Dec 21, 2020 City Council

WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:31 P.M.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:02]

PLEASE STAND, PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.

OF ALLEGIANCE] THANK YOU.

BEFORE WE DO, ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER LAU IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.

HER FATHER HAS COVID.

HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL AND SHE'S ATTENDING TO HER FAMILY.

AND OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HER AND JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW THIS COVID IS REAL. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY IT.

SO, AGAIN, HEARTS AND PRAYERS TO COUNCIL MEMBER LAU AND HER FATHER FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY.

WITH THAT ROLL CALL, MR. RUSSI.

YES, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.

PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER LAU IS ABSENT.

MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER.

PRESENT. MAYOR HEPBURN.

PRESENT. AND I NOTICED THAT WE LOST THE CITY ATTORNEY.

J.R. IS TRYING TO REESTABLISH CONNECTION.

THERE HE IS. LOOK AT THAT.

WE'VE GOT HIM BACK I WAS GOING TO SEND MY SON UP TO GO GET HIM.

WE'RE GOOD, OK, TONIGHT FOR PRESENTATIONS IS RECOGNITION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTOR BI

[4. PRESENTATIONS]

BILL HAS GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY HE LIVES IN THROUGH THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE, LVTV, POMONA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, YOUTH SPORTS COMMITTEE, SENIOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AD HOC COMMITTEE, VFW POST 12034, HERITAGE FOUNDATION, LA VERNE LAND CONSERVANCY AND TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH.

BILL HAS ALSO BEEN A PART OF MANY BELOVED COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, SUCH AS CONCERTS IN THE PARK, MOVIES IN THE PARK, TEEN SUMMIT, WINTER WONDERLAND, HALLOWEEN PARADE, SENIOR LUNCHES, ALL OF THE SPORTS PROGRAMS AND THE FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES.

BILL IS LEAVING A STRONG LEGACY OF VALUABLE ASSETS AND HELPING TO FOSTER SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY CENTER, SPORTS PARK, GLENN DAVIS STADIUM UPGRADES, AQUATIC CENTERS, THE VETERANS MEMORIAL AND BILL'S CONTRIBUTIONS AND DEDICATION ARE ADMIRABLE BEYOND HIS MANY YEARS WITH THE CITY.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO SOLIDIFY LA VERNE AS A DESIRABLE AND SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY. ALSO, BILL HAS ALSO BEEN PART OF ROTARY FOR OVER 35 YEARS.

MR. AGUIRRE AND I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS I'VE JOINED ROTARY AND IT'S JUST AMAZING.

HIS ABSENCE WILL BE FELT AND IT'S JUST IT'LL BE A VACUUM.

BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE.

AND ALL THE YEARS OF WHAT HE'S DONE IN OUR PARKS ARE ALL OF OUR RECREATION FACILITIES AND THE STAFF HE HAS IN PLACE JUST SHOW WHAT A GREAT LEADER HE'S BEEN.

SO THANK YOU, BILL. AND I'VE ALSO ASKED BILL TO GIVE CAREER HIGHLIGHTS AND HAVE A LITTLE CHAT. I THINK HE WANTS TO HAVE A TALK HERE.

SO FOR BILL BEFORE HE GETS HIS WONDERFUL AWARD, MR. AGUIRRE. THANK YOU, TIM.

I JUST WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME AND THANK A FEW ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PAST AND PRESENT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS.

YOU'VE TRULY SUPPORTED ME AND OUR DEPARTMENT, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THAT.

LIKE TO CALL OUT THE TWO CITY MANAGERS THAT I'VE WORKED UNDER.

BOTH MARTIN [INAUDIBLE] AND BOB RUSSI, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT OVER THESE YEARS. I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.

AND I TRULY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME AND MY DEPARTMENT.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE EMPLOYEES AT CITY HALL.

I HAVE FRIENDSHIPS WITH ALL OF THEM.

AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THOSE FRIENDSHIPS AND WE'LL CARRY THEM FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

BUT MOST OF ALL, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, I'VE WORKED WITH THESE PEOPLE FOR 37 YEARS AND THEY'VE BECOME A FAMILY TO ME.

THEY'VE BEEN WITH ME FOR ALL THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS OF MY LIFE IN THE DEPARTMENT'S LIFE,

[00:05:05]

I ALSO APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE FRIENDS I HAVE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

I TRULY THINK THAT WE'VE MADE LA VERNE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE THROUGH ALL THESE PROJECTS.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY, MY WIFE CARLA, MY DAUGHTER HAYLEY, AND MY SON JAKE.

I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU.

AND I TRULY LOVE ALL OF YOU.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND BACK TO YOU TIM.

THANK YOU, BILL. AND HERE WE HAVE EVERYBODY FOR BILL AGUIRRE THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BILL.

THANK YOU. DO THE PROPER COVID THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.

VERY WELL. YOU WILL BE SORELY MISSED.

THANK YOU. PLUS, WE HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY WE CAN LAUGH WITH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS, BILL.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, BILL.

[INAUDIBLE] BACK ON, HERE WE GO.

OK, NOW WE MOVE TO IS THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS, BOB? I DON'T WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING, ANYTHING LAST MINUTE JR? NO, NOT FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS SIR.

OK, WE WILL MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[6. CONSENT CALENDAR]

6H. 6I RESOLUTION 2087 AND 6I4 RESOLUTION 2089, IS THAT CORRECT, MR. RUSSI? THAT IS CORRECT.

I WILL JUMP IN HERE.

WE JUST RECEIVED A REQUEST TO PULL ITEM 6B REGISTER OF AUDITED DEMANDS AS WELL WITH A REQUEST THAT WE CALL.

OK, THEN WE WILL PUSH PULL ITEM 6 B.

WE'LL GO BACK TO NOTHING ELSE, J.R., THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED.

NOT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, SIR.

AND WE CAN GO AHEAD, I ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT PULLED.

WE HAVE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.

ROBIN CARDER. DO WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND. RICK CROSBY.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES.

WE WILL GO BACK TO.

THE ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED.

WE HAVE THE FIRST UP, MR. SALINAS HAS THREE ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED.

SO WE WANT TO GET MR. SALINAS ON THE PHONE, J.R..

YES, PLEASE HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

MR. SALINAS, ARE YOU THERE? YES, I'M HERE. OK, MR. SALINAS, GO AHEAD, YOU ARE LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL.

GOOD EVENING, MR. SALINAS.

I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO ON THE THREE ITEMS YOU UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK ON ALL THREE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT AND THE TEEN CENTER AND THEN REAFFIRMING LOCAL EMERGENCY, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

OK SIR. YOU MAY START, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, [INAUDIBLE] ON ITEM G I JUST HAVE TWO

[6.g. Extension of Communication Consultant Engagement]

ISN'T THIS THE JOB OF THE CITY MANAGER? WHY IS A TWO YEAR CONSULTANT CONTRACT NEEDED.

AND NUMBER TWO [INAUDIBLE] PAYING FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT BECAUSE IT COSTS TOO MUCH IN THE [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPTION BECAUSE IT WILL COST $24000.

BUT YOU GUYS HAVE NO PROBLEMS PAYING $45,000 FOR A CONSULTANT TO TELL THE CITY MANAGER HOW TO DO HIS JOB AND ON THE AND SECONDLY ON THE TEEN CENTER, MAYBE WE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL WE GET MORE INFO FROM THE COMMUNITY AND LOOK AT THE OTHER OPTIONS WE HAVE LOCATION WISE, AND LASTLY FOR THE LOCAL EMERGENCY, PLEASE END IT'S NOT NECESSARY ANYMORE.

THE VACCINE HAS ALREADY COME OUT.

WE WANT EVERYTHING TO GO BACK TO NORMAL, FOR PETE'S SAKE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SALINAS. DO WE WANT TO DO THIS ALL IN ONE.

ONCE WE DO DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THESE, JUST DO THEM ALL AT ONCE.

ONCE WE GET ALL THE COMMENTS UNDER EACH, THEN WE CAN FINISH THAT, WE CAN FINISH IT OFF.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYBODY ELSE WHO PULLED ON RESOLUTION 2089.

YEAH, IT WAS 2089.

THERE'S NOBODY THAT WAS PULLING THAT, SO THAT'S THE ONLY ONE.

THE OTHER ONES HAVE A FEW PEOPLE.

YOU CAN TAKE THAT ITEM RIGHT NOW AND COMPLETE IT IF YOU'D LIKE.

OK, LET'S DO THAT.

ON ITEM TWENTY EIGHTY NINE, REAFFIRMING A LOCAL EMERGENCY.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?

[00:10:03]

AND I'LL SECOND THAT.

ROBIN CARDER.

THANK YOU, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, NONE MOTION CARRIES.

WE MOVE TO. I THINK, [INAUDIBLE] UP NEXT ON THE COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTING CONTRACT.

IS THAT CORRECT J.R.? YES SIR, YES.

SO WE HAVE THE NEXT TWO PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE QUEUED UP READY TO GO ARE FOR ITEM G, THE EXTENSION OF COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT AGREEMENT AND SORRY IF WE HAVE TO BOUNCE AROUND A LITTLE BIT. WE HAD SOME LAST MINUTE REQUESTS.

SO I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD AND TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE AND THAT WAY.

WE'LL JUST CLEAR IT UP. OK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND ADAPTABILITY.

HOLD ON ONE SECOND. [INAUDIBLE], ARE YOU THERE? YES.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE [INAUDIBLE] LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL.

HELLO, MISS [INAUDIBLE]. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. HI.

HI MAYOR HEPBURN AND COUNCIL.

MY COMMENTS TONIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THE EXTENDING THE CONSULTANT AT FORTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR OUR CITY TO HELP WITH COMMUNICATING WITH THE RESIDENTS AND SUCH.

WE HAVE ASKED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT AND BEEN TOLD THAT IT COSTS TOO MUCH AND VOTED DOWN, WE HAD TO WRITE LETTERS TO ASK FOR THE PHASE 2 COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT STUDY, AND WE HEARD COMPLAINTS THAT IT WOULD COST TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND THE WAY I FEEL IS THIS GENERAL FUND IS OUR TAX DOLLARS.

YET WE ARE PAYING FORTY FIVE THOUSAND FOR A CONSULTANT TO TELL THE CITY HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS, HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE RESIDENTS.

THAT'S WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY ARE FOR.

I SAY NO TO ANY FURTHER CONSULTING AND WE DO NEED THE FORENSIC AUDIT, AND THAT'S WHERE I FEEL THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE] JR, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE ONE MORE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FOR ITEM G.

AND THIS IS PAM BARRY.

PAM, CAN YOU HEAR ME OK? YES, I CAN. OK, GREAT.

GO AHEAD. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

AND GOOD EVENING, MISS BARRY.

I AM CALLING KIND OF OFF THE CUFF.

JUST HAD A FEW QUESTIONS WANTING TO UNDERSTAND SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS HAD A LOT OF CONSULTANTS AND IT WOULD KIND OF BE NICE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS AS FAR AS SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE CITY MANAGER NEWSLETTER.

WHAT IS.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONTENT THAT WILL BE USED FOR THIS SOCIAL MEDIA? WILL THEY BE GETTING INPUT FROM DEPARTMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER? WILL THERE ALSO BE A VOICE FOR SOME OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HEAR A WHOLE LOT AS FAR AS THE LITTLE CORNER ON THE WEBSITE FOR ANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS OR MAYOR. SO JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT CONTENT AND ALSO WHY TWO YEARS.

WOULD JUST LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE INPUT ON THAT.

AND THAT'S MY QUESTION.

MR. RUSSI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO.

THANK YOU. YEAH, AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE MORE THAT WAS REGARDING THE PROPOSALS, SO YES, IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE I CAN GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO SOME OF THIS.

SO THE CONSULTANT ACTUALLY THAT IS BEING ENGAGED, THEIR FIRM ACTUALLY PROVIDES COMMUNICATION SERVICES IS PROBABLY A BETTER WAY OF DESCRIBING IT.

THEY WILL NOT BE CONSULTING THE CITY NECESSARILY ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE, BUT ASSISTING US IN PUSHING OUT THE MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF AGENCIES EITHER USE A OUTSIDE FIRM TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR HAVE AN IN-HOUSE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL TO EVALUATE GOING BACK TO THE BUDGET

[00:15:01]

THAT RFP PROCESS WAS COMPLETED AND THIS FIRM CAME OUT IN THE SAME PRICING AS THE OTHER TWO. WE'VE RECEIVED THREE BIDS.

SO THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD WAS COUNCIL WANTED US TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE AND PUSHING THE MESSAGING OUT.

BEFORE THIS, IT HAD KIND OF BEEN FRAGMENTED BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS AND WE WANTED SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE UNIFIED.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT PROVIDING THAT.

SOME OF THE METRICS ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT SINCE THEY'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN THINGS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO, THEY WILL DO SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THEY WILL BE DOING THREE TO FOUR PRESS RELEASES A MONTH.

THEY WILL ALSO BE DOING AN OVERALL AUDIT OF OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE.

AS FAR AS THE TWO YEAR TERM.

IT'S CERTAINLY EITHER PARTY CAN EXERCISE WITHIN 30 DAYS IF NOTICE IS GIVEN.

BUT WE HAVE ELECTED WHEN WE PUT OUT THE RFP TO ENGAGE WHATEVER FIRM FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE WHOEVER WAS SELECTED ON FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NEEDS.

SO THAT IS GENERALLY THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.

WE DID NOT AS FAR AS AN ELECTED CORNER, THEY PROVIDE MESSAGING THAT ASSISTS THE ELECTIVES, BUT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE AT THIS POINT.

WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPAND THEIR SCOPE TO INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF AN ELECTED MESSAGE, BUT THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE INITIAL SCOPE OF SERVICES.

THERE WAS ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT WAS POSED THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY HERE.

THAT WAS ABOUT THE OTHER TWO RFPS.

THOSE PROPOSALS RECEIVED.

WE HAVE THEM IN OUR OFFICE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN REVIEWING, BUT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKET BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T NECESSARY.

COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. THANK YOU.

I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.

I WAS ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WAS ACTUALLY PUSHING FOR THIS.

WE'VE HAD DEPARTMENTS.

THIS REALLY BRINGS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER UNDER ONE VOICE AND REALLY WANT THE COMMUNICATION FROM OUR CITY, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION HAPPENING AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ONE VOICE COMING FROM THE CITY AND REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN LA VERNE AND WE NEED TO PUSH THAT OUT SO OUR RESIDENTS SEE THAT TOO.

JUST, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS LAST SATURDAY, THE WINTER WONDERLAND.

GREAT THINGS HAPPENING FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE GOING FORWARD WITH THIS AND LOOKING TO REALLY PUSH OUT THE WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. YES, I CONCUR WITH WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY WAS SAYING, BECAUSE IT WAS HE AND COUNCIL MEMBER LAU THAT HAD BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF HAVING A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA THAT I MEAN, I THINK THEY MOVED ALL OF US TO SAY, YES, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

AND RIGHT NOW, THIS OUTSOURCING OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS FIRM LOOKS LIKE AN ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITY. AND SHOULD IT GROW BEYOND THIS CURRENT SCOPE INTO SOMETHING MORE THAN EVENTUALLY WE MAY DECIDE TO HAVE OUR OWN IN-HOUSE EMPLOYEE DOING THIS INFORMATION.

BUT I CERTAINLY SUPPORT MAKING THE TRANSPARENCY THAT WE ENJOY MORE ROBUST BY PUSHING THE MESSAGING OUT TO THE VARIOUS MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA STREAMS. SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. YES.

