city-council-meeting-apr-6-2022 — April 6, 2022

City Council of Monterey Fork, City Council on behalf of the former regional agency, the housing authority, the Monorey Park Park, and the Monorey Park Geologic Geologic Cabinet

! The Monorey Park Geologic Geologic Cabinet-based and the Monorey Park Geologic Geologic Cabinet-based ! Welcome to tonight's regular City Council meeting at Monorey Park City Hall Council Chambers at 320 West Newmark Avenue, Monorey Park Health, 9754 meeting begins at 6.3pm on this day, 8.06.2022. I'm so sorry. I didn't even... The mic is not even on. But that's okay, because as you all know, I have a voice that projects.

Okay. General information.

Documents related to an agenda item are available to the public in the city clerk's office located at 320 West Newark Avenue, Monte Park, California, 91754, during business hours and at the city's website at www.monepark.ca.gov forward slash agenda center forward slash city dash council dash 17.

The public may watch the meeting live on the city's cable channel, MPK TV,

also known as AT&T U-verse or Channel 99 or Chartered Communications Channel 182 or by visiting the city's website at www.monopark.ca.gov forward slash 133

forward slash city dash council dash meeting dash videos.

Public participation.

You may speak up to five minutes on agenda items. You may combine up to two minutes of time with another person speaking. No person may speak more than a total of 10 minutes. The mayor and city council may change the amount of time alLod for speakers. Per the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please call City Hall at 626-307-1359 for reasonable accommodations at least 24 hours before a meeting. Council Chambers are wheelchair accessible. So, let's see, I've called a meeting to order. flag salute by the Marl Park Fire Reserve.

Please stand.

Face. Face. Face. Forward march.

Forward march. Lift. Face. Forward march. Lift. Face. Forward march. Lift. Face.

Forward march. Lift. Face.

Left face. Forward march.

Pose face. Present colors.

Meet after me.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for

which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Ready to post, face, forward, march.

Prepare to post. Post. And salute.

Ready to forward march.

Thank you very much. Please be seated.

Roll call.

Clerk, please call roll. Thank you. Council Member Yvonne Yu.

Here.

Council Member Peter Chan. Here. Council Member Hans Leanne.

Here. Mayor Pro Tem Fred Cernoso.

Mayor Henry Lo. Present. Thank you. Thank you. Agenda additions, deletions, changes, adoptions. City Manager, do we have any?

None, Mayor, from the City Manager's Office. All I would ask from the public and anybody that's out there, bear with us.

We're just like everybody else. This is the first time being back in person.

We have a couple audio new technology that we are pairing up with some old technology.

So just give us a moment in between and we should have a very smooth meeting.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, city manager. Public communications.

While all comments are welcome, the Brown Act does not allow the city council to take action on any item not on the agenda. The council may briefly respond to comments after public communication is closed. Persons may, in addition to any other matter within the city council's subject matter jurisdiction,

comment on agenda items at this time.

If you provide public comment on a specific agenda item at this time, however, you cannot later provide comments at the time the agenda item is considered. Clerk, do we have any requests for public communications?

Okay, please proceed.

Okay, first speaker is Sarkis Antonian. Thank you. until the upcoming 22 election, they'll come up with some way to shut everything down again. And due to the fact that we were shut down, and then you're negotiating about the Garvey Avenue to widen it and everything like that, and making parking lot, that's our tax dollars, federal and state going where there's some roads in this city haven't been done for years. And that's what it's there for. That's what it's voted on and everything like that. Well, you don't need no parking structure. Those parking structures are supposed to be for mixed use. As long as I've been in council meetings on Garvey and Garfield, that was supposed to be mixed use. And then if you're going to, and I'm totally against it, you're going to put another one over there by Garfield Hospital when those residents on Alhambra will just gradually move their vehicle to the Monterey Park side, oh we don't have to pay the permit. So maybe on that section there if the police should go by and get their license number. If they're living in Alhambra they should take it right away. So that's our gas tax and being at this state charges the highest for basically play everything on the field on the gasoline and diesel the road should be like a baby's room over there on Marquette what am I going to do that road on Helmand that's been like that for years on Hamper Avenue going to the school from Newmark all the way down up that's that's all chopped up you know you can go 20 miles an hour you cannot go 25 okay that's one one issue this 2020 eventually was frauded those drop boxes over there are totally illegal and Larry Elder I met Larry Elder which I met him about 15 years ago during that election a reporter from Newsmax goes and votes and Newport Beach they told them you already voted okay and then on 2020 election I had my first name and my last name at the bottom was my first name mineral initial and my last name okay so they could have flipped they could have flipped that vote right there but then when I voted for the Larry Elder thing I asked them how was my name put out there they put my first name middle initial and my last name okay and then those compete those machines that count the ballots and all that other stuff that's all thrown out too and during the 2020 election trump had a million and million 50,000 votes it flipped to Biden. So Michael and Dale is not going to spend 35 million to do all these investigations. So locally, state, and federal, if these drop boxes are there, we come and vote, and we don't know how those ballots are being counted over there in the crooked area over there and then Norwalk why vote? Why vote? Because if somebody doesn't want a certain person in there they'll do it. How do you know they're doing it? So that next upcoming election for you people that are running or the next also other people are going to run? Are they going to have anybody in the Norwalk office and watching how Monterey part ballots are being counted if it's being done fair for local elections for instance statewide and federal that's another issue as well too again that Zuckerberg spend multi-millions that's illegal that has never been done throughout I'm gonna be 66 in this this month that has never been done ever and they let them they let that thing go by so everything what this country is going through today it's all fraud it's all fraud it so look into those when you have elections locally you need that so the active overall office watching them count the ballot and see if these belts are coming correctly if they're not one for you what we throw this one away throw that one away and I bet you they're doing that and congratulations we can get up and speak thank you

All right. Nancy, a three?

Check, check.

Check one, two, three. One, two, three? Is that all the way to the top?

Jackson, one, two.

Good evening. It's nice to see everybody here again. Congratulations to your new council members. This is the first time I've seen you in the day I'm happy to see you.

And I want to know when this council and staff will hold public meetings regarding our measure, our funds that some of you want to use to open up Garvey Avenue to six lanes of traffic from Atlantic to New during rush hours. What are your plans to keep our residents safe when they cross Garvey Avenue? Many senior citizens and parents with young children only make it halfway across the street before the traffic lights change. How will parents of the students of St. Stephen's and Inez schools safely drop off or pick up their students safely? Did Hilda's lease offer any other public uses for our measure of funds that could be used instead? I'm against this idea since we need sales tax to support our hometown. I want people driving through our city to stop on Garvey to purchase our delicious international foods, our wonderful bakery goods, and purchase any other items being sold to the public. Driving in Monterey Park at times can be dangerous in residential neighborhoods. since some drivers come to a stop at a four-way stop and just drive across the street without, since you've stopped, you've already stopped. Or they enter the intersection when you're in the process of making your legal turn from one street to another just because they think they have the right of way. Or do they honk? Why do they honk at the drivers ahead of them at stop sites to hurry up and drive even though these drivers cannot see if it's safe to cross the street? Did you hear about the car accident Monday morning, April 4th,

on Orange in front of Hillcrest School? I saw the results of a car accident on Monday afternoon, April 4th, at the intersection of Regan and Garfield.

We need to enforce our traffic laws to help prevent injuries and fatalities caused by careless drivers. We do not need a mini freeway on Garvey Avenue just to collect measure our funds. This council should support our residents' decision not to risk the lives of our family, friends, and our guests to our hometown. Thank you.

