February 2010 Archives

Leftovers from City Hall: La Puente reeling

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Holy smoke.

Mayor Louie Lujan last week resigned from office and a day later pleaded guilty to felony perjury for lying on campaign-finance forms.

He faces three months probation, a $1,000 fine and a ban on holding public office.

After the plea, Lujan told our reporter he was "hungry" and declined to comment further.

The former mayor of a city with a bunch of marijuana dispensaries had a case of the munchies.

I guess I cue up a bunch more pot jokes here. But the litany of scandal and bad news coming out of La Puente isn't funny, just sad.

Last summer La Puente and the surrounding unincorporated Valinda neighborhoods were rocked by a dozens of shootings. People were trying to blast each other in broad daylight in a park full of kids.

We tried to track the number of shootings, but we eventually lost count around 24.

In 2008, the city discovered $500,000 of towing fees was missing. Former sheriff's deputy Joe Dyer and his wife have been indicted on suspicion of taking the money.

In late 2007, county investigators discovered that a woman was allegedly running a drug taxation and extortion operation from her La Puente home on behalf of her husband, Jacques "Jacko" Padilla, a Mexican Mafia member who was serving time for murder at Corcoran State Prison.

The City Council recently allowed about a dozen marijuana clinics to get business permits because it failed to renew a moratorium in 2008. Then last week they moved to outlaw all clinics, a tactic that will probably lead to the the city spending money on attorneys.

Meanwhile, redevelopment projects slated for the demolished bowling alley on Hacienda Boulevard and the downtown have gone nowhere.

At this point, should La Puente even bother trying something big - like an auto mall - since neighboring Industry will always have more cash and more space to do something bigger?

Can a ray of light crack through?

Some are calling for the return of Lola Storing, who lost a re-election bid in November.

But she is rehabbing from a car accident and won't return calls from even her close friends.

There's a saying that it is darkest before dawn.

Here's to hoping it's 5 a.m. in La Puente.

- Ben Baeder is the Deputy Metro Editor of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Lujan's resignation letter

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It's a little late but here's former Mayor Louie Lujan's resignation letter. Lujan resigned hours before he appeared in court Thursday to plead guilty to one count of perjury. The letter is time-stamped 5:25 p.m. Wednesday.

City of La Puente:

For personal and professional, I hereby resign from the City Council effective today at 5:30 p.m. Thank you for the support and the opportunities that you have provided me during the last several years. I have enjoyed my time working with each and every one of you; you will all be missed.

Respectfully,
Louie Lujan

Lujan stricken from the records

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Former La Puente Mayor Louie Lujan's image has already been taken off the city's Web site. Reminds me of when Moses get's kicked out of Egypt in "The Ten Commandments" movie.
He resigned from office Wednesday and pleaded guilty to perjury Thursday.

Check it out with this link

The council has 30 days to appoint a council member or schedule an election.

Former La Puente Mayor Lujan pleads guilty to perjury

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LOS ANGELES - Former Mayor Louie Lujan on Thursday accepted three years probation and a $1,000 fine when he pleaded guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court to one felony count of perjury.

Lujan was accused of lying on a campaign finance form.

If Lujan rejected the deal and was convicted of perjury, he would have faced up to four years in prison. Either way, Lujan is barred from ever holding elected office again, officials said.

Lujan resigned from his position Wednesday.

After the hearing, Lujan's attorney, Glen Jonas said his client was singled out for a minor infraction.

"If there was ever a benign form of perjury, this was it," Jonas said.

He also said Lujan, who is Latino, was singled out because of his race.

"If you're Hispanic and you fill out a form incorrectly, that's it," Jonas said.

Lujan absent again at big marijuana vote

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La Puente Mayor Louie Lujan was a no-show again at Tuesday's council meeting.
In case you missed it, the council decided to create an ordinance to outlaw marijuana clinics.
The idea to ban them was from Councilman John Solis. It was a 4-0 vote.
By the way, the City Council chambers was packed.
We tried calling Lujan this morning with three different phones, but all we got was a message saying the person was unavailable.
Lujan last week was charged with perjury and has is scheduled for a plea hearing Thursday. He also missed Saturday's special council meeting to set the goals for the year.

La Puente pot clinics to go up in smoke?

