[00:00:02]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, LET'S CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT SIX THIRTY P.M.
[1. CALL TO ORDER ]
ON FEBRUARY 16TH, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, MR. DAVIS, IF HE COULD LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I APPRECIATE IT.PLEASE PLACE YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND REPEAT WITH ME.
WAIT, I'M LEAVING A PHRASE THAT I KNOW THAT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE FINE.
I TAKE SO MANY DIFFERENT ROOMS IN MY HOUSE I NEVER KNOW WHERE ANYTHING IS ANYMORE.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR UPCOMING EVENTS OR ANYTHING, MR. RUSSI? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
ANYTHING COME IN RECENTLY? NO, MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE NO REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS.
OK THEN WE'LL MOVE TO CONSENT CALENDAR.
[5. CONSENT CALENDAR ]
DO WE HAVE ANY DOES ANYBODY PULL ANYTHING OFF THE CONSENT CALENDAR OR ANY CHANGES? MR. MAYOR, NOTHING HAS COME THROUGH TO THE CITY CLERK REQUESTING FOR ANYTHING TO BE PULLED.THEN I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MR. DAVIS.
OK, WE'LL NEED A ROLL CALL FOR THAT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARINGS, ITEM SIX, MR. RUSSI.
[6. PUBLIC HEARINGS ]
YES, MR. MAYOR, I WILL TAKE THIS ITEM, BUT BEFORE I DO, I HAVE TO ANNOUNCE THAT MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER DOES HAVE TO DECLARE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS SHE IS ON THE BOARD OF AN HOA.THAT IS ONE OF THE HAS ONE OF THE ASSESSED PROPERTIES IN THIS PARTICULAR HEARING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO SAY C'EST LA VIE.
AND BEFORE I DO, THIS WAS A NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING AS IT RELATES TO WEED ABATEMENT AND THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE LISTED FOR ABATEMENT IN THE COMING YEAR.
WE FOUND OUT LATER TODAY THAT THERE WERE TWO PROPERTIES THAT WERE INADVERTENTLY LEFT OFF THE LIST.
AND SO THEY WERE NOT PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
THEY ACTUALLY ARE THE PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED TO SIERRA LA VERNE GOLF COURSE.
SO WE WILL BE BRINGING THOSE BACK TO YOU SEPARATELY AT A LATER DATE WHEN WE DO THE PROPER NOTICING AND SCHEDULING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WITH THAT, WITH US TONIGHT IS ALSO ROSANNE [INAUDIBLE].
WHO IS WITH THE COUNTY AG COMMISSIONER.
YES, I AM THE INSPECTOR FOR THE AREA.
YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE DIFFERENT FACE.
[INAUDIBLE] FINALLY RETIRED AFTER TWENTY FIVE YEARS.
SO YOU'LL BE SEEING ME FOR A WHILE.
AS I SAID, THIS WAS A NOTICE HEARING.
EACH YEAR THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING AND HELP WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL AS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE GO OUT AND DO ANNUAL INSPECTIONS.
WE HAVE DEFINED PROPERTIES THAT ARE TYPICALLY BEEN ON OUR LIST OR IDENTIFIED AS PROPERTIES THAT NEED TO DO SOME TYPE OF WEED CLEARANCE OR AT LEAST BE INSPECTED FOR SUCH .
THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE LISTED ON HERE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY AS WARRANTING INSPECTION.
AND THEY ARE BEING BROUGHT TO YOU TONIGHT TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS A PROTEST HEARING.
SO IF THAT PROPERTY OWNER WANTED TO CONTEST THAT HIS PROPERTY SHOULD BE THERE, HIS OR HER PROPERTY SHOULD BE LISTED, THIS WOULD BE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SUCH.
FROM HERE, THE INSPECTIONS WILL BE COMPLETED.
IF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, YOU WILL HAVE THERE'LL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING, AS YOU KNOW, PROBABLY OF JUNE, JULY, THAT THEN WOULD ATTACH WHATEVER COSTS.
TYPICALLY, IT'S JUST THE INSPECTION COSTS THAT END UP COMING OUT OR THE COST OF THE WORK FOR WEED ABATEMENT TO THE NEXT YEAR'S PROPERTY TAX ROLLS.
SO THIS HEARING TONIGHT IS ONLY A PROTEST HEARING FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE
[00:05:02]
BEING INSPECTED.DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, COUNCIL? DO WE THEN WE WILL WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT JR? MR. MAYOR, NO REQUEST FOR THIS ITEM.
WE'LL WAIT 15 OR 20 SECONDS TO MAKE SURE.
STILL NO PUBLIC COMMENT JR? NONE RECEIVED SIR.
WE'LL GO HEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL, ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS ON THIS ITEM? THEN WE WILL NEED A WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, WE NEED A, WE NEED A FIRST.
I SO MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER TWENTY ONE DASH ZERO SIX.
REMEMBER? [INAUDIBLE] I'D BE WAITING FOR A WHILE.
DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY WHEN WE WOULD BE EXPECTING THOSE OTHER TWO TO BE BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL? YES, WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT THEIR ANNUAL NOTICE TOMORROW AND THEN HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
OK, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
NEXT UP, OTHER MATTERS, MR. RUSSI?
[7.a. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for June 30, 2020 ]
[INAUDIBLE] SO WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, EACH YEAR, THE CITY HAS THEIR, THE AUDITORS COME IN AND DO A REVIEW OF OUR FINANCIALS AND THEN THERE IS A PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL THAT WILL BE BROUGHT IN PLACE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.AND SO THEY THE AUDITORS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR REVIEW.
AND MARK IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW AND THEN PASS IT ON OVER TO THE AUDITING FIRM.
AS YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR THE CITY GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THE BOOKS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR AND THEN AFTER THAT, WORKING WITH OUR AUDITORS TO PUT TOGETHER OUR FINANCIAL REPORT.
IN THIS INSTANCE, WE ARE DOING OUR FINANCIAL REPORT, BUT ALSO DOING THE WE CALL THE CAFR, THE COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS THE FINANCIAL REPORT WITH A LITTLE EXTRA MEAT IN THE FRONT AND A LITTLE EXTRA INFORMATION IN THE BACK.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON VERY DILIGENTLY.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT REPORT PREPARED.
OBVIOUSLY A GREAT JOB WITH WORKING WITH AUDITORS.
AND SO WE AS WE'VE KIND OF MENTIONED IN SOME OF OUR QUARTERLY REPORTS, KIND OF WHERE WE'RE ENDING UP WITH THE GENERAL FUND AND WE CAN KIND OF LET YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR [INAUDIBLE] OUR FINANCIAL RECORDS ARE IN ORDER AND THE AUDITORS WILL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT.
THE AS WE ENDED THE 2019, 20 FISCAL YEAR, JUNE 30TH, OUR GENERAL FUND ENDED WITH FUND BALANCE OF TEN POINT SEVENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.
WE STARTED WITH 11 MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE HAD A LOSS OF APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD ESTIMATED IN ONE OF OUR QUARTERLY UPDATES TO THE COUNCIL, THAT THAT WOULD THAT'S WHAT OUR PROJECTION WAS, A LOT LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD FIRST ANTICIPATED.
SO ACTUALLY A POSITIVE ENDING FOR US.
EVEN THOUGH THE FUND BALANCE WENT DOWN SLIGHTLY.
OVERALL OUR FOR ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
OUR FUND BALANCES INCREASED FROM FORTY POINT THREE MILLION TO FORTY POINT SEVEN MILLION, FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, OUR WATER AND SEWER FUNDS.
OUR NET POSITION DROPPED FROM FORTY SEVEN FORTY SEVEN POINT FIVE MILLION TO FORTY SEVEN POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THE CAFR OVERALL, I CAN I CAN SAY THAT THE CITY IS IN A STABLE FINANCIAL CONDITION, ACTUALLY A VERY SOLID, STABLE FINANCIAL CONDITION, IF I CAN USE THOSE WORDS.
AND THE CITY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON RESERVES AND WATCHING EXPENDITURES.
AND I THINK THAT'S BORNE OUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL REPORT AND THE NOTES AND ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
[00:10:05]
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO VERONICA FIRST TO TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE WILL BE SINCE WE DID PUT TOGETHER THE CAFR REPORT, WE WILL BE SUBMITTING IT TO THE TO THE NATIONAL FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION FOR THE EXCELLENCE AND FINANCIAL REPORTING AWARD.BASICALLY, THERE'S A HUGE CHECKLISTS OF INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE IN THE FINANCIAL REPORTS AND INFORMATION PRESENTED CERTAIN WAYS, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, NOT ONLY FINANCIAL, BUT DEMOGRAPHICS, THINGS THAT ARE REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT THE CITY.
SO WE WILL BE DOING THAT AFTER THE CAFR HOPEFULLY GETS APPROVED THIS EVENING.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO VERONICA FIRST AND THEN THE SHE CAN BRAG AND TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS AND THEN COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
WE CAN ENTERTAIN THEM AT THAT POINT.
WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YET FOR MR. ALVARADO? THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. HERNANDEZ AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO CALL YOU BRAD RAMS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS ON YOUR.
SO IT'S JUST RAMS. WE'RE GOING TO CALL YOUR RAMS. ALWAYS CALL PEOPLE BY THEIR LAST NAME SO THERE YOU'RE MR. RAMS. SO THAT'S THE ACTUALLY THAT'S THE ACRONYM FOR THE ACCOUNTING FIRM.
OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I STILL LIKE RAMS SO.
[LAUGHTER] WE'RE ALL RAM FANS.
SO I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A QUICK PRESENTATION AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
SO MY NAME IS VERONICA HERNANDEZ, I'M THE ENGAGEMENT SUPERVISOR FOR THIS AUDIT.
SO THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO PRESENT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL POSITION, RESULTS OF ITS OPERATIONS FAIRLY AND IN CONFORMITY WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
TO ADOPT SOUND ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES.
TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN INTERNAL CONTROLS TO PREVENT AND DETECT FRAUD.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO OBTAIN REASONABLE ASSURANCE THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE FREE OF MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT, TO EXAMINE ON A TEST BASIS EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THOSE AMOUNTS AND DISCLOSURES AND ASSESS ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES USED, ESTIMATES MADE, AND EVALUATE THE OVERALL FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION.
TO REVIEW THE CITY'S INTERNAL CONTROL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE FAIRLY PRESENTED IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY APPLIED, ESTIMATES APPEAR REASONABLE, AND DISCLOSURES HAVE BEEN PROPERLY REFLECTED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
OTHER KEY POINTS TO NOTE IS THERE WAS NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT, NO MATERIAL ERRORS OR IRREGULARITIES DISCOVERED, NO SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING ISSUES DISCOVERED AND FRAUD COMMUNICATIONS WERE MADE WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NO MATERIAL FINDINGS WERE NOTED.
SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
AND I'LL JUST JUMP IN HERE REALLY QUICK, THE AUDIT THIS YEAR LOOKED A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN IT HAS IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS BECAUSE OF COVID.
WE DID OUR AUDIT ENTIRELY REMOTELY OF THE CITY.
AND WE WANT TO THANK MARK AND CHRISTY AND MR. RUSSI AND THEIR TEAM FOR ACCOMMODATING THAT.
WE DID PROBABLY MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF OUR AUDITS REMOTE THIS YEAR, INCLUDING YOUR CITY'S AUDIT.
AND IT DID LOOK DIFFERENT, BUT IT WAS A LOT MORE WORK, PROBABLY FOR THEM TO HAVE TO GATHER DOCUMENTATIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INSPECT AND HAND BACK TO THEM.
BUT THEY HAD TO SCAN IT AND SEND IT TO US OR SET UP THESE ZOOM KIND OF MEETINGS AND DO SOME OBSERVATIONS AND INCREASE FACE TO FACE.
BUT THANKS TO THAT WHOLE TEAM FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE AND EVERYTHING, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE PROCEDURES WE NEEDED TO IN ORDER TO MEET ALL THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND COME TO THE UNMODIFIED OPINION OR THE CLEAN OPINION THAT YOU'RE GETTING ON THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND I'M GLAD THAT MARK SHARED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOING SUBMITTING YOUR CAFR FOR AN AWARD AND JUST IT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR CAFR THAT YOU RECEIVE THE AWARD FOR THE PRIOR YEAR AND WITH ALL EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE IT AGAIN FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD CELEBRATE.
IT'S A GOOD RECOGNITION OF THE MARKS OF EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, YES COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
[00:15:02]
MARK AND CHRISTY ARE THE MOST LEVEL HEADED, SOFT SPOKEN PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND CAN EXPLAIN IT TOTALLY.I MET WITH MARK A LITTLE BIT TODAY JUST TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT'S SO DETAILED AND HE JUST UNDERSTANDS AND CAN EXPLAIN SO PROFOUNDLY.
AND THE AWARD I KNOW LAST YEAR WAS A LOT TO DO WITH THEIR WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE.
AND MARK, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND PLEASE PASS ON TO CHRISTY.
I KNOW THAT'S HARD WORK TO DO.
AN AUDIT IN ITSELF IS HARD, BUT YOU DO IT REMOTELY.
HAD TO BE VERY DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND THANK YOU TO THE FIRM FOR WORKING WITH US.
IT WAS THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I OBVIOUSLY DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS REMOTELY.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUDITORS NEXT DOOR IN THE NEXT ROOM AND YOU CAN TALK BACK AND FORTH.
BUT YEAH WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP CHRISTY, BECAUSE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY PERCENT OF THE CREDIT GOES TO CHRISTY FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK AND PUTTING UP WITH ME ON ASKING QUESTIONS OF WHY DO WE DO THIS AND WHERE IS THIS WORK PAPER FROM LAST YEAR AND ALL THAT.
SO NOT ONLY DID SHE HAVE TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS, VERONICA, THAT SHE HAD TO ANSWER ALL OF MINE TOO.
ALL THE CREDIT GOES TO [INAUDIBLE].
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THANKS TO THE FINANCE STAFF, MARK AND CHRISTY AND TO EVERYBODY THAT WAS IN SUPPORT OF MAKING SURE WE GOT THROUGH THIS AUDIT.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT WAS A HUGE TASK.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE GROUP FOR THE AWARD LAST YEAR, BUT ALSO BEING UP FOR AN AWARD THIS YEAR.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT REALLY IS.
IT'S NOT JUST A, YOU KNOW IT'S NOT RIBBON FOR PARTICIPATING.
[LAUGHTER] THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND THAN YOU TO VERONICA AND TO BRAD FOR YOUR HELP IN LOOKING THROUGH OUR DOCUMENTS AND MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WAS DONE, YOU KNOW, JUST RIGHT AND ESPECIALLY DURING A PANDEMIC.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
JUST ECHOING WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER AND LAU SAID, BUT ONE QUESTION FOR THE TEAM AS WELL WHO DOES A GOOD JOB.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, OK, WE GOT THE AWARD LAST YEAR.
WE'RE GOING FOR THE AWARD THIS YEAR.
HAVE WE EVER RECEIVED THE AWARD PRIOR? NO.
BOB, YOU MAY WANT TO JUMP IN, BUT WHAT I REMEMBER WE HAD WE HAVE NOT HAD THE AWARD FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, 10, 15 YEARS AGO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I HONESTLY CAN'T RECALL, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A LACK OF SUBMISSION OR WHAT THE CASE MAY BE.
I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION OFFHAND.
I HAVE A LITTLE INFORMATION ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT YOU DID SUBMIT BEFORE FOR A DIFFERENT AWARD THAT WAS THROUGH THE STATE SOCIETY, BUT THEY DISCONTINUED THAT PROGRAM.
AND THEN DURING SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAD SOME TRANSITION OF FINANCIAL FINANCE STUFF, LEADERSHIP, THE AWARD WAS JUST NOT A TOP PRIORITY BECAUSE TRANSITION AND KNOWLEDGE AND EVERYTHING BECAME MUCH MORE OF A PRIORITY.
BUT NOW THAT THINGS STABILIZED A BIT MORE, YOU'RE BACK ON TRACK.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE AND YOU CAN CONTINUE SUBMITTING THIS AWARD ANNUALLY.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
YEAH, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE SUBMITTING IT ANNUALLY NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO SET UP ALL THE PROCEDURES AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESS IS STREAMLINED ENOUGH TO WHERE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BENCHMARK FOR THE CITY TO MAKING SURE THAT WE SUBMIT FOR THIS EVERY YEAR.
AND JUST JUST SO THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS AS WELL, YOU DON'T CALL THE CITY AND ASK FOR SPECIFIC ITEMS OR ASK THEM FOR SPECIFIC.
HAVE YOU RANDOMLY PICK DIFFERENT ITEMS SO THAT IT IS A TRUE AUDIT FOR TO FIND ANY IRREGULARITIES? ABSOLUTELY.
GUARANTEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL.
WE HAVE A RISK BASED APPROACH AND WE HAVE TO WE'RE REQUIRED TO KEEP THEM GUESSING.
AND SO THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO PREDICT WHAT WE HAVE.
SO WE ASKED THEM FOR FOR EXAMPLES OF ALL DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
AND THEN WE'LL USE STATISTICAL SAMPLING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE RANDOM SELECTIONS OUT OF THERE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, SPECIFIC SELECTIONS OF ITEMS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS MORE HIGH RISK THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING UNTIL WE REQUEST IT.
AND THEN THEY START PULLING THE DOCUMENTATION AT THAT POINT AND AND THEN WE GO FORWARD FROM THERE.
THANK YOU, THAT HELPS OUR PUBLIC VIEW THIS AS WELL.
SINCE WE'RE GOING BY THE NAME THAT'S ON THE SCREEN.
[00:20:02]
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT, BUT I'LL JUST GO.ONE IS I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
GREAT JOB ON SUPPORTING THE CAFR PROCESS.
CHRISTY AND MARK, THANK YOU FOR A ROBUST AUDIT.
BRAD AND VERONICA, THE QUESTIONS ARE ORIGINAL.
SO FOR THIS YEAR, I THINK WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WE MIGHT DIP INTO RESERVES TO THE TUNE OF 500 TO 600 THOUSAND.
IS MY MEMORY CORRECT ON THAT? AND THAT WAS THIS NEXT YEAR THAT WE THOUGHT WE'D NEED IN THROUGH TWENTY TWENTY ONE, WE'D NEED A MILLION.
OK, AND WE ONLY NEEDED TO TAP IN LESS THAN HALF OR ABOUT HALF OF THAT AT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND.
SO OUR RESERVES ARE STILL QUITE STRONG GOING IN THROUGH THIS FULL COVID YEAR PROCESS.
AND AS YOU REPORTED LAST TIME, THINGS ARE LOOKING ROSIER THAN WE THOUGHT THEY MIGHT BE.
NOT PERFECT, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING BETTER.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS THE FINANCIAL RESULTS IN THE REPORT REFLECT THE GREAT WORK THAT THE ENTIRE TEAM IS DOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO SAY DOWN AS PEJORATIVE, BUT STAFF LEVEL ALL THE WAY UP.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB TO HELP PROTECT AND MAINTAIN THE SOLVENCY OF OUR CITIES.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH OUR LIMITED RESOURCES.
THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS, I'M GOING TO ECHO PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, FOR THE CAFR AWARD AND THEN CONTINUING TO GO FOR THAT IS WONDERFUL.
I DO WANT TO THANK CHRISTY AND MARK, BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS FOR GIVING INFORMATION THAT YOU GUYS PUT TOGETHER.
AND THANK YOU FOR TO BRAD AND VERONICA FOR YOUR FIRM.
BUT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE THINGS WORK.
AND WE DEFINITELY HAVE A GREAT VILLAGE IN OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO IT SHOWS IN IN THE RESILIENCE OF THE OF THE AWARDS, NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE FACT THAT A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH AND WE ARE DOING BETTER THAN MANY CITIES.
AND I WOULD SAY OUR MANAGEMENT TO MR. RUSSI AND MR. ALVARADO AND CHRISTY FOR WATCHING THE PURSE STRINGS CLOSELY.
IT DOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ONE DAY THAT DOESN'T GO BY THAT YOU SEE A CITY THAT'S TRYING TO DO A UNFUNDED LIABILITY BOND ISSUANCE OF ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE MILLION OR 200 MILLION.
AND IT'S JUST YOU'RE GOING AND THE BRINK OF DISASTER AND IT'S LIKE, OH, MY GOODNESS, YOU KNOW.
DO WE HAVE DO WE DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? I DO NOT BELIEVE SO, JR? MR. MAYOR, WE'VE BEEN MONITORING IT.
WE DID NOT HAVE ANY BEFORE THE MEETING AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING COME THROUGH.
THEN REALLY, IT'S JUST TO IT'S JUST TO RECEIVE AND FILES THAT CORRECT, MR. RUSSI? YES.
SO WE DON'T NEED A MOTION OR ANYTHING.
IT'S BETTER THAN THAT LITTLE [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[INAUDIBLE] USED TO PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME.
WELL, THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
AND I HOPE YOU'RE A RAMS FAN ANYWAY.
[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] THEY BUILT A BEAUTIFUL STADIUM.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
AND YOUR FIRM, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
MARK, CHRISTY AGAIN, STAFF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM B, WHICH IS MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER'S REQUESTING THE CITY
[7.b. Mayor Pro Tem Carder is requesting the City Council to consider placing a measure on the 2022 ballot to ask the La Verne citizens regarding contracting of public safety services.]
COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PLACING A MEASURE ON THE TWENTY TWENTY TWO BALLOT TO ASK THE LA VERNE'S CITIZENS REGARDING CONTRACTING OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES.ANY BETTER, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
I ASKED FOR THIS TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA AT THE REQUEST OF THE FOUR GENTLEMEN WHO SPOKE AT THE MEETING IN JANUARY CONCERNING GIVING THE LA VERNE'S CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON SELECTING THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES.
I BELIEVE THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR CITIZENS OF LA VERNE.
THE COUNCIL AND CITY NEED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THE CITIZENS WANT AND ARE PAYING FOR THROUGH TAXES AND FEES.
AS YOU KNOW, I WAS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR MEASURE LV, WHICH WAS A THREE QUARTERS PERCENT SALES TAX THAT WE PASSED LAST MARCH.
AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY THE CITIZENS VOTED TO SUPPORT AND APPROVE THIS MEASURE.
THIS TAX MEASURE WAS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC
[00:25:01]
SAFETY, AND THAT IS THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE SUPPORTED IT.LA VERNE RESIDENTS LOVE OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO KEEP OUR OWN CITY SERVICES OR TO CONTRACT OUTSIDE.
