[00:00:02]
[ CALL TO ORDER: Council Chamber INVOCATION: Assistant City Attorney Collins PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember Lampkin ROLL CALL: Mayor Espinoza Mayor Pro Tem Medrano Councilmember Gomez Councilmember Lampkin Councilmember Nigsarian]
AFTERNOON OR EVENING, IS IT? UM, I WILL NOT CALL TO ORDER THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HARBOR OF MARCH 3RD, 2025.LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT IT IS 3:30 PM AND THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
THE INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY KEITH COLLINS, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG SALUTE, LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LAMPKIN, IF YOU WOULD ALL PLEASE RISE.
DEAR GOD, WE HUMBLY PRAY THAT YOU WILL 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 LAHABRA COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN TURN, PLEASE TURN AND FACE THE FLAG, PLEASE.
AND WE'LL NOW RECYCLE THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
READY TO BEGIN MY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
NOW WILL THE CLERK, CLERK, CLERK PLEASE CALL.
HERE, MAYOR PRO TEM MADANO HERE AND MAYOR ESPINOZA HERE.
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WHEN ADDRESSING THE LA HABER 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 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 5 4 9 5 4 0.3 A.
SUCH COMMENTS SHALL NOT BE RESPONDED TO BY THE GOVERNING BODY.
AND NOW I'LL FOLLOW WITH CONSIDERATION ITEMS. ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MAY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE LA HARBOR CITY COUNCIL.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THAT? MAYOR? OH, I'LL, OKAY.
SO THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[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.]
IS CONSIDERATION ITEM.ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MAY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE LA LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL ON ANY CONSIDERATION ITEM PRIOR TO THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL TAKING A FINAL VOTE ON THE ITEM, PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER CONSIDERATION ITEM.
UNLESS OTHERWISE MI UH, 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.
AND THE ONLY CONSIDERATION ITEM ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS CONDUCT INTERVIEWS FOR ANNUAL EXPIRING TERMS AND TWO ALTERNATES ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT APPLICANT JEANETTE CORTEZ WITHDREW HER APPLICATION DUE TO BEING OUT OF TOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONDUCT INTERVIEWS OF SEVEN APPLICANTS FOR EXPIRED TERMS AND ALTERNATE POSITIONS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION WITH APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE IN THE FUTURE.
IN A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
EACH APPLICANT WILL BE SEATED AT THE TABLE FACING THE DAAS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ASKED BY EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I'M SORRY, SIX APPLICANTS.
NOW THE APPLICANTS MAY TAKE A SEAT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OR LEAVE THE MEETING ONCE THEIR INTERVIEW IS COMPLETED.
UH, WOULD THE FIRST APPLICANT, DENISE SCHMIDT, PLEASE TAKE A SEAT AND WE WILL BEGIN THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS.
MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO DISCLOSE AND ANNOUNCE THAT UH, DENISE SCHMIDT IS MY SISTER-IN-LAW.
AND SHE'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR A LONG TIME, SO I MUST RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS INTERVIEW.
WE COULD ARRANGE FOR HER NOT TO BE YOUR SISTER-IN-LAW ANYMORE IF YOU WANNA DO THAT.
AND I'M SORRY, MAYOR, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK, I KNOW IN YEARS PAST INTERVIEWS WERE TIMED, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SET A FIVE MINUTE TIMER FOR EACH OR DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE? I THINK FIVE MINUTE TIMER WOULD BE FINE.
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SURE.WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME AGAIN TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.
IF YOU JUST WANNA SAY A LITTLE FEW, A FEW WORDS AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND BEFORE WE, UH, HAVE THE REST OF THE COUNCIL ASK YOU QUESTIONS.
IS THIS ON? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU OKAY.
CLOSER TO YOUR, YOU CAN MOVE IT UP CLOSER.
I'VE BEEN IN LA HARBOR FOR ABOUT 32 YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT I WAS IN WHITTIER.
UM, BOTH GROWN WITH GRANDCHILDREN.
I'VE BEEN, I STARTED MY, UM, TIME BEING VOLUNTEERING FOR THE CITY WHEN I BECAME A MEMBER OF THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE.
AND I DID THAT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS UNTIL THE OPPORTUNITY CAME UP FOR ME TO APPLY FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS, THIS WILL BE MY THIRD TERM, WHICH IS ALSO MY LAST TERM.
'CAUSE IT'LL, THAT'S ALL I CAN DO,
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW? I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH.
I WILL ASK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PRO GOMEZ, UH, MADANO FIRST TO, UH, IF HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, DENISE, UH, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION SLASH BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION FOR A WHILE NOW.
WHAT, IF ANYTHING NEW DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO ADDITIONALLY ON THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION? WELL, UM, I MEAN, ONE THING NEW FOR THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST YEAR WAS, UM, TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH.
I KNOW THE COMMUNITY LOVES IT.
THEY, THE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE NOMINATED AND OR WIN ARE VERY HAPPY.
SO I AM THRILLED THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THAT.
THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES I THINK ARE RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
WHAT I THINK I'LL CONTRIBUTE IF I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE SELECTED WILL BE, UM, MAYBE LOOK AT THE SENIOR, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN THE SENIOR PROGRAMS. THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVEN'T DONE.
AND SADLY ENOUGH, I AM A SENIOR, SENIOR
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.
UH, DENISE, I HAVE TO CORRECT YOU ON SOMETHING.
YOU SAID YOU FIRST GOT INVOLVED WHEN YOU WERE ON THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE.
YOU GOT INVOLVED LONG BEFORE WHEN YOUR DAUGHTER WAS A MEMBER OF MS. LAHABRA AND YOU ATTENDED ALL THOSE EVENTS AND YOU WERE THERE AND VERY ACTIVE DURING REIN AS MS. LAHABRA.
UH, REAL QUICK, UH, WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT SERVING ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION? YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE, THE PEOPLE.
THE STAFF WORKING WITH KIM AND KELLY AND ANTHONY, AND OF COURSE ALL OF YOU.
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT KEEPS DRIVING ME TO DO THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
YOU HAVE DONE, I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THIS.
YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB SERVING AS OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSIONER.
IT ALWAYS PUTS A SMILE ON MY FACE WHEN WE GO TO RIBBON CUTTING WHEN WE SEE YOU.
NOT ONLY YOU, BUT YOU BRING YOUR HUSBAND MANY TIMES.
AND OCCASIONALLY WE STILL SEE SARAH OUT THERE.
SO I JUST THINK YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB AND APPRECIATE YOU BEING VERY ACTIVE HERE.
BY FAR ONE OF OUR MOST ACTIVE, UH, COMMISSIONERS OUT THERE.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR, YOUR, I GUESS WE COULD SAY APPLICATION AND RESUME HERE AND IT'S PRETTY, I IMPRESSIVE THE NUMBER OF YEARS YOU'VE INVESTED IN THE CITY OF LAHABRA AND NOT JUST THE, OF THE CITY, BUT THE PEOPLE.
UM, AS YOU PROBABLY HAVE NOTICED, THERE'S BEEN A SLIGHT ATTRITION IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING TO BE A PART OF THESE COMMITTEES.
AND SO WITH THE NUMBER THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACTUALLY APPLIED, CAN YOU SHARE, UH, WHY BEING A PART OF THESE COMMISSIONS IS SO IMPORTANT? LIKE, WHAT IS THE VALUE, UH, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE TIME YOU'VE INVESTED IN LA HABRA? UH, THE VALUE IN BEING A PART OF THESE COMMISSIONS FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
WELL, I MEAN OUR, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL CITY OF COURSE, YOU KNOW THAT.
AND TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY AND BEING OUT, BEING ABLE TO TALK TO PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO IF I WAS JUST A RESIDENT WALKING UP TO SOMEBODY.
SO HAVING THAT T-SHIRT OR THAT BADGE, PEOPLE LISTEN AND I ALWAYS HAVE A LOT TO SAY, ESPECIALLY IN MY ASSOCIATION.
I LIVE IN COUNTRY HILLS WEST, THERE'S LIKE 300 HOMES UP THERE AND I'M ABLE TO KEEP THEM INFORMED AND THEY KEEP OTHER PEOPLE INFORMED.
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SO IT JUST HELPS WITH THE COMMUNICATION.IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR US? UM, NO.
JUST THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CAN YOU GET DARREN? YEAH, I GOT YOU.
WANT US TO DELIBERATE GUYS? HOLD OFF LIKE, LIKE YOU'RE REALLY GONNA GO
HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING GREAT, THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPLYING.
IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING TO SEE NEW INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE TAKEN AN INTEREST IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND, AND COMING TO THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
I WOULD JUST, UM, ASK YOU TO SAY JUST A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL START WITH A COUNCIL ASKING QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M FAIRLY NEW TO THIS AREA.
