Aug 19, 2019 City Council

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:02]

WE WILL CALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. AND IF WE CAN ALL PLEASE RISE TOGETHER AND JOIN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.  ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN. HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM ROSALES. HERE. MAYOR DON KENDRICK. HERE. WE HAVE

[Corporal Frankie Cambero]

[APPLAUSE] YEAR LATER HE WAS HIRED ON AS A FULL TIME POLICE OFFICER DURING HIS TIME OVER OFFICIAL PART OF BRAINIEST COLUMBUS CIRCLE TITLES INCLUDING COMPTROLLER CERTIFIED DRONE PILOT VERY GOOD VOICE RECOGNITION EXPERT. IF YOU WERE EVER AROUND THIS MAN WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT SUBJECT I WAS THERE FOR ANYBODY. WAS MORE OF AN EXPERT MAJOR ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER. NOW FRED YOU ALWAYS TITLED THE CARNIVAL WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK CHOOSING CHAPTER FOUR I ASKED HIS FATHER TO COME UP WITH HIS BADGE AND JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT FRANKIE BECAUSE AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY ACTUALLY YOU REALLY ARE CRUCIAL PART OF IS ONE OF THE ENTITIES THAT PARTICIPATES IN OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IS THERE VIRTUALLY EVERY MEETING GIVING US UPDATES ON HOW OUR COMMUNITY IS DOING WITH REGARDS TO YOU SPECIFICALLY YOUTH THAT. SO FRANKIE HAS GONE TO SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND TRAINING AND THE KIDS THE PRINCIPALS THE DISTRICT EVERYBODY LOVES TO STAND FOR EVERYTHING. HE IS DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT'S NOT THAT THE OTHER OFFICERS AREN'T BECAUSE EVENTUALLY FRANKIE'S TENURE AT THE SCHOOLS IS GOING TO END. WE HAVE ONE MORE YEAR AUTOMATIC PILOT. BUT IF YOU GO BACK AND DO THE SAME THING WITH ALL THE OTHER OFFICERS I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I GET TO TALK TO FRANKIE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR ALL THE WORKERS AND SO FRANKIE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE REASON FRANK IS CALLED FRANK. IS THAT IS CALLED FRANK. SO YOU'RE ASKING SOME OF LOCAL KIDS BACK. TO ME FOR BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN AND I KNOW THESE LITTLE ONES WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE UP HERE WITH CLOSE

[00:05:03]

[Officer Timothy Lopez]

[00:10:09]

YES I'VE BEEN A EVERY MAN. I MEAN I'VE BEEN MOST HEROES THESE RIGHT. REALLY. I.

CERTAINLY DID. I'M DONE WITH THAT. NO MORE PEPPER SPRAY IN MY FAMILY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THANK YOU COUNCIL. SHE'S GOT TO APPRECIATE IT FOR TOO LONG.

THIRTY SEVEN YEAR. MARK. ALL RIGHT. IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER WHEN YOUR HOME IS HOME GROWN AND THEY COME RIGHT HERE. SO THANK YOU JIMMY FOR A DATE HERE. THANKS MOM AND DAD A SUPPORTIVE FAMILY. WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH IF PEOPLE CAN JUST HOLD TIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK NOW. THIS NEXT PRESENTATION I'M GOING TO

[b. GPAC Recognition]

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TIMES WHEN IT WAS OVER ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OF COMMITMENT FROM THESE INDIVIDUALS THE TWO TO TWO AND A HALF HOURS AT EACH MEETING BUT ALSO THEY HAVE A LOT OF REWORK BEFOREHAND TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY THE BEST IT CAN BE. THERE ARE CERTAIN ELEMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN A GENERAL PLAN AND WE KIND OF TOOK EACH ONE OF THE FOUR GROUPS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER. CAME BACK TO DISSECT IT AND AGAIN AND MADE TO IMPROVE SO IT'S NOT DONE YET. THERE'S GOING TO BE PUBLIC INPUT BOTH AT COMMUNITY FORUM WHERE WE CENTER AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE IT'S ADOPTED. THE GENERAL PLAN IS READ OUT EVERY 20 YEARS. AND WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE TONIGHT WHO WERE THE ONES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT SONG TO START OFF WITH.

TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TABLE WHO THEY REPRESENTED BECAUSE ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS COMMUNITY WERE REPRESENTED. IN VIEW FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY I HAD NOT SEEN YET. SO HE'S ARE HERE PLANNING COMMISSIONER JASON I DON'T SEE YOU. THE JUDGE IS ELECTED AS CHAIR OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION THOMAS ALLISON. I DON'T SEE THOMAS HERE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE OR JOE SCOTT. I DIDN'T SEE JOE JONES FROM JOLIET. HE SHOULD RUN. KEITH IS REPRESENTED FROM THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. VANESSA HAAS WHO IS A RECENTLY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR AND HAS BEEN A JUNIOR MEMBER OF OUR YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE. CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO HELPING US CREATE PROGRAMS FOR OUR KIDS. FROM THE UNIVERSITY THE IS I DON'T SEE THEM REJECTING THIS ONE JUST AS MUCH. I WORKED WITH THEM SO I KNOW THEIR NAMES ON A SHEEHAN AND SHE'S THE TREASURER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA TO GIVE YOU STANDPOINT. VERY IMPORTANT THE NEXT PERSON I KNOW IS HERE AND THAT IS JEFFERSON HILL JEFFERSON. HE'S MY OUR. JEFFERSON REPRESENTS THE MOBILE HOME PARKS IN THE

[00:15:16]

ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS IS PART OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION. IT IS A NEW MEMBER OF OUR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SO CONTRIBUTES A LOT IN GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS GIVING IN TO OTHER TRAVEL LOCATIONS. THANK YOU IT'S A VIRUS SOLOMON IS NOT YOURS YOU REPRESENT OPEN SPACE AND LIVE ART. SO WE FEEL THAT YOU REALLY HAVE A NICE REPRESENTATION OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS CREATION COMING IN TO MAKE IT THIS JUSTIFICATION. AND ROBERT ANY. YES I DO WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE FIRM THAT WE HIRED. THEY GUIDED US OUT THE PROCESS. EVERY TIME WE MET. WE HAD ALL THE MATERIALS WE NEEDED FOR HOMEWORK AHEAD OF TIME TO PREPARE BUT YET THEY WALKED US THROUGH THE STEPS WHICH YOU KNOW NONE OF US REALLY KNOW HOW TO DO A GENERAL PLAN BY OURSELVES WITHOUT THE GUIDES. DAVID GREAT JOB GUIDING US. AND THE UNIVERSITY STAFF ERIC IN KANSAS WHERE EVERY MEETING GUIDING US OURSELVES HELPING US IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS ANYBODY ON THE COMMITTEE COULD LAST. AND SO I THANK HIM TOO FOR THEIR OKAY. ANNOUNCEMENTS. WE'VE ADDED A

[5. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS]

THE WE ARE NOW GOING LIVESTREAM THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. HOWEVER THIS IS A PRACTICE NIGHT. SO WE HOPE IT GOES OUT OK BUT THIS WE'RE GONNA WORK THE BUGS OUT TONIGHT AND THEN STARTING OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE WILL BE GOING LIVESTREAM ON EVERY COUNCIL MEETING THROUGH THE CITY'S WEBSITE. SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE PUBLIC OR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THE UPCOMING EVENTS IN OUR CITY. WE JUST HAVE ONE CARD AND THAT IS FROM DANA BRADFORD OF TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH. DANA.

ALL RIGHT. WHICH WAY DO I LOOK THE BEST. FOR THE CAMERAS. [LAUGHTER].  WE'LL GET IT FOR NEXT WEEK. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DANA BURFORD I'M WITH TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT FOR A VERY QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT JUST TO INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR STAKEHOLDER MEETING TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS. AND DURING THIS TIME WE INVITE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM OUR THREE CITIES OF CLAREMONT LA VERNE AND POMONA TO COME TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OPTIONS THAT WE OFFER AND ALSO INVITE YOU TO SHARE WITH US WHAT YOU THINK THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE. NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THAN YOU WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE. AND SO EVERY YEAR WE DO INVITE INDIVIDUALS TO COME. WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. WE HAVE A MORNING MEETING WHERE WE'RE SERVED BREAKFAST AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ON SEPTEMBER 10 AND THEN WE HAVE AN EVENING MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 12TH. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'LL SERVE DINNER. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SERVICES ABOUT THE WONDERFUL PROGRAMS THAT OUR WELLNESS CENTER PLEASE

[00:20:03]

THAT'S WHERE I MET HER. AND SHE'S ALSO IN CHARGE OF OUR CITY NAVIGATORS ALL THE NAVIGATORS FOR POMONA CLAREMONT AND LA VERNE. AND IT PROVIDES SERVICES TO THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT NEED IT. AND THEY'RE VERY VERY INVOLVED WITH OUR HOMELESS AND PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THEM. SO THEY'RE RIGHT THERE WITH US. SO DANA THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE? YOUR CALENDAR. THEY HAVE JUST COME TO THIS I BELIEVE FIVE DOLLARS EACH FOR A VIRGIN RESIDENCE AND LOVE CALCULATOR WHICH IS WHY NOW. WOW. I JUST WANT TO GO DOWN FOR A ABOUT. CAN WE MAKE IT 50 CENT. FREE. OH I HEAR YOU. I THINK WE'RE SELLING THAT AT.

YEAH IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION GO ONTO THE WEB SITE BUT IT'S SEPTEMBER 6TH.

