Nov 18, 2019 City Council

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:08]

CALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. WE CAN ALL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

[4. PRESENTATIONS Phillip Verbera, Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Office will be presenting a slide presentation on the County’s new Voting Solutions for all People (VSAP)system.]

SO THAT'S THE GIST OF THE NEW VOTING SYSTEM. A COUPLE OF HIGH LEVEL THINGS A COUPLE OF TAKEAWAYS I LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY IS THAT THIS IS A PAPER BASED VOTING SYSTEM. WE'RE STILL VOTING ON A PAPER BALLOT. THE DEVICE YOU SEE WHAT IS A TOUCH SCREEN IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. IT IS NOT NETWORKED IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. IT IS SIMPLY A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE MUCH THE SAME WAY THE LITTLE PIN IN SCANTRON WE USE NOW IS A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE. WHEN WE REVAMPED THE SYSTEM THIS HAS BEEN A 10 YEAR PROCESS. WE BROKE IT DOWN TO JUST SEVEN NEW COMPONENTS. WE ARE NOW MOVING TO ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS NOW THAT WILL HAVE THE THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO OFFER CONDITIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION WHAT THE PUBLIC IS REFERRING TO A SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION. WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS A MODERN TALLY SYSTEM. NO LONGER DO WE HAVE TO TAKE ALL THE BALLOTS AND RESORTED BY PRECINCT MODERN TALLY SYSTEM WE'LL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THEM WHICH SPEEDS UP THE TOTAL PROCESS WE HAVE AS YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO AN INTERACTIVE SAMPLE BALLOT WHICH IS AN OPTION IT'S OPTIONAL BUT IT DOES GIVE US GIVE OUR MILLENNIALS WHO OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD THAT WE WANT TO VOTE ON OUR PHONES AND WE SAID NO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. BUT NOW WE HAVE AN OPTION FOR THEM ALSO THE BRAND NEW BALLOT MARKING DEVICE WHICH HAS BEEN CREATED PROGRAMMED EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE. L.A. COUNTY ALL DONE AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE FIRST GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN THE NATION TO TAKE ON SUCH A TASK. A GREAT THING THAT THE VOTERS HAVE DONE IS HAVE EXTENDED THE VOTING PERIOD.

YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT. SO NOW AS OPPOSED TO FILTER BACK TO THE VOTER HAVING ONE

[00:05:01]

THE VOTE CENTERS WERE ALL IDENTIFIED BY THE MEMBERS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. AND FINALLY WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW VOTE BY MAIL EXPERIENCE. I DO WANT TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT WHILE THE LAW HAS CHANGED. ANYBODY CAN SUBMIT YOUR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT FOR YOU PLEASE ONLY SURRENDER THAT TO SOMEONE YOU ABSOLUTELY TRUST PLEASE YOU ONLY GET ONE BALLOT AND IF YOU'RE GIVING IT AWAY TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T TRUST YOU COULD ACTUALLY LOSE THAT VOTE. MCCULLOUGH A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS TO NOTIFY YOUR VOTERS SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR ON THE BALLOT NEXT YEAR IS THE BALLOT ORDER WILL BE REVERSED. SINCE CITIES HAVE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE COUNTY ON ALL ELECTIONS WE'VE PASSED A LAW THAT STATES LOCAL ELECTIONS WILL COME FIRST. SO I WANT THE RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS THEY GO INTO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT WE'RE CREATURES OF HABIT AS VOTERS. THE FIRST THING WE EXPECT TO SEE AS PRESIDENT I WANT PEOPLE I KNOW YOU GAVE ME THE WRONG BALLOT. PRESIDENTIAL PRINCE CENTRAL VOTES WILL BE UP AND OUR LOCAL CONTESTS WILL BE AT THE BEGINNING. I'VE USED UP THE BULK OF MY FIVE MINUTES IS THERE ANY TIME FOR QUESTIONS YOU GIVE ME I'M LIKE I KNOW. YES MA'AM. AT THE TOP BEFORE THAT PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IS IT IT'S STILL A RANDOM DRAW AS IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST. HOWEVER THE LOCAL CONTESTS IN GENERAL WILL BE LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE BALLOT. YES AWESOME. I SEE A WORD HAS ALREADY GOT HERE AND WE'RE ALL READY TO GO WITH THE NEW SYSTEM. I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE LOCAL LIBRARY WE ORGANIZE THE DAY AND WE GET SOME PHOTO SHOOTS IN THERE AND MAKE SURE HE'S DOING FACEBOOK LIVE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. ONE LAST QUESTION. DO YOU HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHERE THE VOTING CENTERS IN LA VERNE ARE GOING TO BE. WE'VE POSTED THEM. I DIDN'T CHECK FOR THE VOTING CENTERS. I DO KNOW THE DEMO. DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE. OK I KNOW THERE'S FIVE THAT WERE RECOMMENDED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT ACTUALLY MET ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS. I WILL FOLLOW UP AND I WILL SEND THAT INFORMATION TO LUPUS. THAT WAY YOU GUYS KEEP POSTING IN ADVANCE. VOTERS WILL BE NOTIFIED ON THEIR SAMPLE BALLOT AS USUAL. HOWEVER RATHER THAN GIVING THE NEAREST ONE THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO. WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE 11 DAY VOTE CENTER AND WE'LL TRY AND INCLUDE TWO FOUR DAY VOTE CENTERS BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SOME SMALLER VOTE CENTERS.

HOW MANY ARE YOU ADDING AT THE END AND THE FOUR DAYS THE INITIAL IN THE INITIAL TIME WE'LL ONLY HAVE 250 THE FINAL FOUR DAYS WILL GO ALL THE WAY UP TO 1000. OKAY.

YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OK WE'LL MOVE

[5. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS]

THANK YOU ROY. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS UPCOMING EVENTS. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY PREBBLE AND I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH PRICELESS PET RESCUE AND WE ARE IN CLERMONT CALIFORNIA. AND THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING AN UPCOMING HOLIDAY HOME TOUR AND IT IS ON NOVEMBER THE 30TH SATURDAY AT 10 A.M. AND WE WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT. WE'RE HAVING A PET RESCUE. WE ARE HAVING ADOPTIONS. WE HAVE A PET PETTING ZOO AS WELL AS PICTURES FOR SANTA CLAUS. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT PRICELESS PETS JUST LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT. WE HAVE THREE CENTERS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO IN TO AND ADOPT ONE IN CLAREMONT. CHINO HILLS AND COSTA MESA. WE ALSO HAVE AFFILIATIONS WITH PETSMART IN CHINO HILLS AND THE LITTLEST PET SHOP IN WRIGHTWOOD CALIFORNIA. AND IN MARCH WE OPENED UP THE VERY FIRST EVER IN THE INLAND EMPIRE CAT CAFE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND YOU CAN IN THE TOWN YOU CAN SHOW THE CATS. WE HAVE INTERNET. YOU COULD DO YOUR HOMEWORK. YOU COULD DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. AND THE CATS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION THERE AS WELL. SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS COSTS A LOT OF MONEY. SO WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE GRACE MANOR APPLAUDS BERG AS OUR FEATURED HOME DURING THE TOUR. SO COME ON OUT AND SEE US AND THERE'S NO CHARGE TO ACTUALLY GET INTO THE

[00:10:06]

[6. CONSENT CALENDAR]

[a. Placement of Sales Tax Measure on March 3, 2020 Ballot]

[00:15:04]

THE PASSING OF THIS TAX MEASURE WILL ENSURE THE PRESERVATION OF THAT PRACTICE AND HELP BUILD THE CITY AND BECOMING EVEN BETTER THAN IT ALREADY IS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THE CITY DOES NOT APPLY THE TAX INCREASE THIS WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO DO SO AND AT THE SAME RATE FOR THAT MATTER IF THE COUNTER IF THE COUNTY WERE TO LEVY THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE FOR LIVING RESIDENTS WE AS A CITY WOULD ONLY SEE APPROXIMATELY 10 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR OF WHAT IS COLLECTED FROM US. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP LA VERNE MONEY IN LA VERNE AS SOME OF YOU KNOW I'M NOT JUST THE PRESIDENT OF THE LA VERNE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE. I LIVE HERE AND I RAISE MY FAMILY HERE. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. IT'S NOT THE CHEAPEST PLACE TO LIVE IN TOWN OR IN THE AREA BUT IT'S A PLACE THAT I GREW UP WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING ON VALUES INTEGRITY MORAL GOOD MORALS SO I SUPPORT THIS TEST MEASURE FROM MANY PERSPECTIVES AND UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH WE NEED IT. AND I'D LIKE TO FINISH JUST WITH ONE REQUEST. IF THIS TAX MEASURE MAKES IT TO THE BALLOT I ASK ALL OF YOU CONTINUE TO DO YOUR PART IN EDUCATING THE VOTERS OF THIS CITY ON WHY WE NEED THIS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT REALLY IS FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MARK AS. JERRY NORIEGA THANK YOU. LET ME BEGIN FIRST BY SAYING I AM A RESIDENT HERE. I AM AN EX POLICE OFFICER AND I AM MARRIED TO A FIREMAN. I DO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC SERVICES. MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE I STAND

[00:20:06]

THEREFORE IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON ATTRACTING BUSINESSES THAT GENERATE REVENUES FOR THE CITY BE IMPLEMENTED AN AGGRESSIVE AND CREATIVE MANNER. PLEASE SHARE WHAT STEPS THE CITY WILL BE TAKING TO ENSURE THAT EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO ATTRACT A HEALTHY REVENUE STREAM FROM THE LOCAL ECONOMY. QUALITY OF LIFE IS A MAJOR FACTOR WHEN COMPANIES DECIDE TO COME TO A CITY OR EXPAND AN EXISTING OPERATION. IT IS A MAJOR FACTOR WHEN RESIDENTS CHOOSE TO LIVE IN A CITY. INVESTMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT LA VERNE ALWAYS MAINTAINS A THRIVING AND POSITIVE QUALITY OF LIFE SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE PRIORITY. AS I SAID I HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER I WOULD SUPPORT THIS MEASURE OR NOT BUT I HOPE THE CITY WILL ACT IN AN EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER WITH THOSE FUNDS. IF YOU DO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MAJOR THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE

[00:25:07]

