Monthly Archives: September 2008

Brush it off…

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Star-News reporter Nathan McIntire wrote a story today about mandatory brush clearance in Monrovia.

The catch is property owners are going to have to remove brush on their property, and on other people’s properties too.

The ordinance compels homeowners to maintain up to 200 feet of clearance between their buildings and any hazardous brush that constitutes a fire hazard, even if that brush rests on city-owned or private property.

Ochoa said the justification for the ordinance is that homeowners stand to lose more from a brush fire than the owner of undeveloped land.

“The crux of the city’s brush clearance and mitigation efforts is to create defensible space around a dwelling,” Ochoa said. “What we have done is to place the responsibility on the owner of the potential liability and loss.”

If the property is not cleared, the city can enter it, remove the brush and attach a lien to the neighbor’s property tax bill for the full cost of services rendered.

Administrative fines also can be imposed if the ordinance is not adhered to. If homeowners fail to respond to three written notices, they can be fined $1,000. Further failure to comply can result in a maximum fine of $5,000.

The ordinance has been in effect since 1992, and the city has never placed a lien on property or fined any homeowners for brush clearance violations, according to Ochoa.

But Jogminas said the law has only been fully enforced since Monrovia terminated its brush clearance contract with the Los Angeles County Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures last year. Previously, the county would clear undeveloped land if the landowner did not. The landowner would then be billed, said Jogminas, who lives in the Highland Place neighborhood.

What do you think? Is this justified? Or is the city just passing the buck along?

Read the full story here…

Thanks, from Roger

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We just got this e-mail from West Covina Councilman Roger Hernandez:

It is with immense gratitude and enormous pride that I thank the City of West Covina’s Fire and Police personnel, who saved the life of my friend, Bill Schafer, at City Hall at last night’s City Council meeting.

After speaking at the podium, Bill had what looked to be a heart attack in his seat. Without even a thought several community members, including Planning Commissioner Cesar Cervantes and Human Resources Commissioner Fred Sykes rushed to his aid. Fire Chief Paul Segalla administered CPR and used one of the City’s portable defibrillators to help save him. Within three minutes, the city’s paramedics arrived and took Bill to the hospital, where he is now recovering.

I’d also like to commend Dana Sykes for calling Bill’s wife to ask for his medical history, and my colleague, Councilman Mike Touhey, for helping to arrange his wife’s arrival to the hospital.

When I got to the hospital last night, Bill’s wife, Izzy, said doctors told her the efforts of the Fire and Police departments, as well as those of the community members, had saved Bill’s life.

I have always boasted that we have the best public safety personnel in the San Gabriel Valley, and last night proved it. There is no greater joy I have than knowing that when there is a crisis, we can come together, put our differences aside, and focus on what really matters: The lives and well-being of the people who make up this special city.

I’d like to wish my friend a speedy recovery and I pray that he and his wonderful family stay strong through this tough time.

Roger Hernandez
Mayor Pro Tem
City of West Covina

Covina interim selected

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That’s right, reporter Amanda Baumfeld said the Covina City Council appointed an interim city manager at their meeting last night. You might be surprised as to who it is:

Cynthia Kurtz, retired Pasadena City Manager, will take the top spot. She was awarded a contract for $12,900 a month with a car allowance. She will start on Oct. 1.

Apparently, the contract covers 30 hours of work a week, according to Baumfeld. But if Kurtz works more, “she will be compensated.” Baumfeld is going to find out how….

 

BP initiative on the horizon

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After all that debate over the number of verifiable signatures submitted for a proposed public safety initiative in Baldwin Park, the city and the Police Department have finally reached common ground.

The Baldwin Park Police Association submitted nearly 5,000 signatures to the City Clerk’s office several weeks back for a proposed ballot measure that would essentially protect officers’ pay.

But there was some debate over how many of the signatures could actually be verified with the county. After several weeks of back and forth between the BPOA and the city, the matter has been resolved.