AND YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE PAM BARRY'S SUGGESTION IS THAT THERE'S NOT REALLY ONE PLATFORM THAT THE COUNCIL GETS TO USE THAT ANYBODY CAN SEE.

WE HAVE FACEBOOK, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT FRIENDS OF YOURS, THEY DON'T GET ON AND SEE.

BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO MAYBE EVERY SO OFTEN HIGHLIGHT A DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBER THE MAYOR WITH A MESSAGE OF SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.

SO MAYBE WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT, BOB, WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.

THEY'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES.

SO I WILL CERTAINLY TALK TO THEM ABOUT THAT.

AND I JUST A REAL QUICK COMMENT.

THANK YOU ALL. ORIGINALLY, BACK WHEN I THINK IT WAS ZACH GIBSON THAT BROUGHT IT UP AND SAID THAT WE NEED AN INFORMATION, [INAUDIBLE] INFORMATION OFFICER FOR OUR CITY AND KIND OF STEP UP AT THE TIMES AND COUNCIL MEMBER LAU AND COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY ALSO.

AND I COMMEND ALL OF THEM BECAUSE MYSELF PERSONALLY, I YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S WHERE IT'S AT.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE COMMUNICATION, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMBINED MESSAGE THAT SENDS OUT TO THE WHOLE CITY, JUST LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY SAID ABOUT WINTER WONDERLAND.

[00:20:02]

SO, YEAH.

SO ANYWAY, SO DO WE WANT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE TO SPEAK ON THAT ONE, J.R..

NO, SIR. DO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THAT ONE NOW? OK, LET'S GO AHEAD AND FOR ITEM 6G.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'D LIKE TO PUT A MOTION OUT TO APPROVE ITEM 6G.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES, WE CONTINUE ON, J.R..

GREAT, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE ASKED OR THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY WISHING TO SPEAK ON IS ITEM SIX B

[6.b. Register of Audited Demands]

I BELIEVE WE HAVE MR. RICK [INAUDIBLE] ON THE PHONE. SIR, ARE YOU THERE? YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MR. [INAUDIBLE], AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.

COUNCIL AND MR. MAYOR, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND I SEE MR. CROSBY HOLDING UP HIS HAND, I WON'T LOOK.

MY QUESTION ON THE AUDITED DEMAND IS FAIRLY SIMPLE.

I WAS REVIEWING IT THIS EVENING AND ON THE WEEK OF ENDING DECEMBER 9TH, THERE ARE UPWARDS OF 50 CHECKS ISSUED TO INDIVIDUALS FOR NINETY DOLLARS.

SO COULD THAT BE EXPLAINED? I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, THAT IS YOUTH BASKETBALL REFUNDS.

THERE WERE MANY, MANY REFUNDS, MULTIPLE CHILDREN, SO IT WAS YOUTH BASKETBALL BECAUSE OF THE SEASON NOT HAPPENING.

WAS THAT THE ONLY QUESTION MR. [INAUDIBLE].

I THINK HE'S GONE. YEAH, OK, YEAH, I THINK THAT ANSWERS IT.

NEXT JR. WELL, THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT WAS CALLING ON THAT.

YES, MR. MAYOR. THEN GO AHEAD.

I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE.

WAS THAT MR. DAVIS? YES.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER SECONDS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED.

THE MOTION CARRIES. WE MOVE ON, J.R..

ACTUALLY, MR. MAYOR, THE NEXT ITEM IN ORDER WAS H YOU HAD ASKED TO PULL THAT OUT OF A

[6.h. Addition of Concrete Improvements on the West Side of D Street from Bearcat Way to 1,040 Feet South]

6H MR. [INAUDIBLE] HAD PULLED THAT ONE.

AND THE QUESTION WAS, IS HE GOING TO.

IS HE COMING ON AGAIN JR? HE WASN'T.

OK. THEN BASICALLY THE QUESTION WAS ITEM 6H.

HAS [INAUDIBLE] WORK BEEN COMPLETED? IF SO, WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SPEND EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND OF CITY MONEY WITHOUT COUNCIL PRIOR APPROVAL.

IS WHAT THE QUESTION WAS. SO THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WE HAD TAKEN A BID AND WE THE BUDGET WE HAD WAS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

WE GOT SOME FAVORABLE PRICING, AS I SHARED WITH COUNCIL IN THE INITIAL QUOTE.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXTENDING THE PROJECT FURTHER AND BASICALLY COMPLETING THE ENTIRE STRETCH IN FRONT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

IT WAS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.

WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL AT THE NEAREST TIME.

I SHARED WITH COUNCIL THAT WE WERE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PRICING AND THAT I WAS GOING TO PUT IT ON THIS AGENDA FOR THEIR APPROVAL.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS TIME.

AND WE WERE CALLED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT CONTINUED ALONG.

AND SO WE HAD TO APPROVE IT BEFORE I COULD GET BACK TO COUNCIL.

TALK TO US. YES.

JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE WE GOT THE FAVORABLE PRICING, BUT I HAD TO. AND THEN I WOULD BE PUTTING IT ON YOUR AGENDA FOR CONCURRENCE.

RIGHT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SAVING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON SOMETHING THEY'D HAVE TO RETOOL FOR.

SO I PERSONALLY WAS ELATED AND FINISHES A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON EVER SINCE MY KIDS WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I THINK WAY BEYOND THAT.

SO AND BY THE WAY, IT'S LOOKING ABSOLUTELY AMAZING DOWN THERE.

IT'S JUST LOOKING SO NICE AFTER SO MANY YEARS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL OR COMMENTS.

I'LL TAKE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.

I'LL SECOND IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED NONE.

MOTION CARRIES. OK, WE MOVE ON.

[00:25:01]

[6.i.2. Resolution No. 20-87 - Approving the Application under The Statewide Parks Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program for the Teen Center]

THE FIRST CALLER THAT I HOPE IS ON THE LINE IS HANS [INAUDIBLE].

HANS CAN YOU HEAR US OK.

SORRY, THIS IS ACTUALLY PETER SCHAFFER.

PETER, CAN YOU HEAR US OK? YES, I CAN. OK, YOU'RE LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL.

GO AHEAD. MERRY CHRISTMAS, SIR.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

JUST AS HE SAID, MY NAME IS PETER SCHAFFER AND I AM A LONG TERM PROPERTY OWNER DESIGNING A [INAUDIBLE] MEMBERS AGAIN AT CHRISTMAS.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE ONGOING DISCUSSION REGARDING THE OCCASION OF A DUTY TO IN LA VERNE.

SO THIS IS EXCITING TIME, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE A SITE LOCATION CAN BE CHOSEN TO BENEFIT ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT A DISPROPORTIONATE LOSS OF QUALITY OF LIFE THAT IS AFFECTING RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY.

LOCATION OF THE TEEN CENTER AT LAS FLORES PARK, WOULD NECESSITATE A NEW PARKING LOT AND AN ACCESS ROAD IN ADDITION TO THE LARGE BUILDING.

THIS WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE ADJACENT TO THIS PARK [INAUDIBLE] AWAY. RESIDENTS OF [INAUDIBLE] LA VERNE WILL BE AFFECTED BY INCREASED TRAFFIC, NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION. THIS WOULD ALSO NECESSITATE THE REMOVAL OF A LARGE PORTION OF THE MEMORIAL [INAUDIBLE] THESE GIANTS PROVIDE SHADE, ENJOYMENT AND SERENITY FOR ALL WHO VISIT. EVEN IF WE PLAY [INAUDIBLE] TREES IN THE PARK, THE GIRL WOULD BE LOST IN OUR LIFETIME. SO OVER THE LAST 60 DAYS THAT I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROJECT, I TALKED TO MANY RESIDENTS IN [INAUDIBLE] LA VERNE AND FROM OTHER AREAS IN LA VERNE WHO DRIVE HERE TO VISIT OUR PARK. WE ACTUALLY [INAUDIBLE] LA VERNE ARE A COMMUNITY OF OVER 300 HOMES, EACH OF OUR 75 BUILDINGS, ARE CURRENT MARKET RATE [INAUDIBLE] AT ONE POINT TWO MILLION PER FOOTPRINT. THESE [INAUDIBLE] I SUBMITTED A PETITION WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIGNATURES TO YOU AND THE COUNCIL EARLIER TODAY, ALL WITH RESOUNDING [INAUDIBLE] THIS PROJECT BEING PUT FORWARD IN THE NORTH SECTION OF LAS FLORES PARK.

HOWEVER, MANY WHO SIGNED THIS PETITION ALSO SENT AN EMAIL SHOWING THEIR OPPOSITION.

I HOPE YOU GOT THOSE AS WELL.

BUT THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME [INAUDIBLE] SUGGESTIONS, THERE ARE MANY MORE, BUT HERE'S ONE AND REFRESHING THE EXISTING COMMUNITY CENTER AND [INAUDIBLE] HAS SOME POSITIVE OUTCOMES, I THINK. YOUR CITY WEBSITE SAYS THAT THIS FACILITY IS FOURTEEN THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.

SO IF YOU FEEL THAT 14000 SQUARE FEET ISN'T ENOUGH SPACE TO SHARE THEN ADDING A SECOND STORY WOULD NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE AND UPDATE [INAUDIBLE], BUT IT SHOULD PROVIDE MORE THAN ENOUGH OF THE NEEDED SQUARE FOOTAGE.

THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS ANOTHER PLUS WHERE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO CREATE A NEW PARKING AREA.

A PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER WOULD BE GREAT FOR PARENTS TO PICK UP OR DROP OFF BY YOUR SHUTTLE BUSSES FROM SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.

AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE CITY BUS STOP [INAUDIBLE] TRANSIT [INAUDIBLE].

ANOTHER PLUS IS THERE ARE NO HOMES IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND IT IS NEXT TO THE LIBRARY, SO YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO PUT IN A SMALL LIBRARY INSIDE A TEEN CENTER, AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, AND REDWOOD GROVE WOULD BE THE THIRD.

SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE COMPARED THE PROPOSED LOCATION TO OTHER NEARBY CITIES THAT THEIR LOCATIONS ARE NOT QUITE COMPARABLE.

LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, IS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE [INAUDIBLE] AND THE GOLF COURSE.

OVER THREE MILES FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL AND OVER THREE MILES FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO NOT NEAR ANY OF THE SCHOOLS.

THE [INAUDIBLE] CENTER DOES NOT IN YOUR HOME.

IT IS SURROUNDED BY 86 ACRES OF UNINHABITED BOTANICAL GARDEN.

A HIGH SCHOOL, AN EVENT CENTER AND ENDLESS ACRES OF ATHLETIC FIELDS TO THE WEST.

THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF HOMES ON THE NORTH SIDE; THEY'RE A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY.

SO LET ME CLOSE BY SAYING THAT I REQUEST YOU NOT LISTEN TO ME, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY OF LA VERNE, [INAUDIBLE] IN OUR PARK FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR [INAUDIBLE].

AND MR. MAYOR, I BELIEVE WE HAVE HANS [INAUDIBLE] HANS, CAN YOU HEAR US OK? YES, I CAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YUP, YOU ARE LIVE. MR. [INAUDIBLE], HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU, SIR.

MR. MAYOR, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

I'LL DO MY BEST TO KEEP IT BRIEF.

FIRST OFF, I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE BILL ON HIS RETIREMENT AND THANK HIM FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE; IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED.

REGARDING THE TEEN CENTER, I'M A NEARBY RESIDENT.

I LIVE RIGHT NEXT TO LAS FLORES PARK AND AS PROPOSED, I'M CURRENTLY OPPOSED TO THE

[00:30:06]

I THINK THE WAY IT'S PROPOSED RIGHT NOW, IT PRESENTS US WITH A WIN LOSE DECISION BETWEEN THE SERVICES AND THE GREEN SPACE.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK FOR WIN-WIN SOLUTIONS AND REALLY TRY TO ACHIEVE BOTH.

I THINK THAT AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO RENOVATE AND RECONFIGURE THE EXISTING COMMUNITY CENTER.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT LOCATION FOR ENHANCED SERVICES.

AND LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE HOW ATTRACTIVE THE OPEN GREEN SPACE IS TO THE COMMUNITY. IT DREW ME TO THE AREA AND.

IT'S A IT'S A HUGE SOURCE OF ENJOYMENT FOR ME, AND I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER OTHER LOCATIONS FOR THE PROPOSAL.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. AND MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE SOME MORE CALLERS, BUT WE'LL NEED TO GET THEM CUED UP, SO HOLD ON ONE MOMENT. SURE.

WE NEED CHRISTMAS MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND, ROBIN.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE KARISSA WEBBER ON THE LINE.

KARISSA, GO AHEAD. YOU LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL? MS. WEBBER? HAPPY HOLIDAYS. SO I WALK TO THE LAS FLORES PARK ALMOST EVERY DAY.

I DON'T JUST WALK TO THE PARK, I SPECIFICALLY WALK TO THE MINI REDWOOD FOREST IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PARK, WHICH IS WHERE THE PROPOSED TEEN CENTER WOULD BE, I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT CLOSE TO THE [INAUDIBLE] BOULEVARD.

AND I WALK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THIS PARK BECAUSE IT'S A PEACEFUL, TRANQUIL OASIS.

IT'S A PLACE TO DECOMPRESS AND GET AWAY FROM IT ALL.

I'VE COME TO RELY ON MY VISITS TO THIS LITTLE PIECE OF NATURE DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES OF STRESS.

AS A LOWER INCOME RENTER, I DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A DAY HIKING IN THE HILLS OR TRAVELING TO GO SEE REDWOOD FOREST.

MANY OTHER PEOPLE DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR TO TRAVEL TO THE VARIOUS HIKING TRAILS.

I PERSONALLY HAVE COME TO RELY ON MY WALK TO THE REDWOOD TREES AT THE LAS FLORES PARK AS AN ESSENTIAL MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC. A QUIET WALK ALONG THE REDWOOD TREES HAS PROVIDED MUCH NEEDED CALMNESS, PEACE AND SERENITY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS STUDIES SHOWING THE HEALING EFFECTS OF SPENDING TIME IN NATURE. THIS ACCESS TO NATURE NOW ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH CARS OR WHO CAN AFFORD TO TRAVEL TO DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE THE CITY.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE COME TO RELY ON THIS PIECE OF FOREST AS THEIR SPACE TO DECOMPRESS DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED, UNCERTAIN AND STRESSFUL TIMES? DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE LOST OUR BUSINESSES, OUR INCOME, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THIS BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC AND HEALING PATCH OF FOREST, MY DAILY WALKS THROUGH THESE TREES HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE ONLY BRIGHT SPOTS KEEPING ME GOING THROUGH THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.

IT'S WHERE I TAKE A BREATH AND FEEL GRATEFUL THAT AT LEAST I CAN WALK TO THIS QUIET AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

IF IT'S HELPED ME, I'M SURE IT'S HELPED COUNTLESS OTHER PEOPLE.

I SEE MANY PEOPLE ENJOYING THE TREES, YOUNG AND OLD, PEOPLE DOING YOGA, MEDITATING, WALKING THEIR DOGS, FLYING LITTLE TOY AIRPLANES, FAMILIES HAVING PICNICS AND TAKING A BREAK. THERE'S BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, SQUIRRELS VISIBLE AMONG THE TREES, PROVIDING AN INSPIRING AND LIFE GIVING EXPERIENCE OF NATURE.

FOR SOME, THIS QUIET WALK IN THE PEACEFUL REDWOOD TREES AT THE PARK IS ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE WE HAVE ACCESS TO AT THIS TIME.

IT'S BECOME ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL HEALING EXPERIENCES.

