[00:00:01]
>> YES. WE ARE GOING TO CALL A MEETING TOGETHER.
[CALL TO ORDER]
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH AT 5:32 PM.>> IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY, SO YOU'RE ALLOWED SOME AIR.
>> I'M NOT LEAVING HALFWAY THROUGH.
>> COUNCIL-MEMBER KASHILFAGHITA.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LAU? MAYOR PRO TEM JOHNSON.
>> BIRTHDAY BOY, MAYOR HEPBURN.
>> PRESENT AND 68 AS OF TODAY.
>> TWO YEARS FROM 70, AND KICKING IT.
TONIGHT, WE HAVE TWO STUDY SESSION ITEMS.
[STUDY SESSION TOPICS ]
FIRST, YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM NOW? YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO HIM. WILL YOU CONTROL HIM?>> YEAH, THAT'S TRUE. WE ONLY EVER HAVE TO GO UP.
TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO STUDY SESSION ITEMS. FIRST, WE ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVING AN UPDATE FROM THE INLAND VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY PRESIDENT CEO, NIKOLE BRESCIANI.
MISS BRESCIANI, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I PASS BY THERE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE GRAY BAR ELECTRIC IS RIGHT ACROSS, AND THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THAT SANITATION AREA.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE CLEANING THAT UP PRETTY NICE, BUT YOUR PLACE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
>> THANK YOU. YES, THEY TORE DOWN THE INCINERATOR LAST YEAR MAKING A LOT OF HEADWAY ON CLEANING OUT THE.
>> YOU MEAN THE SMELL, LESSER SMELL.
>> NO, THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I AM PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE INLAND VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY IN SPCA.
WE ARE LOCATED AT 500 HUMANE WAY IN THE CITY OF POMONA.
WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF LAVERNE SINCE 1951.
CITY IS ONE OF OUR FOUR ORIGINAL PARTNERS ALONG WITH CLAREMONT AZUSA AND THE CITY OF POMONA.
LAST YEAR, WE CELEBRATED THE BIG 75, AND SO YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF OUR STORY FOR A MAJORITY OF THAT TIME.
WE SERVICE 12 AGENCIES, APPROXIMATELY ONE MILLION PEOPLE, COUNTIES OF SAN BERNARDINO, LOS ANGELES, AND THEN WE HAVE A SHELTERING CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF LA HABRA IN THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
IN 2015, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, WE ASKED ALL OF OUR CITIES THAT PARTNER WITH US TO SIGN RESOLUTIONS IN GETTING TO ZERO, AND THAT'S ZERO EUTHANASIA OF HEALTHY ADOPTABLE ANIMALS, WHICH WE MAINTAIN STILL TODAY.
OUR MISSION, IT'S VERY LABORIOUS IN LENGTH.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THAT WE WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR ANIMALS.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR PET OWNERS, ACCESS TO CARE, ACCESS TO THE ABILITY TO ADOPT.
TRYING TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.
AS AN SPCA, WE HAVE HUMANE OFFICERS THAT IS UNIQUE TO HUMANE SOCIETIES AND SPCAS.
HUMANE OFFICERS CANNOT HAVE THAT DESIGNATION WORKING FOR CITIES OR COUNTIES, AND THEY CAN ENFORCE CRUELTY LAWS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
SHELTER SERVICES, WHAT DO WE DO? WE ARE AN OPEN ACCESS SHELTER, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WHILE WE DO MANAGE INTAKE TO MANAGE OUR POPULATION AND MANAGE WHAT COMES THROUGH THE DOOR, WE DO NOT TURN AWAY PETS OR OWNERS INDISCRIMINATELY.
THERE ARE CLOSED ACCESS SHELTERS.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE HUMANE SOCIETIES OR THEY'LL CONSIDER THEMSELVES NO KILL, AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SELECT.
IF YOU HAVE A DOG THAT MAY NOT BE PRETTY OR MAYBE OLD AND YOU SAY, CAN YOU TAKE MY PET? THEY WILL SAY, NO, I'M SORRY, WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM BEING ABLE TO PLACE THAT PET IS PROBABLY VERY SLIM, WHICH INCREASES EUTHANASIA NUMBERS.
IF AN OWNER HAS A PET AND WANTS TO RELINQUISH THAT PET, WE OFFER THEM A LOT OF RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS BEFORE THAT PET ENTERS OUR SYSTEM.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HOME.
THE SHELTER IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAST STOP IN TERMS OF STRAY AND HOMELESS INJURED AND SICK.
IF WE CAN HELP PEOPLE REMAIN WITH THEIR PETS FOR ACCESS TO CARE, IF IT HAS TO DO WITH FOOD, WE HAVE A PET PANTRY FOR THAT.
WE EVEN HAVE BEHAVIOR TRAINING.
WE WILL GIVE PEOPLE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR ONLINE TRAINING. WE HAVE REHOMING TOOLS.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT TO BE ABLE TO HELP OWNERS REMAIN WITH THEIR PETS.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR SHELTER CAN FIX OVERNIGHT, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH LEGISLATORS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION.
WE'RE VERY MUCH ABOUT BREED RESTRICTIONS, NOT HAVING BREED RESTRICTIONS, INSURANCE COMPANIES DO THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE STATE OF WHERE WE WERE AT WITH THE WILDFIRES, WE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES IN GENERAL.
[00:05:01]
WE DON'T PROVIDE VOUCHERS FOR THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THOSE RESOURCES IF THEY NEED TO FIND PET FRIENDLY HOUSING.WE HAVE A HYBRID ADOPTION PROCESS.
EVERY DAY MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, WE ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS, BUT EVERY DAY FROM 9:00-11:00, WE HAVE A WAIT WHILE APP WHERE ADOPTERS CAN COME TO OUR SHELTER OR THEY CAN DO IT FROM THE CONFINES OF THEIR CAR.
THEY CAN DO IT FROM THEIR HOME, IF THEY LIVE AROUND THE CORNER AND THEY WANT TO GET INTO THE QUEUE, IT OPENS AT 9:00 AM.
THAT PUTS THEM IN LINE BASICALLY TO SAY YOUR NEXT OR YOUR NUMBER 4 IN THE LINE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
THEY CAN COME AND THEY CAN MEET WITH AN ADOPTION COUNSELOR AND WE CAN SHOW THEM AVAILABLE PETS.
WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE CLEANING IN THE MORNING TO BE READY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE OPEN FROM 01:00-5:00 TO JUST BE ABLE TO COME THROUGH AND DO WALK THROUGHS.
IT'S WORKED FOR US, IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND SO WE HOPE TO CONTINUE IN THAT VEIN.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO IS IN CARE ENRICHMENT.
IN 2023, WE STARTED OUR DOG PLAY GROUPS AND WE ALSO ADDED OUR CAT PAWSITIVE TRAINING.
HERE YOU SEE, NO, THAT'S NOT THEM BEING AGGRESSIVE, THEY'RE FUN, THEY'RE HAPPY.
THAT'S A SMILING FACE. WE ACTUALLY CAN HAVE UP TO 30 DOGS IN PLAYGROUP, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
IF YOU'D EVER LIKE TO COME OUT AND WATCH, MORE THAN HAPPY TO HOST YOU FOR THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR CAP PAWSITIVE TRAINING.
JACKSON GALAXY FOUNDATION IS OUR PARTNER FOR THAT AND THEN DOGS PLAYING FOR LIFE IS OUR PARTNER FOR OUR PLAYGROUPS.
THEY'VE TRAINED OR GIVEN US PROTOCOLS IN ORDER TO TRAIN OUR STAFF AND OUR VOLUNTEERS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
IT HELPS WITH DECREASING STRESS WHILE THEY'RE IN THE KENNEL ENVIRONMENT AND IT ALSO HELPS TO HIGHLIGHT AND SHOW THEM OFF.
THEY GET ALONG WELL WITH OTHER DOGS.
WE CAN SEE THAT AND WE CAN PUT THOSE NOTES AND SO IT MAKES MORE POTENTIAL ADOPTERS MORE INTERESTED.
THEN IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU SHOULD, BUT TOY TRAIN TUESDAY IS A THING YOU MUST SEE.
THE DOGS AND CATS REALLY LOVE TO GET THE TOYS ALL THROUGHOUT THE SHELTER FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMER CARE TEAM DO? WELL, WE WORK HARD TO REUNIFY PETS WITH THEIR OWNERS AND YES, WE DO THAT IN THE FIELD AS WELL, BUT WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, WE TRY TO REUNIFY.
WE TRY TO MAKE MULTIPLE CONTACTS IF WE HAVE A MICROCHIP OR A LICENSE, EVEN JUST A PET TAG.
WE TRY TO SAY THE THREE, THE TRIFECTA IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SOMETIMES MICROCHIPS YOU SCAN, AND THEY'RE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE YOU SCAN AND THE MICROCHIP MAY MOVE OVER TIME, BUT SOMETIMES THEY MAY HAVE ANOTHER TAG, JUST A NAME TAG THAT THEY GET EITHER WE MAKE THEM FOR FREE, OR THEY GET THEM AT PETSMART PETCO, ANOTHER PET STORE, OR THEIR ACTUAL PHYSICAL LICENSE ID TAG.
IT'S REALLY TRYING TO IF ONE FAILS, MAYBE THE OTHER ONE WILL PICK IT UP AND THAT IMPROVES PET REUNIFICATION.
WE HAVE OUR KIBBLE CUPBOARD, BUT APPARENTLY, I PUT KIBBLE KORNER BECAUSE IT'S A KIBBLE CUPBOARD IN A KORNER.
IF PEOPLE NEED SUPPLIES, WHETHER IT'S PET FOOD, WHETHER IT'S LEASHES, COLLARS, DOGGY SWEATERS, WHATEVER WE MAY HAVE.
IT IS ALL FREE AND WE DO NOT MANAGE OR MONITOR WHO'S TAKING WHAT.
WE JUST WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
WE KNOW THAT FOOD SCARCITY IS AN ISSUE AND ONE IN EIGHT PEOPLE DO NOT EAT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO.
IF IT'S BETWEEN BUYING FOOD FOR YOUR PET OR BUYING FOOD FOR YOURSELF, THEN PLEASE USE THIS AS A RESOURCE.
WE ALSO HAVE TRAP RENTALS THAT YOU CAN GET FOR WILDLIFE OR FOR CATS IF YOU'RE DOING THE TNR PROGRAM.
WE USED TO NOT TAKE DEPOSITS VIA CREDIT CARD.
WE DO THAT NOW, SO IT'S AN EASE OF ACCESS THING FOR PEOPLE, SO YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO GO DOWN THE STREET, GET A CASHIER'S CHECK OR A MONEY ORDER. THAT'S A PAIN.
WE ARE DOING TRAP RENTALS AND YOU CAN ALSO GET THEM AT OTHER FEED STORES AS WELL.
THEN LICENSING, OF COURSE, PET LICENSING IS IMPORTANT IN THE CITY OF LAVERNE.
THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR DOG AND CATS TO BE LICENSED.
YOU ARE THE FIRST CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT DID CAT LICENSING WAY BACK WHEN.
VERY PROGRESSIVE, WHO KNEW? I WILL SAY IT'S NOT THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE NOW, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S RECOMMENDED.
BUT AGAIN, IF A CAT GETS OUT AND DOES END UP IN OUR SHELTER, IT IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE CATS INSIDE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE ANYMORE.
THE REQUIREMENT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS THAT ALL DOGS OVER THE AGE OF FOUR MONTHS MUST BE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES.
ANIMAL CONTROL EXISTS FOR RABIES CONTROL PROGRAM.
THERE HAVE BEEN CASES OF RABIES.
WILDLIFE CAN CARRY RABIES AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO GET YOUR DOG VACCINATED.
WE'VE HAD CASES WHERE WILDLIFE, MOUNTAIN LIONS, OR COYOTES HAVE ATTACKED A DOG.
IF THERE'S A RABIES VACCINATION THAT'S CURRENT, THAT'S A ONE MONTH QUARANTINE.
IF THERE IS NO CURRENT RABIES, IT'S A SIX MONTH QUARANTINE. IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. WE DO HAVE A LICENSE INSPECTION PROGRAM.
WE CANVASS YOU GUYS EVERY OTHER YEAR.
IT HELPS WITH NOT ONLY ENFORCING RABIES CONTROL AND THE MANDATE, BUT ALSO BRINGING IN REVENUE.
OUR HUMANE AND ANIMAL CONTROL TEAM IS A ROBUST TEAM THAT IS YOUR COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY IN THE FOOTHILLS, WE'RE NOT ONLY HANDLING DOMESTIC ANIMALS, BUT WE'RE ALSO HANDLING WILDLIFE AND A LOT OF IT.
[00:10:01]
WE'VE RECENTLY HAD SOME COYOTE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP AND WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THOSE.WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CDFW DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, AND WE ACTUALLY DO RELOCATE WILDLIFE, WHICH IS NOT TYPICAL, BUT WE'VE HAD A LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP TO DO SO.
BUT WE HANDLE EVERYTHING FROM DOMESTIC AND WILD ANIMALS TO CRUELTY CASES.
THE BASIC RUN OF THE MILL LEASH LAW VIOLATION AND NUISANCE ISSUES WITH BARKING DOGS AND NOISY ANIMALS TO MAJOR CRUELTY CASES.
WE'RE ON TWO MAJOR HOARDING CASES IN ANOTHER CITY RIGHT NOW THAT LAST WEEK BROUGHT IN OVER 50 DOGS AND THIS WEEK IS BRINGING OVER 60 CATS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO REPORT.
WHEN WE GO OUT ON MEDICAL CALLS, SOMETIMES THERE'S THINGS THAT WE SEE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW CODE ENFORCEMENT.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT TO LET US KNOW.
THE GENERAL RESIDENT, IF THEY SEE SOMETHING AND THEY SAY THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, OR IF YOU'RE WALKING BY SOMEONE'S HOUSE, AND YOU SMELL AMMONIA, THAT'S NOT NORMAL, AND THAT INDICATES THAT THERE MAY BE CAT HOARDING GOING ON.
WE ASK PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED.
I KNOW IT'S SOMETIMES UNCOMFORTABLE, AND PEOPLE CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT.
WE'D RATHER HAVE A CHECK CONDITION CALL AND FIND NOTHING THAN FIND OUT THAT SOMEBODY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY SOMETHING AND WE END UP WITH 100 ANIMALS IN A WEEK.
AS I MENTIONED, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE.
IF A RESIDENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT WHY AM I SEEING MORE COYOTES OR WHY AM I SEEING MORE COMMUNITY CATS THAT I REALLY DON'T WANT IN MY YARD, THEN WE CAN COME OUT AND WE CAN DO A YARD AUDIT AND CHECK AND SEE AND MAYBE YOU HAVE FALLEN VEGETATION THAT YOU'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF WHICH IS CALLING RODENTS, WHICH IS CALLING CATS AND CALLING COYOTES.
LET US BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU AND WHEN NEEDED, WE WILL GET FISH AND WILDLIFE INVOLVED.
WE WILL WORK WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE IF IT'S A BEAR OR A MOUNTAIN LION, BUT SOMETIMES WE'RE THE FIRST RESPONDERS IN THAT CASE.
JUST KNOW THAT FISH AND WILDLIFE DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO RESPOND UNLESS IT IS REALLY AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO HUMAN LIFE.
IF YOU HAD AN ATTACK, THEY'RE NOT COMING OUT FOR THAT.
IF YOU SAY, WELL, THERE'S A COYOTE ROAMING DOWN THE STREET, THEY'RE NOT COMING OUT FOR THAT.
NEITHER ARE WE COMING OUT FOR A COYOTE ROAMING DOWN THE STREET.
COYOTES HAVE MANGE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL REPORT AND SAY, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP THIS POOR COYOTE? THEN PEOPLE START FEEDING IT AND THEN WE HAVE PROBLEMS BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE A MORE HABITUATED COYOTE.
THAT CREATES A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT EVEN IF YOU CAN TRAP THEM AND RELOCATE THEM TO A REHABBER, MOST REHABBERS ARE FULL AND EVEN IF WE COULD GET THEM, THEY TEND TO DIE IN CAPTIVITY ANYWAY.
IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR.
JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE AND LET THEM BE, NATURE WILL TAKE ITS COURSE.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE ADOPTION PARTNERS.
WE'RE IN LOCAL PET SMARTS AND IN PETCOS WITH OUR KITTENS AND THE CATS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A ROBUST FOSTER PROGRAM AND A NETWORK OF OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS, 150 ADOPTION PARTNERS.
WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING THREE TRANSPORTS WE'RE PLANNING RIGHT NOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE INFLUX OF HOARDING CASE THAT WE JUST GOT.
WE ACTUALLY ARE WORKING OUR ANIMALS UP THROUGH THE COAST NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE'LL GO UP TO OREGON.
WE'VE HAD PARTNERS IN IDAHO, IN UTAH, NEW MEXICO, WE'VE EVEN TRIED TO CHARTER PLANES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
THAT BECOMES INTERESTING IN A POLITICAL DYNAMIC OF WHERE THOSE PLANES WILL GO TO HELP.
BUT ULTIMATELY, OUR DONORS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF TRYING TO PUT ANIMALS IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY CAN HAVE THE BEST POSITIVE OUTCOME.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT PLACES LIKE OREGON, THERE'S POCKETS THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ADOPTABLE SMALLER ANIMALS OR EVEN DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN GENERAL.
OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS ROBUST.
WE HAVE A ROBUST HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAM.
WE HAVE THREE PET THERAPY DOGS, JAM, PORKCHOP, AND PEACHES.
IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, THEN YOU SHOULD INVITE THEM TO COME VISIT.
AS I MENTIONED WITH OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, WE HAVE A LOT OF ENGAGED VOLUNTEERS THAT COME TO OUR SHELTER TO DO THINGS LIKE WALK DOGS, TO DO ENRICHMENT, TO CLEAN INSTRUMENTS AND VET SERVICES.
THERE'S A MYRIAD OF JOBS THAT THEY WILL DO, IN ADDITION TO FOSTERING.
SOME OF OUR LONG TERM VOLUNTEERS WILL FOSTER NEONATES.
WHEN WE GET IN THE THICK OF IT, KNOCK ON WOOD, KITTEN SEASON, WE WILL BE COMING INTO KITTEN SEASON SHORTLY AND WE WILL NEED FOSTERS AROUND THE CLOCK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A NICU.
IT'S A VERY INVESTMENT HEAVY PROGRAM, BUT EVEN WITHOUT HAVING A NICU, OUR FOSTER PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT SAVES CATS AND KITTENS LIVES BECAUSE THEY TAKE IN UNWEANED KITTENS THAT DON'T HAVE MOM ANYMORE, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO FOSTER THEM EVERY TWO HOURS THEY'RE FEEDING THEM OVERNIGHT AND THESE PEOPLE DO IT FOR EIGHT WEEKS SOMETIMES.
I CAN TELL YOU HAVING FOSTERED PUPPIES, I DON'T WANT TO FOSTER ON A REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE IT IS LIKE HAVING CHILDREN AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN.
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SEE I DID IT, I BROKE IT.I KNOW WHAT I DID. YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE YOU GO. YOU GOT IT. IT WAS ME.
I MENTIONED WE HAVE A HOME TO HOME PROGRAM.
THAT'S A REHOMING TOOL THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'VE PAID FOR OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER WALLS.
BASICALLY, IT IS LIKE A CRAIG'S LIST OF TRANSFERRING INFORMATION, BUT WE CONTROL THE INFORMATION.
SOMEBODY FROM OUR JURISDICTION PUTS ON THERE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO REHOME A PET.
