Rosemead City Council angered by utility company

ROSEMEAD – Several City Councilmembers expressed their frustration Tuesday evening that a utility company is tearing up a street that the City had just worked to beautify.

At its City Council meeting, Helen Romero Shah, of the Southern California Gas Company had just presented information on a federally mandated high-pressure pipeline maintenance project that is slated to begin in February 2012.

“We are trying to beautify our city, but we’re being backed up by the utility companies thinking they can come in whenever they want,” Councilwoman Sandra Armenta said.

According to city officials, the city checked with utility companies to see if they were planning on performing projects before they went ahead with improvements at Walnut Grove Avenue over the summer.

“We messed up. You did contact us,” said Shah.

Councilmembers also demanded that the utility company place the blame on themselves when alerting local residents that they would be again tearing up the streets and causing traffic delays in the area.

The gas line project, which is aimed at identifying any imperfections in the line, should be completed within eight weeks, officials said.

Elderly woman, daughter of former Rosemead mayor, and her husband found stabbed in their home

We are investigating the stabbing death of a Rosemead couple found in their home Monday night.

It appears that one of the victims, Susan Bezner, was also the daughter of former Rosemead Mayor Stuart Maude and the couple was well-known in the community. Look for more in tomorrow’s newspaper and online.

Here is today’s story:

ROSEMEAD – Coroner’s officials Tuesday identified a couple found stabbed to death inside their Rosemead home Monday night as Jack and Susan Bezner, longtime residents with deep ties to the city.

Jack Bezner, 71, was a longtime employee of the Savannah Cemetery in Rosemead. His wife, Susan Bezner, 64, was the daughter of former Rosemead Mayor Stuart Maude.

The couple were found at about 8 p.m. in the home in the 4200 block of Arica Avenue. Detectives were at the home until past 3 a.m. Tuesday, but Lt. Michael Rosson of the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau said no new information was available. Both deaths were being investigated as homicides, he and coroner’s officials said.

La Verne City Manager leaving his post (no, not for Miami)

We reported yesterday that long time La Verne City Manager Martin Lomeli was packing away the briefcase and moving on. The 23 year City Manager is retiring next month and will be replaced by Assistant City Manager Bob Russi.

In a day in age when City Managers last at one city about as long as star athletes do with one team, (Lebron reference #1) it is absolutely unheard of to have a City Manager retire after spending 23 years at his post, not to mention 30 years with the city as an employee as Lomeli has done.

He left the post gracefully, and humbly without making a big tada about it (that’s #2) using a written statement to the city and a replacement groomed and ready to go.

Just as a comparison. Chris Jeffers in Glendora started in 2007, before that he was with Monterey Park.

Fran Delach, Azusa’s City Manager, has been with them for five years. Before that he was the City Manager in Covina for six years.

Blaine Michaelis in San Dimas has had a long tenure with the city at 10 years.

Covina’s City Manager Daryl Parish started there in 2009, before that he was City Manager of Colton for 8 years.

El Monte fired their City Manager not long ago and is now being helmed by Rene Bobadilla. Rosemead is breaking in a new City Manager. La Puente and Monterey Park … well, you get the idea.

Suffice it to say, it speaks to Lomeli’s work with La Verne that he lasted as long as he did. Also, it says something about loyalty for a guy who, various city officials say, was renowned across the state as one of the best at his business. We all know that it is hard for some people when they are considered to be one of the best to not be consumed by ego (trifecta!).

Also, you got to respect the fact he didn’t make the decision during a one hour TV special. (All right, I’m done.)

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