THE CITY LA VERNE IS CURRENTLY OPERATING WITH NO RESERVES AND FACING BUDGETS THAT FACE DEFICIT BUDGETS IN THE FUTURE WITHOUT NEW REVENUE. THIS OPERATING SHORTFALL WILL POTENTIALLY INCREASE PROPOSED TO TWENTY FOUR POINT TWO MILLION AS THE CITY IS RELEASED BY 2029 CALIFORNIA STATE LAW PLACES A CAP AT TEN POINT TWO FIVE. IF WE WISH TO SEE OUR THRIVING BUSINESS COMMUNITY HELP SECURE AND IMPROVE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY SERVICES BY RAISING THE CURRENT SALES TAX OF 9 5 BY THREE QUARTERS PERCENT TO THEM 10 TO 5. THIS ACTUALLY SHIFTS THE TAX BURDEN AWAY FROM RESIDENTS AND IT ALLOWS PATRONS AND VISITORS OF OUR FINE CITY TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE SERVICES THEY ENJOY WHEN THEY'RE HERE AS WELL. MULTIPLE OTHER COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND STATE ENTITIES SUCH AS AQIM D OR I ARE ALREADY LOOKING TO CLAIM THAT LAST THREE QUARTERS OF A PERCENT AND WITHOUT ACTION THESE FUNDS WILL THEN BECOME UNAVAILABLE IN PERPETUITY TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE. WE NEED TO SECURE OUR LOCAL TAX DOLLARS AND KEEP THEM UNDER LOCAL CONTROL. SECURE OUR COMMUNITY AND SUSTAIN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT NEEDS OUR SUPPORT AND ALSO WE NEED TO SECURE OUR CITY'S FINANCIAL FUTURE. I MYSELF AS A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE HAVE PERSONALLY WORKED WITH CITIZENS AND OTHER SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND HELP THEM SECURE THEIR OWN LOCAL TAX DOLLARS. IT'S TIME THAT WE CLAIM THESE STARS BEFORE THE STATE OR THE COUNTY CAN. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THOSE MONEY. THE COUNTY IS ALREADY LOOKING AT RAISING IT TO 10 TO 5 IN NOVEMBER. SO YOU MAY HATE TAXES. I DON'T CARE HOW CONSERVATIVE YOU ARE. ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T CARE HOW CONSERVATIVE ANYONE MAY BE. THEY WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THAT MONEY STAY IN OUR TOWN. I KNOW THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO KEEP THESE DOLLARS HERE BEFORE THEY'RE GONE FOREVER. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE AMENDS WITH ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICE THAT DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO THE PEOPLE WE THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO TO ANYBODY IN THE COUNCIL OR STANDING BEHIND ME PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TALK TO ME I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON THE MATTER AND HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND HELP US SECURE LA VERNE. THANK YOU JEREMY. JEREMY YOU GIVE US YOUR LAST NAME. I'M SORRY SIR JEREMY CONRAD. THANK YOU. YES. MY NAME IS LEONARD TONIGHT AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION. JEREMY AND OTHERS HAVE SAID THAT THERE'S THERE'S A BLUE UNDERNEATH. SHOULD I FILL IT OUT. NOT BEFORE. BUT JUST FILL IT OUT FOR IT. MY NAME IS KATHERINE LEONARD. I'VE BEEN IN LIVER RESIDENTS SINCE 2004. HELLO HELLO. TO SPEAK. MY QUESTION TO COUNCIL. MY QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION IS THE TEN POINT TWO FIVE WHICH WERE BEING SCARED INTO THINKING WE'LL BE TAKEN WITH THE THREE QUARTER RACE THAT WE'LL WE WON'T SEE WE WON'T GET THE COUNTY HAS TO PUT THEM ON THE BALLOT IS THAT NOT TRUE. THOSE THOSE QUESTIONS WILL BE ADDRESSED AT THE END OF THIS. SO YOU MIGHT BE ANSWERED. SO I THINK BASICALLY MY POSITION IS NO NEW TAXES PERIOD. I THINK AT SOME POINT WE SAY WE'VE BEEN TAXED ENOUGH AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN TAXED ENOUGH WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER PLACES IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR UNITED STATES AND I THINK I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID THIS IS ENOUGH. AND BUDGET DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH IT. I SUPPORT POLICE AND I WAS A TEACHER SO I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TAXATION AND TAXES TO PROVIDE THE REVENUE FOR THOSE SERVICES.

[00:30:03]

THIS IS THE BEST ROUND OF OF COMMENTS THAT I THINK WE'VE HEARD IN THIS IN THIS ROOM IN A LONG LONG TIME. GREAT ARGUMENTS. I STAND WITH MANY OF THEM I DON'T WANT TO SEE MORE TAXES. BUT WHAT DOES CONCERN ME IS WHAT'S BEHIND US. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY CAN PUT THIS ON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO YET BUT IT IS A POSSIBILITY. I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD IN THE CITY I WANT TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU AS YOU VOTE TONIGHT WHETHER TO PUT THIS ON THE ON THE BALLOT OR NOT IS THAT MOST RESIDENTS THAT I'VE TALKED TO ABOUT THE TAX INCREASE BECAUSE WE'VE ALL GOT THE FLYERS THAT CAME OUT MOST OF THE COMMENTS ARE COMING BACK TO THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. SHE COULD DO US A BIG FAVOR BY TELLING US WHAT THAT STRUCTURE IS WHAT THE ROLE IS AND HOW THAT PROCESS WOULD PLAY OUT. WHAT INPUT THE CITIZENS WOULD HAVE TO WHERE THOSE MONEYS ARE SPENT. I THINK THAT HAS A BIG IMPACT ON WHETHER PEOPLE VOTE YES OR NO ON THIS INITIATIVE. SECONDLY THE COST OF PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT I JUST SPOKE TO SOME FOLKS IN GLEN IN CLAREMONT. YOU KNOW BEFORE I STAND UP I DO A LOT OF RESEARCH. SO I CALLED CLAREMONT SEE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THEIRS. THEY THEY VOTED IT DOWN BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND WHAT I UNDERSTOOD PHONEMIC COST THEM TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. SO FOR A CITY THAT STRAPPED FOR CASH TO SPEND TWO HUNDRED SIXTY GRAND OR A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS TO FIND OUT THAT THE CITIZENS TURNED IT DOWN IS PRETTY TOUGH. SO I'D ASK YOU TO REALLY CONSIDER WHAT THAT COST WILL BE AND LET US KNOW WHAT THAT IS. AND THEN THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP BECAUSE WE'VE I'VE SEEN SOCIAL MEDIA BACK AND FORTH ON THIS ISSUE ON NEXT DOOR. THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE FEAR FACTOR THAT YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING THIS OUT IS FEAR THAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO TAKE THIS MONEY OFF IF LA VERNE DOESN'T SAY YOU BETTER PONY UP TO LA VERNE OR YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IT TO THE COUNTY. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS ARTICLE OUT FROM THE SAN GABRIEL TRIBUNE CAME OUT IN EARLY OCTOBER. THE L.A. COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FOR ONE POINT FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK GOD WE ARE A CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS LOOKING FOR ONE POINT FOUR BILLION THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A PARTIAL TAX IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS IN MARCH OR NOVEMBER AND THAT'S GOING TO HIT EVERYBODY FOR AT LEAST 100 BUCKS IN ADDITION TO TAXES. SO IF YOU THINK THE COUNTY IS NOT STRAPPED READ THIS ARTICLE ONE POINT FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IS WHAT THE COUNTY IS LOOKING FOR FOR FIRE ALONE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM YES SIR EVENING BRIAN MARKEY TWENTY TWO FIFTY NINE THIRD STREET. MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT SAFEGUARDS DOES THE CITY HAVE AS FAR AS YOU BEING CITY COUNCIL. WHAT SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT THE COUNTY OR THE CITY OR THE REST OF THE STATE FROM PILFERING THE TAX MONEY AFTER IT'S ALREADY APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED. SO WHAT SAFEGUARDS DO WE HAVE. IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT AND OTHER WHERE. ANOTHER THING IS I'M KIND I'LL BE I'LL JUMP ON BOARD AND BE IN FAVOR OF THE TAX INCREASE. RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SAVE 2 PERCENT IF YOU JUST WANT TO GO DOWN THE ROAD UP. SO IF THREE QUARTERS OF A PERCENT IS A BIG DECIDING FACTOR YOU KNOW THERE'S OPTIONS. SO WE DO THAT AND ALSO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW HAVE NO PROBLEM SPENDING AN EXTRA DOLLAR ON FOR DOLLAR A CUP OF COFFEE OR 20 PERCENT ON A MEAL THEY JUST THROW THAT MONEY OUT THERE SO IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP THE CITY GONE I GREW UP HERE. I WENT TO RAMONA I WENT TO BENITA. IT'S BEEN A GREAT CITY AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT DEFINES US FROM THE REST OF THE CITIES LIKE POMONA AND EVERYBODY ELSE. SO IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. BUT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GIVE IT A GOOD HARD THOUGHT AND SEE WHAT SAFEGUARDS WE HAVE TO PREVENT SOMEBODY ELSE FROM PILFERING THE MONEY WHICH WE ALL KNOW THEY WILL SOLVE. THANKS. THANK YOU AS ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM YES SANTA ANDERSON. I'M TOTALLY AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE. SURPRISE RIGHT. I'VE BEEN UP

[00:35:03]

AND THAT'S IT. YOU PAY THEM FIRST. OUR FIREFIGHTERS OUR POLICE OFFICERS NEED TO BE AT THE CORRECT WAGES AND GET THE CORRECT BENEFITS. AND THAT'S THAT'S HOW IT IS. THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND WE HAVE GOOD PEOPLE IN THE CITY. MR. CASEY ANTHONY AND I EVEN HAD A GOOD SITUATION HERE WITH OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHO HELPED ME FIGURE OUT SOMETHING AFTER 33 YEARS OF LIVING HERE IN MY FAVOR. SO THESE PEOPLE WE'VE MADE AGREEMENTS WITH THEM AND WE BETTER DAMN KEEP THOSE AGREEMENTS WITH THEM. THEY HAVE. THEY HAVE WHEN THEY CAME HERE TO WORK WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THEM AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING FOR THOSE OF THESE PEOPLE. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS START CUTTING THINGS AND I'VE BEEN UP HERE BEFORE TALKING ABOUT THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. WE DON'T NEED AN EXTRA ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION KITTY COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW. LA VERNE IS FINE. THESE THINGS ARE JUST GREAT IF WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND WE CAN DO IT. WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY OR WE WOULDN'T BE ASKING FOR A TAX INCREASE. JUST FORGET THAT WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE OUR OUR STRATEGY RIGHT NOW OR CHANGE ANYTHING IN OUR CITY. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS PAY OUR BILLS FIX THINGS WHEN THEY NEED TO GET FIXED. AND FOR GOD SAKES PAY THE EMPLOYEES WHAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY ARE DO. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE CAN'T PLAY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AT LEAST WITH ALL THE OTHER CITIES ARE PAYING. WHY DO WE HAVE TO COLLECT MORE MONEY FOR THEM. BECAUSE WE OVERSPEND ON THINGS WE DON'T NEED. AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE. GET OUT OF THAT SAN GABRIEL COUNCIL OF WHATEVER IT IS. I KEEP FORGETTING WHETHER A CALL COUNCIL OF CITIES OR WHATEVER IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE A CONNECTED TO THE CALIFORNIA SUSTAINABLE CITIES ACT AND THEY PUT MAKE US DO THINGS IN OUR CITIES AND ALL THESE OTHER CITIES THAT WE DON'T NEED. WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED ALL NEW SMART STREETLIGHTS. WE COULD JUST CHANGE THE BULBS. BUT NO THEY WANTED NEW STREET LIGHTS IN ALL THE CITIES AND NOW WE GOT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN NEW STREETLIGHTS. THIS TRANSPORTATION ACT WITH THE BIKE LANES AND ALL THE STUFF I LOOKED AT THE STATISTICS AND 77 PEOPLE IN THE CITY RIDE THEIR BIKES TO WORK. THIS WAS FROM A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP. THIS BIKE THING. WE DON'T NEED THE BIKE LANES. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S FEDERAL MONEY. I'M NOT FOR BUT I'M NOT FOR A TAX INCREASE IN FEDERAL STATE COUNTY OR CITIES. I'M DONE WITH IT. I'M DONE WITH BEING TAXED AND THESE GRANTS THAT WE ARE GETTING I DON'T THINK PAYS FOR THEM. WE DO. WE DON'T NEED THEM TAKE CARE OF THE. TAKE CARE OF THE EMPLOYEES FIRST. PAY OUR BILLS FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE START CUTTING. AND THAT'S. AND BY THE WAY DON'T ASK CITIZENS TO GO TO ANOTHER CITY BECAUSE WE HAVE A TAX INCREASE THAT IS HORRIBLE FOR OUR BUSINESSES TO SAY HORRIBLE SHOULDN'T BE SAYING THAT STUFF. YOU REALLY THINK THE BUSINESSES ARE REALLY GOING TO TELL YOU THEY WANT TO 3 PERCENT. I MEAN A TEN POINT TWO FIVE PERCENT IN OUR CITY. WHEN CLAREMONT IS STILL GONNA BE A TEN POINT FIVE AND AN UP NINE. OH I'M SORRY. NINE POINT FIVE UPWARDS OF SEVEN POINT SEVEN FIVE AND SENDING US IS STILL A NINE POINT FIVE. YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LEAVE THE CITY TO GO PLACES TO SHOP. THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT. WE HAVE TO LIKE THE ONE LADY SAID WE NEED TO PROCURE BUSINESS HERE THAT THE PEOPLE WANT. PLEASE DO A SURVEY ONLINE FIND OUT WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT NEED IN OUR CITY AND SOMEBODY CALLS THE BUSINESSES AND SAY LOOK AT I HAVE A SURVEY HERE. WE WANT YOU HERE. COME AND LOOK AT OUR CITY. START GETTING BUSINESSES HERE THAT AREN'T GOING TO FAIL THAT PEOPLE WILL COME FROM OTHER CITIES TO SHOP HERE AND THAT'S WHERE WE'LL GET A REVENUE ALSO AND THEN CUT THE HELL OUT OF EVERYTHING. WE DON'T NEED IT. WE DON'T NEED IT. WE NEED TO PAY OUR EMPLOYEES FIRST. ALL OF THEM.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS. YES SIR. MY NAME IS RICK BOWEN I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 36 YEARS. I JUST REMEMBER AN OLD SAYING WHEN I WAS A KID IT SAID THE WORDS DON'T MATCH THE MUSIC I'M REFERRING TO THE TWO BROCHURES WE RECENTLY RECEIVED IN THE MAIL AND HEADLINES ARE PROTECT YOUR SAFETY. PROTECT THE REPAIRING IMPROVING

