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[ CALL TO ORDER: Council Chamber INVOCATION: Assistant City Attorney/Assistant Legal Counsel Collins PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember/Director Simonian ROLL CALL: Mayor/Chair Gomez Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chair Nigsarian Councilmember/Director Espinoza Councilmember/Director Medrano Councilmember/Director Simonian]
CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAHABRA, AND THE REGULAR JOINT MEETING WITH THE LAHABRA UTILITY AUTHORITY OF DECEMBER 4TH, 2003.WILL THE RECORD REFLECT THAT AT 6:30 PM AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS DIRECTORS ARE PRESENT? THE INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY OUR ASSISTANT CITY, UH, ATTORNEY LEGAL COUNSEL, KEITH COLLINS, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BY COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTOR STEVE SIMONIAN.
DEAR GOD, WE HUMBLY PRAY THAT YOU'LL GRANT WISDOM TO THE CITY COUNCIL, AS IT CONSIDERS CITY BUSINESS SET FORTH IN THE MEETING AGENDA TONIGHT, WE ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE THE CITY COUNCIL WITH INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES CONFRONTING OUR COUNCIL, STAFF, AND CITIZENS, SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN STRIVE TO SOLVE THESE ISSUES WITH COMMUNITY, SPIRIT AND PARTNERSHIP IN MIND.
PLEASE BLESS THE COUNCIL IN ITS DECISION MAKING TONIGHT SO THAT WE MAY ACT PRUDENTLY AND RESPONSIBLY FOR THE GOOD OF THE LA HABER COMMUNITY.
PLEASE PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
AND REPEAT, I PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE.
LIBERTY, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WILL THE CITY CLERK PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, DIRECTORS ARE HERE TODAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO.
MR. MAYOR, IS LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL IN THE HOUSE TODAY? YES.
IS LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL HERE TODAY? YES.
SO GLAD TO HAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FROM LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL TODAY.
[1. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO LOWELL JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR CHRISTINA ILINSKY]
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE UP TO THE PODIUM.FIRST OF ALL, SHERRY MCDONALD, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, THEN WE'LL WORK OUR WAY DOWN.
IF, IF YOU WE'RE RECOGNIZING TEACHER OF THE YEAR, IF YOU CAN SAY A LITTLE, SO THEN WE'LL WORK OUR WAY DOWN AFTER YOU'RE DONE.
UH, I AM THRILLED THAT OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR, CHRISTY LINSKY, SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE WHEN WE WERE RECOGNIZING OUR OTHER, UM, STAFF OF THE YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE HER WITH US.
UM, TONIGHT, HER CURRENT PRINCIPAL IS HERE ALSO, SO I'M GONNA LET HER SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS.
UM, BUT ON BEHALF OF JIM KOONS, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, AND OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES WERE, UM, WE'RE THRILLED TO INTRODUCE, UM, CHRISSY LINSKY, WHO'S OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THIS IS HER PRINCIPAL, AMANDA MA? YES.
I'M THE CURRENT PRINCIPAL OF EL PERAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRAGGING ABOUT CHRIS ALINSKY FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UM, IT'S HER 18TH YEAR TEACHING KINDERGARTEN AND HER 21ST YEAR IN LOWELL JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, ON ANY GIVEN DAY, IN ADDITION TO EDUCATING FIVE AND SIX YEAR OLDS, WHICH IS IN AND OF ITSELF DIFFICULT, A DIFFICULT TASK, AND SHE DOES IT WITH A SMILE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT ON, UH, TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, YOU CAN FIND HER AT THE SCHOOL AT SEVEN 30 LEADING OUR DRAMA CLUB FOR THE CHRISTMAS SHOW.
AND THEN ON MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS, SHE'S PROBABLY AT SCHOOL UNTIL FOUR 30 OR FIVE, UM, WITH OUR DISNEY MUSICALS IN SCHOOL'S, UM, THEATER PRODUCTION, UH, FINDING NEMO FOR THIS YEAR.
SO SHE IS ALL OVER CAMPUS IMPACTING NOT ONLY KINDERGARTEN, TEA, UH, KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, BUT ALSO THIRD THROUGH SIXTH GRADERS.
SO SHE IS A LOVELY PERSON, HAPPY AS CAN BE.
AND SHE ALSO HAS, UM, HER HUSBAND AND THREE KIDS WHO ALSO ATTEND EL PERAL HERE TONIGHT.
SO WE JUST WANNA CELEBRATE HER AND BRAG ON HER A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING OUR WAY DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU, UM, CHRISTINA, YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW MANY, UH, DOZENS AND DOZENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS, THE IMPACT THAT YOU'VE MADE IN THE LIVES YOU'RE PLANTING SEEDS.
AND I TELL YOU, I I LOOK BACK WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, AND I STILL KEEP IN TOUCH.
AND I REMEMBER THOSE, THE IMPACT THAT TEACHERS MADE IN MY LIVES.
IN FACT, I STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MY FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE TEACHER, UH, EVEN TODAY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, WE LIKE TO MAKE OUR WAY DOWN THERE TO TO, TO CONGRATULATING, PRESENT YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE AS WELL.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'LL LET YOU SAY A FEW WORDS SINCE YOU'RE RIGHT THERE, THEN WE'LL WORK OUT.
NO, I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR.
I WAS VERY SURPRISED AND SHOCKED, BUT I LOVE WHAT I DO, SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.
YOU KNOW, REALLY, UH, TEACHERS HERE IN, IN, UH, LAHABRA AND, AND LOWELL JOINT AND LAHABRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, FULLERTON UNI HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY CAN REALLY GO TO OTHER AREAS AND MORE AFFLUENT AREAS AND MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY.
BUT YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN'S LIVES.
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DO YOU WANT THE MIC THERE? RIGHT HERE.CAN WE INVITE YOUR FAMILY UP, PLEASE? BACK HERE, GUYS.
ARE YOU STAND RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR WIFE.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I ALSO WANNA SHARE, HERE'S ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY OF LAHARA HIGH SCHOOL OF LAHARA.
SHE WENT TO ALL HER SCHOOLS HERE IN LAHARA, BORN AND RAISED IN LAHARA.
WENT UP, UH, TO LAHABRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR A LITTLE BIT.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? SHE WENT TO OLD JOINT, BECAME A TEACHER THERE, AND NOW SHE'S AN ADMINISTRATION.
A TRUE SUCCESS STORY, BOYS AND GIRLS.
WHAT HARD WORK TAKES YOU? THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
AREN'T YOU PROUD OF YOUR MOMMY? REALLY? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
WHERE DID YOU GO THROUGH? TELL ME.
SO I WENT THROUGH WALNUT AND WASHINGTON AND LA HABRA.
THERE'S C TWO SUCCESS STORIES.
[2. RECOGNITION OF PARK DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR DAVID VILLALBA UPON HIS RETIREMENT AND 30 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY OF LA HABRA]
VIA, VIA LABA.I I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE RETIRING UNTIL TODAY.
30 YEARS WITH THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
I MEAN, UH, ELIAS, I'D LIKE YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS, PLEASE.
THIS IS, DAVID HAS BEEN AROUND THIS CITY FOR 30 YEARS.
HE STARTED WITH US WHEN, OH, THIS IS, AND, UH, FINISHED HIS CAREER LAST WEEK.
AND, UH, FOR ALL OF US IN, IN OUR AGE GROUP, WE KNOW HOW HARD AND HOW DIFFERENT WE WORK AND HOW COMMITTED WE ARE TO CITIES.
DAVID IS THE MOST PUNCTUAL, THE MOST, UH, ACCURATE PERSON TO ASK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PARKS.
AND HE WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR PARKS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THIS IS A, A LOSS FOR THE CITY, BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM.
ONE THING, DAVID, I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT DAVID IS YOU GET NEW EMPLOYEES AND THEY START, AND THEY, THEY HAVE A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM.
AND THEY, THEY DO JUST, THEY, THEY, THEY RUN TO LIKE THE A HUNDRED MILE DASH THERE, BUT DAVID HAS FINISHED STRONG FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
IT'S LIKE, YOU'RE LIKE A BRAND NEW EMPLOYEE.
ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, AND YOU SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH JUST ZEST AND PASSION, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA MISS YOU.
THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
YOU'VE TRULY MADE A MARK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR GRANDMA GRANDPA IS.
AND YOU'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HIM, YOU KNOW THAT? YES.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR GRANDPA? UH, GETTING THE BATH.
DAVID, I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU SAY A FEW WORDS.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE SERVING THE CITY OF THE HARBOR FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
UM, LIKE, LIKE ELI SAID ABOUT ME, SAME THING ABOUT HIM.
HE'S MADE MY JOB EASIER, THAT'S FOR SURE.
YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I APPRECIATE ELIAS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN A PART OF MY CAREER HERE WITH THE SEAT OF THE HARBOR.
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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO DAVID, PLEASE.DAVID, DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, BY THE WAY, WHAT YOU WANNA INTRODUCE? ANY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE, BY THE WAY? RAISE YOUR HAND.
THERE'S MY WIFE, ANNA, ONE AT A TIME.
MY WIFE ANNA, MY OLDEST GRANDDAUGHTER WHO GOES TO COWBOY POMONA, GABRIELA, MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
STEPHANIE, MY SON DAVID, AND MY 15-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER GOES TO LA HARBA, MADDIE.
DAVID DID A TREMENDOUS JOB FOR US.
AND PLEASE COME BACK AND VISIT DAVID.
THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE POLICE CHIEF, UH, ADAM FOSTER TO THE PODIUM FOR A PRESENTATION, UH, TO THE RIGHT.
UH, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PROVIDE DAVID WITH, UH, MEMORIAL TILE FOR THE YEARS THAT HE SERVED WITH THE CITY HERE AND HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL.
ANY OPPOSED? DAVID, YOU'LL HAVE A TILE IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT.
[3. PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENTATION]
CHIEF.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2023 FROM YOUR LAHABRA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR, UH, CRIMES TO DATE.
THIS IS A COMPARISON FROM 2023 TO 2022 YEAR TO DATE.
AND OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE SEEN A SMALL, UH, DECREASE IN OUR OVERALL CRIME WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE IN BURGLARY, WITH A DECREASE IN ROBBERY AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS.
WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 17,000 EMERGENCY CALLS FOR SERVICE THIS YEAR, AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OFFICER RESPONSE TIMES UNDER FOUR MINUTES.
OUR TRAFFIC UNIT'S BEEN HARD AT WORK.
UH, THEY CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN OTS GRANTS, WHICH IS FOR DUIS, BUT ALSO GRANTS FOR DISTRACTED DRIVING.
OUR OFFICERS AND TRAFFIC UNIT HAVE HAD OVER 150 DUI ARRESTS, OVER 400 CITATIONS FOR COMMON VIOLATIONS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE PRIMARY COLLISION FACTORS.
OVER 130 CITATIONS FOR DISTRACTED DRIVING.
AND AS A DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE, WE HAVE CONDUCTED OVER 5,000 TRAFFIC STOPS HERE TO DATE.
I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE STARTED ABOVE THE INFLUENCE.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LA HABER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS AN ANTI-DRUG, ALCOHOL AND GANG EDUCATION PROGRAM, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO TEACH ABOUT ADDICTION, WHICH INCLUDES TOBACCO, VAPING, MARIJUANA, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, ANTI-BULLYING, AND OF COURSE GANGS.
AND THUS FAR, IT HAS BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED.
WE ARE CONTINUING OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH THIS YEAR.
OF NOTE, WE HAD TACO WITH A COP, COOL COPS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE COFFEE WITH A COP, PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I AM EXCITED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT BASED ON A GRANT, WE ARE ABLE TO FACILITATE SPANISH CERT COMING IN JANUARY OF 2024.
UH, WE HAVE OUR OWN INSTRUCTORS, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP IT GOING ON A YEARLY BASIS.
UH, AND AS YOU KNOW, CERT EDUCATES PREPARES THE COMMUNITY FOR DISASTERS AND DISASTERS RESPONSE.
AND THAT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM AN EXTENDED POWER OUTAGE TO FIRES TO EARTHQUAKES.
OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH IS CONTINUING.
