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ALL RIGHT, I'LL[ CALL TO ORDER: Council Chamber INVOCATION: Mayor Nigsarian PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Pro Tem Espinoza ROLL CALL: Mayor Nigsarian Mayor Pro Tem Espinoza Councilmember Gomez Councilmember Medrano Councilmember Simonian]
NOW CALL TO ORDER THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA OF MARCH 4TH, 2024.LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT IT IS 3:30 PM AND THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCIL MEMBER MEDRANO, WHO WAS DELAYED AND SHOULD BE PRESENT SHORTLY.
SO, THE INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY ME, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG S**T, LED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ESPINOZA.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND AND IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND, BOW YOUR HEAD.
DEAR GOD, WE HUMBLY PRAY THAT YOU'LL GRANT WISDOM TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS A CONSIDERED 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 AND ITS DECISION MAKING TONIGHT SO THAT WE MAY ACT PRUDENTLY AND RESPONSIBLY FOR THE GOOD OF THE LAHABRA COMMUNITY.
PLEASE TURN AND FACE OUR NATION'S FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO ESPINOZA.
AND IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF, THAT WAS A GOOD INVOCATION.
UH, AND NOW WE PROCEED TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO IS NOT ARRIVED YET.
AND NOW IT WOULD BE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE HAVE NONE, MAYOR.
[1. CONDUCT INTERVIEWS FOR ANNUAL EXPIRING TERMS AND TWO ALTERNATES ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION That the City Council conduct interviews for annual expiring terms and two alternates on the Planning Commission and Community Services Commission.]
ITEM TONIGHT OR THIS AFTERNOON? YES.LET ME, NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION ITEMS. ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MAY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL ON ANY CONSIDERATION ITEM PRIOR TO THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL TAKING A FINAL VOTE ON THE ITEM, PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER CONSIDERATION ITEM, UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR.
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 ONLY CONSIDERATION ITEM ON THE AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON IS CONDUCT INTERVIEWS FOR ANNUAL EXPIRING TERMS AND TWO ALTERNATES ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
SO, MAYOR, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE READ, IS THAT THE PORTION WHERE, UH, CITY COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT? YES, PLEASE.
CITY COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT INTERVIEWS OF 10 APPLICANTS FOR EXPIRED TERMS AND ALTERNATE POSITIONS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION WITH APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE AT A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
APPLICANT RICHARD LABOUNTY WITHDREW HIS APPLICATION TODAY DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT.
EACH APPLICANT WILL BE SEATED AT THE TABLE FACING THE DAY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ASKED BY EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE APPLICANT INTERVIEWS SCHEDULED FOUR OR 5:00 PM WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA TELEPHONE.
APPLICANTS MAY TAKE A SEAT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OR LEAVE THE MEETING ONCE THEIR INTERVIEW IS COMPLETED.
THE PUBLIC IS NOW INVITED TO TESTIFY AND TO PLEASE GIVE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
AND SEEING AS THERE ARE NO COMMENTS IN THAT RESPECT, THE FIRST APPLICANT, UH, THIS AFTERNOON IS MR. RICHARD ROJAS.
SO RICHARD, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND, PLEASE TAKE A SEAT THERE AT THE TABLE AND WE WILL BEGIN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN AND WELCOME.
I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO, IF THIS IS COUNCIL OKAY WITH EVERYBODY, IS THIS KIND OF WORK OUR WAY, MY LEFT TO RIGHT.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE WITH ALL? YEAH.
THEN WE WILL BEGIN WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN FOR A QUESTION OF MR. ROJAS.
MR. ROJAS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
SERVICE ON THE COMMISSION AS WELL.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME AND THE OTHER MEMBERS, UH, WHAT YOU'RE MOST PROUD OF IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION? WELL, THERE'S A LOT.
UH, ACTUALLY, I THINK I'M MOST PROUD TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN A, WITH A TEAM OF, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO BRING TO THE, UH, TO THE, UH, THE VALUE TO THE CITY AND THEIR THINKING AND THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND THEIR PASSION FOR CARING FOR THIS COMMUNITY THE WAY THEY DO.
I THINK IF I WERE TO PUT A NUMBER TWO ON THINGS, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THE SUCCESS THAT THE CITY, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION WAS IN, SECURING A $14,000 GRANT FROM PARKS CALIFORNIA TO TAKE, UH, OVER A DOZEN
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KIDS CAMPING FOR THE FIRST TIME AND TO THE BEACH FOR THE DAY ON A GRANT THAT, UH, WE SECURED AS A TEAM.SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF SUCCESSES I LOOK BACK AND REFLECT ON.
I WOULD WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, GREAT HELP IN SECURING THAT GRANT.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD'VE BEEN POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, TALKING TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND SAYING THE RIGHT THINGS WITHOUT YOUR TUTELAGE, YOUR EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, IF I'M AROUND AGAIN FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER, WE COULD DO THAT AGAIN MAYBE, OR TWO OR THREE TIMES THAT IT ANY FURTHER FOLLOW UP? NO, THAT'S IT.
HI, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR REAPPLYING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, LOOKING BACK, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY, UH, WHILE SERVING AS A COMMISSIONER? NO, I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M, AGAIN, I'M PROUD OF THE, THE, UM, CONTRIBUTIONS I'VE MADE.
I, I THINK IF YOU KNEW, YOU KNOW ME, AND I THINK SOME OF YOU DO KNOW ME, MY BACKGROUND, UM, FOR 32 YEARS WAS WORKING FOR CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS.
AND THEN SINCE THEN, I ALSO BECAME A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER IN A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS FROM A SERVICE CLUB TO A HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION TO TODAY I'M, UM, DIRECTOR EMERITUS FOR LATINO OUTDOORS, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT CONNECTS FAMILIES AND KIDS TO THE OUTDOORS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME TO A CITY LIKE THIS WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, UM, THERE'S SO MUCH YOU WANT TO DO AND YOU HOPE TO DO AND CONTINUE CONNECTING KIDS WITH THE OUTDOORS IS ONE OF MY MAJOR GOALS.
YOU KNOW, I HOPE IN THE FUTURE THE CITY'S ABLE TO GENERATE A, A JUNIOR RANGER CLUB TO CONNECT THOSE KIDS THAT MIGHT NOT BE ACTIVE IN, IN TRADITIONAL SPORTS OR TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS, BUT MIGHT GET INSPIRED BY CONNECTING WITH THE OUTDOORS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, LIMITED, WE'RE LIMITED BY TIME AND CREATIVITY, AND IF WE HAD, UH, MORE TIME AS A GROUP TO GET TOGETHER AND, AND MORE FUNDING FROM THE CITY OR OTHER, UH, GRANT SOURCES, WE COULD DO A LOT MORE.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY FRUSTRATION IS MORE TIME AND, AND MORE MONEY.
WHITNEY, ONE, ONE LAST QUESTION.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, SEE YOU, YOU CAN DO A LOT MORE AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONSTRAINED, UH, WITH FINANCES.
WHERE DO YOU THINK OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY BLAZE RIGHT NOW AS A COMMUNITY? YOU KNOW, I, I SHARED THIS WITH MY, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS, UH, OVER A YEAR AGO, I THINK WAS AFTER LOOKING AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL'S GOALS FOR 2324.
ONE OF THE GOALS WAS TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR.
AND I THINK JUST THIS LAST YEAR WE SECURED ITS FUNDING TO DO THAT TO FUND A CONSULTANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE, COMMUNITY, UM, COMMISSIONERS OUR KIND OF, I WANNA SAY LIMITED ON WHAT THEY CAN, CAN DO AND HELP THE CITY AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO CROSS POLLINATE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES IN THE CITY COUNCIL TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BRAINSTORM WHAT COULD BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE LA HAVA CORRIDOR.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LOOK FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK OUR MANY VOICES AND OUR MANY IDEAS REALLY WILL GENERATE SOME EXCITEMENT FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT SEEM TO BE NEGLECTED, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A NON, FOR A PERSON WHO'S NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF THE AREA.
RICHARD, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE, UH, UP TO THIS POINT.
UH, MY QUESTION IS WITH REGARD TO THE CURRENT AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR A COUPLE OF YOUR IDEAS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CONTOURS AND THE SHAPE OF THE CENTENNIAL EVENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON, UH, VERY SHORTLY.
SO ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? WELL, YOU KNOW, MY, MY HOPE, AND I'VE SHARED THIS WITH OUR OWN COMMISSION, IS THAT WE GET THE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY LIKE MANY, IT, IT, IT STRUGGLES TO KEEP FOLKS HERE LOCALLY WHEN THEY GROW UP AND MOVE ON FROM COLLEGE OR FROM TRADE SCHOOL OR JUST, YOU KNOW, GET INTO, INTO LIFE.
SO WE COULD HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED FROM THE YOUNGEST TO THE, TO THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE, TO THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
UM, AND NOT JUST THOSE THAT EXCEL, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS IN ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS, BUT THE GENERAL KIDS, THE GENERAL POPULATION.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP YOU HERE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO CELEBRATE YOUR, YOUR LEGACY AS FAMILY MEMBERS AND BUSINESS, REAL BUSINESS, UH, ASSOCIATES AND, UH, ATHLETES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ARTISTS, UM, REALLY EXPLORE ALL AVENUES FROM ART TO ATHLETICS TO MUSIC.
THE THEATER ACROSS THE STREET WOULD BE A GREAT VENUE TO CELEBRATE SOME OF THAT HISTORY.
UM, SO YEAH, GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE 'CAUSE WE'RE BUILDING THE FUTURE FOR THEM.
UM, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY CURRENT OR FORMER, DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIPS OR RELATED TO ANY FAMILY, ANYONE THAT IS RIGHT NOW ON THE CITY EMPLOYEES OR CITY COUNCIL OR CITY COMMISSIONERS OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS?
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WELL, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW IS SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.UM, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A MEASURE THAT'S GOING TO EXPIRE SOMETIME IN A FEW YEARS, UH, HERE.
THAT, UH, HOW MUCH DID IT GENERATE? UH, UH, JIM, I'M SORRY.
IF YOU'RE SPEAKING OF MEASURE T, IT GENERATES, UH, OVER SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
IT, YES, IT DOES HAVE ABOUT A SALES TAX.
SORRY, SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION.
AND, UM, IF WE SHOULD, WHEN IT EXPIRES, UM, WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, THAT EXPIRING? BECAUSE THAT'S, LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN TO OUR COMMUNITY? WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE A LOT OF MONEY? IT IS A LOT AND I THINK IT, IT AFFORDS THE CITY A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY PROVIDE FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND ESPECIALLY THE KIDS, THE FUTURE RESIDENTS.
SO MY FIRST RESPONSE IS, IT'S NOT GONNA EXPIRE.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT EXTENDED AND WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL THE GOODNESS THAT THAT MONEY BRINGS TO OUR CITY.
AND RATHER TO GO ACROSS THE CITY LINE AND PAY TAXES TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT MIGHT BE REAPING THAT BENEFIT.
LET'S PROMOTE IT RIGHT HERE IN LAHABRA.
SO, AND THE OFF CHANCE IT DOESN'T PASS, I THINK AN OPPORTUNITY THAT MIGHT STILL BE AVAILABLE IS THE CITY.