THIS IS WHAT I AM ASKING FOR TODAY PUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE ON THE BALLOT FOR ALL OF LA VERNE CITIZENS TO DECIDE.
AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 2ND, WHERE WE VOTED FOUR TO ONE MYSELF BEING THE OPPOSITION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE L.A.
I WAS CONTACTED AS ALL OF YOU RECEIVED NUMEROUS EMAILS FROM UPSET RESIDENTS WHO FELT THAT THIS WAS A WRONG DECISION.
SO FROM THAT EVENING FORWARD, A GROUP OF CITIZENS WORKED TOGETHER.
THEY WORKED VERY HARD AND TALKED WITH OTHERS IN THIS RESULTED IN A CREATING A PETITION IN JANUARY TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL.
IN ONLY TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AND UNDERSTAND THE COVID PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO COLLECT OVER SIXTEEN HUNDRED SIGNATURES, ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SIGNATURES WHICH WERE ALL SENT TO THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THE PETITION READS AS FOLLOWS, WHICH I'M GOING TO READ FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE PETITION.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS.
PARAMEDIC SLASH FIRE SERVICES AND POLICE SERVICES SHALL BE CITY EMPLOYEES DIRECTLY REPORTING TO THE CITY AS EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY SHALL NOT CONTRACT WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY OR COUNTY SERVICES WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE CITIZENS APPROVING SUCH ACTION.
SO TONIGHT I AM ASKING FOR THE COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION.
LET THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHOM WE SERVE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE WE GO TO I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER AT THIS POINT? I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IF IT WOULD BE BEST SUITED FOR AFTER COMMENTS, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT EITHER WAY.
I THINK PROBABLY WAIT TILL AFTER COMMENTS, MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW AND WE CAN MOVE THROUGH THOSE.
SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT TO COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENTS, J.R.? YES, MR. MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT UNDER THIS ITEM, SO JUST BEAR WITH US AS WE TRY TO SHUFFLE THEM IN AND OUT.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ABOUT 18 AS OF RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE STILL GETTING SOME.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE CRAIG WALTERS.
MR. WALTERS, ARE YOU THERE? I'M HERE.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE'VE GOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ON THE PHONE.
I'M GOING TO KEEP IT TO A STRICT THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME, IF WE COULD, PLEASE, TO GIVE CONSIDERATION FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
A LOT OF TIME HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT BY THE COUNCIL AND OTHERS ON THIS ISSUE.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE LIMITED TIME WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE THE MERITS OF GOING CITY OR STAYING CITY OR GOING COUNTY FOR FIRE SERVICES, EMERGENCY SERVICES.
BUT WE DO BELIEVE THERE IS A STRONG CASE TO BE MADE TO STAY LOCAL, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED IN THE TIME.
AHEAD FOR ME, TONIGHT IS REALLY ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MAKING THAT DECISION.
LAST MONTH WHEN WE ADDRESSED THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE INDICATED THAT WE FELT THERE WAS A STRONG INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY FOR HAVING A VOTE BY THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE THIS ISSUE.
AFTER THAT MEETING, WE DECIDED THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD TEST THAT BELIEF BY CIRCULATING A PETITION AND THE PETITION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER THAT THE TITLE OF WHAT WAS CIRCULATED BY A RELATIVELY FEW NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
IN JUST TWO AND A HALF WEEKS, SIXTEEN HUNDRED SIGNATURES WERE COLLECTED AND THEY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE CITY FOR THE RECORD.
TWO AND A HALF WEEKS FOR THAT MANY SIGNATURES I IN OVER 40 YEARS OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
I'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF PETITIONS.
I DON'T BELIEVE I'VE EVER SEEN A PETITION THAT COLLECTED THAT MANY SIGNATURES IN THAT SHORT OF TIME, TO SAY THE LEAST.
VERY FEW PEOPLE DECLINED TO SIGN THE PETITION.
MOST SAID THAT THEY DID WANT TO HAVE A SAY.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO THEM AND THEY WANT TO HAVE A PART OF
[00:30:03]
THAT DECISION.WE BELIEVE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THE BEST EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AVAILABLE AND DEFINITELY WANT TO MAINTAIN THEM UNDER LOCAL CONTROL.
ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF LA VERNE FOR FOREVER HAS BEEN THE FACT THAT IT IS A SMALL, TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY THAT MAINTAINS ITS OWN SERVICES, SOMETHING THAT'S EXTREMELY RARE IN THIS URBAN SETTING WE FIND OURSELVES IN.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO BE VERY PROUD OF THAT ACROSS THE BOARD WE'VE BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VERY HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S FOR THAT REASON THAT WE'RE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT TO PLACE THE QUESTION OF CONTRACTING OUT THESE EMERGENCY SERVICES ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE ELECTION BALLOT.
WE ALSO BELIEVE IT'S VERY CRUCIAL THAT THIS VOTE BE A BINDING MEASURE, NOT ADVISORY.
WE FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO PUT SOME OF THE ISSUES TO REST AT LEAST ONCE AND FOR ALL FOR THE TIME BEING.
IT WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
WE ALSO ASK THAT NO FINAL DECISION BE MADE TO CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE.
IN MY VIEW, A VOTE, A POSITIVE VOTE UP SIR.
WILL ALLOW THE ORGANIZATION TO RESET.
AND FOR THAT REASON, WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN LA VERNE THAT SIGNED THE PETITION AND PLEASE PLACE THIS ISSUE ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE BALLOT.
NEXT JR. I'M SORRY, I HAD THE SECOND PERSON CUED UP, BUT THEY JUST HUNG UP, SO WE'LL GET THEM BACK ON.
OK, MR. MAYOR, I HAVE CHIEF BOB LAPP ON THE PHONE.
CHIEF LAPP, HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE DO HAVE A THREE MINUTE RULE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE ADHERE TO THAT THREE MINUTE RULE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT, SIR.
YEAH, I'LL BE SHORT AND SWEET.
MY NAME IS ACTUALLY ROBERT LAPP, BUT I GO BY BOB AND I JUST WANT TO VOICE MY OPINION ON THIS ITEM AND SUPPORT THIS ISSUE GOING ON THE BALLOT.
I'VE HAD 30 YEARS IN THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT, 17 OF WHICH I WAS CHIEF, AND I HAVE A LOVE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND SO.
I'VE GOT A LOT INVESTED IN IT.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS CHIEF WHEN WE FIRST INCREASED OUR MANNING, WHEN WE BUILT STATION TWO.
WE STARTED OUR PARAMEDIC PROGRAM WITH A BALLOT ISSUE TO FINANCE IT, TO BUILDING OF STATION ONE, AND SO THIS DEPARTMENT MEANS AN AWFUL LOT TO ME THAT'S ON A PERSONAL NOTE.
BUT I THINK GOING TO CONTRACT, I THINK WE WILL BE LOSING A LOT OF THE SERVICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, IN THE PARAMEDIC FIELD.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BUILD ON OUR OWN AND HAVE CONTROL OF OUR OWN.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY HOW I FEEL.
SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE MY OPINION AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
[00:35:05]
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE CRAIG BEAUMONT ON THE LINE, PLEASE.I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, IF WE COULD PLEASE KEEP TO THE THREE MINUTES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WELL, GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
WHILE I TRY TO GET IN MY 10000 STEPS EVERY MORNING, I COME ACROSS OTHER WALKERS AND I ASK THEM IF THEY'RE LA VERNE RESIDENTS, IF THEY ARE.
I ASK THEM IF THEY'RE AWARE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING HAVING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GO COUNTY.
AND OVER 90 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO HAD NO IDEA.
I THEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO SIGN A PETITION, WHICH I HAD IN MY BACK POCKET, WHICH IS STATING THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE TO HAVE A SAY AND VOTE ON WHETHER TO GO COUNTY OR STAY IN LA VERNE.
WAS MORE THAN WELCOME TO SIGN THE PETITION, AND THEY WERE FEELING THAT THE CITY SHOULD STAY LOCAL, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO RELAY THAT TO YOU AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER THIS AND PUT ON THE BALLOT.
A PROPOSITION OR I'M NOT SURE IT'S A PROPOSITION, BUT PUT ON THE BALLOT OF THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE HAVE A SAY, HAS TO GO COUNTY OR STAY WITH THE CURRENT FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
I HAVE RON WEAVER ON THE LINE.
IF WE COULD PLEASE KEEP TO THE THREE MINUTE RULE WE'D APPRECIATE.
WE HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO SPEAK ON THIS.
AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL.
DURING THE LAST CAMPAIGN, THERE SEEMED TO BE A STRONG INTEREST IN KEEPING OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THEY WERE.
QUESTIONS ABOUT IT AS EVERY FORUM AND WHEN TALKING TO RESIDENTS LATELY WHILE GATHERING SIGNATURES, EVERYONE I TALKED TO FELT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT ENOUGH ISSUE THAT WE CITIZENS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON IT ALSO.
WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE PASSING OF THE SALES TAX INCREASE WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR PRESERVING OUR FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
I REALLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE A MEASURE ON THE NEXT BALLOT TO ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO VOTE ON THE CONTRACTING OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JACKSON SALINAS ON THE LINE.
WE'RE HOLDING TO A THREE MINUTE RULE TONIGHT, SO PLEASE TRY TO KEEP TO THAT TIME FRAME.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
I AM ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT FOR THE NEXT ELECTION WITH THE PEOPLE OF LA VERNE.
HAVE TO HAVE A VOICE AS WHETHER WE SHOULD KEEP OUR DEPARTMENT AS LOCAL OR GO COUNTY.
I DO NOT WANT GO TO THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT [INAUDIBLE] ALL THE ISSUES THEY'VE BEEN HAVING FOR THE PAST DECADE WERE GOING FUNDING AND SUCH.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE BRUCE BECKER ON THE LINE.
IF YOU COULD HOLD IT TO A THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME, WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO TALK TONIGHT.
OK, FIRST OF ALL, SAFETY FIRST, KEEP LA VERNE SAFE, KEEP OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHEN I TALK SAFETY, I MEAN SAFETY IN FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, EVEN 50 YEARS, NOT SAFETY JUST FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN SERVING LA VERNE FOR 110 YEARS, THAT'S OVER A CENTURY OF EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE FROM THE STATE AS THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT TO TODAY'S OUTSTANDING PARAMEDIC SERVICE.
IT'S HAVING A TRUCK AT THE [INAUDIBLE] FOOTBALL GAME.
OR IT MIGHT BE JUST AWAY FROM A FIREFIGHTER ON HIS WAY TO A POSSIBLE TRAGEDY.
[00:40:01]
SO I ASK THE CITY COUNCIL IF YOU WANT YOUR LEGACY TO BE I GOT RID OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IF YOU VOTE TO GO COUNTY, THAT WILL BE YOUR LEGACY.IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I'VE TALKED TO ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY CITIZENS, ASK THEM TO SIGN A PETITION TO PUT THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT.
SO THE SYSTEM SOCIETY ISSUE, I NEVER TOLD THEM MY POSITION UNTIL AFTER THEY SIGNED.
I DIDN'T WANT TO PREJUDICE THEIR DECISION.
ONLY ONE PERSON WOULD NOT SIGN IN OVER 110 FOR KEEPING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVEN A FEW THAT WERE UNSURE BUT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
I WAS IN BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU FIX PROBLEMS, NOT BAIL OUT ON PROBLEMS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHY HAVE WE NOT HELD HIM ACCOUNTABLE? SO NOW WHEN THINGS GET A LITTLE TOUGH OR DO YOU WANT TO LET HIM OFF THE HOOK AND JETTISON THE LA VERNE DEPARTMENT? IF YOU DO THAT, SHAME ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER.
TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, LAU AND CROSBY RAN ON A PLATFORM TO KEEP THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WILL NOW SAY THEY DIDN'T KNOW ALL THE FACTS, HOG WASH.
I PRETTY MUCH KNEW ALL THE FACTS.
A YEAR AGO, WHERE WERE THEY IF THEY WERE IGNORANT OF THE FACTS LAST FEBRUARY? THEN THAT'S ON THEM.
ALSO, REMEMBER, ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE FOR THE SALES TAX INCREASE, WHICH I OPPOSED.
THE NUMBER ONE SELLING POINT WAS PUBLIC SAFETY.
I HEARD CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THEY WILL INSIST ON SOME MANDATORY CONDITIONS.
YOU GO COUNTY, THEY MAKE DECISIONS, THEY CHOOSE THE FIRE STATIONS AND THEY DON'T REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL OR TO THE CITY MANAGER.
HERE'S A HYPOTHETICAL IN FIVE YEARS, THE POLICE WANT TO GO COUNTY, I KNOW ALL FIVE OF YOU WILL SAY THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BUT FIVE YEARS AGO, ALL OF YOU WOULD HAVE SAID THAT ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE LAWSUIT AND THE MISMANAGEMENT.
I KNOW EVERY FOR EVERY FACT YOU GIVE I CAN DOUBLE THE FACTS ON STAYING LOCAL.
ALMOST ALL FEASIBILITY STUDIES HAVE PROCEEDED TO HAVE A PREDETERMINED AGENDA, AND THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS DONE BY THE CITY, HAD A PREDETERMINED AGENDA.
LASTLY, I ASKED YOU BEFORE AND I ASK YOU AGAIN, WITHOUT PREJUDICE ASK 40 OR 50 CITIZENS WHAT THEY WANT, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY'LL SAY.
THEY'LL SAY, LET'S PUT IT TO VOTE.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE GARY HUNTER ON THE LINE.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE TRY TO KEEP TO A THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY'S CALLING IN HERE.
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE IN LA VERNE.
WHAT WE NEED HERE IS A FIRE CHIEF WHO'S VERY STRONG PERSONALITY TO DIRECT THE PEOPLE OVER THERE AND KEEP THEM IN TUNE.
WE HAD A PROBLEM THAT LAST TIME.
I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
HARDER TO COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN.
I THINK WE NEED TO STAY WITH IT AND VOTE FOR OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT TO STAY HERE.
AND IN CLOSING, UNFORTUNATELY.
IF WE DO GO COUNTY OR STAY HERE WITH THE CITY, WE CAN KEEP TIM [INAUDIBLE] AWAY FROM THE [EXPLETIVE] FIRE DEPARTMENT WE'D BE GOOD.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE TERRY PRENTICE ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRENTICE, IF YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR TIME TO THREE MINUTES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MR. RUSSI.
I HAVE PRESENTED THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS THAT THE CITY WILL FACE IF ENTERING INTO THE CONTRACT PROPOSAL WITH THE L.A.
IN ANALYZING THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.
I FOLLOWED EXACTLY THE PROCESS OUTLINED IN THE L.A.
COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT FEASIBILITY STUDY/CONTRACT PROPOSAL.
ON PAGE 11 UNDER SECTION TITLED ANNUAL [INAUDIBLE].
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO I EMAILED TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET WITH THOSE DETAILS AND CALCULATIONS FOR YOUR REVIEW, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
COUNTY FIRE CONTRACT PROPOSAL, THE CITY WOULD PAY TO THE COUNTY SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN IT WOULD COST TO MAINTAIN LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT ITS PROJECTED COST.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THE CITY STANDS TO LOSE FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE REVENUE THAT HAS BEEN COMING TO THE CITY FOR DECADES, FOR THE RESCUE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH WOULD INSTEAD GO TO PRIVATE AMBULANCE SERVICES.
COUNTY CONTRACT PROPOSAL, COST FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 YEAR CONTRACT, WOULD EXCEED
[00:45:02]
THE AMOUNT PROJECTED TO MAINTAIN LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENTS BY EIGHTY FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, AND THE LOSS OF ADDITIONAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION.THIS IS NOT EVEN ADDRESSED WITH SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION.
IT IS BY FAR THE MOST USED SERVICE FROM LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS PARAMEDIC, EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE AND TRANSPORTATION.
THERE WILL BE, AT MOST THREE PARAMEDICS ON DUTY IN THE CITY AND THEY OUTSOURCE THE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION.
IN CONTRAST, UNDER EVEN MINIMAL STAFFING, THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS NINE PARAMEDICS ON DUTY IN THE CITY WITH RESCUE AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION AND WITH ADDITIONAL TRADITIONAL STAFFING.
LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE 11 PARAMEDICS ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES.
THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT WHEN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME YOU HAVE SEVERAL MEDICAL EMERGENCIES AND OR MULTIPLE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, BRINGING IN A PARAMEDIC FROM POMONA CLAREMONT OR [INAUDIBLE] THERE'S A HUGE DELAY IN EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES FOR ANY OF THOSE SQUADS TO EVEN GET TO THE OUTER CITY BOUNDARIES OF LA VERNE AND THEN BEING ABLE TO GET THE PRIVATE AMBULANCES ON THE SAME TIMELINE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTRACT COSTS WOULD BE HIDDEN AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR LA VERNE RESIDENTS TO VIEW AND ANALYZE AS THE MONEY WOULD BE TAKEN FOR PROPERTY TAXES BY TAX ASSIGNMENTS PRIOR TO THE CITY RECEIVING THE BALANCE OF THE PROPERTY TAX PROCEEDS.
THIS IS DOCUMENTED IN APPENDIX D TITLED ANNEXATION [INAUDIBLE] THE FEASIBILITY STUDY/CONTRACT PROPOSAL, THE CONTRACT PROPOSAL FROM L.A.
COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT IS GROSSLY OVERPRICED AND THE VERY IMPORTANT PARAMEDIC EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE IS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER IN QUALITY.
THE ADDITIONAL MONEY WE WILL PAY THE L.A.
COUNTY WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN OTHER CITY SERVICES THAT FUTURE COUNCILS AND RESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE NEEDS MUCH FURTHER IN-PERSON DISCUSSION AND A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE VIC [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING MR. [INAUDIBLE] THIS WE.
COULD WE PLEASE KEEP IT TO THREE MINUTES, WE HAVE A VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE TONIGHT, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO BEGIN.
MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I THANK YOU COUNCIL AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT IMPACTS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE PARAMEDICS ARE THE KEY THINGS.
AND IF WE LOSE CONTROL AND THEN IF THEY GO COUNTY, THEN WE ABSOLUTELY LOSE CONTROL OF THIS AND WE AS CITIZENS OF LA VERNE SHOULD KEEP THAT ONCE THE DECISION IS MADE TO GO.
THE SERVICE IS OUT AND IT'S VERY HARD TO GET THIS BACK, AND WE HAVE IT IN THE PAST REGARDING THE TAX INCREASE TO PROVIDE PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY IN THE 1980S.
IN FACT, ALL OF [INAUDIBLE] EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO BE CERTIFIED PARAMEDICS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
THIS HAS TO BE A BRILLIANT DECISION AS THE MAJORITY OF SERVICES FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN FOR MEDICAL SERVICES AND AS WE HAVE SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES.
SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME OR JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO WE NEED TO KEEP ALL THESE SERVICES LOCAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PROVIDING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JIM MURPHY ON THE LINE.
MR. MURPHY, IF WE COULD PLEASE KEEP TO THE THREE MINUTES, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL STAFF.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS GOING OUT AND TALKING TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I THINK IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING FOR ME.
I HOPE IT IS FOR YOU TONIGHT AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU HEAR.
I WANTED TO RETURN BACK TO NOVEMBER 2ND WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WHAT WAS TURNED TO BE A SECOND STUDY, BUT IS ACTUALLY THE FINAL CHAPTER IN WRITING THE CONTRACT WITH L.A.
[00:50:03]
COUNTY AND ASSESSING THE THE ASSETS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN LA VERNE, WE SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH THE RESIDENTS.AND I WANT TO SAY THAT IT DOES APPLY SOMEWHAT COUNTER TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I WANTED TO MAYBE TAKE MY THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THAT AND MAYBE SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT RESIDENTS ARE UNDERSTANDING FROM THE COMMENTS THAT YOU MAKE.
SO WHEN COMMENTS WERE MADE ON NOVEMBER 2ND IN REGARDS TO WHERE WE WERE IN THE PROCESS, MANY CITIZENS, I SPOKE TO IN GETTING SIGNATURES ON A PETITION INDICATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER STAGE IN THE IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT, MUCH LESS TURNING THE KEYS OVER TO OUR COUNTY.
AND I WILL REMIND YOU THAT I THINK ALMOST EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, SHORT OF MS. CARDER, HAD COMMUNICATED THAT ON THE NOVEMBER 2ND COUNCIL MEETING, THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND STAGE OF THAT PROCESS WHEN, IN FACT, BOTH CITY MANAGER RUSSI AND THE INTERIM FIRE CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] ALL MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, THAT THIS WAS A FINAL ACT AND WE WERE MOVING INTO A PROCESS TO NEGOTIATE OUR CONTRACT AND OUR ASSETS WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SOMEBODY TONIGHT REPRESENTS THAT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT WAS HEARD BY THE RESIDENTS ON NOVEMBER 2ND MEETING WHEN YOU VOTED POSITIVELY TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS THE RUMOR THAT'S GOING AROUND ABOUT MUTUAL AID.
AND I THINK THE MAYOR HAD MENTIONED IN HIS COMMENTS ON NOVEMBER 2ND THAT L.A.
COUNTY IS GETTING SOMEWHAT WORN ON THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MUTUAL AID OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I MUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE 10 YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
AND I GOT THAT REPORT THAT WAS SENT TO ME TONIGHT.
I'LL DO SOME HOMEWORK ON IT AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH THE DETAILS AND THE DATA.
BUT IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN IN L.A.
COUNTY'S FAVOR AND NOT IN LA VERNE'S FAVOR.
AND I WOULD SAY THIS AND I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
MUTUAL AID IS SIGNED BY THE L.A.
COUNTY FIRE CHIEF, DARRYL OSBY.
AND IF THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT L.A.
COUNTY IS HAVING WITH THE MUTUAL AID THAT THEY'RE GETTING TO LA VERNE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO BRING HIM TO A COUNCIL MEETING SINCE HE'S THE ONE TO SIGN THAT AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN GET OUT OF THE AGREEMENT WITH LA VERNE.
LET'S HEAR STRAIGHT FROM HIS MOUTH INSTEAD OF HEARING IT FROM OTHERS THAT ARE ATTEMPTING TO PUSH THAT OUT AND PUT SOME FEAR IN THE RESIDENTS MINDS THAT THAT MUTUAL AID MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE WHEN IN FACT IT IS CALIFORNIA STATE LAW.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING, AGAIN, THAT MAYBE THE COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER CAN REMIND THE RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE NOT FACING AN END TO OUR MUTUAL AID WITH L.A.