[00:40:07]

AND IF YOU INDULGE ME A MINUTE MAYBE IT'S BEEN CHANGED OR WILL BE CHANGED BUT IT SAYS IN SUMMARY THE THREE QUARTER CENT SALES TAX IS ESTIMATED TO GENERATE THREE POINT ONE MILLION ANNUALLY. MOST MOST OF THE NEW REVENUE WILL BE USED TO MAINTAIN EXISTING SERVICES BY PRESERVING THE COMPENSATION PRACTICES THAT THE CITY THAT I'M. EXCUSE ME. THE COMPENSATION PRACTICE THAT HELPS THE CITY TO MAINTAIN REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN RETAINING AND ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES. THE REMAINING FUN. HERE I FOUND INTERESTING IF ANY WILL BE PROGRAMMED BY THE CITY COUNCILMAN HAT IN HAND CITY SERVICES AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL BE ESTABLISHED THAT WILL BE CHARGED WITH IN SUING THE NEW REVENUE IS USED AS INTENDED. BURKE COUNCIL ADOPTED SPENDING GUIDELINES OBVIOUSLY WRITTEN BY A LAWYER. THESE SPENDING GUIDELINES WILL OUTLINE THE OVERSIGHT PROCESS AND THE INTENDED FUNDING PRIORITIES THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW. SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ALL THIS MONEY GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND AND MAYBE MAYBE IT DOES MAYBE IT DOESN'T. THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD NUMEROUS TIMES PEOPLE SAY. SO IF IT GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND WHAT GUARANTEE AND I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY WHAT GUARANTEE IS THERE NO ONE THIS DOES NOT SAY A CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SAYS AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MAYBE YOU'RE ADDRESSING THAT. BUT WHAT KIND OF GUARANTEE IS IT THAT THE POLICE ARE GOING TO GET ANYTHING. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT. SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS FOR THE CITY IN EFFORT TO BE TRANSPARENT TELL US HOW THE THREE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED. YOU MUST HAVE AN IDEA IF YOU INDICATE THAT MOST OF IT'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT. SO THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. TEN YEARS. THIRTY THREE MILLION.

THIRTY ONE MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND IT.

AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL ADDRESS THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU KATHY NGUYEN. I LIVE AT FOOTHILL TERRORISTS MOBILE PARK AND YOU KNOW I'VE HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE ALL THE MOBILE HOME PARKS AND THE SENIORS IN THE CITY. BUT THIS IS A TAX I CAN'T AFFORD. I MEAN MY SOCIAL SECURITY DOESN'T GO UP THAT MUCH. SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT NEEDS. YOU GUYS NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS MAYBE A LOT OF YOU ARE STILL WORKING BUT I I GOT HURT AT WORK AND HAD TO DO TO RETIRE EARLY. SO I'M LIVING ON A VERY FIXED INCOME AND YOU KNOW IF EVERY TEXAS JUST KEEP RAISING RAISING RATES THEY SAY OH IT'S ONLY TEN DOLLARS A MONTH. IT'S ONLY THIS OR THAT. THAT'S A LOT TO ME.

THAT'S GROCERIES GAS MONEY UTILITIES. SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE SENIORS IN LA VERNE THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO DRESS. FRED THEIR CITY COUNCIL. FRED THOUGHT I TOO WANTED TO ADDRESS WHAT WE GOT IN THE MAIL FROM THE CITY. BOTH BOTH HERE AND LIKE RICK SAID EARLIER ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HONED IN ON WAS THE INDEPENDENCE CITIZENS SINCE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WHICH IS MENTIONED ON BOTH THE BROCHURES BUT IN THE LEGAL FEES THE TWO WORDS THAT WERE LEFT OUT IS INDEPENDENT CITIZENS. I BELIEVE IN LEGAL ESE IT JUST SAYS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. SO HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED TONIGHT JUST FOR THE RECORD I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THE TAXES. I THINK AS AN EARLIER LADY SAID JUST TO START THE EVENING. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. BUT I'M PREPARING FOR THIS TO BE ON THE BALLOT AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE THE

[00:45:07]

[00:50:06]

OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITY WAS PRACTICALLY OVERWHELMED AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ULTIMATELY WENT TO COUNTY. NOW I'M I'M SUGGESTING TO YOU. THE MONEYS THAT WE DERIVE FROM THIS SALES TAX IS MONEY THAT IS NEEDED FOR US JUST TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF WHAT SACRAMENTO SENDS TO US. YOU COULD TAKE THAT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH BUT YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND NOT ALL THE SPENDING THAT GOES ON HERE IN THIS CITY IS BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO UP HERE. WE TRY TO FIGHT EVERYTHING THAT SACRAMENTO SENDS US BUT WE'RE WE'RE AT A DISADVANTAGE. THANK YOU. THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING TO GO OVER BECAUSE NONE OF US LIKE NEW TAXES BUT WE DO LIKE A WELL-RUN CITY AND WE DO LIKE OUR SERVICES. BUT I'M THE FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU I'M A PROPONENT FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY NOT EVERYTHING WE DO IN THE CITY IS PERFECT. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT AND I DO AGREE WITH THAT. AND I UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF OUR SENIORS AND ESPECIALLY OUR MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES WITH FIXED INCOME BUT MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT THERE'S NOT A CITY THAT'S IN TROUBLE BECAUSE OF UNFUNDED LIABILITIES PENSION LIABILITIES. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT AND GET IT DOWN TO AN INTEREST RATE THAT WAS BEARABLE FOR US TO TO BE ABLE TO PAY. AS FAR AS THE AS FAR AS THE THE TAX MEASURE THAT'S NOT AN EASY

[00:55:09]

THERE WILL BE MORE TEETH IN THIS WHEN IT COMES BACK TO US AGAIN. IF WE CHOSE TO CHOOSE TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT. AGAIN I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY THIS IS THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING TO BEAR DOWN ON ALL OF US RESIDENTS INCLUDING MYSELF BUT BEING AT THIS WAS PUT IN EXACTLY AND THAT WAS MY REQUEST. I DO APPRECIATE THAT AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE YES. I HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THAT AND I'LL CONTINUE WITH WHAT TIM'S TALKING ABOUT. MY MICROPHONE IS ON. YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME. I'LL CONTINUE ALONG WITH THAT. ALL OF YOU THAT LIVE IN LA VERNE SAN DIMAS APPROVED SCHOOL BOARD TWO BONDS WITH THEM AND SO YOU'RE PAYING THAT ON YOUR PROPERTY TAXES EVERY YEAR.

NOW IF YOU LOOKED INTO THAT FURTHER YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WERE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE GROUPS ON THAT. I SERVED ON IT. I KNOW MY HUSBAND SERVED ON IT AT A DIFFERENT TIME. TIM SERVED ON IT WITH ME. WE SAW HOW IT WAS DONE AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND IT WORKS WELL THE WAY IT'S SET UP. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WE FOLLOW EXACTLY THE SAME PROCEDURE WHICH I KNOW WE ARE WITH BOB AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS SINCE WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT THIS TAX MEASURE. IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT GIVES THE CITIZENS A CHANCE TO BE INVOLVED UNDERSTAND AND CONVERSE OUT THERE WHAT'S GOING ON. YOU WILL SEE WHAT SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE. YOU WORK WITH THE CITY STAFF WILL BE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THAT INFORMATION WILL WORK BACK AND FORTH. WE HAD MANY MANY MEETINGS WHERE WE HAD INPUT AND QUESTIONS ON SITE SAY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE MEAL BASE THE FOOTBALL FIELD WHAT HAPPENED HOW DID THAT TECHNO TECHNOLOGY GET DONE WITH THE FIRST BOND THAT WE ALL PASSED. SO THOSE WERE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES AND WE ALL PAID FOR THOSE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO I AM VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED FOR OUR CITY. I WANT TO THANK MARK. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO GET UP SOMETIMES AND TALK AS FOR A GROUP BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU AND TO SEE THE SUPPORT OF ALL THE OFFICERS HERE WITH YOU TODAY. THAT MEANS A LOT IT NOBODY LIKES TAXES BUT IT'S NEEDED. AND THE OTHER TOPIC I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE MAIN REASON WE ALL LIVE HERE IN LOWER QUALITY OF LIFE WE TREASURE WHAT WE HAVE HERE. SO MANY PEOPLE TELL ME THEY MOVE HERE BECAUSE OF THEY WANT TO RAISE THEIR FAMILIES. WE KNOW OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS WONDERFUL. WE KNOW THAT OUR CITY IS GREAT. IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN. THERE'S A REASON WE LIVE HERE AND WHY IT'S SO WONDERFUL. OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC SAFETY IS TREMENDOUS. AND THEN WE HAVE THE SUCH AS I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE BIKE LANES BUT I'M SAYING THOSE ARE THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. THERE ARE A LOT OF BIKERS. AND IF THEY'RE COMING FROM OTHER CITIES THROUGH OUR CITY THEY WILL EAT HERE THEY WILL SHOP HERE AND WE WANT THAT. AND THERE'S A LOT MORE BIKERS OUT THERE THAN WE REALLY KNOW. AND WE WANT THEM SAFE AND WE WANT THEM TO FEEL PROUD THAT THEY'RE IN OUR CITY TO THOSE THAT READ THE PAPER ABOUT

[01:00:04]

CHARLIE THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. BUT MORE IMPORTANT THANKS FOR EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE WERE HERE THREE YEARS AGO TALKING ABOUT A TAX MEASURE ABOUT GOING ON AND IT WAS ALL SET ARE READY TO GO ON THE GENERAL ELECTION RIGHT BEFORE OUR MEETING. MEASURE EM AND MEASURE A WE'RE PASSED THAT PRODUCED IN OUR CITY BESIDES MAKING THE GOLD LINE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ON ON AND WE'RE GETTING AND WE'RE GOING TO GET IT. BUT IT ALSO ADDED A STREET REPAIR AND IT ADDED A COMPONENT MEASURE A WAS A COMPONENT ON RECREATION.

