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HomeMy WebLinkAbout040219 - Minutes - Regular MeetingMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR APRIL 2, 2019 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Herrera called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management District/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Herrera led the Pledge of Allegiance. INVOCATION: Pastor Jeanne Fareau-Sorvillo, Diamond Bar United Church of Christ provided the invocation. ROLL CALL: Council Members Chou, Low, Lyons, and Mayor Herrera Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Tye was excused. Staff Present: Ryan - McLean, Assistant City Manager; David DeBerry, City Attorney; Ken Desforges, IS Director; David Liu, Public Works Director; Ryan Wright, Parks and Recreation Director; Dianna Honeywell, Finance Director; Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; Anthony Santos, Assistant to the City Manager; J.R. Ybarra, Media Specialist and Tommye Cribbins, City Clerk. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: As Presented 1. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATES, PROCLAMATIONS: 1.1 C/Chou and Council Members presented a Certificate Plaque to owner Nicholas Shih for Futureproof Wellness, 1168 S. Diamond Bar Boulevard, as New Business of the Month for April 2019. 1.2 C/Low proclaimed March 31 through April 6, 2019 as Safety Seat Checkup Week. Council Members presented the Proclamation to Karen Proctor. 1.3 C/Lyons proclaimed April 2019 as DMV/Donate Life California Month. The Proclamation will be sent to DMV/Donate Life on behalf of the entire City Council. 2. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: None 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Pui-Ching Ho, Diamond Bar Librarian, announced upcoming library events for April 2019. 4. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. APRIL 2, 2019 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL 5. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: 5.1 Planning Commission Meeting -- April 9, 2019, 2019 — 6:30 p.m., Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive. 5.2 Traffic and Transportation Commission Meeting — April 11, 2019 — 6:30 p.m., Windmill Community Room, 21810 Copley Drive. 5.3 City's 30th Birthday Celebration — April 13, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pantera Park, 738 Pantera Drive (Games, rides and entertainment for all ages!) 5.4 City Council Meeting — April 16, 2019 — 6:30 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Drive. 6. CONSENT CALENDAR: C/Lyons moved, C/Low seconded, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented with corrections to the Study Session and Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of March 19, 2019. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Chou, Low, Lyons, M/Herrera NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: MPT/Tye 6.1 APPROVED CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES: 6.1a STUDY SESSION OF MARCH 19,2019—as amended 6.1b REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 19,2019—as amended. 6.2 RATIFICATION OF CHECK REGISTER DATED MARCH 14, 2019 THROUGH MARCH 27, 20'19 TOTALING $804,826.97. 6.3 APPROVED TREASURER'S STATEMENT FOR FEBRUARY 2019. 6.4 APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 2019-06: AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY MEASURE A FUNDING FOR THE PANTERA PARK WALKWAY LIGHTING PROJECT. 6.5 APPROVED FIRST AMENDMENT TO ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LAE ASSOCIATES, INC. INCREASING THE NOT -TO -EXCEED AMOUNT FROM $45,000 TO $124,200. 6,6 REJECTED CLAIM FILED BY SAN GABRIEL VALLEY WATER AND POWER, LLC. APRIL 2, 2019 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL 6.7 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NOS. 2019-07 (NO. 38), 2019-08 (NO. 39) AND, 201909 (NO. 41) ORDERING THE CITY ENGINEER TO PREPARE AND FILE A REPORT RELATED TO MAINTENANCE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LANDSCAPING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NOS. 38, 39 AND 41 AND ANY ASSESSMENT THEREON FOR FISCAL YEAR 20192020. 7. PULIC HEARINGS: NONE. 8. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. 8.1 PRESENTATION OF 2018 PUBLIC SAFETY ANNUAL REPORT. ACM/McLean through a power point presentation provided an overview of the City's Public Safety program that included the fire department, law enforcement, an overview of statistics and trends for each, as well as, information on the various partnerships and engagement programs that the City and its public safety partners are currently working on. The City contracts with Los Angeles County Fire Department and is funded through the consolidated fire district. The City has three stations — Stations 119, 120 and 121 with a total of approximately 40 personnel under the direction of Assistant Fire Chief Jim Robinson. Similar to the Sheriff's Department contract, the City is entitled to a full complement of their equipment and access to mutual aid in the event it becomes necessary. In addition, the fire department has a wide variety of programs it offers to the public and to prepare its staff for wildland fires and other emergency. In 2018, Diamond Bar fire stations responded to more than 3,000 calls including 66 fires and 2,501 rescue/emergency medical service calls. Each year the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department provides the City 17 deputies, two non -sworn personnel, and a robust Volunteer on Patrol program under the leadership of Captain Al Reyes and Lieutenant Steven Tousey. Additionally, this contract includes all of the resources of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department including the facilities, equipment, vehicles, special teams, command staff and detectives. The Sheriff's Department continues to partner with the City on a number of supplemental initiatives including Special operations, including burglary suppression patrols; and, undercover operations, as well as, Let's Talk Public Safety, Public Education and Engagement Program, which includes but is not limited to: Neighborhood Watch, Neighborhood Meeting Series, RING Security Camera Discount Program, Coffee with a Cop, Safety Speaks Blog/Public Safety Tip Sheets and Report for Reward Program. In 2018, the Diamond Bar Sheriff's Department team fielded 11,410 calls for service. Total Part 1 Crime was reduced by 9.35 percent when compared APRIL 2, 2019 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL with 2017. Part 1 Property Crime was reduced by 9.9% while Part 1 Violent Crime increased by 1.75% as a result of a single additional incident during the year. Diamond Bar remains a safe community. While it is a low crime area, it is not a "no crime" area and residents need to remain vigilant, work together and continue the downward trends. The City plans to accomplish this by continuing the investment with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department while continuing to partner with the community to maintain education engagement to prevent crime in Diamond Bar. C/Low said that Council was presented with a full report in the agenda packet and asked if that full report is available to the general public. ACM/McLean responded that it is available on line. C/Low asked how Deputy Scheller's Blog can be accessed. ACM/McLean stated that it is available on the City's website. C/Chou thanked Captain Reyes and the entire Sheriff's Department for their excellent job in keeping the community safe. He has attended a number of Coffee with a Cop events that provides residents with information on what is being done in their neighborhood to protect the residents and businesses, He asked how frequently the Sheriff's Department contract is negotiated and whether it is specific to Diamond Bar or with all contract cities. ACM/McLean explained that the Sheriff's Department contract with all contract cities is handled under a general standard agreement through the County of Los Angeles "Municipal Law Enforcement Services Agreement" which runs for a five-year term and includes basic terms across all contract cities which is scheduled to expire this year. The Board of Supervisors, the Sheriff's Department and the subcommittee from the Contract Cities Association has been working together to update that document. Once it has been approved by the Board of Supervisors, it will be released to the cities and that item will be placed on an upcoming agenda before the new Fiscal Year begins on July 1, 2019. The city has the ability to adjust its personnel levels only on an annual basis. C/Lyons stated that Suppression Patrols is an example of something that Diamond Bar decided to do and to spend more resources on that where other cities might not, Cities have quite a bit of flexibility within the contract. C/Lyons asked what a "Good Intent" call means to the fire department. APRIL 2, 2019 PAGE 5 CITY COUNCIL ACM/McLean explained that a Good Intent Call includes dispatched and canceled when they were in route, a smoke scare, an odor of smoke, and an EMS call that was partly transported by a non -fire agency. ClLyons said it was discouraging to note there were 261 false alarm calls in 2018. She wondered if the fire department was doing something to try to reduce that number because it is very expensive to respond to false alarms. ACM/McLean said that staff could work with the fire department to see if there are any programs they offer to attempt to reduce those false alarm calls. He is not aware of any current programs being offered, but believes they would agree they would also like to reduce those calls to the lowest number as possible. ClLyons said that in her opinion, the community outreach has been excellent. The Coffee with a Cop has been great as C/Chou stated, which has provided another way for residents to connect on a casual and easy basis and dialogue with Deputy Scheller. She was very pleased that one of the local businesses asked for help because their business had been broken into and the City stepped up and offered the Business Watch idea to them which they are currently working on with Deputy Scheller. She is very pleased that the Business Watch will be a bigger focus going forward. M/Herrera said this report was shared with her and MPT/Tye a week ago and they both felt strongly that this should be shared with the residents. She thanked the Sheriff's Department and Fire Department personnel for the great job.they do. Public Safety is most certainly the City's number one focus and concern and it is the City's largest expenditure item. She asked ACM/McLean to tell the residents how much the City spends on Public Safety each year. ACM/McLean responding to MlHerrera stated that in 201819 the budget amount for Public Safety was approximately $6.56 million for the Sheriff's Department only. The Fire Department is covered through the district. This next fiscal year, staff is expecting approximately $6.9 million in expenditures which will be brought to the Council in the coming months. MlHerrera thanked staff for the great job. it is important that while the Sheriff's Department wants to keep Diamond Bar safe, it is important for residents to help when and where they can by not leaving valuables in their cars, making sure their cars are locked and in the garage or the driveway and making sure their doors are locked in their homes and not leaving valuables exposed and visible. While Diamond Bar is a safe city, a lot of neighboring cities are not. There are a lot of people who are out of work and desperate for money and Diamond Bar is an attractive target. Everyone needs to watch out for themselves and their neighbors — if you APRIL 2, 2019 PAGE 6 CITY COUNCIL see someone strange on your street that does not seem to belong, call the Sheriff's Department. If you see something, say something. She thanked ACM/McLean for his excellent report. 9. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS AND MEETING ATTENDANCE REPORTS/COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS: C/Chou said that today is "Equal Payday". Nationally, women are paid 80 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts for the same work and as a nation, he believes that women and men should be paid the same and his objective was to raise awareness about it. On November 21St the GPAC held its last meeting and he and his colleagues were present to witness the GPAC putting a wrap on the Three Elements. The update will go through public hearings and eventually come to the Council for discussion and approval. This is a community project that he was pleased to be a part of. On March 27th he and his colleagues were present to help celebrate the acquisition of Tres Hermanos. As ACM/McLean commented earlier. it is important for City elected officials to be involved with other governments, Thanks to M/Herrera he is a delegate to both the League of Cities and Contract Cities and has been appointed to a committee to review and take stands on statewide issues that affect Diamond Bar. On March 30th, he and C/Low attended the memorial service for Mr. Myer. While C/Chou never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Myer, after participating in that event he can tell how deeply he was involved in the City and how much he was appreciated by all. C/Low thanked ACM/McLean for his Public Safety report and thanked Captain Reyes for his participation. One item that caught her attention was a state law, the Safety Surrender Baby law, which is a service that is provided by the Fire Department enabling a young person who feels they cannot properly care for their child, the ability to surrender that child safely within 72 hours of the birth at their local fire station. It was a great event on the 27th when the entire City Council celebrated the historic partnership of Tres Hermanos during which the land was dedicated and signed the proclamation. Council is very, very excited that this land will be preserved. She invited everyone to the City Birthday Party on April 13th. C/Low announced that MSIYbarra, who is taking photos this evening is also in charge of the "Through the Lens" photo contest which is coming up on April 15th and runs until October 18th. Spring is an excellent time to take photos and winners are entitled to cash prizes and bragging rights. On the first Sunday of each month starting at 2:00 p.m. until the end of May, CalPoly holds an exhibition of Arabian horses which helps attendees understand, appreciate and learn about the diversity, utility and intelligence of these beautiful animals. C/Lyons attended the Industry Business Council on March 21St. Jon Coupal, the featured speaker, explained that there is a movement afoot to modify Proposition 13 with a split roll. The nucleus of this idea is to change the law so that businesses are no longer eligible for Prop 13 benefits, The group behind this APRIL 2, 2019 PAGE 7 CITY COUNCIL idea wants to put it on the November 2020 ballot and she wanted residents to be aware of this proposal. As one of her Council projects on construction responsibilities, on March 22nd C/Lyons attended the Durfee Grade Separation Groundbreaking Ceremony in Pico Rivera, which got her to thinking how wonderful it will be to attend the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the SR57 Confluence project (57160 chokepoint). Just recently, the City took a big step forward with the Tres Hermanos Ranch and she hoped that the SR57 Confluence Project would be the next project to get funded. She was ecstatic to be able to announce that on April 16th, work will commence on Sycamore Canyon Park and the fix the City has been waiting for, for two years. The City will complete the work and be reimbursed by FEMA upon completion, according to what has been promised. The work will take 120 days but it will be done before summer is over which is good. She expressed her appreciation to City staff, especially to PIM Roa, PIC/Arellano, and MS/Ybarra for all of the work they did to make the Tres Hermanos Ranch document signing and press conference a very nice event. She hopes to see everyone at the City Birthday Party on April 13th and at the benefit for the library, the Friends of the Library Wine Soiree and Benefit Auction, on April 14th. M/Herrera said the Council Members work very hard and attend lots of events representing the City. She is very proud of her colleagues and the work the City Council does. There are a lot of good things to look forward to including, the Sycamore Canyon repair after two years. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, M/Herrera adjourned the Regular City Council Meeting at 7:23 p.m. TOMMYE RIBBINS, CIW.,CLERK The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 16th _ day off fir, i 2019• CAROL HERRERA, MAYOR