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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 6:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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...

Posted by Tania Chatila at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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?

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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....

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 1:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

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?

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Alison Hewitt at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

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?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 8:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 7:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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.

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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?

Posted by Jennifer McLain at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

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.

Posted by Tania Chatila at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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?

Posted by Tania Chatila at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)