[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:21]
>> STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
>> ROLL CALL. WE LOST SOMEBODY.
>> WE'RE HAVING FUN TODAY, AREN'T WE? [LAUGHTER]
>> I CAN DO ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
>> THAT'S A NEW ONE. MAYOR TIM HEPBURN HERE? [LAUGHTER] WE'RE ALL PRESENT.
[2020 Census Presentation - Daniel Lee, a Partnership Specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau’s LA Regional Census Center will provide a brief presentation with updates on the 2020 Census and information on how to take the Census step-by-step.]
>> WE MOVED TO PRESENTATIONS, MR. RUSSI, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> WE DO AND WE DO HAVE ONE, BUT WITH THE WAY EVERYTHING'S BEEN GOING BEAR WITH US.
[LAUGHTER] WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CENSUS TO PROMOTE TAKING THE CENSUS AND PARTICIPATING.
SO DANIEL LEE, I THINK IS IN THE WAITING ROOM AND I THINK HIS PRESENTATION IS DONE.
>> IS MR. LEE IN THE ROOM? HANG ON.
[BACKGROUND] WE'RE BRINGING HIM INTO THE ROOM RIGHT NOW, SO JUST GIVE US A MOMENT.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. LEE. HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME.
>> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON THE CENSUS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I THINK WE ARE READY FOR YOU TO START, SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE.
ONCE AGAIN, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, TO THE MAYOR, AS WELL AS THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
MY NAME IS DANIEL LEE AND I WILL BE DELIVERING SOME UPDATES AS WELL AS A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE US CENSUS 2020.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL GET INTO MY PRESENTATION.
IF YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
>> YES. [LAUGHTER] SO THE CENSUS IS EASY, IT IS SAFE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT, AND YOU ARE HERE TO SHAPE YOUR FUTURE.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERCAP OF THE CENSUS, I'M PRETTY SURE MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW.
BUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND TO ANYONE WHO ARE STILL UNSURE OF WHAT THE CENSUS IS, WHY DO THE CENSUS MATTER? BASICALLY, THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO IT.
THIS BASICALLY MEANS POWER IN WASHINGTON DC AND OUR REPRESENTATION AS CITIZENS AND AS JUST PEOPLE RESIDING HERE IN THE US.
SO CONGRESS IS DIVIDED INTO TWO BRANCHES, ALTER CHAMBERS.
ONE CHAMBER IS THE SENATE SIDE AND THE OTHER IS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
ON THE SENATE, WE HAVE TWO SENATORS PER STATE WHICH EQUALS 100 SENATORS TOTAL.
WHEREAS, ON THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SIDE, WE HAVE 435 TOTAL AND THAT IS DISTRIBUTED ACCORDING TO EACH STATE'S POPULATION COUNTS.
SO NATURALLY, SINCE CALIFORNIA HAS THE LARGEST POPULATION, WE NATURALLY HAVE THE MOST NUMBER OF CONGRESSIONAL HOUSE SEATS IN THE REPRESENTATIVE SIDE.
SO EVERY 10 YEARS THROUGH THE CENSUS, WE CALL UP THE REAPPORTIONMENT OF THESE CONGRESSIONAL SEATS.
OF COURSE, THAT SEAT COUNTS OR THAT DIVISION OF THAT PIE OF THE 435 SEATS WILL BE DETERMINED BY AN ACCURATE POPULATION COUNTS OF EACH STATE.
THIS ALSO LEADS INTO THE REDISTRICTING OF LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARIES.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES THINGS SUCH AS ZIP CODES, AREA CODES, AND ALSO VOTING PRECINCTS, AS WELL AS SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ALL AFFECTED BY THE CENSUS COUNTS.
SECOND, PROBABLY THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF
[00:05:03]
THE US CENSUS IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS AT STAKE.WE HAVE BILLIONS OF THESE DOLLARS THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ANNUALLY TO EACH REGION OF THE UNITED STATES, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON AN ACCURATE POPULATION COUNT.
SO BASED ON OUR POPULATION COUNT THAT SHOWS A HIGH POPULATION, THAT AREA WILL RECEIVE MORE SHARE OF THESE FUNDS.
THESE ARE FUNDS THAT WILL GO INTO PUBLIC AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES WHICH INCLUDE THINGS SUCH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OUR LIBRARIES, IT WILL GO INTO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION, IT WILL GO INTO SENIOR CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND ALSO SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE ALL MIGHT USE ONE DAY WHICH INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS SOCIAL SECURITY.
ALSO, FOOD STAMPS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THIS ALSO CAN COVER THE FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES ALONG WITH EBT FOOD STAMPS, AND EVEN SOMETHING AS SMALL AS FREE FLU SHOTS.
ALL COME FROM THIS BUDGET, AND TO REITERATE FURTHER, THIS CAN ALSO GO INTO REPAIRING OUR PUBLIC ROADS HERE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR OUR BRAVE FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL THAT HELP FIGHT OUR FIRES THAT ARE APPEARING SO FREQUENTLY HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
NEXT SLIDE. THE CENSUS DATA ITSELF IS ALSO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
IT CAN BE USED TO DIRECT FUNDS FOR SERVICES MADE AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVELS UP TO THE FEDERAL LEVELS.
IT CAN ALSO BE USED FOR PLANNING AN URBAN AND RURAL LAND USAGE, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.
IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO ESTIMATE POPULATION DISPLACEMENT FROM NATIONAL DISASTERS, AND ALSO FOR BUSINESSES.
IT CAN BE IDEAL FOR THEM TO DECIDE WHERE TO BUILD THE NEXT SHOPPING MALL OR WHERE TO BUILD THE NEXT GROCERY STORE.
NEXT. SPEAKING OF DATA, THERE'S ALSO THE QUESTION OF HOW SECURE IS OUR DATA.
WELL AS A SWORN-IN FEDERAL EMPLOYEE OF THE US CENSUS BUREAU.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR ANSWERS ARE PROTECTED BY TITLE 13 OF THE US CODE.
THIS MEANS THAT ALL OF YOUR DATA IS RECORDED IN CENSUS STATISTICAL FORMAT ONLY.
THAT WE DO NOT SHARE THIS PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY, THAT INCLUDES ICE, THE FBI, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE PSA, LOCAL SUPERVISORS, CITY OFFICIALS.
NO ONE ELSE CAN TOUCH THIS PERSONAL DATA EXCEPT FOR THE US CENSUS BUREAU.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS WHERE THIS INFORMATION MIGHT BECOME LEAKED, THEN WE AS CENSUS EMPLOYEES CAN FACE UP TO FIVE YEARS IMPRISONMENT OR A FINE OF $250,000.
SO WE TAKE YOUR DATA VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
THE 2020 CENSUS IS EASIER TO TAKE THAN EVER.
YOU CAN TAKE IT ONLINE, AS YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN, AND BY PHONE, AND ALSO THERE IS A TRADITIONAL PAPER FORMAT, AND IF WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM YOU WITH ANY OF THESE OPTIONS, THEN THERE WILL BE AN IN-PERSON INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF OUR CENSUS TAKER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
SO BY NOW, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL, WHICH IS AN INVITATION ASKING YOU TO TAKE THE CENSUS OVER THE INTERNET OR BY PHONE.
IN THE LEFT-HAND SIDE THERE, YOU CAN SEE IN THE CENTER PAGE THAT IT SAYS TO RESPOND TO MY2020CENSUS.GOV, WHICH IS THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN TAKE THE CENSUS ONLINE AND YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR VERY OWN CENSUS ID THAT IS ISSUED TO YOUR OWN RESIDENCY TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS.
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS A LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE PAGE, IF YOU REQUIRE OTHER LANGUAGES AS THE CENSUS CAN BE TAKEN IN 12 NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES.
SO IF YOU NEED THAT, THAT IS THERE FOR YOUR REFERENCE. NEXT PAGE.
THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER EMAIL THAT CAN ARRIVE IN YOUR MAILBOX DEPENDING ON IF YOU HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE CENSUS.
ON THE LEFT SIDE, FOR INSTANCE, THIS WOULD BE THE PAPER VERSION, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR LATER VERSIONS THAT WE'LL BE SENDING IF YOU HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE CENSUS.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS THE NOTICE OF VISITS.
IF WE STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM YOU, EITHER BY PAPER FORM OR BY ANY OF THE OTHER METHODS.
THAT RED ARROW INDICATES ALSO THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A CENSUS ID DESIGNATED TO YOUR RESIDENCY ON IT.
NEXT. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL ASK.
IF YOU HAVE TAKEN THE CENSUS ALREADY, YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS, BUT IT'S JUST NINE SIMPLE QUESTIONS THIS YEAR.
THE FIRST FEW QUESTIONS WILL TALK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RESIDING IN YOUR APARTMENT OR HOME ON APRIL 1ST.
WE WILL ALSO ASK IF YOU ARE RENTING OR OWNING THIS HOUSE.
NEXT. THE REST OF THE QUESTIONS GO MORE INTO DETAIL ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, OF COURSE, YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.
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THE REASON WHY WE ASK FOR THE TELEPHONE NUMBER IS NOT TO SPAM YOU OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU IN CASE ANY OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE TO US MAY BE INACCURATE OR IF IT HAS NOT BEEN FILLED OUT COMPLETELY.SO BE SURE TO FILL OUT ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS DESIGNATED HERE IN THE CENSUS, QUESTIONNAIRE.
THE REST OF THAT INFORMATION IS MORE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, INCLUDING YOUR NAME, SEX, AGE, AND OF COURSE, YOUR ETHNIC BACKGROUND. THAT'S IT.
SO THAT MEANS ONE PERSON CAN FILL OUT THE ENTIRE CENSUS FOR YOURSELF AND ALSO FOR ANYONE ELSE THAT LIVES IN THAT RESIDENCY OR THAT HOUSEHOLD, THAT INCLUDES YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOUR CHILDREN, GRANDMOTHER, GRANDFATHER, AS WELL AS ANYONE THAT'S LEASING, SUB-LEASING IN YOUR HOUSE OR JUST USING ONE OF YOUR ROOMS. ONE PERSON CAN FILL OUT UP TO 99 PEOPLE USING THE ONLINE OR THE PHONE VERSIONS.
SO YES, WE HAVE GIVEN A LOT OF LEEWAY FOR EVERYONE TO FILL OUT THE CENSUS.
THIS IS AN UPDATED TIMELINE OF OUR OPERATIONS.
THINGS HAVE BEEN SHIFTED AND DELAYED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS SITUATION.
MOST NOTABLY, THE ENTIRE OPERATIONS OF THE CENSUS ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN PUSHED BACK FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO NORMALLY, WE WOULD HAVE DELIVERED ALL OF THE CENSUS DATA INFORMATION TO THE PRECEDENTS IN THE OVAL OFFICE BY THE END OF THE YEAR ON DECEMBER 31ST, BUT THAT WILL BE NOW DELIVERED TO NEXT YEAR ON APRIL 30TH, 2021.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY TOP HERE, THE SELF RESPONSE TO TAKE THE CENSUS BY ONLINE FORM OR BY MAIL HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 31ST.
SO THAT IS A WIDE MARGIN OF TIME THAT YOU CAN BUILD UP A CENSUS.
ALSO, WE WERE LOOKING INTO THE MOBILE QUESTIONNAIRE ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHERE WE SEND OUT OUR GOVERNMENT WORKERS TO ON-SITE LOCATIONS WITH HEAVY FOOT TRAFFIC.
ANYONE WHO HAS NOT TAKEN THE CENSUS FROM THE PUBLIC CAN DO SO THROUGH OUR GOVERNMENT WORKERS WITH OUR GOVERNMENT ISSUED IPADS.
HOWEVER, THIS NEEDS FURTHER REVIEW DEPENDING ON EACH STATE'S AND LOCALITY'S REGULATIONS AND SOCIAL TESTING RESTRICTIONS DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS.
SO I WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED REGARDING THAT IN FUTURE.
THE OTHER BOLD POINT HERE, THE NON-RESPONSE FOLLOW-UP, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE HOME VISITS.
THIS ALSO HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST, AGAIN, TAKING INTO THE PRECAUTIONS OF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS.
AS OF NOW, WE ARE BASICALLY HAVING OUR WORKERS PROBABLY DROPPED OFF PACKAGES IN FRONT OF RESIDENT'S DOORSTEPS INSTEAD OF MEETING PEOPLE DIRECTLY, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS CONCERNS.
SO IF YOU SEE A CENSUS WORKER LEAVING A PACKAGE IN FRONT OF YOUR DOORSTEP, THAT WILL BE A CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE COPY FOR YOU TO FILL OUT.
THROUGH THAT, WE ARE TRYING TO MINIMIZE ANY SOCIAL INTERACTION.
NEXT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS MORE ON THE MOBILE QUESTIONNAIRE ASSISTANCE.
THIS WAS PROBABLY OUR FLAGSHIP OPERATIONS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING UNTIL THE CORONAVIRUS PUT EVERYTHING ON HOLD.
BUT YES, WE'LL BE ISSUING 4,000 CENSUS REPRESENTATIVES TO GO TO THOSE HEAVY FOOT TRAFFIC LOCATIONS.
WE'VE BEEN TARGETING PLACES SUCH AS GROCERY STORES AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP, AND ALSO PUBLIC TRANSIT HUBS.
ANYONE WHO HAS NOT TAKEN THE CENSUS, AGAIN, WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO THROUGH OUR GOVERNMENT WORKERS WITH THE BOOTHS THAT WE'LL SET UP THAT WILL OPERATE MUCH LIKE A POLLING STATION THAT YOU WOULD SEE DURING VOTING SEASON.
NEXT. SO THIS IS A MAP, THE CENSUS RESPONSE SCORES THAT YOU CAN SEE.
IT IS UPDATED EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT IS LIVE AND YOU CAN BREAK DOWN THE CENSUS RESPONSE FOR THE ENTIRE NATION DOWN TO THE STATE, DOWN TO THE COUNTY, AND DOWN TO CITY LEVELS.
YOU CAN ALSO DIVIDE THAT INTO FURTHER PIECES ACCORDING TO CENSUS TRACKS.
SO I JUST CHECK THE LA VERNE CITIES SELF-RESPONSE.
LA VERNE IS DOING VERY, VERY WELL RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AT OVER 71 PERCENT, WHEREAS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS AT AROUND 60 PERCENT MARGIN.
BUT AGAIN, YES, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE 100 PERCENT OF OUR RESPONSE RATE SO THAT EVERYONE IS INCLUDED AND THAT THE CITY OF LA VERNE CAN HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNTS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS OF FEDERAL FUNDS AND CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION.
SO THIS IS ALL AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE LINK ON THE BOTTOM FOR YOUR USAGE. NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE CENSUS ONLY TAKES ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO FILL OUT.
THOSE 10 MINUTES WILL IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
AGAIN, THE CENSUS IS SAFE, IT'S EASY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT.
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WITH THAT, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH MY CONTACT INFORMATION AND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LEE? NO QUESTIONS? MR. LEE, THANK YOU.
I WILL SAY THAT THE CENSUS BUREAU IS VERY PERSISTENT BECAUSE I THINK I FILLED MINE OUT MONTHS AGO.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU EXTEND IT, PEOPLE GET A LITTLE, I SHOULD SAY, LAX AND THEY DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH.
BUT YOU SEND A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE CENSUS WHETHER YOU FILLED IT OUT OR NOT.
SO I SAY YOU ARE PERSISTENT ON THAT.
SO [LAUGHTER] I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE LA VERNE AT, WHAT DO YOU SAY, 71 PERCENT?
>> YES. I THINK TODAY, WHEN I CHECKED THIS MORNING, IT WAS AT A LITTLE ABOVE 71 PERCENT.
[OVERLAPPING] SO YOU ARE DOING VERY WELL COMPARED TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND OTHER PARTS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. LEE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. [NOISE]
>> WE MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I DON'T THINK.
>> NO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY. [NOISE]
[6. CONSENT CALENDAR]
>> WE MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
>> I'LL MOVE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
>> SECOND. MR. CROSBY HAS HIS HAND UP FIRST, AND THEN A COUNCIL MEMBER, CARDER, ARE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> I NEED TO GIVE A LITTLE UPDATE ON.
>> [OVERLAPPING] OH, YES, PLEASE I'M SORRY, BOB.
>> [OVERLAPPING] MR. CROSBY HAS AN UPDATE ON THE COVID-19. I APOLOGIZE.
>> I'VE JUST BEEN USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A BRIEF FOR THE COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT I'LL BE SHARING, IS INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL THROUGHOUT THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND PROBABLY STUFF, THAT IS MORE RECENT AS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. [OVERLAPPING].
>> I THINK CANDICE GOT ON AND SHE STILL HAD HER FACEBOOK ON.
SHE WAS GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT TIME.
FIRST THING AS ALWAYS, I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT OUR FRONT-LINE STAFF OR CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS OUR CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY FOR THEIR CONTINUED WORK AND ALL THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN SAFE AND STAYING COMPLIANT WITH THE MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE AND THEN THE RESTRICTIONS.
I THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS A TESTAMENT TO FOLLOWING WHAT IS BEING PUT BEFORE US.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS, WE HAVE HAD 27 BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND 17 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE IN SOME WAY DONATE IT, WHETHER IT BE MONEY OR ITEMS OR FOOD TO OUR [OVERLAPPING].
SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN PROVIDING.
