAX.
SO I TALKED TO OKAY, AND A HOLIDAY.
WE CHECK WITH THEM ALL THE TIME.
THEY SAID THEIR PIECE, THE COMING BACK TO HOTEL, THAT THE PIECE ARE COMING BACK.
SO IN THAT WAY, THEY'RE PRETTY HAPPY.
NOW SEE THE ECONOMY'S BASED ON CONFIDENCE, WHERE YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE.
PEOPLE COME OUT TO SPEND THE MONEY.
AND THEN WE BOTH BASED ON THAT, WE CAN GET A PIECE OF PIE THAT IS SALES TAX OR TOT TAX.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS ONE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
WHY WE HERE TO WORRY ABOUT TO OPERATE OUR CITY OR OUR EXPENDITURE AND OUR INCOME AND MAKE SURE WE ARE THE CAKE KEEPER TO MAKE SURE YOUR, YOUR TEXT DOLLAR WILL BE WISELY, BE USE AND TALK ABOUT COUNTY COUNTY.
FIRE IS ONLY WELL, AGENDA IS NOT EVERYTHING.
THERE IS HAVE TO BE A SOLID NUMBER THAT WE HAVE A SAVING WITHOUT A SOLID NUMBER WITHOUT THE COUNTY.
SHERIFF WOULD COME OVER AT THE CHIEF, COME OVER HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION AND TELL US BLACK AND WHITE SOLID THAT WE HAVE A SAVING AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE ANYTHING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE SOMETHING BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD SERVICE
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AND WE HAVE A FAIL.CAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE IT TO SOMETHING.
MAYBE A SENSE SERVICE OR MORE COSTS THAT'S WILL BE STUPID.
SO, SO DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WE GOING TO LIKE, WE ARE READY TO MAKE OUR MIC.
NOBODY CAN MAKE UP THEIR MIND.
POLICE AND FIRE IS LIKE OUR BABY FIRE WITH US FOR 80 SOME YEARS, THE, WE ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE A WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT IN WEST COVINA.
IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO JUST LET GO, BUT WE HAVE TO SEE THE NUMBER.
IF NUMBER MAKES SENSE, IF THEY ARE SO CONFIDENT, THEY SHOW US A NUMBER, SHOW US THE CONTRACT.
AND THEY COME OVER HERE IN PUBLIC, HAVE OUR OCCASIONAL COUNTY CHIEF OVER HERE, TALK TO THE PUBLIC, MAKE SENSE.
SO IN THAT WAY, YOU GUYS CAN SEE EYE TO EYE WITH THEIR PROPOSAL, NOT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, NOT OUR COUNCIL, NOT THE CITY MANAGERS SELL IT TO US, TO OUR AUDIENCE.
DO YOU WANT TO BUY US OUT? SHOW US THE MONEY.
SHOW US WHAT KIND OF SERVICE THEY CAN PROVIDE AND HOW GOOD WE CAN SAVE AN WELL, WE CAN SAY, OKAY, SERVICE OUR RESIDENT EVEN BETTER.
SHOW US THE NUMBER, SHOW US THE MONEY.
SO THE 10 YEARS CONTRACT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FAIR.
WE WILL, WE'RE WILLING TO PAY, BUT WE'RE NOT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY SUPPLEMENTAL AND THEY BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO, SO THIS IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THE FIREFIGHTER HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST LET GO.
WE WILL SEE THE TWO NUMBERS SOLID NUMBER.
AND IN THAT WAY, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON.
IF IT'S BETTER AND YOU GUYS SEE IT, THEN IT'S A MUCH BETTER PRICE AND A SOLID, THEN WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
I WOULD, I WOULD CRY TO SEE MY WEST COVINA LOGO DISAPPEAR.
BUT, BUT WHAT LIVES ALIVE IS A BACHELOR.
BUT IF NOT, THEN IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COST MORE.
SO CONCLUSION IS THIS AGAIN? OKAY.