WE GO IN THERE AND WE CLEAR IT, AND THEN THERE'S NO MONEY EXCHANGING HANDS.
THE PERSON WHO'S TRYING TO REHOME THEIR PET PAYS NOTHING, AND THE PERSON WHO'S GOING TO GET THAT DOG OR CAT OR IGUANA, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, FOR WHATEVER JURISDICTION, THEY DO NOT PAY ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO REHOME A PET THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY GREAT PET, BUT WE'RE LIKE, WE CAN'T TAKE IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE FULL AND YOU HAVE A HOME.
THAT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR ITTY BITTY KITTY PAWJECT, WHICH IS BASICALLY CAT AND KITTEN EDUCATION.
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE UNWEANED KITTENS IF MOM IS AROUND AND WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL AROUND THAT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THEY CANNOT THRIVE AS WELL AS THEY CAN WITH MOM.
THEN WE HAVE OUR TNVR PROGRAM.
WE'VE BEEN DOING TRAP NEUTER AND SPAY VACCINATION AND RELEASE PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS.
WE HAD TO MORPH THAT BECAUSE AT ONE POINT WE WERE DOING 55 SURGERIES A DAY FOUR DAYS A WEEK FOR FREE, AND WE HAD PEOPLE ABUSING THE PROGRAM.
PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM OUT OF JURISDICTION, LYING, ABUSING STAFF.
WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? LET'S PAIR THIS BACK DOWN.
THERE IS A $70 FEE, BUT THOSE SURGERIES ARE ONLY DONE ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS.
IT'S STILL BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHEN WE WERE DOING OVER 200 SURGERIES A WEEK, IT WASN'T AFFECTING OUR INTAKE FOR CATS, AND THAT WAS THE REAL RED FLAG BECAUSE COMMUNITY CATS ARE COMING FROM EVERYWHERE.
WE WERE LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE WILL DO HOT SPOTS.
IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC PROPERTY IN TOWN AND WE WORK WITH OUR OFFICERS TO DO THAT, WE WOULDN'T CHARGE TO DO THAT.
IT'S THE GENERAL POPULATION THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND JUST GET A CAT FIXED.
SOMETIMES THEY WERE THEIR OWN CATS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
WE ALSO DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AS YOU'LL SEE TOWARDS THE END, WE HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE CITY OF LAVERNE.
WE DO OUR MOBILE VACCINATION CLINICS IN EACH CITY.
WE ROTATE THAT AND THEN WE JUST LAUNCHED OUR GOOD MOBILE.
>> VETERINARY SERVICES IS A HUGE ASPECT OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE STAY WITH THEIR PETS.
IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THEY WILL JUST TURN IN A PET TO A SHELTER AND THEN JUST GO GET ANOTHER ONE.
PART OF OUR MISSION IS TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE WITH THEIR PETS, SO WE HAVE DISCOUNTED SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS. IN 2023, WE LAUNCHED OUR ALEX AND ELISABETH LEWYT MEDICAL CENTER, AND THAT'S BEEN A HUGE HELP IN TRYING TO GET ACCESS TO SERVICE.
WE HAVE THE BIG MEOW, THE CHIHUAHUA CHALLENGE, PIT STOP, HUSKY HUSTLE, AND THE SHEPHERD SHUFFLE.
THOSE ARE ALL LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS. FOR $150 OR LESS, YOU CAN GET YOUR PET FIXED.
THAT'S BEEN A REAL HELP FOR EVERYBODY.
THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY CLINIC WHERE WE SEE EVERYTHING FROM A GENERAL WELLNESS AND MAYBE SOME VACCINATIONS TO MAJOR OVERHAUL OF DENTAL.
WHATEVER THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION IS, SOMETIMES WE HAVE GENEROUS DONORS THAT CAN COME IN THROUGH OUR MEDICAL MIRACLE FUND, AND WE CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM FOR COMPLETELY SUBSIDIZED OR SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO PAY SOMETHING.
THEN WE DO TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY CARE FOR SHELTER ANIMALS AND THEN THOSE THAT ARE COMING FROM CRUELTY CASES.
THEN, OF COURSE, THE GENERAL SHELTER MEDICINE CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED BECAUSE THAT'S HEART HEALTH.
WITHOUT OUR HEART HEALTH, THEN WE WOULD BE HAVING DISTEMPER, AND PARVO, AND KENNEL COUGHS RUNNING AMOK.
OUR TEAM DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB.
DAILY ROUNDS ARE A MUST, AND THE FOSTER ANIMALS PLAY INTO THE SHELTER MEDICINE MANAGEMENT BECAUSE THOSE FOSTERS ARE REALLY HEAVY WITH VETERINARY SUPPORT.
WE HAVE FOSTER FAMILIES COMING BACK ALMOST ON THE DAILY NEEDING CHECKUPS OR ISSUES WITH THEIR FOSTER PETS.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE, AFTER HOURS, ONLINE, THEY CAN GO TO AN APP, IT'S CALLED PETRIAGE, AND THEY CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEIR SYMPTOMS ALIGN WITH WHETHER OR NOT THE PET IS STRUGGLING OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY TO COME SEE US.
THEN WE HAVE, OF COURSE, PARTNERS WITH EMERGENCY CARE, SO VERY ROBUST.
THEN DATA. LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR DATA.
DID YOU WANT TO BRING IT UP? IT'S UP TO YOU.
IT'S OKAY IF IT DOESN'T. WHILE YOU'RE GETTING THAT.
YOU HAVE THE HANDOUT BEFORE YOU.
[00:20:03]
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DATA, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT PRE-PANDEMIC, WHICH WAS 2019 CALENDAR YEAR.I STARTED AT THE END OF 2019 IN THIS POSITION.
MY FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING WAS THE DAY BEFORE WE SHUT DOWN.
VERY DIFFERENT IN 2019, THEN THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW. LET'S SEE IF THIS WORK.
FOR 2019, THE SERVICE CALLS FOR THE CITY OF LAVERNE WERE 777.
THEN WE TOOK A LOT OF DIPS, DURING PANDEMIC, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS SCREAMING, WE'RE CLEARING THE SHELTERS. WE HAD CLEARED THE KENNELS.
WE GOT DOWN TO ABOUT 50% OF OUR CAPACITY.
WE NEVER FULLY CLEARED IT, BUT WE ALSO DID THAT WITH A LOT OF FOSTER FAMILIES.
THEN IN 2023, WE HAD 617 SERVICE CALLS AND YOU CAN SEE IN 2024, WE'VE INCREASED.
WE ARE NOW PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS, WHICH IS THE TREND FOR ALL OF OUR CITY PARTNERS TO BE HONEST.
BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU IN COMPARISON WHERE THE CITY OF LAVERNE LIES IN TERMS OF INTAKE AND ANIMALS HANDLED.
THIS NUMBER OF ANIMALS HANDLED IS THE AGGREGATE NUMBER.
THIS INCLUDES LIVE AND DECEASED.
THE REASON WHY THIS IS AN IMPORTANT NUMBER IS BECAUSE WHAT IS A CALL THAT WE RECEIVE OR THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE? THERE IS A DEAD DOG IN THE STREET OR IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY'S HOUSE AND IT HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT NUMBER TO DISTINGUISH BECAUSE WE ARE HANDLING A LOT OF DECEASED ANIMALS, WILDLIFE, DOMESTIC, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT DOES BECOME A NUISANCE ISSUE.
WE HAVE A POLICY THAT IT'S WITHIN 72 HOURS BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, IT'S NOT A PRIORITY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT NOBODY WANTS IT TO GET PICKED UP FASTER THAN 72 HOURS, BUT IF IT IS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, IT'S BLOCKING TRAFFIC, IF IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO TAKE NOTE.
IN THE SUMMER, ESPECIALLY, WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SUMMER, IT'S HOTTER AND IT'S SMELLIER, SO WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
BUT CALLING ATTENTION TO WHERE YOUR NUMBERS AT, IN 2019, WE WERE HANDLING ALMOST 20,000 ANIMALS, AND YOU WERE AT 480 OF THOSE.
THEN YOU, AGAIN, DIPPED DOWN POST PANDEMIC, AND WE WENT TO 14,581 TOTAL ANIMALS HANDLED, AND YOU GUYS WERE AT 312.
WE'VE GONE UP, AGAIN, CLIMBING UP, STILL NOT PRE-PANDEMIC, BUT 380 ANIMALS FOR THE CITY OF LAVERNE AND THEN 14,438 TOTAL.
IN COMPARISON, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT POSITIVE OUTCOMES BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE AGGREGATE NUMBERS, AND SO YOU SAY, 480 ANIMALS HANDLED, 181 POSITIVE OUTCOMES.
NOW REMEMBER, THAT'S NOT ALL LIVE ANIMALS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUT OF THOSE NUMBERS, IN 2024, THE CITY OF LAVERNE WAS AT A 92% LIVE RELEASE RATE FOR CATS.
THAT'S HUGE. OUR ORGANIZATION AT ONE POINT WAS AT 7% LIVE RELEASE RATE FOR CATS, 86% OVERALL.
THAT'S A VERY GOOD LIVE RELEASE RATE, AND THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE PLACING ANIMALS WITH PEOPLE, WE'RE PLACING ANIMALS WITH OTHER AGENCIES, OTHER ADOPTION PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S TRANSFERS LOCALLY OR OUTSIDE, AND WE'RE RELOCATING WILDLIFE WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS STEPPED UP.
NOW, THE ADOPTION NUMBERS, BECAUSE THIS NUMBER WHEN I SAY POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN THE RED, THAT NUMBER IS INCLUSIVE OF ADOPTIONS, REUNIFICATIONS, TRANSFERS OUT TO PARTNERS AND RELOCATION OF WILDLIFE.
THE NUMBER IN 2024 IS BETTER THAN IN 2019, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT THE COMMUNITY IS RALLYING AROUND.
THEN VET CARE, YOUR RESIDENTS ARE TAKING PART IN OUR SERVICES AND UTILIZING THEM, WHICH IS A GOOD THING AND THAT'S WHY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECIDED TO BUILD THE BUILDING IN 2023, AND THAT'S WHEN WE OPENED BECAUSE WE HAD A COMMUNITY CLINIC, BUT IT WASN'T VERY WELL KNOWN BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO BEHIND OUR SHELTER WALLS, BUT THIS IS OUR FRONT-FACING CLINIC.
IT'S INCREASED ON ALL FRONTS FROM THE MOMENT WE OPENED UNTIL THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR LAST YEAR.
THIS LAST YEAR, WE SERVICED OVER 400.
IF YOU COMBINE THE SURGERIES IN THE COMMUNITY CLINIC, WE'VE SERVICED OVER 400 ANIMALS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S HUGE.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE PROVIDE FREE BASIC ROUTINE CARE TO CANINE TUPELO, AND WE'VE SEEN HER. SHE'S BEAUTIFUL.
SHE'S ALWAYS SUPER FRIENDLY WHEN SHE COMES IN.
WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON THAT AND THE CANINE FOUNDATION AND HOPE THAT THAT CAN CONTINUE.
[00:25:04]
THEN, AS I MENTIONED, I WOULD LET YOU KNOW THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING PART OF.OF COURSE, 4TH OF JULY PARADE, THAT'S A STAPLE IN THE CITY OF LAVERNE.
WINTER WONDERLAND, WE SUPPORT OLD TOWN LAVERNE WINE WALK, WE'VE TAKEN PART IN THE POA GOLF TOURNAMENT TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY, THEN WE DO OUR MOBILE VACCINATION CLINICS, BONITA HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN YOUR HEALTH AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR, AND RECENTLY, TOOK PART IN BARKTOBERFEST AT PET DEPOT.
THEN WE ACTUALLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SUMMER, WE HOSTED THE ULV INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SO THEY COME AND ACTUALLY DO INTERNSHIPS OVER THE SUMMER, LEARNING HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS.
I THINK THAT'S THE END. EVERYBODY ASKS ME, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET INVOLVED. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? WE SAY, FOSTER, VOLUNTEER, ADOPT, DONATE, GET INVOLVED.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE OPEN DIALOGUE, CONTINUE OUR DIALOGUE WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS.
I'LL FOCUS BACK, NOT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THAT PRESENTATION BACK UP, JR, BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE CITY OF ONTARIO AND THE CITY OF CHINO ARE FORMING THE JPA ARC.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OTHER PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, CAN'T SHARE THAT AT THIS MOMENT, BUT WE ARE IN TALKS.
THEN THERE'S A COMBINATION OF NEW REVENUE.
WE HAVE OUR NEW MOBILE SPAY/NEUTER UNIT THAT'S GOING TO BE FULLY IN OPERATION JULY 1.
WE LAUNCHED IT THIS MONTH AT HILLCREST WITH A VACCINATION CLINIC JUST TO SHOWCASE THE MOBILE, AND IT'S NAMED AFTER FORMER ULV PROFESSOR, DR. HARVEY GOOD, WHO LIVES AT HILLCREST, SO ONE OF YOUR RESIDENTS, LONGTIME 42-YEAR BOARD MEMBER FOR US.
THE TAGLINE IS DOING GOOD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO, AGAIN, FULLY LAUNCH THAT IN JULY, AND THAT IS ONLY A SERVICE THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.
THEN I GET ASKED A LOT, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DOING A LA CARTE.
IS THE BOARD INTERESTED IN DOING A LA CARTE SERVICES? THE ANSWER IS NO, WE ARE INTERESTED IN FULL SERVICE.
WE BELIEVE THAT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE FULL BREADTH OF SERVICES AND MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT I JUST OUTLINED THAT WE DO.
THEN WE WANT TO REVISIT THE DISCUSSION ABOUT CITY LEADERSHIP MEETINGS QUARTERLY.
I KNOW KEN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT WITH OUR PARTNERS MOVING FORWARD SO THAT THERE'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AND DIALOGUE TO WHERE YOU FEEL THAT YOU'RE BEING HEARD AND ANY ISSUES THAT MAY BE ARISING AND THAT THE GROUP AS A WHOLE CAN COLLABORATE AND SIT THERE AND GO, WELL, YOU'RE HAVING THAT ISSUE AND WE'RE HAVING THAT ISSUE AND MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THEN ALREADY MENTIONED HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
THERE IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION, AND I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, NICOLE. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? NO, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
COUNCIL, QUESTIONS FOR NICOLE OR COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> THANK YOU. DON'T ASK ABOUT YOUR NEW PUPPY. YOU BOUGHT ONE.
LOVE ANIMALS. COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BY ME.
WHILE BACK, THERE WAS A OPPORTUNITY FOR VETERANS TO ADOPT ANIMALS FREE OF CHARGE.
IS THAT STILL SOMETHING THAT STILL OUT THERE?
>> YES. DID YOU WANT TO COME? [LAUGHTER] MY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS.
>> HELLO, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS. HOW ARE YOU?
>> YES. NO, WE IMPLEMENTED THAT, SO THAT'S IN PERPETUITY.
>> THEY COULD COME IN, ANY TIME OR WHATEVER THE COST IS, YOU'RE A VETERAN, YOU GO AND GET ONE.
>> AWESOME. FOR THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND I SAW THEY'RE ALL AMAZING.
YOU YOU ATTEND IT, IS THAT A DAY TO BRING IN SOME PUPPIES OR OTHER ANIMALS TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED, SAY, HEY, COME, DONATE.
DONATE OR MAYBE YOU CAN ADOPT OR FOSTER.
DO WE HAVE THAT ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS?
>> SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE ANIMALS AT OUR EVENTS AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T BECAUSE IT IS DEPENDENT ON HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS WE CAN GET TO HELP US AT THOSE EVENTS, DEPENDING UPON THE DURATION OF THE EVENT.
SOMETIMES WE'LL BRING OUR TRANSPORT UNIT AND THEN THERE'S KENNELS BUILT INTO THERE AND THEN WE CAN TAKE THEM OUT AND SOCIALIZE.
IT'S JUST LABOR INTENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE CARE, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S A STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO GO BACK AND FORTH.
IT'S NOT THAT WE WON'T DO IT. WE DON'T DO IT ALL THE TIME.
IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC EVENT THAT YOU MAY BE HAVING, YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE THIS TO ALSO BE AN ADOPTION OPPORTUNITY. WE'RE ALWAYS ABOUT THAT.
>> YOU TALK TO ME, YVONNE IS OUR CONTACT.
TYPICALLY, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS IT'S ALSO DEPENDENT ON WHAT WE
[00:30:01]
HAVE IN INVENTORY BECAUSE OUR DAILY INVENTORY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SHELTER CHANGES.WE MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF AVAILABLE ANIMALS, AND IF IT'S A SATURDAY, THAT'S A HIGH-VOLUME ADOPTION DAY AT THE SHELTER, SO IT JUST DEPENDS. BUT WE'VE DONE BOTH.
>> WE COULD MAYBE DO IT LIKE A LAVERNE RESIDENTS AND WE COULD HAVE MAYBE IN OUR PARKING LOT HERE.
I'LL JUST ASK. HAVE IT SOMEWHERE.
WE ARE YOUR PARTNER, WE INDEMNIFY YOU.
>> OF COURSE, WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, HAVE A DAY AND GET EVERYBODY RILED UP.
>> YOU JUST LET US KNOW AND AS LONG AS WE [OVERLAPPING]
>> TALK TO YVONNE. YVONNE IS LIKE, NO, WHAT'S HE DOING.
>> WE LIKE TO GET THAT DATE EARLY, YVONNE, BECAUSE WE PLAN OUT QUITE A WAYS OUT.
>> EITHER THAT OR JUST COME TO WHERE YOU ARE.
>> WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY SIMPLE AND EASY AND THE DOGS AND CATS AREN'T STRESSED.
>> BUT YES, WE ARE OPEN TO BRINGING PETS AND WE HAVE BROUGHT PETS TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
>> HE BROUGHT 10 WITH HER TO BRING HOME WITH YOU. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] ONE LAST THING. WHAT KINDS OF DONATIONS DO YOU GET? OTHER THAN MONEY, I SAW THAT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE SOME PETS AND THEY HAD KENNELS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DONATE? LIKE A KENNEL, A BED, A LEASH.
>> ALL OF THE ABOVE. IF IT'S HEAVILY SOILED, WE ASK YOU, JUST LIKE THE GOODWILL, DON'T DONATE IT TO US BECAUSE YES, WE WILL WASH STUFF, BUT WE TAKE A MYRIAD OF IN KIND DONATIONS FROM TOWELS, BLANKETS, LEASHES, COLLARS.
IF THEY'RE USED LEASHES AND COLLARS, NO, YOU CAN JUST HOLD ONTO THOSE OR ORDER.
>> YES. YOU SAID OTHER THAN CASH. YOU DID SAY.
>> THEY HAVE A DONATION WHERE YOU CAN DONATE 100 BUCKS, 200 BUCKS, [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY'LL SEND YOU THE THING WHICH PROBABLY [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE HAVE A SUSTAINER PROGRAM IF YOU WANTED TO DO MONTHLY, BUT WE'LL TAKE YOUR CARS IF YOU WANT TO DONATE AS VEHICLES.
WE'LL ALSO TAKE YOUR WILLS, AND YOUR TRUSTS, AND YOUR BEQUESTS.
>> I'M SURE YOU WILL. [LAUGHTER] FIGHT MY CHILDREN FOR THAT ONE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NICOLE? DOCTOR.
