[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:04] Good evening, everyone. At this time, I'd like to call the close session of the city council housing authority to order. We will adjourn this meeting to a regular meeting on Monday, September 21st, 2026. Take place here in council chambers. Close session will begin at 5.30 p.m. And welcome session will commence at 7 p.m. I think I'm reading right. If you are joining us remotely and would like to speak, oh, because they can join remotely now, got it. On any of the close session items, please wait for further directions from the city clerk.
[0:35] Thank you Mayor, Council Member Martin, good evening everyone, Council Member Preciado.
[0:40] Here.
[0:41] Council Member Garcia.
[0:42] Here.
[0:43] Council Member Annoverse Cole is absent at this time.
[0:46] Council Member Lestro.
[0:48] Here.
[0:49] Vice-American Alice.
[0:51] Here.
[0:52] Mayor Sandeval.
[0:52] I am here as well.
[0:54] Okay.
[0:54] So next item.
[0:56] The next item is public comment.
[0:58] at this time the public is invited to address the council concerning any items on the closed
[1:03] session agenda only and we do not have any speakers present or online.
[1:07] Okay very good all right so that means we can go in the closed session. Thank you.
[1:12] All right let's do it.
[1:20] Let me start. Let me get started and we'll go okay.
[1:24] I good evening everyone and thank you for being here. Welcome to the Pomona City Council meeting.
[1:28] At this time I'd like to call the meeting of the City Council Housing Authority to order and
[1:33] And to turn this time over to the City Attorney for a report on the closed session.
[1:36] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:37] We had four closed session items this evening, all regarding existing litigation.
[1:42] We do not have report of all action.
[1:44] Thank you, Councillor.
[1:46] Just a reminder, we will adjourn this meeting to a revenue meeting on Monday, September 21st,
[1:51] which sounds like next Monday, which will take place here in Council Chambers.
[1:56] As always, closed-session will commence at 5.30 p.m. and open-session will happen at 7 p.m.
[2:05] I also would like to ask you very politely to make sure that you silence your phones or turn them off altogether.
[2:12] And a reminder, water is fine, but anything else is prohibited from the council chambers, like food and other drinks that could stay in our
[2:20] are relatively new carpet, okay.
[2:24] So, no, Carl, you don't need to do that.
[2:26] So, we're gonna do the pledge of allegiance.
[2:27] I'd like to ask everyone very politely
[2:29] to please stand for the pledge.
[3:00] Thank you, Council Member, on a very cool.
[3:04] Just a reminder for in-person and virtual participants,
[3:07] you may access translation services
[3:10] by using the camera of your personal device
[3:13] to capture the QR code, which you will find back here.
[3:17] You will also find it up here.
[3:19] You can choose to read the transcript or listen to it using your headset.
[3:23] If you need a headset, one can be borrowed in the foyer.
[3:27] Speaking during public comment or to an item this evening in Spanish,
[3:30] we will be projecting the English translation on the screen.
[3:33] Please be sure to pause in between sentences and speak clearly into the microphone.
[3:37] Dana.
[3:38] Para los participantes presenciales como los virtuales pueden acceder a los servicios
[3:44] de traducción utilizando su dispositivo personal para escanar el código QR que se muestra
[3:50] en la pantalla durante los comentarios públicos, así como los que se encuentran en el vestibulo
[3:56] y en la cámara.
[3:57] Puede elegirle la transcripción o escucharla usando sus propios audifonos.
[4:02] Si necesita audifonos, puede pedir prestados unos en el vestibulo.
[4:06] If you are going to talk about the public commentaries or about a point in the agenda of this
[4:11] night in Spanish, the English translation will be projected on the screen.
[4:16] To make sure a precise translation, please do pause between prayers and speak clearly
[4:22] to the microphone.
[4:27] Thank you.
[4:29] Thank you, Dan.
[4:30] All right, Carlos, please call the roll.
[4:33] Thank you, Mayor.
[4:34] Council Member Martin.
[4:35] Good evening, everyone.
[4:37] Council Member Preciado.
[4:40] Councilmember Garcia. Good evening. Councilmember Anavero School. Good evening. Councilmember
[4:45] Lestro. Vice Mayor Canales. Here. Mayor Sandevol. Here as well. Okay let's go ahead and
[4:52] please read the next item. The next item is presentation and the first one is a
[4:57] proclamation of the City Council of the City of Pomona recognizing September 2026 as
[5:02] childhood cancer month in the City of Pomona.
[5:07] Mayor, there isn't anyone here to
[5:09] receive it just so you know okay I'll
[5:28] read it to you all a
[5:33] proclamation getting
[5:41] to that age a
[5:45] proclamation of the City Council of the City of Pomona County of Los Angeles State of California
[5:51] proclaiming the month of September 2026 as Child Care Cancer Awareness Month in the City of Pomona
[5:59] whereas the American Cancer Fund for Children and Kids Cancer Connection report that
[6:06] cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among the U.S. children
[6:11] between infancy and the age of 15. This tragic disease is detected in more
[6:18] than 16,000 of our country's young people every single year and an
[6:24] estimated 400,000 children and adolescents globally every year. And whereas one in
[6:30] five of our nation's children loses his or her battle with cancer.
[6:36] Many infants, teens, and children and teens will suffer from long-term effects of
[6:41] comprehensive treatment, including secondary cancers. And whereas founded over
[6:46] 30 years ago by Steve Firestein, a member of the Philanthropy.
[6:55] Max Factor Cosmetics Family, the American Cancer Fund for Children Incorporated and Kids Cancer Connection Incorporated, are dedicated to helping these children and their families.
[7:10] And whereas the American Cancer Fund for Children and Cancer Kids Connection provide a variety of vital patients.
[7:22] I'm sorry, Psychosocial Services to Children undergoing cancer treatment at Children's Hospital, Los Angeles.
[7:31] City of Hope National Medical Center, Cedar Sinites Medical Center,
[7:37] Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, LA County, USC Medical Center,
[7:42] and U.S. and UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica, Harbor UCLA Medical Center, as well as participating hospitals throughout the country, thereby enhancing the quality of life for each child and their families.
[7:59] And whereas the American Cancer Fund for Children and Kids Cancer Connection also sponsor toy distributions,
[8:09] home and hospital instructional programs, family saling programs,
[8:15] pet assistance therapy, laughter noon, laughter is healing, KCC superstar experience,
[8:23] first responder programs and hospital celebrations in honor of a child's determination and bravery to fight the battle against childhood cancer.
[8:33] Now, therefore, it to be proclaimed that the City Council of the City of Pomona does
[8:41] hereby call upon all Pomonans to join in recognizing the month of September 2026 as childhood
[8:50] cancer awareness month dated this 14th of September 2026.
[9:07] The next proclamation is a proclamation of the City Council of the City of Pomona recognizing
[9:14] and September 15th to October 15th,
[9:17] 2026 as National Hispanic Heritage Month in the City of Pomona.
[9:21] And this is to be received by Lydia Manzanaris,
[9:24] President of the Latino, Latina Roundtable,
[9:27] Dr. Calderon, Professor Emeritus at Pizzar College,
[9:30] and Minerva Hernandez, founder of the Pomona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
[9:35] Okay, so I know some names recall what all of you
[9:39] who are connected to those organizations.
[9:42] Come on up, okay?
[9:43] So I think it was the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
[9:47] Please come on up, the Latino-Latino Roundtable,
[9:50] and the Phonate Economic Opportunity Center.
[9:52] Yeah, please come on up here, please.
[9:57] Do we have anyone from the PEOC here?
[10:01] And that's OK.
[10:02] We'll just have to save there.
[10:03] But let's go and move down.
[10:04] Let's move down.
[10:05] Let's make room of this entire space here, OK?
[10:11] OK, so you're going to be using this, OK?
[10:13] Oh, yeah, that's it.
[10:14] Yeah, you're good.
[10:14] Good evening.
[10:17] A proclamation of the City Council of the City of Pomona County, Los Angeles, state of California proclaiming September 15th to October 15th, 2026, as National Hispanic Heritage Month in the City of Pomona.
[10:30] Whereas National Heritage Month, known as Missed NCI Hispanic, is celebrated nationwide from September 15th through October 15th each year, the observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week and expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
[10:45] to cover the month at which it is celebrated today.
[10:49] Understanding that September 15 is significant
[10:51] because it is the anniversary of independence
[10:54] for Latin American countries, Costa Rica,
[10:56] El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
[11:00] In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days
[11:04] on September 16th and 18th respectively.
[11:07] And whereas many community-based organizations,
[11:10] such as La Cámara de Comercio, Espana de Pomona,
[11:12] the Latino-Latina Roundtable and the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center celebrate
[11:17] Missed at NC Espana with the greater community to highlight the rich heritage, arts, histories,
[11:23] food, music, and traditions of all 26 plus Latin American nations, while recognizing that
[11:29] these communities are not homogeneous and that this month celebrates honors and pays tribute
[11:33] to the diverse voices, cultures, and lived experiences, especially in light of ongoing challenges
[11:39] is faced by the Hispanic communities,
[11:41] including discriminatory immigration policies,
[11:44] federal action that continue to threaten the well-being
[11:46] and dignity of many, and whereas Latinos are individuals
[11:50] are descendants from Latin American countries
[11:52] and may speak a variety of different languages.
[11:55] Hispanics are individuals that speak Spanish
[11:57] and are descendants from Spanish-speaking countries,
[11:59] including Spain.
[12:01] Latinx is a gender neutral or non-binary term
[12:06] for people of Latin American descent
[12:08] And we recognize the Latinx identity also encompasses people in black, African, Asian, Indigenous, and queer communities.
[12:15] And whereas the city of Pomona recognizes the significant contributions of all Hispanic Pomonans,
[12:21] city employees, commissioners, and numerous grassroots leaders and outreach groups that help increase cultural awareness,
[12:27] education, enrichment, and community engagement with our residents.
[12:31] It is through their support and community involvement that our city has continued to become more culturally diverse.
[12:37] and a welcoming city for everyone and whereas the city of Pomona is committed to recognizing Hispanic Latino and Latinx culture and heritage as an important part of the city and its strong inclusive community.
[12:48] Now therefore, let it be resolved that the city of Pomona does hereby proclaim September 15th to October 15th, 2026 as National Hispanic Heritage Month and calls its observance to all residents.
[13:02] This stated 14th day of September.
[13:04] Good
[13:09] evening my name is Lina Mira. I'm the executive director of the Latino
[13:13] Latino Roundtable and we want to acknowledge the City Council for this
[13:18] proclamation and for recognizing the contributions of the Latino community
[13:22] and also doing everything they can to make this community safer for all the
[13:27] Latinos here. Thank you.
[13:32] Thank you so much.
[13:40] Gracias a la ciudad de Pomona por tomarnos en cuenta todos los ispanos este mes celebramos
[13:46] la independencia ispana y también agradecemos a nuestros consejales victor preciado y
[13:52] Nora García por ser parte de esta celebración en sábado gracias y bendiciones a todos.
[13:58] I should add, these are two of the organizations that are doing work, probably speaking, but
[14:09] with the Latino community, but I also would just want to acknowledge the new museum that's
[14:14] been opened up, West Vagasa Museum right here just across the street, which is a museum that
[14:21] is trying to bring more attention to the experiences of the Latino, checking out Chicano people through
[14:27] art and through gatherings and special events.
[14:31] So just want to acknowledge you from a council member,
[14:33] Christina Fattisossa and the work that you are all doing
[14:36] to bring more exposure to the community.
[14:38] Thank you, appreciate it.
[14:39] Thank you, everyone.
[14:40] Very good.
[14:40] Thank you.
[15:00] Thank you mayor. The next item is mayor, council member communications. These are reports on conferences, seminars and regional meetings attended by the mayor and city council and announcements of upcoming events and also items for future city council consideration as requested by the mayor or members of the city council. Additionally, this is the time for the mayor and city council to disclose on the record any contributions per charter section 1403. This section states prior to casting a vote on any contract permit or other matter requiring city council approval.
[15:29] where the applicant seeking approval is a person or business entity controlled by that person that has contributed more than
[15:36] $500 within the previous 12 months to a council member's city election campaign committee.
[15:42] The mayor or council member receiving such contributions shall disclose on the public record the receipt of said contributions.
[15:52] Thank you. I'm going to call on council member on a vertical first.
[15:58] Thank you mayor. Thank you very much for everybody coming tonight.
[16:02] There are a couple of things I'm concerned about in the city of Pomona tonight.
[16:11] And one of them is that I was invited by Council Martin here, who invited me to a business
[16:21] community center, a business community event.
[16:27] And it was done at Ganesha.
[16:29] It was really great.
[16:29] We had businessmen from West Holt.
[16:33] I went ahead and invited some of my East Holt business people.
[16:37] Some of them could show up.
[16:38] It was a pretty short notice, but they did show up,
[16:41] and I was really pleased.
[16:42] And one of my distinguished businessmen is Dr. Vowe.
[16:46] He has mentioned to me several times over the last five years
[16:50] in regards to helping the Pomona Police Department by honoring
[16:56] and trying to get them to hopefully maybe connect with the community better and perhaps he has brought it to my attention that he actually would donate an office space with utilities along with furniture, which would be a substation in one of his shopping centers.
[17:22] I found that to be very, very instrumental because of all the situations that are going on right now on hold Avenue, you know, which ones they are. I don't have to say it.
[17:32] But we also had another distinguished business person from West Holden, that was Dr. Patel and he had the same idea.
[17:40] So I'm going to ask hopefully that we can bring that up on the agenda sometimes so we can go ahead and discuss this.
[17:48] I think it's a very important part of our city that we have a substation.
[17:55] They have it in Fontana.
[17:57] They also have it in different cities.
[17:59] I believe Azusa, I'm not quite sure, but I know that they're doing that quite often
[18:03] now.
[18:04] And being that we're having a bigger, you know, our cities growing again, okay, it took a decline
[18:10] and now it's coming up again.
[18:12] So I would really like to see a substation on Easthold and hopefully get one on Westhold
[18:17] help to be able to have that appearance of having police officers available and not necessarily
[18:27] that they will be there 24-7, nothing like that.
[18:30] But when you have police presence, I think that really helps the declining of crime.
[18:39] So I really like to take that into consideration and see what my council colleagues think of
[18:48] Another concern that I have right now are the children, the young boys, that are now being videotaped on our streets.
[18:58] We have from 200 to 300, maybe 400 kids that are on their bikes, and they're coming into East Holt.
[19:06] I saw the video on East Holt, and there was a mess of them, I could not believe the amount of kids.
[19:13] And the business people actually came out and they saw what was happening.
[19:19] And some of them were just, they're actually taking photos of their friends as they're riding their bikes.
[19:26] Now some of them go in the same direction of the cars, but some of them go opposite.
[19:35] So what does that tell you?
[19:36] That tells you that there's going to be a very bad accident, a fatality perhaps.
[19:40] I don't think these kids are aware of the dangers.
[19:44] I don't know why they're coming in groves, but the thing is, it's not just on hold, but it's everywhere now.
[19:51] I just talked to a constituent and one was, he takes the metro every morning and he said at night when he comes home, at seven o'clock, he actually sees these kids.
[20:03] And they're not just two or three, there's like 50 of them.
[20:05] So I like to know what security is happening over there and Metro as well, because we're supposed to protect and keep our streets safe and you know
[20:17] These kids just really don't have any idea. They're just going doing their thing
[20:22] But to me, I'm sorry to say they're lawbreakers and when you're a law breaker
[20:26] You have to you have to pay for that whether I mean the children have families
[20:31] I'm sure maybe their parents don't even know what's happening
[20:34] So I would really like to maybe take that into consideration.
[20:38] I did see the video chief and I saw a police officer escorting them from the back.
[20:44] I like to have a discussion on that as well because I think it's very important.
[20:48] We don't want to lose a child and they're actually throwing things at the cars and they're
[20:54] saying some pretty bad things.
[20:55] So that's something that I think council needs to get involved in and I appreciate you listening.
[21:02] The second one, I need to know what's going to happen to, I see too many things going on in the city, but
[21:14] one of the things that is very disappointing to me and I've discussed this with Anita.
[21:20] And hopefully we could make some kind of a decision on what's going to happen.
[21:26] The streets of Pomona, they're becoming very, very filthy.
[21:31] They're becoming trashy I see clothing I see things that I've been left in the middle of the street
[21:37] And nobody has picked it up for weeks. I've seen a bag of cement and it's on town avenue and I see it
[21:46] It used to be full and now it's all broken up and it's in the middle of the street
[21:50] I see so many things that I've never seen before
[21:52] I like to know what when are we going to come to a decision to keep the city looking the way
[21:59] it should because we're we're we're we're we're we're doing we're doing the best that we can
[22:07] but when you don't have support and I'm saying this to the residents of the of Pomona as well
[22:14] if you have an item we have six special pickups a year please use that if you have furniture
[22:24] that you don't need anymore, don't wait for someone to come and may, oh, I could use that.
[22:30] Let's start using the six special pickups per year.
[22:34] They will take, so if this mattress is whatever.
[22:37] But you know what, as citizens, we have to do our due diligence and
[22:41] we have to be able to keep this city clean because we are citizens of Pomona.
[22:47] And I'm hoping that people will take that into consideration because we really have to have the help of the community.
[22:54] community but we also have to have a decision making on what is going to happen with the company that we work with.
[23:03] So I'm hoping that we can get this done and see an improvement in the city because it's getting worse.
[23:11] It's not getting any better.
[23:12] And when the winter comes and we have rain in everything, we're going to see all this stuff and it's going to look so bad.
[23:18] So it's time to pick it up.
[23:20] Okay, so that's my beef tonight.
[23:22] Thank you.
[23:28] Before I
[23:30] Continue with councilmember presale for those of you are standing. I need you to have a seat
[23:34] Okay, we cannot have anyone standing in the corridors. There's plenty of seats in council chambers
[23:40] You just have to find one but they are available if not if you don't feel comfortable sitting
[23:44] Then you can wait in the for you, which is perfectly fine as well because you'll be able to hear the meeting from then councilmember presiel
[23:51] Thank you. Good evening everybody. Welcome back. We did take a
[23:56] small break in between. It is a pleasure to see everybody back. I'll try to go through this as quickly as they can.
[24:03] I'd like to start off with congratulating Miss Lorraine Canalis and Miss Nora Garcia on their knee soccer fields over at Washington Park in Palomar's Park.
[24:13] They came out really beautiful and we are working to make sure that the kids in the soccer fields have an excellent season.
[24:19] And I'd like to thank the American Legion
[24:22] for inviting me to their commanders dinner.
[24:25] It was my first time attending.
[24:28] Just really appreciate it.
[24:29] And it was really just actually,
[24:31] it was on behalf of staff that I would say
[24:33] that I got the invitation,
[24:35] because they're very thankful for some of the conversations
[24:37] that we've been having with them
[24:39] to help them in their location and their space.
[24:42] And we're looking forward to see what else we can do
[24:44] to make sure that that place is restored
[24:46] for our veterans back to how it used to be
[24:49] and how it needs to be. So thank you for that. As far as Second Saturday Art Walk, there's another,
[24:55] I thought it was another great wonderful event. I appreciate everybody who continues to support that.
[24:59] It's been 32 years and the longest running Art Walk in the state and it's, I was just, I love finding
[25:07] new artists and if sometimes maybe you could just buy the smallest piece or the, you know, it really
[25:14] makes their day because they really pour their heart into it and then I love
[25:18] seeing just some of the other stuff as well. The kids had a lot of fun with a
[25:23] giant super slide that was out there that that was really nice. I will say
[25:29] there are some sections and I know we've been talking to staff and we have a
[25:33] large large copper wire theft issue in the city and we're working on it but
[25:39] please the only thing I'll say is if you see something say something and even if
[25:43] if it's a light that's out somewhere,
[25:45] please report it through the Pomona Go app.
[25:47] So we could continue to track it.
[25:49] And that being said, in between the 400 block
[25:53] and some of those parking lots in downtown Pomona,
[25:57] we need to get them fixed, because we need the lights
[26:00] and I know that they've been sent in.
[26:02] So I'll say thank you to that.
[26:04] I'll say thank you again to Minerva and her family
[26:06] and her organization.
[26:08] Camila Comedcio de Valle de Pomona
[26:10] We're having a great grito and get together as you mentioned my colleague Nora Garcia was able to attend as well
[26:16] And we just appreciate her always showing respect to all of the Latin
[26:22] American communities that celebrate their independence day and as well as always having an American flag in attendance
[26:28] Appreciate that
[26:31] I'd like to say thank you to Nasir Akasam Museum for the coffee cup. I wish you well
[26:36] I apologize I wasn't able to go to the opening.
[26:40] My wife and I celebrated 10 years together
[26:42] and she asked me to take her to dinner.
[26:44] So, but lastly, speaking again about Hispanic Heritage Month,
[26:52] I'd like to invite everybody again
[26:53] to Shawn Diamond Plaza in downtown Pomona.
[26:55] This Thursday the 17th, we're having
[26:58] the first ever, it's called Norte de Cultura event.
[27:02] And it'll be Thursday for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., it's going to be a wonderful concert, some
[27:07] band-ons, some different things.
[27:08] We're also going to have some full-clothical or the music.
[27:11] If you've been there before, you know what it is, and please invite others to come on by
[27:16] the D.P.O.A., the 909 market, and also thank you to my colleagues that have committed to
[27:21] sponsorship.
[27:22] It was a nice video that you guys recorded, and we hope to continue inviting more people
[27:26] there.
[27:26] So I appreciate that.
[27:27] that. Lastly, City Manager, you and I were talking a little bit about this and it sometimes
[27:33] through a break, it seems like, well, what's going on and is it always up to date on the
[27:38] news? If you can help me relay some of the information, for example, not that the City
[27:43] of LA is transitioning or having conversations about their flock cameras. If we can also
[27:50] give an update about what it is that we are doing because that wasn't a say we could bring
[27:53] something up to the city council but I hear that there's already some work being done
[27:57] and it'll eventually travel through so you can give us an update on that.
[28:03] Sure, you got me to do that now or during my comments.
[28:06] I'd appreciate it now, but...
[28:08] Sure.
[28:09] That is an active issue that our police oversight commission is looking into and will be forming
[28:13] as I understand it as subcommittee to be looking at that.
[28:17] There are also some key provisions that were identified through the City of Los Angeles
[28:22] that our city attorney is well aware of,
[28:24] and we are looking at our contracts
[28:26] and initiating any changes that may be needed
[28:29] as a result of those specific languages
[28:31] that may be problematic for data sharing.
[28:33] So, commission is working through it.
[28:35] We will have a report back to the council at a later date.
[28:38] So I appreciate that very much especially
[28:40] because sometimes we, I get it.
[28:43] Government is never fast enough,
[28:45] but we are working through the process
[28:47] and we are having conversations
[28:48] and we look forward to what the police commission says
[28:52] and those of you that want more information,
[28:54] you're welcome to attend that commission meeting,
[28:56] but as well as when it comes eventually to our meeting,
[28:59] we will be here.
[29:01] So continue to let us know.
[29:02] Thank you.
[29:03] Thank you.
[29:04] Councilor Garcia and then Martin and can ask.
[29:07] Thank you, Mayor.
[29:08] Good evening, everyone.
[29:09] It's very nice to see you after a summer break.
[29:12] I want to echo what my colleague, Victor,
[29:15] I just said about the slow pace of government, sometimes being frustrated, frustrating.
[29:23] And also, Ditto, what my council member on Tavarro's call said, there is a very large
[29:31] illegal dumping problem in the city of Pomona.
[29:34] I personally just went through my Pomona Go app request, and I think I have nine requests
[29:40] pending.
[29:40] So, I would like to also encourage our Pomona residents to please use Pomona Go.
[29:47] Please use your six bulky item pickups.
[29:50] It really does help, and we really would appreciate it.
[29:54] But, aren't you some great news and to the improvements of Pomona?
[30:00] The Children's Festival is returning to Kids World Pomona this Saturday. Near are newly renovated water fountain in our newest playground. And if you want to go to the playground earlier, don't forget that the library has story time with Ms. Crystal at three o'clock on Wednesdays. And the improvements in Pomona do continue when I want to acknowledge Mayor Sanneval and Councilmember Priscilla for their contribution to the Washington Park soccer fields.
[30:29] so that we could get them leveled and ready for our students.
[30:33] And as Washington Park is getting all this love,
[30:35] I also want to acknowledge my residents who have reached out to me
[30:39] regarding Philadelphia Park.
[30:41] I've already spoken to our city manager and told her
[30:43] that now that Washington Park is in a good spot.
[30:46] We do want to move on to Philadelphia Park
[30:48] and my priority is of course those basketball courts
[30:51] and the ADA pathways.
[30:53] If residents have any questions for me,
[30:56] I will be in person at the area commander meeting for district three at Tropical Mexico
[31:01] with our Pomona Police Department on the 24th of this month, which is, I believe, a Thursday.
[31:08] And if you have any questions or concerns that you want to share with Lieutenant Haggardy,
[31:13] I'm going to be sending him an email in the second this meeting is over regarding some speeding
[31:19] that I heard about on Grand and San Antonio residents who want more traffic patrols.
[31:24] So, please come to our district three area commander meeting on September 24th at Tropical
[31:30] Mexico.
[31:32] And lastly, I do want to acknowledge that in addition to illegal dumping, the other
[31:39] thing Pomona really needs to address is our rental stabilization ordinance.
[31:44] It's set to expire in December.
[31:47] And this weekend alone, I had three residents reach out to me because they are on the verge
[31:53] of losing their housing. There was one elderly, two elderly people, one gentleman, one woman,
[32:00] both ill, both in their 70s, and then the last is a single mother that reached out to me because she
[32:07] could no longer maintain the rent on the property she rents. So I really want to speak to my council and
[32:15] hope that we can reassess the expiration date of the rental stabilization ordinance because if any
[32:23] everything right now times are tougher than they were at a year ago, especially with $6
[32:28] gas. So, if we could bring that back sometime this year before December, I would truly appreciate
[32:34] it. Thank you all for your time and thank you all for being here. I look forward to your comments.
[32:40] Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Martin.
[32:46] Good evening, everyone. I will try to make my story quick, but it's like pages, so I really have
[32:55] to cut it down. It's been a wonderful summer. A lot of work has been done in District 1.
[33:01] And I want to thank a lot of you in the audience that came to our community meeting that
[33:08] Councilwoman Antweres Cole spoke about. So I'll talk about that right now. We had over
[33:15] a hundred visitors, community members, residents and business owners. And it was so positive.
[33:24] It was really positive, we gave a lot of information and I recommend all of you to come out to your district meetings in the future because you really get informed.
[33:36] We give you a lot of information.
[33:39] We had a special guest with our code enforcement officer, Mr. Whitaker and that was great because how many times do you get to speak to your code enforcement officer?
[33:53] We also had Betty in planning, the director of planning department.
[34:00] We also had ATA with economic development.
[34:06] He came out and he, so after our presentation, we went and let each staff member have their
[34:16] own time to speak with the residents.
[34:18] So we had a little line going on a meeting, so it was wonderful.
[34:22] Also, Lieutenant Hagerty and his team, Chief, it was fabulous.
[34:28] It was a wonderful evening.
[34:31] The first half was all about safety in our community.
[34:35] So anyway, I want to thank the
[34:43] police department for giving us the space that evening with food.
[34:52] and yes so next time please come on out to one of our meetings and I think
[34:58] Nora said hers is next so also I want to say congratulations to our mayor for
[35:06] his new baby girl we wish you give him a round of applause that's
[35:16] more
[35:16] beautiful than having a new baby in the home so congratulations on that I have
[35:22] four of my own so they're all growing now but I just love children all right so I'm going to go
[35:29] on to talk about Love Your Park Day. We had it on August 9th at Ganesha Park you know some of
[35:37] the residents have mentioned well why aren't you doing a different park? Well we are doing other
[35:43] the parks too but the key is Ganesha Park is 62 acres and it's been neglected for at
[35:51] least 10 years. So we're trying to catch up for the 10 years of neglect from the communities
[35:57] volunteering times and now it is so beautiful. And I also want to thank the Park Department
[36:03] for and public works for their help on that day and the facilities department. They really
[36:12] did a great job. We painted beautiful, decorated, brought our
[36:16] infencing to trash receptacles that were rusted out to
[36:20] planting 15 trees and over 200 plants. We created a new hiking
[36:28] trail and I also was blessed to collaborate with Humanity
[36:35] Church and they brought in their volunteers and re-planted
[36:40] the Butterfly Garden, and so with all that said, we had over 220 volunteers that day.
[36:49] So I really want to thank every single one of you that came out and helped that they really
[36:55] made a difference.
[36:56] Gary High School Music Department, all their students came out, so in a lot of residents
[37:02] at District One.
[37:04] So again, thank you so much for that.
[37:06] So with that and seeing the beautiful difference of what a day makes of that was three hours and we did so much work
[37:16] We are planning
[37:19] Probably in the winter when it's not so hot, but hopefully not rainy
[37:23] Love your alley day. So and that's going to be for the whole district one and if any other
[37:30] Council members in the future want to join that day
[37:34] I'm really looking forward to it and we're going to clean up the alleys of District 1.
[37:39] They really need it and the residents need to help with it.
[37:42] So we will have a fun morning on that.
[37:46] Also, I'm really excited that we are planning and digitizing people day on October 10th and
[37:53] that will be at Kennedy Park and it's going to be a really fun event.
[37:58] I welcome everybody to come out.
[38:00] It's from 12 to 6 p.m.
[38:03] We are doing a little library ribbon cutting at Kiwanis Park on September 23rd.
[38:11] That's around the corner.
[38:13] It's at 330 and I'm collaborating with the Girl Scouts on it.
[38:17] So it's one of the Girl Scouts's project of the year.
[38:21] So I'm really proud of her and hopefully all of you can come out and support the Girl Scouts.
[38:27] Also,
[38:30] I'm planning a ribbon cutting for the new snack bar in bathrooms at Kennedy Park and it's going to be hopefully, it's not set in stone yet, but September 22nd, but I have to wait for a confirmation from staff that the snack bar is ready.
