July 2010 Archives

POMONA - Youth sports groups may be spending less time under the lights of the city's athletic fields in the fall and future seasons.

That is one way youth sports leagues will try to hold down costs after learning the city plans to establish a fee for playing on fields equipped with lighting systems.

"We need to cut back on hours (playing under lights). So we have to get more daylight hours or have to try to schedule Sunday days," said George Bradford, president of Ted Greene Little League.

Bradford was among a small group who addressed the City Council at its July 19 meeting and explained the effect a proposed fee schedule would have on the leagues, young athletes and their families.

City administrators presented the fee concept to the council in June during budget deliberations advising city leaders a proposed fee schedule would be presented for approval at a later date.

The proposal called for an $18 an hour fee to play on city fields with lights. Councilmembers rejected that proposal and asked city staff to develop a revised fee schedule.

By establishing a fee, the city would be able to recover costs associated with lighting fields.

The city pays about $100,000 a year in energy costs associated with lighting fields, said Greg Shapton, the city's library and community services director.

Bradshaw said late last week an $18 an hour fee would cost his league more than $11,200 based on the number of hours his organization used lights during the spring season.

Such a cost would make lighting the biggest expense the league would have to shoulder.

"Our most significant expense will be lights...Forget umpires, uniforms or balls," Bradshaw said.

Creating a lighting fee will mean increasing the fees families pay for their children to play.

Bradshaw told council members Ted Greene Little League charged its athletes a $70 fee for the spring season that recently concluded.

An $18 an hour fee for lights would push up the registration fees to $120 or $130 making it difficult for parents to pay such costs, he said.

Bradshaw's league allows children who are unable to pay the fees to play but that means those who can pay will subsidize the costs of the approximately 20 percent who can't.

Paul Ayala, president of Pomona American Little League, said his organization would also have to increase its fees.

"We're going to lose some kids because we will have to charge $35 more," Ayala said.

Lighting fees will mean having to eliminate incentives offered to athletes as rewards for prompt fund raising and buying smaller and less expensive awards that are presented at the end of the season, he said.

Both Bradshaw and Ayala said they understand the situation the city is in and that there is no simple solution to the problem.

However, both men said the city must also look at charging others for using lights at sports facilities, such as tennis courts, instead of only focusing on leagues.

Another concern is that had the leagues known earlier what fees would be sought, they would have warned parents before the end of the season of a likely fee increase.

During last week's meeting council members asked city staff to apply for grants and that leagues seek sponsors to help off set the cost of fees.

Mayor Elliott Rothman asked staff to look into finding ways of making lighting systems more energy-efficient in order to reduce costs.

Councilman Tim Saunders said sports are "taking our kids off the streets" but the effects of the $18 fee could result in them leaving organized sports and expose them to negative activities.

Councilwoman Paula Lantz said that although council members were aware a fee was in the works "I don't think any of us realized what the actual amount" would be.

Council member sent the proposal back to staff to be reworked.

The matter was presented to members of the Youth Sports Council, which is made up of the heads of the various youth leagues in the city on Wednesday evening.

The sports council will have an opportunity to help craft a new fee proposal that will then be forwarded to the city's Parks and Recreation Commission before being presented to the City Council, said Ilona Arends, community services manager.

A new proposal could go to the City Council as early as September.

Rothman said Friday that because most sports teams are in between seasons at this time lighting costs should be minimal. But this lull presents an opportunity to develop a plan to improve energy efficiency of lighting systems and find programs to reduce energy cost so residents don't have to pay fees.

Travel back in time and get a taste of the early 1960s through director George Lucas' classic film, "American Graffiti."

The Friends of the Pomona Fox will offer a screening of the film at 6 p.m. Sunday (July 25) at the Pomona Fox Theater, at Garey Avenue and Third Street.

Guests will also have an opportunity to see some classic cars from the period represented in the film.

The Friends have invited a number of car clubs and owners of period automobiles including the Diamond Bar couple which owns the 1956 Thunderbird that actress Suzanne Somers drives in the film.

The couple will attend the event, and the car will be on display Sunday.

Numerous actors and actresses participated in "American Graffiti" and went on to become important members of the entertainment industry including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfus, Harrison Ford, Suzanne Somers, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and others.

Popcorn, soft drinks and candy will be sold at the snack bar.

Hot food and alcoholic beverages will be available at the restaurant "Drink," which is adjacent to the theater.

Tickets to the event are $3 for adults, $2 for children 12 and under.

Group ticket sales will be available via PayPal. A $1 convenience fee is charged with every transaction.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with the film starting at 6 p.m.

Local horse racing fans will want to pay attention to Saturday's (July 24) seventh race at Del Mar Race Track.

Of the 11 horses in the race for 2-year-olds, seven where sold this year at Barretts Equine Ltd. located on the grounds of Fairplex, according to a statement from Fairplex.

Taking part in the race will be Red Sharp Humor, Clubhouse Ride, Rock So Hard, Palio Prince, The Phenom, Purgestein and Just Imagine.

Barretts auctions have been taking place since 1990, the statement said.

Statistics show that horses sold at Barretts "account for nearly one out of every five starts at all thoroughbred racetracks in California," the statement said.

The 2010 Kentucky Derby included Make Music for Me, sold at the Barretts Equine Limited's 2009 March sale, the statement said.

Awesome Gem won the recent Hollywood Gold Cup, the statement said.

The next Barretts hosts four sales annual with the next event, the Yearling Sale, scheduled for Oct. 12 and 13.

Information on Barretts is available at www.barretts.com.

Council members this week approved on a 5-2 vote to increase parking fees in lots run by the city's Vehicle Parking District.

Mayor Elliott Rothman and Councilman Tim Saunders voted in opposition.

The fees are expected to go into effect Sept. 1.

The fee schedule:

- On-street Metrolink parking daily fee will go from no fee to $3

- Monthly off-street Vehicle Parking District Metrolink parking permit would go from no fee to $40

- On-street meter parking in front of the courts building on Mission Boulevard would be established and set at $1.50 an hour

- Off-street Vehicle Parking District monthly parking permits for specific lots would go from $15 to $20

- Off-street Vehicle Parking District monthly parking for non-specific lots would go from $25 to $30

- Off-street Western University monthly leases would go from $15 to $20

- Off-street 24 hour residential permits for non-specific lots would go from no fee to $10 a month

- Daily off-street Vehicle Parking District permits would go from $1.50 to $2

A parking study was carried out three years ago that showed Vehicle Parking District fees were low and could be increased, according to a city staff report.

The Board of Parking Place Commissioners voted last year to increase the rates as recommended by the study but various downtown groups raised concerns about the the rates.

Following work with the various groups, a new fee proposal was created.

Commissioners rescinded their 2009 action in May and then approved the new proposed fee schedule which was then forwarded to the City Council for approval.

An agreement between the Pomona Unified School District and the city for the use of canine and handler teams was approved by the City Council this week.

Through the agreement, the district can request a K-9 team to do a "periodic, random and unannounced" inspection.

Inspections would be intended to detect contraband on "student vehicles or objects, district-issued equipment and vehicles and other unattended objects in public areas," according to a city staff report.