>> IT'S WONDERFUL. YOU GUYS DO A GREAT SERVICE AND I KNOW IT REALLY BENEFITS OUR CITY, BUT ALSO JUST [INAUDIBLE] IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S BEEN REAL TOUGH WITH THESE DEVASTATION THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE FIRES, SOME OF THESE ANIMALS THAT WERE LOST IN THE FIRE, BUT ALSO DISPLACED AND THEY'RE STILL NOT BACK WITH THEIR OWNERS, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP.
I THINK PUBLICIZING EVERYTHING, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THOSE THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S NICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYBE QUARTERLY MEETINGS TO KEEP US INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON SO WE CAN PUSH IT OUT ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ALONG WITH THE CITY.
>> YES, AND WE TAG ALL OF OUR CITIES IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
I KNOW YVONNE'S GREAT ABOUT SHARING OUR MATERIALS.
>> ALSO, IS THERE A TALK ABOUT THE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WAS NEXT DOOR TO YOU, THAT'S PART OF THAT SANITATION? IS THERE PIPING AND STUFF UNDERNEATH THAT, OR DO YOU THINK AT SOME POINT THEY WOULD MAYBE DONATE THAT TO YOU AS A PLACE TO HAVE DOG RUNS AND SHELTERS AND STUFF? HAS THAT BEEN A DISCUSSION?
>> IT'S LIKE YOU WERE IN MY EAR.
>> BECAUSE IT'S BLANK AND THERE'S NOTHING ON IT.
>> IT IS BLANK. RIGHT ADJACENT TO US IS ACTUALLY THE DUMPING STATION.
THERE IS NO PLAN TO REORIENT THAT.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE SANITATION DISTRICT, I APPROACHED THEM A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT SELLING THE VACANT PARCEL OF LAND.
THEY HAD SAID TO ME THAT THE SANITATION DISTRICT IS NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING, BUT THERE MAY BE A LONG TERM LEASE.
>> LEASE. DEFINITELY BECAUSE THAT IS JUST FLAT.
>> BECAUSE WE WANTED TO HAVE IT FOR ACTUALLY PLAY YARDS TO CONDUCT OPEN PUBLIC BEHAVIOR TRAINING.
>> THAT IS GREAT BECAUSE THEY CAN RUN. THAT'S LIKE A DOG PARK.
>> WE'RE IN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE USE IS.
AT THIS POINT, THEY DON'T HAVE A PLAN FOR FUTURE USE, BUT THEY AREN'T INTERESTED IN SELLING THEIR ASSETS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND.
>> IS THAT POMONA OR IS THAT LOS ANGELES COUNTY?
>> LOS ANGELES COUNTY,SANITATION DISTRICT.
>> I'II HAVE A LITTLE CHAT WITH THEM. I KNOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON THE SANITATION DISTRICT SO, HEY, GET A PUSHING. WE NEED THE SPACE.
>> THERE YOU GO. WE APPRECIATE YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NICOLE? NICOLE, THANK YOU GUYS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU. NOW WE CAN COME ANYTIME AND TAKE A VISIT?
OUR NEXT STUDY SESSION ITEM IS AN UPDATE FROM THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRI-CITY MENTAL HEALTH, ONTSON.
NOW IS IT PLACIDE? PLACIDE. THAT WAS EASY.
MR. PLACIDE, YOU HAVE THE MIC.
>> WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR THE WELCOME.
I'VE BEEN ON THE JOB NOW ABOUT 67 DAYS, BUT WHO'S COUNTING? [LAUGHTER] I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND SO I'M VERY PRIVILEGED TO BE WORKING WITH TRI-CITY MENTAL HEALTH.
I SEE THAT WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT STAFF.
I THINK WE'RE CLOSE TO 30 INDIVIDUAL TYPE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
[00:35:01]
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNEW THAT WHAT WE WERE DOING, REALLY WE'RE ON THE PRECIPICE OF SOME MAJOR CHANGE IN REFERENCE TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SOCIAL SERVICES.FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE WORKED WITH FAMILIES AND YOUTH AND ADULTS IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE LAST 35 PLUS YEARS, LARGELY IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
WORKED WITH DMH FOR A BRIEF STINT, WORKED UP NORTH IN SACRAMENTO AREA PRIOR TO THIS, AND SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND WANTING TO EVEN PROVIDE MORE SERVICES.
TRI-CITY IS JUST REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO AS A PUBLIC SAFETY NET, PROVIDE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE ACCESS OF CARE FOR THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE, ESPECIALLY SEVERE MENTALLY ILL AND POPULATIONS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE SERVED.
AS THAT PUBLIC ENTITY, WE ARE REALLY DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE FOLKS GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE NEEDED.
WITH THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BRING FORTH IS EMBARKING ON OUR NEXT PHASE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT.
I'LL TRANSLATE THAT TO YOU. YOU GUYS ALL REMEMBER THE MILLIONAIRES TAX THAT CAME IN 2004, I BELIEVE.
WITH THAT, THAT'S CALLED THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT.
IT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON PREVENTION, EARLY INTERVENTION, AS WELL AS TREATMENT SERVICES.
WELL, WITH PROP 1 THAT JUST WAS VOTED IN BY THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUENTS, THE SERVICES FOR HOMELESS AND MENTAL HEALTH COMBINATION HAS TAKEN A PRIORITY.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, PROP 1, MANY OF THE UPFRONT INNOVATION AND OR PREVENTATIVE SERVICES HAVE NOW BEEN SHIFTED TOWARDS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROVIDE HOMELESS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AS WELL AS SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND OR TREATMENT SERVICES? THAT IS A MAJOR SHIFT.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS CHANGE OUR LINE OF SERVICES TO INCLUDE MORE HOUSING SERVICES WITH THOSE WHO ARE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGED.
NOT HOUSING FIRST, BUT MENTAL HEALTH/HOUSING.
IF YOU KNOW THE STATISTICS ABOUT 75% OF FOLKS WHO ARE HOMELESS, UNHOUSED, HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
THAT'S A LARGE POPULATION OF FOLKS.
AS A RESULT, THE DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVE WILL NOW NEED TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
HOUSING FSP, WHICH IS CALLED FULL SERVICE PARTNERSHIP.
IT'S A TREATMENT PERSPECTIVE OF HOW TO WORK WITH FOLKS WHO ARE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL, AND THEN OTHER TYPES OF SUPPORTED SERVICES.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE ARE LOOKING AT CLOSE TO $12 MILLION THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO SHIFT IN DIRECTION.
I'VE MET WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS HERE AND I LOVE MR. DOMER. HE'S BEEN HELPFUL.
[LAUGHTER] SHIFT THAT RIGHT AWAY.
>> WE'VE ALREADY MET IN TERMS OF PARTICULAR COLLABORATIVE PROCESS AS WELL AS MET WITH THE OTHER TWO CITIES ON VARIOUS IDEAS.
THERE IS A STAKEHOLDER PROCESS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I SHOUT OUT WENDY.
SHE'S BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING OUR OVERALL BOARD UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE SURE SERVICES ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, WENDY.
>> WE APPRECIATE THAT, WENDY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] YES.
>> GIVEN THAT THAT'S THE CASE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BRING FORTH IS, THERE'S ABOUT SIX PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS.
ONE OF THE LARGEST ONES IS ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE STAFFING FOR THIS CHANGE.
IT WILL REQUIRE AN INCREASE IN STAFFING.
INSTITUTIONS LIKE CLAREMONT COLLEGES, LAVERNE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PIPELINE OR A CAREER PATHWAY FOR FOLKS TO COME INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD.
OVER THE LAST DECADE, THERE'S BEEN A DECLINE IN FOLKS COMING INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY INCREASE THAT WITH A CAREER PATHWAY,
[00:40:01]
BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR, RECRUIT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED STAFF TO DO THESE SERVICES.ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO INCENTIVIZE FOLKS TO COME INTO THE FIELD AND REALLY START WITH THE BACHELOR'S LEVEL, EVEN AA, IF WE CAN LEVEL COMMUNITY COLLEGES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOLS? THAT WILL BE A MAJOR FOCUS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES THAT WILL ENCAPSULATE A VARIETY OF TYPES OR A CONTINUUM OF TYPES OF SERVICES, WHICH WOULD BE EITHER EMERGENCY OR TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AGAIN, THE FOCUS BEING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND CONCERNS.
NOT ONLY JUST THE HOUSING PIECE, BUT THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN AS HIGH A PRIORITY IN PRIOR YEARS TO THIS.
WHEN WE SAY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WELL, THAT REALLY LOOKS LIKE A TEAM OF FOLKS, STREET PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGISTS, MENTAL HEALTH REHABILITATION WORKERS, PSYCHIATRIC TECHNICIANS.
WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF FOLKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NOW REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE WORKING WITH FOLKS IN THE FIELD AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUTREACH WORKERS, NAVIGATORS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR ALL THREE CITIES.
WITH THAT, I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT GIVEN THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR PRIORITIES, I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THIS COUNCIL AS WELL TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD TO SEE YOU, GOOD CHANCE TO MEET FOLKS.
WE REALLY WANT TO COLLABORATE AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE I'M OPEN.
>> I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THAT WOULD BE NO. CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT'S NICE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE FUNDS FOCUSING ON THE WORST OF THE WORST, WHICH IS THE MENTALLY ILL.
IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE MENTALLY ILL, YOU CAN BUILD ALL THE HOUSING YOU WANT, NOT GOING TO DO ANY GOOD.
YOU TRY TO HELP THOSE MENTALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS GET THEM OFF THE STREET INTO SOME TYPE OF A PROTECTED AREA.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. I KNOW WITH SGV CARE, WITH THE SANGIVA COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS, I KNOW WITH THE VON DURAN, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR, I KNOW WITH KEN DOMER OUR CITY MANAGER, BUT ALSO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THERE'S A REALLY GOOD COLLABORATION.
I APPRECIATE WENDY THAT YOU'RE PUSHING THAT BECAUSE IT'S THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE OUR CITIES ARE VERY NIMBLE AND WE CAN MOVE FAST.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH TRI-CITY, BUT ALSO L.A. CADA AND SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SO WELL, AND THEY'RE I'LL JUST SAY A GENTLE SERVICE.
BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THE MENTALLY ILL PORTION OF IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT IS SUCH A HIGH NUMBER.
IT'S TALKED ABOUT, BUT I KNOW THE GOVERNORS TRIED TO, I KNOW THEY TRIED TO PUT SOME TEETH INTO IT.
BUT UNTIL YOU GET THOSE PEOPLE WITH CARE OFF THE STREETS IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, IT'S NEVER GOING TO STOP THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN 75 PLUS PERCENT IS THE MENTALLY ILL POPULATION.
>> [NOISE] EXCUSE ME. I JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME.
I KNOW WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER BEFORE, BUT I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO COME AND TALK ABOUT WHAT TRI-CITY DOES BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS REALLY TRYING TO ILLUMINATE THE SERVICES THAT TRI-CITY PROVIDES AND TRY TO REMOVE SOME OF THE STIGMA AROUND WHAT MENTAL HEALTH WELL BEING IS, SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T CHARACTERIZED AS BAD OR AS HAVING SOME DEFICIENCY, BUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S A SPECTRUM OUT THERE.
HOW DO WE NORMALIZE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT? HOW DO WE USE THAT PREVENTIVE CARE? I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES BE AROUND THE EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE AROUND FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE MENTAL ILLNESS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A VILLAGE TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND CAN BE ON THEIR OWN OR AS INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE AND AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE, IS GOING TO REQUIRE NOT JUST THE HELP OF PEOPLE YOU AND TRI-CITY, BUT REALLY THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE IN.
I THINK THAT EDUCATION COMPONENT IS GOING TO BE HUGE.
I WELCOME THE NEW THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND EXPANSION OF THE OLD THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN AMAZING.
I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT THE GOOD WORK THAT TRI-CITY DOES.
>> WHILE I [NOISE] FOCUSED ON THE PROP 1 AND TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOUSING, WHAT I DIDN'T STATE WAS THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE MYRIAD OF SERVICES ON THAT FRONT END, THE PREVENTION, OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, THE WELLNESS CENTER, WHICH GETS RAISED REVIEWS.
[00:45:03]
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT [NOISE] IT'S A FULL SPECTRUM AS YOU STATE.>> WE'RE NOT RETRACTING, WE'RE ADDING.
>> WE'RE MAKING SOME PRIORITIES A LITTLE DIFFERENT, WHICH IS A GOOD PRIORITY.
ALSO, I DID THE EDUCATION PART.
AS FAR AS EDUCATING PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN THIS FIELD IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THE BEST FEEDER PONDS OVER HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAVERNE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE STARTING TO TRANSITION TO HOPEFULLY A NURSING PROGRAM, CLINICIAN, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS IS RIGHT THERE, WHICH IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT GENTLE TOUCH AND THAT OUTREACH THAT THEY DO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
I KNOW OUR CITY DOES AN AMAZING JOB WITH TRI-CITY, BUT ALSO WITH L.A. CADA, AND ALSO THE COG.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT APPROACH, AND IT WORKS, AND IT WORKS WELL.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE THOSE REPEATERS THAT COME BACK.
IT'S HARD WHEN YOU CAN'T TAKE CONTROL OF THEM WHEN THEY HAVE RIGHTS AND I GET IT, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION.
>> I'M SO SORRY THAT I REMISED THAT.
I WOULD BE REMISSIVE IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT I ACTUALLY MET WITH BOND AND MET WITH THE POLICE TEAM IN REFERENCE TO OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH PROCESS AND CRISIS MOBILIZATION UNIT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE THOSE EFFORTS.
GREAT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE SET UP.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN HOW WE DO THOSE SERVICES.
>> WE WILL HELP YOU SPEND THE $12 MILLION WITHOUT A PROBLEM. [LAUGHTER].
>> IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
>> JUST NOT TOO MANY STRINGS ATTACHED.
NO. YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. PLACIDE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE TIME WITH YOU AND DOING MORE GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO RECESS AND RECONVENE AT 6:30 PM FOR OUR NORMAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[NOISE] THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
[REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - 6:30 PM]
[APPLAUSE] I LOVE IT.TONIGHT, WE'RE STARTING THE MEETING THIS ORDER AT 6:35 PM ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT PER THE CITY'S RULES OF DECORUM, ALL SPEAKERS, MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH DECORUM AND NOT TO ENGAGE IN CONDUCT THAT INTERRUPTS THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
ALSO, PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH ZOOM WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED FOR THE AGENDA ITEMS LISTED WITHIN THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
PUBLIC HEARING AND OTHER MATTERS, SECTION OF THE AGENDA, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE MEETING BY THOSE PHYSICALLY IN ATTENDANCE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
TONIGHT, WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE OUR OWN AIRMAN FIRST CLASS DALLAS H. LOPEZ COPE, TO CONDUCT THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR US TONIGHT.
DALLAS, COME ON UP, AND WELCOME.
>> [INAUDIBLE] PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> ELLIS. I GREW UP [INAUDIBLE].
[LAUGHTER] ALSO AN EAGLE SCOUT OUT OF TROUPE 411, WHITEMAN [INAUDIBLE] FIREFIGHTER [INAUDIBLE] I SAW THAT.
>> MAYBE I AM. I'M IN THE RESERVE.
TWO YEARS AND FOUR DAYS, I HAVE ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] I REALLY LIKE IT.
[00:50:06]
>> THE CITY APPRECIATES YOU [INAUDIBLE] COUNCILMAN HEPBURN [INAUDIBLE].
>> THANK YOU, GUYS. AGAIN. THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] MR. DOMER, ROLL CALL.
>> YES, SIR. COUNCILMEMBER CROSBY.
>> COUNCIL-MEMBER KASHIFALGHITA.
>> BIRTHDAY BOY, MAYOR HEPBURN.
>> 68. OH, WAIT A MINUTE. I SAY THAT? TONIGHT, WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS.
[PRESENTATIONS ]
OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH.EVERY FEBRUARY, NATIONAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH SERVES AS BOTH A CELEBRATION OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND A RECOGNITION OF THE CENTRAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN THE NATION'S DEVELOPMENT.
I WANT TO CALL FORWARD MR. IVY, CASI REPRESENTATIVE, AND ALSO, YOU GUYS CAN ALL COME UP, PLEASE.
CAROL WHEATLEY AND YOUR GRANDSON, THEN WE COME ON DOWN, GUYS.
COME ON [INAUDIBLE] UP HERE [INAUDIBLE].
>> IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE WANT TO PRESENT CASI WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ IT.
[INAUDIBLE] OUR NATION'S HISTORY, AND WHEREAS BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE BEEN AMONG OUR COUNTRY'S MOST CONSEQUENTIAL LEADERS SHAPING THE CULTURAL AND POLITICAL DESTINY OF OUR NATION, PROFOUND WAYS.
WHEREAS THE 2025 NATIONAL THEME FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LABOR IN CONSIDERATION OF THE COLLECTIVE WORK OF BLACK PEOPLE OVER THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF LAVERNE ACKNOWLEDGES CRITICAL ROLE AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE PLAYED ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF INDUSTRIES AND PROFESSIONS FROM FACTORIES TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE CORPORATE SECTOR AND RECOGNIZES THE ENDURING LEGACY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LABOR MOVEMENT IN FIGHTING FOR FAIR WAGES, SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS, INCLUSIVITY, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT BENEFIT ALL WORKERS TODAY.
NOW, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE CITY OF LAVERNE THAT THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, 2025 BE RECOGNIZED BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS THIS MONTH AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO LEARN, OBSERVE, CELEBRATE, AND HONOR BLACK HISTORY CULTURE.
DATED THIS 18TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025. [APPLAUSE]
>> ON BEHALF OF CASI AND ALL OF THE AFRICAN AMERICANS ACROSS THE WORLD.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF LAVERNE FOR THIS PROCLAMATION THAT THIS CITY THAT THERE IS APPRECIATION CONTRIBUTION TO AFRICAN AMERICANS TO THIS [INAUDIBLE] I'M HELPING ALL THE GREAT-GREAT FORMER PRESIDENTS HEIGHTS OF GREATNESS OF PEOPLE WHO SING A [INAUDIBLE] POLITIC MAKES UP AN [INAUDIBLE] CASI IS AN INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME IN
[00:55:07]
ALL OF THE [INAUDIBLE] BUT WE ENJOY THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF LAVERNE CONTINUES TO OPEN TO THE FACT THAT LOVE THAT WE ALL ARE ALL NEED TO GO ALL NEED TO LOWER THE HATE AND GET BACK TO GETTING UNITY LOVING.>> NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE NEW LAVERNE POLICE OFFICER, LUKAS MORRIS.
MR. KEITH GONZALEZ. SAM GONZALEZ, COME ON UP TO INTRODUCE. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. GOOD EVENING.
YES, I'M HONORED HERE TO INTRODUCE NEW FAMILY MEMBERS ACTUALLY BECAUSE HE'S HERE WITH HIS FAMILY, AND IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY NICE BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN PART OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT HERE MOMENTARILY, BUT NOW HE'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE FAMILY, SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HIRED OFFICER LUKAS MORRIS WHO JOINED THE LAVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER SPENDING SEVEN YEARS WITH RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHERE HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A CORRECTIONAL DEPUTY AND LATER PROMOTED TO DEPUTY SHERIFF IN 2020.
ASSIGNMENTS HAVE INCLUDED FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, EAST BALE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT TEAM, AND PATROL AT JURUPA VALLEY STATION.
AS I MENTIONED, OFFICER MORRIS HAS STRONG TIES TO THE LAVERNE COMMUNITY, HAVING GROWN UP IN GRADUATED FROM BONITA HIGH, AND STILL RESIDES LOCALLY WITH HIS WIFE AND THREE, IT SAYS THREE, WE'RE MISSING ONE? OKAY, I'M GOING TO SAY THREE, AND THERE'S ONLY TWO HERE. HE'S AT SOCCER.