I'VE ACTUALLY LIVED IN THE LA COUNTY AUSA AREA FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO I RECENTLY PURCHASED A HOUSE HERE, UH, DOWN THE STREET, ACTUALLY
AND, UH, JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY.
UM, I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO OFFER AND, UH, I DEFINITELY SEE MYSELF STICKING AROUND HERE FOR A COUPLE DECADES AT THE VERY LEAST.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, UH, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF PLANT MYSELF HERE AND, UH, SEE WHAT THE CITY HAS TO OFFER AND WHAT I COULD OFFER THE CITY.
AND THEN I WILL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAMPKIN.
UH, SO I SEE ON YOUR APPLICATION HERE, YOU YOU'VE BEEN LIVING IN LABOR FOR THREE YEARS, CORRECT? YES.
UM, WHEN YOU, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER COMMISSIONS OR VOLUNTEER WORK IN AZUA OR OTHER AREAS THAT YOU'VE LIVED IN? NOT NECESSARILY IN A FORMAL WAY.
MAYBE INDIRECT, UH, THROUGH COLLEGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT NOW I SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY SINCE I'M VERY CLOSE TO THIS AREA, SPECIFICALLY TO CITY HALL, WHERE I THINK I COULD ACTUALLY BE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING OUT SOMEHOW.
I'M SORRY, DO YOU MIND SPEAKING DIRECTLY INTO YOUR MICROPHONE? WHOA.
YOU BRING LIKE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER, HUH? IT'S BETTER.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND BECOMING INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU'VE LIVED HERE.
UM, I WANT TO ASK YOU, UH, A SIMILAR QUESTION, UH, OF WHAT I ASKED BEFORE, UM, WITH ALL THE CANDIDATES, WHICH IS, UM, WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE THE SIGNIFICANCE? WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF, UM, ON A COMMISSION? LIKE, WHAT IS THE VALUE OF ACTUALLY JOINING COMMISSION IN EUROPEAN? GOT IT.
SO, UH, WHEN I GOT THE EMAIL FOR, TO REAFFIRM WHAT I WAS APPLYING FOR, I GOT TO READ THAT.
UH, IT, IT INVOLVES A LOT OF THINGS LIKE CHILDCARE AND, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES, SOCIAL, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANYBODY THROUGH LIFE, I DECIDED TO START A FAMILY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, THAT REALLY KIND OF BROADENED MY VIEW OF WHERE I WANT TO LIVE, WHAT I WANTED TO BE LIKE.
AND, UH, LAHABRA JUST HAS A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY RESONATE WITH ME.
AND, UM, I THINK THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS IDEAS, THINGS THAT COULD CHANGE SPECIFICALLY WITH, UM, SAFETY TO CHILDREN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THAT WOULD BE MY FOCUS ON IT, TO GIVE BACK AND, UH, HAVE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT TO, TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN GROW UP IN A, A SAFER ENVIRONMENT THAN WHAT I'M USED TO.
AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY DRIVING POINT HERE.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ.
SO, UH, GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID, SO DO YOU, DO YOU FEEL THAT LAHABRA IS LACKING IN SAFETY FOR CHILDREN? I THINK IT'S A STAPLE FOR WHAT I'VE BEEN USED TO.
IT HAS A LOT OF KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, AND ONLY BECAUSE I LIVE ON EUCLID
I'M HAVING TO CONSTANTLY CALL, YOU KNOW, POLICE OUT EVERY OTHER DAY.
AND I THINK AS A COMMUNITY, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO IS KIND OF PRACTICE AWARENESS, YOU KNOW, SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.
AND, UH, KIND OF A, A TRADITIONAL FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR SYSTEM.
I, I COULD TELL YOU THAT THE THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE, I COULD COUNT ON MY HAND HOW MANY NEIGHBORS I TALKED TO, AND I JUST THINK IT COULD BE A LOT MORE, ESPECIALLY
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BECAUSE I'M IN A ROW OF JUST HOMEOWNERS, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT ENGAGEMENT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITHIN THE CITY TO KIND OF, UH, I KNOW THERE'S PAGES LIKE NEXT DOOR THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THINGS LIKE THIS, BUT NOTHING THAT I'VE SEEN FORMALLY FROM THE CITY.YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE, I'VE SEEN BEFORE CITIES DO LIKE A, LIKE A WALK, YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENING TIME TO KIND OF MONITOR THE STREETS AND SEE HOW EVERYTHING'S GOING, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S ALSO LIKE LITTER PICKUP PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
MADAM MAYOR, AS AN INTEREST OF TIME, I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THAT HE'S ONLY GOT 20 SECONDS GOING QUICK.
UM, MAYOR PROAM MADANO, UH, NO, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GONNA, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME, UH, TO, UH, TO GET INVOLVED BECAUSE YOU, I THINK YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION WAS GONNA BE WHAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD YOU DO THAT'S NEW AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR TAKING UP THE, UH, THE CAUSE.
UM, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE NEWS, THE LOCAL NEWS, SO TO SPEAK, SO YOU KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN AND ALL THAT.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS REALLY THE BIGGEST THING ON THEIR PLATE RIGHT NOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON? I WOULD SAY THE SINKHOLE OVER THERE BY TARGET, BUT, UM, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOTICED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW THERE'S A PARK THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMING UP.
I KNOW THAT THE TRACKS THAT CONNECT TO BREA SHOULD BE COMING UP AS WELL.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT CAN HELP FAMILIES, UH, ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS, UH, HEALTH ACTIVITIES, UH, YOU KNOW, WEEKEND PROJECTS, UH, ALL THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS CAN HELP FAMILIES BOND, UH, BEING OUTDOORS AND, UH, JUST REALLY TAKING PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY OF WHAT IT CAN BE.
LET ME ASK REAL QUICK, HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION? UH, THAT'S THE A HUNDRED YEAR CELEBRATION FOR LA HAVA, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S TAKING PLACE, BUT I DID SEE IT BRIEFLY, YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR APPLYING.
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST.
I KNEW WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME SINCE WE'D HAD SOMEONE THAT, UH, DECIDED NOT TO COME IN FOR INTERVIEWS, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK US? UM, LET'S SEE.
WAS THERE, I THINK I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EVERYBODY HERE IN INFORMALLY ONLY BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE ELECTIONS COME AROUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, NO, I, I THINK EVERYBODY HERE HAS A VERY WELL-VERSED BACKGROUND AND I KNOW MADANO IS, YOU'RE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT? OR MILITARY.
UH, I, LIKE I SAID, THIS CITY IS, UH, A STAPLE FOR ME AND WHAT I'VE BEEN USED TO LIVING IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, I COULD SEE MYSELF HERE, UH, RETIRING IN THIS PLACE.
AND, UH, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN TRY, UH, IN TREATING YOUR NEIGHBOR WITH RESPECT, YOU KNOW, AND I, I THINK THAT I'VE SEEN THAT RECIPROCATE TOWARDS ME WITH A LITTLE FEW FRIENDS THAT I HAVE, UM, AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK, UH, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR SO MUCH MORE.
SO, MAYOR, THE FOUR O'CLOCK APPOINTMENT WITH CARRIE RIDGE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE HER A LITTLE BIT EARLY? YEAH.
SINCE WE HAD THAT CANCELLATION.
WELL, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS,
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO INTERVIEW TODAY.
IT'S BEEN, UM, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, LA HABRA IS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
LIVING IN LA HABRA FOR 35 YEARS HAS GIVEN ME THE PRIDE AND THE JOY OF BEING ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT GIVES US SO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, THEN I WILL, UH, ASK A COUNCIL MEMBER NIAN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO START.
[00:20:01]
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH OR FOR RUN US DOWN ON THAT? WELL, AS YOU KNOW, UM, MY FIRST, I THINK MY FIRST ENDEAVOR INTO THE CITY OF LAHABRA FOR EVENTS WAS WHEN THE, UM, THE VIETNAM WALL, THE TRAVELING WALL CAME TO LA HABRA.THAT WAS MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO BEING A CHAIRPERSON ON HOW TO LEAD A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.
AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME OUT AND WORKED WITH US.
WE DID THE, UM, OPENING CEREMONIES, UM, THE, THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL AND THEN THE CLOSING CEREMONIES.
THAT WAS, I THINK, THE HIGHLIGHT.
AND THAT REALLY INTRODUCED ME TO WHAT BEING A VOLUNTEER WAS ALL ABOUT, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY DOING WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO BRING THE WALL TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I WAS ASKED TO, UM, CHAIR THE COMMITTEE FOR THE VETERAN'S DAY COMMITTEE.
