HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-4-2022, Minutes Regular MeetingCITY OF AZUSA
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY
TO THE FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY,
THE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY
REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2022 – 7:30 P.M.
The City Council of the City of Azusa met in Regular session at the above date and time in the Azusa Auditorium located
at 213 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702.
Mayor Gonzales called the Regular meeting to order at 6:30 P.M.
ROLL CALL: Roll call was taken by City Clerk Cornejo.
PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: BECKWIT H, AVILA Jr., ALVAREZ, MENDEZ, GONZALES
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ALSO PRESENT
Elected Officials: City Clerk Cornejo.
Staff Members: City Manager Gonzalez, City Attorney Marco, Chief of Police Wenrick, Director of Administrative
Services Johnson, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Delgadillo, Deputy City Manager DeAnda-Scaia, Director of
Community Resources Carpenter, Director of Economic & Community Development Marquez, IT and Library Services
Director Graf, Economic Development Specialist Campos, and Chief Deputy City Clerk Garcia.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Al Cabraloff from Spectrum Properties commented his team is looking forward to working with the City regarding the
property at 975 W. Foothill, Azusa and keeping the Post Office in the city of Azusa by relocation to the new property
related to the ENA.
CLOSED SESSION
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS – Pursuant to California Government Code,
Section 54956.8
City Negotiators: Sergio Gonzalez, City Manager and Matt Marquez, Director of Economic & Community
Development
Property Address: 975 W. Foothill, APNs 8605-019-906 and 907.
Negotiating Parties: Al Cabraloff, Spectrum
Under Negotiation: Price and Terms
REGULAR SESSION
Mayor Gonzales called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL ROLL CALL: Roll call was taken by City Clerk Cornejo.
PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: BECKWITH, AVILA Jr., ALVAREZ, MENDEZ, GONZALES
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Library Commissioner Selisa Loeza.
Invocation was delivered by Anthony Powell from Redeemed Life Church.
ALSO PRESENT
Elected Officials: City Clerk Cornejo.
Staff Members: City Manager Gonzalez, City Attorney Marco, Chief of Police Wenrick, Director of Administrative
Services Johnson, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Delgadillo, Deputy City Manager DeAnda-Scaia, Director of
Community Resources Carpenter, Director of Economic & Community Development Marquez, IT and Library Services
Director Graf, Economic Development Specialist Campos, and Chief Deputy City Clerk Garcia.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
The City Council convened at 6:30 P.M.; City Attorney Martinez reported there was a Closed Session, with no reportable
actions regarding the property discussed in closed session at 975 W. Foothill. There is an Open Session item on the
Consent Calendar, Item 6, that is related to this item.
CEREMONIAL
Steve Castro, CEO of the Azusa Chamber of Commerce with Mayor Gonzales and City Council presented checks from
the proceeds of the Casino Night Fundraiser to Azusa Little League, Azusa Raiders General American, and Azusa Little
League Softball Organization.
Councilmember Alvarez read the Presentation of Proclamation proclaiming April 23, 2022 as Arbor Day in the City of
Azusa received by Director of Public Works Robert Delgadillo and Miki Carpenter - Liaison for the Recreation
Superintendent of Parks Roy Chavez.
Councilmember Beckwith read the Presentation of Proclamation proclaiming April 2022 as Autism Awareness Month in
the City of Azusa. The Courtyard is lighted in blue this month for recognition.
Councilmember Avila Jr. read the Presentation of Proclamation proclaiming April 2022 as Donate Life Month in the City
of Azusa. One Legacy is in the process of being constructed in Azusa and will be the largest organ donor facility.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Linda Escalera commented on the RSO/Rent Freeze and spoke about the rent increase at Foothill Mobil Home Park.
Michelle Ostick commented on rents for Foothill Vista and requested help and spoke about violence history.
Steve Castro commented on the Small Business Grant Program and offered the Chamber of Commerce services as the
administrator of the grant for a fee of 5%.
Pastor Anthony Powell announced the upcoming Mayors Prayer Breakfast scheduled for April 13, 2022 from 7 a.m. to 9
a.m. at La Tolteca, in Azusa, CA. Tickets can be purchased online through the Eventbrite QR code on the flyers he left.
City Attorney Gonzalez responded to comments about the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, which requires a Rent Review
Board that is currently not in place. The City Attorney’s staff has completed the draft revisions and it is in the internal
review phase. One of the challenges of the ordinance is finding the resources to administer and implement it.