WE ARE STILL ACTIVE IN OUR REGIONAL EFFORTS, AND OF COURSE, WE, UH, LOOK FOR HELP FROM THE COUNTY AS
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WELL.UH, MY OFFICERS HAVE MADE OVER 300 CONTACTS, PARTICIPATED IN THREE LARGE SCALE CLEANUPS, AND OVER 40 SMALL SCALE CLEANUPS.
OF COURSE, WE COULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THEIR HELP IS VITAL IN TACKLING THIS PROBLEM.
THEN LASTLY, UH, WE ARE LOOKING STRONG STAFFING WISE.
WE ARE GRADUATING TWO OFFICERS FROM THE ACADEMY IN TWO WEEKS, AND WE RECENTLY HIRED ANOTHER DISPATCHER, WHICH BRINGS US UP TO FULL EIGHT TIME DISPATCHERS AT THIS TIME.
THAT'S A BRIEF HIGHLIGHT OF 2023.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CERT.
I KNOW THE PARENTS, UH, THE FAMILIES LOVED THE, UH, CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY AND THEY WERE ALWAYS ASKING ABOUT THE CERT, AND IT WAS, UH, DIFFICULT TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA PROVIDE THAT AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU ABSOLUTELY SO MUCH.
YES, MR. MAYOR, UH, CHIEF, CONGRATULATIONS ON THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THERE ARE MANY, THEY'RE HIDDEN IN A BRIEF PRESENTATION, BUT THE STAFFING LEVELS ARE A MIRACLE AND, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
I APPRECIATE IT VERY, VERY MUCH.
THE, UM, EIGHT FULL-TIME DISPATCHERS IS BEYOND A MIRACLE, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU KEEP YOUR PULSE ON THAT.
AND IF WE HAVE TO HIRE OVER THE, TO, TO KEEP THAT AT EIGHT, I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER THAT ALONG THE ROAD.
WE'VE BEEN, UH, VERY MUCH SUPPORTED BY HR AND THE CITY MANAGER, JIM SADRO, AND OF COURSE, WE APPRECIATE COUNCIL SUPPORT.
UH, WE LOOK TO HIRE GREAT PEOPLE, AND THAT'S SOMETIMES A CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT'S A LONG PROCESS, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET TO FULL STAFF.
I THINK WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN IS TRYING TO DO IS HE'S TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THE RANKS, FIT HIM FOR UNIFORM AGAIN.
HE'S WILLING TO GO TEN EIGHT FOR YOU AT ANY TIME.
WELL, THAT'S FUNNY YOU SAID THAT.
WE WERE GONNA ANNOUNCE THAT AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
SO, YOU KNOW, HE'S, UH, HE'S READY.
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU, CHIEF.
IF YOU WANNA, STUDENTS FROM LAHA HIGH SCHOOL.
I, I'M TOLD THAT WE'RE OUT OF AGENDAS.
KELLY HERE AND KIM IN THE FRONT ROW, IF YOU NEED AN AGENDA, THEY'LL ARRANGE TO GET YOU THAT AGENDAS.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN HAVE MINE AND MAYBE SOME OF THE COUNCILS WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE MEETING THIS EVENING.
SO YOU CAN COME UP FOR THESE FIVE.
WE, WE CAN HAVE COPIES MADE FOR ALL THE STUDENTS.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENTATION, SO THAT'S THE POLICE SIDE OF IT.
AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK BRIANNA AND IF, UH, CHIEF ROBERTSON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND MAKE ANY COMMENTS TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRE, UH, SIDE OF IT.
SO WITH THAT, BRIANNA, GO AHEAD AND WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE STATISTICS.
HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PARAMOUNT GOAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THE CITY CONTINUES TO PRI PROVIDE CORE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, AND AMBULANCE TO ITS RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND VISITORS.
YOU JUST HEARD FROM CHIEF FOSTER ABOUT THE DAILY EFFORTS OF THE LA HABRA POLICE DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A BRIEF UPDATE TO OUR FIRE AND AMBULANCE OPERATIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS CONTRACTED WITH LA COUNTY FIRE SINCE 2005 FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT, AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES.
OF THE 34 CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY, LA HARBOR IS THE ONLY CITY SERVED BY LA COUNTY FIRE.
THE ORIGINAL TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE COST SHARING METHODOLOGY, PROVIDED DIRE SERVICES NOT ONLY TO LA LAHABRA, BUT TO ALSO ALLOW LA COUNTY FIRE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY'S NETWORK OF FIRE STATIONS TO PROVIDE FIRE SERVICE RESPONSE RESPONSE TO AREAS WITHIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY ADJACENT TO LAHABRA.
FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, THIS CONTRACT HAS SERVED LAHABRA WELL WITHIN OUR NETWORK OF FIRE STATIONS.
LA COUNTY RESPONDED TO OVER 5,300 INCIDENTS IN 2 20 22 ALONE, WITH AN AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME OF UNDER SIX MINUTES STAY THERE.
IN FACT, FIRE STATIONS 1 91 AND 1 92 MAINTAIN AN AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME OF FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES.
NEXT, IN 2022, STAFF FROM THE CITY AND LA COUNTY FIRE ENTERED INTO NEGOTIATIONS TO BEGIN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ANOTHER LONG-TERM FIRE SERVICES CONTRACT EXTENSION.
SINCE THE CURRENT AGREEMENT WAS SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE IN 2025, WHILE IT WAS CLEAR THAT LA COUNTY FIRE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FIRE SERVICES TO THE LA HABRA COMMUNITY,
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THE CITY WAS INFORMED THAT LA COUNTY FIRE WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SUPPORT A COST SHARING AGREEMENT.AFTER MANY MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS THAT INCLUDED NUMEROUS PROPOSALS AND COUNTER PROPOSALS, THE CITY AND LA COUNTY FIRE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT FIRE RESOURCES AT FIRE STATION 1 93 WILL BE REMOVED EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
THE REASONING BEHIND THIS DECISION INCLUDED ANALYSIS OF INCIDENT TYPES, UM, GO BACK ONE, UM, BEING RESPONDED TO FROM 1 93 IN THE POSITION OF FIRE STATION 1 94 IN PROXIMITY TO LA COUNTY JURISDICTIONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA IN 2022, FIRE STATION 1 93 HAD A TOTAL OF 678 INCIDENTS, 584 OF WHICH WERE RESCUE EMS. IN COMPARISON, FIRE STATION 1 91 HAD A TOTAL OF 2,626 INCIDENTS, 2300 OF WHICH WERE RESCUE EMS WITH FIRE RESOURCES NO LONGER HOUSED AT FIRE STATION 1 9 3.
THE CITY NOW HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE THE BUILDING TO HOUSE AND DISPATCH AMBULANCES AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY USES STAY THERE.
THE MAP ON THE LEFT OF THE SCREEN SHOWS THE EXISTING NETWORK OF FIRE STATIONS SERVICING LAHABRA PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1ST, AND THE MAP ON THE RIGHT REFLECTS THE CLOSURE OF FIRE STATION 1 93 AS A FIRE STATION TO ITS CURRENT USE AS AN AMBULANCE DISPATCH OPERATION.
AND ONE THING I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT THAT IS, UM, THE COST OF THE NEW AGREEMENTS THAT TAKES EFFECT JULY 1ST OF NEXT YEAR, PLAYED A LARGE PART IN, UH, HAVING TO DISCUSS WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE, UH, WE COULD CONTINUE PROVIDING IN THE COMMUNITY.
TO GIVE A A A POINT OF REFERENCE, LAST FISCAL YEAR, OUR FIRE CONTRACT WITH LA COUNTY FIRE COST THE CITY ROUGHLY $10 MILLION FOR FOUR FIRE STATIONS BECAUSE THE, UH, THE FIRE, UM, THE, UH, COST SHARING ARRANGEMENT WAS NO LONGER, UM, MADE AVAILABLE BY LA COUNTY FIRE AND, AND THE WAY IT HAD BEEN FOR THE FIRST 20 YEARS, EVEN WITH CLOSING A FIRE STATION, OUR COST IS LIKELY TO CLIMB TO ALMOST $15 MILLION NEXT FISCAL YEAR, STARTING ON JULY 1ST.
SO AS A 50% COST INCREASE FOR A ROUGHLY 25% REDUCTION IN SERVICE.
AND IT'S NOT IDEAL, UH, I KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL DELIBERATED OVER THIS ON MANY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, LA COUNTY FIRE BRINGS A HOST OF OTHER SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO, TO THE TABLE, WHICH MAKES, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR OPERATIONS, UM, CRUCIAL FOR THE CITY.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY IT WAS THE COUNCIL'S DESIRE TO, TO KEEP, UH, LA COUNTY FIRE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME AT A COST, HOWEVER, OF HAVING TO REDUCE FIRE SERVICES.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WITH THE AMBULANCE OPERATIONS GOING INTO FORMER FIRE STATION 1 93, THAT BUILDING IS CURRENTLY UNDER RENOVATION, UM, AND IS, UM, HAS BEEN TOURED AND AND INSPECTED BY LA COUNTY.
I MEAN THE, UM, CARE AMBULANCE, UH, UH, FALK AMBULANCE THAT RUNS OUR AMBULANCES FOR US.
AND WE ARE WITHIN PROBABLY A FEW WEEKS OF HAVING THAT FACILITY UP AND RUNNING FOR AMBULANCE OPERATIONS.
AND THAT WILL WORK, WILL WORK IN CLOSE CONJUNCTION WITH LA COUNTY FIRE.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, THE TRANSITION OF FIRE STATION 1 93 TO AN AMBULANCE DISPATCH FACILITY IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THE SIGNAGE ON THE BUILDING HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REMOVE LA COUNTY AND, UM, VERBIAGE FOR FIRE STATION 1 93 WITH NEW SIGNAGE INDICATING CITY OF LA HABRA AMBULANCE OPERATIONS CITY STAFF HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH LA COUNTY FIRE STAFF AND STAFF FROM OUR AMBULANCE OPERATOR TO TRANSITION THE BUILDING TO ITS NEW USE.
THIS HAS INCLUDED MINOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXTERNAL PHYSICAL UPGRADES, INCLUDING PAINT REFURBISHED FLOORING, NEW APPLIANCES, AND UPDATED FIXTURES.
IN ADDITION, EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2024, LA COUNTY FIRE AGREED TO UPGRADE ITS PMA PARAMEDIC CAPABILITIES AT FIRE STATION 1 92 ON HARBOR FROM THE CURRENT PARAMEDIC ASSESSMENT ENGINE TO A FULL PARAMEDIC ENGINE READY TO ADMINISTER BASIC AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT WHEN NEEDED WITH AN UPGRADED PARAMEDIC ENGINE AT STATION 1 92 AND AN AMBULANCE OPERATING FROM FORMER STATION 1 93 IS ANTICIPATED THAT PARAMEDIC RESPONSE TIMES TO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES IN LA HABRA WILL NOT BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
EVEN THOUGH THE FIRE APPARATUS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM FIRE STATION 1 93, THE CITY HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH LA COUNTY FIRE AND ORANGE COUNTY FIRE STAFF TO IDENTIFY A SUITABLE SITE TO INSTALL A HELL HYDRANT THAT WILL PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENT TO FIRE SUPPRESSION FOR THE CITY AND SURROUNDING AREA.
IT HAS BEEN STRATEGICALLY PLACED IN A FIRE PRONE WILDLAND AREA NEAR THE CITY'S BY AND WATER RESERVOIR LOADED, LOCATED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF IDAHO STREET AND RISINGER WAY.
THE HELLA HYDRANT IS A WATER TANK DESIGNED TO SUPPORT
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AND REFILL FIREFIGHTING HELICOPTERS TO BETTER PROTECT PROPERTIES INFRASTRUCTURE AND WILDLIFE FROM THE DANGER OF WILDFIRE.THE HELI HYDRANT CAN HOLD UP TO 8,500 GALLONS OF WATER AND CAN FILL A HELICOPTER TANK AT A RATE OF 1700 GALLONS OF WATER IN JUST 90 SECONDS.
IN 2022, THE CITY AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF THE HELL HYDRANT.
PREPARATIONS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THE WATER TANK WILL BE DELIVERED IN FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR AND INSTALLED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THE PROJECT WILL BE FINISHED IN APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.