[38:48] So we have brought the little leagues back to Kennedy Park so it's been vacant there for like around six years.
[38:58] So like a little baseball ghost town, not anymore.
[39:02] It's active and it's full of children five days a week.
[39:06] So I'm really, really thrilled.
[39:08] Okay, I'm almost done.
[39:09] ribbon cutting at Palo Maris Park. I was there supporting Councilwoman Canela's
[39:16] congratulations and also congratulations Nora Garcia for her ribbon cutting
[39:22] at Washington Park. I also got to have the honor to meet the new President of
[39:29] Cal Poly Pomona, Dr. Clignonis. She's amazing and she's full of excitement and I'm
[39:36] I'm really waiting to see, I'm looking forward to seeing what she can do for the university.
[39:42] I also was at the bless you.
[39:44] I also was at the Reben-Kerin at Nuestra Casa Museum, and congratulations again.
[39:51] It was a beautiful day.
[39:52] It was filled with community members, and looking forward to the success of it.
[39:59] Last but not least, we're talking about the wire theft,
[40:05] And we're talking about the bicycle, the E by takeover or the street takeovers in our city.
[40:15] Well, if an LA, they've had it.
[40:18] They're making ordinances for both, as we speak.
[40:21] They're making ordinances for the wire theft and they're making an ordinance for the street.
[40:26] I think they already made the ordinance for the smash and grab or as of the street ordinance.
[40:32] But they're making all these ordinances that are a little bit higher penalty.
[40:36] So maybe we can slow down this type of crime.
[40:39] So anyway, hopefully I'm really proud of the chief's work and I'm sure you're working
[40:45] on some good stuff for that.
[40:48] With that said, I'm not going to go on for any more.
[40:51] It's too long.
[40:52] There's too many pages.
[40:54] But anyway, thank you again for coming out tonight.
[40:57] Thank you. Just a little context for the public. We did not have a council meeting in the second, third Monday of August, as a lot has happened in the course of the first council meeting in August to today. So so you're getting, you're getting everything that happened over the course of that time for the most part, so typically we break this up into two meetings. So perhaps that's one of the reasons why we're taking a little bit longer this time.
[41:24] Yeah, no, no, no, not apologize. I'm just trying to give the the audience
[41:28] Some some context
[41:30] Vice mayor. I'm sure you've heard it all welcome everyone and thank you for being here tonight
[41:35] And I'm not going to reiterate what they have all said. I just want to say that I'm very grateful to the city
[41:42] For Palomar's Park
[41:44] The we have a new soccer field for our youth and I'm really glad to see that there was family and children that came out for the cutting ribbon and
[41:54] I really feel grateful that the students or the children have a safe place to play soccer, not only at Palomar's Park, but also at Washington Park.
[42:04] So I want to thank the city for always supporting our goals.
[42:09] Also downtown Pomona, I was there for second Saturday, for those of you who are interested.
[42:16] We are opening up space for building the kid zone, which means that we want more families and
[42:23] And children to come out to second Saturday to enjoy and have activities for the youth.
[42:29] So if anybody's interested, please reach out to the downtown Pomona.
[42:33] Thank you.
[42:35] Thank you.
[42:35] Councilor Lester.
[42:37] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[42:38] Good evening, everybody.
[42:40] Many of you know that Pomona Beautiful is a volunteer group that has been, it was kind
[42:51] the brainchild of the mayor, probably a little over 10 years ago.
[42:56] And we go out every Tuesday morning, and typically we go to different areas of the city,
[43:02] and we pick up trash, and we weed whack, and sometimes we do some other things.
[43:08] But last Tuesday, we helped out a property owner who is, she's very limited in her physical abilities
[43:18] basically maintain her yard. And so we are our volunteer group. We all assembled on her property.
[43:27] Not too far from here, a few blocks from here. And we did some pretty significant tree trimming of
[43:34] low hanging branches. We raked up some weeds, picked up a little bit of trash, cut some shrubs away
[43:41] from her house that were causing a problem. And the property looked a lot better.
[43:48] when we were done. This is something a little bit out of the ordinary that Pomona Beautiful
[43:53] does. And again, in my time volunteering with Pomona Beautiful, which has been probably
[44:01] close to nine years, typically we're doing, we typically do commercial areas, commercial
[44:07] intersections. And so it's a little bit of a change of pace. We've done this in the past,
[44:14] are we've been able to help clean up the yards of elderly folks who are unable to do it themselves or maybe they're not able to pay somebody to do it, and also folks that are disabled that are unable to do their property.
[44:30] So it's always a good feeling.
[44:33] I know that the, I know that the property owner who has lived on the property for many, many years was very appreciative of what we did.
[44:41] And certainly I mean, it's, she does her best to take pride in her property, but she's very limited in doing all the things that are necessary to keep her property up.
[44:51] So it was, it was one of those, one of those jobs that we looked at it, we were done and we said, looks a lot better now. And so we felt, we felt pretty good about that.
[45:00] That was a little change of pace for Pomona, beautiful last week. For those who want to volunteer every Tuesday morning, we're on Facebook. Just look for the look for the schedule if you want to come out and help us. The other thing I wanted to mention is kind of a follow-up to my colleagues comments about illegal dumping and getting rid of getting rid of your trash. There is a community cleanup this Saturday, and it is at Palamaris Park.
[45:27] And somebody will correct me if that's not the right location, but I believe that is correct.
[45:32] From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. so if you have any large items or a bunch of small items that you want
[45:38] to get rid of that maybe don't fit in your regular carts at home, load up your cars, load up your
[45:44] trucks, and bring them to Palomaris. Again, between 9 a.m., 3 p.m. this Saturday, September 19th, and you can
[45:51] get rid of them for free. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Lester. I just really wanted to say
[45:57] primarily two things because you can definitely feel the frustration that
[46:06] council has with the real social issues that we face in the community as do
[46:12] you and we are obviously very aware of these issues and it's important for
[46:19] them to bring it up. It's also important to hear the beautiful things that are
[46:24] happening in this community. There's real social contradictions that exist in a community.
[46:29] But I can say that in this city, there's a tremendous amount of commitment for people to volunteer
[46:35] their time and their energy to help build this community from little league coaches,
[46:42] to nonprofit organizations like Pomona Beautiful and historic preservation, and you name it.
[46:50] I would put up our city against any city when it comes to the volunteerism.
[46:54] And it's important, it's important to understand when we're talking about these vices
[47:00] that most people are doing the right thing.
[47:03] And there's a few that aren't.
[47:06] But it's critical that in a healthy democracy that we all step up to the degree that we can
[47:12] to take ownership of this community.
[47:15] It includes the business community when they see trash outside their business.
[47:19] It's hard as it is.
[47:22] Do the hard work of cleaning it up.
[47:25] Residents, listen, if I'm living next door to somebody, I shouldn't have to worry about
[47:29] their yard.
[47:30] I shouldn't have to worry about their trash.
[47:32] But if this is purely a transactional relationship and the idea that government, I pay you taxes
[47:38] and I expect you to do everything, I don't believe that's how democracy was intended.
[47:44] Democracy was intended for us to step up where we can to make a difference and it requires
[47:50] all of us to proceed. Now, we may have very different views of things, but the idea that somehow
[47:55] government who did not throw that trash there or did not leave that couch there, right? But it's
[48:01] our job to enforce. It's our job to do our job well, but it requires people to step up to make
[48:07] this the best community that we can. So I want to say that number one. Secondly, I want to say, and one
[48:13] of my colleagues mentioned it already. I had the privilege of July 27th at 1036 am. My wife
[48:21] gave birth to a beautiful, beautiful baby girl in Anika. Yeah, you can, yeah.
[48:31] So, so, unfortunately,
[48:33] I don't have the privilege of reporting on all the different things that I've been doing over
[48:37] the last six to seven weeks. She's now seven weeks old, born seven weeks
[48:41] literally today. I've been on paternity leave because as you well can imagine
[48:48] for my wife, this is a tremendous amount of work. We have a six-year-old and so
[48:54] I'm just helping as much as I can and trying to do the little things but it's
[48:58] it's it's for those of you who've had children and I'm not saying later in life
[49:02] you may say the same thing but it's the most beautiful life experience that I
[49:07] I've ever had, and now that I have two children,
[49:10] it's just a wonderful thing.
[49:12] And then to be able to walk here,
[49:14] I should say walk over to the playground,
[49:16] and I see all those children with their parents,
[49:20] with their grandparents having a picnic.
[49:23] There are good things happening here,
[49:25] but there's a lot more work to be done,
[49:27] and we need everybody to step up to the degree
[49:29] that they can in order to continue to make this
[49:31] that an absolute great place to live.
[49:33] So thank you everyone.
[49:34] Appreciate you, and for all that you do,
[49:36] for just the fact that you were here either to give us a piece of your mind or perhaps say something
[49:42] that you've seen that is going on in the community that's positive. With that, Carla,
[49:45] I'll turn it back over to you. Thank you, Mayor. The next item is city manager communications
[49:51] and these are reports from the city manager.
[49:55] Oh, Mayor and Council, two items to report. One is
[49:59] very excited to announce that we have our very first youth accountability board meeting on September
[50:04] December 28th. We, too, have been very busy during this break and under the leadership
[50:09] of Ryan Painter, we have seated the first board for the Youth Accountability Board, and
[50:15] we'll have, again, have our first meeting September 28th at 6 o'clock, Pell Mars. Very excited
[50:24] for that. Secondly, just wanted to give a quick update on item and clarification for item
[50:36] Council District 5 and in that staff report it mentions any unused remaining 53,000 will
[50:43] be allocated to street improvements and while that is still correct what is intended
[50:48] there and what it will be used for is work towards the parking lot at Westmont Park and
[50:54] so that is incorporated into that title of that CIP project although it isn't explicit
[50:59] but we wanted to just go on the record that is the intent of the council member for that
[51:04] district and that that school of those funds will go.
[51:07] Now that money for that will have to be accrued over several fiscal years to have enough
[51:13] allocation in there to do the whole improvements but that is the goal there and just want to
[51:17] make that clarification for that item.
[51:19] Thank you so much.
[51:20] Thank you.
[51:21] Thank you.
[51:22] Dr. Scott.
[51:24] Okay.
[51:24] The next item, Carla.
[51:26] The next item is public participation.
[51:29] At this time the public is invited to address the council concerning any items not on the agenda.
[51:33] The city does not tolerate disruptive behavior in our meetings.
[51:37] Individuals may speak only once during public comment.
[51:40] In order to address the city council, if participating remotely, please raise your hand,
[51:44] your digital hand now, if you are speaking for public participation.
[51:48] If participating in person, each individual must fill out a speaker card, which is available
[51:52] in the lobby of the council chambers.
[51:54] Speaker cards must be completed and turned into the city clerk at this time.
[51:58] Only those speaker cards turned into the city clerk and those with their digital hands raised
[52:02] will be allowed to address the city council members of the public participating in person will be called first followed by remote participants.
[52:11] Speakers should state their name and will be allowed to speak once for a maximum of three minutes.
[52:15] All speakers participating in the meeting must adhere to the city council rules of procedure and decorum.
[52:27] So there are a total of 12 speakers, each speaker will have three minutes to speak.
[52:32] I will call your name, just a little awareness.
[52:37] There are two empty chairs up here in the front, particularly for those who, if I call
[52:42] your name and you're like right in the middle, it will be so kind to come up and just take
[52:46] a seat here.
[52:47] It'll help sort of make the public participation part of this more efficient, okay.
[52:52] Okay, the first speaker is Camille Hensworth, okay.
[52:55] I feel please come on up, okay.
[52:58] This will be the last one that I'll be taking, okay.
[53:02] And then before we start, let me call a couple more names Camille.
[53:05] I have Christina Sanchez, and if you're up here near the front already, no worries.
[53:09] But Christina Sanchez, and then Mary Ellen Wong, I feel please come up as well.
[53:16] Welcome Camille.
[53:17] Thank you, good evening everybody.
[53:18] My name is Camille Hensworth, I'm here representing the Office of Assembly Member Michelle Rodriguez.
[53:23] And we all know how important is screening, cancer screening.
[53:29] So I'm here to invite you to our woman's health resource fair.
[53:33] It's called pink with a purpose.
[53:35] It's going to take place on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
[53:40] I left some of the flyers in the front.
[53:42] All you have to do is scan the QR code.
[53:45] And then you input all your information.
[53:47] You will receive a number.
[53:50] or somebody will call you and this is free of charge.
[53:53] You don't need insurance.
[53:55] So take advantage of this.
[53:56] If you know somebody who doesn't have insurance
[53:58] and needs to do a mammogram,
[54:00] please go ahead and let them know about
[54:02] this important screening.
[54:05] The other thing is, or capital office,
[54:08] or team of legislative,
[54:10] I'm sorry, or legislative team,
[54:12] it's looking for ideas.
[54:14] So if you know about an issue in your community
[54:18] and you think that you could be benefited with or you could fix it with a legislation.
[54:25] You could contact a legislative team, talk with them, and then come up with something that the Assemblymember can carry on the next legislative session.
[54:38] Sorry. Okay, and that's all. Thank you.
[54:40] Thank you.
[54:42] Thank you.
[54:42] And just take note that she finished with a minute and 36.
[54:46] If you want to speak the full three minutes, please do so, but you're not required to.
[54:50] Just want you to know that.
[54:52] Okay.
[54:52] I sometimes I wish I could keep the council of three minutes, but they won't have it because
[54:57] they were elected by the people.
[54:58] So already, Christina Sanchez, come on up and then Mary Ellen.
[55:03] And so one seat is opened up and Naomi Chavez, you happen to be out in the middle of the seat
[55:08] So over there if you just might coming up appreciate it. Welcome. I'm not going to take the full three minutes. Again, my name is Christina Sanchez. I live in district one. I actually live in the community right off of a royal and Glen Eagles, which has one entrance to come in and out of our little community with no alternative routes to get out.
[55:25] We experience high traffic on Fairplex during the mornings and evenings leading to long wait times for it to allow us to turn out
[55:34] Additionally, there is a blind spot caused by a wall on the north side of the Fairplex on Fairplex making it necessary for drivers to inch out in order to see past it in order to turn
[55:43] This situation can become dangerous, especially considering the speed at which cars travel down Fairplex
[55:49] Um, the traffic is primarily due to commuters headed to the 10 freeway, the 71 and of course all the schools and just it's just a busy street and we only have one option to get in and out of our community.
[56:01] So I've spoken to a lot of my neighbors and majority of us share these concerns. We even had one neighbor that shared with me that when her children were personally had a drive.
[56:09] She only had them exit right out of the community because she didn't want to risk them going left because of the dangers of it.
[56:17] So I lived here for more than 10 years.
[56:19] My city council member encouraged me to come out here and speak to you in the 10 plus years I've lived here.
[56:26] I've spoken to two city council members even spoke to the city as attorneys. I think I'm one my second person that I've spoken to.
[56:32] Nothing's ever happened. Nothing's ever changed. You know, we'll be great. We can get a street light, but just something to address this area because we have no other options.
[56:40] We don't have alternatives to get out of our community, and it's just a busy street, which we can't change.
[56:47] So I would just really greatly appreciate if this matter can be addressed for our community before we
[56:52] really shouldn't have to wait for a bad accident in order to address the dangers of it.
[56:56] I personally have been in accident. That's why I started this because my car was told,
[57:00] because I had to inch out a little bit in order to see it. And a car was just going too fast,
[57:04] and it could not have been avoided. And one month we think we had three accidents total.
[57:09] it's been a while, but again, we shouldn't have to wait until we have numerous accidents
[57:13] before this is addressed. So that's it. Thank you.
[57:15] Thank you. I was just going to say that in the case that she's been here before to bring
[57:21] up this issue, and I'm not suggesting that somehow we're just going to do it, but it may
[57:26] be helpful for the council to know what would be needed to mitigate something like that.
[57:31] What's the cost of it? So we just have an idea. Are we talking of $1 million? And it may
[57:37] It may not be even feasible for a street light to go there for whatever state laws that are required but I think it may be helpful so that we're having a very transparent and honest conversation with you about what can and can't be done obviously to try to address the issues that you're facing. Okay, all right. Thank you.
[57:54] Mary Ellen Long, Naomi Chavez, and then Carlos Guaitha.
[57:59] You're close, Carlos, so I think you're okay.
[58:02] What, welcome, Ms. Long.
[58:03] Thank you, thank you for having me.
[58:06] I don't reside in Pomona, I'm a neighbor.
[58:09] I drive through Pomona to go back and forth to work.
[58:13] I've had to call once a month for probably two years now
[58:18] for the V-Red gas station on the corner of Arrow Highway
[58:22] and Gary I find it kind of funny you know she's talking about trash in the
[58:30] street and volunteering to pick up trash and everybody's driving by this
[58:35] horrific blight on the city. I start my day out looking at that going to work I
[58:44] end my day looking at it coming home. They took out the tanks the gas tanks
[58:50] December 30th. That's eight months ago. School has started. You've got a huge five foot deep hole. This is right next to the sidewalk. This is the sidewalk. Right here.
[59:05] I shouldn't have to come. Can I interrupt you? Sure. Okay. Councilor.
[59:11] This is the property that came up that feels the prompt we're going to do mine just using your language to give her an update about what's happening just because it's I want you to know that it's coming it's going to it's not coming fast enough for us I understand but what when you're talking about private property which is sacred in this country you can't just take somebody's property as much as you try what the council is going to tell you I feel like sir but I'm not here to differ
[59:40] with you. Okay. I agree. Trust me. We'd love to be able to go after every property
[59:44] owner getting done or two. No, it is. But I just want to give you the item that's coming
[59:50] before us. Yeah, I've tried to call. Yeah. Good. Counselor. Mayor, I'd be happy to give a
[59:56] I pause it and you'll have it rest your time as long as I just want you to know
[59:58] Okay, yeah, I pause it
[1:00:00] Yeah, the city is well aware of this property, and we've been working proactively with our code enforcement staff. We are going to come before you at the very first meeting of October. We've already provided notices to initiate a receivership, but that must be approved by the city council. So you will receive an open and public report will be on your city council agenda for you to take action at your first meeting in October. And can you explain what receivership is? Yeah, receivership action. We have various code enforcement tools in our basket that I like to say we have a basket with these various tools.
[1:00:28] The receivership is the most aggressive form of enforcement.
[1:00:33] It is only used when we finally reach a point where we know that the property owner has
[1:00:37] been irresponsible.
[1:00:38] And so we go to a judge and we tell the judge that the property owner either doesn't have
[1:00:42] the resources or doesn't care has completely ignored all of our other, we're always very careful
[1:00:47] to use all of our other tools before we get to the receivership step, but we have reached
[1:00:51] that point.
[1:00:52] So we will be asking you to approve that.
[1:00:54] Yeah, you have and I just wanted you to at least hear that but continue your comments
[1:00:59] Okay, and you have still a minute 57 seconds again, just wanted to do that
[1:01:03] Perhaps I could await it at the end. That's what they keep telling me on the phone
[1:01:06] Right. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, but but but this is happening come the first meeting. I told we'll continue this long
[1:01:12] I'm a little bit upset because when the tanks were pulled down there was no fence put up
[1:01:17] I had to call a week later and tell you guys hey, where's the fence some little kids gonna wander in
[1:01:24] and some handicap person's gonna follow in.
[1:01:26] Another thing of a whole this size
[1:01:29] should have shoring next to the sidewalk.
[1:01:32] This is over five feet deep.
[1:01:34] You know, I'm not an engineer.
[1:01:36] I used to work for a building in safety
[1:01:37] under Simon Schoo.
[1:01:41] He was wonderful building official.
[1:01:42] It shouldn't take three years to get receivership.
[1:01:46] It seems to me like everybody's just dragging their feet,
[1:01:49] dragging their feet, looking,
[1:01:50] hey, you've done a great job planning trees up Gary.
[1:01:52] I really have to give it to you guys. You've cleaned up the city. It looks great.
[1:01:59] Honestly, lots of trees up Gary. I drove down mission. I didn't see the homeless situation
[1:02:05] like I did a few years ago. You guys are doing a great job. But let's not drop the ball here.
[1:02:11] It's El Niño. Okay. The rain is coming. This is right next to Errol Highway. Right next to the street.
[1:02:22] the rain is going to fill it in. Other cities are preparing for El Niño. But you guys, I don't see anything happening here. I have to call and say, hey, the wind blew down the fence. Can somebody go pick it up?
[1:02:36] How many police officers drove by? How many people that worked for the city drove by? Can't they come in here and say, hey, somebody go pick up the fence? Why do I have to do it?
[1:02:45] I should get paid to babysit the city, this V-red, you know, I'm tired of it, I'm sorry.
[1:02:54] To me, there's no excuse for it.
[1:02:55] Three years, four years, I've got all the documentation, I requested the public, there's
[1:03:00] more pictures in here than answers to my questions.
[1:03:04] I only had a few questions, they couldn't even answer them.
[1:03:08] So yeah, I'm upset, I got two seconds left, my question's worth.
[1:03:11] Your time's up.
[1:03:12] Sorry, thank you.
[1:03:13] Ms. Chavez, Europe, thank you,
[1:03:20] and then Carlos Goytea, and then Christina Cari-Sosa.
[1:03:25] Welcome, Ms. Chavez. You have three minutes.
[1:03:31] Good evening, Mayor, City Council,
[1:03:33] Gallery Online, Gallery and Present. This is ancestral and unceded territory of the Tungva,
[1:03:41] the Geberlino and Serrano nations and home today over 47400 members of the Alonio
[1:03:50] Mount Comment Resolution Tribe.
[1:03:52] I name it that because the land acknowledgment without accountability is just words.
[1:03:57] Tonight I'm asking this council for accountability.
[1:03:59] This is a cold stroll, mathematical cipher, and the math is not mapping.
[1:04:03] Chief Ellis Department is requesting $87 million next year in the fiscal budget, 47.8% of the city's entire general fund, the City Council is proposing to spend $181.9 million against only $170.5 million in actual revenue, that's an $11.4 million structural deficit covered by the draining city reserves from $58.1 million down to $46.7 million.
[1:04:30] In a single year, this is not a budget, this is an act of deficit spending, intermingling of funds, general fund dollars to paper, and
[1:04:39] it violates the basic gap standards, the accounting rules that the city is bound to follow.
[1:04:44] Cameron LPR costs it's buried in site subscription contract accounts with no standalone light item.
[1:04:51] Anyone outside this department cannot audit.
[1:04:55] Each flight camera is the least hardware never paid off, and I am demanding a standalone audit line item published and
[1:05:02] no exceptions. The police department relies heavily on an ecosystem of AI platforms where are those items as well.
[1:05:11] Second, one, chief could not hold a unilateral purchasing power over an entire surveillance network.
[1:05:17] Six drones that require a city council ordinance and an annual vote public meeting.
[1:05:21] 80 flag cameras running continuously require none of that approved entirely by the chief alone, exercising division commander authority through the lexical policies with no vote, no oversight and no accountability to this body.
[1:05:35] I am demanding this council extend the same ordinance and annual vote requirement to the flock camera network immediately, not the next budget cycle and place each camera with high visibility reflective colors.
[1:05:46] Third, this isn't a hypothetical.
[1:05:48] Pomona PD runs the axon-fufus-fusing live audio license plate data in 9-1-1-1, causing to one hub.
[1:05:56] A system DHS can access without notice permission.
[1:06:00] This June, Cal Matters published an audit, logs providing 7-California police departments violated Senate Bill 34.
[1:06:07] They love any of this exact data sharing with federal agencies over 100 times a month.
[1:06:12] Six agencies right here in Ellie County alone and on September 8th at this very police oversight commission meeting
[1:06:18] Chief Ellis was out sick the acting chief confirmed on record that there's an active open case involving
[1:06:24] Pomona PD officer providing DHS with information on the resident. That is not a hypothetical risk. This already happened here in Pomona
[1:06:32] Your time's up. Your time's up. I'll Carlos go with you. I'm sorry
[1:06:37] That'll that'll be my final warning
[1:06:39] I mean, not in this council
[1:06:43] chambers, no.
[1:06:44] You can do this.
[1:06:45] You can do this.
[1:06:46] Okay.
[1:06:46] Just see, you know.
[1:06:48] Okay.
[1:06:48] I'm trying to be hard on you.
[1:06:50] Thank you.
[1:06:50] You're welcome, sir.
[1:06:52] You have three minutes.
[1:06:55] Thank you, Mayor.
[1:06:55] Good evening.
[1:06:57] City Council, staff, members of the
[1:07:00] community.
[1:07:01] I'm here presenting in behalf of the
[1:07:03] organization, Ryzen Color, who did
[1:07:05] the beautiful mural at Washington
[1:07:07] Park around the senior center.
[1:07:08] there. Beautiful. If you haven't seen it, go check it out. It's a very calm. It's a complement
[1:07:15] to the park there. Once again, my name is Carlos Goethea. I'm here to share our vision
[1:07:21] for an upcoming Indigenous People's Day celebration that Council Member Deborah Martin shared
[1:07:27] about in her Council Member comments that will bring together Indigenous relatives, families,
[1:07:32] youth, community members, local artists, and community-based organizations. This event is
[1:07:38] about more than celebrating Indigenous culture. It is about creating a safe and welcoming
[1:07:43] space for community connection, education, healing, and access to resources. Our celebration
[1:07:49] will include Indigenous cultural presentations, Danza, Music, Art, Activities, Life Painting,
[1:07:57] Youth and Family Activities, and Community Resource Tables. We will also create opportunities
[1:08:03] for local organizations to connect directly with residents and share resources and services.
[1:08:09] A major focus of this event is our youth and families. We want young people to have an
[1:08:15] opportunity to learn about indigenous culture and history, express themselves through art and
[1:08:21] creativity, and build positive relationships with community, mentors, artists, and cultural leaders.
[1:08:28] We are requesting support from the city to help make this community celebration possible.
[1:08:34] Funding would help support event, supplies, cultural programming,
[1:08:40] artises, and performers, youth activities, outreach, and other event related causes.
[1:08:48] With the city's support, we can create a meaningful event that is accessible to the community and
[1:08:54] centered around culture, connection, and community wellness.
[1:08:58] We believe investing in this event is an investment in our community, especially our youth,
[1:09:05] and an opportunity for the city to support indigenous visibility, cultural education,
[1:09:12] local artisers, and community connection.
[1:09:15] We would be honored to partner with the city and bringing this celebration to life.
[1:09:20] Thank you for your time, consideration, and continued support for our community.
[1:09:27] Thank you.
[1:09:27] Thank you.
[1:09:28] Thank you.
[1:09:28] Thank you.
[1:09:29] Cristina Carisosa, if you'll please come on up.
[1:09:32] I got some pliers.
[1:09:33] Yeah, please.
[1:09:34] And then Arturo Jimenez, I did see you here earlier.
[1:09:39] And then Frida Sanchez, so there's a share up here if you'd like to just Frida if you're
[1:09:46] in the back there.
[1:09:47] Thank you.
[1:09:49] Welcome, Ms. Carissa.
[1:09:51] Good evening.
[1:09:53] Thank you for the opportunity to talk to you once more.
[1:09:58] We put one of these in your places.
[1:10:03] After two years of working hard, small group of people
[1:10:07] and really work hard, we finally were able to open our house
[1:10:12] Nuestra Casa, which is a museum of culture and history.
[1:10:18] And we opened it on the 22nd of this month.
[1:10:21] Over 150 people attended.
[1:10:24] And it was a very, very hot day.
[1:10:26] It wasn't, it wasn't, it was hot, but people were there.
[1:10:30] And I'm inviting you and inviting to this stuff.
[1:10:34] I'm inviting the vision of the city of Pomona
[1:10:37] to come and visit us.
[1:10:39] We're just across from you, okay?
[1:10:41] from here next to the UPS and there's a little restaurant, I can't remember the name,
[1:10:48] separately restaurant, the food is very good by the way. This museum is truly a grassroots
[1:10:59] organization. We serve from nothing and thank you for the support that you gave us, initially you
[1:11:10] find a housing for the museum, because we had nothing, zero.
[1:11:16] And by miracle, miracles, we have a place, and our first exhibit, it was Angela's idea.
[1:11:25] Since this country is celebrating 250 years of independence, she said, well, yes, but what
[1:11:32] happened with a lot of us?
[1:11:35] What happened during those 250 years?
[1:11:37] So, what we have is an exhibit of what the Latino Chicano community, whatever way you want
[1:11:46] to name it, what this community has done over the 250 years, okay?
[1:11:51] So please come and visit us, staff, come and have your lunch there.
[1:11:57] We open for this week because we rotate, we don't have paid staff, sorry, but my throat,
[1:12:06] but for this week and I just I just want to welcome everyone and thank you
[1:12:14] just to state your name because you've got to make sure there will be a
[1:12:16] part of the record that I have a card for you Angel. I'm sorry. Angela Sambrano
[1:12:20] yeah all right so I just want to I'm a member of the board and I'd like to
[1:12:25] invite everyone this is a family a community based history and culture and we
[1:12:31] We want to highlight the contributions that the Latino community has made to the city of
[1:12:36] Pomona for over 200 years, way before the United States became a country, right, the independence
[1:12:44] of the United States.
[1:12:46] So thank you and hope to see you.
[1:12:49] Thank you so much.
[1:12:50] Thank you so much.
[1:12:50] Very good.
[1:12:51] Arthony Menes, please come on up and then free to Sanchez, you're up next and then Laura Estel.
[1:12:56] If you're sitting way in the back and there's a seat available right here for you in the front, okay?
[1:13:05] Mr. Remedies
[1:13:08] You have three minutes sir.
[1:13:12] I win as notches. Good evening
[1:13:16] Mayor Sandoval and distinguished members of the Pomona City Council. My name is Arturo Jimenez, and I'm a proud
[1:13:22] Pomona resident the founder and owner of Laguna Technical College and downtown Pomona, and
[1:13:27] And I'm speaking this evening slowly on my personal capacity.
[1:13:33] First, I would like to thank Council Member Victor Preciado for his desire to advance
[1:13:38] ideas that can benefit the city of Pomona and his residents.
