Aug 07, 2023 City Council

[00:00:01]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THE MEETING STARTED TONIGHT.

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER FOR THIS STUDY SESSION PORTION OF THE LA VERNE COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 7TH, 2023, AND FOR THE RECORD, WE'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT AT

[CALL TO ORDER]

AGAIN, WELCOME, ALL OF YOU TONIGHT, AND WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THE SIMILAR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY'S RULES FOR DECORUM.

ALL SPEAKERS, MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH DECORUM, TO NOT ENGAGE IN CONDUCT THAT INTERRUPTS THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE STUDY SESSION , AND THE STUDY SESSION AGENDA.

MR. DOMER. ALL WE HAVE TO DO ROLL CALL.

LET'S DO ROLL CALL. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

[1. The City Council will meet in a study session pertaining to Christmas Morning & Holiday Events]

UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS OF THE SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THE CITY'S CELEBRATION OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON FOR 2023.

MR. CITY MANAGER, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT THE STUDY SESSION? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THIS IS OUR FIRST FORMAT OF USING THIS TIME AS A STUDY SESSION.

AS FOLKS KNOW, WE COUNCIL ADOPTED A NEW ORDINANCE AND THEN APPROVED A RESOLUTION THAT SETS THE TIME.

SO WE'LL USE THE 5:30 SESSIONS FOR EITHER A CLOSED SESSION OR IF THERE'S A SUBJECT MATTER THAT WE WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE IN-DEPTH INTO AND TALK ABOUT AND HAVE DISCUSSION.

KNOWING THAT THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL, BUT WE CAN RECEIVE DIRECTION AS TO WHERE TO GO, THE STUDY SESSIONS.

SO TONIGHT IS ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS MORNING EVENT AND OUR HOLIDAY EVENTS IN GENERAL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP FIRST, YVONNE, ARE YOU THE FIRST PERSON? NO, IT IS. ROBERT RUSSELL WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS MORNING EVENT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A TAG TEAM.

SO IT'LL GO ROBERT AND THEN IT'LL GO YVONNE AND THEN IT'LL GO CHIEF NIGG AND THEN I'LL FINISH UP.

GOOD EVENING, RUSSELL.

GOOD EVENING. HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO I'M GOING TO START THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION BY JUST PROVIDING A LITTLE BACKGROUND CONTEXT IN OUR CHRISTMAS TRADITION AND HOW WE GOT TO BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO AS I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE IS WELL AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, NEARLY 100 YEARS AGO IN 1925, THE LA VERNE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT STARTED A TRADITION OF PROVIDING TREATS TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO PROVIDE FRUIT NUTS, THINGS LIKE THAT TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY HAVE NOT HAD SOMETHING EXTRA ON CHRISTMAS.

AS THE CITY GREW AND EVOLVED AND GREW AND EVOLVED WITH THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT BECAME A TRADITION.

WHEREAS THE DEPARTMENT ON CHRISTMAS MORNING WOULD GO OUT AND WHAT WAS THEN ESSENTIALLY A SQUARE MILE TOWNSHIP AND HAND OUT CANDY TREATS AND AGAIN, FRUIT TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

DURING MY TENURE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH STARTED BACK IN THE 1990S, WE EVOLVED TO FIVE ROUTES, WHICH TOOK APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 70 VOLUNTEERS ON CHRISTMAS MORNING TO FACILITATE THE DELIVERY OF APPROXIMATELY 11,000 TREAT BAGS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE'VE EVENTUALLY EVOLVED UP TO SIX ROUTES JUST TO SPREAD THAT WORKLOAD OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE EVENLY AND TO PREVENT THE ROUTES FROM BECOMING TOO LONG AND TOO CUMBERSOME, WHICH HAS GOTTEN US TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IT'S TRANSITIONED FROM A PURELY FIRE DEPARTMENT DRIVEN EVENT TO MORE OF A VOLUNTEER BASED, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO TRY AND MAKE THIS A SUSTAINABLE AND MEANINGFUL EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

DIRECTOR DURAN.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO PRESENT A NEW TRADITION FOR THE LA VERNE COMMUNITY.

LA VERNE HOLIDAY NIGHTS WILL BRING US BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS MORNING, WHICH IS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE COURSE OF FIVE EVENINGS THROUGH EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT, SANTA AND HIS FRIENDS WILL JOURNEY THROUGH THE CITY AND ARRIVE AT A LOCAL PARK DECORATED FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN LA VERNE.

HERE, THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DONATE TO THE SPARK OF LOVE TOY DRIVE OR TO A LOCAL CHARITY BENEFITING THOSE IN NEED, WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF CHRISTMAS MORNING.

EACH NIGHT WILL INCLUDE A FUN INTERACTIVE THEME.

ONE OF THEM WILL BE THE NORTH POLE.

THE OTHER ONE WILL BE WHOMVILLE, NOT WHOVILLE, BECAUSE OF COPYRIGHTS.

[00:05:01]

WINTER WONDERLAND CANDY CANE LANE.

THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE INVITED TO ALL FIVE EVENTS.

IT'S NOT JUST YOUR DISTRICT.

IF YOU MISS ONE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO THE OTHER, BUT EACH NIGHT WILL BE DECORATED IN THEME AND LIGHTS IN DIFFERENT STATIONS.

PD IS GOING TO BE DOING REINDEER FOOD.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM DOING CRAFTS, PICTURES AND TREAT BAGS AS WELL AT EACH LOCATION.

THERE WILL ALSO BE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES WITH SANTA IN FRANCE, AND WE BELIEVE THIS NEW EVENT, THIS NEW IMPROVED EVENT, WILL BE A GREATER IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY BY HAVING IT AT ALL THESE VARIOUS LOCATIONS, NOT JUST ONE PARK, NOT JUST ONE AREA, BUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY.

THE OTHER THING WITH THIS NEW EVENT, IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A LESS OF A LIABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY AS RESIDENTS WILL NO LONGER RUN ACROSS THE STREET FOR TREAT BAGS, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE VOLUNTEERS JUMPING OFF VEHICLES ONTO THE STREET WHILE IN MOTION.

WE'VE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS IN THE YEARS, EVEN AT ONE POINT, AND ROBERT CAN ATTEST TO THIS AN INDIVIDUAL'S HAIR WAS RUN OVER THROUGH THE TRUCK.

SHE WAS OKAY, BUT THERE'S BEEN MANY CLOSE CALLS.

THE RECRUITMENT OF 60 VOLUNTEERS WILL NO LONGER BE NECESSARY, AS WE HAVE A COMMITTED GROUP OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.

THE RSVP'S INSERT ON EACH OF THOSE DAYS.

JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY WITH VOLUNTEERS.

IN PREVIOUS YEARS, RECRUITMENT WAS RATHER DIFFICULT.

IN 2021, WE HAD 46 REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS AND ONLY 30 ARRIVED WITH THOSE 30 MANY LEFT MID-ROUTE WITHOUT EVEN NOTIFYING STAFF.

THEY WERE JUST GOING OFF ROUTE.

THEY WERE EITHER TIRED OR DONE.

THEY WANTED TO GO BACK HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES AND DIDN'T WANT TO CONTINUE WALKING AND THEY LEFT.

THAT SAME YEAR, ONE CITY EMPLOYEE WHO WASN'T EVEN THERE TO GIVE OUT TREAT BAGS WAS LEFT BY THEMSELVES IN THE RAIN AND DID NOT RETURN UNTIL 3:30 P.M.

THAT DAY. IN 2022, WE HAD 73 REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS, BUT ONLY 50 ARRIVED TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND ONLY BECAUSE SOMEONE MADE A GENEROUS DONATION TO THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS TEAM FOR THE COMMITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS.

THAT WAS ONE REASON WHY WE HAD ABOUT 20 OF THOSE WERE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL.

OUT OF THE 50 LAST YEAR.

SO WITH THIS NEW AND IMPROVED EVENT, OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS OTHERS LISTED, HAVE COMMITTED TO THIS IMPROVED HOLIDAY TRADITION.

THIS NEW TRADITION WOULD ALLOW STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DURAN.

CHIEF NIGG. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.

CITY COUNCIL. SO IT'S NOT LOST ON ME.

THE FACT THAT THE MOST OF THE TRADITION AND THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS EVENT STARTED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CARRIED ON FOR SEVERAL DECADES THEREAFTER.

AS A RESULT, I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE CRUDE REALITY TO THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT THAT IT HAS SPECIFICALLY ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WHY THERE'S REALLY NO SCENARIO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE IT ON WITH JUST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE OF THOSE TIES, MUCH OF THE FOCUS DOES THEN FALL ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE FIRE APPARATUS AND EACH ONE OF THE ROUTES AND A PART OF AS MUCH OF EACH OF THE PARADES AS WE CAN POSSIBLY POSSIBLY TAKE PART IN.

IT'S IMPORTANT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A LOT MORE THAN JUST CHRISTMAS.

THE LVFD HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY STAPLE FOR 115 YEARS, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE BODY OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL AND MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU WILL, AND THAT INCLUDES PANCAKE BREAKFAST TO SEVERAL CHARITABLE EVENTS WHERE THEY GIVE BACK TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, THE GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM.

THEY DONATE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SEVERAL OTHER CHARITIES, CHARITY EVENTS, AS WELL AS FILL THE BOOT, ETCETERA.

BEYOND THAT, WE'VE HAD A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE DECADES.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ROUGHLY 100 YEARS AGO WAS WAS TASKED WITH A LOT LESS THAN THEY ARE TASKED WITH TODAY THAT WE ARE TASKED WITH TODAY, AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM HEAVY RESCUE CALLS TO COMMUNITY PREVENTION, EARLY MITIGATION MEASURES TO STRUCTURE FIRES TO MEDICAL AID.

JUST EXPONENTIALLY BUSIER THAN WE WERE EVER BEFORE IN THE PAST, AND THAT CERTAINLY INCLUDES ON CHRISTMAS DAY FIRE SEASON, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, EXTENDS WELL THROUGH THE HOLIDAY MONTHS, FRANKLY, PERSONALLY, BUT I'VE EVEN BEEN ON A WILDFIRE THROUGH THE CHRISTMAS TIME, ALMOST MISSED MY WEDDING BECAUSE I WAS ON A WILDFIRE DURING THE CHRISTMAS TIME. SO WHEN WE HAVE PERSONNEL THAT ARE DEPLOYED OUT WELL UP AND DOWN THE STATE, IT'S HARD.

IT'S EVEN HARDER FOR US TO COMMIT PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES TO THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.

[00:10:01]

FINALLY, I WANT TO POINT OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT TO SUSTAIN THESE ROUTES WITH SIX DIFFERENT ROUTES IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE SIX RESERVE APPARATUS THAT WE COULD EVEN COMMIT TO THIS TYPE OF AN EVENT MOVING FORWARD AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OF SOME THINGS MECHANICALLY DOWN OR IF WE'VE GOT SOMETHING DEPLOYED OUT THERE.

AT A MINIMUM, IT TAKES SIX PERSONNEL FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS EVENT OUTSIDE OF VOLUNTEERS.

WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE CITY AND LEARNED ABOUT THE PARADE, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATED IT FOR ITS EXCELLENCE OVER THE YEARS, OVER THE DECADES AND THE TRADITION, THE FIRE SERVICE IS ALL ABOUT TRADITION.

ULTIMATELY, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS OPERATIONALLY, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE WE SUSTAINING THIS? AND AS I CAME TO LEARN HOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOOK THIS ON OVER THE YEARS, IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT PEOPLE WERE ESSENTIALLY ORDERED TO COME IN ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND SERVE IN THIS IN THIS ROLE, AND I CAN TELL YOU, AS FIRE CHIEF NOW, THERE'S THERE'S NO SCENARIO THAT I'M GOING TO ORDER PEOPLE TO COME IN ON THEIR DAYS OFF FROM THEIR FAMILY.

SO WE'VE HAD A FEW VOLUNTEERS OVER THE YEARS, AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE OUR THIRD STATION NOW THAT WE CAN COMMIT TO THE EVENT.

HOWEVER, THAT DOES PROVIDE A VERY MINOR IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY AT THE TIME.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE WHAT THE CRUDE REALITY IS OF KEEPING UP WITH THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS EVERY CHRISTMAS MORNING.

MOVING FORWARD TO THE SPECIFIC PLAN THAT YVONNE PRESENTED, HAVING A ONCE A DAY ONE PARADE ROUTE IS FAR MORE SUSTAINABLE AND EASILY CONTRIBUTED TO BY OUR PERSONNEL, EVEN INCLUDING MYSELF, BECAUSE I'LL CERTAINLY BE THERE TO DRIVE A RIG ONE OF THOSE DAYS AS WELL.

SO MAYOR, MEMBERS, COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC.

I JUST WANT TO KIND OF WRAP THINGS UP.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. THANK YOU, CHIEF.

TELLING CHIEF RUSSELL AND YVONNE.

SO DIRECTOR DURAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT CHRISTMAS DAY IS FOR FAMILY, AND SO NO ONE IN THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD ABOUT THIS AND POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVE EVENTS OR CHANGES TO THE CURRENT EVENT.

THEY ALL UNDERSTAND THAT GREATLY.

WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER INTERVIEWS AND THE DEPARTMENT HAD INTERVIEW PANEL, THIS WAS BROUGHT UP, AND SO I KNEW AT THAT TIME THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING SERIOUS TO LOOK AT AND ALL THAT.

I PARTICIPATED THIS LAST CHRISTMAS MORNING EVENT.

YOU KNOW, I GOT THERE ABOUT 6:00 A LITTLE BIT BEFORE AND WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET BACK HOME BECAUSE I WAS NOT PART OF THE FESTIVITIES BY 7:30.

SO I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ISSUES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN ADJUSTMENTS OVER THE YEAR.

WE'VE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE UNSUSTAINABILITY PORTIONS OF THIS AND JUST AS THE EVENT HAS GONE ON OVER THE YEARS, THERE'S BEEN CHANGES TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.

IT HAS BEEN PASSED ON PRIMARILY FROM FIRE TO COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO CAN HELP AND TO VOLUNTEERS.

IT'S A PHYSICALLY DEMANDING EVENT FOR THOSE VOLUNTEERS, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE VOLUNTEERS MAY, AFTER 2 OR 3 HOURS, DECIDE I'D RATHER BE AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILY DOING THINGS BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE.

SO THERE ARE STAFF THAT ARE ON THE JOB FOR ALMOST 12 HOURS BECAUSE THEY GET THERE EARLY AND THEY ARE THERE TILL THE END.

SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS BASED ON THESE ROUTES COULD GO FROM 4 HOURS TO 7 HOURS, AND SO IT'S UNDERSTOOD WHY WE MAY LOSE SOME AND SO IT'S THAT CONSISTENCY THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR LIMITS WERE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THOSE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS CAME IN FOR THE FIVE NIGHTS BUT TRULY, YOU KNOW, IN LOOKING AT AN ORGANIZATION, WORKING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, CHRISTMAS IS FOR FAMILIES, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH YOUNGER MEMBERS OF STAFF COMING IN, THAT THEY SPEND THEIR TIME.

I CAN PERSONALLY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTERS ARE NOW 17, 18 AND 21, AND SO SOME OF THEM WERE AWAKE WHEN I GOT HOME AT 7:30, BUT I KNOW WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER, NO, I WAS UP BUILDING TRICYCLES AND THEN GETTING UP REALLY EARLY IN THE MORNING TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH THEM, AND I DON'T WANT TO DENY THAT TO MY STAFF, BUT WE ARE HERE TO HAVE DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

THIS IS A LONG STANDING TRADITION AND THAT IS HARD TO, YOU KNOW, UPEND OR CHANGE, AND I'M TALKING TO SOME OF THE STAFF HERE WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW IT'S SERVED TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THEIR COMMUNITY BETTER OR IT WAS THE SIGNAL TO GO OUT AND TO, YOU KNOW, RIDE THEIR NEW BIKES OR YOU KNOW, SHOW OFF THEIR NEW TOYS TO THEIR FRIENDS WHEN THE SIRENS WENT BY AND ALL THAT STUFF.

WE STILL WANT THAT AS A COMMUNITY TO HAPPEN, BUT WE WANT EVERYBODY TO ENJOY THEIR CHRISTMAS DAY.

[00:15:03]

THANK YOU, MR. DOMER, AND THANK YOU, RUSSELL.

DIRECTOR DURAN AND CHIEF NIGG.

YEAH. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE'VE ALL BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS.

I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON HAS LIVED HERE HIS WHOLE LIFE, SO HE'S USED TO THIS.

THE FIRE TRUCK AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT GO ON AND THE CANDY AND THEN PACKING THE CANDY BACK IN THE TIME WHEN WE COULD ACTUALLY PACK CANDY, AND WE REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS BECAUSE.

WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE SOMETHING THAT'S SO DEAR TO EVERYONE'S HEART, ESPECIALLY THE KIDS AND STUFF, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR STAFF.

WE DO NEED TO THINK ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AS FAR AS BUT MOSTLY OUR STAFF AND WHAT THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.

SO. IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU GUYS TO SAY, HEY, LET'S GIVE SOME SUGGESTIONS HERE, BECAUSE AS MISS DURAN SAID, SHE'S YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT PEOPLE THAT SAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE AND THEN THEY DON'T SHOW UP AND THAT'S BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.

I ONLY MISSED ONE BECAUSE WE HAD A GRANDCHILD BORN A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

SO, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM.

YOU WOULD HAVE A FIRE TRUCK AND I RAN THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS.

THAT WAS IT FOR ME. TWO YEARS IS ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S YOU'RE RUNNING AND THE DANGEROUS PART ABOUT IT, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE ROUTES DON'T FINISH FOR 6 TO 8 HOURS. IT'S JUST IT'S A LOT, AND I'M NOT [INAUDIBLE] IT.

I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL TRADITION, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT OUR COMMUNITIES HOLD ON TO THEIR TRADITIONS, BUT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO MORPH IT AND SEE IF WE CAN MORPH IT AND MAYBE FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS JUST AS WELL THAT EVEN MAYBE GETS MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? WELL, LIKE YOU SAID, TIM, [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH, FOR MY 62 YEARS COMING UP THIS HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS TRADITION MY GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS THE FIRE CHIEF FOR THOSE YEARS.

IT WAS A REALLY BIG DEAL FOR HIM AND IT WAS A REALLY BIG DEAL THAT ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS SHOWED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND AS A CHILD IT WAS NOT THAT FUN TO HAVE YOUR DAD GONE ALL CHRISTMAS MORNING.

YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T SEE HIM UNTIL LATER IN THE EVENING.

SO THERE ARE.

A LOT OF EMOTIONS INVOLVED WITH WITH THIS EVENT.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE YEARS WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE INFANTS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'D RUN UP TO THE FIRE TRUCK AND GIVE THEM SOME SOMETHING SPECIAL SO THEY COULD HAND IT OFF TO OUR CHILD OR CHILDREN, AND IT'S AMAZING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE MAYBERRY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT JUST.

STANDS OUT.

SO I REALLY ENJOY THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD IT FOR SO MANY YEARS.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CONTINUING THE WAY WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.

I TEND TO THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE, BUT AGAIN, WE DO WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

I SURE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF EVERYTHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS.

THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY ENJOY CHRISTMAS MORNING IS WHEN THE TRUCK WOULD GO BY.

THAT'S WHEN ALL THE NEIGHBORS ARE OUT AND WE HAND OUT GIFTS TO THE OUR NEIGHBORS.

SO. YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IF THIS GOES THROUGH AS FAR AS A CHANGE , BUT CHANGE IS, I THINK, INEVITABLE.

RICK? I THINK [INAUDIBLE]. HERE WE GO.

SORRY. MICROPHONE.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

THE FIRST TWO I WAS RUNNING AND NINE MILES AND SEVEN HOURS MIGHT THINK IT'S NOT FAR IN THAT TIME.

BUT IT IS WHEN YOU DON'T EXERCISE, AND THOUGH AND MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER'S BEEN THERE WITH ME IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

MY WHOLE FAMILY'S BEEN BEEN THERE BUT IT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, I WANT TO TELL YOU, YVONNE DIDN'T LIKE ME AND THE STAFF DIDN'T LIKE ME BECAUSE I'M LIKE, HECK NO, BUT I'VE JUST BEEN HEARING IT AND I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM RESIDENTS AND WANT TO HEAR FROM MORE RESIDENTS, BUT OF JUST DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS AND THEN LOOKED AROUND ABOUT OTHER CITIES.

[00:20:01]

THAT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE GOING, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? AND THEN GOING OUT AND WATCHING IT AND SEEING IT COVID YEAR WHEN WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HAND OUT THINGS, BUT WE JUST GOT TO GO THROUGH.

YOU COULD SEE THE FAMILIES.

THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT BROUGHT FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.

THIS IS THE ONE EVENT THAT REALLY BRINGS THE ENTIRE CITY INVOLVED WHERE THE CAR SHOWS DOWN IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND EVERYBODY GOES DOWN THERE BUT THIS ONE EVENT BRINGS EVERYBODY TOGETHER ON THEIR STREET AND IT BRINGS THE CITY TO THE PEOPLE.

SO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL DOING THAT, MAKING SURE THAT EVERY PART IS BEING TOUCHED AS WELL, AND THEN WHAT YOU SAID, COUNCILMEMBER JOHNSON WAS THE BIGGEST JOY ON MY MYSELF IS THAT WHAT YOU GET FROM IS AFTER YOU HIT [INAUDIBLE] STREET AND YOU'RE LEAVING, THAT IS WHEN YOU SEE EVERYBODY COMING OUT AS A COMMUNITY ON THAT BLOCK, AND I THOUGHT MY BLOCK WAS THE DIFFERENT ONE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS DID, AND THAT HAPPENED, BUT THAT IT'S EVERYWHERE WHERE EVERYONE COMES OUT AND HUGS EACH OTHER, TELLS EVERYBODY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HANDS GIFTS TO EACH OTHER. THAT IS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T SEE ANYWHERE AND SO THAT IS WHAT THIS, THIS EVENT BRINGS ABOUT TO US.

MAYOR PRO TEM LAU.

SO I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I MOVED HERE AFTER I WENT TO COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE BECAUSE I THOUGHT, WHAT A CUTE LITTLE CITY.

WHAT AN AMAZING LITTLE CITY, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW, EVEN IN COLLEGE THAT SANTA CAME TO EVERY HOUSE.

SO WHEN I FIRST MOVED IN THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS, I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS HAPPENING? AND IT BECAME A TRADITION FOR A GROUP OF MY FRIENDS THAT HAD ALL SIMILARLY MOVED TO LA VERNE AT THE SAME TIME TO CONGREGATE AT ONE OF OUR HOUSES AND WE WOULD HAVE COFFEE WITH SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, COFFEE.

OR WE WOULD MAKE ORANGE, RIGHT? ORANGE JUICE, YOU KNOW, BUT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, WAVE AT THE FIRE TRUCKS AS THEY CAME BY.

YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WE MADE COOKIES AND WE WOULD GIVE THEM TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE COMING BY, AND IT WAS A FUN LITTLE TRADITION BEFORE EVERYBODY SORT OF BROKE OFF TO GO SEE FAMILIES, AND SO IT WAS THE BIG THING, I THINK, FOR ME, BEING ABLE TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE, HEY, THIS IS THE COOL THING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY.

I WILL SAY MY ROUTE STARTS AT SEVEN IN THE MORNING.

SO LIKE MY ALARM IS SET FOR LIKE 6:45, SO I HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO JUMP OUT OF BED, THROW ON A SWEATSHIRT, GRAB THE COOKIES AND HEAD OUT THE DOOR BEFORE YOU KNOW, I MISS IT, AND IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY FUN, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT COULD WE DO TO CHANGE SOME THINGS, NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO GET RID OF THE TRADITION, NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FUN, BUT I THINK THAT THE IMPACT ON OUR STAFF HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.

I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE ASKED OR BASICALLY TOLD THAT YOU HAD TO WORK ALL DAY AND NOT SEE YOUR FAMILY, NOT SEE YOUR KIDS, I DON'T HAVE KIDS, BUT I WOULD BE NOT HAPPY IF I MISSED SEEING MY NEPHEWS OPEN PRESENTS ON CHRISTMAS MORNING.

THAT WOULD NOT MAKE ME HAPPY.

IT WOULD NOT MAKE MY PARENTS HAPPY FOR ME NOT TO BE THERE.

