Pasadena Council Preview: Smoking ban redux

The big event of the evening should be, based on last week's attendance, the smoking ban ordinance. For more on it, if you have not already heard, read here. This segment of the meeting is scheduled to take place around 7:15, for those who want to attend just for that hearing.

There are a few other items of interest on the agenda, including a contract to clean up four wells in the Arroyo Seco area near JPL. These wells have been mostly off-limits since 1992, though some were operational for chunks of time here and there. They have several contamination issues, including perchlorate issues that come from rocket fuel.

The city will consider a 5 year, $11.7 million contract to clean up the wells, with the money being paid out by Caltech, which helps fund JPL, which I believe is responsible for the contamination. That is what I get from the staff report, anyway. One thing not in the staff report is how long it will take to get the wells decontaminated. It says they will need work for the next 18 to 20 years, but doesn't make it clear whether they will be usable anytime before then.

The city will also vote on a contract for an election services company that will handle its sample ballots, and on a contract for a company that will handle several e-waste recycling events for the city over the next year.

Finally, the city will also vote on whether to extend $25,000 to PWP for a identity theft prevention program that will help train staff on how to protect customers' personal information.