[1:13:41] His interest in strengthening the city's capacity for governmental and intergovernmental affairs
[1:13:47] is timely, practical and worthy of serious consideration.
[1:13:51] For nearly 25 years, Laguna Technical College has worked in downtown Pomona and throughout
[1:13:57] the broader region to help people build occupational skills, prepare for employment, and pursue meaningful
[1:14:02] career advancement. Through that work, I have seen firsthand the strong workforce and economic
[1:14:08] development results require committed partnerships among employers, education institutions,
[1:14:16] public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders. In my service as a Pomona Unified
[1:14:22] by school district trustee.
[1:14:24] I have also witnessed up close the benefits
[1:14:26] of having a cabinet level professional focused
[1:14:29] on governmental and intergovernmental affairs.
[1:14:32] That capacity helps an organization develop
[1:14:34] productive relationships with elected representatives
[1:14:38] and public agencies, monitor legislation
[1:14:40] and funding opportunities, communicate priorities,
[1:14:44] effective, effectively coordinate partnerships,
[1:14:48] and position itself to pursue opportunities
[1:14:50] benefit the community. Pomona deserves that the same kind of strategic capacity our city must
[1:14:57] compete for grants resources.
[1:15:00] Engage regional county, state, and federal partners respond to changing laws and regulations
[1:15:05] and advocate consistently for priorities such as public safety, housing, infrastructure,
[1:15:10] parks, economic development, workforce development, and quality of life. I respectfully encourage
[1:15:16] the mayor and the city council to ask the city manager to evaluate Pomona's current governmental
[1:15:21] relations legislative advocacy, grant support, and intergovernmental affairs capacity and to bring
[1:15:27] Moving forward, practical and fiscal responsible options for strengthening the net.
[1:15:33] This is not about creating a title for its own sake, nor is it about any one person.
[1:15:38] It is about building a durable city capacity that will help Pomona compete for resources,
[1:15:45] protect its interests, strengthen partnerships, and deliver better results for the people we serve.
[1:15:50] Thank you, Councilmember Perciado for your leadership and concern for Pomona's future.
[1:15:55] and thank you, Mayor and City Council members,
[1:15:57] for your service to our community.
[1:15:59] Thank you.
[1:16:00] Free to Sanchez.
[1:16:01] If you please come on up and then Laura Estil.
[1:16:04] If you please come on up, there's a seat in the front.
[1:16:06] And then, Trina Armstrong.
[1:16:09] If you're here, Trina, particularly if you're sitting in the back.
[1:16:13] If you have come to the front, appreciate it.
[1:16:16] Welcome, Miss Sanchez.
[1:16:17] Okay.
[1:16:18] Good evening, Council people and Mr. Mayor.
[1:16:21] Thank you for your continued dedication
[1:16:23] and decisions you make for the city.
[1:16:25] My name is Frida Sanchez.
[1:16:27] I've lived in Pomona for most of my life.
[1:16:29] I know it was stated that we were to address
[1:16:31] our concerns regarding flock cameras
[1:16:33] to the police oversight commission,
[1:16:34] but I wanted to directly address you
[1:16:36] as the decision was made by you.
[1:16:39] So I'll be using my three minutes to address that concern.
[1:16:42] I'm here today to express my strong disappointment
[1:16:45] in the city for allowing this to happen,
[1:16:48] and for failing to protect us
[1:16:50] and our constitutional protections
[1:16:51] under the Fourth Amendment.
[1:16:52] The 4th Amendment protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures, including continued surveillance by law enforcement without a warrant.
[1:17:01] And the Supreme Court earlier this year decided that it's illegal to protect or to monitor someone's digital location for an extended period of time if there's no warrant.
[1:17:11] I'm aware that the flock cameras were approved in a 7 to 0 vote in a previous meeting, but I'm confused as to what the process was to include community in that decision making.
[1:17:19] I'm unsure how the community was involved as to where to implement them, how the like oversight was going to be reviewed and it's really disappointing that you're only thinking about that after the fact.
[1:17:31] Float cameras automatically log everything captured in their frame and use artificial intelligence to track every single movement that's done in its frame.
[1:17:40] So someone can be tracked from Pomona to San Francisco all the way across the country.
[1:17:45] and it'll recognize someone's facial features.
[1:17:48] It'll recognize their movement, their gate, how they walk,
[1:17:51] what they're wearing.
[1:17:53] It tracks everything about anyone that's stepped into its frame
[1:17:55] and it uses artificial intelligence
[1:17:57] to track them along wherever they're positioned.
[1:18:00] I recently moved back to Pomona
[1:18:01] after living out of state for a couple years
[1:18:03] and I cannot express the disappointment.
[1:18:05] I felt when I took my dog out to walk
[1:18:07] and I saw three different flock cameras
[1:18:09] within a mile radius.
[1:18:11] I know that many people justify the use of flock cameras,
[1:18:14] I was saying like quoting safety concerns in one order, but when a robot is given, the permissions that the Supreme Court has explicitly said are illegal for police officers to do.
[1:18:25] It's only a matter of time before we just, we allow robots to do what is not allowed under the Constitution, because it's not a law enforcement officer.
[1:18:35] I frequently walk on White Avenue right by Bay Har Elementary in the mornings and I always
[1:18:42] see a police cruiser and I always wonder why is there a police cruiser there if there's
[1:18:46] a flock camera across the street? If the flock cameras there for law and order, why is the
[1:18:50] cop there?
[1:18:53] I have 20 seconds left, so in my final remarks, I implore those of you that are
[1:18:57] running in any upcoming elections to take a stance with regards to the mass surveillance
[1:19:02] being conducted in the city of Pomona. We don't need to spy on our neighbors. Thank you.
[1:19:06] Thank you.
[1:19:07] I'll already eat all the rest of it.
[1:19:08] I feel please come on up.
[1:19:09] And then, Trina Armstrong.
[1:19:11] And then maybe,
[1:19:17] oh yeah, I'm sorry.
[1:19:17] It's guest from Arizona.
[1:19:18] You're right in the front.
[1:19:19] I said you don't need to move.
[1:19:21] Welcome, Miss Estell.
[1:19:23] Hi.
[1:19:24] Good evening, Council.
[1:19:25] Staff and fellow residents.
[1:19:28] My name is Laura Spidal Estell.
[1:19:30] And I'm here to speak about the moment.
[1:19:33] Pomona's street venue ordinance.
[1:19:35] I want to be clear.
[1:19:36] We support anyone trying to feed their family, vendors and residents, restaurants alike, but everyone should be held to the same standards.
[1:19:48] We support regulated vending and not unregulated competition.
[1:19:54] Pomona sidewalk vending regulations were created to allow vending while protecting public health, food safety, and proper permits.
[1:20:05] Public Safety with AD, AACS, and
[1:20:09] Fire Preventing Fire Hazards, and
[1:20:12] Fair Competition, Licenses, Insurance,
[1:20:15] Taxes, Brick-and-Mortar Restaurants, Follow-Strict Rules,
[1:20:20] Business Licenses, Insurance, Parades, Access,
[1:20:24] Rent, and Health Inspections, Health Permits, and Health
[1:20:29] Inspections.
[1:20:31] While vendors operate without these requirements,
[1:20:33] It creates unregulated competition that businesses that harms businesses who are doing things the right way.
[1:20:44] We support regulated bending, not unregulated bending.
[1:20:50] If the ordinance feels too tough, the answer isn't weakening.
[1:20:55] The answer is outreach, education, and helping vendors comply.
[1:21:00] The solution is not lowering the standards or enforcement.
[1:21:05] I'm asking the council to maintain the strong standards and enforcement, protect our
[1:21:12] brick and mortar corridors, expand outreach to help vendors comply.
[1:21:18] Without lowering standards, ensure fairness, same rules, same responsibilities, same protections,
[1:21:26] continue supporting the system where everyone plays by the same rules while protecting health, public health, safety, and fair competition.
[1:21:37] Pomona can support vendors and protect restaurants, but only if everyone plays by the same rules.
[1:21:46] Thank you.
[1:21:47] Thank you very much.
[1:21:48] Thank you.
[1:21:49] Treat on strong
[1:21:52] welcome
[1:21:57] So I'm a delegate for the green party of California
[1:22:00] I'm also a founder of an organization called people over profit now
[1:22:03] And I initially came here to talk about how this city council has chosen to criminalize unhoused people with a program called heart
[1:22:10] Where you would throw away their belongings while simultaneously allowing
[1:22:15] Signs to go up saying for them to not panhandle. I call that in that is so extremely inhumane
[1:22:20] to look at a group of people who are the most vulnerable in our society and you would
[1:22:24] say you can't panhandle but also we're going to send the police and city council workers
[1:22:28] to throw away your belongings.
[1:22:31] I initially came for that but in honor of the disgusting things that are said by some
[1:22:35] of you I'm going to change what I came here for.
[1:22:38] First, police don't prevent crime.
[1:22:40] If so many studies that prove that fact, police throw people into a system that profits off
[1:22:46] of free labor.
[1:22:47] The same system is used for profiting off of trafficking or black and brown folks and
[1:22:53] inside of immigration detention facilities.
[1:22:57] What does help is resources, access to resources.
[1:23:01] Stop wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on surveillance tech used by ICE and use it
[1:23:05] for cleaning up the streets you say the taxpayer needs to do.
[1:23:08] I thought that's what you was paid to do.
[1:23:11] What are we talking about here?
[1:23:13] When you're talking about criminalizing children right in on bites.
[1:23:16] If you're afraid of children just say that, why don't you allocate some of that surveillance
[1:23:21] tech money hundreds of thousands of dollars to the children riding bikes?
[1:23:24] Maybe then they can start coloring inside of the box since that's what you want them
[1:23:28] to do.
[1:23:29] We're talking about hope and using respectability politics against again a vulnerable population
[1:23:35] because you deem them ask unworthy because they're doing a line of work that you disagree
[1:23:39] with.
[1:23:41] That's a disgrace.
[1:23:43] And what you guys are doing, it shows a complete lack of empathy for the amount of people
[1:23:46] that you would respect.
[1:23:48] Everything you guys are talking about is investors, businesses, that's profit, that's
[1:23:52] capital.
[1:23:52] And it seems to me that you care more about capital than you do about the people, which
[1:23:57] is why you would invest more into surveillance technology than you would into the actual
[1:24:00] people that are being trafficked by ICE.
[1:24:03] I see in a video of someone getting detained right here outside of City Council and you guys
[1:24:08] are just sitting here pretending like the surveillance tech is something that we can just normalize.
[1:24:13] It's not.
[1:24:13] It's being weaponized against the people.
[1:24:15] so as someone just spoke about constitutional rights.
[1:24:19] Lastly, this is a disgusting room to criminalize homelessness,
[1:24:23] criminalize children, open your arms to corporations and
[1:24:26] investors and to profit, to look down on sex workers to care more about what your city looks like
[1:24:30] than about the people affected by it.
[1:24:33] If the city can't afford rent caps or clean the streets,
[1:24:38] or to help the unhoused, then maybe you should remove some of your funding for
[1:24:42] surveillance, technology, and stop infringing on constitutional rights, all power to the people.
[1:24:47] Yes, Mr. Ramirez, you're up.
[1:24:50] Thank you.
[1:24:50] Mr. Ramirez, and then Ed Ramirez, and then Gregory Barker.
[1:24:55] And forgive me, I just couldn't read the, I don't know if that's an A or an A or an A or an A, or
[1:25:00] I apologize, but if you are Gregory, please feel free to come on up, okay.
[1:25:05] Mr. Ramirez, you have three minutes.
[1:25:11] I apologize, my name is Gustavo Ramirez.
[1:25:15] My mom is sick. Sorry. Thank you. Everybody here. Thank you. And I'm saying this in advance.
[1:25:23] I'm being on my best behavior today. But I agree with what was just said by the young woman, the young, amazing courageous woman.
[1:25:32] Absolute. That's not what I was going to talk about. But absolutely homelessness is looked down upon by almost everybody in the city.
[1:25:38] and just about everybody on City Council and the mayor and so many other people.
[1:25:42] Absolutely homeless this, when I go to homeless people who are me, they're me, I see me,
[1:25:47] and I give them food, and sometimes I give them $2 bills to get their attention,
[1:25:51] and I talk about how crazy I am, and I talk about how addicted I was, and I talk about
[1:25:56] whole avenue that I know it well, and then, and then they start going with me in an
[1:26:00] narcotics anonymous, and then I start taking them to rehabs, and then they start
[1:26:04] graduating from rehabilitation centers, and then I take them to schools in Los Angeles,
[1:26:07] And I take the schools in Cerritos and I take the schools all over Southern California even by Palm Springs to indigenous schools Native American and then they start graduating and so so I wasn't going to talk about that.
[1:26:18] But let's feed the homeless and then house the homeless and then and then create take away all those all just a bad motels along hold and Gary and foothill and mission and reservoir and and and turn them into state of the art rehabs.
[1:26:33] Other people have done it. Talk to Hilda Salise. Talk to who's leaving in a couple weeks from Pomona
[1:26:40] Anyway, so so there's so much to be said, but let me
[1:26:43] Oh, no, okay, so let's help them okay, and then provide rehabs. So here I am really nervous as always
[1:26:50] I brought my dad my dad wanted to come we he's amazing
[1:26:53] He's 98 and a half years old my dad. Hi dad. They're saying hi to you and
[1:26:57] And he knows half of you here, and especially Lorraine and Debra, he calls Debra the one who's going to the so-called Monitos, someone with the beautiful eyes, oh gosh, I have one minute.
[1:27:07] Okay, so, gosh, let me focus.
[1:27:09] So my dad was pretty much, I'll say, attacked yesterday.
[1:27:13] We're talking about constitutional rights, about our fourth amendment rights, about unlawful searches and seizures.
[1:27:19] Three armed people with guns came into our house without warrants, and without permission,
[1:27:25] and just bars all the way in, looking, searches and seizures.
[1:27:30] I know what they're looking for because I know how they're trained.
[1:27:33] And then they lied. I was trying to get my dad in medication.
[1:27:36] They impeded me from giving medication to my dad.
[1:27:38] They claimed they were there for a wellness check.
[1:27:41] They never even looked at my dad ever.
[1:27:43] Didn't even look at my dad.
[1:27:44] When they left, he almost fell off the four steps.
[1:27:46] He just had to dream. I didn't tell him what I'm telling you now.
[1:27:49] He had a dream the night before that he was going to be killed,
[1:27:53] He's going to be shot by people with guns so he's traumatized and I'm traumatized. I just laughed to keep him from crying and I laughed so that I can be
[1:28:02] sane enough
[1:28:04] To change the world and three seconds. So I'm gonna also go for mayor and when I'm become the mayor and I know we will team up
[1:28:11] Taman on sorry
[1:28:14] Sorry, mr. Maris
[1:28:21] Ed Ramirez if you please come on up and then Gregory
[1:28:26] Again, I don't want to mispronounce your last name.
[1:28:28] I don't know if it's banker or banker.
[1:28:31] Forgive me.
[1:28:32] Are you here?
[1:28:34] Oh, welcome, sir.
[1:28:35] Welcome.
[1:28:35] My apologies.
[1:28:36] Ed Ramirez.
[1:28:37] Are you here?
[1:28:38] Oh, OK, got you.
[1:28:40] We have the mobile mic.
[1:28:41] Do you prefer that?
[1:28:42] Yeah, he could sit there.
[1:28:43] Yeah, he could just sit there and just give them the mobile mic.
[1:28:46] And he has three minutes.
[1:28:48] Just test.
[1:28:50] Let me help him.
[1:28:53] You go to your stuff.
[1:28:54] I'm going to do it anytime.
[1:28:56] Thank you.
[1:28:58] Guests, why don't you take your time and sir, why don't you Ed Ed?
[1:29:02] Yeah, that's Ed. Gregory. But why don't why don't we bring you up Gregory?
[1:29:06] Yeah, and you have three minutes and in my apologies. Can you tell me your last name?
[1:29:11] Booker all booker my my my apologies sir
[1:29:14] Welcome, mr. Booker. You have three minutes. Okay. Um last year. I talked to I
[1:29:20] Asked him the manager a monitoring station apartment if they could do something to make the
[1:29:27] the planner in front of my living room window less comfortable for people like put some little pyramids or something on it.
[1:29:38] I would have given paid for it.
[1:29:39] I got back a no each time that they don't want to do anything to change the aesthetic appearance of the building.
[1:29:47] and I came in to talk to the assistant to the councilman.
[1:30:00] She asked me to bring in a video stick to show all the videos of the people that have been coming and converging on my living room window because I happen to be right by the emergency exit on Monterey Avenue. And so the thing is, is that people are sitting on that planner. And you're going to see people smoking there.
[1:30:31] free-facing. You're going to see, I got photographs of people with the aluminum foil pouch with the
[1:30:40] crystal meth in it, cooking it right there. So I've got the pictures of that.
[1:30:47] And the smoke comes in even with the windows closed because right at the bottom of the window,
[1:30:53] there is a little vent. And that's to provide an air gap for the fan and the bathroom
[1:30:59] room because the bathroom fans are locked on, there's no switch to turn that off.
[1:31:05] And there's an air gap under the door about three quarters of an inch to allow the air to flow through.
[1:31:10] That's to prevent mildew and staff from growing in the bathrooms so they don't have to replace the walls.
[1:31:18] And so, I understand why they did it, but I don't think they saw what would have happened.
[1:31:25] and that the front planner was not built there
[1:31:29] as a seating area, it was never presented to anybody
[1:31:32] as one of the common areas.
[1:31:37] The common areas are any inter-parameter
[1:31:39] of the buildings, of building A and B,
[1:31:43] nothing on the outside, on the outside or our units.
[1:31:46] If you got an outside unit, then you got a living room window
[1:31:50] but there's only fencing around the bedroom window and the door but people are converging
[1:32:01] on this front part and right here is the emergency access. It's supposed to be an exit only
[1:32:10] because they took the handle off but the people are dealing drugs and so they're coming here and
[1:32:18] There's a book I had to catch you after three minutes is up.
[1:32:21] I did give your address to our team because you put it in your card.
[1:32:26] I believe this is the monitoring station.
[1:32:29] That is correct.
[1:32:29] Okay.
[1:32:30] So whoever we have on our team that can enforce some of that.
[1:32:36] I realize it may be multiple departments.
[1:32:38] Everything from the heart team to the code enforcement.
[1:32:41] I don't know housing, but it seems like perhaps there's an opportunity to engage
[1:32:47] There's the management company about this issue and it sounds like you want to put something that would prevent people from sitting and so but but I can't continue this conversation with you, but.
[1:32:58] Mr. Booker, I have to speak with Betty.
[1:33:00] Yeah, we're going to get your contact information and talk about it.
[1:33:02] Okay, Mr. Booker, I appreciate your flexibility.
[1:33:05] Thank you so much.
[1:33:06] All right, Mr. Ramirez, you're our last speaker.
[1:33:11] Gus?
[1:33:12] Yes.
[1:33:13] Any has three minutes?
[1:33:14] Yes.
[1:33:15] Okay.
[1:33:20] Okay. Okay. Sorry. He forgets stuff in five minutes. Um. Yeah. Gus. Okay. Gus, let's stop for a second.
[1:33:29] No stress whatsoever. Let him give it his best. You'll say what he can say. And if he doesn't say
[1:33:35] something, it's okay. You could always submit something in writing for him so that we know what his
[1:33:40] thoughts are. Thank you. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. And he has the three minutes. If we can restart
[1:33:44] the clock. We can restart the clock.
[1:33:50] We wrote it yesterday. Three minutes. Restart the clock.
[1:33:57] Sorry. We're doing it manually. Okay, you start your time stress. Yes, please.
[1:34:01] Please, con ganas.
[1:34:03] Per favor, tienes que ver esto que me lo hago.
[1:34:11] Inínglez
[1:34:14] Entro a mi house.
[1:34:16] Entro a mi house.
[1:34:18] What's right here?
[1:34:19] I'm sorry.
[1:34:20] Thank you.
[1:34:20] Three armed people entered my house without permits. I always had a hard attack. Then I almost
[1:34:33] fell down the cement stairs. I almost broke. That's what we're going to do about it. I was
[1:34:45] They broke my head open.
[1:34:51] Thank you, thank you so much, Mayor.
[1:34:53] Thank you.
[1:34:56] They broke my son.
[1:34:58] They blocked my son.
[1:35:00] From grieving me, medication.
[1:35:03] I was through the dying of pain.
[1:35:09] He's dying of pain, so.
[1:35:13] They never asked me how I'm doing
[1:35:18] They never even looked at me, they never even looked at me.
[1:35:26] Oh, it made no fun, are you?
[1:35:33] He wants you to help him.
[1:35:34] And what's not, I'm not supposed to.
[1:35:36] He wanted to talk to the police.
[1:35:38] Yeah.
[1:35:38] Okay.
[1:35:40] We can direct him after.
[1:35:42] Is he have the order to say?
[1:35:44] Okay.
[1:35:50] Okay.
[1:35:51] Okay.
[1:35:52] That's it.
[1:35:53] Yeah.
[1:35:53] Thank you.
[1:35:54] I just want to know what you had to do.
[1:35:57] Okay.
[1:35:58] So, what do I have to tell?
[1:36:00] Thank you.
[1:36:01] Thank you, Mr. Remors.
[1:36:03] Chief is here.
[1:36:04] Thank you.
[1:36:05] Chief is going to go back.
[1:36:06] And he just needs to gather as much information as possible, even if it's you can share that.
[1:36:12] what was your father said and then see what we can do, okay?
[1:36:16] We got half of it on Facebook live.
[1:36:18] Okay, very good.
[1:36:19] All right, thank you.
[1:36:20] Thank you.
[1:36:20] By the public speaker on non-consent item.
[1:36:26] So thank you.
[1:36:27] All right, Carla, let me go and turn it over to you.
[1:36:29] Mayor, we do have two hands raised online.
[1:36:32] So they've had their hands raised for a while.
[1:36:34] I'm just gonna check to see if this is the item
[1:36:37] that they would like to speak on or if it's a different item.
[1:36:39] Okay.
[1:36:39] Okay. For our online participants, please listen for your name and instructions.
[1:36:45] Speaker, Cynthia, Cabela, Zalada, can you unmute yourself and let us know if you are here
[1:36:50] for public comment, not agenda item.
[1:37:09] Cynthia, can you hear me?
[1:37:13] One second.
[1:37:14] One second.
[1:37:24] Go ahead.
[1:37:27] Cynthia, can you hear me?
[1:37:38] One second.
[1:37:39] Give me a moment.
[1:37:40] We're trying to resolve these issues.
[1:37:50] Come on.
[1:37:52] Please go again.
[1:37:56] Cynthia, can you hear me?
[1:38:04] I can't hear you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Are you here to speak on public comment for non-agenda items?
[1:38:11] Public comment, it's technically a agenda item discussing item number 18.
[1:38:18] Okay, so what we'll have you do is just when we call that item, we will call you again for the public comment on that item.
[1:38:25] Okay, can it just be a public comment?
[1:38:28] If you're not speaking on any items on the agenda, you can give public comment right now.
[1:38:32] It'll be referencing on will I have to wait you will have to wait until item 18 is called okay
[1:38:39] Okay, so go ahead and mute yourself again and then we'll call on you when we get to item 18
[1:38:48] Okay, Speaker Victoria at housing action coalition. Can you unmute yourself and let us know if you're here for a public comment on non-agenda items
[1:39:06] Speaker Victoria at housing action coalition. Can you unmute yourself?
[1:39:10] Can you hear me?
[1:39:12] Are you here for public comment on non-agendized items?
[1:39:18] Yes.
[1:39:21] Okay.
[1:39:21] Can I do both? Can I do a general and deny to my item?
[1:39:26] Agendized item?
[1:39:27] No, you can, for this one, it's only on non-agendized items.
[1:39:35] Okay. Yeah, I could do it a general.
[1:39:39] I'll do it an agenda later.
[1:39:40] here. Okay, you have three minutes. Go ahead. Thank you. Um, yes. So hi, everybody. My name is Victoria. I am a resident of Pomona. I typically, um, I'm a community organizer and, um, involved in local politics. I typically do public comment at, you know,
[1:39:59] Allie City Council or Allie County Board of Supervisors, I'm very proud to now be engaging in the Pomona City process. Although I'm very disappointed to say that your technology issues are making this meeting very inaccessible.
[1:40:15] The interruptions of public commenters by the council was very inappropriate and unprofessional.
[1:40:22] The inability to access the agenda earlier in the day, there are some glitches with your PDF and agenda access.
[1:40:30] All, you know, do not reassure me as a constituent that this government is moving efficiently or effectively to meet the needs of the people.
[1:40:39] Although I'm not really surprised because having been a resident for over five years now, it's pretty clear in the neighborhood how the city is not meeting the needs of the people.
[1:40:50] So I just want to give comment on how can we make these meetings more accessible to the community more equitable for people with disabilities or technology disadvantages.
[1:41:03] And yeah, in addition to that, I also wanted to give a comment on a private issue related to my family.
[1:41:14] My mom was actually the previous commenter who was having issues and is going to wait for an agenda's item.
[1:41:22] But she's here to talk about an issue with tree roots invading her pipelines in her home.
[1:41:29] and this is actually causing great financial burden on to our family.
[1:41:36] She's going into the item now.
[1:41:39] No, I'm talking about a personal issue.
[1:41:41] No, it's an item related to your personal issue regarding the trees.
[1:41:45] That is an agenda item that is separate from public comment on non-agent items.
[1:41:50] I'll let you continue.
[1:41:51] I was unaware of that item on the agenda.
[1:41:55] I just wanted to continue my public comment uninterrupted.
[1:41:58] I just want to encourage the City Council to do what it can to support property owners and home owners in this community, especially homeowners that are maintaining the historical value of the neighborhood that are owning and refurbishing historical landmark homes that carry a lot of history and culture for the neighborhood.
[1:42:19] I think that we need to provide more services for home owners specifically in the Lincoln Park neighborhood and support them because they're carrying the burden and the cost of, you know, the community to maintain our culture.
[1:42:33] So if we can create more programs, especially financial incentives or reimbursements that support people who are putting are funding the costs of maintaining the city's infrastructure.
[1:42:42] that would be amazing. Regardless of if it's trees, street repair, painting, whatever it is, you know, homeowners are holding up this city and so whatever we can do to support them, that would be great. Thank you.
[1:42:59] Thank you.
[1:43:00] All right. I think that's our final speaker.
[1:43:02] Okay, so that's all public comment on non-agents items. Let's go ahead and go to the next items.
[1:43:10] Mayor, the next item is the consent calendar. All matters under the consent calendar may be enacted by a single motion without separate discussion.
[1:43:17] If discussion or a separate vote on any item is desired by a council member, that item may be removed from the consent calendar and considered separately.
[1:43:25] remotely. Remote participants, please raise your hand at this time to speak on any consent
[1:43:29] calendar item and wait for further instruction. Only those digital hands raise now and speaker
[1:43:34] cards submitted now will be allowed to address the city council. And Mayor, the city manager
[1:43:38] would like to comment on one of the items.
[1:43:42] Yeah, we spoke, I don't know if it's the item that you want to continue.
[1:43:45] Yes, item number seven, Mayor. I'd like to continue that to continue.
[1:43:47] All right, so we'll move that from the agenda. We'll continue the item.
[1:43:49] We have any speakers on any of the 16 non-consent, I'm sorry, consent calendar items.
[1:43:56] No, no speakers.
[1:43:58] Okay.
[1:43:58] And I understand that there is a council member, I'm sorry, vice mayor.
[1:44:03] Was there an item you just wanted to comment on briefly?
[1:44:07] Okay, okay, very good.
[1:44:08] So I would be happy to entertain a motion for items one through 16 on consent.
[1:44:13] I would like to entertain a motion to accept all consent calendar items minus item seven, which will be continued very good. Thank you councilmember. I'll be happy to take a second.
[1:44:24] I'll second it. All right. Let's go and do a roll call.
[1:44:29] Martin. Yes.
[1:44:30] Yes.
[1:44:30] Pressieto.
[1:44:31] Yes.
[1:44:31] Garcia.
[1:44:32] Yes.
[1:44:33] On a very old school.
[1:44:33] Yes.
[1:44:34] Lestro.
[1:44:35] Canalus.
[1:44:35] Yes.
[1:44:36] Send them all.
[1:44:37] Yes.
[1:44:39] So the question I have is as we go into discussion calendar, do we have speakers for any of the discussion
[1:44:48] calendar items?
[1:44:51] And if so, what item has the most speakers?
[1:44:55] Item 18 has six speakers.
[1:44:56] and to...
[1:45:00] Online and item 20, the public hearing has one speaker. Okay. So, so I would recommend that we go to 18 and then come back to 17 and then we'll move forward. Okay. So we're going to go to. I apologize, man. I understand we have your colleague here that's going to be helping with that part, but I'd like to get those who are waiting in the audience to be able to get home at a reasonable time. All right. Good. If I can go and get those cards, we certainly have a presentation from staff.
[1:45:29] We're regarding this item.
[1:45:31] Item number 18 is City Council direction regarding the procurement of Citywide Tree Maintenance and Emergency Response Services.
[1:45:41] Welcome, Meg.
[1:45:42] Good evening.
[1:45:44] And good evening.
[1:45:45] Meg McQuade Public Works Director, I appreciate your patience when we're going over the tree issue for the third time.
[1:45:51] I appreciate it very much.
[1:45:53] The entire council is here tonight so I will go into detail because not everybody heard the presentation last time.
[1:45:59] But essentially we're looking for direction related to the procurement process for our overall tree contract.
[1:46:07] And so the comprehensive tree care that we're looking for,
[1:46:13] basically Pomona has a really complex urban forest.
[1:46:17] We have 36,000 trees and we went out in terms of a procurement for an RFP which is a request for proposals process.
[1:46:26] So it's a balance of most qualified and pricing.
[1:46:30] So we look at a balance of things when we do an RFP process, and this process looked at level A maintenance standards.
[1:46:37] That's what we were looking for for our community.
[1:46:40] It was balancing the safety and also what we know about the needs of our urban forest.
