Minutes
Lakewood City Council
Adjourned Regular Meeting held
January 23, 2024
MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER at 6:01 p.m. by Mayor Pe in the Executive Board Room, 5000 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, California.
ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Mayor Ariel Pe
Vice Mayor Todd Rogers
Council Member Cassandra Chase
Council Member Steve Croft
Council Member Jeff Wood
. . .
UTILITY BOX BEAUTIFICATION PILOT PROGRAM
Paolo Beltran, Deputy City Manager, displayed slides and made a presentation based on the report in the agenda. He stated that a utility box beautification pilot program was being proposed for review and consideration by the City Council. He cited that cities who had implemented such programs found that it helped promote community identity, historical awareness, cultural uniqueness and improving the quality of life in those cities. The pilot program would initially include five City-owned traffic signal control boxes with photographs depicting historic and contemporary images utilizing the themes of parks and recreation; shopping and businesses; youth sports; community events and a theme to be decided in the future. A committee, comprised of historian emeritus Don Waldie, a representative from each of the City’s three commissions and staff, would be established to select images based on the aforementioned themes. The proposed images would be forwarded to the Community Promotions Committee for review and then on to the City Council for consideration and approval. Mr. Beltran reported that vinyl wrapping each traffic signal control box and maintenance was estimated to cost approximately $2,000 per box and that the initial six-month program estimate totaled $10,000, which had already been included in the current fiscal year budget. The expected lifespan for the vinyl materials was five to seven years, depending on exposure to the sun and the elements. The pilot program would run for six months after which staff would review the program and provide a report to the City Council. He added that staff’s goal was to add five boxes annually. He concluded by stating that the Community Promotions Committee recommended that the City Council provide feedback and appropriate $10,000 for the program.
Megan Carroll, Graphics & Media Lead Worker, discussed the process of editing modern photographs with historical images; placement of the images to prevent drivers from being distracted; allowing for the scanning of QR (quick response) codes to provide more information and detail; and designing the photos around schematics of the structure to line up properly for access.
City Council Minutes
January 23, 2024
UTILITY BOX BEAUTIFICATION PILOT PROGRAM - Continued
Staff responded to questions and comments from the Council Members pertaining to the potential for expansion to County utility boxes; increasing the number from five to seven utility boxes and having the start of the program coincide with the roll out of the City’s 70th anniversary; tying in connections between art and sports; obtaining appropriate permissions for use of the photos; the composition of the utility box beautification committee; an opportunity for the Council Members and the community to provide input and feedback on the proposed options; the timeline for moving forward; and funding possibilities.
VICE MAYOR ROGERS MOVED AND COUNCIL MEMBER WOOD SECONDED TO
ADJUST THE NUMBER FROM FIVE TO SEVEN BOXES AND TO APPROPRIATE $14,000 FOR THE UTILITY BOX BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAM. UPON ROLL CALL VOTE, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Wood, Croft, Chase, Rogers and Pe NAYS: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
. . .
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought before the City Council, Mayor Pe adjourned the meeting at 6:49 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jo Mayberry, CMC
City Clerk