[Case No. 90-19VAC, Hillcrest Homes - 2548 Magnolia Avenue, 2551 Park Avenue, and 1619 Hawthorne Avenue, a request to vacate an alley in conjunction with the construction of 14 attached/detached senior homes]

ANOTHER PART OF THEIR HILLCREST HOMES.

AND I HAVE A CONFLICT I WILL BE STEPPING OUT OF THE ROOM.

AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN EQUALLY HAS A CONFLICT IN THIS, WHICH IS SO STATED.

CANDICE WILL COME UP AND GIVE A BRIEF REPORT.

I'LL TAKE OVER FROM THERE.

CERTAINLY M AYOR PRO TEM IT'S ALL YOURS.

CANDICE, WELCOME.

THANK YOU. PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE A REPORT FOR US, CONTINUE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE COUNCIL CONDITIONALLY APPROVED A MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT.

A ZONE CHANGE AND A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO MODIFY AND DEVELOP NEIGHBORHOOD SIX OF THE HILLCREST MASTERPLAN, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF 14 SENIOR HOMES.

THE ALLEY VACATION PORTION OF THIS ITEM WAS CONTINUED TO THIS MEETING TO ALLOW THE REQUIRED PUBLIC NOTICING ON SITE.

THE NOTICE OF THE REQUEST FOR VACATION WAS POSTED ON SITE AT SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ALONG THE ALLEY O N JANUARY 15TH, TO MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS.

THIS APPLICATION IS PROPOSING THE CITY VACATE THE ALLEY FRONTING THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROJECT BETWEEN MAGNOLIA TO THE WEST AND PARK AVENUE TO THE EAST.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS DETERMINED THAT THE CITY HAS NO USE FOR THIS ALLEY AS ITS INTERNAL TO THE HILLCREST CAMPUS AND WILL BE CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC WITH THE PROPOSED PROJECT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DETERMINED THAT THE CITY'S DISPOSAL OF THE ALLEY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PRACTICES OF THE GENERAL PLAN, AND DETERMINED THAT THE ALLEY IS CURRENTLY ONLY USED BY HILLCREST HOMES EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS.

AND WITH THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, IT WILL BE A DEAD END AND NOT OPEN TO THROUGH TRAFFIC.

ADDITIONALLY, THE GENERAL PLAN DOES NOT IDENTIFY THE STREET AS A PLANNED CONNECTOR OR ARTERIAL HIGHWAY, AND THE VACATION OF THE ALLEY WILL NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DETERMINED THAT THE STREET VACATION IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.

THIS DETERMINATION CAN BE SEEN IN THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION NUMBER 1251.

STAFF ENGAGED AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT, LSA ASSOCIATES, TO PREPARE THE MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THIS PROJECT.

WITH CERTAIN MITIGATION MEASURES, THE PROJECT IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE [INAUDIBLE] WAS ALSO ATTACHED WITH YOUR PREVIOUS COUNCIL REPORT FOR YOUR REVIEW.

STAFF AND THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL CONDITIONALLY APPROVE CASE NUMBER 90 -19 VAC ADOPTING RESOLUTION NUMBER 20-6 BASED ON THE STAFF REPORT AND THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE.

WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE MAINTENANCE FOR THAT ALLEY? CURRENTLY THE CITY.

THE CITY. YES. AND IN VACATING IT WOULD WE ALSO.

ALL THE MAINTENANCE WOULD GO TO HILLCREST.

THANK YOU. THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM NOW.

[00:30:06]

ARE THERE ANY ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ASK US? COMMENT ON. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE [INAUDIBLE].

[INAUDIBLE] IS THERE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PASS 90- 19 VAC.

AND I'LL SECOND IT. AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS .T [INAUDIBLE] IT CARRIES.

COULD SOMEBODY GET? ARE YOU C URE.

WE WANT TO KEEP THIS MEETING MOVING FOR CHARLIES SAKE.

IT'S GOOD TO BE THE KING.

THIS IS NOT A MONARCHY.

BE SILENT. [LAUGHTER] CHARLIE HAD HIS HIP REPLACED LAST WEEK AND HE GETS A LITTLE SIDEWAYS, SOMETIMES.

SIDEWAYS. HE'S HEALING NICELY.

[Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for June 30, 2019]

K. WE WILL MOVE TO NUMBER EIGHT UNDER OTHER MATTERS.

COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.

BOB? YES, MR. MAYOR, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER IN A MINUTE TO THE CITY'S AUDITORS.

BUT EACH YEAR THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR ONCE THEIR BOOKS ARE CLOSED, WHICH IS JUNE 30TH OF EVERY YEAR, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF THOSE FOR THE PRIOR YEAR TO CONFIRM AND TEST SOME OF THE ACTIVITY THAT OCCURRED.

THAT PROCESS TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS TO PUT TOGETHER.

AND ACTUALLY IT CULMINATES IN A FINAL REPORT, WHICH IS THE CAFR THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU WERE IN THE PACKET. WE'VE ASKED OUR AUDITORS TO COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL AND ASK ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AS PART OF THAT DISCLOSURE.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CITY MANAGER.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR KENDRICK AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME'S BRAD WELEBIR, REPRESENTING ROGERS, ANDERSON, MALODY AND SCOTT.

AND MY PARTNER AT THE FIRM THERE AND THE PARTNER IN CHARGE OF YOUR AUDIT ENGAGEMENT HERE THAT WE PERFORMED AND WE COMPLETED IN 2019.

BUT JUST DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, JUST GETTING TO MEET WITH YOU TODAY.

SINCE YOU HAVE PRETTY BUSY AGENDAS AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE SUCH GREAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HERE. SO I WANTED TO JUST PRESENT TO YOU WHAT WE HAVE PROVIDED AS FAR AS THE FINAL REPORT AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE FINDINGS THROUGH OUR AUDIT.

AND THEN JUST DRAW ATTENTION TO A FEW KEY ITEMS THAT I'VE NOTED FOR DISCUSSION HERE PURPOSES. SO INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE, YOU HAVE THE ACTUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS THE REALLY BIG ONE.

THAT'S THE ACTUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OTHER REPORTS IN THERE.

AND THEN THERE ARE SOME SEPARATE LETTERS HERE.

ONE IS JUST OUR OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION AND WRITING TO YOU, BUT I'M ALSO GIVING THAT VERBALLY HERE. THIS IS WHERE I'LL GIVE YOU THE RESULTS OF OUR AUDIT.

THE STAFF WAS VERY COOPERATIVE.

WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE DOCUMENTATION WE NEEDED, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF AUDITING.

IS PRETTY TIME INTENSIVE FOR STAFF TO CLOSE UP THE WHOLE YEAR, DO CERTAIN JOURNAL ENTRIES AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS THAT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE AT THE END OF EACH YEAR AND THEN PREPARE FOR AN AUDITOR TO COME IN.

AND WE WERE IN THIS ROOM HERE, ABOUT SIX OF US SITTING HERE DOING THE WORK BACK IN THE FALL OF 2019.

AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT STAFF WAS VERY COOPERATIVE THROUGH THIS TIME.

I KNOW IT. WE UNDERSTAND IT'S AN INTERRUPTION IN THEIR ALREADY BUSY SCHEDULE, BUT THEY WERE GRACIOUS HOSTS TO US AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY FINDINGS TO REPORT TO YOU, WHICH IS A GREAT NEWS. SO EACH YEAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE AUDIT FOR MULTIPLE YEARS IN A ROW UNDER OUR CONTRACT, WE COME IN WITH SOME RETURNING STAFF, SOME NEW STAFF, AND WE CHANGE OUR PROCEDURES EACH YEAR TO TAKE A LOOK AT DIFFERENT ANGLES.

AND, YOU KNOW, GOTTA GIVE THEM A LITTLE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR EACH TIME. BUT OVERALL, PART OF OUR PROCESS IS TO ALSO EVALUATE THE INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE, WHETHER IT'S DESIGNED EFFECTIVELY AND IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY. AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY FINDINGS TO REPORT TO YOU OF ANYTHING THAT IS A CONCERN, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE CITY.

IT MEANS THAT THE CITY'S STAFF HERE IS THE FINANCE STAFF I N PARTICULAR, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, IS DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB.

SO THAT IS NOT THAT THAT'S IN HERE IN OUR REPORT TO YOU.

BUT I'M ALSO JUST GIVING TO YOU VERBALLY.

WE ALSO HAVE A REPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.

IF THERE WERE REPORTABLE FINDINGS, THEY WOULD BE IN THIS LETTER, BUT THERE ARE NONE.

SO IT'S SAYING THAT THERE ARE NO MATERIAL WEAKNESS FINDINGS IN THIS LETTER.

