This from reporter Dan Abendschein:

The city will vote on a plan to increase taxes on lighting and landscaping for certain parts of the city at Tuesday’s meeting.
If the plan is approved, the city will send out a mail-in ballot to the affected districts. If the majority of ballots returned are in favor of the taxes, they will take affect later this year.
There are two lighting districts in town, and five landscaping districts. All will be charged at different levels if the city’s plan is approved.

Meanwhile, the city is also sending out sample ballots with a city measure for renewing a $5.5 million user's utility tax without opposition arguments. The utility tax ballot measure, called Measure C, will be on a county consolidated ballot on June 3 if the Board of Supervisors approves it this week.

So many taxes, so little time.

Looks like West Covina is getting ready to open a new Home Depot on Thursday, at the Heights shopping center at 2220 South Azusa Avenue.

I wonder if officials are concerned at all about the problems other Home Depot communities — like Baldwin Park — face with day laborers? My colleagues tell me nothing has been mentioned yet.

But I can almost guarantee the issue will come up in West Covina eventually. Even Home Depot officials have admitted that day laborer concerns are a constant problem at most of their locations.

Baldwin Park is closer to appointing a new police chief, and El Monte police Lt. Ken Alva is in the running.
Councilman Ricardo Pacheco said he thinks there’s truth to earlier rumors Alva was already being courted for the spot before former Police Chief Edward Lopez left in February.

Pacheco and the association claim Lopez was fired by the City Council in closed session. City officials say Lopez retired.

Chief Executive Officer Vijay Singhal told me today he and Recreation and Community Services Director Manuel Carrillo are narrowing down their top picks from a pool of about a dozen applicants for the department’s top spot — interim Police Chief Michael Taylor is among the applicants.

Three or four finalists will be interviewed by the council on Thursday during a special closed session meeting. (For all you Brown Act activists, the city has to post that notice 24 hours in advance so be on the lookout)

But the most interesting part of this story is that rumors are flying that Mayor Manuel Lozano and Councilwoman Marlen Garcia are already introducing Alva as the new chief to business owners and Chamber of Commerce reps.

When I called the chamber today to confirm, a secretary answered the phone and seemed more than willing to patch me through to the chamber president. After putting me on hold for a few minutes, she came back on the line as said the chamber “knew nothing” about the issue.

Lozano also denied the allegations but said he was invited to an informal meeting last week with Alva, two former council members, the chamber president and several business owners.
Hmmm...did I miss something?

I should also mention that Alva is taking this week off from work over at El Monte. That’s convenient...

Montebello is one step closer to ensuring that its city and fire departments is kept under city control and not turned over to the county, Amanda Baumfeld reports.

The City Council on Wednesday directed staff to draft an ordinance that will require a vote of residents to transfer the city's police and fire departments to another entity. The ordinance will be added to the city's municipal code.

The issue raises an interesting question about cities that have their own fire and police services, and at what cost is it to the residents. There are some cities, such as Irwindale, population 1,600, Covina, population 46,830, and Monterey Park, population 62,150, that have its own police agencies.

But at what cost?

There have been stories, such as out of Vallejo, reporting that cities funding the pensions of fire fighters and police officers is going to break their budgets.

"Meanwhile, Vallejo faces soaring payroll costs for its firefighters and police officers, whose pay and benefits make up nearly 80 percent of the city's general fund budget." Read more.

But everyone agrees that we need these services. So how do we deal with it? Is turning to the county the answer?

South El Monte, Diamond Bar and Rosemead, for example, all rely on the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for their services. Are the cities happy with the services? I've heard complaints in the past out of South El Monte. I wonder what the cities pay for county services compared with what cities like Montebello are paying for in-house services, and how the whole pension system works with the county?

That's right, I've received several calls from a woman who claims a landlord in Baldwin Park is forcing tenants from his two apartment buildings to get rid of all their pets. The informant and I haven't been able to connect so I don't have all the details yet. But in her messages, the informant claims there "are children involved" and the matter is "devastating" for the tenants.

To be quite honest, I'm not quite sure what, if anything, we are going to do with the story. I still need to find out how many pets we're talking about here. Don't get me wrong, I have two kittens and if my landlord all of a sudden told me I had a week to get rid of them, I'd be pretty miffed. But I'm not still not sure it's newspaper material.

We'll see.

A story I wrote last week titled Cultural Upheaval is still getting comments. The story focuses on the resignation of the president, Robin Hu, who said he left because the chamber is too political, the books are kept poorly and they aren't doing enough to embrace different cultures, particularly the Asian community.

The resistance communities have to changing demographics is a story I want to do, but it's easier said than done. While there are plenty of people who make anonymous comments about the change or say racist comments under their breaths, no one will go on the record to talk about the issue. Here's just a blurb of one comment I received this weekend:

"It is sad to live in a place where you can't even have a simple conversation with your neighbor because they do not know the English language. It is also sad when you drive in a parking lot that has arrows and people are driving the wrong way because they don't either understand what the arrows are for."

In Rosemead, every time I write in stories the "council minority" when I refer to Councilmembers Gary Taylor and Margaret Clark, it does not just refer to how they are outnumbered by Councilmembers John Tran, John Nunez and Polly Low.

No, Clark and Taylor truly represent the minority race in Rosemead. But I can tell by the off-the-cuff remarks and the anonymous comments that there is resistance or denial to these changes. So will we see that story? Not until someone is willing to talk on the record. And what would that story say? If done right, it would tell the story of changing demographics, resistance to change, how minorities are becoming empowered and how the old majority feels slighted. And I can't think of a better example a community that is dealing with this change than in Rosemead, as symbolized by the council members: two caucasian council members.

I know, Sunshine Week is over. But remember how I said pursuing a transparent government is an every day thing for us at the Trib. Well, on Thursday, I drove out to Commerce to a law enforcement task force to take a look at some documents I requested. It took four people to answer my request, and they all stared at me as I reviewed a public record's request.

Four people. Talk about an intimidation tactic.

They wanted me to process the informatin immediately and ask any questions I had at that point. Now, I've got the smarts and all, but I usually like to read over the information in private, figure out whether it makes sense, talk it over with my boss, write out my questions, and then follow up with any other questions.

So when I asked if I could call the exectuive director if I had any other questions, they told me no. I have to go through a attorney. But, the attorney warned, if I had any follow up requests, I should be advised that she will notify me within the 10 days that she received my request but wouldn't actually respond for at least five weeks because she has a trial.

Is that even legal? Arg. It took me until today to decompress.

Those are just a few of the places are trusted local legislators visited in 2007, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel, restaurant and resort fees, according to reporter Dan Abendschein's investigative story on campaign records for locals pols'.

Not to worry, that's not taxpayer money they're using. No, it's money from political contributions - I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Is it just me, or did anyone else think that campaign contributions were supposed to go toward, oh, I don't know ... campaigning?

Open government advocates are questioning the spending habits. But some legislators - like state Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, who according to Abendschein spent more than $87,000 in travel, hotel, restaurant and fundraising expenses in 2007 - say they don't think constituents have a problem with it. And plus, Calderon "has had to raise more money than many other legislators because he has faced well-financed opponents in elections."

Calderon's last election was in 2006. His next election isn't until 2010.

On the flip side, state Sens. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, and Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, as well as Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-El Monte spent zero dollars of their campaign contributions on travel.

Hope that was enough to lure you into reading the complete story....

Seems like the Iannones over at Ed Butts Ford aren't the only ones with some harsh words for La Puente's redevelopment abilities.

Victor Gudzunas, who owns the Hacienda strip mall on Hacienda Boulevard - which is home to about a dozen tenants - is accusing the city of "ripping my heart out" in the eminent domain process to seize his land.

La Puente first filed eminent domain paperwork with the courts last summer for the land, deeming it blighted. Mayor Louie Lujan has said if the city has any hope of developing a commercial retail center on the old La Puente Lanes bowling alley site, it needs Gudzunas' land too.

But Gudzunas is holding out. And in the meanwhile, him and his attorney are accusing the city of undervaluing his land by $4 million. City appraisers value his property along the city's main thoroughfare at $3.8 million. Gudzunas' appraisers say its worth well over $7 million.

Talking to Gudzunas and his lawyer John Murphy last week, it was clear they felt city officials were inexperienced with redevelopment and were "botching" the eminent domain process.

A little bit of context: La Puente formed its redevelopment agency in 2003, but didn't actually begin receiving funding for the agency until 2005. Gudzunas' Hacienda strip mall is the first piece of property the city has ever tried to take through eminent domain. If built, the Hacienda retail project could be a prime destination spot for residents in and out of La Puente, officials have said.

In response to Gudzunas' allegations, Lujan said he respected the city staff members and consultants determinations about the land, its value and other key points. He also said he hoped the city and Gudzunas would be able to reach a settlement before a May trial date.

Gudzunas wasn't too sure.

Look for the story in Sunday's paper.

More mailer action in Rosemead, reporter Jennifer McLain reports.

This time it's over an event held last week dubbed "Rosemead's Inaugural State of the City Address." Rosemead Partners, a political action committee that supports council members Gary Taylor and Margaret Clark, put on the event - not the city - and Clark was the keynote speaker.

Apparently, officials at City Hall were not so amused:

....Mayor John Tran and council members Polly Low and John Nuñez said they felt that the invitation gave the wrong impression.

On Tuesday, council members voted 3-2 to distribute a mailer to residents - estimated to cost $3,000 - clarifying that any opinions expressed at Rosemead Partners' address March 19 were not those of the city. Taylor and Clark dissented.

Read the complete story here.

For all of you avid readers out there, our sincerest apologies for letting the blog go dry for a few days....

We've been busy and a little short on material, but we're back!

First on the agenda, if you haven't already seen it, take a look at Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer's story on worms at Monrovia City Hall. It's fascinating...the little guys turn trash into soil supplement. There's also a great photo gallery of the official keeper of the worms, Greg Garabedian.

Rosemead City Manager Oliver Chi told me that City Attorney Bonifacio Garcia recently submitted a bill for November - he is four months behind in billing the city. The price: nearly $70,000. Good thing the city has a $30,000 cap.

Garcia said at the meeting that the reason he is behind in his bills is because of, basically, technical difficulties. But it's all fixed now, he said. Once those bills come in, I'm sure there will be a story.

An interesting story by reporter Dan Abendschein about local lawmakers' reactions to a speech Sen. John McCain made in Los Angeles Wednesday.

A story I wrote in today’s paper follows up the Ed Butts Ford saga — which isn’t really a saga anymore since the city decided to go with another developer, hence terminating all negotiations with Ed Butts for the site.

Some quick background: Ed Butts and the city have been in talks to expand the dealership on a parcel of city-owned land along Hacienda Boulevard for about five years. But the two parties have been at odds over liability of environmental issues on the site, which was once home to a contamination clean-up facility. Ed Butts wanted indemnification. The city said the soil was clean.

Now just a little more insight: I spoke with Ed Butts General Manager Anthony Iannone Wednesday and he told me he and his father had yet to hear from the city, even though the City Council voted Tuesday night to go with another developer. The Iannones weren’t too happy, but Anthony said they would “just be looking out for our business” in the future.

Some contradiction to the story on the city’s side: Mayor Louie Lujan said Wednesday that he personally tried calling Iannones last week and Tuesday, before the council meeting, but didn’t get any calls back.
He also said that while the city was willing to give them indeminification in the form of a memorandum of understanding, Ed Butts refused. Lujan said they wanted indeminifcation in the land’s deed — which would have set it in stone forever.

Dan Abendschein reports that sample ballots for a Covina city measure that would renew the city's $5.5 million user's tax - which was previously voted against - will be missing opposition arguments. Covina claims that it rejected the argument because it was filed late.

[City Clerk Amy] Turner did get a copy of the argument from the county Tuesday, one day after the deadline. She said that she consulted the city attorney about including the argument on the ballot.

"He told me that I had to follow the boundaries set by the City Council, so my hands are tied," said Turner.

Opponents said that the city did not tell them how to correctly file the arguments.

Paul Drugan, of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office, told [Steve Millard, an anti-tax activist who opposes the measure] that the county schedule would have required him to turn in the argument to Covina by 11 a.m. March 17. Turner's instructions to Millard said he had until the end of the day to turn in the argument.

"If it were time-stamped for any time past 11:00, it would not have been valid," said Drugan. Turner said the schedule she received from the county did not have a time of day listed on it.

This story ran alongside the city's announcement that it would be laying off 99 employees, which will come with nearly $1 million in severance packages and paid leave. Considering the layoffs, I could understand why the city needs the utility tax so badly. But what about the "spirit of the law?" If a group opposing the measure missed the deadline by one day, do you think they should be allowed to get their opposition on the sample ballot or should they get over it and realize that they missed their chance?

To view the opposition, click here.

Three water board members -- Robert Apodaca, director of the Central Basin Municipal Water District; Donald Cear, director at the West Basin Municipal Water District, and Vincent House, director at La Puente Valley County Water District -- are looking to snag the position as special district representative of the Local Agency Formation commission. The position pays $150 a meeting, plus mileage. There are a total of 21 meetings a month. That's a mere $3,150 a year. Member water agencies have until April 25 to cast their votes.

So what, you're asking. "Get a life." "Blog about something else."

Well, at least of the candidates just can't seem to get away from government jobs, which makes me think of this quote: "When it gets to the point when it is easier and better to get a government job and have government perks than it is in the public aspect of the world, then we've got a problem," said state Sen. Bob Margett, R-Glendora."

According to his bio, Apodaca started his "40-year committment to public service" working for Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty. He also worked as a field director to Councilman Art Anyder, worked for Assembylmember Martin Gallegos, for Assemblyman Tomn Calderon, and is currently a member of State Sen. Rob Calderon's staff. He was first elected to the Central Basin board in 1998.

Donald Dear has 35 years of experience in municipal and local government, according to his bio. He has served on West Basin since 2001, spent 22 years as a trustee on the Vector Control District, 19 years on the LA County Sanitation District, and 27 years on the Gardena City Council. He is the current special district LAFCO representative.

The third candidate is Vincent House. He served on the airforce from 1954 to 1959, and then worked as an engineer in the private sector. He has served on the La Punte Valley County Water District since 2003.

I have an iPhone, so every now and then we get special "iUPDATES" or "iPROMOS" via Apple.

Ironically enough, I got e-mail from the venue where our favorite club boss/La Puente councilman John Solis works.

Club 740 would like to make your economic problem a little better.
The will be NO COVER CHARGE all night long this friday March 28, 2008.
Birthdays with 15 or more people recieve a FREE bottle of MOET
champagne & your own vip section.

For more information or VIP service please contact us at (213)627-6277

Thank You for your support

Manage your subscription:
http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=6108795&l=11788&s=6SUW&m=100817&c=199931

Looks like Club 740 is really working the promos.

Tonight was, in theory, the evening of the mayoral rotation. But no one rotated anywhere. Mayor John Tran is keeping his title for another year, and Councilman John Nunez is keeping his title as Mayor Pro Tem. Here's how it went down:

After Tran collected a pile of certificates and plaques given to him by local dignataries including the offices of Assemblyman Mike Eng and Congresswoman Hilda Solis, it came time for the announcement of who the new mayor was going to be. Tran nominated Nunez, who was the next in line to be Mayor.

But Nunez grabbed the mike and explained that he had some personal issues in his life that he needs to deal with and that he thinks it's best he focus on those. So, Tran was nominated, which was an action that drew loud applause from the audience. Low seconded it. It was approved on a 3-2 vote, with minority council members Gary Taylor and Margaret Clark voting against it. They stayed silent during this whole discussion.

Now, rewind back one year ago. If you recall, Nunez was supposed to be mayor then but instead urged Tran to take that opportunity.

Obviously, there are questions here. That's why there will be a story in Thursday's paper. But for the time being, anyone have any theories about what's going on here?

South El Monte's Councilwoman Angelica Garcia is proposing that the city establish an ordinace to put more of the city's public information online. Here's how it reads on the agenda:

"Look into establishing an ordinance to incorporate 'paperless' agendas for City Council meetings in order to reduce the city's carbon footprint."

The city already puts the agendas online, so I wonder if she is talking about putting the staff reports online.

Garcia also wanted to establish a recycling program for all recycling materials at City Hall.

An error in the newspaper that ran yesterday caused Bob Wu, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and Robin Hu, the former president elect of the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce, quite a lot of grief. The caption under Bob Wu's photo on page 6 in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune said that Wu resigned, but that's not true. It was Robin Hu who resigned. Oh man.

Other than that, the story has drawn several comments. While some people weren't happy with the story because they felt that it makes Asians appear ungrateful for the opportunities given to them by this country, others felt that the story brought up an issue that other communities have dealt with, too.