UM, I KNOW THE COMM, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES STAFF ARE IN INVESTIGATING THE ID IDEA OF CREATING A NONPROFIT FOR THE CITY.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME RESISTANCE FROM THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN, BUT I THINK PART OF THAT RESISTANCE IS JUST THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GRANT, UH, PROVIDERS, UM, BOTH LOCALLY, STATEWIDE, REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY, THAT THE CITY OF LA HAVA THROUGH A NONPROFIT SITUATION COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING, ESPECIALLY FOR PROGRAMS WITH KIDS, KIDS IN TECHNOLOGY, KIDS IN THE TRADES, KIDS IN THE ARTS.
SO IF WE LOSE THAT INCOME THROUGH THE LOSS OF TAX REVENUE, THE INCOME, OR THE SALES TAX REVENUE, THEN WE'D BETTER BE CREATIVE AND GOING AFTER FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES.
AND I THINK THAT HAVING A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION ALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S VALUES WILL BRING US THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I'D BE WILLING TO STEP DOWN FROM ANY ROLE I WOULD HAVE ON THE COMMISSION TO HELP CHAIR THAT, THAT BOARD AND CREATE THAT NEW OPPORTUNITY.
AND, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SECURING THE 14,000, UH, FOR THE PARKS IN CALIFORNIA FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND KIDS.
I, I'M ALMOST SURE THAT THEY ALL EXPERIENCED, UH, GOING CAMPING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WITH THIS GRANT.
SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'LL BE TELLING SOME STORIES FOR A WHILE.
MR. ROSS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MOST APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT, UH, ON THE COMMISSION AND BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF LEAVE YOU WITH A CLOSING THOUGHT.
ANOTHER ONE OF MY OTHER, WE'RE ABOUT TWO MINUTES LATE, SO WE CLOSING THOUGHT.
MY, ONE OF MY LAST MOTIVATIONS IS I HAVE SIX GRANDCHILDREN, FIVE OF THOSE LIVE RIGHT HERE IN LAHABRA.
SO I'M DOING THIS WORK FOR THEM.
I WANT THEIR LIVES TO BE BETTER AND I WANT, INSTEAD OF BEING ON THE COUCH AND AND POINTING FINGERS AT YOU ALL ON LIVE TV, I WANT TO BE HERE AND SOLVE SOME PROBLEMS. SO I'M JOINING FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UH, I KNOW OUR NEXT, UH, APPLICANT IS A MR. LUDWINSKI.
I'M WONDERING, RHONDA, SHOULD WE MAYBE START THE TIMER FOR 10 MINUTES SO THAT WE'RE COG COGNIZANT OF HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE LEFT? 'CAUSE I HATE TO SEE US GET TOO FAR BEHIND WHERE AT 3 43, HE WAS DUE AT THREE 40.
IS THAT AN IDEA OR IS IT NOT AN IDEA? WHATEVER COUNSEL IS COMFORTABLE WITH MAYBE AS A GUIDELINE, WE CAN START WHEN OKAY.
CAN SEND A 10 MINUTES WHEN THEY FIRST SIT DOWN AND START TALKING.
AT LEAST THEN WE'LL KNOW HOW FAR BEHIND WE'RE GETTING.
MR. THOMAS LUDWINSKI, WELCOME.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY, SIR? VERY GOOD.
AND YOU? I'M VERY WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANKS FOR MAKING THE TIME FOR US.
UH, THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO START ACTUALLY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT WITH QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL.
SO JUST RELAX AND TRY TO ENJOY YOURSELF.
THE FIRST QUESTION WILL BE POSED BY MAYOR PROAM ESPINOSA.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT UH, EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE WITH LAND USE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, OR REAL ESTATE? THO THOSE SPECIFICALLY? UH, NUN PARDON MY INTERRUPTION.
DO YOU MIND PULLING THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER FOR THE AUDIO? THANK YOU.
UM, WITH THOSE THINGS SPECIFICALLY, UH, NONE.
UM, MY EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING TO THIS JOB IS THE 30, 37 YEARS I WORKED AT BOEING AND ROCKWELL IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT DOING, UH, TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, TRADE ANALYSIS FOR, I MEAN, ALL SORTS OF SUBJECTS THROUGH ALL THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE.
AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE A SITUATION WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS THAT THE CITY INCENTIVIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
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BEING CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION? YOU'RE SAYING THE CITY COUNCIL IS OPPOSED TO, TO SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, MANDATED BY, MANDATED BY STATE LAW.I'M ASKING FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FACT THAT THE STATE DOES REQUIRE US TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
THEY GAVE US OUR ARENA NUMBERS, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH AND THIS SORT OF THING.
AND IF THE COMMUNITY WAS, UH, OPPOSED TO INCENTIVIZING A PARTICULAR PROJECT THAT WOULD FOLLOW STATE LAW, BUT NONETHELESS WOULD CREATE DENSITY WHERE THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY, UH, UH, DISAGREE AND ARE OPPOSED TO IT, HOW WOULD YOU NAVIGATE THAT MINEFIELD? WELL, I GUESS, UH, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THE FIRST PART WOULD BE THE LEGAL POSSIBILITIES.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU'D HAVE TO CONSULT WITH CITY ATTORNEYS, SEE WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, STATE LAW IS GONNA TRUMP, UH, ANY LOCAL LAW.
SO IF THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, ALLOW ADUS, OKAY, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO ALLOW ADUS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WIGGLE ROOM THERE WOULD BE IN THERE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S LOTS OF IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY TRAFFIC, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, UH, THERE'S
SO, UH, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD START WITH IS, UH, WITH THE, THE LEGAL POSSIBILITIES AS WELL AS, UH, PROBABLY A LOT OF, UH, GOOD SMART PEOPLE IN IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DEALT WITH THIS BEFORE.
SO I'D ASK THEIR, THEIR OPINION ON IT AND KIND OF GO FROM THERE.
BUT, UM, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN MY MIND, I'M THINKING OF THINGS LIKE ADUS AND, UH, I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER CITIES HAVE FOUGHT THAT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF STOPPING WHAT THE STATE HAS SAID.
VERY WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR APPLYING.
MY QUESTION IS, UH, LOOKING BACK, UM, AT YOUR CAREER AT BOEING, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD PREPARE YOU FOR A ROLE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION? WHAT EXPERIENCE FROM THERE WOULD, WOULD YOU SEEM TO, UH, MAKE IT HELPFUL IN THE, IN A NEW ROLE LIKE THAT? SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, A COUPLE ENGINEERING DEGREES, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT MICHIGAN STATE AND AEROSPACE AT USC, UM, VARIOUS TECHNICAL LE UH, POSITIONS, AND THEN VARIOUS MANAGERIAL ROLES.
SO ALL THE TECHNICAL POSITIONS REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, TRADE ANALYSIS, AND THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS TO COME UP FOR THE CITY, THEY NEED.
YOU NEED TO BE A, YOU KNOW, CALMLY THOUGHT THROUGH THE PROS AND THE CONS.
UM, UH, YOU CAN IMAGINE AT BOEING YOU HAVE A LOT OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS, SO YOU'RE NOT THE EXPERT ON EVERYTHING, SO YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THEM AND GET THEIR INPUT AND, AND DO THE TRADES FROM THERE.
AND THEN, UM, UH, FROM THE MANAGERIAL POINT OF VIEW, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS, UM, STRONG OPINIONS AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THROUGH THEM, UH, GET A BUY-IN AND AGREEMENT AS YOU GO ON.
HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE ALL NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
SO, UH, ONCE A DECISION'S MADE, YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYONE TO GET ALONG AND, AND, UH, EXECUTE WHATEVER'S DECIDED.
SO, LOOKING AT YOUR APPLICATION, I SEE YOU'RE VERY INVOLVED IN YOUTH SPORTS, UH, YOUTH SPORTS, PARTICULARLY A YSO.
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY YOU DECIDED TO APPLY FOR PLANNING COMMISSION VERSUS A COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION? BEING THAT YOU HAVE EXTENSIVE, UH, BACKGROUND, UH, IN YOUTH SPORTS AND IN THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT? UM, NOT SPECIFICALLY.
I WANTED TO START TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, LIKE, LIKE ANY JOB, YOU KNOW, PROGRESSIVELY MORE IMPORTANT RESPONSIBLE POSITIONS.
UM, UH, JUST TO ANSWER WHY NOW, I, I RETIRED FOUR YEARS AGO, AND AS SOME OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND WHATEVER, I HAD A COUPLE BOUTS WITH CANCER AND CHEMO AND SO THAT'S MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DO THINGS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, KNOCK ON WOOD, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO I GOT DECLARED IN REMISSION, SO EVERYTHING'S GOOD.
AND I'M TRYING NOW TO GET INTO WHAT A RETIREMENT LOOKS LIKE.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN, THANK YOU.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND YOUR DESIRE, UH, TO BE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE PLAYER IN, IN THE PROCESS.
UM, I WONDERED, UH, ABOUT, UH, MOTIVATION AND YOU SPOKE A BIT ABOUT JUST WANTING TO BE MORE ACTIVE THAN, UM, I GUESS A TYPICAL RETIREE.
UM, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPICAL RETIREE LOOKS LIKE.
UM, PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, IS MORE TECHNICAL AND REQUIRES THAT TYPE OF, UH, DISCIPLINE AND YOU CERTAINLY APPEAR TO HAVE THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER MOTIVATION THAT'S DRIVING YOU TO GET INVOLVED OR YOU, ARE YOU NOT HAPPY WITH, UH, THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL OR THE CITY OR SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS DOING PRESENTLY? NO, ON THE CONTRARY, I THINK THE COUNCIL HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OVER
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THE YEARS.UM, MOTIVATION I THINK WOULD BE SORT OF SIMILAR TO WHAT I SAID BEFORE.
UM, IN TERMS OF NOW I'M RETIRED.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING.
I MEAN, YOU PICK YOUR THING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHURCHES, PEOPLE INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT CHARITIES.
MY WIFE'S ON THE, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BOARD.
SO I THINK YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHING.
AS I SAID, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR A YSL FOR 30 SOME ODD YEARS, UH, AT THE REGIONAL AREA LEVEL AS REFEREES, INSTRUCTORS, ASSESSOR, ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND YOU'LL FIND ME AT THE FIELD VIRTUALLY EVERY SATURDAY.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW, UH, AGAIN, BEING RETIRED AND, UH, AND HEALTHY, I HAVE TIME TO DO MORE.
I THINK MY TECHNICAL BACKGROUND IS WELL SUITED FOR THINGS LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, WITH EVERY JOB, UM, AT BOEING AND ELSEWHERE, UH, YOU RARELY APPLY FOR A JOB THAT YOU'VE COMPLETELY DONE BEFORE.
YOU DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY BE SUCCESSFUL AT IT.
UM, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY EXISTING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT YOU MAY HAVE BE RELATED TO ANYBODY ON THE COUNCIL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, OR THAT WORKS AT CITY HALL? NOPE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. LUDWINSKI, THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING THAT ALONE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR PARTICIPATION.
HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOU? VERY WELL, THANK YOU.
WELL, I CAN WHIP ONE UP IF YOU GIMME FIVE MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'RE GONNA START THE GRILLING THIS TIME FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN.
