[00:00:01]
I WAS KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, BUT WHATEVER, THAT'S OK, YOU KNOW, WELL, WE WILL CALL[1. CALL TO ORDER]
THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:36 P.M..THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY STAFF FOR THAT.
THAT WAS GREAT. IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL FOR OUR FIRST VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING.
IF WE WOULD ALL STAND, I WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
EVERYBODY STAND AND PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
THANK YOU. ROLL CALL MR. RUSSI.
CALL] ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS.
[4. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS]
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A REAL QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT SOME RESIDENT HAD MADE REGARDING THAT.IF THEY WEREN'T, PEOPLE WEREN'T AVAILABLE FOR THE SPECIAL STUDY SESSION ON DISTRICT VOTING THAT IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR ANYTHING, PLEASE EMAIL THE CITY HALL, THE CITY CLERK, AND THEN WE'LL PUT YOU ON THERE.
PARDON? PUT IN YOUR NUMBER AND WE [INAUDIBLE] YOUR PHONE NUMBER.
JUST PLEASE PUT YOUR PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL THE CITY CLERK SO THAT YOU CAN TALK AND UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU.
AND THAT IS CITYCLERK@CITYOFLAVERNE.ORG.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE UPCOMING EVENTS, MR. RUSSI, THAT WE KNOW? I THINK WE DO HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, IS THAT CORRECT [INAUDIBLE]? WE DO. WE HAVE SHERRY [INAUDIBLE].
HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I'LL SEE IF I STILL HAVE HER.
SHERRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. HI, YOU'RE LIVE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
THIS IS SHERRY BEST, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
OK. GOOD EVENING, I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN SHOP LA VERNE BY BUYING ONE OF THE BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OR BY BUYING A T-SHIRT OR A JAR OF JELLY OR MARMALADE.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SHOP LA VERNE, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
[INAUDIBLE] UNABLE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE IN-PERSON BOOK SIGNING.
BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT OUR TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY SERVICE FOR OUR BOOKS, OUR T-SHIRTS AND OUR HOMEMADE JAMS AND JELLIES AND MARMALADES ARE GOING STRONG.
SO PLEASE CONTACT ME AT AREA CODE (909)596-4679OR EMAIL ME AT SBEST@LAVERNEHISTORICALSOCIETY.ORG TO PLACE YOUR HOLIDAY ORDER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. BEST. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS OR COMMUNITY EVENTS? I DO NOT THINK SO.
NONE RECEIVED SIR. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO A CONSENT CALENDAR, HAS ANYTHING BEEN PULLED FROM
[5. CONSENT CALENDAR]
THE CONSENT CALENDAR? NO.THEN I WOULD GO FOR I NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
NONE OPPOSED. OK, [INAUDIBLE].
WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
BEFORE THAT WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S LATEST BASICALLY SHUT DOWN.
I JUST WANTED TO JUST GO A LITTLE UPDATE AS THE LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE SINCE GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM ANNOUNCEMENT EARLIER THIS WEEK ABOUT STRICTER STAY AT HOME ORDERS AND THE CHANGES IN SOME BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, MANY, MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKING HOW WE'LL BE HANDLING THE ENFORCEMENT. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE THROUGHOUT THIS EVOLVING SITUATION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY OF THE HEALTH ORDERS, ENCOURAGE COMPLIANCE, AND WE'LL MAKE USE OF THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY OF LA VERNE REMAINS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, IF YOU ARE LA VERNE BUSINESS OWNER.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN STILL APPLY FOR THE CITY'S BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM.
STARTING THIS WEEK THE CITY WILL INCREASE THE GRANT LIMIT FROM TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
LIKE YOU, LIKE YOU, WE ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED BY THIS TURN OF EVENTS, BUT REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN PULL TOGETHER TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.
[00:05:02]
REMEMBER, YOU CAN KEEP YOURSELF AND OTHERS SAFE BY LIMITING YOUR OUT OF HOME ACTIVITIES, WEARING A FACE COVERING.PRACTICING PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND FREQUENTLY WASHING YOUR HANDS.
ALSO, LET'S HELP LA VERNE BUSINESSES BY SHOPPING LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
PLEASE, YOU MUST SHOP LA VERNE, BUY YOUR GAS, BUY YOUR GROCERIES, BUY YOUR APPAREL, BUY YOUR FOOD. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR BUSINESSES ALIVE.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
[6. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
MR. RUSSI OR JR.MR. MAYOR, WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND BRING UP THE FIRST PERSON.