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The City Council chambers were packed Tuesday as the council considered zoning laws to govern pot clinics:

From reporter James Wagner

LA PUENTE - After capping the number of medical marijuana dispensaries allowed in the city at six last month, the City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday night to draft an ordinance to push them all out.

The city was scheduled to consider an ordinance that would limit how close the dispensaries could be to schools, parks and libraries.

But with a number of residents expressing concerns over the dispensaries and their effect on children, the council took a different direction.

Councilmen John Solis
and Dan Holloway moved to rid the city of the dispensaries.

"The residents have spoken," said Councilman David Argudo, who has also opposed the dispensaries.

The city attorneys will draft an ordinance that bans medical marijuana dispensaries.

DA offers La Puente mayor probation if he pleads guilty to perjury charge

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LA PUENTE - Prosecutors have offered Mayor Louie Lujan a plea deal in a perjury case against him.

Lujan, who faces one felony count of perjury for filing an allegedly false campaign finance report, will appear Thursday in a court that officials said handles cases before they enter the traditional criminal court process.

"If he enters a plea on this count as charged, then that will end the case," said Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman of the Public Integrity Division.

The plea offer consists of three years probation and a $1,000 fine, Huntsman said.

Thursday's court date in Superior Court is for an early disposition hearing, where it is determined if a case can be "disposed of early," Deputy Clerk Lorraine Valdez said.

There is no testimony or witnesses, she said.

The prosecution and defense must both agree to enter the early disposition hearing, Huntsman said.

A judge would have to sign off on an agreed plea deal, officials said.

Lujan and his attorney, Glen Jonas, did not return repeated calls Monday for comment.

Lujan, 33, is accused of failing to report money from a December 2008 fund-raiser. He also failed to report how his campaign account spent the money, according to the criminal complaint.

Lujan pleaded not guilty to the charge.

If convicted, Lujan would be removed from office and barred from ever holding elected office again, Huntsman said.

Huntsman declined to comment on what may come of the evidence if Lujan doesn't agree to the deal.

Investigators had been investigating Lujan since last year in connection with a Dec. 4, 2008, fund-raiser at the home of city Planning Commissioner Charles Klinakis.

Lujan claimed that he collected no campaign money for the second half of 2008, according to a campaign finance report filed last February. He also claimed his campaign was $6,806.54 in the red.

The mayor later filed amendments in his campaign-finance reports dating back to 2007.

The revised filings showed Lujan actually had $5,907.42 in the second half of 2008.

Lujan has previously denied wrongdoing, claiming inadvertent errors on campaign contribution forms are common.

If Lujan decides against the terms of a plea deal, he could enter an open plea or a preliminary hearing would be scheduled, officials said.

The defense indicates they want an early disposition of the case, said spokeswoman Jane Robison of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors don't request that a case go to early disposition court, she said.

"We don't force a defendant to plead," Robison said. "It's up to a defendant to say, `Hey, I want to plea early."'

If Lujan were to step down, the city council would have to decide within 30 days whether to appoint someone to fill the position or call a city-run special election, City Attorney Rick Olivarez said.

Council members David Argudo, Dan Holloway and John Solis said they didn't know about a plea deal.

Councilwoman Nadia Mendoza did not return a message seeking comment.

Holloway said he could comment but he didn't think it would be appropriate.

"I have no comment until after the legal process is settled in the courts," he said.

Solis said the city staff had already been directed to look into what may happen if Lujan were to vacate his position.

"We don't want to be caught not knowing what's going on," he said.

About the case, Solis said: "We'll know Thursday what'll happen."

Councilman David Argudo said he wished Lujan luck on whatever the case's outcome may be.

"I hope this comes to a resolution here soon and we can look forward to moving the city in the right direction," he said.

james.wagner@sgvn.com

626-962-8811, ext. 2236

Azusa Commissioner puts a down payment on conflict of interest

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From reporter Daniel Tedford:

AZUSA -- After taking steps to ensure it would have a full planning commission to vote on a new mining plan, the city will fall one member short just days before the matter is scheduled to be heard by the commission, officials said Monday.
Commissioner Jack Lee will "not be present" Wednesday at the meeting where commissioners will have their first opportunity to vote on a contentious new mining plan, officials said.
"It is very disappointing," City Manager Fran Delach said. "I am sure there are those that will take this an opportunity to discredit whatever decision the commission makes."
Lee is in escrow on a new home in the Mountain Cove community in Azusa, Delach said. The neighborhood is near to the mining project in question and would force Lee to abstain from voting, Delach said.
When reached by phone Monday, Lee declined comment.