AND THAT, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT NOW FOR 13 YEARS, ALONG WITH JIM AND SOME OTHERS.
AND, UM, WORKING WITH OUR VETERANS IS ANOTHER, UM, ANOTHER PASSION OF MINE.
I MEAN, MY FATHER WAS A WORLD WAR II VET.
MY SON IS, UM, HE'S RETIRED NOW AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST WITH, UH, HIM AND HIS WIFE.
AND THEY'RE JUST ABOUT EMPTY NESTERS NOW.
THEY'VE GOT FOUR BOYS WHO, UM, ONE JUST GRADUATED FROM THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY.
UM, A BASIC TRAINING, AND HE'LL GO INTO PARA UM, PARA RESCUE.
SO HE'S GOT A COUPLE YEARS OF INTENSE TRAINING AND, UM, JUST VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THEM.
AND THEN, UM, CARRIE, IF I COULD, IF I COULD JUST, UH, IN INTERRUPT YOU RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE WE, WE, WE ARE, UH, SET WITH A TIMELINE OF FIVE MINUTES.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR EVERYTHING THAT YOU, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE A PLETHORA AND WE'D BE OUTTA THE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE WE EVEN GOT TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER, ANOTHER, UH, COLLEAGUE, UH, TO ASK YOU QUESTION.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK MAYOR PROAM MEDRANO IF HE HAS QUESTION FOR, I'M MY FAULT FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
I'M, I'M GONNA, I I'M GONNA DEFER MY QUESTION.
UH, REAL QUICK, I JUST WANNA SAY YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PRICELESS.
YOU'VE BEEN A PRICELESS INDIVIDUAL.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY, I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU, UH, ON BEING, UH, YOU'RE GONNA BE AWARDED ONE OF THE WOMEN OF THE YEARS, YOU, ALONG WITH OUR MAYOR, YOU WERE SELECTED FOR LAHABRA.
SO I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OFTENTIMES THE, THE, THE THINGS THAT ARE VERY DEAR TO MY HEART, I TURN AROUND, YOU'RE THERE WITH ME.
SO, AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY, UM, BEFORE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, JUST LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOU AND THEN SEEING IT ALL PACKED INTO THIS RESUME, WHICH I'M PRETTY SURE, UM, THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM.
UM, BECAUSE I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A LOT TO GO OVER AS I'VE, AS I'VE ASKED FROM EVERYONE.
WE DON'T SEE, AT LEAST WE DON'T SEE A, A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF APPLICANTS IN OUR, UH, PEOPLE SIGNING UP TO BE COMMISSIONERS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE AND WHAT IS THE VALUE OF BEING INVOLVED IN COMMISSIONS, UH, GETTING INVOLVED IN CIVIC SERVICE? UH, WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE THE VALUE OF GETTING INVOLVED IN, UH, AND BEING A COMMISSIONER? WELL, THE VALUE, OF COURSE IS, UM, THE PRIDE THAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.
FIRST OF ALL, THE, THE OTHER THING IS TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THERE'S SO MUCH HERE IN LA HABRA THAT THEY MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT.
THEY MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT CERT, THEY MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE, UM, POLICE, UH, TRAINING AC UM, CITIZENS ACADEMY.
UM, SO THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS NOT AWARE OF UNTIL WE ARE ON A COMMISSION WHERE WE FIND OUT ABOUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE, HOW TO GO AHEAD AND PRESENT IT TO THE COMMUNITY AND LET THEM GET INVOLVED.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU CAN SHARE FROM EXPERIENCE TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT WOULD BE LIKE, COMMUNITY SERVICES OR PLANNING OR, OR CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT MATTER, IT'S, UM, IT'S A WAY TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT YOU'RE ALL ENTITLED TO BE ABLE TO APPLY AND GET INVOLVED.
WE APPRECIATE YOU APPLYING AGAIN.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, IF I CAN, UH, FOR THESE,
[00:25:01]
UH, THESE LAST THREE, UH, INTERVIEWS, CAN I ASK FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES FOR EACH CANDIDATE? I THINK SO, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST, UH, I THINK SO.JUST SO WE, AND ALSO I JUST ASK THAT WE JUST STREAMLINE OUR QUESTIONS SO WE CAN, WE CAN GET THE ANSWERS AND NOT HAVE THEM TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF THE, UH, OF THEIR TIME.
UH, YEAH, WE'LL SEE IF GINGER, LOGAN CANON IS HERE.
THANK, IF HE HAS NOT ARRIVED JUST YET.
HER APPOINTMENT'S AT FOUR 10, SO.
OH, YOU HOW TO PRONOUNCE? YOU CAN ASK HER HOW TO PRONOUNCE HER LAST NAME, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO.
MAYOR, HOW LONG WOULD YOU LIKE THE TIMER SET? EIGHT MINUTES.
DID YOU SAY EIGHT MINUTES? EIGHT MINUTES.
HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME? I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S LAFE.
ALRIGHT, WELL I THINK I'M GONNA GO WITH WHAT HE SAYS.
I, I I THINK YOU WERE GONNA SAY SOMETHING, COUNSEL.
UNFORTUNATELY I'VE BEEN, UH, COUNSELED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT BECAUSE LINDSAY WAS A, UH, CAMPAIGN WORKER, SHE WAS MY FIELD COORDINATOR IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE FOR WHICH SHE WAS COMPENSATED.
IT'S, UH, PROPER FOR ME TO RECUSE MYSELF FOR THIS INTERVIEW.
I'M SORRY LINDSAY, BUT DO NOT APOLOGIZE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.
I ABSTAIN HUH?
ALRIGHT, LINDSAY, IF YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT YOURSELF FIRST BEFORE WE BEGIN THE, THE INTERVIEW FOR THE COUNCIL.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO INTERVIEW FOR PLANNING COMMISSION.
LIKE I MENTIONED, MY HUSBAND IS NOT FRENCH.
UM, I KNOW THIS FOR ABSOLUTION BECAUSE I MET HIM IN JUNIOR HIGH AND WE BOTH GREW UP IN ANAHEIM, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY KNOWN FOR BEING A SMALL TOWN.
HOWEVER, BEING FROM THE WEST SIDE OF ANAHEIM, UM, WELL, I, I THINK I PICKED WELL.
AND WHEN WE DECIDED TO BUY A HOME DESPITE WANTING TO LIVE IN ANAHEIM, WE SORT OF MAGICALLY ENDED UP IN LAHABRA JUST THROUGH THE FATE OF THE ECONOMIC RECESSION AND THE AVAILABILITY OF HOUSES AT THE TIME.
AND I WAS HONESTLY THINKING ABOUT IT THIS MORNING ABOUT WHAT A FANTASTIC TWIST OF FATE THAT THAT ABSOLUTELY WAS.
I PURCHASED A HOME ON FOURTH AVENUE JUST RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT I WAS ACTUALLY PURCHASING A HOUSE IN A FORMER CAMPO.
THAT WAS EXTREMELY MEANINGFUL TO ME BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER WAS RAISED ON A CAMPO UP IN SAN LUIS OBISPO.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE'S JEALOUS OF MY AVOCADO TREE.
SO I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HOUSE I WAS SOLD JUST BASED OFF OF THAT.
AND IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUNDLY AMAZING DECISIONS WE'VE EVER MADE.
LA HABRA IS AN EXTREMELY SPECIAL COMMUNITY.
I FEEL EXTREMELY BLESSED THAT I JUST, IT'S JUST FIVE SQUARE MILES OF WONDERFUL, CARING COMMUNITY.
BOTH OF MY CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM SONORA HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY'VE HAD A FANTASTIC TIME IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN THIS CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY.
IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT MY HUSBAND AND I WERE NECESSARILY USED TO COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, ANAHEIM WITH ALL THE ANAHEIM NESS OF ANAHEIM, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SPECIAL COMMUNITY.
AND KNOWING THAT I LIVE IN AN AREA THAT BLOSSOMED THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY, I WOULD BE HONORED TO BE PART OF THE DECISION MAKING BODY THAT IS PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF HOW WE FOSTER GROWTH IN COMMUNITIES.
UM, IT IS CLEARER THAN I AM ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RIGHTEOUS BRAGGING POINTS I THINK I HAVE FOR HAVING GOTTEN SO LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS.
SO WITH THAT, THEY'RE BOTH OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE COMING BACK, WHICH IS GOOD.
WE'RE GLAD
WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT.
UM, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE IN THE CITY OF LA HARBOR AS WELL AS A RESIDENT.
I WILL BEGIN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAMPKIN.