COUNTY, NO MATTER WHICH WAY THIS GOES.
I'LL END ON THIS YOU ASKED US TO VOTE ON A CITY ON A CITY TAX., MR. MURPHY, THANK YOU, MR. MURPHY, CAN WE HAVE THE NEXT CALLER, PLEASE.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE CATHY [INAUDIBLE], ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. [INAUDIBLE].
IF WE COULD PLEASE KEEP THE COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
A FEW MEETINGS BACK, MAYOR HEPBURN VOICED HIS STRONG DISAPPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL'S VOTE TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT.
WELL, I DON'T SHARE HIS OPINION, WHETHER THAT DECISION WAS RIGHT OR WRONG.
AT LEAST IT'S ONLY A 10 YEAR CONTRACT.
IN A FEW YEARS, WE CAN REVIEW BIDS.
AND IF THERE'S A BETTER OPTION, WE CAN SWITCH COMPANIES.
TO MOVE TO COUNTY FIRE HAS NO EXPIRATION DATE.
AND IT'S A DECISION THAT THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH LONG AFTER THE CURRENT FIREFIGHTERS HAVE EITHER RETIRED OR DECIDED TO WORK ELSEWHERE AND LONG AFTER THE CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NO LONGER IN OFFICE.
THINK ABOUT MEASURE LV FROM THE LAST ELECTION.
I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT WANTS TO PAY HIGHER TAXES AND THERE WERE CITIZENS THAT WERE PASSIONATELY OPPOSED.
BUT IN THE END, THE CITIZENS WEIGHED THE PROS AND CONS AND THE MEASURE PASSED.
[00:55:03]
I'LL BET IF YOU ASK THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED YES, AT LEAST 95 PERCENT WOULD SAY IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO KEEP OUR CITY SERVICES AND RETAIN CONTROL OF OUR FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.HOPEFULLY BY NEXT ELECTION SEASON, WE CAN MEET AGAIN IN PERSON AND WE CAN HAVE TWO OR THREE PUBLIC DEBATES WITH PROPONENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE.
THIS ISSUE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS.
A LOT MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED BEFORE WE MAKE AN IRREVERSIBLE DECISION THAT MAY PROVE TO HAVE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES.
I'M ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE PUT ANY NEGOTIATIONS WITH L.A.
COUNTY ON HOLD AND VOTE TONIGHT TO PUT THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ISSUE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE TO VOTE ON.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JOE GABALDON ON THE LINE.
MR. GABALDON, HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO UNDER THREE MINUTES AS WE HAVE A QUITE A FEW PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF STAFF, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK.
I'M CALLING TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF 7B MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER'S REQUEST, THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDER PLACING THE MEASURE ON THE 22 BALLOT.
PRIMARY REASON I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE PUT TO A VOTE OF THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY IS LONG HISTORY LA VERNEANS HAVE EXPRESSED WITH PRIOR VOTES, INCLUDING THE EXPECTATION OF WHAT MEASURE LV WOULD RESOLVE TO RETAIN THE SAFETY SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY FOR ITS CITIZENS.
THE CULTURE OF LA VERNE HAS VERY MUCH BEEN SHAPED BY ITS HISTORY IN THIS REGARD, WHERE LA VERNE TAKES CARE OF LA VERNE FIRST BUT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO SUPPORT SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
OUTSOURCING THESE SERVICES WILL FOREVER PUT LA VERNE IN A QUEUE FOR THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES BEHOLDEN TO THE COUNTY AND THEIR NEEDS, INCLUDING ANTICIPATABLE NEED FOR COST INCREASES TO COVER THEIR DECISION-MAKING.
WITHOUT ANY ASSURANCES, WE WOULD EVER BE A PRIORITY TO UNILATERALLY ACT TO PRIORITIZE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY AGAINST THEIR PRIOR WILL FURTHER CHANGE IN THE CULTURE OF THIS CITY WITHOUT A VOTE OF ITS CITIZENS IS NOT ONLY WRONG, BUT WILL LEAVE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR WITH THE SOLE ACCOUNTABILITY OF SUCH A PATHWAY DEVOID OF SHELTER I FUTURE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS.
IN CONTRAST TODAY INFORMATION SHARED REGARDING SOME OF THE PROPOSED CITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AMOUNTING TO A SPEND OF THREE MILLION IN PARTICULAR ALONG THE [INAUDIBLE] HIGHWAY CORRIDOR GARNERED EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM, WHERE EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY COULD FIND A WAY TO FINANCE PRESENTLY UNDERFUNDED PLANS.
YET OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IN CITY MANAGEMENT HAVE GIVEN UP ON HOW TO FINANCE AND RETAIN THE SAFETY SERVICES SUPPORTED BY PRIOR VOTES OF ITS CITIZENS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME.
AND I ASK THAT YOU PUT THIS TO A VOTE WITH THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE REBECCA LAMONT ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. LAMONT, IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR TIME TO THREE MINUTES, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK YOU TO THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
TONIGHT, I AM CALLING IN SUPPORT OF THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS I HAVE A PERSONAL STORY TO RELATE.
APPROXIMATELY TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I HAD A HEART ATTACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
THE LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS HERE WITH AN APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF AFTER THEM AND WITHIN 10
[01:00:08]
MINUTES OF THEIR ARRIVAL, I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE HAVING THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND NOT A COUNTY SITUATION.
BASICALLY SAVED MY LIFE, AND FOR THAT THEY ARE IN MY FOREVER GRATITUDE.
OK, THAT'S FINE, SOMEBODY'S SPEAKING, THOUGH, RIGHT? NOPE, YOU'RE UP RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE SHERRY BEST ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. BEST IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR TIME TO THREE MINUTES.
WE HAVE OTHER CALLERS ON THE LINE.
HONORABLE MAYOR TIM HEPBURN, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO PLACE THE MEASURE ON THE TWENTY TWENTY TWO BALLOT THE REQUEST THE RESIDENTS BE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON WHETHER THEY WISH TO CONTRACT FOR FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES WITH EITHER LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE OR RETAIN THESE SERVICES WITH CITY EMPLOYEES.
AT AGE 93, AND ON THE EVENING OF WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE LAST MONTHS OF HIS LIFE.
MY FATHER FELL AT OUR HOME, BREAKING HIS HIP AND HITTING HIS HEAD.
CITY PARAMEDICS WERE AT OUR HOUSE ALMOST BEFORE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CRADLE HIS HEAD AND MOVE FURNITURE SO THEY COULD STABILIZE HIM FOR HOSPITAL TRANSPORT.
IF YOU HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED AN EVENT LIKE THIS, TIME SEEMS TO SLOW TO A CRAWL, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY RACING BY LIKE LIGHTNING.
A CONTINGENT OF PARAMEDICS ATTENDED TO GETTING MY DAD READY FOR HOSPITAL TRANSPORT.
HE WAS MADE COMFORTABLE WHILE MY HUSBAND AND I ANSWERED QUESTIONS.
BESIDES MY PANIC, WHAT I CHIEFLY REMEMBER WAS THE REASSURANCE I FELT FROM THESE COMPETENT AND COMPASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARRIVED SO QUICKLY AND HELPED US ON THE STEPS OF MY DAD'S LAST JOURNEY.
THE DECISION TO CHOOSE OUR FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES IS CRITICAL TO QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LA VERNE RESIDENTS AND SHOULD NOT BE IMPOSED ON US WITHOUT THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE PROS AND CONS OF BOTH OPTIONS.
I AM PROUD THAT LA VERNE IS SO RESPONSIVE TO ITS RESIDENTS AND WOULD HOPE THAT THIS VALUE CONTINUES TO BE REFLECTED IN A CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF THE DECISIONS THAT SIMPLY CANNOT BE REVOKED ONCE IT IS MADE.
IF A DECISION IS MADE TO COMMIT TO FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY, IT WOULD BE SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE TO RETURN TO CITY RUN SERVICES IF WE ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME.
WHEN LA VERNE, RESIDENTS VOTED TO INCREASE OUR SALES TAXES WE DID SO FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES, INCLUDING FIRE AND PARAMEDIC.
ALLOW THE CITIZENS OF ALL OF LA VERNE TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION THROUGH THE BALLOT TO CHOOSE FROM WHOM WE RECEIVE FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC SERVICES, LA VERNE VOTERS DESERVE THIS COURTESY.
SORRY FOR THE SLIGHT DELAY, WE JUST GOT DISCONNECTED WITH THE NEXT PERSON, WE'LL GET THEM BACK ON THE LINE.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE DR. HARVEY GOODE ON THE LINE.
HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING, AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
[01:05:02]
THANK YOU.HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF.
I'M CALLING TO UNITE IN SUPPORT OF PLACING THIS INITIATIVE ON THE NEXT BALLOT TO VOTE ON OUR PUBLIC SERVICES.
I WAS A RESIDENT FOR 11 YEARS IN LA VERNE IN THE 50S AND 60S AND MOST RECENTLY MOVED TO HILLCREST AND HAVE BEEN HERE FOR NINE YEARS AND HAVE WORKED IN LA VERNE FOR 65 YEARS.
I BELIEVE THAT THE DECISION TO OUT CONTRACT PARAMEDIC AND OR FIRE SERVICES AND OR POLICE SERVICES IS SUCH A MAGNITUDE DECISION THAT IT SHOULD BE DECIDED UPON BY A VOTE OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE MARIANNE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE HELLO, MS. [INAUDIBLE], GOOD EVENING.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR TIME TO THREE MINUTES.
HONORABLE MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I CALL YOU AND ASK YOU TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION PUTTING ON BALLOT, THE SERVICES FOR LAVERNE.
MY PARENTS BOUGHT IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A BLOCK AND A HALF AWAY FROM WHERE YOUR PROPOSED APARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE IN 1977 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARAMEDICS WERE A HUGE PART IN THEIR DECISION AND PURCHASING HERE AND STAY HERE.
MY DAUGHTER AND I ARE HERE NOW AND I WOULD.
IT SEEMS ONLY FAIR THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS, AND [INAUDIBLE] UP TO A FEW PEOPLE AND I ASKED YOU TO TAKE THIS REQUEST SINCERELY.
OKAY, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU ANY LONGER.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE KAREN GILBERT ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MISS GILBERT, IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR TIME TO UNDER THREE MINUTES, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
YES, HELLO, CITY COUNCIL, I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS YOU AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS ISSUE ABOUT THE CONTRACTING OF SOME OF THE SERVICES OF AMBULANCE, FIRE, PARAMEDICS, THAT KIND OF THING, TO THE LA COUNTY.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT THIS ISSUE CAN BE PUT ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER CITIZENS OF LA VERNER THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
AND ONE OF MY MAIN ISSUES IS THAT I GREW UP IN LA VERNE.
AND THE COHESIVENESS THAT MAKES LAVERNE THE CITY THAT IT IS IS HAVING THESE KINDS OF SERVICES STAY WITHIN THE CITY REALM VERSUS ABDICATING IT TO THE COUNTY.
SO I REALLY LIKE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THAT FACTOR, THAT I REALLY THINK THAT IT WOULD DO A DISSERVICE TO THE CONTINUITY OF THE CITY IF IT WAS CONTRACTED OUT.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT IT CAN BE PUT ON THEM ON THE BALLOT SO THAT OTHERS CAN VOICE THEIR OPINION ON THIS AS WELL.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE RUTH [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. [INAUDIBLE].
[01:10:01]
IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WISH TO TALK ON THE SUBJECT.
SPEAKING ON THE SUBJECT OF WHETHER THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED OVER AND CONTRACTED WITH THE L.A.
I BELIEVE WE [INAUDIBLE] VOTED ON TAXES FOR HAVING OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, AND IF WE CONTRACT OVER TO THE L.A.
COUNTY, THERE WOULD BE A CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER THAT WOULD INCREASE COST OR THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE AND THE RESPONSE TIME OF THE SERVICE.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK INTO.
SO I WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND THAT THIS WOULD BE ON THE BALLOT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THE MATTER AND TO HAVE THE RESIDENTS VOTE ON IT BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT, SO I'M CUTTING MY TIME SHORT.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JEFF BROADWATER ON THE LINE, THINK YOU, MR. BROADWATER, IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO UNDER THREE MINUTES.
WE APPRECIATE IT; WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM A 22 YEAR RESIDENT OF LA VERNE.
I HAVE READ THE REPORT BY MESSINA AND ASSOCIATES AND WISH TO STRONGLY VOICE MY OPPOSITION FOR PROCEEDING WITH THE TRANSFERRING OF OUR FIRE SERVICES TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE MESSINA REPORT, WE WILL BE PAYING MORE MONEY FOR LESS SERVICES AND LONGER RESPONSE TIMES FOR PARAMEDICS.
I LIVE IN NORTH LA VERNE, NOT FAR FROM STATION THREE, WHEN THAT STATION WAS ADDED, IT WAS A SIGH OF RELIEF TO THE CITIZENS UP HERE IN NORTH LA VERNE TO HAVE MEDICAL SERVICES SO CLOSE AND BE ABLE TO RESPOND SO QUICKLY.
IF WE GO WITH COUNTY, WHAT THE COUNTY IS OFFERING IS A LESSER QUALITY OF TRAINED MEDICAL RESPONDERS THAT ARE NOT OF THE ADVANCED LIFESAVING LIKE WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
I DON'T SEE THAT AS BEING A GOOD OPTION, ESPECIALLY SINCE 75 PERCENT OF ALL CALLS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, A FAR SMALLER PERCENTAGE, MAYBE ONE TO TWO PERCENT ARE FOR HOUSE FIRES.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT AND NOT SEE THE IMMEDIATE RISK TO CITIZENS AND LIVES.
WE NEED TO PUT THIS TO A REFERENDUM BECAUSE THE RIGHT THING TO DO WHEN CITIZENS VOTED FOR MEASURE LV, WE DID SO WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD BE USING THOSE FUNDS TO KEEP OUR CITY FIRE AND POLICE.
THAT'S THE MANDATE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS AND I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER ON THIS, THAT IT'S FAR TOO IMPORTANT FOR THIS COUNCIL TO MOVE INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE BEING HEARD.
IF YOU DO THIS WRONG, THEN IT'LL BE A STAIN ON OUR CITY.
IF WE DO IT RIGHT, THEN IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL HAVE PRIDE IN.
AND LASTLY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT INSULATING LA VERNE FROM THE POLITICS AND THE POLICIES OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY AT THIS TIME.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS. LA VERNE PAYS OUR BILL.
BUT IF WE TIE OURSELVES TO THE COUNTY, THEN WE HAVE NO GUARANTEE GOING FORWARD OF INSULATING OURSELVES FROM THEIR PROBLEMS. AND I JUST THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND PLEASE, PLEASE COUNCIL PUT THIS TO THE VOTERS AND LET US BE HEARD.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE ANDY GLAZE ON THE LINE.
WE HAVE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT TONIGHT.
[01:15:01]
SO IF YOU COULD KIND OF KEEP THAT, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT TO REITERATE THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS' CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE L.A.
WE DO SO BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST OPTION FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND THEIR FIREFIGHTERS.
WE DO NOT SUPPORT THE EFFORTS TONIGHT BY ROBIN CARDER.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF NUMBERS THROWN AROUND TONIGHT ABOUT PEOPLE'S PREDICTIONS OF WHAT EVERYTHING WILL COST.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE FINAL REPORT FROM L.A.
AND SO ALL THOSE NUMBERS ARE JUST ASSUMPTIONS.
WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR IS HOW MUCH IS A HUMAN LIFE WORTH, HOW MUCH IS A LAVERNE'S CITIZEN'S LIFE WORTH? YOUR MOM, YOUR CHILD, YOUR NEIGHBOR, HOW MUCH ARE YOUR FIREFIGHTERS' LIVES WORTH? WE BELIEVE THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS AND FIREFIGHTERS SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE L.A.
COUNTY PROCESS, THEY STATED THAT SAFETY WAS ONE OF THEIR NUMBER ONE CONCERNS.
ALL THREE INTERIM FIRE CHIEFS, CHIEF SUMMERS, CHIEF LEONARD AND NOW CHIEF SEGURA HAVE ALL ADVISED THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT L.A.
COUNTY IS LAVERNE'S BEST OPTION.
THESE CHIEFS HAVE OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE AND HAVE WORKED IN MULTIPLE FIRE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
NONE OF THEM HAVE WORKED FOR L.A.
THE CITY HIRED AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT WHO WAS ALSO A RETIRED FIRE CHIEF.
HE WROTE A 52 PAGE REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FOUND THAT L.A.
AS IS OUTLINED IN THE INDEPENDENT REPORT AND MEETING WITH ALL THE FIRE CHIEFS.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY TO SAFELY FIGHT A SMALL HOUSE FIRE.
WE CANNOT SAFELY FIGHT A COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE FIRE.
WE CANNOT SAFELY FIGHT A FIRE IN THE DORMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE.
WE CANNOT SAFELY FIGHT FIRES IN THE THREE STOREY APARTMENT COMPLEX SPROUTING UP ALL OVER TOWN.
WHEN THE LARGE COMMERCIAL BUILDING THAT HOUSED HYDRAULICS BURNED TO THE GROUND, IT TOOK A HUNDRED AND EIGHT FIREFIGHTERS TO PUT IT OUT.
WE HAVE NINE FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY.
WE HAD NO ABILITY TO SAVE THEIR BUILDING.
COUNTY HAD NOT COME AND HELP, THEY WOULD HAVE LOST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN INVENTORY THAT WERE STORED OUTSIDE.
WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PERSONNEL NOR RESOURCES TO SAFELY FIGHT ANY STRUCTURE FIRES.
LA VERNE HAS BEEN RAPIDLY GROWING, AND WITH GROWTH COMES NEW AND MORE COMPLEX FIRE DANGERS.
THESE CANNOT BE MITIGATED BY A NINE PERSON DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN A THIRD OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS LESS THAN ONE YEAR EXPERIENCE.
JIM MURPHY, WHO SPOKE EARLIER TONIGHT, IS NO FRIEND OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EITHER.
MR. MURPHY IS THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WHO LAST YEAR THREATENED TO EXTERMINATE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING MYSELF.
MERRIAM WEBSTER DEFINES 'EXTERMINATE' AS: TO GET RID OF COMPLETELY, USUALLY BY KILLING OFF.
ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, THIS IS EXTREMELY UPSETTING TO ME AND MY FAMILY.
I HAVE THREE YOUNG CHILDREN AND A WIFE.
I COME TO WORK DEDICATED TO HELPING THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND I HAVE A CITIZEN THREATENING TO EXTERMINATE ME.
THEN A COUNCIL MEMBER ALIGNS HERSELF WITH THIS SAME CITIZEN AND RUNS THE CAMPAIGN TO, QUOTE, SAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH HIM.
YOU CANNOT IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF EMOTIONAL TOIL THAT THIS HAS PUT ME THROUGH AND MY FAMILY THROUGH.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF PERSON ROBIN CARDER WANTS TO ALIGN HERSELF WITH, SOMEONE WHO WANTS LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS DEAD.
MR. GLAZE, YOU'VE REACHED YOUR THREE MINUTES IF YOU COULD PLEASE FINISH.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE FRANK HERNANDEZ ON THE LINE.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP YOUR TIME TO THREE MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS FRANK HERNANDEZ AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION.
THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER FOUR QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN MORE FIREFIGHTERS? FIRE STATION THREE HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR OVER A YEAR.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS TO STAFF IT.
ARE YOU THERE? YEP, YOU'RE LIVE.
OK, SO WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS TO STAFF [INAUDIBLE] HIRING PROCESS, WE DID NOT FIND ONE FIREFIGHTER.
BASICALLY AT THIS POINT, UNFORTUNATELY, NOBODY WANTS TO COME WORK FOR THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FIREFIGHTERS COME AND LEAVE JUST AS FAST.
ROBIN, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, WHAT WILL YOU DO THAT YOU HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? NUMBER TWO, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT.
[01:20:06]
WE HAVEN'T HAD A PERMANENT FIRE CHIEF IN OVER TWO YEARS.WE ARE CURRENTLY ON OUR THIRD INTERIM FIRE CHIEF IF YOU DO NOT COUNT THE POLICE CHIEF WORKING AS INTERIM CHIEF, THE CITY HIRED A [INAUDIBLE] CONSULTANTS TO ADVISE YOU.
THE CONSULTANT PUT OUT A STUDY AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID, AND I QUOTE, ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING ISSUES THE CITY FACES IN CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THE RECRUITMENT OF THE NEXT FIRE CHIEF.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN A QUALIFIED FIRE CHIEF? THIRD QUESTION.
BY NOW, I HEARD SOME TALK ABOUT MUTUAL AID, BUT RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY WE ARE PROVIDED NO AUTOMATIC AID FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE FOR STRUCTURE FIRES AND MEDICAL AIDS, WHICH PUTS ALL THE BURDEN CITIZENS AND FIREFIGHTERS LIVES AT RISK.
[INAUDIBLE] TO GET AN AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENT WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE.
FOURTH QUESTION: TALKED ABOUT A LOT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, HOW WOULD YOU FIX THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE CONSULTANT'S REPORT, INCLUDES DEEP SEATED MISTRUST, ANGER, AND FRUSTRATION.
I HEARD SOMEBODY SPOKE TODAY, QUESTIONED NEEDS TO BE SOME DEEP STUDY DONE, IT'S BEEN DONE; THERE'S BEEN DEEP STUDY DONE.
MESSINA AND ASSOCIATES DID A REPORT AND IT'S ALL IN THERE.
I ADVISE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT IT, READ IT, UNDERSTAND IT.
IN MY ALMOST 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HERE, I'VE HAD NOT ONE OF THESE PERSONS WHO CALLED COME TO THE FIRE STATION AND ASK US FIREFIGHTERS WHAT WE THINK--.
YOU'VE REACHED YOUR THREE MINUTES, MR. HERNANDEZ, IF YOU COULD FINISH UP PLEASE [INAUDIBLE] TALK ABOUT THE PARAMEDICS STUFF, AND THERE ARE STRUCTURE FIRES THAT HAPPENED IN OUR CITY, AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE CAROL [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MS. [INAUDIBLE], IF YOU PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
HELLO, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO EVERYBODY SPEAK AND I'VE BEEN SELLING MOBILE HOMES IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE FOR TWENTY TWO YEARS.
AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SELLING TOOL ME BECAUSE I SELL TO A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND THEY FEEL SAFE KNOWING THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR PARAMEDICS ARE SOME OF THE BEST AND HEARING THE INFORMATION AGAINST THIS.
I DO WANT TO SEE THIS ON THE BALLOT, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT THE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE AN EXACT COST, NOT ONLY JUST GUESSTIMATES.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN FURTHER INFORM THE CITIZENS AND THEN TAKE IT TO A VOTE.
AND I WOULD APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S CONCERN ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT MATTER TO ALL OF US HERE IN LA VERNE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE HAPPEN, AND THAT'S ALL.
MR. MAYOR, THAT EXHAUSTS A LIST THAT WE HAD FOR REQUESTS; YOU MAY WANT TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE COMES THROUGH.
WE'LL WAIT A FEW, LIKE 30 SECONDS, SEE IF ANYBODY COMES BACK IN.
JR ANYBODY ELSE? WE'RE ABOUT 30 SECONDS IN.
NO, MR. MAYOR, NO OTHER REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS RECEIVED.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
[01:25:09]
COUNCIL, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, YOU'RE MUTED.TIM, COULD I PLEASE JUST MAKE A STATEMENT HERE? I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE JUST A STATEMENT THAT WOULD HELP.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M BRINGING BEFORE TONIGHT.
THAT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION LATER IS NOT TO DECIDE NOW WHETHER THEY WANT TO GO CITY OR COUNTY.
I AM NOT ADVOCATING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I AM JUST SAYING THE CITIZENS APPROACHED ME AND WANTED ME AND I AGREED TO BE PART OF THIS GROUP TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
SO THIS TONIGHT IS NOT WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TALKED ABOUT FOR ME TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ON HOW WOULD I FIX IT.
TONIGHT IS ABOUT GIVING THE CITIZENS THE VOTE.
I AM NOT SAYING I'M FOR COUNTY OR CITY.
THERE IS ADVANTAGES BOTH WAYS, I'M SURE.
BUT WHEN I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR TO EVERYONE BY BRINGING THIS FORWARD, I AM NOT SAYING I WANT TO STOP THE STUDY.
I WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH THE STUDY THAT WE'VE PAID TWENTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR.
LET'S HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
BUT BY TONIGHT WE COULD GET IT ON THE BALLOT SO THAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE FOR THE CITIZENS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE HOPING COVID WILL BE OVER IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE COMMUNITY MEETINGS BY THIS BEING ON THE AGENDA IN TWENTY, TWENTY TWO, WHICH IS A YEAR FROM NOW, WE CAN HAVE SO MANY MEETINGS TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS.
THE PUBLIC LACKS THAT INFORMATION.
AND COVID HAS PERMITTED US FROM HAVING THAT PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND STUDIES TO SHOW THEM INFORMATION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
SO THAT'S ALL I'M ADVOCATING FOR TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR MR. RUSSI.
THE QUESTION IS, IS I'VE HEARD A LOT OF RESIDENTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS OF ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION, SO STILL GATHERING THIS STUDY AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER JUST SAID.
AND THERE WAS A RESIDENT SAYING, IF WE GOT THAT INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY, WHAT ARE THOSE STEPS, COULD THEIR STEPS BE GETTING THAT INFORMATION AND THEN GOING TO A VOTE? BECAUSE EVEN WITHOUT--IF THIS WAS PUT DOWN TONIGHT THE RESIDENTS COULD STILL PUT IT ON A VOTE WITH A SIGNED PETITION AS WELL.
CORRECT? THERE'S A LOT IN THERE, SORRY.
LET ME GO BACK TO THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
SO THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS INFORMATION GATHERING AND NEGOTIATING TERMS. THOSE ARE BOTH HAPPENING PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND THEY KIND OF HAPPEN IN THAT INSTANCE.
THEY EVALUATE THE COUNTY, WHAT THE COST OF CONVERSION INTO THEIR SYSTEM WOULD BE.
SO THAT'S A PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT OBVIOUSLY IS RELEVANT.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR CHANGED IN THE FIREHOUSES, EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS? AND WHAT WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AS WELL AS THE BACKGROUND PROCESS THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN PERSONNEL? NOT THAT THERE'S A COST, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT PART OF THE TERM OF CONVERSION.
IN ADDITION, THERE WOULD BE AN UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT THE SPECIFIC TERMS WOULD BE ABOUT INCREASES IN FUTURE YEARS.
THE INITIAL STUDY DID HAVE A RATE ATTACHED TO IT, BUT THE NEGOTIATION OF THOSE TERMS FALL INTO THAT FINAL CONTRACT THAT THE CITY WOULD WANT TO SEE FOR THE RESCUE.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER NON COST FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD IN THE DELIVERY OF THE SERVICES.
SO THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED.
NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN FINALIZED AT THIS POINT OR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO BRING IN ANYTHING FORWARD FOR COUNCIL.
BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD EXPECT AS PART OF THE PROCESS, A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT THE SERVICE DELIVERY WOULD LOOK LIKE WOULD BE ANSWERED DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS, FINALIZING TERMS, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE IT.
NOW, WOULD IT BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR FOR US TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND
[01:30:03]
THEN DECIDE TO BRING IT TO THE PEOPLE OR NOT, OR BECAUSE WE'RE GATHERING INFORMATION OR...I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE JUMPING.
AND CLEARLY WHAT THE IMPACTS OF A CONTRACT WITH COUNTY WOULD LOOK LIKE, YOU WOULD HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THE FINAL TERMS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE THINGS THAT ARE EVEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, SOME OF THE SERVICE DELIVERY AROUND INSPECTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE NON COST.
BUT I WOULD WANT TO UNDERSTAND FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY, WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CURRENT DELIVERY OF THOSE SERVICES AND HOW THEY WOULD BE DELIVERED UNDER THE COUNTY AND HAVING THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AS WELL.
WOULD THAT STOP IF WE DECIDE IT WAS GOING TO AN ELECTION RIGHT NOW OR TO A VOTE? I GUESS THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNCIL.
I WOULDN'T [INAUDIBLE] MY DIRECTION IS TO GET GATHER THAT INFORMATION.
I HAVE CERTAINLY POSED THE QUESTION TO THE COUNTY.
WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE WEEKS, WE'LL KNOW WHAT THE CONVERSION COSTS ARE, BUT AS FAR AS AND FINALIZING THE REST OF THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, I WOULD HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM.
IF THE COUNCIL SAID WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE, ARE THEY GOING TO BE WILLING TO FINISH THE NEGOTIATIONS IN ADVANCE OF KNOWING WHAT THAT ANSWER IS? I DON'T KNOW.
THE I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A SPECIFIC ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION JUST YET.
AND THEN LAST QUESTION, SORRY.
HOW MANY VOTES OR HOW MANY SIGNED SIGNATURES WOULD IT MAKE IT TO GO AUTOMATICALLY ON THE BALLOT? SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BOB, YOU CAN JUMP IN IF I'VE GOT THIS WRONG, IT'S 10 PERCENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS.
IN THE LAST ELECTION AND THAT IS ROUGHLY TWENTY TWO HUNDRED, GIVE OR TAKE SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.
SO EIGHT HUNDRED MORE SIGNATURES THAT THEY'VE ALREADY GATHERED.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WHAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED IS, YOU KNOW ACTUALLY, ACCORDING TO HOYLE, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT TO DISCOUNT THE SIGNATURES.
THERE ARE SIGNATURES FROM RESIDENTS, BUT WE HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH THEM OR LOOKED AT HOW THAT WOULD ALL WORK OUT.
BUT CERTAINLY IT IS A PETITION WITH FIFTEEN, SIXTEEN HUNDRED SIGNATURES, YES.
THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER HAD READ EARLIER, THE PREFACE TO THE PETITION, WOULD THAT BE THE WORDING OF WHAT WOULD BE ON THE BALLOT IF IT WERE [INAUDIBLE]? IS THAT RIGHT, MR. RUSSI.
ARE YOU ASKING ME OR BOB? WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I'M ASKING EITHER OF YOU I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT GETS VETTED OUT.
IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO DO IT, I GUESS; THE COUNCIL COULD I MEAN, FOR TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION, THAT'S REALLY THE REQUEST, I DON'T THINK YOU NECESSARILY HAVE TO END UP THERE.
AND I MEAN, TONIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSION AND EXCUSE ME, YOU KNOW, COME TO SOME DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO PUT THIS ON A BALLOT.
BUT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION, THAT.
YOU REQUEST THE STAFF TO COME BACK WITH.
YOU KNOW, MORE EXACT LANGUAGE AND WHAT SOME ALTERNATIVES.
BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING THIS ON THE JUNE BECAUSE YOUR NEXT ELECTION IS NOT IN MARCH, IT'S IN JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
AND IF YOU TAKE THE WORDING ON THE PETITION, WELL, THAT JUST MEANS AND IF IT PASSES, I MEAN, THAT'S ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT.
THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF IN A LOCKBOX, I MEAN, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO A FUTURE ELECTION, SO...I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S A QUESTION AT-HAND AS TO
[01:35:03]
WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY IS GOING TO CONTRACT WITH L.A.YOU KNOW ONE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE IS TO GO AHEAD AND GET THE FINAL INFORMATION AND CONTRACTUAL OFFER FROM THE COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT THE VOTERS SAY ABOUT THAT? THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN, SO.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES AT THIS POINT.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE REASON I ASKED WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD GO IN THAT FORMAT IS THAT I HAVE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE ISSUES AND CONCERNS ON ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS, SO I HAVE ISSUES AND CONCERNS WITH THE WORDING.
AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY'S POINT, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER'S POINT IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT THE MONEY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE TERMS WOULD BE, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S SPECULATIVE.
AND SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE TERMS ARE SO THAT WE CAN NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S US OR RESIDENTS MAKING THE DECISION.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO I'M NOT DEBATING THAT POINT AT THIS AT THIS JUNCTURE, BUT.
I WOULD WANT TO BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY WOULD WANT THE FACTS IN FRONT OF THEM WITH ACTUAL NUMBERS VERSUS WHAT HAS BEEN PUT OUT THUS FAR.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE SAID, OK, TO THE TO THE TO MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE COULD GET SOME OF THOSE CONCRETE ANSWERS FROM L.A.
AND IF I'M MISSPEAKING OR IF I'M MISUNDERSTANDING THAT, THEN PLEASE CORRECT ME.
BOB, I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD, BUT I'M NOT--.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD--.
ANY OTHER CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE I'M TRYING TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
IF, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW THAT LANGUAGE MAKES SENSE TO ME ONLY IN AND I GUESS THIS IS WHERE MY QUESTION WAS INITIALLY.
IT SAYS CITY SHALL NOT CONTRACT WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY OR COUNTY SERVICES WITHOUT A VOTE BY THE CITIZENS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE CONTRACTED POMONA FOR THE USE OF THEIR JAIL.
SO DOES THAT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A VOTE, THEN THAT MEANS THERE IS NO, I GUESS, POTENTIAL AGILITY IN MOVING IF THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE OR IF I DON'T.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE SOME CLARITY ON.
OK, COULD I ANSWER THAT FOR HER? NO, WENDY, WE TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, THIS THE WORDING IS LET ME TELL YOU TWOFOLD, THE WORDING DOES NOT SAY ALL CONTRACTED SERVICES.
SO THIS WOULD GIVE POLICE AND FIRE THE RIGHT TO LOOK AT GOING WITHIN OUR OWN CITY, TO LOOK AT SERVICES LIKE THAT, LIKE THE JAILS IN POMONA.
THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WOULD STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
ALL THAT THIS STATEMENT SAYS THAT WOULD BE ON THE BALLOT IS THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR POLICE AS MUCH AS FIRE.
AS BRUCE BECKER SAID FIVE YEARS AGO, NONE OF US ON THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE GONE, IF WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT GOING COUNTY.
WELL, LOOK AT FIVE YEARS LATER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.
WHO'S TO SAY IN FIVE YEARS THIS COUNCIL OR ANOTHER COUNCIL WILL VOTE TO MOVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO COUNTY.
SO WHAT WE WANT HERE IN THIS STATEMENT IS THAT ANY TIME THERE'S DISCUSSION ABOUT GOING TO OUTSOURCING, THE DEPARTMENT'S NOT ALL THE AREAS THAT THEY WORK WITH, JUST THE DEPARTMENT, KEEPING IT CITY SERVICES WOULD GO BEFORE THE VOTERS.
SO THAT PROTECTS OUR POLICE AS MUCH AS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARAMEDIC DEPARTMENT.
NOW TO MR. KRESS' POINT THEN THAT'S ONE VOTE THAT THEN THEN THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE ON DURING THE NEXT ELECTION TIME, ANOTHER VOTE, IF THEY WOULD BE GOING TO COUNTY OR NOT TO COUNTY.
THAT'S THE WAY YOU EXPLAIN IT.
SO THAT'S NOW NOT NEXT YEAR, THEN, THAT WOULD BE EVEN THREE YEARS AFTER THAT.
UNLESS WE HAD A SPECIAL ELECTION, WHICH NONE OF US WANT TO SPEND THAT MONEY FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION.
BUT YES, BECAUSE WE WANT THIS MEASURE AND I'M REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I'M THE ONE THAT PUT IT ON THE AGENDA IS THE MEASURE TO SAY, FIRST OFF, IT HAS TO BE IN WRITING TO PROTECT FUTURE YEARS.
SO IT DOESN'T ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST GO ON FOR THIS TIME, DO WE WANT POLICE OR
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FIRE? SO THE NEXT TIME IN TWO YEARS THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO GO COUNTY OR GO BACK TO CITY.AND THIS WAY IT ALWAYS WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS FOR CONTRACTING SERVICES.
SO I GUESS I'M READY TO WEIGH IN, UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE HAS--.
WHEN I READ THE MEASURE OR THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, MY ASSUMPTION OR MY PERSPECTIVE WAS THAT TONIGHT WE WOULD MOVE TO HAVE THE DECISION FOR GOING CONTRACTING WITH L.A.
COUNTY OR STAYING LOCAL ON THE JUNE TWENTY TWO BALLOT.
I THINK IF THERE IS ANOTHER MEASURE THAT IS TO BE BROUGHT UP FOR FUTURE YEARS, I'M FINE WITH THAT TOO, OF THE MORE RESTRICTIVE PIECE THAT ROBIN'S TALKING ABOUT NOW.
BUT, RICK AND I HAD VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FIRE PERSONNEL.
I HAVEN'T HAD THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS WITH ENOUGH RESIDENTS.
I'VE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE SPEAKING OUT TO STEAL TIM'S LINE.
YOU KNOW, I'M LISTENING TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND IN THIS CASE, THE RESIDENTS ARE TENFOLD FOLD OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS FAR AS ACTIVITIES ON OTHER ON OTHER ISSUES.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS CASE AS WELL.
AND GRANTED, COVID HAS [INAUDIBLE] A LOT OF IT UP, BUT I'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE ROBUST DISCUSSIONS WITH REGARD TO WHAT THE ACTUAL ALTERNATIVES ARE AS CLOSE AS WE CAN.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US CONTINUE NEGOTIATING WITH L.A.
COUNTY BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE THAT ONCE WE'VE COME TO TERMS WITH L.A.
COUNTY THAT WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO THOSE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A STRONG EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND THAT WE'RE READY TO SIGN, BUT WE HAVEN'T COMMITTED TO SIGN YET.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY NOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT I TRIED TO SAY IN NOVEMBER.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A DECISION WITHOUT MOVING THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER FORWARD IS GOING TO RESOLVE ITSELF INTO A CONCLUSION WHICH IS ALREADY GOING TO BE HARD.
WHATEVER CONCLUSION WE COME UP WITH, WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK AT FOR THE NEXT, I THINK, SIX TO EIGHT YEARS TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
IT'S GOING TO IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU SIGN OFF ON THE BALLOT, SAY, OK, MY PROBLEMS ARE DONE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG AND ARDUOUS TASK, WHICHEVER DIRECTION WE GO.
AND I THINK THAT WE SAT DOWN AND LISTENED TO WHAT OUR FIRE PERSONNEL HAD TO SAY AND TOOK THEIR COMMENTS SERIOUSLY, I THINK WE NEED TO SHARE THOSE SERIOUS CONCERNS WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO NEED TO LISTEN TO AND TAKE OUR COMMUNITIES INTERESTS STRONG AND SERIOUSLY AND FIND A CONSENSUS PATH WHICH MAY NOT BE THE IDEAL PATH FOR ANYBODY, BUT IT'S THE CONSENSUS PATH THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN MOVE FORWARD ON.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN MOVING A MOTION TONIGHT THAT ALLOWS US TO INCORPORATE AND INCLUDE OUR COMMUNITY IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS FOR CONTRACTING WITH L.A.
IF WE AT A LATER DATE OR TO GO BACK TO RICK'S COMMENT, WHICH IS THAT OUR RESIDENTS COMPLETED ENOUGH PETITIONS TO ALSO THEN PUT ON FUTURE YEARS THE AUTOMATIC OBLIGATION THAT EVERY DECISION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT A DEPARTMENT LEVEL BE BROUGHT TO THE RESIDENTS VOTE.
BUT TONIGHT I SUPPORT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ROBIN'S MOTION, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT.
IN JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO, WE WILL BRING TO THE RESIDENTS A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT AS TO WHETHER TO CONTRACT WITH L.A.
COUNTY OR STATE, LOCAL AND BY THEN.
EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DO THE WORK AND HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT GETS EVERYBODY INTO THE MAJORITY POSITION, THAT WOULD WORK BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION OR CONCERN; I CAN SEE IT IN
[01:45:08]
YOUR EYE.I'M TRYING TO I GUESS I'M GETTING CONFUSED.
SO I'M TRYING TO I'M READING THE WHAT'S ON THERE.
AND SO I GUESS I NEED TO HEAR THE FORM OF THE MOTION.
OR MAYBE I'M LIKE I SAID, MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING BECAUSE I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF WHAT I'VE BEEN IN FAVOR OF SINCE NOVEMBER, WHICH IS THE INFORMATION GATHERING.
YOU KNOW, AS COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A STRONG LIKELIHOOD OR IN THE PAST, MAYBE THERE'S WHATEVER PRECEDENT THAT IF YOU GO DOWN THIS NEGOTIATION PATH THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY YES.
AND I SAY THAT FROM, YOU KNOW, I THINK EXPERIENCE AND NEGOTIATING.
YOU'RE NOT DONE UNTIL YOU'RE DONE AND YOU'RE NOT DONE UNTIL YOU EXECUTE SOMETHING.
AND SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE TERMS ARE AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE.
AND I DO WANT THE CITIZENRY TO BE INFORMED OF WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS, BECAUSE, AGAIN, TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS HAS INDICATED, WE THE COUNCIL HAS SPENT TIME HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH THE FIREFIGHTERS AND NOW WE'RE HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BRIDGE IN COMMUNICATION AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY THE FIREFIGHTERS SPOKE OUT AS THEY DID AND WHY THE RESIDENTS SPOKE OUT AS THEY DID.
AND SO I'M IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM L.A.
COUNTY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THEY'RE GOING TO PROPOSE OR NOT PROPOSE.
IN A PANDEMIC, IT'S NOT EASY TO HOLD THESE MEETINGS, BUT THEN LET'S HAVE THOSE MEETINGS AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THE OTHER DAY WHO WERE PROPONENTS OF THIS PETITION, AND THEY EVEN SAID, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE STORIES THAT HAVE GONE ABOUT HAVE BEEN ANECDOTAL OR SPECULATIVE.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON SPECULATION OR ANECDOTES.
I WANT TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THE FACTS.
AND WE'RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK THERE IS A POINT WHERE WE CAN GET TO WHERE W HAVE MORE INFORMATION THAN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
MR. RUSSI, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER LAU AGAIN ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS OR [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S DONE BY THE COUNTY AND I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR IT AGAIN.
CAN YOU IF IT GOES TO A VOTE, WILL WE CONTINUE TO GET THE INFORMATION? SO WHAT I HAVE GOTTEN BACK FROM THE COUNTY AT THIS POINT, AND I DON'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON WHERE WE GET THE FINAL TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT IF IT GOES TO A VOTE.
I JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT ANSWER BACK BECAUSE I IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS MEETING, I DID ASK THAT QUESTION.
SO THAT WAS NOT DEFINITIVE AT THIS POINT.
WHAT THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THERE WOULD BE DEFINITIVE IS THAT THEY HAVE DONE THE SURVEY.
THEY WOULD PROVIDE US BACK WITH WHAT THE CONVERSION COSTS LOOK LIKE.
THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THAT WORK.
BEYOND THAT, I WOULD ANTICIPATE STILL WANTING TO MEET TO GATHER THE FINAL TERMS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE COUNTY'S INTEREST WILL LIE.
I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER.
AT THIS POINT, WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED AN ANSWER.
ONCE THE COUNTY ESSENTIALLY GIVES US THEIR TERMS, HOW LONG IS THAT OFFER OPEN? I'M NOT SURE IT'S GOING TO BE HELD OPEN UNTIL WELL--.
SO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS THAT I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY'S COMING FROM, I THINK AND TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IF THIS WERE TO BE VOTED ON TONIGHT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE THE DECISION OF COUNTY OR CITY, DOES THAT THEN CHILL THE WILLINGNESS OF L.A.
COUNTY TO CONTINUE WITH NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH THEN WOULD PRECLUDE US FROM GETTING THE INFORMATION AND THE FACTS THAT WE WOULD NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION? AND SO MY SECOND PART OR MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S PRECLUDING THIS MOTION FROM COMING FORWARD LATER AFTER WE GET THE INFORMATION FROM L.A.
COUNTY? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO CHILL THE DISCUSSIONS, I GUESS, IS MY THOUGHT.
IF I MAY IF I MAY INTERRUPT THE RESPONSE FROM STAFF, I'LL SIMPLY SAY THIS HAVING ALSO NEGOTIATED MANY CONTRACTS WITH SIGNIFICANCE TO THEM.
[01:50:03]
I WOULD IF IF WE ARE INCLINED OR THINKING ABOUT PRESENTING THIS TO OUR CITIZENRY FOR A VOTE, I WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEGOTIATING PARTY KNOWS THAT AND NOT HIDE THAT FROM THEM.SO I WOULD PREFER THAT IF WE'RE INCLINED TO GO DOWN THAT PATH, WHICH I AM, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S STRAIGHTFORWARD.
