[00:00:02]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY, IF WE COULD ALL RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
MR. MAYOR PRO TEM MUIR DAVIS, WILL YOU LEAD US? THANK YOU FOR ALL STANDING.PLACE YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEART READY BEGIN.
ROLL CALL MR. RUSSI, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE, COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY IS ATTENDING REMOTELY.
HIS ADDRESS WAS POSTED ON THE AGENDA OF WHERE HE IS RELOCATING.
BOB, [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE POSTPONED MEETING.
DID ANY OF YOU-- I CAN GO GRAB A COPY? WELL, ANNOUNCEMENTS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY-- DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE
[4. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS]
GROUP THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE RIGHT NOW OR WAIT TILL PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE? MS. BERRY. I'M GOING TO MAKE IT NOW BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE TOWN HALL MEETING FOR TOMORROW HAS BEEN POSTPONED, SO TONS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PLANNING AND PREPARING AND GETTING IT ON THE CALENDAR AND GETTING REGISTERED.AND NOW IT'S IN JANUARY, SO I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT LATER, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT GOT MAYBE A COUPLE OF MENTIONS.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? OK. ON THAT NOTE, THANK YOU, PAM.
I CANNOT DO THIS [INAUDIBLE] GLASSES.
IT'S BEEN POSTPONED TILL JANUARY 5TH.
[INAUDIBLE], YOU WANT TO? IF YOU WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD? THEN I WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
YES, WE BECAME AWARE TODAY THAT THE PROBATION COMMISSION TOWN HALL MEETING THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW TO TALK ABOUT THE REALIGNMENT AND THE PERMANENT PLACEMENT OF SOME ADDITIONAL YOUTH AND [INAUDIBLE], AS WELL AS OTHER FACILITIES, HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO JANUARY 5TH.
THAT MEETING WILL STILL BE VIRTUALLY, AND AT SIX P.M.
THERE WAS INFORMATION THAT IS PUT OUT AND ALSO POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, EXPLAINING THE REASONING FOR THEIR NEED TO MOVE THE MEETING.
HOWEVER, WE ALSO DID HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US BY COUNTY SUPERVISOR BARGER, ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING TOMORROW.
I KNOW IT'S LATE NOTICE, BUT THAT ONE IS AT 9:30 AND SUGGESTED, AND THIS IS ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, OF TALKING POINTS TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO BE AWARE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE ALL SHARE WITH THAT FACILITY IN IDENTIFYING AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION, THE CAMP OUT IN SYLMAR.
SO THOSE ARE ALL INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE.
I ALSO THINK THERE WILL BE OTHER BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS THAT WILL BE COMING UP THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE NOTICE ON IN THE FUTURE, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE SO.
MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. RUSSI. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, TOO, THAT WITH THE NEW SUPERVISED ORAL DISTRICTS THAT SOLIS NOW TAKES THE ARROW CORRIDOR, SHE DID GET THE ARROW CORRIDOR ON THE SOUTH OF LA VERNE, WHICH IS THE EIFD ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT, ALONG WITH FAIRPLEX.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT HERE.
TWO SUPERVISORS, FIVE VOTES, YOU GET TWO OF THEM.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS, GUYS, WE NEED TO PRESSURE THESE PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO PRESSURE THEM. WE NEED TO WRITE.
WE NEED TO CALL. AND I DID POST, THANK YOU, PAM, AND I POSTED ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA JON BLICKENSTAFF, OUR PREVIOUS MAYOR OF 27 YEARS, IS VERY MUCH UPSET ABOUT THIS AND EXACT WORDS WHERE THIS IS THE MOST SERIOUS THING THAT'S EVER GOING TO FACE OUR COMMUNITY EVER, AND WE NEED TO BE ON TOP OF IT.
I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE THAT GOT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE, THE NEWSCASTERS, ON THE MARCH THIS SATURDAY.
I KNOW THAT CYNTHIA GABALDON AND JOE GABALDON.
I KNOW THAT RICK BOWEN GOT A NUMBER OF THE CHANNELS AND-- THEY NEED A VOTE PAM.
GOT A NUMBER OF THESE CHANNELS OUT THERE, AND IT'S JUST GOOD TO SEE RESIDENTS WITH THEM TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE AND GETTING IT OUT THERE ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
BECAUSE, LIKE YOU SAID, JOHN BLICKENSTAFF, I HAD HIM DO A MINUTE WITH THE MAYOR, WITH ME AND THEN ANOTHER SNIPPET AND I DID A MINUTE WITH THE MAYOR.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON, AND WE MUST BE UNITED AND WE MUST PULL OUT OF THE STOPS.
YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR SUPERVISORS, YOU MUST CONTACT THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, WHOEVER IS ON THOSE LISTS, YOU MUST BOMBARD THEM WITH INFORMATION AND FACTUAL INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY IS MORE THAN GENEROUS OVER THE 60 PLUS YEARS THAT
[00:05:01]
[INAUDIBLE] PAGE HAS BEEN THERE.ALSO, WE HAVE DAVID AND MARGARET.
WE HAVE LEROY HAYNES, YOU KNOW, SAN DIMAS WITH CAMP ROCKY, WITH MCKINLEY.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO JUST-- THEY COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT LETTING US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON TO CHECK THESE PLACES OUT AND JUST HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. MY GOODNESS, THE POLICE, CITY MANAGEMENT, ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO HERE? WHAT'S THE DEAL? SO, UNITED IS A FRONT, WE MUST ALL GET OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS BE CORDIAL EMAIL CALL THEY'VE BEEN CALLING BACK TO, BUT SOLIS IS NOW ONE OF OURS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE PUT PRESSURE ON THAT, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
DON'T LET UP ON THE PEDAL RIGHT NOW, GUYS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BITE US.
IT'S GOING TO BITE US AND WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
YES. YOU KNOW, IF THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS ARE MEETING IN PERSON, SUCH AS IS THEIR CHAMBER OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR IS IT ALL ZOOM? I DID CHECK. IT'S ALL VIRTUAL.
IT IS NOW. WE WILL BE MONITORING THAT TO SEE IF THEY DO SWITCH TO SOME TYPE OF HYBRID, BUT AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE STILL DOING ALL VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
OK? BECAUSE I WAS THINKING IT WOULD MAKE A REAL IMPACT.
IF WE GO DOWN THERE TO-- THINKING THAT SAME THING, UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE NOT.
OK. I WILL SAY THAT BOB RUSSI, OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, HE'S POSTING THE VIDEOS WITH JOHN BLICKENSTAFF.
THEY'RE POSTING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO YOU GUYS WITH CONTACTS, SUPERVISORS, INFORMATION, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP.
ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITY AND THEN WE'RE WORKING ON SAN DIMAS, WHO IS REALLY INVOLVED, WORKING ON GLENDORA, WORKING ON CLAREMONT BECAUSE THIS IS A RIDGE ISSUE WITH ALL OF OUR FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES HERE.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND SAN DIMAS IS ON TOP OF IT RIGHT NOW WITH US ALSO.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON [INAUDIBLE].
JUST ONE OTHER COMMENT IN THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING DISSEMINATED THAT'S GONE OUT ON THE WEBSITE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
I KNOW I'VE SENT OUT INFORMATION TO A COUPLE OF FOLKS ABOUT KATHARINE BARKER'S CONTACT INFO AS WELL AS THE PROBATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, BUT THERE WAS A NOTE IN ONE OF THE POSTINGS THAT INDICATES ANOTHER ENTITY THAT IS ACTUALLY IS HELPING THE DECISION MAKING BODY. AND SO THERE IS LIKE SOME-- IN THE HELPFUL TIPS, IT DOES INDICATE TO SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR NOTES TO THAT ENTITY AS WELL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S THE SAME EMAIL, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
JUST CHANGE WHO IT'S TO AND MAKE SURE IT GOES OUT.
BUT IF YOU ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IF YOU TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST DID IT RIGHT BEFORE I CAME TO THE MEETING TO SHARE IT OUT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S LAST MINUTE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE PREPARING THE MEETING TOMORROW AND NOW IT'S BEING SWITCHED.
AND TO BOB'S POINT EARLIER, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE SAYING, HAVE PEOPLE COME TO THE MEETING TOMORROW AT 9:30? I KNOW PEOPLE WORK.
I KNOW THAT MAY NOT JIVE WITH YOUR SCHEDULES BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
THEY DID ALSO INCLUDE AN EMAIL ADDRESS SO THAT YOU COULD SEND YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THERE ARE TWO MORE MEETINGS, I THINK, BEFORE THE JANUARY 5.
IS THAT FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S TWO BEFORE JANUARY 5TH OR MAYBE ONE MORE.
OK. AS SOON AS WE GET THAT SCHEDULE, WHICH WE HOPE TO GET FROM [INAUDIBLE] SOON, WE WILL SHARE THAT OUT TOO. THANK YOU, SO JUST BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IT.
AND AS FAR AS WHAT THE RESPONSE CAN CONTAIN, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION OUT THERE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SENT A LETTER.
THERE'S GOOD INFORMATION THERE.
THERE'S GOOD INFORMATION FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOLS.
OUR JOINT LETTER THAT WENT FROM COUNCIL TO [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHERS HAS A LOT OF GREAT CONTENT IN IT.
AND SUPERVISOR BARGER ALSO SENT SOME INFORMATION THAT'S GOING TO BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT WHERE TO DIRECT THEIR FOCUS.
AND SO I WOULD CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE IN THAT SECTION AND REALLY HELP THEM BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT WHERE WE WANT YOU TO PUT PEOPLE, BUT IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO SAY HERE IS A SITE THAT YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE ONCE YOU GIVE THEM THAT SOLUTION, THAT HELPS THEM MOVE TO THAT DIRECTION. WE DON'T WANT TO BE KNOWN AS NIMBYS, WHICH WERE NOT.
THE POINT IS, IS THAT FACILITY WAS MADE FOR A WHOLE DIFFERENT PURPOSE AND IT HAS SERVED THE PURPOSE. BUT AGAIN, THESE PEOPLE AND THESE YOUTH THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT, THEY LIVE A 60-70 MILES AWAY FROM OUR PRESENT LOCATION HERE NOW.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE THERE'S A BARRY J.
NIDORF, WHICH IS IN SYLMAR, AND THEN THERE'S LOS PADRINOS, WHICH IS CLOSED, WHICH IS IN DOWNEY, RIGHT NEXT TO THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, RIGHT NEXT TO THE BUILDINGS.
NOT THAT IT'S IN OUR BACKYARD, BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT IT DOESN'T SUIT THE PURPOSE ANY LONGER. AND I MUST REMIND YOU GUYS, TOO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW BECAUSE I WAS ON THE MEETING WITH THE COMMISSION AND WHICH IS ADAM BETTINO.
HE'S THE JUVENILE JUSTICE REALIGNMENT BLOCK GRANT AND THEN ALSO THE COMMISSION.