Police dogs can "sniff the area around such objects on or adjacent to district grounds as long as they are not allowed to sniff within the close proximity of any student's person," the staff report said.

If a dog signals it has found a banned substance or object a district employee will carry out a search of the objects or equipment, the staff report said.

Such a service will be carried out at no cost to the district until June 30, 2013, the staff report said.

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center's annual Kids Health Fair is a week away.

The fair is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 31 at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center's Family Health Center, 1770 N. Orange Grove Ave.

Free immunizations and health screenings will be offered for young people from the age of 2 months to 18 years.

Parents or legal guardians of the children participating should come prepared to the fair and have the children's immunization records.

Immunizations are provided through the Vaccine for Children Program.

Vision and hearing screenings along with health reviews and referrals will be offered as part of the event.

The first 300 children can also have their photograph and fingerprints taken for free.

For additional information on Kids Health Fair call (909) 865-9129.

Ever wonder if the colorful vase in the attic is a collectible or what the value of an old clock purchased at a garage sale might be?

Tips on how to determine the value of such items will be offered at 2 p.m. July 31 at the Pomona Public Library, 625 S. Garey Ave.

Certified appraiser Thomas Ahern will discuss antiques and collectibles.

Ahern will also offer guests information on evaluating a personal collection.

The program will be offered in the library's public conference room.

The Pomona Public Library Adult Summer Reading Program continues and along with it the Film and Book Discussion Series.

As part of the series, sponsored by the Friends of the Pomona Public Library and the California Center for the Book, participants will be able to enjoy a film and then take part in a discussion of the book on which it was based.

The film screenings begin at 2 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 505 S. Garey Ave., which is a short walk from the library.

A limited number of books are available for those interested in taking part in the series.

To obtain a copy of a book visit or call the Pomona Public Library reference desk at 909-620-2043, ext. 2701.

The film screenings are open to all members of the public.

The film schedule is as follows:

- "Emma" by Jane Austen will be screened Monday (July 26).

- "Clueless" will be screen Aug. 2.

- "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri will screen Aug 9.

The work of graduates of Western University of Health Sciences' College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific providing care to those in primary care and providing care to those in underserved communities has earned the university recognition.

Western's College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific has been ranked No. 1 in California and 21st in the nation in social mission by a specialized medical publication, the university announced this week.

"The Social Mission of Medical Education: Ranking the Schools," published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine, ranks the college 21st overall, making it the the highest ranked U.S. osteopathic medical school, the statement said.

The college was also ranked at the very top in California by the publication.

"It is with great pride and a sense of commitment that Western University, an institution founded in 1977, is recognized amongst a cadre of prominent and historic universities as a leader in meeting our professed mission to serve society by providing culturally sensitive, primary care providers to America's underserved populations," Dr. Clint Adams, dean of the college, said in a statement.

"In our commitment to our osteopathic educational philosophy, we have created an educational continuum that focuses on a holistic approach to treating patients as individuals, incorporating the latest in scientific principles and technology.

"We never forget the necessity of touching patients in the process of achieving a diagnosis, and this appears to be a primary driver that results in graduates who both desire and enjoy a primary care mission," Adams said.

The composite social mission score is a combination of the percentage of an institution's graduates who practice primary care, work in health professional shortage areas, and are underrepresented minorities, the statement said.

Oregon Health and Science University, home to the future College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, was ranked 11th, the statement said.

The Annals of Internal Medicine analysis was performed using data on graduates from 1999 to 2001, the statement said.

This time span allowed those conducting the study to see the location and specialty areas graduates have been working in, the statement said.

Inland Valley Hope Partners is encouraging businesses, church groups and others to tap into their resources and help needy children get ready for school.

Families struggling financially are also finding it difficult to provide their children the supplies they will need for school.

Inland Valley Hope Partners is suggesting groups organize school supply collection drives with the materials donated to the Partners for distribution to needy families.

The organization needs donations of pens, No. 2 pencils, 3-ring binders, packages of loose-leaf paper and copy paper, boxes of colored pencils, spiral notebooks, planners, highlighters, index cards, folders with pockets, calculators and backpacks.

For additional information contact Fran Robertson at Inland Valley Hope Partners by e-mail at franr@hope-partners.com or phone her at 909-622-3806, ext. 231.

The Rotary Club of Pomona recently elected Rosanne Bader as president for 2010-2012.

Member Gary Kay will serve as president-elect of the service group and Carol Wilt will serve as president-elect designee.

Holding other offices within the group are Hue Banh, Bernie Bernstein, Bill Roman, Beth Brooks, Daniel Thomas, Tami Farley, John Eckeard, Clive Houston-Brown, Beth Bingham, Joe Romero and Darren Krohn.

Bader recently attended the Rotary International Conference in Montreal, Canada.

She is an elected member of the Mt. San Antonio College Board of Trustees and serves on the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Board of Directors as well as other organizations.

Bader is a former teacher and principal in the Pomona Unified School District.

The Rotary Club of Pomona meets at noon Tuesdays at the Sheraton Suites Fairplex and focuses on carrying out service projects at the local and international level.

The Pomona Police Department is inviting Pomona's Neighborhood Watch groups to take part in its "National Night Out Celebration."

Activities are scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 3 in the Civic Center Plaza found next to City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

Activities will include games for children, a drawing, demonstrations.

Part of the goal of National Night Out is to send a message from residents to criminals that says residents will not tolerate crime and will organize against it.

For information on the event contact the Pomona Police Department Crime Prevention Office at 909-620-2318.

For the third consecutive year Pomona has been awarded a grant to host The Big Read activities this fall, the Pomona Public Library announced this week.

The Big Read brings communities together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 31 works from United States and world literature, according to information from the National Endowment for the Arts which promotes and supports The Big Read along with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

Pomona's selection for The Big Read this year will be Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451."

A series of activities are being planned for the fall.

Residents of the 61st Assembly District are invited to meet today with Assemblywoman Norma Torres and talk about concerns and legislative matters affecting their communities or the state.

Torres will speak with constituents at today's Capitol in Your Corner gathering from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Preserve Community Center, 15800 Main St. in Chino.

Torres, D-Ontario, represents Chino, Montclair, Ontario and Pomona.

Torres' website can be accessed by going to http://www.asm.ca.gov/torres.

The three-day Tattoo and Body Art Expo at Fairplex continues today (Sat. 7/17)and Sunday at Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave.

The event draws tattoo artists along with those interested in body art.

Entertainment, contests and other activities are part of the event.

One-day tickets are $22 and $25. Weekend passes are $45. Children 10 years and younger are admitted for free with an adult.

The Expo will take place at Fairplex Building 4. Parking is available at Blue Gate 9 on White Ave.

Info is available at www.bodyartexpo.com

A proposal calling for setting a fee for using sport fields with lighting will go before the City Council Monday night.

Prior to voting on the matter the council will hold a public hearing on the topic.