Okay, Scott Kong and John Wong

Okay, are you coming up together or Separate okay, all right

Mayor Lo, Councilmember Liang, Councilmember Chan, and Councilmember Yu. My name is Scott Kwong, and I am the president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance of the Greater San Gabriel Valley Lodge. A little bit about the Chinese American Citizens Alliance. We have 20 chapters all across the nation. And here, the Greater San Gabriel Valley Lodge represents all of San Gabriel Valley, and some even more than that.

Today I'm here to bring up two topics. The first one I would like to bring up is Monterey Pass Road. Last meeting we had a vote, and we would urge the city council to bring this topic back up.

If it was passed, please rescind it. The Chinese American Citizens Alliance of the Greater San Gabriel Valley Lodge has unanimously voted against inputting bike lanes into Monterey Pass Road. So the biggest concern that we do have... ! The biggest concern that we do have is if you do put up those bike lanes, ! It's not a matter of if, but when there will be an accident. ! The city is going to be a lot of the city. ! The second topic I would like to bring up is the expansion of Garvey. ! In the last meeting, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance has, with the supermajority, voted against taking the money and expanding Garvey.

If you expand Garvey, you're going to do a huge disservice to the city of Monteree Park. you're going to do a huge disservice to the city of Monterey Park.

The money you get from expanding Garvey, it will be wasted eventually,

and the city will end up paying more to keep this project open.

Roads, with the weight of vehicles, everything, you're going to spend a lot of money repairing roads. Traffic will be tremendous. You're going to have traffic everywhere across the city of Monterey Park. And also, last thing, when you walk down Garvey, what do you see?

You see a lot of mom and pop brick-and-mortar shops. You see people walking down the sidewalk.

You're going to take away the sidewalk. You're going to really cause these small businesses, these small mom and pop shops to suffer. And as I mentioned, we urge you guys to not take the money. If you have taken the money, please return it. We urge you guys to not expand Garvey. and like I said, we think it will be a huge disservice to the city. Any time I have remaining, may I defer that to John, please?

He's going to have his own five minutes. Okay. Thank you, everyone.

Okay. John Wong.

Mr. Mayor and members of the Monterey Park City Council, I'm with the Chinese American Citizens Alliance. I'm the former president. And that you have heard from our present president of our stand against having bike lanes on Monterey Passero and also about the expansion of Gardnerville Avenue. Let me, I haven't been up here for a long time. and it's almost been three years now since I was last here. And since then, we have two new members, three new members, and I welcome you. As far as, I'll come straight to the point because I don't think I have that much time, but about Monterey Pass Road, I'm a state holder in the city of Monterey Park, and I travel Monterey Pass Road every single day. We have trucks that are parked that comes almost all the way to the middle of the street. That's a hazard already. And it's very dangerous. I've got into many, many times trying to avoid other cars because of the congestion these trucks are there.

But, you know, all these trucks are there because they're doing a business.

Those buildings were built in the 50s, and it didn't really meet the requirements of 40-foot containers.

And we understand that, and I understand that.

And they're really grandfather in. You can't kick them out, but at the same time, you can't go and narrow the street, give only one lane going each way, take away the middle lane.

The middle lane is for the trucks to park while they're waiting to unload their merchandise. Monterey Park wasn't designed to have multiple trucks on their property. So when they come and they see a truck already on the loading docks, they have to wait in the middle lane. Where are you going to put all those trucks?

They have to function. They have to make their deliveries. And you can't take that away from these trucks that are trying to make deliveries. They all have to make a living. And they've been there for a long time.

But more than that, Monterey Pass Roll, the speed limit there is 40 miles an hour, with the exception of an area that they have a little dinky

school there that I opposed originally that says

that you can only go 25 miles an hour. And I've gotten a ticket for doing that.

I mean, I paid it, but that school shouldn't have been there. But Monterey Pass Road,

the speed limit is 40 miles an hour. And it's a dedicated highway.

so when you have cars and vehicles going at that speed and then you want bike lanes on both sides you know it's going to cause an accident it's just a matter of time and I don't think we want that I don't think the city want that kind of liability you're just asking for an accident to happen so I'm putting the city on notice that you are the cause for any accident that appears on Monterey Pass Road because you're having bicycles going on Monterey Pass Road. It is the intent of the people that favors a bike lane to connect to Metnick, to Arizona. But, you know, when I'm driving along Metnick and Arizona in the southern portion of Monterey Park, I'll be lucky if I see one bicycle in one month. So what good is a bike lane in Monterey Park? It serves no purpose.

And this subject keeps coming up every so often. It gets resurrected every so often. We kill it, and it comes back.

We kill it again, it comes back. So why don't we just kill it again, and if you've passed it, kill it. And then have an ordinance that says we will not do bicycle lanes on Monterey Pass Road because it is a virus. It just keeps coming back like Fauci. And we can't have that. As far as Garvey is concerned, this is a matter of the county that wants to end the 710 freeway and put all their traffic onto Monterey Park. I know my time is coming up, so I'd like to have consent to go over my time limit and speak about it. Yes? No? I'm sorry, we have to go on with the agenda.

Okay.

No? Can I speak about Garvey for just a few minutes?

You've had your time. Huh? You've had your time.

Okay.

As far as Garvey is concerned, it is a cumulative...

No, I'm sorry, you've had your time already. Oh, you don't want me to speak anymore? Again, you're allocated time for public comment, and as you can see from the red light, your time is up.

Your five minutes is up, John.

It's up?

It's up. Thank you.

Okay.

Well, just for all intents and purposes, I'm against expansion of Garvey Avenue. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you very much. Next speaker, Jennifer Tang.

Good evening, Mayor Lo, council members, city staff, and residents of Monterey Park. My name is Jennifer Tang, and I'm here this evening on behalf of Assemblymember Mike Fong. Assemblymember Fong was sworn in to represent the 49th Assembly District in the California Legislature on February 22, 2022, which encompasses the city of Monterey Park, as well as Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Rosemead, Temple City, San Marino, San Gabriel, and parts of Montebello and South El Monte. Our district office is up and running, and we are ready to serve the residents of Monterey Park. To all the residents out there, if you would like to express your stance on an upcoming bill or need help with any state-related matters, please call our office at 323-264-4949

or visit our website, a49.asmdc.org. To city council members and staff, our office looks forward to working in partnership with you to serve the residents of Monterey Park. Please reach out to me or anyone from our office for any matters with which we can support you. We also welcome invitations to upcoming city events, especially now that it is safe to gather here in person. Thank you so much for giving me the time to speak this evening, and I look forward to working with all of you. Thank you.

that's it for all the speakers however we do have two written communications

okay all right please thank you

first one is from the Ming Lai I would like to address the city council on the parking issue at Fremont Avenue near Monterey Pass Road I submitted public comments to the traffic Commission last December and a couple weeks ago, I also emailed the City Council members individually on February 14th and March 24th. I think it may take a comment on public record, after all, for the City to address the Municipal Code 10.48.045 loophole. Cars are parked on Fremont Avenue near Monterey Pass Road, Monday through Saturdays when the auto body shops there are open for business. It is very reasonable to assume those cars are being repaired by the shops. There's simply not enough parking space in the shops lot. Sergeant Peter Young of Monterey Park PD told me that because there's no work orders on the windshield of those cars, he does not have proof that those cars are in violation of municipal code 10.48.045. Well, who would put a self-incriminating note there to advertise that the car is being repaired? And as such, this code is simply unenforceable. Mr. Cesar Vega of the city's public work department informed me on March 23rd that they can, quote, can investigate the addition of red curbs at the exit of the turn to add additional clearance for right-turning vehicles, unquote. I think red curve should be added because it's sharp uphill right turn into Fremont from Monterey Pass and turn immediately merges with a left turn traffic from Monterey Pass. But still, none of the cars parked at that section of the road all the way to the city limit under Garvey Avenue overpass bridge should be there to begin with. If Municipal Code 10.48.045 is enforceable and actually enforced, sign Ming Lai, Monterey Park resident.

