Recently in Glendora Category

Note to county officials: If you accuse Glendora of having poisonous metals in its water, expect to receive a scathing letter in return.

Late last month, Glendora appeared on a top-ten list of places in L.A. County with high levels of arsenic in their water. Arsenic is toxic metal used in some pesticides, as a wood preservative and for making transistors.

A county well on Dalton Canyon Road came in sixth place out of the worst offenders. It had nearly twice the recommended level of arsenic for healthy drinking water. Still, its level was only one-fourth of what people in Saugus have to drink.

The list was part of a survey of 195 water wells conducted by the county at the behest of the board of supervisors.

Glendora Patch picked up the story.

At Tuesday's council meeting, Councilwoman Judy Nelson, apparently concerned about having poisonous water in The Pride of the Foothills, asked City Manager Chris Jeffers what the deal is.

"The way that that has been portrayed is greatly misleading," said Jeffers.

He assured the council that the city's water is safe -- the result of state regulations requiring the city to perform "22,000 tests per year," using "sub-atomic level analysis."

"This water is poked, pricked and otherwise analyzed beyond death," Jeffers said.

Plus, he said, that county well doesn't even serve Glendora residents.

Jeffers said the county will soon be hearing back from the city about this matter.

"The water division is writing sort of a letter back to the agriculture people and the board (of supervisors) to express our disappointment and frustration with the way that was a carried out," Jeffers said.

Playing on a theme at Tuesday's meeting of alluding to vulgarities, Councilwoman Karen Davis said she'll "edit that colorful language in the letter for you."

County officials, you're officially on notice. You heard it here.

Moving from west to east, just because it makes sense to me:

AZUSA - At its meeting Monday, the city council approved the three following items:

A 5-percent increase in salary for a civilian administrator in the police department. City Manager Fran Delach said the pay increase is in response to new duties. That increase pencils out to an additional $405 a month.

Taking responsibility for 330 feet of Azusa Avenue north of Arrow Highway and adjacent to Corky's Corner. That small section of road was still being managed by Caltrans, despite the fact that Corky's Corner was annexed by the city in 2008.

Putting finishing touches on a new retirement plan for the city's police officers. Under the new plan, new hires will be able to retire at age 55 with 3 percent of their pay for each year of work. Current officers can still retire at 50 with the same benefit. Police and city officials have been working on the deal for at least a year.

Other news: Delach said he's offered the police chief job to Azusa police Capt. Sam Gonzalez. Current Chief Robert Garcia officially retired in June, but has been working for the city on a part-time, interim basis. Nothing has been finalized yet.

GLENDORA - The city council will on Thursday vote on whether to ratify a state of emergency declared last week by City Manager Chris Jeffers. Jeffers estimated that the city has spent about $250,000 to $300,000 on cleanup and overtime costs from last week's windstorm. By declaring an emergency, the city makes itself eligible to reimbursed by the state or feds for some of those costs.

The Business Improvement District will consider giving $1,000 raised at the Village Wine Walk to the Glendora War Memorial at its meeting Thursday morning.

SAN DIMAS - The Planning, Parks and Recreation and Equestrian commissions will hold a special joint meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. to take a look at a survey of the city's foothill trails. Parks and Rec. Director Theresa Bruns said the city is thinking about expanding its trail network. Three committees in one meeting? San Dimans sure love those trails.

In other news that probably almost no one will care about, the San Dimas Development Plan Review Board has cancelled its Thursday meeting. The next meeting has been scheduled for Dec. 22.

I'm still awaiting phone calls from Irwindale and La Verne. Irwindale may have declared its own state of emergency this week. La Verne might be holding a special election in the spring for some kind of changes to taxes on telecommunication services.

UPDATE: Irwindale City Manager John Davidson says the city council ratified a state of emergency declaration at its meeting Monday. He says an estimate of the damage was not yet been compiled.

It is Tuesday, which means numerous council meetings are tonight.

Glendora: Big items include a discussion about the end of the Redevelopment Agency via its 2017-2019 sunset date and a presentation on the city's strategic plan.

El Monte: It is another special council meeting with the only item on the agenda concerning a resolution to apply for a grant under Prop. 85 - "THE SAFE DRINKING WATER, WATER QUALITY AND SUPPLY, FLOOD CONTROL, RIVER AND COASTAL PROTECTION BOND ACT OF 2006."

South El Monte: The big ticket item is a vote to put on the November ballot a resolution that would change the city's municipal code to limit the number of marijuana dispensaries to one. The current code allows for two.