[1:46:45] Our urban forest over the last many decades has been trimmed by West Coast, our forest, and they have done a good job.
[1:46:54] They have done a really good job and part of that grid trimming was related to the grid
[1:46:59] trim contracts that we could afford and how the grid trims were defined.
[1:47:04] When we were going through this RFP process, we looked at the money we had available to
[1:47:09] us and we looked at how we could enhance the level of grid trimming given our current urban
[1:47:16] forest and the structure of the trees.
[1:47:19] typically with a grid trim and I'll get into kind of the more details of why this is a more robust RFP.
[1:47:28] There are a lot of words on that screen. I'm not reading them to you. Basically all I want to say is that when we originally were talking about this process and it was well over a year ago.
[1:47:38] Our staff and our team came forward to the city manager and said we would like to do a piggyback process. We didn't know what measures measure why was going to be whether or not.
[1:47:49] there would be an answer to that and what that would mean to our city finances, so the idea was to
[1:47:55] extend the city manager rightfully and our leadership said we need to have a bidding process.
[1:48:01] We have not done a bid on this contract for a really long time and I believe it's what our council
[1:48:06] and our community deserves. So that's what we did. We went out for an RFP when we got the bid and we
[1:48:11] extended the existing contract with West Coast for six months. When we got the bids back there were
[1:48:16] some bid irregularities and even West Coast did a bid protest on that.
[1:48:20] We brought it to City Council and recommended.
[1:48:23] We would like to do, cancel that RFP and we'd like to do another process.
[1:48:28] We did that in December.
[1:48:29] In January, we were meeting with the City Attorney's Office and
[1:48:33] developed what we're talking about now, which is a request for proposal process.
[1:48:38] It's a balance between cost and between technical merit and
[1:48:42] experience of the candidates.
[1:48:43] And it allows us to qualify them, but also to look at them independently.
[1:48:49] So we did that, we developed the scope of work.
[1:48:53] We also had some legislation that required us to notice.
[1:48:57] So we added 45 days into the process, which is why we were not talking about this with you until July 6th.
[1:49:03] And then this item was continued to July 20th, where a decision was not made to move forward with a tree contractor.
[1:49:12] So we'll again talk a little bit more about the process.
[1:49:15] So I mentioned the RFP, what we currently have under our scope of work, and the enhancements
[1:49:22] that we will have for the grid trim and the future pruning, which is better for our urban
[1:49:27] forest long term.
[1:49:29] So one of the things is the canopy.
[1:49:31] Right now you trim up to ISA standards, which is what we have asked for and what we paid for
[1:49:35] in our contract.
[1:49:36] What the new agreement is, is that we can do crown reductions and more enhanced trimming up to 40% of the canopy again under ISA standards but at the grid trim price.
[1:49:51] So as the contractor goes out there and with our team member looks at the area, some areas may only need the 25% because they were able to be maintained on a regular basis or
[1:50:03] For this type of tree does not grow as quickly as something else.
[1:50:07] But there are areas in the city because we did not have enough funding during my tenure,
[1:50:12] I've been here decades, and there were times when our grid trim, because of financial reasons,
[1:50:19] had to go to seven years, had to go to almost eight years in some cases.
[1:50:23] And certainly in Phillips Ranch, we have not had a grid trim cycle.
[1:50:27] We just have not been able to afford it.
[1:50:29] So there are trees in our urban forests that need to be trimmed differently, and this
[1:50:35] grid trim price allows us to do that and allows us over the next several years to correct
[1:50:40] the urban forest.
[1:50:41] Again, not a reflection of what West Coast did, they're really good at their job, but it
[1:50:47] was a reflection of the resources we had available to put towards that contract.
[1:50:51] Also in the new agreement, we're looking at palm trimming rather than every five years,
[1:50:55] every two years, Chinese Elm will continue to be maintained on a two-year cycle.
[1:51:00] Philip Schranche assessment district trees, we asked for through this process and our project approach.
[1:51:05] We said, please give us some sort of grid trim process for a 10-year cycle.
[1:51:11] Again, right now, we are not on a cycle at all.
[1:51:14] BPD, we would maintain as needed, but we're asking for a three-year cycle and these cost contemplated that.
[1:51:22] And then inventory at no additional cost.
[1:51:25] So basically right now, if we add trees, we have planting grants.
[1:51:29] We planted almost 2,000 trees in the last several years.
[1:51:32] Each one of those, every time you have to add to an inventory where it did not exist previously,
[1:51:37] that's a cost to the city.
[1:51:38] So the new contract will have to do a full inventory, including all of Philips Ranch Open Space
[1:51:43] areas.
[1:51:44] And then any future enhancements to that inventory will be at no charge.
[1:51:49] So all of those made this RFP and this whatever contract will be much more robust and we're really proud of the RFP.
[1:51:59] So the RFP was issued as I mentioned April 29th, and it's issued out through a planet-fidged automated process.
[1:52:07] 205 firms were notified, 36 firms downloaded the solicitation, and there were eight submissions received.
[1:52:14] And two of them were determined, purchasing as the first reviewer of applications or reviewer of the proposals and two were deemed non-responsive, so did not go to the evaluation team and the remaining six did.
[1:52:29] And I would say the RFP process allows the city by design, again to award based on the best overall value as well as a pricing but it is not a lowest bid pricing.
[1:52:38] So
[1:52:42] the evaluation process proposal review team, I did want to kind of highlight, like I did last time, we do have Danny Wiley sitting here, we also have Lindsay McAwayne, but Danny is an ISA certified arborist since 2005.
[1:52:58] He's track certified, which is tree risk assessment qualified board certified, very proud of him for doing this, but recently became a board certified master arborist.
[1:53:08] And fewer than 2% of all of the certified arborists in the nation are that.
[1:53:13] So congratulations, Danny.
[1:53:15] He's also municipal contract experience since 1998.
[1:53:19] Lindsay was also on the proposal review team.
[1:53:22] She has over 10 years of municipal contract management experience.
[1:53:25] She did, she led the City of Rancho Cucamongas Urban Forest Management Plan.
[1:53:31] And then she also the development of that.
[1:53:33] And then also managed the City of Rancho Cucamongas contract for
[1:53:37] they're 72,000 trees with West Coast Arborist as their contractor.
[1:53:42] We also had Michael Ethridge, and I know you know he's been on the front lines of trees
[1:53:46] for over 30 years here in the city of Pomona.
[1:53:49] Not only knows the community, probably better than most, but certainly knows almost every tree
[1:53:54] in the city.
[1:53:55] And so he has actively been a participant in parks and landscape for 30 years, but also been
[1:54:00] an active supervisor and overseer of the tree contract for 10 years.
[1:54:06] So, the proposal, that's to tell you a little bit about who independently reviewed these proposals as they came in.
[1:54:14] They're also the people that developed the project approach, so understood completely what the city needed
[1:54:19] and what we were looking for for the proposers to respond back to us.
[1:54:23] So, there, basically there was an evaluation project approach was given 40 points.
[1:54:29] Very important for us to know that you saw what we were asking for from you and you responded and said,
[1:54:35] Yes, I understand, qualifications and experience were 20 points, technical merit was 10 points, and then the price reasonableness, the city has an automated scoring calculation based on whatever the proposers put in plan of it, and so it's a calculated formula was included in the staff report, and it's also included in the RFP, so each one of the proposers understands it, but it's basically so that it's a very mathematical calculation and assigned points based on that.
[1:55:04] So, the evaluation team had 70 points each for the three evaluators, and then the price
[1:55:10] reasonableness, so 240 maximum possible points.
[1:55:14] So each one of those reviewers looked at the proposals, submitted their evaluation scores
[1:55:20] online on Planet Bids, then purchasing, picks those up, and gives the tallies the scores
[1:55:27] and comes up with the scores.
[1:55:31] Thank you.
[1:55:32] No, never doing that, it's magic.
[1:55:35] The RFP process is a transparent process.
[1:55:38] So the pricing information, part of the reason why I'm bringing it up, that there was an
[1:55:43] automated pricing calculation, it's because there are two prices that change from the July
[1:55:49] 6th and July 20th report.
[1:55:52] And that's because the bottom line total of two of the proposals for a clerical reason,
[1:55:57] I'm sure clerical error, did not include some of the components.
[1:56:00] There are subtotals throughout the bid pricing sheet, and the total overall was incorrect.
[1:56:07] It just had not included one of the numbers.
[1:56:10] So there was a revision to the West Coast Arborist dollar amount, and
[1:56:14] they went from 4.514 to 4.553.
[1:56:18] And then the larger, much larger error was with tiger tree services, and
[1:56:23] they went from 1.8.
[1:56:25] They had erroneously left out a larger sub total.
[1:56:28] and their real total was 2.9 million.
[1:56:32] So when we're talking about the pricing and how it works,
[1:56:36] they scored, their score had to change
[1:56:39] from the last iteration that you saw on your council report.
[1:56:43] Again, we believe it's clerical error,
[1:56:45] so we would not automatically disqualify these bitters,
[1:56:48] but it did not change the ranking.
[1:56:50] It just changes their pricing
[1:56:52] so that you have full disclosure of their pricing.
[1:56:56] And this is just how did we come up with the dollar bottom line dollar amounts?
[1:57:01] We looked at those cycles that I talked about, the five year grid trim cycle, the two year
[1:57:05] for Chinese Elm, two year for palm trees.
[1:57:08] And then that was a single number, or those were numbers, and then it was added.
[1:57:12] There are other items like emergency response or crew rental or other things that we don't
[1:57:17] do on a regular enough basis.
[1:57:19] And so those were a one for one.
[1:57:21] The total is how that base bid proposal gets ranked.
[1:57:27] So, this is just the calculation of the two factors now, so as you can see the numbers
[1:57:33] change slightly, but again, the ranking did not change.
[1:57:36] And so, there was more points given for the other vendors, because Tiger Tree Services
[1:57:43] was still the lowest, but wasn't quite as low.
[1:57:46] And so, with that, Mariposa was the top candidate that, when we looked at the qualifications, the
[1:57:51] technical merit, and their project approach was number one, given all those.
[1:58:00] So why did they rank the highest?
[1:58:02] Why did our proposers say that they did the best in terms of their scoring?
[1:58:08] As I mentioned, the pricing is just a standalone calculation, so our evaluators don't look
[1:58:15] at that.
[1:58:16] What they did look at is who demonstrated the strongest overall understanding.
[1:58:20] As I mentioned, the RFP defines a project scope of work and kind of like an interview
[1:58:25] when somebody asked you a question, you're looking for the best response and did they
[1:58:30] understand what you're looking for, did they understand what you needed.
[1:58:34] And Mariposa, particularly in the Phillips Ranch, I know it's something that we've talked
[1:58:38] about and highlighted.
[1:58:39] They did not, we did not ask any one of the proposers to give us a work plan.
[1:58:44] We said that we will expect you to give us a work plan through this process and we need
[1:58:50] a 10-year cycle on Phillips Ranch and we want you to look at a few things when you give
[1:58:55] us that work plan.
[1:58:56] We don't expect it from you now and we didn't ask it from every proposal because that would
[1:59:02] have potentially given an unfair advantage to a contractor that had the entire inventory
[1:59:08] of the Phillips Ranch area and could perhaps have given a different work plan than somebody
[1:59:12] who didn't have that information.
[1:59:15] And we didn't, we thought that that would be a lot of work for these proposals who had
[1:59:19] not been selected for award.
[1:59:21] So I did want to clarify that Mariposa is the only one that said, I see you, Pomona.
[1:59:27] I see you need a filter and to work plan.
[1:59:29] And I will be responding to that work plan and within 30 days I will give it to you.
[1:59:34] So we did not force anybody or ask anybody nor did they give us a work plan.
[1:59:38] What they did is said, I see in your project you need that.
[1:59:42] and I will give it to you. The thing about this whole thing, the proposed pruning methodology,
[1:59:49] they also acknowledge the grid trim and the fact that the grid trim was different than most other
[1:59:54] contracts and allowed for up to the 40% and that was important to us, right? To acknowledge again,
[2:00:00] That what a normal grid trim is under our current contract is not what we're looking for. We're looking for a higher level. So as they responded and said yes, Pomona, I see what your project approach needs are. They were awarded more points for that reason. The other contractors, particularly the top three got almost full points for the technical expertise as well as the qualifications and experience because they absolutely have it. So the recommendation is based on a fair and transparent city approved purchasing process.
[2:00:29] It what Mariposa was the highest ranked proposal. It's an alignment with city maintenance standards
[2:00:35] They do have a demonstrated technical expertise competitive and reasonable pricing and then the ability to deliver an
[2:00:42] expanded proactive maintenance program so and and I'm sorry to do this do you mind going back two slides because it talked about so when we're talking about the ranking
[2:00:53] Something that I would like to point out is we don't have we have a really
[2:00:58] passionate workforce, but we don't have a lot of people to do management and oversight
[2:01:03] of contracts. So we really, really, really need contractors who have the level of experience
[2:01:10] that have worked in a city with an urban forest that has 30,000 trees that has the complexity
[2:01:17] like the city of Pomona has. We want you to already have that experience because we have
[2:01:23] Michael, Etheridge, and Rodrigo, and they're the ones who are not only going to be managing
[2:01:27] the street tree, but also manage Phillips Ranch, they manage parks maintenance, they
[2:01:32] manage open spaces.
[2:01:34] So this is not their only thing that they have to handle.
[2:01:38] And so the more robust and experience and the more confidence we have than a proposer understood
[2:01:45] what we were looking for and said, yes, I will give it to you.
[2:01:49] That made a huge difference to us.
[2:01:51] And when you look at the rankings, you can see it goes from 2.18, and by the time you get down to number 4, you're at 164.
[2:01:59] That's a significant point differential when you're reviewing experience and qualification.
[2:02:05] And our team is saying, I would really like to see somebody that has done this successfully for an extended period of time.
[2:02:13] Will you go forward again? Please, thank you.
[2:02:15] So, we are in front of you tonight and there are several options available to you.
[2:02:22] And the first one is that the City Council does have the authority to just cancel the
[2:02:27] RFP and rebit staff because of the importance of the urban forest, because of the importance
[2:02:35] of staying on a grid cycle, because of the grants that we have right now, where we're supposed
[2:02:41] to be planting another 250 trees because of the projects that we have as well as the fact that
[2:02:48] Mariposa ranked the highest and of the ones that had the experience where they're already managing
[2:02:55] a city like Pomona and have for several years they also were the least expensive of those three
[2:03:02] options. We didn't base it on least expensive but the balance of all those point systems Mariposa
[2:03:08] was the number one ranking for us.
[2:03:11] We are the original RFP called for a five-year agreement.
[2:03:15] What we are recommending because part of the concern maybe that council has never seen
[2:03:19] them produce, nor have we, is that the initial term would be for two years and that we would
[2:03:24] bring back every extension to City Council to ensure that we are all in alignment with
[2:03:31] this contract.
[2:03:32] So with that, I will answer questions.
[2:03:35] Are we public comment?
[2:03:36] Thank you. Thank you. May appreciate the presentation and thank you to the team. I know that we have some speakers on this item
[2:03:41] So as we typically do we'll take the speakers and then the council could go and weigh in
[2:03:49] and if you happen to know that you're
[2:03:51] I'm going to call your name and you're sitting in the back just come on over this come forward. It'll be easier and
[2:04:00] There's there's a couple seats there. Thank you. There's some seats right here as well
[2:04:05] make yourselves at home and
[2:04:10] And the first speaker is Gus Garcia.
[2:04:14] Good evening, my name is Gus Garcia.
[2:04:16] I'm a senior investigator specializing in public works compliance for the Center for Contract Compliance.
[2:04:23] I'm speaking tonight regarding item 18, the proposed award to Mariposa Tree Management.
[2:04:28] I want to be clear from the beginning, this is not a bid protest, we are not seeking you to select another contractor.
[2:04:34] We are asking you to make sure the contractor being described as the most qualified and responsible has been also property reviewed from a compliance standpoint.
[2:04:45] As part of our compliance review, we examined Maria Bosas recent public works project history and its electronic certified payroll reporting through the department of industrial relations.
[2:04:57] Here's what we found.
[2:04:58] We identified 140 ECPR entries after removing duplicate and amended submissions covering the same payroll periods.
[2:05:07] Those records drop down to 108 unique payroll periods on those 108 payroll periods 91 had an earliest identifiable submission more than 30 days after the payroll period ended.
[2:05:21] That is important. Certified payroll is not just paperwork.
[2:05:24] work. It is one of the main records used to show who worked on the public works project,
[2:05:31] what classifications that were reported under, how many hours they worked, whether overtime
[2:05:36] was reported, and what wages were paid. When those records are submitted months later,
[2:05:43] the ability to verify compliance while the work is actually happening is greatly reduced.
[2:05:47] We also compared Moniposa's recent PWC 100 project history against its identifiable ECPR history after applying the maintenance reporting threshold and excluding city of Los Angeles projects from the comparison we identified 20 recent project IDs that require review only one exact project ID appeared in the ECPR we reviewed for the other 19 upload history under that project number was not identified.
[2:06:16] Okay. That does not automatically mean a violation occurred. There may be another project
[2:06:21] number, another exemption, the work may have not started yet. There may have not. There
[2:06:28] may have also been a subcontractor, not identical.
[2:06:33] But those are exactly the questions that we
[2:06:35] should be answered, that should be answered before the city moves forward. Staff has described
[2:06:41] money post as the highest-ranked proposal and relied on its municipal experience, staffing,
[2:06:46] safety, culture, operational resources, and positive references. Those things matter,
[2:06:52] but being able to perform treework where we have a verifiable public works compliance history
[2:06:57] are two different things. Thanks, thanks, thanks. A responsible contractor should leave behind a clear
[2:07:03] and timely record that allows the agency to verify the workforce, the classifications, the wages,
[2:07:08] It's just the hours and the subcontractor involvement.
[2:07:11] Council does not, your time's up sir, sir, sir, sir, your time's up.
[2:07:16] You have three minutes.
[2:07:17] We have a bunch of minutes for us.
[2:07:19] I understand that we started in my three minutes, didn't we?
[2:07:23] Yeah, so your time is up, sir.
[2:07:25] You can submit that for the record, if you'd like.
[2:07:29] Okay, great, very good, very good.
[2:07:33] You can, I agree with you, I understand, but you had the full three minutes and you continued.
[2:07:40] So my apologies to you. This was not intentional, but I do have some questions for him if I can. Not now. Yeah. And let's just just start the three minutes over again. Okay. Welcome sir. You have three minutes.
[2:07:58] Okay, yeah, and let's just keep our fingers crossed, okay?
[2:08:02] Welcome.
[2:08:03] Thank you.
[2:08:05] Good evening.
[2:08:05] Mayor, I'm sorry.
[2:08:06] Can you hold on just a second.
[2:08:07] We got to get the timer going.
[2:08:13] Okay, okay.
[2:08:14] Good evening, Mayor and members of City Council.
[2:08:16] My name is Nicolago, Vice President of West Coast Arborist.
[2:08:19] Tonight, we respectfully ask the Council to award the City
[2:08:22] Tree Maintenance and Contract to WCA.
[2:08:25] If the Council is not prepared to award the contract to WCA,
[2:08:29] then reject all proposals and rebid the project.
[2:08:31] WCA received a lower score for not submitting a Philip's Ranch Fuel Mitigation Plan.
[2:08:37] However, page 18 of the RFP states that the successful contractor shall provide the plan
[2:08:43] within 30 days after the contract execution.
[2:08:46] It was a post-award obligation not a required proposal submission.
[2:08:51] WCA was penalized for not submitting a post-award requirement,
[2:08:55] while Mariposa received additional credit for submitting it early.
[2:08:59] That requirement was never identified as part of the proposal or scoring criteria.
[2:09:04] When WCA's improper deduction and Maripost's additional credit are corrected, WCA is
[2:09:10] the highest scoring proposal based on the city's own evaluation process.
[2:09:14] The contract should therefore be awarded to WCA.
[2:09:18] After the July 20 motion to award to Maripost have failed, the mayor called the situation
[2:09:23] and I quote, not the best example of good governance.
[2:09:27] And stated that the item would return through a new RFP process.
[2:09:32] The council and the public were told by the mayor and the city attorney that the new competitive RFP would follow.
[2:09:37] With emergency services used only in the interim.
[2:09:41] Instead, staff revived the same procurement issued Mariposa $100,000 emergency purchase order after the city council rejected the contract award to Mariposa.
[2:09:51] and proposed a retroactive award supported partly by Mariposa's later performance.
[2:09:58] That is inconsistent with the city's July 20th statements and gave Mariposa an opportunity, no other proposal received.
[2:10:06] WCA offered to continue serving Pomona during the rebuild at its existing contract prices, which are lower than Mariposa's proposed rates.
[2:10:15] WCA is a union contractor that has safely served Pomona for more than 25 years.
[2:10:19] We provide family supporting union wages, benefits, employ Pomona residents and have the
[2:10:25] trained workforce and equipment and emergency response capability to serve the city immediately.
[2:10:31] We also created and maintained Pomona's tree inventory and more than 25 years of historical
[2:10:36] maintenance records.
[2:10:37] We respectfully ask the council to recognize and correct the improper Phillips ranch scoring
[2:10:42] and award the contract to WCA as the highest ranked best value proposal under the established
[2:10:48] evaluation criteria. If the council is not prepared to do so tonight, we ask that it reject
[2:10:54] all proposals and direct staff to conduct a fair, transparent, and competitive rebuild.
[2:10:59] Award the contract to WCA or rebuild the project fairly. Thank you.
[2:11:04] Thank you. All right.
[2:11:10] Joshua Sanchez, Dennis Jones, Tony Martinez, and Isaiah Robles.
[2:11:17] if you'll please come on up. Welcome sir, you have three minutes. Good morning mayor and members
[2:11:23] of the City Council. My name is Joshua Sanchez, and I am a Pomona resident, and I have proudly
[2:11:29] worked for West Coast Arbours for the past five years. I spoke at the last City Council meeting because
[2:11:35] this contract is important to me.
[2:11:39] I live here, my family lives here, and I take pride in the work
[2:11:43] that I do for this city, my city.
[2:11:46] Over the years, our crews have gotten to know Pomona and the trees very well.
[2:11:51] We know the neighborhoods, we know what city expects from us, what the city expects from
[2:11:57] us, and when there is an emergency or special request, we are here to help.
[2:12:04] Tonight I respectfully ask that the council, tonight I respectfully ask the city council to
[2:12:12] to consider awarding the contract to West Coast Arbours.
[2:12:15] You know our work, our commitment to safety
[2:12:18] and the service we have proud provided to Pomona.
[2:12:23] If the council is not comfortable making an award
[2:12:25] based on the current process,
[2:12:28] then I respectfully ask that you reject proposals
[2:12:31] and rebate the contract so everyone has
[2:12:33] another fair opportunity to compete.
[2:12:36] As a Pomona resident and West Coast Arbours employee,
[2:12:39] I am proud of what I have done for this community, and I hope that we are given the opportunity
[2:12:46] to continue.
[2:12:47] Thank you for your time on your consideration.
[2:12:49] Thank you.
[2:12:50] All right.
[2:12:52] There's Jones.
[2:12:59] Welcome, sir.
[2:13:00] You have a few minutes.
[2:13:02] Good evening, Mayor and members of the City Council.
[2:13:05] My name is Dennis Jones, the Vice President of Mariposa Tree Management.
[2:13:09] We currently provide tree services to the following cities.
[2:13:13] Pasadena.
[2:13:14] Samarino.
[2:13:15] Los Angeles, Thousand Oaks, Burbank, Santa Barbara,
[2:13:20] Temecula, Paris, Laundale, Port Winemey, and Huntington Park.
[2:13:25] One of the biggest unknowns whenever a city considers switching a contractor,
[2:13:30] is how that contractor will respond in a real emergency.
[2:13:33] Since July, when we were given the emergency PO,
[2:13:37] we've responded to 27 emergency calls within the city.
[2:13:41] And we've been on site in under 45 minutes on every single one of them.
[2:13:46] Early mornings, late nights, Sunday mornings, we've been there.
[2:13:51] There was no contract to acquiring it of it, requiring it of it, so we just didn't think it was right to say no.
[2:13:57] Your staff here evaluated every proposal on its merits and
[2:14:00] recommended Mariposa Tree Management as the top choice for this contract.
[2:14:04] We respectfully ask this council to honor that work and the work our crews have already been doing in this community.
[2:14:10] by awarding us the RFP.
[2:14:12] Thank you, and I'm here to answer any questions you might have later.
[2:14:15] Thank you.
[2:14:17] Tony, so forgive me, Tony Martinez.
[2:14:23] Welcome Mr. Martinez.
[2:14:25] Thank you.
[2:14:27] Good evening mayor, members of the City Council.
[2:14:28] My name is Tony Martinez, I'm the founder of North Star Land Care.
[2:14:33] Tonight you have two choices, award this contract to Mariposa, or allow competition, another opportunity.
[2:14:41] I leave you with three thoughts, cost, capability, and opportunity.
[2:14:47] First, cost, nor starts proposal was more than 900,000 below merit poses, nearly $1 million.
[2:14:54] dollars. Before Pomona commits to those additional tax
[2:15:00] Fair dollars, I respectfully ask. What is Pomona receiving for that additional million dollars?
[2:15:10] If that question has not been clearly answered, going back to bid, is the responsible choice? Second, capability. Norstar is a Los Angeles County based union company with experienced professionals and modern AQMD compliant equipment.
[2:15:31] We have 100-foot aerial lift capable of reaching Pomona's tallest palms.
[2:15:37] We also bring fuel modification experience from our work with the Puente Hills Habitat
[2:15:42] Authority, experience that can directly benefit areas such as Phillips Ranch.
[2:15:51] And our philosophy is simple.
[2:15:53] Manage risk while preserving the urban forest.
[2:15:57] That means protecting residents while preserving the historic trees and places that give Pomona its character, places like Ganesha Park.
[2:16:09] Finally, opportunity.
[2:16:12] Council members, rejecting these proposals tonight doesn't mean rejecting tree care.
[2:16:19] It means giving competition another chance to work for Pomona.
[2:16:23] Nearly $1 million is too much money to leave unanswered.
[2:16:32] Give qualified companies another opportunity to compete, give staff an opportunity to strengthen
[2:16:38] the RFP, and give Pomona taxpayers the opportunity to receive exceptional tree care at a responsible
[2:16:47] price.
[2:16:49] Today, I respectfully ask you, don't spend the additional million dollars yet.
[2:16:55] If not awarding to North Star, then rebid the contract.
[2:17:00] Let competition determine what Pomona's best value truly is.
[2:17:06] Thank you.
[2:17:08] Thank you.
[2:17:08] Isaiah Romas, our final speaker.
[2:17:12] By the way, that's the final card that I have.
[2:17:14] Did anybody else submit a card that I didn't call?
[2:17:17] I'm not seeing anyone.
[2:17:19] Okay, Mr. Robles, you are our final speaker.
[2:17:22] Welcome, sir.
[2:17:23] Good evening, honorable mayor and city council members.
[2:17:26] My name is Isaiah Robles, and I'm the sergeant at arms
[2:17:28] of the local, the Laborers International Union
[2:17:30] of North America, local 300.
[2:17:32] I'm here representing our business manager,
[2:17:34] Serge Raskorn, and the over 8,000 members
[2:17:36] that live in Los Angeles County,
[2:17:38] if you're 100 of which live here and work in the city of Pomona.
[2:17:42] Local 300 strongly urges you once again
[2:17:44] to award this contractor contract to a responsible union contractor,
[2:17:48] one who stands for the rights of working people, takes pride in the high quality union work,
[2:17:52] and actively takes part in helping other workers reach the middle class.
[2:17:56] Your team created an impressive point system for the RFP,
[2:17:59] but it feels to capture important aspects of the public works contracts,
[2:18:02] the men and women who put their boots on every day to do the work.
[2:18:05] Preventing wages are union wages, but they're not the same.
[2:18:10] Union employees, many of which live in this city, and vote in its elections,
[2:18:14] receive health insurance and a strong pension, which directly lead to a future
[2:18:18] that the moon can be proud of. That's unheard of in this day and age, and even more so for non-union workers.
[2:18:25] Local 300 strongly urges you to do the right thing for your city residents and
[2:18:29] give them an opportunity to continue to work for a union company that can offer
[2:18:33] your residents upward social and economic mobility and a strong path to the middle class.
[2:18:37] Thank you.
[2:18:40] that's our final speaker.
[2:18:42] Do we have anybody online?
[2:18:45] And are we going to be able to do it?
[2:18:47] We do have two hands raised, Mayor.
[2:18:49] Okay, so bear with us.
[2:18:51] We're going to give this a try, okay?
[2:18:54] All right.
[2:18:55] For remote participants that have your hand raised,
[2:18:58] please listen for your name.
[2:18:59] For your turn to speak.
[2:19:02] Speaker Cynthia Cabello.
[2:19:05] Zalada, can you unmute yourself?
[2:19:08] It's your second. Can you hear me? Yes. You have three minutes. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor
[2:19:16] Sandoval City Council Member, staff, residents and community members. My name is Dr. Cynthia
[2:19:21] Cabello Salada and my family and I have been residents of Lincoln Park since 2017. I have to say it's
[2:19:27] been a great experience for me and my family. We have been in need of City Public Services from time
[2:19:32] time to time and I cannot complain the city has been responsive and quick.
[2:19:37] Today you are discussing item 18 over tree care.
[2:19:41] It's ironic that my emergency happened last night.
[2:19:44] I am now experiencing an emergency in my home because of lack of maintenance on trees
[2:19:49] in the Lincoln Park area.
[2:19:51] The historical district in the city.
[2:19:53] I am unclear as to why this item is only specifically mentioning Phillips ranch.
[2:19:58] Item 18 is all about a contract for tree management.
[2:20:01] The staff report states that this has been an ongoing stall decision for over a year.
[2:20:06] I am an educator with 31 years experience, a local taxpayer, and homeowner
[2:20:11] that is now dealing with the direct repercussions of the city's lack of decision-making and delay.
[2:20:17] However, this may only be an accurate statement for Philip's ranch.