The next letter is dated March 22, 2022, in reference to the resignation of District No. 3, City Council seat. Dear friends, after much consideration and mixed emotion, I, Mayor Pro Tem Fred Cernoso, provide this letter of resignation to the City Council. Since April 1st, 2020, when I was sworn in as City Council, as a City of Monterey Parks Council member representing District 3, we were all about being good neighbors in our community. My decision has nothing to do with the City or the City Council. I am proud of all the accomplishments that we made together. Perhaps my proudest achievement is the City Council's implementation of the 2020 Monterey Park Business Recovery Plan, which we passed in the middle of the COVID pandemic. I do not think any City Council in the history of the city achieved as much as we did while facing such global challenges.

The resignation will take effect April 14, 2022, a day that reflects a true blue fan for my Los Angeles Dodgers, our home game opening day at Chavez Ravine. I had hoped to continue serving the residents of my district and the entire city. Unfortunately, however, I face a serious health issue that prevents me from continuing my service. The City Council may appoint someone to the District 3 seat. If the City Council chooses to make an appointment, please consider Abner Ramos. He is an outstanding candidate and will serve the District and the City well. Thank you so much for all your support. I will pray for all of you. Continued health and wisdom. Signed, Fred Cernoso, Mayor Pro Tem.

And those are all the communications I have, the written ones. Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Well, I think before we continue, I would like to just take this opportunity to, well, thank our colleague, Mayor Potem-Franço, and also for the time in which he has served his tenureship serving this community of Monterey Park. And certainly the news is profound, but we understand his need to take care of his personal health and so certainly wherever you are Fred we want to thank you for your service to the community. Would anyone else like to say a few words? Yes Councilman Leanne Yes

Thank you Mayor Lo. Yeah I want to also echo the sentiments of Mayor Lo regarding Mayor Pro Tem Soronoso. Thanks for those comments that you made. I think that there's no one that would deny that those statements are true about the accomplishments that we were able to complete in the midst of all of this craziness with the pandemic and everything. It's you know it's a we've been along this ride with him all the way you know as Henry said sometimes we have to report prioritize and focus on certain things and we understand that Fred and I just want to as well as the mayor thank you for your service on the council thank you for your representation of all the residents in district 3 and thank you most of all for your friendship thank you

Councilman Chan, I see you want to speak. Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to thank Fred for your service for the last a little bit more than two years in the council. And it's a privilege and an honor to serve with him in this council, although we haven't been sitting here, you know, for two years. and although we've been meeting on Zoom meetings just to see each other through the computer screen, but we did went to some conferences and spent a good time eating dinners and chatting and talking, ice cream and everything. So it's a real pleasure to work with you and of course health is the most important thing and thank you for your service thank you for your service to the people of Monterey Park especially in the District 3 where you served and I do miss you so take care and the most important thing is take care of yourself thank you

Thank you, Councilman Chan Councilman, you please

I want to say I'm so sorry to hear Fred is leaving us. To me, Fred is an angel. He has a very kind heart. He will sacrifice himself for others, willing to work with everyone in a professional manner. We enjoy every moment with him at the council and also at different events. Sometimes he's like a kid, making jokes and playing with action figures. He enjoys to bring happiness to people around him. We will all miss him, always miss him. Glad that will capture a lot of his moments online, and he will forever be missed by everyone. Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues.

And as I'd like to echo sentiments of my colleagues, Fred, probably the most endearing quality of him is his sense of humor.

And it has not escaped me that his date of vaccination is also an opening day for the Dodgers,

and perhaps on that day we could all in solidarity wear Dodger blue.

In fact, I am wearing blue today by coincidence,

but perhaps on that day in acknowledgement and recognition of visitors, we all wear blue here at the city.

Sure. Okay. Okay. You said that there is no further comments?

I'm sorry, on request to speak?

No. Okay, thank you. All right.

Then let us proceed then to staff communications.

First, I'd like to invite our fire department.

Scott Kelly, members of the council, city staff and community members at home. My name is Scott Kelly. I'm a member of the fire department and I just got assigned to station 62.

The benefit of that is we're now returning to fire service day and we will be having an open house. So I want to have everybody come join our new open house.

We're proud to show off our new fire station. And we're going to be doing station tours, all the same stuff that we would do normally at Fire Service Day. We're going to do down to Station 2.

I'll be cooking hot dogs, station tours, kids' events. So please come down. We'd love to show everybody our new fire station.

It's May 14th, Station 62, which is 2001 South Garfield, from 11 to 2. if you have any questions don't hesitate to call the station that's it thank you

thank you so much thank you

okay open house all right thank you next I'd like to invite up our recreation department

oh my

oh well we have a special guest today

good evening mayor and members of the council brought a special friend with me today

we're here to announce and to invite the community and you all out to our spring egg hunt it's going

be happening next Thursday, April the 14th, here at Barnes Park from 5 o'clock till 7 p.m. The egg hunt will happen at 5 o'clock, and there'll be over 6,000 eggs in Barnes Park. There'll be groups separated by ages, and to the parents and the kids out there, we will

have some special eggs.

Those will contain things like V-Bucks and Roe Bucks.

I'm sure they know what I'm talking about, and also some gift cards, so I'm sure they'll

be searching for those especially hard.

following the egg hunt we'll also have some carnival games that's completely free to everyone

in attendance and folks can also take free pictures with my friend here so we hope to see

everyone out next thursday at our spring egg hunt and then i also want to invite everyone the

recreation department has also recently launched our own department facebook page and also

instagram page so i would encourage everyone to follow us and like us on both of those pages at

Monterey Park Rec, that's Monterey Park

R-E-C, to find about all the upcoming events and updates of programming

and activities that we have for the city and for the residents. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, Easter Bunny, for greeting us with your presence.

Thank you. Next. Do you need

the infringe again?

Okay. Why did you guys need pictures?

That's fine.

We'll take pictures with you at the egg hunt itself. We want you to rest and be ready for the big day.

Thank you so much. Okay, thank you.

Next, our public's department.

Mayor, council members, welcome back. I'm Chris Reyes. I'm your public works manager.

I came to let everybody know about a spring cleaning day, which we have annually.

So this year, the event takes place this coming Saturday, April 9th.

It will be at the service club parking lot, which is on South McFerrin and Harding.

The hours of the event are from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And the event is open to Monterey Park residents only. So if you're bringing a bulky item or something to drop off, you'll be asked for ID, a government-issued ID or utility bill. It is for Monterey Park residents only.

So Mario Park residents, you're invited to drop off all your bulky items, such as furniture, mattresses, rugs. There's also going to be a paper document shredding service available that day as well.

We'll also be collecting e-waste this time, so you can bring TVs, BCRs, all of those things that you'd have collecting, TVs, printers, computers.

There's also going to be a medium-duty wood chipper there.

So if you have branches or brush, branches, we would like it to be two inches and less in diameter. But if you have that type of items, bring them here with you, and the fire department will be using that chipper. No hazardous waste. Okay, so this time around is no hazardous waste. So you can't bring paint or aerosol cans, old antifreeze bottles, herbicide, pesticide containers, nothing of that nature. So again, all of the Monterey Park community, we hope you take advantage of this free event to properly dispose of these items and help with the continuing effort to keep Monterey Park beautiful. Again, the date is this Saturday, April 9th, Harding and McFerrin Service Club parking lot.

