August 2009 Archives

Consultants for the Pomona Unified School District have recommended its leaders consider completing a study on properties in the district's control.

The consultants, who include specialists in school construction and financing, told Pomona Unified school board members they should consider carrying out the analysis in order to determine the best use for the properties.

Pomona Unified has more than 20 unused properties of various sizes around the district, many adjacent to existing campuses.

An analysis would include looking at all the possible uses such as leasing, selling or partnering with others to develop the properties which are mostly vacant, said Jerry Suich, president of Oxbridge Consultants.

The information the consultants presented was meant to lay out the work that would be needed, said Alex Parslow, vice president of pre-K to 12th-grade education practice at HMC Architects, after the meeting.

While the analysis may show that it would be prudent to sell some property, it may also show that some of the land can be used in ways that have not been considered before, Parslow said.

Among the things that can be done with some properties is long-term leasing that can produce steady revenue streams that would benefit school facilities, she said.

More and more often school districts are looking at such possibilities "because general funds are getting hit right now" and such options provide funds for maintaining school facilities, Parslow said.

Proceeding with such a study would cost about $120,000, district administrators said.

Board member Adrienne Konigar-Macklin asked where that money would come from, adding she's not comfortable taking that money from the district's general fund when there are questions about having enough money to meet the educational needs of students.

The district has some building funds that could be used to do a study, said Pam Lopez, assistant superintendent of business services and chief financial officer.

Interim Superintendent Richard Martinez said district personnel could determine a source of money to pay for such a study and bring the matter back to the school board for discussion.

Board President Andrew Wong said on Thursday before he can invest in a study he needs to know what the values of the properties are and what kind of financial return the district could see.

Wong said taking stock of the properties and their use is something he has sought since joining the board and a project district residents have also called for.

"The community has asked us to do this for a long time now," Wong said.

The district must make sure the assets it has "have an educational purpose," he said.

Board member Steve Lustro said he also wants to make sure the district's limited general fund dollars aren't used for this type of study.

If a different source of money can be used the study should be completed with the results helping to guide the district's future steps, he said.

Over the years, while it was growing, the district acquired property thought to be useful for expansion of facilities, he said.

Rather than growing, the district now has fewer students.

"There's been a shift from a growth mode to declining enrollment ... This is a good time to take a fresh look at those properties," Lustro said.

The district needs to evaluate the properties, he said, adding "I think there are properties that will never have a use for educational purposes."

In some instances the properties could be useful but not without making a sizable investment, Lustro said.

"I believe ultimately (an analysis) is something that needs to be done," he said.

Close to two years ago, Irene Medrano became the manager of the Metropolitan, an apartment complex that had crime problems.

Medrano and her staff have made significant changes at the 472-unit complex on East Third Street, but there is still work to do, she said.

So when Medrano heard of the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, which offers property owners and managers tools to operate safe complexes, she signed up.

"This program is so much of a support," said Medrano, who recently completed the first phase of the program.

The city hopes the program will help it have better prepared landlords, less crime at apartment complexes as well as "better maintained properties and happier tenants," said John Kimbro, city code compliance manager.

Although the program is new to the city, it is not a new concept, the city's program coordinator, Teri Baker, said.

The program has been successfully used throughout the country to address problematic apartment complexes.

Even complexes considered to be problem free have benefitted from having such a program, Baker said.

The program consists of three phases.

-- Training property owners and managers. This will better prepare the managers to screen potential tenants, legally use criminal background checks and have a strong grasp of topics such as fair housing regulations and the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, Baker said.

-- Completing inspections of participating apartment complexes. Using crime prevention through environmental design principles, complexes are checked to make sure they have adequate safety lighting, landscaping where a criminal can't hide and properly locked gates, among other things.

-- Bringing together residents for a social meeting, which is designed to explain the program.
Once landlords complete all three components, they are able to post signs identifying their complexes as part of the program and can mention that on their promotional materials, Baker said.

Landlords will also be invited to take part in quarterly meetings and learn about resources available to them as well as network with other people in their field, Baker said.

The program is expected to attract people to complexes enrolled in the program and keep away criminals, she said.