WELL, ROY, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR MAKING THE APPLICATION AND SHOWING THE DESIRE TO GET BACK IN THE WORK MODE AGAIN AND DOING WHAT YOU DO BEST.
UM, IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON THAT YOU WANT TO GET BACK IN TO THE PLANNING BUSINESS? IS THERE A DIRECTION OR SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH, OR WHAT'S THE MOTIVATION? UM, YOU KNOW, I, DURING MY CAREER HERE, WE ALWAYS STRIVE TO GET THE VERY BEST QUALITY DEVELOPMENT WE COULD GET FOR OUR CITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO BE ON THE COMMISSION TO SEE THOSE PROJECTS AND MAKE SURE THAT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THE BEST WE CAN GET OUTTA THESE DEVELOPERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ ROY, UH, YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR AND YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR YOU.
JUST ONE QUESTION BY YOU, UM, BY YOU, UH, BEING APPOINTED, IF YOU WERE TO BE APPOINTED, WHERE DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION OR OPPORTUNITY YOU'LL BRING TO THE, TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? UM, WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT MY DEGREE IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING IN, YOU KNOW, 38 PLUS YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE IN, IN THE PLANNING FIELD, UM, I THINK I CAN, UH, BE THERE TO HELP, UM, STAFF AND, AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS POTENTIALLY, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE, UM, PLANNING PROCESSES.
ALRIGHT, WELL, ROY, LET ME ASK ACTUALLY TWO QUICK THINGS.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, UH, HOW THE DEVELOPMENT ALONG LAHABRA BOULEVARD WITHIN THAT SPECIFIC PLAN, UH, MIGHT GO IN THE SENSE OF WHAT'S THE CITY'S ROLE IN THAT? AND THEN ALSO IF YOU CAN KIND OF WORK INTO THAT, THE IDEA THAT AS A COMMISSIONER YOUR ROLE'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE A STAFF MEMBER IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO, DO YOU FEEL YOU'D BE CAPABLE OF BEING CRITICAL OF STAFF IF THE NEED AROSE? I KNOW IT'S A TWO PART QUESTION, BUT
I MANAGE PEOPLE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I MAY UM, HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE I DO ACTUALLY SIT ON THE, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE HARBOR BOULEVARD.
SO IF YOU MAY NOT WANT ME TO DO BOTH, IT'S SHOULD I GET, GET SELECTED? UM, YOU KNOW, LA HARBOR BOULEVARD'S AN INTERESTING THING.
I, IN MY NEW ROLE AT THE, UH, KIND OF RUNNING THE HISTORY MUSEUM, I'VE, I FOUND FILES FROM THE SIXTIES TALKING ABOUT WE
[00:25:01]
NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT LAHABRA BOULEVARD AND ALL THE GREAT IDEAS EVERYBODY'S HAD, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST ALMOST 60 YEARS WORKING WITH THAT.UM, AND I THINK IT'S DOABLE, BUT IT'S, IT'S BE BACKED BY THE COUNCIL WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
AND, AND WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FIND FUNDING TO DO IT.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK TO FIND GRANTS AND, AND OUTSIDE MONEY OR IT, IT'LL FAIL AGAIN BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD THE MONEY TO ACTUALLY PUT THE PLAN INTO MOTION.
AND YOU RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE OF THE TWO HATS YOU'D BE WEARING FROM COMMISSIONER TO PLANNER? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S THAT DIFFERENT.
I, I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SURE UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
I I WOULD STILL BE LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS CRITICALLY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TECHNICALLY CORRECT.
UM, IT'S NOT LIKE I WOULD TRY TO BE STAFF AND TELL THEM WHAT TO DO.
AGAIN, IT'D JUST BE THE ADVISORY ROLE AND THEN TO THE STAFF AND, AND THEN BACK TO YOU GUYS.
HEY, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A RESIDENT OF HABRA? SINCE 1982.
SO WHAT'S THAT? 40 SOMETHING YEARS? YEAH, 40 YEARS.
HOW DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU FEEL COULD BE DONE BY THE CITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS? OOH, THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.
UM, I, I WOULD THINK THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN LA HABRA OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS OF LA HABRA HAS IMPROVED SUBSTANTIALLY.
UM, I CAN REMEMBER A TIME WITH WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES UNLESS YOU DROVE TO, TO BREA OR, OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I THINK THE ABILITY TO HAVE A GOOD BALANCED CITY WITH GOODS AND SERVICES AND AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS HAS MADE EVERYBODY'S LIFE A LITTLE BETTER THAN IT WHAT IT WAS IN THE PAST.
UM, CLEARLY THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING THE CITY IS THE HOMELESS ISSUE.
AND, AND THEN AGAIN, HOW DO, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT? UM, YOU KNOW, YOU TRY TO, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER THAT THEY'RE PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE PROBLEMS AND THEY NEED HELP.
YOU CAN'T CONSIDER THEM CRIMINALS AND YOU JUST GOTTA TRY TO FIND A WAY TO HELP THEM AND THEN ALSO TRY TO FIND THE BALANCE TO HELP THE, THE BUSINESSES AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE HANGING OUT AND CAN KIND OF BEING A NUISANCE.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE BEFORE THE CITY.
ALRIGHT, ROY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECADES OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF LA HARBOR.
THAT IS ENORMOUSLY APPRECIATED.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WILLING TO PARTICIPATE HERE AND NOW TONIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
DO WE HAVE MR. FRANCISCO LOPEZ PRESENT? WE DO NOT.
WELL, COUNSEL, SHOULD WE GIVE HIM 60 SECONDS OR SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD? WHAT, WHAT TIME IS THIS? WELL, ACTUALLY HE'S, HE'S GOT, HE'S GOT TWO MINUTES, RIGHT? HE IS GOT TWO MINUTES.
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UH, YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT, I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU KNEW THAT, BUT IF THE NO, THERE'S NO OTHER APPLICANTS WAITING AT THIS TIME.OKAY, ROSIE, GO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE'RE CHECKING FOR THE NEXT CANDIDATE.
ALSO, PLEASE BE RE REMINDED THAT WE ARE STILL LIVE STREAMING THE MEETING.
[00:35:06]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THE FOUR 10? YES, PLEASE.HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING? SO FAR, SO GOOD.
SO, UH, JUST RELAX AND TRY TO HAVE FUN WITH THE PROCESS.
AGAIN, WELCOME TO COUNCIL AND WE WILL BEGIN, UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM ESPINOSA.
UM, I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR APPLICATION AND IT SAYS A CIVIC INTEREST.
UH, YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE CITY OF LA HAR YES.
AND WHERE THE CITY WILL BE HEADED IN THE FUTURE.
AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE LA HARBA SCHOOL DISTRICT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, LAND USE ISSUES FACING THE CITY TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE? UH, I WOULD SAY WHAT, FROM WHAT IT, WHAT I BELIEVE WOULD BE DEFINITELY, UM, HOUSING IS A BIG THING.
I KNOW THERE'S MANDATES THAT THEY WANT MORE HOUSING IN EVERY CITY IN CALIFORNIA, BUT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
MAYBE IT DOES, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
'CAUSE IT CAN INCREASE THE TRAFFIC GRADES.
SO I KNOW THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF YOU'RE IN THE FACEBOOK GROUPS, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE, A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THAT BUILDING COMING UP, ADDING MORE TRAFFIC.
SO I WOULD SAY IT DEFINITELY DEPENDS ON THE AREA.
MR. MATTIAS, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT NUMBERS? THE ARENA NUMBERS THAT EVERY CITY HAS RECEIVED FROM, UH, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN SACRAMENTO? I'M FAIRLY, UH, FAMILIAR WITH IT.
I KNOW THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF UNITS THAT EACH CITY HAS TO PUT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, SOMETIMES THEY LOOK LIKE IT'S A LOT, BUT I KNOW IT'S A MANDATE AND THAT SOMETIMES IT COULD BE DONE.
AND SOMETIMES MAYBE THERE'S THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE LIKE FOUGHT IN A WAY.
HAVE YOU, UH, FAMILIARIZED YOURSELF WITH THE LA HARBOR GENERAL PLAN OR THE HOUSING ELEMENT? UH, I WAS READING THE DOCUMENTS THAT I GOT FROM, UH, RHONDA.
SO I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT PLANNING COMMISSION DUTIES ARE, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE GENERAL PLAN.
I, SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS ARE VERY LARGE, SO I DID THE BEST I COULD
UH, I, I ALWAYS GET MIXED UP WITH YOU AND YOUR BROTHER
NOW, YOU, YOU'RE NOT THE ONE THAT JUST HAD THE CHILD, RIGHT? NO, NO.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE A REAL ESTATE'S LICENSE.
ARE YOU CURRENTLY A, AN ACTIVE REALTOR IN, IN THE COMMUNITY? UH, NOT ACTIVE AT THIS POINT.
MY LICENSES ARE STILL ACTIVE, BUT I'M ACTUALLY ON THE, UH, INVESTMENT SIDE RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE A SERIES SEVEN STOCKBROKER LICENSE.
I ACTUALLY WORK FOR FIDELITY INVESTMENTS NOW.
SO THAT'S, UH, LARGELY WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS, IS WHEN WE GO AND MAKE DECISIONS, WE'RE DOWN TO MAYBE THREE, FOUR CANDIDATES THAT WE'RE ALL FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.
I GUESS I WANT TO ASK YOU IS WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM ALL THE OTHER APPLICANTS? WHY SHOULD WE, UH, CHOOSE YOU FOR THIS POSITION? UH, JUST FOR ME PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THE HARBOR ALL MY LIFE.
THIS IS A CITY I PLAN TO STAY IN REALLY FOREVER.
I'VE CONVINCED MY WIFE THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST CITY IN OUR AREA, ONLY PLACE THAT HAS TWO WALMARTS
SO THAT'S, UH, DEFINITELY A NICE THING.
BUT I WOULD SAY WHAT SETS ME APART IS MY EXPERIENCE IN THE REAL ESTATE FIELD.
I HAVE A PRETTY, UH, GOOD GRASP OF THE STOCK AND BOND MARKETS AND JUST, UH, MY GOAL IS TO BE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO KIND OF HEAR WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAYS AND KIND OF PUT THAT FORWARD, UH, WHENEVER THERE'S LIKE, DECISIONS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION NEEDS TO MAKE.
SO I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT MORE
WELL, THANK YOU MATTHEW, FOR APPLYING AND, AND BEST TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, KNOW YOUR MOM AND YOUR FAMILY, SO, OH, YEAH.
UH, IT, IT APPEARS FROM YOUR APPLICATION THAT YOU CERTAINLY HAVE A DECENT BACKGROUND TO, UH, SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WHAT BASICALLY IS YOUR MOTIVATION? WHAT'S DRIVING YOU TO WANT TO DO THIS? I WOULD SAY MY MOTIVATION IS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT ARE INTERESTED IN GOVERNMENT OR WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN, JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE MACRO SIDE AS WELL.
SO, UH, MY GOAL IS TO KIND OF GET INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT EARLY AND LEARN FROM THE VETERANS, AS YOU WILL, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN IT LONG TERM AND MAKING DECISIONS.