IT'S IMPORTANT SOME OUTSIDE USERS ASK FOR THIS REPORT.

IT'S THE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FROM AUDITORS TO THE CITY OF ANY REPORTABLE FINDINGS.

[00:35:02]

NOW BACK TO THE COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.

IN THIS REPORT, STARTING ON PAGE ONE IS OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT.

AND THAT'S GOES FROM PAGE 1 TO 3.

THIS IS OUR OPINION LETTER OVER THE CITY'S FINANCIAL REPORTING IN HERE.

THIS IS WHAT WE CALL AN UNMODIFIED REPORT.

IT IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU AS INTERNAL AUDITORS.

UNMODIFIED REFERS TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO MODIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO THIS REPORT TO BE IN CONFORMITY WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE UNIVERSALLY FOLLOWED ACROSS ALL THE UNITED STATES FOR GOVERNMENTS S O THAT INFORMATION IS REPORTED CONSISTENTLY BETWEEN DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS AND YOU CAN COMPARE THESE STATEMENTS TO OTHER GOVERNMENTS. NOW, THE THINGS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW ITEMS THAT ARE JUST A NOTABLE CHANGE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN HERE.

IT COVERS A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CITY'S OPERATIONS.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT TONIGHT.

BUT I WILL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE LATER ABOUT THAT.

BUT ON PAGE 2 OF OUR OPINION LETTER, WE HAVE AN EMPHASIS OF A MATTER PARAGRAPH.

WE ADD THAT PARAGRAPH WHEN SOMETHING MORE SIGNIFICANT HAPPENS.

AND IN THIS CASE, WE'RE DRAWING ATTENTION TO A GASB OR I T'S THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD PROVIDES PRONOUNCEMENTS.

THESE ARE THE STANDARDS THAT YOU FOLLOW AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS FOLLOW.

THEY ISSUED STATEMENT NUMBER EIGHTY FOUR THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY YOUR CITY.

WHAT THIS DOES IS IT CAUSES THE WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN THEY ISSUE THESE STATEMENTS, THEY'RE FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING ONLY.

SO IT CHANGES THE WAY THINGS ARE REPORTED.

DOESN'T CHANGE THE OPERATIONAL ASPECT OF THE WAY THAT YOU WERE NECESSARILY DOING THINGS.

BUT IN THIS STATEMENT, GASB 84, IT REDEFINES WHAT IS AND IS NOT A FIDUCIARY ACTIVITY.

SO WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT FOR THE CITY IS CERTAIN TYPES OF BALANCES AND TRANSACTIONS THAT YOU WERE FORMERLY TREATING AS AN AGENCY FUND IS NOW NO LONGER CALLED THAT, BECAUSE NOW UNDER THE STANDARDS THEY'VE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT CREATED A NEW DEFINITION AND CREATED NEW FUND CALLED CUSTODIAL FUNDS.

SO CITY STAFF DID ACTUALLY A VERY THOROUGH JOB OF LOOKING THROUGH WHAT EACH OF THOSE AGENCY FUND BALANCES ARE, COMPARING IT TO THE NEW STANDARD.

AND THEN REVISING SO THAT MEANS SOME OF THE BALANCES AND THE TRANSACTIONS MOVED INTO THE GENERAL FUND THAT WERE FORMERLY IN AGENCY FUNDS.

SOME OF THEM WERE RECLASSIFIED AS CUSTODIAL FUNDS.

THAT'S ALL REFLECTED IN YOUR STATEMENT HERE.

WE'VE DRAWN ATTENTION TO IT IN OUR OPINION LETTER BECAUSE IT HAD A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT, NOT IN OPERATIONS, BUT JUST IN FINANCIAL REPORTING.

WE WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ADOPTED DURING THE YEAR.

ONE OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS IF YOU'LL REMEMBER BACK TO SUMMER OF 20 18, YOU VOTED TO REFUND YOUR PENSION, ISSUE PENSION BONDS AND REFUND YOUR PENSION DEBT WITH CALPERS.

THAT'S REFLECTED IN HERE, BUT IN A SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL WAY.

AND I WANTED TO JUST DRAW ATTENTION TO YOU TO IT.

SO IT'LL REMIND YOU I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION WITH STAFF, BUT JUST ALSO FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE LOOKING AT THIS AND MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE, WHEN YOU LOOK ON PAGE 16 AND YOU SEE LONG TERM LIABILITIES.

THIS IS THE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION AND IT SHOWS BONDS PAYABLE OF LONG TERM BONDS PAYABLE OF ABOUT 50 MILLION AND THEN A NET PENSION LIABILITY OF FORTY FIVE MILLION.

SO IT MAKES IT LOOK VERY LARGE, LIKE YOU'VE GOT ALMOST 100 MILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT.

AND IT IS TRUE FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING PURPOSES.

THIS IS THE CORRECT PRESENTATION.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IS IF YOU MOVE UP TO ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, THE DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF RESOURCES, THERE IS A PENSION RELATED DEFERRED OUTFLOW OF $53 MILLION, AND THAT'S NOT NORMAL.

BUT WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING HERE IS THAT YOU'VE ISSUED THE DEBT AND DEBT FOLLOWS ON THE CYCLE OF YOUR FISCAL YEAR.

BUT ALL ITEMS RELATED TO PENSIONS ARE ON A PERIOD ONE YEAR AGO AS OF 2018.

SO WE HAVE A MEASUREMENT DATE ISSUE.

SO ONLY THIS YEAR YOU SEE THIS VERY UNUSUAL THING WHERE YOU HAVE ABOUT 100 MILLION IN DEBT. BUT REALLY IT'S ABOUT ROUGHLY HALF THAT BECAUSE THIS 53 MILLION THAT IS IN A DEFERRED OUTFLOW FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING PURPOSES WILL .

SO ALTHOUGH YOU'VE TECHNICALLY REFUNDED THOSE PENSION BONDS, IN REALITY IT DOESN'T REFLECT HERE, BUT THERE IS NO DISCLOSURE ABOUT THAT IN BACK IN HERE IN THE NOTES I BELIEVE O N PAGE 63, THAT GIVES DETAIL ABOUT THAT.

SO JUST WANTED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THAT.

THE OTHER ITEM THAT'S DIFFERENT COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR ON PAGE 16, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESTRICTED CASH BALANCE, THERE'S ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS THERE.

THAT ALSO IS REFERENCED HERE AS NOTE 2 AND THAT'S RELATED TO THE SECTION 115 TRUST, WHICH IS ALSO TIED IN WITH THE PENSIONS.

SO THAT IS GIVEN SOME ADDITIONAL DETAIL O N PAGE 50 OF THE REPORT TALKS ABOUT THE SECTION 115 TRUSTS AND THAT THAT MONEY IS IS HELD THERE BY THE CITY, BUT IT'S IN TRUST AND CAN

[00:40:03]

ONLY BE USED FOR PENSION PURPOSES.

THE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO MENTION WAS BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE BALANCES RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GASB 34 DID COME OVER INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

I JUST WANTED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS ON PAGE 19 AND THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE.

THIS IS SHOWING IN YOUR REPORT AS 10.9 MILLION DOLLARS. THAT'S AFTER THOSE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THAT.

SO IT'S SHOWING THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LOOKING AT JUST THE MAIN GENERAL FUND, YOUR MAIN OPERATING FUND OF THE CITY YOU HAVE A FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS BASICALLY YOUR AVAILABLE RESOURCES ASSETS MINUS THE LIABILITIES OF $ 10.9 MILLION, WHICH IS A VERY FAVORABLE POSITION THAT THE CITY IS IN.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FUNDS IN THE CITY ALL DEDICATED TO SPECIAL PURPOSES.

SO ONE GOOD MEASURE OF HOW THE CITY IS PERFORMING IS TO LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND.

THERE ARE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE COMPOSITION IN THE NOTES FOR ANY THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT.

THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. VERY DETAILED.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

DON'T LEAVE. NO YOU CAN SIT DOWN.

I'M SORRY. I MEAN, DON'T GO HOME.

IS THERE ANYBODY TH AT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS FROM T HE AUDIENCE WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

YES, SIR. JUST COME UP TO THE MIC AND LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE, PLEASE.

I HAVE A QUESTION. I'M NOT A MEMBER OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT MY PENSION IS SENT TO ME AND I'M GIVEN A PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING TO LET US KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THE PENSION.

HAS THAT BEEN DONE OR IS THERE A FIGURE FOR THAT? JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY. [INAUDIBLE] WELL, I WOULD TECHNICALLY SAY AS IT RELATES TO PERS, WE'D BE A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDED.

OUR INDIVIDUAL POSITION.

BUT WE HAVE THAT PENSION OBLIGATION BOND THAT WOULD REFLECT DIFFERENTLY.

THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE.

THE [INAUDIBLE], WHICH ARE VERY SMALL COMPARATIVELY, DID NOT GET PAID OFF.

BUT AS FAR AS THE MAIN PENSION FOR THE $53 MILLION ROUGHLY THAT WOULD THAT WOULD MAKE THE FUNDED STATUS OF THOSE PLANS CLOSE TO 100 PERCENT WITH THE PROVISION OF THE MEASUREMENT DATE DIFFERENCE THAT WE ARE, THAT BRAD HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED.

THANK YOU, NATHAN. ANYBODY ELSE? OK. IF WE COULD HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.

MOTION. SECOND. VOTE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. OK.

NOW, IS THE TIME FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT?

[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]

JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WHEN YOU COME UP THAT IT'LL BE FOR ONE TIME ONLY.

THIS IS TIME SET ASIDE FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.

AND SO WE WILL START WITH BARBARA [INAUDIBLE].

MY NAME IS BARBARA [INAUDIBLE] .

OH I'M SORRY. THAT'S FINE.

AND I'M REPRESENTING THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE MOUNT BALDY AREA.

AND I'M THE MOUNT BALDY AREA COVERS THIS CITY AND 10 OTHER CITIES.

FIVE BEING IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

AS THE OBSERVER DIRECTOR I AM HAPPY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO [INAUDIBLE], THE NEW OBSERVER FOR THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL.

WELCOME. [INAUDIBLE] HAS GROWN UP IN EAST WHITTIER.

SHE'S HAD A LA VERNE ADDRESS SINCE 1992, BUT SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY MOVE INTO THE CITY LIMITS UNTIL 2019.

SHE GOT HER B.A. AT CAL STATE L.A., MASTER OF LIBRARY SCIENCE AT USC AND DOCTORATE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AT 1993 AT U OF LA VERNE. SHE'S RETIRED NOW.

SHE SPENT MOST OF HER CAREER IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

YO EXPLAIN THE OBSERVER PROGRAM A BIT.

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN SINGLED OUT AS THE ONLY CITY TO HAVE SUCH AN OBSERVER.

WE HAVE FIVE OTHER CITY COUNCIL OBSERVERS, THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ALTHOUGH NOT BONITA AT THE MOMENT. I'M STILL SEARCHING.

[00:45:03]

TRI CITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER AND THE ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY.

THE LEAGUE OBSERVER CORPS HELPS ENSURE THAT CITIZENS ARE AWARE OF THE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES.

THEY PROMOTE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

OBSERVERS ARE THERE TO OBSERVE, NOT TO VOICE OPINIONS.

OBSERVERS MAY ASK QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION, INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE, ASKING WITH AN IMPARTIAL ATTITUDE.

IDEALLY, OBSERVERS ARE MONITORING BOTH THE ISSUES BEING DISCUSSED AS WELL AS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THEY ARE BEING DISCUSSED.

THEY PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT AND A WRITTEN REPORT TO BE PRESENTED MAY 21ST, 2020.

IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OBSERVERS GAIN A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR THE SERVICE PERFORMED BY THE OFFICERS OF THE VARIOUS AGENCIES.

I EXPECT THAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THIS OBSERVER IN THIS COUNCIL AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING OUR OBSERVER SERVICE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND WELCOME.

WE HAVE TWO LIBRARIANS IN OUR MIDST TONIGHT, GEORGE.

KRISTA [INAUDIBLE].

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

MY NAME IS KRISTA [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M A LONGTIME RESIDENT AND MY FAMILY IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THIS COMMUNITY. I LIVE HERE, WORK HERE AND RAISE MY BOYS HERE.

LA VERNE IS HOME. OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

I'VE WATCHED OUR COMMUNITY BECOME DIVISIVE, DISTRUSTING AND COMBATIVE OVER CHALLENGES WITH OUR CITY'S FINANCES DIRECTLY IMPACTING OUR CITY SERVICES AND CITY EMPLOYEES.

AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO WORK ON SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS OUR CITY'S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.

I HAVE PERSONALLY TAKEN THE SIDE OF SUPPORTING YES ON MEASURE LV, WHICH WILL POSITIVELY INCREASE OUR CITY'S FINANCES TO CREATE MORE FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR CITY SERVICES AND CITY EMPLOYEES. THE OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS SEVERAL CITY EMPLOYEES HAS SHOWN IN SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT.

IF YOU LOVE THIS CITY AS MUCH AS I DO, VOTE YES ON MEASURE LV AND SECURE LA VERNE.

THANK YOU, KRISTA. [APPLAUSE] JIM MURPHY.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, STAFF.

I WASN'T HERE FOR THE LAST PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE LAST MEETING BECAUSE I THINK IT WENT FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF HOURS.

SO I WAS JUST OFF A SURGERY, COULDN'T HANG WITH YOU GUYS.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO PICK UP WHERE I WOULD HAVE LEFT OFF THERE.

BUT I GOT SOMETHING IN THE MAIL TODAY THAT KIND OF PROMPTED A FEW DIFFERENT COMMENTS.

I GOT THIS, TIM.

SO I GOT I GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT MR. HEPBURN'S MAYORAL CAMPAIGN.

AND I WANTED TO BRING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THAT ARE IN HERE THAT MAY HELP OUR CITY TIM. I JUST HEARD KRISTA GET UP AND SPEAK AND SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S SAD THE DIVISIVENESS. SO MAYBE THERE'S A POINT HERE THAT WE CAN AGREE TO HELP THE CITY AND MOVE FORWARD. SO I LOOK THROUGH THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE THREE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU POSTED HERE FOR YOUR LAST FOUR YEARS ON CITY COUNCIL.

TALKED ABOUT CHANGING BRANDS IN THE GROCERY STORE, STOPPING THE TRAINS FROM HONKING THEIR HORNS AND THE GOLF COURSE SWAP.

I WAS WITH YOU ON THAT, SIERRA LA VERNE AND MARSHALL CANYON, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE CAN CALL THAT A VICTORY QUITE YET.

AFTER LOOKING AT SIERRA LA VERNE YESTERDAY LOOKS PRETTY SAD.

BUT YOU WENT FURTHER IN HERE Y OU SAY THAT YOU TO QUOTE YOU, IT SAYS, ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CITY EMPLOYEES. THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I WANT TO PICK UP MY COMMENTS.

I THOUGHT OF OUR CURRENT SITUATION WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION.

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO ALL THE DETAIL THAT I HAVE HERE.

BUT SUFFICE TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE TEXT MESSAGES.

UNION SAYS THIS, TIM TELLS THEM THAT WE WENT BACK AND FORTH AND LABOR NEGOTIATIONS.

WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THE LAWSUIT.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF A LOT OF GIVE.

AND I'M THINKING NOW MIGHT BE THE TIME TO TAKE.

SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS TONIGHT AND MAYBE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S ON THE BACK OF THIS AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY BENEFIT HERE TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE.

SO YOU'VE GOT A NICE COLOR PICTURE HERE WITH THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.

AND I THOUGHT THERE'S THE HANG UP.

THESE GUYS HAVEN'T HAD AN MOU SIGNED SINCE JUNE 2017.

GOOD OPPORTUNITY. GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD IN OUR CITY.

SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS BRING UP SOME THINGS TONIGHT THAT MAYBE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND AND CERTAINLY OTHERS THAT DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. FORGET THE TEXT MESSAGES W E TALKED ABOUT THOSE.

WE KNOW ABOUT THE TERMINATION OF THE FIRE CHIEF FROM THE DAIS.

WE KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LISTING YOU AS A WITNESS FOR THE UNION TO SETTLE THAT 5.5

[00:50:01]

M ILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT.

SO WE KNOW YOU'VE BEEN RIGHT IN THE THICK OF IT.

AND MAYBE THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN HELP OUR CITY TIM.

SO WE MOVE THROUGH THREE FIRE CHIEFS.

SO WE'VE HAD OUR FIRE CHIEF THAT WAS LET GO OR RESIGNED AFTER A VERY TUMULTUOUS TWO YEAR LAWSUIT. WE SAW THE INTERIM CHIEF COME IN.

WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO FIX THINGS THAT DIDN'T WORK.

WE HAVE A NEW INTERIM FIRE CHIEF THAT'S TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK BACK AT IT, TIM, YOU SAID THAT THE FIRST FIRE CHIEF WAS THE PROBLEM. HE'S BEEN GONE FOR 15 MONTHS.

WE STILL HAVE ISSUES.

WE HAVE A CLOSED FIRE DEPARTMENT.

