Thank you. I'm going to make a little bit of a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. I'm going to make a little bit of the dough. you the Good evening and welcome to the September 9th regular meeting of the Alhambra City Council. Roll call please. Maazza. Here. Maloney. Here. Andraudis Stadler. Here. Perez. Lee. Here. Please join me in the flag salute. Ready, begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty, and justice for all. the Our mayor is not here tonight so I will be substitute substitute for her Langed, acknowledgment. We occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Gabeleno Tonga peoples. Our first item is a presentation regarding the Elhambra Friendship City policy draft. Miss City Manager is there a report from staff for this item? There is the evening's presentation will be given by Randy Stover, W City Manager. Good evening, honorable Vice Mayor and members of the City Council. I'm here this evening to share a draft friendship city policy for your consideration. On July 22nd, I brought forward information on Alejandro's four sister cities, along with information on surrounding cities programs. Following that discussion, Council requested a draft friendship city policy based on the city of San Gabriel and the city of Arcadia's current friendship city policies. The draft policy is attached to the this evening staff report and includes the purpose and goals of the program along with potential procedures for your consideration. I'm here for any questions. Thank you. Thank you so much for the presentation and further down the line. Do we have any speaker cards from the public for this item? Madam Vice Mayor, we do not have any speaker cards. Okay, and do we have any speakers via Zoom that we should speak on this item? I am not seeing any raised hands on Zoom at this time for this item. Does the council have any comments or questions for staff on this item? Just a couple thoughts. Thank you for doing this to staff. The procedures I think are basically what I think we want to see with the flexibility and ability to kind of manage these relationships. I do have a couple suggestions. One, I think we ought to be more leaning on requirements on our counterpart side. Just because we don't know what we don't necessarily know how they function internally, what is required from them, whether or not they defer that to perhaps a chief executive or if it needs to be sponsored or approved by the entire council. And I just like it, if we want to require a resolution and a sponsor, you know, council sponsor and support from the community on our side, I think that's fine. But I'd hate to see a relationship terminated or prevented from going through because they may not have jumped through the hoops that we put there for them. I think it ought to be a little bit more flexible on their side. Perhaps maybe we would require a statement of affirmation of the relationship from them, a formal official statement. I don't know how they get there, but I also don't know how every city in the world might determine things like this. And if, you know, so that's one part of it as far as the ambassador to the friendship city, I think that's a really good idea. But again, I hate for it to be terminated because we don't have one. I think in my experience, some of these relationships may go dormant for a little while, but not necessarily an intent to terminate on either side. So I'd hate to see it something that would be productive that individuals could revive. And then all of a sudden we realize it's actually formally terminated. I think a lot of this for better worse is kind of up to the individual members of the council at least on our side and I think it's okay. I mean I think it's okay to be flexible and open and allow us to pursue that on our own if that if that interests us as individual council members assuming we still have the support of the entire council. I do want to make sure that if you know I said let's let's be friendship city with some with a city in a country that maybe we're extremely at odds with. And you know, you could imagine different scenarios. And the council should be able to say we don't want to do that anymore. But it shouldn't just terminate just because no one's paying attention to it at the moment. Because I think a couple of our relationships would have terminated. I don't think we want to see that necessarily. So that's it. But thank you, Rene. A system error or mayor? Vice mayor. Thank you. I think this is great bringing this back. I think I recognize someone in the audience who is very enthusiastic about us getting a program back. Not so much the way we used to have it, but to actually just get it back on track. It is something that the city used to do much with a little bit more enthusiasm, if I remember the past. And so I totally agree, I'd like to go in this direction. I think asking for that communication between both cities is crucial and important. And it might mean that we trade flags or something or give something that reflects us and then what reflects them. But anytime we're celebrating and encouraging cross country connection I think is extremely important. So thank you. Thank you for moving this forward. Thank you. And Randy, I want to thank you for the presentation as well. I think this is a great start. We can always, of course, modify as we go along. I think the only, I guess, long-term concern that I have with this, and not really concerned, just that thought, is, what do we limit it at? I mean, you know, when it was down the road, I mean, if we end up with 50 friendship cities, where do we limit it? And so again, I think this will be a work in progress. I think we've got a good start. I can definitely think of a few cities that I'd love to establish relationships with and friendships with, so looking forward to seeing this, get on its way, and again, modifying it as we need. Thank you, Council, for your your comments