I WOULD SUPPORT A MOTION TO MAKE THE DECISION FOR CONTRACTING OUT TO COUNTY OR STAYING LOCAL, DEPENDING ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE AT THE TIME, BECAUSE IT ISN'T GOING TO BE PERFECT, AS YOU RIGHTLY SAID, WENDY.
MAKE THAT DECISION IN JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO ON A SEPARATE PATH AND DIFFERENT FROM THIS, IF THE RESIDENTS WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR PETITION TO HAVE THIS HIGH BAR MAINTAIN ITSELF INTO THE FUTURE, THAT CAN HAPPEN LATER.
BUT TONIGHT, I'M INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING A MOTION THAT SAYS FOR THIS DECISION IT WILL BE TAKEN TO THE RESIDENTS IN JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
BUT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN AND HOLDING BACK AND MAKING AND MAKING L.A.
COUNTY THINK THAT WE DECIDED NOT TO GO THAT PATH, ONLY TO REVEAL THAT LATER TO SAY, OH, YEAH, NOW WE DECIDED TO KICK IT TO THE RESIDENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THE PROCESS GO FORWARD , AND THE COUNTY PRESENTS, AND NEGOTIATIONS OCCUR AND THE DEAL IS CARRIED FORWARD TO THE ELECTION ESSENTIALLY FOR RATIFICATION? PRIMARILY, YEAH, YEAH, BY THE RESIDENTS.
IF BECAUSE THEY WERE REQUIRING THEM TO HOLD IT OVER OPEN FOR A YEAR OR MORE, THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME THINGS INDICATIVE THAT WE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR TIME FRAME IS, WHEN THEY CAN SOLIDIFY THE INDICATIVE AMOUNTS BEFORE JUNE.
IF THEY KNOW THE DECISION IS GOING TO BE MADE IN JUNE, WE WOULD NEED THEM TO SAY, OK, OUR FIRM AND FINAL OFFER IS GOING TO BE GIVEN TO MAY 1ST.
WE HAVE SIX WEEKS TO THINK ABOUT IT.
BUT WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEIR PRELIMINARY OR THEIR INDICATIVE OFFER FOR THE NEXT YEAR, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THEIR FINAL OFFER, IT WAS SIX WEEKS AND THEN BE ABLE TO DECIDE OR CONVINCE THE RESIDENTS WHICH WAY WE SHOULD GO.
BUT THE LANGUAGE OF THAT SPECIFIC MOTION, I GUESS, OR THE OR THE LANGUAGE THAT WOULD GO INTO THE BALLOT, I WOULD RELY ON STAFF TO PREPARE A STATEMENT AND ALTERNATIVES FOR US TO FINE TUNE AT A FUTURE MEETING.
ONE THING THAT CONCERNS ME ONE, AND THIS IS I FIRST REALIZED BY ASKING YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER TONIGHT WAS EXTENDING THIS OUT THREE YEARS AND FOR OUR SERVICES OF OUR RESIDENTS AS HAVING THIS BEEN SUCH A PROLONGED EVENT TO HAPPEN, SO I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR TO MAKE IT SO THAT IT WOULD TAKE WOULD TAKE THAT LONG.
BUT ANOTHER THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS IF WE GET THIS REPORT BACK AND IT IS NOT FAVORABLE FOR THE CITY, BUT THEN WE'RE AUTOMATICALLY GOING FOR A VOTE WITH THE RESIDENTS AND WAITING FOR THE RESIDENTS RATHER THAN IF WE HEAR THE RESULTS OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS AND WE DECIDE, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS AND WE WANT TO RETAIN OUR FIRE, THEN WE HAVE ALREADY [INAUDIBLE] OURSELVES INTO WAITING UNTIL JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY FOR THE ELECTION AND THEN THAT'S DECIDED.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MAKING US GET ALL THE INFORMATION AND THEN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AGAIN.
AND IF WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE CITY FIRE, THEN PUT IT TO THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW IS THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
IF IT'S TO BE MOVED AWAY FROM THE CITY, THEN FOR THAT VOTE.
BUT NOT TO TIE OUR HANDS IF THAT'S A DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO IN.
IF THE COUNTY IS NOT THAT THE OFFER IS NOT THAT GOOD.
I DO HEAR, THOUGH, THAT FROM THE RESIDENTS TONIGHT, THAT AND FROM GETTING SIGNATURES
[01:55:04]
A LOT MORE THAN WE HAVE SEEN IN ANYTHING IN THE PAST THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE A SAY IF IT'S MOVING AWAY FROM THE CITY.SO I LIKE ONE OF YOUR POINTS, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT WE COULD PROBABLY FRAME THE MOTION IN A WAY THAT SAYS ONLY IF THE IF THE OFFER FROM L.A.
COUNTY IS COMPELLING TO GO COUNTY WOULD WE TAKE IT TO THE RESIDENTS IF IT FAILED TO COMPEL US THAT WE COULD MAKE THE DECISION TO STAY LOCAL.
HOWEVER, IN SOME SENSE, I LIKE TO HAVE THE WEIGHT OF THE RESIDENTS BEHIND THE DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
THE OTHER PIECE OF YOUR YOUR WAIT STRATEGY, I DON'T THINK IS VERY GOOD, BECAUSE IF WE WAIT, THE RESIDENTS ARE CLOSE TO MAKING THE PETITION VIABLE ANYWAY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO FORCE US INTO A THREE YEAR HOLD.
BECAUSE THEIR PETITION DOES SAY THAT THIS NEXT BALLOT IN JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO IS TO REQUIRE THE COUNCIL GET THE RESIDENTS PARTICIPATION IN A DECISION IN GENERIC, I'M TRYING TO SAY.
I WANT TONIGHT TO VOTE ON A MOTION THAT PUTS THAT ISSUE ON THE BALLOT ON TWENTY TWENTY TWO SO THAT WE'RE NOT IN A THREE YEAR HOLD ONLY A YEAR FROM NOW MAKING THAT DECISION, I THINK YOUR WAIT STRATEGY OPENS US UP FOR THE PETITIONERS TO MEET THEIR HURDLE AND PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT BEFORE WE'VE MADE A DECISION AND THEN OUR HANDS ARE TIED FOR THREE YEARS.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BOB KRESS.
BOB, IS IT POSSIBLE, LISTENING TO ALL THE COUNCIL'S COMMENTS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE BOTH MEASURES ON A BALLOT SAYING, FIRST OFF, WHAT EXACTLY THIS ONE IS, BUT THEN ALSO TAKING THE SAME VOTE IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO BELOW THIS MEASURE OR ABOVE IT EITHER ONE, BUT THEY'RE VOTING ON BOTH ITEMS. IS THAT WHETHER THIS COMMUNITY WANTS FIRE OR LOCAL OR COUNTY? CAN YOU HAVE BOTH BECAUSE IN WAYS THEY'RE NOT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER TWO YEARS? I WAS JUST THINKING, LISTENING TO THE COUNCIL.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT.
YEAH, I MEAN, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION, COULD THERE BE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THE JUNE 2022 BALLOT? ASKING THE VOTERS TO RATIFY THE PROPOSED DEAL WITH THE COUNTY-- OR NOT IF [INAUDIBLE]-- YEAH, YES OR NO.
AND THEN THE SECOND MEASURES, WHICH WOULD BE CONFUSING TO HAVE TWO MEASURE, ESSENTIALLY ABOUT THE SAME THING, BUT THAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE IN LIFE.
AND BUT THE SECOND MEASURE TO ESSENTIALLY SAY.
NOT THIS TIME, THE FIRST MEASURE SAYS NOT THIS TIME, AND THE SECOND MEASURE SAYS, AND DON'T YOU DARE DO THIS AGAIN WITHOUT GETTING OUR PERMISSION.
RIGHT, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A MEASURE.
THE FIRST ONE, AS YOU DESCRIBED, ROBIN, WOULD SAY THIS TIME, YES OR NO, DO YOU SUPPORT THIS? AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WOULD SAY FOR FUTURE, FOREVER MORE, YOU WANT THIS REQUIREMENT TO EXIST.
BUT I'M SORRY, WHAT IF THEY VOTED COUNTY ON THE FIRST ONE AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS [INAUDIBLE] CAN'T WE JUST REVERSE IT AND SAY THIS IS THE FIRST ASK, DO YOU WANT THE VOTERS TO CONSIDER CONTRACTING OUT SERVICES? AND THEN IN THE SECOND ONE, IF MEASURE A IS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE OR THE VOTERS VOTE IN SUPPORT, THEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT WOULD YOU CONSIDER CONTRACTING FIRE SERVICES? I DON'T LIKE CONDITIONAL MEASURES LIKE THAT.
BUT WE CAN WORDSMITH THAT LATER.
AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT THAT'S ALLOWABLE.
I COULD HAVE A LITTLE CHAT HERE FOR A MOMENT AND JUST CHIME IN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE VOTERS OF THE RESIDENTS PUTTING THE PETITIONS TOGETHER, AS WE ALL KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
IT'S A VERY IMPASSIONED DECISION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE USED TO A FIRE SERVICE WE'VE HAD FOR ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEARS.
AND IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE RESIDENTS INPUT.
EVERYBODY'S HAD A COMMENT ON THAT.
THEY'VE ENTRUSTED US TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS AS A COUNSEL BODY AND VOTED US INTO THESE OFFICES.
THIS DECISION, WE HAVE NO INFORMATION YET FROM THE COUNTY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING A MOTION BEFORE WE EVEN SEE THIS.
AND MY GOAL IS ALWAYS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND GIVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE HAVE TO THE
[02:00:04]
RESIDENTS.AND AT THAT POINT, WE SHOULD SIT DOWN AND MAKE A DECISION.
GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT WHEN THE COUNTY COMES BACK WITH A SURVEY MAYBE IN JUNE, MR. RUSSI, WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY? I WILL HAVE AT LEAST THE NUMBERS BY NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT THE REST OF THE TERMS AND MEETINGS THAT THEY WILL BE WILLING TO SCHEDULE.
YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE AN IMPASSIONED DECISION.
I WANT TO MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION WITH OUR RESIDENTS AN EDUCATED, INFORMED DECISION WITH ALL THE NUMBERS BEFORE US.
THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD TELL US WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NUMBERS THROWN AROUND TONIGHT AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANY VALIDITY TOWARDS THEM OR NOT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE POINT TWO BILLION DOLLARS IN COUNTY THEIR BUDGET.
THAT, YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS BASICALLY NOT A GOOD SITUATION.
I WANT TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS INFORMATION SO WE CAN ALL MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
BUT IF WE LOCK THIS UP WITH EMOTION, TO TIE OUR HANDS AND THE CITIZEN'S HANDS AGAIN, THEY ENTRUSTED US AS A COUNCIL AND A BODY TO MAKE DECISIONS ALONG WITH INCLUDING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WITH THE DECISIONS, OPEN DISCUSSIONS.
IF IT COMES TO THAT, THE COUNTY'S GOING TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH US.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE OPEN DISCUSSIONS IN AN OPEN MEETING.
IF NOT, WE'LL OPEN UP A MEETING WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
BUT DO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TONIGHT TO RESTRICT AND I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE SIGNATURE PAGE, WE'RE REQUESTING THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUSPEND ANY DECISION REGARDING CONVERSION OF LA VERNE FIRE.
WE'RE LOOKING OUT FOR THE SAFETY OF THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN YOUR FLIER.
THE FLIER THAT THE PEOPLE SIGNED.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR OUR RESIDENTS IS TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, SAFETY FOR OUR PERSONNEL AND SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO SAVE LIVES, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE'RE DOING HERE.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW ANY OF THAT INFORMATION YET BECAUSE WE'VE NOT RECEIVED THE STUDY.
EVERYBODY CAN TALK ABOUT THIS, THAT OR THIS OR THAT OR HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.
AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS STATED.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY TO BRING ALL THIS INFORMATION TO ALL OF US, AND THE RESIDENTS HAD AMPLE TIME TO LOOK AT THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT IS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT DOING NOW? WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO FIX IT IF WE CAN FIX IT? WHAT ARE THE RESPONSE TIMES? YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING MUTUAL AID A LOT.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE RESOLVE THAT? BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS.
WE DON'T KNOW THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR OUR CITY.
WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TOO MUCH.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO COST IF WE FULLY STAFFED WITH FLSA STANDARDS, WITH 17 FIREFIGHTERS, THREE STATIONS OPEN, WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ENTRUSTED FOR WHEN WE JUST WAIT, WHY DON'T WE WAIT UNTIL WE HIT THE STUDY IN JUNE IF AND THEN I UNDERSTAND THE ATTRACTION AS FAR AS IF THE RESIDENTS WANT TO DO THIS, THAT'S GREAT.
PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, BUT AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE THE INFORMATION AND OPEN IT UP TO ALL THE RESIDENTS.
AN INFORMED, EDUCATED DECISION THAT WE GIVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, NOT BITS AND PIECES.
THIS HAS TO BE A DECISION ON FACTS AND FIGURES AND SAFETY, SAFETY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS PROTECTING THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SUSPEND ANY DECISION REGARDING CONVERSION OF THE LA VERNE FIRE.
THIS IS WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SIGNING.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE INFORMATION TO OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS, THEN BACK IT UP WITH THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND THE RIGHT NUMBERS AND EXACT INFORMATION FROM L.A.
COUNTY AND OUR CITY TO SAY, HERE WE ARE, WE'RE AN OPEN BOOK, WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE HERE.
IF WE GO ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER, WE HAVE TO REBUILD OR WE GO TO COUNTY SERVICES.
I WANT THE RESIDENTS INPUT AS MUCH AS ANYBODY ELSE.
THIS IS A CHANGE OF A MODEL WE'VE HAD FOR MANY HUNDRED PLUS YEARS.
SO I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, GUYS.
OK, BUT YOU'RE MISUNDERSTANDING.
MY MOTION IS NOT TO TALK ABOUT COUNTY CITY, MY MOTION IS TO GIVE THE VOTE TO THE PEOPLE, TO DECIDE ON ANY COUNTY, ANY SERVICES THAT ARE CONTRACTED IN THE FUTURE.
AND, MY COMMENT ON THAT WOULD BE IF WE'RE HAVING THEN TO WAIT THREE YEARS TO
[02:05:27]
MAKE THIS DECISION, THEN I WOULD HAVE TO VOTE THAT DOWN.I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OUR OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR SAFETY IS WORTH THREE YEARS TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
MR. KRESS, IF IT IS THEN PUT ON THE BALLOT BY THE RESIDENTS, COULD WE PUT ANOTHER BALLOT ON THAT IN ASKING FOR THIS DECISION, I AM ABOUT GATHERING INFORMATION AND THEN PUTTING IF THAT'S THE WILL THAT WE PUT THIS MOTION AGAIN TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.
BUT I THINK, AGAIN, HAVING INFORMATION.
BUT IF IT'S PRE DONE BY THE RESIDENTS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS WAS STATING, THEN WOULD IT PRECLUDE US NOT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT ON THERE? SO I BELIEVE THAT IF THE RESIDENTS COMPLETED THEIR PETITIONING BEFORE WE MADE A DECISION.
THEN WE ARE IN A LESS ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION OF TRYING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THAT PETITION IS ASKING FOR.
SO I THINK, LIKE YOU, IF WE WANT A DECISION IN A IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS, WE NEED TONIGHT TO ASK TO HAVE THIS ISSUE BROUGHT TO OUR RESIDENTS AT THE NEXT BALLOT.
THAT WAY WE GET IT IN A YEAR RATHER THAN THREE YEARS, BUT IF WE STAY SILENT TONIGHT, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TONIGHT.
AND THEN THIS PETITION SHOWS UP THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN WITH SUFFICIENT PETITIONS THAT GOES ON THE BALLOT.
AND THEN I THINK WE'RE STUCK FOR WAITING THREE YEARS.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AND MY INTERPRETATION OF IT.
IS THAT YOUR OPINION, MR. KRESS? WELL, I MEAN, I JUST BRIEFLY LOOKED AT THE PETITIONS THAT I SAW THE FORMAT, AND IT'S I MEAN, IT'S NOT THE LEGAL STANDARD TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THOSE SIGNATURES COULDN'T BE DUPLICATED ON A PROPER PETITION FOR AN INITIATIVE.
BUT THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE THE QUESTION IS PRESENTED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY STAFF AND THE DETERMINATION IS MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION IS SUFFICIENT AND APPROPRIATE TO BE ON THE BALLOT AND THEN SEND IT BACK AND LOOK AT THE FORMAT OF THE PETITION SO THAT.
IT MEETS ALL LEGAL STANDARDS, SO WE'RE NOT THERE TONIGHT.
AGAIN, THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT TO SAY WITH THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES THAT HAVE BEEN GATHERED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT COULDN'T BE DONE, AND, YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO THE QUESTION I THINK THAT WAS PENDING IS I MEAN, COULD THIS END UP WITH A SPECIFIC QUESTION REGARDING.
THE PROPOSED CONTRACTING WITH COUNTY FIRE, AND THE LARGER MEASURE THAT, IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, I THINK THEY COULD BOTH PROBABLY BE ON THE SAME BALLOT, NOT TIED TOGETHER NECESSARILY IN STEPS.
SO I GUESS HERE'S MY OTHER QUESTION.
I'M ALMOST 90 PERCENT SURE NO ONE ON THIS CALL WILL HAVE AN ANSWER TO THIS.
BUT I'M GOING TO THROW IT OUT THERE FOR PONDERING-SAKE.
YOU KNOW, I DID NOT FULLY THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL, AGAIN, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, WHICH IS GOOD.
THE DIALOG IS GOOD BECAUSE IT HELPS TO SORT OF CLARIFY SOME THINGS.
I DID NOT FULLY APPRECIATE THE THREE YEAR PERIOD, AND THAT IS OF CONCERN.
AND I WONDER IF I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF IT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M SMARTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME.
SO I'M WONDERING, DID THE PEOPLE SIGNING THIS PETITION UNDERSTAND THAT IN DOING THIS THEY ARE POTENTIALLY PUTTING THEMSELVES AND THE REST OF THE CITIZENRY IN A
[02:10:04]
POSITION WHERE WE COULD BE IN LIMBO OR WE WOULDN'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE DECISION FOR THREE YEARS? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT OF AT LEAST FROM BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE RESIDENTS WHO CALLED IN, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT.BUT NOW I WONDER, WELL, HOW MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, THIS IS THE PICKLE THAT WE'RE IN.
AND I YOU KNOW, I THINK ON MY SOAPBOX FOR TWO SECONDS, I THINK THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO GET BETTER ABOUT MAYBE SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION ASPECTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT PEOPLE DO UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DECISION MAKING THAT HAPPENS.
SO, AGAIN, I DON'T EXPECT ANYONE TO REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, SO I THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR WHOEVER'S LISTENING AND WATCHING THE MEETING AND JUST FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.
WENDY, IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, I THINK WHAT BOB SAID WOULD BE GOOD TO PUT BOTH INITIATIVES ON THE BALLOT.
AND, YES, AS FAR AS THE PETITION, IT YEAH, IT'S NOT A LEGAL PETITION.
THAT WOULD BE AN INITIATIVE PETITION.
THAT WOULD JUST GO THROUGH LEGAL AND TO MAKE SURE THE WORDING WAS CORRECT.
THIS WAS A PETITION THAT THE CITIZENS PUT TOGETHER NO DIFFERENT THAN FOR LAS FLORES OR AMHERST OR ANY OTHER PROJECTS.
AND IT'S JUST THE CITIZENS WANTED TO SIGN A PETITION TO SAY THIS IS HOW WE FEEL RIGHT NOW, KNOWING IT WAS ON A TIME CRUNCH, KNOWING THAT THIS STUDY'S COMING BACK AND DID NOT WANT THE COUNCIL TO MAKE A RASH DECISION WITHOUT HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS.
BUT IF BOB, IF WE CAN GET BOTH INITIATIVES ON THE NEXT BALLOT, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
WE'RE NOT MAKING A RASH DECISION.
WE HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION YET.
WE HAVE NOT MADE A DECISION YET BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FACTS AND FIGURES.
WE HAVE SIXTEEN HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT SIGNED A PETITION.
AND THE WORDING OF THE PETITION CONCERNS ME.
NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE THIRTY THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED RESIDENTS IN THE CITY THAT DEPEND ON US TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE WHOLE BODY.
THAT'S FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR RESIDENTS.
WITHOUT GOOD EMPLOYEES, WE CAN'T PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO TIE OUR HANDS HERE.
I WANT TO SEE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
THAT'S WHAT WE TOLD EVERYBODY WE WERE GOING TO DO.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS GETTING THE COST BECAUSE WE HAVE ISSUES WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
MAKING THESE MOTIONS AND TYING OUR HANDS, THE COUNTY MIGHT SAY, YOU KNOW, FORGET IT, WE'RE DONE.
YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.
IT'S LIKE, WHY DON'T WE FINISH THE FEASIBILITY STUDY? WE'RE GOING TO BE TOTALLY TRANSPARENT WITH ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND PUT IT OUT THERE, HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT.
AND I PROPOSE THAT WE BRING UP THIS MOTION ONCE WE RECEIVE THE STUDY FROM THE COUNTY SO THAT THEN IT IS INFORMED DECISION ON WHERE WE ARE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON A BALLOT WHERE WE'RE SAYING, NO, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR SERVICES AND THEN WE ARE TYING OUR HANDS TO KEEP THEM.
TWO PIECES, ONE IS I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TIE OUR HANDS IN THE FIRST MOTION AT ALL.
WE CAN SIMPLY SAY THAT IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH L.A.
COUNTY, WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION UNILATERALLY.
IT'S ONLY IF IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN AND PROPOSING THAT SOLUTION TO THE COMMUNITY, WOULD IT NEED TO GO TO THE BALLOT-- THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING--I'M SORRY--THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING THE RESIDENTS SAY TONIGHT, WAS THAT PIECE RIGHT THERE.
ONLY THEY WANTED TO GO TO A VOTE, IF WE'RE PROPOSING IT, TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE CITY.
WELL, THAT'S ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
YES, AND THEY AND THEY DIDN'T TEE UP THIS QUESTION THAT'S IN FLIGHT RIGHT NOW AS THE MAYOR KEEPS SAYING.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE TYING OUR HANDS, THOUGH, IF WE GO DOWN THE TWO MOTION APPROACH.
MY CONCERN IS THAT IF WE SIT IDLE.