Here are a couple of the comments I received via email:

This is not only happening in Rosemead but in San Gabriel. Having lived in the San Gabriel from 1990 to 2005 I have seen a city transform and I don't think for the better. The city with a mission has no direction or focus. Alhambra has done a great job on bringing a multitude of restaurants and businesses. I really enjoy going down main street in Alhambra but I felt disconnected and a lack of belonging in San Gabriel. There is noting more frustration then going to a business or restaurant only to have the feeling that you don't belong. A lot of the asian businesses have a lot of signs that are only in Chinese. How am I suppose to know what the lunch special for $2.99 is if I can't read chinese. Don't get me wrong I love all cultures, foods and people but it's this feeling of belonging that made me decide to sell my home in San Gabriel and relocate to Pasadena. It here that I really feel a sense of belonging and I think this is what the problem is with the San Gabriel Valley. If the city of Rosemead and San Gabriel would have only learned from Alhambras revitalization I think this article you wrote would be very different

*******************

The Rosemead Chamber’s problem is not unique. It is always difficult for any establishment to reach out to new immigrants. People from Asia has never had any say in politics and mistrust is popular. Its problem may not be racial motives, but it may be the result of much frustration after trying with no success. The only thing anyone can do is to try and try again. If a chamber choose to be isolated, there will not be much future for its membership. City subsidy will help for a small part and for a short time. Without community support, any chamber will dwindle into oblivion.

Polly Low and John Tran are both Asian at the City Council and they are signs that Asians are slowing merging in. There will always be members of the community who prefer things to remain the same forever, but they will become more and more a minority.

I was a past president of the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce (year 2005) and I was the 5th Asian to hold the post in its 105 years history. I deem my presidency as a strong signal that the City of Alhambra wants more Asian community involvement. BTW: ACC has just surpassed Pasadena Chamber of Commerce to be the 10th in budget among all chambers in S. Calif., and its success in reaching out to all sector is one of many reasons.

Reporter Alison Hewitt reports today that a new law is requiring county recorders to redact the first five digits of Social Security numbers on public records.

The program will prevent "the fraudulent misuse of personal information" gleaned from public records, a county staff report noted.

No, really? Shouldn’t this have been before? Attorneys seem to redact everything else from public records.

"There was no way we could do this (before)," said Sharon Gonterman, the assistant registrar-recorder/county clerk. "Anything that's going to eliminate identity theft is great."

The money is required to go only to the redaction program, and the county must also agree to audit how the funds are used if it charges the $1 fee.

Well at least an audit should keep them fiscally responsible.

That’s it folks. Looks like any hope to expand La Puente’s Ed Butts Ford dealership onto an adjacent city-owned lot has been squashed.

The council is expected to consider tonight an exclusive negotiating agreement with Beverly Westwood Development Company for the Hacienda Boulevard site — the same site that Ed Butts Ford has had its sights on for almost a decade, depending on who you ask.

The city has been in negotiations with Ed Butts for about five years to build a commercial truck center there. But liability concerns have prevented any lease agreements from being finalized.
(You can read the full story here.)

When I first called Ed Butts’ General Manager Anthony Iannone about the issue Friday, he was caught off guard to say the least. Iannone didn’t know anything about Beverly Westwood or the city’s potential plans to ax negotiations when Ed Butts. But Iannone said he wasn’t surprised and that he “expected it with this city.”

Ouch.

If the Beverly Westwood agreement is approved tonight, all further negotiations with Ed Butts Ford will be officially terminated.

Here’s a picture taken by staff photographer Keith Birmingham two years back when Iannone and his dad —the owner — announced unofficial plans to develop the site with the city. They looked so happy then.

Ah, how times change.

People often complain about city councils and county boards spending long hours doing beginning-of-the-meeting presentations before finally getting on to the people's businesses, but at least this one is fun to say. Prince Radu Duda of Romania will receive a scroll of welcome from the county Board of Supervisors tomorrow. Go on, say it: Prince Radu Duda of Romania. Wasn't that fun?

Not that Prince Radu Duda of Romania is technically royalty. He did inherit the title, true, but if Wikipedia is steering me straight, somewhere between the royal family abdicating in 1940, regaining power in 1944, abdicating again in 1947 and Romania eventually becoming a democracy, Romania stopped really having a “Royal Highness,” as he is listed on the county's agenda. However, Lourdes Saab, the county's chief deputy of protocol, who arranges visits from dignitaries, said Prince Radu Duda is highly respected in Romania.

“Romania's no longer a monarchy, so if it had a monarchy, he would be royalty,” Saab said. “But he does have a respected government position as a special government representative, equivalent to a cabinet position, and he was instrumental in getting Romania into the EU ... and he has the title, royalty never lose their title.”

This digression from hard-news reporting was brought to you by my fascination with the name of Prince Radu Duda, Prince of Romania.

The county supes will also have substantive things to vote on, such as reducing the chance that people's Social Security Numbers will appear on public records (that story should be in the paper tomorrow), deciding to develop a coordinated countywide gang reduction plan, and contracting with shelter providers to offer five emergency shelters for mentally ill teens and young adults, including one in El Monte.

This just in from reporter Amanda Baumfeld:

I picked up the Montebello City Council agenda this morning because the city told me it was ready. As I began to look through it I realized there was a number of pages missing. The pages that are missing are all contracts.

City contracts for the Police Officers Association, the Fire Fighters Association, bus operators among others all missing.

The council is expected to do their mid year review of the city's budget and they don't even have that information in the agenda packet.

Montebello is notorious for this. Every time a contract is going to be approved the city never has it ready and us reporters have to nag and nag until we finally get it.

A resident tipped me off to troubles developer Bob Bisno is having in Santa Ana. It's relevancy? Bisno's development company is in talks with Baldwin Park officials to transform 125 acres of the downtown area into an upscale shopping and living destination.

According to an article by reporter Gustavo Arellano with the OC Weekly, it looks like Bisno's got some deep pockets.

I did a blog post a couple weeks ago about how the La Puente City Council is in the middle of a commission revamp.

Officials basically say the city is trying to set some clearer guidelines for its commissions: what appointments need to be made, what old commissions can be phased out, what commissions can be combined, etc.

Well, here are some e-mails sent Wednesday from a La Puente staff member that offer some insight into the issue:

Hello All,

Lillian Ayala
Management Analyst
City of La Puente
layala@lapuente.org
(626) 855-1538
(626) 961-4626 (Fax)

And a second e-mail ....

Hi Everyone,

Lillian Ayala
Management Analyst
City of La Puente
layala@lapuente.org
(626) 855-1538
(626) 961-4626 (Fax)

My question: Are La Puente elected officials considering serving on these commissions? And is the city considering allowing a person to serve on more than one commission at a time?

Reporter Jennifer McLain wrote a story in today's paper about the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce, and its past president's allegations of a racial divide.

Robin Hu said he resigned from the 86-year-old group last month becasue the chamber refuses to promote the Asian business community. Rosemead's Asian population makes up nearly 50 percent of the city's total population, according to McLain.

Is it just me, or does it seem like a chamber would want to tap into nearly half of a target market?

Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer wrote a really interesting story in Sunday’s paper about a bus tour that takes prospective buyers house-hunting for foreclosed homes.

According to Pamer, about a dozen people took the weekly tour on Saturday, which featured homes in Northwest Pasadena, unincorporated Duarte, Covina, West Covina and Monrovia. They were all under $350,000.

This is the fourth weekend that the eight-month-old firm has run the tours, a phenomenon that began in foreclosure-plagued Stockton in September and is spreading across the country.

Now Dias sells the concept - which LTV bought for $20,000, including a logo-wrapped used bus, training and marketing materials and a Web site - to real estate companies across the country. He's in the process of trademarking "RepoHomeTour," he said this week.

Uhh, where do I sign up again?

This is just outside of our coverage area, but here is a LA Times story featuring Pomona Mayor Norma Torres. It talks about her plight as an immigrant from Guatemala, her life-changing experience as a dispatcher for LAPD, and her priorities as a councilwoman. But Metro Editor Edward Barrera says in his blog there is more to this story than meets the eye.

A way to promote more attendance at council meetings by means of bringing the meetings to the community hasn't always worked in the past, Alison Hewitt reports.

West Covina council meetings stay put
Majority rejects rotating sites throughout city
By Alison Hewitt, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/22/2008 11:02:22 PM PDT

WEST COVINA - The city has rejected roving City Council meetings.

Three council members said holding four meetings a year in different neighborhoods to encourage more people to attend would actually reduce participation. It would also present logistical problems, they added.

Councilwoman Shelley Sanderson worried that resuming the program, which the council first tried in 2003, would just bring back old problems.

"When we were doing this (in 2003), while the intent was to engage more public participation in City Council meetings, the result was there were fewer residents in attendance," she said at the March 18 council meeting.

********
Other cities, such as Azusa, also hold community meetings, he said.

However, unlike [Councilman Roger] Hernandez's suggestion to hold four regular, Tuesday-night council meetings throughout the city, Azusa's quarterly roving meetings are untelevised Saturday-morning affairs with agendas tailored to the specific community.

"At our council meetings, it's the same people that come all the time," said Azusa Mayor Joe Rocha. "There are people who would like to speak with us but who don't come because they work or maybe they're tired from work, so this helps them."

As we wrap up the end of Sunshine Week, this story brings up a good point: Do your elected representatives do enough to reach out to you and your community? If the answer is no, what else could they be doing?

Contract disputes between city governments and their accompanying police departments aren't new. We've seen it in Baldwin Park, we've seen it in Arcadia and now we're seeing it in Monrovia. What usually ends up happening is negotiations either drag on for months before the two parties meet in the middle, or police end up taking a contract they really aren't happy with, but vow to fight at the next set of contract negotiations.

But in Monrovia, the police officer's association isn't letting things go that easy. Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer reports the POA has slammed Monrovia with three lawsuits.

Read on:

MONROVIA - The Monrovia Police Officers' Association has served three lawsuits on the city, following the unilateral implementation this week of a contract the union had opposed.

The three suits were served on the city Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Two were filed in Pasadena Superior Court. The federal labor suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

West Covina is taking baby steps - and I mean baby steps - toward revitalizing its downtown. Reporter Alison Hewitt reports the City Council approved about $500,000 Tuesday for new "old fashioned" lamp posts, new irrigation and planter boxes, and a repaved road and parking lot for the Glendora Avenue shops area.

Read on here:

WEST COVINA - An "Old Town Center" could replace Glendora Avenue as the city moves toward creating a downtown.

Meetings of the business owners, the historical society and the Chamber of Commerce have recently favored "Old Town Center" as a brand, Tennant said. The city plans to survey business owners and property owners to determine in the next few months whether to adopt the name.

Hewitt goes on to report that Councilman Roger Hernandez envisions a downtown with condos, restaurants and parking, but other council members aren't to hot about the idea.

I find this is something a lot of cities struggle with - whether to include mixed-used developments in proposed downtown areas, or simply retail centers. Most officials say the idea behind the mixed-use push is to offer much-needed housing in areas that just don't have it. Thoughts anyone?

I know this story isn't out of City Hall, but reporter Amanda Baumfeld did a great piece on the trickle effect of massive estimated budget cuts at the state level. School districts in the Valley - and all across the state - will be hit hard if billions are cut to make up for the state's $8 billion deficit. And I assure you local city governments are bracing themselves too.

Looks like South El Monte’s spending half a million bucks on city streets. Reporter Jennifer McLain reports that the City Council approved $650,000 last week for improvements on Merced, Delco and Luder avenues, which apparently are laden with potholes and uneven pavement.

Here are some excerpts from the story:

The street upgrades are part of a five-year capital improvement plan targeting city streets. In the past two years, the city has spent about $3.5 million improving nearly 20 streets.

In addition to Merced, Delco and Luder avenues, there are eight other streets slated for renovations. Costs for the future projects have not yet been approved, Ybarra said.

It’s nice to see taxpayer money going back to the taxpayers.

I'm traveling back home to the Bay Area for the weekend, including on Monday. I already miss the blog. For those who celebrate it, Happy Easter.

In case you haven’t already read the story, the county controller’s office will be working with West Covina officials to get to the bottom of traffic citation revenue discrepancies.

A special meeting Thursday at Big League Dreams to discuss the issue with county Supervisor Michael Antonovich was almost insignificant. Antonovich commented for about 4 minutes on the issue then went on to other things. The meeting was really meant to give Antonovich and his posse a tour of Big League Dreams.

Regardless, here’s the story that ran in today’s paper:

City, county at odds over traffic ticket revenues
By Tania Chatila and Alison Hewitt, Staff Writers

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2109

I have a knack for unintentionally offending people.

Like the time I asked my neighbor why there was a moving truck outside of his house recently.

"My wife left me."

Oops.

Or when I asked my roomate, Mellissa, whether her guy friend was gay.

"We're dating."

Oops.

So it was really no suprise to me that on Thursday when Lisa Bailey, executive director of the Irwindale Chamber of Commerce, was describing the proper etiquette in Chinese culture when exchanging business cards that I violated every single rule.

"When you are handed a business card, they will give it to you with both hands and hold it with their thumbs. You should then receive it then same way. Don't shove it in your pocket or immediately put it away. And don't write on it."

I wish I would've known that a day earlier. On Wednesday, at the start of an interview with Robin Hu, a Irwindale business owner, he presented me with his card. Right when I got it, I snagged it with my right hand, held it in between my index and middle fingers, wrote down a couple of notes on it, and then stuck it in my wallet.

Oops.

You can't take me anywhere.

I've been working on this story about Chambers of Commerce and the different ways they do - or don't - reach out to their Asian business owners. I was talking to one Chamber of Commerce executive director, and she told me that there are some tips she learned while on a trip to China.

Pasadena City Hall has received the second-highest level ranking for environmental design, according to reporter Janette Williams.

The Gold Certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) follows “a three-year, $117-million restoration completed in 2007,” according to Williams.

Here are some excerpts from the story:

City staffers were elated at the recognition of what Public Works Director Martin Pastucha called a “challenging project” to bring modern, affordable green technology to a 1927 building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pastucha said the multiple award-winning project — which came in under time and on budget — had been “financially challenged” when planning started five years ago. “Bids came in higher than projected, and incorporating LEEDs requirements made it more challenging,” he said.
Six environmental categories are considered: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.

Reporter Brian Day did a little more digging on the kitty story. Turns out the box of kittens was never inside the car, it was actually adjacent to the car. They weren't in any immediate danger, according to CHP Officer Joe Zizi. But if the fire had spiraled out of control, the felines might have been "singed" Zizi said.

Baldwin Park officials hosted the annual State of the City Address this morning at the Performing Arts Center. It was a full house — probably about 400 people. Guests included Baldwin Park school board members, several water district officials like Municipal Water District board President Leon Garcia and West Covina City Councilman Roger Hernandez.

Mayor Manuel Lozano was the keynote speaker for the address, which was basically one big pat on the back for Baldwin Park.

Among the key areas Lozano emphasized for improvement were public safety, economic vitality, redevelopment and quality of life.

He spent a large portion of the speech talking about the proposed downtown development, which has drawn the ire of a group of residents and business owners who have accused the city of “pushing out the poor.” Lozano criticized these opponents, calling them “hecklers.”

Lozano also touted police and their efforts to extinguish crime in the city. He cited a 7 percent decrease in crime in the last year. Ironic, considering just a few weeks ago the city brought up public safety as one of the reasons they were concerned with former Police Chief Edward Lopez.

I wonder if Lozano and the rest of the council knows Bisno — which is in talks with the city to develop that downtown development I was talking about earlier — is promoting Baldwin Park as crime-laden? A press release I got this week from Bisno’s PR Firm referenced BP’s downtown area as “currently riddled with crime.”

I know I know, what do kittens have to do with City Hall? Sorry, but we just couldn’t resist the uncontrollable urge to blog about rescued kitties.

Go ahead, read on, you know you want to:

SOUTH EL MONTE - Four kittens were rescued from an unattended vehicle on fire near the entrance of the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte, authorities said today.
The California Highway Patrol said it began receiving reports that a vehicle was ablaze on Rooks Road at Peck Road shortly after 11 p.m.
Arriving CHP officers found the front of a parked sport utility vehicle engulfed in flames, a CHP officer told an RMG News camera crew at the scene.
The officer added that he did a quick search around the vehicle and heard noises coming from its rear. Checking more closely, he spotted a box holding four kittens in the back of the SUV and, with the interior of the vehicle burning, pulled the animals to safety, he said.
Los Angeles County firefighters arrived a short time later and put out the flames, leaving the SUV a charred ruin, RMG reported.

I guess firefighters aren't the only ones with a knack for kitten rescue.