VERY NEGATIVE ABOUT JUST THE FACT THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE A DECISION.
BASICALLY, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WHAT THEY SAID WAS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
[00:10:02]
NO ONE'S GOING TO BE HAPPY WHETHER IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT, AND WE DON'T REALLY CARE BASICALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO.THE POINT IS, IS THAT THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS MAKE THE DECISIONS BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR AREAS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PUTTING THESE YOUTH.
AND SO THE ULTIMATE DECISION COMES FROM THE SUPERVISORS.
CONTACT EVERYONE, BUT MAKE YOUR FOCUS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. SO WE ALL HAVE TO BE ON THIS TOGETHER.
WE NEED TO REALLY DO SAVE THIS, SAVE OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, P0ROBABLY WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IF I COULD JUST PIGGYBACK REAL QUICK ON WHAT YOU SAID.
I KNOW EVERYBODY IN EVERY CITY WHERE THERE IS A CAMP OR IS NEAR A CAMP IS SAYING, NOT IN MY BACKYARD, NOT MY BACKYARD.
SO I THINK TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, THAT'S WHY ALL THE FACTS THAT THE RESIDENTS BROUGHT UP DURING THE IN-PERSON MEETING THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ARE THE POINTS THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT. THE FIRE HAZARD, THE INGRESS AND EGRESS THROUGH RESIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND THEN TO PRO TEM DAVIS' POINT COMPARED TO WHAT IS MORE SUITABLE.
SO WE NEED TO DIRECT THEM TO SOMETHING THAT IS MORE SUITABLE AND NOT JUST SAY NOT US, NOT US, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO-- EVERYBODY SAYING NOT US, NOT US.
AND ALSO, WHY DO WE HAVE 707 [INAUDIBLE] OFFENDERS THERE NOW? WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE MEETING [INAUDIBLE] TOWN HALL MEETING. SO FOCUS.
FOCUS ON WHAT THE REALITIES ARE, FOCUS ON THE GENEROSITY THAT OUR CITY HAS GIVEN OVER THE 60-70 YEARS FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
WHEN THIS WAS FARMLAND OUT HERE, GUYS, FARMLAND.
THERE WAS NOTHING NORTH OF FOOTHILL.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SO WE GOT TO STAY FOCUSED ON THIS.
AND INFORMATION SHARING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL.
WE MUST SHARE INFORMATION IF IT COMES OUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE MOST WONDERFUL THING IN THE WORLD NOW BECAUSE WE CAN ALL COMMUNICATE WITHIN MINUTES.
SO IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, I KNOW THE CITY WILL.
WE WILL, AS COUNCIL, WE'LL GET IT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
MR. RUSSI, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
[5. CONSENT CALENDAR]
YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO BE PULLED.THE MINUTES AND FIVE C THE FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT.
CAN WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE A VOTE ON THE REST OF THE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? BUT WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL-CALL VOTE BECAUSE-- YES.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
YES. SO IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS IT STATED? NO. NO. THEN DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
EXCUSE ME. WE NEVER LET MR. CROSBY SPEAK. DID HE HAVE ANYTHING? HE DIDN'T RAISE HIS HAND. SO WE'RE.
VOTE, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, YES.
MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS, YES, MAYOR HEPBURN, YES.
AND MAYOR, IF WE CAN, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THESE OTHER ITEMS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS, I JUST WANT TO BRING TO EVERYONE'S CLARITY THAT ONE OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE PASSED WAS FOR THE FIRE CHIEF.
I'M SORRY, POLICE CHIEF, THAT WE'VE HAD COLLEEN FLORES AS CAPTAIN BE WAITING TO BECOME THE NEW POLICE CHIEF.
SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS EVENING WE HAVE JUST OFFICIALLY APPROVED HER CONTRACT AND SHE WILL BECOME OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT MONTH OR AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU DEFINE WHEN EXACTLY THINGS HAPPEN.
AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME, I ALSO WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE AND RECOGNIZE NICK PAZ, OUR POLICE CHIEF AND WHO HAS SERVED OUR CITY FOR MANY DECADES AND THANK HIM FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT HE'S DONE FOR US.
THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. [APPLAUSE] VERY [INAUDIBLE].
[5a. City Council Minutes]
YES, THAT WAS THE MINUTES AND IT WAS PULLED BY MR. BOWEN. WE'RE GOING TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE AUDIENCE.MR. BOWEN. GOOD EVENING [COUGH] GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE TO THE MINUTES TO PROPERLY REFLECT THE VOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF WHERE THE VOTE TOOK PLACE REGARDING ORDINANCE 1107.
THE LAST FIVE LINES OR SO, IT SAYS, AT THE NOVEMBER 15TH TWO THOUSAND TWENTY ONE MEETING, COUNCIL APPROVED A VOTE BY THREE TO TWO AND IN PARENTHESES, HEPBURN VOTED NO.
IT MAKES NO NOTE THAT MR. CROSBY ALSO VOTED NO.
[00:15:04]
[INAUDIBLE].THERE WAS A VOTE AT TWO HOURS, THIRTY SEVEN MINUTES AND FOUR SECONDS.
MR. CROSBY VOTED NO ON FIVE DISTRICTS.
IN READING THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE TIM HEPBURN WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT VOTED.
I BELIEVE MS. CROSBY SHOULD BE NOTED SINCE YOU WANT TO PUT THIS IN PRINT.
IT ALSO-- THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY, THAT BY A VOTE OF FOUR TO ONE, HEPBURN VOTED NO AND INTRODUCED IN PLACE IN FIRST READING ORDINANCE.
SO AT TWO HOURS, THIRTY SEVEN MINUTES AND FOUR SECONDS, CROSBY VOTED NO ON FIVE DISTRICTS AT TWO HOURS, THIRTY SEVEN OR THIRTY EIGHT MINUTES A MINUTE LATER.
DAVIS MADE IT CLEAR HE SUPPORTED THE FIVE DIFFERENT DISTRICT MAP THAT KEPT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THEIR OWN DISTRICTS.
JUST BY THAT ADMISSION, I THINK THAT'S HORRIBLY WRONG.
BUT THEN SEVEN MINUTES LATER, AT 2:45:15, MR. CROSBY VOTED YES TO FIVE DISTRICTS, PROTECTING HIS SEAT.
I WISH HE WAS HERE BECAUSE THIS SHOWS, I BELIEVE, YOUR HYPOCRISY AT THE BEST.
ALL RESIDENTS LOST 80 PERCENT OF THEIR VOTING RIGHTS ONE TIME PER YEAR PER FOUR YEARS VS.
CURRENTLY TWO OR THREE TIMES PER EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.
IF THAT'S THE WAY I READ THIS, THIS IS WHAT VOTER SUPPRESSION LOOKS LIKE.
SHAME ON YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. ANYBODY ELSE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK ON THIS? WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT UP TO THE-- WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? YEAH, I JUST WE WILL NOTE THE CORRECTION AS IT RELATES TO THE THREE TWO VOTE THAT IT WAS HEPBURN AND CROSBY THAT VOTED NO.
THAT IS AN ACCURATE CORRECTION THAT WE'LL MAKE.
THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM COUNCIL? NO. DO WE WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH ITEM C AND THEN WE'LL TAKE BOTH THESE AT ONE TIME MR. KRESS? [INAUDIBLE]. WE DO THAT.
YES. ITEM FIVE C, THAT WAS PULLED MR.
[5c. Youth and Family Action Committee Executive Board Appointments]
RUSSI. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT WAS MRS. BEAUCHAMP THAT HAS TO HAVE THAT ITEM PULLED MS. BEAUCHAMP. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT? THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PULLING THAT FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR, BUT I DEFER THE COMMENTS TO MRS. CATHY [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU, MS. NEWLAND. CATHY NEWLAND, FOOTHILL TERRACE, LA VERNE, I ASKED FOR THIS ITEM TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR BECAUSE THIS FAVORITISM AND NEPOTISM OF LIFELONG EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY TAKE AWAY THE OPPORTUNITIES FROM RESIDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED.THE CITY IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED, BUT HOW CAN THEY WHEN POSITIONS ARE SWOOPED UP BY PREVIOUS POLICE CHIEFS AND MAYORS? WHERE, WHEN AND HOW WAS THIS POSITION OPENING POSTED FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE MADE AWARE OF IT? THIS CANNOT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN ANY ORGANIZATION THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMITTEE MADE UP OF A VARIETY OF GENERAL PUBLIC.
I BELIEVE THIS WAY OF CHOOSING CANDIDATES NEEDS TO BE RESTRUCTURED.
MAYBE SINCE THE CITY HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO DISTRICTS, EACH CANDIDATE FOR THESE COMMITTEES SHOULD ALSO BE CHOSEN FROM EACH DISTRICT TO KEEP THINGS FAIR.
THANK YOU, CATHY. ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS? [APPLAUSE] WE'LL GO AHEAD CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT [INAUDIBLE].
ROBIN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ON THIS? I WOULD, SINCE I'M THE CHAIR OF THE YOUTH AND FAMILY AND RICK CROSBY IS THE VICE CHAIR.
I WANT TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY, IT WASN'T SEEN BY YOU, BUT WE FLEW THE POSITION.
ACTUALLY, LET ME GO BACK A LITTLE BIT.
CAROLYN COCKRELL STEPPED DOWN FROM HER POSITION ON THE BOARD, AND SO WE HAD A VACANCY.
IT WAS ACTUALLY RICK CROSBY THAT BROUGHT UP TO OUR COMMITTEE RIGHT IN THIS ROOM THAT WE NEED TO FLY IT TO OPEN IT UP.
HOW LONG DO WE FLY IT FOR TWO WEEKS? TWO AND A HALF WEEKS, WE FLEW IT OUT THERE.
BUT ONE PERSON, DON KENDRICK, APPLIED, AND HE HAS BEEN ON THIS COMMITTEE SINCE ALMOST THE INCEPTION OF THE GROUP, YOUTH AND FAMILY.
AND SO WITH THE FULL, IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN THE BOARD MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION.
BUT WE TOOK IT FROM THE WHOLE COMMITTEE AS A RECOMMENDATION SINCE WE ONLY HAD ONE
[00:20:02]
APPLICANT AND HE IS SO QUALIFIED.HE STARTED HANDS ON HISTORY WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING WITH THE, YOU KNOW, YOUTH AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT APPLIED.
SO THAT'S WHY WE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR SUBCOMMITTEE TO THE COUNCIL.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMITTEE, RICK, OR I COULD ANSWER THAT.
UM, AND YES, AND PLEASE, [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THE HOW WE FLEW THIS POSITION AS WELL BECAUSE THIS POSITION WAS FLOWN IN EVERY WHICH WAY.
AND SAME AS WE DO FOR ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONED GROUPS AS WELL.
SO WE HAD IT POSTED, ON TWO OF OUR AGENDAS FOR OUR [INAUDIBLE] MEETING TO DISCUSS TOO.