THANK YOU. MR. WILSON, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, I CAN.
OK, YOU ARE LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MR. WILSON. GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS JOHN WILSON.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF LA VERNE FOR 25 YEARS OR MORE AND.
MY COMMENT TONIGHT HAS TO DO WITH THE SKATE PARK THAT IS [INAUDIBLE] OF BONITA HIGH SCHOOL. THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE IS EVERY DAY I KEEP SEEING SEVERAL KIDS THERE, UP TO 20, 30 KIDS, NO MASKS, CONGREGATING UNPROTECTED.
AND JUST EARLIER TONIGHT AND LISTENING TO EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT LIGHTING THE CHRISTMAS TREE, BEING SAFE, KEEPING LA VERNE SAFE, I JUST PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S DOING JUSTICE TO KEEPING LA VERNE SAFE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO RUNS THAT SKATE PARK.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BONITA UNIFIED OR IF IT'S THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE SEEN LA VERNE PD IN THE PARKING LOT THERE AT BONITA HIGH. NOW I DO KNOW IT'S NOT UP TO THEM TO ENFORCE ANYTHING.
BUT I THINK IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WHOLE CITY OF LA VERNE, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP COVID AWAY FROM US AND TO KEEP IN LINE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND YES, A LOT OF US DON'T WANT TO WEAR MASKS.
A LOT OF US DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT WE DO NEED TO DO IT AND DO OUR PART.
SO I THINK YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO EITHER MONITOR THE SITUATION AND MAKE THESE KIDS WEAR MASKS OR MONITOR HOW MANY KIDS ARE IN THE PARK AT ONE TIME, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
AND I KNOW IT'S TERRIBLE, YOU PROBABLY DRIVE BY THERE ALL THE TIME.
I USUALLY DRIVE BY THERE ONCE OR TWICE A DAY MYSELF.
BUT THAT IS MY COMMENT TONIGHT.
AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE CITY COUNCIL IS DOING TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE.
I LOVE THE FACT WHAT WE DID WITH THE RESTAURANTS THERE ON D STREET WHEN WE COULD HAVE THEM OPEN. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP BUSINESSES VIABLE AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE AROUND WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER.
BUT THIS IS ONE THING WHERE I REALLY AND TRULY FEEL THAT WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT ON AS A CITY. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
AND IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE OR ANY OF YOU CAN LOOK INTO IT, I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR THE JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING NOW DURING THIS CRUCIAL TIME THAT WE'RE IN.
IT'S NEVER IT'S UNPRECEDENT FOR US.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. MR. [INAUDIBLE], ARE YOU THERE? YES.
MR. [INAUDIBLE], YOU'RE LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL.
GO AHEAD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN EVALUATING DOING IS GOING COUNTY WITH FIRE, AND MY COMMENT HAS TO DO WITH COVID.
IF WE ARE LOOKING AT GO COUNTY WITH FIRE, WHY DON'T WE JUST GO COUNTY WITH THE ENTIRE CITY? AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS IF THE CITY IS NOT GOING TO STAND UP FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND CITIZEN BUSINESSES, THEN WE'RE NOT GETTING WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.
THAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY AND JUST POSTAGE STAMP IN THE ORDERS FROM THE COUNTY AND THE ORDERS FROM NEWSOM IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING HELPFUL HERE IN OUR CITY. ALL IT'S DOING IS KILLING OUR BUSINESSES.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT COVID'S A GOOD THING.
I'VE HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE GOTTEN OVER IT.
I CURRENTLY HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE IT.
BUT THE CURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO INFLUENCE ON OUR CITY IS WORSE THAN A CURE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO, IS WORSE THAN THE VIRUS ITSELF.
AND WE NEED TO BE ACTING MORE LIKE THE SHERIFF OF RIVERSIDE WHO'S SAYING, NO, I'M NOT
[00:10:01]
GOING TO ENFORCE THESE.WE'VE GOT THE CITY OF PASADENA.
THEY'VE GOT A HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOWN THE STREET.
WE CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT JOINING THEIRS AND NOT HAVING TO CLOSE OUR BUSINESSES.
WE COULD TALK TO THE REST OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, WHICH IS.