I THINK ALSO THE OLDER I GET, I REALIZE HOW LIMITED MY TIME IS WITH MY PARENTS, AND I COULD IMAGINE FOR SOMEONE TO BE IN THAT SAME POSITION AND NOT BE ABLE TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES THE WAY THEY WANT TO.

SO, YOU KNOW, TOTALLY ON THE SAME BOAT, IN THE SAME BOAT AS EVERYONE ELSE.

I LOVE THE TRADITION. I LOVE THE INTENT OF THE TRADITION, AND I DON'T WANT US TO GET SO STUCK IN THE STRUCTURE OF HOW IT HAPPENED BEFORE THAT WE CAN'T SEE HOW WE COULD MAKE IT DIFFERENT AND OR BETTER AND POSSIBLY MORE INCLUSIVE.

BECAUSE I WILL SAY THIS, ALTHOUGH I HAD NEIGHBORS THAT WOULD ALSO COME OUT AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, GROGGILY IN THEIR BATHROBES, YOU KNOW, LIKE WAVE AND TAKE PICTURES AND EVERYTHING, THERE WERE ALSO PEOPLE THAT JUST WERE LIKE.

IT'S 7:00.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GETTING UP, AND SO I WONDER, TOO, HOW MANY PEOPLE GET MISSED, BUT IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY POTENTIALLY FIVE TIMES IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER TO GO TO SOMETHING TO GET TO ACTUALLY STOP AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH SANTA OR TO ACTUALLY GET TO INTERACT MUCH MORE MEANINGFULLY WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF BRINGING BACK THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE ASPECT OF IT.

HERE'S A PLACE WHERE WE CAN ALL DONATE FOOD, DONATE TOYS, YOU KNOW, REALLY BUILD THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND GO BACK TO THE TRADITION OF HOW DO WE GIVE BACK? WHAT IS CHRISTMAS REALLY ABOUT? IS IT THE FIVE MINUTES THAT YOU SEE SANTA COMING DOWN THE STREET, OR IS IT ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF GIVING AND BEING COGNIZANT OF YOUR FELLOW MAN? SO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU AND SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE NOW THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE PRESENTATION, HEARD FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE AND PROBABLY HAVE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES

[00:25:02]

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL.

I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT NOW, PLEASE.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP, JUST TELL YOUR NAME, ANY IDEAS, ANY QUESTIONS OR FOR STAFF THAT WISH TO COME UP.

MISS BEAUCHAMP. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CITY.

THIS IS SOMETHING REFRESHING BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NORMALLY THE CASE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A SARCASTIC MANNER, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY SOUND THAT WAY.

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT IT I THINK IT BUILDS A MUCH BETTER RAPPORT WITH THE RESIDENTS.

SHOULD THERE BE A CHANGE THAT YOU ASK FOR THEIR INPUT AND IF THEY FAIL TO PROVIDE IT, THEN THEY CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.

SO THANK YOU.

MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF COUNCIL MEMBER KASH AND UNFORTUNATELY HE'S NOT HERE, COULD FACILITATE SOMETHING WITH THE ARMY RESERVISTS OR SOME MILITARY RESERVIST GROUP TO HELP PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS IF HIGH SCHOOL KIDS OR CITY RESIDENTS ARE NOT WILLING TO DO SO.

I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES, BUT PART OF WHAT MAKES OUR CITY GREAT IS GIVING TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, AND I KNOW THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT HOLIDAY.

MAYBE FOR SOME IT'S A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY, BUT YOU YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WILLING TO GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU FIND GREAT ABOUT OUR CITY TO HELP EVERYBODY ELSE TO APPRECIATE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU LOVE ABOUT OUR CITY.

SO AND THEN ON BEHALF OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO WORK HOLIDAYS.

THEY WORK 12 OR 15 DAYS A MONTH, 24 HOUR SHIFTS, BUT THEY KNOW THAT GOING IN AHEAD OF TIME.

SO I GET IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR ROTATION.

YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CALL THEM IN ON THEIR DAY OFF, BUT IF THERE WAS A MAJOR NATURAL DISASTER LIKE WE HAD THAT WINDSTORM IN JANUARY 21ST, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THEM GOT CALLED IN, PUBLIC WORKS GOT CALLED IN.

SO THERE THERE ARE THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN OUR CITY UNEXPECTEDLY AND STAFF IS CALLED IN.

SO I THINK GOING IN, THEY KNOW THAT AHEAD OF TIME.

SO I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THAT'S A MOOT POINT BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE YOU ACCEPTED THIS JOB AND NOT KNEW THAT AHEAD OF TIME.

SO BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP.

IT IS A TRADITION.

IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT FOR DAYS AFTERWARDS, LIKE IT WAS SO GREAT LIKE LAST YEAR, AND I CAN ATTEST TO MR. CROSBY'S PARTICIPATION.

HE CAME DOWN MY STREET AND HANDED, DELIVERED MY PACKAGE AND GAVE ME A HUG AND WISHED ME MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND IT WAS VERY NICE.

IT WAS IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST YOU UP HERE ON THE DAIS AND, YOU KNOW, US RESIDENTS LIKE US VERSUS THEM KIND OF THING.

I MEAN, HE WAS KIND OF JUST LIKE ONE OF US, AND I DID APPRECIATE THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. BEAUCHAMP.

ANYONE ELSE? MS. BERRY. DON'T BE SHY, GUYS, PLEASE.

WE WANT SUGGESTIONS.

HI. I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE I'VE HAD BAD LUCK WITH THAT.

SO IT'S A LITTLE OFF THE CUFF, BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

YES, WE THINK ABOUT OTHER CITIES, BUT LA VERNE.

LA VERNE IS DIFFERENT.

LA VERNE IS A CITY THAT OTHER CITIES ENVY.

LA VERNE IS DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE THE 4TH OF JULY.

IN IN A BIG WAY THAT OTHER CITIES MUCH BIGGER THAN US DON'T.

WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS OF THE 4TH OF JULY.

CAN WE HAVE SOME FRIENDS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY? CAN WE USE.

I'M THINKING WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.

I MEAN, EVEN MR. CROSBY IS LIKE, HECK, NO, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY UPSET.

THEIR KIDS PLAN THEIR FAMILY'S PLAN ON IT.

MY DAUGHTER IS DISABLED.

SHE LIVES IN A GROUP HOME.

SHE'S 31 YEARS OLD, AND SHE COMES EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE SO SHE CAN SPEND THE NIGHT AND BE THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE 7:00 ALSO AND I GET UP WITH HER.

I KNOW THAT THE VOLUNTEERS WERE REALLY SHODDY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND SOME OF THEM JUST DIDN'T.

THEY VOLUNTEERED.

WITH A LITTLE TOO LITTLE HEART, BUT.

WE ALSO HAD COVID AND I THINK COVID, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT ALL THE YEARS TOGETHER THAT KILLED A LOT OF THINGS, AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE COVID KILL THIS.

[00:30:05]

I THINK IF FAMILIES COULD CREATE A KIND OF A NEW TRADITION OF BEING THOSE VOLUNTEERS, THEIR KIDS ARE NO LONGER THE LITTLE ONES.

THEN THEY CAN GO OUT AND DO THIS TOGETHER.

I THINK THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD REALLY GET INTO IT.

I LOVED GOING TO DO THOSE BAGS OF CANDY, AND MY LAST MEMORY WITH MY DAD RELATED TO CHRISTMAS WAS TAKING HIM TO THE FIRE STATION IN HIS WHEELCHAIR.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE AND IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, SEVEN HOURS IS A LONG TIME.

MAYBE WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS TO EVEN KIND OF JUMP SHIFTS AND HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LA VERNE STAY ONE BIG UNIFIED LA VERNE VERSUS BREAKING IT INTO FIVE LITTLE PIECES WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF DIVIDED BY THAT WHOLE DISTRICT IDEA, AND THERE'S ONLY A FEW THINGS THAT ARE LIKE EVERYBODY TOGETHER SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A FRIENDS OF CHRISTMAS, GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED.

THANK YOU AGAIN. I WILL PIGGYBACK WHAT DANITA SAID, HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY BEFORE.

OKAY. NOW, IN THREE MINUTES, WE'RE DOING A VOTE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I THINK.

BEFORE DOING SOMETHING BIG LIKE THIS, YOU PROBABLY WOULD WANT TO DO A LOT MORE COMMUNICATION, A LOT MORE, BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT THAT DIDN'T EVEN SEE THAT LITTLE PRESENTATION ON THE LINKS THAT WERE SENT HERE AND THERE.

SO WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BITTY PIECE OF 37,000 PEOPLE, BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

THANK YOU, MISS BERRY.

ANYONE ELSE? THERE WE GO. SO I HAVE TO WEAR TWO HATS TONIGHT BECAUSE SHERRY BEST DID WANT TO MAKE COMMENTS, BUT SHE HAD TO HAVE A PROCEDURE SO SHE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

SO I'M GOING TO START WITH HERS AND THEN I WILL DO MINE.

MINE ARE A LITTLE BRIEFER THAN HERS.

SO, THIS IS FROM SHERRY.

IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ON MAY 7TH REGARDING LA VERNE'S TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DAY CELEBRATION.

FOR MANY YEARS, MEMBERS OF THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT LA VERNE WITH SANTA CLAUS ON A VINTAGE FIRE TRUCK WAVING TO LA VERNE RESIDENTS AND GIVING OUT CANDY TO CHILDREN. THIS EVENT IS MUCH ANTICIPATED AND APPRECIATED, BUT IT IS TIME TO RECONSIDER THIS TRADITION AND CREATE A NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MEMBERS OF LA VERNE'S FIRE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVENT, BUT STOPPED PARTICIPATING IN 2019.

LACKING SUFFICIENT FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS TO PERFORM THIS TASK IN 2019, CITY STAFF MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO REPLACE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS.

REPLACEMENT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS WITH CITY STAFF SOLIDIFIED INTO THE NEW NORMAL, WITH MORE THAN 30 CITY STAFF MEMBERS AND ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS TAKING OVER THE DUTIES OF DISTRIBUTING CANDY TO WAITING CHILDREN IN 2023.

THERE WERE SEVERAL UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS CHANGE AND TO THIS TRADITION IN GENERAL AS FOLLOWS, CITY STAFF MEMBERS HAD TO RELINQUISH THEIR ENTIRE CHRISTMAS DAY WITH THEIR OWN FAMILIES ON A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

SOME OF THESE STAFF MEMBERS HAVE THEIR OWN YOUNG CHILDREN WHO MISS THEIR PARENTS ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

CITY STAFF MEMBERS ALREADY RELINQUISHED THE 4TH OF JULY TO THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS.

CITY STAFF MEMBERS ARE NOT ESSENTIAL TO PROTECT LA VERNE'S RESIDENTS.

AS OUR MEMBERS OF THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

AS SUCH, THEY HAD NO EXPECTATION TO SERVE THE CITY RESIDENTS ON CHRISTMAS DAY WHEN INITIALLY EMPLOYED.

THERE IS A QUESTION OF THE LEGALITY OF REQUIRING SERVICE OF CITY STAFF MEMBERS ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

THE TRADITION OF THE FIRE ENGINE IN SANTA AND DISTRIBUTION OF TOYS AND GIFTS WAS IMPOSED ON CITY STAFF AND THEN BECAME A PERMANENT EXPECTATION.

IT IS TIME TO REVISIT THIS DYNAMIC.

FOR SOME, CHRISTMAS IS A SACRED HOLIDAY HOLIDAY AND IS OBSERVED IN FORMAL WAYS.

SOME ATTEND CHRISTMAS EVE CHURCH BASED SERVICES LATE IN THE EVENING.

OTHERS ATTEND SERVICES ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

RELIGIOUSLY OBSERVANT STAFF ARE MADE TO RELINQUISH THIS PRACTICE AND ATTEND TO CITY DUTIES.

PUBLIC EMPLOYERS HAVE INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF REQUIRING SUCH DUTIES FROM OBSERVANT MEMBERS OF SPECIFIC FAITHS OR MITIGATING AGAINST PRACTITIONERS OF SUCH FAITHS WHEN THEY EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS TO DECLINE TO SERVE.

[00:35:02]

FOR SOME CHILDREN AND OTHER RESIDENTS OF LA VERNE, THIS TRADITION HAS DEVOLVED INTO A SWIFT RACE.

ALONG ONE STREET INSTEAD OF AN ENJOYABLE, MEANINGFUL EVENT.

THERE'S ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME STREETS WILL BE MISSED ALTOGETHER WITH DISAPPOINTMENT AS A RESULT.

IT IS IN MY NATURE TO VIEW EVERY CHALLENGE AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE CONSTRUCTIVE ACTION.

I HAVE THOUGHT FOR SOME TIME ABOUT HOW TO MAINTAIN A TRADITION THAT IS JOYOUS WITHOUT UNDUE BURDEN TO A FEW AT THE EXPENSE OF MANY.

FREQUENTLY, WHEN WE THINK IN FRESH WAYS AND APPORTION THE BURDEN MORE EVENLY, A SOLUTION APPEARS THAT HAS UNINTENDED POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES.

MY SUGGESTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS.

SCHEDULE THE FIRE TRUCK VISIT TO A DAY OTHER THAN CHRISTMAS.

I SUGGEST A WEEKEND DAY, SUCH AS A SATURDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO SCHEDULE SEVERAL VISITS ON LATE AFTERNOONS OR WEEKNIGHTS.

REDUCE THE BURDEN TO DRIVERS AND RESIDENTS BY SCHEDULING THE TRUCK TO APPEAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH ROUTE TERMINATION AT A CITY PARK IN THAT DISTRICT, RESIDENTS COULD WAIT FOR THE TRUCK TO DRIVE BY THEIR HOUSE OR BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO THE PARK TO VISIT SANTA.

AFTER TIME IN EACH DISTRICT, THE TRUCK WOULD GO TO THE NEXT DISTRICT LOCATION.

VISITS TO DISTRICTS ON DIFFERENT DAYS WOULD REDUCE THE STAFFING BURDEN ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

PARENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE TRACK AND VISITING WITH SANTA WOULD TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO THE PARK.

AFTER ALL, PARENTS TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO SEE SANTA AT MAINIERO SQUARE, AND ON A DAY OTHER THAN CHRISTMAS, THIS COULD TURN INTO A FUN FAMILY RITUAL.

REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BE PRESENT AT THE PARK ALIGNED WITH THEIR DISTRICT.

THIS WAY, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE DIRECTLY PARTICIPATORY.

GIVE UP A FEW HOURS OF THEIR TIME AND CONNECT WITH THEIR DISTRICT CONSTITUENTS.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE INSTRUMENTAL IN RECRUITING RESIDENT CONSTITUENTS TO HELP WITH CANDY AND TOY DISTRIBUTION AND MAYBE EVEN DECORATING THAT PART OF THE PARK WHERE THE FIRE TRUCK STARTS OR STOPS.

A SCHEDULE CAN BE DEVELOPED FOR FIRE TRUCK LOCATIONS AND STOPS.

THE SCHEDULE WOULD BE POSTED ON THE CITY CALENDAR.

AS PRESIDENT OF THE LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

NO ONE APPRECIATES TRADITION MORE THAN I.

HOWEVER, WE MUST REALIZE THAT LA VERNE HAS GROWN TO A POPULATION SIZE OF OVER 32,000, AND ALTHOUGH LIMITED GEOGRAPHICALLY, IS STILL MUCH LARGER THAN IT WAS WHEN THIS TRADITION BEGAN. IT IS POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE THE SPIRIT OF THIS TRADITION WITHOUT PLACING AN EXCESSIVE BURDEN ON CITY STAFF MEMBERS WHO VALUE THEIR FAMILY TIME AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE.

MAKING THIS CHANGE WOULD NOT TAKE SANTA AWAY FROM CHILDREN, AS SOME MAY CLAIM, BUT RATHER THIS NEW APPROACH WILL CREATE AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN LA VERNE AS PEOPLE COME TOGETHER, DECORATE THEIR PARK SPACE AND EAGERLY GREET SANTA ON HIS VISIT THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND THAT'S SHERRY BEST.

SO HERE'S FROM ME, KATHY [INAUDIBLE] 2242THIRD STREET.

I AM A LIFELONG 56 YEAR RESIDENT OF LA VERNE, AND I HAVE VERY FOND MEMORIES OF THE CHRISTMAS MORNING TRADITION, BUT AS THE CITY HAS GROWN AND THE DYNAMICS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE CHANGED, THE LOGISTICS OF PULLING OFF THIS TYPE OF EVENT HAVE BECOME NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.

THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE SANTA TRUCKS SPED DOWN MY STREET SO QUICKLY THAT ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS ASKED IF SANTA WAS EVEN ON THE TRUCK, AND THEY DIDN'T STOP EVEN TO GIVE MY NEIGHBOR'S DAUGHTER A GOODIE BAG.

I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF OUR BLOCK.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT SINCE 2019, WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STOPPED TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS EVENT, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WERE BEING FORCED TO GIVE UP THEIR CHRISTMAS DAY WITH NO COMPENSATION, SIMPLY TO KEEP UP THE OLD TRADITION OF GETTING A BRIEF GLIMPSE OF SANTA AND A BAG OF STUFF THAT PEOPLE MAY OR MAY NOT EAT.

THERE'S A NAME FOR AN EMPLOYER THAT WOULD REQUIRE THIS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

IT'S EBENEZER SCROOGE.

IN THE PAST I HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO HELP STUFF THE GOODIE BAGS, BUT I'VE NEVER VOLUNTEERED FOR CHRISTMAS DAY BECAUSE I ENJOY THE DAY WITH MY FAMILY AND I GO TO CHURCH IF I'M NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP MY CHRISTMAS DAY FOR THIS TRADITION, WHY WOULD I WANT TO BURDEN OTHERS WITH DOING IT? TRADITIONS CHANGE AND EVOLVE.

I'VE READ THE PROPOSAL THAT THE CITY STAFF IS PRESENTING, AND I THINK IT'S A FAR BETTER AND MORE MEANINGFUL OPTION, AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR COMMUNITY WILL WORK WITH OUR EMPLOYEES TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? GOOD EVENING. OKAY, A FEW THINGS.

I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT DIVIDING THE CITY INTO DISTRICTS FOR THIS.

WE ALREADY GOT A BAD TASTE IN OUR MOUTH ABOUT THE DISTRICTS, AND EVERYONE UP HERE SAID, DON'T WORRY, WE'LL GO DISTRICTS, BUT WE'LL ALWAYS BE ONE CITY.

SO DIVIDING IT UP INTO DISTRICTS IS JUST.

[00:40:02]

WE HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO ADJUST TO THIS.

PLUS, I LIVE IN THE HOA, WHICH IS DIVIDED, WHICH SHOULDN'T BE.

IT'S ILLEGAL. SO HALF MY HOA IS GOING TO GO ONE WAY.

THE NEXT HOA IS THESE ARE MY NEIGHBORS.

WE'RE ALL OUT THERE IN OUR PAJAMAS EVERY MORNING WHEN THE WHEN THE FIRE TRUCK COMES.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DRESSED. WE GO GO OUTSIDE IN OUR PAJAMAS, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO DIVIDE OUR HOA AGAIN.

NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

SECOND OF ALL, I'M WONDERING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING NOT GOING TO KNOW ABOUT THIS CHANGING COME DECEMBER.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A RIOT IN HERE.

YOU BETTER HAVE A LOT.

YOU BETTER MAKE SURE THE CITY UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THIS.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND KATHY SAID SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS TRUE.

SORRY, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN HAVE EMPLOYEES WORKING WITHOUT COMPENSATION.

THAT'S TOTALLY ILLEGAL.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM.

YOU CAN'T HAVE EMPLOYEES WORKING WITHOUT PAYING THEM, AND LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE.

THE TRADITION.

I'VE BEEN HERE 36 YEARS.

MY KIDS DOING IT AND EVERYTHING.

I LIKE TO KNOW, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW A NAME.

WHO DECIDED TO DO THIS? SERIOUSLY, WHO DECIDED TO DO THIS? WE'VE GOT ELECTIONS COMING UP.

I WANT NAMES OF WHO DECIDED TO DO THIS.

PROBABLY WON'T GET A NAME, BUT I'LL WRITE THE CITY MANAGER AND ASK WHO THE NAME IS.

BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE THOUGHT OUT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS.

WE USED TO HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S CHANGED ALL THE STUFF.

PROBABLY COULD BE WORKED OUT.

PROBABLY, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT MORE PEOPLE IN HERE TO GIVE BETTER SUGGESTIONS THAN I CAN.

OKAY. BECAUSE I GOT A FEELING THAT COME DECEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE THE GUN THING.

WE WENT THROUGH THE GUN THING.

NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT, AND THEN EVERYBODY STARTED CALLING IN.

YOU HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING ABOUT IT.

BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T KNOW.

IT'S JUST NOT IT'S NOT ADVERTISED ENOUGH.

THIS IS A BIG THING.

THIS IS A BIG THING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT? MY KIDS ARE GONE.

MY GRANDKIDS ARE UP IN IDAHO.

SO TO ME, IT'S NOT AS BIG AS IT USED TO BE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN LA VERNE.

IT'S A BIG THING TO THEM, AND I THINK YOU BETTER PUT MORE ADVERTISEMENTS OUT THERE, AND GETTING MORE MEETINGS IN HERE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING OR IT'S GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE.

THAT IS IT.

THANK YOU, ANNA. [INAUDIBLE] ON AND THEN YOU'RE NEXT.

THANK YOU. I LIVE IN THE CITY FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS AND MY FAMILY HAS ENJOYED THE TRADITION.

I THINK TRADITION IS SUPER IMPORTANT, WHETHER IT'S A PERSONAL TRADITION YOU HAVE WITH YOUR FAMILY AT HOME OR WHEN YOU BUY INTO A CITY AND THEIR TRADITIONS, AND I LOVE LA VERNE.

I LOVE OUR TRADITIONS.

I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE THAT'S UNIQUE OF OTHER CITIES.

THAT SAID, I NOTICED IN LOOKING AT THE AUDIENCE HERE THAT THE TARGET CONSUMER IS NOT IN HERE, AND TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE OTHER SPEAKERS, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, HAS ANYBODY GONE TO THE SCHOOLS AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THIS DECISION? WILL THE PARENTS OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO WON'T BE SEEN SANTA ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, WHO HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE TRADITIONS OF LA VERNE, ARE THEY WILLING TO STEP UP AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU GUYS WERE THAT BAD OFF FOR FOR VOLUNTEERS, AND I COME TO THESE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS PRETTY REGULARLY.

I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT.

SO I'VE NEVER HEARD THIS DIRE NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS OR ELSE.

SO I THINK IN THE SPIRIT OF MAINTAINING THE TRADITION, FINDING A DIFFERENT WAY TO MAKE THE TRADITION WE HAVE, WHETHER OR NOT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXCLUSIVELY ON THE HOOK FOR THEIR TEAM AND THE CITY STAFF, BUT ALL THE CITY COMING TOGETHER TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO PUT MORE TIME INTO THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO AFFECT 32,000 AND CHANGE HOME OR PEOPLE OVER 11,000 HOMES AND IN HERE YOU MIGHT HAVE 100 REPRESENTED.

SO THAT'S MY COMMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE], AND WE ARE NOT MAKING A DECISION, AND THIS IS PURELY DISCUSSION, AND JUST TO FEEL IT OUT HERE AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A WAY TO MORPH IT OR WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO WITH THIS. OUR WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS DAY, WHICH I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 40 YEARS.

SO I DO UNDERSTAND.

LILY HI.

GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS LILY. I AM 70 YEARS OLD LA VERNE RESIDENT, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL I SAW A

[00:45:02]

LIKE WHAT? WHAT? I DIDN'T BRING MY PHONE WITH ME BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, OH, I MUST I SHOULD COME HERE.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME, MY FAMILY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW SINCE I LIVE IN OLD TOWN.

SO SINCE I MY KIDS BORN, IT'S JUST OUR FAMILY ROUTINE TO WAIT FOR LIKE A 9:00 AND THE CHECKER, WHERE'S THE FIRE? WHERE'S THE FIRE TRUCK? WE'RE SO EXCITED AND WAIT FOR THAT MOMENT.

CALL OUT EVERY JUMP OUTSIDE THE WAY FOR THE GOODY RIGHT.

THE GOODY IS NOT REALLY IMPORTANT.

WHATEVER BOX OR BAG, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

THAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR ALL OUR NEIGHBORS.

