THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [00:00:01] WE'LL START THIS MEETING AT 6:32 P.M. ON JULY 19TH. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I SURE WILL. EVERYONE, PLEASE STAND. ROLL CALL, MR. RUSSI. [4. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS] DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS, MR. RUSSI? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY THAT HAS REQUESTED. JR? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REQUESTS. I THINK I'LL DO THIS NOW REAL QUICK, LET ME GET OUT MY PHONE HERE, THE GIRLS LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL TEAM, [INAUDIBLE] 12, HAS WON THE CALIFORNIA STATE TITLE AND THEY'RE ADVANCING TO THE WEST REGION TOURNAMENT IN SAN BERNARDINO, REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA. AND IF THEY PLACE IN THE TOP TWO, THEY WILL REPRESENT THE WEST IN THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES, WHICH HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO A TEAM FROM LA VERNE. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM, THEIR PARENTS. ABSOLUTELY, IF THEY DO GO THIS FAR THAT BASICALLY THEY ARE THEY'LL BE ON ESPN AND IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG, HUGE THING. I DID HAVE A MINUTE WITH THE MAYOR WITH [INAUDIBLE] I HEARD ABOUT ON THE WEEKEND. IT'S JUST SO AMAZING FOR OUR YOUNG CHILDREN. AND THEN THE GIRLS SOFTBALL LEAGUE HAD A VERY GOOD SEASON. A COUPLE OF THEM WENT TO SOME PLAYOFFS AND THEY'RE STARTING UP THEIR SEASON. I THINK I'LL POST THAT. I THINK IT'S JULY 26TH AND LET ME DOUBLE CHECK, SORRY GUYS. BUT JUST CONGRATULATIONS. NOW, MR. CROSBY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING NOW, RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING [INAUDIBLE] WAIT [INAUDIBLE]? I'M ALL GOOD. OKAY, ANYWAY, I'LL POST THAT, WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE CITY ABOUT THE TRYOUTS FOR GIRLS SOFTBALL. BUT CONGRATULATIONS, ALL. THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT A VILLAGE LIKE OUR CITY AND BETWEEN THE GIRLS WHO ARE TALENTED, THE COACHES, THE FAMILIES, THE GRANDPARENTS [5. CONSENT CALENDAR] AND THE CITY ALSO BEHIND THEM. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL. WITH THAT, WE GO TO CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM FIVE. ANYTHING TO PULL, MR. RUSSI? NOTHING AS OF ABOUT AN HOUR AGO. J.R.? NO REQUESTS RECEIVED, SIR. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? WITH THAT, WE NEED A MOTION. I MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR, INCLUDING A VERY COOL RED FIRE TRUCK. I'LL SECOND IT. ROLL CALL MR. RUSSI. BUT JUST A QUICK COMMENT HERE. I WANT TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, OUR STAFF, BUT ALSO FOR OUR COUNCIL AND ALSO FOR THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS. THESE SALARY INCREASES, NEW SALARY CHARTS WERE BECAUSE OF MEASURE LB, WHICH WE DID ALL VOTE IN, HAD A VERY HIGH MARK OF SUCCESS ON THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY COUNCIL, ALSO TO THE MANAGEMENT FOR STICKING TO WHAT THEY'VE SAID ABOUT MEDIAN SALARY. WE REALLY VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES AND WE VALUE THE FACT THAT WE TRY TO KEEP A GOOD LIVING WAGE, GOOD BENEFITS AND GREAT WORKING CONDITIONS. AND SO KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING IT EARLY BECAUSE WE DO VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES. AND I THINK THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SHOWS THAT WE DO CARE. AND EVEN IN THIS PANDEMIC TIME, WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE RAISES. AND I MEAN, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABLE TO AND MEASURE LB, OUR CITY'S A LOT STRONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED AND WE MOVE FORWARD. BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU, CITY AND STAFF AND ALL THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS FOR AGREEING TO THIS INCREASE. THANK YOU. [Items 6A - 6C] WITH THAT, WE MOVE TO--WE'RE MOVING QUICKLY, GUYS--PUBLIC HEARINGS. MR. RUSSI. YES, MR. MAYOR, I WILL TAKE THIS ITEM. YOU HAVE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING OUR ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS. AND THIS IS THE TIME WE SET ASIDE FOR THAT AND NOTICED IT. [00:05:02] IN AN ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE IS PARTICULAR AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHERE THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT TO THE HOMES THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT AROUND IT. AND SO THEY ARE ASSESSED A CHARGE BASED ON THE BENEFIT THAT THEY RECEIVE. USUALLY A LANDSCAPE DISTRICT AROUND WHERE YOU SEE SOME OF THOSE GREEN AREAS THAT ARE WITHIN THEIR IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO PAY FOR THAT. BUT IT'S THE INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS THAT BENEFIT FROM IT. THERE ARE ROUGHLY NINE AREAS IN LA VERNE THAT ARE DESIGNATED IN DIFFERENT CHARGES FOR THAT. I WILL GO THROUGH ALL EXCEPT FOR ONE OF THESE AREAS WITH ALL OF YOU. AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER HAS A CONFLICT ON ONE OF THOSE BECAUSE HER PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO THE ASSESSMENT, AND WILL HAVE TO RECUSE HERSELF. SO I WILL TAKE THE FIRST THREE ITEMS. AND ESSENTIALLY WITHIN THOSE THERE ARE ONLY TWO THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED FOR AN INCREASE. ALL THE OTHER ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING TO REMAIN THE SAME AS THE PRIOR YEAR. THE TWO AREAS THAT ARE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE. ONE IS THIRTY UNITS AND WHICH IS HARTSHORN RANCH, WHICH IS THE NEWER DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF FRUIT, AND IT'S GOING TO SEE A CPI ADJUSTMENT OF JUST OVER TWO PERCENT. AND THEN THE OTHER AREA IS LA VERNE HEIGHTS, WHICH IS THE AREA THAT'S MANAGED UP ON THE FINGER ON THE I'LL CALL IT THE WEST SIDE OF ESPERANZA AS YOU'RE GOING UP THE HILL AND THAT IS GOING UP BY THIRTY DOLLARS PER YEAR. SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO AREAS THAT ARE SEEING AN INCREASE WITHIN THE ZONES THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING IN THIS INITIAL. AND AS I SAID, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DO HAVE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS ANY CONCERNS. IT HAS TO BE DONE AT THIS MEETING SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE IT TO THE COUNTY, SO IT CAN GO ON THE TAX ASSESSMENT ROLLS FOR NEXT NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OF COUNCIL BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARING? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. J.R.. MR. MAYOR, WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY REQUESTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND I JUST HIT REFRESH ON THE EMAIL, DIDN'T SEE ANY REQUEST ON THERE EITHER. WE ALSO CHECK OUR SPAM FILTER REAL QUICK AND NOTHING WAS ON THERE. THEN WE'LL GO AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? THEN I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION. I MAKE THE MOTION. COUNCILWOMAN CARDER, THANK YOU. SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DAVIS WITH THAT ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MR. RUSSI. AND ON THESE NEXT TWO, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER WILL HAVE TO RECUSE HERSELF, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SHE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM AND J.R. WILL BE TAKING HER OUT NOW. LEAVE OUR ZOOM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER! [CHUCKLING] I THINK SHE HAS LEFT THE EYE OF THE ROOM. [6.d. Maintenance District No. 84-1M (Esperanza Slopes); Public Hearing; Resolution Providing for the Annual Levy] AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE AREA. IT'S A SIMILAR ASSESSMENT DISTRICT, BUT IT IS FOR THE SLOPES AND WEED ABATEMENT MANAGEMENT IN THE AREA ADJACENT TO COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER HOME AND THEN THE OTHER HOMES IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA. AND AGAIN, THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT. IT'S THE SAME LEVEL THAT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1992. SO WE ARE JUST SEEKING FOR A CONTINUATION OF THAT TO PERFORM THE ACTIVITIES OF DOING SLOPE MAINTENANCE IN THAT AREA. SO WE'LL TAKE THIS AS SEPARATE, WE WANT TO GO AHEAD, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'RE GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, J.R.. NOTHING RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS? THAT WOULD BE A NO. THEN I WOULD LIKE A MOTION, PLEASE. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 21-60. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. WE HAVE A SECOND. ROLL CALL. THANK YOU, MOTION CARRIES. [7.a. Confirmation of Weed Abatement Clearance Charges for 2020-21] SO WE MOVE TO ITEM SEVEN OTHER MATTERS. CONFIRMATION OF WEED ABATEMENT PLANTS CHARGES FOR '20-21. MR. RUSSI. YES, WE WILL TAKE THIS ONE AND OTHER MATTERS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER OUT BECAUSE SHE HAS A CONFLICT IN THIS AS WELL. [00:10:02] SO THIS IS THE FINAL STEP OF THE WEED ABATEMENT CHARGES. IF YOU REMEMBER GOING BACK TO MARCH, WE IDENTIFY THE PROPERTIES. WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED EITHER BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR COUNTY COMMISSIONER THAT NEED TO BE INSPECTED TO BE DETERMINED. IF THERE'S WEED CLEARANCE THAT NEEDS TO GO ON. THERE'S THE INSPECTION THAT IS DONE. AND THEN THIS IS THE FINAL CONFIRMATION OF WHAT THE CHARGES ARE THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE ADDED ON THE TAX ROLLS FOR NEXT YEAR BASED ON THE WORK THAT WAS DONE. THERE ARE 81 PROPERTIES THAT REQUIRE AN INSPECTION. THERE WERE ONLY THREE THAT REQUIRED SOME TYPE OF ACTIVITY BY THE COUNTY TO DO, WHICH MEANS THAT THE OTHER PROPERTIES, PROPERTY OWNERS CHOSE TO EITHER DO IT THEMSELVES OR PROVIDE ANOTHER VENDOR TO DO IT. THE COUNTY JUST PROVIDES THE SERVICE IN THE EVENT THAT THEY DON'T DO IT BY A CERTAIN DATE. SO OF THE THREE, POINT OUT, TWO OF THOSE ARE ON SIERRA LA VERNE'S PROPERTY, THE FORMER GOLF COURSE. SO THAT ACTIVITY IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND THOSE VACANT LANDS BY THE THE COUNTY ON THEIR BEHALF. AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS UP NORTH. AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT ADDRESS OF IT, BUT IT WAS A PRIVATE RESIDENCE AS WELL. SO, THOSE ARE THE PROPERTIES WHERE THE ASSESSMENT IS. THE OTHER CHARGES THAT YOU'RE SEEING LISTED OF THE FORTY TWO DOLLARS ARE SIMPLY THE CHARGE FOR THE INSPECTION THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. VERY GOOD. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING, J.R.. JR, YOU THERE? SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE HAD SOMEBODY CALLING IN THAT'S HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ON. SO, YES, NOTHING RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE MEETING. I DON'T SEE ANY HAND RAISED AND NOTHING IN THE SPAM FOLDER. THEN WE SHALL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE [INAUDIBLE] TONIGHT. IT'S NICE TO SEE. WE WILL CLOSE THIS, THEN GO BACK TO COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF COUNCIL BEFORE WE MOVE ON THIS ITEM? THEN I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. I MOVE THAT THE COUNCIL CONFIRMS THE LIST OF CHARGES AND DIRECTS THE COUNTY AUDITOR TO ENTER THE ASSESSMENT AGAINST THE PARCELS OF LAND ON THE CURRENT ASSESSMENT ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. I NEED A SECOND. SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ROLL CALL, MR. RUSSI. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. OH, SORRY, I WAS LOOKING AT THE WRONG ONE. I THINK SHE ABSTAINS. SHE RECUSED HERSELF; SHE ABSTAINS. WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION. [CHUCKLING] MAYOR PRO-TEM DAVIS. AYE. MAYOR HEPBURN. YES. SORRY, I WAS BEING CONFUSED BECAUSE ERIC SHERER HAS HIS HAND RAISED, AND JR, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE'S TRYING TO COME IN FOR SOMETHING? I'M NOT SURE EITHER. I WAS KIND OF LOOKING TO SEE IF HE TEXTED ME WE'RE GOOD, SORRY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T MISSING SOMETHING, SO. ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE CAN BRING COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER BACK IN. HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, WELCOME BACK AGAIN. SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO MIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT. [7.e. Consideration of Proposed Resolution No. 21-61, No “Vote of Confidence Against Los Angeles County District Attorney Gascon] IS THAT CORRECT, MR. RUSSI? YES, DUE TO SCHEDULING COMMITMENTS, I HAD NEGLECTED TO MOVE THE GASCóN ITEM TO THE FIRST ITEM ON YOUR OTHER MATTERS. SO IF THE COUNCIL WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO MOVE THAT UP, IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT, AS YOU KNOW, WAS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, SO I KNOW THAT SHE HAD SOME COMMENTS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AND THEN I KNOW WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OF COUNCIL AND THEN WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN THIS ITEM THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. THANK YOU. I ASKED FOR THIS ITEM TO BE ADDED TO OUR AGENDA BECAUSE LA VERNE NEEDS TO STAND STRONG FOR A SAFE COMMUNITY. WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY BEING THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE ENJOY LIVING HERE THAT HAS BEEN JEOPARDIZED AND WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER FOR OUR RESIDENTS. GASCóN IS NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW OF THE STATE, AND IT'S EASING PUNISHMENT ON THE WORST OFFENDERS AND HARMING VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS? I WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO FEEL SAFE AT ALL TIMES, WHETHER THEY ARE WALKING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OR IF THEY'RE TUCKING THEM IN BED AT NIGHT. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS AT THIS TIME THAT HAVE WRITTEN EMAILS TO ALL OF US OR [00:15:01] CALLED US BECAUSE ALL INPUT FOR OR AGAINST IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT. LET'S JOIN THE OTHER TWENTY TWO PLUS CITIES AND VOTING NO CONFIDENCE ON D.A. GASCóN. AT THIS TIME, THOUGH, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A GUEST SPEAKER, JONATHAN HATAMI, WHO IS A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY. AFTER HE SPEAKS, THEN, MR. MAYOR, YOU CAN OPEN IT UP FOR THE COUNCIL QUESTIONS AND THEN PUBLIC COMMENTS. JONATHAN, WELCOME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. AND THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR HAVING ME. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THE ABILITY TO--I LOST YOU THERE FOR A MINUTE, SORRY, SORRY, THERE YOU GO, SORRY--THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THIS ITEM. LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER SAID THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS BLANKET POLICIES. WHEN YOU INSTITUTE BLANKET POLICIES FOR CRIMINAL MATTERS, BASICALLY YOU HURT PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU DON'T REALLY CONSIDER THE EVIDENCE OR THE LAW AND THEN YOU DO ABANDON VICTIMS OF CRIME. AND THAT'S REALLY THE CRUX OF WHAT IS GOING ON. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. I'VE WORKED FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR 15 YEARS. I PRIMARILY HANDLE CHILD ABUSE, MAJOR CHILD MURDER CASES. FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE COMPLEX CHILD ABUSE UNIT IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. BEFORE THEN, I HANDLED CHILD ABUSE CASES, SEXUAL ABUSE CASES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HATE CRIMES, ELDER ABUSE CASES. ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WITH THE CITIES HAS TO DO WITH THE MISDEMEANOR POLICY AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR YOUR RESIDENTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHARGE CRIMINAL THREATS, RESISTING ARREST, DISTURBING THE PEACE, PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS, SOLICITATION FOR PROSTITUTION, DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A PRIOR DUI. SO THESE ARE DANGEROUS TYPE OF CRIMES THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHARGE. AND IT DOES HURT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LA VERNE. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IN A BUSINESS, IF SOMEBODY COMES TO A BUSINESS AND DISTURBS THE PEACE AND THEN THEY CALL POLICE AND THEN THAT PERSON RESIST ARREST, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHARGE SOMETHING REGARDING THAT. AND THAT DOES HURT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LA VERNE AND IT DOES HURT PUBLIC SAFETY. AND IT'S NOT FAIR IT'S NOT FAIR TO MANY INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT THAT SO MANY CITIES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CHARGE MISDEMEANORS. THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS INDICATED THAT OVER FIFTY NINE HUNDRED CASES HAVE BEEN REJECTED COUNTYWIDE AS A RESULT OF GEORGE GASCòN'S POLICIES. THAT IS A VERY, VERY DANGEROUS THING THAT IS HAPPENING. I CAN TELL YOU IN PAMONA, IT'S OVER TWELVE HUNDRED. PALMDALE IS OVER FIVE HUNDRED, LANCASTER'S OVER SIX HUNDRED. SANTA CLARITA, WHERE I LIVE, IT'S OVER FIVE HUNDRED. GLENDALE, IT'S OVER FOUR HUNDRED. SAN DIMAS OVER ONE HUNDRED. THESE ARE CASES THAT YOU CAN PROVE THAT THE CITIES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHARGE BECAUSE GEORGE GASCòN IS NOT ALLOWING THOSE POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO BRING THE CASES TO THE DA'S OFFICE AND CHARGE THEM. HE'S REJECTING THEM. AND THAT REALLY DESTROYS THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN MANY CITIES, INCLUDING LA VERNE. AND IT BRINGS DOWN THE MORALE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS THE FACT THAT, YES, SOME OF THESE CRIMES, I THINK MANY OF THEM ARE SMALL CRIMES AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM DIVERSION. BUT IF WE CAN'T CHARGE ANYBODY WITH A CRIME, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE SOMEBODY DIVERSION. WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE CAN'T HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ADDICTED TO DRUGS, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE OTHER ISSUES, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT EVEN PROVIDING THEM WITH THE DIVERSION, BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN CHARGE THEM. IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU COMMIT SMALLER CRIMES AND YOU'RE NOT PUNISHED FOR THAT, YOU END UP GOING TO BIGGER AND BIGGER CRIMES AND IT MAKES THE COMMUNITY A PLACE WHERE IT'S DANGEROUS. REGARDING THE DEATH PENALTY, I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE AISLE REGARDING THAT. BUT WHAT LA VERNE NEEDS TO REALIZE IS GEORGE GASCòN ALSO DOESN'T ALLOW US TO CHARGE ANY LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE CHARGES. SO GOING FORWARD, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHARGE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF A POLICE OFFICER IS MURDERED IN LA VERNE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CHARGE AS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE. IF A CHILD'S INTENTIONALLY TORTURED AND MURDERED IN LA VERNE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CHARGE AS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE. IF A PERSON IS MURDERED BECAUSE OF A HATE CRIME, BECAUSE THEY'RE A MEMBER OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, BECAUSE THEY'RE A MEMBER OF THE AAPI COMMUNITY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CHARGE THAT SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE ON A HATE [00:20:01] CRIME. AND THAT MEANS THAT PERSON WON'T BE ABLE TO FACE LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. THAT IS NOT FAIR TO THE COMMUNITY AND THAT IS NOT FAIR TO SO MANY MEMBERS AND INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR. THAT'S JUST NOT FAIR. AND IT'S ALSO NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES IS THE LAW. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S A MURDER THAT'S ENHANCED WITH SOMETHING MORE EGREGIOUS THAN JUST A MURDER. WE'RE ALSO NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO PAROLE HEARINGS ON ANY CASE, EVEN IF THE RISK ASSESSMENT WAS HIGH, MEANING IF THE CDCR, WHICH IS THE PRISON SYSTEM SAYS THAT A PERSON, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE RELEASED, THEY MORE THAN LIKELY WILL COMMIT A CRIME IF THEY'RE RELEASED. WE'RE STILL NOT ALLOWED TO GO THERE AND FIGHT FOR THAT VICTIM, FIGHT FOR THE SURVIVOR, FIGHT FOR THE MOTHER OF A MURDERED CHILD AND STAND THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT PERSON DOESN'T GET RELEASED. REGARDING THE JUVENILE POLICY, I DO BELIEVE MOST JUVENILES CAN AND SHOULD BE REHABILITATED. HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE 17 AND A HALF YEARS OLD AND YOU'RE MURDERING SOMEBODY OR YOU'RE RAPING SOMEBODY, THOSE ARE ADULT CRIMES. AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TRANSFER ANY JUVENILES UP TO ADULT COURT. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE CAN'T EVEN PRESENT EVIDENCE TO A JUDGE. THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD PRESENT EVIDENCE TO A JUDGE AND A JUDGE WOULD MAKE A DETERMINATION IF THAT JUVENILE SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO ADULT COURT. WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO DO THAT ON ANY CASE REGARDING JUVENILES. AND SO ALL JUVENILES, NO MATTER WHAT THE CRIME, IF YOU'RE 16 OR 17, YOU'LL BE RELEASED AT 25, EVEN IF YOU'RE DANGEROUS, EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN REHABILITATED. AND I THINK THAT CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS. WE CAN'T CHARGE THE GANG ALLEGATION ON ANY CASE. WE CAN'T CHARGE MOST FIREARMS ALLEGATIONS ON MOST CASES. AND JUST SO LA VERNE REALIZES THE GUN CRIMES AND SHOOTINGS REALLY HAVE RISEN. I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE BEGINNING OF GEORGE GASTòN'S TENURE IN DECEMBER UNTIL JUNE, THE STATISTICS ARE THAT THE HOMICIDE RATE FOR L.A. COUNTY SHERIFFS IS UP NINETY FIVE PERCENT. THE HOMICIDE RATE FOR L.A. CITY IS UP TWENTY TWO PERCENT. THE SHOOTINGS FOR L.A. CITY ARE UP FIFTY NINE PERCENT. THE RATES FOR L.A. COUNTY ARE UP SEVEN POINT EIGHT PERCENT. AND SO HIS POLICIES ARE NOT WORKING. THEY ARE NOT WORKING. I CAN ALSO TELL YOU, WITH ZERO BAIL, THERE WAS A STUDY FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE THAT TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN GEORGE GASCòN WAS THE D.A. FROM 2015-19, AND THEY DETERMINED THAT ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO'RE RELEASED ON ZERO BAIL, OVER 50 PERCENT COMMITTED NEW CRIMES, OVER 18 PERCENT COMMITTED VIOLENT CRIMES, AND 55 PERCENT DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP. AND SO THE ZERO BAIL POLICY ON MANY CASES IS NOT WORKING. IT'S NOT BEING EFFECTIVE. AND SO I WOULD ASK LA VERNE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THESE POLICIES THAT GEORGE GASCòN HAS IMPLEMENTED. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS. AND I HOPE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS. MURDER IS NOT A DEMOCRATIC CRIME. RAPE IS NOT A REPUBLICAN CRIME. THEY'RE JUST CRIMES. I DON'T ASK FAMILY MEMBERS OR LOVED ONES WHEN THEY COME IN OR MY DETECTIVES WHEN THEY COME IN AND FILE CHILD MURDER CASES. IS THE FAMILY A DEMOCRAT? IS THE FAMILY REPUBLICAN. PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC CRIME. AND I'M NOT SAYING GEORGE GASCòN IS A BAD PERSON. I DON'T REALLY KNOW HIM AS A PERSON. HE'S NEVER MET ME. HE'S NEVER COME AND TALK TO ME. HE'S NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO ME. WHAT I'M SAYING IS HIS POLICIES THAT HE'S IMPLEMENTED ARE AGAINST THE LAW. THEY DON'T CONSIDER VICTIMS. THEY DON'T THEY DON'T CONSIDER THE FACTS. THEY DEFINITELY DON'T CONSIDER PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL, I'LL STAY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MEETING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. HATAMI; WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HATAMI BEFORE WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT? IF YOU DON'T MIND HOLDING ON, YOU'RE OK WITH THAT, WE HAVE LIKE TO SAY BEFORE WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT OUR CITY MANAGER REACHED OUT TO GASCòN'S OFFICE TO SEE IF HE OR A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD COME AND SPEAK TOO. SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY RESPONSE. WAS THERE, MR. RUSSI? I DID NOT GET ANY. I GOT ONE RESPONSE BACK, I SENT IT TO TWO INDIVIDUALS, SAID THEY WEREN'T THE APPROPRIATE PARTY, BUT WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHER ONE WAS MADE AWARE. I'VE ALSO [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNITIES THE SAME THING. SAN DIMAS THEY WANTED TO REARRANGE AND RESCHEDULE. MAYOR, THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO INTRODUCE, THOUGH, IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, [00:25:04] AND I, AS ADVISORS ON THE COMMITTEE FOR CULTURAL AWARENESS AND SOCIAL INCLUSION, REACHED OUT TO THE CHAIRPERSON OF CCASI GILBERT IVEY TO SEE IF HE COULD CONNECT WITH DA GASCòN'S OFFICE TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM. AND HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING THEM AND SHOULD COUNCIL DIRECT CCASI, CCASI WOULD BE HAPPY TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION FOR CCASI, FOR THE ULV, FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY. BUT MR. IVEY WILL CERTAINLY SPEAK MORE TO THAT WHEN HE COMES ON. THANK YOU, I APOLOGIZE, I DID READ THAT, AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO QUEUE YOU UP ON THAT. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? NO? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, J.R.. THANK YOU, MAYOR. TONIGHT, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WANTING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHERS. WE ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE SIGNED UP VIA ZOOM TO BE AN ATTENDEE. YOU CAN PARTICIPATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND. WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE KIND OF DONE DUPLICATES WHERE THEY MADE MENTION THAT THEY WANT US TO CALL THEM, BUT HAVE ALSO REGISTERED FOR THE ZOOM. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT IS IS ATTENDING AS AN ATTENDEE VIA ZOOM THAT IF YOU DO WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION THAT WILL JUST BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. IF THERE'RE THOSE THAT AREN'T PARTICIPATING VIA ZOOM THAT WE DO HAVE THEIR PHONE NUMBER, WE WILL GIVE THEM A CALL AFTER WE GET THE RAISE HAND FOLKS ON ZOOM. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE MENTION, TOO, THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IT TO A TIGHT THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ATTENDEES AND ALSO IF SOMEONE PREVIOUSLY HAS ALREADY COMMENTED AND BASICALLY IT'S THE SAME INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT TO REPEAT. IF WE'D JUST SAY, I AGREE WITH MY, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP TIME IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE THROUGH THIS, WE WANT TO HEAR EVERYONE. BUT IF IT'S A REPEAT, WE WOULD APPRECIATE TO LET OTHER PEOPLE HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW TO PLEASE SPEAK. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. WE WILL KEEP TIGHT TO THE THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME. BUT I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COMMENTS AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE SENDING IN, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER STATED, I THINK I'VE READ EVERY SINGLE EMAIL THAT'S COME IN. I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED ANYBODY. I USUALLY RESPOND TO EVERYTHING AND WE READ AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER SAID, WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS AND WE LOOK AT ALL SIDES OF THE VIEW. SO ANYWAY, GO AHEAD JR. MR. MAYOR, I DID LET KAREN ROSEBERRY INTO THE ROOM. KAREN ROSEBERRY, HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING? YOU MAY BEGIN. THERE YOU ARE. I APPRECIATE IT, SORRY I JUST HAD TO UNMUTE THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING TAKEN UP THIS MATTER, WHICH IS SUCH A SERIOUS CONCERN TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY. I ECHO MANY OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORTH. AND I JUST I THINK COUNCIL SUCH AS YOURS AND IN 23 OTHER CITIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO TAKE BOLD ACTION TO LET ANOTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL KNOW THAT THE ACTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF HIS AUTHORITY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING HAPPEN WITH THE CURRENT DISTRICT ATTORNEY. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S JOB IS TO PROSECUTE THE OFFENDERS WITH THE LAW AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS. AND IF THERE ARE CHANGES NEEDED TO THE LEGISLATION THAT IS FOR THE LEGISLATORS TO DO THAT IS FOR THE PEOPLE TO DO. AND THE PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY SPOKEN VERY CLEARLY ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, PARTICULARLY ON BAIL IN THE VERY SAME ELECTION IN WHICH D.A. GASCòN WAS ELECTED, THEY ACTUALLY SPOKE LOUDER AND MORE CLEARLY THAN EVEN HIS ELECTION. AND YET THAT VOICE IS BEING SILENCED RIGHT NOW BY THAT VERY ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS USURPED THE AUTHORITY OF THE VOTERS WHEN THEY SAID THAT CASH BAIL SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK AND REINSTATED. WE'RE SEEING MISDEMEANOR CRIMES SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NUMEROUS COMMUNITIES ALL THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY. AND I KNOW THAT IN LA VERNE IT IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE AND IT'S EVEN PART OF THE MISSION STATEMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS INDEED PRESERVED AND PROTECTED. AND THAT IS WHY I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY CONCERNED CITIZENS THAT ARE COMING [00:30:06] FORWARD ON THIS MATTER AND WHY THERE ARE THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THESE DIRECTIVES THAT JUST GO VERY CONTRARY TO THE PROTECTION OF QUALITY OF LIFE, THAT GO CONTRARY TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE RULE OF LAW AND GO CONTRARY TO THE JOB OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. SO FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER AND TO SERVE AS A CHECK AND A BALANCE UPON A CURRENTLY OUT OF CONTROL ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO IS ABUSING HIS POWER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE UP WITH THAT VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE. THANK YOU. AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL REST OF YOUR EVENING. THANK YOU, MS. ROSEBERRY. MR. SALINAS, GOOD EVENING. HELLO. I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS PERSON, SAID, GEORGE, YOU GUYS NEED TO HOLD NO CONFIDANCE IN GEORGE GASCòN. HIS POLICIES HAVE PUT MORE PEOPLE IN DANGER. WE ARE ASKING, PLEASE JOIN THE OTHER 22 CITIES IN STANCE TO SUPPORT THE RECALL OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY GEORGE GASCòN. ALSO, JUST A QUESTION FOR THE D.A. AND JOHN HATAMI. HOW MANY CRIMES IN LA VERNE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR PROSECUTION AND HOW MANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN DENIED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. SALINAS. MR. GERARD. HELLO, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AND I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A MOMENT OF YOUR TIME TONIGHT. I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF LA VERNE, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO COME OUT AND SPEAK TO AS MANY OF THESE CITY COUNCILS AS I CAN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. FIRST OFF, LIKE MR. HATAMI SAID, THIS IS NOT A LEFT ISSUE AND IT'S NOT A RIGHT ISSUE. IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS A VICTIMS' RIGHTS ISSUE. GEORGE GASCòN CENTERED HIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN AROUND JUSTICE REFORM. HIS POLICIES ARE NOT REFORMING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEY ARE DESTROYING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. MYSELF AND MY LOVED ONES HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY GASCòN'S POLICIES. ON APRIL 15TH, MY GIRLFRIEND, MICHELLE DORSEY, WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED BY HER EX-HUSBAND. HE TRAVELED TO SANTA CLARITA FROM WASHINGTON STATE WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF TAKING MICHELLE'S LIFE. HE BROKE INTO HER HOUSE, HE BEAT HER, HE STABBED HER, AND HE LEFT HER FOR DEAD WHILE TWO OF HIS THREE SONS WERE ASLEEP IN THAT SAME HOUSE. ON JUNE 21ST, WHEN WE ATTENDED A SENTENCING HEARING, WE WERE TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF GASCòN'S POLICIES, MICHELLE'S MURDER WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE IN JUST 20 YEARS. MICHELLE'S YOUNGEST SON WILL NOT EVEN BE 30 YEARS OLD WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL WHO TOOK HIS MOTHER'S LIFE, HIS OWN FATHER, WILL HAVE A CHANCE OF BEING SET FREE. I ASKED YOU, WHERE IS THE JUSTICE IN THAT? GASCòN HAS IMPLEMENTED A SET OF ONE SIZE FITS ALL POLICIES, AND IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. AND I WON'T SIT HERE AND TELL YOU THAT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS NOT A FLAWED SYSTEM. JUSTICE REFORM SHOULD BE A PRIORITY. HOWEVER, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS VOTED INTO OFFICE TO BE THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE, THE VOICE OF THE VICTIMS. AND GASCòN HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE BELIEVES THE CRIMINALS ARE THE VICTIMS AND HAS HUNG THE ACTUAL VICTIMS OUT TO DRY. HE SIDES WITH DEFENSE ATTORNEYS AND DOES NOT LET HIS OWN DEPUTY D.A. DO THE JOB THEY ARE HIRED TO DO THESE DA'S HANDS ARE TIED AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO FACE THE VICTIMS WHEN JUSTICE IS DENIED. GASCóN DOES NOT SPEAK TO THE VICTIMS AND HE WILL NOT MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONING. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR, THE PEOPLE WERE MISLED AND MISINFORMED DURING HIS CAMPAIGN. THIS IS WHY I ASK YOU TONIGHT, I URGE YOU TO PLEASE VOTE TO PASS A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE AND HELP TO GET GASCòN OUT OF OFFICE SO THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE CAN BE RESTORED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. GERARD. [INAUDIBLE], YOU'RE ON, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FOR ALLOWING JONATHAN HATAMI TO SPEAK AT THIS EVENING'S MEETING. HE BROUGHT SOME VERY GOOD INFORMATION IN TERMS OF STATISTICS OF HOW MANY CRIMES HAVE NOT BEEN PROSECUTED JUST WITHIN EACH OF THESE CITIES, WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY AREA. WHAT HE MAY HAVE FAILED TO MENTION, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WAS SHORT ON TIME, WAS HOW GEORGE GASCòN HAS CREATED A SPECIAL PROSECUTION DEPARTMENT THAT ARE INVESTIGATING CASES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROSECUTED. HER CASES ARE CLOSED AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A WRONGFUL DEATH SHOOTING OR DEATH. AND SO HE FINDS IT MORE IMPORTANT TO PROSECUTE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAN HE DOES ACTUAL CRIMINALS WITH HARD EVIDENCE. AND I FIND THAT A SERIOUS THREAT TO MY SAFETY, TO THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, TO THE [00:35:04] SAFETY OF MY NEIGHBORS AND ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WITHIN OUR CITY. SO I'M ASKING THAT EACH ONE OF YOU VOTE YES ON RESOLUTION 21-61 FOR A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN OUR L.A. COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, GEORGE GASCòN. IF THE PEOPLE DON'T PUT THEIR FOOT DOWN AND SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE. THERE IS A SERIOUS DOMINO EFFECT THAT GOES ALONG WITH THESE TYPES OF POLICIES THAT HE'S TRYING TO ENFORCE. AND OUR SMALL CITY IS ONE OF THE FEW SAFE CITIES LEFT. BUT WITH THE ADJACENT CITIES AROUND US, LIKE YOU SAID, SAN DIMAS HAS OVER ONE HUNDRED CASES THAT WERE NOT PROSECUTED AND POMONA HAS OVER FIVE HUNDRED, AND WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THOSE. IT COULD BE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SO PLEASE, I ASK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO VOTE YES ON RESOLUTION 21-61. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANKS, MS. [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE ON. YES, HI, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS THEA E. AND I'M AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER CURRENTLY WORKING ON A SERIES OF ARTICLES ABOUT CHILD ABUSE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. AS A JOURNALIST, I HAVE AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO PURSUE THE TRUTH. IT IS THAT DUTY THAT COMPELS ME TO MAKE A STATEMENT HERE TONIGHT. AS WITH SO MANY OTHERS, I DON'T LIVE IN LA VERNE, I LIVE IN HOLLYWOOD, WHICH IS ABOUT 40 MILES AWAY, BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT AFFECTS ONE OF US AFFECTS ALL OF US. INDEED, THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT REALLY ASKS A SIMPLE QUESTION. WHAT KIND OF COUNTY DO WE WANT TO LIVE IN? AS I MENTIONED, I HAVE AN ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT THE TRUTH. THE FACT IS THAT LOS ANGELES IS IN THE MIDST OF A CHILD ABUSE CRISIS. AN AUDIT OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DCSF SHOWED THAT FROM A FIVE YEAR PERIOD FROM 2013-18 TWO HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN CHILDREN DIED FROM ABUSE, SIXTY NINE OF WHOM HAD SOME TYPE OF DCS SUPERVISION IN THEIR HOMES. ALSO, AS A STATE, WE SPEND TWELVE POINT FIVE BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO COMBAT CHILD ABUSE. WHILE IT MAY SEEM LIKE A TANGENT TO BRING THIS UP, IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THIS, BECAUSE WHILE CPS AND THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET CONTINUES TO FAIL VULNERABLE AND ABUSED CHILDREN, IT'S FALLING MORE AND MORE ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO PICK UP THAT SLACK. NOW, IT SEEMS THAT NOT EVEN THAT SYSTEM CAN WITHSTAND THE ATTACKS MADE BY GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SEEK TO UNDERMINE PUBLIC SAFETY, JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR OWN ENDS. QUITE SIMPLY, COUNCIL MEMBERS GEORGE GASCòN REPRESENTS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COUNTY, AND I USE THOSE WORDS INTENTIONALLY. THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME BEFORE ME HAVE ELOQUENTLY SHOWN THEIR PROOF OF THAT. I WANT TO ADD TO THAT CHORUS LINKING SOCIAL CAPITAL OR HOW CITIZENS RELATE TO AND TRUST THE ONES WHO GOVERN THEM IS BEING ERODED DAILY BY THE UNETHICAL AND PRO-CRIMINAL AGENDA UNDERTAKEN BY THIS DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND HIS ADMINISTRATION. HIS ACTIONS DURING HIS BRIEF TENURE DEMONSTRATE A CLEAR ABROGATION OF VICTIMS RIGHTS IN FAVOR OF THOSE OF THE CRIMINAL DEFENDANT. IN RESEARCHING AND LISTENING TO VICTIMS OF CRIME IN LOS ANGELES, I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY OF THEM FEEL LEFT BEHIND, ALIENATED FROM A SYSTEM THAT THEY ONCE FOUND REFUGE IN AFTER FACING GRAVE INJUSTICE. THE WAY THEY ARE FEELING SHOULD WORRY ALL OF US. IF VICTIMS OF CRIME, SURVIVORS OF CRIME AND THEIR FAMILIES DO NOT FEEL THAT THEY CAN TRUST THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO FIGHT, TO MAKE THEM WHOLE, I FEAR FOR THE PATH THAT LEADS OUR COUNTY DOWN. FOR THAT REASON ALONE, ALTHOUGH YOU WILL HEAR MANY OTHER EQUALLY COMPELLING ONES TONIGHT, I STRONGLY URGE THIS COUNCIL TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE IN DISTRICT ATTORNEY GEORGE GASCòN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING, MS. [INAUDIBLE], HOW ARE YOU. YOU ARE MUTED. HI, I'M DOING WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. I AM NOT REPRESENTING BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ANY BOARD MEMBER, AND NOW THAT WE'VE ALL HEARD AND BEEN AWARE OF THE DANGEROUS DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE L.A. COUNTY D.A. GEORGE GASCòN, I'M CONFIDENT YOUR VOTE WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE AS ANY OTHER VOTE WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF CRIME CRIMINALS AND AGAINST OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. PLEASE VOTE NO CONFIDENCE. AND YOU KNOW TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. [00:40:01] THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD EVENING, MS. BRAINARD, YOU MAY SPEAK, YOU MAY START ANY TIME. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING HAVING ME HERE. I HAVE VERY BIG CONCERN ABOUT THIS VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE TO GASCòN. ACTUALLY, I COME FROM A COUNTRY WHO REALLY HAVE A LOT OF CRIME. I REMEMBER I LOST FIVE CELL PHONES, BECAUSE SOMEBODY STOLE MY CELL PHONE. FIVE IN THREE YEARS. SO WHEN I MOVED HERE, LA VERNE IS MY PARADISE. AND I STILL REMEMBER ONE DAY, WE TRAVELED TO SAN DIEGO AND FORGOT TO LOCK THE DOOR FOR THOSE THREE DAYS. AND THEN LA VERNE POLICE OFFICER CALLED US, HEY, SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR FAMILY? WHY IS YOUR DOOR WIDE OPEN? WE JUST SIMPLY FORGOT TO LOCK THE DOOR BECAUSE TWO KIDS TOO LOUD. OK, SO IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TODAY BECAUSE THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO, MAYBE MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO. AND NOW WE GET THE WARNING, WE HAVE TO LOCK OUR CAR, OK, KEEP OUR GARAGE DOOR LOCKED. AND I LOVE GARDENING, AND I ALWAYS LEFT MY GARAGE DOOR WIDE OPEN TO GROW MY ROSES. I'M NOT GOING TO MOVE ANYWHERE. EVEN MY KIDS, MY HUSBAND, THEY ALL BORN IN CALIFORNIA AND I AM GOING TO BE TIED TO LA VERNE. OK, SO WHEN I DID ALL THE RESEARCH ABOUT GASCòN, WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ASIAN HATE, ACTUALLY I DIDN'T REALLY GET ANY DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE I'M ASIAN, BUT ASIAN WOMEN GET ATTACKED A LOT, ESPECIALLY AT THE SUPERMARKET. I JUST COME BACK FROM KOREA MARKET JUST NOW. AND THEN HAVE A GOOD PERSON JUST STOP. NO MORE, NOT SAFE ANYMORE. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SO CONCERNED. WE HAVE TO PUT SAFETY ABOVE EVERYTHING. THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR LA VERNE. IT'S A VERY SMALL TOWN. IT'S VERY PEACEFUL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. I ALREADY LIVE HERE MORE THAN FIFTEEN YEARS AND THEN I COME TO US IN 1999. SO TO COMPARE ANY COMMUNIST COUNTRY ONE, AMERICA IS THE BEST COUNTRY AND ESPECIALLY LA VERNE IS THE VERY, VERY PEACEFUL, CHARMING TOWN. SO THE SAFETY REALLY NEEDS TO BE PUT ABOVE EVERYTHING. SO I JUST URGE EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL WILL PRESENT CITIZEN TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE. I MEAN VOTE YES ON NO CONFIDENCE ON GASCòN. IT'S JUST LIKE CRIME IS ABOVE PEOPLE, AND IT'S TOTALLY WRONG. OK, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK, MRS. BRAINARD. MR., ALLISON, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MISINFORMATION FLYING AROUND, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO START WITH VICTIMS' RIGHTS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PAST VICTIMS PREFER RESOURCES BE DEVOTED TO PREVENTING FUTURE CRIME OVER BLANKET INCARCERATION POLICIES. FUTURE VICTIMS ARE HOPING FOR LEADERSHIP THAT WILL PREVENT FUTURE CRIMES. THIS BRINGS ME TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CERTAINTY AND SEVERITY. CERTAINTY IS A LIKELIHOOD OF BEING ARRESTED AND CONVICTED. SEVERITY IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME A PERSON WILL RECEIVE IF THEY ARE ARRESTED AND CONVICTED IN OUR PREVIOUS AND STILL CURRENT SYSTEM. WE HAVE TIMES OF SEVERITY, TONS OF IT, BUT NOT VERY MUCH CERTAINTY. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CERTAINTY IS WHAT DETERS CRIME, NOT SEVERITY. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, MOST PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY FACE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND ENHANCEMENTS DON'T ACTUALLY DO THE TIME. THAT STUFF THAT TIME IS DEALT OUT IN THE PLEA BARGAINING PROCESS. IF YOU HAVE PRACTICED IN CRIMINAL LAW AND YOU KNOW THAT LITTLE CERTAINTY IS THERE BECAUSE OF RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A GROUP ON THE PLANET THAT BETTER UNDERSTANDS RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS THAN A CITY COUNCIL. IF THIS IS TRULY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, THEN THIS COUNCIL SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE BEING ALLOCATED AND IF IT'S ACTUALLY INCREASING CERTAINTY OR SEVERITY BECAUSE WE CAN DO ONE, NOT BOTH. THIS DA IS REALLOCATING RESOURCES TO PRIORITIZE CERTAINTY OVER SEVERITY. BY TAKING RESOURCES FROM LOW LEVEL OFFENSES, THERE ARE MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO DEVOTE TO CERTAINTY IN SOLVING HIGHER LEVEL CRIMES. THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY TALKS ABOUT. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE WITH GASCòN'S POLICIES IS THAT MISDEMEANORS ARE NOT [00:45:02] BEING PROSECUTED YET. THE ONLY STATISTICS HE GAVE OF INCREASES IN CRIME ARE HOMICIDES. ARE HOMICIDES NOT BEING PROSECUTED? THERE'S NO LEGITIMACY HERE. THERE'S LITERALLY NO LOGIC IN A LOT OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE. I PRACTICED CRIMINAL LAW FOR 10 YEARS. NOT A SINGLE ONE OF MY CLIENTS HAVE EVER GONE DOWN FOR AN ENHANCEMENT OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE. ALL OF THAT STUFF GOES AWAY IN THE PLEA BARGAINING PROCESS. REALIGNMENT SHOWED US SHOULD HAVE TAUGHT US A LESSON THAT EITHER WE'RE GOING TO BE AHEAD OF THE RESOURCE ISSUE OR EVEN DIRE CONSEQUENCES ARE COMING. REMEMBER THE MASS RELEASE OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT THE PREEXISTING RESOURCES TO PREVENT THEM FROM GOING BACK TO CRIME? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING MORE OF IF DISTRICT ATTORNEYS DON'T START GETTING OUT IN FRONT OF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTORATE, I WOULD ADVISE ALL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS DO WHAT POLICE DO WHEN THEY KNOW A CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS COMING. THEY WRITE THE RULES. THIS DAY IS GETTING AHEAD OF THE REFORMS AND IS ACTUALLY WRITING THE RULES. THERE'S NO LEGITIMACY IN THE ARGUMENT THAT WE ARE LESS SAFE. THERE'S NO STATISTICS, NO CONNECTION BEING DRAWN. AND SO I'M ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE FACTS, TABLE THIS MOTION, CREATE A COMMISSION, DO THE HARD WORK AND GET THE RESEARCH, GATHER THE FACTS AND TELL US THE TRUTH. THIS IS POLITICAL. IT'S A LIE TO CALL IT ANYTHING ELSE--MR. ALLISON, YOUR TIME IS UP. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. MS. HOPE YOU ARE ON, WELCOME. HELLO, EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING ON MR. JONATHAN, HE WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. AND I JUST I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. SO I JUST WANT A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON GASCóN. I THINK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE LAST GENTLEMAN SAID. THANK YOU FOR HIS OPINION. YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR A LONG TIME, SO I FEEL LIKE HIS ACTIONS IN SAN FRANCISCO SPEAK VERY LOUDLY. I DON'T WANT L.A. TO TURN INTO SAN FRANCISCO. AND I FEEL ANOTHER THING IS LIKE WHAT HE SAID, MR. JONATHAN, ABOUT POLICEMEN, LIKE WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO BE A POLICEMAN IN THIS TIME IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR IS NOT GOING TO BE SEEN. IF THEY'RE NOT BEING PUNISHED, THE CRIMINALS AREN'T BEING PUNISHED, LIKE, WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE A POLICEMEN? LIKE, YOUR WORK WOULD BE IN VAIN, LIKE YOU'RE GOING AFTER THE BAD GUYS, BUT HERE COMES THIS DA AND JUST LETS THEM GO. LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I HAVE A VERY GOOD CHILDHOOD FRIEND THAT I'VE KNOWN SINCE I WAS SEVEN. HE'S A SERGEANT FOR LAPD. HE WORKS SKID ROW AND HE'S JUST LIKE THE MORALE IN MY DEPARTMENT IS HORRIBLE. LIKE NO ONE WANTS TO ANSWER CALLS BECAUSE THIS GUY DOESN'T PROSECUTE ANYONE. SO HE'S LIKE, IT'S HORRIBLE. LIKE, I CAN'T MOTIVATE THEM TO GO OUT THERE AND ANSWER CALLS. SO I'M VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE, YEAH, LIKE WHO WOULD WANT TO BE A POLICEMAN IN THIS AGE, I HAVE NO IDEA. GRATEFUL FOR THE LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE TALKED ABOUT FACTS, BUT I FEEL LIKE SAN FRANCISCO. I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S MY EXAMPLE. THOSE ARE THE FACTS. I DON'T WANT L.A. TO TURN TO SAN FRANCISCO. I'D LOVE TO STAY IN LA VERNE, BUT I AM CONSIDERING MOVING OUT OF STATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY ISSUE IS A BIG ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF I WANT TO HAVE KIDS, WHICH I PLAN TO DO SOON. SO, YEAH, JUST AGREEING WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE IN GASCóN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MR. IVEY, YOU MAY START. YOU ARE MUTED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. [INAUDIBLE] ACTUALLY, THERE YOU GO, YOU'RE GOOD RIGHT THERE. I THINK. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. IT'S PLAYING TRICKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEN YOU'RE TALKING, SO I'M NOT SURE. WE CANNOT HEAR YOU MR. IVEY IF YOU ARE TALKING. HOW ABOUT NOW? YES, SIR, WE CAN HEAR YOU, PERFECT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SORRY ABOUT THIS, IT'S THE TELEPHONE, NOT ME, SO I WANTED TO JUST SAY GOOD EVENING TO EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS. AND I DO WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MUIR MENTIONED EARLIER [INAUDIBLE] GASCòN'S OFFICE, HIS CHIEF OF STAFF AND HIS OFFICE, AND HE IS WILLING TO COME OUT AND COMMUNICATE WITH CCASI BECAUSE HE'S LOOKED INTO CCASI FINDS THAT IT'S ALONG [00:50:02] THE LINES OF THE KINDS OF THINGS HE'S TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AS FAR AS JUST BRINGING MORE COMMUNICATION TO THE AREA. SO SERVICE COMMUNICATION ON FOR THE CITY COUNCIL IF REQUESTED, AND WE CAN MAKE TO MAKE TOGETHER COMMUNICATIONS [INAUDIBLE] TOGETHER WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SO WE CAN GET TO THE FULL FACTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION AT THE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY. I THINK IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL IDEA IF WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPEN COMMUNICATION THAT CCASI PROVIDES AND WELCOME NEW RESIDENTS TO THOSE MEETINGS WHEN WE CAN SCHEDULE IT WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY GASCòN. SO, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. IVEY. AND SORRY FOR THE DELAY JUST ON THE OTHER END, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED, YOU DO HAVE TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE ROOM ONCE I TRY TO PROMOTE YOU. MR. CARTWRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, YOU'RE MUTED. NOW, YOU'RE NOT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS OLIVER CARTWRIGHT AND I'M A RESIDENT OF LA VERNE, A CONCERNED PARENT. I'M A FOUNDER OF CLEAN PARKS LA VERNE COMMUNITY WATCH LEADER. STREET TEAM ACTIVISTS FOR CHILDREN SAFETY WITH MEGAN'S LAW, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND A FARMER, I SPEAK TODAY TO ASK THE CITY OF LA VERNE TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE ON GASCóN. I BELIEVE THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY DEPEND ON IT. WE MUST SUPPORT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND KEEP THE CHILDREN SAFE AND FOLLOW THE LAW. THAT'S ALL THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. CARTWRIGHT, AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, YOU TOO, MAYOR. MS. GABALDON, GOOD EVENING. HELLO THERE, EVERYBODY, LET ME FLIP THIS ON ALSO. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND EVERYBODY FOR HAVING US ON TONIGHT. AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR HAVING MR. HATAMI ON. I WOULD LIKE FOR HIM TO HAVE A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY RESPOND TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY A FEW OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS. A FEW OTHER THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT. I'M ACTUALLY RUNNING THE GASCòN SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN HERE IN TOWN. AND TO DATE, WE'VE HAD OVER A THOUSAND SIGNATURES FROM PEOPLE FROM LA VERNE. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF LA VERNE WANT TO HAVE NO ON GASCòN. THE PEOPLE OF LA VERNE ARE NOT THIS CCASI GROUP. I JUST WENT REALLY QUICKLY AND LOOKED UP CCASI. IT'S A VERY SMALL GROUP. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE INCLUDING ALL PEOPLE FROM TOWN ACTUALLY, THOSE OF US WHO WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE CONCERNS AND TO THINK THAT DA GASCòN'S PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THAT, BUT THEY WOULDN'T COME TO THE CITY OF SAN DIMAS MEETING AND THEY'RE NOT HERE TODAY RIGHT THERE TELLS ME THAT IS JUST NOTHING BUT PARTISAN POLITICS. THAT IS NOT OK. THIS IS ABOUT SAFETY. THIS IS ABOUT THAT FAMILY JUST DOWN HERE ON BLOSSOM LANE THIS WEEKEND, THE MAN WHO TRIED TO KILL HIS WIFE AND MAYBE EVEN HURT HIS OWN CHILD, HOW DO WE KNOW IF HE'S EVEN GOING TO BE GETTING THROWN IN JAIL, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HE HAD A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THROWN AGAINST HIM THIS WEEKEND, HE COULD BE OUT ON THE STREET IN TWO MONTHS, ONE MONTH, AS FAR AS WE KNOW. IN FACT, IF THOSE ARE JUST MISDEMEANORS, HE WON'T EVEN GET TRIED. DO YOU GUYS KNOW THAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY? THAT'S HAPPENED SATURDAY HERE IN TOWN. WHAT ABOUT THE MAN WHO KILLED THE WOMAN OVER THERE AT THE PARK IN SAN DIMAS? I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR A MONTH TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM. AND FROM EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD, HE STILL DOESN'T HAVE CHARGES PRESSED AGAINST HIM BY GASCòN. WHAT ABOUT THEM? THIS ISN'T ANYTHING MORE THAN BEING ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE. SEVENTY SIX THOUSAND PRISONERS ARE GOING TO BE LET OUT OF PRISONS HERE IN CALIFORNIA IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. WHERE ARE ALL THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO GO? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET MONEY? WHAT ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO CAME INTO MY GARAGE TWO MONTHS AGO AND MY SON WAS IN MY GARAGE AND THANK GOODNESS HE'S A BIG KID. BUT WHEN WANDERING IN THERE BECAUSE SHE'S HOMELESS AND STARTED GOING DOOR TO DOOR ALL THE WAY DOWN AND TRY TO BREAK INTO THE MORMON CHURCH ON OUR STREET AND ALSO TRY TO [00:55:04] BREAK INTO THREE OTHER PEOPLE'S CARS? WHEN ARE WE PROTECTED? THIS ISN'T FANTASY LAND ANYMORE. THIS IS REALITY. IT'S ON OUR DOORSTEP. MEN'S CENTRAL JAIL IS GETTING SHUT DOWN. I SEE THE YELLOW YOU HAVE MY EMAIL TODAY. PLEASE, VOTE YES ON THE NO CONFIDENCE AGAINST GASCòN. YOU HAVE AT LEAST A THOUSAND PEOPLE HERE IN TOWN WHO WANT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. GABALDON. GOOD EVENING, MR. BOWEN. YOU ARE MUTED. YOU'RE STILL MUTED. THERE YOU GO. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SUPPORT EVERYONE WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE NO CONFIDENCE VOTE. THIS SHOULD BE ONE OF THE EASIEST THINGS THIS COUNCIL HAS EVER DONE. TWENTY THREE OTHER CITIES. AND I DO FIND IT INTERESTING. AND FOR THE RECORD, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF CCASI. I'M ALSO FOUNDER OF LVCCC. WE RECENTLY HAD A MEETING THAT HAD A POLICE REPRESENTATIVE COME TO TALK TO US AND TELL US ALL OF THE ISSUES REGARDING THE CURRENT D.A. NOW HE'S LETTING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL. HE'S NOT PROSECUTING REALLY SERIOUS CRIMES. WE TALK THAT THESE ARE LIKE SHOPLIFTING. THEY ARE NOT. THEY ARE SERIOUS CRIMES. I WANT TO MIRROR CYNTHIA A MOMENT AGO SAYING I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT. THE DA'S OFFICE AT THE LAST MINUTE, TWO HOURS PRIOR TO THE SAN DIMAS MEETING, SAID THEY WOULDN'T SHOW UP. AND TONIGHT, IF I HEARD RIGHT, I HEARD THE CITY MANAGER SAY HE HAD REACHED OUT TO GASCòN'S OFFICE AND THAT THEY DID NOT THAT HE TALKED TO SOME LOWER LEVEL PERSON. AND THE DA'S OFFICE DID NOT RESPOND YET, AS SHE MENTIONED, THEY COMMUNICATE WITH CCASI, THAT'S INCREDIBLE AND I WILL ADDRESS THAT THE NEXT CCASI MEETING, BUT I FIND IT VERY, VERY INTERESTING THAT THE DA'S OFFICE WILL NOT RESPOND TO A CITY'S REQUEST KNOWING THIS IS ON THE AGENDA. BUT THEY WILL TALK TO A COMMITTEE WITHIN THAT CITY JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE SIMILAR VIEWS. SO IF ANYBODY THINKS THIS IS NOT POLITICAL, SORRY, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY WRONG. AND GOD FORBID THIS MAN CONTINUES WHAT HE'S DOING TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. GOOD EVENING, MISS WAKELY, YOU ARE MUTED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR HEPBURN AND CITY COUNCIL. I WANT TO URGE YOU TO VOTE TO NO CONTEST FOR GEORGE GASCòN. HE FROM THE MOMENT HE TOOK OFFICE, HE HAS DISREGARDED THE VICTIMS RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS OF THEIR FAMILIES AND HAS NOTHING BUT SYMPATHY FOR THE PERPETRATORS OF THESE CRIMES, AND I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENT HERE IN LA VERNE, I'VE LIVED HERE FOR THIRTY TWO YEARS AND I JUST REALLY AGREE WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE URGING YOU TO VOTE TO FOR NO CONTEST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MS. WAKELY. GOOD EVENING, MISS ALLISON, YOU ARE MUTED. HELLO, BABIES. [CHUCKLING] GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS. I LOVE THAT THIS DISCUSSION IS HAPPENING BECAUSE DIALOG IS GOOD AND MEANINGFUL. EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT IS EVEN BETTER. AND I AM A RESIDENT OF LA VERNE THAT IS CALLING TO SAY THAT I AM HERE FOR MORE ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION AND NOT A QUICK RASH DECISION TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE. I AM PERSONALLY OFFENDED BY A PREVIOUS CALLER SAYING THAT CCASI ATTENDEES OR [01:00:05] THOSE OF US THAT ARE CALLING, URGING OUR COUNCIL NOT TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE ARE NOT THE REAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I AM A REAL MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND I WOULD URGE MY COUNCIL TO, INSTEAD OF VOTING NO CONFIDENCE, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES, LIKE ENGAGING THROUGH CCASI, WHICH IS AN OPEN INVITATION. SO IF THE PREVIOUS CALLERS WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION, THEY SHOULD. ON THE ISSUE OF THIS BEING PARTISAN, I AGREE THE NO VOTE MOVEMENT STARTED EVEN BEFORE HE OFFICIALLY TOOK OFFICE. SO I'M CONCERNED THAT THE PARTISANSHIP EXISTS ON THAT SIDE OF THE DIALOG AS WELL. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY. I GO TO PARKS WITH MY CHILDREN FREQUENTLY AND I LIKE FEELING SAFE DOING SO. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY RHETORIC BEING CONFLATED WITH MEANINGFUL CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT, MURDERERS THAT ARE BEING LEFT LOOSE OR OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OFFENDERS NEVER EVEN BEING CHARGED. THAT'S NOT EVEN LISTED AS PART OF THE REFORM. THOSE ARE VIOLENT CRIMINALS AND THOSE DO GET DEALT WITH IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BUT I WANT TO HEAR MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THE REFORMS, ACTUAL IMPACT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND I WOULD LIKE THAT DIALOG TO BE OPEN TO HEAR FROM NOT JUST THE PERSPECTIVE THAT YOUR FAMILY MEMBER MAY END UP BEING A VICTIM, BUT ALSO THE PERSPECTIVE THAT YOUR FAMILY MEMBER AND LOVED ONES MAY END UP BEING A QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMINAL THAT GETS CAUGHT TRESPASSING, THAT GETS CAUGHT PETTY CRIME LIFTING. IT MIGHT BE A JUVENILE THAT NEEDS A DIVERSION PROGRAM, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF THESE REFORMS. SO I WANT TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NOT JUST MYSELF, BUT ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE LA VERNE COMMUNITY TO REALLY DIG INTO THE NITTY GRITTY OF NOT JUST WHAT THESE REFORMS ARE, BUT WHAT THE ACTUAL IMPLICATIONS ARE POSSIBLY GOOD AND POSSIBLY BAD. THAT CANNOT BE DONE WHEN WE JUMP ON A NO VOTE, A NO CONFIDENCE VOTE TRAIN THAT STARTED THE SECOND HE GOT ELECTED. PLEASE TABLE THIS VOTE. LOOK INTO THE WAYS THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN BETTER ENGAGE IN DIVERSION PROGRAMS, IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND IN BETTERING THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MS. ALLISON. I SEE NO HANDS RAISED, JR. MR. MAYOR, ALSO DO NOT SEE ANY FURTHER HANDS RAISED, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME CALLERS. THE FIRST CALLER THAT I HAVE ON THE LINE IS LORETTA VERDUGO. GO AHEAD LORETTA. HELLO. [INAUDIBLE] I'M ASKING YOU, THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL, TO PLEASE VOTE A NO CONFIDENCE VOTE AGAINST GEORGE GASCON. MY SISTER, ROBIN SHIRLEY AND HER COWORKER LEE THOMPSON WERE MURDERED HERE IN LA VERNE AT THE TARGET STORE OCTOBER 2ND, 1993. AS Y'ALL KNOW HE DIDN'T JUST SHOOT THEM, HE PAINTED HIS BIKE BLACK AND WAITED IT IN THE EARLY MORNING AND AMBUSHED THEM. HE SHOT LEE FOUR TIMES IN THE BACK. HE ALSO SHOT MY SISTER. BUT WHEN SHE MADE A GURGLING SOUND, HE WENT BACK AND PUT THE BARREL AGAINST HER HEAD POINT BLANK AND BLEW HER BRAIN ALL OVER THAT CAR, KNOWING SHE HAD LITTLE CHILDREN AGES SIX AND TEN. IN 2016, THE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED THE DEATH PENALTY FOR RETRIAL FOR FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE PREPARED FOR RETRIAL. THEN DECEMBER 7TH 2020 [INAUDIBLE] WOULD BE FOREVER. OUR NEW VA GASCON PUT OUT AN UNLAWFUL AND DANGEROUS DIRECTLY. THERE WAS TO BE NO RETRIAL BECAUSE GASCON DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENALTY, EVEN THOUGH WE VOTED FOR IT. MY FAMILY AND I WANTED TO MEET WITH GASCON ON DECEMBER 18TH, 20 20. I WANTED TO VOICE MY CONCERNS TO GASTON AT THE POMONA COURTHOUSE WHERE HE WAS SPEAKING [INAUDIBLE] ANOTHER MURDER VICTIM'S MOTHER AND MYSELF WERE PROTESTING AND SHOUTING WHEN VA GASCON ACCUSED US, BUT MAINLY MYSELF, OF QUOTE, NOT HAVING ENOUGH EDUCATION AND KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT END QUOTE. AFTER THE FIASCO, VA GASCON PROMISED TO REACH OUT TO US, WHICH HE NEVER DID. EVEN WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND FORMER LA DISTRICT ATTORNEY, STEPHEN COOLEY, WE COULD NOT GET A MEETING. GASCON CATERS TO THE CRIMINALS HE EVEN SAT MET MET WITH CRIMINALS IN THE [01:05:01] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OVER VICTIMS FAMILIES. IN MARCH, AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO MEET WITH GASCON, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE VA HAD ALREADY MADE A SIGNED DEAL WITH A DOUBLE MURDER BEFORE LETTING VICTIMS' FAMILIES KNOW. MY SISTER ROBIN SHIRLEY AND LEE THOMPSON, DESERVE JUSTICE. GASCON'S DIRECTIVES ARE ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR COUNTY. CRIME IS RISING AS OF NOW, A TRESPASSER IN YOUR OWN HOME DOES NOT GET ARRESTED. HE ONLY GETS A TICKET AND A PASS TO DO IT AGAIN. JUST LIKE SOLIDIFICATION, PETTY THEFT, DRUG POSSESSION, A FELON WITH A GUN. NO ARRESTS, ONLY TICKETS. JUVENILES WHO MURDER WILL BE FREE WHEN THEY TURN TWENTY FIVE. GANG VIOLENCE IS QUICKLY RISING. HERE IN POMONA WE HAD TWO MURDERS THE LAST 72 HOURS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET [INAUDIBLE] VERY CLOSE TO LA VERNE, BUT NO GANG [INAUDIBLE] PLEASE VOTE NO CONFIDENCE IN GEORGE GASCON OUR COUNTY DESERVES TO BE GREAT, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAYOR, I HAVE TERRY PRENTIS ON THE LINE. MR. PRENTIS, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL I WAS JUST ARRESTED, [INAUDIBLE] REPRESENTS ITSELF AS A TRANSPARENT FIGHTER REFORM OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HIS TOTAL HISTORY SHOWS. HE WAS APPOINTED BY [INAUDIBLE] THE CHIEF OF POLICE WITH SAN FRANCISCO WHERE HE TRIED TO HIDE THE SCANDAL WITHIN THE POLICE CRIME LAB IT CAME TO LIGHT FOLLOWING THE TRIAL, IT WAS TWO DEFENDANTS IN A MURDER CASE WERE ACQUITTED, DUE TO IMPROPER HANDLING TESTING AND REPORTING TO DNA EVIDENCE. AN INVESTIGATOR FROM THE DA'S OFFICE AND ONE OF THE ATTORNEY WHO REPRESENTS THE TWO MURDER SUSPECTS. [INAUDIBLE] CRIME LAB EFFICIENCY GASCON REFUSED TO REVEAL THE LETTERS TO THE LABORATORY ACCREDITATION BOARD AND TO A DEFENSE ATTORNEY, AS REQUIRED BY ETHICS LAW CLAIMING THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD CONSIDERED THIS INFORMATION A WORK PRODUCT. THE CITY ATTORNEY DENIES MAKING THAT CLAIM THAT [INAUDIBLE] ORDERED THIS INFORMATION TO BE RELEASED AN ORDER THAT GASCON REFUSED, APPEALED AND APPEALED THE COURT RULED AGAINST [INAUDIBLE] CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL WHEN RUNNING FOR REELECTION AS DA OF SAN FRANCISCO HE REVERSED HIS LONG STANCE AND ARGUED AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY [INAUDIBLE] AND ANSWER FOR VIOLENT CRIMINALS AND USE OF FIREARMS AND CRIME. BEHIND THE [INAUDIBLE] OR THE NEED OF POLICE REFORM, EVEN THOUGH HE HAS NOT INSTITUTED ANY [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS RESISTANCE REFORM, AS EVIDENCED BY HIS MALFEASANCE IN THE HANDLING OF THE CRIME LAB SCANDAL FOR HIS SECOND TERM AS DA SAN FRANCISCO [INAUDIBLE] OTHER MISDEMEANOR CRIMES AND SOME FELONIES INVOLVING A 37 PERCENT INCREASE IN PROPERTY CRIMES IN JUST ONE YEAR. YES, THOSE DEFICITS RESULTED IN THIS ONE BEAUTIFUL, ONE BEAUTIFUL DESTINATION CITY NOW HAVING THE THIRD HIGHEST VIOLENT CRIME RATE AND THE HIGHEST PROPERTY CRIME RATE IN THE STATE, WALGREEN'S CLOSED 17 STORES IN SAN FRANCISCO, ALONG WITH TARGET REDUCED THE HOURS OF OPERATION. [INAUDIBLE] BUT HE COULD NOT GET THE SUPPORT OF OTHER CITIES [INAUDIBLE] REELECTED. HE RESIGNED [INAUDIBLE] TO CARE FOR HIS MOTHER. ONE MONTH LATER [INAUDIBLE] SUPPORTED BY A DONATION OF MORE THAN TWO MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE GEORGE SOROS POLITICAL ORGANIZATION, THE SAN FRANCISCO CITY OFFICIALS [INAUDIBLE] STATING GASCON HAS BEEN BAD FOR SAN FRANCISCO AND WILL BE BAD FOR LA A FACTOR THAT HAS BEEN BORNE OUT BY THE ALREADY DRAMATIC INCREASES IN ALL LEVELS OF CRIME IN LA COUNTY ONTARIO CRIMINALS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD BY GASCON DUE TO LACK OF PROSECUTION I URGE A NO CONFIDENCE VOTE IN GEORGE GASCON THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PRENTIS. [01:10:04] MAYOR, I HAVE JOSEPH [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE. MR. [INAUDIBLE] GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT WITH MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M QUITE FRANKLY A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THE TONE OF THE DIALOG THIS EVENING ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS, I'M QUITE FRANKLY APPALLED THAT SOME IDEOLOGUES WOULD PUT THE SAFETY BEHIND THEIR POLITICAL PREFERENCES AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WOULD DEEM MISINFORMATION. ANY MONKEY CAN GO AND FIND THE INFORMATION FOR THEMSELVES. AND I CAUTION THE CITY COUNCIL THAT ANY VOTE OTHER THAN NO CONFIDENCE PUTS ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES OR [INAUDIBLE] ON THEIR SHOULDERS. AND TO THE COMMENT BY ONE OF THE PERSONS THIS EVENING THAT MENTIONED WE SHOULD GET FACTS OVER JUST THE MISINFORMATION, AS THEY SAY, LIARS FIGURE AND FIGURES LIE. SO I TOOK THE TIME TO GO TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGISTRAR. AND WOULD PROVIDE THESE FACTS FOR THE COUNCIL TO THINK ABOUT THEIR VOTE TONIGHT IN THE 2020 ELECTION, THE ONE JUST PASSED PER THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGISTRAR. 9,000 VOTES WERE CAST IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE AS TO THEIR CHOICE OF WHO SHOULD BE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN THIS VOTE. [7.b. D Street Reopening] [7.c. Ordinance No. 1100 - Flavored Tobacco Ban and Expanded Definition of “Smoking”] [03:23:37] AND IN THE ORDER OF THEIR PREFERENCE, JACKIE LACEY RECEIVED 65 PERCENT OF THE RACHEL ROSSI, THE CHALLENGER, RECEIVED 19.5 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND GEORGE GASCON ONLY RECEIVED 15.5 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS. I THINK IT IS VERY CLEAR HOW THE VAST MAJORITY OF LA VERNE CITIZENS AND VOTERS WOULD MAKE THEIR DECISIONS TONIGHT IF THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS DECISION FOR YOU, PLEASE VOTE NO CONFIDENCE ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HAVE SALLY GREGORY ON THE LINE. MR. IS IT MS. OR MR. I DIDN'T GET THE FIRST NAME SALLY MS. GREGORY. SALLY GREGORY HELLO HOW ARE YOU? OH, SORRY. SO I DID CALL IN AT THE LAST MEETING BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHERS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WE ARE SEEING A RISE IN CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL COMMUNITY HAS GOTTEN THE MESSAGE THAT THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE FOR THEFT, FOR EXAMPLE. AND SO THEY FIGURE WHY NOT STEAL THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY CONSEQUENCES. AND THERE ARE VICTIMS RIGHT HERE IN LA VERNE. SO IF YOU THINK THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES, THERE'S A WOMAN, I SPOKE TO THAT LIVES RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM YOU MR. HEPBURN. AND SHE HAD TO GO TO COURT BY HERSELF TO A PAROLE HEARING WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF PROSECUTORS BY HER SIDE AND HAVING TO FACE THE INTIMIDATION OF THAT COURT PROCESS WHILE THE CRIMINAL WAS GIVEN THE SUPPORT OF A PUBLIC DEFENDER WHO WE VOTED FOR THE THREE STRIKES LAW AND SINCE GASCON HAS GOTTEN INTO OFFICE. HE ISSUED A DIRECTIVE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO NOT ENFORCE THE THREE STRIKES LAW. THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF LAWS THAT HE'S DIRECTING HIS DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS NOT TO ENFORCE. AND SO ESSENTIALLY HE'S THINKING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE, THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR CERTAIN LAWS, HE CAN JUST OVERRIDE THEM AND OVERRULE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT HE'S IN OFFICE TO DO. HE SHOULD BE IN OFFICE TO ENFORCE THE LAW, NOT IGNORE THEM. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE PAM BARRY ON THE LINE, MS. BARRY GOOD EVENING. THANKS, I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO CALL. I JUST WANTED TO KEEP IT BRIEF. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF IDEAS AND A LOT OF THE INFORMATION REGARDING GASCON. AS WE'VE LEARNED IN THE LAST YEAR, WHAT GOES ON IN THE COUNTY REALLY DOES AFFECT LA VERNE. WE'RE NOT A LITTLE ISLAND. WE CAN'T JUST HAVE EVERYTHING. [INAUDIBLE] THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR. BUT I JUST REALLY FEEL LIKE [INAUDIBLE] IS SO IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST POLICE FORCES AROUND. BUT IF THINGS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL OR THE STATE LEVEL OR WHATEVER LEVEL ARE AFFECTING THEIR ABILITY TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE THE LAW AND PROTECT AND SERVE, WE ARE ALL AT RISK. AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON JUST SINCE GASCON HAS TAKEN OFFICE. IT'S JUST IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN JUST LIKE. WELL, LET'S WRITE SOME LETTERS OR LET'S JUST THINK ABOUT IT AND DISCUSS IT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A STAND AND I NEED THE COUNCIL TO VOTE NO CONFIDENCE AND MAKE A STATEMENT ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE I WOULD ACTUALLY BE EMBARRASSED IF LA VERNE DOESN'T I REALLY WOULD, WE NEED OUR COUNCIL TO STAND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE RESIDENTS OF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AND THE POLICE FORCE WHO ARE HERE TO SERVE US. SO I'M JUST VERY STRONGLY AND ASKING THAT YOU ALL VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON GASCON AND SEND THAT STRONG MESSAGE FOR US THE RESIDENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MS. BARRY. MAYOR, THERE'S ONE PERSON THAT DIDN'T ANSWER, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO BRING THEM TRY THEM AGAIN, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. SURE. SORRY SIR NOT ABLE TO REACH HIM, I LEFT A VOICEMAIL EARLIER AND JUST GOT A MESSAGE THAT THE VOICEMAIL BOX IS FULL SO THE PERSON MUST NOT BE AVAILABLE. OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE BACK TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HATAMI? IS MR. HATAMI STILL WITH US JR? YES, HE IS HE'S HE'S AN ATTENDEE, IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO BRING THEM IN, I CAN JUST GIVE YOU THAT DIRECTION. YES. MS. CROSBY, I THINK THE ONE QUESTION THAT THE RESIDENT HAD WAS HOW MANY CASES END IN LA VERNE? I KNOW HE WAS GOING FROM L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S IS WHAT HIS STATS WERE FROM, THAT'S WHY I DID SAN DEMAS. BUT I KNOW I RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT PRIOR TO THE NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEY TAKING OFFICE, THE REJECTION RATE FROM LA VERNE WAS 12 PERCENT AFTER THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TOOK OFFICE AND [INAUDIBLE] RATE WENT UP TO 40 PERCENT. YOU GOT YOU YOU'RE KIND OF GOING OUT THERE MR. CROSBY, [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE LOSING YOU. SO RICK IS YOUR QUESTION TO JONATHAN, WHAT IS THE RATE? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HEAR FROM YOU? IT WAS THE RESIDENTS QUESTION, I STATED WHAT THE RATE WAS WAS GIVEN TO US PRIOR THE RATE WAS GIVEN TO US PRIOR WAS THE REJECTION RATE, PRIOR WAS 12 PERCENT. BUT SINCE THE NEW ISSUES IT WENT UP TO 40 PERCENT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION FROM THE RESIDENT. [01:20:01] IS THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN SPEAK ON, MR. HATAMI. I CAN'T SPEAK SPECIFICALLY LA VERNE I CAN TELL YOU, THOUGH, THAT FROM AFTER TALKING WITH OTHER CITY COUNCILS, I KNOW PALM DALE WAS EIGHTEEN PERCENT AND THEN AFTER GEORGE GASCON IT WENT UP TO FIFTY NINE PERCENT. I DO KNOW POMONA IS OVER TWELVE HUNDRED REJECTS DUE TO GEORGE GASCONS POLICIES. PALMDALE IS OVER FIVE HUNDRED. LANCASTER OVER SIX HUNDRED. SANTA CLARITA VALLEY OVER FIVE HUNDRED. GLENDALE OVER FOUR HUNDRED. SAN DEMAS OVER ONE HUNDRED. I KNOW WALNUT , I BELIEVE, HAD SIX AND I KNOW A TOTAL OF ALL THE AREAS COVERED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS FIFTY NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO THAT WERE TOTALLY REJECTED AS A RESULT OF GEORGE GASCONS POLICIES. DO YOU HAVE THE PREVIOUS MR. HATAMI? I DON'T FOR THOSE THE ONLY TWO I HAVE THE PREVIOUS IS THE ONE THAT MR. CROSBY JUST SAID AND IN THE ONE THAT PALMDALE GAVE US, WHICH WAS EIGHTEEN PERCENT AND NOW IT'S FIFTY NINE PERCENT. OK, SO MEASURABLE WHAT YOU SAY. YES, YES. OK, OK. THOSE WERE ALL MISDEMEANORS, RIGHT? NO REJECTS OF FELONIES? SO THERE ARE REJECTS OF FELONIES, BUT THOSE ONES ARE JUST MISDEMEANORS, BUT THERE ARE REJECTS OF FELONIES AS WELL. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'VE ACCUMULATED ALL THE STATISTICS REGARDING THE FELONIES AT THIS TIME, BUT I KNOW MISDEMEANORS. THE ONLY THING I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT FELONIES JUST SO THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. I DEFINITELY CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S BEEN NUMEROUS CASES SPECIFICALLY, I CAN TELL YOU, OF THREE CHILDREN WHO WERE MURDERED IN RESEDA BY A MOM, ANOTHER THREE CHILDREN WHO ARE MURDERED IN EAST L.A. BY A MOM. AND MICHELLE'S CASE THAT WAS TALK TO DORSEY. ALL THREE OF THOSE CASES, GEORGE GASCON DIDN'T CHARGE THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE. SO ANY NEW CASE GOING FORWARD, THERE IS NO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE CHARGED IN THOSE CASES. I CAN ONLY TELL YOU TO ALSO TELL YOU, IN JUVENILE CASES, THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS 17 YEARS AND 11 MONTHS AND HE KILLED TWO GIRLS AND HE'S GOING TO GET OUT WHEN HE'S TWENTY FIVE. THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL IN RESEDA WHO KILLED A TEENAGER IN A BASKETBALL COURT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. HE'S GOING TO GET OUT WHEN HE'S TWENTY FIVE. THERE WAS ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO KILLED A TEENAGER ON A BICYCLE, ANTELOPE VALLEY. HE'S GOING TO GET OUT WHEN HE'S TWENTY FIVE. SO THERE ARE MEASURABLE, SPECIFIC CASES THAT WE KNOW OF THAT THESE POLICIES HAVE EFFECTED. SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE AREN'T MEASURABLE STATS, THERE IS. THERE'S MEASURABLE STATS FOR MISDEMEANORS. THERE'S MEASURABLE SPECIFIC CASES FOR FELONIES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, YOU'RE MUTED. THANK YOU. SO HERE IS MY QUESTION, BECAUSE I AM OBVIOUSLY, AS THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DOING, READING EMAILS, FIELDING PHONE CALLS, TALKING TO VARIOUS PEOPLE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT HAS A LOT OF LAYERS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM YOU, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THIS ANSWER, IS THAT WHAT I'M LOOKING, SO JUST TO BE FORTHCOMING, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED, NOT JUST THE INCREASE IN CRIME. AND HOW DO YOU PROSECUTE THOSE PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE THAT HAVE TRANSGRESSED, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE CREATE A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR DIVERSION AND REHABILITATION? DO I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY CAN BE REHABBED? NO. BUT DO I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE MISSING THE THE MARK IN TERMS OF TRYING TO REHAB THE PEOPLE THAT CAN BE REHABBED? YES. AND SO MY QUESTION IS, DOES A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON GASCON IN THIS PRESENT MOMENT DRAW US ANY CLOSER TO THAT SOLUTION? BECAUSE I WILL SAY THAT IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE IN DIALOG AND TRY TO FORMULATE AND CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS ABOUT WHAT THE POLICIES MAY BE OR WHAT CAN OR CAN'T BE DONE, I THINK THAT WILL LEAD TO A MORE SO, YOU KNOW, A RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUE AT HAND, WHICH IS THE CONCERN OF SAFETY FOR EVERYBODY, BUT ALSO THE CONCERN FOR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE MAKE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE BETTER. AND RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THIS MOMENT BRINGS US CLOSER TO THAT RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE ALL SEEKING, WHICH IS, LIKE I SAID, SAFETY RIGHTS FOR THE VICTIMS AND ABILITY TO REHABILITATE THOSE THAT CAN BE REHABILITATED. AND I GET THAT THAT'S A YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S MANY LAYERS TO THAT. [01:25:02] THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES AND WORK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE. BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE SEE A LOT OF TIMES IS THAT WE BAND-AID THINGS OR WE SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO IF WE DO THIS GREAT, WHAT DOES THAT LEAD US TO THE ULTIMATE RESULT? AND THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS SO THAT EVERYBODY IS REAL CLEAR ON AS WELL. FOR ME, THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS. THIS IS ABOUT SAFETY. THIS IS ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE A BETTER SOCIETY FOR ALL OF US. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT YOU PEOPLE TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN SOME, YOU KNOW, FANTASY LAND WHERE I'VE NEVER HAD CRIME COMMITTED. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, MY PARENTS HAD THEIR HOUSE ROBBED IN FEBRUARY, PROBABLY BY FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING IT ALL UP AND DOWN THE 10 FREEWAY. I'VE BEEN A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF, YOU KNOW, ROBBERY. AND SO DOES THAT PISS ME OFF? YEAH, IT DOES. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A BETTER SOCIETY, WE DO NEED TO PUT RESOURCES AND PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE CHANGE THINGS. AND THAT MAY MEAN OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION EARLY ON SO THAT THERE ARE VIABLE OPTIONS. RIGHT. IT HAS TO MEAN THAT THERE IS MONEY PUT INTO PROGRAMS THAT CAN REHABILITATE THOSE THAT CAN BE REHABILITATED. AND IT MEANS PUTTING MONEY TOWARDS KEEPING THOSE BEHIND BARS WHO CANNOT AND WILL NOT EVER BE REHABILITATED. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT I POSE TO YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU SEE THIS VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE EFFECTUATING THOSE AIMS IN THIS MOMENT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE TAKES YOU DOWN A ROAD, BUT THAT ROAD IS LONG AND THAT WILL NOT NECESSARILY EFFECTUATE THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE SEEKING. I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, AND I'M GOING TO LET YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH MOST OF THEM. FIRST OFF, I AM A VICTIM OF CHILD ABUSE. I'VE HAD A TOUGH ROAD, A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS. I'VE MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES, ESPECIALLY AS A TEENAGER. AND I THINK MOST INDIVIDUALS CAN BE REHABILITATED AND SHOULD BE. I THINK THAT PEOPLE DO MAKE MISTAKES. AND IF WE WANT TO HAVE A BETTER SOCIETY AND A BETTER COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO LEARN WAYS ON HOW TO HELP INDIVIDUALS SO THEY ARE BETTER AND SO THEY CAN BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS IN OUR SOCIETY. I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE SHOULD PUT THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY INTO EDUCATION, INTO EDUCATION. WHEN YOU'RE YOUNGER, ONCE YOU'RE MURDERING INDIVIDUALS, THERE'S NOT MUCH I CAN DO FOR YOU. BUT I CAN DEFINITELY HELP CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH EDUCATION, THROUGH NUTRITION, THAT YOU NEED TO GET FOOD AS CHILDREN, THROUGH MENTORSHIP, THROUGH THE FACT THAT YOU NEED COMPUTERS, YOU NEED A PLACE TO STUDY, YOU NEED A PLACE TO FEEL SAFE. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. HOW TO BE BETTER PARENTS FOR OUR KIDS. I AM GOING TO TELL YOU THIS. HERE'S THE THING ABOUT REHABILITATION. AND THIS IS AN EASY WINNER WITH MISDEMEANORS. YOU CAN'T HAVE DIVERSION IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CHARGE. GEORGE GASCON ACTUALLY WANTS TO RELEASE INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S ALL HE CARES ABOUT. IF HE REALLY WANTED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS, WHAT HE WOULD DO IS, YOU CHARGE MISDEMEANORS, YOU OFFER DIVERSION, YOU GIVE THEM PROGRAMS FOR DRUG REHABILITATION FOR ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS, MENTAL HEALTH. AND YOU HOPE THAT THEY GET BETTER AND YOU DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO HELP THEM GET BETTER. BUT THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A HOOK. YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A HOOK THAT SAYS IF YOU DON'T DO THIS PROGRAM, IF YOU DON'T SUCCEED, YEAH, THAT POTENTIALLY YOU COULD GO TO JAIL. AND THAT HELPS A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ADDICTED TO DRUGS. I KNOW A LOT OF DEPUTIES ARE ADDICTED TO DRUGS, PAIN MEDICATION. THEY CAN'T BE AROUND THEIR PEER GROUP AND THEY NEED TO BE FORCED INTO A PROGRAM AND THEN THEY CAN GET BETTER. IF YOU JUST WANT TO RELEASE INDIVIDUALS ALL YOU CARE ABOUT, THEN IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN ONE OF THOSE CALLERS SAID THAT JUVENILES WHO TRESPASS SHOULD BE GIVEN DIVERSION, I BELIEVE JUVENILES WHO TRESPASS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THEY SHOULD GO TO TEEN COURT. I WORKED IN JUVENILE COURT FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF. GEORGE GASCON HAS NEVER WORKED IN JUVENILE COURT OR ANY COURT HIS ENTIRE CAREER. AND CHILDREN WHO ARE JUST TRESPASSING? THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR THEM. THEY SHOULD GO TO TEEN COURT. BUT GEORGE GASCON DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE'S NEVER DONE IT. AND SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUVENILES WHO GET IN FIGHTS OR JOY RIDE OR STEAL SOMETHING, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE THINGS I'VE DONE, I'M TALKING ABOUT JUVENILES WHO ARE KILLING PEOPLE OR WHO ARE RAPING PEOPLE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THAT'S ADULT CRIMES. AND SO THE PROBLEM WITH GEORGE GASCON IS HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. HE DOESN'T WANT TO HELP THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IF HE DID, HE WOULDN'T HAVE BLANKET POLICIES. HELPING THE COMMUNITY MEANS HARD WORK. IT MEANS LOOKING AT EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE AND GIVING EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE THAT CARE. THAT'S NOT ONLY THE CARE FOR THE VICTIM, THAT'S THE CARE FOR THE DEFENDANT AND THE CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS, GEORGE GASCON DOESN'T CARE BECAUSE IF HE CARED, HE'D BE HERE. HE BELIEVES HE'S TOO HIGH AND TOO IMPORTANT TO COME DOWN TO A CITY COUNCIL TO TALK TO ALL OF YOU. HE WANTS TO DO IT THROUGH HIS OWN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HELPING HIM. AND HE WANTS ALL OF YOU TO GO TO A MEETING IN SECRET THAT LACKS TRANSPARENCY. [01:30:05] AND ANYBODY WHO'S A GOOD ELECTED OFFICIAL KNOWS THAT TRANSPARENCY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. AND WE SHOULD ALL SIT THERE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY AND TALK ABOUT HOW TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER. AND SO AS A PROSECUTOR, ESPECIALLY AS A CHILD ABUSE PROSECUTOR, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN A VICTIM OF CHILD ABUSE, I TRY TO UNDERSTAND ALL ASPECTS OF MY CASES AND MANY OF MY CASES. WE DO GIVE PROBATION. I DO SEE INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE MISTAKES. I DO SEE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ALCOHOL ISSUES OR HAVE ANGER ISSUES. BUT THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY AND A SMALL MISTAKE VERSUS SOMEBODY INTENTIONALLY MURDERING AND TORTURING A CHILD. AND IF GEORGE GASCON THINKS THAT A CHILD WHO IS INTENTIONALLY MURDERED AND TORTURED, THAT PERSON SHOULD BE RELEASED AT SOME POINT ON PAROLE. HIM AND I ARE JUST GOING TO DISAGREE BECAUSE HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT MY CHILDREN OR YOUR CHILDREN OR THE COMMUNITY. AND SO I JUST DON'T THINK THAT HE REALLY CARES. AND SO I THINK THE BEST SOLUTION IS TELLING HIM AS A COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN HIS POLICIES AND HE NEEDS TO CHANGE AND GET BETTER. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER? YES, AND JONATHAN, ALSO I HEARD YOU SAY EARLIER, AND I'D LIKE YOU TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE, BECAUSE I ALSO HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THIS AT THE SAN DEMAS MEETING. AS YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. HE IS YOUR BOSS. GASCON IS YOUR BOSS, AND HE HAS NEVER EVEN COME TO MEET YOU. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FIRST, IT'S A LITTLE SCARY TO DO WHAT I'M DOING, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. SECOND, I BELIEVE IF YOU'RE A LEADER BECAUSE I WAS IN THE MILITARY. AND SO I BELIEVE IF YOU'RE A LEADER, YOU SHOULD LEAD BY EXAMPLE. I ALSO BELIEVE IF YOU'RE A LEADER, YOU SHOULD TELL EVERYBODY WHAT'S YOUR POLICIES, WHAT'S YOUR VISION? AND HE SHOULD COME DOWN AND MEET ALL THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, ALL OF US WHO HAVE A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE THAN HE DOES BECAUSE HE'S NEVER EVEN TRIED ONE CASE. AND JUST SAY, HEY, THIS IS MY VISION, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO GET ACCOMPLISHED. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? HOW CAN WE MOVE THIS VISION INTO REALITY? HOW CAN WE HELP THE COMMUNITY ALSO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS, ALSO MAKE SURE THERE'S PUBLIC SAFETY. HE JUST DOESN'T WANT TO DO THAT. HE JUST DOESN'T. YES, AND ALONG WITH MY COMMENT TO GO ALONG WITH THAT IS THAT I AGREE WITH JONATHAN, WE INVITED HIM TO THIS MEETING. SAN DEMAS INVITED THEM TO THE MEETING. SAN DEMAS HAD A WONDERFUL MEETING. EVEN MR. BOWEN TALKED ABOUT WHAT A GREAT MEETING IT WAS. SO IT MADE ME SIT DOWN AND WATCH THE MEETING. THEY INVITED HIM TWO HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING. THEY HAD SOMEBODY CALL AND CANCEL TWO HOURS. SO IT'S GREAT TO THINK NOW THEY'RE STALLING BY ASKING IF THEY CAN MEET WITH CASSIE AND THAT FOR US TO HOLD OFF ON OUR VOTE. I SAY WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE OUR VOTE TONIGHT, BUT THEN ALSO IT'S STILL INVITE THEM OUT, SEE IF THEY COME OUT AND MEET WITH CASSIE. BUT THAT IS A SMALL GROUP. WE WANTED THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A CHANCE ON ZOOM TO LISTEN TO THEM. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CARDER. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HATAMI. THANK YOU. MR. CROSBY? I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS. I REALLY APPRECIATE MR. HATAMI. I JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN COMING FOR SOME TIME. AND THEN WHEN JACKIE MASON WAS VOTED OUT, I MEAN, AB109 PROP 47 AND PROP FIFTY SEVEN AND WEAKENED, IT WEAKENED THE SYSTEM TREMENDOUSLY FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FOR ALSO FOR YOU IN THE LEGAL ASPECT OF THE CITY. AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER HAD SAID. IF YOU'RE INVITED, YOU SHOULD COME. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE AND TRANSPARENCY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND AS A NUMBER OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE POINTED OUT, THAT MR. GASCON WAS NOT REALLY REPRESENTED IN OUR COMMUNITY VERY WELL. SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE VOTERS WERE FOR TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE JACKIE MASON REPEAT HER JOB. AND MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE FACT THAT IT'S MAKING IT SO THAT CRIMINALS HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN THE ONES THAT ARE CRIMINALIZED. AND I CAN'T HANDLE IT, I'M SORRY. I JUST CAN'T PUT UP WITH THAT. AND I DO BELIEVE, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER SAID, THAT I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR [INAUDIBLE] GROUP IS A GREAT GROUP AND IT'S A GOOD GROUP FOR DISCUSSION. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. BUT I THINK AS OUR SISTER CITIES, WHAT IS IT? TWENTY SEVEN CITIES HAVE ALREADY VOTED NO CONFIDENCE OR SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THAT WHICH. TWENTY THREE. I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY IT'S MORE NOW. BUT YEAH, I THINK AS WE FOUND OUT IN THE COVID REALM AND THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, THAT THE FRUSTRATION LEVELS ON US, ESPECIALLY WHEN THINGS SHUT DOWN WHEN TWO OF OUR SUPERVISORS SAID NO, RESTAURANTS ARE NOT A PROBLEM, BUT THEY WENT AHEAD, THE OTHER THREE DECIDED TO GO AND SHUT THEM DOWN. AND WHEN WE WANTED TO KEEP THOSE OPEN. [01:35:01] SO YOU LOOK AT AND THIS REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHAT YOU THE LAST COMMENTS YOU MADE AS A WHOLE, WE HAVE A VOICE. THERE'S 88 CITIES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND IF ENOUGH OF US SAY, NO, WE WANT FAIR REPRESENTATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING CRIMINALIZED AND HAVE A FAIR PLAYING GROUND. AND I DO BELIEVE IN SCHOOLING AND CLASSES AND LESSONS AND I BELIEVE IN REHABILITATION. BUT IT HAS TO BE ON THE RIGHT CHORD. YOU JUST IT HAS TO BE DONE CORRECTLY. AND A CRIMINAL IN A DEATH OR A MURDER CASE. WE HAVE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A DISTRICT ATTORNEY THAT'S ABLE TO PROTECT US AND TO ALSO GIVE THE TOOLS TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK UNDERNEATH THEM, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO PROPERLY DEFEND THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN CRIMINALIZED AGAIN. SO I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. AND I KNOW THIS IS FROM SOMEONE THAT SOMETIMES GOES OUT ON A LIMB. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A TOUGH POSITION. I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR. I APPRECIATE YOU OPENING UP OF YOUR SITUATION. YOUR EXPERIENCE IN LIFE IS THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU FACE AND THEN LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP THEM MAKE BETTER CHOICES. AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR COUNCIL TONIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. HATAMI? BEFORE WE LET HIM GO? THANK YOU, MR. HATAMI, WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] OK, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR OTHERWISE I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. MR. DAVIS? YEAH, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE. I THINK WE HAD SOME DIALOG TONIGHT, I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS VERY POLARIZED, THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD AND WE DIDN'T WORK, I THINK AS MUCH AS I'D HOPED TO COME TO A SOLUTION THAT CAN MOVE THINGS, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE BY OUR COUNCIL THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION WOULD DO NOTHING OTHER THAN POLITICALLY STANDING ON SOMETHING AND SAYING, "SEE WE DID SOMETHING," WHICH HAS NO IMPACT WHATSOEVER. I THINK OUR RESIDENTS, AS EVERY VOTER IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST A RECALL. AND SHOULD A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF VOTERS GET THEIR SIGNED THE MEASURE, A RECALL WOULD HAPPEN. BUT THERE IS NO SPACE FOR A CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THAT. SO A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE SIMPLY PLAYS A POLITICAL MANEUVER AND DOES NOT DO ANYTHING, I BELIEVE, TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT GASCON RAN ON AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. AND HE'S BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT, I MUST SAY. PROPOSITION 4757, WHERE PEOPLE WERE BEING LET OUT OF PRISONS WAS ALL PRE-GASCON. SO PEOPLE WHO WE THOUGHT HAD SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR WE THOUGHT HAD ENHANCEMENTS WERE BEING RELEASED FROM JAIL JUST BECAUSE OUR JAILS ARE OVERCROWDED. MR. BALDWIN HAD TALKED ABOUT THE L.A. CITY JAIL BEING CLOSED. THAT WAS DONE BY THE L.A. COUNTY SUPERVISORS, NOT BY DA GASCON ISSUE. I THINK SHE RIGHTFULLY SAID, BUT THAT WAS DUE TO OVERCROWDING AND AN UNFIT FACILITY BECAUSE WE HAVE TOO LONG, I THINK, TRIED TO INCARCERATE OUR WAY OUT OF THIS DILEMMA. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S GETTING US ANYWHERE. I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING GASCON IS DOING, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PATH FORWARD TO CAUSE MEANINGFUL CHANGE, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BEING SAFE, IS ENGAGING WITH DA GASCON AND HIS OFFICE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHERE WE CAN HELP TO SHAPE AND CHANGE THINGS TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT GASCON'S OFFICE WILL BE INTERESTED IN TALKING TO CASSIE OR ANYBODY ELSE. IF OUR CITY COUNCIL STANDS UP AND SAYS WE AS A COUNCIL VOTE, NO CONFIDENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT GASCON WILL JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T WANT TO LISTEN TO ME, THAT DOESN'T WANT TO WORK WITH ME. THEY JUST WANT TO STAND ON WHATEVER IT IS THEY'RE STANDING ON BECAUSE A JUST RESOLUTION IS MEANINGLESS. MAYOR, I HAVE TO ASK YOU, DON'T YOU WONDER WHY HE WOULDN'T COME TO THE MEETING AND SPEAK TO THE WHOLE CITY, KNOWING WE'RE ON ZOOM. THEY WANT TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE, BUT YET THEY'RE WILLING TO MEET WITH A SMALL GROUP OF WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE, LESS THAN 10? IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING, IT'S NOT A SMALL GROUP. I MEAN, THE GROUP IS SMALL, BUT THE INVITATION GOES BROAD. AND NO, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IF THAT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE WE'RE [01:40:05] CONDUCTING CITY BUSINESS IS THE PLACE TO HAVE THIS KIND OF DIALOG, I REALLY DON'T. CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AREN'T PLACES OF EDUCATION, AREN'T PLACES OF OF COMMUNICATION AND SHARING NEW IDEAS. CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE WHERE WE CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? I, YOU KNOW, I GO BACK TO MY COMMENT BEFORE I ASKED THIS QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, HOW DOES A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE GET US TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WE WANT? AND I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO CHIEF PAZ, I'VE TALKED TO OFFICER GUTIERREZ. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I GET THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND MAYBE SOME THAT HAVE BEEN REFUSED. AND, YOU KNOW, ROBIN, TO YOUR POINT, DO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN NICE IF YOU WOULD HAVE COME ON? YES, SURE. THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NICE. BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE, I COMPARE THIS TO SOME OF THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT MANY OF US SIT ON, WHETHER IT'S THE SAN GABRIEL COUNCIL OF THE CITIES WHERE REPRESENTATIVES FROM CITY COUNCIL THAT GO AND ENGAGE WITH THE DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES, WHETHER IT'S THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OR OTHER CITY REPRESENTATIVES, TO IDENTIFY AND WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION, A RESOLUTION. I THINK THIS IS SIMILAR IN THE SENSE THAT IF THEY WILL MEET OR IF HE WILL MEET WITH CASSIE AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT SOME OF THESE POLICIES, OR I GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE GOALS THAT I THINK WE ALL WANT, RIGHT? HOW DO WE PREVENT CRIME? WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH A REHABILITATION OR DIVERSION PROGRAM, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH IDENTIFYING RESOURCES TO PROMOTE THAT, WHETHER IT'S PUTTING RESOURCES IN THE NECESSARY POCKETS WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T BE REHABILITATED, WHEN THERE ARE SERIOUS CRIMES THAT WERE COMMITTED. I HAVE TO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND MAYBE THIS IS THAT THE DREAMER IN ME? MAYBE THIS IS THE ME BEING AN OPTIMIST ABOUT IT. BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO LEARN TO WALK AND TALK WITH OTHER PEOPLE TO GET TO A RESOLUTION. AND I JUST IF A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE WAS GOING TO IMMEDIATELY SOMEHOW CHANGE OUT THE DAY TO SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, MORE AMENABLE TO COMING TO MEETINGS OR TO HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, MAYBE THAT MIGHT CHANGE MY MIND. BUT I KNOW THE REALITY OF ALL THAT'S GOING TO DO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS' POINT IS THAT ONCE THE VOTE IS DONE, WE SHUT OFF OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO BE THE COUNCIL, TO BE THE CITY, TO BE THE PLACE WHERE WE DIG DEEP AND WE WORK HARD TO GET TO A SOLUTION BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALL GOING TO AGREE, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER. SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE TALK PAST OUR DIFFERENCES? HOW CAN WE GET TO A SOLUTION? HOW CAN WE GET EVERYONE HEARD? AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OR THAT ONE SIDE'S PERFECT AND THE OTHER IS NOT. WE ALL HAVE A PLACE IN THIS. WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, GASCON DOESN'T PLAY BALL, YOU KNOW, TO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP OUR VOTERS AND OUR CONSTITUENTS. THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP THIS COUNCIL TO REVISIT THIS CONVERSATION AT A LATER DATE. IF IT'S NOT IF WE DON'T GET WHAT WE NEED OR WHAT WE THINK IS NECESSARY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO A SAFER COMMUNITY VERSUS CUTTING THAT OFF AT THE KNEES NOW. SO, YOU KNOW, I GET IT. YOU KNOW, I GET THE EMOTIONS ON ON ALL SIDES BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I HAVE FAMILY THAT'S IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. I'VE TALKED TO FOLKS THAT ARE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. I'VE BEEN A VICTIM. I'VE TALKED TO VICTIMS. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE STILL LIKE I SAID, WE ALL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO LIVE TOGETHER AND WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER. AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DECIDE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE DISAGREE WITH. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY [INAUDIBLE]. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MY POINT OF VIEW ON THIS IS THAT AS I FEEL NO CONFIDENCE VOTE WOULD DO LITTLE OR NOTHING TO THE OVERALL ASPECT OF THIS, I DO BELIEVE THAT WITH REJECTION FROM 12 PERCENT UP TO 40 PERCENT, THAT I BELIEVE IN CASTING THAT VOTE, I BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAND WITH WITH OUR ARMS, OUR SAFETY AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S SYMBOLIC. I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT CHANGE A LOT, BUT IT IS SYMBOLIC FROM OUR [01:45:03] OUR COMMUNITY TO TO HELP JOHN MOVE. WE'VE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO COME SPEAK TO US. AND IF HE STILL WANTS TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK WITH OUR TROOPS, HE WILL SHOW UP AS WELL. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND I'M SORRY, AB 109 AND PROP. 47 AND 57, MR. DAVIS FOR A DEGRADATION OF OUR SYSTEM AND THEY WERE SOLD TO US REALLY WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS REALLY WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND NOW I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY CAN SAY THAT WE DON'T LIKE THIS. WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE. WE HAVE A COUNTY SUPERVISOR THAT LOOKS CLOSELY AT THEIR AREAS THAT THEY COVER AND THEY HAVE A MOUTHPIECE AND THEY HAVE A VOTE AND THEY HAVE A VOTE ALSO WITH THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A CITY AND WE'VE HEARD IT TONIGHT THAT. OUR COMMUNITY, 95 PERCENT ARE HAPPY WITH THIS. I AGREE IN DISCUSSION, BUT AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO STAND UP AND SAY WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. YES, YOU CAN STILL DISCUSS THIS IF MR. GASCON WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU GUYS. BUT THE POINT IS THAT WHAT BOSS COMES INTO A NEW BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T EVEN TALK TO HIS EMPLOYEES? I MEAN, YOU HEARD IT. YOU HEARD IT FROM MR. HATAMI. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST UNHEARD OF IN ORDER TO GET CONSENSUS AND GET, YOU KNOW, A GOOD WORKING GROUP YOU DISCUSS. YOU DISCUSS AT THAT LEVEL. YOU JUST ARBITRARILY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE DO WHERE THEIR CRIMINALS ARE CRIMINALIZED AS FAR AS HOW THEY SERVE TIME OR HOW THEY DO PAROLE OR WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS, BUT I'M SORRY, I JUST I FEEL THAT OUR VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE HAS A LOT TO SAY TO OUR SUPERVISOR, [INAUDIBLE], AND SAY WE'RE NOT HAPPY. WE CAN STILL HAVE A DISCUSSION DOWN THE ROAD. BUT, I'M SORRY. I BELIEVE IN THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE. I THINK OUR RESIDENTS HAVE SPOKEN. I THINK THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND SHOW OUR SUPPORT WITH OUR 23 PLUS OTHER CITIES THAT ARE VOTED FOR THIS AND A NO CONFIDENCE AGAINST OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY. WE NEED REPRESENTATION TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS, PROTECT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. ELECT TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES. SO I'M IN FULL FAVOR OF A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE. THERE'S ONE MORE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT CASSIE. I STILL BELIEVE THAT'D BE GREAT IF YOU COULD REACH OUT TO THEM AND MEET WITH THEM. WHEN I SAY IT'S A SMALL GROUP THAT WE ALL CAN BE A PART OF, WE CAN'T. THE OTHER THREE OF US CAN'T. YOU CAN ONLY HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS AT ONE COMMITTEE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WE'D ALL LOVE TO BE THERE TO HEAR THIS IF HE EVEN SHOWS UP, EVEN IF HE SENT SOMEBODY. BUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT LIKE THAT, HERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE IT'S AGENDIZED, TO TALK TO ALL OF US. TALK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT COMES ON BOARD. YOU SAW HOW MANY PEOPLE CALLED IN THE NIGHT. I WROTE DOWN EVERY SINGLE NAME THAT CALLED. AND IT'S JUST THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE REPRESENTING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST OUR OWN. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WELL, I KNOW IF WE WANT TO PUSH THIS FORWARD. SO A COUPLE OF PIECES TO REITERATE ON. ONE IS, I DON'T KNOW THAT GASTON'S OFFICE IS GOING TO BE AS INTERESTED IN TALKING TO CASI IF COUNCIL VOTES NO CONFIDENCE IN A RESOLUTION BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T BE MOTIVATED TO DO IT, HE'D SAY, WHY WOULD I JUST RUN INTO THAT HOSTILE CROWD. TWO, I THINK OUR VOICES ARE HEARD EVEN WITHOUT A RESOLUTION. THIS DISCUSSION CARRIES WEIGHT. IT'S NOT JUST A RESOLUTION THAT CARRIES THE WEIGHT. AND THREE, IF IT'S AN OPEN DISCUSSION WITH THE D.A., I'M CERTAIN THAT EVERYBODY FROM THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WOULD BE INVITED. WE WOULDN'T BE MAKING CITY DECISIONS. THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS, CASSIE, HELPING TO COORDINATE THE CONVERSATION. SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD BE RESTRICTED FROM ATTENDING THE MEETING. SO I'M INTERESTED SIMPLY IN TABLING THIS UNTIL WE HAVE THAT MEETING AND THEN WE CAN DETERMINE AFTER THAT WHETHER WE WANT TO DO A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE. I DON'T THINK A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE DOES ANYTHING FOR US EXCEPT CREATES A POLITICAL STAMP, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. MS. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER HAD SOMETHING ELSE. NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? YEAH. I JUST YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, THIS IS NOT IN IN AND I DON'T WANT FOLKS TO THINK THAT THIS IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, US NOT CARING OR NOT LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I HOPE I AM CLEAR IN WHAT MY AIM IS OR WHAT MY BELIEF IS. AND MY BELIEF IS WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION BECAUSE THERE ARE PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, IN TALKING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THERE ARE GAPS. [01:50:01] RIGHT? THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. WHERE ARE WE WITH DIVERSION PROGRAMS? WHERE ARE WE WITH PROSECUTING? RIGHT? WHERE ARE WE WITH ALL THESE THINGS? AND SO I WOULD ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS' STATEMENT THAT LET'S TABLE IT SO WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION. AND IF THAT DISCUSSION DOESN'T HAPPEN OR IF IT'S NOT FRUITFUL, IT DOESN'T STOP US FROM THEN DOING, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE TABLE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. BUT I DON'T WANT TO CHILL THE CONVERSATION OR THWART IT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S THE GOAL. IF THE GOAL THAT EVERYBODY HAS STATED AND I DON'T THINK THAT I MISSPEAKING THIS POINT AT ALL, IF THE GOAL IS THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, IS THE ABILITY TO REHAB THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN BE REHAB, IS THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE THOSE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE REHABBED. THEN AGAIN, I DON'T SEE HOW THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IS MOVING US FORWARD IN THAT DIRECTION AT THIS TIME. SO I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT WE TABLE IT, TRY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THROUGH CASI AND MOVE THAT FORWARD SO WE CAN MAKE SOME REAL CHANGE AND BE AN AGENT OF REAL CHANGE. AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, THEN BRING IT BACK. BUT THE DA GASCON HAS SHOWN THAT EVEN WITH THE REFORMS, IF YOU DON'T PROSECUTE, THE DIVERSION PROGRAMS CAN'T EVEN HAPPEN. THEY'RE NOT EVEN PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE. SO I THINK. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF HE REALLY WANTS TO TALK TO US EVEN YEAH, IF YOU SAY HE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK TO US BECAUSE WE'RE A HOSTILE COMMUNITY, THEN THAT SHOWS WHY HE'S NOT TALKING TO HIS OWN PEOPLE. AND I THINK WE NEED, JUST IT'S A MESSAGE AND THE MESSAGE SHOULD BE SENT. I DO AGREE 100 PERCENT. OK, CAN I MAKE THE MOTION THEN? PLEASE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2161 FOR A CITY VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON THE DA GASCON. I'LL SECOND IT. ROLL CALL, MR. RUSSI? COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? NO. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER? YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS? I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE WAY WE GET TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SO I VOTE NO. MAYOR HEPBURN? ABSOLUTELY, YES. OK, WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. WE ARE ITEM D, IS THAT CORRECT, MR. RUSSI? YES, THE STREET REOPENING, THAT IS CORRECT. WHO'S GOING TO BRING IN THE? I THINK ERIC SCHERER. GOOD EVENING, DIRECTOR SCHERER, HOW ARE YOU? HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. TONIGHT BEFORE YOU, I'M PRESENTING A REQUEST BY THE OLD TOWN LA VERNE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TO REOPEN THE STREET FOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND PARKING IMMEDIATELY. AS THE COUNCIL'S AWARE, ON JULY 1ST, 2020, THE CITY PROMPTLY CLOSED DOWN THE SECTION OF D STREET BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE] AND 3RD TO ALLOW FOR OUTDOOR DINING EXPANSION FOR THOSE EXISTING RESTAURANTS ON THAT STREET WITH THE ORDERS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE THAT EXCLUDED INDOOR DINING AT THAT TIME. LAST SUMMER, THAT WAS WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. THERE WAS A LOT OF USE ON IT, EVEN INTO THE WINTER MONTHS UNTIL OUTDOOR DINING WAS CLOSED FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS WHEN THE STREET WAS BRIEFLY REOPENED AND THEN CLOSED BACK DOWN TO ALLOW THE EXTENSION. THE OLD TOWN BOARD HAD DISCUSSED ACTUALLY CONTINUING THE CLOSURE THROUGH ALL OF SUMMER AND TO ALIGN IT WITH THE REOPENING OF SCHOOL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE IS COMING BACK INTO SESSION ON AUGUST 23RD. BUT SINCE THE JUNE 15TH DATE, WHEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON INDOOR DINING OR DISTANCING FOR RESTAURANTS, THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN THE USE OF THE OUTDOOR SPACE. AND SO THE BUSINESSES AND ON D STREET IN THE AREA HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THE STREET TO REOPEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT IT'S REALLY NOT BEING USED. DEFINITELY NOT AS MUCH AS IT WAS LAST SUMMER. AND SO THE BOARD AND THE ASSOCIATION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO ASK THAT WE REOPEN THE STREET PERMANENTLY. BE MINDFUL, THOUGH, THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE LATEST MASKING INDOORS AGAIN. AND SO WE ARE FLEXIBLE IF THERE ARE FOR SOME REASON FURTHER RESTRICTIONS, EITHER AT THE COUNTY OR STATE LEVEL THAT OTHERWISE RESTRICT INDOOR DINING AT SOME POINT IN THE [01:55:05] FUTURE. WE ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO BACK TO THIS CURRENT SET UP WITH THE CLOSURE TO ALLOW THOSE RESTAURANTS TO HAVE THAT OUTDOOR SPACE. ALSO, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE INDICATED TO THE BUSINESSES THAT IF THEY WISH, THEY COULD APPLY FOR NO FEE PERMITS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SIDEWALK DINING AND OR POTENTIALLY LOOK INTO BUILDING OUT AN EXPANDED PATIO SPACES WITHIN THE PARKING SPACES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR LOCATION IF THEY WISH TO DO THAT AS WELL. SO WE'VE GIVEN THAT OUT TO THEM. WE'VE INDICATED TO THE BUSINESSES THAT SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL AGREE TO THIS AT THIS TIME, THAT WE WOULD PLAN ON REOPENING THE STREET ON THURSDAY MORNING, THIS THURSDAY, THE 22ND. AND SO WITH THAT, THE CHAIR OF THE ALL TIME BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, GREG WALTERS, IS ALSO ON THE LINE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MYSELF OR HIM. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SCHERER, MR. WALTERS, GOOD EVENING. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENLIGHTEN US A LITTLE BIT AS TO TAG ALONG WITH DIRECTOR SCHERER TALKED ABOUT? ENLIGHTENMENT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFICULT THING TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT ACTUALLY ERIC, I THINK, COVERED THINGS REALLY NICELY. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, AS HE MENTIONED, THE COUNCIL AND STAFF ACTED VERY DECISIVELY TO CLOSE THE STREET. I THINK THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT IT REALLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEVERAL BUSINESSES SURVIVING OR FAILING SOMEWHERE RIGHT ON THE VERY EDGE OF GOING UNDER. BEFORE THIS ACTION WAS TAKEN. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS A TEMPORARY ACTION UNTIL THE RESTAURANTS COULD RESUME ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OCCUPANCY INSIDE. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS WE HAVE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OCCUPANCY. THE STREET IS JUST BLAZING HOT. AND SO DURING THE SUMMER, IT'S JUST TOO HOT TO BE OUT THERE. THERE ARE A FEW RANDOM PEOPLE IN THE EVENINGS. THERE MAY BE A FEW, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE RESTAURANTS IN PARTICULAR AND OTHER BUSINESSES ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STREET REOPENED. THE PARKING WILL SOON BECOME AN ISSUE. UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE IS SLATED TO REOPEN MID AUGUST. AND SO THE THE PARKING WE'VE ENJOYED FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF AT THE LIBRARY PARKING LOT NEXT TO MAINIERO SQUARE WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. ALSO ABOUT THAT SAME TIME, EARLY AUGUST, IT'S EXPECTED THAT D STREET, THAT AREA WILL BE CLOSED FOR GOLDLINE CONSTRUCTION, WHICH CREATES SOME OTHER CONFUSING, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER CONFUSING ELEMENT TO THE AREA. I HEAR OFTEN PEOPLE SAYING IT'S TIME WE NEED TO GET IT BACK OPEN. I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE ASK IF WE'RE HAVING A PERMANENT STREET FAIR DOWN THERE. SO I THINK EVERYBODY, WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, IS READY FOR IT TO HAPPEN. I'D LIKE TO THROW ONE OTHER THING IN THERE. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS BEING A PERMANENT THING. THEY LIKE THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE, BIKES, DOGS CAN WALK AROUND IN OLD TOWN. AND I LIKE IT, TOO. I LIKE THE IDEA OF A PEDESTRIAN STREET, PEDESTRIAN AREAS. UNFORTUNATELY, D STREET AND THAT BLOCK IN PARTICULAR IS NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR THAT, GIVEN THAT FROM ARROW HIGHWAY TO FOOTHILL, THAT'S THE ONLY THROUGH STREET IN THE CENTER OF TOWN. IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S A VERY KEY AVENUE TO HAVE OPEN AND PLUS THE FACT THAT ANY PERMANENT OR PERMANENT CLOSURE REALLY WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF THOUGHT, AS FAR AS HOW THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. I ASSUME A LOT OF EXPENSE TO DO IT WELL, AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE AS A BOARD HAVE NOT TAKEN A POSITION PRO OR AGAINST A PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE STREET. WE SEE THIS AS LIFTING THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE AND ANY DISCUSSIONS ON ANYTHING DIFFERENT COULD HAPPEN AT A LATER DATE. BUT, YOU KNOW, FINAL THING TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE BUSINESS MEMBERS IN OLD TOWN HAVE BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WORK THAT THE COUNCIL HAS DONE TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THE STAFF HAS DONE. MAYOR HEPBURN HAS ATTENDED ACTUALLY, I THINK HE'S ATTENDED MORE MEETINGS OF THE OLD TOWN DISTRICT FROM SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS. YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THE INTEREST AND THE ATTENTION. AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE'RE AT A PLACE THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE DOING WELL. [02:00:02] IN FACT, TALKING TO SEVERAL RESTAURANTS, THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE DOING BETTER THAN PRE COVID. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE READY TO GET BACK TO A NORMAL THERE IF SOMETHING CHANGES DOWN THE ROAD, AS ERIC MENTIONED, THAT THE NUMBERS GO UP. WE NEED TO REVISIT THIS. THAT CAN HAPPEN, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE READY TO GET BACK TO BUSINESS. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WALTERS OR DIRECTOR SCHERER? MR. DAVIS? YES. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, CRAIG AND ERIC. I GUESS THAT THE IMMEDIATE QUESTION ON MY MIND IS, DOES THE RECENT MASKING MANDATE INFLUENCE YOUR DECISION TO OPEN D STREET OR WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE DO YOU THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE? IN FACT, JUST BEFORE THIS MEETING, I ASKED ERIC IF HE HAD ANY NEW INFORMATION ON THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S A WAIT AND SEE, BUT WE'RE AT A POINT THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD. IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE REVISITED. WE FOUND ONCE LAST YEAR THE STREET WAS REOPENED FOR A WHILE WHEN OUTDOOR DINING WAS PROHIBITED AND THEN THEY WERE ABLE TO CLOSE IT DOWN. SO I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AT THIS POINT. SO MAINTAINING FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEY IS WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING AND OPENING UP NOW IS APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR CITY HAS PROVEN VERY WELL THAT WE ADAPT VERY QUICKLY AND WHAT COMES TO OUR BUSINESSES BETWEEN THE BUSINESSES AND GRANTS AND OPENING AND CLOSING THAT STREET. THE CITY HAS DONE AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB AND I APPRECIATE EVERY SUPPORT. BUT DIRECTOR SCHERER'S TEAM AND PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND IT'S TAKEN A VILLAGE, BUT I'LL SAY AND MR. RUSSI ALSO, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. AND ALSO THE DAVIS JUST BEING SO FLEXIBLE AND SO OPEN AND JUST HELPING THEM TO GO THROUGH THIS. WE'VE BEEN IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A SUCCESS. I'M PROUD OF EVERYONE BECAUSE A LOT OF BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF CITIES HAVE GONE AWAY. WE HAVEN'T. WE HAVEN'T. IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO HOW WELL WE FUNCTION. I'M SORRY, ROBIN, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER? HI, CRAIG. I DID WANT TO TELL YOU, TOO, THAT HOW WONDERFUL IT'S BEEN OVER THIS LONG PERIOD THAT THE THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE NOT RESTAURANTS SUPPORTED IT BECAUSE I TALKED TO THE HAIRDRESSERS, THE JEWELRY STORES, TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE OK WITH IT WHEN WE WERE GOING TO EXTEND IT. AND THEY THEY SAID, ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT'S TEMPORARY, BUT WE WANT THEM TO DO GOOD. AND ON THE OTHER NOTE, I THINK GOING BACK TO SHOP LA VERNE, IT WAS IN LA VERNE, YOU KNOW, DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, USE OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS. THE COMMUNITY REALLY BOUGHT THAT CONCEPT AND SUPPORTED OUR BUSINESSES. SO I'M SO HAPPY THEY DID SO WELL. WELL, I WOULD BE REMISS ALSO IF I DIDN'T SAY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL IN ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES. THEY WERE ON IT ALL THE TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS ABOUT THIS PANDEMIC EXPERIENCE IS IT REALLY HAS BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER. AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN OLD TOWN. ROBIN, AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE ARE BUSINESSES WHO WHO REALLY HAVE BEEN HURT A LITTLE BIT BY THE CLOSURE, BUT THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE. THEY WANTED TO SUPPORT THE RESTAURANTS. AND ACTUALLY DURING THE MONTHS WHERE THE OUTDOOR SEATING WAS HEAVILY USED, THEY EVEN SAW A BRIGHT SPOT BECAUSE THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO NEVER BEFORE HAD WALKED AROUND DOWNTOWN AND LOOKED IN THEIR WINDOWS AND SEEN WHAT THEY HAD TO OFFER. AND SO EVERYBODY WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE. BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO GIVE BACK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE DO HAVE AN ATTENDEE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. CAN WE CLOSE THIS DOWN AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO COUNCIL? YES. PUBLIC COMMENT. MR. SALINAS, GOOD EVENING AGAIN. HELLO. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION IF WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE STREET AGAIN, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN, LIKE, CLOSE THE STREET AGAIN ON LIKE CERTAIN DAYS OF THE WEEK, LIKE EVERY FRIDAY, THAT WAY DINING CAN HAPPEN. BECAUSE I LIKE THE IDEA OF LIKE HAVING THE OUTDOOR DINING LIKE ONCE A WEEK BECAUSE IT JUST BRINGS MORE LIVELIHOOD INTO THE AREA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. SALINAS. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ANSWER, MR. RUSSI? WELL, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF AS CRAIG HAS SAID THAT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT [INAUDIBLE] WANTED TO EXPLORE, THE CHALLENGES WOULD BE THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE DOES CREATE COMPLICATIONS. IT'S NOT IF YOU SET UP THE CLOSURE AND IT'S THERE, BUT IF YOU'RE TAKING IT UP AND DOWN, THERE'S A LOT OF MANPOWER INVOLVED IN IT. SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT BEFORE WE COULD [02:05:03] SAY WE COULD EASILY DO THAT. THERE'S ALSO OUTSIDE DINING OUT. SO WE'RE GIVING THEM THE TABLES. BUT ALSO THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE THE PARKING SPACE DOWN, TO BUILD OUT A SMALL LITTLE PART OF THE RESTAURANT. IS THAT CORRECT, MR. SCHERER? YES. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT. I KNOW IT'S EXPENSIVE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'M SORRY. KEEP IN MIND THE OTHER THING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RESTAURANTS RIGHT NOW IS THE LAX ON THE ABC AND THE WHAT'S CONSIDERED YOUR OPERATING LOCATION. THAT'S A TEMPORARY CONSIDERATION AND WILL EVENTUALLY ROLL BACK TO TRADITIONAL INSIDE YOUR DOOR. SO THAT WILL LIKELY REMOVE THAT MOTIVATION OR INTEREST FOR THAT OUTDOOR IN THE SIDEWALK AREA. SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AT THIS POINT TO SAY THAT'S A GOOD IDEA OR WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD DOING IT. I ALSO THINK IT'S NOT JUST THE COST TO THE CITY, BUT THE RESTAURANTS ALONE ALSO HAVE THEIR TENTS AND MOVE IN AND MOVE OUT. THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO KEEP DOING THAT FOR ONE DAY A WEEK AS WELL. SO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, YOU HAD A QUESTION. NO, IT WASN'T IT WASN'T A QUESTION, IT WAS JUST A COMMENT THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN DOING, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS REQUIRED US TO BE VERY NIMBLE AND VERY FLEXIBLE. AND SO AND I KNOW WE'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WIDER STREETS THAT I THINK THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEAL WITH PARKING A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAN WE HAVE. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMMER. BUT I GUESS MY PLUG FOR FOLKS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PARK FURTHER AWAY AND TAKE THE WALK OR TAKE THE TAKE THE CYCLING ROUTE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES. IF YOU ARE REALLY HOPING TO HAVE SOME OF THAT OUTDOOR DINING EXTENDED, DON'T GIVE THEM DON'T GIVE OUR RESTAURANTS GRIEF. IF YOU DON'T FIND PARKING NEARBY, JUST PARK FURTHER AND JUST BE HAPPY, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME. AND I APPLAUD THE BUSINESSES FOR DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN. AND, YOU KNOW, CRAIG AND YOUR GROUP, IT'S IT'S AMAZING TO SEE HOW YOU ALL HAVE CONVENED AND WORK THINGS OUT. AND THERE I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR MARSHALING THAT THROUGH. WE HAVE ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. AND MAY I SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT YEAH, I NOTICED WE HAVE ONE RAISED HAND. GOOD EVENING, MS. BRAINARD. HELLO AGAIN. YOUR MUTED. THERE YOU GO. OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VOTING, NO CONFIDENCE. WE ALL LISTENED AND ACTUALLY WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LISTENING. SO THANK YOU TO LISTEN TO US AND OTHER THINGS. I WANT TO BRING UP SOMETHING ABOUT POMONA [INAUDIBLE] MEETING TONIGHT, WE MISSED THAT. NOBODY WE'RE STILL ON THE OPENING OF D STREET. SO IF YOU COULD WAIT AND HOLD TO THE END OF THE MEETING, WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. UNLESS YOU. OH THERE WE GO. JR, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE HANDS. WELL, THERE REQUEST FOR THIS ITEM, SIR. GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL. DO WE HAVE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? AGAIN, I THINK DIRECTOR SCHERER AND ALSO MR. WALTERS, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL AND ALSO OUR STAFF, I MEAN, I CAN'T IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL AND HEY, WE JUMP LIKE JACKRABBITS THESE DAYS. I MEAN, IF IT HAS TO HAPPEN TO HAPPEN, WE'LL CLOSE IT BACK DOWN AGAIN AND THINGS GO. BUT I THINK WE JUST WAIT AND SEE. AND I THINK THE MASKING HOPEFULLY I'M GOING TO BE POSITIVE AND SAY THAT YOU GO TO THE RESTAURANT WITH A MASK ON, YOU SIT DOWN, YOU TAKE IT OFF AND YOU ENJOY YOUR MEAL AND WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. BUT IF THINGS CHANGE. THEN WE'LL ADDRESS THEM AS SOON AS THEY COME AND DO IT QUICKLY, LIKE WE ALWAYS DO. SO I NEED A MOTION. I WILL MOVE THAT THE CITY AGREE TO REOPEN D STREET TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, ALLOWING FOR INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES TO APPLY TO HAVE EXTENDED OUTDOOR DINING IN THE ADJACENT PARKING SPOTS, IF OR SPACES IF DESIRED, FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. IT'S A LONG ONE. SECOND. YES. WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THAT'S MEMBER CROSBY. ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. YES THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS. AYE. MAYOR HEPBURN. YES. AND THANK YOU ALL. MOVE TO C ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE 1100 FLAVORED TOBACCO BAN AND EXPANDED DEFINITION OF SMOKING. MR. RUSSI. MAYOR IN A MINUTE I WILL TURN IT OVER TO LIEUTENANT GONZALES AND JESSICA VOGEL OF THE LUNG ASSOCIATION TO GIVE MORE OF A PRESENTATION ON IT. [02:10:02] BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED AS FAR AS THE MENTHOL AND THE EXCLUSION AT THIS POINT, AND THAT IS BEING REQUESTED OR RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AT THIS POINT, CONSIDERING THE OPEN ENDED-NESS ON THE APPEAL THAT IS OUT THERE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. RELATIVE TO THAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE TIMING OF WHEN THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE HEARD IS LIKE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES WAS TO HOLD OFF AND BRING THE WHOLE THING FORWARD. BUT WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING FORWARD THE ORDINANCE IN THIS FORM, PROVIDING THE LEVEL OF RESTRICTIONS ON VAPING AND THE OTHER FLAVORED TOBACCOS AND COME BACK AND ADDRESS MENTHOL ONCE THAT'S BEEN FULLY VETTED THROUGH THE COURTS. SO JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT OF, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS RAISED FROM COUNCIL AS TO THE REASON. SO WITH THAT AND I THINK LIEUTENANT GONZALES IS NOT HERE. NO MS. VOZELLA IS ON. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING. HELLO, EVERYBODY. AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR SAM, I'M NOT SURE IF HE, OH THERE HE IS ,I WANT TO THANK JESSICA. SHE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST YEAR WORKING WITH YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH OUR STAFF TO HELP PULL TOGETHER SOME OF THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ARE WE, MR. GONZALEZ, IS THERE, HE'S ON MUTE [INAUDIBLE]. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING, MR. GONZALES. HOW ARE YOU? OH, YOUR MUTED. CAN'T HEAR YOU, SAM. CAN'T HEAR YOU. GO AHEAD AND MUTE AND THEN TRY TO TALK. SOMETHING I THINK IS WRONG WITH HIS MICROPHONE. NO, IT'S NOT WORKING. UNMUTE AGAIN. YOU CAN GO TO THE LITTLE ARROW NEXT TO MUTE AND SEE IF IT SAYS SELECT THE SPEAKER IF YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT SPEAKER. AND NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU. SO YOU LOOK GOOD TONIGHT, THOUGH. [LAUGHTER] JESSICA IS NOT JUST INVOLVED WITH THIS TOBACCO ISSUE, SHE'S ALSO IT SPEAKERS]. IF YOU CAN'T GET IT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST. TRY TO CALL HIM AND POSSIBLY PUT HIM ON SPEAKER. THAT'S FINE, AS LONG AS WE DON'T GET A FEEDBACK. HE'LL HAVE TO JUST TURN OFF IS HE'LL JUST HAVE TO. TURN OFF HIS COMPUTER. ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO CALL HIM JR? YEAH, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN ADAPT ON THE FLY. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR SAM. I'M SURE YOU'RE VERY CAPABLE OF IT, NO DOUBT. HOW ABOUT NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. I'M SORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT WE'LL GET OVER WITH THE ECHO. HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE TOO BAD. YOU GUYS GOOD? YES. ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD EVENING HONORABLE MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL . HERE BEFORE YOU TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED ADOPTION TO AMEND THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE IN THE SALES OF FLAVORED TOBACCO AND EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF SMOKING. JUST THIS YEAR, SO LET ME BEGIN BY TELLING YOU HOW WE GOT HERE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS APPROACHED BY THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE KNOWN TO MANY AS YFAC, TO BRING FORTH WITH SEVERAL CITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND THE NATION HAVE DONE, WHICH IS BEFORE YOU IN REGARD TO THE BAN OF SALES OF FLAVORED SALES TOBACCO, THE BAN SALES OF FLAVORED TOBACCO. SO [INAUDIBLE] THE DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE AND THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION WHO HAS COMPILED COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF DATA TO DEMONSTRATE THE NEED TO PUT FORTH A BAN ON SALES OF FLAVORED TOBACCO. I WILL QUICKLY POINT OUT AN INTERESTING STATISTIC RELATED TO OUR YOUTH THAT IS WORTH NOTING, AND I'M SURE JESSICA WILL ATTEST. THAT 81 PERCENT OF MINERS WHO HAVE USED TOBACCO REPORTED THAT THE FIRST TIME TO USE TOBACCO WAS A FLAVORED TOBACCO. SO IT'S AN INTERESTING THING THAT WE HAD SEE OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER SEES THE SAME THING. CONTINUING THE PASSING OF THE TOBACCO CONTROL ACT OF 2009 ALLOWS STATES TO CREATE A LOCAL RULE RELATED TO THE BANNING OF SALES OF FLAVORED TOBACCO. OFFICIALLY, IN 2020 SB 793 WAS PASSED, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, BANNING THE SALES OF FLAVORED TOBACCO. AND AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THE REFERENDUM, WHICH IN THIS CASE, WE EXCLUDED MENTHOL CIGARETTES. WHICH WILL MORE THAN LIKELY COME WITH THE VOTERS NOVEMBER OF 2022. [02:15:03] THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE AND AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION WILL BE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER WILL PROBABLY LATER INTRODUCE IT AS AGAIN, AS THE CITY MANAGER INDICATED. YFAC HAS REQUESTED THAT THE CITY AMEND ITS ORDINANCE TO INCORPORATE THIS [INAUDIBLE] AND NOT WAIT FOR THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION. ENSURE WE HAVE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO PROTECT OUR YOUTH. AS I MENTIONED, THE PROPOSAL ALSO EXPANDS THE DEFINITION OF SMOKING. AND IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THE CODE PROHIBITS SMOKING IN VARIOUS [INAUDIBLE] AIRPORTS BUT IT DOES NOT CLEARLY DEFINE SMOKING. IN 2016 THE PASSING OF SB 5 AMENDED THE DEFINITION OF SMOKING UNDER THE BUSINESS CODE TO INCLUDE ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE SUCH AS VAPES AND E-CIGARETTES, THE PROPOSED DEFINITION BEFORE YOU [INAUDIBLE] USING A PIPE CIGAR, A CIGARETTE, ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE OR VAPORIZE OR TO DELIVER AN INHALED DOSE OF TOBACCO, NICOTINE OR OTHER SUBSTANCES. LASTLY, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, THE FAMILY, THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE AMENDING OF CHAPTER FIVE POINT THREE SEVEN OF TITLE FIVE, ONE POINT ZERO EIGHT OF TITLE ONE OF THE LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE PROHIBITING THE SALES OF TOBACCO, OF FLAVORED TOBACCO AND AMENDING THE DEFINITION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY. I KNOW IT'S A LONG NIGHT, BUT YOU SQUEEZED ME IN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND MS. VAZELLA, DO YOU HAVE? I DO, GIVE ME ONE MOMENT, I'VE GOT SOME SLIDES, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, SO WE'LL TRY TO GO FAST. JUST A FEW MINUTES. SO MY NAME IS JESSICA VAZELLA. I WORK WITH THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION. I AM HERE PURELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND CAN ALSO SERVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING FLAVORED TOBACCO AND SOMETHING EDUCATIONAL IN THAT IN THAT WAY. SO THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IS A VOLUNTARY HEALTH ORGANIZATION. OUR MISSION IS TO SAVE LIVES BY IMPROVING LUNG HEALTH AND PREVENTING LUNG DISEASE. ONE OF OUR STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES IS CREATING A TOBACCO FREE FUTURE TO SUPPORT OUR VISION OF A WORLD FREE OF LUNG DISEASE. SO WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FLAVORED TOBACCO? AS LIEUTENANT GONZALES TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS. WHEN I CAME INTO THIS COMMUNITY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, I MET LOTS OF RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS WHO WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUTH VAPING AND FLAVORED TOBACCO USE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. TOGETHER, WE FORMED WHAT'S CALLED HEALTHY LUNGS LA VERNE, A LOOSE COALITION IN LA VERNE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED AND CONCERNED. I'VE DONE LOTS OF EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS WITH LOTS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND WITH THEIR SUPPORT PRESENTED AT THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, VOTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2021 TO RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL RESTRICT ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO SALES, AT THE TIME NO EXEMPTIONS WERE MENTIONED. AND I ALSO WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SLIDES, TO THE PICTURES ON THE SLIDES. THEY'RE ALL SUBMISSIONS FROM A PHOTO VOICE PROJECT OF STUDENTS AND LA VERNE, RAMONA, BONITA AND THE UNIVERSITY, AND THEY ARE SUBMITTING THEIR PICTURES TO EXPLAIN HOW TOBACCO IMPACTS THEM. SO THIS IS A PICTURE BY CATALINA JIMENEZ OF RAMONA MIDDLE SCHOOL OF A BRIGHT, FAT, FLESHY FLAVORED TOBACCO WRAPPER LEFT IN A PARK NEAR HER HOUSE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FLAVORS BECAUSE FLAVORS ATTRACT KIDS. IN 2009, CONGRESS BANNED FLAVORED CIGARETTES, CALLING THEM STARTER PRODUCTS FOR YOUTH. PRODUCTS THAT WERE LEFT OUT AT THAT TIME INCLUDED MENTHOL TOBACCO, SMOKELESS TOBACCO AND E-LIQUIDS. A LARGE PART OF THAT IS DUE TO TOBACCO LOBBYING. AND E-LIQUIDS REALLY WEREN'T TOO POPULAR AT THE TIME. MENTHOL TOBACCO HAS BEEN MARKETED TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS LIKE BLACK AMERICANS AND YOUTH, IT'S EASIER TO SMOKE AND HARDER TO QUIT. AND FIFTY FOUR PERCENT OF YOUTH SMOKERS WHO SMOKE SAY THAT THEY SMOKE MENTHOL. TOP REASONS, ONE OF WHICH TEENS ARE TRYING E-CIGARETTES IS BECAUSE OF THE FLAVORS. THIS PICTURE BY ANTHONY SERVEN IS TAKEN. HE'S A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND WAS TAKEN RIGHT OUTSIDE OF BONITA. HE CALLED IT COMFORT OF VAPING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL BECAUSE HE SAW ONE OF THESE FLASHY PACKAGES LEFT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. THE YOUTH SLEEPING EPIDEMIC IS PRETTY STAGGERING, ONE IN FIVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ONE IN 20 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTS VAPING IN THE LAST 30 DAYS AND FLAVORS ARE TARGETING YOUNG PEOPLE. WE FOUND THAT NINETY FIVE PERCENT OF SMOKERS START BEFORE THE AGE OF TWENTY ONE. EIGHTY ONE PERCENT OF TOBACCO USERS START WITH A FLAVOR PRODUCT. AS LIEUTENANT GONZALES SAID, FLAVORS ARE EASIER TO USE AND IT'S EASIER TO BECOME ADDICTED. AND YOUTH AND PEOPLE WHO VAPE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR TIMES AS LIKELY TO START SMOKING TRADITIONAL CIGARETTES AFTER THEY USE THEIR BAIT. AND THIS PICTURE IS ACTUALLY A PIECE OF ARTWORK CALLED DEPRESSION SIDEKICK BY [02:20:02] KAILEY KILLACKEY OF RAMONA MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND IT SHOWS A YOUNG GIRL IN A IN A BATHROOM AND SOME OF THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF VAPING. SO WHAT OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS DONE? ON THE STATE LEVEL, AS HAS MENTIONED BEFORE, SENATE BILL SEVEN NINETY THREE RESTRICTED FLAVORED TOBACCO, INCLUDING MENTHOL, AND IT WILL BE VOTED ON IN 2022. AT A FEDERAL LEVEL IN APRIL, THE FDA ANNOUNCED THE INTENT TO BAN MENTHOL CIGARETTES, AND THEY CITED THAT AS INTENT TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE YOUTH INITIATION AS WELL AS ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES. THE PICTURE HERE IS BY REBECCA KILLACKEY OF RAMONA, AND SHE TOOK A BUNCH OF PICTURES OF CANDY AND SODA PRODUCTS NEXT TO BIG PRODUCTS AND ASKED IF YOU CAN SPOT THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SIMILAR IN THEIR MARKETING. NEXT, WE TALK ABOUT L.A. COUNTY, IN 2019 UNINCORPORATED L.A. COUNTY RESTRICTED FLAVORS IN A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY. THIS PROHIBITED ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS, INCLUDING MENTHOL AND HOOKAH. IT'S SET MINIMUM PRICE PACK SIZE AND PROHIBITED THE SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN PHARMACIES. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, 16 LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE RESTRICTED FLAVORED TOBACCO, INCLUDING MENTHOL. THESE CITIES INCLUDE BURBANK, GLENDALE, HOMBRE, CULVER CITY AND OTHERS, AND THOSE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ARE NOT THE ONES FACING LAWSUITS. FURTHERMORE, THE LAWSUITS ARE ABOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE FLAVORED TOBACCO BANS. WHERE DOES LA VERNE STAND ON THIS? MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT WE CONDUCTED OVER NINE HUNDRED COMMUNITY RESIDENT SURVEYS AND WE FOUND THAT THREE IN FIVE RESIDENTS SUPPORT A LAW THAT WOULD PROHIBIT FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS. IN FACT, WE FOUND THAT SEVENTY EIGHT PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS WE SURVEYED THOUGHT THAT IT WAS EASY FOR YOUTH TO OBTAIN TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE NOT WRONG. ONE IN FIVE TOBACCO STORES IN LA VERNE WAS WILLING TO SELL A FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCT TO AN UNDERAGE YOUTH. LETTERS OF SUPPORT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FROM LETTERS FROM RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO FEEL THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THEM. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. AGAIN, I WOULD LOVE TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON FLAVORED TOBACCO OR ANY EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE THAT I CAN. AND I JUST THINK THE CITY AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I LOVE THAT I AM ABLE TO HELP AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JESSICA. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION TOO ALL YOUR YOUR DATA, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUTH TO BE PROTECTED. LIEUTENANT GONZALES, THANK YOU TOO ALSO. SO IT'S THIS IS THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE PROBABLY, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR FOR MS. VAZELLA OR LIEUTENANT GONZALES BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? WE HAVE OH WOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. GUYS, UNLESS YOU HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR. PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU DO MR. CROSBY, GO AHEAD. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE EXEMPTION IN THIS AGAIN MR. RUSSI IS MENTHOL. AND HOOKAH CORRECT? IT'S IT'S NOT IT'S HOOKAH FOR THE EXISTING HOOKAH LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR BECAUSE WE DID GET THE COMMENT EMAILED TO US EARLIER ABOUT THAT AND [INAUDIBLE] CONFUSED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD HEAR ME. YES, WE CAN. YES, PERFECT. I GOT IT WORKING. SO IT DOES MR. CROSBY. IT DOES INCLUDE THE TWO BUSINESSES, EXCLUDE THE TWO BUSINESSES IN TOWN WITH THESE [INAUDIBLE] TOBACCO FOR USE IN HOOKAH LOUNGES. SO THAT DOES EXCLUDE THE TWO. VERY GOOD. HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. THEN WE WILL LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT, JR ? AND SIMILAR TO THE ITEM BEFORE WHERE WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WISHING TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'VE GOT IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO RAISE YOUR HAND, VIA THE ZOOM, THAT WILL BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND EASY TO HELP FACILITATE PUBLIC COMMENT. FOR THOSE THAT ARE JUST WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM AND HAVE ASKED TO BE CALLED, WE WILL WE WILL CALL YOU. BUT IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. AND I MUST REMIND EVERYBODY, WE'RE ON A THREE MINUTE TIME FRAME. WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW CALLERS. AND ALSO, IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE REPEATED ABOUT YOUR SUPPORT OR NONSUPPORT OF THIS, IF YOU COULD KEEP IT SHORTER SO THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE A NEW SUBJECT OR OR COMMENTS THAT TAKE THE TIME. SO JUST GIVE CURTESY TO THE OTHER SPEAKERS. MS. CARR. GOOD EVENING. HI, GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. MY NAME IS ON AT ANA ALICIA CARR, COMMUNITY ADVOCACY DIRECTOR WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IS ENCOURAGED BY THE ACTION TAKEN TO ESTABLISH AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN [02:25:04] THE CITY OF LA VERNE. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITHOUT EXEMPTIONS. THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS ACTIVELY AND AGGRESSIVELY WORKING TO ADDICT NEW YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EASY ACCESS TO CANDY FLAVORED PRODUCTS, JUST LIKE E-CIGARETTES. OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, INCLUDING MENTHOL CIGARETTES, HOOKAH AND CIGARS, COME IN KID FRIENDLY FLAVORS LIKE CINNAMON ROLL AND GUMMY BEAR AND ARE HIGHLY ADDICTING. AT LEAST TWO THIRDS OF YOUTH TOBACCO USERS REPORT USING TOBACCO PRODUCTS BECAUSE, QUOTE, THEY COME IN FLAVORS THAT I LIKE END QUOTE. MENTHOL CIGARETTES ARE HEAVILY MARKETED TO KIDS, AFRICAN-AMERICANS, LATINOS AND THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. MENTHOL CIGARETTES ARE EASIER TO SMOKE AND HARDER TO QUIT. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL YOUTH AND YOUNG TOBACCO SMOKERS SMOKE MENTHOL CIGARETTES, BECAUSE OF THEIR EXTREME HARM. WE DO NOT SUPPORT POLICIES THAT EXPLICITLY EXCLUDE OR EXEMPT MENTHOL PRODUCTS. ADDITIONALLY, FLAVORED [INAUDIBLE] TOBACCO HAS HIGH LEVELS OF ADDICTIVE NICOTINE AND CANCER CAUSING CHEMICALS. AND IT'S MARKETED TO YOUTH WITH SWEET FLAVORS LIKE BLUEBERRY MUFFIN AND MANGO. ENDING THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS, INCLUDING MENTHOL CIGARETTES AND [INAUDIBLE] TOBACCO WILL CURB THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY'S PREDATORY MARKETING AND PROTECT LA VERNE RESIDENTS. OVER 90 COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THUS FAR HAVE PASSED POLICIES TO END THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO, INCLUDING MENTHOL PRODUCTS, TO PROTECT THEIR YOUTH. THIS INCLUDES UNINCORPORATED L.A. COUNTY, WHICH HAS A COMPREHENSIVE FLAVORED TOBACCO POLICY IN EFFECT NOW. GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHARED BORDERS BETWEEN LA VERNE AND UNINCORPORATED L.A. COUNTY, WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT LA VERNE'S ORDINANCE MIRROR THAT OF THE COUNTY BY ENDING THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO TO ENSURE ACCESS TO THESE DANGEROUS PRODUCTS IS COLLECTIVELY REDUCED. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF LA VERNE YOUTH WITH A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY PROHIBITING THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO WITHOUT EXEMPTIONS TO HELP PROTECT YOUTH FROM NICOTINE ADDICTION AND TOBACCO RELATED DEATH AND DISEASES. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS VITAL PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. CARR. [INAUDIBLE] NOW, MAYOR I HAVE ANNIE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE. OK, GOOD EVENING MS. [INAUDIBLE]. YES. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. [INAUDIBLE] MY NAME IS ANNIE [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE [INAUDIBLE]. AND I'M CALLING IN TONIGHT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR TAKING ACTION TO END THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN LA VERNE. LIKE SEVENTY FIVE OTHER CITIES, MORE THAN 75 NOW ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THEY'VE CHOSEN TO PASS A COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE THAT INCLUDES MENTHOL CIGARETTES AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS THAT IS [INAUDIBLE] AND FAVORED VAPING PRODUCTS. AND ENDING THE SALE IS CRITICAL [INAUDIBLE] TOBACCO EPIDEMIC THAT WE'RE SEEING SO MANY, SO MANY KIDS [INAUDIBLE] NATIONWIDE ARE VAPING. AND IT SEEMS [INAUDIBLE] WE ALL REMEMBER [INAUDIBLE] CERTAINLY KNOW THE MAJORITY OF KIDS ARE STARTING ON FLAVORED PRODUCTS AND MENTHOL CIGARETTES. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER A COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE THIS EVENING IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO FORWARD [INAUDIBLE] ANOTHER DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO COME [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. MAYOR, I'LL DO ONE MORE PHONE CALL, AND THEN I FIGURED OUT I CAN BE A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT IF I DO A CALL AND THEN ONE OF THE HAND RAISED, SO. YOU JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SIR. YOU'RE DOING GREAT. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE ALFIE SANCHEZ ON THE LINE. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS ALFIE. I'M WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] THE LA VERNE [INAUDIBLE] FOR LA VERNE GRAND PRIX BIKE RACE THAT WE DO IN THE CITY, SO IN WORKING WITH JESSICA. OBVIOUSLY, WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT HEALTHY LIVING AND CYCLING IN THE COMMUNITY OF LA VERNE, AS WELL AS ALL OVER CALIFORNIA AREA. AND JESSICA HAS BEEN BRINGING THIS TO MY ATTENTION IN REGARDS TO HOW SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, THE BAND OF FLAVORED TOBACCO WHEN WE DON'T SUPPORT THAT AS WELL AS HEALTHY LIVING IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE. YES, I JUST WANT TO KEEP IT SHORT. OBVIOUSLY, WE JUST WANT TO SUPPORT [INAUDIBLE] TO HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE BAN OF FLAVORED TOBACCO AND, WELL AS THE MENTHOL. AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO SUPPORT HEALTHY LIVING IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE. [02:30:05] I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUY'S TIME. THANK YOU, MR. SANCHEZ, APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND FOR THOSE WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED, YOU WILL BE PROMPTED TO BE ALLOWED TO BE BROUGHT IN AS A PANELIST. GOOD EVENING, MS. MCGRUDER. YOU ARE MUTED. OK. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHTY, GOOD EVENING, YOU ALL HARDWORKING PEOPLE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR HEPBURN AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CAROL MCGRUDER AND I AM ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TOBACCO CONTROL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. AND WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING OUR CALIFORNIA BASED, BUT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING ALL OVER OUR COUNTRY TO GET MENTHOL AND FLAVORS REMOVED FROM THE MARKET. WE KNOW THAT FLAVORS ENTICE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO SMOKE AND THAT MENTHOL IS THE MOTHER LODE OF ALL FLAVORS. TOBACCO CONTROL IS A GRASS ROOTS FIGHT. IT'S A FIGHT OF CITIES WHO CITY AFTER CITY AFTER CITY, UNTIL YOU HAVE THAT QUILT OF HEALTH AND PROSPERITY AND GIVING EACH YOUNG PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THROUGH ADOLESCENCE AND COME OUT HEALTHIER AND WHOLE ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO WHEN I TALK TO ADULTS, IT'S OUR JOB TO TO REMOVE THOSE MINEFIELDS THAT THAT IMPEDE THEM FROM COMING OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE AS A YOUNG ADULT AND NOT BEING ADDICTED TO THESE ADDICTIVE PRODUCTS. BEFORE VAPING CAME OUT, I SAID IF CIGARETTES WERE CREATED TODAY, THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE MARKET. BUT OUR FDA WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH AND LET THESE PRODUCTS PROLIFERATE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, ADDICTING OUR TEENAGERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO IT'S PEOPLE, CITY COUNCILS LIKE YOU WHO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE POWER TO HAVE THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE THESE PRODUCTS FROM YOUR CITY. AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT. MENTHOL, IN PARTICULAR WAS PERNICIOUSLY AND RACIALLY MARKETED TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS, WHICH NOW RESULTS IN OVER 80 PERCENT, 90 PERCENT OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO SMOKE, SMOKE A MENTHOLATED PRODUCT. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE LITERALLY, LITERALLY GIVEN OUT TO CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS NINE YEARS OLD IN THE 60S AND 70S. AND WE'RE LIVING THAT LEGACY. SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO WAIT FOR THE STATE BILL, NOT TO WAIT FOR THE FDA, BUT TO DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PROTECT YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUR CITIZENS AND YOUR CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. MCGRUDER. MAYOR, I HAVE APRIL FOREST ON THE LINE. HELLO MS. FOREST. HI GOOD EVENING MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO MY NAME IS APRIL FOREST, AND I AM A I'M IN A NEIGHBORING CITY AND I'M FROM CLAREMONT. I'M A [INAUDIBLE] CANDIDATE BE AT CLAREMONT UNIVERSITY AND I'M ALSO A PARENT. I WANT TO BE HERE TONIGHT. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME BECAUSE I ACTUALLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN LA VERNE OUTSIDE OF WORK. I DO SOME SHOPPING AND I GO TO SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS AND MY FAVORITE TARGET IS THERE. BUT I JUST WANT TO COME TONIGHT AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME SURVEYS THAT WE DID. WE DID OVER NINE HUNDRED SURVEYS. I WAS LUCKY TO BE A PART OF THAT. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE COLLECTED. AND SO THREE OUT OF FIVE RESIDENTS SUPPORTED A FLAVOR BAN WHEN WE DID THESE SURVEYS IN LA VERNE. AND SEVENTY EIGHT PERCENT OF LA VERNE RESIDENTS THINK IT'S EASY FOR YOUTH TO GET TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN LA VERNE. AND ONE IN FIVE RETAILERS ARE WILLING TO SELL TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO UNDERAGE YOUTH. SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE SOME OF THE FACTS THAT I'M SURE YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT I FOUND REALLY IMPORTANT, AGAIN, AS A PARENT. AND THAT WAS IT FOR ME TONIGHT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING, LA VERNE. TARGET. MAYOR, I HAVE ELISE WALLACE ON THE LINE. MS. WALLIS, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELISE WALLACE AND I'M A HEALTH PROMOTION SPECIALIST AT THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION. I'VE SPENT THE LAST YEAR WORKING IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE. THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TO THE COUNCIL THE DANGERS OF USING MENTHOL TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND HOW THESE PRODUCTS DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM TWO [02:35:03] SPECIFIC GROUPS, YOUNG PEOPLE AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS. THE PRACTICE OF ADDING MENTHOL FLAVORING TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN BUILDING A NEW GENERATION OF TOBACCO USERS. OF YOUTH AGES 12 TO 17 YEARS WHO SMOKE OVER HALF SMOKE MENTHOL CIGARETTES. EVEN THOUGH THE SMOKING RATE OF NON MENTHOL TOBACCO PRODUCTS IS DECLINING, MENTHOL SMOKING RATES HAVE INCREASED AMONG YOUNG ADULTS AND REMAINED CONSTANT AMONG YOUTH AND ADULT USERS. THIS IS NOT BY COINCIDENCE, MENTHOL CIGARETTES HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY MARKETED TO YOUNG PEOPLE. ADDITIONALLY, MENTHOL COOLS AND [INAUDIBLE] AND MASKS THE HARSHNESS OF TOBACCO SMOKE, WHICH MAKES IT EASIER FOR KIDS TO START SMOKING AND EVENTUALLY BECOME ADDICTED. DATA FROM THE NATIONWIDE [INAUDIBLE] STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE [INAUDIBLE] FDA FOUND THAT YOUNG MENTHOL SMOKERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO PERCEIVE MENTHOL CIGARETTES AS EASIER TO SMOKE THAN REGULAR CIGARETTES. THIS STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT MENTHOL FLAVORED CIGARETTE INITIATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGHER RISK OF DAILY SMOKING. WHILE YOUNG PEOPLE MAY THINK THESE PRODUCTS ARE LESS HARMFUL THAT'S NOT THE [INAUDIBLE]. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ADULTS WHO SMOKE MENTHOL CIGARETTES MAY MAKE MORE ATTEMPTS TO QUIT SMOKING AND HAVE A MORE DIFFICULT TIME QUITTING DUE TO MENTHOL ASSOCIATED INCREASED NICOTINE DEPENDENCE. IN ADDITION TO YOUTH, AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE BEEN THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF BIG TOBACCO'S PREDATORY MARKETING TACTICS FOR DECADES. THESE TACTICS INCLUDE PLACING MORE ADVERTISING IN PREDOMINANTLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS AND OFFERING LUCRATIVE PRICE PROMOTION. TODAY EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SMOKERS USE MENTHOL CIGARETTES, COMPARED TO LESS THAN 10 PERCENT IN THE 1960S. THE FDA'S TOBACCO PRODUCTS SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONCLUDED THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY BURDENED BY THE HEALTH HARM ASSOCIATED WITH MENTHOL PRODUCTS BLIGHTING THE HEALTH DISPARITIES GAP. IN LARGE PART DUE TO MENTHOL CIGARETTES, AFRICAN-AMERICAN SMOKERS HAVE A MORE DIFFICULT TIME QUITTING SMOKING AND DYING AT HIGHER RATES FROM TOBACCO RELATED DISEASES LIKE CANCER, HEART DISEASE AND STROKE. RESTRICTING THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS, INCLUDING MENTHOL HELPS TO ELIMINATE TOBACCO RELATED HEALTH DISPARITIES AND REDUCE UNDUE HARM [INAUDIBLE]. I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S DELIBERATION ON THIS IMPORTANT MATTER, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CASTRO, GOOD EVENING. YOU'RE MUTED. WE'RE STILL MUTED. BETTER? PERFECT. ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS PRIMO CASTRO, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR WITH THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE MAKING CANCER A TOP PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CANDIDATES AT THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. WE ARE URGING THIS COUNCIL TO ENACT A COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE WITH NO EXEMPTIONS FOR MENTHOL OR FLAVOR [INAUDIBLE]. AGAIN, I REPEAT, NO EXEMPTIONS FOR MENTHOL OR FLAVORED [INAUDIBLE] PROHIBITING THE SALE OF OUR FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITHOUT EXEMPTIONS, REMOVE MUCH OF THE ALLURE OF THESE PRODUCTS AND IS A KEY COMPONENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO EFFECTIVELY HELP REDUCE TOBACCO INITIATION AND SUBSEQUENT ADDICTION. [INAUDIBLE] IS HOPING TO PREVENT A WHOLE NEW GENERATION ADDICTED TO NICOTINE AS WE AS SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC HEALTH, TRYING TO HELP THE YOUTH OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE NOT BECOME ADDICTED TO TOBACCO. WE ALL KNOW WE ALL REMEMBER FROM THE LATE 70S, THE 80S INTO THE 90S, THOSE SOME OF THOSE INTERESTING ADVERTISEMENTS THAT WE USED TO SEE ON TELEVISION. WE JUST DON'T WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SEE ANYBODY'S HEALTH GET COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE COULD HAVE PREVENTED EARLY ON IN THEIR IN THEIR LIFETIME. SO PLEASE, WE ASK THAT A FULL COMPREHENSIVE WITH NO EXEMPTIONS FOR MENTHOL PR [INAUDIBLE] BE ENACTED IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. CASTRO. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE KIMBERLY LUNA ON THE LINE. GOOD EVENING MS. LUNA. GOOD EVENING MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US TONIGHT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT FOR YOU. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY LUNA AND I'M A HEALTH PROMOTION SPECIALIST WITH THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION. I WANTED TO QUICKLY PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND JUST REITERATE SOME OF THE [02:40:04] MORE STARTLING FACTS ABOUT THE CURRENT VAPING EPIDEMIC. ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT DATA FROM THE CDC, NEARLY 20 PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ALMOST FIVE PERCENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTED THAT THEY HAD VAPED IN THE PAST 30 DAYS. VAPING HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR IN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT HOW VAPING PRODUCTS ARE ADVERTISED TO YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU CAN QUICKLY SEE WHY. THEY USE TACTICS SUCH AS CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT, BUYING SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS, [INAUDIBLE] THAT APPEALS TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND MOST ESPECIALLY A WIDE [INAUDIBLE] OF FLAVORED PRODUCTS. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE OVER FIFTEEN THOUSAND VARIETIES, INCLUDING FLAVORS LIKE GUMMY BEARS, PAPA SMURF, BLUE RAZ, GRAPE BUBBLE GUM AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, AS JESSICA MENTIONED, 95 PERCENT OF SMOKERS START SMOKING BEFORE THEY'RE 21 YEARS OLD. SO YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY'S PRIMARY TARGET FOR GAINING NEW CUSTOMERS. VAPING SO POPULAR AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, ACTUALLY, THAT TEENS ARE NEARLY SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO VAPE NICOTINES THAN ADULTS. AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY USE FLAVORS. ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, IF CURRENT TOBACCO USE PATTERN PERSISTS, AN ESTIMATED FIVE POINT SIX MILLION OF TODAY'S YOUTH UNDER AGE 18 EVENTUALLY WILL DIE PREMATURELY FROM A SMOKING RELATED DISEASE. FINALLY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DESPITE THE GENERAL APPEAL OF CANDY FLAVOR TO YOUNG PEOPLE, FLAVORS ALSO SERVES ANOTHER IMPORTANT PURPOSE. FLAVORS MASK THE HARSHNESS OF SMOKING AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO START THIS HABIT. DUE TO THIS AND MUCH MORE, THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR THAT THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY TARGETS YOUNG PEOPLE AND USES FLAVORS TO SET THEM ON A LIFELONG ADDICTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I MIGHT ASK, DOES ANY COUNCILMAN [INAUDIBLE] LIKE A TWO OR THREE MINUTE BREAK YET OR ARE WE ALL OK? WENDY'S GOT A BIG SMILE ON HER FACE. I'M FINE. I'M GOOD. OK. LET'S MOVE ON, JR. MAYOR, I HAVE RIMA [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE, MS. [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS RIMA [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL HOOKAH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE RICH CULTURAL TRADITION OF HOOKAH. HOOKAH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR NEARLY A THOUSAND YEARS, AND IT'S PRACTICED BY ARAB ARMENIANS, PERSIANS, INDIANS AND OTHER MINORITY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE COME TO AMERICA IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. MANY STARTED BUSINESSES DOING WHAT THEY KNOW WHILE SHARING THEIR CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS. NOW THESE MINORITY BUSINESS OWNERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEIR CULTURAL TRADITION OF HOOKAH WILL BE BANNED AND THEIR BUSINESSES CLOSED DUE TO AN UNRELATED ISSUE WITH VAPE. HOOKAH IS NOT VAPE. HOOKAH IS A [INAUDIBLE]. IT TAKES 15 TO 30 MINUTES TO SET UP AND COST OVER TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ALL THE PARTS AND COMPONENTS. HOOKAHS ARE NOT BEING COMPENSATED FOR. AND HOOKAH IS NOT THE PROBLEM. IT WILL BECOME COLLATERAL DAMAGE IN THE WAR AGAINST VAPE, RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL IMPACT IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES. WE ASK THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THIS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE. AND MIRROR SB SEVEN NINE THREE. THE CALIFORNIA STATE FLAVORED TOBACCO BAN WHICH ADDRESSES YOUTH ACCESS IN USAGE WHILE ALSO PRESERVING HOOKAH BY LIMITING HOOKAH TOBACCO TO RETAIL AND LAMP SALES TO 21 AND OVER, ADULT ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE COMPLIANT WITH LOCAL AND STATE REGULATIONS. SB SEVEN NINE THREE IS EASY TO COMPLY WITH AND ENFORCE AND CREATE CONSISTENCY WITH THE STATE. INSTEAD OF A PATCHWORK OF REGULATIONS THAT WILL DRIVE BUSINESSES OUT OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE TO OTHER CITIES, ONLY EXEMPTING EXISTING HOOKAH LOUNGES WILL PUT AN EXPIRATION DATE ON OUR CULTURAL TRADITIONS. PLEASE SAVE HOOKAH AND MIRROR SB SEVEN NINE THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING, [INAUDIBLE] TORICES. YES, THANK YOU, I AM DR. TOMAS TORICES, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, [02:45:01] CALIFORNIA, CHAPTER TWO. THIS IS THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER THAT REPRESENTS OVER ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED PEDIATRICIANS IN THE SURROUNDING SEVEN COUNTIES. WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN OUR YOUTH AND IN THE HEALTH AND THE WELL-BEING OF OUR YOUTH. CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE REPRESENT PEDIATRICIANS AND CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN GENERAL. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE MIDST OF A OF AN EPIDEMIC SINCE 2018 WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED AS SO BY THE SURGEON GENERAL. NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE HAD SO MANY PEDIATRICIANS PRESCRIBING SMOKING CESSATION THERAPY AS WE HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND WE HAVE BEEN NOT JUST US, BUT EVERY CHAPTER IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS IN GENERAL, SPENDING SO MUCH HUMAN POWER ON THE EFFORTS TO ERADICATE THE GROWING PANDEMIC OF VAPING THAT WE'VE HAD. AS JESSICA VAZELLA SAID, FLAVORS ATTRACT KIDS. THIS IS I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE DETAILS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE MENTIONED STATISTICS, WHICH I AGREE WITH, TO FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THE COMMENTS OF PRIMO CASTRO. MENTHOL IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND IS THE MOST EVIL DECOY OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, THE REASON THEY USE MENTHOL IS THAT MENTHOL IS A LOCAL ANESTHETIC. SO FOR THOSE WHO TRY TOBACCO FOR THE FIRST TIME, TOBACCO WILL CAUSE SO MUCH HARDNESS ON YOUR THROAT THAT WILL MAKE YOU COUGH EXCESSIVELY, TO WHICH YOU WOULD PERHAPS QUIT THE ATTEMPT OF CONTINUING TO SMOKE. HOWEVER, THE EXPOSURE TO MENTHOL SOOTHES YOUR THROAT, SOOTHES YOUR TRACHEA AND YOUR YOUR LUNG PASSAGES, YOUR AIRWAYS, SO THAT COUGH IS NOT INDUCED. THEREFORE, YOU CAN EXTEND YOUR EXPOSURE TO NICOTINE, WHICH THEN IN TURN CAUSES A LIFETIME ADDICTION. ONCE YOU HAVE AN ADDICTION TO NICOTINE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU'RE SMOKING, YOU JUST NEED A SMOKE. AS THE REPRESENTATIVE. WE LOST MR. TORICES. HE'S IN ZOOM HEAVEN. THERE HE IS. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. I'M ALMOST DONE. SO AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS LOCALLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE ORDINANCE GOING THROUGH. AND I DO ENCOURAGE A COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE THAT HAS NO EXEMPTIONS JUST BECAUSE THOSE EXEMPTIONS ACTUALLY DO CAUSE A LIFETIME ADDICTION TO THOSE WHO GET HOOKED BY IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. TORICES. MAYOR HEPBURN, I HAVE [INAUDIBLE]. HELLO, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE AND A MEMBER OF THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM. GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY EVERY DAY, I WOULD SEE FLAVOR TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND ON THE MAIN STREET. IT'S CLEAR IT'S BEING PUSHED IN THE FACES OF YOUNG STUDENTS BECAUSE IT IS LOCATED SO CLOSE TO WHERE MAJORITY [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE. AND TOBACCO COMPANIES PURPOSELY TARGET YOUNGER AUDIENCES SO THEY CAN GET HOOKED AND BE LIFELONG CUSTOMERS. THESE ADVERTISERS AREN'T LOCATED TOO FAR FROM OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. NICOTINE AND CHEMICALS HARM A DEVELOPING BRAIN AND MAY INCREASED RISK OF OTHER DRUG ADDICTION. SO WHY SHOULD IT BE SHOWN AND ADVERTISED IN THE [INAUDIBLE] PART OF THE CITY WHERE OUR FAMILIES FREQUENT? I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE THE HEALTH OF YOUR RESIDENTS OVER PROFIT BY VOTING IN SUPPORT OF PASSING FLAVORED TOBACCO AND MENTHOL RESTRICTIONS. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. MS. BREMNER, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS LORI BREMNER AND I'M WITH PARENTS AGAINST VAPING E-CIGARETTES, PAVE. PAVE IS FUNDED, RUN, FOUND AND RUN AND POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS. AND WE ARE THE PARENT VOICE IN THE ISSUE OF YOUTH TOBACCO, BOTH LOCALLY, STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY. PAVE IS SO VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR PRIORITIZING THIS CRITICAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION. LUNG HEALTH HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN IN THE TIME OF COVID, AND FLAVORED TOBACCO IS NOW MORE THAN EVER A DEADLY HOOK. WE HEAR HEARTBREAKING STORIES FROM PARENTS WHO DESPERATELY SEEK HELP AS THEY STRUGGLE WITH THEIR KIDS SEVERE NICOTINE ADDICTIONS. PAVE SUPPORTS COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCES THAT END THE SALE OF ALL FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITH NO EXEMPTIONS. AND THAT IS WHAT WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT TONIGHT. [02:50:03] EXCLUDING MENTHOL WOULD BE A HUGE MISTAKE AND A SOCIAL JUSTICE TRAVESTY. MINTY MENTHOL IS ABSOLUTELY A KID FAVORITE, AND ALMOST 40 PERCENT OF TEENAGERS WHO VAPE USE MINTY MENTHOL, WHICH NUMBS THE THROAT AND HELPS THE POISON GO DOWN. ADDITIONALLY, KIDS WHO VAPE ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BEGIN SMOKING COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTES, OFTEN MENTHOL, COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTES. AND THEY END UP AS DUAL USERS DEPENDENT ON BOTH PRODUCTS AND THUS EVEN MORE SEVERELY ADDICTED TO NICOTINE. MORE THAN 100 MUNICIPALITIES HAVE PASSED FLAVOR ORDINANCES. MOST INCLUDE MENTHOL, AND WE HOPE TO SEE LA VERNE JOIN THAT GROWING LIST. THE KIDS IN LA VERNE DESERVE THE SAME PROTECTIONS AS THE KIDS IN THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. AND DESPITE WHAT THE HOOKAH LOBBYISTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SELL HOOKAH WILL TELL YOU, HOOKAH MOST DEFINITELY TARGETS YOUTH WITH FUN FLAVORS. THE CAFé X20 HOOKAH BAR AT THE LA VERNE TOWN CENTER OFFERS FOREPLAY PEACH, BREAKFAST CEREAL, WHITE GUMMY BEAR AND SEX ON THE BEACH [INAUDIBLE] FLAVORS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THOSE FLAVORS APPEAL TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND A TYPICAL ONE HOUR SESSION. SMOKING HOOKAH IS LIKE INHALING THE SMOKE FROM A HUNDRED CIGARETTES. AND WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT KIDS CAN'T SNEAK THE GIANT HOOKAH PIPES THAT THEY USE IN THE LOUNGES INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL BATHROOMS, THEY DO USE THESE LITTLE MINI HOOKAHS. CAN YOU SEE I'M HOLDING IT UP TO THE CAMERA, SEE THE SMILEY FACE? THIS IS THESE ARE DEFINITELY GETTING CONFISCATED AT SCHOOLS AND THEY'RE ATTRACTED BY THE FUN FLAVORS THAT HOOKAH OFFERS AND THEY SMOKE [INAUDIBLE] OUT OF THESE CUTE LITTLE PLASTIC PIPES. SO WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO MOVE QUICKLY ON COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCES THAT DO NOT INCLUDE ANY EXEMPTIONS. ANY DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION MEANS MORE KIDS GET ADDICTED. OUR KIDS SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT ON THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ACTION. PLEASE MATCH THE COUNTY. BE SWIFT. BE BOLD IN YOUR ACTIONS FOR OUR YOUTH. THEY'RE COUNTING ON YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAYOR HEPBURN, I HAVE CORINA [INAUDIBLE] SORRY IF I PRONOUNCE THAT BADLY. MS. [INAUDIBLE]. NO WORRIES. HI EVERYONE, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I AM A POLICY MANAGER WITH THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, THE LEADING HEALTH ORGANIZATION TO ADVOCATE FOR LUNG HEALTH. FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN TARGETED TOWARDS VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND MANY JURISDICTIONS HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE BY ADOPTING A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY OF LA VERNE FOR WORKING WITH JESSICA FROM THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION AND STRENGTHENING THE TOBACCO RETAILER LICENSE BY CONSIDERING THE PROHIBITION OF SELLING FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO FULLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE [INAUDIBLE] SUCH AS THE ONE BEING PROPOSED SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE MENTHOL TOBACCO. MANY LOCAL JURISDICTIONS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE NATION HAVE ADOPTED [INAUDIBLE] POLICIES THAT INCLUDES MENTHOL. EXCLUDING MENTHOL TOBACCO CAN LEAD TO UNINTENDED HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE MENTHOL HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN THE FLAVOR USED TO TARGET CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS. BY PASSING A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY THAT ALSO INCLUDES MENTHOL TOBACCO, YOU ARE CREATING EQUITABLE POLICIES THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE RESIDENTS IN LA VERNE AND HELP PREVENT THE NEXT GENERATION OF TOBACCO USERS. WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL IN TAKING THE STEPS TO PASS A FLAVORED TOBACCO POLICY AND HOPE YOU CONSIDER A FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE POLICY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAYOR, I HAVE ALEX [INAUDIBLE]. MR. [INAUDIBLE], GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I APPRECIATE THE TIME [INAUDIBLE] TO CALL ME. [INAUDIBLE] HOOKAH LOUNGE, ALTHOUGH WE ARE STRONG IN OUR FOOD, BEER AND WINE AND HAVE [INAUDIBLE], HOOKAH HAS BEEN A REALLY BIG PART OF OUR BUSINESS. AND HOW WE SPREAD IN THE SHOPPING CENTER. SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SMOKING AGE BEING OVER TWENTY ONE, WE REALLY CONTROL JUST LIKE ALCOHOL SALES DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE EVEN IF A PARENT OR AN OLDER PERSON PASSES THE HOOKAH PIPE TO YOUNGER [INAUDIBLE] WHO'S CLEARLY UNDER AGE, WE REMOVED THE HOOKAH WITHOUT REFUND AND WE'VE GOTTEN A PUSH BACK A FEW TIMES WE'VE HAD TO DO THAT. SO I HAVE TEENAGERS OF MY OWN IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE. I LIVE HERE. I HAVE SADLY CAUGHT MY OWN CHILDREN WITH VAPE, IT'S BEEN A PHENOMENON [02:55:04] KNOWING THAT THEY'RE AROUND THE BUSINESS AND MY HOME, [INAUDIBLE], BUT YET IT'S NOT GREAT. AND THESE ARE ATHLETES. THEY HAVEN'T LIED TO US ABOUT MUCH THAT WE KNOW OF. BUT IT'S BEEN A REAL SHOCK. [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M NOT BY ANY MEANS PUTTING MY BUSINESS IN FRONT OF PUBLIC HEALTH OR THE YOUTH. SO BUT I KNOW FOR SURE THAT WHAT IT TAKES TO PURCHASE A HOOKAH OR RENT ONE FROM A LOUNGE IS FAR FROM WHAT THESE KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH, IN ADDITION TO TAKING AWAY BUSINESS FROM US. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT, IN MY OPINION, THE CHILDREN ARE GETTING THEIR HANDS ON THESE E-VAPE, E-CIGARETTE BECAUSE IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SET UP A TWO TO THREE FOOT LONG PIPE. GET CHARCOAL, BRING IT SOMEWHERE AND SNEAK THAT IN HIGH SCHOOLS OR ON THE FIELD OR AT THE LITTLE GET TOGETHERS, IT'S NOT A FEASIBLE THING TO DO. SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION, THE STRONG CONSIDERATION OF CARVING OUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ONLY [INAUDIBLE] PART OF THE CULTURE THAT WE BRING, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH THE FOOD, THE MUSIC, THE AMBIANCE OF A CAFé THAT SELLS HOOKAH. THOSE ARE OFTEN OUR HEAVIEST [INAUDIBLE]. AND I ASSURE YOU, NOBODY WILL EVER, EVER FIND YOUTH SMOKING HERE OR ANYTHING TO THAT EXTENT. SO THAT'S MY INPUT ON IT. AND [INAUDIBLE] AND I REALLY [INAUDIBLE] THE CELL PHONE AND GETTING THIS CHANCE TO TALK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JAIME ROJAS, YOU MAY SPEAK, YOU ARE ON. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU. MY NAME IS JAMIE ROJAS. I'M WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOBACCO OUTLETS. WE REPRESENT OVER SIXTY THOUSAND RETAILERS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. AND MANY OF THE RETAILERS THAT SELL TOBACCO IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE ARE PART OF OUR MEMBERSHIP. WE ASK A FEW THINGS. WE DEFINITELY DO NOT SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN. AS MANY PEOPLE SAID SB 793 WILL BE IN FRONT OF ALL THE VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA NOVEMBER 2022 . THERE'S BEEN A PATCHWORK OF VARIOUS FLAVOR BANS THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WHICH IS VERY CONFUSING AND IT DOES NOT ALLOW OR DOES NOT STOP FLAVOR BANS TO USE. THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IS OUR LOCAL RETAILERS. A LOT OF THE SMALL MOM AND POP, ESPECIALLY IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, SELL ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS. MOST OF THE ISSUES AS STATED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THE FDA IS ONLINE SALES WHERE THERE'S LITTLE TO NO PROOF VERIFICATION. AS LONG AS YOU HIT A BUTTON THAT SAYS YOU'RE OVER THE AGE OF TWENTY ONE AND OVER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MANY OF THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME HAVE NOT SAID IS THE REALITY THAT THESE FLAVOR BANS DO NOT WORK. NONE OF THEM STATED THAT THE NUMBERS OF YOUTH AND YOUTH VAPING, WHICH IS THE ISSUE, HAS GONE DOWN. AS A MATTER OF FACT, LAST MONTH ONE OF THE STUDIES THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE FDA ON THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO SHOWS THAT WHAT THIS FLAVOR BAN DID AND WAS PASSED ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO, WHAT IT DID WAS A REVERSAL. IT INCREASED YOUTH SMOKING OF COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTES AND DID NOT LOWER YOUTH USING VAPE, FLAVOR VAPE PRODUCTS. WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR, AS MANY CITIES HAVE DONE AS WELL, IS THE INCLUSION OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THESE RETAILERS WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE OF, OF AND AND FOLLOW THE RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE LAST THREE YEARS BY THE FDA IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S COMPLIANCE CHECKS WITH YOUTH STING OPERATION HAVE SHOWN ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SUCCESS RATE IN PASSING THESE COMPLIANCE CHECKS BY LA VERNE RETAILERS. IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE, THE FDA AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S NUMBERS, WHICH ARE STATED ON THE WEBSITE, WOULD HAVE SHOWN OTHERWISE. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS. BE PUT TOGETHER WORKSHOP WITH RETAILERS AND FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF SOLVING ISSUES THAT ARE NOT PERTAINING TO THE RETAILERS OF LA VERNE. ONE COULD BE POINT OF ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS AT MANY STORES USE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, 7-ELEVEN THAT USES A SWIPE SYSTEM OR MORE OR HIGHER COSTS OF PENALTIES. AND REMOVING OF THE TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSING COULD BE ONE OF THE EXTREME EFFORTS OF TRYING TO STOP SOME OF THE SOME BAD APPLES THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE. [03:00:01] THE MEMBERS OF THE LA VERNE RETAIL TOBACCO STORE OWNERS ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES HAVE BEEN COMPLIANT IN PART AND ARE PART OF THE REASON WHY THESE NUMBERS WITHIN THE YOUTH HAVE NOT GONE HIGHER. MR. ROJA YOUR TIME IS UP, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS SIR. [INAUDIBLE] MAYOR. THANK YOU. MR. JOHNSON, YOU'RE UP, YOU'RE MUTED. THERE YOU GO. HI, MY NAME IS GEORGE JOHNSON. I'M A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HOOKAH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. I MANUFACTURE TRADITIONAL WOODEN HOOKAH PIPES AND CAFé [INAUDIBLE] IS MY CUSTOMER. THEY'VE BEEN A LONGTIME CUSTOMER FOR A VERY LONG TIME. HE'S LEBANESE ARMENIAN AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. I WANTED TO BRING UP THE POINT THAT SOMEBODY HAD MADE EARLIER ABOUT FOREPLAY ON THE PEACH. IT'S IT IS A FLAVOR THAT THAT SOUNDS FUN. AND I ENJOY THAT FLAVOR. AND AS LONG AS YOUTH AREN'T SEEING IT, I DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM. ADULTS LIKE FLAVORS TOO OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, ICE CREAM WITH ALL THE COMMON VANILLA. SO I, I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO A WAY OF SAVING THE RETAIL PORTION OF HOOKAH AND THE LOUNGES BECAUSE CALIFORNIA REQUIRES THE LOUNGE EXEMPTION TO HAVE A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT AS WELL. SO I JUST URGE YOU GUYS TO FOLLOW SB SEVEN NINE THREE LANGUAGE ALREADY VETTED BY CALIFORNIA. IT PROTECTS PREMIUM CIGARS OVER TWELVE DOLLARS, WHICH ALSO CONTAIN SOME NON TOBACCO [INAUDIBLE] WHICH CAN BE CONSIDERED FLAVORS. AND IT PROTECTS THE LONG STANDING TRADITION OF HOOKAH IN TWENTY ONE AND OVER LOCATIONS. THAT'S A BIG DISTINCTION. I DON'T WANT OUR PRODUCTS IN SEVEN ELEVENS GAS STATIONS, LIQUOR STORES. I WANT OUR PRODUCTS IN TWENTY ONE AND OVER STORES THAT ONLY ADULTS ARE ADMITTED TO. SO SB SEVEN NINE THREE ACCOMPLISHES THAT. AND THAT OTHER LADY WHO ALSO MENTIONED THE FLAVORS HELD UP WHAT'S CALLED A OIL BURNER. THOSE ARE METH PIPES. THAT IS NOT A HOOKAH. THAT IS A COMPLETE SHOCK AND IT'S COMPLETELY RUDE TO OUR CULTURE AND OUR TRADITIONS TO SAY THAT THAT IS SOMEHOW WHERE WOULD YOU PLACE THE CHARCOAL LADY? WHERE WOULD YOU PUT THE HOOKAH TOBACCO? HOOKAH TOBACCO IS WET AND JUICY. IT'S IN HONEY AND MOLASSES. HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT TO DO THAT? ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ALL YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. PLEASE CONSIDER JUST FOLLOWING SB SEVEN NINE THREE. LET'S DO WHAT GAVIN NEWSOM ALREADY SIGNED. LET'S DO WHAT THE VOTERS ARE GOING TO UPHOLD IN 2022, BUT DO IT NOW. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. AND JUST A REMINDER, YOU'LL BE PROMPTED TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE ROOM, SO YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT BEING BROUGHT IN AS A PANELIST. MR. ABU YES, YOU'RE ON. YOU ARE MUTED. YOU ARE STILL MUTED. THERE YOU GO. HELLO, HOW ARE YOU DOING, GUYS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING, HEAR ME? VERY GOOD. WE CAN HEAR YOU VERY WELL, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS DO FOR ALL THIS CASE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I AGREE WITH [INAUDIBLE] EXACTLY YOU SAID AND I AGREE WITH ALEX [INAUDIBLE]. AND WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FOR EXEMPTION, THE HOOKAH FROM THIS CASE AND ALL THE [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU SO MUCH HAVE A GOOD DAY. VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. MR. VIRAGE, YOU ARE ON, BUT YOU ARE MUTED. THERE YOU GO. HOW YOU DOING, MR. MAYOR? HOW ARE YOU, COUNCIL? GOOD EVENING. PLEASE BEGIN. YEAH, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M PART FROM THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, I'M PART FROM LA VERNE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE DECISION FOR, LIKE, VAPING AND TOBACCO. I HAD THE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY TALK, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE STORY ABOUT TOBACCO A LONG TIME AGO. SO WE STILL AND WE I AGREE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, MOST THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, NOT LIKE US, LIKE A SMALL BUSINESS. [03:05:02] YOU KNOW, ALMOST. WE ARE SMALL BUSINESS. WE GO WITH THE RULE. NOBODY BUYING FROM US UNDER TWENTY ONE. THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IT, IT'S ONLINE AND WE ARE WE BUILT THIS BUSINESS YEARS AND YEARS TO COME IN TO THIS POINT. SO IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S NOT LIKE A FAIR TO LIKE THIS DECISION. YOU GUYS TAKE IT. WE ARE APPRECIATE IF YOU GUYS DO STAY WITH US, YOU KNOW, HELP OUR BUSINESS, HELP US LIKE [INAUDIBLE] I THINK WE CAN DO JUST YOU TALK ABOUT THE BROKEN FAMILY, BROKEN HOUSES, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR LIVING. AND WE GO WITH THE RULE. WE GO WITH EVERYTHING LIKE YOU ASK AND WE GO WITH THE LAW AND EVERYTHING. THAT MOST COMPLAINED GOING ONLINE. AND I AGREE WITH THE PEOPLE. SO WE TAKE A COMPLAINT FROM NOTHING. WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. SO I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU GUYS JUST LOOK AT IT LIKE A HUMAN AND BE FAIR WITH US. AND THAT'S AND EXEMPT LOCAL LOCAL WITH US AND APPRECIATE FOR YOU GUYS AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT AND WE HOPE YOU'LL TAKE OUR. OUR WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IT IN SERIOUS THING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND WE ALSO WE BELIEVE ABOUT YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO GO WITH US, HELP OUR BUSINESS. THIS IS WHY WE GO WITH YOU AND WE VOTE FOR YOU. AND WE HOPE YOU STAY WITH US, MR. MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MR. MAYOR YOU'RE MUTED. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE], MR. SPENCE, YOU'RE ON. HELLO. YOU'RE ON. WE CAN HEAR YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] SPENCE. HOOKAH IS AN ANCIENT CULTURE AND TRADITION PRACTICED BY MANY MINORITY GROUPS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. AND LIKE ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, I WAS DEEPLY OFFENDED BY THE PERSON REPRESENTING AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, ANYTHING MARKETED AS A MINI HOOKAH OR E-HOOKAH DOES NOT EXIST. IT'S A MARKETING PLOY. TRADITIONAL HOOKAH, WHICH I CARE ABOUT AND WANT TO PROTECT, IS USED WITH TOBACCO AND CLAY BALL WITH HOT COALS ON TOP OF IT IN ORDER TO SMOKE. IT'S EXTREMELY CUMBERSOME AND ANYTHING MARKETED AS A MINI HOOKAH ARE AN E-HOOKAH IS NOT TRADITIONAL HOOKAH. AND I WANTED TO ALSO MAKE THAT CLEAR. SO THESE HEINOUS LIES ARE NO LONGER SPREAD. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE RHETORIC IN THE SB SEVEN NINE THREE. I THINK SOME OF THE BEST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR STOPPING YOUTH ACCESS TO FLAVORED TOBACCO OR ANY TOBACCO ARE RESPONSIBLE LICENSED RETAILERS AND HAVING THEM AS YOUR LINE OF DEFENSE, AVOID PEOPLE RUNNING TO THE ONLINE MARKET OR THE BLACK MARKET. SO I PLEASE URGE YOU TO SAVE HOOKAH AND FOLLOW SB SEVEN NINE THREE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. SPENCE. MS. BATISTA. GOOD EVENING, YOU ARE MUTED. HELLO, GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. PLEASE BEGIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND GIVING ME THIS TIME. AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES TO DISCUSS THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AS A YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE THREE THINGS THAT ARE MY GOALS, AND ONE OF THEM, NUMBER ONE, IS TO PREVENT YOUTH FROM SMOKING OR VAPING TOBACCO. NUMBER TWO, I'D LIKE FOR AMERICANS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN. AND NUMBER THREE, I'D LIKE TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES. GROWING UP, MY MOTHER ALWAYS RAISED ME TO LEARN RIGHT FROM WRONG. SHE NEVER TOOK THINGS AWAY FROM ME, BUT TAUGHT ME HOW TO CHOOSE. AND SHE DID THIS THROUGH EDUCATION FOR FUN. WE WOULD GO OUT, WE'D GET PEOPLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND LEARN HOW TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS AS AMERICANS. AND WITH THIS, WE DIDN'T CARE IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT. WE JUST WANTED YOU TO EDUCATE YOURSELF AND TO LEARN HOW TO VOTE. WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S SO AMAZING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALLOTTED ALL THIS TIME, MONEY AND RESOURCES TO HELP PREVENT YOUTH FROM SMOKING. AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, CALIFORNIA HAS DONE THE SAME WITH SB 793. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE WASTEFUL AND REDUNDANT TO USE ALL OF YOUR RESOURCES AND TIME AND MONEY TO MIMIC WHAT SB 793 IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AND I THINK THAT MONEY WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IN DEVELOPING PROGRAMS FOR [03:10:02] EDUCATING THE YOUTH. WE NEED TO EDUCATE THIS UPCOMING GENERATION WHO WILL ONE DAY OVERCOME THE SEATS THAT YOU GUYS ARE SITTING IN TONIGHT. THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUR LEADERS OF TOMORROW AND WE NEED TO TEACH THEM RIGHT FROM WRONG INSTEAD OF TAKING AWAY OPTIONS FROM THEM. WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO MY SECOND POINT OF EXERCISING OUR RIGHTS AS AMERICANS. CALIFORNIA IS GOING TO DO A VOTE ON THIS IN 2022, WHICH IS WHERE AS AMERICANS, AS VOTERS, WE'RE ABLE TO VOICE OUR OPINION AND NOT HAVE A GROUP TAKE AWAY A RIGHT FROM US COLLECTIVELY, BUT FOR US TO COME TO TERMS, EDUCATE OURSELVES AND VOTE ON THIS ACCORDINGLY. AND NUMBER THREE, SMALL BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO BE DEEPLY AFFECTED BY THIS AS A WHOLE. AMERICA IS MOVING TOWARDS HEALTHIER TRENDS. AND WE'VE SEEN THAT COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTES THAT VAPING IS LESS DANGEROUS THAN COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTES. AND WITH THAT, A LOT OF SALES THAT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE MAKING AREN'T TRADITIONAL TOBACCO CIGARETTES. THEY ARE VAPING BECAUSE IT IS HEALTHIER FOR LUNGS AND FOR THE BODY. AND WITH THIS, THESE BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF SALES. WITH THAT, A LOT OF BUSINESSES WILL BE CLOSING DOWN WITH THAT, LANDLORD OWNERS ARE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF OPEN VACANT SPACES AND LOTS--EXCUSE ME, YOU'RE COMING TO THE END OF YOUR TIME. IF YOU COULD CLOSE IT OUT, PLEASE, IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT YOU GUYS WILL REMEMBER FROM TODAY, PLEASE MAKE IT BE THIS. WHEN I WAS ASKING SOMEONE ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, THEY SAID, I DON'T CARE IF THEY TAKE AWAY TOBACCO, I DON'T SMOKE. TO WHICH I REPLIED, IF YOU'RE OK WITH SOMEONE TAKING AWAY A RIGHT JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOU, ONE DAY THEY WILL BE TAKING AWAY A RIGHT THAT DOES AFFECT YOU. MS. BATISTA, YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. ALLISON. AND GOOD EVENING AGAIN. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. YOU'VE GOT AN ECHO [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S BETTER. HAD TO RUN AWAY, OK, I FIRST JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS JUST HOW THANKFUL I AM FOR ALL THE FACTS AND EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT AND DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENED ON THIS TOPIC. I THINK IT'S GREAT AND SHOULD HAPPEN ON EVERY TOPIC. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I'M WONDERING WITH THERE BEING SO MANY MOVING PARTS LIKE THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSER TALKED ABOUT, UPCOMING LEGISLATION, PENDING LITIGATION ON THE METHANOL, I'M WONDERING TWO THINGS. IF THE CITY DOES PASS THIS AND METHANOL REMAINS EXCLUDED, I'M WONDERING IF THE CITY PLANS TO OR IS WILLING TO COMMIT TO REVISITING THAT METHANOL EXCLUSION ONCE IT IS NO LONGER AT ISSUE AND IF IT IS APPROPRIATE AT THAT POINT. AND THEN THE LARGER ISSUE THAT I KIND OF WANTED TO RAISE, THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS SMART AND THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP DEVELOPING AND EXPANDING AND ENSURING THAT THEY MARKET TO YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S HOW THEY GAIN PROFIT. SO I'M WONDERING WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY AND AS A COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS WELLNESS, BEING ON THE FOREFRONT OF OUR PRIORITY LIST. BECAUSE IF WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST RESTRICTING THEIR ACCESS, BUT THAT WE'RE ALSO BEING PROACTIVE IN ENGAGING THEM IN THEIR WELLNESS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR WHETHER IT'S THROUGH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. HOW ARE WE PURSUING MENTAL HEALTH? HOW ARE WE PURSUING MINIMIZING THE LEVELS OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AND LONELINESS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT PROVOKE KIDS TO FIT IN AND UTILIZE ANY MEANS NECESSARY TO DO THAT? I JUST HOPE THAT WE, AS A CITY AND A COMMUNITY CAN TAKE A STEP BACK AND USE THIS ISSUE THAT CLEARLY SO MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT TO LOOK AT THE GREATER ISSUE OF HOW WE'RE ENGAGING AND EMPOWERING PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MS. ALLISON. MS. BATISTA, GOOD EVENING. YOU'RE MUTED. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING. [03:15:01] HI, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS MYRA AND I'M WITH NATO AND I REPRESENT THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND THE RETAILERS. AND THE REASON I'M ON TONIGHT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE. SO WHAT'S GOING ON IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FLAVORED TOBACCO BEING BANNED. FAVORITE TOBACCO MEANS EVERY SINGLE FLAVOR THAT'S OUT THERE EXCEPT FOR THE TOBACCO FLAVOR. SO THAT MEANS IF THAT GETS TAKEN OFF THE SHELF, THE ONLY THING LEFT IS GOING TO BE MARLBORO RED. AND WITH THAT HAPPENING, WHAT IS CAUSING IS THE RETAILERS TO NOT BE ABLE TO SELL THAT PRODUCT. WE'VE SEEN THIS HISTORICALLY. I ALSO REPRESENT 7-ELEVEN AND IN SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT, IT HAS NOT SHOWN THAT PEOPLE ARE SMOKING LESS. THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DIFFERENT CITIES. THEY'RE OBTAINING THEIR CIGARETTES AND THE FROM ONLINE SALES. THEY'RE OBTAINING THEM FROM DIFFERENT CITIES. AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'RE NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM. IF THE PROBLEM IS TO MAKE PEOPLE QUIT SMOKING, THEN WITH ALL THESE REGULATIONS AND ALL THESE RESTRICTIONS, WE'RE NOT REALLY SOLVING THAT PROBLEM. I THINK WHAT IT IS, IS LACK OF EDUCATION. WE NEED MORE EDUCATION. WE NEED MORE AWARENESS. THAT CAME UP AS WELL AS TONIGHT. WE ALL AGREE THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE SMOKING, BUT ALSO TAKING AWAY A RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN RETAILERS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE MAIN LINE OF DEFENSE ON SELLING IT TO ANYONE UNDER TWENTY ONE IS NOT THE SOLUTION. IF WE THINK ABOUT IT IS LET'S THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. SO BY MAKING IT ILLEGAL, WE'RE PUTTING IT INTO THE BLACK MARKET. THE BLACK MARKET NOW IS GOING TO BE NOT FDA APPROVED. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE SELLING OTHER DRUGS TO KIDS BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO NOT DO IT UNLESS THEY STOP BY EDUCATION. NOTHING THAT'S PROHIBITED IS GOING TO MAKE THEM STOP. SO AS A RETAILER REPRESENTATIVE, I SPOKE TO OVER 20 RETAILERS TODAY AND THEY WERE TELLING ME MOST OF THEM WERE MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL SYSTEM. THEY'RE HERE OBEYING THE LAWS. THEY HAVE ALMOST ONE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FDA, THE STING OPERATIONS, THEY HAVE OVER ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH UNDERAGE BEING SOLD LIKE IT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER. I THINK THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT IF WE GET THIS TAKEN AWAY AND WE DON'T WAIT FOR SB 793, THEN THE PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO A DIFFERENT CITY. SO I THINK THAT SOME OF THE ISSUES RIGHT NOW NEED TO BE HOW DO WE FIX THIS PROBLEM--YOU'RE COMING TO THE END OF YOUR TIME, MS. BATISTA, IF YOU COULD FINISH UP, PLEASE. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I SAY WAIT FOR 793. LET'S START COMMITTEES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RETAILERS ARE DOING AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY. THEY'RE NOT SELLING TO YOUTH AND MAKE SURE THAT THE YOUTH ARE GETTING EDUCATION. AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MS. IVES, GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE MUTED. HELLO, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ANYONE WHO SEES HOOKAH FLAVORS LIKE FOREPLAY ON THE PEACH OR WHITE GUMMY OR SEX ON THE BEACH, THEY THINK IT'S A DRINK. IF WE CAN REGULATE ALCOHOL, WE CAN REGULATE HOOKAH. BOTH IS AT THE AGE OF TWENTY ONE AND AT A RESTAURANT OR LOUNGE, IDS ARE CHECKED. BEFORE ANYONE IS SERVED, I AGREE WITH REMA, COREY AND ALEX [INAUDIBLE], THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. MAYOR, I'VE TRIED TO ALLOW MR. ABOUD TO COME IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES NOW AND HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL, I'M GOING TO TRY TO THE ALLOW TO TALK FEATURE AND SEE IF WE CAN AT LEAST GIVE HIM THE ABILITY--HE'S ON RIGHT NOW, MR. ABOUD, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU ARE ON MUTE. WE SEE YOU ON THE SCREEN MR. ABOUD, BUT YOU HAVE YOUR MUTE BUTTON LOOKS ON, YOUR MIC IS OFF. I'M GUESSING THAT--OH, THERE WE GO. [03:20:01] MR. ABOUD? YES, HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD EVENING, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW. PLEASE PROCEED. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME SPEAK. I'M THE OWNER OF [INAUDIBLE] SMOKE SHOP AND I'VE BEEN HEARING ALL THE, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS AND EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT THE FLAVOR AND THE YOUTH BUYING THE STUFF. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THAT LOCATION SINCE 2003 AND I NEVER HAVE ANY TICKETS OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANY, LIKE YOUTH OR ANYTHING WITH THE TROUBLE. AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU GUYS CAME UP WITH THAT LAW TO BAN ALL THE FLAVORED TOBACCO AND STUFF. BUT THE IDEA, YOU KNOW, THE THING, EVEN IF YOU BANNED IT LA VERNE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO TO PAMONA, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO CLAREMONT. YOU'RE NOT FIXING PROBLEM; YOU'RE CREATING MORE PROBLEMS. I THINK ALL THE YOUTH HAS GOTTEN THE FLAVOR STUFF ONLINE AND I SPEAK TO A LOT OF PARENTS AND THAT'S THE ISSUE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STUFF IS GOTTEN ONLINE, BUT YOU GUYS KEEP BLAMING ALL THE SMOKE SHOPS FOR IT. YOU KNOW, AND I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU GUYS THINK ALL THE FAMILY BEHIND ALL THE SMOKE SHOPS AND WHATEVER IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE WHATEVER YOU GUYS CAN DO FOR US. AND THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR. ABOUD. J.R.. MR. MAYOR, THAT'S ALL THAT I SEE, FOUR HANDS RAISED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH ALL THE PHONE CALLS IN BETWEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE VIA ZOOM. YOU'RE DOING EXCELLENT TONIGHT. THANK YOU. I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT WITH THE PHONE CALLS BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO SEE THEIR NAMES AND IT'S NOT IN FRONT OF YOU. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL. COUNCIL, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FOR LIEUTENANT GONZALES? HAVE WE LOST OUR OTHER? I DON'T SEE HER ON THE SCREEN. JESSICA, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WE WERE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I HAD HER MOVED OUT. SO IF THERE'S QUESTIONS WE CAN BRING HER BACK AS NECESSARY. MR. CROSBY? YEAH, WITH MS. CARDER, I'M PART OF THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMITTEE AND I REALLY, TRULY SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE, HOW IT IS WRITTEN. THANK YOU, MR. CROSBY. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. YES, I AGREE WITH HIM. OUR COMMITTEE HAS DISCUSSED THIS FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS. AS YOU KNOW, FOR OVER 30 YEARS WE HAVE SUPPORTED PROTECTING OUR YOUTH AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE JUST FEEL THIS WAS THE BEST WAY TO BRING IT FORWARD. AND I SUPPORT IT 100 PERCENT. THANK YOU. MS. CARDER. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. JUST WANTED JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I THINK IT MAY HAVE GOTTEN MISSED OR LOST IN THE CONVERSATION. I HESITATE TO CALL IT AN EXEMPTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT EXPLICIT, BUT I WANT TO SPLIT HAIRS AT THIS POINT REGARDING MENTHOL BECAUSE THERE IS PENDING LITIGATION. AND SO IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US ONCE THAT LITIGATION IS CONCLUDED TO MAKE A DETERMINATION TO AMEND OR ADD TO THE ORDINANCE OR TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE IT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR, BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR YOUTH, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A RESPONSIBLE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITIZENS NOT TO ENGAGE IN OR TO REFRAIN FROM ACTIVITY THAT MIGHT OPEN US UP TO A LAWSUIT, PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE IS AN END IN SIGHT IN TERMS OF THE LITIGATION BEING RESOLVED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. AND OBVIOUSLY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CARDER AND CROSBY, IF I MISSPOKE ON THAT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT THAT. BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. AND IF I COULD JUMP IN. YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS CORRECT. THE MENTHOL IS NOT AN EXEMPTION PER SAY, IT'S DEFINITION WHEN THE DEFINITION OF FLAVORED DOES NOT INCLUDE MENTHOL AT THIS TIME. AND THE LANGUAGE IS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO. BUT AGAIN, I WON'T GO DOWN THE ATTORNEY ROUTE. I WILL JUST LEAVE THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M OF THE SAME MIND AS COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, AND THAT IS I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AS IT IS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE WITH THE INCLUSION OF MENTHOL AS SOON AS WE GET TO. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS, YOU COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER BECAUSE THE MENTHOL'S GOT ME VERY [03:25:01] CONCERNED, BUT AS COUNCIL MEMBER LAU SO ELOQUENTLY, ETERNALLY PUT TOGETHER AND SPOKE AND MR. KRESS, WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL. BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY ON MY RADAR. I THINK MENTHOL NEEDS TO BE BANNED. I THINK THAT IT'S AS WE STATED, IT'S A BAD THING. BUT I THINK I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO COUNCIL MEMBER, CARDER, COUNCIL MEMBER, CROSBY AND ALSO MR. GONZALES, LIEUTENANT GONZALES. AND I THINK THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN. WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR YOUTH AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS WHEN IT DOES COME BACK AND WE DO ADDRESS THIS AND WE PUT THE TEETH IN IT ONCE THEY DECIDE IN THE COURTS THAT IF WE CAN DO MENTHOL, LET'S PUT THAT IN THERE TOO DOWN THE ROAD. SO WITH THAT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR LIEUTENANT GONZALES OR JESSICA? I NEED A MOTION. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD BEFORE YOU DO, THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE EDUCATION AND WHAT OTHER EFFORTS WE'RE DOING. I THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A ANTITOBACCO GRANT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THEN WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT ON THAT? AND THAT WAS TO DO WITH EDUCATION AS WELL AS ENFORCEMENT. SO WERE TAKING [INAUDIBLE] THIS AS WELL. THAT IS CORRECT. AND IT WAS UPWARDS OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR TOBACCO, EDUCATION AND GEARED TOWARDS ENFORCEMENT AS WELL AS WE KNOW WHEN WE SEND IN DECOYS INTO BUYING TOBACCO. AND THAT'S SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT WERE SHARED TODAY BY SOME OF THE SPEAKERS OF WHAT WAS DONE PRIOR TO BRINGING THIS MEASURE TO YOU GUYS. VERY GOOD. WITH THAT, I'LL ACCEPT THE MOTION. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? NOT SURE HOW THIS IS WORDED, SO IF SOMEBODY ELSE HAS IT, I MEAN, ARE WE WAIVING THE FURTHER READINGS AND WE'RE GOING TO JUST ADOPT IT? WE'LL INTRODUCE IT. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY INTRODUCE IT? WELL, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO ON FIRST READ OF AN ORDINANCE. FIRST WE INTRODUCE AND THEN WE COME BACK. OK, I MAKE THE MOTION TO INTRODUCE IT. MR. CROSBY? SECOND. I'LL SECOND IT. THANK YOU, SIR. ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MR. RUSSI. ORDINANCE 1100 AND ORDINANCE OF THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL AMENDING CHAPTER 5.37 TOBACCO RETAILERS OF TITLE V OF THE LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS. AMENDING CHAPTER 1.08 OF TITLE I. NICELY DONE. THANK YOU. [7.d. Proposed Memorial Garden and Peace Pole at Mills Park, Case No. 57-21PPR - 5601 Wheeler Avenue] WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER D PROPOSE MEMORIAL GARDEN AND PEACE POLE AT MILLS PARK, CASE NO. 57-21PPR - 5601 WHEELER AVENUE. MR. SHERER HAVE THE FLOOR SIR. YES THANK YOU. BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A PROPOSAL BY THE ROTARY ORGANIZATION OF LA VERNE TO BUILD A SMALL MEMORIAL GARDEN AND PEACE POLE AT THE SOUTHERN END OF MILLS PARK AT WHEELER AND OLD WHEELER ROAD. THIS MEMORIAL IS BEING PLACED IN MEMORY OF DR. GARBIS DER-YEGHIAYAN, WHO IS A LONG TIME ROTARY MEMBER AND THE COUNCIL MAY RECALL THAT YOU RECENTLY HAD ADJOURNED A MEETING IN HIS HONOR AS HE UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY THIS LAST YEAR. THE MEMORIAL ITSELF IS PRETTY SIMPLE. IT'S FAIRLY SMALL. IT WOULD HAVE A GRANITE BASE WITH A SIX FOOT PEACE POLE WITH INSCRIPTIONS INTO THAT PULL IN THE BASE AS WELL. THE LOGO OF THE ROTARY INLAID INTO THE GRANITE BASE. THERE'D BE THREE BENCHES PLACED AROUND THE PEACE POLE, AS WELL AS THE SIDEWALK LEADING FROM THE EXISTING PUBLIC SIDEWALK ON OLD WHEELER ROAD TO THIS CLEARING IN THE TREE AREAS . SO, NO TREES WOULD BE REMOVED, SO PRETTY MINIMAL. THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE DID REVIEW THIS PROJECT AND HAS TENTATIVELY APPROVED IT. BUT AS THE CITY COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE OFFICIAL POLICY ON PLACING MEMORIAL NON CITY INITIATED MEMORIALS ON CITY PROPERTY, WE FELT IT WAS BEST TO HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THIS. AND BASICALLY WE WOULD DO THIS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. WE DO KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS POTENTIALLY OF ONE OTHER ONE, BUT IT'S NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE WHERE WE HAVE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING TO PLACE MEMORIALS WITHIN CITY PROPERTY. SO WE'RE BASICALLY ASKING THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW THIS, STAFF WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND THEN BASICALLY TO CONCUR WITH THE DEVELOPER REVIEW COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL THIS EVENING. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. I THINK SHARON JOHNSON-MAY THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY IS ALSO AVAILABLE. [03:30:03] SHOULD SHE, SHE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL. SHE'S GOT HER HAND UP, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF WE CAN GO TO, I GUESS SHE WOULD BE UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, BEFORE WE GO FURTHER, IS THERE ANY CONFLICTS? I KNOW TIM'S A ROTARIAN DOES JUST HAVE A CONFLICT BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING FURTHER? [INAUDIBLE] NO? HE CAN VOTE ON IT, OK? IT'S NOT MONITORED. OK. WE ROTARY'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT THROUGH DONATIONS AND EVERYTHING. SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY. THE CITY WILL JUST TAKE IT OVER, I GUESS, APPARENTLY. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING ME. I DO APPRECIATE THAT. SHARON? NO, THIS IS. SHARON, YOUR MUTED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU VERY WELL, PLEASE. COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING US THIS EVENING. THERE WE ARE. MR. KARR, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. YOU'VE HAD A LONG ONE TONIGHT. NOW YOU KNOW HOW THIS WORKS. [LAUGHTER] MY NAME IS SHARON JOHNSON-MAY AND I AM THE PRESIDENT ROTARY CLUB OF LA VERNE. AND BESIDE ME IS MY FELLOW LA VERNE ROTARIAN GEORGE KARR, ON BEHALF OF THE LA VERNE ROTARY CLUB. WE ARE HONORED TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY ON THE PROPOSED MEMORIAL GARDEN AND PEACEFUL IN HONOR OF LATE LA VERNE RESIDENT DR. GARBIS DER-YEGHIAYAN. DR. DER-YEGHIAYAN WAS A DISTINGUISHED ROTARIAN, A LEADER, A ROLE MODEL, A VISIONARY, FATHER FIGURE, MENTOR, A MAN OF FAITH, INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER, A PEACEMAKER, A LA VERNIAN WHO EMBODIED ROTARY'S MOTTO SERVICE ABOVE SELF. TONIGHT, WE SEEK YOUR SUPPORT IN KEEPING HIS LEGACY ALIVE. IN 1990, FORMER MAYOR JON BLICKENSTAFF AWARDED DR. DER-YEGHIAYAN A KEY TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE. IN 2016 HE WAS HONORED AGAIN BY THEN MAYOR DON KENDRICK AND THE COUNCIL WITH A SPECIAL PROCLAMATION. THE PROCLAMATION ACKNOWLEDGED DR. DER-YEGHIAYAN'S ROLE IN FURTHERING THE CITY OF LA VERNE'S INTERNATIONAL STATUS. IT CELEBRATED HIS ROLE IN FACILITATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LA VERNE SISTER CITY IN [INAUDIBLE], ARMENIA, IT RECOGNIZED HIS ROLE AS DEAN OF THE ARMENIAN AMERICAN ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE AND LATER AS ITS PRESIDENT FROM 1981 TO 1992. IT CELEBRATED A LA VERNIAN WHO HAD LED A DELEGATION OF CITY OFFICIALS AND ROTARIANS TO ARMENIA IN 1985 WHEN THE FIRST ROTARY CLUB IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION WAS ESTABLISHED. THE PROCLAMATION FOR THE RECOGNIZED HIM AS AN EXEMPLARY AND DISTINGUISHED PEACEMAKER, WHERE HIS LIMITLESS EFFORTS AND LEADERSHIP LED TWENTY SEVEN CONSECUTIVE ROTARY PEACE CONFERENCES AND MORE THAN 20 PEACE MAKING PILGRIMAGES TO WESTERN ARMENIA. AT THIS MEETING, DR. DER-YEGHIAYAN SAID, IN ALL I SAY, AND IN ALL I DO, I PROMISE TO BRING HONOR TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND TO THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE THAT I BELONG TO, AND ABOVE ALL, GLORY TO GOD ALMIGHTY FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. IN CLOSING, WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT STAFF RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, THE PROPOSED MEMORIAL GARDEN AND PEACE POLE, AND WE HUMBLY ASK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND APPROVAL OF THE SAME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR SCHERER OR FOR SHARON MAY ? SHARON, I HAVE A QUESTION. THIS IS ROBIN CARDER. HI, GEORGE. HI. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE FROM THE TIME WE GIVE APPROVAL? HOW MANY MONTHS DOES? YOU GOT TO ORDER THE MATERIALS? WELL, THE CITY HAS GIVEN US A YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED. AND OUR PLAN IS TO HAVE IT DONE WITHIN THE YEAR ROBIN. GOOD, GOOD. I'M SO I WAS THRILLED TO READ IT. I THINK HE IS SO DESERVING AND HE MADE SUCH AN IMPACT IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. WE AGREE. MR. DAVIS. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? I WAS SIMPLY GOING TO SAY HOW CAN I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THOSE ELOQUENT WORDS? YES. THAT IS A FACT. WHY DON'T WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL COME BACK. GO AHEAD MR. DAVIS. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER CARDER'S QUESTION WAS STILL ILLUMINATING. SO IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. [LAUGHTER] THAT WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC COMMENT, JR? MR. MAYOR, I HAVE JOSEPH GABALDON ON LINE. MR. GABALDON, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. BEEN A LONG EVENING, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR LIFE TO BE HERE TONIGHT. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I FULLY SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION AND BELIEVE THAT DR. [03:35:01] DER-YEGHIAYAN WAS AN EXEMPLARY EXAMPLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DESERVES THE RECOGNITION. THAT SAID, MY REQUEST TO SPEAK IS IN REGARD TO THE LANGUAGE IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST FOR A QUOTE THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL POLICY FOR NON CITY INITIATED MEMORIALS AND THAT THE PROJECT WOULD OCCUR IN A PUBLIC PARK. THIS AND REFLECTING ON THIS PAST YEAR, WHERE MANY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAME EMBROILED IN CONTROVERSY OF AND ACTS OF VANDALISM UPON MONUMENT STATUES AND MEMORIALS. IT IS IMPORTANT THE CITY LOOK FORWARD BY DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE AND WELL-DEFINED POLICY INCLUSIVE OF THE ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL CONSCIENCE THAT WOULD [INAUDIBLE] TRUE LA VERNE OF [INAUDIBLE] AND MITIGATE THE ASSOCIATED RISKS. ADDITIONALLY, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT BY HAVING A FORMAL POLICY, WE CAN AVOID ANY POTENTIAL RISK OF [INAUDIBLE] WHEN IT COMES TO ANY ONE PARTY INDIVIDUAL CRITERIA FOR REQUESTING [INAUDIBLE] MONUMENTS, STATUES OR MEMORIALS IN OUR CITY PARKS WHERE FUNDING IS OTHERWISE SEEN AS THE SOLE CRITERIA OF A POTENTIAL BIAS WHEN VOTING NO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. GABALDON. JR? MR. MAYOR, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS RAISED, AND THAT WAS THE ONLY REQUEST THAT WE RECEIVED OUTSIDE OF MS. MAY TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU, JR. I APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. COME BACK TO COUNCIL. MR. CROSBY. I DO AGREE WITH THIS MEMORIAL. HE WAS A VERY GREAT MAN. I ALSO DO AGREE WITH THE RESIDENT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME CRITERIA OR THINGS SO THAT I DON'T WANT WHERE WE PICK ONE OVER ANOTHER OR THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE SO THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR OUR PARKS. THANK YOU, MR. CROSBY. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. I GOT [INAUDIBLE], I GOTCHA. NO, I THINK THIS IS GREAT, I'M EXCITED FOR IT AND I APPRECIATE SHARON STAYING ON LATE FOR THIS AS WELL. SO I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOT MORE STUFF. SO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. ANY OTHER COMMENT? NO, NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. NO, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT. ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND MYSELF, BEING A ROTARIAN, I WANT TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, ANGELA, HIS WIFE, JOHNNY AND JIMMY, HIS SONS, AND I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE PAST MADAM PRESIDENT SANDRA MCGLAUGHLIN, AND ALSO THE CURRENT MADAM PRESIDENT, SHARON JOHNSON-MAY. ALSO I WANT TO THANK [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE DESIGN. HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB. I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR GOING THROUGH THAT SO WELL WITH US. AND WE HAVE LOST AN AMAZING MAN. JUST A MINUTE. AND TRULY A FRIEND, AND THIS IS A GREAT MEMORIAL FOR HIM AND. WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF SUPPORT. I APPRECIATE THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR DOING THIS. AND IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL TESTAMENT TO A MAN'S LIFE AND HIS LEGEND. AND I DO THANK MR. GABALDON. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. I DO SUPPORT THAT. WE LOOK AT THIS IN THE FUTURE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN WE CAN APPLY TO THESE WERE LIKE MR. CROSBY SO ELOQUENTLY SAID, WE'RE NOT EXCLUDING ANYONE. WE'RE INCLUDING ALL, THIS WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE PARK. SO LOOKING VERY FORWARD TO THIS. I AM 100 PERCENT IN SUPPORT OF THIS. WITH THAT, I NEED A MOTION. WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MONUMENT AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM ROTARY. THANK YOU. SECOND. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. ROLL CALL. MEMBER LAU. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS. AYE. MAYOR HEPBURN. [Additional Item ] YES. WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY? IF I MAY MAYOR, SOMETHING I DID NOT DO AT INTRODUCTIONS AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. YES. SO I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT I'D LIKE TO BRING IN MARLA PENDLETON. OH, SHE'S BEEN WAITING. TRIAL BY FIRE. FALL ASLEEP BEFORE THE END OF THE NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE HER. SO JR IS BRINGING HER IN NOW. MARLA, AS ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD, IS OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR. [03:40:05] AND MARLA IS A TESTAMENT TO ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN PATIENTLY LOOKING AND WE SCORED A GREAT FIND IN MARLA. SHE BRINGS NUMEROUS YEARS OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE EXPERIENCE. SHE WAS WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND THEN SHE WENT TO THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS. AND THEN WE SNATCHED HER FROM THE CITY OF LAWNDALE, WHERE SHE HAD SPENT SEVERAL YEARS. AND IT WAS HARD TO GET OUR WAY FROM THERE. BUT I WAS SO HAPPY TO CONVINCE HER TO COME BE PART OF OUR TEAM. SO I'D JUST LIKE TO VIRTUALLY INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR. AND I KNOW YOU'LL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HELLO TO HER AT YOUR CONVENIENCE OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS. SO. MS. PENDLETON, YOU HAVE TWENTY EIGHT MINUTES. GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] GIVE A SUMMARY, BUT YOU JUST HEARD IT. YES. WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JOIN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY. I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO A LONG AND PLEASANT CAREER WITH YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S A PLEASURE. I DID SEE YOUR PLACARD ON YOUR DESK THIS WEEKEND. I WAS LOOKING AT THE BILLS AND IT WAS LIKE, HEY, SHE'S HERE. WELL, WELCOME. VERY WELCOME. HOPEFULLY WE ALL GET A CHANCE TO SAY HI AND MEET YOU IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING ON TO THE CITY. WE'RE DEFINITELY NEED WE HAD GREAT SHOES, SHOES THAT WERE BIG SHOES. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO FILL THOSE JUST FINE AND YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB. AND WE'RE JUST TICKLED TO DEATH TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD. SO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. [8. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS] THANK YOU. THEN WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS. ANYBODY IN THERE, JR, WE HAVE MR. SALINAS, IT LOOKS LIKE. GOOD EVENING, MR. SALINAS. THERE YOU GO. HELLO AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVING THE [INAUDIBLE] AND GEORGE GASCON. AND LASTLY, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. HAS THERE BEEN ANY UPDATE WHEN WE COULD GO BACK TO IN PERSON COUNCIL MEETINGS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. SALINAS. ANY UPDATE ON MR. RUSSI? WE TESTED I SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL BEFORE THE MEETING, WE HAD TESTED HYBRID, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE WITH THE AUDIO. WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT WORKED OUT FOR THE FIRST PART OF AUGUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS WE'RE NOW CHALLENGED WITH REQUIRED MASKING. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. AS FAR AS COMING BACK TO REALITY, OF COMING BACK TO MEETINGS IN PERSON AND THEN HAVING THE MASK UP. BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THE HYBRID ISSUE WORKED OUT AND THEN WE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER BODY ON DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANYBODY ON, JR, THE PHONE. YOU'VE GOT ONE MORE. CYNTHIA. AND ACTUALLY FOLLOW UP WITH MS. [INAUDIBLE] TOO IT SOUNDED LIKE SHE HAS SOMETHING. OH, SHE DID. YEAH. PLEASE DO. MS. [INAUDIBLE], PLEASE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE VIDEO ANYMORE. IT'S TOO LATE. TONIGHT THE CITY OF POMONA HAD ON ONE OF THEIR AGENDAS, A CARVANA PROJECT. AND AS PART OF THIS CARVANA PROJECT THERE'S TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED TRIPS PER DAY COMING OFF OF THAT PROPERTY. AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE, WERE YOU GUYS ALL NOTIFIED OF THIS? AND THEN TWO, SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME LIKE CITYWIDE NOTICE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US THAT LIVE OFF OF FRUIT AND OFF OF WHITE OR MAYBE ANY OF THE OTHER LARGER THOROUGHFARES? BECAUSE WHEN I WAS LOOKING THIS UP AND WHEN I COMPARE IT TO WHERE THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS ARE GOING TO BE THERE ALONG ARROW HIGHWAY, WHITE AND FRUIT ARE GOING TO BE HEAVILY, HEAVILY IMPACTED. THAT'S FIVE OVER FIVE THOUSAND TRIPS A DAY THAT ARE GOING TO INCREASE ON THOSE ON THAT ON THAT THOROUGHFARE. I'M NOT TOO SURE ABOUT ARROW HIGHWAY. I MEAN, PEOPLE WILL GO WEST AND EAST, BUT THAT IS A LOT, THEY'RE PLANNING ON MAJOR TRUCKS. THEY'RE PLANNING CUSTOMERS. THEY HAVE A LEASE FOR THAT SITE FOR TWENTY FIVE TO THIRTY YEARS. THIS IS NOT A SHORT TERM PROPERTY. AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU GUYS KNEW ABOUT THIS AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO AS RESIDENTS TO SPEAK BACK, BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AGO. THE SECOND THING I WANTED EVERYBODY TO KNOW WAS THAT SB NINE AND SB 10, WHICH ARE THE LEGISLATIVE BILLS THAT WERE COMING THROUGH CONCERNING HOUSING THERE WERE BOTH STALLED IN SACRAMENTO. THERE IS INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PUSHBACK ON IT. AND SB 10, IT TURNED INTO A NOT A NON MANDATORY BILL. SB NINE IS BEEN COMPLETELY STOPPED RIGHT NOW. IT COULD BE BROUGHT UP AGAIN WHEN THE WHEN THE LEGISLATURE COMES BACK AFTER SUMMER SESSION, WHICH IS IN AUGUST. BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE STOPPED AND WE HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING BACK ON THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. [03:45:02] BUT I'M VERY, VERY CURIOUS ABOUT ABOUT CARAVANA. PEOPLE IN A MOBILE HOME PARK DOWN THERE AT THE END OF WHITE HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO ME ABOUT THIS. AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY WEREN'T EVER NOTIFIED ABOUT IT. AND THEY LIVE RIGHT THERE AT ARROW HIGHWAY AND WHITE. AND THAT'S WHERE THAT. GIANT PROJECTS IS GOING TO BE GOING IN. SO THAT'S MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THE CARVANA ISSUE? MR. RUSSI. WAIT TILL ALL PUBLIC COMMENT. YES, WE CAN. NEXT, WE HAVE MS. BRAINARD, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, YOUR MUTED. AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SO LONG, MEETING TOO LATE. OK, SOME QUESTION I BRING UP JUST SINCE YOU JUST BRING UP JUST NOW, ACTUALLY, I DIDN'T FIND OUT FROM NEXT DOOR SINCE WE FALL FOR [INAUDIBLE] TWO YEARS AGO, I TALKED TO SO MANY RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA [INAUDIBLE] AVENUE. SO REALLY CONCERN SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN TO THE [INAUDIBLE] AVENUE. NOW, THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY I CHECK ONLINE, THEY HAVE MEETING, THEIR MEETING'S STILL ON. OK. MY OTHER COMPUTER. SO I THINK AS A NEIGHBOR CITY LA VERNE SUPPOSED TO JUST KNOW THIS BECAUSE IT'S VERY BIG INFLUENCE ABOUT A [INAUDIBLE], MAYBE THE CRIME, WHATEVER. SO MANY THINGS WILL HAPPEN. IT'S A LONG TERM PROJECT. I ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT RELATES TO SAFETY, TOO. SO I'M JUST THINKING, IF POSSIBLE, WE AS THE NEIGHBOR CITY, WE REALLY SHOULD GET INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY THE NEIGHBOR. THEY'RE NOT REALLY ON THE INTERNET. THEY'RE NOT LIKE THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE I DID. AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS, THEY NOBODY KNOW IT BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT TONIGHT. SO I'M THINKING, IF POSSIBLE, THINGS COULD BE JUST MORE TRANSPARENCY. I DON'T KNOW IF A CITY ALREADY GET INVOLVED, IT'S A BIG DEAL, IT'S A BIG PROJECT. SO THE NEXT THINGS [INAUDIBLE] IN PERSON MEETING, IS VERY CONFUSED. EVEN PEOPLE LIKE ME PRETTY MUCH GOOD AT COMPUTERS, ZOOM MEETING ONLINE AND MY BUSINESS ONLINE. SO BUT MOST PEOPLE IN LA VERNE, ESPECIALLY THE OLD RESIDENT NEIGHBOR I PRESENT THEM TO FIGHTING FOR [INAUDIBLE] TWO YEARS AGO. AND THEN THEY THAT BECAUSE THEN ALL THOSE THINGS, BUT THEY ARE NOT REALLY ABLE TO NOT GET USED TO ZOOM MEETING. SO IN-PERSON MEETINGS SHOULD BE THE MUST. I BROUGHT IN JUNE. I THINK IT'S MAY, MAY MEETING AND THEN WE WILL OPEN IN JUNE EVEN EVEN SIX FEET LESS PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, BECAUSE THEN OUTSIDE CAN LISTEN TO COMMUNICATE, BUT NOT REALLY LIKE THEY GET LOST ON ZOOM MEETING. IS REALLY GET LOST EVEN MYSELF. I ALWAYS COME TO THE WRONG TOPIC BECAUSE I GET CONFUSED TOO. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND IS VERY APPRECIATES REVOTE TO SUPPORT US. [INAUDIBLE] SO, BUT I JUST SO APPRECIATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. MR. ALLISON, YOU'RE ON. YEAH, I'LL BE I'LL BE BRIEF, I KNOW IT'S LATE. YOU KNOW, WE FIND OURSELVES IN AN IMPORTANT TIME IN HISTORY. I'M JUST REQUESTING THE CITY LEADERSHIP TAKE A TIME TO CONSIDER THE WORLD THAT WE ARE SHIFTING TO INSTEAD OF THE WORLD THAT WE WANT TO SO TIGHTLY CLING TO. CHANGE IS COMING. YOU CAN BE A PART OF DEFINING IT OR YOU CAN STAND IDLE AND BE STEAMROLLED BY IT. BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE THIS CITY TO REALLY CONSIDER ITS ROLE IN DEFINING A BRIGHT, PRODUCTIVE FUTURE FOR ALL WHO WILL HELP THIS CITY BE THE BEST IT CAN BE. MAYOR DON KENDRICK USED TO ALWAYS SAY IF ANYTHING GOOD CAN HAPPEN, IT CAN HAPPEN TO LA VERNE. I BELIEVE MAYOR KENDRICK THEN AND I BELIEVE IN THAT TRUTH NOW. SO PLEASE, LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY MAKE THIS CITY THE BEST IT CAN BE. THANKS, GUYS. THANK YOU. JR? MAYOR, I HAVE LOOKED IN OUR JUNK FOLDER, I HAVE LOOKED IN OUR NORMAL EMAIL AND HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING, LET ME JUST TAKE ONE MINUTE AND CHECK WITH THE CITY CLERK AND MAKE SURE THAT I GOT [INAUDIBLE] FOR PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE HOLD ON. I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL MOVE TO, OH MR. RUSSI, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS? I CAN ANSWER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CARVANA, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL [03:50:04] LISTENING ON THERE. I, I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF POMONA WAS REQUIRING CARVANA BECAUSE THEY HAD SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO DO SOME NEIGHBORHOOD WORKSHOPS. AND SO THEY DID REQUEST AND WE PROVIDED THEM WITH AN EXPANSIVE LIST OF ADDRESSES THAT WERE ADJACENT TO THE PROJECT TO DO NOTIFICATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WORKSHOP. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHATEVER MEETING THAT WHATEVER THEY'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT. ERIC, ARE YOU AT ALL? CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. WHAT WERE THEY DOING THEN? I AM NOT FAMILIAR WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING, BUT THEY'RE THERE AT THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF FILING AN APPLICATION. IT WILL REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHICH IS A LENGTHY PROCESS, A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. SO I'VE SPOKEN TO THEIR DIRECTOR AND IT WILL BE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DISCUSSING THIS EVENING ABOUT IT, BUT IT DEFINITELY WANT TO BE GRANT AN APPROVAL FOR THE PROJECT AS PROPOSED, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS THAT STILL HAVE TO HAPPEN, INCLUDING FURTHER NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH. AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY WE HAVE EXPRESSED AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC. THAT IS VERY TRUE. WE WOULD NOT WANT ANY TRAFFIC COMING UP WHITE AVENUE. IT WOULD NEED TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD NEED TO BE CIRCULATED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE CITY OF POMONA AND NOT THROUGH LA VERNE. SO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SENSITIVE TO AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING OUR COMMENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROCESS FOR SURE. BE VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE I WAS AT THE TEXACO STATION, AT THE SHELL STATION AT ACROSS FROM TARGET. AND I'M FILLING UP MY TRUCK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HERE COMES A CARVANA SINGLE CARRIER. PULLING UP IN THE GAS STATION, SO AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND MS. GABALDON WAS VERY RIGHT ON. IT'S LIKE THESE ARE BIG TRUCKS THAT THEY'RE HAULING, YOU KNOW, 10 OR 15 VEHICLES, AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE. BUT THAT MEANS THEY'RE COMING UP HERE. THAT IS A HAULER AND IT IS A CAR AND IT'S CARVANA. SO WE NEED TO KEEP CLOSE TABS ON [INAUDIBLE]. IN DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT FIXING THIS WITH THEIR TEMPORARY USE, NEVER MIND OUR LONG TERM. OK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WAS IT, MR. RUSSI WAS THAT IT? THAT WAS IT, THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAD ON THERE WAS THE CARVANA ISSUE. WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE WILL CLOSE THAT. [9. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS] LET'S GO TO COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE MEETING REPORTS. WHO WANTS TO START? YOU'RE ALL EXHAUSTED. OK, WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH MR. DAVIS. I'LL GO AHEAD AND START A PRETTY LIGHT SCHEDULE FOR ME, BUT I DO WANT TO CELEBRATE [INAUDIBLE] GOLFER COLIN [INAUDIBLE], WHO WON THE BRITISH OPEN IN AN OUTSTANDING FASHION, AND A LOCAL JUNIOR GOLFER WHO WON THE L.A. CITY FLIGHT A CHAMPIONSHIP. THAT'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. SO, YES, I WANTED TO START OFF WITH A COUPLE OF THANK YOU'S AND JUST HIGHLIGHT, I THINK, SOME OF THE REALLY GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS MEETING, I KNOW IT'S BEEN LONG AND I KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY ITCHING TO STRETCH OUR LEGS AND ALL THAT KIND OF GOOD STUFF. BUT I WANTED TO, FIRST OF ALL, GIVE A THANK YOU TO CHIEF PAZ AND TO OFFICER GUTIERREZ FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH ME ON THE GASCON ISSUE. AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ALTHOUGH WE DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE ON ALL POINTS AND I WON'T GO INTO THE INTO THE DETAILS OF ALL OF OUR CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD. BUT BOTH MEN DID SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME SPEAKING WITH ME AND WE WALKED AWAY FROM THAT CONVERSATION. STILL FRIENDS. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT US TO BE COGNIZANT OF AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THIS COUNCIL. I THINK THAT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING DURING OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS, EVEN WHEN WE DON'T AGREE, HAVE BEEN AMAZING, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO FREELY SPEAK ABOUT WHERE OUR POSITIONS ARE, WHAT EXPERIENCES WE BRING TO THE TABLE, AND WHY WE FEEL THE WAY WE DO, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. AND I REALLY WANT TO REALLY SAY I'M THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S HOW WE MODEL THE WAY FOR OTHER CITIES AND OTHER PEOPLE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. WE SHOULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND IT SHOULDN'T DEVOLVE INTO NAME CALLING OR ANONYMOUS FACEBOOK MESSAGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT? WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS COUNCIL AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE STAFF AND THE FOLKS THAT WORK IN OUR CITY THAT ALLOW US TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. [03:55:01] AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR A VERY DEDICATED PUBLIC WHO, ESPECIALLY FOR THE THOSE OF YOU THAT I CAN SEE ON ZOOM, I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE WATCHING THIS, BUT IT IS A LATE NIGHT FOR ALL OF YOU, TOO. AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT'S AN ENGAGED POPULATION. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ARE TALKING TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, SHARING YOUR DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. AND AGAIN, WE MIGHT NOT ALL AGREE, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER. AND SO I THINK THAT WE CAN FIND MUCH MORE IN COMMON WITH ONE ANOTHER THAN WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT OTHERWISE. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THOSE THOSE MOMENTS. SO THE OTHER THING I DID WANT TO SAY TOO AND I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANYONE'S THUNDER MAYOR HEPBURN, I WILL LET YOU TALK IN MORE DETAIL AND ABOUT IT. BUT THERE WAS A RIBBON CUTTING ON FRIDAY FOR A NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN CALLED IN MOTION DENTIST. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I, I HAVE AN ANXIETY ABOUT THE DENTIST. I'M NOT A FAN, BUT I GO BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO BECAUSE YOU'RE AN ADULT. RIGHT. AND MY PARENTS HAVE SPENT ALL THIS MONEY ON MY BRACES FOR ME NOT TO KEEP MY TEETH, BUT I IT WAS REALLY EXCITING AND REALLY COOL ABOUT THIS BUSINESS, ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR DENTIST OFFICE, IS THAT IT DOES ACTUALLY CATER TO FOLKS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. SO THE WAY THAT THEY BUILT THEIR WAITING ROOM AREA IS IS CONDUCIVE FOR FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE SENSORY ISSUES. THEY HAVE SENSORY EQUIPMENT THAT HELPS PUT PATIENTS AT EASE. AND THERE'S EVEN A ROOM WHERE THERE IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT, BUT BASICALLY, IF YOU'RE WHEELCHAIR BOUND, RATHER THAN HAVING TO HEFT YOU OUT OF A WHEELCHAIR AND PUT YOU INTO A DENTIST CHAIR, YOU CAN ACTUALLY BE PUT ONTO A RAMP THAT SORT OF INCLINES BACK SO YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR WHEELCHAIR WHILE THEY'RE DOING YOUR DENTAL WORK. SO I HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE AT A DENTIST'S OFFICE. AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DENTIST, MAYBE CHECK THAT OUT, BUT SPREAD THE WORD. I THINK THAT'S REALLY AMAZING. THE OTHER THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS KIND OF NEAT, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO USE THIS PART OF THE SERVICE, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF COOL. THEY'RE CALLED IN MOTION DENTISTS BECAUSE THEY'RE MOBILE AS WELL. SO THEY CAN COME TO YOUR HOUSE, WHICH I THINK IS AWESOME FOR MAYBE A POPULATION THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE, OR MAYBE IT'S A PROCEDURE THAT MIGHT KNOCK YOU OUT AND YOU'D FEEL SAFER IF THEY CAME TO YOU. I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL. SO DEFINITELY A PLACE TO CHECK OUT THERE ON FOOTHILL OVER BY MR. DEE'S DINER. SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE MASK MANDATE. OBVIOUSLY, FOR L.A. COUNTY. IT IS NOT GREAT LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE AMONGST THE UNVACCINATED. SO IF YOU'RE CONCERNED, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I DEFINITELY URGE YOU TO GO DO YOUR RESEARCH AND WEIGH OUT YOUR OPTIONS AND GET VACCINATED. I GET THAT THERE ARE RELIGIOUS REASONS. THERE ARE MEDICAL REASONS THAT MAY PREVENT YOU FROM DOING IT. BUT I THINK THE CLOSER WE CAN GET TO NORMAL BY GETTING MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SO, AGAIN, THANKS TO EVERYBODY AND YOU KNOW BE KIND. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAU'S COMMENTS ON ON THE DISCUSSION WE HAD TONIGHT. WE HAD SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT. AND WHERE WHERE I BELIEVE THIS THIS COUNCIL IS OPEN TO MANY DIVERSE OPINIONS AND WE STILL CAN CAN COME TOGETHER AND I BELIEVE WORKING TOGETHER AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER LAU'S AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS'S OPINIONS ALWAYS AND APPRECIATE WHAT THEY PUT IN TO THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT TOO AND HOPEFULLY THAT WE CAN ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND APPRECIATE THEIR POINT OF VIEW. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR YOUTH IN ACTION FAMILY COMMITTEE AND THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE . BEFORE I GOT ON TO THE COMMITTEE AND THEY CONTINUALLY AND SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING. WE WANT TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH AND OUR RESIDENTS. WE DON'T WANT TO HURT LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AND PROTECT THOSE THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTED AS WELL. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST HAVE I KNOW MR. RUSSI I ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT IS THE STATUS ON OUR FIRE CHIEF? I KNOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING WITH THAT PRETTY SOON AND JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAVE AN UPDATE OR THINGS ON THAT. AND OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS A VERY GOOD, PRODUCTIVE MEETING TONIGHT. [04:00:05] IF I COULD ANSWER THAT MR. MAYOR? PLEASE. YEAH, THANK YOU. SO WE ARE FINALIZING THE BACKGROUND PROCESS SHOULD BE DONE WITH THAT THIS WEEK. WE ARE ALSO FINALIZING THE TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT THAT I NEED TO BRING BACK TO COUNCIL. I'M HOPEFUL THAT SHOULD BE DONE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS WELL. I WAS HOPING THAT IF. EITHER ON THE NEXT AGENDA OR IF I CAN GET A SPECIAL MEETING SCHEDULED TO GET THAT DONE SOONER SO I CAN GET HIM THE INDIVIDUAL TO GIVE NOTICE TO HIS OTHER EMPLOYER. THAT WOULD BE MY GOAL. AND I WOULD PUSH FOR THE SOONER THE BETTER. THAT IS MY GOAL AS WELL. I HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME WITH CHIEF WATERHOUSE AND I KNOW HE IS ANXIOUS HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK, BUT IS ANXIOUS TO ALSO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT. HENCE THE WORD INTERIM. RETIRE. THAT WILL WORK FOR COUNCIL. I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. SO I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU TOMORROW TO SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. YES, REAL QUICK, LAST WEEK, WE HAD A GATHERING, [INAUDIBLE] PLANNED A GATHERING FOR ALL CITY STAFF AND THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY AND SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES, THIER MAYORS TO COME. TIM, MYSELF, BOB WAS THERE AND MAYOR AND IT WAS WONDERFUL. OUR L.A. CITY MAYOR GARCETTI CAME OUT TO OUR CITY, WHICH HE HASN'T BEEN UP TO ALL THE OTHERS. SO I'M THRILLED HE GOT TO SEE OUR CITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THE [10. CLOSED SESSION] [04:07:40] FAIRGROUNDS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG HE'LL BE OUR MAYOR, THOUGH. HE'S GOT THAT NEW APPOINTMENT. AND I KNOW IT'S VERY NICE. WE GOT TO DO A PHOTO OP. WE GOT TO SEE WHERE THE STATION'S GOING TO BE. WE GOT TO STAND ON THE GROUND TO GET A FEEL OF EVERYTHING COMING TOGETHER. AND THEY HAD DIAGRAMS OF THE FUTURE OF OUR STATION. SO IT'S COMING. GREAT JOB. IT WAS FUN. THERE WAS A LOT OF FUN, ACTUALLY, MR. GARCETTI WAS I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE. WE WERE JUST CHATTING AWAY AND YOU KNOW IT WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION. AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS ELECTEDS, IT'S WHEN YOU MAKE THESE CONTACTS WITH ALL THESE OTHER ELECTEDS ESPECIALLY MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND, YOU KNOW, THE GOLD LINE AUTHORITY AND ROBIN, THANK YOU. YOU AND TIM SANDOVAL DID A GREAT JOB AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF IT'S MOVING. THANK YOU. IF WE JUST GET THAT FUNDING FOR ANOTHER FIVE HUNDRED MILLION BUCKS AND WE CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN PUSH THAT ALL THE WAY TO CLAREMONT AND THEN MONTCLAIR. SO, YES. [INAUDIBLE] CONTINUES. BUT NO, NICE JOB. YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB ON THAT GOLD LINE. YEAH, WENDY COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER, SHE CHANCE. THAT MOTION, DENNIS, THAT IT WAS A PARTY. I MEAN, I, I COUNCILMAN DAVIS WAS THERE, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER LAU AND I'M SORRY YOU GUYS MISSED IT AT THE FIRST RIBBON CUTTING WE'VE HAD SINCE COVID HIT MADE THAT VERY CLEAR. BUT I THINK THE WAY IS THE GENTLEMAN, HE'S THE DENTIST AND THAT CRYSTAL I THINK IS HIS WIFE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. AND THE TWO BOYS, SHE DESIGNED IT AND THEN HE HAD A GROUP THAT BUILT IT. BUT IT'S AMAZING. BUT THE PARTY, I THINK ABOUT 60, 60, 80 PEOPLE THERE AND HAD FOOD AND IT'S JUST NICE. IT'S JUST FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY IN OUR TOWN AND PUT A BUSINESS IN HERE. AND YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR, THE BACKBONE OF OUR COMMUNITY IS OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE, WHETHER IT BE RESTAURANTS, DENTISTS OR CLOTHING OR RETAIL, BUT DID A FANTASTIC JOB. IT WAS IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO BE THERE. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THIS THIS IS PRETTY SERIOUS RIGHT NOW WITH THIS MASKING. AND IT YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO THINK SERIOUSLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, BECAUSE FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HESITANT BECAUSE OF THE COVID SHOT, PLEASE DON'T BE HESITANT ANYMORE. GET YOUR SHOT. IT DOES PROTECT YOU. AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T WANT TO, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE WE'RE AT THE POINT RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO MASK UP BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE MADE DECISIONS NOT TO. AND IT'S IT'S TOUGH. WE DON'T WANT OUR BUSINESSES TO SHUT DOWN. WE DON'T WANT OUR CITIES TO SHUT DOWN ANYMORE. SO PLEASE RECONSIDER. IF YOU CAN PLEASE GET YOUR VACCINATION. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. YOU CAN GET IT ANYWHERE. NOW THEY'RE GIVING INCENTIVES OUT, THEY'RE GIVING TICKETS TO SPORTS GAMES. I MEAN, COME ON, IF YOU'VE BEEN HESITANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LET'S DO IT. LET'S DO IT TO PROTECT US, PROTECT OUR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO PROTECT OUR ELDERLY PEOPLE. AND WE DON'T WANT TO SPREAD THIS. WE WANT TO WE WANT TO MOVE ON AND GO PAST THIS. SO PLEASE VACCINATE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO. PLEASE VACCINATE. AND AS ONE OF THE PREVIOUS CALLERS JUST STATED, THE WONDERFUL BLESSING OF THE COUNCIL IS THE FACT THAT WE COME AND GO, WE MOVE IN AND OUT. WE BRING OUR WE BRING OUR STRENGTHS. WE LEARN OUR WEAKNESSES AND WE LEARN FROM OUR STRENGTHS. WE LEARN FROM OTHER PEOPLE, OUR COMMUNICATION. WE COME AND GO. I THINK THAT'S THE BLESSING OF A COUNCIL. WE ALL SERVE OUR TIME. WE TRY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. WE HELP OUR RESIDENTS. WE HAVE A VISION. AND DIFFERENCES ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE LEARN FROM EVERYBODY'S DIFFERENCES. WE LEARN FROM CONVERSATION. I THINK TONIGHT WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF IT. BUT AND WE'RE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. AND WHILE OUR TIME IS HERE, UNTIL WE DECIDE TO MOVE ON OR OUR RESIDENTS DECIDE TO [04:10:02] CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR THE BEST OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE TIME. WE ALL TAKE A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF STUDYING, A LOT OF READING AND MEETINGS THAT LAST FOUR TO SIX TO SEVEN HOURS. AND THIS IS STAFF TIME. AND SO WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. WE ARE NOT GOING TO ALWAYS AGREE. AND THAT'S THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION, I LEARNED A LOT TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAD AN OPEN DISCUSSION. WE DISAGREED ON ITEMS. BUT ALL OF US TAKE A PIECE OF THAT AND GO, YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT, LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT DOWN THE ROAD, SO I DO APPRECIATE MY COUNCIL. I DO APPRECIATE STAFF TIME. I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IT IS WE'RE BLESSED TO ACTUALLY DO THIS. SO IT IS A LOT OF WORK, BUT I APPRECIATE EVERY TIME EVERYBODY'S, ALL THE STAFF EFFORT. SO THANK YOU, GUYS. WITH THAT, WE HAVE A WE HAVE A NEED FOR A CLOSED SESSION, IS THAT CORRECT? I ALMOST FORGOT, IT'S LATE. I DIDN'T. YES THANK YOU FOR NOT. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR AND IT'S UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION FIVE FOUR NINE FIVE SEVEN DOT SIX MEETING WITH ALL THE NEGOTIATORS AND THE GROUP IS THE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. WE'LL BE ADJOURNING IN THE CLOSED SESSION. WE WILL NOT BE REPORTING OUT. OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING ON MONDAY, AUGUST 2ND, 2021. I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING TO THE FAMILY OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE THAT PASSED AWAY ON WHEELER AVENUE. OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO YOU. WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR GUYS SERVICE. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. THAT'S A HUMAN BEING THAT PASSED AWAY WHILE HE WAS WORKING. HE WAS JUST ABOUT READY. IT ACTUALLY, I THINK, PULLING HIS PAPERS AFTER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT. SO PLEASE, OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HIS FAMILY AND TO HIS FRIENDS. AND PLEASE, WE DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. WE WILL PASS THAT ON TO TERRI AND WASTE MANAGEMENT. PLEASE DO. THANK YOU. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10:39 PM, SEVEN NINETEEN. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK. RIGHT. WE MOVE OUT AND COME BACK. GOOD LET'S DO IT. WE'RE ADJOURNED. CUT US OFF JR. RECESSED. WE ARE RECESSED. WE ARE RECESSED SORRY. NO WORRY. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.