YOU CAN CALL IT BROWNOUT. I GET I GET THE TERMINOLOGY, BUT THAT THAT'S NOT FUNCTIONING ANY LONGER. THINK ABOUT THOSE RESIDENTS IN NORTH LA VERNE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT IMMEDIATE MEDICAL RESPONSE.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO I LOOKED AT WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TIME SINCE THE SETTLEMENT.

SO ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT SETTLEMENT FROM THE UNION'S PERSPECTIVE HAVE BEEN MET.

THEY NOW HAVE PROMO LISTS.

HAVE THEY'VE HAD SOME PROMOTIONS THEY'VE HAD FOUR PROMOTIONS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, TWO BATTALION CHIEFS, A CAPTAIN, AN ENGINEER.

WE'VE HAD A WILDLAND FIRE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THEY SAID WAS THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED, BUT YET WE STILL HAVE ISSUES. SO LET ME TELL YOU WHERE WE'RE AT.

WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN MANPOWER BEFORE THIS SETTLEMENT W E LOST TWO FIREFIGHTERS TO DEPARTURES, NOT COUNTING PROMOTIONS OR EXCUSE ME, NOT COUNTING RETIREMENTS.

WE LOST TWO IN FIVE YEARS.

WE LOST EIGHT LAST YEAR.

SO THIS NEW INTERIM CHIEF WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THAT THE ANSWER.

THAT WASN'T IT. PROMOTED SOME OF THE UNION LEADERS.

THAT WASN'T THE ANSWER EITHER.

SO THE NEW LEADERSHIP HAS FAILED THE CITY.

AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE LOST EIGHT PEOPLE IN THE LAST YEAR AND I WANT TO CITE BECAUSE I HEAR WHAT THE UNION'S GOING TO SAY.

THE UNION IS GOING TO SAY, THESE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE HERE.

THEY WANT TO GO TO L.A. COUNTY. GOT TO REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE A PET DEPOT IN TOWN.

WE HAVE A CVS IN TOWN.

COSTCO SELLS THAT SAME STUFF.

BUT YET THERE'S PEOPLE WHO WORK WORK AT COSTCO FOR MORE MONEY.

BUT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WORK PET DEPOT AND CVS AS WELL.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A MONEY ISSUE.

IT'S THE MENTALITY AND THE MORALE THAT'S IN THAT DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S GOT TO FALL ON THE LEADERSHIP OF THAT DEPARTMENT.

THE BATTALION CHIEFS, THE INTERIM CHIEF, THE CAPTAINS ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

THAT ARTICLE I READ OUT OF THE PAPER AND I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE UNION GUYS. THAT SAID IT SOMEBODY LASTED ELEVEN HOURS.

THEY QUIT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AFTER 11 HOURS.

DO YOU THINK THEY HAD ONE CHANCE TO SEE ANY OF YOU WHO KEEP GETTING BLAMED FOR THIS ISSUE? I CAN'T EVEN PUT THAT ON YOU TIM, THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE CITY, THEY SAW THE MORALE THAT WAS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEY WALKED AFTER 11 HOURS.

SO THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS LIKE I'M PICKING ON YOU, BUT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE HERE TO LEAD.

YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FIREFIGHTERS UNION TO BRING THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER TO THE TABLE.

SINCE 2017, JUNE, ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO.

WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY KIND OF RELATIONSHIP OR AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE. HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO LEAD TIM.

BUT HERE'S THE ONE THING I WANT TO TELL YOU.

IT'S THE MORALE IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S CAUSING THIS.

AND I'M HOPING THAT THAT'S THE OLIVE BRANCH YOU CAN EXTEND TO THESE GUYS RIGHT NOW.

WHAT WE HEARD WAS IT'S INTERNAL.

SO I GOT AN INTERNAL SOURCE THAT CAME TO ME AND SAID, IT'S NOT JUST PAY.

WE GOT 5.5 MILLION DOLLARS THAT SHOULD AVERAGED OUT AFTER TAXES AND LEGAL FEES TO ABOUT EIGHTY THOUSAND A FIREFIGHTER.

REMEMBER, ALL 26 GUYS WERE LISTED ON THAT LAWSUIT.

EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS APIECE, ROUGH AND DIRTY.

THAT'S AN APPROXIMATE. SOME OF THE UNION LEADERS WALKED AWAY WITH SIX FIGURES OUT OF THAT IS WHAT THIS INTERNAL SOURCE IS SAYING.

YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY THESE GUYS ARE UNHAPPY IN THE DEPARTMENT? BECAUSE THEY RUN THAT LAWSUIT AND THEY DIDN'T GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN BE SOLVED. I'M PRETTY SURE SINCE YOU'VE GIVEN THEM INFORMATION, THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE YOU OUT WHAT WAS PAID. IT'S A PUBLIC OR IT'S NOT A PUBLIC DOCUMENT, BUT IT'S A REGISTERED DOCUMENT BECAUSE THE IRS HAD TO GET IT.

MAYBE YOU CAN FIND OUT IF THAT IS OUR INTERNAL MORALE ISSUE.

BE NICE TO KNOW THAT. WE'RE ALSO HEARING THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE PROMOTIONS THAT DIDN'T SIT WELL WITH THE RANK AND FILE.

PEOPLE WERE PASSED OVER FOR PROMOTION.

SO SOME OF THESE UNION LEADERS COULD TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

HERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY. SO I'M GONNA CLOSE ON THIS BECAUSE CHARLIE NEEDS TO GET HOME, GET MORE OF HIS MEDS. SO LET ME GO BACK AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GONE ON NOW.

SO WE'VE SEEN A RECENT DISPLAY IN THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE ONE OF OUR OUR UNION ARE NOT A UNION LEADER ANYMORE, BUT A FIRE DEPARTMENT LEADER GOT UP AND WENT ON A RANT. THAT SHOULDN'T BE ACCEPTABLE HERE.

TO ME, THAT WOULD BE A FORM OF INSUBORDINATION, IN MY OPINION.

SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.

I THINK YOU CAN HELP THERE TIM.

ALSO LOOKED AT THESE GUYS SHOWING UP AT A POLITICAL EVENT ON DUTY IN UNIFORM.

ANOTHER PLACE YOU HAPPEN TO BE THERE AT THAT AS WELL AS I WAS.

[00:55:01]

THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE WHERE YOU COULD ADVISE HIM THAT THIS ISN'T RIGHT FOR OUR CITY RIGHT NOW WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.

BUT HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH.

SO AFTER ALL THIS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE WITH THIS BROWNOUT OR THIS CLOSURE OF STATION THREE IS WE'RE SEEING THAT POLITICS HAS NOW OVERCOME PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE IN ANY CITY, MUCH LESS LA VERNE.

SO I'M ASKING YOU, YOU LIKE TO SAY YOU LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC.

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO LISTEN TIM.

BUT I WANT. I WANT SOME ACTION.

I WANT TO START SEEING SOME LEADERSHIP, BRING THE UNION TO THE TABLE TO FIX THE DISCORDANCE DEPARTMENT.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S TIME FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS TO SIT DOWN A ND LIKE EVERY OTHER GROUP IN THIS CITY, EVERY EMPLOYEE GROUP HAS RATIFIED AN MOU WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THEM.

BRING THEM TO THE TABLE. YOU HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP.

NOW'S THE TIME TO LEAD.

IT'S NOT AFTER MARCH 3RD.

LET'S SOLVE THIS NOW.

LET'S GET THAT STATION REOPENED.

LET'S GET STAFF BACK ON BOARD.

I KNOW THESE ARE THIS ISN'T AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS M E STANDING UP HERE ASKING YOU TO DO THIS. BUT THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE CITY HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF THAT LABOR NEGOTIATION THAT THEY CUT YOU OUT OF SO LONG AGO.

AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE EASY IN YOUR COMMENTS TO CLOSE TONIGHT TO SAY, WELL, THEY TOOK ME OUT OF IT. THEY VOTED ME OUT.

THEY DON'T WANT ME TO BE PART OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS OR PART OF ANY OF THE LEGAL STUFF.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.

STAND UP AND BE A LEADER.

SHOW THESE FOUR WHY YOU NEED TO BE BACK INTO THAT GROUP MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AS A GROUP OF FIVE. NOW'S THE CHANCE TO LEAD.

THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, MR. HEPBURN.

[APPLAUSE] DAVID MCELWAIN.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR KENDRICK, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MY NAME IS DAVID MCELWAIN.

I LIVE AT 25 25 D STREET AND I'VE LIVED HERE IN LA VERNE FOR ABOUT TWENTY FIVE YEARS.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR ESTEEMED LADIES FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT ON AUGUST 18TH, 1920, TENNESSEE RATIFIED THE 19TH AMENDMENT.

SO WE'RE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR ALL YEAR.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF VOTES FOR WOMEN.