OR MAYBE JUST SEE ONCE A YEAR AND THEN WE SAY HI AND THEN WE EXCHANGE CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

IT'S ALREADY 17 YEARS TRADITION ON MY STREET, SO I KNOW IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR SO MANY OTHER NEIGHBORS.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A PLACE CALLED OLD TOWN STORY.

SO EVERY YEAR WE POST A PICTURE COLLECT TOGETHER.

SO FOR WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT IN THE CHRISTMAS MORNING? AND THEN I SAW SO MANY PEOPLE POST, THEY PUT CHOCOLATE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE OF ALL THE VOLUNTEER HAVE DRINK AND THEN PEOPLE TAKE PICTURE AND THEN IT'S A VERY SWEET MOMENT, AND THEN LAST FEW YEARS SINCE THE SHORTAGE.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEER TOO.

SO SOME PEOPLE COULDN'T REACH THE CORNER, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME LIKE MOBILE HOUSE, THE CHOCOLATE AND GET INSIDE AND JUST DRIVE BY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN ONLINE, TALK ABOUT HOW DISAPPOINTED THEY DIDN'T SEE.

THEY DIDN'T GET THE GOODIE BAG.

IT'S NOT ABOUT GOODIE BAG.

IT'S BECAUSE THEY MISSED THE MOST EXCITING MOMENT FROM THEIR CHILDHOOD, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE, THEY COME BACK FROM OTHER CITY, COME BACK, SPEND WITH PARENTS ONLY BECAUSE THEY RECALLED THEIR MEMORY.

SO I WONDER HOW IS THE VOLUME OF THIS TRADITION IS CLOSE TO 100 YEARS FOR LA VERNE.

SO PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT SAY, HEY, WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I COME FROM I SAID, I LIVE IN LA VERNE.

SO YEAH, IT'S A VERY SWEET, SMALL TOWN.

IT'S VERY SPECIAL TIME.

THEY HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THEY'RE OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

YOU KNOW HOW THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT FAMOUS NOT BECAUSE THE LAWSUIT FEW YEARS AGO.

IT'S BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EVERY SINGLE CHRISTMAS MORNING LA VERNE BECAUSE FAMOUS BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS MORNING FIRE TRUCK DELIVER SANTA DELIVER CANDY.

THAT'S WHAT I KNOW MY FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT YOU LIVE IN LA VERNE.

THAT'S MORE SPECIAL TOWN.

VERY GOOD TOWN.

STILL TODAY. THEY STILL TALK ABOUT THAT.

FOR ME, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE 4TH OF JULY, I ALWAYS CALL MY FRIENDS JOIN THE PARADE.

WE'RE HAPPY, HAVE A BARBECUE AND CHRISTMAS MORNING WE DON'T CALL THEM COME TO MY HOUSE, BUT IT'S THE BEST TIME TO MEET ALL MY NEIGHBOR EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

SO I KNOW IT'S CHOCOLATE BECAUSE I'M SO GLAD OUR MAYOR STILL CONTINUE.

COVID STILL SAY HI.

WE'RE SO HAPPY. OH THE CONTINUE STILL THEY'RE NOT STOP BECAUSE WE'RE SO WORRIED THIS TRADITION GOING TO STOP BUT WE STILL CONTINUE AND THE NEXT YEAR SIGN UP RIGHT AWAY. I CALL MY SON, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO BE VOLUNTEER BECAUSE THEY TALK ABOUT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE.

SO WE JOIN THE VOLUNTEER IS NOT EASY.

6:00 TILL 2:00.

I WAS SO EXHAUSTED, BUT I'M JUST SO HAPPY I GIVE THE CANDY TO THE PEOPLE, AND MY SON.

OH, JOSEPH, THAT'S YOU, AND THEN WE MISS SO MANY PEOPLE WE KNOW FROM MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

I KNOW. WHAT'S THAT? HOW IMPORTANT FOR MY FAMILY AND SO MANY FAMILIES LIKE US BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT HAPPENED TODAY.

BECAUSE I SAW ONLINE PEOPLE.

LIKE WHAT? WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE SAYING? WHAT THE HUNDRED YEARS TRADITION GOING TO VOTE TODAY OR END TODAY.

YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO THAT.

OKAY. ESPECIALLY IF YOU NEED TO SURVEY, DO A SURVEY.

LET PEOPLE COME TO YOU WILLING TO BE VOLUNTEER FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING.

SINCE WE SHOT A VOLUNTEER, YOU EVEN TO THINK ABOUT, HEY, PART TIME FOR SOME PEOPLE LIKE MY SON, THEY WOULD LOVE TO BE PART TIME.

OKAY. GET SOME PAY SOMETHING.

RIGHT. SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT HOW THE VALUE OF THIS TRADITION DON'T MAKE ANY DECISION TODAY.

JUST DO A SURVEY.

I WOULD LOVE TO BE VOLUNTEER FOR THE CHRISTMAS MORNING OR EVEN TO THE CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY.

I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. I'M GOING TO DO THE EVENT.

I REALLY I DID VERY BIG WEDDING FOR MY SISTER.

1000 PEOPLE JOIN MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, 30 YEARS AGO, I THINK.

OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE DISTRICT VOTING AND ESPECIALLY CCW AND I DON'T KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PEOPLE, MORE POPULATION COME.

SO THIS IS A TRADITION MAYBE WILL BE KIND OF CHALLENGE TO CONTINUE BUT PUT THE CHALLENGE ON THE TABLE LET'S FIND A SOLUTION.

SO I'M SURE IF THIS TRADITION IS SO IMPORTANT TO.

EVERY SINGLE LA VERNE CITIZEN WHO CARE ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, LILY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE, MR. BOWEN? MR.

[00:50:07]

I HATE FOLLOWING LILY.

I JUST HATE IT.

YOU JUST CAN'T COMPETE.

YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU.

NUMBER ONE, 40 YEARS HERE.

GREAT TRADITION.

I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT FIRST TIME.

WENT OUTSIDE AND THOUGHT THE WHOLE WORLD WAS ENDING ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, AND WHEN MY NEIGHBOR SAID, NO, NO, IT'S OKAY.

I'VE HAD THREE HOUSES HERE.

LOVE THE TRADITION, BUT LOGISTICS ARE ALWAYS AN ISSUE, AND I REMEMBER I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO I EVEN SAID MAYBE IT'S A TRADITION THAT HAS HAD ITS TIME.

BOY, DID I TAKE A BEATING OVER THAT ONE.

SO LOGISTICALLY, THE ONE THING I'M CURIOUS AND I WANT TO JUST FOLLOW UP WITH ANNA, SOMEBODY PUT A LOT OF WORK IN THIS.

SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN WORKING ON IT? UNFORTUNATELY, ON THE TAIL END OF THE 740 PROJECT OVER THERE, WE SEEM TO FIND OUT AFTER THERE'S BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF WORK AND THIS IS A STUDY SESSION , BUT QUITE FRANKLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE A DONE DEAL.

I HEARD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAY HE COULDN'T SUPPORT IT.

I HEARD THE STAFF SAY THEY CAN'T SUPPORT IT.

KIND OF SOUNDS LIKE A DONE DEAL, AND HE GOT FOUR MONTHS, AND THIS FIRST AT LEAST THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HEARD OF THIS FOR AGAINST IT.

NOT REALLY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER RIGHT AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT IS A VERY SHORT TIMEFRAME, AND YOU WANT INPUT.

I THINK OTHER THAN THIS MEETING, YOU NEED MORE TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. YES, MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CARLA MORA AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY HUSBAND TONY HAS VOLUNTEERED TO BE SANTA FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS.

IT'S BEEN A TRADITION FOR THE KIDS.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.

WE VOLUNTEERED OUR TIME, AND MY HUSBAND HAS NEVER HASN'T SPENT CHRISTMAS MORNING WITH OUR FAMILY FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? MY KIDS WERE VERY UNDERSTANDING AS LITTLE ONES AS THREE AND SEVEN YEARS OLD AT THE TIME.

I TOLD THEM SANTA NEEDED HELPERS AND THAT WAS IT FROM THAT DAY ON.

MY HUSBAND LOOKED FORWARD TO THAT EVERY MORNING, EVERY MORNING.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HIM AND I LOOKED FORWARD TO GOING, BUYING TOYS OURSELVES TO GIVE OUT TO ALL THESE KIDS IN THE MORNING.

I MEAN, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING OR THIS IS EVEN A QUESTION.

IT'S VERY SAD BECAUSE I TRULY THOUGHT ALL THESE YEARS, THIS IS FOR THE KIDS AND.

I WAS OKAY WITH IT.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT BE OKAY WITH IT, BUT IT'S JUST I JUST FIND IT SAD THAT IF THIS IS TAKEN AWAY.

OH, MY GOD, THAT'S HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE IT'S JUST HEARTBREAKING, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S HAPPENING.

CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED IN OUR LIVES RIGHT NOW.

IF MY HUSBAND CAN DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR AND IF IT'S ALLOWED, I HOPE HE CAN, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY THINK THAT YOU GUYS REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BREAK A LOT OF PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND I THINK THE SUGGESTIONS OF TALKING TO PEOPLE FIRST AND MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL REALLY VOLUNTEER AND COMMIT AND BE HERE THAT MORNING TO HELP.

I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT IT'S JUST I JUST FIND IT SAD THAT THIS IS EVEN A TOPIC.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVERY YEAR, AND I'M SO PROUD TO SAY LA VERNE DOES THIS EVERY YEAR, AND LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE SAYING THIS IS WHAT THEY THEY LOOK FORWARD TO WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

I NEVER HAVE HAD A PROBLEM MY HUSBAND BEING GONE BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S DOING IT FOR THE KIDS AND HE LOVES IT.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

IF YOUR HEART'S IN IT AND YOU LOVE IT, YOU'LL DO IT.

BOTTOM LINE. THAT'S HOW I FEEL.

SO I REALLY THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE BREAKING A LOT OF PEOPLE'S HEARTS IF YOU TAKE THIS AWAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MORA.

[INAUDIBLE]. I'M ARLENE [INAUDIBLE]. I LIVE AT 1632 KENT DRIVE.

I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 20, PROBABLY 23 YEARS.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT SOMETHING DRASTIC WAS HAPPENING, AND IT'S BEEN IT'S A LOVELY TRADITION.

I'VE HAD MY GRANDKIDS OVER SOME YEARS AND THEY LOVE IT.

A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY EXPAND IT.

IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, BUT I KNOW WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH WITH THE DISTRICTS.

I KNOW WHAT WE WENT THROUGH WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES.

PEOPLE ARE SUDDENLY CONFRONTED WITH A CHANGE OR SOMETHING NEW AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

[00:55:01]

I HAVEN'T VOLUNTEERED.

I DID CALL ONCE TO ASK IF I COULD, AND ALL I WANTED TO KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT A YOUNGSTER IS IF I COULD DO IT FOR A FEW HOURS , AND I WAS TOLD NO THAT I HAD TO GO THE WHOLE ROUTE.

SO THERE'S MAYBE SOME ALTERNATIVES YOU COULD DO IN TERMS OF SHIFTS SO PEOPLE CAN DO TWO HOUR SHIFTS AND SOMEBODY TAKES OVER ON, YOU KNOW, SOME STREET.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN MAYBE DO THE WHOLE EVENT AND INVOLVE MORE PEOPLE, BUT I'M WILLING TO VOLUNTEER AND I HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN THE PAST, AND I THINK YOU COULD REALLY BRING THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, AND IF WE PUT A CALL OUT TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER, BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAVE THIS EVENT SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF COVID.

I'VE SEEN SO MANY KIDS BE DISAPPOINTED BY SO MANY THINGS.

I'VE SEEN ADULTS SUFFER THROUGH DEPRESSION.

I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN JUST A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT HAVE IMPACTED SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES.

MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THIS.

MAYBE THIS IS THE YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU OVER THE YEARS, YOU MAY HAVE TO STOP DOING THIS, BUT SO CLOSE TO ALL THE TRAUMA AND ALL THE CHANGES AND ALL THE STUFF WE'VE ALL HAD TO GO THROUGH, MAYBE THIS IS THE TIME TO BRING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO VOLUNTEER TO MAKE THIS WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. ALLISON. DR.

ALLISON. DR.

ALLISON. [CHUCKLING] WOAH, DOCTOR.

I JUST FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START BY RECOGNIZING THE SACRIFICE OF STAFF AND TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF WHO'VE GIVEN UP THEIR TIME THESE DECADES TO MAKE SUCH A WONDERFUL PROGRAM HAPPEN.

I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO HEAR NOT ONLY A NO, THIS CAN'T HAPPEN, BUT ACTUAL ALTERNATIVES, AND I HEARD CHIEF NIGG SAY THAT HE WOULDN'T ASK HIS PEOPLE TO WORK, AND I THINK THAT'S LEADERSHIP.

SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE STAFF AND THE CITY FOR NOT ONLY THIS EVENT FOR, BUT OTHER EVENTS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

I THINK, ONE, IF WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING THE MOST PEOPLE IN LA VERNE TOGETHER FOR A CELEBRATION DIVIDING THE CITIES INTO FIVE, AS OPPOSED TO ALL OF THE SEPARATE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, PROBABLY GETS MORE PEOPLE CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAY TOGETHER.

SECONDLY, THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THIS PLAN THAT PROHIBITS A NEIGHBORHOOD FROM HAVING THEIR OWN CELEBRATION.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MEET OUT IN THE STREET AND EXCHANGE GIFTS AND GOODIES AND LOVES AND HUGS.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT STOPS THAT BY ADOPTING THIS MODEL, BUT WHAT I'M SENSITIVE TO IS I THINK LA VERNE CHILDREN ARE IMPORTANT, AND AS WAS INDICATED, THIS IS A PROGRAM FOR OUR CHILDREN, BUT I DON'T THINK LA VERNE CHILDREN ARE MORE IMPORTANT OR SPECIAL THAN ANYBODY ELSE IS, AND SO TO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE SACRIFICING THEIR TIME AND ARE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE THIS TRADITION HAPPEN, BUT IT'S HAPPENING ON THE BACKS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SACRIFICING PRECIOUS TIME WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN.

I FIND THAT DISTURBING.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT WE BREAK THIS UP INTO OTHER PROGRAMS. I THINK THE WISDOM IN HAVING DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ISN'T THAT WE WANT TO DIVIDE EVERYBODY UP, BUT IT'S IF YOU CAN'T MAKE ONE, YOU CAN MAKE THE SECOND ONE, MAYBE THE THIRD, THE FOURTH. OR IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, I'LL BE AT ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MY KIDS ROLL.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR.

ALLISON. MR. [INAUDIBLE]. MAYOR COUNCIL.

WELL, I'M ONE OF YOUR FIREFIGHTERS.

I'VE HEARD OUR NAME THROWN UP HERE A LOT.

ONE THING THAT I LIKE TO SAY IS THAT WHEN I JOINED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE.

IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS.

NOT TO SOUND NEGATIVE, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE JOB.

I UNDERSTAND PART OF THE CITY ARE WHAT WE DO.

I STARTED IN 1990 AS A RESERVE AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE AND PRETTY MUCH HALF OF MY TIME HERE.

I'VE GIVEN A CHRISTMAS EVERY YEAR, I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE INSIDE AND FROM INSIDE THAT IT'S BECOME A CHALLENGE EVERY YEAR IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY.

WE WERE OFFERED TO BE PAID TO COME IN ON CHRISTMAS.

SO MONEY ISN'T AN ISSUE FOR COMING AND DOING IT I THINK THE BIGGEST THING ON OUR SIDE WAS WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE PEOPLE ANYMORE TO DO IT.

[01:00:04]

LAST CHRISTMAS, I WAS ON DUTY.

I TOOK MY CREW. THEY.

THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO GO OUT. WE WENT ON A ROUTE AND HELPED OUT SANDERS TOWING.

WE HAD SANTA ON OUR ROUTE.

EVERYTHING. I CAN'T THANK THE VOLUNTEERS ENOUGH WHAT THEY DO FOR THAT MORNING AND HELPING OUT.

I PROBABLY HAD 13 PEOPLE ON OUR ROUTE HAD FOUR PEOPLE THAT WERE RUNNING.

THE REST OF THE KIDS LAID OUT ON BACK OF THE TOW TRUCK WITH THEIR CELL PHONES THE ENTIRE ROUTE.

IT'S HARD. IT'S NOT SAFE.

WE HAD A COUPLE INCIDENTS WHERE THE CARS WHERE THEY CUT ACROSS THE STREET, SO A LOT OF THAT COMES INTO PLAY WE OFFER [INAUDIBLE] TO CHANGE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A TRADITION.

I WAS GOING TO BRING TWO POLAROID PICTURES OF ME FROM 1980 GETTING CANDY FROM SANTA.

OUR DEPARTMENT WILL GIVE ANYTHING WE CAN ANY DAY TO DO SOMETHING FOR THIS CITY.

I THINK WE'VE SHOWN THAT DO I THINK IT SHOULD GO AWAY? MY PERSONAL OPINION? NO, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S SOME POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS OUT THERE.

AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU MAKE COMMITTEES FOR GOAL LINES AND TAXES TO HEAR FROM CITIZENS TO HELP OUT.

I THINK THERE'S A WINDOW WHERE YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO SOME CITIZENS.

MORE BRAINS ARE BETTER THAN ONE BRAIN TO POTENTIALLY MAKE A SOLUTION, BUT FOR THE CITIZENS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM YOUR FIREFIGHTERS.

WE GIVE EVERY DAY, AND TO HAVE CHRISTMAS GO AWAY, PLEASE DON'T BE UPSET AT US, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO DO IT IF WE COULD.

WE PHYSICALLY CANNOT DO IT ANYMORE WITH THE BODIES.

IF YOU HAD EVERY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS HERE WHEN THE DEPARTMENT THAT MORNING, WE STILL COULDN'T ACCOMPLISH IT.

SO I'M SORRY FOR THAT PORTION OF IT.

IT JUST HAS CHANGED, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S MORE MEMBERS I KNOW PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO THAT AREN'T HERE TONIGHT THAT HAVE SOME POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COUNCIL POTENTIALLY, HEY, WE HAVE X AMOUNT OF TIME.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, AND IF YOU DON'T HEAR FROM IT, THAT'S IT.

YOU HAD YOUR OPPORTUNITY AND I CAN APPRECIATE THAT, LIKE SOME SAID, BUT YOUR FIREFIGHTERS WILL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU, FOR THE CITY, AND WE THINK WE'VE PROVEN THAT ALREADY.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.

THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE].

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? OH SEVEN WORKS. WE'LL TAKE A NEXT.

HI, EVERYBODY. I'M CYNTHIA TYNER.

BESIDES THE BEAUTIFUL ESTHETICS OF THIS CITY.

SANTA CLAUS COMING AND VISITING ON CHRISTMAS MORNING WAS ACTUALLY MY NUMBER ONE REASON FOR MOVING HERE.

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

IT BRINGS OUT THE CHILD IN EVERYBODY, AND AS ADULTS, IT'S GOOD TO SLIP INTO THAT EVERY NOW AND THEN.

MY FIRST, A FRIEND OF MINE HAD TOLD ME ABOUT SANTA CLAUS COMING AROUND.

WELL, EVENTUALLY I GOT TO MOVE HERE.

AND CHRISTMAS I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE TRADITION.

CHRISTMAS MORNING, I HEAR THE SIRENS AND I START PRAYING, THINKING, LORD, HELP WHOEVER NEEDS THOSE SERVICES.

AND IN MY PRAYER, AS I'M PRAYING, ALL OF A SUDDEN I REALIZE SANTA IS HERE.

SO HERE I JUMP OUT OF BED IN MY LITTLE NIGHTIE.

I'M RUNNING DOWN MY HALLWAY, I'M GRABBING MY GIRLS.

SANTA'S HERE. WE GOT TO GO SEE SANTA.

AND THEN I REALIZED, GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, GIRL.

YOU'RE IN YOUR NIGHTIE. BUT, BUT YEAH, THAT'S IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL TRADITION AND WE DON'T HANG ON TO AND WE LET TOO MANY TRADITIONS GO IN LIFE.

AND I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THEM THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TRY TO, TO HANG ON TO.

HOWEVER, MAYBE WE HAVE TO TWEAK IT NOW AS FAR AS VOLUNTEERING GOES.

I'VE WANTED TO DO THAT FOR THE LONGEST TIME.

WHEN I WAS RAISING MY GIRLS, ALL I THOUGHT I COULD DO WAS FILL THE LITTLE GOODIE BAGS.

BUT NOW THE WAY OUR OUR FAMILY CELEBRATES IS EVERY OTHER YEAR, MY SISTER AND I EXCHANGE HOMES THAT WE CELEBRATE SO I CAN ASSIST ON CHRISTMAS DAY EVERY OTHER YEAR.

I NEVER KNEW WHERE TO GO TO TO VOLUNTEER.

I NEVER KNEW I CAME DID COME TO THE CITY ONE TIME AND THEY SAID, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

AND NO ONE EVER GOT BACK TO ME.

SO IF THE WORD COULD BE PUT OUT FOR PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER, MAYBE YOU COULD GET MORE AND THEY COULD VOLUNTEER FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME SO THAT EVERYBODY COULD BE WITH THEIR FAMILY. AND I AM SORRY, BUT I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS FOR ALL THE YEARS THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US THIS TRADITION.

ANYWAY, THAT'S MY LITTLE TINY SUGGESTION, BUT THANK YOU ALL.

VOLUNTEER. THANK YOU, FIREFIGHTERS, FOR A GREAT TRADITION.

[01:05:02]

ANYONE ELSE? WELL, WE HAVE MR. WARD. MR. MAYOR, WE DID CHANGE OUR PROCESS TO TRY TO GET RID OF SOME OF THE FEEDBACK.

SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL WORK.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT. GOOD EVENING.

CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? GOOD.

PERFECT. SO UNLIKE I THINK MOST OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE SPOKEN, I HAVE NOT LIVED IN THE CITY VERY LONG.

IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AND DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SANTA TRADITION PRIOR TO BUYING A HOUSE HERE.

BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL SURPRISE ON CHRISTMAS MORNING.

UM, I HAVE A YOUNG DAUGHTER AND ANOTHER ONE ON THE WAY, AND IT WAS A GREAT AND JOYOUS EXPERIENCE THAT LATER ON WHEN I WENT WITH MY FAMILY, I BRAGGED ABOUT THE NEW CITY I MOVED TO AND HOW THEY HAD SANTA ON CHRISTMAS DAY TO EVERY SINGLE BLOCK IN THE CITY.

IT WAS SPECTACULAR.

UM, GOT A LITTLE PICTURE OF THAT EVENT FROM CHRISTMAS MORNING.

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS HERE IN LA VERNE.

AND SO.

LOVE IT. IT IT WAS.

IT'S A CHARMING TRADITION.

UM, THAT BEING SAID, LOGISTICALLY, I HAD NO IDEA HOW ON EARTH IT HAPPENED.

RIGHT. UM, THE CITY IS 32,000 OR SO.

UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, HILLS.

IT'S EVERYONE RUNNING THROUGH THE CITY.

AND I JUST COULD NOT ASK CITY STAFF OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR ANYONE TO GIVE UP THEIR TIME ON CHRISTMAS DAY WHEN I WOULDN'T BE WILLING TO GIVE UP MY TIME WITH MY FAMILY ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

UM, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE DOING A STUDY SESSION ON THIS.

I THINK A COUPLE OTHER COMMUNITY OUTREACH OR FORUMS OR LISTENING SESSIONS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH IDEAS WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW EVERYONE LOVES.

AND IT'S A IT'S A VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRADITION THAT PEOPLE LOVE AND WOULD BE VERY UPSET TO LOSE.

THAT BEING SAID, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM STAFF AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE VOLUNTEERING AND SPENDING HOURS AND HOURS OF THEIR DAY.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SUSTAINABLE OR NOT.

I HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF FOLKS TONIGHT THAT SAY, HEY, IF WE KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM, WE'D JUMP IN AND HELP OUT.

AND I THINK THAT PROBABLY IS TRUE.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT IF MAYBE THIS COMES OUT OF CITY CONTROL AND THERE IS SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT TRIES TO GET TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE AND GENERATE THE VOLUNTEER BASE AND THEY TAKE IT ON.

BUT ASKING CITY STAFF OR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, ALREADY STRETCHED THIN TO TO BE GIVING UP CHRISTMAS DAY.

UM, I THINK IS REALLY TOUGH.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE WINTER WONDERLAND EVENT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN LA VERNE, BUT THAT'S A GREAT EVENT AND IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO MEET SANTA. I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO HERITAGE PARK, SO I HIT ALL THOSE EVENTS.

