[00:00:01]
LET'S CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:30 P.M.
COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE FLAG SALUTE? ROLL CALL, PLEASE? WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, UPCOMING AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.
[4. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS ]
MR RUSSI, DO YOU HAVE SOME TO REPORT? I DO. I'M WAITING FOR MY ANNOUNCEMENT GUY TO GET SET UP RUNNING FROM THE OTHER ROOM.J.R., 'YOU THERE? THANK YOU, I HAD TO TRANSITION TO ANOTHER AREA.
THIS IS FROM LEAH SKINNER WITH THE LA VERNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CLASS 455--EXCUSE ME, 454, A.K.A.
LEO VISION HAS WORKED WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PROVIDE PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL BUSINESS FOR THEIR CLASS PROJECT.
PROJECT INCLUDES IN-STORE AND ON CAMPUS DIGITAL MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES AND HAS BEEN A VERY BENEFICIAL COLLABORATION.
THIS YEAR, THINGS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THE CLASS, STILL EAGER TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS COMPLETE THE COURSE, HAS COME UP WITH A NEW PROGRAM.
THIS YEAR, THEY WILL BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW.
LA VERNE GOT TALENT VIA FACEBOOK.
THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A SAFE, FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT ALL LA VERNE COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] I LOST YOU.. J.R.? [INAUDIBLE] OF THE CALIFORNIA FUND [INAUDIBLE].
YES? YOU BROKE UP A LITTLE BIT THERE.
YOU LOST A GOOD PORTION OF IT.
OK. BACK TO YOUR LAST PARAGRAPH.
I'LL START BACK WITH THE CLASS STILL EAGER TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS COMPLETE THE COURSE HAS COME UP WITH A NEW PROGRAM.
THIS YEAR, THEY WILL BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW, LA VERNE'S GOT TALENT, VIA FACEBOOK. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A SAFE, FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOME.
THEY HELPED INCREASE THE COMPLIANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S STAY AT HOME ORDER BY OFFERING A FUN DIVERSION.
THE INTRODUCTORY FLYER, SUBSEQUENT SUBMISSIONS AND CONTEST WINNERS ARE TO BE POSTED ON THE SHOP LA VERNE FACEBOOK PAGE.
THE INTENTION IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND TRAFFIC FOR THE SHOP LA VERNE PAGE IN TURN, INCREASING AWARENESS AND TRAFFIC FOR THE BUSINESSES PROMOTED ON THAT PAGE.
WE ANTICIPATE MANY BENEFITS STEMMING FROM THE VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OUR TALENTED COMMUNITY.
PRIZES DONATED TO LOCAL BUSINESSES WILL BE AWARDED TO FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PLACE WINNERS. WE HOPE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL USE THEIR FACEBOOK PAGES TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION. IS THERE A DATE? THERE WAS NOT A DATE PROVIDED OF WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE LIVE.
OK. THANK YOU. OK, WE'RE GOING TO--NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, J.R.? BOB, NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO. SO WE SHOULD MOVE TO CONSENT CALENDAR.
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO BE REMOVED? YES. BUT BEFORE YOU DO, YES, I'M SORRY.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT? I WOULD LIKE TO JUST KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE COVID RELATED EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
BUT BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, I ALSO WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS A SPECIAL MEETING YOU HAD LAST THURSDAY WHERE I MISSTATED SOMETHING.
AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT CAME IN FROM ZACH GIBSON.
I, IN GETTING THE EMAIL WHEN I DID, I READ IT AND I MISREAD THAT IT WENT TO A DIFFERENT EMAIL THAN IT OTHERWISE HAD.
SO I SAID THAT IT DIDN'T GO TO THE CORRECT EMAIL, WHICH WAS THE CITYCLERK@CITYOFLAVERNE .ORG.
SO I WANTED TO AT LEAST CLEAR THAT UP THAT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
ALSO, IF I MAY, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT MR. GIBSON BROUGHT UP HAD TO DO WITH INFORMATION OR STAFF PERSONS NOT BEING LISTED ON RESOLUTIONS AS FAR AS [INAUDIBLE] AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT PARTICULAR MEETING WAS NOT A
[00:05:03]
CITY RELATED ACTIVITY.WE WERE JUST SIMPLY THE FORUM FOR THAT MEETING.
THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THAT QUESTION ALSO CAME UP RELATIVE TO CITY DOCUMENTS THIS PAST WEEKEND. AND I WANTED TO ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT THE PACKETS THAT DO GET PUT OUT THERE, WE DO PUT OUT JUST THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE SHORTENED VERSION.
BUT THEN WE ALSO PUT OUT THE FULL PACKET, WHICH BEYOND THE AGENDA HAS ALL THE BACKUP, WHICH THEN SHOWS THE STAFF PERSON WHO IS ADVANCING THIS REPORT OR RESPONSIBLE FOR WRITING THE REPORT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE READER AND THE COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND WHO'S MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS UP FROM THE LAST MEETING. AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR MISSTATING THE EMAIL THAT IT CAME INTO.
WITH THAT, I WILL JUST MOVE INTO KIND OF WHERE WE HAVE BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS RELATIVE TO COVID AND ON SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF STAFF, MY MANAGEMENT TEAM, EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
FIRST, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE RESIDENTS PATIENCE AND SUPPORT OVER THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF.
I AM PLEASED TO SAY WE CONTINUE TO SHOW A GREAT--DISPLAY A GREAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE COUNTY ORDERS, WHICH I KNOW IS REALLY INCONVENIENT, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT AS A COMMUNITY. IN FACT, I BELIEVE IT'S A LARGE PART WHY OUR CURRENT CASES, CONFIRMED CASES SITS AT 16 AND IT HAS FOR A WHILE AND I WILL SAY WITHIN THE AREA CITIES, WE ARE THE LOWEST. SO WE'RE TO BE COMMENDED FOR OUR EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD.
AND WHILE WE ARE CLOSE TO SOME RELIEF, WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE.
I KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAD SOME PRESS RELEASE TODAY WHERE HE SHARED MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AS CLOSE TO THE END OF THE WEEK.
AND I EXPECT THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE OUTLINING SOME GUIDELINES AS THEY BEGIN TO LOOSEN THE 'SAFER AT HOME'.
ONCE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, AND SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE TARGETS ARE, WE WILL CONVEY THAT AS WELL AS HOW WE HELPED TO ACHIEVE IT WITH OUR BUSINESSES AS WELL AS WITHIN OUR OWN OPERATIONS THEMSELVES.
SO WE'LL KEEP THE COMMUNITY UPDATED ON THAT.
WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN RAMPING UP OUR STAFFING LEVELS AT CITY ART AND CITY HALL.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT ABOUT A MONTH AGO I TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING TO REALLY MINIMIZE FOR THE SAKE OF TRYING TO ELIMINATE THE EXPOSURE.
BUT WE STILL WERE OPERATING ON A VERY SKELETON CREW.
WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF WRAPPING THAT BACK UP.
CITY ART HAS ALREADY BEGUN THAT OPERATION ON A SELECTED BASIS.
IT IS STILL MODIFIED AND WILL LIKELY BE THAT WAY TO SOME EXTENT BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF MAY. OUR HOPE IS TO REOPEN CITY HALL IN SOME FORM COME JUNE 1ST TO ALLOW PUBLIC BACK INTO THE BUILDING. STAFF IS LOOKING AT THEIR PROTOCOLS FOR PARKS AND OTHER FACILITIES AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO SHIFT TO THE NEW NORMAL, IF YOU WILL, WHILE STILL ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ENJOY THOSE FACILITIES WHILE MINIMIZING THE CHANCES FOR EXPOSURE.
SO THERE WILL BE CHANGES THAT YOU WILL SEE AS WE START TO MOVE OUT OF THESE ORDERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT EXPECT ANY RECREATION OR SUMMER EVENTS TO OCCUR UNTIL THE LATTER PART OF THE SUMMER.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE REPORT AND WORD WE'RE GETTING FROM THE COUNTY ON WHEN THEY CAN HONESTLY EXPECT THAT WE CAN EVEN START TO SEE SOME TYPE OF GATHERING'S OCCUR.
IT'S JUST NOT REALISTIC THAT IN JULY, JUNE, JULY, IN HOPES AUGUST WOULD BE THE SOONEST.
THAT KIND OF DOVETAILS INTO THE UNFORTUNATE DECISION THAT THE FRIENDS OF THE 4TH COMMITTEE MADE LAST WEEK, THAT I SHARED WITH COUNCIL, THAT THEY MADE THE HARD DECISION AND CHOICE TO CANCEL THIS YEAR'S FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND ALL THE ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES AROUND IT. I KNOW THEY ARE WORKING ON SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT THEY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT WAY TO CELEBRATE OUR NATION'S BIRTHDAY IN THAT REGARD.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME IDEAS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO SHARE THOSE LATER, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. IT JUST WILL BE LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS MOMENT.
EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THIS YEAR THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO.
SO, AGAIN, LOOKING FOR THE COMMUNITY'S PATIENTS AND UNDERSTANDING.
I WANT TO COMMEND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS FOR THEIR CONTINUED EFFORTS DURING THIS EXTENDED, HEIGHTENED STATE OF RESPONSE.
WHILE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID EXTENDED QUARANTINE MANDATES, AND A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO BECAUSE OF FOLLOWING THE SAFETY PRACTICES AND PROTOCOLS THAT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR BOTH OPERATIONS.
AND WHILE WE HAD EXPOSURES, THEY WENT INTO THE APPROPRIATE SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID HAVING TO TAKE A LARGE PORTION OF OUR TEAMS OUT OF SERVICE.
THAT IS WONDERFUL. ALSO, I WANT TO SPREAD COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHAMBER, AND PARTICULARLY LEAH, BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO KEEP COMMUNICATION WITH THE BUSINESSES AND START TO SHARE IDEAS AS WE START TO LOOK AT RECOVERY.
AND SO THE CHAMBER IS NOT JUST LOOKING AT THEIR MEMBERS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
SO THEY'RE STEPPING BEYOND WHAT THEIR SCOPE IS NORMALLY TO TRY AND IMPROVE OUR LOCAL
[00:10:02]
[INAUDIBLE]. THE CITY'S EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON REOPENING.THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ON YOUR AGENDA ABOUT THAT TONIGHT, THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF OUR...OPENING THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY SAFELY AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE COUNTY'S HEALTH ORDER. WE WILL ALSO LOOK TO DEVELOP METHODS WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE OF ASSISTANCE IN THAT RECOVERY AS IT RELATES TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND NOT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR BUSINESSES, BUT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL.
SO WE WILL ENDEAVOR TO MAKE THAT OUR FOCUS AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT SHIFT FROM THE PANDEMIC. I WILL STOP AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MAY HAVE OR WE'LL MOVE ON IN THE AGENDA. ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBERS? I THINK WE'RE [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU, MR. RUSSI, APPRECIATE THAT. WE HAVE A LET'S MOVE TO CONSENT CALENDAR.
[5. CONSENT CALENDAR]
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUTSIDE RESIDENTS? LIVE EMAIL, NOTHING? NO LIVE EMAIL. WE'RE GOOD.DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL REGARDING THE CONSENT CALENDAR? THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT CONSENT CALENDAR.
'WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR: AYE.
MOTION CARRIES. WE MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARING.
[2020-21 Paramedic Service Fee - The City's voter approved Paramedic Service Fee requires an annual hearing in order to consider a rate change. The monthly fee is subject to an annual adjustment for a rate change based on the Consumer Price Index.]
CORRECT. MR. RUSSI? YES. TWENTY TWENTY ONE DASH, TWENTY ONE PARAMEDIC SERVICE FEE.WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT? I WILL DO THAT.
THANK YOU. THIS IS YOUR ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING AS IT RELATES TO YOUR PARAMEDIC SERVICE FEE, OFTEN KNOWN AS MEASURE GG, BACK WHEN IT WAS ADOPTED BY THE VOTERS.
AND AT THAT TIME, WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE COULD BE A CONSIDERATION FOR AN INCREASE BASED ON CPI AS NEEDED.
AND CERTAINLY THIS DISCHARGE, WHILE IT'S ALWAYS GONE UP BY CPI, IT'S ALWAYS NEEDED TO HELP COVER OR DEFRAY THE COST OF THE PARAMEDIC SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED.
AND SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE INCREASES CPI THAT'S ALLOWED IS THREE POINT TWO PERCENT.
AND WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT YOU APPROVE THAT INCREASE [INAUDIBLE] OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVE THAT INCREASE FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL FOR STAFF? QUESTION. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS FROM OUTSIDE RESIDENTS? I DON'T KNOW. LET ME CHEC JUST TO BE SAFE SINCE IS THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I JUST WANT TO ONE QUESTION I'M SORRY.
THOUGH, WITH THIS OUR NEW MODEL OF SERVICE THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
IT DOES NOT CHANGE BASED ON ANY OF THIS VOTE.
OUR CITIZENS ARE STILL RECEIVING THE PARAMEDIC SERVICE BECAUSE OF OUR SERVICE MODEL THAT WE'RE UNDER RIGHT NOW? THAT'S CORRECT. AND THERE IS NO CHARGE.
SO I KNOW THIS QUESTION HAS COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE WE'VE SHIFTED TO USING CARE PRIVATE AMBULANCE. BUT THERE IS STILL NO CHARGE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
ANY BILL THAT THEY MIGHT GET FROM CARE, THEY SHOULDN'T BE BECAUSE WE'VE ASKED THEM TO FORWARD THEM DIRECTLY TO US.