BULLDOZING AND REMOVING A SECTION OF THE PARK WOULD COMPLETELY DESTROY THIS OASIS AND TAKE AWAY ALL OF THE EMOTIONAL HEALING IT PROVIDES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER PLACES YOU CAN BULLDOZE TO CREATE A TEEN CENTER.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS PEACEFUL SANCTUARY AWAY FROM US.

IN MY EMAIL TO THE CITY CLERK, I TOOK PHOTOS AMONG THE TREES, SO YOU CAN SEE THE BEAUTY THAT IT WOULD BE DESTROYING.

AND THAT WAS THE STATEMENT I HAD PREPARED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE DID APPRECIATE YOUR PHOTOS.

[00:35:37]

IT'S MY CHRISTMAS MUG.

NO, THAT'S NOT A MUG; THAT'S A BUCKET.

THAT'S A BUCKET TOO, MR. DAVIS. A BIG PLASTIC GLASS, YES.

AND MY APOLOGIES FOR THIS DELAY, I ACCIDENTALLY HUNG UP ON MS. B.. OK, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IT TOMORROW.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. OIL WILL BE COMING IN YOUR STOCKING.

YES, RIGHT. AND SOME NAILS.

THAT'S OK, MR. MAYOR, I HAVE SHERRY BEST ON THE LINE.

GOOD EVENING, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

MS. B.. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU.

MY NAME IS SHERI B.

[ECHOES] SHERI, MAKE SURE YOU TURN OFF YOUR SOUND ON YOUR COMPUTER, PLEASE.

YEAH, I'M TRYING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.

OK, I'M READY TO GO.

YOU READY? YEP, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SHERI B.

AND I LIVE AT THREE NINE FOUR NINE BRADFORD STREET IN LA VERNE.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE ONGOING DISCUSSION REGARDING THE LOCATION OF A NEW TEEN CENTER TO SERVE LA VERNE RESIDENTS.

LAS FLORES PARK IS THE FAVORITE LOCATION FOR THE PROPOSED TEEN CENTER, WHICH WOULD BE PLACED DIRECTLY WHERE THE EVELYN HOLLANGER MEMORIAL GROVE IS NOW PLANTED.

THIS GROVE DATES FROM 1976, WHEN IT WAS CREATED TO CELEBRATE THE NATION'S BICENTENNIAL AND WAS RENAMED IN EVELYN'S HONOR IN 2002.

AS PRESIDENT OF LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, I FEEL QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF THIS GROVE AND TO PROVIDE A PROPOSAL THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY VALUES BOTH A NEW TEEN CENTER AND THE REDWOOD GROVE.

LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY URGES THAT MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROPRIATE CITY STAFF TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS, ONE RETAIN AS MANY REDWOOD TREES AS POSSIBLE AT THE SITE OF THE NEW TEEN CENTER, TWO REPLANT TREES AT THE RATIO NOTED IN TITLE 18 OF LA VERNE'S MUNICIPAL CODE TO CREATE A NEW GROVE IN A PARK THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE ADDITION OF TREES IN A GROVE-LIKE CONFIGURATION.

[INAUDIBLE] PARK COMES TO MIND.

THREE, DEDICATE THE NEWLY PLANTED GROVE AS A HERITAGE GROVE AS PER LA VERNE'S MUNICIPAL CODE, OR SALVAGE WOOD FROM [INAUDIBLE] REDWOOD TREES AND USE IT FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES. INCORPORATION OF WOOD INTO ASPECTS OF THE TEEN CENTER, PERHAPS A DOOR RESEMBLING OUR LIBRARY AND HILLCREST AND OR CREATIVE USES IN THE TEEN CENTER BUILDING CREATION OF REDWOOD BENCHES DEDICATED TO LA VERNE RESIDENTS WHOSE LIVES REFLECT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. FOR EXAMPLE, [INAUDIBLE] MILLS, EVELYN HOLLINGER, RUBIN [INAUDIBLE] AND VIRGIL WELCH COME TO MIND AS THESE PEOPLE WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORIGINAL GROVE MILPARK WOODWORKING SKILLS AND TEACHING.

DISSEMINATION OF REDWOOD BENCHES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, EITHER TO THE PARK OR PLACES SUCH AS CITY HALL, THE LA VERNE COMMUNITY CENTER AND HILLCREST.

LA VERNE HAS RECOGNIZED AND HONORED RUBIN [INAUDIBLE] AND VIRGIL WELCH FOR THEIR WOODWORKING AND TEACHING SKILLS.

SEVERAL LA VERNE RESIDENTS RECEIVED WOODWORKING INSTRUCTION FROM THESE MASTERS AND WOULD BE ABLE TO LEND THEIR SKILLS TO THE CREATION OF OBJECTS MADE OF RECYCLED REDWOOD WOODWORKING SHOP AT HILLCREST COULD BE UTILIZED FOR THIS PROJECT.

MEMBERS OF LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY COULD VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND ENERGY BY WORKING WITH CITY STAFF TO GUIDE THIS PROJECT.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT ARTIFACTS OF OUR PAST, WHAT'S LOST, ARE FOREVER LOST, ADAPTIVELY USE OF REDWOOD TREES TO HONOR THE GROVE IN WAYS THAT CONTINUE TO TELL LA VERNE'S HISTORY.

I OFFER A FINAL STATEMENT AND COMMENT ABOUT THE PROPOSED TEEN CENTER PROJECT.

A NEW ACCESS ROAD AND PARKING LOT ARE PART OF THE PROJECT, AND I QUESTION THEIR NECESSITY. SHOULD THE EXISTING LAWS BE ENLARGED TO ACCOMMODATE THE FEWER THAN 20 SPACES

[00:40:06]

IT IS NOW COMPLETELY POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK FROM THE EXISTING PARKING LOT TO THE GROVE AND A LARGER LOT WOULD SERVICE CENTER, AS WELL AS PROVIDE ROOM FOR THE SHUTTLE THAT WOULD BRING TEENS TO THE NEW TEEN CENTER.

PLEASE INCORPORATE THE CHANGES PROPOSED IN THIS STATEMENT AND VOTE ACCORDINGLY FOR THE NEW TEEN CENTER.

THESE CHANGES SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE GRANT APPLICATION PACKET.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. MS. B..

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A PAM BERRY ON THE LINE.

MS. BERRY AGAIN, HOW ARE YOU? I'M FINE. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THEN A FEW COMMENTS.

AS FAR AS THE LOOKING INTO THE PROJECT, I BELIEVE IT INCLUDES SOME SORT OF COORDINATION WITH TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH REGARDING THE TEEN CENTER PROGRAMING OR IN SOME WAY CONNECTED. AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.

ARE YOU STILL ON THE BOARD OF TRI CITY? WILL YOU BE RECUSING YOURSELF FROM VOTING ON THIS IN RELATION TO THE TEEN CENTER [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE].

OK. AND SO, YEAH, I WAS [INAUDIBLE] RECUSING FROM THE VOTE.

DOES THE CITY ATTORNEY HAVE ANY OPINION ON THAT? AS FAR AS THE PLANS FOR THE TEEN CENTER? MY CONCERN IS IT LOOKS LIKE THREE MILLION DOLLARS WAS ON THE AGENDA.

I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT OUR CITY RIGHT NOW IS IN A CRISIS, OUR COUNTRY AND OUR WORLD.

AND ANY UNNECESSARY PROJECTS, I THINK, NEED TO BE PUT ON HOLD.

AND THOSE FUNDS REALLY NEED TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS GETTING OUR BUSINESSES BUILT UP.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TOWN DOESN'T TURN INTO A GHOST TOWN.

WE GOT LOWER SALES TAX REVENUES, I'M SURE, WHICH IS GOING TO AFFECT THE BUDGET.

AND IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S A WISE TIME TO TAKE ON A PROJECT OF THIS TYPE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT MUST BE DONE.

AND I'M NOT SURE THIS IS THE TIME.

BUT WHEN IT IS TIME, I AGREE WITH PETER'S SUGGESTION TO USE THE AREA NEAR THE COMMUNITY CENTER OUT OF RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE THE PARK, ENJOY THAT SPACE AND ALSO THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE VOICED OPPOSITION.

THAT IS MY COMMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JR, ANY OTHER CALLS? YES, SIR, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE MORE.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE DONNA [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE, DONNA, GO AHEAD.

DONNA, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

I'M GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF.

I SENT A STATEMENT EARLIER TODAY.

I WASN'T SURE IF I COULD MAKE IT BECAUSE I WORK AT A COUPLE OF HOSPITALS AND IT'S A LITTLE CRAZY. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN OVER THEM TAKING DOWN THOSE TREES FULLY SUPPORT A TEEN CENTER WITHOUT ANY QUESTION BUT, THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD TAKE MORE TIME TO BE CREATIVE AND LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE COULD DO THAT AND SAVE THOSE TREES.

I'VE BEEN HERE MY WHOLE LIFE AND GROWN UP AND OLD, BUT SOME OF THESE TREES AND I THINK

[00:45:03]

WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD.

I MADE A NOTE IN MY COMMENTS THAT WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS TO SAVE THE TREES IN LA VERNE, AND WE WORKED HARD ON [INAUDIBLE] DOWN HERE ON THIRD STREET.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE CITY, I THINK, WITH THE MULTITUDE OF BALLOT VOTES, PROPOSITIONS, [INAUDIBLE], ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE RESIDENTS HERE AND JUST LOOKING MAYBE FOR SOME MORE REVIEW.

AND LIKE I SAID, MAYBE SOME CREATIVE WORK AROUND HOW WE COULD DO THIS.

AND I THINK THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MS. B. JUST MENTIONED SOME THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.

SO THAT WAS ALL I JUST FELT LIKE SINCE I WAS RAISED IN A GROVE OF TREES, AS I NOTED, THERE ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND IMPORTANT.

AND I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN AND SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND ALL THAT EACH OF YOU DO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR SERVING IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. MAYOR, THAT IS ALL THE CALLERS WE HAVE FOR THIS ITEM.

WE WILL CLOSE THAT SECTION, WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL.

COUNCIL, COMMENTS? BEFORE WE DO, BECAUSE THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ASKED.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IT.

AND THAT'S THE NEED FOR COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER TO RECUSE YOURSELF.

THAT IS NOT NECESSARY.

AND I JUST LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO CHIME IN.

NO, THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST, IN MY OPINION.

OK? COUNCIL COMMENTS.

I'LL GO FIRST, ROBIN CARDER AND I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY HERE AND HOW MUCH TIME HAS GONE INTO THIS, IT HASN'T BEEN JUST A SHORT PERIOD.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, STUDY SESSION.

IT STARTED WITH WHAT WERE THE GOALS OF THE CITY.

AND THEN WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS VERY, VERY SLOWLY LOOKING INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.

LOCATION'S BEEN DIFFICULT.

LA VERNE IS BUILT-OUT QUITE A BIT, TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION.

WE HAVE VISITED AND THOUGHT ABOUT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND DID RESEARCH.

AND THIS WAS THE ONE LOCATION THAT WE FELT WAS BEST BECAUSE WHERE WE ARE CHOOSING TO HAVE IT, YOU HAVE RIGHT THERE AT THE POOL, YOU HAVE THE TENNIS COURTS, YOU HAVE SOCCER PLAYERS, YOU HAVE A SOFTBALL PLAYERS.

IT'S KIND OF A SPORTS PARK RIGHT THERE FOR THE KIDS.

AND YET THE PARK IS SO BIG AND THE BEAUTY OF EVERYTHING.

I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, THE REDWOOD SEEMS TO BE THE BIG TOPIC OF CONCERN, WHICH I WALKED OVER THERE. I MET WITH PETER, BILL AND I MET WITH PETER.

WE WALKED BACK OVER THE PARK AND WENT BACK TO THE REDWOODS AREA.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WE HAVE LOST ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF THE REDWOODS BACK THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIED AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT.

WE PLAN WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT.

IF IT GOES THROUGH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP AS MANY AS WE CAN BACK IN THAT AREA.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, SUCH AS SHERI B.

BROUGHT UP, WE ARE LOOKING AT TOO, HAVING OTHER AREAS THAT WE WILL PLANT TREES AND LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO. I AGREE, TREES ARE VERY VALUABLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.

SO THAT'S ONE TOPIC.

THE COMMUNITY CENTER, THIS TEEN CENTER WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT CHILDREN ARE THERE'S ALL KINDS OF KIDS OUT THERE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO.

THEY NEED TUTORING.

THEY NEED A PLACE TO DO HOMEWORK A LOT, DON'T HAVE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AT HOME.

AND SO WE THOUGHT WITH THIS TEEN CENTER, WE COULD BRING IN TUTORS TO HELP THESE KIDS.

AND WE VISITED THREE DIFFERENT SITES FOR OTHER TEEN CENTERS TO FIND WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR LA VERNE. SOME ARE EXTRAVAGANT.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANTED HERE IN LIBURD.

OTHERS, DIFFERENT AREAS, CLAREMONT AND THEN ALSO GLENDORA HAD A LOT OF THE TOPICS THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS WITH THESE CHILDREN.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO TRI-CITY, THAT'S JUST ONE AVENUE THAT WE THOUGHT COULD BE BENEFICIAL, IS THAT THEY HAD AN OFFICE IN THERE.

NOTHING IS SET.

THIS IS ALL STILL COMMUNICATION.

BUT WE WANT TO REACH OUT TO THOSE KIDS THAT WOULD NEED IT.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE ALL THIS IS COMING FROM.

AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WOULD BE BEST IN THE LOCATION.

AND I STILL FEEL THAT IS THE ONLY LOCATION IN LA VERNE THAT WE COULD PUT THIS IN.

[00:50:03]

AND I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK IF I FIND I NEED TO THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.

YEAH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WALKING WITH MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND MR. [INAUDIBLE].

HANS AND PETER AT THAT SITE, WORKING TWENTY FIVE YEARS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE REALLY DO NEED A TEEN CENTER FOR OUR KIDS.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

AND I GET THAT PEOPLE NEED OPEN SPACE AND WE NEED THAT AS WELL.

THE ONE THING I WANT TO ANSWER THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO GO FOR A GRANT TO PAY FOR THAT SO THAT THIS IS NOT BEING SPENT OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS MOVING FOR A GRANT.

THIS IS AND IF THE GRANT GETS FUNDED, THEN WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

BUT THERE'S A HIGH POSSIBILITY THAT THIS GRANT IS NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED RIGHT NOW AS WELL. BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO GET THIS MONEY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THIS IS A STEP THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR THIS GRANT. THE ONE ONLY ASPECT ON THIS IS--AND CORRECT ME, MR. RUSSI, IF I'M WRONG, IF WE GET APPROVED BY THIS GRANT, WE CANNOT MOVE THIS SITE.

THE GRANT IS FOR WHAT WE APPROVE FOR THE SITE AS WELL.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TODAY IS TO GET THE MONEY AND NOT USE OUR GENERAL FUND.

AND WE ARE NOT ON THE CALENDAR TO MOVE OUR OWN GENERAL FUNDING.

BUT LOOKING FOR A GRANT.

I DID VISIT.

THERE WERE SEVEN SITES THAT WERE LOOKED AT.

THERE WAS A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WAS SPOKEN ABOUT TONIGHT, THE METHODIST CHURCH ACROSS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS LOOKED AT, BUT IS NOT OWNED BY THE CITY AND HAVE ISSUES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS IS REALLY FOR TEENS.

SO REALLY LOOKING TO GET MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND THE MOST KIDS THAT VISIT TEEN CENTERS ARE SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH AND TENTH GRADERS, USUALLY, THROUGH THE DIFFERENT CITIES.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEN HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WON'T GO THAT WAY. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING AROUND THE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH AROUND OUR AREA, THE LOCAL CITIES AROUND US, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE AROUND THE HIGH SCHOOL AND SAW THAT THIS SPOT GOES WITH THAT AS WELL.

