I missed this yesterday. Apparently, Montebello named a new city administrator (the same as a city manager. Why cities decide to go with different names I have no idea).

Peter Cosentini will take the (interim) post in what he dubbed “a serious fiscal situation.”

A quick Google search of Cosentini shows he was formerly the City Manager of Santa Paula and was working for Pico Rivera’s John Herrera.

In his new gig, he will be bringing in $17,500 a month.

This tale comes from reporter James Wagner:

There’s a difference between reporting politics locally and covering it in Sacramento.

On the Senate floor, to get a legislator’s attention, you hand the guards your business card and they pass it along to whom you’re hoping to talk to.

So last week, while covering a bill that would essentially allow the proposed NFL stadium in Industry to proceed, I asked to speak to a local Senator who co-authored the bill, Ron Calderon, D-Montebello.

Calderon came to the back of the Senate chamber to speak to me with my card in hand.

But after a few minutes of questioning, as we stood quietly while I jotted down his comments, he took my card, stuffed it into my jacket’s front pocket and walked away.

I guess he thought I was done asking my questions. I wasn’t.

Here ya go….

The race for the 57th District Assembly seat is heating up.

Baldwin Park Councilwoman Monica Garcia is the latest candidate to throw her name in for the June 2010 primaries.

She joins a growing list of local politicians vying for the seat, which comes open when state imposed term limits catch up to incumbent Democrat Ed Hernandez.

Besides Garcia, La Puente Mayor Louie Lujan, West Covina Mayor Roger Hernandez and West Covina Councilman Steve Herfert have all filed statements of an intent to run for the seat, according to documents filed with the California Secretary of State.

Garcia, 34, said people have been encouraging her since last year to run for the 57th District. She made her decision last month.

“I know that right now is a critical time for our state and even more so for our district, for the 57th,” Garcia said. “I want to go up to Sacramento and make sure our district is getting its fair share.”

Garcia said she has always been an advocate for “working-class communities,” and has spent about a decade working in public service.

“I want to make sure the working families I’ve served over my career — over 10 years, children, seniors — I want to make sure they are protected and we take a sustainable approach to balance the budget,” she said.

Garcia was elected to the Baldwin Park City Council in 2007, and served on the city’s Planning Commission prior to that.

She has also worked for state Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, has spent time working with inner-city youth while attending USC as undergraduate student, and has worked in Washington, D.C., with a group advocating for women, children and families, Garcia said.

“I really have committed myself since college to serving populations that are disadvantaged,” she said.

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Montebello City Councilwoman Kathy Salazar is a woman who is willing to fight for what she believes in.

Salazar passed up the chance to settle a lawsuit with the city for $25,000 because she wanted her name — and only her name — on a city plaque.

Salazar first filed the lawsuit against the department, the city and former Police Chief Garry Couso-Vasquez in 2007, claiming she was wrongfully booted from the Citizen’s Patrol Unit.

Reporter Amanda Baumfeld got a hold of court documents last week and reported that Salazar’s demanded $25,000; reinstatement into the unit; and recognition as its sole founder.

But the city wanted to list her on a plaque as the group’s co-founder — and Salazar wasn’t having it.

“The city kept saying, ‘no, no, no,’ and the price kept going up, up, up,” Salazar told Baumfeld. “We went to mediation three times because I just wanted to finish this.”

Under the latest settlement agreement, Salazar would be awarded $130,000 — $80,000 of which would go to her attorney — she would be reinstated into the Citizen’s Patrol Group and recognized as the sole founder.

Her only problem now is Couso-Vasquez, who has said he would rather go to trial then agree to the settlement.

Here’s a councilwoman who is willing to fight for what she believes in…

Monetary demands in Montebello settlement increase over wording on plaque
By Amanda Baumfeld, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/15/2009 08:19:03 PM PDT

A $130,000 lawsuit filed by City Councilwoman Kathy Salazar could have been settled for $25,000, but the parties could not agree on the wording for a city plaque, according to court documents obtained Wednesday.

Claiming she was wrongfully booted from the Citizen’s Patrol Group, which is administered by the Police Department, Salazar filed the suit in 2007. She named the city and former Police Chief Garry Couso-Vasquez as defendants.

Before her November 2007 re-election to the council, Salazar asked for $25,000, reinstatement into the patrol group and to be recognized as its sole founder, according to a statement of facts filed by the city and agreed to by both sides.

The city wanted to list her

The settlement agreement and other court documents describing the negotiations on a plaque as a co-founder, according to the documents.
“The city kept saying, `no, no, no,’ and the price kept going up, up, up,” Salazar said. “We went to mediation three times because I just wanted to finish this.

“It was important to me to be named as founder and to be reinstated. The money thing was for the attorney.”

Under the latest settlement agreement drafted June 29, Salazar would be awarded $130,000, reinstated into the Citizen’s Patrol Group and recognized as the sole founder.

Salazar would get $50,000, and $80,000 would go to her attorney, Michael McGill of Lackie, Dammeier and McGill. The firm also represents the Montebello Police Officers Association.

Read more.