Charged with perjury = no show

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On Saturday, the La Puente City Council held a special meeting to discuss the future of the city and to set some goals. Nothing gripping.

Four of the five council members showed up, but freshly-indicted Mayor Louie Lujan didn't.

Lujan pleaded not guilty Thursday to one count of perjury for filing an allegedly false campaign finance report, officials with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

Lujan, 33, is accused of failing to report money from a December 2008 fundraiser. He also failed to report how his campaign account spent the money, according to the criminal complaint.

If convicted, Lujan would be removed from office and barred from ever holding elected office again, prosecutors said.

There is a council meeting scheduled for Tuesday night, so residents may have a chance to see their mayor again. Or not.

Leftovers from City Hall: El Monte in black?

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Go back 150 years, and a group of vigilantes called the "Monte Boys" were out busting heads around the El Monte area.

Kind of like present-day El Monte Police Officer George Fierro, who also kicked a little head last year.

Throw in some accusations of fraud by a developer. Sprinkle in a huge deficit and a couple-hundred layoffs. And top it off with police responding to a fight involving the then-Mayor Ernesto Gutierrez and his girlfriend.

That's "colorful" El Monte, to use a euphemism.

Then this story published last week:

- EL MONTE - The city has finally climbed out of the deep fiscal hole it was in last year and on Tuesday began to rebuild its long-defunct rainy day fund. -

What? El Monte has it's act together?

My world view changed so quickly I felt physical pain inside my head.

I have always felt sorry for El Monte. It's such a crazy town.

It has a weird city slogan: End of the Santa Fe Trail.

Shouldn't that be the slogan for Santa Fe?

It's got that big Statue of Liberty replica in front of City Hall.

It's peppered with ancient trailer parks - many of which are on big lots created during the Great Depression to settle Okies.

The streets are crooked.

There's a random airport.

The Boys and Girls Club feeds homeless people.

The cops are kind of cowboyish, but they do tons of nice things for impoverished children.

Nobody even knows what the heck "El Monte" means. While the first inclination is think El Monte means "the mountain" or the "the hill," historians don't agree.

Since there are no mountains in the city, one historian insists El Monte means "the island," because the city is surrounded by the Rio Hondo and the San Gabriel rivers. I guess "monte" means island in some old Spanish dialect.

I, for one, hope the island is finally getting its act together.

But I worry.

After Titan Group president John Leung was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement in June, Titan dropped the 65-acre project and the city took it over.

Leung was never charged, and El Monte so far has lost a couple grants for the Transit Village, which is slated to become a residential/commercial village near the bus stop.

The city's biggest revenue producer, Longo Toyota, is no doubt suffering from car recalls.

I have to say, though, I like this new Mayor Andre Quintero. He seems pretty smart. I like the new City Manager Rene Bobadilla, too. He wears nice suits, played baseball and seems like he understands the challenges facing the city.

Then there are the two Marias, Maria Rosario Valdez and Maria Valdez, who are always organizing community members to push for improvements to parks, streets and other things around town.

And the news staff here agree Police Chief Tom Armstrong is one of the most stand-up guys in the San Gabriel Valley. (Tom, please don't make me look stupid and do something crazy).

What's next, El Monte? I don't see a clear path for the city. It's such a zoning disaster.

Here's where a 32-year-old journalist like me should impart a little sage advice, right?

But, when it comes to El Monte, my wisdom well is dry.

At least you all aren't going broke anymore. And, during these times, that's a good start.

- Ben Baeder is the deputy metro editor of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

La Puente's Lujuan charged with perjury, pleads not guilty

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This from the DA's office:

La Puente Mayor Louie Lujan was arraigned and pleaded not guilty today to one count of perjury stemming from an allegedly false report he filed in February 2009 regarding campaign funds, the District Attorney's Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman of the Public Integrity Division said that in the event that Lujan, 33 (dob 6/06/76), is convicted the defendant would be removed from office. Lujan, who was first elected to the La Puente City Council in 2001, would also be barred from holding future elective office.

