[0:01] Welcome to the city council regular meeting. Today's Tuesday, February 17th,

[0:06] 2026. The meeting is called to order at 6:31. The pledge of allegiance will be

[0:13] led by Council Member Woo. >> Thank you. Please stand up

[0:17] and place your hands on your heart and repeat after me. I pledge allegiance to

[0:22] the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands.

[0:28] One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[0:34] » Thank you.

[0:37] » Clerk, roll call, please. >> Mayor Manaka,

[0:40] » here. >> Vice Mayor Chan,

[0:42] » here. >> Council member Ding,

[0:43] » here. >> Council member Herrera Avula,

[0:46] » present. >> Council member Woo,

[0:47] » here. As we begin tonight's meeting, I'd like

[0:51] to wish all of our residents and families celebrating a very happy Lunar

[0:55] New Year. This year, we welcome the year of the horse, a symbol of strength,

[1:00] resilience, energy, and forward momentum. In honor of today's

[1:04] celebration, the council das has been specially decorated to recognize and

[1:09] celebrate this important holiday. May the year of the horse inspire us to move

[1:13] boldly toward our goals and continue building a vibrant and united St.

[1:18] Gabriel, wishing you all health, happiness, and prosperity in the year

[1:22] ahead. We will now have some announcements from our chief city clerk.

[1:27] Tonight's meeting is livereamed on the city's online platforms. If you wish to

[1:31] address the city council during tonight's meeting, we request that you

[1:35] please complete a speaker card and hand it to the clerk at this time. When

[1:39] speaking, please state your name for the record. Please note that interactions

[1:43] between the city council, city staff, and the public during meetings are

[1:46] subject to the city's rules of decorum. Approval of agenda order. Are there any

[1:53] objections to the agenda order? Okay. Hearing none, the agenda order is

[1:58] approved. Okay. Next item. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah,

[2:03] next item, please. >> We have no presentations this evening.

[2:06] Our next item is public comment. This is the time set aside for members of the

[2:11] public to address the city council on consent calendar items and on items of

[2:15] interest that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter

[2:18] jurisdiction of the

[2:26] Good evening. Happy new year. Uh all of you and I are besiders not outsiders

[2:31] when it comes to the problem of the data center proposals in Montterrey Park. The

[2:35] 45-day moratorum expires on March 7th and it will likely be extended. On March

[2:41] 4th, council will discuss next steps to prevent the construction of the first

[2:45] one on Saturn Street. It will likely be put to a ballot measure. The city

[2:50] council was ready to vote to approve it with only a handful of residents knowing

[2:54] anything about it. Well, here we are now where many of us in the St. Gabriel

[2:59] Valley have been showing up to their meetings trying to stop it. A ballot

[3:03] measure unfortunately precludes residents living close to the site in

[3:07] South St. Gabriel, Montabelloo, and Roseme from being included in a solution

[3:12] to the problem. St. Gabriel is a very old and beautiful city with significant

[3:16] historic value. No data center should be built here ever. So, I come asking

[3:22] something of you tonight, that you put an emergency ordinance on the agenda for

[3:27] your next meeting banning data centers here. Monttoello did that just last

[3:32] week, passing urgency ordinance 2491 establishing a 45-day moratorium on data

[3:39] centers while the council decides on how to proceed to prevent them over the long

[3:43] term. An attorney in Montabello spoke at the meeting and indicated that the

[3:48] language in the ordinance has to be carefully worded regarding types of data

[3:52] centers under consideration. Those of us living in the St. Gabriel

[3:56] Valley are grateful to see Montabelloo City Council taking a proactive stand to

[4:01] protect their residents and their city. This commitment to action fosters a

[4:06] great sense of trust in and respect for our local elected representatives. I'm

[4:12] sure you are watching the situation in Montterrey Park unfold where residents

[4:16] are outraged, angry, and distrustful of their council who blindsided them with

[4:21] these data centers. and two are proposed. Data centers don't belong

[4:26] anywhere in the St. Gabriel Valley due to extreme drought, wildfire risk, air

[4:31] pollution, and an aged power grid. It was only just a year ago when we

[4:35] witnessed the eaten fire coming for us. We were just lucky. So, we are asking

[4:40] you to follow Montabelloo's lead. Is it it is easy to see that keeping them out

[4:45] is a whole lot easier than getting them out. If the Montterrey Park City Council

[4:50] puts the problem to a ballot measure, we will be asking for volunteers from every

[4:54] city in the St. Gabriel Valley to join us to canvas residents and get out the

[4:59] vote. We love living here and will make every effort to be there for our sister

[5:04] cities. It is truly amazing to see everybody coming together to support

[5:08] residents of Montterrey Park and surrounding areas facing this

[5:11] unimaginable situation. Thank you very much for your time tonight.

[5:18] Our next speaker is Grace Young.

[5:28] » Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and the members of city council. My name is

[5:34] Gracion, the library manager at the St. Gabriel Library. I'm here to share some

[5:39] information that the library is bringing to the community.

[5:43] February brings in the year of the horse and we are celebrating the Luna New Year

[5:48] with book displays, festive events, and community gatherings. Please join the

[5:55] celebration and pick up red envelope and a red bookmark at the library. In honor

[6:01] of AfricanAmerican and Black History Months, we are hosting a variety of

[6:06] commemorative events, including paint like Alma Thomas on Saturday, February

[6:12] 21st from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and our place in the sun. We will be learning the

[6:20] places and the spaces that exist for African-American families and creating

[6:26] our own black beaches back. It will be held on Wednesday, February 25th from 3

[6:32] to 4:00 p.m. Thank you. Happy Luna New Year.

[6:41] » Our next speaker is Denise Gotch.

[6:52] Good evening, Madame Mayor and City Council. I am here once again to remind

[6:57] all the citizens of San Gabriel that are watching this on YouTube, if you know

[7:02] anyone that was born or lived in San Gabriel and served from the Civil War to

[7:09] the current war to please go online to the San Gabriel Veterans Coalition

[7:15] website, fill out the form and then submit your discharge paperwork for your

[7:21] relative and so we can get them on the upcoming

[7:26] uh veterans memorial that the city of St. Gabriel and the veterans coalition

[7:31] group and the mission are all working together to make sure that all the

[7:36] veterans of this city are recognized for the service that they so much sacrificed

[7:42] for all of the citizens of the United States of America but especially for our

[7:47] city. I have been going for many businesses to see since most of these

[7:53] veterans are deceased if they have relatives alive that are willing to tell

[7:58] me their names, where they live to submit. I got a nice book courtesy of

[8:04] the historical society of this young gentleman. As you know, all the Japanese

[8:10] were sent to internment camps during World War II. He was very unusual when

[8:16] he was in the internment camp. He wrote a diary every single day of what

[8:21] happened to him. His family owned a florist shop on Valley Boulevard, even

[8:27] before the San Gabriel nursery did. As he got released from the interment camp,

[8:33] him and his brother both then went and signed up and served in World War II.

[8:41] And I went to the nursery and researched there and found their two

[8:47] sons that served in World War II after the internment camp and found their

[8:53] records too. So that both of the florists that were in our city for over

[8:58] a hundred years and several years before that will all be recognized on the

[9:03] memorial. So once again um the historical society

[9:09] also received several pictures of war veterans but no name no birth dates or

[9:15] no wars. So I have to research all of these. So I am begging all the citizens.

[9:22] We would love to have everyone on there. They so much rightly deserve to be on

[9:27] there. So please submit your relative in and we will try and help you research

[9:32] their records. Thank you. The next speaker is Chidity Jennings

[9:39] Nunes.

[9:50] Good evening. I want to start with wishing everyone a happy Lunar New Year.

[9:55] Not only for those in this room, but also to the residents of St. Gabriel who

[9:59] are listening of which at least 60% identify as part of the API community.

[10:05] Second, I want to say that the reception at Blossom Market for the Black History

[10:10] Month exhibit that I invited each of you to at the last meeting was very

[10:14] successful. Vice Mayor Chen and I have rarely seen eye to eye since he was

[10:20] elected. Despite that, he accepted the invitation and attended the event and I

[10:25] believe had a great time with good food and great people. Thank you, Vice Mayor

[10:29] Chen, for support your support and willingness to go outside of your

[10:34] comfort zone to attend an event in your city held by a resident of your city and

[10:39] patronizing several local businesses. Finally, and my main reason for

[10:44] commenting tonight is to call each one of you out publicly for your complete

[10:50] lack of of voice and complete silence on the tactics that the Department of

[10:55] Homeland Security and ICE agents are using to harass, terrorize, unlawfully

[11:01] detain, and arrest everyone from children to the elderly in and around

[11:05] our city. Even when we had major ice raids at Mission Car Wash, Temple City

[11:11] Car Wash, and other local businesses, there were no statements made by any of

[11:15] you to express your outrage, concern, empathy, or reassurance to the

[11:20] community. It is not enough to have your police chief respond at a meeting of

[11:24] five or six residents that the SGPD is not assisting the federal immigration

[11:29] operations. In the last two months, we have seen a very vocal and

[11:34] overwhelmingly negative community response to city councils in Elmont and

[11:39] Elhhamra because local residents have perceived an alliance between ICE agents

[11:43] and local police departments. And these are city councils whose members have

[11:48] been outspoken in condemning the brutal and in many cases illegal pursuit and

[11:53] detention of individuals for no other reason than the color of their skin or

[11:57] the accent they have when they speak English. At the recent talk of the town,

[12:02] Chief Alazald said that we have been fortunate because San Gabriel has not

[12:07] been targeted with the intensity of surrounding cities in the SGV. Well,

[12:11] it's coming because the quotas that were put out by this regime haven't changed.

[12:17] So, as we begin this new year, the year of not only the horse, but the

[12:21] firehorse, I am challenging each of you to make a bold change and to provide the

[12:26] residents of this city with the leadership that it needs. Find your

[12:29] moral compass. As Archbish Bishop Desmond Tutu famously warned us, if you

[12:35] are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the

[12:39] oppressor. This is your opportunity to correct that perception or go on the

[12:44] record in support of the tactics that are leading to the destruction of

[12:47] families and death of immigrants and American citizens. Thank you.

[12:54] » The next speaker is Mandy Lou.

[13:09] Um,

[13:14] good evening. My name is Mandy Lou and I have lived in San Gabriel for 40 years.

[13:21] I remember we moved here and bought our first home in 1986.

[13:26] And um, today is Chinese New Year. Usually for Chinese people, we do not

[13:33] want to go appear in front of the city council. Uh but I had to because the

[13:40] last few weeks have been so stressful to me that I feel if I don't do something I

[13:48] could just like you know have a stroke because what happened is

[13:55] okay before I go out we get a notice uh from the city um what's it called co

[14:02] enforcement he said that um my front uh the sidewalk is uh the the plants are

[14:08] too tall and the front yard is uh messy. And before I go on, let me speak.

[14:19] When I moved to this house, they was grass lawn just like a regular every

[14:24] other house. But I am an herbalist. I love plants. So, uh my sister is the

[14:32] owner and I told her I do not want to plant grass. they look uh yellow in the

[14:37] summer. So I hire people to take them out and put in good dirt layer layer and

[14:45] um at that time I did not get any rebates or my own money over a thousand

[14:50] and I bought native alternative grass but um they die it's about the tr and we

[14:57] didn't have enough water so they die anyway so I decided uh I instead of

[15:03] going back alone I will uh grow some roses

[15:07] But last year I put all the roses into the ground but I realized it's just too

[15:12] hot that area. So we put took them out again. So the grow looks uh not even

[15:18] looks bad. I know but I'm planning to like you know do something. So before I

[15:25] do it I got this violation. So I have been working with this person his name

[15:32] is outdoor and whatever he said uh he had tell he been telling me that oh I

[15:38] have to be put in grass put in a sprinkler system hire a design company a

[15:44] landscape company and some to cut the grass and I said no I want to plant a

[15:50] native plants so because I already have grass before and he keep pushing that

[15:57] and I keep objecting that I said the whole state of California and the city

[16:01] of Los Angeles have been telling us to take our tough our grass out. Why does

[16:06] San Gabriel do not allow native plants? So that is when he kind like back off

[16:11] and he said I I I have to speak to the planner uh Christine. So when I spoke

[16:18] with her, Christine is very nice, very understanding. She said, "Oh, it's

[16:22] fine." And at that time I realized my backyard has some problem.

[16:27] » Excuse me. I'm sorry. you you've already used up your time, but the city manager

[16:30] will direct you where you can express yourself and and file a report.

[16:36] » Okay. Can I just finish and please can I can work with anyone else except this

[16:42] out because he's been very rude, very unprofessional.

[16:46] When I work with uh Christine and uh John Gonzalez from the public work, they

[16:52] have been so professional, so nice, so respectful. This person, he talked down

[16:57] to me, he yell at me. Okay. Okay. Thank you.

[17:00] » So, so just a moment, Mark. >> Miss Lou, I'm sorry that you've had that

[17:04] experience. Um, I would direct you or ask you to work with David Sanchez. He's

[17:08] in the back of the room. He'll stand up when you walk back.

[17:11] » Oh, okay. >> He is the supervisor over all of the

[17:14] people that you mentioned. >> We'll work very hard to help you through

[17:17] that process and make sure at the end of the day, you're able to do what you want

[17:20] to do as long as it meets our codes and we can help you with the time frames for

[17:23] that. >> Thank you. appreciate that.

[17:29] » The next speaker is Luis Ayala.

[17:38] Good evening. Obviously, I'm not Luis. I'm John. Um, esteemed mayor, vice

[17:43] mayor, and honorable council. I'm here tonight just to introduce a new team.

[17:46] We've had some changes at Athens. I'm your new senior vice president of

[17:51] government affairs. I'll be representing city St. Gabriel amongst a lot of other

[17:54] cities. Luis is going to be your main point of contact. Um and we have two

[17:58] other team members that have been assigned. It's Brandon Stansel and um

[18:02] Joslyn Korea. So we have a pretty big team for Sano for such a esteemed city.

[18:07] Just want to let Luis introduce himself, give a little background.

[18:11] » Uh good evening, mayor and uh city council. Uh happy Lunar New Year. Just

[18:16] uh by way of introduction, I've probably been at Athens services now for about

[18:20] six months and uh I've spent about 18 years in healthcare advocacy. So I'm

[18:25] very much in transition from uh learning how to talk uh healthcare to learning

[18:30] how to talk trash. And so uh this this community is is a

[18:35] community that I'm very close to. Uh my wife and I actually got married at the

[18:38] San Gabriel Mission about uh you know 21 22 years ago. And so we very much

[18:43] appreciate uh I've got two uh grown kids in college and uh my son spent the

[18:49] majority of his time uh practicing in a lot of this San Gabriel Fields including

[18:53] Gabino High School and behind the mission here as well. So uh again I I

[18:58] lived in Alhamra for about 16 years. I'm now in Aladena and so I'm very much

[19:02] looking forward to working with uh each uh one of you and getting to know each

[19:06] other and uh you know ensuring that we have the best customer service for your

[19:11] city. Uh because if I don't do that, John's going to take care of me here.