THAT OUR HANDS WILL BE TIED BY THE RESIDENTS IF THEY COMPLETE THE PETITIONING EFFORT, BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH WITH THEIR NUMBERS TO DESIGN THE LEGAL LANGUAGE HOWEVER THEY CHOOSE, THREE YEARS ISN'T IN STONE BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE A BALLOT MEASURE ANY TIME.
[02:15:01]
WE DECIDED TONIGHT OR WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN FRAMING IT TONIGHT THAT WE WOULDN'T HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR, BUT A SPECIAL ELECTION COULD BE HELD FOR THIS MEASURE.THAT WOULDN'T MEAN THAT IT'S THREE YEARS OUT.
IT COULD BE THAT A SPECIAL ELECTION IS HELD IN THE FALL FOR THE CITIZENS PETITION OR EVEN IF WE WANTED TO HAVE THE VOTE ON IF L.A.
COUNTY SAID WE CAN HOLD THIS OPEN UNTIL SEPTEMBER, BUT YOU GUYS NEED TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION IN SEPTEMBER OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE TO DECIDE ON THIS MEASURE, WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION THEN.
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO DEEP INTO THE SAUSAGE MAKING, BUT I DO BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT WE HAVE MADE DECISIONS ON THIS MUCH INFORMATION AND OR LESS WITH MANY FEWER RESIDENTS SPEAKING TO US.
AND SO THIS NOTION OF SAYING ONLY SIXTEEN HUNDRED OUT OF THIRTY THREE THOUSAND RESIDENTS, MR. MAYOR, DOESN'T CARRY MUCH WEIGHT WITH ME.
THAT'S NOT, BECAUSE IT'S THE FACT; WE'VE GOT THIRTY THREE THOUSAND RESIDENTS, THIRTY THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED RESIDENTS AND YOU HAVE SIXTEEN HUNDRED PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT.
YOU'VE CHANGED YOUR MIND WITH ONLY--.
I HAVE NOT CHANGED MY MIND, MR. DAVIS-- I'M GOING TO STOP BOTH OF YOU; THE ARGUING IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO DECISION MAKING AT THIS POINT, SO I'D RATHER NOT DO THAT.
I'D LIKE TO FOCUS BACK ON THE ISSUE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS MOMENT.
WELL, I'VE ESSENTIALLY TRIED TO MODIFY WHAT--I THOUGHT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER WAS BRINGING TONIGHT WAS A MOTION TO SAY THAT IN THE JUNE OF TWENTY TWENTY TWO ELECTION, WE WILL ENGAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO CONFIRM OR DENY OUR INTEREST IN GOING COUNTY IF THAT'S WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO.
AND THEN IF THERE'S A SECOND MEASURE THAT WANTS TO INCULCATE THE RESIDENTS PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES, WHATEVER RESIDUAL PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES WE HAVE INTO THE FUTURE IN PERPETUITY, THEN THAT CAN BE A SEPARATE MEASURE.
I DON'T WANT THIS PERPETUAL MEASURE, THOUGH, TO INTERFERE, TO COME IN BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION, WHICH IS WHY I AM PRESSING THAT WE MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT TO PUT THE MEASURE IN PLACE.
BUT COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, YOU KEEP AT THAT, YOU DON'T WANT THE OTHER MEASURE TO COME FIRST; I STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED AN ANSWER BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY THAT THAT'S SUCH A BAD THING TO HAVE THAT FIRST OR NOT FIRST.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF IT WHERE IT HAS TO BE FIRST.
AND AGAIN, I'M NOT AGAINST IT GOING TO BALLOT, MOVING AWAY, BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO LOCK OUR HANDS WITHOUT INFORMATION FROM THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
SO THAT'S WHY I KEEP ASKING OUR CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD THAT WOULD THAT BE-- I DON'T THINK IT'S A LEGAL ISSUE; I THINK IT'S CHEEKY.
IT'S CHEEKY TO HAVE YOUR RESIDENTS SAY BEFORE YOU WILL DO ANYTHING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS MEASURE THAT SAYS WHETHER OR NOT WE GET TO WEIGH IN ON IT.
AND THEN AFTER THEY'VE ASKED FOR THAT, WE TURN AROUND SAYING, YES, THAT'S OK, EXCEPT FOR THIS DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING TOMORROW AND TWO-- BUT THEY WOULD BE WEIGHING IN ON IT AT THE SAME TIME.
NO, IT'D BE THE THREE YEAR PROCESS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT--.
NOT IF YOU PUT IT ON THE SAME BALLOT MEASURE.
IF YOU PUT IT ON THE SAME TIME AS THE BALLOT THAT'S WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS, CAN THEY BOTH BE ON THE SAME BALLOT? AND IF THAT'S OK-- AND THE ANSWER IS I THINK SO.
OF US GETTING THE INFORMATION AND COMING BACK AND COUNCIL MAKING THE DECISION AND HAVING THIS LOCK SOLID THAT INTO THE FUTURE, THEN THE COUNCIL AT THAT POINT COULD SAY NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS STUDY, YES, WE WANT TO CONSIDER IT, BUT WE WANT TO PUT IT TO THE VOTERS.
THOSE TWO CAN BE ON THE SAME BALLOT.
THERE'S NO REASON IF AN INITIATIVE EFFORT AND THEN A COUNCIL EFFORT.
RIGHT? WELL, I MEAN, I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD WITH YOU TONIGHT AND THAT'S THE BEST I CAN DO, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU COULD PUT BOTH OF THOSE ON AND THE COUNCIL COULD SAY, WELL, IN CASE THIS OTHER MAJOR PASSES, THAT REQUIRES A VOTE OF THE
[02:20:03]
CITIZENS.WE'RE GOING TO JUMP AHEAD OF THAT AND PUT THE EXACT PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE NOW FROM THE COUNTY ON FOR YOUR APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.
OR WOULD IT BE BETTER FOR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THIS DECISION AND I'M SORRY, IN TWO WEEKS WHEN YOU CAN LOOK DEEPER INTO THIS SO THAT WE COULD DECIDE HAVING LEGAL ADVICE THAT YOU'VE ACTUALLY RESEARCHED.
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY IN TWO WEEKS.
HE'S ASKING TO VERIFY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S LEGAL, FIRST OF ALL, IN A LEGAL STANDING AND TO PUT THOSE TWO THINGS ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S LEGAL THAT COULD BE DONE WITHOUT US MAKING [INAUDIBLE] FALLING APART.
AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS, AND I DON'T WANT WHERE YOU'RE SHOOTING FROM THE HIP BECAUSE OF THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] OF HOW WE VOTE, TOO, AND I KNOW IN TWO WEEKS TIME, I'M SORRY THAT TO GATHER ALL THIS INFORMATION, HAVE LEGAL PUT IN THERE THAT IN TWO WEEKS TIME, IT WON'T BE DONE FROM THE CITY, FROM THE RESIDENTS [INAUDIBLE]PUT IT ON THE BALLOT SO WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
HOW IS THE MOTION THAT I HAVE MADE TIE OUR HANDS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THEY CAN HAVE 4000 SIGNATURES AND HAVE THE MOMENTUM ON IT, AND THEN WE HAVE TO CLAW BACK AND SAY, OH, NO, NO, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS IN ANYWAY, THAT'S CHEEKY.
BUT YOUR MOTION, THE ONE PART I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WITH YOUR MOTION IS DECIDING NOT TO GO WITH COUNTY IT'S STILL ON THE VOTE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOUR MOTION IS.
NO, I MODIFY IT, SO LET ME REPHRASE IT, LET ME PHRASE IT AGAIN AND SHOW IT THAT IT'S SHOULD COUNCIL PROMOTE AND DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE A COUNTY CONTRACT FOR FIRE SERVICES AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, IT WILL TAKE THAT PROMOTION TO A VOTE OF THE RESIDENTS.
BUT IF WE DON'T, THEN WE WON'T TAKE IT.
WHICH MEANS THAT WE COULD MAKE A DECISION IN MAY OR JUNE OR JULY OF THIS YEAR, THAT, NO, WE DON'T LIKE THEIR OFFER, SO WE'RE DONE AND THEN NOTHING GOES ON THE BALLOT.
BUT WITH THE INTENT THAT THE MAIN STATEMENT FOR-- WELL, I THINK THE RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE ONE THAT LASTS FOREVER.
I DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT THEIR MOMENTUM ISN'T GOING TO CONTINUE.
AND THAT'S NOT--THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
SO THE SENSE OF MOTION IS PRIOR TO THE CITY.
FINALLY APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH L.A.
WE MUST HAVE THE RESIDENTS' VOTE TO SUPPORT IT.
WELL, THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SAID, MAYOR, HE SAID BEFORE THE--.
NOT QUITE, BECAUSE IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT WITH L.A.
BUT I LIKED YOUR WORDING SO WE COULD PUT THAT IN THE MINUTES.
I'M NOT A LAWYER, THOUGH, JUST AN APPLIED MATHEMATICIAN [LAUGHTER] WELL, AND UNDERSTAND, I MEAN, THE THERE'S LEGAL STEPS AND PROCESSES TO ACTUALLY PUTTING A QUESTION ON THE BALLOT, AND WE'RE VERY FAR AWAY FROM THAT AT THIS POINT AND, I THINK WHATEVER YOU DO TONIGHT, IF YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MOTION, IT'S CONCEPTUAL, IT'S GOING TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU TO BE FINALIZED.
SHOULD THE COUNCIL PURSUE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE SERVICES, IT SHOULD GO TO A VOTE BEFORE THE RESIDENTS, BEFORE WE MAKE A FINAL DECISION.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. DAVIS? WELL, BEFORE WE EXECUTE THE FINAL AGREEMENT.
[02:25:02]
WE HAVE ALREADY MADE A DECISION TO PURSUE IT, AND THEN WE JUST HAVE TO GET THE RESIDENTS TO AGREE WITH IT.THE RESIDENTS WILL VOTE ON IT AS A WHOLE TO SAY YES OR NO TO GO TO COUNTY SERVICES? NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FIRST AND THEN THE COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE A DECISION TO SAY WE'RE WILLING TO CONSIDER THIS, BUT BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY RATIFY IT, IT HAS TO GO TO A VOTE.
SO IT'S GOT TO GO TO THE COUNCIL REGARDLESS TO SAY, IS THIS WORTH US CONSIDERING FURTHER BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE TERMS-- WHICH WOULD THEN HAVE A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL, THAT THEY ARE IN FAVOR OR NOT IN FAVOR TO THE COUNTY.
AND IF THEY ARE IN FAVOR TO GO TO COUNTY, THEN THEY WOULD VOTE TO THE PEOPLE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD APPROVE TO GO TO COUNTY.
BUT THEN THE FINAL VOTE IS TO THE PEOPLE.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER IS GOING TO HAVE A QUESTION HERE [INAUDIBLE] IF THAT HAPPENED WITH THE COUNTY, WITHDRAW THEIR PROPOSAL.
WELL, THAT WAS I MEAN, THAT IS I MEAN, THAT'S A QUESTION FOR MY OTHER QUESTION IN MY MIND WAS LIKE, SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE ENUMERATING ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT IN THE BALLOT FOR SOMEONE TO VOTE ON? OR IS IT JUST-- WELL, I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT THE FINAL CONTRACT AND ALL THE EXHIBITS IT'S GOT AND EVERYTHING ON THE WEBSITE.
AND THE BALLOT QUESTION HAS TO BE ANSWERABLE, YES OR NO.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING LIKE, SHALL THE PROPOSED CONTRACT WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE BE APPROVED? WELL, AND I HAVE AN ISSUE HERE, TOO.
NOT AN ISSUE, JUST A FACT IF IT COMES THAT WAY.
WHAT IF THE COUNTY'S PROPOSAL IS SUPERIOR IN QUALITY WITH SERVICES AND COST, AND TO TAKE OUR FIRE SERVICES THAT WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, TO BRING THEM UP TO PAR.
AND THE TWO DON'T GEL THE COUNTY FIRE SERVICES JUST FOR A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION ARE FAR SUPERIOR.
WELL, IF WE OR LET ME I'LL MAKE IT VERY PERSONAL, IF I AS A COUNCIL MEMBER SEE THE CONTRACT AND I SEE THAT L.A.
COUNTY IS OFFERING US IS FAR SUPERIOR TO ANYTHING I THINK WE CAN DO ON OUR OWN.
IT'S MY JOB TO GO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT AND I SELL IT TO THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE SAME PAGE I AM.
AND THEY SEE THE SAME COLOR RED THAT I DO THAT SAYS THIS IS A MUCH BETTER DEAL THAN WHAT WE CAN DO ON OUR OWN.
IT'S ABOUT INFORMING THE RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO MATTER WHICH WAY IT SHAKES OUT, WHETHER I THINK IT IS, DO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE FULL CONSEQUENCES? ARE WE GIVING THEM ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO EVALUATE IT? YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S ANECDOTAL AND WHAT'S SPECULATIVE AND WHAT'S FACTS.
AGAIN, THOUGH, IF WE DO THAT AND INFORM EVERYONE IT IS A SUPERIOR SERVICE.
WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, BUT IT STILL GOES TO A VOTE, BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO GO BECAUSE OF THE FACT IT'S SO APPARENT.
NOT SAYING IT IS, BUT IF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD STILL GO TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
ABSOLUTELY, IT COULD, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD SEE IT AS APPARENT AS WE DO.
AS LONG AS WE DO OUR PROPER TRAINING AND TRANSPARENCY AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
THIS IS ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEARS OF THE CULTURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SHIFT, IF WE CHOOSE TO GO DOWN THAT PATH.
SO IT TAKES ALL OF OUR EFFORT TO MAKE THAT TURN FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, OTHERWISE WE STAY LOCAL.
AND I SAY THAT WE GET AS MUCH INFORMATION SO THAT WE COULD INFORM OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
BUT I THINK WE NEED THIS MOTION TONIGHT SO THAT WE DON'T GET BODY BLOCKED WITH THE PETITION THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BODY BLOCK US FOR THREE YEARS UNLESS WE WANTED TO SPEND MONEY FOR SPECIAL ELECTIONS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS LEGAL STANDING [INAUDIBLE] IS THAT CORRECT, MR. KRESS? WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THAT.
YOU'RE GOING TO IF WE MAKE THIS MOTION TONIGHT IT HAS TO HOLD WATER.
TONIGHT'S ACTION WOULD SIMPLY BE, IS THIS OF SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS US TO THEY'RE OF INTEREST AND THEY WANT US TO GO BACK AND BRING BACK LANGUAGE PROPOSALS OR ANY OF THOSE PIECES.
BUT YOU'RE NOT MAKING A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON WHAT IT WILL SAY TONIGHT.
[02:30:03]
TONIGHT IS OUR PLEDGE.WE WILL NOT GO FORWARD FINALLY WITH L.A.
COUNTY WITHOUT PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY.
RIGHT, AND THAT'S MY MOTION RIGHT THERE, JUST WHAT BOB KRESS SAID.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'M SORRY, MAYOR; YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION HERE IS I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT HOWEVER WE VOTE TONIGHT DOESN'T OVERSEE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO WANT TO DO AFTER HEARING THIS MEETING THAT THEY MIGHT DECIDE TO DO AN INITIATIVE.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T NEED MANY MORE VOTES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY 10 PERCENT OF THE VOTERS IN THE LAST ELECTION.
AND ONCE THEY DO [INAUDIBLE] LEGAL INITIATIVE, IT'S ON THE BALLOT.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT ISN'T GOING TO PRECLUDE THEIR ACTIVITY.
BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING OUR INTERESTS FRAMED THE WAY WE WANT IT SO THAT IF THE TIMING IS WHERE WE WANT IT AND THEN IF THEY COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO ADD TO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
WE WON'T STOP THEM FROM DOING THAT.
BOB KRESS, I NEED TO KNOW YOUR LEGAL OPINION ON THIS IS THAT HOWEVER WE VOTE TONIGHT, A GROUP OUTSIDE THERE CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT, CORRECT? IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO AN INITIATIVE TONIGHT BY THE COUNCIL, VOTING DOES NOT STOP THEM FROM DOING WHATEVER THEY'D LIKE, CORRECT? TRUE, BUT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FROM SEVERAL HOURS AGO TO RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOTHING AT HAND ABOUT POLICE GOING TO SHERIFFS, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A MOTION THAT, YOU KNOW, THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE WILL BE SOUGHT BEFORE IT'S FINALIZED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE INITIATIVE THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE PETITION COULD GO FORWARD, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE REAL QUESTION IS THE FUTURE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND-- WELL, I'M TRYING TO.
I DON'T KNOW, I JUST I FEEL LIKE THIS PART OF ME FEELS LIKE IF IT IF WE DO THIS, I.
WELL, EITHER WAY IT DOESN'T MATTER.
EITHER WAY, I NEED TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO THE EDUCATION COMPONENT.
AND WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT'S DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF EITHER OF EITHER ROUTE.
BECAUSE IT DOES MAKE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.
I GUESS IN A PERFECT WORLD, I WOULD WISH EVERYTHING WAS MUCH MORE COLLABORATIVE AND WE COULD JUST SIT DOWN, AND AGAIN, BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC, WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T SIT DOWN TOGETHER, BUT SIT DOWN AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT ALL OF THESE ISSUES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN A STUDY SESSION OR WHATNOT, BUT OR MULTIPLE STUDY SESSIONS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE GOT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE PARTICIPATED OR MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE STUDY SESSIONS OR THE PRESENTATIONS BY MESSINA AND ASSOCIATES.
ABSOLUTELY, WENDY, YOU ARE SO CORRECT.
SO MANY PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TALKED TO, I'VE TALKED TO, DID NOT KNOW EVEN WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO WE HAD TO EDUCATE THEM SHORTLY OF WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.
IT CAN'T GO ON FOREVER, BUT YOU'RE MISUNDERSTANDING WHAT WE PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE.
WE SAID WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU TO GO COUNTY OR CITY.
ALL THAT WE BROUGHT ON THIS PETITION WAS TO GIVE THE CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO VOTE EITHER WAY IS WHAT THEY WERE TOLD.
BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AS A VOTING CITIZEN, THE RIGHT TO VOTE, THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO PRESENT.
ALL OF YOU HAVE BROUGHT IN THE FIRE AND THE SERVICES.
BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU ALL THAT I WAS BRINGING TONIGHT.
SO, TO ELABORATE ON WHAT BOTH OF YOU SAID.
WHEN I LOOK BACK INTO THE RECENT FUTURE AND GRANTED, WENDY, YOU AND RICK WERE BOTH CAMPAIGNING? SO YOU WERE BUSY, BUT YOU WERE ALSO AWARE OF IT? I THINK THAT, YES ON LV MEASURE IS THE MODEL I'M THINKING ABOUT WHEN I'M PROPOSING THE MEASURE, THE WAY CONCEPTUALLY THAT I'M PROPOSING IT IS THAT WE GET SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH CLOSER OR SIMILAR TO THE YES ON LV MEASURE WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF SHARING OF VIEWS ON WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD OR INDIFFERENT, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BECAUSE BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN UP TILL NOW HAS INFORMED ME A GREAT DEAL, BUT I FEEL HASN'T HAS FALLEN SHORT OF INFORMING OUR COMMUNITY AND IN SOME
[02:35:07]
SENSE, IT SENDS AND IRKS ME THAT EVEN NOW PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHAT THEY'RE DISCUSSING FIRE.AND I GUESS HERE'S MY CONCERN, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I SEE AS A DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN MEASURE LV AND WHAT WOULD BE MOVING FORWARD HERE IS THAT AT LEAST WITH THE PEOPLE I HAD SPOKEN WITH WHO ARE PROPONENTS OF THIS PARTICULAR PETITION, IT WAS NOT JUST AT LEAST THE WAY IT WAS FRAMED TO ME, IT WAS NOT JUST MERELY WE SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE.
IT WAS WE WANT TO KEEP OUR OWN.
SO I THINK IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS, I AM ADVOCATING FOR AN UNBIASED EDUCATION PROCESS.
RIGHT HERE ARE THE PROS HERE, THE CONS.
HERE'S ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
IF WE KEEP OUR OWN HERE, THE CONSEQUENCES IF WE GO L.A.
COUNTY AND WE CAN'T FACTOR IN EVERY VARIABLE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THEM.
BUT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, HERE ARE THE TANGIBLES, RIGHT? LIKE THE EQUIPMENT, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DA-DA-DA-DA.
BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THAT PACKAGE THAT MAY NOT BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, THAT WOULD HAVE TO REQUIRE AN EDUCATION PROCESS.
SO THEN WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THAT? AND I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF THAT.
BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH MEASURE LV, IT WAS PEOPLE WHO ARE ADVOCATING FOR A SPECIFIC RESULT, WHICH WAS WE WANT TO ENACT THIS MEASURE SO THAT PART OF OUR TAXES WILL GO BACK INTO OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
SO, AND THIS IS WHY I MADE THAT COMMENT ABOUT COLLABORATION.
I'M NOT READY TO, I GUESS, THROW DOWN THE GANTLET AND WATCH THE FIRE OF--THAT WAS A BAD ANALOGY--BUT YOU KNOW WATCH THE YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE START, LIKE, FLAMING--OH, MY GOSH! I'M NOT EVEN MEAN TO, BUT LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I'M NOT READY TO WATCH THAT FIGHT WHEN I THINK WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS EFFECTIVE DIALOG AND DISCUSSION.
BECAUSE YOU HEAR THE IMPASSIONED RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE WHO TOLD PERSONAL STORIES.
I MEAN, DON'T GET ME WRONG, THE PARAMEDICS CAME AND GOT ME AT THE END OF JANUARY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BUT THEN YOU ALSO HEAR FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE TWO COLLECTIVES HAVE NECESSARILY SPOKEN.
AND I GET THAT THERE HAS BEEN A TON OF ANIMOSITY AND THERE'S BEEN A TON OF HISTORY AND DEEP SEATED EMOTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT HOW DO WE GET OURSELVES OUT OF THAT AND MAYBE I'M THINKING TOO POLLYANNA ABOUT IT, BUT LIKE, HOW DO WE GET OURSELVES OUT OF THAT AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS? I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
AND I'M OPTIMISTIC, EVEN THOUGH THE REALITY SIDE OF ME SAYS THAT THERE WILL BE SOME FACTIONS THAT ARE GOING AT IT MORE RIGOROUSLY THAN OTHERS.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES TIME, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT IF WE, THE COUNCIL, ARE CONVINCED OR ARE IN SUPPORT OF GOING COUNTY AND WE AS A COUNCIL VOTE ON IT, WE WILL HAVE TIME THEN TO MAKE OUR CASE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IF WE CAN'T MAKE OUR CASE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY STILL SAYS WE'RE STAYING LOCAL BECAUSE IN THIS IN THIS EXAMPLE, WE'VE ALREADY MADE THE DECISION BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BALLOT THAT WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS SUPERIOR CONTRACT.