ALL SIMILAR CITIES RELATIVE TO THE AREA AS OPPOSED TO DOWNTOWN L.A., WHERE THESE ORDERS ARE COMING FROM AND UP IN SACRAMENTO, WHERE OBVIOUSLY OUR GOVERNOR DOES NOT CARE.
WE NEED TO BE STANDING UP FOR OUR CITY OR OUR BUSINESSES AND LET THEM OPEN.
ALL IT'S GOING TO DO IS HANDICAP OUR CITY FROM EVER BEING FINANCIALLY SOUND.
IT'S DOING HARM TO THE KIDS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL.
WE'VE NEVER QUARANTINED THE HEALTHY IN THE PAST.
THIS VIRUS HAS A NINETY FIVE POINT FIVE PERCENT SURVIVAL RATE FOR UNDER 65.
IT'S GOT A SURVIVAL RATE FOR 18 TO 29 OF ZERO, OUR FATALITY RATE, RATHER, OF ZERO POINT AND THEN FOUR ZEROS AND TWO FOR FEMALES AND THREE FOR MALES.
IT'S NOT HURTING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING IT THAT ARE YOUNG.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOES AFTER THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OLD.
AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO BE PROTECTING ARE THOSE IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, SENIOR CARE FACILITIES.
BUT WE NEED TO LET OUR BUSINESSES DO WHAT THEY DO.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO CHANGE THE POLICY, DESPITE WHAT THE COUNTY IS SAYING AND WHAT OUR GOVERNOR IS SAYING.
THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MR. MAYOR, JUST GIVE ME ONE MOMENT.
I'VE GOT ONE OTHER CALLER I NEED TO DIAL, PLEASE HOLD ON.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE TERRY PRENTIS ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRENTIS. GOOD EVENING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. RUSSI. AFTER A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE FIRE STUDY BY MESSINA AND ASSOCIATES, WHAT WAS NOT DETAILED IN THE REPORT IS A HUGE, UNRESOLVED FINANCIAL PROBLEM OF UNCONTROLLED OVERTIME OF L.A. COUNTY FIRE.
IT'S UNCONTROLLED FINANCIAL ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY BOTH THE MAJOR NEWSPAPERS IN LOS ANGELES, THE L.A.
TIMES, THE L.A. DAILY NEWS FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES.
RECENT ARTICLES IN THESE NEWSPAPERS HAVE PEGGED THE OVERTIME FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AT L.A. COUNTY FIRE IN EXCESS OF 200 MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
THIS OVERTIME ISSUE HAS COMPROMISED THE L.A.
COUNTY FIRE BUDGET FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AS THEY HAVE HAD TO FORGO ESTABLISHING A CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND TO REPLACE OUTDATED AND OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT DO TO THE OBLIGATION TO COVER OVERTIME PAY.
THE FIRE STUDY BY MESSINA DOES DOCUMENT COUNTY FIRE HAVING NO CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND.
THE PROBLEM IS EVIDENCED BY ONE POINT THREE BILLION DOLLAR BOND ISSUE WAS PRESENTED TO COUNTY VOTERS LAST MARCH TO REPLACE FIRE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS OUTDATED BY OVER 20 YEARS.
THAT BOND ISSUE WAS DEFEATED BY THE VOTERS.
FURTHER THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE TO L.A.
ANY ORGANIZATION DOES NOT HAVE IN PLACE A STRUCTURED CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND HAS IN EFFECT PLACED A SUNSET CLAUSE ON THEIR OPERATION.
THE RESULT IS HAVING FIRE APPARATUS DECADES OLD, REDUCING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND RELIABILITY AND THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO DISASTERS.
THE CURRENT OPERATIONAL PLAN BY L.A.
COUNTY FIRE IS NOT SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG TERM.
THIS BEGS THE QUESTION IS WHERE THE L.A.
COUNTY FIRE IS GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE MUCH NEEDED EQUIPMENT UPGRADES? CONTRACT CITY. THE MOST LOGICAL SOURCE, BECAUSE THOSE CITIES HAVE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
ONCE THEY COMMIT ALL THEIR FIREFIGHTING RESOURCES TO L.A.
COUNTY FIRE, THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO GO BACK AND START ALL OVER.
THE CONTRACT PROPOSAL FROM L.A.