I love reality TV. The Rosemead City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday would be a good pilot. Here's what I'll be going for:

1. A new pending lawsuit. Don't know much about it. If you got the info, fill us in.

2. The Mayoral rotation. I'm expecting the conversation won't be pretty. (I wasn't really serious about me serving as an honorary mayor. I don't think I would want that job. But I was serious about changing my name to Jennifer McMayor. It has a nice ring to it.)

3. Garvey Avenue needs resurfacing and it will cost about $1 million.

4. Councilman Gary Taylor wants to know where City Attorney's Bonifacio Garcia's outstanding bills are.

5. Mayor John Tran wants to send out a letter to residents addressing Rosemead Partners event that was marketed as "Rosemead's Inagural State of the City Address," which wasn't a city sponsored event.

That's what I'll be there for. They should really start offering popcorn at these meetings.

I got an e-mail Thursday from an attorney for Victor Gudzunas, who is currently embroiled in eminent domain proceedings with La Puente. Gudzunas owns what city officials have called a "key" piece of land in the 1300 block of Hacienda Boulevard. The city wants to build an 11.5-acre commercial retail project there, and Mayor Louie Lujan has said without that parcel of land, the project would be impossible.

I've done several stories about the issue, and each time, I've tried to contact Gudzunas. I've called his home, I've gone to the property site (where a small strip mall stands), I've left business card with tenants, but I never heard a peep back. Well, looks like he's ready to talk. Here's some excerpts from the e-mail I got from his attorney:

Thank you for taking the time to write, last month, about a serious issue (...) Unfortunately, you did not have any input from the Gadzunas Family at the time you wrote the article. I am the lawyer representing the Gadzunas family in its litigation against the City. We would like to take this opportunity to provide you with a more complete version of the facts. We hope you will choose to revisit this case.

In a nutshell: The City's seizure of the property is occurring against the will of the family. It is "ripping out the heart" of the Victor Gadzunas, a longtime local, and a graduate of Bishop Amat High School. The City has never used eminent domain before this sorry episode - -and the City has botched its attempt to use eminent domain this time. The City's offer - - $ 4,000,000 - - is only one-half the amount that a respected appraiser, John C. Donahue, MAI, says the property is really worth.

I'll be contacting Gudzunas' attorney in the next few days and will hopefully have a follow-up article soon. It's never too late to get the other side of the story.

An interesting story out of Whittier from reporter Sandra Molina. It brings up the struggle cities often have with revitalizing their downtowns while keeping a small-town feel.

Nightclub owner seeks expanded hours of operation
By Sandra T. Molina, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/19/2008 09:45:28 PM PDT

The recommendation will go before the City Council at a future meeting.

In case you hadn't heard:

MONTEREY PARK - The City Council voted 3-2 Wednesday night to approve a contract for a new city manager.

He has held the temporary spot since the July 2007 departure of Chris Jeffers for the top administrative job in Glendora.

I got this comment from reader Amelinda Beas in response to an earlier post about the National Archives in Perris:

Are you serious? How Could you have posted this today instead of the city
council meeting of baldwin Park Last night? What Kind of so called
journalist are you?...This is supposed to be about city hall and what geos
on in these small city governments. For Instance Baldwin Park is facing
Major economic blow if the redevelopment happenes. This is a story about
corruption and your taking pictures of leather face's lair???

Unfortunately, when you spend an entire day out of the office researching another story, it sometimes takes a whole other day get caught up. That being said, my apologies Amelinda. And now, back by popular demand, here’s a BP Council round-up from Wednesday’s meeting:

The city unanimously approved a five-year tow contract extension - outlining upped franchise fees - with Baldwin-Park based Royal Coaches. You might remember a story I did a few weeks ago about the proposed extension. Officials with competitor Jan’s Towing complained the city was “circumventing the bidding process” by approving an extension with Royal Coaches mid-contract. The city claimed everything was perfectly legal.

During public communications Wednesday, an attorney for Jan’s Towing called the city out for being inconsistent with public policy.
On the flip side, Royal Coaches brought out the big guns - er, several supporters to speak on their behalf. But I don’t think they needed to...the council breezed through the item on its consent calendar.

On another note....the council took a beating during public comments from residents mostly upset about the proposed downtown development.
Business owner Gregg Tuttle was at it again, complaining that nothing productive is coming out of mandated public forums held in connection with the development proposal. “The meetings are to interact with the public, not piss ‘em off,” he said.

And if that wasn’t enough, a woman identifying herself as Amelinda Beas (I think likely the same woman from above) accused the council of being corrupt. She said she was tired of Councilman Anthony Bejarano’s “arrogance,” she wanted Councilwoman Monica Garcia to “stop taking contributions,” and she called for Councilwoman Marlen Garcia to “stop looking for photo ops.”

Do I sense tension in the room? Yikes.

Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen. Who do you think will be Rosemead's next mayor?

Will it be the next in rotation, Councilman John Nunez, who was sued -- along with the city -- for allegedly sexually harassing a former employee? The lawsuit was settled.

Will it be Councilwoman Polly Low, who is just concluding her first year on the City Council?

Will it be Councilman Gary Taylor, who has been recommended to the Grand Jury for alleged Brown Act violations?

Will it be Margaret Clark, who has sent out a round of fliers picking apart proposed city ordinances?

Will it be Mayor John Tran - I don't even know if that is possible for a mayor to serve two terms consecutively - because the council won't be able to agree on anyone?

Or will it be me, Jennifer McLain, who is now the most infamous and annoying city reporter in Rosemead's history?*

My vote is me, honorary mayor. You can just starting to refer to me as McMayor.**

The City Council will talk about it at its next council meeting on March 25 at 7 p.m.

*I am joking
**I am not joking.

West Covina police officers and firefighters got a raise, Alison Hewit reports. Do you think Monrovia is jealous?

Raises for police officers and firefighters are expected to cost $1 million more than was budgeted for the departments this year.

Meanwhile, the city has estimated a $2 million deficit at the end of the year.

But proponents said the contracts will keep the departments competitive and attract good candidates. Other cities, including Sierra Madre and Arcadia, have increased pay and benefits recently.

"This is a good pay raise that brings us closer to what other departments are paying, and they've increased our retiree medical to keep up with the growing medical costs," said Detective Scott Fahey, vice president of the city's Police Officers Association. "That's a big deal. We're real happy with that, and it's going to make us really appealing."

I asked the same question in the Monrovia post: Do we know exactly what the salaries are for the firefighters and police officers?

Cruz Bustamante, former Lt. Governor and possible consultant for the city of Irwindale, lost his throne today as the "King of the Highest FPPC Fine" to Sen. Carole Migden, the Sacramento Bee reported. Bustamante was fined $263,000 in April 2004 for a variety of FPPC violations

Commission approves Migden fine
By Aurelio Rojas - arojas@sacbee.com
Thursday, March 20, 2008

California's political watchdog agency today approved an agreement under which state Sen. Carole Migden will pay a record $350,000 fine for 89 campaign spending and disclosure violations, including illegal personal use of campaign funds.

The fine is the largest against a single state official in the Fair Political Practices Commission's three decades of existence and comes as the San Francisco Democrat is battling to retain her seat in a June primary election against Assemblyman Mark Leno and former Assemblyman Joe Nation.

Migden was campaigning in the Bay Area today and did not attend the FPPC hearing.

But her attorney, James Harrison, told reporters the violations occurred because of inadequate record keeping by Migden's former campaign treasurer and his assistant.

Harrison said the senator delegated authority because she was battling cancer at the time and her energy was focused on her duties as an officeholder.

"She's not pointing the finger at anyone," Harrison said. "At the end of the day, she's the candidate and she's responsible."

Here’s some good Sunshine Week material for you.

I went to the National Archives and Record Administration Wednesday to research documents for a story I’m working on. The facility probably takes up more than an acre of land and is pretty high security.
It’s all the way out in Perris — which is about 50 miles from here — and is literally in the middle of nowhere.

You can’t go without an appointment, and you can’t make an appointment without a box, location and ascension number from the courts (this tells employees exactly where the documents are).
If you can get all that and make it out to Perris, there’s a laundry list of rules you have to follow when once your begin reviewing documents. Here is what’s not allowed inside the review room:

Overcoats
Raincoats
Hats
Pens
Notebooks
Folders
Cell Phones

And here’s what you can’t do with the documents:

Folders must not hang off the edge of the table
You may not hold the records up like you would a newspaper
You should handle the records only when turning a page
Do not lean on the records or run your fingers over the pages as you read
You may not lick your fingers to get a better hold on the documents

I kind of felt like I was taking the GRE all over again. Needless to say, it was refreshing to see the amount of people exercising their rights to freedom of information. The archive houses civil, criminal and bankruptcy cases. According to one employee I spoke with, they usually see at least handful of people a day.

And just to give you an idea of just how out in the middle of nowhere this place is, take a look at this freaky looking house reminiscent of Leatherface’s lair about a mile from the facility.

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Who went to the Rosemead Partner's "State of the City" address Wednesday night. I didn't. (I know. It's hard to believe, but I have a personal life, too.)

What did you hear? What was said? Was it controversial? If you went, please, please, please let us know what happened. Here is one point of view as posted on Save Our Community.

More money. That's what Monrovia officers continue to ask its City Council, Melissa Pamer reports.

MONROVIA - The police union plans to continue lobbying publicly for increased pay, following a move by the City Council to unilaterally implement a one-year contract.

Dozens of off-duty officers and their family members picketed City Hall prior to a contentious council meeting Tuesday night, holding blue "Support Our Police" signs.

The 72-member Monrovia Police Officers' Association had in recent days sought public support for its efforts to get a 23.2$ 5 $7raise. Residents received e-mails, automated phone calls and mailers after months-long contract negotiations came to an impasse almost two weeks ago.

The city responded with its own campaign, saying Monrovia could not afford to satisfy the MPOA's demands.

The association on March 6 rejected the city's offer of a 16.5 percent raise over 3 1/2 years, paving the way for the implementation of the "last, best and final" offer.

It's day four of Sunshine Week. Here's the topic for today:

What has your city done to make you think it doesn't give a hoot about being transparent?

My input: From the limited experience I've had with Montebello, and from conversations I've heard by other reporters who have sturggled in getting documents, it seems that Montebello consistently makes it difficult to access public documents. Oh yeah, and this is the same city that recently suggested destroying all the public records older than seven years.

I got mixed reactions about my water story that ran on Sunday. The story looked at the topic of whether consolidating water districts could make things better for rate payers and more efficient. Feedback ranged from consolidation is a bad idea to keep on putting pressure on water districts to I missed the mark. Here is one letter I got from West Basin employee Joe Walters:

Jennifer,

I read your story in Sunday's paper and I was a little disappointed.

It seems that some of the fine points are missing in the story.

West Basin Municipal Water District and Central Basin Municipal Water
District were never formally merged. They operated as two independent
districts, but had a cost sharing agreement for the facilities and to
share staff. The reasons for the split were never really explored,
leaving some inaccurate impressions. The reasons for the "split"
included the ability to better focus on the different needs of the
populations we represent.

Also, the increase in operating budget is implied to have increased
solely due to the "split" when it is attributable to a variety of
things such as some of the treatment chemicals which have tripled in
price this year. The West Basin operating expense includes items that
Central Basin doesn't purchase since they don't have plant operations.

I would be interested to hear if you get any feedback from the general
public.

Another example of why government jobs are the way to go:

Council to vote on city manager

By Melissa Pamer, Staff Writer

 

MONTEREY PARK - Following months of acrimony over the search for a permanent city manager, the City Council is scheduled to vote tonight on a final candidate.

If her contract is approved, June Yotsuya will begin work April 28 and will earn approximately $186,000 per year.

The city reached an agreement with her Friday, after five weeks of negotiations that began following a 3-2 council vote Feb. 6. Yotsuya did not return calls for comment.

Yotsuya's three-year contract specifies a compensation level 5 percent above the highest possible pay for the police chief - which is currently about $177,000, city officials said. Yotsuya will also get 12 months of severance pay if fired and will have five weeks of vacation - plus sick and administrative leave - per year. Read more.

But then again, if you've ever seen Monterey Park City Council members is action, you could see how this amount could be justified.

West Covina council members are meeting with county Supervisor Michael Antonovich Thursday morning to talk about the city's Big League of Dreams and how the city is not receiving its proper share of traffic citation revenue. I wonder how much the city is getting, how much it thinks it gets, and the county divvies out the revenue.

Reporter Alison Hewitt told me that Councilman Mike Touhey said that he believes the city is getting short-changed $2 million.

It's the third day of Sunshine Week, which is a time dedicated to promoting dialogue about transparency in government. The past two days we've ragged on cities. Now it's our turn: 

How could the San Gabriel Valley Tribune improve its coverage of your cities and the happenings within their City Halls?

One idea we've had lately is to create online databases about our elected officials, listing bios, commission involvement, their campaign contributions, and their economic interest statements.

I've been wanting to write a story about career politicians in the San Gabriel Valley, but easier said than done. Tonight, I did minimal research, looking for which SGV Councilmember has served the longest. Unfortunately, not each city has bios posted online about their council members, and information is very limited in general online about the council members and their histories. So I figured I'd turn to you guys for help:

What council member in your city has served the longest?

Here's all I know. (Hey, I said I did minimal research. I gave up after five cities didn't have anything posted about their council members.) I'm hoping that with your help, this list will grow:

Rosemead
Gary Taylor
First elected: 1974
Total years: 34

*BTW. I want to do the story because I find the topic interesting. I'm not saying that it is good or bad that there are council members who have served on the council for X many of years. That's your call. My boss seems to think this isn't a story because voters continue to reelect these local career politicians.

The West Covina City Council could ask staff to study whether to rename a strip of Glendora Avenue “Old Town Center,” to help give the shopping area near Lakes Drive more identity. I was so pleased to see the city wasn't planning on “Olde Towne Centre,” but now I wonder if that might change.

I should mention that I've long been annoyed by the cutesy, “old fashioned” addition of an “E” to the end of a word to try and give it more character, as in “Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe” or “Towne Square.” But today I inadvertently encouraged it.

I don't mean to offend anyone. Certainly, for some people, the Es are a way to add character and communicate history and to distinguish an area or store from other locations. But to me, it always seems fake and pretentious. I was so pleased that no one had succumbed to the temptation of naming part of West Covina “Olde Towne Centre” instead of the properly spelled “Old Town Center” – so pleased that I asked one of the people involved in coming up with the name why they had left off the Es. I expected to hear that they didn't like the Es, either. Instead, I heard that they simply hadn't thought of it, and that it was a wonderful idea, and it would be suggested.

Oops. I mean, oopse. The irony is killing me.

There was a little tucked away brief in the paper this weekend about June Yotsuya, an assistant city manager of 24,000-resident Seal Beach, who was offered a CIty Manager contract that will be presented to the Monterey Park City Council this week. The City Manager position has been filled by Adolfo Reta since former City Manager Chris Jeffers took a job in Glendora.

Yotsouya worked for Downey when the city, along with seven others, sued the Water Replinishment District of Southern California. This story ran in 1999:

Firing the next salvo in an ongoing war of words, the Downey City Council tonight will consider hiring a public relations firm to speak for it and seven other local cities that are suing the Water Replenishment District.

The district, which replenishes the groundwater in 43 local cities, hired its own public relations firm earlier this year, at an estimated cost of $50,000 per month.

Eight local cities -- Artesia, Cerritos, Downey, Lakewood, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs and Signal Hill -- are suing the district. They allege the district is overcharging cities to pump out groundwater and has misspent funds to re-elect board members.

The council is expected to approve hiring Issues Management Network for six months, at a cost not to exceed $36,000. If the seven other cities also agree to hire the public relations group, each city will be billed $4,500. Downey will do the billing and handle the bookkeeping, said Downey Assistant Manager June Yotsuya .

``It's really hard for staff to get out there and research on every single issue,'' Yotsuya said. ``I don't want us to be doing exactly what WRD is doing here (by hiring a consultant) but it's important to have someone to speak for us.''

I just got back from Los Altos High School and their career day. There were a group of nicely dressed students asking me questions from what is the newsroom like to how do you get started in the profession. It was a good exercise for the students and for me. There were a few in the batch that have that go get em type attitude, a few that could easily be the future sports writers and a few who wanted to work for Vogue. I fielded the questions the best I could, but those interested in fashion writing I didn't quite connect to.

Oh yeah, and the question of salary and a dying profession did come up. But I tried to twist it into: By the time you graduate college and are working for a paper, it will hopefully have adjusted by then. Hopefully.

In case you were wondering, Reporter Dan Abendschein tells me there should be no surprises when Covina council members pick a new mayor at tonight’s meeting. Next up in line for the coveted ceremonial seat: Kevin Stapleton, who is currently mayor pro-tem.

Just moving down the line.

Looks like Louie Lujan is getting a jump start on fund-raising efforts for the November 2009 municipal election.