UH, FIRST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, WELLNESS TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY AND VERY IMPRESSED BY YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
UM, SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, HOW
[00:30:01]
WOULD YOU APPROACH AND CONSIDER THIS YOUR FIRST TIME, UH, UH, IF YOU WERE SELECTED, UH, HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT LEARNING ABOUT, UH, ZONING LAWS, LAND USE POLICIES IN A GENERAL PLAN? SO, I KNOW I MIGHT BE IN A STATISTICAL MINORITY OF FOLKS THAT REALLY ENJOYS THOSE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE ONE OF THE FAVORITE NUGGETS I GOT OUT OF WHERE I'M ZONED IS THAT I'M ACTUALLY ZONED IN A MULTI ZONE VERSUS IN A MORE TRADITIONAL TRACK HOME ZONE.WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY LIKE AS IF THE, AS IF THE AVOCADO TREE WEREN'T ENOUGH, IN PART BECAUSE IT'S AN AREA THAT SHOWS WHAT DEVELOPMENT CAN LOOK LIKE IN LIFETIME VERSUS IN A TRADITIONAL TRACK OF HOUSES.
SO I'M ACTUALLY VERY KEEN NOT JUST TO BUILD ON WHAT I ALREADY DO KNOW, BUT ALSO TO LEARN FROM FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF SERVING ON ANY TYPE OF BODY THAT MAKES DECISIONS LIKE THIS, IS TO KNOW THAT IT'S A CONSTANT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW AND IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT I WAS GIFTED FROM GETTING A GRADUATE DEGREE, IT WAS TO REALIZE THERE'S A LOT I DON'T KNOW ACTUALLY.
AND TO BE ABLE TO FOSTER COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION FROM THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN SERVING IN THOSE CAPACITIES.
SO I DO KNOW SOME THINGS ABOUT ZONING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY INTRIGUED ABOUT SEVEN LEAVES AND THE DRIVE THROUGH POSSIBILITIES AND THE EFFECT THAT THAT HAS ON COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHEN IT'S HAPPENING VERSUS BEING THE CITIZEN WHO JUST SEES THE OUTCOME.
SO I'M EXCITED TO BE IN A CAPACITY WHERE I COULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A FANTASTIC CITY IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT I THINK EXEMPLIFIES THE MANAGEMENT BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND DEVELOPMENT.
GOD CAME TO YOU ONE DAY AND SAID, LINDSAY, YOU CAN CHANGE ANYTHING YOU WANT ABOUT IT, THE COMMUNITY OF LAHABRA.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR VISION? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY WISH? THE IDEAL WORD, WELL THAT'S SO UNFAIR BECAUSE I FEEL SO SELFISH THAT I'M LIKE, WHY ARE THERE NOT MORE AVOCADO TREES,
I FEEL LIKE WE COULD HAVE MORE OF THOSE.
SO IN A VERY MAYBE SORT OF SELFISH WAY, PART OF ME REALLY IDEALIZES THE, THE HISTORY OF WHERE THIS COMMUNITY CAME FROM.
AND I KNOW THAT I DON'T FORGET THAT HISTORY.
UM, I WAS RAISED BY MY GRANDMOTHER, SO LIKE SHE HAD ME WASHING ALUMINUM FOR A LONG TIME, LIKE FOIL.
IT WAS IMPORTANT IN HER COMMUNITY DURING THE DEPRESSION TO SAVE ON RESOURCES.
BUT SHE WAS ALSO FROM A, A POOR FAMILY OF FARMERS.
I THINK THAT THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE VISION OF NOT JUST WHAT THE FUTURE IS, BUT ALSO LIKE THE IDEALIZATION OF THE PAST.
SO IN A VERY SELFISH WAY, I WOULD LOVE THE EDIBLE WORLD ABOUND.
UM, OKAY, SO THIS IS ANECDOTALLY I HOPE FUNNY, BUT THE AVOCADO TREE ON MY PROPERTY CLEARLY HAS BEEN THERE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE LIVED ON THAT PROPERTY, IT BACKS UP TO THE PUBLIC PARK.
I HEARD MY DOGS BARKING AND I CAME ACROSS SOMEBODY IN THE PARK WHO HAD BROUGHT A PICKER TO PICK THE AVOCADOS.
AND I GUESS I SORT OF STUMBLED ON HIM AND HE IMMEDIATELY LIKE DREW BACK HIS PICKER AND APOLOGIZED FOR TAKING THE AVOCADOS.
BUT I ACTUALLY TOLD HIM HE SHOULD MAKE SURE HE COMES BACK AND BRING A TALLER ONE.
'CAUSE I CAN'T REACH THOSE EITHER.
BUT ALSO TO MY POINT ABOUT WHAT I WOULD CHANGE IF GOD WERE TO ASK ME, I HAVE NO PROBLEM SHARING AVOCADOS WITH PEOPLE WHO LIKELY HAVE BEEN PICKING THEM BEFORE I MOVED HERE.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE CULTURE I THINK, OF SHARING AND COMMUNITY THAT I WOULD WANNA FOSTER IN WHATEVER WAYS AND CAPACITY I CAN HELP FOSTER THAT.
SO HE WAS VERY GLAD HE KEEPS COMING.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS BEEN LATELY THOUGH, BUT WE DID HAVE AN OFF YEAR.
THEY'RE VERY SMALL THIS ROUND.
REAL QUICK, HAVE YOU INTERVIEWED BEFORE? I'M SORRY? HAVE YOU INTERVIEWED HERE BEFORE? OH, I THINK LIKE MAYBE IN 2020 FOR C COMMUNITY SERVICES.
RECALL MY HAIR MIGHT HAVE NOT BEEN BLUE.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU, YOU LOOK FAMILIAR AND I REMEMBER SOME OF THIS.
UH, MAYOR PRO TAM ANO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, LINDSAY, I'M GONNA MAKE IT QUICK, BUT, UH, UH, WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON LOCAL CONTROL AND WHAT THE STATE HAS, UH, HAS, UH, UH, TAKEN AWAY FROM CITIES? UH, WHAT'S, WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON WHAT LOCAL CONTROL SHOULD LOOK LIKE? SO I THINK THAT MY VIEWS ARE PROBABLY MORE PRACTICAL THAN THEY WOULD BE ANY HOT BUTTON, LIKE HEADLINING KIND OF WAY TO PUT IT.
ULTIMATELY IT'S A VERY DISTINCT DELIBERATION BETWEEN STATE MANDATES VERSUS LOCAL CONTROL.
AND CLEARLY WHEN YOU LIVE IN A COMMUNITY IN A PARTICULAR AS SMALL AS THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T IRVINE, THIS IS NOT ANAHEIM, THIS IS A
[00:35:01]
VERY SPECIFIC PLOT OF LAND THAT DESERVES TO HAVE RECOGNITION AND CONVERSATION ABOUT BEING PART OF WHAT WE CONSIDER CHANGE.THE CONVERSATIONS ARE DIFFICULT.
ULTIMATELY THOUGH I DO HAVE EXTREME FAITH IN THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE HAVE PROCESSES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACT AND SPEAK AND BE PART OF THOSE PROCESSES, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT MY BIGGEST CONCERN AS NOT JUST AN EDUCATOR BUT JUST IN GENERAL OF BRINGING PEOPLE INTO WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
SOMETIMES THOSE PROCESSES FROM AN EVERYDAY RESIDENT THAT'S JUST TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET CAN FEEL ISOLATING AND OVERWHELMING.
I REALLY DO PR HAVE A PRIVILEGE IN MY CAREER THAT THAT IS PART OF MY CAREER IS HELPING TO HOPEFULLY BRIDGE A GAP BETWEEN SOMEONE JUST FEELING ANGRY AND LIKE EVERYTHING'S JUST COMING DOWNWARD.
BUT ALSO TO REFLECT ON HOW THEY CAN BE PART OF PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S PUSHING BACK OR SUPPORTING THAT PROCESS.
SO I KNOW THOSE ARE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND CLEARLY FOLKS THAT ARE IN ELECTED POSITIONS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR HOW THAT ARGUMENT GOES.
PERSONALLY, AS SOMEONE WHO'S SEEKING TO SERVE ON A PLANNING COMMISSION, I RECOGNIZE THAT I'M PART OF A DISCUSSION PERIOD AND BEING ABLE TO MITIGATE THAT DISCUSSION PERIOD WITHIN MY COMMUNITY, I THINK IS PART OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
I HAVE TO FOLLOW UP AND I APOLOGIZE.
SO WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME? DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL OR DO YOU BELIEVE IN SEEDING THAT CONTROL OVER TO THE STATE? I BELIEVE IN LOCAL TROLL.
I BELIEVE WE PLAY WITH THE RULE BOOKS AS THEY'RE WRITTEN WHEN THEY'RE WRITTEN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, AGAIN, PART OF THAT DIFFICULT PROCESS IS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THOSE RULE BOOKS, WHILE THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING, BECOME PART OF LARGER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S CHANGING THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR A RESIDENT WHO'S JUST TRYING TO PAY THE TRASH BILL TO GET INTO.