SO THEY SHOULD NOT EVEN SEE A BILL FROM CARE, BUT THEY HAVE NO FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS IT RELATES TO THIS.
MR. RUSSI? YES? WE DID HAVE, I THINK, ONE OR TWO RESIDENTS THAT DID GET A BILL.
BUT YOU WERE WORKING WITH, I THINK IT WAS CHIEF LEONARD THAT WAS WORKING WITH CARE AMBULANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
IS THAT CORRECT OR INCORRECT? YEAH, WE WENT A STEP FURTHER.
WE MADE SURE WE TALKED WITH THEIR UPPER MANAGEMENT AND THEY SHIFTED.
THEY WERE TYPICALLY SENDING A BILL AND THEN LEAVING IT TO THE RESIDENT TO KNOW TO SEND IT TO US. WE SAID, NO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND IF YOU HAVE A BILL FOR LA VERNE AND IT'S IN THE LA VERNE SERVICE, JUST SEND IT DIRECTLY TO US.
YOU'RE CUTTING IT. THERE'S NO REASON TO EVEN SEND IT TO THEM.
SO WE HAVE THEY HAVE SHIFTED THAT AND ADDRESSED IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT BECAME WORTHY. SO WE'RE GONNA MONITOR THAT CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE? IF WE HEAR OF IT OR IF ANYBODY IS GETTING A BILL THAT [INAUDIBLE] PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.
THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, I NEGLECTED TO POINT OUT THE AMOUNT OF THE INCREASE IS GOING FROM FIVE THIRTY SEVEN A MONTH TO FIVE FORTY FIVE, FIVE DOLLARS AND FIFTY FOUR CENTS. THAT IS THE CHANGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, COUNCIL?
[00:15:02]
THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.I'LL MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION TWENTY THIRTY THREE TO INCREASE THE PARAMEDIC FEE FROM FIVE TO THIRTY SEVEN TO FIVE FIFTY FOUR. SECOND.
MR. CROSBY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR: AYE.
[a. Mayor Hepburn asked for consideration in establishing a La Verne Re-open Mayoral Task Force for assisting businesses in their recovery process after the COVID - 19 crises.]
GUESS, I'M UP. I DID BRING THIS TO A CONSIDERATION OF COUNCIL BECAUSE BEING A BUSINESS OWNER AND BEING SHUT DOWN ON SOME OF THE INDUSTRY, LIKE MANY OF US HAVE BEEN, I WAS VERY CONCERNED ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT COMES TIME TO START BACK UP AGAIN.IN COMBINATION WITH THE CHAMBER, ALSO WITH THE DOWNTOWN [INAUDIBLE] WITH CRAIG WALTERS, WE HAD CONVERSATION, BUT IT REALLY SPURRED FROM A CONVERSATION WITH MATT LYONS.
I WAS KIND OF GIVING MY FRUSTRATION.
IT WAS JUST RIGHT AFTER THE GOVERNOR HAD PUT HIS TASK COMMISSION TOGETHER.
AND THEN JUST A NUMBER OF DAYS AGO, BARGER HAS PUT A TASK TOGETHER, A TASK COMMISSION TOGETHER, SIMILAR TO REOPEN.
AND MY BIG CONCERN WAS, AS I WAS STATING TO MATT LYONS, JUST THE FRUSTRATION OF WHEN DO WE START SAFELY? HOW DO WE START? BECAUSE EVERY DAY WE STOP OUR BUSINESSES FROM FUNCTIONING, THEY MAY NOT REOPEN AGAIN. AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER KNOWS, BUSINESS IS TOUGH ENOUGH.
BUT WHEN YOU SHUT HIM DOWN, IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE PAYROLL AND YOUR LEASE AND YOUR BUILDING AND WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND TRUCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR ME.
BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE, YOU HAVE JUST A LOT OF STILL BILLS COME IN.
AND THAT WAS MY BIG CONCERN. HOW, WHEN AND WHY AND WHERE CAN WE START THIS BEING SAFE? CDC GUIDELINES. L.A.
AND BEING SAFE, CONSIDERING WE ONLY HAVE SIXTEEN CASES RIGHT NOW AND THE CURVE IS HOPEFULLY FLATTENING A BIT, IS TO, HOW DO WE PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF PEOPLE TO WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE'RE ALREADY PREPARED TO OPEN? NOW, I WAS TOLD BY I TALKED TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER HOLDEN AND THEY WERE BASICALLY SENDING ALL THE INFORMATION UP THE LADDER TO THE GOVERNOR.
AND AS YOU'VE ALL SEEN ON THE NEWS LATELY, IT'S BEEN PRETTY, I SHOULD SAY, HOSTILE.
AND SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE VERY UNHAPPY, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE CLOSING THE BEACHES, THERE'S SOME PLACES WHERE THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
WE WANT TO BE SAFE. WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF CDC GUIDELINES.
BUT I FIGURE THAT A TASK FORCE WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO PUT TOGETHER.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE DOWNTOWN [INAUDIBLE] WITH CRAIG WALTERS, LEAH SKINNER WITH THE CHAMBER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, ERIC SCHERER, ALONG WITH BOB RUSSI.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KIND OF LOOK AHEAD TO SEE WHAT ARE WE GOING TO FOLLOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY DOING IT RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES ARE ALREADY DECIDING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT. BUT IT'S CHANGING EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, MASKING UP, RESTAURANT CAPACITY 50 PERCENT, DRESS SHOPS, YOU KNOW, JEWELRY SHOPS.
HOW DO WE DO THIS AND BE PREPARED WHEN IT DOES HIT? AND AS SANDRA MARBELLA WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER BARGER SAID THAT CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC, THE 15TH OF APRIL IS LOOKING GOOD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T COUNT ON THAT, BUT WE SHOULD BE READY FOR IT.
SO I WANTED TO THROW IT OUT TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE THESE ARE BEING FORMED.
AND I THINK IF WE UTILIZE THOSE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND ALSO POSSIBLY OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, SOME OF OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, SOMEONE IN THERE TO HELP US WITH THE GUIDELINES, PLUS AN ATTORNEY INVOLVED THAT SPECIALIZES OR HAS THIS TYPE OF BACKGROUND BEING HEALTH, SAFETY, THINGS LIKE THAT WITHIN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESSES AND ALSO THE SHOP. SO I WANT TO THROW IT OUT TO YOU GUYS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT BEARS MERIT BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND I STEPPED IN ON THE [INAUDIBLE] MEETING AND THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE SCARED BECAUSE OF THE FACT AND NOT ONLY THAT.
WITH THE SBA LOANS THERE, THERE'S A FEW THAT HAVE COME THROUGH, I HEARD FROM LEAH, BUT NOT A LOT. IT'S REALLY HURTING.
AND EVERY DAY THAT YOU CONTINUE THIS, THAT THESE BUSINESSES WILL CLOSE.
NOW, A LOT OF THEM HAVE BECOME VERY CREATIVE AS FAR AS RESTAURANTS AND OPENING AND TAKE OUT EXTREMELY CREATIVE.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR GUYS' THOUGHTS? I JUST WANT TO THROW IT OUT THERE. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT BEARS MERIT.
I THINK THAT WE VALUE OUR BUSINESSES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WE JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM NOT REOPEN. AND WHEN THEY'RE READY TO REOPEN, WE'RE READY TO GO FULL GUNS BLARING.
YES, OK. I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS AND WHAT WE COULD DO.
NOW, WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LIAISON COMMITTEE.
[00:20:04]
TODAY, LEAH SKINNER FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.WE WERE TALKING. AND I THINK IF WE CAN WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE AT THE CITY, WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE AND FIND OUT WHAT MORE WE COULD DO.
AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TO ADD TO IT.
ERIC AND BOB ALREADY WORK WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE CHAMBER AND WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] AND WITH THE LIAISON, WE MEET AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CHAMBER AND THE BUSINESSES TO SELL.
IF WE WANT TO WORK OFF THAT AND YOU KNOW, MAKE IT WORKING OFF THE PLATFORM OF THOSE TWO COMMITTEES ALREADY IN PLACE, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
THAT WAS A CONVERSATION THAT MR. RUSSI AND I HAD TODAY, WAS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE THINGS IN PLACE OVER HERE.
YOU'RE CORRECT. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, YOU'RE CORRECT.
IT'S JUST THAT MAYBE TO ADD TO IT AND JUST HAVE SOME TEETH IN IT TO WHERE WHEN IT COMES TIME WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE STRAGGLING BEHIND.
I LIKE TO SAY I THINK MOST THE BUSINESSES ALREADY, THE ONES THAT ARE FUNCTIONING ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR BUSINESSES AS WELL.
AND MAKING SURE TRYING TO GET THEM AS SAFELY OPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I KNOW SPEAKING WITH MR. RUSSI, TOO, YOU HAD SOME PLANS IN PUTTING FORTH SOME PLANS AS WELL.
CAN YOU SHARE ANY OF THOSE PLANS THAT YOU HAD, MR. RUSSI, AS WELL? YEAH, I CAN [INAUDIBLE] JUST SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS OF WITH THE CHAMBER AS FAR AS HOW DO WE START TO MOVE ON AND BE OF ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE COMMITTEE OR JUST WORKING WITH BUSINESSES DIRECTLY.
AND I'VE SIMPLY DESCRIBED IT IN KIND OF THREE TIERS, I'LL CALL IT, PILLARS.
ONE IS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO HELP THESE BUSINESSES OPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE? THERE ARE THREE THINGS WE CAN DO OFF TOP MY HEAD, AND THERE COULD BE MORE AREAS.
BUT HOW DO WE HELP THEM OPEN QUICKLY? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DO INSPECTIONS? ARE WE GOING TO BE EXPECTED BY THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY'VE SATISFIED THOSE REQUIREMENTS? AND IF NOT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM ADVANCE WHATEVER THOSE MEASUREMENTS OR TARGETS ARE GOING TO BE? SO THAT SHOULD BE OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW, IF IT'S INSPECTIONS, WE'RE GOING TO RAMP UP STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND USE STAFF FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE THAT. THE SECOND IS, HOW CAN WE HELP THEM IN THESE EARLY STAGES OF RESTARTING? AND ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS KIND OF THE CDGB ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST STEP IN THAT.
AND HOW DO WE PUT THAT MONEY TO USE FOR THE BENEFIT OF BUSINESSES? AND THAT'LL BE...
CERTAINLY I DON'T HAVE THE FRAMEWORK FOR IT, BUT IT'S JUST GET CONFIRMED HOPEFULLY GET CONFIRMED FROM COUNCIL TONIGHT AND COME BACK WITH THAT FRAMEWORK SO WE CAN GIVE SOME TYPE OF MICRO GRANTS TO BUSINESSES TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS, HOW DO WE HELP DRIVE TRAFFIC BACK TO THESE BUSINESSES? WHAT WAYS CAN WE BE OF ASSISTANCE IN FACILITATING THAT? YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PRIME THE PUMP, AS YOU WILL, ON RESTARTING OUR ECONOMY LOCALLY. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE WORKING AT.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING JUST IN BROAD TERMS, NOT IN SPECIFICS AT THIS POINT.
BUT THOSE ARE GENERALLY THE THREE AREAS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING OUR ATTENTION. THERE COULD BE MORE.
BUT THOSE ARE CERTAINLY WHERE I THINK THE PRIORITIES LIE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, YOU HAD A QUESTION? YEAH, SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION.
I WAS INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW YOU WERE GONNA FORM THIS AND YOU'D MENTIONED HAVE SOME TEETH IN IT. I GUESS I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, ARE YOU TRYING TO FORM A NEW COMMITTEE? AND WHAT WITH WHAT AUTHORITY? IS IT THE AUTHORITY OF THE COUNCIL THEN THAT WOULD BE ON THIS TASK FORCE? AND WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO? AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW UPS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT MORE MEAT INTO THIS IDEA, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF THIS CAN JUST BE DONE, AS YOU WERE SAYING, WITH CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING HAD BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE MAYOR, THE CITY CHAMBER, AS WELL AS THE [INAUDIBLE] AND STAFF.
SO GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE INTO THIS TEETH THING.
WELL, I THINK THE WHOLE IDEA WAS BASED ON JUST THE FACT THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL'S INTERESTED IN THIS, THAT WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR BUSINESSES AND HAVING STAFF, I...
[00:25:46]
AND THAT'S WHY [LAUGHTER].YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO CUT IT SHORT.
YOU KNOW, MR. DAVIS, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING WAS TEETH IN IT BEING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE COUNCIL SUPPORT, WHICH WE ALWAYS DO WITH OUR BUSINESS, BUT ALSO WITH THE CDC, WITH SOME SOME WITH OUR CHAMBER AND OUR [INAUDIBLE].
AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER SAID, IT IS IN PLACE.
BUT I THINK REALLY WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON IT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US, OBVIOUSLY, SAFETY, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN, HOW.
BUT IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE TRY TO PROTECT OUR BUSINESSES.
I KNOW MR. ROSSI'S, WORKING ON SOME STUFF.
WHERE'D HE GO? I'M ON HERE. DID YOU ALL READ THE LETTER THAT CRAIG WALTERS SENT TO US? YES. IS THAT SOMETHING MAYBE I SHOULD READ RIGHT NOW OR BOB, SHOULD WE READ CRAIG WALTER'S LETTER OR YEAH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WILL BRING BACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT IN CONSIDERATION OF THE [INAUDIBLE].