COUNTY FIRE IS NOT GOOD FOR LA VERNE FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
THEY START WITH A FIRST YEAR OF THE CONTRACT JUST BELOW WHAT THE CITY BUDGETED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR WITH VERY LITTLE INVESTMENT FROM THE COUNTY.
THEN FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL INCREASE CAPPED AT FIVE POINT FIVE PERCENT EACH YEAR.
THIS IS OVER THREE TIMES THE AVERAGE U.S.
INFLATION RATE FOR THE PAST DECADE, WHICH IS ONE POINT SEVENTY SEVEN PERCENT.
THEN IN THE SIXTH YEAR AND SUBSEQUENT YEARS, THE INCREASES WOULD BE THE AVERAGE OF THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL ONE PERCENT.
THIS INCREASING LEVEL OF COSTS CANNOT BE SUSTAINED WITHOUT COMPROMISING OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS LOWERING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS.
[00:15:02]
ASK YOURSELF, WHY WOULD OUR CITY LEADERS THROW US INTO THIS PENDING QUAGMIRE FINANCIAL DISASTER? SURE, THERE ARE PROBLEMS CURRENTLY IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT PUTTING THE PROBLEM ON THE COUNTY DOES NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.IT MERELY POSTPONES THE INITIAL PROBLEM AND CREATES A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM FOR THE FUTURE.
KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD IS A PLAN, BUT IT'S A HORRIBLE PLAN.
BOTH FROM AN OPERATIONAL AND A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PRENTIS. AND REFRESHING TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER LAST MINUTE SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR, I DON'T SEE ANY. OK, WE'LL WAIT A MINUTE.
NO ONE ELSE JR? NONE RECEIVED MR. MAYOR.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL COMMENTS OR AN
[7. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]
CONFERENCE [INAUDIBLE] REPORTS.WHO WOULD LIKE TO START TONIGHT? MR. RUSSI DO WE HAVE ANY REPORTS FROM YOU TONIGHT? NO. COUNCIL COMMENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? WOULD BE MR. CROSBY, COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND WE ARE IN VERY TRYING TIMES RIGHT NOW WITH THE CASES OF COVID GOING UP, CLOSURES OF OUR OF OUR RESTAURANTS.
I DO AGREE THAT NOT NECESSARILY THAT CLOSURES OF RESTAURANTS IS WHAT THE CAUSE HAS BEEN.
WHAT I SEE IS THE CAUSES HAS BEEN WITH PEOPLE AT HOME AND BRINGING PEOPLE AROUND.
AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN SAFETY SO WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS AND WE CAN GET BACK TO OUR IN DINE RESTAURANTS.
I HOPEFULLY THAT EVERYBODY'S SAFE.
I BELIEVE EVERY LIFE IS A VALUABLE PIECE AND THAT WE NEED TO PRECIOUS EVERY LIFE THAT WE CAN. SO PLEASE STAY SAFE AND AND TAKE CARE OF THE ONES SPECIALLY AROUND YOU AND LOOK AFTER YOUR NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU, MR. CROSBY. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
YES, WHEN WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE AND AN EXCUSE ME, WHEN WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE LEAVE OUR CITY, IT'S ALWAYS A SAD TIME.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT BILL [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE LEAVING AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
BUT I'M WITH TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH.
NEXT WEDNESDAY, WE WILL BE HONORING BILL [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE MANY, MANY YEARS OF SERVICE THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO TRI-CITY.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW OUT THERE, BUT BILL, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR, HE COMES TO EVERY SINGLE MEETING WE'VE HAD.
OVER, I THINK IT'S BEEN OVER 15, 20 YEARS THAT HE HAS BEEN THE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND HE HIS INPUT HAS BEEN VALUABLE.
HE'S WORKED WITH OUR NAVIGATION SYSTEM, THAT WORKS WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR HOMELESS. SO IT'S A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.
BUT BILL HAS BEEN SUCH A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTOR TO TRI CITY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT OUT SO EVERYONE KNEW.
AND NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE HONORING HIM FROM TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH.
WE CAN'T DO IT PERSONALLY AND IN PUBLIC.
THAT'S WHY I WOULD WANTED TO TELL YOU NOW IF YOU GET A CHANCE, STOP BY HIS OFFICE AFTER NEXT WEDNESDAY AND SEE WHAT WE ARE GIVING HIM TO THANK HIM FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE.