AS OF TOMORROW, WE WILL BE POSTING A LIST OF ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON OUR COVER PAGE AND THANKS TO OUR DONORS BECAUSE WE THINK THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE CONTINUED TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITHOUT THOSE DONATIONS AND ASSISTANCE AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE. [INAUDIBLE] AS OF TODAY HAS 24 CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID.
IT DOES INCREMENTALLY GO UP AS WE EXPECTED.
OUR CALL VOLUMES FOR FIRE HAVE WITHIN OUR TRADITIONAL LEVELS, WHILE THOSE OF PD ARE LOWER THAN WHAT ARE NORMAL BUT ARE SHOWING A SLIGHT INCREASE.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED IN ONE OF THE THINGS PD WANTED ME, POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTED ME TO POINT OUT IS, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING CALLS OF ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.
WE ARE NOTICING AND GETTING REPORTS THAT THERE ARE PERIODIC FIREWORKS THAT ARE BEING DISPLAYED OR BEING USED, AND SO WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME POSTING.
THEY WANTED ME TO REMIND THAT FIREWORKS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND SOUND OR OTHERWISE ARE ILLEGAL.
WE HAVE ADDED EXTRA OFFICERS THAT WE'LL BE DEALING WITH SPECIFICALLY WHAT THOSE CALLS, PARTICULARLY ON THE WEEKEND.
BUT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, WE HAVE TRIED TO REITERATE THAT MESSAGE AS I SAID THROUGH OUR MESSAGE BOARD, BUT ALSO THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THAT.
IF NECESSARY, SITES WILL BE ISSUED IF PEOPLE ARE FOUND.
SO WE'D ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT TO COME UP WITH THEIR OWN ON 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS THAT WAY.
AS FAR AS THE CAPACITY, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT BOTH POMONA VALLEY HOSPITAL AND FAIR PLAQUES HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE NEW CASES, WHETHER IT BE IN QUARANTINING OR ACTUALLY IN THE HOSPITAL ITSELF, THEY ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE FAIRFAXES AT 20 PERCENT OF WHAT THEIR CAPACITY IS.
SO WE CAN ACCOMMODATE WHAT MIGHT BE A SURGE TO OUR AREA IN A POLICE REPORT.
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR, I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR EXPRESSED OUT THERE AS, WHEN WILL SOME OF THESE MEASURES OR
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RESTRICTIONS BE REDUCE SO WE CAN GO BACK TO SOME TYPE ON NORMALCY? I JUST WANT TO REITERATE AND INSURE EVERYBODY WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE STATE AS WELL AS WHEN THE STATE AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE A REPORT THAT HAS AN EFFECT ON THE COUNTY.THE GOVERNOR HAD A REPORT TODAY THAT WAS GOING TO MAKE SOME EASIER OPPORTUNITIES FOR A LOT OF COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY DO SOME OF THEIR OPENING.
UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN IN EDIT DOESN'T APPLY AT LA COUNTY AT THIS POINT, I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE AND ASKED TO LOOK AT SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTY REGIONALLY AND ADVANCING THAT.
BUT AT THAT POINT, NONE OF THAT HAS OCCURRED.
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE ADDED A NEW SECTION TO OUR WEBSITE ENTITLED RE-OPENING AND THE PARAMETERS AROUND THAT, IT'S PRIMARILY AROUND BUSINESS CATEGORIES AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT BE CLOSE NOW, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THAT AS WE GET THE NEW MEASURES AND STANDARDS THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO APPLY.
WE WANT TO GET THE COMMUNITY OPEN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, AND WE WANT TO DO OVER WEEKEND TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AS EXPEDIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE SENT A LETTER LAST WEEK TO ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES MAKING THEM AWARE THAT THIS ACTION EXISTED.
WE ALSO SHARE IT WITH THE CHAMBER AND ASK THEM TO RE-POST IT OUT THERE TO TRY AND GET THAT INFORMATION AS MUCH OUT THERE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WE REALIZED THAT IS CRITICAL IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
THE CITY SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW, WE HAVE OVER A 110 RESIDENTS THAT ARE SIGNED UP ON THAT PROGRAM AND ANOTHER 12 THAT ARE IN THE STATE'S GREAT WHITE CRATE PLATES PROGRAM THAT WAS INSTITUTED JUST ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO IS KNOWN THROUGH THE COUNTY.
WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 35 THAT ARE ON OUR WAITING LIST, BUT I WANT TO ASSURE THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY THOSE 35 ARE CHECKED IN WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND IF THERE ARE, WE ARE GETTING THOSE TAKEN CARE OF.
WE ARE GETTING A COUPLE OF DONATIONS FROM VARIOUS GROUPS; ROTARY CLUB WAS ONE OF THE MOST RECENT ONES THEY DID, THAT PROVIDED A $1,000 TO HELP ASSIST IN PROVIDING MEALS FOR THOSE 35 ON THE WAITING LIST.
SO WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND IF THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED, WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE SO.
BUT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO FOLD THEM INTO SOME OF OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS. I JUST REPORTED TO THE ACCOUNTS AS COUNSEL KNOWS, WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE EFFECT OF THE REVENUES COVID IS HAVING ON AS IT RELATES TO OUR CURRENT BUDGET IN OUR FUTURE, OUR UPCOMING YEAR.
AS IT RELATES TO THE CURRENT YEAR, WE DO ANTICIPATE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO USE SOME AMOUNT OF RESERVES TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET, JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE LAST REVENUE WE EXPECT IN THIS 4TH QUARTER, OFFER A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE RESERVES IN PLACE, I THINK TO ADDRESS THAT, AND THE COUNCIL SAW THAT AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE EFFECT THAT WE'RE HAVING FOR NEXT YEAR, WE EXPECT OUR SALES TAX OR BUILDING PERMITS OR BUSINESS LICENSE AND SOME OF THE OTHERS WHERE WE EXPECTED OUR REVENUES TO BE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABOUT $1.3 MILLION LOWER.
BUT THAT PLUS ALL THE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS WE MADE, WE ARE GOING TO REQUEST THE ACCOUNTS WE USE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN RESERVES TO KEEP SERVICES AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY ARE AND OUR RESERVES WILL STILL STAY AT A LEVEL THAT I THINK THE COUNCIL FEELS VERY COMFORTABLE WITHIN OUR POLICY.
THE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE EFFORTS, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THOSE.
WE HAVE TWO OF A MANUAL AGENDA TONIGHT THAT I'M HOPEFUL WILL COME TO PASS AND THEN I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL HAD EXPRESSED IN THE STUDY SESSION WE JUST HAD IS TO LOOK AT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN LOCALLY PROVIDE STIMULUS BACK TO OUR BUSINESSES AN IDEALLY OR COMMUNITY IN AND WE EXPECT TO BRING THOSE FORWARD AS THE TIME AND WE GIVE SHAPE TO IT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OR SO.
THE LAST THING IS, AS WE LOOK TO REOPEN, I ASSURED LAST TIME THAT JUNE 1ST WAS OUR GOAL, WE STILL PLAN FOR CITY HALL TO BE REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC STARTING JUNE 1ST.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SOME PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS CHANGING SOME OF OUR PRACTICES TO CREATE A SAFER EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STAFF AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS THAT COMBINED BUSINESS.
SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON AND CONTINUE TO LOOK TO REOPEN OUR COMMUNITY AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.
>> NOW, THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS, BOB, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IN CASE SOMEBODY DIDN'T SEE OUR BUDGET REPORT EARLIER, TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING BUDGET IS THAT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT NEEDING TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE RESERVES THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE RESERVES IN A RAINY DAY FUND TO HANDLE THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE HAVE RESERVED THAT MONEY OVER THE YEARS AND IN SUCH A HIGH PROPORTION THAT WE HAVE.
[00:25:02]
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. RUSSI? THANK YOU, MR. RUSSI.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, THE GOVERNORS VARIANTS PLAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER BUGGERS VARIANTS PLAN TO TRY TO CUSTOMIZE DIFFERENT CITIES FOR OPENING SOONER THAN LATER AND OPENING THEIR BUSINESS SOONER.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
THEY'VE SENT A LETTER TO THE ATTORNEY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND ALSO TO FLORIDA, TO SAY, HEY SOME CITIES NUMBERS ARE GREAT, THEY DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT LA CITY DOES AND TO HELP US BECAUSE, I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR 50 PERCENT FOR RESTAURANTS, OBVIOUSLY UNDER THEIR STRICT GUIDES ARE BEING SAFE, BUT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO OPEN UP THE PET SALONS ARE OPEN I SAW THAT TODAY.
THERE TWO THAT WE'RE CLOSE, WE ARE ABLE TO OPEN.
THEY'LL OPEN TOMORROW I THINK, AND THEN THE EQUESTRIAN CENTERS WILL OPEN.
I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE AT FIRST DAY THAT TRAILS ARE OPEN IN MY LIFE.
THERE WAS HUNDREDS OF CARS AT THE BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE IN ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE HAVE TO PUSH AS A CITY, BE SAFE OBVIOUSLY, AND FOLLOW THE HEALTH GUIDELINES.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO GET OUR CITY BACKUP ON ITS TWO LEGS AGAIN.
BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, AND ALL COUNCIL TOO.
ROBIN, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S SUCCESSFUL OVER AT THE FAIRPLEX THAT COUNCIL WILL ALLOW AND WORKING WITH THE FOURTH JULY.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS.
AS A CITY, IF WE CAN DO IT, LET'S DO IT.
BUT AS LONG AS IT STAYS SAFE, WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
BUT OUR PEOPLE ARE READY TO GET GOING.
BUT I CAN SAY WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES.
BUT HOPEFULLY OUR SUPERVISOR WORKS STRONGLY AND SWIFTLY TO MAYBE ABLE TO OPEN UP SOONER.
>> THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD TO WHAT YOU SAID TIM, THAT, THAT'S ALL WONDERFUL.
BUT WHAT WE COULD DO HERE ALTOGETHER, BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE A COUPLE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND A NEW MAYOR RIGHT NOW.
SO WE NEED TO REMEMBER ANYTHING WE DO, WE DO AS A COUNCIL.
WHERE ONE PERSON, AND THEN WE RUN IT BY THE CITY STAFF, THAT WHICH IS OUR CITY MANAGER, THE CEO, THE CORPORATION, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
NO ONE'S GOING OFF ON THEIR OWN MAKING COMMITMENTS UNLESS WE ALL AGREE.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT WILL BE THE CASE.
WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS ONLINE AND KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS GOING OUT THERE, BUT WE JUST NEED TO OPEN UP SOONER THAN LATER.
>> NOTHING ELSE I HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> YES. I'M GOING TO THROW A NOTE OF CAUTION TO THOSE, THE REMARKS THAT ARE GOING ON.
I THINK IT'S GOOD NEWS THAT LA VERNE HAS A VERY LOW INFECTION RATE.
I THINK IT'S GOOD NEWS THAT LA VERNE IS DOING WELL WITH REGARD TO NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND HEALTH-WISE.
THE CONCERN THOUGH, IS STILL OUT THERE AND IT'S STILL REAL.
I'M STILL RETICENT TO JUMP TOO FAST TOO FAR BEFORE WE HAVE ADEQUATE TESTING SO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
HOPEFULLY THE TESTING WILL GIVE US ENOUGH GOOD INFORMATION AND GOOD NEWS THAT PEOPLE FEEL AS THOUGH THEY CAN RELY AND TRUST THE DATA THEY HAVE AND FEEL AS THOUGH THEY CAN MOVE ABOUT WITHOUT BEING CONCERNED WHETHER THEY HARM THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.
SO I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ISN'T EASY FOR ANYONE TO REMAIN IN HOLD WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR SCIENTISTS TO DO THEIR WORK, FOR DOCTORS TO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'VE GOT A HANDLE ON THINGS.
BUT WE REALLY NEED TO STILL HOLD ON AND BE PATIENT AND BE PRUDENT LIKE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE.
>> I DO AGREE, BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT, EVERYDAY OF BUSINESS IS SHUT DOWN, THAT'S ONE MORE BUSINESS COULD MAY HAVE OPEN AND MINDFUL OF HEALTH BY 100 PERCENT.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC TOO THAT IF WE CAN WITH THOSE GUIDES AND WITH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAY IT'S OKAY AND WE'VE GOT OUR NUMBERS.
WE NEED TO MOVE AHEAD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BUT IT'S ALSO THE SURVIVAL OF OUR BUSINESSES.
THOSE HAVE TO GO HAND IN HAND, BUT SAFETY FIRST, I DO AGREE. WE MOVE ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? WE MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 2034 MR. RUSSI IS THAT CORRECT? [NOISE]
>> I KNOW IT'S PUBLIC HEARING.
NOW, THE RESOLUTION 2034 WAS CONSENT I THINK.
[00:30:01]
>> NO PROBLEMS. JUST THOUGHT I MISSED SOMETHING ON THE REPORT. WE'RE GOOD.
>> NO YOU DID FIND THAT WAS ME.
THE MEETING BEFORE THE MEETING? [LAUGHTER] PUBLIC HEARING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT.
[a. Community Development Block Grant Business Assistance Grant -. The City of La Verne’s Business Assistance Grant would offer one-time $2,500 grants to eligible businesses to help them re-open, create jobs, retain jobs, and offer quality services to the residents of La Verne. The program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Businesses must meet all requirements to be eligible for the program. The Economic Development Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, and Community Development Director Scherer recommend approval of the Business Assistance Grant Program.]
>> YES, I WILL TAKE THIS ITEM, BUT CANDICE IS ALSO ON THE SCREEN.
IF I MISS ANYTHING OR YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, SHE WILL CERTAINLY JUMP IN AND ANSWER THEM.
SO THE CDBG FUNDS THAT THE CITY HAS, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, WE HAD OUR INITIAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANNUAL ALLOCATION, AND AT THAT POINT WE HAD A SURPLUS.
IN ADDITION, WE HAD IDENTIFIED SOME MONEY IN THAT YEAR'S PROGRAM FOR HOUSING REHAB PROGRAM.
BUT THE PROGRAM HADN'T BEEN PUT TOGETHER.
THOSE CDBG DOLLARS ARE RESTRICTED IN HOW THEY CAN BE USED.
THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC IN THEIR USAGE FOR WHETHER IT BE SERVICE PROGRAMS, OR FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY AS IT RELATES TO SIDEWALKS.
SO WE ALWAYS HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE BEING ABLE TO USE THEM TO THE MEANS THAT THEY ARE BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED AT THAT TIME WHEN THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WAS THE, COULD WE USE ANY OF THESE DOLLARS TO PROVIDE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AS PART OF COVID RELIEF.
STAFF DID SOME RESEARCH AND WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO PUT THESE DOLLARS TO USE IN THAT THING.
WITH THAT, WE GOT WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS THE GENERAL DIRECTION THAT THIS COUNCIL HAD GIVEN US, TO EXPLORE WITH THE CHAMBER, HOW WE COULD BE OF ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES AND PUT THOSE DOLLARS TO THE MOST USE POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS MUCH AS $300,000 THAT COULD BE PUT TO USE IN THIS PURPOSE.
SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OUTLINED AND IS PRESENTED TO YOU HERE TONIGHT, A BUSINESS SYSTEM PROGRAM THAT WOULD BASICALLY PROVIDE GRANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO $2500 FOR BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE FORGIVABLE PROVIDED THAT THEY MEET THE CRITERIA AND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THEY WILL GUARANTEE THE EMPLOYMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS AT OR BELOW THE MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL.
THE MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL FOR A SINGLE PERSON IS $60,000.
SO THAT EQUATES TO SOMETHING LESS THAN $30 AN HOUR IN WAGES.
SO THEY JUST HAVE TO COMMIT THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SECURE THAT PERSON'S EMPLOYMENT OR GUARANTEE THAT PERSON'S EMPLOYMENT, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT WE WOULD ASK INDIVIDUALS TO SUBMIT, OR BUSINESSES TO SUBMIT FOR, WE WOULD THEN VET THOSE APPLICATIONS AND BASED ON THESE NUMBERS, AND UP TO THE GRANT AMOUNT AS WELL AS IF WE WENT TO THE 300,000, WE COULD ACCOMMODATE ANYWHERE FROM A 100 TO ROUGHLY A 120 BUSINESSES THAT WOULD HAVE THAT NEED.
SO THE COMMITTEE HAS ADVANCED THIS WITH THE INPUT OF THE CHAMBER AS TO THE AMOUNT THAT WE FEEL WOULD BE OF ASSISTANCE TO SOME BUSINESSES AT THIS POINT.
THE LIST OF EXPENSES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE ARE OUTLINED HERE.
OVERHEAD EXPENSES, RENTS, BUSINESS SERVICES, LABOR, BUSINESS INVENTORY EXPENSES ASSOCIATED TO PROVIDING COVID COMPLIANT MEASURES THAT NEEDED TO BE EMPLOYED WITHIN THEIR BUSINESS.
SO IT'S A PRETTY GENEROUS OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
THE ONLY THING THAT IS OF CAUTION FOR BUSINESSES OR TO BE AWARE OF IS, THAT THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT VERIFICATION OF THOSE EXPENSES BECAUSE WE THEN HAVE TO PRODUCE THOSE FOR THE COUNTY WHERE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION TO CONFIRM THE DOLLARS ARE BEING USED AS IT WAS INTENDED.
SO IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRING REIMBURSEMENT, BUT OTHERWISE, BUSINESSES WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THIS MONEY AND BE FORGIVEN PROVIDED THAT THEY GUARANTEE THAT [INAUDIBLE].