"It may deter them from even asking for an application," Baker said.

As the program takes root in a complex, it becomes safer as resident turn-over decreases, which will result in a more stable resident base, she said.

At the core of the program is the crime-free lease addendum, a document tenants sign committing to refrain from engaging in criminal activity on the property.

Tenants agree they will not permit other members of their household or guests to take part in illegal behavior on the property.

Timothy Zehring, who created the program while he was a member of the Mesa Police Department in Arizona, said the idea for the program was sparked after he and other officers found themselves repeatedly responding to the same complexes where the same people were creating problems.

The program is not meant to turn landlords into members of law enforcement, Zehring said.

Instead, landlords learn to spot problems early on and use the tools and resource available to them that will allow them to create a positive living environment for tenants, he said.

"By dealing with a problem immediately, you don't let it fester and become worse," said Zehring, who last year retired from law enforcement but who is still involved in the Crime Free Multi--Housing program.

Zehring said he used the program in complexes with low-income residents as well as in those occupied by residents of moderate income and upper income. 

Complexes with high crime saw reductions of as much as 90 percent, he said.

Complexes considered relatively crime-free still saw a 25 to 30 percent drop in crime, Zehring said.

In Pomona, efforts made in the past to establish the program were unsuccessful, said Benita DeFrank, the city's housing manager.

The idea to establish the program in the city was sparked in 2008 after a group -- which included representatives from the city's housing division, Police Department, residents and a council member -- attended a community-oriented policing seminar where participants talked about the program, she said.

After learning more about the program, DeFrank along with Richelle<NO1>(cq)<NO> Baptista, police services administrator for the Pomona Police Department, worked to establish the program.

Support from other city departments contributed to making it come together, DeFrank said.
"It really has been a collaborative effort," she said.

Although the focus of the program is larger multi-housing complexes, owners or managers of complexes with four units or more can participate, Baker said.

Even the most seasoned property managers can benefit from bringing the program to their complexes, Medrano said.

If more property owners and managers enroll in the program, "Pomona can be a much better place," Medrano said.

To have a healthy business responsible owners and managers want satisfied tenants, she said.

"For people to feel happy, that's how you make your business," Medrano said.

Programs such as this one will not only help improve the image of her complex but attract responsible tenants who will stay for a long time and invite others to move in as well, she said.

Former Pomona Unified School District Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana was in Alexandria, Va., Friday participating in a U.S. Department of Education literacy event that included several members of the Obama administration.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Melendez de Santa Ana, assistant secretary of education responsible for elementary and secondary education, participated in the "Read to the Top" summer literacy initiative event.

The event was the last in a series that included the participation of more than a dozen cabinet members, according to a statement from the Department of Education.

Through "Read to the Top" the Department of Education partnered with community organization to work with young people so they could maintain their reading skills during the summer and be better prepared to continue their studies in the fall.

For volunteers with community organizations the initiative was a way of responding to President Barack Obama's call for people to participate in meaningful service projects that  help meet the social needs resulting from the economic downturn, the statement said.

The bilingual reading event took place at the Mount Vernon Community School.

The school's year-round calendar gives students additional time for reading and also offers a voluntary Spanish immersion program, the statement said.

Federal stimulus money is going to help Pomona street lighting become more energy efficient.

The city secured $1.4 million in stimulus money distributed by the Department of Energy.

The money will be used to replace 1,040 high-pressure sodium street lights with more efficient LED lights, said Meg McWade, the city's utility services manager, this week.

Through the use of LED lights, the city will have improved lighting in addition to reducing energy consumption and reducing the city's carbon footprint, she said.

A Cal Poly Pomona professor will head to Hong Kong this month to teach as a Fulbright Scholar.

Professor Renford Reese of Pomona will teach in the American Studies program at the University of Hong Kong, Cal Poly announced this week.

Reese, a political science professor who has been a member of the Cal Poly faculty for 13 years, called the University of Hong Kong "one of the Harvards of Asia" in a university statement.

Reese has traveled to China multiple times and studied the Americanization of Chinese young people for his book, "American Bravado" published in 2008.