SO I BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL AND FRANKLY BETWEEN HERE AND ANAHEIM, CLEARLY LOCAL CONTROLS BENEFITED THE CITY OF LA LAHABRA IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING INTO INTERVIEW IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
UM, THAT'S ALL WE'RE GOING TO SAY.
IF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO QUESTION TO US, ASK US A QUESTION, UH, BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO.
I MEAN, I DO FEEL SLIGHTLY COMPELLED TO, YOU KNOW, OFFER ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MORE AVOCADO TREES IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO BY ALL MEANS, UH, NOT THIS YEAR THEY'RE VERY SMALL, BUT NEXT YEAR I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT WILL HAVE SOME BIG ONES.
BUT THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR SERVING IN THE CAPACITIES THAT ALL OF YOU DO, WHICH IS NOT EASY BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE.
THANK AND MAYOR, THE APPLICANT SCHEDULED AT FOUR 10 DID ARRIVE ON TIME AND SHE IS WAITING.
RHONDA, CAN WE, IF IT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY, CAN WE START THE TIME AS SOON AS WE'RE READY WITH HER AND, AND DO ANY FORMALITIES? WE HAVE TO, JUST SO WE CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, IF THAT'S OKAY.
WE CAN START AT THE CLOCK ONCE WE, ONCE SHE STARTS TO INTRODUCE HERSELF.
YOU MEAN AFTER SHE INTRODUCES HERSELF OR THE WAIT FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND THEN START THE TIMER? NO, AS SOON AS SHE STARTS THAT.
BUT I MEAN ALL THE OF THE OTHER STUFF, WHETHER THERE'S GONNA BE ABSTENTIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THAT.
AND THEN ONCE SHE STARTS TO INTRODUCE HERSELF, WE CAN START THE UH, THE CLOCK.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING THEN.
I AM, UM, MS. LOGAN OR CANON? LOGAN CANON, CORRECT.
AND YOU ARE APPLYING BOTH FOR EITHER OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR COMMUNITY SERVICE? COMMUNITY SERVICE.
DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE? ACTUALLY, COMMUNITY SERVICE IS PROBABLY WHERE I'M WOULD BE STRONGER AT, BUT, ALRIGHT.
UH, IF YOU WANNA SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF BEFORE WE START THE INTERVIEWS, PLEASE DO SO.
MY NAME IS GINGER LOGAN CANNON AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF A A THIS COMMUNITY IN LA HARBOR FOR OVER 40 PLUS YEARS.
UH, AND I REMEMBER YOU MR. ESPINOZA, RAISING MY MS. ESPINOZA, RAISING MY DAUGHTER AND HER AND, AND YOU CAME TO ONE OF HER, UH, SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS. THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE AGO, BUT I, UH, WORKED WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR ALMOST, IT'S
[00:40:01]
REALLY ABOUT 30, 35 YEARS IN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, REHABILITATION AND PAROLE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DIVISION.THAT'S WHERE PRIMARILY MY BACKGROUND IS.
MY, UH, EDUCATIONAL AREA HAS BEEN IN SOCIAL SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT.
UH, THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH MY CAREER GOALS.
MY COMMUNITY SERVICE AREAS HAVE BEEN WITH, UH, SEVERAL AREAS.
IF IT'S NOT THE LINKS INCORPORATED, IT IS DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
I'VE BEEN IN ALL OF THOSE OVER 40 PLUS YEARS AS WELL, WHICH GIVES ME A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITIES AND, UH, RAISED ALL MY CHILDREN HERE WHO ARE GROWN.
SO I RETIRED AND, UH, WORKING ON OUR DOCTORATE PROGRAM AND I THOUGHT WHAT A GREAT WAY TO GIVE BACK THEN TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH THE CITY THAT I'VE BEEN IN ALL THESE YEARS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STEPPING UP.
AND I WILL GO, UH, TO COUNCILMAN NAZARIAN WITH THE FIRST QUESTION.
UH, YOU PROBABLY HAVE YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 40 YEARS PLUS, UH, SINCE YOUR INTEREST IS IN COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION A BIT MORE THAN PLANNING, UH, WHAT'S YOUR GUESS IN TERMS OF WHAT COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSION, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST THING ON THEIR RADAR RIGHT NOW THIS YEAR? YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ACTUALLY SURE WITH, WITH THIS YEAR IF I, I JUST HAD AN EYE SURGERY, SO I'M HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING YOU, BUT I CAN HEAR YOU EXCELLENTLY LOOKING AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S, IT'S VERY DIVERSE AND THERE'S SO MUCH CHANGE WITH HOUSING.
UH, I'VE SEEN A GREAT INFLUX WITH OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE DIRECT THING YOU'RE DEALING WITH, BUT I SEE IT A LOT MORE, UH, JUST HOUSING ITSELF IN THE AREA.
I KNOW THAT, UM, DEALING WITH SOCIAL SERVICE CONCERNS IS ALWAYS BIG AND, UH, IT'S BIG FOR ME AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AS IT'S INVOLVING HOW I LIVE AND HOW I, HOW I MOVE AND MOTIVATE AND MOVE MYSELF.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONES I WOULD THINK WOULD BE ON THE AREA AND JOBS AS AS IT IS WITH EVERYONE.
IF YOU'RE ON THE COMMISSION, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED AND WILLING TO WORK HARD FOR OUR CENTENNIAL THIS YEAR? ABSOLUTELY.
I JUST, UH, I WORKED IN, I JUST DID A 40TH WITH ONE OF MY OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND CELEBRATING A CITY WHEN YOU GET TO A CENTENNIAL IS, IS MAJOR.
LOOKING OVER WHERE WE'VE COME FOR THE LAST A HUNDRED YEARS IS WHERE WE STARTED.
AND I'VE ONLY LIVED HERE 40 YEARS, BUT I'VE SEEN MAJOR CHANGES JUST MAJOR.
UM, I WROTE A, UH, A PIECE WHICH I'LL TALK, MAYBE TALK ABOUT LATER FROM MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS AT SCHOOL AT SONORA.
AND THINGS HAVE JUST, EVEN FROM THAT TIME, HAVING THEM IN SCHOOL TO WHERE SCHOOL IS NOW WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.
MAYOR PROAM MADANO, MS. LOGAN CANNON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR, UH, FOR COMING IN AND, UH, AND YOUR INTEREST.
UM, MINE IS GONNA BE MORE OF A PLANNING COMMISSION RELATED QUESTION AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GET TO IT.
UH, HOW DO YOU SEE LOCAL CONTROL, UH, STATE VERSUS CITY? DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL? I BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL'S MAJOR.
THE STATE IS, WE HAVE A BIG STATE AND IT'S LOOKING OUT, BUT IT'S NOT IN ALL THE LITTLE CITIES.
AND CITIES HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL AND, UM, UNIQUE ISSUES WITHIN THE CITY.
AND SOMETIMES WE'RE, WE MAY MAKE A BIG STATE RULE.
IT'S GREAT FOR WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A BIG PICTURE.
THIS IS A SMALL BEDROOM COMMUNITY AND IT HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND THEY MAY SEEM LIKE LITTLE BITTY THINGS OVER HERE, BUT THEY'RE MAJOR IN OUR CITY.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE LOCAL CONTROL ON, ON SO MANY THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY ADDRESS BECAUSE WE ARE A, IT'S A, IT'S A BEDROOM.
CI HID IN THE HARBOR FOR YEARS.
I HID MY ENTIRE FAMILY IN THIS CITY BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT I WAS DEALING WITH.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, WITH, WITH, UM, YOUR SERVICE AT, AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, UM, HOW DO YOU THINK YOU TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAD IN YOUR EMPLOYEE, UH, AS, UH, WHEN YOU WORK THERE, HOW WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IS IT'S LACKING THERE THAT PEOPLE END UP IN THE CORRECTIONS FACILITY? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO HERE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE? UH, SO OUR LAJAS DON'T END UP OVER THERE.
YOU KNOW, I HAD LAHABRA ACTUALLY ON MY, ON MY CASELOAD AT ONE TIME.
WE, WE HAVE ISSUES EVERYWHERE, EVEN IN, IN LITTLE LA HARBOR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GANG ISSUES, WE HAVE OTHERS THAT ARE MAJOR, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S, THAT'S MISSING IS WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO SEND PEOPLE.
WE, WE, THEY, THEY COMMIT CRIMES.
WE PUT THEM OUT ON THE STREET.
IF THEY'RE NOT, UH, THEY HAVE NO EDUCATION, NO HEALTHCARE, NONE OF THESE THINGS.