SO I COULD ONE DAY BE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT MYSELF
[00:40:01]
AND, UH, KIND OF BE PART OF LIKE, CITY PLANNING WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY CITY THAT I'M GONNA BE IN LONG TERM.IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE DIRECTION ON? FOR ME THERE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT I KNOW TO LIKE, I GUESS SAY, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO SEE CHANGED.
UM, I GUESS SOME OF IT IS WHEN YOU'RE PART OF IT, YOU, YOU KNOW, AND YOU DON'T, SO I WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S SOMETHING THAT RIGHT NOW THAT I WOULD WANT TO CHANGE ON WHAT THE CITY'S DOING.
THANK YOU MR. MATTIAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR NUMBER ONE, YOUR INTEREST, AND NUMBER TWO, YOUR YOUR EFFORT IN PREPARING FOR THIS MEETING AND FOR BEING HERE.
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND SERVICE.
ARE WE NOT RHONDA? SO FOR THE RECORD, I'LL INDICATE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO HAS NOW AD JOINED.
AT 4:11 PM AND HERE'S THE NEXT APPLICANT.
MS. MECHA, HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL, THANK YOU.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THIS TIME, I BELIEVE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT.
SO I KNOW YOU JUST SAT DOWN, BUT WE ARE, WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
SO QUESTIONS BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO FOR MS. MAHEA.
MS. MAHEA, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M REALLY WELL, THANK YOU.
THANK, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING INTERESTED IN THE CITY OF LAHABRA AND, UH, UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE BEEN A PLANNING COMMISSIONER FOR A WHILE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR, UH, WHAT OUR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS, THE NUMBER IS HERE IN LA HABRA FOR THE NEXT, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE, THE, THE EXACT NUMBER IS, BUT HAVING DEALT WITH, UH, HAVING DEALT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION NOW FOR A BIT, YOU UNDERSTAND THE NEED, UH, FOR HOUSING IN GENERALLY IN, IN IN CALIFORNIA.
UH, WHAT, UH, WHAT IS YOUR VIEW, UH, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET OUR, UH, OUR ARENA NUMBERS? MEANING WHAT IS OUR VIEW AS TO HOW IT AFFECTS OUR RESIDENTS OR THAT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A MANDATE YES, AS DO ALL COMMUNITIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING BECAUSE WE HAVE A HOUSING SHORTAGE IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, I THINK THAT IN COMMUNITIES SUCH AS OURS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BALANCE THE NEEDS, UM, TO HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF HOUSING THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING, NOT JUST ONE TYPE.
UM, THAT'S ALSO MANDATED AS WELL.
AND ALSO WE HAVE AN INTEREST IN KEEPING PEOPLE IN LA HARA.
WE WANT OUR KIDS, WE WANT OUR GRANDKIDS TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN, IN LA HARA ALREADY, AND PEOPLE WHO WANNA LIVE IN LAHARA.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU, UM, YOU'VE BEEN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION NOW.
UM, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THE DEVELOPMENT ALONG LA HARRA BOULEVARD SHOULD OR, OR COULD OCCUR AND WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK THE CITY HAS IN THE PROCESS? ACTUALLY, THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF MY MAJOR CONCERNS IN OUR CITY, IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CORRIDOR HERE.
I, I VIEW LA HABER BOULEVARD IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DEVELOPING.
THIS IS AN OLD TOWN, I BELIEVE THAT, I'M NOT REALLY SURE YOU CAN, I'D HAVE TO FIND THE NUMBERS TO BACK ME UP ON THIS, BUT I THINK WE'RE OLDER THAN FULLERTON AND THEY'VE GOT A REALLY PRETTY WELL DEVELOPED OLD TOWN AREA, AND I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE SO MUCH SENSE HERE.
I WALK UP AND DOWN THIS STREET EVERY DAY AND I LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
UM, AND I HOPE TO SEE THINGS LIKE A REPLACEMENT OF OUR FARMER'S MARKET THAT WE USED TO HAVE A LONG TIME AGO.
UM, YES, I'D LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE HOUSING, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE BUSINESSES DEVELOPED ALONG THIS CORRIDOR TO MAKE IT KIND OF AN HISTORIC ERA, OR EXCUSE ME, AREA.
LET ME ASK YOU CERTAIN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION NOW FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THERE WAS ONE POINT WHEN YOU DECIDED TO GO FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS OPPOSED TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR MOTIVATION? WHAT'S YOUR PASSION? WHAT IS IT ABOUT LAND USE THAT IS DISTINCT FROM COMMUNITY SERVICES,
[00:45:01]
WHICH I KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, BUT YOU'VE DECIDED ON THIS AVENUE.WHY IS THAT? UH, BECAUSE I HAVE AN INTEREST IN WONKY THINGS,
AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF PLANNING COMMISSION'S QUA QUASI-JUDICIAL, UM, NATURE, RATHER THAN JUST AS A COMMISSION, UM, THAT APPEALS TO ME.
SO I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO USE MY SKILLS, THINGS THAT I'VE ALREADY LEARNED IN THE PAST TO BRING IT TO BEAR WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I GOTTA SAY, I REALLY LIKED IT.
I, I ENJOYED IT FAR MORE THAN I REALLY THOUGHT I WOULD.
I LEARNED A LOT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY ON PLANNING COMMISSION.
I THINK IT WAS A PERFECT FIT, PERSONALLY,
COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ MARIA, WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME.
UH, I I JUST WANNA START OFF BY SAYING YOU HAVE JUST DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB.
EVERY TIME WE'RE AT A COMMUNITY EVENT, WE TURN AROUND AND YOU'RE THERE AND WE GET A TWO FRACTION.
YOUR MOM'S VERY ACTIVE AND SHOWS UP TO MANY OF THE EVENTS AS SUPPOSE YOUR SON.
SO FOR THAT, I'M VERY THANKFUL, UH, FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT THERE.
LOOKING BACK AT YOUR, YOUR TIME ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? WOW.
UM, I'M MOST PROUD OF TWO THINGS ACTUALLY.
UM, WHEN I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO AND MEET OTHER PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, I'VE BEEN REALLY PROUD TO REPRESENT OUR CITY, UM, AND TALK ABOUT THE REALLY GREAT THINGS THAT WE DO, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE DO AS A CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE FUND EARLY EDUCATION, WE FUND SENIOR SERVICES.
WE REALLY TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE PROUDEST THING.
BUT I ALSO AM PRETTY PROUD OF THE JOB WE DID WITH THE COYOTE VILLAGE, UM, NUISANCE SITUATION.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT WAS, UM, A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
IT WAS A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO HAVE TO CONFRONT, BUT I THINK AS A COMMISSION WE DID A REALLY GREAT JOB OF APPLYING THE FACTS TO THE SITUATION AND COMING OUT WITH THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
UH, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, SHOULD YOU GET APPOINTED REAPPOINTED IN THIS POSITION? UH, DO YOU PLAN, UH, TO STAY THERE OR I'LL BE VERY, UH, FRANK WITH MY QUESTION, OR DO YOU PLAN ON ALSO APPLYING FOR THE OPEN POSITION ON THE CITY COUNCIL? I DO NOT PLAN TO, UH, APPLY FOR THE OPEN CITY ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
I PLAN TO SUPPORT, UM, OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR THAT, UM, SEAT.
SO I DO PLAN ON STAYING ON PLANNING COMMISSION.
I THINK I HAVE SOME MORE LEARNING TO DO.
UM, AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CITY COUNCIL, I REALLY AM.
UM, BUT I'VE GOT SOME TIME AND I FEEL LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR ME TO FURTHER HONE THE SKILLS THAT I ALREADY HAVE.
BUT I'M, I'D BE THROWING MY SUPPORT BEHIND ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR THAT OPEN SEAT.
WELL, YOU'VE JUST DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB.
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PROVIDED.
AND, UM, ALONG WITH, UH, MR. GOMEZ, I SEE YOU AT MOST EVERYTHING WE SHOW UP AT, SO APPRECIATE THE COMMITMENT THERE.
UH, YOU SELF-ADMITTED, UH, LAW NERD.
UM, WHAT, WHAT FURTHER MOTIVATION DO YOU HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR CITY GOVERNMENT? MY SON, UM, MY SON IS GOING TO, MY SON IS GROWING UP IN LA HABRA.
HE IS CURRENTLY A 9-YEAR-OLD FOURTH GRADER AT, UH, EL CERTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, HE'S GOING TO BE INHERITING THE HOUSE.
HE IS GOING TO BE RAISING HIS KIDS HERE.
SO I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN HOW THE CITY DEVELOPS.
I ALSO, AS CORNY AS IT REALLY SOUNDS, BUT I THINK YOU ALL UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THIS IS THE REASON YOU GUYS DO IT TOO, IS I JUST REALLY LOVE OUR TOWN.
UH, I HAVE A CRUSH ON US
I THINK WE DO A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT, AND I THINK THAT CITY GOVERNMENT MATTERS.
AND, UM, SO I'M MOTIVATED BY THAT.
I WANT TO BE, WHAT WAS THAT? I WAS AT A MEETING THE OTHER DAY AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I I STILL PRACTICE LAW THOUGH.
I'M TRYING TO MOVE OUT OF THAT AREA AND I WANT THE REST OF MY LIFE TO LOOK MORE LIKE THIS WHERE I'M SITTING AT, UM, COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR CITY SERVICES, OR THAT'S WHAT I WANT THE REST OF MY LIFE TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, I'M ABOUT MID, YOU KNOW, I'M 49 THIS YEAR, AND SO I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT SOME TIME LEFT AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO AT THAT TIME.
[00:50:01]
FOR YOUR PROFOUND DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO THE CITY THESE YEARS ON THE PLANET COMMISSION.THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN BEING HERE, UH, TODAY AND ASKING FOR A, A RE-UPPING YOUR POSITION.
WE APPRECIATE IT GREATLY AND, UM, HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
OUR NEXT APPLICANT FOR COMMISSION IS MS. ESTHER ARMENTO, AND THIS WOULD BE FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
MS. ARMENTO, WELCOME, MR. MR. MAYOR.
BEFORE WE START, IF I MAY ASK A QUESTION, JIM, I DO NOTICE HERE THAT SHE'S A CROSSING GUARD FOR THE CITY OF LA HARBOR, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A CITY EMPLOYEE.
DOES THAT NOT CAUSE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH A POSITION LIKE THIS? UM, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
UH, WE CAN ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE, UM, CROSSING THE, I'M SORRY, THE, UM, POSITION SHE IS IS MORE OF A PART-TIME POSITION, SO WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I WOULD SUGGEST INTERVIEWING HER AND I CAN GET YOU TO AN ANSWER.
ALRIGHT, MS. MENTE, AGAIN, WELCOME.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO GO THIS TIME LEFT TO RIGHT IN OUR QUESTIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO YOUR FIRST QUESTION WILL BE COMING FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN.
UM, WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION? WHY, WHY NOW? WHY THIS COMMISSION? IS, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THAT, UH, IS MOTIVATING YOU TO DO THIS? I BELIEVE SO.
IT IS THE CURRENT, UM, STATE OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY, AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT, UM, MY COMPLAINING WAS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY'S NOT DOING OR IS DOING, OR, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD COME IN AND, UM, I'VE NEVER ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS BEFORE, SO THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME.