"I am intrigued by Chinese traditions, language, and culture," Reese said in the statement. "I am even more fascinated with Hong Kong because it represents the fusion of the new and the old, the East and the West."

Travel has been a teaching tool for Reese. He has taken students to do fieldwork in Amsterdam during spring break and organized annual trips to Ghana during the summer where students completed two-week study-abroad programs.

"I look forward to lecturing in a different environment," Reese said of his forthcoming trip. "This is one of the highlights of my academic career, and I'm proud to be representing Cal Poly Pomona."

Cal Poly Pomona made U.S. News & World Report's 2010 "America's Best Colleges" rankings.

Cal Poly has been listed among the best public universities in the Western United States, the university announced this week.

The university tied for the magazine's eighth spot among non-doctorate granting institutions and tied for the 32nd spot in the West among public and private universities offering undergraduate and master's degree programs, according to a university statement.

The western region is made up of 15 states that includes California, Texas, Alaska and Hawaii.

Cal Poly's College of Engineering, established in 1957, tied for the 15th spot nationally among non-doctoral programs.

The engineering program trains one of every 15 engineers in California and the most Latino engineers in the state, according to the university.

"There are many excellent engineering programs in the country, so it's always a great feeling to be in their company," said Edward Hoh- mann, dean of the College of Engineering. "The ranking is a testament to our superb faculty, our learn-by-doing philosophy and our dedicated, inquisitive students."

"Our students graduate with an enthusiasm that's focused on excelling at work as well a making a profit for their company," he said. "Our graduates are prepared to be successful in the broad global marketplace."

Academic excellence isn't the only thing that made Cal Poly stand out.

The university's diverse student body tied it for 12th place making it one of the most diverse campuses in the nation and its international student population earned the 17th spot in the West.

Beginning Tuesday California Highway Patrol 911 dispatchers will be exempted from the state employee furlough requirements, Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Ontario, announced this week.

Torres has sought the exemption since January when the furloughs were first announced, her office said in a statement.

Torres said in the statement that it is the personnel of the 911 system that crime victims or those experiencing an emergency come into contact with first in a difficult situation.

Furloughing dispatchers "never made sense," Torres said in the statement.

"I have had months of discussion with officials in the Highway Patrol and the administration. I am happy that the people of California can count on improved emergency response and a greater degree of safety when there is an emergency," Torres said.

Torres' efforts drew praise from the president of the labor group representing CHP dispatchers and said Torres' efforts will benefit the 911 system.

"We will now be able to improve the performance of the 911 system," said Tina Brazil, president of the California Highway Patrol Public Safety Dispatchers Association, in a statement.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Torres worked as a 911 dispatcher for the Los Angeles Police Department and has gone on leave from her job while serving in her elected post.

Bittersweet is how many people describe the departure of Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana.

For many it's painful to see her leave her post as superintendent of schools in the Pomona Unified School District.

The reason for her departure, however, makes the loss bearable.

On Monday, Melendez de Santa Ana will report to the U.S Department of Education in Washington, D.C., where she will be officially sworn in as assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education for the Obama administration.

Diamond Bar Mayor Ron Everett said at Wednesday night's school board meeting that letting Melendez de Santa Ana go is not easy, but "it's the right thing to do for America."

She leaves a district "that has never been stronger," he said.

Many successes

Melendez de Santa Ana leaves Pomona Unified the same week she celebrates her 10th year with district.

Looking on the past three years as head of the district, she described the successes that came about through the collaboration of teachers, administrators, staff, parents and community members.

She remembered a boy who, as a kindergartner, was selectively mute as a result of difficulties he'd experienced. The effort of a caring teacher played a part in the child speaking again.

She recalled the young girl who started out as an immigrant without English language skills who, with the support of teachers, went on to graduate as valedictorian of one of Pomona's high schools and enrolled at UCLA.

Partnerships were built with colleges and universities to create opportunities for students. Another program kept some 150 teens from slipping through the cracks, helping them reach graduation.

Relationships were forged with parent groups, grass-roots organizations and clergy.

A number of schools have consistently shown improved academic performance.

"I hope I had a little bit of impact in the lives of children," she said. "I think there was hope in the belief we could make a difference."

