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05-29-1973 - Regular Meeting - MinutesMINUTES OF 7'HE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA MAY 29, 1973. The regular meeting of the City Council called to order by Mayor James Lloyd in the West Covina Council Chambers at 7:34 P.M. :The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Ken Chappell; the invocation was given by the Reverend Simmons of the United Methodist Church. ROLL, CALL Present: Mayo;_ Lloyd; Councilmen: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell Others Present: George Aiassa, City Manager George Wakefield, City Attorney Lela Preston, City Clerk George Zimmerman, Public Services Director Leonard Eliot, Controller_ John Lippitt, City Engineer Bert Ya.ma.saki, Community Redev. Coordinator Jeff Butzlaff, Administrative. Analyst Mark Volmert, Administrative Analyst Gary Duvall, Administrative Assistant Ross Bonham, Administrative Assistant Ken Larsen, Administrative Analyst, Jr.. Mike McDonnell, Staff Reporter - S.G.V.D.T. PRESENTATION RESOLUTION OF COMMENDA- Mayor Lloyd: (Asked Mr. Sein to step TION TO JOSEPH SEIN to the podium.) -It is a realpleasure to present th i ra c n l rl f i r-,n I-r, M r Tn c--1, C.-, � - ..,1-,_ I- _ _ ..,...��,.. ..may.,, ...... been a member of the West Covina Fire Department for twenty-one years. During that time I know he served our City well and has made a tremendous number of friends and while this is a very small token of our appreciation it does give me great pleasure to present this to you. Mr..Sein:' I appreciate this very.much and I feel that my years with the City our really the high- light of my life. It has been an enjoyable experience for me. ',Thank you. Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor, a comment. I think it should be recognized that Mr. Sein was Battalion Chief in our City and a dedicated one, .serving many years in our City and I congratulate him on his fine service :.and I am glad you are still in the community so we can see you some time. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MAY 14, 1973 Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor, I have a couple of corrections. On page 4, there was a gentleman here for the Shriner's presenta- tion whose name was left blank. It was Jim Cail; and also towards the second _half of the page it says 19 orthopedic hospitals and 3 --s institutions" which should read 19 orthopedic hospitals and 3 burn institutions." On page 10, bottom of the page., a statement with regard to the comments on the installation of the larger gas tanks and which has since proven to possibly be a good move on our part, should read: "I think that there is another reason for not taking drastic action, if people are not paniced into something then maybe if it is not the problem alleged then the problem in part will go' away." That may not be exactly what I said but that is what I meant. CITY COUNCIL ..Page Two APPROVAL OF MINUTES 5/29/73 Motion by Councilman Shearer to approve minutes as corrected. Second- ed by Councilman Young and carried. CONSENT CALENDAR Mayor Lloyd stated the procedure of the Consent Calendar items and asked.if there were any comments oia any of the following items: 1, WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS a) CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF Re extension of time for meeting and con - CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOC., ferring between City and Employees' Association. (Receive and: File) b) MRS. F"RED KELLY Urging consideration of Para Medics 242 South Pima Avenue Program.. (Receive. and File) Apt. B, West Covina c) IGLOO SALES DIST. CO., Re revision of regulations on vending 9234 East Whittier Blvd.mac.hines. (Refer -to Planning Department, Pico Rivera City Attorney and Staff) d) NATIONAL MULTIPLE REQUEST permission to conduct fund rais- SCLEROSIS SOCIETY ing campaign between May 13 - June 17, 1973, and waiver of license fee. (Pro- clamation passed at previous meeting) (Recommend approval subject to staff review; approved . in .ptior years) . e) FLORENCE C. McMILLAN Opposing City of Industry Airport Site. 1152 Brea Canyon Road (Receive and File) Walnut f) CIR/OIM NEWSLETTER Concerning Local Planning Grants. (Informational) g) THE ROYAL CANADIAN REQUEST for two fireworks stands. LEGION, SAN GABRIEL (Approved in prior years. Recommend VALL`�Y POST 167 approval subject to T.U.P..Procedures) 2. PLANNING COMMISSION SUMMARY OF ACTION May 16, 1973. (Accept and File) 3. RECREATION & PARKS COMM. SUMMARY OF.ACTION May 22, 1973. (Accept and File) 4. HUMAN RELATIONS COMM. SUMMARY OF ACTION May 24, 1973. (Accept and File) 5. YOUTH ADVISORY COMM. SUMMARY OF ACTION May 15, 1973. (Refer to Staff) CALIFORNIA YOUTH Commission Report. (Receive acid File) COALITION CONFERENCE MAY 11-13/73 6. CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES FILED WITH CITY CLERK RUSSELL J. MATTIER On behalf of Ralph Fulton, 1234 West Attorney Cameron, Apt. 129, West Covina. Driver 1500 West Covina Pkwy. involved in collision in freeway con - Suite 108, West Covina struction area, on Garvey Avenue south of Willow. (Deny and refer to City's Insurance Carrier) 7. TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MINUTES GARVEY AVENUE SIGHT (Traffic Committee Minutes of 2/20/73) DTSTANCE Progress Report (Informational) 2 CITY COUNCIL Page Three CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd. 5/29/73 Minutes of Traffic May 2.2, 1973 (Accept and File) Committee 8.. CITY TREASURER'S REPORT Month of April, 1973. (Receive and file) 9.- ACCEPTANCE OF IMPROVEMENTS ANLD/OR RELEASE OF BONDS UNCLASSIFIED USE PERMIT LOCATION`: South side of Workman Avenue, NO. 179 - STANDA.RD, OIL east side of Citrus Street. Accept CO. OF CALIFORNIA sidewalk and driveway improvements and authorize the release of The American Insurance Company Bond No. SCR 7106745 in the amount of $850. Staff recommends acceptance. Councilman ,Shearer: Mr.. Mayor, a comment with reference to Item 1 (a). There is a specific request on the part of the City Employees' Association to extend the meet and confer period, which I assume reading from the attachment of the section of the Municipal Code is technically illegal,,. Are we to take any action or are we to merely receive and file as stated on the agenda. Mayor Lloyd: No, action -has to be taken; we have to as.: the City Manager if he would be available to do this and what his recommendations are? Councilman .Shearer: I think it is appropriate to just receive and file and when a request Mr. Aiassa: The code itself has outlined .that April and May is the period for meet and con.- fer. Perhaps Mr. Wakefield might comment. Mr. Wakefield: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, as the City Council will remember we were confronted with somewhat of a similar situation last year and the time was extended. I think really - the provision in our ordinance is directional in the sense that it establishes the period during which it is intended that meet and con- fer sessions be held and concluded. However, if they are not conclud- ed within that time it does not necessarily mean that they can't be held at a later date. Councilman Shearer: By merely receiving and filing this we are not closing the door to extend- b. - is that correct? Mr. Wakefield: No, I think to simply extend the time does not require affirmative Council action; however, if the Council desires to reserve the right to implement whatever understanding may be arrived at after the first of July then you should reserve the right to make the understanding or whatever salary adjustments are adopted as a result of an understanding retroactive as of -either the first of July or at such later date that you may select. Councilman Shearer: Is a motion to that effect desirable if it is our desire to leave that avenue open? - 3 - 11 CITY COUNCIL Page Four CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd. 5/29/73 Mr. Wakefield: Yes, it would. Councilman Shearer: My motion would be to leave it at the option of the City Manager if we choose to extend it. Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, -.it is my understanding of the law that the Council may reserve to itself that right at anytime before the passage of a given pay period, that is the Council can wait into the month of July or anytime to the first of August to allow any negotiations to be made effective back to the first of July. The existing law enables the Council up to the first of August to make any adjustments desirable in pay or fringe benefits back to the first of July, and I question whether at this point it is even necessary for the Council to take any specific action that would place the Council on record indicating.that it reserves such a right, that already exists. Councilman Shearer: I am confused then whether the right exists without action because in the Municipal Code, Section 2457 it says "meetings with respect to wages, hours and fringe benefits constituting a part.of compensa tion shall be held only during the months of April and May of each .calendar year" and we are shortly to leave the month of May, which if I read the ordinance correctly says "tough, it is past." Councilman Nichols: That is the question that I raise.. I think the motion, if I understand it corre.'ctly,., was to reserve.the Council the right to adjust salaries or employment conditions after that date? Councilman Shearer: No, my motion was merely to extend the right of the period of negotiations past the - months of April and May as requested by the employees. Councilman Nichols: I think we need the City Attorney back again.. Mr. Wakefield: .Mr. Mayorand members of the City Council I think it is`not necessary for the Council°to take anyaffirmative action to extend the period during which negotiations can be conducted. In other words if sometime after the first of June the representatives of the City Manager and the organized Employee organizations reach an understand- ing with reference to salaries, wages or working conditions and that recommendation is reported to the City Council the City Council may at that time implement it by taking whatever action is appropriate under.those circumstances. However., as Councilman Nichols has correctly indicated, the existing law provides in substance that after the -pay period , that is the month during which the pay period ...occurs has gone by, that you cannot grant changes in salaries which increase salaries on a retroactive basis, those changes would have to be effective not earlier than the first of the month in which the determination was made. Therefore, if the City Council.wishes to reserve the right to make any salary adjustments that may be agreed upon at the staff level effective as of the first of July you would need to take action to reserve that right, particularly that is true if the negotiations -extend beyond the first of August. Councilman Shearer: So then perhaps we are premature? Mr. Wakefield: I would think so - we are as this particular communication is concerned -.that is true. Councilman Young: This part about negotiations only in April and May doesn't mean anything then _ is that right? 4 - CITY COUNCIL .Page Five Y CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd. 5/2g/73 Mr.., Wakefield: It is like so many other things, it is directory in the sense that it directs it be done during those two months, however if it is not done and agreement is reached at some later date then the Council always has the right toact upon that agreement in whatever fashion is appropriate. Councilman Young: It says the -meetings shall be held only during the months of April and May - now that sounds a little directive and a little more than permissive and if the meeting and conferring has not been done yet then I think we ought to adopt a motion extending the period of negotiation to whatev r period we choose too, just to take a puristic position.in light of section 2457. I don't particularly like for either management or the employees to be negotiating in the face of a loaded pistol of any kind. I spoke with the City Manager_ recently about this, the fact that we seem to be pushing ourselves later and later into the budget process so that we ourselves hold budget hearings at the point of a loaded gun, namely the legal time we have to adopt a budget, so we rush it through. The City Manager appropriately points out to me that we don't have the proper staffing and we have made tremendous.cutbacks in staffing in the last two or three years in an attempt to save money. So this is the kind of problem we are up against here in the meet and confer . negotiations and it all ties into the budgeting process and the . taxing process. I think we ought -Co adopt something tonight that :extends the negotiation period if the City Manager feels this is needed. Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor, I don't have'objections to the adoption of the motion that is on the floor. I think it is symbolic rather than compelling upon the Council, because historically we have in fact not been confirming many of these matters until well into the month of July. In fact -on occasion some of these matters have not been resolved until well.into August and it is really.more than the lack of staffing. The fact is that.many of the very key ingredients that this Council will wait on are ingredients that cannot come from staff or the employee group. They are.the ingredients involved in assessed evaluations and the announcement of tax revenues that wi.11 come to the City and the firming.up of subvensions that oftentimes aren't known to us.until way up in July and sometimes well into August These are really the overriding factors that have caused our ultimate decisions to be oftentimes delayed. I think these are. important and our employees have to be made aware that the Council is hung up on the same horns of the same dilemma that many other agencies of government are hung upon. So the fact is this year as in past years that this body will probably not be in a position to know what our fiscal situation is until till near the end of July or into August. And if I am not incorrect I think there has been several years where in July we have adopted resolutions on the Council to reserve to ourselves the right to increase salaries retroactive to July 1 because of the absence of the.knowledge we would need. So the motion is not out of order in terms of the facts of the matter but the.motion shouldn't be adopted to indicate that we are intending to delay negotiations with our emplopes, that we are playing a game. If we adopt a motion it.should be in terms of this -historic perspective. So I will accept that. Councilman Shearer: Just a comment on one of the reasons why I felt the motion was in order. I didn't want the employees to feel that this year when it might be to their advantage to continue that the City Council, staff/ management might say the law says ."April and May" when last year it was to our advantage to extend, that we so freely did it. .I wonder whether we do that in a motion or as a statement of policy - . 5 = CITY.COUNCIL Page Six CONSENT CALENDAR - Cont'd. 5/29/73 it'is really immaterial to me, but I didn't want when the shoe is on the other foot to necessarily.take advantage of the wording in the law. Motion carried. Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor - a further comment with regard to the Traffic Committee report, Item 4, . the recommendation is to install a double Left turn move on Vincent and Garvey. There was at one time a ..report that came to the Council with regard to the installation of an additional off ramp to Glendora Avenue. I would like to know ...what the status of that is, because in my opinion if that were successful it would reduce somewhat the demand .for a left turn move at this intersection. Mr. Zimmerman: The Glendora off ramp was to go from the south Vincent Avenue interchange complex to the intersection of South Garvey and Glendora Avenue and.as such would certainly take some amount of traffic from .the left turn movement at Vincent and South Garvey and i place it in the.other destination. The percentage that it would reduce it has not been determined. The proposal to construct the off ramp has not been transmitted .to the Division of Highways to approval up to this time. Councilman Shearer: The reference is made to $5,500 as the cost of this installation - would that be a City expense? Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, Councilman Shearer, it would be partly a City expense. We anticipate it would be oossible to aet the current contractor of the freeway.widening to do a portion of the work having to do with the eastbound on ramp from Vincent to the freeway. The; striping and some curb setbacks and minor drainage work to be done would be City expense. Mayor Lloyd: Is there any further discussion? If not, a motion would be in order. Motion -by Councilman Young that the Council adopt Consent Calendar items with the exception of Item 1 (a). Seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None. ABSENT: None AWARD OF BIDS BID NO. 73-86 Bids received in the Office of the Purchas- PARKING LOT POWER ing Agent up to 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, SWEEPER April 25, 1973, and thereafter publicly. 'opened and read. (Council reviewed Controller's Report.) (Held over from 5/14/73 meeting) Councilman Young: Mr.. Mayor — isn't the recommendation that the bidding process be reopened on the Parking Lot Sweeper? Mr.'Aiassa: Yes, we followed the procedure"that Council directed - to contact all bidders that have not responded to our bid. Councilman Young: Would the motion be to reject the present bids and reopen the bidding? Is that the CITY COUNCIL Page Seven AWARD ... OF BIDS:.: Bid No. 73-86 5/29/73 recommendation of staff? Mr. Wakefield: Yes, that is the correct motion. Councilman Young:_ I would so move. Seconded`.by Councilman Shearer and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None BID NO. 73-92 Bids scheduled to be received in the Office GASOLINE REQUIREMENTS of the Purchasing Agent up to 10:00 A.M., 1973/74 on Wednesday, May 2, 1973. No bids had been received. Review Controller's report regarding submission of bid on Wednesday, Ma.y 23, 1973, from Shell Oil Company on bulk gasoline. (Held over from 5/14/73 meeting) Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor, we have now received a bid and you have a written report from the. Controller. We need a motion by Council to authorize the Mayor grid City Clerk to sign the contract with Shell Oil Company as per the staff report. Councilman Nichols: Is this contract binding for the entire year upon the City at the stipulated price not upon the vendor but upon the City? Mr. `E1iot: Mr. Mayor and members of Council, no.i.t is not. it is a 30 day contract. either party may elect to rescind at the end of the 30r day period. Councilman Young. Would it be to our advantage to delay this particular item until the next meeting in light of negotiations that are continuing and apparently that would still be a -timely acceptance -.our next meeting would be well before June 22nd. Councilman Nichols: With it being a 30 day option upon either party that would seem logical. Mr. Eliot: That is our recommendation because we do have bids out and we did want to open them on June 6th as a courtesy in the event any one else would bid and if there were no bids then our recommenda- tion was to go ahead and sign the contract. Councilman Young: Why couldn't we have it back bef.ore­us.::-,:and take action at our next meeting rather than give a blanket check right now, which .is probably not the best legislative action in the world. Mr. Eliot: We could. . Motion by Councilman Young that this matter be held over to the Council meeting of. June 11, 1973. Seconded by Mayor Lloyd and carried. HEARINGS AMENDMENT NO. 116 The City of West Covina. initiates an SERVICE STATION Ordinance pertaining.to service stations. ORDINANCE Said ordinance includes requirements for locational criteria, development standards, accessory uses and abatement of abandoned service stations. Recommended by Planning Commission Resolution #2472. - 7 - CITY COUNCIL Page Eight HEARINGS: Amendment No. 116 5/29/73 Mr. Aiassa: Mr. Mayor, we have Mr. Zimmerman here tonight to read the recommendations from the Planning Commission. Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor and members of the City Council, the Planning Department has had study sessions over the period of the last year or so includ- ing the Chamber of Commerce, business people involved in the service stations in the City and the Planning Commission. The culmination of this was after several changes the Planning Commission did approve the ordinance and recommend its adoption to the City Council at its last meeting in April. If the Council desires I have a few brief excerpts that might be appropriate to discuss and then a short slide presenta- . tion of the sites that should be indicated: Copies of the ordinance have been furnished to the City Council previously. On page 3 of the ordinance there is an item on locations, which I think is pertinent to it. "Service Stations shall be permitted only at the following locations: Intersections of lane highways or a 4 lane 100' right-of-way street, or a 6 lane highway, as shown on the Master Plan of Streets. One service station may be located within 150' of the terminus of the center line of a freeway on or off ramp; however no new sites shall be permitted to develop if an.existing nonconforming station (that.is, it is in the wrong location) is already located with.>_n-, 1000' of that ramp ,or. the same side of the major arterial street. Not more than 2-stations .shall be permitted for a 4 corner intersection One per T intersection and one for freeway on or off ramp. Gasoline pumps may be permitted as an accessory use.to tires, batteries and accessory TBA shops within a regional shopping center. I\. Cl.l IJV 11C1 V1: CL U1 l-L- 1l�llUlll�ltll�ll 1. 111 %_1C11.111� .that .it shall be on a corner lot with .a minimum of 20,000 square foot size. We have a couple of other items of consequence which I could point ou't to the Council if desired,. and a slide presentation.. Mayor Lloyd: What is the desire of Council? Do you want a slide presentation or do you want to ask questions?. Councilman Young: Mr Mayor', I felt the proposed ordinance was.very easily understandable. It .is an. ordinance that needs to be understood by the people who read it, I understood it -- I think, and.. I would prefer personally to go into the.public.hearing and see where we go from there. .('Council agreed) THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR OR AGAINST AMENDMENT NO. 116 - SERVICE STATION ORDINANCE. In Opposition Mr. Ron Werderitsch (Sworn in by City Clerk) 860 South Placentia Avenue Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, Placentia we have attended all the meetings Representing U-Haul wit'n the Planning Commission and staff and the only area of the ordinance that is of concern to us is on page_8 under paragraph R - Rental Facilities. Where we would not be allowed to operate.in the N-C zone. The study prepared by staff indicated that in all instances where rentals are in service stations currently, and there are five, all are in N-C zones, which would indicate that is where the need is for rental equipment of this type. So we would •like to continue operating in the.N-C zone. I have a report from Mr. John Twohey with the International Service Stations Association',---4nd it states in CITY COUNCIL • Page Nine HEARINGS: Amendment No. 116 5/29/73 part "that service stations in all. areas of the United States in all C zones especially should be permitted to rent trailer and wheeled vehicles including 2-wheel axles." Another report from the American Society of Planning Officials entitled "Zoning for Utility T•ailer :and Tiuck Rentals" again states in part "that this type of rental operation is predominantly and necessarily an accessory use at service stations. As such it poses few regulatory problems.. Most commercial and industrial service stations permitted such uses." It is on this ground that we appeal .to this Council and ask possibly to have this portion of the ordinance revised. in addition to that, the area utilized for the purpose is supposed to be in addition to the minimum site area. However, in our past exper- ience historically oil companies only buy minimum site areas and do not _.purchase additional areas unless required for their particular.develop- ment. I will grant you there are a few isolated instances where oil companies do buy more property than what they need 'for the particular station but in most cases that is an economical situation with them in the land development. ,So we are also opposed to that area of the pro- posed,ord.inance. Mayor. Lloyd: May I interrupt - you are opposed to item R on page 8 and the next item? Mr. Werderitsch: Under R, there 6.re two portions.of it -we. - are objecting to. Paragraph 1 of R and the minimum site area being in addition to the service station site, it also takes in a couple of other items. In addition to Item 1 there would be Item 4 - landscaping of the rental area, and Item 5 - the entire storage area shall be screened by.a. 6' high masonry block wall. We are also questioning Item 6. At the public hearing before the Planning Commission, Commissioner Adams made a request of Mr. Munsell and asked whether this.ordinance applied to all existing and proposed service stations and Mr Munsell replied "the proposed ordinance would not affect existing stations"; however under Item 6 it specifically states that the provisions of this section would apply to all existing and proposed service stations. There aren't any instanceswhere'.either U-Haul or any other rentals are operating within the City of Wes �...:;., . Covina where we could continue to exist, because we just do not Have ` additional land, 6' block walls, landscaped areas and what have you. The rental activities at service stations is an accessory use in all cases and merely provides service to the community as well as providing a degree of additional income to the service station operator. And that as we know is a.marginal business by itself and with gas rationing and what have you it has made it extremely difficult for many operators to continue to do business. So the only portion we are opposed to are some of the items under Section R. I would be happy to answer any questions that Council may have. Mayor Lloyd: Council will probably have questions during Council discussion and if they do we will call_ you back to the podium. Frank Walker (Sworn in by the City Clerk) Western Oil & Gas Assoc. Mr. Mayor_ and members of -the Council, I. 609 South Grand Avenue don't know if you are familiar with our Los Angeles Association but we represent the petroleum industry in six of the western states and roughly about 90% of the petroleum manufacturers and marketers in'the area. . Mayor Lloyd: You represent for. instance Standard Oil., Shell, Phillips 66, etc., - all of these people? 9 - CITY COUNCIL Page Ten . HEARINGS: Amendment No 11.6 5/ 2 9/ 7 3 Mr. Walker: Yes sir, we are funded by them and we are their spokesman on occasions like this. We may not be very good spokesmen but we try our .best. As you can imagine we have all sorts of objections to it but I am going to try and keep within three minutes. In the area of site location for example we are somewhat concerned about the business of choosing a particular site or having someone not being able to use their property to its highest and best use. Should I happen:to own a corner before you, or you, or anyone else, then I have a thing going foi- me that seems to us a little bit unfair. We would prefer, to think that the government should not use its police power to give an economic advantage to those engaged in a business at a given date as against all those that enter the industry after that date. The basic: point ..here is the right of a competing business to engage in fair competi- tion, which is pretty basic to the American way of life. I think that limiting the number of service stations at a particular corner - well someone said that it read easily to him and it didn't.to me and it was a bit confusing. At any rate our concept here is that it shouldn't be within the province of the Council to.dictate what should be on one corner and how many should be on a.corner. I think the law of supply and demand is the way we have to operate and the way the country has operated and in our humble opinion this is the way it should continue to operate, rather than have someone dictate that there shall.be one hamburger stand and one dry cleaning store or what have you.. We feel this is pretty well taken care of by free enterprise.. What I hadto say I think you can almost anticipate Lot size - Staff has done a lot of work and a lot of research in determining this and I think if they came up with 29,000 square feet for a service station .lot - you gentlemen have looked around and noted that normally in this modern age we do use a lot size that probably exceeds that. as a matter of fact but again we have to r consider with new maketing processes there are now a number of self-service stations that do not need that lot size and can be much smaller because they in effect have just a toll. booth as you drive out. They don't have the lub bays, etc. So again taking into consideration the tLaffic within'the site whether or not you really have to think about the size of the lot because again I thnk economics would take care of it. There are a few other items. Mr. Zimmerman indicated before that the Commission had taken the thing as written, however as I recall being here before the Commission in talking about rear bay and side bay entry they suggested that this was not going.to be necessarily so, that it would be up to the architectural. review board. We again do not object because many of our companies do use the rear bay entry or side bay entry, however we have found a good many problems involved in this sort of thing: Unsurprisingly there is a lot of theft .that can take place with the rear bay entry. You, gentlemen have probably been in service stations where the attendant comes out and there is nothing to stop someone from going in the back and stealing tools and we have also had occasions where people have literally been murdered because they have been conned by coming out. In one instance they caught a guy carrying out the cash register because of this Again I think it should be up to the independent dealer, or oil company, or lessee. And Signs is of great interest to us, particularly in a freeway oriented community. We think freeway oriented signs should be high and should be big, not necessarily as big and as high as some we have seen but there are occasions where a person who has a credit card in his pocket really has to see that Union Station, Shell Station or what have you, and again we would pre- fer that be left because we do this pretty scientifically. It is not that we -feel bigger is better, we take mark ups, lift them up with a crane and look at them from the freeway and we decide how high, how big it.should be. _ 10 e CITY COUNCIL Page Eleven HEARINGS: Amendment No. 116 5/29/73 Just one other thing - Abatement and should service stations be abated if out of business for X months, X days or X.week s? Our question is should abatement be based on an arbitrary time period or based on the Uniform Building Code, Fire Code? Should it be based on matters of health, safety -and morals? Again we are suggesting and we run into this quite often and we know we have been guilty in the past of over building .but we really wonder whether or not service stations just because it • i.s a service station that has been. out of business for X months should be abated or should we be .treated as any other business that goes out,of business such as a dry cleaning store or hamburger stand, etc. I think a lot of people forget that we are a pretty necessary service and in looking through the Board of Equalization Studies of the State of California (and these figures a�e.' a little misleading because they are based on active permits) in 1965 the City of West Covina had 58 service stations under active permit, through the third quarter of last year you had 56, which is actually two less. It is almost impossible to find out how many automobiles you have in yot:r community but I would wager it has probably doubled at least. So actually people talk about the proliferation of service stations and "it ain't necessarily so " In terms of taxable transactions in 1965 service stations turned over $1,500,000 and again through -the third quarter of last year it was $2,800,000. This is not based on the gasoline tax but on tires, batteries and accessories. So you see it is a big business and yet it is a small business. I will just take .one other note and then I will be quiet. In West Covina your total retail establishments increased from 721 to 983, this again is based. on permits, yet your service stations went down by 2. So I think perhaps it may be a case of over kill, that perhaps the law of supply and demand will take care .of your problem if you have a problem and with that I will be quiet. .Thank you. Raymond Cloud I operate the service station at 434 North Service Station Operator Azusa Avenue and _n the beginning - three 434 North Azusa Avenue years ago - the U-Haul Rentals were a great important part to my business and now during the gas rationing period it is even more so. That $400 or ..$500 a month means.an awful lot and without it we don't stand. That is about all I have to say. Thank you. THERE BEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC TESTIMONY PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED. COUNCIL DISCUSSION. Councilman Young:, Mr. Mayor, I have some good points have been raised here by the opponents to this ordinance and I think that they are worthy of some careful consideration by this body. I do feel that we have perhaps indulged in a little bit of the over kill. Not this City Council but the public in general because we developed the idea that gasoline oil products produce smog. Now the real culprit also to be considered is the automobile and none of us will give up our cars: Councilman Shearer: And I thought it was the freeways! Councilman Young: Yes and the freeway. We bend over backwards if some automobile dealer wants to open up a dealership, we bust a gut to get him in here to we can get that sales tax revenue, you know, and then the guy that wants to open a service station we are against him because he is creating smog. It is funny how these things develop. I don't think we are in a situation in West Covina of continuing a policy of over developing, as Mr. Walker pointed out we have fewer stations operating now - 11 - •CITY COUNCIL s Page Twelve HEARINGS: Amendment No 11-6 5/29/73 I think we should have some reasonable standards for the future, for people who ;night want to come in and open up a new station I don't know that.I am prepared just arbitrarily to say that two stations per corner is all we are going to get. I know it would be -like pulling teeth to get a station in this town right now anywhere because of what we consider an over saturation in the market and i't would certainly appear to be There are a lot of stations boarded up and closed. We have reason to abate these things. You see them standing there with their windows • busted out, they are sites for children to vandalize, write graffiti on the walls and I think we can really do without those things. But to just arbitrarily say that 6 months of that and out you go, is maybe a little too harsh, maybe we should have an abatement procedure for that which would at least give the owner a chance to rehabilitate if he so chooses. As far•as the trailer rental business is concerned this has been a major source of concern in'my mind because I do know that there are several_ stations around that have U-Haul as an adjunct to their business and I am not aware of the public coming along and saying why don't you get rid.of the U-Haul trailers at the stations? What this is perhaps someone at the governmental level saying - well this isn't aesthetic so let's abate it. I think we should respond to what the public wants for its own community. I don't think these few U-Haul operators that we have in town are doing anything except a service on which they -make a profit and. I happen to be in favor of that. Basically I think it is a good ordinance but I would like to suggest: Number 1 - that the grandfather clause protect the existing purveyors of the rental services or whatever they are doing right now unless it is shown. to me on a specific basis to be offensive to the public. I don't see any point in passing laws or rules -to change what we are doing now if we don't find'that offensive. Number 2 - I would like tn :.,eP the arh,i Crary nspec+s o-F future sites eliminated, because I have every confidence that any City Coijncil sitting here is going to exercise a wise judgment on the merits of whatever request is made rather than because we.ha.ve an ordinance that says you can't have it because of these rules That is no reason to do things. Number 3 - I would like to see a little more flexibility in design standards. Once again based on the merits of the design proposed. Number 4 - h would like to see a less arbitrary process established for the abatement procedures. I think we ought to have abatement procedures but less arbitrary than what we have in here now, .which is 6 months and you areout.. These are.rny suggestions for the revisions to this ordinance. Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor - on the abatement. I don't read the abatement being that tight. It says "after 6 months they are declared abandoned. and a public hearing to determine the abatement shall be set before the City Council." So at that time we have all the rights in the. world to continue that station in existence if these are circumstances, but we all know in our City right now there are three locations where we wish this ordinance were.i.n effect a few years ago so we could have them removed because it appears some day they are going to be removed but they aren't right now. The history of this Council in voting down servi-ce stations is pretty minimal, I can only think of one or two voted down . Virginia and Grand being one of them, in a residential area that we voted down for a service station. I -can think of many locations properly located where we went to bat to allow them to be built. We did put in some requirements of landscaping, etc., and I found no fault with that. So in some of these areas I think we may have less service stations today than ten or fifteen: years ago and there are a couple of more stations that I don't think will be opening Up, somebody else will buy the land and put something else up in place of the vacant service station that now exists - 12 - CITY COUNCIL Page Thirteen HEARINGS: Amendment No 116 5/29/73 I would agree with the limiting of two service stations on a corner. I can think of some corners very close to a free- way and I think as time goer by that our thinking will be for service stations along freeway routes and where four stations in that area would not be offensive at all and would probably be very desirable because basically that might be all that will be, willing to be built along the freeway and on the access streets from the freeway. The only thing I have found in reading this over is that in those areas maybe we are limiting ourselves to a maxi- mum of two stations per corner. In regards to U-Haul, we don't have too many of them because probably we haven't been .overly friendly to this type of business and where that history developed - I don't know. I would like to see them upgraded a bit with some landscaping or screening off if possible, but to simply remove them from the City I would have some objection to, but to require landscaping and.putting up some screening - I find no fault with that. I do find fault with eliminat- ing them entirely from our City. Councilman Nichols: The fact; that not too many service stations have been built in recent years is more the result of the normal economic trends and needs than probably the wisdom of the Council or Planning Department of our City, It has been my experience that whatever ordinances we have on the books in regard to service stations or other things in our community, the wisdom of the City Council and'its purposes will largely prevail at a given time. There are ample ways to get around the most restrictive ordinance on the books and there are ample ways to make. liberal ordinances more restrictive .if the Council_ desires to do so. So really it is the will and purpose of the Council to determine the kind of development we will have. I think we have had better service station development in the City of West Covina in the past few years because of the insistence of the Council that higher standards be maintained and probably partly because oil companies are beginning to realize there are some aesthetic qualities that need to be included in their developments. I wanted to bring to the attention of the Council one of the things I have..observed over the years and that is in.our own Planning Department and sometimes our Planning Commission, there is a tendency to forget a very critical point and that is West Covina is not an island, that this community cannot economically become the Beverly Hills.of the San Gabriel Valley. Almost every time in the past ten years that I know of where we have attempted to become significantly more restrictive .than the surrounding. communities in terms of signage or developments we have ended up in a year or two in an unfavorable compe.titive.position and we have had to back up and away from it and recognize the realities of life. Now we can wipe out every U-Haul dealer in West Covina and say you know that is really not for West Covina and all_ along Franci_squito Avenue right across the city boundary these U-Haul people will be down there spotting them on service stations and revenues that will accrue will go to the County or LaPuente or somewhere else. So I think when we become so restrictive in our requirements that we make it uneconomical for someone -to build or develop or operate in West Covina there are ample areas nearby where they can look to locate. I would like to -see U-Haul trailers out of sight with beautiful masonry walls, beautiful plantings and screenings and all of that, or anything less than that, but the minute we tr.y.to implement that kind 'of a require- ment we diminish the profit structure involved and someone is going to pull those trailers off and go to some immediately adjacent area where that requirement doesn't exist and then West Covina does, not have that operation wtihin its community and someone else is produc- ing that revenue and other businessmen are being successful around our. boundaries. So I don't think these kind of requirements in terms - 13 CITY COUNCIL Page Fourteen HEARINGS: Amendment No. 116 5/29/73 of our geographical locations and the fact we are surrounded by unincorporated and incorporated built up areas are practical for this City. I think we first of all have to be realistic and there is no point in putting a half dozen of our local operating station operators out of business and placing that same service in Baldwin Park , La Puente or the unincorporated areas adjacent to our community, because that is exactly "what is going to happen. I don't have'anv great beef for the pre- sentation made that we should let all things be handled by free enterprise. I think the oil industry right at the moment is a lousy example of successfully meeting the public's needs through the elements of free enterprise when gasoline over the weekend at Blythe was a dollar.a gallon and I had to fill up twice to get home from Palm Springs. So I don't think that is necessarily the greatest thing in the world to let somebody run rampant without any,regulations, but I do think there are practical implications. I think the elements for instance that Councilman Chappell mentioned, the saturation on corners in critical areas, the kinds of street where stationsshould go rightly in the future, a minimum lot size, I think these things are valid but when we get to that point where we begin to try t-o, aesthetically upgrade our community to our own detriment, I think we -have to be careful and that is the limitation here., Finally I note this matter came before the Planning Commission and was heard by three Planning Commissioners, the full Commission did not hear it at all, and I think there are some f allicies here and it should go back for another look and re- examination and for that reason I am going to vote against the ordinance. Councilman Shearer: Mr. Ma_ N7nr if T rr�atl +h;n.- ^or -tl yT don't think we are going to have an . ordinance passed tonight I sat through a .number of sessions with the Planning Commission and there wez'e times when all five Commissioners were_present in the discussion of this ordinance. I am not satisfied with it. I don't like it in its present theme. Some of the things I don't agree with in part, but I do,think we all need to express our concerns before sending it back to staff because of the hours and hours of work staff has put -into this, so unless we give -some guidance I think -they will be lost. Their intent, as Councilman Nichols indicated, was to upgrade and I think they have eliminated. A question of the City Attorney. Am I correct - it was my recollection that under the present ordinance we have that most trailer rental facilities we have now are presently illegal? Mr Wakefield: That is my understanding. Councilman Shearer: And that Council sometime back as a matter of policy .indicated go slow with abatement of these things? Mr. Wakefield: Councilman Shearer: Yes. So that any type of a grandfather clause would hardly be appropriate to continue a use that is already illegal - would that be correct? Mr. Wakefield: Yes, it would require some amendment to the existing ordinance to permit to continue operation of the rental services of whatever controls might be available. 14 - i i CITY COUNCIL Page Fifteen, HEARINGS: Amendment No 116 5/29/73. Councilman Shearer: I will go over my points. To start out with I.might state this truism - when you are all through talking about a service station it is still going to look like a service station - you can't.make it look like a country club and this is not in anyway disrespectful to operators of service stations When we require the service there are certain things about them that will not be like a park atmosphere. I would agree that the requirement for rear and side bays is inappropriate. There i.s a provision on page 6 that requires all repair work to be done 'inside. This question came up at one of the hearings before tYie Planning Commission, it was not mention- ed this evening. The situation with regard to large recreational vehicles too large to place inside the conventional work bays - I think we are kidding ourselves to think that somebody with a large mobile home if he can get enough gas to make it this far from Los Angeles breaks a fan belt or springs a leak in his gas pump or whatever and pulls off at Azusa Avenue and drives into the service station that the man is going to say sorry because of Section 1, Paragraph N of Subsection 2 of the Ci.ty's Ordinance I can't replace your fan belt you will have to wait until tomorrow morning until Majestic Chrysler opens up.and they can do the work. I think we are kidding ourselves and as Councilman Nichols says we are not an island and then of course we run into the problem of trying to enforce such a thing,. I would like,•,to see if staff (after we get through tearing it apart) can reconstruct this thing and that some provision be made to allow minor repairs on these type of vehicles. I am not proposing an ordinance that would allow major overhauls to be done in front of a service station on Azusa Avenue, but I think we have •to be realistic enough.to know that certain things are going to happen whether we legislate against- them or not. I think the r rnii r�mnY1+- --P I -F -.r 4 1 l 4-i nc i C mii r•l-i i-nn Q -Y•, nr^rr,n f- T qA r� nn i-hi nr^r offensive - I noticed this evening on the way 'home from work, I think it is the Hinkley Service Station, where a row of buses are lined up. I�find nothing offensive about that. If they are properly placed and provisions made. Perhaps there is some room for improvement in landscaping, etc., but to say these things have to be hidden behind a 6' wall, completely separate and apart from the. service station, I think is overly. restrictive. And the requirement that they cannot be in a N-C zone I think again is overly restrictive. A service station is going to look like a service station whether it is in an N-C zone or whatever kind of a zone and I think that is too restrictive. One last item. Page 10 with regard to Noises, it says "the decibel level made at the property line shall be no higher than the street background noises..." Again, if my memory serves me correctly the noise of an impact wrench is considerably higher than that and it is not a noise that goes on all day, but to write something like that into the ordinance and someone complains well the impact wrench as I recall does make a little bit more noise than the normal background street noises and this also goes along r with the saying a service station is not only going to loot; like one and sound like one but it will also smell like one and all the other things that go along with a service station. So I think overall the ordinance is much too restrictive and if staff can save it in anyway - well I think it is pretty sick at present. Mayor Lloyd: I have•a couple of words to say. I guess I would have to clarify myself as not the most friendly person in the world when it comes to the installation of service stations in the City o•f West Covina and I have not been arbitrary in that area. My standhas always been when people come and say I want that service at that point I would be more than willing to go forward. 'I think I can truly say I have been responsive to the people in that area. o CITY COUNCIL Page Sixteen HEARINGS: Amendment No. 116 5/29/73 I think the statements by the Council in general are expressions of how I feei about it. One other thing is brought to mind here and that is gentlemen I don't find any fault with the way we have handled service stations and their development here. I don't feel that an ordinance at this time is really iequired. I think we have to rectify that area that the City Attorney has indicated that we have no proper proviso in our city ordinances for the rental trailer business and I would like to see that rectified but I think my personal integrity and my service on this Council has been of such a nature that people don't just come in with gay abandonment and throw in a service station and turn all around and do all kinds of things with it I recognize the need for these .people not only to serve but to be involved. They have to have their signs, they have to display their wares, that is the very nature of the service station business and I am not offended by that. I am offended by signs that tower into the air 25 to 301. I don't think it accomplishes anything or that people leap off of the freeway just because they see a Union 76 ball or.a Shell.sign four blocks away. I think they hit the first service station or better yet the one that they happen to have a credit card with and they are also motivated by the cost of gasoline. I think the gasoline companies are probably taking advantage of a pretty good thing but that is not what we are here to discuss. In my considered opinion the ordinance begs the only question I can ask - why do we need it in the first place? I ask myself this one question.- has this Council failed in its role of policy making to do something and the answer comes rather strongly - no, we have not. I am not questioning the reason why the Planning Commission is involved in this, I think it was because the Planning Department urged them to do so. I don't know why the Planning Department felt the tremendous need to go forward and use up that very valuable time which we are told they don't have i.' -, +... .- x7+-hind mnvhnw AnH had staff asked me I would have 111 1.1E l.V spcnrd nr said "I don't think we need it." I think my stand on service stations has been the right one, I think I have been responsive to the people of West Covina, and I think the decisions I have made have been good ones. I think what we have to solve are the problems of how to provide in the law for these people to continue business, particularly at the present time in the method they have been until we see the need to change that and I don't see the need. Thank you, very much. I haven't anything else to say. Are there any other comments? Councilman Nichols: I would only add that I subscribe to what I think has been the expression of a number on the Council —that there are some areas that do need clarification. The element of the legal authorization for the use of rental equipment on sites, certain minimum size sites and locations for future development, I think should be further reviewed and perhaps come back to us. I don't think it was the chair's intention to leave the thought that all elements of this ordinance a.L,e unnecessary. Motion by Councilman Nichols to deny Planning Commission Resolution No. 2472. Seconded by Councilman Young. CouncilmanYoung: And a comment. I wasn't aware but now I do recollect, Councilman Shearer pointed out a moment ago that apparently some of these U-Haul situations that are existing right nova are illegal. I know some of these people. The station where I trade, the gentleman is very concerned. He is just a citizen here in the City trying to make a living like the rest of us and doing it honestly, and there is no problem. He keeps a few trailers and a truck or two and I don't know anyone in the neighborhood that worries about it. I think somehow it should be dealt with. I don't like the idea of people operating illegally. I think we should adapt a law to the existing situation if that situation is not basically 16 - CITY COUNCIL ' Page Seventeen HEARINGS: Amendment No. 116 5/29/73 offensive.to the community and this is where the thing came up to us originally as I recall. I think Mr Hinkley appealed before us and said that they want to get rid of all my trailers and it was one of his major.' sources of income. No one was offended by the trailers but there were some words on a piece of paper that said he shouldn't have them there. So I think we should adapt those words and at the same time not just have U-Haul's in front of-eveiy house in town - so some regulations may be in order. That is all I have to say. I think that is where it all stemmed from in the first place. Councilman Nichols: I think the Council has already taken action sufficient to avoid any problem of abatement in any interim period while we are bringing this matter back to staff to consider further and I concur with those remarks made. Councilman Shearer: The motion was to deny and does this imply in the motion that we are not just killing it, that staff is free to take a further look at it? Mayor Lloyd: I think Mr. Zimmerman has taken quite a number of notes so far. Councilman Nichols: In preface to my motion I indicated that there were elements that you alluded to that should be continued in consideration and work should continue in the are a but the body of the motion as presented is for denial as presented. Motion carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd 1V 0.Ga LV Vtlr ABSENT: None THE CHAIR CALLED A RECESS AT 8:55 P.M. COUNCIL RECONVENIED AT 9:04 P.M. MAYOR LLOYD ASKED COUNCIL PERMISSION TO CALL UP I`PEM 4 OF THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL AGREED. CITY MANAGER PARAMEDICS TRAINING Councilman Young: This matter has been PROGRAM before us on an earlier occasion and we now have a City Manager's report which states that investigations are going on now between ourselves, the City of Covina and the City of Azusa, with the object of joint ope.ration of. the Paramedics Program and I have read in the past that some of these cities have also been considering the same thing.: Apparently we are doing a lot of parallel thinking and are about now to do some hard core communication with each other on it. Perhaps we could get some forecast from the City Manager as to what we might expect in that area, whether these efforts might be successful, what the joint cost might be, whether we could work with a Joint Powers Agreement and ::f it will result in providing adequate service for these communities at a cost more feasible than each of us going it alone? It is an area that I am convinced attracts a. great deal of public interest, public demand to the point that I think the public is willing to pay for it if it is available to them. Mr. Aiassa: Councilman Young, we . are having a meeting this week with representation of three cities - the Controllers, Fire Chiefs and Public Service Directors. I have talked to the two Managers of these two cities and our proposal is.to see if we can work a joint'two-way operation. Mr. Zimmerman has been assigned the task and can fill_ in the Council with the steps we will be following from here on 17 - CITY COUNCIL CITY MGR.: Paramedic P�ogiam Page Eighteen 5/ 2-9/ 7 3 ,. • _i Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, Mr. Mayoi and members of City Council, we have a meeting, as Mr. Aiassa said, this week to discuss the matter further. Preliminary indications are that there is considerable interest in establishing two Paramedic units to serve the three cities. The communications for these two units would be centered in one of the cities. West Covina is available for that in that the equipment is sufficient with perhaps a small increase in manpower. So it is a rather complex situation of tying in the three departments into our communications network and then going ahead with reserving positions, etc. There are evidences in Orange County of combined operations of Fire Departments, I believe there are five cities with joint arrange- ments with Fire Departments, and there are other evidences in L. A. County of partial amalgamation of Fire Departments, so we are explor- ing that area at this time. As far as preliminary indications are con- cerned there appears to be a savings, a greater efficiency in that service by adopting a combined operation. Councilman Young: Mr. Mayor, a further question of Mr. Zimmerman. Do you have any comparative data to indicate for example, with two units operating in these three cities - Azusa, Covina and West Covina - which aren't geographically that big perhaps but there is still a lot of people, would those two units provide a service comparable to what the County supplies in Baldwin Pak now: Mr. Zimmerman: The training would be identical, the'use of the hospital facility would be identical in that Queen of the Valley Hospital is now ' a T .] 1 t b T itc-v Ccmmuni {-[1 eSLadJ11,.1CC,t 11CJt Pal alllCV.1l: �i_ 1 v1l,c a:iu .i uv;l i. uu.,.i.c �._ ...� � � ... .. ,. � , is equipped for that service or plans it. So I think in that respect it would be identical. The area covered by the City operating unit we believe, although we have not finally analyzed it, would be smaller and therefore we would have a quicker. response. Councilman Young: Even with the three cities? Mr. Zimmerman: Yes. Councilman Young: Would this be a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week service? Mr. Zimmerman: Yes. The two units are each on a 24 hour day basis. Each unit is manned by two paramedics at all times and it requires nine men to each unit in order to operate it seven days a week around the clock. Councilman Young: One final question. This, of course, involves a training program and it involves veiy definite budget implications. Do you feel that we will have this thing shaped up to deal with in terms of oui forthcoming budget? Mr._' Zimmerman: It is difficult foz me to determine that in advance of the first meeting with the other cities. We can give them all the facts and figures,as to their problems and their attitudes that is somewhat debatable. We can certainly put that as a goal and keep you informed probably better at the next Council meeting. Councilman Young: Would you at least.at this moment consider it a possibility without tying it down to a "Yes, we will"? CITY COUNCIL • Page Nineteen CITY MGR.: Paramedic Program 5/29/73 Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, it is a possibility. The training times will have to be established with tho. County, which is probably at least 9 months or more away, so it would perhaps be a better pait of a year before we would have an opeiat.ing Paramedic Unit in:any event becau:�r, of the lag before training can occur, but this is certainly the tin<<: that the budgeting should occur so we can go ahead with assurance fulfill our obligations. • Councilman Young: One last question. I gather from what your say with things breaking more or less in ;,n ideal fashion at.this point and moving towards a Paramedic Program that it is in the neighborhood of a year away as far as a practical day to day operation is concerned - is there any possibility of an interim deal being made with the County to serve either_ West Covina or the area involved by the three cities, or is that just beyond the capacity of governmental limitations to work in that fashion? Mr. Aiassa: I will try and answer that question, Councilman Young. It appears that the unit now in effect by the County will servi.� an area of approximately 73,000 population and if it requires a greater use it limits the efficiency. What will be time consuming is that there are four months of full classes and one month of training, so it means five months that s.ix of these men will be completely in a training program. il Councilman Young: The only question is - - are you saying it probably would not be feasible to make a deal with the County on an interim basis? Mr. Aiassa: We can make a deal with the County on a 4 interim basis but I believe the County will make a contract with us under our common service contract but it probably would _like to provide the maximum service; this would be to their advantage to train the men and accommodate the service. Councilman Young: Could we have that area explored?. Mr. Aiassa: Yes, we will explore that area. Mayor Lloyd: That means you will have a report back when? Mr. Aiassa: We will try and get a report on the County situation by the llth and then a follow-up report probably the latter part of June. This has to be planned in the budget of 73-74. Councilman Chappell: Mr. Mayor - when we brought this up before if my memory serves me correctly I was the Councilman that brought it up and then we found that funds and manpower were limited; I thought at that time we requested that the County be contacted to see•if they couldn't provide us with this service. As I understand it .they have a unit in Baldwin Park and LaPuente. I mar be incorrect in my assumption but this is the information I thought was in -existence. I certainly hope we expedite getting something from the County. . I now see another barrier in this - we are going to two units now. The City couldn't afford one and now we are talking about two units of nine men each. Is this correct? Not six men but nine? - 19 CITY COUNCIL Tw enty wenty CITY MGR.: Paramedic Program age 3 Mr. Zimmerman: Yes, there would be two units with six men available around the clock - a total of nine per unit. Councilman Chappell: Now these men can't be used for anything else (and I am all for this), but I would like to see us get something going, at least one unit of nine men, but I can see budget problems coming up with going for.two to start with. I saw this in other elected jobs that • I have held in this City, where everybody wanted to hold a unit in their own City or their own School District.and all of a sudden the thing gets shot down. I hope we have a lot of latitude in our talk- ing and if it.isn't held in West Covina so be it, but let's get at least one of these things going. One unit of nine men is more than we have right now and we could finance it a lot better. I would rather see one going than find out that trying to get two units wi.11 shoot us down because of financing. You are talking about nine men that can't do anything else - can't fight fires because about the time they do somebody is going to get a call for the unit. Again I think we are dealing with a high in the sky pie type thing.. We couldn't get one unit in our City - 72,800 people - we couldn't afford one and now we are adding another 70,000 people and trying for two. To me it doesn't sound feasible financially. I would rather see one of these units with nine men going on it and I don't care whether it is located in West Covina Covina or Azusa - it is going to go to the Queen of the Valley Hospital because that is the only hospital equipped for it at this time .:and at the cost of it I don't see other hospitals automatically going into it. As a Councilman of this City I think we best look pretty close because two will shoot us down all the way just like it did before with one in our own City and we are not going to have anything and it will be another year and we will still be talking about,it. I would like to hear from some of the other Councilmen either going along with me or' opposing my think i.nrr _ Counci_'lman Nichols: It is my understanding that the Paramedic concept is based upon: 1 - having men who are trained with semi -medical capabilities; 2 -.utilizing modern radio technics for communication with medical facilities and constant monitoring of medical problems from the time of initial contact with that problem. It is my understanding that not all hospitals are set up to properly handle this. That rQueen of the Valley is one of the hospitals that is. I really at this moment can't anyway prematurely conceive of someone having a heart attack at the Canyon Inn and waiting for something from down here or close into our City, go up there and provide that service. My under- standing of the service is that it is almost immediately available and from the time of contact it has the capabilities of sustaining. life. This.matter did come up here at the Council this Spring and I think the reason we wiped it out was because it came up during the fiscal year. We were into the year and had no money budgeted for it at all and didn't see how we could clearly meet the time tables set by the County but you expressed support of it and I think all of us have expressed that. I can't really see anymore vital role that local government can play other than to preserve and protect the lives of its citizens and if there are new technology and ways that we can protect and enhance life saving procedures they are every bit as important as the firemen when the fire breaks out in the garage. They are protecting life and property. So I think we are all for that. The key point is what way to proceed? Let me concur essentially with your thinking. I would say if very quickly a couple of neighboring cities jump right to it and say we are all for this and we can provide two of these teams with three .cities working together and get it launched at comparable service to each community and some diminution of cost to each"city then that is the way to go, but I think that what we are all saying here is that we believe this is a service we are going to get and that we as a Council desire to move into this during the coming fiscal year and to - 20 - CITY COUNCIL • Page Twenty-one CITY MGR.: Paramedic Program 5/29/73 give this a priority as one of the services we want to provide to this community as soon as it is feasible. Now within that frame- work I think our staff should continue this initial investigation and see what is feasible and not delay but be prepared to come back very soon to us with potentials and answers so that we can consider this matter in tangibles at the time of our budget hearings. . Councilman Shearer: It is hard to say anything even approaching . negativism after that eloquent discourse by Councilman Nichols. However, I am not going to go quite so far and set myself in concrete and say - this is something that no matter what is going to happen. Particularly when I look at the cost - and someone can say what cost is a human life and I don't know until I have seen the overall budget and have time to look at some overall priorities. When I look at the report I have here and it says the cost to operate one unit approaches $80,000 a year I am not going to say today that this is going to happen at•the conclusion of our budget sessions. I think it is a great idea and I think it is a service that the City should seriously consider pro- viding but without a complete picture, and I don't believe I have it, of all the costs and benefits, I would like to see among other things, in the report there was reference made to a memo from the Fire Department outlining their point of view saying it was attached and it isn't, so I would like to see some input from the Fire Department, also some input from the County who has been in this business for sometime, to see just how successful it.ha.s been. Does it in fact save lives or does it merely prolong the ultimate? And these are kind of cold things to say, but I think they are things that have to be evaluated. If in fact it does save lives that is one thing, .but if it merely delays the life of the victim for awhile that is something else. These things all have to be evaluated and I would like to see that before I will say - yes, this is the greatest thing to r.nme around -,i,nnP rrasnl l_nP - nenrli-n Y th,.it i_nfnrm.at-i nn T will look favorable perhaps upon it. Councilman Young: All of us owe our lives to nothing more than a delayed demise - Councilman ,Shearer, the question is low long is the delay? I think Councilman. Chappell's comments deserve a direct response. I think he is correct. I don't want to see us shot down by creating a high in the sky thing. I think we should definitely explore the prospect of two of these units in the area mentioned and if we have to settle for one then settle for one, but I think we can discuss it at least. So I certainly agree with that idea. Mayor_ Lloyd: Mr. Aiassa, I think you have received rather strong indications of what the desires of the Council are. I concur with .the remarks made in general that we should certainly explore it. You have already indicated Mr. Zimmerman is meeting with these people and after a review of what has been said I don't think we need a motion to insure the fact that this will be presented to us by the time of our budgetary considerations. PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT T,S 72004 (Council reviewed the Engineer's Report) TOPICS PROGRAM RESOLUTION NO. 4735 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA ADOPTING ,SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 OF A PROGRAM'FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF TOPICS FUNDS." Motion by Councilman Young to waive further .reading of the body of said Resolution. Seconded by Councilman Chappelland carried. - 21 - CITY COUNCIL • PUBLIC WKS.: Proiect TS 72004 Page Twenty-two 5/29/73 Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer., to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Young and carried, to authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the Local Agency -State Program Supplement No. 2 to the Master Agreement for the TOPICS Program. LIGHTING ASSESSMENT LOCATION: Villas Annexation. (Council DISTRICT NO. 72-76 reviewed Engineer's report.) ASSESSMENT RATE MODIFICATION (LAD 72-76) Mayor Lloyd: Is there a further staff report? Mr. Zimmerman: Mr. Mayor and members of Council,, this is a .recommendation that the rates in the Villas area be increased commensurate with the rest of the City. Council has already approved the increase for the rest of the City. We .recommend that the rate increase be adopted by Council and -the Resolution be adopted to accomplish that. Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Young and carried, to approve rate increase for -Lighting Assessment District No. 72-76 from $.3000 to $.3450 per assessable front foot. RESOLUTION NO. 4736 The City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY - OF WEST COVIN.A, CALIFORNIA, ORDERING THE LEVYING OF THE ASSESSMENTS FOR THE SECOND / SL'1 OND YLrAR \l/F T17 . FlJUniR-X,--I[ �,r..+KIUJ JLU_I.1Vi`:1-INl: n 11ULY i, iy72 ana ENDING JUNE 30, 1976); PURSUANT TO PROCEEDINGS UNDER RESOLUTION OF INTENTION NO. 4572; ORDERING THE CITY CLERK OF SAID CITY TO TRANS- MIT DIAGRAM AND ASSESSMENT TO THE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR AND EMPOWERING SAID TAX COLLECTOR TO MAKE COLLECTIONS FOR SAID ASSESS- MENTS FOR SAID SECOND YEAR." Motion by Councilman .Shearer., seconded by Councilman Young and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Young, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Chappell, Shearer, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CITY ATTORNEY ORDINANCE NO. 1220 The City Attorney presented:. ADOPTED "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA P:MENDING THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE SO AS TO REZONE CERTAIN PREMISES. (Zone Charge Application No. 481 - Miller Properties)." Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Young and carried, to waive further reading of said Ordinance. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Counci.lman.Shearer, to adopt said Ordinanceand carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shea•rer,.,Chappell, Lloyd .NOES: None ABSENT: None - 22 - CITY COUNCIL • Page Twenty-three CITY ATTORNEY: - Cont'd. 5/29/73 RESOLUTION NO. 4737 The_City Attorney presented: ADOPTED "A RESOLUTION O.' TIIE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA APPROVING CLASS .SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE CLASS OF' ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER AMENDING RESOLUTION I.O. 1277 RELATING TO THE LIS`i' OF AUTHORIZED POSITIONS AND SALARY RANGES APPLICABLE THERETO FOR THE SEVERAL OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY." 04r. Wakefield: This .resolution approves the job classification for Assistant -o the City Manager and adds two positions to the complement in the City Manager's office. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Young and carried, to waive further reading of said Resolution. Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Young, to adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None THE CHAIR CALLED A RECESS OF THE COUNCIL MEETING AT 9:31 P.M., FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING. CITY COUNCIL RECONVENED AT 9:55 P.M. CITY MANAGER ANNEXATION NO. 217 Mr. Aiassa: Mr Mayor and members of Council, Annexation No. 217 is now finalized and signed by the Secretary of State. Councilman Chappell: How many people does this cover? Mr. Aiassa: Approximately 20 homes. INVITATION TO Mr. Aiassa: This invitation was addressed to COUNCILMEN TO ATTEND the Council and the City Manager. C.A.T.V. SEMINAR I wonder if any of the Councilmen JUNE 16, 1973 would like to attend? (None of the Council were able to attend; Mayor Lloyd suggested Staff attend.) Motion by Councilman Young that the City Manager designate a repre- sentative from Staff to represent the City at the C.A.T.V. Seminar on June 16, 1973 at Pasadena City College, with luncheon to be provided and a report back to the City Council. Seconded b17 Councilman Shearer and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None TRIP TO SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA - FIRE DEPT. FIEDULING OF NOISE ATEMENT DEMONSTRA- TION POLICE VAN VEHICLE AND FIRE PUMPER TRUCK SPECIFICATIONS (Report - Hold over.to June 11, 1973 meeting.) (Councilmen Chappell, Young and Shearer indicated they would be in attendance on. June 11, 1973 at 7 o'cloc:c for the demonstra- tion to be held in the Parking Lot prior to the regular Council meeting at 7: 30 P.M.) Mr Aiassa: These are the revenue sharing projects Council has authorized. The specifications are written and we are proceeding as directed. The Fire - 23 - CITY COUNCIL 1 . Page Twenty-four CITY MGR.: Police Van & Fire Pumper Specs. 5/29/73 Pumper Tiuck will be similar to the pumper we recently purchased. This is an informational item only at this time. I LAFCO SPHERES OF Councilman Shearer: I made the presenta- INFLUENCE HEARING tion on behalf of the City. Councilman Young, and Mayor Lloyd were also present. Basically the presentation on behalf of the City was that while the LAFCO staff report did differ - and contrary to ;chat was reported in the paper '- I did not state that it favored West Covina, this was a misquote. I stated it did differ from our staff report and excluded two areas that our report indicated should be in our sphere of influence. However, the ultimate decision we feel should lie with the individuals involved and for that reason not,wanting to have a public knockdown drag out fight over a few .lots on Rowland Avenue and whether or not the piece up in the northwest section should go to Irwin6 ale, Covina or West Covina, that the City of West. Covina accept it and urged the adoption of staff's report. It seemed liked every time there was an area in question that Covina didn't agree with they protested and as a net result none of the areas in which we were involved were resolved because every one involved. the City of Covina and they protested. The motion that was made was to hold over for further study. So whether or not we get what staff recommended in those three specific areas remains to be seen. I don't know if any action has been taken on it or not as yet? Mr. Aiassa: No, Councilman Shearer, action has not been taken and this matter is still under advisement by LAFCO. Mayor Lloyd: When can we anticipate some action, Mr. Aiassa? Mr, Aiassa: I believe it will be between 30 and 60 days. Councilman Young: I would comment, Mr. Mayor, that is a sad example of government in action of what I saw go on in that meeting. A tempest in a teapot, totally ignoring the self -direction that still exists and all of the controversy that develops around it and why I don't know. There must be a better way to run the railroad, but there we were and the controversy rages on. Mayor Lloyd: Are there any questions on the part of Council.? Mr. Aiassa, there obviously is a great deal of interest in this and I think a special effort should be made .to inform all members of the Council on this when it takes place even though we are not at a regular meeting - if.you would beso kind N.A.A.C.P. Mr. Aiassa: You have a report from the 3RD ANNUAL AWARDS Human Relations Commission. DINNER The Mayor and myself were also given an invitation; I paid out $15.00 for my invitation to go. Councilman Nichols: Mr. Mayor - a comment. I notice the request by the Human Relations Commission is for sufficient funds to enable the Commissioners and their wives to attend. As Human Relations Commissioners 'I would understand that this was a wise move on their part relative to their wives but in terms of City Council action it is a request without precedent. We have provided many funds over the years to many indi- viduals to attend city businesses but I know of no instance where we have also financed the wives, consequently it would be my opinion that as noble as the cause is it is totally without precedent and the Council should not begin a precedent at whatever cost of funding' the attendance of wives of commissioners, councilmen -or city managers, or whatever. However, even though you - Mr. Aiassa --have funded 24 _ CITY COUNCIL CITY MGR.: N.A.A.C.P. 3RD ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER Page Twenty-five 5/29/73 your own participation I think it would be in order for the Council to appropriate sufficient money to send the Commissioners to this activity. I think it is a worthwhile activity and the Commissioners rarely demand or need funding from the Council; therefore I would move.that the Council appropriate $37.50 to enable all five Commissioners to attend this function. Seconded by Councilman Shearer. • Councilman Young: Mr. Mayor - I hate to make this comment because I suppose it is bound to be an unpopular comment. To me this is a total precedent, not only where wives are concerned but where Commissioners are concern- ed. Every one of us at this table receives numerous invitations each .week to attend worthy functions, very worthy functions, which relate to the well being of lots of people and the well being of the community and we go to a lot of those functions and we pay for our meals most of the time and if we take our wives we pay -for them. I don't know why one particular organization should be set apart. The N.A.A.C.P. is certainly working for a worthy cause but certainly the schools and any number of organizations are very worthy causes. This is a very minor expenditure but it is an expenditure of taxpayers dollars and. I see a dangerous precedent. Some other organization comes along-and.says well the City financed this particular meal so how about financing ours? I just don't like to see us move in this direction to where we create another pressure point for this type of thing. That is how I feel about it. Mayor Lloyd: Is there further discussion? Councilman Shearer.: Yes, Mr. Mayor. This is not setting a pre- cedent in that respect, in my opinion. About two meetinqs ago we funded money T heli_evA -F authorize the members of the Youth Commission to attend a lunch including their advisor. I have on several occasions attended meetings of the San Gabriel Valley Planning Committee and I don't know who paid but I didn't. So there have been instances in the past where certain functions have been financed or they were considered appropriate City business. I do agree that the wives are not representing the City and if they go their husbands should pick up the tab. I don't think paying for lunches or dinners is necessarily -a precedent. Councilman Chappell: I note that this request was sent up to us by the Commissioners so they must have given.it some real consideration before requesting it. In five years on this Council this is the first time I have see any kind of a request from this Commission so I don't think we will have this as a regular function. When our Commissioners do think enough of a meeting to attend and request funding - well it is a little different thing for us to sit up here and authorize expenditures at will so I would say if it starts to be abused then we would definitely move in with a different attitude but at the present time I find no fault with sending the Commissioners. I was going to suggest myself that the wives not be paid for out of City funds because in my opinion that would not be a realistic expendi- ture. Mayor_ Lloyd: Councilman Chappell: Councilman Young: I just want you to know I paid for my ticket and I do agree that they should be afforded the opportunity to attend. But the Mayor has a $50.00 a month allowance to do these little things. Which he spends in a week's time. Not to - 25 - CITY COUNCIL Page Twenty-six CITY MGR: N.A.A.C.P. 3RD ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER 5/29/73 belabor -the point but I think things like the Planning Committee dinners referred to by Councilman Shearer, or the Youth thing, are items that have some direct input back with some greater knowledge and ability on the.part of .the people involved to perform their functions is all right but this is an awards dinner and it is a very nice one, I went last year and so are most of the ones I attended which are numerous, but there is a little bit of difference in an awards banquet as such and a seminar type banquet which is really what we are talking about on the other hand Councilman Shearer: I will concede your point. There is a difference. Motion carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: Young ABSENT: None SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Mr. Aiassa: This contract comes up each HUMANE SOCIETY . year and this time it has a CONTRACT RENEWAL request for a longer period of time. Council has received a copy along with a staff report. The request is to renew for three years and.. our recommendation.is for one year with an option to renew. Councilman Shearer: Assuming that is acceptable to the Humane Society.I would move the staff recommendation. Seconded by Councilman Chappell and carried on roll call vote as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, "Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor - there was a question if this was an expenditure of funds and I thought I heard the answer. of "Yes".- am I not correct this is a profit making contract and for every dog license we get a dollar and it is not an expenditure -of funds but rather a profit making contract? Mr. Aiassa: The technicality is absolutely right but you are negotiating a contract and a motion is required. Councilman Chappell: I also noted paragraph three stating a surprise visit had been made and the premises were found to be exemplary. I think some sort of note should be sent back to this organization advised them that we do inspect them without their knowledge and found them to be in good condition and we hope they keep it that way - just to let them know. Mr Aiassa: Yes, we will let them know. MAYOR'S REPORTS COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Mayor Lloyd: This will be held over again to the June llth meeting. ouncilman Chappell: Are you talking about the Councilmen's appointments? Mayor Lloyd: No,'I was talking about Commission members. I -apologize, I was thinking one thing and saying another. I have sent letter's to each of you and I have .had an indication, that Councilman Young would like to serve on the Planning Commission. Are there any other specific Commissions that - 26 - 6 CITY COUNCIL MAYORS REPORTS any of you wish to serve on? Councilman Shearer: Councilman Young: * I am willing to occupy Mayor Lloyd: out this coming week As I indicated earlier desire is my wish Page Twenty-seven 5/29/73 to you, Mr. Mayor, your A slight correction, Mr. Mayor. I wouldn't pre-empt any one else who desired to be liaison to the Planning Commission; however that role for awhile. Fine. We will come up with the assignments and each of you will be contacted by me for your approval. Mr. Aissa.,.we should get that Mayor Lloyd: Does anyone wish to serve as an alternate to the County Sanitation Boards or to the Southern California Rapid Transit Board? Do you wish to continue in that service, Councilman Chappell? (Councilman Chappell agreed to do so and Mr. Wakefield advised new resolutions would not be necessary.) that RESOLUTION NO. 4738 The Cityi Attorney presented: ADOPTED . "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE OF WEST OVINA FOR SERVICES TO THE CITY CASYPERSONNELCBOARD ME1MBENDING EDWIN FAUNCE ER." Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried, to waive further reading of said Resoluti-,_ Motion by Councilman Chappell, seconded by Councilman .Shearer, t adopt said Resolution and carried on roll call vote o r. AYES: young,s follows: NiNichols, Shearer, Chappell, Lloyd NOES: None ABSENT: None COUNCILMEN'S REPORTS/ Councilman C COMMENTS happell: I attended with the meeting Hof the LeagueyOfrCaliforniaMayor,. Cities in Sacramento a week or so ago on a Monday, Tuesday and h'edriesda but y' 1 thought the meetings were very well done and informative As we all know in our I do want to say one thing at this time. agenda the luncheons were to be at the Elks Lodge in Sacramento and after the TV cameras and everything were .up on Tuesday, which was the first lunch, it was the opinion of set many of the minorities that they were going to walk out because the Elk's Lodge was not integrated, which had no bearing meeting there. In fact they had several weeks to make ttheirall ofeelin s known and could have had it changed q some other location whichg. and i.t would have been changed to seemed to me like a hot dog_per_formance. At that time, Moretti, Speaker'of the Assembly would not talk to us either for the same reason - although he hadbeen there the and from then on various Assemblymen refused to come t week before not all of them but a number of them ,y and talk to us, IS asons for giving us th.i_s slap in the and e `'an figure out their st of the people up there, like myself, - so to speak - because d to do a lot of preparation to get the ttiame offve up days of work went u go up there and p there expecting to have our various State.Senators and Assemblymen tell us what is going on and what they expect to happen and not happen, and then to have something like this happen. pp some ofthe assembly up there have little re pp I think and the roles they play in their communitiegardltdOoni YcCouncilmen they are Republican or Democratic. these gentlemen took were certainlyI think the stand_, a number of sort of commitment should be made fromtthemptheenexdt eltat }7some next time .I..don't take three days off to o timeso the 27 g up there and. find we are CITY COUNCIL + Page Twenty-eight COUNCILMEN'S COMMENTS 5/29/73 getting only half of what we expected to hear. It is a tough situation to get people to go to these things and then to have something like this happen just makes it that much tougher the next time a meeting like this is held. So I wanted to call this to your attention as fellow Councilmen, the fact. that Moretti did this along with several others. To me this is bad news and bad rapport between the city officials and our elected assembly and State Senators. If you would ike me to elaborate on it at a later time I would be willing to sit down with you and explain what happened. The Governor attended our meeting and gave us the insight of what was going on and his plans as far as the State is concerned and so did some of -the other State Assemblymen and State Senators but we were certainly snubbed by a select group and I feel sort of bitter about it because we are volunteers and we take our time off to hear our elected officials and paid officials to bring us up to date and they are not even willing to give us the courtesy of the time of day. Mayor Lloyd:. Councilman Chappell, do you think it would be in order for a motion by the City Council to send a letter under the Mayor's signature to Don Bennyhoven stating that we were surprised and slightly dis- satisfied with the approach of the Speaker of the Assembly and those that refused to participate in the meeting? I talked to Mr. Bennyhoven after this and he indicated that they had made these arrangements almost four weeks previously and it really -didn't come as a surprise to any one. Councilman Chappell: Our agendas that we received in the mail from the League indicated all these things were taking place and I would like to see a letter of some sort sent up there and make sure that this type of thi.nn ran re so when we do go to a meeting we will get all out of it- that Vwey` possibly can. Councilman Nichols: I have no objection. It is rather apparent someone was taking action for what they felt was political effect and they evidently weighed the mileage on one hand versus the loss on the other. I think those who were offended by it should rightfully be offended and I think it would be appropriate ! for the Mayor to .prepare a letter. Councilman Young: I take strong issue with that, Mr. Mayor. I don't think it is at all appropriate. I think the Council is directly injecting itself into basically another political arena and with all respect to the members of both parties it is always a certain pleasure to see a member of another party in an unfavorable position. The report I had on it was that Mr. Moretti did at least apologize later, it wasn't a snafu - it wasn't just a snub on his part, but an honest mistake and he did apologize and I think that should take care of it. I am sorry that you were disappointed. I feel if as individuals you want to write letters and state your disappointment that is your business, you certainly don't need Council approval for that, but as a Council I don't want to participate in it. I think t should be dealt with by you individually as you see fit. ouncilman Nichols: That was the intent I meant -when I said the Mayor had a right to correspond up there as he sees fit. I didn't envision Council action. I agree with that. Councilman Chappell: My reason for bringing this up is to let you know what happened and if -you can accept it and if he did apologize - I hadn't heard about i t'.. 28 - CITY COUNCIL COUNCILMEN'S COMMENTS • Page Twenty-nine. 5/29/73 Councilman Young: I heard about the snafu and the apology. I am not criticizing you for your strong feelings in the matter nor for telling us about it. And I certainly wouldn't criticize you for writing a letter to whom ever you want about it. I just don't want official Council action on it. Mayor Lloyd: I really feel the League of California Cities was sorely put upon by the Speaker of the House as well as the others. I was deeply offended personally and I am as you are., a Democrat. I still feel it is impudent and shortsighted and it told the members of almost 750 cities of the State of California that they really felt they had a better way to go and it is not based on a political thing but on the fact I got a very clear picture, particularly when they had a reception and we counted only three or four Assemblymen there. It was so small we could count them on the fingers of one hand. Not that the legislators up there have a requirement to be responsive to the people that go up there for all of these things but it did say. that they were not very impressed, that it wasn't important for them to be in attendance. That is what is bothering me and maybe that is the ego thing coming through. As Councilman Nichols stated we can take individual action and I for one intend to do so. Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor - there is a letter in front of me that probably"should have been in front of you, but you asked me to handle it. A request from the Chamber of Commerce for authorization to use the City's Antique Fire Truck in the 4th of July Parade. Assuming that it is working.by that time I would move approval for the fire truck's particpation. Seconded by Councilman Nicthois anct carried. Councilman Shearer: And I have a question of the City Manager. When are we going to start our budget sessions? Mr. Aiassa: Immediately in June, probably the first week in June. We are sending out the schedule probably Friday. Mayor Lloyd: I presume that all of you received the memo I caused to be placed in front of you for June 22nd? (Council acknowledged receipt of same.) DEMANDS Motion by Councilman -Shearer that Council approve Demands totalling $687,704.27 as listed on Demand Sheets C878 through 880, and B578A. Seconded by Councilman Young and carried on roll call as follows: AYES: Young, Nichols, Shearer, Chappell, LLoyd NOES: None ABSENT: None ADJOURNMENT Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Young and carried to adjourn at 10:27 P.M. to 7 o'clock June 11, 1973. APPROVED: ATTEST: MAYOR CITY CLERK - 29 -