WHICH IS A FRIDAY. YEAH. THERE'S GONNA BE A RECEPTION AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A PARADE. SO IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY REALLY FUN DAY. AND IT'S LA VERNE DAY AT THE FAIR WHICH IS THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF THE FAIR THAT FRIDAY. SCHOOL STARTED TODAY SO PLEASE WATCH FOR OUR STUDENTS AND BE MINDFUL THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE. ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS OF CONCERN TO ALL OF US IS WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON A LOT WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHOOTINGS. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE SAFE. SO THANK YOU FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THAT. OKAY.  I WAS AT THE MEETING THIS MORNING. THE CHANGE OF SHIFT FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS AND NOW THE BIG FOCUS WAS THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL. AND PLEASE EVERYONE THAT'S IN THIS COMMUNITY PARK WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PARK WATCH THE CHILDREN WATCH THE OFFICERS THEY'RE OUT THERE FOR A REASON. SO PLEASE RED CURBS. NO NO. KEEP IN THE PARKING LOTS LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO. AND MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. WE HAVE LOTS OF SCHOOLS HERE LOTS OF KIDS AND WE DON'T WANT ANY PROBLEMS OR ANY ISSUES WITH THE CHILDREN BUT THEY DO A GREAT JOB. THEY EVERY ONE OF THEM BEHIND ME WHERE THEY HAD ROUTES THEY EACH HAD THEIR PEOPLE WERE OFF ON SHIFT AND THEY CAME BACK ON SHIFT TO COVER SOME OF THE SCHOOLS AS THEY OPENED AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS WERE SAFE.

SO OUR POLICE FORCE IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND BUT WE NEED TO DO OURS TOO. THANK YOU. PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY. ANNOUNCEMENT RICK? GOOD EVENING. RICK. I RICK. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE OTHER PERSON TO TURN AROUND. BUT IF YOU CAN ADDRESS US PLEASE. SURE. THE LA VERNE CONCERNED CITIZENS GROUP WILL MEET MONDAY THE 26TH OF AUGUST AT THE ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON WHEELER. WE WILL BE DISCUSSING NUMEROUS THINGS WE HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER AND WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ITEMS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OTHER CITIZENS. ALMOST 1150 STRONG NOW ITEMS SUCH AS SIERRA LA VERNE THE CLOSING OF A GOLF COURSE IN A CONDITION AND OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL THE CITIZENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU RICK. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OK. WE WILL NOW TAKE A SHORT BREAK. AND OUR MEETINGS ARE VERY EXCITING BUT I UNDERSTAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE. OKAY WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MOTION

[6. CONSENT CALENDAR]

[00:25:15]

[b. Resolution JPFA - 55 & JPFA - 56 for adoption of La Verne Mobile Country Club; and Valley Rancho Mobile Home Park 2019 - 2020 Budgets]

SO THERE'S SOME DOLLARS THERE AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MOVED FROM SOME OF THOSE EXISTING POLES ONTO THE NEW POLES. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT COST LIES. I'D REALLY LIKE TO THANK JOHN DAVIS WITH HAVEN MANAGEMENT. HE'S ACTUALLY HERE TONIGHT IN CASE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER. BUT JOHN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB OF. HE'S MAKES HIMSELF AVAILABLE EACH MONTH IN BOTH PARKS PERSONALLY SO IF THERE ARE ISSUES IN THE PARK RESIDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO HIM. JOHN ALSO SERVES AS AS NOT A LIAISON BUT ALMOST AS AN AMBASSADOR TO OTHER OR OTHER MOBILE HOME PARKS WHERE IF THERE'S AN ISSUE IN ANOTHER NON CITY OWNED PARK I CAN RELY ON JOHN AS KIND OF MY EXPERT TO HELP GUIDE ME IF I'M LOOKING AT LEASES OR OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER PARKS. SO IT'S IT'S A VERY NICE RESOURCE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH ALL THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT JOHN HAS. SO I WANTED TO THANK HIM. WITH THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ADOPT RESOLUTIONS NO JPFA 55 AND JPFA 56 APPROVING THE 2019-20 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGETS FOR LA VERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB AND VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK. AND OF COURSE I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU J.R.. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THIS PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY MINUTES FROM AUGUST 20TH OF 2018 AND THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. OKAY. THANK YOU J.R.

MY GUESS IS THERE'S ANOTHER HAVEN MANAGEMENT COMPANY I'M GUESSING JOHN'S COMPANY.  WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT HAVE CALLED IN SAYING THEY CAN'T GET A HOLD OF JOHN AND THEY'RE CALLING THEY'RE CALLING THE OTHER ONES. WHICH IS IN CLAREMONT I THINK. IT'S IN RANCHO AS WELL OR ONTARIO.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS OF J.R..  I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT I DO GO BY THE THE MOBILE HOME BOTH COMMUNITIES AND I WAS BY THERE THE OTHER DAY AND I DO DRIVE THROUGH AND I WILL SAY THAT THE VALLEY RANCHO IS LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER WITH THE SLURRY SEAL AND THE POLES ARE BEING REPLACED. THE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION HAS BEEN ALMOST I THINK IT'S ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLETE. AND I TALK TO I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE SOME OF THE MOBILE HOMES ARE OF OF AGE BUT THAT IS THROUGH TIME AND

[00:30:05]

VOTE PLEASE. THANK YOU. AND JUST FOR CLARITY WE NEED TO ALSO

[a. Public Financing Authority Minutes]

OK SO LET'S GO BACK. MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES. VOTE PLEASE. THANK YOU BOB. OKAY. THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY WILL ADJOURN AND WE WILL RECONVENE AS THIS CITY COUNCIL. AND WE WILL GO TO ITEM EIGHT UNDER OTHER MATTERS

[a. Presentation of Survey Results Regarding Tax Measure]

GREAT. GOOD EVENING MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. BACK IN FEBRUARY THE COUNCIL CONDUCTED A STUDY SESSION IN WHICH WE DISCUSSED CONSIDERATION OF A NEW REVENUE MEASURE TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES AND TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S CURRENT COMPENSATION PRACTICES. AT THAT TIME STAFF SHARED THE COUNT WITH THE COUNCIL. THE FACT THAT EXPENSES WOULD BE OUTPACING OUR REVENUES OVER THE NEXT DECADE AND WE SUGGESTED SOME ALTERNATIVES TO REDUCE THAT GAP. WE HAVE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS I WILL SAY AT REDUCING OUR COSTS AND INCREASING REVENUES THAT WE CURRENTLY ENJOY TODAY. BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO FALL SHORT. COUNCIL DIRECTION AT THAT TIME WAS THE PURSUIT OF A NEW TAX MEASURE. IN MAY OF THIS YEAR THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A CONSULTING AGREEMENT WITH TBWB STRATEGIES WHICH IS A STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN BALLOT MEASURES FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES AND WITH TRUE NORTH RESEARCH WHICH SPECIALIZES IN DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH STUDIES TO UNDERSTAND THE VOTER OPINIONS AND PRIORITIES IN COMMUNITIES. AS NOTED IN STAFF REPORT THE STAFF BELIEVES THAT A SALES TAX MEASURES THE BEST ALTERNATIVE TO THE VARIOUS TAXING METHODS. THE CURRENT SALES TAX RATE IN LA VERNE IS  NINE AND A HALF PERCENT OF WHICH LA VERNE ONLY RECEIVES 1 PERCENT OF THAT NINE AND A HALF PERCENT. ADDING AN ADDITIONAL HALF PERCENT SPECIFICALLY FOR LA VERNE'S BENEFIT WOULD GENERATE 2.3 MILLION DOLLARS AND SUPPORT THE CITY'S OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEXT DECADE. WITH SALES TAX CAPPED AT 10 AND A QUARTER THAT LEAVES ANOTHER QUARTER PERCENT AVAILABLE FOR LA VERNE OR ANOTHER TAXING AGENCY TO PURSUE. WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT THERE ARE MANY AGENCIES OUT THERE PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT ARE IN PURSUIT OF SALES TAX MEASURES. METRO, AQMD, THE COUNTY AND IF ANOTHER AGENCY WERE TO GET THAT REMAINING QUARTER WE WOULD HAVE NO BENEFIT OF THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY WHICH WOULD GENERATE ANOTHER 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS. THAT ONE AND A QUARTER WOULD HELP PURSUE SOME OF THE ENHANCEMENTS AND SUPPORT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THIS COMMUNITY PROVIDES TO ITS RESIDENTS. IT GIVES ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT THERE MIGHT BE FOR A SALES TAX MEASURE TRUE NORTH DEVELOPED AND CONDUCTED A POLL THIS PAST JUNE OF LIKELY VOTERS. DR. TIMOTHY MCLARNEY IS HERE TO PRESENT THOSE FINDINGS. FOLLOWING HIS PRESENTATION STAFF WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING VIA MINUTE MOTION THAT WE PURSUE A THREE QUARTER PERCENT SALES TAX THAT WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING TO TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES AND THE COMPENSATION PRACTICES OF THE COMMUNITY DIRECT STAFF TO DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE BALLOT LANGUAGE

[00:35:05]

[00:40:02]

[00:45:01]

IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT AT THIS POINT IN THE POLL THERE IS NOT A SINGLE TARGETABLE VOTER GROUP THAT SUBGROUP IN HERE THAT IS SUPPORTING THIS AT LESS THAN 50 PERCENT. SO REGISTRATION DATE PARTISANSHIP HOUSEHOLD PARTY TYPE AGE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TARGETABLE CHARACTERISTICS IN A VOTER FILE THERE'S NOT A SINGLE SUBGROUP HERE THAT SUPPORTS THAT AT LESS THAN A SIMPLE MAJORITY. SO WIDESPREAD SUPPORT. AND THEN WE GET TO THE NEGATIVES AND THE IDEA BEHIND THE NEGATIVES IS WE'RE GOING TO PRESSURE TEST VOTER SUPPORT FOR THIS RIGHT BY PRESENTING A SERIES OF OPPOSITION ARGUMENTS RIGHT THAT AGAINST THE MEASURE TO TRY AND DISSUADE A VOTER FROM SUPPORTING IT. AND THE TOP ONE THERE IS PRETTY TYPICAL NEGATIVE ARGUMENT THAT YOU TEND TO FIND ASSOCIATED WITH TAX MEASURES THAT TAXES ARE ALREADY TOO HIGH. CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER TAX INCREASE. AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR SENIORS AND OTHERS ON FIXED INCOMES. WE KNOW SENIORS REPRESENT A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE LIKELY VOTERS RIGHT. AND OPPONENTS OF A MEASURE WOULD KNOW THAT TOO AND SO THEY OFTEN WILL TARGET ARGUMENTS LIKE THIS. SO THE POINT HERE IS TO GO AHEAD AND PRESSURE TEST THIS MEASURE TO SEE AFTER THESE NEGATIVES WHERE DO YOUR VOTERS STAND. AND THE ANSWER IS THERE EVEN AFTER THE NEGATIVES WE LAND AT 63 PERCENT WHICH IS ABOUT 13 POINTS ABOVE THAT SIMPLE MAJORITY THAT'S REQUIRED FOR PASSAGE. I WILL SAY THIS IS NOT ALWAYS A CASE IN FACT IT'S NOT OFTEN THE CASE THAT YOU END ABOVE WHERE YOU BEGAN. RIGHT. WE STARTED AT 59. WE WENT TO TWO THIRDS AT THE INTERIM AND THEN AFTER THE NEGATIVES WE LANDED AT 63. SO WHAT THAT TELLS YOU IS THAT AS VOTERS LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL THEY GET MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. RIGHT. AND EVEN WITH OPPOSITION ARGUMENTS YOU'RE STILL LANDING WELL ABOVE THAT SIMPLE MAJORITY SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN. SO I'M GOING TO CIRCLE BACK FIRST TO THAT OVERARCHING QUESTION I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET WHICH IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF WHY WE DO THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH IS IT FEASIBLE. IF YOU AS A COUNCIL CHOOSE TO PLACE THIS MEASURE ON THE MARCH 20 20 BALLOT DOES IT HAVE A REASONABLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS. THE ANSWER THAT IS CLEARLY YES. RIGHT. A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE IN PLACE FOR A MEASURE TO BE FEASIBLE. WE SEE IN PLACE HERE WE SAW FROM THOSE OPENING QUESTIONS THAT VOTERS REALLY VALUE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND LA VERNE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEY HAVE A HIGH OPINION OF THE CITY'S PERFORMANCE IN PROVIDING CITY SERVICES. THOSE TWO SENTIMENTS COMBINED TO CREATE WHAT WE CALL VERY SOLID NATURAL LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL WITH AT FIRST BLUSH JUST BEING PRESENTED THE 75 WORD BALANCE STATEMENT. WE HAD 59 PERCENT SUPPORT. WE SAW THAT THE SERVICES AND THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING FUNDING ARE POPULAR. THOSE POSITIVE ARGUMENTS REALLY RESONATE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY AND ULTIMATELY DROVE SUPPORT UP TO 66 PERCENT. RIGHT. AND THEN EVEN AFTER THE NEGATIVES WE HAD A BALLOT TESTS ARE STILL WELL ABOVE THAT SIMPLE MAJORITY REQUIRED FOR PASSAGE. AND SO DOES IT HAVE A REASONABLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS. YES I WOULD SAY YOU HAVE A MUCH BETTER THAN REASONABLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS IF YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD. NOW WITH THAT THERE'S ALSO SOME SORT OF CONSIDERATIONS AND CAVEATS AND RECOMMENDATIONS I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU. AND THAT FIRST BULLET POINT IS AN IMPORTANT ONE WHICH IS POLL LIKE THIS.

IT'S NOT A CRYSTAL BALL RIGHT. LOOKING FORWARD TO ELECTION DAY SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO GET 66 OR 61 OR 59 PERCENT ON ELECTION DAY CAN TELL YOU IF I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL I WOULD CHARGE A LOT MORE FOR IT. BUT YOU KNOW NEVERTHELESS THESE TEND

[00:50:05]

THAT'S TYPICAL AS WELL IN MOST CITIES WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT VOTERS WANT TO FUND THE MOST WITH THESE TYPES OF MEASURES ELECTION DATE. YOU HAVE A MARCH 20 20 COUNCIL ELECTION IN NORMAL ELECTION YEAR. THAT'S A BIT OF A DISADVANTAGE. WHY. BECAUSE TYPICALLY MARCH ELECTIONS ARE SLEEPY AFFAIRS. RIGHT.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TURNOUT AND THAT TENDS TO MAKE IT ACTUALLY A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO PASS THESE TYPES OF MEASURES. MARCH 20 20 COMING UP THIS NEXT YEAR THAT IS ANYTHING BUT A SLEEPY AFFAIR. ALL RIGHT IT IS GOING TO BE A BARN BURNER OF AN ELECTION AND THAT TURNOUT PROFILE IS ACTUALLY A VERY FAVORABLE PROFILE IN FACT YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF AGENCIES THAT ARE HAD NORMALLY TRADITIONALLY LOOKED AT A NOVEMBER MEASURE LOOKING AT MARCH INSTEAD. AND SO IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT TO DO A GENERAL TAX YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT THAT MEASURE ON THE COUNCIL ELECTIONS AND YOU'RE SORT OF FORTUITOUS THAT THAT'S LINING UP WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES THIS YEAR. AND THEN FINALLY COMMUNICATIONS AS YOU SAW IN THIS POLL THE MORE VOTERS UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE MEASURE YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE MORE THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. RIGHT. AND SO AND EITHER WAY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HELP INFORM YOUR VOTERS ABOUT YOU KNOW WHAT WHY THERE'S A NEED HERE AND HELP SORT OF BUILD CONSENSUS AROUND A PROPOSAL. AND SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP AS WELL. SO WITH THAT I WILL END MY PRESENTATION AND I WELCOME QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL IF THERE ARE ANY.

PRETTY MUCH PREEMPTED ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. OK. DON'T GET UP YET. WE'RE STILL ON THIS ONE. UNLESS YOU WANT TO STAND. THAT'S FINE. OKAY WE'RE GOING TO.

EVERYBODY HERE HAS HEARD THE PRESENTATION. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP AND FOR ANY BUDDY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THIS. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE EITHER FILL A SPEAKER CARD OUT AHEAD OF TIME OR AFTERWARDS WE'D APPRECIATE IT GIVE IT TO THE CITY CLERK AND IF NOT WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SOMEBODY BEHIND YOU RICK TOO. SORRY. FRED [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD EVENING. CAN I ASK DR. DIRECT QUESTIONS OR? NO, WHY DON'T YOU JUST. IF THERE'S QUESTIONS WE'LL JUST GET ALL THE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL ANSWER THEM AT THE END. OK. MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS DO WE HAVE IN LA VERNE NOW BECAUSE HE SAID THERE WAS 679 VOTERS THAT DID THE POLL BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS ARE ACTUALLY ARE IN LA VERNE NOW. 21,000 I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 21,000. SO IF I IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. SO THAT'S A PRETTY SMALL PERCENTAGE. IS THAT PRETTY? 21,000 DON'T VOTE. NO NO. SO HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS. THIS POLL IS BASED ON 679 VOTERS. WELL THE LAST ELECTION HAD 

[00:55:03]

SO MY QUESTION IS IS THAT A TYPICAL SURVEY NUMBER THAT YOU DEAL WITH. 10 PERCENT IS AN ACCURATE. WE'LL GET THAT QUESTION ANSWERED FOR YOU, FRIEND.

OK. THEN LET'S SEE HERE IS THERE IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF THE MIX OF WHAT THIS POLL WAS YOU KNOW 679 PEOPLE. I MEAN IS THERE A WORKING VERSUS NON-WORKING AGE GROUPS. DOES ANY OF THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE? WE'LL LET HIM ANSWER THAT QUESTION. BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT TOOK THE POLL. OKAY. AND THEN ONE QUESTION IS I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S JUST ME BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY ELSE THAT WAS APPROACHED FOR THE POLL YOU KNOW LIKE PHONE E-MAIL I GUESS THOSE ARE THE TWO YOU KNOW VARIABLES. SO JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT LIST WAS ARRIVED AT AND THEN THE NEXT THING I HAVE A QUESTION OF IT SEEMED THAT I WAS NOT ON THIS SLIDE BUT THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN OF THE 679 VOTERS WAS SAFETY OF FIRE AND POLICE SAFETY AND PUBLIC WORKS. SO MY QUESTION IS WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS ON THE POLL TO THE PUBLIC  679 PEOPLE IF THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS THREE AND A HALF MILLION BUCKS THAT'S RAISED FROM THE SALES TAX IS SPENT ON ANY OF THOSE FIRE SAFETY OR POLICE SAFETY OR PUBLIC WORKS. WOULD YOU STILL VOTE FOR THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT THERE IS NO EARMARK FOR THIS FUND. IS THAT CORRECT. WE'LL GET THAT QUESTION ANSWERED. OK. I MEAN IF IT GOES IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT IT'S NOT EARMARKED FOR THOSE THREE THINGS SO MY QUESTION IS WHEN YOU'RE ON THE PHONE WITH SOMEONE DO YOU SAY WELL THERE'S NO GUARANTEE. WOULD YOU STILL VOTE FOR THIS.