[2:20:21] In the past, our city arborists have relayed that the wonderful old Canford trees on Pasadena Street
[2:20:26] were protected and city property.
[2:20:28] Today, I learned that lateral sewer lines under city sidewalks, public area, and street
[2:20:33] belongs to me.
[2:20:35] I also learned those same trees have caused damage to my lateral sewer line.
[2:20:41] I now subsequently have a $30,000 expense that I must take care of in order to inhabit my
[2:20:47] home in the Lincoln Park area, not Phillips Ranch.
[2:20:51] We also have an urban forest, perhaps it's not in the right side of town.
[2:20:55] As you can imagine, this is not okay.
[2:20:58] If I break something, I am responsible for it, which is why I believe because your tree
[2:21:03] broke my sewer line, you should pay for it.
[2:21:07] I have sent an email to all council members and the mayor.
[2:21:11] I look forward to hearing from you for possible solutions to this debt that I feel is the responsibility
[2:21:17] of the city.
[2:21:18] Thank you.
[2:21:22] Thank you, Speaker.
[2:21:23] The next speaker is Victoria at Housing Action Coalition.
[2:21:28] Please unmute yourself and it's your turn to speak.
[2:21:35] Victoria, can you hear me?
[2:21:46] Victoria, it's your turn to speak.
[2:21:48] Can you hear me?
[2:21:59] Let's go ahead and move on.
[2:22:00] I think we've given ample time to try to give the speaker
[2:22:04] an opportunity to speak.
[2:22:06] And was this the same person that spoke earlier
[2:22:09] on the non-agentized item?
[2:22:10] Yes, it was.
[2:22:11] Okay, okay.
[2:22:13] All right, so that concludes public comments.
[2:22:16] Now I'll give my colleagues an opportunity to speak, ask questions.
[2:22:20] So first up is Councilman Garcia.
[2:22:26] Thank you, Mayor.
[2:22:27] I was not present for the July 20th meeting and the comments I would have made at that time are not appropriate now.
[2:22:34] So I will say only this, I don't hold with evergreen contracts.
[2:22:39] And the fact that this is a process that's a long time coming, really speaks to the changing needs of the city.
[2:22:47] This is a matter of service to the community and community safety.
[2:22:53] To enter the winter season with wind and rain without a tree contract, in my opinion, is irresponsible.
[2:23:01] There are trees all over the city, including town, Laverne and Gary, which need attention.
[2:23:08] This weekend, I reported a large tree limb had fallen near the Pomona Public Library.
[2:23:14] for those of you who are not aware our beautiful civic center trees are as old
[2:23:19] as the civic center itself and a few of them have fallen in the last five years
[2:23:23] or so. I asked staff to please remove the trim the limb and to check out the
[2:23:29] trees to make sure that none of them were going to fall and I was told that no such
[2:23:33] assessment could be done without a tree contract. This is unacceptable to me and
[2:23:38] and Pomona cannot wait. I do not know what happened on the 20th. I was shocked to return from my
[2:23:46] daughter watching vacation to find out that there was such a controversy. I could really say
[2:23:53] a lot more about what I believe are.
[2:23:58] How can I say this?
[2:24:02] Pressuring tactics by people that are
[2:24:06] are currently abitting for this and I do not hold with anything that has, that in my
[2:24:15] opinion, should not have occurred. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to urge
[2:24:20] our city council to please adopt recommendation number two and move this matter forward.
[2:24:28] I don't understand why taking care of our trees when our residents talk to us every day in
[2:24:35] person online about tree maintenance and tree limbs and how ugly the palms look, why
[2:24:42] we would say no to a contract that so clearly fulfills the needs of the city and keeps
[2:24:48] us within budget. This is an ideal for me of an RFP because it meets the needs of the
[2:24:56] city and it keeps us between budget. That is rare. So I would really urge my fellow council
[2:25:03] members to think about the safety of the community as we enter El Nino, as we enter the
[2:25:09] winter and really award this project now. We have two years and then we get to evaluate.
[2:25:17] But again, in my opinion, someone should not just keep getting a contract because they have
[2:25:23] a track record with the city. It should be competitive as so many people have said earlier this evening.
[2:25:30] And that is all I'm going to say on this matter. Thank you.
[2:25:33] Thank you.
[2:25:34] I'm going to go to Council Member Lestro and then Vice-Mirror-Pennos.
[2:25:39] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[2:25:41] Meg, just one question before my comments, thank you.
[2:25:46] On the one slide, you talked about what was being proposed by or was included in the RFP
[2:25:56] with respect to putting Phillips Ranch on a 10-year grid trend schedule.
[2:26:01] If, at some point in the near future, homeowners are able to connect the dots through a potential
[2:26:10] new proposal to increase the annual assessment in the Infilips Ranch and it passes, can
[2:26:23] the contract be amended midstream, for lack of a better way to put it, if there is more
[2:26:30] more money available to potentially increase that frequency.
[2:26:36] I would assume the answer is yes.
[2:26:38] The contractor could respond to that but we could do an amendment and we would ensure that it was at the regular trim price.
[2:26:45] Sure.
[2:26:46] So yes.
[2:26:46] Okay. All right.
[2:26:48] Thank you.
[2:26:48] Thank you. That was the only question I had.
[2:26:53] I want to thank my colleague Council member Garcia for her comments.
[2:26:58] I'll apologize in advance for my brutally candid comments, but I think it's an embarrassment
[2:27:09] that we did not take an action on this on July 20th.
[2:27:14] I mentioned at that meeting that I felt that the process through which all of the contractors
[2:27:23] went through in response to a very detailed and clear RFP, which I felt was a fair, transparent,
[2:27:35] and equitable process. It was a very easy decision for me. We were looking at a recommendation
[2:27:41] to award a five-year contract at that particular meeting and has been discussed earlier this evening
[2:27:49] it failed.
[2:27:52] Our parks division gets complaints from the community and from the seven people
[2:28:01] sitting up here on a regular basis with respect to tree maintenance. Councilmember Garcia talked
[2:28:06] about that a little bit earlier. That is one of their two top issues that they have to
[2:28:14] address on a daily basis with respect to maintenance in our parks and our streets in our
[2:28:21] common areas. And that we only have an emergency contract in place right now for a tree inventory
[2:28:34] of 36,000 trees, and that it would take nine to 12 months to go through this process again
[2:28:42] and be without a contract in my opinion unacceptable and irresponsible of this council to basically choose that option.
[2:28:56] I have tree issues come up in my district all the time. I know my colleagues have the same.
[2:29:02] Our residents have issues come up from time to time.
[2:29:05] and if it is not an emergency issue that we can't respond to through our current contract,
[2:29:17] then we're not doing our job in providing the service that should be provided to the community.
[2:29:25] So for those reasons, and the reasons I mentioned at the July 20th meeting, I can only support
[2:29:33] option number two, that is being presented by staff this evening.
[2:29:39] Thank you.
[2:29:40] Thank you.
[2:29:41] Vice Mayor Canellas and then Councilmember Annamarovsko.
[2:29:48] I do respect the input from our staff and your recommendation.
[2:29:54] But my question is, so right now we're only on an emergency contract.
[2:29:59] That means that we...
[2:30:00] We cannot fulfill any requests that are done at this point right now. That's correct. We're only responding to emergencies. So if it's not an emergency, like the lady who had spoke earlier, that was an emergency that could not be addressed. Well, the sewer lateral lady. Yes. That's a separate issue. That's a long term maintenance where the roots are impacting her sewer line under her property. So that's not really, I'm assuming she probably wants the tree removed. That's not about whether or not she has a
[2:30:29] a limb drop or anything like that.
[2:30:32] And we did mention that we will go to a two-year assessment, basically.
[2:30:40] And so if it's not successful, will it go back to bid?
[2:30:45] It would follow that process as well.
[2:30:48] So we'll go back to put requesting for new bids to be submitted.
[2:30:53] If we were finding that the contractor was not performing, we may, like I mentioned, I've
[2:30:59] been here long enough, I've had several contracts where we've had to fail them, and we've had
[2:31:03] to terminate those contracts. So if we were finding within that two-year period that they
[2:31:07] were not performing, we absolutely would be looking to do that. The hope is that they
[2:31:12] are successful. But if they are successful and Council still wanted us to look at doing
[2:31:17] something else, we absolutely would be doing that within the two-year process. Because we'll
[2:31:22] be coming back to you to say, either we think they're successful or we don't, and if we think
[2:31:28] I think they're successful.
[2:31:29] We'd be asking for your support in improving an amendment.
[2:31:32] And how will that be determined?
[2:31:34] It would be brought in front of City Council probably in enough time to allow us to do that RFP process.
[2:31:41] And then at that point, it would take a long process for to re-bid again.
[2:31:47] And if the contractor was not successful, it would just like any other contract where it wasn't working.
[2:31:54] It would go through a normal procurement process.
[2:32:00] Okay, thank you.
[2:32:01] Thank you.
[2:32:03] Councilor Ann Arvers, cool.
[2:32:11] I have a question.
[2:32:12] Is it possible, Ms. Megan, yes, or Ms. McWade?
[2:32:18] If we could possibly hear Mr. Garcia again with all that confusion, I was very confused as
[2:32:24] to how he was, you know, the vocalness was not appropriate for me to understand exactly
[2:32:32] what he was trying to let us know.
[2:32:35] And there was a lot of interruption.
[2:32:37] Is that possible for him to come back up?
[2:32:39] I would defer to the mayor.
[2:32:42] So I can understand it better.
[2:32:45] Yes, I'll do it, but I'm not giving him just,
[2:32:48] I'm not unleashing him to just speak, okay?
[2:32:52] I'll give him an additional minute to speak
[2:32:54] because, and I understand his concern is that
[2:32:57] it was kind of hard to have a flow.
[2:32:59] But it's all so.
[2:33:12] Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. It's I think it's working now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll I'll be happy to give them one. That's it.
[2:33:39] I'll be happy to give them one. That's it.
[2:33:45] The work force, the classifications, the wages, the hours, and the subcontractor involvement.
[2:33:53] Council does not need to decide tonight that Mariposa did anything wrong.
[2:33:57] We're simply asking you to make sure these compliance questions are answered before the city enters into a long term contract.
[2:34:04] The agenda gives you that option tonight.
[2:34:07] We respectfully ask that you continue the item and direct staff to verify the project numbers.
[2:34:12] is the date's work, the ECPR submission history,
[2:34:15] like any exemptions, any subcontractor reporting,
[2:34:18] and the reference checks used to support
[2:34:20] the contractor's responsibility determination.
[2:34:23] If everything checks out, the record will show that,
[2:34:26] but the verification should come before the commitment,
[2:34:29] not after it.
[2:34:30] Thank you.
[2:34:31] Thank you.
[2:34:31] So basically, your independence, is that what you're telling me?
[2:34:38] Are you affiliated with any?
[2:34:40] No, not any contractor.
[2:34:42] Okay, so basically you're independent.
[2:34:44] Yes.
[2:34:45] Okay.
[2:34:46] And you base your information on research in regards to
[2:34:51] from state records.
[2:34:52] You might come to the mic.
[2:34:54] From state records.
[2:34:55] From state records.
[2:34:56] Yes.
[2:34:57] We're joint labor management committee so we have
[2:35:00] unredacted access to state records.
[2:35:02] I see.
[2:35:03] Okay.
[2:35:04] Yeah, I was so confused.
[2:35:06] I was trying to listen to you at the same time having a difficult
[2:35:09] time-understanding so okay thank you very much for that thank you so no more
[2:35:17] questions thank you thank you so you know I'm I was just looking through here
[2:35:25] and so there was a five a five-year council member I'm sorry I don't mean it
[2:35:36] interrupt you. Your mic is on, but you're speaking so far away from it. It's not going to capture on the audio if you just move a little bit closer.
[2:35:44] Do you how much closer can I get? I don't. Can you hear me now? Yes, that's better.
[2:35:52] We don't have a very good audio. I mean, I'm fortunate.
[2:35:56] it. So I was reading down here. I was reading down here the five-year, I guess it's from West
[2:36:10] Coast. Yeah. Okay. And there had been 171 tree-related claims.
[2:36:23] Do you think that's going to work?
[2:36:23] Okay, so I guess I have a question in regards to five years, okay, 171 claims, and this
[2:36:35] is regarding West Coast, correct?
[2:36:38] I'm not certain what you're referring to.
[2:36:40] Okay, there's city's risk management team, reviewed tree related claims, submitted during
[2:36:46] the last five years to provide additional context regarding-
[2:36:50] Oh, I'm sorry, yes.
[2:36:51] Okay, so that's West Coast, correct?
[2:36:52] I thought you were talking about their submittal.
[2:36:54] I'm sorry, it was my...
[2:36:56] Mirror post is not even a picture yet, right?
[2:36:58] So anyway, 171 tree-related claims in five years.
[2:37:05] Yes.
[2:37:06] Is that norm, or is that above average, or is that, you know, for five years?
[2:37:12] That's the data we have, so I don't know if we have a comparison back further.
[2:37:16] I do know that the claims were reducing when we went from the seven-year back to the five
[2:37:21] year, but I don't remember the exact numbers.
[2:37:24] So the more robust your trimming is, you have fewer claims typically.
[2:37:30] Okay, so we've had this company, West Coast, for 25 years.
[2:37:33] We've had them, yes, yes.
[2:37:36] Okay, why did we keep using them?
[2:37:43] I mean, when I start thinking about these things, maybe it's not something that other people think about.
[2:37:49] about 25 years, and we've had 171 related tree claims in five years, but yet we have actually
[2:38:03] agreed upon having them work for the city. We have employees from the city of Pomona,
[2:38:12] who have been with the company five years. I was impressed that he actually took the time to come
[2:38:18] over and let us know that he has been with the company for five years.
[2:38:22] I think that's pretty nice because, you know, we want to keep, we want to make sure we're
[2:38:30] doing the right thing.
[2:38:31] See, this is a, this is the thing, $240,000 in claim payments.
[2:38:36] Okay.
[2:38:36] Okay.
[2:38:37] So, when you say $240,000 of claim payments, is that something that we had to pay out?
[2:38:46] Yes.
[2:38:47] Okay, is that of normal, is that something that, you know, basically, regarding whatever the claim was, you know, falling on a vehicle or, you know, falling in the street, whatever the situation was, the claim itself, we've had a mix of claims and I've had a mix of claims that my other cities as well.
[2:39:13] And they really relate again to the robustness of the trimming that you're doing on a regular basis.
[2:39:19] You ask why we, I'm part of the question of we've used them for 25 years.
[2:39:25] I mentioned earlier that your ability to trim and what you ask for in a contract is often related to the funding you have available.
[2:39:33] So we asked for the minimum grid in a lot of areas where we could, we possibly,
[2:39:38] possibly if we had more funding would have done crown reductions or restorations but we did
[2:39:44] not have the funding to do it. So we kept on the grid cycle with the funding available
[2:39:48] to try to minimize that liability. You'll never wipe it out completely but that's part of the
[2:39:53] reason why we're we like this RFP so much is that it now increases that standard for the standard
[2:40:00] grid trim from the 25% up to 40%. So that will just increase the health of our trees, the structure of
[2:40:07] of our trees, all of those things that lead to claims.
[2:40:10] It won't ever fully eradicate, even if you gave me
[2:40:13] 10 more million dollars, which I would love.
[2:40:16] We'd have an amazing tree canopy,
[2:40:17] but we also need it for our roads.
[2:40:18] We'll talk about that later.
[2:40:21] But we will always have some level of claim.
[2:40:23] But the more you get in and do your grid trim
[2:40:26] on a regular cycle, and that's part of the reason
[2:40:28] why we're back in front of you, we are facing El Niño,
[2:40:31] and we really want to stick to a grid trim cycle.
[2:40:34] We want to have a more robust grid, and we want to have more frequent trimming, which is what this contract will get us.
[2:40:42] Okay, so you're dealing, so you're referring to the contract with Metaposa?
[2:40:47] Yes, the RFP.
[2:40:48] Okay, so it doesn't really relate to West Coast or North Star.
[2:40:55] Okay, what I'm saying is, if we say we decided to do something else, say we weren't in favor of doing Metaposa, okay.
[2:41:05] So, but yet, we have the ability to, well, I guess you can say what I'm trying to say is we've mentioned the palm trees from from what five to two years.
[2:41:20] Three, right? Two, two.
[2:41:23] Yes, sorry.
[2:41:23] Okay. Two.
[2:41:24] Yes.
[2:41:25] Right. So, so whatever, whatever the company that is chosen, we would still have that.
[2:41:34] Absolutely, that's the requirement.
[2:41:35] It's not just for one particular company.
[2:41:39] That's something I really wanted to clarify.
[2:41:41] Absolutely.
[2:41:44] There was a lot of stuff to read here.
[2:41:52] Basically, I'm really trying to make some sense of this.
[2:42:00] I'm impressed with all three.
[2:42:01] Okay. But everybody has a preference. Okay. So basically, you know, I don't know much about North Star, but they did impress me at the very, no, the very first meeting, you know, and I really had, I really have had no, no serious problems with West Coast.
[2:42:30] I don't experience anything with West Coast, maybe other people have.
[2:42:36] But so far, I haven't had much of a problem.
[2:42:38] Mariposa, I don't know very much about, I did some research on them.
[2:42:45] They're not as, they don't have as many employees, correct?
[2:42:52] And they deal with several cities, which is impressive.
[2:42:58] But I was just, you know, I'm really trying to get grasp here because being with a company for 25 years is a very long time.
[2:43:07] It's a very, I'm very impressed by that.
[2:43:13] You know, I mean, this is something, you know, working with a company for 25 years is like I work with Pomona Unified for 25 years.
[2:43:21] It's a relationship.
[2:43:23] Okay, so that's all I have to say.
[2:43:25] Okay, thank you.
[2:43:27] Councilmember Martin.
[2:43:31] Thank you.
[2:43:31] I'd like to call up Tony.
[2:43:34] I'd like to ask a couple questions.
[2:43:45] All right, Tony.
[2:43:46] Yes.
[2:43:48] I'm going to ask you, first of all,
[2:43:52] how long have you been a unionized company
[2:43:56] and how many employees are unionized with your company?
[2:44:00] One hundred percent of our employees are unionized and the union would tell you that I would be the only company
[2:44:09] who has ever gone to the union and solicited membership for my staff.
[2:44:17] No other company has ever done that, so since day one, we were unionized because we thought it was important because we started from the bottom and we know how important it is for our staff to have a living wage and to be respected in this industry.
[2:44:38] It's a tough industry. It's a very tough industry.
[2:44:41] And I've been in this industry for over 33 years, and my respect to everybody and anybody who's in this industry, it's not an easy industry.
[2:44:51] So from day one.
[2:44:53] And then how many employees are hired right now?
[2:45:00] The city of Pomona, your size in the cycle that you need, you probably need only about 10 to 12 employees, full time all year round to be able to service the city of Pomona tree palms on the cycles as far as the trees as well. The Chinese Elm's crown reduction, I agree with the 25% and 40% I agree with increasing the percentage of trees. I think minimal trimming will get you in trouble. I think we're starting to
[2:45:29] to see that across many counties,
[2:45:32] including Los Angeles County,
[2:45:34] minimum trimming will get you a lot of tree emergencies.
[2:45:38] And I think that's why Dennis from Mariposa
[2:45:41] was saying that they responded to 26 emergencies
[2:45:44] in the last couple of weeks.
[2:45:46] I'm not surprised, but you should be surprised.
[2:45:50] Minimum trimming is not gonna get you
[2:45:52] the city of Pomona, what it means.
[2:45:55] So I do agree with the 25 and the 40%
[2:45:57] of the trimming. What we like to do is we mitigate risk and we're species-specific. Meaning,
[2:46:09] you look at the tree and based on the type of species, then you approach it that way. You can't
[2:46:16] just hold to industry standards of 25 percent. Chinese alms need to be crown-reduced.
[2:46:26] They need to be
[2:46:27] to know the difference.
[2:46:29] Yeah.
[2:46:30] Okay.
[2:46:31] Thank you.
[2:46:33] Thank you.
[2:46:33] Thank you.
[2:46:34] Okay.
[2:46:35] I'm Nick.
[2:46:36] Can you come on up?
[2:46:43] I think that's your name.
[2:46:44] Sorry.
[2:46:47] All right.
[2:46:49] So I'm going to ask you
[2:46:51] similar questions.
[2:46:52] First of all, how long have you been
[2:46:54] a unionized company?
[2:46:57] Probably around about eight years,
[2:47:00] nine years now.
[2:47:00] Okay, and how many employees to you?
[2:47:04] We currently have 1200 employees in the union.
[2:47:07] Okay, and how many cities do you serve us in California?
[2:47:14] Well, we have a total of about 300 cities and total contracts over 400 and we serve
[2:47:22] California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas and New Mexico.
[2:47:26] How do you manage that many employees, you have different yards throughout the state?
[2:47:36] Yes, we have our corporate office in Anaheim.
[2:47:41] We have a big hub in Riverside, big hub in Sacramento, one in Arizona.
[2:47:48] And then we have four regional managers that handle regional managers and vice presidents
[2:47:54] like myself, and we all have about 10 to 12 managers, and I myself oversee 500 employees of the 1200 with about 100 crews.
[2:48:07] So resources are unlimited, especially in what's coming El Nino, we're there and
[2:48:14] can service whatever you need.
[2:48:16] I can mobilize hundreds of people at a time.
[2:48:20] And how many arborists do you have employed?
[2:48:24] Do you have arborists on?
[2:48:26] I think we have the most certified people in the nation as far as tree companies.
[2:48:34] Certified arborist, certified tree worker, master arborist.
[2:48:37] We have I think six master board certified master arborist, municipal arborist, certified arborist, utility arborist.
[2:48:46] We have everything you can name.
[2:48:48] Okay. Let's see. They were talking about, thank you for those answers. They were talking
[2:48:55] about the claims in the last five years where they, it was how much worth a dollar amount
[2:49:03] I apologize. Was it 500,000, 200,000? Dollars worth in the past five years. The question
[2:49:12] is in Pomona, is it mostly root related claims for the trees or it's fallen limbs on cars?
[2:49:21] I would say it's probably falling limbs from what I experienced the limb failures.
[2:49:27] A lot of summer limb drop with Chinese Elms and liquid ambers.
[2:49:32] It's a phenomenon that happens everywhere.
[2:49:35] And as Meg was saying, you know, you're not completely going to eradicate claims.
[2:49:41] These trees are a living organism, they fail, no matter what you do.
[2:49:46] You can cut 40% on them and at times they will fail.
[2:49:50] You can do just the best you can, and mitigating that by cutting more or less according to what the staff is ordering, and that's all you can do.
[2:50:00] And when we're questioned, what was the survey that your company did for the City of Pomona
[2:50:09] with the trees, the forest? Was there something that you helped work on or no?
[2:50:15] While we did a urban forest management plan for Pomona some years ago and we helped them
[2:50:20] develop their tree pallet, we also developed a management plan for Philips Ranch here some
[2:50:28] years ago that I was definitely involved with where because of limited funds, as Meg was
[2:50:33] looting to, we attacked the most important trees that would cause the most damage, which
[2:50:40] are the ones I think we put a buffer zone of about 50 to 100 feet behind all of the property
[2:50:45] owners. That way, if any trees beyond that, if they failed, wouldn't hit any property.
[2:50:51] So we managed to attack those first.
[2:50:56] Okay, thank you.
[2:51:01] That's it.
[2:51:02] All right, I do have some questions and I will understand Councilmember Garcia likes to
[2:51:10] say one last thing.
[2:51:16] Why?
[2:51:19] Okay.
[2:51:21] Okay.
[2:51:22] Why do we have an RFP process?
[2:51:26] Our RFP process mayor is to evaluate.
[2:51:29] but they've been with the city for 23 plus years, right?
[2:51:38] Do we have any other contracts that are 23 plus years
[2:51:44] with other entities, organizations in the city?
[2:51:48] I love this contract right now, it's 10 plus 10, so which 20?
[2:51:51] Okay, and the last contract that we had that was more than 20 plus years,
[2:51:56] We couldn't get an RFP because the council wouldn't agree to an RFP and that was our city attorney, our previous city attorney.
[2:52:05] So it's not unusual for cities to have RFP processes.
[2:52:09] Nobody's guaranteed that you're going to have in perpetuity, a contract, simply because you've been a great company, not questioning that.
[2:52:18] But on RFP process is a very healthy process in city government because you learn new information, perhaps you have new needs, but why do we have RFP?
[2:52:31] Well, who asked for this?
[2:52:33] The council requested and have an open competitive process.
[2:52:37] Okay. So just to understand, this city council asked for an RFP.
[2:52:44] Okay?
[2:52:46] I understand there is some tension here between union and non-union. That's not unusual.
[2:52:55] Did anybody on this council ask you, hey, listen, unionization is really important to me. Can you include that in the criteria?
[2:53:02] Because can you include in the criteria that unionization is important and you give points for that?
[2:53:09] Yes, you can.
[2:53:09] Okay. We did not do that.
[2:53:11] Okay.
[2:53:13] Nobody here asked for it. Nobody here said, hey, listen, this is we should emphasize
[2:53:19] this and how many RFP processes did we have? Two separate ones on this. Two separate
[2:53:26] ones. Now, I am personally in a union and I'm union guy, but we've had a process, right,
[2:53:33] that has been ongoing for how many, how long?
[2:53:38] It's not a year.
[2:53:39] Okay.
[2:53:40] And if we don't make a decision tonight to award,
[2:53:44] we're going to have another nine to 12 months.
[2:53:47] Right?
[2:53:49] Yeah.
[2:53:52] I represent the residents of Pomona.
[2:53:55] And it is my responsibility as an elected official
[2:54:00] to have faith and trust in staff to be able to deliver
[2:54:04] a rigorous process. That is not what we do. We can ask questions. We can even say
[2:54:13] you've staffed your wrong and you have a right to do that. But there's paid
[2:54:17] professional staff to do this work. It's not because I feel this or I feel that
[2:54:24] and it's a feeling or it's my imagination or you know I like those guys.
[2:54:33] They're
[2:54:34] that has a process called an RFP to come up with a set of criteria and you give
[2:54:41] everybody the same opportunity. And it just happened that Mara Posa came out
[2:54:46] ahead. Slightly,
[2:54:52] I accept that process,
[2:54:56] right? Is it a perfect process? I'm not
[2:55:00] here to debate whether it's a perfect process. It is a process, okay? And I believe
[2:55:07] staff did the job that we asked them to do. The idea of going back and doing another RFP,
[2:55:14] we are doing a terrible disservice to this community. It does not prevent West Coast Arborist.
[2:55:21] We would learn a lot from Mariposa. I have no connection to Mariposa. I have never received
[2:55:26] money from Mariposa. I've never received money from West Coast Arborist. I've never received
[2:55:30] money from your organization, Norstar,
[2:55:36] but I'm here to represent the residents of
[2:55:39] all of them.
[2:55:40] Do I think unionization perhaps should be part of the equation at some point?
[2:55:46] That's a conversation the council should have.
[2:55:48] Are we going to ask RVRP to be that?
[2:55:52] Does any city do that?
[2:55:55] It has to be a unionized organization in order to get extra points.
[2:56:00] We didn't tell you that, did we?
[2:56:02] Okay. Okay. So I'm just saying that I agree with Council Member Lestro that this is not
[2:56:11] good governance. This is not how good governance works. If it's about influence, if it's about
[2:56:18] pushing because then we should have stated that before that this is of utmost importance
[2:56:24] to us. And in fact, before the RFP, your organizations, the entities could have reached out
[2:56:32] to us and said, hey listen, we've got to emphasize that. There's nothing that
[2:56:35] preventing you from doing that. I don't recall ever speaking to West Coast
[2:56:38] Arborist in the time that I've been there, except when this process and that's
[2:56:42] okay. I don't recall speaking to you guys either, quite frankly. But there's a
[2:56:48] reason why we have an RF process so that we give everybody an opportunity to put
[2:56:53] forward their proposal. And so I support the two-year contract. It does not
[2:56:59] mean that I don't support unions that's actually untrue. In fact, like I said, this could always
[2:57:05] come back and perhaps we push my reposa to be a unionized so that we expand the number of unions
[2:57:11] employees. Much like we did with the cannabis process, cannabis employees of these entities were
[2:57:20] not unionized and we push for that as a city council and they are now union employees with UFCW.
[2:57:27] We were one of the only cities that offered extra pay to employees from our supermarkets
[2:57:36] during COVID because of the conditions they were working in.
[2:57:40] So it's not our, are we supportive of the union or not supportive of the unions?
[2:57:44] We have to be also supportive of a process that we agreed to.
[2:57:50] And now we're trying to sort of change, we're trying to change the rules in the summer.
[2:57:55] And so anyways.
[2:57:56] I support you. I support the decision that you made. I believe you made a sound decision, right?
[2:58:03] And I believe you're doing what is ultimately, I don't want to call it right for the residents,
[2:58:08] right? But that's our job. It's for us to be able to assess. So I support the decision that was made.
[2:58:14] I believe we should go into it to your contract from Heraposa. Bring it back. And if they're bad,
[2:58:19] I'm not seeing that. I'm not saying they are. But if they are, their violation of the contract,
[2:58:23] We welcome you to come back and to put forward a proposal, but in the meantime, I
[2:58:30] soundly believe in that there's a reason why city government can work and you
[2:58:36] have delivered that. I don't believe it's just an amount. It's interest, it's an
[2:58:43] emotional thing, it's like, I feel this and I feel that. That's, I'm sorry, that's
[2:58:51] That's that's not then why have a professional staff?
[2:58:56] Why haven't because I think it should be brown and you believe it should be gray and I like this roof and I you don't run cities that way and cities that run that way are very, very influenced by special interest.
[2:59:14] And I just think we got to be better than that.
[2:59:17] So anyways, I will turn over to Vice-American Health.
[2:59:20] I'm sorry, Council Member Garcia had her hand up
[2:59:24] in the Vice-American Health Office.
[2:59:26] Okay, thank you.
[2:59:28] Some, thank you, Mayor.