Mayor Gonzales, with Council Consensus, requested the City Attorney bring the draft ordinance before City Council for
Council review and discussion at a date to be determined, preferably in May if possible.
REPORTS, UPDATES, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM STAFF/COUNCIL
City Manager Gonzalez commented that the Rent Stabilization Ordinance is more of a holistic approach to manage rent
control and offered to reach out to property owners in the areas addressed in public comments.
April 16th the public meeting with tours of the Senior Center, Library and Memorial Park is scheduled to review structural
issues and possible program needs that could be available to help with the upgrades of these facilities. After this group is
reviewed, the Scout House, a potential site for a dog park, and the Women’s Club will be the next group to tour. A
location is also needed for a homeless shelter.
April 20th is the State of the City event. April 25th will be City Council’s Goals and Priorities Session which is scheduled
to discuss the information from the tours and start allocating the funds Council has set aside to improve the City’s
infrastructures and facilities.
The Senior Center is looking to seek an approved plan from the County to open the program up for lunches. They will
begin a drop-in program between 8:30 a.m. and noon. Until the plans are submitted and approved by the County, the
meals will continue to be delivered to their homes.
City Manager Gonzalez added that April 18th City Council meeting will not have a Closed Session, instead there will be
Courtyard reception for the City’s retiring Chief of Police Bertelsen. He will then be invited into the Regular Session
meeting where he will be recognized for his close to 30-years of service to the City.
City Clerk: Requested to accept applications for one (1) vacancy on Personnel Board
City Clerk Cornejo received approval by the Mayor to open one vacancy on the Personnel Board, allowing receipt of
applications to be reviewed to fill the vacancy.
City Council Communications
Mayor Pro-Tem Mendez congratulated Azusa Little League, Azusa Raiders General American, and Azusa Little League
Softball on the donations to their organizations and congratulated Mayor Gonzales, Councilmember Avila Jr, and the
Chamber of Commerce for hosting the successful Casino Night fundraiser. The Community Resources Department has
the event Hop Into Spring scheduled for April 15th at 7:30 p.m. and will be showing the movie Candy Chicks and Rock n’
Roll, bring your chairs and blankets to the Northside Park. Walk This Way Azusa is a family free event also at Northside
Park on the walking path and Azusa Joins You for an 80’s themed walk that will include music throughout the park.
Councilmember Alvarez announced April 18th from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. the Rotary Club of Azusa will be spondering an
American Red Cross Blood Drive that will be hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars at 250 E. First Street, Azusa. Please
make your appointment at www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code VFW8070.
On May 21, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Memorial Park is All In For Azusa Community Festival. The resource fair will
go from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be entertainment throughout the day until 4 p.m. and will be featuring resources and
activities for all ages for overall health and wellness to include health resources, job fair, sports demonstrations and Azusa
Walks demonstration.
The Foothill Transit meeting updates include: a decrease in Covid-19 cases, an increase in services, they came in with just
under 600,000 monthly boardings. The mask mandate has been extended through April 18th. It is the responsibility of the
bus drivers to enforce the mandate which could create issues. Foothill Transit is on schedule to get 33 hydrogen fuel cell
buses which will replace the compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. The first bus is expected in June. Their goal is to have
all 33 by 2023. Mount San Antonio College (SAC) Transit Center is still being constructed by a 7.4-million-dollar grant,
and due to be completed late 2022, early 2023. All Cares Act funds received by Foothill Transit has been used, their
revenue sources come from Prop M, Prop A, Prop C, Measure R, Measure M, and sales tax revenues from the state.
Revenues are currently higher than expected but not yet normal compared to pre pandemic.
Councilmember Beckwith reported he attended the Independent Cities Association (ICA) Conference which had good
information centering around homelessness. Continuing Azusa Clean and Green month have several events scheduled
primarily on Saturdays. April 9th is a compost/mulch give-a-way at Memorial Park. The following Saturday is a shred-a-
thon and e-waste collection and Arbor Day tree planting. The Library will be hosting Wednesday evening seminars on
personal finances in April and look to have some excellent suggestions. April 6th will be on Social Security and
Retirement, April 13th has Internet Safety and Security scheduled, April 20th is Living Trusts and Estate Planning, and
April 27th seminar is Understanding Credit. Information can be found on the Library website.
Councilmember Avila Jr. announced National Library week is April 4th – 9th and will be hosting crafts and family
programs all week. The Financial Literacy Series as Councilmember Beckwith stated will be going on. There are also
school supplies available at the Library for Azusa students through the Project Lab sponsored by California State Library
Grant.