THAT'S PRETTY ACCURATE TO ME. OK. OK. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU FRANK. RICK.  GOOD EVENING. I JUST I JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT ALL SALES TAX REVENUE HAS TO GO TO THE GENERAL FUND. IT CANNOT BE A SEPARATE FUND. IT CAN'T BE SEPARATELY IT HAS TO GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND. IF THAT'S THE CASE I THINK OUR GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR I FORGET UP 36 MILLION. SO WE WOULD BE ADDING SOMEWHERE.

ONE NUMBER SAYS 3.5. THE OTHER SAYS 4.2. SO IF YOU'RE ADDING THREE QUARTERS OF A CENT AND THAT'S 4.2 MILLION YOU'RE GOING TO BE ADDING WELL OVER 10 PERCENT STRICTLY TO THE GENERAL FUND. AND IF SOMEBODY COULD CORRECT ME OR ANSWER THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND IF IT'S IN THE GENERAL FUND WHAT POSSIBLE CITIZEN INPUT OR OVERSIGHT COULD THERE BE. BECAUSE WE DON'T CONTROL THE GENERAL FUND. YOU GUYS DO. AND SO IT JUST SEEMS AND I GO BACK TO FRED'S QUESTION AND WE CAN'T GO BACK THROUGH THE STUDY BUT I TOOK IT ON E-MAIL AND I DON'T AGREE WITH IT BUT I COULDN'T ANSWER NO TO MOST QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT SAYS BASICALLY YOU WANT TO BE SAFE. DO YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR STREETS REPAIRED. DO YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR PARKS NICE. OF COURSE I ANSWERED YES TO EVERY ONE. BUT YOU WOULD ACT LIKE THERE'S NOT 36 MILLION GOING GOING TOWARDS THAT NOW. WHEN I TOOK THE SURVEY TO ME IT LOOKED LIKE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY. AND THIS WOULD FUND EVERYTHING EVEN THOUGH WE ALREADY SPEND 36 MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR ON EXACTLY THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE SURVEY. AND THE LAST COMMENT WE'RE PAYING SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND PLUS TO A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SURVEY COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN PASSING CITY TAXES AND HE BRAGS ABOUT THE BILLIONS 32 BILLION I BELIEVE HE SAID THAT IS PASSED. SO 32 BILLION DOLLARS HAS COME OUT OF THE CITIZENS POCKETS. AND OBVIOUSLY HE'S VERY PROUD OF HIS RECORD. IF I WAS A MARKETING COMPANY I WOULD BE TOO. BUT HE DOESN'T LIVE HERE AND HE'S NOT THE ONE PUTTING THE MONEY OUT. IN FACT HE'S MAKING MONEY ON THE DEAL. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE? LYNN DEL TORO. SO MY QUESTION IS IS THIS FOR NEW HIRES TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, NEW PROJECTS, OR TO MAINTAIN THE EXACT SERVICES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE NEED THAT

[01:00:05]

AND THERE HAVE BEEN A HANDFUL OF OTHER COMMUNITIES IN L.A. COUNTY THAT HAVE REACHED THE MAX. THE STATE MAXIMUM RIGHT NOW IS TEN AND A QUARTER. IS THERE A  POSSIBILITY THAT THE STATE COULD CHANGE THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE? I GUESS THERE IS, BUT AT THIS POINT THAT IS THE CAP. THERE HAVE BEEN COMMUNITIES THAT WHEN THE COUNTY RAISED THEIRS THEY WOULD GO OVER THE CAP AND IT WAS CAPPED AT THE 10 AND A QUARTER. THOSE CITIES STILL MAINTAINED WHAT IT WAS THEY WERE RECEIVING. THE COUNTY ONLY GOT WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET TO GET TO 10 AND A QUARTER. SO THAT WILL NOT GO ABOVE THAT EVEN IF THE COUNTY COMES BACK AND CONSIDERS A COUNTY WIDE EFFORT. FIRST IN LINE FIRST IN RIGHT. SO IF LA VERNE GETS THE THREE QUARTERS WE WOULD BE ENTITLED AND ENJOY THAT. THAT WOULD NOT CHANGE. AS FAR AS THE NEW OR MAINTAIN TO GO TO, AND THAT WAS LYNN THAT WAS YOUR COMMENT OR QUESTION, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. IF WE GO FOR THE 75 CENTS AS WAS MENTIONED THE MAJORITY OF THIS IS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE PRACTICE OF OUR COMPENSATION AS FAR AS THE PRACTICE WE'VE HAD IN PLACE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. THAT WAS THE MOTIVATING FACTOR BEHIND THIS. IF WE GO FOR THE THREE QUARTERS WE WOULD ENJOY A LARGER REVENUE THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO PUT MONEY INTO ADDITIONAL SERVICES. SO THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH, WE WOULD BE WORKING ON IN IF THAT WAS TO BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL. AS FAR AS THE OVERSIGHT WHAT WE WOULD INTEND TO DO, AND AS WAS ADDED IN THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS A CONCERN AND SOMETHING THAT WE RECOGNIZE. IT DOES GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE IT IS A GENERAL TAX, BUT THE COUNCIL WILL BE ESTABLISHING AS PART OF THEIR APPROVAL GUIDANCE FOR AND PRIORITIES, I WOULD CALL IT, FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE PUT IN PLACE. AND THAT WOULD IDENTIFY WHAT THE COUNCIL'S

[01:05:02]

AND DUAL REPUBLICAN HOUSEHOLDS ARE EXTRA CONSERVATIVE FOR THE SAME REASONS. YOU LIVE IN A MIXED HOUSEHOLD, GOD HELP YOU, YOU FIGHT ABOUT POLITICS. [LAUGHTER]. AND YOU TEND TO THAT ACTUALLY MITIGATES YOUR BEHAVIOR, MODERATES YOUR BEHAVIOR, AND SO HOUSEHOLD PARTY TYPE IS ONE OF THE BEST PREDICTORS OF HOW PEOPLE VOTE ON THESE TYPES OF MEASURES.

AND SO WE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT TO MAKE SURE OUR SAMPLE MATCHES YOUR LIKELY MARCH UNIVERSE ON ALL OF THOSE DIMENSIONS AND SO THAT IS THERE. DID I MISS ANYTHING? IF I MAY JUST CLARIFY ONE MORE THING TOO, AND THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT DR.

[INAUDIBLE] ENGAGEMENT AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS AND TWO PARTS TO THE COUNCIL'S APPROPRIATION THAT WERE DONE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. WE HAD CHARLES HEATH WHO WAS THE STRATEGIST AND THEN WE ALSO HAD TIM'S FIRM THAT WAS STRICTLY A STATISTICIAN GROUP. THEY WORK SIMPLY TO GIVE THE DATA. FROM HERE ON HIS ENGAGEMENT IS DONE. HE IS STRICTLY ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND PROVIDING US WITH A PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. HE DOES NOT THEN BRING FORWARD ANYTHING THAT THEN GETS MOVED INTO THE COMMUNICATION PIECES. THAT'S A SEPARATE TEAM THAT WORKS ON THAT. OK. TIM WHY DON'T YOU TO START THE DISCUSSION PLEASE.

FIRST ONE I DID NOT SUPPORT THIS MEASURE FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I WAS CONCERNED

[01:10:04]

I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE EITHER GONE FOR A SPECIFIC MEASURE THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A TWO THIRDS VOTE OR USE THE GENERAL MEASURE WITH WHICH ONLY REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE, BUT THEN ADDING TO THAT SIMPLE MAJORITY AND GENERAL REVENUE MEASURE AND OVERSIGHT I THINK IS A WISE METHOD TO MOVE FORWARD IT'S A FRUGAL APPROACH. HAVE YOU. [LAUGHTER]. AE'VE ALREADY ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED MORE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THAT MEANS MORE OFFICERS. THAT MEANS BETTER EQUIPMENT. THAT MEANS HIRING MORE PEOPLE TO DO A JOB THAT'S BECOME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF SOME OF THE LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN PASSED IN SACRAMENTO, BUT WE ARE HANDCUFFED BY THE STATE AND IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT TO POLICE OUR STREETS. AND I'VE CALLED FOR THE HIRING OF FOUR MORE OFFICERS, AND THE ONLY WAY WE COULD DO THAT IS TO HAVE THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUNDS. I DON'T WANT TO SEE LA VERNE FALL INTO THE TRAP OF SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES, LARGER CITIES THAN THIS CITY WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATIONS WITH DRUG PROBLEMS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING, AND NOW THE INFESTATION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES LIKE TYPHOID AND OTHER KINDS OF DISEASES FROM RATS. SO I THINK ANY MONEYS THAT WE SPEND NOW THAT WE CAN GENERATE TO THE FUTURE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL I THINK IS MONEY WELL SPENT. ROBIN. I TOO AM IN FAVOR OF THIS MEASURE. IF WE DON'T JUMP ON THIS THE

[01:15:01]

STAFF WILL BE THERE TO EXPLAIN WHERE IT'S GOING. I FEEL THAT THIS MONEY IS NEEDED FOR OUR EMPLOYEES ESPECIALLY. IT WAS VERY HARD ON US DURING NEGOTIATIONS. FUNDS JUST WEREN'T THERE, AND OUR EMPLOYEES WERE SO UNDERSTANDING AND AS HARD AS THAT IS TO BELIEVE BECAUSE IT'S YOU'RE HITTING THEIR POCKETBOOKS, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