THE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT AS WE GO INTO THIS NEXT THREE WEEK LOCK DOWN MINIMUM THREE WEEKS, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE REALIZE BEYOND ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE WONDERFUL JOBS THEY HAVE DONE AND OUR NURSES, DOCTORS, HOSPITAL, POLICE, I WANTED TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE GROCERY STORES.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR US, THE CASHIERS.
WE ALL KNOW THE CASHIERS IN OUR CITY.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US DAILY TO BE THERE AT WORK, THE BOX BOYS, THE STOCKERS, THE MEAT DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THEM AND THE TRUCK DRIVERS.
YOU EVEN THINK OF THEM STILL WORKING FOR ALL OF US.
AND SO NEXT TIME I WOULD LIKE WITH THE GOOD WISHES OF THE SEASON, I WOULD LOVE FOR PEOPLE JUST TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE CASHIERS, ANYONE YOU SEE IN THE GROCERY STORES, EVEN IF
[00:20:02]
THEY'RE JUST STOCKING THE SHELVES, JUST SAY THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, WHATEVER YOU FEEL BEST DOING.THEY WILL LOVE THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THE CULTURAL AWARENESS AND SOCIAL INCLUSION COMMITTEE MET THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH. WE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING DEALING WITH IMPLICIT BIAS, AND THAT WAS A HEALTHY DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.
WE PVT, THE PALOMA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY MET TO WE'RE GOING EVERY OTHER MONTH NOW AND REVIEWING THE BUDGET.
AND I GOT TO MEET WITH OR PARTICIPATE WITH BILL [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS RETIRING.
HE'S NOT REALLY LEAVING THE CITY.
HE'S JUST RETIRING FROM THE CITY THE WAY COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER MADE IT SOUND LIKE HE WAS DITCHING US AND GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT HE IS LEAVING.
SO IT'S A SAD TIME AND AND SO WISHING BILL WELL.
I, TOO, AGREE THAT THIS ONE IN 100 YEAR PANDEMIC IS A REAL BUMMER AND IT'S CAUSING A HUGE AMOUNT OF STRAIN, IF YOU WANT TO SPEND SOME PRODUCTIVE ENERGY, REACH OUT TO THE FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES, OUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPROVE A CARES ACT SO WE CAN GET FUNDS INTO THE RESIDENT'S HANDS THAT NEED IT.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT SENSE.
AND I WISH OTHER HOLIDAYS LATER BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE MORE MEETING BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
SO I WILL SAY HAPPY EARLY HANUKKAH, WHICH BEGINS THIS THURSDAY.
SEASON'S GREETINGS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS A WEIRD TIME FOR EVERYONE.
THIS NO ONE HAS GONE THROUGH A PANDEMIC BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S NAVIGATING AT THE BEST THE WAY THAT THEY CAN SEE HOW FOR THEIR OWN FAMILIES, FOR THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLDS.
AND WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
YOU KNOW, BUT I WOULD JUST ASK, AS I ASKED IN THE PAST, THAT WE ALL EXTEND EACH OTHER AND OURSELVES SOME GRACE AND SOME KINDNESS AND NOT BE SO QUICK TO MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT WHY PEOPLE ARE MAKING THE CHOICES THAT THEY'RE MAKING AND TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THOSE PEOPLE'S CHOICES. BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVEN'T WALKED A MILE IN THEIR SHOES AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO EXTEND THAT TO EACH OTHER, I THINK WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS TIME, MORE SO THAN OTHERS.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HOLIDAYS ARE VERY DIFFICULT FOR MANY PEOPLE IN A NORMAL YEAR.
AND SO ANY KINDNESS THAT YOU CAN EXTEND TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS IS PROBABLY MORE CRUCIAL NOW THAN EVER BEFORE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THAT TIME TO REACH OUT.
I'VE SEEN SOME WONDERFUL STORIES LATELY, YOU KNOW, ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT NEIGHBORS HELPING EACH OTHER OUT. AND I THINK IF WE CAN ALL RECALL THAT AND LET THAT WARM OUR HEARTS, EVEN IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR ALL OF US TO DO. SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CITY COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO I WILL SAVE MY SEASON'S GREETINGS OTHER THAN TO SAY HAPPY EARLY HANUKKAH AS WELL.