ODDLY ENOUGH, HIS DAUGHTER ACTUALLY PLAYS WITH MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR, SO THAT'S HOW SMALL THE WORLD IS.
OFFICER MORRIS IS A PRODUCT OF THE COMMUNITY AND HIS EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND APPRECIATION FOR THE COMMUNITY, MAKE OFFICER MORRIS AN INVALUABLE ASSET TO THE DEPARTMENT, AND WE WELCOME HIM AND HIS FAMILY TO THE LAVERNE FAMILY, SO WELCOME.
[APPLAUSE] JUST TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF, AND INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY, AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS OFFICER LUKAS MORRIS.
I'M EXCITED AND HONORED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, AND EXCITED AND HONORED TO ROLE AND SUCH PART OF IT.
NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY THAT I DID [INAUDIBLE].
AGAIN, NOT MANY WORDS CAN SAY IT BUT.
[01:02:20]
>> THE FINAL PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS FROM THE LAVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT INTRODUCING THEIR NEW WEBSITE.
I'M GOING TO CALL FORWARD THE INFAMOUS, THE AMAZING COMMUNITY SERVICES SUPERVISOR, HOLLY SAVAGE.
>> [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, COUNCIL, FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
AGAIN, I'M HOLLY SAVAGE I'M THE COMMUNITY SERVICES SUPERVISOR FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO FINALLY INTRODUCE YOU GUYS TO THE NEW AND IMPROVED LVP.ORG.
INSTEAD OF A SLIDE SHOW TONIGHT, I WANTED TO JUST WALK YOU THROUGH THE WEBSITE, SO WE'LL HOPE THAT IT WORKS WELL ENOUGH.
BEFORE WE GET INTO THE ACTUAL WEBSITE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHY.
WE HEARD THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF OUR END USERS THAT OUR OLD WEBSITE WAS EXTREMELY OUTDATED.
I WILL BE HERE 10 YEARS THIS YEAR, AND THIS THING WAS HERE WAY BEFORE ME.
IT WAS CLUNKY, IT WAS LINK-HEAVY, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.
I HAD TROUBLE WORKING ON IT AND I USED IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT WAS JUST SO FILLED WITH OUTDATED INFORMATION. WE HEARD THE COMPLAINTS.
WE RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR A MODERN STREAMLINED AND MOBILE-FRIENDLY PLATFORM.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WE WERE MISSING WITH OUR OLD WEBSITE WAS IT WAS NOT MOBILE-FRIENDLY AT ALL.
THIS ONE AND IT IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO YOU TONIGHT.
WE'VE SCALED BACK QUITE A BIT OF THE UNNECESSARY OUTDATED CONTENT.
YOU'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GETTING WHAT YOU NEED NOW.
IT'S REALLY EXCITING. THE NEW DESIGN WE CAN LOOK THROUGH.
YOU HAVE YOUR TOP BAR UP HERE, AND THIS IS GOING TO GIVE YOU ALL OF THE SERVICES AND INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED, INCLUDING A NEW AND IMPROVED JOIN FEATURE.
WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING SPECIFICALLY OUR POLICE OFFICER AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OPPORTUNITIES.
OBVIOUSLY, WE DO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THESE ARE THE TWO THAT WE TEND TO NEED TO RECRUIT THE MOST HEAVILY FOR.
[01:05:04]
IF YOU CLICK ON THOSE, YOU CAN GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER, WYLER, AND PD, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE'RE THE BEST.BUT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CULTURE, OUR COMMUNITY, THE OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE IMPACT THAT YOU CAN MAKE AS AN OFFICER OR CONVERSELY AS A DISPATCHER WITH THE LAVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEN WE CAN GET INTO SOME OF THE GOOD STUFF THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LIKE PAY AND BENEFITS, ALL THAT WONDERFUL STUFF. YES, SIR.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE ANYBODY WHO NO LONGER WORKS HERE ON THE WEBSITE. IT'S GREAT.
THEN OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT HERE, IT WILL TAKE YOU BACK UP TO THE TOP.
THOSE WERE LITTLE ELEMENTS THAT WERE MISSING BEFORE.
BUT THEY MAKE A BIG IMPACT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING QUICKLY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE ADDED A FORMS SECTION, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ALL OF THE FORMS THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY NEED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE EASILY AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD TO YOUR OWN COMPUTER.
WE STILL JUST LAUNCHED TODAY, SO THERE ARE STILL SOME KINKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING OUT.
WE WANT TO MAKE THIS PAGE A LITTLE BIT MORE USER-FRIENDLY, MAYBE ALPHABETIZE THE FORMS, BUT WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT.
I AM OPEN TO FEEDBACK, OBVIOUSLY FROM YOU GUYS FROM ALL OF OUR USERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY REACH OUT TO ME VIA E-MAIL, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT.
WE DID INCLUDE ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS DOWN HERE, SO YOU CAN JUST CLICK ON ANY OF THOSE.
THEN WHAT WE ADDED THIS TIME IS WE ADDED THE NIXLE ALERT SYSTEM.
YOU CAN JUST CLICK THE BUTTON AND JOIN THE NIXLE.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO JOIN AS FAR AS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, THAT GETS YOU TEXT AND E-MAIL MESSAGING FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
WE HAVE ALL OF OUR TRANSPARENCY DOCUMENTS, OUR CCW DOCUMENTS, EVERYTHING IS IN THE QUICK LINKS DOWN BELOW.
AGAIN, IF WE GO BACK UP TO THE TOP, WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING.
>> PARKING IS IN HERE UNDER SERVICES I BELIEVE.
>> IT'S BEEN A LITTLE CLUMSY, I THINK.
>> ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO FROM A PARKING PASS FOR A VEHICLE OR A PARKING PASS FOR AN RV.
THAT SEPARATION IS IMPORTANT, AND YOU WILL GET TICKETED IF YOU HAVE A PASS.
>> CORRECT. UNDER SERVICES, YOU WILL FIND OUR PARKING PERMIT INFORMATION.
IT'S STILL GOING TO BE THE SAME THIRD PARTY.
WE FOUND OUR FIRST ERROR HERE.
>> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
>> THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
YES, THE PARKING INFORMATION IS STILL UNDER THERE, YOU'LL HAVE TO SCROLL FOR IT, BUT I'LL GET THAT FIXED, AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STILL BUY THE PERMITS.
THE CALENDAR WITH ALL THE DATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE EXEMPT IS STILL ON HERE.
AND THAT GOES THROUGHOUT THE END OF THE YEAR.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU NEED A PARKING PERMIT FOR THANKSGIVING, YOU CAN GO THROUGH IT.
>> THEY NEVER HAD THAT BEFORE.
>> EVERYTHING'S IN THEIR ALARMS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
ASIDE FROM ALL OF THAT, IT'S THE USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN.
IT'S IMPROVED SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION AND ACCESSIBILITY.
THEN, OF COURSE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MOBILE OPTIMIZATION.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET REAL-TIME UPDATES.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT EASIER FOR US TO UPDATE THINGS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS PROVIDES A TREMENDOUS VALUE TO THE END USER, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO YOU GUYS, AND TO OUR INTERNAL STAFF.
LET'S SEE. I AM OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ACTUALLY, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> LET'S DO PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYBODY WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANY SUGGESTIONS, ANY TWEET, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? MR. BOWEN.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? COME ON UP, RICK.
COME ON UP. SORRY. MAKE YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CHAIR.
>> BY THE WAY, YOU LOOK GREAT FOR 80.
>> [LAUGHTER] I'LL TAKE IT. THANK YOU.
>> I'VE LOOKED AT THE LOG AND THE LEGEND ON THE FIRST PAGE.
THEN I LOOK AT THE LOG AND SOME OF THE DESCRIPTIONS ON THE LOG DON'T MATCH THE LEGEND.
>> SHE'S GOING TO CHECK THAT. SHE'LL CHECK IT. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT? WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[01:10:01]
>> YOU KNOW WHAT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> I HONESTLY THINK THAT EVERY TIME WE BRING NEW STUFF ON AND YOU GUYS BRING NEW THINGS ON, IT MAKES IT EASIER BECAUSE I KNOW OUR CITY WEBSITE WAS TO SAY ANTIQUATED IS PROBABLY NOT THE WORD WE WANT TO USE, ARCHAIC AND OLD.
BUT WE'VE SINCE CHANGED NOT LIKE ME, YES, I'M 80 YEARS OLD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AS MR. BOWEN SAID.
NO, I THINK IT'S GREAT BECAUSE IT CHANGES AMORPHOUS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
IF I'M HAVING AN ISSUE WITH A PARKING PERMIT, IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU COULD JUST DO IT ON YOUR PHONE, AND NOT PRINTING ANYTHING OFF.
HAVE IT COME UP ON THE SCREEN OF YOUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO SAY, THIS CAR HAS A PERMIT.
>> I FEEL LIKE I HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT COMING. [LAUGHTER]
>> GOOD. CHIEF, YOU LIKE THAT IDEA? BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE RUN ON COMPUTER AND THEY'RE PROBABLY INPUTTING INFORMATION, THE ONES THAT GIVE CITATIONS, CORRECT?
>> WHEN YOUR PRINTER DOESN'T WORK. [LAUGHTER]
>> WHEN YOUR PRINTER DOESN'T WORK, WHICH IS 95% OF US AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO USE IT. I'M JUST SAYING IT.
>> ANYWAY, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
>> I THINK FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS.
>> BUT WE'RE JUST TICKLED TO DEATH THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS.
EVEN THAT HANDSOME DEVIL THAT POPS UP, SAM, OUR CHIEF.
BUT ALL THE OTHER PICTURES OF THE OFFICERS AND ALSO TUPELO AND JUST AN ACTIVE, INTERACTIVE OF WHO THESE OFFICERS ARE.
I THINK IT'S GREAT. I REALLY DO.
>> IT'S BEEN A GREAT PROJECT FOR ALL OF US TO WORK ON. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR HOLLY?
>> THANK YOU, HOLLY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIM. THANK YOU, HOLLY.
APPRECIATE IT. I HOPE YOU'RE GOOD.
MAYBE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WE'LL MAYBE HAVE SOME FEEDBACK.
YOU SHOULD MAYBE ADD FBI CRIME STATS.
SOMEBODY CAN LOOK IN THERE AND SAY, WHAT ARE STATS JUST LITTLE THINGS.
THAT'S ALL WONDERFUL WON'T BE A BUDGET ITEM FOR THE CHIEF, THOUGH. APPRECIATE IT.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HOLLY.
I ALSO WANT A SHOUT-OUT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW THAT DURING THE FIRES AND OUR HIGH ALERT THAT WE DID NOT HAVE PARKING ENFORCEMENT AT ALL.
PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO PARK ON THE STREET IN CASE WE HAD TO GET AWAY IN AN EMERGENCY, PUT YOUR VEHICLES OUT THERE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO VIOLATIONS FOR A NUMBER OF WEEKS DURING THAT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING REQUESTED BECAUSE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS SAID, HEY IF YOU'RE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, YOU WANT TO EVACUATE OUT OF HERE.
THANK YOU, CHIEF. NOW LIKE THAT, THEY ALSO HELPED PATROL SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT WERE FLIGHTED LIKE THE ALTADENA AREA, AND SOME OF THEM THAT OUR OFFICES WERE OUT THERE ALONG WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT DID A STELLAR JOB, WE HAD PEOPLE OUT FOR FOUR MONTHS IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT ON ALL FIRES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WE CAME BACK, CHIEF. NO ONE GOT HURT.
I THINK EVERYBODY CAME BACK, AND OUR EQUIPMENT WOULD CAME BACK AND THOUGH WE'RE VERY PROUD OF ALL OF OUR STAFF BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO OUR PUBLIC WORKS WENT OUT AS FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'VE JUST GOT SUCH A TALENT POOL IN OUR CITY THAT THEY REQUIRED THEM TO GO OUT ALL OVER THE STATE TO HELP WITH THE FIRE WITH THE VEHICLES WITH RESOURCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUDA STORE STAFF AND MR. DOMER FOR ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN AND DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS]
>> WE NOW MOVE TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I THINK WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM OUR BOY SCOUT TROOP WITH UPCOMING EVENTS, IS THAT CORRECT? HELLO, LIAM. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LIAM HICKAM FROM TROOP 411 HERE IN LAVERNE.
WE HAVE TWO UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS.
WE WOULD LIKE THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT WITH FEBRUARY 28TH, FROM 10:30 AM, 20% AT BLAZE PIZZA, 20% PROCEEDS FOR THE CREW THEN ON MARCH 26TH, ALL DAY AT 30% FOR TROOP.
>> THANK YOU, LIAM. VERY GOOD. YES MA'AM
THE FLIERS HAVE ALSO BEEN PLACED ON THE LAVERNE CABLE NETWORK ON THEIR BULLETIN BOARD.
[01:15:02]
I DON'T ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF LAVERNE, SO I DON'T KNOW BUT I KNOW IT'S THERE.>> LOVE OUR BOY SCOUTS. WE'RE GOOD.
>> LEAVE THOSE FLIERS. THAT'S PERFECT.
>> THE ONE IN MARCH, THEY WANT YOU TO EITHER REFERENCE IT OR TELL THEM THAT YOU'RE HERE IN SUPPORT.
THE BOYS ARE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY TO UPDATE THEIR WHITEBOARD, WHICH HAS VERY ARCHAIC WRITING ON IT THAT OUR BEST WE CAN'T REMOVE.
THEY HAVE EARNED THE JOURNEY TO EXCELLENCE PATCH, WHICH, I GUESS, THIS YEAR IS THE LAST YEAR THAT'LL BE DATED, AND MY SON INITIATED IT WITH THE SCOUTMASTER, SO THEY'RE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR THAT.
THEN, OF COURSE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIX THE LETTERS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BARN TO MAKE IT LOOK HOPEFULLY SLIGHTLY BETTER.
>> OF SOME KIND. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO RAISE FOR THE BOARD AS FAR AS WHAT DOLLAR VALUE?
>> THE LEAST EXPENSIVE ONE I COULD FIND WAS WALMART.
WHEN I FIRST LOOKED IT WAS 100 SOMETHING AND WHEN I LOOKED AGAIN, I COULDN'T FIND IT ON MY PHONE, IT WENT UP TO 200 SOMETHING.
I HAVEN'T YET BOUGHT IT, BUT I WAS THE ONE THAT DID THE RESEARCH, AT SOME POINT, I'LL BE BUYING IT.
>> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A PROBLEM RAISING FUNDS, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT OUT.
CAN WE POST THAT ON OURS? IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DO ON OUR WEBSITE OR IS IT NOT NECESSARILY? LET'S JUST GIVE IT TO US AND WE'LL GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR YOU.
>> BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST THE PARENTS THAT ARE GOING AND WE ALREADY SUPPORT OUR LOVELY TROOP AND THE BOYS DO SUCH AN AWESOME JOB IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY WORK REALLY HARD.
>> YOU HAVE A GOOD SPOKESMAN AS A SON, SO YOU DID A NICE JOB, LIAM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYBODY.
>> PLEASE LEAVE THOSE FLIERS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE'S SUCCESS. THANK YOU.
YOU CAN PUT THEM UP HERE. IT'S FINE. THANK YOU GUYS. TAKE CARE.
BLAZE PIZZA ON THE 28TH AND RUBIO'S IS THE 26TH OF MARCH, AND YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM THAT THIS IS WHAT IT'S FOR.
BLAZE PIZZA THOUGH, BUT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION IT ANYWAY.
TAKE CARE. ADRIAN, OUR LIBRARIAN. COME ON UP.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A FEW EVENTS THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE AT LAVERNE LIBRARY.
THIS SATURDAY, WE'LL BE HOLDING A MUSICAL PROGRAM FOR TODDLERS AND CHILDREN AGES 1-5 AT 11:00 AM.
DURING THIS PROGRAM, A PERFORMER BY THE NAME OF IWA LONI WILL TEACH ABOUT SNARE DRUMS, BUCKET DRUMMING, AND INDIGENOUS DRUMMING TECHNIQUES.
AFTER THE PROGRAM, A POSITIVE PARENTING LIBRARIAN WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT COMMON PARENTING CONCERNS.
THIS THURSDAY AT 4:00 PM, WE'LL BE HOLDING A PROGRAM FOR TEENS THAT CELEBRATES AFRICAN AMERICAN AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
DURING THIS EVENT, TEENS WILL LEARN ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT TEENAGERS HAD DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF THE '50S AND '60S.
AFTER THE PROGRAM, TEENS CAN DESIGN A COASTER IN SUPPORT OF A CAUSE THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MARCH, THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WILL BE HOLDING THEIR SPRING LOBBY BOOK SALE WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND USED BOOKS, DVDS, AND MAGAZINES AT A VERY REASONABLE PRICE.
FUNDS FROM THE SALE ARE USED FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW BOOKS AND TO SUPPORT LIBRARY PROGRAMS. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT ALL LA COUNTY LIBRARIES WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH FOR A COUNTY-WIDE STAFF TRAINING DAY. THANK YOU.
>> THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? PLEASE.
MAYOR PRO TEM, AND COUNCIL, I HAVE SOME REALLY EXCITING NEWS THAT YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, BUT I WASN'T AWARE OF IT, THAT LAVERNE HAS A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
THEY'VE BEEN FORMING FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS AND NOW HAVE A COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION, THEY'RE SPONSORED BY ULV.
THEY HAVE 45 MEMBERS AND AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN DIRECTOR, SYLVIA LEE MANN, JUST AN EXCITING GROUP.
THE MOST EXCITING PART IS, THAT THEY'RE COMING TO HILLCREST, AND SO I'M INVITING ALL OF YOU TO COME.
>> ARE THERE LIFETIME MEMBERSHIPS? JUST THAT.
>> MARCH 21ST OF FRIDAY NIGHT AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, I THINK, TO RELAX YOUR MIND AND LIFT YOUR SOUL AND JUST THRILLING TO SUPPORT OUR VERY OWN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS.
[01:20:02]
JUST A LITTLE TOUCH OF CLAP.ANYWAY, I HAVE SOME FLIERS FOR YOU.
>> PLEASE COME RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY'S WELCOME, CORRECT? ANYBODY IS WELCOME.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? CHERRY? NONE? LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP $200, $20? THAT'S TRUE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY ON ANNOUNCEMENTS, MY WIFE WILL ATTEST TO THIS, I HAD THE PLUM JAM THAT I BOUGHT, TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO. IT'S EXCELLENT.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF YOUR BEST YET.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, APRICOT AND PLUM.
I'VE GOT THE TWO SMALL AND THE LARGE, BUT I ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE LARGE.
DIABETES. I'M NOT 80 YET, BUT ANYWAY.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CROWD? WE'LL CLOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS. WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENT?
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM FOR YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> SHE'S KNOWN OVER HERE, WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
ANNOUNCEMENTS. THIS WEEKEND, WE HAD THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF OUR 31ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN, GIL CISNEROS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAVERNE.
COUNCILMEMBER LAU WAS THERE, OUR CHIEF SAM GONZALEZ WAS THERE.
KEN DOMER WAS THERE. AM I MISSING? THERE WAS A FEW OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, BUT WE HAD OUR SENATOR SUSAN RUBIO.
WE HAD LISA CALDERON, MIKE FONG, ALSO JOHN HARABEDIAN, OUR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS.
THEY PUT IT ON A REALLY NICE SHOW.