AND BEYOND PAYROLL, GETTING THEM MORE FUNDS IN THEIR POCKET, WE ALSO NEED TO EQUIP OUR FIRE/POLICE STATIONS WITH MORE MATERIALS TO KEEP THEM UP TO DATE. AND SO I FEEL THIS IS A GREAT WAY WE COULD DO THIS. AND ALSO WITH GETTING THE SOURCES THAT WE NEED THROUGH THE CITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND SO WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS AND THIS IS ONE GOOD WAY TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU ROBIN. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO KNOW THAT ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF ALL THE MONEY THAT IS IN THAT GENERAL FUND GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO 75 PERCENT GOES TO WAGES IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT LEFT OVER AND WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT WE JUST CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER. AS ROBIN SAID THIS THREE QUARTERS OF A CENT SALES TAX REVENUE WE CAN EITHER VOTE ON IT AND HAVE IT COME TO LA VERNE, OR THE REST OF THE COUNTY IS GOING TO VOTE ON IT AND IT'S GOING TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE. I WOULD MUCH PREFER THAT MONEY STAY HERE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. CHARLIE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE SAFETY. OUR STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOWED ROUGHLY 100,000 CRIMINALS OUT OF STATE PRISON TO BE ON OUR STREETS. AB109, PROP 47 OR PROP 57, AS CHARLIE SAID, WE NEED MORE EMPLOYEES AND WITH THE GOAL LINE COMING WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE READY FOR IT, BOTH POLICE AND FIRE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN OUR CITY. SO THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON OUR BALLOT COME MARCH BECAUSE THIS SETS THE TONE FOR THE FUTURE AND THE SAFETY AND THE BENEFITS OF OUR RESIDENTS, SO I AM DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF IT. LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS TIM THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CHANGING YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT AGREEING TO MOVE FORWARD OF THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT IS THAT IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND IT PASSES. SO WITH THAT I WOULD ENTERTAIN BOB WHAT DO YOU NEED? THREE QUARTERS OF A CENT DRAFT APPROPRIATE BALLOT LANGUAGE AND TO DEVELOP A PUBLIC OUTREACH/EDUCATION COMPONENT AS PART OF THIS. AND SO WITH THAT I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SO YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH. I'LL MAKE THE MINUTE MOTION FOR THE WORDS THAT YOU JUST SAID, A, B AND C.

FURTHER TIM THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU'RE WELCOME.

THING TO DO AND IT'S. 

[b. Review of Communication Center Operations]

[01:20:05]

WE NEVER DID COMPLETELY RESOLVE IT. AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER WE WERE ASKED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE DO DISPATCH AND WHAT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WERE AT HAND, AND WE DID A COMPLETE REVIEW OF OUR WHOLE PROCESS. AND THIS REPORT IS KIND OF THE RESULT OF THAT REVIEW. OUR CURRENT SERVICE MODEL IS A COMBINATION OR POLICE AND FIRE DISPATCH CENTER. OUR DISPATCHERS DISPATCH FOR BOTH POLICE AND FIRE AND DEAL WITH BOTH OF THOSE DISCIPLINES. THE DIFFICULT THING FOR OUR DISPATCHERS IS IS THAT THAT MODEL IS THERE HAVING THEY'RE PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF TWO VERY VERY DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES. THE LANGUAGE IN THE FIRE SERVICE VERSUS THE LANGUAGE IN PD, THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT'S REQUIRED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS VERY VERY DIFFERENT. SO IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING SITUATION FOR OUR DISPATCHERS. LOOKING AT WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT THERE IS VERY DEFINITELY A NEED TO UPGRADE HOW WE DO BUSINESS. SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT IS THE MOVE TO A DISCIPLINE-BASED EMERGENCY SERVICES CENTER. AND WHAT THAT WOULD ENTAIL WOULD BE SPLITTING OUR POLICE AND FIRE DISPATCHERS INTO TWO DIFFERENT DISPATCH CENTERS. THE RESULT OF THAT WOULD BE REDUCED CALL HANDLING TIMES LEADING TO REDUCED OVERALL RESPONSE TIMES, ENHANCE SAFETY FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH WHICH WE CURRENTLY ARE UNABLE TO DO. IT WOULD ENHANCE OUR AUTOMATIC AND MUTUAL AID WITH ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING FIRE SERVICE AGENCIES AND IT WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO MANAGE LARGE SCALE INCIDENTS RIGHT OUT OF THE CHUTE. WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AS TO WHAT OUR OPTIONS WERE REGIONALLY. WE LOOKED AT LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISPATCH. WE LOOKED AT VERDUGO DISPATCH AND OTHER OPTIONS AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WAS MOST COMPATIBLE WITH THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY COST-WISE THE BEST OPTION WAS TO HAVE PD CONTINUE TO BE DISPATCHED IN OUR OWN DISPATCH CENTER AND FIRE DISPATCH WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY. SO FAR AS THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND HOW THE PUBLIC WOULD SEE THIS ON THEIR END, THE 911 CALLER, LA VERNE PD WOULD STILL BE THE PUBLIC SAFETY ACCESS POINT. SO THAT FIRST CALL WOULD GO TO OUR POLICE DISPATCH. IF IT'S A POLICE CALL THEY WOULD HANDLE IT, IF IT'S A FIRE CALL THEN IT WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISPATCH, AND THEY WOULD MONITOR AS NEEDED IN CASE THEY NEEDED TO INTERVENE VIA THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ON OUR SIDE. COST WOULD WITH SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VERDUGO AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY. I BELIEVE VERDUGO THEY CHARGE BY CALL AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TAKE THE TOTAL COST OF THEIR DISPATCH CENTERS DIVIDED AMONGST THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT THEY HAVE AND THAT'S HOW THEY ARRIVE ON A PER CALL BASIS. LAST YEAR OUR DISPATCH CENTER HANDLED OVER 24000 CALLS, THIRTY FIVE HUNDRED OF WHICH WERE FIRE CALLS. SO USING THAT THIRTY FIVE HUNDRED AS THE BASIS THE ESTIMATE FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY WAS ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR THOUSAND A YEAR. WE'RE BASICALLY 3940 PER CALL. VERDUGO CHARGES EIGHTY NINE PER CALL. SO PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY TO PROVIDE DISPATCH SERVICES ON THE FIRE SIDE FOR THE CITY OF LA VERNE. AND BEFORE I ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHIEF PAZ, CAPTAIN FLORES FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS. THEY'VE BEEN TERRIFIC IN THIS PROCESS. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THAT. CHIEF PAZ WOULD YOU ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THIS? PREPARING FOR THE WORST, PLANNING FOR THE WORST, AND HOPING FOR THE BEST. IF WE HAD A PURSUIT AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING AND A STRUCTURE FIRE, WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL BECAUSE THAT'S HOW LONG A COMMERCIAL FIRE AT A RESTAURANT WOULD TAKE TO COOK AND BURN AND FINALLY EXPOSE ITSELF WOULD OUR DISPATCH CENTER IN ITS PRESENT STATE BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT CALL? THEY NORMALLY DO AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, IT'S A

[01:25:07]

IF THAT POLICE OFFICER GETS IN TROUBLE OR OUR FIREFIGHTERS GET IN TROUBLE. THAT'S WHY I SAID A PURSUIT . IF THERE WAS A PURSUIT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COORDINATE IT WITH ONE PERSON. NOW, SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO GIVE. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.

THANK YOU. WELL, NICK THAT YOU'RE STANDING UP THERE ALSO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO GO WITH THIS OTHER SYSTEM FOR FIRE I STILL FEEL WE NEED TO HIRE, AT LEAST INCREASE, THAT PART TIME DISPATCHER TO FULL TIME IF NOT HIRE MORE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE YEAH THERE'S MORE CALLS COMING IN, MORE CRIME IN THE CITY. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FEELING SAFE ARE THERE ANY PLANS OF THIS HAPPENING? ELECTION. WELL IT'S [LAUGHTER] ALL ABOUT MONEY ANY. BALLOT MEASURE. YEAH, BALLOT MEASURE. THERE'S NO PLANS [INAUDIBLE]. WELL, THERE ARE PLANS IF THE MOENY'S THERE, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE NEED THE MONEY FIRST [INAUDIBLE].  OK. BECAUSE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. THAT'S NOT FAIR FOR THAT ONE DISPATCHER. IF SHE EVEN HAS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM SHE PROBABLY WON'T GO BECAUSE SHE HAS TO STAY THERE FOR ANY CALLS THAT MIGHT COME THROUGH. THAT'S TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON ONE PERSON. BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS SINCE I'M SPEAKING RIGHT NOW. THIS I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THIS BECAUSE I HAD SOME REAL CONCERNS, AND THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] FOR SPEAKING WITH ME ON THIS AND ALSO CHIEF PAZ THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH ME. SO I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BETTER BUT I STILL HAVE TWO ITEMS AND I'D LIKE YOU TO EXPRESS. MY CONCERN WAS IS THIS GOING TO EXTEND THE RESPONSE TIME AND HOW MUCH? BECAUSE IF THE CALLS COMING IN 911 THEY'RE CALLING THAT'S GOING TO COME TO LA VERNE, BUT THEN THEY WILL CALL L.A. COUNTY. CORRECT. TO HAVE THEM DISPATCH FIRE, BUT THAT THEN COMES BACK TO THE STATION TO DISPATCH OUR FIREMEN.