SHALL I READ IT OUT FOR THE AUDIENCE? WELL, IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO COME BACK ANYWAY.
CRAIG WALTERS, BASICALLY THE DOWNTOWN [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO PUT UP AND ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY, BUT PUT UP LIKE TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO ASSIST THEIR BUSINESSES TO START UP AGAIN.
AND AS MR. RUSSI SAID, I THINK THIS IS...IN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION HERE.
I THINK WE'RE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING SOME THINGS IN PLACE.
WE'RE KIND OF MAYBE AHEAD OF THE HORSE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT CDGB MONEY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ONCE WE PUT THAT IN PLACE, MAYBE COME BACK.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE TO LET THE BUSINESS KNOW WE'RE HERE.
WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH OUR [INAUDIBLE], WHICH WORKS WELL, THE CHAMBER WORKS WELL AND HAVE OUR BUSINESSES WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER TO RESTART.
SO WE CAN, AS SOON AS WE'RE READY.
YEAH, AND I CONCUR WITH THE ENTHUSIASM AND INTEREST BECAUSE I THINK YOU WOULDN'T FIND ANY COUNCIL MEMBER THAT ISN'T INTERESTED IN THE HEALTH OF OUR CITY AND THE HEALTH OF OUR BUSINESSES. I GUESS I JUST AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDING SOME INFORMATION, AND NOW WE HAVE THE COUNTY ALSO WEIGHING IN.
I THINK IF WE TRIED TO ADD A FORMAL STRUCTURE, THAT WOULD SIMPLY CREATE MORE CONFUSION TO THE MIX. BUT I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF JUMPING IN.
AND IN SOME SENSE, I THINK THAT IF YOU WANTED TO BE ACTIVE AND PICK ANOTHER EITHER EXISTING COMMITTEE TO JOIN, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE ON BOTH THE DEVELOPMENT AND OR THE LIAISON COMMITTEE.
BUT I THINK THE CONCERN WOULD BE THAT WE'D NEED TO LIMIT IT TO TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE WE AGREE. THEN WE START TO PREVENT THEM FROM MOVING FAST.
SO I AGREE. I'M INTERESTED IN THIS BEING, LIKE YOU SAY, A TASK FORCE EFFORT, BUT WITHOUT THE FORMAL STRUCTURE.
SO IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DOING IT AND SOMEBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED, I'LL MAKE SURE I STAY OUT. SO I DON'T CONFUSE THINGS.
BUT I'D RATHER HAVE LESS CONFUSION WITH THE STRUCTURES AND MOVE QUICKLY THAN HAVING MORE STRUCTURES WHICH COULD JUST POTENTIALLY CONFUSE EVERYBODY.
I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT. I DO WANT TO MAKE ANY MORE TAX ON OUR STAFF FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT EVERY DAY IT CHANGES, AS MR. RUSSI HAS STATED, WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT THE NEWS REPORT AND GOING, OK, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BUT IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
WHAT I'M ALSO TRYING TO HEAD OFF IS THIS.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF CITIES THAT STARTED TO BUCK THIS.
I DON'T WANT TO BE A CITY THAT'S BUCKING.
I WANT TO BE A CITY THAT'S AHEAD OF THE CURVE WHERE OUR NUMBERS ARE LOW.
WE'VE GOT APPROVAL FROM THE COUNTY AND THE STATE.
I THINK THE STATE IS NOT GONNA BE AN ISSUE.
IT'S MORE THE COUNTY THAT'S GONNA BE AN ISSUE AT THIS POINT WITH THEIR HEALTH PERSON.
WHEN SHE'S STAYING. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE THING WE WANT TO JUST.
AND I AGREE. TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS IS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT TO PUSH IT FORWARD.
JUST A TASK FORCE, NOT A COMMISSION, BECAUSE IT GETS REALLY DICEY.
BUT, YOU KNOW IF WE DO MAKE A MOVE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE LEGAL COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
IF THE BUSINESSES WANT TO OPEN AND IT'S CLEAR, MAKE SURE THEY'VE GOT THE PROPER METHOD PUT IN AS FAR AS THEIR DISTANCING ALONG WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SCHERER TO MAKE SURE THAT'S DONE SO THAT THEY CAN POLICE IT.
WELL, AND I'M THINKING ALL THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE UNDER.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS AN ATTORNEY AND WHAT SCHERER IS GOING TO BE LOOKING TO HIS COUNTY
[00:30:03]
GUIDELINES. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE PASSED ANYTHING FOR IT.YEAH, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S CALLED A TASK FORCE NECESSARILY, BUT MORE LIKE YOU ARE THERE REPRESENTING COUNSEL'S DESIRE TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES BY BEING THAT CONDUIT.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE CHAMBER OR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE AS YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR ENDEAVORS TO REOPEN AND SORT OF THAT OPEN COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ADHERING TO THE HEALTH GUIDELINES, THAT WE'RE NOT RUNNING AFOUL OF ANYTHING, THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY PROTECTING OUR BUSINESSES, BUT PROTECTING OUR CITIZENS FROM, YOU KNOW, ANY SPREAD, BECAUSE WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT WE ONLY HAD 16 CONFIRMED CASES.
SO I GUESS MY I DON'T WANT TO SAY CONFUSION, BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT AN ENTIRE OTHER GROUP THAT'S SORT OF DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
BUT MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING THIS UP AND YOU'RE THE MAYOR BEING THAT CONNECTION POINT, I GUESS, IS MORE MY THOUGHT.
NO, MR. CROSBY. WHEN DOES THE NEXT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE MEET? WE DO NOT HAVE A SCHEDULED MEETING, IT'S ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, SO WE CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER IN A COUPLE DAYS, TWO WEEKS TIME, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S ONE POINT THAT MAYOR HEPBURN IS SAYING, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY 15TH DATE IS GOING TO COME UP REAL QUICK.
IT'S ONLY 11 DAYS FROM NOW WHERE HOPEFULLY THE COUNTY WILL GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE OF SOME LOOSENING OF THE RESTRICTIONS.
IF WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT IS SET UP LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER WAS STATING THAT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THIS THERE.
AND IT'S FLEXIBLE OF MEETING WHEN WE DESIRE WHERE WE CAN GET THIS UP AND RUNNING FAST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COMPILE THE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE BEST AVENUES TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND ALSO NOT TO VIOLATE BROWN ACT IS IF WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, TWO MEMBERS ON THE CHAMBER LIAISON COMMITTEE, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT ONE FEELS THEY DON'T OVERLAP, THAT WE HAVE ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THREE PEOPLE ON ONE COMMITTEE OR TALKING WITH THE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE WATCH FOR THAT.
BUT SOMETHING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT IF ANYONE HEARD THE GOVERNOR'S REPORT TODAY.
HE TALKED ABOUT THIS FRIDAY, STARTING TO LOOSEN UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO, BOB, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HAVE SCHEDULED A MEETING SOON HERE. AND SO WE'RE A STEP AHEAD AND GET MOVING ON SOME OF THE ISSUES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THEN WE CAN SHARE IT WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT I JUST AM AFRAID THAT, I LIKE, I THINK WENDY SAID IS THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR TWO COMMITTEE, AND TIM, YOU OVERSEE THAT, YOU KNOW, OK.
THESE ARE HAPPENING NOT SO MUCH FORM ANOTHER WHOLE COMMITTEE OF A TASK FORCE OVERSEEING ALL THESE COMMITTEES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN I THINK IT BECOMES A BROWN ACT VIOLATION.
IS NOW THE MAYOR'S INVOLVED IN THESE TWO COMMITTEES UNLESS YOU'RE ON ONE OF THE COMMITTEES. AND SO WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT.
AND BOB, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO LOOK TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T OVERLAP EACH OTHER.
AND I'M HAPPY TO GET SOMETHING SET UP EITHER WAY, WHETHER WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
ONLY ONE THING I WOULD SAY IN THAT AND I REFERENCED IT IN MY COMMENTS, THE STATES, NO MATTER WHAT THE STATE DOES, AND I CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT THEY'LL HAVE SOME PARAMETERS AT THE END OF THIS WEEK. THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE COUNTY SAYS THIS IS WHAT THAT'S GOING TO RESULT INTO L.A.
COUNTY. REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY SAY AT THE STATE LEVEL, IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL MOVE THAT QUICKLY.
WE CERTAINLY CAN BE IN A POSITION TO BE READY TO RUN RATHER THAN CRAWL INTO A SLOW WALK.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
CAN, I JUST SAY ONE MORE THING REAL QUICK, TIM, THEN YOU COULD--SURE.
MY CONCERN IS TRULY THE VERY, VERY SMALL BUSINESSES, SUCH AS THE NAIL SALONS, THE HAIR SALONS. I JUST KEEP HEARING FROM THEM HOW DESPERATE IT'S BECOMING FOR THEM.
I WOULD WANT US TO REALLY LOOK AT ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE WE CAN GIVE, EVEN THESE VERY SMALL BUSINESSES, BECAUSE IF YOU DRIVE EVEN DOWNTOWN, ALL THE RESTAURANTS CAN BE OPEN, THE DONUT SHOPS OPEN, AND THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, THE SMOKE SHOP IS EVEN OPEN.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE ROOTS THAT CAN'T BE OPENED RIGHT NOW.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SMALL, SMALL BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY REMEMBER THOSE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP ALL OF THEM.
[00:35:05]
COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYTHING MORE.
I WANT TO UTILIZE WHAT WE HAVE, AS COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER SAID, AND MR. CROSBY AND MR. DAVIS.
THIS IS ADDING TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY.
NOTHING NEW, BUT REALLY FOCUS ON IT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, THAT WAS ONE WHEN SANDRA MARBELLA, I WAS TALKING TO HER, I SAID SANDRA NAILS AND HAIR.
OPEN THOSE PUPPIES UP AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
I'M JUST BECAUSE THE FACT IS THOSE ARE THE NUTS AND BOLTS.
LIKE YOU SAY, THOUGH, THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT DON'T YOU KNOW, THAT'S CASH BUSINESS AND TIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT THEY CAN PRACTICE SAFE DISTANCING; I KNOW THEY CAN.
AND THEY'RE ONE OF THE CLEANER PLACES, SAME AS THE HAIR SALON.
I MEAN, I THINK TO THAT POINT AND TO WHAT, MR. RUSSI, WAS SAYING EARLIER ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THESE THREE PRONGED APPROACH OF HOW TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO SIT ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OR WORK WITH THE CHAMBER, HOWEVER THAT'S GOING TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN FORMING A WHOLE NEW TASK FORCE.
I THINK THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT COULD BE BRAINSTORMED WITH THE BUSINESSES TO SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU ENVISION OPENING SAFELY? YOU KNOW, WHAT ASSISTANCE WOULD YOU NEED FROM THE CITY AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT FROM THERE HOW TO HOW TO MOVE US FORWARD? BECAUSE I WOULD WANT THEIR INPUT, OBVIOUSLY, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE, BECAUSE I YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER RUN A HAIR SALON.
RIGHT. SO I MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT'S A FEASIBLE WAY OF KEEPING EVERYTHING SAFE AND EVERYBODY SAFE IN THIS PANDEMIC TIME.
SO I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE PRELIMINARILY SO THAT WHEN WE ARE ALLOWED TO REOPEN.
LIKE YOU SAID, WE'RE READY TO GO BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY THOUGHT IT THROUGH ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND HOW STAFF CAN, YOU KNOW, QUICKLY HELP WITH ANY SORT OF INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTANCING RULES ARE BEING FOLLOWED, ETC., WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. YEAH, BECAUSE CRAIG WOLTERS WAS VERY MUCH READY TO GO, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
BUT LEAH SKINNER HAS BEEN RESEARCHING EVERYDAY METHODS.
THAT'S KIND OF CHANGING. BUT METHODS OF CLEANLINESS AND AND THE LAW AND THIS AND THAT.
SO TO BE PREPARED, JUST LIKE YOU SAY, TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY SO.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR DAVIS. YEAH.
SO I WAS JUST LOOKING UP AT THE ASSIGNMENTS [INAUDIBLE] ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE IS HEPBURN AND LAU. SO I THINK WE JUST TAKE THIS EFFORT IN HAND, PUT IT INTO THAT SUBCOMMITTEE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
IF YOU NEED A SECOND FOR THAT, I'M LOOKING FOR A SECOND.
WELL, WHO IS THE LIAISON FOR THE CHAMBER.
WHO IS THAT WITH ME? IT IS LAU AND CARDER.
AND WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
OK. SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER MORE COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.
MR. RUSSI, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THERE ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
NO, I MEAN FOR YOU. FOR ME? NOT AT THIS MOMENT.
LET'S SHARE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MAYBE THERE'LL BE--LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE? OK. J.R.. WE CAN'T HEAR, OR IF YOU'RE SPEAKING.
I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR CALLER WAS ONLINE.
IT SHOULD BE MR. RICHARD [INAUDIBLE]. GO AHEAD, SIR.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
I WANTED TO SAY GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I WANT TO THANK TIM HEPBURN, MAYOR HEPBURN, FOR PUTTING US ON THE AGENDA.