BUT I HOPE EVERYONE IS STAYING WELL AND HEALTHY AND DOING THE BEST THEY CAN AND THAT WE ALL COME OUT OF THIS BETTER AND STRONGER.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
MR. RUSSI, YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER WAS TALKING ABOUT MR. [INAUDIBLE], I THINK.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT WE WILL ALSO BE RECOGNIZING HIM IN OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL. SO IF YOU DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THEN, COUNCIL WILL GET THEIR OPPORTUNITY THEN. VERY GOOD.
CELEBRATE HIS RETIREMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS.
YEAH, THIS THIS NEXT SHUTDOWN WITH OUR STATE FROM OUR GOVERNORS IS ROUGH, BEYOND ROUGH FOR SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TO EVERYONE OUT THERE THAT THE COUNCIL, THE CITY, WE'RE ALL WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS TO GET THIS QUICKLY THROUGH THESE THREE WEEKS OR HOPEFULLY THREE WEEKS AND WORK WITH THEM TO GET OUR CITY BACK OPEN AGAIN.
THIS IS DEVASTATING FOR MANY AND IT'S NOT PLEASANT AGAIN.
AND JUST TO ECHO THE REACH OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, DROP THEM OFF, SEND A PIZZA, DELIVER A PIZZA, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TOUCH IT.
THEY'LL DELIVER IT, DROP IT OFF THE DOOR.
THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR TO BE THANKFUL AND TO BE APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE AND REACH OUT TO THE ONES THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN OR TALKED TO IN A WHILE.
BUT AGAIN, ALSO, WE HAVE SOME THINGS GOING ON IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE THE WINTER WONDERLAND IS FULL.
I, IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT WAS FULL WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
MR. RUSSI, HOW MANY PEOPLE? I KNOW THERE'S A WAITING LIST.
IT'S IN THE THREE HUNDRED CARS, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE PER CAR, BUT IT'S WELL OVER 600 TOTAL PEOPLE THAT WILL BE ENJOYING THAT DAY.
[00:25:03]
WONDERFUL. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE ALSO ON THE 21ST THROUGH THE 23RD AT THE CITY PARKING LOT, YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR BAGS OF CANDY THAT WE NORMALLY DISTRIBUTE TO OUR CHRISTMAS DAY.BUT BETWEEN BEING COVID FRIENDLY AND COVID COMPLIANT, I WON'T USE FRIENDLY.
I'LL COMPLIANT THAT WE ARE BASICALLY YOU CAN PICK THOSE UP.
EIGHT TO FOUR? MR. RUSSI. SORRY. YEAH, GENERALLY DURING CITY HALL HOURS, WE ARE ABLE FOR THEM TO COME TO CITY HALL. OK.
AND THEN ALSO THE NEXT THING IS SANTA CLAUS WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT WILL START AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
WE'LL HAVE SIX TROOPS WILL EITHER HAVE MODIFIED JEEPS, WE'LL HAVE SLEIGHS, WE'LL HAVE FIRE TRUCKS, WHATEVER, WITH SANTA CLAUS.
SO OUR TRADITIONS WILL CONTINUE.
SO I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE CONTINUING OUR YOU KNOW, OUR HISTORY OF WHAT WE DO HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THAT.
AND THEN AGAIN, EVERYBODY BE SAFE AND JUST ENJOY EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW, EVEN LIMITED VERSION. SO, ANYWAY, THANK YOU ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, WE'RE GOING TO DO AN ADJOURNMENT.
BUT I AT THE PASSING THE UNTIMELY PASSING OF BRIAN MCNERNEY, I THINK YOU WANTED TO MAYBE SAY SOMETHING BEFORE I DID OUR ADJOURNMENT IN MEMORY OF MR. MCNERNEY. I WOULD.
THANK YOU. BRIAN MCNERNEY PASSED AWAY AND IT HAS LEFT A VOID IN OUR CITY.
HE WAS SUCH A PART OF LA VERNE AND HE WAS A HERO TO THIS CITY.
THAT MAN DID NOT HAVE A MEAN BONE IN HIS BODY.
HE LOVED EVERYONE AND HE LOVED THIS CITY.
IT TOOK ME MANY, MANY YEARS TO REALIZE HE DIDN'T EVEN LIVE IN LA VERNE.
HE LIVED IN SAN DIMAS, BUT HIS HEART WAS IN EVERY CITY THAT HE WENT INTO.