AND, UM, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO, UM, GET MYSELF OUT OF THE LITTLE BOX THAT I'VE BEEN IN FOR A WHILE AND, AND EXPERIENCE WHAT IT IS TO BE A TRUE CITIZEN OF LA HABRA.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING OR NOT DOING SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US DO DIFFERENTLY? WELL, THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, GOING BACK TO, I GUESS LATE LAST YEAR WHERE WE HAD INSTANCES OF PIPELINE SLASH UH, PIPE WATER PIPES, UM, BURSTING.
AND I'VE OFTEN BEEN WONDERED WHAT'S GOING ON.
I KNOW LA HARBOR IS AN OLD CITY, AND I ASSUME THAT THE, UM, UTILITIES THAT HOLD OUR WATER AND RUN OUR WATER AND PUSH OUR WATER THROUGH OUR AGING, UM, I, I KIND OF THINK WE, WE MIGHT BE, UH, SHOULD BE ADDRESSING, UM, MAYBE REPLACING THOSE PIPES WITH NEW, I KNOW THAT WOULD COST AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, BUT I THOUGHT YOU ASKED AND I I TOLD YOU
NO, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY.
UM, I THINK BECAUSE OF, UM, STATE OF, OF OUR STATE AND THE RAINS AND WEATHER AND ALL OF THAT, THERE'S SO MUCH DEMAND RIGHT NOW ON INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THERE'S ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE PROVIDING THE REPAIRS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM AS WELL.
THAT JUST ADDS TO, UH, THE PROBLEMS. MM-HMM.
[00:55:01]
THAT'S A LEGITIMATE, UH, MOTIVATING INTEREST AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY.ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ, UM, LOOKING OUT HERE, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES IS A POSITION YOU, YOU APPLIED IN, UH, SPECIFICALLY.
UM, HAVE YOU ATTENDED ANY COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MEETINGS? UH, NO, I HAVE NOT.
UM, SHOULD YOU GET APPOINTED, HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR ROLE AS A COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSIONER? WELL, SINCE I DO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, I WOULD BE MORE APT TO HAVE A VERY CLEAR, UM, VIEW ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS FAR AS WHAT I SEE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE PAST FEW, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH THE EXTREME RAINY SEASON, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, CROSS THE CHILDREN, UM, ACROSS LAHABRA BOULEVARD SIMPLY BECAUSE, UM, THERE WAS NO OUTAGE FOR THE EXCESS WATER TO GO.
AND CONSEQUENTLY, A CHILD MAY BE COMING HOME, UH, COMING FROM HOME WITH DRY SHOES, GOING TO SCHOOL, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GET TO SCHOOL, THEIR SHOES ARE, ARE DRENCHED.
AND IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA WHERE I, UH, WHERE THE CROSSING GUARD, UH, WALK IS, IT BECAME, UH, VERY DIFFICULT, UH, FOR THE KIDS.
UH, UM, AND PLUS THEIR, I WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY TOO.
DID YOU, UH, DID YOU MAKE YOUR SUPERVISOR OR ANYBODY AWARE OF THE CONCERNS YOU HAD ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE, UH, AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR ANYBODY? UH, HOW DID YOU REACT OR HOW WERE YOU PROACTIVE IN THAT POSITION? WELL, UM, I WAS NOT AS PROACTIVE AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A MEMBER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PARKED ON THE SIDE WHERE I DID MY JOB.
AND, UM, THEY WERE AWARE THAT PERSON WAS AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF, UH, POOLS OF WATER THAT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE KIDS TO CROSS AND TO SEE, BECAUSE IF YOU'VE GOT THE RAIN, EXCESS AMOUNT OF RAIN COMING DOWN, PLUS THE WIND FACTOR, UM, IT MAKES IT, UH, DIFFICULT FOR THE, A MOVING OBJECT, A KID TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
MS. MENTA, AS YOU KNOW, LAHABRA HAS CALLED THE CARING COMMUNITY, AND SO WE, UH, ENCOURAGE A A SENSE OF VOLUNTEERISM IN THIS COMMUNITY.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS TO VOLUNTEER OR PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY? I WAS ONE OF THE, UM, MEMBERS THAT HELPED BUILD THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOMES ON LAHABRA BOULEVARD.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, SIX OR SEVEN UNITS.
AND I WAS THERE FOR THE BEGINNING AND I WAS THERE FOR THE CEREMONY, WELCOMING THE FAMILIES TO THEIR HOMES.
I MEAN, UH, THE HOURS THAT WE SPENT BUILDING THESE HOMES AND, AND SEEING THESE FAMILIES REALLY HAPPY, UM, GAVE ME GREAT JOY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, I WAS THERE ALSO FOR THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HAMMERING AWAY AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR VOLUNTEERING.
UH, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WISH TO ACCOMPLISH AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSIONER? WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IS PROVIDING SUPPORT IN HELPING THE NEEDS OF THE LAHABRA CITIZENS TO ENHANCE THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS.
PLUS, AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT LAHABRA STAYS A BEAUTIFUL CITY.
UH, SO MANY TIMES THAT I, UH, GO THROUGH A CITY PASSING BY AND IT'S NOT VERY, UM, THE USE OF LAND IS NOT VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND USEFUL.
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PERHAPS, UH, HAVE MY, MY VIEWPOINTS,
[01:00:01]
UM, DISPLAYED THAT AS FAR AS WHAT LA HARBOR SHOULD BE DOING AS FAR AS CREATING A BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, SAY, BRINGING IN BUSINESSES AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, MAKING SURE THAT LAHABRA DOESN'T LOSE ITS SMALL TOWN FEELING.UH, MR. MENTA, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR CIVIC MINDEDNESS AND THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
I, I THINK MINE WILL BE QUICK AND SIMPLE.
UH, WHAT EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS DO YOU POS POSSESS THAT YOU FEEL WOULD BEST SERVE OUR COMMUNITY? WELL, UM, PREVIOUSLY, UH, TO BECOMING A CROSSING GUARD, I WORKED IN THE LEGAL FIELD AS A PARALEGAL, AND, UH, ONE OF THE SKILLS THAT I'VE LEARNED IS TO ANALYZE AND STRATEGIZE, UH, MANEUVERS, UH, PLANS.
UM, IF PRESENTED WITH A SITUATION IN FRONT OF ME, I HAVE THE SKILLS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY THE NEEDS OF THE CITY ARE BEING MET, BUT ALSO THAT LA HARBOR DOESN'T BECOME A CITY THAT'S ONE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN.
UM, SO MANY CITIES ARE FIGHTING TRAFFIC ISSUES OR, UH, A BUILDING OF AND REPAIRING OF ROAD ISSUES.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I HELPED ACHIEVE MY LITTLE SMALL PART IN CREATING A BETTER LAHABRA AND A FOLLOW UP TO THAT QUESTION.
AND IT'S, IT'S A SIMPLE YES OR NO IF, IF YOU WANNA ELABORATE ON THIS WITHIN YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS? DO YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS REGULARLY? YES.
ONE THING THAT MAKES THIS COMMUNITY SO SPECIAL IS THE WILLINGNESS, EAGERNESS, INTEREST AND DESIRE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THAT YOU ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED.
AND FOR THAT WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON, AND WE ALL WISH YOU A GREAT REST OF YOUR NIGHT.
WE GOT A FOUR 40 MR. LAMPKIN, BUT HE'S, OR EARLY, I DON'T THINK HER BEING AN EMPLOYEE FOR EFFICIENCY, BUT I DON'T THINK KEEP, YEAH.
DO YOU THINK THEY CAN OR CANNOT? CAN I GET AN ANSWER? I GET LONG ANSWER FOR, I GOT A LEGITIMATE QUESTION.
EMPLOYEE IS EITHER FIRED OR THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT.
[01:08:56]
MR. LAMPKIN NEXT HAVE MR. UH, DELWIN LAMPKIN.WELCOME MR. LAMPKIN, HOW ARE YOU? DOING WELL, AND YOURSELF? VERY WELL.
JUST, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY KNOW, BUT MR. LAMPKIN IS APPLYING FOR EITHER OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
I WISH YOU, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU RELAX AND ENJOY THE PROCESS.
WE'LL BEGIN, I THINK LAST TIME WE STARTED WITH MR. COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN.
SO WE'LL START THIS TIME WITH THE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO.
GOOD EVENING, MR. WELL, HERE WE GO.
HOW ARE YOU TODAY? DOING WELL.
WELCOME, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, IT SPEAKS VOLUMES OF NOT ONLY YOU, BUT THE OTHER APPLICANTS THAT HAVE COME IN BEFORE YOU AND ARE COMING IN AFTER YOU TO PUT, TO TAKE THE TIME OUT TO INTERVIEW FOR THESE POSITIONS.
SO I'LL SAY THANK YOU AND, UH, I'LL GET, UH, STARTED WITH THE QUESTIONS.
UH, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE, UH, THE NUMBERS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY SACRAMENTO OF, UH, OF
[01:10:01]
THE, THE NUMBER OF, UH, DWELLINGS OR HOMES THAT WE NEED TO BUILD HERE IN LA HABRA? I AM NOT, UH, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS IN GENERAL, BUT NOT SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF LA HARBOR.UH, SO THE, UH, WHAT'S CALLED, UH, ARENA NUMBERS, UH, WE'RE REQUIRED TO BUILD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF, UH, OF, UH, OF HOMES OR DWELLINGS AS I, AS I WOULD SAY, UH, AND THAT, THAT NUMBER I THINK TOTALS TO BE ABOUT A HUNDRED, EXCUSE ME, 803 BY, UH, BY THE YEAR 2034, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UM, HOW WOULD, UH, HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY AS WE PURSUE THESE NUMBERS? AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE TO PURSUE THESE NUMBERS? UH, WELL, NOT SPECIFIC TO WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE SPECIFICALLY YET TO PURSUE THOSE NUMBERS, BUT, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ACTUALLY CONSIDER IS, UM, LOOKING AT MAYBE TRAFFIC FLOW CONGESTIONS, UH, AS IT APPLIES TO THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WITHIN THE, UH, THE CITY, WELL, OR I SHOULD SAY, HOMES WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH SURVEY NEEDS, UM, ASKING THE, UH, CONSTITUENTS OF THE CITY, UM, WHAT IS THEIR CURRENT INCOME LEVEL.
SO YOU HAVE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF INCOMES THAT, UH, FOR THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS I BELIEVE CITY OF LAHABRA HAS MEDIUM TO LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
MANY OF THEM WORK OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, UM, AND THEN THEY COME INTO THIS, OR, AND THEY, BUT THEY LIVE IN THE CITY.
UM, SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT HOUSES WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BUILD, UH, WE WANNA LOOK AT ARE THOSE HOMES ACTUALLY MEETING THE INCOME NEEDS OF THE, OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.
I NOTICED ON YOUR APPLICATION YOU'VE LIVED HERE, WHAT, TWO YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS? UH, IT, IT HAS CHANGED
AND I ACTUALLY DO HAVE MY RESUME WITH ME, UM, UH, TODAY.
AS FAR AS BEING A RESIDENT FOR THE CITY OF LA HABRA, IT'S, UH, ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW AND FOUR MONTHS.
UH, SO YOU RELOCATED FROM ANOTHER CITY, CLEARLY.