WE ARE WORKING ON THIS, I THINK BASED ON HOW OUR FINANCE DIRECTORS SEE, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A TOUGH TIME TO MONITOR THIS, BUT THIS IS JUST TEMPTED.
LIKE YOU SAY, THE TENTATIVE OKAY.
BUDGET TO THAT IS WE CAN PAY THE BILL, BUT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR TO SEE HOW IS OUR INCOME DOING? YOU NEVER KNOW.
SO, SO WE CAN GET SOME INCOME COMING IN AND TO PAY THE BILL.
AND TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MAKE, OKAY, HAVE A GOOD SERVICE AND CONTINUE TO WARMER OUT AND LET EVERYBODY HAVE THE FIRE.
IF OUR RESIDENTS SUFFER FOR THESE THREE MONTHS, OKAY, LOST THEIR JOB, LOST THEIR BUSINESS.
OUR CITY EMPLOYEE HAVE TO PITCHING IS NO LIKE SOMEBODY, THEY CONTINUE TO GET THE SAME THING AND OUR RESIDENT CONTINUE TO SUFFER TO PAY MORE.
SO, SO IN THE TOUGH TIME WE ARE ALL TOGETHER.
SO IN THAT WAY, WHEN WE'RE UNITED, WE STAND, WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS.
AND AGAIN, TO SHARE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS, OUR FUTURE WEST COVINA FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT.
HE WILL, YOU WILL BE SO VIBRANT.
WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE TEMPORARY WAY.
WE ARE CENTRALLY, CENTRALLY LOCATED.
SO DON'T, DON'T, DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ABOUT OUR CITY.
OUR CITY WILL BE A GREAT CITY AND YOU ARE GOING TO SO PROUD OF LIVING WEST COVINA.
ANYBODY WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YES.
YOU OKAY? YOU WANT ME TO TALK MORE? OKAY.
I CAN TELL THE WHOLE NIGHT AND ANY YOU GUY WANT TO TALK TO ME PRIVATELY.
SPEAK TO YOU AND EXCHANGE ANY INFORMATION.
AND HOPEFULLY IT CAN HELP YOU OTHER THAN THAT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET SO WE CAN MOVE ON? YES.
MR. MALE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET.
COUNCILMAN CASTELLANOS, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
WILL I AM THE EMOTIONAL APPROVED FOR ONE.
NOW WE GO INTO, OKAY, MOVE ON.
THIS IS JUST APPROVED SO WE CAN PAY BAIL, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE BRINGING YOU BACK MOSTLY.
TO SEE HOW OUR BUDGET AND SEE HOW WE DO WITH ALL THE ISSUE.
AND OF COURSE WE DON'T HAVE AP ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR CONFERENCE AND MEETING.
NOW WE GO INTO THE CITY COUNCIL, ECHO HAT.
I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A REQUEST DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, THERE'S BEEN CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION AND NEW STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS GOVERNING POLICE USE OF FORCE.
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WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW OUR CITY'S POLICIES, UM, INCLUDING THE SHARING OF IMAGES AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED MANY TIMES, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, TO DISCUSS THAT, MAYBE CONSIDER OPTIONS, MAYBE, UH, SOMETHING MORE DESCRIPTIVE FOR THE RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF GETTING AN IDEA OF WHAT KINDS OF CRIMES ARE BEING COMMITTED, COMMITTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.I THINK ANOTHER THING IS I THINK THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FUN AND THE POLICE.
YOU THING AS YOU WANT TO PIGGYBACK WHILE YOU JUST SAY UNDER, REGARDING OKAY.
HOW WE HAVE A POLICY ARE LOOKING TO ANY POTENTIAL.
WE CARE AND THAT WE WANT TO LET THEM KNOW OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FOLLOW THE GUIDELINE.
AND WITH ANYTHING THE STRUCTURES, DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGE IN REQUIREMENT? OKAY.
AND TO MAKE SURE THE POLICE IS OUR COMMUNITY POLICE.