Difficult times

It hasn't been an easy three years.

She has faced the difficulties of a recession that has rocked the state's ability to fund education, and a tense relationship with the Associated Pomona Teachers union, which represents district teachers, counselors, nurses and others.

After taking the recommendation of district administrators, school board members approved the distribution of more than 640 preliminary lay-off notices in the spring.

APT said sending out so many notices was disruptive to teachers' lives and the educational process.

After the Obama administration made federal dollars available the district, it was able to rescind the notices.

"Its never easy to recommend cuts," Melendez de Santa Ana said.

As superintendent, though, she had to look out for the district.

What's done is done "knowing you are trying to do what in the end is part of your responsibility -- being fiscally sound," she said.

Twice this week, APT representatives congratulated Melendez de Santa Ana on her new post. She was asked to think about the district and the impacts of the decisions she makes in Washington, D.C.

Champion for kids

Melendez de Santa Ana has been described as humble, gracious and accessible, but also as a tireless advocate for students. That can mean pressing staff or government officials, and it can make people uncomfortable.

What she does, she said, is part of an effort to created better conditions for students.

"It's not about me," she said. "It's how can I get better so I can be a better superintendent for kids, to be a better boss" to the different people who have a part to play in the education of students.

Melendez de Santa Ana said leaving Pomona is a sacrifice on different levels.

In her new job she will earn slightly more than $150,000 a year compared with her district base salary of $210,000, an amount that recently dropped due to a pay cut.

It also means separation from her family and from her husband for a time.

Otto Santa Ana, an associate professor of chicana/chicano studies at UCLA, will shuttle back and forth to Washington when time permits.

She leaves the district having started initiatives she would have liked to have seen through to completion, she said. These include, among others, the reconfiguration of grades and efforts to continue improving academic performance.

But working for Obama "is a once-in-a-generation opportunity," she said.

Retired Pomona Police Chief Joe Romero said Melendez de Santa Ana's departure is a loss for the community, "but Thelma has a greater role in public service."

"If she can take to Washington, D.C., the same energy and zeal she demonstrated here ... whole school districts across the country are going to benefit," Romero said.

Melendez de Santa Ana will be "a one-woman education stimulus package," he said.

Richard Martinez, district acting chief deputy superintendent, and as of Friday interim superintendent of schools, has known Melendez de Santa Ana for more than 20 years.

"What you see in Thelma is what you get. She's very real," Martinez said, adding that Melendez de Santa Ana is an uncommon administrator.

"Some bosses are visionary, but don't have the nuts and bolts down," he said.
She can be visionary and also has the operational skills to bring the vision to reality, Martinez said.

Parent Roberta Perlman-Hensen said three years ago she was among a group of parents opposed hiring someone who had previously worked for the district.

The district had a history of disregarding parents' input, but Melendez de Santa Ana changed that, she said.

"She reached out to us immediately. She called us," Perlman-Hensen said. "She appreciated that making a connection to the community was vital."

Melendez de Santa Ana said leaving Pomona Unified will be difficult Friday.

"I leave a part of my heart" behind, she said.

Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana

Born: June 24, 1958

Education: St. Paul High School, Santa Fe Springs; attended Cal State Los Angeles two years before transferring to UCLA where she graduated cum laude and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology; earned a doctorate in language, literacy and learning education from USC.

Professional:

1982-86 -- Teacher, Montebello Unified

1986-92 -- Language specialist, vice principal, Montebello Unified

1992-95 -- Principal, Bandini Elementary School, Commerce

1995-97 -- Director of instruction, Pasadena Unified

1997-99 -- Director of school/family initiatives, Annenberg Metropolitan Project

1999-2005 -- Deputy and assistant superintendent, Pomona Unified

2005-06 -- Director, Stupski Education Foundation, Mill Valley

2006-09 - Superintendent, Pomona schools

The School of Arts and Enterprise will hold a Neighborhood Fiesta and Open House today from 5 to 8 p.m. on campus, 295 N. Garey Ave., Pomona.

The event will include free food, music, entertainment, school tours and art demonstrations.

This is an opportunity for area residents of all ages to learn about the school.