Glendora Mayor Ken Herman made an interesting appeal to the audience at Tuesday's council meeting in defending City Manager Chris Jeffers' 2007 cash out of $484,000 of unused leave time when he left the same post in Monterey Park.

Herman was critical of the tone of the debate (and, I assume, the reporting of said actions) that Jeffers had done something wrong (he said something about extorting, which has never been said in this paper). In addition, Herman has often defended Jeffers actions by saying he benefited from policy not created by him.

At the same time, he often doesn't talk about the fact that Jeffers negotiated and helped write his contract that allowed him to acrrue vacation time at a rate of one day off every week during his final year of employment, according to documents and officials.

In Jeffers defense, Herman said Tuesday that "there is nobody in this room that wouldn't have done the same thing. He took what was rightfully his."

It isn't an uncommon argument to make when someone is either defending an action taken by themselves or someone else. Appeal to people's emotions and have them reevaluate themselves. If I would have done it, one might think, I shouldn't judge someone who did.

I don't think the objection by most people is that Jeffers did something illegal (some might, and there have been allusions to Bell. I will leave that to others to justify those positions), but I think the major complaint comes in the form of distrust in those stewards of the community whom we have bestowed the responsibility of leading our cities and overseeing our bank accounts.

Did Jeffers earn (by not taking it) many days of vacation over his years of employment and merely followed city policy in cashing out those left over days? Yes. Should he be exonerated because he was, in a sense, just following the rules?

The problem is, I suspect, from the community is that when there is a public in place that clearly abuses public funds, they expect those at the top to correct it, not take advantage of it. Jeffers, as the city manager, and the council members above him, are - in the eyes of the public - there to make sure such policies don't exist, and if they do, find them and correct them. Jeffers didn't do that in Monterey Park (while, some argue, he did correct that policy in Glendora) and that is where the distrust is found.

With that said, I think Herman has a point. We live in a society where money is good, making a living is great, and being rich is admired. Everyone hopes to make more money.

If you had the opportunity to cash your vacation time at work and you accrued a month or more of that time a year, would you have done the same?

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

Posted this online earlier:

GLENDORA - On the eve of consideration of a new long-term contract with their city manager, a new survey of employees calls into question the leadership abilities of Glendora's top administrator.

Jeffers contract, as well as the employee survey, are on the agenda for tonight's meeting at 7 p.m. at Glendora City Hall, 116 E. Foothill Blvd., Glendora.

Some changes and an extension of Glendora City Manager Chris Jeffers' contract are scheduled to be reviewed at Tuesday's council meeting.

Take a look at the contract changes here.

Also, the city will present the results of an employee survey at the council meeting.

Remember that story the Chicago Tribune did about their editorial meeting with the candidates for Mayor where all the candidates ganged up on Rahm Emanuel and it was a pretty testy meeting?

Well, we had our Glendora candidates editorial board meeting (which I sat in on, but I am not part of the editorial board) and it was ... not like that meeting at all. In fact, everyone was really nice to each other and Doug Tessitor kind of encapsulated the tone of the meeting in his comments.

"The exciting thing about this whole discussion ... this is the first time one of these meetings that I have been excited about the people running for local government," Tessitor said of his fellow competitors.

Most of Monday's discussion with the board centered around pension reform, local development and leadership styles, not unlike the recent candidates forum.

All the candidates agreed on the idea that employees need to pay a full share of the CALPERS pension benefit. Currently, three employee groups pay a full share of the employee portion of the pension benefit with police union negotiations upcoming.

Any differences on the subject came in how the change should be implemented as most candidates favored a tiered system while a few said a full-switch was needed.

I will have more on those topics and more in a story this weekend.

Various candidates will be meeting with our editorial board for the next month, who will in turn endorse candidates for the March 8 election. I will have something on Azusa later this week.

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

I saw the Social Network yesterday. Good film, if not wholly accurate. Aaron Sorkin's writing style - and the dialogue that follows - may not be for everyone, but I always enjoy it. Only a few more films to see before I got all the Oscar nominated films covered.

Anyway, you didn't come here for my film ramblings (oh, how I wish you did), but here are some weekend links you might have missed while watching "The Rite."

A 230-foot tower is getting planted next to some homes in Duarte. Naturally, they had a few concerns.

Glendora became another city trying to keep Gov. Jerry Brown and the state away from their redevelopment dollars.

No new taxes, is the familiar cry of many elected officials. But increased fees? That's totally different.

