Following up

Last night, I attended the West Covina City Council meeting, not the El Monte meeting, so I don't yet have the follow up out of El Monte. The good news is that El Monte posts the meetings on the web, so I should have an update for you by 10 a.m. Or, you can watch it.

One commentor on the blog said that the District Attorney's office would be showing up at the El Monte meeting. That is not true. When I called Dave Demerjian, head of the public integrity unit of the District Attorney's office, he said there were no such plans to send anyone to the El Monte meeting. Furthermore, there are no pending complaints or investigations out of El Monte.

Second, the El Monte budget workshop is tonight. So for those that were looking for a story today on the budget and possible cuts, that will be discussed later this evening.

Out of West Covina, several residents spoke out against the city's decision to stop broadcasting the meetings online and on cable. And some also questioned how much it takes to print the city newsletter, which has information about decisions the council makes, upcoming improvement projects and community events. City Manager Andrew Pasmant said that as part of the budget cuts, the city will also be reducing the number of publications, down to six to eight times a year instead of every month.

Also, there was a Big League Dreams presentation. Leagues, tournaments, and the total number of visitors -- more than 130,000 in the nearly 160 days that the complex has been opened -- have all exceeded expectations. But some questioned the security at Big League Dreams, and alluded to a fight that occurred on June 20.

Regarding the golf course. The City Council accepted the staff recommendation to reject all bids for a proposed 18-hole golf course. About 20 residents came to the meeting to show their opposition to having a golf course in West Covina, especailly considering the financial instability of the city.

That's the quick wrap up. Of course, there is more on the way.