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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/16/2004 Minutes - Regular MeetingCITY OF DIAMOND BAR CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MARCH 16, 2004 STUDY SESSION: Mayor Zirbes called the Study Session to order at 5:09 p.m. in Room CC -8 of the South Coast Air Quality Management District/Government Center, 21865 Copley Dr., Diamond Bar, CA. Present: Council Members Chang, Huff, O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tem Herrera, and Mayor Zirbes. Also present: Linda Lowry, City Manager; Mike Jenkins, City Attorney; James DeStefano, Deputy City Manager; David Liu, Public Works Director; Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Linda Magnuson, Finance Director; Lynda Burgess, City Clerk; Nancy Whitehouse, Executive Assistant; April Blakey, Public Information Manager; Marsha Roa, Communications & Marketing Coordinator; and Sharon Gomez, Senior Management Analyst. Update on Diamond Bar Center Grand Opening Event Plans PIM/Blakey reported that the Diamond Bar Center's Grand Opening/Open House is Saturday, March 13, at 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and gave a brief overview of events for the day: 10:30 a.m. — * The Diamond Bar Community Foundation will unveil the tile walkway at the flagpole 10:35 a.m. — * Chuck Street and the Mayor will arrive via helicopter and be escorted with the rest of the Council up to the main entrance • Ribbon -cutting ceremony * Welcome and introductions, unveiling the Center's plaque * Presentations from Congressman Miller, and Mr. Jim Starkey from Senator Margett's office * Doors of the Center open to the sounds of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle * The public can tour the facility and observe the different activities that are going on inside. Goodies bags, containing coupons for free food and beverages, have been prepared for distribution All the food and beverages and information booths will be located outside the facility in the parking lot directly adjacent to the main entrance with music provided by Commander Chuck Street and the KISS -FM booth. Community organizations booths will be set up, with the City's booth featuring face -painting as well as giveaway items. March 16, 2004 PAGE 2 CC STUDY SESSION Staff will be on hand to monitor parking, as will the Sheriff's Department for any traffic control issues; there will be signage for the shuttle and to assist people where they can park and how to get to the facility. PIM/Blakey then gave a brief overview of the events planned for the Gala Dinner scheduled for Friday, March 26, 6:00 p.m.; presentations, to date, include a proclamation from the offices of the Governor, Congressman Miller, and Supervisor Knabe; a commemorative video/slide show will be displayed, followed by entertainment featuring a swing band. Sponsorships currently total $15,400, with approximately 190 RSVPs; follow-up phone calls will be made over the next few days. In -House Street Sweeping Program CM/Lowry commented that the Street Sweeping Analysis Report is on this year's goals and objectives and the Public Works Department has investigated some options. PWD/David Liu and SMA/Sharon Gomez will make the presentation. With the aid of a power -point presentation, PWD/Liu briefly reviewed the City's current street sweeping contract with R.F. Dickson, citing one of Council's objectives for this fiscal year is to develop a cost -benefits report which considers bringing the street sweeping in-house and then consider sweeping on a weekly basis. He reported that the 5 -year contract expires September 5, 2004, with an option to renew for an additional five years. The 10 -month, bi-weekly services provided include 10,000 curb -miles, with weekly services in December and January, as well as a debris composting program for an additional fee. Due to day-to-day variables, there have been times that a second sweeper is called in to assist. He reported on some of the qualities of the current all-inclusive contract package, including prompt and efficient service, no down- or minimal downtime due to equipment breakdown, and response to service requests are immediate. Referencing the staff report, PWD/Liu reported that based on the last five months of logs or records, the City has received only 14 calls or complaints to City Hall, making contract administration minimal. Historically, the street sweeping program has been managed cost-effectively, being within or under budget. This fiscal year's impact to the City is $140,000 from gas tax monies, $32,000 from AB939 Funds, for a total of $172,000. He emphasized that SMA/Gomez has done further research and has discussed specifics with contractors and vendors. SMA/Gomez briefly reported the two alternatives that were researched: March 16, 2004 PAGE 3 CC STUDY SESSION One alternative was a lease -purchase contract with Valley Vista Services who is currently the City's commercial waste hauler. The program would be a five year lease -purchase, and at the end of five years the sweeper would be the property of the City. The sweeper would be powered by CNG gas — natural gas. Backup