[CALL TO ORDER ] [00:00:05] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE CLOSED SESSION MEETING ON MONDAY, JULY 20TH, 26TH AT 5.30 P.M. MR. DOMER, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY IS ATTENDING VIA VIDEO FEED. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? [CLOSED SESSION TOPIC] PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA? I'M HERE, SIR. AND MAYOR HEPBURN? PRESENT. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET IN CLOSED SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING. CITY ATTORNEY HALL AND BOROUGH, PLEASE READ THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS FOR THE RECORD AND LET US KNOW IF THERE WILL BE ANY REPORT OUT AFTERWARDS. WILL DO. WE HAVE CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6. NEGOTIATORS, CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY, EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS, LAVERNE GENERAL UNIT, LAVERNE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, LAVERNE FIRE AND MIDDLE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AND ALL UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES. WE ALSO HAVE A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.91, GUERRERO V. CITY OF LA VERNE ET AL., LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT CASE NO. 02, VOL. 02, 3-CV-00644. ALSO A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.92, ONE CASE, AND I DO NOT EXPECT ANY REPORTING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUAN BARLOW. I APPRECIATE THAT. COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? NOT SEEING ANY, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECESS AT 5.32 P.M. AND RECONVENE AT 6.30 P.M. FOR A REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE ARE ADJOURNED. RECESS. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, [REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - 6:30 PM ] EVERYBODY. NICE TO SEE EVERYONE. WE ARE RECONVENING OUR MEETING AT 6.36 P.M. AND WELCOME TONIGHT TO THE COUNCIL MEETING. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT PER CITY'S RULES OF DECORUM, ALL SPEAKERS, MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH DECORUM, NOT ENGAGE IN CONDUCT THAT INTERRUPTS THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND THAT EVERYONE TREATS EVERYONE RESPECTFULLY AT ALL TIMES. ALSO, PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH ZOOM IS ACCEPTED FOR AGENDA ITEMS PER SENATE BILL 707, REQUIREMENTS IN OUR DISRUPTION POLICY ADOPTED ON APRIL 20, 2026. TONIGHT, WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE U.S. ARMY CAPTAIN ERSKINE LEVY TO LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. MR. ERSKINE, PLEASE COME FORWARD, SIR. JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. SENATE BILL 1877 WAS PASSED AND SIGNED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH, JR. THAT ALLOWS ALL MILITARY, WHETHER YOU'RE IN UNIFORM OR OUT OF UNIFORM, TO SALUTE THE FLAG. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW. EVERYBODY ELSE, PLEASE FACE THE FLAG. RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR HEART, OR SALUTE. READY, BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAY THERE, SIR. YES, SIR. GOOD? I'M GOOD. I GOT TO INTRODUCE MY ARMY CAPTAIN HERE. WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. HOPE YOU'RE ALL DOING WELL. WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FOR US TODAY HERE, CAPTAIN ERSKINE. LEVI. THE OTHER GUY WILL SAY LEVI. SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT. YOU EARNED IT. YOU EARNED IT, MY ARMY BROTHER. YOU EARNED IT. BEING IN THE MILITARY NOW, CELEBRATING, TO ME, 26 YEARS, SEEMS LIKE ALMOST YESTERDAY. WE WENT THROUGH OFFICER BASIC CORPS, CAPTAIN'S CAREER CORPS, ALL THAT FUN STUFF. ALL THAT STUFF. YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? NOT ABOUT ME. WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU, CAPTAIN. YOU CAN'T GIVE A GOOD TIME TO MIKEY TORRES. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SURE. OH, WELL, I JOINED THE UNITED STATES ARMY IN 1981. IT'S JUST THAT. I WAS A REGULAR ARMY FOR THREE YEARS AS ENLISTED. I STARTED OUT AS A PRIVATE, AND I WAS A MILITARY POLICE OFFICER, AND WHILE SERVING AT FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA, I WAS ON THE MILITARY POLICE SWAT TEAM, AND THEN I GOT STATIONED IN WEST GERMANY DURING THE COLD WAR, ENDED UP GUARDING A FOUR-STAR GENERAL. SO THEY WANT MILITARY POLICE OFFICERS TO DO THE GUARDING OF GENERALS. THAT'S WHAT I DID. THREE YEARS LATER, I GOT OUT. I MISSED THE MILITARY, REALLY, SERIOUSLY, I DID. AFTER A MONTH, AND I JOINED THE CALIFORNIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD. FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS, AND THEN THE RESERVES TOWARDS THE LAST COUPLE. [00:05:04] ALL TOGETHER, JUST A TEENY BIT OVER 20 YEARS. SO THERE'S MORE STORY, BUT I DON'T NEED IT. BUT WHILE I WAS IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, I WAS IN ARMORED CAVALRY. HORSEPOWER, NOT HORSES. I'M NOT THAT OLD, OKAY? AND THE LAST FEW YEARS, I WAS MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. THEY THOUGHT I WAS SMART, FOUND A FIFTH-GRADE TEST. I GOT A D ON, SO I WAS MADE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. OH, FORT HUACHUCA. AND THE LAST DUTY I HAD WAS I WAS THE 640TH MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BATTALION, S2, WHICH IS THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER OF THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BATTALION. I GOT OUT. I WENT TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY. I GOT TWO AUTISTIC SPECTRUM SONS, AND I WANTED TO SPEND MORE TIME. MY WIFE AND I ARE MARRIED 43 YEARS STILL. THIS JANUARY WILL BE 44. YEAH. AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY MILITARY CAREER. ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, HOLD THE BOARD. HE'S MY ARMY BROTHER. WHAT CAN I SAY? ARMY STRONG. ARMY STRONG. I'M ALWAYS HONORED TO BE IN FRONT OF VETERANS. WE ARE THE 1% THAT HAVE SERVED THIS GREAT NATION, AND THIS WE WILL DEFEND. CITY OF LA VERNE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO ERSKINE LEVI. LEVI. LEVI. WE'RE GOING TO GET IT RIGHT TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO GET IT RIGHT TODAY, CAPTAIN. THIS IS TO MAKE A PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE LAVERNE CITY COUNCIL, THE U.S. ARMY CAPTAIN ERSKINE LEVI, WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. GOD BLESS YOU, CAPTAIN. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. MR. DOMER, ROLL CALL PLEASE. WE DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY ON REMOTE IN SACRAMENTO. JUST SO YOU KNOW, HE IS ON THE SCREEN. HE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN TONIGHT'S MEETING. THANK YOU, MR. CROSBY. MR. DOMER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER GLAU. PRESENT. MAYOR POTEMKA-SHAVIGITA. HERE. MAYOR HEPBURN. PRESENT. THANK YOU, MR. DOMER. ATTORNEY HALL-BARLOW, WE DID HAVE A CLOSED SESSION. WILL YOU BE REPORTING OUT ON ANY OF THE ITEMS WE DISCUSSED? THANK YOU, MR. [PRESENTATIONS ] MAYOR. WE RECEIVED DIRECTION, BUT THERE WAS NO REPORTABLE ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS. FIRST IS FIRE SAFE FOOTHILLS, A WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PROGRAM LED BY CORE, COMMUNITY ORGANIZED RELIEF EFFORT, AND FUNDED THROUGH THE SAN GABRIEL AND LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY, RMC, SERVING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY FOOTHILLS. WILL CARLA MARTINEZ AND NICK TEXERA PLEASE COME FORWARD? OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. LAVERNE, VERY NICE TO BE WITH YOU HERE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING US THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. NOW, HOPEFULLY, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT FOR THE NEXT WILDFIRE. I JUST WANTED TO GROUND THIS PRESENTATION WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR ORGANIZATION AND TEAM, REVIEW VERY BRIEFLY SOME TRENDS AND CHALLENGES WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN THE WILDFIRE RESILIENT SPACE, SHARE OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS, WHAT OUR PROGRAM DOES, AND WHAT IT CAN OFFER TO ENTITIES LIKE THE CITY OF LA VERNE, AND THEN FINALLY IDENTIFY COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT NEEDS AS WELL. I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK PERSONAL SHOUT OUT TO CAPTAIN LEVI. IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU MEET ANOTHER FELLOW ARMOR, CAVALRY CAPTAIN. SO, VERY MUCH. YEAH. VERY COOL. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GET STARTED. SO CORE, OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZED RELIEF EFFORT, IS A GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FOUNDED BY THE ACTOR SEAN PENN AFTER THE DEVASTATING 2010 HAITI EARTHQUAKE. SINCE THEN, CORE HAS EXPANDED TO A GLOBAL PORTFOLIO OF OPERATIONS EVERYWHERE FROM THE FRONT LINES OF UKRAINE IN MEDICINE DELIVERY, FAMINE RELIEF IN AFRICA, HURRICANE RESPONSE IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, OUR HOME, OUR HEADQUARTERS, OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS. WE HELPED PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES TO LEAD THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST VACCINATION SITE. AT DODGER STADIUM. [00:10:01] WE HAVE A FIVE-YEAR CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR VICTIMS OF LAST YEAR'S FIRES, AND WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING TO GET MORE INVOLVED AND PREPARE FOR THE NEXT CRISIS. WE ARE A $2.3 MILLION PROGRAM FUNDED BY RMC. OUR OVERALL PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT SAFER AND MORE FIRE RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH SHARING EQUITABLE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES AROUND WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS, AS WELL AS INCREASING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COORDINATION TO PROACTIVELY MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISKS. IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THE PROJECTION, OUR PROGRAMMING AREA SPANS FROM PALMDALE AND THE CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT IN THE NORTH, THE COUNTY BORDER IN THE EAST, THE 210 FREEWAY IN THE SOUTH, AND SANTA CLARITA IN THE WEST. RMC WAS FOUNDED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 1999 WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON MAINTAINING THE FOREST AND ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF THE SAN GABRIEL AND LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER SHED. DAY ONE, WHICH IS ALSO REPRESENTED BY GABRIELLE OVER THERE, IS OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNER. SO THEY ARE OUR SUB-WARDEE. THEY'VE BEEN IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY FOR THE PAST FOUR DECADES, PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT SINCE THEY SAW A LOT OF THEIR MEMBERS IMPACTED BY THE FIRES, THEY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS SPACE WITH US. HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF OUR TEAM. WE'RE LOCATED EVERYWHERE FROM DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES ALL THE WAY UP TO PHELAN, UP NORTH IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY. AND I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE THIS SCREEN. SO THIS IS A GOOD OVERVIEW OF OUR OVERALL RISK. SO ACCORDING TO FEMA'S NATIONAL RISK INDEX, L.A. COUNTY IS IN THE 99TH PERCENTILE FOR DISASTER POTENTIAL IN THE U.S. AND THEN IN THE PAST 13 YEARS, WE'VE HAD 25 SEPARATE DISASTER DECLARATIONS DECLARED IN OUR COUNTY, THREE OF WHICH WERE MAJOR. YOU'LL SEE THE IMAGERY THERE THAT HIGHLIGHTS FIRE RISK AS DENOTED BY CAL FIRE. UNFORTUNATELY, RED IS THE MOST SEVERE, VERY HIGH RISK. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT SNAKES ALL AROUND THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS. IN WHAT'S CALLED THE WILD AND URBAN INTERFACE, AND ON THE RIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, IS ALSO THE LEVEL, THE EXTENT OF WILDFIRE RISK IN LA VERNE. DURING OUR WORK OVER THE PAST YEAR IN THIS PROGRAM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A FEW KEY TRENDS, FIRST OF WHICH IS THE LIMITED CAPACITY AT A LOCAL SCALE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. FIRES DON'T CARE ABOUT CITY BORDERS, BUT A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIRE LAST YEAR AND THE PALISADES FIRE, IT REALLY STRESS-TESTED THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, NONPROFIT. PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITIES. SO WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS AS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK SITUATION RATHER THAN JUST TRY TO SEPARATELY SOLVE IT WITH BETWEEN OUR OWN SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES. THERE'S ALSO A CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF DISASTERS AND COMPOUNDING EFFECTS. IT USED TO BE THE CASE WHERE ONE DISASTER WOULD START, IT WOULD BE VERY CLEARLY DONE, WE'D HAVE A DELIBERATE PERIOD OF RECOVERY AND THEN WE WOULD PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ONE. BUT NOW DISASTERS ARE FADING INTO EACH OTHER. NOW MAN-MADE EFFECTS ARE IMPACTING AND EXAGGERATING DISASTER EFFECTS. AND IT'S CHANGING THE CALCULUS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO PREPARE FOR THEM. HERE IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING AND WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS AREA IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITIES. BUT THAT ALSO MAKES A VERY COMPLEX CIVIC ECOSYSTEM. SO IT'S HARD TO PENETRATE WITH CERTAIN MESSAGING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S COMMON UNDERSTANDING. AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, I THINK, FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN BOTH IN GOVERNMENT AND THE NONPROFIT SECTOR. FINALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF... NEED WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE CASUALTIES OF THE EDEN FIRE WAS 72, REPRESENTING A COMMUNITY THAT HAD A DIFFICULT TIME EVACUATING ON THEIR OWN. THIS WAS A COMMUNITY THAT OFTEN WASN'T GIVEN PROPER WARNING. THEY WEREN'T RECEIVING EVACUATION ALERTS. AND THESE ARE THE TYPES OF COMMUNITIES WE ALSO REALLY WANT TO HELP. AND THEN FINALLY, FIRE SAFE COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY. A FIRE SAFE COUNCIL, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER. IT'S A REALLY GOOD ORGANIZATION OR MODEL FOR CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED AND SELF-ORGANIZE AND CONDUCT FIRE RESILIENCE PROJECTS. HOWEVER, DEPENDING ON THE CAPACITY IN THE COMMUNITY, IT CAN BE HARD TO SUSTAIN IT IF IT'S GOING TO BE A FULLY-FLEDGED 501C3. ALSO WANT TO END THIS INTRODUCTION PHASE WITH THIS REPORT. SO IN 2024, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IDENTIFIED THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON PREPAREDNESS, IT SAVES COMMUNITIES $13 IN RECOVERY, BOTH IN REDUCED DAMAGES. AND PRESERVE JOBS. THERE IS A FISCAL IMPERATIVE TO PREPARATION AS MUCH AS THERE IS A LIFE, LIMB, AND PROPERTY. AND FINALLY, WE WANT TO SAY WITH THAT IN MIND, WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE FREE SUPPORT AND FREE SERVICES TO BOTH GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE, HOAS, FIREWISE COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ANYONE THAT WANTS TO GET MORE INVOLVED AND EDUCATED, WE ARE HERE TO HELP. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CARLA. HELLO EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, NICK. MY NAME IS KARLA MARTINEZ. I AM PROGRAM COORDINATOR, SPECIFICALLY OVERSEEING THE EAST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, THAT'D BE AZUSA THROUGH CLAREMONT AND THE FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES IN THAT AREA SPECIFICALLY. I'D LIKE TO START OFF [00:15:02] BY SHARING SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION, PARTNERSHIP, AND OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS. SOME OF WHAT WE DO WITH THE FSF TEAM CONSISTS OF EVENT TABLING, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, SERVICE EVENTS, AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS. SOME OF THE DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL TOPICS THAT WE GO OVER INCLUDE FIREWISE LANDSCAPING, HOW TO BUILD DEFENSIBLE SPACE, HOME HARDENING, FIRE SCIENCE, UNDERSTANDING FIRE SAFE COUNCILS AND FIREWISE USA, HOUSEHOLD EVACUATION PLANNING, PREPAREDNESS ALERT SYSTEMS. ON THE RIGHT OF THIS SLIDE HERE WE HAVE A FEW PICTURES OF DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE'VE TABLED AT, WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HOSTED. AT THE TOP HERE WE HAVE DEVIL'S PUNCH BOWL WHERE WE'VE BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES. WE'VE HAD REALLY REALLY SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE GREAT RESOURCES. WE WE ALSO DID A FAMILY WORKSHOP WHERE WE DISCUSSED PREPAREDNESS PLANNING IN MONROVIA AND WE ALSO MET WITH A YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD AND WE DISCUSSED EVACUATION PLANNING TOGETHER. ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS LIKE I SAID IS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING SO SOME OF WHAT THAT CAN ENTAIL FOR US IS FIRE SAFE COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AND THE CREATION OF FIREWISE COMMUNITIES LIKE NICK MENTIONED CAN BE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING AND COMPLICATED, SO HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS NAVIGATE THESE PROGRAMS THAT CAN REALLY HELP BETTER PREPARE COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE. WE ALSO CAN HELP ORGANIZE COMMUNITY ACTION BOARDS, TRAINING NAVIGATION, IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC NEEDS, AS WELL AS ORGANIZING BRUSH CLEARANCE EVENTS FOR COMMUNITIES. SO TO THE RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE SOME PICTURES WITH THE ALTADENA FIRE SAFE COUNCIL, WHO. HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER THUS FAR TO US. WE'VE ORGANIZED CONVENINGS TOGETHER ALONGSIDE THEM WHERE WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT REGIONAL PARTNERS COME IN AND STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT WE CAN SIT TOGETHER AND DISCUSS PREPAREDNESS NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. TO THE POINT OF FIRE SAFE COUNCILS AND FIREWISE COMMUNITIES, SOME OF WHAT WE DO IS CONNECTING RESIDENTS WITH FIRE SAFE COUNCIL AND FIREWISE COMMUNITY EXPERTS TO SUPPORT WITH UNDERSTANDING THESE SOMETIMES COMPLICATED PROCESSES, AS WELL AS ORGANIZING WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AS WELL AS ALSO SUPPORTING WITH ORGANIZING EVENTS. THIS COULD BE BRUSH CLEARANCE, RESOURCE FAIRS, COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO CONTINUE THE FIREWISE COMMUNITY AND FIRESAFE COUNCIL PROGRAMS. AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE TO THE RIGHT HERE, WE HAD OUR SECOND REGIONAL CONVENING WHERE WE HAD... RAYMOND SWAIN, YOUR VERY OWN RAYMOND SWAIN IN ATTENDANCE. IT WAS AMAZING TO HAVE HIM THERE. WE HAD THE ALTADENA FIRE AND SAFE COUNCIL DO A PANEL WHERE THEY DISCUSSED THEIR EXPERIENCE AND WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE FOR THEM TO ORGANIZE THEMSELVES. SO IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT. ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE A FEW OF OUR PARTNERS. I'D REALLY LOVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE GLENDORA PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING A FEW WORKSHOPS. WITH VERY FRUITFUL INTERACTIONS WITH COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING AN MOU WITH, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BEGIN TO HAVE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS WHO WILL BE CO-HOSTING OUR UPCOMING CONVENING WITH US. OUR CURRENT CONNECTIONS HERE IN LA VERNE INCLUDE LONNIE SHIPMAN WITH THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT. RAYMOND SWAIN, WHO IS A COMMUNITY LEADER FOR A FIREWISE COMMUNITY, THE RUSTIC CANYON ESTATES. WE'VE ALSO TABLED AT FALLEN THE FARM. AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD ALSO TO BEING OUT AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH YOU ALL COMING UP AND ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR US TO BE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. I'D LOVE TO FORMALLY INVITE... THE COUNCIL TO JOIN US AT OUR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE VIRTUAL CONVENING. LIKE I SAID, IT WILL BE HOSTED BY THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS. WE'LL BE DISCUSSING WILDFIRE RESILIENCE AND THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK TOGETHER AND ASSESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIP. I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO INVITE EVERYBODY HERE TO THE INSURANCE WEBINAR THAT WE'LL BE HOSTING IN SEPTEMBER AS WELL. THIS IS SPECIFIC FOR HOMEOWNERS SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO PREPARE FOR WILDFIRE. [00:20:06] LASTLY, I'D LOVE TO END WITH THIS SLIDE, A FEW QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE YOU ALL SEEING FROM YOUR COMMUNITY? WHAT DOES YOUR COMMUNITY NEED AS IT RELATES TO WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AND PREVENTION? WHAT ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS MOST CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN IT RELATES TO WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AND PREVENTION? THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY. OUR CONTACT INFO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US TO CONNECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE LOWER RIVERS MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS THEY DO. THEY ALSO FOCUS ON PRESERVING OPEN SPACE, HABITAT, PROVIDING RECREATIONAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SANGARO VALLEY AND LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER WATERSHEDS, AMONGST MANY OTHER THINGS. AND THEY HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT YOU APPLY FOR A GRANT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB, AND IT COVERS A HUGE SPACE, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, ALSO ORANGE COUNTY. PARTS OF ORANGE COUNTY. SO THEY'RE QUITE THE DRIVING FORCE. SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE THAT. WITH THAT, OUR NEXT PRESENTATION ITEM IS THE NATIONAL PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH PROCLAMATION. OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES BY OFFERING INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS, MAINTAINING SAFE AND WELCOMING PUBLIC SPACES, AND OFFERS EVENTS FOR RESIDENTS AND ENGAGEMENT. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR DURAN WILL GIVE US A SHORT PRESENTATION BEFORE WE READ THE PROCLAMATION. DIRECTOR DURAN, COME ON UP. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONIGHT I PRESENT JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION ON NATIONAL RECREATION PARKS MONTH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER MONTH IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO PARKS AND RECREATION AT EVERY STAGE, YOUTH, FAMILIES, OLDER ADULTS, INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ABILITIES AND VISITORS THAT COME AND ATTEND OUR PARKS OUR EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TO SPORTS TO ARTS TO DANCE TO FAMILY EVENTS WE DO A LOT IN OUR DEPARTMENT INCLUSION PROGRAMMING ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WAS ADDED TO ONE OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS MORE RECENTLY WAS THE AAC BOARD, WHICH IS THE AUGMENTATIVE ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION BOARD. THE FIRST ONE EVER IN OUR PARKS AT THE FIRST INCLUSION PLAYGROUND THAT WE'VE EVER INSTALLED HERE IN THE CITY. AND THE FIRST ONE EVER THAT THE ORDER OF THE ALHAMBRA HAVE DONATED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. SO VERY INSTRUMENTAL, VERY COOL, ONE OF A KIND, AND HOPEFULLY... EVENTUALLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD MORE OF THESE INTO OUR PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS. AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT RIGHT THERE IN THAT PICTURE. ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS, ALSO KNOWN AS SENIORS, BUT WE LIKE TO SAY ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY CENTER, FROM EXCURSIONS TO NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO CRAFT FAIRS TO RESOURCE FAIRS. ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR... EVENTS THAT WE HAVE HERE ARE SENIOR DINNER DANCES THAT WE USUALLY GET WELL OVER 120 PARTICIPANTS. SO VERY WELL ATTENDED. COMMUNITY EVENTS, A LIST OF EVENTS. WE DO ASSIST OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL WITH THEIR EVENTS AND THINGS THAT THEY HAVE AT OUR CENTER AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS HERE THAT WE DO HAVE IS EXCELLENT ADVENTURE IN THE DANCES FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. WELL ATTENDED, ONE OF THE ONLY SURROUNDING CITIES THAT CONTINUES TO HOLD DANCES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IT. THE NEXT ONE IS A LUAU DANCE IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, AND WE STILL HAVE TICKETS AVAILABLE. AQUATIC, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE WELL INTO OUR AQUATIC SEASON. WE DO ONLY PROGRAM 10 WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR, BUT ONE OF THE NEWEST ADDITIONS WAS JUNIOR LIFEGUARDS, WHICH WE HAD ROUGHLY IN TOTAL 20 PARTICIPANTS FOR THE FIRST TIME OFFERING THIS. AND OUR AQUA WORKOUT CLASS, WHICH WE ARE CONSIDERING TO ADD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHEN WE DO HAVE THE POOL AVAILABLE. SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. AND LAP SWIM AND FAMILY SWIM NIGHTS. WE DID ADD MERMAIDS, THIS LAST ONE, FOR PRIVATE SWIM, WHICH WAS WELL ATTENDED AND KIND OF FUN. WE DID HAVE STAFF INDICATE THAT THEY WANT TO BE MERMAIDS NEXT YEAR. SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. PARKS, FACILITY, AND RENTALS. SO OUR DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THE COMMUNITY CENTER, VETERANS HALL, THE AQUATIC CENTER. AND WE ALSO OVERSEE ALL PARK SHELTER RENTALS AT PARKS. SO FROM QUINCEANERAS TO WEDDINGS TO CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE TO BIRTHDAY PARTIES, ALL OUR FACILITIES AND SHELTERS DO HOST THESE TYPES OF EVENTS. [00:25:01] AND THE TEAM THAT DOES IT ALL, SOME OF THEM ARE IN ATTENDANCE. I COULD NOT DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT THEM. THEY ARE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE ONES ALWAYS FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR RESIDENTS. TRULY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS TEAM. ONE OF A KIND. THEY'RE AWESOME. THEY'RE AWESOME LIKE YOU. WE DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB. WE LOVE YOU GUYS. PARKS AND REC. GO AHEAD. SO HARD. DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME AMAZING TEAM MEMBERS THAT HAVE TRULY CARED ABOUT OUR PARKS. HOW WELL THEY'VE BEEN MAINTAINED, AND WE'VE HAD A BIG LOSS. BUT AGAIN, WE ARE A FAMILY. MANY CAN'T SAY THAT. AND WE COUNT ON EACH OTHER, AND WE'RE HERE TO UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THEM. SO, NUMBERS. IN 2025, WE HAD OVER 60,000 PARTICIPANTS ATTEND OUR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT. WE SERVED OVER 6,200 SENIOR MEALS. WE OFFERED 24 EXCURSIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS, FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, FOR FAMILIES. WE HAD DEFINITELY OVER 180 FACILITY USES, WHICH IS MEETINGS, RENTALS, EVENTS, OR GATHERINGS BETWEEN ALL THE FACILITIES. AND WE HAD 623 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR INCLUSION PROGRAMS. EVERY NUMBER REPRESENTS A RESIDENT SERVE THE CONNECTION MADE AND A STRONGER LAVERNE JUST A VERY QUICK THANK YOU AGAIN UM OUR DEPARTMENT COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF CITY COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE EVENTS FOR SUPPORTING WHAT WE DO WE DO A LOT WITH OUR PENNIES SO I APPRECIATE IT THANK YOU OH, YEAH. 01, 2, 3, 4 YOU BETTER SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE THIS MINUTE. BUT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE WITH OUR ELECTEDS, WHETHER IT BE ASSEMBLY, WHETHER IT BE SENATE, WHETHER IT BE CONGRESS, THEY'RE GENEROUS TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DO SUCH A GOOD JOB WITH THE MONEY AND WE MAKE IT WORK FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND ANYBODY THAT COMES INTO OUR COMMUNITY. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE AMAZING PEOPLE. CITY OF LA VERNE PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROMOTES PHYSICAL... MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANIZED AND SELF-DIRECTED RECREATION, FITNESS, PLAY, LEISURE, AND LIFELONG HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION CREATES MEANINGFUL AND LASTING EXPERIENCES THROUGH YOUTH SPORTS, AQUATICS, PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, SENIOR SERVICES, HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES, CULTURAL ARTS, SPECIAL EVENTS, OUTDOOR RECREATION, VOLUNTEERISM, AND ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT SERVE RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROMOTE SOCIAL [00:30:03] CONNECTION, INCLUSION, AND EQUITY PROVIDING WELCOMING SPACES WHERE INDIVIDUALS OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS CAN GATHER, CELEBRATE, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND STRENGTHEN THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PRESERVES AND CELEBRATES THE UNIQUE CHARACTER, HISTORY, CULTURE, AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE BY MAINTAINING PARKS, OPEN SPACES, AND COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACES THAT REFLECT THE CITY'S VALUES AND HERITAGES. AND WHEREAS THE CALIFORNIA PARK AND RECREATION SOCIETY'S STATEWIDE PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER CAMPAIGN RECOGNIZES AND CELEBRATES THE VITAL ROLE THAT PARKS, RECREATION PROGRAMS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES PLAY IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS. AND ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO DISCOVER, ENJOY, AND SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE HEREBY RECOGNIZES THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PARKS, RECREATION FACILITIES, TRAILS, OPEN SPACES, PROGRAMS, AND DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS IN PROMOTING THE HEALTH, WELLNESS, ECONOMIC VITALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE LA VERNE COMMUNITY. WE HAD FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE HEREBY PROCLAIMS THE MONTH OF JULY AS PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER MONTH AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO VISIT THEIR LOCAL PARKS, PARTICIPATE IN RECREATION PROGRAMS, VOLUNTEER, ENJOY THE CITY'S OPEN SPACES AND TRAILS, AND RECOGNIZE THE MANY WAYS PARKS AND RECREATION TRULY MAKE LIFE BETTER. DATED THIS 28TH OF JULY, 2026. THANK YOU, YVONNE, AND ALL YOUR STAFF VERY MUCH. I WAS WAITING FOR THE CUE. THANK YOU. OKAY, YEAH. THANK YOU. PAUSE. OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. ON THE MEMORY OF CITY EMPLOYEE JOHN MALARKEY, HIS WIFE KELLY AND DAUGHTER CAITLIN ARE HERE, AND I THINK THERE'S OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WITH YOU THERE. HE JUST RECENTLY PASSED AWAY A FEW WEEKS AGO WHILE WORKING. SORRY, GUYS. I'VE KNOWN JOHN FOR A LONG TIME. AT THE END OF OUR MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO JOIN JOHN'S MEMORY, BUT THIS TIME WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MEMBERS OF JOHN'S FAMILY ARE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING AND HAVE SHARED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT. IN MEMORY OF JOHN MALARKEY, JOHN MALARKEY WAS KIND, SELFLESS, AND COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE PASSING ON THE MORNING OF JULY 11TH HAS LEFT A PROFOUND VOID IN THE HEARTS OF HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, AND THE LAVERNE COMMUNITY. THOSE WHO KNEW JOHN KNEW HIM AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD GLADLY GIVE THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK YOU AND NEVER HESITATE TO LEND A HELPING HAND, REGARDLESS OF HIS OWN CIRCUMSTANCES. A RETIRED WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR, JOHN DEDICATED HIS RETIREMENT TO SERVING OTHERS THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. FOR MANY YEARS, HE FAITHFULLY VOLUNTEERED WITH THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND DEVOTED COUNTLESS HOURS TO SUPPORTING LOCAL YOUTH SPORTS. BEGINNING IN 2010, HE SERVED THE LA VERNE GIRLS SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION, LVGSA, AS PLAYER AGENT BEFORE TAKING ON THE ROLE FIELDS OF SUPERVISOR. FROM 2018 THROUGH 2023, HE SERVED AS BOTH CITY LIAISON AND PRESIDENT OF LVGSA, PROVIDING STEADY LEADERSHIP AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE ORGANIZATION AND THE FAMILIES IT SERVED. HE ALSO GENEROUSLY VOLUNTEERED HIS TIME WITH THE LAVERNE LAZERS. IN LATE 2023, JOHN JOINED THE CITY OF LAVERNE AS A RECREATION LEADER, WHERE HIS DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE CONTINUED. TRUE TO HIS CHARACTER, JOHN NEVER LIMITED HIMSELF TO SIMPLY COMPLETING THE TASK AT HAND. HE CONSISTENTLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, TAKING IMMENSE PRIDE IN MAINTAINING THE CITY'S PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES AND ALWAYS FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT HIS CO-WORKERS AND THE COMMUNITY. MANY KNEW HIM AS AN UNOFFICIAL PARK RANGER OF LA VERNE, WHICH HE WAS. JOHN KNEW EVERYTHING, ACTUALLY. HIS POSITIVE ATTITUDE, [00:35:01] DEPENDABLE WORK ETHIC, AND WILLINGNESS TO HELP WHEREVER NEEDED EARNED HIM THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION OF EVERYONE AROUND HIM. JOHN'S WIFE, KELLY, AND DAUGHTER, CAITLIN. SHARED THAT WORKING FOR THE CITY REKINDLED HIS PASSION AND BROUGHT A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE TO HIS LIFE. WHENEVER HE RECEIVED A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE, HE WOULD EAGERLY HEAD OUT THE DOOR WITH A SMILE, GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE HIS COMMUNITY. JOHN'S LEGACY IS ONE OF KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENEROSITY, AND SERVICE. HIS CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON THE CITY OF LA VERNE, ITS PARKS, ITS YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE MANY LIVES HE TOUCHED ALONG THE WAY. HE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED. FONDLY REMEMBERED AND FOREVER APPRECIATED FOR THE DIFFERENCE HE MADE IN OUR COMMUNITY. ON BEHALF OF CITY OF LA VERNE, WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO JOHN'S WIFE, KELLY, HIS DAUGHTER, CAITLIN, HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, CO-WORKERS, AND ALL WHOSE LIVES WERE ENRICHED BY KNOWING HIM. MAY HIS MEMORY CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US TO SERVE OTHERS IN THE SAME COMPASSION, DEDICATION, AND GENEROSITY THAT JOHN EXEMPLIFIED EVERY DAY. JOHN, YOU WILL BE MISSED. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO WALK THEM OUT, GUYS. JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE. TAKE A SMALL MOMENT BREAK RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS. SORRY ABOUT THAT. JOHN WAS AN AMAZING GUY. HE WAS JUST A GREAT MAN AND GREAT FAMILY. HE WILL BE MISSED. LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT IT'S NOT BEEN GREAT. JUST CONSISTENTLY LOSING LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. IT'S JUST CRAZY RIGHT NOW. LET'S GET THIS OVER HERE. I GUESS I'VE GOT TO GET MYSELF BACK IN HERE. WE'RE ON ANNOUNCEMENTS OF [ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS ] UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS. I'D LIKE TO CALL UP NAMES SUBMITTED, WHICH WOULD BE RAY KEARNEY WITH LAVERNE ROTARY. I KNOW THESE PEOPLE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, AND STAFF. MY NAME IS RAE KEARNEY, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF LA VERNE, JOINING ME IS HUSBAND FRANK KEARNEY AND A FEW CLUB MEMBERS THAT ARE SCATTERED AROUND THE ROOM. WE'RE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THE CITY FOR APPROVING OUR INAUGURAL FIELD OF COURAGE U.S. FLAG DISPLAY OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND AT BEAUTIFUL [00:40:01] COONS PARK. WE COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A MORE BEAUTIFUL LOCATION RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CVSW. AND RIGHT THERE ALONG THE PARADE PATH FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY. AND IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US. YOUR SUPPORT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO CREATE A MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY EVENT. TRIBUTE HONORING OUR VETERANS, OUR ACTIVE MILITARY MEMBERS, AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, SUCH AS OUR POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES. THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, FAMILIES VISITED THE DISPLAY. THEY WERE TAKING PICTURES. THEIR LITTLE CHILDREN WERE RUNNING THROUGH THE ROWS OF FLAGS, JUST ALL CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. AND VISITORS STOPPED AT OUR BOOTH TO THANK US FOR BRINGING THE FIELD OF COURAGE TO LA VERNE. SEVERAL OF THEM ALSO SPONSORED A FLAG TO HONOR A LOVED ONE OR A FRIEND. I THINK ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING ASPECTS OF THE EVENT WAS THE RESPONSE THAT WE GOT FROM OUR VETERANS. SEVERAL OF THEM EXPRESSED HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATED THE RECOGNITION. AND A COUPLE OF THEM ACTUALLY HAD TEARS IN THEIR EYES. THOSE MOMENTS REMINDED US WHY HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED IS SO IMPORTANT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE FIELD OF COURAGE ALSO STRENGTHENED OUR CONNECTION, OUR CLUB'S CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED INSTALL THE FLAGS AND TAKE THEM DOWN. ADDITIONALLY, WE ESTABLISHED A WONDERFUL NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VFW AND COMMANDER PENNY. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF SO MANY SPONSORS AND VISITORS, WE RAISED OVER $2,000 IN FLAG SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS TO BENEFIT THE VFW AND THEIR PROJECTS. AND WE'LL BE MAKING THAT PRESENTATION TO THEM IN AUGUST. THE COMMON QUESTION WE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND WAS, WILL YOU BE BRINGING THIS BACK NEXT YEAR? AND WE SURE HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL RESPONSE. AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING IT BACK IN 2027 WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO JUST TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION, WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE POSTER AS A MOMENTUM. THAT'S COOL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR RAY AND FRANK, THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. IT WAS THE FIRST CONVERSATION WE HAD DIRECTED TO OUR CITY MANAGER, DOMER. AND THEY WORKED IT OUT AND FIGURED OUT WHERE THE BEST PLACE WAS. I KNOW THEY TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS AMAZING. I THOUGHT IT LOOKED GREAT. IT'S A GREAT FOURTH OF JULY. IT'S A GREAT CELEBRATION OF OUR VETERANS. AND IT WAS JUST A FANTASTIC EVENT. THANK YOU, GUYS. YES, WE WANT TO DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE. WE KNOW WHERE THEY GO. AND YOU DIDN'T HIT ANY SPRINKLER LINES. WE DIDN'T. YOU KNOW? YEAH, SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT. AND THANK THE LAVERNE ROTARY CLUB. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID. I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE SOME MONEY. NOW, THIS IS STILL ON. YOU CAN STILL DONATE. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, WE'LL ALWAYS ACCEPT DONATIONS. SO I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY PUT THAT OUT THERE, MAYBE PUT A WEB PAGE OR SOMETHING AND GIVE US THAT INFORMATION. WE CAN POST IT. OKAY? I THINK IT'S GREAT. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ADRIAN ROMERO, LIBRARIAN. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS, AND STAFF. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A FEW EVENTS THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE AT LAVERNE LIBRARY. THIS SATURDAY AT 2, WE'LL BE HOLDING A SPEED PUZZLING ACTIVITY FOR ADULTS. DURING THIS ACTIVITY, TEAMS OF UP TO FOUR PEOPLE WILL COMPETE TO COMPLETE A 500-PIECE PUZZLE. THE FIRST TEAM TO FINISH WILL WIN A PRIZE. AND ON FRIDAY, JULY 31ST, WE'LL BE HOLDING AN ART PROGRAM FOR TODDLERS. WHERE THEY CAN DESIGN A SUNCATCHER WITH THEIR CAREGIVERS. AFTER THE ACTIVITY, CAREGIVERS CAN SPEAK TO A CHILD DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST FROM THE POMONA REGIONAL CENTER ABOUT DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES. AND ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH AT 4 O'CLOCK, L.A. PHILHARMONIC VIOLINIST PAUL STEIN WILL HOLD A PERFORMANCE OF EVALDI'S FOUR SEASONS FOR CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 12. MR. STEIN WILL ALSO TEACH CHILDREN HOW VIOLINS ARE MADE. AND THEY WILL BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO LEARN HOW TO USE RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS. AND ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 8TH AT 2, WE'LL BE HOLDING A BLOCK PRINTING PROGRAM FOR TEENS. DURING THE PROGRAM, TEENS WILL LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF BLOCK PRINTING IN HISTORY AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE IT PLAYED IN THE SPREAD OF LITERACY. THEN TEENS WILL BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO CARVE THEIR OWN STAMPS AND PRINT THEIR OWN DESIGNS. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK SHERRY AND KATHY FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR THEIR WORK ON A WALK THROUGH THE HISTORY OF LA VERNE DISPLAY AT THE LIBRARY. WHICH COULD BE VIEWED IN OUR LOBBY NOW. AND I WANT TO THANK MAYOR HEPBURN AND OTHER CITY OFFICIALS FOR ATTENDING THE [00:45:01] UNVEILING EVENT AND MAKING IT A GREAT SUCCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ADRIAN. APPRECIATE THAT. SHERRY BEST. AND KATHY. AND GROUP. YES, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. HERE'S THE OTHER. YES. SO I'M SHERRY BEST. THIS IS KATHY KALUSIK. WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING THE LAVERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. WE ARE ALSO HERE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ADRIENNE ROMERO AND ALSO SPECIFICALLY TO ANDREA BLOCKINGER, WHO WORKED WITH ME THROUGH THE PROCESS. OF DEVELOPING THE DISPLAY THAT WE HAVE OVER AT THE LIBRARY. I REALLY HOPE YOU COULD TAKE THE TIME TO GO OVER AND HAVE A LOOK AT IT. AND IT REALLY IS VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL. IT SHOWCASES SOME OF THE ARTIFACTS THAT BELONG TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND PART OF OUR COLLECTION OF ORANGE CRATE LABELS. SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED. WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR THIS EVENT, AND RECEIVED THIS WONDERFUL... HISTORIC SOCIETY ROUTE 66. ISN'T THAT GREAT? THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GET DISPLAYED SOMEWHERE. WE'LL FIND A PLACE FOR IT. AND THEN JESS RECEIVED THIS COMMENDATION FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERVISOR CATHERINE BARGER'S OFFICE. WE WERE WELL REPRESENTED THERE. AND I ALSO ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK YOU, MAYOR TIM, FOR BEING THERE AND HELPING US PUT ON WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A WONDERFUL EVENT. AND WE HOPE IS THE BEGINNING OF CONTINUED ACTIVITIES WITH THE LIBRARY. SO WE'RE DELIGHTED ABOUT THAT. NOW, COMING UP, I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT TWO DAYS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND I MADE THAT TREK UP TO LITTLE ROCK NEAR PHELAN. THAT MEANS LEAVING AT 630 IN THE MORNING. AND WE GOT UP THERE AND PICKED 45 POUNDS OF PLUMS. AND WE WERE BACK BY 11 IN THE MORNING BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IT'S OVER 100 DEGREES THERE. PLUM JAM. AND WE WILL BE SELLING PUCKER POWER PLUM JAM IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. I WAS SO GRATEFUL. SAY THAT WITH A MOUTHFUL OF POPCORN. OR THREE TIMES. I'M GLAD I GOT IT OUT ONCE. SO ANYHOW, WE ARE ON THE ROAD FOR GETTING PLUM JAM MADE. SO THAT WAS LOTS OF FUN. AND KATHY, MEMBERSHIP. OH, YES. IT'S STILL TIME TO JOIN US OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP IF YOU HAVEN'T YET. WE'RE KEEPING IT. AT THE VERY VERY REASONABLE $20 FOR ONE, $25 FOR A FAMILY, OR $200 FOR A LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND THEN YOU'RE WITH US FOREVER. SO PLEASE JOIN RENEW. IT HELPS US TO MAINTAIN THE TRUCK, IT HELPS US WITH ALL THE DISPLAYS AND TAKING CARE OF THE ARTIFACTS. SOMEDAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR MUSEUM BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S IN STORAGE AND THAT COSTS A LOT EVERY MONTH SO PLEASE YOU KNOW. HELP US IF YOU LOVE PRESERVING HISTORY. YOU KNOW, JOIN US. WE HAD FIVE WIFE MEMBERS IN 2026, 19 NEW MEMBERS, AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY RENEWING MEMBERS. BUT IF YOU ARE A MEMBER WHO IS NOT RENEWED YET, WE'RE COMING TO GET YOU. SO WATCH OUT. I KNOW YOUR EMAIL AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER, SO I WILL BE IN TOUCH. I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. YEAH, AND I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, TOO, BECAUSE IT'S ON YOUR MEMBERSHIP FORM. I WILL SAY THAT. IT WAS WELL REPRESENTED BY OUR ASSEMBLY HARVIDIAN'S OFFICE, ALSO SUSAN RUBIO'S OFFICE, ALSO CONGRESS. THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEY APPRECIATE THESE KIND OF THINGS BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER YOUR HISTORY, THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. YOU MUST REMEMBER. YOU GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. AND ALSO ROUTE 66 ALSO HAS A DISPLAY IN OUR ENTRANCE OVER HERE. THE GENTLEMAN, ALAN, WAS IT ALAN? JOHN ATWATER. JOHN ATWATER. HE HAS A DISPLAY UP HERE, IF YOU GO INTO THE FOYER HERE, ABOUT JUST SOME MEMORABILIA. HE IS FROM THE SAN BERNARDINO CHAPTER, I THINK IT IS, BUT HE HAS AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF ROUTE 66 ITEMS OF NOSTALGIA. HE'S GOT THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT HE'S DONE A REALLY NICE JOB OVER HERE. BUT YOU GUYS DID A SPECTACULAR JOB. THANK YOU TO THE LIBRARY FOR ALLOWING HIM TO PUT THE CASE IN THERE. BUT ANYBODY NEEDS TO, IT REALLY IS REALLY COOL TO GO SEE IT. IT'S REALLY SOME AMAZING HISTORY. YEAH, WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL, TOO. IT WAS. WE REALLY ENJOYED IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAME, LIKE ROTARY AND RAY, YOU GUYS CAN, YEAH. MR. ALVARADO. WELCOME TO THE STATE. IS IT FOUR? I DON'T KNOW. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. HI, MY NAME IS JAY ALVARADO. I'M THE ADMIN LIEUTENANT. AND MR. MAYOR, I HEARD YOU TALKING [00:50:01] ABOUT THE GREAT, WONDERFUL PEOPLE WE HAVE IN THIS CITY AND THE GREAT PARKS. SO I'M HERE TO PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET OUT TO ONE OF OUR EVENTS. SO TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH. FROM 4.30 P.M. TO 7.30 P.M. WE'LL BE DOING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AT LAS FLORES PARK. IT'LL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, THE WATER DEPARTMENT, AND WHO ELSE DID I MISS? PARKS AND REC. SO, YEAH, WE'LL HAVE OUR DEMONSTRATIONS OUT THERE. YOU CAN INTERACT WITH OUR PEOPLE OUT THERE. IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR. WE'LL HAVE A BUNCH OF OUR TOYS OUT THERE, SOME OF THE BIG VEHICLES, ARMORED VEHICLES AND EVERYTHING. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT AND JUST BE A PART OF A FUN NIGHT. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR FAMILIES AND JUST GATHERING. YOU GUYS DO A REALLY NICE SHOW THERE. WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO IT, AND HOPEFULLY IT SHOULD BE GOOD WEATHER. AND, YEAH, IT'LL BE A GOOD EVENING. OH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE JUST FINE. YEAH, MAYBE WARM. MAYBE A LITTLE. BUT IT'LL BE GOOD. THANK YOU. THANKS, JAY. APPRECIATE IT. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? JUST A REAL QUICK ONE. JOSH GOLDMAN FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT, I DID A LITTLE SHORT LITTLE SNIPPET IN FRONT OF ONE OF HIS TRUCKS BECAUSE STARTING SEPTEMBER 1 ON WASTE MANAGEMENT BILLS WILL BE GOING DIRECTLY TO HOMEOWNERS. CLARIFICATION IS ALSO THAT IF YOU'RE IN A MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY, THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY, YOU WON'T SEE ANY DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT FROM THE MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES TAKE CARE OF THE BILLING OF THE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS. THAT WILL CONTINUALLY STAY THE SAME. SO THAT'S QUITE A LARGE POPULATION OF OUR COMMUNITY. BUT YOUR LAST BILL FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT WILL BE AUGUST 1ST. AND THEN THE NEW BILL FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT IS SEPTEMBER THERE WILL BE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT HERE AT CITY HALL FOR ANY PROBLEMS OR BILLING OR THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT YOU WILL BE CALLING WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR ANY ISSUES, WHETHER IT BE. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, TOO, IS WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR FIRST BILL. MAKE SURE THE CONTAINERS YOU HAVE SHOW ON THAT BILL. AND IF THEY DON'T, MAKE SURE YOU CALL THEM. IF YOU'RE BEING BILLED FOR TOO MANY OR NOT ENOUGH, YOU STILL NEED TO CALL WASTE MANAGEMENT. I HAVE TO SAY THAT. IT'S A DUAL-EDGED SWORD. I'LL LEAVE THAT TO YOUR DISCRETION, BUT YOU SHOULD CALL WASTE MANAGEMENT. BUT THEY'RE BEING VERY GRACIOUS ABOUT THEIR TIME BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FOR OUR CITY. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT A LONG TIME AGO, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG, PEOPLE GET USED TO IT. REPRESENTATIVE HERE, STARTING SEPTEMBER 1 FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED TO. BUT YOUR LAST BILL WILL BE AUGUST 1ST, AND EVERYTHING AFTER THAT WILL BE SEPTEMBER IT WILL BE BILLED DIRECTLY TO YOU. SO BILL PAY AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO CHANGE. SO JUST A LITTLE SNIPPET. MORE INFORMATION TO COME. I KNOW THAT ANDREA AND JOSH WILL BE DOING SOME VIDEOS AND SOME SNIPPETS JUST TO KIND OF INFORM PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING ON. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM COUNCIL? REMEMBER, LOOK IN THE BACK OF YOUR PAGES FOR LOTS OF MOVIES IN THE PARK. OH, I'M DONE. OH, YOU GO AHEAD. SORRY, IT'S NOT A REAL ANNOUNCEMENT. I JUST SAW A SIGN. I'M SORRY, YOU'RE DONE. MR. DILLMAN. COME ON, TIM. ALL RIGHT. GOSH, GET NO LUCK. DID HE NOT GET HIS COOKIE TODAY? YOU SAID IT, NOT ME. NO, I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN NORTH LA VERNE WERE SEEING THIS. SEEING SIGNS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON SAYING THAT THERE'S ROAD CLOSURES UP IN NORTH LA VERNE. IF I CAN DO IT WE CAN JUST GET SOME MORE INFORMATION. IT JUST SAYS UH... I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET CASH BUT THAT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT. YEAH IT SAYS IT OUT THERE BUT THERE'S NO OTHER INFORMATION IN THE COMMUNITY WHAT'S GOING ON. IS IT A FULL ROAD CLOSURE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WE CAN JUST GET THAT INFORMATION. IT MUST BE LINE WORK OR SOMETHING BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'VE INSULATED A LOT OF THE LINES UP THERE SO ANYWAY. YEAH WE WILL FIND OUT ON THAT WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING YET BUT IT... FLOWS VERY WELL INTO WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT WITH THE FIRE EDUCATION AND ALL THAT STUFF. WE ARE ENTERING THAT TIME FRAME AND SO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GO TO SCE.COM SLASH PSPS, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTOFF, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL SWATHS, SEVERAL CIRCUITS THAT ARE STILL AFFECTED BY THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTOFFS. AND AGAIN, THAT'S IF THERE'S HIGH WIND, WEATHER, DRY HEAT, AND... EDISON HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WEATHER STATIONS ALONG THEIR LINES, AND THEY WILL TRIGGER A POWER SHUTOFF. SO IF YOU GO TO SCE.COM SLASH PSPS, THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES, INFORMATION, AS WELL AS YOU CAN PUT YOUR EMAIL OR TEXT INTO A NOTIFICATION SO YOU START GETTING THAT INFORMATION. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE SOME BACKUP POWER SOLUTIONS. SO IF YOU GO TO THAT WEB PAGE, THEY HAVE THE PORTABLE POWER STATIONS, WHICH ARE MORE OF THE LARGE BATTERIES THAT YOU CAN USE. [00:55:04] PLUG THINGS INTO, BUT THEN ALSO PORTABLE GENERATOR TO ACTUALLY POWER THINGS IN YOUR HOUSE, AS WELL AS INFORMATION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND NEED A CONSTANT POWER ON THAT. SO YOU CAN GO THERE. THEY DO HAVE DISCOUNTS FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THAT PSPS AREA. AND THEN ALSO SCE IS GOING TO BE MAILING NOTIFICATIONS TO THOSE AFFECTED RESIDENTS OR BUSINESSES. AND WE OURSELVES GET THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE PUMPING EQUIPMENT. BUT FOR OUR PUMPS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOCATING GENERATORS UP THERE AND DOING THOSE THINGS, PRE-STATIONING, FILLING UP OUR RESERVOIRS WHEN WE KNOW THERE'S A RED FLAG. BUT I WANT TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE GO TO WWW. SCE.COM SLASH PSPS. AND THEN MAYOR PRO TEM, WE'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE ROAD CLOSURES. PLEASE. THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK REMINDER. I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE ARE IN NORTH LAVERNE, HIGH BUYER ZONE. USUALLY THERE'S TWO AREAS, MOUNTAIN SPRINGS AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE ON GOLDEN HILLS AND ESKIMOS. THAT'S A FIRST SHUTDOWN FOR ANY ISSUES WITH WINDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THEY'LL SHUT US DOWN. SO IF YOU DO HAVE GENERATORS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN RUNNING CONDITION, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE FUEL. I WOULD SUGGEST A TRI-FUEL GENERATOR, WHICH WILL BE PROPANE, NATURAL GAS FROM YOUR HOUSE, OR GASOLINE. AND THEY WORK REALLY WELL. I KNOW THE FAUSTINIS HAVE ONE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE IDENTICAL ONE I HAVE. BUT IT'S AND NOT ONLY THAT, CLEAR YOUR HOMES. MAKE SURE THERE'S NO BOXES. MAKE SURE THERE'S NO DEBRIS. MAKE SURE YOU'RE CLEARED AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. ALSO, YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK INTO THE FIRE. VENT PROOFING, WHICH IS FOR YOUR VENTS IN YOUR HOUSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FIREPROOF SCREEN. IT'S A VERY SIMPLE THING TO DO, AND IT'LL PROTECT EMBERS FROM COMING INTO YOUR HOUSE, AND THAT'S HOW FIRES START. EMBERS COME, THEY LAY DOWN, THEY GO THROUGH YOUR VENTS. SO REALLY, MAKE SURE YOUR HOSES ARE GOOD. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE CLEARED. MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PREPARED TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED. YOU CAN GO ONLINE ON OUR FIREWISE. BE PREPARED FOR THINGS THAT... NOT MAY HAPPEN. THEY COULD HAPPEN ANYTIME BECAUSE OF THE HIGH FIRE SEVERITY ZONE THAT WE'RE IN IN LA VERNE. AND I WILL KUDOS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THEY HAVE BEEN CLEARING FOR THE LAST PROBABLY TWO AND A HALF MONTHS. I THINK WE'RE FINALLY COMPLETE. WE GOT A MESSAGE FROM I THINK IT WAS RONNIE SHIPMAN, BUT ALSO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, DANNY WU, THAT THAT'S BEEN DONE. THEY NOT ONLY CLEARED THE BASE, BUT THEY CLEARED UP ABOVE BRANCHES. SO THAT IF THE FIRE COMES UP, IT'S NOT GOING TO START THE TREES ON FIRE, HOPEFULLY, IF WE GET OUT IN TIME. SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE BY OUR PUBLIC WORKS, BY OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO BY OUR PRIVATE CONTRACTORS. SO KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU. AGAIN, YOU MUST BE PREPARED, THOUGH. IT'S NOT IF, IT'S WHEN. AND WE TRY ALL WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS. WE'RE READY AS A CITY WITH OUR FIRE RESERVOIRS, OUR GENERATORS, AS OUR CITY MANAGER SAID. BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO PREPARED. SO PREPARE YOURSELF NOW BECAUSE IT IS SEASON. ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT, [CONSENT CALENDAR] COUNCIL? MR. CROSBY? NOTHING? WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS. NOW WE MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ARE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. UNLESS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE REQUESTS SEPARATE DISCUSSION OR JUST WANTS TO MAKE STATEMENTS ON ONE OF THE ITEMS. COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS TO PULL ANY ITEMS? MR. DOMER, DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR ITEMS TO BE PULLED? THERE ARE NO REQUESTS. WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR? I'LL MOVE. AWESOME. OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION. WE'VE GOT A SECOND. VOTE, PLEASE. AND, MR. MAYOR, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A ROLL CALL VOTE THIS EVENING SINCE RICK IS ONLINE AND CAN'T VOTE ELECTRONICALLY. HI, RICK. SO I'LL DO THE ROLL CALL, AND WE JUST NEED A SIMPLE YES OR NO ON THE VOTE. THE CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION BY CASHEL FAGITA, SECONDED BY LAU. MR. CROSBY, YES OR NO? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? YES. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA? YES. MAYOR HEPBURN? YES. THAT WAS APPROVED 5-0. THANK YOU. [7. Confirmation of Weed Abatement Clearance Charges for Fiscal Year 2025-26.] TONIGHT THERE'S ONE PUBLIC HEARING CONFIRMATION OF LEAD ABATEMENT CLEARANCE CHARGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26. CITY MANAGER DOMER, WOULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE THE STAFF REPORT ON THIS TOPIC? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND I KNOW MATT CARDENAS WITH THE LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER, THIS IS A THIRD TIME ON BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH EVERY YEAR. THERE'S A FIRST NOTIFICATION THAT'S IN FEBRUARY 2ND, FEBRUARY 17TH. THERE'S A NOTICE OF PROTEST HEARING. IF YOU'VE RECEIVED THAT NOTICE, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY SETTING THOSE CHARGES. [01:00:01] FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT EITHER HAD AN INSPECTION OR ACTUALLY SOME ABATEMENT. AND THEN WITH THIS ACTION, IT WILL GO TO L.A. COUNTY TO PUT ON THE PROPERTY TAX ROLL. SO WITH THAT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, SEE IF THERE'S ANY PROTESTS. I'M GOING TO DO THAT. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY STAFF? I JUST WANT TO THANK LA COUNTY STAFF FOR THEIR SUPPORT COMING OUT HERE AND BEING WITH US. DANNY. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? SECOND? SECOND. WITH THAT ROLL CALL VOTE. ARE YOU WANTING TO PUSH THAT BUTTON? COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? YES. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA? YES. MAYOR HEPBURN? YES. THAT'S FIVE YESES FOR ITEM EIGHT. MOTION BY JOHNSON, SECONDED BY LAU. THANK YOU. YEAH, YOU DO NOT, SHE DOES NOT NEED TO STAY ANY LONGER. GO HOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, DISCUSSION CALENDAR. [8. Public Financing Authority - Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Board Appointment. ] TONIGHT THERE ARE FIVE ITEMS ON THE DISCUSSION CALENDAR. THE FIRST ITEM IS THE APPOINTMENT TO THE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT BOARD. CITY MANAGER DOMER, PLEASE PROVIDE THE STAFF PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THIS IS AN APPOINTMENT TO THE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT BOARD. IT'S THE PUBLIC MEMBER. THE EIFD IS A JOINT AUTHORITY BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND THE CITY OF LA VERNE. IT WAS THE SECOND EIFD FORMED IN THE STATE. AFTER REDEVELOPMENT WENT AWAY, THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWED WHAT IS CALLED TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. AND ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS A VERY SMALL DISTRICT. IT ENCOMPASSES THE AREA AROUND THE CITY PORTION OF THE FAIRPLEX, ARROW HIGHWAY, SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY NORTH, NON-RESIDENTIAL, BUT SOME RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE THEY'RE WITHIN THE OLD TOWN LAVERNE SPECIAL SPECIFIC PLAN AREA. AND THEN IT STRETCHES OVER TO THE... BROWN PROPERTY, WHICH ARE THE UNDEVELOPED AREAS AROUND THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE PROPERTY, SO SOUTH OF ARROW HIGHWAY. AND ESSENTIALLY THE TAX INCREMENT, WHICH WOULD BE PROVIDED BY THE CITY AND HALF OF THE COUNTIES GOES TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT. SO WAY BACK IN 2017, THERE WAS WHAT WAS CALLED AN INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING PLAN, THOUGHT OF AND PUT INTO MOTION. AND BASICALLY THOSE ARE A SERIES OF INFRASTRUCTURE OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS WHICH WOULD FACILITATE FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THOSE AREAS. A BOND WAS LENT IN, WHAT, 18 OR SO FOR ABOUT $4 MILLION. THE INITIAL FUNDING SOURCE SHOULD BE THE TAX INCREMENT, BUT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TAX INCREMENT BEING GENERATED RIGHT NOW. SO PROPOSITION C, WHICH IS A TRANSIT MEASURE. IS FUNDING THAT, FRONTING THAT CASH UNTIL AT SUCH TIME THAT IT WILL BE PAID BACK BY THE TAX INCREMENT. THE BIGGEST PROJECT THAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR IS THE IMPROVEMENTS ON E AND 2ND STREET, CONNECTING THE LAVERNE FAIRPLEX A-LINE STATION TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE IS A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS GOING INTO THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, WHICH WILL CONNECT THE LAVERNE A-LINE STATION TO THE FAIRPLEX PORTION OF THE PROPERTY. AND THEN THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE IFP. HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IFP BECAUSE WE'RE COMING UP ON THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE EIFD. AND REALLY, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE THOUGHT OF 10 YEARS AGO ARE STILL RELEVANT. WE'RE WORKING WITH ULV ON THEIR MASTER PLAN. THEY'RE MAYBE LOOKING AT A CHANGE IN WHAT GOES ON AT THEIR PROPERTY BECAUSE IT WAS ZONED INDUSTRIAL, AND THEY MAY BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW. SO THE BOARD IS MADE UP OF... TWO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, ONE MEMBER OR THEIR DESIGNEE FROM THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND THAT'S SUPERVISOR HILDA SOLIS' OFFICE. ONE OF HER STAFF MEMBERS SITS ON THAT. A COUNTY PUBLIC MEMBER, WHICH IS DR. ANTHONY ORLANDO. HE'S GREAT, BY THE WAY. AND THEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEMBER VACANCY THAT THE CITY [01:05:01] COUNCIL APPOINTS TO THIS BOARD. SO THE CITY DOES HAVE KIND OF A 3-2 SPLIT ON IT, BUT THIS APPOINTMENT IS FOR THAT PUBLIC MEMBER. IT IS DIFFERENT THAN ALL OF OUR OTHER COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES WHERE IT IS NOT A DIRECT APPOINTMENT PER DISTRICT. IT IS A GENERAL DISTRICT. OUR GENERAL AT LARGE APPOINTMENT BY THE COUNCIL. WE DID ADVERTISE IT IN SOME OF OUR NORMAL WAYS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PUSHING IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PUTTING IT ON OUR WEBSITE, GETTING IT OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE APPLIED IN THE PAST FOR APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONS, BUT WERE NOT SELECTED. AND WE DID RECEIVE DURING THAT TIME TWO APPLICATIONS. SO THOSE ARE BEFORE YOU AND MAYOR HEPBURN AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON ARE. CURRENTLY ON THE EIFD BOARD AS THE CITY'S APPOINTEES. AND WITH THAT, THERE'S A QUESTION, BUT THE APPOINTMENT IS UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE, BRIAN O'KEEFE AND THEN RICHARD BONE. IS BRIAN O'KEEFE IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT? OH, HE'S ONLINE. I THINK I WOULD PROBABLY OPEN IT TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST TO LET THEM SPEAK FOR A MINUTE OR SO. IF YOU, MR. O'KEEFE OR MR. BOWEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK FOR A MOMENT AT THE MIC? NO? THAT'S UP TO YOU. NO? MR. O'KEEFE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? WE HAVE ALL YOUR RESUMES. CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? YOUR HAND? NO. YOU SHOULD BE ON NOW. MR. O'KEEFE, WE'VE MADE YOU A PANELIST, SO YOU JUST NEED TO UNMUTE AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME FOR CONSIDERATION. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO SAY OTHER THAN THE AREA THAT IS IN QUESTION IS VERY MUCH WHERE I LIVE. I'M ON BONITA BETWEEN E AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE THE CITY IS GOING AND WHERE THINGS ARE MOVING. I THINK THE CONTENT IN THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE TIME BEING. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT UP TO DEUS. WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE, COUNSEL? MR. JOHNSON. GO AHEAD, WENDY. NOW IT IS. I BELIEVE THAT BOTH APPLICANTS WOULD MAKE A GOOD GROUP IN THE PANEL. SO EITHER ONE. THANK YOU. I WOULD CONCUR, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT I'M DISAPPOINTED THERE'S ONLY TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ON THERE. BOTH INDIVIDUALS HAVE MR. BOWEN'S BEEN INVOLVED FOR YEARS AND YEARS WITH THE CITY. MR. O'KEEFE, I KNOW OF HIM. BUT HE HAS A VERY GOOD BACKGROUND. BUT I WAS KIND OF DISAPPOINTED AT THE FACT THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE MORE CANDIDATES, NOT TO SAY THE CANDIDATES AREN'T GREAT AS FAR AS THE ONES WE HAVE. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. SO IN THAT VEIN, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD ASK THAT THE COUNCIL ENTERTAIN BECAUSE I DID HAVE QUESTIONS WHEN I REVIEWED THIS REPORT. NAMELY, WHEN IS THE FIRST MEETING? AND I BELIEVE WHEN I SPOKE WITH CITY MANAGER DOMER, THIS GROUP MEETS ABOUT FOUR TIMES. AND THE FIRST MEETING IS LOOKING AT DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, SO A FEW MONTHS AWAY. I, TOO, WAS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED IN THE FACT THAT WE ONLY HAD TWO APPLICANTS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE EIFD IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF US MOVING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF SOME OF OUR BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, SOME CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE EIFD WAS FIRST FORMED IN 2017. THE AMENDMENT TO THE IFP, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE PLAN, WAS DONE IN AUGUST OF 2020. WE'RE NOW SIX YEARS PAST THAT. SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN OUR IFP, I DON'T KNOW, TO MR. DOMER'S POINT, IF THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON PRESENTLY OR NOT. I ALSO HAVE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE RECRUIT FOR COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT FOLKS FOR THE VARIOUS COMMISSIONS, I KNOW THAT WE WERE ASKED, HEY, LOOK AT YOUR SPECIFIC AREAS, DO KNOW SOMEONE, RECOMMEND SOMEONE. WE'D LOVE TO SEE NEW PEOPLE GET INVOLVED AND BE EDUCATED ABOUT IT. I THINK THE EIFD, UNLESS YOU ARE A TOTAL GOVERNMENT NERD, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU PEOPLE GENERALLY UNDERSTAND, LIKE, THE BACKGROUND OF WHAT, HOW IT MANIFESTED. AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY LOTS OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY WHO PROBABLY DO POSSESS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO SIT ON THIS BOARD AND BRING THEIR PERSPECTIVE. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE TWO CANDIDATES THAT HAVE PUT FORTH THEIR APPLICATIONS AREN'T. QUALIFIED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SINCE THERE IS NO TIME CONSTRAINT, IMMEDIATE TIME CONSTRAINT, THAT WE PUT THIS OUT FOR ADDITIONAL RECRUITMENT FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN LINE WITH, [01:10:01] AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES AS WELL, A STUDY SESSION OF SOME SORT OR WORKSHOP WHERE INTERESTED APPLICANTS WHO MAY BE LIKE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT, THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. OR JUST FOR THE REGULAR CITIZEN OR RESIDENT TO UNDERSTAND. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? WHY DO WE NEED SOMEONE ON THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION? AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT? AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW. SO AS QUESTIONS ARE BEING RAISED, AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, THEY'RE EQUIPPED WITH ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND TALKING TO THE PERSON WHO IS IDENTIFIED FOR THIS PURSUIT TO HAVE THOSE MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO BE WHERE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TRYING TO COMMIT THANK YOU. MORE TRANSPARENCY AND MORE EDUCATION ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS RUN, HOW OUR CITY IS RUN, HOW THIS IMPACTS. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EDUCATION ABOUT THE EIFD. I APPRECIATE THE REPORT THAT YOU JUST GAVE, MR. DOMER, YOU KNOW, GIVING SOME OF THE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF THE EIFD. BUT I WOULD HAZARD TO GUESS THAT SOME OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA OR SOME OF THE APP, YOU KNOW, THE STUFF THAT WENT OUT THAT SAID, HEY, YOU SHOULD APPLY, PEOPLE SAID, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT IS. AND THEY MAY HAVE THE REQUISITE SKILLS TO SIT IN THIS POSITION. SO SEEING AS THAT THERE IS NO TIME CONSTRAINT, IMMEDIATE TIME CONSTRAINT ON IT, I'D LIKE TO FLY IT. I THINK OUR TWO CURRENT APPLICANTS CAN LEAVE THEIR APPLICATIONS IN THE POOL, AND THEY'LL STILL BE EVALUATED. AND OUR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SIT ON THE EIFD CAN THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, SEEING WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE. SO THAT'S MY DIRECTION. SO THAT'S MY I WOULD THEM. I WOULD AGREE BECAUSE I KNOW MR. BOWEN WAS AT THE LAST MEETING. WE DON'T GET A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HERE, BUT WE'RE AT KIND OF A TURNING POINT FOR THE IFD. WE REALLY GOT CLIPPED QUITE HARD WITH THE COVID, AND IT REALLY STOPPED ANY OF THE THINGS GOING ON WITH THE IFD. WE DID SOME STUFF, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT ENOUGH COMMERCE TO REALLY PAY THAT BACK, AND THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR ME. WE'RE LOOKING AT, LIKE MR. DOMER SAID, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME THINGS THAT... ONCE THE BRIDGE GETS PUT IN, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, A YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF, BUT ALSO WITH THE FAIRPLEX DOING THE THINGS THEY'RE GOING TO DO, AND ALSO WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE, I DO THINK WE'RE AT THAT TURNING POINT WHERE I THINK THE EIFD IS GOING TO KICK IN, HOPEFULLY, AND PROVE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL. I KNOW SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES MUCH LARGER THAN OURS HAVE JUST UNBELIEVABLY USED THE EIFD AS A TOOL, MINUTES. THAT INCREMENT FINANCING IS INCREDIBLE FOR SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES. WE'RE TALKING $100, $200 MILLION PROJECTS THAT ARE GOOD. BUT BACK TO YOUR POINT, I THINK THAT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE MORE SOCIAL MEDIA. I'D LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE MORE, LIKE YOU SAID, MAYBE HAVE A, LIKE A, ONCE WE DO GET APPLICANTS, HAVE THEM COME IN AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE. THIS IS HOW THIS WORKS. BECAUSE EXCEPT FOR A FEW PEOPLE, MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE APP WORKS. WELL, AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, TOO, WE DO HAVE THREE VACANCIES ON COUNCIL COMING UP. IN NOVEMBER AND I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IF THERE ARE FOLKS ASIDE FROM THE FOLKS WHO HAVE SERVED OR ARE CURRENTLY SERVING WHO WANT TO KNOW IF THEY WANT TO RUN FOR ELECTION I THINK THIS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY IN OUR CITY AND IT SERVES AS AN EDUCATION POINT FOR HEY YOU MAY NOT WANT TO SERVE ON THE EIFD BUT IF YOU'RE INTENDING TO RUN FOR COUNCIL THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT IT WILL ENTAIL SO THAT'S MY ASK WELL, THE WHOLE COMPLEXITY OF THIS COUNCIL COULD BE CHANGED. I MEAN, POSSIBILITY. THERE'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. SO, THREE OF US UP. YES. MR. MAYOR, JUST TO CONFIRM, THE EIFD DOES MEET QUARTERLY OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. I THINK THEY'VE PROBABLY MET ON AVERAGE TWICE A YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL. THERE IS A MEETING THAT'S TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER, BUT AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NO. NOTHING ON THE AGENDA. NOTHING ON THE AGENDA AND NO NEED. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU IS CORRECT WITH THE IFT THAT THAT IS THE NEXT THING THAT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE. SO AT THE LAST MEETING THE IFT APPROVED A REIMBURSEMENT WITH THE CITY REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT, BUT ALSO A CONSULTANT AGREEMENT WITH COSMOT WHO'S BEEN HELPING US. SO BY DECEMBER WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO HAVE SOME INFORMATION TO START LOOKING IT. HOW WE REVISE THE IFP. NOW THAT'S A LONG PROCESS, ANOTHER 18 AFTER THAT POINT, LIKELY JUST TO GET IT ALL DONE [01:15:01] BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO IT. THAT WILL ALSO ALLOW, AGAIN, THERE REALLY IS NOT A LOT OF TAX INCREMENT GOING INTO THE EIFD RIGHT NOW. SO IT HAD BEEN HOPED BY THIS TIME THAT 1941 WHITE STREET, WHICH IS THE OLD PAPER PLANT, WOULD HAVE BEEN REDEVELOPED. WE'RE STILL GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER. I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO'S MORE INCLINED TO LOOK AT IT AND BUY IT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER AND DEVELOP IT AS IT HAS BEEN ENTITLED. AND THAT'S A HOPE. THAT'S A BIG HOPE. YEAH, BECAUSE AGAIN, PROPERTY TAX INCREMENT IS KEY. AND FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY PROPOSED A 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, THERE IS NO PROPERTY TAX, AND THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY KILL THE EIFD. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT AS A PRIMARY MARKET-BASED DEVELOPMENT. BUT AS FAR AS WE COULD SCHEDULE SOME TYPE OF DISCUSSION, TALK TO STAFF ABOUT WHAT WOULD WORK, BE IT AT THE NEXT... COUNCIL MEETING, BUT TO GET MORE INFORMATION OUT THERE, IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL, CHECK IT OUT AGAIN. ALL OF OUR MECHANISMS, I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO WWW.LAVERNCA.GOV SLASH NOTIFY, AND YOU CAN PUT YOUR EMAIL IN THERE TO GET BOTH THE CITY MANAGER'S NEWSLETTER. YOU CAN GET ALL THE NOTIFICATIONS OF AGENDAS FOR EITHER THE CITY COUNCIL OR ALL OF THE COMMITTEES, AND ALSO WHEN THERE ARE APPOINTMENTS. AVAILABLE. SO IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO POUND THE STREET AND LET FOLKS KNOW. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO BE A REFLECTION ON OUR STAFF. STAFF DID A GREAT JOB. THEY ALWAYS DO. UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T SEE THAT TO, YOU KNOW, AND SIGN UP. WE'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. WE'VE HAD TO GO BACK OUT AGAIN. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DENY THAT. IF THE THREE OF US ARE NO LONGER HERE, THAT GIVES ALSO THE BOARD, THE NEW BOARD OR THE NEW COUNCIL, OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE SELECTIONS. YOU GUYS ARE NEGATIVE. FAKE MAYOR? JESUS. HEY, IT'S TRUE. UNLESS GOD CALLS ME HOME, I'M STICKING AROUND. I GOT A FEW NAMES OUT THERE THAT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT. SO DO WE NEED A MOTION ON THAT? BECAUSE IT IS ON THE AGENDA. SO COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION? SO ARE WE SAYING LEAVE IT OPEN OR AMEND IT TO ANOTHER 30-DAY PERIOD? I WOULD SAY A 60-DAY PERIOD. OKAY. OKAY. TO DO THIS. YEAH. OKAY. IS THAT LONG ENOUGH, 60? WE CAN ALWAYS PUSH IT. 60 DAYS. WHOA. 60 DAYS. ANY LONGER, WE CAN ADAPT. MAKE IT LONGER. MAKE IT OPEN-ENDED. OKAY. SO I MOVE TO... REOPEN THE APP OR EXTEND THE APPLICATION APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THIS POSITION FOR 60 DAYS WITH THE DIRECTION THAT IT IS NOTICED OUT OR WIDELY THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO FOLKS AND THEN REPORT BACK JUST TO LET US KNOW WHERE THE STATUS IS WITHIN 30 DAYS JUST SO WE IF WE KNOW WE NEED TO POUND THE PAVEMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE OR NOT BUT UM I WOULD SAY 60 DAYS IS THAT AN ADEQUATE MOTION OR DO WE NEED TO OKAY THE CURRENT APPLICANTS DON'T HAVE TO READ THE APPLICATION. THEY DON'T NEED TO REPLY. THEY'RE ALREADY IN AS AN APPLICATION. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, I NEED A SECOND ON THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND. WITH THAT, ROLL CALL VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY ON COUNCIL MEMBER LAU'S MOTION. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM, KASHIFALGHITA. YES. MAYOR HEPBURN. YES. THE MOTION TO EXTEND AND REOPEN FOR 60 DAYS FOR ITEM 9. MOTION BY LYLE, SECONDED BY CASHEL, VIGITA, APPROVED 5-0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I APPRECIATE YOU APPLICANTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. [9. Resolution Authorizing the Appointment of CalPERS Retired Annuitant Robert Russell to Temporarily Fill a Critically Needed Position Pursuant to the Government Code.] WE LOOK FORWARD TO A MORE ROBUST APPLICATION PROCESS. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM OF THE DISCUSSION CALENDAR IS THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF CALPERS RETIRED AND NEW ADMIT ROBERT RUSSELL. TEMPORARY FILL A CRITICALLY NEEDED POSITION PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNMENT CODE. TEAM MANAGER DOMER, PLEASE CALL FORWARD THE STAFF MEMBER WHO WILL BE REPORTING. YES, I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST AARON BEILSTEIN. BEILSTEIN. YEAH. BEILSTEIN. WHAT IS THAT, MR. BOWEN? MS. FEILSTEIN, PLEASE CONTINUE. [01:20:15] THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL. AS CITY MANAGER DOMER MENTIONED, PRESENTING THE RESOLUTION FOR THE RETIRED ANNUITANT POSITION FOR ROBERT RUSSELL, ONE FIRE BATTALION CHIEF POSITION IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING FILLED DUE TO A LONG-TERM LEAVE OF ABSENCE. AND AS YOU KNOW, THE FIRE BATTALION CHIEF POSITION IS... INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO OUR DEPARTMENT, PROVIDES COMMAND LEVEL SUPPORT TO THE FIRE CHIEF, SERVES AS DUTY CHIEF OFFICER, ASSISTS IN DIRECTING EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES, AND SUPPORTS MANY DEPARTMENTAL NEEDS, INCLUDING TRAINING, FOUR-DAY OPERATIONAL NEEDS. THE FIRE BATTALION CHIEF IS AN ESSENTIAL CITY ROLE AND ENSURES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MEET ITS PUBLIC SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. DUE TO MR. RUSSELL'S COMMAND EXPERIENCE, HIS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, HIS CONTINUED... SERVICE AFTER HIS STATED RETIREMENT DATE OF AUGUST 22ND 2026 IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY SUPPORTING THAT EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND DUTY COVERAGE DURING THIS EXTENDED LEAVE OF ABSENCE AS YOU MAY KNOW FROM OTHER RETIRED ANNUITANT RESOLUTIONS BEFORE THIS IS PART OF OUR COMPLIANCE WITH CAL PERS THAT WE RETIRED ANNUITANT DOESN'T WORK MORE THAN 960 HOURS THAT THE RATE DOESN'T EXCEED THE RATE IT NEEDS TO EXCEED THAT THERE'S A CRITICAL NEED TO USE A RETIRED ANNUITANT AND THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY AND LIMITED ABSENCE. THE FUNDS FOR THIS ARE INCLUDED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET ALREADY. THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WE EXPECT AND NO BENEFITS BEING PROVIDED. AND THIS LEAVE OF ABSENCE IS CURRENTLY BEING FILLED WITH OVERTIME, SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT USING A RETIRED ANNUITANT MIGHT ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY SAVE SOME COSTS TO THE DEPARTMENT. SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION TITLED, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR THE TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT AND 180-DAY WAIT PERIOD EXCEPTION FOR RETIRED ANNUITANT ROBERT RUSSELL, SOON TO BE RETIRED, AUGUST 22ND, PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 221, NO, 21221G IN CALPERS REGULATION. AMAZING REPORT. THANK YOU, MS. BEILSTEIN. WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? NONE? BRINGING UP THE COUNCIL? ANY COMMENT FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? NO? I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT ROBERT RUSSELL'S BEEN WITH THIS AGENCY FOR A LONG TIME AND HE IS EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL. HIS TECHNOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE AND OPERATIONS KNOWLEDGE IS SUPERIOR AND HE WILL BE MISSED, BUT NOW IF WE PASS THIS TONIGHT, HE WON'T BE MISSED FOR A WHILE. SO WE GET A LITTLE EXTENSION ON HIS EXPERTISE AND HIS SKILL SET, WHICH IS UM. ABSOLUTELY NEEDED RIGHT NOW FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION. OH, I DID. YEAH. WE'RE GOOD. YOU JUST PULLED A MOTION. I'LL MOVE. OKAY, WE GOT A MOTION AND YOU HAVE A SECOND. WITH THAT, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. THIS IS FOR ITEM 10, MOTION BY CASHEL VIGITA, SECONDED BY LAU. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? YES. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA? YOU GOT A YES. MAYOR HEPBURN? THAT WOULD BE YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, STAFF. [10. Resolutions Establishing Benefits for Executive Management, Middle Management, Professional and Confidential Employees and Repealing Resolution No. 25-51 and No. 25 52. ] THANK YOU, ROBERT RUSSELL, FOR STAYING WITH US FOR A WHILE. WE APPRECIATE THAT. THIRD ITEM IN THE RESOLUTION IS ESTABLISHING BENEFITS FOR EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT, MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES IN REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 25-51 AND NO. 25-52. CITY MANAGER DILLMAN, PLEASE CALL FORWARD. ERIN BEILSTEIN. I GOT IT. THE OFFICIAL CALL FORWARD. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. LONG TIME, NO TALK. I'LL BE BACK. DON'T WORRY. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THESE EXECUTIVE AND MIDDLE MANAGEMENT BENEFIT RESOLUTIONS ARE LIMITED IN SCOPE AND INCLUDE UPDATES TO CLASSIFICATION TITLES AND AN INCREASE IN THE CITY'S MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION FOR CAPPED EMPLOYEES EFFECTIVE JULY 2026. AS NEGOTIATIONS WITH OTHER REPRESENTATIVE GROUPS CONTINUE, STAFF MAY RETURN TO CITY COUNCIL WITH ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. THE ESTIMATED INCREASE TO EMPLOYER MEDICAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR BOTH GROUPS BASED ON THE CURRENT BENEFITS ELECTIONS IS APPROXIMATELY $43,000, WITH $33,000 OF THAT COMING FROM GENERAL FUND AND $9,600 [01:25:01] COMING FROM NON-GENERAL FUND OPERATIONAL FUNDS. THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE WILL BE FULLY OFFSET BY A TRANSFER FROM MEASURE LV, CONSISTENT WITH TIER 1 ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES UNDER THE CITY'S MEASURE LV SPENDING GUIDELINES, AND WILL BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FIRST QUARTER BUDGET. SO STAFF RECOMMENDS, PLEASE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTIONS TITLED RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING BENEFITS FOR EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES, DEPARTMENT HEADS. AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 2551 AND A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CALIFORNIA ESTABLISHING BENEFITS FOR THE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL, AND CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 25-52. THANK YOU, MS. FEILSTEIN. THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. I KNOW, DON'T ALL JUMP UP HERE AT ONCE. WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE NOTHING ON THE BOARD. ANY COMMENTS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE GO TO A MOTION? THAT WOULD BE A NO. NO. I WANT TO THANK, YOU KNOW, WE READ ALL THESE RESOLUTIONS AND THESE CHANGES IN SALARY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THESE ARE HUNDREDS OF HOURS WORTH OF WORK FOR OUR STAFF, AND IT REQUIRES A LOT OF NEGOTIATING. SO WE PASS THIS IN MINUTES, AND IT'S TAKEN, LIKE I SAY, HUNDREDS OF HOURS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S TIME ON THIS. AND IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS. SOMETIMES IT'S GREAT, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT SO GREAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE GET SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE TO. SO THANK YOU TO STAFF AND OUR CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND ALL STAFF FOR PUTTING THESE THINGS TOGETHER. THANK YOU. YEAH, MR. MAYOR, JUST TO THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE THERE ARE 100 HOURS, BUT IT'S ALSO A LOT OF HOURS IN CLOSED SESSION THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING. OH, THAT TOO. I FORGOT. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT. THANK YOU. NOT REVEALING ANYTHING. WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION. MOTION APPROVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA. YES. MAYOR HEPBURN. YES. THANK YOU AGAIN. THAT'S A 5-0 VOTE ON ITEM 11, MOTIONED BY CASHEL-FEGITA AND SECONDED BY JOHNSON. AND THAT WAS, WE COULD DO THAT ON ONE VOTE WITH THE TWO RESOLUTIONS, IS THAT CORRECT? WE ALREADY DID IT, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT WOULD BE OKAY. CORRECT? ATTORNEY HALL-MARLOW? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. [11. Resolution Adopting a Salary Chart for Full-Time Employees. ] I FORGOT TO ASK YOU THAT QUESTION. ALL THE TITLES WERE READ AS PART OF THE REPORT. OKAY. THE FOURTH ITEM IS THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING A SALARY CHART FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. CITY MANAGER DOMER, PLEASE CALL FORWARD MS. BEILSTEIN FOR THIS REPORT. GOOD EVENING. THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION AND SALARY TABLE REFLECT ADJUSTMENTS IN COMPENSATION FOR EMPLOYEES IN THE POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, THE POLICE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. THE LAVERNE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, AND IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS SPECIALIST. ADDITIONALLY, IN THE ATTACHED SALARY CHART, YOU WILL SEE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND ADOPTED CHANGES FROM CITY COUNCIL, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT BEING THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER CLASSIFICATION CHANGE TO PLANNING MANAGER, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO THOSE HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME WE'RE RE-ADOPTING THE SALARY CHART SINCE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES, SO THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN HERE. THE CITY IS STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LAVERNE GENERAL UNIT, THE TEAMSTERS REPRESENTED GROUP, AND THE LAVERNE FIRE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. ONCE NEGOTIATIONS CONCLUDE WITH THOSE GROUPS, IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT ADDITIONAL REVISIONS TO THE SALARY CHART WILL BE NEEDED. THE SPECIFICS ARE IN THE REPORT AND THE ATTACHMENT OF WHICH GROUPS ARE GETTING WHICH PERCENT. IT'S BASED ON THEIR MOUS AND BASED ON THEIR PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL. AND IN THE ATTACHED SALARY CHART YOU CAN SEE WHICH POSITIONS ARE SPECIFICALLY ADJUSTED IN IN WHICH MANNER IN TOTAL THIS ACTION INCREASES THE GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS BY 147 595 THE ADDITIONAL GENERAL GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS WILL BE FULLY OFFSET BY A TRANSFER OF THE SAME AMOUNT FROM THE MEASURE LV FUND CONSISTENT WITH TIER ONE ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES THE COST ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEGOTIATED SALARY INCREASES IN THE POA CONTRACT AND THE LVFA CONTRACT, SORRY, THE POA CONTRACT AND THE INFORMATION SYSTEM SPECIALIST, WHICH IS CHANGING FROM AN 1,872-HOUR POSITION TO A 2080, A.K.A. 36-HOUR WORKWEEK TO A 40-HOUR WORKWEEK, RECOGNIZING THAT THAT POSITION IS SUPPORTING PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS A 365, 7, YOU KNOW, ALL-THE-TIME OPERATION, AND WE HAVE ONE PERSON. SO THOSE CHANGES WERE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE THEY WERE ANTICIPATED. HOWEVER, THE CHANGES... FOR LVFA AND PMMA ARE ASKING FOR THE, THAT'S WHAT THE APPROPRIATIONS ARE FOR FROM THE... MEASURE LVS. THE 147 REPRESENTS THE OTHER TWO GROUPS. THE OTHER FUNDS ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET. SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE ATTACHED [01:30:01] RESOLUTION TITLED, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A SALARY CHART FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND REPEALING RESOLUTION 26-04. SORRY, MR. MAYOR, YOUR MIC IS NOT ON. THANK YOU FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN SACRAMENTO. AGAIN, I THANK YOU GUYS. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK. IT'S A LOT OF DETAIL. IT'S A LOT OF MAKING SURE OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, CHRISTY LOPEZ, I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU GUYS DO, CITY MANAGERS, AGAIN, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. IT'S A LOT OF WORK, AND WE HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO DETAIL. WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. I'LL MOVE. SECOND. SECOND. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. THIS IS FOR ITEM 12. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? YES. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA? YES. MAYOR HEPBURN? YES. [12. Consideration of Utilizing the Proposition 218 Process to Increase the Paramedic Service Fee (Measure GG) to Support Continued Paramedic and Ambulance Transport Services without further cost to residents. ] THAT IS 5-0. MOTION BY LAU, SECONDED BY JOHNSON FOR ITEM 12. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE FINAL DISCUSSION ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF UTILIZING THE PROPOSITION 218 PROCESS TO INCREASE THE PARAMEDIC SERVICE FEE MEASURE GG TO SUPPORT CONTINUED PARAMEDIC AND AMBULANCE TRANSPORT SERVICES WITHOUT FURTHER COST TO RESIDENTS. C.J. VANDERGROMER, PLEASE CALL FORWARD AND PROVIDE THE STAFF REPORT ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'LL BE PROVIDING THIS. AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, WE'VE HAD THIS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL SEVERAL TIMES. AT THE LAST ONE, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DO A PROPOSITION 218 PROCESS VERSUS A VOTE BEFORE THE ELECTRIC IN NOVEMBER. AND THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THE MEASURE GG, EVEN THOUGH ORIGINALLY IN 1980 IT WAS VOTED BY THE PUBLIC, IT IS ACTUALLY AN ASSESSMENT. THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN GET INTO HER LEGALESE ON THAT. BUT SO THAT IS WHAT IS PROPOSED TONIGHT IS LOOKING AT MEASURE GG TO INCREASE IT TO SPECIFICALLY PAY FOR THE PARAMEDIC AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE TO PAY OUT-OF-POCKET FOR THOSE SERVICES. AND, AGAIN, THAT DIFFERS FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT A RESIDENT OR IS NOT COVERED BY MEASURE GG BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT-OF-POCKET AND WOULD BE BILLED FOR THOSE SERVICES. THAT'S THE KEY DIFFERENCE THERE. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROCEED WITH A PROPOSITION 218 ASSESSMENT PROCESS TO INCREASE THE PARAMEDIC SERVICE FEE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A WAIVER OF OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS. THE RESIDENTS FOR EMERGENCY PARAMEDIC AND AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE CITY, THE $14 PER MONTH WITH AN ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT OF RATIO, AN ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT FORMULA OF A RATIO OF 80% FIRE PERSONNEL COST INDEX AND 20% MEDICAL CARE SERVICES CPI. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS ORIGINALLY THE MEASURE GG BACK IN 1980 WAS $1.75. IT WAS A FLAT FEE. IT WAS INCREASED. WITH AN ANNUAL ESCALATOR A COUPLE YEARS BEHIND THAT, BUT THAT ANNUAL ESCALATOR HAS ONLY BROUGHT IT UP TO $6.90. SO IT DOESN'T COVER THE FULL COST OF PARAMEDIC SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE LAVERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THOSE ARE INCREASING COSTS. SO THE ANNUAL ESCALATOR OF 80% OF THE FIRE PERSONNEL COST INDEX ACTUALLY LOOKS AT THE COST OF WHAT WE... PAY THE PARAMEDICS AND THOSE SERVICES. AND THEN THE MEDICAL CARE SERVICES IS BASICALLY AN INDEX, CPI, BASED ON MEDICAL CARE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, HOSPITAL COSTS LIKE THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE ESCALATOR THAT WOULD GO FORWARD, AND HOPEFULLY THAT KEEPS IT EQUAL TO WHAT THE EXPENDITURE IS. THOSE ARE THE TWO MAJOR COSTS, AND THAT'S THE INDEX. BUT WE LOOKED AT A HIGHER AMOUNT. WE LOOKED AT A LOWER AMOUNT. OH. $14 IS KIND OF LIKE THE [01:35:01] GOLDILOCKS WHERE IT'S RIGHT IN THERE AND TARGETS WHAT WE BELIEVE IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW TO FULLY FUND THAT SERVICE FOR RESIDENTS. AND IT IS JUST FOR THAT, SO THERE'S CERTAINTY IT CAN'T GO TO PAY FOR GENERAL SERVICES OR PUBLIC WORKS OR POLICE. IT IS FOR FIRE, PARAMEDIC, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. SO WITH THAT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPERTY. 218 PROCESS. WE JUST DID THAT WITH THE WATER AND SEWER RATE STUDY. SO WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK MORE INFORMATION AT A TIMELINE WHICH IS DISCUSSED LIGHTLY IN THE STAFF REPORT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO RUSH TO PUT THIS ON AND YOU KNOW, $90,000 TO GET IT ON THE GENERAL ELECTION. IT WILL PROBABLY COST US UP TO $20,000. THAT INCLUDES MAILERS TO ALL THE 12,800 UNITS FOR PARCELS. THAT RECEIVE, WOULD RECEIVE THE BENEFIT. AND THERE'S A PROCESS I'LL LET THE CITY ATTORNEY DESCRIBE AND WHAT WE WOULD FOLLOW IN THAT RETURN BY THE VOTERS. ONE QUESTION. AS FAR AS IF IT DOES PASS BILLING FOR THAT, WHAT SORT OF A BILLING? SO IT'S INCLUDED ON OUR UTILITY BILLING, SO THE WATER BILLING. AND IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THAT. THERE IS A PORTION OF THE CITY'S FOX GLEN AREA THAT DOES RECEIVE WATER FROM GOLDEN STATE WATER. SO THERE'S A SEPARATE BILLING THAT WE DO TO THEM FOR THAT. YES. SO, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSITION 218 PROCESS, THIS ONE WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE WATER AND SEWER RATE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, BUT IT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. AND THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE IS BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IN PROPOSITION 218, THIS PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT HAS TO RECEIVE MORE VOTES IN FAVOR THAN VOTES OPPOSED IN ORDER TO PASS. SO RATHER THAN A PROTEST VOTE, IT REALLY IS A MAJORITY VOTE PROCESS WHERE WE WILL COUNT ALL THE BALLOTS THAT ARE RECEIVED, AND IF IT PASSES BY AT LEAST ONE VOTE, 50% PLUS ONE, THEN IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON THE TIMELINE THAT THE COUNCIL THEN DIRECTS. THE PROCESS, AGAIN, IS VERY SIMILAR. WE ACCEPT THE BALLOTS. THEY REMAIN SEALED UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONCLUDED. AND THEN THEY WILL BE COUNTED BY THE CITY CLERK AND ONCE THE BALLOT COUNT IS CERTIFIED UH THEN THE COUNCIL WOULD TAKE IT FROM THERE AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER I THINK WE'RE GOOD WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST ANYONE WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS UH WOULD BE WE'LL GO BACK TO THE DAY AS COUNCILMAN MY ONLY QUESTION IS UM I KNOW IT WAS ALLUDED TO THAT A TIMELINE IS SORT OF INDICATED BUT NOT SO WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS WHEN DO WE THINK WE'RE SENDING OUT THE PROPOSALS AND WHATNOT. OR NOT THE PROPOSALS, THE BALLOTS. LIKE WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE ALL THIS HAPPENING? OR IS IT STILL FLUID? NOVEMBER. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YEAH, IT REMAINS FLUID BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START LOOKING AT ALL THE MATERIAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO START PUTTING TOGETHER. SO I WOULD ENVISION I DON'T WANT THIS TO DRAG OUT. WE'RE NOW NOT UNDER AUGUST 3RD DEADLINE OF GETTING IT TO THE REGISTRAR. SO I WOULD SAY BY THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND BE ABLE TO BRING INFORMATION BACK THEN, IF NOT KIND OF THE ACTUAL PROCESS THAT WE WOULD BE FOLLOWING TO GET THAT OUT. BUT. IF WE DO IT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ANYWHERE BEYOND DECEMBER OR IF WE'RE GOING TO WE DON'T WANT TO MIX IN THE DECEMBER TIMEFRAME WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, SO THEN IT WOULD BE IN YOU NEED TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS, TOO, OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. YOU HAVE SO MUCH MAIL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO THROW THAT AWAY AND NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS. YEAH. SO I THINK, AGAIN, IT'S OUR I DIDN'T MEAN TO STEP IN. I JUST THINK THAT, AGAIN, EXPLAIN WHY. VERY SHORT AND SWEET, WHAT THIS IS FOR, WHY WE'RE DOING IT, AND GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC. SOCIAL MEDIA, AGAIN, WE NEED TO DO SOCIAL MEDIA. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET IN THAT ENVELOPE OF... NOVEMBER WHEN EVERYTHING YOU GET IS A POSTER OF CANDIDATES AND IT'S LIKE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO, MOST PEOPLE GO LIKE THIS. SO ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE TIME FRAME AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING OUT EDUCATION, MEASURE GG, WHAT IT DOES, HOW IT FUNDS, HOW IT BENEFITS RESIDENTS. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT, BUT. [01:40:32] WE STILL CAN'T ADVOCATE. WE JUST HAVE TO EDUCATE. THERE IS INFORMATION GOING OUT IN THE NEXT FALL RECREATION GUIDE, WHICH SHOULD BE LANDING WITHIN FOUR WEEKS, SOON. FIRST WEEK, YEAH, SO TWO TO FOUR WEEKS WILL BE SOME INFORMATION, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT ALL AVENUES ON HOW WE CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC. YEAH, AND I THINK THAT'S THE PART FOR ME THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, IS HOW ARE WE EDUCATING PEOPLE, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE, THANKFULLY, PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO USE IT. AND THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN SEE IT ON THEIR BILL OR IF THEY DO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR AND I THINK IT'S SUCH A HUGE BENEFIT AGAIN I WILL SAY THIS AS A PERSON WHO HAD TO USE IT IN 2021 UM I AM VERY VERY GRATEFUL FOR UM SO YOU KNOW I THINK THAT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ESPECIALLY PEOPLE MAYBE WHO'VE JUST MOVED HERE AND THIS DIDN'T EXIST IN THE CITY THEY LIVED IN BEFORE OR YOU KNOW AGAIN NEVER HAD TO MAKE USE OF IT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT AND WHY THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO CAST A BALLOT ON IT WELL, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, TOO, IS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS SERVICE IS AND WHY WE HAVE IT. MOST AREAS DON'T. IT'S A VERY VALUED SERVICE. BUT, AGAIN, EXPLAINING WHAT IT'S FOR AND THE SHORT, SWEET, TO THE POINT. BUT, AGAIN, WE MUST GET IT OUT THERE. WE MUST GET IT OUT THERE WELL. I MEAN, AS FAR AS US, WE REALLY CAN. IT HAS TO BE ADVERTISED AS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND THE RESIDENTS AND JUST EXPLAIN THE PROCESS. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE OUT THERE AND IT NEEDS TO BE OUT THERE BIG. BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO WATCH WHAT TIME WE'RE GOING TO SEND IT OUT. SO THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN. MOTION TO SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND. ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE. THIS IS FOR ITEM 13 WITH A MOTION FROM COUNCILMEMBER LIAO, SECONDED BY CASHEL VIGITA. COUNCILMEMBER CROSBY, ROLL CALL. YES. FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION ON THIS AND THE DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS ON THIS AS WELL. IT'S BEEN THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED WITH PUBLIC BEING PART OF IT, TOO. SO I SAY YES. THANK YOU. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY, WAS THAT A YES? I LOVE YOU. ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, YOUR VOTE, PLEASE. YES. YOU VOTED YES. I DID, YES. YEAH, THERE IT IS. IT HAS TO COME WITH A SMILE. COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM KASHIFALGHITA. YES. MAYOR HEPBURN. [THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS TO MEET AS THE LA VERNE JOINT PUBLIC ] YES. THANK YOU ALL. THAT ITEM WAS APPROVED 5-0. OUTSTANDING. [FINANCING AUTHORITY; FOLLOWING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL IMMEDIATELY RECONVENE.] WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW RECESS [13. Resolutions Adopting Budgets for La Verne Mobile Country Club Mobile Home Park and Valley Rancho Mobile Home Park.] AT 8.17 P.M. TO MEET WITH THE LAVERNE JOINT PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY. THERE IS ONE ITEM IN THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTING BUDGETS FOR LAVERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB MOBILE HOME PARK AND VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK. CITY MANAGER DOMER, PLEASE, THAT'S GOING TO BE YOU. ACTUALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE J.R. OH, THAT'S RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE J.R. IS GOING TO REPORT ON THIS. CITY MANAGER WHO IS THE MOBILE HOME EXPERT. THAT IS CORRECT. GOOD EVENING. ANNUALLY, THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY APPROVES BUDGETS FOR BOTH THE CITY-OWNED MOBILE HOME PARKS, WHICH INCLUDES LAVERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB AND VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK. WE WORK WITH OUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, HAVEN MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND ACTUALLY WE HAVE A REP HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING HAVEN. CHRISTINE IS WITH US, SO IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER, THEN SHE WILL BE A GOOD RESOURCE FOR US. THE BUDGETS ARE PREPARED ALSO AND SHOWN TO OUR MOBILE HOME PARK LIAISONS THAT ARE ASSIGNED BY COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES MAYOR HEPBURN AND COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY. THE BUDGETS HAVE ENOUGH AND ARE INDEPENDENTLY FUNDED WHERE THERE'S NO FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE CITY. THE REVENUES THAT ARE GENERATED SUPPORT THIS YEAR'S ACTIVITIES AND ALLOW EACH MOBILE HOME PARK TO FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT SUBSIDY FROM THE CITY, AS I HAD MENTIONED. THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE LA VERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION TITLED, A RESOLUTION OF THE LA VERNE [01:45:01] PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR LA VERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB, MOBILE HOME PARK. AND ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION TITLED, A RESOLUTION OF THE LAVERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR VALLEY RANCHO MOBILE HOME PARK. AND WITH THAT, I'D ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE SOME. THANK YOU, JAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST ON THIS ITEM. KATHY, NOTHING. YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEEN GOING INTO THIS ONE. WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, ANY COMMENTS ON THIS? I JUST WANT TO SAY WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH THE MOBILE HOME PARK AND APPRECIATE THE MAYOR JOINING ME AT THEIR MEETING TO JUST REALLY DISCUSS THIS WITH THEM AS WELL. LOOKING FOR A MANAGEMENT COMPANY. OUR CURRENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COME. FORWARD SO THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS. BUT I JUST STILL HAVE GOOD FAITH IN THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT WE PRESENTLY HAVE. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. I WILL CONCUR THAT WE'RE ALSO, BACK IN 1996, WE PURCHASED THE LAVERNE MOBILE HOME COUNTRY CLUB. AND OUR BOND COVENANTS IS UP THIS YEAR. SO WE WILL HAVE PAID OFF THE BOND, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL THING. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PARK AND HOW, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUR RESIDENTS THERE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. SO THAT WAS A CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH THE RESIDENTS AT LA VERNE MOBILE HOME COUNTRY CLUB. AND JUST TO BE HONEST AND TELL THEM WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND WE'VE GOT GREAT RESIDENTS THERE. WE HAVE A HOME COUNCIL THAT'S PART OF THE COMMUNITY THERE, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO KEEP INTACT. WE'RE GOING TO GET GREAT INPUT FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE A SAY IN WHAT GOES ON WITH THEIR PARK. BUT IT IS A CITY-OWNED PARK THE SAME AS VALLEY RANCHO SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE UH ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR STAFF WITH THAT I'LL TAKE A MOTION DO WE NEED JUST ONE MOTION FOR BOTH OR A MOTION FOR EACH SO ONE MOTION OKAY ONE MOTION TO UH A RESOLUTION FOR THE LAVERNE PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR LAVERNE MOBILE COUNTRY CLUB MOBILE HOME PARK AND RESOLUTION OF THE LAVERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR VALLEY RANCH AND MOBILE HOME PARK. DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. AND AS A MATTER OF FORMALITY, SINCE THIS IS THE LAVERNE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY, I'LL DO THE ROLL CALL WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OF A TITLE. MEMBER CROSBY? YES. MEMBER JOHNSON? MEMBER LAU? YES. [THE LA VERNE JOINT PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY WILL ADJOURN AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL IMMEDIATELY RECONVENE. ] MEMBER CASHEL-FAGITA? YES. CHAIR HEPBURN? YES. WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN AT 8.22 P.M. AND THEN RECONVENE OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 8.22 P.M. ALSO. AND, MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN JUST VERBALLY READ THE OH, I'M SORRY. THE MOTION WAS BY CASHEL DEGIDA, SECONDED BY JOHNSON, AND APPROVED 5-0. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS TONIGHT, MR. GILMER? THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS TONIGHT, SO WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. IT'S THE TIME SET ASIDE FOR ANYONE, INCLUDING THOSE ONLINE, WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA BUT WITHIN THE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THE BROWN ACT PROHIBITS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM ENGAGING DISCUSSION ON ANY ITEM NOT IN THE IMPOSTER AGENDA. IF YOUR CONCERNS MAY REFER TO STAFF OR PLACE FOR DISCUSSION AT A LATER DATE. WITH THAT, IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE SPEAKING. AT THOSE TIMES, THOSE WISHING TO SPEAK CAN COME TO THE PODIUM. ANYBODY WISH TO SPEAK OF JAMS FOR SALE SHE DIDN'T BRING ANY JAMS NEXT TIME COME ON GET ON IT WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT BRINGING [COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS] UP THE DAYS COUNCILMAN SO QUICK UM JUST WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A A COUPLE OF UM GRAND OPENINGS AND FUN THINGS HAPPENING AROUND TOWN FOR NEW BUSINESSES AND SO I WOULD JUST HIGHLY URGE FOLKS TO GO CHECK THOSE OUT. WE HAD THE GRAND OPENING OF HAVEN HOUSE, WHICH IS WHERE THE OLD PIZZA AND STUFF WAS IN THE VONS SHOPPING CENTER. I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN THERE YET. JULY 7TH, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL. IF YOU WERE AN INFLUENCER, YOU'LL LOVE IT. YOU CAN TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS. IT'S REALLY CUTE. FLIGHT OF MIMOSAS. THIS WEEK, LA PALOMA IS CELEBRATING ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY ON THE 23RD. AND SO THAT'S AT 4 O'CLOCK. SO IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, THEY'LL BE HAVING FOOD AND FESTIVITIES AND STUFF. AND I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY [01:50:02] COOL THAT WE'VE HAD A BUSINESS THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 60 YEARS. AND SO I THINK THEY SHOULD BE SUPPORTED AND CELEBRATED. AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED IN HELPING TO MAKE THIS YEAR'S FOURTH OF JULY AWESOME. IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN IN THIS COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR POLICE, OUR FIRE, OUR PUBLIC WORKS, OUR CERT, OUR RSVPS WHO ARE OUT IN THE SUN MAKING SURE NOTHING GOES WONKY. YOU KNOW, ALL THE FUN THINGS, BUT ALSO OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, LITTLE LEAGUE, GIRL SOFTBALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE. AWESOME THINGS, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, CASSI, THAT COME TOGETHER TO REALLY PUT ON AN AWESOME EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY. AND I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD AND THERE'S ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, MEANNESS AND PETTINESS THAT IT'S GOOD WHEN WE HAVE THESE REALLY AWESOME EVENTS THAT COMBAT THAT AND SHOW PEOPLE THAT WE ARE A WELCOMING COMMUNITY AND THAT WE CARE ABOUT EVERYBODY AND THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE THERE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE, AGAIN, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF NOT FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO YOU THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS. FOR EVERYBODY THAT BOUGHT A T-SHIRT, I BELIEVE THERE ARE STILL T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE. THAT HELPS TO FUND SOME OF THE EVENTS FOR... CONGRESSWOMAN SARAH'S BRAIN. CONGRESSWOMAN SARAH. AND HIS STAFF. GREAT. SEE, THEY'VE ALL GOT ONE. YOU WANT ONE TOO. EVERYBODY WHO BOUGHT TICKETS TO GO TO THE FIREWORKS SHOW, THANK YOU. THAT, AGAIN, HELPS US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN AWESOME EVENT THAT IS SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL FOR ALL OF US TO ENJOY. AND THEN JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, IF YOU SAW... RIO MARTINEZ, WHO IS THE, I DON'T REMEMBER HIS DESIGNATION, BUT HE'S IN THE NAVY. HE SANG THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE FIREWORKS SHOW. BUT HE'S LOOKING FOR A VIDEO. IF ANYONE VIDEOED HIM SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, HE WOULD LOVE A COPY. SO LET ME KNOW, AND I WILL MAKE SURE TO CONNECT YOU SO THAT HE CAN HAVE IT. BECAUSE HE WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BE THERE IN HIS BEST FIGHT. SO AS ALWAYS, HAVE A GREAT WEEK. BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. THANK YOU. THAT'S FROM RICK CROSBY. AND HE DID AN AMAZING JOB ON THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AS WELL. SO, FIRST OF ALL, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY FOR ALLOWING ME TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND BE REMOTE TO BE ABLE TO STILL PARTICIPATE IN TONIGHT'S MEETING. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ORDER OF ALHAMBRA FOR THE AAC BOARD IN LAVERNE'S AND LAS FLORES PARK. THE BOARD MAKES LAVERNE'S. PARKS AVAILABLE TO ALL AND IT MAKES AN INCLUSION FOR ALL LAVERNE RESIDENTS. I THANK THE ENTIRE CITY, RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES, AND OUR NEIGHBORS FOR MAKING THE BEST 4TH OF JULY EVER. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER LAU FOR SAYING THAT AS WELL. AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND, YVONNE SAID IT EARLIER, THE HULA DANCE ON AUGUST 7TH, A DANCE FOR THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENT DISABILITIES. WE'LL BE IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 5 TO 8 P.M., AND TICKETS ARE STILL ON SALE. THANK YOU ALL. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. THANK YOU, JOY SACRAMENTO. MR. KASHIFALGHITA, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE AMAZING, MY AMAZING COLLEAGUES. THEY ALWAYS PUT OUT SOME GREAT INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE THAT WE'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE MONTH AND THE GREAT INDEPENDENCE DAY OF 250 YEARS OF FREEDOM IN THIS COUNTRY. AND I THANK THE VETERANS THAT HAVE SERVED, THOSE THAT ARE STILL SERVING IN BOTH ACTIVE DUTY, GUARD, AND RESERVE THAT MAKE THIS COUNTRY FREE. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE WENT TO THE PARK AND THANKED THE ALHAMBRA FOR A FIRST-EVER OPPORTUNITY TO SEE, TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE AN ABILITY TO JUST COMMUNICATE BETTER IN OUR PARKS. PARKS AND REC, IT IS MY... PARKS AND REC MONTH. YOU KNOW I GOT TO SAY PARKS AND REC. PARKS AND REC. LOVE PARKS AND REC. GREAT OPPORTUNITY. EVERY TIME I GO TO A PARK, I JUST RELIVE MY CHILDHOOD ALL OVER AGAIN. EVERY TIME. BECAUSE I GREW UP HERE IN LAVERNE. I'M A LAVERNE BABY. DID YOU GROW UP HERE? I DID. OH, THAT'S RIGHT. I SURE DID. AND IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU CAN FIND EVERYONE IN HIGH SCHOOL. I BET YOU DIDN'T GROW UP IN LAVERNE LIKE STEVE DID. THERE'S ACTUALLY, ME AND HIM WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL IN ROINING. WE WERE BOTH RACCOONS. AND I HAVE HIS FIFTH GRADE PHOTO. SO I'LL TAKE THAT LATER. SMALL DONATION, WE CAN SHARE THAT. HE HAD RED HAIR, BUT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO. THIS IS WHAT MAKES LAVERNE STRONG. THIS IS WHAT I SEE WHEN I LOVE GETTING OUT THERE IN THE PARADE AND I DON'T GET HIT [01:55:01] WITH CANDY. I LOVE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY UNITE TOGETHER AS ONE, REGARDLESS OF ALL THE NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD. HAVING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AS ONE DURING OUR GREAT CELEBRATIONS IS REALLY WHAT MAKES IT JUST SO AMAZING. AND THANKS TO THE FRIENDS OF LAVERNE. YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. FIREWORKS SHOW WAS PHENOMENAL. SEEING THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE TOGETHER WAS AMAZING. CONGRATULATE THE BUSINESSES HERE IN LA VERNE THAT OPENED UP, AND WISH THEM WELL. AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, LIKE THE GOOD MAYOR SAYS, SHOP LA VERNE. EAT LA VERNE. THAT'S RIGHT. GAS IN LA VERNE. SHELL STATION. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? GOT TO GET A TESLA. SHELL STATION. IT MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO GET A TESLA. NOT YET. IT'S COMING. SHELL STATION, CORNER OF WHITE AND ARROW HIGHWAY. ANOTHER ONE UP. PRICE IS 50 CENTS LOWER THAN ANYWHERE. ANYWAY. NO PROBLEM. OR GET A TESLA. ONE OF THE TWO. GOD BLESS YOU. GOD BLESS YOUR FAMILY. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR SERVICE MEMBERS. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL, JIM. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY KUDOS TO THE LAVERNE ROTARY CLUB FOR THEIR FIELD OF VALOR, THE FLAGS. AND THE PARADE ITSELF WAS GREAT. HAVING THE LIBERTY BELL RIGHT BEHIND US RINGING THE WHOLE WAY. THEY DIDN'T GET TIRED. FOR A VERY SPECIAL DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON. ALL OF THE ABOVE, THANK YOU ALL. THAT WAS A GREAT, I UNDERSTAND, I WAS NOT HERE AT THE FIREWORKS SHOW, BUT I HEARD IT WAS THE BEST EVER, SO KUDOS TO YOU GUYS. AND YOU GUYS SOLD OUT, CORRECT? PROBABLY. YOU WERE RIGHT THERE. WE SOLD MORE TICKETS THAN WE DID LAST YEAR. YEAH, YEAH. AND IT WORKED OUT OKAY WITH THE FIELD? I DON'T KNOW, DID THEY? YEAH, THEY DID A GREAT JOB. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, RSVPS. ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION WAS THAT SCOTT DILLEY FROM SAUNDERS TOWING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING THE CHRISTMAS MORNING PROGRAM. AND THEY WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO ITS GLORY OF CANDY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GOLF CARTS THAT ARE DECORATED WITH SANTAS. AND THEY DO NEED HELP. THEY NEED HELP FOR RAISING MONEY TO DO THIS. BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO START TAKING THIS OVER WHERE IT WILL BE A PRIVATE FUNCTION. BUT, YES, SCOTT DILLEY. BUT I'VE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING OUT, BUT THEY'RE STARTING A 501C3. AND THEY'RE BASICALLY GOING TO TRY TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE 12,000 CANDY BAGS. THE RSVPS WILL BE PROBABLY DOING THE ROUTES. BRINGING IT BACK TO WHAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE RESIDENTS. THEY REALLY WANT TO GET IT BACK TO WHERE IT USED TO BE. SO KUDOS TO THEM. WE'LL BE PUSHING OUT MORE INFORMATION HOW WE CAN HELP THEM TO GET THIS GOING. BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME VOLUNTEERS. BUT KUDOS TO SCOTT DILLEY AND HIS GROUP. THEY'RE REALLY INVOLVED WITH THIS. THEY'RE WORKING WITH ANDREA, WHICH IT'S GOING TO BE A SUCCESS. SO MORE TO FOLLOW ON THAT. SO WE'LL GET THAT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I'LL BE DOING SOMETHING WITH SCOTT DILLEY. I THINK AS A COUNCIL WE'LL BE DOING IT TOO. THE PUSH OUT CHRISTMAS MORNING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BASICALLY ON THE BACKS OF THE CITY AND IT'S SOMETHING THE RESIDENTS REALLY WANT AND WE'VE HEARD IT LOUD AND CLEAR SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WITH HIS GROUP OF PEOPLE AND THE 501C3 SO KUDOS TO THEM. WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION OUT. SO WITH THAT, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE. MAKE SURE YOU PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S UPCOMING. I KNOW WE HAVE A MOVIE NIGHT IN THE PARK. WE HAVE NEXT WEEKEND IS THE EAGLES TRIBUTE. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND AT HERITAGE PARK IS, WHERE IS IT, AUGUST? IT'S THE ANSWER, WHICH WE'VE ALL KNOWN THE ANSWER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB. SORRY. AND WHAT DO WE HAVE FOR HER, JOHNNY? SHE'S BEEN HERE WAY TOO LONG. IS THAT CHILI? IS THAT LETTUCE YOU HAVE? THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE LAVERNE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE ON MONDAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2026. CLOSED SESSION WILL START AT 530, OF COURSE, ANOTHER CLOSED SESSION. A STUDY SESSION AT 6 O'CLOCK P.M., FOLLOWED BY A REGULAR MEETING AT 630. AS A REMINDER, UPCOMING EVENTS, AGAIN, ARE ON THE BACK OF THE PAGE THERE. AND TONIGHT, AGAIN, WE ADJOURN TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN MALARKEY AND HIS AMAZING FAMILY AND ALL THAT HE DID FOR OUR CITY AND ALL OF HIS WITH HIS WIFE, KELLY, AND HIS DAUGHTER, CAITLIN. HE'S EMPLOYED BY THE CITY. HE TRULY WILL BE MISSED. HE WAS JUST AN AMAZING PERSON AND JUST DEDICATED AND REALLY WAS AN ASSET TO OUR CITY. SO WE REALLY MISSED WITH THAT. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 8.33 P.M. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.