The project Dear California begins April 9th and is similar to the project Azusa did in July with Sandals Church. The City
will be going around doing different projects within the city to include Park Roadway Beautification for free haircuts to
low-income families, graffiti cleanup, and homeless outreach and wellness check. Sandals Church will be hosting a car
wash for donations; all the proceeds will be going to Little League Baseball in the City of Azusa.
The Independent Cities Association (ICA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation founded in 1960 and is made up of nearly
40 member cities in southern California area and focuses on public safety, education, infrastructure, intergovernmental
relationships, and other major issues that transcends the boundaries of its member cities. Most of the sessions were very
informative and provided a great opportunity for networking with different colleagues from different cities.
Council member Avila Jr. recognized and thanked the Director of Public Works Robert Delgadillo and the graffiti
abatement team, it was a very busy weekend, they responded and had it removed very quickly. If you see graffiti, there is
a number on the Public Works website you can call to have it removed.
Happy belated Birthday to City Manager Gonzalez, it was a significant birthday (50!) so Happy Birthday!
Mayor Pro-Tem Mendez added he too attended the ICA Conference. It was a very busy weekend and the biggest take-
away was the information about homelessness and the Emergency Resources portion about paramedics, when to send
them and when not to send them, and how to save them from burn out.
Mayor Gonzales appreciated Councilmember Beckwith for mentioning the compost/mulch give-away event, please show
proof that you are a resident and take advantage of this event at Memorial Park. The size of the compost bins are a bit
different, for those who saved the 33 gallon can, bring it to the event and they will fill it. If you bring the new can from
Athens, make sure it’s the green organic can and they will fill it as best they can for it to remain manageable for lifting.
The past weekend was the yard sale free weekend, thank you to staff who worked that event. There will be a tweak on the
event in the future.
The ICA Conference provided a very strong message with the topics regarding homelessness. Much appreciation to the
other councilmembers who leaned into the conference and the information that was provided. Thank you to City Manager
Gonzalez for setting up Council’s attendance to that conference. It has become apparent that funds and resources are
limited, and it will be up to the City to handle that problem as a City and community buy-in is going to be important.
Encampments are essentially open drug scenes and it’s being allowed on city facilities in larger cities and it’s atrocious.
The path that Azusa is on with the homelessness discussions is the right path as allowing encampments will never be okay
in Azusa. Another point of topic at the conference was a mandate for overdose victims to stay in the hospital and/or
facility until they are sober. Knowing protocols of crisis and emergencies was another great topic. Mayor Gonzales
inquired if Azusa has recently done any type of Emergency Protocol training in the event of a catastrophe.
City Manager Gonzales replied that this past year City Council approved the budget for an Emergency Services
Coordinator which is the designated staff steering this project. Jennifer Woo is acting as the current Emergency Services
Coordinator and currently training the emergency services dedicated workers and will likely be ready to give Council an
update in the next couple of months. Next staff will train with Mayor Gonzales on which information would be needed
and how it would be supplied for communication to the City. Fire and Police are currently adequate with their response to
emergencies, a catastrophic event needs to be included.
Mayor Gonzales continued by thanking the Senior Center for getting their doors opened for the seniors in the City.
Coach Sanchez, the varsity baseball head-coach at the Gladstone High School, called and requested a donation that
normally comes from the Fire Works Permitting sales; Mayor Gonzales inquired if there is a standard for making
donations. In answer, City Manager Gonzalez stated there is a process in place for making such donations and he will
contact Coach Sanchez and get the formal application submitted so that could be on the next City Council Agenda.
SCHEDULED ITEMS
1. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A SMALL BUSINESS
SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC AND AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000.
1) Consider and provide direction regarding a proposed scope for the establishment of a Small Business
Support Grant Program;
2) Adopt Resolution No. 2022-C27, establishing an Azusa Small Business Support Grant Program and
authorizing staff to proceed with its implementation; and
3) Approve an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget for a total not-to-exceed amount of $500,000
from General Fund reserves to the Small Business Grant Program.
Deputy City Manager DeAnda-Scaia provided a history and background of this item and the differences between current
resources and the resources this program will provide and responded to councilmember questions.
Council discussed raising the limit on the Small Business Support Grant from $5 - $20 thousand range per application that
meets the criteria, to $10 - $50 thousand range depending on the needs and how badly the business was impacted by
Covid-19.