The open portion of the meeting begins at 6:45 p.m. at City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

The proposal calls for charging all sports groups a fee of $18 per hour to have lighting while using the city's natural turf fields and the artificial turf fields at Veterans Park west of the 71 Freeway, near Mission Boulevard, a city staff report said.

The fee will cover the cost of lighting the fields along with the maintenance of the lighting systems and the computerized system used to monitor the systems, the report said.

Members of the city administration this spring suggested setting the fee in order to offset the energy costs associated with lighting fields.

Each year the city spends about $100,000 to light its sports fields which are used for soccer, baseball, softball and football, the report said.

The suggestion was presented during budget discussions this spring.

A proposal to increase parking fees in lots controlled by the city's Vehicle Parking District will be on Monday (July 19) night's City Council agenda.

Prior to voting on the proposal, City Council members will hold a public hearing on the matter.

The hearing will take place during the open portion of the meeting which begins at 6:45 p.m. in City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

The proposal calls for increasing fees:

- On-street Metrolink parking daily fee would go from no fee to $3.

- Monthly off-street Vehicle Parking District Metrolink parking permit would go from no fee to $40

- On-street meter parking in front of the courts building on Mission Boulevard would be established and set at $1.50 an hour

- Off-street Vehicle Parking District monthly parking permits for specific lots would go from $15 to $20

- Off-street Vehicle Parking District monthly parking for non-specific lots would go from $25 to $30

- Off-street Western University monthly leases would go from $15 to $20

- Off-street 24-hour residential permits for non-specific lots would go from no fee to $10 a month

- Daily off-street Vehicle Parking District permits would go from $1.50 to $2.

Three years ago a parking study was carried out that said Vehicle Parking District parking fees were low and could be increased, according to a city staff report.

In July 2009 the Board of Parking Place Commissioners voted to increase the rates as recommended by the study but various downtown groups expressed concern with the rates.

After working with the groups, a new fee schedule was developed.

In May the commissioners rescinded their 2009 action and approved the new fee schedule and forwarded it to the City Council for approval.

Should the council approve the fees they would go into effect Sept. 1, the report said.

Online registration for Mt. San Antonio College's fall semester credit classes begins (July 19) Monday. Classes begin on Aug. 23, the college announced recently.

New and continuing credit students must register for classes online at my.mtsac.edu. New students must also submit an application for admission which is available online.

Students who do not have access to computers can use computers at the Student Services Center during business hours.

The Admissions Office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

New students are required to activate personal Mt. SAC portal accounts at the same website before they can register. The accounts provide students with registration information for classes.

New students are also required to contact the counseling department to sign up for a required orientation session before registering for classes. For more information about required orientation sessions, call the Mt. SAC counseling department at 909-274-4380.

For more registration information, visit www.mtsac.edu or call the Mt. SAC admissions and records office at 909-274-4415.

Travel back in time and get a taste of the early 1960s through director George Lucas' classic film, "American Graffiti."

The Friends of the Pomona Fox will offer a screening of the film at 6 p.m. July 25 at the Pomona Fox Theater which is on the southwest corner of Garey Avenue and Third Street in downtown.

In addition to the film the Friends have invited a number of car clubs.

Among those attending will be a Diamond Bar couple that owns the 1956 Ford Thunderbird actress Suzanne Somers drives in the film. The car will be on display as part of the film screening.

Numerous actors and actresses participated in "American Graffiti" who went on to become important members of the entertainment industry including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfus, Harrison Ford, Suzanne Somers, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark and Mackenzie Phillips.

Popcorn, soft drinks and candy will be sold at the snack bar.

Hot food and alcoholic beverages will be available at the restaurant "Drink," which is adjacent to the theater, before, during, and after the film.

Tickets to the event are $3 for adults, $2 for children age 12 and under.

Group ticket sales will be available via PayPal. A $1 convenience fee is charged with every transaction.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with the film starting at 6.

Cal Poly Pomona engineering students will soon be designing low-cost and socially responsible project with the help of a grant from the Motorola Foundation, the university announced recently.

This is the first time the university has been awarded an Innovation Generation grant from the foundation, Professor Jawaharlal "Jawa" Mariappan said in a university statement.

Mariappan wrote the proposal that earned the university a $26,000 grant.

"Students will be involved in truly engaging projects," Mariappan said. "An example might be an assistive device for the physically or mentally challenged. Completed projects will be displayed and presented next year at the College of Engineering's Showcase of Excellence."

The grant will be used to build prototypes, enter competitions, create videos, travel to conferences and seminars, and visit partner sites for data collection, the statement said.

Cal Poly student will be able to apply for grant funds. Engineering students with ideas for collaborative projects with students from other colleges, particularly with business students, are encouraged to apply. For more information on submitting project proposals contact Mariappan at jmariappan@csupomona.edu.

Pomona resident Nancy Haro is one of 30 college students taking part in an eight-week internship in Washington, D.C. offered by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Haro, a math and English major at Swarthmore College, is serving in the office of Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs.

During an eight-week period extending from June to August Haro's responsibilities include legislative research, monitoring hearings, working with constituents and other matters, according to a statement from the Institute.

Interns in the program also participate in weekly leadership development session organized by the Institute and take part in policy discussions with representatives of major corporations, national elected officials and dignitaries from foreign countries.

"I know that this internship will be a great opportunity for me to grow in various ways," Haro said in the statement.

"Supporting leadership development initiatives such as the (Institute's) Congressional Internship Program allows Hyundai to fulfill part of its diversity mission to improve the lives and communities in which we do business" said Walter Rodriguez, manager of diversity and community relations for Hyundai Motor America, which sponsors the program.

"The skills that Ms. Haro will learn and acquire during her internship will undoubtedly prepare her to be the next generation of Hispanic leaders. We look forward to her successful career and future accomplishments for the Latino community," Rodriguez said.

"This year's summer interns represent the most diverse class we've ever had at (the Institute)," said Esther Aguilera, president and chief executive officer of the Institute.

The Institute "is committed to providing unmatched public policy experience and leadership training for Hispanic youth to develop and strengthen the civic dedication of talented Hispanic professionals and our nation's future leaders," Aguilera said.

POMONA - The Pomona Police Department serves the city at a cost of about $36 million and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says it can do it for about $32.5 million.

The Sheriff's Department says it can do the job for less money and provide better service.

"This is a lot more coverage than they've been getting in the last five years," said Capt. Bruce Fogarty of the Sheriff's Contract Law Enforcement Bureau. "This would be a good public safety programs for the city of Pomona."

There are doubters including members of One LA, a grass-roots organization that focuses on issues of concern to families including schools, jobs and public safety.

"We have some serious doubts" about the Sheriff's Department analysis, said the Rev. Julie Roberts-Fronk, a One LA leader and a minister at First Christian Church of Pomona.

City Council members in April directed City Manager Linda Lowry to request an estimate for law enforcement services from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The city has cut staff, downsized programs and outsourced some services over the past two years.

City Council members cannot make a decision to dismantle the Police Department. The city's charter states such a decision requires the approval of the city's electorate.

Pomona administrators have until Aug. 6 to submit documentation to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to have a measure placed on the Nov. 2 election ballot, according to a city staff report.