[19:18] » So, thank you. Good to meet you. I do have a I can hand out.

[19:24] » Good question. >> Thank you.

[19:30] The next speaker is Michael Cervantes.

[19:40] » Hello, my name is Michael Cervantes and I want to speak to you about the silent

[19:44] film event that's held here each year. Uh I've been to several of them and

[19:51] they've been really a marvelous experience. Uh I guess the first one I

[19:55] went to was uh a silent film called Ramona with the Lor Del Rio filmed in uh

[20:02] came out in 1928. But what I want to speak to you about is

[20:06] to see that event enlarged. they become instead of an event that's

[20:11] held one like one Saturday uh every every maybe July, four times a year I

[20:18] guess four times in July, but to expand it to make it larger and to have um

[20:26] maybe um a newsletter developed with that

[20:31] um get in contact with people or organizations or institutions from other

[20:38] cities like colleges, uh maybe high schools to let them know

[20:43] about the event and that this event becomes a focal point for the city. We

[20:49] have different events that occur here during the during the year. We have

[20:54] street celebrations. We have um an event for Memorial Day,

[20:59] Veterans Day, and other activities here. But it seems as though if we could

[21:05] expand that particular activity of sun and films, it would be a really big plus

[21:11] for the for the city and make it better known and would give an opportunity also

[21:17] for people after they see the the movies to go and eat and dine or have lunch at

[21:26] one of the eeries in the area there. So eventually about to see some kind of

[21:32] committee set up to explore this idea and to see where it could be taken. So

[21:38] this is my thought and I wish everybody the best.

[21:44] Our next speaker is Sher Lou.

[22:05] Good evening. My name is Sheri Louu and I am the sister of Mandy Louu. Uh today

[22:14] my issue is the same as Mandy described earlier. I'm the owner of the property.

[22:20] So I get an a mail from the city of San Gabriel

[22:28] for violation of the code. And in this letter it actually spell out that if we

[22:36] don't correct the um

[22:40] if the violation is not corrected then I will get a fine like 100 200 500 and

[22:49] 1,000 for each day. So when I receive the letter I make a call I call Aldo.

[22:58] It's like his name is on the letter. So I call him and talked to him and I asked

[23:04] him to give us some extension on the um for the uh cleaning up the backyard and

[23:13] he said no. So I told him that because of Chinese New Year and also because

[23:19] Mandy she is like the only one who live there and she will clean up the

[23:25] property. It take time for her to clean it up. But he refused and he told me

[23:32] that I have to hire people to clean it up. And if I hire people, it only take

[23:37] like two to three day to finish. And I told him that I have my son helping

[23:44] Mandy to clean up the property. We just need more time. And he still refueling

[23:49] it. So he's like been very forceful and very it's like inflexible to work with

[23:57] somebody like that. And to me his job is to serve the people uh living in San

[24:04] Gabriel helping us not to give us more stress. This is like to me it's not a

[24:09] big issue but they he treated is like we are commit to something that is

[24:15] seriously. So, I'm here to ask the C council uh mayor and the councilman to

[24:24] grant us like give us an extension for clean up the property and also like

[24:31] switch like we can work with somebody beside ADO.

[24:37] Thank you.

[24:47] Madame Mayor, I have no more speaker cards.

[24:57] » I'll just stay up here,

[25:05] » Mary Garcia. Thank you, Mayor Machaka and council. I'm here this

[25:11] evening because um as you see I've been in my walker and I've gone to visit my

[25:16] cousin at 10:26 Ullet and the curb is rising and so when I'm walking from my

[25:23] car to get into her yard I tripped the other day. My walker got stuck. So I'd

[25:28] like for someone to look into that. And I did meet Michael tonight so I'm sure

[25:32] it'll get taken care of. And the other one is when I walk up my block at 10:36

[25:38] South Pine Street, my neighbor, theirs is starting to rise also. So, if you

[25:43] could just have Michael look into it, public works, I appreciate it. Thank

[25:47] you.

[25:53] » Is there anyone else? >> Okay,

[25:57] next item, please. >> Consent calendar. All items listed under

[26:02] the consent calendar are considered routine and recommendations will be

[26:05] approved in one motion unless a member of the city council requests separate

[26:09] discussion. Okay. Would any council member like to pull an item for separate

[26:14] discussion?

[26:17] Okay. I see none. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Yes,

[26:23] » mayor. I will motion to approve. >> Do I have a second?

[26:27] » I second. Okay. Let's vote.

[26:35] Motion passes by a vote of 5-0.

[26:39] Next item. >> We have no public hearing or continued

[26:43] business. Our next item is new business item A. Review Veterans Memorial

[26:47] Conceptual Designs and provide direction to staff and landscape architect David

[26:52] Boltz design creative. Community services director Perez will make the

[26:56] staff presentation.

[27:12] Good evening, mayor and members of the city council. We are very excited

[27:16] tonight to be bringing you um the conceptual designs for the Veterans

[27:21] Memorial. Um I know this is an item that is near and dear to all of your hearts

[27:25] to the point that you all want to be on the committee. So, I appreciate that and

[27:29] we look forward to presenting these to you tonight.

[27:34] Uh, just to give you a little bit of introduction in terms of where we have

[27:38] come this far or thus far, uh, in July 2024, the city council approved the

[27:43] recommended location for the placement of the Veterans Memorial in Plaza Park.

[27:48] And then then a year later in July 2025, the city council approved an agreement

[27:54] with landscape architect David Voltz design creative um DVDC, we'll call them

[27:59] for short, uh for the development of the conceptual designs, and they will be

[28:04] presenting the designs tonight. So staff and the team are are pleased to present

[28:09] the two conceptual designs um that will come before you and tonight we are

[28:15] seeking u council's feedback and direction on those designs. Uh a few

[28:20] more details. Um so following the the approval of the uh the agreement with

[28:26] DVDC um staff met with the team to discuss

[28:31] the planned approach and then in September 2025 we held a community

[28:36] meeting at Plaza Park. So at the site of the future memorial uh veterans any

[28:41] community members were open were welcome to come to that meeting and that was an

[28:45] opportunity to meet with the architect. um architect presented some designs of

[28:51] former um memorials that they have done for other agencies and then it provided

[28:58] an opportunity for the veterans and those attending to speak with the team

[29:02] directly which was good. Uh and then in mid November um DVDC provided the two

[29:09] draft conceptual designs. Uh at that time staff met with the mission church

[29:14] and public works to gather any thoughts or concerns about the designs and I'll

[29:18] let you know that none no concerns were expressed at that time. Um and then um

[29:26] DVDC presented the concepts to the St. Gabriel Veterans Memorial Coalition at a

[29:31] separate meeting and that was held in mid December.

[29:35] And then uh following that meeting, the the Veterans Memorial Coalition met with

[29:41] their group to discuss their preferred design and ed any edits that they would

[29:45] like to see. And uh following the presentation of the conceptual designs

[29:51] tonight, we will um let you know the um design that the Veterans Memorial

[29:57] Coalition has selected or would like to see and the kind of edits that they have

[30:03] proposed for those designs as well. Um, so now I would like to turn it over to

[30:09] Gary Vasquez who is the director of design from DVDC and he will be

[30:14] presenting the designs and he's also the designer of the designs. So I'll turn

[30:19] that over to him

[30:24] just right arrow. >> Okay.

[30:30] Uh, thank you and uh, good evening. Uh I am uh a landscape architect with DVD

[30:37] Creative. Uh as um uh Rebecca has mentioned, I'm happy

[30:45] tonight to share with you the two concepts that we've shared with staff as

[30:50] well as the Veterans Coalition to uh people in the audience. To the right of

[30:55] me is the first option, option one, and to the left of me is the uh second

[31:01] option, option two. Uh before I get into each uh a little more specifically,

[31:07] uh to each of the designs, let's see, let me get this. There you go. Um

[31:16] uh in meeting with the coalition early, they gave us uh really kind of uh uh

[31:23] feedback in terms of what were some of the elements they definitely wanted to

[31:27] see in the memorial. Uh for example, uh they definitely wanted to obviously have

[31:34] a list of all the veterans of San Gabriel. uh they wanted to recognize or

[31:41] display the six branches of the military service, the Army, Marine, uh Air Force,

[31:47] Navy, Coast Guard, and Space Force. Um they wanted to recognize three gentlemen

[31:53] of the community, uh that were soldiers, veterans, um Reineer, Mr. Reineer Agiri,

[32:00] I believe, won a Purple Heart or received a Purple Heart and Mr. Ferman

[32:04] Del Rosa. uh and a person by the name of Mr. uh General George Patton

[32:11] uh and and uh another element they wanted to consider rec uh showcasing is

[32:18] maybe a statue of the fallen what they call the fallen soldier uh battlefield

[32:24] cross statue or sculpture. Uh and there is also a USS Mission San

[32:31] Gabriel which is a tanker ship that was used in World War II to transport oil uh

[32:38] to the US soldiers and our allies in Europe.

[32:43] Um so these are some of the things that when you look at both concepts, you're

[32:47] going to find these elements in each of the concepts.

[32:52] Uh the slide that is up right now just kind of points out the approximate

[32:58] location is where uh it was decided to put the memorial. Uh to the um up above

[33:04] you can see the mission and then we're in the building to the left city hall

[33:08] there.

[33:11] So this is our first option. uh and

[33:17] because of the proximity to the mission and some of the Spanish colon colonial

[33:22] architecture that you see not just in the mission but some of the the

[33:26] buildings that uh are clear close by. Uh we wanted to respect that architecture

[33:33] and some of the details that you see that are shared in a Spanish colonial um

[33:40] uh structure. This one is our first shot at providing a memorial that is in the

[33:50] form of a bell tower. And this bell tower stands approximately

[33:57] uh 20 ft in height. And it would be tiered in a way where it would be

[34:02] constructed out of stone and tiered up. And to recognize some of the elements

[34:08] that I had mentioned previously, um,

[34:12] uh, we would use both the bell tower and both to the right and left of the bell

[34:17] tower would be would, uh, be two separate, uh, walls that would recognize

[34:24] the men and women, the veterans of the, uh, uh, service uh, that provided

[34:31] service. Um, let me It's a little hard to see in plan view and I'll go to the

[34:37] next slide and you'll kind of see we we did some modeling to kind of create more

[34:41] of a a vision of what we saw there. But there are just so you know, there are

[34:46] existing trees, pine tree, uh, palm trees there, uh, a nice large uh,

[34:51] California pepper tree and all these existing um, trees on site. we wanted to

[34:58] work around and we wanted to again keep them uh in the design and um this walk

[35:05] that you see above is the main existing walk and then the street sidewalk above.

[35:11] And we thought if we could just kind of link those two together so people can

[35:16] kind of move from the street into the park would be a nice a nice um feature

[35:23] as as part of this memorial. But the main feature here is the tower. And I'm

[35:28] going to go to the next slide. So we de developed a few elevations to kind of

[35:33] give you a better idea. The elevation C that you see on the lower left is the

[35:38] main tower, bell tower in the middle. And you can you see how it would kind of

[35:43] terrace up, step up in a way. We'd have these different terraces where we can

[35:49] incorporate maybe a planter to soften some of the rock work. In this case, we

[35:54] we were trying to incorporate some of the mission sandstone rock look. Um the

[36:00] bell tower itself, we see opportunity to display the uh six branches of the

[36:06] service. And then flanked by the to the right and left of the bell tower um

[36:13] would be the wall that we would display and recognize the men and women uh

[36:18] veterans of St. Gabriel. the the there would be large columns as you can see um

[36:26] uh to the right and left uh where we would also design in a recess cove um

[36:32] where we could incorporate possibly the uh fallen soldier battlefield uh cross

[36:39] statue. Um there was some mention about recognizing nurses also military nurses

[36:46] and that could be incorporated on the other column as well. Um, and these were

[36:51] designed in a way where there's there's the main front as you see in elevation

[36:58] C, but there's also a backside so people can kind of uh take advantage of of both

[37:05] sides and experience some of the information of the memorial. on the back

[37:10] side as you see elevation A, we would um possibly incorporate a relief of the USS

[37:19] Mission uh San Gabriel uh on one side. Um, and if I go back to the tower, uh,

[37:28] if you on your way up, you it would transition from the rock to a, uh,

[37:36] smooth kind of, uh, mission stucco, if you will, smooth stucco that would

[37:40] reflect the finish that you see adj on the mission that's, um, right across the

[37:46] the crosswalk there. So, it goes from a kind of a a rough rock texture and as

[37:52] you work up to the top of the bell tower, it transitions to a smooth stucco

[37:58] um where we'd have like a a flag uh not a flag on top of that, but a a

[38:05] decorative cap. And these caps that you see on these columns here, uh if you

[38:11] take a close look at the mission St. Gabriel, these are some of the details

[38:16] of the column caps that you see on the mission themselves. So, we tried to pick

[38:20] up some of the details uh that were adjacent to that are on the mission that

[38:26] we can incorporate into this memorial design. So, we'd have some bench seating

[38:31] as you can see and some of the modeling that we did to the right

[38:37] and you can kind of get an idea of how people would maybe move around in this

[38:42] particular design. move around the column and around the uh memorial walls

[38:48] themselves.

[38:53] So that was the first option. The second option

[38:57] was really um inspired I think by uh taking a closer look at the mission San

[39:04] Gabriel. In the gardens of mission St. Gabriel, they have a uh a pergola, a

[39:11] garden pergola. And in this 2D in this plan view vision,

[39:17] you we have this pergola that straddles the the main sidewalk through the park

[39:23] as well as a sidewalk along the street. And in this case, we were thinking that

[39:29] this pergola could be a very nice feature um to connect one side of

[39:37] memorial to another. And we wanted people to kind of walk through this

[39:43] space more as a as you would possibly a museum, if you will. Obviously, this

[39:49] would be outdoors. Uh but you would be walking under a pergola structure.

[39:56] And on each side of the pergola, uh, between the columns, you would have the

[40:01] main towers. You see the dash line in the middle. That would be the main

[40:06] memorial. And I'll I'll give you a better idea of what that looks like in a

[40:09] minute. But it also provides space to display

[40:15] uh statue of the fallen uh soldier battlecross.

[40:19] Um uh recognizing some of the nurses. We have some ideas that the coalition

[40:24] provided us with with um to incorporate um recognizing the nurses uh as well as

[40:33] the USS uh St. Gabriel uh ship. Uh both concepts I forgot to mention she

[40:41] had two particular had two uh flag poles. uh after their second meeting

[40:48] with the coalition and staff, it was decided maybe just one flag pole would

[40:52] be enough. And uh you can't you probably can't see it's that number six there

[40:58] that u shows the location of the flag poles. So and I'll go to the next slide.

[41:06] So the above elevation elevation A is kind of looking from the grassy area.