SO I WILL STOP THERE, SEE IF EITHER THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAS ANY COMMENTS OR CANDICE, IF THERE WAS ANYTHING I MISSED THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
>> ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
LIKE WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, IS THAT IT'S GREAT TO HELP OUT MANY BUSINESSES.
WE DID TALK ABOUT LAST TIME THOUGH A PRIORITY AS WELL TO MAKING SURE WE HIT THE NEEDIEST BUSINESSES PRIOR, MEANING THAT THOSE THAT HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY OTHER FUNDS BEFORE.
[00:35:03]
IS THAT STILL THE CASE IN THIS? JUST SO THAT THERE WAS LIKE A TIERED LIST.>> YES. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF POINTS TO THAT, AND THANK YOU.
SOME OF THE ELIGIBILITY IS, THIS WOULD BE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT THE COMMITTEE, AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, IF YOU WANTED TO SHARE ANYTHING, THAT'D BE FINE TOO, BUT THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED OF.
IT'S ALSO, IF YOU'VE RECEIVED ANY OTHER COUNTY, OR STATE, OR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THESE DOLLARS, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE BEEN IN A BUSINESS THAT RECEIVED THOSE DOLLARS, YOU WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE AS WELL.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER CRITERIA.
IT'S FOR BUSINESSES OF LESS THAN 15 EMPLOYEES.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND WE FELT THAT THAT CRITERIA WAS A GOOD CRITERIA TO ESTABLISH AS WELL AS HAVING A CURRENT BUSINESS LICENSE AND OBVIOUSLY, BEING PHYSICALLY LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, I THINK MR. DAVIS WANTED TO ASK SOMETHING FIRST, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
>> YEAH. I HAVE JUST ONE QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S A TYPO.
IT SAYS THAT, "THEY SUBMITTED ALL COMPLETED REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BY MAY 11." IS THAT DATE THE ACTUAL DATE OR IS THAT A TYPO? [OVERLAPPING]
>> HEY, YOU CAUGHT IT, RICK. YES, THAT IS A TYPO.
>> GOOD. BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO HAVE A MEETING AND SAY, "YES, LET'S DO THIS" AND [INAUDIBLE]
>> SO OUR INTENT IS IF WE GOT CONCURRENCE WITH THIS WOULD BE TO; WE'RE PREPARED TO PUSH THIS OUT TOMORROW THROUGH THE CHAMBER IN ALL MEANS, BUT LEAVE IT OPEN FOR TWO WEEKS, SO THE DEADLINE WOULD BE MAY 29, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE IT TOO LONG AND WE WANTED TO GET GET THOSE APPLICATIONS VETTED AND THE MONEY ON AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH FOLKS THAT WHEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MET, IT WAS REALLY SHARING OF INFORMATION, IT WAS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION BECAUSE THE GOAL WAS, CAN WE HELP AS MANY BUSINESSES AS POSSIBLE AND IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING, THIS $2,500, AN AMOUNT THAT MAKES SENSE? BECAUSE THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY SOME BACK AND FORTH ABOUT, DO YOU DO A LARGER AMOUNT BUT THEN YOU HELP FEWER BUSINESSES, [NOISE] A LIMITED POOL OF FUNDS AVAILABLE.
SO I THINK IT WAS A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO THANK LEAH SKINNER FOR BRINGING A LOT OF THE VIEWPOINTS AND PERSPECTIVES OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND OUR BUSINESS OWNERS IN GENERAL SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ABOUT HOW TO CRAFT THIS APPLICATION AND HOW WE CAN BEST SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE MEETING.
I THINK RAN OVER A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, BUT ALL VERY GOOD DISCUSSION AND I THINK MEANINGFUL.
>> DID WE MENTION THE LOTTERY PART, COUNCIL MEMBER LAU? IF IT GOES OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE [NOISE] IT WILL BE A BLIND LOTTERY, WHICH GIVES EVERYBODY THE SAME CHANCE BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY JUST BY LUCK OF THE DRAW.
HOPEFULLY, NOT EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS IT GETS, THERE IS SOME STIMULUS, BUT THAT WAS A GREAT COLLABORATIVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU TRY TO DO AND YOU CAN'T, THEN YOU THINK YOU CAN, THEN YOU DO.
SO IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL, BUT I WILL ECHO THAT TO LEAH SKINNER, AND [INAUDIBLE] AND BOB AND MR. RUSSI.
BASICALLY, IT WAS A BRAINSTORM TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP AND HOW MANY WE COULD HELP. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER.
>> YES. I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I THINK IT IS BETTER TO HAVE LOWER AMOUNT TO IMPACT MORE BUSINESSES.
I'M THRILLED THAT YOU FOCUSED ALSO ON SMALL BUSINESSES WITH LOWER AMOUNTS OF EMPLOYEES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT THERE BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM DID NOT GET ANY STIMULUS IMPACT MONEY.
SO THANK YOU FOR MEETING AND TAKING CARE OF THIS SO QUICKLY.
>> WELL, AND JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW TOO, AS MAYOR HEPBURN INDICATED, IF THERE ARE A HUGE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS, WE WILL GO TO LOTTERY TO MAKE IT AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE.
BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT MAYBE WE'RE LESS, THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY FOR A SECOND ROUND UNTIL THE FUNDS ARE DEPLETED.
SO WE ARE GOING TO USE ALL THE MONEY TO HELP AS MANY FOLKS AS POSSIBLE.
>> MR. RUSSI. [OVERLAPPING] [NOISE]
>> RUSSI, DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CHECK.
WE DID NOT HAVE ANY IN ADVANCE.
SO IF WE CAN JUST WAIT A MOMENT AND SEE IF ANY DO CHIME IN RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I WILL GO CHECK.
[00:40:02]
>> THIS IS WHERE THE JEOPARDY MUSIC WOULD BE GOOD, RIGHT?
>> NOW I KNOW, SURE [LAUGHTER]
>> ON ADVANCE OF HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC OR A RESIDENTS, I COULD GO AHEAD AND STATE MY POSITION NOW, BUT I'LL WAIT TO LISTEN TO WHAT ANYBODY MIGHT SAY.
>> I JUST JUMP IN TO THANK MAYOR HEPBURN AND COUNCIL MEMBER LAU REALLY WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE FOR THIS TO REALLY WORK OUT FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR DOING THAT.
THEY'RE SO GOOD TO US. THEY'VE BEEN SO GOOD TO US FOR MANY YEARS.
WE REALLY NEED TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
WE LOVE OUR DOWNTOWN, WE LOVE OUR [INAUDIBLE] , WE LOVE THE RESTAURANTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO TAKE OUT NOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
THE FOOD IS WONDERFUL AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT ARE DOING AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB.
>> WE HAD NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO PARTICIPATE.
>> MR. MAYOR, YOU CAN DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AND SEE IF THERE'S A MOTION.
>> I DECLARE THAT NO OTHER COMMENTS, WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> I GUESS [NOISE] CLOSING OF THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I GOT IT, SORRY. OKAY. IT'S ME [LAUGHTER].
>> CLOSING THE LAUGHTER, I'LL SIMPLY STATE, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT FIRST STEP AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE MORE AS WE GO ALONG BECAUSE I THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GIVE THEM.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
AYE, BEFORE THE JEOPARDY MUSIC, SORRY.
WE MOVE ON TO COMPREHENSIVE FEE SCHEDULE. MR. RUSSI.
[b. 2020-21 Comprehensive Fee Schedule - The City’s comprehensive Fee Schedule, established by Resolution 17-23 and as amended by Resolutions 18-19 and 19-23, is reviewed each year in conjunction with the annual budget process. Adjustments are made to reflect changes in the cost of services in accordance with State and local law. Resolution 20- 37, provides for adjustments to the 2020-21 comprehensive Fee Schedule.]
>> ACTUALLY, MR. ALVARADO WILL BE HANDLING THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> MR. ALVARADO. THERE YOU ARE.
>> THANK YOU. TO MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS THE APPROVAL OF THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR 2020/2021.
EVERY YEAR, STAFF COMES BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FEES AND CHARGES THAT THE CITY SETS FOR DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.
THIS YEAR, THERE ARE JUST A FEW CHANGES AND A COUPLE OF NEW FEES THAT WE WANT TALK ABOUT AND GET YOUR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL.
FIRST IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TO THE SPECIAL PERMIT FEES, TWO OF THE FEES ARE NEW PERMIT FEES FOR SPECIAL PERMITS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CHARGED BEFORE.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS A GENERAL PERMIT FEE.
THE FEE ON THAT IS $80, AND THAT HAS BEEN INCREASED TO $332.
THE SPECIAL PERMIT FEES, WHICH COVER EVENTS SUCH AS MOBILE FOOD PREPARATION VEHICLES, OUTDOOR ASSEMBLIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, MOBILE FUELING, THOSE ARE ALL CONSIDERED UNDER STATE CODE SPECIAL PERMITS, AND THOSE ARE ALSO $332.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CALCULATION OF THESE FEES ARE BASED ON SURVEYS THAT THEY DID FOR SURROUNDING CITIES.
I WILL NOTE THAT THE FEES THAT ARE BEING SAID HERE ARE LESS THAN 100 PERCENT OF THE ACTUAL COST OF THE FEE.
PER STATE LAW, WE ARE NOT CHARGING ANYTHING MORE THAN THE ACTUAL COST OF THE SERVICE THAT IS BEING PROVIDED.
SOME OF THE OTHER FEES, THERE ARE TWO OR THREE FEES THAT ARE MORE CLEANUP.
LANGUAGE IN THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE, THE ENTERTAINMENT PERMIT FEE, THE DANCE AND/OR THE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT FEE, AND THE FENCES AND WALL PERMIT FEE, THOSE ARE JUST LANGUAGE CLEANUP.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THOSE THAT THEY WERE IDENTIFIED IN TWO DIFFERENT SPOTS.
SO JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAN, WE WANT TO ELIMINATE ONE SECTION OF IT SO IT'S NOT LOOKED AT IT AS POSSIBLY TWO DIFFERENT FEES AND IT MIGHT CONFUSE SOMEONE WHO'S LOOKING AT THAT FEE SCHEDULE.
IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT FEE,
[00:45:03]
AND THAT IS A CHANGE PER STATE LAW THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1ST, OF THE ACTUAL CALCULATION OF HOW THIS FEE IS BEING CALCULATED.FIRST UP UNTIL NOW, IT WAS A FLAT FEE OF $3000, NOW IT'S BEING CALCULATED BASED ON THE ADDITION, THE SQUARE FOOT OF THE NEW UNIT, BASED IN PROPORTION TO THE UNIT THAT IS ALREADY ON THE LOT.
BASICALLY, THE RESIDENCE THAT IS ALREADY THERE, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE SIZE OF THE NEW UNIT AND TAKING IT AS A PROPORTION.
SO GOING FORWARD, THE NEW FEE, SOME OF THEM WILL BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE NEW DWELLING UNITS, SOME WILL BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
THE LAST SECTION ARE THE CPI CHANGES TO THE REFUSE AND RECYCLING FEES BASED ON THE CITY'S CONTRACT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, THE CPI THAT IS ALLOWED FOR THIS COMING YEAR IS 3.22 PERCENT.
WELL, THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS BEING APPLIED TO ALL OF THE FEES THAT ARE BEING CHARGED, THAT ARE BASICALLY PASS-THROUGHS FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT, THROUGH THE CITY'S BILLING SYSTEM THAT GO TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT USE THE TRUST SERVICES.
I WILL NOTE THAT, ANY PROJECTED REVENUES, ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT POTENTIALLY WILL COME FROM THESE INCREASES, HAVE ALREADY BEEN FACTORED INTO THE PROJECTED REVENUES FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO THE NUMBERS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE STUDY SESSION, THESE NUMBERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FACTORED INTO THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE RIGHT NOW.
RESOLUTION 2037 DETAILS OUT ALL OF THE CHANGES TO THE COMPREHENSIVE FEE SCHEDULE, AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>>THERE WE GO. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ALVARADO? MR. CROSBY.
>> I JUST HAVE A COMMENT THAT I HOPE WE CAN USE THE ENTERTAINMENT FEES TO BRING BACK SO THAT WE HAVE SOME LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TOO.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS?
I DID REQUESTS THAT ANYTIME WE DO A FEE SCHEDULE UPDATE IS TO PUT WHAT WAS BEFORE AND AFTER.
THAT WAY OUR RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FEE INCREASES.
IT HELPS A LOT FOR ALL OF US TO SEE WHAT INCREMENTAL INCREASES THEY ARE, AND OUR STAFF DID THAT.
DAN MR. KIZZY TOOK CARE OF THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
YEAH. IS THERE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THESE?
>> WE NEED TO GO TO PUBLIC. IS THERE ANYBODY ON PHONE OR EMAIL?
>> ARE YOU SURE, SHOULD WE WAIT A FEW MINUTES OR A MINUTE?
>> YOU WANT TO PLAY YOUR SONG? [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT MAKES A LOT OF NOISE, TURN IT OFF.
>> [LAUGHTER]. OH MAN, I THINK I GOT RID OF IT.
>> MAKE IT SOME GRATEFUL DEED THIS TIME.
>> I WILL GO BACK TO MARK OR JR, ANYTHING?
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS?
>> I NEED A MOTION. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING AND I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 2037. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE [OVERLAPPING] MOTION 2037.
I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT OUR FOLKS WENT OUT AND SURVEYED THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TO FIND OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RELATIVELY THE SAME AS OTHERS.
>> WE HAVE A SECOND. WAS THERE A SECOND?
>> OKAY, MR. CROSBY IS SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NONE. MOTION CARRIES.
[a. Old Town La Verne Business Improvement District – Request to Refund Assessment Charges Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic - The Old Town La Verne Business Improvement District (OTLVBID) Advisory Board has requested that the City Council approve the refund of the 2019/2020 annual assessment charges to those businesses that have paid the assessment in order to provide COVID-19 related relief. The Board has also requested that the Council consider refunding all business license taxes for all businesses in La Verne as well. The Old Town La Verne Business Improvement District (OTLVBID) Advisory Board and Community Development Director Scherer recommend that the City Council approve the refund of the annual assessment charged to the businesses in Old Town La Verne.]
IS THAT CORRECT MR. RUSSI? TO OLD TOWN [INAUDIBLE] BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT REQUEST A REFUND ASSESSMENT CHARGES DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.>> YES, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, THANK YOU.
I THINK IS ERICK COMING INTO THIS MEETING? I THOUGHT HE WAS, BUT I DO NOT SEE HIM UNLESS HE'S IN THE ROOM WITH JR.
[00:50:03]
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S A DELAY.>> OKAY. WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START AND THEN HE CAN JUMP IN.
THERE WAS A LETTER, THERE WAS A SPECIAL DBID MEETING ACTUALLY AT THE MONTHLY MEETING THIS LAST MONTH, THEY TOOK AN ACTION.
THE DBID IS A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AS PART OF THEIR STRUCTURE, THEIR GROUP HAS ELECTED TO TAX THEMSELVES.
IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS.
IT'S ON THEIR PROPERTY TAX, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY USE FOR THE BENEFIT AND ADVANCEMENT OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FUNDED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THAT SPECIAL TAX AMOUNTS TO ROUGHLY $18000 A YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT BREAKS OUT FOR BUSINESS, BUT NONETHELESS, THAT'S WHAT GETS GENERATED AND EARMARKED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
IT DOESN'T GO TO THE GENERAL FUND, IT HAS A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, AND THEY BASICALLY GIVE AUTHORITY ON HOW THOSE DOLLARS GET USED IN THAT AREA.
BUT THEN IT'S APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
AT THEIR MEETING THIS LAST MONTH, THEY ASKED AND THEY HAD SENT A LETTER TO THE COUNCIL REQUESTING CONSIDERATION THAT THIS YEAR'S ASSESSMENT BE REFUNDED BACK TO THEM, GIVEN THE FACT THAT, A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES DOWN THERE, I THINK THEY WERE CLOSE TO 70-80 ARE IN NEED OF SOME TYPE OF ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS WHILE IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT, BACK INTO THEIR HANDS.
SO WE'VE ADVANCED THAT REQUEST TO THE COUNCIL AND ARE JUST ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS.
ERICK, YOU GOT A SEAL ON YOUR HEAD, AND AT LEAST, PLACE THAT ON THERE AND GO FROM THERE.
I WILL STOP AND SEE IF ERICK HAS ANYTHING TO ADD.
HE WAS PART OF THE MEETING THAT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO AND THEY HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SHARE.
>> NOTHING ELSE TO SHARE JUST I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS INSTIGATED BY THE OLDTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION AS A WAY TO RECOMMEND THAT THEY CAN HELP FURTHER SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESSES.
THERE ALSO, THE ASSOCIATION WAS ALSO DOING THEIR OWN PROGRAM FOR THOSE BUSINESSES IN NEED WITH THEIR OWN BUDGET, SEPARATE FROM THIS ACTION.
BUT WE FELT THAT THIS WOULD MAKE SENSE TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AT OLDTOWN.
>> WE HAVE GOT QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS?
ERICK, YOU AND I TALKED THIS MORNING AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD CONCEPT AND I SUPPORT IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS MONEY IS MONEY THAT THEY PAY INTO TO HAVE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND ALL THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN STOPPED.
SO I THINK THE MONEY GOING BACK TO THEM IS APPROPRIATE.