He's holding a fund-raiser next week at the popular Vive Lounge in Old Town Pasadena (a bar/night club that is usually pretty poppin' as they say on the weekends).

Guests include Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs, Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero and State Assemblymen Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, who I should add has historically been a big contributor to La Puente council campaigns including Lujan’s.

Want to be a sponsor and support the “Committee to Elect Louie Lujan?” It’ll cost you. Sponsorship levels start a $99 and go up to $10,000. That's a lot of money for a council seat. Apparently, La Puente does not set campaign contribution limits for local races.

View the invitation here.

Since we’re on the topic of open government, here’s an interesting report that was released by Openthegovernment.org about secrecy in government. Here’s the executive summary:

OpenTheGovernment.org’s fourth annual report, Secrecy Report Card 2007, shows both a continued expansion of government secrecy across a broad array of agencies and actions and some, limited, movement toward more openness and accountability.

While every administration wants to control access to information about its policies and practices, information created by or for the federal government belongs to the American public and should be open (except in strictly limited and specified contexts). As this principle is often honored more in the breach than in the observance, public access to government information has varied over time. The current administration has exercised an unprecedented level not only of restriction of access to information about federal government’s policies and decisions, but also of suppression of discussion of those policies, their underpinnings, and their implications. It has also increasingly refused to be held accountable to the public through the oversight responsibilities of Congress. These practices inhibit democracy and our representative government; neither the public nor Congress can make informed decisions in these circumstances. Our open society is undermined and made insecure.

If you want to review the whole report, go here. It may take about a minute to load.

In the spirit of Sunshine Week, here’s the open government question of the day:

What could your local city do to be more transparent?

Here are a couple of ideas from the cities I cover (and these can be applied to all SGV cities). In La Verne, the City Clerk's office could make audio of all City Council meetings available online for review, with the accompanying agenda and staff reports. Right now, only the agendas are available online. But what if a resident can't attend a meeting? They could call the city and ask for a recap, or they could listen to the audio for themselves and draw their own conclusions.

And in Baldwin Park, La Puente and La Verne, the city clerks could make all campaign contribution statements (Form 460s) and statements of economic interests (Form 700s) for all council members available online. Open-government laws already state that these forms have to be readily available for the public to review. But if they were accessible via the Internet, it would save not only the city clerk's time but the public's time. Plus, I can almost guarantee that if this stuff was online, more people would likely view it.
I should note, Baldwin Park is making efforts to do this for all 460s now.

I am scheduled to be a guest at a career day today at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights. A group of 19 students want to talk to a journalist, and for better or for worse, I'm what they end up with. The organizer told me I can expect questions like why I got into this business (I wanted to be a sports writer, and decided at 16 that my byline would be JJ McLain so that I could disguise my gender); what the salary range is (worse than a barista at Starbucks); when I decided I wanted to be a journalist (at 14 when I realized how cool it was to see my name in the newspaper from the sports I participated in); what degree I got in school (religious studies with a Middle Eastern studies focus).

I wonder if I should mention anything about how critics feel that our industry is dying and has no future?

Considering the inmate population problem in California, the county's proposal to build a new jail in Monterey Park that would actually house inmates might not be a bad idea...

By Alison Hewitt, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/17/2008 10:31:20 PM PDT

The county might build a new jail in Monterey Park to replace Sybil Brand Institute, a women's jail that has hosted entertainment film crews instead of inmates since it closed in 1997.

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2730

Looks like a local WIC program representative who said in January that she wanted to make Baldwin Park the "Breast-Feeding Friendly City" of America wasn't kidding.

The Council will consider a resolution Wednesday promoting and supporting breastfeeding for city employees in the workplace.

It must be a slow week for the BP council.

Interesting comments, such as "Get the ILLEGALS out of this country," to "screw u bob huff"  made in response to Bethania Palma's story that ran today about Assemblyman Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, who is proposing a package of bills aimed at discouraging illegal immigration. Here's a clip of the story. Read more.

5-bill package targets illegals
Huff's legislation aimed at migrants said unlikely to pass
By Bethania Palma, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/15/2008 10:06:00 PM PDT

A package of Assembly bills aimed at discouraging illegal immigration is circulating the Assembly, though none of the five measures is likely to become legislation.

The bills, authored by Assemblyman Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, aim to revoke the constitutional birthright to citizenship for children whose parents are not U.S. citizens and eliminate other rights for undocumented immigrants.

"Most people don't think that just because you happen to be in this country and have a baby, it should be a citizen," Huff said. "What is it that inherently entitles that person to all the rights that belong to people here legitimately?"

Harry Pachon, professor of public policy at USC, said the bills are too extreme and not well thought-out.

"It's posturing to a certain ideology that believes unauthorized immigrants are the root of all problems," he said. "Drafting draconian proposals on them is easy, because who speaks for the unauthorized immigrant?"

Some interesting things slated for a special meeting in Covina Tuesday night...

Also, a new mayor is scheduled to be elected by majority council vote during the regular meeting on the same night.

I got this press release from the city of La Verne today:

LA VERNE,CA – On March 20, 2008, the City of La Verne will dedicate the Amherst Groundwater Treatment Facility, a state of the art water treatment plant designed to remove nitrates and perchlorates from the groundwater. The treatment facility is also part of a conjunctive use project between the City of La Verne, Three Valleys Municipal Water District, and The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
The construction of the treatment plant was partially funded through a grant from the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, Watershed Protection Act, also known as Proposition 13 approved by the voters in 2000. In 2001, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) was designated to administer $69 million for aquifer storage programs and other projects. Of those funds, $45 million was specifically designated for conjunctive use projects. Three Valleys and La Verne were awarded $3.3 million to develop a local conjunctive use project which would provide 3,000 acre feet of groundwater storage for MWD and the opportunity to develop a facility to clean up local resources.
“This project is more than a treatment plant, it is a partnership of three agencies, MWD, Thee Valleys Municipal Water District, and the City of La Verne, committed to working together to develop local resources, strategically manage regional water supply, and increase reliability of service delivery, “ said Mayor Blickenstaff.
This plant will allow the City of La Verne to use more of its groundwater supply and be less reliant on imported water, which has averaged 75 - 80 percent of total water deliveries. Previously, the City was limited in the use of local groundwater due to the presence of nitrates in the water, likely a remnant from its early days in the citrus industry. This new treatment facility, with a maximum operating capacity of 2,575 gallons per minute, has the capability to reduce nitrates and perchlorates to nondetectable levels using an ion exchange process.
The dedication ceremony will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, 2008, at the facility located at 2898 Amherst Street in La Verne. The event is open to the public and will feature brief presentations and self-guided tours. For more information or to RSVP, please call the City of La Verne Public Works Department at (909) 596-8741.

You think the water officials will be expensing their drive out to La Verne?

La Puente Councilman Dan Holloway wants to keep City Hall open every Friday. City employees currently follow a flexible work schedule, which means they work 80 hours over nine days every two weeks. So every other Friday, City Hall is closed.

Holloway said when he was campaigning, a lot of residents complained about this, especially during holiday weeks when City Hall was already closed, for example, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and then again on Friday.

I have to say, on a personal note, it’s really hard for reporters when City Hall shuts down. Some cities are closed every Friday, which makes it even worse. Instead, Holloway wants to keep the flexible work schedule, but have City Hall open at half staff every Friday, to ensure the residents service five days a week.

“We are in the business of public service, and you can’t serve the public if City Hall is closed,” he said

Now there’s an idea.

Looks like Del Terra Group won’t be reviewing the service contracts in La Puente after all. The Industry-based group withdrew their proposal at a special meeting last week citing prior commitments.

Instead, Management Partners, Inc. will be negotiating an agreement with the city this week for the job. Looks like they actually have experience in reviewing service contracts. They’ve done it before in Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates.

I just got a call from Steven Ly, president of political action committee Rosemead Partners. He informed me that there would be a "state of the city" address on Wednesday. I was confused for a second. I thought, wait, why haven't I heard about this from the city? It turns out that it isn't sponsored by the city, but by Rosemead Partners. So, I asked Steven, "Do you think it is misleading to call it state of the city if it's not sponsored by the city?"

He said no. "If we approached the city with the idea, it would be Mayor John Tran, or [John] Nunez giving the presentation. We obviously have problems working with them." Councilwoman Margaret Clark will give the presentation, which begins at 7 p.m. at the Rosemead Community Center. It is paid for by Rosemead Partners.

What do you think about the address? Here is one opinion against it.

Reporter Dan Abendschein wrote this story today about a bill proposed by Sen. Ron Calderon that would open medical records to pharmaceutical companies. Oh, and by the way, Calderon got $15,000 in contributions from these companies, Abendschein wrote.

In 2007, Calderon received more than $15,000 in contributions from pharmaceutical companies and retail pharmacies, records show. Two of his contributors, Rite Aid and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, are supporters of the bill. The sponsor of the bill is a drug company, Adheris, which is a for-profit company that works to keep patients taking their medications.

Company officials did not return phone calls Friday. Calderon says the bill would help companies like Adheris carry out their mission. He added that his concern is for patients, and it is irrelevant whether drug companies and pharmacies benefit or not.

But don't worry. It doesn't have any impact on Calderon's decision, Abendschein reported.

"I never look at who my donors are before I decide to sponsor a bill," said Calderon. "My idea is to help people get their medications."

Today marks the first day of the Sunshine Week, a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Some news outlets have dedicated a lot of time to promoting such dialogue during this week. I'd like to think that every day is Sunshine Week here at the Trib. But I'm not sure that we have anything scheduled to appear in the paper.

Here's my sunshine week topic of the day: Describe your most frustrating experience in trying to access public information.

My most frustrating experience has been with LA Impact, a county-wide task force consisting of local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement agencies. In a records request I made, they told me to go out to their headquarters in Commerce to pick up the documents. I was expecting hundreds and hundreds of pages. What I got was six pages, which did not even satisfy my records request. When I was handed the six pages, I just stared at it and said, "Where's the rest of it?" I couldn't believe it.

Six friggin pages.

Why in the world couldn't they fax it over or email it or even mail it? Give me a break. To top it off, they weren't the documents that I requested. When I told the attorney it was not what I wanted or was expecting, she made me go through another round of records request. And no, I still haven't gotten my documents. Arg! At least they didn't charge me for the six pages.

The Sacramento Bee reported on Sunday that the Legilslature "plays by its own rules" when it comes to open government.

Legislature's secrecy puts cloud over Sunshine Week, critics say By John Hill - jhill@sacbee.com Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, March 16, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

After years as a county supervisor, Todd Spitzer believed in open government and wanted to bring a dose of it to his new home in the California Legislature.

He was about to learn a hard lesson: When it comes to open government, the Legislature plays by its own rules.

A bill Spitzer carried in 2004 would have made the Legislature subject to the same public records law that applies to everyone from the governor to Galt City Council members.

Spitzer's Assembly Bill 2714 sparked a rare instance of bipartisanship. No one on the committee, Democrat or Republican, made a motion to consider it.

"I didn't even get a courtesy vote," Spitzer recalls.

The Orange County Republican had just run up against the Legislative Open Records Act – a state law with a name that some, including Spitzer, find ironic.

"We're great about telling everyone else about having open government," Spitzer said. "When it comes to ourselves, we're complete hypocrites."

Our coverage of water districts will increase. The public -- and the Tribune -- generally doesn't pay attention to the large number of water districts in the San Gabriel Valley and in Los Angeles County, and what I am finding is that we should. Each district has a lot of power and money -- more money than is found in many of our cities operating budgets.

What stories are out there that should be looked into?

There's quite a discussion on Save Our Communityabout the definition of a community activist, a term that I used to refer to a Rosemead resident.

What's your definition of a "community activist"?

I got my hands on the itemized expenses incurred by the Baldwin Park Police Department for about the last year.

There’s no way to tell for sure who the business cards were for. The only information listed on the form is what I’ve written above.
But as a reminder: city officials say Lopez retired on Feb. 6. Councilman Ricardo Pacheco and the Baldwin Park Police Association claim Lopez was fired that night in closed session.

I wonder what happen to those business cards...

Looks like education isn’t all the Montebello City Council is looking for in a police chief. Despite some debate over Dan Weast’s education level — he has a GED — the City Council affirmed the 24-year-veteran of the force as police chief Wednesday.

Read on:

MONTEBELLO - A lieutenant with ties to the police officer's union was promoted to chief of police in a 4-1 vote of the City Council on Wednesday.
Dan Weast, a 24-year veteran of the Police Department, will receive an annual salary of $144,996.

The rest of the council appeared pleased with the appointment.

You can add beer to the list of evils Monrovians are fighting these days.

I wrote an article recently about a possible mandatory spay/neuter program in Baldwin Park. Councilwomen Marlen Garcia and Monica Garcia want to require all puppies and kittens be fixed by the time they are 4 months old.
City staff members are looking into the proposal now, and will likely come back with a recommendation in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, the story seems to have sparked some outrage among readers. Here’s some feedback I’ve received:

I urge you to ask officials how mandatory spay/neuter will solve their stray dog or cat population. When you have "NO ONE" to answer for their pet how will this make any difference at all? Yes the "owned" animals will be taken care of but not the "unowned"animals which by far is the largest problem across the country.
Forcing people to do something rarely has a positive out come. We have found within our own breed rescue roughly 80-90% of the animals we take in are "already" altered. It is only the stray animals we rescue from a shelter that are not already altered. There is no one to answer for that, so I wonder will this ever make a difference? Or will this only put us rescuers at odds with pet owners?

And another:

Saw your article on Baldwin Park being led down the path of irresponsibility by people who think they know what they don't know! I'd like to give you a few things to ponder before you do another article - and maybe you'll understand the situation better than the politicos!!!

OK - Tania - you now have more info than the politicos. Let them know that you are educated. Remind them that the Nazis did exactly this - they took away the guns AND dogs from the general populace. It certainly worked there!

Thoughts anyone?

The La Puente City Council is going to hold a special meeting in about an hour to discuss hiring a firm to review all service contracts in the city.

Officials say they want to make sure their getting the most bang for their buck with these contracts, and that the contracts are sound.

The two companies up for the job are Management Partners and Del Terra. Here’s a blurb from city staff reports about the two firms:

Management Partners is a nationwide firm who has an office in San Jose, California. Management Partners has been in business since 1994 and has provided like services for several California cities. Management Partners provided an estimate of $35,000 to $45,000 including all expenses with an estimated timeline of 100 days to complete the project.

Del Terra is a local company with offices in the City of Industry. The clients listed by Del Terra are school districts, with the exception of the city of Whittier and the City of Rosemead. Most of Del Terra’s experience has been in construction management services for multi million dollar projects. Del Terra did not provide a cost estimate or a timeline in which to provide the services.

A little background on Del Terra from a story reporter Jennifer McLain did last year:

ROSEMEAD — The city’s longtime construction management firm, Willdan, will be replaced by a new company, officials said.
Industry-based Del Terra Group was selected by the City Council on Tuesday to head the city’s construction projects, including the Garvey Bridge upgrade.
Council members Margaret Clark and Gary Taylor opposed the decision.
Clark requested that they hire Del Terra but allow Willdan to complete its oversight of the Garvey Bridge, which is currently under construction.
That request was denied.

Sounds to me like Del Terra is more of a construction management company than a firm that can review professional contracts — which include those for the city attorney and city engineer.

I could be wrong. We’ll see what happens.

Reporter Dan Abendschein saw this article plastered on a stall in the men's room today. I hope you're not eating...

Kansas woman sat on toilet for two years
Woman's boyfriend took her food and water and regularly asked her to come out of bathroom.
From the Associated Press
March 13, 2008

Authorities are considering charges in the bizarre case of a woman who sat on her boyfriend's toilet for two years -- so long that her body was stuck to the seat by the time the man finally called police.

It appeared the 35-year-old Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat, said Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple. The woman initially refused emergency medical services but was finally convinced by responders and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.

"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. "The hospital removed it."

Whipple said investigators planned to present their report Wednesday to the county attorney, who will determine whether any charges should be filed against the boyfriend.

"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body," Whipple said. "It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself."

Police declined to release the couple's names, but the boyfriend, Kory McFarren, agreed to be interviewed Wednesday by The Associated Press. He identified his girlfriend as Pam Babcock.

McFarren, 36, told investigators he took Babcock food and water and asked her every day to come out of the bathroom.

"And her reply would be, 'Maybe tomorrow,"' Whipple said. "According to him, she did not want to leave the bathroom."

McFarren told the AP that he wasn't to blame, and that it was solely Babcock's choice to remain in the bathroom.

"She is an adult; she made her own decision. It was my fault I should have gotten help for her sooner; I admit that. But after a while, you kind of get used to it," McFarren said.

Although authorities said they think Babcock was in the bathroom for two years, McFarren said he wasn't certain how long she stayed there. He said she had a phobia about leaving the room because of childhood beatings.