I HOPE THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, CROSBY AND LAU, WILL BE MORE PROACTIVE IN THE FUTURE IN BRINGING IMPORTANT MATTERS LIKE THIS TO THE PUBLIC.
HOPEFULLY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE.
OBVIOUSLY, I WROTE THIS BEFORE TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION.
AS FAR AS THE SUBJECT OF RE-OPENING'S CONCERNED, THE RESTAURANTS IN THIS TOWN HAVE BEEN STATED AS ONE OF THE LARGEST TAX BASES THE CITY HAS.
OBVIOUSLY IT APPEARS THEY'VE BEEN DECIMATED BY THE COVID.
WE HAVE LOTS OF GREAT FACILITIES THAT COULD HELP SLOWLY REOPEN.
AND I BELIEVE COUNCILPERSON LAU JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT.
J.R? LOST YOU. THESE FACILITY SHOULD HAVE GREAT IDEAS AND FREE [INAUDIBLE] WAREHOUSE LORDSBURG, CAFE ALLEGRO, [INAUDIBLE] AND CHASES THAT ALL HAVE HUGE OUTDOOR SPACES OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. YOU'VE GOT JOEY'S, TASTE OF ASIA, [INAUDIBLE], CHILI'S, ETC.
THAT ALL HAVE BIG OPEN SPACES, A PARKING LOTS.
WHY NOT TALK ABOUT ALLOWING THEM TO OPEN SOME OF THOSE SPACES IN FRONT OF THEIR FACILITIES? WHY NOT CONSIDER ALLOWING THEM TO PUT TABLES OUTSIDE SERVING CUSTOMERS IN A REOPENING FORMAT?
[00:40:02]
HOW ABOUT THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF DOWNTOWN D STREET BETWEEN BONITA AND 3RD? WHY DON'T ALL THOSE BUSINESSES COME OUT IN THE STREET LIKE THE KIND OF LIKE THE MARKET USED TO DO THE OPEN MARKET.OTHER RETAILERS COULD THEN DO THE SAME THING.
BRING IT OUTSIDE AND THEN DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CITY, OR TOWN.
I'M SORRY, NOT THE CITY THE [INAUDIBLE] OR THE STATE SAYS YOU HAVE GREAT IDEAS FROM CURRENT PEOPLE. CURRENT OWNERS SHOULD KNOW HOW TO DO THIS BEST.
I THINK GETTING A TASK FORCE AND ALL THIS, GET 10 OF THE RESTAURANT OWNERS, GET 10 OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS TO GIVE US SOME IDEAS; IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT FORMAL.
SAFETY FIRST. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, MR. BOWEN. THANK YOU, SIR.
ALL RIGHT. I HAVE ONE E-MAILED COMMENT AS WELL.
THE CITY OF LA VERNE VITALLY NEED ABROAD A CONSISTENT SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE TO UPDATE INFORM BOTH CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES DAILY.
OUR CITY SOCIAL MEDIA ON ALL OUTLETS IS SEVERELY LACKING AND CURRENTLY UNABLE TO REACH AND ENGAGE WITH CITIZENS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND IN A FUNCTIONAL WAY THAT IS ABLE TO HELP AND INFORM REGULARLY AND PRODUCTIVELY.
THIS TRANSITION IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, AND CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ASSURE OR GUIDE US IS NOT ENOUGH.
THERE WERE NO OTHER COMMENTS RECEIVED ON THIS ITEM.
OK, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? I WOULD JUST ADD ON THE LAST COMMENT ABOUT CONVERSATION OR INPUT.
ONE THING THAT IS ALSO BEING UNDERTAKEN IS THE CHAMBER HAS INITIATED A SURVEY TO ALL BUSINESSES KIND OF ASKING THEM IN WHAT WAYS CAN THEY AND CITY DO THEY NEED, DO THE BUSINESSES NEED ASSISTANCE? START THAT CONVERSATION, IF YOU WILL, EITHER IN PREPARATION FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THEIR EFFORTS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT WHAT OTHER THINGS CAN THEY SHIFT OVER THIS NEXT YEAR IN THEIR OPERATIONS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED.
SO THAT INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE DIALOG BACK AND FORTH.
THEY'VE ALSO HAD THE MARKETPLACE.
THEY STARTED THE MARKETPLACE, WHICH HAS BEEN ONLINE, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL.
IT'S JUST MORE HIGHLIGHTING OUR CITY AND WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER AND EVEN THINGS, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE OPEN TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THESE ARE OPEN.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, SHOP, SHOP, DINE OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THE GROCERY STORE.
PROBABLY SOME OF THE BEST MEATS YOU'LL EVER HAVE IN TOWN.
I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU, IT'S AMAZING.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING A REAL GOOD JOB, ALTHOUGH I'M VEGETARIAN.
BUT STILL, MY KIDS LOVE A GOOD STEAK AND THEY'RE CHICKEN AND THEY'RE BACON AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, RED DEVIL AND YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE ALL DOING A GREAT JOB. CAFE WANG'S, I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL DOING A GREAT JOB AT THE MARKETPLACE HAS BEEN COMING UP. AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
AND EVERY IS DOING A GOOD JOB TO, YOU KNOW, TO PUSH THESE BUSINESSES.
SO. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? SHALL WE MOVE TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM?
[b. Community Development Block Grant Program – Business Assistance Program - The City Council recently approved the use of 2020-2021 Community Development Block Grant funds. The City Council also expressed interest for staff to explore ways to use CDBG funds to help businesses during the COVID-19 epidemic. Staff has been working closely with the Los Angeles County Development Authority to find a program that might work for La Verne.]
WE CAN.THANK YOU. AS I KIND OF MENTIONED IN MY COMMENTS AND AS PART OF THE PREVIOUS ITEM, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, I THINK YOU HAD ASKED GOING BACK TO WHEN WE HAD THE CDBG PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO WHEN WE WERE GOING TO KNOW WHAT WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS OR LATITUDE WAS GOING TO BE WITH THE ADDITIONAL POWERS.
WELL, WE GOT THAT ANSWER LAST WEEK AND ESSENTIALLY ALL OF OUR UN-ALLOCATED AND FRANKLY, EVEN IF WE WANTED TO ARE ALLOCATED ON CDBG DOLLARS, CAN BE PUT TOWARDS SOME TYPE OF COVID RELIEF. AND WHILE IT WILL, IT DOES HAVE TO MEET WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF WHAT CDBG PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR, WHICH HAS TO BE ON SECURING OF A MINIMUM WAGE EMPLOYEE. SO THERE WILL BE SOME PARAMETERS THAT WE NEED TO ESTABLISH.
WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS BETWEEN THE ADDED ALLOCATION PLUS WHAT IS THE UNUSED PORTION.
AND THEN I WOULD SUGGEST WE TALKED ABOUT THE HOUSING REHAB PROGRAM AND SEEDING THAT.
I WOULD SAY SHIFT THAT MONEY INTO THIS BECAUSE THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED RIGHT NOW TO PUT THIS TO WORK FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I'M LOOKING FOR YOUR CONCURRENCE TO GO BACK, WORK WITHIN THE RESTRICTIONS AND COME
[00:45:03]
BACK WITH SOME TYPE OF A PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE MINI GRANTS TO OUR BUSINESSES, WHETHER THOSE ARE USED SIMPLY TO HELP THEM RAMP UP FOR WHATEVER THE TARGETS ARE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO MEET TO SHIFT, TO BEING COVID COMPLIANT, OR THEY USE THEM JUST SIMPLY TO ASSIST WITH OPERATIONS FOR THE FIRST MONTH OR WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME.THE REALITY IS 250 OR 300 THOUSAND WON'T GO A LONG WAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME PARAMETERS TO GIVE BENEFIT TO THE MOST BUSINESSES WE CAN.
SO I HOPE TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THAT BACK.
I CAN WORK THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE, CERTAINLY, AND LET THEM BE THE SOUNDING BOARD, IF YOU WILL, FOR SOME IDEAS AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. FORTUNATELY, THE COUNTY AND THE FEDS HAVE LIMITED SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE USUALLY ASSOCIATED TO THESE DOLLARS SO WE CAN MOVE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THAN WE NORMALLY COULD.
SO I'M JUST LOOKING FOR YOUR CONCURRENCE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION AND GET SOMETHING BACK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? NO, I LIKE THAT IDEA.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CAN WORK WITH YOU THAT WAY.
YOU CAN GET THE MEETING STARTED.
AND THAT WOULD BE TIM AND WENDY, CORRECT? YES. YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, YOU HAD A QUESTION? JUST A COMMENT. SO I THINK IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM AND THE PARAMETERS, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A LIMITED SET OF FUNDS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE ANY DATA AVAILABLE FROM THE CHAMBER OR OTHER RESOURCES IDENTIFYING THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN HARDEST HIT. YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN HIT, BUT SOME BUSINESSES HAVE AT LEAST BEEN ABLE TO STAY OPEN TO SOME EXTENT AND GARNER SOME SORT OF INCOME.
SO I THINK TO ENSURE THAT THE GREATEST NUMBER OF OUR BUSINESSES CAN REMAIN AFTER THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC IS, YOU KNOW, HAS MADE ITS WAY THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HELP THOSE MOST IN NEED.
I WANT TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS AN URGENCY TO SOME OF THESE SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE LARGER ONES DO.
SO IF YOU COULD PULL THAT DATA OR COLLECT THAT DATA AND MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR ANALYSIS WHEN YOU COME BACK TO US, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
WE ARE TRYING TO CAPTURE SOME OF THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY, QUESTION? COMMENT? I WAS JUST GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBER LAU STOLE ALL THE THUNDER LIKE SHE ALWAYS DOES [LAUGHTER] AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, I BELIEVE LOOKING AT THOSE BUSINESSES.
THE BIGGEST NEEDS AND ALSO HAVE THEY RECEIVED SOME OTHER FUNDS? NEED TO MAKE SURE AND HIT THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE NOT AND REALLY TRY TO MAKE SURE OUR LOCAL BUSINESS STAY LOCAL.
YEAH. WHO'S RECEIVED SBA FUNDS AND NOT.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAV--ARE YOU DONE, MR. CROSBY? YES.
I WAS SIMPLY GOING TO SAY THAT THERE ARE AVENUES OUT THERE THAT BUSINESSES HAVE USED AND SOME OF THEM, I MEAN, WERE BASED ON THE PARAMETERS THAT WERE AND SOME OF THEM ENCOURAGED THEIR EMPLOYEES TO IMMEDIATELY FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT SO THEIR EMPLOYEES WERE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. I WOULDN'T HESITATE TO FOR STAFF TO WORK WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS WELL AND MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO LEVERAGE AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO REALLY NOT ONLY GIVE THEM MONEY, BUT GIVE THEM TRANSACT-ABILITY THAT HELPS TO RE-ENERGIZE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK WITH ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WILL.
FOCUS ON THAT. SO THAT'S KIND OF THAT THIRD LEG.
I WANT TO GET THESE FIRST TWO GOING BECAUSE, YOU WANT TO GET THEM OPEN AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT SOME SUPPORT AND THEN WORK ON THAT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IN CONVERSATION WITH LEAH LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE IS THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THIS EXCITEMENT AT FIRST IN THIS SURGE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GO GET THEIR HAIRCUT, GO OUT TO DINNER, DO ALL THESE THINGS, ALTHOUGH IT'LL BE MODIFIED THAN WHAT THEY'RE USED TO.
BUT AT LEAST SOME OF THAT ACTIVITY, IT'S HOW DO WE HELP TO PROLONG THAT SO THAT THEY CAN SUSTAIN THROUGH THE FIRST MONTH OR TWO AND THEN HAVE IT SO THAT PART OF THE PROGRAM CAN MAYBE COME IN THE EARLY PART OF SUMMER, I'M GOING TO SAY.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT TIL THEN TO HAVE IT UP AND RUNNING.
RIGHT. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE PROGRAMS SO PEOPLE DON'T JUST TAKE THE MONEY, SOLVE THEIR IMMEDIATE CONCERN WHATEVER THEY THINK THAT IS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THERE'S A LONGER PROGRAM TIME HORIZON, THE LONG VIEW TO THE WHOLE THING. NOW, THAT WAS MY BIGGEST CONCERN.
YOU BASICALLY ALL TOUCHED ON IT WAS THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, ALONG WITH NOT LIKE THAT, TO CHECK WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE RECEIVED CERTAIN EMERGENCY FUNDING AND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING. AND THEN MR. ROSSI'S TALKING ABOUT IS FURTHER DOWN TO HAVE MORE ECONOMIC SPURRING FOR HELPING THESE BUSINESSES. SO IT'S ALL GREAT IDEAS.
IT'S ALL GREAT. NOW, YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION, YOU JUST NEED APPROVAL THAT JUST TO MOVE
[00:50:04]
FORWARD WITH IT. JUST CONCURRENCE, AND I THINK I HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK.WE ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT? SAY AYE: AYE. THERE YOU GO. OK.
WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE HAVE SEVERAL.
[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
AND I WILL, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL SHARE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT.SIX OR SEVEN. AND THEY'RE ALL FOCUSED ON THE SAME SUBJECT.
AND THAT HAS TO DO REGARDING YOUR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AS IT RELATES TO A COUPLE OF MEMBERS. WHAT CANDIDATES BEING CONSIDERED? AND ONE OF THOSE THAT IS SUBJECT TO SOME OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS HAS, AS COUNCIL'S AWARE TODAY, HAS CHOSEN TO REMOVE HIS NAME FROM CONSIDERATION.
