City Council of Monterey Park
The City Council Acting on Behalf of the Successor Agency of the Former Redevelopment Agency, the Housing Authority, the Monterey Park Financing Authority and the Monterey Park Geologic Hazard Abatement District Agenda
Special Meeting
Monterey Park Bruggermeyer Library, Friends Room
318 S. Ramona Avenue, Monterey Park, CA 91754
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
4:45 PM
Mission Statement
The mission of the City of Monterey Park is to provide excellent service, foster growth and opportunity, and create a joyous and collaborative environment.
Land Acknowledgment
We would like to acknowledge that the land we inhabit today was once known as Tovangaar, the home of the Gabrieleño-Tongva people. We show our respect to the Gabrieleño-Tongva people, as well as all Indigenous people, past, present, and future, and honor their labor as original caretakers of this land. We commit to uplifting the Gabrieleño-Tongva people, invite you to acknowledge the history, and join us in caring for this land.
General Information
Documents related to an Agenda item are available to the public in the City Clerk’s Office located at 320 West Newmark Avenue, Monterey Park, CA 91754, during normal business hours and at wwww.montereypark.ca.gov/agendas.
The public may watch the meeting live on the city’s cable channel MPKTV (AT&T U-verse, channel 99 or Charter Communications, channel 182) or by visiting the city’s website at http://www.montereypark.ca.gov/133/City-Council-Meeting-Videos.
Per the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email City Hall at [email protected] or call (626) 307-1359 for reasonable accommodation at least 8 hours before a meeting. Interpretation requests are not guaranteed and are dependent on availability. Requester will be notified of availability. Council Chambers are wheelchair accessible.
Pursuant to Government Code § 54954.3(a), the public may address the City Council only on matters listed on this Agenda. No other public comment will be accepted. Pursuant to Rule 5 of Resolution No. 12226 (adopted February 17, 2021), speakers are limited to a total of five minutes for Public Comment.
If desirable, the Mayor and City Council may change the amount of time allowed for speakers. Written Communication will be accepted up to 3 hours before the meeting by completing an online form at www.montereypark.ca.gov/writtencomm.
The City Council will recess into Closed Session following public comment and the Open Session items, if any. Public participation is not allowed during Closed Session.
1. Call to Order
Mayor
2. Roll Call
Henry Lo, Vinh Ngo, Jose Sanchez, Thomas Wong, Elizabeth Yang
3. Telecommunications Announcement, if requested
4. Public Comments
5. New Business
5.A. Appointment to the Library Board of Trustees
It is recommended that the City Council consider:
1. Appointing two individuals to fill two vacancies on the Library Board of Trustees; and
2. Taking such additional, related action that may be desirable.
6. Adjournment
City Council Staff Report
Date: June 2, 2026
Agenda Item Number: 5.A.
To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Kristin Olivarez, City Librarian
Subject: Appointment to the Library Board of Trustees
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the City Council consider:
1. Appointing two individuals to fill two vacancies on the Library Board of Trustees; and
2. Taking such additional, related action that may be desirable.
Executive Summary:
The second term of Library Trustee Jennifer Tang and the first term of Library Trustee Ricky Choi will end on June 30, 2026. Trustee Choi is not seeking reappointment. The expirations of their terms will result in two vacancies on the Library Board of Trustees. The upcoming vacancies were advertised and the City Clerk’s office has received eight applications from residents interested in serving on the Library Board of Trustees: Alexander Arasawa, Veronica Ciafone, Jesse Damon, Shayda Jalali, Andy Moc, Florence Ng, Fabian Raygosa and Angela Shen. The City Council is asked to appoint two individuals to fill the vacancies for terms beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2029.
Background:
The Library Board of Trustees is a board established pursuant to the California Education Code and Monterey Park Municipal Code. The Library Board of Trustees is responsible for administering the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library.
Education Code § 18910 provides that:
“[the] public library shall be managed by a board of library trustees, consisting of five members, to be appointed by the mayor … with the consent of the legislative body of the municipality.”
This is reflected in MPMC § 2.80.020 which provides that:
“[t]here is created and established a board of library trustees consisting of five members appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council.”
Pursuant to Education Code § 18911, the term of office for a trustee is three years. No person may serve more than two consecutive terms as a member of the board.
Strategic Plan Goal:
N/A
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Attachments:
1. Applications
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Alexander
Last Name*
Arasawa
Commission on Aging
Business Improvement District Advisory Committee
Community Participation Commission
Design Review Board
Economic Development Advisory Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
Recently served as a Commissioner on the Senior Citizens Commission for the City of Arcadia. Participate in public meetings, review agenda materials, and contribute to discussions/recommendations related to city programs and services.
Volunteering centered around humane efforts and wildlife/environmental conservation. Frequently volunteer at organizations like Koyasan Buddhist Temple, the Midnight Mission, Pasadena Humane Society, and International Bird Rescue.
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4266 Date Submitted: 2/6/2026
2/9/26, 8:31 AM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4266 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4266 1/3
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Veronica
Last Name*
Ciafone
Commission on Aging
Community Participation Commission
Economic and Business Development Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
Monterey Park Citizens Academy- 2023
No Data Center Community Involvement-2026
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4475 Date Submitted: 4/30/2026
5/5/26, 4:14 PM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4475 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4475 1/4
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time.
Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Jesse
Last Name*
Damon
Commission on Aging
Community Participation Commission
Economic and Business Development Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
My involvement with Monterey Park and the local community to date has primarily been through participation in cultural and recreational events. I moved to Monterey Park in 2022 after a decade of visiting for groceries, food, and household supplies. Since then, I have attended every Cherry Blossom Festival to see my cousin's daughter perform with her kendo troupe, each Monterey Park Pride and Lunar New Year Festival, and several Play Days andwinter carnivals. I use La Loma and Elder Parks almost daily, and am a patron of the library and farmers market. I took a salsa dancing class at the Langley Center in 2024 and attended the vigil after the Star Ballroom shooting. More recently, I became very involved in local issues through community organizing to ban data centers in Monterey Park and am a co-founder of No Data Center Monterey Park.
Provide a brief review of your background, qualifications, education and your interest in serving the City:* I grew up in a multicultural family and community in Houston, Texas, moved to Rhode Island to attend college, and returned to Texas to spend sevenyears working in higher education at the University of Texas. During this period, it became clear to me that I was interested in work with more tangible and direct social benefit. I had the opportunity to move to American Samoa in 2010 to oversee a NIH-funded public health research project for a year; this chapter of life underscored importance lessons around globalization, cultural humility and systemic inequality, and led me to return to school for a Mastersof Public Health in community health sciences.
I moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, intending to continue working in global health in the Pacific--instead, I found myself falling in love with the opportunities to do health equity work in Southern California, as well as with a filmmaker who became my future husband. Since 2015, I have worked at Special Service for Groups Research & Evaluation, over time rising from intern to division director; I currently lead a team of research analysts who workon values-driven evaluation and technical assistance projects for public health, mental health, youth leadership, and workforce development projects.
I'm interested in applying the skills and lessons of the past 25 years, as well as my values around community-engaged, equity-focused work, to opportunities in my immediate community. I have a lifelong love of books and libraries--they were where I waited after school as a child, my mother worked for a children's book wholesaler, and I have multiple close friends who work in public and university libraries around the country. I see libraries ascritical resources in an era that has seen the rise of misinformation, and libraries are increasingly essential sites for social and community services. I hope to bring my experiences to bear to support Bruggemeyer Library, a gem in Monterey Park.
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4528 Date Submitted: 5/25/2026
5/26/26, 9:55 AM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4528 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4528 1/3
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Shayda
Last Name*
Jalali
Commission on Aging
Business Improvement District Advisory Committee
Community Participation Commission
Design Review Board
Economic Development Advisory Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4269 Date Submitted: 2/8/2026
2/9/26, 9:13 AM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4269 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4269 1/4
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Andy
Last Name*
Moc
Commission on Aging
Business Improvement District Advisory Committee
Community Participation Commission
Design Review Board
Economic Development Advisory Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
No official community involvement/activities.
I have been an active Monterey Park resident and eager to contribute at a governance level.
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4224 Date Submitted: 1/27/2026
1/28/26, 5:29 PM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4224 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4224 1/3
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Florence
Last Name*
Ng
Commission on Aging
Business Improvement District Advisory Committee
Community Participation Commission
Design Review Board
Economic Development Advisory Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
Hi! I grew up in Monterey Park and lived there until college. I've since moved back to care for aging parents and want to be re-involved in my community.
I used to write for the Monterey Park Journal. I don't believe they're in publication anymore, but I had a column in the newspaper to highlight people and things that I felt were important to the city.
Over the years I have volunteered at community events such as Play Days, the Chinese New Year Festival, and various city events in Barnes Park.
Many years ago I also volunteered as a tutor at the library.
I am an avid swimmer and swam at Barnes Park Pool with the Monterey Park Manta Rays and for Mark Keppel High School Varsity.
I am currently involved in SGV Pub in hopes to bring Barnes Park Pool back to our city.
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4229 Date Submitted: 1/29/2026
2/2/26, 5:17 PM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4229 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4229 1/4
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Fabian
Last Name*
Raygosa
Commission on Aging
Business Improvement District Advisory Committee
Community Participation Commission
Design Review Board
Economic Development Advisory Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
Community Participation Commission for about 3 years.
Scheduled to provide training at library this summer for AI class.
Currently interested in seeing if I can help write a book for arcadia publishing about Monterey park working with the Monterey Park historical society.
I attend many events and love to keep watch council meetings to know the health of our city.
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4455 Date Submitted: 4/22/2026
4/23/26, 5:00 PM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4455 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4455 1/4
Print
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees
The Monterey Park City Council seeks citizens to serve on duly constituted Boards, Commissions, and Committees to assist and advise City Council on specific assigned matters. No citizen may serve on more than one standing Board, Commission, or Committee at one time. Applications will be kept on file for one (1) year from the date received. For certain boards, annual residency verification is required in accordance to MPMC 2.82 and certain boards may be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest Form (Form 700). This is a public document and is subject to disclosure.
Please direct questions to the City Clerk's office at [email protected].
First Name*
Angela
Last Name*
Shen
Commission on Aging
Community Participation Commission
Economic and Business Development Commission
Environmental Commission
Library Board of Trustees
Personnel Board
Planning Commission
Recreation & Parks Commission
Traffic Commission
Commission/Committee or Board on which you want to serve (You may select more than one):* Prior Community Involvement/Activities:*
N/A
Provide a brief review of your background, qualifications, education and your interest in serving the City:* I was born and raised in Monterey Park. I attended Repetto Elementary, Mark Keppel High School, and East Los Angeles College. I transferred to UC San Diego and earned a BA in Sociology. Post undergrad, I served three years in AmeriCorps - one year as a City Year Los Angeles Member at an LAUSD school, one year as an LAUSD AmeriCorps VISTA AmeriCorps member, and the final year as an LAUSD AmeriCorps VISTA Leader. These early years spent working in public education at the beginning of my career instilled in me the importance of literacy and education as cornerstones of society. I've since built a career spanning over a decade working in the public and non-profit sectors, and I hold a Master of Public Administration degree from USC. I currently work for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles as a Grants Administrator. The Bruggemeyer library is a special place for me because I spent many hours of my formative years there as a child and teen. I would love to use my skills and expertise to give back to Monterey Park, my hometown.
Application for City Commissions/Boards/Committees - Submission #4485 Date Submitted: 5/3/2026
5/5/26, 4:12 PM montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4485 https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/Admin/FormCenter/Submissions/Print/4485 1/3