WE ALMOST SET THEM UP FOR FAILURE BECAUSE WE'RE WHO'S GONNA BE THEIR LIAISON TO GET THEM UP AND GOING.
THEY'RE, WE HAVE THEM IN BEVERLY.
[00:45:01]
A PAROLE OFFICE IN BEVERLY HILLS.AND A SMALL COMMUNITY LIKE THIS, THEY'RE, YOU'RE READILY GONNA RUN INTO THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE SO SMALL.
AND I THINK IF THERE WAS MORE BETTER COMMUN BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH INDIVIDUALS, IF WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE WILLING TO STEP OUT AND WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE JUST, ARE UNDERSERVED, THAT THEY WEREN'T AFRAID TO DO THAT.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THINGS IS, IS FEAR.
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT OR THEY DON'T KNOW THEM.
OR IF SOMEONE'S NOT, UH, EXACTLY WHO YOU THINK THEY SHOULD BE, THAT FEAR STR WILL MAKE YOU ACT A DIFFERENT WAY THAN IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW THEM.
I'VE MET PEOPLE FROM THE, FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, WHAT I WOULD ALWAYS SAY ALMOST TO THE OUTHOUSE AND EVERYONE BETWEEN, THEY WERE ALL HUMANS.
AND I FOUND A HUMAN QUALITY AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
AND IF SOMEONE HAD JUST POURED INTO THAT OR GAVE THEM SOME STRENGTH TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THEIR LIFE OR JUST GAVE THEM AN EXAMPLE, I THINK THEY WOULD'VE DONE A LOT BETTER.
BUT WE GENERALLY DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE RULES, WE PUT 'EM OVER HERE, THEY'RE COMING TO LA HABRA.
WHEN I MOVED TO LA HABRA, I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY HOMELESS, BUT I SEE THEM TODAY.
UH, I'VE EVEN WALKED UP AND GIVEN THEM CLOTHING.
THERE'S A DISCONNECT, PROBABLY MENTAL ILLNESS, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT PLAYS INTO IT.
AND IT'S ALL IMPORTANT THAT WE ADDRESS SO THAT YOU CAN KEEP IT TO A MINIMUM IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
41 YEARS LAHABRA, WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT IT? I USED TO SAY I LOVE THE FACT THAT I COULD HIDE IN THE HARBOR, BUT NOW I LOVE THE FACT THAT I COULD WALK MY DOG IN THE EVENING AND IT'S OKAY.
I LIKE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND WE SMILE AND HUG EACH OTHER THROUGH ALL THE CHANGES WE'VE GONE THROUGH.
WE'RE STILL NEIGHBORS, WE'RE STILL ALL GOOD.
EVEN THOUGH WE MAY, WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THINGS, WE'RE STILL GOOD AND WE TALK ABOUT IT.
WHY WOULD YOU WANNA HIDE? YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF.
WELL, ORIGINALLY IT WAS THE WORK THAT I DID AND I DIDN'T WANNA LIVE YEAH.
WHERE I WAS PUTTING PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT WAS, UM, THEN I ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, ARRESTING PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN LAHABRA.
MY FIRST PAROLE HEARING WAS THEY ROBBED, IT USED TO BE ALBERTSONS AND THEY HAD GONE IN ALBERTSONS AND I KNEW EVERYBODY IN THE PAROLE HEARING.
I WAS LIKE, THERE'S NO PLACE TO HIDE
WELL, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, MRS. UH, GINGER, LOGAN CANNON.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I, I HAVE NEVER MET YOU.
AND I KNOW, AND IT'S JUST SUCH AN HONOR TO MEET YOU.
I'M HONORED TO BE HERE, UH, AS, AS WELL.
AND, UH, MS. LOGAN CANNON, THANK YOU YES.
FOR TAKING, UM, THE TIME TO APPLY TODAY AND, AND MAKING THAT CHANCE OF BE, UH, POSSIBLY BECOMING ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VERY IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUND HERE, YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
UM, I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT THAT I CAN LEARN FROM YOU ACTUALLY.
UM, I I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
CONSIDER YOU APPLIED FOR BOTH PLANNING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, UM, OR COMMUNITY SERVICES, UH, COMMISSION.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, IS HOW WOULD YOU USE YOUR, UM, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND IN, IN, UM, MASTER ORGANIZ OR YOUR MASTER'S DEGREE IN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE, UM, IN YOUR, IN, IN A COMMISSION POSITION? OKAY.
ORGANIZATIONS, ALL OF THEM HAVE A LANGUAGE OF THEIR OWN.
AND THERE'S A CULTURE IN THAT ORGANIZATION AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE.
THE, UH, THE CULTURE WILL COME OUT IN THE, THE, THE RULES, THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
HOW THEY, HOW THEY AFFECT POLICY AND CHANGES AND GENERALLY WILL AFFECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE WITHIN IT.
UM, THOSE, WHEN I WAS, UH, TAKING THAT PARTICULAR, UH, STUDIES AND, AND RECEIVED MY MASTER'S IN THAT, I, I, I DIDN'T CARE IF YOU WERE A DOCTOR, IT WAS A HOSPITAL.
IF IT WAS A LITTLE SOCIAL SERVICE OFFICE, THERE WAS ALWAYS A CULTURE THERE, GOOD OR BAD.
AND SOMETIMES THE CULTURE'S GREAT, SOMETIMES THE CULTURE NEEDS A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY.
SOMETIMES IT'S SET AROUND SO LONG THAT IT'S BECOME DIVERSE, BUT IT STILL HAS THE OLD POLICIES THAT WERE GREAT, WHAT WAS WORKING IN 1910 MAY NOT WORK IN 2024.
AND THEN THERE'S GOTTA BE A BIG OVERHAUL.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'M, I'M VERY, UM, COGNIZANT OF.
UH, I, I DO RECOGNIZE AND I DON'T, UH, I LOVE TO, UH, BE IN POSITIONS WHERE I CAN, CAN HELP OTHER PEOPLE DO A BETTER JOB AND FLY.
I GET REALLY EXCITED WHEN I SEE SOMEONE I WORK WITH DO A GREAT THING THAT'S, UH, I MAY BE, UH, UNDER THE WIND BENEATH THE WINGS AND WHEN I SEE THEM FLY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GREAT.
BUT I LEARNED SO MUCH OF THAT IN DEALING WITH ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH RESEARCH ON SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND UM, SECOND QUESTION IS MORE GEARED TOWARDS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH, UH, LEARNING ABOUT ZONING LAWS, LAND USE POLICIES AND THE GENERAL PLAN OF OUR CITY? OH MY GOD, LAHABRA IS NOT PLAYING WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYING
[00:50:01]
I POURED A PATIO ONE TIME OF JUST A REGULAR PATIO AND THE GUY POURED AND I DIDN'T REALIZE SO MANY THINGS ABOUT LAHABRA.
AND NEXT THING I KNOW, I HAD GOT ALL KIND OF CODE VIOLATIONS WERE TACKED ONTO THE HOUSE
AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT? AND HE DIDN'T KNOW AND HE DIDN'T CHECK.
THEN I HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE, DOWN TO CITY HALL.
LA HABER HAS SERIOUS CODE VIOLATIONS.
I'VE NEVER SERVED ON A COMMISSION, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS ARE VERY STRICT ON WHAT YOU DO.
DO YOU KNOW THAT WE HAD TO POUR AN EXTRA INCH OF SAND JUST TO POUR A CEMENT
SO IT HELD UP EVERYTHING WE HAD TO GET IT RIGHT, GET IT TOGETHER BECAUSE THE HARBOR DOES NOT PLAY ABOUT WHAT IT DOES.
SO I'VE NEVER HAD A LOT OF WORK, BUT I JUST HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THAT.
AND THIS IS THE THING, AND THIS, THIS IS JUST A BLESSING.
EVEN THOUGH I WAS FUSSING THE WHOLE TIME, WE HAD A EARTH THAT EARTHQUAKE HIT THE NIGHT BEFORE, RIGHT AFTER WE POURED NOT ONE CRACK IN MY PATIO.
SO I'M DOWN WITH THE COVES,
WAS THAT THAT BIG APRIL EARTHQUAKE
I POURED IT, WE POURED THE NIGHT.