AND SO WE STILL HAVE THE COMMENTS AND WOULD NEED TO READ THEM.
SO THEY MAY BE REDUNDANT IN THAT PART, BUT NONETHELESS, THEY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PREFACE IT THAT WAY, THAT IT MIGHT BE UNNECESSARY SINCE CONSIDERING WHAT HAS HAPPENED AS OF RECENT.
WITH THAT, JR, ARE YOU READY? YEAH. THANK YOU.
I WILL JUST PREFACE THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF CALLERS THAT WILL BE CALLING IN.
AND I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL E-MAIL COMMENTS THAT I'LL BE DOING.
AND SO ESPECIALLY WITH THE CALLERS, THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN BETWEEN AS WE TRY TO GET THEM ONLINE. SO JUST PLEASE BEAR WITH US.
WHILE WE PULL THAT TOGETHER AND WE'LL TRY TO DO IT AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
THE FIRST CALLER I HAVE I'M GOING TO PUT YOU GUYS ON MUTE JUST ONE SECOND SO I CAN TALK TO HIM AND THEN I'LL PUT HIM ON, OK? THANK YOU.
WE NEED SOME KIND OF MUSIC LIKE JEOPARDY.
WOW, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE.
I GUESS THIS IS THE LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? I WOULD LIKE THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE TO ADDRESS RENT INCREASES DURING THE CURRENT QUARANTINE PANDEMIC TO SENIOR CITIZEN LIVING COMPLEXES.
BECAUSE I'VE TRACKED IT FROM THE THE CITY OF LA VERNE TO THE FIFTH DISTRICT.
AND THEN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS.
AND SOME OF THE INFORMATION SEEMS TO VARY A LITTLE BIT.
BUT ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS TO RETURN COME BACK TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE IS SILENT ON THE RENT INCREASE ISSUE DURING OUR CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE PANDEMIC. AND THE OPENING TOPIC FOR MY CONVERSATIONS TO THOSE VARIOUS PLACES WAS THE DAILY APPROXIMATELY 12 NOON UPDATES THAT OUR L.A.
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS GIVE WAS A STATEMENT THEY MADE ON MARCH 3RD.
WELL, WE DID REAFFIRM IT ON APRIL.
BUT JUST A LITTLE [INAUDIBLE] BUT ALL THE ROADS SEEM TO GO BACK TO THE THE CITY OF LA VERNE'S NOT ADDRESSING SENIORS BEING QUARANTINED AND HIT WITH A RENT INCREASE.
DEFINITELY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF WHEN THE QUARANTINE STARTED.
AND ALL OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES, EVEN YOURSELF HERE RIGHT NOW, SHUTTING DOWN.
[00:55:01]
THAT'S ALL. I WOULD JUST LIKE THE CITY OF LA VERNE TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.AND IT SEEMS THAT THAT ISSUE SORT OF GOES INTO A PACKAGE WITH FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS.
SO THE INFORMATION IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
AND I'M JUST ADDRESSING THE RENT INCREASES BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES, EVEN WHEN I [INAUDIBLE] PULLED UP THE CITY OF LA VERNE WEB SITE, AND IT ADDRESSES EVICTIONS, BUT AGAIN, AND I DON'T MEAN TO.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS I SHOULD SHUT UP THE I'M JUST LOOKING FORA STANCE OR A COMMENT FROM THE CITY OF LA VERNE ON RENT INCREASES FOR SENIORS.
I GUESS FOR ANYBODY BUT SENIORS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF VULNERABLE DURING.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT KIND OF A KINETIC TIME GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THE RULES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING. AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF A SITUATION BEFORE.
THAT'S WHAT WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
AND I'M GOING TO TAKE A BREATH AND BE QUIET.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
MR. RUSSI, YOU'VE GOT THAT INFORMATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON IT NOW, OR? I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO PASS IT ON TO J.R.
BECAUSE THERE ARE WE DO HAVE RENT REVIEW ORDINANCES IN THE CITY AS IT RELATES TO MOBILE HOME PARKS, BUT SOME PARKS ARE ALSO ON LONG TERM LEASES.
SO I WILL CERTAINLY MAKE SURE TO PASS IT ON TO J.R.
I DID QUITE HEAR. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION.
YES. SORRY. BOB, YOU ACTUALLY FROZE UP A LITTLE BIT, SIR.
THE CITY WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
IT'LL ACTUALLY BE ME AND WE'LL LOOK DIRECTLY INTO YOUR ISSUE.
OK. SO, DID I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN AND WHERE I WAS COMING FROM ADEQUATELY? YOU DO A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND IT WOULD BE GENTLEMEN, J.R.
IS THAT'S THE PERSON THAT I'LL PROBABLY GET THE FOLLOW UP FROM? HE WILL BE CONTACTING YOU, SIR.
WELL, THANK YOU TO THE HONORABLE ADMINISTRATORS FOR THE GREAT CITY OF LA VERNE.
THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
YOU TOO. BYE BYE NOW. THANK YOU.
OK, I'LL MUTE YOU, WHILE I TRY TO GET THE NEXT CALLER ONLINE.
ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE HUGH KELLY ON THE LINE.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL. GOOD EVENING.
GOOD EVENING, MR. KELLY. E-MAIL TO THE CITY MANAGER.
AND I SAID, MR. RUSSI, LA VERNE HAS THE WORST CASE [INAUDIBLE].
EVERYTHING SEEMS LIKE IT'S THE OLD BOYS CLUB, [INAUDIBLE], THE [INAUDIBLE] GANG, [INAUDIBLE], NO RECUSALS WHEN THEY SHOULD.
NO DISCUSSION OF ANY POLICY OR BIDS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, JUST VOTING ON WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED IN THE BACK ROOM.
IT HAS ALREADY COST DON KENDRICK'S JOB, POSSIBLY RUINING OUR [INAUDIBLE] DEPARTMENT.
NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE GOOD OLD BOYS CLUB, GIVING ROBIN CARDER ESSENTIALLY A VOTE ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW CORRUPT THIS LOOKS? DO YOU CARE? SINCERELY, HUGH KELLY.
NOW, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST AND FAIR, MR. RUSSI DID ANSWER ME AND SAID, YES, HE DOES CARE AND MADE AN OFFER TO TALK.
HE OFFERED TO MEET ME TO EXPLAIN HIS REASONING AND OTHER THINGS, BUT.
THAT SHOULD BE DONE IN THE OPEN FORUM.
THIS TYPE OF INSIDE BASEBALL DONE BY CITY GOVERNMENT SHOULD STOP.
IT NEEDS TO STOP. WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE'S HUSBANDS ON THE TAX OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, NOR PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] JR.
WITH THE EX POLICE CHIEF, WE NEED PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE IMPARTIAL.
I'M SORRY TO SAY IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PACKING THE JURY.
HOWEVER, I HAVE TO SAY I'M HEARING MORE CONVERSATION BETWEEN ALL OF YOU NOW.
THANK YOU. AND I REMAIN DESPERATE FOR A BARBER [LAUGHTER].
TAKE CARE. THANK YOU, MR. KELLY.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND HANG UP NOW.
GOOD NIGHT. AND WHILE HE'S GETTING THE OTHER CALL, I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE, I KNOW THEY KEEP CUTTING OUT. WE'RE DOING OUR BEST WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE.
[01:00:01]
I SUGGEST, MR. RUSSI, JUST SIT THERE.IT COMES BACK THAT MANY YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CHAIR.
SO JUST SIT' YOU DON'T NEED TO MOVE [LAUGHTER]. WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD GET UP THEN WHEN IT HAPPENS. I WILL SAY MY SON CUT MY HAIR LAST NIGHT AND HE DID A PRETTY DARN GOOD JOB.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT? RELY ON YOUR FAMILY.
JUST BE CAREFUL. WHO'S GOT THE CUTTERS, THOUGH.
BE CAREFUL. YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE J.R.
GO AHEAD, KATHERINE. GOOD EVENING.
GOOD EVENING, MISS BUTLER. MY DELAY FROM THE ONLINE [INAUDIBLE].
THERE'S PROBABLY A BIT OF A DELAY FROM WHAT YOU'RE WATCHING ON TV, BUT GO AHEAD AND YOUR LIVE WITH THE COUNCIL.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
I'LL TRY TO GET RID OF THE SOUND IN THE BACKGROUND.
THIS IS A LETTER I SENT TO THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY CLERK, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ON APRIL 29.
IT'S AN OPEN LETTER TO COUNCILWOMAN OR COUNCIL PERSON, I SHOULD SAY ROBIN CARDER TALKING TO THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK AND ACTION REQUIRED.
DEAR MRS. CARDER, FIRST LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT OF SERVICE TO THE TOWN OF LA VERNE THROUGH YOUR COUNCIL POSITION, WHICH I KNOW YOU TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.
HOWEVER, I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN SEEING THAT YOUR HUSBAND HAS APPLIED AND BEEN INCLUDED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE TAX MEASURE [INAUDIBLE] OF LA VERNE. THERE ARE VERY FEW [INAUDIBLE] THAN HAVING TWO FROM ONE FAMILY TAKES ACCESS AWAY FROM [INAUDIBLE].
HAVING HIM APPLY FOR A POSITION ON WHICH YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GRANT PARTICIPATION IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF NEGLIGENCE.
I'M FRANKLY SURPRISED THAT YOU WOULD EVEN CONSIDER IT, AS YOU HAVE ON OCCASIONS, RECUSED YOURSELF FOR A VOTE ON SOMETHING FOR WHICH YOU COULD'VE HAD [INAUDIBLE] INTEREST.
THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE THAN THIS.
MANY CITIZENS WERE OPPOSED TO THIS TAX INCREASE, [INAUDIBLE] THE VALUE OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF LA VERNE RESIDENTS.
TO HAVE A SPOUSE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHOSE SKILLS [INAUDIBLE] POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION, NOT WITH, NOT NOTWITHSTANDING, IS TANTAMOUNT TO HAVING THE FOX GUARD HEN HOUSE.
NO MATTER HOW SINCERE AND EVEN CANDID HE MAY THINK HE COULD BE, IT IS A VISIBLY INAPPROPRIATE CHOICE.
THERE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE GUIDELINES TO PURSUE THE ORDINANCES TO PREVENT SUCH DUAL PARTICIPATION IN MATTERS OF LEGAL AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I CALL FOR HIS WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SELECTION PROCESS AS IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
THEN TO THE REMAINDER OF THE COUNCIL AND TO THE LEADERSHIP, I WOULD APPLY THE SAME ETHICAL GUIDELINES OF NONPARTISANSHIP TO THE REMAINDER OF THIS ELECTION.
THESE COMMUNITY CITIZENS DECIDE TO HAVE US SPEND THE DOLLARS WHICH REPRESENT A HARDSHIP TO MANY CONSTITUENTS.
WITH THESE VOLUNTEERS, A CONCERN FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE AND EVENHANDEDNESS IS REQUIRED.
APPLICANTS WHO HAVE FORMERLY BEEN HIGH RANKING CITY EMPLOYEES POSSIBLY WITH STILL AN AX TO GRIND, SUCH AS RON INGELS SHOULD THAT HOLD THIS POSITION.
ALSO, ANYONE WHO HAS PARTICIPATED IN A GROUP EFFORT INVOLVED IN THE UNETHICAL PROMOTION OF ONE MAYORAL CANDIDATE AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER'S REPUTATION WITH NO REGARD TO THE FACTS OR TRUTH SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.
ARE THESE THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE WANT SAFEGUARDING OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY? I THINK NOT. PREVIOUS ELECTION WITH A MANDATE FOR HIGHER TRANSPARENCY, LACK OF CRONYISM AND RESPONSIVENESS TO THE CITIZENS, TO GO FORWARD WITH SOME OF THESE APPLICANTS IS TO SEND A SIGNAL BACK TO THE VOTERS THAT THE COUNCIL STILL DOESN'T GET IT.
AND SOME ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WILL FIND THEIR POSITIONS IN JEOPARDY COME THE NEXT ELECTION. USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD, SELECT THE [INAUDIBLE] JR. DON'T MOVE, BOB. I GOT TO GET UP.
AND MOVED FORWARD TOWARD THE [INAUDIBLE].
IT'S THE PERSON IN QUESTION ASK TO BE NOT CONSIDERED [INAUDIBLE].
I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A POSITIVE COMMENT ABOUT POSSIBLY EARLIER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONCERNS OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
NORMALLY FOR JULY 4TH, WE HAVE LIKE A BANNER ACROSS THE MAIN STREET OF LA VERNE.
POSSIBLY WE COULD INSTITUTE SOMETHING LIKE A [INAUDIBLE] BANNER AND SOME STICKERS FROM THE VARIOUS BUSINESSES THAT SAY SOMETHING LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE].
[01:05:05]
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS MIGHT ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION.THANK YOU, MISS BUTLER. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. OK, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD.
WE HAD ONE ADDITIONAL CALLER THAT SAID THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, WAS ACTUALLY RICK BOWEN.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK A HOLD OF HIM.
SO IN THE MEANTIME, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ SOME OF THE E-MAILED COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE, IF THAT'S OK. YES, PLEASE.