Went over the new contract for Glendora Police Chief Rob Castro who was approved by the council Tuesday.

Highlights include:

- No administrative leave time
- Base salary of roughly $180,000 a year
- Vacation capped at 200 hours, will accrue at the rate of 176 hours
- If he is terminated, will receive 6 months severance.
- Will pay full share of the employee portion of CALPERS.

Background: Former chief Montoya cashed out $80,000 in unused leave time when he retired in 2009. He credited the ability to use administrative leave in place of vacation in order to save it.

Full story in tomorrow's paper.

I tried to get the lowdown on the new Glendora Plaza development being built near the corner of Route 66 and Grand Avenue.

I called the project's developer Georges Attar, and I got some basics. It is a 19,000 square foot development with a restaurant pad. He purchased the property a couple years back, but development was slowed by the economy.

I asked him about any concerns getting tenants in the building - after all, the Fresh and Easy anchored center just a couple blocks south remains mostly vacant - but he shook it off.

"It is a totally different location," Attar said.

For any more details, he referred me to his partner Elie Attar.

I called Wednesday and left a message. I called today and spoke to a Frank. He said Elie was out and I should call back. I asked if he would be in today, and Frank's response was a quick "I don't know." In the middle of asking when would be a better time to call back, Frank hung up.

I called back to ask when the best time to call back would be, but just after introducing myself again, Frank clamored, "He is not here right now," before hanging up.

I thought about calling back a third time, but realized I would just look foolish when he hung up on me again. The lack of control in a phone call is infuriating at times.

Maybe we will get the details in the future, but for now it looks like a dead end.

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

Last night was the Glendora council candidates forum where the seven contenders sparred (not really, more like, politely conveyed their views) over various city issues.

First and foremost, I must say that Ken Herman was a gracious moderator. Despite the questionable choice to choose a once candidate, incumbent Mayor to be the moderator that adds the opportunity for someone to cry foul over the forum's fairness, it wasn't an issue.

Herman read the questions, kept everyone within their allotted time, and commended the candidates as a group. He never singled out a candidate, interjected or gave his opinion.

Now for the highlights.

- In a forum where many of the candidates talked about leadership styles, the need to communicate better with residents and listen, incumbent councilman Doug Tessitor showed his experience.

For my two-cents, he had the money quote of the night - right or wrong. "Any decision you make has two sides. No matter what decision you make, it makes someone mad and someone happy. The person who is happy thinks you listened. The person who is mad thinks you didn't listen."

- Jason Nagy pulled a John Boehner, choking up during one bit.

OK, I feel genuinely bad for that joke. Nagy was clearly passionate last night and often spoke about his run being from his heart. No ill will intended.

- Cynthia Carrasco told me she is training for a bicycle marathon. So don't be surprised if you see some bicyclists with some "Vote for Cynthia" jerseys.

- John Fields, while responding to a question about lawsuits from residents, said he felt some lawsuits were based on personal vendettas. He went onto say that some public records requests are also based on vendettas and he wondered if there was a way to filter such requests.

Short answer: No. Public records are just that. Public. Anyone person has a right to view them, vendetta or not.

- On the flip side, Fields promised to bring some flair and excitement to the council in the form of entertainment. This is actually a pretty good idea. Get people wondering what you might do if elected and maybe you get the curiosity vote. I can dig it.

- When asked the fully loaded question of what new state taxes the council candidates would support, the candidates had this shocking reply: None.

Who would have guessed? I am glad we got that question out of the way because otherwise who knows what could have happened.

- As a footnote, two candidates - Fields and Erica Landmann-Johnsey - graduated from Cal Poly Pomona representing the green and gold. Go Broncos! (If you haven't figured it out, I am an alum)

- Landmann-Johnsey defended herself well with the forum's most personal question regarding lawsuits against the city. Landmann-Johnsey was part of a group, Friends of Glendora, who filed a lawsuit against the city. In response, she said ""Lawsuits are sometimes necessary for people ... who feel they are not being represented."

- To the same question, Joe Santoro said "You're really in jeopardy when someone wants to sue you."

- Meg Whitman should have taken some lessons from Judy Nelson. Nelson, a business owner in Glendora, said she had not voted or paid attention to city politics for many years as she focused on her life. She owned it.

"I learned that is the wrong way to go," she said.

The seven candidates vying for a seat on the Glendora council will meet for a forum tonight.

All seven candidates have been confirmed to attend the event at 7 tonight at the Citrus Valley Association of Realtors Community Room, 504 E. Route 66, Glendora.