"It just kind of happened one day. She went in and had been in there a little while, the next time it was a little longer. Then she got it in her head she was going to stay -- like it was a safe place for her," McFarren said.

But McFarren said Babcock moved around in the bathroom during that time, bathed and changed into the clothes he brought her. He said they conversed and had an otherwise normal relationship -- except that it all happened in the bathroom.

McFarren, who works at an antique store, said he has been taking care of Babcock for the 16 years they have lived together.

McFarren called police on Feb. 27 to report that "there was something wrong with his girlfriend," Whipple said.

Police found Babcock clothed and sitting on the toilet, her sweat pants down to her mid-thigh. She was "somewhat disoriented," and her legs looked as if they had atrophied, Whipple said.

"She said that she didn't need any help, that she was OK and did not want to leave," he said.

She was reported in fair condition at a hospital in Wichita, about 150 miles southeast of Ness City. Whipple said she refused to cooperate with medical providers or law enforcement investigators.

McFarren said that his girlfriend has an infection in her legs that has damaged her nerves, and that she has no feeling in her legs. She may wind up in a wheelchair, he said.

Authorities said they did not know whether she was mentally or physically disabled.

The case has been the buzz of Ness City, said James Ellis, a neighbor.

"I don't think anybody can make any sense out of it," he said.

Ellis said he had known the woman since she was a child but that he had not seen her for at least six years.

He said she had a tough childhood after her mother died at a young age and apparently was usually kept inside the house as she grew up. At one time the woman worked for a long-term care facility, he said, but he did not know what kind of work she did there.

"It really doesn't surprise me," Ellis said. "What surprises me is somebody wasn't called in a bit earlier."

Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, is proposing legilsation that could result in cost savings by reducing reliance on IT contractors, the Sacramento Bee reported today.

Union decries increasing number of outsourced IT contracts for state of California By Aurelio Rojas - arojas@sacbee.com Last Updated 12:23 am PDT Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A3

The number of information technology contracts awarded by the state of California has tripled since 2003, and the state could save up to $100 million annually by reducing its reliance on contractors, according to a new union study.

The report, titled "Too Many, Too Costly, Too Little Oversight," was compiled by the Service Employees International Union in preparation for a hearing today in the Legislature and based on information provided by the Department of General Services.

SEIU represents 7,800 state IT employees, 80 percent of whom work in the Sacramento region. The union is sponsoring AB 2603 by Assemblyman Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, that would require state departments to report IT contract expenditures so that they could be compared to the cost of state employees doing the work.

According to a 2006 report by the independent California Research Bureau, outsourcing IT work cost 50 percent more than doing the work in-house.

"At a time when we have so many budget issues and a ($8 billion) budget deficit, it's very important that we pursue any avenues in which might save money," said Eng, who will chair today's joint hearing of the Assembly Committee on Business & Profession and Public Employees, Retirement & Social Security.

As I was working on a story about legal fees in city of Rosemead, this article was pointed out to me regarding Burke, Williams and Sorensen, which is Rosemead's redevelopment agency attorney.

Legal fees eating into city of Hemet's budget
10:00 PM PDT on Monday, March 10, 2008

By HERBERT ATIENZA
The Press-Enterprise

Hemet officials expect a gap of about $3.1 million between what it earns and what it spends for fiscal year 2007-08, and among the biggest factors contributing to the deficit are attorney fees expected to be about $1.25 million more than expected.

City officials said they will cut the deficit by adopting cost-saving steps.

If those efforts are not enough, Hemet may have to tap into its reserves to fill the spending gap, Finance Director Laura Nomura said.

She said Hemet's general fund budget for 2007-08 is $38 million and it has $5.6 million in reserves.

Nomura recently gave the City Council a mid-year budget review to examine how finances are doing relative to projections when the budget was adopted in the beginning of the fiscal year.

She said lower than expected sales-tax revenue and higher costs have combined to create the gap. Ideally, she said, Hemet's spending must equal revenue, leaving a zero balance.

Among the higher costs were attorney fees. The city had budgeted $1.2 million for legal fees for 2007-08, but actual costs are expected to be about $2.4 million, Nomura said.

City Attorney Eric Vail said the higher costs were caused by major projects and work from his office that required more billable hours.

"We do not self-initiate work," said Vail, who said the legal work was directed by the city manager or the council.

He said his law firm, Burke, Williams and Sorensen, did not seek a rate increase in 2007-08.

Well not yet, but this just popped up on our Web site:

Whittier officials consider drilling for oil in them there hills
By Mike Sprague, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/12/2008 12:53:51 PM PDT

WHITTIER — With the price of oil tickling $110 a barrel, the city has visions of striking it rich in black gold.
City officials said Wednesday they are looking into the possibility of drilling for oil on city-owned land in the Whittier hills.
If — and officials emphasize that word — drilling would not harm the hills, Whittier could receive additional money, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars every year.
“We have a very promising thing for our community,” Councilman Joe Vinatieri said. “We have the opportunity to cement our revenue stream depending on how things pan out for a couple of generations to come.”
Officials now are working with Matrix Oil Co., which already has oil wells on Honolulu Terrace Drive.

Let’s hope they strike it rich.

It was a bad night for La Puente Councilwoman Lola Storing’s motions Tuesday. Why? They didn’t get any support from fellow council members.

Storing put two proposals on the agenda: one to prohibit council members from accepting campaign contributions from prospective or current developers and contractors, and the other to do away with all-expense paid meals for council members when meetings begin before 6:30 p.m.
Apparently, the city spends about $1,000 a year to feed the council before meetings.
“I think we’re adults,” she said. “We can adjust our eating schedules so the city doesn’t have to pay for it.”

Too bad. Neither of those initatives are ain’t gonna happen.

On another note, the city passed an initiative to go green and provide paperless agendas. They also did a step-by-step review of the all the city’s commissions. More to come on that.

This just in:
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer just finished up a new conference this morning where he announced he is resigning. He’ll be out of office effective Monday.

The Feds say Spitzer was involved in a call-girl scandal where he allegedly shelled out thousands of dollars on high-end prostitutes. The New York Times Web site is all Spitzer, all the time today.

My question: is that taxpayer money?

Which would you chose?

Reporter Bethania Palma reports Azusa city officials and residents are trying to figure out what do with a National Gaurd Armory that’s been empty for more than year.
Here are some of the ideas that have been thrown out:

Suggestions ranged from turning the space into a multi-purpose center with a boxing ring, basketball courts and swimming pool to using it as a banquet and reception hall.

Planning Commissioner Jorge Rosales said the building will provide a much-needed community facility in the city’s southwest section.

And more ideas:

Residents offered widely varying suggestions that included using the building as a cold weather shelter for the homeless and bringing in the San Gabriel Valley Young Marines. Many said youth programs are badly needed.

Planning Commissioner Sandra Rentschler suggested a Boys and Girls Club while residents Mike Lee and Dick Cortes asked for a use that would benefit the city's veterans.

All suggestions are being forwarded to the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission before going before the City Council.

I spotted this on the wire this morning:

POMONA — Pomona’s City Clerk’s Office has improved its portion of the city’s Web site, including adding documents, such as City Council agenda packets, City Clerk Marie Macias said today.
“It is our goal in the City Clerk’s Office to provide current and helpful information to all citizens and now the redesign of our site is more organized around the way that citizens want to access information,” Macias said.

Now, to be quite honest, I haven’t visited Pomona’s Web site before so I can’t pass any kind of “before and after” judgement.
But I will say this: anytime a city makes agenda packets readily available to the public via the Internet, it makes lives so much easier — including ours.
Not only does it save time and a trip to City Hall, but it also makes it easier for residents to find out what’s going on in City Hall chambers.
In case you’re curios, here’s a direct link to the City Clerk’s page. It would be nice if the adjoining staff reports were also available online, but hey, we can't be greedy.

Agenda packets are available as far back as 2006.

Why am I posting this? Because I just had salmon for dinner:

Widespread end to salmon fishing now likely By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com Last Updated 8:34 pm PDT Tuesday, March 11, 2008

A complete closure of salmon fishing in California and Oregon this year appeared more likely Tuesday after federal managers grappled for the first time with the hard facts.

Meeting in Sacramento, the Pacific Fishery Management Council was told by its expert staff that even with such a drastic closure, only an estimated 59,100 Chinook salmon will spawn this fall in California's Central Valley rivers, including the Sacramento, American and Feather.

That low number is well below the minimum conservation goal of 122,000 fish, leaving officials with few options. All fishing south of Point Falcon in Oregon could be affected -- including commercial and recreational, in the ocean and rivers -- which has never happened.

The closure would mean that fresh local salmon will be unavailable to consumers in stores, restaurants and farmer's markets for perhaps the first time ever.

Here's a Montebello meeting sneak peak from Reporter Amanda Baumfeld:

Much to discuss in Montebello at Wednesday's meeting.

Lastly, Councilwoman Kathy Salazar is requesting Montebello be among the city's who have reduced or eliminated plastic bags. She is asking for council support in drafting an ordinance.

I gather it will be lengthy meeting.

The Los Angeles Times today reported that there is a proposed rate increase by the Metropolitan Water District. Why should you care? Because if you live in one of the cities represented by the 26 districts that are part of the MWD, than that means more money out of your pocket. The increase is proposed at 14.3 percent, but Water Replinishment District of Southern California Director Willard Murray is suggesting that cost go up to 20 percent.

MWD board to vote on rate hike

By Deborah Schoch, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

March 11, 2008

Some Southern California households would pay up to 14% more per month for water in 2009 under a plan unanimously approved Monday by a key regional water panel.

The water rate increase, driven by shortages in supplies, would vary widely depending on how much water cities and local water agencies buy from the MWD, which serves 18 million consumers in six counties.

The controversial rate hike goes before the entire Metropolitan Water District board today, with some members saying an even larger increase might be needed.

Although the 14.3% increase unanimously passed the MWD's budget committee Monday, some members voiced concern that the hike does not cover the full cost of bringing water to the region and will force them to take $117 million from shrinking reserves. Rates would have to go up 20% next year to cover expenses, said Brian G. Thomas, the agency's chief financial officer.

Board member Willard H. Murray Jr. said he plans to propose a 20% increase when the full 37-member board meets at noon today at MWD headquarters in Los Angeles.

"We should collect enough to pay for the services we provide," said Murray, who represents the Carson-based West Basin Municipal Water District. He failed in a Monday motion to force a vote on a 20% increase. Read more

I was sifting through the Web site for the California Fair Poliitical Practics Commission and came upon several officials and agencies with ties to the San Gabriel Valley that have been fined by the commission for various reasons. Take a look.

And by the way, in case you’re wondering, Best, Best & Krieger, LLP, of Riverside was the law firm that used to represent Montebello. They also put out a bid for Rosemead’s Redevelopment Agency, but lost to Burke, Williams and Sorensen.

2007

Hector Delgado and Friends of Hector Delgado Hector Delgado was elected to the South El Monte City Council on March 4, 2003. Friends of Hector Delgado was a committee controlled by Delgado, who also served as its treasurer.
Delgado failed to disclose the source of a contribution of $100 or more in a post-election semiannual campaign statement for the reporting period February 16, 2003 through June 30, 2003.
Delgado also failed to maintain the detailed accounts, records, bills and receipts necessary to prepare the post-election semi-annual campaign statement for the reporting period February 16, 2003 through June 30, 2003, to establish that the campaign statement was properly filed, and to comply with other campaign reporting provisions. $2,500 fine.

Best, Best & Krieger, LLP, of Riverside, failed to timely file a 2006 semi-annual campaign statement disclosing contributions totaling $12,000. $400 fine.

David Benitez, a City of Pomona Community Life Commissioner, paid a $250 fine for failing to timely file his assuming office SEI.

Albert Armijo for Pico Rivera City Council, located in Pico Rivera, paid a $980.42 fine for failing to timely disclose late contributions totaling $6,536.14.

2006

In the Matter of Chino Valley Unified School District, FPPC No. 06/461. Staff: Commission Counsel Tom Dyer. Respondent Chino Valley Unified School District violated the Political Reform Act by sending a mass mailing, dated June 1, 2006, at public expense to residents, which was signed by five elected Board of Education members, in violation of Government Code section 89001 (1 count). $3,500 fine.

In the Matter of Indian Hill Management, Inc., FPPC No. 06-0647. Indian Hill Management, Inc. of Upland failed to timely file a semi-annual campaign statement disclosing contributions totaling $17,500.00 in 2004 (1 count). $400 fine

In the Matter of Emergency Groups? Office, FPPC No. 06/430. Emergency Groups? Office of Arcadia failed to time file semi-annual campaign statements disclosing contributions totaling $15,000 in 2003 and $15,250 in 2004 (2 counts). $1,200 fine.

In the Matter of Huntington Memorial Hospital, FPPC No. 06/434. Huntington Memorial Hospital of Pasadena failed to timely file a semi-annual campaign statement disclosing contributions totaling $10,000 in 2004 (1 count). $800 fine.

In the Matter of David Olivas and Committee to Elect David Olivas, FPPC No. 03-151. Staff: Commission Counsel Amanda Saxton and Supervising Investigator Dennis Pellón. Respondent David Olivas was a successful candidate for the Baldwin Park City Council in the March 4, 2003, election. Respondent Committee to Elect David Olivas was the controlled committee of Respondent Olivas with Respondent Olivas acting as its treasurer. Respondents failed to: file a statement of organization, in violation of section 84101, subdivision (a) of the Government Code (1 count); deposit the personal funds of Respondent Olivas into a single, designated campaign bank account prior to expenditure, in violation of section 85201, subdivision (d) of the Government Code (1 count); file a semi-annual campaign statement, in violation of section 84200, subdivision (a) of the Government Code (2 counts); and timely file a pre-election campaign statement, in violation of sections 84200.5, subdivision (c) and 84200.8 of the Government Code (1 count). $14,500 fine.

In the Matter of Scott Goldman, FPPC No. 06-290. Scott Goldman of Glendora failed to timely file semi-annual campaign statements disclosing contributions totaling $13,750.00 in 2004 (2 counts). $800 fine.

In the Matter of Physicians for Compassionate Care of California, Inc., FPPC No. 06-0011. Physicians for Compassionate Care of California, Inc., of Arcadia failed to timely disclose late contributions totaling $11,000 (2 counts). $1,650 fine.

2005

In the Matter of Best, Best & Krieger, LLP, FPPC No. 05/106. Best, Best & Krieger, LLP of Riverside failed to timely file a semi-annual campaign statement disclosing contributions totaling $57,223 in 2004 (1 count). $972.23 fine.

Looks like La Puente Councilman Dan Holloway is taking over Mayor Louie Lujan’s seat on the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District Board of Trustees.
Lujan appointed Holloway in January, after Lujan resigned citing time constraints.
Board meetings are a once a month, at 7 a.m.

Holloway will get a $100 stipend per month if he attends that meeting. That stipend also covers any other meetings he may have to attend for other committees, according to vector control officials.

It’s a far cry from other appointed boards or districts, which can pay upwards of $150 per meeting. Must I remind everyone of Jennifer McLain’s water district story?

Here's a sampling of what I found in a review of the South El Monte's economic interest forms, which provide a section to list any gifts received.

South El Monte Councilman Luis Aguinaga reported that he received a $50 bottle of tequila from Primestor Development and $120 worth of food from Athens Disposal, among other gifts.

Councilmembers Blanca Figueroa, Hector Delgado, Angelica Garcia, Joseph Gonzales and Aguinaga received multiple gift baskets from AAE Inc., Meyers Nave, Tacos El Chapparrito, South El Monte City Manager Tony Ybarra, Contract employee Omar Hernandez and law firm Richard, Watson and Gershon. Figueroa received $100 in cash as a Chinese New Year's gift from Superfood Warehouse. Gonzales reported receving $50 in tickets to attent the Dodger's Opening Day.

This is all legal.

First it was Baldwin Park. Then it was Arcadia. Now, it's Monrovia - the latest casuality in bitter contract negotiations between sworn police officers and city officials.

It's pretty much the same story, Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer reports:

The Monrovia Police Officers Association and city officials have been meeting since spring, trying to negotiate a replacement contract for the four-year agreement that expired June 30, 2007. They've been far apart the whole time, representatives of both sides said.

The situation became pivotal on Friday, when the police association's lawyer informed City Manager Scott Ochoa that the city's fourth offer - of a 16.5percent raise over three and a half years - was rejected.

Now, police have taken to the streets to bring their fight to the people.

Over the weekend, off-duty officers talked to Monrovians and handed out fliers at local grocery stores. On Friday, automatic phone calls went out to 11,000 households warning of a "crisis" and saying city officials have "ignored" the association's request for "the resources to make our city more secure."

Here's the interesting part. It seems police are employing the recent string of gang shootings in their fight.