WINTER WONDERLAND, THE PUMPKIN PATCH, THE EXCELLENT EASTER EGG HUNT.

WE DO IT ALL WITH WITH MY DAUGHTER.

AND SO I THINK THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

I KNOW THERE'S THE TREE LIGHTING FOR KIDS TO SEE SANTA WITHOUT HAVING TO GIVE UP, WITHOUT HAVING SO MANY HAVE TO GIVE UP CHRISTMAS DAY.

NOW, IF THERE'S A GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP THIS.

OF VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

GREAT. I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP IT GOING.

IT BROUGHT A SMILE TO MY ENTIRE FAMILY.

BUT IF THERE'S NOT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE VOLUNTEER BASE TO DO IT, I REALLY DO THINK CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.

AND I DON'T THINK ASKING CITY STAFF TO TAKE ON MORE AND MORE OF THE LOAD ON CHRISTMAS DAY AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES JUST TO KEEP THIS TRADITION GOING WHEN THE CITY HAS GROWN SO MUCH IS A GOOD IDEA.

SO I APPLAUD CITY FOR FOR HAVING THIS AS A STUDY SESSION AS OPPOSED TO A REGULARLY AGENDIZED PROPOSAL.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE A VOTE TAKES PLACE AND THINK MORE ENGAGEMENT IS GREAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE IS ENOUGH SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE REAL COMMITMENT AND NOT HAVE IT BE SUCH A RESPONSIBILITY ON ON THE ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR ON CITY STAFF.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. OH, NO.

UM. WE ARE CRESTING UPON OUR OTHER MEETING BUT WOULD LIKE OUR LAST COMMENT BEFORE I CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THEN I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, MR. DOMER, I THINK IT'S BEEN MADE VERY CLEAR.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, TOO, THAT I KNOW ANNA HAD BROUGHT IT UP.

UM, REGARDING THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US BY STAFF.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I'VE BEEN, I THINK THIS IS MY EIGHTH YEAR NOW.

[01:10:01]

SO IF YOU'RE ASKING THE QUESTION, IT WAS STAFF SAYING THIS IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US.

AND I THINK THIS IS WHY WE'RE OUTPOURING TO THE COMMUNITY SAYING IF WE WANT TO KEEP THIS.

AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE TO.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE TO DO THIS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE LICENSED PEOPLE TO RUN TRUCKS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE LICENSED PEOPLE, OUR SANTAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND AS MR. BOWEN SAID, YEAH, IT'S FOUR MONTHS, BUT WE GOT THIS JUST A SHORT BIT AGO.

IT WAS DESIGNED BY STAFF AND I REALLY THANK THE STAFF FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT WE'RE JUST BRINGING IT UP TO THEM SAYING THIS IS AN ISSUE, IT'S A BIG ISSUE.

THE VOLUNTEERISM IS NOT THERE.

I'LL JUST BE HONEST WITH YOU. I'VE BEEN ON THE ROUTE A NUMBER OF TIMES AND IT JUST FAILS.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE JUST WANT TO RUN AROUND IN THEIR 90S, ANNA AND CYNTHIA.

I MEAN, THAT'S FINE, YOU KNOW? SORRY. JUST.

IT'S JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.

GOTTA BREAK THE CROWD UP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

LET ME TAKE OVER HERE. YEAH.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS SERIOUS.

I MEAN, AND MY WIFE MADE IT VERY, VERY, VERY CLEAR TO ME.

NOT ON YOUR WATCH.

NOT ON MY WATCH.

BUT WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO OUR STAFF.

WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY.

IF WE LIKE THIS, THEN LET'S GET TOGETHER AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE COMMUNITY BASED NOW.

WE NEED TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS.

MAYBE WE DO. MAYBE WE DO IT WITHOUT THE CANDY.

MAYBE WE DON'T DO CANDY.

WE DO A ROUTE WITH SANTA CLAUS ON A TRUCK AND GO DOWN EVERY STREET.

AND I KNOW, PAM, YOU LOVE THE CANDY.

BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT MAYBE THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR THE VOLUNTEERS.

MAYBE REDUCE IT DOWN.

WE CAN ABLE TO HIT THE STREETS WHERE THESE PEOPLE AREN'T OUT 6 TO 8 HOURS.

AND WE WE RELY LESS ON STAFF, ALTHOUGH STAFF HAS TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.

EVERYTHING WE DO THROUGH THE CITY GOES THROUGH STAFF.

IT HAS TO DO WITH INSURANCE.

IT HAS TO DO WITH CERTIFICATION.

SO WE'VE WE'VE HEARD I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOOD.

IT WAS BROUGHT TO US TO SAY, HEY, YOU THINK THIS WAS COMFORTABLE BRINGING IT TO EVERYBODY? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

BUT THE POINT IS, OUR STAFF IS CRYING OUT TO US AND WE VALUE OUR STAFF.

WITHOUT OUR STAFF, THE CITY DOES NOT FUNCTION AND THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB BETWEEN FIRE POLICE, BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES, BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, OUR PUBLIC WORKS.

WE HAVE A FANTASTIC DEPARTMENTS HERE.

BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT IF THE RESIDENTS WANT THIS, WE NEED TO STEP UP AND STEP UP NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.

AND WE. MR.. DOMER CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER SESSION? I MEAN, SOME OF US WON'T BE HERE, BUT WE NEED ANOTHER SESSION ON THIS AND WE NEED TO MAYBE LET'S GET MORE INFORMATION, MORE OUTREACH.

AND THEN BUT BUT ALSO.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO COME TO US, LET'S HAVE SOME SOUND DISCUSSION AND SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I LOVE THIS JUST LIKE YOU GUYS DO.

YOU KNOW. MY GRANDKIDS ARE DOING THIS NOW.

IT'S GREAT. IT IS.

BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

IT TAKES A LOT OF PLANNING.

IT TAKES PEOPLE TO BE THERE.

SO. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON.

GO AHEAD. I WAS ON THE COUNCIL MANY YEARS AGO OF 2003 TO 2011, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY AN ISSUE AT THAT TIME.

I'VE BEEN ON THE ROTARY CLUB SINCE 1984 AND THE CITY MANAGER AT THAT TIME WAS ASKING IF ROTARY WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER THE CHRISTMAS MORNING AND THERE WAS JUST NO WAY THAT WE COULD DO IT AS A CLUB.

SO WHEN YOU ASK, HAS THIS BEEN AN ISSUE? IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT THE SUSTAINABILITY FACTOR IS WHAT'S BRINGING IT UP NOW.

ONE OF MY FOND MEMORIES ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS MORNING WAS FIREMEN HAD A LOT OF JEEPS BACK THEN WHEN I WAS A KID, AND THEY'D HAVE PLYWOOD SIDES ON THOSE ATTACHED TO THOSE JEEPS LIKE SLAVES.

MR. RUSSELL DO YOU MEAN.

YES, I DID. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND, WELL, I THINK THEY'RE AUTOMATIC NOW.

YEAH, HIS IS NOT.

BUT. BUT, YEAH, I MEAN.

THAT COULD BE SOMETHING.

IF THE CHEAP CLUBS ARE STILL AS POPULAR AS THEY USED TO BE, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT.

BUT I MEAN, THERE COULD BE GROUPS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LOVE TO TAKE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR AT LEAST BE A PART OF IT FOR THEIR DISTRICT OR FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. EXCUSE ME.

UM, BUT YEAH, I WAS ALSO TOLD BY MY WIFE.

NOT ON MY WATCH.

SO DON'T THINK WE DON'T CONCERN.

THIS IS NOT A CONCERN TO US.

YOUR POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN.

I HAVE TO GO HOME AT NIGHT.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

YEAH, SHE SAID ABSOLUTELY NOT ON MY WATCH, BUT LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.

[01:15:03]

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUMPING ON AND OFF THAT FIRE TRUCK.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MEN DO THAT AND WOMEN DO THAT EVERY DAY.

IS YOUR WORK.

THE VOLUNTEERISM IN 2019, BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL, THERE WAS A BIG PUSH TO GET VOLUNTEERS TO DO THIS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN, UM, NOT THAT THE FIRE DID NOT WANT TO DO THIS.

THEY COULDN'T SUSTAIN THAT. AND IT WENT TO A CITY THING.

AND, AND THE CRY OUT WAS FOR VOLUNTEERS BACK IN 2019.

AND IT HAS NOT SUSTAINED ITSELF TO VOLUNTEER.

THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER THIS.

FROM. THEY DO ONE YEAR AND THEN THEY DON'T DO IT THE NEXT.

THEY'VE LEARNED AFTER THAT FIRST YEAR THAT HOW DIFFICULT IT REALLY IS.

UM, AND THAT, THAT THAT'S CONCERNING, UM, TRYING TO GET THE PEOPLE TO DO IT.

AND THE PIECE ON SAYING THAT THEY HAD 13 KIDS AND FOUR WERE RUNNING THEY.

THAT HAPPENS A LOT. THEY GET TIRED OUT, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING FOR.

AND AFTER OUR FOUR AND A HALF, THERE'S PEOPLE DRAGGING AND THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE PEOPLE DOING IT.

AND IT'S IT'S IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

IT IS IT IS THE BEST THING OUT THERE BY FAR.

UM, JUST JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IS IT SUSTAINABLE OR NOT.

UM, AND BY BEING ON THERE SINCE 2019, WATCHING IT AND WATCHING OUR VOLUNTEERS COME AND GO AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME AND DO IT, IT'S HARD.

UH, AND IF YOU SAY YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER, BLESS YOU.

OR ANY ONE ELSE.

IT IS DIFFICULT.

AND TRYING TO GET THEM IN AND GETTING THEM AROUND.

I'VE I'VE BEEN FILLING UP MY SANTA SUIT AND TRYING TO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT.

BUT IT IS HARD AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUSTAIN SOMETHING FOR OUR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S IT'S NOT EASY TO KEEP.

AND WE DID PUSH.

SO THE PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT WE DID NOT PUSH FOR VOLUNTEERISM SINCE 2019, IT HAS BEEN OUT THERE AND IT'S BEEN ON OUR WEBSITE TO VOLUNTEER TO COME OUT AND DO AND BE PART OF THAT SINCE THAT'S WHEN I STARTED GETTING INVOLVED AND IT'S BECOME CITY COUNCIL WAS WHEN THE PUSH HAPPENED TO TRY TO TO BE OUT THERE.

AND I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAY I'M NOT GOING TO ASK SOMEONE ELSE THAT THAT I WOULDN'T DO MYSELF.

AND THAT IS WHY I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 2019.

BUT MY MY WIFE, THEY LOOK AT ME AND WHOEVER SAID THAT, LILY SAID THAT YOU YOU WERE EXHAUSTED AFTERWARDS.

MY FIRST YEAR RUNNING, I CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.

I WENT TO SLEEP AND TOOK A NAP AND MISSED THE REST OF CHRISTMAS THAT DAY BECAUSE I WAS SO TIRED FROM DOING THAT TOO.

SO TRUE FACT.

WHEN YOU GET HOME, YOU'RE EXHAUSTED AFTER DOING THAT AS WELL, AND YOUR FAMILY IS TRYING TO LOOK AT YOU AND SAY, WAIT, YOU'RE DONE VOLUNTEERING, NOW YOU'RE FOR US, BUT YOU'RE TOO TIRED TO EVEN BE PART OF THEM.

SO IT IS DIFFICULT.

THANK YOU, MR. CROSBY.

MAYOR PRO TEM. HELLO.

SO I WOULD THINK FROM THIS I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT WE'VE GOT A SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS SPOKEN OUT.

BUT I THINK TOO MANY PEOPLE'S COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT, EXCUSE ME, POTENTIAL OTHER SOLUTIONS, IF THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND FIGURING THAT OUT TOGETHER.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS A LOT OF THE SAME QUESTIONS OR THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP ARE THINGS THAT I THINK INDIVIDUALLY WE'VE BROUGHT UP AND ASKED STAFF ABOUT WHEN THEY STARTED BRINGING THESE CONCERNS TO US, WHY DON'T WE DO SHIFTS? RIGHT. YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S MORE FEASIBLE IF SOMEONE DOES A 3 TO 4 HOUR SHIFT AND THEY ONLY HAVE TO GIVE UP THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.

BUT COORDINATING THAT, THEY TRIED THAT I THINK, ONE YEAR AND TRYING TO COORDINATE THAT WAS NOT EASY BECAUSE PEOPLE THEN JUST DIDN'T ANSWER THE CALL OR JUST FAILED TO SHOW UP.

SO THEN YOU HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE THEN STAYING THROUGH A SECOND SHIFT THAT DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THAT SECOND SHIFT.

SO IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE? BECAUSE THE SAD FACT IS, I THINK THERE ARE THOSE OF US THAT SIGN UP FOR THINGS AND SAID, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE SIGNED UP AND WE COMMITTED AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE ALL DAY.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE, I SIGNED UP AND I WAS REALLY INTO IT AT THE TIME I SIGNED UP.

BUT NOT ANYMORE.

AND AND BUT THEY JUST KIND OF THINK SOMEONE ELSE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT, RIGHT? SOMEBODY ELSE WILL PICK UP THE SLACK.

AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

AND I THINK DIRECTOR DURAN HAD MENTIONED I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID GET THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THIS LAST TIME WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A PRIVATE DONOR WHO DONATED TO ATHLETICS AT BONITA TO SAY, IF YOU WILL COMMIT THIS, MANY OF YOUR STUDENTS OR YOUR STUDENT ATHLETES, YOU KNOW, I'LL MAKE THIS DONATION TO THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM.

AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE PEOPLE STAYED.

[01:20:02]

BUT I DEFINITELY THINK MR. DOMER, IF WE CAN LOOK AT ANOTHER DATE FOR A DIFFERENT STUDY SESSION, MY THOUGHT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'VE SET THIS 530 TIME ASIDE.

YOU KNOW, DO WE LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS FOR LIKE MAYBE AN ONLINE SURVEY PLUS A STUDY SESSION? DO WE THINK ABOUT DOING A WORKSHOP ON A DIFFERENT DAY AT A DIFFERENT TIME TO COLLECT PEOPLE? BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT MAY BROADEN THE IMPACT AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE WOULD GET.

BIG SHOUT OUT TO COACH BEAUMONT AND THE GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM.

THEY WERE THERE. YEAH.

MR. MAYOR ON. UM, ON THE TIMING.

YEAH, WE CAN DO. AND I WOULD YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS ISSUE AS WE'VE ALREADY GONE OVER OUR, OUR ALLOTTED TIME, WOULD BE A GOOD SPECIAL MEETING ON A DIFFERENT DAY SO WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING BEHIND.

ALSO, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE.

YVONNE WHEN IS THE NEXT RECREATION GUIDE GOING OUT BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO PUT INFORMATION IN THERE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO THE RECREATION GUIDE IS ALREADY OUT AND OUT TO PRINT.

SO WE WOULD PUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA JUST TO TOUCH BASE ON SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE TRIED SHIFTS.

WE'VE REACHED OUT TO EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERY PRIVATE SCHOOL TO SCHOOL DISTRICT, PARENTS.

THERE'S A LOT OF COMMITMENT, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T SHOW UP.

I WILL SAY THAT IN 2021, THERE IS A FEW COVID ISSUES.

THERE IS NO COVID ISSUES LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S BEEN RATHER DIFFICULT.

COMMUNITY SERVICES WAS BROUGHT ON IN 2019 FROM THE FORMER CITY MANAGER ASKING US FOR JUST THAT YEAR TO HELP SUSTAIN IT FOR THAT YEAR.

IT'S NOT VERY SUSTAINABLE.

SO RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST, I WILL SAY, FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING, SO I WILL PUT THAT OUT THERE.

UM, IT'S, IT'S VERY HARD.

SO AND I THINK THAT'S WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT'S YOU'VE HEARD THIS HAS BEEN SINCE 1984 OR OTHER THINGS THAT'S BEEN KIND OF STUTTERING AND ALL THAT STUFF, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

AND THE WORST THING WOULD HAVE BEEN TO GO FORWARD THIS YEAR AND HAVE IT JUST ABSOLUTELY, UTTERLY COLLAPSE AND NOT BE ABLE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 6 OR 7 ROUTES, YOU KNOW, EVEN GETTING FOUR.

WHAT DOES THAT DO TO EVERYTHING? SO WE ARE OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS.

SO WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL GO BACK WITH STAFF REAL QUICK, UM, GET SOME THOUGHTS, SET UP A SPECIAL MEETING WHEN ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE, WE'LL GET THAT OUT.

AND AGAIN, ADVERTISING SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE PUT THINGS OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE PUT IT ON THE WEB, WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO MISS FOLKS.

SO WE DO APPRECIATE WHEN PEOPLE REPOST OR GET IT OUT ONTO THEIRS.

WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ON NEXTDOOR AND INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER OR OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, I THINK WE'RE GETTING A THREADS ACCOUNT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAYS THAT'S A GOOD THING.

UM, SO WE DO TRY OUR BEST, BUT WE NEED THE PUBLIC'S HELP ON THAT TOO.

SO I KNOW SCHOOL STARTING THE NEXT WEEK, BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT IF WE WANT TO SUSTAIN THIS, IT HAS TO BE US.

IT CAN'T BE OUR STAFF ANYMORE.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HELP FACILITATE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE CORRECTLY.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE US. WE WANT TO DO THIS.

LET'S DO IT. BUT WE NEED INPUT.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS.

AS DIRECTOR DURAN SAID, IT WAS BAD LAST YEAR.

IT WAS JUST A LUCKY WIN.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT THIS TRADITION TO CONTINUE, WHICH WE DO.

HOW WE DO IT.

AND HOW WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.

IT'S UP TO US.

SO WE'RE REACHING OUT.

AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE BUSY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY.

LOOK AT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

LET'S PAY ATTENTION TO THIS STUFF.

WE'RE GOING TO GET IT OUT.

WE'LL BLOW IT OUT COMPLETELY TO ANY SOCIAL MEDIA WE POSSIBLY CAN.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LET'S GET LET'S GET A TALKING RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, DECEMBER 25TH IS, AS MR. BOWEN SAID, IT'S AROUND THE CORNER.

IT'S GOING TO BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT FUN FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN.

LET'S DO IT. SO WE NEED TO HAVE INPUT FROM ALL OF YOU.

SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.

LET'S PUT THAT OUT AND LET'S CONTINUE THIS QUICKLY, ACTUALLY.

SO. WITH THAT.

UH, WE'RE ADJOURNED.

THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT 655.

I'M GOING TO START THE MEETING IN FIVE MINUTES.

SO THE MEETING WILL START AT 7:00.

THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:07 P.M.. ON AUGUST 7TH.

[01:25:02]

ARMY SERGEANT, IF YOU PLEASE.

PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE THREE FIREFIGHTERS WHO DIED.

SO WE JUST A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND REMEMBERING OF THEM.

OKAY. OF ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL.

I'M RIGHT HERE. SALUTE.

FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT HAND SALUTE.

EVERYBODY ELSE. RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR RIGHT.

AND. READY.

WHILE YOU WAIT. YOU GOT A CERTIFICATE? PARKING TICKETS. PARKING.

AND THAT SENSE OF HUMOR WAS GOING TO COME THROUGH EVENTUALLY.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, CARL HAS A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.

ALWAYS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.

BAND OF BROTHERS. THANK YOU.

CITY OF LA VERNE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO CARL BAUER.

THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL TO ARMY SERGEANT CARL BAUER WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH.

ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE.

ROLL CALL, MR. DELMAR.

TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION INTRODUCTIONS OF NEWLY HIRED OR PROMOTED FIRE PERSONNEL.

[PRESENTATIONS]

MM. UH.

SAID YOU HAVE. HE'S GOING TO DOWN RIGHT NOW.

YEAH. YOU CAN DO A DANCE RIGHT NOW.

WHO WANTS TO WATCH ME DANCE? YEAH. JUST KIDDING. TOTALLY.

JUST KIDDING. NONE OF YOU GUYS RAISED ANY OF YOUR HANDS OVER HERE.

THAT WAS YOUR ONE TIME TO GET SOME FOOD.

THERE'S VERY FEW TIMES WHEN CHIEF NIGG IS AT A LOSS FOR WORDS.

YEAH, NO, IT'S NOT HIS MO.

IT REALLY ISN'T. REAL QUICK, WE HAD A BIOGRAPHIES FOR THE MAYOR TO READ.

THE INTENT OF TONIGHT IS TO INTRODUCE OUR THREE NEWEST FIRE PERSONNEL OR ADDITIONS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO THE COMMUNITY GETS A CHANCE TO TO SEE WHO IS PROVIDING THESE SERVICES TO THEM.

WE IF YOU GUYS DON'T IF YOU DON'T DON'T KNOW.

IN PAST TIMES WE WOULD PIN OUR NEW FIREFIGHTERS AND NEW FIRE PERSONNEL HERE IN THE COUNCIL MEETING.

HOWEVER, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S TRADITIONS ARE GREAT IN THE FIRE SERVICE AND IT'S MORE COMMON PRACTICE FOR US TO RECOGNIZE OUR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR FIRE FAMILY.

SO WE'VE MOVED TO A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PRESENTATION IN THE SENSE THAT WE INTRODUCE OUR MEMBERS TO THE COMMUNITY, ALLOW THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR IN-HOUSE CEREMONY TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UNTIL WE GET OUR BIOS HERE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE NEWLY MINTED FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC DAKOTA BAKER, WHO WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST AMBULANCE, WAS PART OF OUR INITIAL AMBULANCE OPERATORS TO JOIN THE CITY WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM BACK IN MARCH OF 22, APRIL OF 22, DAKOTA TOOK OUR FIREFIGHTER LIST, AT WHICH POINT HE WOUND UP ON THE A BAND, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

AND WHILE HE WAS WORKING HIS WAY UP TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD A SPOT FOR HIM TO JOIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HE WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, PASSED MEDIC SCHOOL, WHICH IS A VERY DAUNTING TASK AND RECENTLY JUST BECAME AN L.A.

COUNTY ACCREDITED PARAMEDIC.

SO HE'S A BONA FIDE LIFESAVING PARAMEDIC NOW.

I'M JUST GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE THE MAYOR'S SLACKING OVER HERE.

SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO READ THE BIOS.

I THINK I MIGHT EVEN JUST READ THE BIOS.

[01:30:01]

SO HOW ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE THIS IS FOR OUR TWO OTHER GUYS THAT'S YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOUR OWN BIO HERE, BUDDY.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND YOU OVER THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS ANYWAY.

SO HE'S GOING TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT HIMSELF, WHERE HE CAME FROM, WHAT HIS EXPERIENCE IS, AND WHAT LED HIM TO LA VERNE.

YOU HAVE SEVEN MINUTES.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. HELLO, EVERYBODY.

MY NAME IS DAKOTA BAKER.

I'M 27 YEARS OLD, ONE OF THE NEWEST FIREFIGHTER.

PARAMEDICS AMONG THE RANKS FOR OUR GREAT DEPARTMENT.

UM, I CAN'T THANK THE MAYOR ENOUGH.

THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR FIRE CHIEF FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I FIND MYSELF REFLECTING BACK ON MY JOURNEY THAT SEEMED TO START SO LONG AGO.

AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M HERE SOMETIMES.

AND LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY LIVE MY PASSION AND LIVE MY DREAM OF BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE FIRE SERVICE, BUT TO BE PART OF SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION LIKE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WORK FOR SUCH A GREAT CITY.

SO THANK YOU. SO BEFORE THAT, WE'LL GRAB A PICTURE.

PICTURE UP HERE WITH YOU.

YOU SCARED THEM ALL OFF. WHAT'S GOING ON? BUT ANYWAY.

DAKOTA IS PART OF A GROUP THAT HAS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART BECAUSE PART OF REBUILDING LA VERNE FIRE WAS STARTING OUR AMBULANCE OPERATOR PROGRAM.

SO THE INITIAL 12 THAT CAME TO HELP NOT ONLY REVITALIZE OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING OPERATIONALLY REORGANIZING OUR DEPARTMENT TO GET IT TO WHERE IT IS TODAY. SO HE WAS ONE OF 12 WHO TRUSTED THE DEPARTMENT, TRUSTED THE VISION AND TRUSTED WHERE THE DEPARTMENT WAS GOING AND STUCK WITH LA VERNE STUCK WITH LA VERNE FIRE THROUGH OUR TRANSITION AND ULTIMATELY CLEARLY IT PAID OFF FOR HIM.

SO CONGRATULATIONS.