[2:59:30] I am also a union member.
[2:59:32] That's what happens when you're a teacher.
[2:59:34] But I also understand what the Mayor just said
[2:59:36] about no such direction was given to staff.
[2:59:40] So while I respect our union members
[2:59:42] as a union member, that cannot go into our calculation today.
[2:59:48] Some companies bidding for this contract may have unlimited resources, but the City of Pomona does not.
[2:59:54] This RFP is about addressing the needs of Pomona within budget.
[3:00:00] Recommendation number two, we'll reduce the tree risk and the claims we pay out significantly according to our staff report and the analysis by our risk management team and meet these needs for tree trimmings more appropriately for our city. And I move to approve recommendation number two, with the understanding that by smear can Alice will be speaking. Okay. All right. So we just just you know on the floor we have a first
[3:00:30] Okay, doesn't mean we have a second although I'm sure we'll get a second, but
[3:00:35] vice mayor can always go ahead and speak and then I'll ask for a second by the way.
[3:00:40] As the last vote happen, it could be up or down and we have to go to the second
[3:00:47] option should be counseled to you so just to be clear about that.
[3:00:51] There's no guarantee, vice mayor can also.
[3:00:54] I understand the need because of what's coming up, and I know that we cannot wait.
[3:01:03] But can you please explain to me why we would agree to a $1 million difference.
[3:01:10] I mean, where is the $1 million difference of North Star as a compare to
[3:01:23] So when we do an RFP process, we're not doing low bid, so let's start there because it's a balance, right?
[3:01:32] They were ranked on that proposal and that score.
[3:01:35] I would say part of what you are paying for the other firms is the experience and the technical expertise they have, and that they have served in other areas.
[3:01:46] And for a robust urban forest like the City of Pomona for many years and understand what it means.
[3:01:53] I would also say that that million dollars is over a five year period, so it's a hundred somewhat thousand dollars for the initial year.
[3:02:02] So that's really what we're looking at in terms of the award and the differential.
[3:02:07] And again, it turns out that Mariposa is not providing that higher level service and
[3:02:12] quality that we think based on the recommendations and the references that we called, then we would
[3:02:19] be looking to bring something different back to the council. But in the meantime, their experience
[3:02:26] did not appear to be what we needed. And part, I mean, I wasn't on the review process, but in reviewing
[3:02:32] the proposals afterwards. And having gone through selecting a lower vendor or selecting a lower bid
[3:02:39] vendor and having to cancel that contract and terminate that contract because they weren't able to deliver because they had never done that they had never had that level of experience before it's very impactful for a city of the size of Pomona.
[3:02:52] Can we have North Star defend that statement?
[3:03:02] I can guarantee you they're going to tell you they can do it and that's fine, but yeah, I mean, I know we struggle with finances in the city of Pomona and that is a concern.
[3:03:14] of mine is that we do have a financial budget
[3:03:17] that we're dealing with.
[3:03:18] And so a million dollars is of, you know,
[3:03:23] is something that I think that is of concern to me.
[3:03:28] Yes, absolutely.
[3:03:29] So we have the experience, we have the equipment,
[3:03:33] we have the personnel, we have the certifications,
[3:03:36] and we have the methodology on how to approach
[3:03:39] A city like Pomona.
[3:03:42] So we feel very confident that we would be able
[3:03:45] to work with staff, attribute 40% on given species in order to reduce risk.
[3:03:56] At the end of the day, what you want to do as an urban forest company is help cities reduce risk.
[3:04:03] You can't reduce 100% of it, but you can reduce a lot of risk by properly addressing species-specific pruning standards.
[3:04:13] And that is one of the biggest things that we bring to the industry is a different approach.
[3:04:20] Yes, we like the 25% baseline of the ISA standards, but we've also questioned it in years because it doesn't get you,
[3:04:28] it doesn't get the, it doesn't get an urban force like the size of Pomona, what it adequately means.
[3:04:35] So addressing risk is the number one priority that I think an urban forest company
[3:04:41] should be looking to partner up with the city, addressing risk, doing what's right for the tree while reducing risk for the city.
[3:04:53] Mr. Martinez, just because you're up here in this.
[3:04:56] Yes, and by the way, this is a paramount to me, but what cities are you currently servicing?
[3:05:04] We're servicing the city of Suza nearby and we're doing half a million there for the electrical side, utility and water department.
[3:05:13] And then we're also doing another half a million on the regular trim, like your city.
[3:05:19] We're doing over $2 million in the city of industry as well.
[3:05:23] We're doing a city of San Gabriel, city of El Monte, working with La Puente Hills out of LA County.
[3:05:31] City of Linwood, city of Hawthorne, in the South Bay.
[3:05:36] Yeah, to mention, it just kind of gives us an idea, very good sir.
[3:05:41] Mr. Martinez, I apologize, I see Council member Garcia has a question.
[3:05:47] Here's the thing.
[3:05:48] What you said was beautiful, but I didn't hear an answer to the question.
[3:05:53] How?
[3:05:54] How are you reducing your cost by a million dollars?
[3:05:59] Well, when you take everything into consideration, when you take everything that's going to be done,
[3:06:04] and over a million dollars, over the five years,
[3:06:07] you're reducing tremendously because of the way we approach.
[3:06:10] So we know our numbers.
[3:06:12] I've been doing numbers for over 33 years.
[3:06:14] I've been in the industry for over 33 years,
[3:06:16] and I've been doing numbers for a long time.
[3:06:18] How much do your employees get paid an hour?
[3:06:21] Oh, so we work with the, we're probably about five to 10%
[3:06:25] above what the union is actually stating
[3:06:28] that we have to pay for under the Department of Industrial Relations.
[3:06:31] So I don't, we don't pay just what the union states, we pay based on what we can perform on a merit base.
[3:06:43] Okay, that's great. I still don't hear an answer to the question. How are you reducing it by a million dollars?
[3:06:50] just if I can share it and yeah I don't want this to be a trial for each of the
[3:06:58] sure I respect all three of the vendors here so I like to ask for us to just
[3:07:10] refrain from if it's okay yeah I understand no I understand because I can
[3:07:16] And certainly, you know, if you look at the rankings, North Star was, I think, third.
[3:07:23] Yeah, which is respectable, was third, certainly West Coast Arborist was close in terms
[3:07:31] of first, but again, we rely on staff to do the meticulous work because we're not trained
[3:07:42] in that.
[3:07:42] It doesn't mean we don't ask good questions.
[3:07:44] It doesn't mean we don't probe.
[3:07:45] In fact, some will disagree about warring to my proposal.
[3:07:49] You have been to other cities, and sometimes you get contracts,
[3:07:51] sometimes you don't, that's just how it works.
[3:07:54] I just want to make sure that we're not in any way putting
[3:07:58] any of our vendors on a quasi trial here.
[3:08:02] But I understand where you're going.
[3:08:04] I understand where you're going.
[3:08:04] Thank you, Mr. Mortis.
[3:08:05] OK.
[3:08:06] Councilmember Pressio had some idea about where we might go.
[3:08:11] And just to my reminder, there's a motion on the floor.
[3:08:13] Thank you to the applicants. I don't want to get into an argument with my colleagues. I felt strongly about what the way I voted last time and I don't want to make any negative comments. But I do try to find solutions and find a bit of ground one thing I absolutely do not want.
[3:08:33] And I don't want to make that comment, but I don't want is any more laps of service.
[3:08:40] I think stuff
[3:08:44] could have been done differently, or a little bit more upfront last time.
[3:08:48] But I'd like to just make a suggestion, and that is that if we modify option one, I mean option two.
[3:08:56] Because that's what you moved, right?
[3:08:59] Councilman Garcia.
[3:09:00] We need service now. It's a two year contract. But how about instead of having the extensions
[3:09:09] in there, we make sure that within those two years, the following RFP comes forward.
[3:09:17] And thus if an RFP now is eight to 12 months, which is about a year, it would still fall
[3:09:26] It's the same timeline.
[3:09:27] Body plus I would be in for two years.
[3:09:30] But before that contract expires, the RFP comes up.
[3:09:36] Interesting point.
[3:09:37] It is my understanding that no matter what,
[3:09:40] after the two years, there's an evaluation process
[3:09:44] and that the council can decide to do an RFP.
[3:09:47] There is no guaranteed extension.
[3:09:48] So in other words, they don't get to extend it.
[3:09:50] It's the city of Pomona that gets to extend it.
[3:09:53] So I'm not sure how that aligns with what you're saying.
[3:09:55] That I understand, but in this case, I'm saying let's remove the options for extensions and let's have the RFP.
[3:10:08] Staff's comments on that. I mean, obviously, City Manager, Scott, do you have any strong thoughts on that?
[3:10:14] I mean, it's a very short-term contract to be able to turn it around.
[3:10:19] I think having an option to extend is always a good option to preserve continuity of service.
[3:10:24] And we find ourselves in a contract issue, our award issue in the future having an ability to extend while we're doing an RFP is helpful.
[3:10:36] So I would say that still having an option for at least for a one year extension with the understanding that this is a two year award would be beneficial to the city.
[3:10:45] Could you, assuming services good to great, could you have a extension one year which it would be all along it would take to have an RFP with the condition that there would be an RFP after that basically in the third year, but there could be an RFP in the second year because there's non performance.
[3:11:14] I would allow for a conversation about that one year.
[3:11:19] Okay.
[3:11:20] All right.
[3:11:21] So this would be a modification of the motion by Councilmember Garcia.
[3:11:28] And you're asking for a friendly of amendment to your motion.
[3:11:35] It's up to you, Councilmember. It's your motion.
[3:11:37] I
[3:11:40] think I've stated my beliefs about so-called friendly amendments before, which just if you're saying yeah, I think I think that you're phrasing just brought me back to a moment about five years ago.
[3:11:54] Oh, trauma everyone.
[3:11:55] I think so. Council PTSD. But I totally understand where my council colleague is coming from
[3:12:03] about wanting to move this forward without a lapse. If he is willing to do a two-year contract with
[3:12:13] an option for a one-year extension, what does that discussion look like?
[3:12:19] That's correct, but I'm hoping that in during by the end of the second year, we're so what I don't want is
[3:12:26] Like if it's timely if it's in conversation if it's and we have to that's why you're asking for that option for the extra year, right?
[3:12:34] Just like right now, we we needed
[3:12:37] We needed these extensions to carry us to this point because there was negotiations and conversations and RFP
[3:12:44] I would say that reason in addition to Councilmember also it gives additional time to judge
[3:12:51] performance.
[3:12:52] So even for our palm trees are moving to a two-year cycle, so to be able to add a couple
[3:12:56] of the judge performance of a tree contractor, I would say a two-year is at least a minimum
[3:13:01] to be able to make a decision on whether you want to move forward or not, and that two-year
[3:13:06] with the one option would give you that time frame.
[3:13:10] Before I-
[3:13:11] It sounds like our colleague wants to speak.
[3:13:13] Yeah, I think Councilmember Lester has a comment to make before I-
[3:13:19] A little background, Councilmember Lester was in terms of the Council work for a city and
[3:13:28] work in public works and understands contracts and understands the implications so he brings
[3:13:34] is a tremendous amount of insight that not always have the privilege of having, if you
[3:13:41] ask me about English literature, I could probably tell you a lot about that, but that's
[3:13:44] not what we're up here to talk about, but Councillor, and you won't tell you all that.
[3:13:49] I'm telling you to kind of give you an idea of the issue that he's raising as it relates
[3:13:53] to your point, Vice Mayor, I'm sorry, Council Member, appreciate it.
[3:13:58] Well,
[3:14:01] before I say what I was going to say, I know I mentioned at the July 20th meeting
[3:14:06] that I've had opportunities in the past during my professional career to review RFPs
[3:14:14] and to develop a developer review process very similar to what our public works department
[3:14:21] did for this particular RFP.
[3:14:24] And I know that based on the comments that I've heard tonight, I know that with all due respect that at least a couple of my colleagues don't understand that process, and that's fine, this is not just based on low bid, but what what I was going to say was is that I'm prepared to second councilmember Garcia's original motion.
[3:14:51] And my concern is, is that with respect to the suggested modification to that motion is...
[3:15:00] Is that if we just go with a two-year contract and then we we do another RFP that would have to get started quite honestly in the next 12 to 16 months if we were to award a contract tonight because it takes that long to go through that process as staff has described to us. I think we all know prices are going to go up between now and then. And right now we have we have bids for five years. We know those are they're fixed. We know what those are. And there's
[3:15:29] There's no guarantee that those are not going to change if we, a year and three months
[3:15:37] or a year and a half, we go back and we do another RFP that prices are not going to go
[3:15:43] up because that's the direction everything is going right now.
[3:15:46] And I think that the way that the option is written to your contract with the potential
[3:15:55] over three options, still gives staff the flexibility is that if the contractor is not
[3:16:02] doing its job based on staff's professional opinion, the folks in the field that are
[3:16:09] reviewing what they're doing, making sure that they're complying with the contract,
[3:16:14] this council will have that option if staff comes back to us and says we need to, we need
[3:16:22] to forbid this for whatever reason because the contractor is not performing, we have that
[3:16:27] ability. There is that ability because I don't think that staff wants a contractor doing
[3:16:35] work on our trees that are not performing to the standards that we set forth in the RFP.
[3:16:40] So I feel, personally, I feel that there's enough protection in the way that the option is
[3:16:47] written. I would have been very happy with the five-year contract.
[3:16:50] But I'm also, I can be comfortable with, with a two year contract with three optional one year extensions.
[3:16:59] Thank you, Councilor Prisciato.
[3:17:03] I just like to ask staff to please clarify, because there's different timelines that have been thrown out.
[3:17:09] At the last meeting, they said an RFP would last six months.
[3:17:13] Today, we're talking a little bit about eight months and a little bit more, and my colleague just mentioned a little bit more.
[3:17:18] or I think, why don't you just tell us?
[3:17:23] So it really depends on right now, as you all know,
[3:17:27] we have had a lot of staff leave,
[3:17:29] not only in our department,
[3:17:30] but also in finance and other departments.
[3:17:32] We all work together when we develop
[3:17:34] and have an RFP that goes out.
[3:17:37] And then when you look at council timelines
[3:17:39] and just how long it takes to vet contracts,
[3:17:43] it takes six to nine months, typically,
[3:17:46] With our team being down almost three members, it takes longer than that.
[3:17:53] So that's why you hear, you probably heard from the city manager's office and
[3:17:57] then when I went back to the team and we have other contracts that are coming due to.
[3:18:02] This is not the only one that we have.
[3:18:04] So currently in this situation, when we're looking at the team members that we have or
[3:18:08] don't have at this moment, then it can take nine months, nine to 12 months with the other things that we also have on our plate.
[3:18:16] Thank you for the comment.
[3:18:19] I still think that I've made an attempt.
[3:18:25] I think that the city manager mentioned that she was okay with it and if she wants to change her mind, she let me know.
[3:18:35] But I think that I mean, if you're worried about pricing, yeah, I could definitely see that, but it doesn't change much from the fruition of the current
[3:18:44] but suggested item number two.
[3:18:47] And that's why we have a competitive bid process
[3:18:50] because if one or all three choose to raise their prices
[3:18:54] or keep it low and win the bid,
[3:18:56] they have that option.
[3:18:57] It's called capitalism.
[3:19:01] So can you, I offered up some variation
[3:19:05] on what you said, but can you repeat what you're,
[3:19:08] so my proposal, your amendment would be
[3:19:10] to councilmember Garcia, just so we at least know
[3:19:14] and whether the council member will accept it
[3:19:16] because she may not, can you repeat that?
[3:19:19] Yeah, so essentially it is grant money
[3:19:21] plus of the two year contract and according
[3:19:25] to the city matter, she would still
[3:19:26] like the one year extension, I'm okay with that
[3:19:28] versus two of them.
[3:19:30] But I don't want us to, like I don't want the option
[3:19:35] to be like should we do the RFP or not?
[3:19:38] I want us to do an RFP.
[3:19:39] with a reasonable timeline. So if it's six months to nine months, that means that
[3:19:45] that'll for at the very least three months prior to the end of the two-year
[3:19:49] contract that RFP would get started.
[3:19:54] So if I'm hearing you correctly you are okay
[3:19:57] with the one-year optional but you don't actually want to exercise it. I mean
[3:20:03] that will be dependent on that time and that day because in case we need the
[3:20:08] extra time because of deliberation, an RFP process of where we maybe have less
[3:20:13] employees or more employees because we have told staff to get to the point where
[3:20:18] they're fully staffed. So maybe it's more on the six-month side but at least now
[3:20:23] they will take the RFP. And what I'm hearing you say is that you're not saying it
[3:20:28] there has to be an RFP at year two. It could be an RFP and it could be a number of
[3:20:33] backers as to why we would do it, but it's an RFP or a one year extension is what I understand.
[3:20:41] So I want the RFP to be definite, the timeline really that year potentially, it could lead to the third year,
[3:20:49] it could start depending, you know, I'm not, I don't want to, what the City Manager has asked me is to not pigeonhole them to the timeline and I'm okay with that.
[3:20:58] So if they this way, they don't have to start six months prior to the end of year two of the contract.
[3:21:03] If they so choose, they could start up three months later, two months after that or months, whatever they agree, but they at least have the year.
[3:21:13] In case they have to go to another RFP or deliberation or conversation or reduction of staff or an increase of staff, but they at least have that flexibility.
[3:21:27] I think my overall general recommendation is that it is in the best interest of the city to be able to award a contract this evening.
[3:21:37] We are without a tree trimming service with an urban forest of 37,000 trees.
[3:21:43] This impacts our entire city, the longer that we do not have a contract.
[3:21:47] I think that it is the best option to have a longer term contract because one you walk
[3:21:56] in prices, as Councilmember Lestro mentioned, it is labor some and resource intensive for
[3:22:02] our staff to do RFPs. So that is, it's better to have a longer term contract. So that is the
[3:22:11] best option. I also understand that this council is struggling to make a decision on this
[3:22:18] contract with time frame and price. This isn't a low bid contract. RFP as mentioned
[3:22:23] before, it is performance based. So I would say if a shorter term contract gets us to
[3:22:30] the main goal of being able to award a contract and providing service to our city, I can support
[3:22:36] that. I personally believe that at least a three-year contract would be in the best interest
[3:22:43] of the city because, again, for review and time frame and performance. If the council
[3:22:49] can't get there, I understand that in a two-year, I think would at least help us get over
[3:22:54] the hump, but realize, again, the very real resource issues that we are dealing with citywide.
[3:23:00] And that puts us in this whole process, again, in 18 months. And that is a very quick turnaround
[3:23:06] around time for the resource levels that we have.
[3:23:09] We have three people managing our tree contracts.
[3:23:13] We have a lot of turnover.
[3:23:16] But so those are some of the resource issues
[3:23:17] that we're handling along with several other major contracts
[3:23:22] within public works and finance.
[3:23:25] So those would be my thoughts on it.
[3:23:28] Thank you.
[3:23:29] All right, Councilor, I'm sure no of you
[3:23:30] and I know these aren't easy decisions to make
[3:23:33] but your colleague has offered up an amendment.
[3:23:39] If I can just make one last comment.
[3:23:42] Yeah, 18 months, but also that's why I'm saying
[3:23:45] if at 18 months she gets with you or the council,
[3:23:50] and she says, you know, it makes sense
[3:23:51] to start the process at 24 months
[3:23:55] as long as it's before the 36.
[3:23:58] And that's exercising the extension then, right?
[3:24:01] That's correct.
[3:24:06] I, here's the bottom line.
[3:24:09] We need tree service.
[3:24:10] We needed it yesterday.
[3:24:11] Actually, we needed a July 20th,
[3:24:13] which is why again, I can't believe that this is happening.
[3:24:18] This council has now shocked me twice in two years.
[3:24:22] So with that in mind, I will go ahead
[3:24:26] and accept a friendly motion for the two-year contract
[3:24:29] with one year optional, one year option, year extension.
[3:24:35] But I am with Council Member Lester, I would have been perfectly fine with a five-year contract because not only do I respect staff and their work, but I understand the boundaries and the limitations that we currently have.
[3:24:48] But if this is what it takes to get treats to the service, then I will accept that friendly motion and move on.
[3:24:56] And you
[3:25:00] can say reluctantly what I was going to say if that's the best we can do all seconded. Yeah, very good. Welcome to the team.
[3:25:09] So just do you have the language that you need to be able to report.
[3:25:15] Yes. Okay. I was just going to say that. Yes, I understand it. It's a tier contract with a one year maximum extension.
[3:25:21] And the last question I think is that it was a city attorney alphanage very same page is is to get a confirmation from error
[3:25:27] Posa that they would agree to those terms
[3:25:29] You might come up sir
[3:25:32] And mayor council the reason I say that is because you went through an RFP process and our contractors do base their proposals based on
[3:25:39] What they expect the contract to be and so you guys can all come up with great ideas
[3:25:44] But we need to have a meeting of the minds and absolutely
[3:25:46] And by the way this is rare that we
[3:25:50] the process looks like this, I just want you to know, but we bring you up here and yeah, thank you. I'm torn.
[3:26:03] There's a learning process when you take obesity and it takes a good year. So what you're asking in that process is figuring things out.
[3:26:11] We don't make a lot of money in those first years of these contracts, if any.
[3:26:17] And then you also have the grids, you have different grids.
[3:26:20] At the top of my head, I don't know which grid has the smallest easiest trees, but I'm locked in to $1 price for every tree in the city.
[3:26:28] So what you're asking me right now, assuming we do good work is that I'm done in three years, so I don't mind I'll get to get to the easier trees.
[3:26:36] That's a big ask right now.
[3:26:39] Am I willing to do it just because we're here and I want to start?
[3:26:45] be grudgingly yes and just councils come and go, councils can they modify this at some
[3:26:58] point?
[3:27:02] Obviously he's doing it begrudgingly but he wouldn't begrudge it if and I'm sure
[3:27:06] West Coast you know they they had multiple extensions. Right you could modify but I mean he
[3:27:11] I mean, Mariposa would still then have to agree to the contract terms on the price.
[3:27:15] Sure, sure, I understand what I'm saying is, and I can understand what the motion amendment is, right?
[3:27:21] But it doesn't lock the council and our future councils into it, that's all in essence.
[3:27:27] Well, you can always do that.
[3:27:27] I think I want to go back to a theme that I think's come from staff, and it's come from our public work structure.
[3:27:32] There's a reason why we have a process called an RFP, and there's a reason why we make staff recommendations the way we do.
[3:27:38] And there's a reason why doing these kind of modifications at 11 o'clock at night don't always
[3:27:46] lead to the best decisions in the best interest of government.
[3:27:49] I just need to say that again because what happens is you have contractors who invest
[3:27:52] a lot of money into the process, a lot of them responded, and then we put them on the spot
[3:27:57] at 11 o'clock.
[3:27:58] I almost guarantee you as your city attorney that they are going to come back and make
[3:28:01] requested changes because it's outside of the process, but I think the clarifying point
[3:28:07] is that you need tree service and if that's the way it's going to go, my legal advice to you
[3:28:11] would be if you decide to award the contract on the basis that you're discussing this evening,
[3:28:14] you should anticipate that there will be changes and those changes may not result in the lowest cost
[3:28:19] or the best services for you. What's what's hard about this is that I think some of us absolutely
[3:28:25] agree it should be a five-year.
[3:28:29] There's someone that's counsel that don't believe they should even be
[3:28:31] awarded. And so, some of us who believe in the process, who believe in staff having made
[3:28:40] a good sound recommendation, and that we can move forward, were not in that place. And
[3:28:47] that's the nature of council. It's not, it's an imperfect, it's, it's, we're an imperfect
[3:28:53] buy. And I don't say that because, you know, to say that's specifically about anyone person,
[3:28:59] and but sometimes councils make fair decisions,
[3:29:04] sometimes they make bad decisions,
[3:29:06] sometimes they make good or great decisions,
[3:29:08] and we're no different than any of the council
[3:29:10] from that perspective.
[3:29:11] I just will say this,
[3:29:14] don't for a moment,
[3:29:16] don't for a moment think or don't think
[3:29:21] that the communities,
[3:29:23] and I'm talking about particularly those
[3:29:24] who are private enterprise who see this
[3:29:28] and ask, wait a second, are you guys going to put me in that same spot too?
[3:29:33] We send a message to other RFPs that go out and are we going to micro manage this in
[3:29:40] a way that is outside the scope of a reasonable, thoughtful process.
[3:29:47] And all we're trying to do is to try to mold this into, because we know that our residents
[3:29:53] need services and that we cannot wait another year to be able to get them.
[3:30:00] So, we have a motion on the floor. I'm going to do the voting controls, okay? And you simply have to vote, yay or nay. I'm going to start the vote. And this is to approve a, in essence, a two plus one with an RFP.
[3:30:18] Start the vote is started. Make sure you lock in your vote. I have everybody locked in except Councillor Moranoverska.
[3:30:54] Okay, so I'm going to end the vote and it should go up and it is past six to one, okay.
[3:31:06] All right, this is not the end of the meeting for you or for us, but for those of you who
[3:31:14] been here for a long time.
[3:31:15] Thank you for being up to 10.59 PM, okay.
[3:31:21] Let's go ahead and move on to item 17.
[3:31:27] Thank you, Mayor.
[3:31:28] I am 17 is receiving file, a pavement management program presentation update.
[3:31:37] See
[3:31:40] what happens.
[3:31:42] This is actually what happens late in the night.
[3:31:45] I know you got bumped.
[3:31:47] So my apologies to you.
[3:31:50] So I turn it over to you.
[3:31:52] Thank you.
[3:31:53] Good evening mayor council members.
[3:31:55] My name is Matt Polaris.
[3:31:57] Principal civil engineer with the city's public works engineering department.
[3:32:01] I have with me.
[3:32:03] Chaboke.
[3:32:05] Ogbo.
[3:32:06] He's with ICC IMS.
[3:32:08] There are consultant to prepare our latest iteration of our pavement management program.
[3:32:13] As you may know, we go through this process once by every three years.
[3:32:17] It's required in order for the city to maintain various funding that we get from various sources,
[3:32:25] especially through Metro, in order to receive those funds, we have to have a pavement management program that we do an update.
[3:32:34] So may refer to our pavement management program process as a PMP, pavement management program, PMP.
[3:32:43] This is the first year that our city has included alleys in our PMP and it is also the first year in which we've done automated data collection.
[3:32:55] So automated data collection means that we've had vehicles that were automated to collect the payment condition index basically for all the streets in the city, all the streets in the city were driven.
[3:33:09] Before this, the PMP was done on visual evaluation.
[3:33:16] So it's basically we've made the change now to go from human eye vision in evaluation
[3:33:23] of the streets to machine vision essentially.
[3:33:27] So the city's PCI is one of the main criteria that we end up coming up with out of this process,
[3:33:35] This is a pavement condition index, a pavement condition index.
[3:33:38] Is a rating scale, goes from 0 to 100, 0 being worst, 100 being the best.
[3:33:45] And our overall pavement condition index for the city has decreased from 68.
[3:33:52] From the prior pavement study, approximately three years ago, to 55 or 56 without the alleys, 55 with alleys.
[3:34:05] I'd note that a fair amount of that has to do with funding and
[3:34:10] would win the payment management program has indicated.
[3:34:17] For all of your essentially that we've been doing it, that we should be funding the streets at a higher level.
[3:34:23] And when we're not able to manage that much funding to either have the PCI, the condition of the streets maintained, then they will decrease over time.
[3:34:35] and which is what we're seeing.
[3:34:36] The alleys also contributed adding in the alleys,
[3:34:39] contributed to the decrease in the PCI,
[3:34:44] and to book a disagree with me,
[3:34:47] we have our little discussions internally
[3:34:49] on a professional basis.
[3:34:51] My point of view is that the automated data collection
[3:34:54] also had increased.
[3:34:56] I believe that the human eye can often have a deference
[3:35:01] to looking at something
[3:35:03] and, you know, not seeing things as clearly as a machine vision that we used with laser-based
[3:35:09] crack measurement, which Jibuya talked about a little bit, can go down to a millimeter
[3:35:16] crack and see all of them and tell the differences between them. So it's quite amazing what technology
[3:35:23] can do. I'm not going to take up a lot more time, make it introductions. I would like to ask Jibuya
[3:35:30] We are able to come up.
[3:35:31] Chibugue is very well qualified and I'm very glad that we were able to bring ICC, IMS,
[3:35:40] to use company to the city.
[3:35:43] Chibugue is a registered professional civil engineer.
[3:35:46] He also has a PhD in civil engineering from University of New Hampshire.
[3:35:53] So we're very well in good hands, I should say, with Chibugi and ICCIMS, doing the Pavement
[3:36:02] Management System update for the City of Pomona, and if he could bring up our destination.
[3:36:11] Welcome.
[3:36:13] Welcome.
[3:36:13] Thank you so much.
[3:36:14] Welcome to 11.03pm.
[3:36:17] I'm sure you do this all the time.
[3:36:19] You have to call your family.
[3:36:22] Anyway, but it's been a fun experience for us.
[3:36:26] Tell the truth.
[3:36:27] Tell the truth.
[3:36:29] It's been an interesting experience, but I really, I'm really all not to be before you
[3:36:35] guys today to be able to provide you guys some of my professional services and to be able
[3:36:42] to save your community as well.
[3:36:46] We're just getting the PowerPoint or your presentation ready. Thank you. Just out of
[3:36:51] here I said how many slides?
[3:36:56] Yeah, I don't scare them yet. I wouldn't I wouldn't take so much
[3:36:59] of the time. Probably about 25 slides, but I would go for it. Okay. Okay. Okay. That's all.
[3:37:05] Hopefully some big pictures. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Now I'm not going to bore you guys with so many details.
[3:37:14] We are clearly having some technical difficulties.
[3:37:17] You do like the details.
[3:37:19] We can stay here for two or three more hours.
[3:37:23] Very good.
[3:37:25] Very good.
[3:40:16] testing echo testing echo
[3:40:19] No?
[3:40:24] Ever since then.
[3:40:25] A problem was made by the default sour.
[3:40:34] Probably not.
[3:40:34] No?