Incumbent Mayor Ken Herman - who is not seeking re-election - will moderate the forum.

The candidates will introduce themselves to the public at the event. Pre-determined questions will be asked of the candidates, who will be given a short time to speak on each issue.

The city election is scheduled for March 8. There are three open seats in Glendora with only one incumbent seeking re-election.

Was just informed today by those running the Glendora candidates forum next week that incumbent Mayor Ken Herman - who announced he would not seek reelection this spring - will moderate the Glendora council forum.

This raises a number of alarming questions that don't seem to do any favors for the public.

I have no problem with Herman as a person and he has always been willing to talk about any issue regarding the city when I call. He has never hidden from an issue when I asked and even when the topics haven't been positive for the city, he remained professional.

But having an incumbent councilman moderator a candidate forum may allow for some to question the political fairness, objectivity and neutrality of the role.

There are some serious questions that can be posed regarding actions of the current council and their impact on the city: i.e. Monrovia Nursery, City Manager Chris Jeffers, administrative contracts/benefits, union negotiations, and more.

Will Herman be willing to bring up issues that may be critical of some of his own decisions?

The conflict isn't as clear since the majority of the candidates are newcomers with only one incumbent seeking reelection. But the one incumbent happens to be the only other councilman with a tenure close to as long as Herman's. In fact, Doug Tessitor was part of the group that helped recall the majority of the council back in 2002, with Tessitor functioning as the spokesperson for the group that featured Herman, former councilmen Gary Clifford and Cliff Hamlow. Tessitor won election to the council the next year.

These guys are buddies. I can't imagine none of the other candidates objecting because of that clear conflict.

Speaking off that, one of the candidates, Erica Landmann-Johnsey is well known by the council, and those who regularly attend council meetings, as being part of a group of citizens that regularly speak at meetings and often chastise the council.

In fact, Herman and Johnsey have had public disagreements that resulted in the two verbally sparring across the council chambers during a meeting. Now Herman will be moderating the first candidate forum for this election where Johnsey is running for his (and/or Terry Kent's) open seat.

Herman has never been one to hold his tongue. At a council meeting, if a speaker is aggressive, insulting or highly critical, he won't shy away from rebuttal, as he has demonstrated in the past.

If Johnsey, or another candidate, opines with a critical opinion of the current council - or even Herman - will Herman reserve his comments or will we have an additional debater in our moderator?

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

Rob Castro, the current captain for the Glendora Police Department, has been selected by City Manager Chris Jeffers to replace outgoing chief Charles Montoya.

The decision is subject to council approval at the Jan. 25 meeting. Jeffers made the announcement today via a written statement.

"Rob showed through a very rigorous process that he has prepared himself on many levels to become a chief of police in today's environment," Jeffers said. "I am proud to say he will be Glendora's chief."

Montoya officially left his post with the department in December after retiring in 2009. He worked in 2010 under the CALPERS 960 program, but was still able to work full-time while the city searched for a new chief.

Castro said it was a post he had prepared his whole career to achieve.

"I have been preparing for this position for 25 years," he said in a written statement. "I am deeply devoted to Glendora and it is an honor to be selected as the city's police chief."

The department is in charge of 52 sworn personnel and 38 civilian employees. Castro was selected from a pool of 41 applicants.

The selection doesn't come without some things left to be resolved. A salary for Castro and benefits still must be worked out and approved by the council.

Last year, councilman Doug Tessitor vowed to get rid of administrative leave for city executives when it was reported that Montoya cashed out $80,000 in unused leave time as he often used administrative leave days in place of vacation.

Will the promise be kept with Castro's contract? Tune in next time to find out...

Replacing Pico de Gallo in downtown Glendora (which, I thought, served a pretty good taco) is a new sushi restaurant in the downtown Glendora village.

Sushi and I just moved in and councilman Doug Tessitor gave it his seal of approval at Tuesday's council meeting. He did the same with the new sandwich shop Kara's Korner Deli at an earlier meeting.

The restaurant is at 201 N. Glendora Ave.

Why is this on here? Well, because... I like sushi. How's that for some media bias?

I fear I am going to hog some of the links today, but my ego has actually grown very little.

You may have seen Sunday's package in the newspaper regarding city car allowances. Two web links for you on that story. The more specific story about El Monte's car allowances and an overall picture of the Valley.

Then there is another story out of Rio Hondo's Police Academy. This one follows up on claims of ammunition abuse at the school while addressing some other issues at the academy.