GRAB A PICTURE. WHERE CAN WE PUT THEM? IN THE PICTURE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AND BRING UP LONNIE SHIPMAN.

SO LONNIE SHIPMAN, OUR NEW.

NEW COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION SPECIALISTS.

AND GUESS I SHOULD TRY TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.

SO IN YEARS PAST, WE EVERY FIRE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING LA VERNE, HAD A FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU.

COMMON PRACTICE NOW HAS SHIFTED FROM AWAY FROM FIRE PREVENTION BUREAUS INTO MORE HOLISTIC COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION.

AND THE INTENT BEHIND THAT IS TO HAVE A MORE ALL ENCOMPASSING, ALL ENCOMPASSING APPROACH TO THE NUMBER OF THREATS THAT CITIES FACE, VULNERABILITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND ULTIMATELY BE PREPARED AND HELP MITIGATE EMERGENCIES BEFORE THEY EVEN HAPPEN.

SO WITH THAT, AS THEY RUSH OFF TO A CALL, I KNOW THAT'S TALENT.

UM, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, NOT ONLY HAVE FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAD TO BROADLY SHIFT WHAT THEIR FOCUSES WERE AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION OR HELPING THE COMMUNITY HELP THEMSELVES, IF YOU WILL.

BUT IT'S TAKEN SOFTWARE AND PERSONNEL AND MUCH DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO HELP STEER OR GUIDE THE COMMUNITY INTO HELPING THEM BE MORE PREPARED FOR FOR BROAD SCALE DISASTERS.

SO LONNIE IS ULTIMATELY TASKED WITH OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS THE SOLE POINT OF CONTACT NOW FOR TOURS AND ANYTHING RELATED TO ALL THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT YOU GUYS SEE.

SO ANYTIME WE HAVE A BOOTH, A BOOTH THAT'S OUT THERE WITH MATERIAL FOR YOU GUYS TO TO READ THROUGH AND HELP GUIDE YOU AROUND YOUR HOUSE, IT'S GOING TO BE LONNIE THAT'S GOING TO BE HELPING YOU ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, HE'S ALSO CROSS-TRAINED AS A FIRE INSPECTOR AND UNDER FIRE, MARSHAL FRED SAINTONGE IS GUIDED INTO MORE SPECIALIZED FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTIONS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE WHAT OUR PERSONNEL ON THE FLOOR DO.

SO WITH THAT, LONNIE HAS WORKED IN PUBLIC SERVICE FOR A LARGE PART OF HIS CAREER, MOST NOTABLY IN COMMUNITY SERVICES WITH CITIES SUCH AS PALMDALE, VACAVILLE, RANCHO CUCAMONGA AND UPLAND. MOST RECENTLY, HE WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS A CALIFORNIA LICENSED RESIDENTIAL APPRAISER FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

LONNIE HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN URBAN STUDIES AND PLANNING.

ERIC BETTER NOT TRY TO STEAL HIM FROM ME.

HE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE LA VERNE THROUGH RISK REDUCTION EFFORTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LIFE SAFETY MEASURES ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE INSPECTION EDUCATION.

LONNIE IS MARRIED TO HIS WIFE, CARLA.

ARE THEY HERE? THERE WE GO.

AND THEY HAVE TWIN BOYS WHO JUST TURNED 17.

THERE WE GO. COME ON UP HERE, GUYS.

LONNIE SAYS A FEW WORDS AND WE'LL GRAB SOME PICTURES.

COME ON, CARLA. OH, OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[01:35:01]

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

BEEN DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY YOU TOOK ON ME AND THE CHANCE YOU TOOK ON ME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE AFTER, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED FOR A FEW DIFFERENT AGENCIES, BUT THIS ONE HAS BEEN SO FAR REALLY SPECIAL.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO WEAR THIS BADGE AND REPRESENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT I DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND AND TAKE CARE OF THE RESIDENTS, TAKE CARE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO DO MY PART, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL PART IN THIS ORGANIZATION, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRE SERVICE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT'S WITH YOUR FAMILY RIGHT HERE WITH COUNCIL BEHIND YOU.

WE? ALL RIGHT. COME ON UP HERE, FRED.

FRED, OUR NEWEST FIRE MARSHAL.

SO MANY OF YOU MAY RECALL WE CREATED THE FIRST FULL TIME FIRE MARSHAL POSITION NOT TOO LONG AFTER I GOT HERE.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, HAVING SERVED IN THAT POSITION FOR TWO YEARS, I GREW A PROFOUND RESPECT FOR THE FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU AND EVERYTHING THAT IT TAKES TO ENFORCE FIRE CODE AND REALLY KEEP NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY SAFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, VISITORS, BUT ALSO FOR EVEN OUR FIREFIGHTERS.

MUCH OF WHAT PREVENTION IS FOCUSED ON IS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT, EVEN UNDER THE WORST CIRCUMSTANCES, IS SOMEWHAT A CALCULATED RISK, IF YOU WILL, FOR OUR PERSONNEL.

SO MUCH OF HIS DUTY IS NOT ONLY AN OBLIGATION TO YOU GUYS AND KEEPING YOU SAFE IN YOUR DAILY TRAVELS AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T SKIRTING AROUND FIRE CODE, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT AN ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS WHEN THEY GO IN THERE AND DARK, HOT, UNTENABLE SPACES IS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

SO, FRED, FRED IS OUR NEWEST FIRE MARSHAL.

HE'S HAD TO HIT THE GROUND SPRINTING WITH SOME VERY NEFARIOUS PROPERTIES HERE IN THE CITY ALREADY.

BUT HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB.

FRED BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A PAID CALL FIREFIGHTER WITH SEMINOLE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT IN 1997.

FRED IS 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, INCLUDING THE ONTARIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS A SENIOR FIRE SAFETY SPECIALIST AND CITY OF UPLAND AS THE DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL. HIS EXPERTISE WILL ENSURE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES BEFORE EMERGENCIES HAPPEN, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING THE SAFEST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCIES TO OCCUR.

AND BEFORE I HAND THE MICROPHONE OVER TO FRED TO SAY A FEW WORDS, TO INTRODUCE HIS FAMILY AND GET SOME PHOTOS, I DO WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT FRED JUST CAME FROM THE ONTARIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, IS A HIGHLY, HIGHLY RESPECTED INDIVIDUAL OF A LOT OF CHIEF OFFICER FRIENDS OVER THERE WHO ARE VERY UPSET, UPSET WITH ME FOR STEALING HIM, MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY THE BIGGEST AMAZON BUILDING WAS BEING ERECTED AT THE TIME AND HE WAS THE SOLE GUY ATTACHED TO THAT PROPERTY.

SO NONETHELESS, I'M GOING TO HAND THIS OVER TO FRED TO SAY SOME WORDS AND GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE AND BRING YOUR FAMILY UP.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. FIRST OF ALL, THIS HAS BEEN 20 YEARS PLUS IN THE MAKING TO OBTAIN THIS JOB AS THE FIRE MARSHAL.

AND I DEFINITELY THANK YOU.

THE CITY OF LA VERNE.

THANK THE CITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THIS CHANCE TO SHOW YOU WHAT I COULD DO FOR THIS DEPARTMENT.

AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM HERE.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.

I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU, BUT I HONESTLY CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HUMBLED I AM AND HOW BLESSED I AM TO BE A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

I'M HERE TO STAY, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS PLACE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND CITY COUNCIL I APPRECIATE IT.

NOW, ONCE YOU GUYS COME ON UP TO FRED'S FAMILY, COME UP HERE.

AND WHILE THEY'RE COMING UP, I DO WANT TO, UH.

YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT TO WHAT FRED'S ROLE WILL BE.

SO FRED IS A FULL BLOWN CERTIFIED FIRE INSPECTOR AND ARSON INVESTIGATOR FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COMES TO US WITH THOSE SKILLS FROM THE CITY OF UPLAND.

AND SHORTLY THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE BRINGING UP TO SPEED ITS REALLY FIRST EVER FIRE INVESTIGATION PROGRAM, ARSON INVESTIGATION PROGRAM IN COORDINATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE SHORTLY.

SO FRED WILL ALSO BE HANDLING ALL OF OUR FIRE INVESTIGATION NOW AND WE WON'T BE RELYING ON OTHER CITIES TO DO SO.

I'M GOING TO GO AND INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY.

UH, THIS IS MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, JANINE.

THIS IS MY STEPDAUGHTER, CAITLIN.

MY STEPSON, A.J.. MY SON, CARTER.

MY DAUGHTER.

MY OTHER DAUGHTER COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.

SHE'S GOT COLOR GUARD STUFF GOING ON.

SO HER NAME IS TAYLOR.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MY FAMILY, TOO.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN A GREAT HELP WITH ME AND SUPPORT, AND I CAN'T THANK YOU GUYS ENOUGH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME.

SO THANK YOU, HONEY, AND APPRECIATE EVERYBODY.

THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, CHIEF NIGG.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN CHIEF NIGG CAME ON A SHORT TIME AGO, HE SAID HE'S GOING TO REBUILD THIS DEPARTMENT AND MAKE IT A CLASS A

[01:40:09]

AND THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE NEW HIRES, OUR AMBULANCE PROGRAM, OUR FIRE MARSHAL, A RISK REDUCTION SPECIALIST THAT TOOK A LONG TIME TO SAY THAT, LONNIE, RISK REDUCTION SPECIALIST, ESPECIALLY WITH A COUGH DROP IN MY MOUTH.

BUT SERIOUSLY, ALL KIDDING ASIDE, WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE.

OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS GROWN.

WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS, AND IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING ON.

NONE ONLY THAT, IT'S SAFER FOR OUR PERSONNEL TO WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S SAFER FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES.

AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE OUR OWN SERVICES.

SO TO YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND ALSO OUR CITY MANAGER FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE NEEDS OF WHAT YOU HAVE AND ALSO OUR COUNCIL ARE MET AND WE AND WORKING ON THAT FINANCIALLY, HOW WE GET PAID FOR THAT, TOO.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WELCOME ABOARD, EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE MOVE TO ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS.

I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, IT'S NOT PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS IS STRICTLY FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT.

THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, ALL OF YOU.

AND WE HAVE A COUPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS, SO WE HAVE GEORGE MAY.

[ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS]

I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT OUR LIBRARY.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CURRENT SMARTY PANTS STORYTIME SESSION.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 11TH.

IT'S HELD EVERY FRIDAY FROM 11 TO 12 P.M.

AND IT'S FOR AGES FOR 2 TO 5 WITH PARENT OR CAREGIVER.

THERE'LL BE BOOKS, SONGS, RHYMES, MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES, AND ALSO THE CHILDREN WILL BE LEARNING SCHOOL READINESS SKILLS.

NOW, WE STILL HAVE SOME DAYS LEFT.

WE HAVE SESSIONS IN AUGUST, AUGUST 11TH, AUGUST 18TH TO 25TH AND SEPTEMBER.

SEPTEMBER 1ST.

NOW ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

AND YOU CAN DO THAT BY GOING TO THE LIBRARY OR GOING ONLINE TO VISIT DOT COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG/EVENTS AND NARROW THE SEARCH BY LA VERNE LIBRARY.

ALSO THIS MONTH, WE ARE OUR SUMMER DISCOVERY READING PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE FINISHING ITS AND AUGUST 13TH.

SO IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE TEENS OR ADULTS ARE INTERESTED, YOU CAN STILL PICK UP THE CARDS AT THE LIBRARY OR YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE.

UM, IN SEPTEMBER, WE'RE HAVING TWO EVENTS.

ONE OF THEM IS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH AT 5:00.

IT'S CALLED DECORATE A DESK ORGANIZER.

IT'S FOR AGES SIX THROUGH 12 WITH A PARENT OR CAREGIVER.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

THERE'S LIMITED ATTENDANCE.

SO AGAIN, YOU CAN DO THAT IN HOUSE OR BY GOING TO VISIT LAKE COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG/EVENTS AND AGAIN IN ORDER TO SEARCH BY LA VERNE LIBRARY.

UM, ALSO IN MID SEPTEMBER THROUGH THROUGH THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER, THE LIBRARY IS PARTICIPATING IN THE IN AND OUT COVER TO COVER READING PROGRAM.

I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY POPULAR THE YEARS WE HAD IT AT TIMES.

WE HAD IT IN THE PAST BASICALLY UM, A CHILD A IT'S ACTUALLY OPEN TO KIDS AGES FOUR THROUGH 12 AND EVERY PERSON HAS THREE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET THREE HAMBURGERS, THREE CHEESEBURGERS.

AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS THEY NEED TO READ FIVE BOOKS AND THEY'LL GET AN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AND THAT QUALIFIES THEM TO GO TO A LOCAL IN-N-OUT RESTAURANT AND GET THAT CHEESE READING FOR BURGERS. YOU GOT IT.

SO THERE'S THREE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO BASICALLY, IF THEY WANT TO GET GET THEIR THREE CHEESEBURGERS OR HAMBURGERS, THEY NEED TO READ A TOTAL OF 15 BOOKS SO THEY CAN GET THREE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.

SO PLEASE COME ON OUT AND SUPPORT.

I THINK THIS IN AND OUT PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR, SO KIDS WANT THEIR BURGERS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GEORGE.

ANNA MARIE MILLER.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR.

CITY COUNCIL AND THE LA VERNE COMMUNITY.

MY NAME IS ANNE MARIE MILLER.

MY HUSBAND AND I AND OUR FAMILY HAVE LIVED IN LA VERNE FOR 28 YEARS.

AS OF THIS MONTH, WHEN OUR YOUNGEST SON WAS 17 MONTHS OLD, HE SUSTAINED A DROWNING INCIDENT AT OUR HOME.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD OUR SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT STILL DID HAPPEN.

MY HUSBAND FOUND HIM AND PULLED HIM OUT OF THE POOL.

I STARTED CPR AND ASPIRATIONS POOLSIDE, AND THEN OUR WONDERFUL FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME.

[01:45:06]

AT THAT TIME, ALL OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND EVERYONE IN THAT WORLD WAS TELLING US THAT OUR SON WOULD NEVER GET BETTER, HE WOULD NEVER RECOVER, AND THAT WE SHOULD JUST LEAVE HIM AT THE HOSPITAL AND INSTITUTIONALIZE HIM AND HE AND GO HOME AND RAISE OUR OTHER FIVE CHILDREN.

WELL, WE DECIDED TO TO TRUST OUR FAITH AFTER FIVE MONTHS AND BROUGHT HIM HOME AND GOT TO WORK.

SO DURING THE COURSE OF THE LAST 16.5 YEARS, HE JUST CELEBRATED HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF HIM NOW.

UM, WE HAVE FOUND THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED OUR SON TREMENDOUSLY CHANGE HIS OUTCOME.

SO DUE TO KAITLYN'S INVESTED INTEREST IN HELPING OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL AS OUR FAMILY, WE DECIDED TO FORM A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

IT IS CALLED PROJECT ONE CAUSE, AND THE PURPOSE OF PROJECT ONE CAUSE IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION, SUPPORT AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THAT SURVIVE NON-FATAL, DROWNING ACCIDENTS, AS WELL AS HYPOXIC OR ANOXIC BRAIN INJURIES.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU HAVE A MEDICALLY COMPROMISED CHILD, THERE'S ALSO HUGE CHALLENGES FINANCIALLY.

BUT THE INNOVATIVE TREATMENT METHODS THAT WE FOUND THAT HELPED OUR SON ARE 95% OF THE TIME NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE.

SO WE WANTED TO DO A SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY FIRST AND THEN PROVIDE OUTREACH FROM THERE TO SERVE FAMILIES SO THEY COULD CHANGE THE OUTCOME FOR THEIR SON AS WELL.

OUR CHILDREN AS WELL.

SO WE ARE HAVING A GET TO KNOW US EVENT ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AT OUR HOME.

YOU CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT AS WELL AS THE REST OF OUR STORY ON THE WEBSITE AT PROJECT 1.ORG.

THANK YOU. CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE THE CITY THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN POST IT ON THE WEBSITE AND WE CAN ALSO DO A MINUTE WITH THE MAYOR AND SOME OTHER STUFF.

THAT'S VERY, VERY GRACIOUS OF YOU GUYS.

AND UM, WITH THAT, YOUR SON HAS DONE MUCH BETTER THAN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN, SO THAT'S WONDERFUL.

HE'S A BLESSING. AND HE WANTS TO GET HIS OWN MESSAGE OUT, TOO, ABOUT HOPE AND HEALING, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE FOUND THROUGH THIS EVENT, IT'S A TOPIC THAT NOT MANY FAMILIES OR PEOPLE WANT TO DISCUSS, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN.

AND ONE OUT OF FOUR CHILDREN WHO SUSTAIN DROWNING ACCIDENTS, THEY HAVE TO GO INTO THESE KINDS OF FACILITIES AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT OR THE INFORMATION.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND AT LARGE.

SO THIS IS WONDERFUL FOR YOU GUYS.

SO PLEASE GIVE US THE INFORMATION AND WE'LL PASS IT OUT AND WE'LL GET IT OUT TO THE SOCIAL MEDIA.

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE ON ANNOUNCEMENTS.

MISS BEAUCHAMP. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED TO LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 10TH AT 9 A.M., THE PROBATION THE PROBATION OVERSIGHT COMMISSION IS MEETING. THEY ARE OFFERING IN-PERSON MEETINGS NOW AT SAINT ANNE'S EVENT AND CONFERENCE CENTER, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 155 NORTH OCCIDENTAL BOULEVARD. CLASSROOM ON FLOOR ONE IN LOS ANGELES.

OR YOU MAY STILL PARTICIPATE THROUGH ZOOM.

ACTUALLY, IT'S WEBEX, WHICH IS THEIR VERSION OF ZOOM.

I ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS TO LISTEN TO THIS MEETING BECAUSE THE LAST MEETING CAMP FOR BOB PAGE WAS A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR DISCUSSION.

THAT WAS A 2.5 HOUR MEETING, AND AT LEAST AN HOUR, 30 MINUTES OR SO WAS WAS CAMP OUT FOR BOB PAGE.

RESIDENTS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT $148,000 HAS BEEN ALLOCATED BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO DO A, QUOTE, FACELIFT AT THAT LOCATION FOR THEIR CLASSROOM FACILITIES.

SO IT IS STILL ON THE TABLE.

SO PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BEAUCHAMP.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK.

ANNOUNCEMENTS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THE NEWS AND WATCHING THAT, BUT AS MS..

BEAUCHAMP HAS BEEN WATCHING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SITUATION AND THE BARRY J.

KNIGHT, BUT THEY DID MOVE.

THEY DID MOVE SOME OF THE.

UM, WHAT DO INMATES TO ANOTHER FACILITY, WHICH WAS THE ONE IN MALIBU.

BUT THE ALSO THEY HAD OPENED UP THE, UH.

WHAT WAS THE ONE THEY OPENED UP? ANITA. LOS PADRINOS OPENED UP AND THEY HAD A MAJOR ISSUE AT LOS PADRINOS AND THERE'S STILL ISSUES GOING ON, BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP OUR EYE ON AFFABLE PAGE WHATEVER THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT.

MORE THAN LIKELY THEY WON'T POPULATE IT BECAUSE THERE'S VERY FEW INMATES THERE, BUT THEY'RE MOVING PEOPLE AROUND NOW.

THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL CORE OF WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO ORIGINALLY, WHICH IS VERY GENERATIVE REDO.

[01:50:05]

SO THERE'S A LOT OF DYNAMICS GOING ON HERE.

AND THEY'RE ALSO HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES IN PERSONNEL.

I KNOW THE HEAD HAS JUST BEEN PUT ON.

IS IT CARLOS, DANITA? IS IT CARLOS? AND THEY MAY MAKE SOME MOVEMENTS INTERNALLY.

SO WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THAT.

AND IF YOU CAN GO TO IT, IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, THEY ARE LENGTHY MEETINGS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP OUR EYES ON THIS BECAUSE THINGS COULD ALWAYS CHANGE, YOU KNOW.

BUT THANK YOU, MISS BEAUCHAMP. APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

UM. WE HAVE A CONSENT CALENDAR.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

IS THAT CORRECT, MR. DOMER? I BELIEVE. MR. BOWEN, DO YOU STILL WANT THE MINUTES PULLED? YES. ITEM NUMBER ONE.

ITEM NUMBER ONE. ANYTHING ELSE PULLED? NO. AND WE CAN VOTE ON THE OTHER ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SECOND. VOTE, PLEASE.

I WAS APPROVED FOUR ZERO WITH KASHIFALGHITA ABSENT.

[1. City Council Minutes of the Joint La Verne/San Dimas Special meeting of July 6, 2023, regular Council meeting of July 17, 2023, and Special Council meeting of July 26, 2023.]

MR. BOWEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK ON THAT ITEM? UP HITTER THAT'LL NEED IT.

DIDN'T PLAN ON THAT.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL.

I ASK THE MINUTES TO BE PULLED.

ACTUALLY, I ASKED THEM LAST WEEK TO BE CORRECTED SO THEY REFLECT THE ACTUAL WORDS AND ACTIONS THAT WENT ON.

ONE WAS AND THE OTHER WAS NOT.

I DON'T KNOW IF I DIDN'T LOOK TODAY.

MR. DOMER WAS ANYTHING CHANGED AS OF TODAY? NO. THE AWARD WAS CHANGED TO REWARD, BUT THE OTHER CHANGE WAS NOT MADE.

OKAY, SO I COME BEFORE YOU BECAUSE I BROUGHT UP MINUTES BEFORE AND THANK GOD WE DO VIDEO BECAUSE THE MINUTES CONTINUOUSLY ARE, IN MY OPINION, EDITED AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO SHORTEN.

ET CETERA. BUT CERTAIN THINGS SHOULD BE ON THE RECORD BECAUSE THE MINUTES STILL ARE ON THE RECORD.

THE VIDEO CAN DISAPPEAR, BUT THE MINUTES STAY.

AS A REMINDER OF WHAT WENT ON.

SO WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS, NUMBER ONE, I LOVE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE.

I ALSO LIKE THE FACT, AGAIN, THAT WE HAVE VIDEO BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY GET TO SEE WHAT WENT ON.

SO THE MINUTES I ASK, I ASK TO BE PULLED.

WERE THE COMMENTS OF A CITIZEN THAT AFTER CONGRATULATING MR. HEPBURN FOR HIS APPOINTMENT AND WENDY LAU FOR HER APPOINTMENT AS MAYOR, PRO TEM STATED THAT SHE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON AND CASH NOT EVEN TRY TO PRONOUNCE HIS NAME AND CASH VOTED NO TO THE APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBER LAO AS MAYOR PRO TEM.

THAT SOUNDS FAIRLY OKAY.

BUT HERE'S WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID.

I AM, HOWEVER, EXTREMELY SHOCKED, DISAPPOINTED AND DISMAYED THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS JOHNSON AND CASH VOTED NO ON HER APPOINTMENT.

THIS. THIS IS WHAT I TAKE EXCEPTION TO.

THIS FEELS LIKE A PERSONAL AND SPITEFUL VOTE.

IF THE TWO OF THEM THOUGHT THERE WAS A BETTER DEVICE OR BETTER CHOICE, WHY DIDN'T THEY NOMINATE SOMEONE? THESE TYPES OF DIRTY POLITICS ARE VERY DIVISIVE.

THEY DON'T SERVE, UNITE OR SUPPORT OUR CITY.

NOW, AGAIN, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HER COMMENTS.

I MAY TALK ABOUT THAT LATER IN PUBLIC.

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE RECORD REFLECTING THESE TYPE OF COMMENTS.

BECAUSE, MR. MAYOR, EVERY TIME YOU START A MEETING ANYMORE ABOUT CIVILITY.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE THESE TYPE OF ATTACKS ON TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECORD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS?

[01:55:06]

AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT, MR. BOWEN AS FAR AS DECORUM BECAUSE THERE ARE REASONS WHY PEOPLE VOTE NO.

AND THERE WAS A PATH OF DISTRICT VOTING THAT THAT I DID NOT SUPPORT.

NEITHER DID COUNCIL MEMBER KASH OR COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON.

I DID MAKE THE DECISION TO SUPPORT WENDY LAU.

I STILL STICK WITH THAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED DECORUM IN OUR IN OUR CHAMBERS HERE FOR THE FACT THAT THERE WERE REASONS WHY COUNCILMEMBER CASH AND COUNCILMEMBER JOHNSON VOTED NO BECAUSE OF THE DISTRICT VOTING AND HOW IT WENT AND THEY WEREN'T HAPPY WITH IT.

