if we can stand for the Pledge of
Allegiance
right hand over your heart
Allegiance
and to the Republic for which is
under God the visible with liberty and
for all geez I better start
while practicing that
oh my God
okay we'll go ahead and go with roll
call so Roman is not here Amy here and
Cecilia
so we'll go ahead and move to the
approval of certificate of posting for
February 6 2023
oh we need emotion a second all in favor
aye okay
um certificate posting for February 6 is
approved so we'll go on to Public
Communication
we like to open that up
I see no interest so we'll go ahead and
close that
and we will go to the report of officers
Commissioners or committees
we have our
manicario
check check okay here we go
Madam chair if you don't mind we'll move
Lunar New Year celebration update to the
final one staff member Irma Garcia is on
her way and with that being said uh with
your approval I will move on to homeless
count update like to go ahead and give a
brief update uh Armando was invited to
attend but he is not feeling well today
so he cannot make it with us but we did
have a very very robust turnout in
regards to the homeless count we had
about 40 individuals show up
um and I know last year we had our
commissioner appear on the front page of
the Sanger Valley Tribune we did not get
that type of coverage this year but we
were out there in force we had the
police department we had Public Works
and non-profit agencies uh city managers
office a Community Development and of
course our Recreation and Community
Services Department our church uh our
faith-based uh volunteers our soccer are
coaches that volunteered we had a
numerous individuals one person we had
was from San Diego Valley Homeless
Coalition and that was a a great
addition they were supposed to help us
ask her but they they also were ill and
couldn't make it but they were out this
year and we had Lasha something unique
this year we utilized uh two elements to
count we had the paper element so when
you would go out you would you would
count but as technology improves they
had a uh app that you could download on
your cell phone uh regardless if it's
the iPhone or the Android phone and that
seemed to work out well as as uh as well
some individuals uh were a little uh
confused and or intimidated on how that
was how that worked uh but we had groups
of three or four and usually one
individual within the group of three or
four was able to utilize the app and for
some individuals they used both uh they
counted on paper and they utilized the
app so it is too early to tell what our
homeless count is uh but from uh the
last few years we have been able to cut
it in half uh so we are hoping for uh a
very good count in regards to possibly
lowering our account
count I believe last year was 276. uh so
we are hoping for a similar number or a
little bit less uh it's uh really hard
to tell uh personally when I was out
there counting I came across two
individuals and I guess my spot was a
little popular because I had Yum Yum
Donuts uh and there's two individuals
usually hanging out in that area and
there were other groups that had zero
zero zero and there was a few others
that counted a handful of individuals so
we will hopefully have the count by June
and we will go ahead and share that with
the commission as well as the community
and we are looking forward to a uh
hopefully a lower count nonetheless over
the few years with 50 beds at serenity
homes and 25 beds at Esperanza via we
have at least 75 people that are
unhoused but they have a roof over their
head
very very proud to to say we have those
Services
versus a handful of years ago those did
not exist
I was very happy to say that any
questions in regards to the homeless
count we had Lasha here San Gabriel
Valley and sarsum and we had numerous
numerous volunteers probably about 40 uh
combination of Staff members and our
volunteers and maybe even a little bit
more
I have a question yes um so on the
serenity uh
I know we have 50 beds right yes yes so
um if those
were out in the street last time would
you be counting because those those are
families correct yes but would you be
counting each individual
great great question uh that was one of
my questions because as we get deeper
into the homeless uh worry we are
learning as staff members as as well
using Serenity and Esperanza via as an
example uh they are considered homeless
but they are housed so in the past uh we
did not we wouldn't have we would have
counted those individuals as homeless
okay so uh but they are they are housed
at least for right right now and
hopefully everyone will transition out
of both of those facilities facilities
and they will find permanent housing so
we could get some other folks off the
street because we have a waiting list on
both sites
games uh depending on what day it is we
have a lot of adults and then from time
to time it's very uh
very sad to see the families let me know