>> YES. I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH COUNCIL MC CARDER THAT THEY'RE ASKING BACK IS THE 13,500, BUT THEY HAVE A RESERVE BALANCE OF OVER $200 000 IN THIS SOURCE.
NOT ELIMINATING THEIR FUND ALREADY, IS THEIR MONEY THEY PUT IN, THEY HAVE NOT USED ANY OF IT.
IF THEY HAVE A DEEP RESERVE FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO I SEE NO CONFLICT OF RETURNING THEIR MONEY.
>> I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'RE ON A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ONE OR NOT, BUT I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND THROW MY SUPPORT IN SAYING THAT, I THINK RELIEVING AND PROVIDING THE GROUP A LITTLE BIT OF THEIR FUNDS BACK IS A FINE THING IN THIS CASE.
>> JUST A COMMENT, THAT WILL GO TO A PUBLIC FORUM.
IT'S GENEROUS THAT THEY ARE ALSO DONATING, I THINK IT WAS $20,000 ERICK OF THEIR MONEY GIVEN BACK TO THEM.
SAY YOU'VE GOT A CHUNK IS NOT A LOT, BUT EVERY BIT HELPS.
SO I DO AGREE. SO WE WANT TO OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS? MR.RUSSI?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I BROUGHT IN ERICK, HE'S IN WITH JR.
>> NO. SHOULD WE WAIT A MINUTE, I DON'T HAVE MY JEOPARDY MUSIC STARTING. I LOST IT.
[OVERLAPPING] BUT WAIT JUST A MINUTE TO MAKE SURE, THEN WE'LL- WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
>> I KNOW, HE'S IN HERE [LAUGHTER].
>> IT'S JUST KILLING ME THERE.
>> [LAUGHTER] I THINK WE'RE GOOD. WE SHOULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. DO I HAVE A MOTION?
>> COUNCIL ROBIN CARDER, SECOND COUNCIL WENDY LAU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.
[b. Mayor Hepburn asked to bring back the Rules and Decorum for consideration of changes to the rules.]
THE RULES OF DE QUORUM FOR CONSIDERATION OF CHANGES TO THE RULES.[00:55:03]
THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT THIS BACK WAS JUST WE HAVE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WANTED YOU TO READ THROUGH IT, SEE WHAT IT WAS.I HAD ONE ITEM THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE DONE, WHICH WAS CHANGE THAT A RESIDENT HAS TO GO THROUGH A COUNCIL MEMBER IN ORDER TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK THAT'S THE GIVEN RIGHT OF OUR RESIDENTS TO PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA, WHATEVER THEY WISH TO DISCUSS.
IT'S JUST MESSY, AND I THINK IT'S EASIER FOR THE RESIDENTS TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THAT WAS MY ONLY REAL ASK, JUST TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST TO REVIEW IT RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW WE HAVE STUFF ON OUR PLATE. THAT WAS IT, JUST TO REVIEW.
MY COMMENT IS JUST MAKE IT THAT ANY RESIDENT COULD PUT ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA THEY WISH TO. COUNCIL ROBIN CARDER.
>> YES. WELL, I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS, TIM.
THE REASON WE SAID THAT ONE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE THE ONE TO BRING IT IS BECAUSE IF A RESIDENTS WANT TO PUT THEIR ITEMS, WHATEVER THEY FEEL ON THE AGENDA, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPORT, THEN IT'S NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE ANYHOW.
SO IT'S BEST TO HAVE IT GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL.
IT'S OUR MEETINGS HELD IN THE PUBLIC.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO STICK WITH THIS.
>> MR. MAYOR, YOU AND I HAD ACTUALLY A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK TOO.
I WENT AND DID A LITTLE SURVEY OF LOCAL CITIES AROUND US JUST TO SEE THAT POINT AND TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
I COULD NOT FIND ANY OTHER CITY THAT WOULD HAVE JUST A RESIDENT PUTTING STUFF ON THE COUNCIL.
I'VE HAD RESIDENTS COME AND ASK ME QUESTIONS AND DO THAT, AND I WENT AND FOUND INFORMATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY NEIGHBOR, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO REMOVE A TREE.
IN THAT SCENARIO, HE COULD PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA WHICH IT WOULD NOT BE AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT I DIRECTED HIM TO THE RIGHT RESOURCE TO FIND OUT INFORMATION FROM THE CITY, AND I HELPED FACILITATE THAT.
I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE ARE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RESIDENTS AND WE CAN HELP FACILITATE INFORMATION.
THAT'S WHY I HELPED FACILITATE BY PUTTING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, CHOOSING OR HELP FACILITATE BY DIRECTING THEM TO THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT TO GET THINGS FIXED AS WELL.
>> I WOULD CONCUR WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
I THINK OPENING IT UP TO HAVING ANY RESIDENT BRING WHEREVER THEY WANT, IT IS REALLY OVERLY BROAD.
TO RICK'S POINT, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BETTER HANDLED AT THE STAFF LEVEL OR JUST FACILITATING THAT CONNECTION OR THAT PERSON THAT THEY SHOULD BE REALLY COMMUNICATING WITH.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO END UP POTENTIALLY INUNDATING ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WITH THINGS THAT REALLY SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AT A STAFF LEVEL.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE WERE VOTED INTO THESE POSITIONS TO SERVE AS THE REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CITIZEN.
SO WE'VE ALL MADE OUR EMAIL, OUR PHONE NUMBERS, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WHATEVER IT IS, ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS.
SO I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT SOMEONE FEELS THAT THERE IS A REALLY PRESSING ISSUE THAT THEY THINK SHOULD BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW OR TO DISCUSS, THEN THEY REACH OUT TO ONE OF US AND WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT AND PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I THINK OPENING IT UP IN THE MANNER THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS GOING TO BE REALLY BROAD AND MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT, NOT ONLY FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BE RUN EFFICIENTLY, BUT ALSO PUTTING A STRAIN ON STAFF AND HAVING THESE EXTENDED MEETINGS POTENTIALLY.
SO I WOULD PREFER TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS AND ENCOURAGED FOLKS THAT, "HEY, THIS IS AN OPEN DOOR." I THINK WE'VE ALL SAID THAT AS MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL THAT WE WANT TO BE ENGAGED, WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ENGAGED WITH US AND TO FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING TO US ABOUT THINGS.
>> THANK YOU. I LOOK AT IT ALSO FROM A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT IS THAT I REMEMBER SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY OUR RESIDENTS THAT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO IT AND THERE WAS A DEADLINE AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
IN THIS WAY, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NOT ONLY JUST SOMEBODY TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF AND TO TALK TO WHEN THEY HAVE FRUSTRATIONS AND THEY NEED THINGS, WE CAN DIRECT THEM AS COUNCIL MEMBERS LAU AND CROSBY HAD SAID, OR WE CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT AND TRY TO FRAME THE ISSUE KNOWING THE TIMING OF WHEN IT COULD MAKE AN AGENDA.
SO WE'RE REALLY THERE TO HELP SHEPHERD THE IDEA IF IT IS COUNCIL-WORTHY, IN SO FAR AS THAT'S A BUSINESS ITEM WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
[01:00:02]
SO IT'S NOT JUST TO DO IT YOURSELF CITY THAT SAYS, "WELL, I TOLD YOU YOU COULD DO IT YOURSELF," SO YOU GOT TO JUST FIGURE IT ALL OUT.WE'RE THERE TO HELP OR WE'RE GOING TO WALK THEM TO THROUGH THE STEPS, TO BE THE CHAMPION OF IT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO I SEE THIS AS NOT JUST REDUCING A BARRIER BUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS LEARN AND GROW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF KEEPING IT THE SAME.
>> I THINK YOU RAISE A REALLY GOOD POINT.
I'M A VERY BIG PROPONENT OF SUCCESSION PLANNING, AND I THINK THAT WE WANT TO SEE CONTINUED GOOD LEADERSHIP OF OUR CITY.
I THINK ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO HELP EDUCATE OUR PUBLIC, BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE IMMENSELY QUALIFIED.
I THINK TO SIT NOT ONLY THESE COUNCIL SEATS BUT ON PLANNING COMMISSION, AFTER TRANSPORTATION AND WHAT NOT, BUT MAYBE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT HOW THINGS RUN.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO ENCOURAGE THAT BECAUSE THINGS HAPPEN.
NOT ALL OF US ARE GOING TO STAY ON COUNCIL FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
LIKE THINGS HAPPEN AND WE WANT TO HAVE THAT NEXT GENERATION OR THAT NEXT ITERATION OF COUNCIL PEOPLE AND LEADERS TO TAKE OVER AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT THE PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAVE DONE.
SO I REALLY LIKE THAT IDEA OF HOW CAN WE FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THE CITY.
>> I APPRECIATE ALL THAT, AND BEING THE LAST FEW YEARS GOING THROUGH ELECTION IN TIME, I WOULD SAY THAT SOME OF THE MEETINGS WERE RATHER TOXIC.
SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR ISSUES ADDRESSED POINT COUNTERPOINT.
I THINK ALSO WITH THE EMAILS BEING READ, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS FOR THE FACT THAT WE, AS A COUNCIL, REPRESENT OUR RESIDENTS.
IF THE RESIDENTS HAVE A CONCERN WHETHER IT'S TOXIC OR NOT, THEN WE MUST ADDRESS THEM TO THE RIGHT PERSON IN OUR CITY TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
AS WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST, IT WAS A STONEWALL AND THAT'S NO EXCUSE.
IT'S ALSO NOT AN EXCUSE TO, AT LEAST, ANSWER ANY MAIL, ANSWER A RESIDENT.
IF IT'S TOXIC ON THEIR END, WE JUST FORWARD THAT STRAIGHT OVER TO THE CITY OR THE CITY ATTORNEY IF IT'S CROSSING OVER THE BARRIERS.
BUT AS A COUNCIL, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
THAT WAS REALLY WHY I WANTED TO BRING IT UP FOR THE FACT THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALL OPEN FOR A SUGGESTION, WE PUSH IT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T OVER BURDEN THE MEETINGS FOR SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HANDLE AT STAFF LEVEL, WHICH 99 PERCENT OF THE TIME, I WILL SAY, CAN BE HANDLED AT STAFF LEVEL, THAT IS A VERY CORRECT STATEMENT.
BUT I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE ADDRESSED THE EMAIL ISSUES.
I THINK WE'VE ADDRESSED THAT OUR RESIDENTS ELECTED US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE IN OUR POSITIONS TO TRUST, TO MONITOR, AND BE STEWARDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO BE TRANSPARENT.
SO AS LONG AS WE ALL STAND BY THAT, I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT AT ALL.
>> AS WE'RE ON THIS SUBJECT AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON, THERE IS ONE ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BEFORE ALL OF YOU BECAUSE THIS IS AN AGENDIZED TO ITEM.
IT'S ON PAGE 95 OF THE RULES AS ITEM NUMBER D. IT'S NON-AGENDIZED MATTERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE IN HERE AFTER TO ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE COUNCIL AT ITS DISCRETION IMPOSES TIME LIMITS.
AT THIS TIME, I FEEL IT'S TIME THAT WE PUT A TIME LIMIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
I'VE RESEARCHED DIFFERENT CITIES AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE THREE MINUTES IS THE TIME THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN USING.
SOME OF OUR COMMENTS JUST GO ON AND ON AND ON.
TO GIVE EVERYBODY ELSE AN OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD THINK THAT A THREE MINUTE TIME TO BE ABLE TO GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS.
BUT ALSO, WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE LEAVE MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT IT UP TO BE ABLE TO TALK.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A THREE MINUTES ADDED TO THIS.
>> DO WE HAVE TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST BEFORE WE MAKE ANY MOTIONS OF MISTRUST?
>> THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IN ANY AGENDA ITEM, AND THIS IS AN AGENDA AND SO WE SHOULD ASK [OVERLAPPING].
>> I UNDERSTAND, ROB, WE MIGHT WANT TO WAIT COUNCILMAN CARDER ABOUT THE COMMENT AND THEN GO BACK TO MAKE A EMOTION. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> MR. CROSBY. MR. RUSSI, WHAT?
>> WELL, I'LL LET THE COUNCIL FINISH AND THEN I'VE GOT A QUESTION TO CLARIFY, BUT GO AHEAD.
>> I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT TO TALK ABOUT COUNCILMAN CARDER'S SUGGESTION WAS AGAIN, AFTER SPEAKING TO YOU, MR. MAYOR, TALKING WITH THESE LOCAL CITIES AROUND US.
[01:05:01]
THAT WAS A NORM FOR THE CITIES AROUND AND SITTING IN MEETINGS WHERE PEOPLE WERE TALKING 18 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC AND THEN COMING UP AND ANOTHER PERSON WANT TO COME UP AND HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN SAY EVERYTHING WITHIN THAT SHORT TIME AND GET YOUR POINT ACROSS CLEARLY, AND IT WOULD HELP RUN THINGS A LITTLE SMOOTHER TOO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, THAT I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THAT AS WELL AT THE LOCAL CITIES AROUND.
>> JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THE MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER, ARE YOU ADDRESSING JUST THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOT PUBLIC HEARINGS?
>> WELL, THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, MAYBE ALL DISCUSSION SHOULD BE THREE MINUTES FOR HEARINGS EVEN.
SO THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF YOU, BUT FOR SURE, PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> I THINK THIS MAY HELP FRAME IT A LITTLE BIT, I THINK TO COUNCILMAN CROSBY'S POINT.
A THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT OR WHATEVER THE TIME LIMIT MAYBE IS NOT OUTSIDE OF THE NORM FOR ANY CITY OR ANY ORGANIZATION.
PARTICULARLY ONE THAT ENACTS ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER FOR PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEETINGS ARE RUNNING MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND I KNOW MAYOR HEPBURN INDICATED THAT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENFORCING THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT GOES ON.
SO THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN PLACE WITHIN ROBERT'S RULES TO NOT ONLY LIMIT TIME OF THE SPEAKER, WHICH WE CAN DO OBVIOUSLY IN THE RULES OF DECORUM.
SAY, IT'S A THREE-MINUTE LIMIT WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC HEARING OR PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT FURTHER TO THAT, I THINK THAT WHEN WE HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE LASTING AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME, THERE IS AN ABILITY TO MAKE A MOTION TO CUT OFF DISCUSSION AFTER A CERTAIN POINT.
THAT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO HAS A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT IS HEARD.
BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF TIMES TOO, WE HEAR THE SAME POINT REITERATED, AND I THINK THAT CAN BE TEDIOUS.
I THINK ON SOME THINGS IT'S FINE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A TON OF PEOPLE.
BUT ON BIGGER ISSUES, I THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE MEETINGS ARE RUN EFFICIENTLY.
THAT PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND THAT IT'S DONE SO IN A CLEAR MANNER SO THAT IT'S NOT, TO COUNCILMAN CARDER'S POINT, WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO LEAVE BECAUSE THE MEETING'S GONE TOO LONG, AND THEY UNFORTUNATELY, DIDN'T GET TO SHARE THEIR POINT OF VIEW, WHICH IS AS IMPORTANT AS ANYONE ELSE WHO DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AS PART AND PARCEL OF THIS DISCUSSION, I WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO REVIEW ROBERT'S RULES, BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IT, SO THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD EFFICIENTLY.
>> I GUESS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS I LIKE STRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY STRUCTURE THAT'S SUPPORTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THE THREE-MINUTE LIMITATION FROM PUBLIC REGARDLESS OF COMMENT OR PUBLIC HEARING OR OTHER AGENDA IS MATTERS WOULD WORK AND HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR POINTS SUCCINCTLY.
ANOTHER PIECE THAT I WAS GOING TO OFFER SIMPLY BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENED TO COME UP IS, DURING THE ZOOM MEETINGS, I'D LIKE TO FIND A WAY AND MAYBE IT'S WITHIN THE RULES AND DECORUM AND RECOGNIZE WE DON'T OPERATE BY ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
WE'RE DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE WANT TO DO THINGS MORE LIKE ROBERT'S RULES.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO ROBERT'S RULES, BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET THE IMPRESSION THAT WE ALREADY OPERATE BY ROBERT'S RULES AND THEREFORE THEY'RE LOOKING AT US AND SAYING, YOU GUYS AREN'T STRICT IN THAT, AND THAT'S TRUE.
WE'RE NOT AS STRICT AS ROBERT'S RULES, WHICH IS WHY WE CAME UP WITH THIS DECORUM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BUT WHAT I WAS THINKING THAT FOR THE ZOOM MEETINGS, IF ON THE AGENDA IT SAID MAKE SURE YOU SEND AN E-MAIL OR A TEXT OR SOMETHING BEFORE YOUR AGENDA ITEM COMES UP THAT YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE SO THAT WE AREN'T DOING THE JEOPARDY MUSIC WAITING TO SEE IF SOMEBODY COMMENTS.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE LA COUNTY BEING ONE OF THEM, HAS WRITTEN IN THEIR AGENDA PACKAGE THAT GOES THAT SAYS, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A HARD AND FAST RULE, BUT EVEN IF WE JUST PUT IT IN THE AGENDA ITEM THAT SAID, "PLEASE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE THE E-MAIL, BUT YOU NEED TO LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM, PREFERABLY BEFORE WE EVEN START THE MEETING SO THAT WE KNOW WHO WE'RE ANTICIPATING RATHER THAN POTENTIALLY JUST MISSING SOMEBODY."