SO WE GOT ABOUT SIX HUNDRED FIFTY TO SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INTO OUR CITY AND WE AND I STOPPED THAT SAT RIGHT HERE AND SAID I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD ANY MORE ON THE TAX MEASURES SO WE SHELVED IT AND WE PUT IT TO BED. WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO CUT COSTS IN THIS CITY. AND WE CUT A LOT OF COSTS. IN FACT THE PENSION OBLIGATION BOND THAT WE DID IS GOING TO SAVE THE CITY OVER 30 MILLION DOLLARS. SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THOUGHT PROCESSES THAT GO ON TO TRY AND HELP THIS CITY YOU KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF TAXES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED IN OVER THE YEARS. ONE OF THE TAXES THAT I AGREE WITH IS HOW'S IT GOING TO HELP ME. HOW IS IT GOING TO HELP LA VERNE. IS IT GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO LA VERNE. IS IT GONNA HELP OUR QUALITY OF LIFE OR IS IT NOT. AND SO MEASURE M I THOUGHT WITH THE GOLD LINE COMING AND PASSING IT WOULD BENEFIT LA VERNE BECAUSE WE WILL GET TRANSIT WE WILL GET MORE BUSINESSES IN WE'LL GET MORE SALES TAX REVENUE IT'S GOING TO COME BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO COME VERY QUICKLY BUT IT'S GOING TO COME AND BE HONEST WITH YOU MEASURE. MEASURE H WAS. THAT WAS THE HOMELESS AND SO PEOPLE SAID WELL I DON'T HAVE A HOMELESS IN MY CITY SO I'M NOT VOTING FOR IT. I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU MY WIFE AND I VOTED YES BECAUSE THAT WAS A VOTE FROM THE HEART. AND I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE HOMELESS AND I THINK THAT'S A

[01:05:04]

[b. Council Member Hepburn requested consideration be given for the position of Fire Chief to report to the entire Council in the future versus directly to the City Manager.]

WE WILL BE MOVING TO ITEM B AND THAT IS AN ITEM THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN REQUESTED TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AS WE ARE BY MR. BOND AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO DISCUSS THIS FOR TO HAVE WE WE HIRE THE POLICE CHIEF AND I WAS REQUESTED THAT NOW THAT WE'RE BEING A SEARCH FOR A NEW FIRE CHIEF THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA TO MAYBE HAVE COUNCIL BE THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRE CHIEF. AND SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION LIVES. SO DO YOU SUPPORT. YES I DO. OK. AND IS IT FOR SUPERVISION OF THE FIRE CHIEF OR ARE YOU JUST THE SELECTION. I THINK THE SELECTION AS WE. WE HAVE THE. THE. WE DO THE POLICE CHIEF. SO I FELT THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE POLICE CHIEF AND WITH THE PAST STUFF THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. LEAVING THAT ASIDE I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD WOULD NOT ONLY THE BE ON THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND THE NEW POLICE THE FIRE CHIEFS BUT TO PUT THAT PROBABLY ON AN AGENDA EYES AND PUT IT INTO A RESOLUTION THAT IT WOULD BE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD WOULD HIRE AND FIRE. LONG AS WE DO WITH THE OR AS LONG AS WE DO WITH THE SAME AS THE POLICE CHIEF. AND THAT'S WHAT I WE DON'T HIRE AND FIRE THE POLICE TEAM. WE ARE THE SELECTION BODY THAT THAT GOES TO THE CITY MANAGER TO. TO RECRUIT THE FIRE CHIEF AS WE ARE THAT'S THE POLICE CHIEF AS WE DID LAST TIME. RIGHT. AND I

[01:10:05]

SO BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE. WE WANT TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE FOR THE FIRE CHIEF. YES. BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA. HE HAD MORE THAN THAT. I'M TRYING TO. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR LOGIC FOR SUPPORTING THAT BIG CHANGE IS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A TRIVIAL MATTER. IS ACTUALLY NOT A REALLY BIG CHANGE JUST THE FACT THAT THE CITY WILL OVERSEE THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE LAST SITUATION WE'VE HAD WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS LAWSUIT AND THE FIRE CHIEF. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT SHOULD BE PART OF. THE US TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE SELECTION PROCESS JUST LIKE WE DO WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND WE GIVE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY MANAGER. SO YOU'RE SAYING BECAUSE WE HAD THIS INCIDENT WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE POLICE CHIEF I MEAN THE FIRE CHIEF. HOW WOULD THAT BE DIFFERENT IN THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT. HOW WOULD THE COUNCIL HIRING THE FIRE CHIEF CHANGE THIS. IT WOULD CHANGE IT FOR THE FACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE. THE INITIAL MEETING OF THE FIRE CHIEF. AT GROUND. AND HIS HIS CERTIFICATIONS AND WHAT WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN WE'VE SELECTED OUR PROCESS AND WE SEND IT BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIS FOUR HOUR WHERE WE HAVE SELECTION FOR THE PROCESS AND WHAT WE APPROVE AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIM TO MAKE HIS FINAL DECISION. I WASN'T ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT PRETTY MUCH WHOLE. FIRE CHIEF PITCH IN KOSKI HAD THE ENTIRE COUNCIL SUPPORT. I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND. YOU SAY THERE'S A PROBLEM AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIX IT THIS WAY. BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. THINK I'VE STATED PRETTY WELL THAT I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE SELECTING THE FIRE CHIEF WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND CHANGE THE RESOLUTION. OKAY I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE A SECOND. BUT UNDER THIS POLICY THOUGH WHICH I HAVE A COPY HERE IS IT SAYS NO MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL DEMAND THE APPOINTMENT OR REMOVAL OF ANY PERSON BY THE CITY MANAGER. AND THE

[01:15:05]

THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS. AND YOU KNOW IT'S JUST I JUST GOT TO SAY SOMETHING I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT LATELY IS I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL PROBABLY UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ATTORNEY TO LOOK INTO IT. BUT I FEEL NOW THAT THE LAWSUIT WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE LAWSUIT FROM OUR PAST BY YOUR CHIEF AGAINST HEPBURN IS SETTLED. IF WE IF I COULD ASK THAT THE PRIVILEGE OF POST SESSION BE OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC. THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING. THEY WANT ANSWERS. AND I THINK IT'S TIME WE GIVE. AND I'M ASKING FOR THE CLOSED SESSION OF THE SETTLEMENT. WITH THAT WE GET THAT GPI MET WITH US TO SETTLE THE LAWSUIT. THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW I THINK IT'S TIME. IN MY ANSWER RIGHT NOW IS WE THINK YOU'RE DRIFTING OFF TOPIC. IF YOU COULD BRING THAT UP UNDER COUNCIL COMMENTS. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE E-MAILS ARE ARRIVING IN THIS SITE. IT'S LIKE HAVING IT UP AGAIN UNDER THE CONSTANT COMMENTS BUT I FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME. NOW I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT.

THESE ARE THE TWO LARGEST AND PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY ARE EXTREMELY RESOURCES. BUT WE HAVE OUR FIRST RESPONDER. OUR RESIDENT. SAFETY FACTOR. THIS IS THE LARGEST GROUP. WHY SHOULDN'T WE HAVE THE DECISION TO CHOOSE THE HEAD OF THAT GROUP. ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE. AT LEAST WE HAVE THE OPTION. HE OR SHE. THAT SUITS THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY. THAT WE CAN REVIEW WHETHER IT'S A NEW COUNCIL OR NOT. TO GIVE IT THE RIGHT TO PICK AND CHOOSE. WHO WE CHOOSE TO RUN. SOME OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS SERVICES IN THE CITY. WHY SHOULDN'T THE COUNCIL HAVE THAT UNDER THEIR BELT.

BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN POLICY AND PROCEDURES THE WAY THEY ARE. POLICIES PROCEDURES CAN BE CHANGED. TIME CHANGES. THINGS CHANGE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CHANGE OR PEOPLE CHANGE. WHY CAN'T WE CHANGE DECISIONS. WHY CAN'T WE CHANGE RESOLUTIONS. BECAUSE YOU MAKE IT VERY PERSONAL. IT'S NOT PERSONALLY A PERSONAL ISSUE IT'S NOT A PERSONAL ISSUE. LET'S MOVE TO THE LET'S LET'S MOVE TO JUST A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE WAY WE SELECT AND HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL SELECT A FIRE CHIEF ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION. I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT BIG OF A DEAL. IT'S A CHANGE OF JUST THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS. LET'S OPEN IT UP TO OUR AUDIENCE. PLEASE. SINCE I WAS REFERRED TO ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WAS FROM A LETTER OR A EMAIL I RECEIVED A LETTER I GUESS FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY WHEN I INQUIRED PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF AGO ABOUT SOMETHING ABOUT THE CITY ABOUT THE FIRE CHIEF AND UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T BRING IT WITH ME. BUT MY MEMORY BASICALLY HE REMANDED ME AND SAID THE FIRE CHIEF SITS AT THE WILL THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE CITY MANAGER SO BASICALLY NONE OF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FIRE CHIEF. AND MY QUESTION TO MR. HEPBURN THE OTHER DAY WAS IF THE POLICE CHIEF REPORTS DOES NOT REPORT DIRECTLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY CHART THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART THE CITY THE POLICE CHIEF I BELIEVE DOES NOT REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER. HE MAY BE DAILY OVERSIGHT EVERYTHING ELSE BUT

[01:20:01]

SO I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH IN MY COMMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE AGENDA. SO IT SAYS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN REQUESTED CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN FOR THE POSITION OF FIRE CHIEF TO REPORT TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL ON THE FUTURE VERSUS DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER. SO WHEN I SAW THIS ON THE AGENDA I WAS SURPRISED AND I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES A PROFESSIONAL CITY MANAGER AND ACCORDING TO LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE A LOT OF WHAT THE MANAGER HAS A LOT OF DUTIES BUT SOME OF THE DUTIES ARE TO BE ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY TO CONTROL AND GIVE DIRECTION TO THE HEADS OF ALL DEPARTMENTS TO APPOINT PROMOTE DEMOTE AND REMOVE ANY OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES SUBJECT TO THE PERSONNEL POLICY OF THE CITY. AND THIS IS WHAT THEY DO AND ALL THE SURROUNDING CITIES THAT HAVE AN INDEPENDENT FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO MY CONCERNS LIE WITH THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL EXAMPLES WHERE A COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN EXCEEDED HIS POWER AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. HE OVERSTEPPED HIS ROLE. HE'S VIOLATED THE MUNICIPAL CODE. HE HAD LED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GIVING ORDERS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO REPORT THEIR FINDINGS DIRECTLY TO HIM. HE PUBLIC WE CALLED FOR THE FIRING OF CHIEF JANE KELSEY WHICH WAS AN ACTION THAT CAUSED JOINT POWERS INSURANCE ASSOCIATION TO SEND A LETTER OF WARNING TO OUR CITY THAT OUR INSURANCE COVERAGE COULD BE IN JEOPARDY. HE EVEN WENT A STEP FURTHER TRYING TO ACT AS THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER BY REQUESTING A COPY OF THE MEDICAL RECORDS OF THE FIRE CHIEF WHO WAS ON MEDICAL LEAVE WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW THE OVERREACH OF POWERS NOT ONLY FRIGHTENING BUT IT'S IN VIOLATION AT BOTH CITY AND FEDERAL LEVELS. SO MY QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ACT IF WE GIVE YOU MORE POWER WITH THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. OK. THANK YOU. HIGH ARREST MCGURN. JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. THIS MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE BUT I THINK IT'S HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STARE DOWN SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND TELL THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BE QUIET. THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.

SECOND I WOULD HOPE I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON THIS TOPIC. BUT IN LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES I WOULD HOPE THAT THE SIDE AS OPPOSED TO MR. HEPBURN COULD DO BETTER THAN IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 1986. THAT'S NOT A GOOD REASON. WE NEED A BETTER REASON NOT TO CHANGE. THANK YOU KATE. JERRY JEREMY CONRAD 2 4 1 7 BENITA AVENUE. I HAPPEN TO WORK AS A PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTER AND EARLY ON FIREFIGHTERS ON A WEEK FOLLOW WHAT'S CALLED THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. MUCH LIKE THE MILITARY CHAIN MECHANIC MAN GOES ONE DIRECTION TO A PINNACLE WHICH IS OF THE CHIEF. THE CHIEF THEN HAS ONE BOSS WHICH IS A CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGERS THE ONLY LUCKY PERSON TO GET FIVE BOSSES. THAT'S WHY HE'S A CITY MANAGER OR SHE IS A CITY MANAGER. THE COUNCIL HAS FULL OVERSIGHT. IF THEY DO NOT APPRECIATE WHAT THE CITY MANAGER IS DOING. GUESS WHAT. CITY MANAGERS THAT WILL EMPLOY WHETHER THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN EXERCISED BEFORE OR NOT IS UP TO THE DISCRETION OF YOU. AND AS IT GOES FORWARD THE FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FUTURE CITY MANAGERS. THAT'S HOW THE RELATIONSHIP WORKS. IF THERE'S AN INCONSISTENCY WHERE THE POLICE CHIEF HAS

[01:25:03]

CONSISTENCY IS THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER. IT IS YOUR WILL AND THAT'S HOW YOU EXERCISE OVERSIGHT. THAT'S JUST ONE PERSON'S TAKE BUT A GOOD LOOK. IF I MAY.