SINCE 2014, THE CITY HAS CONTRACTED WITH FALK FORMERLY CARE AMBULANCE FOR EMS EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION AND AMBULANCE BILLING FOR TWO CITY OWNED AMBULANCES.
AFTER THE INITIAL CONTRACT TERM, THE CITY SOLICITED SOLICITED PROPOSALS FROM QUALIFIED AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS IN 2020.
DURING THAT PROCESS, FAULK WAS SELECTED AND AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN YEAR FOUR OF THAT CONTRACT.
FAULK CURRENTLY PROVIDES EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION SERVICE OUT OF FIRE STATION 1 91 ON THE HARBOR BOULEVARD AND FIRE STATION 1 92 ON HARBOR.
AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, FALCO MOVE AMBULANCE OPERATIONS FROM 1 92 TO FORMER STATION 1 93.
FROM JANUARY 1ST TO NOVEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 3,675 TOTAL INCIDENTS IN LAHABRA.
OF THOSE 22 TH 2,790 WERE TRANSPORTED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE INCIDENT DATA ON THE SCREEN OF THOSE 2,790 RESPONSES, 1,839 INCLUDED ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT AND 951 INCLUDED BASIC LIFE SUPPORT STRATEGICALLY UPGRADING TO A PARAMEDIC PARAMEDIC ENGINE AT FIRE STATION 1 92.
AND UTILIZING FORMER FIRE STATION 1 93 FOR FIRE FOR AMBULANCE OPERATIONS WILL HELP MAINTAIN PARAMEDIC PARAMEDIC RESPONSE TIMES TO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES IN LA HABRA AT RESPONSE TIMES WITHIN THE STANDARD OF BOTH FALK AND THE LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? WE'D LIKE TO ALSO WELCOME PEOPLE HERE FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
[ PUBLIC COMMENTS: When addressing the La Habra City Council, please complete a Speaker’s Card before leaving the Council Chamber. General Public Comments shall be received at the beginning of the governing body meeting and limited to three (3) minutes per individual, with a total time limit of 30 minutes for all public comments, unless otherwise modified by the Mayor or Chair. Speaking time may not be granted and/or loaned to another individual for purposes of extending available speaking time, and comments must be kept brief, non-repetitive, and professional in nature. The general Public Comment portion of the meeting allows the public to address any item of City business not appearing on the scheduled agenda. Per Government Code Section 54954.3(a), such comments shall not be responded to by the governing body during the meeting.]
IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.WHEN ADDRESSING THE LAW, HAPER CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE COMPLETE A SPEAKER'S CARD BEFORE LEAVING THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE RECEIVED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GOVERNING BODY MEETING, LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES FOR ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UNLESS OTHERWISE, MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR.
SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOANED TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS ANY ITEM OF CITY BUSINESS NOT APPEARING ON THE SCHEDULE.
AGENDA PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 4 0.3 A, SUCH COMMENTS SHALL NOT BE RESPONDED TO BY THE GOVERNING BODY DURING THE MEETING.
AND THERE IS ONE PUBLIC COMMENT SPEAKER CARD THAT WE RECEIVED.
WHO'S THAT ITEM? WHO'S THAT PERSON OR CARRIES? KERRY, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY THAT THE FIRST ARMY NAVY GAME BETWEEN LA HABER HIGH SCHOOL AND SONORA HIGH SCHOOL, JR.
ROTC, WILL TAKE PLACE THIS COMING SATURDAY ON DECEMBER THE NINTH AT 9:00 AM PUBLIC IS WELCOME.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO IS TO HAVE THIS BEFORE THE OFFICIAL ARMY NAVY GAME STARTS, UH, AFTER, I GUESS AT NOON OR ONE.
SO IN BETWEEN THE TWO GAMES, UH, THE LAHA LAHABRA HOST LIONS WILL BE DOING A BARBECUE FOR VETERANS, ANY ACTIVE MILITARY.
SO WE'RE JUST ASKING THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT SUPPORT THE J-R-O-T-C, BOTH TEAMS, WHETHER YOU'RE ARMY OR WHETHER YOU'RE NAVY, GO ARMY, UH, EXCUSE ME.
UM, JUST COME OUT AND SUPPORT.
IT'S, IT'S THE VERY FIRST ONE.
AND THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 2 6 7 HAS BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW.
SO THAT'S THE UPPER FIELD AT LAHABRA HIGH
[00:30:01]
SCHOOL, CORRECT? RIGHT BY THE TRACK? I BELIEVE SO, YES, THAT'S, I BELIEVE SO, YES.AND I'VE POSTED IT, SO IT'S, IT'S THERE.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL? THANK YOU.
PLEASE GO FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
ARE, ARE YOU SPEAKING REGARDING PUBLIC, PUBLIC HEARING ITEM THOUGH, RIGHT? WELL, YEAH, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE, WE'VE ALREADY PASSED THAT.
MA'AM, DO YOU WISH TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM PLEASE? IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE.
JOSE, I'M RUNNING THE MEETING.
MS. AVILA, WAS THAT RELATED TO THE OTHER ITEM WE HAD TALKED TO? NO, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'LL HAVE YOU COME OVER HERE AND SPEAK TO THE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE FIRE.
MISUNDERSTOOD THE, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING.
WE'VE ALREADY CLOSED THAT SESSION.
YOU CAN COME OVER HERE AND SPEAK TO THEM OVER HERE PRIVATELY.
NEXT TIME I'M ON THE AGENDA IS
[ CONSENT CALENDAR: All matters on Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless a Councilmember, City staff member, or member of the audience requests separate action or removal of an item. Removed items will be considered following the Consent Calendar portion of this agenda. Public comment shall be limited to three (3) minutes per individual, with a total time limit of 30 minutes per item that has been removed for separate discussion, unless otherwise modified by the Mayor. Speaking time may not be granted and/or loaned to another individual for purposes of extending available speaking time, and comments must be kept brief, non-repetitive, and professional in nature. CITY COUNCIL:]
CONSENT CALENDAR.ALL MATTERS ON CONSENT CALENDAR ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY STAFF MEMBER OR MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE REQUEST SEPARATE ACTION OR REMOVAL OF AN ITEM REMOVED.
ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOLLOWING THE CONSENT CALENDAR PORTION OF THIS AGENDA.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER ITEM THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION, UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR.
SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOAN TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE.
THE CONSENT AND CALENDAR INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX AND UTILITY AUTHORITY ITEM ONE.
ANY ITEMS STAFF LIKE TO HAVE REMOVED? NONE.
MR. MAYOR, I DO NOT WISH TO HAVE ANYTHING REMOVED, BUT IF YOU'D BE SO KIND, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
AND THIS WOULD RELATE TO ITEMS NUMBER THREE AND FOUR BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO THE QUALITY OF OUR NONPROFITS IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE BASED UPON THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND ATIONS THAT WE SHOW THEM.
AND LIKE ITEMS THREE AND FOUR SHOW THAT THE GARY CENTER IS LEASING THE GARY CENTER BUILDING FOR $1 A YEAR.
AND, UH, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HAS A LEASE OF $1 A YEAR.
AND IT'S, AND THESE ARE CITY PROPERTIES.
SO BY DOING THAT, SURE WE COULD PROBABLY GET MARKET RATE RENT FOR SOME OF THESE FACILITIES, THEN THESE NONPROFITS WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY WOULD NOT BE PRODUCTIVE, THEY WOULD NOT THRIVE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION THAT THIS IS HOW WE SUPPORT OUR VITAL AND PRECIOUS NONPROFITS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT STAFF WOULD LIKE? I MEAN, THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE REMOVED ANYBODY.
OKAY, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[1. DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ZONE CHANGES THAT ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE CITY’S GENERAL PLAN: A. ZONE CHANGE 23-03 TO AMEND CHAPTERS 18.04 (DEFINITIONS), 18.06 (ZONES ESTABLISHED), 18.10 (REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN HOUSING TO DISABLED INDIVIDUALS), 18.14 (OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS), 18.26 (R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6 AND R-7 MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING ZONES), 18.30 (SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING), 18.80 (AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES), AND 18.82 (INCLUSIONARY HOUSING UNITS) OF TITLE 18 (ZONING) OF THE LA HABRA MUNICIPAL CODE. B. ZONE CHANGE 23-04 TO ADD NEW CHAPTER 18.09 (OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT) AND AMEND CHAPTER 18.68 (DESIGN REVIEW) OF TITLE 18 (ZONING) OF THE LA HABRA MUNICIPAL CODE. C. ZONE CHANGE 23-05 TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER 18.84 (MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT MINISTERIAL REVIEW PROCESS) TO TITLE 18 (ZONING) OF THE LA HABRA MUNICIPAL CODE. That the City Council consider and approve the first reading of the following ordinances: A. ORDINANCE NO._______ ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ZONE CHANGE 23-03 TO AMEND CHAPTERS 18.04 (DEFINITIONS), 18.06 (ZONES ESTABLISHED), 18.10 (REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN HOUSING TO DISABLED INDIVIDUALS), 18.14 (OFF-STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS), 18.26 (R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6 AND R-7 MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING ZONES), 18.30 (SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING), 18.80 (AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES), AND 18.82 (INCLUSIONARY HOUSING UNITS) OF TITLE 18 (ZONING) OF THE LA HABRA MUNICIPAL CODE FOR CONFORMANCE WITH STATE LAW AND AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY’S 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT AND MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) UNDER SECTION 15061(B)(3) (COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION) OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES; B. ORDINANCE NO. _______ ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ZONE CHANGE 23-04 TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER 18.09 (OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT) AND AMEND CHAPTER 18.68 (DESIGN REVIEW) OF TITLE 18 (ZONING) OF THE LA HABRA MUNICIPAL CODE AND MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) UNDER SECTION 15061(B)(3) (COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION) OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES; and, C. ORDINANCE NO. _______ ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ZONE CHANGE 23-05 TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER 18.84 (MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT MINISTERIAL REVIEW PROCESS) TO TITLE 18 (ZONING) OF THE LA HABRA MUNICIPAL CODE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SENATE BILL 35 AND MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) UNDER SECTION 15061(B)(3) (COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION) OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES.]
ITEM IS PUBLIC HEARINGS.PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 60 MINUTES FOR ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
FOR INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC HEARING ITEM ON THE AGENDA, UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR, COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE.
THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ITEM IS A CITY COUNCIL ITEM ENTITLED, DULY NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING ZONE CHANGES THAT ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE CITY'S GENERAL CODE.
TWO THREE DASH ZERO THREE TO AMEND CHAPTERS 18.04.
DEFINITIONS 18.06 ZONES ESTABLISHED, 18 POINT 10 REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN HOUSING TO DISABLED INDIVIDUALS.
18.4 OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, 18.26 R DASH TWO R DASH THREE R DASH FOUR R DASH FIVE R DASH SIX, AND R DASH SEVEN MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING ZONES 18.30 SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING 18.80.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES AND 18.82 INCLUSIONARY HOUSING UNITS OF TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE LAHABRA MUNICIPAL CODE B ZONE CHANGE TWO THREE DASH ZERO FOUR TO ADD NEW CHAPTER 18.09.
OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
DESIGN REVIEW OF TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE LAHABRA MUNICIPAL CODE AND
[00:35:01]
C ZONE CHANGE TWO THREE DASH ZERO FIVE TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER, 18.84 MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL AND EXCUSE ME, AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT MINISTERIAL REVIEW PROCESS TO TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE LAHABRA MUNICIPAL CODE.RHONDA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RUNNING WITH THAT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I AM SONIA LOUIE, PLANNING MANAGER AND I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU THE ZONE CHANGES THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
THESE ZONE CHANGES WERE INITIATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF YOUR ADOPTION OF THE CITY'S HOUSING ELEMENT AND ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CITY'S HOUSING ELEMENT TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW ZONE CHANGE.