IT WASN'T VERY LONG. I WAS IT ABOUT 45 MINUTES.
BUT I WAS ABLE TO A LEND A SPEECH THAT I WANT TO SAY OSANDRIA.
SHE DID A GREAT JOB ON THE SPEECH THAT I DID BEFORE THE CROWD.
IT WAS NICE THAT THEY USE OUR AREA, THE UNIVERSITY.
THEY HAD WONDERFUL LITTLE SNACKS DOWN THERE.
I DIDN'T PARTAKE, BUT I TURNED AROUND IN 20 MINUTES, THEY WERE GONE.
BUT IT WAS NICE THAT THEY CHOOSE OUR AREA TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CONGRESSMAN CISNEROS, AS WE HAD SUCH AN AMAZING TIME AND A RUN WITH GRACE NAPOLITANO, WHO WAS VERY GENEROUS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LAVERNE, ALSO TO OUR CITY.
SHE GAVE $4 MILLION FOR ONE OF THE COMPLETION OF OUR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, WHICH WAS REALLY GENEROUS.
OBVIOUSLY, SUSAN RUBIO WITH THE SDV CARE AND OUR SAN GABRIEL VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING TRUST.
I ALSO REPRESENTED THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED, MANY COUNCILMEMBERS FROM ALL THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, BALDWIN PARK, AZUSA, IRWINDALE, GLENDORA, EL MONTE, SOUTH EL MONTE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM EL MONTE FROM [INAUDIBLE] ALMA MATER, WHICH WAS ARROYO HIGH SCHOOL.
I GREW UP IN ARCADIA AND WENT TO EL MONTE SCHOOL.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, WENDY? KASH? YOU'RE DONE. RICK, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? MAYOR PRO TEM JOHNSON?
>> WELL, THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION UNLESS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE REQUESTS SEPARATE DISCUSSION.COUNCIL WITH ANY REQUEST TO PULL ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? WILL YOU TWO BEHAVE, PLEASE? WITH THAT, CITY MANAGER DOMER, AND I REQUEST TO PULL ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
>> YES, MR. MAYOR. ITEMS 2, 06, AND 7 WERE PULLED BY RICK BOWEN.
>> THAT IS DEALING WITH THE REGISTER OF AUDITED DEMANDS, THE SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT FOR CALPERS COMPLIMENT WITH EDUCATION INCENTIVE.
>> NUMBER 7 WAS EFFICIENCY TECHNICIAN [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE BALANCE OF THOSE, AND WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEMS 2, 6 AND 7.
>> MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
>> ITEMS NUMBER 1, 3, 04, 5, AND 8 OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR WAS APPROVED 5,0 MOTION BY CROSBY, SECONDED BY LAU.
>> WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO MR. DOMER.
[01:25:01]
THERE'S A REQUEST TO PULL THESE ITEMS 2, 6 AND 7, MR. DOMER.DID YOU WANT THE PERSON THAT IS IN THE AUDIENCE?
>> SURE. THAT'S STANDARD. HOW WE DO THAT.
THEY PULL IT, THEY ASK A QUESTION OR SPEAK ABOUT IT.
>> WE SHOULD GO TO ITEM NUMBER 2 FIRST?
[2. Register of Audited Demands in the amount of: $621,513.48 dated 01/22/25 $2,827,284.57 dated 01/30/25 $588,305.30 dated 02/05/25]
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I ASKED FOR THESE TO BE PULLED BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS IN THE NEWS THESE LAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT HOW EXPENSES ARE PAID FEDERALLY AND LOCALLY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I STARTED TO GO THROUGH HERE AND THERE'S A MONTH'S WORTH, BUT THREE DIFFERENT TWO WEEK PERIODS IT LOOKS LIKE, TOTALING ALMOST $3 MILLION THAT WE PAY OUT.
I WAS LOOKING THROUGH HERE AND I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS.
I'D RATHER BE ABLE TO CALL UP SOMEBODY BUT CAN'T BECAUSE OF THE SHORT TIME FRAME.
I HAVE 31 ITEMS I'VE IDENTIFIED FOR ABOUT $520,000.
I DON'T KNOW HOW CAN YOU CAN HANDLE THIS.
I DOUBT YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT IT WAS FOR.
>> MR. BOWEN, DID YOU REQUEST THIS BEFORE THE MEETING OF STAFF OR YOU JUST REQUESTED TO PULL WITH THEM?
>> NO. AGAIN, THE AGENDA COME OUT LAST WEEK.
YOU HAVE THURSDAY, YOU'RE OFF FRIDAY, YOU'RE OFF MONDAY.
NOT REALLY TIME TO GET ANY ANSWERS FOR THINGS LIKE THESE.
>> THAT'S 25 ITEMS. DO YOU HAVE THE SPECIFIC ITEMS?
>> THIRTY ONE. DO YOU HAVE THE SPECIFIC ONES IN QUESTION?
>> WOULD YOU MIND IF WE HEAR FROM MR. DOMER?
>> MR. MAYOR, I KNOW IN THE PAST, CHRISTY, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO MR. BOWEN.
THE AUDITED DEMANDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID THE CHECKS.
THESE ARE RATIFICATION AND SO FOR THE QUESTIONS, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT MR. BOWEN DURING THIS WEEK, TALK TO CHRISTY ABOUT MEETING TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY JUST TO GO OVER THOSE 31 DIFFERENT ISSUES.
>> WHAT WAS YOUR BASIS OF CONCERN ON THE 31 ITEMS? JUST STATE THE GENERAL STATEMENT.
>> THERE'S ITEMS, WE'RE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, ACTUALLY, FOR LAWYERS, AND WE SEEM TO HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY LAWYER FEE BILL THESE DAYS.
IT'S ALL TO DIFFERENT LAWYERS, DIFFERENT AMOUNTS.
I'M CURIOUS, WHAT IS IT ALL FOR? THERE'S GOT TO BE AN INVOICE TYPICALLY TO MAKE A PAYOUT, AM I CORRECT?
>> THERE SHOULD BE A CORRESPONDING INVOICE FOR EACH ONE OF THESE SAYING WHAT IT WAS FOR, CORRECT? THAT'S BASICALLY WHY I HAD IT PULLED SO I COULD COME UP HERE AND ASK FOR THAT.
IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO, I'D GET HOLD OF CHRISTY.
BUT QUITE FRANKLY, I KNOW SHE'S REAL BUSY, SO IF THAT'S THE AVENUE, THAT'S GREAT.
>> I THINK THAT'S THE AVENUE WE WOULD WANT TO TAKE.
>> SHE IS THE BEST ONE FOR THAT.
SHE IS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR UNDERSTANDS IT, CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THE INVOICES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS AS TO OUR LEGAL EXPENSES, WE HAVE A RETAINER, AND THEN OF COURSE, OTHER THINGS, WE GET SUED, WE DEFEND OURSELVES.
WE HAVE THE MONEY THAT WE PAY THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA JOINT POWERS INSURANCE AUTHORITY FOR THE EXCESS LIABILITY.
>> THERE'S 25,000 IN HERE FOR EXCESS JPIA? AGAIN, WHAT'S IT FOUR? THERE MUST BE AN INVOICE THAT CORRESPONDS SAYS, PARDON ME, WHY WE'RE HAVING TO PAY EXCESS JPIA.
BECAUSE IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, WE PAY A FEE EVERY YEAR, BUT THEN ONCE WE GET SUED AND DEPLETE THAT BUCKET, SO TO SPEAK, THEN WE HAVE TO REFILL THE BUCKET WITH EXCESS.
IS THAT A GENERAL OBSERVATION? I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU'VE EXPLAINED IT IN THE PAST.
BASICALLY, IF THAT BUCKET OF FUNDING FOR LAWYERS WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY THE CJPIA, DEFENDING US IN LAWSUITS GOES BELOW THE $25,000, WE REFILL IT.
WE'LL CUT A CHECK ANYWHERE FROM 10-15, IF IT'S 25,000, THAT IT MEANS THAT IN THE PAST MONTHS ACTIVITIES, THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN $25,000 DRAWN FROM THAT ACCOUNT.
>> IS MOST OF THAT BUDGETED OR IS THAT EXCESS BUDGET?
>> THAT IS BUDGETED. WE DO HAVE A BUDGET AMOUNT AND THEN WE ALSO TRACK IT.
WE JUST HAD A MEETING WITH THEM IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS TO LOOK AT, IT WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, WE SWITCHED TO THE EXCESS POOL.
[01:30:01]
WE USED TO PAY A LOT MORE MONEY FOR A ZERO PREMIUM.THEN WE SWITCHED TO THE EXCESS POOL, WHICH BASICALLY WE ARE ON THE HOOK FOR THE FIRST $250,000 IN A LAWSUIT THAT THEY REPRESENT US IN.
BUT IT IS A LESSER AMOUNT OF FUNDING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR THOSE ACCOUNTS.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE DO CHECK IT BECAUSE IF THERE'S A LOT OF CLAIMS, A LOT OF FALLS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THEN WE MAY SWITCH BACK TO THAT SYSTEM IF IT GETS TOO COSTLY, RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT.
>> WE'LL REFER THAT TO CHRISTY THIS WEEK.
>> ITEM NUMBER 6, THE CALPERS. I'M SORRY.
>> YES. WE SHOULD TAKE A VOTE ON EACH ONE IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
>> WELL, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I GUESS YOU CAN VOTE ON TO PASS IT, I GUESS.
>> WELL, AGAIN, CITY ATTORNEY CAN EXPLAIN THIS BETTER.
THOSE CHECKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CUT.
THIS IS PART OF THE TRANSPARENCY OF ALLOWING INFORMATION TO BE ON THE AGENDA ON STUFF AND FOR QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED.
>> WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, IT'S REALLY NOT A QUESTION OF WHAT'S IT FOR.
THE BUDGET WE HAVE, IT'S GOING TO BE PAID EITHER WAY.
>> BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY PAID.
QUESTION I WOULD HAVE I PAID SOMETHING.
DO I HAVE AN INVOICE TO GO WITH IT?
>> CHRISTY WILL HELP YOU. WITH THAT, I NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 2.
>> ITEM NUMBER 2 ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, WAS MOTION BY KASHIFALGHITA SECONDED BY CROSBY APPROVED 5,0.
>> THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 6, CALPERS.
[6. Side Letter Agreements for CalPERS Compliance with Education Incentives. The proposed side letter agreements to the Memorandum of Understandings with the La Verne City Employees’ Association, La Verne Police Officers’ Association, and La Verne Firefighters’ Association will formalize tentative agreements related to language changes needed to be in compliance with California Public Employees Retirement System requirements.]
MR. BOWEN, YOU HAD A QUESTION ON NUMBER 6 ON CALPERS?>> UNFORTUNATELY, I READ THIS AND I JUST SEE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN HERE.
AGAIN, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THEM BY ANY MEANS.
BUT UNDER EDUCATION PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE, IF YOU LOOK AT D1, IT SAYS THAT THE EMPLOYEE'S WORK PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR PAST ANNUAL EVALUATION PERIODS MUST CONTAIN OVERALL RATINGS OF MEET EXPECTATIONS OR BETTER.
IN MY WORLD, THAT'S A C A PASSING, MAYBE.
BUT THAT'S BEEN ELIMINATED IN THIS.
THEN IT ALSO SAYS, THIS IS IN THE PAST.
IT APPEARS TO ME, THE EMPLOYEE SHALL NOT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR DRUGS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AGAIN, IT JUST SEEMS ODD THAT YOU WOULD PULL THAT.
YOU'RE PAYING SOMEBODY TO GET EDUCATED, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PASSING OR BETTER EXPECTATION, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PASS A DRUG TEST.
ARE DRUG TESTS STILL PART OF THE CITIES OR HAS THAT BEEN REMOVED?
>> I MAY HAVE A TAG TEAM ON THESE ISSUES.
I KNOW CHRISTY HAS HER FOLDER WITH HER, BUT THE CITY IS PERIODICALLY AUDITED BY CALPERS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.
THIS CAME UP DURING A CALPERS AUDIT OF ALL OF OUR MOUS, THE MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING, BASICALLY THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS WE HAVE WITH OUR ASSOCIATIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, YES, WE STILL DO DRUG TESTING.
WE STILL HAVE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.
IF SOMEBODY IS NOT PERFORMING, THEN WE DO PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE, OR PROVE PLANS, ALL THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO IN ANY JURISDICTION OR HOPEFULLY ANY PRIVATE BUSINESS.
THE ISSUE IS IS THAT CALPERS IN REVIEWING OUR MOUS DECIDED THAT THE LANGUAGE WAS NOT CLEAR AND THAT WE COULDN'T BASE IT ON SOME OF THOSE REQUISITE.
WE COULDN'T SAY YOU GET AN EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE IF YOU PASS PERFORMANCE.
IT'S NOT CHANGING ANYTHING. ARE YOU PART OF THAT?
>> YEAH, I THINK THE POINT ON THAT WE WOULD DEAL WITH DISCIPLINARY ISSUES THROUGH THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS, AND WHAT PERSE IS SAYING THAT UNDER THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RETIREMENT LAW, THAT THAT PROVISION THAT THOSE PREREQUISITES THAT WERE PUT IN THERE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED FOR THAT EDUCATION INCENTIVE TO THEN BE PERSABLE.
BY CHANGING THAT LANGUAGE, WE'RE NOW IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT LAW PROVISIONS, AND IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING, IT DOESN'T COST ANY EXTRA.
IF WE WOULD RUN INTO EMPLOYEE ISSUES WITH SOME OF THESE AREAS, THEN WE WOULD DEAL WITH IT IN THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS.
>> WE'VE SIGNED MOUS WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, AND CALPERS COMES IN AND SAYS, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
THE CITY DOESN'T SAY, YES, WE'RE HOLDING TO THIS.
[01:35:03]
CALPERS TELLS US WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.>> WE ABIDE BY LAW AND CALPERS KNOWS THE PEARL BETTER, THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RELATIONS LAW VERY WELL.
THEY COME AFTER US SEVERAL TIMES, BUT CLEARLY, WHAT'S GONE ON IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE NEGOTIATED MOUS IS, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEBODY PUT IN THE UNIT WANTED EDUCATION INCENTIVE.
THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE SAID, WELL, UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, JUST LIKE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING WELL, THEY'RE PASSING ALL THAT STUFF.
WE WOULD PUT THAT IN, WE WOULD NEGOTIATE IT.
NO ONE AT THAT POINT IS CHECKING AGAINST IF LAW HAS CHANGED OR MAYBE IT WAS AN OLDER LAW.
SOMETIMES ALSO THAT WE DEAL WITH PERSE CHANGES THE INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW BASED ON SOME COURT CASES OR OTHER FINDINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS IS THEIR CHECK UPON US, AND BASICALLY WHAT THEY WERE SAYING, AS MAYOR SAID, IS THAT THE WORDING AS SUCH WAS AGAINST LAW.
IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH CURRENT LAW, WE HAD TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND STRIP THAT OUT.
BUT AGAIN, IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US, IF AN EMPLOYEE IS NOT MAKING, A PERFORMANCE GRADE, WE TAKE THEM THROUGH THAT DISCIPLINARY PROCESS.
THE INCENTIVE PAY ISN'T REALLY CONNECTED TO THAT BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE A BACHELOR, AND SO THEY NEGOTIATED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PAY FOR THAT BACHELOR'S OR MASTERS.
IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO WHETHER THEY'RE BEING A GOOD EMPLOYEE, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR THAT.
THAT'S WHAT CALPERS IS SAYING, IS THAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE A MASTERS OR BACHELORS, THEN YOU DON'T GIVE THEM THE EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE THAT YOU'VE NEGOTIATED WITH.
IF THEY DO, YOU GIVE IT TO THEM.
IF THERE'S A DISCIPLINARY PROCESS, YOU TAKE THEM THROUGH THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS SEPARATE FROM THE MOU.
>> I UNDERSTAND. I DON'T AGREE WITH THEM.
>> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, THE RULES CHANGE ALL THE TIME.
AS WE GO THROUGH OUR MOUS, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF TIMES WHERE CALPERS HAS SAID, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO PUT IN YOUR LANGUAGE.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
WE'VE GONE OVER THIS IN CLOSED SESSION NUMBER OF TIMES, AND IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, MR. BOWEN.
I THINK CALPERS IS AT BEST DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY MAKE INVESTMENTS, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS IN INVESTMENTS, AND THEY CHARGE IT TO THE CITIES, AND WE ARE ONE OF MANY CITIES THAT HAS CALPERS, AND IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE.
I THINK DOWN THE ROAD, THINGS WILL CHANGE PROBABLY HOPEFULLY, WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE A SELECTION THAT YOU COULD GO A 401(K) OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE A MATCHING TYPE OF THING, WHICH I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, WE UNDER THE GUISE OF ALL EMPLOYEES OR UNDER CALPERS, IT'LL NEVER GO AWAY.
EVEN IF WE START ANOTHER PLAN, WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE CALPERS.
THERE'S A BUYOUT PART OF CALPERS THAT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
IT'S LIKE EIGHT TIMES THE AMOUNT OF THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU'VE DEFINED.
>> YEAH, I KNOW. THAT'S WHY WE HAD A $53 MILLION BOND A FEW YEARS AGO.
>> DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THAT ONE, SIR?
>> WE WILL TAKE A VOTE ON THAT ONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 6, CALPERS?
>> DO I HAVE A SECOND? VOTE, PLEASE.
>> ITEM NUMBER SIX WAS MOVED BY KASHIFALGHITA, SECONDED BY LAU, AND APPROVED 5-0.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT ONE IS ITEM NUMBER 7, EFFICIENCY. MR. BOWEN.
[7. Efficiency Technician Classification and Salary. To better facilitate an efficient process as part of the authorized Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System upgrade, a part-time Efficiency Technician is being requested utilizing a portion of budgeted savings.]
>> LAST ONE, HOPEFULLY, IT IS REAL QUICK.
WE DON'T HAVE EFFICIENCY PEOPLE NOW.
>> THIS IS THE DIVISION OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY.
>> WHICH MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA.
>> NO. THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE THAT CAME UP BECAUSE WE DID HAVE A PART TIME POSITION, BASICALLY A CLERICAL AID THAT ASSISTS IN THE ADMINISTRATION AREA, ENTERING CALLS, DOING PAPERWORK, FILING AND ALL THAT STUFF WORKING ON OUR LASER FISH SYSTEM.
WE WHITTLED IT DOWN EVENTUALLY TO TWO AND TWO VERY DIFFERENT PERSONS.
ONE WAS A YEAR OUT OF COLLEGE.
THE OTHER PERSON WAS RECENTLY LAID OFF FROM JPL, A RESIDENT, OVER 25 OR 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH JPL.
IN TALKING TO THE PERSON ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, IT ALIGNED WITH ONE OF THE ACTIONS THE COUNCIL TOOK A COUPLE OF MEETINGS
[01:40:03]
AGO FOR OUR FINANCIAL SOFTWARE UPGRADE.IN THAT, WE ARE LOOKING AT HAVING AN ERP, ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PROGRAM ASSISTANT OR TECHNICIAN, HELP WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION.
THAT MONEY WAS BUILT INTO THE ERP PROJECT FOR IT.
LOOKING AT THIS PERSON'S SKILLS, INSTEAD OF SAYING, WELL, WE WANT YOU TO ANSWER THE PHONES AND DO SOME PAPERWORK, WE SAID, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THIS BECAUSE FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE AND IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, THEY DID SEVERAL ERP MIGRATIONS AT JPL, AND WE THOUGHT THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ACTUALLY GET SOME EFFICIENCY, BUT GET SOME UTILIZATION.
WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO CALL THE PERSON AN ADMIN CLERK BECAUSE THE CLASSIFICATION HAS DIFFERENT LEVELS, SO WE CREATED WHAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THAT EFFICIENCY TECHNICIAN.
IT WILL BE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION TO HELP WITH THE ERP, THE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE UPGRADE.
BUT THEN ALSO WE WANT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER SYSTEMS. ONE OF THE ISSUES ABOUT LAVERNE IS WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OLD SCHOOL. I KNOW.
>> WE ARE 6, 8 YEARS PLUS IN OLD SCHOOL.
WE STILL HAVE PAPER TIMESHEET, SO PART OF THE ERP PROCESS IS GOING TO UPGRADE THAT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT EVERYBODY'S OPERATING ON THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE FULLY EFFICIENT AND HELPING EVERYBODY.
WE'RE GOING TO ASK THIS PERSON TO ALSO WORK WITH US ON THAT.
WE WANT TO UTILIZE THIS PERSON FOR EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE AND [INAUDIBLE]. THAT'S THE STORY BEHIND THAT.
>> THAT PERSON IS EXCITED TO COME TO WORK FOR US.
>> ANOTHER LAVERNE RESIDENT. ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. BOWEN?
>> SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD HIRE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 7, PLEASE.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 7.
>> VOTE, PLEASE. EXCUSE ME. HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING?
>> ITEM NUMBER 7 WAS MOVED BY KASHIFALGHITA, SECONDED BY JOHNSON, AND APPROVED BY VOTE.
>> FEEL REALLY OLD NOW. [LAUGHTER] RICORDI TOLD ME I WAS 80. THANKS, RICK.
[PUBLIC HEARINGS]
PUBLIC HEARING. NOW WE MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.TONIGHT, THERE'S ONLY ONE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT IS THE WEED ABATEMENT PROTEST HEARING.
CITY MANAGER DOMER, THIS IS EXCITING STUFF.
PLEASE CALL FOR THE STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL BE REPORTING ON THE WEED ABATEMENT.
>> I'LL GO AHEAD AND TACKLE THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> NOBODY'S JUMPING UP. [LAUGHTER]
NO, THE PRINCIPAL PLANER DOES NOT WANT TO DO THIS ONE.
>> WELL, THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST WARMING UP.
>> I WAS JUST WARMING UP FOR HER.
SHE'S BEEN SITTING A WHOLE TIME. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THIS IS AN ANNUAL PROCESS THAT THE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT HANDLES, AND THE CHIEF OF FIRE WILL HELP.
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, COMMUNITY AND MAYOR.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I BELIEVE THAT'S A TREND TONIGHT.
>> REAL QUICK. I'M JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE SELENE FROM THE COUNTY WHO'S GOING TO COME UP AND PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE COUNTY'S WEED ABATEMENT PROCESS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF LAVERNE HAS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, AS HAS BEEN HISTORICAL PRACTICE, TO YOU HANDLE WEED ABATEMENT MEASURES ON THE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTIES IN THE CITY.
NOW I'LL GO AHEAD AND HAND IT OVER TO HER NOW.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, [INAUDIBLE] LA COUNTY HAS A CONTRACT [INAUDIBLE] AND WE PROVIDE THE FIRE DEFENSIBLE SPACE FOR STRUCTURES.
HERE IN THE LAVERNE CITY, WE HAVE 168 TOTAL DECLARED PARCELS.
LAST YEAR, OUT OF THE 168 DECLARED PARCELS, 149 PARCELS WERE IN COMPLIANCE, SO THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 19 NON-COMPLIANT.
THE COMPLIANCE RATE IN LAVERNE IS MORE THAN 90%.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION BECAUSE TODAY IS TO PROTEST YOU [INAUDIBLE] TO RAISE THEIR CONCERN ABOUT BEING THE [INAUDIBLE].
[01:45:04]
>> ALL OF THOSE RESIDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE THE COUNTY CLEAR THEIR PROPERTY HAVE BEEN [INAUDIBLE]?
>> YES. WHAT WE DO HAVE ALREADY SENT OUT IN FEBRUARY [INAUDIBLE] ANNUAL NOTICE TO ALL THE [INAUDIBLE] INFORMING THEM OF THE [INAUDIBLE] RETAIN THEIR PARCELS FREE OF FIRE HAZARDS, AND WE INFORM THEM THAT WE USUALLY START OUR INSPECTION.
WE GIVE THEM TIME TO CLEAR THEIR PARCELS AND WE WILL START OUR INSPECTION USUALLY [INAUDIBLE] AND AFTER OUR INSPECTION, ANY NON COMPLIANCE.
I IS MORE THAN $750, WE WILL ISSUE WHAT WE CALL A WEEK BRUSH LETTER, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL NOTE INFORMING THEM THAT THEY NEED TO CLEAR THE PROPERTY, IF NOT, COUNTY WILL CLEAR [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE EVEN AFTER RECEIVING THE BRUSH LETTER NOTICE, THEY'RE ALSO GIVEN AN OTHER TWO MORE WEEKS TO CLEAR THE PARCELS.
ALWAYS WE ENCOURAGE CLEARANCE BY PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER WHEREAS WHEN WE CLEAR BY THE COUNTY, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
WE ALWAYS GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO PROPERTY OWNERS.
EVEN SOMETIMES AFTER THE DATELINE OR IF THEY CANNOT MEET THE DEADLINE, PROPERTY OWNERS WILL CALL US AND LET US KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE DEADLINE, ASK FOR AN EXTENSION, AND WE WILL GIVE THAT EXTENSION BECAUSE WE DO ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERS TO TAKE UP THE RESPONSIBILITY.
IT'S ONLY WHEN THEY DO NOT CLEAR UNDER THE DEADLINE AND ALSO THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT THEY STILL DO NOT CLEAR AND IGNORE ALL THE NOTICES, THEN WE WILL CLEAR.
ON TOP OF THAT, IF THERE IS A COMPLAINT, WE WILL ALSO ACT VERY QUICKLY ONCE WE RECEIVE THE COMPLAINT, SAYING THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE THESE DAYS.
THEY'RE GOING TO CLEAR AS QUICKLY AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN WITH THESE FIRE HAZARDS.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE.
I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF OUR FIRE CHIEF WOULD HELP OUT.
THE AREA, SIERRA LAVERNE CHIEF, I SAW STREETS THAT ALIGN IT.
>> THANK YOU MA'AM. APPRECIATE YOU. DON'T GO TOO FAR.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION AFTER I SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEM AGAIN.
>> SIERRA LAVERNE WITH THE WEED ABATEMENT, BECAUSE I STILL SEE THE TREES THAT ARE DOWN AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IS THAT PART OF THE INSPECTION HERE THE COUNTY CAN GO MAYBE TO?
>> THE CONTRACT ARRANGEMENT THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME, LONG BEFORE I GOT HERE WAS THE COUNTY TO HANDLE ALL THE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OR INCORPORATED AREAS.
THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT HANDLES ALL THE REST.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS A SHEAR CAPACITY PROBLEM, AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT INTO THIS ARRANGEMENT BECAUSE LAVERNE FIRE JUST WASN'T IN A PLACE TO DO HOLISTICALLY ALL OF THE PROPERTY IN THE CITY.
SIERRA LAVERNE IS AN INTERESTING SITUATION BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE A GOLF COURSE AND NOW IT IS NOT A GOLF COURSE.
>> IS IT ONE PART OF THE COUNTY ALONG THE STREAM?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT.
IT'S THE FACT THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFENSE WHAT WE WOULD KNOWN AS A DEFENSIBLE SPACE NEAR THE STRUCTURES, SO THE 100 FEET TO 200 FEET IN FROM THE STRUCTURES.
>> THAT'S BEEN A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH IT, BUT THERE IS A COMPLEX PROCESS BECAUSE OF THAT CONTRACT AGREEMENT WHERE WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT DEFENSIBLE SPACE, THAT 100-200 FEET FROM THE STRUCTURES, THEN EVERYTHING MORE INTERIOR FROM THERE THE COUNTY IS THEN RESPONSIBLE FOR.
FIRE MARSHAL FRED ST. ANGE, AND PRIOR TO THAT FIRE MARSHAL BEFORE THAT WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COUNTY TO GET THAT PROPERTY TAKEN CARE OF.
IT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT, AS YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE UNTIL THAT PROPERTY IS NOT THERE.
>> THEY HAVE BEEN CLEARING THOUGH. I NOTICED THAT THEY WERE PULLING SOME DEAD TREES AND STUFF OUT JUST THE OTHER DAY, SO IT'S FLAT RIGHT NOW, IT'S FLAT.
THANK GOODNESS, BUT WITH THESE RAINS WE HAD, GOD KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO GROW SO QUICKLY.
>> I'M NOTICING THAT THERE'S A PROPERTY NEXT DOOR TO THIS LIST.
>> WANT TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THIS, SIR? YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD, MR. JOHNSON.
WE WILL HOLD CONVERSATION, THANK YOU, IN AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
>> HE WAS REFERRING TO THE PROPERTY AT 2016 ARROW HIGHWAY.
[01:50:04]
>> WHICH IS NEXT DOOR TO THE PROPERTY THAT HE OWNS AT 20.
>> HIS INSURANCE AGENCY IS RIGHT THERE AND THERE'S TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY ACTUALLY ADJACENT, RIGHT?
>> BASICALLY, THEY'VE BEEN CLEARING IT PRETTY WELL.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, ILLEGALLY PROHIBITED, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE IN THE THREE SECONDS SINCE HE LEFT THE ROOM TO RESEARCH IT.
>> BUT TO BE SAFE, WE'RE JUST CONFIRMING.
BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS A CONFLICT, BUT WE'RE JUST DOING THIS TO BE SAFE.
>> I LIKE ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
THERE YOU GO. ANYWAY, THEY'VE BEEN DOING A FAIRLY GOOD JOB I THINK.
>> THEY HAVE. NOT ONLY THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT ULTIMATELY THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN VERY EASY TO WORK WITH.
THERE'S BEEN SOME CONTENTIOUS TIME, BUT ULTIMATELY, WE GET THERE TO ENSURE THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE NEAR.
>> IT LOOKS BETTER THAN IT HAS IN A WHILE.
IT HAS BEEN CLEARING SOME LARGE STUFFS. GREAT. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR FROM THE COUNTY? I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION.
WAIT. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER DIRECTOR OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES TO ABATE THE NUISANCE AT THE DECLARED PROPERTIES?
>> WAS THERE ANYONE SECONDING THE MOTION.
>> ITEM NUMBER 9 WAS MOVED BY KASHIFALGHITA, SECONDED BY LAU, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE MISSING ONE VOTE.
THAT WAS APPROVED 4-0, WITH MAYOR PRO TEM JOHNSON RECUSING HIMSELF.
>> IF WE COULD PLEASE CALL BACK IN MR. JOHNSON AFTER THIS VOTE, PLEASE.
>> A BIRTHDAY WISH FOR THE CANDLE. HI, STEVE.
>> SORRY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN LONGER. YOU HAVE CHOCOLATE CHIP ALL OVER YOUR MOUTH.
I ALMOST FINISHED THAT COOKIE.
>> NOW WE MOVE ON TO OTHER MATTERS.
[OTHER MATTERS]
THERE ARE THREE ITEMS. FIRST IS THE RESOLUTION OF RENEWING THE LAVERNE POLICE OFFICER DEPARTMENT'S AD-481 MILITARY EQUIPMENT POLICY AND AFFIRMING ORDINANCE NUMBER 24-1126.SENIOR MANAGER DOMER, PLEASE CALL FORWARD THE STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL BE REPORTING ON THIS.
>> I'M VERY PLEASED TO HAVE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LAVERNE, CAPTAIN TRAVIS TIBBETTS TO PROVIDE HIS PRESENTATION.
IT IS THE FIRST TIME, PLEASE GO NICELY.
>> TAKE YOUR TIME. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> YEAH, REALLY. MORE THAN WE NEEDED TO KNOW, BUT THANK YOU.
>> YES. BEFORE I START, COUNCILMEMBER KASH CONVINCED ME TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
>> CAPTAIN TIBBETTS, THANK YOU, SIR. I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT 12 YEARS. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR HEPBURN, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY REGARDING ASSEMBLY BILL 481 AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR CITY.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, AB-481 WAS ENACTED IN 2021 TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND OVERSIGHT OVER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES' ACQUISITION AND USE OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT IN CALIFORNIA.
THIS LEGISLATION REQUIRES LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNING BODY, IN THIS CASE, OUR CITY COUNCIL, ANNUALLY BEFORE FUNDING, ACQUIRING, OR USING SPECIFIC MILITARY EQUIPMENT.
UNDER AB-481, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES MUST DO THE FOLLOWING.
DEVELOP A MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE POLICY, WHICH WE HAVE DONE.
SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT WHICH HAS BEEN POSTED ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE SINCE JANUARY 13TH, 2025, FOR THIS ONE COMING UP.
ENGAGE IN A PUBLIC PROCESS AND REVIEW AND RENEW THE POLICY ANNUALLY.
AB-481 BALANCES PUBLIC SAFETY WITH CIVIL LIBERTIES, ENSURING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES USE PUBLIC GRADE EQUIPMENT RESPONSIBLY AND TRANSPARENTLY.
ADOPTING AND IMPLEMENTING THIS POLICY FOSTERS TRUST BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY WHILE MAINTAINING NECESSARY PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES.
AB-481 IS IMPORTANT IN REINFORCING PUBLIC TRUST AND ENSURING RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE OVER MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN REVIEWING THIS POLICY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.
THIS EVENING, WE SEEK THE CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE POLICY TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE STAFF REPORT AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUANCE OF THE LAVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY 701 AS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO AB-481.
>> THANK YOU, CAPTAIN TIBBETTS. I THINK WE'LL GO TO
[01:55:01]
PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN BRING YOU BACK UP IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.RIGHT NOW, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYONE WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THAT WOULD BE A BIG NO.
THEN WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU.
IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST, BUT IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME ARSENAL OF GOOD THINGS THAT PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, AND ULTIMATELY PROTECT THE OFFICERS THAT GO OUT TO USE THEM. WE APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, CAPTAIN TIBBETTS.
>> NICE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR NUMBER ONE, VERY GOOD.
ANY COMMENTS? PLEASE, COUNCILMEMBER CROSBY.
>> YES, I JUST APPRECIATE LVPD AND THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS LAW, BUT APPRECIATE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
THEN ALSO, ESPECIALLY THE ITEMS TO PROTECT OUR OFFICERS, THE DRONES, THE ROBOT, THE BEAR CAT, SO THEY'RE MAKING SURE OUR OFFICER IS SAFE IN A DIRE NEED SITUATION.
I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVING TO PURCHASE THOSE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THOSE FOR OUR OFFICERS AND OUR RESIDENTS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CROSBY. ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO COMMENT?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT.
I KNOW IT WAS EXTENSIVE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, BUT AS A LAY PERSON WHO DOES NOT GET TO PLAY WITH THESE TOYS, I APPRECIATE THE RATIONALE AND THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN AND HOW THESE ARE USED, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IN THIS CLIMATE, IT'S GOOD FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PUBLIC WHEN AND WHY THESE THINGS ARE BEING USED.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I THINK THAT ANY FURTHER EDUCATION OR ENLIGHTENMENT THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHEN AND HOW WE USE IT, HOW WE PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW.
OTHERWISE, PEOPLE MIGHT JUST LOOK AT A LIST AND THINK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S FOR.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE REPORT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LAU.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM JOHNSON, ANY COMMENTS?
>> IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT WE DO HAVE IN THE ARSENAL, AND I THINK THAT WE DO ALSO NEED TO APPROPRIATE MORE, ESPECIALLY FOR DRONES.
I THINK THEY'RE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE A FEW, WE NEED MORE, AND WE NEED LARGER DRONES TO COVER MORE AREAS.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A VERY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE CITY MANAGER, BUT I THINK THOSE THINGS CAN GO WHERE NO ONE CAN GO, DOGS, FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES, MOTORCYCLES.
THE DRONES ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE, I WOULD SAY, TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LENDING THEM OUT TO OTHER AGENCIES WHEN WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH OTHER AGENCIES. MR. GILMER?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IF RESIDENTS ARE WANTING TO GET MORE INFORMATION, THERE'S ALWAYS THE RESIDENTS ACADEMY THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PUTS ON AT TIMES.
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AND A VERY NICE NEW WEBSITE THAT WILL HAVE THIS INFORMATION ON THERE TOO.
WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUANCE OF THE LAVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY 701 AS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO AB-481?
>> IT'S ALREADY THERE. YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION FOR THAT ONE.
I'M GETTING OLDER BY THE SECOND, CROSBY. GET THIS THING DONE.
>> I SECOND THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> ITEM 10 WAS MOVED BY KASHIFALGHITA, SECONDED BY CROSBY, AND APPROVED 5-0.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT IS THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION UPDATE FOR THE AWARD CONTRACT.
CITY MANAGER, PLEASE CALL FOR THE STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL BE REPORTING ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M GOING TO CALL FOR FIRE CHIEF CHRIS NIGG, AND ANDREA BLOCKINGER WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ASSISTANCE.
>> GOOD EVENING, CHIEF NIGG AGAIN.
>> GOOD EVENING. LONG TIME NO SEE.
MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, ITS IMPORTANCE, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING A VALID PLAN, AND THE CITY OF LAVERNE'S APPROACH TO UPDATING HOURS, INCLUDING OUR SELECTED VENDOR AND FUNDING STRATEGY.
A LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS A STRATEGIC DOCUMENT THAT IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL HAZARDS, OUTLINES MEASURES TO REDUCE RISK, AND THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS SUCH AS WILDFIRES, EARTHQUAKES, FLOODS, OR OTHER HUMAN-CAUSED EMERGENCIES.
THIS PLAN SERVES AS A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO SAFEGUARDING LIFE,
[02:00:03]
PROPERTY, AND INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE A DISASTER STRIKE.WHY IS A LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IMPORTANT? A WELL-PREPARED MITIGATION PLAN REDUCES THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE BY IMPLEMENTING PREVENTATIVE MEASURES.
HAVING A MITIGATION STRATEGY IN PLACE ENABLES THE CITY TO RECOVER MORE QUICKLY AFTER DISASTERS.
A FEMA-APPROVED LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS A REQUIREMENT FOR RECEIVING FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF, FUNDING, AND GRANTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM AND BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
FINALLY, THE PLAN ENSURES THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE RESILIENT TO LOCAL HAZARDS, REDUCING FUTURE RISK.
FEMA REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HEARD ME JUST SPEAK OF.
FEMA MANDATES THAT ALL LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLANS MUST, NUMBER ONE, IDENTIFY POTENTIAL NATURAL AND HUMAN CAUSED HAZARDS, ASSESS THE POTENTIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS OF THESE HAZARDS ON THE COMMUNITY, DEVELOP MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE RISKS, INCLUDE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND BE REVIEWED AND UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS TO REMAIN VALID AND ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
WITHOUT AN UPDATED FEMA-APPROVED LHMP, THE ACRONYM FOR LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, LAVERNE WOULD BE INELIGIBLE FOR KEY DISASTER RELIEF AND MITIGATION GRANTS WHICH COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO PREPARE FOR AND RECOVER FROM EMERGENCIES.
OUR CURRENT HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS FROM 2012, WILDLY OUTDATED, AND IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY RADAR FOR A WHILE, AS WELL AS CITY MANAGER KEN DOMER AND ANDREA BLOCKINGER, WHO WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING HER GRANT.