CONCERN ALL POLICE IS SOME KIND OF FORCE TO SCARE PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO, THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND POLICE IS COMING FROM OUR RESIDENT.
IT WITH OUR POPULATION IS, IS HUMAN.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE OPPRESSIVE TO OVERHEAT.
AND THAT THEY ARE PEACEMAKER AND TO, TO CATCH CRIME.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR RESIDENT TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY.
LET THE TRUST WITH OUR POLICE OFFICER.
AND I THINK, AND THEN OF US HAVE TO SHOW TO OUR RESIDENT.
I THINK, I THINK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A POINTY, A GOOD IMAGE.
WE CAN LOOK INTO IT AND THEN TO GO BACK TO OUR CONCERN.
RESIDENT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE IS WELL-ROUNDED OKAY.
AND ADDRESS THE CONSENT ALL RESIDENT.
I'D LIKE TO REINSTATE ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT WAS NOT A COUNCIL MEMBER SETTING UP HERE THAT HAS DECIDED WHICH WAY, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ABOUT COUNTY FIRE, YOU KNOW, ONLINE.
SO WIDE OPEN, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO LISTEN TO ALL THE RESIDENTS AND THEN LIKE THE MAYOR SAYS, WE HAVE TO SEE ALL THE NUMBERS.
I WANT EVERY MEMBER OUT THERE RESONATE.
THEN SAY, IF IT MAKES SENSE HERE, THE DOLLARS MAKE SENSE TO THE CITY THAT THE CITY WILL ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY.
NOT JUST THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND STILL HAVE GOOD SERVICE.
THEN IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER.
BUT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NO NUMBERS.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE'D ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.
WE'VE ALREADY TOLD THEM WITHOUT NUMBERS WHEN I DISCUSS IT.
SO RJ WANTS YOU TO BE ASSURED THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS EVER DOES COME BACK TO US TO DECIDE, FRANKLY, IF IT'S DISCUSSED, THE MAYOR SAID THE CHIEF COUNTY, CHIEF HAS TO BE HERE.
HE HAS TO BE SAY, YOUR CONTRACT WOULD BE THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
AND IF IT MAKES SENSE, THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE MAY CONSIDER.
WE STILL MAY NOT DO IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONSIDER.
SO JUST BE ASSURED THAT NOT THE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE NOT ONE OF US HAS MADE THE DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS? YES.
UM, AS PART OF A COUNCIL MEMBER CUSTODY YANOS REQUEST, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT OUR POLICE DO PROVIDE AND THE TRAINING.
THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE THE HOPE TEAM.
SO, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT SOMEHOW THEY'RE A MILITARY AGENCY AND THAT COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH AND EXAMPLES OF HOW OFTEN THEY ARE.
UH, THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY, ATTENDING EVENTS AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT SHOWS THE FULL PICTURE OF WHO THEY ARE.
I KNOW CHIEF BELL MENTIONED THAT, UM, AN EMAIL WE HAD GOTTEN IT CONTAINED INACCURATE DATA.
I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO MAYBE AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, HAVE THOSE NUMBERS THERE AGAIN.
UM, AND THEN, UH, TO WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDY NUMBERS, THAT IS SO WE CAN COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, BUT IT IS NOT OUR MAIN CONCERN.
SO IF THIS COUNTY CAN PROVIDE ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS IN A WAY WE CAN'T, THAT IS PART OF THE CONSIDERATION.
[02:05:01]
ALSO, NOT JUST IF THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE.AND SO, UM, I JUST DON'T WANT THAT TO GET LOST IN TRANSLATION.
THE FIVE OF US WANT THE FULL PICTURE ON BOTH SIDES AND SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A DECISION THAT'S BEST FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO CONTINUE? ARE YOU SURE? I HAVE MORE TO SAY, I DON'T WANT THAT THE PARTY'S OVER.
AND THEN DO I HAVE A MOTION TO A GYM OR PROMOTION? OKAY.
AND THEN I SEE YOU NEXT TIME WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING JULY 7TH.