BUT THIS POSITION WAS FLOWN ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE, THE CITY WEBSITE AND THROUGH OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLACES TOO, SO IT WASN'T JUST TRYING TO-- THERE WAS NO BACKDOOR FEELINGS OR DOINGS.
AND SO MR. KENDRICK HAS BEEN [INAUDIBLE] AND HAS ACTUALLY ATTENDED ALMOST EVERY MEETING SINCE NINETEEN NINETY FOUR. HE FELT THAT HE WAS A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR BEING PART OF THIS.
SO JUST TO CONFIRM THIS WAS FLOWN PER THE BROWN ACT, [INAUDIBLE] DOES FALL UNDER BROWN ACT CONSIDERATIONS.
AND WE HAD THE NOTICE SENT TO THE CITY CLERK FOR HIS APPROVAL AND IT WAS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, AS WELL AS IN THE PUBLIC AREAS OF THE BUILDING AND PUSHED OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL. COUNCIL ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, I'D LIKE TO GO FURTHER ON THAT.
I WAS GOING TO COMMENT TO THANK CAROLYN COCKRELL FOR BEING OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY, SITTING ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS, HER VALUABLE INPUT.
SHE'S A COUNCILOR OVER AT [INAUDIBLE] AND SHE'S VERY VALUABLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO THANK HER PUBLICLY FOR HER DEDICATION TO THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE. AND THEN ALSO WE REAPPOINTED DENISE FISHER.
SHE IS VERY INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A GREAT PERSON TO HAVE ON OUR BOARD, SO I'M SO THRILLED TO HAVE HER BACK.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? SIR.
I'LL JUST ADD ONE THING OUR [INAUDIBLE] MEETINGS ARE OPEN.
THEY'RE THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH.
I MENTIONED IN MY REPORT THAT WE HAVE MANY PARTICIPANTS.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS VERY INVOLVED IN HER STAFF THERE.
SEVERAL MEMBERS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTEND REGULARLY AND THEN WE JUST HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ALSO PARTICIPATE AND DO A LOT OF GREAT, FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S YOUTH.
THANK YOU, J.R. MR. DAVIS ANY COMMENT? I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ACTUALLY, WHEN THIS POSITION CAME UP, I ACTUALLY CALLED J.R.
I THINK I WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST ONE TO SAY, WHAT'S THE METHOD AS BEING A NEW MAYOR? FIRST, IT WAS GOING TO BE APPOINTED, AND THEN HE REALIZED THAT NO, IT HAS TO BE POSTED AND IT HAS TO BE POSTED OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
SO AND DON KENDRICK'S GOT A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE WITH [INAUDIBLE].
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY FORGET ALL ABOUT THE POLITICAL REALM OF THIS.
HE'S BEEN INVOLVED EVER SINCE THE INCEPTION AND HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
THE POINT IS, NO ONE ELSE APPLIED.
HIS POSITIONS UP IN 2022, JUNE OF 2022.
SO IF PEOPLE DO WANT TO DO THAT, BUT HE GIVES COMES WITH A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE. HE'S ONLY GOING TO HELP THIS YFAC COMMITTEE IS REALLY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR YOUTH, PUBLICIZING WHETHER IT BE TOBACCO USE, DRUG ABUSE OR WHATEVER THE SITUATION, MENTAL AWARENESS, THINGS OF THAT SUCH AND THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
SO I THINK THAT IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO-- WE DO POST IT.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROPONENT OF TRANSPARENCY, OPEN GOVERNANCE AND ALSO PUT YOUR TIME OUT THERE. IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS, IT TAKES CITIZENS TO DO THIS.
I MEAN TO BE ABLE TO DONATE YOUR TIME FOR THESE COMMITTEES AND LIKE [INAUDIBLE] SAY, NO ONE ELSE APPLIED, AND DON KENDRICK WAS THERE AND IT WAS A GREAT SHOE IN.
AND I WILL SAY ON BEHALF OF KAREN COCKRELL, SHE'S GIVEN SO MUCH TO THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, SO MUCH AND WE'RE GOING TO MISS HER.
AND DENISE HAS BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE FOR HOW LONG ROBIN? SHE'S ONLY BEEN ON FOR TWO YEARS-- BUT SHE'S GOT, BUT SHE'S BEEN-- THAT'S BEEN COMING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SHE'S BEEN INVOLVED OFF THE COMMITTEE, BUT AS AN OUTSIDE PERSON WATCHING FROM IN.
SO. BUT LIKE I SAY, INVOLVE YOURSELF.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU CAN WATCH VIRTUALLY, YOU KNOW, PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE, LIKE YOU SAY, JUNE 2022, THAT POSITIONS UP.
IF OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO VIE FOR THAT POSITION, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO AND IT'LL BE
[00:25:03]
CONSIDERED BY THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE AND COME TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPOINTMENT. SO.MR. MAYOR YOU NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS CORRECTED AND MAKE THE YFAC APPOINTMENT. I THINK WE HAVE BOTH.
[INAUDIBLE] FIVE A AND FIVE C.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AS CORRECTED AND ACCEPT THE YFAC RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINTMENTS.
[INAUDIBLE]. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
[INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
[INAUDIBLE]. MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS, YES.
THANK YOU. AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JOIN MY COUNCIL IN THANKING MS. COCKRELL FOR HER SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HER SERVICE TO THE YFAC.
AND ALSO WELCOME AND THANK DON KENDRICK FOR APPLYING FOR THE POSITION POSTED AND THANK DENISE FISCHER FOR RENEWING HER COMMITMENT TO YFAC.
[6. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS.WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, IS THAT CORRECT? MR. RUSSI. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CARDS HERE FOR PEOPLE WITH TO SPEAK.
[INAUDIBLE] JUST ASKED TO STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A CARD, WE'RE GOOD. AND JUST PLEASE KEEP YOUR MASK ON IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST TO, LET'S KEEP OURSELVES IN COMPLIANT.
MERRY CHRISTMAS. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU.
IT'S A GOOD TIME OF THE YEAR TO REFLECT-- I MIGHT NEED A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, HOPEFULLY NOT. YOU'RE GOOD.
OK. GOOD TIME OF THE YEAR TO REFLECT ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR CITY, OF THE COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR.
I PERSONALLY WANT TO APPLAUD ALL OUR COUNCIL AND THE COMMITTEE IN THE HIRING OF CHIEF NIGG AND THE APPROVAL OF ALL OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS.
I LIVE RIGHT ON BONITA, SO I'M ONLY A BLOCK FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I'M HEARING AND SEEING OUR OWN PARAMEDICS AND OUR OWN AMBULANCE SEVERAL TIMES A DAY GOING BY MY HOUSE.
AND IT'S VERY HEARTWARMING TO KNOW THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE GETTING THE BEST THAT LA VERNE HAS TO OFFER.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY REFRESHING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS LAST YEAR IS NOT ENDING ON A POSITIVE NOTE WITH THE LOOMING THREAT OF THE CAMPS CHANGING TO PRISONS.
THE MEETING AT OAK MESA SCHOOL WAS AMAZING.
EVEN WITH THE SHORT NOTICE, OVER 100 CITIZENS RALLIED TO FIGHT FOR OUR CITY, SO MANY PEOPLE SPOKE AND EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
OUR MAYOR WHO SPOKE FOR OUR HEART, OUR CITY FOR LA VERNE, AND WE ALL REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
AND AS HE SHOULD AS ANY MAYOR OR ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE CITY SHOULD, HE SPOKE TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS AND THE RESIDENTS.
MY HEART WAS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE AND PRIDE.
AND I JUST PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK YOU, TIM.
TO CLOSE, I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALL ATTEND THE SAME CHURCH, SO I'VE HEARD.
BUT REGARDLESS, I'M EXPECTING YOUR CHURCHES ALL OBSERVE THE GOLDEN RULE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE, WHAT CHURCH YOU GO TO.
IT'S BEEN AROUND AND DOCUMENTED IN EVERY RELIGION BACK TO THE 6TH CENTURY TO BUDDHA, TO FIRST CENTURY JESUS, FIRST CENTURY, RABBI HILLEL, AND I HOPE THEY REMEMBER THIS, THAT WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK TO OUR CITY.
AND WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING US.
AND YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE CITIZENS HERE.
BECAUSE I HAVE A FEELING THAT OUR MAYOR WILL BE APPLAUDING FOR YOU.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF YOU APPLAUDING FOR HIM.
AND I THINK YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE.
[00:30:02]
THANK YOU, SUSAN.TODAY, MY COMMENTS PERTAIN PRIMARILY TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BEFORE THIS EVENING'S COMMENTS, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD NOT YET PUBLICLY DENOUNCED THE POTENTIAL FOR CAMP [INAUDIBLE] TO HOUSE VIOLENT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS.
IS IT BECAUSE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT RETRIBUTION FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUPS THAT THEY ARE MEMBERS OF, SUCH AS [INAUDIBLE] OR BLM OR OTHER SOCIAL INCLUSION GROUPS? WHAT IS WRONG WITH PUBLICLY LETTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS KNOW WHERE YOU STAND ON ISSUES? I KNOW THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY WHO HAVE EMAILED THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THE RESIDENTS HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE.
ALTHOUGH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS COLLECTIVELY SENT A LETTER TO COUNTY SUPERVISOR BARGER'S OFFICE.
TO ME, THIS JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S ENOUGH.
MAYOR HEPBURN WAS AT THE RALLY OVER THE WEEKEND SHOWING HIS SUPPORT OF THE RESIDENTS PROTESTING. A RESIDENT SHARED HER COMMENTS WITH ME AND SAID THAT SHE HAD SPOKE WITH MRS. CARDER AND STATED THAT SHE WAS ALLOWING THE MAYOR TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL. BUT AS MRS. CARDER AND MR. DAVIS SO RUDELY AND INAPPROPRIATELY [INAUDIBLE] STATED AT THE DISTRICT VOTING MEETING ON NOVEMBER 15TH, THEY DOWNPLAYED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MAYORAL DUTIES, STATING THAT IT WAS CEREMONIAL.
THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE IT IS NOT CEREMONIAL.
THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE PEOPLE STAND AND IF THEY HAVE THE BACKS OF THE RESIDENTS THAT VOTE FOR THESE PEOPLE.
NOW SHE WANTS TO HIDE BEHIND HIS LEAD.
MAYOR HEPBURN IS MAKING HIS VOICE HEARD, NOT JUST IN LETTERS AND ATTENDING MEETINGS IN PERSON, BUT HE'S GIVING INTERVIEWS ON THE RADIO AND TELEVISION AT EVERY CHANCE HE CAN, STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY THAT HE CARES ABOUT US AND OUR SAFETY.
AGAIN, THE CITY IS FAILING ITS RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF NOTIFYING THEM OF IMPORTANT ISSUES.
YOU BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT YOU SENT A FLYER, OR YOU POST POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT THE OPENING FOR THE YOUTH AND ACTION FAMILY COMMITTEE, BUT NOT ONCE DID ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL ANNOUNCE IT AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS THAT THERE WAS AN OPENING FOR THAT.
