MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA VERNE
Monday, March 7, 2022
1. TheCityCouncilMeetingwasopenedtothepublic. Tofacilitatepublicparticipationforthosewhodidnotwishto attend in person, the meeting was made available virtually.
2. AregularmeetingoftheLaVerneCityCouncilwascalledtoorderbyMayorHepburnat6:34p.m.
3. Council Members present: Mayor Tim Hepburn Mayor Pro Tem Muir Davis
Council Member Robin Carder
Council Member Wendy Lau
Council Member Rick Crosby
Absent: None.
Advisory personnel present: City Manager Robert Russi Assistant to the City Manager JR Ranells
City AttorneyRobert L. Kress
AssistantCity Clerk LupeGaeta Estrella
CommunityServicesManagerYvonneDuran
Finance Director Marla Pendleton
Public Works Director Shawn Igoe
4. Pledgeof Allegiancewas led by CouncilMemberCrosby.
5. Presentation of " Proclamation MayorHepburnon behalfof theCityCouncilpresentedto YvonneGallegos Recognizing the Month of representing the Cultural Awareness and Social Inclusion Committee ( CASI) March, 2022 as " Women' s a "ProclamationRecognizingthemonthof March, 2022asWomen's History History Month" Month" celebratingwomen's contributionsto history, cultureand societyand payingtributeto thegenerationsofwomenwhochangedthefaceof society through courage and activism.
YvonneGallegosrepresentingtheCulturalAwarenessandSocialInclusion Committee ( CASI) thanked the City Council for the proclamation. She recognizedwomeninthecommunityfortheircontributionandleadership includingCouncilMembersCarderandLau.
RimmiHundal, Director, Tri-CityMentalHealthServicesreportedonthe Cultural Awareness and Social Inclusion Committee ( CASI) and her involvement on the committee.
6. Announcements of Upcoming DanitaBeauchampreportedonupcomingmeetingsoftheLosAngelesBoard Community Events ofSupervisorsandtheCountyofLosAngelesChiefExecutiveOfficePublic Safety Cluster meeting pertaining to the Afflerbaugh & Paige Camps matter.
CityManagerRussireportedthattheinformationontheClustermeetingwould be posted on the City' s website.
GeorgeMay, ManagerLaVerneLibraryreportedontheLaVerneLibrary programs. Hestatedhewashappyto reportthatthe LaVerneLibraryhas expanded its operating hours.
CityCouncilMinutes, Monday, March7, 2022, Page2.
SherryBest, President, LaVerneHistoricalSocietyreportedthattheyare sellingjarsofmarmaladetoraisefundsfortherestorationofthe1938Inman International Truck. She also reported that Bonita High School Auto shop is holdnga carshowfeaturingtheworkofthestudentsandtherewillbezoom presentation on the Claremont Wildlands Conservancy. Information on the eventscanbefoundonthe City's andLaVerneHistoricalSocietywebsites.
7. Consent Galendar It wasmovedbyCarder, secondedbyCrosby, and unanimouslycarriedto accept, approve, or act on the Consent Calendar items, except for the reconsideration of ULV/SBDC and Chamber of Commerce Business Grant Proposal. Council Member Lau declared a conflict of interest on this matter because she is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne.) approved by a vote of 4-0, as follows:
City Council Minutes Citv Council Minutes of February 22, 2022, received and filed.
Register of Audited Demands Registered of Audited Demands for the following:
In the amount of$ 1,298, 026. 27 dated February 3, 2022 In the amount of$ 751,891.59 dated February 19, 2022
In the amount of$ 1,089, 399. 33 dated February 17, 2022; and In the amount of$ 491, 629. 51 dated February 24, 20222 Approved as recommended by Finance Director Pendleton.
Declaration of Surplus Property Declaration of S rnl_, = r_o_nertv- The police equipment listed on Attachment A attached to the staff report dated March 7, 2022, is outdated and no longer needed. Each unit is obsolete and ineffective for current operational requirements. Each will become surplus to the City' s operational needs and should be disposed per Administrative Regulation No. 606.
Police Chief Flores recommended that the City Council declare the equipment identified in Attachment A as surplus to the City's needs and further recommends that the staff be directed to sell each fairly and equitably to AccreditedSecurityLLCperAdministrativeRegulationNo. 606. Approved.
Conflict of Interest/ Lau CouncilMemberLaudeclareda conflict of intereston this matter because sheis on the Boardof Trusteesfor the Universityof LaVerneandshedid not Reconsideration of ULV/ SBDC vote.
and Chamber of Commerce
Business Grant Proposal Reconsideration of ULV/SBDC and Chamber of Commerce Business Grant Proposal- After the Council' s February 22 action, approving ULV/SBDCandChamberof CommerceBusinessGrantProposal, it was determinedthat basedonthe structureandoperationof the SmallBusiness DevelopmentCenterat the Universityof LaVerne (ULV) andCouncilMember Lau's positionon the boardof Trustees, thatoutof abundanceof caution, that the proposalfor theSBDCandChamberto administerthegrantprogrambe broughtbackfor approvalwithCouncilMemberLaurecusingherselffromthe vote.
CityManagerRussirecommendedthattheCityCouncilreapprovetheproposal as submitted. Approved by a vote of 4- 0( Lau Abstained).
CityCouncilMinutes, Monday, March7, 2022, Page3.
8. American Recovery Plan Act- City Manager Russi reported on the American Recovery Plan Act- Essential Essential Worker Premium Pay Worker Premium Pay Stipends. He stated that at the December Council Stipends meeting, theCityCouncilwaspresentedwithanoutlineoftheCity's allocation of American Rescue Plan Act( ARPA) funds and a preliminary plan for their use. Inadditiontogivingconcurrencetotheproposeduses, theCityCouncil directedstaffto bringbackanoutlineof a Stipendfor employeesfor their consideration. After researching the provisions of the Act and what other agencies are providing, staff has prepared a set of criteria that was reviewed bytheCityCouncilattheirJanuary18meeting. Thatplanwassharedwiththe affected employees and their associations. In order to implement the stipends, final approval by City Council is necessary.
Mayor Hepburn called for public comment on this matter.
There was public comment. To hear what was said during public comment, pleasevisitthe City's websiteto viewthe archivedCouncilmeeting.
CityManagerRussirespondedto questionsaskedduringpubliccomment.
Mayor Hepburn agreed with the Essential Worker Premium Pay Stipends. He statedthatthe Cityemployeesdo an amazingjob andit wasimportantto show them appreciation for the tough job they do.
Council Member Carder stated that the City employees are the backbone of theCity. Shestateditwasascarytimeduringthepandemicespeciallyforfirst responders. She praised the public works staff for their work for providing streetbarricadesto the downtownlocalbusinessesandrestaurantsduringthe pandemic helping them to thrive. She also praised all the City employees who cameinto workeverydayduringthe pandemicto keepthe Cityrunningand for doing a great job.
MayorProTemDavisagreedwithCouncilMemberCarder. Hestatedthat consideration and decisions were made for the use of the ARPA funds for the community, liketheSmallBusinessesGrantProgram, HousingRehabilitation GrantProgramandthefundingofCIPimprovementprojectsforthenextfive years. HestatedthatCityemployeesservethecommunityandtheyarevery much appreciated.
ItwasmovedbyDavis, secondedbyLau, andunanimouslycarriedto authorizestaffto executesideletterswithrepresentedemployeegroups; to appropriate $ 520,000fromtheCity's ARPAallocation; andauthorizedthe Finance Department to issue stipends as provided under the outlined criteria.
9. Public Comment ThiswasthetimesetasideforanyonewishingtoaddresstheCityCouncilon items not listed in any other place on the agenda.
Mayor Hepburn called for public comment.
Therewerepubliccommentsat the meeting. To hearwhatwassaidduring publiccomment, pleasevisitthe City's websiteto viewthearchivedCouncil meeting.
10. Council Comments CouncilMemberCrosbystatedthattherewasa lotofgoodandimportant informationgainedatthestudysessiononSB9 heldpriortotheCityCouncil meeting.
CityCouncilMinutes, Monday, March7, 2022, Page4.
Council Member Lau reported that she and Mayor Hepburn attended the Hillcrest VIP reception displaying artwork by high school students. She stated that the artwork is amazing. She reported that at the last Cultural Awareness and Social Inclusion Committee( CASI) meeting, Police Chief Flores, Captain Gonzales, Lieutenants Dransfeldt, Prows and Thomas Frayeh were guest speakersat thelastmeeting. Shestatedresidentscanviewthevideoof the meeting at their website at diverselaverne. org. In addition, she was pleased to recognize March as" Women History Month" honoring women for their contributions and achievements to their community and the world. She stated that it has been finroyears since the pandemic and normalcy. She urged people to be kind to each other.
Mayor Pro Tem Davis reported on the Cultural Awareness and Social Inclusion Committee ( CASI) and hosting Police Chief Flores and staff. He reported on anupcomingPomonaValleyTransportationAuthoritymeeting (PVTA) and LittleLeagueOpeningDay. Hestatedthatthe SB9 studysessionwasvery informative and there was a lot of good discussion on the matter.
Mayor Hepburn stated that the City has come a long way since the pandemic.
He stated that normalcy was coming back. He was happy to see youth and highschoolsportsbackandseeingthe playershavingfun again. Hestated thatLaVernewasa greatplaceto live. Hestatedthe Cityhada greatCouncil and City staff for taking good care of the community.
11. Closed Session TheCityCouncilrecessedtoclosedsessionat7:37p.m. forthefollowing:
ReviewofHearingOfficer'sproposeddecisiononanEmployeeDisciplinary Matter(PersonnelRule5200F) perGovernmentCodeSection54957(b).
At 7: 48 p. m., CityCouncilreconvenedtoopensessionandannouncedtheCity Council approved Resolution No. 22- 11, rendering a decision regarding the appeal.
Resolution No. 22- 11, RESOLUTION NO. 22- 11 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF Rendering a Final Decision THECITYOFLAVERNERENDERINGA FINALDECISIONREGARDINGAN Regarding an Appeal of APPEAL OF DISCIPLINE.
Discipline
12 The meeting was adjourned at 7: 50 p. m., toMonday, March21, 2022, at6:00p.m.foraFireBadgePinning Ceremony.
Respectfully submitted,
T'`
f .. 71
Lupe Gaeta Estrella, CMC
Assistant City Clerk