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04-18-1972 - Regular Meeting - MinutesMINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA APRIL 18, 1972. The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was called to order at 7:35 P.M., by Mayor Ken Chappell in the West Covina Council • Chambers. The Pledge of Allegiance was given. The invocation was delivered by Mr. Herman R. Fast. •ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Chappell; Councilmen: Shearer, Nichols, Young, Lloyd Others Present: George Aiassa, City: Manager Lela W. Preston, City Clerk George Wakefield, City Attorney Herman R.-Fast, Public Seyvices Director George Zimmerman, City -Engineer Rick Oakley, AdministrativeAnalyst CERTIFICATION OF RESULTS Mayor Chappell: Madam City Clerk, do you OF GENERAL MUNICIPAL have the Certificate of ELECTION - APRIL 11, 1972 Canvass? (City Clerk presented to the Mayor.) Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried, to receive and file Certificate of Canvass, and said Certificate to be made a part of these minutes. Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor, there is a resolution for City Attorney adoption declaring the results of the election. RESOLUTION NO. 4546 "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, RECITING ADOPTED THE FACT OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD IN SAID. CITY OF WEST COVINA ON THE 11TH DAY OF APRIL, 1972, DECLARING THE RESULT THEREOF AND SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS ARE PROVIDED BY LAW." Motion by Councilman Young, seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried, to waive full reading of the body of said resolution. Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Young., to adopt said resolution. Motion.carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Councilmen: Shearer, Nichols, Young, Lloyd, Chappell NOES: None ABSENT: None ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS Mayor Chappell: At this time we will OF OFFICE administer the -Oaths of. Offices to the newly elected Officials of the City. I will administer the 'Oath to the City Clerk. (City Clerk sworn in by Mayor Chappell, congratulated and presented with the Certificate of Election.) (Applause) The City Clerk then administered the Oath of ©ffice to Yvonne Calmes and.presented, her with a Certificate of Election as the new City Treasurer, offering congratulations • upon her election. (Applause) ;.Mayor Chappell: Councilman Nichols and Councilman Lloyd will now join me at the podium so we can be sworn in by the City Clerk as the re- elected Councilmen of the City. - 1 - CITY COUNCIL 4/18/72 Page Two Administration of Oaths of Office Russ Nichols, Jim Lloyd and Ken Chappell, sworn in by City Clerk, as the re-elected Councilmen, and each presented with his Certificate of Election. (Applause) • Mayor Chappell: Our agenda states that this is the time for any remarks that might wished to be made. I think it is appropriate at this • time that I thank my fellow Councilmen for giving me the opportunity of serving as Mayor of this outstanding community. As many of you probably heard our population is now 70,600 citizens and I still consider it to be the finest community in the Country. The past two years have been a rewarding experience for me. Your City has seen Galster Park dedicated and numerous other projects in the community started and completed. I am looking forward to working with whoever will be elected Mayor this evening and looking forward to another fruitful four years as Councilman here in the City of West Covina, and thank you once again, gentlemen, for allowing me the opportunity of serving as your Mayor. (Applause) I will now turn the meeting over to you, Madam City Clerk. NOMINATION AND Lela Preston: This is the time for ELECTION OF MAYOR City Clerk nominations for the Office of Mayor. Councilman Shearer: Madam City Clerk. As I look down to my right,,I see four men - anyone of which I feel has the capabilities to serve in this office. Two of the gentlemen have already served as Mayor. Ken Chappell as Mayor for the past two years and Councilman Nichols in prior years. It is a very difficult task to say which one is the best and I would not be so presumptous to say that any one is . the best man to serve in this job, because in my honest opinion it is a toss-up, a dead heat, which ever one you bet' on, you bet- on a winner. However, when you sit up here you can't say that and walk away, you must make a selection and one wins and the others, perhaps we can say - wait. At this time I would like to place in nomination for Mayor the name of the man who has served for the past two years in the office of Mayor Pro tem - Robert L. Young. Mayor Chappell: Madam City Clerk, I would like to second that nomination. Lela Preston: Are there any other nominations for City Clerk Mayor? If note the nominations are closed. Do you wish a secret ballot or by. acclamation? Councilman Nichols moved that the Council move by acclamation to finalize the nomination of Councilman Young as the Mayor of the City of West Covina. Seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Councilmen: Shearer, Nichols, Chappell, Lloyd, Young NOES: None ABSENT: None (Councilman Chappell relinquished his seat to Mayor Young and con- gratulated him as Mayor. ) (Applause) Mayor Young: Madam City Clerk, I note by the agenda that the newly elected Mayor takes over the meeting at this point. Is that correct? Lela Preston: Yes,that is right. City Clerk 2 - CITY COUNCIL 4/18/72 Page Three NOMINATIONS - Cont°d. NOMINATION FOR Mayor Young: At this point in MAYOR PRO TEM accordance with the published agenda I would like to open the nomination for Mayor Pro tem. • Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor. I would Pike to place in nomination the name of the man whom I have been privileged to know for the last two years. I became acquainted with him four years ago. The first time I saw him was across the street in my neighborhood at a coffee campaign. He is still around and those neighbors are long gone. In the last four years I have enjoyed knowing Jim and for the last two working with him. I would like to nominate for Mayor Pro tem — Councilman Jim Lloyd. Seconded by Mayor Young. Councilman Chappell moved for an unanimous ballot, seconded by Mayor Young and carried. All voting in favor. (Applause) Mayor Young: At this point we are at that point on the agenda when those of us here have an opportunity without too much pressing business on our hands to make a few remarks. I have a few remarks to make as your newly elected Mayor. First of a11,�)I would like to say with respect to the outgoing Mayor, Ken Chappell, that I. think Ken has represented during his two years as Mayor and during his entire career in the City of West Covina, the very finest that this City represents,in all of his public and private endeavors. I came on this Council two years ago very much frightened, probably less frightened than I am right at this moment assuming this particular role, and it has been a distinct pleasure and privilege to serve under Ken, to observe his considerate demeanor in his dealing. with the public and in his dealing: with his fellow Councilmen. He has served in this office humbly and at the same time provided the leadership we needed to pull our City together and move forward in virtually a iinanimoussf ashion and I think on any issue that has really counted we have moved forward unanimously. We have come through an election campaign and,as you know) Ken received the largest number of votes in this recent campaign and as we all know Russ and Jim were re-elected handsomely. I think the results of this election are a compliment to the way the Council has operated in the past two years in attempting to put forth nothing more or less than the best interests of this total community, and I think we can all pledge ourselves to that for the years that lie ahead. I think much of the credit for our ability to work together as we have and as we have been endorsed by the voters of West Covina, has been owing to the fine leadership that Ken Chappell has given us and/ Keh - I thank you again for that. (Applause) During these recent weeks we have had what is in my opinion one of the most wholesome features of a democracy and that is a public discu-9sin.n of our City, of our City Government, our City Management, and our City Administration, • and this has been occasioned by the recent election._ I think it has been by and large a constructive election and at the same time challenging candidates in their candid and constructive way have addressed criticisms towards us, which I think are worthy of :con- sideration. One of these criticisms has to do with the lack of community -wide participation and perhaps the time has come when we should broaden once again the participation of a broader segment of the community in the administration of our City Government and I expect in the near future, if Council concurs ...' and incidentally the office of Mayor is an office which operates solely with the - 3 - 0 i CITY COUNCIL 4/18/72 Page Four concurrence of the entire. City - Council or at least a.' majority ,vote at any given time -to call for a reactivation of the Citizens' Committees that we have had in the past and that have served so well, to take a look. I see Herb Tice present who ran a very fine campaign and he said "let's take a look" and Herb is correct in this respect. We can broaden our own perspective by having interested people in the community join with us and participate in a fresh look at community goals, particularly in this critical ,time in our history when we are attempting to expand our economic base and we are attempting to do so in times that have not been economically as great as we have known in times.past. I hope we can move in'that direction. It is my desire as your Mayor to serve - I hope - although I don't think I can serve as well as Ken Chappell, but I will try to do so, because I think our citizens have endorsed this kind of man and this kind of leadership in our community and I hope we can proceed in that fashion. That is all the remarks I have at this time. The agenda says "other Councilmen" - the floor is open. Councilman Shearer: Mayor Young, you are a hard act to follow. I am not going to try and praise Ken anymore than has already been done. I agree with your sentiments. I have known Ken for quite some years, a very fine man and if he stays around long enough,he will be in that seat again because time flies by quite rapidly. I would like to offer my congratulations to our re-elected City Clerk and to our new City Treasurer and our re-elected Councilmen. It is a pleasure.to look forward to the next two years working with these fine gentlemen. I will do my best to see that the things this Council does, moves forward on, is,. first off. for the benefit of the City and lastly for the benefit of any one of. US. As a parting shot I would say to the three newly . sworn Councilmen ,anytime you want to ask- my advice- _based- on my `Long experience herEP ...-My phone is always available to you! (Applause) Councilman Nichols: One of the marks of a great Mayor - Mayor Young - is to allow his Councilmen to speak first. Because you Spoke first and stole all the speeches prepared up and down the dais here tonight it took all the thunder away from us and we probably couldn't possibly equal the eloquent words you came up with. Mayor Young: Well a bad beginning is a good ending and I will be out of this office in a year. Councilman Nichols: I did want to add a word or two. In the first place I would like the record to show that I felt that Councilman Lloyd was prepared by experience and seniority on the Council to assume the chair of Mayorship and this in no sense diminishes the esteem I have for my fellow Councilmen or for the Mayor elect, and. I was prepared to support Councilman Lloyd for the office of Mayor and I would feel that I had not fulfilled all of my inn6r convictions and commitment: if I did not make that a part of the re.co.rd here tonight. I think the wisdom of my feeling has been confirmed by the very gracious . manner that Councilman Lloyd has continued the spirit of unaminity which has possessed this Council during the past two years and has supported the majority choice of the Council for Mayor. I am sure all the Councilmen, including I, will come together in total support of the man elected as Mayor because he will indeed be a good '.Mayor. I have said so many times in the past two years how pleased I have been to work with the Council we have had. 4 - CITY COUNCIL 4/18/72 Page Five I have quoted during the campaign the commentary in the editorial in the Sentinel, which. you might call an outside newspaper which objectively observed the work of this Council, and I would like to requote that now just for the purpose of my comments here. The Sentinel said "it is rare in the annals of local government when a governing body can work together with the degree of harmony and constructive service that has character- ized the West Covina, City Council during the past two years." Where we have had bickering and fighting on all fronts around us, and you read of it in the papers, Baldwin Park, La Puente, Irwindale and Covina - this Council has moved ahead and made progress for our community in a way that I think has brought a greater dignity and respect to our entire community. I have been on this.Council long enough and observed the workings of this government long enough before that to assure you people here tonight that this is only possible when you have a uniquely gifted individual presiding over the Council in the chair of Mayor, a man who will subordinate his own personal drives and feelings on issues to enable all of the Councilmen to have their say. A man who will not put little packages together behind the scenes so that minority Councilmen find 'the role stacked against him when he comes on the bench to give his opin- ions. The man who hears all of his Councilmen and hears all of his com- munity and presides with absolute objectivity, this is rare indeed. I concur in that editorial observation and in my own experience we have never had a Mayor who achieved that ideal more readily than the Mayor outgoing - Ken Chappell. There has never been a moment that any member of this Council. can feel that he had less than fair treatment and that, ladies and gentle- men, has been the key to the harmony in the past two years. It is a great challenge for Bob, taking over this chair and for the men that will follow him to emulate that example, so that we can continue this kind of progress. I am sure we will. I am sure we will continue the team approach we have ha.d. But I would like to add my appreciation to Ken for these years that he has given as Mayor of our community, and then to Bob Young who came into office two years ago with the greatest vote that any ma,n had ever achieved in this City. I bragged for years that I had gotten the greatest vote - something like 4,900 votes way back in 1964 - and then this guy comes along with something like 7,000 or 8,000 votes and makes me feel very unsuccessful indeed; and he stepped onto the Council and again subordinated that victory and perhaps some personal notions that he would like to serve in the Mayor's position and took a very humble seat on the Council and worked as a subordinate Junior member of the Council, letting some of us old duffers run the show for awhile anyway and he,too, contributed to this element of harmony. I am proud to have come back on the Council for four years and am proud to have the chance to work with these men again. I think you citizens here and the rest of our people in West Covina will., over the next two years, feel redeemed in your selections of Ken bark to office and Jim Lloyd back to office and will feel redeemed in the Cou.ncil.'s selection of Councilman Young as Mayor. I am proud of all of them and I am pleased to be here. In fact, after counting the votes I am thankful. Thank you, Mayor. (applause) Councilman Chappell: I sat in the middle seat here but not always in the middle of decisions and votes up here - it is a good position to be in. I do want to say it is going to be a real pleasure for me to work with Mayor Pro Tem Jim and Mayor Bob next year. I am looking forward to the same type of aggressive Council, the same type of decisions that we have been making .in the past, all for the betterment of the City of West Covina, and the citizens that live here. That is�:what:it is all about, and what you have elected us for. and I am sure the five gentlemen will not have changed one minute just by changing Mayors. - 5 - CITY COUNCIL 4/18/72 Page Six It will be a great pleasure to work with Chet and Russ again. If any of you knew how Russ conducted his campaign -.he doesn't spend any money, he works real hard and he gets re-elected and I think that is a mark of his ability in the community and his recognized leadership as a, Councilman in our City. It is a real privilege and pleasure to be a member of this. Council. We are not always going to agree and we haven't in the past, but we will continue to work for those citizens in our City_ for the betterment of our community. Thank you. (applause) Councilman Lloyd: It is tough to come on as the fifth man. To Y g begin with, Russ, I am deeply touched by the comments you made, but I am really the win- ner for the simple reason I know, in you, I have acquired a personal friend and that is a unique situation, considering the fact that in the four years we have been together we really didn't start out as the world's greatest buddies. We were in somewhat of a contentious situation, we were supposed to have been oriented against one another, our philosophies were not the same and yet I think Russ and I epitomized what truly is the democratic process, where men of some understanding, and with what I like to think is a little bit of wisdom now and then, are able to reconcile differences and go forward and recognize the accomplishments and contributions that another human being can make to society. I would like to think I contributed some of that, but I would be less than honest if I didn't recognize what Russ has contributed in the 8 years he has already served on this;Council, so when I say I am deeply touched personally, I indeed am. I would say to Ken - congratulations on an; extremely successful two years and reiterate that what has already been said. I think Bob has a challenge before him but on the other hand, he possesses those qualifications, certainly in the area of numbers of votes, but also beyond that in personal integrity and capability to serve the community and that really is what this is all about. This is no:big thing; the people have made a. decision and these five men will determine the future of the City of West Covina. I have enjoyed working with Chet. I think Chet has come a, long way and I am particularly pleased by the fact that Chet, whatever else we can say about him, he always does his homework. As a matter of fact, he puts the rest of us on Council to shame, at times, because he has really done the research and I think this is a man who serves extremely well because of it, and I have tremendous admiration for you, Chet, and appreciate the value you bring to the Council. I would be a little less than honest again if I didn't mention the real people who serve this community and who some- times have to bend to the will of men who perhaps don't have the same back- ground or qualifications in the area of government that they have, but who through certain equanimity of spirit and maybe the guidance of God are able to bring forth the best in the people who serve as the elected officials, and that is the administrative staff. I see Bob Fast, George Zimmerman, George Wakefield and the other people who serve strongly. I am leaving out our Planning Department because they are not here, but I certainly include Dick and those who work with him, I see Eileen here, who demonstrates the patience of Job and, I am sure that woman's intuitive capability to provide the right word at the right time, and all the other people here. The man I have left out is George Aiassa, who is a man of tremendous patience, wisdom, just outstanding academic and administrative ability. This City would not be where it is today, nor would we be here it it weren't for George Aiassa. I thank him, my fellow Councilmen, and all of you. (applause) CITY COUNCIL 4/18/72 Page Seven Mayor Young: The advantage in speaking first is now felt, Mr. Nichols, and I won't try .to' top anything. DESIGNATION OF ALTERNATE Item 6 of the agenda, does this have to be County Sanitation Boards acted -on this evening, Mr. Wakefield? • Mr. Wakefield: What is involved here is the designation of an alternate to serve on the Governing Board of the Sanitation Districts in those instances in which the Mayor is unable to attend. It can be done by a simple nomination and approval of the City Council and will be embodied in a resolution. There is no occasion or necessity for doing it tonight. Mayor Young: That being the case I wonder if we can take this up on our next regular agenda. Does that meet with the concurrence of the Council? (Council agreed.) That would bring us to the most welcome point on any agenda, a motion to adjourn. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Councilman Lloyd, seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried, to adjourn meeting at 8:10 P.M. ATTtST: CITY CLERK APPROVAL MAYOR - 7 -