HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/07/2017 - Special Meeting Minutes ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017
CALL TO ORDER — Mayor Amundson called the Special Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. in the City
Council Chamber, 240 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California.
INVOCATION — Mayor Peter Amundson
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE — Council Member Beck
ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
PRESENT: Beck, Chandler, Verlato, Tay and Amundson
ABSENT: None
PUBLIC COMMENTS — no one appeared.
PUBLIC HEARING (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)
a. Public Hearing to receive public comments on the transition to district based elections.
Recommended Action: Conduct a public hearing to receive public input and provide
direction
Dr. Justin Levitt, Vice President, National Demographics Corp., appeared and explained the
districting criteria relating to the federal laws and traditional criteria including census and block
geography; he provided a summary of the 12 maps received from the public and the 6 draft
maps prepared by National Demographics, and provided an overview of the key features of the
maps including whether they were population balanced; he also provided sequencing scenarios
regarding Council Member terms, and election year options, but indicated that no current City
Council terms are affected.
City Manager Lazzaretto announced for the record emails received from residents indicating
their map preference as follows:
Marianne Boyd, 430 E. Wistaria Avenue — Green Map
Michael Lieber, 245 W. Palm Drive — Green Map
Jerry Durgerian, Arcadia resident - Green Map
Dean Radle, Arcadia resident - Green Map
Hank Voznick, 565 Gloria Road - Orange Map
Tim Rhee, Arcadia resident - Green Map
Mayor Amundson opened the public hearing, and indicated that each speaker is limited to 3
minutes.
Richard A. McDonald, Esq., representing the Chinese American Equalization Association,
appeared and provided some suggestions on where the City goes from here and election dates;
he indicated that Maps L, B and A, and Maps Teal and Maroon avoid lawsuits, keeps the
homeowners associations together and achieves three majority Asian districts; he suggested
larger maps that plot out where each Council Member resides, schools, boundaries of the
homeowner associations, churches, significant historic and cultural resources, and anything the
residents think is a community of interest; and indicated that they would agree and support
moving the City General Municipal election date to November 2018.
Mike Vercillo, an Arcadia resident, appeared and indicated that he supports the Green Map, and
provided the reasons.
Brett Mitulski, an Arcadia resident, appeared and spoke about neighborhood unity; and
indicated that he supports the Orange Map, and provided the reasons.
Sheng Chang, an Arcadia resident, appeared and indicated that he supports Maps L or B, and
provided the reasons; he recommended moving the election date to November 2018, and
suggested electing all 5 seats at the same time in June or November of 2018, which he feels
would save the City $100,000, and feels that the money should be spent in the police
department for the safety of the citizens; and requested that four senior current and past City
Council members not run in 2018 or future elections.
Peter Olson, an Arcadia resident and President of the Santa Anita Oaks Homeowners
Association, appeared and indicated that he supports the Orange Map, and provided the
reasons.
Roger Nemrava, an Arcadia resident and Member of the Highland Oaks Homeowner
Association, appeared and indicated that he supports the Orange Map, and provided the
reasons.
Gary Kovacic, an Arcadia resident, appeared and shared his concerns regarding district based
elections, and the maps presented.
Noreen McLennan, an Arcadia resident, appeared and was concerned that she did not see her
street included in any of the presented maps.
Howard Ursetti, an Arcadia resident, appeared and indicated that the map he presented (Map L)
was split up based on school districts, but it did not qualify because it was not population
balanced; he indicated that he still supports Map L, which was updated by Mr. McDonald and
would support any map similar to Map L which incorporates school district communities of
interest.
Julie Lim, an Arcadia resident, appeared and indicated that she supports the Orange Map, and
provided the reasons.
Tim Burch, an Arcadia resident, appeared and spoke about fairness, and indicated that he
favored the Orange Map.
A motion to close the public hearing was made by Council Member Chandler, seconded by
Mayor Pro Tem Tay, and seeing no objection, Mayor Amundson declared the public hearing
closed.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council that the following seven maps be
brought back for further studying and consideration: Public Map K with a modification as
necessary to make it legally defensible, Public Maps A, B, and L, and the Green, Orange, and
Purple Maps.
City Manager Lazzaretto suggested to Dr. Levitt that when modifying Map K, that the Santa
Anita Race Track be placed in a district that is most impacted by it.
In response to Council Member Verlato's inquiry, Dr. Levitt reminded the City Council that no
current City Council terms are affected; that the City Council has the ability to decide which
districts are up in which year, and he provided some sequencing scenarios.
b. Consideration of changing City General Municipal Election dates in order to comply with
California Senate Bill 415.
Recommended Action: Provide direction as to which date to move the City's regularly-
scheduled general municipal election
City Manager Lazzaretto presented the staff report.
Attorney Jim Priest, Best Best & Krieger, was present and answered questions raised by the
City Council.
A motion was made by Council Member Beck, seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Tay, and carried on
roll call vote that staff prepare the appropriate ordinance changing the City's April General
Municipal election date to November 2022, for City Council consideration at a future meeting.
AYES: Beck, Tay, Chandler, and Verlato
NOES: Amundson
ABSENT: None
The City Council meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m. to Tuesday, September 19, 2017, 6:00 p.m. in
..._ the City Council Conference Room.
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