The City Clerk has confirmed the BPOA has submitted verified signatures for more than 10 percent of the city’s registered voter base, meaning the initiative can qualify for the November 2009 ballot.

Tonight, the council will decide whether to just accept the initiative, place it on the Nov. 3, 2009 ballot, or ask for a report laying out the possible effects and impacts of the initiative.

City staff members are suggesting the latter.

Who needs Vegas when you got King Ranch?

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The San Gabriel Valley certainly has its share of all things quirky.

And the King Ranch market in Monrovia off of Huntington Drive is no exception.

Every time I walk into that supermarket, I always notice their interesting take on the claw game.

When most people play this addicting game — usually found at Chuck E. Cheese’s or Shakey’s pizza — the most they can win is a purple stuffed hippopotamus.

And most of the time, it’s about 10 quarters later…

But not at King Ranch. The stakes are higher, sometimes $5, $10 and even $20 higher….Is that technically considered gambling?

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Negotiations underway in LP

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It’s not up online but this story ran in today’s paper about La Puente officials negotiating with City Manager Carol Cowley to try to keep her as a consultant through the end of the year.

In case you’re not familiar with the story, Cowley announced last month she would be retiring after less than two years as city manager.

So the countdown is on: including today, she’s got only seven work days left before she’s out. While her retirement date is Sept. 30, she’s got two vacation days she is taking on the 29th and 30th, and City Hall is closed on the 26th. So the 25th is really her last day.

LA PUENTE — City officials are trying to negotiate a contract with the city manager to keep her on the job until the end of the year.

Carol Cowley announced last month she would retire on Sept. 30 after less than two years in the top executive seat.

But officials want to keep her in City Hall as a consultant through the end of the year to ease the transition until her permanent replacement is hired.

The two parties have been negotiating through their attorneys for the last three weeks.

“We’re about 90 percent done,” Mayor Louie Lujan said. “It’s just about calling a special meeting to finalize the contract. We’re literally negotiating fine points now.”

Cowley is the city’s first female city manager. She was a city clerk in La Puente for several years before taking on the city manager role on Jan. 1, 2007.

As part of her pension, Cowley would be paid for the rest of her life about half of her nearly $140,000 yearly salary. Her health and dental benefits will be paid by the city for the rest of her life.

Consulting money would be paid on top of that.

“I think the money is fine, I think the terms are fine,” Councilman John Solis said of the negotiations. “They are just trying to figure out what kind of hours we are talking about.”

Officials would not release any further details regarding the proposed contract, citing state laws. Less than a handful of closed-session meetings have been held to discuss the issue.

Cowley declined to comment.

“There’s always the chance she and the city could not agree on terms,” Lujan said.

The city could have an interim city manager or have Assistant City Manager Gregg Yamachika “step up and oversee the transition,” Lujan said.

A final decision would have to be made before Sept. 25, which is scheduled to be Cowley’s last day, Lujan said.

Meanwhile, the council on Tuesday appointed Lujan and Solis to an ad hoc committee to oversee the hiring process for Cowley’s replacement.

La Puente has already received proposals from five executive search firms. They are: Roseville-based Bob Murray & Associates, Los Gatos-based Avery Associates, Peckham and McKenney, Ralph Andersen and Associates and Long Beach-based Alliance Resource Consulting, LLC.

Lujan said he also has received several phone calls from people interested in hearing more about the position.

“I want to find a city manager that’s fair,” Solis said. “That’s hard to find these days. Everyone plays the political game. It’s like a needle in a haystack, but can you find it.”

Dreier’s mother dies

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Looks like we were able to pull together this bit on the passing of David Dreier’s mother…

U.S. Rep. David Dreier announced Tuesday the death of his mother, Joyce Dreier-Hagood.

She died Sunday in Kansas City, Mo., the congressman’s office announced. She was 81.

Dreier-Hagood was born in Kansas City. She was a graduate of Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., class of 1950. She married H. Edward Dreier Jr. on Sept. 9, 1950. They had three children.