23 DASH ZERO THREE WOULD BRING THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE AND COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW BY FIRST UPDATING DEFINITIONS RELATED TO HOUSING, STREAMLINING THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR MORE TYPES OF HOUSING, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, REDUCING BARRIERS TO HOUSING FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND OR WITH DISABILITIES, REMOVING PARKING CONSTRAINTS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF HOUSING AND MODIFYING DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS TO FACILITATE HOUSING IN THE CITY'S LOWER DENSITY MULTI-UNIT ZONES AND ON PROPERTIES DESIGNATED FOR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
ZONE CHANGE 23 DASH ZERO FOUR WOULD CREATE STRAIGHTFORWARD MEASURABLE DESIGN STANDARDS, WHAT WE REFER TO AS OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT WOULD APPLY TO MULTI-UNIT AND OR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE BASED ON A MODEL ORDINANCE PREPARED BY THE ORANGE COUNTY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND HAVE BEEN DEEMED SUFFICIENTLY OBJECTIVE PER STATE REQUIREMENTS ZONE CHANGE.
23 DASH FIVE WOULD CREATE AN EXPEDITED HOUSING APPROVAL PROCESS FOR QUALIFYING MULTI-UNIT AND OR MIXED USE RES RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS, GENERALLY REFERRED TO AS SENATE BILL 35.
THESE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE HIGHER THAN THOSE REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S INCLUSIONARY ORDINANCE.
IN SUMMARY, THE PROPOSED ZONE CHANGES WILL HELP THE CITY COMPLY WITH NEW AND UPDATED STATE HOUSING LAWS AND IS ON TRACK TO COMPLETE THE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT WERE PROPOSED AND APPROVED AS PART OF THE ADOPTION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
IN ADDITION, THESE AMENDMENTS WILL HELP THE CITY MEETS ITS GENERAL PLAN GOALS TO ENABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY BY ACCOMMODATING A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES AND HIGH QUALITY DESIGNS.
THEREFORE, STAFF SUPPORTS THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE ZONE CHANGE.
23 DASH 3, 23 DASH 4 23 DASH FIVE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL DARREN? JUST TO REITERATE AND TO EMPHASIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO CONFORM TO OUR OWN HOUSING ELEMENT AND TO COMPLY WITH CALIFORNIA STATE LAW.
IS THAT FAIR ENOUGH? THAT IS CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, MR. MAYOR.
OKAY, MS. AVILA, JUST WAIT TILL I OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
JUST YEAH, JUST HANG TIGHT REAL QUICK.
I'LL ASK THE PUBLIC TO COME UP AND TESTIFY IF THEY WISH THIS WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
NOW, MRS. AVILA, FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD IN THE MIC.
UM, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
I'M NOT AWARE YOU AND I'M, PARDON ME FOR INTERRUPTING, ARE YOU, I JUST WANNA, AVILA YOU'RE SPEAKING REGARDING THE OTHER PUBLIC HEARING ITEM? CORRECT.
OKAY, YOU GUYS, LET'S GET ORDER THIS.
I'M CONFUSED, I'M LITTLE CONFUSED.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT, OKAY, SONY, LET'S, LET'S GET ORDER THIS MEETING.
OKAY, MS. AVILA, GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
I I LOOK, LOOK AT, LOOK AT, LOOK AT ME OVER HERE.
MY QUESTION IS, I SEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING ALL THIS HOUSING IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADING ALL THIS AND THAT THE HOUSING.
SO THE ONLY THING THAT SHE DIDN'T EXPLAIN WAS WHAT'S IMPACT WAS GONNA DO WITH THE PARKING? 'CAUSE WE ARE REALLY SMALL TOWN AND THE PARKING IS GONNA EVENTUALLY COME INTO PLACE.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE PARKING IS GONNA BE FOR ALL THIS HOMELESS OR WHATEVER.
NO, SORRY, SHOULDN'T SAY THAT.
TO ALL THE OCCUPANTS OF ALL THIS NEW BUILDINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE CONSTRUCTED.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOU LIVE ON ENCINITAS AND IT'S BEEN A TRAFFIC PROBLEM WITH PARKING, A PARKING PROBLEM IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THERE'S MULTIPLE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN MOVING INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU HAVE A CONCERN WITH PARKING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OTHER THAN THAT? WELL, NO, I MEAN OKAY.
SH SONY, IT HAS, IT'S, IT SEEMS TO BE, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE SHE'S TALKING, THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING ALL THIS.
SO I'M JUST SAYING OVERALL IN THE CITY, HOW IS THAT GOING IMPACT THE PARKING SITUATION.
WE'LL HAVE THEM ADDRESS THAT, JIM.
SO, UH, I CAN HAVE STAFF COME UP AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT SOME OF THESE STATE LAWS HAVE DONE.
[00:40:01]
UM, I'M AWARE IN SUMMARY THAT A LOT OF THE STATE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, UH, PARKING IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE THAT THE STATE PARTICULARLY CARES MUCH ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING FOR MORE HOUSING.UH, IN FACT, THEY'VE REALLY RELAXED THE RULES AS FAR AS HOW MANY, UH, UNITS YOU CAN HAVE VERSUS THE AMOUNT OF PARKING YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE, UH, ON YOUR PROPERTY.
WHERE THIS HAS BECOME AN ISSUE FOR A LOT OF CITIES, FOR INSTANCE, UH, PEOPLE WHO BUILD ADUS IN THEIR, ON THEIR PROPERTY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE NECESSARILY PARKING ON THEIR PROPERTIES ANYMORE.
AND THAT DOES CREATE MORE OF A PARKING ISSUE IN COMMUNITIES.
AND THE STATE REALLY IS SILENT TO THAT.
THAT'S NOT A CONCERN FOR THE STATE AS MUCH AS IT IS PROVIDING MORE HOUSING UNITS AS FAR AS DETAILS.
I'LL LEAVE THAT TO SONIA TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THESE CHANGES MAY OR MAY NOT DO TO, TO THE CITY'S PARKING.
UH, ANY CONTROL WE HAVE OVER THEM ON A PARKING ON SITE.
SO THE CITY MANAGERS PRETTY MUCH SUMMARIZED, UM, WHAT THE PARKING IMPACTS WOULD BE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW.
THE PARKING REGULATIONS ARE PROPOSED TO BE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND AND RELAXED WHEN IT COMES TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE CITY WILL BE COMPELLED TO, UM, NOT REQUIRE AS MUCH PARKING IN AN ADUS IS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, BASICALLY IN A NUTSHELL, OUR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE OF, OF WHAT'S COME DOWN FROM THE STATE.
SO WE RECENTLY HAD A PROJECT UP IN MONTE VISTA WHERE THE PRO THE PARKING HAS JUST BEEN ATROCIOUS OVER THERE.
AND WE HAD NO OTHER, UH, RECOURSE OTHER THAN TO APPROVE THE PROJECT BECAUSE THEN WE RUN THE RISK OF BEING SUED BY THE STATE.
WE UNDERSTAND, AND WE'RE WITH YOU.
WE LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE LIVE IN THE SAME STREET AS YOU, YOU DO.
SO I SUGGEST IF YOU CAN WRITE YOUR LEGISLATOR, WRITE YOUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN, WRITE YOUR, UH, STATE SENATOR, AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT YOU'RE AGAINST IT ALONG WITH US, PLEASE.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
I'LL NOW CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, UH, ASK ANYBODY WISHING TO MAKE A MOTION OR MAKE A COMMENT.
YEAH, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, UH, COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL.
AND, UH, I'VE SAID TIME AND TIME AGAIN UP HERE ON THE DAAS.
UH, IT'S NOT THAT I'M AGAINST, UH, BUILDING AND I'M NOT AGAINST, UH, BUILDING NEW HOMES BECAUSE THERE IS A HOUSING SHORTAGE HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
WHAT I AM AGAINST IS THE STATE TELLING US AS A CITY WHAT WE NEED TO BUILD, HOW WE NEED TO BUILD IT.
AND THEN AS MS. LOUIE HAD SAID, COMPELLED, BASICALLY WE'RE BEING FORCED.
OKAY? COMPELLED IS A NICE WAY OF SAYING YOU ARE BEING FORCED TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
I'VE BEEN ON THE RECORD SAYING I DON'T LIKE IT, AND I'LL TELL YOU AGAIN, I DON'T LIKE IT.
UH, SO WHAT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO, YOUR STATE ASSEMBLYWOMAN BLANCA PACHECO, OKAY? P-A-C-H-E-C-O.
ALSO YOUR STATE SENATOR, SENATOR TOM BERG, WHO'S SERVING HIS LAST TERM.
NOT ONLY THAT, I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU WRITE YOUR OTHER OR ANY OTHER ASSEMBLY PEOPLE IN STATE SENATORS SPECIFICALLY.
THERE'S ONE UP NORTH WHOSE LAST NAME IS, I DON'T IF YOU PRONOUNCE IT, WEINER OR WIENER.
UH, STATE SENATOR WHO SEEMS TO THINK THAT HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED DOWN HERE IN THE CITY OF LAHABRA AND IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU AND THE STUDENTS IN HERE THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING YOUR CITIES, OKAY? WE'RE NOT AGAINST HOUSING.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST HOUSING PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S JUST KIND OF, WE'RE FULL, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CARS ON LA HABRA STREETS, ON LATA STREETS, ON WHITTIER STREETS, BREA STREETS.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING, UNFORTUNATELY.
THE STATE CONTINUES TO TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
THAT IS YOUR GOVERNOR AS WELL.
I THINK HE DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB FROM TIME TO TIME.
BUT YOU NEED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW YOU FEEL AND HOW YOU THINK THINGS SHOULD BE RUN.
THIS IS WHAT IS MAKING IT EXPENSIVE TO DO BUSINESS IN OUR CITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE IT HAS AN EFFECT ON TRAFFIC AND ON HOW OFTEN PEOPLE CAN STOP IN OUR CITY TO DO BUSINESS AS WELL.
SO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS, I URGE YOU.
BUT MA'AM, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME IF YOU CAN, AND SPREAD AND SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.
YOU HAVE FIVE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE UP HERE WHO WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KEEP LOCAL CONTROL OF HOW WE DO BUSINESS IN OUR CITY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM STA UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS OR LIKE TO RUN WITH A MOTION? SOMEBODY, MR. MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, UM, TO ADD TO, UH, COUNCILMAN MEDRANO'S, UM, COMMENTS.
UH, IT'S GOTTEN SO OUTTA HAND THAT I'M AWARE
[00:45:01]
OF A PROJECT IN DOWNTOWN LA AND BY THE WAY, THIS AFFECTS EVERY CITY IN CALIFORNIA WHERE A 14 STORY BUILDING WITH RETAIL USE ON THE BOTTOM RESIDENTIAL ON THE TOP IS BEING REQUIRED TO HAVE NO ADDITIONAL PARKING, ZERO ADDITIONAL PARKING.AND WHEN I'VE COMMUNICATED TO THE PEOPLE IN SACRAMENTO AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE, ARE INTIMATE WITH THIS PROJECT, WHAT I'M TOLD IS THIS IS THE STATE'S WAY OF FORCING US TO UNDERSTAND MASS TRANSPORTATION.
IF YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE, GET IN A BUS, GET IN A TRAIN, AND STOP GETTING IN YOUR CAR, WELL, IF THEY'D HAVE STARTED THIS A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, MAYBE WE'D HAVE A CHANCE.
BUT THIS IS CLEARLY AN AUTO RUN SOCIETY, AND ALL OF US ARE INDOCTRINATED THAT WAY, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA JUMP INTO BUSES AND TRAINS OVERNIGHT LIKE THEY'RE PASSING THESE LAWS.
IF YOU BUILD A, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR LOW INCOME HOUSING IN THIS CITY OR ANY OTHER CITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE HOUSE OR UH, PARKING.
UH, IT'S JUST GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL.
AND IT'S ARROGANT LEGISLATING WHEN YOU SAY, I KNOW WHAT'S BETTER FOR THESE PEOPLE, AND SO WE'RE GONNA FORCE WHAT'S BETTER ON THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT SO MANY LEVELS AND IT'S VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING.
BUT, UH, THIS IS JUST AN EFFORT TO TRY TO GET YOU UNDER UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE FIGHT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR YEARS AND IT IT'S NOT HEARD IN SACRAMENTO.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY YOU GOTTA READ THE WHOLE TITLE.