living in the car or couch surfing or
whatever the case is
but we have a waiting lists on both of
them and both of those facilities are
Grant funded so in order for us to
receive reimbursement we need to keep
both of those sites at 95 percent
occupancy and we usually do very rare
that we that we don't
anything else in regards
um the homeless count
um I did take the um
the video training and it was very well
put together because my intentions were
to go but then we had the emergency with
the Flores family so I wasn't able to
attend
um who who put that together was that
lhasa or was that yes the uh the actual
video and all the trainings are from our
partner with lhasa okay and they they
did a wonderful job they actually sent
out two staff members on the day of the
training we also had the uh another
faith-based group there uh Sangre Valley
Valley Homeless Coalition they were on
on hand as as well we had Armando Nava
uh who who also assisted and uh Eureka
Ruiz Esparza assisted with some of the
pre-work but she was not available to
assist on the night of so we've been uh
assisting with the homeless count for
probably about eight years now maybe 10
years uh so uh it can it seems to be
changing from here in and there it's
moved on to a app now but uh staff did a
fantastic job kudos to Armando in
particular he uh really led the charge
the night out awesome very good job
you have any questions yes well first
off I wanted to say I was so sad that I
didn't get to participate this year
because me and my husband were looking
forward to it but the day that you know
we had a plan on that day and we're like
we can't change that so we hope to
participate next year one of the
questions I did have was regarding the
paper and app was so last year I know we
were sticking primarily to the app so
how was the paper implemented this year
was that something that both of them
were required to complete or how how was
that last year it was paper uh and City
because we've had some challenges uh in
the past with Lasha we didn't
necessarily believe our count had
doubled right one year to the next they
had larger count in Pasadena and
Ramona so we we didn't feel the count
was was
556 uh but nevertheless we didn't have a
say-so uh and uh
without number uh but it was paper last
year the city utilized an app or we made
an app we also counted and it was more
for an internal mechanism but at the end
of the day lasha's paper was the final
say so so we utilize it for hot spots so
you you must have played with the you
must utilize the app last year yeah last
year I I did primarily the app so that's
why I was wondering about that because
they were giving us such full training
on the screen using the app and so when
you mentioned the paper I was curious
because I didn't see the paper so I
wasn't sure how that what what what was
different that's why my memory is
failing me I thought last year was uh
paper and then the city utilized the app
but maybe I'm thinking two years ago it
might have been maybe two years ago so
uh I think last year we had the option
of the paper or or the app uh because
the even the app for me was a little
intimidating I downloaded I took the
training I probably spent several hours
because I I didn't want to make any
errors so I I they needed a driver so I
volunteered to to drive and we had
another staff
for the most part on this time around
most of the individuals utilizing that
yeah
cast members uh or volunteers that we
have a very good relationship
about it so there was still one or the
other yes okay
it was a good experience everyone seemed
to have a positive experience I was one
of the first ones back uh primarily
because I'm not a fast driver but my
zone was Sarah Vista High School
a large portion of my zone
was
we went driving through all the all the
crevices a lot of dead end streets a lot
of private roads so very interesting
I've gone out for probably over a decade
each time I drive out I find a new
section
pretty pretty home I was looking for
landscaping ideas
it's very very nice
and I think last year we did also ask
about the possibility or just to
question the possibility of moving the
moving the count to like a later month
so that maybe we would see more people
was that something that was ever that
that's something that we we mentioned
but Lasha is uh set in firm that they
have it on those three or four nights of
the week if you watch much TV it was all
over the news all over the radio they
were out they gave most of the attention
to Los Angeles because of of new mayor
mayor bass
and Pasadena some of the larger cities
they were out in force uh on those I
think it was a three night the Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday so it was uh and then
there's other counts that that happened
in the riverbed during the day during
the day yes special teams that know how
to de-escalate uh because we are not
able to get out of the vehicle