A report on the Sheriff's Department analysis is not expected to go to the City Council until early August.

City administrators have questions about the analysis and have turned the estimate over to a consultant who will go through it in an effort to come up with a comparison of both departments, said Mark Gluba, assistant to the city manager.

"We need someone to look at this, the service levels and the cost proposed by the Sheriff's Department," Gluba said.

The estimate does not make any mention of start-up costs that may be involved if the city contracted with the Sheriff's Department, he said.

Among the questions city administrators have is the way the Sheriff's Department calculates service in terms of a "deputy sheriff service unit."

Under the Sheriff's Department system the deputy, his replacements when he's off duty, along with the costs of maintaining his patrol car, fuel and clerical staff and all the people and resources he needs to help him carry out his work, are built into the service unit, Fogarty said.

"We're still trying to figure out how many people they put on the street," Police Chief Dave Keetle said. "They count man-hours, not people."

Sheriff's Department representatives say the estimate was developed with information from the city, visits to the city and crime statistics.

"We're trying to get a real picture of the city," Fogarty said.

However, Fogarty said his department didn't have all the information it needed to provide the city with a more accurate comparison of what the city provides now and what the county would provide because it lacked information including the actual number of Pomona Police officers working a shift.

Kettle said the city was cooperative with the Sheriff's Department and provided all information requested.

"I had a list from the city manager's office," Keetle said. "I provided everything."

Among the things Keetle provided was the department's patrol roster and, as requested, time sheets for a busy week.

Included with the information were about 700 pages of time-sheets for sworn and non-sworn personnel, Keetle said.

The county estimates it would provide services to Pomona with 191 sworn personnel.

The city, following recent budget cuts, will do so with more than 150. Two years ago, prior to the start of deep cost cutting, Pomona had 200 sworn officers.

The sheriff's estimate covers what it calls enhanced services including traffic enforcement; a special problems team to address issues such as auto theft, graffiti and vandalism; gang teams, and some deputies to handle youth services and community programs.

Not all cities purchase those services, but given Pomona's needs it would be wise for the city to do so, Sheriff's Department representatives said.

The department has many other programs such as K-9 programs and helicopters services that the city could access without cost in an emergency, Fogarty said.

However, if the city wanted to have a K-9 team as part of the services it contracts for or a certain number of helicopter patrol hours, it would cost the city extra, he said.

Pomona now has its own K-9 unit and its own helicopter.

While the city would have some detectives stationed in Pomona to investigate property crimes and some crimes against persons such as batteries, homicide cases would be investigated by the Sheriff's Department unit based in Commerce, which handles homicides across the county, Fogarty said.

The estimate, also referred to as a Phase I study, does not include an assessment of Pomona police resources such as its building, fleet, radio system or what police personnel might be transferred to the Sheriff's Department, said Sgt. Mike Mangen of the Sheriff's Contract Law Enforcement Bureau.

Such a review would be part of a phase II study and is usually done when a city is giving serious consideration to contracting with the county for law enforcement service. The study has an estimated cost of about $25,000, a fee that would be waived if the city chose to go the Sheriff's Department, Mangen said.

The fee goes to offset the costs of doing what is an extensive analysis that takes three to six months to complete, he said.

As part of the estimate, Sheriff's Department personnel looked at Pomona's radio system at the city's request but no evaluations were made, Fogarty said.

Keetle said Pomona's radio system is a significant matter. The $6 million digital system purchased during the tenure of retired Chief James Lewis is part of a network involving several Los Angeles County cities.

The system has considerable range and was designed to facilitate communication among multiple public safety agencies in emergencies.

The county uses an analog system and is working on developing a digital system, but for now the city's radio system and the county's are not compatible, the estimate said.

A county system is still five to six years from being in place and will cost well into the hundreds of millions of dollars, Keetle said.

Even though Pomona has an up-to-date system it may still have to pay $3 million to $9 million for the county's future system, he said.

It's matters such as the communication system and others that raise the concerns of One LA members who have gone through the estimate.

Pomona has a better radio system now, Roberts-Fronk said, but could have to give it up for something that's not as good to have compatibility with the county.

"We're going to have to take three steps back," she said.

One LA also has concerns about the Sheriff's Department rotation of personnel. The frequent movement of personnel makes it difficult to establish long-term relationship between law enforcement and community members, relationships needed to address crime and quality-of-life issues, Roberts-Fronk said.

On the surface it may look like Pomona could save money by going to the Sheriff's Department but the start-up costs are likely to be significant, she said.

"It could take about three years to start seeing a savings cost," Roberts-Fronk said.

Members of the Pomona Police Management Association also have questions about the estimate.

As it is now the information from the Sheriff's Department does not offer a complete idea of what it would provide, said Lt. Ray Mansfield, association president.

"It's not a complete picture for anyone looking to make an informed decision at this time," Mansfield said.

The report lacks details as to how many of the deputies assigned to Pomona would work only the city, or if some assigned to a Pomona station but would work in neighboring areas served by the Sheriff's Department.

As it is now "all of the officers that wear a Pomona police patch only work in Pomona," Mansfield said.

Fogarty said under the Sheriff's Department a Pomona sheriff's station would serve no other city. It's possible it would house some deputies assigned to unincorporated county areas nearby but there are few of those areas near Pomona, Fogarty said.

Mansfield said without more detailed information, a fair comparison of the two departments can't be made.

POMONA - While some students are enjoying the summer, a small group of graduate level students are approaching their first month in a new intensive, one-year program at Western University of Health Science.

The group of 25 students makes up the charter class in the university's master of science in medical sciences offered through its Graduate College of Biomedical Science.

The program is designed to prepare students for admission into various health careers, said Jodi Olson, director of the program.

Most students have a science background, but some may not have the type of science courses professional schools would like applicants to have to gain admission to their programs, she said.

Others have the courses but juggled college and jobs along with other responsibilities and need a little extra preparation before they can apply to a medical school or other health career programs, Olson said.

In either case "the goal of the program is to try to bring students to medicine," she said.

Students in the new program "have strong records of (community) involvement and volunteerism in medicine both domestically and in foreign countries," Olson said.

But they may need to polish up some of their learning or time management skills, "things they should have picked up in college or did but did not perfect," she said. These students are not far from perfecting the skills that will make them assets in a health career of their choice.

Some of the students come from communities that have been medically underserved and could be interested providing care to such communities as health professionals.

"They may feel a drive to return to their communities or communities like them," Olson said.

Programs such as Western University's are not new, said Henry Sondheimer, a physician and senior director of student affairs for the Association of the American Medical Colleges.

A number of educational institutions have similar post baccalaureate programs. Some are aimed at preparing underrepresented students or attracting students from underserved areas while others are meant to prepare students who may have completed undergraduate educational training with emphases in areas unrelated to medicine.

In Western University's case "they're really doing both," Sondheimer said.

"They're looking to serve some need," he said. "I think that's terrific."

Such programs can help someone who, after entering a career, realizes his calling is in the medical field and he needs additional preparation to enter medical school, Sondheimer said.