AND SO MY QUESTION WITH, FOR YOU, FOR YOU IS, AS YOU'VE LOOKED AROUND, WHAT DO YOU FEEL COULD BE DONE BY THE CITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS? WELL, UM, I THINK COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, I KNOW THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER AND SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBERS WITHIN THE CITY, UM, OR PEOPLE WHO SERVE THE CITY HAVE, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL, UM, UH, FORMS OF HOW THEY PROMOTE THE, THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
BUT, UM, THE, I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO DO, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS A SOUTH, UH, A GROUP, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I, I, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND OUT IN MY SELECTION OF DECIDING TO COME TO CITY OF LAHABRA IS THE NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT OCCUR WITHIN, UH, THE COMMUNITY.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, IF YOU START TO DO A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO SHOW UP TO SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE THE, UM, UH, MOVIES AT THE PARK NIGHT, UH, OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS, UH, LIKE THE FIREWORK SHOWS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK THAT CAN REALLY, UM, BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AS A WHOLE.
AND HAVE YOU ATTENDED ANY OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR COMMISSION MEETINGS? I HAVE ATTENDED, UH, A COUPLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, UH, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY I'VE ATTENDED THE EDUC EDUCATE, UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, I, I, I WAS THERE TO, UM, CONGRATULATE AS WELL AS SUPPORT, UM, SOME OF YOUR SCHOOL, UM, SCHOOL TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS.
UM, I'VE ALSO ATTENDED A COUPLE OF OTHER SESSIONS, UH, RELATED TO OTHER EVENTS THAT WERE OCCURRING WHERE PEOPLE WERE BEING SEEKING ACCOLADES AND AWARDS OR RECEIVING ACCOLADES, UM, FOR THEIR WORK FOR THE CITY OF LA HABRA.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS A QUESTION THAT WORKS FOR EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
UH, IN YOUR OPINION, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE THREE MAJOR ISSUES THIS COMMUNITY FACES AND HOW WE SHOULD ACT TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS? WELL, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO COME UP WITH THREE, HOWEVER, IF I WERE TO SAY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES, I WOULD SAY HOMELESSNESS, BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT EVERY CITY IS FACING IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, WE DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT, UM, MEANS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS, UH, RATHER IT BE THROUGH THE CITY OR BY PROVIDING RESOURCES THROUGH SOME OF THE, UH, CITY RESOURCES LIKE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND, AND SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD CONSIDER IS YOU, UM, WITH THAT HOMELESSNESS, YOU MAY HAVE PARENTS, UM, THAT HAVE STUDENTS THAT ATTEND SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CITY OF LA HABRA, UM, AND THEY MAY BE FACING SOME TYPE OF, UM, HOUSING CRISIS IN THEIR EYES.
UM, SO HAVING THOSE SCHOOL COUNSELORS REACH OUT TO THE PARENTS OF SOME OF THEIR STUDENTS WOULD ACTUALLY BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
FOR, UH, FIRST OF ALL, FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE MARINE CORPS.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
IF, IF I MAY ADD AN AMENDMENT TO THAT, 'CAUSE I, I WOULD NEVER WANT TO, I COME FROM MILITARY FAMILY, HOWEVER, IN
[01:15:01]
THAT, UH, RESUME, WHAT YOU MAY BE REFERRING TO IS, UM, UM, ATTENDING THE DOUBLE PUPS PROGRAM, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DEL P PROGRAM.UM, MY ACTUAL OCCUPATION IS A DEPUTY SHERIFF, UH, FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS NOW.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, BEING THAT YOU'VE LIVED HERE FOR THREE YEARS, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE DOING RIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY? A NUMBER OF THINGS.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE, UM, THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, OR AS FAR AS THE RESIDENTS, UM, I WAS WELCOME WITH OPEN ARMS, UH, COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY, BEING A MINORITY WHERE ORANGE COUNTY IS ONLY HAS 2% BLACKS IN
UM, MY, MY NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY IS VERY DIVERSE.
PART OF THAT WAS, UH, THEY COMPLIMENTED, UM, SEVERAL EFFORTS BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AS FAR AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, GOING TO HOMES AND HAVING, UM, UH, I, I NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETINGS, UH, THE POLICE RESPONSES, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, PRETTY GOOD.
I ACTUALLY HAD AN INCIDENT OCCUR ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, UH, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY ENTIRE, UH, TIME LIVING IN ORANGE COUNTY, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN ABOUT 14 YEARS OR SO.
UM, AND THE RESPONSE TIME OF, UM, THIS, OF LAHABRA PD WAS OUTSTANDING.
UH, THE WAY THAT THEY HANDLED THE MATTER, THE WAY THAT THEY SPOKE TO ME AS A CONSTITUENT, AS A RESIDENT OF, OF LA HABRA WAS PHENOMENAL, I BELIEVE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I, I DO APPRECIATE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN.
JUST BLOCKS A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM, UM, MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS A SUMMER PARK PROGRAM THEY HAVE, WHERE YOU HAVE RESIDENTS THAT CAN RENT OUT, UM, A SECTION OF THE PARK.
ALSO THE WATER, UM, UH, THE, THE WATER FEATURE THAT THEY HAVE AT THE PARK TO GET KIDS TO BE MORE ENGAGED, MORE ACTIVE OUTSIDE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO ACTIVITIES AT THE PARK.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE MOVIE NIGHT THAT THEY HAVE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PARKS, UH, DURING THE SUMMER SEASONS, WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS WHEN WE'RE GETTING READY TO VOTE, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION WE EVER HAVE TO MAKE OUT OF A LOT OF STUFF WE DO, UM, HELP PEEL AWAY, YOU KNOW, KNOW, UH, WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM EVERYBODY ELSE.
WHY SHOULD WE, YOU KNOW, CHOOSE YOU
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE THAT YOU HAVE COMING HERE IS AN OUTSTANDING PERSON.
I LIKE TO HAVE ACT IN GOOD FAITH AND BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IS AN OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE.
BUT I THINK SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AS TO WHAT I CAN BRING TO THE TABLE, UM, IS I HAVE 18 YEARS WORKING, AS A MATTER OF FACT, 23 YEARS WORKING IN CITY GOVERNMENT, STARTING FROM THE, AS A VOLUNTEER, WORKING IN A COUNTY LIBRARY AS A KID IN A, IN A, IN A POVERTY NE UH, IN A IZED NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH LOS ANGELES.
UM, I WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN SEVERAL SOCIAL JUSTICE ACT, UH, CAMPAIGNS AS A CHILD.
UM, ONE OF THE MOST MAJOR ONES WAS WILLIAMS VERSUS STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE WERE, UM, ATTEMPTING TO GAIN MORE RESOURCES, UM, AND, UM, CRED, UH, CREDENTIALED TEACHERS FOR, UM, STUDENTS IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, I COME FROM A FAMILY OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
MOST OF MY FAMILY HAS SERVED IN THE MILITARY.
UM, I WOULD PROBABLY SAY I'M FIRST GENERATION NON-MILITARY, BUT YET I'VE SERVED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN TO, UH, TOP ALL OF THAT.
UM, I'VE BEEN A BUSINESS OWNER, OWNER FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OR SO, UH, WHERE I PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, SOLUTIONS TO VARIOUS BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
UH, 90% OF MY CLIENTELE, UM, ARE CITY GOVERNMENTS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS UP AND DOWN CALIFORNIA, UH, WHERE I PROMOTE THIS IDEAL OF CREATING A COHESIVE WORKPLACE, UH, NOT JUST IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT ITSELF, BUT FOR ALL ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN DEFINITELY BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION, UH, FOR THE CITY OF LAHA, UH, LAHABRA AS A WHOLE.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND ALSO NOT ONLY WITHIN THE CITY, BUT ALSO AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL.
UH, MR. LAMPKIN, UM, I'M CURIOUS, THE, UM, PREVIOUS, UM, INVOLVEMENT WITH BUENA PARK, I'M ASSUMING? YES, SIR.
THAT'S, UH, THE PLACE WHERE I BOUGHT MY FIRST HOME, UH, COMING OUT OF POVERTY,
AND, UH, IT'S THE FIRST PLACE I'VE LIVED IN ORANGE COUNTY.
AND YOU SERVED AS AN ADVISOR TO THE POLICE CHIEF? UH, YES, SIR, IN, UH, SOMETHING THEY CALL CAB, WHICH IS THE, UM, UH, CHIEF AT ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, IT'S A TWO YEAR COMMITMENT, UM, IN WHICH YOU ARE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, ABOUT, UH, COMMUNITY ISSUES, COMMUNITY CHALLENGES RELATED TO CRIME.
WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT ASSIGNMENT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND WHERE HAVE YOU SERVED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? SO MY CURRENT POSITION IS, UH, THAT OF THE TRAINING BUREAU.
[01:20:01]
TRAINING BUREAU IS ACTUALLY THE BUREAU THAT, UM, MANAGES THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS WITHIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THAT UNIT FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT YEARS NOW.
UH, MY CURRENT ROLE THERE IS I, UM, FACILITATE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'M THE AUTHOR OF THE ORGANIZATION'S WORKPLACE HARASSMENT PREVENTION, UH, POLICY.
UM, ASIDE FROM THAT, BECAUSE OF THE STRIDES I'VE MADE IN CREATING THAT CURRICULUM AND FACILITATING IT, I ALSO FACILITATE COURSES IN CULTURAL DIVERSITY, UM, AND INTRODUCTION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT RELATED, UH, TOPICS.
UH, I ALSO FACILITATE COURSES RELATED TO L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITIES, UH, Q COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY AND PLUS COMMUNITIES, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, TALKING ABOUT PROCEDURAL JUSTICE.
UM, WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THAT IS I KNOW NOT ONLY APPLY IT TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CONCEPT, BUT HOW IT APPLIES TO HR, UH, IN ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, SO THAT'S MY CURRENT ROLE.
OTHER POSITIONS THAT I'VE HELD, UM, AS I WORKED TRANSIT SERVICES, UH, A TRANSIT SERVICES DETAIL FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, PATROLLING THE, UM, ALL OF LA COUNTY, UM, AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF RESIDENCE OR SAFETY AND SECURITY OF PATRONS, UM, ON BUS AND RAIL OPERATIONS.
UM, I'VE SERVED AS A DEPUTY SHERIFF PATROLLING COMPTON, THE CITY OF COMPTON.
UM, I'VE ALSO WORKED IN THE JAILS WORKING IN, UH, THE CITY OF LINWOOD, UM, AT THE CENTURY REGIONAL DETENTION FACILITY.
UM, UH, BUT WHILE AT, UM, TRAIN WHILE WORKING THERE, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AT OTHER FACILITIES BECAUSE OF MY ROLE AS A TRAINING OFFICER, UH, IN, IN THAT, AT THAT CAPACITY.
UM, IF, IF I MAY ALSO ADD, I ALSO SERVED, UM, IN OTHER CAPACITIES WITH THE DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO BECOMING A DEPUTY.
UM, I WAS A SHERIFF EXPLORER FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.
UH, I WAS A CADET FOR TWO YEARS, UM, WITH THEIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.
UM, I WAS A CUSTODY ASSISTANT FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR, AND WHILE I WAS A CUSTODY ASSISTANT, I ALSO ATTENDED THE RESERVE ACADEMY AND HAD DUAL STATUS WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO I WAS ALSO RESERVE A RESERVE DEPUTY FOR, UH, THE CITY OF COMPTON.