BEFORE WE GET ANY MORE SPEAKERS AND GET TOO CONFUSING THE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE POLICE CHIEF DOES LIE WITH THE COUNCIL THE OVERSIGHT THEN FALLS UNDER THE CITY MANAGER SO THE POLICE CHIEF DOES NOT REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS ONLY THE APPOINTMENT THAT FALLS WITHIN THE COUNCIL AND THEN IT'S TRANSFERRED UNDER THE CITY MANAGER SO JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION SO THAT WE DON'T GET OFF ON THAT TANGENT. THANK YOU. OK. TOM SCAHILL MAYOR CITY COUNCIL COUNCILOR STAFF. AS STATED EARLIER HERE IT SAYS COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN REQUESTS CONSIDERATION TO BE GIVEN FOR THE POSITION OF FIRE CHIEF TO REPORT TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE VERSUS DIRECTLY TO THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTED TO US HERE TONIGHT. COUNCILMAN HEPBURN YOU HAVE MENTIONED THAT IT WAS JUST THE OVERSIGHT OF THE APPOINTMENT AND THEN SEVERAL SENTENCES LATER IT WAS BACK TO MANAGING THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH CAUSES ME A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION REGARDING THE DISDAIN THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION HAS WITH THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL. BUT I'LL GET BACK TO THAT. I WISHED WE HADN'T COME TO THE DARK AGES BACK HERE AGAIN WITH THIS FIRE ISSUE AND CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE LITIGATION THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH. AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO PLAGUE US AGAIN. OH DARK AGES PLAGUES YOU. I DID THERE. I WAS GOING TO FIND. HUMOR MYSELF EVERY NOW AND THEN. BASICALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 10 MONTHS WE'VE GOTTEN A NEW FIRE CHIEF AN INTERIM FIRE CHIEF AND THAT INTERIM FIRE CHIEF HAS BEEN TASKED WITH AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN TASKED WITH SOME OF THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT THROUGH THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FACE TO THAT FORWARD. IT WAS WAS AS PLAINTIFFS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE CITY SHALL REMOVE WITHOUT LIMITATION TO PURGE DESTROYED DELETE AND REDACT ALL OF THE FILES GOING ON FURTHER ON IT REFLECTIVE OF ANY INVESTIGATION DISCIPLINE EVALUATION REVIEW OR COUNSELLING. IT ALSO STATES THAT THE CITY AGREES TO COMPLETE A PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION FOR CURRENT BATTALION CHIEF OPENINGS WITHIN FOUR MONTHS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE. CITY WILL FILL CURRENT VACANCIES WITH ONLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FROM WITHIN ITS OWN CITY'S FIRE DEPARTMENT. SUDHA AGREES TO HOLD PROMOTIONAL EXAMS FOR THE CURRENT OPENINGS FOR ENGINEER CAPTAIN WITHIN FOUR MONTHS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE. SHE'LL MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE PROMOTIONAL LIST FOR EACH OF THESE POSITIONS RANKS OF ENGINEER CAPTAIN AND BATTALION CHIEF AND AS WELL AS WILDLAND DEPLOYMENT THE CITY AGREES TO MEET WITH THE ASSOCIATION ARRIVE IN A MUTUALLY AGREEABLE POLICY FOR THE WILD MEANT WILD LAND DEPLOYMENT. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD TAKE AWAY THE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVING AT THIS POINT. I REFERENCED THE DISDAIN THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION HAS SHOWN TOWARDS THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL AND AND CITY STAFF. WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT AS IT IS WITH ALL OF THE LAWSUITS THAT WERE ONGOING THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE PAST PERIOD OF TIME. NOW I'M SURE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INDIVIDUAL FIREFIGHTERS THEMSELVES BUT WE MUST REALIZE THAT A UNION WAS INVOLVED HERE AND IT WAS A UNION ACTION THAT PUSHED TOWARDS THIS AS WE SEE IT. IT MAY BE CALLED AN ASSOCIATION BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS IT'S A UNION THAT DISDAIN THAT I SPEAK OF WAS REFERENCED IN NUMEROUS TEXT MESSAGES AND I WILL CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE JUST TO PROVIDE FOR THE DECORUM OUTLINED ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE AGENDA FOR THE NIGHT. WOW.

EXPLETIVE HAPPENS WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS START TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS. WELL YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE. THE REST SUCK. SOME VERY INSIGHTFUL INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE OUR LAST TALK. MORE OF THE SAME. WE'RE ALL GOOD. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE SUPPORT. IT MEANS A LOT. WE KNEW THOSE PIECES OF EXPLETIVE WERE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND THIS WILL HELP US DOWN THE ROAD WHEN OUR ATTORNEYS GO AFTER PETE REFERENCING PETE JANE KOSKI. EVEN IF IT'S EVEN IF IT'S IN OUR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WE PISSED THEM OFF AND IT JUST CONFIRMED HOW STUPID THEY ARE. THIS IS THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION'S REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKING IN REFERENCE TO THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL. YES I WAS RIPPED UP ON ONE SIDE AND DOWN THE OTHER BY TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS

[01:30:05]

VIOLATIONS OF THE FIREFIGHTERS BILL OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS OF THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODES VIOLATIONS OF THE FORMER FIRE CHIEFS PRIVACY AND DEFAMATION OF THE FORMER FIRE CHIEFS REPUTATION. GIVEN THE FOREGOING AT WHY WOULD THE CITY NOW CONSIDER ENHANCING MR. HEPBURN'S AUTHORITY OVER THE FIRE CHIEF. I PREFER INVESTIGATIONS AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT RESOLVED IS HOW CAN THE CITY RECOVER FROM A FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR DAMAGE CLAIM SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED BY MR. HEPBURN. WILL MR. HEPBURN BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE. WILL MR. HEPBURN BE DENIED HOLD ANY FUTURE OFFICE. CAN THE CITY FILE CRIMINAL OR CIVIL CHARGES AGAINST MR. HEPBURN. IS MR. HEPARIN LIABLE FOR THAT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF DAMAGES THE CITY SUSTAINED. AND BACK TO THE ISSUE AT HAND. BASED ON THE PAST DEVELOPMENTS APPROVAL OF MR. HEPBURN'S PROPOSALS LIKELY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF A HIGHLY QUALIFIED CITY MANAGER AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER GARBAGE PLANE LIKE LINN DEL TORO. IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING THAT PEOPLE CAN COME UP HERE AND THROW OUT OPINIONS. THAT'S WHAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TONIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COUNCIL MAKE AN AMENDMENT. I THOUGHT EXACTLY WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER MR. RUSSES EXPLAINED HOW THE POLICE CHIEF IS HIRED HAVE THE FIRE CHIEF HIRED THE SAME WAY. AND WE DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO THE DARK AGES. JUST LET'S JUST BE EVEN HERE AND DO IT IN THAT FASHION AS IT WAS PROPOSED. THANK YOU ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. ANNA AND ANDERSON. WELL THAT WAS A WELL ORCHESTRATED HIT

[01:35:03]

I WOULDN'T I WOULDN'T WANT THAT FOR ANYBODY UP HERE. IT'S A HIT JOB BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING IN WRITING WHEN THEY COME OUT HERE. IT'S OBVIOUS. IF WE'RE GONNA GO BACK IF THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO START TEARING THE CITY UP AGAIN. CITIZEN AGAINST CITIZENS LIKE WE DID FOR HOW LONG A YEAR AND A HALF. IT'S OVER IT'S DONE. WHY COME UP HERE NOW. RIGHT BEFORE ELECTION AND START DOING THESE HIT JOBS OPEN IT UP IF YOU WANT TO OPEN UP THE CLOSE SESSIONS LET US LOOK AT IT. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD AN INVESTIGATION AND THEN NO ONE WOULD BE ARGUING RIGHT NOW. WE WOULD HAVE ALL KNOWN WHAT HAPPENED. AN UNBIASED INVESTIGATOR CAME IN LOOKED AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT THE CITY SAT DOWN WITH EVERYBODY AND SAID LOOK AT THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS LET'S SOLVE THEM AND THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE WOULDN'T BEEN LITIGATION IF YOU COULD'VE WORKED IT OUT. LET'S NOT GO DOWN THIS ROAD AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS HORRIBLE TO WATCH. AND NOW IT'S HORRIBLE TO WATCH AGAIN. AND IF ANYBODY IS CONDONING THIS BEHAVIOR UP HERE I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU HELL FREDRICKSON ELEVEN 10 CANYON VIEW DRIVE LA VERNE. FORTY FIVE YEAR MEMBER OF THE RESIDENT OF THE CITY RETIRED CITY EMPLOYEE. MY COMMENTS ARE PRETTY BRIEF.

THIS IDEA OF BRINGING THE FIRE CHIEF RETENTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD SEEM TO ONLY FURTHER POLITICIZE THIS POSITION. THIS IS A POSITION THAT DOESN'T NEED MORE POLITICIZING FROM WHAT IT'S HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I WOULD DISCOURAGE YOU FROM THIS PROPOSAL. THANK YOU GILBERT IVY. IT WOULD DRIVE LABOR IN CALIFORNIA.

YOU KNOW IT SADDENS ME EVERY TIME WE GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE THOUGHT THINGS THAT CALM DOWN AND THAT PEOPLE WERE AGAINST TRYING TO PUT THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT HEPBURN ISSUE BEHIND US. BUT THEN TIM HEPBURN HIMSELF BRINGS IT UP AGAIN. SO THAT'S NOT A MYSTERY. IT'S NOT. WHY IS IT COMING UP AGAIN. THAT'S BECAUSE TIM HEPBURN ASKED FOR AN ISLAND TO COME ON THE AGENDA ON A SUBJECT THAT HE CLEARLY IS CONTINUING TO BE INVOLVED WITH. SO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS WITH TIM AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I WANT TO ADDRESS IS WHY CAN'T WE EVEN GET A FULLY FUNCTIONING CITY COUNCIL TOGETHER ON ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING SOME PEOPLE INVOLVE A CONFIDENTIAL AND OTHER PEOPLE NOT INVOLVED A CONFLICT OR TWO ISSUES. GET THAT TOGETHER AND EXPECT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO CAUSED THE ISSUE IN THE FIRST PLACE. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FIRE CHIEF FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. I MENTIONED BEFORE AND A COUPLE OF MEETINGS BACK THAT I WAS HOPING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL NAME MR. HEPBURN WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE ACTIONS THAT YOU'RE TAKING THE CONTINUOUS DISRUPTION THAT CONTINUOUS PERSON INVOLVEMENT OF YOURSELF IN PERSONNEL ISSUES WHICH IS A VIOLATION PERIOD AND YOU KNOW THAT THE CONTINUED ROLLOUT OF SHARING INFORMATION WITH CITIZENS SUCH AS YOUR FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME INFORMATION HAS LOOKED AT THIS AS PUBLIC THAT YOU HAVE E-MAILS THAT ALSO WENT TO MR. BONE. I DON'T GET THAT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE SHARING PERSONAL ISSUES PERFORMANCE EVALUATION ISSUES WITH CITIZENS NOT INVOLVED WITH THE CONFIDENTIAL ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL. THEY REMOVED THE FIRE CHIEF IN THE SETTLEMENT OF 5.5 MILLION DOLLARS. THE LIST OF REQUESTED NON-MONETARY CONCESSIONS

[01:40:03]