SO IN THAT SITUATION.

BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT WE NEED TO PUT THOSE THINGS A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY ON OUR ON ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE AND WHEN WE POST OUR MINUTES.

SO. I UNDERSTAND.

I'M JUST MAKING A I'M, I UNDERSTAND.

I'M JUST MAKING MY COMMENT AND I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, SOME OF THE MINUTES AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS ARE REDUCED.

BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLEAR.

AND MR. MAYOR, JUST FOR THE RECORD, SO WE DO NOT DO THE CITY CLERK, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK DOES NOT DO DESCRIPTION OR VERBATIM MINUTES.

WE ALSO DON'T DO ACTION MINUTES AND ACTION MINUTES ARE THE EXTREME OF BREVITY WHERE IT'S JUST THE ACTION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL TOOK.

SO WE DO DISCUSSION MINUTES.

WE TRY TO GET THE GIST OF WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS.

AND SO BUT IN THE MINUTES AND IN THE AGENDA ITSELF, IT ALWAYS SAYS IF YOU WANT A FULL AND EXACT COPY, REVIEW THE VIDEO, PLEASE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE KEEP THE VIDEO ON THE WEBSITE.

SO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GO BACK TO THE VIDEO CAN DO IT.

COUNCIL WISHES FOR THOSE MINUTES TO BE OR THOSE COMMENTS TO BE PUT IN.

YOU CAN ALWAYS MOTION FOR THAT AND WE'LL MAKE IT.

BUT WE JUST TRY TO GET A GENERAL DESCRIPTION GOING FORWARD.

AND JUST FOR THE GIST OF THE CONVERSATION.

UNDERSTOOD. THIS ONE WAS PARTICULAR ONE THAT I THINK PROBABLY WE SHOULD HAVE PUT IN FULL, NOT IN BREVITY.

SO WE NEED TO REVIEW THOSE AND MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

WITH THAT, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AS IS.

I'LL SECOND. VOTE PLEASE.

THAT WAS APPROVED FOUR ZERO WITH KASHIFALGHITA BEING ABSENT.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW GOING TO RECESS.

[PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY]

PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY.

SHALL WE? DID YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT, MR. DOMER? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN THAT? THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL ACTUALLY OR CHAIR, I SHOULD SAY I'LL TAKE THE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE UNDER THE JOINT PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY.

THE FIRST ITEM IS THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 15TH, 22 MEETING, WHICH IS WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGETS FOR THE TWO MOBILE HOME PARKS LAST YEAR AND THE JUNE 5TH MEETING, WHICH IS WHEN WE DID THE EASEMENT FOR THE GAS COMPANY TO REDO INFRASTRUCTURE IN VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST ITEM LOOKING FOR JUST APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THOSE TWO MEETINGS.

SO WE'D LIKE A MOTION FOR THAT, PLEASE.

WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THAT. GO AHEAD.

2022. CORRECT FROM LAST YEAR, AUGUST.

OKAY. CLEAR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION? MOTION. I SO MOVED PASS TO PASS THE MINUTES.

SECOND. VOTE PLEASE.

THAT ITEM PASSED FOR ZERO WITH KASHIFALGHITA BEING ABSENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE SECOND ITEM IS ACTUALLY THE BUDGET FOR BOTH PARKS FOR 2023 AND 2024 BOND YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR FOR BOTH PARKS. ANNUALLY, THE LBPFA REVIEWS AND APPROVES THE OPERATING BUDGETS FOR BOTH OWNED MOBILE HOME PARKS.

THE BUDGETS DO NOT REFLECT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM PRIOR YEARS.

THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGETS HAVE SUFFICIENT REVENUES GENERATED TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES AND ALLOW FOR EACH MOBILE HOME PARK TO OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY OF ANY ADDITIONAL CITY FUNDS AND IS MANAGED BY HAVEN MANAGEMENT.

I'VE PROVIDED FULL COPIES OF THE BUDGETS ON THE DAIS FOR YOU.

THAT GOES INTO GREATER DETAIL.

IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.

FOR LA VERNE MOBILE'S COUNTRY CLUB SPECIFICALLY, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE REVENUES GENERATED ARE UTILIZED FOR THE BOND PAYMENTS.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING CLOSE TO THAT BOND BEING PAID OFF.

[02:00:02]

REVENUES ARE EXPECTED TO BE RELATIVELY FLAT, WITH AN ESTIMATED 3.5% RENT INCREASE.

THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN MARCH.

OBVIOUSLY WE GO THROUGH ALL THE PROPER NOTICING AND THINGS WITH WITH THE PARK RESIDENTS AND ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE CITY'S ORDINANCE ON HOW INCREASES ARE ALLOWED.

AND IT'S BASED ON CPI BASICALLY FOR THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.

IN LINE WITH THE WATER METER PROJECT FOR THIS PARK AND ASSOCIATED BILLING FOR WATER, THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL EVENTUAL REDUCTION IN SPACE RENT.

BUT BASICALLY IT WILL BE A NEUTRAL EFFECT TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE DO WHEN WE DO METER FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR RESIDENTS THERE, BY LAW, WE HAVE TO DROP THE RENT AND ASSOCIATED AMOUNT.

AND THEN GOING FORWARD, ANY INCREASE IN WATER RATES WOULD BE DIRECTLY TO THE RESIDENTS.

INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS $52,500 TO REPLACE THE POOL DECK.

16,000 FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.

12,000 FOR REROOFING THE PARKS, MAINTENANCE AND CAR WASH BUILDING.

AND $10,000 FOR THE UPPER CLUBHOUSE HVAC UNIT.

AS PART AS PART OF THE BOND FINANCING UTILIZED TO PURCHASE THE PARK, THE HOMEOWNERS COUNCIL, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN ELECTED COUNCIL THAT SITS AT THAT PARK.

THEY'VE REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AND MAYOR HEPBURN REVIEWING IT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

ACTUALLY THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BUDGET, WHICH THERE HASN'T BEEN MANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES SINCE YOU HAVE REVIEWED IT FOR VALLEY RANCHO, A MUCH SMALLER PARK.

PRETTY MUCH ALL THE REVENUES THERE GOES TO PAY OFF THE PURCHASE OF THAT PARK.

THERE ARE SOME ANTICIPATED ADDITIONAL COSTS THIS YEAR FOR HIGHER UTILITIES, ANTICIPATED STAFFING CHANGES.

AND THEN ALSO THE CITY OWNS A HANDFUL OF UNITS IN THERE AS WELL AS OWNING THE PROPERTY.

AND SO THERE'S SOME INCLUDED BUDGET TO DO REPAIRS TO THOSE UNITS JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE OLDER AND THEY DO TAKE SOME SOME ADDITIONAL REPAIRS.

AND AS I MENTIONED AT THE FISCAL IMPACT, BOTH PARKS, THE BUDGETS THAT ARE PROPOSED COMPLETELY INDEPENDENTLY OPERATE AND THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS NEEDED FROM THE CITY.

WITH THAT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER JPFA 66, TITLED A RESOLUTION OF THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY, ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR LA VERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB MOBILE HOME PARK, AS WELL AS ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER JPFA 67, TITLED A RESOLUTION OF THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY, ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK.

WITH THAT ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT.

YES. FOR RESOLUTION NUMBER 67, IF WE COULD CORRECT THE NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED.

WE HAVE TYPOS IN THAT LINE, PLEASE.

IN THE ACTUAL RESO. YES, IN THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION.

THERE YOU GO. GET IT.

OKAY WITH THAT? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYBODY WISH TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? NO INTEREST.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. WE GOT IT DONE.

LET'S CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

I WOULD LIKE A MOTION, PLEASE.

MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER JPFA66 AND RESOLUTION NUMBER JPFA67.

ADOPTING BUDGETS FOR THE LA VERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB, MOBILE HOME PARK AND THE VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK.

SECOND. VOTE, PLEASE.

MOTION CARRIES THAT WAS APPROVED FOUR ZERO WITH KASHIFALGHITA BEING ABSENT.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE BACK INTO OUR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 7:46 P.M.

AND WE ADJOURN. PUBLIC COMMENT.

SORRY, WE ADJOURN THE PUBLIC.

WE ARE ADJOURNING THE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY AT 7:46 P.M.

AND RECONVENING OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

HOW'S THAT? THERE YOU GO.

OTHER MATTERS. NOW WE MOVED ON TO OTHER MATTERS.

[OTHER MATTERS]

CITY MANAGER DOMER.

CAN YOU PLEASE CALL UP THE STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL BE REPORTING OR.

UH, I CAN DO THIS ONE ALSO, MR. MAYOR GIVEN THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KASHIFALGHITA IS NOT HERE, IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING, I BELIEVE IS SEPTEMBER 5TH, OR WE CAN MAKE THE APPOINTMENT WE HAVE SEEN OR YOU HAVE ALL SEEN THE APPLICANTS.

THIS IS THE SECOND GO AROUND BECAUSE AFTER THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A UNEXPECTED VACANCY.

SO WE WENT BACK TO THAT LIST OF THE FOUR PEOPLE THAT WERE STILL ELIGIBLE.

THREE HAVE OPTED IN.

THOSE ARE BEFORE YOU IN THE AGENDA BOOK.

SO IF YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD AND SUGGEST SOMEBODY, WHAT THE PROCESS IS, IS THAT SOMEBODY WOULD NOMINATE A PERSON.

[02:05:04]

IF THERE'S THREE AFFIRMATIVE VOTES, THEN THAT PERSON IS IN.

IF THERE'S NO SECOND OR THERE'S NOT THREE AFFIRMATIVE VOTES, THEN THAT PERSON IS NOT IN.

AND WE GO TO THE NEXT MOTION.

COUNCIL. WHAT'S YOUR FLAVOR? MOVE AHEAD.

JOHNSON. MAYOR PRO TEM.

OKAY THEN WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS? I WOULD. LET'S PUT YOUR MIC, YOU KNOW, AND TOUCH THE THING.

I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE ANDREW AMICO.

OR AMICO.

AMICO. PARDON ME.

I'LL SECOND IT. WELL.

OH, I'M SORRY.

EXCUSE ME. WITH.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM OR THIS INDIVIDUAL? DON'T RUN UP ALL AT ONCE.

OKAY. COME ON.

YES, PLEASE, MS. BEAUCHAMP.

I'M GOING TO SHARE THE COMMENTS THAT I HAD EMAILED TO CITY MANAGER DOMER EARLIER TODAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY PROPER OR LEGAL PROCEDURE ON HOW THIS IS DONE.

WE PICKED THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE OF OUR CITY WITH NOT ALL FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR PRESENT, WHICH WE ALL KNOW THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A CLUSTER.

THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION PEOPLE APPLIED.

NOW WE'RE HAVING TO WAIT FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE PRESENT, AND NOW THERE'S SOMEBODY MISSING FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND IT'S OKAY TO VOTE.

SO WE GO BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, WHAT IS DONE.

WE PICK AND YOU PICK AND CHOOSE HOW IT'S DONE.

IT JUST THERE'S NO COMMON SENSE TO IT.

IT'S CAUSED A LOT OF CONFUSION WITH THE RESIDENTS.

IT'S CAUSING A BUZZ ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WELL, THEY'RE PICKING THEIR FAVORITES OR WHATNOT.

IT JUST I REALLY WISH THAT THE CITY AND I KNOW MISTER DOMER IS STILL NEW TO THE CITY AND GOING THROUGH PROCEDURES AND WHATNOT, BUT I THINK AS MR. DOMER EXPLAINED, THERE WAS A VACANCY THAT CAME UP ON THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AFTER THE APPLICANTS HAD ALREADY APPLIED AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT THEY DIDN'T GET IT , AND WAS THERE EVER ANY NOTIFICATION ON THE WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THIS VACANCY IS NOW AVAILABLE AND ENCOURAGED OTHER PEOPLE TO APPLY AS THEY DID WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION? WE ONLY FOUND THAT OUT THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

SO IT'S JUST THERE'S SO MANY LOOPHOLES IN HERE THAT WE YOU KNOW, HERE YOU ARE TELLING US WE NEED TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE CHRISTMAS DAY THING, BUT YOU DON'T TELL US WHAT IS OPEN.

THERE'S NO PLACE TO GO TO ON A REGULAR BASIS TO SEE WHAT OPENINGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR US TO VOLUNTEER AND GIVE BACK TO OUR CITIES, AND SO I JUST REALLY WISH THAT YOU GUYS WOULD KIND OF PUT THE BRAKES ON A LITTLE BIT AND GET YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND THEN SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS WHAT IS OPEN.

MR. BOWEN GAVE AN EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THE CITY OF CLAREMONT PUTS THINGS IN THEIR SIDE MARGIN OF THEIR AGENDA.

I WOULD RECOMMEND I UNDERSTAND AGENDA AND MINUTES ARE OFFICIAL FOR THE CITY AND THEIR LEGAL DOCUMENTS MAYBE ATTACH A ONE PAGE TO THE END OF THE AGENDA LIKE A NEWSLETTER AND PUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.

WE NEED HELP WITH THIS LITTLE LEAGUE DID THIS, SOFTBALL DID THAT, WHATEVER, WHAT HAVE YOU , BUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEED TO BE ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S PROVIDED HERE.

PEOPLE PRINT IT, THEY DOWNLOAD IT I KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU GO BACK AND WATCH THE VIDEO AFTER THE FACT OF THE MEETING.

THERE ARE TIMES THERE ARE OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE OF WHAT HAPPENS AT THESE MEETINGS, AND THOSE THOUSAND PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT.

MAYBE YOU'D HAVE MORE APPLICANTS AND VOLUNTEERS.

SO I JUST ASK THAT THE COUNCIL KIND OF STRAIGHTEN UP THE CLEAN IT UP A LITTLE BIT BEFORE BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BEAUCHAMP.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

LET'S WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT?

[02:10:01]

WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THINGS, BUT I MEAN, THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THESE THESE PEOPLE WERE ON THE LIST ALREADY AND THEY WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE PASSED OVER BECAUSE THE OTHER TWO WERE CHOSEN. MR. [INAUDIBLE].

MAYOR, ON THAT FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC.

SO THE ATC WAS ADVERTISED ACCORDINGLY, AS WAS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS EXTENDED THE ATC APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO WERE JUST MADE WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

SO THIS LIST IS STILL VALID, AND INSTEAD OF GOING BACK OUT AND SOLICITING AGAIN, SINCE THESE WERE VALID PEOPLE, WE WANTED TO BRING THEM BACK TO YOU AS IT IS WITHIN OUR POLICIES TO DO THAT.

SAME LIKE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHEN THERE WERE I THINK 13 OR 14 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD PUT IN THEN OUR POLICIES.

HOW WAS IT DETERMINED? DO WE DO A SEPARATE INTERVIEW PANEL? DO WE DO ONE? WHITTLE IT DOWN, WORKING WITH THE MAYOR TO KIND OF DETERMINE HOW WE GET THAT.

SO THOSE APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MADE ON SEPTEMBER 5TH WHEN THE WHOLE COUNCIL IS HERE.

PLANNING COMMISSION IS A DISCRETIONARY BODY, SO THEY ACTUALLY MAKE DECISIONS THAT CAN STAND FOR DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, WHEREAS THE ATC IS AN ADVISORY BODY TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS A STRONGER ROLE BECAUSE IT IS SET UP BY STATE CODE.

SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THOSE THINGS, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TONIGHT, I'M OPEN TO EITHER THINGS THE ATC CAN SURVIVE.

I KNOW THAT THEY HAD SOME NOT VACANCIES BUT SOMETIMES NOT MEETING QUORUM, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO STACK IT FULL.

IT IS ADVISORY.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WHEN WE ARE DOING A REVIEW CURRENTLY OF ALL THE COMMISSIONS COMMITTEE AND BOARDS, I'LL CALL THEM COMMITTEES, JUST SO I DON'T HAVE TO SAY COMMISSION COMMITTEES AND BOARDS AND THROUGH THAT GOING TO BRING TO YOU SOME SUGGESTIONS OR ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER ABOUT HOW WE DO APPOINTMENTS GOING FORWARD AFTER THIS POINT.

SO A LOT OF CITIES, ONCE THEY GO INTO DISTRICTS, HAVE DIRECT APPOINTMENTS.

SO YOU BASICALLY THERE'S APPOINTMENTS TO CITY COMMISSIONS AND ALL THAT STUFF.

THERE'S THE [INAUDIBLE] LIST THAT IS PUBLISHED.

THERE'S PROCEDURES FOR WHEN THERE IS A VACANCY, AND AFTER A CERTAIN TIME YOU PUT THAT OUT ON THE LIST, BUT YOU CAN DO DIRECT APPOINTMENTS.

WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO IT THE WAY WE DO IT NOW, WHICH IS SET UP BY AN OLD POLICY, BUT WE CAN DUST IT OFF AND MAKE IT WORK FOR THE COUNCIL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING THOSE CONSIDERATIONS BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DIRECTION AT THAT TIME.

CAN YOU REMIND ME, WHEN IS THE NEXT ATC MEETING? IN OCTOBER. SO MY RECOMMENDATION OR MY SUGGESTION AT THIS POINT IS IF WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KASH IS HERE, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY PUSHING THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE TILL THE SEPTEMBER 5TH MEETING, THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY, WE CAN DO ALL THESE AT ONCE, AND THEN ONCE WE SEE WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING IN TERMS OF HOW WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH APPOINTMENTS, WE CAN HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THAT WILL LOOK AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT OUT APPROPRIATELY TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS.

YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY PUSH THIS TO SEPTEMBER 5TH.

IT COULD JUST DIE.

I MEAN, YOU CAN VOTE AND THERE COULD BE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

YEAH. TO CONTINUE IT.

DO WE NEED A SUBSTITUTE MOTION? A MOTION TO CONTINUE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

THEN I WOULD LIKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE.

IF THAT'S THE DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL.

I'LL SECOND THAT. VOTE PLEASE.

SO WITH THAT, MR. DOMER, WOULD YOU FLY THAT AGAIN? YEAH, [INAUDIBLE] THAT PAST FOUR WITH CASUALTY BEING ABSENT.

THANK YOU. NO, BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT HAVE TIME.

THIS WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THE THREE APPLICANTS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA, PLUS COUNCIL MEMBER KASH WILL BE HERE, AND WE HAVE REVIEWED THEM BEFORE IN THAT TWO MONTH TIMEFRAME.

SO, BUT AND MOVING FORWARD, THOUGH, WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW EVERYTHING AS WE'RE DOING.

OKAY. VERY GOOD.

NEXT ITEM.

YEAH, BECAUSE I'M TOTALLY LOST.

DON'T HAVE ANY. YEAH.

[02:15:01]

GREAT.

MR. DOMER, WE'RE GOING TO AUTHORIZATION TO OFFER MONETARY REWARD AND INCIDENTS OF VIOLENT CRIME FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO ARREST AND CONVICTION.

YES. THANK YOU.

SO JUST FOR A LITTLE HISTORY, AS WE KNOW, THERE WAS A VIOLENT ASSAULT SMASH AND GRAB ROBBERY AT RODEO JEWELERS.

IT WAS SUGGESTED BY, CAN I SAY THEIR NAME? SUGGESTED BY A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE THE LAST TIME TO ISSUE A REWARD.

SO WE ARE BRINGING THIS FORWARD NOW, LOOKING BACK.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ACTUALLY DONE OTHER REWARDS IN THE HISTORY.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THAT LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY, IT STARTED AS REWARDS FOR ANTI-GRAFFITI EFFORTS, AND THEN IT THERE WAS A MURDERER DECADES AGO THAT THERE WAS AN AWARD OFFERED THEN LOOKING AT THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WEBSITE AND TOMORROW THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BASED ON A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR BARGER, WILL HAVE A MATCH TO OUR PROPOSED $10,000.

SO IF APPROVED TONIGHT AND APPROVED TOMORROW, THE REWARD WILL BE FOR $20,000 TO LEAD TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RODEO JEWELERS ROBBERY AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS. I KNOW THAT ACTING CHIEF SAM GONZALEZ IS HERE.

WE CAN'T GIVE DETAILS ON THE CASE, BUT WE DO BELIEVE THIS WILL HELP WITH PUBLICIZING AND GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO COMMENT AS A SECONDARY PART OF THIS.

ASKING FOR AUTHORIZATION THAT IN THE FUTURE SO WE COULD REACT A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THAT THE COUNCIL PROVIDES THAT AUTHORIZATION IN SUCH SIMILAR CASES, AND SO WE'LL BE JUDICIOUS ON THAT, BUT DEFINITELY IF THERE IS A VIOLENT CRIME, THEN WE WOULD WANT TO KICK OUT THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR REWARD.

WOULD THAT SECOND PART BE? DIRECTION FROM US GIVEN TO YOU OR BECAUSE I DON'T SEE IT ON THE AGENDA.

WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS IT IS PART OF THE YEAH, IT'S PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT YOU ALSO DIRECT ME TO BRING BACK A POLICY OR AN ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION ON REWARDS SO WE CAN DEFINE CERTAIN ITEMS IN THERE.

WE CAN DEFINE WHAT MERITS A REWARD AND ALSO HOW IT'S CLAIMED AND OTHER ITEMS LIKE THAT.

SO IS THAT DETAIL WOULD THEN RETROACTIVELY APPLY TO THIS, THEN THAT POLICY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR SIMILAR REWARDS? OR WOULD IT. THAT WOULD BE FOR FUTURE GOING.

YEAH. JUST FUTURE. OKAY.

YEAH. OKAY.

YEAH. SO SOMEBODY RAN OVER A TRASH CAN AND JUST CAUSED DAMAGE, WHICH TECHNICALLY, UNDER THE STATE CODE, IS ELIGIBLE FOR A REWARD. WE WOULD NOT WANT TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S WHY WOULD BRING BACK TO YOU A POLICY THAT HAS SOME DEFINITION AND GUIDELINES IN IT.

I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO ALSO THAT ARREST AND CONVICTION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT TO SAY, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A REWARD OUT THERE THAT HOPEFULLY CURTAIL PEOPLE FROM COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY KNOWING THEY'VE BEEN SEEN AND THERE WILL BE A REWARD OUT FOR THEIR CONVICTION.

YEAH, AND THAT'S KEY BECAUSE THAT DOES SATISFY ALSO THAT THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES REWARD PROGRAM AND THEN ALSO HOW WE DID IT IN THE PAST.

CHIEF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ON THIS? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? WHY DON'T YOU COME ON UP BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TOPIC UP TO THE FOREFRONT.

I WAS SPEAKING TO THE SHOP OWNER TODAY AND LET HIM KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL ACTIVELY WORKING THIS INVESTIGATION.

AT THIS TIME, I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT IT DUE TO THE ACTIVE NATURE OF THE INVESTIGATION, BUT ANY HELP THAT WE CAN GET, PERHAPS A RELATIVE OR SOMEONE TO SAY, OKAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS WOULD HELP IN THE INVESTIGATION, AND WITH THAT, I AM ABLE OR AT THE LIBERTY TO SAY THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH BOTH CLERMONT AND ALL THE LOCAL AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY SUCH ROBBERIES.

WE'RE WORKING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LOCAL LEVELS, SO WE'RE NOT ALONE HERE.

WE ARE A SMALL ENTITY, BUT WE'RE GETTING ALL OF OUR PARTNERS TOGETHER TO WORK AND COMBAT THIS.

SO WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING THE CASE.

THANK YOU. VERY GOOD.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. BOWEN FOR BRINGING THIS UP.

THIS WAS HIS SUGGESTION AND IT WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS AS FAR AS YES, LET'S DO IT, AND JUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT REALLY STICKS.

MR. JOHNSON. YEAH.

I MEAN, MY ONLY CONCERN IS IT EFFECTIVE.

SO WE GET AN ARREST, WE GET A CONVICTION, AND THE COURT SAYS TIME SERVED AND THEY'RE BACK ON THE STREET.

[02:20:09]

SO BUT WE HAVE AT LEAST ARRESTED AND CONVICTED SOMEBODY AT THAT POINT.

SO. LET'S OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

MR. BOWEN.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M JUST ASTOUNDED WHAT I HEARD FROM MR. JOHNSON. IF WE DON'T SEND A SIGNAL TO CRIMINALS THAT THIS CITY WILL HUNT YOU DOWN.

REGARDLESS, WE CAN'T STOP THE COURT FROM DOING WHATEVER THE HELL THEY'RE GOING TO DO, BUT WE CAN SEND A SIGNAL.