WE LOOKED AT THE INWOOD THEATER, THE EMPTY LOT NEXT TO IT.

AGAIN, HAVING TO SPEND MORE MONEY TO TRY TO GET THAT PROPERTY AND NOT BE BY THE HIGH SCHOOL OR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAS FLORES PARK HAD ACTUALLY TWO LOCATIONS THAT WERE LOOKED AT. SO LOOKING AT THAT, I LIKE MS. B'S SUGGESTIONS OF MAYBE REPLANTING AND MOVING AND USING THE TREES THROUGHOUT IF THEY HAVE TO TAKE SOME, BUT TAKING DOWN AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.

I DO FEEL FOR THE RESIDENTS THERE AND SEE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE PEOPLE THERE.

I BELIEVE THAT THE NEED FOR OUR YOUTH IS REALLY GREAT.

SO BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND THAT THIS IS FOR LOOKING FOR A GRANT TO BUILD THIS.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CROSBY. COUNCILMAN MUIR [INAUDIBLE] CROSBY WAS CORRECT, IT IS A SITE SPECIFIC GRANT.

WHEN WE APPLIED, WE HAD TO IDENTIFY THE LOCATION AND IT WAS A LOCATION THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL.

YEAH, AND THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING ON THAT, BOB.

I THINK, THOUGH, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A SITE PLAN THERE, SOME OF THE EDGES, FOR INSTANCE, THOSE THAT MS. B. BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, RECONFIGURATION OF THE PARKING LOT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS MIGHT BE MANAGEABLE.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, TONIGHT IS ABOUT MONEY AND IT'S ABOUT REQUESTING THAT A GRANT BE SENT TO THE STATE TO GET MONEY FROM THE STATE RATHER THAN FROM THE CITY'S [INAUDIBLE].

THE NEED FOR A TEEN CENTER IS REAL.

I THINK THAT HAVING ADDITIONAL PARKING THERE WOULD ACTUALLY HELP THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH REGARD TO STREET PARKING, WHEN THERE ARE OTHER ATHLETIC EVENTS GOING ON, IT WOULD HELP TO OFFSET THAT A LITTLE BIT, NOT A WHOLE LOT BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING SATURDAYS WHEN AYSO IS UP AND RUNNING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOUSANDS OF KIDS SHOWING UP OVER AN EIGHT HOUR TIME SPAN. I THINK THE TEEN CENTER WOULD ADD A FEW HUNDRED EACH AND EVERY DAY DURING THE DAYTIME. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THE INTRUSION OF THE KIDS IS GOING TO BE ALL THAT

[00:55:02]

OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

THIS GOES BACK, I THINK, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, CITY MANAGER RUSSI, I THINK IT WAS 2016 OR 15 WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, I THINK, AND WE WERE IN DISCUSSION ON THAT, IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, [INAUDIBLE] KENDRICK AND ALSO BILL L.

THAT WERE REAL PROPONENTS AND THE CITY ALSO.

AND IT PUSHED THROUGH.

MY BIG CONCERN BACK THEN WAS FUNDING FOR THE PLANS BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SURE WHERE IT WAS GOING TO GO AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GO AHEAD WITH THAT.

WHILE I DID APPROVE THAT, I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DID APPROVE AND PUSH IT FORWARD TO WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. MY ISSUE NOW, THOUGH, IS THE FACT THAT I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT AFTER READING ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIGNATURES AND 50 EMAILS WITH PEOPLE THAT AREN'T HAPPY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT IS GOING TO AFFECT THEIR LIVES IN THAT COMMUNITY AND IT IS A BUSY COMMUNITY, I'VE HAD MANY THINGS THAT MY KIDS PLAYED, WATER POLO, SOCCER.

WE'VE HAD SOFTBALL OVER THERE, SO.

I DO FEEL FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS BEING APPROACHED AGAIN.

WE DO NEED A TEEN CENTER.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS GRANT IS SPECIFIC TO THAT LOCATION.

AND IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS, THEN OBVIOUSLY THAT FAILS.

BUT THAT'S ONLY FOR THREE DOLLARS MILLION.

THE GRANT IS A POSSIBILITY.

I WOULD SAY, WHAT, MR. RUSSI, 50/50 CHANCE, I GUESS, AT ANY TIME FOR A GRANT.

YOU NEVER KNOW. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE NEED AND WHAT THE MONEYS ARE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT. AND I WILL BE HONEST THAT MOST GRANTS DO GO TO LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC AREAS THAT HAVE A NEED FOR CERTAIN THINGS.

AND BUT WE DO HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF DOING THAT.

BUT BEING THAT SAID, I THINK THE TIME RIGHT NOW AS MS. BERRY HAS POINTED OUT THAT, RIGHT NOW, I THINK OUR MONEY NEEDS TO BE KEPT IN THE CITY TO HELP OUR, WHICH WE'VE BEEN HELPING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK THE TIMING'S PROBABLY NOT RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MYSELF PERSONALLY FOR THE FACT THAT IT'S THE WRONG TIME.

OUR RESIDENTS HAVE SPOKEN.

THEY DON'T WANT IT IN THEIR BACKYARD.

I RESPECT THAT TREMENDOUSLY.

THAT WAS A MAJOR CANVASS OF MINE DURING MY ELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR.

AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, BEAUTIFUL HOMES.

AND THE SERENITY IS VERY NICE.

AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE.

SO ON THAT IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

WELL, I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN HAVE A VIGOROUS DEBATE OVER THIS BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME OF THE DISCUSSION POINTS THAT YOU RAISED.

ONE IS I THINK THAT IS A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE PARK.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON DAILY, IF NOT WEEKLY AT THAT PARK.

AND I DIDN'T HEAR CONCERNS NECESSARILY ABOUT THE CHILDREN.

I HEARD MOSTLY CONCERNS ABOUT ADDITIONAL PARKING AND AN ADDITIONAL ACCESS ROAD.

AND THESE KIDS, I THINK, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY SAID, THESE ARE MOSTLY SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH AND TENTH GRADERS WHO ARE TEENS BEFORE THEY GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE.

SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO BE ADDING TO THE TRAFFIC THERE.

AND I DO CONCUR WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL WHEN HE WAS SAYING IF IT'S POSITIONED NEAR A HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S GOING TO DRAW THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO THERE BUT IF IT'S AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE HIGH SCHOOLERS, THEY'RE DONE WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO THAT DIRECTION.

WHEN I USED TO LIVE IN THE BAY AREA, PEOPLE WOULD SAY EVERYONE WILL GO INTO SAN FRANCISCO, BUT SAN FRANCISCANS WILL NOT LEAVE TO GO TO THE EAST BAY.

AND THAT WAS TRUE OF THAT.

AND I THINK THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S COMMENTS ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLERS NOT GOING BACK TO THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ALSO TRUE.

SO I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN NOT HAVING IT IN THEIR BACKYARD, ALTHOUGH I THINK THEIR BACKYARD WITH LAS FLORES PARK IS SUBSTANTIAL. AND I THINK ONCE IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IT ISN'T GOING TO BE THE INTRUSION THAT THEY'RE FEARFUL OF.

AS FAR AS TIMING, I THINK IF WE CAN GET OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO HELP FACILITATE JOBS IN LA VERNE BUILDING THIS, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE CURRENT CONCERN.

INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY, INVESTING IN GETTING THINGS DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS A

[01:00:01]

AFTER READING THROUGH ALL OF THE EMAILS, THERE'S A NUMBER OF POINTS, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S THE TREES. THAT'S A VERY SENSITIVE SPOT.

IT IS A TRANQUIL AREA.

THERE'S A WIDE BERTH THERE THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK AROUND.

BUT I THINK ANOTHER CONCERN WAS THE FACT THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME ELEMENTS COMING IN THERE. YOU'VE GOT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND WHAT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DO.

I THINK THE MORE NOISE, THE PARKING, MORE CONGESTION, PLUS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FACING THAT PARK, WHICH IS QUITE A FEW OF THE RESIDENTS THERE, JUST TO OBSTRUCT THEIR VIEW WHEN THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT GRASS, YOU KNOW, AND LOOKING AT THAT OPEN AREA, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS SOFTBALL, THERE'S WATER POLO, THERE WAS COMPLAINTS THAT I THINK FOR SOME OF THEM THAT THE WATER POLO AND MUSIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT WAS VERY LOUD AND INTRUDING ON THEIR TIME AND THEIR PLACE AND THEIR HOME AND THE FACT THAT IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO PUT AN EIGHT THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT BUILDING WITH 4000 SQUARE FOOT OF PARKING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES. SO I WOULD JUST DISAGREE THAT.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT A PLACE FOR A TEEN CENTER, ALTHOUGH IT'S A PERFECT LOCATION IN THE FACT THAT IT WILL FIT THERE FINE.

BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THESE RESIDENTS.

AND I WILL SAY THERE'S 300 RESIDENTS PLUS THERE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIGN A PETITION THAT THEY WOULD NOT LIKE IT THERE, BUT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT. THEY DO FEEL THE NEED FOR A TEEN CENTER, BUT THEY WOULD LIKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE IT'S NOT AFFECTING THEIR LIVES.

YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT IF YOU HAD A TEEN CENTER BUILT ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU AND YOUR QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WOULD IT WOULD PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, A TOUGH SPOT.

BUT THE RESIDENTS PRETTY MUCH SPOKE.

AND LIKE I SAY, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

I DID ORIGINALLY AGREE TO THAT, BUT I CANNOT AGREE TO THAT WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEIR LIVES AND THEIR LITTLE COMMUNITY AND THE QUIET COMMUNITY AT THAT, EVEN THOUGH WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AND IT'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS GOING ON.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

THEY LIKE THE PARK, THEY LIKE THE BENCHES, THEY LIKE THE SHELTER STRUCTURES, YOU KNOW, BUT IT JUST ADDS TO THEIR PEACEFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO ONE THING--I'M SORRY, IF I MAY GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD WHAT I WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE PLAN IS THAT IT KEEPS THOSE SHELTERS, STRUCTURES, PLACES STILL THERE FOR TO HAVE THE BARBECUE [INAUDIBLE] BUT THE COMMENT WHERE THE TEENS THAT GO THERE MIGHT BRING SOME HARM OR A CRIME.

PEOPLE THAT GO TO TEEN CENTERS, ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THAT STUFF AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE WITH GREAT FAMILIES TO HAVE THEM GO TO THOSE TEEN CENTERS.

THESE AREN'T KIDS THAT ARE RUNNING AROUND THROUGH THE STREETS TRYING TO CAUSE THAT STUFF.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, TEENS ARE GREAT KIDS, WORKING TWENTY FIVE YEARS WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL KIDS.

AND IN TEN YEARS AS A TEACHER AT RAMONA, I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW GREAT OUR KIDS ARE HERE IN LA VERNE. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT PUTTING A BUILDING AT A PARK AND TAKING AWAY SOME GRASS AND OPEN SPACE DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY AT ALL.

AGAIN, THIS ISN'T MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT? THIS IS GOING FOR A GRANT.

AND IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THIS GRANT, THEN--THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING--BUT WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND OUR OWN MONEY, LIKE YOU SAID, MAYOR, WE WANT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AND TRY TO GET MONEY FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT MONEY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

AND I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE YOUTH.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE THE MAIN FOCUS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COME USE THIS FACILITY. OUR COMMITTEE MET WE WENT AROUND TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO TALK TO THE KIDS TO SEE WHAT IS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE? WOULD YOU UTILIZE IT? WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH WITH THAT AND HOW WE THERE WON'T BE A LOT OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE THOSE KIDS DON'T DRIVE.

WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING IS USING PROP C FUNDS TO HAVE THEM, WE'LL PICK THEM UP AT RAMONA MIDDLE SCHOOL, BRING THEM OVER RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL TO THE TEEN CENTER, SO YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THESE VEHICLES.

EACH ONE OF THOSE KIDS WILL BE SIGNING IN, AND SIGNING OUT WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO, WHEN THE PARENTS COME TO PICK THEM UP.

THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, HAVING LIKE A ROUND ABOUT WHERE THEY COME UP, PICK UP THEIR KIDS, SIGN THEM OUT AND THEN THEY LEAVE.

BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE STAFFED.

IT'S NOT JUST A FREE FOR ALL.

IT'S GOING TO BE STAFFED, MANNED BY CITY EMPLOYEES.

[01:05:04]

WE'RE IN TRI CITY, POSSIBLY HAVE AN OFFICE IN THERE.

AND SO THAT THESE ARE THE NEEDS OF THE KIDS.

AND SO I DON'T FEEL TRAFFIC'S GOING TO BE THE ISSUE.

WELL, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY SAID, I RAISED THREE CHILDREN PLUS I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHERS I RAISED QUITE A FEW.

I KNOW TEENAGERS VERY WELL AND I JUST.

THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T WANT IT THERE, I'M SORRY, GUYS, THEY JUST DON'T WANT IT THERE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GRANT, BUT EVEN WITH THREE MILLION DOLLARS ON THE GROUND, YOU STILL NEED ANOTHER THREE MILLION DOLLARS.

AND DEPENDING ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS AS TIME GOES, IT GOES UP TO.

SO IT PAINS ME TO SAY THAT WE APPROVED, YOU KNOW, EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE PLANS, BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE THE PLAN SOMEWHERE ELSE.

I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW IT'S VERY SPECIFIC.

IT HAS TO BE A POSTAGE STAMP THAT FITS THOSE PLANS, BUT.

I STILL CAN'T SUPPORT IT, MY RESIDENTS HAVE SPOKEN AND I JUST RESPECTFULLY, I'VE GIVEN YOU THE REASON. SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, WE SHOULD GO TO GO TO A VOTE.

WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK THIS DISCUSSION WAS HELPFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HEAR.

SO I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WAS LOST BY HAVING A MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION.

NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

TALK ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE RESIDENTS HAVE SPOKEN AND I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THAT. ROBIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE HONOR TO MAKE THE MOTION? I ABSOLUTELY WOULD.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

MOVING ALONG WITH THE GRANT PROPOSAL.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED, NO? MOTION CARRIES THREE TO ONE.

THANK YOU ALL. WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN

[7.a. Resolution No.20-91 - Approving Class Specifications and Salaries for Community Services Manager, Community Services Coordinator, and Community Services Specialist as well as Authorizing Requested Position Changes]

AND SO WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL AND IT REQUIRES SOME ADJUSTMENTS OF CLASSIFICATION. SO WITH THAT, J.R..

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

YES, AS BOB SAID, IN PREPARATION FOR BILL L'S UPCOMING RETIREMENT, WE'VE TAKEN A CLOSE LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT AND THE NEEDS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY TO ENACT THE REQUESTED CLASSIFICATION CHANGES AND COMPENSATION LEVELS AND POSITION.

THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL IS NECESSARY.

STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE ADDITION OF A COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER, A COMMUNITY SERVICES SPECIALIST AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SUPERVISOR, AS WELL AS UPDATING THE FULL TIME RECREATION COORDINATOR POSITION TO COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR, THE MANAGER POSITION IS A NEW CLASSIFICATION REPORTING TO THE CITY MANAGER.

AND WE'LL HAVE GENERAL OVERSIGHT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.

THE SALARY WILL BE IN LINE WITH OTHER MANAGERS IN THE ORGANIZATION, AND RECRUITMENT FOR THIS POSITION SHOULD BEGIN AFTER THE NEW YEAR.

SIMILARLY, SPECIALIST POSITION WILL BE A NEW CLASSIFICATION BEING ESTABLISHED TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT WITH THE SALARY BEING ESTABLISHED AT A LEVEL FOSTERING SUCCESSION PLANNING FOR GROWTH INTO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR POSITION.

THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS A CLASSIFICATION FOR RECREATION COORDINATOR.

HOWEVER, THE JOB CLASSIFICATION IS BEING UPDATED TO BETTER MATCH THE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS, AS WELL AS EVOLVE THE FULL TIME POSITION TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES.

THAT DESIGNATION SEPARATING THEM FROM PART TIME WORK.

THE SALARY WILL REMAIN THE SAME AS A RECREATION COORDINATOR POSITION AT THE CURRENT LEVEL. THE CITY ALSO CURRENTLY HAS A CLASSIFICATION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES SUPERVISOR, BUT HAS NOT AUTHORIZED THE POSITION TO BE FILLED.

AN INTERNAL RECRUITMENT HAS BEEN INITIATED IN ANTICIPATION OF COUNCIL'S APPROVAL.

LASTLY, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO REMOVE THE DIRECTOR AS WELL AS ONE FULL TIME RECREATION COORDINATOR POSITION FROM THE CURRENT POSITION AUTHORIZATION.

THE NET EFFECT WILL NOT IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND AND WILL REMAIN IN LINE WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AUTHORIZATION.

STAFF RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 20, DASH NINE ONE, APPROVING CLASS SPECIFICATIONS AND SALARIES FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER, COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SPECIALIST, AS WELL AS AUTHORIZING ASSOCIATED POSITION CHANGES. I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.

DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, JR?

[01:10:02]

I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF AN ELOQUENT WAY TO PUT THAT.

AND THAT WAS VERY WELL PUT, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. RUSSI.

I THINK THAT WAS A VERY GOOD MOVE ON YOUR PART, IT'S ADJUSTMENTS, AND ESPECIALLY NOW IN OUR CERTAIN TIME AROUND, YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT.

I THINK IT TOOK CARE OF DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS.

VERY WELL. WE'RE TRYING TO SET THE DEPARTMENT UP FOR SUCCESSION GOING FORWARD, GIVING US A STRUCTURE THAT DIDN'T REALLY EXIST PREVIOUSLY.

SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WITH WHAT'S THERE AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL AROUND SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MAKEUP OF THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

IT'S VERY CLEAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR STAFF? I'LL NOW ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT A RESOLUTION 20-91 APPROVING CLASS SPECIFICATIONS AND SALARIES FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER, COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SPECIALIST, AS WELL AS AUTHORIZING REQUESTED POSITION CHANGES.

THAT IS A MOUTHFUL. THANK YOU.

I'LL SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR: AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM B.. MR.

[7.b. Adoption of a Resolution No. 20-92, Authorizing Execution of a Disposition and Development Agreement with Brandywine Acquisitions Group, LLC]

I'LL LET MAIA GO THROUGH THE SPECIFICS OF IT, BECAUSE THE PROJECT ITSELF HAS BEEN ONE THAT SHE'S BEEN WORKING ON AND HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MR. KRESS' COLLEAGUE PETER W.

ON PUTTING TOGETHER THE ACTUAL DISPOSITION.

SO, MAYA. THAT YOU, MS. MCCURLEY. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE PROPOSED DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND BRANDYWINE ACQUISITIONS GROUP ALLOWS FOR THE SALE OF RESIDENTIALLY-ZONED CITY ON PARCELS TO BRANDYWINE HOMES IN EXCHANGE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOR SALE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ON THAT SAME PROPERTY. SO THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IS LOCATED ON WALNUT STREET.

CURRENTLY, THE CITY OWNS THREE VACANT AND CONTIGUOUS PARCELS LOCATED AT 1874, 1876 AND 1878 WALNUT STREET, WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WALNUT STREET SPECIFIC PLAN AREA.

COLLECTIVELY, THE THREE PARCELS ARE APPROXIMATELY POINT SEVEN ZERO TWO ACRES.

THESE PARCELS WERE PURCHASED IN 2008 AND 2009 BY THE LA VERNE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, USING FUNDS FROM THE CITY'S LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING FUND.

MONEY FROM THAT FUND CAN ONLY BE UTILIZED FOR PURPOSES RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND SO WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY PURCHASED THOSE PARCELS, IT WAS WITH THE INTENT THAT THEY WOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

WITH THE DISSOLUTION OF THE LA VERNE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY IN 2012.

THE CITY BECAME THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE RDA AND WITH THAT THEY TOOK ON OWNERSHIP OF THOSE WALNUT STREET PARCELS AS HOUSING ASSETS.

OVER THE YEARS, THE CITY HAS ENTERTAINED VARIOUS PROPOSALS FROM DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

NOTHING EVER CAME TO FRUITION.

AS PART OF THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO SEE THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THERE AT THE DIRECTION OF CITY COUNCIL.

THE CITY EXPRESSED TO POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS WILLINGNESS TO EVENTUALLY CONVEY THOSE PARCELS AT LITTLE TO NO COST IN EXCHANGE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SO THIS POSSIBILITY WAS COMMUNICATED TO BRANDYWINE HOMES IN MAY 2020 WHEN THEY CONTACTED STAFF REGARDING A POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY AT A DIFFERENT SITE LOCATED AT 3717 FRUIT STREET, WHICH IS A PRIVATELY OWNED SITE THAT'S APPROXIMATELY TWO POINT TWO FIVE EIGHT ACRES AND IS LOCATED WITHIN THE FOOTHILL BOULEVARD SPECIFIC PLANNED AREA.

SO IN DISCUSSING THAT POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE FRONT STREET SITE, STAFF WENT THROUGH THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT THE CITY HAS.

ONE OF THOSE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IS THAT IT'S A REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE A PROPORTIONAL AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS WITH EACH NEW HOUSING SUBDIVISION WITHIN THE CITY.

NOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO COMPLY WITH THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT, MAINLY THREE OPTIONS. THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE THOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS INTO THE ACTUAL MARKET RATE SITE.

SO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE LANDING ON 1ST AND G, WHERE YOU HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS MIXED IN WITH THE MARKET RATE UNITS.

THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO PAY AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LIEU FEE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE FACT THAT THE DEVELOPER IS NOT PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

[01:15:02]

SO THAT WAS WHAT INTERESTED BRANDYWINE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

AT THE FRUIT STREET LOCATION, THEY EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN DEVELOPING NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS OFF SITE, POTENTIALLY AT THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES THAT ARE LOCATED ON WALNUT STREET. SO IN JULY 2020 BRANDYWINE HOMES SUBMITTED ENTITLEMENT APPLICATIONS TO THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIFTY, THREE-STOREY TOWN HOMES FOR SALE AT MARKET RATE AT THIRTY SEVEN SEVENTEEN FRUIT STREET, WHICH AGAIN IS PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTY, AND ALSO MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF EIGHT FOR SALE, DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES AT THE WALNUT STREET PROPERTIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS AT THE VOLUNTARY PROPERTIES AGAIN WOULD BE IN FULFILLMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO MEET AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE THIRTY SEVEN SEVENTEEN FRUIT STREET PROJECT.

SO THIS ITEM IS ABOUT THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

A DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN A DEVELOPER AND THE CITY FOR THE SALE OF CITY OWNED LAND TO THE DEVELOPER.

SO THE PROPOSED DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT SETS FORTH A COMMITMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND BRANDYWINE HOMES FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF THOSE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES ON WALL STREET FOR THE SUM OF ONE DOLLAR IN EXCHANGE FOR BRANDYWINE DEVELOPING THAT PROPERTY WITH EIGHT FOR SALE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ARE REQUIRED TO BE DEED RESTRICTED FOR 45 YEARS, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE LIMITED IN THEIR SALES PRICE AT LESS THAN FAIR MARKET VALUE TO BE AFFORDABLE TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

JUST FOR CONTEXT, BASED ON TODAY'S INCOME LIMITS IN L.A.

COUNTY, MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLD WOULD BE ROUGHLY IN THE RANGE OF APPROXIMATELY SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS TO NINETY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND THAT VARIES BASED ON THE FAMILY SIZE.

AND SO PART OF THE DISPOSITION AGREEMENT WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE HOMES FOR SALE WOULD BE AFFORDABLE TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, BUT ALSO THAT BRANDYWINE ONE WOULD HAVE TO MARKET THESE HOMES TO LOCAL LA VERNE RESIDENTS FIRST, AS THE INTENT OF THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IS TO SERVE THE EXISTING LA VERNE COMMUNITY.

SO THE PROPOSED DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AIDES BOTH BRANDYWINE HOMES AND THE CITY. IT AIDES BRANDYWINE IN THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT SHOULD THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ON 3717 FRUIT STREET, WHICH WOULD BE FOR MARKET RATE HOUSING.

AND IT ALSO HELPS THE CITY BECAUSE IT FULFILLS OUR LONG TERM GOAL OF DEVELOPING THE WALNUT STREET FIGHT WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPONENT.

IT'S VERY CRITICAL AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY FOR THE CITY.

IT ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF OUR ADOPTED HOUSING ELEMENT.

AND IT ALSO HELPS THE CITY MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS TO FULFILL ITS ITS FAIR SHARE OF THE OVERALL REGIONAL HOUSING NEED.

SO WHILE THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF 3717 FRUIT STREET WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THIS DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS STRICTLY RELATED TO THE CITY OWNED WALNUT STREET PROPERTIES BEING CONVEYED TO BRANDYWINE HOMES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

I KNOW WE DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT PART CLEAR THAT THAT'S ALL THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS ABOUT.

AND THIS CAN OCCUR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES TO BRANDYWINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THIS CAN HYPOTHETICALLY OCCUR REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE FRUIT STREET PROJECT MOVES FORWARD. BUT THERE'S VERY LITTLE INCENTIVE, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE, FOR BRANDYWINE TO PURSUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ON WALNUT STREET IF THEY'RE NOT DOING IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MARKET RATE UNITS ON FRUIT STREET.

AND JUST TO REITERATE, THE WALNUT CREEK PROPERTIES CAN ONLY BE UTILIZED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS WHY THE CITY IS SELLING THE PROPERTY TO BRANDYWINE HOMES, WHICH IS A DEVELOPER THAT'S CAPABLE OF CONSTRUCTING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

FURTHERMORE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A PARTICULARLY EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR.

AND SO CITIES, INCLUDING LA VERNE, WE NEED TO USE INCENTIVES SUCH AS THE SALE OF LAND FOR LITTLE TO NO COST IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE SELLING IT FOR ONE DOLLAR.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE STAFF AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS NOT YET DEEMED ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS COMPLETE AND THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EXECUTING IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE THAT THOSE APPROVALS WOULD THAT STAFF WOULD APPROVE THOSE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS. SO IT STILL NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE REGULAR PROCESS.

AND THAT WOULD INVOLVE GOING TO THE DEVELOPER REVIEW COMMITTEE, TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ULTIMATELY TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

ADDITIONALLY, IT STILL NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE TYPICAL CEQA PROCESS, WHICH IS THE

[01:20:03]

PLANNING COMMISSION OR CITY COUNCIL COULD EVEN REVIEW AND APPROVE THESE PROJECTS.

SO THE CEQA REVIEW IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN JANUARY 2021 WITH A COMPLETION DATE IN MAY 2021, WHICH MEANS THAT THE FORMAL REVIEW BY THE REVIEW COMMITTEE, PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL WOULD OCCUR SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

SO EXECUTION OF THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS OCCURRING RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECT CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS IT IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED.

SO THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING BRANDYWINE AS WELL AS THE CITY ATTORNEY.

AND FURTHERMORE, THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE PURSUANT TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, PARTICULARLY AT THE SEPTEMBER 8TH 2020 CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION FOR CLOSED SESSION.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER TWENTY DASH NINETY TWO AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE FROM STAFF.

WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM BRANDYWINE IN THE WAITING ROOM, IF YOU HAD ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS OF THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. MCCURLEY, COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF AT THIS TIME? LET ME JUST ADD A LITTLE SOMETHING, IF I MAY, MR. MAYOR, JUST TO GIVE PERSPECTIVE.

YOU KNOW, AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROJECT AND I KNOW MAIA REFERRED TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR RADAR FOR A WHILE.

WE'VE OWNED THIS LAND FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND WE'VE TAKEN SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT TRYING TO COME UP WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP IT, NOT JUST IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT, BUT JUST A PROJECT STRAIGHT THERE.

AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FAILED ATTEMPTS AND EVERY OTHER OPPORTUNITY REQUIRED THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE WITH LAND, AS WELL AS A TWO TO THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR CONTRIBUTION PER UNIT THAT WAS BEING DEVELOPED.

SO TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BY PUTTING THE LAND IN AND ALLOWING FOR THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS TO BE BUILT IS IS CERTAINLY A VALUABLE RETURN FOR THE CITY IN BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT AFFORDABLE IN THIS FASHION.

SO I WANTED TO JUST THROW IN THAT AS A HISTORY OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH OVER SOME TIME. AND COUNCIL AT THE TIME WAS NOT INTERESTED IN PUTTING MONEY INTO THIS PROJECT OF ANY STATE, AND IT WAS TO HAVE A DEVELOPER COME IN AND TAKE IT AND DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, YOU WERE PART OF THAT, TOO.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE, BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT WE WANTED IT FREE AND CLEAR AND WASH YOUR HANDS OF IT AND BE ON THE TAX ROLLS.

SO IT WAS--YEAH.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MCCURLEY? NO, I'LL WAIT TILL AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, JR? WE'LL CLOSE THIS AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE NO REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, I BELIEVE YOU WERE GIVEN A COPY OF AN EMAIL THAT WAS RECEIVED BEFORE.

YES, I DO. I WILL READ THAT.

I THINK THAT MS. MCCURLEY HAS ALREADY ANSWERED.

MR. RUSSI, YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND READ IT? [INAUDIBLE] BUT IF-- I THINK SHE HAS, BUT I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO IT AND JUST MAY REITERATE WHAT IT WAS.

ITEM SEVEN AS TO WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY, IF PRIVATELY OWNED.

WHY IS THE CITY INVOLVED IN GIVING AWAY CITY PROPERTY TO ASSIST IN A PRIVATE PROPERTY SALE? WHY CAN'T THE SELLER SPEND PART OF THE SALE PROCEEDS TO BUY THE CITY LAND TO GIVE AWAY. SO I THINK JUST REITERATE WHAT WE SAID.

GO AHEAD, MS. MCCURLEY. I'LL LET YOU. YES, SO TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS, WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY? I THINK THERE'S TWO PROPERTIES AT PLAY HERE, BUT REALLY THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS STRICTLY RELATED TO THE WALNUT STREET PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE OWNED BY THE CITY. AND SO IT'S NOT PRIVATELY OWNED.

AND THE CITY, AGAIN, WE BASED ON THE FUNDS THAT WERE UTILIZED AT THE TIME THE PROPERTIES WERE PURCHASED, THE LAND CAN ONLY BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE EXECUTING OR HOPING TO EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT WITH BRANDYWINE.

SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONVEY THE LAND TO THEM IN EXCHANGE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.

AND AGAIN, THE IMPETUS FOR THIS AGREEMENT WAS THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARKET RATE UNITS AT 3717 FRUIT STREET, WHICH IS A PRIVATE PROPERTY.

HOWEVER, THIS AGREEMENT CAN, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, STANDALONE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE STREET PROJECT IS IN THE EQUATION.

GOOD, THANK YOU. THE INITIAL EXPENSE WAS, WAS IT MR. RUSSI, IF I'M CORRECT, FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS BACK WHEN.

IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T REMEMBER BECAUSE THEY WERE BOUGHT AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

MAIA DO YOU HAVE THAT? YEAH, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. YEAH. SO BUT, THAT WILL COME BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS ANYWAY, SO, OK, I THINK THAT WAS IT. NO OTHER NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, J.R.?

[01:25:06]

OK, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND GO BACK TO COUNCIL.

COUNCIL? SURE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND EXPRESS MY THOUGHTS NOW.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT THAT LA VERNE NEEDS TO KEEP ITS ARMS OPEN TO.

I THINK THAT THE LANDING AS MS. MCCURLEY WAS TALKING ABOUT, WAS A GREAT DEVELOPMENT WHERE THEY INCORPORATED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTO THE PROJECT ITSELF.

I ALSO AM FAMILIAR THAT IN CONSTRUCTION OFTENTIMES AN IN LIEU, PAYMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS PERFORMED, WHICH IS, I GUESS IN MY PERSPECTIVE, THE LEAST ATTRACTIVE OPTION.

AND I THINK THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY COMES SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE.

I THINK IT WE'RE GETTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT THE DEVELOPER'S BEING RESPONSIBLE AND DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE PROJECT, BUT ELSEWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS FALLOW LAND, WHICH HAS HAD TROUBLE FINDING A NICHE IN THE AFFORDABLE RANGE AND UTILIZING IT FOR THIS PROJECT IS A GREAT ONE.

AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE CONTRIBUTING LAND, RECEIVING A NOMINAL AMOUNT OF A DOLLAR, BUT NOT HAVING TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IS REALLY A WIN WIN.

SO I'M REALLY THRILLED WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISPOSE OF THIS LAND IN THIS MANNER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. OTHER COMMENTS COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.

I JUST THINK FOLLOWING THE STEPS WHEN WE PURCHASED THE LAND AND FOLLOWING THOSE FOOTSTEPS, IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER? AND I AGREE WITH WHAT MUIR SAID EXACTLY.

THAT IS, IT'S A WIN WIN FOR BOTH AND FOR THE HOUSING.

SO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THIS CONCEPT AS BEING ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN OF MINE. AND SINCE TWENTY FIFTEEN WHEN I GOT ON COUNCIL, WALNUT STREET HAS STARTED TO IMPROVE.

AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL AREA FOR A YOUNG FAMILY TO COME IN AT AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COST AND BE ABLE TO OCCUPY EIGHT HOMES WITH THREE PIECES OF PROPERTY.

IT JUST CONTINUES TO UPGRADE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BRING PEOPLE IN THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN THERE NOW THAT ARE REDOING THE HOMES AND STUFF.

AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE.

IT'S VERY NICE TO SEE.

SO I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT'S A WIN WIN FOR THE CITY. IT'S A WIN WIN FOR YOUNG RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND START A FAMILY AND GO TO SOME AMAZING SCHOOLS AND JUST A GREAT COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU.

I THINK THIS IT'S A WIN WIN FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. MISS MCCURLEY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SURE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 20-92 AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH BRANDYWINE ACQUISITION GROUP LLC. SECOND.

SECOND, COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR: AYE ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, MISS MCCURLEY.

THANK YOU, STAFF. WE MOVE TO ITEM C.

[7.c. Short-Term Rental Update]

MR. SCHERER, GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON RIGHT NOW, MR. MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE OR AT LEAST A BACKGROUND ON THE HISTORY OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.

AND WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

IN DECEMBER OF TWENTY NINETEEN, THE CITY COUNCIL GAVE STAFF DIRECTION TO ENACT A MORATORIUM ON SHORT TERM RENTALS BASED ON SOME RESIDENT CONCERNS WE HAD ON SOME PARTICULAR UNITS. AND THEN IN JANUARY OF 2020, THAT MORATORIUM WAS ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL SO THAT THE CITY COULD LOOK FORWARD TO DRAFTING AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ESTABLISH SOME REGULATIONS FOR SHORT TERM RENTS IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE.

THAT MORATORIUM DID HAVE AN EXCEPTION WHERE HOSTS COULD GET APPROVAL FROM THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SHORT TERM RENTALS DURING THE MORATORIUM, PROVIDED THEIR NEIGHBORS BASICALLY AGREED TO THAT.

THEN IN AUGUST OF TWENTY TWENTY, WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A IN-PERSON STUDY SESSION WITH HOSTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL REGULATIONS.

BUT DUE TO COVID, OBVIOUSLY THAT WASN'T POSSIBLE.

SO AUGUST, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE FINAL EXTENSION OF THAT MORATORIUM FOR ONE FINAL YEAR, SO AUGUST OF 2021 IS WHEN THE MORATORIUM WILL EXPIRE.

BUT WE HAD A STUDY SESSION VIRTUALLY BASICALLY THE SAME WAY WE ARE NOW ON NOVEMBER 16TH, 2020. AND WE DID RECEIVE QUITE A BIT OF INPUT FROM RESIDENTS, HOSTS THAT WERE SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.

STAFF AT THAT NOVEMBER 16TH MEETING, WENT THROUGH A STUDY SESSION PRESENTATION WHICH WAS

[01:30:06]

A SHORT TERM RENTAL IS A STAY FOR 30 DAYS OR LESS, A RENTAL, IN A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

THE DRAFT ORDINANCE WOULD ALLOW FOR ONE BOOKING PER DAY PER PROPERTY WITH A MAXIMUM OF TWO PEOPLE PER BEDROOM.

FOR EACH OF THOSE RESIDENTIAL UNITS WITH A MAXIMUM OF 10 PEOPLE, WE HAD A REQUIREMENT THAT THE HOST BE ON SITE DURING THAT BOOKING TIME.

SO IT WASN'T AN EMPTY HOUSE THAT ANYBODY COULD JUST BOOK AND HAVE.

THERE'D BE A RESPONSIBLE PARTY THERE AT THE PREMISES DURING THE STAY.

AND THEN WE ALSO ESTABLISHED THE NOTICING REQUIREMENTS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE REQUIRED IN THE MORATORIUM EXCEPTION, BUT BASICALLY SOMETHING THAT ORIGINALLY WE HAD PROPOSED AS WE WOULD NOTIFY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS THAT AN APPLICATION FILED FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL AND THAT IF WE RECEIVED 50 PERCENT OR MORE OBJECTIONS TO THAT RENTAL, THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE AUTOMATICALLY APPROVED TO THIS MINISTERIAL PROCESS, THIS OVER THE COUNTER PROCESS. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THAT STUDY SESSION ABOUT THAT 50 PERCENT RULE. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE'VE MODIFIED TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL PROVIDED TO STAFF AT THAT TIME.

AND SO IF A HOST WASN'T ABLE TO MEET ANY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, THEY COULD ALSO APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. SO WE BASICALLY MADE A SECOND ROUTE.

RIGHT. SO THE OVER THE COUNTER IS THE EASY WAY, A SIMPLE PROCESS, PROVIDED YOU CAN MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS. BUT IF FOR SOME REASON YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE OR MEET ANY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, THEN YOU COULD APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.

AND THAT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, A PUBLIC HEARING.

IT'D BE A LARGER NOTICE THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD SEND TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THAT DISCUSSION AND THAT DECISION.

AND OBVIOUSLY, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, SPECIAL CONDITIONS CAN BE APPLIED TO THAT PROJECT BASED ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE LOCATION OR WHAT THE PROPOSAL WAS FOR.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION IS ALSO APPEALABLE TO THE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL.

SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IF THERE WAS SUCH A SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MIGHT EVEN ULTIMATELY HEAR THAT HEARING IF THERE WAS AN APPEAL.

WELL, THEN NOVEMBER 16TH MEETING THE COUNCIL DID PROVIDE STAFF WITH FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. AND WE IDENTIFIED SIX AREAS THAT WE FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO DO MORE RESEARCH OR COME BACK TO YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

AND TO GO OVER WHAT THOSE TOPICS WERE FIRST THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT REQUIRED FOR PARKING. SOME OTHER CITIES DO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC PARKING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE FELT WERE GOING TO BE PRETTY TEDIOUS FOR STAFF TO TRY TO ENFORCE AND ENACT, BUT WE THINK THAT HAVING A GENERAL COMMENT THAT BASICALLY REQUIRES THAT HOSTS PROVIDE OFF STREET PARKING FOR THEIR GUESTS.

THAT WAY, IF WE DO END UP HAVING A PARKING ISSUE AT ONE OF THE LOCATIONS, WE COULD GO BACK AND SEE IF THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING THAT THE OFF STREET PARKING SO THAT THE VEHICLES FOR THEIR GUESTS AREN'T ACCOMMODATED ON THE PROPERTY.

IF THEY AREN'T THAT'S A REASON FOR US TO EITHER DENY OR REVOKE A PERMIT.

SO IT'S A GENERAL CONDITION, BUT WE THINK THAT IT PROBABLY SATISFIES THE CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED REGARDING PARKING FOR THESE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

AND THEN ON THE NOTICING.

SO AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION AND STAFF WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT IT.

WE CAME UP WITH LANGUAGE THAT WOULD BASICALLY REQUIRE THAT WE NOTIFY AT A MINIMUM, SIX SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS.

AS WE MENTIONED AT THE STUDY SESSION, THE WAY THAT THE CITY IS CONFIGURED, WE HAVE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE WE HAVE A TRADITIONAL GRID PATTERN BLOCK WHERE IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS ARE.

WE ALSO HAVE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WITH CURVED STREETS AND AWKWARD OR IRREGULARLY SHAPED PROPERTIES WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.

SO WE THOUGHT IF WE AT LEAST MADE SURE WE NOTIFIED THE SIX CLOSEST SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE APPLICATION AND THEN IF AT LEAST THREE OF THOSE OWNERS OBJECTED.

SO MAYBE IN ONE CASE WE MIGHT NOTIFY 10 PROPERTY OWNERS.

BUT IN ORDER FOR THE OBJECTION BASICALLY TO COME UP TO NOT ALLOW THE OVER THE COUNTER APPROVAL, ONLY THREE WOULD HAVE TO OBJECT IN THAT SCENARIO.

[01:35:04]

AND THEN IF AT LEAST THREE OR MORE OBJECT, THEN THEY NO LONGER OWN THAT OVER THE COUNTER [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO BE CONSIDERED THAT WAY. SO WE THINK THAT KIND OF ADDRESSED THE CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED OF NOT JUST HAVING A GENERAL 50 PERCENT RULE, BUT HAVING A MINIMUM OF THREE AND A MINIMUM OF SIX NOTIFIED THAT WAY.

THERE WAS A QUESTION OR A REQUEST THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER BE THE APPLICANT IN ALL CASES.

AND SO WE CAN DO THAT. AND WE'VE MODIFIED THE LANGUAGE IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO HAVE THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO BE THE APPLICANT, BUT THEY CAN ASSIGN A HOST.

SO IF IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMEBODY ELSE, A RESPONSIBLE PARTY, BASICALLY, THAT WOULD BE THERE ON SITE DURING THESE BOOKINGS.

WE MADE SURE THAT WE EXCLUDED CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 FROM COUNTING TOWARDS THAT MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY NUMBER THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

AND THEN THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY IDENTIFY UNITS THAT MIGHT BE ADVERTISING FOR LONGER THAN 30 DAYS, BUT THEN ALLOWING FOR EARLY TERMINATION OF THOSE THOSE RENTALS, WHICH WOULD BYPASS THE CITY'S ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS THE COLLECTION OF TOT OR THE TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX THAT THE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE SUBJECT TO.

SO WE TALKED TO AIRBNB AS THEY'RE THE LARGEST HOSTING PLATFORM AND THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH US ON THESE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES TO IDENTIFY.

THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO AUTOMATICALLY TRACK THOSE AND CATCH THOSE IF THAT WAS HAPPENING.

BUT RIGHT NOW, STAFF BELIEVES WE ONLY HAVE AROUND 12 TO 20 ACTIVE AIRBNB'S IN THE CITY TO WHERE THE MANAGEABLE NUMBER TO WHERE, I THINK WE WOULD KNOW THAT IF THAT WAS HAPPENING, THAT AIRBNB COMMITTED BASICALLY TO WORK WITH US AND THAT WE COULD PUT LANGUAGE AND WE PLAN ON PUTTING LANGUAGE IN THE FINAL ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT TO BE ENFORCED BASICALLY EITHER ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS OR IF TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES OR THERE'S OTHER METHODS OF US TO TRY TO TRACK THIS, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING THOSE ONES THAT ARE TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT THIS ORDINANCE.

AND THEN LASTLY, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE FINES THAT WE COULD LEVY AGAINST PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE.

WE DID LOOK AT IT CLOSELY, AND STATE LAW REALLY RESTRICTS US ON WHAT THE FINES WE COULD APPLY FOR, SO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW, BUT WE CAN'T DOUBLE FEE THOSE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS RESTRICTIONS ON THE CITY.

SO AS IT'S A DAILY OFFENSE THAT CAN BE CITED, WE THINK THAT IF WE REALLY HAD SOMEBODY THAT WAS REALLY JUST THUMBING THEIR NOSE AT US, BASICALLY WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPLY THESE ADMINISTRATES CITATION FINES ON THEM ON A DAILY BASIS TO WHERE IT WOULD ADD UP FAIRLY QUICKLY. SO WE THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TODAY IS PROBABLY ADEQUATE ENOUGH FOR US TO GAIN COMPLIANCE IN THOSE INSTANCES.

SO WITH THAT, I THINK THAT ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS AND THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RAISED THAT NOVEMBER MEETING.

STAFF, THE ORDINANCE OBVIOUSLY DOES HAVE TO GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE OUR PLANNING COMMISSION AND BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, WE EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS. THE ORDINANCE IS MOSTLY DRAFTED, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR SOME FEEDBACK FROM AIRBNB ON SOME OF THE KEY COMPONENTS THAT WE HAVE BUILT INTO IT.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM NOW.

ANOTHER WRENCH IN IT WAS THAT, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE KNOWN, AIRBNB RECENTLY WENT PUBLIC AND SO THEIR STAFF HAD SOME LIMITED ACCESS TO THEIR OWN SYSTEM BASICALLY DURING THAT PROCESS.

SO WE'RE HOPEFUL AFTER THAT IN THE HOLIDAYS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BE BACK IN TOUCH WITH THEM TO FURTHER DISCUSS THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, BUT THAT THIS WOULD COME BACK TO YOU IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS IN A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SCHERER.

COUNCIL, BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR SCHERER? I BELIEVE YOU DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC-- I WAS JUST ASKING COUNCIL IF THEY WOULD.

BEFORE WE GO TO--JR, DO WE HAVE A PERSON ON CALL.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE GEORGE RICHARDS.

MR. RICHARDS, YOU'RE LIVE.

MR. RICHARDS, MERRY CHRISTMAS.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. YES, HELLO.

HELLO. WE'RE LIVE.

HELLO, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU. BECAUSE GEORGE RICHARDSON, I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING WE HAD AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS OF.

[01:40:02]

MY CONCERN IS ALSO WITH THE NEIGHBORS I'VE ALREADY GOTTEN MY SIX NEIGHBORS TO SIGN THE PETITION. AND IF WE SEND IT OUT AGAIN AND THEY DON'T RESPOND.

HOW DOES THAT WORK IF THEY JUST SAY, WELL, I ALREADY SIGNED A PETITION AND IF THEY DON'T RETURN IT, WILL THAT AFFECT WHETHER I CAN CONTINUE DOING BUSINESS AND THEN COLLECTING OF THE TOT I KNOW I HAD ASKED THE CITY TO TALK TO AIRBNB ABOUT COLLECTING IT, WHICH THEY DO IN SOME CITIES.

AND THAT WAY, I DON'T HAVE TO BE TAKING IT OUT OF WHAT WE CHARGE.