YES, IT WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE YOUTH AND ACTION COMMITTEE, BUT WE CAN'T ALWAYS WATCH EVERY SINGLE MEETING ON ZOOM.
I MEAN, WE'D BE WATCHING MEETINGS ALL DAY LONG.
THERE'S DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S YOUTH IN ACTION, THERE'S CITY COUNCIL, THERE'S PLANNING COMMISSION. I MEAN, WE HAVE JOBS, WE HAVE FAMILIES, WE HAVE LIVES.
BUT AS THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY PEOPLE, AND IT'S SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT YOU DO AT THE END OF THE MEETINGS.
YOU ANNOUNCE YOU ATTENDED THIS GROUP AND WHAT THE STATUS IS AND, YOU KNOW, UPCOMING EVENTS. WHY WASN'T THAT ON THERE? AND SO I CONCUR WITH CATHY'S COMMENTS THAT IT JUST SEEMS, YOU KNOW? AND YES, HE MIGHT HAVE ONLY BEEN THE ONLY APPLICANT FOR THE JOB AND THAT YOU DID IT BY DEFAULT AND HE MIGHT BE MORE THAN QUALIFIED.
BUT YOU KNOW, FOR THE REST OF US WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, IT JUST SEEMS VERY SUSPICIOUS FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.
IN TERMS OF NOTIFYING, WHY IS IT THE CITY OF SAN DIMAS SENT OUT A MAILER INFORMING ALL OF THEIR RESIDENTS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR GLENN ROCKEY TO BE INCREASED POPULATION FOR THE SAME JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
YET CITY OF LA VERNE AGAIN HAS NOT SENT ANY KIND OF NOTIFICATION TO THEIR RESIDENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THE CITY CANNOT AFFORD TO SEND MAILERS TO EVERY RESIDENT FOR EVERY ISSUE, BUT WITH ALL OF THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS, THEY SHOULD KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS IMPERATIVE, WHEN ITEMS ARE SERIOUS ENOUGH TO PERMANENTLY CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES THE SAFETY OF THE RESIDENTS.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT THIS AFTERNOON STATING THAT TOMORROW'S MEETING HAD BEEN RESCHEDULED AS MS. BARRY HAD SPOKE EARLIER.
BUT WHY IS THIS INFORMATION NOT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE? IT STILL HAS THE FLYER FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING ON THERE.
WE SPENT OVER $300000 ON OUR IT DEPARTMENT FOR THIS CITY, AND THEY CAN'T DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS CHANGE THE FLIER ON THE CITY WEBSITE, AND THAT WAS AS OF 3:45 THIS AFTERNOON.
I HAVE BEEN TO UMPTEEN CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND I HAVE CONTINUALLY ATTENDED AND SPOKEN AT, AND I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF ARE TIRED OF HEARING FROM ME COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FAILURE OF TRANSPARENCY AND NOTIFYING RESIDENTS.
BUT UNTIL ANYTHING CHANGES, THE ONLY CONCLUSION THAT US RESIDENTS CAN MAKE IS THAT THIS COUNCIL DOES NOT CARE.
A LARGE PART OF THE REASON IS THESE RADICAL CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE AND THE INADEQUATE
[00:35:02]
LEVEL OF CONCERN FOR THE RESIDENTS, UNLESS THERE IS AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE IN WHICH WE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE]. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT? MS. BERRY. GOOD EVENING.
OK. I'LL MAKE IT SHORT AND SWEET.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING ME QUESTIONS BECAUSE ALL THIS STUFF GOING ON WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] PAGE AND WHERE CAN I FIND THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND THAT.
SO I'VE BEEN LOOKING ON THE WEBSITE FREQUENTLY.
IT'S REALLY HARD. I KNOW THAT FOR THAT SITUATION, THERE IS A LITTLE KEY POINT ON THE FRONT PAGE, BUT WHEN I'M LOOKING FOR OTHER STUFF.
I THINK WE GOT SOMEBODY HIRED TO WORK ON THE WEBSITE A WHILE BACK, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
BUT IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND JUST INFORMATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK UNDER A TAB THAT YOU THINK MAKES SENSE THAT YOU WOULD FIND IT, YOU DON'T SEE IT THERE, IT'S SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR, MAYBE EARLY NEXT YEAR, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE WEBSITE AND UPDATING IT AND MAYBE STREAMLINING IT, SIMPLIFYING IT.
MAKING A LITTLE HARD TO FIND-- OR EASIER TO FIND.
[INAUDIBLE]. BUT AS FAR AS LIKE WE DO HEAR, OFTEN IT'S BEEN ON THE WEBSITE, IT'S BEEN ON THE WEBSITE AND THINGS ARE HARD TO FIND THERE UNLESS YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING EVERY WEEK. IS THERE SOMETHING FLOWN HERE SOMEWHERE? SO JUST, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MS. BERRY. ANYBODY ELSE? JENNIFER. HI, JENNIFER SIMMISON.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAD THE PLEASURE OF THREE HOURS OF LISTENING TO THE PROBATION MEETING TODAY? AND I WAS LOOKING FOR IT FOR ANY LITTLE SECRETS OR ANY LITTLE THINGS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON OR LOOKING AT OR UNDERMINING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN SO NONTRANSPARENT.
THEY THROW THIS ON TO US AT CHRISTMAS.
SO WHAT A SIMPLIFIED WHAT I DID HEAR ONE THING IS, YOU KNOW HOW THEY DID THE REPORT AND THEY STUDIED ALL THEIR CAMPS AND HOW THEY THOUGHT ALL THE CAMPS WERE DOING AND ALL THE TEACHERS FELT DEPRESSED AND THEY DON'T FEEL THEY'RE GETTING ENOUGH SUPPORT.
AND THE ONLY THING THEY TALKED ABOUT WAS HOW [INAUDIBLE] WAS THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL CAMP BECAUSE IT'S A FIRE CAMP AND THE BOY, THE YOUNG KIDS ACTUALLY ARE DOING SOMETHING THERE AND THEY'RE FEELING NICE. THEY'RE GOING FORWARD.
AND I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME, WITH EVERYTHING GOING SO BAD, WHY WOULD THEY TAKE THE ONE GOOD THING THAT'S WORKING FOR THE YOUTH AND GET RID OF IT AND MOVE IT IN? SO I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST THINK IF WE PUSH MORE THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING GOOD, YOU NEED SOMETHING GOOD TO [INAUDIBLE] HERE AND LET US CONTINUE ON BECAUSE WE HAVE LEROY'S BOYS HOME AND DAVID MARGARET, AND WE HAVE JUST SO MUCH THAT WE DO HERE, AND WE'VE DONE AND WE LOVE TO DO AND WE STEP OUT. OUR TOWN WAS CHOSEN TO GIVE ALL THE FREE FOOD THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WAS THAT FROM L.A. COUNTY OR SOMETHING.
WE HAD SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE'RE A GIVING COMMUNITY.
THEN LOOKING AT IT AND THINKING OF IT AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SITE UP THERE.
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE SO MANY CONSTRAINTS BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT ABOUT CONSTRAINTS AND WITH THE FISH AND WILDLIFE.
YOU CAN'T BUILD WITHIN 200 FEET OF THE BUILDING.
I BELIEVE THE BUILDING WAS BUILT IN 58, AND YOU KNOW THAT TO DO A RETROFIT.
I KNOW THERE, L.A. COUNTY, BUT I DON'T KNOW, ARE THEY ON SEPTIC OR ARE THEY CONNECTED TO OUR SEWER? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD A FRIEND WHO'S IN CLAREMONT THAT IF SHE DIDN'T CONNECT TO THE SEWER, THEY COULDN'T DO ANY CONSTRUCTION, THEY COULDN'T ADD A POOL UNLESS THEY CONNECTED TO SEWER.
WELL, IF [INAUDIBLE] HAS TO CONNECT TO SEWER TO MAKE THIS THING LARGER.
THOSE ARE OUR SEWER LINES AND THEY CAN'T HAVE THEM.
OK, SO THEY'RE SPECIAL, [INAUDIBLE].
AND THE OTHER THOUGHT IS BECAUSE OUR PROPERTY, WHEN ALL THE ORCHARDS WERE THERE, WE MOVED HERE IN SEVENTY NINE.
WE MOVED RIGHT ON COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE BEFORE THE GOLF COURSE EVEN WENT IN.
AND EVERYTHING NORTH OF GOLDEN HILLS, WAS ORCHARDS STILL [INAUDIBLE] AND ALL THE
[00:40:05]
[INAUDIBLE] AND ALL THE PEOPLE AND ALL OF US UP THERE RUN WELL, WATER.I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ON DOMESTIC WATER, SO IF THEY'RE NOT ON DOMESTIC WATER, THEN THEY CAN'T PUT THE UPGRADED FIRE SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE PRESSURE. AND YOU CAN'T COUNT ON THE WELL BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH THAT AND I ALSO WE TALKED TO STEVE JOHNSON AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT OUR STEVE JOHNSON ENGINEER, STEVE JOHNSON. AND IF THEY HAVE A WELL, THAT THEY'RE USING THERE FOR THE WATER AND THE THINGS, IT'S PROBABLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE, BUT THEY'RE SITTING UP THERE HIDDEN AWAY [INAUDIBLE] DOING THEIR THING. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ON OUR WATER.
BUT I THINK TRYING TO FIND OTHER THINGS BESIDES [INAUDIBLE], WE DON'T WANT YOU, BUT YOU CAN'T BUILD HERE. TWO HUNDRED FEET WITHIN ALL THEIR PROPERTY LINES BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEW CODE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW L.A. COUNTY IS THE READY SET GO AND THAT'S A HUGE THING ON L.A.
COUNTY. SO I'M JUST HOPING MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER THINGS BESIDES, WE DON'T WANT THEM THERE. [INAUDIBLE] FIRE CAMPS BEEN A WONDERFUL ASSET TO THESE YOUNG KIDS, SO WE SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT AWAY. AND NUMBER TWO, LET'S WORK ON BUILDING PERMITS THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE OUR SEWERS. THANK YOU, JENNIFER.
THANK YOU, JENNIFER. BUT YOU MISSED ELECTRICITY AND GAS.
I LOVE YOUR CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS VAST.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? MR. BOWEN AND THEN LILY.
I'D LIKE TO I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL GET AN ANSWER OR NOT, BUT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT COME IN THE MAIL AND WE'VE HAD TWO HUGE ISSUES VOTING AND THE CAMPS.
BUT IN MY MAIL, I BELIEVE IN MY WATER BILL.
I RECEIVED THIS AND IT'S A NOTICE ABOUT THE MATERIALS [INAUDIBLE] GREEN ORGANICS CHART.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY PAID FOR THAT OR-- DOES HAVE A CITY SEAL ON IT.
AND THE OTHER HALF IT WAS THE CALIFORNIA DROUGHT NOTICE.