IF I MAY, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES ENTITLED, A ENTITLED, THE CITY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HARBOR, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ZONE CHANGE 2303 TO AMEND CHAPTERS 1804 DEFINITIONS 1806 ZONES ESTABLISHED 18.10 REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS IN HOUSING TO DISABLED INDIVIDUALS, 18.14 OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, 18.26 R TWO R THREE R FOUR R FIVE, R SIX R SEVEN, MULTIPLE DWELLING ZONES, 18.30 SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING, 18.80, AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES AND 18.82 INCLUSIONARY HOUSING UNITS OF THE TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE LAHARA MUNICIPAL CODE FOR CONFORMANCE WITH STATE LAW AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S 2021 TO 2029 HOUSING ELEMENT AND MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT CQA UNDER SECTION 15 6 1 B THREE COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION OF THE SE A GUIDELINES DO I HEAR? SECOND? SECOND.
ANY OPPOSITIONS? ANY ABSTENTION? THE ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT ITEM, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ALSO APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF THE FOLLOWING, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAHABRA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ZONE CHANGE 23 0 4 TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER, 18.09 OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR MULTI-UNIT, UNIT, RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AND AMEND CHAPTER 18.68 DESIGN REVIEW OF TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE LA HABER MUNICIPAL CODE AND MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT CQA UNDER SECTION 15 0 6 1 B THREE COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION OF THE CA GUIDELINES DO IER SECOND.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? THE ITEM PASSES FIVE ZERO.
DO I HEAR ANOTHER MOTION? YES.
UH, FINALLY, UH, C UH, AN ORDINANCE, UH, OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HARBOR, CALIFORNIA PROVING ZONE CHANGE 23 0 5 TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER, 18.84 MULTI-UNIT, RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, MINISTERIAL MINISTERIAL, UH, REVIEW PROCESS TO TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE LA HABER MUNICIPAL CODE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SENATE BILL 35 AND MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.
CQA UNDER SECTION 15 6 1 B THREE COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION OF THE CQA GUIDELINES.
ANY ABS? ANY, UH, NOS? ANY ABSTENTION? THE ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[1. CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE MASTER SCHEDULE OF FEES PERTAINING TO WATER AND SEWER USAGE, CONNECTIONS, AND FEES That the City Council and Utility Authority: A. Conduct a public hearing on a resolution amending the Master Schedule of Fees pertaining to water and sewer usage, connections and fees; and, B. APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. CC ____ & UA 2023-____ ENTITLED: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA AND THE LA HABRA UTILITY AUTHORITY AMENDING THE MASTER SCHEDULE OF FEES PERTAINING TO WATER AND SEWER USAGE, CONNECTIONS AND FEES.]
IS CITY COUNCIL AND UTILITY AUTHORITY.IT'S ENTITLED, CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ON ADOPTION OF A
[00:50:01]
RESOLUTION AMENDING THE MASTER SCHEDULE OF FEES PERTAINING TO WATER AND SEWER USAGE, CONNECTIONS AND FEES.THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS PROPOSED GREAT ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE UTILITY AUTHORITY.
IT PROP TWO 18 REQUIRE US TO CHARGE OUR RESIDENTS THE COST TO PROVIDE SERVICES SO THAT JUST THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OR THE MINIMUM MINIMUM AMOUNT TO OPERATE SERVICE NO PROFITS.
THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IS STATED HERE.
YOUR, YOUR FLIPPING MY, UH, YOU'RE DOING IT.
SO, UH, IS THE COST OF LIVING INCREASED FOR OUR EMPLOYEES? FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT EDISON WENT UP 13%.
THE WATER, THE WATER COST FROM THE SAN GABRIEL BASIN THAT WE PURCHASED THROUGH CAL DOMESTIC WENT UP 22% FOR RE REPLENISHMENT OF THE WATER BASIN.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE DROUGHT.
THE LAST SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, WE ARE BUYING WATER FROM MWD THAT COSTS A LOT MORE MONEY AND THEN HAS COSTING US ABOUT $1.2 MILLION ADDITIONAL FUND EACH YEAR.
AND ALSO WE HAVE ABOUT $13 MILLION IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS.
NOW TO KEEP THE, THE PROPOSED INCREASE REASONABLE AND POSSIBLY AVOID THE INFL INFLATION AND THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN A BIT ON THE AMOUNT OF CIPS WE PUT OUT FOR WATER.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS OUR EXPENSES.
OUR MOST EXPENSE COMES OUT OF A CIP.
WE HAVE ABOUT NINE, NINE AND A HALF MILLION BUCKS IN ON THE BOOKS, UH, FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, AS, AS I MENTIONED.
AND, UH, $3.2 MILLION IN PROGRESS.
WE HAVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS, ABOUT $3 MILLION AND ABOUT $4.7 MILLION IN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
5.7 IN PURCHASING WATER AND 3.9 IN A BOND.
THIS IS A SAMPLE OF WHAT, UH, THE PROJECTS ARE.
THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE IS THE FOOTHILL ZONE CONSOLIDATION PROJECT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UH, IS TO UPGRADE ALL THE WATER IN, UH, IN THE CITY ABOVE, UM, FOOTHILL BOULEVARD.
UH, THIS IS OUR TURNOVER WATER IN FOR THE WATER DIVISION.
THIS IS KIND OF A, THE WATER DEPARTMENT'S LIKE A REVOLVING, UH, DOOR, UM, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE, WE HIRE THEM, THEY WORK FOR SIX MONTHS OR SO.
UM, SO, UH, IT'S JUST KEEPS GOING.
WE HAVE DONE SOME INCREASES THIS YEAR, AS I MENTIONED, 5.5% TO KIND OF, UH, START THE RETAINING, UH, UH, RETAINING SOME OF THESE EMPLOYEES TO COMPARE TO OUR NEIGHBORING AGENCIES.
SO LET ME HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING ON THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
SO WE ARE A MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND SO WE HIRE CITY STAFF, BUT WE COMPETE WITH, UM, REGIONAL WATER DISTRICTS.
SO YOU MAY HAVE A AGENCY THAT'S DEDICATED TO NOTHING BUT WATER PRODUCTION AND TRANSMISSION.
THEY HIRE THE SAME EMPLOYEES WE DO, AND OFTEN BECAUSE OF THEIR RATE STRUCTURES OR THE WAY THEIR OPERATIONS WORK, THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER WAGES AND BENEFITS TO WATER EMPLOYEES.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS OFTEN WHAT WE FOUND IS WE RECRUIT, UM, EMPLOYEES TO COME WORK FOR US AS A, UH, ENTRY LEVEL WATER POSITIONS OR EVEN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN ENTRY LEVEL.
THEY COME IN, THEY GET SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR OF EXPERIENCE, AND THEY MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAY GET THEIR LICENSING THROUGH THE STATE THAT THEY'RE LICENSED AND CERTIFIED.
AND THEN THEY ARE ABLE TO, UM, UTILIZE THAT TO GO, UH, EITHER APPLY FOR JOBS ELSEWHERE OR GET RECRUITED AND THEY LEAVE.
AND WHAT THE PROBLEM FOR US IS, UM, THE CHALLENGE IS, IS HAVING ENOUGH STAFF STAY WITH THE CITY LONG ENOUGH TO LEARN ITS SYSTEMS AND TO, TO GET LONGEVITY AND, AND GET A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE.
AND, UH, CITY COUNCIL'S DONE A GOOD JOB THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES TO PAY AND BENEFITS TO RETAIN THESE EMPLOYEES.
BUT IT'S STILL AN ONGOING CHALLENGE EVERY YEAR, UH, FOR THESE STUDENTS FROM LA HAVA HIGH SCHOOL, I SEE SOME OF 'EM STARTING TO LEAVE.
WE HAVE AGENDAS AVAILABLE OVER HERE IF YOU GUYS NEED TO TAKE THAT TO YOUR CLASS.
UH, BRIANNA WILL PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU.
MANY OF YOU, IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT, SO SHE'LL HELP YOU OUT.
[00:55:01]
YOU.SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO OUR RESIDENTS? UH, THE MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS, ABOUT 8,500 HOMES USE FIVE EIGHTH OF AN INCH OF WATER METER.
UH, FOR THE, THIS INCREASE IS ABOUT 7%, WHICH TRANSLATES TO $2 18 CENTS PER MONTH FOR THE, AS IT INCREASES AS THE SIZE OF THE METER INCREASES.
UM, FOR THE ONE INCH IS ABOUT $4 AND 61 CENTS.
THE PROPOSED VARIABLE CHARGES, THIS JUST MEANS FOR THE AMOUNT OF WATER THEY USE FOR, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT 7% INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD.
ON, ON THE, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE METER, NO INCREASE ON THE WATER AND IRRIGATION, UH, FIRE LINE SERVICES.
SO THE LOW FLOW USERS WILL BE AFFECTED FOR ABOUT $2 AND 78 CENTS.
ACCORDING TO THIS CHART, THE MOST USERS USE ABOUT 14 UNITS OF WATER.
THAT MEANS, UH, UH, IN, UH, EACH UNIT IS 750 GALLONS.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE, WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL COST IS $5 78 CENTS A MONTH, UM, FOR ABOUT A TOTAL OF $70 A YEAR FOR THE ONE INCH USERS IS ABOUT $5 AND 21 CENTS PER MONTH INCREASE FOR THE MULTI USERS IS ABOUT 60% CROSS.
UH, THIS IS MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
THAT'S ABOUT 6% CROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FOR THE COMMERCIAL USERS.
SO WHERE DO WE STAND WITH RESPECT TO OUR NEIGHBORS? THE RECENT, THE MOST RECENT INCREASES, UH, STARTS WITH A CITY OF TUSTIN OF 9.5% TO THE CITY OF LA PALMA OF 4.7.
WE ARE ABOUT 7.4 ACROSS THE BOARD ON THE AVERAGE.
SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US WITH COMPARISON TO THE ENTIRE COUNTY? UM, THE AVERAGE IN THE COUNTY FOR WATER IS ABOUT $89.
WE STAND AT ABOUT, WITH A PROPOSED FOR ABOUT $83.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS THE INCREASE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE AVERAGE USER HERE WILL BE INCREASED FOR ABOUT, UM, IT USED TO BE $20 AND 78, UM, I'M SORRY, $18 AND 58 CENTS.
AND NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE $20 AND 76 CENTS.
AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, JANUARY 1ST, 2025 WILL BE TWO $22 AND 21 CENTS.
THOSE ARE MOST OF THE, UH, USAGE ABOUT $4 IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
FOR THE FIRE LINES, IT'S, UH, SERVICES IS 7% ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S FOR THE WATER.
FOR OUR SEWER RATES, OUR SEWER RATES IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO OUR WATER USE.
UM, WHAT'S AFFECTING THE, UH, THE SEWER RATES IS ALSO THE OPERATION, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE WATER, UH, RESOURCE CONTROL BOARD REGULATIONS.
SO THIS IS OUR CHART IS FOR ABOUT $950,000 FOR CIP.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT $400,000 UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW FOR, UH, ALSO SEWERS, THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS ABOUT, UH, 950,000, ABOUT $1 MILLION IN THE OPERATION.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT $840,000 IN LEASE, UH, VALUES.
AND FOR THE BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC, THE CITY'S, UH, SEWER SYSTEM IS SEPARATE FROM THE, UM, STORM WATER SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. STORM WATER SYSTEM, SEWER SYSTEM IS BASED ON FEES THAT COUNCIL'S CONSIDERING TONIGHT.
UH, THE STORM WATER SYSTEM, UH, IS PURELY A GENERAL FUND EXPENSE, AND WE DO ACTIVELY CHASE AFTER GRANTS WHEN WE CAN FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THE SEWER RATE STRUCTURE IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE WATER USE.
I'LL, I'LL GO OVER IT IN A MINUTE, BUT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE CAPPED THE SEWER WATER USE TO 20 UNITS.
THAT WILL, IF THAT WILL HELP THE
[01:00:01]
USERS WITH LARGE LOTS AND LARGE, UH, SPACES WHERE THEY IRRIGATE MORE THAN THEY USE THE WATER TO GO INTO THE SEWER.SO WE KIND OF CAPPED IT AT 20 UNITS.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE BE OVERPAYING FOR, UH, MOST LIKELY WE BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT USING IN, IN THE HOUSE TO GO DOWN THE SEWER.