[41:13] Um, and this would be what we would consider the front of the memorial. And

[41:21] the wall spans between the columns, if you will. And it also offers um there is

[41:29] space where you people can walk under the pergola and then through the other

[41:33] side towards the open park and be in the front side of this monument. In the

[41:40] center of the wall there, you see a space to recognize the men and veterans

[41:46] uh the men and women. Uh on the uh left side of that wall would be the space

[41:53] where we would uh display the six branches of the military.

[41:59] And on the right side, uh there's a column there that would be the space

[42:06] where we would honor the three men. And I was just I was told this evening that

[42:11] there would be possibly five people, five men that um would be recognized on

[42:17] that particular column. So again, this is also uh designed in a

[42:23] way where you could have uh a pergola structure with vines kind of growing

[42:28] columns that are um pick up the Spanish colonial architecture as well as the

[42:34] decorative caps that reflect some of the detailing on the mission itself.

[42:39] Um but it's again something that can be viewed and experienced uh from both

[42:45] sides. And if you look at the lower right hand photo, the model that kind of

[42:52] gives you an idea of the feeling that um we were trying to achieve in that

[42:58] particular uh image uh would be actually the backside. Um, and the coalition also

[43:07] has some quotes that they would like to include uh in the memorial itself and we

[43:13] feel like that might be a good spot to to do that. We'd also have plaques also

[43:18] I forgot to mention to recognize of course the sponsors and some of the key

[43:23] stakeholders of the memorial that have um put the hard work in in getting it uh

[43:29] to this point. Anyway, so uh let's see. It also have benches,

[43:35] places to sit, uh both in front of the the memorial wall as well as behind the

[43:42] memorial wall. Um the flag poles you can see in the upper right would be on the

[43:47] right hand side of the column. And we in both concepts, we wanted a space where

[43:52] people could walk around it, get up to it close, kind of feel, you know, if

[43:58] they wanted to touch the wall, they could. Uh we wanted to incorporate

[44:02] materials that reflect the uh Spanish colonial architecture, which is this

[44:08] kind of the smooth stucco and some of the mission style rock that you see uh

[44:14] in some of the other missions uh throughout California.

[44:18] Um, let's see that. And again, I didn't

[44:22] mention the lights. Of course, both any concepts we go with, we're going to

[44:26] really design and highlight these features at night. Um, so it wouldn't be

[44:33] dark. It would be a pretty uh it is an open space. It's part of a,

[44:39] you know, public park. And um so what we would you know make sure we do is make

[44:46] sure that the design elements can hold up to uh some of the abuse that parks

[44:51] generally uh have to have touh deal with. Um

[44:58] let's see. So with that I'm going to turn it back over to Rebecca and um

[45:05] after that I'll be happy to answer any questions.

[45:18] Thank you, Gary. Um, moving forward, we did want to um tell you, as we

[45:23] indicated, the Veterans Memorial Coalition met with uh Dave David Volt's

[45:28] team, and we had a meeting with staff and the um architect team. Um the

[45:34] members of the coalition then met and decided that they prefer design concept

[45:38] 2 and they have um the following edits that they've proposed for council's

[45:44] consideration. Um they would like to see a decrease in the height of the two

[45:48] towers. I will read these and then I'll go back to the designs. Uh place the

[45:54] benches further back from the memorial so that there is additional space when

[45:59] events are held. uh have the arch of the monument be more rounded than pointy.

[46:04] And then on the opposite side of statue A, the fallen um soldier battlefield

[46:09] cross, as Gary alluded to, they would like to see a statue of a military nurse

[46:14] with the nursing symbol. Um some more um edits that they proposed on

[46:20] top of the memorial where the veterans names will be, it should have the title

[46:24] St. Gabriel Veterans. um they'd like to add additional

[46:28] information about the three veterans they would like to highlight. And I I'll

[46:32] say, Gary, that's the first I've heard of it now being five um individuals that

[46:36] they'd like to recognize. So that's the first I'm hearing of that. Um and that

[46:40] they would like to add the quotation for the monument um at some location on the

[46:45] memorial, the soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier

[46:50] who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war. And that's from

[46:54] General Douglas MacArthur. Um and then identified

[46:59] uh this is just for the veterans names. The uh contact and and this is what

[47:04] Denise provided to the um architect is that the the veteran's contact for that

[47:10] is Denise Scotch. Um so those those are the changes. I can go back to the

[47:19] design. So I think this is the best way to see it.

[47:24] So the the tow the two towers if you will they're suggesting lower those

[47:30] they're suggesting rounding the design rather than having it kind of that

[47:34] pointed coming to a point. Um they're suggesting opposite of a which is the

[47:40] battlefield cross having the nursing um the nursing statue

[47:46] and and designate there. And then um as Gary mentioned, possibly on that back

[47:51] side of the wall. So that's at the bottom lower right on the on the screen

[47:55] that that would be potentially where they would place a quote.

[47:59] Um so I think that covers primarily the

[48:03] changes that they're uh requesting, but they did decide that they prefer design

[48:08] too. So tonight we are looking for council's direction. We're not looking

[48:12] for approval of either of these designs. We're looking for council's direction

[48:16] for both for staff and for them the the architect team so that they can go back

[48:22] and the proposed the plan would be that if council were to provide direction

[48:28] that is adequate for staff to move forward and the architect team to move

[48:32] forward. They could then come back with a proposed design either implementing

[48:39] changes or edits that council has um implementing the changes that the

[48:43] Veterans Memorial Coalition has and andor a meld of the two designs if you

[48:48] prefer that and then we would have a final design for your review at a future

[48:52] date. So I am happy to answer any questions

[48:56] and as is Gary if you have any questions of the architect.

[49:00] » Great. Thank you, Rebecca. Um, before we ask for the public comment, are there

[49:07] any factual questions for staff um from council? If not, we can proceed. Oh,

[49:14] okay. Council member Ravila. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um, for design, the

[49:21] first option one. So, is the I see a bell there. Is the is the bell can we

[49:27] ring the bell or no?

[49:32] Um, >> or is it just decorative?

[49:34] » Is that a clarifying question or can I turn it over to Gary? Okay.

[49:37] » Yeah. >> Okay.

[49:42] » Uh, yeah, I think we could design it so you can actually ring this bell. So,

[49:49] » yeah. Thank you. >> Can be designed for that. Yes.

[49:51] » And then for for option two, there's no bell, right? Is that correct?

[49:57] » Correct. No bell. And then for the plants that you guys are proposing to

[50:02] have there on the on the pergula, what what kind of plants are you proposing to

[50:07] have? Plants, vines, things like that. Um, well, we would want to to probably

[50:13] use a lot of drought tolerant water wise type plant material on the the pergola

[50:18] itself. Um, I could see, you know, we haven't specifically

[50:24] chosen a specific plant, but you know, a California grape vine or wisteria,

[50:30] something like that would work, I think, really nice and look really nice on this

[50:35] uh pergola. I believe there might be some it's I might I believe it's the

[50:40] wisteria vine that's growing on the the uh pergola on the uh mission property.

[50:50] Is there in the last qu clarifying question on option two I see uh six

[50:57] pillars and is there a reason why six pillars?

[51:03] » Uh I believe the six let's see two four >> I'm not sure which pillars you're

[51:09] referring to. >> There's six branches.

[51:12] » Oh okay. Okay. Okay. There's actually those are columns and there are columns

[51:17] that support the pergola structure. Um there's actually you see six in the

[51:23] front and there'd be six in the back as well. Um again you can walk underneath

[51:29] the structure. Uh the structure I see would be about 12 feet in width. Uh

[51:36] those columns would be probably spaced 10 feet apart, something like that. Um

[51:44] uh the column heights I see possibly 10 feet 10 and 1/2 ft in height

[51:51] something like that. >> Okay. Thank you.

[51:54] » Any other clarifying questions? Council member Whoop.

[51:57] » Thank you mayor. Um you know for for a person who is more than um you know 50

[52:06] and plus it's really hard for me to read that but I still able to read the

[52:11] sentence. I just want to make sure one things. Um, could you please provide a

[52:15] little bit more detail? What do you mean by memorial sponsors and coalition

[52:20] members? I know coalition members, but what is memorial sponsor here?

[52:24] » Um, well, it it's just um we wanted to make sure that there's going to be some

[52:31] plaque to recognize the people that made this all happen. city council obviously

[52:38] uh the coalition members behind me I imagine would want to um be recognized

[52:44] um if there's any sponsors uh you know maybe they would also like to be

[52:49] recognized that's all >> got it and I'm very drawn to concept too

[52:54] and I really appreciate it you know the you know the the design and landscape

[52:59] but I um you mentioned there is a architectural illumination Right. Is

[53:06] there a lighting things during the nighttime

[53:09] » that will be reflecting the the whole monument?

[53:11] » Yes. I mean, obviously in these uh where we're at in the design, we haven't

[53:16] gotten into the lighting design, but part of part of this would be looking at

[53:21] how this gets lit up at night and illuminated at night. We just don't want

[53:26] a dark corridor there, obviously. And and you want you want things lit up.

[53:30] This is a veterans memorial, I imagine. you want things highlighted. Um, in this

[53:37] case with the pergola, you're underneath the pergola. There's probably going to

[53:40] be some kind of accent lighting to take advantage of what we do on the rear side

[53:46] of these walls. So, you you want to highlight those. You might want to

[53:50] highlight the any kind of sculptures or uh um statues that get incorporated in

[53:57] this in this designs for So, that's what I was just trying to get at. It it'll be

[54:02] it'll be we will have to design a lighting um plan that um I think

[54:09] complements and really highlights these elements.

[54:14] » Right. I I I realized actually the the lighting that a a good design on

[54:19] lighting that will be elevate the whole quality of the whole monument.

[54:24] » Right. So will you provide additional on top of this plan uh with a lighting

[54:31] plan? >> Yes. Oh, correct. Yeah. Okay. When we

[54:35] get into the construction drawings for this lighting, a lighting design will be

[54:39] part of the the plan. I see >> or part of the design.

[54:43] » So, mayor, today we are just talk about the design, nothing else, right?

[54:47] » Okay. >> No vote. This is the first time, just so

[54:50] the public knows, this is the first time that council is looking at the design

[54:55] and I agree with you. That was my first comment to Mark is I can't see this very

[54:59] well. >> You're over 50.

[55:02] » Much over. Yeah. So, um, so anyway, so I do appreciate

[55:07] it. That's why I kept turning because I could see it better this way. Right.

[55:10] Yeah. This is the first time, but more to come because we've already heard

[55:15] eight different changes from these designs. So,

[55:19] » right, >> we'll have another round here.

[55:22] » Okay, that's all I have. Thank you, mayor. Thank you.

[55:24] » And I just had just a couple clarifying questions because they apply to both. Um

[55:29] the first item is are these designs made in such a way that it will um it has

[55:36] room for growth? So this is supposed to be for generations and I can't again you

[55:42] know right >> my mind here isn't uh it's hard with

[55:46] these designs. >> Is there an opportunity to continue to

[55:51] add you know for for 50 years 100 years or we have to add a whole another

[55:58] » there will be room to add names to this monument uh to this memorial. Um,

[56:06] we're still trying to come up with the the count. So, we don't really know

[56:10] exactly how many names are going to be going on here. Uh, once we do, we can we

[56:17] can figure out how many how many names we can get on each wall or where the

[56:22] where, you know, where we decide these names will go.

[56:25] » So, there will be empty walls >> there possibly. Well, you could h you

[56:30] could have empty walls or you could just have it if if the names go on a bronze

[56:35] kind of uh plaque. Um you could just have a black a blank plaque there. But

[56:42] so it wouldn't look empty is what I'm saying.

[56:45] » Yeah. Because we're going to have a you know this number is going to have to be

[56:49] you know we have to come up with a number but it's going to continue

[56:52] growing. So, as long as we have empty walls, we can add,

[56:56] » you know, every year, every two years. But

[57:00] » we we would design this memorial where you would be able to add uh additional

[57:05] names to the wall. For sure. >> Okay. Yeah.

[57:08] » Without having to create another like wall.

[57:11] » No. Um but again, you want to plan ahead. So,

[57:16] » Okay. So, as long as there's there's a plan to Yeah. to add more. I mean, I'm

[57:22] envisioning, >> you know, a lot more names.

[57:25] » I imagine there will be a lot more names you'd want to add. How many again? Um,

[57:32] you could, you know, I I don't have a specific number of

[57:35] » That's okay. I I just want to make sure there's a some foresight here because

[57:39] all of us, >> you know, will not be here, you know, in

[57:42] the future. And I want to make sure that next generation,

[57:46] » you know, uh, treasures this continues with the work. We don't need to be here.

[57:51] It should kind of stand on its own. >> And then just one more clarifying

[57:55] question. Um, you know, the lights are great, but I I get very concerned with

[58:00] security. You know, is there going to be a security system of some sort? because

[58:05] unfortunately I can see um some kind of you know uh what do you call it?

[58:12] » Vandalism. >> Vandalism. Thank you.

[58:14] » I'm not saying I'm saying >> yeah vandalism taking place.

[58:17] Unfortunately, I mean we see the graffiti taking place and you know we go

[58:21] out there we have actually a company dedicated to removing this the graffiti.

[58:27] How can we protect this uh monument if it's so open? Um and and rightfully so.

[58:35] It should be open because it's for everybody.

[58:37] » Yeah. >> Um and it and it has a beautiful feel to

[58:40] it. It does remind me of the mission with the uh the vines. I mean, it's

[58:45] almost exact, I think, with the vines that they have. But how do we protect

[58:50] this? >> Well, a lot of it is the selection of

[58:53] materials that we use to construct it. Um there are uh anti-graffiti sealers

[58:59] that we would apply to over the finishes that go on and on onto the memorial, the

[59:07] columns, the rock work, uh even the benches. Um of course, cameras and um

[59:14] you know, lighting. I think I think uh uh when things tend to be well lit um

[59:21] and if you see cameras around that that's a pretty good deterrent also. Um

[59:26] we would discuss this with city staff in terms of how they

[59:29] » our police in particular because I know they have a lot of strategies.

[59:33] » Yeah. And the location of this memorial is

[59:37] » obviously located close to the street. Um uh and you know, you can just drive

[59:43] by and take a quick glance and see if there's people someone hanging out

[59:48] there. The way the way it's angled um you know, you can be driving, you can

[59:54] drive through the park on the main uh uh sidewalk as well, but it'd be pretty I

[1:00:00] think pretty easily to spot something going on underneath that. Yeah, because

[1:00:04] initially when you started the presentation, you mentioned how or I

[1:00:08] think it was Rebecca that you've talked to staff and no one had any comments.