EXPLAIN WHY AGAIN WE SHOULD TRUST YOU WOULD YOU PUT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GIVEN THE NUMEROUS CLAIMS AND SETTLEMENTS AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY AND THE JPA WHICH HAS WARNED THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER ABOUT YOUR ACTIONS BEING A VIOLATION OF MUNICIPAL CODE BEING VIOLATIONS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIREMEN'S RIGHTS YET YOU CONTINUE TO PERSIST IN THIS AREA. I WAS HOPING THAT ONE DAY YOU WOULD SEE THE LIGHT AND SAY MAYBE THAT COUNCIL ISN'T THE PLACE FOR ME. AND SO IT'S MAN LAND. PLEASE STOP IT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. NOW. SO. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS. FIVE MINUTE RECESS. HELLO GEORGE. GEORGE. GEORGE. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR WAS WE ASK THEM BEGINNING FOR THIS TO BE CIVIL TO RESPECT THE SPEAKERS WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH HIM OR NOT. THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS ABOUT. SO PLEASE ALLOW THE SPEAKER TO FINISH. IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK AND YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN ALREADY YOU'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO GO AHEAD. IN CONCLUSION I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT LA VERNE IS A BEAUTIFUL TOWN. I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE. I'M EVEN PROUD OF THE CITIZENS WHO DISAGREE WITH ME. I LOVE THE CITY I LOVE THE CITIZENS WE ALL MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND. BUT I CAN NOT CONTINUE TO SIT QUIETLY BY AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY AND SEE THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT COUNCILMAN HEPBURN SEEMS TO BE IN THE MIDST OF THE ISSUE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO WITH THAT I THANK YOU HELLO. AM BARRY DURANGO COURT. I WILL TRY TO KEEP IT SIMPLE BECAUSE THIS IS GETTING WAY WAY OUT OF HAND. I APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT HOW EVERYBODY WAS BEING SO RESPECTFUL AND YOU KNOW WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND RIGHTFULLY SO. THERE'S NOBODY WHO'S HORRIBLE IN THIS ROOM. PEOPLE SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT ALTHOUGH THE COMMENTS EARLIER WERE RESPECTFUL WHEN THIS ITEM CAME UP YOU KIND OF SET THE TONE BECAUSE I SAW IT IT BECAME VERY PERSONAL FOR A NUMBER OF YOU IN HOW YOU RESPONDED AND HOW YOU QUESTIONED. YOU ARE NOT SITTING HERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE POINTS AND THAT JUST STIRS EVERYTHING UP. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE THE LEADERS THAT COULD SHOW DECORUM AND RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS TOO. BUT THAT'S OK.

YOU'RE ARE LEADERS. BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SET THE TONE FOR HOW YOU SPEAK TO EACH OTHER SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW. NOW AS FAR AS THE POLICE CHIEF FIRE CHIEF TO ME IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. OK. HE STARTED WITH THE POLICE CHIEF. SO YOU HAD A PROCEDURE SET UP THEN THINGS CHANGED. WELL THE CITY STARTED A LONG LONG LONG TIME AGO AND THERE'VE BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF POLICE CHIEFS SINCE 1986. BUT YOU STUCK WITH THAT

[01:45:02]

[01:50:01]

BUT HERE'S THE FACT THAT JUST CAME OUT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS INDUSTRY. THERE ARE MORE PUBLIC WORKS PEOPLE DYING OUR KILLED ON THE STREET THAN THERE HAS BEEN POLICE AND FIRE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A THAT WON'T BE UP. BOTTOM LINE LET'S GET BACK TO BEING A FAMILY AND CUT THROUGH ALL THE MINUTIA THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH FOR THE LAST YEAR YEAR AND A HALF. I'M GETTING TIRED OF IT AND I'M ON ONE SIDE. I AM YES TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE TAX. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT I RESPECT WHATEVER THEY WANT. BUT I ALSO RESPECT EVEN THOUGH MR. BOEHNER DOESN'T THINK THAT'S TRUE. I RESPECT TRANSPARENCY AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. AND SO ALL I WANT YOU TO DO IS GET BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS. AND I WANT TO BE A FAMILY WITH THESE GUYS THAT ARE STANDING OVER HERE. I MAY BE RETIRED BUT I WANT TO BE A FAMILY WITH THESE FIRE AND POLICE. YOU MAY WANT WE'RE ALL A PART OF THE TEAM AND EVERYBODY IN HERE IS A PART OF THE TEAM. BUT SOME OF US VOTE FOR YOU. THANK YOU BRIAN. THANK YOU IS. YOU KNOW WHAT I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT. MY NAME IS MATTHEW LYONS AND I AM NOT A CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL BUT IT SURE FEELS LIKE CAMPAIGN SEASON ALREADY. YOU KNOW WHAT. IF YOU COULD JUST DO ME A FAVOR REMOVE THE FACT THAT THIS IDEA CAME FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN. REMOVE THE FACT THAT THIS AGENDA ITEM CAME FROM A DISCUSSION WITH RICK BONE AND TALK ABOUT A POLICY THAT GOES BACK TO 1986 FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO HIRE YOUR FIRST EMPLOYEE. IT'S A BEST PRACTICE YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 1986. I WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED THE CONVERSATION FOCUSED ON THAT THEN ALL OF THIS TOXICITY YOU WERE LIVING IN A TOXIC CITY. I MOVED TO LA VERNE FOR A REASON IT WAS A VERY CONSCIOUS DECISION. MY WIFE AND I WE WANTED TO RAISE OUR FAMILY HERE. IF YOU LOOK AROUND THIS WHOLE CHAMBER WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE LOVE LA VERNE BUT THIS WAS SUCH A TOXIC CONVERSATION. AS A RESIDENT AND I'M SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT ONLY TONIGHT I WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED YOU FIVE TALKING ABOUT THIS POLICY THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1986 TO PLACE OUR POLICE CHIEF IN ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. IS IT BETTER THAN WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING TO HIRE OUR FIRE CHIEF. THE BEST PRACTICE SINCE 19 0 6 TO HIRE OUR FIRST EMPLOYEE WILL IT MOVE US FORWARD TO A MORE BETTER LA VERNE IN HIRING OUR NEXT FIRE CHIEF. PERSONALLY I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE FIVE ADDITIONAL EYES ON THE HIRING OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT POSITION.

WE ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS OUR PEOPLE AND I WANT TO HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I WOULDN'T HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IF YOU ASK MOST RESIDENTS PUBLIC SAFETY IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE AND YOU'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR PEOPLE. SO FROM MY VANTAGE POINT YOU MISSED THE TARGET ON YOUR

[01:55:04]

[02:00:03]

I'VE GOT THE COPIES HERE YOU CAN SEE ME AFTER. MR. MAYOR I WILL NOT TURN AROUND.

BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU BEHIND ME I'VE GOT COPIES IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE FACT. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST I'M CURIOUS TONIGHT IS ARE WE LOOKING FOR A FOUR TO ONE VOTE SO WE CAN WALK OUT OF HERE AND SAY OK THIS IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT RAILROADED AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE OR IS THIS A POWER GRAB TO SELECT THE NEXT CHIEF AND THEN MANAGE ONE OF THE LARGEST DEPARTMENTS IN OUR CITY AT EIGHT MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG DEAL. IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THE FIVE OF YOU IT'S A BIG DEAL. I KNOW FOR. FOR OUR CITY MANAGER IT'S ALREADY A BIG DEAL AND HE'S A PROFESSIONAL AT DOING THIS. SO I REACHED OUT AND DID A LITTLE RESEARCH THE SURROUNDING CITIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN CITY FIRE DEPARTMENTS STILL MONROVIA MONTCLAIR PASADENA ONTARIO SIERRA MADRE ARCADIA WEST COVINA ALL DO IT JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING IT HERE TODAY. NO CHANGE. THEY SELECT THE FIRE CHIEF THEY MANAGE THE FIRE CHIEF AND THEY ARE LIKE SITUATIONS LIKE WE HAVE IT'S A CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT IT IS NOT COUNTY SERVICE. SO WHY DO WE NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THIS CITY. I JUST HEARD THE GENTLEMAN SPEAK SINCE 1986 ON THE ON THE POLICE SIDE. NOTHING HAS HURT US ON THE FIRE SIDE EITHER. IN FACT I CALLED OUR PAST FIRE CHIEF THE OTHER DAY JOHN BREAUX AND I SAID JOHN DID YOU HAVE ANY ISSUE WHATSOEVER ANSWERING TO THE PRIOR CITY MANAGER LOU MELLY. OR HOW ABOUT BOB RUSTY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH EITHER ONE IT WAS A GOOD WORKING SITUATION AND WE HIRED A GOOD ONE WITH JOHN BREAUX. I THINK EVERYBODY HERE WOULD AGREE TO THAT. I THINK YOU'D ALL AGREED THAT WE WE HEARD A GOOD ONE IN PETE KOSKI UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS UNION ACTION THAT THE LEGS OUT FROM UNDER HIM. SO LET ME JUST WALK YOU THROUGH THIS. THIS IS A CLAIM THAT JUST CAME FROM THAT VERY CHIEF. WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT HERE AT ALL. I'M I'M KIND OF INTERESTED. I WISH MR BOWEN WOULDN'T THE LEFT BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S BEEN SITTING ON THIS FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. AND IF CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO STOOD UP HERE AND TALKED ABOUT THE LAWSUIT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BEFORE WHY ISN'T ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS CLAIM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT RESULTED IN MR. RUSSELL. I DON'T THINK YOU COULD TELL US YET. RIGHT ON WHAT THE SETTLEMENT WAS ON THIS. I KNOW IT IS SETTLED PERHAPS MAYBE IN YOUR COMMENTS LATER YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH US. BUT IT IT WILL BECOME A PUBLIC DOCUMENT SOON. THIS IS PUBLIC DOCUMENT IN MY HAND AND IT TALKS TO IT SAYS RIGHT HERE AND IN THE VERY FIRST PARAGRAPH THE CLAIM DAMAGES AGAINST THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND ITS COUNCIL MEMBER TIM HEPBURN. NOW AGAIN THIS IS FOR THE FIRE CHIEF. THIS IS FROM THE FIRE CHIEF WHO JUST LEFT THE CITY AND WE WANT TO MANAGE THE NEXT ONE OR OR EVEN HIGHER THE NEXT ONE. WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. WE GOT NOT ONLY A FIRE A 5.5 MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT BUT NOW WE HAVE A CLAIM FROM THE FIRE CHIEF. AND WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT. WE'RE GOING TO SETTLE IT LIKE WE DID THE LAST ONE WHO KNOWS NOW WE'RE PROBABLY NORTH OF SIX MILLION DOLLARS ON THE HOOK FOR THOSE ACTIONS AND THEY CAN'T CONTINUE. SO HE WENT THROUGH AND HE SAID HERE YOU VIOLATED THE FIREFIGHTERS BILL OF RIGHTS. I BELIEVE WHAT THESE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE BACK ROOM. THAT WAS THE SAME CHALLENGE IN THEIR LAWSUIT. NOW THIS FIREFIGHTER THE FIRE CHIEF IS BRINGING THOSE SAME CLAIMS AGAINST OUR CITY UNFORTUNATELY MR. HEPBURN HE NAMES YOU IN EVERY SINGLE LINE HERE. IT'S THE CITY OF LA VERNE SPECIFICALLY THE ACTIONS OF MR. HEPBURN. YOU VIOLATED THE VIEW THE LA VERNE MUNICIPAL CODE WITH THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT YOU DID THAT WERE ILLEGAL AND AGAINST OUR VERY OWN LAWS. THE LAWS THAT YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SITTING UP THERE MAKING FOR US DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER LOSS OF REPUTATION INVASION OF PRIVACY. WE HEARD EARLIER ABOUT GOING AFTER HIPPO AND ASKING FOR MEDICAL RECORDS ON THE CHIEF. THAT WAS ON LEAVE. THERE WERE MANY EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY THAT WERE ON LEAVE AT SAME TIME. NONE OF THOSE WERE ADDRESSED IN A LETTER FROM MR. ROSSI WHICH IS PUBLIC RECORD AND I HAVE A COPY STATES THAT VERY THING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT PURSUE WHAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER WATCHING KOSKI. IT DOES LOOK LIKE YOU'RE GOING AFTER HIM AND YET YOU WANT TO HIRE THE NEXT ONE AND POTENTIALLY MANAGE HIM DOWN THE ROAD. IT'S A BAD IDEA. SO THIS THIS LAWSUIT THIS CLAIM I'M SORRY IT'S NOT A LAWSUIT. THIS CLAIM RIGHT HERE THAT WAS JUST SETTLED WITH THE CHIEF IS GOING TO COST THE CITY A LOT MORE MONEY BASED ON YOUR ACTIONS. THAT'S THAT'S A