and your very valuable input. I wrote some notes and I do agree with what you said. Let's talk about the paperwork and procedure. I think that it looks very structured as I requested. I think that I didn't want to make this whole process becoming very strict, that become prohibitive for anyone to want to start anything. And I just wanted to see that the Humber and Stiller, it becomes a city that support our community. There are groups of different people groups that live in our city. We want to take effort to make sure that we care, that we do celebrate the culture and the beliefs in a very harmonious way. So I think friendship city or car sister cities is a good start. We might have something later on down the line. I'm going to guess that this policy is a combination of from different cities out correct as a combination of Arcadia and St. Gabriel. Correct. Okay. Thank you. And I look through the policy very carefully. There are a few things I would like to see if I can add or change not to. I'm not trying to change a whole field of the policy. I think the policy on its own is very structure. It's very comprehensive. It covers a lot of details and I do like it a lot. There's a couple of things I'm going to kind of bring out is that, okay, going back to what Ross said earlier, we can modify as we go along, but is there a limit to how many cities we have? There are so many cities we can actually bring together down the road. So I am going to bring out this concern about because this is an ongoing communication with governments around the globe. And there's a connection, it's official connection. We may have an exchange of officials or residents from other cities coming to our city or vice versa. Being there is an official relationship to some extent. I would like to want to add the language that governments are around the globe except those who have no relations with the US. I don't have all this. I look at other allies, partners, trading partners, and they're also countries with some type of positive ongoing relationship is not official. So I like to include those in the beginning purpose so that there is a reasonable limit to this program. I think that having worked with contract language in the past as my former career. I think it's always good to actually be very clear about our scope and limit from the beginning so that there's no confusion. I think we opened up too much governments around the world because there are some governments that we do not really want to have a connection with at this point due to US policy. At the C level, I don't want to get into it. There are allies that definitely support the harbor relationship with positive connection with them, communication. But there are governments that we probably want to stay away from at this point because of different interests, different beliefs and different system. So I want to add that into the purpose to kind of sort of limit it to just US allies or partners. I think they're trading partners, the economic partners. It's a little confusing with the, there's a lot of definite lists. I think the SAPWAC look it up for me. Or also maybe countries that have ongoing past relationship up to this point still and into the future. So if we can kind of modify the language so that we are being very broad, but at the same time having some sort of rules. My second point is that under policy, it says prior to the city initiating a responding to a request for proposed apprenticeship city affiliation, the council member or members, and I'd like to kind of limit to that same gable of value community, the sponsoring organization. Right now it's just community, sponsoring organization. Sometimes I find that when you say community it becomes miles away. Everyone has a different definition of community. So I like to make that a local, a feel local community that understand what the resident need in November. I'm willing to extend that to San Gabriel Valley community. If the council does not object. I'm interpreting that a sponsored organization means that it doesn't have to be a nonprofit. Is that correct? It's just a group of residents or businesses people that are that. That's what this has, correct. Right, it's not specified that it means to be a nonprofit. And they don't have to have board or they don't have an election. They're just a group of people having similar interests. In this policy that you're correct. Okay. Thank you. And so that would be my second place I would like to add. There were San Gabriel Valley Community Sponsoring Organization. And then in terms of procedure, I do agree with Jeff that it does look very cumbersome to start. First, you have to have a council member or don't know how to really reduce the paperwork. If I may, vice mayor, if I was listening to Mr. Maloney's comments, if you look at number five, he said rather than maybe an agreement or a resolution, we could include language that say it must be document, we can say maybe document by a statement of affirmation or including agreement or resolution, making it softer. Okay. I'm open to suggestions. I do agree we want to streamline the process as much as possible being that if we do adopt this policy tonight, I do hear that this is really kind of working progress. There might be something along the way that might feel that this is not appropriate or this is too much. Then when the council can discuss revising it for the purpose of making sure that it does continue. Now Adele does say that communications important, I do agree with that. I think the main part of this is to start with correspondence and communication. I see that the mayor or council members can start sharing and sending letters or maybe emails and so on and so forth. But I do want to make sure that sharing information can, if we're not careful, can cause some sort of confusion, especially we're working internationally. There might be some differences in how interpret different things. I want to