The attention comes as the spotlight on the city's public-safety efforts was beginning to fade, after six weeks of calm followed a series of gang shootings in December and January.

References to "dangerous gangs" and "senseless violence" have been employed in the association's calls for residents to lobby City Hall in support of increased public-safety funding.

What do you think? In poor taste or a good argument?

Campaign contributions seem to be a trend among bloggers these days. I’ll just keep that trend going...

Sifting through finance documents for La Puente officials Monday, I came upon several pricy in-kind contributions from Dr. Ed Hernandez, who represents the 57th Assembly District.

Just a little background on Hernandez first: he was a La Puente optometrist before deciding to run for office in 2006. He beat out then La Puente mayor Renee Chavez, who was hoping to take over her husband Ed Chavez’ seat. Chavez was being termed out.

Despite being a representative for several districts, including Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Industry, Irwindale, and West Covina, it looks Hernandez hasn’t forgotten about little ole’ La Puente.
Here’s a list of his contributions:

To: Nadia Mendoza
August 2007/ $457.36/ Phonebank staff, office use, printing and design, postage, etc.
In October 2007/ $3,148.62/ Phonebank staff, office use, printing and design, postage, etc.

To: Dan Holloway
August 2007/$457.36/ Software, voter file for phonebank, etc.
September 2007 to October 2007/ $626.12/ Phone bank staff services
October 2007/ $200/ Design of mailer
October 2007/ $712.50/ Mailer printing and postage

You read it right, La Puente Councilwoman Lola Storing is proposing the city prohibit council members from accepting any and all contributions from contracted or prospective consultants or developers in the city --- that includes campaign contributions.

Storing said contributions "buy votes" (I can hear the gadflies and advocates for open government saying "duh" in my head).

But contributions from developers are very common - rampant actually - across the nation. Lola acknowledged that, and the hard fight it would be to actually get a measure like this passed in La Puente. She mentioned it would probably be a 4-1 vote against her proposal.

Storing might be right. A few of the council members I talked to Monday seemed hesitant. Councilman John Solis argued if they took out developer contributions from the mix, it would become so cheap to run for office that then "everyone would be doing it." Now why would we want that?

Storing's proposal goes before the council tonight. See the story in today's paper.

The Sacramento Bee posted the economic interest forms for all statewide elected officials. Among them are Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, who received nearly $1,000 worth of golf trips, $264 in Disneyland tickets and a $1,700 trip to Taiwan; Assemblyman Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, who received a nearly $3,000 trip to France; and Sen. Jack Scott, D-Altadena, reported receiving $264 worth of Disneyland tickets, Rose Bowl parade and game tickets, totalling $390, and a three month gym membership at Capitol Athletic Club totalling $285. By the way, I also learned in reviewing these statements that Scott is a part-time minister at the Sierra Madre Church of Christ.

Have fun looking these over!

Here's a little bit of information behind the tow story.

On Friday, I stopped by Royal Coaches to talk to owners Bill and Jim Salazar (they're brothers) about debate over whether the city should extend their franchise agreement. In the middle of our conversation, I mentioned to Bill that I had received some calls from business owners and residents opposed to Royal Coaches. They claim the Baldwin Park-based company is "in bed" with the City Council because of campaign contributions.

Well, Bill immediately accused Jan's Towing - his competition - of making their buddies call up the paper and complain to me, so that Royal Coaches would look bad. Bill went on to say that he was "learning from them," meaning Jan's Towing, and that "maybe I should do the same thing."

Sure enough, on Friday, as I was writing the story, I got a handful of calls from citizens who said they had heard "Jan's Towing was making slanderous remarks about Royal Coaches," and they wanted to defend Royal Coaches.

Coincidence? Maybe, though I doubt it. Regardless, I didn't use any of the resident or business owner comments in the story. I don't give in that easy.

The Foothill Cities Blog continues to report its findings after reviewing the campaign statement finance records submitted by Pasadena's council members.

If their efforts are any indication of where blogging is heading in the future, at the very least we can rest assured knowing that someone is looking after the public's best interest. Although I am not so sure about their "Lindsay Lohan for Pomona City Manager" obsession.

Just got this press release. And no, I don't plan on doing a story. Not unless there is going to be a mass exodus of SGV residents selling their homes or suffering from foreclosures and plan on heading east...

OVER 120 UNSOLD, BANK-OWNED HOMES AND CONDOS TO CROSS THE BLOCK AS AUCTION MANIA SWEEPS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

KENNEDY WILSON TO CONDUCT MASSIVE INVENTORY CLEARANCE AUCTION OFFERING BUYERS INCREDIBLE SAVINGS

ONTARIO, CA. - On Sunday, March 16,at 11AM real estate auction specialist Kennedy Wilson of Beverly Hills, CA will make California housing market history by conducting the Southern California Property Auction, a massive inventory clearance auction for over 100 homes scattered across the lower portion of the state.

Single-family homes and condos to hit the auction block are located in San Bernardino, Riverside, Barstow, Victorville, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Oak Hills, Hesperia, Highland, Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Redlands, Colton, Bloomington, Montclair, Chino, Norco, Corona, Beaumont, Banning, Moreno Valley, Perris, Idyllwild, Hemet, Romoland, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Winchester, Murrieta, Temecula, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Thousand Palms, Palm Desert, Indio, Coachella, and La Quinta.

A tremendous variety of homes and condos are included in this exceptional inventory clearance. List prices range from $79,900 for a 3-bedroom, 1-bath home in Barstow to $914,900 for a 4-bedroom home in Norco boasting 3.5 baths and a huge 51,836 sq ft lot!

On March 16, however, starting bid auction prices will range from $35,000 and $390,000 respectively - incredible discounts of almost 60 percent on homes previously priced up to $914,000

Just got this from Crime Scene blogger and City Editor, Frank Girardot:

Apparently the gov's press office is actively reading our web-site. They called this afternoon after reading a brief online about an "edumacation" protest at the Capitol. The purpose of the call was to give Ar-nuld's side of the story.

So I asked the press girl to put him on the phone.

She said he was busy.....I didn't tell her I was to busy to pay attention to the rest of the call. I would listen to arnold though.

In a day that I wasn't in the mood to argue, I sent a list of questions over to Valley County Water. This was information I needed for a water story, in which 11 other districts responded to my requests for interviews and records. When I called Brian Dickinson with my list of additionaI questions, he said that he would need them in writing. No other district made such request. I obliged only because I needed the information and ASAP. I sent Valley County this list on Feb. 15. Three weeks later, I got this:

Valley County Water District
Mariana Lake, David Sano, Jonathan Contreras, Armando Macias,
Margarita Vargas
General Manager, Brian Dickinson: $112,176.
Operating Budget: $ 5,318,301 million
Average annual director travel expenses from July 2005 to July 2007:
N/A
Average annual director meeting payment from July 2005 to July 2007:
N/A
Payment per meeting: $147.74 January 1, 2008> Stipend payment/meeting: 155.13 (reflecting a 5% annual increase)

Additional questions:

When was your most recent fee hike?
2003

Do directors have district issued credit cards?
Yes

What is the district's philosophy on conferences?
Resolution 02-08-657: Section 2-1.503(a)
It is beneficial for Directors, the General Manager and/or Staff to attend conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops and other functions that strengthen their ability to understand issues facing the District and enhance the District’s ability to serve its customers.

How has the district been impacted by the departure of Dolores
Holguin? Has her actions promoted any discussion among the directors?

No comment can be made.

What benefits do the board members receive, i.e. medical, car
allowance, communications allowance?
Section 2-1.503
(c)(i)(2) “The per diem is $125.00 per day for meals and all gratuities. “
(f) “Reimbursable Rate” - The reimbursable mileage rate is equal to what is allowed by the Internal Revenue Service.

2-1.501 COMPENSATION
Each Director shall be paid $155.13 for each day’s attendance at meetings of the Board and committee thereof, and for each day’s service rendered as Director by request of the Board, not exceeding a total 10 days in any calendar month. In addition to the foregoing, commencing January 1, 2000, and on January 1st of each year thereafter, compensation to each Director shall be increased by 5%.

2-1.502 BENEFITS
While serving as current Directors of the District, such Directors are entitled to the following benefits to be paid by the District:
Group health, vision, dental plan and Employee Assistance Program coverage for active Directors and for persons who are deemed to be dependents eligible for such benefits under the terms of such plans;
Life insurance coverage at the benefit level then in effect under the then-applicable Association of California Water Agencies ("ACWA") life insurance plan for active or currently serving district Directors; and
Travel accident insurance for accidental death or disability incurred while on District business. The amount of such coverage will be determined by the Board and will not exceed the level or scope of coverage then available under the then-applicable ACWA life insurance plan for active or currently serving District Directors

What is the policy on directors picking up meal tabs at, for example,
lunch or dinner meetings?
Resolution 02-08-657: Section 2-1.503(c)(i)(2)
Directors and the General Manager are authorized to include District associates in meals that are Reasonable and Necessary. Receipts for such meals must indicate the names of the associates, the affiliation to the District, and the nature of the business conducted. Payment of Meals other than those authorized by this Article requires Board approval prior to authorized function.”

Other than the chart, these above questions are intended for a phone
interview with you, and should not be considered a formal CPRA.

**Because of the delay, this information did not make it into the water district story. What do you guys know about Valley County Water that may be worth a story?

I just got this email from Rosemead resident and community activist Jean Hall:

If all of the turmoil that's been going on in the City of Rosemead is not enough, now we're going to face our worse nightmare. The old saying about things couldn't get any worse, well, if the newly elected "majority 3" Tran, Nunez, & Low have their way, the worse will be upon us.

It's that time of the year that the Rosemead City Council will elect, among themselves, who will be the next Mayor. The choices are among the total of 5 council members but since the "majority 3" have been having their way, it will now be John Nunez who has been Mayor Pro-tem. It's absolute alarming to vision that the City of Rosemead will most undoubtly have a 3 time accused sexual harasser who will be our Mayor. Even though Mr Nunez has denied all charges, our City has spent $300,000+ to keep him from being put on trail.

That alone leaves unanswered facts as well as seeking the truth through our court system. When is our City Council going to show a little class and put honesty and integrity back into our city government? We've seen all of our loyal lontime City employees leave their jobs, for obvious reasons, and now we have their replacements who haven't any clue as to what's ahead for them. If Mr Nunez believes his innocence and wants people to respect him enough to be their City leader, then first, Mr Nunez, you should step up like a man and step down. Better yet, RESIGN NOW.

The City of Rosemead deserves better.

Jean Hall, Rosemead

This flier was distributed recently to Suburban Water Systerms customers. There is a proposed 13 percent rate increase. Funny thing about the flier: Under public comments, it lists an office address and an email address. I don't know about you, but when I want to complain, I want to talk to the person over the phone. No phone number is listed on the flier.

I was driving to my softball game in Hermosa Beach on Sunday, thinking about a follow-up water story I am working on for the weekend. I happened to glance at a sign, naming the freeway I was on. It was the "Willard H. Murray, Jr." Freeway, the portion of Route 91 in the City of Compton from Alameda Road to Central Avenue. Heh. I just wrote a story about Murray.

Water Replinishment District director Murray was one of the highest spenders, along with Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Director Leon Garcia, of 12 area water districts. Among the receipts were lavish trips and expensive dinners. Murray is a former Assemblyman who was forced out because of term-limits.

Here's a 1999 Daily Breeze article that ran about WRD and Murray:

Debate was far more cantankerous when the audit committee tackled a request to check records of the Water Replenishment District of Southern California, which manages two groundwater basins that serve 43 cities and 3.5 million residents.

Several of those cities demanded the audit, claiming the district charges outrageous fees, spends lavishly on consultants and employees and built a $70 million surplus at the expense of ratepayers.

"It is clear this is mismanagement and abuse of public dollars," said Bob Winningham, a Downey city councilman.

The district also angered member cities when it declined to solicit bids for a $22 million project to remove saltwater seeping into the groundwater basin that supplies South Bay drinking water.

"That's very troubling," said Assemblyman Scott Wildman, D-Los Angeles, chairman of the audit committee.

The contract was awarded to Montgomery Watson Americas of Pasadena. District President Robert Goldsworthy said the engineering firm was "the best to do the job."

District board member Willard Murray , a former assemblyman, told lawmakers the criticism is being leveled by cities that "do not want to pay their fair share" of the desalting project.

The burgeoning surplus, Murray said, resulted from the heavy rains of El Nin~o, which reduced the district's wholesale water purchases.

Also, $30 million of the surplus has been returned to cities, Murray said.

Previous rate increases -- from $51 per acre foot in 1991 to $151 today -- were imposed during periods in which the district was faced with higher costs for water it must purchase to replenish wells, he said. (An acre foot is 326,000 gallons, roughly enough to serve two families for a year.)

Murray's son, state Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City, is a member of the audit committee. He argued vehemently against the audit, but did not vote.

Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside, said the district should welcome an independent review.

"You have a public relations problem at best," he said. "It boggles my mind why the district would resist this."

Formed by the Legislature in 1959, the district does not directly sell water to customers. It replenishes aquifers and reservoirs to curtail seawater intrusion for agencies that deliver water.

This letter, written by Garvey School Board member Bob Bruesch, ran today. Bruesch is a former Rosemead City Councilman.

Update Rosemead plan
Article Launched: 03/09/2008 08:15:32 PM PDT

I was interested in reading the recent front-page article on Rosemead's current controversy over its General Plan revision.

I must remind readers that General Plans should be revised every 10 years, but Rosemead's plan is 21 years old - certainly not a document that reflects the current realities of our community. This plan must reflect both the demographic trends in the city and the rising cost of commercial and residential properties - forces local communities cannot really control.

In addition, longtime members of the City Council know that each city plan must, by state law, contain an updated housing element that provides strategies which implement state-mandated housing quotas aiming at ameliorating our region's critical housing shortage. Cities not adopting housing elements that follow state guidelines will face substantial financial sanctions.

I am dismayed that the outcry about the crowding and traffic this plan might produce are from the same voices who ignored similar complaints about the deleterious effects about the placement of a Wal-Mart store in a residential neighborhood several years ago. I, too, would like to have the "small-town" atmosphere that existed in Rosemead when I came here in 1966.

Sadly, those days are gone, due largely to the fact that the city's general plans of the past didn't have a vision of what was to be. City policy has not allowed the building of affordable housing - including condos and apartments - thus forcing our younger generation and their families to seek housing elsewhere. City development and redevelopment policies have not been aggressive enough to lure name-brand stores, family-style restaurants, supermarkets or movie theaters into our community.

Therefore, our main streets are overflowing with tiny ethnic restaurants, a plethora of car repair shops (41 on Garvey Avenue alone!), cut-rate furniture stores and empty commercial lots that have gathered weed for nearly thirty years.

Is it any wonder that young people and their families - from all cultural groups - complain that there is "no place to go in Rosemead," that a majority of our main street traffic is generated by commuters passing through our communities but not stopping to shop, that virtually all the residential building is larger, more costly homes that are well beyond the budgets of a vast majority of Rosemead's residents?

Instead of quibbling about the nuances of a phrase or sentence in the General Plan, Rosemead's citizens need to work together in developing a vision of a community that will meet the needs of our current population and forge a blueprint of what our future community will look like. We must move forward in approving the General Plan and leave political motives and sectional rivalries behind.

Robert W. "Bob" Bruesch

Former Mayor, City of Rosemead

Rosemead

The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County in District 22 is proposing rate increases. All property owners pay for use of the wastewater system based on the amoung of waste water discharged. Here's how it breaks down:

Current cost
$9.42 per month/ $113 per year

Proposed 2008-09
$10.08 per month/ $121 per year

Proposed 2009-10
$10.92 per month/ $131 per year

Proposed 2010-11
$11.92 per month/ $143 per year

Have you gotten this flier?

I shook my head in disgust when I read this yesterday in the Wall Street Journal:

"Women are paid 16 percent less than men for similiar work on average globally, a report said. In the U.S., it was 22 percent."

Glendora is not the only city that has considered districts. But its population is smaller than most of the other cities that have considered it, Dan Abendschein reports.

Ballot measure seeks to divide city into districts
By Dan Abendschein, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/08/2008 11:17:46 PM PST

GLENDORA - If a proposed ballot measure to split the city into districts eventually succeeds, it will be the fourth in the San Gabriel Valley to abolish citywide council elections.

Pasadena, Pomona and Bradbury all have districts. Glendora's plan would divide the city into five districts of equal population, similar to Pasadena's seven districts, and Pomona's six. Right now, the plan has just been submitted to the city, and it is not yet certain when or if it will get on the ballot.

Individual districts come with their benefit: local campaigns can be cheaper to run, and council members are likely to be more attentive to local neighborhoods. But it also comes with downsides, experts say.