DEAR MR. RUSSI, AFTER WATCHING THE MEETING FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, I HAVE A VERY STRONG CONCERN. I THINK THAT HAVING MR. CARDER, COUNCILWOMAN ROBIN CARTER'S HUSBAND, ON A COMMITTEE WORKING WITH OUR COUNCIL IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THE FACT THAT SHE HERSELF VOTED FOR HIM PROVES MY POINT.
WE WILL NOT RECEIVE A FAIR REPRESENTATION AS RESIDENTS.
HE WILL BACK ANY EFFORTS THAT WILL BENEFIT HER.
I KNOW THIS BECAUSE HE HAS YELLED OUT DURING A COUNCIL MEETING IN HER BEHALF.
I WOULD LIKE MR. CARDER ELIMINATED FROM RUNNING FOR ANY SUCH COMMITTEES IN OUR CITY AND A CLAUSE IN THE APPLICATIONS CHANGE TO ELIMINATE IMMEDIATE FAMILY RELATIVES EFFECTED WITH THIS COMMITTEE. THIS CLAUSE ALSO NEEDS TO APPLY TO ANYONE WHO BELONGS TO THE PAC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST TIM HEPBURN THAT WAS FORMED DURING THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN. THIS WOULD INCLUDE JIM MURPHY AND RON INGELS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED THE PAC.
ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEED TO BE VETTED AND IMPARTIAL.
THANK YOU. CATHY NEWLAND, LA VERNE RESIDENT.
THANK YOU JR. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM SUSIE MORALES.
DEAR MR. MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS...
JR, HOLD UP. [INAUDIBLE] COMMITTEE.
IT ISN'T--YEP? GO AHEAD. I WANT TO START OVER.
THIS IS AN E-MAIL FROM SUSIE MORALES.
DEAR MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM WRITING IN REGARD TO THE TAX MEASURE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE FIVE MEMBERS SELECTED FOR THE COMMITTEE BE INDEPENDENT FROM THE CURRENT COUNCIL.
YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW TWO PEOPLE FROM THE SAME HOUSEHOLD TO MAKE DECISIONS ON WHERE OR HOW THE TAX MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT.
MOREOVER, ANYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO UNETHICAL CAMPAIGN BEHAVIOR TOWARDS OUR CURRENT MAYOR DURING THE LAST ELECTION SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED FROM TAKING A POSITION ON THE COMMITTEE. THIS IS THE TIME TO GIVE OTHER CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED. PLEASE INCLUDE THIS IN PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THE MAY 4TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU, JR. THIS IS FROM PATRICK VALDÉS.
GREETINGS, HONORABLE MAYOR TIM HEPBURN.
MY NAME IS PATRICK VALDES AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
I PURCHASED MY HOME OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
I CHOSE TO SETTLE IN THE CITY BECAUSE IT WAS SAFE, QUIET, WELL MAINTAINED AND THE THEN CITY COUNCIL SEEMED TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THE NEEDS OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
I HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED FOR OVER 33 YEARS.
IN MY CAPACITY, I HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE REPRESENTATIVES OF THREE SEPARATE CONTRACT CITIES, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
MY POSITION ALSO REQUIRED THAT I ATTEND WEEKLY CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN WHICH I HAVE ATTENDED HUNDREDS.
DURING THE RECENT ELECTION CAMPAIGN, I ATTEND SEVERAL OF THE MEET AND GREET EVENTS YOU HELD IN THE AREA.
DURING THOSE EVENTS, YOU INDICATED THAT SHOULD YOU BE ELECTED, YOU WOULD CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY AND THE OLD WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS WOULD NO LONGER BE ACCEPTABLE.
YOU PROMISED TO LEAD AND TO HOLD OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU INDICATED YOU BELIEVED IN BEING HONEST, ETHICAL, TRANSPARENT, ETC.
AND I AM THEREFORE SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE AND INTERVENTION.
I ALSO ATTENDED MOST OF THE CITY COUNCIL DEBATES BECAUSE I WANTED TO IDENTIFY THOSE PERSONS WHO I THOUGHT WOULD BE THE BEST FIT TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT AND TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.
ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME PERSONALLY WAS THE BUILDING OF HOMES ON THE SIERRA LA VERNE GOLF COURSE PROPERTY, AS WELL AS THE LA VERNE MEASURE M TAX INITIATIVE.
JR. ONLY VOTED IN FAVOR BECAUSE I FELT IT [INAUDIBLE] AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AS I WATCHED THE COUNCIL DEBATES, I WAS SATISFIED TO LEARN THE CANDIDATES, WITH ONE EXCEPTION, WAS OPPOSED TO BUILDING HOMES ON THE GOLF COURSE.
THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE MY PARENTS, LIKE MANY OTHERS, PURCHASED THEIR LA VERNE HOME, DUE TO THE BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE COURSE.
WE ARE RELYING ON COUNCIL TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND NEVER CHANGE THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE GOLF COURSE PROPERTY.
FURTHERMORE, I WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THE CANDIDATES WERE IN FAVOR OF FORMING A COMMITTEE TO MANAGE THE LA VERNE TAX INITIATIVE.
[01:10:02]
EACH CANDIDATE OPINED IT WAS IN THE CITY'S BEST INTERESTS THAT COMMITTEE BE FORMED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.AND TRANSPARENCY WAS A TOP PRIORITY.
EARLIER TODAY, I WAS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER'S HUSBAND HAS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION REQUESTING TO BE ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
I AM SURE MISS CARDER'S HUSBAND IS VERY CAPABLE, BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS THE UTMOST APPEARANCE OF CRONYISM.
THIS IS CLEARLY A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND I AM REQUESTING THAT MR. CARDER WITHDRAW HIS NAME IMMEDIATELY.
THIS IS HOW THE OLD REGIME CONDUCTED BUSINESS AND WE SAW THE DISSENSION IT CREATED AMONG CITY STAFF AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, I AM QUITE SURPRISED THE CITY OF LV DOES NOT HAVE A CITY CODE PREVENTING SPOUSES AND OR FAMILY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM PARTICIPATING ON ANY SORT OF COMMITTEE. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED A SPOUSE OF A COUNCIL MEMBER BEING ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE ON A COMMITTEE IN ANY OF THE CITIES I HAVE BEEN AFFILIATED.
IN CLOSING, MR. MAYOR, I AM ASKING THAT YOU CLOSE REVIEW.
EXCUSE ME. I AM ASKING THAT YOU CLOSELY REVIEW THE LIST AND REMOVE ANY NAMES THAT CAN POTENTIALLY BE DETRIMENTAL OR BRING CONTROVERSY UPON THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
PATRICK VALDES. THANK YOU, JR.
MAYOR HEPBURN COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF, I AM WRITING WITH CONCERNS REGARDING A FEW OF THE 10 FINALISTS FOR THE SALES TAX INCREASE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS GROUP IS TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT INPUT AND OVERSIGHT IN REGARDS TO THE UTILIZATION OF THE INCREASED SALES TAX FUNDS.
TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE AND BENEFICIAL, THESE RESIDENTS NEED TO BE QUALIFIED WITH STRONG FINANCIAL EXPERTISE, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT INDEPENDENT OF THE LA VERNE'S CITY GOVERNMENT. STOP [LAUGHTER].
AND MAY HAVE BIAS. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, I AM SURE YOUR HUSBAND IS A FINE MAN WITH RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE A FAMILY MEMBER OF COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF OR CURRENT RETIRED EMPLOYEES CAN FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY TO REPRESENT CITIZENS IN OVERSEEING THE SPENDING OF OUR TAX INCREASE.
WHETHER LEGALLY ALLOWED OR NOT.
IT DOES NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY OR ETHICS SUITABLE OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AS A FAMILY MEMBER CAN'T BE COMPLETELY UNBIASED WITHOUT INFLUENCING ONE ANOTHER IN SOME WAY. NOR IS IT PROPER THAT TWO MEMBERS OF A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD BOTH HAVE A HAND IN MAKING DECISIONS REGARDING THE CITY'S FINANCIAL EXPENDITURES WHEN OTHER INDEPENDENT AND WELL QUALIFIED RESIDENTS ARE AVAILABLE.
I'M APPALLED THAT THE CITY MANAGER SAID THAT HAVING A SPOUSE ON THE COMMITTEE IS NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
IT IS NOT ETHICAL OR APPROPRIATE FOR THE DEFINED PURPOSE OF OVERSIGHT AND AT THE VERY LEAST LOOKS BAD AND LENDS ITSELF TO FURTHER DISTRUST OF THE CITY GOVERNANCE.
WE NEED THIS COMMITTEE TO BE INDEPENDENT AND UN-ENTANGLED WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
ALSO, I BELIEVE A FEW OF THE COMMUNITY.
EXCUSE ME, OF THE COMMITTEE CANDIDATES HAVE PAST MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS FINE AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT PAST EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE, ESPECIALLY IN POSITIONS THAT REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
FORMER POLICE CHIEF INGLES WOULD BE TOO CLOSE TO WORK IN THAT COMMITTEE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF BIAS. HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN CITY LEADERSHIP AND THE CITIZENS REPRESENTATIVES IN THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHOULD NOT BE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THOSE THEY ARE CONSIDERING FOR FUNDING USAGE. FURTHER, THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF'S INVOLVEMENT AND FUNDING OF NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN P.A.C'S ATTACKS JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND PROMOTING SUCH THROUGH PERSONAL VIDEO POSTINGS IS ADDITIONALLY A CONCERN.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THERE NEED TO BE MORE GUIDELINES REGARDING THIS VERY IMPORTANT CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AS TO WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE AND WHAT THE DISQUALIFICATIONS ARE.
IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO NOT ENSURE THAT CITIZENS ARE LOOKING AT THIS BOTH INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH EXPERTISE.
RELATIVES OF CITY OFFICIALS, BOTH ELECTED AND OR EMPLOYED, ARE NOT THE BEST OPTIONS FOR A TRANSPARENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
THE SAME IS TRUE OF PAST EMPLOYEES.
OR REGULAR CITIZENS WITHOUT TIES, THAT COULD LEAD TO OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BE COMPLETELY ABOVEBOARD. AND WITHOUT CITY ENTANGLEMENTS AND THAT THE TWO INDIVIDUALS I HAVE MENTIONED SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ELIGIBILITY LIST.
THANK YOU, JR. THE NEXT E-MAIL I HAVE IS FROM ZACH GIBSON.
MR. GIBSON, COUNCIL WILL KNOW THAT THEY RECEIVED A DIRECT E-MAIL FROM MR. GIBSON AS WELL THIS EVENING WITH A LINK TO THE VIDEO THAT'S REFERENCED IN THIS E-MAIL.
AND THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE EMAIL.
[01:15:02]
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THIS VIDEO TO BE SHOWN DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS VIDEO WAS MADE PUBLIC AND POSTED BY THE PAC TRANSPARENT LA VERNE BEFORE THE MARCH ELECTION FOR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
I BELIEVE THIS VIDEO SHOWS THAT RON INGELS WILL NOT BE IMPARTIAL AND IN FACT WOULD BE COMBATIVE TOWARDS ANY POLICY OR SUBJECT OUR CURRENT MAYOR SUPPORTS OR PUTS FORWARD.
HE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR A POSITION ON ANY COMMITTEE OR THE CITY OF LA VERNE AS HIS BIAS IS SHOWN AND FREELY GIVEN IN THE ATTACHED VIDEO.
AND THEN I HAVE A SECOND E-MAIL FROM MR. GIBSON. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CITY IS NOT COMPLYING WITH THE EMERGENCY CONDITIONS LAID OUT IN SECTION ELEVEN OF STATE OF CALIFORNIA EXECUTIVE ORDER N DASH TWO FIVE DASH TWO ZERO PER THE ORDER WHICH STATE: EACH STATE OR LOCAL BODY MUST NOTICE AT LEAST ONE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE LOCATION FROM WHICH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBSERVE AND OFFER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE PUBLIC MEETING CONSISTENT WITH THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT OF ACCESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT OTHERWISE PROVIDED OR BY THE BAGLEY KEENE ACT AND THE BROWN ACT AS APPLICABLE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT SUCH RIGHTS OF ACCESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT BE MADE AVAILABLE IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
IN ADDITION TO THE MANDATORY CONDITIONS SET FORTH, ABOVE ALL, STATE AND LOCAL BODIES ARE URGED TO USE SOUND DISCRETION AND TO MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO ADHERE AS CLOSELY AS REASONABLY POSSIBLE TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE BAGLEY KEENE ACT AND THE BROWN ACT AND OTHER APPLICABLE LOCAL LAWS REGULATING THE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE TRANSPARENCY AND PROVIDE THE PUBLIC ACCESS...
DON'T GET UP. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS BEING DONE.
NOT ONLY DO WE NOT HAVE A DIRECTION, PHONES, EMAILS, ET CETERA, ARE NOT BEING READ OR REGULATED ADEQUATELY.
SIMILARLY, THE ACCESS TO VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE OBSERVATION AND COMMENT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS IS SKETCHY AT BEST.
THE LAST LINE MEETING WAS TITLED LIVE TEST.
LET'S PLEASE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS WE DO NOT WANT TO BAIL OUR CITIZENS RIGHTS.
- ZACH GIBSON EVERYBODY STILL WITH ME? WE'RE HERE HOW MANY MORE DO YOU HAVE, JR? I HAVE SIX SEPARATE E-MAILS.
I AM WRITING IN REGARD TO THE CANDIDATE SELECTION FOR THE TAX MEASURE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. WHILE MANY OF THE APPLICANTS ARE QUALIFIED.