be very careful in adding a qualifier or clarification there under 5A, or it says both cities were strived to learn from one another through information sharing opportunities to promote prosperity and quality of life. That could include letters that we write and we do write letters each of us and sometimes the rest of the council just gets a copy. And I think that because we're doing international relations, I want to add this in there under 5A regarding information sharing. Information, I want to say that information shared by the city officials and relevant city departments require approval by the city council during public hearings. Just want to make sure that whatever information shares carefully sought out that it is also protecting our city interest So I want to bring that out as an addition to 5A And I do do bring up something that I do like is the exchange of flags and I wanted to see if That could be something where a council will include the policy that the flag will be display somewhere include the policy that the flag will be displayed somewhere either down lobby or somewhere around the city or the library to show that we this is a front of a friendship city that we adopt. So it's not in there but we could probably add that into where it says the little gives that we give them. I don't remember which section but you know where it is. Maybe we can actually section seven. Seven. Yes. That's right. And that we can you know exchange give I mean exchange I can include flags and I did okay. Let me see. Mayor I have something that I when you get moment, I'd like to maybe add to it as well. Sure. I just want to see where the flag, what did you say the flag? Seven. And number seven, it says city program shall be limited to visitors gifts of the city of Valhambra, such as branded pins, pins, and other souvenirs. I can add flags in there. Okay, absolutely. and other souvenirs. I can add flags in there. OK, absolutely. That'll be great. Oh, that's all I have. I just wanted to add what is the flexibility like and maybe adding, having amendments to include other countries? If you just go outside, you see that we're probably in the San Gabriel Valley probably the most diverse in population. So it includes Central America. It also includes people from Mexico and it includes people from Vietnam. My no Vietnam is a community that is growing with the Nile Hambra. And so I would want to include maybe those three countries as well. If it is okay, I mean you can say whatever city maybe councilman Mazza can give us a Central American city that he would, you know, a team important. And I, the at NAM is a fast growing community. I also think this is a perfect time. We're going to be celebrating the Olympics. The Olympics are coming and it's certainly a great opportunity to show our neighbors that we are on celebrating different countries and appreciating them coming to our country. Thanks. A couple of all of the statements. So Vice Mayor, I think as far as the countries that would be eligible, I sort of think that it should be left to the council. As this changes, our relations with different countries might develop and deteriorate over the course of time. Formerly, I just looked this up. Formerly, the US doesn't have diplomatic relations with Iran, Syria, and Bhutan. Why Bhutan? I have no idea. But this Wikipedia entry says that we have friendly relations with them. We're very closely cooperating all sorts of things. And I hate for us to say, no, but you can't be because the U.S. doesn't have close, I mean, not that they're banging down our doors. But I think that this list changes, you know, perhaps if there's a regime changing Iran over the next decade, that'll change too. So I think we ought to allow future councils to decide at that point in time who they would like to do. I do not think that we should be putting a list of 30 countries here, but I agree that there's some Central American and Asian countries that might be natural fits for us. We should be open to that and consider that in future. I think the way this is set of really relies on council members as individuals making that effort to make connections and then bring that back to the council and say, hey, I met this person from the other country at this conference and I think it would be great to have a sister-city relationship and then the city staff can go, okay, good for you. Give me all the stuff that you have. We'll put it on the agenda. We won't spend too much time on it. And then it's up to you to sort of keep that relationship going. And I think that works perfectly. I think it really works well. So that's why I was trying to sort of bring down the requirements, at least on the other side just. It's going to be up to us. I noticed that when I went to Japan, I visited Kishima, our sister city there. If I didn't do it, I don't know who else would have. I mean, everyone's welcome to visit there, but I just happen to be there on a family trip. Let's go down and visit our sister city. So it's that informal, non-obligatory system that we have. And I think it works well. And this kind of puts language to the policy I think that was in place already but some quick so I think your comments were good and I think I appreciate your comments as well So I like it with with some of these amendments. I just don't want to be overly prescriptive here and then tying hands of future councils that's all Thank you for your input. I do understand that we need to, at one point, kind of hands off a little bit, but also be structured. So I have a question for our city attorney. Let's say down the line, someone, a council member decide to set up a French or city with Iran. And will the council member be advised by the city attorney that it is not appropriate or is appropriate or is just going to leave it to the council member to decide because I don't even think that I'm not in a relationship. There's an violation of local government officials interacting