[1:00:13] So, I'd like to our uh first resp

[1:00:19] um to participate and and maybe there's something they're seeing that will keep

[1:00:24] it safe, especially if you're going to have those vines. I can I can see fire

[1:00:28] taking place. um you know it's the extreme I know but you know if there's

[1:00:33] better ways of doing it to prevent that type of whether it's vandalism or fire

[1:00:38] um you know we should know that upfront and the security system I mean that

[1:00:42] would be an additional expense that the city would absorb

[1:00:46] » which is you know I'm comfortable with but we need to have it as part of the

[1:00:49] plan >> right

[1:00:50] » so so that's all I had for now I'd really like to get to public comment so

[1:00:55] thank you so much okay uh city clerk chief city clerk I I think uh Councilman

[1:01:00] Ding. >> Oh, you had a question.

[1:01:02] » I have I have a quick >> Yeah, you you're first.

[1:01:04] » Okay. Okay. >> So, you didn't

[1:01:06] watch me. >> I was watching. Nobody said anything.

[1:01:10] » Um no, Ju just quick uh uh clarification question about the the design. uh uh and

[1:01:15] I don't know if this has been decided yet, but uh in the designer's mind,

[1:01:21] were we looking at uh having separate sections per like for a separate section

[1:01:28] for each branch? Is it what I'm saying? Or are we just putting the seal of each

[1:01:33] branch and then just adding names? >> Right. I I think I think uh the idea so

[1:01:38] far is that each um a seal that rep that recognizes each branch of the military

[1:01:44] would be uh displayed. Um how the you know we still need to work out the

[1:01:50] details with the coalition how they want the names displayed.

[1:01:54] » Okay. >> So that hasn't been

[1:01:55] » that has not been decided. >> Okay. Just curious. I thank you. I

[1:01:59] yield. Council member D. >> Yeah. So, so the clear question it's

[1:02:03] today just like just two option. Option one, option two. So for your future

[1:02:09] design direction, right? Right. Right. So the future design you have to more

[1:02:13] detail you uh provide us or just pro uh also will be discuss Gabriel

[1:02:21] the the their organization and uh I saw you also consult with the mission

[1:02:29] church of mission. >> Yes. Yes I believe

[1:02:32] » so staff has talked to them >> and clarify it's not go through the the

[1:02:37] planning commission right. It's just uh the cooperate with the the memorial

[1:02:45] corion and and the and the mission the church of mission that's my

[1:02:50] understanding is that correct then finally come to our the city council to

[1:02:57] see the more detailed information design mean

[1:03:02] » thank you councilman ding uh you're correct it does not need to go to any of

[1:03:05] the commissions the council could opt to send it to one of the commissions if you

[1:03:09] like, but ultimately it's up to the city council.

[1:03:12] » We don't even have to accept the veterans coalition input if you don't

[1:03:15] want. I'm not suggesting that, but ultimately it's this um body's decision

[1:03:20] on what that looks like. >> I think the coalition's been extremely

[1:03:24] helpful and I think they have good ideas. So, I I can't see that happening.

[1:03:28] » Um what we're looking for tonight is exactly what you said, some um input on

[1:03:33] the designs. if there was a possibility that we all um meaning you all liked one

[1:03:39] design over the other and we had that direction that would be helpful and the

[1:03:45] design team would then come back with different modifications depending on

[1:03:49] what they hear. So for example um they would come back with a with what it

[1:03:53] might look like to have shorter columns with rounded tops versus what's in there

[1:03:58] now allowing you all to make that decision of which one you like better.

[1:04:02] And I'd say that as an example for any of the other changes you might be asking

[1:04:06] for. >> So today we don't need a vote but uh we

[1:04:09] it looks like uh later on we discuss which one option we want like currently

[1:04:14] I think the corision already suggest the option two. So for the for the like

[1:04:21] deliberation so we just like maybe we can consider what what kind of element

[1:04:26] what kind of detail should be for the future design. Is that correct? That's

[1:04:31] correct. It would be very helpful if we could get to one of the two options, but

[1:04:34] not necessary. >> Okay. So, for the the later down the

[1:04:40] deliberation, it's based on the option one or option two to talking about

[1:04:45] » it. It could be. I mean, that would be the the fastest method to get to a final

[1:04:51] design, but I don't want to pigeon hole the council or rush you all.

[1:04:56] » When you hear what the coalition has to say, okay?

[1:04:58] » And then when you hear what each other's of you have to say,

[1:05:02] » if there's consensus or it seems like there's consensus, we can move forward

[1:05:06] with that direction. We wouldn't need to vote, but we can give

[1:05:09] » the architect that direction. If you need further refinement on both of these

[1:05:13] to come up with that decision, the design team is happy to do that as well.

[1:05:18] » Okay. Even just both the design so they can provide a more detail. Is it is is

[1:05:25] it correct or because you say we don't need like a vote for which one

[1:05:30] » option we need to go for >> again unless there is a a consensus if

[1:05:35] everybody feels like option one is the right option for example or option two

[1:05:40] is the right option that would save time if we came up with that but again I

[1:05:44] don't want to push you towards that if that's not where we're ready to go

[1:05:47] tonight but I think if we hear what everybody has to say from the public and

[1:05:50] the council >> it might become clear whether we need

[1:05:53] more refinement of both of them or just one of them.

[1:05:56] » Okay. All right. Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Mia.

[1:05:59] » Thank you. >> If if I could just add one one point to

[1:06:02] that, if you'll recall when the architect uh originally presented um

[1:06:08] when we approved moving forward with the architect, they indicated that

[1:06:12] oftentimes they have groups that for example would have some design elements

[1:06:17] from option one, some design elements from option two, and would like to have

[1:06:21] those blended together. So again, like Mark said, if it's not either one or

[1:06:28] two, it could be potentially, you know, we like this element from from option

[1:06:32] one and we'd like to see that as part of option two. So I think they are very

[1:06:36] familiar with that with all of the memorials that they've worked on.

[1:06:40] » Thank you. That's that's good. More flexible to

[1:06:44] Yeah. Sometime some maybe element it's from option one. It's a really good fit

[1:06:49] in out option two. So I I like this idea, you know. Yeah. Maybe cooperate

[1:06:55] with the our like uh >> it would be better if we can narrow it

[1:06:59] down. I think that's my opinion because if we keep going back and forth, we're

[1:07:03] never going to get it done. So Okay. Hopefully

[1:07:06] » for the by by the end we can kind of go one

[1:07:09] » deliberation we can. Yep. Right. Okay. Absolutely. All right. Thank you, Mayor.

[1:07:13] » Thank you. >> Okay. Now we'll go to public comments.

[1:07:16] Chief city clerk, do we have any public comment?

[1:07:18] » We do, madame mayor. Our first speaker is Teresa Olivas Justiniani.

[1:07:32] Good evening madame mayor, city council members and staff. My name is Terresa

[1:07:36] Levasani and I am one of the founding directors of the San Gabriel Veterans

[1:07:40] Memorial Coalition and I'm here tonight to share what this monument truly means

[1:07:45] to my family and me. One of the honores whose name will be placed on this

[1:07:50] monument is Ferman Delar Roa Jr. To many he may be a name etched in stone but to

[1:07:56] us he was such much more. Ferman was a son, a brother, an uncle, a cousin, a

[1:08:02] father, a grandfather, and a friend. But to me, he was my uncle Jr. My uncle Jr.

[1:08:08] volunteered to serve his country during the Vietnam War. He grew up here

[1:08:13] attending Lincoln school, Sanger High School, and later worked as a male

[1:08:17] carrier with the United States Post Service here in North San Gabriel. He

[1:08:21] was a part of this community long before his service and remained a part of it

[1:08:26] long after. San Gabriel helped shape who he was and he carried that sense of

[1:08:31] service in everything he did. For my family, this monument is not just about

[1:08:37] remembering the past. It's about honoring a life of love, service, and

[1:08:41] sacrifice. It's about giving future generations a place to learn that the

[1:08:46] people we honor were real people with families

[1:08:51] who love them and miss them. It's also special to me that my grandfather, my

[1:08:57] husband, my godfather, my uncle's name will also be placed on this monument.

[1:09:03] Our family would also like to thank our former president Daniel Tovar and former

[1:09:09] vice president Lily Groots for the vision of the Veterans Memorial

[1:09:13] Monument. Although Lily did not live to see her vision come to life, her heart

[1:09:18] and dedication are present in this project and her impact will live on

[1:09:23] through this memorial monument. We are deeply grateful that the city has stood

[1:09:28] behind us with this dream of the Veterans Monument. a permanent tribute

[1:09:33] to sacrifice bravery and a space for a reflection, healing, and connections for

[1:09:38] families like mine. This monument means that our loved ones will never be

[1:09:42] forgotten and that our service will always be honored. Thank you for

[1:09:47] allowing me to share what this monument means to my entire family.

[1:09:56] » The next speaker is Michael A. Cervantes.

[1:10:06] My name is Michael Cervantes and I serve as the president for the veterans

[1:10:11] coalition. It has been a long journey for the

[1:10:16] group. Um over six years that they've been working on this project. Um it's

[1:10:25] not been an easy journey. It has had it has had its challenges.

[1:10:33] It has had hardships. We've had members who have worked on

[1:10:39] this almost day by day trying to see it come

[1:10:47] together as something that was a dream to something that's concrete. Okay.

[1:10:55] Um we have now almost I believe close to 400 names of veterans.

[1:11:03] And the thing is that as we think that we are complete with the number of

[1:11:09] veterans, we have more people who state I served. I was in the armed forces and

[1:11:17] I am now a veteran and I want to see my name or my family member name who was a

[1:11:26] veteran on that wall. We have people who have served since before World War I to

[1:11:33] the present. And

[1:11:38] fortunately or unfortunately, we'll still have veterans in the future.

[1:11:44] So that means we're going to have more names

[1:11:48] in years to come. Ideally, one day

[1:11:54] there won't be any more names. There won't be any need to have more names.

[1:11:58] But in reality that's going to still happen.

[1:12:02] Um we are thinking that

[1:12:08] um there'll be like a stage area uh by the

[1:12:14] by the monument. So it will serve as a place for a presentation for such events

[1:12:21] as Veterans Day, Memorial Day or any other particular event that happens in

[1:12:27] that area where people can gather together and not only will they be there

[1:12:33] for that event, but they'll be there to see the monument as well.

[1:12:38] We're also considering that since we have at least 400 names, um we're

[1:12:44] looking at a at a font that is seraps, not non nonsense there, but serif fonts.

[1:12:53] We're looking to see them to be anywhere from 3/4 to an inch in height.

[1:13:01] Um we want them to be recognized and we don't want the names to be so

[1:13:07] so small that people will say, "Well, who's that name there?" So, please keep

[1:13:13] those in mind and we only hope for the best in the future. Thank you,

[1:13:21] » Madame Mayor. I have no more speaker cards.

[1:13:25] » Okay. Thank you. >> Oh, we

[1:13:33] » uh Rebecca went over the corrections that we had, but I wanted to kind of go

[1:13:39] over why we did that. My father's name will be on there also, and my mother

[1:13:45] unfortunately won't be alive to see it. So, as we wait here and to decide, I was

[1:13:52] hoping that today you would come to possibly a conclusion between the two so

[1:13:58] it could go on to the next uh phase because as you see all these lovely

[1:14:03] gentlemen that are here today, they're hoping to see their names on the

[1:14:10] monument before hopefully they do not pass away.

[1:14:15] And I know it's a long project. It takes a long time when construction, building,

[1:14:20] lighting. Uh I also mentioned I was worried since it's open skateboarders

[1:14:26] come in that area a lot to go in and out to. There's a lot of aspects, graffiti,

[1:14:31] lighting. I agree with you on all that. Um and the reason why Rebecca, we have

[1:14:37] five names. As you research all these names, you find more heroes

[1:14:42] amongst the veterans that should be specifically honored that were born in

[1:14:47] San Gabriel and did a lot and maybe got more medals or stuff that the coalition

[1:14:53] goes through each name and we vote yes that they need to be separate from the

[1:14:58] whole group name to recognize those specific. I'm sure you all are aware of

[1:15:03] General Patton is one of them and Teresa so eloquently mentioned her uncle is

[1:15:09] also one of them. Um, the reason why we picked uh that we want the monument in

[1:15:17] certain sections to be round, we were trying to look at that corner and you

[1:15:22] also see the bells that are right there and it's more round than pointy. And we

[1:15:26] thought that would go uh with the monument in this area, you

[1:15:31] know, to be close by. You would see the bells that are already there, the five,

[1:15:36] the six that are there. Um, also the benches to move a little further as

[1:15:42] Michael so eloquently said because as you're all there for every Veterans Day

[1:15:47] and Memorial Day and you speak the council in front of it, you want the

[1:15:51] benches a little further away so you have room to talk in that specific area

[1:15:57] because that I'm assuming is going to be the area that you continue to do

[1:16:02] Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Um, and specifically to say San Gabriel veterans

[1:16:10] on top of the memorial so everyone knows that if your name is on there, you did

[1:16:16] live and were born in St. Gabriel. As to separating the veterans,

[1:16:22] you would have more of them for World War II than you would have for World War

[1:16:27] I or Civil War or Korea and Vietnam. And that probably wouldn't look appropriate

[1:16:33] that you have a whole bunch of names here and only two or three there and

[1:16:37] four or five, excuse me. So, we thought we combine them all together to give the

[1:16:43] respect and put them in alphabetical order all together except those five

[1:16:49] specific uh veterans that deserve the special recognition.

[1:16:55] Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you.

[1:17:01] Okay. Are there any other public comments?

[1:17:07] No. Okay. So, I'll close the public comment and we will now start with

[1:17:13] council u deliberation. Who would like to start?

[1:17:20] » Vice Mayor Chan. >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Um okay. So um

[1:17:26] thank you for the presentation first of all and then second of all um just to

[1:17:31] start with a disclaimer I have many talents but uh visual artistry is not

[1:17:37] one of them. So so I trust people who are much more talented than I am at

[1:17:42] this. Um but uh just just kind of just off the top of my head

[1:17:48] my gut feel I do like option two better. just just the gut feel I have in terms

[1:17:55] of the aesthetics. Uh I tend to prefer that one. And um let's see what else.

[1:18:02] Oh, I guess in terms of uh placement and and I know we were just kind of

[1:18:07] discussing the basic uh art I mean the the basic aesthetics right now. But just

[1:18:15] something that popped in my mind when Miss Goch was was talking just now that

[1:18:19] in terms of uh placing the names um in I think I would prefer uh a method

[1:18:28] uh by date rather than alphabetical because as time goes by you know we're

[1:18:33] going to the the the lettering yeah all the alphabetical is going to get all

[1:18:38] mixed up. So I I would go time order if you want to choose date of birth first

[1:18:43] or date of death or you know that some some date timeline uh to be the main

[1:18:49] guide of how we're going to put the names in order you know for the next

[1:18:54] hundred years or whatever it is. So that's just my my comments at the

[1:18:58] moment. So thank you. I yield. >> Okay. I I I agree with that. That was

[1:19:03] one of my questions is does it make sense to have them inscribed or can you

[1:19:09] have like a fancy like computer or something where it keeps changing the

[1:19:13] name so you can reorder them, but it might not have that same wow kind of

[1:19:19] feel to it. But I I agree with you. You would we need to do something so all

[1:19:25] these additional names don't look so awkward because they're definitely going

[1:19:28] to be out of alphabet of alphabetical order.