THIS MAN, WHEN HE RETIRED FROM BEING OUR CHAMBER DIRECTOR, HE STILL VOLUNTEERED IN OUR COMMUNITY. HE WAS AT EVERY EVENT.
HE SUPPORTED FLAG RAISING AND GOING WITH THE MOTORCYCLE GROUP TO HOMES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VETERANS HAD A FLAG IN THEIR YARD.
THE ONE AREA THAT WE'RE GOING TO FEEL THE BIGGEST LOSS IS OUR FOURTH OF JULY COMMITTEE.
THIS GENTLEMAN VOLUNTEERED TO SECURE SPONSORSHIPS FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE AND ALSO THE FIREWORKS SHOW. SO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART TO HIS FAMILY AND TO ESPECIALLY LITTLE BRIAN, HIS GRANDSON, WHO HE LOVED DEARLY, I SEND MY SINCERE SYMPATHY TO ALL OF YOU.
AND LA VERNE FEELS THE LOSS AND ALL THAT AND THAT WE LOVED HIM DEARLY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
WE WILL BE ADJOURNING IN MEMORY OF BRIAN MCNERNEY, PAST CEO OF THE LA VERNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE COMMUNITY'S UNOFFICIAL.
MR. LA VERNE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY IN HIS SLEEP ON THANKSGIVING MORNING.
HE WAS BORN 76 YEARS AGO IN STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, AND RAISED IN THE QUEENS.
BRIAN'S PARENTS STRESSED SERVICE TO HUMANITY AND BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AS A WAY OF LIFE FOR YOUNG BRIAN AND HIS SISTER, MAUREEN.
HE GRADUATED FROM ARCHBISHOP MOLLOY HIGH SCHOOL AND COMPLETING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT ST.
HE STARTED HIS FIRST CAREER AS A TEACHER.
HE LATER ENTERED THE CORPORATE SALES MARKET AND HE WAS A NATURAL BORN SALESMAN, QUICKLY RISING IN THE RANKS OF VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING.
HE STAYED IN MARKETING FOR THREE DECADES AND LATER JOINED THE COMMUNICATIONS FIELD AS A TIDBITS PUBLICATIONS MANAGER, WHERE HE DISCOVERED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WORK WHEN TIDBITS PAID FOR HIS MEMBERSHIP TO JOIN THE SAN DIMAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
BRIAN THREW HIMSELF WHOLEHEARTEDLY INTO BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
HE WON THE CHAMBER'S AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH SIX CONSECUTIVE TIMES IN 2006 AND WAS THEN NAMED AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR.
HE ALSO VOLUNTEERED FOR LA VERNE PROGRAMS. IN SEPTEMBER 2006, HE WAS NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE THEN TROUBLED LA VERNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
BRIAN HELPED BRING BUSINESS, COMMUNITY SCHOOL AND MUNICIPAL LEADERS AND VOLUNTEERS TOGETHER THROUGH THE PROJECT HE EITHER INITIATED OR THE CHAMBER PARTNER WITH OTHERS TO STAGE, SUCH AS LOCAL TEACHERS AWARDS, EXPANSION OF TASTE OF LA VERNE, THE WINE WALK, PARTICIPATION IN ULV STUDENT OUTREACH AND SUMMER PROGRAMS. SUPPORT FOR LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT SPARK OF LOVE TOY COLLECTION.
SHOP LA VERNE PROMOTION CAMPAIGN AND MANY, MANY MORE.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF 50 YEARS, CAROL ANN, HIS DAUGHTER, LEE ANN SHERIDAN, SON IN LAW MATTHEW SHERIDAN, AND GRANDSON, NAMESAKE BRIAN EDWARD LITTLE B SHERIDAN.
BRIAN WAS A STRONG PROPONENT OF THE GIVE BACK PHILOSOPHY AND HIS GREGARIOUS PERSONALITY, WILLINGNESS TO JUMP IN AND HELP WHENEVER NECESSARY.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND HIGH REGARD FOR OTHERS MADE HIM A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. BRIAN, YOU WILL BE SORELY MISSED.
AND TO YOUR FAMILY, OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO YOU.
[00:30:03]
WE WILL ADJOURN.OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETING IS FOR MONEY DECEMBER 21ST AT SIX THIRTY PM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.