[01:10:02]
>> THE PROBLEM THERE IS THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS IS INTERACTIVE AND WHILE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT IN THESE TIMES TO THE RANGE FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE BASED UPON WHAT THEY'RE HEARING IN THE HEARING AND REACTING TO IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, AND THERE ARE SOME PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE INDIVIDUALS MAY KNOW THAT THEY WISH TO ADDRESS AND KNOW WHAT THEY WISH TO SAY BEFORE THE MEETING GETS STARTED.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE, AGAIN, IT'S AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS.
THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO REACT.
>> I WOULD JUST CONCUR WITH THAT.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PAIN WITH THE ZOOM.
I THINK TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, WE DO ENCOURAGE FOLKS THAT IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC POINT THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE OR SHARE, THAT THEY DO SUBMIT THAT AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE THEN WE CAN HEAR THOSE AS OTHER PEOPLE ARE MAYBE TRYING TO CALL IN OR E-MAIL OR OR WHATEVER.
BUT I GET IT. SOMETIMES NEW INFORMATION POPS UP AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO PRECLUDE THOSE FOLKS FROM BEING ABLE TO SHARE THEIR POINT OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SO I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT [OVERLAPPING] A LITTLE BIT.
>> I GUESS I WAS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SUBMIT SAYING I MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I'D RATHER HAVE SOMEBODY SAY, "NO, I'M DONE," RATHER THAN HAVING SOMEBODY AT THE LAST MINUTE SAID, "WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BUT I WASN'T QUITE SURE UNTIL MAYOR SPOKE." [LAUGHTER]
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I THINK WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO IT, BUT I THINK WE REALIZE THAT THERE MAY BE FOLKS THAT POP UP.
>> RIGHT. I DON'T THINK IT'S A HARD AND FAST RULE.
MAYBE JUST A SUGGESTION THAT PEOPLE LET US KNOW EARLY.
WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ON ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD ADOPT THOSE, I DO.
I PERSONALLY THINK WE SHOULD ADOPT ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
IT'S VERY LENGTHY, IT'S A LOT, BUT YET WE CAN USE THE EDITED VERSION, BUT WE CAN FOLLOW THOSE RULES.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A NICE, I THINK THIS IS FOR MAYBE A DISCUSSION, ANOTHER DISCUSSION AT ANOTHER TIME, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A METHOD OF FOLLOWING THE RULES.
THERE'S METHODS OF MOTIONS, SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT AT A FUTURE DATE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS THE COUNCIL CLOTHING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
I JUST WANTED TO THROW IT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
MAYBE POLO SHIRTS AND NOT NECESSARILY TIES AND STUFF.
THAT'S OKAY. MR. CROSBY, I DON'T MIND NOT WEARING A BOW TIE. I REALLY DON'T.
MAYBE LA VERNE POLO SHIRT AND I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE TO EVERYBODY.
IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT NOW THAT WE'RE IN ZOOM, A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE YET, OBVIOUSLY CLEAN SHAVEN AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT I JUST THROW IT OUT THERE.
WHAT ARE YOUR GUYS' THOUGHTS? I MEAN.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT WENDY AND I WON'T WEAR A SHIRT AND TIE.
THAT [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER].
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I ALWAYS FEEL A LITTLE BIT BAD FOR THE MEN BECAUSE I FEEL THE CONFINES OF WHAT YOU ARE IS CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL WEAR IS A LITTLE BIT STRICTER THAN I THINK, WE CAN WEAR DRESSES, WE CAN WEAR BLOUSES.
ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, ONE LESS THING FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE TO.
SO MR. CROSBY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> WELL, DOES THAT MEAN WE CHANGE THE PROCESS FOR ACTION BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TIE VOTE.
>> I'M NOT SURE THIS IS PART OF THIS ITEM. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER]
>> I THREW IT IN THERE ANYWAY, I THOUGHT I WOULD, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING TO THROW AWAY. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING].
>> THREE OR FOUR TIES IF I GOT MORE VOTES FOR THAT.
>> OKAY, BUT WE NEED TO OPEN THIS UP TO THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.
>> WE NEED TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
>> THERE WASN'T WHEN I GOT UP A MOMENT AGO, BUT I WILL CHECK ONCE AGAIN.
>> YOU GOT TO TELL ME, I CAN GET MY JEOPARDY MUSIC.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC.
>> SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE MY MOTION AND I AM GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE A TIME LIMIT OF THREE MINUTES PER PERSON, AND THAT WOULD BE FOR ANY, RATHER IT'S HEARING OR PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE MOTION.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED. NO ONE. THANK YOU.
>> NOW. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING.
WELL, WE ALREADY DID IT ACTUALLY ANYWAY, BUT WHATEVER.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING IF THERE ARE NO COMMENTS.
[LAUGHTER] WE WENT AHEAD OF THE GAME THERE.
[01:15:02]
>> YEAH, PLEASE. PLEASE ADJUST THOSE.
[LAUGHTER] WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LAST ORDER OF BUSINESS.
I'VE LOST MY PAPERWORK, [NOISE] ABOUT FORENSIC DISCUSSION ON A FORENSIC AUDIT.
[c. Mayor Hepburn requested consideration of a Forensic Audit.]
[NOISE] I'VE LOST MY PAPERS, BOB. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.>> I GOT EVERYTHING MIXED UP HERE.
THE REASON I BROUGHT THAT UP, AND THE ONLY REASON IS BECAUSE WE'RE COMING IN WITH MEASURE LB, WHICH HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT, ABOUT THREE-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE.
IT'S NOT THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATION THAT I'M LOOKING AT AS FAR AS ANY WRONG DOING.
IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT I DID DISCUSS THIS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AND I DID TALK ABOUT THIS ON MY PLATFORM FOR MAYOR, IS THAT I WANT A CLEAN SLATE TO MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT IS SQUEAKY CLEAN.
I KNOW A FORENSIC AUDIT COSTS MONEY.
I KNOW THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATION.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MR RUSSI ABOUT IT AND THAT'S NOT THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATION. IT'S A CLEAN SLATE.
A REGULAR AUDIT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN A FORENSIC AUDIT.
I WANTED TO BRING IT UP FOR DISCUSSION FOR THE FACT THAT WE PROMISED OUR RESIDENTS THUS MEASURE LB.
WE'VE GOT A COMMITTEE NOW FOR IT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ACCOUNT WE HAVE, IT'S CLEAN, IT'S AIRTIGHT, AND IF EVERY CENT GOES IN AND COMES OUT IS ACCOUNTED FOR AS STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
I OPEN IT UP FOR CONVERSATION. COUNCIL MEMBER LAW.
>> AS ONE OF THE NEWBIES ON THE BLOCK, I WANT TO JUST WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS SO I'M SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING OR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
SO WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET STUDY SESSION EARLIER TODAY, WHICH MY UNDERSTANDING AND MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR WITH COUNCIL WHERE WE SIT AND WE LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURES, THE REVENUES, WHERE THINGS SHOULD BE ALLOCATED.
WE LOOK AT THE CIP, WE LOOK AT ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT THAT POINT TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS AND TO DIRECT STAFF TO MOVE IN DIRECTIONS THAT WE THINK ARE APPROPRIATE AND FISCALLY SOUND FOR THE CITY.
SO ONCE THAT'S DONE, A BUDGET IS APPROVED, AND THEN THE SPENDING AND EVERYTHING HAPPENS THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN AN AUDIT IS PERFORMED WHEREBY IT IS NOT AN AUDIT WHERE THE CITY OR THE COUNCIL GETS TO DICTATE WHAT GETS LOOKED AT.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SPOT CHECK.
SO ANYONE WHO'S FAMILIAR WITH SITTING ON A BOARD OR WORKING FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AN AUDIT DOESN'T ALLOW THE PERSON OR THE ENTITY BEING AUDITED TO DIRECT ANY OF THAT.
IT'S BASICALLY, "HEY, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THIS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS KOSHER, THAT EVERYTHING IS LINED UP, AND THE WAY YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY OR MAKE THE EXPENDITURES LINES UP WITH HOW YOU BUDGETED PRIOR TO THE FISCAL YEAR." SO PRIOR TO MY JOINING COUNCIL, I RECALL HAVING A MEETING WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL HAD THE AUDITOR COME IN, GO OVER THE FACTS OF THE REPORT.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A PRETTY GOOD RATING, IF I RECALL, AND THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS, AS I AM AWARE OF, THAT WERE RAISED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE TIME OR ANY AREAS OF CONCERN.
SO I SAY THIS AS BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT BECAUSE I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, A FORENSIC AUDIT CAN BE MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT CAN BE A FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET, EVERYTHING, WHICH CAN BE VERY COSTLY, AND GIVEN THE TIMES AND GIVEN THE SITUATION THAT OUR CITY IS IN, MAY NOT BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO I GUESS AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY QUESTION IS, IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ADHERED TO, HAS FOLLOWED.
WE GOT A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH FROM THE AUDITOR.
SO IS THERE A SPECIFIC AREA OR A SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT'S RAISED OTHER THAN JUST A FULL-FLEDGED FORENSIC AUDIT OF EVERYTHING? BECAUSE I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE USE OF OUR CITY FUNDS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TALKS THAT WE HAD ABOUT THE BUDGET GOING IN WITH THE COVID ISSUES AND EVERYTHING ELSE AFFECTING OUR MONEY.
>> THAT WAS SPECIFIC. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY.
>> YOU AND I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION ON THIS AS WELL, AND MY CONCERNS IS THE TIME WE WERE HAVING AND WE ARE ELECTED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR FINANCES AS WELL.
LOOKING AT THE BUDGET PRESENTATION TODAY, AND LOOKING AT THE RISE OF OUR RESERVES FROM 2017 ALL THE WAY TO 2020, AND WELL, GAINING OVER $1,500,000 OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
[01:20:09]
MY CONCERN WOULD BE IF WE ARE DROPPING OUR RESERVES AND WE ARE LOSING MONEY, THEN WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING? WE ARE GAINING MONEY, PUTTING MONEY MORE IN THE BANK, AND NOW REALLY HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS RATHER THAN ASKING AND DOING AND GOING MORE.THAT SHOWS ME THAT WE'VE BEEN GOOD STEWARDS AND TOUTED THE COUNCIL FROM 2017 FOR YOU BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MONEY.
I DID GET TO MEET WITH MR. [INAUDIBLE] LAST WEEK FOR AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF TO REALLY GO OVER THE CIP AND HE GAVE ME A VERY IN-DEPTH REPORT ABOUT THAT BUDGET.
I'M PLANNING TO GO SPEAK WITH MR ALVARADO AND DOING THE SAME THING.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ELECTED TO DO AS WELL.
WE NEED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS WITH THE MONEY.
I GO THROUGH AUDITS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALL THE TIME, WE DON'T GET TO CHOOSE AS, COUNCILMAN LAW SAID, WHAT LINE ITEM THEY USE.
THEY JUST COME AND TELL US, "WE WANT THIS, THIS, AND THAT," AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM.
THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THE AUDITS THAT WE WERE DOING REALLY SHOWS THAT THE VERN HAS BEEN GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MONEY AND LOOKING AT OUR RESERVES, WHAT WE'VE GROWN.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE STAFF AND PLANNING THE BUDGETS WITH THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL, THAT REALLY HAS HELPED OUT AND MADE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING REALLY GOOD STEWARDS.
I THINK IN OUR POSITION, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS TO GO AND LOOK AT THAT AND THEN EXPRESSED TO THE RESIDENTS WHY WE FELT THAT, WHY WE WANTED TO APPROVE THAT BUDGET AND BE THAT LEADER FROM THE COUNCIL SAYING, "I'VE LOOKED AT THIS, DONE THIS TOO, AND I FEEL THAT'S WHY RIGHT NOW, A FORENSIC AUDIT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND IT WOULD NOT BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS TODAY."
>> OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
>> I'M CONCURRING WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
OUR RECENT PAST EXPERIENCE EVEN FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL ALL LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUR CITY SQUEAKY CLEAN, AS YOU WERE SAYING.
YES, A FORENSIC AUDIT IS DIFFERENT THAN AN ANNUAL AUDIT.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN AN ONGOING AUDIT.
GENERALLY, FORENSIC AUDITS ARE USED WHEN ONE IS SUSPICIOUS OR CONCERNED ABOUT A SPECIFIC AREA AND THEY CAN LOOK AT THAT MORE IN DEPTH.
BUT THE AUDITS THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF, I DON'T EVEN THINK A SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS OPPOSED ANY OF THE AUDITS.
THIS LAST ONE RECEIVED ONE OF THE HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WAS THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT ON EVEN SOME OF THE MINOR PIECES.
FURTHERMORE, THE PENSION OBLIGATION BOND EXPOSED US TO THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL WORLD.
THEY CAME BACK WITH ASTOUNDING, ABSOLUTE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OF SAYING, "YOU GUYS ARE RUN IN YOUR CITY VERY WELL." SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO FRAME THIS AS NOT A NEGATIVE THING, BUT I DO THINK IT'S A WASTE OF OF OUR RESIDENTS EXPENSE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ALL EVIDENCE BEFORE ME SAYS WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING PERFECTLY FINE, AND I THINK I'D HAVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM YOU TO CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
>> YES. I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL 11 YEARS NOW.
WHEN I CAME ON IN 2009, THAT'S WHEN THE RECESSION WAS GETTING GOING.
WE REALLY HAD TO LOOK AT THAT BUDGET.
SO FROM THAT MOMENT ON, I JUST KEPT SEEING HOW THINGS WOULD GO.
THE BUDGET, AS WE WORKED WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, HE BECAME MORE AND MORE CLEAR AND MADE IT VERY EASY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND.
TIM, YOU'VE BEEN ON FOR FIVE YEARS NOW AND YOU ALSO HAVE COMMENTED THAT WITH NATHAN, AND THEN PRIOR, RICHARD, ON HOW EASIER THEIR REPORTS ARE TO UNDERSTAND AND READ.
WE DID GET AN 8-PLUS RATING WHEN WE WENT FOR THE BOND.
BOARD. SO RIGHT THERE WE HAD THEM GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH OVER AND OVER.
WE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS WHEN THE AUDITOR CAME FEBRUARY THIRD.
[01:25:02]
ALL OF US FELT VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE BUDGET BECAUSE NO ONE HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU.I DON'T LIKE WHAT THE CONNOTATION OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT WOULD MEAN BECAUSE THERE IS NO WRONGDOING IN THE CITY.
I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO OUR FINANCE CITY MANAGER.
THEY ALL WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER, ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND WHERE THEY ARE.
I THINK YOU'RE STARTING AS MAYOR ON A CLEAN SLATE, YOU CAN FEEL PROUD THAT WE JUST HAD AN AUDIT DONE.
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW BUDGET AND I THINK AS A COUNCIL, WE CAN ALL FEEL VERY GOOD WHERE WE ARE.
SO WE GO TO OPEN COMMENTS FROM OPENING UP TO THE PUBLIC, MR. KRESS?
>> -OR YOU WANTED JR GO AHEAD.
>> YEAH. WE DID RECEIVE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA E-MAIL.
RICHARD BOWEN, "THIS COMMENT IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE DONE.
NO REASON NOT TO." MELISSA FREDRICKSON, "I SIMPLY WANT TO SAY YES, PLEASE DO THE FORENSIC AUDIT.
HOW MUCH IS THE AUDIT? THAT IS ALL I CAN SAY IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THANK YOU." THEN WE GOT A FOLLOW-UP FROM MELISSA SAYS, "MUIR DAVIS, THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED IT.
>> THOSE ARE WHAT I HAVE BEEN RECEIVED SO FAR.
>> WE'LL WAIT ABOUT 20 SECONDS AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE IT.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD, JR IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING NEW.
>> MR. KRESS, CAN WE CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> YES. YOU DON'T NEED TO CLOSE IT ON NON-PUBLIC HERE IN [OVERLAPPING] MY SUGGESTION.
>> OKAY. SO WE'RE JUST POSING.
I'LL COME BACK HERE AND WE'LL CLOSE THAT AND I'LL COME BACK TO ME.
I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS.
I WILL REMIND OUR TWO NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF LAWSUITS DURING MY TENURE WHEN I STARTED ON CITY, FIREFIGHTERS LAWSUITS, FLSA LAWSUITS.
WE WASTED A LOT OF MONEY THAT WAY.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AND I HAVE TO AGREE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE MONEY I THINK AS STEWARDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WE DID WASTE MONEY AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY BE CAREFUL HOW WE DO THAT.
THE REASON EITHER FORENSIC AUDIT IS THE FACT IS A CLEAN SLATE.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF YOU AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR OPINIONS. COUNSELOR LAU.
>> I GUESS MY ONLY THOUGHT TO THAT I THINK THAT WHAT YOU MAY BE ALLUDING TO IS SOMETHING SEPARATE.
IN TERMS OF A FORENSIC AUDIT MEANS THAT SOME REASON POTENTIALLY EMBEZZLING.
MAYBE THAT'S YOUR SUSPICION OR THAT FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED FOR A CERTAIN PROJECT GOT DIVERTED AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL OR AGAINST THE BUDGETARY SETTINGS THAT WERE PROVIDED, OR THE PARAMETERS WERE PROVIDED.
THAT'S WHY YOU WOULD HAVE A FORENSIC AUDIT JUST TO TRACK DID THE MONEY THAT WE HAD TO SPEND WAS IT USED IN THE WAY THAT THE COUNCIL REVIEWED AND APPROVED.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, THERE WAS LITIGATION THAT WAS INVOLVED.
YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH HOW THE LITIGATION WAS HANDLED, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH PERHAPS HOW PERSONNEL HANDLED IT AND THAT MAY HAVE CAUSE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE, BUT THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN A FORENSIC AUDIT OF OUR ENTIRE BUDGET.
SO I THINK THAT TO THE EXTENT YOU MIGHT HAVE A CONCERN RELATED TO WHAT YOU'VE INDICATED THAT MAYBE WE AREN'T PROVIDING THE BEST RISK MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS OR STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE LIABILITY EXPOSURE TO THE CITY.
WHETHER THAT'S IN PERSONNEL OR WHETHER THAT'S, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE, THAT'S A SEPARATE DISCUSSION IN A FORENSIC AUDIT.
SO I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, I'LL GO BACK TO THE POINTS THAT WERE STATED AND BACK TO THE CONTEXTS THAT I SAID IS THAT THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR PREPARING A BUDGET THAT IS AGREED UPON BY COUNCIL, VOTED ON BY COUNCIL, AND THEN THERE'S A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THAT TIME-FRAME WITHIN A FISCAL YEAR FOR ANY COMMENTS AT THE MID-YEAR AND WHATNOT, AND THEN FINALLY, AT THE AUDIT STAGE,
[01:30:01]
IF THE AUDITORS FIND ANYTHING OR IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS, THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.BUT FOR WHAT I'M HEARING AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION AT THE BUDGET SESSION EARLIER TONIGHT, I'M HEARING THAT BUDGETS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
WE'VE SEEN GREAT RESULTS AS INDICATED BY THE RISING AMOUNT IN OUR RESERVES WHICH IS SOMETHING TO BE APPLAUDED AND WHICH WE ALL APPLAUDED DURING THE BUDGET STUDY SESSION, THAT MANY CITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS DON'T SEE THAT GROWTH IN THEIR RESERVES AND THAT GROWTH IN THE RESERVES IS WHAT'S GOING TO HELP SAVE OUR CITY IN TERMS OF HANDLING THIS RAINY DAY THAT IS THE PANDEMIC.
SO I THINK THAT TO THE POINT YOUR CONCERNS, THOSE CONCERNS CAN BE VALID AND MAY BE ADDRESSED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I JUST DON'T THINK THE FORENSIC AUDIT IS THE WAY TO GO.
I DO WANT TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF SPENDING THAT MONEY ESPECIALLY BECAUSE, WE DO STILL HAVE BUDGETARY ISSUES.
WE HAVE RESERVES SET ASIDE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEPLETE THE RESERVES TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE OTHER ISSUES.
WE SORT TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY.
LIKE I SAID, IF YOU COULD POINT TO SOMETHING THAT'S RAISED SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT RELATED TO THE BUDGET RATHER THAN PERHAPS A HANDLING ISSUE OR PERSONNEL ISSUE THAT MIGHT WARRANT A FORENSIC AUDIT IN SOME SORT, BUT THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED RIGHT NOW I DON'T SEE THAT.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. COUNSELOR MUIR DAVIS.
>> YEAH. SIMILARLY TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER LAU HAS JUST SAID.
IF YOUR DESIRE WAS TO USE A FORENSIC AUDIT TO REVIEW THE LITIGATION THAT LA VERNE HAD EITHER ENGAGE IN DEFENSE OF ITSELF, FORENSIC AUDIT ISN'T GOING TO GET YOU ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT YOU'RE [OVERLAPPING].
THE INTENT WAS SAYING THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE.
I SAID WE BASICALLY SPENT MONEY ON STUFF WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE IN THE PAST.
[OVERLAPPING] MY IDEA FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT IS STRICTLY TO CLEAN SLATE OF EVERYTHING, NOT A SPECIFIC.
JUST A FORENSIC AUDIT TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CORNER OF THE CITY FINANCIALLY.
WHEN YOU DO A BUDGET AND YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNTANT, IT IS AN OVERVIEW AND THEY TAKE IN PIECE AND PARTS AND THEY DO IT.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FORENSIC AUDIT FOR A CLEAN SLATE.
WHY DON'T WE JUST PASSED A THREE-QUARTER CENT SALES TAX MEASURE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CENT AGAIN, IS ACCOUNTED FOR PERFECTLY OR AS PERFECT AS IT CAN BE. THAT'S ALL.
>> SIMPLY TO RESPOND TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE'VE OCCASIONALLY SPENT MONEY THAT SOME OF US DIDN'T WANT TO.
WE DIDN'T VOLUNTARILY SPEND THAT MONEY, WE SPENT IT BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO PROTECT THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
I DON'T SEE THE AUDIT, THAT FORENSIC AUDIT IN THAT SAME WAY.
SO I DO SEE IT AS A WASTE OF MONEY.
>> I SEE THAT THE LAWSUITS THAT WE HAD WERE A WASTE OF MONEY TOO, MR. DAVIS.
>> THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER ISSUE, BUT $5.5 MILLION TO A [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU'RE THE ONE THAT OPENED THIS UP, MAYOR [OVERLAPPING].
>> I'M JUST SAYING, I DISAGREE WITH YOU.
[OVERLAPPING] I THINK WE'RE GOING OFF MARK HERE, I JUST WANTED TO REVIEW A FORENSIC AUDIT.
>> YOU BROUGHT IT UP. I WASN'T [OVERLAPPING].
>> I UNDERSTAND, AND I THINK THAT BOTH OF OUR LAWSUIT WAS A WASTE OF OUR TAXPAYER MONEY, ALTHOUGH IT PAID BY THE JPIA BUT THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER ISSUE [OVERLAPPING].
>> WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESPOND TO IT.
>> YOU GO AHEAD. PLEASE RESPOND.
>> SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO INTERJECT FROM A LITIGATOR'S POINT OF VIEW AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT I'M A RECOVERING ATTORNEY.
I DON'T PRACTICE, BUT I'M STILL LICENSED.
SO I HAVE 16 YEARS OF LITIGATION EXPERIENCE.
[LAUGHTER] EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT'S SMART PUTS AWAY MONEY TO DEAL WITH VARIOUS THINGS, WHETHER IT'S LITIGATION OR SOMETHING ELSE.
THOSE AREN'T NECESSARILY THINGS WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON, BUT THAT'S THE ROLE OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THAT'S THE ROLE OF A LEADER, IS TO ANTICIPATE WHERE FUNDS MAY GET SPENT BECAUSE YOU'RE ANALYZING RISKS, YOU'RE ANALYZING EXPOSURE, AND YOU'RE SAYING, "THIS COULD HAPPEN, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SMART AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT MONEY ASIDE." NOBODY LIKES BEING IN A LAWSUIT, TRUST ME.
AS AN ATTORNEY, BEING ON THE RECEIVING END OF LOTS OF [LAUGHTER] NASTY COMMENTS ABOUT LAWSUITS, I GET IT. NOBODY LIKES IT.
BUT THAT IN OF ITSELF IS NOT ENOUGH TO SAY A FORENSIC AUDIT IS NECESSARY, BECAUSE AGAIN, I WILL GO BACK AND SAY THAT A FORENSIC AUDIT INDICATES THAT THERE ARE SOME SUSPICION OF WRONGDOING AT SOME LEVEL AND THAT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME AT THIS POINT, GIVEN THAT THIS COUNCIL, WELL, NOT THIS COUNCIL, THIS ITERATION, BUT COUNCILS PRIOR TO THIS, HAVE REVIEWED THE BUDGET, HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO DETAIL.
I WILL USE COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY AS A PRIME EXAMPLE.
HE HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY IN GOING AND MEETING WITH STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT HE FULLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS IN THESE BUDGET, WHAT ARE THE MINUTIA OF IT, AND HE'S NOT JUST RUBBER STAMPING THINGS.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE AND EXPECT THAT FOLKS WHO ARE VOTED INTO OFFICE ARE DOING THOSE THINGS TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING.
I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART.
WE'RE VOTED IN TO UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS SO WE CAN MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS.
SO MY ASSUMPTION, AND I'M ASSUMING ONLY POSITIVE INTENT HERE, THAT EVERY COUNCIL PERSON, PRIOR TO THIS COUNCIL, WHO REVIEWED A BUDGET OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, 11 YEARS,
[01:35:02]
WHATEVER IT WAS, DID SO IN FULL AWARENESS OF THEIR DUTY OF DUE DILIGENCE, LOYALTY, AND FEALTY TO THIS CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY VOTED OFF AND SIGNED OFF ON.BECAUSE AGAIN, I WILL SAY BASED ON THE COMMENTS MADE BY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, THOSE BUDGETS WERE REVIEWED, SIGNED OFF ON, AND NOBODY COMMENTED AS TO ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS OF WRONGDOING.
SO IF THERE IS SOME SUSPICION OF WRONGDOING, I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN VOTED IN NOW TO REPRESENT THESE CONSTITUENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR RIGHTS, THAT THEY'RE BEING PRESERVED AND THAT THEY'RE BEING PROTECTED.
BUT IF I'M NOT HEARING THAT THERE IS SOME SUSPICION OF WRONGDOING, THEN I CAN'T, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, SAY, GO AHEAD, SPEND $50,000, $10,000, $100,000, WHO KNOWS? ON A COMPLETE FORENSIC AUDIT WHEN WE HAVE BETTER USE FOR THAT MONEY, INCLUDING STIMULATING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY TO MAKE SURE OUR BUSINESSES CAN COME BACK AFTER THIS PANDEMIC AND THRIVE.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
>> NO, I AGREE. YOU'RE CONCERNED, TIM, ABOUT HAVING THE AUDIT BECAUSE OF MONEY YOU SAY WAS WASTED.
I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC OUT THERE TO THINK THAT.
THE MONEY FOR THE LAWSUIT, THE CITY HAS TO DEFEND ITSELF.
ANY MONEY THAT WE SPENT WAS TO DEFEND THIS CITY AND THE 5.5 YOU THREW OUT THERE A SECOND AGO, THAT WAS PAID BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY WHO SETTLED.
NOT THE CITY. IT DIDN'T COME OUT OF OUR CITY FUNDS.
THE GENERAL FUND NEVER CAME OUT OF THERE.
SO THROWING OUT THINGS LIKE THAT, MAYOR WAS TALKING, IF YOU SAY SOMETHING UNDER THIS TOPIC, WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESPOND.
>> I DID SAY THE JPIA PAID THAT, BUT THERE'S ANCILLARY COSTS THAT PART OF THAT WAS WORTH TENS OF THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BEFORE THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
I WANT A CLEAN SLATE MOVING FORWARD.
OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE IT. IF YOU GUYS DON'T WANT TO DO IT, IT'S FINE. I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP.
I THINK I WAS ON MY PLATFORM, A CLEAN SLATE THAT WE START MEASURE LV, YOU PUT THOSE MONIES IN THE COFFERS, AND WE GO FORWARD.
>> I CAN SPEAK FOR THE FOUR OF US; WE FEEL WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A CLEAN SLATE.
>> I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE WHOLE IDEA OF SUCCESSION PLANNING AND REALLY BEING GOOD SHARERS OF INFORMATION, TRANSPARENCY, ALL THOSE THINGS.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO MISUNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO NOT BE AWARE OF HOW THE PROCESS IS.
SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, EVERYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
I THINK EVERYBODY ON HERE DISPLAYS THEIR PASSION FOR THE CITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL WANT TO LIVE HERE AND WE ALL WANT EVERYBODY TO FEEL THAT THEY LIVE IN A GOOD COMMUNITY.
SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I HAVE STATED WHAT I'VE STATED BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ATTORNEY, AS A MEMBER OF NUMEROUS BOARDS, AS A COUNCIL TO COMPANIES RANGING ALL THE WAY FROM MOM AND POPS TO FORTUNE 500S.
AS FAR AS I'M AWARE AND AS FAR AS WHAT HAS BEEN REPRESENTED TO ME, THE COUNCILS THAT HAVE EXISTED BEFORE THIS ONE HAVE OPERATED IN A WAY THAT HAS BEEN TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY, WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE PEOPLE IN ITS MIND.
SO I DO BELIEVE IT IS A CLEAN SLATE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS BUDGET STUDY SESSIONS SO THAT WE COULD DELVE DEEPER INTO THAT.
I THINK IF THERE ARE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS RESULTING FROM THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THEN WE SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
BECAUSE I WANT US TO HAVE GOOD DIALOGUE, I WANT US TO HAVE SMART DISCUSSIONS, AND I ALSO WANT US TO BE GOOD ROLE MODELS FOR OUR CITIZENS SO THAT THEY'RE EDUCATED APPROPRIATELY, SO THAT, "HEY, I HOPE SOMEONE RUNS AGAINST US.
I HOPE SOMEONE ELSE IS READY TO TAKE ON THE MANTLE WHEN WE'RE READY TO STEP DOWN." I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I DO THINK WE ARE PROCEEDING IN THE BEST LIGHT POSSIBLE FOR THE CITY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT, THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO HAD ALREADY SPOKE THAT ATTEMPTED TO SEND IN ANOTHER E-MAIL.
I HAD IT EXPRESSED BACK THAT PUBLIC COMMENT WAS CLOSED.
SO I JUST WANTED THE COUNCIL TO BE AWARE.
>> OKAY. I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE CLOSE AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A FORENSIC AUDIT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? NONE OF THOSE? SO THE MOTION DROPS.
SO WE DON'T DO A FORENSIC AUDIT.
>> NO. YOU HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> PUBLIC COMMENTS. I MIXED MY PAPER UP.
[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - This is the time set aside for anyone wishing to address the City Council on items not listed in any other place on the agenda. Under the provisions of the Brown Act, the legislative body is prohibited from talking or engaging in discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. However, your concerns may be referred to staff or set for discussion at a later date. The Mayor reserves the right to place limits on duration of comments.]
ANYBODY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS?I WILL CHECK WITH JR. [NOISE] ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A COUPLE OF CALLS FIRST AND THEN I WILL READ THE PUBLIC COMMENTS
[01:40:04]
THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION VIA E-MAIL.THE FIRST PERSON ON THE PHONE IS MICHAEL MONTOYA. MICHAEL, GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD EVENING TO MEMBERS OF THE [INAUDIBLE] AND MAYOR HEPBURN.
I'M CALLING IN TONIGHT IN REGARDS TO OUR YOUTH SPORTS HERE IN CITY OF LA VERNE.
I THINK ALL OF YOU CAN ATTEST AND WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT OUR YOUTH SPORTS HERE IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK YOU WOULD ALL UNDERSTAND THAT FRIENDSHIPS, BONDS, ALL FORM ON OUR SPORTS FIELD [INAUDIBLE] GAME AND THROUGHOUT OUR CITY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I WANT TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU THAT HOPEFULLY WILL GET SOME CONVERSATION STARTED WITH ALL OF OUR YOUTHS SPORT, MOST IN PARTICULARLY, BASEBALL, AND WHAT OTHER CITIES AND WHAT OTHER STATES ARE DOING TO ALLOW YOUTH SPORTS TO RESUME.
SO HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT ON MAY 31ST, THAT YOUTH SPORTS PRACTICES AND GAMES WILL START TO RESUME WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND PROTOCOLS ENFORCED.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ON JUNE 15TH, ALL GAMES WILL RESUME WITH THOSE SAME SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES FOR SPECTATORS AND PLAYERS IN EFFECT.
IN THE STATE OF OHIO, THE SAME DATE OF MAY 31ST, ALL YOUTH SPORTS, PRACTICES, AND GAMES WILL RESUME USING THOSE SAME SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE PROTOCOLS FOR SPECTATORS AND FOR OUR ATHLETES.
IN REGARDS TO OUR LEAGUE, WE'VE BEEN USING THE INFORMATION GIVEN TO US FROM LITTLE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY ASKED FOR US WAS TO SEND OUT A SURVEY TO OUR LOCAL LEAGUES ASKING ABOUT WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK AND PLAY.
WELL, FOR THE CITY OF LA VERNE, 83 PERCENT OF OUR LEAGUE SURVEYS THAT THEY'D BE WILLING TO COME BACK AND PLAY, EVEN IF IT IS A MODIFIED SEASON AND WITH THE SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND PROTOCOLS IN PLACE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK OUR YOUTH NEED TO COME BACK AND PLAY.
THEY NEED TO RESUME SOME KIND OF A NORMAL LIFE IN REGARDS TO SPORTS.
WE'VE ASKED THESE YOUNG ATHLETES TO BE COOPED UP AT HOME WITH HOMEWORK, ZOOM MEETING, ONLINE COURSES FOR THE LAST NINE-AND-A-HALF WEEKS.
I THINK IT'S TIME IN JUNE THAT WE ALLOW THEM TO COME OUT AND PLAY, EVEN WITH MODIFICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS TO ALLOW THEM TO RELEASE AND HAVE AN OUTLET FOR WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST NINE-AND-A-HALF TO 10 WEEKS.
OTHER CITIES LIKE US, [INAUDIBLE] AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL LITTLE LEAGUE, MOUNTAIN VALLEY LITTLE, LAKE FOREST, HUNTINGTON BEACH, AND IRVINE ALL HAVE THE SAME [INAUDIBLE] STATISTICS LIKE US, WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE VERY, VERY LOW AND IN FAVOR OF THEM RESUMING.