UM, PUT DOWN ON YOUR APPLICATION, UH, EITHER POSITION PLANNING OR COMMUNITY SERVICES, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU RATHER SERVE IN CONSIDERING? I'VE HAD A LOT OF EX A TON OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CITY GOVERNMENTS, UM, WITH MY PRIVATE BUSINESS, I THINK THAT I WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WELL, MR. LAMPKIN, UH, YOU HAVE A, UH, CONSIDERABLE WORK HISTORY AND, UH, LIFE EXPERIENCE, WHICH I THINK IS DULY NOTED BY THE COUNCIL.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU A GREAT DEAL FOR NOT ONLY MAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE WITH US AND INTERVIEWING TODAY, BUT ALSO FOR YOUR EAGERNESS AND INTEREST IN SERVING THIS COMMUNITY AND THE WELFARE OF ALL ITS CITIZENS.
SO FOR THAT, WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT, AND HAVE A VERY GOOD NIGHT.
FOR THE RECORD, I'M AWARE OF THE FACT THAT, UH, APPLICANT MR. RICHARD LABOUNTY HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE, UH, PROCESS THIS EVENING.
AND SO THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE A, UH, TELEPHONE INTERVIEW INTERVIEW AT 5:00 PM YES.
AND I DID REACH OUT TO THAT APPLICANT AND SHE IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE ME FOR ME TO CALL HER.
UH, THAT'S VERONICA HANNAH, WE'RE GONNA DO YES.
JUST A CONFERENCE CALL WITH HER.
AND I THINK THAT'S FINE WITH ALL OF US.
DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT NOW? YES.
HI, THIS IS RHONDA BARONI WITH THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
I HAVE YOU LIVE WITH OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IF YOU'RE PREPARED FOR YOUR INTERVIEW, PLEASE.
HI, MS. HANNAH, THIS IS DARREN ERIAN.
I'M JOINED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ROSA ESPINOZA.
COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN.
SO, WELCOME TO THIS INTERVIEW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE EFFORT TO JOIN US BY TELEPHONE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DO IT,
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN.
SO HE WILL BE ASKING YOU THE FIRST QUESTION.
UM, YOU ARE PRESENTLY RETIRED, AS I SEE ON YOUR APPLICATION.
[01:25:01]
WHAT DID YOU DO, UH, FOR YOUR PRIOR OCCUPATION? I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF COMMERCE.I WAS IN PARKS AND RECREATION.
I WAS A SUPERVISOR FOR THE SENIOR CENTER, AND THEN I TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE PARKS.
AND, UH, YOU WERE THERE FOR HOW LONG? I WAS WITH THE CITY FOR, UM, UM, ON THE RECORD.
IT WAS 28 YEARS, BUT OFF THE RECORD, THEY DIDN'T COUNT MY TEMPORARY TIME.
AND YOU WANNA JUMP RIGHT BACK INTO IT AGAIN IN LA ABRA
I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE SOME GREAT EXPERIENCE IN COMMERCE, UH, COMMERCE BECAUSE OF ITS DEMOGRAPHIC, UH, WAS EXPOSED TO A GREAT DEAL OF GRANT MONEY OVER THE YEARS, AND THEREFORE HAVE SOME GREAT FACILITIES.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO, UH, HELP A CITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF RESOURCES? I, I AM.
I THINK WE CAN FIND OTHER WAYS TO, TO BRING UP PROGRAMS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
I MEAN, YEAH, WE WERE LUCKY THAT COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, HAD A BIG BUDGET, HAD A DEEP POCKET, BUT THERE WAS TIMES WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED IT.
AND, UH, WE GOT AROUND IT AND THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF SOLD IT TO THEM.
SO YEAH, THERE'S WAYS YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE, UH, LA HABRA HOST LIONS CLUB.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER THERE? 10 YEARS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE THERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE SERVICES HERE, UH, AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
HEY, VERONICA, IT'S JAMES GOMEZ.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, BY FAR YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE LA HABRA HOST LIONS CLUB, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE TAKING AN EVEN GREATER ROLE, UH, IN THIS UPCOMING CORN FESTIVAL.
UH, WHERE WOULD YOU FIND THE TIME? I MEAN, YOU DO SO MUCH ALREADY.
UM, CAN YOU PEEL AWAY AT THAT A LITTLE BIT? UM, NO, NOT REALLY.
AT FIRST, I, I KIND OF THOUGHT ABOUT IT THINKING, OH, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'M DOING THE CORN FESTIVAL.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT TIES IN TOGETHER.
SO I THINK I COULD DO 'EM, IT IT TIES IN TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION OUT.
SO I, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME, UH, THE FACT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE, UM, LA HARBOR, HOST LIONS CLUB, SO YOU VERY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL AS A WHOLE WITH THE CITY.
UH, WHERE DO YOU THINK, UH, THERE'S A BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR US, UH, SHOULD YOU COME ON BOARD? WHERE DO YOU THINK THERE'S A BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE AS A CITY? WELL, UM, RIGHT NOW THE CITY OFFERS A LOT.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW AS WE LOOK, UM, IN THE FUTURE, UM, I THINK IF, IF A MEASURED T DOESN'T HAPPEN, WE'RE GONNA BE IN TROUBLE.
SO, UM, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THE PEOPLE AWARE OF HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
AND, UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T, I, I SEE THAT THE CITY HAS EVERYTHING.
THEY HAVE 4TH OF JULY, THEY CINCO DE MAYO, I MEAN, THEY HAVE, UH, THE TAMALE FESTIVAL.
THOSE, THOSE ARE GREAT, UH, GREAT EVENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, VERONICA, I, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR APPLYING AND ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND BUCK FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
EVERYWHERE WE TURN AROUND AND WHETHER IT'S A COMMUNITY EVENT, YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS, ALWAYS THERE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
ALRIGHT, VERONICA, THIS IS DARREN AGAIN.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME PARTICULAR PART OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION THAT PARTICULARLY INTERESTS YOU OR FASCINATES YOU.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME THINGS COMING UP.
WE'VE GOT, UM, UH, THE CENTENNIAL, WHICH IS COMING UP.
WE'VE GOT UHHUH VARIOUS ASPECTS OF, UH, OF SENIOR SERVICES.
WE MANAGE ALL THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OFFERED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WHAT PART OF THAT WHOLE PORTFOLIO IS MOST INTERESTING TO YOU OR YOU'D LIKE TO WORK ON? UM, I, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, UM, I THINK I'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF ALL OF IT.
IF I CAN DO ANYTHING LITTLE OR SMALL, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A NICE THING FOR ME.
I, I THINK, UH, I LOVE THE HABRA, SO ANYTHING I CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER, TO MAKE IT ENJOYABLE LIVING THERE IS WHAT I'M THERE FOR.
[01:30:01]
VERONICA.I'M GONNA HAND YOU OVER TO MAYOR PRO TEM ESPOSA.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHAT SHOULD YOU BECOME A, A COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSIONER? WHAT DO YOU WISH TO ACCOMPLISH AS IN THAT POSITION AS COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSIONER? WELL, UM, I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE, UH, WITH MY EXPERIENCE, I CAN, UH, I CAN BRING SOME NEW IDEAS, DIFFERENT IDEAS.
I, I, UM, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTO CHANGE AND, AND I KIND OF LIKE CHANGE 'CAUSE IT KEEPS YOU ON YOUR TOES.
SO, UM, AND I KNOW THE COMMISSION, WELL, WHEN WE WORKED IN COMMERCE, THEY WERE ALWAYS BEHIND US.
SO WHATEVER WE WANTED TO TRY, I, I STARTED A BOWLING TEAM FOR OUR SENIORS.
I STARTED A SOFTBALL TEAM THAT WE PLAYED OTHER CITIES, AND THEY WERE ALWAYS BEHIND US 100%.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO.
AND, AND HAVE YOU ATTENDED ANY OF THE COMMISSION MEETINGS? UH, TO BE HONEST, NO.
NEVER HAD, I'VE BEEN TO COUNCIL MEETINGS, BUT NOT COMMISSION MEETINGS.
HI VERONICA, IT'S JOSE MADANO.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD, THANK YOU.
UH, SO MY, UH, MY ONLY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, UH, UH, WHAT EXPERIENCE AND OR SKILLS DO YOU POSSESS THAT YOU FEEL WOULD BEST SERVE OUR COMMUNITY? UM, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, MY EXPERIENCE, UH, WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC.
'CAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I DID.
I RETIRED AS THE, UM, UM, SPORTS COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
I RAN THE, UH, ALL THE SPORTS 'CAUSE WE HAD IN-HOUSE SPORTS TOO.
AND, UM, I JUST THINK I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN, IN, FROM SENIOR CITIZENS TO LITTLE TEA BALLERS.
AND I THINK, LIKE I SAID, WITH A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WITH ALL MY EXPERIENCE AND JUST THE WILLINGNESS TO, TO TRY DIFFERENT, TRY NEW, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BRING SOMETHING GOOD TO THE CITY.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, VERONICA, I LIED.
ACTUALLY, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
AND, AND I'M LOOKING HERE AT YOUR, AT YOUR RESUME IT SAYS THAT, UH, THAT YOUR BILINGUAL, YOU SPEAK ENGLISH AND SPANISH, UH, OF COURSE WHEN YOU SPEAK ENGLISH.
ALRIGHT, VERONICA, THAT'S ALL OF US.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, GOING THE EXTRA MEASURE TO BE WITH US FROM FAR AWAY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE WITH LAHABRA HOST LIONS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CROWN JEWELS OF OUR NONPROFIT, UH, COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE THE CITY FURTHER.
SO WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME DO THIS ON THE PHONE,
WELL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMON WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ISLAND WE ARE IN.
WELL THEN I WILL SAY FINALLY, UH, TO YOU AND ALL YOU'RE WITH, UH, MAHALO NULO AND ALOHA.
OH, AND THE NEXT APPLICANT IS AT FIVE 20 AND, UH, THEY HAVE NOT ARRIVED JUST YET.
RIGHT? I ASKED MY, UH, COLLEAGUES, MY INCLINATION IS ACTUALLY TO TEMPORARILY RECESS SINCE WE HAVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND THEN, UH, COME BACK TO ORDER WHEN WE'RE CLOSE TO CALLING MS. CARDENAS.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE? NO OBJECTION.
MAYOR, THE NEXT APPLICANT IS HERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECONVENE THE MEETING FROM THE RECESS? I HAD THE GAVE IN MY HAND TO RECONVENE THE LA HARBOR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE SPECIAL MEETING, UH, INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR OUR COMMISSIONS.
AND THIS IS DANITZA CARDENAS, CORRECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME TO BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
UH, THE COMMISSIONER OR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ASK QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER STEVE SIMONIAN.
HI, ZA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, TELL ME IF YOU COULD, WHY DO YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION? THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
I'VE BEEN IN LAHABRA SINCE 2010.
I'M RAISING THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY I AM APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE I'M RAISING
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THREE BEAUTIFUL KIDS THAT LOVE THEIR CITY, AND I WANT THEIR CITY TO ALSO LOVE THEM.AND NOT JUST THEM, BUT THE REST OF THE CHILDREN IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY INVESTS IN OUR CHILDREN BY AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS. SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY I'M DOING IT.