Among the students at Western University is Mesharee Franklin, who earned a bachelor's degree in biological science with an emphasis in biochemistry and molecular biology from UC Merced. Aside from her academic work, she has done plenty of volunteer work in a hospital setting.

Franklin said her work in the new program is going to help her improve her grade-point average and give her an opportunity to continue to develop at the same time she is already being exposed to the rigors of medical school training.

"This will help me get into medical school and will increase my portfolio," said the Chino Hills resident who grew up in Oakland.

Rachelle Torres of Rancho Cucamonga graduated with a degree in philosophy from UC Riverside with a goal of attending medical school after graduation.

"The plan was to go straight to medical school," she said. But "I didn't have enough upper division science courses, so I opted for this."

With the intense courses she's taking, Torres said she'll show she's ready for medical school.

"Now there can be no doubt," she said.

Pomona resident Khanh Chau, who is originally from San Jose, would like to attend dental school. He earned a bachelor's degree in biological sciences at UC Davis.

"I'm hoping to get experience not only in class but build more confidence in my communication skills and professional skills," Chau said.

Those heading the program are eager to help students, he said.

"They want you to succeed, and I want to succeed," he said.

POMONA - A decision on whether to place a parcel tax measure before voters in the Pomona Unified School District in November has been postponed for at least two weeks.

The item was pulled off Wednesday's Board of Education agenda after a district lawyer determined a public hearing on the item had not been properly noticed, Superintendent Richard Martinez said.

The district had inadvertently failed to publish a notice in a local paper that the hearing would take place, but arrangements were being made to have an announcement published by Monday at the latest and schedule a school board meeting for early August, Martinez said.

The district has until Aug. 6 to submit documentation to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office to get the proposal on the fall ballot, Martinez said.

During Wednesday's meeting, Associated Pomona Teachers President Tyra Weis told board members the district should include language in the ballot measure that states money raised through a parcel tax would not be used to pay administrator salaries or consultants.

"If they add those two, teachers are more likely to support it," Weis said.

Board President Richard Rodriguez said after the meeting that the changes Associated Pomona Teachers requested are workable.

"I think we can support that," he said.

"We need them. They're members really get out there," Rodriguez said referring to the campaigning efforts of the teachers group.

"We certainly hope our employees unions will back us."

In November 2008, Associated Pomona Teachers supported Measure PC. The voter approved bond measure raised $235 millions for renovations and upgrades to district schools.

The proposed parcel tax would be used to pay for academic programs, along with counseling, library services, health services, athletics, visual and performing arts as well as teachers offering those.

Passing the proposed measure would require the approval of a two-thirds majority of district voters.

It approved, property owners would pay $98 per parcel annually for four years.

A parcel tax is levied on any property that is assessed by the Los Angeles County tax collector.

Multi-family residential properties with two to four units would pay $196 a year, according to district information.

Multi-family residential properties with five or more units would pay $490 a year.

Carla Quezada, a representative of the Pomona chapter of California School Employees Association, told board members that if they places a parcel tax on the ballot "We will review it and then take a position," she said.

District leaders received information from a consultant some time ago on parcel taxes, Rodriguez said.

"He told us many other districts are trying to do this," Rodriguez said.

The consultant, San Francisco-based Dale Scott & Company, conducted a poll that showed voters are willing to support a parcel tax, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said district voters may be willing to support a parcel tax because they are aware of the cuts the district has had to make and the threats to other valuable programs.

Getting voters to support such a proposal may require some work.

"There could be some difficulties," Rodriguez said. "But I think it's worth a try and being positive about it."

POMONA - A proposal to place a parcel tax on the Nov. 2 ballot will go before the school board tonight (July 14).

If the Pomona Unified board decides to place the matter on the ballot, then it will be up to the district voters in Pomona and part of Diamond Bar to decide if they wish to tax themselves.

The proposal would require the approval of two-thirds of those voting to raise about $4million annually for four years.

"We would basically be using (the funding) across the system," said Superintendent Richard Martinez said.

That would include programs that frequently are threatened when the district has to make cuts, he said.

In addition to academic programs, funds would go to counseling, library, health services, athletics and visual and performing arts.

Several of those programs "are areas we go to first because they are away from the classroom but are much needed areas of support," Martinez said.

If voters were to approve the parcel tax, the $4 million it would generate wouldn't be nearly enough to address all of the district's needs nor would it make up for the funds lost in the past, the current year or the future, officials said.

The school district will probably have to make $11 million in cuts in the 2011-2012 school year budget and another $33 million for the 2012-2013 year budget, Martinez said.

However, the parcel tax money would provide some dollars for valuable programs and the teachers who teach in them, he said.

"We're just looking for a bridge to get us through this period," he said.

If voters approve the measure, property owners would pay $98 per parcel annually for four years.

A parcel tax is levied on any property that is assessed by Los Angeles County tax collector and collected through the property tax bill.

Multi-family residential properties with two to four units would pay $196 a year, according to the proposed measure.

Multi-family residential properties with five or more units would pay $490 annually.

With the help of a consultant, the school district carried out a survey at the end of May and early June that showed voters would be willing to support a parcel tax, Martinez said.

Something that seemed to appeal to those polled is that the money from a parcel tax cannot be taken by the state, said Leslie Barnes, assistant superintendent of business services and chief financial officer.

"They want to help education, and they want to help in their own community," Barnes said.

Should the school board decide to put the measure on the November ballot, then members of the Associated Pomona Teachers board of directors will review the matter and determine whether to support it, said Tyra Weis, president of the organization, also referred as APT.

When the school board placed Measure PS on the November 2008 ballot, APT supported the bond measure approved by voters to raise $235 million to carry out renovations at district schools.

At the time, APT worked in partnership with parents, the district and the grassroots organization OneLA. Together the groups walked door-to-door speaking to voters about the benefits of approving the measure, Weis said.

Such a tax "helps retain qualified teachers," she said. In the case of Pomona Unified's proposal "it's short term - wouldn't go on for 20 or 30 years."

More importantly, such a tax benefits students, Weis said.

In California a number of districts, especially in the Bay Area, have turned to parcel taxes to raise funds for education, said Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

In the June election, nine school districts, six from the Bay Area, one from the Central Valley and two from Southern California had parcel taxes on the ballot, according to information from CaliforniaCityFinance.com.

All six of the Bay Area district measures were approved. The other three, including Los Angeles Unified School District's, failed.

Local governments, including school districts, must understand "the reason they don't have money is because we don't have money," Vosburgh said.

Vosburgh said the association generally doesn't take a position on such taxes.

"We think that's a decision left to the locals depending upon the circumstances," he said.

What voters should do is study the measure and ask themselves some questions including "is the administration going to provide good value for their taxes? Is it a fair tax?" he asked.

POMONA -- Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center this week
informed close to 300 of its employees they will have their work
hours reduced or be laid off in part due to a drop in patients.

There will be about 180 layoffs and another roughly 100 workers will
have their hours cut.

A total of 349 positions at all levels will be affected, some as
early as Monday, said Kathy Roche, hospital spokeswoman. Of the 349
positions, 163 full-time equivalent positions are currently vacant.