[3:40:35] No.
[3:40:36] No.
[3:40:37] I think the average is much higher than that.
[3:40:44] Yeah.
[3:40:44] The average is much higher in the third row.
[3:40:46] Yeah.
[3:40:53] The average is much higher in the third row.
[3:41:03] Yeah.
[3:41:03] Yeah.
[3:41:04] Yeah.
[3:41:04] I think it's really a great tip.
[3:41:04] All in all values.
[3:41:05] And you can see the average.
[3:41:06] Yeah.
[3:41:07] And it's one of the most important.
[3:41:30] I made it worse.
[3:41:37] Uh-oh.
[3:42:28] Yeah, I was gonna say
[3:42:40] Different words, maven, maverick.
[3:42:46] Did you have it?
[3:42:47] Did you have it?
[3:42:51] Are we good?
[3:42:52] I don't know.
[3:42:54] I'm happy.
[3:42:58] By the way, I passed for a like a three-three-three.
[3:43:03] I'm in the sauna.
[3:43:05] Test, test, test, test.
[3:43:07] I think we're going to be coming back with it.
[3:43:08] Test, test?
[3:43:09] Yes, the most important thing is do you have your presentation?
[3:43:13] Yes, you do.
[3:43:14] Okay, very good, very good, very good.
[3:43:16] A man who's prepared this while you have a presentation.
[3:43:20] Welcome, welcome to an 11-11 p.m. meeting.
[3:43:23] Thank you so much.
[3:43:25] We turn it over to you.
[3:43:26] I appreciate you, Mr. Mayor.
[3:43:29] And cancer members.
[3:43:31] It's an honor to be before you guys today to be able to provide our services.
[3:43:37] And like Matt already prefaced, this is the pavement management program we're going to talk about.
[3:43:44] I try as much as possible to keep this very brief and then I'll definitely leave time for some questions.
[3:43:51] A quick agenda would quickly talk through the pavement management process what that looks like.
[3:43:57] And then we talk about the pavement conditions survey which is where we start talking about the PCI, the pavement condition index.
[3:44:04] it was talking about which is our current system, then I'll give some examples of what
[3:44:10] representatives condition like when I say a piece of a certain number that typically looks
[3:44:16] like visually when you look at it while you're driving through your streets and then I'll give an
[3:44:21] overview of what your overall network payment condition looks like and then we'll talk more about
[3:44:27] the analysis and some of the project planning that we kind of projected into the future here.
[3:44:34] So if we quickly go to the slide 4, that's what our payment management process typically
[3:44:40] looks like.
[3:44:41] It's an iterative process.
[3:44:43] It's not something you do one time and you run with it forever, something we always have
[3:44:48] to iterate.
[3:44:49] So the first step is we typically come, we talk with the city of staff, we try to understand
[3:44:55] what you're looking to accomplish.
[3:44:56] as a short-term and a long-term cause we can.
[3:45:00] We plan for something we don't have an idea of. And then the second thing is where we actually come in and we also assess the pavement conditions as well. I tried to equate it to going to the doctor to do a yearly checkup or something to get an idea of what the condition of your body is very similar to the pavement in its regular checkup as well to have an idea what the condition of the pavement is. And then it's not just knowing the condition will take that condition.
[3:45:29] and we interpret that into results,
[3:45:32] we put that into analysis framework,
[3:45:34] and that's how we're able to come up
[3:45:35] with how to know exactly what rules
[3:45:38] we need to prioritize in a certain year,
[3:45:40] what rules we focus our funds on each year.
[3:45:43] So it's usually a five year program,
[3:45:46] we usually do a three to five year program,
[3:45:48] that's what you typically see.
[3:45:50] And then like I mentioned, once we give you the spline,
[3:45:53] you take that you execute on it,
[3:45:55] you're able to take your funds,
[3:45:56] actually apply the treatment to your pavement,
[3:45:59] and then you come back to us again,
[3:46:00] and we do the iterative process.
[3:46:03] So we start again from the beginning.
[3:46:05] We evaluate where we got to with your plan
[3:46:08] and see if you're trying to change your objectives.
[3:46:11] And then we walk with that and we do the same process again.
[3:46:16] So the pavement condition itself,
[3:46:18] so the pavement, like I mentioned,
[3:46:20] is just like a human as well.
[3:46:22] The same way we age a pavement ages over time,
[3:46:25] which means it gets worse, right?
[3:46:27] So what we are actually looking at in a slide five is what a typical degradation of your pavement will look like.
[3:46:34] So typically within the first 40% of its life usually expect about the 15% drop in its in its life.
[3:46:43] And then eventually after that then start to degrade really quickly because you start to have a lot of distresses up here on your surface.
[3:46:51] And then once you start having slight cracks, you start having an ingress of water into your pavement and it becomes worse
[3:46:57] That's how you start seeing a lot of pot holes on your pavements, and that's not what we want to see
[3:47:03] So the idea for us is how do we make sure we're actually capturing and applying the least
[3:47:09] cross-lit treatment, which is typically what we do within the
[3:47:14] That first few 40% of it's like when it's still in a good condition
[3:47:18] So it's very similar to applying a bandaid versus doing a major surgery.
[3:47:23] You always prefer to go with the bandaid first.
[3:47:25] So we know the bandaid is always going to be cheaper for you.
[3:47:29] So how do we capture the pavement when it's still at that least expensive treatment?
[3:47:34] Is there waiting for the time when you have to do a major surgery on it?
[3:47:38] So that's the way we usually think about pavement management.
[3:47:42] And then like I mentioned then slide this is just showing you how once you're
[3:47:47] able to capture during that period when it's still in a good condition, you're able to
[3:47:51] apply that, bind it on it. What we're able to do is buy more time for a pavement, you're
[3:47:56] able to extend the life. However, if you let it degrade over time and you're having to
[3:48:00] spend so much money doing that major surgery, start to realize like you're taking so much
[3:48:06] money you could spend initially, and you're only spending it on this small segment of your
[3:48:12] roadway instead of being able to cover a major area of your network with similar funds.
[3:48:19] So which is the whole top process behind payment management?
[3:48:22] How do we make sure we're keeping the good payment good?
[3:48:25] As well as we know that some of them are already back in a bad condition, as they also get those
[3:48:31] ones to be in a good condition.
[3:48:33] So it's always a place where we're trying to balance the two.
[3:48:37] Keeping good ones good and also keeping the bad ones and bringing it up to the good
[3:48:42] condition as well. And then the payment condition survey itself, so this is where we actually
[3:48:48] come in as well and like Mike had also hinted at what we're able to do in here with transition
[3:48:56] from the visual survey which you typically do, which is usually you send people out to go look
[3:49:02] at the payment and rate it. And if I send Mr. A out and I send Mr. B are they usually come back with
[3:49:09] different results. So what an automated system allows you to do your applies
[3:49:14] objectivity to your actual rating of the pavement itself. So you send an
[3:49:19] automated system, if you send it out today and you send it out a few hours later
[3:49:24] you're most likely getting similar results. But if you send it out today and send it
[3:49:28] out three years down the line, shouldn't be expecting the same results because you're
[3:49:32] expecting your pavement to continue to degrade over time. But the whole idea is being
[3:49:37] able to be objective and be able to have something you can always compare to the previous
[3:49:42] values. You actually have a right to know I'm actually doing better. I might get in
[3:49:47] worse with the condition of my pavement. So when you actually go out, I'm talking about the
[3:49:54] condition of the pavement, we're talking about the pavement condition index, but what you recognize
[3:49:59] are the cracks, what you recognize are the pot holes, what you recognize are the different patches.
[3:50:05] These are the things you typically recognize as you are driving through the pavement.
[3:50:09] But for us, we convert that into numbers, which is where the pavement condition index
[3:50:14] comes into play.
[3:50:16] So we go out, what are vendors?
[3:50:18] It has lasers, tandem lasers that drive through the entire network collecting images of the
[3:50:26] pavement itself.
[3:50:27] So based on those images, the conditions, all those cracks we're talking about, the pot
[3:50:32] holds the patches, we're able to capture the stains on the images and then we have an algorithm that
[3:50:37] goes through and rates all the stains detect and the width of the crack, the depth of the crack,
[3:50:43] so we're able to interpret all the stains into practical results, which comes into that payment
[3:50:49] condition index. So just to understand Matt's not making this stuff up then.
[3:50:55] He's actually, he's relying on the scientists to give him accurate information, so when we talk
[3:51:00] And we know we know Matt's getting the real the real information correct. Thank you. Yeah, so
[3:51:07] This is different. So basically when I'm talking about the spot holes the packs is the cracks
[3:51:12] That's what I refer to as the distress is right. So you look at the distress type. You look at the
[3:51:18] Distress severity and you look at the extent all these things are what eventually we put all together into what we
[3:51:25] caught up pavement condition index and it goes from 0 to 100.
[3:51:30] The 0 means very bad, 100 means brand new pavement.
[3:51:35] So we always want something that is closer to 100 for us.
[3:51:38] So we have the frame grading systems.
[3:51:41] We have the frame categories in which we put this numbers going
[3:51:44] from that 0 to 100.
[3:51:46] And that's what we actually have in this slide
[3:51:48] turning here from that good all the way to field.
[3:51:52] So we have ranges of PC that gets into this that we actually categorize into the different categories, which I'll still talk more about.
[3:52:02] So if we're actually going to represent it with payment conditions, this is where you actually start to recognize some of your streets from slide 12 in here.
[3:52:12] A very good example, something that we say is in a failed condition is usually something that goes from a zero to 10 points.
[3:52:19] and within that hundred points range we get for a zero to a ten point that's
[3:52:24] what we'll consider as failed and that's a good example which we have in East
[3:52:28] Olives streets and pretty sure that's a road you don't like driving on because
[3:52:32] of how bad it looks exactly so that shows you an example of what a failed
[3:52:41] condition looks like and at that point it even becomes a safety concern as well so
[3:52:46] that we don't want our streets looking like that.
[3:52:50] And if we move further, we have a serious condition
[3:52:53] very close to a third condition as well.
[3:52:55] That goes from an 11 to a 25 points, right?
[3:52:58] And a good example there is that Westwood Avenue,
[3:53:02] you can see what that looks like.
[3:53:03] You have a lot of that cracking as one of the major
[3:53:06] distress is showing up on the surface.
[3:53:08] And if we're going to the next one,
[3:53:10] which is a very poor condition,
[3:53:12] going from a PCI, which is the payment condition index
[3:53:15] of a 26 to a 40 and a good example on this East Iowa highway you can see what that looks like
[3:53:22] probably not as bad as the one you drive every day.
[3:53:28] Well and then we see what we'll call
[3:53:31] a park condition as well arranged between a 41 to a 55 we see an example of that do point place
[3:53:39] street, and then we're going to a fair condition, starting to look a lot better from a fair upwards,
[3:53:46] and you can see a very good example, the real rancher road, which is just minor cracking
[3:53:51] showing up on the surface. Just a crack on the surface, but it's not as extensive as the
[3:53:58] previous ones we've been looking at. And then we're getting to a satisfactory condition.
[3:54:03] usually goes from a range of 71 to 185, it gets getting very close to a big grade in here.
[3:54:12] So typically you look at that pavement and you can barely even see the distress, you can
[3:54:16] barely see the cracks, it's very rare, you're going to see a pothole on a PCI that's considered
[3:54:23] a satisfactory condition. And we have a good example there on South Reservoir Road and then a good
[3:54:29] condition which is typically representative of a brand new pavement. We can see a very good one
[3:54:35] there at East Laverna Avenue. I wouldn't be surprised it was probably paid within the past
[3:54:41] four, five years or less. But then general overview of the condition of your entire network. We have
[3:54:51] a graph there on slide 20 just to give you a big picture of the entire Pomona. What are we looking at?
[3:54:58] And we can see that on an average, we have, if we look at an average condition, we have
[3:55:06] that at a 55 currently.
[3:55:09] I'm pretty sure if you're a student and you get a 55%, so that's not a good grade.
[3:55:13] Unless you're in the sciences, sometimes a freshman, really good grade, but we know that's
[3:55:18] not the case.
[3:55:18] It's not good.
[3:55:21] Well, that gives you like an idea of where the entire network is, and we're talking about
[3:55:26] about 406 cm of roadway, right?
[3:55:30] And we also have what we consider a backlog.
[3:55:33] Backlog is typically where we have to actually
[3:55:35] do that major surgery I was talking about.
[3:55:38] So we can see that we have almost 48% of your roads
[3:55:42] needing major surgery.
[3:55:46] So we're way down the line.
[3:55:48] It's kind of a shock to this entire city council.
[3:55:53] And then just to give you a little bit of an idea,
[3:55:55] because you have different types of streets.
[3:55:58] You have the ones that carry the most of the traffic,
[3:56:00] which we usually refer to as the arterios
[3:56:03] and your collectors.
[3:56:05] And then you have your local roads
[3:56:06] taking you into your homes,
[3:56:08] as well as your alleys as well,
[3:56:10] which has also hinted that we just recently added that.
[3:56:14] It happens to be that your alleys
[3:56:16] is in the worst condition, which is not surprising.
[3:56:19] Because again, this is the first time we actually...
[3:56:23] This is the first time we're actually adding that into the entire network inventory as
[3:56:29] well.
[3:56:30] But it's not surprising that most of the time the highly trafficked road to waste tend
[3:56:35] to be in a decent condition because if you're not in a good condition, I see the way
[3:56:40] your residents have been calling in, they probably call you more if the roads that are trafficked
[3:56:45] by a lot of people are not in a decent condition, you get more costs.
[3:56:49] So most of the time those roads, the arterios, tend to be in a much better condition than
[3:56:56] the local roads and the alleys, which is what we are seeing here in this slide.
[3:57:02] And then just to give you an idea of the percentage of your roads that fall into the different
[3:57:07] categories, you have your local roads that actually occupy almost 50% of the roadway within Pomona
[3:57:14] is actually local roads. Again, this also gives you an idea of the different, because I was talking
[3:57:20] with Mark earlier, he says, the different funding you get typically kind of ties back to where that
[3:57:26] funding goes as to the kind of roads you can actually through the kind of funds as well. So it's not
[3:57:31] surprising that when you have the maturity of your roads as a local road, kind of funding that is
[3:57:37] available to just the local roads, again, might be problematic as well. So you would tend to see them
[3:57:42] in a much poor condition or bad condition compared to the
[3:57:46] materials. But you can see there that the local roots make up
[3:57:49] almost half of your entire inventory. And what we are looking
[3:57:53] at is in terms of area, because if we look at it in terms of
[3:57:56] just the length, it wouldn't necessarily be objectives, because
[3:58:00] we have some roots that are falling six lanes. If we just say,
[3:58:04] hey, we're just looking at the length, it might not be an
[3:58:06] objective way to look at it. So we look at it in terms of the
[3:58:09] areas of the entire payment you have accessible to you.
[3:58:16] And then if you open up to the slide on slide 23,
[3:58:21] it actually gives you like a general summary
[3:58:24] of the entire network as well.
[3:58:25] There are so many numbers in there, which I don't want
[3:58:28] us to spend so much time looking at those different numbers.
[3:58:32] But just a few things to actually pick out
[3:58:34] there is how we'll be able to break down
[3:58:36] the entire network into these different functional classes
[3:58:39] is like I mentioned the materials. You can see how that's looking like in terms of the condition.
[3:58:45] I know we're looking at it in form of a graph. But if you ever wanted to see the numbers as well,
[3:58:50] you can start to see the numbers in here. You can have an idea of what the lane miles is. So lane
[3:58:55] miles is also another objective way of looking at it in a linear manner. So what we're able to do,
[3:59:00] we're able to standardize it based on, take the number of lanes and standardizes and that's how
[3:59:06] we're able to have lane miles.
[3:59:07] So that's also a standard way of looking at it,
[3:59:10] a size looking at the pavement areas as well.
[3:59:12] And then you can see what the conditions are.
[3:59:15] It's also broken down into you also have your asphalt roads,
[3:59:19] as well as your concrete roads.
[3:59:20] You can see that most likely your asphalt tends
[3:59:24] to be in a better condition than the concrete ones,
[3:59:26] which I'm pretty sure you guys can attach to
[3:59:29] by how bumpy your concrete roads are.
[3:59:32] So, and then when we actually come down
[3:59:34] to the analysis in which we conducted the payment management plan itself. So the first thing
[3:59:40] that we actually take into account, we like to know what the rehab activities you guys
[3:59:45] do perform on your roads there. So this is where we start to break things down. So the first two
[3:59:53] there, it's what we usually refer to as very similar to your bandages, whenever you think about
[3:59:58] the slo-r-e-s-e-s-n.
[4:00:00] The KFCO, those are the typical examples of what we'll look at as abandoned and put in a blended on the pavement. And then we start to talk about things like an overlay, which means you're pretty much resurfacing the entire pavement or even taking out the old stuff and just putting it in a new one, which you typically refers to are reconstructing the entire road. Those are the ones that are usually cost the most to perform. So if you start to look at the numbers in there, you see how
[4:00:29] It differs significantly between the seals versus those overlay and the reconstruction. So we take this numbers as well
[4:00:38] Like I mentioned we take this numbers. We implement them into your entire network
[4:00:42] So what we usually do we try to rank the entire network and based on that ranking system will come up with the prioritization of okay
[4:00:51] This is probably within the next five years. This is probably where you want to focus your funds now
[4:00:57] And we also do more of different funding models as well to look at what different funding
[4:01:06] could get you and how far it could get you from a condition standpoint.
[4:01:11] And that's how we get into the most important slide you probably have to talk about here,
[4:01:16] which is this our five year funding model.
[4:01:19] And what this is pretty much showing us is, on the horizontal axis, we are looking at
[4:01:24] your budget in terms of a million per year funding level and then on the
[4:01:29] vertical axis you're looking at the condition. So it's not surprising that the
[4:01:34] money you have available better the condition that's just just a no-brainer in
[4:01:40] there but we're actually looking at the specific numbers we're able to run
[4:01:46] not wanting to go into the different details but one thing that is very
[4:01:50] significance just at the current level your entire network is if you're trying to
[4:01:56] maintain just that level which is the red line we're looking at that you probably
[4:02:00] need to spend about 25 million each year just to maintain it at this current level so
[4:02:07] anything less than that means you're getting worse how do you tell us how to get that money
[4:02:17] is laughing. Let the record note that he's laughing.
[4:02:22] No, we actually do understand this is a challenge for every
[4:02:28] single municipality. I was even having conversations with Matt
[4:02:32] before we even jumped on here. Just discussing different funding
[4:02:37] strategies you guys have for your pavements and things maybe
[4:02:41] And it's good to know that you guys are in good hands because he's thought about different
[4:02:47] ways as well in which, in everything I threw at him, he's like, yeah, we thought about
[4:02:53] getting some money through this and that and the friend grants here and their different
[4:02:58] bonds.
[4:02:59] I'm like that's usually what most municipalities have to do to be able to at least catch up.
[4:03:05] So, but just to give you a big picture of, you know, your current condition if you're looking
[4:03:10] to improve. You probably need to invest more, which is just honest. So a very similar chat also
[4:03:19] in slide 27, but in this case, you're actually seeing how those different models change each
[4:03:25] year as well, but it's just a very similar information that, you know, depending on how much you
[4:03:31] have available to you, that's also what's going to determine what your overall condition is going to
[4:03:36] to look like at the end of the next five-year cycle.
[4:03:40] But yeah, that's pretty much it.
[4:03:46] All right.
[4:03:48] As we typically do, we ask if there are any brave souls
[4:03:52] out there who wish to speak on this item.
[4:03:55] We don't have any.
[4:03:58] Council, is there anyone who'd like to speak?
[4:04:01] I just have two points to make,
[4:04:02] but let's go with Council Member Garcia,
[4:04:05] the Martin and the Canalas.
[4:04:10] Thank you for the presentation.
[4:04:12] Mr. Pillars, earlier this season, I can't even say last month, but I think it was very close to about a month ago.
[4:04:24] You sent me a wonderful plan for the pavement, for district three, for the next few years.
[4:04:32] And unfortunately, and fortunately, because every street needs help.
[4:04:36] We're paving around all of, but the street that was chosen as the failed example is not getting paved.
[4:04:45] And I just want to take this moment to make my comment, which is my every three year plea it seems that I understand it's going to cost more money.
[4:04:54] And we're going to be able to do less streets because it costs more money, but all of in county have to get paved.
[4:05:01] they they definitely cannot wait there's I think I gave you a list of like five
[4:05:07] streets around my like must get done lists and all of the county are on there as
[4:05:13] well as that cul-de-sac Taliban because they're just basically gravel at this
[4:05:17] point with that being said I believe that every single council member on this
[4:05:22] dius gets calls at least on a weekly basis from one person or another who
[4:05:28] who reminds us that their street has not been paved in 25 years.
[4:05:33] So with that being said, anything we could do with a magic wand or a grant or a bond,
[4:05:43] to take care of streets like all of that are in failed condition first, I would appreciate.
[4:05:49] And that's my only comment.
[4:05:51] If that might make a brief response, Council Member.
[4:05:56] So we are listening to your concerns and your requests.
[4:06:02] And as part of one of the consent items that you approved earlier this evening, there
[4:06:08] is a remnant of, we call ATPC4 job in the city's CIP.
[4:06:14] Its proper name is Pomona Multineigh Neighborhood Bike and Pedestrian Project.
[4:06:20] It's the same project that we built the first roundabouts for the city, three roundabouts.
[4:06:25] We paid most all of ninth street, paid a number of other streets, put bicycle facilities,
[4:06:30] ballbots and a number of areas.
[4:06:33] But that project has second phase into it and as part of what you approve with the consent
[4:06:40] agenda was an amendment to RKA Group's contract.
[4:06:44] And in that second phase, is county Aula,
[4:06:49] there's some other streets in the city as well in various parts of the city.
[4:06:53] So we're not, you know, can't concentrate everything in one district.
[4:06:57] But we are looking to prepare documents for those streets.
[4:07:03] I don't know that we'll be able to afford both of them in the near future,
[4:07:07] but being that we did recently just pave all of the cul-de-sacs
[4:07:12] along the south side of County is is a good step in the city on a come in the city for doing it in that order doing the call to sex first and then County, you know, next in time, even though I understand you may make it pressure otherwise from constituents and I understand residents, you know, I really wants their street paved in a better condition, but by doing the call to sex first.
[4:07:35] first and then county subsequently, then we don't have to retraft like a brand new
[4:07:40] county road street to then get into the cul-de-sac. So I believe we are proceeding in the proper
[4:07:46] order and we are making progress towards your goal.
[4:07:50] Thank you. I'm very methodical sometimes and I appreciate going from the south up. That
[4:07:56] makes sense to me. So thank you, Mr. Polaris. And I appreciate your work.
[4:08:01] Thank you. Council Member Mourning.
[4:08:04] Well, first of all, thank you for your presentation and welcome to Pomona and this evening is only in Pomona, this kind of meetings happen.
[4:08:16] So it's going to be a lot of fun.
[4:08:18] I've shared this with other staff, new staff members, but we love Pomona and the more you're here, you're going to love it as much.
[4:08:25] So welcome.
[4:08:26] and then for you Matt and for me and Arnold, thank you for having the meeting today to fill me in a little bit more about this presentation so I could understand it inside and out and I really appreciate all this information. Thank you.
[4:08:44] Thank you.
[4:08:48] So my understanding is that you do
[4:08:52] repayment based on districts
[4:08:53] from every two years,
[4:08:56] or is it just the need?
[4:08:59] So we do have
[4:09:02] the process that we go through
[4:09:04] where we do the districts
[4:09:07] in the south part of the city
[4:09:08] in one year,
[4:09:10] and then we do the
[4:09:13] districts in the north part
[4:09:14] of the city the following year.
[4:09:15] So if that's the two years that you're referring to, Councilmember, I believe, that is a process
[4:09:21] we implemented to try and make the most of any one year's funding.
[4:09:27] When we try to spend the funding over the whole city, then the contractor has to remobilize
[4:09:34] basically to all these different locations, right?
[4:09:36] And so if we concentrate in one year in one area of the city, the contractors' remobilizations
[4:09:42] are much less and and we can get you know fair amount of work done or more work done
[4:09:47] for the same amount of dollars because a contractor doesn't have to remobilize to a bunch of
[4:09:51] different locations. I think that answers the one part of your question the other part of your
[4:09:57] questions. I think district six is up at this point. Yes so in 2027 we are starting to prepare the
[4:10:08] construction documents for the streets in the north part of the city which would include district six yes and if I know
[4:10:14] Someone I think you sent me a list of the streets that may be repaved and or redone
[4:10:21] If there's a street that we can't that we really feel like I mean because the residents are concerned they have been done
[4:10:28] According to the residents 30 years 40 years
[4:10:31] Can we suggest that we re-evaluate those particular streets?
[4:10:36] definitely. You know residents can reach out to the public works engineering
[4:10:41] department, the council members, if you need to reach out to me in a
[4:10:45] particular circumstance, please feel free to do that. I know in a perfect
[4:10:48] world, you know, everybody should be and I would like to live in is just do
[4:10:54] the PMP and you follow it and everything is perfect. But in the real world, you
[4:10:58] know, PMP is a very important tool. So I'm very grateful to ICC and IMS's work and
[4:11:05] to help and should movies help to put the document together, but PMP is part of the picture.
[4:11:09] Resident requests come into play, council member requests, grants and grant funding.
[4:11:14] Sometimes they only let us work on certain types of streets with certain types of work.
[4:11:18] Developments we take into account, if a development is going to come in a year or two and
[4:11:22] they're going to pay part of the street, then we don't want to go spend city money on doing that.
[4:11:26] And then if a development does come in, pay part of the street, then we want to potentially finish parts of the street.
[4:11:31] So we think about those things.
[4:11:33] Utilities, in some cases, I know there is a particular street in another district that what are your
[4:11:42] constituents and council member asked about and yet there is a utility job coming on that street.
[4:11:48] So we don't want to pave that street and then have it cut up.
[4:11:51] So we think about those things, whether it's Southern California Edison job and
[4:11:55] they're doing underground work or are young utilities for water or sewer or storm drains.
[4:12:00] We think about those things. Take them into account. Sometimes neighboring cities have requests. We'll have requests of them try to factor all of those things in addition to regional projects, funding types and other things to actually come to, you know, what's recommended as part of the CIP for the streets to actually get paid.
[4:12:18] But if you do have a particular situation by all means reach out or I'll email you probably tomorrow and ask you what you have in my first good we'll see what we can do about.
[4:12:29] Okay, thank you.
[4:12:30] You're welcome.
[4:12:31] Thank you.
[4:12:32] I have a one comment in the question and this is a very superficial comment.
[4:12:41] When you repay a street, I remember the day and sometimes I'll see it in some cities where the.
[4:12:48] be paving that the street remains black for a longer period of time.
[4:12:58] What I see now is after a month or two or three, it just looks like a faded street,
[4:13:05] but it's a good street because it doesn't have potholes, it doesn't have cracks.
[4:13:10] Why is that?
[4:13:10] Yes.
[4:13:11] Because I'll drive in some cities and it is black for months, if not maybe I can't verify
[4:13:20] that.
[4:13:20] That's not scientific.
[4:13:21] But can you explain that?
[4:13:24] Some what?
[4:13:25] Yes.
[4:13:25] So we will use different products for different treatments on different types of streets and
[4:13:33] to sort of summarize a conclusion to your question.
[4:13:37] And we'll use a product called asphalt rubber hot mix.
[4:13:42] It has actually ground up tires.
[4:13:44] We're actually recycling tires and using them in pavement.
[4:13:48] The city has gotten additional grant monies
[4:13:51] for that in the past.
[4:13:52] And it is a more flexible pavement which helps
[4:13:55] that last longer not crack as much other benefits.
[4:13:59] That pavement, because it has a ground up tires
[4:14:01] and it has a lot of carbon black in it,
[4:14:03] it is more, it is blacker, like you're saying,
[4:14:06] and it stays blacker longer because it has that component in it.
[4:14:10] More expensive?
[4:14:11] It is slightly more expensive.
[4:14:13] Yes.
[4:14:13] I'm just curious because that was it.
[4:14:15] You're good.
[4:14:16] Yeah.
[4:14:16] And a conventional asphalt.
[4:14:18] We'll start sliding up soon.
[4:14:19] But I was just curious about that.
[4:14:21] The second is it has to do with setting goals.
[4:14:24] Setting a goal.
[4:14:26] And maybe it's you mentioned that already.
[4:14:29] Part of being able to set goals is that they're smart goals
[4:14:33] and they're realistic.
[4:14:33] right. I'd like to replace the entire street by 10 years. All our streets, to get from 55% to 85%.
[4:14:41] But have we talked about perhaps working towards that of by a certain point, obviously we get grants.
[4:14:50] I know that we have a huge project that will eventually become an arrow, which is an important development.
[4:14:55] Yes.
[4:14:55] I mean, the arrow is bad. I'm driven it numerous times and it'll be all
[4:15:04] I know I've raised this and we'll continue to have this conversation, but it's only going to get more expensive. And so I just think we have to look at what might be some opportunities for us to be able to use.
[4:15:18] How it is that finance it obviously do it within the rules and the law. The laws that exist regulations that exist is that to do as much as we can sooner rather than later because it is going to be a
[4:15:31] it is going to cost us a lot more by waiting and so and certainly for the residents there's always
[4:15:38] that frustration that comes when you know I've lived in this community for 50 years and my
[4:15:44] street has never been repaid I don't know that people can exaggerate but it may be very well
[4:15:49] very well be true.
[4:15:54] I'd like for us to and if we have maybe we've done it maybe you have the goals
[4:15:58] But if not, it's something to shoot for so that we can see how the progress is coming along and obviously this depending on our city's finances,
[4:16:07] depending on grants, depending on a number of things, but if I could say we're at 55% today, but in a year from now we'll be at 56%.
[4:16:17] That's progress, but if you're saying we're at 55% today and next year we're going to be at 47%, right?
[4:16:26] Right, that's not on you, it's ultimately, we collectively have to figure out how do we get to a place where the majority of our streets are, what should we be trying to do, what's 75% and 80% what?