WE CAN EITHER AFFORD TO DO THIS, PUT THIS IN OUR BILLS, BUT FOR SOME REASON FOR THE MAJOR THINGS WE CANNOT SEEM TO DO THAT.
MY MAIN ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THERE WAS A CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT, I BELIEVE, REGARDING A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION POSSIBLE LAWSUIT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT BEFORE WE CLOSE TONIGHT, IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO READ THE LETTER TO THE CITY.
CORRECT, MR. RUSSI? IT'S PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
OK. WELL, MR. KRESS. WELL, WELL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS ARE AWARE OF IT.
YES, SIR. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT BEFORE WE LEAVE.
GREAT. I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE DOING THAT.
BUT YOU COULD READ THE LETTER THOUGH.
OK. PLEASE. LET ME READ THE LETTER SO EVERYBODY, EVERY CITIZEN WILL KNOW.
THIS CAME TO MR. KRESS LAST WEEK.
AND IT SAYS THIS FIRM REPRESENTS SIERRA LA VERNE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AS ITS LEGAL COUNSEL, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REQUESTED THAT WE CONTACT YOU REGARDING THE CITY OF LA VERNE RECENT DECISION TO DRAW A COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP IN VIOLATION OF CALIFORNIA ELECTION CODE SECTION TWO ONE SIX ZERO ONE.
SPECIFICALLY, THE COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP VIOLATES ELECTION CODE SECTION SIXTY ONE SIX ZERO ONE C TWO, WHICH STATES THE COUNCIL SHALL NOT ADOPT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THE ORDER OF PRIORITY ONE TO THE EXTENT PRACTICAL. COUNCIL DISTRICTS SHALL BE GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS.
AREAS THAT MEET ONLY AT THE POINTS OF ADJOINING CORNERS ARE NOT CONTIGUOUS.
AREAS THAT ARE SEPARATED BY WATER AND NOT CONNECTED BY A BRIDGE, TUNNEL OR REGULAR FERRY SERVICE ARE NOT CONTIGUOUS.
I BELIEVE THE CITY MET THAT CRITERIA.
TWO, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE.
PARDON ME, THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD OR LOCAL COMMUNITY OF INTEREST SHALL BE RESPECTED IN A MANNER THAT MINIMIZES ITS DIVISION.
A QUOTE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, UNQUOTE, IS A POPULATION THAT SHARES COMMON SOCIAL OR
[00:45:02]
ECONOMIC INTEREST THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITHIN A SINGLE DISTRICT FOR PURPOSES OF ITS EFFECTIVE AND FAIR REPRESENTATION.COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST DO NOT INCLUDE RELATIONSHIPS WITH POLITICAL PARTIES, INCUMBENTS OR POLITICAL CANDIDATES.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE ASSOCIATION IS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST.
THE ASSOCIATION IS A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SHARES COMMON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS, INCLUDING MAINTAINING COMMON AREAS, THE STREETS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY EXCLUSIVELY. NONETHELESS, THE CITY OF LA VERNE COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP ADOPTED VIA ORDINANCE 1107, UNNECESSARILY AND ILLEGALLY DIVIDES THAT ASSOCIATION.
THE CITY APPARENTLY TOOK GREAT PAINS TO DIVIDE THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DISTRICT THREE AND FOUR. IT CREATED A DIVIDING LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF ROBLE LANE, TRICKLING CREEK DRIVE AND EAGLE DRIVE FOR NO DEFENSIBLE REASON.
THE COUNCIL CERTAINLY COULD HAVE MADE GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS MAP AND MAINTAIN THE GEOGRAPHY, THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF THE ASSOCIATION.
THE ASSOCIATION SUSPECTS THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THIS SPECIFIC MAP FOR DISTINCTLY POLITICAL PURPOSES, FAVORING ONE PARTY IN VIOLATION OF ELECTION CODE SECTION 21601D.
THE ASSOCIATION DEMANDS THAT THE CITY OF LA VERNE IMMEDIATELY HALT ITS PLAN TO ADOPT THE DRAWN COUNCIL DISTRICT MAP AS OF JANUARY 2022.
SUPPOSE THE CITY REFUSES TO REDRAW THE MAP TO CONFORM WITH THE ELECTION CODES.
IN THAT CASE, THE ASSOCIATION WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FILE AN ACTION FOR IMMEDIATE INJUNCTION, IMMEDIATE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO.
THE CITY HAS UNTIL DECEMBER 21ST.
TWENTY TWENTY ONE TO AGREE TO REDRAW THE COUNCIL MAPS OR THE ASSOCIATION WILL FILE A LAWSUIT. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME TO DISCUSS.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE APPARENTLY OUR ASSOCIATION OF WHICH I LIVE IN IS THE ONLY ASSOCIATION IN THE CITY THAT WAS SEPARATED.
AND IN FACT, THEY CAME IN OUR GATE, OUR PRIVATE GATE DOWN OUR STREETS AND EXITED OUR EXIT GATE, DIVIDING ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE HOMES, I BELIEVE FIFTY THREE TO EIGHTY EIGHT. NOWHERE ELSE IN THIS CITY WAS THAT DONE AS FAR AS I KNOW.
AND WE BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.
ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS BROUGHT IT UP.
EXPLAINED IT. WALK THROUGH IT ALMOST TO A POINT OF THIS LETTER, BUT YOU ALL IGNORED IT.
SO MR. DAVIS YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO DO DISTRICTS BECAUSE YOU WERE AFRAID OF A LAWSUIT.
YOU MAY HAVE GOT ONE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. [APPLAUSE] ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK.
[INAUDIBLE]? DID YOU? NOT ON THIS SUBJECT.
OK. I'M SORRY, [INAUDIBLE]. SORRY.
OK, I'M LILY BRENNER, CITIZEN OF LA VERNE.
I JUST ALWAYS LIKE TO SIT HERE LIKE IT MY JOB TO WATCH EVERYBODY WATCH THINGS GOING ON IN THE CITY BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT MY FUTURE, MY KIDS' FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THIS VOTING AND THIS CAMPAIGN, WHICH I THINK IS SINCE THE SUMMER TIME OR A ZOOM MEETING, I HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS.
YOUR VOTING COMING INTO OUR CITY SHOULD BE ON SOME NEWS OR SOME OFFICIAL LETTER.
OK, SO I START THE QUESTION EVERY SINGLE MEETING.
WHEN WILL DISTRICT VOTING [INAUDIBLE]? WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I WANT TO SEE THE MAP, HOW TO DO THE MATH THINGS RIGHT.
SO I KEEP QUESTION EVERY SINGLE TIME.
SO, BUT STILL END UP ONE IS OPEN TO TAKE THE COMMENT, THE COMMENT WHATEVER ON ZOOM OR HERE UP TO 90 PERCENT RESIDENT OPPOSED THAT.
WE DON'T WANT FIVE DAYS STRAIGHT AND THEN END UP-- EVEN FOUR DISTRICT [INAUDIBLE] FINE.
OK, BUT WITH [INAUDIBLE], THE MAYOR.
[00:50:01]
[INAUDIBLE] NOT ROTATING MAYOR.WE KEEP OVER AND OVER FOR AT LEAST LIKE TWO MONTHS.
TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC FOR COMMENT, BUT STILL END UP VOTE TO FIVE.
I'M KIND OF VERY UPSET FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE STILL FIRST TIME HEARD ABOUT THAT, EVEN [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE CAMPAIGN, WE PROTEST OR REACH MEDIA TOGETHER.
SO MANY RESIDENTS STILL THE FIRST TIME HEARD ABOUT DISTRICT VOTING.
WHAT? WE ARE NOT ONE IN LA VERNE? SO WHY? YESTERDAY.
I MEAN, LAST SATURDAY, WE HAVE A PROTEST RALLY AT THE CORNER DISTRICT AND PRESENT MR. MAYOR'S THERE AND THE MEDIA THERE ACTUALLY CBS PLACE THREE TIMES AT NIGHT.
SO WE ALREADY IN PUBLIC, BUT SO MANY RESIDENTS, THEY REALLY FIRST HEARD ABOUT DISTRICT VOTING, WHY WE DID NOT GET ON FACEBOOK.
WHY YOU DO A THING WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GO TO THE CITY WEBSITE TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING LIKE ONE [INAUDIBLE] THERE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE GET KICKED OFF ON FACEBOOK LAST FROM LAST ELECTION? MOST MY CONSERVATIVE FRIEND WHO SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, NOT THE PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW GET KICKED OUT FROM FACEBOOK.
I TRY TO STAY IN FACEBOOK BECAUSE I HAVE 100 PARENTS THAT WANT ME TO FIGHT FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS FOR THE BONITA DISTRICT.
THIS IS GOING TO TEACH YOU THE EDUCATION RIGHT AFTER THIS VOCATION.
HOW MANY PEOPLE NOTICE THAT? SO THIS IS A TRANSPARENCY.
JUST NOW I FIND THE REVOLTING ARTICLE POST YESTERDAY, UPLOAD YESTERDAY.
SO HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL REALLY SEE A LIE THERE? OK, NOBODY.
I'M JUST WHAT? WHY EVERY TIME I FIND FIRST, BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS ON SOCIAL MEDIA DOING SOMETHING, SEARCHING SOMETHING AND SAY, OH, UPLOAD YESTERDAY.
OF COURSE, I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THAT, BECAUSE IF THIS VOTING STUFF AND SOMEBODY SAY THEY LOSE VOTING RIGHTS, SO IT HAS TO BE DISTRICT VOTING.
I DON'T KNOW WHO REALLY, REALLY PRESENT ME AS THE ASIAN.
SOMETHING LIKE THIS? OK, I DON'T CARE.
OK. I DON'T THINK IN THE FUTURE.
WHO WILL CARE? [INAUDIBLE] IF IT REALLY HAPPENED.
ONLY THE PEOPLE LIVE THERE AT [INAUDIBLE] I THINK BELONG TO OUR MAYOR.
CAN HAPPEN. THAT'S THAT AREA, RIGHT? SO DO YOU THINK ARE THE DISTRICT ASK YOUR HEART? DO YOU MIND IF THEY DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE FOR YOU? ARE YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN THAT WILL HAPPEN AND UP THE RESULT WITH WE DON'T LIKE THE WORST RESULT [INAUDIBLE] UPDATE AS PERSON.
SO WHO IS GOING TO WORRY ABOUT THAT? ACTUALLY, A LOT OF CHINESE.
THEY JUST KNOW THAT IN SATURDAY, THEY WANT TO COME TODAY.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO COME.
THEY WON'T DO THE ZOOM MEETING.
I REGISTERED THE ZOOM MEETING BUT I DIDN'T GET THE ZOOM MEETING LINK AFTER THE SECOND EMAIL. SO I COME HERE. EVEN THOUGH I WAS VERY BUSY TONIGHT, I STILL COME HERE BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET THE SECOND LINK.