I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

[APPLAUSE] NEXT, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT I'M HERE TODAY ONCE AGAIN IN SUPPORT OF A MEASURE LV.

I'M ASKING MY NEIGHBORS TO VOTE FOR MEASURE LV TO SUPPORT LAVERNE'S FINANCING, IT'S CITY EMPLOYEES, ITS OPERATIONS.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF OPPOSITION TO LV AND A LOT OF IT IS IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT PEOPLE CLAIM THERE'S WASTE IN CITY GOVERNMENT.

RIGHT. WASTE EXCESSIVE SALARIES, PERHAPS EVEN FRAUD.

I DID A LITTLE CHECKING.

AND THERE'S A WEB SITE CALLED TRANSPARENT CALIFORNIA.

YOU CAN FIND THE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PAID TO ANY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, INCLUDING MYSELF BEFORE I RETIRED FOR ANY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE FROM 2011 THROUGH 2018.

THAT'S THE MOST RECENT FIGURE AVAILABLE.

AND SO I LOOKED UP THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND ANYONE COULD DO THIS AS WELL.

BUT I FOUND OUT THAT IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE, WE SPENT ABOUT $19 BILLION IN TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES I N 2018, WE HAD THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE TOTAL CITY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.

YOU TAKE THAT 19 MILLION DOLLARS AND SOME ODD.

I DON'T HAVE IT HANDY BECAUSE MY PHONE ISN'T WORKING.

BUT YOU DIVIDE THAT BY OUR POPULATION OF 32,000.

AND I FOUND OUT THAT OUR COST PER RESIDENT TO PAY FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES, ALL THE STAFF, THE EXECUTIVES, THE CLERICAL WORKERS, THE CITY PLANNERS, THE RECREATION STAFF, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE.

THE COST PER RESIDENT IS ABOUT SIX HUNDRED EIGHT DOLLARS AND SEVENTY SOME ODD CENTS PER YEAR. SO FOR TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN, MY WIFE AND I ENJOYED ALL OF THE CITY SERVICES THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE HERE IN LA VERNE.

AND I DON'T CONSIDER THAT TO BE EXCESSIVE.

THERE'S SOME MORE MATH TO BE DONE.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COMPENSATION FOR CITY EMPLOYEES. IT TURNS OUT THAT TRANSPARENT CALIFORNIA DOES HAVE THAT MEDIAN COMPENSATION FIGURE FOR THE CITY OF LA VERNE, ONCE AGAIN DATING BACK TO 2011.

AND YOU CAN FIND THE COMPENSATION FOR EACH AND EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE.

AND SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN PAID HANDSOMELY.

[01:00:01]

I'D SAY SOME OF OUR WORKERS ARE PAID HANDSOMELY.

AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S STRONG COMPETITION IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT FOR EXECUTIVE LEADERS, FOR MANAGERS, FOR FIREFIGHTERS, FOR POLICE OFFICERS.

BUT BY THE TIME I COME HERE BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING, I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ANALYSIS. I'M LOOKING AT THE FIVE CITIES IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND IN TERMS OF POPULATION AND THE FIVE CITIES IMMEDIATELY ABOVE.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT WE'RE THE 251ST LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

SO I'M GOING TO LOOK AT DANA POINT, WHICH IS TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX UP TO LAGUNA, LAGUNA HILLS, WHICH IS OR LAGUNA NIGUEL.

I THINK. CHEAP PLACES TO LIVE.

YES. WHICH IS WHICH IS 250, 25 1 AND I'M GONNA, NON, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY SIX.

SORRY. AND I'M GOING TO COMPARE THE MEDIAN SALARIES OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THOSE COMPARABLE CITIES WITH THE COMPENSATION RECEIVED BY OUR OWN CITY MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES.

AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT OUT TO YOU.

BUT I WANT TO INVITE ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF POMONA TO GO TO TRANSPARANT CALIFORNIA.

WHO? LA VERNE.

OH, SORRY, SORRY.

I DO A LOT IN POMONA.

ALL RESIDENTS. YOUR OFFICE WAS IN POMONA.

YES. YES. ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE TO GO TO TRANSPARANT CALIFORNIA, AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. THERE'S MATH TO BE DONE.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, DAVID. [APPLAUSE] I'M OUT A BLUE CARDS, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE MAY WANT TO SPEAK.

IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IF YOU DO. YES, SIR.

IF YOU CAN JUST LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND SO WE CAN PUT IT DOWN FOR YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] I'M A RESIDENT OF LA VERNE.

I LIVE ON CANYON CREST DRIVE.

WELCOME. AND WE SEEM TO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE TONIGHT.

WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO SAY TO THE ISSUES THAT ARE AT HAND HERE IN OUR CITY W ITH THEIR DISCREPANCIES AND THE WAY THEY FEEL ABOUT THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN TREATED.

HAVE THEY MADE A FORUM TO THE CITY? HAVE THEY COME UP? AND WOULD ANY OF THE GENTLEMEN LIKE, WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING? WHY DON'T YOU LET THE POPULATION KNOW HOW YOU GUYS FEEL? I DON'T THINK THAT'D BE APPROPRIATE.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO. OH, OKAY.

THANK YOU. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET IT DONE.

ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT.

GEORGE. HELLO, EVERYBODY.

GEORGE HENDERSON FROM OLD TOWN LA VERNE.

I GOT TO TELL YOU. SO HAPPY TO SEE THE MEETING START OUT WITH SUCH A POSITIVE NOTE TODAY, ACKNOWLEDGING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE.

YOU KNOW, I CAME INTO THIS TOWN.

[APPLAUSE] I REMEMBER COMING TO LA VERNE IN THE LATE 80S, AND THROUGH THAT TIME AT ONE I HAD FOUR TEENAGE BOYS I WAS RAISING, SO I HAD SOME INTERACTIONS WITH THE POLICE I WOULD RATHER HAVE AVOIDED. BUT AT NO TIME DID I EVER FEEL THAT IT WAS UNPROFESSIONAL, THAT IT WASN'T FAIR.

THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.

I LOVE THE WAY WE FEEL SAFE IN THIS CITY.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TO CHIEF PAZ AND THE OTHER POLICE OFFICERS, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US SAFE AND DOING THE JOB YOU DO.

[APPLAUSE] O ON THIS TAX MEASURE THAT'S COMING UP, I HAVE TO CONFESS MY FIRST INSTINCT IS NO, I DON'T THINK I'VE VOTED FOR A TAX MEASURE IN YEARS.

BUT NOW THAT I UNDERSTOOD A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT'S GOING ON, I HAVE CHANGED MY VIEW ON THIS. THIS IS A TAX MEASURE I THINK LA VERNE NEEDS TO HAVE.

AND THE REASON IS, IS YOU CAN'T HAVE A CITY LIKE THIS WITHOUT COST.

IT DOES COST MONEY TO MAINTAIN A SAFE, CLEAN CITY LIKE WE HAVE.

I GO TO MANY CITIES FOR MY WORK.

AND THERE'S MANY TIMES I KNOW I'M NOT IN LA VERNE.

THERE ARE CITIES WHERE I LITERALLY HAVE TO WATCH MY BACK, WHERE I'M GOING TO SEE PEOPLE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. IT'S AN UNSAFE AREAS OR THEY'RE NOT CLEAN.

YOU GO TO OUR PARKS, OUR STREETS, WE SEE A VERY GOOD ENVIRONMENT HERE.

I SEE MONEY BEING SPENT ON REPAIRING ROADS AND DOING THINGS.

SO I DON'T SEE A LOT OF WASTE GOING ON.

THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT THE COUNTY WILL RAISE THE TAX ANY WAY LATER THIS YEAR.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET LITTLE OR NONE OF IT.

I RATHER HAVE THAT MONEY STAY IN THIS TOWN AND CONTROLLED BY OUR CURRENT LEADERSHIP RIGHT

[01:05:05]

NOW OR AFTER THE ELECTION AND LET THEM DECIDE HOW TO SPEND MONEY FOR OUR CITIZENS.

SO IT'S ONE OF THE RARE TIMES I WILL SAY, YES, I AM SUPPORTING A TAX MEASURE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU GEORGE. [APPLAUSE] ANY.

ANYONE WANT TO TAKE A WILD GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT.

HE JUST DID. THE BUTTONS LOOK GOOD ON YOU.

THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF.

MY NAME IS MARK GUTIERREZ AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LA VERNE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. SINCE THE INITIATION OF THIS CAMPAIGN, I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE A LACK OF OR MISINFORMATION REGARDING MEASURE LV.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THOSE POINTS WE'VE COME ACROSS. THIS IS A SALES TAX MEASURE, WHICH MEANS IT AFFECTS NOT ONLY RESIDENTS, BUT ANYONE WHO MAKES A PURCHASE HERE IN LA VERNE.

THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR PROPERTY TAX.

AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR INCOME TAX.

YES, IT IS A TAX INCREASE, BUT IT'S A SALES TAX INCREASE.

AND THE CITY IS IN NEED OF A GREAT DEAL OF SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO CAPTURE IT.

BY VOTING YES ON LV EVERY CENT EARNED FROM THAT INCREASE WILL STAY HERE IN LA VERNE AND LA VERNE ONLY. THIS MONEY WILL GO TO HELPS THE CITY MAINTAIN ITS QUALITY EMPLOYEES AND THE EXCELLENT SERVICE THAT COMES WITH IT.

IF YOU SHOP IN GLENDORA, POMONA, MONROVIA, PASADENA, ARCADIA, GLENDALE, COVINA, YOU'RE ALREADY PAYING THAT TAX INCREASE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.

AND BY SHOPPING THERE, YOU'RE HELPING THOSE CITIES IMPROVE THEIR SERVICES.

IT'S TIME LA VERNE DOES THE SAME.

WHEN THE TAX MEASURE PASSES IN LA VERNE, OUR SALES TAX WILL BE CAPPED AT 10.25.

THIS MEANS THE RESIDENTS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY ADDITIONAL INCREASES IN SALES TAX I F RAISED BY THE COUNTY OR STATE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE SEE ME OR VISIT US AT WWW.SECURELAVERNE.COM. THANK YOU.

THANKS, MARK. [APPLAUSE] ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT? MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS THANK DAN KEESEY AND HIS GROUP FOR THE GREAT JOB THEY DID ON THE TRANSITION OF GOLDEN HILLS AND ESPERANZA DURING CHRISTMAS DAY.

IT WAS QUICK, WAS EASY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON A GREAT JOB.

I'M NOT GOING TO RESPOND TO MR. MURPHY AT THIS POINT, BUT I WILL SAY ONE THING.

I GUESS NOT ALL OF US HAVE INTERNAL SOURCES THAT WE CAN RELY ON TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE CITY. SO I HOPE THAT'S VERY APPARENT.

ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK UNDER? LYNN DELTORO. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A LITTLE CLARIFICATION I F THERE'S PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT DON'T KNOW THE [INAUDIBLE] OF MARSHALL CANYON GOLF COURSE WAS A COMMUNITY EFFORT.

THERE IS A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IS STILL WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT THERE.

NEW CART PATHS HAVE BEEN PUT IN.

3.2 MILLION DOLLARS ARE SET ASIDE FOR NEW IRRIGATION.

IT'S ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO WORK ON THE FRONT OF THE FACILITY.

THAT IS PUBLIC PROPERTY WHERE SIERRA LA VERNE IS PRIVATE PROPERTY.

SO THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES.

FORTUNATELY, WE CAME TO THE CITY AND WE WEREN'T GETTING THE RESPONSE WE NEEDED.

WE CAME TO COUNCILMAN HEPBURN.

WE FILLED THE ROOM WITH OVER 200 PEOPLE.

RESIDENTS GOT INVOLVED.

THE LETTER, THE MOTION WAS MADE ASKING THE CITY MR. HEPBURN MADE A MOTION ASKING THAT WE SEND A LETTER THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE AGAINST THE SWAPPING OF MARSHALL CANYON GOLF COURSE.

AND THAT'S HOW THAT COURSE WAS SAVED.

SO IN AS SOON AS THOSE OF US THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD AND ARE STILL WORKING HARD TO SAVE

[01:10:04]

MARSHALL CANYON GOLF COURSE, I KNEW AS SOON AS THIS TOPIC CAME UP WITH WHAT'S GOING ON MR. [INAUDIBLE] AT SIERRA LA VERNE, I EXPECTED MORE CONVERSATION IN THE CITY.

OH, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT.

WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THE SWAP. BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE I TALKED TO THAT EVEN LIVE RIGHT ON SIERRA LA VERNE ARE HAPPY THAT WE SAVED MARSHALL CANYON GOLF COURSE BECAUSE WE COULD.

AND THAT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT SIERRA LA VERNE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? ANNA. ANNA ANDERSON.

OK. SO WE HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AGAIN AND EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED.

AND OK, LET'S FACE IT.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

I DON'T HAVE TO BRING IT UP. IT'S OVER.

BUT EVIDENTLY IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE OVER.

THE CITY'S NEVER GOING TO HEAL BECAUSE THIS STUFF JUST KEEPS COMING UP AND COMING UP AND COMING UP. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE THE FIRE STATION THAT CLOSED AND TELL YOU THE STORY. I USED TO B RING MY GRANDDAUGHTER UP THAT HILL SINCE SHE WAS 2 YEARS OLD.

AND EVERY TIME WE WENT UP THE HILL, SHE'D LOOK FOR THAT RED FIRE TRUCK AND THAT GREEN FIRE TRUCK. AND FINALLY, WHEN SHE GOT A LITTLE OLDER, WHEN WE WENT UP THE HILL, SHE FINALLY WAS NOT SAYING ANYTHING.

AND SHE SAID I SAID, [INAUDIBLE] DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE RED FIRE TRUCK OR THE GREEN FIRE TRUCK? AND SHE SAID, GRANDMA, YOU'VE BEEN FOOLING ME.

THIS IS NOT A FIRE STATION.

THIS IS A GARAGE FOR THOSE TWO TRUCKS.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS WITH SAYING THAT WE LOST THE FIRE STATION.

THERE WAS ONLY LIKE TWO PARAMEDICS SLEEPING THERE OVERNIGHT OR SOMETHING.

IT'S NEVER BEEN A FIRE STATION.

SO SAYING WE LOST THE FIRE STATION, I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY THE THING WAS BUILT IN THE FIRST PLACE. SECOND OF ALL, IF WE KEEP BRINGING UP THIS SITUATION ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, LOOK AT I HAVE BEEN MANAGING SINCE I WAS 21 YEARS OLD.

I'VE HAD BUSINESSES WITH 30, 40 PEOPLE.

IF YOU KEEP TALKING LIKE THIS ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO BE HAPPY.

YOU THINK THESE PEOPLE ARE HAPPY LISTENING TO THIS KIND OF STUFF? YOU THINK THEY WANT TO STAY HERE? DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET OTHER EMPLOYEES? THIS THING WAS A MESS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.

I KNEW HOW IT WAS GOING TO TURN OUT.

I'VE DEALT WITH THE E MPLOYEES.

YOU CAN'T TREAT EMPLOYEES LIKE THIS AND THINK, OH, GOD, EVERYBODY'S GONNA COME HERE AND WANT TO WORK HERE. LOOK, W E GOT TO STOP BRINGING UP.

IT'S GOT TO BE OVER. WE GOT TO HEAL.

AND IF YOU KEEP BRINGING THIS UP AS A POLITICAL HIT, IT'S NOT GOOD.

IT'S JUST NOT GOOD. IT'S OVER.

SO I DON'T LIKE THIS KIND OF STUFF.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE BRINGING OUR EMPLOYEES INTO THIS AGAIN AND TALKING ABOUT THEM AND SAYING WE NEED TO HANDLE THEM AGAIN.

LET THINGS WORK OUT BECAUSE KEEP DOING THIS.

I KNOW EMPLOYEES. I KNOW HOW THEY ARE.

YOU CAN'T TREAT EMPLOYEES LIKE THIS.

YOU CAN'T KEEP TREATING EMPLOYEES LIKE THIS, CAN'T KEEP TALKING ABOUT THEM IN A NEGATIVE WAY AND THINK EVERYTHING IS GOING TO TURN OUT, IT WON'T.

SO LET'S TRY TO HEAL HERE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A POLITICAL THING.

AND AND, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE SOME FOR ONE PERSON AND SOME PEOPLE OR ANOTHER.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO BE NEGATIVE AND BE CONDESCENDING.

IT'S GETTING PRETTY BAD.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE LIKE THEY ARE.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO WORK HERE. TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I WOULDN'T DO IT.

NOT LIKE IT IS NOW, BECAUSE IT'S NEVER GOING TO HEAL.

IT JUST KEEPS GOING. SO WE KEEP BRINGING IT UP AND BRINGING IT UP AND TALKING ABOUT IT AND GOING OVER IT AND BRINGING UP PAPERS AND THE COURT THING.

IT'S THE COURT THINGS OVER.

NOBODY WAS AT FAULT.

WE'RE DONE. I MEAN, LET'S JUST LEAVE IT ALONE, BECAUSE I FEEL SORRY FOR THESE GUYS.

IF THEY WERE MY EMPLOYEES, I'D HAVE TO THINK OF A DIFFERENT SOLUTION TO HANDLE THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT WORKING AND WE'RE NOT GOING WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET PEOPLE THAT WANT TO WORK HERE WITH THIS.