And again, Monterey Park residents only. And that's it.

The date again, this coming Saturday. Any questions?

Questions? Okay. See you there. Oh, I'm sorry. The flyer is on the website.

So if you want to take a look at the city website and get some of the details that I just gave you, it's there. Okay. Thanks.

Thank you very much. Okay.

That concludes our staff communications.

Moving on. Presentations. None. Ode business.

Item 2A, America Rescue Plan Act funding.

Okay. Okay. Okay, I see Martha will be providing that presentation. Okay, forward.

Mayor? Yes. We'd like to clarify one thing. It's because in this presentation, there will be something concerning Garvey Ranch Park, which you and I are within 500 feet. Okay. So I just want to declare with the city attorney that we're okay to participate in this item.

Okay, Councilman Chan, thank you for that question. I see a tree.

Okay. Mr. Mayor members of the council. Thank you for allowing me to come in tonight. I'm not turning on my video. It's, it's about 3 a.m. where I'm at. So to answer your question, council member, the, the overall presentation you can certainly participate in. And when it comes down to the Garvey ranch question though, my recommendation is to continue that item until August 20th. The reason for that is right now you have a 2-2 vote. If two of you recuse yourselves from voting on that particular matter, you will no longer have a quorum. After Mayor Pro Tem's resignation becomes effective on April 14th, you will be able to draw lots on April 20th to make a determination whether or not, or which individual can participate in the overall decision with regard to Garvey Ranch. So you can continue on with everything else, but that item can be continued until April 20th.

Okay, thank you. And if I clarify, so we're still going to have a presentation, and is there a condition that the item will continue on to the next meeting?

No, just those items. So you can participate in everything else.

The presentation can be presented,

and if you need to recuse yourselves with that particular item, those particular items. I see, I see.

So if we ever have empty go-through-table projects, if we come across in the conversation items at Garvin Ranch Park, that is when Councilman Chan and myself should recuse ourselves. Is that correct? Correct. That's correct. Thank you for clarifying. Councilman Chan? Thank you so much.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. Thank you.

Martha, please proceed.

Good evening, Mayor and Council Members. Martha Garcia, Director of Management Services. Today's agenda item is for discussion only. Any decisions made will be carried over for the budget workshop so voting can happen.

What I wanted, what I was, we're going to discuss today what has been funded

and get direction on additional city needs and what are recommended to bring back during the budget workshop so that we can then have a vote on whether or not the CIPs, the projects will pass.

Next slide, please.

so as all of you are aware uh president biden passed the american rescue plan act in on march

11 2021 the act had 1.9 trillion dollars in the package the city of monterey park

received $15 million from that package.

That is under the program Coronavirus State and Local Federal Recovery Funds.

The city has already received $7.5 million in June of 2021, and we're anticipating to receive the other $7.5 million in June of 2022.

Next slide, please.

The final rule was issued on January 7, 2022 and took effect on April 1, 2022. If the use of these funds comply with the final rule, the Treasury would not reinforce the interim final rule. What that means is that if the interim final rule is already in place, then when we're moving into April, they're going to comply to that. But our funding complies with both the interim and the final, so we are good to continue to move forward with the items that have already been funded.

Next slide, please.

The city's funded projects are far from the meet okay. The final rule was divided into four categories. The first category is the public health and negative impact. Public health funding includes COVID-19 related mitigation efforts.

It includes things like COVID-19. public health funding includes COVID-19 related mitigation efforts.

! It includes medical expenses.

! health care. health care. !

health care. !

health care.

!

health care.

! health.

includes hiring back governmental staff, something that our city is doing. We brought back our

part-timers with this fund. It also impacts industries and expenses to improve efficiency

of public health and economic relief programs in assistance to household and small businesses. These are all under the first category. The second category is premium pay. Premium pay offers

additional support to those who had the greatest health risk because of their services during this

critical time. Next slide, please. The third category is revenue loss. Most of our funded

items are coming from the revenue loss category. And the revenue loss category reads as the city has made, the city may use funds to provide governmental services to the extent of the

reduction in revenue experience due to the pandemic. So most of our funds will be able to

use as a revenue loss to the pandemic. I'm currently using the League of Cities calculations

template to identify what are using the rules provided by the final rule to identify what we can record as revenue loss. For the first year it was $8.3 million based on the calculations and criteria given to us by the

Department of Treasury.

The fourth and final category is water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. The city may use these funds

to invest to improve access to clean water,

to invest in wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to invest in broadband.

Next slide, please.

So as of today, the City Council has approved the appropriation of funds to the following projects

for the total amount of $6.9 million. Some of these projects include community literacy, COVID-19 response and prevention, cybersecurity and technology, public safety vehicles, replacement of AC units, security surveillance camera system, and staffing.

Bring back our part-timers.

Next slide, please.

So today we're asking to take a look at what our city staff has put together to be some other crucial items

that we can use these funds to purchase and to assist with the city's needs

and our community as well. And some of these are projects that we can discuss today.

It's for discussion and council's priorities and to get council direction.

We've identified some that we would like to use funds for in this coming fiscal year and maybe some that we want to use in the following fiscal year, in 2023-2024. And then there's other items there that are also crucial to the city, but there's not enough funding to cover all of them, so we would like to know a little bit more about Council's priority of which direction we should go. And that concludes my presentation. If we can keep the last slide up so we can discuss.

Okay. Thank you. That concludes my presentation.

I'm here for any questions and answers.

Thank you very much Martha for that

very insightful and informative

presentation. Council members do you have any questions or comments?

Yes, Councilman Chan

Yes

Thank you Mayor and thank you Martha for the presentation and I look at the list presented except that Mayor Lo and I will not participate or give any information on anything concerning Godfrey Ranch Park. I just want to make sure that that's correctly put.

And I would like to ask the other items I think is good, mostly are for the parks in the city. And they need the playground replacements.

I think those are good ones. But I have a question on the police department, the gate ramp, $60,000. Can you give us a little bit of what is that?

I know that it's right behind us.

I can chime in on that, Council Member Chan, Mayor, if I may.

Yes, please. Yes, thank you.

The ramp that goes up to our parking area upstairs on the second floor to the police department has no security controls. Anyone can drive up that ramp without any advance warning that they do not belong entering that ramp. That is for official employees only. We have temporary orange barricades right now trying to prohibit people from going up that ramp. This actuated gate would actually be an arm that comes down and stops any vehicles from coming up to the ramp. and then as we go down the ramp the gate has to be activated to open back up to build people out so that's what this gate is about okay thank you and I think

this should be a priority for the safety and so I would like to but I don't know the how to you know get into the fundings I know is tight and with that $60,000 do we have to eliminate some items in the parks which I hate to see that but how do we go around with that but I think the gate is very important and I think it should be a priority.

Council Member Yang-Chung, the items we've identified for the parks equals around $3 million so there's still plenty of funding to fund other projects that are there. Today, the only decision I ask for today is to let me know what the priority of Council is and when we come back during the budget workshop, that's when we'll adopt it.

Okay, then I would like to add that to the RAM gate as one of the priorities.

And then what is the last item on the dual modem MDS?

Yes. Can you explain that?

Chief Gordon will be stepping to the podium to describe that. I think if I tried, I would just probably mush it up. So I won't even venture down that road. Thank you, Chief.

Good to see you, Chief.

Good to see all of you in person and your smiling faces tonight. I'm going to give you a very kind of simple answer the best I can. It's in each of our vehicles, the police vehicles. We have what's called an NBC, which is your mobile data community. So it's a laptop that goes in each of the cars. That laptop is basically the computerized lifeline for our officers. So all their dispatch information comes through that. All of the ability to run vehicles. They write the reports in the car. And so all that information is transported through our lovely skies through the modems. Currently, we use Sprint modems in the vehicles. Sprint has now been bought out by T-Mobile, which leads us in a situation where now we either go with T-Mobile or we look for a better solution. And for us, the better solution is the dual modem. That allows us to switch over where we get AT&T and Verizon, which make first responders a first priority. T-Mobile does not. So let's say we have an earthquake or we have some sort of other natural disaster. Those lifelines, as we call them, for those computers still get first priority. They put them on an emergency responder system. So what that does, and if one's down, if AT&T is down, then it will be picked up by Verizon and vice versa. So it gives us better coverage throughout the city. It gives us way more reliable service for us if something happens. So the expense you see is to switch out all of the technology in the car to go from the single modem that we are with Sprint to the new technology that is allotted to us through going through the dual modems. Does that make sense? I'm trying to give it a simpler explanation.

Seems important.

It is important. Otherwise, I wouldn't ask. I promise.

Yeah, I think communication is good because got the information firsthand. I think that's good. So I would like to see that as a priority item as well. So thank you, Chief, for the explanation. Thank you, and good to see you. Good to see you. Thank you. And then I would like to ask Fire Chief McCallick some questions.

Yeah, good to see you, Chief. You as well, you as all. Fine, thank you. Can you explain the fire station 63 rebuilt? So can you elaborate on that? Yeah, so over the course of- It's a big item. Say again? It's a big item.

It is a big item. And the fire station was built in 1957. And over the course of the last several years, we've had some seismic activity that has caused some damage that is beginning to have the station show its age. And that on top of the fact that we're very limited in who can work there and our hopes of diversity and increasing the diversity of the department would lend us to building a new station and replacing that one. It served its purpose, its time. It was built when apparatus were a lot smaller. It really doesn't house what we needed to house. And so the goal of the city is to remodel upstairs at Station 1, rebuild Station 63, and so that will allow for upgraded facilities, but also to house a more diverse workforce.

Sorry. So it's kind of like a total new building, like 62. It would be, yes. It would be. I see. Yes. And, yeah, I would like to say that because I know that I've been there a few times, and you'll be coming with me and give me a tour as well for a few times. And I know it's old, but I don't think we have enough money at this time. So maybe if you can work with the mother, our finance management director, to see what is needed urgently, maybe do some patchwork first, and then in the near future when we have more fundings, then we can consider doing the 63. Absolutely. So, yeah. And then you have the Station 61 storage for $500,000. So what kind of storage is that?

So that is, if you're familiar with the layout of the station, we have three bays that house our engine, our truck, and then our ambulance. And there's an area behind the side of the station closest to the gas pumps that is almost like it's built to have another bay added to it. And with our USAR apparatus and the different pieces of equipment that we've acquired over the years, we're running out of storage space. and we're having to put these apparatus outside where the sun is doing its damage. Fire stations in the area have been broken into with equipment outside. So we want to kind of add on to the station another bay that would have the ability to house our equipment and protect it.

Okay, so it's kind of like a building.

It's like doing a room addition, but we wanted to kind of match the station so it doesn't look like it was just something that was added on. It was more like stone that would match the same look of the station with a roll-up door so that it kind of blended into what's currently there.

And do we have enough space? We do.

We do. We do, yeah. We park stuff there now. It's just parked outside. Oh, okay. And so it would be nice to have it covered and closed.

It's kind of like just a covering.

Exactly. Well, it can go through different iterations. Ultimately, the best thing we would like is the said stone, you know, slump stone walls with a roof that matches a roll-up door. But of course, we're not beggars can't be choosers. So we'd be happy with anything that would protect our equipment.

Okay. And the last item I would like to ask you to explain is also on 63, the host tower demo. Do our firefighters using that? Well, no.

No, they're not because of the fact that over time, a couple issues, it's been there since 1957, and inside a lot of the masonry work is starting to rot, and there's a ladder that you actually have to climb up to get to the top to hang our hose when it needs to dry. The metal is starting to pull away from the brick wall. So that's one issue. The other issue is the seismic activity I talked about. We're afraid that that tower, being as old as it is, is going to come down, And if it were to come down, it's probably going to land on the dorm where the firefighters congregate. And so we're just worried about a liability and the fact that AT&T years ago built an identical tower, dual purpose to have their cell site up on top, but also for us to be able to hang hose. So we already have one there as well. So it just makes sense to take this down to reduce that liability.

I see. So so it's not so you did firefighters. They still using that AT&T facility for their trainings and so forth

Correct. We hang our hose there. We we use it just as the host tower used to be used on the station We just don't use the one on the station anymore because of the fact that it's it's too risky. Okay. Thank you

Yes. So, to me this, then since we have the AT&T facility, so this may not be a priority at this time, do you think?

Well, it is to take down the existing tower. ! Correct. Yeah, we're just afraid that the, ! It's not a matter of if, it's when that next earthquake is going to happen, and we're afraid that that tower being as old as it is could potentially come down and hurt somebody.

Okay, so that's for safety. Correct. Yeah, of course. Well, for safety then it should be a priority, I think. Yeah. So thank you. Yeah, we'd like to add that as a priority for safety issues.

Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Chan. Councillor Yu, you have your hand up.

Yes, hi. Actually, when I look into the budget, I have no problem with the recreations and all go first because it's only like $3 million and plus pandemic. It's good to remodel our playground. and for the fire departments i i see that there's quite a lot of big funding coming up so um actually big expenses coming up so it's about 10 million dollars in a few years so i wanted to ask matha and is it possible that we can have some kind of let's say municipal bonds that will issue for fire or police public safety and so we can fund it in the long run is there any way that we can do something like that instead of come up with like a 10 million dollars but we can actually issue a 10 million dollar municipal funds and actually pay it down per year is there

something like that we can do that is definitely something i can look into and report back to

council oh great great because the interest rate is still really low and our credit rating is pretty good yes so we wanted to take care of those are the safety issues that we wanted to prioritize. So if we can actually create some kind of municipal bonds that will take care of all those in a short period of time and then we can actually prolong the expense for us, that would be good. Thank you so much.

Actually, Councillor, if I can just clarify for my information, are you suggesting that we issue bonds to make those repairs so that we free up some of these funds? Is that what your intention is? I'm just curious. Sorry, Mayor Lo, I can't hear you.

I'm sorry. Let me speak closer to Mike. By making the suggestion or asking him to look into these bonds, is it because if we, as an alternative, we issue bonds, then we free up funds? Okay, that's what you're asking.

Right, right. We can free up the funds. Instead of paying $10 million up front, we don't have to pay $10 million up front. We can issue the bonds and get $10 million from the municipal investors. And then we can pay the interest, pay the interest maybe hopefully 3% to 4% a year, and then pay it down the road. But every year we should have some funding for fire and police, and we can actually utilize that funding and pay down the municipal bonds that we borrow. so it will free up the big amount of funds.

Okay, okay. Well, thanks for making that suggestion. Thank you. Council members, any other comments or questions? Okay. I have a quick question. I'm just looking at the list. Can someone explain to me the George Erdler Park Practice Court conversation? What is that?

Or are you meant to say conversion?

It just says George Elder Park Practice Court Conversation.

That's a typo. That should be conversion.

Conversion. Okay. Thank you. I just, all right. Thank you. Okay.

Well, let's fix that then when we continue the item to the next meeting.

Okay. Members, anything else? Okay. All right. Okay.

Well, thank you very much. And this item will be continued on to the next meeting, correct?

Oh, yes, Martha. I'm sorry. Yes.

If I can get clear direction to what to bring back for our budget workshop. Right now, Council Member Chang recommended the gate ramp, the dual modem MDC, Station 63, the Station 63 tower, which if we replace the Station 63, the $60,000 would be null because it would take care of that. and then I also am looking into bonds um if hypothetically I were to bring back if I had the direction I hypothetically if I'm getting direction to bring back the fire station without the bonds we would have to look at not funding some of the items we're recommending for the playgrounds um so I I can get a little bit more direction to what to prepare for our budget

meeting we can i can provide a lot more information for you if i may also add yes as i understand

from this conversation uh that council is completely on board with all the recreation community services including the fire department uh generator as the first priority council members In addition, as Council Member Chan had expressed, that the gate, the dual modem, and did I hear the tower removal as part of that? Yes. Is the next set of priorities? I mean, adding that as part of the grouping? Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay. so we have our goals as those priorities and the next would be looking at to how we could bond the extra 10 million dollars actually half of that is just the fire station or more than half so maybe there's some creative financing that we can do for just the fire department's relocation and that could free up some money that we could also utilize for the rest of the funding of this list. So if that is okay with you, I would make a recommendation that we would move forward in that direction, and we would bring something back to Council during the budget

workshop. Thank you for articulating that, Mr. City Manager. Council Members, is that agreeable?

Okay. Martha, then I think you have your direction. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Okay, moving on to item... I'm sorry.

Okay, thank you, the manager.

Okay, next item, consent calendar item number 3A to 3F. Before we proceed, are there any items that we wish to pull?

Mayor?

Yes, Councillor Chan. Would I like to pull 3D? 3D, okay.

Does that one item?

Yes, that's the only one. Okay, great. Let's see, before we put the clerk, do we have any comments?

Actually, Mayor, we have a speaker for 3C. Okay.

Then why don't we pull item 3C so we can let the speaker make that person's comments. Okay, so 3C and 3D are being pulled in.

and after we pull it

when it comes to the item then we can

invite the

requester to come up and make public comment

okay so

with the exception of 3C and 3D

may I have a motion

to approve the rest of the consent

calendar move to approve items

3A, 3B 3E and 3F

moved by Council Member Lang, seconded by Council Member U Yes. Okay. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none.

Clerk, please call the roll. Thank you. Council Member Yvonne Yu.

Yes.

Sorry.

Mayor Lo, did you want to cast your vote? Yeah. Oh, I'm so sorry. I forgot. You know what? Excuse me. There are buttons.

You know, I do applaud. There are buttons. Okay. Forgive me. Okay. I'm sorry. So, okay. Please vote. Okay. Thank you. Okay.

Excuse me. Okay. Vote pseudonymous. Okay. Thank you.

Okay. Although I do like doing it verbal call vote.

I'm just saying, you know, habit after two years.

Ha, ha, ha. Okay. No, thank you. Okay. Thank you. All right.

First, I pulled item, item 3C, way further reading and adopt an ordinance amending various sections of Monterey Park Municipal Code Chapter 6.15, regulating mandatory organic waste the spoiler reduction clerk you said that we have a request to speak yes okay call the prison Nancy

O'Curray good evening again I have some concerns about using our green bin for both food waste and green waste disposal. In the Cascade, you advise us to wrap food waste, use paper towels with food waste, foods and vegetables, skins, bones, seafood, coffee grounds with filters, food scraps, pizza boxes, and other paper containers in the spin. You suggested that old newspapers or paper bags could be used to hold the wasted food. Many people no longer read newspapers since they read the news online, and most stores no longer give out large paper bags. The cost of 50 large lunch bags at Ralph's is $3.99 plus tax. The average cost of baking soda is $0.93 for a small box. These items may not cost that much, but with their high inflated prices, every penny counts to many of our residents. You suggest using leaves or large yard trimmings to find the bin, put the food waste in the bin, sprinkle baking soda in the bin, and place more leaves or yard waste on top of it. You suggest to keep the bin in a shaded area and keep the lid closed. Do you realize that not every home has a shaded area for their trash bins? Do you realize that not every resident may have yard waste every week since some of us have a gardening service every other week? Do you realize that if a fly is trapped in your green bin, you may see maggots crawling in your bin? Since Athens will be collecting the green that will have yard trimmings and food waste mixed together for yard mulch. Will this yard mulch mixed with food waste attract mice, gophers, possums, skunks, raccoons, tree rats, or coyotes? How can a resident clean out their green bin since we have a water shortage? Did our elected officials in Sacramento think these plans through to answer our questions? Their food waste project may cause a health and safety issue for all of us in California. Please consider it. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Clerk, any further? No further speakers. Okay. Council members, do you have any questions or comments

yourselves about item 3C?

Yes, Councilman Chan.

Yes. Thank you, Mayor. And I want to

talk a little bit about this is because I think we are doing the

conformity to the state law is not that the city is coming up with the

new law or new audience concerned the organic

waste. So we are here is just to conform

with what the state demands us to do. And it's not just to the city of Monterey Park, but the whole state of California.

I just want to make it clear to that. And if

City Manager or I think Assistant Manager Ines, please correct me if I were in the wrong

track or if I mistake anything. Thank you, Councilman Chan.

City Manager or any staff wish to comment?

You are correct, Councilmember Chan. This is on the heels of Senate Bill, I think it's 1383, if I'm not mistaken. As you know, there have been numerous bills trying to redirect waste in itself from landfills. The object is to reduce landfills, all the waste that's being delivered to there and disposed. So whether it's recycling, whether it's trying to create organic waste into composting, they're trying to reduce landfill disposal. and this is just another way of doing that. So Senate Bill 1383 is a requirement from the state and that is what they're trying to accomplish.

Thank you, City Manager. Colleagues, anyone else have any further comments or questions on the item? Councilor Chen, you want to continue?

No, I just want to make the motion to approve Item 3C.

Sure. Actually, before you do, thank you. I have one quick suggestion.

Given the speaker's concerns, perhaps as we move forward implementation, we can maybe confer with our neighboring cities for best practices. Because I'm sure some of these concerns brought up by the speaker may have been brought up in other cities. So just a suggestion as we implement, just look at compare, contrast best practices.

So what we can do as staff is bring back some recommendations to the community on how they

can get rid of their food waste. Okay.

There are numerous ways while people are kind of innovative by using jars, by using cans,

recycle bags that are breakdown as organic waste.

but we'll put something together and we'll push it out through social media and the Cascades for the community. Sure. And if I can also just one more question. Again, everyone is subject to law and that includes our local school districts, correct? Perhaps also as we look at best practices, maybe also confer with our school districts. Because if we all know, we have four school districts that have campuses in Monterey Park.

And of course, they are also under requirement to implement the statute.

And so maybe also confer with our districts as well. And even if they're not pretty partner with them, you know, perhaps we can do that as well.

So. Okay, thank you. Okay. Thank you. ! Okay. ! Okay. !

Okay. ! Okay. !

Okay. ! Okay. !

Okay. Thank you. Okay.

Moving on to item 3D, 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

Councillor Chan, you request that this item be pulled from the consent calendar. Yes.

We'd like to have a staff report. Okay.

Yes, we'd like to have a staff report. Okay, thank you. Staff? That'd be Martha? Yes.

Okay.

Good evening, Mayor and Councilmembers. Martha Garcia, Director of Management Services. Today I'm going to be presenting the fiscal year 2020-2021 Annual Comprehension Financial Statements.

It's ACFER.

this year was a little difficult for us to close our books for the prior fiscal year due to some covid related health issues and also the conversion of our old system to our new system our auditors were working off of two different systems to close the year so our apologies for that we did receive an unmodified opinion and the unmodified opinion

means that the statements met the requirements demanded by the regulations,

and they were prepared in accordance with GAAP.

So that's a good thing.

The city has received 32 consecutive achievement awards from GFOA,

and we have submitted our ACFER for the 2021 report,

and hopefully we will be receiving an award, and that will make it 33. Next slide, please.

Okay.

The general fund, so our general fund highlights include that our revenues increased, our general fund revenues increased by $2 million. And we received $45 million in the last fiscal year. Our expenditures stayed, we maintain, we were very cautious and monitored our expenditures. we stayed at 45 million to make sure that our operations did not exceed our revenues received and lastly our general funds stay relatively unchanged it can it's still at the 35 million there was just a few hundred thousand here that was off but other than that we still have the 35 million of a general fund balance next slide please our property sales and tot tax represent about 68% of our general fund. And this has grown and it grew from last year. And we attribute a lot of that to our strong property tax that are real estate that continue to stay strong even through COVID and our marketplace that has been able to keep us afloat during the pandemic. It continued to help us grow and not continue to continue our operations while we lost revenue in other areas.

Next slide, please.

So the city's general fund balance, as I said, is $35.1 million, and that is split up into several categories. That is the non-spendable, which is something that we've already prepaid and it's something that's not spendable because it's already been prepaid

and we show it as an asset.

We have committed funds, and those are for specific purposes, and those may only be changed by council.

For example, when I've come back at mid-year budget

and I ask to move more money into catastrophic, that is only a decision council can make.

Then we have assigned funds,

and those are also earmarked for specific reasons. Those have been money that has been appropriated in prior years for capital projects or for carryovers from contracts that we have with some of our vendors. And the remaining money is unassigned. That's money that can be used for, you know, when we have emergencies or when we have, you know, urgent things that we have to buy. We still have to come to council to request funding from that fund, but it's funds that we can use because they haven't been assigned to anything.

Last slide.

And lastly, I want to talk about how we report our elected officials in our ACFER.

In the accounting world, we report the elected officials who were in those positions on the fiscal year end, so on June 30, 2021.

but it's brought to my attention that maybe we should revisit that and look at to possibly document our officials at the time that we bring the ACFOR to council so I do ask aside from receiving and filing this I do ask for direction moving forward if council would like for the officials documented in the ACFOR to be the officials that were in office at the time of the completion of the audit, which was June 30th, 2021, or any future June 30th, or at the time that the ACFA comes to Council. That concludes my presentation. Thank you, Martha.

Councilmembers, regarding this question about which elected officials should be listed, what say you?

Is there any legal or any

preference one way or the other i mean why would they i mean is there a reason why they would differentiate that instead of just saying the people that were on the council at the time

well i won't speak for legal that's carl can our city attorney can say that but in the accounting world it's the officials that were in place in the titles that they had during the time of the audit period so the audit period was the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year so that is what we do in the accounting world. As for legal, Carl may answer that question if he's still awake.

So why is it that there's an option for us to choose? Like, why would they provide that option

rather than just saying the people that were in office during the audit?

Mr. Mayor, members of the Council, it's purely a policy decision with regard to whether you even want titles on the cover. It's form

over substance, to be honest. There's no legal implication involved with it.

So whatever you'd like to do, as Martha said, it's an accounting practice to have the officials as a time frame that that particular document is coming out. But the council may want to change that or may want to take all the officials' names

off the front. There's no legal implication for any of those

options. So what has our past practice been here in the city? It's always been that it's the

council members and their titles at the time the audit was completed. So it would have been in June 20th, June 30th. It has always been that practice of the city. Okay, then I have no problem in

keeping it that way unless my colleagues have a reason why to change it. Thank you, customer liang uh customer chan until you're smiling what's for you yeah and i think if we

adopt the new guidelines then next year our name han's name and my name has to be on the next audit period because we have half a year from uh july to at least through november that we are responsible for that half or five months of the budget or the accounting. And then December and onwards to the next June of 2023 will be the new councils. So it is the new, that means Hans and I, both names has to be, although we are off the council, we are still in the name of the audit. so that may create some kinds of confusion so that that's you know just to answer that just to clarify thank you

I think like whoever in the council should responsible for the other reports on that period of time so I mean I'm sorry that even though you guys after council then you maybe you still be responsible for a portion of that other reports so I would like to follow the old tradition thank you I want to add

is that we all have the fiduciary responsibility okay that so long we have one day in there and then we will still have that responsibility so regardless of what way that we adopt, but I think the old way is okay. It's just like our city attorney said, it's just form versus substance.

Okay, okay. Yes? If we are off on this topic, then we'd like to ask some questions.

Actually, you have direction, right? Do you have direction you need? Are you still? Yes, I will continue to use the current practice. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you, Martha. Thank you, Councilman. Okay, Councilman Chan, yes. Any further questions?

Thank you. First of all, I want to thank the Finance and Management Department, headed by, of course, Mother Gazir. You know, great job. You know, also, it's a difficult year, and through the pandemics and economic is not good, but good that we have the marketplace, you know, the new hotels and so forth that have the city afloat. And I'm happy to see that we don't have depleted any general fund balance, and we still maintain $35 million, and we increase in the emergency fundings. So that increases a little bit, although we may want to increase a little bit more. But we have to do it as we have the money, have the funds. We cannot just write a check that we don't have the funds in the bank. So I think everything is good, considering the situation that we are facing. And since we have an unmodified report, that means everyone is doing their job. The city is clean and no big deal. I mean financially. the audit trail and the way that the city uses the funds is not under any questions so which is good for so many years that we've been doing it so please continue the good work and and keep the city you know going and make it you know clean and responsible to all the residents in the city I think that's the most important thing. So thank you for the good work. Thank you, Councilman Wachian.

Councilman Yu, would you like to share some comments or questions? Yes, I wanted to say

thank you, Martha, for doing such a great job. I know my name is as a mayor for that report, so thank you so much for giving me such a great report card. And overall, I wanted to point out a few numbers that I'm really impressed with our city. And the actual revenue in the general fund

were like $1 million higher than the budget revenues, which was due to recovery from the COVID and also the strong performance on property tax and sales tax. And the $1 million increase was actually a net total of $2.2 million increase, actually, in the taxes.

So offset, there was some kind of, you know, decrease in our expenditure and the decrease on our other revenue.

But actually, very good job that the city did about $2.2 million up in property tax and sales tax during pandemic. So this is actually good news. And another number that I wanted to point out is the city total assessed valuation is $8.5 billion.

It's up 5% since last year, up about $394 million. So our city actually has a lot better valuations throughout the year. So thank you so much, Martha, for doing such a great job. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Yu.

Any other?

Okay.

Okay. Let's see. I don't hear any further questions.

This is a file and receive. Do we still need a motion to? Okay. Okay. Then thank you. We receive this report.

Thank you so much.

Yeah. No need to move. Yeah. No need. No action. Thank you.

Okay. Let's see. Moving on. Item four, public hearing none.

Item 5, new business, none. Item 6, city communications.

Councilmembers?

Oh, yes, there is an item. I'm sorry, 6A. Okay.

Yes, we have item 6A, resolution of city council,

the city of Monarch Park, ensuring equal policies

for reproductive health care services, requested by Mayor Henry Lo and Councilmember Yvonne Yu. Before we continue, clerk, do we have any requests to speak or written communications?

We do have written communication. I don't know if we have any speakers.

Okay.

Yeah, okay. Okay, I have about four of them.

Four, you said? Yeah. Okay.

Okay, first one is from Jeff Schwartz on behalf of the Monterey Park Democratic Club. The Monterey Park Democratic Club and the California Democratic Party have long supported women's right

to choose the timing of their family and access to reproductive health care.

Please vote yes on item 6A on women's reproductive health care.

Okay, next one is from Linda Tang.

Please find attached my support letter for tomorrow's council meeting regarding agenda 6A.

Oh, okay, actually, so this is the letter.

Dear Mayor Lo and City Council Members, I am writing to urge you to pass a resolution declaring Monterey Parks a city of reproductive freedom.

I'm in support of this issue.

Director of Public Works. City Attorney. ! because the reproductive rights

! are fundamental human rights! ! Abortion rights ! are fundamental ! Abortion rights

! are fundamental ! rights ! and we must to protect

! not only in our state but in our community! passing the equal access to reproductive ! health

accessible! It is critically important now more than ever

than ever that the City of Monterey Park stand in solidarity with those seeking to

uphold the rights of safe accessible and affordable reproductive health care.

The next one is from Jess Shaoyang. Honorable Mayor Lo and City Council my name is Jess Shaoyang. Reproduction freedom, reproductive freedom has been

under attack in multiple states and we need to show solidarity with communities who need reproductive freedom I strongly support this resolution and hope that

you pass this in the upcoming City Council meeting so actually there was

three written communications rather than four has okay okay thank you so much okay council members any comments or questions or motion

I'm sorry, you want to say something?

Actually, you know, the measure came up a couple of weeks ago about reproductive freedom in Monterey Park that caused some confusion and did not pass. So on February 16, I asked Mayor Lo to bring back a new resolution to the council that clearly outlines the way in which the city can support access to sexual and reproducing health care, inclusive of reproductive needs and different gender needs. After exploring what the city can do, I did add a point to ensure that the right to reproductive freedom in Monterey Park, the city council requests that the staff survey all permitting policies to ensure reproductive health care services are treated equally to all other forms of health care. So even in our great city, too many people lack access to health care. While this is mostly a county issue, there are things that a city can do as a strong supporter of reproductive choice. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Yu. Any other comments or questions, Councilmembers? Okay, hearing none. Sure.

Then I'd like to move for approval of Item 6A.

Second.

Second by Councilman Yu. Please vote.

Motion passed. Thank you very much.

Okay. Continuing communications, council members,

Kau-Ryu, would you like to share anything with us? Actually, I wanted to say I'm so excited. I'm the first time here since pandemic and since elected to the office,

and first time here being a dais and chamber,

and so happy to see everyone in person

and also fixing up all the system that hopefully it works,

mic and also the system. So it's a very exciting experience, and I really like it, and I hope we have more enjoying

time with all of you. Thank you.

Thank you, Catherine Yu. Catherine Chan.

Thank you, and it's so good to be back after two years away from this council chambers,

and I just wish everyone to stay healthy and be vigilant. The virus is still with us.

and hopefully with extra precautions, we can fight this and get back to normal. And on March 23rd, I think all of us attended the Chinatown Service Center grand opening of a new office on Atlantic Boulevard, which is a clinic. And most important thing, it has the mental health facility in there. So congratulations to Chinatown Service Center. providing services to residents of Monterey Park and the vicinities. And also I attended on March 25th in the Japanese Council General's residence to celebrate the Emperor's Birthday or the National Day. And I've been there before because of the pandemic. They have scaled down the food or drinks. before it is very elaborate and a lot of food in that place. And we all attended the ICA, the Independent Cities Association, conference last weekend. And good to see our other city's colleagues and exchange greetings. And a long time, you know, having seen each other, which is good. And we have some important topics to discuss, like housing, homeless, law enforcement, that kind of thing, which is very good. So thank you. And just again, good to be back. And take care of that. We'll miss you.

Thank you, Councillor Chan. Councillor Lam? Thank you, Mayor. I think the sentiment is the same with all of us. It's been such a long time since we've been able to be in each other's presence. It's great to see Nancy. I know that's her spot over there every council meeting. And just to see our staff, Cindy, our deputy city clerk, our city clerk, and be able to just kind of share time together in the room today, Michael as well.

So I'm just happy that we can get together. I'm happy for the new council members, for Mayor Lo, and for Council Member Yu to have this experience. I remember, you know, I think Peter and I can both remember when we had this experience and we had the opportunity to sit up here and play these roles as leaders of the city. You know, it's one of the things I was joking with Henry, and Peter and I, you know, we joked about it as well, is that, you know, when you start, you're on this side, and you see the world three times this way. But right when you sit in this chair, everything changes because you're facing everyone forward. It's like we both commented on that. It feels different, right? It's like, oh, yeah, everyone's right in front of us now. So it's good to get back to the kind of normal business of city work. And I think Peter had summarized all the events that we went to already. And Fred, I know Fred is watching on his phone or his tablet. We just want to wish you the best. and I texted him a little message while we were here that I'm sure I'd be having a few more laughs if he were sitting here with us tonight. So all the best to you, Fred, and good evening to everyone in Monterey Park. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Ling.

I also want to echo sentiments of my colleagues. It's wonderful that we are able to meet in the chamber,

the People's Chamber of this community,

to discuss important issues that impact the residents of this city. And I hope that we will continue to be able to meet in person in these chambers.

And so I hope that these are positive signs as we move forward.

And again, thank you for all that came tonight, those who spoke for public comment. We always appreciate when you share your opinion and views. Government always works best when their elected representatives hear from constituents.

Also, thank you so much.

The representatives from Assemblymember Mike Fong's office, Ms. Jennifer Tang, to introduce yourself. We look forward to working with Assemblymember Fong. There are a lot of important issues facing our community, and we hope that we can have a collaborative relationship.

and I think

I will close my comments by also saying

our deepest

most appreciation to our colleague Mayor Pro Tem Sanosil for

serving with us. Fred was sworn in

same time as myself and Yvonne

and I still remember the election which we had which was still pre-pandemic and I and um it was probably an omen of things to come when we

had to be sworn in via zoom and we continued that for two years and so uh you know I think when

history looks back on not just here in Monterey Park but you know every community um those were

challenging times certainly they're still challenging now but those are challenging times and for those of us on city council especially those of us who were new it was a trial by fire because not only were we learning how to settle into our roles but also we have this in front of

us a very urgent matter of the pandemic and I just want to compliment all five of us for

having the fortitude to

steer the city in a positive direction and

you know on a personal level Fred I just want to thank you because

each time which we've had a bulky item picked up

you called me and I was more than happy to drive around the city and pick up

items. I actually learned a lot about yesterday and what things were disposed. Apparently people like to dispose of chairs and tables and other bulky items.

And so I know if you're watching, again,

our deepest love and appreciation for all that you did for this community and want to park in a better place because of your contributions. Thank you. Let's see. Any other communications, council members?

Okay.

Staff, any other?

Okay. Okay, future agenda items, do we have any? I hear none, okay. Closed session is required by the attorney. We did not have any closed session items. Then in that case, then I'd like to adjourn tonight's meeting at 8, 11 p.m.

Have a good evening and be safe. Meeting adjourned. Thank you.