Hospital president and chief executive officer Richard Yochum said in
the 32 years he has been with the medical institution, such a drastic
step had never been required.

"We tried to avoid layoffs altogether," he said.

However, "we have no other alternative. Our (patient) volume is
down," Yochum said.

The hospital has had some layoffs in the past. Fewer than five were
laid off in 2004, and in 2000 there were 64 voluntary layoffs, Roche
said.

Like other industries, hospitals are being affected by the downturn
in the economy, Yochum said.

In 2009 the hospital had operating revenue totaling $416 million, a
loss of more than $3.63 million, Roche said.

Revenues for the last six months have continued to be down with the
hospital losing $1.5 million to $2 million per month, she said.

The decline in patient volume was first noticed in the fourth quarter
of last year.

Steps were taken to reduce costs including freezing management
salaries, implementing a partial hiring freeze and negotiating the
best possible prices with vendors.

Management thought California hospitals would receive some state and
federal funding that in Pomona Valley's case could help carry it
through the end of the year, but those dollars did not materialize,
Yochum said.

"By the end of May, the beginning of June, it became clear there were
no other alternatives," Yochum said.

The drop in patients is attributed to a number of factors -- one being
that families are holding off on having children.

"Our birth rate is way down," Yochum said.
In recent years the number of babies delivered at the hospital has
ranged from the high 7,000s to the low 8,000s.

"Now we'll probably barely reach 6,000," he said.

Former patients have lost jobs and are unable to pay bills, while
others have postponed elective surgical procedures.

The number of indigent patients coming to the hospital's emergency
room seeking medical care is increasing as is the number of patients
seeking charity care, Roche said. And patients are seeking medical
care when they are more ill than in the past.

Add to those problems with state and federal funding
reimbursements for Medi-Cal and Medicare patients, she said.

"We'll get the payment but it's delayed or is less than what was
anticipated," Roche said.

As a result of the economic downturn the hospital has also suspended
plans to carry out a multi-phase expansion that was expected to cost
more than $800 million.

Groundbreaking for the initial phase of the project was expected to
take place late this year or early in 2011.

"We have a commitment to our community and patients but there is not
a need for additional beds" at this time, Roche said.

A large part of the hospital's growth was connected to the region's
growth and the boom in housing construction, and "we all know that
has stopped," Yochum said.

The hospital will eliminate some programs and services such as the
transitional care unit. The unit, which will close in about 30 days,
currently prepares some patients before they go home or to a skilled
nursing facility. It provides services such as occupational or
physical therapy services that will make a patient better able to
navigate the next step in his recovery, Roche said.

Those patients will now be accommodated on the hospital's
medical-surgical floors or could go to medical facilities within the
community that can provide such care, Roche said.

Whether additional layoff and reductions in hours will be needed is
hard to say, Yochum said.

"We're expecting this will adjust our expenses more in line with our
volume of patients," he said. "I don't expect we'll have to do more."

Yochum said the hospital will continue to provide the best possible
care to patients, meet required nurse-to-patient ratios and be
available to serve the community's needs.

"Whether now or in the foreseeable future, (patients) will
continue to receive the same level of safe, high quality care," Roche
said. "Patient care will be of the same caliber we have provided for
the past 107 years. Patient care will not be compromised in any way."

Although it's trying to hold down costs, the hospital continues
to invest in technology that allows patients to undergo less invasive
treatment and shortens their hospital stays, and that improves the
quality of care.

The cuts are a concern to the nurses who are members of the Service
Employees International Union local 121 RN.

"We are deeply concerned and the loss of even one nurse is
devastating to us. Our main concern yesterday, today and tomorrow is
patient safety. We are extremely concerned and are fighting for every
job," said Jeannie King, an intensive care nurse at the hospital who
is also vice president of the local, in a statement.

San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland has also felt the effects of
the economic downturn.

"Our volume is also down about 5 percent this year," said Jaynie
Boren, vice president of planning and business development at the
hospital.

In March the hospital implemented a cost restructuring plan and cut
out about $1 million in expenses, Boren said.

The hospital reduced about 100 positions and laid off 17 people.

"But even that is significant to the people affected," Boren said.

The hospital has postponed some projects but continued forward with
others such as the expansion of its emergency room.

All around the state hospitals are feeling the effects of
the low and delayed reimbursements associated with state and
federally funded health programs, said Jan Emerson, vice president of
external affairs at the California Hospital Association.

Those problems are now being compounded due to the poor economy.

"Half of the hospitals in California are currently operating in the
red," she said, adding that last year California hospitals lost $12.2
billion in uncompensated care.

In Southern California 56 percent of hospitals that have emergency
rooms are operating in the red with negative margins of 5 percent,
said Jim Lott, executive vice president of the Hospital Association
of Southern California.

The pressure on hospitals grows as others have to close their doors
due to financial strain, Emerson said.

That leaves fewer hospital to take care of a population that is not
only growing but also aging, she said.

Hospitals in the last few months have found themselves taking steps
such as cutting programs or laying off employees, Emerson said.

POMONA - Resident Vernon Price and a group of supporters are about to begin an effort to change the way city voters elected council members.

As it is now voters only elect a resident of their district to represent them on the council.

Price said council members should represent districts but should also be elected at-large by all city voters.

Price plans to begin circulating a petition today (July 9), and if he is successful it could result in an initiative going before voters to change to at-large voting.

Such a system would lead to having a council that keeps the city as a whole rather than members focusing on their district and their supporters, Price said.

"You just don't hear anybody talk about what they've done for the city of Pomona," Price said. "They really have to keep at heart what is in the best interest of the city."

Resident Virginia Madrigal plans to help Price out by collecting signatures.

"We're hoping people will come on board and sign the petition," Madrigal said.

The effort is needed to get city leaders to concentrate on the needs of the city.

"People are more interested in their political campaigns than in what is important for the city," she said.

Should Price's proposal go before voters and gain their approval, elected officials will be responsible to all of Pomona.

"They're not tied into their district only. They're tied to the city," Price said.

Longtime resident and past council member Tomas Ursua sees things differently.

It was Ursua who as a councilman worked to have the voters of each districts elect their own council members.

The current system, which came into being in the early 1990s, gives a voice to voters in their districts, Ursua said.

"The district election is the great democratic leveler for the community," he said.

Through the current system, council members have been able to address problems that affected neighborhoods but which didn't get attention under the previous system, Ursua said.

Some residents may be unhappy with the current system but are incorrectly attributing problems in the city to it when they are related to leadership and other matters, Ursua said.

Many are dissatisfied with the current system, Price said, and after speaking with residents in the city this is the proposal he came up with.

"This is what everybody wanted," he said. "It gives a voice" to the voters.

Ursua said creating district elections was done following a careful process that included public discussion and a study by the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College before choices were put on a ballot for voters to decide.

Rather than seeking a ballot measure, organizers of the effort should take the matter to the city's Charter Review Commission, said Ursua, who is a member of the group.

In such a forum the matter could be the subject of analysis and debate, he said.

Price said his plan calls for taking the matter to both the Charter Review Commission and to the City Council.