THIS PROCESS SHOULD HAVE BEGAN WITH ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES.
NO CANDIDATE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IF THEY ARE RELATED TO A COUNCIL MEMBER OR HAS PRESENT OR PAST EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THEIR DECISIONS COULD BE INFLUENCED DUE TO THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS OR THEIR AFFILIATION TO THE COUNTY OR CITY STAFF.
IN ADDITION, THREE OF THE CANDIDATES, TWO OF THE 10 MOVED FORWARD ARE FINANCIAL DONORS TO THE PAC OPPOSING TIM HEPBURN FOR MAYOR TWENTY TWENTY.
YES, WE ALL HAVE THE LIBERTY OF SUPPORTING A CANDIDATE OF CHOICE.
BUT AT THE CANDIDATE FORUM HOSTED BY THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
FEBRUARY 13, 2020, THE PAC, WHICH THESE TWO CANDIDATES FOR THE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE BELONG, VIOLATED CAMPAIGN CRITERIA SET BY THE CITY OF LA VERNE ADMINISTRATION.
THERE WERE NO RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE PAC VIOLATING POLICY SET BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
THIS CONDUCT WAS UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNBECOMING TO MANY RESIDENTS AND SHOULD NOT BE REWARDED. THE RESIDENTS OF LA VERNE VOTED FOR NEW LEADERSHIP, NEW IDEAS, NEW PEOPLE.
LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH TRUE TRANSPARENCY.
THIS IS AN EMAIL FROM LEAH SKINNER WITH THE LA VERNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND THEN COUNCIL'S ALSO BEEN PROVIDED THE ATTACHED LETTER THAT MS. SKINNER INCLUDED WITH THE EMAIL.
DEAR MAYOR HEPBURN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WAS ELATED TO.. HEAR THE GOVERNOR SAY THAT HE WILL BE LIFTING SOME SAFER AT HOME ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT WHILE THE STATE IS MOVING INTO STAGE TWO TOGETHER, COUNTIES CAN MOVE MORE QUICKLY THROUGH STAGE TWO IF THEY ATTEST THAT THEY MEET THE STATE'S READINESS CRITERIA.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE, THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PRESS CONFERENCE BEGAN. WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY BY A MEMBER OF THE PRESS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY WOULD BE REDUCING RESTRICTIONS ON MAY 8TH, DR.
BARBARA FERRER WOULD NOT CONFIRM.
WE ARE CONCERNED THAT NOT ONLY WILL LOS ANGELES COUNTY RESTRICTIONS NOT BE LIFTED, BUT LIKE SAN FRANCISCO WILL BE EXTENDED.
ATTACHED IN DRAFT, IS A LETTER ADDRESSED TO CHAIRWOMAN KATHRYN BARGER OF THE LOS ANGELES
[01:20:05]
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REQUESTING THAT THEY IMPLEMENT A CITY BY CITY LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS. SIMILAR TO THAT.SIMILAR TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY BY COUNTY APPROACH.
AGAIN, IF THEY MEET THE STATE'S READINESS CRITERIA.
AS STATED IN THE LETTER, GIVEN THE LIMITED NUMBER OF LA VERNE COVID-19 CASES, THE CHAMBER IS OF THE OPINION THAT SAFER AT HOME RESTRICTIONS IN THE CITY SHOULD NOT REFLECT THOSE OF OTHER COUNTY CITIES CONSIDERED EPICENTER COMMUNITIES LOCATIONS.
THE CHAMBER RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AND LA VERNE BY HIGHLIGHTING THE DIFFERENCE AND ADVOCATING SUPERVISOR BARGER TO CONCUR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
LA VERNE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LEAH SKINNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
J.R. ANY OTHERS? YES, SIR. HAVE ABOUT FOUR MORE.
OK. THIS IS FROM TOM AND PHYLLIS PHELPS.
DEAR, HONORABLE MAYOR TIM AND MR. RUSSI. AS WE HAVE WRITTEN SEVERAL EMAILS AND ONLY HAD RESPONSES FROM MR. HEPBURN AND MR. CROSBY AND MS. LAU, IT IS A GOOD REMINDER FOR ALL WHO CHOOSE TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF LA VERNE BY RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY HAVE A DUTY TO RESPOND TO EMAILS WHEN REQUESTED, TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY WERE RECEIVED.
THE OLD STANDARD OF IGNORING INCOMING EMAILS OR SAYING THEY WERE NEVER RECEIVED NO LONGER WILL BE TOLERATED. IT SEEMS LIKE A PERFECT TIME FOR A FRESH START AND THE NEED TO RELOOK AT THE POLICY OF ALLOWING PERSONAL EMAIL USE FOR CITY BUSINESS.
I WOULD HOPE THAT THE CITY E-MAILS PROVIDED ON THE WEB SITE ARE ALL UP TO DATE AND CORRECT. THE CITY...
ON WHO YOU ASK WHAT E-MAIL SHOULD USE OF PERSONAL E-MAILS FOR CITY USE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH TRANSPARENCY, PLEASE READ THIS E-MAIL AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT IN PUBLIC COMMENTS. THANK YOU, TOM AND PHYLLIS PHELPS.
THIS NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS FROM JACKSON SALINAS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN E-MAIL FROM CHANGE.ORG REGARDING A PETITION ASKING EVERYONE OF YOU TO REOPEN LA VERNE FROM CALIFORNIA.
AS OF TODAY, ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY AND COUNTING SIGNATURES, MOSTLY FROM LA VERNE, RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE SIGNED IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
WE ARE ASKING EVERY ONE OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL TO REOPEN THE CITY BY DEFYING THE STAY AT HOME ORDER, BY OPENING EVERYTHING IN THE CITY.
OUR RESIDENTS WANT TO GET BACK TO WORK.
WE DO YOU NOT WANT TO BE IN QUARANTINE ANY LONGER UNDER THE SOCIALISM OF GAVIN NEWSOM.
WE ARE ASKING YOU DEEPLY TO FIGHT FOR THE SAKE OF OUR RESIDENTS OR AT LEAST NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE THROUGH YOUR TASK FORCE TO REOPEN THE CITY 100 PERCENT, SINCE LA VERNE DOES NOT HAVE MANY CASES OF COVID-19.
IT SHOULD BE FINE FOR US TO GO OUT AND DO NORMAL ACTIVITIES AS IT SHOULD BE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING.
THIS IS FROM SUSAN WICKMAN WITH CHASE'S.
AFTER MANY DISCUSSIONS AND STUDY WITH TODAY'S GOVERNOR NEWSOM ANNOUNCEMENT THAT PHASE TWO IS HERE ARE CERTAIN REGIONS.
ALL RESTAURANT OWNERS AND LA VERNE, AFTER CONSULTING WITH CHAMBER, REQUEST A SOFT OPENING ON MAY 15TH OR BEFORE IN THE CITY.
THE FOLLOWING PROTOCOLS ISSUED BY CDC SHOULD BE ADOPTED TILL FURTHER NOTICE.
NUMBER ONE. TWENTY FIVE PERCENT CAPACITY FOR DYING AND ALLOWED.
NUMBER TWO, STRICT SIX FOOT DISTANCING BE FOLLOWED.
NUMBER THREE, MASK WORN BY ALL UNLESS SEATED AND EATING.
NUMBER FOUR, NO MORE THAN SIX AT A TABLE.
NUMBER FIVE, CONTINUE TO OFFER TAKEOUT AND CURBSIDE PICKUP.
NUMBER SIX, TEMPERATURES OF ALL EMPLOYEES WILL BE TAKEN UPON ARRIVAL TO WORK.
ANY HIGHER THAN NINETY NINE WILL BE SENT HOME.
ALL THOSE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS OR...
[INAUDIBLE] SHOULD NOT COME OUT DURING THIS STAGE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION...
AND THE LAST E-MAIL THAT I HAVE IS FROM TERRY PRENTICE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR HEPBURN, MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU AND COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
IT IS VERY DISHEARTENING TO EXPERIENCE THE CONTINUING POLITICAL ACTIONS TAKEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNREGISTERED POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE LBC THREE FOLLOWING THE LAST ELECTION.
THEIR MAYORAL CANDIDATE WON THE ELECTION, BUT THE ATTACKS AGAINST PERSONS OF THE
[01:25:04]
COMMUNITY WHO DO NOT SHARE THEIR POLITICAL VIEWPOINTS ARE CONTINUING.NOT ON QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE, COMMUNITY SERVICE, BUT BY PAST POLITICAL ASSOCIATION. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD PUT ASIDE THE PAST DIFFERENCES OF POLITICAL OPINION AND JOIN TOGETHER IN PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE, OVERSIGHT AND PROMOTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY THAT WE SELECT THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE, MOST QUALIFIED PERSONS FROM EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED IN THIS IMPORTANT FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
NOT JUST THOSE OF A PARTICULAR POLITICAL THOUGHT.
PLEASE RESPECT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SELECT THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSONS AVAILABLE WHO WISH TO BE PART OF THIS HISTORIC AND IMPORTANT UNDERTAKING.
TERRY PRENTICE. THAT IT, JR? I'M CHECKING JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO OTHER.
WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND THANK CATHY NEWLAND, SUSIE MORALES, PATRICK VALDÉS, PAM BERRY, ZACH GIBSON, LIN DEL TORO, LEAH SKINNER, TOM AND PHYLLIS PHELPS, JACKSON SALINAS, AND SUSAN WICKMAN AND TERRY PRENTICE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
DID WE GET A HOLD OF HIM? LET ME JUST CHECK. OK, NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE ONE THING, IF I MAY ADD, MR. MAYOR, IS GIVEN THE GAPS WE HAD, WE'LL BE SURE THAT THE E-MAILS THAT COUNCIL HASN'T ALREADY RECEIVED. WE WILL EMAIL THOSE TO YOU.
WE WILL ALSO BE SURE TO INCLUDE, FOR THE RECORD, THE ENTIRE EMAIL IN THE MINUTES SO THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST LISTED IN THERE.
WE'VE GOTTEN AWAY FROM VERBATIM MINUTES, OF COURSE, BUT IN THIS MOMENT, I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ACTUAL COMMENT IS REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES THEMSELVES. THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S TRANSPARENCY.
AND THEY WILL HAVE EVERYTHING IN WRITING IN THE MINUTES.
NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS.
WE GO TO COUNCIL COMMENTS, CONFERENCE MEETING REPORTS.
[9. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS]
COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? SURE. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS WRITTEN IN TO COMMUNICATE AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES.I THINK THAT THAT CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT IS NECESSARY.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME FOLKS WHO WERE HAVING SOME TROUBLE GETTING A HOLD OF ME.
SO JUST FOR THE RECORD, AND FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE STANDING BY, MY EMAIL IS WMLAU76@GMAIL.COM. AND I DO WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT I RECEIVED EVERY E-MAIL BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT WAS SENT TO THE CITY CLERK OR CITY STAFF WAS EVENTUALLY FORWARDED TO ME.
AND SO I ACTUALLY DID GET TWO OR THREE COPIES OF SOME OF THESE EMAILS.
SO IF I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO RESPOND OR ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT, PLEASE KNOW THAT I DID RECEIVE YOUR EMAILS AND MAY HAVE RECEIVED THEM MORE THAN ONCE.
BUT AGAIN, THE EMAIL IS WMLAU76@GMAIL.COM.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON AND SHARE, I KNOW AT THE TOP OF THIS MEETING, MR. RUSSI DID TALK ABOUT THE FOURTH OF JULY AND THE VERY DIFFICULT DECISION THAT HAD TO BE MADE WITH RESPECT TO CANCELING THE EVENTS.
I, LIKE MANY OF YOU, FIND THE FOURTH OF JULY TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE HOLIDAYS IN THIS CITY. SO I KNOW IT'S HARD TO HAVE YET SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER NORMAL AND FUN AND PART OF OUR EVERYDAY NORMALCY TAKEN AWAY.
SO I DO WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE FEEL AND KNOW AND TO BE REST ASSURED THAT THE COMMITTEE IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATE THINGS FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO DO TO CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY.
AND ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS ACTUALLY A HOUSE DECORATING CONTEST SO THAT FOLKS IN THE CITY COULD DECORATE THEIR HOMES IN HONOR OF THE FOURTH OF JULY.
SO NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE AN ACTIVITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN, BUT FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE GOING OUT TO GET OUR WALKS SO THAT WE CAN BE OUTSIDE OR TO RUN OR EVEN WANT TO DRIVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE HOMES AND GET TO SEE HOW FESTIVE AND CREATIVE PEOPLE CAN GET.
SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE; I KNOW THIS IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PARTICIPATE, MAYBE GET YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY DECORATE A THEME OR WHATNOT.
BUT I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CELEBRATE, EVEN THOUGH WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT IN THE WAY THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD.
I THINK THIS IS A WAY, AGAIN, FOR US TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND YOUR DISCOURSE AND YOUR DISCUSSION.
[01:30:05]
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE PUT THEIR HAT IN THE RING, FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, FOR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION GROUP.IT IS GOOD TO SEE FOLKS ENGAGED AND AGAIN, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO DO SO. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
HI. I'M SURE EVERYONE IS EXPECTING ME TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE OVERSIGHT. SO HERE IT IS.
WE NEED TO NOT READ ANYTHING MORE INTO IT THAN WHAT IT IS.