The School of Arts and Enterprise is a charter school open to all students and, like other such educational institutions, doesn't charge tuition.

SAE, as the school is often called, offers a ninth through 12th grade program with small class sizes, high academic standards and a focus on art and business, according to a statement from the school. Its teachers are motivated and energetic.

An opening reception will be offered today for an art exhibit centered on the art work produced by children ages 7 to 13.

The reception is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. at the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center, 300 W. Second St.

"Art Works!" features the work of young people who participated in the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center Summer Arts Academy, according to a statement from the center.

During the four-week program students took classes in visual, performing and literary arts.

Through the classes students developed and improved communication and creative thinking skills. Students also gained a greater appreciation for differences, which helps participants in their interpersonal relationships, the statement said.

The students' work will be on display until Aug. 29

Cal Poly Pomona announced this week it has received a $1.25 million federal grant that will be used to provide a college preparation program focusing on math and science for students of two Pomona high schools.

The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education will make it possible for the university to expand its Upward Bound program to include Garey High School and Village Academy students, according to a university statement.

Through Upward Bound the university offers high school students college preparation. The students, who often are the first in their families to attend college, receive homework assistance, individualized education plans and access to weekend workshops on topics such as SAT preparation and lifeskills development.

During the summer students spend five weeks living on the Cal Poly campus where they get a taste of college life and attend classes in areas such as chemistry, biology, environmental science and engineering offered by college professors, high school teachers and college graduate students, the statement said.

A component for parent is also part of the program and includes information on financial aid and workshops designed to help provide support for their children's educational pursuits.

This will be the university's fourth Upward Bound program. Cal Poly offers similar programs for schools such as Montclair High, Pomona High and Ontario High.

City Council members were expected to discuss the appointment of the chief of police of the Pomona Police Department during the closed portion of this week's council meeting.

The council opted to postpone discussion of the matter due to a full agenda, City Manager Linda Lowry said.

The matter is expect to be discussed at a special meeting to be scheduled sometime before the council's next regular meeting in September, she said.

Council member discussed the matter during the closed portion of the July 20 meeting but made no decision.

Acting Police Chief David Keetle has headed the department since December when Joe Romero retired.

Some of the best young boxing athletes in Pomona and Southern California will participate in "Box at the Fox" Aug. 16 at the Fox Theater. Doors open at 1 p.m.

The fund raiser will benefit Fist of Gold Youth Center in Pomona and will include young fighters in its program facing off with athletes from across the region.

The afternoon's card includes more than 12 matches but the main event features Diana Gutierrez of Pomona and Corina Hernandez of Ontario.

Tickets will be sold at the door the day of the event.

Adult tickets for those ages 15 and older are $10. Children's tickets are $5.

Vineyard Community Church and the Willie White Park Focus Group will hold their 4th annual community fund-raiser rummage sale on Aug. 22.

It will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church on the northwest corner of Towne and Bonita avenues.

Free food and drinks will be offered.

Shoppers will find good buys in children's clothing, furniture, exercise equipment and other merchandise.

Donations of sale items are still being accepted.

They can be dropped off at the church or taken to the rummage sale the day of the event prior to 9 a.m.

Arrangements can also be made to have the items picked up by calling Vernon Price or M. Joyce Bakersmith at (909) 392-8666 or (909) 336-8007.

Proceeds of the sale go to support church activities and activities of the Willie White Park Focus Group, such as its annual Cultural Festival, Juneteenth celebration, community meetings, the senior house painting project and other projects.

Vineyard Community Church is also involved in many community outreach projects.

The Willie White Park Focus Group is made up mostly of residents living around Willie White Park who came together in the early 1990s to address gang and other crime problems in the neighborhood.

The group organizes monthly meetings featuring guest speakers such as local and state elected officials, representatives of city government departments and others.

By Wes Woods II and Monica Rodriguez
Friday brought with it the deadline to submit nomination papers for the Nov. 3 election.

However, in some races prospective candidates seeking seats on school boards, city councils and special districts will have extra time to file.