[4:16:38] In PCI terms, if you're around 70, you're doing very well.
[4:16:42] I mean, so, and we're at 55%, we're only 15 percentage points of improving our grade from an F to a C minus, really.
[4:16:52] Thank you, thank you for indulging me.
[4:16:55] I'll turn it over to the more sophisticated
[4:16:58] cause of Paulton members of the council to ask the
[4:17:01] hard questions.
[4:17:04] Again, this is an informational item.
[4:17:06] We don't need to take action on this, or do we?
[4:17:09] No, that's received file.
[4:17:10] I know it's hard to think.
[4:17:11] It's an overnight file.
[4:17:13] And so, don't need to take action, correct?
[4:17:15] No, it's receiving file.
[4:17:16] Receiving file, very good.
[4:17:17] Thank you.
[4:17:17] Thank you.
[4:17:18] Appreciate it.
[4:17:19] Great job.
[4:17:19] Bob, Matt, one day there will be a statue of you in City Hall, man.
[4:17:26] You're a true legend.
[4:17:31] All
[4:17:34] right,
[4:17:39] item 72,
[4:17:45] what is next?
[4:17:51] Item number 19 is a public hearing to receive comments on the fiscal year 2526.
[4:17:57] Consolidated annual performance and evaluation report at Caper.
[4:18:06] Oh, can we take a discussion now?
[4:18:12] Well, welcome, as always.
[4:18:14] Thank you for bearing with us.
[4:18:15] Thank you.
[4:18:16] Good evening, Mayor Council.
[4:18:18] My name is Maria Acunco with the Housing Services Division.
[4:18:22] The item before you is a public hearing to receive comments on the consolidated annual performance
[4:18:29] report.
[4:18:30] It provides a summary of the federal expenditures for last year, as well as the corresponding activities and projects that were completed.
[4:18:41] This report is required by HUD to be submitted annually.
[4:18:45] That concludes my presentation.
[4:18:50] Wow, so this is a public hearing, let me open the public hearing.
[4:18:53] How many speakers do we have?
[4:18:54] There are no speakers.
[4:18:55] I will close this public hearing.
[4:18:57] Are there any comments from council members?
[4:18:58] I assume that there are no comments.
[4:19:02] I'll be happy to entertain a motion, Nora.
[4:19:05] Second, we've got a first, got a second.
[4:19:07] This is just a quick roll call vote.
[4:19:09] Martin?
[4:19:09] Yes.
[4:19:10] Cresciato?
[4:19:11] Garcia?
[4:19:12] Yes.
[4:19:12] Oliver O's Cole?
[4:19:13] Yes.
[4:19:13] Lustro?
[4:19:14] Yes.
[4:19:14] Canalus?
[4:19:15] Yes.
[4:19:15] Standable.
[4:19:16] Yes.
[4:19:17] And that ought to be the gold standard, right there.
[4:19:19] Okay.
[4:19:21] All right, let's go ahead and do 20.
[4:19:22] Is 20?
[4:19:23] Yes.
[4:19:24] Okay.
[4:19:24] Okay item 20 is a public hearing to consider a city initiated project for 16, 16 pre that is a very thick binder
[4:19:34] That's what the agenda was and that worries me now all right. Sorry Carla. That's okay
[4:19:40] 16 pre-fabricated modular units for the development of affordable permanent supportive housing with on-site and off-site improvements located at 2040 North Gary Avenue
[4:19:50] So I had now our presentation, but since we're having technical difficulties now just give me a couple minutes I can explain the project.
[4:19:59] So previously the council had approved accepting grant funding for this supportive housing units and then approved the contract to both buy the units which are prefabricated in a factory and then the construction contract to to install the units on site.
[4:20:18] What you've never approved was the design and how it looked.
[4:20:22] And so a new it asked staff to go back and go through the process like we would a normal project that we would see from a private developer.
[4:20:32] Normally, the city projects are not subject to zoning regulations because we tend to do projects that don't really fit zoning like kids world.
[4:20:41] or throwing a stable reconstruction on the water building,
[4:20:46] building a reservoir storage tanks, things like that.
[4:20:50] This is one of those because normally you wouldn't do these
[4:20:54] modular units on a site because the way they're constructed,
[4:20:59] they wouldn't meet our standards just because the foundations
[4:21:05] and the way they work.
[4:21:07] So this particular project, even though normally you don't
[4:21:10] that require the zoning, we went through and tried to see and make sure that we had the lowest impact on the neighborhood as well as meaning all the zoning requirements and we basically did except for some landscaping you have the units are basically side by side behind the existing hub in the parking lot.
[4:21:33] So the part of that park, the existing parking goes away, there's a deck in between to provide some common open space for these little one bedroom units and studio units.
[4:21:43] We are then taking part of the existing water lot, they have a well behind the hub, we're using part of their lot to put parking back.
[4:21:52] So there will be 31 parking spaces for 16 units, which is far above what a normal affordable housing project would have.
[4:22:03] We're meeting, we're less than the height limit, we're meeting all our setbacks.
[4:22:08] As I said, the one thing we're not meeting is landscaping and it's because we didn't count the entire well site, which is just landscaping for the whole site.
[4:22:20] If this were a private developer project, general plan allows for 24 units on site.
[4:22:27] We're only doing 16 with density bonus because this is 100% affordable.
[4:22:32] You could actually do 43 projects, 43 units on this site and you could go four stories.
[4:22:39] We're at one and the most you could require parking wise under state law is one space per unit.
[4:22:46] So we are building this project at a very low impact to the neighborhood.
[4:22:51] We did look at the CEQA and the environmental and staff's recommendation is that it's exempt.
[4:22:58] And that is because we are under general plan density, air quality, noise, water quality,
[4:23:05] and traffic have all been looked at as part of the general plan.
[4:23:08] And general plan said you should put 24 units on this site.
[4:23:12] So we are actually below impact on all those.
[4:23:14] In addition, traffic, it doesn't even meet the minimum threshold to study under sequa with VMTs.
[4:23:22] So just to sum up, we're recommending approval, we're below density, we're
[4:23:27] below, we're trying to, we've tried to eliminate every potential impact to the neighborhood.
[4:23:33] One other thing, the city has been working, all the departments together.
[4:23:38] So housing, building and safety, planning, public works have all been working and
[4:23:43] meeting every week on this project since about May, to make sure that we're meeting all the requirements.
[4:23:49] We've also worked with the fire department to make sure that they are fine with the way they access this project.
[4:23:57] It does still need to go through plan checks, so it will meet all the building code and fire code requirements.
[4:24:02] We are also paving the alley that's to the north and making it striped red so it is very clear that you cannot park on that alley.
[4:24:11] And that is something that the fire department has requested.
[4:24:14] So with that, I'm here to answer any questions you might have.
[4:24:18] Thank you, thank you for that.
[4:24:20] This is a public hearing, so at this time I'd like to open the public hearing, and it looks like we have a speaker.
[4:24:25] We have one speaker in there.
[4:24:27] Okay.
[4:24:31] Jason and I have a stand up.
[4:24:33] Yeah.
[4:24:40] Welcome, sir.
[4:24:41] You have three minutes.
[4:24:43] Thank you.
[4:24:48] Okay, thank you.
[4:24:54] Okay, thank you, I appreciate it.
[4:24:55] So Mayor and fellow council members, thank you for letting me speak tonight.
[4:25:03] I'm here in opposition to not adopt resolution 206103.
[4:25:10] Myself along with 47 other residents that live in the area, opposes as well, I actually
[4:25:17] live directly across the street on Ford from 2040 to North Gary Avenue, so I can literally
[4:25:24] see it from my sidewalk. I reviewed the city staff report as well as the project plans and I found
[4:25:31] several unresolved issues that I believe need to be addressed before the council can make the required
[4:25:37] findings. First, the city is relying on the Class 32 SECA in fill exemption. That exemption requires
[4:25:43] evidence concerning traffic, noise, air quality, water quality, and adequate public services. But the city's
[4:25:50] public works documents say the traffic circulation still has to be demonstrated with turning templates.
[4:25:56] And that a detailed 50 year hydrology and hydraulics study has yet to be completed or at least
[4:26:03] made available in the project plans.
[4:26:08] Second, the parking numbers don't make sense.
[4:26:10] The city in the project plans proposes 30 parking spaces, which is contrary to what he just
[4:26:17] stated. But the staff report says it anticipates up to two vehicles per units. 16 units times
[4:26:29] two is 32, which doesn't account for onsite staff, which is going to be there. Visitors
[4:26:39] is it existing family as stabilization hub is counted as well as emergency services.
[4:26:48] That far exceeds 32 parking spaces. Third, the drainage plans need clarification.
[4:26:56] The project plans say the final stormwater destination is an existing school grass area.
[4:27:02] While the public works says runoff must be directed to the public storm drain system.
[4:27:06] Fourth, the project includes a new alley intersection, a Gary Avenue and reconstruction
[4:27:16] of approximately 450 feet of alley, yet I have not seen in a project specific traffic
[4:27:23] analysis addressing those improvements.
[4:27:26] Finally the staff report says normal zoning standards don't apply because this is a city
[4:27:30] project and staff merely attempted to follow those standards where feasible.
[4:27:37] I believe the council should have clear objective evidence regarding setbacks, parking lighting,
[4:27:41] privacy, traffic, and neighborhood compatibility before approving a permanent residential development.
[4:27:48] The city should resolve the specific technical and environmental questions before making a
[4:27:54] final decision, or at least make it publicly available.
[4:28:00] All right, that was the only speaker on this item and I'm going to close the public care. You can have a seat, sir.
[4:28:08] You can give it over to our city clerk. Yeah, my apologies. Yeah, thank you.
[4:28:12] We do have a couple of council members who wish to speak.
[4:28:18] I'm going to start with Vice-Mirror Canales and then Council Member Martin.
[4:28:21] So if you want to maybe come up, they may have questions for you.
[4:28:25] Vice-Mirror Canales.
[4:28:26] Yes, I know that it's a Justin to the San Jose school.
[4:28:33] Have we taken that into consideration about it being so close to a school zone?
[4:28:38] It
[4:28:44] talked with the school district about putting a new wall and the block wall was agreed upon by the district, but we tried to put the parking that way so we would have a little impact to the school.
[4:28:59] And so these units are in the middle between the existing hub and parking.
[4:29:02] So the housing would not face the school district, and the school district would not.
[4:29:09] It's about, it's probably about 150 feet away from the actual school district property.
[4:29:18] Because you have the parking lot in between.
[4:29:20] And the school district is aware of this project, and they've agreed to it.
[4:29:23] We've received no comments from them.
[4:29:25] Okay.
[4:29:28] Councilor Morgan.
[4:29:33] Yes, thank you.
[4:29:35] going back to the school district, I spoke to a couple of school board members, and they were shocked that we approved that project without their knowledge, so I don't know who you spoke to from the school district, but the school board members did not know about it at the time.
[4:29:58] We route it to their staff.
[4:30:00] And so I don't know if they don't share that information that's, but we route it to them as staff, just like we would any other project. But we don't we don't control what staff tells school board. Right. Okay. So they're really worried about the children because it's the playground right there. Just like another project in the past is all about the children safety. Okay.
[4:30:29] Okay, and then the second thing is I don't know when our guest speaker received a notice for the public caring.
[4:30:40] But may I ask him when he, if he received the first one, but I mean the first time when we, when we voted on it.
[4:30:52] What month was that May?
[4:30:53] I think it was May or April, I don't know.
[4:30:56] April or May, did you receive a public hearing because no?
[4:31:03] And I live within the town.
[4:31:04] Just a reminder, we should have that on microphone.
[4:31:07] Right, just in the future, anybody who's speaking out here needs to get the mic.
[4:31:14] But are you asking him questions?
[4:31:17] Well, I'm going to go back to Jeff free.
[4:31:20] I just wanted to.
[4:31:21] some additional information we want to give you
[4:31:23] with regarding the school district as well.
[4:31:26] So there has been discussions and George can speak to it as well
[4:31:29] is that there has been multiple discussions with POC.
[4:31:32] There's gone back and forth about the wall
[4:31:34] and having the fencing and the coverings.
[4:31:36] So do you want to elaborate on those discussions?
[4:31:38] Sure.
[4:31:39] Good evening, Mayor and council members.
[4:31:41] And council members.
[4:31:43] Yes, I spoke with initially when we were looking
[4:31:46] at developing the project on the side
[4:31:48] when we looked at the site,
[4:31:49] We initially had conversations with the neighbors, immediate neighbors, which did not include the gentleman that is here, but we wanted to get a feel and see how they felt about us putting the modulars in that area.
[4:32:02] At the same time, we contacted the superintendent, which is Fernando Mazza at the time.
[4:32:07] We discussed, you know, what our plans were, he was okay with it as long as we build a block wall to kind of screen the project from the kids. So they were in agreement of the project, at least the concept at that time.
[4:32:22] So going back, I'm sorry, so going back to Jeffrey's comment about the wall. So is the wall not going to be there, or it's going to be there for sure it's going to be there.
[4:32:34] Yes, it's in the plans that they will be constructing a brand new six foot high block wall.
[4:32:38] Okay, thank you, thank you, that's very important.
[4:32:42] Okay, one more comment.
[4:32:46] So the business is that align right next to that property.
[4:32:51] So Los Angeles that drive through restaurant, I spoke to that owner, business owner.
[4:33:02] and she was shocked to hear that it's going to be there.
[4:33:08] She says she has extraordinary amount of homeless issues
[4:33:13] that continue to be epidemic.
[4:33:16] There was a homeless woman that went up to the drive-through,
[4:33:21] walked up, and then sort of speaking to the cashier.
[4:33:27] And then the next thing you know, because of her mental illness,
[4:33:31] She sprayed mace in the face of the cashier inside the restaurant.
[4:33:38] It's just a countless encampments that are in the back that she's always calling all the time.
[4:33:46] Then Gino that owns the office that's right next door.
[4:33:52] Him and his wife came last time to speak on it and they oppose it too.
[4:33:57] And so, you know, it's really, it terrors me apart because the people that live around
[4:34:05] this project make it extraordinary impacted.
[4:34:11] We, at the same time, are trying to make a solution for homeless individuals.
[4:34:19] So, one big concern last time when we voted on it was the property manager needs to live on site 24-7 and at the time it wasn't.
[4:34:35] So, is that now in the project 100 percent?
[4:34:39] Yes. So, the housing deals with the property management company and there will be an onsite manager living on site.
[4:34:47] That's in one of the units.
[4:34:50] In addition, the entire site will be fenced or walled with gates for the parking.
[4:34:57] There are also security cameras and lights that will be installed in the parking lot.
[4:35:00] So they'll make it much safer in the alley and the parking lot that will be constructed.
[4:35:05] And one more question, the security, I know we talked about security.
[4:35:11] Can you remind me about the security of the place?
[4:35:15] Is there any security? I don't remember.
[4:35:19] As physical people, security or there will be security, there will be security cameras
[4:35:27] installed. I'll let Bev talk about if there's people. That's something I don't know.
[4:35:32] It's an operation.
[4:35:33] Sure. Good evening, Mayor and Council. There will be security on site. There is existing
[4:35:38] security on site because of the family stabilization hub. So staff is, the staff hours for the
[4:35:45] The hub are 9 to 5 and then security is there up until the next morning, until they arrive.
[4:35:52] When we develop the housing units, we'll have 24 hour security there on site.
[4:35:59] So okay, so it's in the guaranteed contract that we'll have property manager and security 24-7s.
[4:36:09] Now, the city is the developer.
[4:36:12] We are the owner of the site and the developer.
[4:36:15] So we want to ensure the success of this project.
[4:36:19] As such, we plan to have operational procedures that include office hours for the property manager,
[4:36:25] what to do for property management instances.
[4:36:28] So we're in the process of developing that right now.
[4:36:31] And last question, is it going to just be a lottery or will it be Pomona folks first?
[4:36:40] Pomona folks, 100%.
[4:36:43] That's in the contract with Tri-City.
[4:36:45] And so we will match families for those units.
[4:36:48] Okay, great.
[4:36:49] Thank you.
[4:36:51] Thank you.
[4:36:52] Councilmember Lestro.
[4:36:54] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[4:36:58] Jeff, you and Beverly, I think kind of answered the question that I was going to ask
[4:37:01] and that was with respect to property management and kind of the I'll just characterize it as oversight
[4:37:10] of the folks who will be living in the support of housing. And the reason I asked that,
[4:37:16] the reason I asked that question is I had I had opportunity earlier today to to drive by hope for
[4:37:23] home on Mission Boulevard and I was I was really disturbed to see outside of the
[4:37:31] the parking lot on the west side of Hope for Home probably about 12 to 14
[4:37:37] individuals just kind of camped out hanging out outside outside the wall out
[4:37:43] there and then even as I drove a little bit farther probably about a hundred feet
[4:37:47] east of the main entrance to Hope for Home and encampment out on the out on the
[4:37:52] sidewalk. And so that really concerned me to see that. I have no idea whether the folks
[4:38:00] that I saw outside were clients of the facility or not. I have no way of knowing that.
[4:38:10] But when I saw that today, I started thinking a little bit about this project on tonight's
[4:38:15] agenda and it's like, we don't want to see the same thing up on North Gary. This is going
[4:38:20] going on out there so that was that was the question I was going to ask with respect
[4:38:25] to management oversight of the of the project.
[4:38:30] We agree and we wouldn't want that either.
[4:38:38] All right council member on a vertical.
[4:38:41] I have to really agree with council most because I did see the same thing and also across
[4:38:51] the street. They're there. I mean, I couldn't believe how they, instead of going into hope for
[4:38:58] home. I don't know if the beds are all taken or what, but it is a pretty bad site. So you're saying
[4:39:07] it's just going to be for the Pomona homeless. How are you going to determine that? And how do you,
[4:39:13] how do you find out that they are? Because there's so many coming from Los Angeles County. And I hate
[4:39:20] to say this, but I think L.A. is cleaning up for the 2028 olympics and your question
[4:39:28] on this way and not only that and not only that, you know, I've been hearing that they're
[4:39:38] coming from that direction on the gold line.
[4:39:42] This project is a little different.
[4:39:44] This project, the majority of the funding came from Tri-City.
[4:39:48] and so these are for their clients, Pomona clients,
[4:39:52] and we work with Tri-City to match small families
[4:39:56] for these small units.
[4:39:58] Okay, I'm on the board as well as Canela's.
[4:40:00] Yes.
[4:40:01] Okay, but we really don't hear anything about,
[4:40:05] I mean, we know that their homeless people,
[4:40:09] Tri-City is working with some individuals,
[4:40:14] but we just want to make sure that we do get these people
[4:40:16] that Tri-City has been working with because, you know, I want them to have first hand in things.
[4:40:27] And like I stated, we want this project to be a success. We're working closely with Tri-City.
[4:40:33] We're invested in the families that will be there. And we intend to provide oversight, collaboration,
[4:40:40] with property management, and all of that.
[4:40:42] So you're saying families, so these little homes?
[4:40:45] They're small. They can occupy no more than three to four individuals.
[4:40:50] Really? And how many square footage?
[4:40:53] George, you have that information.
[4:40:58] Ideally, one to two, no more than three.
[4:41:04] So they vary in size. Some of them can vary from between 300 to 400 square feet,
[4:41:10] which will allow for a family.
[4:41:13] There's a bedroom, and then there's the living room, which we consider living room to be a sleeping room,
[4:41:18] so they can put a bed in there to accommodate the four and it won't constitute overcrowding.
[4:41:23] Is there a kitchen?
[4:41:25] Yes, they're all self-sustained.
[4:41:26] In a restroom?
[4:41:27] Yes, correct.
[4:41:28] So basically it is a small little home with all of the amenities, okay?
[4:41:34] That is correct.
[4:41:34] And so one of the things I wanted to clarify is that this is permanent supportive housing.
[4:41:38] Right.
[4:41:38] It's not interim whereas the shelter is interim.
[4:41:41] People go in and out of there.
[4:41:42] So these will be families that will be placed there permanently.
[4:41:45] I just wanted to add on to that. I think one of the key differences for home where we do recognize that is an issue and it's mainly individuals that don't want to follow the rules of the shelter. So they set up camp and that's an issue that we're addressing.
[4:42:01] Yeah, but I would say that we operate other facilities, the sanctuary, where there are permanent units, you don't have the loitering and the sleeping encampments at those facilities where they're permanent, where there's not any really, you have to have been in a program, you have to have a housing unit there as opposed to the shelter where the transient a bit of a nature and so we ended up with those other issues.
[4:42:27] Yeah, because when I ask a homeless person if I feel like they really should go
[4:42:34] I see why don't you go to the home and I hope for home in fact I even had the police take a couple of ladies
[4:42:43] Because they had no way of getting there so but right away the next day I saw that one one particular person and I'm like
[4:42:52] What are you doing here and she says they didn't have any room for me so
[4:43:00] That's in this location wouldn't be somewhere where there's someone's being taken for in-term housing
[4:43:05] Okay, so it's going to be definitely a tri-stitied case
[4:43:09] Correct
[4:43:15] I'm just going to go continue with the speakers and you have your name up so okay
[4:43:23] Council's
[4:43:23] Here's Council Member Garcia, you have not spoken.
[4:43:28] Is that correct?
[4:43:28] Okay.
[4:43:30] Council Member Cannellas and Martin, you've spoken already.
[4:43:33] I will take you after Council Member Garcia,
[4:43:36] because she has not spoken nor have I spoken.
[4:43:38] And then I'll be happy to hear from you both, okay?
[4:43:42] Just so we make sure we give everybody a chance
[4:43:44] to speak on this matter.
[4:43:46] So I'll go with you, Council Member Garcia.
[4:43:49] Thank you, Mayor.
[4:43:51] I always find these items interesting,
[4:43:53] because in 2016, it feels like Council at the time did not bat a nilash at putting a over 200 bed homeless shelter in my district.
[4:44:03] And I clearly remember a former Council member making the joke that District 3 took a bullet for the city.
[4:44:10] So we took one for the team.
[4:44:11] So I would respectfully ask other districts that when you get permanent, supportive family housing that is fully vetted and funded, secured.
[4:44:20] and with property management and parking and design consideration all which were attempted for hope for home and obviously it's not a perfect system but it is a system and we're trying to work with it that we please accept it graciously because this city definitely needs help this weekend I was approached by three individuals two elderly and one single mother who need help with housing.
[4:44:50] we need help with housing in the city and if we're going to say no to the RSO or put limits on it like we did we
[4:45:00] Should not be putting limits on supportive family housing. That is my piece. It is 1212. I have to go teach 480, 14 year olds at 830 tomorrow morning. So I would like to make the motion knowing that there are two people who are going to speak that we go ahead and approve this project. Thank you. Yeah, I just did. I'm going to speak and then I'm sure you have short comments. Yeah, just.
[4:45:28] I, on the one hand, I could certainly appreciate anybody's concerns who live in and around the area, but
[4:45:40] there's some irony in this.
[4:45:42] There's a school right next door, and yet there are homeless families who need housing.
[4:45:53] It's a contradiction, right?
[4:45:56] You cannot have, you cannot have, or solve homelessness in the absence of building housing.
[4:46:06] And this is a creative way of doing that, with an attempt to mitigate these issues that
[4:46:12] could arise.
[4:46:13] You cannot compare hope for home to what this project is.
[4:46:17] There are two different projects.
[4:46:20] Two different really clientele, as you're talking about, individual homelessness with varying
[4:46:25] various challenges versus small families because there's a child, right? And if a child has
[4:46:35] a place to go to, and you know, three to four to five minutes worth, he does not a lot. I feel
[4:46:43] very privileged that my son has the opportunity to be in a large home, but not everybody has that
[4:46:47] privilege. And so if we say no to projects like this, then we, then, then, then, how are
[4:46:57] you going to solve homelessness? It's a good project. It's something that we need
[4:47:02] to monitor and certainly they should be a part of the community, the neighborhood that
[4:47:07] you all live in. I think sometimes when we think about these projects, the, oh, and I've
[4:47:14] heard this before. And I, not saying you said all that, this is other comments that have
[4:47:18] been made, they're almost like their criminals. And yet, these are just people who perhaps
[4:47:26] can't afford it, fallen on hard times. We have an office there that's already there to
[4:47:33] help families and to help children. And here we are building 16 units. We're not talking
[4:47:39] about 166 units. We're not talking about 1666.
[4:47:45] We're not going to get to solving this problem
[4:47:47] if we're not willing to do these types of projects that are in this case all
[4:47:51] Pomona residents and supported by the services that are needed to make sure
[4:47:58] that it's a it's a good project now if it fails we have to acknowledge that but
[4:48:03] it shouldn't fail it really shouldn't and we have other examples that the city
[4:48:08] manager. So I just there needs to be context here about that we're not going to solve homelessness
[4:48:18] if we're not committed. And I think we've been committed to affordable housing projects,
[4:48:22] inclusionary housing ordinance. It reflects the values of this community. And for us to,
[4:48:29] we should push and we should have security. I get all that. But remember these are these are
[4:48:33] These are families, these are human beings.
[4:48:35] Let's not assume the worst, right, at all.
[4:48:41] Because there are people who live in very wealthy communities
[4:48:44] who commit certain types of acts
[4:48:49] that are different than any other social class.
[4:48:52] So I just wanna say that.
[4:48:53] Okay, council member, cannellas, and Martin, okay.
[4:48:58] And as a member of the Charity Board,
[4:49:01] I understand that there is going to be a criteria and that this criteria, if they violate the criteria, there's going to be consequences, correct?
[4:49:14] So it's permanent support of a thousand, they will all have a lease.
[4:49:17] And if someone violates the lease, we have the right to evict them.
[4:49:21] Right. And that's what I'm saying is that, you know, we are, there are guidelines and there are families that are going to be going in here that really need the support of
[4:49:32] housing for them and their children.
[4:49:35] That's correct, correct?
[4:49:37] Yes.
[4:49:37] And that's what I wanted to say is that,
[4:49:39] and that they do violate,
[4:49:41] there is going to be consequences to the violations.
[4:49:43] Absolutely.
[4:49:44] So I don't think it's going to cause
[4:49:48] Lordeering of inappropriate people
[4:49:50] because I think it is a place for families
[4:49:55] that it's going to be accommodating
[4:49:58] to what's needed in our community, right?
[4:50:02] And we're trying to anticipate potential problems,
[4:50:05] but as problems arise, we will address them.
[4:50:08] And those families will be on a wraparound service as well.
[4:50:12] Yes, supportive services from the hub are available,
[4:50:15] case management, housing, navigation, career,
[4:50:22] growth, financial literacy.
[4:50:24] All of those are currently available
[4:50:25] at the Family Stabilization Hub.
[4:50:27] Yes. I just wanted to reiterate what we have talked about and just real quick. There should
[4:50:34] also be an opportunity to move on up. Yes. Right. I mean, this is stabilizes the family
[4:50:42] with all the support that's needed in the moving to a bigger apartment. Yes. Or perhaps
[4:50:46] the home. So Councilmember Merton.
[4:50:50] Thank you. I'll just be brief. So the consequences
[4:50:54] is that Council Member Canalis brought up, so it's written out with the rental agreement,
[4:51:03] all the rules, and if you violate it, you will be evicted, or is that how it's going to?
[4:51:10] That's correct. It'll be a typical lease if you violate the lease, then we have the right to
[4:51:16] Okay. Secondly, the last meeting I asked someone in the staff, I don't need to call out that person, but I said, is it going to be discriminatory then that if men want to rent one of those places they're automatically going to be eliminated from the application process?
[4:51:42] or it will be, I just, because we keep talking about families.
[4:51:48] So we're talking about, so wonder if it's just a single individual man that wants to apply for one of the smaller units.
[4:51:58] So a family constitutes having a child, so our plan is to match families to those units.
[4:52:05] We don't intend to discriminate, again we plan to work closely with Tri-City to match for
[4:52:10] With that site, understanding that these are vulnerable populations taken into consideration
[4:52:16] neighborhood concerns, so we plan to think diligently about who is placed at this particular
[4:52:22] site without being discriminatory.
[4:52:25] So, except there'll be a child at each?
[4:52:28] Absolutely.
[4:52:30] There must be a child with whoever is.
[4:52:32] And when we're questioned, can it be a shared unit within two family units, meaning two moms and one child each?
[4:52:44] Is that something to be considered or not?
[4:52:47] Well, a family gets to designate the makeup of their family.
[4:52:51] If there's two female, they get to decide what their family is composed of.
[4:52:57] That's a good, that's a good answer, like the answer.
[4:53:03] All right, that's and I'm just going to close on this.
[4:53:07] Defending to pay for the security and for the manager on site.
[4:53:14] My question is, is that, is that dependent on grant funding or is it out of the general fund?
[4:53:21] And no, so we will project base this particular project.
[4:53:27] That means the clients will pay no more than 30%, and HUD will pay the other 70%.
[4:53:33] As the owner, those revenues allow us to take care of operating costs.
[4:53:40] Security, property maintenance, and so that's the plan for generating revenue.
[4:53:46] Okay, thank you, all right.
[4:53:48] Okay.
[4:53:50] All right.
[4:53:51] We have a motion.
[4:53:53] Councilmember Garcia, and I'm happy to accept a second.
[4:53:56] I'll second it.
[4:53:57] Okay.
[4:53:58] All right.
[4:53:58] Let's go and do a roll call on.
[4:54:01] Martin.
[4:54:02] Yes.
[4:54:03] Perciado.
[4:54:03] Yes.
[4:54:04] Perciad.
[4:54:04] Yes.
[4:54:05] On a various call.
[4:54:06] Yes.
[4:54:07] Lestro.
[4:54:07] Yes.
[4:54:07] Canales.
[4:54:08] Yes.
[4:54:08] Yes.
[4:54:09] San Diego.
[4:54:09] Yes.
[4:54:10] All right.
[4:54:10] You.
[4:54:11] Thank you.
[4:54:11] So that is the final item.
[4:54:15] So at this time I'm going to go ahead and adjourn this meeting to the next meeting which will be next Monday.
[4:54:21] Everyone have a good night out. Get some rest.