IT'S FOR IRRIGATION AS IT REMAINS IN IN THE SOIL.
SO THE PROPOSED RATES ARE, UM, THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT IS CHARGED $4 AND 80 CENTS PER MONTH, AND NOW IT'S GONNA BE $5 AND 47 CENTS PER MONTH FOR JANUARY 1ST, 2024 AND $5 AND 78 CENTS FOR JANUARY 1ST, 2025.
THIS IS A SAMPLE OF WHAT THE CUSTOMER IMPACT IN, UH, FOR THE SEWER LINE.
SO THE RATE INCREASE WILL AFFECT THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS FOR ABOUT A DOLLAR A MONTH.
SO THIS, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS THE FACT I'M ABOUT A DOLLAR A MONTH.
SO THIS IS FOR THE MULTIFAMILY.
IT'S BASICALLY, UH, THE SAME KIND OF INCREASES, UH, THE IMPACT ARE BASED ON THE WATER USE.
THE INCREASE HERE VARIES BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF WATER THEY USE.
SO IT GOES FROM 3% TO 11% OR SO.
SO WHERE ARE WE WITH THE, UH, RATE, UH, ON THE AVERAGE WITH THE COUNTY, UH, COUNTYWIDE? THE COUNTYWIDE IS ABOUT $23 FOR, UH, SEWER SERVICES.
SO THIS HERE, UH, THIS CHART SHOWS BOTH, UH, THE IMPACT OF WATER AND SEWER COMBINED.
AND, UM, THE COMBINED INCREASE WOULD BE ABOUT $7 AND 57 CENTS PER MONTH FOR THE, UM, FOR THE MOST OF OUR USERS.
AND THIS CHART WE'LL SAW WILL SHOW THE COMBINED, UM, SERVICES WITH COMPARISON TO THE ENTIRE ORANGE COUNTY.
UH, THE AVERAGE IS ONE 12 FOR ORANGE COUNTY.
SO STAFF IS ASKING TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT, UH, TO THE MASTER SCHEDULE OF FEES PERTAINING TO WATER AND SEWER USAGE, CONNECTIONS AND FEES.
THIS COMPLETES STAFF SERVICE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
COUNSEL QUESTIONS? YES, I MAY.
UH, ELIAS, UH, THE, UH, WATER REPLENISHMENT FEE FOR 20 21, 20 22 WAS $1.23 MILLION.
UH, WHAT IS THAT REPLENISHMENT FEE EXACTLY.
THAT'S, CAN YOU EXPLAIN IT IN A NUTSHELL? SO THE, THE, UH, SAN GABRIEL WATER BASIN BOARD IS REQUIRED TO REPLENISH THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT COMES OUT OF THE BASIN.
SO THERE'S NO, THEY CANNOT OVERDRAFT THEY AND BELOW A CERTAIN AMOUNT, SO THEY HAVE TO BRING WATER FROM WHEREVER THEY FIND IT FROM THE COLORADO RIVER OR FROM THE STATE WATER PROJECT.
SO THAT'S CONTROLLED BY MWD AND THAT REPLENISHMENT WATER IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND DIVIDING IT OVER ALL OF THE USERS BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF EXTRACTION THAT THEY USE, OUR SHARES ABOUT 1.2 MILLION.
AND THAT'S SIMPLY NOT WHEN IT RAINS, NOT WHAT THIS IS SIMPLY TO REPLENISH THE BASIN FROM THE STATE WATER PROJECT AND THE COLORADO RIVER.
I'LL NOW INVITE THE PUBLIC TO TESTIFY.
ANYBODY WANTING TO TESTIFY? PLEASE COME UP.
CAN YOU, YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE NOW FOR A LITTLE OVER 25 YEARS, AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS IF IT'S GONNA COST US $7 AND 57 CENTS A MONTH, IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A HUNDRED HOMES AT $757 A MONTH, THAT IT WOULD BRING IN OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD, THAT'S A LITTLE UNDER $8,000.
IF THE CITY OF LAHABRA POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD ENFORCE THE OFF
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STREET PARKING ON A REGULAR BASIS INSTEAD OF JUST ONCE A YEAR, IT WOULD BRING IN FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED HOMES THAT WOULD BE $5,100 FOR THE FIRST WEEK OR $61,000 OVER A 12 WEEK PERIOD.I THINK IF WE WERE TO START LOOKING AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY TO RAISE THE MONEY RATHER THAN KEEP TAXING THE PEOPLE ITSELF ON THESE LITTLE TAXES, WE MIGHT COME OUT.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH YOU TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL? PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
HI, MY NAME IS JUANA AVILA AND I'VE BEEN ARRESTED SINCE 1965.
I WAS 26 YEARS OLD, SO I'VE BEEN WATCHING EVERY PENNY.
SO AT THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE AND I WANTED, FIRST, I APOLOGIZE, I HAVE NOT BEEN WITH YOU GUYS SINCE 2017 TO COME AT YOU.
SO YOUR FORMAT HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
SO, GOING FORWARD, UM, I WANNA KNOW, BECAUSE MAYBE I'M WRONG, JUST CORRECT ME.
DIDN'T WE HAVE A CITY? WELL, AND THIS, THIS IS NOT WHERE WE GET OUR WATER.
DIDN'T WE GET OUR WATER FROM THE CITY WATER THAT WE HAD A, WELL, LIKE I SAID, SO WHERE IS THAT WATER GOING? OR DID IT DRY UP OR SOMETHING? BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN I CAME BACK LAST TIME WAS THE SAME ISSUE, THE WATER.
UH, THE GENTLEMAN BACK HERE WAS SAYING THE INCREASE FOR THE SALARY FIRST EMPLOYEES WAY BEYOND ANY NORMAL PERSON'S INCREASE ON THEIR SALARIES.
SO WHY SHOULD WE PAY FOR THEIR SALARIES? YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S NOT THE SAME PERCENTAGE TO INCREASE THEIR SALARIES FOR THEM.
SO MY POINT IS THAT, UM, AND, AND I HATE TO BE RUDE ABOUT IT, BUT, OR BILL, THE WATER IS NOT VERY TRANSPARENT.
IT DOESN'T TELL ME HOW MUCH I'M PAYING.
IT NEEDS MORE DETAIL HERE 'CAUSE I CAN COMPARE IT TO ANOTHER CITY.
THEY GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS OF HOW MUCH YOU'RE PAYING AND HOW MUCH USAGE YOU HAVE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, AGAIN, WHY ARE WE GETTING ANY WATER INCREASE? I MEAN, WE ALREADY HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE DAYS THAT YOU COULD WATER AND WE HAD A DROUGHT AND THIS AND THAT, BUT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF RAIN OVER THE YEARS.
I'M ALWAYS SAVING FOR THE GENERATIONS.
SO, AND I HATE TO BE RUDE AGAIN.
I'M OUTSPOKEN BECAUSE I'M PAYING TAXES EVERY YEAR.
SO I SEE I'M AN ADVOCATE THAT WHEN I SEE A WATER RUN, RUN FROM THE CITY, SORRY GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE NOT MAINTAINING YOUR, UH, SPRINKLERS OR WHATEVER.
I CALL YOU OUT, PAY YOU GUYS HAVE A BROKEN VALVE, GO CHECK IT OUT.
AND I MYSELF DO NOT WATER MY PLANTS MAYBE ONCE A WEEK.
'CAUSE MY PLANS KNOW I'M NOT GONNA SPOIL YOU.
YOU'RE GONNA GET IT ONLY ONCE A WEEK.
SO I'M SAVING FOR MY GRANDKIDS.
SO I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO START, DO YOUR MAINTENANCE ON THE WATER.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIMES THAT YOU HAVE THINGS THAT ARE GOING WRONG AND THE WATER'S SPLURGING.
SO I LIKE TO KNOW, I'M RETIRED NOW AND I AM BACK TO WHERE I WAS WHEN I WAS 26, POUNDING PENNIES TO PAY MY TAXES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, IT'S RIDICULOUS HOW THINGS GOING UP AND HIS ISSUE.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE TO FORESEE THE EXPENSES.
AND AS FOR US HERE IN THE HARBOR, I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CONTRACTS WHEN YOU HIRE PEOPLE.
WE SHOULDN'T BE TRAINING THESE PEOPLE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SALARIES, THEN WE'LL STAY HERE.
BUT FOR YOU TO DO THE TRAINING AND THEN THEY TURN AROUND AND WE GIVE THEM ALL THIS FREE TRAINING, THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU SHOULD DO A CONTRACT FOR SO MANY YEARS AND WE'RE GONNA TRAIN YOU.
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY BEFORE I GET A LITTLE WALLED UP AND EXCITED.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, I'LL NOW CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND, UH, MS. AVILA, I I WILL JUST, UH, ANSWER A COUPLE OF YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD THERE.
ELIAS, DID YOU HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING? WATER YOUR WATER.
YES, WE DO HAVE WATER WELLS AND THAT'S WHY LAHABRA HAS AMONG THE CHEAPEST WATER FEES AROUND IN MANY OTHER CITIES.
WE'RE SOMEWHERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE IF YOU DO A COMPARISON.
WE DO A SURVEY OF OTHER CITIES AND WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE BECAUSE WE DON'T IMPORT THE WATER THAT OTHER CITIES DO.
SO IF YOU GO TO OTHER CITIES AND COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE PAYING, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE PAYING.
AND AS ELIAS SO ELOQUENTLY EXPLAINED IN THERE, THE COST OF ELECTRICITY HAS GONE UP.
[01:10:01]
AND WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY OFF OF THIS.SO WE'RE NOT MAKING, WE'RE NOT ENRICHING OURSELVES.
THIS, THESE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD UP HERE AT THE COUNCIL HAVE TO PAY THE SAME RATES AS YOU DO.
WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T LIKE HAVING TO DO IT.
BUT THEN AGAIN, WE ARE NOT IN THE, IN THE BUSINESS OF SUBSIDIZING, UH, THE WATER RATES.
WE CAN'T SUBSIDIZE THAT WOULD BE A GIFT OF PUBLIC'S FUNDS IF WE SUBSIDIZE IT.
SO YES, WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE LIKE TO DO, BUT WE ARE PROUD THAT WE DO HAVE WATER WELLS AND WE DON'T HAVE THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WATER RATES AS OTHER COMMUNITIES DOES COMPARED TO LAHABRA.
WITH THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
MR. MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.
UH, NUMBER ONE, UH, WE SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR OUR BEHAVIOR.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER, BUT WE ACTUALLY DO.
NO, I, I DON'T MEMBERS, I DON'T, I KNOW, I KNOW I DON'T.
NO, WE, WE MOVE, WE MOVE RATHER QUICKLY.
AND SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT.
MAYBE THAT WAS WHEN I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET UP.
SAID YOU GUYS ARE, I'VE BEEN WITH YOU GUYS AND I APOLOGIZING.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF HOUSING, SO I HOW IT'S, SO I DON'T WANNA BE OVER THERE.
UM, I I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A WISE DECISION TO HAVE THE CHIEF CHANGE, UH, ANY PATROL TECHNIQUES OR ENFORCEMENT TECHNIQUES TO PAY FOR ANY BILL.
THAT'S NOT THE REASON FOR, UH, ENFORCING ANY LAW.
UH, SO I, I WOULD RULE THAT OUT RIGHT AWAY.
BUT WHAT I DO SEE IS SOME CONCERNED FOLKS WHO HAVE A LEGITIMATE CONCERN, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT STRETCHING THE DOLLAR AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND ALL FIVE OF US KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY FEW MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE UP HERE THAT WE'RE NOT ENACTING SOME INCREASE.
SO, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT, UM, WHAT THE MAYOR HAS EXPLAINED IN TERMS OF COSTS IS CORRECT.
WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE WATER THAT IS BEING DELIVERED.
UH, THIS IS THE COST OF THE WATER BASED ON THREE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE GET IT.
WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST NOT TO GO TO NWD 'CAUSE THEY ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE.
UH, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SO MANY WELLS IN THIS COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UM, IN FACT, WE REOPENED A WELL THAT WAS CLOSED.