Here is one to wet your appetite: Food trucks are gathering at SpeedZone in Industry.

Fran Delach, Azusa City Manager, called redevelopment funds "city life blood." Gov. Jerry Brown may pull the plug.

Those concerned about autism should take a look at today's display. A new study links freeways to autism. That story is coupled with the recent news that having children close together may increase the risk of autism. This also follows recent headlines debunking the doctor who is known for promoting a link between autism and vaccines.

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

I am a little late to the party on this one, but it was a late night party so I am going to let myself slide.

A group of kids pulled a Christmas caroling prank by orchestrating a small band of merriment for Glendora residents to enjoy a few days before Christmas. Oh, and they did it between about midnight and 5 a.m.

Not surprisingly, some neighbors were none too pleased and called the police.

Glendora officers were pretty cheerful about the whole thing, having a couple laughs and approaching the whole thing with a sense of humor. In context, I am sure we would rather this than those kids playing mailbox baseball or tee-peeing someone's house? OK, maybe you would rather have the tee-peeing than a little 4 a.m. drummer boy.

The video, for what it's worth, is pretty funny. At the same time, I am sure most people feel for the residents who were stirred from their slumber by the music and, incidentally, made viral video famous.

The whole thing seemed to be orchestrated by Mike Diva or Dahlquist, who promotes his prank videos on twitter and his website.

For my take, the best part is when they break out into a rap song at the end.

I also let out a few chuckles when the kids were talking to the police.

"Three police cars for angry Christmas carolers?" one said to a Glendora police officer. "We are the happiest carolers you could ever imagine."

"Think about being woken up to something so lovely as a Christmas carol," another said.

The kids hit up any 24-hour or late night establishment they could find, including Target, Wal-Mart, Denny's and 24-Hour Fitness.

It is interesting to see kids doing what kids normally do when they are young, playing pranks they think are funny and having a good time with friends when you are bored and have the time. When I was younger we did much of the same things (often worse) but, fortunately, we were not made famous by YouTube, or even tried to be.

For once, I am happy to be too old for that.

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor was named the chairman of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority Board of Directors (try saying that title in one breath).

A councilman since 2003 (up for re-election in March 2011) Tessitor has been the Pasadena City appointee to the board since Jan. 2009 and served on the Joint Powers Authority board since Nov. 2008.

"This is a very exciting time for the project and the Construction Authority, and I am honored to lead the board as we begin construction on the nearly $700 million project that will connect communities from Arcadia to Azusa to the entire L.A. County system, create thousands of jobs and generate nearly a billion dollars for our region," Tessitor said in a written statement.

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

Reported in today's paper that Rio Hondo college is investigating potential problems with its Police Academy beyond a testing breach being investigated by the state.

At the heart of the allegations - that include employees watching porn and improper range training - is the school's former Dean of Public Safety and the academy's supervisor Joe Santoro.

Santoro, the former Monrovia Police Chief, is also a Glendora resident that announced his bid for the City Council this week. With his background, both educational and administrative, Santoro was a potential favorite in that election. Now, the fate of that election bid may be directly tied to the outcome of these allegations.

Email: daniel.tedford@sgvn.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune

if you haven't seen it yet, some fantastically handsome journalist is reporting that Glendora Councilman Ken Herman will not seek re-election in March.

The decision comes in a year where political ally Gary Clifford stepped down and his appointment is only serving as a fill-in.

That leaves two seats wide open on the council and incumbent Doug Tessitor left to fend off challengers all by his lonesome.

It won't be terribly lonesome. He still as Herman's full support in seeking re-election and Tessitor has been around since 2003, only one year less than Herman.

The pair stormed onto the Glendora political scene in 2002 when Herman, Gary Clifford and Cliff Hamlow were all elected to the council during a 2002 recall campaign. Tessitor was elected the following year.

The move started a changing of the guard in Glendora and set a political majority for nearly a decade. But with Clifford departing this year and Herman's tenure ending in March, Tessitor will be the sole voice left from the once prominent majority.

How much will change is uncertain. Two candidates for council are John Fields and Jason Nagy, both of which are soon to be new members of the local Kiwanis club of which Herman is president.

In addition, current council members Karen Davis and Gene Murabito often agree with Tessitor and Herman on city decisions. The group is often known as a 5-0 council, even though Murabito and Tessitor love to joke about that distinction.

When I talked to Herman today, he said he hopes nothing changes.

"I hope it continues to be the way it has been," he said. "I hope it doesn't have a radical change."