Should the council choose to do so, it could put the matter on the November ballot.

If the matter was supported by the Charter Review Commission, its recommendations would go before voters for approval.

Price said he and his supporters would have preferred to use the initiative process as the last option and plan to work with council members in an effort to persuade them to put the matter before voters in the fall.

Price and his supporters will need the signatures of more than 7,400 Pomona registered voters on the petition in order to get on a special election ballot, said Pam Perkins, senior deputy city clerk.

Price said he and those working with him plan to collect 10,000 signatures.

Should the measure appear on a special election ballot it will cost the city more than $100,000, Perkins said.

It's that cost burden that Price would also like to avoid and a reason for trying to gain the support of council members to put it on the November ballot, Price said.

POMONA - Esther Alvarez loves cooking and wanted a bigger kitchen for her West 11th Street home, but contractors told her the remodeling project she wanted was out of her price range.

Alvarez's dream kitchen called for making it large enough to have a center island and other conveniences. However, contractors said it couldn't be done.

"Well, you can make it smaller" is what Alvarez remembers one of them telling her.

Then she recalled a story her mother told her.

In Mexico, Alvarez's grandfather once built two rooms out of straw that were cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

"If he could do it, so could I," Alvarez recalled thinking.

That was 10 years ago.

Alvarez is now

Pomona resident Esther Alvarez in her new addition at her home with the main construction material consisting of straw bales. She began focusing in 2005 on learning about this type of construction and who could help her with it. (Frank Perez/Correspondent)

on her way to having the home of her dreams including her roomy kitchen, a new dining room and a larger living room - an unconventional addition that will use straw bales as part of the construction project.

Although Alvarez began thinking of straw bale construction about 10 years ago it wasn't until 2005 that she began focusing on learning about this alternative type of construction and who could help her carry it out.

"I started doing the research on contractors and architects," she said.

After a long search she found Pasadena-based designer Lisa Swan, who had experience working on straw bale and other "green" construction projects.

The project involved some challenges, Swan said.

"It was an addition to an existing house, which is unusual. For me it's a first," Swan said.

Alvarez's project is not a typical straw bale building, said Greg Griffith, a Pomona building official.

"It's a hybrid," he said.

One reason is the project combines a conventional building with a straw bale addition. The second reason is the straw bale addition has a structural frame.

"It uses the straw bale for the insulating value and the frame to comply with California seismic requirements," Griffith said.

The addition has wood and steel posts so the structure will withstand earthquakes, Swan said.

Those materials along with others will make the final product sturdy and flexible in an earthquake, Swan said.

Using straw bales in construction is not a new concept. It is a material that was readily available in the Midwest in the late 18th century.

"Really, this is an old strategy that's seeing a resurgence," said Kyle D. Brown, director of the John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona.

"We've seen over the last five, six, seven years a definite increase in the interest level," he said. "People have become more aware of it."

Straw bale "is a significantly better insulant than the common insulating material," Brown said.

Straw bale structures are also cost-effective because straw is relatively inexpensive, Brown said.

Straw has a long life and the plaster or other material used to cover the straw contributes to that.

In conventional construction projects walls are designed with moisture or vapor barriers before they are covered over.

Such barriers are not used in straw bale construction "so the walls are breathable," Swan said.

The lack of barriers keeps the straw from collecting moisture but should it become wet it can dry quickly minimizing the growth of mold, she said.

"We encourage straw bale construction for people who have allergies and respiratory conditions," Swan said.

Those familiar with straw bale construction say the fact straw is tightly compacted is part of what gives it its strength and it is also what makes it difficult to burn.

Alvarez said she expects her home to be completed by the end of the summer and is looking forward to it.

"I wanted a sustainable building, and straw baling is just the best," Alvarez said.

POMONA - The fifth annual Youth Campout is just four weeks away but there are are still opportunities for people to make donations or be a sponsor.

The camp-out will begin at 5 p.m. July 30 and conclude at 10 a.m. the following day. Organizers are preparing to accommodate 300 Pomona children ages 9 to 12 for the annual free event, said Pomona police Sgt. Eddie Vazquez.

"Parents and kids have been calling the police station since April asking when (the event) will take place so they don't miss it," said Vazquez, who is involved in organizing the event.

The overnight event consistently draws large numbers of children for games, arts and crafts, visits from the police K9 unit, movies and sleeping under the stars.

A team of volunteers is involved in organizing and supervising the event, including a number of police officers, Vazquez said.

Police officers not only supervise the event but take time to participate in activities with the campers, giving children a chance to interact with officers.

Service clubs including The Kiwanis Club of Pomona are assisting with the event.

Every year the service club rolls out its massive grill and early Saturday morning cooks up a pancake breakfast for the campers. Club members provide the food and supplies.

"Kiwanis' focus is youth, to work with youth and to help youth," said Greg Shapton, the club's secretary.

"You are benefiting so many kids. ... Many have never done anything like this before," said Shapton, who is also director of the Pomona Public Library and community services.

Members of the Community Engagement Group, which consists of residents, business people, law enforcement, clergy and others, will also be involved in the event as they have been since it started.

The group focuses on providing safe activities for young people including an annual swim party at the Ganesha Park pool and dances for students following their graduation from the Gang Resistance Education and Training program taught by school resources officers.

Among the Community Engagement Group members is resident Virginia Madrigal, who said the event is about bringing children from across the city together for an enjoyable evening.

"We have to give children in our city a chance to experience different kinds of activities," said Madrigal, co-chairwoman of the Community Engagement Group and events coordinator. "It's a lot of work but it's very well worth it."

Organizing such activities sends a message to young people, Madrigal said.

The message is that the adults in the community support young people and the positive things they are involved in, she said.

"We as a community owe our children the opportunity to live in a safe environment and a safe community," she said.

Putting on such activities, even when times are hard, is critical, Madrigal said.

"It shows we can work together to provide activities whether the city has money or not," she said.

What organizers need now are donations to offset equipment rental costs and the purchase of materials for the event, Vazquez said.

Some businesses that have helped in the past are also facing financial pressure and aren't able to provide as much or any assistance, he said.

The city's own financial pressures mean no city funds will be used for the event, Vazquez said.

Still, organizers would like to be able to serve 300 children.

Contributions can be mailed to Sgt. Eddie Vazquez, Pomona Police Department, 490 W. Mission Blvd., Pomona, CA 91766.

Those wishing to be a sponsor or provide other types of donations can contact Vazquez at 909-802-7464.

Parents wishing to sign up their children for the free camp-out can do so by going to the front desk of the Police Department at 490 W. Mission Blvd. or at the Crime Prevention Office on the second floor of City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.

For more information on the camp-out, contact the Police Department's Youth Services Unit at 909-802-7464.

POMONA - Shorter library hours, slightly longer waiting periods to process construction projects and, eventually, fees for playing on lighted athletic fields are effects of the budget crunch the city is experiencing.

Recently, City Council members adopted the city's operating budget, which includes its $79.4 million general fund. It is the general fund that contains money used to pay for services such as police, fire, the library, and parks and recreation

To balance the budget, the city had to make deep cuts. It had made cuts in the last 12 months but the results of the most recent round will soon be visible, beginning with the Pomona Public Library.