After Edward Dreier died in 1997, Dreier-Hagood became president of the Dreier Development Co. On Valentine’s Day 2000, she married Thomas A. Hagood, her Rollins College classmate.

They couple split their time between Kansas City and Rancho Mirage until his death this past August.

“My mother was always full of life and accomplished in so many ways,” said Dreier, R-San Dimas. “She was a concert pianist, a champion badminton player, a successful entrepreneur, and most important, a wonderful mother to my sisters and me, and so many others. She will be deeply missed by her church, her community, her friends, and most of all her family.”

Dreier-Hagood was active in many civic and philanthropic organizations. In Kansas City, she was an active member of her church, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Junior League, the Kansas City Symphony, the Lyric Opera Company of Kansas City, and the Nelson-Adkins Museum.

In Rancho Mirage, she was a member of the Thunderbird Country Club, The Club at Morningside, Friends of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Muses 100 of the McCallum Theater, and the Desert Museum.

Besides her son, she is survived by daughters Denise Dreier Despars of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Dana Dreier Lamont of Auroram Illinois; and two granddaughters, Leslie LaRue Lamont and Lisa Lee Lamont.

Dreier will deliver remarks at a memorial service to be held Thursday in Kansas City. The family suggests memorial contributions to the charity of the donor’s choice.

The competition heats up

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Star-News reporter Dan Abendschein has an interesting story running in Monday’s paper about the race for the 26th Congressional District. Here’s a sneak peek:

For 28 years, Rep. David Dreier has been the man for the 26th District, brushing off challengers in election after election with little worry or concern.

This year, however, the powerful House Republican from San Dimas faces a more serious — or at least well-funded — challenger than he has in years.

With more than $500,000 already in hand, local businessman Russ Warner’s bid for the 26th Congressional District seat also comes at a time when Dreier’s party is increasingly out of favor with the public.

Even so, local political experts don’t give Warner much of a chance.

Fairfield’s youngest councilman murdered; arrests made

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15800-fairfieldcouncilman.JPGThe Associated Press moved this story on Saturday….

FAIRFIELD, Calif. (AP)– Two suspects were arrested Saturday in the fatal shooting of a Fairfield councilman who police believe may have been mistakenly killed during a drug deal.

Gene Allen Combs, 45, of Suisun City and Nicole Stewart, 33, of Fairfield were booked into Solano County Jail on suspicion of murder and use of a firearm, Police Chief Kenton Rainey announced at a news conference.

Police still were searching for a third suspect, 32-year-old convicted felon Henry Don Williams, in the death of 22-year-old Councilman Matt Garcia.

Garcia, one the state’s youngest elected officials, was shot in the back of the head the night of Sept. 1 as he stepped out of his car outside a friend’s home in the Cordelia section of Fairfield. He died four days later after he was taken off life support at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

Fairfield police said the suspects had been in the neighborhood trying to collect a drug debt, while Garcia talked to his friend nearby. Combs was a passenger in a car driven by Stewart, investigators said.

“Another passenger exited the car, then shot and killed victim Matt Garcia,” police wrote in a statement of probable cause for Combs’ arrest. “After the shooting, suspect Combs left the shooting scene with the shooter and failed to contact the police.”

There’s no evidence to suggest that Garcia was actually involved in any drug deal, said acting police Capt. Darrin Moody.

Police declined to discuss further details of the shooting.

Garcia was only 21 when he was elected to a four-year term in November, becoming the youngest council member in the history of Fairfield, a city of 105,000 between San Francisco and Sacramento.

Several thousand people attended a memorial service for Garcia on Tuesday at Armijo High School, his alma mater.

An interesting, very loose connection: One of the suspects is from Suisun City. Suisun City police Chief Ed Dadisho was initially in the running for the Baldwin Park police chief position but dropped out of the running at the 11th hour. I wonder if Dadisho or his department was involved in the investigation at all?