"People's concern about districts is that a council member becomes too focused on their own district and not on the entire city," said Doug Johnson, a politics fellow at the Rose Institute, and a consultant for a research firm that has helped cities draw up districting plans.

That could particularly be a problem with Glendora, which has a population of about 50,000, and will have districts of around 10,000 people, many of whom might not be registered voters.

Most cities with districts have population at least 150,000 people, Johnson said.

Congresswoman Hilda Solis sent out a mailer, which was "prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense," detailing the money that she has secured for communities in the SGV. Here's how its broken down:

South El Monte: Secured $47,000 to teach at-risk youth computer and other skills through Project Amiaga's Transistional Life Skills for At-Risk Youth Project.
-Secured $73,000 to upgrade computer techonology in the Valle Lindo School District.

Rosemead: Secured $98,700 for graffiti and vandalism responses.

Irwindale: Secured $225,600 for updated communications equipment for the police department.
-Secured $28,200 for the city to expand after school activities and weekend youth programs.

Baldwin Park: Secured $400,000 to replace older transit buses with clean enery buses.

West Covina: Secured $517,000 to update its emergency communications system.

Azusa: Secured $477,000 to provide dental services at the Azusa Health Center
-Secured $150,000 to renovate the National Guard Armory.

She also lists regional projects:
-$3 million for the San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund
-$235,000 for the Court Appointed Special Advocates Volunteer Program
-$282,000 for the Tune Up Tune In program at Rio Hondo College and ELAC

She also says that she is a "strong supporter of federal assistance for Foothill Tranist, the Alameda Corridor-East and extension of Metro Gold Liune through Azusa, Irwindale and Duarte." But since no money is listed, I am assuming she didn't help secure any funding for those projects.

The city will likely appeal a court ruling that could cost Glendora up to $3 million in redevelopment funds, Dan Abendschein reports today.

Glendora could lose funding By Dan Abendschein, Staff Writer Article Launched: 03/07/2008 11:00:10 PM PST

GLENDORA - A ruling in a legal dispute between the city and Los Angeles County could cost the city $2 to $3 million a year in redevelopment funds, officials say.

A Monterey County judge last month wrote that Glendora redevelopment areas are not sufficiently run-down to continue to receive county tax funds slated for redevelopment.

"Glendora's findings of blight are not supported by substantial evidence," wrote Judge Robert O'Farrell. The case was transferred to Monterey County to avoid bias since the plaintiffs in the case were Los Angeles County officials.

At Glendora's next council meeting, they will discuss several lawsuits, including a complaint filed on Feb. 28 by Kaleigh Marshall, who was placed under arrest last February for placing stickers on Councilman Gary Clifford's political signs.

Reporter Tania Chatila already broke this story about Baldwin Park's attempt to rid the city of pay day advance businesses. Today, the LA Times takes a stab at it, but with a broader approach by looking at efforts in the Bay Area and in cities near Army and Navy bases. It also looks at Baldwin Park's report and at least once source criticizes the city for not taking its customers into account.

One customer suggested that Baldwin Park focus its efforts elsewhere.

He said he thinks Baldwin Park has larger problems than check-cashing and payday lending business. A few days ago, someone broke into his Chevrolet Suburban.

"By a hair I almost caught the guy," he told the employees, who nodded sympathetically.

That sounds like the Baldwin Park I know.

Jennifer McLain and I ran across this handmade "No Parking" sign in front of Star Burgers in Baldwin Park.

Heh.

Rosemead council meetings are cancelled next week because Councilmembers Margaret Clark and John Nunez are going to Washington, D.C. for a conference.

NOTICE OF CANCELLED MEETINGS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the regular meetings of the Rosemead Community Development Commission and the Rosemead City Council, to be held on March 11, 2008, at 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm respectively, are canceled due to lack of quorum.

The next regular Community Development Commission and City Council Meetings will be held as a JOINT MEETING on March 25, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at the Rosemead Center, 3936 N. Muscatel Avenue, Rosemead, CA 91770.

As the nation heads toward a recession, the California Assembly is looking at ways to make cuts, the Sacramento Bee reports.

California's massive budget woes sparked golden handshake offers Thursday to more than 200 veteran Assembly staff members along with a host of other spending cuts.

The plan, effective immediately, is designed to cut about $7.3 million, roughly 10 percent of the Assembly's budget through June.

Besides the golden handshake, the plan contains unspecified cuts in Assembly hearings outside Sacramento, staff travel, office renovation, printing, furniture purchases and various other expenses.

"The Legislature has been cutting everybody else's budget, so it's time to tighten our own belts," said Steve Maviglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.

I don't know about you, but I cut back on my tavel, office renovation and furniture purchases a long time ago because I can't afford it. I hope our local city governments are looking at this things, too. But whether offering a golden handshake will actually lead to cost savings, that is questioned.

California's retirement system provides vested employees 55 or older with a pension that totals 2 percent of their highest 12-month salary multiplied by years worked. Younger retirees would receive less.

Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said the golden handshake could exacerbate fiscal woes in years to come, particularly if the economy sours and investment revenue drops.

"You're opening yourself up to being hit," Coupal said.

It's a good week for news out of West Covina.
Reporter Alison Hewitt reports a county sheriff's investigation has found Roger Hernandez' allegations that a police visit to his home during the Novemeber election was "politically motivated" were unfounded.

Hernandez was not pleased with the results, to say the least.

Read on here.
There's a bunch of online extras too, including the police report and the related 911 call.

Got a message this morning from a Rosemead resident who said she spotted a sign on Muscatel and Marshall that read, "John Nunez: Resign Now." Steven Ly, president of Rosemead Partners, told me a couple of weeks ago that the group planned on putting these signs around the city.

Have you seen them? What do you think about them?

This just in:

Alta Dena Dairy saved
Fire station may be built in city park
Article Launched: 03/06/2008 02:42:01 PM PST

Officials said the city plans to sell the dairy and hire a consultant to study where a station could be located within the 15-acre park, which is adjacent to Macy Intermediate School.

Just got the campaign finance numbers for Rosemead. Here are the highlights:

Mayor John Tran donated $7,400 worth of his campaing finance money to Garvey School Board members Henry Lo and Janet Chin, and Rosemead School Board candidate Qui Nguyen. Lo got $5,200, Chin got $1,000 and Nguyen got $1,200. Tran has $6,361 remaining in his coffers. Tran lists his treasurer as Henry Lo.

Councilwoman Margaret Clark reimbursed the Committee to re-elect Ron Esquivel for $247 in postage costs. I'm assuming that was for the mailers she sent out regarding general plan changes. Clark has $1,250 remaining in her coffers. Clark's treasurer is Alberta Lambert.

Councilwoman Polly Low gave $500 to Garvey School Board member Henry Lo, and $1,000 to Garvey School Board member Janet Chin. Low has $892 remaining in her coffers.

Councilman John Nunez loaned himself $1,800. He also donated a total of $1,064 to Henry Lo and Janet Chin. He lists his treasurer as Bob Bruesch, a Garvey School Board member.

Political Action Committee No on Rosemead Recall gave $402 to another Political Action Committee, Rosemead Partners. Rosemead Partners was the only fundraiser of this batch of statements. The committee received $4,935 in contributions, and spent $2,112. They have $3,985 remaining. Lewis and Company donated $250 and gave $150 worth of copies; and Wal-Mart donated $200 worth of refreshments and snacks to the committee.

As the election nears, that's when the real money will start rolling in.

This just in from Montebello reporter Amanda Baumfeld:

The city of Montebello announced the appointment of a new transportation director today. Aurora Jackson will start her stint as director on April 7.

Ironically Aurora began her transit career with Montebello in 1993 as a Bus Operator for the Montebello Bus Lines. Most recently, she was a Director of Operations for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

An announcement from the city says Aurora is "very excited to be coming back home" to Montebello.

There has been no transportation director since June, when Allan Pollock left the city.

Just some interesting comments from a Baldwin Park resident who identified himself as “Cesar” during Wednesday's City Council meeting. Cesar is apparently a member of the Community Alliance for Redevelopment Accountability, a group that is against the proposed downtown development in Baldwin Park.

I gather Cesar's point was to show the council how committed CARA is to their cause:

“Cara is not against the redevelopment. It's the process or the manner by which its going to be implemented. To the gentlemen who said we are rude ... you should also look into consideration the frayed nerves of these people who have been here day in and day out who could have been with their families but are sacrificing their time to bring out a point and that is the point - that we should meet, not fall into deaf ears. I myself have been severely affected. I have developed high blood because of this thing, that's why I tried to stay away from this thing because it might kill me and I put it in your hands.”

That last comment was geared at the council.

As I was driving back to the office, I spotted a Hummer with a West Covina Fire Department logo. I wonder why the fire department needs a Hummer, I wonder how much it costs, and I wonder if it makes the most environmental and financial sense to Het a hummer compared to other vehicles.

Anyone know the answer?

It was an “everything local” front page today at the Trib and several good stories came out of it.
Here’s a quick run-down:

The San Gabriel Valley’s most infamous attorney Arnold Alvarez-Glasman took some hits from the lawyer of a West Covina resident whose lawsuit was dismissed by the city two weeks ago. Reporter Alison Hewitt is behind the story, and reports the suit originally alleged that four of five West Covina council members accepted campaign contributions from developers “in exchange for steering city projects their way.”

In Montebello, Amanda Baumfeld reports the city could lose $20 million in federal funding if MidValley Yellow Cab doesn’t turn over quarterly drug and alcohol testing reports — which they apparently have done since last June.

Finally in Covina, the city has declared “a fiscal emergency,” according to reporter Dan Abendschein, in order to place a once-failed utility user’s tax increase back on the ballot.

It's a busy news day in the office.

Just to add to reporter Tania Chatila's post about Royal Coaches, that's a towing company that comes up on our radar every so often. It also donated to every candidate in the West Covina council election in November, for a total of $4,000. This was the breakdown as of election time:

To the winners of the election:
Councilman Steve Herfert: $1,000
Councilman Roger Hernandez: $1,000 (plus $500 more from the owner, not from the business)

To the other candidates:
Karin Armbrust: $500
Rob Sotelo: $500
Fred Sykes: $250
John Scheuplein: $250

Interesting side note: If memory serves, the Trib has a sign in the back parking lot that says Royal Coaches will tow people parking illegally.

You can expect some interesting things out of Baldwin Park’s City Council meeting tonight.

No. 1: I’ve already received several calls from residents that say they will be at tonight’s meeting complaining about the police chief issue. They say this is just more evidence of a council that “doesn’t care.”

No. 2: Councilwomen Marlen Garcia and Monica Garcia (no, they are not related) want to know if Baldwin Park can piggyback on a county policy that mandates spaying and neutering all dogs and cats by the the time they are 4 months old.

No. 3: The council will consider extending a tow contract with Royal Coaches through 2014 in exchange for higher tow franchise fees. This item has a lot of people concerned, mainly because they allege — as Baldwin Park business owner Greg Tuttle put it — that Royal Coaches is “in bed” with the City Council.

Historically, Royal Coaches has been a frequent contributor to BP council campaigns (both successful and unsuccessful).
Here’s a list of some of those political contributions, according to campaign statements filed with the city clerk:

Councilwoman Monica Garcia — $500 — 2007
Council candidate Susan Rubio — $500 — 2007
Council candidate Victor Saldana — $100 — 2007
Mayor Manuel Lozano — $1,000 — 2003
Former Councilman David Olivas — $250 — 2003
Councilman Ricardo Pacheco — $500 — 2002

West Covina council members proudly praised the very recent opening of a new Target store at their meeting last night – and then called out the Tribune for not informing the public about the Tuesday-night, invitation-only ribbon cutting. People didn't know to come because the paper didn't give it the attention it deserved, one councilman hinted. Just a thought: maybe residents didn't come to the invitation-only event because they weren't invited? Here's what the city told me when I asked whether the public would be allowed to attend:

“The Target VIG [Very Important Guests] event is an event scheduled for the invitees (i.e. Target representatives, City officials, press, etc.). Target's Grand Opening for the public will be held on Sunday, March 9th at 8 a.m. Also, Target will open for business the next day, March 5th, prior to the 9th grand opening.”

That's why we didn't tell people to show up. Read today's story about the Target by business reporter Audrey Reed: Another bullseye: 2nd Target store in West Covina to open its doors.

Not the finest moment for Sacramento Bee business reporter Gilbert Chan.

Sac Bee looks into the gifts that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger received this past year, which were disclosed in an annual statement filed on Monday with the Fair Political Practices Commission.

The gifts include $144 in spark plugs, a $60 dog tethering kit, an $86 clock from Clint Eastwood, a $280 food basket from Danny DeVito, $120 in chocolates from Tom Arnold, and about 90 gifts totaling nearly $14,000 – including about $2,500 in cigar products and $1,500 in liquor.

Here's my favorite quote in the story:

"In what other job in America do people get gifts just for having the job?" said Doug Heller of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "I think there's a real problem when people consider their job a perpetual birthday party."

I was out at the Puente Hills Landfill this morning where the Los Angeles Unified School District sent up thousands of pounds of recalled meat for disposal.

The ground beef product was supplied to the district by Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company, which has been under fire in recent weeks for allegedly using “downer” cows or tainted meat.
Up at the landfill, the school district has disposed of more than 90,000 pounds of ground beef products — taco meat, burritos, meatballs, etc.

It will be compacted and then buried under dirt with the rest of the trash up there — which by the way, is about 300 feet deep. It’s literally a mountain of trash.
And in case you were wondering, yes, it does smell up there, though not as bad as I expected.

An interesting story today from Star-News reporter Melissa Pamer about an open city manager position in Monterey Park. The council has been in negotiations for the city's top executive spot for a month, likely with an outside candidate, Pamer reports.

Apparently, interim City Manager Adolfo Reta was also considered for the job, but the city isn't negotiating with him. That's deepened the divide in an already split council - of whom two members are behind Reta.

Monterey Park manager still sought
By Melissa Pamer, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/04/2008 11:13:57 PM PST

(626) 578-6300, Ext. 4475

This time, it's my fault.

In the story, "City gives ex-police chief payout," I say twice that city officials gave Edward Lopez a $70,000 check on Tuesday. Well, it was actually Monday.

Funny thing is, I knew that. When I spoke with officials on Tuesday, they referenced "yesterday" several times. But for some reason, when writing the story, I brain-farted.

All of us here HATE making mistakes, let alone, when they are on the front page. All I can say is, sorry!
We've fix it on the web.

We've had a couple of posts here lately on retirement perks. Here's one more.

Whether you believe former Baldwin Park Police Chief Edward Lopez was fired or retired, you can't argue he won't be taken care of in the years to come. In addition to a $70,000 severance payment, Lopez will get medical benefits and $123,000 a year for the rest of his life.

I should add that $123,000 will increase by about 2 percent each year to adjust for cost of living. His exiting salary was $140,000 a year.

No wonder Vallejo is nearly bankrupt.

A new park is opening in South Pasadena. Will you visit it?

SOUTH PASADENA — By mid-April, a small section of Garfield Park will have trimmed bottleneck trees, a sitting wall, and stones etched with the names of 15 young people who have died in the city since the 1970s.
******
Stones with the names of the deceased will be added throughout the garden. Kramer said she is receiving phone calls from people with new information.
******
While the cost of building the garden has doubled to $30,000 from the initial $15,000 estimate due to soaring construction costs, Kramer said the strong show of community support - from money to donated materials and labor - surprised her.

The Sacramento Bee looks at California state workers and their recent salary increases over the past several years.

Four years ago, barely three dozen California state workers earned a base salary of more than $200,000. Today, as the state faces a fiscal crisis, close to 1,000 state workers make that much.

***********

In fact, four of the top five highest-paid workers in the state worked for the University of California as of 2007, though two of them have since moved on. When the UC is included in the analysis of state government employees, California's highest-salaried worker is Mark Laret, chief executive officer at UC San Francisco Medical Center. Laret earns a base salary of $566,838.

However, when gross UC salaries including bonuses and other compensation – not available to compare all state workers – were included, several UC doctors actually earned over $1 million last year. And Cal football coach Jeff Tedford came out on top, grossing about $2.7 million.

It was a pretty heated meeting Monday night in La Verne.

But a reprieve came about halfway into public comments. A Police Department volunteer was talking about how crucial a public safety bond would be for the department, which is in dire need of space. In the middle of his comments, he made a reference to his age.

"I think I'm probably the oldest person here, well maybe....." The volunteer then turned to Councilman Robert Rodriguez. The entire room immediately erupted in laughter. Now I'm not sure how old Rodriguez is, and I'm not about to ask, needless to say, Rodriguez did not look too amused.

Looks like La Verne’s “do-or-die” session on the proposed $20 million public safety bond ran into a snag Monday night.