SIMPLY SAID ROBERT CARDER, MY HUSBAND, A RESIDENT OF LA VERNE FOR 41 YEARS, JUST WANTED TO SERVE THE CITY THAT HE HAS LIVED IN.
WE RAISED OUR FAMILY HERE AND HE WANTED TO GIVE BACK.
HE WANTED TO HELP UP THE CITY WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE OF BEING ON BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES.
THAT'S ALL IT IS. AND THIS COMMITTEE AROSE THAT HAD NO CONFLICT AT ALL AS AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. I CONFIRMED THAT WHEN HE HAD SAID HE WANTED TO DO THIS.
SO I WOULD NEVER HAVE HIM ON A PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A CONFLICT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER, ONE SECOND, IF YOU WOULD.
MR. KRESS, ARE WE ALLOWED TO DISCUSS THAT? WELL, I MEAN--WHY NOT? WELL, I JUST I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING A QUESTION.
ARE WE LEGALLY SUPPOSED TO BE COMMENTING ON PEOPLE'S COMMENTS, ON OPEN COMMENTS? WELL, YOU'RE NOT LEANING TOWARD THE COUNCIL ACTION.
NO. HE HAS PULLED OFF THE COMMITTEE; I'M JUST EXPLAINING EVERYBODY IS EXPECTING A COMMENT FROM ME. I UNDERSTAND.
I UNDERSTAND COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR THE ATTORNEY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT CROSSING OVER A LINE THAT WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO.
THAT'S ALL. OK, LET ME FINISH.
MR. KRESS, WE'RE OK? SORRY. CONTINUE.
HE HAS DECIDED TO PULL HIS NAME FROM CONSIDERATION.
I ADMIRE HIM FOR HIS DECISION.
I LOVE HIM EVEN MORE EVERY EVERY DAY FOR WHAT HE DOES FOR ME.
YES. SOMEBODY COMMENTED THAT HE DEFENDED ME AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
OF COURSE HE DID. WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FORTY SEVEN YEARS.
MY HUSBAND'S GOING TO SUPPORT ME JUST AS I WOULD HIM OR ANY OF YOU AND YOUR SPOUSES.
SO REMEMBER, PLEASE DON'T READ ANYTHING MORE INTO THIS THAN WHAT IT IS.
AS FAR AS RESPONDING TO E-MAIL SAYING, DID YOU GET THIS? IF IT'S NOT RETURNED TO YOU, YOU KNOW, WE GOT IT.
BUT ALSO, IF YOU ADD A READ RECEIPT TO IT, THEN YOU'LL GET THAT BACK RIGHT NOW.
I AM SO BUSY WITH 8 MOBILE HOME PARKS AND ALSO SENIOR APARTMENTS PLUS, I HAVE TO FIND FIFTEEN TO TWENTY SEVEN PEOPLE A WEEK TO WORK ON SOWING SEEDS.
SO I AM QUITE BUSY AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THAT'S THE END OF MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
AS ALWAYS, MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP FOR THE CENSUS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS BE COUNTED AND YOU MAKE SURE DO THAT.
I'M VERY PROUD OF LA VERNE STAYING SAFE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR GUIDELINES. HAVING SIXTEEN ONLY CASES HERE IS THE SMALLEST AMOUNT IN ALL THE CITIES AROUND. SO REALLY PROUD OF THE CITIZENS.
AND I WANT TO SAY ESPECIALLY TO YOU, ROBIN, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
IT'S ON SUNDAY AND WENDY, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO THAT SNORING DOG THAT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU, PROBABLY [LAUGHTER]. AND MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MOTHER, DOROTHY DIAMOND, MY STEPMOTHER, SHARON CROSBY, MY MOTHER IN LAW, CAROL ANDERSON.
AND I CAN NOT GO BY AND SAY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY WIFE, MARCY CROSBY.
SO HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF OUR LA VERNE RESIDENTS.
AND REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY OUT THERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RICK. THANK YOU, MR. CROSBY. MR. MUIR - COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY IN REMINDING EVERYBODY TO FILL OUT YOUR CENSUS; EVEN DURING THIS CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE COUNTED.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE EVERYBODY IN LA VERNE THAT CAN BE COUNTED, BE COUNTED.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS TEACHERS APPRECIATION WEEK, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BONITA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, ALL THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL TEACHERS, RAMONA [INAUDBILE] EKSTRAND, OAK MESA, LA VERNE HEIGHTS, ALLEN GLADSTONE, LONE HILL, SAN DIMAS, VISTA CHAPARRAL PROBABLY MISSING A COUPLE, GRACE MILLER--KEEP GOING, YOU'RE DOING
[01:35:03]
IT FOR US, KEEP GOING.PLEASE. I THINK I'VE GOT MOST OF THEM [LAUGHTER] ANYWAY AND NOT JUST THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. ALL THE TEACHERS OUT THERE IN LA VERNE AND CALIFORNIA AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. YOU'RE PROFESSIONALS; WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
HOPEFULLY WE'RE TRYING TO HELP GET BACK YOUR FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO TEACH AND EXPRESS YOUR PROFESSION. I THINK BACK TO MY TEACHERS, MR. BAILEY IN SIXTH GRADE AND MRS. DORSEY IN SEVENTH GRADE AND A TON OTHERS, MR. [INAUDIBLE] AT BONITA HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU GUYS MADE A LOT MEANT A LOT TO US.
AND YOU MEAN A LOT TO OUR KIDS.
SO PLEASE KNOW THAT WE DO APPRECIATE YOU EVEN IN THIS TIME WHERE YOU'RE SEPARATED FROM YOUR CAMPUS, YOUR CLASSROOM, YOUR STUDENTS, BASICALLY ALL YOUR CHILDREN.
AND I CONCUR AGAIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AND SAYING HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL.
IT SORT OF HIT ME THAT MY MOM IS GONE NOW.
SO, IT'S A TOUGH ONE, BUT HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY LOVELY WIFE AND TO MY GRAND CHILDREN'S MOTHER AND AND ALL THE MOTHERS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
I, TOO, RECEIVED MANY COMMENTS AND PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGY TO THOSE THAT I DON'T GET BACK TO RIGHT AWAY. I TRY TO READ THEM ALL.
TIMES ARE BUSY. THAT'S NO EXCUSE.
BUT IF IT'S WRITTEN JUST TO ME, I CERTAINLY TRY TO GET BACK IN A PROMPT MANNER.
I RECEIVED MANY COMMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, BOTH POSITIVE TOWARDS SUPPORTING CANDIDATES AND END RESERVATIONS TOWARDS OTHER CANDIDATES.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT ARE LIFTING UP OR BEING POSITIVE ABOUT CANDIDATES MORE THAN I APPRECIATE.
ALTHOUGH I DO READ AND RESPECT THOSE THAT SHOW RESERVATION.
IT DOES CONCERN ME, THOUGH, WHEN PEOPLE ARE QUICKLY VIOLATING OUR RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD BE EXCLUDED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO SOME VOCAL GROUP THAT WAS EITHER ON ONE SIDE OF AN ISSUE OR ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO, IT DISTURBS ME WHEN WE'RE SO QUICK TO VIOLATE THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF FOLKS WHO WERE SO ACTIVE IN THIS LAST CAMPAIGN.
AND SO THAT SADDENS ME WHEN IT'S SO EASY TO TAKE OUR RIGHTS AND JUST TOSS THEM OUT THE WINDOW AS AN EXCUSE.
BUT LASTLY, RESIDENTS, WE DO ONLY HAVE 16.
BUT THIS ISSUE ISN'T WE DON'T HAVE A BOUNDARY AROUND THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
WE COULD, IF WE OPEN TOO QUICKLY AND TOO FAST, WE COULD EITHER SEE NOBODY SHOW UP BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL CONCERNED, BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE COVID PANDEMIC.
LIKEWISE, OTHER PEOPLE COULD COME HERE AND WE COULD SEE A SURGE THEN.
WE NEED TO COME THROUGH THE END OF THIS WITH THE LOWEST NUMBER OF SEVERE CASES OF COVID-19 ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
AND IF WE CAN KEEP IT AT 16 OR SOMETHING CLOSE, THEN WE CAN PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK AT THE END OF IT. LET'S NOT RACE TO OPEN.
I KNOW IT'S PAINFUL, BUT THE FLIP SIDE IS ALSO DEVASTATING.
IT'S IMPORTANT. LET'S NOT BE HASTY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. I WANT TO FIRST THANK STAFF AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
MR. RUSSI. COMMUNICATION IS PARAMOUNT RIGHT NOW, AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
WE ALWAYS PROBABLY COULD DO A LITTLE BETTER.
SOMETIMES THE WEB SITE, YOU KNOW.
BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
I ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT AND TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ON FRIDAY, WE HAD A STRUCTURE FIRE AND THE HOUSE WAS DAMAGED.
I THINK THEY SAVED MOST OF THE ANIMALS EXCEPT THE GUINEA PIG.
I DID STOP BY AFTER THE FIRE WAS KNOCKED DOWN.
THE PEOPLE JUST ABOUT READY TO LEAVE AND THEY COULD NOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW PROFESSIONAL, COURTEOUS AND FAST OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WERE FOR THE FIRE.
THEY KNOCKED IT DOWN AND APPARENTLY HAD ANOTHER COUPLE ENGINES COME, BUT THEY HAD A BACKFILL FROM ANOTHER.
I THINK IT'S LOS ANGELES COUNTY TO BACKFILL ON STATION ONE.
IS THAT CORRECT, BOB? OUR STATION--I'M NOT SURE OF THAT.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE ONE FIREFIGHTER THAT WAS WAS INJURED.
BUT WE'LL LEAVE THAT TO FIND OUT FROM CHIEF LEONARD TO FIND OUT HOW HE'S DOING.
HE WAS GOING TO HAVE SOME, I GUESS, A SONOGRAM AND SOME CHECKS ON THAT.
SO WE'LL SAY OUR PRAYERS FOR HIM.
BUT GREAT JOB TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF OUR STAFF.
THE SECOND ONE, I TALKED TO CARL COLES AND ALSO TALKED TO KENNY RITCHIE AT THE BONITA HIGH SCHOOL. THEY'RE TRYING TO I KNOW THAT KENNY RITCHIE IS LOOKING AT SOMETHING TO
[01:40:05]
CELEBRATE THE SENIORS. I JUST WANT TO AT THIS POINT, CELEBRATE OUR SENIOR GRADUATION, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, OUR GRADE SCHOOLS, IF AT ALL POSSIBLY THAT THEY'LL TRY TO DO SOME KIND OF CELEBRATION FOR THE SENIORS, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SAFETY COVID-19, AND DISTANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO. BUT ALSO, I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR BONITA HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, CARL COLES. BONITA HIGH SCHOOL WAS SELECTED ONE OF EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BE ON A TASK FORCE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REOPEN THE SCHOOLS THROUGH LOS ANGELES COUNTY TO SET A PRECEDENT. SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE HONORED THAT WE WERE SELECTED FOR THAT.WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND A GREAT SUPERINTENDENT AND ALSO A SCHOOL BOARD.
SO THEY WERE SELECTED FOR ONE OF THE EIGHT TASK FORCE.
SO, AGAIN, GREAT JOB BONITA UNIFIED.
WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? I HAD ANOTHER COUPLE.
AND IN RESPONSE TO THE EMAILS, AS TOM AND PHYLLIS PHELPS.
I KNOW WE ALL HAVE BUSY LIVES.
I RUN A BUSINESS, A COMPANY, AND IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO ANSWER THE EMAILS TO RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S JUST A RECEIVED OR, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WE ARE ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT IS OUR DUTY TO RESPOND AND TO BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND WE ALL HAVE BUSY LIVES, BUT OUR RESIDENTS ARE OUR BIG CONCERN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE AND TRANSPARENT AND INFORMATION.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IF ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS I HAVE REQUESTED THAT MY E-MAILS GO STRAIGHT TO ME NOW, NOT FILTERED THROUGH JUST FOR THE FACT THAT I HAVE E-MAILS ALL DAY LONG WITH MY COMPANY AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IF THERE IS SOMETHING OF AN ISSUE, I WANT TO RESPOND QUICKLY. SO AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S BUSY, BUT PLEASE RESPOND AS YOU CAN.
OTHER THAN THAT, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AGAIN TO EVERYONE.
MY MOTHER AND JUST EVERYBODY OUT THERE HOPEFULLY HAVE A GREAT SUNDAY AND ENJOY THE WONDERFUL WARM WEATHER.
STAY SAFE. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
YOU'VE BEEN KEEPING US VERY WELL INFORMED AND HOPEFULLY THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE AND MAYBE GET SOME RELEASE FROM OUR COUNTY AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU ALL. MR. RUSSI, ANYTHING FURTHER? NO, WE HAVE THE ADJOURNMENT TO TOMORROW.
BUT SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY TWO OF YOU IN COMMENTS, WE ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION BY THE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE CENSUS AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY CAN GO IF THEY DON'T WANT TO FILL IT OUT, THE FORM THAT THEY GET.
SO, SEGUE INTO THOSE COMMENTS.
OK. SO OUR ADJOURNMENT WILL BE FOR TUESDAY, MAY 5TH AT 3:00 P.M.
FOR INTERVIEWS OF OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR MEASURE L-B.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS, ANY OTHER BUSINESS, ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO OTHER COMMENTS. 8:14 I CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.