OK, SO THE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO COME ASK ME FOR LINK JUST NOW.
SO LACK OF TRANSPARENCY? VERY BAD. SO I JUST WANT TO.
I DON'T WANT TO COME HERE EVERY TIME.
OK, SO I JUST THINKING IT'S REALLY, REALLY NOT ENOUGH.
SO IT HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT ISSUE HAS TO DO MORE.
FACEBOOK IS NOT OFFICIAL TO REACH YOUR RESIDENT, AND THEN I'M THINKING, WHY ONLY TIM HEPBURN SHOW UP IN SEPTEMBER, SATURDAY OR ANY OTHER INTERVIEW EVEN THAT DAY IN MESA? I IN MY [INAUDIBLE] TIME, THEY DID A VERY GOOD ARTICLE IN CHINESE AND ENGLISH, ONLY INTERVIEWED TIM HEPBURN AND CARDER, AND THEN WHERE'S THE OTHER THREE.
I THINK YOU GUYS WHAT COULDN'T SEE YOU GUYS AND THEN YOUR ORDER DISAPPEAR ME.
[INAUDIBLE] COULDN'T FIND YOU TO ASK YOU COME FROM IF YOU SUPPORT OR NOT.
SO IF AFTER THIS DISTRICT VOTING, WILL ANY OTHER FOUR COUNCIL REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS DISTRICT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER, OK.
[APPLAUSE] ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? AND THERE'S THOSE THAT ARE ONLINE, PLEASE USE THE RAISE YOUR HAND FEATURE.
LET'S GO TO THE PHONES. I THINK WE HAVE ONE HAND-RAISED MR. ALLISON.
HELLO EVERYBODY GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHIEF PAZ FOR THIRTY EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE.
IN 2016 MY WIFE AND I DECIDED THAT WE WOULD REACH OUT TO OUR POLICE CHIEFS TO START A
[00:55:08]
CONVERSATION JUST TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE WERE HAVING IN OUR CITY AND OPENING A PATHWAY OF DIALOG.AND CHIEF GOT [INAUDIBLE] AT THE TIME HE WAS VERY RECEPTIVE.
IT WAS THEN CAPTAIN NICK PAZ WAS ALSO IN ON [INAUDIBLE] AND BOTH OF THEM WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US BRIDGE LOTS OF GAPS THAT EXISTED BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP, I THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD WHEN THEY FELT THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO OVER 38 YEARS, I KNOW THAT THAT'S JUST MY SMALL TESTIMONIAL FOR WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE'S DONE FOR THIS CITY.
I THINK LA VERNE IS A GREAT CITY.
I THINK IT'S HAD A LOT TO DO WITH HIS LEADERSHIP.
AND SO WITH HIS GOING OUT AND RETIREMENT, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU TO CHIEF PAZ AND THE PAZ FAMILY FOR GIVING US SUCH A GREAT MAN THAT WOULD SERVE THE CITY AND PROVIDE US THE LEADERSHIP THAT HE HAS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH CAPTAIN FLORES OR SOON TO BE CHIEF FLORES AND HELPING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CITY THE GREAT CITY THAT IT IS.
BUT TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE TO THE CHIEF, TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE THE CITY TO MAKE IT THE CITY THAT IS.
THANK YOU ALL. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, [INAUDIBLE] TO COME UP TO THE DAIS.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ANSWER A COUPLE QUESTIONS? YES. WOULD YOU PLEASE? IF YOU CAN ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS, PLEASE? THE COMMENT ABOUT THE POSTING OF OUR WEBSITE.
I CHECKED IT WHILE WE WERE SITTING HERE.
IT WAS SOME TIME WE DIDN'T GET IT TILL ALMOST 3:30.
SO THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN CORRECTED AND WE HAVE THE INFORMATION OUT THERE REGARDING TOMORROW'S BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, AS WELL AS THE MEETING BEING CANCELED OR POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY 5TH.
AS FAR AS THE QUESTION REGARDING THE ORGANICS, YES, THE CITY DID PAY FOR THAT FLIER TO GO IN THERE BECAUSE THE NEW RATE GOES INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST.
AND AS THE COUNCIL REMEMBER, WE APPROVE THOSE BACK IN JUNE AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL WAS AWARE. AND I THINK MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS. AND LASTLY, THERE WON'T BE JUST BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE ANY COMMENT MADE THE COUNCIL DID DISCUSS THE LETTER IN CLOSED SESSION.
THEY ARE AWARE OF IT AND THERE'S NO FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN AT THIS TIME.
AND LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO EXPRESS THANKS TO CHIEF PAZ AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, THE 29TH, I BELIEVE IT IS, WILL BE HIS LAST DAY AND IT HAS BEEN A REAL PLEASURE IN WORKING WITH HIM THROUGH WHAT WERE SOME CHALLENGING TIMES WHEN HE FIRST CAME IN AS POLICE CHIEF. BUT TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL POINT THAT I THINK WE SIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT NOW AND LOOK VERY FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD WITH COLLEEN.
BUT I WILL. MS. CHIEF PAZ THANK YOU.
DO YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT THE WEBSITE? OH, YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE WEBSITE AND WHERE THERE WAS AT, AND I KNOW THAT'S JR'S PROJECT, SO I'LL LET HIM SPEAK TO THAT.
YEAH, WE'VE BEEN DILIGENTLY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, MAKING THE PREPARATIONS TO CONVERT WITH CIVIC PLUS.
IF YOU REMEMBER, COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO APPROVE THEM AS A ONE TO REDESIGN OUR WEBSITE.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING LOTS OF FUN STUFF, TAKING PHOTOS ALL OVER TOWN, WORKING ON BRANDING FOR THE WEBSITE, PICKING OUT COLOR THEMES AND ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE WHILE THE TRANSITION HAPPENS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST REVEAL THAT STAFF WILL GET.
BECAUSE NOW WE'VE PICKED OUT ALL THOSE THINGS, AND NOW THEY'RE BUILDING THE SITE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PAGES OF INFORMATION THAT HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED OVER.
SO THEY'RE DOING THAT WORK NOW.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST REVEAL WILL BE THE FIRST PART OF APRIL.
THAT'S THE FIRST REVEAL FOR STAFF.
SO IF WE NEED TO DO ANY TWEAKS OR CHANGES, THEN WE WOULD MAKE THOSE.
SO THE HOPE IS BY THE END OF APRIL THAT WE'LL HAVE THE WEBSITE ONLINE.
[01:00:04]
THANK YOU, J.R. CAN'T HAPPEN TOO SOON.MR. CROSBY. [INAUDIBLE] HOLD ON GOT TO MAKE HIM [INAUDIBLE] AT THIS MEETING WAS TOO IMPORTANT TO MISS BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN LA VERNE.
I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL STANDS TOGETHER AGAINST THE CHANGES OF THE YOUTH CAMPS AND APPRECIATES THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR DOING THAT AS THOUGH WE CANNOT ALWAYS BE AT EVERY EVENT. WE DO COMMUNICATE AND APPRECIATE OUR STANCE TOGETHER AS THE STANCE ACTUALLY IN WHAT I'VE HEARD ALL OF LA VERNE TOGETHER.
THE CHANGE OF THE DATES FROM TOMORROW'S MEETING TO JANUARY 5TH REALLY HELPS UNITE ALL OF US TOGETHER TOO SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PUSHING AND KEEP THE WORD UP SO THAT WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND DISCUSSING THE POINTS WHERE LA VERNE AND THE STRENGTHS THAT WE DO.
THANK YOU, MS. SIMMISON TODAY FOR THOSE POINTS TO ADD IN YOUR LETTERS TO THE SUPERVISORS AND TO THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT.
I THINK WE NEED TO STAND TOGETHER AND UNITED ON THIS PART.
I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
AND ONE LAST THING TO REALLY THANK CHIEF PAZ FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE MISSED AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THAT TO [INAUDIBLE] THIS AFTERNOON. AND I'LL JUST CUT IT SHORT, THOUGH, BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TONIGHT REMOTELY SO THAT WE CAN NOT MISS THE IMPORTANT PART.
WHO'D LIKE TO GO NEXT. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
[7. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]
SO JUST I THINK YOU TOO I WANTED TO GIVE TO MRS. SIMMISON AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT DO HAVE TO BE BROUGHT TO THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST AGAIN, NOT MY BACKYARD.SO I THINK HAVING ALL THOSE PERSPECTIVES IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHEN I WAS AT THAT MEETING, I THINK THAT WAS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THE PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE YOU DID HEAR FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND PERSPECTIVES THAT MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED. AND I KNOW THAT RIGHT AFTER THAT MEETING, YOU KNOW, I HAD TALKED TO BOB AND I HAD TALKED TO SOME RESIDENTS WHO HAD EITHER WORKED AT THOSE CAMPS OR WORK WITH THAT POPULATION, AND THEY PROVIDED SOME VERY IMPORTANT INSIGHT.
THERE WAS A JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ATTORNEY THERE AS WELL WHO PROVIDED HER INSIGHT, AND THOSE IMPORTANT FACTUAL PIECES OF INFORMATION WERE ALSO INCORPORATED INTO THAT LETTER THAT WAS SENT ON BEHALF OF ALL COUNCIL.
BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK THE MORE PERSPECTIVES AND THE MORE POINTS THAT WE CAN MAKE ABOUT WHY THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE, RATHER THAN JUST SAYING IT'S NOT THE RIGHT PLACE IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT IN HOPEFULLY PERSUADING PEOPLE.
TO THE MAYOR'S POINT EARLIER AND AS A REMINDER, SINCE [INAUDIBLE] NOW DOES HAVE A PART OF LA VERNE INCLUDE HER IN YOUR COMMENTS NOW AS WELL.
AND I THINK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE UNTIL JANUARY 5TH, THERE'S MORE TIME NOW TO TRY TO RALLY FOLKS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK HEARING THOSE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES IS GOOD BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES YOU SEE.
YOU KNOW, THE SAME LIKE EMAILS THAT PEOPLE TELL YOU, HEY, GO SEND OUT THIS EMAIL, AND IT SAYS THE EXACT SAME THING.
THAT KIND OF FLIES OVER PEOPLE'S CAN FLY OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS, BUT I THINK WHEN THEY START SEEING ALL THESE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT POINTS THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING, THEY START REALIZING, HEY, THIS ISN'T JUST ONE REASON IT'S BAD.
THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS IT'S NOT GOOD.
SO. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SHARE IS THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE HAD A BLOOD DRIVE LAST WEEK.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE DONATED BLOOD IN THE PAST, THE RED CROSS IS EXPERIENCING A RECORD DEFICIENCY IN BLOOD DUE TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO GET A TRANSFUSION RECENTLY BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ENOUGH BLOOD AVAILABLE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER IT IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE IT OR IF YOU HAVE DONE IT TO CONSIDER MAKING AN APPOINTMENT, IT'S REALLY EASY.