In instances where an incumbent failed to file papers Friday, the filing period is extended until 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Diamond Bar City Council

Diamond Bar residents will elect three City Council members. Incumbents Ron Everett and Steve Tye filed nomination papers. Incumbent Wen Chang is not seeking re-election.
The incumbents will face four challengers: Ling-Ling Chang, who is ending a term on the Walnut Valley Water District; S. Dhand, a physician; resident Lucy Huang, and resident David Liu.

Community colleges

In San Bernardino County, residents of the Chaffey College district will elect two governing board members.

Incumbents Kathleen "Kathy" Brugger and Katie Roberts, both of Rancho Cucamonga, will face three challengers: businessman Christopher Agrella of Montclair; Ontario resident and Ontario-Montclair School District board member Paul Vincent Avila, and Chino resident Irene Hernandez-Blair, a Los Angeles County employee.

In the Mt. San Antonio College district voters will elect two governing board members.

Incumbents Judy Chen Haggerty of Diamond Bar and David Hall of San Dimas are both seeking re-election.

Seeking one of the seats is challenger John Mendoza, a Pomona resident who in November was elected to the Three Valleys Municipal Water District.

School districts

Voters in several school districts will elect new board members.

Two seats are open in the Bonita Unified School District. Seeking another term are incumbents Charles "Chuck" Coyne of San Dimas and Patti Latourelle of La Verne; there are no challengers.

Claremont Unified School District voters will elect three board members. Incumbent Jeanne Hamilton did not enter the race for another term but incumbents Mary Caenepeel and Steven Llanusa are seeking re-election.

The incumbents will face challengers Jeff Hammill, an attorney, and Jeff Stark, an investment adviser. The filing period will be extended until Wednesday.

Voters of Pomona and part of Diamond Bar will elect four candidates to the Pomona Unified School District board.

Three seats are four-year terms. One seat is for a two-year term ending December 2011.

Seeking the partial term is appointed incumbent Steve Lustro of Pomona. He faces challengers Nancy Ann Matarrita, an administrative/library assistant and a member of the Youth and Family Master Plan Community Board; and Jason Rothman, a Pomona planning commissioner and son of Pomona Mayor Elliott Rothman. Both are Pomona residents.

Running for four-year terms are incumbents John Avila, Andrew Wong and appointed incumbent Adrienne Konigar-Macklin. Avila and Konigar-Macklin are residents of Pomona and Wong is a resident of Diamond Bar.

They will face challengers Frank Guzman, a businessman from Pomona; resident Hank Mollet of Pomona; Roberta Perlman, a doctor of optometry residing in Pomona; and Robert Torres, a resident of Pomona who last month was appointed to the city's Board of Parking Place Commissioners. He is the eldest son of Assemblywoman Norma Torres.

In the Walnut Valley Unified School District voters will elect three board members.

Incumbents Helen Hall and Nancy Lyons, both of Diamond Bar, and Cindy Ruiz of West Covina are all seeking re-election to their seats.

They will face challengers Anyork Lee, who identified himself as a doctor, professor and adviser; and Michael West. Both are residents of Walnut.

Water district

Walnut Valley Water District has two open seats. Incumbent Edwin "Mr. Ed" Hilden of Diamond Bar filed nomination papers for the Division 2 seat. Barbara A. Carrera, a water district manager who lives in Diamond Bar, is seeking the Division 3 seat.
Incumbent Ling-Ling Chang did not seek re-election.

Pomona City Council members will take up the topic of the appointment of the chief of police during the closed portion of its meeting Monday.

Council member talked about the topic during the closed portion of the July 20 meeting but made no decision, City Attorney Arnold Alvarez-Glasman said at the time.

Discussion on the topic was expected to continue at Monday night's meeting.

Acting Police Chief David Keetle has been heading the department since December following the departure due to retirement of Police Chief Joe Romero.

A proposed agreement between the Downtown Pomona  Owners Association and the Police Department will go to City Council Monday night for approval.

If approved, the department would provide supplemental police patrols service in the downtown area for one year at a cost to the Association of $120,000 a year, according to a city staff report.

The agreement would also include an option to have the arrangement for one year with an increase for services of no more than 5 percent, the report said.

In addition to the supplemental services of the police department, the Association also pays a private security company to provide security service downtown.