SO THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S MORE DELAY OF TIME IN THERE. IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF STEPS DOESN'T IT? IT REALLY ISN'T. AND IT WILL ACTUALLY RESULT IN A REDUCED RESPONSE TIME. OUR AVERAGE CALL PROCESSING TIME IS ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY'S GOAL FOR PROCESSING A CALL IS 30 SECONDS. SO OUR DISPATCHER WILL ANSWER THE PHONE. WHAT KIND OF EMERGENCY DO YOU HAVE, WHETHER IT'S A POLICE OR FIRE. IF IT'S A FIRE IT'LL AUTOMATICALLY JUST ELECTRONICALLY BE FORWARDED TO L.A. COUNTY DISPATCH. THEY'LL TAKE IT. OUR DISPATCHERS WILL STILL HITCHHIKE ON THE CALL. THEY'LL STILL BE LISTENING. IF POLICE IS REQUIRED OUR PD WILL BE SENT OUT AND THEN THE WHOLE PROCESS STARTS. NOW WHAT HAPPENS UP IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS THE STAFFING OF ONE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY ONE DISPATCHER WILL BE TALKING TO YOU THERE'LL BE A SECOND DISPATCHER TAKING THE INFORMATION AND BUILDING THE CALL AND SENDING OUT THE UNITS, SO THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. OUR DISPATCHERS HAVE TO DO BOTH OF THOSE FUNCTIONS ALL BY THEMSELVES VERY OFTEN AND THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT. ANOTHER THING THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY OFFER WHICH IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT IS EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH. SO YOU HAVE A BABY NOT BREATHING OR YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS CPR. WE'RE NOT GIVING THAT PERSON INSTRUCTIONS CURRENTLY. WHEREAS, WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY THEY PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH SO THAT DISPATCHER IS GOING TO TELL THAT MOTHER HOW TO CLEAR THAT AIRWAY OR TELL THAT CAREGIVER HOW TO DO CPR OR HOW TO PROVIDE DIRECT PRESSURE TO STOP BLEEDING. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THAT FIRE ENGINE THAT PARAMEDIC UNIT THAT CAN BE LIFESAVING AND THAT'S A HUGE THING. AND WITH OUR CURRENT STAFFING OUR DISPATCHERS HAVE NO ABILITY TO DO ALL OF THAT AND GET THE RESPONSE OUT AS WELL. THAT'S A TOUGH SPOT FOR OUR DISPATCHERS. YES IT IS. AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM THAT YOU AND I TALKED IN DEPTH AND I TALKED TO OUR CITY MANAGER TOO IS AS YOU KNOW MY CONCERN HAS BEEN IS

[01:30:05]

THANK YOU. OK. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WOULD ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? IF SO PLEASE COME FORWARD. GARY. I HAD NO IDEA WE ONLY HAD A PART TIME PERSON HERE TO DO ALL THIS STUFF. THAT'S JUST PLAIN SILLY. IT SHOULD NEVER COME TO THAT. WE HAVE ONE PART TIME AND SEVEN FULL TIME. BUT THERE SHOULD BE MORE. THERE SHOULD BE MORE THAN ONE ON SHIFT IS YES. AND [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY I DON'T LIKE COUNTY. THEY JUST WORM HERSELF IN HERE, AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT CHANCE. THANK YOU GARY. ANYBODY ELSE? HI MY NAME IS LEE. I COME HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR [INAUDIBLE] AVENUE, SO IT IS ALREADY A DONE DEAL BECAUSE THE CITIZEN WE WORK TOGETHER. OK? SO NOW IS ANOTHER ISSUE ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SEX EDUCATION. I COULDN'T. WAIT WAIT WAIT WHAT. WHAT ISSUE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? A.B. 329 SEX EDUCATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. NO NO NO. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DISPATCH ITEM.

WHEN WE GET TO PUBLIC COMMENT YOU CAN COME UP. OK. THANK YOU. OK. OK. I MISUNDERSTAND. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, JIM MURPHY RAYMOND DRIVE. CURIOUS WHETHER WHAT WE KNOW WE LOOKED AT THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS AS OUR INTERIM CHIEF SAID ABOUT LOOKING AT COUNTY FOR SHARED DISPATCH. HAVE WE LOOKED AT SHARING SERVICES WITH SAY CLAREMONT PD? SOMEBODY THAT SPEAKS THE SAME LANGUAGE AS LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TAKING A LOOK AT THAT TO SEE HOW THAT COULD CUT COSTS AND THEN WE COULD STAFF UP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I GET THE FACT THAT THEY SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE'RE LOOKING ACROSS CITY LINES TO MAYBE LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS INSTEAD OF GOING THE COUNTY ROUTE.

DISPATCHERS AND CLAREMONT WOULD HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DISPATCH FIRES. YOU'D HAVE TO TRAIN THEM.

WE DO TRADE SERVICES. WE GO BACK AND FORTH. HOWEVER, THEIR DISPATCHERS ARE ON A DIFFERENT CAD SYSTEM THAN WE ARE, A RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. WE CAN DO THAT WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE ON THE SAME SYSTEM THAT WE'RE ON WHICH IS CALLED SPILLMAN LIKE GLENDORA, COVINA, SO THAT IS DONE QUITE OFTEN A LOT OF TIMES.

[01:35:08]

I'M THINKING WHAT HE SAID, IF WE COULD TAKE THE MONEY TO PUT INTO THIS STATION FOR JUST FIRE AND HAVE THE DISPATCH TRAINED IN PEOPLE DEDICATED JUST TO FIRE IN OUR STATION AND OUTSOURCE TO GLENDORA HAS THAT BEEN LOOKED INTO? I MEAN I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OPTIONS. WELL, WHEN WE DID TAKE A LOOK AS A RESULT OF THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION OF THE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY TO LOOK AT REGIONALIZING DISPATCH WE DID AT LEAST HAVE SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS ON THAT. THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT IN THE SOUTH BAY. IT'S A VERY CUMBERSOME TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN ISSUE THAT HAS GOT A VERY LARGE COST INVESTMENT IN IT. SO IT WASN'T SEPARATE FROM THIS ISSUE, JUST LOOKING FROM A COST SAVING [INAUDIBLE] JUST IT WASN'T PRACTICAL AT THIS POINT. WE TALKED TO COVINA, GLENDORA, CLAREMONT AND POMONA WHO WERE LOGICAL CHOICES.THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE CAN'T HAVE THAT DISCUSSION DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S JUST NOT AT THIS POINT THE INVESTMENT IN IT IS JUST VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE ANY TYPE OF SAVINGS. TERRY. TERRY PRENTICE WENWOOD STREET, LA VERNE. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE DISPATCH. ONE THING THAT PUZZLES ME OR CONCERNS ME IS ONE DISPATCHER ON DUTY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SEPARATE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, JUST SEPARATE THE TWO ISSUES, WHEN CALLS COME IN TO A POLICE DEPARTMENT THEY DON'T COME IN ONE AT A TIME SPACED OUT REGULARLY. MANY TIMES THEY COME IN ONE AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING IN, ANOTHER ONE COMING IN, IF THAT PERSON IS TAKING THESE CALLS IN AND ANSWERING THE TELEPHONE AND TRYING TO DISPATCH AT THE SAME TIME AND YOU HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING THINGS AND THEN THINGS START UNRAVELING PRETTY QUICKLY IN THE FIELD SOMETIMES, AS YOU KNOW CHARLIE, THERE'S NO CONCENTRATION IN THERE AND THERE'S A LACK OF COORDINATION. EVERYBODY IS BASICALLY ON THEIR OWN. I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE DISPATCHER ON DUTY AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. HAVING COME FROM POMONA WHEN THEY JUST HAD THREE TO FIVE DISPATCHERS ON ALL THE TIME, BUT YOU KNOW USUALLY ONE WAS WITH FIRE AND THREE OR FOUR WITH AND IT WAS SPLIT OFF BACK AND FORTH. SO ONE DISPATCHER SEEMS EVEN IN A MEDIUM SIZED CITY LIKE LA VERNE IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN OPTIMAL SITUATION. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SYSTEM THAT CHIEF PAZ TALKING ABOUT, BUT YOU CAN ONLY COMPUTERIZE SO MUCH FROM YOU KNOW FROM PHONE CALLS COMING IN AND GOING OUT TO DISPATCH. I UNDERSTAND THEY CAN DO A LOT OF KEYBOARDING AND SENDING CALLS OUT THAT WAY, BUT WHEN THINGS START GOING SOUTH OUT THERE IN THE FIELD THEY'RE ON THE RADIOS AND TRYING TO COMMUNICATE. THANK YOU TERRY. RETIRED POMONA POLICE OFFICER, THANK YOU SIR. ANYBODY ELSE? OK. THANK YOU. WE'LL BRING IT UP HERE. AND WHY DON'T WE START ROBIN WITH YOU THIS TIME. WELL WITH RESERVATION I HAVE, LIKE I SAID, I'VE GIVEN THIS SO MUCH THOUGHT IN WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR THE BEST FOR OUR CITIZENS. THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY CONCERN. WHEN I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO GO COUNTY IT'S BECAUSE RESIDENTS HAVE TOLD ME THEY DON'T WANT TO GO COUNTY. I AM REPRESENTING THEM, BUT WITH THIS ISSUE I HAD LEARNED, SPEAKING WITH OUR INTERIM FIRE CHIEF, I DID NOT KNOW THIS IS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE OUR DISPATCHERS TRAINED TO GIVE THAT EMERGENCY MEDICAL DISPATCH INFORMATION SUCH AS IF OUR CHILD WAS DROWNING OR SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED AT HOME TO WALK US THROUGH, THE NOVICES WALK US THROUGH, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS. TO ME THAT'S DEVASTATING.

