Citizen About Town

By Nancy C. Arcuri, Editor and Publisher

Email: nancyarcuri@thecitizensvoice.net

Fax: 626-307-9081

During the Oral Communications of Monterey Park’s September 2nd Council Meeting I stated I had heard that Mayor Peter Chan and Councilmember Stephen Lam are going to visit Hong Kong in November or December of this year and plan to take some of our firefighters with them.  The firefighters will be there to observe how the firefighters in Hong Kong suppress the fires in their high-rise buildings and other training issues.

Education on fighting fires is important.

Monterey Park has a height limit on our buildings of seven stories. Our ladder truck reaches to the seventh floor so our firefighters know how to fight fires in our buildings.

This visit to Hong Kong raises several questions: How many firefighters will be traveling overseas? Who will be paying the firefighters’ expenses? Will the firefighters visiting Hong Kong still be on our time clock? Will Monterey Park still be liable for the firefighters visiting in a foreign country?

In the interest of transparency I believe City Manager Paul Talbot, City Attorney Mark Hensley, Fire Chief Scott Haberle and Human Resources / Risk Manager Tom Cody should present a staff report to the Council and the public on this trip by the October 7th meeting.

Peter Chan and I had a short discussion after the meeting on this issue. He said they are discussing the matter with our city attorney and fire chief.

The firefighters will be paying their own expenses. Only senior firefighters will be taking this trip.

Mayor Chan agreed with me that there needs to be a public report on the firefighters’ trip to Hong Kong that will answer these questions and many other questions from the Council and the residents.

Hundreds of Monterey Park voters fought in three separate elections to keep our hometown fire department.

During the Planning Commission Meeting on August 25th consultants from Michael Baker International Inc. made a presentation to the commissioners on the South Garfield Village Specific Plan that was financed by a $250,000 grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The MTA will be constructing the Gold Line station on the Montebello side of the 60 Freeway at South Garfield. They plan to build their parking structure on that side of the freeway. These plans also include building a pedestrians bridge over the freeway so people can walk into Monterey Park from the station.

City officials along with business owners and residents see this as a great opportunity to re-develop that area of town.

The plan calls for the shopping area to have a theme with more parking and dining areas for the public to enjoy.

The city has a limited budget at this point in time so the property owners and business owners will be invited to several meetings to discuss the future of the South Gateway to Monterey Park.

Suggestions were made to establish a Business Improvement District to cover the costs of some of the improvements to the building facades and signs.

The city hopes to have all of the buildings occupied by businesses that will service the needs and wants of the residents and visitors.

The Commissioners asked several questions from staff and the consultants before they approved the plan.

The South Garfield Village Specific Plan will be presented to the Council at a later date for their review and approval.

The Water Issue is still front and center in our neighborhoods.  All of Monterey Park’s water customers received a large postcard with the Stage Two Drought information and restrictions.

Monterey Park must meet our 20% reduction of our water use by the state’s deadline or face a $10,000 a day fine.

A resident or business could face a $500 fine for each violation of the water restriction rules.

City officials have stated that we need to conserve water now and also in the future even if we have several wet winters.

So our New Years’ resolution for many years to come will be to save water.

Another very important issue being covered in the news is the attacks on law enforcement officers in several states by cowards who are seeking their fifteen minutes of fame.

Some well known politicians, attorneys and judges who believe in two sets of laws encourage these home grown terrorists.  One set of laws is ruled on for all of the law biding citizens and another set of laws is ruled on for all of these outlaws.

Our country is in danger of being destroyed by these violent and aggressive individuals who believe they are above our laws based on their race, religion, sexual preference, poor education and joblessness.

America is a very generous country. We spend our tax dollars to feed people, provide shelter for them and offer a free educate to their children through high school.

If everyone remembers that we are all in this together we can make our world a better place.

The 2016 election year has already invaded our lives with daily live coverage of the presidential candidates and their debates.

This election is a very important one that will decide the fate of our America.

Will our USA follow a more liberal path or will our USA follow a more conservative path?

Please study all of the candidates and the issues that will affect our families, our selves and our country.

Please be prepared to vote your conscience in the 2016 Presidential Election.

The future of our country could be decided your vote.

On September 11th please take a moment to remember all of the Americans and visitors who lost their lives to terrorists.