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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2a - Minutes ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018 CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Amundson called the Special Meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. at the Development Services Department Conference Room, 240 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California. ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Beck, Chandler, Verlato, Tay, and Amundson ABSENT: None PUBLIC COMMENTS – No one appeared. CLOSED SESSION a. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6 to confer with labor negotiators. City Negotiators: City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto, Administrative Services Director Hue Quach, and Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Jason Kruckeberg Employee Organizations: Arcadia Public Works Employees Association, Arcadia Employees Association, Arcadia Police Civilian Employees Association, Arcadia Police Officers’ Association, Arcadia Firefighters’ Association, and unrepresented employees: Department Heads, Division Managers, Supervisors, and part-time employees No reportable action was taken on the Closed Session item. The Special Meeting ended at 3:07 p.m. ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Amundson called the Special Meeting to order at 5:07 p.m. in the City Council Conference Room, 240 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California. ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Beck, Chandler, Verlato, Tay, and Amundson ABSENT: None PUBLIC COMMENTS Robert Stover, an Arcadia resident, appeared and expressed his support of the proposed project at the self-storage building, and commented on the need for parking solutions in the Downtown. Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Kruckeberg indicated that the Staff is working on a parking study in and around the Gold Line area. STUDY SESSION (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC) a. Report, discussion and direction concerning proposed purchase and use of the Successor Agency property at 33-35 W. Huntington Drive (Self-Storage Building). Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Kruckeberg provided the report. Peter Lee and David Chen, applicants, were present and provided information regarding the project, and answered questions raised by the City Council. CLOSED SESSION a. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.8 to confer with Real Property Negotiators. Property: Successor Agency property at 33-35 W. Huntington Drive (Assessor Parcel No. 5775-025-901) Agency Negotiators: City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Jason Kruckeberg, Economic Development Analyst Tim Schwehr, and City Attorney Stephen P. Deitsch Property Negotiators: Peter Lee, Representative, Northeast Development Enterprises II Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment b. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) to confer with legal counsel regarding the matter of Kristen Olafson-Segal v. City of Arcadia, and Does 1 through 25, inclusive (Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC669644). c. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) to confer with legal counsel regarding the matter of Tom Crosby, an individual; Ellen Fu Crosby, an individual v. City of Arcadia, a California municipality; Santa Anita Oaks Homeowners Association, Inc., a California non-profit corporation; and Vincent I. Vargas, an individual (Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BS172105). d. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6 to confer with labor negotiators. City Negotiators: City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto, Administrative Services Director Hue Quach, and Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Jason Kruckeberg Employee Organizations: Arcadia Public Works Employees Association, Arcadia Employees Association, Arcadia Police Civilian Employees Association, Arcadia Police Officers’ Association, Arcadia Firefighters’ Association, and unrepresented employees: Department Heads, Division Managers, Supervisors, and part-time employees The City Council will recess after the regular meeting to closed session to consider Item d. No reportable action was taken on the Closed Session items. Mayor Amundson adjourned the Special Meeting at 6:55 p.m. 1 02-06-2018 ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Amundson called the regular meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. INVOCATION – First Reader – Kristin Bennett, First Church of Christ, Scientist PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Police Chief Robert Guthrie At the request of Mayor Amundson, Police Chief Guthrie provided an update regarding the substantial decrease in residential burglaries in part due to enforcement funding provided by the City Council; and indicated that as of January 2018, there has been a decrease in all categories of crimes compared to the same timeframe as last year. ROLL CALL OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Beck, Chandler, Verlato, Tay, and Amundson ABSENT: None REPORT FROM CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING CLOSED/STUDY SESSION ITEMS City Attorney Deitsch announced the City Council met in a Study Session Special Meeting to receive a report from staff concerning the proposed purchase and sale of property owned by the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency (now dissolved) at 33-35 W. Huntington Drive (Self-Storage Building), and reported that no action or direction was given. City Attorney Deitsch also announced the City Council met in a Closed Session to discuss Items a, b and c on the posted agenda, no reportable action was taken. City Attorney Deitsch further announced that Closed Session Item d was not considered, and recommended that at the conclusion of the open meeting, the City Council recess to Closed Session to consider Item d on the posted Special Meeting notice. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM CITY MANAGER REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS City Manager Lazzaretto announced that there was no supplemental information; however, a member of the public has requested that the City Council move the public comment period prior to the Public Hearing item to accommodate one or more speakers who need to leave early to catch public transportation. MOTION TO READ ALL ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS BY TITLE ONLY AND WAIVE THE READING IN FULL A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Tay and seconded by Council Member Chandler to read all ordinances and resolutions by title only and waive the reading in full. 2 02-06-2018 PRESENTATIONS a. Mayor's Certificates of Commendation to Arcadia residents Burton and Kimberly Brink for their retirement from L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. and many years of service to the community. b. Mayor’s Certificate of Recognition to the Arcadia Chinese Association in honor of the Chinese New Year. c. Mayor’s Certificate of Proclamation celebrating Ronald Reagan’s Birthday. As requested by one or two members of the public, Mayor Amundson announced public comments would be taken at this earlier portion of the agenda. PUBLIC COMMENTS Gail Marshall, an Arcadia resident, appeared and thanked the City Council, City staff, and everyone for their well wishes when she was hospitalized, and she thanked the Arcadia paramedics and Fire Department, and those members of the Police Department who visited her; she commented on the Arcadia Transit Service Policy and Procedures Manual on the agenda, and feels there are flawed facts, and requested the item be pulled from the agenda in order to meet with staff and First Transit before it is finalized. Robert Stover, an Arcadia resident, appeared and commented on an article in the Arcadia Weekly on January 18 and 24, 2018, made by a City Council candidate regarding misinformation about historical preservation, and read an excerpt from the article. Candace Chen, on behalf of the Arcadia Civic Youth Council, appeared and spoke about the perceived dangerous intersection at El Monte and Campus Avenue because there is no crosswalk, and requested the City Council look into this matter for the safety of the students. City Manager Lazzaretto referred Ms. Chen to Deputy Development Services Director/City Engineer Wray who will look into her request. Nelson Ge, an Arcadia resident, appeared and provided his reasons why he feels there is a lot of downside to historical preservation, and feels that property owners should be the only one who should be able to designate their property. Liangyi Gu, an Arcadia resident, appeared and commented on the passport services program on the agenda, and indicated that she supports the services, but recommends that only one benefitted person be hired instead of four part-time employees, because of the sensitivity of the documents. 1. PUBLIC HEARING a. Resolution No. 7199 establishing Library and Museum Services Department fee for Passport Services; and finding that this Resolution is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). Recommended Action: Approve Library and Museum Services Director Bradley presented the staff report. 3 02-06-2018 Mayor Amundson opened the Public Hearing. No one appeared. 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. It was moved by Council Member Verlato, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Tay, and carried on roll call vote to adopt Resolution No. 7199 establishing a Library and Museum Services Department fee for Passport Services; and finding that this Resolution is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). AYES: Verlato, Tay, Beck, Chandler, and Amundson NOES: None ABSENT: None REPORTS FROM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY CLERK (including reports from the City Council related to meetings attended at City expense [AB 1234]). Council Member Beck commended the Police Chief and Police Department staff regarding the reduction of crime in Arcadia; and he congratulated Burton and Kim Brink, the Arcadia Chinese Association and City Clerk Glasco on receiving their awards. Council Member Chandler had no comments. Council Member Verlato thanked Candace Chen for coming out to speak; she also congratulated City Clerk Glasco on his award, and for all he does for Veteran’s; she announced that she recently attended the Performing Arts Center and saw the performance of the Golden Dragon Acrobats; that on January 30, she attended the Arcadia Chamber’s Mixer in Duarte at D’Aquino Imported Wines, which was originally started in Arcadia; she indicated that it is unfortunate that historic preservation has been dragged into the election process, and requested the support of two other Council Members to put on the next regular agenda an appropriation of money to send a mailer out to residents providing an update where the City is in the historical preservation process. At the request of Council Member Verlato, City Manager Lazzaretto explained that the City is in the process of preparing a public information document to be mailed out to residents in the next few weeks, and the cost of the mailer is already in the budget. Mayor Pro Tem Tay indicated that he also attended the Arcadia Chamber Mixer at the D’Aquino Winery; he also noted that he attended the League of California Cities Conference in Sacramento, and that City Manager Lazzaretto was also in attendance; he announced that last week he attended the LACEE board meeting, and noted that because other cities want to join, it’s new name is Clean Power Alliance of Southern California; that this Friday the Arcadia Chinese Association is having a luncheon at the Community Center to celebrate the Chinese New Year; on February 10, the Arcadia Chinese Booster Club is having a fundraiser; on February 16, is Chinese Lunar New Year and wished every a Happy Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dog. City Clerk Glasco thanked the City Council for attending his awards ceremony last week in Duarte; and announced that he will be speaking on the life and times of Tony Antista on February 10, at the Floretta K. Lauber Museum Education Center. 