IF IT KEEPS GOING ON LIKE THIS.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE HAD EMPLOYEES, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO TREAT EMPLOYEES.

IT'S JUST NOT GOOD. THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU, ANNA. [APPLAUSE] IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO 'D LIKE TO SPEAK? CHRIS? CHRISTOPHER

[01:15:07]

[INAUDIBLE], THE OWNER OF CHASE'S RESTAURANT IN LA VERNE.

A T THE END OF THIS MEETING, PUBLIC COMMENTS.

I WOULD ASK THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER HEPBURN STATE EMPHATICALLY THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.

ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOING TO COUNTY? IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE LAWSUIT.

IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ANYONE WHO HAS ANY COMMON SENSE THAT THE SOLVED SOLUTION OF THE WHOLE THING STARTING FIVE YEARS AGO WAS TO RUN THE DOWNEY COURSE WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND GO COUNTY O NCE THE COUNCIL CHANGED, THE REASON IT KEEPS COMING UP IS OBVIOUS.

WE HAVE AN ELECTION ON MARCH 3RD.

IT PENS ON THESE PEOPLE'S DECISION ABOUT GOING COUNTY.

THERE IS NOT A FIREMAN IN THIS CITY THAT DOESN'T WANT TO SAY THE WORDS, BUT THEY ALL WANT TO GO COUNTY. THERE'S MORE MONEY THERE.

YET IT'S OVERWHELMING C ITIZENS HAVE SAID THEY DON'T WANT TO GO COUNTY.

YET WE NEED A FIRM ANSWER TONIGHT FROM YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND FOR YOU, MR. COUNCILMAN, ARE YOU GOING TO GO COUNTY WHEN YOU PUT OUT A BROCHURE HUGGING THE FIREMEN WHO HEAD THE UNION THAT SAY THESE ARE GUYS THAT AR E SUPPORTING ME AND THEY IN THEIR LAWSUIT PAGE 2 SAY, WE WANT TO GO COUNTY AND WE SIT IN THE ROOM OVER THERE LAST SEPTEMBER, 2018 AND LISTEN TO MONTOYA SAY, COUNTY, COUNTY, COUNTY.

AND THIS IS THE REASON TO GO COUNTY, WAKE UP.

THEY WANT TO GO COUNTY AND THEY'RE RELYING ON YOU TO GO COUNTY.

YOU NEED TO SAY EMPHATICALLY BEFORE PEOPLE GO TO THE VOTING BOOTH ON MARCH 3RD, I AM AGAINST GOING COUNTY.

AND IF YOU CAN'T SAY THAT, I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT MY WORDS ARE RIGHT.

AND THOSE GUYS ARE NOT SAYING IT FOR A RIGHT REASON, POLITICAL REASON THAT THEY'VE BEEN TAUGHT THROUGH LAWYERS AND THEIR UNION.

SO SAY IT TONIGHT, BOTH OF YOU.

DO YOU WANT US TO GO COUNTY OR NOT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHRIS.

ANYBODY ELSE? GOOD EVENING, BRIAN MARKEE, THIRD STREET. I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD AS SAYING AS FAR AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOES, I'M TOTALLY AGAINST GOING COUNTY.

WE HAVE TO KEEP CONTROL OF ALL OUR CITY SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY.

AND AS FAR AS GOING COUNTY, THESE GUYS ARE FREE TO GO.

THERE'S NOBODY FORCING ANYBODY TO COME HERE AND GO TO WORK.

AND AS FAR AS WORKING FOR THE COUNTY GO, THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.

I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS.

QUIT THE WHINING AND EITHER GO OR STAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BRIAN.

[APPLAUSE] ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? OK. MOVE TO ITEM 10.

[10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]

COUNCIL COMMENTS. TIM.

I SEE SOME VOTED STICKERS ON PEOPLE'S SHIRTS AND STUFF.

SO THE ABSENTEES OBVIOUSLY HAVE COME OUT.

PEOPLE ARE VOTING. AGAIN WE'LL RESTATE THAT THE 22ND OF FEBRUARY.

THE POLLING BOOTHS OPEN TILL MARCH 3RD.

ABSENTEES ARE OUT TODAY AND TOMORROW.

SO PLEASE USE YOUR OPTION AND PLEASE VOTE.

AND ALSO, PLEASE SUPPORT MEASURE LV.

YES, ON LV. THANK YOU.

ROBIN. YES.

I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS TONIGHT TALKING ABOUT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.

LYNN, THANK YOU ALSO FOR CLARIFYING.

MARSHALL CANYON IS STILL BEING WATCHED.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AND BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SO MANY THINGS ABOUT THE TWO BEING LUMPED TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

AND THE ONES THAT HAVE THANKED CITY EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO STICK WITH THE FOCUS.

AND THERE IS ONE PERSON THAT DOESN'T GET THE RECOGNITION THAT I FEEL HE DESERVES.

SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A TOPIC, A COUPLE OF TOPICS THAT IS MOVING OUR CITY FORWARD.

AND WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF THE CITY WE LIVE IN AND WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH GOES ON TO THE DAY TO DAY WORKINGS, EVEN FROM ALL OF US. WE'RE ON SO MANY COMMITTEES MOVING THIS CITY FORWARD.

SO ON THE TOPIC I'M TALKING ABOUT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M ON GOLDLINE.

BOTH THE JPA, WHICH IS THE JOINT POWERS ASSOCIATION AND THEN GOLDLINE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY, AND THAT IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION , APPROVAL OF EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, BUYING THE TRAINS, EVERYTHING.

SO THAT IS A DECISION FACTOR.

AND SO THE CEO, WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO WHITE AVENUE, THE DECISION C AME DOWN TO OUR CITY

[01:20:07]

MANAGER, BOB RUSSI, AND HE'S VERY MODEST, WE DON'T WE DON'T BRAG ABOUT WHAT WE DO, WE JUST TALK AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD.

BUT I'M GOING TO BRAG TONIGHT ABOUT HOW HARD HE WORKS HERE.

THE CEO AFTER WHITE AVENUE, A LOT OF COMMENTS CAME OUT ONCE WE DECIDED TO COME UP WITH THE CONCEPT. MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE WIDENED FOR WHAT ALL IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE HERE. SO THE CEO OF GOLDLINE DID CONTACT ME AND HE SAID, IT'S UP TO YOUR CITY.

WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR CITY MANAGER WANT TO DO? YOU'RE A VOTING MEMBER OF THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY.

I JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

WHAT DO YOU WANT IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON THAT AND COMING UP WITH THE FINAL DOCUMENT, WE HAD THE DRAFT.

THEN WE WENT ON TO THE SPECIFIC PLAN FOR THE GOLDLINE.

SO I CALLED BOB AND I SAID, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS HERE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO? WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

WE DECIDED TO YOU KNOW THE RESIDENTS SAID THAT LIVE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, THEY DO NOT WANT IT WIDENED. SO I SAID, OK.

THANK YOU, BOB. I CALLED THE CEO AND TOLD HIM THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR CITY IS NOT TO WIDEN WHITE AVENUE AT THIS TIME.

AND SO THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION HE PUT BEFORE THE VOTING BOARD.

ALL OF US, WHICH I DID, ABSTAIN BECAUSE IT IS MY CITY.

BUT THEY HAD THE RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY OF LA VERNE.

SO I THANK YOU, BOB.

YOU NEVER TAKE CREDIT FOR THESE THINGS, BUT IT WAS YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT, TOO.

SO THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] AND THE OTHER AREA THAT, DON, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO IN DEEPER ON THIS, BECAUSE DON AND BOB WORKED VERY HARD ON THIS.

OUR GROWTH, OUR REGIONAL GROWTH THAT THROUGH THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY REGIONAL, KATHERINE [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE SUPERVISOR FOR THE COUNTY, SHE SAID THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER AND SHE HAS TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE.

SO WOULD YOU EXPAND ON THAT? BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT BOTH YOU AND BOB WORKED VERY HARD ON.

MANY OTHERS, TOO. BUT YOU TWO NEED TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT.

SO I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT IN THE EVENT THE OTHER DAY WITH KATHERINE [INAUDIBLE]. OK, AND HOW SHE BRAGGED ABOUT OUR CITY BEING THE FIRST CITY IN THE REGION THAT IS GETTING THIS DEVELOPMENT FUNDS.

SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT THAT THROUGH LA VERNE AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYER IS GOING TO RAISE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS OR SO APPROXIMATELY 33 MILLION DOLLARS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORK. WHAT THAT WILL DO IS IT WILL BRING DEVELOPERS INTO THE CITY FASTER, BUILD WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD FASTER, AND WE CAN ENJOY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD FASTER. ONCE WE DID THAT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, WE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY BASICALLY SAID WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT EIFD.