[02:05:05]

WHY. THIS IS A BAD IDEA. DO YOU STILL FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH THEN. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OPEN OURSELVES FOR FUTURE LAWSUITS. WE HAD THE ONE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 5.5 PJM KOSKI. WE HAD ANOTHER ONE WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION WITH THE STATE. SO THE QUESTION IS WE'RE 0 FOR 3. WHEN YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED AT THAT LEVEL ACTING BEYOND YOUR CURRENT ROLE AS OUR COUNCIL MEMBER REMEMBER I VOTED YOU THERE FOUR YEARS AGO BUT THIS ISN'T WHAT I VOTED YOU TO DO. SO WHAT ASSURANCES CAN WE HAVE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL THAT IF WE ALLOW THIS TO GO THROUGH YOU WON'T ABUSE THE POWER FURTHER. LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THOSE THOSE THOSE GUARANTEES ARE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE LAWSUIT NUMBER FOUR. MR. ROSSI I'M CURIOUS. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY WILL THEY EVEN COVER US GOING FORWARD BECAUSE I WANT TO READ REAL QUICKLY AND I'LL I'LL END WITH THAT. BUT WE HAD A CLAIM. WE HAD A LETTER FROM THE JPA OUR INSURER AND I'M GOING TO READ A COUPLE PIECES OF IT. AND AT THE TIME THIS WAS BEFORE THAT RECENT CLAIM. SO THIS IS BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2018 AND IT STATES HERE THAT WE MAY NOT BE INSURED AND THERE MAY BE CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD. THIS IS BEFORE THAT CLAIM WITH THE CHIEF WAS EVEN SETTLED. ANYWAY IT GOES ON AND IT SAYS HERE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT MR. HEPBURN'S PUBLIC COMMENTARY REGARDING CHIEF JAN KOSKI FROM THE DAYS MAY VIOLATE THE HIGHLIGHTED SECTION OF THE ABOVE LANGUAGE AND MAY PUT THE CITY CUP CITIES COVERAGE IN JEOPARDY. AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER HAD MENTIONED THAT ONCE BEFORE THAT THEY HAD ALREADY SIGNALED THAT THEY MAY BE THEY MAY BE CHALLENGING CHALLENGED TO GIVE US FURTHER INSURANCE.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR THAT TONIGHT. WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE THE CALIFORNIA JPY ROZIER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUEST A COVERAGE MODIFICATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE LOSS FOR THIS LOSS IN FUTURE LOSSES SHOULD THERE BE A FINDING THAT THE MLC PSP HAS BEEN VIOLATED. FINALLY WE SUGGEST THAT YOU CONFER DIRECTLY WITH QUALIFIED LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT COUNSEL RELATIVE TO MR. HEPBURN'S PUBLIC CALLS FOR CHIEF JAN KOSKI TERMINATION. AGAIN THE SAME FIRE CHIEF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE AND HERE WE ARE STANDING UP THERE TRYING TO FIRE A GUY FROM THE DAYS THAT I DON'T I DON'T GET IT. THE ABOVE NOTED COMMENTS AS WELL. I'LL SKIP THAT PART. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE FALLING ASLEEP BEHIND ME. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE FIREFIGHTERS BILL OF RIGHTS IN DEALING WITH FIREFIGHTER DISCIPLINE ISSUE DISCIPLINARY ISSUES WILL UNNECESSARILY EXPOSE THE CITY TO EXPOSURE FROM POTENTIAL CLAIM OR SUIT FROM CHIEF JANE KOSKI. NOW THERE'S A LOOK FORWARD. SO THEY CALLED IT AND IT HAPPENED. MR. HEPBURN'S ACTIONS SHOULD EQUALLY I'M SORRY SHOULD QUICKLY BE EVALUATED INCORRECTLY IF FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE FIREFIGHTERS BILL OF RIGHTS. SO I'M SORRY BUT IT'S IT'S TOUGH TO STAND UP HERE AND AND UNDERSTAND THAT AGENDA ITEM. AND AGAIN WHAT WE HAVE EVEN HAD THIS CONVERSATION HAD THAT NOT BEEN ON THE AGENDA. THERE'S NOTHING THERE TO DRIVE IT. THIS IS IN ORDER OF THAT AGENDA ITEM.

SO I REALLY BEGS THE QUESTION WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO WITH THIS RESOLUTION. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. SO HERE'S MY LAST THOUGHT. IF THERE WERE I'M SORRY WE'RE GONNA SKIP THAT BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU'RE NOT. YOU WOULDN'T BE MANAGING. SO THAT DOESN'T MATTER SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT WITH THIS. COUNCILMAN MCCARTHY I THINK YOUR SUGGESTION OF OPEN OPENING THE CLOSED SESSION AND REALLY AIRING THIS THING OUT AND GETTING IT PASSED THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL WE DID 18 MONTHS HEARING FROM ONE SIDE WE HEARD THE UNION STAND UP HERE WITH THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL AND CONTINUE ON MEETING AFTER MEETING AND WE GOT TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THEIR SIDE OF THIS WAS WHAT THEIR POSITION WAS. WE SAT OUT THERE AND WE LISTENED WE LISTENED TO ATTACKS ON THE CITY COUNCIL THE MANAGEMENT THE FIRE CHIEF AND NOW IT'S TIME TO HEAR THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT STORY. IF YOU WANT TO PUT THIS TO BED THE RIGHT WAY. THANKS FOR LISTENING.

WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. BRING IT BACK TO THE DESK. TIM YOU WANT TO SPEAK. I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS. WHETHER TRUE OR NOT IT IS CAMPAIGN SEASON I APPRECIATE THE CAMPAIGNING. MY INTENTIONS AND ALWAYS MY INTENTIONS THIS CITY IS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND SERVE THE EMPLOYEES AND MAKE

[02:10:04]

MY COUNCIL MEMBERS UP HERE TO TRY TO ASSASSINATE ME WITH WITH THEIR COMMENTS.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. I WAS ELECTED INTO THIS OFFICE TO DO A JOB. IF YOU CHOOSE ME TO BE A MAYOR THAT'S FINE. IF NOT I'LL MOVE ON. KATHY I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS BUT HAVE THE FACTS HAVE THE FACTS. JIM REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS TO HAVE THE FACTS. IT WAS A COMPLAINT THAT 27 OR 28 PEOPLE THAT HAD A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CITY FOR UNDUE TREATMENT. THAT'S THE REAL TRUTH OF THIS STORY. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. THAT WAS A FIREFIGHTER'S THAT WAS THEIR UNION THAT THEY HAD ISSUES. AND YES I DID SAY THE FIRE CHIEF SHOULD BE FIRED OR AT LEAST PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. YES THE GPI DID SEND A LETTER OUT AND THE CITY MANAGER DID SEND IT TO ME AND I SAID OH AND I TALKED TO THE JPA AND THEY SAID YOU'RE A COUNCIL MEMBER YOU NEED TO WATCH WHAT YOU SAY ON THE DAY AS I SAID I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS IT. AS FAR AS HIS AS FAR AS THE PRIVACY AS FAR AS MEDICAL LEAVE. YES I DID E-MAIL THE CITY MANAGER ASKING DID WE FOLLOW ALL THE GUIDELINES FOR MEDICAL LEAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT IN A LAWSUIT SITUATION WITH OTHER EMPLOYEE GROUPS. AND I WAS TOLD AS MR. MURPHY HAS ALL THE INFORMATION APPARENTLY THAT BASICALLY THAT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INFRINGING UPON SOMEONE'S PRIVATE RIGHTS AT THAT POINT I DROPPED IT BUT I DID ASK THE QUESTION AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WHEN YOU HAVE A FIRE CHIEF THAT'S GONE THAT LEAVES ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE BUT NOT EVEN ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVES ON MEDICAL LEAVE. YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS WHY NOW THERE'S THIS IDEA. TONIGHT I APOLOGIZE THE WAY I'VE PHRASED IT BUT ALL I WANT TO DO IS HAVE THE COUNCIL OVERSEE THE HIRING OF A FIRE CHIEF. IS IT THAT DIFFICULT. I STATED IT ALREADY. THE TWO LARGEST GROUPS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT SAVE OUR PEOPLE'S LIVES AND PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT COME INTO THIS COMMUNITY. I DON'T GET IT. I DON'T GET IT. YOU KNOW YOU CAN DESTROY MY CHARACTER ALL YOU WANT BUT YOU KNOW WHAT. SINCE THE DAY I CAME INTO THIS COMMUNITY 36 PLUS YEARS AGO HAD OUR FIRST CHILD HERE DONATED TIME AND MONEY TO EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE EVER INVOLVED OURSELVES IN WHETHER IT BE PTA WHETHER IT BE BOOSTERS WHETHER IT BE OUR WINTER WONDERLAND WHETHER IT BE AH AH AH WINE WALKS I SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AND I SUPPORT SHOP LA VERNE I SUPPORT ALL THIS YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ASSASSINATE MY CHARACTER GO AHEAD BRING IT OUT IN THE ELECTION I STAND ON MY OWN TWO FEET THERE HAS BEEN NO INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THERE IS NONE. YOU WANT TO FOOL ONE DO ONE. GO AHEAD BRING IT ON. GO AHEAD MR. MURPHY GO AHEAD. YOU'VE GOT MORE FROM ME. KATHY YOU'VE GOT GREAT INFORMATION. IT'S AMAZING HOW PEOPLE GET INFORMATION THAT'S PRIVATE TOO. THAT'S BETWEEN A CITY MANAGER AND A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. YOU CAN ALL SHAKE YOUR HEAD. YOU'RE THE ONES DESTROYING TRYING TO DESTROY ME. WELL GUESS WHAT. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I'M A BUSINESS OWNER. I KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS. I KNOW HOW TO RUN IT. I KNOW HOW TO HELP TO RUN A COMMUNITY. AND EVEN WITH ALL THIS STUFF GOING ON WITH THIS FIREFIGHTER LAWSUIT THAT DID AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY I'M NOT GOING TO LIE. IT'S NOT GOOD AND RIGHT NOW OUR FIRE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT SUFFERING FOR IT. AND THANK GOODNESS THAT WE DID GET A GOOD FIRE CHIEF IN AND I WILL GIVE CITY MANAGER RUSTY KUDOS ON THAT. THERE WAS A

[02:15:01]

[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]

THERE SPEAKER CARDS AT THE DAIS IF YOU CAN FILL ONE OUT EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER PLEASE ANNA. AND ANDERSON THIS MAY BE AN ODD QUESTION BECAUSE I USUALLY BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR HOW COME WE DON'T HAVE AN H.R. PERSON. I HAVE A REALLY GOOD H R PERSON IN THE CITY. THAT MEANS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO DEAL WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IN CITIES. YOU'RE H.R..

HOW COME EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH YOU THEN. VERY GOOD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS. USUALLY AN H.R. PERSON USUALLY STANDS INDEPENDENT. AND THAT'S WHY I SAID I'M IN PUBLIC SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS HERE. SO YOU CAN ANSWER YOUR OWN STUFF AND IF YOU WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME LEARNING THE PERSONNEL SYSTEM I'LL BE HAPPY TO SPEND. SO JUST BASICALLY. SO HE HE REPORTS I'M NOT GOING TO USE TIME HERE EXPLAINING THE PERSONNEL SYSTEM. IF YOU WANT TO I'LL HAPPILY SIT DOWN WITH YOU. OK WE'LL SIT DOWN. OK. WHEN YOU WANT US TO KNOW TOMORROW OR WEDNESDAY OK I'LL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. DEAL. THANK YOU ANNA. YES HAND MCGURN. I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE ON THE GOLF COURSE SITUATION. CAN WE HAVE A REPORT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL.