The combination of police and private security provide a 24-hour security presence downtown, the report said.

Members of the City Council are expected to designate Councilman Freddie Rodriguez as the city's vice mayor during Monday night's council meeting.

Council members take turns serving as vice mayor for eight months based on a regular schedule, according to a city staff report.

Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa, who holds the title of vice mayor, will turn over the responsibilities to Rodriguez.

Three proposals calling for outsource certain city services will be before City Council members for a vote Monday night.

The proposals focus on contracting park maintenance and landscaping services, contracting for street sweeping services, and contracting building and safety services, according to city staff reports.

During the most recent budgeting process city leaders made cuts that require the city to either contract with companies who will provide services resulting in the layoff of a number of employees or have city staff continue to offer the services but in a scaled back form and requiring the release of some employees.

One proposal calls for awarding park maintenance and landscaping services for three years to Spectrum Care, a company that is already handling some landscaping services for the city, a staff report said.

A public hearing appealing a Planning Commission decision to deny a convenience store a permit to sell beer and wine will be heard by the City Council Monday evening.

Representatives for a 7-Eleven store at 2055 Towne Ave. went before the commission July 20 but the permit was denied.

Residents opposing the issuance of the permit have concerns about the proximity of business to area schools and churches along with presence of a business that has attracted a negative element.

Support said the operator of the 7-Eleven has been a history of running the store responsibly and will not change his method of operating the business if the permit was granted.

Opponents are expected to protest outside the store Sunday afternoon.

A hearing leading to the modification, suspension or revocation of a downtown businessman's conditional use permit will take place at Monday night's City Council meeting.

City representatives have been working for more than a year with property owner Jason Abboud to address concerns involving Angelo's Pizzeria on East Second Street, according to a staff report.

Concerns involve various issues including an increase in requests for police service noticed since the business was granted a liquor license.

The city is also concerned the property owner is running an unauthorized night club at the business and has problems with the large numbers of people gathering there.

Some have also reported scantily dressed go-go dancers have performed at the establishment

Abboud has denied these activities have taken place.

The Police Department's crime prevention unit has moved its office to City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

Crime prevention personnel now have office space on the second floor of City Hall.

Crime prevention hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

The crime prevention unit's number is (909) 620-2318.

A group of 50 employees from Inter Valley Health Plan contributed 155 hours of their time last week during the company's first Employee Community Involvement Week activities.

Employees volunteered at 13 local non-profits organizations including the American Cancer Society Thrift Shop, Community Senior Services, Inland Hospice, Inland Valley Hope Partners and Meals on Wheels, according to a statement from the company.

"We are very proud of our employees for taking such an active role in this week-long initiative," said Inter Valley Health Plan President and CEO Ronald H. Bolding.

"Their volunteer spirit has been contagious and many are now seeking additional opportunities to give back to these wonderful charitable organizations. Because of their positive response, we will most likely bring back this volunteer event next year."

The activity served as a way of assisting the community and to kick off the company's 30th anniversary festivities.

Non-profit organizations were chosen based on need and employee suggestions.

The Inland Valley Humane Society and SPCA announced recently it has added a vehicle dedicated to handling wildlife rescue operations.

The truck will be used strictly to transport and relocate local wildlife that have been injured or trapped, the Humane Society said in a statement.

The truck will be used by the the Humane Society's wildlife officer, William Taber, who has experience responding and investigates wild animal cases.

Aside from being used for animal rescues the truck will also be available at community relations events the Humane Society participates in.

"This new rescue unit is the best thing that could happen to local wildlife...and will truly help IVHS better serve the often forgotten population of wildlife that we must live with every day," Taber said.

The Inland Valley Humane Society and SPCA is a private, non-profit animal welfare organization that offers protection, shelter and medical care to abandoned and injured animals in the region.

Information: info@ivhsspca.org or call (909) 623-9777.

The Police Department has invited residents to attend this month's area commander meeting.

This month's meeting will cover the southwest area of the city which consists of the area west of Garey Avenue and south of Mission Boulevard.

Although the meeting will focus on the southwest quadrant of the city all residents city business people are welcome.