[1:19:32] That's why I was I think I agree with you that uh we should consider date

[1:19:37] order or some type of beginning or ending date and then and then go kind of

[1:19:41] in that order then so we can add more in the future as they're needed and not

[1:19:47] have to yeah rearrange. You can't rejigger rocks that you

[1:19:52] » chiseled. >> Yeah. I mean I know the the the chisel

[1:19:55] is so much nicer and and so much more respectful but

[1:19:59] » unless we do Yeah. go to digital or something and you can always rejigger

[1:20:03] like like the the mission playhouse poster board out there.

[1:20:07] » Yeah, hopefully nicer nicer than that. But yes,

[1:20:10] » as real real stone, but anyway, >> thank you. Mark, did you have a comment?

[1:20:15] » I would just say that what I've seen in other places is it's completely

[1:20:19] randomized. So, you don't have that problem of date and and coming later on.

[1:20:23] And then what we can do that can kind of bring the digital into whatever we we

[1:20:28] bring forward is on a website we can have a location for people to find the

[1:20:32] names similar to what they do >> at the Exactly. And so as names come on

[1:20:38] we wouldn't have to worry about where they go. They would just go in the next

[1:20:42] order and then um people would find their loved ones that way.

[1:20:46] One more thing, I'm sorry. Along those same lines, I was thinking like with the

[1:20:50] I think it's the Vietnam Memorial where you know if if loved ones are going to

[1:20:55] go and and and see you know the their fallen heroes, what kind of momento is

[1:21:01] there um for them? And I know at the Vietnam Memorial and probably other

[1:21:05] memorials too, they're able to put a P. Oh, the 911 my sister-in-law, you put

[1:21:10] the paper and you charcoal or like pencil and then you

[1:21:14] » because it really is because it really is etched into the stone. So you

[1:21:18] Exactly. But when it's on a digital board, there's nothing there.

[1:21:20] » Digitals are smart. We can do something. >> You can have so we can do that or maybe

[1:21:25] print or I don't know. But but something along those lines like what are people

[1:21:29] going to take back? And I guess they could take a picture, but it is very

[1:21:34] special um when you're able to do that. >> And I'm I'm sorry, I don't think I

[1:21:38] explained myself well. We would have either chiseled in stone or brass

[1:21:43] plaques or some sort of plaques that would have it etched.

[1:21:46] » Okay. >> And each name would be individual and

[1:21:48] lined up along there. And if it would give us that room that um Gary was

[1:21:53] talking about to add more names where I was talking about the website would be

[1:21:56] if somebody wanted to know where on that plaque their family member was, you

[1:22:01] could have a directory and unfortunately bringing my own uh story into it. my

[1:22:05] brother passed away and he's at the peace officers memorial in Washington DC

[1:22:11] and there is a telephone book unfortunately sized um book of names and

[1:22:16] so you those names are added all the time as as um Michael Cervantes was

[1:22:20] talking about hopefully we don't add names but unfortunately to that it's

[1:22:24] added you know daily and so you go to the book that's there in the memorial to

[1:22:29] find out it's alphabetical in the book but your loved one's name might be on

[1:22:34] panel four you spot eight. And so that's the way that we could have a key or a

[1:22:39] legend for where people's names are, but you would add them over time as those

[1:22:43] names happen. And then as you both had pointed out, if you want a momento, you

[1:22:47] bring a piece of paper and a crayon and or or charcoal or what have you.

[1:22:52] » Okay, great. Thank you. Sorry, Vice Mayor. Was that

[1:22:56] » Yes, that I yield. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. So option two is your

[1:23:00] preference. Who would like to continue? Council

[1:23:05] member Herrera, anybody?

[1:23:09] » Okay, so I got a few things here. Um

[1:23:15] I like option two, but I also like option one. And the the

[1:23:22] thing that I would like to carry from option one is that significance of

[1:23:27] having this like tower, right? Like when you go to Washington DC, you have like

[1:23:34] these great memorials. We have these towers. I see the they're uh shaking

[1:23:39] their head over there. But I would like to see if we can incorporate

[1:23:44] that tower with the bell tower as part of option two. and and then also

[1:23:53] have like a stage area there because we have a lot of events at when

[1:24:00] we're celebrating the the veterans. Um from option two, I see that if we can

[1:24:06] go back to option two,

[1:24:10] the bottom portion, the bottom portion of that looks a bit blocky. So, I would

[1:24:16] agree that it needs more of that arch kind of feeling. Um, it doesn't have

[1:24:23] that arch feeling for the bottom section. The top section does look like

[1:24:28] something that represents St. Gabriel. And I would say and I would put this to

[1:24:34] to the to the veterans if assigning each pillar additionally assigning each

[1:24:39] pillar to each branch that's holding up that that um that pergula and having a

[1:24:46] big placer on each pillar so that is visual and is present and that you could

[1:24:53] we could put some lights that that will like pop out and you look up is going to

[1:24:58] be pretty grand. Um,

[1:25:03] in addition, um, for the benches, I mean, I would like to see a stage area

[1:25:07] that could at least fit a canopy in case it rains so that we

[1:25:13] can house uh, whoever we want to house up there

[1:25:19] and then provide a little bit more space so that we can have the chairs in the

[1:25:22] bottom. I know we have a few benches there. I think it would be a interesting

[1:25:28] idea to I see like three benches maybe having

[1:25:33] four benches that are going to be concrete in there

[1:25:38] permanently but shaping them as a a fighter uh plane wings. So you'll be

[1:25:45] sitting on wings that like a plane that has two wings on the front and two in

[1:25:51] the back. I think it will be kind of an interesting concept to have. I mean,

[1:25:58] it's something that we could we can create with the cement and it wouldn't

[1:26:02] be so grand. I think it should be not that hard to to do.

[1:26:07] Um, other than that,

[1:26:12] I kind of like the idea of having something digital, too, like a digital

[1:26:16] uh screen or something that could be playing. I seen that. I went to um

[1:26:23] Guatemala City and they had that like a digital panel where you can interact

[1:26:28] with it and you can touch it's like touchscreen. I know there's that

[1:26:32] technology if we can have that embedded and you can have a few stories and we

[1:26:37] can easily add stories to that. We could put a name and with technology as it

[1:26:42] advances with AI, I don't know what we could do but I think that would be an

[1:26:46] interested thing to to add. So that's just a little bit of the feedback that I

[1:26:52] have, but ultimately I would like I will side with the veterans and go with the

[1:26:58] option two with those small modifications.

[1:27:04] » Okay. Thank you, Council Member Woot.

[1:27:10] » Well, thank you, Mayor. Well, I I I just want to express that I I'm in favor in

[1:27:17] number two, the project too. But um the truth is I think no matter how we want

[1:27:22] to express our view as a council members that uh we should just that our veterans

[1:27:28] to determine that what is truly needed uh rather than just imposing that what

[1:27:33] we think should be given. Um this is this memorial monument that represent

[1:27:38] the honor of our city and no one carries that honor more meaningfully than our

[1:27:44] veterans themselves. Um but I would like to say that St. Giver Valley Memorial

[1:27:49] Coalition is really honor that to be you know allow me to be part of this

[1:27:53] projects and all the council member here is to support you and thank you so much

[1:27:57] for your service. That's my comment. Thank you.

[1:28:01] » Thank you council member Ding. Yeah, that's I say now I want to say thank you

[1:28:08] Rebecca and Mark do a good job and and and sab very okay finally we have the

[1:28:16] same something we can discuss for the the veteran memorial so actually I I

[1:28:23] remember I have this chance to discuss that it's back to the 2018

[1:28:30] so uh that's Even I got elected before that it's 4th of July. Okay. I I have ch

[1:28:40] that have chance but it's it's good things that the staff to put on the

[1:28:48] veteran war on the on the on the Smith Park. But for me I say why our city of

[1:28:55] St. Gabri don't have the the the permanently the memorial war to to

[1:29:04] provide our the city the veteran too. So I feel if our neighborhood city the all

[1:29:11] they have the just only city of St. Gabri. So that's I really glad to see

[1:29:18] that this is really happen in our city. So uh I I also ch it's like option two.

[1:29:29] You know why? Because option two I feel like more family you you have the kids

[1:29:35] or or or elder people they easy uh use the I think it's called

[1:29:42] uh purga it's it's really designed it's even your summertime

[1:29:48] all all winter time it's a good for the for the for the family to have the rest

[1:29:55] here and the memory they are love person the better than two. So uh the for the

[1:30:02] option two I really like see that this is a very good concept and uh

[1:30:10] uh then I wanted to know it's based on the the plaza park it's a lot of I still

[1:30:17] have a lot of question okay the plaza park it's based on the so how many

[1:30:23] square footage and how many square footage you used for the for the uh uh

[1:30:29] memorial monument So give to us the some vision to see how

[1:30:35] big. Yeah. >> Um the total square footage that the

[1:30:39] footprint of the memorial >> um

[1:30:43] » I don't have that total square footage. I mean, I can get that in terms of

[1:30:49] » of what space or what area we would be

[1:30:54] » occupying if you're if you take into account the walkways and the planters

[1:30:58] and all that in terms of uh uh how how many square feet are we

[1:31:05] actually going to be disturbing of the existing site? I can probably come up

[1:31:11] with that real >> quickly because you have the some map.

[1:31:14] It's a park map with the layout the future memorial. Uh yeah, looks like

[1:31:20] still small corner area, but but based on your option two. Yeah, I know. Based

[1:31:26] on option two, some looks like it's more huge. It's a it's a bigger area. Almost

[1:31:32] like a half park, you know. I I feeling that, you know, almost half park is used

[1:31:38] for the for the memorial. So

[1:31:45] just want to make sure it's it's enough space to have the this. Yeah.

[1:31:52] » And then we we also have the like uh we have the our Christmas tree light the

[1:31:57] tree you we don't want to touch that too, right? So it's for the field.

[1:32:01] » And I'm just estimating if you were to go from the left side the sidewalk

[1:32:07] » to the uh walkway on the other side. Yeah. That length would probably be

[1:32:12] about 80 90 feet. >> 80 90 feet.

[1:32:16] » Okay. Linear feet distance wise. >> Okay.

[1:32:19] » Yeah. >> Okay. So, actually not I a lot of really

[1:32:23] ways looks like it's a huge area, right? It's okay.

[1:32:28] » Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay.

[1:32:31] So, so that's why I want the more detailed design. Do for for the is it

[1:32:36] for the future you have the more detailed design. Is it possible you can

[1:32:40] do the new technology the 3D give it to us the more idea?

[1:32:45] » Yeah, three the three dimensional the modeling really does um I guess tell a

[1:32:51] the story I guess a little easier uh to make at this scale even at this scale.

[1:32:56] It is it is a big scale in plan view >> but um it's hard to pick up in this case

[1:33:02] where you have a lot of uh detailing and detailed elements. It really helps to

[1:33:08] see them in 3D in in a as you model them. So you

[1:33:14] will we will do that. >> If you have this this direction, you can

[1:33:16] do the 3D. It's more ideally. Okay. >> All right. So it's a I like the the

[1:33:26] Sabio the Sabio veteran coration. They say the pronabio veteran. But uh my

[1:33:33] question is how do we define S Gabriel the veteran? So it's based on they serve

[1:33:41] the time or that's the question for for >> Yeah, that's the question for I think

[1:33:45] for the coalition to decide how the question is is they had to have been

[1:33:50] born in the city of San Gabriel or they had to

[1:33:55] lived in the city of San Gabriel. >> So not the bas served the time, right?

[1:34:01] It's a maybe they say are veteran and then later down move they they retire

[1:34:07] from the the army and come to our city. >> Most of these most of the veterans there

[1:34:13] are several of them that were born in San Gabriel.

[1:34:17] » Then they would register in LA County because this is LA County.

[1:34:23] » Then they would serve in World War I or World War II or Vietnam or Korea.

[1:34:29] and then they would stay in the city. >> Other ones have been born in another

[1:34:34] city >> but have lived in this city for 50, 60,

[1:34:40] 40, 30ome years. >> Mhm. Okay.

[1:34:44] » So, does that kind of answer your question? And every single veteran that

[1:34:48] we have, >> they fill out the application online

[1:34:52] » and then I have to have proof that they served in the war. So, they have to give

[1:34:55] me what is known as a DD214. Mhm.

[1:34:59] » That shows you that they honorably served and were discharged.

[1:35:03] » And on those papers, I'm looking for the city of San Gabriel.

[1:35:08] » If they say I lived in San Gabriel, >> then I go look at the 1920 census, 30

[1:35:14] census, 40 census, 50 census is up to date to see that they lived in St.

[1:35:20] Gabriel. >> Yeah. the so but the question is

[1:35:27] some serve the the army or navy they discharge it and uh before they not born

[1:35:35] in the our city before they did not leaving our city but after then they

[1:35:41] moved to the our city of San Gabriel still qualified right

[1:35:43] » correct >> okay good yeah it's a more broad

[1:35:46] » just just like all the veterans that I explained that were Japanese they were

[1:35:51] all in the internment camps. >> Okay.

[1:35:53] » Okay. But before those interament camps, they lived in the city of San Gabriel.

[1:35:58] » Okay. >> Some of them chose not to live in San

[1:36:00] Gabriel after the interament camps. But the majority that I have found

[1:36:05] » not only got out of the interament camps,

[1:36:08] » they served and came back to the city of San Gabriel.

[1:36:11] » Yeah. Good. So very simple. It's any veteran. It's relate to the

[1:36:16] » born in San Gabriel or lived in San Gabriel for many many years. the San

[1:36:21] Gabriel. It's >> the city of St. Gabriel.

[1:36:23] » All right. >> If you had nothing to do with St.

[1:36:25] Gabriel, then you cannot be on that monument.

[1:36:29] » Okay. >> And in answer to your question on the

[1:36:31] dates when they register, it's the dates by the war because if you served in

[1:36:37] World War I, that would be 41 to 45. If you served in Korea, so if we're putting

[1:36:42] the names on there, putting the dates, that's a long way to go across the way.

[1:36:47] If you go to the Vietnam veteran or you go to the World War II veteran or the

[1:36:52] World War I veteran or the Korean veteran, most of them have them in

[1:36:57] alphabetical order. Then you go there and they'll tell you they're on panel

[1:37:01] one or panel two or panel three or panel four. It's up to you if you want to make

[1:37:08] the correction when you put the emblems there and you or or you can make a

[1:37:12] distinction. World War I was this year to that year. World War II was this year

[1:37:17] to that year. You could do that. Uh but most of the veterans, there's so many of

[1:37:23] them have so many medals. We even contemplating on each name putting the

[1:37:27] different medals if they got bronze star, silver star, but that becomes too

[1:37:32] much. If you go to the city of Arcadia, they have theirs in their museum and

[1:37:39] it's all digitized. So, they take all the history like I've been getting, they

[1:37:44] put them online so everybody can see them

[1:37:48] and and you have the emblem of each war and the years that they served.