you know some people are well I I want
to go put a flash setting back no you
cannot
you just know the van and that's pretty
much it Lasha has a form a formula of
how they create the university and then
they they follow up with what teams and
they'll specifically uh like I was a
little nervous personally uh of the
riverbed I want to make sure that they
are counting the people correctly but
they assured me you know they know the
boundary lines if they're in a different
city if they're over this line then
they're not in Baldwin Park there and
right now
yeah if if you've ever been on the on
the riverbed
there's a whole Community down there's
actually a lot of different communities
in different areas on the on the
riverbed I spoke with uh lasa they
actually rent from the church so we
speak to them all the time you know so
we were talking about the how they went
out during the day to the riverbed and
you know
um the different sections that they went
to and
um and yeah it is real strategic you
know and it and it's dangerous you know
so
um but yeah I didn't very exciting don't
see me no how was it thank you
thank you very much
okay and then next since we have uh
Irma Garcia our program supervisor she
would go ahead and we will we will move
back up to number one Lunar New Year
celebration update and it was a
beautiful event but I will have Irma
chat a little bit about it
first time
no worries
um we did have we had a fan a wonderful
wonderful event this is the annual event
that has just really grown so much uh so
very proud of it this was the year of
the rabbit and we did have a wonderful
program we had the
several dancers they came in and
performed for us
I like one I think close to like seven
dancers they came in to know a Chinese
lion dance
well and uh this year we had two lions
so therefore I would really turned out
to be a great great event we kicked it
off in the morning early in the morning
with some
an opportunity
oh we have close
wow
and we provided them with a stem film
and also a little dessert
it's a white rice and orange slices also
provided um
pop sticks
almond cookie
it was just like a really wonderful
event
we several of the dancers that came in
oh yeah they traditionally we give them
a red envelope and usually the mayor and
whatever of the I think
Philadelphia
I don't like bait
you tease them and then they'll go ahead
and they right there they open the big
old mouth and it goes oh yeah
a red envelope and they continued to
dance but this year we did have drums as
well
all the other dancers
it took pretty much the
nine o'clock and then
by the time we finished with all the
serving and everything
everybody had an opportunity they had a
little plate
everybody got a Red Envelope as well
candy
the dramas were they um from within the
city or you
it's a a team
well this team I hadn't heard from them
in a long time I thought they had
disbanded but I was able to get a
there's an owner and to my
I mean it was wonderful opportunity to
I hadn't I mean
I still bought his whole
wow
it started with just myself and Sally
one of the part time for us
well we haven't haven't seen any
we did and that program started with
just them speaking not Italian USA Today
stuff and then we also um hot and nuts
and
all of us
nice
following year with bigger and bigger
she was uh fired through the adult
school
old school they made a lot bigger so I
think we had coins with something 100
people there
hmm
wow growing
so of the 200 is that um seniors or
that's including
um wow
Ah that's great
nice nice
it was it was a really really nice event
you missed it
yeah exactly all this new stuff they
want to attend everything what is our
attendance on a on a regular basis
moms we're only serving our hot meals uh
twice a week
we still have all of our programs uh so
I stay for the hot meals we have like
close
60 on Wednesday
oh and once a month you know we have our
senior grab and go program and that
one's at 300 oh okay
so they come and pick up
oh that's awesome
the the center's really busy amounts
that coming in they provide free
and then we have the computer classes we
have the weight lift
oh ping pong ping pong is out the door
they are busy and then we have the
Billiards uh needless to say they also
have um
of the international defense team
aside from having those activities I
want to make sure we have other events
that are going to ever take to that
particular
it's great I did bring along a couple of
things that were going to be um
in this class and has a couple of other
items
are going to be happy
next week
that's once a month right the birthday
celebration
and so that way the other items that we
have going on aside from our trip
coming up and they are so excited oh I
bet I think I filled up so fast
do we have a
program for
seniors that
that need food like hot meals or
that that are delivered but we we um the
day that we deliver all of our meals
um
the ywc fight a home
also actually do the or that particular