THAT'S MAJOR. AND SO I FEEL THAT RIGHT NOW THE BEST THING FOR OUR CITY AND FOR RESIDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY IS TO GO WITH THE L.A. COUNTY PROGRAM AS FAR AS FOR

[01:40:04]

THAT TO ME FALLS ON US WE NEED TO SEPARATE THE TWO, WORK ON GIVING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT THE QUICK RESPONSE TIMES WITH DISPATCHERS. WE AS CITIZENS WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE AND THAT WILL HELP ALL OF US AND MAKE US FEEL MORE SECURE, BUT AS FAR AS OUR PD EVEN THOUGH THIS IS I KNOW WE'RE JUST VOTING ON THIS, BUT I REALLY FEEL THIS NEEDS TO COME BACK TO OUR TABLE TO WORK ON TRAINING IN HIRING MORE DISPATCHERS. THAT HAS TO BE SUCH A STRESSFUL POSITION AND I FEEL THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. SO AT THIS TIME I WILL SUPPORT GOING TO L.A. COUNTY FOR DISPATCH SERVICES. THEIR PRICES ARE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN VERDUGO AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A BETTER STEP FOR US TO MOVE. PUSH YOUR BUTTON CHARLIE. [LAUGHTER]. HAPPY TO DO SO MAYOR PRO TEM. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. ARE WE GOING TO PUT ONE PERSON? I KEEP ALLUDING TO ONE PERSON, BUT IF ONE OF OUR DISPATCHERS HAS AN ISSUE AND HAS TO RELIEVE HERSELF THEN WE'RE BACK TO ONE DISPATCHER. AND I'M SORRY, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE RUN A TIGHT ROPE AND ONE DAY, ONE DAY, IF WE DON'T TAKE STEPS TO FIX THIS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A TRAGEDY, AND WE DON'T NEED IT. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO AT LEAST ADDRESS PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. FIRST STEP. AND SPEAKING WITH CHIEF PAZ AND THE FIRE CHIEF ON THIS VERY ISSUE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO BOTH THAT WE MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION. SO I GO WITH THE EXPERTS.

STEP BACK. THE QUESTION COMES DOWN TO SEVERAL PIECES FOR ME. ONE IS DO WE WANT TO OWN THIS SERVICE OR DO WE WANT TO LEASE THE SERVICE? IN MANY CASES WE LIKE TO OWN OUR SERVICES OR OWN OUR DEPARTMENTS VERSUS LEASE THEM. IN RECENT EXPERIENCE WE'VE DECIDED THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO OWN OUR STREET SWEEPING ANYMORE BECAUSE WE WE'RE UNDER UTILIZING THE CAPITAL THAT WE HAD. AND SO IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR THE CAPITAL WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE COULD PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR LESS. WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE I KNEW THAT OUT OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORT A YEAR AND HALF AGO WE WERE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL OF REGIONAL RISING DISPATCH TO MAKE IT MORE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE. SO THAT WAS THE WAY I WAS COMING INTO THIS THINKING WELL CAN'T WE JUST REGIONALIZE THIS AND HAVE THAT BE PART OF THE REGIONALIZATION EFFORT? WELL IN STUDYING THE ISSUE AND THE EFFORT I LEARNED THAT WE'RE REALLY SPEAKING TWO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES WHEN IT COMES TO DISPATCHING FIRE AND DISPATCHING POLICE AND THAT THOSE TWO EFFORTS REALLY NEED TO BE TREATED INDEPENDENTLY FROM EACH OTHER. THEY CAN'T BE JUST THROWN INTO THE SAME POOL. REGIONALIZATION OF POLICE STILL LOOKS INTERESTING AND ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN SERVICES. THERE ARE REALLY NO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES OF OURS LOOKING WESTWARD BECAUSE EASTWARD IT'S A DIFFERENT COUNTY IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT LOOKING WESTWARD THERE ARE REALLY NO AREAS AROUND US THAT HAVE THEIR OWN FIRE SERVICE. SO IF WE WERE TO TRY TO REGIONALIZE IT IT WOULD BE AT A SPOTTY REGIONALIZATION ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE LOS ANGELES METRO AREA. AND THAT STARTS OF ITS OWN WAY TO LOOK RIDICULOUS. THEN WHEN I LOOKED AT IT AND I SAID ALL RIGHT IF WE FULLY STAFFED OUR OWN FIRE DISPATCH WE'D NEED AT LEAST FIVE FTES. THAT'S ROUGHLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND FOR 360 CALLS A YEAR. RIGHT NOW WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT 7 FTES ON 24000 CALLS WHICH WOULD DROP DOWN TO A LITTLE OVER 20,000 CALLS. THAT'S STILL A LOT OF CALLS. AND I GET IT THERE'S SOME CONCERNS THERE, AND SO I AGREE WITH THE OTHERS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT REGIONALIZING OUR POLICE DISPATCH SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE ECONOMIC NUMBERS WORK SO THAT WE HAVE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF DISPATCHERS TO COVER OUR AREA AND POTENTIALLY NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. SO IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO SAYING WHO'S GOING TO PROVIDE US GOOD SERVICE AND FAST SERVICE, AND I THINK LEASING IT OR PURCHASING THE SERVICE FROM

[01:45:05]

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH DISPATCHERS AND THE GAP IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE GAP IS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE TWO PEOPLE ON THAT DESK AT ALL TIMES AND I'VE SAID THIS TO OUR CITY MANAGER, I'M SORRY, WHAT IS A LIFE WORTH? IT'S UNIMAGINABLE. SO IN THAT CASE WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED, THE CALL PROCESS IS GOING TO GO FROM ONE AND A HALF MINUTES TO TWO AND A HALF MINUTES TO 30 SECONDS.

YOU'RE GONNA GET YOUR AID QUICKLY. NEW DISPATCH HANDLES MULTIPLE FIRE CALLS AT ONE TIME. WE CAN'T DO THAT NOW. THERE'S TOO MANY CALLS. YOU'VE GOT ADVANCED AUTOMATED AND [INAUDIBLE] AID RESPONSE, IT'S IMMEDIATE. WE'RE COVERED ALL THE WAY AROUND. WE'RE GONNA GET RESPONSE FROM ALL OVER THE DIFFERENT CITIES. WE DON'T HAVE THAT NOW. IT TAKES TIME TO GET THAT DISPATCH GOING. TWO DISPATCHERS AT ALL TIMES PERIOD. END OF DISCUSSION. THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN CARDER AND MR. ROSALES. IT'S NOT SAFE AND WE DON'T NEED THAT. OUR RESIDENTS PAY GOOD TAXES. THEY LIVE IN A GREAT CITY. WE'VE GOT GREAT POLICE AND FIRE. THEY NEED TO HAVE THOSE SERVICES, SO NO ONE NO ONE GETS HURT.

ULTIMATELY FIRE, COUNTY IS SAFER FOR EVERYONE AND WILL SAVE MORE LIVES. AND REALLY I THINK THIS IS A GREAT DECISION. I DO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE AS MY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I THINK THAT HEY THE FIREFIGHTERS SAID YES. POLICE OFFICERS, YES. IT'S THE BEST THING TO DO. WE SEPARATE IT, THE NUANCES BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS IS TOO GREAT. ESPECIALLY NOW WITH SO MANY CALLS IT'S JUST NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SO I SUPPORT THIS. I THINK IT'S SAFER FOR OUR RESIDENTS I THINK ULTIMATELY. BUT WE NEED TO GET THOSE DISPATCHERS ON BOARD. WE NEED ANOTHER ONE IMMEDIATELY TO COVER THAT GAP. THERE SHOULD BE NO GAP. THERE SHOULD BE TWO AT ALL TIMES PERIOD. THANK YOU. FIRST, IF I DON'T WANT US TO THINK THAT IF WE GO TO COUNTY THAT THE FIRE SERVICE IS GOING TO GO TO COUNTY BECAUSE IF VERDUGO WAS THIRTY NINE CENTS AND THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES WAS 89 CENTS WE'D BE GOING TO VERDUGO.

BETTER. I'M TRYING, I'M TRYING, OKAY? [LAUGHTER]. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT IN A CITY WHEN YOU HAVE A FIRE AND A POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT A LOS ANGELES OR A PASADENA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS YOU HAVE A DISPATCHER WHO ANSWERS THAT CALL, DETERMINES QUICKLY WHICH KIND OF CALL IT IS, AND THEN SENDS THAT TO EITHER THE FIRE DISPATCH OR THE POLICE DISPATCH AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT. OCCASIONALLY WE DO HAVE ONE DISPATCHER WAY TOO OFTEN. WE NEED AT LEAST TWO. I AM DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THE CALLS GOING TO THE COUNTY REALIZING THAT 24000 CALLS, YOU KNOW ABOUT 15 PERCENT, ARE COMING IN THAT ARE FIRE CALLS. SO LET'S GIVE THAT TO THE EXPERTS OF THE FIRE CALLS AND IMPROVE OUR DISPATCH FOR OUR POLICE CALLS BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH VERY

[01:50:04]

[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]

[01:55:13]