IF WE CAN'T CONVINCE OUR COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S A SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE, THEN WE WILL FAIL.
AND WE'LL STAY LOCAL AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO THEN, BUT IT WILL BE ON EACH OF US AND ON EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE HONEST AND SINCERE AND ROBUST DIALOG ON SAYING WHAT ARE THE FEARS AND WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? BECAUSE WHAT I'M LOOKING AT AND WHAT MY FEARS AND MY CONCERNS ARE ARE X, Y AND Z.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S MOTIVATING ME TO GO LEFT.
AND YOU'RE SAYING I SHOULD GO.
BECAUSE IF IT GOES ON A BALLOT, THEN THAT'S THE COUNCIL SAYING WE WANTED TO MOVE TOWARDS COUNTY.
IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET ON THE BALLOT IF WE DECIDE THAT WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF IT.
IF WE'RE NOT IN SUPPORT OF IT, IT JUST STOPS.
THAT'S WHY I WAS USING THE EXAMPLE SAYING THAT IF WE'RE-- IF IT'S GOING ON THE BALLOT, THEN WE'RE PROMOTING IT.
SO WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND SHARE WITH EVERYBODY WHY IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND IF WE CAN'T MAKE THAT CASE, THEN WE LOSE.
OK, BUT AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT THESE FLIERS GOING AROUND AND YOU HEARD FROM AT LEAST ALL BUT ALL BUT THREE TONIGHT, IMPASSIONED ABOUT THE ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEAR HISTORY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FOR PEOPLE.
EITHER WAY YOU GO AND I AGREE WITH MR. DAVIS, BUT TO EDUCATE, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GET THIS SURVEY IS GOING TO BE A DAUNTING TASK AND WE ALL HAVE TO JUMP IN WITH IT, IF THAT'S THE CASE, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, LAST TIME WE EXTENDED IT BY,
[02:40:04]
WHAT, A MONTH OR TWO WHEN WE HAD THE SURVEY WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND WE STILL DIDN'T GET A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY ENGULFED.THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER BAG OF WORKS BECAUSE PEOPLE-- IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE CAME AND GET ON ZOOM, LET'S FACE IT, LET ALONE HAVE A CELL PHONE OR SMART DEVICE.
BUT I GUESS MY POINT IS, IS THAT THE INFORMATION THAT'S GIVEN NEEDS TO BE ACCURATE AND IT NEEDS TO BE TRUTHFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE ARE MADE CORRECTLY, AND FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR PERSONNEL, OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR RESIDENTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING HERE.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY, VERY BIG DECISION.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, MAYOR, ABOUT THAT.
AND I SAT DOWN WITH MR. BEAUMONT, MR. [INAUDIBLE], MR. LOTT AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN AT THE LAST COUPLE MEETINGS.
AND I EXPRESSED TO THEM WHY I MADE MY DECISION WHEN I VOTED THE WAY I DID, TOO.
AND IT BROUGHT UP TO ME OF PAST DECISIONS THAT THE COUNCIL WENT OUT AND HAD THE CITY VOTE ON AND A PIECE THAT SURPRISED ME.
BUT WHEN EDWARD THEATER WAS PUT INTO LA VERNE, IT WAS PUT TO A VOTE TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
FOR AS SIMPLE AS THAT LITTLE PIECE, I SEE WHY THE OUTCRY FROM RESIDENTS, BUT I DO NOT WANT, AGAIN, AS TO I AM IN FAVOR OF WHAT MR. DAVIS OR MR. [INAUDIBLE] PROPOSED, BECAUSE I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF US DECIDING NO, WE DON'T WANT TO EVENTUALLY MOVE TO COUNTY THAN TO HAVE A GO TO A VOTE THAT WE JUST RETAIN AND NOT GO THERE.
AND WHY I VOTED FOR TO HAVE THE COUNTY STUDY FINALIZED IS FINDING OUT ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY TO MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PIECE WAS OUT TO THE RESIDENTS AND REMINDING COUNCIL MEMBER AND RESIDENTS THAT IN THE PAST WHAT'S GONE TO THE RESIDENTS PRIOR AS WELL, SO THAT WE HAVE VIEWPOINTS AND EXPRESSED SO THAT RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND LESSER THINGS HAVE GONE TO VOTE.
BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A SECOND MOTION, TO ADD TO THE MOTION, THE SECOND MEASURE THAT IS LITERALLY PRINTED AS FAR AS THE PEOPLE OF LA VERNE [INAUDIBLE], TO HAVE THE VOTE ON ANY FUTURE.
THE COMMITTEE REALLY WAS INSISTENT ON THIS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PROTECT KEEPING OUR POLICE AND THE PARAMEDICS FIRE.
SO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS IT CAN CHANGE FROM COUNCIL TO COUNCIL WHAT HAPPENS.
EVEN IF WE ALL VOTE TO DO A ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT CAN CHANGE WITH THE NEXT.
BUT TO BRING IT BACK IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
BUT WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR POLICE, TOO.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY WANT IT TO GO TO THE PEOPLE.
SO DON'T YOU THINK YOU ALREADY HAVE A MEASURE THAT WE NEED TO VET OUT FIRST BEFORE WE START ADDING MORE MEASURES? WELL, SO.
SO, SO ROBIN MADE THE REQUEST OF ME, SO I'M GOING TO RESPOND TO IT.
BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MR. MAYOR.
AND THAT AND SO TO YOU, ROBIN, I WOULD SAY I'D LIKE TO KEEP THIS MOTION SIMPLE RATHER THAN A COMPOUND MOTION.
AND I'M OPEN TO EITHER AT THE NEXT MEETING IF THE COALITION OR THE COMMITTEE STILL WANTS THAT MORE ROBUST MOTION TO BE MADE I'M OPEN TO SUPPORTING IT AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING.
BUT FOR THIS ONE OR EVEN IF WE WANT TO TAKE A NEITHER VOTE RIGHT AFTER THIS ONE, ALTHOUGH IT'S ONLY WRITTEN IN ONE MEASURE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE CAN MAKE AN ADDITIONAL ADD ON.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I'D LIKE TO KEEP THIS ONE SIMPLE.
I THINK WE STILL NEED DO WE NEED MR. KRESS TO REPEAT IT AND THEN SO WE CAN MAKE A MOTION ON THAT? OR MR. DAVIS, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION?
[02:45:03]
I'M SORRY, MR. MAYOR.IF I WAS DOING STEPPING OUT OF LINE.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, FIRST OF ALL, STATE THE MOTION, REPEAT THE MOTION, AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND AND THEN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL.
OK, SO I JUST CONCEPTUAL AT BEST.
EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
I THINK HE MAY ANSWER IT ONCE HE GETS THAT.
I'M SORRY THAT I LOST MY MOMENTUM.
I WAS THERE, BUT I'M OUT OF THE ZONE NOW.
OK, BOB, YOU HAD MADE THE MR. KRESS YOU HAD MADE THE MOTION FAIRLY WELL AT ONE POINT.
SO COULD YOU MAKE THE MOTION THAT I CAN REPEAT THAT MOTION? OH, WELL, I'LL TRY THIS.
I UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ZONE.
THE MOTION WOULD BE THAT THE COUNCIL--.
CAN I INTERRUPT? I THINK YOU GOT IT.
I THINK IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO GO TO COUNTY FIRE SERVICES BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION, TO GO TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
SO TO ME, PHRASE IT THIS WAY, UPON APPROVAL BY COUNCIL OR TO OUTSOURCE TO L.A.
COUNTY FIRE BEFORE THAT APPROVED CONTRACT CAN BE EXECUTED.
IT WILL BE TAKEN TO THE RESIDENTS OF LA VERNE TO BE RATIFIED BEFORE THE AGREEMENT IS EXECUTED.
IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN ADD SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT BEFORE RATIFIED, BUT ALSO TO BE HAVE THE RESIDENTS EDUCATED ON THE PROPOSAL, SOMETHING TO THAT SPEAKERS] YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP THAT AFTER WHAT YOU'VE SAID AND AFTER WE HAVE EDUCATED.
BUT WE HAVE INFORMED OUR RESIDENTS ON WHAT GOING TO COUNTY SERVICES ENTAILS BY EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION, THEN IT WOULD GO SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
WELL, BUT THAT SOUNDS VERY BIASED.
WELL, MR. MAYOR, HERE'S THE PROBLEM.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'M THINKING SINCE IT'S CONCEPTUAL, BUT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE MOTION.
BUT I GUESS LIKE AND NOT THAT I CAN MAKE YOU SWEAR A BLOOD OATH TO ME, AND PARTICULARLY NOT IN THE TIME OF COVID AND VIA ZOOM.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS' POINT EARLIER IS THAT THE WAY THIS MOTION IS PHRASED SO THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT IT.
IF IT EVEN GETS ON THE BALLOT, IT MEANS THAT THIS COUNCIL THOUGHT THAT THE COUNTY PROPOSAL RIGHT.
WAS THE SUPERIOR CHOICE THAT THEY ELECTED INTO OFFICE, THAT IT WAS A BETTER CHOICE, BUT THAT THEY WILL ULTIMATELY HAVE THE DECISION RIGHT TO--.
SO I WANT PEOPLE TO CARRY THE WEIGHT OF THAT, THAT IT'S NOT JUST WE THREW UP OUR HANDS AND SAID, YOU MAKE A DECISION.
IT IS THE COUNCIL MADE A DECISION AT THAT POINT THAT SAID, HEY, COUNTY'S BETTER.
SO NOW HERE IT IS ON THE BALLOT.
AND THIS IS THE PART WHERE I CAN'T MAKE YOU SWEAR TO ME ON A BLOOD OATH.
AND IT'S APPARENTLY GOING TO BE TOO CUMBERSOME IN A MOTION.
BUT THIS IS WHERE I WOULD SAY THEN IF IT GETS TO THAT POINT, THEN THE ONUS IS NOT JUST ON STAFF, BUT ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE OUT THERE CAMPAIGNING JUST AS HARD AS WE DID FOR MEASURE LV TO SAY THIS IS WHY WE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS THE BETTER CHOICE.
IT CAN'T JUST BE LIKE THROW OUR HANDS UP AND, YOU KNOW, GO AWAY.
AND I REALIZE THAT THAT MAKES LIFE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF US IN TERMS OF HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN OUT ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.
[02:50:01]
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT LETTING BOTH SIDES SPEAK, BUT HOW DO WE SERVE AS THE CONDUIT FOR THE DIALOG BETWEEN THOSE SITES? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN MY TERM, RIGHT, THAT WE HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE OPPOSING SIDES SO THAT THEY CAN HELP REACH A RESOLUTION TOGETHER VERSUS BECOMING THIS ANTAGONISTIC LIKE THEY HATE THIS.SO I HATE THIS AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
SO LIKE I SAID, I CAN'T MAKE YOU SWEAR THAT A BLOOD OATH.
BUT IF THAT'S THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE ALL GOING INTO THIS WITH.
SO, WENDY, THAT'S THE I'M SORRY, YOU CAN CALL ME [INAUDIBLE] ANY TIME YOU WANT.
I WAS TRYING TO BE FORMAL WITH EVERYBODY.
THE DISCUSSIONS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
THE ONUS IS GOING TO BE ON EACH ONE OF US TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY IS GOING TO BE THERE TO RAISE OUR GAME OR NOT.
AND THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GOING TO COME BEFORE US.
THIS WHOLE DECISION HAS BEEN A HUGE CHALLENGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY.
I STILL HAVEN'T COME UP ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, BUT THE PATH THAT I LIKE ON THIS IS IT PRESENTS AT LEAST ME AND I'LL SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT IT REALLY PRESENTS ALL OF US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AT A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL.
AND I HOPE WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT BECAUSE I KNOW I WILL.
WHO WANTS TO SECOND IT? DO I HAVE A SECOND? CAN WE REPEAT IT REAL QUICK? I'M SORRY, AND THEN THAT WAY IT'S JUST CLEAR, THE COUNCIL, BUT PRIOR TO RATIFICATION OF CONTRACT WITH L.A.
COUNTY, IT WILL BE PUT BEFORE A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, BECAUSE THEN YOU'VE GOT THE APPROVAL IS THE FIRST CONDITION, BUT YOU DON'T GET TO RATIFICATION UNTIL IT'S BEEN PUT TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
RATIFICATION IS THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
BUT PRIOR TO FINALIZING, IT'LL BE PUT TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE FOR RATIFICATION.
DOES THAT ADDRESS WHAT YOU WERE THINKING MUIR AND WENDY, WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO CHECK THE BOX ON IS THAT.
RIGHT, I MEAN, YEAH, IF IT EVER GETS ON A BALLOT, IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE APPROVED IT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, IF WE APPROVED IT, WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR IT, RIGHT.
OK, ARE WE GOOD WITH THAT? YOU WANT TO READ IT ONE MORE TIME JUST TO MAKE SURE OR ARE WE GOOD? ITS CONCEPTUAL.
I'M REALLY PROUD THAT WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET TO AN UNDERSTANDING.
I'M SURE THERE WILL STILL BE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAD AT US AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE NOT MAD AT US.
BUT I AM VERY ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT WE WORKED THROUGH SOME OF THIS AND HAD A DISCUSSION AND REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
I KNOW IT MAKES FOR A LONG NIGHT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I DO THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD STEP FOR THIS COUNCIL TO BE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS AND TO BE ABLE TO FEEL FREE TO SAY THIS IS WHERE I THINK THIS IS WONKY OR I THINK THIS PART DOESN'T FIT RIGHT.
CAN YOU CLARIFY IT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE MODELING THE WAY FOR WHICH WE HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS AND HOW OUR CONSTITUENTS CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER.
I CONCUR, AND I THINK THIS RIGOROUS DEBATE IS OUR MODEL FOR GOING FORWARD.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS WAS A HARD DISCUSSION TO HAVE, AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO HAVE.
AND PEOPLE SHARED THINGS THAT I HAD NOT CONTEMPLATED.
AND I'M HUMBLED THAT WE CAME OUT FIVE ZERO.
WELL, I THINK IF YOU REMOVE THE EMOTIONAL FACT OF IT AND JUST GO DOWN TO, OK, WE DO REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS, BUT WE REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS ON AN EVEN KEEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DECISIONS WE MAKE, THEY HAVE A HAND IN IT.
[02:55:02]
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TRANSPARENCY, OPEN GOVERNANCE.I THINK THAT, HEY, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION LIKE THIS AND I APPRECIATE THE RESIDENTS FOR PUTTING IT ON AND THE BALLOT.
THEY GOT THEY DEFINITELY GOT OUR ATTENTION.
YOU KNOW, THE WORD OF THE PEOPLE IS SO IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH ALL OF US HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS DECISION DOWN THE ROAD.
AND IF WE MADE IT TOGETHER, WE GO, HEY, THAT WORKED OUT GREAT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DO APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT.
I KNOW IT TAKES TIME, BUT IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY BIG DECISION.
AT THIS TIME CAN I MAKE A MOTION IF THE WORD OF THE PEOPLE MEANS SO MUCH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION FOR WHAT I HAD SAID EARLIER IS TO HAVE IT PUT ON THE BALLOT IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO THAT THE COUNCIL SUPPORTS THE CITIZENS VOTED ON, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS JUST SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE WE ALREADY MADE THIS MOTION, BUT FOR FUTURE CONTRACTING THAT IT GOES TO THE RESIDENTS.
I JUST WORRY ABOUT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, TOO, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IN YEARS TO COME THAT IT WILL BE THE DECISION OF THE RESIDENTS OF WHAT THEY WANT.
WHEN WE TAKE SURVEYS, NOT WHAT.
NINETY FOUR PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE SAY PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE WHY THEY MOVED TO LA VERNE, THEN IT'S SCHOOLS, TOO.
AND SO I JUST FEEL A STRONG NEED TO BRING THIS UP ONCE AGAIN.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? BEFORE, JUST BEFORE WE'VE MADE A MOTION ON THE AGENDA ITEM ALREADY, DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T WANT TO VIOLATE ANYTHING.
I DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM BRINGING BACK SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MAKE SURE.
THE SAME TOPIC, BECAUSE MY MOTION WAS CHANGED SO DRASTICALLY THAN WHAT I PRESENTED.
I'LL BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE DEBATING ALL OF THAT.
I MEAN, WE COULD, BUT I THINK WE'D BE UP FOR FOR QUITE SOME TIME ONLY BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE LIKE I MEAN, IT TOOK US, WHAT, AN HOUR? I MEAN, WHEN DID PUBLIC COMMENT AND LIKE EIGHT ISH? I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFICS RELATED TO THIS FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF.
AND I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW WE ARE EXPANDING IT TO PARAMEDIC FIRE AND POLICE.
AND I'M NOT AGAINST TALKING ABOUT IT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS--.
THE RIGHT TIME OR THE FORUM FOR IT RIGHT NOW.
OR THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION BEHIND IT TO HAVE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER INFORMATION WOULD YOU NEED? AND I DON'T FEEL A TIME FRAME MATTERS.
THIS IS AGENDA ITEM AND I FEEL IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION.
I THINK WE JUST BROUGHT UP BIG THINGS BEFORE THE RESIDENTS IN US.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START FORMULATING THAT FOR A VOTE TO THE PEOPLE IF WE DECIDE TO GO TO FIRE COUNTY SERVICES.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO PUT THIS ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW.
PROCEDURAL VOTE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE RICK CAN JUST SPEND THE NIGHT IN HIS OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN HERE LATE BEFORE, SO IT'S OK.
[INAUDIBLE] I WOULD MAKE A PROCEDURAL MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS AGENDA ITEM TO THE MARCH 1ST MEETING AND WE CAN HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION THEN AND GET MORE FEEDBACK EVEN FROM THE COALITION AS TO IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO COMPILE INFORMATION, DON'T YOU? WELL, MR. RUSSI.
WHAT INFORMATION WOULD YOU GET? WELL, TO ME, IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE QUESTION OF SAYING IS ARE HAVING THE TWO MEASURES ON THE SAME BALLOT CONFUSING? AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THE ONE AND THEN THE NEXT.
WELL, HOW ABOUT COMPARISONS IN OTHER CITIES? WHAT DO THEY DO? DO WE KNOW THAT? I THINK THIS WOULD BE UNPRECEDENTED.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THERE'S A LOT IN TO GO RESEARCH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT BALLOTS TO FIND OUT WHO MIGHT HAVE.
[INAUDIBLE] THAT YOU DO HAVE ITEMS COMING ON YOUR NEXT TWO AGENDAS THAT ARE LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS.
SO PROBABLY SIMILAR IN NATURE TO THIS SUBJECT.
COULD WE PUSH IT TO THE APRIL MEETING? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TIMING OF DISCUSSING THIS, WILL THIS SUBJECT, THIS MOTION CONSIDERATION WILL TAKE A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAKE A MOTION.
IT DOESN'T CARRY THAT OR DOES CARRY THEM.
I MEAN, MY CONCERN WOULD BE A CONFUSION ON THE BALLOT IF IT IS MOVING FORWARD.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM OF SERVICES IS GOING TO A VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE.
MY CONCERN, THOUGH, WOULD BE ANY KIND OF CONFUSION.
[03:00:04]
BUT AGAIN, IT'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATION.AND THAT IF-- THE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT SOMEONE VOTING YES FOR RATHER WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SAY IT, AND THAT THEY WOULD ALSO WANT TO VOTE COUNTY FOR THE OTHER ONE, BUT THEN THINKING THAT THEY WOULD STAY BECAUSE THEY VOTED YES FOR THIS BALLOT MEASURE.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY [INAUDIBLE] CONCERNED.
THAT SIMPLICITY, MY CONCERN, TOO, IS THAT YOU HAVE TWO BALLOT MEASURES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO EACH OTHER.
PEOPLE END UP GETTING CONFUSED.
NOW, LET'S SAY IF IT DOES BE PUT ON BY THE PEOPLE OTHER THAN PEOPLE, BUT LET'S SAY WE DECIDE, NO, WE DON'T WANT TO MOVE THE OTHER ONE FORWARD, THEN WE CAN PUT THAT OTHER ONE ON THE BALLOT AS WELL DURING THAT TIME, TOO.
AND SO THEN YOU WOULD HAVE ONLY ONE THING ON THE BALLOT AND IT WOULD ONLY MAKE FOR ONE DECISION.
BUT, CHRIS, CAN I ASK YOU TO RESEARCH HOW SOON INFORMATION HAS TO COME TO BE PUT ON A BALLOT? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IS IT SIX MONTHS BEFORE? THREE MONTHS BEFORE? SO IF YOU COULD RESEARCH THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TIME.
THANK YOU FOR TABLING IT, ROBIN.
I'M SORRY, BUT I THINK THEY'RE ALL.
[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ]
YEAH, WE'VE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.J.R., DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WAITING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? MR. MAYOR WE DO.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE FIVE THAT HAD CALLED IN BEFORE, SO WE'LL START GOING THROUGH THEM.
GIVE ME ONE MOMENT TO GET SET UP, PLEASE.
SO HOW ABOUT THAT NEW RAMS STADIUM? I WANT TO GO.
I WANT TO GO FOR GO EAT AND DRINK AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A COLD BEVERAGE AND SIT AND WATCH EVERYBODY AND NOT BE, YOU KNOW, REAL TIME.
[INAUDIBLE] MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JACKSON SALINAS ON THE LINE.
MR. SALINAS, GOOD EVENING AGAIN.
FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE IN THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN, [INAUDIBLE] L.A.
PLEASE, I NEED YOUR SUPPORT AS PROVIDED IN MY EMAIL PUBLIC COMMENT, AS IF THIS PHONE CALL FOR THE COMMENT.
ALSO, [INAUDIBLE] GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID THIS COULD BE MORE OPENINGS.
I THINK IT COULD BE DONE QUICK AND SAFE FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
PLEASE TAKE THIS AS A CONSIDERATION.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE PETER SCHAFFER ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR HEPBURN AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG EVENING SO I'LL GET STARTED.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME WITH THE MATTERS AT HAND.
RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN OUT WITH OTHERS FROM THIS COUNTY COMMUNITY GATHERING SIGNATURES IN OUR OPPOSITION OF DESTROYING THE GREEN SPACE AND THE TREES IN THE NORTH END OF FOREST PARK, WHICH IS A VERY POPULAR AREA USED FOR RECREATION, AS YOU KNOW.
TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE VOICE FOR THE HUNDREDS OF FOLKS WE TALK TO BY SHARING SOME OF THEIR QUESTIONS.
THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION WE GET ASKED OVER AND OVER BY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES THAT HAVE GROWN UP IN THE CITY OR HAVE ALREADY LIVED OR ONLY LIVED HERE A SHORT TIME, IS PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ME WHY IS LA VERNE GOING TO PAVE OVER PARK GREEN SPACE JUST TO REPLACE IT WITH ASPHALT AND EIGHT THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE TO KEEP YOU INDOORS? THE SECOND QUESTION TO ASK IS, WHY NOT USE OR REMODEL ONE OF MANY EXISTING BUILDINGS IN LA VERNE OR USE THE LAND THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED ACROSS FROM HIGH SCHOOL? AFTER ALL, THE GRANT ALLOWS FOR THE MONEY TO BE PURCHASED TO USE THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY.
A THIRD MOST POPULAR QUESTION IS, WHY DO WE NEED A [INAUDIBLE] AT ALL? THIS QUESTION COMES FROM, WELL, EDUCATORS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO, BUSINESS LEADERS [INAUDIBLE] ACTIVELY USING THE HUMANITIES AND OPEN SPACE IN THE PARK.
AND WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND SHOCKING IS HOW MANY OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY RESPONSES
[03:05:01]
FROM TEAMS. IN FACT, QUITE A SURPRISE.THE CITY WANTS TO BUILD A TEAM CENTER AND THEY ARE ALL 100 PERCENT NO, NOT ONE TEAM SAID YES.
[INAUDIBLE] LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR A [INAUDIBLE] IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, AND WHEN I MET WITH THEM IN THE PARK IN DECEMBER, THEY SAID THE MAIN PREMISE OF THIS BUILDING WOULD BE TO PROVIDE TUTORING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND IN FACT, A SAFE AFTER SCHOOL DAY CARE UNTIL PARENTS COULD GET HOME FROM WORK.
HOWEVER, JUST LAST WEEK I LISTENED TO THE YOUTH AND ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING AND THE [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL READ A PRETTY LENGTHY PRESENTATION.
AND HE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW SCHOOLS IN LA VERNE PROVIDE THESE EXACT SAME SERVICES TODAY.
THE [INAUDIBLE] FROM OUR REGIONAL SCHOOL.
THE COLLEGES AND THESE PROGRAMS HAVE INVITED TO OVER 800 STUDENTS MUST BE ONSITE [INAUDIBLE].
SO AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE ARE ASKING WHY DO WE NEED TO STOP THESE SERVICES JUST TO BUS STUDENTS TO A BUILDING AT ANOTHER LOCATION IN THE CITY? SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU LISTEN TO THESE CITIZENS AND THEIR QUESTIONS.
AND THEN IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO JUST SHARE SOME WORDS FROM JONI MITCHELL.
THEY PAY THE PARADISE, PUT UP A PARKING LOT AND TOOK ALL THE TREES AND PUT THEM IN A TREE MUSEUM, AND THEY CHARGE THE PEOPLE A DOLLAR AND A HALF JUST TO SEE.
[INAUDIBLE] TO GO YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT IS GONE TO PARADISE, PUT UP A PARKING LOT.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE KIM GREEN ON THE LINE.
HELLO, HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THE ADDITION OF A TEAM CENTER AND A PARKING LOT AT [INAUDIBLE] PARK.
AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS THIS PARK IS THOUGHTFULLY LAID OUT AND HAS A GOOD MIX OF GREEN SPACE AND BUILDINGS.
AND I FEEL THAT SHOEHORNING IN A NEW BUILDING AND PARKING LOT WILL DESTROY THE SIGHTLINES AND THE USABLE SPACE AT THE NORTH END OF THE PARK.
AT A TIME WHEN SO MUCH PRIVATELY HELD LAND IN LA VERNE IS BEING DEVELOPED, THE SANCTUARY OFFERED BY THIS PUBLIC SPACE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
SO NOT ONLY IS THE PARK BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT'S ALREADY PAID FOR AND THE NEIGHBORS LOVE IT.
WHY FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN? SO I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO PLEASE NOT ADD MORE CONCRETE AND ASPHALT TO [INAUDIBLE] PARK .
ONCE OUR OPEN SPACE IS GONE, IT'S GONE FOREVER.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
MR. MAYOR I HAVE KATHY WINDSOR ON THE LINE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M ALSO TALKING TONIGHT ABOUT THE PROPOSED TEAM CENTER.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LA VERNE [INAUDIBLE] AND WE'VE MET WITH SEVERAL CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO WOULD RATHER SEE THE TEAM CENTER BUILT SOMEWHERE ELSE RATHER THAN TAKING A GREEN SPACE WITHIN [INAUDIBLE] PARK.
THERE'S ALSO A CONCERN ABOUT ENCROACHMENT ON THE REDWOOD TREES AND ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE REDWOOD TREES WILL NOT BE TAKEN DOWN.
BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY ASSURANCES ON THAT.
I THINK ALSO THAT THE CITY IS SOMEWHAT MISDIRECTED IN USING LIMITED FUNDS FOR THE TEAM CENTER WHEN IN FACT BACK IN TWENTY SIXTEEN, IN RESPONSE THE COUNTY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THE CITY CONDUCTED AN ASSESSMENT AND FROM THAT CAME UP WITH A DOZEN OR SO IDEAS AND THE TEAM CENTER, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ON THE LIST, IT WASN'T FIRST.
FIRST THING ON THE LIST BY QUITE A LONG MARGIN WAS OPEN SPACE.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE CITY HAS DONE VERY LITTLE TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON OPENING UP NEW TRAILS OR ACQUIRING NEW LAND FOR NEW TRAILS AND CONNECTING THE EXISTING ONES THAT WE HAVE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT, I WAS TOLD THAT [INAUDIBLE] WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS FACILITY.
AND MY INTERPRETATION OF THAT, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
AND THAT BEFORE THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED, MY UNDERSTANDING THE CITY HAS
[03:10:02]
TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE COMPLIED WITH OR THAT THEY HAVE DOCUMENTATION SHOWING THAT IT IS EXEMPT EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED IN [INAUDIBLE] DON'T APPLY TO THIS FACILITY.I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE FUNDING MECHANISM SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT TO BE ELIGIBLE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE OF THESE TWO ITEMS. EITHER THE FACILITY IS LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT IS PARK POOR OR LESS THAN THREE ACRES OF PARK SPACE FOR A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
LA VERNE HAS AN IN THEIR PARKS GENERAL PLAN, AT LEAST FOUR ACRES PER FOUR ACRES OF PUBLIC SPACE PER FOUR THOUSAND PEOPLE.
THE OTHER QUALIFICATION IS MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND THE MEDIAN IS FIFTY SIX THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY TWO THOUSAND OR LESS.
AND IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SOURCES, LA VERNE IS EITHER EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SIXTY NINE OR ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS, IT'S HIGHER THAN THAT EVEN.
IT'S MORE LIKE EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE.
SO I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN ENGAGE IN GOOD FAITH GO AHEAD WITH JUST SUBMITTAL WHEN WE DON'T EVEN WE DON'T EVEN COMPLY WITH THE BASIC MINIMUMS OF WHAT--.
WE'VE REACHED A THREE MINUTE LIMIT.
BUT YOU CAN IF YOU COULD CLOSE UP, PLEASE.
WELL, THOSE WERE MY PRIMARY POINTS FOR THE CONSERVANCY IS NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS AND [INAUDIBLE].
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE HUGH KELLY, ON THE LINE.
[INAUDIBLE] WAS CALLED AWAY BY A FAMILY EMERGENCY, SO HE ASKED ME TO READ THIS WORD FOR YOU.
LAST THURSDAY I SENT AN EMAIL ASKING FOR THE OPENING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BE PLACED AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT TUESDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING.
UNFORTUNATELY, APPARENTLY, IT FELL ON DEAF EARS.
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT NONE OF YOU FEEL THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THE MAYOR SAID HE WOULD TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED.
THIS HAS BEEN NUMEROUS REQUESTS NUMEROUS TIMES BY NUMEROUS RESIDENTS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
I GAVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON OTHER SOME TYPE INCLUSIVE MEETINGS THAT ARE HELD BY THE CITY, INCLUDING [INAUDIBLE] AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, BOTH ATTENDED BY OVER 30 PEOPLE, 50 FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
I HAVE NEVER HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE TO ANSWER THE BASIC QUESTION OF WHY CAN'T RESIDENTS BE INVOLVED WITH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
MS. CARDER ADDED THE FIREFIGHTERS ISSUE TO THE TUESDAY AGENDA.
INTERESTING THAT THE CITY REQUESTED THE INITIAL FREEZE FREE SURVEY DONE BY L.A.
THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY WERE POSTED BY THE CITY ASKING FOR CITIZENS INPUT AS WELL AS THE NEXT STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN.
THE OVERALL RESPONSE FROM CITIZENS WAS YES.
THEREFORE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS MET DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY FIREFIGHTERS.
I WAS TOLD THAT CARDER DID NOT MEET DIRECTLY WITH THEM.
SUBSEQUENT TO THOSE MEETINGS, THERE WAS A VOTE BY COUNCIL BY MOVING FORWARD WITH A MORE DETAILED SURVEY WITH THE COUNTY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE IN PROCESS.
YET A FEW RESIDENTS HAVE ARGUED TO CANCEL THE SURVEY AND PUT THE SUBJECT ON THE NEXT BALLOT IN 2022.
A FEW HAVE QUOTED FIGURES AS IF THEY HAVE INSIDE INFORMATION OF A STUDY THAT'S GOING ON WHERE THEY GET THIS INFORMATION.
THE FIRST STUDY WHICH TRIGGERED THE VOTE TO MOVE FORWARD OR OTHER SOURCES.
WHY WOULD THE COUNCIL HAVE THIS AS AN AGENDA ITEM IF THE LAST VOTE WAS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A MORE DETAILED STUDY AND HAVE COMPLETED BUT NOT RESPOND TO CITIZENS REQUEST TO OPEN THE COUNCIL MEETINGS VERSUS THE TERRIBLE WAY THEY ARE [INAUDIBLE] NOW? THE FIRST TIME THE SUBJECT OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT WAS BROUGHT UP, THERE WAS NO SECOND ON THE MAYOR'S MOTION, THEREFORE NO VOTE.
COUNCILMAN DAVIS RIDICULED THE MAYOR FOR BRINGING IT UP AGAIN.
WELL, THE SAME HAPPENED WITH CARDER NEXT TUESDAY, VOTE WAS FOUR ONE AGAINST CARDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SURVEY.
NOW SHE WANTS TO BRING IT FORWARD AGAIN.
WHY? IT IS NOT ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS OR THE COUNTY.
THIS IS ABOUT PROCESS, THE LACK OF RESPONSE TO ANY CITIZEN THAT FOLLOWS YOUR STATED RULES FOR REQUESTING AGENDA ITEMS. YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE MY CASE FOR DISTRICT VOTING.
WHEN THAT WILL THAT BE ADDRESSED? ALL I'LL SAY IS THAT HE ASKED FOR TRANSPARENCY.
[03:15:01]
AND WE APPARENTLY HAVE THE CAPABILITIES WITH YOU.NO OTHER COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
OK, WE'LL GIVE IT A MINUTE, I'M SURE.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASLEEP.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL COMMENTS IN
[9. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS ]
A CONFERENCE MEETING REPORTS.WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING WE VOTED ON TONIGHT, SOMETHING THAT WASN'T ABOUT FIRE.
IT WAS ABOUT RESOLUTION 21 11.
IT WAS THE [INAUDIBLE] INCLUSION PLAYGROUND.
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO MY LIFE AND TO, I BELIEVE, TO THE RESIDENTS OF LA VERNE, WHERE THERE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INCLUSION PLAYGROUND PLACED IN [INAUDIBLE] PARK.
I SPOKE TO YVONNE DURANT EXTENSIVELY THIS WEEK ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ONE OF THE PREMIERE AREAS SO THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE AND PLAY ON OUR PLAYGROUND.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR BRINGING THAT BRINGING THIS TO US TONIGHT AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS HIGHLIGHTED THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE APPROVED.
THIS INCLUDES INCLUSION PLAYGROUNDS.
SO APPRECIATE THE STEPS THAT LA VERNE IS TAKING FOR ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY THE FORGOTTEN ONES.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU VOTING YES.
SO THE POMONA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY MET LAST WEEK.
SO IF YOU NEED A RIDE AND YOU QUALIFY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE OLDER THAN ME AND OLDER THAN TIM, SORRY.
BUT IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING ABOUT, CALL PPTA OR CALL CITY HALL AND I'LL HELP YOU GET TO THEM.
THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPLAUD WHAT RICK CROSBY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK INCLUSION PARK STRUCTURES ARE GREAT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO POTENTIALLY HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR ELDERLY OUT AT [INAUDIBLE] PARK BECAUSE WE SHOULD, INCLUDING RESIDENTS OUT IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE NEW PARK STRUCTURES ARE PRETTY, PRETTY RAD.
HAPPY BELATED VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYBODY.
WE CAN GET-- THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS.
YEAH, THE CURRENT COVID PANDEMIC IS FRUSTRATING, IT'S BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME.
IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE GOING ON A LONG TIME.
I'VE STARTED TO RECOGNIZE THINGS THAT I'M MISSING.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M ISOLATING AT HOME.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THIS DANGEROUS ILLNESS THAT'S OUT THERE THAT'S RAVAGING OUR WORLD.
EVERYBODY WILL MAKE IT THROUGH.
YES, ALONG WITH WHAT RICK CROSBY HAS SAID, AS I MET WITH DAN TODAY, TOO, BECAUSE WHEN I READ ABOUT THE PARK, IT TRULY BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL THING THAT WE'RE DOING.
I HAD A BROTHER THAT WAS DOWN SYNDROME AND HE WOULD HAVE LOVED THAT PARK BECAUSE I SAW MORE OF THE DETAILS WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE HANDS ON.
THEY GET TO MOVE THINGS AROUND THERE AND IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL AND THE LOCATION IS GOING TO BE VERY ACCESSIBLE.
SO KUDOS TO THE STAFF, YVONNE, DAN, THAT EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY IS ON LAST FRIDAY, I WAS INVITED OVER TO [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE GOLD LINE.
THEY HAD A TOUR OF THE SITE PLANNED FOR [INAUDIBLE].
AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN UNDER WHERE YOU LITERALLY GO UNDER THE UNDERGROUND TO GO UNDER THE TRACKS TO GET TO THE STATION.
WE HAD TO WEAR THE HARD HATS AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE IT'S A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND IT'S JUST COMING ALONG.
[03:20:01]
I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW IT'S COMING.THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
I WAS AT BOTH MUIR AND I ATTENDED THE [INAUDIBLE] MEETING WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF AGO, GIVE OR TAKE.
BUT I STRONGLY URGE YOU, IF YOU ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, TO CHECK THEM OUT ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK, THEY ARE STARTING TO POST SOME OF THE EVENTS AND SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE COMING ABOUT.
AND I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY FUN.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS THE DINNER MEETINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HAVE WHERE WE CAN GET TO KNOW OUR NEIGHBORS, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY IN THIS PANDEMIC WHERE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT AS MUCH.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE NICE FOR US TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY INTERACT WITH AND JUST GET TO KNOW WHO OUR NEIGHBORS ARE, BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE LOST A LOT OF THAT PERSONAL TOUCH JUST WITH TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO, AGAIN, WITH THE PANDEMIC.
SO DEFINITELY CHECK OUT [INAUDIBLE] ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT IT AS WE KEEP GROWING AND DEVELOPING.
I DO WANT TO THANK SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN [INAUDIBLE] WHO ARE JOINING OUR MEETINGS.
AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO REITERATE TO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC IS A PAIN IN THE PAIN.
AND I THINK SOMETIMES WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THAT WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AS WELL AS WE SHOULD.
I KNOW I END UP WORKING LATER THAN I PLAN TO BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO DO, THE COMPUTERS THERE, WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING MORE WORK OR YOU END UP JUST NOT DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO TO RELIEVE STRESS.
AND THAT CAN REALLY TAKE A TOLL.
SO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU ARE TAKING THAT TIME TO RELAX, TO TRY TO DESTRESS, MEDITATE, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
THERE ARE SOME AWESOME RESOURCES THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] OR YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION THERE ABOUT MEDITATION CLASSES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO HELP DISTRESSED YOGA ONLINE, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF FUN STUFF.
SO DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.
IT IS STILL PRETTY TOUGH OUT THERE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ELIGIBLE, GO GET VACCINATED.
YOU KNOW, LET'S MOVE FASTER AND CLOSER TO BEING BACK WITH PEOPLE, SO.
AND HAPPY BELATED LUNAR NEW YEAR AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE INCLUSION PART.
THEY DID A LOT OF WORK ON THAT.
BUT IT'S WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY TO HAVE A PARK THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE CHALLENGED AND HAVE NEEDS THAT THEY CAN ENJOY.
AND I THINK THAT THE FIRST OF MANY THINGS I'M GOING TO DO IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, AS IT WAS STATED.
ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S BEEN BY THE [INAUDIBLE], BUT THE SECOND ROUND OF SHOTS, THAT PLACE IS HUMMING.
AND ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, IF YOU CHOOSE TO GET A SHOT, GET ONE.
NOW, CALL YOUR PHARMACIES, CALL ANY PHARMACY.
THERE'S ALWAYS VACCINES THAT THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL ONES AND THEY WILL MORE THAN HAPPILY GIVE IT TO YOU.
AND I THINK THAT OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTY, I THINK ONCE THEY START RAMPING UP AGAIN, THERE'S SOME OTHER ASTRAZENECA LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE RELEASED AND THEN JOHNSON AND JOHNSON HOPEFULLY SOON.
BUT IF YOU FEEL THE NEED, PLEASE GET YOUR VACCINE.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER LAU KNOWS AND MR. ROSSI KNOWS, THIS COVID THING IS REAL AND IT'S NOT PLEASANT.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT THE SIDE EFFECTS OF IT, YOU KNOW.
SO YOU CAN GET A SHOT AND YOU WANT TO TAKE IT, GO FOR IT.
THE THIRD THING IS, IS THAT IT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME.
SO EVERYBODY OUT THERE, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU CAN DO IT ONLINE NOW, BUT YOU CAN ALSO DONATE NOT ONLY TO THE TROOPS, BUT TO SOME HOMELESS SHELTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO GO ONLINE TO THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA, YOUR LOCAL GIRL SCOUT CLUBS HERE IN LA VERNE.
THERE'S PLENTY THE TROOPS MAKE SURE THAT YOU GO ONLINE AND LET'S START ORDERING THOSE, BECAUSE 80 PERCENT OF THE SALES ARE THE SALES, 80 PERCENT OF IT PAYS FOR IT PAYS FOR 80 PERCENT OF THE GIRL SCOUTS FUNCTIONS.
ALL THEIR FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, THOSE COOKIES ARE IMPORTANT.
AND WHO DOESN'T LIKE A [INAUDIBLE]? I MEAN, COME ON.
LIKE, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I'VE BEEN PLACING ORDERS, LIKE FOR LIKE A MONTH BACK.
THEY WERE THEY CAME LIKE LAST WEEK.
AND MY WIFE SAID, YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
I SAID, BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT COMES BY USED TO COME BY THE HOUSE.
WE ORDER GIFTS AND BOXES ARE SENT TO THE MILITARY OR, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S A GREAT CAUSE.
SO ANYWAY, AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL AND STAFF FOR TONIGHT.
IT WAS A RIGOROUS DISCUSSION, BUT A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL CARE TRULY, DEEPLY ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS, THEIR SAFETY AND THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS.
AND WE WILL ALWAYS STRIVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
[03:25:03]
AND WE MAY NOT DISAGREE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE COME TO A DECISION THAT'S GOING TO HELP ALL.[10. CLOSED SESSION: ]
AND THAT SAID, MR. ROSSI, WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.AND I PROMISE TO KEEP IT VERY BRIEF.
SO BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD A LONG EVENING, SO COUNCIL WILL BE PATIENT WITH US ON CLOSED SESSION IS ON GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION NINE OR FIVE FOUR NINE FIVE, SEVEN, SIX.
AND MEETING IS CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR AND NOTHING TO REPORT OUT FROM THAT.
WE WILL BE ADJOURNING IN THE CLOSED SESSION.
WE WILL BE IN ADJOURNING TONIGHT IN MEMORY OF LONG TIME LA VERNE RESIDENT AND RETIRED WATER SEWER SUPERVISOR RICHARD DAVIS, WHO PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY TWENTY SEVENTH TWENTY TWENTY ONE.
RICHARD BEGAN WORKING FOR THE CITY IN NINETEEN SEVENTY TWO AND ULTIMATELY RETIRED AS THE CITY'S WATER SEWER SUPERVISOR IN 2004.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN NINETEEN SEVENTY TWO, HE WORKED FOR THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY.
RICHARD WAS A VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, SERVING IN VIETNAM AS A SPECIALIST FOR THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN HILL CLIMBERS.
HE WAS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE VFW POST ONE, TWO, THREE FOR BAND OF BROTHERS IN LA VERNE.
IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN WHEN HE SERVED AS POST QUARTERMASTER, THE POST WAS AWARDED ALL POST STATE AND ALL-AMERICAN HONORS.
HE AND HIS WIFE LOIS DEDICATED THEIR TIME ON COUNTLESS CHRISTMAS MORNINGS AND OTHER HOLIDAY EVENTS AS MR. AND MRS. SANTA CLAUS.
RICHARDS HOBBIES INCLUDE WOODWORKING, ART, MOTORCYCLE RIDING, HUNTING, FISHING AND PLAYING GUITAR.
HE WAS A MAN OF FEW WORDS, BUT CERTAINLY HAD A WAY OF MAKING LAUGH WITH HIS ENDLESS STORIES AND QUIPS.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, LOIS, TWO SONS, COREY AND GARY, AND THREE GRANDCHILDREN.
OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING, LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE MARCH 1ST, 2021 AT SIX, 30 P.M.
ADJOURN AT NINE THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.