but for hours
currently right now since we have a meal
program from Monday and Tuesday
iwca
that hot meal
and deliver it
okay
um so if I want to direct them to the
YWCA home delivery program can you send
me that contact info
yeah because I know of a resident that
lives on um
on um I forgot the name of the street
well with the YWCA they don't just have
to be
oh okay
oh nice
sure okay very good all right we're also
gonna know we had some interests that
were asking us to do like chair
volleyball
team
all right we want to go ahead and
we're interested and uh yeah we have a
pretty
very soon
hear me up let's do this
exciting that sounds really exciting I
just have one little concern with that
and the stability of the chair
because of the seniors you know we don't
want one of them
falling over and so it probably would
need to be more of those sturdy or are
all the ones in the dining room yeah
yeah exactly oh that sounds so good how
about the other cities like irwindale's
doing
uh we have reached out to see oh nice
sure that we're yeah very good
well that's good
I had a question regarding the Lunar New
Year celebration what day was that on
was that on a weekend day or a weekday
it was on a week that week that day
January the 9th and I got it okay
um I was curious to know if it's some
type of event that I don't know like
Youth and teens within the community
would be interested in participating in
um to make it more I guess inclusive of
all ages too because it would be really
cool to see exactly because it is kind
of like honoring the seniors as well so
it would kind of give them like a space
to maybe learn up something from the
seniors and like their experience in the
culture and the the youth learning and
kind of like sharing in that you know
um experience with with the seniors so
something I was just thinking about
because as someone who does celebrate
Lunar New Year it's really about like
respecting the elders and giving your
wishes to the elders and the elders
giving you wishes here's to them and so
I feel like it could really be an
awesome like wide range Community event
and like the youth can also youth that
are not part of the culture can also
learn about it and see how valuable it
is to gain wisdom and you know like uh
I don't know how to say like yeah learn
the culture and like support and you
know um like learn from your elders and
have that day be like learning about
your community and your family and
respecting elders and stuff
that because of the
right questions
I'm sure that in the future like for
probably
that was a possibility we were thinking
about moving it that way
yeah I went to other communities in
Orange County and they do like huge
festivals outside right so it would be
really interesting to see if we had
something like outdoors and I don't know
if firecrackers are allowed but like
those the ones that are reasonable to
add that and just make it something fun
or with little Fair things too that
would be
um another event that community members
can participate in
about it as well baby
right
but yes absolutely
Amphitheater will probably be the best I
always know
right yeah thank you thank you Irma
you're doing amazing
yes she is yes she is
and uh Madam chair the last item on the
agenda is the annual calendar so if
you'd like to take a look at that
um we are uh working out some details
towards the end of the year in December
it looks like the parade will stay on
the first Saturday in December who will
most likely be adding snow or chipped
ice to that Saturday we were thinking
about having that the parade in the
evening but it just doesn't look like we
have an opportunity yet added to the
evening so we will proceed with the am
uh parade and I think that's that's
pretty much it if you have any questions
comments
regards to the calendar it should be up
on our City website as well and
um we uh summer months we have our
popular six weeks in the concerts part
uh concerts in the park and then six
weeks out out in the street we're
proposing to have Fourth of July on uh
the actual fourth oh nice
see how that girl seeds
no questions I don't have any questions
thank you all for what you guys do it's
awesome
please please let all the staff know you
know they did an amazing job I know we
haven't been haven't had our meeting so
we haven't been able to tell them what
an amazing job they did in December we
know how crazy it is back to back to
back to back
um but you know they they always shine
they you know the mayor's so proud of
them I could hear the chitter chatter of
you know the council and so just pass
that on to them we really appreciate it
say the city scheduled for a Thursday
30th March 30th okay that March 30th
not be on your uh list of surely been
saying we'll reacted to the
video and the venue and
some okay with that want to move for
adjournment
um emotion
um I second all in favor
aye Nina adjourned at 5 30 33.
thank you Irma