4 02-06-2018 Mayor Amundson thanked City staff for attending his neighborhood meeting on coyotes; he announced properties are reassessed every four year, and urged residents to apply for the $7,000 property tax exemption; and announced that he recently heard that Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Kruckeberg received an award and asked City Manager Lazzaretto to provide the details. At the request of Mayor Amundson, City Manager Lazzaretto announced that at the Annual City Manager’s Department Conference of the League of California Cities Conference that he attended last week, City Manager/Development Services Director Kruckeberg was awarded the John H. Nail Memorial Award which is given out annually to the “finest assistant in the land”; he stated that he nominated Mr. Kruckeberg for the award during a time when he was in and out of the City for health reasons, at a time when an election was going on, the City was dealing with zoning issues, buying and selling several properties, and transit issues, and that he handled those issues with aplomb and deserved the award, and that the State also recognized him for his efforts, specifically for those events. Mayor Amundson announced that the City is getting a WeChat account so that Arcadia is open and honest with all its residents; he noted that last week he attended a BizFed meeting in downtown Los Angeles, and was surprised how the homelessness situation how grown, and that BizFed’s goal is to lift one million Los Angeles residents from poverty, and feels that the issue should be dealt with locally, and recommended that Foothill Unity would be a good resource. 2. CONSENT CALENDAR a. Special and Regular Meeting Minutes of January 16, 2018, and Special Meeting Minutes of January 25, 2018. Recommended Action: Approve b. Resolution No. 7198 declaring that weeds, brush, rubbish, and refuse upon or in front of specified property in the City are a seasonal and recurrent public nuisance, and declaring an intention to provide for the abatement thereof. Recommended Action: Adopt c. Arcadia Transit Service Policy and Procedures Manual. Recommended Action: Receive and File d. Contract with Vincor Construction, Inc. for the Library and Police Department Carpet Tile Installation Project in the amount of $73,921.83. Recommended Action: Approve e. Contract with Hardy & Harper, Inc. for the Fiscal Year 2017-18 Pavement Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $1,234,000. Recommended Action: Approve f. Contract with Clean Cut Landscape, Inc. for the Phase 2 Median Turf Reduction Program on Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue in the amount of $1,546,984. Recommended Action: Approve g. New Classification Specification for Information Technology Manager. Recommended Action: Approve 5 02-06-2018 Council Member Chandler requested Consent Calendar Item 2.c be pulled for further discussion. Mayor Amundson requested Consent Calendar Item 2.f be pulled for further discussion. It was moved by Council Member Chandler, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Tay, and carried on roll call vote to approve Consent Calendar Items 2.a. and 2.b, 2.d, and 2.e, and 2.g. AYES: Chandler, Tay, Beck, Verlato, and Amundson NOES: None ABSENT: None In response to Council Member Chandler’s inquiry regarding the Arcadia Transit Service Policy and Procedures Manual, City Manager Lazzaretto indicated that the item is not time sensitive and only memorializes policies and procedures. It was moved by Council Member Chandler, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Tay, and carried on roll call vote to table Consent Calendar Item 2.c. to a future City Council meeting date, after staff and the task force have an opportunity to meet with First Transit. AYES: Chandler, Tay, Beck Verlato, and Amundson NOES: None ABSENT: None In response to Council Member Beck’s questions regarding the Phase 2 Median Turf Reduction Program on Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue, Public Works Services Director Tait appeared and responded to questions raised regarding the bid alternate prices, and prior issues with Clean Cut Landscape, Inc. It was moved by Council Member Chandler, seconded by Council Member Beck, and carried on roll call vote to approve Consent Calendar Item 2.f. AYES: Chandler, Beck, Verlato, and Tay NOES: Amundson ABSENT: None 3. CITY MANAGER a. Discussion and direction regarding the creation of an Ad Hoc Citizens’ Committee to review the City’s long-term financial outlook. Recommended Action: Provide direction on a Resolution City Manager Lazzaretto presented the staff report. It was moved by Council Member Chandler, seconded by Council Member Verlato, and carried on roll call vote to approve staff’s recommendation and create an Ad Hoc Citizens’ Committee to review the City’s long-term financial outlook. 6 02-06-2018 AYES: Chandler, Verlato, Beck, Tay, and Amundson NOES: None ABSENT: None As recommended by City Attorney Deitsch, Mayor Amundson announced that the City Council will recess to Closed Session to consider Item d on the Special Meeting posted agenda. ADJOURNMENT The City Council meeting adjourned in memory of Arcadia resident Allen Langdale, and George Elwood Thomas (father of Joyce Platt) at 9:40 p.m. to February 20, 2018, 6:00 p.m. in the Council Conference Room.