Deputy District Attorney Huntsman filed the felony complaint for arrest warrant on Feb. 16. The defendant is next due in court on Feb. 25.

Lujan allegedly received and spent dozens of campaign contributions in 2008 but failed to report the contributions and expenditures.

Is the budget ax about to fall in West Covina?

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It looks like everybody's pay is up for discussion at tonight's West Covina City Council meeting.

Here's a news brief.

The City Council today will negotiate labor contracts with representatives from various city agencies.

The Council will meet in closed session with contract negotiators from the Police Management Association, Police Officers' Association, General Employees, Confidential Employees, Maintenance and Crafts Employees, Non-Sworn Safety Support Officers, Firefighters' Association, Firefighters' Management Association and Mid-Management Association, according to city documents.

The police chief, assistant city clerk, fire chief, assistant city manager, director of Human Resources, director of the Community Development Commission, planning director, community services director, city engineer, deputy city manager engineer, finance director and the director of risk management will also negotiate their contracts in closed session, according to city documents.

Citizens can address the Council at 5:45 p.m., according to city documents.


Leftovers from City Hall: So long, disc man

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Fly long and straight into the great beyond, Walter Frederick Morrison.

Morrison, formerly of La Verne, is the inventor of the Pluto Platter, which eventually turned out to be the Frisbee.

He died Tuesday in Utah at age 90.

The WHAM-O company for years manufactured the Frisbees in a plant behind the San Gabriel Nursery. The plant closed in the 1980s or early 1990s, according to city officials.

To those of us who spend our free time throwing discs around local parks, Morisson is a member of the disc Pantheon.

His invention eventually led to Frisbee golf, which most people now call disc golf.

The idea for the flying disc came when a 17-year-old Morrison and his girlfriend and future wife, Lucile, began tossing a large popcorn can lid back and forth for fun during a Thanksgiving party, according to the Associated Press.

He and a partner eventually developed a plastic disc.

In 1957 he sold his idea to WHAM-O, a fad company begun in the garage of one of its South Pasadena founders.

From 41,000-square-foot plant in San Gabriel, the company produced Frisbees, the SUPER BALL, the Slip `N Slide and the HULA HOOP, among other products.

WHAM-O has been sold several times since 1982 and is now based in Emeryville, according to its Web site.

WHAM-O employee "Steady" Ed Hedrick improved a little on Morrison's design and opened the world's first basket Frisbee golf course at Oak Grove in what is now called the Hahamongna Watershed Park near Pasadena, according to disc golf lore.

The sport - in which golfers throw discs into baskets from hundreds of feet away - is scored like golf. There are excellent courses at La Mirada Regional Park and the Whittier Narrows in South El Monte.

It's usually free to play and the discs are cheap - less than $20. A beginning golfer really only needs two or three to get started.

I like to say it has all the self-hatred and failure of golf, but none of the expensive green fees.

Some people might tell you that its mandatory to sneak beer in your disc bag and smoke marijuana, but I can't find any rules about that in the Disc Golf Association guidelines.

While this is mostly about flying discs, there is a local politics twist to all this.

San Gabriel really wants somebody to do a retail development at the WHAM-O factory, but it's not visible from San Gabriel Boulevard.

San Gabriel, like all cities, is addicted to retail, because it gets a penny for every dollar spent on taxable items in city limits.

They get diddley squat for bringing in a manufacturing company that provides decent jobs.

Unlike most manufacturing industries, disc golf has not fled Southern California.

The world's leading flying disc maker, Innova, has a big plant in Rancho Cucamonga. The world-record of an 820-foot throw was accomplished with an Innova disc.

The sport of disc golf is growing, and workers are optimistic the company will be around for a long time, said Mark Molnar, a staffer for Innova.

Hopefully the next governor will work to give companies like Innova a good reason to stay.

You never know when someone will come up with the next Pluto Platter.

- Ben Baeder is the deputy metro editor of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Montebello $3 million in the hole

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Montebello city officials finally announced what their deficit is: $3 million.

I wrote a column a while back about all the drama in Montebello:
Here's the link

And here's Tom Himes' article in today's Tribune:

Montebello deficit fueled by overtime costs and less revenue than expected from red-light cameras
By Thomas Himes, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/11/2010 07:00:49 PM PST

MONTEBELLO - Officials Thursday estimated the City's budget deficit at $3 million and outlined reasons for the short fall that range from red light cameras to overtime hours.