SO WHAT? AND CHARLIE WAS IN ON THIS, TOO.

WHAT WHAT ARE WE? WE DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.

AND SO WE EDUCATED THROUGH OUR STAFF, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND SPECIFIC T HROUGH BOB RUSSI TO CREATE A POLICY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY THAT THEY COULD NOT ONLY USE FOR US, BUT THEY COULD USE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL, WE'RE THE VERY FIRST CITY IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT WENT DOWN THIS ROAD AND WE'RE THE VERY FIRST CITY AND L.A. COUNTY TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP, WE GET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF EVERY TAX PROPERTY TAX DOLLAR.

BUT THEY GET A LOT MORE.

THEY GET PROBABLY ALMOST THREE TIMES WHAT WE GET.

BUT WE GOT HALF OF THEIRS.

AND THEY ARE GOING TO THROUGH THEIR AGREEMENT, WE WILL GET OVER 50 MILLION DOLLARS FOR WORK IN THE ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING, WHICH BRINGS A TOTAL OF OVER EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS OR EIGHTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE CITY OF LA VERNE IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IN THE AREA THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED THROUGH THIS GOLDLINE DEVELOPMENT.

SO MY HAT'S OFF TO BOB.

MANY TIMES HE KNOWS THE WAY TO THE COUNTY, BELIEVE ME, BECAUSE HE'S BEEN DOWN THERE SO MANY TIMES WORKING WITH THE CEO OF THE COUNTY AND [INAUDIBLE] STAFF TO GET THIS THROUGH.

SO SO TENS AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROUGH OUR BENEFIT.

[01:25:05]

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY, BOB? FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS, BUT IT TRULY WAS A VERY GROUP EFFORT FROM THE COUNCIL, FROM [INAUDIBLE] STAFF, FROM COUNTY STAFF, FROM OUR INTERNAL STAFF THAT REALLY MOVE THIS ROCK AS LONG AS IT DID.

BUT IT AND IT DID RESULT IN THE BENEFIT TO LA VERNE THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.

SO THANK YOU. WE WERE THRILLED TO BE DOWN THERE.

AND THE COMMENTS LAST WEEK AT THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY UPDATED LUNCH AND SHE WAS A GUEST SPEAKER AND SHE WENT OUT OUR WAY OUT OF HER WAY TO THANK LA VERNE FOR THE LEADERSHIP ROLE THAT IT PLAYED, NOT ONLY FOR THE LA VERNE ASPECT OF THE EIFD, BUT ALSO FOR THE COUNTY, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CREATED AND THE ABILITY FOR OTHER CITIES AS WELL.

BECAUSE ALL IT WAS A 5-0 VOTE AND ALL THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE ANXIOUS TO CREATE THAT SAME ENVIRONMENT IN THEIR DISTRICTS FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. SO IT WAS A REAL PLUS.

[APPLAUSE] FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, I KNOW THIS IS A VERY PASSIONATE TIME, LA VERNE, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I HAVE LIVED IN LA VERNE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS CAME HERE, PLANTED THE FIRST CITRUS TREES THAT EVER, EVER GREW IN THIS CITY. AND THIS CITY HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PLACE FOR MANY, MANY HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO RAISE THEIR KIDS AND BE THE CITY THAT IT IS.

IN 2011, WE WERE HONORED BY FAMILY CIRCLE MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE 10 BEST FAMILY PLACES TO RAISE A FAMILY.

AND THAT'S AND WE ARE ACTUALLY WHEN YOU READ THE ARTICLE, IT CAME OUT NUMBER FOUR, STILL HAVE A COPY OF IT. IT'S AN HONOR FOR THIS CITY TO BE AT THAT LEVEL.

IT HAS BEEN CALLED MAYBERRY MORE TIMES, I THINK, THAN MAYBERRY.

THAT'S THE LEVEL WE ARE IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THIS ELECTION I'VE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD TO DO THINGS FOR THIS CITY.

AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO READ SOME STUFF THAT IS BEING SAID ABOUT ME ON THE STREETS AND I DON'T APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE DON WANTS TO GO COUNTY SHERIFF AND COUNTY FIRE.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.

I AM PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ADVOCATE FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE IN THIS CITY UNLESS EVERYBODY.

[APPLAUSE] UNLESS THE VOTERS SAY OTHERWISE.

I WILL NEVER, EVER CONSIDER OUR SERVICES GOING SOMEPLACE ELSE.

THESE ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND THEY NEED TO STAY.

WE WANT THEM TO STAY.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

DON KENDRICK DOESN'T WANT RESTAURANTS WITH BARS IN LA VERNE.

THAT'S BEING SET ON THE STREET BY CERTAIN PEOPLE.

I BECAME A CERTIFIED BARTENDER IN HAWAII.

AND WHEN I WAS WAITING FOR MY SUBMARINE TO COME IN, WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE, I THINK THE BIGGEST HONOR I HAD WAS UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, I WAS SENT OVER TO FORT ISLAND, WGERE THE HIGHEST RANKING NAVY LIVED.

AND I WAS THE BARTENDER FOR THE CELEBRATION PARTY FOR APOLLO 13, WHICH WAS AMAZING.

I GOT OUT OF THE NAVY IN 74.

I WENT TO THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SCHOOL AT CAL POLY.

AT THE SAME TIME, I STARTED WORKING FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] ORGANIZATION 10 YEARS.

THE SAN DIMAS [INAUDIBLE] IN 1980 WAS OPENED BY DON KENDRICK.

THAT WAS MY BUY IN PARTNERSHIP RESTAURANT.

SO ANYBODY THAT'S GOING OUT THERE SAYING DON KENDRICK DOESN'T LIKE RESTAURANTS WITH BARS.

IT'S AN ABSOLUTE LIE.

WE REACHED 100 RESTAURANTS IN LA VERNE AND I'M THE PUSHER.

SO I THINK RESTAURANTS ARE THE BEST WAY TO GET OTHER PEOPLE TO SPEND MONEY.

AND WHAT MARK TALKED ABOUT, THE TAX MEASURE, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE TAX SALES TAX REVENUE THAT COMES INTO LA VERNE COMES FROM OUTSIDE LA VERNE.

SO WHEN YOU SAY YES ON LV , YOU'RE ACTUALLY ONLY VOTING FOR TWO THIRDS TO BE PAID BY LV RESIDENTS. SO THINK OF THAT.

DON KENDRICK IS SHADY AND GREEDY.

ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ME WOULD NEVER MAKE THOSE STATEMENTS, EVER.

DON KENDRICK SCREWED HIS EMPLOYEES WHEN HE MOVED HIS OFFICE HOME.

[01:30:02]

THAT WAS THE WORDS. THOSE ARE THE EXACT WORDS THAT WERE USED.

IF YOU HEARD THE LENGTH OF NOTICE THAT I GAVE MY EMPLOYEES WHEN I MOVED MY OFFICE HOME, YOU'D SAY, WHY DID YOU GIVE THEM SO MUCH? BUT THAT'S WHO I AM.

ALSO, I GAVE THEM A FINANCIAL AT THE END SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE HURT AND THEY WEREN'T.

A JUDGE MADE ME MOVE MY BUSINESS OFFICE FROM BONITA AVENUE.

REAL ESTATE AGENTS TODAY DON'T WORK IN BRICK AND MORTAR.

I THINK A LOT OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW HIM.

HE'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MAN.

AND THAT'S NICK [INAUDIBLE].

HE'S THE NUMBER ONE REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON TODAY.

WORKS FOR REMAX MASTERS, WORKS OUT OF HIS HOUSE.

AND PROBABLY EVERY NICE HOUSE IN LA VERNE IS SOLD EITHER BY CARL [INAUDIBLE].

I THINK CARL WORKS OUT OF HIS HOUSE.

I KNOW NICK DOES, BECAUSE I'D BEEN TO HIS HOUSE.

TWO OF THESE FIVE ARE ON THE 3 C'S FACEBOOK, RICK.

THIS FACEBOOK IS ANTI DON KENDRICK AND PRO TIM HEPBURN.

AND I KNOW THAT. TIM, I'M ASKING YOU.

I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE, BUT PLEASE STOP THE DISHONESTY.

RICK. I HOPE THAT NEXT MONDAY, RICK.

I HOPE THAT NEXT MONDAY THAT IT'S A FAIR MAYORS.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

4. PRESENTATIONS

7. PUBLIC HEARINGS

8. OTHER MATTERS

Feb 03, 2020 City Council

4. PRESENTATIONS

7. PUBLIC HEARINGS

8. OTHER MATTERS

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