Lt. Paul Hitt, who is responsible for the southwest quadrant, will attend the meeting which is scheduled for 7 to 8:30 p.m., Aug. 11 at City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

Resident can submit questions or concerns in advanced to Hitt by e-mailing them to AreaCommander_Southwest@ci.pomona.ca.us or calling (909) 802-7495.

The next Southwest Area Commander's meeting will begin at 7 p.m., Dec. 8 at City Hall.

POMONA - Students may be enjoying their vacation, but there are people hard at work this summer in public schools.

Workers at the Pomona Unified School District schools are seemingly doing everything from installing air-conditioning systems to putting fresh coats of paint on buildings.

The projects - which vary in complexity - are part of the first phase of improvements paid for by funds from Measure PS, a $235 million bond approved by district voters in November for school modernization.

So far, the work is going smoothly, said Scott Stark, district director of capital facilities.

"We're right on track with all the projects," Stark said.

The goal is to complete the projects before the start of school, he said.

In the case of more intensive projects, plans call for the majority of the work to be completed by the start of the academic year, while detail work will be finished shortly after the start of the academic year, he said.

Campuses that will have reconfigured grades when school begins - such as San Jose and Vejar elementary schools and Fremont and Palomares middle schools - have been spruced up with work such as power-washing exterior brick and paint jobs, Stark said.

Ten schools have had more intensive work and are what district officials refer to as "quick-start projects."

The projects involve landscaping and irrigation system installation, painting, replacement or addition of security fencing, parking lot resurfacing and other work that doesn't require approvals from the Division of the State Architect, Stark said.

Such work has been completed or is taking place at Arroyo, Barfield, Golden Springs, Harrison, Lexington, Philadelphia, Westmont and Yorba elementary schools as well as Marshall and Simons middle schools.

The three most complex projects are at Armstrong, Decker and Lincoln elementary schools, which includes:

• A new cafeteria/multi-purpose room installed at Armstrong.

• Campus restroom improvements at Decker to meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

• Air conditioning system installation, which parents lobbied for, at Lincoln Elementary.

"The truth is we parents are very happy," said Guadalupe Gallegos, a parent of two Lincoln students.

Gallegos is a member of OneLA, a grassroots organization dedicated to addressing matters related to education, schools, housing, public safety and other topics of concern to families.

She and other parents, some of whom are also OneLA members, called for the installation of air conditioning at the school, which for some time has been the only campus with out such equipment.

About eight years ago, parents were told air conditioning would be installed, but that didn't materialize, she said.

More recently, parents worked in collaboration with OneLA and brought the matter to the attention of district leaders, she said.

Parents campaigned for Measure PS knowing its passage was the only way to raise the money needed to pay for such and improvement to the school, Gallegos said.

The addition of the air conditioning system is bound to have an impact on students physically and academically, she said.

"They are going to be studying in better conditions," Gallegos said. "Now they will be able achieve higher academic levels."

Cost for three large projects is about $5 million and about $3.5 million for the "quick-start projects."

Preparations are underway leading up to the creation of a program management plan that will plot out the various district modernization projects for the next two years, Stark said.

Completing all the work needed in Pomona Unified will take 10 years, he said.

The school district is also preparing to apply for what could be as much as $25 million in federal stimulus money for modernization projects, Stark said.

If the district could secure that much federal money, it "is going to make (the bond) money go much further," he said.

The various projects to be completed with Measure PS funds will improve the look of schools and help families feel good about the campuses, said Richard Martinez, district acting chief deputy superintendent.

Residents understand that even though these are difficult financial times, the work that will be carried out with the bond will have a long-term effect on the educational environment of schools, Martinez said.

"No matter what the situation we find ourselves in financially, we still have to make sure our buildings are safe and are capable of handling computers and other equipment" needed to prepare students for the future, he said.

Members of the Pomona Eagles Auxiliary are organizing Taco Night every Monday evening to raise money to support the Pomona Police Department's K-9 program and other charitable work.

Taco Night takes place at the Pomona Eagles Aerie 2215, 954 W. Mission Blvd..

Tacos are $1, burritos $3, beans $1 and tostadas $2.

Information: (909) 622-6210