IT WOULD ALREADY BE ON THE.

ON THEIR BILL THAT THEY PAID.

[INAUDIBLE] MAKE IT EASIER FOR ACCOUNTING AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT'S TAKING CARE OF . THAT'S MY CONCERNS.

[INAUDIBLE] I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT WAS GOING TO BE FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THAT'S A VERY HIGH COST TO A LOT OF NIGHTS OF RENTING OUR ROOM TO COVER THAT FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.

IF MY DAUGHTER IS NOT ABLE TO BE THE ONE TO HOST AND TO BE IN THE HOME.

THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I'LL WAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

THANK YOU, MR. RICHARDS. THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR SCHERER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO FIRST? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE ON? JR? THERE ARE NO OTHER REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SIR.

MR. SCHERER, YOU COMMENT ON A NUMBER OF THESE THINGS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND.

SURE, YES. SO IN THIS GENTLEMAN'S INSTANCE, HE WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY NEED THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.

CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENTS SORRY.

WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT RIGHT NOW, LET'S GO TO DIRECTOR SCHERER.

THANK YOU. SO, YES.

SO IN HIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, HE WOULD NOT NEED A CONDITIONAL PERMIT BASED ON THE DRAFT LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE, AS HE COULD ASSIGN HIS DAUGHTER.

HE COULD BE THE APPLICANT AND SIGN HIS DAUGHTER AS BEING THE HOST WHO LIVES ON THE SITE AND THAT WOULD COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN OVER THE COUNTER PERMIT.

SO IF THAT'S THE ONLY ISSUE THAT HE HAD, HE WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THE CONDITIONAL PERMIT PROCESS.

IN TERMS OF NOTICING.

WE STILL WOULD UPDATE THE NOTICE WITH HIS NEIGHBORS IN TERMS OF LETTING THEM KNOW THAT HE'S APPLIED TO THIS NEW PROCESS.

BUT I HAVE TO IMAGINE IF THOSE ARE THE SAME NEIGHBORS THAT ARE THERE THAT HAVE ALLOWED HIM THAT SIGNED OFF EARLIER, THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY REASON FOR THEM TO SIGN OR TO NOT TO NOT OPPOSE IT.

THERE'S NO ACTIVE WORK THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO, UNLIKE CURRENTLY UNDER THE MORATORIUM.

AND THE APPLICANTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THAT WORK EITHER.

THAT'S A STAFF LEVEL REVIEW.

WE SEND THEM A LETTER AND SAY THEY HAVE 10 DAYS TO CONTACT US.

IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS, IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM THEM AFTER THAT TEN DAYS, THEN IT PASSES.

SO IT'S REALLY NOT THAT ANY MORE WORK ON HIS PORTION TO COMPLY WITH THE NOTICING REQUIREMENT. SO I THINK THAT THE ORDINANCE, AS DRAFTED, MOSTLY ADDRESSES HIS CONCERNS AND WOULD ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS HE HAS BEEN.

WHAT ABOUT THE TOT AS FAR AS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WITH THE SERVICE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE SERVICE COULD DO OR HE HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THE TOT AND THE COLLECTION.

YES, THE TOT WILL BE COLLECTED BY THE HOSTING PLATFORMS. THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE.

SO WHEN SOMEBODY BOOKS THAT, THEY PAY IT DIRECTLY AND THEN THE HOSTING PLATFORM GIVES US THOSE FUNDS BACK ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, BASICALLY, THAT'S HOW IT TYPICALLY WORKS.

SO HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

IT'S DONE ON THE ON THE HOSTING PLATFORM SIDE.

AND THE CUSTOMER IS THE ONE THAT PAYS FOR IT.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SCHERER. QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.

YES, I GUESS, ERIC, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT THIS SO PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CUP.

THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FEE OF FIFTEEN HUNDRED IS JUST THE INITIAL FEE.

THAT'S NOT AN ANNUAL FEE THAT THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN.

ISN'T THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

YEAH, THAT'S THE COST OF PROCESSING THAT CUP THE PUBLIC NOTICING, NEWSPAPER POSTINGS, EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT ONCE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS GRANTED, IT RUNS AND IT DOES NOT

[01:45:04]

SO IT IS A ONE TIME DEAL.

YES. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS AREN'T SEEING THAT FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS AS AN ANNUAL FEE THAT THEY WANT TO RUN AWAY FROM.

I THINK THAT I THINK YOU'RE OVER THE COUNTER LOOKS FINE.

I'M PLEASED THAT WE'RE GOING TO WRITE THE ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY WHO WOULD WOULD FALL INTO A SHORT TERM RENTAL WOULD GET CHARGED THE TOT AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT AIRBNB AND OTHER PLATFORMS CAN PROGRAM THEIR SOFTWARE TO MEET OUR ORDINANCES.

AS YOU CONCURED WITH AIRBNB.

I GET THE FACT THAT THEY HAD AN IPO OR THEY'RE HAVING AN IPO AND THAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH THEIR PROMISES.

I'VE GONE THROUGH ONE IPO MYSELF AND IT'S INTERESTING HOW COMPANIES BEHAVE AT THAT POINT IN TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDERNEATH A MAGNIFYING GLASS BY EVERYBODY.

BUT I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE THAT THE OVER THE COUNTER IS TOO BURDENSOME THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

I'M THRILLED THAT THE TOT IS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE THIRD PARTY PLATFORMS. AND I THINK THAT ANY CONVERSION FROM A LONG TERM STAY TO A SHORT TERM STAY IS GOING TO BE CAUGHT AND CHARGED TOT WHICH IS REALLY THE RIGHT OUTCOME.

SO I'M HAPPY WITH THE YOUR ORDINANCE AS YOU'VE DEVELOPED IT.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL, OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR SCHERER.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.

I HAVE NONE AT THIS.

THANK YOU. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE CROSSED OUR T'S AND DOT OUR I'S AND I THINK.

YES, SIR, MR. RUSSI. IF I MAY, AND I'M SENSING GENERAL CONCURRENCE HERE WITH COUNCIL, WITH COUNCIL'S SUPPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST CIRCLE BACK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAU ASSUMING THERE ARE NO CONCERNS THAT ARE RAISED THERE, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO GET HER INPUT, I THINK IT'LL BE FINE. BUT AT LEAST BEFORE AND WE'LL REPORT BACK, WE CAN SCHEDULE AN INDIVIDUAL MEETING IN THAT REGARD. YEAH, YOU HAVE CONCURRENCE FROM US HERE, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. JUST TO.

YEAH, BECAUSE A LOT OF WORK'S BEEN GONE THROUGH THIS.

BUT THANK YOU, MR. SCHERER.

APPRECIATE IT. SO YOU HAVE CONCURRENCE FROM US TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND WE'LL CHECK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.

WE WILL DEVELOP IN THE LANGUAGE, TAKE IT THROUGH THE HEARING PROCESS AND THEN IT'LL BE BACK BEFORE YOU. ERIC, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BEST GUESS OF TIME FRAME? LIKE I SAID, PROBABLY TWO TO THREE MONTHS.

WE HAVE TO DO THE [INAUDIBLE] FOR PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] FOR COUNCIL. SO FEBRUARY, MARCH.

VERY GOOD. OK, GO WITH THAT, WE GO NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENT, JR, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBER I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE THIS.

I'M SORRY. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS I'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE INQUIRIES ABOUT THE TREES DOWN ON ARROW HIGHWAY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT.

SO EVERYBODY HEARS EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE IT'S A BIG CHANGE DOWN THERE.

ALL THE TREES ALONG ARROW HIGHWAY BEING REMOVED ARE WITHIN THE RAILROAD CORRIDOR AND ARE WITHIN THE AREA NEEDED FOR THE FOOTHILL GOLD LINE PROJECT.

THE PROJECT NEEDS ABOUT ONE HUNDRED FEET OF WIDTH THROUGHOUT THE RAIL ALIGNMENT AND IN SOME AREAS MORE THAN THAT.

THE SPACE IS NEEDED TO ALLOW ENOUGH ROOM TO RELOCATE THE SINGLE FREIGHT TRAIN TRACKS THAT IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE RAIL CORRIDOR TO INSTALL 2 NEW TRACKS FOR THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, ALONG WITH OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF THE PROJECT, SUCH AS NEW, DEDICATED RIGHT TURN LANES AT INTERSECTIONS AND NEW DRAINAGE UNDERGROUND.

EACH TREE THAT IS BEING REMOVED MUST BE LOGGED BY SIZE AND SPECIES FOR THAT REASON.

SO THAT CAN BE REPLACED IN KIND AND PER THE AGENCY'S TREE REPLACEMENT POLICY, THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY REVISED THE PLANS FOR THE PROJECT TO IDENTIFY A PORTION OF THE RAIL CORRIDOR THROUGH LA VERNE THAT CAN BE USED FOR REVEGETATION ONCE THE MAIN LINE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE AND WE WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO SELECT APPROPRIATE SIZE TREES TO PLANT IN THAT AREA THAT ARE SAFE TO GROW AND CLOSE TO THE RAIL CORRIDOR.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE A LOT ARE CONCERNED WITH ALL THE TREES COMING DOWN.

BUT I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GOING TO BE REPLACED.

BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT AREA ONE HUNDRED FEET FROM THE CORRIDOR.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, APPRECIATE THAT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

J.R., WE'RE READY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]

SO I HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE CUED UP AND READY TO GO, AND THEN WE'LL END UP HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY GETTING THE OTHER ONES ONLINE.

OK. MR.

[01:50:02]

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JACKSON SALINAS ON THE LINE.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MR. SALINAS.

HELLO AGAIN. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS, IS THERE A WAY WE COULD JOIN THE LAWSUIT [INAUDIBLE] OVER THE STAY AT HOME ORDER BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS FOR ANY LONGER.

BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO BE CLOSED FOREVER.

WE GOT STEP UP OUR GAME.

AND ALSO, PEOPLE LIKE ME WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK, FOR PETE'S SAKE.

WE JUST CAN'T LIVE ON UNEMPLOYMENT ANY LONGER.

ALSO, HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

THANK YOU. MR. SALINAS.

YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALSO.

THANK YOU, MR. SALINAS. MR. PRENTICE, ARE YOU THERE? I'M HERE.

MR. PRENTICE, YOU ARE LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL, MR. MAYOR IT'S TERRY PRENTICE. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRENTICE. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. RUSSI. TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN TO THE PROPOSED CONTRACT WITH L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT.

IF YOU ANALYZE THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROPOSAL AND EXTEND OUT THE COST OF LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT VERSUS L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT OVER THE LIFE OF THE FIRST 10 YEAR CONTRACT INSTEAD OF ONLY THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, AS WAS DONE BY BOTH THE CITY STAFF REPORT AND ALSO THE [INAUDIBLE] REPORT, YOU WILL COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE. THE CITY'S PROJECTED ANNUAL INCREASES OF THREE POINT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT FOR EACH YEAR OF THE CONTRACT IS A REASONABLE PROJECTION BASED UPON HISTORICAL DATA. THE COUNTY FIRE PROPOSAL SPECIFIES FIVE POINT FIVE PERCENT ANNUAL INCREASES FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.

IN YEAR SIX, IT IS THE AVERAGE OF THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL ONE PERCENT . IN YEAR SEVEN, EIGHT AND NINE, THE ANNUAL INCREASE FOR EACH YEAR WILL BE CALCULATED THE AVERAGE OF THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL ONE PERCENT.

THIS PUTS THE ANNUAL INCREASE AT YEAR TEN AT SEVEN POINT SIX PERCENT.

THE COUNTY STARTS OFF AT A LOWER ANNUAL COST OF A LITTLE OVER A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR YEAR ONE. THEN THE YEAR FOUR THE COUNTY COSTS EXCEED THE PROJECTED LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT COST PROJECTIONS SLIGHTLY.

AT THE END OF THE FIRST FIVE YEARS THE SAVINGS UNDER L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT WOULD BE A LITTLE OVER SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE 10 YEAR CONTRACT, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A 10 YEAR CONTRACT, NOT A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, THE TOTAL COST OF L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT EXCEEDS THE PROJECTED COST OF THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT BY OVER SEVEN POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS DUE TO THE RAPID ESCALATION CAUSED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH GETS TO THE L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT TARGET FOR INCREASES.

THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING 10 YEARS.

ASSUMING THE SAME ANNUAL PROJECTED COST OF YEAR 10 OF THE FIRST CONTRACT GOING FORWARD WITH LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THREE POINT TWO FIVE PERCENT ANNUALLY AND L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT AT SEVEN POINT SIX PERCENT ANNUALLY THEN THE COST OF L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT EXCEED THE PROJECTED COST OF THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT BY EIGHTY FIVE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.

SO OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THE CITY WILL BE PAYING A LITTLE OVER 93 MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE PROJECTED COSTS FOR MAINTAINING LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RECEIVE A LESSER DAILY SERVICE LEVEL AND A MUCH LESS QUALITY EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE SERVICE THAN HAVING NO HOPE OF FUTURE IMPROVED SERVICES AT LESS COST.

THIS DOES NOT EVEN TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WILL BE COMING IN THOSE 20 YEARS BECAUSE L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT HAS NO CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND BUT DEDICATED AND RESTRICTED FUNDING TO REPLACE AGING AND OBSOLETE FIRE EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVELS. EVEN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS ARE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW TO HAVE AN AUDITED CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND. IT IS FINANCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR L.A.

COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT NOT TO HAVE A VIABLE CAPITAL REPLACEMENT FUND.

THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. PRENTICE. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE LINDA LOCKHART WILKINSON ON THE LINE.

GO AHEAD. MERRY CHRISTMAS, MS. WILKINSON. THIRTY TWO YEAR LA VERNE RESIDENT AND OWNER OF FIVE HISTORIC HOMES IN LA VERNE . I'D LIKE TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON MOVING THE HOUSE AND BUNGALOW FROM 2109 WHITE AVENUE TO THE CORNER OF 1ST AND F STREET, WHERE THE OLDEST WOOD HOUSE IN LA VERNE FROM 1885, IS LOCATED. PRINCIPAL PLANNER CANDICE BOWCOCK HAS BEEN DILIGENT IN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AS MOVING A HOUSE HAS NOT HAPPENED IN OUR CITY FOR MANY DECADES AND IS SOMEWHAT OF AN

[01:55:02]

THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BUILDING CODE MANDATES THE CITY COUNCIL ONLY AFTER REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHALL BY RESOLUTION GRANT THE MOVE.

THEREFORE, PLANNER CANDICE BOWCOCK TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR APPROVAL AND ISSUANCE OF PERMITS TO RELOCATE THE HOUSE AND BUNGALOW ARE THE NEXT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON JANUARY 13TH FOR REVIEW FEBRUARY 1ST BACK ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL BY RESOLUTIONS.

FEBRUARY 2ND, THE APPLICATION FOR AN OVERSIZE LOAD PERMIT AND RELOCATION PERMIT CAN BE PROCESSED AND ISSUED.

IN THE MEANTIME, CONTRACTOR MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE] AND HOUSE MOVER ERIC BRANCH ARE REQUESTING TO PREPARE FOR THE MOVE.

PREPARATIONS INCLUDE CLEARING A PATHWAY TO MOVE THE STRUCTURES OFF OF THE WHITE AVENUE PROPERTY ON TO FIRST STREET, RELEASING THE HOUSES FROM THE FOUNDATION, REINFORCING THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE TO ALLOW THE ROOF TO BE REMOVED TO CLEAR UTILITY LINES GOING DOWN FIRST STREET, I HAVE REQUESTED PERMISSION FROM THE TRUSTEE OF THE MARTHA H.