THIS MAN WAS ASSAULTED.

A CAR WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF HIS STORE.

HE'S STILL NOT OPEN.

HE'S I WOULD ASSUME HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY REVENUE.

I JUST I'M ASTOUNDED.

I JUST HOPE TO GOD ALL OF YOU SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].

I'M THE OWNER OF RODEO JEWELERS.

I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO HAPPEN? DO I HAVE TO DIE FIRST? OUR RESIDENTS, OUR BUSINESS OWNERS.

SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR YOU TO COME UP WITH THAT KIND OF A COMMENT.

ARE YOU SERIOUS? THINK ABOUT IT.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK.

MISS BEAUCHAMP. I TOO WANT TO THANK MR. BOWEN FOR THE SUGGESTION OF THE REWARD, AND I PIGGYBACKED ON THAT, ASKING FOR THE HELP OF THE COUNTY TO MATCH THAT.

SO I WANT TO THANK MR. DOMER AND THE STAFF, WHOEVER FACILITATED THAT WITH KATHRYN BARGER'S OFFICE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR SUPPORT AND, AND LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS AND ASKING THAT WE DO THIS FOR RODEO JEWELERS.

I DO AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT THIS CITY IS NOT JUST OPEN TO ALLOWING CRIME AND CRIMINALS TO COME HERE AT ANY TIME.

THEY FEEL LIKE AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT OTHER BUSINESSES WITHIN THAT SAME SHOPPING CENTER OF RODEO HAVE BEEN HIT AS WELL.

I THINK IT'S STARTING TO SCARE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, I UNDERSTAND, I CAN EMPATHIZE WITH MR. JOHNSON'S COMMENTS.

WE KNOW GASCON IS NOT OUR FRIEND IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND KEEPING CRIMINALS OFF THE STREET , BUT THAT'S HARD.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

YOU HAVE CONTROL OF THE CITY AND AND HELP KEEP THE RESIDENTS SAFE AND I BELIEVE BY DOING THIS, THIS IS A BIG FIRST STEP, AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THAT, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE SAY FUTURE VIOLENT CRIMES.

I KNOW MR. DOMER SAYS HE'S GOING TO GIVE A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT'S GOING TO FALL UNDER THAT UMBRELLA, BUT.

IN A SUGGESTION. MAYBE WE CAN CREATE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES.

YOU HAVE ONE FOR LARGER DOLLARS OF VIOLENT CRIMES, SUCH AS WHAT TOOK PLACE AT RODEO MURDERS AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS OR WHATNOT, BUT ALSO MAYBE A LOWER AMOUNT, MAYBE A $1500 OR $2000 FOR BUSINESSES SUCH AS BASKIN-ROBBINS AND THE MEXICAN FOOD PLACE.

I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT ADJACENT TO THAT STORE THAT JUST HAD THEIR PLATE GLASS WINDOWS BROKEN BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN THESE CRIMES, INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE FINDING LOOPHOLES NOT TO COVER THEIR LOSSES, AND MANY OF THESE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE HAVING TO FORK OUT THIS MONEY THEMSELVES AND IT'S PUTTING A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON, AND LIKE YOU SAID, HE'S STILL NOT OPEN.

HE'S NOT DRIVING INCURRING ANY INCOME, AND SO WE NEED TO THE CITY NEEDS TO HELP THESE PEOPLE.

THEY'VE HELPED THE CITY WITH TAXES AND REVENUE.

WE NEED TO RETURN THE FAVOR.

MY FINAL COMMENT ALSO IS NOT PERTAINING NECESSARILY TO THIS, BUT I THINK IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT I KNOW THERE'S THE APP YOU CAN TEXT TO AND YOU'LL GET THE UPDATES AND MESSAGES AND WHATNOT BUT IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF LIKE I KNOW LAPD IS A MUCH LARGER DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY HAVE THE CRIME TIPS YOU CAN CALL EIGHT, EIGHT, EIGHT CRIME OR WHATEVER IT IS AND YOU CAN BE

[02:25:02]

SO WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH ACTING CHIEF GONZALEZ AND HIS DEPARTMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT IMPORTANT INFORMATION IS PROPERLY HANDLED SO THAT THESE CAN BE PROPERLY INVESTIGATED TO HELP FIND AND CONVICT THESE PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MS. BEAUCHAMP. ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS? MR. GABALDON, AND THEN.

I JUST WANT TO ECHO.

I THINK THAT PERHAPS THOSE ARE THE WRONG WORDS, BUT I THINK THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO FIGHT FOR ITSELF AND ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO COLLECTIVELY THAT'S REASONABLE TO KIND OF FIGHT FOR WHAT IS OURS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK IT DOES SEND A MESSAGE TO BAD PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING BAD THINGS, AND IF I USE MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT I WITNESSED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I THINK WHERE I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY AT BASKIN-ROBBINS AND I SAW THIS YOUNG LADY WALK OUT WITH AN ARM FULL OF CLOTHING OUT OF ROSS, AND I HAPPEN TO KNOW SOMEBODY THAT WORKS AT ROSS, AND I BROUGHT UP ROSS BEFORE AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE THEFT AND ALL THE CRIME THAT'S GOING ON. THAT DOESN'T GET REPORTED BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE, WHAT'S THE POINT? AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF US WANT TO EVER GIVE UP ON OUR CITY, AND I THINK THAT FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE THAT ARE VICTIMS OF THIS, THEY HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. AFTER IT HAPPENS.

EVERYBODY HERE GETS TO GO HOME AFTER YOU MAKE A DECISION AND IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM.

SAME THING WITH EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE.

I THINK ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES, SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY, SEND THE MESSAGE TO EVERYBODY THAT LA VERNE WILL FIGHT FOR ITSELF, WHATEVER IT CAN DO.

I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF DOLLARS HERE.

I AGREE WITH MS. BEAUCHAMP ABOUT THE PERHAPS THE SCALE OF IT, BUT I THINK ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE BAD GUYS, TO INCENTIVIZE THE COMMUNITY TO DEFEND ITSELF AND TO ENGAGE ITSELF, HOWEVER IT IS, THEY COULD DO THAT IF IT TAKES MONEY I DON'T CARE ABOUT MONEY.

I CARE ABOUT LA VERNE, BUT IF IT TAKES SOMEBODY TO TURN SOMEBODY IN BECAUSE OF A SMALL REWARD THAT WE CAN OFFER, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT IT.

LILY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ECHO THIS BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY BIG CONCERN ABOUT THE INCREASING CRIME.

I FEEL SO SORRY FOR THE BUSINESS OWNER BECAUSE HE'S NOT THE FIRST, NOT THE ONLY ONE, AND THEN TWO THIRD COMING.

AND THEN I READ THE NEWS TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER JEWELRY STORE IN IRVINE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THEY SAY IT PROBABLY THE SAME GROUP.

THEY DID THE SAME THING.

WHY IT HAPPENED BECAUSE NO CONSEQUENCE.

BECAUSE I REMEMBER WE DID THE VOLUNTEER TO RECALL GASCON.

SO BECAUSE THE PROPOSITION 47 UNDER $950 STILL ONE OF THE ZERO SHOPPING FROM ROSS OR SOMEWHERE WALMART, IT HAPPENED ALL THE TIME.

RIGHT NOW WHY PEOPLE DON'T CALL POLICE AND THEN WE GET ROBBED, WHATEVER THE PARKING LOT IN [INAUDIBLE] 99 CHINESE MARKET IT HAPPENED ALL THE TIME.

WHY IT HAPPENED BECAUSE NO CONSEQUENCE.

I FEEL LIKE IF LA VERNE STILL ABLE TO DO A LITTLE MORE AS WE HAVE OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT MEANS WE HAVE STILL HAVE SOME LOCAL CONTROL.

COULD WE SEND OUT A VERY STRONG MESSAGE TO LET THEM DON'T COME TO MY AREA? RIGHT? WE'LL BE VERY TOUGH TO THE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO WHATEVER, STEAL/ROB A STORE AND THEN OUR SMALL CITY.

WE HAVE OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THAT MEANS WE HAVE AT LEAST WE HAVE SOME LOCAL CONTROL TO SEND OUT A SIGNAL.

DON'T COME TO MY SPACE.

YOU GET THE BEST CONSEQUENCE.

I HOPE WE COULD STILL HAVE HOPE FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LILY.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WITH THAT WILL CLOSE PUBLIC.

OH, MR. GONZALEZ.

CHIEF.

I JUST DON'T WANT TO PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, BUT THAT IS AN IMPORTANT COMMENT MADE UPON APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM, BOTH ON THE COUNTY SIDE AND THE CITY SIDE.

WE WILL BE PUTTING A NUMBER OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEND IN TIPS.

ONE NUMBER, THE NUMBER I'M ABOUT TO PUT OUT HERE, IS ACTUALLY DESIGNATED FOR THOSE TIPS AND THOSE TIPS ONLY, AND THAT NUMBER IS (909)-457-6541 IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IT VIA EMAIL AND THAT IS THE EMAIL IS DETECTIVES THE WORD DETECTIVES@LVPD.ORG, AND IF THE PUBLIC

[02:30:01]

THEY CAN ALSO GO ON THE APP STORE AND DOWNLOAD LACRIMESTOPPERS.ORG APP TO SUPPLY ANY TIPS AS WELL IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE OUT TO THE PUBLIC AS SOON AS BOTH FORUMS ARE CONDUCTED.

CHIEF, IS THAT GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE DISPATCH OR IS IT GOING TO BE A SPECIAL NUMBER TO LIKE A DETECTIVE OR SOMETHING? HOW'S THAT? CORRECT, IT'S A SPECIAL NUMBER.

SO IT'S 24 HOURS.

IF SOMEONE DOESN'T ANSWER, IT'LL GO TO VOICE MESSAGE.

IF THE DETECTIVES ARE ACTIVELY INVESTING INVESTIGATING THE CASE, IT'LL GO TO A VOICEMAIL AND THEY WILL REVIEW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE, BUT THOSE OTHER ONES YOU TALKED ABOUT, LIKE CRIME STOPPERS AND STUFF, THAT GOES TO A WHOLE 'NOTHER NETWORK, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. SO OUR NUMBER, THE 909-457-6541, AND THEN THE DETECTIVES AT LA VERNE.

THAT'S US. THAT'S OUR PEOPLE.

YES. THE OTHER ONES ARE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WILL STILL TAKE THE TIP, AND THEN THEY WILL REFER IT BACK TO US.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOT A PROBLEM. APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.

WE HAVE TWO OTHER PEOPLE.

WE HAVE. MR. ALLISON, WOULD YOU GO AHEAD.

YOU BRING THEM ON. WE HAVE TWO ONLINE.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

I GUESS I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE REWARD.

MY QUESTION IS THE AMOUNT.

I DO THINK THAT IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY CRIME AND IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT TO HAVE YOUR SECURITY.

I MEAN, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW THE VICTIMS FEEL EVEN REBUILDING, AND SO SETTING A STATEMENT, I THINK WOULD SEND THE MESSAGE EVEN TO OTHER BUSINESSES OF THE NATURE AND CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT WE DO ACTUALLY LOOK OUT AND CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO INVEST AND CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COMMUNITY. SO I JUST DON'T THINK 10,000 IS A RELATIVELY NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT FOR ROLLING OVER ON A RELATIVE, AND SO IT WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT THE LOGIC WAS IN THE 10,000.

IF IT'S 25,000, THEN 50,000 SOUNDS GREAT TO TURN IN THE COUSIN OR A NEIGHBOR.

JUST JUST MY THOUGHTS.

THANK YOU, THOMAS. WE HAVE ANOTHER PERSON.

THEY DROP OFF. OKAY.

I DON'T IF MR. [INAUDIBLE], IF YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP PREVIOUSLY.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

BRINGING UP THE DAIS COMMENTS.

MAYOR PRO TEM LAU. I JUST HAVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

JUST SO WHEN WE MAKE THE MOTION, IT'S CLEAR IT SAYS AUTHORIZE A $10,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION WHICH LEADS TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THE SUSPECTS. SO DOES THAT MEAN.

ALL FOUR HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORDING IT CORRECTLY OR IF IT LEADS TO THE CONVICTION OF ONE OF THEM, THAT'S.

THAT GETS AWARDED.

TYPICALLY IN THAT CASE YOU CAN PRORATE IT.

SO SAY IF THERE'S TEN TIPS THAT LEAD TO THE ARREST OF ONE OR MORE THAN THAT, REWARD WOULD BE PRORATED.

SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A TIP THAT FINDS ALL FOUR IS WHAT I'M CORRECT.

OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS.

OH, I'M FOR THIS.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT COMES BACK TO US RIGHT AWAY ABOUT THE SECOND PART.

THE POLICY UPON RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE THAT IS SO VAGUE AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR CUT RATHER THAN JUST PUT IT OUT THERE.

I AGREE.

LEAVE IT IN THERE RIGHT NOW JUST IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE NEXT TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT RESOLUTION BACK AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

YEAH, THAT WAY, AND ALSO MAYBE A SLIDING SCALE.

AS MS. BEAUCHAMP STATED THAT DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY, LET'S PUT SOMETHING IN THERE WHERE WE'VE GOT MULTIPLES, IF THAT WORKS, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE.

THAT IS AN INTERESTING ASPECT, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER THEFTS THAT THE INSURANCE ISN'T COVERING WITHIN THE 1500 TO $3000 RANGE.

SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT WHERE INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER ESPECIALLY THESE BREAK INS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING.

THEY'RE TAKING $300 OF CASH AND THEY'RE BREAKING WINDOWS AND THE WINDOWS AREN'T CHEAP AND NONE OF THE STRUCTURE IS CHEAP.

SO ANYWAY, JUST MAKE IT TO WHERE IT READS WELL AND IT COVERS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT AT LEAST WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET THAT RESOLUTION TO THE NEXT MEETING, OR WAS THAT TOO SOON TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER? I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S TOO SOON BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO CREATE IT.

LOOK WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.

CHECK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT IN THE INTERIM, I THINK WE'RE FINE WITH.

OKAY. MR. JOHNSON. YEAH. PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY DISRESPECT FOR THE COURTS AS NOT WANTING TO SUPPORT THIS.

[02:35:08]

THAT MY LACK OF FAITH IN THE COURTS TO CONVICT AND TO.

KEEP PEOPLE IN PRISON.

I THINK THAT'S KIND OF SELF-EXPLANATORY.

IF THEY'RE GOING TO GET ARRESTED, CONVICTED, AND THEN WALK FREE.

WHAT DOES THAT DONE FOR YOU? WITH THAT. I NEED A MOTION.

GO AHEAD. I SO MOVE TO AUTHORIZE TO OFFER MONETARY REWARD IN INCIDENTS OF VIOLENT CRIME FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO ARREST AND CONVICTION.

SECOND. VOTE PLEASE. THAT WAS APPROVED 4-0 WITH KASHIFALGHITA BEING ABSENT.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU ALL, AND THANK YOU, MR. DOMER, FOR ENLISTING OUR SUPERVISOR FOR THAT OTHER ADDITIONAL $10,000.

THAT'S A NICE HAMMER.

SO THANK HER ON THAT ONE.

NOW WE MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY?

[PUBLIC COMMENTS ]

[INAUDIBLE] THEY ARE EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT, COMMUNICATIVE AND KIND.

I DISAGREED WITH CITY MANAGER KEN DOMER MOSTLY THAT HE'S A TRAGIC TROJAN, [CHUCKLING] BUT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD [INAUDIBLE] DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] AND ARE WILLING TO [INAUDIBLE] DISCUSSION.

IN ADDITION, THEY DON'T LIE.

SO MOVING FORWARD IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE.

FURTHERMORE, HE BRINGS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT UP, PLEASE, PUBLIC COMMENT.

MS. BEAUCHAMP. HEY AGAIN.

I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL.

I THANK YOU FOR HONORING MY FIRST REQUEST.

WHEN YOU WERE HAVING THE BAND OF BROTHERS AND THE MILITARY CONDUCT THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MAKE THAT AN OFFICIAL PART OF THE MEETING.

I NOW ASK BECAUSE I GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT VIDEOS, WE ARE ALL FACING THE FLAG AND STANDING.

NO ONE HAS A MIC AND THAT IS NOT AUDIBLE ON THE VIDEO AND I THINK THAT'S AN ULTIMATE DISRESPECT TO THE FLAG.

SO I ASK THAT WE HAVE WHOEVER IS BEING ASKED TO LEAD IT, HAVE A MICROPHONE WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT.

MY OTHER COMMENT IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY DIDN'T DO IT EARLIER ON THE CHRISTMAS DAY THING, BUT I KNOW THAT THE STAFF WORKS THEIR TAILS OFF FOR THAT DAY.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT I WOULD LOVE TO PARTICIPATE AND JUST NEVER WENT THROUGH WITH IT, BUT NOW, KNOWING THE DIRE NEED THAT'S NECESSARY, I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY PUT OUT AS MUCH ADVERTISEMENT AS POSSIBLE, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY HAS A SOCIAL MEDIA AVAILABLE TO THEM.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE BANNERS ON FOOTHILL AND D STREET IN FRONT OF THE BANK BANNER AND FOR THE CITY ELECTRONIC TICKERS ON WHEELER AND EMERALD AND

[02:40:03]

WINTER WONDERLAND.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO GET THE WORD OUT, AND I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON TIME, BUT AND I HAVE JUST IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE, I PROBABLY HAVE 20 IDEAS THAT I'VE WRITTEN DOWN.

SO PLEASE REALLY HAVE THE STAFF PUT THAT EFFORT FORTH SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS TO CONTINUE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING THAT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. MISS BEAUCHAMP. ANYONE ELSE? PUBLIC COMMENT. GARY, COME ON UP.

HOW ARE YOU? OKAY.

I WAS TOLD BY PUBLIC WORKS THAT WE HAVE TWO GANGS HERE IN LA VERNE AND I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT WE HAD A KILLING AT EMERALD PARK.

IS THAT CONNECTED TO OUR TWO GANGS? THERE WAS NO.

I CAN HAVE THE CHIEF COME UP.

THERE WAS NO MURDER OR HOMICIDE OR LIKE THAT IN EMERALD PARK.

THERE WAS A SHOOTING.

SOMEBODY GOT SHOT IN THE FOOT BECAUSE THE NEIGHBOR TOLD ME THEY WERE KILLING THERE.

NO, THAT WAS FALSE.

SO. WELL, IS THAT PART OF THE GANG MEMBERS NOW OR JUST A SEPARATE THING? ACTING CHIEF GONZALEZ, I'M INTRUDING IN YOUR LINE.

OKAY. YEAH, HE'LL RESPOND, GARY, AS SOON AS.

ARE YOU DONE WITH THAT? THAT'S IT. I'M THROUGH.

GO BACK MY CHAIR AND SHUT UP.

[CHUCKLING] MAN OF FEW WORDS.

AGAIN, THIS IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION.

I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO GIVE ALL THE DETAILS, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE WAS NOT A MURDER.

THE FOLKS THAT WERE AT THE PARK, THEY WERE NOT FROM LA VERNE.

THEY JUST SO HAPPENED TO COME TO LA VERNE, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY DECIDED TO DO WHAT THEY DID, THEIR GATHERING THERE, AND AFTER A DISPUTE, A SHOOTING DID OCCUR AND SOMEONE WAS SHOT IN THE FOOT.

THE INVESTIGATION IS IS ONGOING AND THOSE DETAILS ARE STILL WE'RE KEEPING THEM IN OUR POCKET AS WE'RE CLOSER TO MAKING AN ARREST.

THANK YOU, AND AGAIN, SUGGESTION.

IF YOU SEE GRAFFITI, CALL IT IN IMMEDIATELY.

PLEASE JUST CALL IT IN.

WE'RE REALLY GOOD ON RESPONDING TO THAT.

I CAN'T STAND IT.

IT DRIVES ME CRAZY AND THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES I DRIVE THROUGH THAT DOES DOES EVEN NICE COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS THAT STILL HAVE IT, BUT IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

SO IF YOU SEE IT, CALL IT IN.

WE HAVE A HOTLINE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE POST THAT AGAIN, BUT ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? LILY. THANK YOU.

IF I HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY IT AGAIN.

I JUST HOPE ALL THE LEADERS IN THIS CITY DON'T BE THE PERSON TO END OUR ALMOST 100 YEARS CHRISTMAS MORNING TRADITION.

THEY MUST BE A SOLUTION, AND THEN I KNOW NOT MOST PEOPLE I KNOW IN LA VERNE THEY ARE VERY TRADITION.

THEY ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THEY WILL BE VERY SURPRISED WHAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN CHRISTMAS, THIS YEAR.

IT WILL BE LIKE A BIG BOMB.

OKAY. SO I WILL BE VERY SAD TO SEE THAT.

SO DEFINITELY I HAVE SO MANY IDEA TO JUST LIKE, OH, I WOULD LOVE TO PAY FOR MY KIDS TO GO TO BE VOLUNTEER.

RIGHT. SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND ALSO IF THEY POSSIBLE TO GET A CERTIFICATE LIKE A HONOR VOLUNTEER OF CITY OF LA VERNE AND THEN THEY GET VOLUNTEER HOUR AND A VERY BEAUTIFUL CERTIFICATE AND THEN COULD GET IT TO LIKE FOR THE APPLICATION FOR COLLEGE.

THERE'S SO MANY WAY TO ENCOURAGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FOOTBALL TEAM RIGHT THEY ARE STRONG SEVEN HOURS NOTHING IF THEY GET 100 OR $200 PAY OR GET A VERY BEAUTIFUL CERTIFICATE, HAVE VERY GOOD YOU KNOW, THERE MUST BE SO MANY WAY.

JUST NEED TO LET PEOPLE WE WORK TOGETHER AS A FAMILY TO CONTINUE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LILY.

COME ON UP, MR. GABALDON. THANK YOU.

I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO THINGS.

ONE IS SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT.

I SHOULD HAVE DONE IT DURING ANNOUNCEMENTS BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE CITY, BUT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH MY PUBLIC COMMENT REALLY QUICKLY THE BLACK BANDS ON THE BADGES. I WAS REMINDED OF THE SACRIFICES AND THE PERSONAL RISK THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE POLICE AND OTHER SAFETY PERSONNEL PUT THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF FOR OUR BENEFIT.

SO THANK YOU GUYS.

HATE SEEING THAT, THAT, THAT BLACK BAND ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, I NOTICED IN THE VIDEO, I COME HERE ALL THE TIME AND I ALWAYS WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.

SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO SAY IT THE FLAG.

NOR IN GOD WE TRUST IS VISIBLE IN THAT VIDEO.

I WOULD RATHER SEE THOSE THINGS IN THE VIDEO THAN THE CIRCLE THAT NOBODY STANDS IN.

SO I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO ADJUST THE CAMERA, AND THEN THREE FROM THE LAST MEETING, I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED.

[02:45:01]

WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, MR. DOMER, THESE DON'T NEED TO WORK FOR THE COUNCIL.

THEY NEED TO WORK FOR THE PEOPLE.

TRUST IN THE PROCESS OF OUR GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE THE BIGGEST REASON FOR THE DIVISIVENESS THAT EVERYBODY KEEPS REPEATEDLY TALKING ABOUT IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S SOMETHING THAT LA VERNE CAN DO BETTER AND WE SHOULD DO BETTER, AND I THINK JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TRANSPARENCY AND WHAT EXACTLY THE PROCESS IS OPENLY IN ADVANCE OF IT BEING DEMONSTRATED TO US OR AS MISS BEAUCHAMP SAID, THE CLUSTER WAS, I THINK WE COULD DO BETTER.

WE ARE LA VERNE AND THEN.

SMALL THING ON THE ON RAMPS AND OFF RAMPS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY PAYS ATTENTION.

I DO. THEY ARE FILTHY.

IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN GET DONE HERE WITH CALTRANS AND GET THOSE ON RAMPS AND OFF RAMPS CLEANED UP? THEY'RE JUST RIDICULOUS. THAT'S NOT LA VERNE EITHER, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE, AND THEN TO THE VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT I THINK YOU'LL APPRECIATE ME TAKING A COUPLE EXTRA MINUTES HERE TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY IS WE JUST GOT THROUGH HAVING DIFFERENT OPINIONS, PERHAPS SOME MORE ELOQUENT THAN OTHERS IN WHAT IT IS THE 740 PROJECT BROUGHT OR WOULD BRING TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT HERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT CONCERN RESIDENTS OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY VERSUS THE DEPARTMENT OF REGIONAL PLANNING.