YOU CAN GO TO THE RED CROSS WEBSITE AND FIND A BLOOD DRIVE NEAR YOU OR SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT YOU CAN REALLY HELP SAVE A LOT OF LIVES.
SO IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED, I HATE NEEDLES, AND IF I CAN SIT THROUGH IT, ANYONE CAN SO
[01:05:08]
HIGHLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO DO THAT.AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO DID GO OUT TO THE BLOOD DRIVE BECAUSE I DID SEE QUITE A FEW RESIDENTS WHO JUST ENDED GOING ON TO THE UNIVERSITY'S CAMPUS, THEY TOOK WALK INS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE. I ALSO WANT TO SEND THANK YOU TO CHIEF PAZ FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE.
HE'S ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN DOOR WHENEVER I'VE HAD A QUESTION OR DIDN'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
HE HAS BEEN MORE THAN KIND AND MORE THAN GENEROUS WITH HIS TIME IN TERMS OF ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS. SO I ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO HIM.
I THINK JUST A 38 YEARS IN ANY ONE PLACE IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS PRETTY MIRACULOUS, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. SO THANK YOU TO CHIEF PAZ.
LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH OUR INCOMING CHIEF AND REALLY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF AND PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY RUN BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE PLACE WE HAVE NOW.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYBODY.
WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE, WHETHER IT'S CHRISTMAS, KWANZAA.
HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH YOUR FAMILIES.
BE SAFE, BE KIND TO ANOTHER ONE ANOTHER AND WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, OR I'M SORRY, ROBIN CARDER.
CLOSE. CROSBY CARDER [LAUGHTER].
AND I TOO WANT TO START BY THANKING NICK PAZ, OUR POLICE CHIEF, FOR BEING OUR CHIEF HERE IN THE CITY. THE MAYOR AND I WERE BOTH ON THE COMMITTEE WHEN WE HIRED HIM, AND IT WAS OUR HONOR TO CHOOSE NICK.
HE WAS COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HE JUST CARES ABOUT EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND HE IS JUST A WONDERFUL MENTOR TO OUR NEW CHIEF THAT'S COMING ON.
SHE WILL TELL YOU THAT FIRSTHAND THAT HE HAS GUIDED HER THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND ALL ABOUT LA VERNE, AND SHE SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF HIM.
AND SO, NICK, YOU'LL BE MISSED AND THANK YOU FOR DEDICATING YOUR TIME TO LA VERNE.
THE OTHER ITEM I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT'S SO APPROPRIATE BEING THE END OF THE YEAR, AND I HOPE WE CAN START JANUARY 2022 WITH A FRESH NEW YEAR.
SO OFTEN COMMENTS ARE MADE HERE THAT ARE STATEMENTS AND A LOT OF TIMES FALSE STATEMENTS.
WE, UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT, CANNOT ANSWER OR SPEAK TO YOU ON THAT.
BUT IT IS DISHEARTENING TO ME BECAUSE THE FACT IS WE CAN'T ANSWER A STATEMENT.
BUT IF YOU PUT IT INTO A QUESTION, CALL US, ASK US.
AND THEN AFTER THE MEETING, WE COULD DISCUSS IT.
BUT HOW DO YOU DEFEND A STATEMENT? BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I REALLY WANT TO CLARIFY.
SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC OUT THERE KNOWS I GET SO OFTEN PEOPLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK UP AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENED OR THIS HAPPENED? BUT YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN IT'S LIKE, IT'S JUST IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
THOSE THAT KNOW ME KNOW HOW I WORK, AND YOU KNOW THAT I HAD THE INTEREST OF THIS COMMUNITY FIRSTHAND.
AND SO TO ANITA'S STATEMENT, WHERE DO WE ALL STAND ON THIS? CATHY NULAND POSTED IT ON NEXT DOOR.
SHE ASKED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, AND WE ALL SAID HOW WE FELT, AND IT WAS ALL POSTED RIGHT THERE. SO RIGHT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ASK, WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THIS? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN THE NEW YEAR THAT WE ARE MORE COMPASSIONATE AND CARING ABOUT EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND AS FAR AS THE MAYOR, JUST THIS MORNING, WE DID A BREAKFAST TO RECOGNIZE OUR WONDERFUL EMPLOYEES OVER IN THE CITY YARD, OUR STREET MAINTENANCE OUR WATER DEPARTMENT.
AND IT'S SUCH A REFRESHING FEELING.
BUT HE AND I WERE HAVING A COMFORTABLE TALK ABOUT JUST ME THANKING HIM FOR BEING ON THE MEDIA, HANDLING HIS SPEECHES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL AT THAT MEETING.
YOU KNOW, RICK HAD A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, SO HE COULDN'T BE AT THAT OAK MESA MEETING, BUT WE WERE THERE.
AND THAT IS WHERE THE ONE STATEMENT UPSETS ME IS THAT THE ONE WOMAN THAT WROTE ME AND SAID, WHY DIDN'T YOU SPEAK OUT AT OAK MESA? AND THAT'S WHERE I SAID OUR MAYOR WAS OUR SPOKESPERSON.
I WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE AT OAK MESA, IT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE.
I WANTED TO HEAR FROM ALL THE RESIDENTS.
AND SO TIM SPOKE VERY ELOQUENTLY SPEAKING FOR HOW THE COUNCIL FELT, AND I APPLAUD HIM ON THAT. AND SO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE LIVE HERE.
WE CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY TO LILY'S POINT.
I LIVE UP THERE TOO, VERY CLOSE TO TIM.
IT'S THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A ONE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS WHOLE THING AND WE HAVE BEEN WE'VE BEEN WRITING LETTERS.
[01:10:02]
YOU COULD SEE OUR POST. ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN WRITING TO ME AND SOME ARE NASTY EMAILS, BUT IT'S LIKE I'M TRYING TO GET OUT THE POINT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S TO ME RIDICULOUS.ASK US, WOULD YOU WANT US TO TREAT YOU THAT WAY IS HOW I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THE NEW YEAR THAT EVERYBODY REALLY THINKS HOW WE TALK TO ONE ANOTHER, CALL US.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, CALL ME, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST A POINT OF INTEREST IS THAT IF WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND SO REALLY, THINK OF THAT AND CALL US, LET US HELP YOU AND WORK TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN LEARN FROM YOU.
SO OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, I DO WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ENJOY YOUR FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS MORNINGS COMING UP AND ON A POSITIVE NOTE.
AND I KNOW MUIR IS GOING TO TOUCH ON IT TOO.
WE, OUR COMMITTEE, HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.
WE STILL NEED SOME VOLUNTEERS TO COME OUT.
SO MUIR, WOULD YOU TOUCH ON THAT AND GO FURTHER? THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL START THERE.
YES, SO IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO VOLUNTEER, TO HELP SANTA DELIVER GOODY BAGS TO THE RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES, SO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND SIGN UP, AND IT MAY BE A FEW MORE CLICKS THAN WE WANT TO CLICK TO GET TO WHERE WE'VE GOT TO GET TO.
BUT I WORK FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON AND OUR WEBSITE HERE AT LA VERNE IS SO MUCH SUPERIOR TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON'S INTERNAL WEBSITE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO ALWAYS BE BENCHMARKING OFF OF MY OWN COMPANY.
IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO BE OUT THERE TRAVELING THROUGH OUR STREETS AND SEEING OUR COMMUNITY WALK OUT OF THEIR HOUSES, ALL AS A NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THE SAME TIME AND SEE SANTA AND WAVE TO HIM, BUT MOSTLY TURN TO THE NEIGHBORS AND SPEND A FEW MINUTES OUT THERE. SO IN SOME CASES, IF WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND COME BY AGAIN 10 OR SO MINUTES LATER, PEOPLE ARE STILL OUT THERE COMMUTING, AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY HELPS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SPECIAL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, YES, THERE ARE NEW WASTE RULES COMING OUT TO MANAGE FOR RESIDENTS MANAGING FOOD WASTE INTO YOUR GREEN WASTE.
I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ALL THE DETAILS.
I ASKED FOR SOME BECAUSE ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS WHAT DO I DO WITH LIQUID FOOD WASTE? DO I JUST GO AHEAD AND DUMP IT IN MY GREEN CAN? OR SHOULD THAT BE IN A CONTAINER? SO IF WE GET MORE INFORMATION I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE IT, BUT HOPEFULLY THE RULES ARE BEING DISSEMINATED AND HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR ME.
SO NOT NECESSARY TO COUNT TO CITY STAFF OR WHATNOT.
BUT OUT IN THE ETHER WORLD, I GOOGLED IT ONCE AND DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER.
SO THERE IS A CHALLENGE TO INFORMATION OUT THERE.
I WANT TO FOLLOW THAT BY SAYING I MADE REMARKS EARLIER ABOUT CHIEF NICK PAZ RETIRING.
I WANT TO FURTHER MY COMMENT ON THAT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERY TRANSITION IS GRACEFUL AND GRACIOUS AND ALL ROSES.
OCCASIONALLY, THERE ARE THORNS GOING ON, AND I KNOW THAT CHIEF PAZ RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A DEATH IN HIS EXTENDED FAMILY OF CHOICE, I'LL SAY.
AND I KNOW THAT IS MAKING THIS WHOLE TRANSITION VERY CHALLENGING.
SO MY HEART REACHES OUT TO YOU, NICK.
THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY AND IT IS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL SUPPORTIVE AND TOGETHER ON THIS.
SO IT DOES DISHEARTEN ME SOME WHEN PEOPLE START TO TRY TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY IS DOING IT BETTER THAN OTHERS. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT MAYOR TIM HEPBURN WAS REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WHEN HE SPOKE AT OAK MESA.
AND I KNOW I WAS GATHERING INFORMATION.
SO THE NEXT MORNING I FELT MOTIVATED TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE SUPERVISORS AS WELL AS THE COMMISSION AND PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT I HEARD FROM OUR RESIDENTS THAT I THOUGHT WERE SALIENT. ONE WAS A HIGHER FIRE CONCERN.
AND AS AN EDISON EMPLOYEE, HIGH FIRE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'S TOP OF MIND FOR ALL OF US. SO I WROTE ABOUT THE HIGH FIRE.
I WROTE ABOUT THE LIMITED ACCESS SHOULD THERE NEED TO BE SERVICES PROVIDED AND THAT BEING NOT AS CONVENIENT AS THE MAP MIGHT OTHERWISE SHOW.
AND I WROTE THAT THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE WAS REALLY IN POOR SHAPE AND WOULD NEED A HUGE AMOUNT OF UPLIFT TO MAKE IT READY.
I'VE ADDED A FEW MORE SO I'M GOING TO GET TO SEND ANOTHER LETTER AND TALK ABOUT THE
[01:15:01]
CURRENT PROGRAM, ABOUT BEING THE FIRE PROGRAM AT THE CAMPS, ABOUT THE SEWER OR SEPTIC, AS WELL AS WATER SYSTEM QUESTIONS.UNFORTUNATELY, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY IS UNLIKE MANY OF THE OTHER SERVICES, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THE CALIFORNIA STATE LAW SAYS THAT IF SOMEONE WANTS ELECTRIC SERVICE, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY MUST PROVIDE IT NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE, WHICH IS ONE REASON WHY IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE THE WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE REALLY BEEN CHALLENGING, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PIECE.