Beginning Tuesday (July 6), the library will be open Monday through Wednesday from noon to 7 p.m. It will close Thursday and Friday and open Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

The new schedule means the library will offer 26 hours of service a week, 10 fewer hours than it had been offering.

"We'll have no full-time people in the building," said Greg Shapton, who is both library director and the city's community services director.

Although the summer reading program and the computer lab will remain in operation, some resources will become scarce, Shapton said.

The library's book budget this year is $40,000, down from $80,000 last year, he said.

"We're going to be dropping a lot of magazines," Shapton said. "We'll still buy popular materials people want such as best sellers."

But to do that the library will have to sacrifice purchasing core reference materials and scale back on the number of online resources such as databases, Shapton said.

"We're between a rock and a hard place," Shapton said.

Grants the library was able to secure in the past are no longer available because the library does not meet certain local funding requirements, he said.

Shapton said it may be possible to keep some magazines with the help of its adopt-a- magazine program that allows people to purchase a subscription for the library.

But it may be harder to raise money for other resources, he said.

The city's recreation programs are expected to experience minimal changes but sports leagues will soon find themselves paying to play on fields with lights.

Community Services personnel are developing a fee schedule for the use of illuminated sports fields, Shapton said.

The city spends "$100,000 annually to light up all these ball fields," Shapton said. "We want to support youth."

Under the current financial situation the city simply can no longer provide that service, he said.

Community services lost maintenance employees so it may take longer to tend to matters such as plumbing problems at park restrooms and other recreational facilities, Shapton said.

While the Pomona Police Department has had to make cuts, Chief Dave Keetle said he is doing all he can so officers can remain patrolling the streets instead of having to take on administrative duties at a desk.

"It's my job to do everything I can so that doesn't happen," he said.

Part of Keetle's job is to shuffle job responsibilities such as was needed to accommodate the loss of three civilian positions, one of them a management analyst.

The cuts were made to keep two, and possibly three, sworn positions at the request of the council.

The management analyst duties include budget development, payroll matters and revenue generating responsibilities related to grants, Keetle said.

Grant-related responsibilities include researching, writing, monitoring and completing reports on the use of grant funds to agencies that provided them, Keetle said.

Other responsibilities include handling jail booking fees, addressing false alarm reports and graffiti, and writing staff reports and resolutions.

Keetle said all of those responsibilities will have to be assigned to one or more persons.

City Manager Linda Lowry said efforts are being made to ensure response to calls for police service is the top priority at the Police Department.

In other departments, people will feel some effects resulting from budget cuts. People submitting paperwork for projects to the city's planning division may find "the turnaround time is a little longer," she said.

The city is still involved in labor negotiations with most of its employee groups and that could have an impact on this years budget.

"We're still in the throes of the bargaining process, We have to get through it to see if we hit our budget target," she said.

New agreements will probably be for a year, Lowry said. Once agreements are reached "we'll be back at it pretty quickly," Lowry said.

Councilman Steve Atchley said he expects residents and others doing business with the city will eventually have a complaint that is tied to service cuts.

Atchley said he hopes the city begins to see some economic improvement soon.

"Even a little bit of a rebound in revenue would be fine," Atchley said.

But if there is no improvement the city could find itself outsourcing more of its services such as residential trash collection, he said.

Atchley said he hopes the economic picture is beginning to improve and that the city will be able to put some challenging times behind it.

POMONA -- More than 100 Pomona Unified teachers and other certificated employees will soon receive a letter informing them that they will have a job after all for the coming school year.

The district's school board on Wednesday voted to rescind 113 layoff notices issued in May.

The vote was part of a series of steps that led to the board's adoption of a more than $330 million balanced budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which started Thursday.

A combination of cost-saving measures -- including one-time revenues, layoffs, cuts and an early retirement incentive program -- made up for a $36 million loss in revenue.

Superintendent Richard Martinez said the early retirement program allowed the board to rescind the notices issued to certificated employees, most of whom were teachers.

"Many chose to retire early to save the jobs of their colleagues," Martinez said.

The early retirement incentive allowed the district to reduce costs by more than $5.8 million, according to Pomona Unified budget documents.

In November, district officials offered a number of eligible certificated employees the opportunity to sign up for an early retirement incentive program.

In March, the retirement incentive program was offered to eligible members of the Pomona chapter of the California School Employees Association. The association includes employees such as clerical and maintenance personnel.

More than 200 employees, including administrators as well as certificated and classified personnel, signed up for the early retirement incentive, said Leslie Barnes, assistant superintendent of business services and chief financial officer

District administrators later this month will present a list of additional certificated employees to board members in hopes of rescinding more notices, Martinez said.

By the time all the adjustments have been made, the number of certificated employees laid off is expected to drop to about 90, he said.

Associated Pomona Teachers President Tyra Weis said Thursday her organization heard notices would be rescinded and had hoped it would be done before the end of the school year.

"I think it brought a lot of relief for teachers," who received layoff notices, she said.

Pomona Unified needed to call back teachers because of the large number of retirements combined with the layoffs would have made it difficult to meet the educational needs of district students, Weis said.

Weis said she and other association members hope teachers will be quickly notified of the good news.

Letters informing the 113 affected certificated personnel were sent out Thursday, said Steve Horowitz, assistant superintendent of personnel services.

In most cases, personnel will remain at the same schools at which they have been working, Horowitz said.

However, some employees may have a different assignment at their school or have their previous responsibilities but at a different campus, he said.

A total of 321 preliminary layoff notices were issued to certificated employees in March, but, by May, the number had been reduced to 209.

On Wednesday night, school board members authorized laying off 35 classified employees.

Another 61 classified employees will remain employed, but will have changes in their assignments or salary, according to a staff report.

In May, school board members authorized district administrators to issue layoff notices to 57 classified employees, which includes instructional aids, clerical staff and custodial personnel.

Board members voted 4-1 to adopt the budget. Board member Andrew Wong cast the lone opposition vote.

The district's $330.7 million budget includes a number of separate funds such as for child development and adult education.

The general fund -- totaling $225.1 million -- made up the largest part of the budget. The general funds pays for employee salaries and benefits as well as needs such as books, supplies and operating services.

Of the $225.1 million, about $90.5 million are restricted funds that can only be used for certain purposes such as special education or kindergarten to third grade class size reduction.

Salary negotiations allowed the district to save about $5.2 million.

Layoffs saved the district about $4 million, according to district budget information.

Board President Richard Rodriguez said Thursday that the district will be OK for now.

"We're going to survive this year and maybe next year but after that" it's hard to predict, Rodriguez said.

Pomona Unified will be watching its expenses, asking administrators to handle multiple duties and leaving positions unfilled, among other steps, he said.

Whether the district will find itself making cuts again in the new fiscal year depends on the decisions of state lawmakers, Martinez said.

"It depends on how the budget is laid out. I hope they take a second, third and fourth look at (education) funding," Martinez said. "But it's too early to tell. My hope is we don't find ourselves in the same position."