IT'S SO COMPLICATED. IT'S VERY THICK. I WENT TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, VERY THICK, AND THEN YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IS THAT. AND THEN YOU COULD ONLY SEE THE RESOURCE ACTIVITY ALL THOSE [INAUDIBLE]. PARENTS HAD NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE SCHOOL WHAT THEIR KID'S GOING TO LEARN. SO FOR MY CONCERN I KNOW EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT YEAH YOU COULD OPT OUT. VERY DIFFICULT TO OPT OUT. YOU HAVE TO AUTOMATICALLY OPT IN, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE VERY CLEAR [INAUDIBLE] TO CHECK AND THEN EVEN HAVE THE THE LAWYER SUPPORT YOU GET KIDS TO OPT OUT. OTHERWISE ALL THE PARENTS THEY DON'T KNOW THIS THEIR KIDS AUTOMATICALLY OPT IN TO GO TO THE CLASS. THINK ABOUT THE PEER PRESSURE. I HAVE TWO BOYS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TEACH THEM. THING ABOUT IF ONLY A FEW KIDS OPT OUT AND THEN MOST KIDS OPT IN. PARENTS NOT REALLY TOO BUSY, THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR KIDS LEARN. AND THEN THEY COME COMMUNICATE IN THE SCHOOL EVERYTHING HAPPENING, EVEN MY KIDS START TALK ABOUT F WORD, THEY THINK IT'S KIND OF NORMAL. THINK ABOUT IN THE COMING TWO THREE YEARS TEENAGER REALLY WILL MAKE POLICEMEN SO BUSY BECAUSE IT'S A STATE ISSUE. ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA IT'S ALREADY THE OPEN FOR LGBT. WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO SAY ANYTHING AGAINST THAT, BUT FOR OUR PARENTS RIGHT IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT. I JUST WANT TO HAVE THE TRANSPARENCY AND TO HAVE MORE NOTICE BECAUSE I FEEL KIND OF UPSET WE DIDN'T GET ANY NOTICE FOR TODAY BECAUSE PARENTS EXPECT WE WILL GET SOME NOTICE AND THEN WE GET LIKE AN OPEN INFORMATION MEETING FOR PARENTS. IT'S A REALLY REALLY A BIG DEAL. HAVE YOU GONE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU TALKED TO? I WENT THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME, MYSELF.

SECOND TIME I HAVE A COUPLE OF CHINESE PAIRS WITH ME AND THEN I HAVE VERY FORMAL SPEECH. AND THEN THE THIRD TIME I HAVE SOME AMERICAN PARENTS COME AT ME, BUT ONLY 10. THEY SAY YOU SHOULD HAVE MORE BECAUSE THEN YOU KNOW ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WE'RE GOING TO FLUSH HUNDRED PEOPLE EVEN GO PROTEST. BUT BONITA IS SO QUIET, IT'S SCARY QUIET. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'LL DO FOR YOU IS IF YOU CAN WAIT 'TIL WE'RE DONE, WE'RE ALMOST DONE, I WILL SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME NAMES AND NUMBERS AND I WILL EVEN HELP MAKE CONTACT WITH YOU BECAUSE WE DO NOT TELL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HOW TO RUN NO MORE THAN THEY TELL US HOW TO RUN OUR CITY. SO THEY'RE A SEPARATE ENTITY WHEN IT COMES TO THE KIDS. NOW I USED TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU, OKAY? YEAH, BECAUSE WE ALREADY CONTACT THE SCHOOL BOARD. I JUST HOPE EVERY PARENTS GET THE NOTICE.

WE'LL TALK AFTERWARDS, OKAY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT? HI CHRIS. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY ATTORNEY, AND MANAGER. SUSAN AND I WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THE LAWSUIT FILED BY MS. WILKINSON AGAINST US REGARDING THE THIRD STREET PROPERTY HAS ENDED. MS. WILKINSON WITHDREW THE LAWSUIT AT THE 11TH HOUR AS WE WERE ADVISED FROM OUR ATTORNEYS FROM THE BEGINNING THAT SHE WOULD. MS.

[02:00:02]

HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT RESTRICTED BY CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY TO SHARE THIS NEWS, SO WE'RE HERE TO SHARE THAT IT'S OVER. WE DID NOTHING WRONG AND WE FULFILLED EVERY COMMITMENT. UNLIKE THE WORDS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS CHAMBER FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT WE DID NOT. THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE WILL SUPPORT [INAUDIBLE] THE NEW BUSINESS NOW RESIDING IN THE OLD CHASE'S AND JIM REED. WE LIKE HIM A LOT.

AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW CHASE'S AND THE DOWNTOWN SALES TAX BASE WHICH PAYS FOR CITY SERVICES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? OK. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 10, COUNCIL COMMENTS, CONFERENCES. TIM WHY DON'T YOU

[10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]

RIGHT NEXT TO WELL THE JEWELRY SHOP. IT'S RIGHT ON RIGHT NEXT TO STREET D STREET.

SORRY. IT'S ON D STREET CLOSE TO THE JEWELRY SHOP AND RIGHT NEXT TO ROBERTA'S AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. THANK YOU.

YES, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WAS GREAT. I'D LEFT WHEN IT WAS STILL HOT. HAD TO GO HOME AND TAKE CARE OF MY MOM. I DO THAT OCCASIONALLY. I'M SORRY I MISSED THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE IT SOUND LIKE YOU ALL HAD SOME FUN. I WAS CAMPING.

I HAD FUN. AND YES, KUDOS TO THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COG ON FILLING THE GAP WITH 126 MILLION DOLLAR VOTE. AND I WISH CAFE WANG'S ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WASN'T DURING MY WORK DAY BECAUSE.

IMAGINE IT WAS GREAT FOOD. I'M A WORKING STIFF, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN THAT. I HAD A LONG WALK. YOU GUYS JUST RUB IT IN. ALL RIGHT I'M DONE. [LAUGHTER].

CHARLIE. YES, AND AS TIM SAID I'M GOING TO EXPAND ON THAT. THANKS. MINE'S ON. YOU CAN'T HEAR ME? THANKS TO THE COG FOR GIVING THE MONEY TWENTY SEVEN CITIES ALL VOTING IN FAVOR OF DOING THIS. YOU HAVE COVINA, WEST COVINA, TEMPLE CITY, CITIES THAT DON'T BENEFIT FROM THE GOLD LINE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS. IT WAS WONDERFUL.

THE FAIRPLEX DIRECTOR CAME TO THE MEETING AND SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THIS AND HE FELT THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR PROJECT THAT NEEDED TO BE COMPLETED, SO ON THE GOOD SIDE TOO IS LAST WEDNESDAY GOLD LINE WE HAD CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY MEETING AND WE DID AWARD THE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT. IT INCLUDES AN EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIVE MILLION DOLLAR BASE SCOPE FOR THE FIRST NINE MILES OF THE PROJECT WHICH TAKES THAT

[02:05:03]

AND I WANT TO GIVE EACH ONE OF YOU A PACKET. THANK YOU ROBIN. OK. SINCE OUR LAST MEETING THE POLICE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION HAD TWO MOVIE NIGHTS AT HERITAGE PARK. THEY HOLD TWO DURING THE SUMMER FOR THE YOUNG KIDS SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN CONCERTS IN THE PARK. FIVE CONCERTS AGAIN WITH THE LAST ONE BEING AUGUST 11TH, AND IT WAS THE ANSWER WHO WAS THE LAST AND FINAL SHOW. I KNOW [INAUDIBLE] YOU WERE THERE AND OTHER PEOPLE. FABULOUS SHOW. THESE GUYS PUT ON A GREAT SHOW. ALSO INVOLVED WITH ROBIN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY FRIENDS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE SOLIDIFIED HAVING THE ANSWER AT THE FOURTH OF JULY NEXT YEAR WHICH THEY WERE RETIRING AND THEY CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING.

THERE'S EIGHT NEW [INAUDIBLE] MEMBERS AT HILLCREST SO THAT MAKES OUR CITY THAT MUCH SAFER. AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF OUR FIRE CHIEF AND OTHERS, SO [INAUDIBLE] YOU GOT EIGHT MORE THAT ARE GOING TO BE HELPING IN THAT. WE HAD A RIBBON CUTTING. I DON'T THINK WE HAD THIS BEFORE, BUT THE FAIRPLEX HAD A RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE COMMAND CENTER AND THEY HAVE, WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR AND READ ABOUT IN THE NEWSPAPER, THEY HAVE PUT THEIR COMMAND CENTER ON STEROIDS.

BECAUSE THERE'S A SMALL PORTION IN THE FAIRPLEX THAT IS IN THE CITY LA VERNE, SO WE HAVE PRESENCE IN THE COMMAND CENTER WHENEVER THE FAIR'S GOING ON OR THERE'S A BIG EVENT GOING ON. SO THIS IS AN AMAZING CENTER. WE HAVE TWO RIBBON CUTTINGS, AND AS TIM SAID A GREAT RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN IF YOU HAVE NOT EATEN A CAFE WANG I THINK YOU'LL BE VERY SURPRISED AND VERY GLAD THAT YOU'VE BEEN THERE. THE LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE GOLD LINE AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK TIM OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COG FOR HELPING WITH THAT, AND ROBIN WITH THAT. BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY ELSE, OUR CITY MANAGER IS THE PRESIDENT OF ABOUT 38 CITIES AROUND US IN L.A. COUNTY, AND HE WAS ON THE PHONE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS TALKING TO CITY MANAGERS AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF THIS NOT JUST FOR LA VERNE, BUT FOR THE WHOLE REGION. SO MY HAT'S OFF TO OUR CITY MANAGER, SO WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE UP ON THE DAIS TONIGHT THAT REALLY DID AN EXEMPLARY JOB IN MAKING THIS GO FORWARD. AND A UNANIMOUS VOTE IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF IN ANYTHING.

OF YOU FOR A SUPER JOB WELL DONE. OK. WE ARE ADJOURNING TO AUGUST 26 AT 2:00 P.M..

WE HAVE SOME APPLICANTS FOR THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE ON LABOR DAY, HAS BEEN POSTPONED ONE DAY TO TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 3RD AT 6:30 IN THESE CHAMBERS. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.