I WENT, WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS? AND OH, I MEAN, I WAS THE TYPICAL PERSON WHO JUST IGNORANT DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
THE EARTHQUAKE HIT AND I REMEMBER WE WERE OUTSIDE WITH FLASHLIGHTS, LIKE, OH MY GOD,
IT WAS DONE PROPERLY AND CORRECTLY AND WITHIN CODE
SO JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE THAT, WOULD YOU SAY THAT LEARNING ABOUT THE ZONING LAWS AND, AND LEARNING ABOUT THE GENERAL PLAN AND THINGS LIKE THAT IS THROUGH EXPERIENCE? YEAH, IT'S THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
I, I DON'T THINK SOMETIME IT'S JUST, UH, LIVING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, YOU WOULD BE DOING ON THE, BUT WE DON'T GET IT JUST AS, WE JUST BOUGHT OUR HOUSE HERE.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO ALL THIS STUFF? AND SOMETIMES THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I DID NOT HAD SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS SOUNDS REALLY CRAZY, BUT IT'S LIKE, UH, LIKE GOING IN FOR SURGERY.
AND THEY SAID, WE NEED YOU TO, WE NEED BLOODSTREAM BANK BLOOD OVER HERE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ALL YOUR HEART VALVES, ALL THESE THINGS SO THAT YOU CAN BE HEALTHY, SUCH AS WITH YOUR CITY.
YOU NEED TO MAKE THROUGH ALL THESE THINGS IN ORDER.
I NEEDED THAT TO BE THAT POLICY THEY HAD, I NEEDED TO FOLLOW THAT FOR MY OWN SAFETY SO THAT IF SOMETHING SHOULD COME UP, I WAS SAFE.
SURE ENOUGH, I GOT CAUGHT WITH AN EARTHQUAKE, A BAD EARTHQUAKE THAT SHOOK MY ENTIRE HOUSE, BUT IT SAVED ME BECAUSE I HAD FOLLOWED THE POLICIES THAT THEY HAD RECOMMENDED, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T WANT TO AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
OH MY GOD, IT WAS A PLEASURE MEETING YOU TALKING WITH YOU.
AND, UH, WE WILL NOT MAKE A DECISION UNTIL, UH, THE FOLLOWING COUNSELING MEETING.
AND I'M SURPRISED WE HAVEN'T MET YOU BEFORE.
YOU JUST, WELL REMEMBER I MET YOU WHEN, UH, MY DAUGHTER WAS, WAS GRADUATING FROM SONORA AND SHE HAD SOME, I I WAS ASKING HER ABOUT THAT AND SOME, UH, BANQUET OR SOMETHING.
SO WE HAVE TO MEET MORE OFTEN STILL HERE.
AND I BELIEVE IS OUR LAST ONE HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPLYING FOR, UM, TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WILL ASK YOU BEFORE THE COUNCIL ASKS QUESTIONS, I ASK YOU TO JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF.
UM, I GOT A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM CAL STATE LONG BEACH IN GEOGRAPHY AND A CERTIFICATE IN URBAN STUDIES SLASH PLANNING.
UM, I CURRENTLY WORK AT A NONPROFIT URBAN DESIGN AND PLANNING STUDIO IN LONG BEACH CALLED CITY FABRIC.
I AM A PLANNER ONE IN THAT STUDIO.
UM, I'VE LIVED FOR LA HABRA FOR THREE YEARS AND FELL
[00:55:01]
IN LOVE WITH THE COMMUNITY.UM, BEFORE THEN I WAS LIVING IN LONG BEACH, BUT DUE TO NOW LIVING HERE AND LOVING THIS COMMUNITY, I KIND OF WAS INTERESTED IN THE PLANNING ROLE OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO COME AND SEE WHAT I COULD DO, UM, AND PUT MY PART INTO BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY HERE IN LA HABRA.
UH, BEFORE I, I I PASS IT ON TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I JUST WANNA ASK YOU, HOW DID YOU FIND OUT THIS, THAT, THAT THIS, THIS, UH, POSITIONS WERE AVAILABLE THROUGH WHAT MEDIA? UM, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND WAS IT INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, OR, UM, I THINK IT WAS FACEBOOK.
IT WAS ACTUALLY SENT TO ME, UM, BY MY FRIEND AND THEY SAID, OH, HEY, WE SAW THIS POSTING.
I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD TRY APPLYING FOR IT.
I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD LIKE, ROLE FOR YOU.
SO I TRIED IT AND I IT WAS REALLY, YEAH.
SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN, SO.
I WILL, UH, DIRECT IT OVER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LAKIN FOR THE FIRST QUESTION.
SO I ACTUALLY HAD TWO QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK YOU ANSWERED THE FIRST ONE.
IT WAS JUST MY CONCERN OF, UM, LOOKING AT YOUR APPLICATION HERE AND THERE WASN'T TOO MANY FIELDS FILLED OUT.
SO, BUT I THINK YOU ANSWERED, UH, THE, THE SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE AND YOUR CIVIC INTEREST.
UM, I GUESS THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, UH, UH, BEFORE I GET ONTO MY SECOND QUESTION, IS MEMBERSHIP IN CIVIC OR SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, ARE YOU A PART OF ANY, IT DOESN'T, NOT NECESSARILY JUST IN LAHA, BUT ANY AT ALL? UM, I AM NOT A, A PART OF ANY, UM, OUR ORGANIZATION OR THE, THE NONPROFIT I WORK WITH DOES WORK WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS IN LONG BEACH.
UM, WE DO ATTEND A LOT OF EVENTS THERE, UM, THROUGH, UM, LIKE OUR ENGAGEMENTS AND THINGS, BUT I'M NOT DIRECTLY PART OF ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE OF THAT.
AND, UM, AND IMPLYING FOR PLANNING COMMISSIONER, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH LEARNING ABOUT, UH, LAND USE OR AT LEAST THE CITY OF LA HAAS LAND USE? BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN, IN ZONING, BUT, UH, THE LA HAAS LAND USE POLICIES, ZONING LAWS, AND THE GENERAL PLAN.
YEAH, I THINK JUST GOING, UM, JUST RESEARCHING THROUGH WHAT IS AVAILABLE NOW IN THE CITY AND LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC PLANS THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE.
I THINK LAHABRA IS GOING THROUGH OR DOING A NEW, CREATING A NEW SPECIFIC PLAN.
SO SEEING WHAT TOOLS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR, UM, LAHABRA, I'VE DONE A LOT OF LAND USE PROJECTS IN DIFFERENT CITIES LIKE, UM, LOS ANGELES, LONG BEACH AND LA COUNTY.
UM, SO I'VE RESEARCHED A LOT IN THEIR, UM, LAND USE PLANS.
UM, SO JUST GOING THROUGH THE RESEARCH THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY OF LA HARA AND RESEARCHING THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
UH, IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
UH, MS. LARA BEING HERE THREE YEARS, WHAT DO YOU THINK, UM, LAHABRA IS DOING RIGHT? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHALLENGES ARE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE? YEAH, SO WHAT I THINK LAHABRA IS DOING RIGHT, UM, I'VE MENTIONED THIS A LOT TO, UM, MY FRIENDS AND MY FRIENDS FROM LONG BEACH AS WELL.
I'VE ATTENDED MORE EVENTS IN LA HABRA LIVING HERE AT THE THREE YEARS THAN I DID, UM, IN LONG BEACH LIVING THERE MY WHOLE LIFE.
SO I THINK WHAT LA HABRA DOES RIGHT, IS BUILDING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND STRENGTHENING THAT COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR PUBLIC EVENTS AND FORUMS AND WHAT THEY HAVE HERE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY POSITIVE THAT LAJA IS DOING VERY WELL.
UM, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY WOULD NEED IMPROVEMENT.
UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR, I WOULD SAY FOR MORE MOBILITY AND ESPECIALLY LIKE PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY.
I KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT I'LL BE DOING IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES, BUT UM, I DO FEEL LIKE THERE IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN BE, UM, THERE COULD BE MORE, I WOULD SAY MORE IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIKE, PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET TO ALL THESE RESOURCES THAT LA HABA DOES HAVE.
AND LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESSES, ONE EXAMPLE IS, UM, THERE'S NO BIKE, UM, NO BIKE RAILINGS TO LOCK YOUR BIKES AT THE PARK.
SO IF ANYONE'S COMING TO THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND THEY'RE USING THE PARK OR THE TRAILS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, THERE'S NOWHERE TO LOCK UP YOUR BIKES.
UM, AND JUST ALSO LIKE INTRODUCING MORE BUSINESSES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, THAT CONSTRAINT IN THE CITY AND PROMOTE, UM, LIKE THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND KIND OF STRAIGHTENED WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, AND JUST MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO PROBABLY PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND JUST, UM, HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES.
WELL THAT GOT THE CITY MANAGER'S ATTENTION.
UM, WHAT, WHAT JUST, UH, PIGGY BACK ON WHAT YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER.
SO WHAT EVENTS DID YOU ATTEND AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THEM? YEAH, SO, UM, I ATTENDED THE TAMALE FESTIVAL TWICE ALREADY.