UH, IT WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONTAMINANTS.
AND WE'VE OVER THE YEARS, DEVELOPED TECHNIQUES TO TREAT THOSE CONTAMINANTS SO THAT NOW WE CAN DELIVER, UH, CONTAMINANT FREE WATER.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY, IMPROVE THE COSTS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT.
UH, WE HAVE 14,000 USERS OF WATER AND SEWERS IN THE, IN THIS CITY.
WE GOT SEVEN LETTERS OF PROTESTS.
AND, UH, IT'S STILL TOO MANY SEVEN, UH, PEOPLE THAT SAY, I'M WORRIED.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT HOW I PAY FOR THIS.
SO I'M GOING TO MOVE, UM, UH, AND MAKE A MOTION.
UH, BUT I'M GONNA ALTER THE MOTION A BIT.
I'M GONNA MOVE TO APPROVE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE UTILITY AUTHORITY, UH, ENTITLED A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF LAHABRA, AND THE HABRA UTILITY AUTHORITY AMENDING THE MASTER'S SCHEDULE OF FEES PERTAINING TO WATER AND SEWER USAGE, CONNECTIONS AND FEES, AND ASK OUR STAFF TO STUDY SURROUNDING CITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT MAY HAVE AN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE A PROBLEM IN PAYING THESE RATE INCREASES.
UH, I WOULD LIKE THAT TO OCCUR WITHIN SIX MONTHS AND REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF ANY PROGRAMS OR POLICIES THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE SO THAT WE CAN HELP FOLKS, UH, PAY THESE FEES.
ANY NOS, ANY ABSTENTIONS? ROSE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO.
ITEM PASSES WITH THAT, UH, NEW CAVEAT IN THERE.
[01:15:01]
WE NOW GO TO THE MAYOR'S COMMUNITY CALENDAR.[ MAYOR'S COMMUNITY CALENDAR:]
OKAY.KIDS ENJOY BREAKFAST WITH SANTA AT THE LA HAVA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM ON DECEMBER 9TH AND 10TH.
TICKETS ARE ONLY $20 FOR ADULTS, $17 FOR CHILDREN AND CHILDREN UNDER TWO ARE FREE ADMISSION INCLUDES BREAKFAST PHOTO WITH SANTA, UM, HOLIDAY THEMED CRAFTS.
ACCESS TO THE MUSEUM REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THAT.
WINTER DROP IN SHOP IS COMING.
DROP YOUR KIDS OFF AT THE LA HABER COMMUNITY CENTER ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17TH AND 9:00 AM UNTIL 5:00 PM WHILE YOU FINISH YOUR LAST MINUTE.
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING COST US $35 FOR, FOR, UH, CHILDREN AGES FOUR TO 12, WHICH INCLUDES GAMES CRAFTS, A MOVIE, HOT CHOCOLATE BAR COOKIE DECORATING, AND MUCH MORE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 5 6 2 3 3 4 2 0 0.
HOLIDAY HOME DECORATING LIGHT UP THE SEASON FOR THE HOLIDAY HOME DECORATING CONTEST.
2023 NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED THROUGH DECEMBER 13TH.
TO NOMINATE A HOUSEHOLD, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL WITH THE HOME ADDRESS AND A PHOTO TO A LIRA@HARBACA.GOV.
WINNERS WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 6:30 PM HOLIDAY WISHES PROGRAM.
SOMETHING VERY, UH, DEAR TO OUR HEARTS.
UH, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM HAS HELPED SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN NEED, AND WE INVITE EVERYONE TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM.
THROUGH SEVERAL OPTIONS, YOU CAN DONATE A NEW TOY FOR ANY AGES BETWEEN TWO AND 16, UH, FINANCIAL DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED GIFT CARDS.
WE ALSO LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS FROM LA HAVA HIGH SCHOOL, TO COME OUT AND VOLUNTEER FOR MORE INFORMATION.
UH, PLEASE CALL 5 6 2 3 3 4 2 0 0.
AND INCIDENTALLY, UNDER THAT, I WANNA THANK UH, GIRLS SOFTBALL TODAY.
PRIOR TO THE MEETING, THEY NOTED THEY DONATED A TRUCKLOAD, A TRUCKLOAD OF YEAH, THAT'S BEEN OF GIFTS TODAY.
I, I RECEIVED THOSE GIFTS AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL.
THEY HAD A GREAT BIG TOURNAMENT AND, UH, ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO BRING OUT GIFTS TO THAT TOURNAMENT AND THEY BROUGHT A TRUCKLOAD OF GIFTS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, BRIANNA, IN THE JANUARY MEETING, CAN WE BRING THEM IN AND RECOGNIZE THEM? 'CAUSE THAT WAS, THAT WAS FABULOUS.
JOIN US TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT THE NEW YEAR'S NOON PARTY AT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
UH, THERE WILL BE DANCING CRAFTS, A BALL DROP, A BALLOON DROP, I'M SORRY, IN MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES YOU ARE HAVE TO RE UH, REQUIRED TO REGISTER FOR THAT AT CALL 5 6 2 3 3 4 2 3 6 AND MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS TODAY.
PLEASE NOTE, CITY HALL WILL BE CLOSED DECEMBER 25TH THROUGH JANUARY 1ST, REOPENING ON JANUARY 2ND.
IN ADDITION TO THE NEW YEAR'S AND CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE CLOSED THE 24TH, 25TH, 31ST, AND JANUARY 1ST.
THE WINTER CLOSURE WILL NOT IMPACT PUBLIC WORKS OR PUBLIC SAFETY.
WATER BILLS DUE DURING THE CLOSURE WILL INSTEAD BE DUE, UH, WHEN CITY HALL REOPENS ON JANUARY 2ND.
SO PLEASE REFER TO YOUR WATER BILL FOR MORE INFORMATION OR CALL 5 6 2 3 8 3 4 0 1 0.
BE IN THE KNOW, ATTEND A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OR COMMUNITY SERVICES MEETING.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY OF THE MONTH AT SIX 30 HERE AT LA HARBOR CITY COUNCIL OF CHAMBERS.
SO STUDENTS, IF YOU ENJOY THIS MEETING, COME ON BACK FOR MORE, UH, AT THAT MEETING NEXT WEEK.
OR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MEETS HERE ON WEDNESDAYS.
UH, THE SECOND WEDNESDAYS A MONTH AT 6:30 PM UH, A WATER CONSERVATION.
I HEARD THAT THE WATER DROUGHT IS OFFICIALLY OVER, SO THERE'S NO NEED TO READ THAT.
[ COMMENTS FROM STAFF:]
STAFF? UH, YES, MR. MAYOR JUST WANTED TO THANK, UH, ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR THE HARD WORK THEY DID.UM, PREPARING FOR AND PUTTING ON A PRETTY TREMENDOUS, AGAIN, TO FEST THIS LAST SATURDAY.
IT'S, UH, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO PREPARING A MAJOR EVENT LIKE THAT, UH, WITH STREET CLOSURES AND MULTIPLE STAGES WITH PERFORMANCES AND ALL THE VENDORS.
AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HARD WORK DONE BY A LOT OF PEOPLE TO PULL THAT OFF.
AND LOOKING AT THE CROWDS, UH, ON SATURDAY, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER UNMITIGATED SUCCESS.
UM, AND IT'S JUST A LOT OF, UH, CREDIT GOES TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF.
WERE OUT THERE WITH THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
[01:20:01]
THIS WEEKEND.UM, AND THEN THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR BEING THERE AND BEING ABLE TO KICK IT OFF IN THE MORNING AND BEING THERE TO COUNT DOWN THE TREE OF THE NIGHT.
GOOD WAY TO KIND OF END THE YEAR.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
[ COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS:]
ROSE? NO, I LET EVERYBODY ELSE START.YOU WANNA GO FIRST? NO, I FINE.
DEREK, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, I'M FAMILIAR TO SOUND.
ACTUALLY, WHAT I, WHAT I DON'T WANNA DO IS TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THE TAMALE FESTIVAL.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE GONNA BE JUST WAXING ELOQUENTLY ABOUT HOW SUCCESSFUL AND HOW MUCH FUN THE TAMALE FESTIVAL WAS.
AND I HAVE ANOTHER THING I WANNA SAY.
SO ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT IS THAT FROM THE CAMELS TO THE FIREWORKS, IT WAS A MAGNIFICENT EVENT, AND IT'S THE BIGGEST CROWD I'VE EVER SEEN.
SO, AGAIN, CONGRATS TO ALL THOSE FOLKS THAT OUR CITY MANAGER CONGRATULATED AND THANKED.
IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR HARD WORK.
AND I'M JUST SO GLAD THAT OUR CITY IS ABLE TO BRING EVENTS OF THIS SCALE TO THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, NOT ONLY DOES IT NOT MAKE US MONEY, IT COSTS US MONEY.
SO AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT A FISCALLY PRUDENT AND RESPONSIBLE COUNCIL THAT'S, THAT'S MANAGING THE BOOKS AND BALANCING THE BUDGET, WE CAN CONTINUE TO BRING THESE KINDS OF EVENTS TO YOU.
ANYTIME THAT PRESSURE GETS EXERTED UPON CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY ITSELF, WHERE THE MONEY'S NOT THERE, PUBLIC SAFETY IS GONNA COME BEFORE SOMETHING FUN.
THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS OF A CITY.
SO, BUT I'M JUST HAPPY TO SAY RIGHT NOW WE CAN DO IT AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO IT.
ONE THING I WANNA DO NOW, IT'S KIND OF SOMETHING I'M PERSONALLY VERY PROUD OF, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THIS.
IT'S AN IDEA THAT I HAD ACTUALLY ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AGO WHEN I LOOKED AT ALL THE DEAD BATTERIES IN MY HOUSE THAT WERE PILING UP.
NOW, A LOT OF FOLKS, WHEN THEIR FLASHLIGHT DIES, THEY TAKE THEIR BATTERY OUT, THEY THROW IT IN THE TRASH.
I FOUND OUT SOME TIME AGO THAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT.
IN FACT, CRR HAD ONE OF THEIR TRUCKS BURNED TO THE GROUND ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO BECAUSE IT WAS BATTERIES THAT MADE CONTACT INSIDE THE, THE WHOLE.
WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IS TURN 'EM INTO HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENTS, RIGHT? BUT THOSE ARE ONLY TWICE A YEAR.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO DO IS STORE UP BIG FAT BAGS OF DEAD BATTERIES FOR SIX MONTHS UNTIL FINALLY THE EVENT ARRIVES.
AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE RESERVATIONS.
WHAT WE NEED, WHAT WE NEEDED IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO ALL YEAR ROUND WHEN YOU'VE GOT SOME DEAD BATTERIES AND DROP 'EM OFF CONVENIENTLY AND QUICKLY AND NOT HAVE TO HOLD ONTO 'EM FOR SIX MONTHS.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS WEEK, TWO BOXES FOR THAT PURPOSE ARE BEING ROLLED OUT AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER AND AT THE PUBLIC WORKS LOBBY, THE BOXES WILL BE THERE FOR DEAD BATTERY DROP OFF.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT SIX MONTHS.
A LOT OF BATTERIES ARE GONNA DIE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD ONTO 'EM.
SO STARTING THIS WEEK, THE BOXES WILL BE THERE.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
JOSE, GOTTA TURN UP MY HEARING AID BATTERY.
UH, NO, I, AND DARREN WAS RIGHT.
I'M GONNA WAX POETICALLY ABOUT, UH, WHAT OUR CITY STAFF DID THIS LAST WEEKEND.
KELLY FU JOE KELLY FUJ DIRECTOR IS HERE.
KIM MULBERRY IS HERE AS WELL, WHO WORKS UNDER KELLY.
WE WANTED TO THANK OUR STAFF, UH, FROM OUR, UH, AGAIN, OUR LINE STAFF, OUR DIRECTORS, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY ELEMENT AS WELL FOR KEEPING US SAFE OUT THERE.
IF YOU DIDN'T SEE OUR POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE, THEY WERE OUT THERE.
THEY WERE, UH, KEEPING US ALL SAFE DURING THIS EVENT.