Motion by Councilmember Beckwith to approve the Adoption of Resolution 2022-C27 establishing a Small Business
support Grant Program for Local Businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and amending the Fiscal Year 2021-22
Budget in the amount of $500,000 as amended by Council to change the range of the grant per application a minimum of
$10-thousand dollars with a not to exceed maximum of $50 thousand, seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Mendez, and carried
by unanimous vote of City Council.
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: AVILA Jr., MENDEZ, GONZALES, ALVAREZ, BECKWITH
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
CONSENT CALENDAR – CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Pro-Tem Mendez abstained from Consent Calendar Item 1 due him not attending the January 18th meeting.
Councilmember Beckwith abstained from Consent Calendar Item 7, as it relates to his employer.
1. Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting on January 18, 2022 was approved as written.
2. Resolution No. 2022-C28 was adopted allowing certain claims and demands and specifying the funds out of
which the same are to be paid.
3. Personnel Action Requests in accordance with the City of Azusa Civil Service Rules and applicable
Memorandum of Understanding(s) was approved.
4. City Treasurer’s Report for the month of January 2022 was received, reviewed and filed.
5. Acceptance of the “DIA DE LOS NIÑOS” grant from California Library Literacy Services and necessary
budget amendments for the current fiscal year budget was approved.
6. An Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (“ENA”) with Spectrum Properties, which allows for a period of
exclusive negotiations between the City and Spectrum Properties for the purpose of preparing major
elements of the proposed development, including, but not limited to: a site plan, design schematics, technical
and economic studies, and the pre-development obligations of all parties; with Authorization by the Mayor
to, on behalf of the City, execute the ENA in a form acceptable to the City Attorney, including any additional
non-substantive changes was approved.
7. Memorandum of Understanding with Azusa Pacific University providing tuition discount programs to all
eligible employees and their dependents was approved.
8. Azusa Police Department Building Painting for Interior and Exterior by Trademark Painting Inc, 889
Mission Blvd, Riverside, CA 92509 in an amount not to exceed $49,938.00 for Interior and $51,600.00 for
Exterior was approved.
9. Purchase Orders Issues in March with Contract Agreements executed by the City Manager was received,
reviewed and filed.
10. Second Amendment for a One (1) year extension to the professional services agreement with Badawi &
Associates Certified Public Accountants for auditing services; with Authorization of the City Manager to
execute Second Amendment with Badawi & Associates, in a form acceptable to the City Attorney, on behalf
of the City; and Authorize an increase to Badawi & Associates Certified Public Accountants from $59,680 to
$61,470 for fiscal year 2021/22 auditing services was approved.
Motion by Mayor Pro-Tem Mendez to move the Consent Calendar Items E1-E10, with Mayor Pro Tem Mendez
Abstaining from Item E1 and Councilmember Beckwith Abstaining from Item E-7, seconded by Councilmember Alvarez,
and carried by unanimous vote of City Council.
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: AVILA Jr., MENDEZ, GONZALES, ALVAREZ, BECKWITH
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
CONSENT CALENDAR - SUCCESSOR AGENCY RELATED BUSINESS
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF WARRANTS BY THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY DATED
FEBRUARY 18, 2022 THROUGH MARCH 30, 2022.
Mayor Gonzalez offered Resolution No. 2022-R05 entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY OF THE FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY
OF AZUSA ALLOWING PAYMENT OF WARRANTS TO BE PAID OUT OF SUCCESSOR AGENCY FUNDS.
Moved by Agency Member Alvarez, seconded by Agency Member Avila Jr., carried by unanimous vote of the Agency to
adopt Resolution No. 2021-R05.
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: AVILA Jr., MENDEZ, GONZALES, ALVAREZ, BECKWITH
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ADJOURNMENT
It was the consensus of the Council to adjourn the meeting in Memory of Corroundlet Sheard, long time Azusa resident
and in solemn honor of those Azusans who lost their lives to Covid-19.
TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 8:59 P.M.
* Items heard out of order
__________________________________________
CITY CLERK
NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 2022-C29 (City)
NEXT ORDINANCE NO. 2022-01
NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 2022-R06 (Former Redevelopment Agency)
NEXT MEETINGS:
April 18, 2022, 6:30 p.m. Closed Session, 7:30 p.m. Regular Meeting
May 2, 2022, 6:30 p.m. Closed Session, 7:30 p.m. Regular Meeting