[NOISE] ALL OF THOSE LITTLE LEAGUES ARE WORKING WITH THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO RESUME PLAYING OF SOME SPORTS STARTING IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE.
ALL I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR HEPBURN, IS PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.
WE WANT TO MEET WITH YOU AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO SHARE WITH YOU ONE OF THE LITTLE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES AND PROTOCOLS TO A SAFE RETURN AND RESUME PLAYING.
BUT ALSO WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE CAN DO, NOT ONLY IN OUR LITTLE LEAGUE, BUT ALSO OUR DISTRICT TO SHOW YOU THAT WE CAN MINIMIZE THIS.
WE CAN ALLOW OUR PLAYERS TO COME BACK SAFELY.
WE CAN ALLOW PARENTS TO WATCH THEIR KIDS PLAY SAFELY AND FROM SIX FEET DISTANCE.
I THINK WE ALL COULD USE THIS OUTLET RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, TO ALLOW OUR ATHLETES TO PLAY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME TO SPEAK TO YOU-ALL AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT INTO MAKING OUR CITY ONE THE BEST AROUND. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU, MIKE. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO MUTE WHILE I GET THE NEXT CALLER ON.
JUST GIVE ME ABOUT 10 SECONDS PLEASE.
THE NEXT CALLER IS RICHARD BOWEN. GO AHEAD, SIR.
>> ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, SIR, WE CAN HEAR YOU, RICHARD.
>> I'LL TRY TO TAKE LESS THAN THREE MINUTES.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE TWO COMMENTS.
THE FIRST THING THAT AT THE END OF THE MAY 4TH MEETING, MUIR DAVIS INDICATED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED THAT SOME CITIZENS WERE EAGER TO "VIOLATE THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS" OF OTHERS.
THIS WAS BASED ON CITIZENS THAT EXPRESSED THEIR OPINION REGARDING SOME OF THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
ONE OF HIS QUOTES WAS, "IT DISTURBS ME TO VIOLATE RIGHTS." MR. DAVIS, YOUR STATEMENT'S A DISGRACE TO OUR CITY.
[01:45:01]
YOU'RE THE ONE TRYING TO ATTEMPT TO SHUT DOWN OUR RIGHT TO DISAGREE.PLEASE TAKE BACK YOUR DIVISIVE COMMENTS.
THE SECOND ONE IS, THIS IS REGARDING THE COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING LAST MAY 4TH ALSO.
THIS IS REGARDING TERRY PRENTICE.
MR. PRENTICE, YOUR COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MAY 4TH COUNCIL MEETING WERE PATENTLY UNTRUE.
TO BE A LITTLE MORE PRECISE, A LIE.
LV3C WAS FORMED ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2017 BASED ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THEN CITY COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2017.
A GROUP OF APPROXIMATELY 20 PEOPLE MET TO DISCUSS OUR CONCERNS.
OUT OF THAT MEETING, LVC3 WAS CREATED.
THIS GROUP CURRENTLY HAS CLOSE TO 1,400 MEMBERS AND CONTINUES TO GROW EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE NOT RAISED MONEY FOR ANY CANDIDATE NOR THE GROUP ENDORSED ANY CANDIDATE DURING THE LAST ELECTION.
YOUR ATTEMPT TO COMPARE LV3C TO YOUR PAC IS DISGRACEFUL.
THE 5,768 CITIZENS THAT VOTED FOR MAYOR HEPBURN WILL SUPPORT HIM THROUGHOUT.
PLEASE TRY TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR OUR CITY.
LVC WILL BE POSTING AND ASKING FOR DONATIONS PLEDGES TO GET $2,500 TO A LOCAL DESERVING BUSINESS AFFECTED BY THE COVID-19 CLOSURE WITHOUT RESTRICTION, MAYBE YOU'D LIKE TO MATCH THAT AMOUNT.
LASTLY, I HOPE THIS SILLY BACK AND FORTH STOPS.
LA VERNE HAS MANY POSITIVE ACTIONS THAT NEED TO BE DONE NOW.
I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL AND MOSTLY I APPRECIATE MAYOR TIM HEPBURN. THANK YOU.
>> SO THAT WAS THE LAST OF OUR PHONE CALLS, MOVING ONTO THE E-MAILS WE HAVE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE 12 THAT HAD BEEN RECEIVED SO PLEASE HANG WITH ME.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
I AM WRITING THIS EVENING TO BRING UP A CONCERN THAT I E-MAILED TO MAYOR HEPBURN, MAYOR PRO TEM CARDER, AND COUNCILMEMBER CROSBY.
MAYOR HEPBURN IS THE ONLY ONE WHO RESPONDED.
I WROTE WITH MY CONCERN OF THE CITY'S USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AKA LA VERNE PROUD.
THE LAST MAYOR AND STILL TODAY HAS BEEN POSTING NEGATIVE COMMENTS TOWARDS MAYOR HEPBURN.
THE CITY PAYS TO USE THIS COMPANY FOR OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCTIONS.
THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER ANOTHER DIGITAL MEDIA COMPANY THAT WILL PRODUCE AND REPRESENT ALL INDIVIDUALS EQUALLY.
DIGITAL MEDIA, LA VERNE PROUD, WAS VERY CLEAR WHEN I SPOKE TO THEM THAT THEY WERE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THEIR BELIEFS AND SUPPORTERS, EVEN BANNING SOME CITIZENS FOR POSITIVE COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPE YOU CONSIDER THIS AND ANY OTHER CITY PAID OR ORGANIZATION THAT DOESN'T REPRESENT EQUALLY.
HELLO, I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN AT HOME AND THEY ALL PLAY YOUTH SPORTS.
I AM ASKING YOU, MR. HEPBURN, TO PLEASE ALLOW SPORTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO RESUME.
LET PARENTS HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN PLAY IF THEY WANT THEM TO.
OTHER STATES ARE RESUMING YOUTH SPORTS AND WHY CAN'T WE? I HAVE A SON WHO'S PLAYING IN HIS LAST YEAR, LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE AND WANTS TO GET BACK ON THE FIELD AND FINISH WHAT HE STARTED WHEN HE WAS FIVE-YEARS-OLD.
IT'S NOT FAIR FOR HIM OR THE OTHER COUNTLESS KIDS THAT WANT TO PLAY TO CANCEL THE SEASON.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO LIVING OUR LIVES EVENTUALLY AND LET'S START NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO CONSIDER ALLOWING THE LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE TO RESUME PLAYING BASEBALL.
I HAVE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS FAMILIES THAT WANT TO PLAY BASEBALL AND ARE READY AND WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET BACK IN THE FIELD.
THESE CHILDREN ARE BEING COOPED UP AND NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO SOME SORT OF NORMALCY.
THEY LOOK FORWARD TO PLAYING BASEBALL ALL YEAR.
THERE'S A WAY TO LET THEM PLAY WHILE BEING SAFE AS WELL AS LOTS OF PROTOCOLS THAT COULD BE PUT INTO PLACE TO HELP ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PLAYERS AND PARENTS, RESPECTFULLY, JENNIFER.
[01:50:05]
THIS PERSON DIDN'T GIVE A NAME BUT THEIR E-MAIL IS L POLOMBO.WE UNDERSTAND THAT SAFETY AND MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCING IS AND HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF LA VERNE SINCE THE VIRUS WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED IN MARCH.
I BELIEVE OUR CITY HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB IN KEEPING US SAFE.
GROCERY STORES, RESTAURANTS, PHARMACIES, ETC., HAVE ALL MADE ACCOMMODATIONS TO MEET THE GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN SET.
MANY KIDS ARE WEARING MASKS AND GLOVES AND FOLLOWING THE RULES JUST FINE WHEN OUT IN PUBLIC.
LAST WEEK, THE BEACHES OPENED UP WITH RESTRICTIONS, ALONG WITH SOME SPORTS SUCH AS TENNIS AND ARCHERY.
UNFORTUNATELY, NOT MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL.
LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE IS OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME.
THE FAMILIES ARE AMAZING AND WANT NOTHING MORE THAN BASEBALL TO START BACK UP AGAIN, BUT WOULD NEVER ASKED TO PLAY IF WE FELT IT WOULD BRING HARM TO ANYONE.
MY HUSBAND HAS COACHED MY SON SINCE HE WAS FIVE-YEARS-OLD, HE IS NOW 12 AND THIS IS HIS LAST YEAR OF LITTLE LEAGUE.
THIS IS HIS LAST YEAR TO PLAY WITH FRIENDS HE'S KNOWN SINCE KINDERGARTEN, LAST YEAR TO GET OUT ON THE PELOTA FIELD WITH HIS DAD, TO MAKE MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
WE KNOW AND RESPECT THE FACT THAT CHANGES WILL NEED TO BE MADE TO KEEP SOME DISTANCE BUT THE FACT IS BASEBALL IS NOT A HIGH CONTACT SPORT.
I FEEL SANITIZING BETWEEN INNINGS AND KEEPING BOYS LINED UP OUTSIDE OF THE DUGOUT OR IN THE PEN COULD BE A SOLUTION, AS WELL AS IF NEED BE FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING IN THE DUGOUT.
THESE KIDS WANT TO PLAY, SO IF PROPER ACCOMMODATIONS ARE MADE TO PLAY, WHY NOT LET THEM PLAY? WE AS PARENTS, WILL OBVIOUSLY KEEP SIX FEET WHEN WATCHING THE GAMES AS WELL.
I AM A 100 PERCENT CONFIDENT THAT LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE WILL DO EVERYTHING TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES SAFE.
WE HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THIS BASEBALL FAMILY, PLEASE LET MY SON FINISH OUT HIS LAST YEAR, WITH MUCH GRATITUDE, BASEBALL FAMILY.
DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I HOPE THIS E-MAIL FINDS YOU BEFORE YOUR CITY BOARD MEETING TONIGHT.
I'M WRITING YOU ON BEHALF OF LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE PLAYING A REVISE SUMMER LEAGUE THIS SEASON.
THE LEAGUE HAS GOT TOGETHER WITH KIT GOLDEN OF DISTRICT 20 TO WRITE UP A LIST OF NEW PROTOCOLS THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED SUCH AS PARENTS SOCIAL DISTANCING AROUND THE OUTFIELD FENCE AND THE KIDS SEPARATING FROM EACH OTHER AND THE SPANS ACTING AS A DUGOUT.
THE EMPIRE COULD CALL BALLS AND STRIKES BEHIND THE PITCHER'S MOUND AND VARIOUS OTHER PROTOCOLS WE WILL IMPLEMENT.
AS I'M WRITING THIS E-MAIL, I SEE THE GOVERNOR IS OPENING UP RESTAURANTS FOR DINE IN AND ALLOWING PRO SPORTS TO RESUME JUNE 1.
OUR KIDS NEED SOME NORMALCY BACK IN THEIR LIVES AS THIS LOCKDOWN HAS NOT BEEN EASY ON THEM, GIVING EACH FAMILY A COUPLE HOURS ON A WEEKEND TO WATCH THEIR SONS OR DAUGHTERS PLAY THE GREAT GAME OF BASEBALL WOULD BE INCREDIBLE FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THE OTHER ISSUES THIS LOCKDOWN HAS CAUSED FAMILIES THAT IS WORSE THAN THE ACTUAL VIRUS.
IN THIS E-MAIL, I'M ASKING FOR THE PARENTS OF LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE BE GIVEN THE FREEDOM TO MAKE THEIR OWN FAMILY DECISIONS TO PARTICIPATE OR NOT.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE THIS E-MAIL FINDS YOU ALL SAFE AND WELL, SINCERELY, MARK SMITH.
THE NEXT ONE IS FROM LORENA LARSON.
HI, I'M WRITING IN HOPES THAT MY SON CAN PLAY LITTLE LEAGUE EVEN IF IT'S FOR A SHORTENED SEASON THIS YEAR.
I LIVE AT KINGS WAY GARDENS MOBILE HOME PARK AND MY RENT IS STILL SET TO INCREASE BY $62 A MONTH, STARTING IN JUNE IN SPITE OF ALL THE EXTRA HARDSHIPS EVERYONE IS NOW FACING.
THERE'S NO SENSE TO THIS WAY HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN ANY APARTMENT OR PARK AROUND.
THE COUNTY HAS A FREEZE FOR UNINCORPORATED AREAS, WHY DOESN'T LA VERNE PASS ONE? PLEASE CONSIDER TONIGHT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I AM WRITING TO ASK WHY WAS COUNCIL MEMBER ROBIN CARDER AT A PARTY AT CHASE'S ON FRIDAY EVENING WHEN THE CITY AND COUNTY ARE NOT OPENED.
I AM SORRY FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE RESTAURANT, BUT THERE WAS NO SOCIAL DISTANCING AND WAS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF THE CURRENT COVID RULES APPLIED BY THE COUNTY.
WHY WOULD YOU TELL US ALL ABOUT THE RULES BUT THEN YOU COUNCILMEMBER CARDER, GO AND BREAK THE RULES? THE POLICE WERE THERE AND I HOPE YOU TOOK A REPORT, IT WILL BE REQUESTED.
VERY DISAPPOINTED, JAMES HILL.
DEAR MAYOR AND LA VERNE CITY COUNCIL, AS A PARENT OF LA VERNE LITTLE LEAGUE, FARM PLAYER, I AM OPEN TO THE RETURN OF YOUTH BASEBALL IN LA VERNE THIS SEASON, PROVIDING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE IN PLACE.
PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING, A STEADY SUPPLY OF ALCOHOL WIPES AND GELS, EVERYONE WEARS A MASK WHEN NOT ON THE FIELD, FANS AND PLAYERS, THE TEAM NOT HITTING MUST STAND SIX FEET APART ALONG THE FENCE WHEN BATTING AND A FRESH BASEBALL AS USED EVERY INNING OR REPLACED WITH A SANITIZED BALL.
SPORTS, FOR OUR KIDS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I WOULD FEEL
[01:55:04]
COMFORTABLE WITH MY SON RETURNING TO PLAY PROVIDED THAT SAFETY WAS PRIORITY 1.THIS IS FROM CHRIS AND SUSAN CHASES.
HOW CAN THE CITY COUNCIL PUSH THE CITY VARIANCE ISSUE WITH THE COUNTY TO GET US OPEN? WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, COUNCILMAN DAVIS, CAUTION STARTS AT HOME.
BUSINESSES ARE SUFFERING AND WILL SLOWLY DECIDE NOT TO REOPEN AS THE STOPPAGE CONTINUES.
WE RESEARCHED THAT THE 24 COVID CASES IN THE CITY NUMBER WILL NEVER GO DOWN.
THEY DON'T SUBTRACT THOSE THAT HAVE RECOVERED FROM THE DISEASE.
ON THE BLOCK MONEY, I KNOW OF NO SMALL BUSINESS THAT WILL REHIRE SOMEONE BACK AT $60,000 SALARY TO GET 2,500, IT WON'T HELP ANY RESTAURANT IN THE CITY.
THE NEXT ONE IS FROM JIM MURPHY.
"THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR MANAGING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS LIKE IT WAS YOUR OWN.
IT IS CLEAR THAT MANY OF THE IDEAS TONIGHT HAVE SPRUNG UP FROM THE OTHER PAC IN TOWN, LB3C.
LET'S SPEND THE MONEY AND THE ENERGY YOU PUT INTO THIS ARGUMENT TONIGHT TO REOPEN LA VERNE.
THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA'S MAYOR RALLIED HIS A CITY IN OPPOSITION OF LA COUNTY'S POSITION ON COVID-19 REOPENING.
THAT IS HOW YOU SHOW THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY THAT YOU'RE OPERATING IN OUR BEST INTEREST.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE COVERAGE TASKFORCE THAT THE MAYOR REPORTEDLY SETUP.".
"I AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TIME LIMIT.
SOMEONE WENT OVER 16 MINUTES BEFORE THE ELECTION.
RIDICULOUS. WHEN I GO BEFORE THE LA CITY COUNCIL, THERE'S A TIME LIMIT." [NOISE] THEN I WAS JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF I GOT ANOTHER ONE.
THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S A PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT AN E-MAIL FOLLOWING UP ON ANOTHER E-MAIL.
THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
>> THERE YOU GO. WE'LL WAIT JUST 20 SECONDS YOURSELF OR ARE WE GOOD?
>> I THINK WE'RE GOOD. BUT WHILE WE DO, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY, PARTICULARLY GOING BACK TO CHRIS AS IT CHASES THE STATEMENT OF THE 60,000 AS IT RELATES TO THE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.
SOMEBODY'S WAGES NEEDED TO BE BELOW THAT.
IT'S NOT THAT IT NEEDED TO BE THAT.
SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE BEING DISCOURAGED SAYING THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO APPLY BECAUSE I'M NOT PAYING SOMEBODY AT THAT RATE.
IF THEY WERE PAYING SOMEBODY AT MINIMUM WAGE, THAT WOULD BE A QUALIFIER WITHIN THAT.
SO I WANT BUSINESSES TO KNOW THAT IT IS AS CONVENIENT AS WE CAN MAKE IT UNDER THAT.
BUT I THINK THERE'LL BE A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPLY BASED ON THAT.
THEN THE OTHER THING REGARDING THE DIGITAL MEDIA WAS, I THINK IT'S MISUNDERSTOOD, THE CITY DOES NOT SPEND ANY MONEY ON CROWD DIGITAL MEDIA.
SO THAT'S BEEN CORRECTED PREVIOUSLY AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE RECONFIRMED.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO THINGS THAT I NEEDED TO POINT OUT AS IT RELATED TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE [NOISE] THAT SHOULD BE IT.