MARSH TRUST, WHICH OWNS THE PROPERTY TO ALLOW THE PREPARATIONS TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK.

THIS WAY, THE HOUSES WILL BE READY FOR RELOCATION JUST AS SOON AS THE CITY CAN PROCESS THE PERMIT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I WISH YOU SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON.

GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS WILKINSON.

MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE RICK BOWEN ON THE LINE.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MR. BOWEN.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I HAVE THREE COMMENTS AND ONE QUESTION.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT INDEED, ZACH GIBSON, WHEN HE RAN FOR MAYOR, WAS THE PERSON, THE ONLY PERSON THAT SUGGESTED THE CITY HAVE A COMMUNICATION INFORMATION OFFICER. AND IT WOULD BE NICE FOR COUNCIL PEOPLE LIKE MR. DAVIS TO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT, BUT GIVE IT TO THE PUBLIC THAT SUGGESTED IT.

NUMBER TWO, LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SHORT TERM RENTALS, MAYBE WE COULD APPLY SOME OF THE SAME RULES ABOUT NOTIFYING YOUR NEIGHBORS AND REQUESTING THEIR APPROVAL TO THE TEEN CENTER, GO TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT WILL BE CLOSELY AFFECTED, SEE IF THEY WILL SIGN OFF. YOU PASSED THIS FOR THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.

WHY NOT DO IT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE TEEN CENTER ACROSS THE STREET FROM THEIR HOUSE? MY QUESTION IS ABOUT WHEN THE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS PASSED, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT HIRING THE FINANCE MANAGER INSTEAD OF THE INTERIM.

AND AT THAT TIME, I BELIEVE IT WAS JULY, THE CITY MANAGER INDICATED HE WOULD HAVE TWO TO THREE VETTED CANDIDATES BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER.

SO I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT.

AND IS THERE EVER GOING TO BE A FINANCE DIRECTOR HIRED FOR THE CITY? SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY, PRETTY IMPORTANT POSITION.

AND LASTLY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I HOPE WE ALL PRAY FOR COUNCILPERSON LAO'S FATHER, FOR A FAST AND QUICK FULL RECOVERY.

OTHERWISE, MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY.

HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR.

THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. YOU ALSO.

JR? YES MR. MAYOR WE ARE BRINGING ON WHAT I BELIEVE IS OUR LAST CALLER THAT WE HAVE FOR A REQUEST.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

THANK YOU, VERY HAPPY.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

[02:00:02]

[INAUDIBLE] IN FACT, ISLAM TEACHES US TO BELIEVE IN ALL THE PROPHETS AND HOLY SCRIPTURES SENT BY GOD IN ANY ERA, IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, TO AND TO ANY NATION.

SO WE DO BELIEVE IN JESUS, MOSES, KRISHNA AND ALL OF THE PROPHETS.

BUT AS HINDUS, JEWS AND CHRISTIANS ARE BELIEVERS OF OUR OWN [INAUDIBLE], MOSES AND JESUS.

THIS IS A TRUE ESSENCE OF ISLAM.

LET ME PRESENT HERE A FEW POINTS SO THE AUDIENCE CAN UNDERSTAND THE REAL AND HIGH STATUS OF MARY AND JESUS IN ISLAM, IN THE HOLY QURAN, GOD REVEALED A FULL CHAPTER CALLED [INAUDIBLE] OR CHAPTER OF MARY.

NUMBER TWO, ACCORDING TO THE VERSES, 19 TO 22 OF THE CHAPTER OF THIS CHAPTER, JESUS WAS BORN WITHOUT FATHER AND HE WAS A SIGN AND MERCY OF GOD.

NUMBER 3, SOME PEOPLE ATTACK MARY AND JESUS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HIS FATHER.

THE HOLY QURAN DEFENDS THIS HOLY MOTHER AND HER HOLY SON.

GOD SAYS IN CHAPTER THREE VERSE 60.

SURELY THE CASE OF JESUS WITH ALLAH IS LIKE THE CASE OF ADAM.

HE CREATED HIM OUT OF DIRT.

THEN HE SAID TO HIM, BE AND HE WAS.

GOD IS STATING THAT HE CREATED JESUS WITHOUT FATHER AS HE CREATED ADAM.

SO HOW CAN YOU SPEAK AGAINST THEM? NUMBER FOUR GOD DEFENDS MARY AND JESUS AND ESTABLISHES THE DIGNITY IN CHAPTER FIVE, VERSE 76 BY SAYING AND HIS MOTHER WAS A TRUTHFUL WOMAN.

NUMBER FIVE IN CHAPTER 66 OF THE HOLY QURAN, VERSE 13.

GOD PRESENTS MARY AS A WISE WOMAN, HE SAID.

AND THE EXAMPLE OF MARY, THE DAUGHTER OF [INAUDIBLE] WHO GUARDED HER [INAUDIBLE].

AND FINALLY, GOD SAID IN CHAPTER THREE VERSE 36 THAT THE MOTHER OF MARY DEDICATED HER BEFORE HER BIRTH TO THE SERVICE OF GOD, FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MOTHER OF MARY, THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS OF THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNITY HAVE DEDICATED MORE THAN 50000 [INAUDIBLE] TO SERVE GOD.

BEFORE THE [INAUDIBLE] TO ESTABLISH HIS NAME IN THE WORLD FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PEACE, THESE ISLAMIC TEACHINGS UNITE US WITH MARY, JESUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS AND INSPIRE A SPECIAL LOVE IN OUR HEARTS. MAY GOD BLESS US TO BE REALLY UNITED IN THE WORLD.

AMEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

AND MR. MAYOR, I WAS I MISSPOKE, WE HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING TO SPEAK AS WELL. OH, OF COURSE.

ONE MOMENT.

THIS IS SO INTERESTING.

MR. MAYOR, I HAVE [INAUDIBLE] SKINNER ON THE LINE.

GOOD EVENING, MISS SKINNER.

AND I THINK YOU ARE THE QUEEN OF CHAMBERS THAT NOT CORRECT THE QUEEN OF THE CHAMBER.

MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

GOOD EVENING MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THIS TECHNICALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT IT WAS MY ERROR IN MY EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS WITH LUPE.

I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE LA VERNE CHAMBER HAS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, ENCOURAGING OUR RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

ON OUR WEBSITE, WE DO HAVE A PAGE NOW CALLED LA VERNE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

AND THAT PAGE IS DEDICATED TO ALL OF OUR RESTAURANTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY SERVICES.

WE ARE HOPING THAT EVERYBODY WILL CALL THE RESTAURANT DIRECTLY INSTEAD OF USING THEIR APP DELIVERY SERVICE.

THE RESTAURANTS DON'T LOSE THAT PERCENTAGE.

WE ALSO STILL HAVE ONGOING OUR SHOP LA VERNE SCAVENGER HUNT, AND THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.

YOU CAN FIND THE SCAVENGER HUNT ON OUR WEBSITE AND FIVE LUCKY WINNERS WILL WIN A ONE HOUR FLIGHT WITH GLOBAL AVIATOR'S ACADEMY, WHERE YOU WILL BE UP IN THE AIR OVER L.A.

FOR AN HOUR, ACTUALLY HOLDING THE STICK, OF COURSE, WITH A PILOT SITTING SHOTGUN.

[02:05:04]

AND FINALLY, WE ARE OFFERING THE SHOP LA VERNE ECARD, WHICH IS THE ULTIMATE CONTACTLESS HOLIDAY GIFT THIS YEAR, YOU CAN USE IT JUST LIKE YOU WOULD A VISA OR MASTERCARD GIFT CARD. BUT THIS CAN ONLY BE USED AT LOCAL LA VERNE BUSINESSES.

WE HAVE ABOUT 11 VENDORS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ALREADY AND MORE COMING ON EVERY DAY.

AND ALL OF THIS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE, WWW.LAVERNECHAMBER.ORG.

AND I WANT TO WISH YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND GOOD RIDDANCE TO 2020.

THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE]/ WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.

YOU GUYS DO SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB.

LET'S SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WE ALWAYS DO.

BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND ALL YOUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

J.R..

SIR, THAT IS ALL THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.

I WILL REFRESH ONE MORE TIME.

AND NO OTHER NO OTHER REQUESTS ARE COMING THROUGH.

WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MOVE TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.

OR I'M SORRY, WE DID NOT ANSWER THAT. I'M SORRY, MR. RUSSI GO AHEAD BEFORE WE CLOSE.

YES, WE ARE.

THE TIMING HAS GOTTEN PUSHED OFF.

WE HAD TO GO BACK OUT TO RECRUITMENT DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

I EXPECT THAT WE ARE DOING INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK, I BELIEVE.

ACTUALLY ON THE 30TH.

SORRY. THANK YOU.

AND THEN WE WILL BE DOWN TO A SELECTION.

BUT I THINK IT WAS INACCURATE IN THAT I'M BRINGING SELECTIONS BACK TO COUNCIL.

THERE WOULD BE CANDIDATES THAT WOULD I WOULD BE CONSIDERING FOR THE FINAL SELECTION, BUT THAT SHOULD HOPEFULLY HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

THAT'S IT, MR. RUSSI? THAT'S IT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND LET'S MOVE TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.

[9. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]

I'M HAPPY TO GO FIRST.

IT'S A SHORT DAY AFTER ALL, HERE WE'VE HAD A COUNCIL MEETING ON THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR, THE WINTER SOLSTICE.

WE HAVE TWO PLANETS THAT ARE DANCING NEAR EACH OTHER IN THE SPACE.

AND I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

AND I WANT TO THANK MR [INAUDIBLE] FOR HIS WONDERFUL COMMENTS.

I THINK WE ARE A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY.

WE ACTUALLY SHARE MUCH MORE WITH EACH OTHER IN OUR VARIOUS RELIGIONS.

AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE OTHERS WHO WANT TO LIFT THAT UP.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HANG IN THERE.

WE'LL GET THROUGH THE COVID TIMES.

BUT HAPPY HOLIDAYS, PEACE, LOVE AND JOY TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. YES.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, MY FELLOW COUNCIL AND MAYOR, FOR JOINING ME ON SATURDAY NIGHT. WE HAD GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM ALL OF US.

AND WENDY WAS THERE ALSO.

BUT OUR STAFF DID AN AMAZING JOB FINDING AN ACTIVITY THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD ENJOY.

WE HAD WINTER WONDERLAND IN OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER PUT ON A WONDERFUL EVENT FOR THE CHILDREN, FOR THE FAMILIES TO DRIVE THROUGH.

WE WERE COVID SAFE, ALL HAD MASKS ON GLOVES, AND THEY HAD A CHANCE TO COME THROUGH WITH THE BIGGEST SMILES ON THESE KIDS FACES.

AND YVONNE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THIS EVENT.

AND I WANT TO SEND OUT KUDOS TO HER AND HER STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THEY DID.

AND IT WAS FESTIVE.

THE MUSIC, THE BLOW UPS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS REPRESENTED. AND IT WAS JUST EVEN I'M SORRY, OUR CHILD CARE ALSO WAS THERE TO HAVE ACTIVITIES FOR THEM.

AND WHAT A WONDERFUL EVENT.

BUT I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND BE SAFE.

ENJOY YOUR FAMILY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.

AND I AM PROUD TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.

COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. REALLY DO AGREE THAT THE WONDERFUL EVENT THAT WE HAD LAST SATURDAY. SEEING THE KIDS JUST EXCITED WAS WAS AMAZING.

WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAU'S FAMILY IS REALLY WEARING ON ME A LOT AND WORKING AS THE COVID LIAISON FROM MY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HEARING ABOUT FAMILIES JUST COMING IN CONTACT.

AND SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE EITHER IN CLOSE CONTACT OR THAT'S GOTTEN POSITIVE WITH COVID

[02:10:06]

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TOUGH DECISIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE THIS WEEK ABOUT BRINGING FAMILIES TOGETHER OR NOT.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO TELL EVERYONE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WITH THEIR HEART AND DO JUST ONE CHRISTMAS. WE'RE SEEING EVERYBODY OR EVERY CHRISTMAS AFTER.

AND SO EVERYBODY'S GOT TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION.

BUT I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A SAFE HOLIDAYS AND THAT WE WANT TO SEE EVERYBODY COMING IN THE NEW YEAR. AND PLEASE KEEP PRAYERS FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN HEALTH ISSUES AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I WAS REMISS.

BASICALLY, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA GFOA BACK IN LATE OCTOBER, HAS AWARDED THIS CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE FOR ITS COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT. CAFR REPORT WHERE THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30TH, 2019.

SO KUDOS TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

THEY RUN A TIGHT SHIP.

AS YOU KNOW, THEY SENT US 5000 PAGES OF FINANCIAL REPORTING.

AND YOU IT'S JUST IT'S AMAZING WHAT WHAT THEY GO THROUGH, THE NUMBERS THEY CRUNCH.

AND MR. DAVIS, YOU WOULD COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, YOU WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT, THAT IT'S A TIGHT SHIP. AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT GIVE THEM THE NUMBERS THAT THEY CAN PUT TO.

BUT KUDOS TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

I WANT TO FIRST BEFORE I THANK ANYONE, I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE FOR ALLOWING ME TO RUN FOR MAYOR. AND WITHOUT HER, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITH HER SUPPORT.

SO I LOVE HER DEARLY.

AND THANK YOU, PATTY. NUMBER TWO, I WANT TO THANK OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK WE GO THROUGH THIS YEAR, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY TRYING AND TOUGH YEAR FOR ALL OF US, ALL OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER LAU KNOWS, IT'S A TOUGH TIME FOR ALL OF US. COVID'S UPTICK.

THE DEATHS ARE TICKING.

IT'S JUST A TOUGH TIME.

BUT WE'RE A GREAT COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO ALL STICK TOGETHER.

WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES AS MUCH AS WE CAN BE SAFE AND GET THROUGH THIS TO THE NEXT YEAR. THE VACCINES ARE STARTING TO COME OUT.

THANK GOODNESS IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

BUT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON SAFETY AND PROTECTING OUR FAMILIES RIGHT NOW.

AND BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T THANK MY THE COUNCIL ENOUGH FOR ALL OF THEM.

AND OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER LAU FOR A SAFE AND SPEEDY RECOVERY OF HER FATHER.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ALSO MY MANTRA IS EAT, SHOP AND PRAY AND LET'S KEEP OUR MONEY IN LA VERNE, LET'S KEEP OUR BUSINESSES AS A CITY.

MR. RUSSI AND OUR COUNCIL AND OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS, WE CONSISTENTLY WORK WITH THEM TO OPEN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET OUR BUSINESSES BACK OPEN.

THEY ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THIS LAST SHUTDOWN WAS VERY TOUGH FOR ALL OF US.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE WHOLE STATE IS SHUTDOWN AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES.

BUT WE SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AND WE WILL CONTINUALLY WORK WITH OUR SUPERVISORS TO GET OUR CITY BACK OPEN AGAIN.

BUT BEING THAT SAID, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND EVERYONE HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. AND MR. RUSSI. I THINK YOU'RE GETTING THERE.

GO AHEAD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

I'M GETTING THERE.

WE WILL BE CANCELING OUR JANUARY FOURTH MEETING AND WE OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH AT 6:30 PM AGAIN.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. CALL THOSE PEOPLE YOU HAVEN'T TALKED TO IN A WHILE.

REACH OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN.

CONNECT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING PEOPLE WANT.

THEY JUST WANT A CONVERSATION, A FRIENDLY VOICE, OR DROP A CAKE OR COOKIES OR WHATEVER.

BUT EVERYONE, MERRY CHRISTMAS.

THANK YOU. MEETING'S ADJOURNED AT 8:45 PM BY EVERYONE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.