I'VE ATTENDED THE UM, CORN FESTIVAL TWICE, UM, AS WELL.
UM, SO WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THOSE EVENTS IS IT'S REALLY HIGHLIGHTING LIKE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS MENTIONED, I THINK THAT WE DO WELL ALREADY.
[01:00:01]
IN BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS, HAVING LIKE THE VENDORS KIND OF LINING THE STREETS AND INVITING EVERYONE TO COME OUT, UM, IT JUST REALLY DOES BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHAT I DO TRULY LIKE ABOUT THOSE EVENTS.UM, GETTING TO SPEAK TO THE LIONS CLUB, GETTING TO SPEAK TO, UM, THE JUNIOR MEMBERS THAT ARE PART OF THE, UM, VOLUNTEERING COMMITTEE AS WELL.
THEY HAD A STAND OUT THERE, SO SPEAKING TO THEM AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT THROUGH THESE EVENTS WE REALLY ARE BUILDING GOOD COMMUNITY AND HIGHLIGHTING THE GOOD THINGS.
BELLA LA HARA, WHICH I FEEL LIKE IT REALLY IS THE COMMUNITY.
UH, MAYOR PROAM, MADANO, MS. LATA.
MINE'S GONNA BE, UH, UH, PRETTY DIRECT HERE.
UH, SO LOCAL CONTROL, UH, AS OPPOSED TO UH, UH, THE STATE DICTATING WHAT, UH, WHAT CITIES AND MIN, EXCUSE ME, MUNICIPALITIES DO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE STATE DICTATING WHAT HAPPENS.
WHAT'S YOUR VIEW ON LOCAL CONTROL? UM, I THINK LOCAL CONTROL IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK A BIG REASON OF WHY I GOT INTO PLANNING IN THE FIELD THAT I'M CURRENTLY WORKING IN RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE I DO FEEL THAT DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS, UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DECISIONS THAT MAYBE DON'T BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY.
AND A BIG THING OF THAT IS NOT HAVING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY OR TRANSPARENCY WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THAT IS A BIG REASON WHY I JOINED THE PLANNING FIELD TO BE THAT PERSON WHO COULD HELP UPLIFT THESE COMMUNITY VOICE VOICES OR PROVIDE THAT TRANSPARENCY TO THE COMMUNITY AND BRING THAT BACK LOCALLY TO THE, AND KIND OF LET THE COMMUNITY DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THEIR CITY.
AND I THINK ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVING THAT IS HAVING, LIKE RIGHT NOW HAVING THE PLANNING COMMISSION BE MEMBERS OF THE CITY AND ALSO LETTING THE PLANNING PROCESS BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL THE COMMUNITY AND HIGHLIGHTING IT TO THE COMMUNITY SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT THEY WANT IN THEIR CITY OTHER THAN JUST IT GOING TO DIFFERENT OR JUST DIFFERENT UPPER PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT REALLY WANT THE COMMUNITIES OR LOCAL BENEFIT.
SO TO FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH THAT, UH, SACRAMENTO, UH, THE STATE ITSELF, THE LEGISLATURE, UH, PUTS, PUTS OUT WHAT, WHAT I SEE AS A ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR EVERY COMMUNITY.
DO YOU LIKE THAT VIEW OR YOU, YOU'D RATHER HAVE LOCAL CONTROL AS YOU WERE SAYING? YEAH, I'D RATHER HAVE LOCAL CONTROL OVER A COMMUNITY.
THAT'S HONESTLY MY PERSONAL OPINION ON WHAT I FEEL LIKE MAKES A GOOD COMMUNITY WORK.
ALRIGHT, SO KIND OF BUILDING OFF OF WHAT COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM MADANO JUST SAID, LET'S DO A HYPOTHETICAL.
YOU'RE A PLANNING COMMISSIONER AND UH, THERE'S A 20 UNIT DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED AND NOW IT'S COMING BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
THE ENTIRE AUDIENCE IS FILLED WITH ABOUT 50 TO 60 PEOPLE.
THEY'RE ALL TERRIBLY UPSET ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY DON'T LIKE THE NOISE, THEY DON'T LIKE THE AESTHETICS OF THE PROJECT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE APPLICANT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE HAS SAILED THROUGH CQA, THEY GOT THEIR DENSITY BONUSES AT BYLAW.
THEY HAVE TO BE GIVEN BY SACRAMENTO.
IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY T IS CROSSED, EVERY I IS DOTTED.
SO THERE'S REALLY NOT A GOOD REASON TO SAY NO.
TO WHAT EXTENT OR WOULD YOU BE INFLUENCED BY ALL 50 PEOPLE RANTING AND RAVING FOR THEIR THREE MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENTARY OVER THE COURSE OF AN HOUR? UH, IN TERMS OF MAKING YOUR DECISION? YEAH, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT IS WHERE BEING IN A ROLE LIKE THIS AND BEING TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF A A PLAN OR BEING PART OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU DO WANNA TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT THE PUBLIC SAYS.
AND THERE IS, AND THERE IS A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC IS SAYING THIS FOR REAL REASONS.
SO IF THERE IS GONNA BE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, HAS THE CITY LOOKED INTO HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THESE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES BEFORE THEY ALREADY ALLOWED THIS DEVELOPMENT TO GO THROUGH? UM, IF THERE'S NOISE COMPLAINTS OR DO WE ALREADY DO STUDIES OF WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE THOSE NOISE COMPLAINTS BEFORE WE ALREADY LET THIS DEVELOPMENT GO THROUGH? UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BRING MORE HOUSING INTO THE COMMUNITY, UM, BY BUILDING THOSE UNITS.
UM, BUT I WOULD HOPE AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO SAY THE DECISION THAT WOULD MAKE WITHOUT REALLY GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT I WOULD MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE OURSELVES, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPER MAYBE CROSS THEIR T'S IN THEIR I'S, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOT THE T'S IN THE I'S AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE CITY.
I MEAN, THE PUBLIC HAS THE OPINION FOR A REASON AND IT'S A FAIR REASON.
UM, SO MAKING SURE THAT WE LOOK INTO OR LOOK INTO THOSE TRANSPORTATION AND NOISE COMPLAINTS, UM, BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION AS WELL.
IT'S, I KNOW THAT NECESSARILY DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION.
[01:05:01]
IT DID.AND LEMME SAY THIS, ACTUALLY, YOU SAID THE RIGHT THING WHEN YOU SAID, I REALLY CAN'T MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT KNOWING ALL THE FACTS.
YEAH, YOU HAVEN'T READ THE STAFF REPORT.
YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT AT ALL THE, THE BACKGROUND.
SO IF YOU WERE TO SIT THERE AND SAY, OH, I WOULD VOTE EITHER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WELL HAVING ALL THE INFORMATION, THAT WOULD BE INCORRECT.
SO YOU ACTUALLY DID ANSWER THE QUESTION.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION BEFORE WE END.
UH, UM, YOU SAY YOU WORK IN LONG BEACH? YES, I DO WORK IN LONG BEACH.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO MAKE THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS? OH, YES.
UM, IT'S MOSTLY, WE, I MOSTLY DO REMOTE WORK.
I GO INTO THE OFFICE ON TUESDAYS.
UM, BUT IT'S MOSTLY, YEAH, REMOTE WORK.
WE ALL, WE WORK WITH DIFFERENT, UM, WE WORK IN DIFFERENT CITIES, LIKE WE DO PROJECTS IN MONTEREY PARK, LA COUNTY.
YEAH, IT'S A REAL COOL NONPROFIT.
WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE CALLED CITY FABRIC.ORG IF YOU WANNA CHECK IT OUT.
WE DO A LOT OF, UM, A LOT WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ORGANIZING FOR PLANNING, UM, AND KIND OF EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR COMING AND, AND, AND SPEAKING TO OUR, OUR ORGANIZATION AND, YOU KNOW, PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE FOR, UH, TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN OUR PUBLIC.
UM, I ALSO HAVE RESUMES, IF ANYONE WANTS A RESUME, I KNOW THAT THROUGH MY APPLICATION IT WAS LIMITED BACK TO, TO OUR CITY CLERK AND AND SHE WILL GIVE THEM TO US.
I WILL NOW ASK THE PUBLIC, UH, TO, TO INVITE HIM TO TESTIFY SHOULD THEY WISH TO.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS, ON THIS ITEM, TO PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
SEE, NONE I WOULD CALL THE COUNCIL.
I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION.
ARE WE DO, WE'RE NOT DOING APPOINTMENTS RIGHT? NO, WE'RE NOT.
BUT UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY OTHER ACTIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE FILE AND UH, LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT, UH, COUNCIL MEETING.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL HAVE THAT AGENDA AS FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED, UH, TO THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING AT 5:30 PM AT THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER.