03-09-1976 - Regular Meeting - Minutes•
CJ
MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA
MARCH 9, 1976
The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council was called to order at 7:35 P.M.
in the Council Chambers by Mayor Pro Tem Nevin Browne; the Pledge of Allegiance
was given.
Mayor Pro Tem Browne advised that Mayor Chappell was sorry that he was unable
to attend tonight's meeting but due to a previous important meeting he could
not attend and would be sworn in by The City Clerk on Wednesday morning.
ROLL CALL
Present:
Absent:
Mayor Pro Tem Browne;
Councilmen: Shearer, Miller, Tice
Mayor Chappell
Others Present: Leonard Eliot, Acting City Manager
Lela W. Preston, City Clerk
George Wakefield, City Attorney
Gloria Davidson, Deputy City Clerk
CERTIFICATION OF RESULTS
OF GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION
March 2, 1976
Mayor Pro Tem Browne: Madam City Clerk, do you have the Certificate
of Canvass of the results of the General
Municipal Election on March 2, 1976.
Madam City Clerk: Yes, I do. (Council presented with copies)
Motion by Councilman Shearer, seconded by Councilman Miller and carried, to
receive and file Certificate of Canvass, and said Certificate to be made a part
of these minutes.
RESOLUTION NO. 5203 Mayor Pro Tem Browne presented:
ADOPTED A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, RECITING THE FACT
OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD IN SAID
CITY OF WEST COVINA ON THE 2ND DAY OF MARCH, 1976, DECLARING THE RESULT THEREOF
AND SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS ARE PROVIDED BY LAW.
Motion by Councilman Tice to waive full reading of said resolution; seconded by
Councilman Shearer and carried.
Motion by Councilman Tice to adopt said resolution; seconded by Councilman Shearer
and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Shearer, Miller, Tice, Browne
NOES: None
ABSENT: Chappell
ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS OF Mayor Pro Tem Browne administered the Oath of
OFFICE AND SEATING OF Office to the re-elected City Clerk Lela Preston,
RE-ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS and delivered to her the Certificate of Election.
Mayor Pro Tem Browne then called to the podium
the re-elected members of the City Council.
The City Clerk administered the Oaths of Office to the re-elected Councilmen
Tice and Miller and delivered Certificates of Election to the re-elected members
of the City Council. They were congratulated by Mayor Pro Tem Browne.
The City Clerk administered the Oath of Office to the re-elected City Treasurer
Yvonne Calmes and delivered Certificate of Election to her.
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CITY COUNCIL ADJ. REG. MEETING Page Two
ADITTN`I'SlTRAT`ION "OF 'OATHS OF OFFICE 3/9/76
Mayor Pro Tem Browne: As I stated earlier, Councilman
Chappell will be sworn in by the City
Clerk sometime tomorrow morning. The
Mayor asked me to offer his regrets in his not being here, he was
very sorry he could not. Last night we gave the Mayor a send—off
• and the accolades that go along with the job. As you all know,
Mayor Chappell has done an out'standin'g job for our community. He
is always out there selling West Covina and talking West -Covina
and doing everything in his power to make West Covina a better
place to live in. I think everyone of us sitting up here tonight
have that same feeling, we may show it in different ways, but we
are duly elected by the people of West Covina to represent them
acid in our efforts we hope we rightfully do so.
My pleasure in working with this
Council over the last two years has been an extremely easy one
and when I say "easy" I mean in the manner in which the gentlemen
i sit with up here conduct themselves. We work hard and we have
pretty rough decisions to make'. We might not always think alike
but we certainly get the job done. We resolve what differences
of opinion we may have in.a gentlemanly manner and that is the
way I hope the. City will continue to function through their
representatives.
At this time I will turn the meeting
over to the City Clerk for the purpose of selecting a new -Mayor.
Hopefully who ever is chosen will follow in the footsteps, of our
present Mayor. `I made the remark last night "I hope the guy
that succeeds you will do half as good a job."
City Clerk: Gentlemen, this is the time when I
open the nominations for Mayor.
Councilman Shearer: I would like to make a nomination.
• As Mayor Pro Ten Browne has indicated,
anyone who is elected to follow in the
steps of outgoing Mayor Chappell will have a tough job; however
he Will grow very rapidly I know. I don't think there will be
any appreciable letdown between the two gentlemen. I reflect
.back to a.couple off' years ago when Nevin and I were down there
stumbling through the oath of,office trying to keep all those
big words straight and wishing there was some simpler way, and
in the past two years together we have made great progress,
grown, learned and I think this gentleman is more than capable.
He is ready, willing and .1 know, able to step into Ken's shoes
and lead this. C.ou.nci`l".for. the next year. It is my pleasure to
nominate for _May.or for -th.e next year Mayor Pro Tem Browne.
Seconded .by Councilman Tice.
As there were no more nominations,-for'Mayor>;.the'City-Clerk. closed' nominations
for Mayor,. --
Motion by Councilman Shearer to accept the nomination for Mayor
by acclamation; seconded by Councilman Tice and,carried on roll
call vote as follows:
AYES: Shearer, Miller, Tice, Browne
NOES: None
A.8.SE-NT: Chappell
• Mayor Browne: I would like to thank my colleagues
for placing their trust in me as their
representative but I still bear in
mind -we are all equals as City Councilmen. The Mayor represents
the City Council and the City at City functions. The Mayor is
the front line on many occasions but he still receives direction
from the Council and that is what makes it a good working body.
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CITY COUNCIL Page Three
CITY COUNCIL NOMINATIONS 3/9/76
Again, gentlemen, I hope I do well and do a job that will
justify my City.
At this time we will go through the
due. -process of e-lecting a new Mayor Pro Tem I will open the
agenda f.or nominations for Mayor Pro Tem.
• Councilman Tice: Mr. Mayor, I would like to nominate
an individual that I have served with
on Council for the past sixteen months
and one I have known for quite sometime and a very dedicated and
outstanding individual - Chet Shearer.
Seconded by Mayor Browne.
Mayor Browne: If there are no other nominations may,
I have a motion for election by
acclamation.
Seconded by Councilman Miller and
carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Shearer, Miller, Tice, Browne
NOES: None
ABSENT: Chappell
Councilman Shearer: Mr. Mayor - first I would like to
congratulate all of the winners of a
week ago - Mrs. Preston, Mrs. Calmes,
former Mayor Chappell, Councilman Miller and Councilman Tice. I
would also like to congratulate the non,. winners who took time
and effort to participate in our form of government. I think in
this Bicentennial year it is important that we reflect over the
past two hundred years and realize that perhaps the singular
most important thing that has produced the strength and founda-
tion that this Country is blessed with today is our system and
not the least part of that system is our election process, the
method in which we elect our leaders. Obviously when you have
winners and non -winners there are some that are unhappy with the
results but the system has seemed to work for the past two
hundred years and whatever shortcomings inherent in any
system it has still produced a great Country. So all participants,
even those not here this evening sharing the spotlight, have
contributed .a great deal to the great success.of this Country.
I would also like to offer my best
wishes and congratulations to Mayor Browne. I know he has all
of our support for the coming year and I think the job that I
have been selected -.for will be very simple primarily,because of
the efforts of the.Mayor. I would like to thank my colleagues
on the Council for affording me this honor. I think I would
be less than honest if I claimed to be the most qualified
individual for the job, I think there are others that are
equally q-ual"f.ied,and perhaps in'some criteria more deserving
of the honor. I.am appreciative that at least.one more time
before my second term expires I will be afforded the honor of
serving in this position. So once again torigra.tUAA_ions- to -the
winners and non -winners alike.
Councilman Miller: Mr. Mayor - it is truly an honor to
• be sitting here this evening and I
appreciate again the opportunity that
the people of West Covina have afforded me. My personal
congrattilatio.ns- on. your being the Mayor and also congratulations to,
the mayor Pro Tem and to our former Mayor - Ken Chappell - on the
fine job he has done. I am looking forward to an exciting four
years on this Council as we move forward and meet o.ur challenges
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CITY COUNCIL 36ge Four
as we hgve in the past fifteen/sixteen months that I have been
on the Council. For myself it is truly an honor to be serving
with you gentlemen. I have gained a lot of insight and under-
standing and growth and it is.du.e to your depth and understanding
up here that we pulled. to.gethar and_want.fo.rward and made some
wise decisions.. S.o again t.h.ank:..you..
• Councilman Tice: Thi's'is my third campaign in four
years. I am truly' honored and
very gratified -to be`re-elected to
this Council, but with this honor goes a responsibility to the
voters of this community to keep our local government in tune
with the needs of its residents. During the upcoming months this
Council is faced with some major decisions. We must first select
a new city manager and we must approve a city operating budget
for the coming fiscal year. T-hese a -re not easy tasks and will
take time but as in the past we will complete these issues.
During the last year I think we have
seen some changes and most of them have been progressive changes.
The opening of the Fashion Plaza, the opening of the New Country
Mart, the completion of the freeway widening, the planning for
our new multi -purpose recreational facility, the Citizen Work
Shops - one for the updating of the General Plan, one for Senior
Citizen needs and one for the needs of the handicapped and these
we will continue on with in the next few years. We also approved
a five year master plan for our Park and Recreational. facilities.
And with some -recent changes they maybe completed and I think we
will see some of these things come true - we may have some funding.
This City must keep going in a positive direction in order to
survive. Changes must be made in the future that will benefit the
community as a whole. Our Park and Recreational facilities must
be continually.upgraded. We need to improve traffic circulation
• in and around our commercial areas. We must continue our citizen
participation in the planning for the needs and the future of
this city. We must be able to provide the necessary services
for the citizens of this city with a realistic cost and the
anticipated revenues.
Last but not least, 'I think one of
the biggest issues we have facing us is that we may have to do
some belt tightening. Some of our sources of revenue will be
drying up in the next year or two. Some of these special
revenue funds that we use .to repair streets, pay our CCTA
employees - and the fact that revenue sharing may not be
continued, which we use for capital expenditures or one time
expenditures. However, we have faced these problems in the
past and I am sure we will be able to resolve them as we have
in the past.
At this time I would like to give
some special recognition to the many wonderful people that
helped me in the campaign. I do have a few that were
directly involved and that I would like to give a few ac.cola.des
to. My wife especially who was my strong right arm advisdr and
kept me out of trouble; my youngest daughter Diane for her
patience and understanding the past year that I serv,ed on the
Council and especially the last few months during the campaign.
My oldest daughter ffla,=I..� and her husband Dennis were very
• understanding and helped in so many,many ways. My Campaign
Committee - John Adams, General Chairman and his wife Phyllis
who were willing to devote time to my campaign. Bob Nordstrom
my Finance Chairman and his wife Bernice; Lorna Brammer,
Defense Co-ordinator who helped set up coffee and many other
things; T.raccy'Browne who was my Sign Chairman who had able
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CITY COUNCIL
Page Five
3/9/76
help from Dan Hughes, [dusty Morgan and'Dean Creager in putting
up signs. My advisory committee who helped -me in many different
ways - Lou and Nevin Browne, Ui & Chris Christopher, Alma 'and
Henr.y Cabot, Jim and Doris Emerson, Kathy and Ray Howard, Fred
and Lela Schroeder-, Lollie and Bert Bergman, Jim.Jackson and his
wife, Bob Jackson.and Tat Jacks.on...
In
I will do my utmost to uphold
Who. re-elected .me .to CD.uncil.
closing I would like to say that
the trust placed in me:by those
Mayor'Browne: I think Herb'brought out a few points
that a"few of us often do not go
public with. Anybody in politics or
public office, even elected officials within a City,'if it -were
not for their wives, children and families we would not be able
to survive. Their understanding, love and compassion, their
pats on the back when we get down in the dump, their little pep
talks keep us going. In my estimation they are the true champions
behind the thrones of us that sit up there. I would like to thank
my family for supporting me and putting up with some of the
things they have had to, but all in all it makes for a better
performance in the making of decisions when you have the faith
of your loved ones behind you it is easy to do the job.
I would like to congratulate the re-
elected Councilmen. In the sixteen months -I have sat with
Gary I have seen him grow-:inr:stature. He learns fast. He is
quiet and'I.think Lie will be.hearing more from him in the future.
This Council is going to --work together. And Herb Tice has had
experience on the Personnel Board and came into office as a
Councilman and he learned as all of us did that'the first year
is really the roughest, sitting here and learning the ways of
bureaucracy, trying to smooth out the problems that are always
emerging upon you and as Herb stated we have -a lot of things
staring us in the face, but I have confidence that this Council
will see them through and make West Covina a better place to
live in. Again I congratulate you Gary and Herb. It will be
a pleasure sitting with you for the next two years when my
term will be up.
I have an additional item here which
I certainly don't want to overlook. When I came aboard the
Council I sat with Chet Shearer, we campaigned together, got to
know each other and I have always admired the way he conducts
himself. He has the City's interest at heart and not only that
of the citizens but the employees within the City structure and
he has helped me to mature on the job. I thank you for your
cooperation and your efforts and as Mayor Pro Tem and my right
hand I will be calling upon you frequently for assistance - -
bail me out.
We have another matter on the agenda.
Automatically the Mayor taking the seat becomes a member of the
District `Goveminkr g Boards of the Sanitation Districts and he
selects an alternate to attend the meetings that he is unable to
attend. And this has to be done in resolution form. At this time
I would like to select Mayor Pro Tem.Shearer as the.alternate
member, if Council will.support that move.
Seconded by Councilman Tice and
carried.
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CITY COUNCIL
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3/9/76
RESOLUTION NO. 5204 The Mayor Presented:
ADOPTED A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA,
DESIGNATING AN ALTERNATE MEMBER ON
THE DISTRICT .GOVERNING': BOARD OF COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTS
• NOS.. 15, 21 AND 22.
Motion by Councilman Miller to waive full reading of said resolu-
tion; seconded by Councilman Shearer and carried-.
•
•
Motion by Councilman Miller to adopt said resolution; seconded
by Councilman Tice and carried on roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Miller, Tice, Shearer, Browne
NOES: None
ABSENT: Chappell
(Both Councilman Shearer and Councilman Miller publicly thanked
their loved ones for their support.)
Mayor Browne: Now that Council has had their say I
think it would be most appropriate
to ask our City Treasurer who has done
such an outstanding job in the past four years to step up and make
a few remarks.
Yvonne Calmes: I am very happy to be here and to have
been re-elected again. Of course it
was really easy - I had a fantastically
easy campaign. I will continue to be the caretaker of the Cityls
funds and hopefully will be able to earn enough interest to help
balance the budget. I wish you all luck and good fortune in your
endeavors and I am sure you will do an excellent job as Mayor and
Mr. Shearer as Mayor Pro Tem, Mr. Miller and Mr. Tice as Council-
men.
Mayor Browne: Mrs. Calmes, I had an ulterior motive
in asking you to speak, inasmuch as
you ran a nice clean campaign and had
no opposition I felt the people should get to know you in the
community.
Now at this time I would like to call
on our City Clerk who came out first in her election and will put
a few more years on in her long tenure in the City; and give her
an opportunity to speak.
Lela Preston: It has been a great pleasure to have
worked for the City since 1949 which
is a rather long time and it has been
a lot of hard work but I have enjoyed it all. You get to know
the people. and.it is.a very satisfying job and I am happy the
citizens saw fit to vote me back in and I.will.try and do my best.
ADJOURNMENT Motion by Councilman Tice to -adjourn
meeting at 8:15 P.M.., seconded by
Councilman Miller and carried.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
APPROVED:
MAYOR
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