Over the past week, nine employees lost their jobs, dozens more took 5 percent pay reductions and several agreed to retirement, as officials worked to close the deficit.

"Unfortunately, this day has been coming for a long time," said retired city administrator Richard Torres. "I was hoping it could be avoided for at least another year."

Red light cameras fell about $500,000 short of the projected revenue they were expected to create.

"If the program does not result in a positive revenue my recommendation is that we end it, Narramore said."

The city paid consultants $55-per-hour to administer the red light camera program, according to city documents.

"We incurred a lot more expenses and a lot less revenue than we thought we would from the cameras," City Councilman Robert Urteaga said. "People simply identified where the cameras are and stopped."

Mayor Bill Molinari said the cameras, which are located at six intersections, have increased public safety.

"The intersections where these cameras were installed had frequent collisions and a number of fatalities," Molinari said.

Also, overtime hours the city paid to firefighters, exceeded estimates by about $500,000, Narramore said.

"All overtime has been stopped,
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unless it's an emergency," Narramore said. "We're just not paying overtime for someone to come in and do something they can do the next day."

But, the state's Government Code mandates a minimum of four firefighters to a truck, Narramore said.

"If someone calls out sick, we have to pay some else time-and a half to come in," Narramore said.

Additionally, the state owes Montebello $500,000 for firefighters the city sent to help combat the Station Fire, Narramore said.

To cut payroll spending, five employees have agreed to retirement, Narramore said.

"I've frozen vacant positions so they can't be filled," Narramore said.

Non-represented staffers, mid-management, police management and department heads will all have monthly furlough days, Narramore said.

"Somehow I need 5 percent from every employee," Narramore said. "I met with finance this morning, we haven't made it up yet."

Finance Director Michael Chickwan Tam refused to comment, directing all questions to his secretary.

Narramore said the more employees who agree to furloughs, the less he will have to layoff.

"The different bargaining groups understand there's challenges and they want to help solve them," Narramore said.

thomas.himes@sgvn.com

626-962-8811, ext. 2477

Read more: http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_14385697#ixzz0fKuxgMNs

Big delay for La Verne athletic complex

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This from Wes Woods II last week:

LA VERNE - The completion deadline for the University of La Verne's new athletic complex has been pushed back five years to January 2018, due in part to the state of the economy.

The extension for the joint city and university project was approved Monday night at the La Verne City Council meeting.

Philip Hawkey, executive vice president of the University of La Verne, described the vote as a formality in terms of modifying the contract because the university had been in discussion with the city.

"It reflects the state of the economy," Hawkey said

West Covina is cooler than me

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West Covina is getting hip with the kids.
The city launched a survey site to see how it can reach the people through social networking Web sites, such as Facebook or MySpace.

Here's the link

Does anybody use Bebo?

I'm looking for a partner to open a snack shop in La Puente

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La Puente has approved nine marijuana dispensaries:

If you have nine snack machines available, please call me. I have some great locations lined up.

Here's the first part of reporter James Wagner's story, which comes out Wednesday:

The city has approved nine business licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries despite a proposed city ordinance that caps the number at six.
One city official said La Puente's strict code, which goes into effect Friday, will force out dispensaries that can't keep up with the city's numerous building, health and safety rules.

Then Louie Lujan says the city's law will "weed" out the clinics.

Leftovers from City Hall: What would Bill and Ted say about their San Dimas hometown?

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- Sorry about the lack of entries last week. I was out filling in for a colleague:
Here's this week's column


I know I've already waxed on about a bunch of cities in the San Gabriel turning 50 this year, but I need another crack at San Dimas' semi-centennial celebration.

The city has chose "An excellent adventure" as its anniversary slogan.

It harkens to 1989's movie masterpiece "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," which was set in San Dimas.

In the film, two slackers in a noisy garage band get a quick study of history when they embark on a rollicking time-travel journey, eventually bringing hell-raising French conqueror Napoleon back to modern-day San Dimas.

After meeting Genghis Khan, Socrates and Abraham Lincoln, they end up giving the world's most awesome history report, sparing Ted from being forced to go to military school.

For a really funny, well-done Web site about the hapless slackers, go to: www.billandted.org

The creators of the film chose San Dimas because they wanted their characters to be in a place without a clear identity, according to interviews given at the time. Bill and Ted weren't surfers. They weren't San Fernando Valley people. They were fictional slackers in need of a bland suburban home.

Except for a few shots at Raging Waters in San Dimas, the movie was filmed in Arizona, according to reports about the film.

It's kind of sad that San Dimas couldn't think of a better slogan for it's year-long party. The city's inclusion in the film was a jab at its drabness.

I have to say, however, San Dimas' slogan beats Temple City's: Celebrating 50 years as a community.

Dreadful.

Back to San Dimas, though.

Despite the big birthday, a lot of business owners in downtown San Dimas aren't in a partying mood.

Many say the city needs to invest in the area and possibly do away with the campy Old West theme, which nobody seems to keen to keep.

Instead, San Dimas is doing a $13 million overhaul and expansion of City Hall.

Not to get too Old West, but is that not an obvious case of putting the cart before the horse?

San Dimas only has about 36,000 people, not much more than it had in 1980. Why the sudden need for more space?

A retrofit of the current City Hall would probably cost about $4 million, according to data from City Hall.

In fairness, San Dimas is a very fiscally sound city with $17 million in savings.

Maybe the city should try to live up to its slogan and do something totally excellent in downtown.

But a big public expenditure in the middle of a recession?

Heinous.

- Ben Baeder is the Deputy Metro Editor of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Leftovers from City Hall: A colorful character out of South El Monte politics

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A year before Blanca Figueroa was elected South El Monte's mayor in 2003, the city was a disaster.

It had no city manager. The finance director quit.

The City council even considered firing all the department heads.

Leaders back then seemed proud of the chaos.

"People who want the (city manager) job have to realize you deal with five different personalities, and some realize that you have to put up with a lot of crap," then-Mayor Art Olmos said unapologetically.

Then came Blanca Figueroa.

She won the mayor's position in 2003, and, despite a few bizarre incidents here and there, she had a good run in the 21,000-resident, mostly industrial city.

In November, Figueroa decided not to seek re-election for mayor and lost a try for a council seat.

Last week, the council appointed Willhans Ili to fill an open seat, which killed Figueroa's chance of getting back on the council this year.

Voters first elected Figueroa to the City Council in 1997, and she became mayor in 2003. Her first order of business was to reduce the amount a council member could spend per day from $75 to $50.

She also led a successful effort to take away City Council members' credit cards.

In October, the city saw its first major retail development when officials opened the Marshalls center on Durfee Avenue.

In addition, South El Monte has had only two city managers since 2003. Gary Chicots served ably from 2003 to 2005. And Anthony Ybarra has done a good job since taking over in 2006. I know that doesn't seem like any big accomplishment, but South El Monte used to burn through city managers.

While the city has made progress, Figueroa had a few bizarre episodes, too.

In 2007, she spent nearly $21,000 in travel expenses, most of it in South El Monte's Mexican sister city.

And in December 2008, she made headlines when her fellow council members decided she could no longer work all night at City Hall.

She had essentially turned the City Council office into her own personal work center, complete with slippers, a drawer full of food and a "Mayor" sign on the door.

And during much of the 2000s, she threw her support behind developer Ron Jenkins, who never made good on his promise to develop a retail center near City Hall. But most of the council supported Jenkins.

Figueroa was a colorful character, to say the least.

A phone call with her always lasted at least 30 minutes. She talked in a stream-of-consciousness and assumed I knew all the insider information on local politics. And she was always, always gabbing about her medical problems. But she had an easy way of talking that made the conversation fun. She bragged about hanging out with all the "old-lady" councilwomen from surrounding cities.

When she lost her council bid in November, she was confident her fellow City Council members would appoint her to a seat vacated when Councilman Louie Aguinaga was elected mayor.

They didn't, even though she got the most votes of the losers.

Instead, she got nice little double cross in a town where people shouldn't leave home without back armor.

The current council seems pretty unified, however. Maybe it was time for Figueroa to go. But this new group ought not embrace ruthlessness.

They shouldn't forget how nasty things were seven years ago.

Ben Baeder is the Deputy Metro Editor of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

About this blog

City Hall reporters tear pages out of their notepads for a look at what doesn't always make it in the paper.

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