equipment provided during maintenance or any downtime would be included by Valley Vista, with an allotment of $18,000 per year for maintenance costs. As an update to the staff report, the City is exempt from vehicle registration and license fees. The service would include one (1) sweeper and one (1) operator for five days a week, the operator being a City employee. Valley Vista does not offer any operator training programs, and the annual cost for this program, including the labor provided by the City, is $211,517. SMA/Gomez gave a commentary of the slide presentation of the Schwarze Model A7000CNG quote that was from Valley Vista, and the difficulty in obtaining parts and maintenance that is more prevalent with the CNG engine than with the diesel. Continuing, SMA/Gomez reported on TYMCO, the second alternative, a major supplier for municipal street -sweeping equipment throughout the nation and actually manufactures the TYMCO 600 CNG product. This is the most comparable to the Schwarze model. She reviewed cost comparisons as itemized in the staff report, differences include factory training for two individuals and $18,000 a year for maintenance was factored in. In the event the sweeper would need repair, it would have to be taken to their maintenance yard in the City of Buena Park. Using TYMCO, one sweeper, one City staff -operator, and averaging five days a week, the cost would be $194,679. She referenced the report that also included street -sweeping cost comparisons; identifying Dickson to be a lump sum amount, and reviewing Valley Vista and TYMCO costs -- equipment alone on a yearly basis for Valley Vista its $79,105; for TYMCO is $62,267 SMA/Gomez further reported that a City employee at a Parks Maintenance Worker Level Il would be $48,716, including wages and benefits. At a minimum, 25 percent of the Public Works Supervisor's time would be needed to assist with the program, which would include quality control, monitoring of operations and staff, as well as proper maintenance. Not factored in is additional Public Works staff that would be involved with administering these two types of in-house programs, as well as dumping fees which are currently $30,000. Reporting on CNG fuel, SMA/Gomez stated that the cost is approximately $18,000. There is a facility at AQMD, however, authorization for use is required. Valley Vista has a CNG fuel station at their location in the City of Industry. Additional auto insurance for the truck itself would be $17,280 yearly. March 16, 2004 PAGE 4 CC STUDY SESSION The total yearly cost across the board for Dickson is a lump sum of $140,000, based on a bi-weekly service for 10 months of the year and two months of weekly service, plus an additional sweeper as -needed throughout the week to assist. She reviewed the proposals and actual costs identified in the staff report, citing the need to make like -comparisons for weekly services, sweeper(s), equipment, and operator(s), as well as a formula to factor in a second sweeper: R.F. Dickson cost is $203,000; Valley Vista's amount is $338,439, and TYMCA is $311,486. SMA/Gomez briefly itemized some critical differences that need to be considered should street sweeping be brought in-house; life-cycle—the sweeping unit is normally 10-12 years, replacement cost is approximately $89,000; the truck portion lasts longer, approximately 15 years—as well as the maintenance and training issues. She reiterated the supervision necessary for such a program, cost to train additional staff, and staff down-time due to illness or vacation, in addition to the disruption of their daily responsibilities. A City maintenance yard is another consideration. The facilities at Sycamore Park would not be a secure location to adequately house nor do maintenance. None of the surrounding cities, Walnut, Pomona, or Caltrans' facility on Golden Springs, have a maintenance yard to rent for storing or performing maintenance. Valley Vista Services does, however, have a yard at the City of Industry and could provide space for housing the equipment only. As to service, SMA/Gomez reported that the City currently pays Dickson $12.95 per curb mile, sweeping approximately 10,000 curb -miles per year. A survey was done by the League of California Cities in March 2003, canvassing cities that currently have in-house or contract services. The average cost between the two was $18 and $19 per curb -mile. The City's liability is minimal with Dickson as the primary operator. In response to C/O'Connor's inquiry as to the number of accidents, SMA/Gomez reported that the City is aware of two over the last four years, which were covered by Dickson. There may be more, however, it would be handled directly by the company. This would be more costly with an in-house program due to attorney fees and staff time to handle the claims. In conclusion, PWD/Liu stated that staff's perspective of the current program is that it is one of the best management practices. The City's current service level, bi-weekly with the exception of the months of January and December, under the State Water Permit, exceeds the minimum requirements. PWD/Liu reiterated that the current contract is all-inclusive, with minimal staff cost to administer and availed himself to questions. March 16, 2004 PAGE 5 CC STUDY SESSION M/Zirbes thanked staff for a very thorough presentation and well done report. Council concurred. C/Huff reported that Foothill Transit had the same apprehension about CNG. The performance was much better than anticipated. There were few breakdowns – comparable to their experience with diesel because they've worked a lot on the drive trains from the original ones were. He commented that staff could find out Valley Vista's experience since their program has been in place for a year and a half and it sounds like the same equipment is being proposed, emphasizing the need to get the right drive train. PWD/Liu reported that currently AQMD requires cities entering new contracts to start with implementing CNG or alternative fuel. There is an exemption in the current air quality rule that if the fleet is under 15, then the agency is not subject to this alternative fuel rule. PWD/Liu clarified MPT/Herrera's inquiry that for budgetary purposes, staff works with the amount of $140,000, the contract is actually $127,000. This allows for any special needs or unforeseen conditions, such as special sweeps around school areas, commercial areas, and/or the DB Center. The anticipated expenditure this fiscal year is $128,000. CM/Lowry and PWD/Liu commented on the City's liability, risks, and indemnification with an in-house program versus service with a contractor. C/Chang commented that with the rise in cost as reported and receiving positive feedback from our residents that our streets are so much better than before, there is no need for the City to change its current program. C/Huff questioned if there were any grants available from AQMD for purchasing alternate fuel. PWD/Liu stated there may be opportunities but was unsure of how much was available. He referenced that Valley Vista was able to purchase one or two CNG trash trucks to be used in Diamond Bar through an AQMD grant. C/Huff commented that this information could be significant. In response to C/Huff's inquiry as to participation of a supervisor, PWD/Liu commented that currently a spot-check is conducted, for speed and addressing certain needs, for example. The City's more common practice is to respond to any complaints; a supervisor is then dispatched to address conditions appropriately. C/Huff suggested supervision be increased as opposed to increasing sweeping. Not all complaints are called in and could perhaps be addressed in a more timely manner with increased supervision. He cited the importance to make sure the City is getting the best value—that the service contracted for is in fact being provided. March 16, 2004 PAGE 6 CC STUDY SESSION C/O'Connor questioned if there were any violations reported by the Sheriff's CSOs, lending itself to supervision of the program. PWD/Liu reported that a two month speed survey and performance was conducted about a year ago; the speed ranged from 8-10 miles per hour, which is under contract requirement. The City's Public Work Supervisor was also out on a daily basis, checking each route and making comments. The report showed approximately 95% of the quality was there — that the sweeper was doing his job appropriately. C/Huff voiced encouragement to continue this practice. He commented that this would be the expectation from the City's service provider, then it is reasonable that the City be doing that periodically with our contract service provider. C/O'Connor asked if the grant C/Huff referred to would just cover the purchase of the truck but not necessarily the gas, maintenance, or anything else. C/Huff responded affirmatively and that CNG is going up and is pretty expensive. Foothill Transit has some significant grants toward its bus purchases. SMA/Gomez reported that there are grants to purchase the equipment but not for the maintenance nor the operator. C/Huff concurred. Brief discussion ensued regarding the positioning of the CSO during the street sweeping process. M/Zirbes thanked staff for doing all this work. He commented that researching the probability of bringing the program in-house as an option was something he presented a year ago. Over the last year, with the enhancements of parking restrictions, the street sweepers are doing a better job and the City is receiving fewer complaints. He suggested that the concerns of debris not being picked up along the route could perhaps be discussed with the contractor. In response to M/Zirbes inquiry to call for a re -sweep, PWD/Liu reported that only the City has -the authority to call. He stated that upon receipt of a request, the City verifies performance, or lack thereof, then the sweeper would return to re - sweep the area at no charge to the City. He stated that this is a quality control issue too because staff wants to make sure the complaint or the concerns would be addressed adequately and timely and that typically contact is made with the resident. Staff has also established a list of problem areas that is shared in advanced with the sweeper operator. This also encourages a partnership and exchange of information with the sweeper so that everyone is in sync on a regular basis. In addition to this proactive approach, he commented that an educational approach would also help; such as publishing articles in the City's newsletter. March 16, 2004 PAGE 7 CC STUDY SESSION M/Zirbes concurred, citing some articles to include exceeding the minimum requirements for storm water, how far ahead we are, and what are the anticipated requirements and will our program still be in compliance. PWD/Liu stated that this particular street sweeping contact is one of the best management practices that falls under one of the housekeeping matters of the Storm Water Quality Permit. The technologies or devices required in the permit have not been proven effective and are very costly. Diamond Bar's uniqueness of being a bedroom community, unlike other cities that have different land -uses, allows a proactive and effective performance for street sweeping services. One such management practice was tonnage increase due to the parking regulation program and getting the vehicles off the street. Diamond Bar will continue to look at all of the existing practices and other types of pollution control that could be utilized to assure compliance with that component of the permit. CM/Lowry reported that in discussions with staff, it was preferred to bold back increasing the frequency of sweeping so that when regulations tighten up, the City has an easier mechanism to work with. It was determined that the street sweeping program would be removed from the list of goats in that the analysis was just presented. Public Comments on Study Session Agenda Items None offered. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, M/Z.irbes adjourned the Study Session to the regular meeting at 5:58 p.m. ` i da C. Lowry, City CIO The foregoing minute are hereby approved this ist day of June —92004. Bob Zirbes, Mayor MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MARCH 16, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Zirbes called the regular City Council meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. in the Government Center/SCAQMD Auditorium, 21865 Copley Dr., Diamond Bar, CA. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was lead by C/Chang. INVOCATION: The invocation was given by Ahmad Sakr, Ph. D, Islamic Education Center. ROLL CALL: Council Members Chang, Huff, O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tem Herrera, and Mayor Zirbes. Staff present: Linda Lowry, City Manager; Mike Jenkins, City Attorney; James DeStefano, Deputy City Manager; David Doyle, Deputy City Manager; David Liu, Public Works Director; Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Linda Magnuson, Finance Director; and Lynda Burgess, City Clerk. CLOSED SESSION: None. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: C/O'Connor stated that she had asked that Agenda Item 8.1, regarding the addition of a Concert in the Park, be added to the agenda. However, she recently learned that the Parks and Recreation Commission had not yet discussed the item, and requested the matter be removed until the Parks and Recreation Commission has had an opportunity to discuss the item. It was agreed that Agenda Item 8.1 would be removed from the Agenda. 1. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATES, PROCLAMATIONS: 1.1 Presentation by So Cal Edison regarding the Grand Avenue Underground Re -cabling Project. Rick Meza, introduced Mr. Eric Manuel, Southern California Edison project manager for an underground re -cabling to be replaced along Grand Avenue, between Golden Springs and Diamond Bar Boulevard. He reported that the project is scheduled to begin within a month and the City's energy service will be uninterrupted. He cited the importance for Edison to complete the upgrade before the summer months arrive, as the independent system operator and demand for power are at its highest. Mr. Eric Manuel reiterated the importance of scheduling the project prior to the upcoming summer's arrival. The project was initially scheduled for 2009, however, upon review of the numbers for this year, it was determined that the load -growth in this area was such that Edison needed to accelerate the project to this year in order to meet MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL the demand through the summer months. The Diamond Bar Substation, located on the corner of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Grand Avenue, has two lines serving the City. It is Edison's intention to have one of the lines "hot" at all times. Mr. Manuel reported that they are currently working with the City Engineer to devise an appropriate traffic flow plan that will meet the City's needs and address all of the concerns with the ingress and egress of vehicles during the peak traveling periods. It is expected that the project will take approximately four to eight weeks, sans any anomalies. Informational meetings are also being coordinated. In response to MPT/Herrera's question as to power being out the entire length, the 66KV lines are from point-to-point transmission of energy and not useable energy for your residents. The concern is that energy is supplied to the City at all times, which is why one line will be "hot" at least to the substation at all times. So the answer in short is "no" there won't be any power outages. C/Chang thanked Mr. Manuel for his report. Further, he cited that within a four month period, the City experienced four to five power outages. He indicated receiving phone calls from the residents and requested Mr. Manuel forward this concern to the appropriate department within the Edison Company. He suggested getting with staff to acquire additional information on this matter. 1.2 A Certificate Plaque was presented to Chief Deputy Ross Guiney and Assistant Superintendent Don Allen, representing the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department on the occasion of their 60th anniversary. Mr. Guiney and Mr. Allen presented a Resolution and pins to the Council on behalf of the County Parks and Recreation Department. NEW BUSINESS OF MONTH: 1.3 A Certificate Plaque was presented to Ken Patel, Subway Sandwich, 508 N. Diamond Bar Blvd. as New Business of the Month, March 2004. 2. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: 2.1 Presentation by Brenda Hunnemiller, Area D, regarding Disaster Mitigation Plan. DCM/DeStefano reported that the federal government enacted the Disaster Mitigation Act a couple of years ago requiring all local agencies to create a natural disaster mitigation plan to deal with pre -disaster planning as opposed to post disaster recovery, addressing the financial MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL impact of continually rebuilding in the same locations, i.e. the rockslides due to rains on Pacific Coast Highway and in the Malibu area. He reported that the City of Diamond Bar's pre -disaster planning efforts are to look at a variety of issues to mitigate such disasters from occurring and to mitigate loss of life and property. He then introduced Brenda Hunnemiller, Regional Disaster Management Coordinator, commenting that she is working closely with staff and the City's consultant, John Bingham, in the preparation of Diamond Bar's Disaster Mitigation Pian. Ms. Brenda Hunnemiller gave a brief history of the Stafford Act created to govern the types of federal assistance that would be made available to local jurisdictions in the event of a major emergency or disaster. She stated that in 2000, the Stafford Act was significantly changed to include the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, or what we now refer to as DMA21K. The new law now states that local governments must submit, by November 2004, a local hazard mitigation plan in order to be eligible for both pre- and post -disaster funding, as well as permanent types of reconstruction and restoration funding in the event of a disaster. This was prompted by unprecedented costs in response to natural disasters the last several decades. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) decided it would be more cost-effective if it could encourage local governments to engage in pre -disaster mitigation activities. She reported that the definition of "local government" within the Stafford Act clearly emphasizes that a multi -discipline, multi -agency task force or work group be created to develop the local hazard mitigation plan and there are two key components in this plan: First, the documentation of the planningprocess — emphasizing very thorough documentation of the City's planning process; and the second key element is ubiic Participation in that Qrocess. The final step will be the formal adoption of this plan by the governing body, the City Council. This is a federal law and there are financial consequences for not complying with the law, possibly the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, in the event of an actual disaster. She noted that members of City staff, as well as the consultant, have already attended briefings and workshops to discuss the requirements of the plan and to take the first steps in its development. She strongly encouraged Council, as well as the administrative staff, and the citizens of Diamond Bar to support this work effort through MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL participation in the planning process and adoption of the plan when it is complete and presented. Ms. Hunnemiller thanked Council and availed herself to questions. M/Zirbes commented that staff has been thorough and has kept the Council informed on this matter over the last few weeks. He extended appreciation to Ms. Hunnemiller in attending the meeting and informing the community, indicating that there is a lot of work ahead but Diamond Bar intends to meet the November deadline. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Marsha Hawkins, Diamond Bar resident and member of the Friends of the Diamond Bar Library, announced that the 11 `" Annual Wine Soiree event will be at the new Diamond Bar Center, featuring "Read Together Diamond Bar", March 28, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. In addition to the wine tasting, there will be an auction, and food hosts from 15 different restaurants and vendors in Diamond Bar. Mary Matson, 1310-A South Diamond Bar Blvd, commented on the necessity to have the orange flags atop newly placed street signs, citing the Montefino stop signs and Golden Springs just east of Brea Canyon. She also stated that something needs to be done about the noise and activity in the early morning hours coming from the PC Club on Brea Canyon and Golden Springs, citing the need to contact the Sheriff on numerous occasions. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS: CM/Lowry reported that the first time the orange flags were utilized was when the City began the parking program for street sweeping. Input was received from the community that they appreciated the fact that the flags helped them notice any changes in their neighborhood; for that reason it seemed appropriate to continue using the flags when we were changing the configuration in the Gerndal/Adel neighborhood. CM/Lowry commented that SMA/Kim Crews has been working with Parks and Recreation in the community and the Council Members on the Youth Master Plan Task Force and is prepared to present a brief update on the Youth Master Pian. SMA/Crews reported that a resident telephone survey was being conducted by Research Network Limited, consultants retained by the City, among households of the City of Diamond Bar to evaluate youth needs and perceptions. The consultants worked with a subcommittee of the Youth Master Plan steering committee to design the survey questionnaire. The subject areas included overall impressions of youth in Diamond Bar, awareness and satisfaction with youth programs and services, and opinions regarding current health and wellness of Diamond Bar, youth as well as identification of current and future issues related to youth in the community. MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 5 CITY COUNCIL A total of 450 telephone surveys were conducted in early December. The telephone numbers were randomly selected from prefixes that were known to penetrate residential locations in the City, which also took into account incidences of unlisted telephone numbers. The design of the survey included a screening process to eliminate contacts that did not constitute Diamond Bar residents. The detailed analysis of the telephone survey has been presented to the City and will be incorporated into the Youth Master Plan document. Further, SMA/Crews reported that the Search Institute Student Profile Attitudes and Behavior Survey has been conducted at South Point Middle School and Chaparral Middle School. The administration of the survey is scheduled for Lorbeer Middle School and Diamond Bar High School. Diamond Ranch High School is still working on a date to conduct their survey among students. The delay at the Diamond Ranch is due to the school staff seeking to gather more parental consent for students to participate so that we will have a larger sampling. After the last student survey is conducted, all of the samples will be mailed to the Research Institute in Minneapolis for tabulation. It may require a minimum of a 10 -week turnaround in order to produce the final report, which will then be included in the Youth Master Plan. The Youth Master Plan steering committee scheduled a couple of meetings toward the end of April to review some of the preliminary drafts of the report and formulate some recommendations. This will be based on the data that has been gathered from community meetings, youth forums, and surveys, and the community questionnaires. The goal at this point is to finalize the report during the months of July and August and then present the Youth Master Plan to the City Council for consideration and adoption. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: 5.1 COMMUNITY FOUNDATION MEETING — March 18, 2004 — 7:00 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Room CC -8, 21865 Copley Dr. 5.2 SPORTS COMPLEX TASK FORCE — March 18, 2004 — 7:00 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Room CC -7, 21865 Copley Dr. 5.3 "SUMMIT ON GROWTH" HOSTED BY THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS — March 20, 2004 — Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., Summit will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Dr. MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 6 CITY COUNCIL 5.4 DIAMOND BAR CENTER GRAND OPENING OPEN HOUSE —March 20, 2004 —11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Diamond Bar Center, 1600 Grand Ave. 5.5 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING — March 25, 2004 — 7:00 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Dr. 5.6 ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION AND TREE PLANTING CEREMONY— March 26, 2004 — 9 a.m., Pantera Elementary School, 801 Pantera Dr. 5.7 COED YOUTH TRACK MEET — March 27, 2004 — 9:00 a.m., Walnut High School Track, 400 Pierre Road, Walnut. 5.8 MISS DIAMOND BAR BEAUTY PAGEANT — March 27, 2004 — 7:00 p.m., Mt. San Antonio College, Social Science Lecture Hall -26 B-101, 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut. 5.9 11th ANNUAL DIAMOND BAR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WINE TASTING SOIREE — March 28, 2004 - 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Diamond Bar Center, 1600 Grand Ave. 5.10 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING — April 5, 2004 — 7 p.m., Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff Station, 21695 E. Valley Blvd., Walnut 5.11 CITY COUNCIL MEETING — April 6, 2004 — 6:30 p.m., AQMD/Government Center, Auditorium, 21865 Copley Dr. 6. CONSENT CALENDAR: Moved by C/O'Connor, seconded by C/Chang to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS - Chang, Huff, O'Connor, MPT/Herrera, M/Zirbes NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS - None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS - None 6.1 APPROVED CITY COUNCIL MINUTES: 6.1.1 Study Session of February 3, 2004 — As submitted. 6.1.2 Regular Meeting of March 2, 2004 — As submitted. 6.2 RECEIVED AND FILED PLANNING COMMISSIONS — Regular Meeting of February 20, 2004. 6.3 RECEIVED AND FILED PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES — Regular Meeting of January 22, 2004. MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 7 CITY COUNCIL 6.4 APPROVED WARRANT REGISTERS dated February 19, 2004, and February 26, 2004, totaling $1,699,976.77. 6.5 NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES): 6.5.1 SUPPORTED AN AMICUS BRIEF TO THE SUPREME COURT ON THE CASE CITY OF BURBANK V. REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD. 6.5.2 APPROVED PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT LITIGATION. 6.6 APPROVED EASEMENT AGREEMENT AND QUITCLAIM DEED WITH THE WALNUT VALLEY WATER DISTRICT FOR THE DIAMOND BAR CENTER. 6.7 ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2004-09 IN SUPPORT OF DEVELOPMENT OF A NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL DISASTER MITIGATION ACT OF 2000 (PUBLIC LAW 106-390). 7. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None. 8. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: 8.1 COUNCIL MEMBER REQUEST TO ADD ONE CONCERT TO THE SUMMER COMMUNITY CONCERT SCHEDULE AND APPROPRIATE $1,500 TO FUND THE CONCERT— Item removed from the agenda. 9. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COUNCILMEMBERS COMMENTS C/O'Connor congratulated Council Member Huff on his successful bid for the Republican nomination for the 60th Assembly District. She reported that her relative who was injured in the October 2003 fire, sustaining burns over 85 percent of her body, was released from the hospital on February 10, two days before her 21st birthday. She is home and, with her Irish background, hopes to participate in the St. Patrick's Day Parade that's going to be held in their community tomorrow. She thanked everyone for their well wishes. C/O'Connor reported that she was one of 3,000 participants at the National League of Cities Conference in Washington, DC. Speakers included Deputy Speaker of the House Fritz, other Members of Congress, as well as with MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 8 CITY COUNCIL Congressman Miller. She deferred any further comments about the Conference to MPT/Herrera. C/O'Connor requested the meeting be adjourned in memory of Iona Mallinson who passed away with cancer last Friday. C/Chang also commented on his participation at the National League of Cities conference. He mentioned that the City is supporting the League's petition drive to keep local taxes at the local levels, citing the car tax vehicle license fee (VLF) and how the City is still not receiving retro funds to backfill the monies taken. Further, he commented that Proposition 57, that was recently passed, may alleviate the State's budget crunch but the money has to come from somewhere. This is when local levels are targeted. He encouraged the residents to join in signing the petition and conveyed that the City was fiscally sound. C/Huff thanked all those that participated in the election process; thanking C/O'Connor for her reference. He commented that it is humbling to have the trust of the people. Further, he stated that although this was a partisan election, there is another election in November, and wanted, at this point, to thank those who put their trust in him not only on the City Council but to serve in the State Assembly. He is hoping to be a good steward of their trust, and hopes to be a vehicle for the change that is greatly needed in Sacramento. C/Huff reported that he "wore several hats" while in Washington, DC, citing his Alameda Corridor East (ACE) participation and in seeking $400 million from the government for the second Phase. ACE is actually asking for half of that. He commented that the project has national significance as our ports are the third largest in the world with a combined capacity, and we get the negative impact and should not have to pay for the whole nation. C/Huff also reported that Foothill Transit is seeking funds for parking structures for its Park and Ride program, a partnership program with the cities. Riderships have suffered due to the loss of some key park -and -rides locations. Half of the service delivered is to commuters who have an option to either drive their car into work or to get on buses. When they don't have easy choices for where to park, they continue to drive downtown. In addition to seeking more funds to continue a very popular program, the monies that were granted last year, are being made available on a grant basis with partnering cities. He commented on the positive outcome between CalPoly Pomona and Foothill Transit resulting in a letter agreement . He reported that when the parking structure is completed, Foothill will return in at least the same location or closer to the heart of the campus, benefiting the students and those dependent on transit. C/Huff briefly commented on the extraordinary process, from concept to construction of the Community Center; citing its inception when then -Mayor MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 9 CITY COUNCIL Carol Herrera first appointed a task force, that Council Member O'Connor and he chaired and co-chaired, to observing the community's involvement from the beginning to assess the needs, to the center's completion. He stated that a building of such high quality material not only looks nice but should stand the test of time as well. He commented that the Center's Grand Opening will be a tribute to the residents. He asserted that the Council tries to be good stewards, and that City staff has done an excellent job preparing and following the construction, specifically DCM/Doyle. He complimented PIM/Blakey for her work on the "kickoff program" and encouraged everyone to take the opportunity to come and share in the joy. MPT/Herrera followed up on C/Chang's comments relating to the League of Cities' signature gathering effort. She reported that the effort is to gather 900,000 signatures in order to qualify for the ballot in November. The purpose is to make sure that the Sate legislature does not continue to re- allocate or re -divert monies that belong to cities and counties and use it for their own general purposes to fund their deficit. She commented on her meeting with Congressman Miller while attending the League conference in Washington, DC, and the advantages of having a Diamond Bar resident as a representative at another level of government. She stated that Congressman Miller was very amenable to the many requests submitted, such as the beautification project for Grand Avenue, construction of new off -ramps at Lemon Avenue in an effort to divert some of the truck traffic away from the Brea Canyon Road off -ramp, and another request for $17 million for a bypass roadway for environmental studies and engineering studies. MPT/Herrera commented on looking forward to visiting a new Assemblyman in Sacramento, Mr. Huff, and wished him absolute success in November. M/Zirbes congratulated C/Huff on his primary win and, in the event of his win in November, he'll just meet with him when he comes to Diamond Bar. M/Zirbes commented that he was not able to attend the conference in DC; he was in Sacramento celebrating his grandmother's 90th birthday. He thanked staff for the work in preparing recommendation reports presented to the legislators for consideration and to his Council colleagues for their efforts. In his conversations with Congressman Miller afterward, the Congressman was very impressed with the material and with the presentations that our Council brought to them. So it was certainly time well spent. M/Zirbes reminded everyone to attend the Diamond Bar Center's Grand Opening on Saturday. He also stated that City Hall has new phone numbers—that 860 -CITY is no longer in use, and the new main number is 839-7000. MARCH 16, 2004 PAGE 10 CITY COUNCIL He reported that the Neighborhood Improvement Committee, in which he and C/Chang participate, is very pro -active and is pleased with its progress. Also, the Sports Park Task Force will hold its final meeting on this Thursday evening here at the AQMD at 7:00 p.m. The meetings are informative and the members stay focused and on -topic. Staff is currently preparing very comprehensive material for the Task Force to consider at the final meeting; it is hopeful that a full report will be presented to the City Council the second meeting of April or first meeting of May. M/Zirbes briefly commented that there are ongoing efforts by City staff and the City Council to bring a supermarket to the south end of Diamond Bar. He had an opportunity to meet with the CEO of a medium-sized supermarket chain, who was impressed with the community and liked the location. Contact with the new center owner, Mike McCarthy, has been arranged. Mr. McCarthy expressed confidence in bringing the Country Hills Towne Center forward and is hopeful in delivering a supermarket to that location before the year's end. He reminded the residents to contact City Hall with their concerns. City staff is here to serve, provide information and support. Council can also be contacted directly at anytime day, night, or on the weekends. M/Zirbes wished Mr. Clyde Hennessee a speedy recovery, commenting that Mr. Hennessee is a regular attendee and has been a little under the weather. 10. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to conduct, M/Zirbes adjourned the meeting in memory of Iona Mallinson at 7:39 p.m. 2004. r r, Linda C. Lowry, City Manager The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this jLiLyday of May , Bob Zir es, Mayor