NO. JUST JUST A MINUTE JUST A MINUTE PAM. BOB YOU HAVE HER. ERIC GOING TO LOOK TO ERIC. I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD WE PUT OUR LAST UPDATE UP THERE I WANT TO SAY THREE WEEKS AGO. WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THE CALLS OR THE INTAKE OF INFORMATION WE'VE HAD ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE OR SO INPUT FROM RESIDENTS SO WE APPRECIATE THOSE. THERE'S REALLY BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. GOOD AND BAD. THERE IS AN APPLICATION THAT IS GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD IN THE NEXT MONTH REGARDING A CELL TOWER SOMEWHERE ON THE PROPERTY BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN ANY ACTIVITY. THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE WHEN WE'VE HAD CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME UP. I GOT SOMETHING JUST TODAY THAT I GUESS THERE'S BEEN SOME TEENAGERS THAT HAVE BEEN TRESPASSING THAT'S WHEN WE'RE PASSING ON TO POLICE. BUT THAT'S REALLY BEEN THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE HAD AS OF LATE. WELL I I HAVE ONE LITTLE ISSUE. I'M ON THE HP BOARD OF SIERRA LA VERNE AND THERE'S ONE SECTION THAT'S KIND OF BEEN IN QUESTION ON WHO

[02:20:05]

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON A PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. MR. MAYOR IF I CAN JUST ONE THING THAT GOING BACK TO ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEPARIN MADE AND SORRY ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN MADE AND I WANT TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION IT WAS ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS THAT SUPPOSEDLY I HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THOSE COMMUNICATIONS WERE REQUESTED UNDER A PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. I DID NOT PRODUCE ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT CONFIDENTIAL IN ANY WAY. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH FROM MULTIPLE INPUTS SO WHEN REQUESTED I HAVE TO PRODUCE THOSE THINGS AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE. SO I THINK THERE WAS KIND OF A SUGGESTION THERE THAT IT WAS OTHERWISE BUT IF THEY WERE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS AND REQUIRED OK WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 9 COUNCIL COMMENTS. WE'D LIKE TO

[9. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]

[02:25:03]

NOW'S THE TIME. EVERYTHING'S SETTLED. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

SO MR. CITY ATTORNEY WHAT WHAT DO WE DO AT THIS POINT WHEN TO MEET REQUESTING THIS.

WELL YOU THINK THE COUNSEL COULD TAKE AN ACTION NOT TONIGHT. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON A REGULAR AGENDA AT TO WAIVE THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE AND ASK YOUR DEFENSE LAWYER TO COME AND TELL THE CITY'S SIDE OF THE CASE. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE'S AVAILABLE TO DO THAT AND I THINK THAT THE CHIEF JAN KOSKI WHO WAS ALSO REPRESENTED BY THE DEFENSE FIRM WOULD PROBABLY ALSO HAVE TO AGREE TO WAIVE THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE COULD YOU CHECK INTO THAT. BUT I CAN CHECK INTO THAT AND COME BACK WITH THE. WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO DO AND KNOW HOW THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. YOU KNOW I I HONESTLY SAY I DON'T RECOMMEND IT. BECAUSE I THINK THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE PUT TO BED AND THAT MAN. I THINK IF IF THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION. I THINK THERE'LL PROBABLY BE TWO ATTORNEYS IN THE ROOM AND WE'LL BE BACK OUT. BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY A DECISION FOR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE AND I WILL. AS REQUESTED. PROVIDE SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO DO IT. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE. NO. NO NOT AT THIS CAMP. WELL WE HAD A NUMBER OF THINGS GET A LITTLE BIT YEAH. GO. I JUST CROSS OFF SOME OF THE THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT. WELL I WANT YOU TO CONTINUE ON THAT IT WAS A VERY VETERANS DAY WAS AMAZING AND I. CITY STAFF DID A FANTASTIC JOB. MR. GARY CHAD ALL YOUR CREW AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS THERE THE POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS FIRST RESPONDERS WERE THERE. WE HAD THREE WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS IS THAT CORRECT.

JUST AMAZING WAS A GREAT DAY. LITTLE DIFFERENT LITTLE DIFFERENT HOW WAS RON.

AND IT WAS REALLY COOL WE HAD THE HOLY NAME OF MARY DOING MUSIC TO THE DIFFERENT

[02:30:02]

NOT A TUNE OFF. THE KIDS WERE GREAT. THEY DID. I DON'T KNOW. IT CARRIES ON. IT DIDN'T MATTER BUT THEY WERE REALLY GOOD AND I'M THINKING THIS TALENT THIS COMMUNITY. BUT THAT WAS JUST AN AMAZING THAT WAS BEFORE THE VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION OBVIOUSLY. BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ABOUT AND IT WAS WONDERFUL JUST WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. WELL I DO HAVE A FEW THINGS BECAUSE I GO TO A LOT OF THINGS. GRACE AND PAULA TANO HELD HER ANNUAL FIRST RESPONDER AN ACTIVE VETERAN APPRECIATION BREAKFAST AND WE HAD TWO HONOREES CAPTAIN ANDY GLAZE FROM OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS HONORED AND CORPORAL JOHN WELLS FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS HONORED. THE FUNNY THING IS WHEN HE WENT UP TO TAKE HIS PICTURE WITH OUR ASSEMBLY WOMAN GRACE NAPOLITANO HIS GRIM CONGRESSMAN. CONGRESSWOMAN SORRY THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME. HIS GRANDMOTHER LIVED NEXT DOOR TO THE NAPOLITANO ROSE AND JOSH GREW UP KNOWING GRACE'S FAMILY AND GRACE SO COMING FROM LA VERNE IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL FEW MINUTES ON THE SATURDAY PRIOR TO VETERANS DAY HOLY NAME MARY DID THEIR ANNUAL TRIBUTE TO VETERANS. THIS IS PUT ON BY THEIR STARS AND STRIPES GROUP AND THEY SELECTED THE WOMEN OF THE MILITARY AND IT WAS REALLY REALLY NICELY DONE. AS TIM SAID VETERANS DAY WAS A TRIBUTE TO WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT GREAT TIME. THE M.C. DAN HARDEN SAID HE SPENT THREE TIMES MORE ON THIS ONE THAN HE DID ON OTHER ONES AND HE HAD A TRIBUTE THROUGH EACH YEAR WITH SONGS THAT TIM TALKED ABOUT THAT THE HOLY NAME AND MERRY CHOIR DID. AND THERE WAS A WOMAN IN THERE ACQUIRE THAT WAS ALSO A VETERAN SO THAT MADE IT SPECIAL. THE UNIVERSITY LA VERNE OPENED HAD THE GRAND OPENING FOR THE LUDWIG CENTER. THE NAME IS AS LONG AS THIS DAY IS SO I WON'T REPEAT IT BUT IT IS ALL GOOD THINGS ABOUT GETTING TOGETHER AND SOLVING DIFFERENCES AND ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD SO IT'S AND IT'S A WONDERFUL IF YOU GO BY THERE IN THE EVENING AND THE LIGHTS ARE ON. IT IS ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR ON.

ON SATURDAY THE CLAREMONT SYMPHONY OR THE CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF MUSIC PUT ON THEIR ANNUAL EVENT AND THERE WAS PROBABLY 20 TO 25 KIDS THAT THAT. AND IT WAS AT HILLCREST AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I WENT SO IT WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN THAT I HAVE DONE FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO OUR CITY ON DIFFERENT DIFFERENT THINGS. AND I'M GOING TO START OFF BY SAYING THESE FIVE THINGS. ONE IS I PICK THE TOPIC I CHOOSE THE LOCATION I SCHEDULE I THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN IT I CHOOSE. SOME ARE CITIES SOME ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY I SCHEDULE THE TIME AND I PAY FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM PERSONALLY. SO THERE'S NO OUTSIDE MONEY THAT I MEAN IT'S ALL OUTSIDE MONEY IT'S ALL MY MONEY THERE'S NO CITY MONEY. THESE ARE ALL MY OWN THINGS AND AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE I'M I'M PUTTING OUT INFORMATION THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY.

FOURTH OF JULY BRACKETT AIRFIELD IT WAS SO LONG THEY DIVIDED INTO TWO HALLOWEEN. WE DON'T DO SO WELL IN LA VERNE I'VE DEVELOPMENT UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE CITY DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY STROLL FOOTHILL BOULEVARD BUSINESSES MEMORIAL DAY THE BATTLE CROSS WHEN WE ADDED THAT TO THE MEMORIAL I DID THAT AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR. THE MEMORIAL DAY AND I THINK WAS PROBABLY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WHEN BRIAN ANDERSON CAME TO OUR CITY AND SPOKE. HE WAS OUR GUEST SPEAKER TWO TIME IRAQI TRIPLE AMPUTEE DROVE TO THE

[02:35:06]

KATRINA WAS THE ONE THE SURVIVING WE LOST A YOUNG GIRL AT THE OCTOBER 1ST VEGAS. BUT HANNAH WAS SAVED BY TWO MARINES AND ARMY SERGEANT. THAT WAS A VETERAN AND WE HONORED. WE DID A MEMORIAL DAY HONORING ALL THOSE PEOPLE ALONG WITH HANNAH AND WE PROBABLY HAD A THOUSAND PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS WONDERFUL. WE DID A VIDEO ON THAT SO OUR CITY WOULD GET TO SEE THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE DID 1 OR MAYBE 1 0 9 PROP 47 OF 57. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. DID ONE AN HOUR LIBERTY BELL WHICH IS REALLY FUN.

SAM POLLO BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH MY COMMERCIAL BROKER TODD LAUNCHPAD WHO I KNOW A WATER TREATMENT STORAGE FLEET MAINTENANCE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ALL THE WAY FROM A BIG LADDER ALL THE WAY DOWN TO A MILLION MORE THAT THEY RIDE. ALL THESE ARE DONE IN FLEET MINUTES NOBODY KNOWS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN EQUIPMENT SEWER CLEANING AND VIDEO BENITA GLENN STEVE GLYN DAVIS STADIUM ALONG WITH THE PROJECT MANAGER. KENNY RICHEY THE PRESIDENT THE PRINCIPAL AND BILL MCGARRY WHO SCHEDULES EVERYTHING THERE IN HIS DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE CITY WHEN IT'S NOT BEING USED IN EITHER HIGH SCHOOL AND OF COURSE THE LAST ONE WHICH IS THE I SAVED ALASKA'S IT'S THE ONE I LIKE THE MOST. JT YEA WHO'S AN NBA REF. HIS DAD GREW UP LOCALLY PLAYED AT BENITA HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS ON THE VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM AND THAT WAS JUST FUN TO BE ABLE TO REENACT THAT WITH J.T. IN THE SAME GYMNASIUM AT BENITA HIGH SCHOOL THAT HIS DAD PLAYED IN. SO IF YOU HAVE VIDEOS THAT YOU THINK ARE REALLY COOL INFORMATION I'D BE HAPPY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT. BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT GOING ON TO GET INFORMATION OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT. SO WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM 10. WE ARE GOING TO BE ADJOURNING TO DECEMBER 2ND AT SIX THIRTY WE HAVE OUR TREE LIGHTING AT SIX O'CLOCK. I BELIEVE WE THERE'S RUMORS THAT SANTA IS GOING TO COME. FORTUNATELY HE HAS NOT LET US EVER LET US DOWN 6 30 WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT OK. SO WE DO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AFTER THAT AND THE CHAMBERS SINGER SOMEBODY THE HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE HERE AS WELL SO IN THE MEANTIME HAPPY THANKSGIVING. THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING TONIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.