>> I'M NOT SEEING ANYTHING ELSE COME THROUGH, SIR.
>> WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND GO TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
[10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS - Each Council Member may address the Council and public on matters of general information and/or concern. This is also the time for Council Members to report on conferences and/or meetings they have attended.]
COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START?>> SURE. [NOISE] I WANTED TO BASICALLY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO WHAT I THINK IS AN INDICATION OF HOW AWESOME OUR CITY IS.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IN VARIOUS PLATFORMS AND WHATNOT, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND A LOT OF CITIZENS COMING TO THE FOREFRONT TO HELP EACH OTHER AND TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO THE EAT VERNE PAGE, THE SHOP LA VERNE PAGE, THE LA VERNE MARKETPLACE.
I THINK SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN JUST CREATED BY, SOME WHERE I THINK ONES BY THE CHAMBER, I BELIEVE, AND THEN I THINK ANOTHER ONE, I THINK PAM BERRY IS IN CHARGE OF OR IS AN ADMIN FOR.
LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT IS REALLY INDICATIVE OF WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND WHO WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE; HELPFUL, CONSIDERATE, KIND, GENEROUS, COMPASSIONATE, TO EACH OTHER AND WITH EACH OTHER.
SO IF YOU ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE, I URGE YOU TO GO LIKE THESE PAGES, FOLLOW THEM SHARE, THE INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT GREAT INFORMATION ON THERE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE HAS ALSO COLLABORATED WITH GROUPS.
THEY'RE DOING LA VERNE'S GOT TALENT.
SO THEY EXTENDED THAT TO MAY 22ND.
I BELIEVE THERE'S MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON SHOP LA VERNE.
BUT AGAIN, I REALLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IN
[02:00:01]
WHAT WAYS CAN WE HELP OUR BUSINESSES AND IN WHAT WAYS CAN WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING TO LIGHT, I MENTIONED BRIEFLY EARLIER, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO MUCH INTO IT, BUT I REALLY DO WANT TO APPLAUD THE EFFORTS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND OUR OLD TOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND EVERYBODY WHO'S REALLY COME TOGETHER TO SAY, "HEY, HOW CAN WE HELP EACH OTHER OUT? HOW CAN WE THINK COLLABORATIVELY? HOW CAN WE THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX TO BE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER IN A GOOD PLACE?".
I THINK THERE ARE SOME EVENTS THAT, OBVIOUSLY, ARE COMING UP THAT WHILE THEY MAY NOT LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAST, I REALLY DO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 4TH OF JULY HOME DECORATING.
I KNOW THAT I'M SLOWLY TRYING TO RILE UP MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE COMPETITIVE.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMBINE VISIT LORDSBURG COURT.
I DEFINITELY HAVE SOME NEIGHBORS WHO ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
ONE LAST THING THAT I DO WANT TO SHARE, I DID SHARE THIS ON MY PAGE THAT I HAD OPENED FOR MY CITY WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL, BUT I HAD A FRIEND POST A STATUS ABOUT HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
I THINK ESPECIALLY AS THE DAYS IN SHELTER-AT-HOME HAVE BEEN EXTENDED, WE'RE ALL ANTSY.
WE'RE ALL FEELING IT. WE ALL MISS SEEING OUR FRIENDS.
WE ALL MISS, ALL THESE THINGS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THAT BRINGS OUT THE WORST IN ALL OF US.
I THINK WHAT WAS KEY ABOUT THIS STATUS OR THIS POST THAT MY FRIEND MADE, IT REALLY TALKS ABOUT HOW CAN WE BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER'S POSITIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE SOMEONE'S COMING FROM.
WE DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE'S DESIRE TO OPEN EARLIER THAN SOMEONE ELSE IS STILL I MEAN FROM THE FACT THAT, "HEY, THEY'VE GOT TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
IT IS WHAT IT IS AND THAT'S THEIR IMPETUS.".
WE DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE'S REQUEST OR DESIRE THAT EVERYBODY STAY HOME LONGER COMES FROM A PLACE OF, "HEY, IMMUNOCOMPROMISED OR I LIVE WITH AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PERSON AND I'M CONCERNED.".
SO HOW DO WE HOLD THESE DIFFERING AND OPPOSING BELIEFS IN THE SAME BREATH? I THINK WHAT IS KEY IN THAT STATEMENT THAT SHE MADE WAS, WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE AN EITHER/OR PROPOSITION AND FIGHT.
WE CAN CHOOSE OTHER WAYS TO BE.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, I THINK REOPENING MAYBE TOO SOON.
SO I WILL CONTINUE TO SHELTER MYSELF AND PRAY, MAKE MASKS, CHECK ON THOSE WHO CAN'T, OR I REALLY NEED TO GO BACK TO WORK.
SO I WILL DO SO, BUT I WILL BE CAREFUL AND I WILL TRY TO PROTECT MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND THOSE AROUND ME WITH HEALTHY STRATEGIES.
SO IT'S REALLY ALLOWING THESE POSITIONS TO LET US DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT RESPECTING THOSE WHO MAY CHOOSE DIFFERENTLY FROM US.
SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO WALK A MILE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES BEFORE WE MOUTH OFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR IN PERSON TO EACH OTHER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT PERSON'S COMING FROM AND THIS IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON EVERYBODY.
SO TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, EXTEND THAT COMPASSION, EXTEND THAT KINDNESS, AND LIKE I SAID AT THE TOP OF MY COMMENTS, I AM VERY PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT BRINGS ME TO TEARS TO SEE HOW MUCH OUR FOLKS ADVOCATE FOR EACH OTHER AND ROOT FOR EACH OTHER.
SO LET'S CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND NOT THROW OUT THE NAME-CALLING, OR THAT YOU'RE STUPID FOR WANTING TO REOPEN, OR YOU'RE STUPID FOR FOR WANTING TO STAY HOME. YOU'RE A COWARD.
WHATEVER THOSE WORDS ARE. REMOVE THOSE.
REMOVE THAT LANGUAGE FROM YOUR LEXICON AND REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE BE MORE COMPASSIONATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THIS IS NEW FOR EVERYBODY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING SUCH AN AMAZING COMMUNITY.
LET'S CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT PEOPLE COME UP WITH FOR 4TH OF JULY.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, CARDER.
>> YES. ON THAT POSITIVE NOTE, WENDY, I WANT TO CONTINUE WITH OUR MOBILE HOMES.
I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT WITH THIS VOLUNTEER GROUP THAT I HAVE HELPING OUT THE SENIORS GO GROCERY SHOPPING, ANY OF THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE, THE CHURCHES THAT HAVE COME UP TO VOLUNTEER, THERE'S 55 PEOPLE THAT ARE HELPING OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN LA VERNE.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR MOBILE HOME PARKS IN THE SENIOR APARTMENTS, ALL ARE SO SELF-SUFFICIENT.
THEY HAVE PLANS IN PLACE FOR EMERGENCY AWARENESS FOR EACH OTHER.
THEY NOW HAVE PUT SIGNS IN ONE OF THE PARKS THAT SAYS, "I'M OKAY." IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY TAKE IT DOWN AND SOMEONE WILL COME IN.
THEY DRIVE AROUND, THEY ARE PROTECTED AND REALLY WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT IN CLOSING, I ALSO WANT TO INVITE ANY OF YOU THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FROM COUNCIL, I HAVE TOMORROW AND IN THE NEXT TWO WEDNESDAYS WORKING WITH SOWING SEEDS.
BILLY GARY AND I GET THE VOLUNTEERS, AND I HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS COMING TOMORROW THAT IS PART OF THIS GROUP.
SO WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER, I WOULD LOVE TO PUT KUDOS OUT THERE TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.
THERE ARE SO MANY OUT THERE BEYOND THIS,
[02:05:02]
AND WENDY, AND ALL OF US KNOW VOLUNTEERS.BUT TOMORROW, 7:00 AM, IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME BY, I KNOW THEY'D LOVE TO SEE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
SO STOP BY AT 7:00-1:00 AM AT THE COUNTY FAIR.
>> WEDNESDAY, NOT TOMORROW. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE'LL BE THERE TOMORROW, BUT NO ONE WILL BE THERE. [LAUGHTER]
>> IT'S EVERY WEDNESDAY FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS FOR SURE.
>> JUST CHECKING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION MAYOR, BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO GO TOMORROW AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHERE EVERYBODY WAS.
SO JUST LAST WEEK, I WAS WITH THE POMONA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
WE'RE DOING THEIR ANNUAL PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
THE BUDGET HAS BEEN LOWERED FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, BUT FEAR NOT.
SERVICES THAT POMONA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY PROVIDES LA VERNE ARE STILL THERE.
THEY'RE STILL WORKING TO HELP OUR SENIORS AND OUR DISABLED GETTING AROUND.
SO PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LEAN ON THEM FOR YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS.
I'M ALSO PART OF A PUBLIC BANKING INTEREST GROUP.
IT'S A STUDY GROUP, TRI-CITIES OF LA VERNE, CLAREMONT, AND POMONA.
SO IF YOU LOOK FOR TRI-CITIES PUBLIC BANKING STUDY GROUP, YOU CAN FIND A LOT OF INFORMATION BECAUSE I THINK COVID-19 IS PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REFLECT AND SEE HOW WE AS A PUBLIC ENTITY MAY BE ABLE TO BANKING SERVICES TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY HERE TO EVERYTHING THAT WENDY OR COUNCIL MEMBER LAU HAD TO SAY, LET'S STICK TOGETHER.
THIS IS NOT SINGULAR IN DIMENSION.
WE DO NEED TO THINK AND FIND WAYS TO RELATE, TO TALK, AND TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER.
WE'RE 40-SOMETHING MIDDLE SHORT-SERVING HOMELESS.
SO THERE'S GOT TO BE A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS SECTOR TODAY OR EVEN SOME PEOPLE THAT COULD FIX SOME FINE MEALS THAT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO HELP SERVE THOSE IN NEED. SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. LEE FOR THE CENSUS REPORT FIRST THING.
AS YOU KNOW, WE START OFF WITH COMPLETE YOUR CENSUS.
WE HAVE 71 PERCENT OF ALREADY DOING THAT SO LET'S SHOOT FOR THAT 100.
I'M ON THE FOOTHILLS TRANSIT COMMITTEE AND LAST WEEK, ACTUALLY TWO WEEKS AGO, MEETING ABOUT HOW PROTOCOLS ARE GOING TO BE SAFE FOR BUS SERVICE AND OPENING UP THE BUSES, REALLY FOR ONLY CAPACITY FOR ABOUT 10-15 PEOPLE ON A 40-60 PASSENGER BUS BECAUSE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.
EVERYONE IS TO A WEAR MASK GOING ON THE BUS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING ALL THEIR GUIDELINES AND CLEANING AS WELL.
I WANT TO DO A SPECIAL CALL OUT TO BENITO HIGH-SCHOOL SENIORS TODAY.
TONIGHT, THEY HAD THEIR VIRTUAL AWARDS NIGHT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE SENIORS THAT YOU GOT YOUR AWARDS.
WE ALL WANT TO HAVE A GRADUATION, A DRIVE-BY GRADUATION, BUT WE ARE HEARING FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROHIBITING ALL THAT TO HAPPEN.
IT IS NOT THE DISTRICT, IS NOT THE CITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, IT IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE STRICTLY SAYING THAT IS PROHIBITED AND EVERYBODY WANT TO DO THAT AND GIVE BACK TO OUR SENIORS.
I HAVE TWO KIDS THAT PLAY SPORTS AND THAT THEY'RE THAT AGE.
I HAVE DAUGHTER, THAT PLAYS, THE AUTISM SPECTRUM ATHLETICS, AND MY OTHER DAUGHTER PLAYS, COMPETITIVE GOLF.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE EVERY WEEKEND I SPENT ON A FIELD WITH THEM COACHING HELPING AND WANT TO RESUME THAT.
UNTIL OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT REALLY TELLS US WE CAN AGAIN, THEN WE NEED TO GO AND DO THAT.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR CITY AS WELL, AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES GIVEN TO US.
OUR COUNTY, WE LIVE IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY WHERE WE DON'T [NOISE] HAVE AS MANY CASES, BUT WE HAVE TO STILL FOLLOW OUR ENTIRE COUNTY IN OUR REGULATIONS SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE REOPENED EVERYTHING THOUGH.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES.
THEN LAST PART, I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF.
I MET WITH MR. KIZZY AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] THIS WEEK AND REALLY WENT OVER THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND SPENT A COUPLE HOURS WITH EACH OF THEM.
[02:10:06]
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR LEADERS.IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, I WANT TO BE SOCIAL DISTANT FROM THEM, BUT STILL MEET WITH THE REST OF THE STAFF LEADERS AND OUR EMPLOYEE GROUPS AS WELL.
KNOWING ABOUT EACH DEPARTMENT AND REALLY LEARN ABOUT THE CITY, I THINK IS WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO.
BE SAFE AND HOPEFULLY WE GET BACK STARTED SOON.
YES TO ALL THE ABOVE AND WHATEVER EVERYONE SAID, WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY TREAT EACH OTHER WITH KID GLOVES RIGHT NOW IT IS A SENSITIVE TIME.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY STRETCHING IN THEIR NERVES RIGHT NOW. I SEE IT.
I SEE THE NEIGHBORS AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T HUG THEM BUT YOU CAN GIVE THEM A VIRTUAL HUG.
BUT ON THE YOUTH SPORTS, ROB AND I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN YOUTH SPORTS FOREVER AND I UNDERSTAND ALL OF YOUR FRUSTRATION FOR LITERALLY.
I DID SEND SOMETHING OUT TO ALL THE COUNSEL BRAND AND [INAUDIBLE] HAD SENT IT TO ME AND REGARDING FROM THEIR DISTRICT LEADER, I SUBMITTED THAT AND SEND IT TO KATHRYN BARGER TO LET HER OVERVIEW IT, PREVIEW IT, AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY.
BUT AGAIN, AS MR. CROSBY STATED, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY DICTATES AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS IT'S SAFE AND THEY APPROVE IT.
BUT, THEN AGAIN, YOU NEVER KNOW.
BUT I'M NOT NECESSARILY GIVING ANYBODY HOPES, BUT IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NOTHING MORE THAN KIDS ON EVERY SINGLE FIELD IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE WONDERFUL NOISES AND JUST JOY UP THERE WITH THEM AND FAMILIES TOGETHER.
THAT'S THE WAY I KNOW ROBIN DID.
I KNOW MAIR DOES, I KNOW [INAUDIBLE] DOES AND MYSELF FOR YEARS COACHING AND BRINGING FOOD AND IT IS NOTHING LIKE IT.
BUT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES.
IT'S IN KATHRYN BARGER'S HANDS RIGHT NOW.
WE DO FEEL YOUR PAIN, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT SAFELY AND IT HAS TO AND THERE'S A CAT IN THE PICTURE OVER THERE.
>> HI KITTY. ALSO MATTHEW NEELEY, CEO OF HILLCREST, CALLED ME TODAY AND THEY HAVE, EXCUSE ME FOR USING MY PHONE, BUT USDA COVID 19 RELIEF PROGRAM, APPARENTLY THEY HAVE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
THEY GIVE BOXES AND A LARGE AMOUNT.
SO I'M GOING TO FIND OUT MORE WHAT HE'S DOING TOMORROW.
BUT IT COULD BE THAT SENT TO MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES.
SO I'LL CHECK WITH HIM TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AN OVER ABUNDANCE.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOOD THE 15TH OF MAY THROUGH THE END OF JUNE.
SO WE'LL CHECK IT OUT AND SEE IF THAT CAN HELP SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS ALSO LOOKS LIKE IT'S AN ABUNDANCE.
SO ON LEAVING, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S WORK, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL.
WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT THAT'S A GOOD PART.
WE ALL GET TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND WE MOVE FORWARD AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO PROTECT OUR CITY, PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS, PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES.
BUT ALSO ONE LAST THING, LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THE POLICE DO IT TOO THIS WEEKEND, I WAS ASKED TO COME UP TO ONE OF OUR RESIDENCE AND MARSHALL CANYON, AND THERE'S SOMEONE'S GRADUATING FROM CLAREMONT MCKENNA AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME UP.
THEY HAD LIKE 15 CAR, EVERYBODY SPACED.
BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME UP AND RAN THE SIRENS.
THIS IS THE COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN WHERE THEY CELEBRATE THESE GRADUATIONS AND I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO DAVID LEONARD AND THE FIRE CREW, CAPTAIN [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS CREW UP AT STATION TWO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S WHAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW IS JUST TO PEOPLE RUNNING OUT THERE GRADUATING AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GRADUATING CLASSES, WHETHER IT BE GRADE SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL OR SENIORS.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU GOT THE SHORT END OF THE STICK ON THIS ONE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'LL HAVE TIME TO CELEBRATE IT AT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, BUT EVERYONE BE SAFE.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES AND HOPEFULLY WE GET A VARIANCE HERE SOON AND WE CAN START OPENING SOONER THAN LATER SAFELY.
THANK YOU. ON THAT, NO OTHER BUSINESS MR. RUSSI?
>> WE ADJOURN TO JUNE FIRST AT 6:30 PM.
IT IS NOW 8:49 PM AND I CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.
>> YOU HAVE A GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY.
>> YOU TOO [OVERLAPPING].
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.