THE PIECES THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL STAND TOGETHER ON THIS, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS TRYING TO STAND APART.
I THINK WE'RE ALL STANDING TOGETHER ON THIS IS CAPTURE PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT I MEAN, PEOPLE ASK ME WHERE I WAS.
I WAS SENDING THEM MY LETTER SO THEY COULD CAPTURE SNIPPETS OUT OF THAT OR TAKE THE WHOLE THING IN FULL AND SEND IT OFF.
BUT I DO ENCOURAGE YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBER LAU SAID.
DON'T JUST CAPTURE AN ENTIRE LETTER AND SEND IT OFF BECAUSE IT'LL LOOK THE SAME.
AND AFTER A WHILE, IT KIND OF NUMBS THE MIND AS THEY'RE SEEING IT.
SO CAPTURE A LITTLE BIT OF THE COUNCIL LETTER, CAPTURE A LITTLE BIT OF MY LETTER IF YOU SEE IT, CAPTURE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT RECENTLY GOT POSTED, EVEN SUPPORTED BY SUPERVISOR BARGER TO IDENTIFY.
SO CAPTURE PIECES OF THOSE CAPTURES SOME PIECE FROM THE CAPTAIN SOON TO BE CHIEF COLLEEN FLORES' LETTER CAPTURE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT COLE CARL COLE'S LETTER SAN DIMAS' LETTER WHEREVER. JUST KEEP IT INTERESTING AND KEEP PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT IT AND KEEP SENDING THOSE LETTERS. BECAUSE YES, PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT MOSTLY PUBLIC COMMENT IS TO STAFF IN THIS CASE.
IN THE CASE OF THE COMMISSION, THE DECISION MAKERS ARE RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM THE STAFF. BUT IF THEY'RE ALSO RECEIVING EMAILS, I THINK WE'LL SEE MOVEMENT, WHICH I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BARGER.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SEE US TURN AND START TO FIRE AT EACH OTHER ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THIS IS ONE ISSUE WHERE I THINK WE ARE STANDING TOGETHER.
I THINK WE'RE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER.
IT MAY NOT BE AS READILY VISIBLE TO FOLKS THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT EVEN ME IN SOUTHERN LA VERNE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NEAR LA VERNE BECAUSE THESE CAMPS REALLY AREN'T IN LA VERNE, THEY'RE IN L.A.
COUNTY, WHICH IS ONE REASON WHY THERE'S THIS WHOLE NOTION THAT, WELL, WE DON'T SEE THE INCREASE IN SERVICES TO COUNTY SERVICES.
OF COURSE NOT, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE THE BURDEN OF LA VERNE SERVICES FIRST, BECAUSE WE'RE THE CLOSEST.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ON THAT.
LET'S SEE, LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MERRY CHRISTMAS.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, WHERE WE'RE IN AN EXPECTING MODE AND, YOU KNOW, 2000 PLUS YEARS AGO SOMEBODY CAME, YOU KNOW, GOD INCARNATE EMANUEL.
HE CAME IN PERSON AS PHYSICAL BEING IN AN UNUSUAL PLACE IN A PLACE AT THE TIME THAT WAS NOT WELL KNOWN IN A FACILITY THAT WAS FOR ANIMALS, NOT HUMANS.
SO WE ALL NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND CARING FOR EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD REMINDER FOR THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
TWO WEEKENDS AGO SATURDAY, WE HAD WINTER WONDERLAND.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WENT AND VISITED IT, BUT YVONNE DURAN, COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER, DID AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB WITH ALL THE HELP FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE IN SO MANY BOOTHS.
WE MISSED A FEW BECAUSE OF THE COVID, BUT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
I JUST WANT TO PUT ON MARK MR. RUSSI. ALL THE STAFF, THE KIDS WERE HAVING A BALL.
THE VENDORS THAT WERE THERE, I KNOW PERSONALLY, I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON SOME GREAT STUFF. WE HAVE WREATHS ON OUR DOOR.
ALL THE KIDS HAVE A NEW WREATH ON THEIR DOOR, SO THAT WAS A GOOD THING.
BUT KUDOS TO THE ENTIRE STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH THIS, BUT IT'S WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA.
I'LL JUST READ YOU A LITTLE SNIPPET.
THIS WAS FOR THE CEMETERY ON B.
STREET, THE LA VERNE CEMETERY FOR VETERANS.
IT'S CELEBRATING VETERANS WITH WREATHS.
WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA IS A 501 C THREE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE ANNUAL WREATH LAYING CEREMONY AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, BEGUN BY MAINE BUSINESSMAN MORRILL WORCESTER IN 1992.
THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS REMEMBER, HONOR AND TEACH IT'S CARRIED OUT IN PART EACH YEAR BY COORDINATING WREATH LAYING CEREMONIES AND IN DECEMBER AT ARLINGTON, AS WELL AS AT THOUSANDS OF VETERANS CEMETERIES AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN ALL 50 STATES AND BEYOND.
[01:20:02]
AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND POST THIS.THERE ARE DONATIONS FOR THIS, BUT IT'S AN UNBELIEVABLE CAUSE.
WE HAD THE ROTC FROM THE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL, WAS THERE.
BOY SCOUTS, CUB SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS, BROWNIES, OUR BAND OF BROTHERS, THE VFW POST WERE THERE THAT POSTED THE COLORS.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND THIS IS SOMETHING I TOLD THEM NEXT YEAR THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE LAYING WREATHS ON. WE HAVE PEOPLE VETERANS THAT ARE FROM THE SPANISH WAR, THE CIVIL WAR.
I THINK THERE'S SIX TO EIGHT PURPLE HEART VETERANS, NURSES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB. SO WE'RE GOING TO I'D LIKE YOU TO POST THIS JUST TO GIVE INFORMATION ON THIS.
THE NEXT ONE IS, IS THAT I ALSO WANT TO CELEBRATE MR. PAZ. HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT I THINK ONE OF HIS BIGGEST JOBS IS MR. DAVIS HAD KIND OF CLUED ON A LITTLE BIT, SUCCESSION PLANNING THROUGH THE CITY AND WITH COLLEEN FLORES BRINGING HER ON NOT ONLY JUST A NEW CHIEF, BUT ALSO TO LEARN THE ROPES WITH HIM AND CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND HE HAS BEEN AMAZINGLY OPEN WITH THIS, AND COLLEEN HAS BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT STUFF FROM HER EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE TO MAKE AN UNBELIEVABLE SUCCESSION PLANNING.
HE WILL BE MISSED AND AGAIN TO MR. DAVIS. HE LOST A LOVE OF HIS LIFE AND OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HE AND HIS FAMILY.
AND IT'S BEEN A REAL ROUGH FEW MONTHS FOR HIM AND LIKE I SAY, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE CITY OF SAN DIMAS FOR FIGHTING WITH US.
THE [INAUDIBLE] PAGE DEAL ALSO, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE.
I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL, ALMOST WITH IS THE COUNCIL MEMBER OF GLENDORA TODAY ALSO WAS ON THE PHONE WITH BECKY SHEVLIN, WHO IS GOING TO BE HEIR APPARENT MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MONROVIA, AND SHE'S ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE COG, WHICH I HAPPEN TO SERVE AS THE FIRST VP. I'M GOING TO TALK TO HER TO SEE IF WE CAN DO THIS AS THE COG, WHICH IS THIRTY THREE CITIES, THREE WATER MUNICIPALITIES AND THREE SUPERVISED [INAUDIBLE] DISTRICTS. SO THIS IS NOT STOPPING AND ALSO I KNOW THAT BOB RUSSI IS ALSO WORKING WITH.
WE WANT TO GET CLAREMONT ON BOARD WITH THIS TOO.
SO AGAIN, POSITIVE STUFF WORK AS A COMMUNITY, WE CANNOT DROP THE BALL ON THIS.
AS JOHN BLICKENSTAFF STATED HE SAID, THIS IS A LA VERNE ISSUE, NOT NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST LOWER LA VERNE. THIS IS A LA VERNE ISSUE THAT WILL CHANGE THE COURSE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE MUST FOCUS ON THIS.
THIS IS A MAN WITH TWENTY SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS BEING OUR MAYOR.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AND SO WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THIS AS A GROUP, WE NEED TO BE TOGETHER ON THIS NOT CHIP AT EACH OTHER, BE TOGETHER ON THIS.
AND AGAIN, I THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT GOT ALL THE NEWS MEDIA OUT THERE.
IT CONTINUES, WE MUST FIGHT THIS.
I HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS ENJOY YOUR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.
ENJOY THOSE PEOPLE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN.
CALL THOSE PEOPLE. GO SEE THEM.
BE CAREFUL RIGHT NOW WITH THE COVID VARIANT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO ENJOY OUR HOLIDAYS WITH OUR FAMILIES, AND EVERYONE HAVE A VERY, VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
MR. RUSSI. WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION.
IT IS CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL LITIGATION.
WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE NATIONAL OPIOID SETTLEMENT WITH MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9.
I'M VERY PROUD OF ALL YOU RESIDENTS THAT JUST THE SHOW OF TOGETHERNESS AND PEOPLE JUMPING AT IT AND GETTING THIS IN SHORT NOTICE.
AND WE WERE NOT GIVEN A LOT OF NOTICE.
I'M PROUD OF ALL OF YOU BECAUSE UNITED, WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL.
LET'S NOT FORGET THAT. SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF EVERY RESIDENT HERE IN LA VERNE THAT WAS OUT AT THE, YOU KNOW, OUT ON SATURDAY, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT OAK MESA AND ITS HOLIDAY TIME. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S A REASON WHY THIS ALL HAPPENS LIKE THIS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE BALL.
WE CAN'T TAKE THE EYE OFF THE BALL.
WE GOT TO KEEP DRIVING FORWARD WITH THE PEDAL FULL ON.
SO BEING THAT SAID, WE HAVE CLOSED SESSION WE WILL BE RECESSING IN A CLOSED SESSION DUE TO LIMITED NEED WE WILL BE NOT HAVING OUR MEETING ON JANUARY 3RD, BUT WE'LL BE KEEPING INFORMATION GOING THROUGH ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY ON THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW. SO IF WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL WE WILL, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE INFORMATION GETTING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE WILL BE OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETING CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE ON JANUARY 17TH. OH.
[01:25:03]
NO THAT'S A HOLIDAY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A HOLIDAY.IT'S A 3 DAY WEEKEND. NO, THOSE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 17TH AND OBSERVATION LEGAL HOLIDAY.
THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING IN LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 18TH AT 6:30 P.M..
AND BEING THAT SAID, IT'S 8:15.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.