SO WHY DO I BRING THIS UP THIS AUGUST 9TH AT 9 A.M., THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEETING.

THE EAST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY AREA PLAN IS PROPOSING TO CONDUCT A MASS REZONING IN THE GEOGRAPHIC PORTION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY FROM THE 605 FREEWAY TO POMONA.

THE PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE ZONING AND LAND USE DESIGNATION WILL ELIMINATE AGRICULTURALLY ZONED COMMUNITIES.

LIGHT AG ZONING A-1 WILL BE REPLACED WITH R-A, R-1, R-2 OR R-3 AND ALLOW FOR INFLUX OF LUXURY CONDOMINIUM HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION OF INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES, FURTHER EXACERBATING ISSUES FACED BY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO WHEN IS THIS? IT'S AUGUST 9TH, 2023 AT 9 A.M.

IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY BE HELD WITH THE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION'S HEARING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AT THE HALL OF RECORDS IN LOS ANGELES.

I CAN SHARE THIS INFORMATION.

YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO ATTEND IT VIA ZOOM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT I THINK THE PURPOSE OF ME BRINGING THIS UP AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO EVERYBODY IS IF WE DO NOT ENGAGE OURSELVES, WHETHER THERE ARE LOCAL ISSUES, PERSONAL ISSUES, WHATEVER IT IS FIGHTING FOR LA VERNE WE ARE GOING TO LOSE LA VERNE.

WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL THESE THINGS, OUR TRADITIONS, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE.

HOW ARE THE MAKEUP OF OUR CITIES? AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET AHEAD OF SOMETHING THAT BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHICH WILL CHANGE THE ZONING FOR THAT GOLF COURSE UP IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY, THAT WILL AFFECT EVERYBODY IF THEY EVER TOUCH IT.

IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE CARING ABOUT AND GET AHEAD OF NOW.

SO I ENCOURAGE US TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GABALDON. ANYBODY ELSE, PUBLIC COMMENT? MS. BERRY. THAT'S YOU.

YOU ARE, MISS BERRY.

GOOD EVENING I HAD A FEW SITUATIONS THIS WEEK REGARDING SOME HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT WERE AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE CITY IT WAS NOT PLEASANT.

THIS ONE ONE LADY, SHE WAS JUST SO OUT OF HER MIND.

WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE THAT SHE COULD HARDLY EVEN GET ON HER FEET, AND SHE NEEDED TO YOU KNOW, THE GROCERY STORE WAS TRYING TO GET HER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY SO PEOPLE COULD GET IN.

THERE IS ANOTHER GUY SETTING UP CAMP OVERNIGHT AT VON'S AND THEN HE WAS BUSYING HIMSELF AROUND THE PARKING LOT THE REST OF THE DAY. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OVER AT CVS WHO'S THERE EVERY DAY AND PROBABLY EVERY NIGHT, AND HE WAS CLEARLY NOT MENTALLY WELL.

THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP.

IT'S NOT A LIFE TO SIT THERE DAY AFTER DAY, WHETHER IT BE HOT OR COLD OR WHATEVER.

THEY NEED A LIFE, AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL LOOKED AT.

ADDRESSING SOME ORDINANCES LAST FALL SO THAT THE POLICE COULD ENGAGE WITH THEM TO HELP GET THEM SOME RESOURCES, AND THOSE

[02:50:04]

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T CAMP THERE ON THE STREET.

YOU CAN'T CAMP THERE IN FRONT OF THE GROCERY STORE, AND YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE ACCUMULATING SHOPPING CARTS FOR YOUR, YOUR LIFE AND SO I MADE SOME PHONE CALLS AND I WAS TOLD THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.

WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

THE STORES, THEY WILL.

WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

THE POLICE SAID WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, AND THEY BOTH SAID WELL, IF THEY THE STORE OWNER WOULD LET US KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT OKAY, THEN WE CAN DO SOMETHING, AND THEN THE STORE IS SAYING, WELL, IF THE POLICE IT'S LIKE IT WAS BACK AND FORTH AND THEN THE POLICE SAID, WELL, THE COUNTY, AND SO I MADE A CALL TO THE COUNTY AND THEY'RE LIKE, WAIT, WHAT? I KNOW WE HAVE THIS ORDINANCE AND I KNOW IT WAS APPROVED.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON? THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP IF WE'RE NOT USING THE TOOLS THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE IN NOVEMBER OF 22 TO HELP GET THEM SOME SERVICES TO HELP.

I KNOW YOU CAN'T, LIKE, DRAG THEM KICKING AND SCREAMING, BUT THEY SHOULD BE ENGAGED WITH EVERY TIME THERE'S A CALL.

THEY SHOULD BE CHECKED ON EVERY TIME THERE'S A CALL.

I KNOW THERE WERE MULTIPLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TALKED ON SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE, YEAH, HE WAS THERE YESTERDAY.

I MADE A CALL AND THEY SAID, WELL, THEY DID THE SAME THING WITH ME IS LIKE THEY WENT THERE TEN, 15 MINUTES LATER AND SAID, HE'S NOT HERE AND I'M LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S NOT HERE? HE HAD LIKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF AND THEN HE WAS THERE A LITTLE LATER.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE.

MAYBE HE WENT TO THE BATHROOM, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, SO I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE LOOKING INTO THAT, THAT IF WE HAVE THESE THINGS THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE FOR THAT PURPOSE.

WE NEED EVERYBODY ON BOARD BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A LIFE.

THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED WITH REPEATEDLY UNTIL THEY'RE READY TO TAKE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BERRY. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

MR. DOMER, DID YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT ON THE HOMELESS ISSUE? I KNOW THAT CHIEF'S HERE ALSO.

WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE ARE DOING.

YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. MAYOR. IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS BECAUSE THE ACT OF HOMELESSNESS ITSELF IS NOT A CRIME, BUT IF THERE'S CRIMINAL ACTIVITY GOING ON, ONE OF THE NEXT WE DO WANT TO PUT TOGETHER A STUDY SESSION ON WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING.

LAST PROBABLY TWO WEEKS AGO NOW, I LED A GROUP OF IT INCLUDED CLAREMONT, SAN DIMAS, TRI-CITY MENTAL HEALTH AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM SENATOR RUBIO'S OFFICE DOWN TO THE FULLERTON, OK HOPE CENTER, WHICH IS A REGIONAL COLLABORATION OF CITIES, AND WHAT THEY DO BASICALLY IS HOMELESSNESS, AS WE KNOW, AS MS. BERRY TALKED ABOUT SOMEBODY'S THERE, THEN THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE GOING BEYOND OUR BOUNDARIES.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY A CITY-SPECIFIC ISSUE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON OUR NEIGHBORS.

WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE COUNTY.

SOMETIMES STATE FUNDING.

SO WORKING TOGETHER AS A COLLABORATIVE IS THE BEST, MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'M TRYING TO DO AND WORK UP HERE, IS IDENTIFY THE GAPS IN THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE, THE REDUNDANCIES THAT ARE THERE, GET PARTNERS THAT ARE NOT USED TO WORKING WITH EACH OTHER TO START TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER.

WE HAVE FAVORABLE RESPONSE FROM SENATOR RUBIO'S OFFICE AND THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.

THEY WERE ALSO THERE AT THIS TOUR OF THE HOPE CENTER, AND WE DID MEET AGAIN LAST WEEK AT SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COG.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE TAKING ON THAT MORE REGIONAL APPROACH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE IS THEY'VE APPROVED A AGREEMENT WITH SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COG ON THE SGV CARES, WHICH IS ADDRESSING MORE OF THE MOBILE RESPONSE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE MENTAL HEALTH IS A HUGE FACTOR IN HOMELESSNESS AND BUT ALSO ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO BE COGNIZANT ENOUGH IN ORDER TO RECEIVE SERVICES AND TO ACCEPT SERVICES, AND YVONNE IS IN THE CORNER.

SO YVONNE DURAN, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR, HAS TAKEN ON THE DUAL ROLE OF WORKING WITH HOMELESSNESS ISSUES AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

SO ON ONE HAND SHE'S DOING RECREATION AND ON THE OTHER HAND WE'RE ASKING HER TO WORK WITH ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE AND THE HOMELESS RESPONSE, AND AGAIN, WE'RE DOING THAT

[02:55:10]

SO DO LOOK TO BRING THAT BACK TO THE COUNCIL IN A STUDY SESSION SO WE CAN EXPLAIN BETTER WHAT THE PROGRAMS ARE OUT THERE, WHAT OUR RESOURCES ARE, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO GET MORE OF A PILOT PROGRAM HERE IN THE EAST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE RESPONSIVE.

THE TRUE YOU KNOW, THE NEXT STEP IS SAY IF ONE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO WAS AT CVS, WHO WE KNOW HIS NAME, WE KNOW HIS BACKSTORY AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT WHERE'S THE PLACE TO HAVE HIM AND HOW DO WE GET HIM INTO THAT CARE THAT IS NEEDED? AND THERE'S NO.

THERE'S NO FACILITIES FOR THAT RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTY IS YOU CAN IF THERE ARE HARM TO THEMSELVES, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO 5150 A PERSON, BUT IF THEY START GETTING MEDS WITHIN 72 HOURS OR BEFORE THAT, THEY'RE BACK OUT ON THE STREET AND THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE GOVERNOR'S CARE COURT IS A MAJOR OPTION AND THAT'S JUST BEING IMPLEMENTED IN LA COUNTY.

SO THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE MULTIPLE JURISDICTION COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL CITIES WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE NONE OF US TOGETHER CAN DO IT, YOU KNOW, SMALL OF A CITY AS LA VERNE.

SO BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO BRING BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION WITHIN THE NEXT, HOPEFULLY 6 TO 8 WEEKS SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE COMMUNICATIVE ON THAT.

THAT'S THE BEST ANSWER FOR NOW, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON MORE.

A LOCAL APPROACH AND A REGIONAL APPROACH THROUGH THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.

WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO SPEAK? DIRECTOR DURAN AND CHIEF GONZALEZ.

THEY ARE THE PROS AT THIS.

WE ARE GOING TO TAG TEAM THIS.

SO KEN DID TOUCH BASE ON A FEW ITEMS. ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS, IF YOU DO HAVE A CONCERN, WE DO HAVE AN EMAIL.

IT'S LEAP@CITYOFLAVERNE.ORG.

WE ALSO HAVE A PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT'S UNDER THE WEBSITE UNHOUSED.

SO YOU CAN DEFINITELY THERE'S DIFFERENT ITEMS. YOU CAN GO THROUGH DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN REPORT ITEMS. ALSO, IF YOU DO SEE AN ENCAMPMENT ON OUR 24 HOUR NOTIFICATION ON CITY HALL, THERE IS A DROPDOWN WHERE YOU CAN REPORT AN ENCAMPMENT AS WELL.

THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE THAT WERE CONSTANTLY INTERACTING AND INTERACTING WITH.

I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE ONE AT CVS EVERY THURSDAY.

HE'S BEING SPOKEN TO.

HE DOES NEED MEDICATION.

HE HAS BEEN SERVICED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BUT IT'S A CONTINUAL THING WE HAVE TO DO, NOT ONLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE HOST TEAM, BUT AS WELL AS [INAUDIBLE] AND TRI-CITY AS WELL. LIKE KEN SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING.

WE'RE STARTING THIS FROM THE GROUND UP.

THE COG HAS SOLIDIFIED SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL OUTREACH HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 4 DAYS.

WE HAVE THE MOBILE CRISIS TEAM.

WE ARE ACTUALLY MEETING FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS, ABOUT TWO HOURS A MEETING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE MOBILE CRISIS TEAM HERE AS WELL AS THE CARE COURT THAT'S COMING UP.

SO WE HAVE A MEETING, ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE COUNTY ON THAT.

SO WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH THE RESIDENTS, THE ORDINANCES.

I'LL LET SAM SPEAK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THEY'RE MEANT FOR THE PARKS.

THERE IS 602 FORMS THAT WE DO SEND OUT TO THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.

I WILL LET COUNCIL KNOW WE WERE SECURING THE DATES THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN AS A GROUP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A COFFEE WITH THE COP, BUT IN TERMS OF THE UNHOUSED, SO WE'LL HAVE LAKOTA, TRI-CITY COMMUNITY SERVICES AT A LOCAL DONUT SHOP HERE SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER YOUR GENERAL QUESTIONS.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE A TOWN HALL WITH THE BUSINESSES THAT'S COMING UP IN OCTOBER SO THAT WE CAN EDUCATE THE BUSINESSES ON THE FORMS. THE 602 FORMS HAD A COMPLETE THOSE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND WHO TO REPORT THAT TO AS WELL.

SO THERE'S MANY BUSINESSES IN LA VERNE THAT DO HAVE THOSE FORMS COMPLETED, BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO REMOVE A PERSON, THEY DO HAVE TO HAVE THAT FORM AVAILABLE AND THEY DO HAVE TO TRESPASS THEM, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SHOPPING CENTER BECAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL PROPERTY OWNERS.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE OWNER, BUT I'LL LET SAM TOUCH A LITTLE BASE ON THAT, BUT IF ANYTHING, PLEASE EMAIL US FOR CONCERNS AT LEAP AT CITY OF LA VERNE DOT ORG , BUT IF IT'S DEFINITELY AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, YVONNE.

THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE I COULD TOUCH ON EXCEPT FOR I WILL ADDRESS THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP FROM LAST YEAR THAT WAS DIRECTLY FOR CAMPING AT PARKS, AND THAT'S REALLY

[03:00:06]

IT'S A VERY HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT WE TAKE MORE CARE AND CONCERN APPROACH.

AS CITY MANAGER, DOMER INDICATED, WE JUST CAN'T GO THERE AND GRAB SOMEBODY AND TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT'S KIDNAPING AND WE JUST POSE LIABILITY ON THE CITY, AND AND OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T INCUR LIABILITY.

SO WE TREAT IT.

WE TRY TO TREAT EVERYONE FAIRLY AND IN A MANNER THAT TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING AS BEST AS WE CAN, AND OFTENTIMES WE DO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO JUST REFUSE EVERYTHING, AND WE DO GO BACK AT LEAST EVERY THURSDAY.

WE DO HAVE A PART TIME TEAM WORKING TOWARDS ONE DAY, HAVING A FULL TIME TEAM TO ADDRESS THOSE.

WE DO KEEP ANALYTICS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING DURING THOSE PEAK HOURS.

AT NIGHTTIME, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DO TRY TO SPREAD OUR HOST TEAM MEMBERS, OUR TEAM MEMBERS THROUGHOUT EACH SHIFT SO THAT WHEN THERE IS A NIGHTTIME CONCERN OF A HOMELESS PERSON, THEY DO KNOW WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE, WHAT PLACES TO CONTACT, WHAT HOMES, LOCATIONS WE CAN IF SOMEBODY SO CHOOSES TO TAKE ON A RESOURCE.

SO WE DO TRY TO SPREAD THAT OUT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, AND YVONNE ADDRESSED EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

WELL, I WANT TO SAY THAT YOU YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW DELICATE IT IS, BUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO AS A CITY AND I MUST COMMEND OUR STAFF, IT'S MORPHING AS WE GO ALONG BECAUSE THERE'S MONEY STARTING TO COME TO IT, AND AS BEING ON THE SAN GABRIEL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND WITH ALL THE SERVICES, WE'RE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AT IT.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A TERRIBLE ISSUE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, MISS BERRY, THAT NO ONE SHOULD LIVE LIKE THAT, BUT AT SOME POINT, HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN REMOVE THEM AND PUT THEM IN SOME KIND OF A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE SAFE, AND I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BUT ALSO, AGAIN, UTILIZE EVERYTHING THAT OUR STAFF SAID BECAUSE WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING THAT AND WE'RE WORKING AND OUR STAFF IS GREAT.

THEY GOT GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, [INAUDIBLE], TRI-CITY.

WITHOUT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN, AND ALSO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WORK SO WELL WITH THEM AND I THINK AND OUR AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR STAFF PERIOD.

SO WE'VE GOT A GREAT GROUP.

IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T SOLVE IN ONE MINUTE.

WE GOT TO BE DILIGENT ABOUT IT AND CONTINUALLY LOOK AT THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A CITY TO KEEP TAPPING INTO THAT.

SO. COUNCIL COMMENTS.

MR. CROSBY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR I WANT TO THANK BERNARD FOR COMING AND HAVE A KUDOS FOR MS. MCWADE, TOO, AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING OUT THE OUR WATER QUALITY REPORT AS WELL APPRECIATE OUR WATER DEPARTMENT AND WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN BEEN DOING.

OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS THANKS TO OUR POLICE, FIRE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR PUTTING ON THAT EVENT AND THEN THIS FRIDAY.

THANK YOU, YVONNE, FOR PUTTING OUT OUR SPECIAL NEEDS DANCE THAT'S HAPPENING THIS THIS COMING UP FRIDAY, THE LUAU DANCE, AND IT'S REALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS REACHING OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS OF NEED TO APPRECIATE THAT AND THEN THE LAST THING IS SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE COMING OUT THE DAY OF OUR NEXT MEETING ON ON AUGUST 21ST FOR BONITA UNIFIED.

SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAY SAFE AND WATCH OUT FOR THE KIDS WALKING AROUND, ESPECIALLY AROUND SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW THOSE, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE ONES, THEY'RE EXCITED RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET AND WE'RE WATCHING OUT FOR FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS I DO NOT KNOW THE DATES OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS, BUT I KNOW BONITA UNIFIED IS ON THE 21ST.

COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. LAST MONTH I ATTENDED THE JPIA, THE CITY'S INSURANCE COMPANY.

IT WAS FAIRLY BENIGN.

WE REELECTED THE SAME BOARD AS THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

THE AGENCY HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB AS FAR AS.

CREATING RESOURCES AND PROJECTS THAT HELP IMPROVE THE CITY.

THE SIDEWALK. CUTTING THAT LEVELS OUT TRIP AND FALL HAZARDS, ETCETERA OTHER THAN THAT, TIM.

WISH YOUR WIFE A HAPPY RETIREMENT.

YES. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. MAYOR PRO-TEM LAU.

[CHUCKLING] YOU DON'T LOOK EXCITED ABOUT THE RETIREMENT.

SO A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY'S GRATITUDE TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO EVERYBODY FROM HOLLY,

[03:05:07]

IT WAS AN AMAZING EVENT.

IT WAS MUCH COOLER THIS YEAR I THINK IT WAS REALLY ENJOYABLE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT.

SO THANK YOU FOR GETTING BEHIND THAT.

I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS WAS OUT THERE AS WELL, SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.

SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY WHO WAS PARTICIPATING IN THAT CASSIE DID MEET LAST WEEK ON WEDNESDAY AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S ASKED ABOUT HOW DO YOU VOLUNTEER, HOW DO YOU HELP BUILD THAT COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START AND THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO PARTNER BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND DIFFERENT CHURCHES SAYING, HEY, WE DO THIS HERE AND WE DO THIS HERE, AND SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY NICE BEGINNING OF SYNERGY TO TALK ABOUT HOW CAN WE BE COMPASSIONATE WITH ONE ANOTHER? HOW CAN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP EACH OTHER? THERE IS A TRI-CITY MENTAL HEALTH MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, AND I BRING THIS UP TOO, BECAUSE IN LIGHT OF TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE UNHOUSED ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING, JUST MENTAL HEALTH IN GENERAL, I WILL KEEP PUSHING PLEASE WELCOME YOURSELVES.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND.

YOU CAN ATTEND VIA ZOOM OR YOU CAN ATTEND IN PERSON AT THEIR LOCATION.

THEY ARE IN THE MIDST OF DOING SOME STRATEGIC PLANNING AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE PROVIDED TO THEM IS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BE MORE VISIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF WHAT SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED AND HOW CAN PEOPLE REACH OUT TO THEM.

BECAUSE I DON'T ALWAYS THINK THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY WOULD ENGAGE IN SOME MORE PARTNERSHIPS AND SOME MORE OUTREACH SO THAT PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE THAT. SO AGAIN, THAT'S THIS THIS WEDNESDAY, AND THEN THIS PAST WEEKEND, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF COVERING FOR OUR MAYOR, TIM HEPBURN, FOR THE EAGLE SCOUTS. SO THE EAGLE SCOUTS HAD TWO OF THEIR BOY SCOUTS ELEVATE TO THE POSITION OF EAGLE SCOUT.

THAT WAS CHRISTIAN CASAS AND LANGDON LORGE, AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE FOR ANYONE TO STICK AROUND TO GET TO THAT LEVEL BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF MERIT BADGES. IT'S A LOT OF HOURS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, OUTSIDE OF WORK, OUTSIDE OF WHATEVER OTHER COMMITMENTS THESE FOLKS MAY HAVE AND FOR THEM TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND REALLY TAKE ON THIS PLEDGE TO BE AN OUTSTANDING MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING TO BE ADMIRED AND RESPECTED, AND SO IF YOU DO KNOW EITHER OF THESE FINE YOUNG MEN, CHRISTIAN CASAS AND LANGDON LORGE BE SURE TO CONGRATULATE THEM.

IT'S REALLY COOL THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND BOTH OF THEM, THEIR EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT INVOLVED BEAUTIFYING COMMUNITY SPACES AT TWO DIFFERENT CHURCHES.

SO REALLY COOL THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.

SO WITH THAT, AS ALWAYS, STAY KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, STAY OUT OF THE HEAT.

IT'S KIND OF GETTING BETTER, BUT STAY COOL AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TONIGHT.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COVERING.

I KNOW THAT WE WERE AT THE BEACH THIS LAST WEEK AND THANK YOU FOR COVERING A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

IT'S ALWAYS AMAZING WHAT WE DO AS A CITY, AND I'M SURE THAT THERE WAS LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL NIGHT JUST TO BE IN LA VERNE AND SEEING ALL OF OUR GREAT STUFF OUT THERE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE ALSO, AND WE ARE CHANGING THINGS AND IT TAKES SOME TIME.

A LOT OF THINGS ARE IN PLACE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, BUT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE ALSO ARE LISTENING AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND I THINK THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT HERE, AND WE TAKE YOUR SUGGESTIONS SERIOUSLY.

WE TAKE YOUR CRITICISM WITH SOME SERIOUSNESS ALSO.

NONE OF US ARE PERFECT AND WE ALL LEARN FROM THIS, BUT I THINK AS A COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHRISTMAS SITUATION, AS WE DISCUSSED.

LET'S GET IT TOGETHER. LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

LET'S GET THIS TELEVISED.

LET'S MAKE THIS THING SUCCESSFUL AND AGAIN, I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL.

I APPRECIATE BEING UP HERE WITH ALL OF YOU, WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT VIEWS AND VIEWPOINTS.

WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE'RE HERE.

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, WE DO A LOT OF RESEARCH.

WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

WE APPRECIATE OUR STAFF, WHICH DOES A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE OUR MEETING AND WE'RE GOING TO RECESS INTO CLOSED SESSION.

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6 FOR THE FOLLOWING CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS.

I'M GOING TO READ IT IN BLUE.

SORRY.

NEGOTIATORS, CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY.

EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS.

LA VERNE CITY EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS AND LA VERNE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.

EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9 CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET IN CLOSED SESSION REGARDING GRAPENTINE VERSUS THE CITY OF LA VERNE.

CASE NUMBER ADJ12536665.

YOU GUYS ARE REALLY LOVING THIS, AREN'T YOU? ADJ12545188, ADJ14493960.

CITY ATTORNEY BARLOW, WILL THERE BE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS AFTER CLOSED SESSION?

[03:10:04]

VERY GOOD. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD FIRE CREWS GO OUT TO ON A FIRE ASSIGNMENT.

ARE THEY BACK NOW? CHIEF? AND NO ONE WAS INJURED AND EVERYONE WAS SAFE.

MAY THEY BE SAFE. ALSO, OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILIES OF THE TWO FIREFIGHTERS THAT LOST AND THE WATER DROPPING AND ALSO THE PILOT THAT WAS LOST.

THE OTHER TWO GENTLEMEN AND THE OTHER APPARENTLY DID A HARD LANDING, BUT THEY WERE SAFE.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO TO THEIR FAMILIES THIS CONCLUDES OUR COUNCIL MEETING.

OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULE MEETING OF THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 21ST AT 5:30 P.M.

, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT EIGHT.

WHAT TIME IS IT? 8:53.

WE ARE RECESSING.

SORRY, I NEVER GET IT RIGHT.

WE'RE RECESSING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.