Of all five council members, Steven Johnson was the only one on the dais who said he was unwilling to support a bond measure “at this time.”
Johnson said considering the city went to the voters in 2000 to raise the utility tax by 50 percent, he didn’t want to burden residents again with more taxes.

A $20 million bond would likely cost voters about $200 extra a year, according to officials. A summer poll found 60 percent of La Verne residents would likely support it. Of course, a hypothetical poll is much different then an actual ballot measure. These things are tough to pass.

Johnson said he would not campaign against the city if they move forward with the bond anyway. But the remaining council Monday night questioned whether they should proceed without a “united” front.
They’re going back to the drawing board and will come back in April to decide whether its feasible for them to approve a bond measure with only majority support versus unanimous support.

Meanwhile, firefighters say they'll continue to live in their closet-turned-bedrooms and police volunteers will keep their equipment in a leaky, rubber-maid shed outside.

A petition initiated by the husband of City Hall spokeswoman, Bobbi Kemp, could bring back Covina's $5.5 million utility tax on a city ballot. The petition comes after the tax was defeated by voters in the March election. Here's what to expect at Tuesday's council meeting, Dan Abendschein reports:

COVINA - The city council is scheduled to vote at Tuesday night's meeting on putting a measure on renewing Covina's $5.5 million utility tax on a city ballot.

A measure to renew the city utility tax was defeated in the March of 2007 election, leading the city to pass a budget with millions of dollars in cuts.

The new measure has come under consideration for the ballot after receiving 1,237 signatures from registered Covina voters.

The measure qualifies for the ballot under a passage in the state constitution which allows for a special election to be called in a fiscal emergency if the city receives the signatures of 5 percent of city registered voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election.

Ballot measures normally require the signatures of 10 percent of the city's registered voters, but the utility tax measure did not receive that many signatures, according to the Covina city clerk's office.

The group behind the measure initially submitted 2,347 but after checking the signatures only 1,237 were shown to be valid, registered voters living in the city of Covina, according to the city.

The special election would either be consolidated with the June county-wide election, or would be held on its own at a date set by the council, in which case it would cost the city $66,000

This from reporter Amanda Baumfeld about the possibility of a new nightclub in Montebello:

A new nightclub may soon come to the city.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m at City Hall, 1600 W. Beverly Boulevard.

Apparently, Hank Attina used to own this business. Baumfeld said he sold the place last summer.

What do journalists and teachers have in common? No, not our good nature and wanting to help people. Layoffs. Forty editor and reporter positions were cut Friday at the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the Los Angeles Daily News and the Torrance Daily Breeze. And with the annoncement of the $4.8 billion cuts from education, some teachers will soon be out of jobs, Amanda Baumfeld reports.

Teachers need to be alerted by March 15 if there’s any chance they could be laid off before the following school year. Most districts said they will be deciding this week the number of teachers that could be pink slipped.

“Teachers all over the state are not happy with this situation,” said Maryellen Daners, president of the Bassett Teachers Association. “Everyone is wondering what’s going to happen.”

Here's a new term to fold into your vocabulary:

Downer cows: Those too sick or injured to stand.

Here's how to use it in a sentence:

On Feb. 17, the company voluntarily recalled 143 million pounds of beef.

While the meat was not considered unsafe for consumption, the company had been accused of bringing "downer cows," those too sick or injured to stand, to slaughter.

Ready for that burger yet? Read more on the beef recall.

The nearly 870 RV owners in Glendora got a break from their City Council last week, Dan Abendschein reports.

Recreational vehicle owners won a partial victory this week after the city changed an ordinance regulating the vehicles.
The city is expected to pass regulations this month that would required RV owners to park their vehicles in a side yard or backyard or apply for a permit to park their vehicles at least 25 feet from the front of their property.

On Tuesday, the City Council, on a 4-1 vote, dropped a requirement that would have forced owners to have six-foot fences on their yards to block street views of the massive vehicles.

Abenschein also reports that a survey from last August showed 873 RVs parked at city residences. ... About 42 percent of the RVs surveyed were stored in ways that would be a violation of the new ordinance, even with the amendment, officials said.

The RV owners appeared to be OK with the change from what I read in the story. As for the neighbors that have to look at those RV's everyday, I wonder what they think about the proposed changes.

It’s the moment we all (well maybe not ALL of us) have been waiting for. I finally received a copy of former Baldwin Park Police Chief Edward Lopez’ “Agreement of separation, severance and general release.”

In addition to his retirement benefits, he’s getting a big chunk o’ change from Baldwin Park: $70,000 — described as “an additional compensatory payment by means of severance as described in the contract and as settlement and release.”

The agreement goes on to say that the “severance payment” releases the city “from any and all claims, charges, complaints, contracts ....” ectera, you get the point.

Funny thing is, you may remember in an earlier post that Lopez’ contract clearly states he would receive six months severance if he were fired. But he wasn’t fired, according to city officials. Lopez retired.

Any conclusions anyone?

I'm hearing tonight's La Verne City Council meeting will be a sort of "do or die" session in determining whether the city moves forward with a public safety bond.

In recent months, city officials have been mulling the idea of a $20 million bond to help pay for new police and fire departments. Despite the results of a summer poll showing that nearly 60 percent of voters would likely support such a measure, La Verne council members have expressed some concerns about the bond: the cost, the burden on taxpayers, the feasibility and the timing.

Here's language straight out of the agenda for tonight's meeting (which starts at 6:30 p.m.):

7. CONTINUED BUSINESS
Public Safety Bond Measure - During the City’s strategic planning process last April, Staff and Council
identified the need for an expansion or remodel of the City’s public safety building. Funding for the
multimillion-dollar project would be a voter approved general obligation (GO) bond. Last summer,
community polling was conducted to determine the level of citizen support for such financing. In
December, Council contracted with Tramutola, a public information consultant, to develop strategies to
present a GO bond to the voters. However, at this time, the City Council’s Finance Committee does not
agree on taking a GO bond to the voters.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Per State law, 66 2/3% voter approval is required to approve a GO bond.
In past Council discussion of this matter and based on the advice of both
consultants, it was decided that without the recommendation of the
Finance Committee and the unanimous endorsement of all five Council
Members, it would not be prudent to pursue a GO bond at this time. Staff
should be directed to continue to pursue funding options to address
facility needs for the public safety departments and meet as needed with
the Finance Committee to explore possible funding options to address
long-term needs of Police and Fire.

Reporter Jennifer McLain reports about a South El Monte resident who claims the city isn't holding up their end of a roof bargain.

Michelle Macias and her mother qualified for a city grant 11 years ago that gave them enough money to place a new roof on their home.
Now, the roof has fallen apart and South El Monte has stalled in fixing it, Macias said. The warranty for the roof was 20 years, officials said.

Read on...

The grant is part of a home rehabilitation program funded with redevelopment money, Gonzales said. It is available for home improvement projects for first-time buyers and low-income residents.

On Tuesday, (Councilman Joseph) Gonzales asked the city to approve $7,000 each for Macias and another resident for emergency roof construction. The council authorized the city manager to decide what needs to be done, Gonzales said.

My favorite quote:

"The city is spending $75,000 on a 50th Anniversary party, and they won't even fix a roof?" (Macias) said. "What's wrong with these people?"

I guess that pretty much sums it up.

Open police chief positions in the San Gabriel Valley seem to be the latest craze in controversial topics.

In Montebello, the city is in negotiations with Lt. Dan Weast for their department's top spot. But Mayor Bill Molinari has some objections about Weast's education - the 26-year veteran of the force has a GED.

Down the road in Baldwin Park - where city officials still can't agree on whether Police Chief Edward Lopez was fired or retired - Capt. Michael Taylor has taken over as the department's interim chief.

Here are some exerpts from Taylor's resume:

SUMMARY
Dynamic, energetic and highly motivated individual with progressive law enforcement experience which has been enhanced
by extensive graduate level education in the area of U.S. Foreign Policy as it relates to Middle Eastern Affairs. Possess in-depth
knowledge of:
• The character unique to Western Warfare; its style, strategy, philosophy, development, and the affect a democratic society
has had on its evolution.
• The impact that geographic factors have had on military operations in the past, and how they will likely affect military
operations in the future, and a nations national security policies.
• The attributes and consequences attributed to U.S. foreign police in terms of National Security decision-making - and the
process by which it is facilitated.
• Regional National Security issues dealing primarily with the Middle East. Specifically a comprehensive threat analysis
of each of the countries assigned to the United States Military Central Command's (USCENTCOM) Area of Responsibility
(AOR). Identifying which country or countries that threat to the security of the United States, U.S. foreign policies with
regard to both domestic and foreign interests and issues, and the region itself.
• Terrorism - its history, development and evolution, proliferation, influential factors, and ideology (both religious and
political aspects).
• Middle Eastern Studies - The historical information; strategic geographical factors; political structures, institutions and
ideologies; languages, religions and cultural beliefs; a countries info-structure, population, and economy, as well as its
natural resources, military strengths, and its national security policy and concerns.
• A good understanding and knowledge of the foundations and the evolution of strategic thought; the principle strategic
theorists, their primary arguments/assertions and their relationship to one another (including current debates over strategy's
relationship to morality, technology and culture)
• A good sense of how strategic thought relates (or does not relate) to "real-world" decisions (i.e. policy, defense program
choices, statecraft)
• An understanding of strategic offensive and defensive systems, as well as a clear picture of the evolution of American and
Russian nuclear thought, including views on war-fighting and deterrence
• Knowledge of nuclear force modeling, including static and dynamic models; as well as a good, working knowledge of how
arms control interacts with defense program decisions, employment policy, and deterrence; coupled by an understanding
of the continuing relevance of nuclear deterrence, proliferation and security.
• International law - the foundations of customary and conventional international laws, as well as treaties that bear upon the
conduct of members of the international community. The fact that the majority of international laws pertain to states, and
the majority of those, to the existence of war among members of the international community. Also the impact international
law has upon the diplomatic, economic, and defense policies of nations, particularly the United States.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
California State University, San Bernardino
M.A., Political Science – Emphasis on U.S. Foreign Policy as related to Middle Eastern Affairs
December 2007
Coursework covered numerous topics including socio economic components; regional stability and principal security
interests; cultural/religious aspects; and political factors, including U>S> relations pertaining to the political element of
Arab, Christian and Jewish concerns.
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science – With Honors – June 2003
Chaffey Community College – Alta Loma, CA
A.A., Political Science – With Honors – 1999
Over 1600 hours of specialized and advanced law enforcement training
P.O.S.T. Certificates – Basic through Management
Qualified as Expert on drug violations in Superior and Federal Courts.
Qualified as Expert on Gangs and related crimes in Superior Courts

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
BALDWIN PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT 1981 - Present
Captain – 2004 - Present
Operations (2004 - Present)
• Manage, direct and oversee all activities related to Patrol Division, Traffic Division, Air Bureau, and the Canine
Program.
• Assist in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies and priorities.
• Develop staffing plans; supervise, train, and evaluate assigned staff; and resolve personnel issues.
• Study crime and other reports to determine trends and make recommendations for changes in organization and
operating procedures.
• Assist the Chief of Police in departmental budget development and administration.
• Coordinate police activities with outside agencies and other City departments and divisions.
Lieutenant – 2001 - 2004
Operations (2001 - 2004)
• Direct and supervise Patrol Watch and Supervisors.
• Schedule all sworn and non-sworn personnel.
• Manage all shift operations and functions.
Sergeant – 1987 - 2001
Operations (1995 - 2001)
• Directed and supervised Patrol officers.
Detective Bureau (1993 - 1995)
• Managed high profile investigations and all major operations.
• Authored and executed several large-scale multi-location and jurisdictional search warrants.
• Supervised and coordinated all functions and personnel assigned to Bureau.
• Developed and expanded Detectives’ investigative skills through guidance and instruction.
• Acting Lieutenant during last year of assignment.
Support Services Division (1991 - 1993)
• Responsible for Department’s budget, training and recruitment.
Patrol (1987 - 1991)
• Supervised Patrol watches.
Detective, Major Crimes and Gang Investigations (1985 - 1987)
• Investigated major assaults, robberies and homicides
• Selected to be Department’s first full-time gang investigator – managed and coordinated all gang related
investigations, intelligence gathering and dissemination, and served as a gang expert liaison to other local, county,
state, and federal agencies.
Detective, Narcotics and Burglary Suppression Team (NABS) (1983 - 1985)
• Conducted burglary, narcotics use/solicitation, drug trafficking and vice investigations.
• Prepared and served search warrants.
• Assigned, on several occasions, to serve as Temporary Bureau Supervisor (Acting Sergeant)
• At the request of the Training Bureau, trained new officers in the area of narcotics.
Police Officer (1981 - 1983)
• Acting Field Training Officer
SAN JACINTO POLICE DEPARTMENT 1980 - 1981
Patrol Officer
• Served as Department’s Explorer Post Advisor
Police Investigator
• Community Relations Officer
• School Resource Officer
• On loan to County of Riverside and served as part-time Youth Evaluation Services Counselor, County of Riverside
Probation Department.

ACHIEVEMENTS
• Member of three-person team that formulated Mission, Vision, and Core Values Statements, which were adopted as the
guiding theme for conduct and the principles of operation.
• Initiated research into feasibility of instituting a citizen volunteer program; prepared a general order outlining the specifics
of the program and its uses, and directed the program’s implementation.
• Authored and executed several large-scale multi-location gang related search warrants, involving numerous agencies from
all levels of government.
• Created and implemented a pro-active enforcement program along the “Garvey Strip,” notorious for its prostitution,
narcotic/drug users, dealers, and harboring of criminal types. Spanning a two year period, the two-phase program
included multiple agencies and organizations. Initial phase targeted seedy type hotel/motels and the second phase was
aimed towards run down trailer parks. At the direction of the Chief of Police, presented information on the program,
efforts and results to several closed sessions of the City Council.
• Instituted City’s current fully computerized false alarm response, warning, and billing tracking system.
• Established Gang Activity Prevention (G.A.P.) Program that focused on enforcement, investigative techniques,
intelligence gathering and prosecution procedures. Presented program at the Regional League of Cities Conference in
Phoenix and the National League of Cities Annual Nation Conference in Boston.
• One of the original committee members of the G.R.E.A.T. System to be used by all law enforcement agencies to facilitate
the tracking and identification of gang members. Participated in its formation and eventual implementation.
HONORS & AWARDS
• Selected as one of the “Ten Most Outstanding Officers” in Los Angeles County for creation and implementation of G.A.P.
• Received a Citation for Meritorious Work from the State Attorney General’s office for involvement in the Campaign
Against Marijuana Planting (C.A.M.P.) Program in Northern California.
• Gang Program was recognized by 100th Congress, Second Session.
• Letter of Commendation from former San Bernardino County Chief District Attorney, Dennis Kotmyer, for participation
as “Investigating Officer” on high-profile gang murder case.
• Graduated with Honors standing – California State University, San Bernardino
Department (Political Science) Honors . . . State, National and International Honors
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Baldwin Park Police Management Association – 2001 - Present
Southern California Canine Handlers Association – 1996 - 2001
Baldwin Park Police Association – 1981 - Present
California Peace Officers Association – 1980 - Present
California Association of Police Training Officers – 1991 - 1992
Southern California Robbery Investigators Association – 1986 - 1988
Southern California Burglary Investigators Association – 1984 - 1988
Southern California Gang Investigators Association – 1986 - 1988
California Narcotic Officers Association – 1984 - 1994
Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society (Life Member)
Pi Sigma Alpha, State and National Political Science Honors SocietyMember)
Golden Key Honors Society, National and International Honors Society ( Member)
California State University, San Bernardino Alumni Association ( Member)

Whether communities are prepared and need high-density projects is not an issue unique to Rosemead. In LA Weekly, a very long story story looks into this issue. There are several comments and points brought up that I have heard through the Rosemead debate. Things like residents who feel the process is not open to the public, or the argument of whether the city can really sustain more housing are addressed.

If you get through the article, I'm sure you'll spot them, too.

Pico wants to construct two new traffic signals at some busy intersections to relieve traffic jams and improve safety, according Whittier Daily News reporter Airan Scruby. Here are some exerpts from her story.

New lights will be installed at Loch Alene Avenue and Washington Boulevard, near El Rancho High School and Rivera Middle School, and at Rosemead Boulevard at the entrance to the Pico Rivera Marketplace.

According to City Manager Chuck Fuentes, the signals should be installed and working by this fall, and plans will be drawn up for the project in the next few weeks.

Scruby's story cites the design phase will cost a little over $15,000. But residents can expect the lights to cost far more. A full-blown traffic light isn't cheap - we're talking six-figures - upwards of $200,000, according to research I've done for other stories. I've also heard that figure thrown around the newsroom several times when other reporters have done similar stories.