[1:37:53] » But here, being that it's outside, you can't do the digital ties and have it

[1:37:59] outside unless you place that in maybe your historical museum, which is close

[1:38:04] by. The San Gabriel Historical Museum might be one way. Um, Arcadia got theirs

[1:38:09] through the Daughters of American Revolution. Uh, they donated all that

[1:38:14] computer and the whole setup and you submit all the stuff to put in there.

[1:38:19] So, that's another option. But being outside, we can't put that information,

[1:38:24] you know, next to each person, but I do have a lot of information on each

[1:38:28] person. What >> I understand. Thank you. Actually, I was

[1:38:32] just at the Arcadia uh community center a few days ago and I noticed they do

[1:38:37] have >> well, it's hard for you to see, but I

[1:38:39] took a picture of this. So, there's the the the monuments outside and you're

[1:38:43] saying there there's another one inside >> in their in their museum. It's called

[1:38:46] the GLI Museum. I will I can show you all the stuff that they Yeah, I have

[1:38:50] that and I can show that to Mark how they digitize and put it together and do

[1:38:54] that. >> So, they've got an outdoors one and an

[1:38:56] indoors one. >> Yeah. If you go to most of the cities

[1:38:59] around here, Temple City, >> Arcadia, they don't have the names on

[1:39:03] the veterans. They just have those four or five Navy, Army, Marine, Flowers.

[1:39:09] » So, even though St. Gabriel has taken >> a long time to do this, you'll be a

[1:39:15] unique city >> by actually adding your citizens on

[1:39:20] there that really serve. >> I like it. Monterey Park has some in the

[1:39:24] front of their city hall, >> but this one will be so unique because

[1:39:28] you will have all of them on there. >> Excellent.

[1:39:31] » And as time goes on, like Denise mentioned and several of you mentioned,

[1:39:35] you'll be adding on for generations, >> right? Okay, great. Thank you for that.

[1:39:40] » Any more questions? I keep going. >> I still not finish.

[1:39:46] » Go ahead. >> The question is for the designer. Okay.

[1:39:49] Thank you. Thank you to answer the question. Denise. Okay. Uh the so it's

[1:39:55] we already everybody talking about digital ties the so can you like uh when

[1:40:03] you do the design so maybe you can think about it it's use the bigger screen or

[1:40:09] just smaller like iPad to let the let the people they go to the even outside

[1:40:15] they can then can search the right away. So that's it's possible and also I think

[1:40:23] this cause our safety pro problem too if if we put on the screen on that you know

[1:40:29] outside so that's how do we I think I like the digital the idea so it's easy

[1:40:37] to the people to go there to see the name they can search right away they

[1:40:42] don't need to like go go to the like our website something right it's it's if we

[1:40:48] and provide it because it's already new technology, you know.

[1:40:51] » Yeah. Yeah. Well, I I think that's that's probably doable. I think you need

[1:40:56] to I personally would need to do some research on how to incorporate that. I

[1:41:02] think you need to think about that this will be outdoors in a park

[1:41:06] » and um you know subject to um you know >> yeah actually the first of all if we

[1:41:14] have big big screen even you can so how it's even we can put on some with a

[1:41:21] history like sab veteran corision how they put on this kind movement that's

[1:41:28] part of history we can use the digital talize to tell the the the the the

[1:41:34] future resident they know that right how they we can make this happen right and

[1:41:40] by the way it's >> uh if you talk it's also the technology

[1:41:46] so if you have the name you can like uh help them to see oh where the plaque the

[1:41:53] their location located so I think they can do that too

[1:41:58] » yeah in terms of uh uh finding like a wayfinding uh tool to help find uh a

[1:42:06] specific person. Sure. >> Um

[1:42:09] » I'm not I' I'd have to understand a little bit more about this big screen

[1:42:15] thing you're talking about. >> You know, how big is it? What what's

[1:42:19] what information do you want on there? That type of thing. I imagine something

[1:42:23] a little bit smaller >> that that would, you know, probably be a

[1:42:27] little bit more appropriate for this rather than a large screen with names

[1:42:31] and things on it. That might be, you know, subject to vandalism. Um

[1:42:36] » Mhm. >> But even like maybe a QR code so people

[1:42:39] could go on their phone >> QR code. Yeah.

[1:42:41] » And bingo, we're done. >> That's true. You know to

[1:42:45] » But I Why you say the bigger screen? Maybe for the some veteran the senior

[1:42:49] person it's hard to see a like today we hard to read it to small character

[1:42:55] » be a big QR code >> we can discuss that with staff and see

[1:43:00] if that's something we can incorporate into into

[1:43:03] » but yeah we can let them flush that out um later. Yeah. And the and the question

[1:43:07] is if we already have this direction if looks like most

[1:43:12] » I still haven't spoken so >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I Yeah. No. I I

[1:43:16] just say I just asking the if we have this direction. So how long you can

[1:43:21] provide the the the more detailed the design?

[1:43:25] » Um I think we could probably have something within two weeks updated uh uh

[1:43:31] design. I know we've we've we again have these two and we've had the input from

[1:43:38] the coalition. So even back at our studios, we've been thinking about how

[1:43:42] to >> to add those into the design. So

[1:43:45] » So >> I would say two two to three weeks to be

[1:43:47] on the same side. >> Okay. All right. The the design come

[1:43:50] out. It's it's very important for us also is how much the cost, right?

[1:43:56] » We'll talk about that later. >> Yeah. But but I I just I just want to

[1:44:01] like add on this when they design should be considered about that too, right?

[1:44:06] » Yeah. >> And uh and uh it's after we approved the

[1:44:10] your detail design. Yeah. The next go around we will have an

[1:44:14] estimate of what we feel something like this would cost. Right now because it's

[1:44:19] still, you know, everything's kind of fluid. Um we haven't taken the time to

[1:44:25] come up with any estimates. But I think the next go around when we can, you

[1:44:29] know, tighten things up a bit, we can have an estimate of what we feel

[1:44:33] something like this would cost. >> Okay. Yeah. It's very important.

[1:44:37] Yes. >> It's how long we can build this uh the

[1:44:42] the monument. >> How how long?

[1:44:44] » How long? Yeah, probably as >> um I' I'd probably say a year out at

[1:44:49] least. Yeah, a year out. >> It's it's one one year. Six months out.

[1:44:56] construction. >> Construction. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[1:44:58] » Well, it'll take uh 3 4 months to do CDs, put together the working drawings,

[1:45:04] the construction drawings. I imagine six months to construct, you know, anywhere

[1:45:09] from >> um you know, four months would be, you

[1:45:13] know, >> pretty pretty fast. I'd say six month.

[1:45:16] » So, roughly estimate like one year. >> I would say about a year.

[1:45:20] » Okay. All right. I think the the very courage they want to see ASAP right to

[1:45:25] to get it right. >> They've they've waited this long. So,

[1:45:31] » okay. >> Yeah.

[1:45:34] » Okay. >> If we could speed it up, we'd be happy

[1:45:36] to try to, you know, do what we can, but >> All right.

[1:45:39] » Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you.

[1:45:41] » Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. So, um I think the

[1:45:45] consensus I'm hearing is modific uh option two with the modifications. um

[1:45:50] that were uh mentioned earlier. I I I I can't sign on to those things on the on

[1:45:58] the bench. I like the way it is. I think it's a solemn place. It's a respectful

[1:46:03] place. Um but I think I think the consensus is option two with any

[1:46:09] modifications. We we did talk about um digital which needs to be looked at. Um,

[1:46:15] but I was also just thinking um just in general just going forward, you know, if

[1:46:20] people have questions, contact information, you know, who are they

[1:46:24] going to be contacting going forward, donations. I think once we have a

[1:46:29] design, you know, they will come. I think you're going to have a lot of

[1:46:35] groups and I, you know, I can already think about three or four once they see

[1:46:39] the designs, you know, whether it's businesses here or businesses outside,

[1:46:44] they're want to, they're going to want to be part of it. So, it's really

[1:46:47] important that we get these designs done, not necessarily the construction,

[1:46:52] but the designs. And then I think it would be so helpful in getting more

[1:46:56] people to to sign on. And so, that's really important. But but we do need to

[1:47:01] think about where are we going to put that sign. So, you know, just going

[1:47:05] forward and and maybe it's not digital. I I I think it makes sense to do digital

[1:47:10] because things are going to be changing, but you know, donations for the future,

[1:47:14] contact information, um you know, if you want your loved ones to be added, you

[1:47:19] know, where do they go? So, we need to have somewhere on there um that type of

[1:47:25] information. What that looks like, you know, I don't know. And then if it makes

[1:47:29] sense to do the names, the 400 names here and then later on put them over

[1:47:34] here, that's fine too. But uh I I think those are the kind of questions that

[1:47:39] need to be discussed. Uh the um the other unique thing about this memorial

[1:47:45] is the fact that I think we're the first ones to do the space, right? Because

[1:47:49] most of them don't have space. >> Yeah, that I made that uh recommendation

[1:47:55] when we first decided on this. >> Oh, you did? Yeah. I forgot.

[1:47:58] » You're welcome. You're welcome. >> But but yeah, we're the first. So that

[1:48:02] makes us unique also, not just the names. Um, one question I had and and

[1:48:08] maybe it's already been discussed, but our indigenous groups, I know there was

[1:48:12] some discussion of maybe having a separate section for them or um are are

[1:48:19] we just going to merge them together with everyone else? I mean, I merge

[1:48:23] them. Okay, so it's a merge. That's okay. Just wanted to confirm that. And

[1:48:29] then um the landscaping um I I do like it. It is very busy. Um hopefully

[1:48:37] whatever we do pick, you know, I'm I'm the daughter of a gardener. Um but

[1:48:43] I think about those things. It's just the the maintenance, the upkeeping. It's

[1:48:48] like I hope our staff is fully equipped to do that because I don't think we have

[1:48:52] anything like this in any of our facilities because those seem to be very

[1:48:58] I mean I look at them at the mission and it just seems like they're sensitive.

[1:49:02] It's not something you just let it grow and you need to give it that love and

[1:49:06] care and so we're going to have to have irrigation system of some sort. So those

[1:49:11] are the things you you will be thinking about. Right. Just another word about

[1:49:15] the landscaping and the plant material. Someone asked that earlier. Um we do

[1:49:20] work with the city primarily their maintenance people and if uh we we try

[1:49:26] to identify plants that they see have worked well that do well um and we'll

[1:49:33] work with them and often they have the final say uh of plant m the plant

[1:49:38] material that goes in. So, we want to make sure that um you know they're on

[1:49:43] board as well. So, >> but you need an irrigation system of

[1:49:47] some sort to make sure it continues to grow.

[1:49:49] » We would probably modify what's out there. There's currently an existing

[1:49:53] irrigation system. We would have to definitely modify it in a way to

[1:49:56] irrigate any any new plant. Sure. >> Yeah. Because then you have to connect

[1:50:01] it to the main line and goes on and on. And then um my last comment is um I I do

[1:50:07] kind of like having our commissions design review and our planning

[1:50:12] commission um maybe even historical. Remember they

[1:50:16] are advisory. That's their role. It's not to tell them or us what to do. They

[1:50:22] give advice. And if we want everyone to kind of buy in, I I think it would be

[1:50:28] respectful to let them at least look at it and maybe there's things they see

[1:50:32] because we have some amazing commissions with very qualified people. Maybe

[1:50:37] there's some things that we're not seeing um and they can give us their

[1:50:41] advice. They can just, you know, provide any kind of guidance or or just

[1:50:48] suggestions. I know it's additional work for staff, but I don't think there's any

[1:50:52] harm in doing it unless it's going to, you know, stop us for another six months

[1:50:57] and we don't want that. But if we kind of narrow it down to option two, you

[1:51:01] make those modifications, they they look at it, maybe there's

[1:51:05] something else. But I I just feel it's important to for everybody to be

[1:51:09] included because I get questions all the time and I'm definitely not the expert

[1:51:14] and like I said this is the first time I've seen it but um I I think it would

[1:51:19] start getting that momentum going and and then hopefully once we get to a

[1:51:24] better place then we can have those boards out there so people could say hey

[1:51:29] it's coming it's coming you know the memorial is coming and this is where you

[1:51:33] donate you know this is where I I would like to see that kind of visual even

[1:51:38] because this is again another year but having some kind of visual out there so

[1:51:42] people know we we're moving we're moving forward you know the year of the horse

[1:51:46] right about energy and momentum and all that good stuff and we're doing that but

[1:51:51] nobody knows you know unless you're a veteran or you're really involved

[1:51:56] nothing out there telling people that we're going to have a memorial here so

[1:52:01] you know join in participate so those are what would be just my suggestions

[1:52:05] questions um for now, but I think staff has enough to to proceed. Mark, is there

[1:52:11] anything else you need from us? I I would just suggest if if the

[1:52:17] commissions if if council wants the commissions to be consulted that

[1:52:22] possibly we would do that sooner rather than later and would take

[1:52:26] these ideas to them and then DBDC would be able to pull all of that together

[1:52:31] rather than them having to go back and make propos the proposed changes that

[1:52:36] they've heard today and from the Veterans Memorial Coalition and then

[1:52:40] take it to the to the commissions. Does it do you?

[1:52:43] » Well, I Mark Martin, did you have a comment? I couldn't understand you. You

[1:52:48] were mumbling. >> What' you say?

[1:52:59] » It will, >> right?

[1:53:01] » Well, but but you're saying it won't delay it. Just take this option two,

[1:53:06] mention the modifications that have been made and then give them a chance to just

[1:53:10] look at it. That that would be my suggestion rather than rather than David

[1:53:15] Voltz making these changes and then they take it to the commissions and the

[1:53:19] commissions then have changes and then it has to go back again.

[1:53:22] » Well, the commissions would just give us would be advisory only. So,

[1:53:26] » right, but they may advise, hey, you really should take a look at this and

[1:53:29] then we would need to bring it back to council before it goes back to David

[1:53:33] Boltz. I I'm just trying to see how we can kind of expedite the process, which

[1:53:38] I I I sense the eagerness of council as well as the eagerness of the veterans.

[1:53:44] » Mark, >> I'm just going to try to confirm which

[1:53:48] commissions you would want that to go to. Uh my suggestion would be design

[1:53:51] review and cultural resources and historic preservation because they both

[1:53:56] deal in this planning commission although they deal with with uh projects

[1:54:02] may not be as >> those would be the two

[1:54:04] » that's would be my suggestion. >> Um madame mayor if I may what about the

[1:54:09] idea of just having the ad hoc wi within those commissions so that it just goes

[1:54:13] to one body. I think that >> it Yeah, but it takes it takes a long

[1:54:18] time those ad hocs if we just I mean they can have it at their next meeting.

[1:54:22] So we're in February, March, they look at it, we're done, and then we move

[1:54:27] forward. >> So right now we're looking at two or

[1:54:30] three. >> My suggestion would be two. As Rebecca

[1:54:33] said, we would bring this design, get feedback. I don't think we'd have to go

[1:54:37] back to to council. We'll give that feedback to David Vol's designs and they

[1:54:42] can put that into the final um we bring to council unless there's something that

[1:54:47] we absolutely don't think council would want to see and we can have that as

[1:54:50] either a separate design or just input when we get back to council. So, I think

[1:54:54] we can do it in a way that >> speeds it up. It's not going to be fast.

[1:54:58] I don't want to oversell this. It's going to be

[1:55:00] » but but if you just use this one, tell them about the modifications, it could

[1:55:04] be on the agenda in March. I mean, we're not talking about additional committees

[1:55:08] or additional work, per se. >> That's right. So, March or April, it

[1:55:12] would be on those commissions and then back to the council sometime after that.

[1:55:15] » Yeah, madam. >> Does that a layer?

[1:55:17] » Yeah. >> Madame Mayor, I would support that

[1:55:19] because then that way they feel like they're being part of this um process.

[1:55:24] » You support the two? >> Yeah.

[1:55:26] » Yeah. >> Yeah.

[1:55:26] » Two. >> Two.

[1:55:28] » Yeah. It's it's just just want to like see the time wise. Okay. the uh even we

[1:55:35] have two how long we can we still need to bring back to the city council to

[1:55:40] discuss or just uh their result it's it's a give it to the design the company

[1:55:47] » ultimately the last step is coming to council to bless the concept design and

[1:55:52] so the the path we're going forward with now would be David Bol uh and his team

[1:55:57] would go back and start to make the changes they've heard today

[1:56:00] » we would take a parallel track to the commissions

[1:56:03] » Mhm. Mhm. >> And then we would come back to council

[1:56:06] with whatever that end design would be with with the input. So

[1:56:10] » it has to come back to us anyway. >> So so come back to us then they are

[1:56:16] company they can do the further design. Is it correct or it's it's

[1:56:20] simultaneously they still can do the some design?

[1:56:30] I I would suggest if council is okay with the recommendations that the

[1:56:35] coalition has made and and we can take any comments that you guys have made um

[1:56:41] tonight and take that to the commission. And if the commission is in agreement

[1:56:47] with those if there are additional changes that the commissions have or

[1:56:51] recommendations that the commissions have, we could potentially do that

[1:56:55] offline rather than in a public meeting and and send those to council and then

[1:57:00] David Voltz can can do their I don't know if Martin's looking concerned by

[1:57:05] that. No. Yeah, I think that of course you can

[1:57:11] send whatever minutes of the meetings or whatever suggestions were to the

[1:57:15] commission, but council can't take action on those in any way, shape or

[1:57:19] form other than bring them back to the meeting and and uh make decisions on on

[1:57:25] those recommendations. Um,

[1:57:28] » so I guess we would need to know what those recommendations are that are given

[1:57:33] and whether or not that's enough for David Voltz to re kind of do the final

[1:57:37] design based on and then bring that design back. Right.

[1:57:42] » Want to speak? >> Yeah. Thank you. Um, well, I I think

[1:57:46] that since it's the desire of the council to

[1:57:50] have the commissions provide input on this project and and have those that

[1:57:55] input be meaningful, um, I think that once that's done, it

[1:58:00] should come back to the council >> and then go to the consultant because if

[1:58:05] if if it goes straight from the commissions to the consultant, he may or

[1:58:09] may not incorporate those um, and then whatever the commissions have done

[1:58:16] may be recognized, may not be recognized and and they may feel like um they

[1:58:23] looked at it uh without any reason for them to do that.

[1:58:29] » So would it be safe to say then that that item could come back to the city

[1:58:33] council? The consultant wouldn't necessarily have to be here for that and

[1:58:37] then they would be here for the final design. Does that make sense? Well,

[1:58:41] that's up to the council, but depending on what those recommendations are from

[1:58:45] commissions. I >> I think Madame Mayor, I'm sorry to butt

[1:58:48] in. if you'll give uh staff a little discretion on how this process goes

[1:58:53] depending on what we hear back from the commissions because I'd hate to set a

[1:58:57] process that we promise to bring back or not bring back and then it turns out the

[1:59:01] designs are are very minimal changes and we can just we think the council will

[1:59:05] approve them and we can just have the architect incorporate them or vice versa

[1:59:09] if the changes are so drastic I'd hate to waste time on making those changes

[1:59:13] I'd bring it back to council right away and say you need to be the arbitrator of

[1:59:17] where this goes. So, if I think we have the idea of what you're looking for and

[1:59:21] if you'll give us some discretion, we'll try to get it back to the council as

[1:59:25] quickly as possible in a format that you all will want to move forward on.

[1:59:30] » Okay. >> So, whole processing probably take how

[1:59:33] long? >> At least two months. I don't want to

[1:59:36] over promise by the time we get agendas ready and before the commission and with

[1:59:41] the architect, it's probably two months. >> Well, it was going to be a month just to

[1:59:46] make those modifications. Anyway, >> so we're looking at maybe one more month

[1:59:51] » at most. But I think it would be valuable to have that

[1:59:54] » you not one more month, it's three more months because the two months later the

[2:00:00] bring back to the city council, then the designer can go moving forward.

[2:00:04] » Well, no, he he already has modifications he's got to make. This is

[2:00:08] not the final one. He's going to make those modifications that were suggested

[2:00:12] and he said it's going to take at least a month.

[2:00:14] » So So you can simultaneously do the some modification

[2:00:18] and uh until the two months later so they will we have the commission come

[2:00:23] back. So if we have the some little change you still can do it to is it

[2:00:29] correct? >> I I I think two months. Yeah. If I mean

[2:00:34] the way I understand it is I I have suggestions from from the coalition

[2:00:40] » and and uh uh the council this evening. Uh those changes I think can be easily

[2:00:46] incorporated into an updated design within a month.

[2:00:50] » Um but it sounds like uh I would could possibly get some additional comments

[2:00:56] from uh other commissions. Um, and you know, depending on what those

[2:01:03] suggestions are and what the city would like to move forward with in terms of

[2:01:08] those changes, you know, I would say, you know, that could be a couple weeks

[2:01:13] to another month to do that. So, um, two months total.

[2:01:18] » Okay. Okay. Thank you. That's good to know.

[2:01:23] » Mark, how do we take care of this? Because we got comments. I know public

[2:01:27] comments already stopped, but we do have additional comments in the audience. How

[2:01:32] do we suggest? >> That's totally up to the mayor if you

[2:01:35] want to open the comment period. >> So then I will open up the public

[2:01:39] comment again, but you need to stand up and get to the mic. M

[2:01:43] » madame mayor, may I just make one one more uh recommendation, a clarification

[2:01:48] before that? Um in the bench area, I I see that there's different kind of stone

[2:01:54] there. Is that that accurate? I just want to make sure that we avoid people

[2:01:59] that are going to go and skateboard in that area and have like a particular

[2:02:03] kind of stone that will prevent people from

[2:02:06] » vandalizing the the benches and skating around that area, particularly just by

[2:02:11] the benches. >> And the option too, there is a different

[2:02:13] stone that we're using uh in front of the memorial. Um it'd be the idea so far

[2:02:20] would be a a flag stone type material. Um, just keep in mind all this is still

[2:02:26] ADA uh um accessible. So, we have to make sure that um it it's probably not

[2:02:34] the the easy easiest surface to skate on, but it's it probably is flat enough

[2:02:39] where someone could skate on it. Yeah. >> Okay. I just wanted to point that out.

[2:02:45] » Thank you for that. >> Thank you,

[2:02:46] » Mary.

[2:02:51] » I just wanted to make a suggestion. Um, Rebecca, like we had our meeting in

[2:02:56] December with him. Is it possible to get the commissioners with the veterans and

[2:03:03] him all together so that we don't go to each commission? We have them all

[2:03:08] together if they want to participate in it. Would that be possible?

[2:03:16] » I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. >> I'm sorry.

[2:03:18] » I'm sorry. I was looking at Mark. I was going to suggest that that dual meeting

[2:03:23] like we had with the planning commission and um the council.

[2:03:28] Is that possible or >> That's absolutely possible. It's at the

[2:03:32] discretion of the council. Sometimes that takes longer to set up though than

[2:03:36] the standing meetings that we already have with both commissions and um we'll

[2:03:40] invite the the coalition to both of those meetings. Obviously, they'll have

[2:03:44] uh invitations to those. So, I I think it'd be quicker just to use the standing

[2:03:48] meetings that we have >> because I think we should be included if

[2:03:50] they're going to make suggestions because we've already reviewed it with

[2:03:54] him and made our suggestions so we know what they want to suggest. I mean, cuz

[2:03:59] we're not going for the angels either. Angel benches. It just

[2:04:05] a ship. >> Okay. I'm I'm Well, I don't like the

[2:04:08] angels either. >> It sounds more like a cemetery, you

[2:04:11] know? It sounds like it should be in the cemetery.

[2:04:13] » It was plain wings. Plain wings. Yeah. Well,

[2:04:15] » would it be possible to have half of you go to one meeting and the other half go

[2:04:19] to? Why don't we do something like that? >> But I I think you would find it I think

[2:04:24] just being more inclusive and including this is what their

[2:04:28] » their volunteer role is is to give suggestions and I think it could be some

[2:04:33] really good ones too, things that we're not seeing.

[2:04:36] » Right. >> Okay. Thank you, Mary. And then uh

[2:04:40] » back up.

[2:04:44] I'm coming. Oh, who's coming? Debbie. Sorry, Debbie.

[2:04:48] » Yes, sir.

[2:04:53] » Um, I just want to thank everybody. Sorry. I

[2:04:58] just want to thank everyone. Um, I just have one comment in regards to a

[2:05:04] suggestion um for

[2:05:09] a possible modification. Um, in keeping to the theme of our

[2:05:15] beautiful mission district, um,

[2:05:22] digital, I understand, you know, is the way. um in a lot of different types of

[2:05:30] settings, but this is just me. Um

[2:05:37] you know, um when I see

[2:05:42] something electronic in front of this beautiful San Gabriel Mission,

[2:05:48] um it's just hard to see flashing lights or or the scrolling of names. and you

[2:05:55] know against that backdrop of of the San Gabriel mission and I understand it's

[2:06:01] it's the way and it's easier to view for folks but um

[2:06:07] you know just the thought of having like a billboard or something you know

[2:06:11] illuminated like that I'm thinking of you know the billboards down the Sunset

[2:06:17] Strip or Vegas you know and I don't want it to take away from the beautiful San

[2:06:24] Gabriel mission, you know. Um I I remember everyone said we got to keep

[2:06:29] this veterans memorial in the style of our San Gabriel mission of the flavor,

[2:06:36] the feeling, the vibe and just having a digital

[2:06:41] whatever size there I think um you know kind of takes away from how

[2:06:49] unique our city is you know and um I get goosebumps just thinking about it. And

[2:06:56] I'm sorry. I I I am passionate about our veterans and I love this little town,

[2:07:01] St. Cabril, and I'm sorry. Um but you know um I know the future

[2:07:10] there's a lot of changes but we we need to embrace this town

[2:07:16] you know and we can't lose the flavor of what we have at that little plaza park

[2:07:23] in front of that church in front of where everything happened and everything

[2:07:28] started you know um so Yeah, just having the

[2:07:33] beautiful little lights um illuminating the names and the flag I think is great,

[2:07:40] you know. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Carlos or Michael? Oh,

[2:07:46] okay. >> I saw Carlos's hand.

[2:07:50] » No, no, go ahead. Uh since it's

[2:07:56] since it's now going to the planning commission, it's like one more

[2:08:01] » No, no, we said design review and historical.

[2:08:04] » Okay. >> Not the planning.

[2:08:06] » It's just that we want to be kept a breast of what's going on. you know, uh

[2:08:12] it has been a long long time and there's been a lot of time where we've come

[2:08:19] together, try to come up with ideas,

[2:08:25] um come up with plans for fundraisers, uh time to communicate with different

[2:08:32] council members. And so we're hoping that we are kept a

[2:08:37] breast of all the steps they're going to take. Um because

[2:08:44] the group is not exactly teenagers, okay? And and

[2:08:51] the more that they know, I think the better that they have that something's

[2:08:56] going to come about and that they can share that information with others. So

[2:09:00] that's my hope. I think Rebecca's been very good in

[2:09:04] trying to keep you all informed. I think we've all done a better job. So, I think

[2:09:09] we can give you assurance that whatever does take place, it will be

[2:09:13] communicated. I hope that uh the architects I wish

[2:09:18] them well with their uh proposed concept drawings and I wish also to thank uh

[2:09:26] Rebecca Pettis for her uh serving as a liaison between ourselves and the city.

[2:09:34] uh she's been very very good in her precision and

[2:09:39] always there to offer us the help that we need. Thank you.

[2:09:44] » Thank you, Michael. Carlos, the real Carlos.

[2:09:49] » Okay, great. Thank you. How'd you get in here, Pat?

[2:09:55] » Hello. Hello, uh Mayor Machaka, members of the city council. Thank you very

[2:10:00] much. My name is Patricia Fulton. F O L T Y N. And I was born in Pasadena but

[2:10:09] raised in this beautiful city. Um my my parent my father was not a veteran

[2:10:15] although maybe a civilian veteran of World War II. I um I remember when this

[2:10:23] idea was first scratched on a napkin for this Veterans Memorial.

[2:10:30] And I know I uh I know people that were sitting next to me when they were

[2:10:35] scratching ideas on the napkin along with the veterans many years ago. So I

[2:10:40] am so happy to see that this is where it is now. I think it's going to be a

[2:10:46] positive influence for our community. My one concern is that if this is at the

[2:10:52] turn of the street where where it goes in front of the Mission Elementary

[2:10:56] School and then turns on down to Mission Drive, we have to somehow subtly make

[2:11:02] the traffic be, you know, I just don't want to see somebody go crashing, you

[2:11:07] know, over and unfortunately landing into the memorial. So unobtrusively

[2:11:14] make the turn make people aware that you know slow down or maybe put um like slow

[2:11:22] like a slow down sign in this area so that the safety of the people at the

[2:11:28] memorial as well as the people driving. I don't know whether there's any

[2:11:32] accidents that have occurred there but I'm always thinking safety. So that

[2:11:37] smiley concern and I'm sure that um that the designers, the police department,

[2:11:44] the the city staff will work together to ensure that the safety. Thank you very

[2:11:49] much. >> Thank you, Pat. Yeah, that's why it's

[2:11:51] important to have our police officers or and and fire to be there to give back.

[2:11:56] Okay, so that closes public comment. >> Got one more. Oh,

[2:12:02] » you know, you guys have done a lot and Rebecca, as he explained, has really

[2:12:08] been helpful the whole way through, but the veterans would love to see a sign

[2:12:15] there that says future home of the veteran site because as we're putting on

[2:12:22] Veterans Day and Memorial Day and I'm calling people asking for their veterans

[2:12:28] information, they keep saying, "Where's the site? I don't see a sign there. I

[2:12:33] don't know where it is." So, I'm hoping that the city I know that we have

[2:12:38] submitted, Michael Cervantes had several designs submitted to Rebecca of what we

[2:12:44] would like it to say because the veterans cannot go out fundraising until

[2:12:49] we have a final conception design. So, anything that you do that delays it in

[2:12:56] getting this out there to us, it impedes the fundraising of getting uh money to

[2:13:03] put, you know, the veterans names on there and stuff. So I want you also to

[2:13:08] keep that in mind because every no matter what you do it's just delaying

[2:13:13] along the way whether it's a month, two months, three months because we cannot

[2:13:17] go out anywhere unless we have the final and actual design to start fundraising.

[2:13:24] Okay, >> thank you. Okay, I'm going to close

[2:13:27] public comment and uh staff uh or city manager, you have everything you need.

[2:13:34] Okay, great. Thank you to everybody for participating and for their patience.

[2:13:39] Uh, next item, city manager report.

[2:13:44] » Thank you, Madame Mayor. I have nothing tonight other than wishing everybody a

[2:13:47] happy uh, new year. >> Okay. Council comments and conference

[2:13:55] meeting reports. Uh, vice mayor, would you like to start?

[2:13:59] » Okay. Thank you, Madame Mayor. I'm going to try to make this quick. Um, I know

[2:14:04] we've had a long day. Um, on February 6th, uh, I attended the

[2:14:11] grand opening and ribbon cutting for Guiji Tea Huiji Tea House in the Tawa

[2:14:17] Gateway, which is, uh, the former formerly known as Focus Plaza Complex,

[2:14:24] and we wish them well. Looks like, uh, they're going to do really well there.

[2:14:28] On uh February 7th, I attended along with my some of my colleagues here

[2:14:34] attend the IPAC officers installation dinner at the San Gabriel Sherin. It was

[2:14:39] a lovely event and thank you Councilman Ding for the reminder. Um on the 11th I

[2:14:47] attended the a grand opening celebration of a new restaurant called Milk and

[2:14:51] Company Cafe in Monterey Park and uh they seem like they're going to do well.

[2:14:56] So, um, on February 13th, I attended, well, as, uh, as Dr. Chassidy Jennings,

[2:15:06] uh, Nunees mentioned, I attended a lovely Black History Month art exhibit

[2:15:11] event at the Blossom Market Hall, and it was hosted by Dr. Jennings Nunees. And,

[2:15:17] uh, yeah, it was it was a great event, really talented artist that they were fe

[2:15:20] featuring. On

[2:15:24] February 15th, I attended League of Women Voters along with a few of my

[2:15:29] colleagues here, uh, League of Women Voters 90th anniversary Gayla event at

[2:15:33] the Arcadia Community Center. It's a worthy cause and the music was great.

[2:15:39] And I may or may I not have uh sang karaoke along with it.

[2:15:44] Maybe that happens. Um,

[2:15:49] and uh, oh, earlier this morning I attended a public safety summit hosted

[2:15:54] by Temple City Mayor Sternquist at Temple City's LA County Library. And it

[2:15:59] was mainly regarding how to work together uh during a mass mass casualty

[2:16:06] emergency event and how to work together and efficiently among the different

[2:16:10] levels of government and making sure we're all on the same page and not

[2:16:14] getting in each other's way and and making the the making the response as uh

[2:16:21] fluid and efficient as possible. And um last thing, uh I just hope

[2:16:27] everyone had a great President's Day holiday. I'm wearing my president's tie

[2:16:33] and happy lunar year. Happy Lunar New Year. All right. Thank you. And I yield

[2:16:38] my time. Okay. Thank you, Madam Mayor. >> Council member Hera Aila.

[2:16:43] » Thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh just one thing just shiny quail ki fatai wishing

[2:16:48] you all a happy Chinese lunar new year and uh many blessings to you and your

[2:16:52] families. Thank you, Council Member Deng.

[2:17:01] » Five minutes to it.

[2:17:06] Okay. February 6 and have a chance to go to Gu

[2:17:12] Opening. It's really glad our city have a lot of the different kind of even tea.

[2:17:18] We have the different kind of tea too. It's uh they are originally uh at Tai

[2:17:23] Taiwan. It's Yeah, it's it's a grand great uh the grand opening. It's thanks

[2:17:29] to our the economic development department to

[2:17:34] to host it this great event and our our our PIO do the good job to to do that.

[2:17:43] Okay. And uh uh that's so uh morning and evening I have uh attended the arch war

[2:17:50] grant prosperity they do the like a financial insurance they every year this

[2:17:56] last couple year every year in the our gabio the sheran so um because the it's

[2:18:06] the same to my career so they invite me too and the evening I I joined

[2:18:14] choir in the Pasadena, the the church, the people from the

[2:18:25] uh overseas, they have the good and come with our uh like a local choir. They

[2:18:32] sing it together. It's it's very good culture. And February 7, I have chance

[2:18:40] thanks to our rest of council member, the mayor and the vice mayor to

[2:18:49] join the I have the opportunity got the awards. Okay. So and that served our

[2:18:58] community and the February 8 it's I attend Guang Guangdong University they

[2:19:04] are have the event in our Sabia Hilton it's it's it's a great event too and uh

[2:19:12] then it's February 8 10 it's I have chance to attend the SGB cog at 2028 the

[2:19:22] the the 2028 became the the committee. So uh it's uh still continue to discuss

[2:19:30] on the 2020 how can they like uh especially I I they've used this five

[2:19:38] division and uh I I most joined it's sane park the division very close to us

[2:19:45] right okay and uh uh we suggest uh like uh cal

[2:19:53] metro should be they they plan to to provide the public transportation to let

[2:20:00] our sabio the resident go to the sale mar the station. So that's I think is

[2:20:07] very important. So you know we first of all we worry about the trans

[2:20:13] uh traffic but uh second it's it's a lot of senior people is really want this

[2:20:18] kind of fast service they go to if they want to go to the uh game to watch the

[2:20:24] game. And by the way we uh the the this plan also the bring the like the foreign

[2:20:30] the ethnic they have to come to our for our first of all I will represent for

[2:20:37] our city of St. Gabriel. So hopefully they can come in to visit our uh the

[2:20:42] mission district to see the uh this uh the the historic city. By the way, if if

[2:20:50] today we're moving forward, hopefully that time we can introduce them that

[2:20:54] that we have the veteran memorial park here too. Okay. So, it's it's a it's a

[2:20:59] good like consistent the uh the meeting. I I saw the our council member Bu is

[2:21:05] also joined that and the February 12 it's uh council general the chamber of

[2:21:10] commerce uh they they have the luna new year celebration and uh they currently

[2:21:18] say is in the uh hassai and auroran high and uh hopefully the the hosting the

[2:21:24] business owner will be sooner have the business in our city of San Gabriel too.

[2:21:30] All right. And and bring the more revenue for us. Okay. And and February

[2:21:36] the 14, it's I have the chance with our council member with Haka at the Tenuan

[2:21:43] day the cultural celebration and uh evening it's an I have attended Yina

[2:21:51] Association Luna New Year celebration actually.

[2:21:56] uh this like uh it's for me it's very amazing they it's most like they are

[2:22:02] like a traditional the pe people are from the China they're different ancest

[2:22:06] group too they celebrate because China is it's it's larger when it's haga is

[2:22:13] mostly from the Taiwan and and it's they in like ch okay it's it's really

[2:22:22] » you're close to your five minutes >> okay Okay.

[2:22:25] » All right. So, it's really like uh for me it's it's really it's represent our

[2:22:30] city have the diff different kind of culture. We have the uh uh Spanish

[2:22:36] culture, indigenous people, the the the culture. Yeah. Thank you,

[2:22:41] » Council Member Woo. >> Well, first of all, thank you so much

[2:22:46] for those who still staying here. Usually after the long reports um that

[2:22:53] saves a lot of my time because I have attended with them some of the event but

[2:22:57] the negative part is I'll have less audience stay here but thank you so much

[2:23:03] tonight no no well but uh um I just want to make

[2:23:07] that brief the last things first that this morning I joined the lunar new year

[2:23:11] celebration at Shilai Temple in Hienna Heights. So alongside with a lot of

[2:23:16] distinguished community leaders and elected official. So more than 3,000

[2:23:20] people gathered to celebrate the year of horse and reflecting the strength of

[2:23:24] unity of our diverse community. And I was able to uh uh deliver a short

[2:23:30] message and to wish everyone a happy new year. And on February 12, I attended the

[2:23:37] Ramona Polar dinners as the member of a very proud member of Native Sons of the

[2:23:42] Golden West. It was truly inspiring because I learned how to play bingo.

[2:23:48] And it was also happy to see that so many dedicated members who care deeply

[2:23:52] about the history of our city and the state. So I have a privilege to share a

[2:23:57] little updates about our city of St. Gabriel and expressing my gratitude to

[2:24:01] our city staff for their outstanding work that makes our community that I'm

[2:24:06] so proud to represent. Uh I also met um with this uh SGV COG Olympics ad hoc

[2:24:14] committee that representative and uh with other cities elect official to

[2:24:19] discuss how city of St. Gabriel can contribute as a nonvalue partners during

[2:24:24] the upcoming games in 2028. I share that we should expand our indigenous cultural

[2:24:31] programming and enhance our lanterns display to make our city of St. gave her

[2:24:35] a unique vibrant destination during the Olympics. So the ideas including

[2:24:41] inviting the indigenous group from our sister city in Hing County in Taiwan to

[2:24:47] engaged with our local tribal communities here in St. Gabriel and

[2:24:51] shifting maybe the dumpling and beers fest from October to July. So and to

[2:24:58] positioning our city as a hub of Olympics celebration.

[2:25:02] On February 15, I attended inauguration of chi uh American Chinese cuisine

[2:25:08] association at St. Gary Hilton with dumplings served that evening. It was a

[2:25:14] feeding celebrations. I was I invited the president uh Miss Zen to consider

[2:25:20] sponsoring and supporting dumpling for our city's dumpling beer festival and as

[2:25:26] the way that to further strengthen community partnership and cultural

[2:25:30] exchange. So that concludes my review. >> Did they say yes?

[2:25:34] » Not yet. Because >> not yet. All right.

[2:25:36] » They said they have so many different kind of a flavor. Okay. I just taste

[2:25:40] maybe one, you know, oneird of them. >> Okay.

[2:25:43] » I want to make sure that they serve really all delicious.

[2:25:46] » I trust you on quality control. >> You should trust me.

[2:25:49] » You you taste test all of it. Invite me for the taste test next time, too.

[2:25:53] » Yes, you're right. So, happy new year, everyone. Thank you so much.

[2:25:57] » Thank you. And so, first of all, I wanted to thank um Eliana Flores and

[2:26:03] Nancy Ramos and Jessica uh for all the decorating um and uh making this a

[2:26:10] festive day because I know it is as some of the public comments made. This is a

[2:26:14] very special day and thank you to my colleagues for all being here um to

[2:26:19] celebrate uh the Lunar New Year. So, happy new lunar new year to all. Just a

[2:26:25] couple things. Um well, Mary Garcia has left us, but uh the Grand Parlor del um

[2:26:31] delegate fundraiser that the Rona Parlor is having um is um they they are having

[2:26:39] this fundraiser where you get lasagna meal which includes meatballs and

[2:26:44] sausage $15 each or two for 25 and you get wine red or white for $10. And then

[2:26:51] you make your reservations and you pick them up at Clar's Italian market in

[2:26:57] their parking lot and all the proceeds will benefit um the Ramona parlor

[2:27:03] specifically the delegate. So um you can go online and get that information but

[2:27:08] it's u they do this periodically so keep an eye out. Um, I was able to meet with

[2:27:13] the new management at the Hilton Hotel and they are very interested with the

[2:27:17] Olympics and they think that by the end of this year they're going to be fully

[2:27:22] booked um with those who want to attend the Olympics. So, that's a really good

[2:27:27] connection and maybe you've already made it, but I was able to meet with with the

[2:27:30] new uh team that's there and it's um they have so much experience. they've

[2:27:35] been at other properties and so it's very exciting and they want to do more

[2:27:39] with our city also. Um and we I had some staff there too. Um so they're already

[2:27:44] making those connections. So just an FYI. Um I am also it was on February

[2:27:51] 11th was 211 LA which is a a nonprofit that I've served on their board for the

[2:27:57] last seven years. They're located here in St. Gabriel on Lunas. It's um 247

[2:28:04] uh uh free and confidential um services that they provide. Uh you can call them,

[2:28:10] tax, text them, chat with them, but they they give out so many vital services

[2:28:15] from um housing, food, utilities, caregiving, and we had um a nice lunch

[2:28:22] where we brought all these different partners and prospective partners to

[2:28:25] help our communities. and it's for the whole of whole LA County, but it's it's

[2:28:31] a wonderful group and um I'm so pr proud that we had a great turnout for 211 LA

[2:28:37] day. And then um I also attended the uh NLEO um uh uh e evening. Um it was the

[2:28:48] 50th anniversary of the National Association of Latino Elected and

[2:28:52] Appointed Officials. Uh, NELO was founded by Congressman Roal. Um, it was

[2:28:58] happened to be his birthday and we were celebrating also his legacy and we were

[2:29:02] um at the house that his grandson now owns and um, Latino civic history

[2:29:09] started there with Congressman Roal and he got all the na all the elected

[2:29:13] officials, Latinos from the whole country and it continues to to be a very

[2:29:19] strong organization. uh they deal with policies uh let with lots of legislators

[2:29:26] and um it was just a really nice evening. It was just um a reminder how

[2:29:31] far we have come. It's um and then um I too attended the League of Women Voters

[2:29:37] along with council member um Woo and Vice Mayor uh Chan. And the League of

[2:29:43] Women Voters, it's a nonpartisan group. They've been around for 90 years and

[2:29:47] their focus is for civic engagement and voter empowerment. We are one of the

[2:29:52] cities that they represent. There's 13 cities that they represent. Um and uh it

[2:29:58] was just uh another wonderful evening just demonstrating that there are so

[2:30:03] many groups out there that are that want to protect our vote and um they're

[2:30:09] empowering voters and they're trying to give accurate factual information and um

[2:30:15] so I was very happy to be there to support them. So that concludes my

[2:30:19] report. The next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be held on

[2:30:24] Tuesday, March 3rd at 6:30 p.m. and it is Oh, I changed it to a stopwatch, so

[2:30:34] now I don't have a timer here. >> Oh, 9:01.

[2:30:37] » 90 at 9:01. Thank you everybody.

City Council Regular Meeting - February 17, 2026 - City of San Gabriel

Transcript