AND, UH, OUR CITY STAFF ARE PUTTING ON SUCH A WONDERFUL EVENT FOR OUR MAYOR, FOR, UH, FOR ADVERTISING THIS ON, UH, CHANNEL FIVE REPEATEDLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT AS WELL.
IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AND I LOVE THE WAY OUR COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR THESE EVENTS.
AND, UH, AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NIAN SAID, AS LONG AS THE MONEY IS THERE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO IT.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO MONITOR AS WE, UH, AS WE ARE AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN FISCALLY PRUDENT.
UH, FOR YOU STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE FROM LA HABER HIGH SCHOOL, UH, THESE ARE THE THINGS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WE DO UP HERE, UH, FOR CITY COUNCIL.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER.
AS YOU CAN SEE THIS EVENING, YOU CAN SEE WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON THINGS, BUT US FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED IF YOU WERE TO SEE US IN THE BACK ROOM, SOMETIMES IN BETWEEN MEETINGS, HOW MUCH WE JOKE AROUND, HOW MUCH WE GET ALONG.
UH, WE JUST DISAGREE SOMETIMES.
BUT THIS IS THE WAY TO CONDUCT YOURSELVES WHEN YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
SO THANK YOU STUDENTS FOR, FOR, UH, FOR HAVING AN INTEREST IN BEING OUT HERE.
AND I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMEBODY FROM LA HABRA HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M GONNA HAVE AALIYAH SALDANA STAND UP FOR ME REAL QUICK.
WILL YOU PLEASE? SO AALIYAH SALDANA IS A SOCCER PLAYER AT LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL AND A CLUB SOCCER PLAYER EARNED HERSELF.
UH, UH, SHE'S ACTUALLY COMMITTED TO PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY TO PLAY SOCCER NEXT YEAR.
AALIYAH IS A FORWARD ON THE, UH, NOT ONLY ON THE EL LA HABER HIGH SCHOOL TEAM.
UH, SHE PLAYS FOR ONE OF THE, UH,
[01:25:01]
PREMIER CLUBS IN THE COUNTRY, ECNL, UH, SOUTH, UH, SOCAL BLUES WHERE MY DAUGHTER PLAYED, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.AND SHE PLAYS FOR, AND HER YOUNGER SISTER IS ALSO A PHENOM IN SOCCER.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN AALIYAH PLAY, I WILL TELL YOU SHE IS MAGIC WITH THE BALL, SMOOTH DRIBBLES AND IS SO UNSELFISH OUT ON THE SOCCER FIELD.
UH, REALLY PASSES THE BALL ALONG SO OTHER GIRLS CAN SCORE.
BUT SHE'S A SCORING PHENOM AS WELL, SO DON'T LET HER FOOL YOU.
DON'T LET THE HUMILITY FOOL YOU EITHER.
UH, SHE'S GONNA BE ONE TO WATCH AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HER PLAY.
I'VE KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS PROBABLY FIVE YEARS OLD WHEN SHE USED TO PLAY AT A YSO WITH MY KIDS AS WELL.
AND I KNOW YOUR SISTER'S COMING UP THERE AS WELL.
JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
OTHER KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL AND THAT ARE COMMITTED TO SCHOOL FOR SPORTS OR OTHERWISE, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU AS WELL.
YOUR CITY COUNCIL LOVES TO SEE THAT.
SAY HI TO YOUR MOM AND DAD, STEVE, JUST, UH, ECHO, UH, JOSE'S WORDS ABOUT THE, UH, TAMALE FESTIVAL.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE EVENTS THAT MAKES THE COUNCIL VERY, VERY PROUD.
PEOPLE CAME IN GREAT NUMBERS FROM OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY, GOT TO COME IN AND ENJOY, UH, GREAT TAMALES, UH, BUT A GREAT VENUE.
EVERYBODY WAS WALKING AROUND WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE, ESPECIALLY THOSE FOLKS LEAVING THE, UH, BEER GARDEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT, UH, IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT EVENT.
UH, I'M ALWAYS, UH, HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN IT.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A TOUGH JOB UP HERE AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MONEY AVAILABLE AND LOTS OF PEOPLE TRYING TO EXTRACT IT FROM THE CITY.
UH, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY TONIGHT, AND THAT'S WHERE WE SPEND THE GREAT MAJORITY OF OUR MONEY.
AND, UM, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE REALLY, REALLY HAD TO SWALLOW HARD THIS YEAR AND APPROVE A FIRE CONTRACT THAT WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
UH, IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT, UH, IT'S THE GREATEST FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE AND UM, MAYBE WE CAN'T AFFORD IT, BUT, UH, AS LONG AS WE CAN AFFORD IT, WE SHOULD TRY TO KEEP THEM IN OUR CITY.
UH, THEY ARE REALLY QUALIFIED, HARDWORKING FOLKS WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE.
UH, AND I MEAN THAT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
I'VE HAD, UH, HAD THEM IN MY HOME, UH, AND, UM, NO SECRET, I LOST MY FIRST WIFE AND, UH, I KNOW WHAT KIND OF WORK THEY DO AND I KNOW HOW HARD THEY TRY AND, UH, HOW DIFFICULT THE JOB THAT IS.
UM, WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, UH, TO RENEW OUR MEASURE T TAX THAT WE'VE HAD ON THE BOOKS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UH, MAYBE EVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD TO IT SO THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO MORE THINGS AND MAYBE ASSURE THAT WE CAN KEEP LA COUNTY FIRE, UH, ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER FOR A FEW MORE YEARS.
UM, IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB TO TRY TO TAKE LIMITED FUNDS AND SPLIT 'EM SO MANY WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, GREAT THINGS GOING ON HERE IN TERMS OF TRAINING EMPLOYEES.
UM, EVERY TIME WE GIVE PAY RAISES, SOME OTHER CITY GIVES A BIGGER ONE, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE A MAJOR SHOPPING CENTER IN OUR TOWN.
THOSE ARE THE BIG DOGS THAT PRODUCE, UH, THE SALES TAX REVENUE.
SO WE ALL BECOME KINDERGARTENS FOR OTHER AGENCIES.
UM, THERE'S NO WAY TO PREVENT IT.
UH, HALF THE TIME THOSE CONTRACTS ARE DECLARED ILLEGAL.
UH, THE OTHER HALF IS THAT THEY CAN ONLY MAINTAIN FOR A FEW YEARS.
SO IF THEY'RE FIVE YEAR CONTRACTS AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS, THEY GO.
SO, UH, THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, INDENTURED SERVITUDE, IT'S SLAVERY IN A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
SO I, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE TRYING TO HUNT FOR THE TOP DOLLAR ALL THE TIME.
WHAT WE TRY TO DO HERE IS TO SAY, UH, AND
[01:30:01]
MEAN AND ACT LIKE WE'RE FAMILY AND EMPLOYEES.LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN SITTING RIGHT IN THE FRONT ROW COULD HAVE LEFT TO GO TO A DOZEN PLACES FOR, FOR MORE MONEY OVER THE YEARS.
AND I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, IF YOU TALK TO HIM AFTER THIS MEETING, HE'LL TELL YOU, NOT ONLY COULD HE HAVE GONE, BUT I'LL BET YOU HE WAS RECRUITED.
UH, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE SAYING, COME HERE, COME HERE.
BUT IF YOU TREAT PEOPLE LIKE FAMILY, IF YOU TREAT 'EM WITH LOVE AND RESPECT, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO STAY.
SO THAT'S THE APPROACH WE USE.
CHIEF HAS GOT A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT'S PROOF OF THAT.
GOT A FULL TABLE OF ORGANIZATION.
I WAS A POLICE CHIEF FOR OVER 10 YEARS, UH, OVER 15 YEARS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER PLACES SITTING THERE WITH A FULL TO RIGHT NOW TABLE OF ORGANIZATION.
SO, UH, CONGRATS TO YOU CHIEF.
THANK YOU TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR OUR CITIZENS.
THANK YOU FOR THE KIDS THAT CAME AND SPENT TIME HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, GOT TO SEE HOW A REAL COUNCIL ACTS.
YOU KNOW, THEY DO THAT, DO THAT STUFF.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, ROSE.
I I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, I WILL BE IT THERE AND I'M SURE THE REST OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE THERE AT THE J-R-O-T-C-A GAME.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND SUPPORTING THEM.
UH, THE TAMALE FESTIVAL WAS FANTASTIC.
FIRST TIME I'D EVER SEEN CAMELS THERE AND IT WAS JUST AWESOME TO HAVE THESE CAMELS THERE.
AND, UH, I THOUGHT THEY WOULD, UH, BE A GOOD, UH, A GOOD, UH, TREAT TO HAVE THEM COME ON, ON THE STAGE WHEN, UH, WHEN THE DANCERS AND ALL OF THEM WERE THERE AS WELL.
UM, I, UH, WANNA SAY TO ELIAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ELIAS.
UH, WE AS THE COUNCIL WENT TO THE MOUNT WOOD AREA, THE BURWOOD AREA FOR THE LIGHTING, THE RIBBON CUTTING OF THE LIGHTING.
UH, AGAIN, THE CITY LOOKS FOR WAYS TO TRY TO, UH, SAVE MONEY AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR GOAL WAS AT THAT TIME, UH, TO GET THE LIGHTING THAT WE NEEDED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE PARK SO THE KIDS CAN BE OUT THERE AND PLAY.
THE PARENTS CAN BE OUT THERE LATER THAN WHEN IT GETS DARK.
UM, AND THEY HAVE TO GO BACK INSIDE THE HOUSE 'CAUSE THERE'S NO LIGHTING THERE.
AND, UH, YOU LOOK FOR A WAY TO TRY TO SAVE US MONEY BY ORDERING ALL THE PARTS AND ALL, AND THEN HAVING IT CONTRACTED WHERE THEY COULD ACTUALLY PUT THE LIGHTS IN.
AND IT WAS A WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE MONEY, BUT YET PROVIDE A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENT MEMBERS IN THE BURWOOD MONTWOOD AREA.
THEY WERE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL THAT NOW THEY CAN GO OUT THERE EVEN LATER WHEN THE SUN SETS AND ENJOY THE PARK THAT WE HAVE THERE FOR THEM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
AND THAT'S THE WAY OUR CITY IS RUN, TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST WE CAN PROVIDE WITH THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE DIRECTORS AND THE DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, THIS CITY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AS IT HAS AND TO HAVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE.
SO I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL AND THANK YOU ALL THE HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
I'M A LA HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE MYSELF.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ATTENDING AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.
SEE YOU STUDENTS PICKED A LONG MEETING TO COME TO, RIGHT? I AM ALSO A GRADUATE FROM LA HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN ME SEVERAL TIMES.
AND MRS. AVILA YES, I'VE PART OF THAT CLASS AS WELL.
ANYWAY, I I, UH, I LOVE ATTENDING A LOT OF YOUR EVENTS.
I'M FREQUENTLY THERE AT LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, YOU JUST A TREMENDOUS SCHOOL.
AND SO THANK YOU STUDENTS FOR BEING WITH US.
TAMALI FESTIVAL, AGAIN WAS OVER THE TOP.
KIM KELLY, UH, IT WAS FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND EVERYBODY THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.
DAVID, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WE REALLY, UH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ALWAYS HAD A FANTASTIC SMILE ON YOUR FACE.
I COMMEND YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
BOB, CAN YOU STAND UP PLEASE? BOB? YES.
BOB, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.
YOU'VE BEEN A SCOUT LEADER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, A TRUE MENTOR, HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN OUR, HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED WITH THEM? I WAS INVOLVED WITH IT FOR 15 YEARS.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK GIRLS SOFTBALL.
THAT WAS, I WAS, I WAS EXPECTING MAYBE A BAG OR TWO OF TOYS AND WHEN THEY DROVE UP WITH A TRUCKLOAD OF TOYS, I WAS TAKEN BACK.
AND AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO BRING 'EM BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.
[01:35:01]
SO WITH THAT, I WILL SAY THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED TO MONDAY, DECEMBER 18TH, 2023 AT 5:30 PM IN THE CITY COUNCIL.CLOSED ROOM SESSION ONE 12 C THE REGULAR MEETING AT, UH, SIX 30 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AND WE WILL NOW GO TO JOSE MADANO, WHO WILL NOW CHAIR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING.