City Council Meeting — September 17, 2025

Thank you.

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All right.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone. Let's call the meeting to the Gabrielino-Tongva people as present and future.

And honor the Gabriolino-Tonva history and join us in caring for this land. Salute. Today we have the... I ultimately ultimately ultimately

ultimately ultimately ultimately ultimately ! ultimately

Present colors. To the flag of the United States Republic for which it stands, in this law, just as a

Forward, face! Forward, march!

Well, now it's based.

Dismissed.

Madam Clerk, may we get a roll? Council Member Ngo? Present. Council Member Wong? Present. Council Member Sanchez? Present.

Mayor Pro Tem Lo? Present. Mayor Yang? Present. We have a quorum.

Thank you. Do we have a quorum?

Yes. I'd like to request to add to staff committee department.

There's some activities and events that we just want to make sure that we highlight. Madam Mayor, is to, if we can, please, if the council, move 7A.

a guest in the audience, and so we'd like to see if that would be a possibility, please. All right. Yes, no problem.

All right, looks like we have three public comment cards.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. would deter this. For example, I lived near Repetal Elementary School. None of the curves

apply with the state mandatory law. Two blocks away, there are to meet, well, I don't know if

that's the right thing to do, but for our children, they may not be aware of what is to do the right thing.

Especially around, I'm just only referring to schools, but I'm sure there's other areas in the city,

the foot traffic. Yes, it requires the city engineers to draw pretty easy, crosswalk 20 feet back.

It costs to take care of these curves to save a life. $3 million with this new,

they enforced that law

and they were able to do this. Very high. They're about to decide that, whatever fits our city, and we'll have more revenue.

Thank you for listening.

I know we posted on our website for AB. Did we also promote it?

And I know the speaker's saying that the plans by city to address. Thank you, Mayor Patel-Lo. Bring this up for further discussion because I'd like to actually explore a little bit more because I

Understand where the speaker is coming from and I actually do see that

Yes, we can definitely have a big and come up in it and answer the quen consider exactly that

higher risk because of students so here Good evening mayor mayor Potom City Council Sean I go public works director just by case basis When we do look at painting those corners so the ongoing maintenance can be expensive specific intersections PD is working with us to identify some of those locations which typically around schools So we'll evaluate those and paint those areas on a case-by-case basis And then additionally, I know PD is also working on a campaign to educate her Don Rock

Good evening madam mayor City council members dedicated staff moment to publicly congratulate Liz. It was very...

Madam clerk may we get a roll council member go present council member

! Council member Sanchez? Mayor Pro Tem Lo? Mayor Yang? We have a quorum. Thank you.

I request to add to staff committee department. There are some activities and events that we just want to make sure that we highlight.

Madam Mayor, if we can please move 7A, a guest in the audience. And so we would like to see if that would be a possibility please.

All right? Yes, no problem. All right. Looks like we have three public comment cards.

We have a question. We have a question. We have a question. I'm not sure what is the risk to do the right thing. We have a question. We have a question. Yes, I'm just only referring to schools, but I'm sure there's other areas in the city. The foot traffic. Yes, it requires the city engineers to draw pretty easy crosswalk 20 feet back. It costs to take care of these curves. It could save a life. Three million dollars with this new. They enforce that law and they were able to do this very high. They're about to decide that whatever fits our city and we'll have more revenue. Thank you for listening. I'm at Mount. I know we posted on our website for AB. Did we also promote it to the resident? And I know what the speaker is saying is that the plans by city to address. Thank you, Mayor Prat-Semolo. I'll bring this up for further discussion because I'd like to actually explore a little bit more because I understand where the speaker is coming from and I actually do see that.

Yes, we can definitely have it. They can come up and answer the question. Consider exactly that. Higher risk because of students. So here. Good evening, Mayor. Mayor Prat-Semolo City Council. Sean Igoe, Public Works Director. Based by case basis, when we do look at painting those corners so the ongoing maintenance can be expensive. We have a lot of specific intersections. PD is working with us to identify some of those locations which is typically around schools. So we'll evaluate those and paint those areas on a case by case basis. And additionally, I know PD is also working on a campaign to educate. Don Rock.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, City Council members, dedicated staff. I want to give a moment to publicly congratulate Liz.

It was very nice and I'm so excited and so happy for you. Congratulations.

Science Night. And I'm so excited and so happy for you. Congratulations. My name is Dawn Rock. And a couple of weeks ago I had the Park resident Jake O'Hara. It's also part of history filming during World War II where my own mom and her family were sent. He went on to earn his doctor of pharmacy degree from USC. Fight on. And raised five children who attended Repetto Elementary. Four children graduated from USC.

for Mark Keppel while the fifth pursued private school. But beyond his many accomplishments, I knew Jake in the simplest, most my dad's fishing buddy. Every morning at Tommy's, Jim's Bakery, Keller's, it was still open, or McDonald's, wherever there was a cup of hot coffee and good

conversation. He was a friend of my family. He was well, everyday, everyday fabric. Jake left an

incredible mark. He was one of the owners. People shared stories of his warmth, his generosity,

his kindness. One of Jake's sons, Garrett, asked him about hadn't paid their bills,

but powerful. How else are they going to get their medicine? He wasn't in business for wealth or recognition. He was in business to serve, to care, to serve. Someone who gave. We signed up more swimmers and volunteers for our upcoming swim campaign fundraiser on October 5th. The good news for all of you is there's still room to join us.

It will also, oh, I'll also be at the Monterey Park Police Department's 25th Annual Youth Activities Golf Tournament as a golfer.

And I can help all the officers.

This isn't just a fundraiser.

It's a chance to be part of history. This is the community's first annual swim campaign. I invite each and every one of you to sign up at sgvpub.org as a swimmer, a volunteer, or simply as someone who cares about preserving a place where generations have learned, swam, and grown together. Thank you, as always, for your time, your attention, and your love for this community. Next speaker, Michelle E.

Hi neighbors, it's Michelle, your elected city clerk speaking as your city clerk. But I don't like what we have to say.

In the past few meetings, you may have no speaking.

Prior, you were able to speak on each item. So during consent calendar, you could only speak five minutes on all of the items that you consent. Now, anymore, so they limited your speaking time to five minutes.

No one makes you wonder.

And if you don't, you know, it's crazy. I have so many parallels with what's going on federal. Or get everybody fired in, and because they want to voice that opinion.

And here, in your space. Next item is.

First up. Has there been a change of policy? Are people no longer alLod to speak during public comment? I'd like to clarify.

At all of our meetings, five minutes.

So for consent calendar items, it's five minutes for consent calendar.

Public hearing, five minutes. Correct. Madam Mayor, I don't know. Do we want to move the fire chief before staff communication?

If the council members like to do that, we can. I know we have our sounds good.

Let's go with seven. Fire chief.

Jason's making his way down here to the podium. I'm going to read a quick term as Deputy Fire Chief with the Los Angeles City Fire Department for 36 years.

He's held a variety of roles, paramedic, captain, battalion, and experience. In addition to his promotional accomplishments, James.

Council members, elected officials, valued. My name is Jason Heng of the Monterey Park Fire Department. I am very grateful for the trust that has been and work alongside these dedicated members. One of my main priorities are our firefighters, so the highest level of service to the communities they serve. This exceptional department is much more than emergency responses. We are an essential part of this community. And with your support, we will continue to set the standard for public safety and community partnership. With that, I'd like to close by saying thank you very much for this opportunity. I look forward to serving.

Actor or taken care of.

First priority.

I just want to echo welcome ship and look forward to our new fire chief to the community

all badge pinning thing or community is able to really get introduced to him too. Thank you. Thank you.

Chief to Monterey Park. Everyone here in Monterey Park really admire and have a lot of respect for our first responders. Thank you. Council member.

Great that you were able to be here yesterday during the festivities. as you saw the people who are involved in this as much to welcome you as our new fire chief.

And so we're looking forward to working with you, to collaborating with you, and, again, you and your leadership for amazing.

Thank you. Can I leave now? Yes.

All right. I'm Mayor Pro Tem and City Council, Sean Igoe, Public Works Director. Tonight I have a quick update on the name.

So we're happy to have a meeting this past Monday. And these that provided input and feedback.

So we're excited to hear from them.

We have our next meetings coming up, which is going to be next Monday.

And then that will be an in-person meeting at George Elder. And then we have next Thursday we actually have our feedback and hopefully give us some information.

We've had three completed thus far, which is great.

We hope to have more complete that. We're hoping about additionally we did some door-to-door canvassing. 75 businesses and residents. We got feedback from them. We had 20 individuals complete surveys. So while they were there, we wanted to hear feedback from these individuals. I appreciate the staff especially taking the time and effort to canvass the businesses along with some criticism about.

I really appreciate your staff for doing that. Loved all the pictures. It's a very exciting. I commend all of our residents to complete the survey. Thank you.

Next, we have fire.

Good evening, Madam Mayor. Welcome and congratulations again. It was a great celebration last night.

Department, happy to be here. Also very proud of this community, this fire department, chiefing. Awesome opportunity. Briefly about September is national to prepare for emergencies. So just taking the smallest action can make a big. And so today I'm talking about what we're

doing. So we started with our community preparing. Channel 7 actually covered it too. So it was great

in the city. Then I want to advertise again our CERT program. So that's for our citizens. Highly

encourage them in how to control your home utility. I enrolled my brother and my dad in the very first

class we had here at the city of Monterey Park. Then our training, right? So we got to make, keep continuing on, building on the progress. Service worker certification here with our own city, same basis. Not the first time we met during a situation. So we can do that. Training as well, and we're doing bridge so you'll see the signs of this at all of the main this is our new upgraded version of nix so a huge resource a great i'm very proud of this project that we want city one a quick go kit for the car so that was what we wanted to focus on this month captain gets put together a quick video there that you reference on the slide

basically to provide the basics essentials you don't have it you can go to your local dollar

store for me shade the concerted effort um by if by chance you don't have to top your head

under the Nixle system between the current system

and the... From Nixle. Oh, I see, I see. So the difference of Everbridge as well too

is it's an opt-in system. And then we also have... Good, I'm glad to hear we're being cutting edge.

Thank you.

Thank you and your leadership for amazing. Thank you. Can I leave now? Yes.

All right. Mayor Pro Temp and City Council, Sean Igoe, Public Works Director.

Tonight I have a quick update on the name. So we're happy to meet this past Monday and these that provided input and feedback. So we're excited to hear from them.

We have our next meetings coming up, which is going to be next Monday.

And then that will be an in-person meeting at George Elder. And then we have next Thursday we actually have our feedback and hopefully give us some information. We've had three completed thus far, which is great.

We hope to have more complete that.

We're hoping about additionally we did some door-to-door canvassing.

75 businesses and residents.

We got feedback from them. We had 20 individuals complete surveys.

So while they were there, we wanted to hear feedback from these individuals. Thank you. I appreciate the staff especially taking the time and effort to canvass the businesses along. There's been some criticism about. I really appreciate your staff for doing that.

Especially. Loved all the pictures. It's a very exciting. And all of our residents to complete the survey. Thank you. Next, we have fire.

Good evening, Madam Mayor.

Welcome and congratulations again. It was a great celebration last night. Department, happy to be here.

Also very proud of this community.

This fire department chiefing. Awesome opportunity. Briefly, about September is national to prepare for emergencies.

So just taking the smallest action can make a big deal.

And so today I'm talking about what we're doing. So we started with our community preparedness. Channel 7 actually covered it too. So it was great in the city.

Then I want to advertise again our CERT program. So that's for our citizens.

Highly encourage them in how to control your home utility. I enrolled my brother and my dad in the very first class we had here at the city of Monterey Park.

Then our training, right? So we got to keep continuing on, building on the progress. Service worker certification here with our own city.

Same basis.

Not the first time we met during a situation.

So we can do that. Training as well.

And we're doing bridge. So you'll see the signs of this at all of the main. This is our new upgraded version of Nixa.

So a huge resource.

I'm very proud of this project that we went city one. A quick go kit for the car. So that was what we wanted to focus on this month. Captain Getz put together a quick video there that you referenced on the slide.

Basically to provide the basics essentials. You don't have it.

You can go to your local dollar store. That's for me. Appreciate the concerted effort by if you don't have to top your head under the Nixa system.

Between the current system and the.

Into from Nixa. Oh, I see. I see.

So the difference of Everbridge as well too is it's an opt-in system. And then we also have. Good.

I'm glad to hear we're being cutting edge. Yep. Things people can prepare. Residents can prepare in case there's an emergency. Yep.

Correct. He actually put together like two to three minute video on there.

He actually goes and shows all the stuff he bought at the store. Put it in the backpack.

And just talks about the essentials of what you need. Next we have item seven.

email, or live chat directly. Open new accounts, make changes to them such as like paying in cash,

credit cards, debit cards. Provides hands-on training to help with recycling and proper

material sorting. And residents can also stop by to pick up kitchen pails. To make billing easier, we provide and meld it with our invoices. Find customers that if they are us, that we can update

their information on our system. Unfortunately, that system, that information doesn't automatically

get updated. AutoPay is safe and secure. We don't store any credit card numbers. We also added a new note on AutoPay. We were notified by a lot of residents that they were not notified that their

credit card did not go through, so we've since updated that. And here is a copy of the invoices due, what they're getting billed for, and then the information. All right, so from September 1st of 2024 when we initially started to August 31st of 2025 we've collected bulky item requests we've collected 200 and we've also through the city's go mpk app we've also handled more than 1300 abandoned items we would implore what you see especially when you put that out it's like another day or two in delay before we it's all beneficial to all of us

we've hosted quarterly bulky item and e-waste drop-off events along with monthly compost

giveaways that's something new that we've implemented this year Monterey Park receives

these events more often than other cities and we are committed to providing 250 bags of compost

that are just specifically reserved for the city of Monterey Park we've also provided

at-home delivery for ADA customers. That's going to be back compost.

And then the events are very popular. That material often goes very quickly. In addition, we hold document shirting events.

We held one in April, and we're holding one in October the 4th.

So when we – oh, let's go back one.

Under SB 1383, which is the reason why we have to put food waste into the green waste cart. One part of that legislation requires procurement, which includes compost and mulch giveaway events. Most communities are now only doing two to four a year,

whether semi-annual or quarterly. This is what we do in other jurisdictions. We have worked quite well with your staff to do this on a monthly basis.

We provide not only the bagged, I've secured that for this year and next year, but also providing... Where are we sending the loose? 40 yards. No, where are we sending it? City yard. We also send, we can send as many loose 40 yard boxes to the corporate yard and the residents can pick up as much as they want there. this is important because under that part of 1383 since AB939 went in in 1989 we've always talked about closing the loop finally at least on the organic side of it we now have a way of doing it

and so it's great to see the participation in this community where people come and use it this is what we think is truly great please encourage all of your neighbors to continue to participate in these events.

And here are some photos from the compost giveaways and the cleanup events that were held this year. All right.

We're disposed to be proud to take part in community events such as the Monster Mash,

the Holiday Snow Village, Earth Day, Cherry Blossom Festival.

We've also participated in Brightwoods Elementary Earth Day and the City Public Works Day.

And these events help us connect directly with our residents.

We've developed flyers, brochures, and mailers to keep residents informed.

All materials are available in Chinese, English, Spanish to better serve our diverse community.

All of our materials are also available via our website as well.

this past year we worked hard to clean and combine customer data from both the city

water information that we receive as well with Athens data many residents have been adjusting

their services with over 750 households choosing smaller carts that better fit their needs their needs one big change was moving trash services off the city's water bill residents now receive invoices directly from where disposal to help with the transition we waived the late fees during the first billing cycles?

Just a short note on the two billing lists. They were essentially, well, they came in an Excel spreadsheet.

They were essentially two incompatible formats.

So we had to figure out how to combine them and then put it through a GIS system so it all matched. And then we knew where people were routed and separated out from single-family.

It's a multifamily, and that took about four to five weeks until we finally got that accomplished. That was probably the most difficult part of the transition when we went through that last year.

Some improvements that we've done to improve our customer service,

we've expanded support to include real-time chat through our website

and a dedicated email address specifically just for the City of Monterey Park residents.

Our customer service team has grown, with Chinese-speaking representatives added for better accessibility.

We've also optimized collection routes to ensure timely and reliable service. And residents are already seeing faster response times and more efficient service.

Some highlights for this year. We've met our 2025 diversion rates targets.

We introduced two fully electric vehicles dedicated to Monterey Park.

They're currently used for bulk item removals, recycling, and green waste routes.

We've distributed new carts, purchased new service vehicles, and maintained reliable schedules.

We also delivered on-site training for our multifamily residential customers.

And looking ahead, we're already planning for 2026 to ensure Monterey Park events remain engaging and successful. Let's go back one slide, please. There's two aspects I just want to discuss here. One is on the electric vehicle component.

We will continue exploring the ability of adding more to our fleet

and deploying them here to the city,

considering there are essentially no-emission vehicles.

You need to understand that there is significant competition for these vehicles in that when we first introduced CNG vehicles, alternative fuel,

here in Southern California back in 1995, we were grateful to the city of Santa Monica because they did all the experimentation for us. And then it was a phased-in approach that ultimately got where they became reliable and then they became widespread. But that was only here in South Coast. If you lived in other parts of the state, you didn't have to buy an alternative fuel vehicle. With electric vehicles, until what has happened recently with the current federal administration, electric vehicles would have to be implemented up and down the state. This is going to create a significant competition issue for buying these very precious resources. So we're going to do everything we can to acquire them. But you have to keep in mind, you know, there's a big 800-pound bully next door to the city of Los Angeles. If they want to buy 100, that squeezes us out. That squeezes a lot of other people out.

It's just this is the problem with the statewide rule compared to what we were doing with 1193 here on the South Coast.

The other item is one thing that we had to factor in eventually was the closure of Chiquita Canyon Landfill, which occurred January 1 of 2025.

This was largely unanticipated when we first proposed on this contract. We've had to make some adjustments because of that.

and we're doing that at no additional cost to the city and its residents.

Those are the electric vehicles that are out on the streets in Monterey Park.

All right.

In compliance with SB 1383, we conducted a route audit between March and May. We inspected 1,300 accounts by checking carts. A three-tack system was used.

We had good for correct sorting, oops for contamination,

and no service if sorting was not acceptable.

We also provided flyers and sorting guides to help residents improve their sorting.

This audit helps us create better outreach and education going forward.

And here are some examples of those three audits, of those three tacks.

So those were the three tacks that we tacked on the carts that were audited.

Our customer service team is here to help.

We're open six days a week, both in person and online.

Thank you for allowing us to serve Monterey Park and we look forward to another year of partnership with the city, the council and the community.

I have a question, ma'am. May I? Yes. Mark and Jason, thank you for doing this. first I'm going to give you guys props for doing the compost monthly that's a big hit in the community they don't have to wait three months they just go out there monthly so thank you for that just out of curiosity on the customer service reps how many do you have that's full-time staff or part-time staff that's fielding the calls yeah so here in the city of Monterey Park we have five

full-time staff members out of those five we have three they speak fluently Chinese, both Cantonese and Mandarin.

We do have other call centers that if for some reason our calls do get flooded in the city of Monterey Park, they get redirected to other call centers that assist with the calls for the city of Monterey Park. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you and appreciate the annual report and especially this first year. I know any kind of transition to a new hauler and particularly a completely new system, we went from a two-bin to a three-bin system, is bound to have challenges. It looks like, and I think we've worked through, and your team has worked through a lot of them.

I'm just curious if you guys track a number of complaints as well and just how quickly those are resolved. I'm curious if you have that data or would be able to report out on that data. I don't have that data in front of me or with me today,

but I would say that our complaints have decreased drastically, especially since the start of our service. With the new improvements, we've been able to assist customers easier and quicker. So most of the complaints initially were about just not being able to get a hold of us

or not being able to get the information that they needed. So we've made some upgrades to that. One other aspect to that, especially on single family plus what we got in the multifamily, we didn't change any day of service for anybody. and to the state I believe that's still true.

No, I appreciate it. And I think by and large the transition went a lot smoother than I even expected,

not to say that there weren't hiccups and there weren't issues

and there weren't complaints, but I'd be curious just going forward, and this is a seven-year contract, right, to be able to measure next year's annual report to see that.

! they get redirected to other call centers that assist with the calls for the city of moderate park

! thank you

! thank you and appreciate the annual report

! especially this first year ! I know ! any kind of transition !

to a new hauler and particularly a completely new system went from a tube into a three-bin system uh is bound to have challenges uh it looks like and i think we've worked through and the your team has worked through a lot of them i'm just curious uh if you guys track number of complaints as well and just how quickly those are resolved i'm curious if you have that data or would be able to report

out on that data i don't have that data in front of me or with me today but i would say that our complaints have decreased drastically especially since the start of our service

um with the new improvements we've been able to uh assist customers easier and quicker

so most of the complaints uh initially were about i'm just not being able to get a hold of us or not being able to get the information that they needed so we've we made some upgrades to that

one other aspect to that uh especially on single single felony plus what we got

in the multi-family we didn't uh change any day of service for anybody and to the state i believe

that's still true no appreciate it and i think by and large the transition went a lot smoother than i even expected not to say that there weren't hiccups and there weren't issues and there weren't complaints uh but i'd be curious just going forward and this is a seven-year contract right to be able to to measure next year's annual report to see that to make sure that the number of complaints and all these other issues and challenges continue to drop which would be helpful to be able to compare some of that so if there's a way to do that that'd be great um and i appreciate the if we can and if the city and where can work on doing more to push uh bulky item pickup i know we do promote it and encourage people to call to get their bulky items picked up i've made use of that i had to move this last year and had a lot of furniture to get picked up and really appreciated where uh getting that done the last few and really appreciated where getting that done the last few months. There's still, I mean, I walk the neighborhoods, I know the other council members do as well, why people either don't know or choose not to utilize

bulky out and pick up.

And unfortunately, as you noted in your presentation, we have to go send you guys out to go pick it up off route and or add to things that you guys weren't planning

and overcome and get people to understand that this is something we are,

everyone that is a customer in the city already pays for as part of their bill for booking item pickup, whatever we can do to continue to promote blocks where people just leave stuff.

But it would be much more helpful if they plan.

I assume some of that's regular, right? Is that how we're measured, or do we measure that direct way?

Before this was a provision within 1383, it was sort of left to all of our own collective devices to figure out what we thought would be acceptable.

13.3 essentially now has forced us to now deal with this.

So now we are now telling people hardcore, you're doing it right.

You see a tag, you need to improve. That's sort of actually getting the organics out of the waste stream. Let's not deal with the blue.

This is all short-lived climate pollutants.

This is what we're trying to get out of black, put into green, and then we deal with it.

will be it's hard for i'm sure people are still adjusting to it i think the green bin properly

continue to on the the organic diversion wear side one other point uh in the green

please do not put palm in the green it doesn't work be going in the green bin which should be going up and then people who find it still too confusing they just put everything in the black

bin still because that's how it used to be so that's not the right way to do it so appreciate that we're doing this audit the you're going to continue the audit annually I mean if we can do that more often right it'd be helpful if there are other ways to help continue to educate people

politely and nicely around what I think there's a lot more of that still to do the diversion requires your is that measured when you accumulate all the jurisdictions you serve you exist as your own entity of what we have and throw it all together and you're part of it. It's a requirement in the franchise

where we have to meet 42% on a monthly basis, so we've done that.

Then 1383 taking it from a straight dramatic.

So it's, do you have a program for this? Do you have a program for that? Are you offering the compost and mulch giveaway? You know you put all these things together and that determines whether you've programatically are in compliance

So that's what what we're here for we're getting you into programmatic compliance so the

so we are doing right the program at compliance versus the Diversion requirement in terms of what I view compliance as if you have us right with these programs in place then you're meeting then you're in compliance

or do we need to meet a certain number of returns?

Or is the state going to come down? Here's how they measure that.

Are we measuring, like every week that you guys pick up trash,

are we measuring? To the state to CalRecycle, efforts to meet regulations,

but there is, I know you're asking about,

essentially how the calculations work is that all waste that is generated

in the city of Monoracility gets reported to the state. us through our curbside pickup programs. It can also be coming back from the city of Monson and a per capita do come under that rate every year to be in compliance. We are more geared towards the organics recycling side because that legislation is newer. Back to the state every year we do get businesses or drive around us and so a Cal Recycle representative will meet with city staff and discuss all of our programming as well. Well, yeah, well appreciate that and that's very helpful like in compliance are we close to not being compliance because the Continues to increase right it with time. There's a fears. Is that right?

So that that's a statewide target Jason mentioned in our franchise agreements. We do require

The haulers diversion a rate so that we can we have plans to continue to to meet the requirements as they get harder and harder. Maybe we can do a tour at some point of the facilities and the sorting facilities. We can have that arranged for you. Measure everything and meet the reporting requirements. I mean, it's how we do it. Thank you for being here.

I just had a couple of questions. And to avoid a lot of the abandoned bulky items, I'm wondering if we can share or if we have the bulky item so people are, and what you guys are doing, whether I mail, but

now I get it electronically.

Process works for people who might not be aware, might just leave it on the curb. With information about due date on another invoice. and i haven't had any problem i mean i'm picked up uh when my kids aren't home so um but thank you

uh for the compost giveaway i know we regularly schedule them on a saturday but i think if i

potentially have uh would love to see i i know that every time uh that we do this somehow i won't be able to but if there's a way to erase we do have loose material available first come

for services um it's actually a side of garvey ranch park so you wouldn't pick it up at our city

yard and um it is first come first so uh how regularly i guess refill or we monitor it uh

on an ongoing basis where right now i think we're doing weekly deliveries um to try to meet demand

okay and then uh my last question is um i know it's been a year um and i know that a lot of the

complaints that I got council member Wong said I think we were all very pleased by how the transition went went a lot better so thank you thank you for that survey residents just to kind of see where they're at and I think just moving forward just knowing where residents easily share that information with where we are aware of it so that we can know how to address you know and so would love to know that we've reached a one-year mark that we can send out to residents in terms of.

Actually, I have a bulky item question. I guess that seems to be the popular issue of tonight. Out of curiosity, MPK app, can they still like before just click on bulky item, make

a request, take a picture and then it will.

So that question, we do want to make sure that the performed on the proper procedures

on when to call and schedule and when to use.

If customers want to schedule a bulky item,

they should be contacting where disposal directly.

Where disposal will confirm with them a pickup date and so they know when to put the items out on the curb.

If it's an abandoned item that is, you know, residents can't report it to the city through GO-MPK app available,

city staff and where disposal will get notified. also would go ahead and pick up the items.

So the distinction is that they are encouraged to go through the of contacting.

Correct.

Being the Go and Pick App as a tool, especially when it comes to bulky item pickup,

is it still used vigorously? Yes, regularly. Good to know.

That's what we wanted to clarify. As we're explained and as Council Member Wong explained,

usual bulky item pickups approach illegal dumped items,

the abandoned items in the public right-of-ways in medians in front of a vacant lot in front of a

bus shelter those are the ones that um go and be case helpful for because then our sometimes it

takes dope and headwear uh pick it up on thank you for clarifying i have so many questions on

bulky items but um for our city manager but i know there's certain areas um in our uh larger items

so could arrange for I mean to try to and then you've probably started to notice probably particular areas Maybe that people will legally dump. I know there's one particular section in my there's always

that videos to explain might be helpful. What we do about the procedures around bulking campaign

to make sure that information gets out there. I think some areas have a tendency to be a hot spot

for bulky item drop-off area, or it's a convenient place. So understood, I think we're doing our best

to try to address those when we see them. Signage that we can put up, like citation might happen or something like that. I know there's a particular,

and I can talk to you more. My question, do you guys charge a fee for a bulky item pickup? No, we don't.

It's part of your overall bi-monthly service charge.

Okay, great, because I heard a rumor that it was like a dollar per call

or something, so that's not it. So it's a completely free charge. For a bulky item pickup, how soon can they schedule a day? Would it be the very next day or would it be a week later?

We just ask that they call us.

because we do have a lot fully booked or quite full. So we ask them at least 48 hours and then we can schedule it.

So two days. Got it. And a tour would be very educational.

So if we can schedule that, I think that'd be great. We have no problem doing that.

I can be your tour guide.

Great. All right.

And if we can continuously express what complaints our residents are facing And be a good idea too so residents can let you guys know what improvements can be made

Yeah, but thank you for being here today moving on to item 8 any old business

to or a consent calendar

Any written or public communications. Thank you

All right our first speaker is bill lamb

On item 9 J and we have a total of two speaker

Well it's just an item is not pulled from consent they would just be correct. Yes, so this would be for the end

I would like to pull item 9 G for a presentation from 9 G 9 G. Okay, so 9 K 9 G and 9 J

All right, is it on 9J? Yeah, I'll second. All right, let's vote.

They're approved unanimously.

You all can hear me, right?

Hello, I'm Bill, a long-time resident of Monterey Park. Before I could, well, I'll give you the end of the map.

that before I could speak on, I just want to express support on having free fairs on October 1st,

which is a clean air day. And so now I can talk about the first page.

So regarding my questions, my concerns, and my comments about the recent change.

So, Monterey Park, I have been living in that city since for a very long time.

Including Transit Express came into the city.

I tried out the service and it was okay and the ride was great during the free rides promotion period. When the $2 one-way fare began last year regarding affordability,

I would pay $2 for the $0.25. Just $0.25. You know, that cost of the Spirit Bus Fair. and I'm going to demand services that the Spirit Bus costs less than the on-

Can't we make both the Spirit Bus and the Transit Express match each other's fare with 25 cents instead of $2? That way both can be fair and equal when using both of those services. Look, I'm tap cards. How can I get around if there's people to use

even if the Transit Express doesn't honor tap cards? What about high demand issues and availability of the vehicles in one?

We may not be able to get one as a result on whether there are enough vehicles of when like Metro Micro a few years ago, for example. And I want to pause there. I did have a discussion with them several months ago, but I just want to let the people in the city to learn to know about this.

So Highlands and the area around Garvey Reservoir, because people including seniors and Highlands and Macy Intermediate really needed Spirit Bus Service to get around and were fast-stop even if they were unable to book a ride on the Transit Express or not enough Transit Express vehicles serving one area. Proposal to the Spirit Bus Service is to restore the bus service back to Brightwood. Regarding routes one and two, you should swap both of them so that route one could run on Garfield and Reagan between Mark Keppel and Elac, and two would only run on Atlantic, which includes the Brightwood.

Proposal regarding the Spirit Bus Service is to bring back route four because the service in the morning going from City Hall to Mark Keppel High School instead of current have Rosemey Walmart.

Why can't we have a Spirit Bus service?

And so my third proposal is adding a possible link if you want to take a look at it.

But lastly, if the transit, you should extend the Spirit Bus hours by matching the Transit Express ending time at 7.30 p.m. instead of 6.30 p.m.

So here are the maps in my comments. The language may be different since I also submitted a similar one to the Metro Service Council last Monday. And so I guess that's all for now.

So thank you.

Thank you. All right. Next speaker. Madam Mayor, I know we're receiving input on the transit spirit bus and all that.

So let's make sure we're including that. But I appreciate Bill and the public engaging in this. And I know there will be other opportunities as we look at bus and all things going forward to

Read a for more and more people in the city. Our next speaker may show you

Actually, um, madam lambs comments, uh, sean, I know this and mr. Lama. I I'm I'm a service council. I'm on the service. I'm at the last count metro council meeting

And I did bring them to our a lot of the changes that we made to our routes. Can you explain to us?

So we saw a decrease in ridership, and so that was part of the change to either restructure the routes or relimate routes. So I know the MPK Express services helped get people around. And so we're constantly looking at our routes, which routes are being used more, which routes are not being used, so that we're trying to service residents. I think after the pandemic, we did. so i appreciate a lot of the updates that we've been doing um and a couple times that i have i've

been the only person in there um so um you know since the pandemic we've seen a lot of wanting to

do um more mobile style um um you know transit uh than than public uh servicing everyone um and working looking at creative ways to do that i just wanted to make sure um that we address some of the

concerned. Absolutely. Yes, and we'll have some additional updates as part of one of the items

that we'll talk about. Yes, thank you. And that I mean, I'll talk about it later.

There's going to be free. I just wanted to say, because I know, but Bill, I'm probably sure

you already know that, but we'll be free. I'll be writing on Friday.

So we can just hold the questions, because we pulled the item for discussion.

So we can address a lot of Bill's comments after that. Hi, neighbors. It's Michelle. I hate to play dumb.

You want to play with to the public that no changes were made to the public comments?

Let me call it out. Agenda 2020 public participation. You may speak up to five minutes on each agenda item.

You may combine up to two minutes of minutes.

Today, the portion where you can delete it.

they lie a bit and say it's just five minutes still have to come up here and tell you to treat your neighbors you deserve out no more public comment so we'll go ahead and close public comment

um state manager do you want to address what michelle said madam mayor and members of the council so understood that um the question around public comment. So there was a resolution that was adopted.

Thank you for that clarification.

All right, so let's get a presentation on item 9G, view of capital improvement projects.

I'll give you an update on our notice of completions, for instance, and have all those full process completed. Send our notice of completion of the county. So these are all the projects we've completed for years because we do have our CGTS that we kind of had to delay a little.

Next slide, please. So this is our Praterra Grande signal improvement project and our Monterey Pass road overlay project.

So we added some signals at the locations of Praterra Grande.

So this is part of our improvement project along Praterra Grande.

So this is a partially completed project, but this portion of the project was completed, so that's why we filed an NOC for this one.

The Monterey Pass road is similar. We have a project on this section of road, and we overlaid this long term.

Next slide, please. Our Barnes Gym Flooring Replacement Project and our Langley restroom projects.

So there's also over here, obviously, with Barnes Gym. We did the bathrooms there.

Obviously, you can see we did the staff in person.

We're excited about the completion of these two projects. Also, do some improvements at Langley and at those restrooms.

We also have some additional funding left over where we did some additional improvements at Langley. So concrete improvements and curb ramp improvements. When we look at some of our street improvement projects, as part of that, we typically can do them in combination.

So as part of our project improvements, 18 of sidewalk replacement and 100 council on emergency, this is the completed project.

And then, as I mentioned earlier, we had our centralized groundwater treatment facility project, which you were there for the ribbon cutting. So this is officially off the books, so we're excited about it.

We'll take any questions. Carter.

But because I think it's really important to highlight, you look at the staff report,

when I looked at the staff report, noticed that most of these projects actually came in under budget.

So kudos, huge kudos to the public works team and everyone else that really was part of these efforts to get all these. But there's a lot more in the pipeline, so to speak, of public works projects that we're looking forward to.

I'm looking forward to getting complete this year and in the years to come.

and look forward to coming in under budget for as many of those as possible to public works projects.

But it's really encouraging to be able to report back to the community that are paying sales tax,

Measure M-P, which passed a few years ago, and property taxes and everything else. I feel like so many of the questions and even concerns I get are around just basic infrastructure, sidewalks, trash, not picked up, okay, I'm not picked up, but a lot of water, sewer issues just a city that's aging and infrastructure reinvest in the infrastructure there's still a lot more work to do but I keep getting questions I think it's important to do

more to tout one our accomplish how much we've done in terms of repaving street I mean especially

the infrastructure that is not visible and that these things cost a lot of money and take a lot of time and are really really critical we the community and our city and our residents don't

and unless they fail and it's in public works and the other departments as well to make sure that doesn't happen the failure doesn't happen it's it's a lot on your end and your businesses and on a daily basis right basic streets side all these things function trash can pick up uh that these things are working and they by and large relatively rare occurrences when they when something fails we hear about it and we have to deal with it uh but when we when we accomplish things like this, rebuilding infrastructure, getting these things done. I think these are worthy of promoting. And to the extent that makes sense, I don't need to turn the Cascades into an article on every single project, but I think at least a few of these products and highlighting the fact that, right, these get to where it is. But that's literally indrinkable for years to come. And that was a huge investment and worth promoting.

That's why we had the ribbon cutting, but also because a lot of people still don't realize

that that that happened and is working now that system is working now to support our ability to drink safe water here in mawri park and so if we can do more to promote some of these circle in the cascades and maybe push things because it would help help me to be able to just forward some of

this stuff to people when i literally i was at a launch with someone i think last week like oh i

drove this street was not repairs like well you how we're we're building up to get all of our streets for our water pipes and we're busy working it's not like people are

just sitting around tooling their thumbs not fixing things and so it'd be great to be able to point more of this out I'd love to point out all the great things

that the teams are doing so pull the time to make sure Sean you could highlight that but thank you and looking forward to tacking off taking off more of products that are on our very very long SIP list we've got over a hundred million dollars I think in projects in the next two years to build out including we talked about Garvey improvement projects and small public work coming years thank you if I could real quick just I'm here internally

obviously the support of council city manager allowing us to do these

projects for the community what I really want to highlight is is our GIS page did To CIPs where people can go in there. It's interactive. They can get updates They can see where these projects are at get to putting some additional information in the cascade the team was doing. Thank you Thanks, I do have another question. Sorry We are in the process of a sidewalk condition assessment right for the city Yes that we are planning on getting that completed by the end of October

Then we'll move into the actual process of how we hunt

Right and then we're working on a plan. We're kind of water master plan

Well, our master plan was recently completed the search and improvements and then we'll re-evaluate talked with the team today about looking at how

So we can do some additional internal assessments

So we're constantly working on things to evaluate systems the PMP the payment management plan that's actually completed

So we can you know share that with the public once we get everything. Yes there's a lot of

planning that goes into this and assessments and

We actually just talked internally about how we do that for a lot of our other facilities. So yes more to come

I appreciate that we're being able to be more per-in-cheek, but also kind of serious.

When you can explain to me why some of these projects have this much to do,

but it is what it is. We are the responsible bidder. I get it. But it's still crazy to me how expensive these things are and costs. And so the tax-paying public, that Sean can't just go to Home Depot, buy supplies, and just rebuild the bathroom at Barnes Park.

I don't have the time, but I don't have the skill set either.

State that we have to pay a certain wage to these individuals especially depending on date those requirements can step in We have different needed. There's a lot. There's a variety again feel like the product that the cost is Elevated but the reality is these are things to pay for and I will tell you that the team does the best they can to look at Alternatives on how again to your point most of these are under budget fantastic job on getting this work done

Comments, but I'm happy to make a motion when we're ready

Thank you, Sean. I also wanted to pull this item, and Council Member Wong beat me to it, but I just wanted to highlight, I know he's already mentioned a lot of the items that I was going to talk about, but went into the parks master plan and a lot of those projects that are coming. but also I would be remiss if I didn't share treasures here in the city it was done with a lot of the changes that we did with the parks my daughters really love going to the all of the work that you guys are doing so I know you're doing a lot of work in fact I was talking to

Ziat earlier about all of the projects that we have going on the rolodex of items that you have

and the emails that streams that you must have on your end in terms of making all this possible and your staff as well but thank you so much

the moving project that we you know source the you know complete streets

project down monterey pass road a lot of stuff coming down so looking forward to think our city's going to be completely transformed afterwards and lastly the capital teachers really thank me but i'm like no you have to think public works on the streets in that area uh so they were always very thankful

for that so just thought i'd mention it

I thank you. It is an expensive endeavor, and I'm sure we'll probably get concerned about, again, damage to our roads.

But I do know that I think that's probably one of the main issues that we often hear.

So I would just say, you know, if we can find a way to continue to improve, expand our repaving of our roads.

I think this item goes to show all the behind-the-scenes work that staff has been working on. And like my colleagues have stated, that these projects should be highlighted, whether some in the Cascades or maybe even some on socials, mostly upcoming events and flyers. but I think the community would appreciate projects have been completed.

So second it.

And I will, I will attest to council member Sanchez's daughter.

All right, let's vote.

Approved unanimously.

And with the city now almost coming up on eight years and I could attest that we've completed more projects in that timeline with the team that we have

currently. So I just want to take a moment to thank them.

It sometimes in public works, I know they do the work, And I think there's also struggles to be able to complete these projects.

So I are working really, really hard.

In community engagement, we will continue to move. Moving on to 9J. Can we get a report on transportation? I'm in city council.

Sean Igoe, public works director. I also have a social education program as a whole and hopefully answer any questions.

Our transportation services.

Back in November, this was following alongside our consultants.

to evaluate the efficiency of our Spirit Bus system. That pilot includes and also implementation trips in real time

of Monterey Park residents and visitors.

Implemented fares and fares are $2 per ride. One eligible seniors or that includes credit or debit cards via the app

or vouchers at the Langley scene. Insurance and elimination additional outreach that the city did. The changes included eliminating MPK Transit Express.

So Spirit Bus runs five. There are different can pay through cash.

Green shows ridership trends for both fixed route and on really declined.

We have seen a gradual increase for MPK Transit Express. Just some quick highlights for MPK Transit Express here in the city. We did our partners via through paid advertising. We also did social media posts. We've also tabled at different community information on our city website

for service here in Monterey Park. Because of cancellations, they are being requested during a lot of testing

to try to request a right to.

So I think what it's showing us is we have 9,000 people trying to use for those who wish to use the trend into effect,

back in August 7th hours to 7.30. We also expanded our coverage zone throughout the city to some additional locations or a larger perimeter

or a key point.

We do currently connect to all-state L.A. and then also down south. Overall, you have to be throughout the city, some areas more concentrated than others.

We do see high school, city hall here in the Civic Center and the library, the Marketplace Shopping Center, the South Atlantic Shopping Center. We have seen about 1% of riders return for a second, about half of all riders through

our service, and we have about nine rides per rider per month.

It went into effect in August 1st of this year. Throughout this pilot program, we will be monitoring key performance indicators, including

ridership, cost for services. They supplement.

The screen includes MPK Transit Express, meaning that riders can record according to the route that's there.

Part of the agenda item, distribute pamphlets and printed material on our community events. And free fare days like Clean Air Day, we hope that more people will use our services.

And we also have representatives from the...

Madam Mayor, may I? Okay, so two things.

The first one is a request. And then number two, I know that we were working on the transit route, including the spirit and time period that is and how much of the survey. We're getting close to what is that's elaborating that. And so we survey and we also did a survey specific survey responses and feedback that we receive and the recommendations to make these changes.

We have some survey capabilities through their app. They do it.

consultant to evaluate the entire more outreach and more the services as they are now and the changes that we've made. So what I'm hearing is based on

what we're moving forward. We need to collect data to so choose.

I just wanted to also mention that we had added that collects data

writers at different stops.

How many years? Two or three. It has also helped really focus in on just, you know, on which routes, but also locations, bus stop locations.

Date. Kind of whole kind of community transportation. When would that be ready?

Mostly likely sometime next year. So again, we saw via. So components of transportation. We want to make sure we evaluate to make sure we give all of our residents and visitors the best, you know. And just for more personal

How much is a ride for dial ride?

There's no cost for dial or specific to senior citizens and there is fees for that.

I think it was no cost. Collecting data. So as much as data, the data also keeps changing.

You know, where we're going to be for a long period. The fares. Just to confirm, a fares is a highly subsidized fare in terms of the costs of the program, right?

and I would just I know the speaker came up earlier from free to two dollars and the

that how it can be also right it's a similar service that uber or lyft or other rights are around town so it makes sense right in terms of but also want to provide a service and visitors

that is comparable but also preferred compared to for continuing to try to find that balance

if data over the next few months

changes and probably

significant changes to one if not all the provider here to enable to keep the service going while we're

evaluating and coming up with solutions

I don't know if we need to buy back obviously I'm sure you're already thinking about it and then dial right as well if we don't know if this is a capability for via or kind of all these services and integrate divative in terms of how we package these things together if we can leverage that for Lor

costs those potential options the council to time.

There we go.

Well, first of all, thanks for the report, and good to see that we're on our routes. Would love to see that, and if it makes sense to expand, and ridership is, you need to

expand or maybe add more,

and I know that some of them were, you know,

I also really like that we've added rides outside.

Walmart. Walmart, sorry, the Walmart. Wherever possible, if there's other city that might merit, that we might maybe a place in Alhambra, I don't know,

wherever it makes sense, without having to either walk.

and that's oh and and I also some motion for free rates. Thank you. Madam Mayor. Thank you. You know I full support of the MBK. You know what's important to remember is happen to the regional transit system. You know again you know I mean we know that Metro has been investing billions in light rail heavy rail subways as well as expanding and and and often public transportation here about that expression you know first and last mile and so

a year for folks to in downtown LA. I mean, I sometimes if I have tour local Chevrolet dealership,

it MPK express to then take me off the Elan station from down. And, you know, and I think it's important, you know, and I appreciate that, you know, because I mean, we know further north, we need to look at ways in which we really build a robust mobility system that takes advantage of all modes of transportation.

And I think there's an opportunity for us to see World Cup's coming. I know the Olympics want to take

public to solve all of those problems.

That's more of a metro question. But wherever possible, our city to get me to that next destination. Absolutely. And if I may, Mayor, Mayor, if I could bring VIA down to actually

talk a little bit.

Also, I'm based in Los Angeles. So service and how well we've seen the first few months go. Sean,

one I think that's a great point about the transit options throughout the

community I think I've been really excited about how we have also takes to move each passenger super proud of in terms of regional power their micro

transit service has happened Rosemead and Monterey Park and what colors ahead

I think they just launched their service so they want it we want to give it some time to get its wings and take off an opportunity to look into in the future

as well. To the council members points if there's anything else you want. We're constantly looking

at how we adapt our program through multiple transit options. Rosemead is they had a a series of per on the bus per hour and so they ended up going citywide to on demand as a way to

move more people throughout the city. I think you know not saying that is simply to use the right

mode for the right place and look at you know here's where it makes sense to run a bus because

here's where it makes sense to run on demand to collaborate with the city and see you know what

what the data we're seeing out of this pilot tells how do we prepare for some of those larger events

that are coming our way and whether it's the world cup or the olympics um definitely via utilize as much data as possible for now um to address some of the um additional time frames with the fair so

it's risen so much in the last few months and it's great that we can provide this service to a

red one but how has wait times demand has risen so our expected wait time is 15 minutes for minutes

and if there may be delays there but in terms of driver that we've still been within our expected time frames got it what is the average wait time like maximum is 15 minutes is the average around

shorter. And I know that we have discounted rates a dollar for seniors and ADA passengers. I know a lot of students so perhaps make what was your motion?

Moving on we'll go to I don't think we need a public hearing. We're moving 10A to October 1st of 2025. So we'll see any public comments for 10B. Yeah.

Okay, so 10B is determined pursuant to Monterey Municipal.

Are there any that require disclosure?

I'm here. I believe the council receives an email. I think we received it after 6 o'clock

We were in closed session already at the attorney for the

property owner all right, so there's no conflicts and we did after 6 p.m. for the record So pursuant to Monterey Park municipal code section 4.30 point one one zero

The city council person if such evidence bears on the city the city council is authorized without limitation any written on the subject property. If I am present evidence, this may include without limitations.

Formal rules of evidence exist on the property.

When it's done, City Council will allow public testimony. Each speaker may be called upon.

We'll deliberate the matter and determine whether. So let's proceed with city presentation.

Thank you, Madam Mayor and members of the Council.

Deputy City Attorney Joaquin Vasquez will be. especially the major streets, water, I mean, especially the infrastructure, right, underground, sewer, water pipes,

even the groundwater treatment facility. Most people don't understand. The community realized how important these things are until your job, right, our job as a city and your job as well, to make sure that doesn't happen, the failure doesn't happen.

And it's a lot of proactive work and a lot of teams ends to make sure that the services that all of our residents in blocks, water, sewer, are, and it's the rare in terms of the service delivery that we work on making sure that we can deal with these things as quickly as possible. under budget uh are worth highlighting um cgts took years to get really keeping our water

safe and we're a regional leader in getting that system online and certified to operate i think

that's worth that's super things i think that'd be great i think a few of these could be lumped

into an article out in the newsletter and other things on this street and whatever i would love to tell payment management plan we're getting on a schedule that paved on a certain schedule and

all these things which is a huge huge project and would love to see us get that done along with every other huge project that we have on tap in the coming years thank you a quick plug for the team obviously we have a great team our GIS page so we have a page dedicated but yes we hear you and what we'll look it's to highlight some of the great work the so we are moving forward on this

of a sidewalk condition assessment, right?

October, once the assessment is completed, manage those assessments.

On sewer, I think we have a sewer master plan we're holding off until we do some additional data system.

We're also just 100% finalized and verified, and we actually just talked internally about how we do that for a lot of our other...

Thank you. No, appreciate it. We're active on these infrastructure investments and reinvestments and basic things

that all of us depend on. I have a final question.

tongue particularly like restroom project costs I will I hope to understand that one day projects

and we take the Lost bit we're just another point to these things we can't just go to I cannot not only because but but no yes that a lot of that has to do with the cost of failing wage

we have requirements by the so where the funding is coming from if it's federal or

also um you know thank you for as council member wonk said down the pipeline this my daughters

really love our parks um they and i know a lot of residents and i think that's one of our we have a lot of treasures but that's definitely one of them um so appreciate all of the work that public

works at the village and not just your department but many other departments to make a lot of the

i just wanted to share that part um and a lot of it has to do with on so i can't imagine looking

forward to a lot of these other items coming to us and especially i know the garvey and some of us went to yesterday and of course every time i go to capo a lot uh for uh of the improvement

madam mayor again sean you know my uh capo improvement projects and but i agree with

the sentiments um and comments of my colleagues i think uh accomplishments are their tax dollars being spent but on my street um they were happy to see that years or even decades. Finally, and again, I know that especially if we get some rain

this evening or tomorrow, rehabilitation and arteries

in the city, I think that's an important priority that residents care about. I do believe media. I know social media right now is

educated if it shows

it's educational as well.

And with that... I think there was a motion out loving those swings in the park.

Madam Mayor, if I could just make a brief comment.

I probably feel like a thankless job because the expectations are high to continuously

with staffing that we've been able to do want to take a moment to thank the team. We have a lot of open projects

doing as quickly as we can, but Sean has done tremendous since he's joined

our team, so thank you.

Thank you again.

All right. Good evening, Admiral Mayor. Mayor Pon, our Public Works Manager, joining us. Tonight we're going to give you an update on our transportation and hopefully answer any questions that you may have.

So with that, I'll transfer it over to Sochi. Good evening, Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and members of the City Council. Sochi Tipon, Public Works Manager.

Like Sean mentioned, tonight we want to give an update to Council regarding last year's City Council approved a pilot program for transportation here in the city.

a study that the city completed.

It changes to our spirit bus route of a new service, an on-demand service, which we branded as MPK Transit Express.

City staff worked with VIA, who's the company who operates MPK Transit Express, and we were able to launch the program back in April of this year.

The service is an on-demand service, so riders can request. It operates during the week from 6.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Up until last week, the service was free of charge for all riders.

Last week, we had $1 for each additional rider and $1 per ride for riders with disabilities. There are different payment options to use MPK Transit Express when requesting trips over the phone.

We also sell cash near center for riders who do not wish to pay with electronic payments.

With Spirit Bus, we did have some route, restructural routes,

and so those changes went into effect on August 1st. They went in after MPK Transit Express to allow riders to adapt to the new service

and also following a bid for riders, typical riders,

to be informed of Spirit Bus changes and adapt to those changes as well.

A portion of Route 4, a segment of Route 3, and a portion of Route 5 as well. And so these segments would be serviced through.

Service hours did not change during the week, 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

And fare also did not change.

It's $0.25 for Routes 1, 2, and 3, and $0.50 for route front payment methods, the TAP fare, or access ID card.

Part of this pilot program includes the city evaluating different key performance indicators, including ridership, the graph on the demand service.

So the blue section is Spirit Bus ridership, and the orange is MPK Transit Express, covering January of this year up until August of this year as well.

Ridership for Spirit Bus has graduated, although we didn't make changes into our routes restructure until this last month, which was August 1st. Since the implementation of on-demand service in April, use of the service overall, we do see a steady use of our transportation services in the city, both through Spirit Bus.

K transit express because it is a new service extensive outreach with for the start of the program meant that via did we had cascades articles events to share about the service and how to use this service we have and via also has a dedicated website for since the start of the program we have had a total of 9,000 ride request out of those 9,000 requests we have completed a little over 6,000 rides, which is about 67% of completed rides. Some of the rides that are not completed are no-shows or, you know, peak hours where maybe

a vehicle may not be available. Or at the start of the program, we did see how it works, and they would try a particular

destination, seaway time, and maybe not go through with it.

and says that there is interest in the service at some point,

and we are able to meet demand about 95% of the time

and able to complete rides that's provided to them.

Since the start of the program, we did do some service changes that went this year. Some of those changes did include extending the service at 1 p.m. Previously, they were at 6.30 p.m., similar to Spirit Bus. accommodate for some areas that we were receiving feedback. This includes around Markeppel High School. It does include the Walmart in Rosemead to the Metro link at Cal to the Metro E-line. You can see that there's actually a lot of travel to Markeppel and just different areas in our

community. Overall, 77 booking using VIA. Riders complete more than five bookings, which means that

we have frequent riders. People are coming back to the service. They're satisfied with their

experience. We have over 1,000 accounts created, 325 active riders, which means that they're

frequent riders they're taking months.

As mentioned, the Spirit Bus changes key destinations to further inform us regarding our transportation services and where the community wants to travel and how they want to travel.

Currently, both services complement each other in each other's coverage area.

the map shown on the larger service coverage area for west rides within anywhere within those zones.

And then you can see the fixed route services that follow the travel path.

Tonight also includes consideration of free fares for California Clean Air Day on October 1st. It's part of the city's efforts to continue to promote the use of public transportation.

like I mentioned we are continuously providing information through Cascades, social media

we have them available in our city facilities as well and so with

this concludes my presentation we are available for questions or comments we are here for any questions or comments. Thank you.

I'd like to request that we actually offer not just a day of free ride but maybe for the entire week to celebrate Clean Air Day we'll do a Clean Air Week

I like to put that in via for more than a few months and we took a bunch of surveys Can you kind of elaborate how much we took?

Because I think the correct route based on the surveys we took is my understanding

Why don't you guys elaborate on that? So we did complete community service surveys as part

does have some survey capabilities to collect additional feedback, but we're still working with our pilot program, so there will be community survey or collection of feedback to continue

to inform. We have till today.

There's enough input to basically drive the system we have now, and I understand you still

have some flexibility because as you get more ridership through the app survey, you can change part of that. That's correct.

Yes, we have more information is better for us, so we'll continue.

At this point, we'll come back and give another update on what more recommendations we may have for these fixed routes and other.

Thank you. That was my question. I'll make a motion if there's no other comments. Madam Mayor and members of the Council, technology to our spirit bus for on and off.

So that technology now is two years old.

And so that ridership numbers, but not only that are highly written.

So that technology has also driven some of the decisions that are being made as well

Thank you and thank you for the up along those lines is what councilman go was saying the when do we plan to?

Have package kind of the data on spirit bus ridership via ridership and all that All that data that we have in terms of what potential changes we want to make to our station program

And when do you when do you expect to have that back to council for potential recommendations?

We'll have six more months of this pilot program with after we collect that data, in addition to how we've made changes to the fixed route system, also looking at our dial-a-ride program, all those experience they can and get them place to place.

So sometime next year we'll have more data, we'll have additional survey data, and we'll be able to reevaluate and bring that to council.

Great. No, thank you. I don't know if you know this or you go to Robert, but dial-a-ride. Dial-a-ride is right.

but it's also for persons who have disabilities. There is the supplemental services for dial a taxi. I believe that fare is a dollar, if I'm not mistaken.

Is that right? A dollar. So the thing that as we're making adjustments and collecting data,

the MBK Transit Express, there is now a fare,

may change ridership. And so that's what we're also trying to evaluate through this process.

We keep collecting because we haven't established a time so all the information has been helpful But yes, we're still monitoring no appreciate that and I know

We have a one-year pilot with via right six months free and then six months firm and reiterate right even the two dollars

That's correct. Yes And I understand the challenge be an issue for for certain people by amazing

$2 subsidized fare is actually far cheaper than what it would be for equivalent kind of ride on rideshare

we're trying to find that spot that having a subsidy because this is not a free it's not it's not a service that we can and i think the city should absorb the complete cost of maybe that's

for the residents for profit kind of ride share companies um so appreciate that we're we need to at some point right i know we need to get we're gathering brought back to council for recommendations of how we globally kind of look at all of our transportation community transportation programs and I expect and would be surprised if we don't have recommendations to make change that we have in the city,

given some of the data we're going to have. If we need to extend, I know we're going month to month with the Spirit Post Office to have time to do that

or a similar thing to set up at some point with VIA for Transit Express.

If that's something that we need to, if there's a way to more broadly approach changing some of these things

and even integrating if we go out to bid again for a ride with microtransit via that currently provides.

If a single operator can do all of those things at a Lor price for all of these services,

we're integrating that into fixed route and all that stuff and look at be creative and opportunities that can provide more services.

Obviously, we should be looking at that and bring to consider down the line. I'm happy to second. I just have two quick items, Sean. Updating our routes, as I mentioned earlier, and to Council Member Wong's point and Council Member Go's point, wherever we see where we can expand or update, it looks like on demand there's a huge demand for it, right? So, you know, as we're looking at routes and as we're looking at our contract comes due, I know we currently have two, three cars in our fleet.

Yeah, we have two with an additional one, should we need one. Okay.

And so if it makes sense to add another additional car or however that works in terms of meeting demand,

because I mean, some of those cancellations in terms of the rides that weren't, you know, kind of flukes or whatever,

but some of them might have been people who were genuinely trying to get a ride,

but probably just couldn't wait that long or whatever the situation was, wherever that makes sense.

but I have a city to our metro stop light rail stop Cal State LA and you said the target in Rosemead is that correct in Rosemead so destinations that you feel outside of this I want to look at I don't know if like the Montebello town center we can expand that would be great I know I'm taking I'm planning to take the the via take a via right to the metro light

rail stop in in la so glad we can i can do that or um or get a uber and they were using our own

city um service for that so thank you sean for that and part uh council member goes into expand from one day to a week as well i just want to just echo sentiment that i am express program with via and i definitely would

support even expanding it because I've used it myself.

And I think that it's not just about providing public transit services to a resident, but it's also how do we allow residents to improve its bus services. And those of us who attend meetings about getting the idea of how do we make it easy to take advantage of the regional transit system.

And so I myself, because I work, I normally have the option of taking Metro Bus 70, but or every in the morning, like, for example, if I have had to drop off dry cleaning

or actually take my car to our, it's very helpful to have the end

to either a bus stop or to the Metro E-Line station, you know,

and then vice versa when I come home, being able to, when I get downtown,

then be able to catch an MPK Express to home and to think about, you know, again, how do we, it's not just about, you know, mobility locally, but mobility in the region to reduce air pollution and also to reduce congestion. They're also expanding services to Cal State LA because there's also a Metrolink station. And so, again, I am in full favor of even expanding even further. There is the A-line. I know it's really far north, but nonetheless, to be leaders in the region in promoting mobility choices.

if I can just say one more thing Sean and I know the

the picks are coming and I know a lot of people are going to transport and I know we can't

I mean when that time comes

I know a lot of residents like myself are going to be looking at ways to take public transport within our nation so I know the shuttling stuff like that especially on those types of

days we should already start thinking about those

have us talk about some potential options they could offer to us so I'll let the team come down

Hello, everyone. First, thank you all so much for having us here today. My name is Joe Martin.

I lead our partnerships team across the West Coast here with VIA. Really excited to be here today to kind of reflect on the transit. Just to talk about a few things that came up and feel free

to direct about looking holistically about how the service can more effectively connect people

to regional um we've looked with the team here and brought down the cost per ride the car um for

transit in the city or in our moving more people with the city's dollars so i think that's one

thing we're kind of collaboration we actually also work with the city of rosemead right next door um to us and their dialer ride service we launched that just in july of this past year and since that we've actually started some conversations with the city of rosemead to explore um what collaboration and transit looks like across both or what we could aim to set up in the year.

But that is definitely something we are actively discussing and I think could be. John, anything else you want me to touch on?

Hey, if you, yeah, it's really if you want to talk about expansion, I think to add.

But again, we're, we've been talking with Rosemee. We met with them yesterday to talk about expansions and things like that.

We're also trying to work with Alhambra, Montebello to see, again, how we can further connect the region.

And the other thing I'll note, just connecting Monterey Park to fixed route buses before switching to on-demand, that we're serving the one passenger, the right answer for Monterey Park.

What we want is a lot of people are taking this route.

So really excited to. We've also, sorry, Madam Mayor and members of the council, in our conversations with VIA, we chatted about.

I think all of that hopefully will come once we pilot long. We're excited as well.

Thank you. And I have a question about the wait time.

I think it's incredible how, you know, the man has it in.

It looks like it's very helpful for everyone.

Increased as the.

For all trip requests and we're still within that threshold. We don't typically exceed anything more than 15 minutes.

There's unavailable cards or that the trip cannot be accommodated because of the number of passengers, actual wait time when you're linked up with the driver,

that we've still been within our expected time frames. Got it. What, the maximum 15 minutes, or is it? 12. Yeah.

12 minutes, okay. Thank you. We're also taking via, seeing a discount for students as well, to a dollar.

Yeah.

All right, so I know we had a motion from Council Member Go.

As presented with the exception of expanding the one-day free ride to one week.

And then Council Member Juan seconded. All right, let's vote.

Approved unanimously.

Great.

Thank you for that presentation.

To our public hearing, let's open the public hearing.

Any public comments? For 10A?

Over 10A because we are moving that to... Okay.

So no public comments for 10A. And we'll go on to 10B.

...of whether a public nuisance exists at 795 West Garvey and consideration of potential abatement order

proposed par section 4.30.110. Madam Clerk was noticed of this public hearing

given in accordance with California law and the Monterey Park Municipal Code. Yes, Madam Mayor. Thank you. At this time, the public hearing is open. Conflicts or ex parte contacts?

There are several emails. I was not, so I have not been able to review the documents that were sent by, I believe,

so I don't know what's in there.

I don't know if our city attorney has been able to review any of that to be able to summarize

for us, but that's reporting out ex parte communication.

Get ex parte communications. This public hearing is a quasi-judicial

procedure conducted to accept reliable evidence from any issue of whether a public nuisance exists on the subject proper.

I should take testimony and is authorized to administer oaths. After receiving

evidence, including staff reports regarding the alleged nuisance, City Council will determine whether or not a public nuisance exists. Both the city

and property owner have the opportunity to testify regarding this matter. Evidence and witness

testimony, documents, or other similar evidence do not apply. Any evidence proffered, however,

must be relevant and material to the issues of whether a public news... Each party will be given

20 minutes to present their case. The city bears the burden of proof and will proceed first. It may reserve part of his time for rebuttal. The property owner will then present its

evidence. I may but I'm not required to provide additional time to either

party. After the parties will be provided three minutes for comment. Any interested persons in providing comment must complete a speaker card and

provide it to the city clerk. Those cards will be provided to me so that person

after a public comment the public hearing will be closed and the city Council whether a public nuisance exists on the property.

Presenting on behalf of the city.

Thank you, City Attorney Berger. Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, City Council. We're here tonight pursuant to Wanoi Park and Municipal Code

Section 4.30.110

to determine whether a public nuisance exists at the property located at 795 West Garvey Avenue. As has been noted, the council is acting as the Administrating Hearing Officer for this matter. The evidence here will show that the story of this property

is of a broken record of broken promises. Since 2017, the owners have promised to finish construction and correct

longstanding code violations. Unfortunately, results have been consistent. Delays, expired permits, stalled work, and continued partial construction at one of the busiest intersections in the city, Atlantic and Garvey. Despite the city's repeated efforts, including meetings, notices, citations, generous extensions,

the property remains in a state of partial construction.

The unfinished building, in fact, and the lot continue to create conditions harmful to the community, including but not limited to graffiti, vandalism, dilapidated fencing, and accumulated trash and debris. The city has issued notices of violation and citations resulting in approximately 21,000 unpaid fines. Those enforcement efforts have been met with delay after delay, excuse after excuse, and no meaningful progress to finishing construction of the building. Tonight, the city will present testimony and exhibits demonstrating by a preponderance of the evidence that a public nuisance exists at 795 West Garvey Avenue.

At the conclusion of this hearing, we will respectfully request that you find a nuisance exists and approve the proposed order of abayment for the city to complete construction of the property under approved city plans to finally break the cycle of broken promises and restore this site to compliance.

regarding the proposed order I do want to note as was telegraphed in the staff report that was published it has been provided to the council and is also there are copies of the proposed order

that have been made publicly available now going to commence with the slide deck here and you see a visual the aforementioned busy intersection Atlantic and Garvey. We see this property here on the corner and we're going to take a trip back in time beginning in 2007 where the property was purchased by Edward and Howard Chan. The responsible parties here in May 2013 they submitted a designer of the application of the city for a 5,200 square foot retail space. In May 2015, design was approved after several revisions. September 2015, they submitted building plans to the city. July 2017, a building permit with low-impact development plans was approved after many revisions. Later that year in December, construction began with the demolition of a long-standing old gas station that had been on the property. By 2021, construction activity stalled on the property. Fast forward to September 2022, the first building permit expired due to inactivity. Early 2023, owner meetings with staff regarding construction commenced. February 2023, the second building permit was issued by the city, and the second lid design was approved. In May of 2023, the city attorney provided a notice regarding violations related to inactivity. In August of 2023, the second building permit expired due to inactivity. December of that year, the city attorney provided notice regarding property left in partial construction,

directed the owners to put a licensed general contractor in charge to complete construction,

and construction, the construction schedule from the building official related to that

was to finish by late June 2024, six months. That was the time frame. January 2024, third building permit issued by the city.

Owners identified a general contractor at that time. March 2024, there was a meeting between owners and city staff regarding construction, which promises of restarting in earnest immediately. Another promise there. July 2024, the third building permit expires due to inactivity. There's no work at the site. Summer 2024, third lid plans are submitted to Public Works. Sewer connection redesign with a sump pump is submitted to Public Works due to constructing a sewer main Lor than the service lateral. And October 2024, sewer connection plans are approved after revisions. due to expedited city review. January 2025, third-led plans were approved after several revisions. February 2025, owners request extension to the third building permit,

and it's immediately approved. May 21 of this year, there's a meeting with owners, contractors, city staff to identify remaining work, develop a timeline to finish, and how the city can facilitate completion. The owners and contractors agree that the remaining construction can be completed in six months. They agree that the lid, sewer, and construction work can all proceed independently, not mutually exclusive from one another. And the owners and contractor promise full crews on site working within two weeks, which would be June 3rd from that May 21st meeting of this year. June comes around. The owners order lid material from the supplier. The supplier, there's a capture tank in three to four weeks, and the rest within six to eight weeks of order placed. July 9th, trenches are dug for lid installation seven weeks after the meeting.

And July 22nd, the lid capture tank is delivered and finally installed that week.

September 2nd, the backfill around the tank is inspected and approved by the city.

One to two workers are intermittently moving soil with a shovel

rather than installing things according to protocols within one day with the backhoe. Currently, the trench is still open. Fabric and drain rock are in place.

There's no backfill or site restoration. Stockpiles remain.

The progress since September 2nd is minimal, so not substantial progress.

The current state, no work done with the building structure.

There's no work done with sewer connection.

The lid is still not complete.

And there's still six months to complete construction with proper diligence. The history of violations.

And actually, at this point, I would like to call Mayor and Mayor of the Tenman Council,

Code Enforcement Supervisor Ray Lozano as a witness.

while he's doing that I do want to note that the slide before you I want to note an error

a typo it is the Monterey Park Municipal Code section 4.30.060

E3 dash accumulation

that is a typo that is not applicable

here so please disregard that particular bullet Madam Mayor members of the council I do recommend that any

witnesses that are going to testify be placed under oath. The clerk is ready to put those individuals under oath. Yes, please proceed.

Thank you. Please state your name. Ray Lozano, Code Enforcement Supervisor.

Thank you, Ray. Do you, Somali, Suero, affirm that the evidence you are about

to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Yes, I do. Thank you. Thank you.

Good evening, Supervisor Lozano.

Please say your name and your position with the City of Monterey Park.

Ray Lozano, Code Enforcement Supervisor for the Code of...

Director of the Code Enforcement Division. Director of Public Works. And how long have you worked with the city? I've been employed with the city since 2021. Director of Public Works. And since at that time, what was your position with the city? Code enforcement officer. Director of Public Works. And when did you become a supervisor? February of this year. Director of Public Works. What are your primary duties and responsibilities as Code Enforcement Supervisor? My primary responsibilities are to its individual.

that the city is identifying any violations of the Monterey Park Municipal Code and providing ample amount of time and working with the residents and business owners alike to ensure that substantial compliance is obtained primarily through voluntary compliance.

And if there's not voluntary compliance, what sort of tools does your department use to gain compliance?

Typically, we try to engage verbally and establish meetings, do one-on-one site visits. If that does not prevail, elevated enforcement actions are available to us, and that can include administrative citations.

And in your role, are you familiar with the city's procedures for enforcing the Monterey Park Municipal Code, including public nuisance provisions?

Yes, I am.

And how do you understand the history, the prior code history for a given property that may precede your time with the city?

Typically, any type of case begins with a records check on the property to see what permits and or plans may be affiliated with the property depending on the violation.

And are those records kept in the ordinary course of business? Yes.

and as part of your job do you enforce violations of the municipal code related to

building permits or building permits that are not acted on yes i do does that include checking

the status of permits and making sure people are working diligently pursuant to the permits yes

and do you rely on those records for purposes of issuing administrative citations or taking other enforcement action regarding the status of the permits? Yes. With regard to this property, 795 West Garvey Avenue are you familiar with this property? Yes. And sticking with building, have you reviewed city records regarding building permits for this property? Yes, I have. And on the prior slides concerning the building permit history, were you present for that presentation? Yes, I was. And did you also review the presentation for accuracy? Yes, I did. Would you say the building permit history is presented as accurate? Yes. From your observations, what is the current state of construction of the property?

The property remains in a partial state of construction at this time.

Now, looking at pivoting from building to code,

have you reviewed the code files on this property pursuant to the practice you described? Yes, I have.

And when did this property first come to your attention?

The property came to my attention in February of 2023 by way of an investigation of an illicit discharge at the property.

And where were the circumstances?

The property was an unmaintained construction site, did not have best management practice implemented, which contributed to the illicit discharge into the city storm during system.

And did that discharge constitute a violation in the municipal code?

Yes, it did.

And explain how the city tried to get voluntary compliance once the property came to code's attention.

Once we identified the violation, staff responded with a notice of violation. And in addition to that, we also provided ample amount of time to ensure that the property comes into compliance with the code.

And describe your further involvement with the case.

For example, how many times have you inspected the property during this enforcement period?

Throughout the years of this case existing, I have been at the property many times.

Could you give maybe a ballpark?

I'd say more than 30 times at this property.

And since this came to your attention, and it seems like voluntary compliance wasn't effective,

describe the enforcement efforts since it came to your attention.

Enforcement efforts included sending notices to the property, setting up meetings with the property owners, their staff, and city staff to ensure that we can collaborate together and come up with a reasonable solution to get them to voluntary compliance.

And were you present at the meetings described earlier with the property owners? Yes, I was. and have these conditions persisted despite repeated notices and opportunities to comply? Yes, they have. And if we look at the violations here on this slide, will you agree that these listed violations have been subject to the ongoing code enforcement efforts for your department? Yes, they are.

And I'm going to look at a photo of the posting. Are you familiar with this photograph? Yes, I am.

And this is a posting. Was this relative to noticing for the project?

Yes, this I posted this notice at the property.

Great.

And looking at these photos in 2023, what conditions here do you see that constitute code violations?

graffiti, partial state of construction at the property, dilapidated fencing, no best management practices related to the property, which contribute to the runoff and

illicit discharge, property maintenance violations as well. And 2024, what kind of

conditions here that may constitute violations? Primarily in these photos, it is specific to the

partial state of construction at the property. And is that consistent here in February, September

2024? Yes, but additionally there's some pooling water which does contribute to the illicit discharge as well as the lack of best management practices that are implemented. Additionally there's graffiti

at this property. And is that consistent as well in March through April 2025? Yes.

and what do you see here July 14 2025 and these photos provided I see dilapidated fencing and the

property remaining in a partial state of construction and are you are you familiar

with the origin of these photos yes I took the photos thank you and what do you see here

regarding violations relative to August 2025 the property still remains into and partial state of

construction. And finally, I'm sorry, for September 2nd. The property still remains in partial state of construction in addition to dilapidated fencing. And 2023 versus today, these comparison,

please describe what you see here. Both photos display partial states of construction.

Finally, if the council were to find that a public noosis exists at the property, would

that finding be consistent with your observation and your enforcement on the property?

Yes.

Thank you. That is all.

I will reserve the balance of my time for rebuttal. Thank you. Okay, thank you.

Then next we'll have the property owner presentation.

Actually, I would like to cross the ground with the owner.

Go ahead. Yes.

Can the attorney sit over there at the desk?

Oh, that would be lovely.

Thank you.

Honourable members of the City Council, Honorable Mayor. I'm Andrew Crastons. I represent Edward Chan, the Chan family, and Mr. Thomas Vong, the licensed general contractor who you may know already if you've ever been to NBC Seafood, which he built. It is an honor to be here today. It really is, and it's a pleasure. Believe it or not, it's a pleasure, even in a nuisance hearing, because my first job out of college was as the front page reporter for the Gardena Valley News and in those days, about 1986, there was a desk right there for small town reporter, the local reporter. And I learned to understand and appreciate city government and all its virtues, where it can go wrong, and the beauty of the entire system of it. And I just wanted to say that what I've seen tonight, I deeply, deeply admire the preparation of the various council members and the clarity with which you express your thoughts. And that is absolutely true. Now, you have today a different duty than merely deciding whether to investigate a toxic dump or things like that. You're in a quasi-judicial procedure. That means you're acting as judges. And you will need to examine the evidence fairly. This case has been litigated in the trial court for 17 months. So that's the record. there are two things we want to do I think the job that you have is not only to give a fair hearing but also to be alchemist to turn bitterness into sweet to resolve conflicts to turn noise into harmony and to solve problems in the manner that will do the greatest good and cause the least ill will So with that, let me cross-examine Mr. Lozano. Mr. Lozano, tell me about your daily routine, your typical daily routine as a code enforcement officer.

As a code enforcement officer, it's specific to conducting inspections, investigating complaints made from the public, and following up on the complaints, sending out notices, and conducting research related to our cases.

Well, your typical day, when you...

Do you have a route that you follow? I mean, do you ever go out just to find code enforcement,

code violations on your own, just to, you know, drive around and have a look?

Primarily, the division operates in a reactive manner. However, when time is allotted, we do conduct proactive investigations.

And would just driving down the street and seeing,

if you drive down the street and you see something that's obviously wrong,

would you go back and cite it? Say you're on your way to work and you see some sort of gross violation

and you get to work, would you go back and cite that?

Typically, the way that our division operates,

we try to make contact with the responsible parties first, try to conduct a conversation and figure out what is going on with the property.

But you definitely would contact the property owner.

It's an obvious violation. You'd contact the property owner, correct?

That's the standard procedure, yes. Yes, yes, yes.

May I have the two volumes, please?

Those two volumes, thank you.

Now, let's be fast about this if we can. I apologize for the big mess of binders you

got. It's full of legalese. You cited a list of public nuisances observed

on the property? Can you put that back up? It's in the staff report that you testified to. Let's go to remain in a state of partial construction.

going on, obviously going on, and it's permitted, is it still in a state of

partial construction? Can you repeat your question? Yes, I mean if there's ongoing construction at a construction site and

It's been approved. All the permits are improved. Is that still in a state of partial construction?

With relation to a code enforcement case that's active with the division, if there is, when we set up compliance dates that are agreed upon with the property owner after communicating with them effectively and there is no substantial compliance, then it remains in partial state of construction.

Okay.

Okay. We have a yellow pad. Here it is. Now you've listed those five code sections. How

How long from today, what's the last time you cited the chance for a violation of 4.3050G?

No, no, no, excuse me. I'm wrong. I meant H.

The last administrative citation was not provided this year, so it had to have been sometime

in 2024.

It had to refer to my case notes to get an accurate date.

2024.

Well, I'm going to represent to you, if you look in Exhibit 9, we go through all those

code sections, and in reality, there's been no citations at least since August 2024. None. Correct?

I don't have the case notes in front of me, so I can't speak to that at this time.

Okay. And I'll represent to you also that the same is true of all of the remaining citations.

because we asked very carefully and carefully worded questions

to the city of Monterey Park in the year and a half of litigation, which of those remained viable? And the answer was none.

So no violations of those code sections have taken place

since, at least since August of 2024. I'll represent to you that you can, the council, should it wish,

to slog through the legal gobbledygook.

It is Exhibit 8 and 9. I believe it's Exhibit 9. It is the second supplemental,

it is the objections and responses to the second request, the second set of special interrogatories. That should be number eight or nine.

And second set of special interrogatories.

Yes, that is nine.

It will take a while to review those.

And I would appreciate if you would. So I'm going to represent that that is the case. Now, let's go back again.

Now, when you see a code violation,

and it's obvious on your way to work or on your way home or just going out to lunch and you see it,

you contact the property owner.

That is the protocol, correct? It depends.

It depends on if there's availability for staff to respond to that violation that day.

Well, what if it's a gross one?

What if it's a great big one and you see it every day?

If it's a gross negligent violation, yes.

Staff will make contact with carcassers. What's your route to work? My route to work? Yes. It changes daily.

Okay.

Do you ever drive between Garvey and Atlantic?

During my work hours, yes.

Yes.

during my work hours. During your work hours.

And how many times have you,

say, from

September, from 2023 through the present, how many times have you driven

from Atlantic to, to Atlantic and Garvey to, say, the 10 freeway?

I'm not too sure I can provide that answer.

I don't know off the top of my head.

Is it a lot?

Potentially, yes. What? Potentially, yes.

Yes, well, not potentially. It is a lot, isn't it?

Yes. Okay, yeah.

Driving down that, did you ever have a look at the property contiguous to the Chan property, 220 North Atlantic? I'm familiar with that property, yes. Yes. and during the time, I believe there was a flurry of citations to the Chans in late 2023. Correct? Yes. Yes. Now, during that...

A series of fixed route buses before switching to on-demand that were serving the one passenger at a time, it's accurate that you could put on the bus per hour, and so they ended up going citywide to on-demand as a way to move more people throughout the city. I think, you know, not saying that is the right answer for Monterey Park. What we want is ultimately to use the right mode for the right place and look at, you know, here's where it makes sense to run a bus because a lot of people are taking this route.

To North Atlantic, 220 North Atlantic.

Here's where it makes sense to run on demand. So really excited to collaborate with the city and see, you know, what the data we're seeing out of this pilot tells.

We've also sorry madam mayor members of the council in our conversations with via they we chatted about How do we prepare for some of those larger events that are coming our way and?

whether it's the world cup or Correct for the Olympics

Definitely via is ready to help us to expand when we need to but again. We're trying to correct. Why? We'll utilize as much data as possible for now to address some of the more demand that we have. But VIA can provide additional vehicles.

There was no violations.

Additional time frames.

Not the property ever reported, nor were there.

And I think all of that hopefully will come once we pilot longer with the fare. So we're excited as well.

Thank you.

I have a question about the wait time. I think it's incredible how, you know, demand has risen so much in the last few months, and it's great that we can provide this service to a resident.

For any proactive inspections at residents, it looks like it's very helpful for everyone.

But how has wait times increased as the property?

So I'm sure that many...

Demand has risen.

So our expected wait time is 15 minutes.

for many members of the council for all trip requests,

and we're still within that threshold. We don't typically exceed anything more than 15 minutes. And if there's unavailable cards or that in the past year, two years, the trip cannot be accommodated because of the number of passengers. There may be delays there, but in terms of actual wait time when you're linked up with the driver, we've still been within our expected time frames.

Got it.

what is the average wait time? Like maximum is 15 minutes. Is the average around?

2023 have probably driven by the same. The maximum 15 minutes or is it shorter?

Yeah. 12 minutes. Okay. Thank you. And if they look to the left. And I know that we have

discounted rates, a dollar for seniors and ADA passengers. I know a lot of students are also taking via so perhaps making a discount for students as well to a dollar.

They will see. They saw.

All right. So I know we had a motion from Council Member Ngo. What was your motion?

As presented with the exception of expanding the one-day free ride to one week.

Because we have pictures, our gang expert, Mr.

And then Council Member Juan seconded.

All right, let's vote.

Approved unanimously.

Great. Thank you for that presentation.

Moving on, we'll go to our public hearing.

Let's open the public hearing. Any public comments for 10A?

I don't think we need a public hearing. Martin Flores will testify to that. We're 10A because we are moving that. Okay.

So no public comments for 10A, and we're moving 10A. to October 1st of 2025. So we'll go on to 10B.

Any public comments for 10B?

Yeah.

Okay, so 10B is determination of whether a public nuisance exists at 795 West Garvey

and consideration of potential abatement order

pursuant to Monterey Municipal Park section 4.30.110. Madam Clerk, was notice of this public hearing given in accordance with California law

and the Monterey Park Municipal Code?

Yes, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

At this time, the public hearing is open.