I DIDN'T GROW UP IN THE CITY, BUT I COULD TELL YOU THAT MY CITY, LA CITY DID INVEST IN ME SO MUCH THAT I, THEY HELP.
NOT JUST THE CITY, BUT MY OF MY PARENTS BECAUSE THEY INVESTED IN DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND I WANT OUR CITY TO DO THE SAME FOR OUR KIDS.
DO YOU SEE SOMETHING LACKING THAT, UM, RIGHT OFF THE BAT, AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS, UM, ACTIVITIES FOR THEM? UM, EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, I JUST RECENTLY STARTED GOLFING AND I HAVE TO SAY I LOVE IT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IS THAT BUSINESS TAKES PLACE IN THE GOLF COURSE AND SOME OF OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT GETTING THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO IF WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT EXPOSE 'EM TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, THEY'LL BE READY AS ADULTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS IN A GOLF COURSE.
MM-HMM,
COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ, UH, IF YOU HAD TO PICK ONE OR THE OTHER, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU, UM, MORE LIKELY LEAN TO TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSION OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION COMMUNITY? YES.
THAT WOULD BE MY FIRST CHOICE.
YOU'VE LIVED IN LAHABRA THE FOR 13 YEARS.
UM, IN THOSE 13 YEARS, UH, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, UM, IS THERE IS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF PEOPLE ASK YOU ABOUT LAHABRA, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE CHANGE IN THE LAST 13 YEARS THAT, THAT YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF? UM, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, WHEN I TALK ABOUT LAHABRA, THERE IS A JOY THAT I SAY.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, WE'VE MAINTAINED THAT.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO BROUGHT DIFFERENT BIG BUSINESSES TO OUR AREA, AND I THINK THAT HAS HELPED TO PUT US ON THE MAP.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I EXPLAIN WHERE LAHABRA FIRST, WHERE'S LAHABRA? THAT'S LIKE THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION.
AND ONCE I SAID, WAIT, NEXT, WAIT, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, OKAY.
OH YEAH, COSTCO'S RIGHT THERE.
SO THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT, UM, OUR CITY, I LOVE ABOUT OUR CITY.
THAT ONE IS OPEN TO BUSINESSES.
AND TWO, WE STILL MAINTAIN THE HOMETOWN FEELING.
BEING THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THREE CHILDREN, UH, INVOLVED, I PRESUME, DO, DO THEY ATTEND THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT? YES, THEY DO.
UH, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE COLLABORATION IS THERE ENOUGH OR NOT ENOUGH BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I DO THINK WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN HAVING THE CITY, UH, PROVIDE RESOURCES TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
NOW MY KIDS ATTEND LOW SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, UM, LA HABRA DISTRICT, BUT I RECENTLY CAME, UM, I WAS RECENTLY INFORMED OF DIFFERENT GRANTS THAT WE COULD APPLY FOR SO THAT COMMUNITY, UM, PARTNERS COULD GO ENTER THE SCHOOL AND PROVIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, MUSICIANS COULD COME IN AND ENRICH THE CHILDREN WITH, UM, ACTIVITIES, UH, WITH MUSICIANS COMING IN AND INTRODUCING THE ARTS OF MUSIC, WHICH I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT LACKING, BUT THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.
I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT WE COULD INTRODUCE TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THAT, THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT A, UM, CITY PROGRAM THAT WAS, UH, DONE THROUGH THE SEGERSTROM THEATER AND THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL THROUGH ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND ACTUALLY IT WAS OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DIS, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND THEN A STAFF MEMBER AT THE HARBOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SAW THAT AND FOR EXAMPLE, BROUGHT THAT TO LARA PALMA.
SO FAR THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN GEARED MORE FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION, BUT LET ME ASK YOU A PLANNING COMMISSION QUESTION IF I CAN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIG CHALLENGE THAT THIS COMMUNITY FACES WITH REGARD TO LAND USE AND REDEVELOPMENT WITHIN A BUILT OUT CITY? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, THE BIG DEAL THAT WE WANNA KEEP IT, THE SMALL TOWN FEELING? UM, AND THE, I THINK CONSTRUCTION, UH, OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS OR HOUSING IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS EXPRESSED, UM, LIMITED INTEREST IN THAT.
SO THAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO, UM, IN MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO, WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE TO FIT INTO THE STATE LAW, THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A CHALLENGE AS WELL.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE MEETING THAT JUST YET.
UM, SO CONSTRUCTION IS A BIG DEAL.
MY UNDERSTANDING REAL QUICK, I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT THE CITY OF LITTLE HARBOR IS CERTIFIED BY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN SACRAMENTO FOR A, FOR A HOUSING ELEMENT THAT FULLY SATISFIES ALL STATE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, I, UM, WANTED TO, UH, OH, WE,
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WE HAVE A 5K WALK RUN COMING UP SATURDAY, SO YOU MIGHT WANNA REGISTER THE KIDS, UH, FOR THAT.AND, UH, THERE'S ALSO A NONPROFIT CALLED, UH, PROJECT HARMONY THAT, UH, IS PROVIDING, UM, FREE MUSIC LESSONS TO THE KIDS AT THE SCHOOL, WASHINGTON SCHOOL PRESENTLY.
AND THEY PROVIDE 'EM THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THEY CAN TAKE 'EM HOME UNTIL THEY'RE, UNTIL THEY'RE TIRED OF PLAYING AND DON'T WANT IT, UH, TO PLAY ANY LONGER, THEN THEY TURN IN THEIR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
SO, UH, THERE IS SOME OF THAT GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU, UM, WHAT DO YOU FEEL COULD BE DONE BY THE CITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS? THE ONE THING THAT THAT COMES UP TO MIND IS, UM, PROVIDING RESOURCES AND POTENTIALLY, UM, MORE INFORMATION REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH.
I SHOULD SAY THAT I AM A, I WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH IN LA COUNTY.
I AM A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER.
AND I SEE HOW MENTAL HEALTH, THE STIGMA THAT COMES BEHIND IT, I SEE HOW IT FAMILIES ARE NOT READY TO ACCEPT THAT DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO SOME EXTENT THEY COULD ELIMINATE A FAMILY MEMBER.
AND THAT'S WHAT INCREASES HOMELESSNESS.
I THINK IF WE WERE TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE ON MEDICATION, EVEN JUST TEACHING OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDICATION AND FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT WE COULD HELP REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
UM, MENTAL HEALTH WOULD ALSO GO INTO HELPING OUR VETS.
UM, I, WHEN WE CURRENTLY WORK WITH THE VA IN MY WORK, AND THE STIGMA BEHIND THE VA SERVICES IS STILL OUT THERE.
SOME RATHER WOULD GET SERVICES FROM LA COUNTY THAN ACTUALLY GO TO VETS TO THE VA.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT SUPPORT, THAT INFORMATION AND THAT COMMUNION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I DID PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE EVENTS THAT YOU GUYS HAD, UM, FOR VETERANS DAY.
I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL.
UM, MY BROTHER WAS A VET, SO GOING INTO THERE WAS SEEING THE PRIDE THAT EVERY MEMBER HAD, NOT ONLY FROM THOSE PARTICIPATING, BUT FROM ALL OF YOU GUYS THAT ATTENDED THAT EVENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.
UH, VANIS, UH, MAYBE A, A COUPLE QUESTIONS FROM ME.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, SO YOU'RE A LOW JOINT FAMILY, CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
AS AM I, AND I THINK I, I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE ON CITY COUNCIL, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LOW JOINT FAMILY.
UH, ARE YOUR, UH, ARE ARE, HAVE YOUR KIDS, UH, PROGRESSED ONTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL? NOT YET AS OF YET.
SO SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC PROGRAM AT RANCHO STARBUCK IS EXCELLENT.
MR. MILLER RUNS ONE OF THE BEST, UH, MUSIC PROGRAMS THAT I THINK, OF COURSE IN OUR, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, ONE OF THE BEST.
OF COURSE, WASHINGTON HAS ANOTHER ONE.
I THINK IMPERIAL DOES AS WELL.
UH, IS A, IS A MUSIC PROGRAM FOR YOU.
AND, AND I KNOW IT'S LACKING, UH, AT THE, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, BUT, UH, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING FOR, UH, FOR LOW JOINT TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO, TO BOOST, UH, WITH THAT.
UM, WHAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT SKILLS DO YOU POSSESS, UH, THAT YOU FEEL WOULD, UH, WOULD HELP SERVE OUR COMMUNITY? NUMBER ONE, LIKE I STATED, I DO, I'M RACING THREE KIDS, AND I DEFINITELY WANT THE BEST FOR THEM, NOT JUST FOR MY KIDS, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I SAW THE DIFFERENCE THAT MY CITY MADE FOR ME.
MY HUSBAND'S A PUBLIC SERVANT.
HE'S A, HE WORKS FOR CAL FIRE.
WE'RE NOT HERE JUST TO, FOR THE LOOKS.
WE'RE HERE TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK.
AND I KNOW THAT MY INTEREST IS IN MAKING A COMMUNITY BETTER FOR OUR VETS, FOR OUR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN, AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO STILL BE, TO STILL HAVE THAT SMALL TOWN COMMUNITY FEELING.
LAST QUESTION IS, UH, HAVE YOU ATTENDED OR WATCHED A CITY COUNCIL OR ONE OF THE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS IN, UH, IN THE PAST? I HAVE COME TO SOME OF YOUR MEETINGS AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN ME THERE.
UM, I HAVEN'T ATTENDED A COMMISSION MEETING.
I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE READ THROUGH SOME OF THE AGENDAS, UM, AND ARTICLES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UH, VIRTUALLY WHEN THEY USED TO BE OR, OR CURRENTLY ARE.
I USUALLY JUST WATCH IT VIRTUALLY.
AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR WORK IN THE, IN THE MENTAL HEALTH, UH, FIELD, UH, BECAUSE, UH, AS YOU WERE, UH, AS YOU HAD NOTED, UH, WITHIN THE HOMELESS POPULATION, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, OUR OUR CITIES DON'T HAVE ANY BORDERS, SO TO SPEAK, AND, AND, UH, WE SHARE A HOMELESS POPULATION, UNFORTUNATELY, THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
UH, BUT YOU SHOULD BE COMMENDED, UH, FOR YOUR WORK THAT YOU DO, BECAUSE THAT'S TOUGH.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR, UH, FOR RAISING YOUR KIDS IN LAHABRA.
AND, UH, I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT SUCCESS.
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UH, ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE PASSION YOU BRING TO THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE SENSE THAT YOUR DESIRE IS TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE FOR NOT JUST YOU, BUT FOR THE KIDS.AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION AND YOUR EARNESTNESS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO INTERVIEW WITH US TONIGHT.
AND I LIKE MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.
UM, I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT THIS IS MY FOURTH OR FIFTH TIME ACTUALLY INTERVIEWING FOR THIS POSITION.
AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN ME IN SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY HAVE MET MY KIDS.
UM, SO LAST TIME I MADE IT, I WAS THE RUNNER UP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE A FEW MINUTES EARLY TOO.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT WAS OUR LAST, UH, APPLICANT TO BE INTERVIEWED THIS EVENING.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL NOW DECLARE THAT THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 5:24 PM TO THE REGULAR MEETING AT 6:30 PM IN THE CITY.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WAIT FOR IT.