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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/3/2009 Minutes - Regular MeetingMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR NOVEMBER 3, 2009 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Everett called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in The Government Center/SCAQMD Auditorium, 21865 Copley Dr., Diamond Bar, CA. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Pro Tem Herrera led the Pledge of Allegiance. INVOCATION: Ahmad H. Sakr, Ph.D, Islamic Education Center led the invocation. ROLL CALL: Council Members Wen Chang, Jack Tanaka, Steve Tye, Mayor Pro Tem Carol Herrera and Mayor Ron Everett. Staff Present: James DeStefano, City Manager; David Doyle, Assistant City Manager; Michael Jenkins, City Attorney; Ken Desforges, IS Director; David Liu, Public Works Director; Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; Ryan McLean, Assistant to the City Manager; Rick Yee, Senior Civil Engineer; Kimberly Molina, Associate Engineer; Anthony Santos, Management Analyst; Lauren Hidalgo, Public Information Specialist; and Tommye Cribbins, City Clerk. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: As presented. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATES, PROCLAMATIONS: NEW BUSINESS OF THE MONTH: 1.1 M/Everett presented a City Tile to Sherry George and staff of APR Consulting, Inc., 22632 Golden Springs Dr., Suite 380 as Business of the Month for November 2009. 2. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: CM/DeStefano reported that today at about 11:30 a.m. he was notified of a series of fires that had broken out along the SR60 starting at Diamond Bar Blvd. eastward to Phillips Ranch Rd. /Chino Hills Parkway. At first glance it appeared that an arsonist had created multiple location fires; however, it turned out not to be the case. As a result of the very swift, effective and coordinated response by the Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, Cal Fire, San Bernardino County, City of Montclair, City of Pomona and others, the fire was quickly extinguished and the area was contained protecting the students at Diamond Ranch High School and residential properties in the area. Leticia Pacillas, Community Services Representative with LA County Fire was at the command center for the entire afternoon. CM/DeStefano further reported that the City was able to effectively utilize its CTY Connect System that the City Council had NOVEMBER 3, 2009 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL recently purchased. The system that went into effect about September 1 was used to notify residents about the situation. He reminded residents that it is very important for them to sign up for the CTY Connect System. Leticia Pacillas, LA County Fire stated that the Department responded to the fire this morning along the eastbound SR60 between SR57/60 and the 71 Freeway. Approximately 50 acres burned from seven to eight starts. The incident was a unified command and by 3:00 p.m. the fire was approximately 65% contained with full containment expected this evening. During the fire Diamond Ranch High School students took shelter at the school. Once it was determined safe for students to leave parents were allowed on site to pick them up. Four students at the high school suffered minor smoke inhalation and were transported to local hospitals and one firefighter was injured in a heat related incident. Initially the concern was the threat to structures in the area so four Bell Helicopters, two super- scoopers (Quebec I & II) and one sky crane were dispatched. The fire was under investigation and at this time has been determined to be accidental. A possible cause being investigated is a mechanical failure of a truck's catalytic converter. The good news is that no structures were lost and Diamond Bar is safe. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Al Rumpilla voiced his concern that the Diamond Ride program has lost about 50% ridership and that the number of cabs have been reduced from seven or eight to about three. He felt the Council should reconsider returning the program to its original status. He asked residents to call him at 909-861-8898 to join in convincing the Council to put the program back to what it was previously. 4. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS: None 5. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: 5.1 Veterans Recognition Ceremony — November 5, 2009 — 9:00 a.m., Diamond Bar Center, Grand View Ballroom, 1600 South Grand Ave. 5.2 Planning Commission Meeting — November 10, 2009 — 7:00 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Dr. 5.3 Veterans Holiday — November 11, 2009 — City Offices closed in observance of Veterans Day. City Offices will reopen on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 7:30 a.m. 5.4 Traffic and Transportation Commission Meeting — November 12, _ 2009 — 7:00 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Dr. NOVEMBER 3, 2009 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL 5.5 LED Holiday Light Exchange — November 14, 2009 — 10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m., City Hall Parking Lot, 21825 Copley Dr. 5.6 City Council Meeting — November 17, 2009 — 6:30 p.m., AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, 21865 Copley Dr. 6. CONSENT CALENDAR: MPT/Herrera moved, C/Chang seconded, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Chang, Tanaka, Tye, MPT/Herrera M/Everett NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None 6.1 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - Regular Meeting of October 20, 2009 —Approved as submitted. 6.2 RECEIVED AND FILED PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES — Regular Meeting of September 24, 2009. 6.3 RATIFIED CHECK REGISTER — Dated October 15, 2009 through October 28, 2009 totaling $1,827,389.65. 6.4 APPROVED NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF RESIDENTIAL AREA 5 ROAD MAINTENANCE PROJECT. 6.5 APPROPRIATED FEDERAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT (EECBG) FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $516,500 TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S APPROVED EECBG APPLICATION. 6.6 APPROVED CONTRACT AMENDMENT NO. 2 WITH ADVANTEC CONSULTING ENGINEERS FOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN THE AMOUNT OF $27,450. 7. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None. 8. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: None. 9. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS/COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS: C/Chang reminded residents that polling places close in one hour and those who are registered still have time to vote. The Inland Valley Humane Society reported that during September they received 141 calls NOVEMBER 3, 2009 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL from D.B. resulting in about 63 hours of service to the community. Many calls were about stray dogs and cats. C/Chang asked residents to call the Humane Society when they see deceased animals on the roadways. C/Chang announced that sales tax for D.B. dropped about 17.1% in the second quarter and that the entire LA County area dropped about 20%. Although this affects the City's budget it will not compromise the quality of services provided by the City. He did however recommend that people spend their money only on what they need. C/Tanaka stated that he and M/Everett attended red ribbon assemblies at Pantera, Armstrong and Maple Hill Elementary schools. He also attended the D.B. Senior Citizens Halloween Dinner Dance; the Pomona-D.B. YMCA Celebrity Waiter fundraising luncheon; and the City's Haunted House and Fall Fun Festival held this past weekend. Today, he attended the Bob's Big Boy 30 -Anniversary featuring a price rollback menu for the occasion. C/Tye said it was a privilege to attend the YMCA Fundraiser and see staff incognito playing various characters. He stated that he has a nephew in the Sheriff's Department and a nephew in the Fire Department and enjoys their brotherly rivalry about who is more important to public safety. Something like today's fire incident makes one realize how blessed the City is to have those public servants in the Sheriffs Department to _ maintain calm and keep areas cleared allowing firefighters to get into areas to fight fires. He expressed his gratitude to the Sheriff's Department and Fire Department and staff for coming to the City's rescue in the face of a potentially dangerous situation. He also stated that he hopes that everyone took the opportunity to vote. It has been a privilege for him to get out and knock on doors these past few months and speak with his constituents. MPT/Herrera thanked the City's public safety personnel who put their lives on the line once again to defend lives and property during today's fire. She also sent her thanks to the LA County Sheriff's Department for arresting suspicious individuals on October 21 who attempted a home invasion in Walnut. Two of the individuals had burglary tools in the car and two of the suspects LA area gang members, who had been responsible for residential burglaries in Walnut and D.B. admitted to burglarizing a home in D.B. that Tuesday. Sheriffs Deputies are always on alert to keep neighborhoods safe by capturing suspects one by one and removing them from the streets letting others know that D.B. has zero tolerance for crime. M/Everett joined with other Council Members in many of the activities mentioned. He believed that all of this "goodness" begins in the schools and the City promotes its schools as much as possible. He commended the students at Diamond Ranch High School for their good citizenship NOVEMBER 3, 2009 PAGE 5 CITY COUNCIL during today's fire. Two thursday's ago he had the privilege of celebrating "Teacher's of the Year" at WVUSD. He thanked all teachers for their leadership, wisdom and courage to continue to serve and congratulated winner, Brian Mason. He also attended the Friends of the Library's Middle School Reads competition at Mt. SAC's Clark Theater. The book "Life as we Knew It" by Susan Beth Pfeffer is gripping and definitely worth the read. He congratulated the middle school students for an outstanding evening and to the coaches, teachers, librarians, principals as well as the parents and supporters. He also attended the 2009 Chinese-American Film Festival opening. He spoke about a BMX group that spoke passionately about the "Just Say No" to drugs program during Red Ribbon ceremonies and showed a roll back price menu in celebration of Bob's Big Boy's 30 years of business in D.B. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, M/Everett adjourned the Regular City Council meeting at 7:17 p.m. �C'n" 0JL TOMM CRIBBINS, CITY CLERK The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 17th day of November , 2009.