>> OVER THERE, THE SPEECH WRITER.
ANDREA, STAND UP SO THEY KNOW YOU ARE. COME ON, STAND UP.
>> TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FEMA REQUIREMENTS, THE CITY OF LAVERNE HAS SELECTED BLACK & VEATCH TO ASSIST WITH THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE.
THE VENDOR WAS CHOSEN BASED ON EXPERTISE, COST EFFECTIVENESS, EXPERIENCE, FLEXIBILITY, AREA FAMILIARIZATION, TIME TO COMPLETION, AND SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD WITH NUMEROUS SURROUNDING LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.
THE PROJECT WILL BE FUNDED BY A FEMA LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL NET US $164,295 OF FEDERAL GRANT MONEY, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND INCLUSIVE OF THE ENTIRE COST ULTIMATELY TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE PROJECT.
THIS APPROACH ENSURES THE CITY MEETS FEMA'S REQUIREMENTS WHILE RESPONSIBLY MANAGING OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
IN SUMMARY, THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS A CRITICAL TOOL FOR SAFEGUARDING OUR COMMUNITY, MAINTAINING ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING, AND ENSURING RESILIENT FUTURE BY UPDATING OUR PLAN WITH THE EXPERTISE OF BLACK & VEATCH, AND LEVERAGING APPROPRIATE FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES.
LAVERNE IS TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENHANCE PREPAREDNESS AND PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO YOU FOR ANY QUESTIONS, AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS ON BEHALF OF ANDREA BLOCKINGER, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL OF HER EFFORT GOING INTO THE VERY COMPLEX GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS THAT ULTIMATELY GOT US TO THIS POINT.
WITH THAT, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. ANDREA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S A LOT OF WORK AND IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT, BUT YOUR SUCCESS RATE IS REALLY HIGH NOW.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
I THINK WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, CHIEF, FIRST.
IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC.
BY THE WAY, I DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE 80.
>> I STAND CORRECT. NO 12 YEARS, PLEASE.
>> MY QUESTION IS, WHY NOW? I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT, AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE LV FIRE DEPARTMENT.
BUT AS NOTED HERE, THIS WAS UPDATED LAST IN 2012.
WE HAVE FOUR MONTHS LEFT IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET YEAR, CORRECT? ENDS IN JUNE.
>> WE HAVE FOUR MONTHS LEFT IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET, AND SUDDENLY, WE HAVE ALMOST $159,000.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING TOWARDS OUR BUDGET, BUT IT WOULD SEEM LOGICAL THAT THIS WOULD BE INCLUDED IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH YOU'RE STARTING TO PLAN VERY SOON.
ALSO, THE FACT THAT IT'S A FEMA GRANT, AND I'M HEARING ALL THE TIME ABOUT GRANTS NOT BEING PAID NOW.
IS THERE A CLAWBACK? IF WE APPLIED FOR THE GRANT, I ASSUME IT WAS A WHILE AGO.
[02:05:02]
AS I'VE HEARD IN THE NEWS, FEMA DECIDES NOT TO PAY IT, ARE WE STUCK FOR THE $158,000 CONTRACT, OR DOES THE VENDOR SAY, HEY, THE GRANT DIDN'T COME THROUGH, YOU DIDN'T GET THE MONEY, YOU DON'T OWE US, SO A STOP PAYMENT, IN ESSENCE.IT SEEMS LIKE JULY 1ST, IT SHOULD BE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
>> ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
CHIEF, DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT?
>> AS IT RELATES TO WHAT BUDGET IT WOULD LIVE IN, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHAT THE NEXUS THERE WOULD BE.
THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD FOR THIS GRANT GOES ALL THE WAY TO OCTOBER OF 2027, WHICH MEANS THAT'S THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IN ITS ENTIRETY.
PLANS TAKE UPWARDS OF 6-9 MONTHS TO DEVELOP.
IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PROCESS THAT INCLUDES STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND ANALYSIS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THEN IT HAS TO GO OFF TO CAL OES, WHICH IS A DYNAMIC THAT REALLY NO CAN PROJECT.
BEFORE IT ULTIMATELY GETS ADOPTED INTO BUYER CITY AND THEN INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE FOUR YEARS TO ULTIMATELY GET THEM.
>> WHEN DID MISS BLOCKINGER GET THE GRANT APPROVED?
>> IT WAS IN OCTOBER, CORRECT?
>> YEAH. OCTOBER 2024 WAS WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT WE HAD BEEN APPROVED, AND THEN WE HAD ANDREA PUT TOGETHER THE RFP, WHICH WENT OUT AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE RECEIVED HOW MANY INQUIRIES?
>> FIVE INQUIRIES, AND THEN THAT PROCESS LED TO A GRADING SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS VIRTUALLY UNTIL WE SELECTED THE APPROPRIATE VENDOR.
AS IT RELATES TO GRANTS, THERE WAS A BRIEF PERIOD WHERE ALL GRANTS WERE STOPPED.
>> THAT AFFECTED EVEN OUR LOCAL UASI AND HOMELAND SECURITY [NOISE] GRANTS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE COUNTY.
BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, EVERYTHING RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND HAZARD MITIGATION, ALL THAT IS EFFECTIVELY FREE-FLOWING AGAIN.
>> MR. MAYOR, ON THAT ISSUE, WE WILL NOT BRING ANYTHING TO YOU FOR REWARD IF WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY ALREADY APPROPRIATED.
AS FIRE CHIEF NICK SAID, THIS WAS A GRANT THAT WE WERE NOTIFIED BACK IN OCTOBER.
THE RFP FOR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MONTHS AND MONTHS BEFORE THAT.
NOW, BRINGING IT FORWARD, WE HAVE THE MONEY IN HAND, WE KNOW IT.
WE DON'T FEAR THAT THE MONEY WILL GO AWAY, ESPECIALLY ON THIS PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THE REASONS THAT THE PAUSE WAS PUT INTO PLACE.
HOW IT WILL BE IS WHEN WE GET THE CHECK, WE WILL THEN EITHER HAVE A RESOLUTION TO CHANGE THE BUDGET, THAT WILL EITHER BE THROUGH MID-YEAR OR EVEN IT MAY BE IN THE NEXT YEAR JUST DEPENDS ON WHEN THIS GETS GOING AND WHEN WE START PAYING.
BUT THE GOOD THING IS THAT THERE'S NO GENERAL FUND MONEY.
[OVERLAPPING] WELL OVERDUE ON HAVING THIS UPDATED, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A BENEFIT TO THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE ACTUALLY THEY KEEP ON CHANGING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THIS ALLOWS US TO APPLY FOR OTHER GRANTS GOING FORWARD.
THIS IS A MAJOR NEED TO GET IT DONE AND OVER WITH IMPLEMENTED, AND THEN WE'RE ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER FUNDING THAT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
>> THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS IS EXACTLY THAT.
NO ONLY COST RECOVERY WHEN THERE ARE DISASTERS ON THE BACK SIDE, BUT THEN ALSO GRANT SETTING UP DUE SO THAT WE CAN EFFECT, IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE MADE IN THE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN SO THAT REDUCES OUR LOAN.
>> OUR LAST PLAN WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2012.
THERE'S BEEN MANY THINGS WE GO OUT AND TO GET PLANS AND IT TAKES MULTIPLE YEARS FOR IT TO COME BACK BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS VERY COMPLEX.
WHEN DO YOU FORESEE THIS COMING BACK TO US THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPED AND FINALIZED?
>> IT'S NOT LISTED HERE. EACH ONE OF THE VENDORS THAT RESPONDED TO THE RFP PROVIDED A TIMELINE.
I THINK THE SHORTEST TIMELINE WE SAW WAS EIGHT MONTHS, NINE MONTHS. WHY DON'T YOU COME UP, ANDREA? BUT ULTIMATELY, ALL OF THEM ESSENTIALLY SAID REALLY ABOUT THE SAME THING, WHICH WAS NINE MONTHS UPWARDS TO PRODUCE THE PLAN, AND THERE WAS THE DYNAMIC [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE WAS A PROCESS AND A TIMELINE IN THE PROCESS. IT WAS FAIRLY SHORT.
>> SOMETHING I WANTED TO ADD TO THAT AS WELL IS IN 2023, FEMA UPDATED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, AND THAT REQUIRED VERY EXTENSIVE OUTREACH WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING ABOUT THIS PLAN, PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU WOULD EVEN LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
[02:10:02]
WE'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING A STEERING COMMITTEE WHERE RESIDENTS CAN HELP GUIDE THIS PROCESS.THERE'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST THREE WORKSHOPS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING VIRTUAL SESSIONS, SENDING OUT SURVEYS, BUT PRESENTING IT, AGAIN, TO COUNCIL, AS CHIEF SAID, IN ABOUT NINE MONTHS OVER.
BY THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU'LL HEAR FROM US.
>> MUCH QUICKER THAN THE LAST ONE, ESPECIALLY LIKE WE HAD IN OUR CONSENT CALENDAR WAS THE GENERAL PLAN 2, TO COME A YEAR [OVERLAPPING].
>> I APPRECIATE THAT AND APPRECIATE MAKING IT GO FAST.
>> I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS TIMELY.
IT'S A PERFECT TIMING TO GET THIS GRANT AND HOPEFULLY, IT OPENS THE DOORS FOR OTHER GRANTS, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN TO THE DEVASTATION OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES, WE NEED TO BE READY AS READY AS WE CAN BE AND SOME COMMUNITIES WEREN'T, AND THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO SAY, OKAY, LAVERNE, HERE YOU ARE.
LET'S DO IT. LET'S GET OUR DUCKS IN A ROW, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE PROPER.
THEN IF WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT, AS MR. BOWEN POINTED OUT, WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR BUDGET TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE OR GET MORE GRANT MONEY, WHICH IS EVEN BETTER.
>> IF I CAN TOUCH ON THAT, JUST FOR CONTEXT, THE GENERAL PLAN IS A VERY GLOBAL HOLISTIC PLAN FOR THE CITY.
THIS HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN WILL ULTIMATELY BE ADOPTED TO GO LIVE IN WITH THE PLAN FROM THE SAFETY COMPONENT.
RESPECTIVE TO THE OTHER QUESTION THAT MR. BOWEN HAD, CAN'T SPEAK TO WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET IT UPDATED.
WHEN I CAME ON BOARD AND BOB WAS THE CITY MANAGER, BOB RUSSI, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND IT WAS AN INTENT EVEN BACK AT THAT POINT.
THE REALITY IS THAT AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO DO.
CONSULTANTS COST A LOT OF MONEY.
WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PLAN, BUT OBVIOUSLY, THE GOAL WAS TO SEEK FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>> PLUS YOU HAVE STAFF IN PLACE NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS VERY WELL AND GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO WE HAD TWO FIRE STATIONS, ONLY TWO, NOT THREE.
WE HAD A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AND WE WERE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION THAN WE WERE BEFORE.
>> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT PART OF THE REASON.
ANDREA'S POSITION WAS SHE STARTED AS A PART-TIME CLERICAL SUPPORT.
>> WE HIRED HER ON. SHE'S BEEN A WONDERFUL ASSET.
REALLY, THIS CITY HAS NOT PURSUED GRANTS AND LEGISLATIVE ITEMS LIKE WE DO NOW, AND IT IS LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE POSITION THAT YOU GUYS APPROVED AND ANDREA GOING AT IT WITH, DON'T GET IN HER WAY.
BUT ALSO THIS HAS BEEN STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, SO NOT JUST WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH LONNIE SHIPMAN AND FRED ST. ANGE, BUT IN PUBLIC WORKS WITH JOE VIERYA AND COLIN PURDY.
GOING FORWARD, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMUNICATION. THAT'S A GREAT THING.
>> PLUS, I THINK ALSO OUR AFFILIATIONS WITH THE COG AND WITH THEIR FIREWISE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING WORKING WITH THEM.
I THINK THAT HELPS A LOT. I HOPE THEY'VE BEEN HELPFUL TO YOU.
CALCOG SOON, HOPEFULLY, THAT HELPS TOO, SO WE CAN GET THOSE THINGS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE FUTURE AND GET MORE AND MORE OF THESE.
OF COURSE, WITH THE TALENT POOL WE HAVE, IT'S JUST AMAZING.
THANK YOU GUYS. VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR STAFF? BY THE WAY, I APPRECIATE THE BIDDING PROCESS.
I'VE ALWAYS SAID BEFORE. YOU DID IT WELL, YOU EXPLAINED IT WELL.
WE'RE ABLE TO READ IT, UNDERSTAND, AND EVEN IF THE PRICE WAS A LITTLE MORE, THERE WAS AN EXPLANATION OF WHY, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THE TECHNICAL SKILLS, AND ALSO THE SUPPORTIVE STAFF THAT OVERVIEWED THE CONTRACTORS WERE VERY EXTENSIVE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE WE REALLY TOOK OUR TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND PICK OUT WHICH WAS THE BEST FIT FOR US AND FOR STAFF, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A COHESIVE GROUP. KUDOS TO YOU GUYS.
>> WITH THAT. IS THERE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT AND ANY AMENDMENTS RELATED HERE TO WITH BLACK & VEATCH AT PRICES BID WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF 158,575 FOR THE UPDATE TO THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AND TO APPROVE RESOLUTION TITLED A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY LAVERNE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING FISCAL YEAR 2024-'25 ADOPTED BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF 158,575 OR LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE? DO I HAVE A MOTION?
>> ITEM 11 WAS MOVED BY CROSBY, SECONDED BY LAU, AND APPROVED 5-0.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, STAFF.
THE FINAL ITEM IS A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION TO INITIATE PROCEEDINGS FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF 406 BASELINE ROAD.
CITY MANAGER, PLEASE CALL FORWARD THE STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL BE REPORTING.
WOULD THAT BE PRINCIPAL PLANNER BOWCOCK?
>> I WOULD SAY IT'S GOING TO BE PRINCIPAL PLANNER CANDICE BOWCOCK.
>> HEY, PATTY, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING TONIGHT. THEY GOT IT ALL.
[02:15:02]
YOU GOT IT ALL. WELCOME, PRINCIPAL PLANNER BOWCOCK.>> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
TONIGHT, I'M PRESENTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION, OR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL LAFCO, TO INITIATE PROCEEDINGS FOR THE ANNEXATION OF 406 BASELINE ROAD INTO THE CITY OF LAVERNE.
THIS RESOLUTION IS A NECESSARY NEXT STEP FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THIS ANNEXATION IN OCTOBER OF 2023, WITH RESOLUTION 23-68, AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 1120, WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE ANNEXATION OF THIS VACANT RESIDENTIAL PARCEL FROM UNINCORPORATED LOS ANGELES COUNTY INTO THE CITY OF LAVERNE.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY OUTSIDE THE CITY'S JURISDICTION BUT FALLS WITHIN LAVERNE'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.
THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS REQUESTED THIS ANNEXATION IN ORDER TO ACCESS LAVERNE WATER SERVICES AND DEVELOP A SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE ON THE SITE.
FOLLOWING THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL, LAFCO REVIEWED OUR ANNEXATION REQUEST AND DETERMINED THAT AN ADDITIONAL RESOLUTION FROM THE CITY IS REQUIRED BEFORE THEY CAN FORMALLY INITIATE THEIR PROCEEDINGS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN FINALIZING THE ANNEXATION PROCESS.
FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, THIS PROJECT STILL QUALIFIES FOR A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION THROUGH CEQA.
THEREFORE, IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TITLED A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAVERNE, CALIFORNIA, REQUESTING THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TO INITIATE PROCEEDINGS FOR ORGANIZATION OF TERRITORY.
I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OF STAFF, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ALSO HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
>> THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL PLANNER BOWCOCK.
>> I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS.
ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THAT WOULD BE A NO. WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK UP TO THE DAIS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR STAFF?
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CANDACE AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW WE HAVE WELCOMED THIS PROPERTY AND THIS FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES TO LAVERNE.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THIS AND YOU'RE PROBABLY REALLY TIRED OF GOING THROUGH THIS.
I CAN SEE THAT IN YOUR FACES AS WELL.
LAFCO MAKES UP THEIR OWN CHOICES LATER ON, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND HOPEFULLY, TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT AND WELCOME YOU BACK IN LAVERNE AGAIN.
>> WHAT'S THE WORD? BUILD BABY BUILD? YES.
>> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOO. [LAUGHTER]
>> THIS IS A PROCESS AND WE UNDERSTAND, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FINAL RESOLUTION OF THIS.
YOU GUYS CAN MOVE ON AND GET THAT THING BUILT AND HAVE A WONDERFUL PLACE THERE.
WITH THAT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COUNCIL? WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TITLED THE RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAVERNE, CALIFORNIA REQUESTING THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES TO INITIATE PROCEEDINGS FOR A REORGANIZATION OF TERRITORY? DO I HAVE A MOTION?
>> ITEM 12 WAS MOVED BY LAU, SECONDED BY CROSBY, AND APPROVED 5-0.
>> CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, GUYS.
GOOD LUCK. MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PARTY WHEN IT'S DONE.
THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS TONIGHT,
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
SO WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.THIS IS A TIME SET ASIDE FOR ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA, BUT WITHIN THE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE BROWN ACT PROHIBITS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM ENGAGING IN DISCUSSION ON ANY ITEM NOT APPEARING ON THE POSTED AGENDA.
HOWEVER, YOUR CONCERNS MAY REFERRED TO STAFF OR PLACED FOR DISCUSSION AT A LATER DATE.
THERE IS A THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT ON PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, THOSE WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS AND ARE PRESENT HERE AT THE CHAMBER CAN COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE [INAUDIBLE].
>> I LIVE ON PEYTON ROAD BEHIND BONITA HIGH SCHOOL.
IT USED TO BE A VERY QUIET STREET, YOU COULD SLEEP AT NIGHT AND GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY.
BUT RECENTLY, THE POOL, THERE'S A MAN THERE THAT LIKES TO ACCESS HIS VOICE, AND WE CAN HEAR IT ALL WAY ON EIGHTH STREET, CAUSING MY TWO DOGS TO GO NUTS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY HE'S YELLING AT THE KIDS THAT RIGHT IN THE POOL.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE CITY OR HAVE TO GO TO LAVERNE COLLEGE TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S DOING WHAT. THAT'S ONE.
I LOVE IT, BUT NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
THEY'RE PLAYING IT AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, THEY'RE THERE AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING, AND MY WIFE AND I GOT TO CLOSE ALL THE DOORS GET THAT BALL BACK AND FORTH, AND THE LANGUAGE IS OUT OF SIGHT.
[02:20:02]
I'VE NEVER HEARD SOME FOUL LANGUAGE IN MY LIFE AND I WAS A TRUCK DRIVER.THEY CAN PUT IT TO SHAME, THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE PLAYING.
WE NEED SOME RESOLUTION TO QUIT THE STREET BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE.
FOLKS ON THE STREET HAVE ASKED ME TO COME.
I THINK I'M THE QUIET ONE, BUT I AM.
THE THIRD ONE IS, IS THE POLICE CHIEF STILL HERE? I WAS HERE BEFORE ABOUT THE ISSUE ON D STREET.
THE CARS BLOCKING PEYTON ROAD.
THEY CAME OUT AND THEY WIDEN THE THING.
NOW, THEY CAN PARK TWO CARS IN THERE, AND WE STILL CAN'T GET IN.
I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE PRESENCE OF THE LAVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE CHECKED WITH THE NEIGHBORS, YET TO SEE THEM.
THE KIDS GET OUT OF SCHOOL ON BONITA BEARCAT ROAD, THEY FLY OUT OF THERE, THE LIGHTS GREEN AND THEY'RE STILL COMING OUT.
IT'S GETTING TO BE A MESS OVER THERE.
I HAVE TO GO TO A DOCTOR AT 8:00, I HAVE TO GET UP AT 7:00 SO I CAN GET OUT TO GO.
THOSE ARE THE THREE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ON THE STREET HAVE.
WE'RE USED TO QUIET AND RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT QUIET. THE LANGUAGE.
ANYBODY CAN COME OVER TO MY HOUSE AT SIX O'CLOCK AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE HAVE THE WATER THING THERE AND IT JUST ECHOES, AND IT'S ONE OF THE MAIN [INAUDIBLE].
I TOLD THEM I'D COME AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
NEXT TIME THERE MIGHT BE MORE OF US.
MY WIFE OF 69 YEARS AT THAT HOUSE, AND SHE DOES NOT LIKE CLOSING THE DOOR, SHE LIKES THEM WIDE OPEN.
GOT TO MAKE HER HAPPY. IF SHE'S NOT HAPPY, I'M NOT HAPPY. [LAUGHTER].
>> DEFINITELY WITH HER. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET TO [OVERLAPPING].
>> IS THERE A PARTICULAR TIME WHEN THAT GENTLEMAN AT THE POOL AROUND [OVERLAPPING]?
>> SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OR THE EVENING?
>> SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
>> HIS VOICE CARRIES ALL THE WAY.
I WALK, I CAN HEAR HIM ON EIGHTH STREET YELLING AT WHOEVER IS IN THE POOL.
IT'S BAD ENOUGH WE LOST THE POOL, IT'S BAD ENOUGH THE DEDICATION SIGN IS GONE, BUT THE POOL IS DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE OF LAVERNE.
WE CAN'T GET INTO IT OR USE IT.
BUT NOW WE GOT TO PUT UP WITH THE NOISE.
I THOUGHT SEVEN O'CLOCK WAS TIME THEY COULD START DOING STUFF, BUT HE'S THERE AT 6:00 YELLING.
PICKLE BALL IS GOING UNTIL 10 O'CLOCK SOMETIMES AT NIGHT.
THEN WE HAVE SOCCER BEHIND THERE TWO NIGHTS A WEEK, AND THAT'S NOISY ALSO.
BUT THEY'RE PLAYING UNTIL 9:00, 9:30.
PEYTON ROAD IS NOT A QUIET STREET NO MORE.
THAT'S IT. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PERRY. APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU HAVE ALL THE EARS ON IT. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK FOR MORE PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMENT? MR. BOWEN. [NOISE]
>> AGAIN, HELLO. SORRY TO TAKE MORE TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO READ THIS FIRST.
PER YOUR OWN RULES, SAYS PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED THROUGH EMAIL, AND I DID THAT LAST WEEK IN OUR LAST MEETING, SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO COME.
BY THE WAY, PARDON ME, I IDENTIFIED YOU AS DISTRICT 4 AND YOU AS DISTRICT 5.
BUT I SENT A NOTE TO BOTH KASH AND THE MAYOR AND COPIED KEN.
"FOR MANY YEARS, OVER 15 AT LEAST, A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHERN LAVERNE HAS HAD TERRIBLE MOBILE SERVICE.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR MANY RESIDENTS FOR A LONG TIME.
ALSO, IN MANY CASES VENDORS CANNOT USE THEIR PHONES OR INTERNET CONNECTIONS TO WORK IN THIS AREA.
I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT A LOT, AND I'M SURE THOSE THAT YOU LIVE UP THERE HAVE TO.
THE RECENT POWER OUTAGE PUT A FOCUS ON THIS PROBLEM FROM A SAFETY ISSUE.
WITH NO POWER AND LIMITED PHONE SERVICE, RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN LAVERNE WERE PUT IN GREAT DANGER QUITE FRANKLY." NO POWER, I LOVE IT.
THE INTERNET SAYS, GO TO THE INTERNET.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE POWER, YOU DON'T HAVE INTERNET, LAST TIME I CHECKED.
I'M REQUESTING A CITY IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS GETTING A TOWER OR SOMETHING.
>> OR ANY OTHER SYSTEM TO OFFER NORMAL MOBILE SERVICE IN THIS CRUCIAL AREA OF THE CITY.
ALL OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY HAVE GREAT MOBILE SERVICE.
WHY NOT US? IT'S BEEN A RUNNING JOKE FOR YEARS.
IT'S NO LONGER A JOKE, BUT A POTENTIAL CRUCIAL LIFELINE FOR MANY CITIZENS UP THERE.
[02:25:03]
PLEASE REQUEST THE CITY IMMEDIATELY ARRANGE FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL LAVERNE RESIDENTS.RESPECTFULLY, RICHARD BOWEN, 42 YEAR RESIDENT.
I WAS TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE READ AND PUT IT IN THE MINUTES, AND IT WAS NOT, SO THAT'S WHY I'M READING IT NOW.
>> THAT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT DOING IT BUT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT IT IN THE MINUTE.
I DO APOLOGIZE. THAT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.
>> BUT IT IS. THERE'S STARLINK.
YOU DRIVE UP WHEELER, YOU TURN ON BIRDIE, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL HANG UP.
IF YOU'RE DRIVING UP ESPERANZA, YOU HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, YOU'RE GONE.
IN AN EMERGENCY, I SAT FOR 48 HOURS WITH NO POWER AND LIMITED PHONE SERVICE.
IF SOMETHING RADICAL HAPPENS UP THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE BAD.
I'VE HEARD ALL THE EXCUSES THAT WELL, YOU HAVE TO GET VERIZON.
THE CITY MANAGER SAID, WELL, CALL YOUR MOBILE COMPANY.
BOY, THE CITY NEEDS TO HELP US.
WE'VE CALLED THOSE PEOPLE FOR YEARS.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, WE'LL GET ANOTHER CARRIER.
HAVE SOMEBODY COME TO YOUR HOUSE, AND THEY CAN'T DO THEIR WORK.
CITY WORKERS CAN'T DO THEIR WORK SOMETIMES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T CONNECT.
IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING; 15, 20 YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH. DONE WITH THAT.
SORRY. ALSO, I WANT TO JUST GO THROUGH THIS SOUND WRITE A, 99 CENT STORE BIG LOTS, TUESDAY MORNING, AND SOON TO BE JOANNE'S FABRICS AND STAPLES.
THESE ARE ALL SALES TAX GENERATORS THAT ARE EITHER CLOSED IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO OR CLOSING IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO REPLACE A TAX BASE WE PUT IN GYMS THAT DON'T GENERATE TAXES, SALES TAX.
WE'VE LOST SIX OF THESE COMPANIES, AND WE'RE LOSING TAX BASE TO THE CITY.
WHO'S IN CHARGE OF NEW COMPANY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF LAVERNE? I HAVE NO CLUE.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE A SALES PERSON FOR THIS CITY.
I HEARD A STORY ABOUT THE RITE AID BUILDING THAT CHICK-FIL-A WANTED TO GO IN THERE.
MY GOD, YOU TALK ABOUT A TAX BASE.
THEY SAID, NO. THERE'S RUMORS ABOUT TRADER JOE'S GOING INTO STAPLES.
IT'D BE GREAT TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE CITY ON WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR REPLACING THESE TAX BASED BUSINESSES.
FINALLY, I'VE TALKED TO TIM A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT A CITY TOWN HALL.
I COME TO THESE MEETINGS, OBVIOUSLY, AND DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE KID AND SAY, WE'VE MET WITH THE MOUNT RUSHMORE LOOK BECAUSE YOU CAN'T RESPOND.
IF IT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM, YOU CAN'T.
BUT CITIZENS WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND THEY WOULD LOVE TO INTERACT WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
TO HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK, INSTEAD OF COMING IN HERE, ME MAKING SPEECHES LIKE THIS, GETTING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BACK AND TRYING TO GET ADDRESSED ISSUES LIKE THIS.
I'M ASKING YOU AGAIN, AND THE CITY PUT TOGETHER SOME QUARTERLY MAYBE TOWN HALL WITH TWO OR LESS OF YOU, HAS TO BE BECAUSE OF BROWN ACT, BUT WHERE YOU COULD JUST TAKE GENERAL QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS THAT ARE WONDERING ABOUT VARIOUS THINGS, A VARIETY OF THINGS.
IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT WOULD BE THAT TOUGH.
AGAIN, I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER DOING THAT, SOMEBODY, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT? WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
BRING YOU BACK TO THE DAYS. COUNCILMAN M. LAU.
[COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]
[02:30:02]
>> I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM HAD SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE SWEARING IN OF THE GIL SENOS, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HIM KUDOS BECAUSE YES, HE DID A GOOD JOB PRESENTING THE SPEECH THAT ANDREW WROTE, BUT HE ALSO DID A GOOD JOB PLUGGING OUR CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE SPENDING MONEY HERE BEFORE THEY LEFT.
>> PEOPLE WENT TO TARGET. THAT'S ALL TIM.
KIDDING ASIDE, IT WAS A REALLY NICE EVENT AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR ELECTEDS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE.
THANK YOU. JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTIFICATIONS.
THERE IS A TRI-CITY MEETING TOMORROW AT 5:00 PM.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE DURING THE STUDY SESSION MET ONSEN PLACID, WHO IS OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GET INVOLVED WITH TRI-CITY.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN FUNDING THAT ALLOWS FOR FUNDING TO BE USED.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE WANT TO SEE THAT FUNDING UTILIZED.
PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEBSITE.
THERE ARE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD EVEN IF YOU CAN'T COME TO THE MEETING ITSELF.
THERE'S ALSO A YFAC MEETING NEXT TUESDAY AT 5:00 PM.
THAT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE AS WELL AND THAT HAPPENS IN THIS ROOM.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN OPINING OR PARTICIPATING IN THE YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO AND YOU'RE AGREEING AT ME, WE ARE HAVING ONE. THANK YOU.
THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I JUST WANTED TO THROW OUT A COUPLE OF THANK YOUS AND RECOGNITIONS TO CHIEF GONZALEZ.
HE CAME TO THE CASIE MEETING BEGINNING OF THE MONTH AND DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING THE ROLE OF THE POLICE, PARTICULARLY IN THIS FRAUGHT TIME WHERE FOLKS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ICE OR IMMIGRATION AND WHAT IS OR ISN'T ALLOWED OR WHAT'S LEGAL OR NOT.
I THINK CHIEF HE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB MAKING THOSE EXPLANATIONS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND HELPING TO ALLAY FEARS.
I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE IN A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE OUR POLICE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY ARE PART OF THAT OUTREACH, AND I WANT TO THANK CASIE FOR HAVING THAT INVITE OUT TO HIM AND SHOWING THAT PARTNERSHIP.
JUST MOST RECENTLY, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SAY THANK YOU TO JA ALVARADO.
FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HE GOT SOME ACCOLADES FROM ONSEN PLACID TONIGHT ABOUT HOW WELL OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH WORKS WITH TRI-CITY.
I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE AND LIVE HERE, WHO ARE COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS AND CARE ABOUT OTHERS. THANK YOU.
PLEASE RELAY MY THANKS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
HAPPY FEBRUARY, CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALREADY MID FEB.
HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GOOD ONE. HAPPY REST OF THE MONTH.
THANK YOU AND AS ALWAYS BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR M. LAU. COUNCILOR RICK CROSBY.
>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
KASH IS GETTING IT TO 68 TONIGHT.
LAST FRIDAY, I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND DIRECTOR YVONNE DURAN.
WE HAD THE SWEETHEART DANCE FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS.
THE DANCE PRIOR TO THIS HAD APPROXIMATELY 90 PEOPLE THAT WENT THERE.
ON FRIDAY, THERE WERE 130 PEOPLE THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE GIVING UP THEIR VALENTINE'S DANCE TO MAKE THESE AWESOME INDIVIDUALS A GREAT VALENTINE.
THE NEXT DANCE IS ON AUGUST 10TH, THE LUAU DANCE. IT WAS HANDED OUT.
THE ONE WORRIES SOME OF ME IS THAT THERE WERE 45 TICKETS SOLD PRE AND THE REST WERE SOLD AT THE DOOR.
WE GOT TO GET PEOPLE TO BUY THEM BEFOREHAND BECAUSE THE CAPACITY IS GOING TO GET FULL AND WE DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO COME UP THINKING THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING TO A DANCE, AND THEN THEY CAN'T BECAUSE IT'S FULL.
BUT A GREAT JOB THAT OUR REC DEPARTMENT IS DOING.
POLLY DID AN AMAZING JOB TONIGHT SHOWCASING THE NEW WEBSITE.
WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH ON MY PHONE, ONE PIECE STOOK OUT, AND IT'S A SERVICE THAT WE DO, AND OUR RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW ALWAYS ABOUT THE SERVICE IS THE VACATION HOUSE CHECK SERVICE.
THE FORM IS THERE ON YOUR PHONE WEBSITE.
YOU HAVE TO TURN THAT FORM IN PERSON TO LVPD, AND THEN OUR GREAT RSVPS WILL COME AROUND AND CHECK ON YOUR HOUSE IF YOU'RE AWAY ON VACATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
YOU CAN'T THERE, BUT THEY WILL CHECK ON YOURS.
THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THERE. THEY DON'T DO THAT.
[02:35:05]
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S KNOWN.ON FEBRUARY 6TH, I WANT TO THANK THE BIRTHDAY MAYOR FOR APPOINTING ME AND REAPPOINTING ME TO THE LA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSION WITH THE LA COUNTY SELECTION COMMITTEE.
FOR OUR NEXT MEETING IS TOMORROW.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. STILL ON IT.
THE BOY SCOUTS FUNDRAISER, BLAZE PIZZA, FEBRUARY 28TH, AND RUBIO'S MARCH 26TH THAT THE PEOPLE WEREN'T ON EARLIER TODAY.
THEN MY LAST SHOUT OUT IS TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
KRISTI, AND YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT IS DO AN AMAZING JOB.
I KNOW WHEN I CALL AND ASK FOR THINGS, YOU GAVE ME ANSWERS RIGHT AWAY.
REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWERING BACK SAME DAY.
REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I KNOW IT IS NOT AN EASY JOB AND APPRECIATE YOU IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
YOU HELP KEEP THE CITY KEEP RUNNING.
REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL RICK CROSBY.
COUNCIL KASH. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT.
YOU GOT ONE MORE YEAR ME AND FUN. DID YOU SEE STEVE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID? I SAID COUNCIL KASH, IT'S ALL YOU.
YEAH, BUDDY. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LET GO THIS ONE. WOULD YOU TAKE ONE, PLEASE.
>> YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME A CAKE?
>> ANYBODY. THERE YOU GO. WE CAN PUT SOMETHING HERE.
A LITTLE BIT HERE. YOU GUYS CAN JUST INDULGE YOUR COMMENTS.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU GOD FOR EVERYTHING WE HAVE.
I WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> YEAH. MAN, YOU NEED A WHOLE LOT OF JESUS.
>> THAT'S OKAY. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT I DO? I THANK YOU FOR WHOLE YEAR FOR JUST ALWAYS YOUR SUPPORT, MAN.
OUR BIRTHDAYS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE YOU JUST AS ONE YEAR AROUND THE SUN, YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO WISH ALL THE MAYOR A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND THAT WILL GET ME TO 69.
THAT'S ONE YEAR THAT'LL GET ME TO THE 68 + 1 BECAUSE JUST IN CASE, AND WE'LL DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KASH.
YOU'RE CRAZY, BUT I LOVE YOU MAN.
>> I DON'T KNOW. HERE, YOU MAY KNOW WAVE THAT AROUND.
>> THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL ATTENDING AND MR. BOWEN, WE DO TAKE EVERYTHING YOU SAY SERIOUS.
THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WE NEED TO DEAL WITH, BUT IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST A PHONE CALL THAT TAKES A LOT OF PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
BUT THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WITH I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT VERY HARD.
WE'VE GOT UNFORTUNATELY, OUR DOT COM AND OUR AMAZON HAS BASICALLY PUT TO BED MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES.
WE'VE GOT SOME BIG BOX STORES.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A TRACTOR SUPPLY.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A CHICK-FIL-A, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SERIOUSLY START WORKING ON THOSE THINGS BECAUSE AND WE ARE PART OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, WHICH THEY DO A VERY GOOD JOB.
WHEN WE WERE AT OUR SWEARING IN CEREMONY, I HAD A VERY SERIOUS CONVERSATION WITH THE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP CEO, AND WE HAVE SOME FRIENDS ON THERE NOW FROM PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS THAT.
MATHEW LYONS IS NOW ONE OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, AND I MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT ALL OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY SOME HELP.
WE NEED TO BRING IN PEOPLE AND THOSE LANDOWNERS THAT HAVE BRING IN SOME GOOD VENDORS, WHETHER IT BE CLOTHING STORES, WHETHER IT BE RETAIL OUTLETS.
WE NEED TO FILL THE SPACE BECAUSE WE NEED THE TAX.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT AND IT'S VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. YOU HAVE A COMMENT.
>> I TOTALLY FORGOT. I'M SO SORRY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO PUBLIC WORKS, CODY, AND ALL OF YOU FOLKS WHO HELPED DEAL WITH LAKE LORDSBURG IN THE LORDSBURG HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION THE OTHER NIGHT.
>> LAKE LORDSBURG, I WOULD SAY, LIKE 6-10 INCHES OF WATER.
>> IT WAS DEEP. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP IN MAKING SURE THAT THAT COMMUNITY WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
PLEASE RELAY MY THANKS TO PUBLIC WORK.
>> THANK YOU. DON'T FORGET THE BACK OF THE AGENDA HAS ALL THE UPCOMING EVENTS.
TOMORROW IS A RECYCLING ORGANICS PUBLIC WORKSHOP, COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL AT CITY HALL AT 5:00 PM.
[02:40:02]
VERY EXCITING. YOU NEED TO BE HERE.ALSO, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, NEXT WEEK, AD HOC WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING AT CITY HALL, AND YOU CAN LOOK ON THERE.
BUT ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE GET A HOLD OF OUR CITY.
MR. DOMER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANT TO REPORT ON BEFORE I MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM? I CAN DO THAT.
>> WITH THAT, OUR NEXT REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE MONDAY, MARCH 3RD.
STUDY SESSION AND OUR CLOSED SESSION WILL START AT 5:30 PM AND THE REGULAR MEETING WILL START AT 6:30 PM.
AS A REMINDER UPCOMING EVENTS, AGAIN, ARE ON THE POST ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE AGENDA.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL RECESS INTO CLOSED SESSION.
ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY PORTER, DO YOU EXPECT ANY REPORT OUT FROM COUNCIL ON THE ITEMS AND CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS FOR THE RECORD?
>> I DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE ANYTHING TO DISCLOSE, BUT I WILL IN THAT THERE ARE TWO ITEMS. WE'VE GOT THE CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS, GOVERNMENT.
549576 AND CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNCIL EXISTING LITIGATION PUT TO GOVERNMENT 969.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE SESSION, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK OR ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL ON THE ITEMS, OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE WISH TO SPEAK ON THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. I DIDN'T THINK SO.
WITH THAT, WE RECESS IN A CLOSED SESSION.
[CLOSED SESSION]
WE WILL NOT BE REPORTING OUT.THANK YOU ALL TONIGHT FOR ATTENDANCE.
WE ARE RECESSING AT 8:29 PM. THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.