with other government officials from other countries who are not, who don't have a relation with the US, could we gain some problems where they're invited to come here? We might have a short ceremony. We might have resonated from that country. I'm not saying that it's not about the residents about the government that's involved with a friendship city, who is not a, who doesn't have relations where US at that moment, is there a check and balance or is it just, no one's gonna say anything? So, Madam Vice Mayor, members of the council, the check and balance is the council. That's the first check and balance, right? I mean, you're not gonna establish the friendship city relationship with a city unless at least a majority of the council want to adopt a resolution doing that. So that's the first check-in balance. You could have a council member who wants to establish a relationship with a city that Some people think is a really bad idea if two other members of the if three members of the council think it's a really bad idea, it's not going to happen. So that's the first check. If there were some international violation of law implication, that's something that probably would get raised during that kind of agenda preparation item, because you still have to put it on the agenda. But I think the policy, the way it's drafted right now, is really intended for this to be initiated by one or more council members, them to go through the effort to establish everything and then them to try to convince their colleagues that this is a good idea. Thank you. I think the Council has a lot of power and sometimes I feel that we could leave it to our own wisdom to decide whether it's an appropriate country to have any sort of official government relation. And I could go either way. I just feel that I like to see if we can naturally make sure that we are wise about it instead of stepping to an area where we might get ourself in trouble. It sounds like it's just a majority of Greece and it goes. So I don't have to insist if the council does not want to restrict the countries at this point to just allies, partners, and other countries with relation on a official relation with the US, which is already a large list anyway. So I'm going to leave it to the council whether you want to have that restriction now or you're just going to leave it to the council members down the line to exercise their own wisdom. Okay. Are there any comments from the council? North Korea. That was the other one. I just saw, let's not go there please. I just watched a video about the negotiators helping that poor guy coming out. But anyway, that casing point. But we do have Koreans who live here. I'm not focusing on the residents who are here. They're here. They're here. Respect all of them. Whoever's hearing on hand, but they get the services fairly and they get equal respect. It's about the government that's in their home country that I'm kind of concerned about. Oftentimes, the people are in the victim's, the government's action and we see that quite often, unfortunately. I'll leave it to the council whether you accept my inclusion of restriction of which countries will be accepted as friendship city so let's see anything else. Looks like we don't need to vote on this. It's the information report for the City Council. The City Council is asking for direction. So this is a draft policy. I can make the changes that the Council has directed me to do, which I would like to go over if that's what you want. And then we can make those changes administrativelyly or you can decide not to adopt this. I think that all four of us are fine with all the changes that each of us suggest except the restriction on which country so okay because we're not voting on is so can I just leave it in there or just leave it in there. If you want this to be an official policy of the council, we would need you to vote on it. Okay. So I'll make a motion to approve that the policy. Okay. And is that with the, the addendum or amendments that we raised? And does that include the limitation on the countries? Or I think we would have to do that one by one. Like the attorney has suggested that if somebody comes up and at that time feels really uncomfortable about it, they get the votes on the council then we can do it then and not necessarily restrict now. Who we restrict now may be somebody we do not restrict tomorrow and we may be restricting a whole other folks that we have online. So I think this is a moving document, a working document, but it needs emotion and I made it. Seconded. Okay. And please review all of the revisions with Council before I step down. So the first we're going to leave the purpose the same. Next, under policy, after Council members and we're going to include San Gabriel Valley before community sponsoring organization. And then on under procedures item number five, that the friendship city relationships must be documented by a statement of affirmation, which may include an agreement or resolution. And then 5A at the end will have it say, sharing opportunities to promote prosperity and quality of life, including letters. And then 6B, Eliminate. My only suggested revision on the statement of affirmation just from an authorized official. Okay. Yeah. So that motion would include all those amendments or changes? Yes. Okay, there's a motion in second. Rule call please. Mazza. Yes. Maloney. Yes. Antradi Sadler. Yes. Lee. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. The next item on the agenda this evening is a consent agenda item number 2 through 11. Do we have any speaker cards from the public for any of the consent agenda items? Yes, Madam Mayor. We have a card for item number 6 and item number 11 with a record. Mr. Lewis, you're speaking on item number 6. Good evening. This is pretty much a pro forma thing. These are approval of minutes of prior meetings and these are almost in the ancient history file from when we were doing. The burden must have been overwhelming on the city clerk's office and doing minutes in the old days when they had tried to transcribe not just who commented but what they said and everything. And in looking at over, I noticed back on February 20th, the minister of February 28th, 2022 on that report, item 4, which was a mid-year budget review for the year 202-1-202-2. I had made a public comment regarding the status of the portion of remaining funds of the dissolved Alhambra redevelopment agency that we had to return to the county and with the understanding that the county would then be since these were withheld from all agencies would be giving these back to the various agencies from which these had originally been withheld because of the tax increment financing aspect of the redevelopment law. And under those circumstances, approximately as I recall, about a million was supposed to come back to the city eventually after the county completed its audit and everything and around maybe a million coming back to the school district and so forth. And I just have never heard whether the county ever actually completed that and whether we've ever actually received these funds back which are due to the city and if so good, how much did we get? If not, it might be something you wanna follow up on and say, hey, County, we're just knocking on the door. We got a little question here. Do you have a timeline on this or something? So it's just an opportunity to remind us to clarify that and look into it if it's still an independent file. Thank you. Mr. Lewis, you could continue with item number nine, your only one. Okay. Here's the handouts for item number nine. I don't remember nine on a consent agenda is the result of the transect traffic study. And their recommendations for where speed limits need to be altered on seven segments in the city. In each case, it's a reduction of five miles per hour. But in looking at some of this stuff over it was very interesting and I want to give you some details like the first page here is out of there a 385 page report. Here is one that looks at sort of the digested information on Main Street and it breaks it up into six segments there. And it notes that the existing posted speed is 30 miles per hour on main street from beginning to end. And I can verify yes, that is the case. Those are the speed limit posted signs everywhere. The largest number of traffic accidents occurred on the segment between Atlantic and Grenada 40 during that four-year period and because of the characteristics of that area they are recommending a reduction from 30 to 25. Also of note in there are just the actual collision rate on two other segments compared to the expected collision rate is very very high these are on the far East End Huntington Drive to Fremont and Fremont to Raymond Avenue the actual collision rate is over twice what it would be expected to be for the characteristics of the The streets there might be something we want to keep in mind. Now looking at this and the way the resolution is worded before you tonight here are attached to sections the Alhambra municipal code 11.08.080 which is specifies what zones are currently 30 miles per hour. And you'll notice it says for Main Street Huntington Drive East to the City of Limits, so the entire limit, 30 miles per hour, which corresponds to what TransTech is looking at. However, when you look at Section 11.08, 0.083, the 40 mile-proud zones. Here's one from Mainstreet, it conflicts with this other code section. And I think it was from when a change was made before, they added it to the one but neglected to delete it from the other. That from Huntington to Raymond Ave is not 40 a miles from our posted speed limit there is 30 That is the intent they're citing the same ordinance numbers the same dates passed and everything But I'm thinking it would be useful to have that cleaned up But that can be done by just adding a sentence or something in tonight To this it would not be a substantive change to anything. It would just be a clean up sort of thing. Now looking before you, the last page here is the actual text part of the resolution without the signature parts of the resolution before you tonight. And it's in the format here of section one and section two. Section one says we're going to add these segments here to section 11.08.081. Okay, but I don't want us to get into the situation where we wind up, but the same segments being listed in two different things. One saying it's 40 and one saying it's 35 and so forth. Like we saw in this other situation. So I just, I had an email folks, you know, might be good to take a look at that and see if there's some way to clean it up tonight, shouldn't delay anything, but just you might want to add in a sentence saying they will be deleted from the former sections where they were listed so that there's no confusion. Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Do we have any speakers via Zoom that wish to speak on any of the items of the consent agenda? Madam Vice Mayor, I'm not seeing any raised hands on Zoom at this time for the consent agenda. Thank you. I pulled item number 11 for discussion. From the consent agenda. This is the second reading of ordinance number 02 and 24, dash 4837. It has to do with adopting whether the council desired to implement the California uniform public construction cost accounting act. I like to have a discussion and share my concerns. I'm not sure I'm able to approve this tonight. And I would also like to hear the council's comments on various areas that I bring up. The basic three, in this ordinance, They're basically three areas of expenditure that has to do, that is related to this ordinance. If we adopt the ordinance tonight, we're gonna change, pretty much change the bidding policy that we have had. And I think the open bid policy will then be revised to limit to a certain amount only. And I have great concerns about that. And I just allow me to kind of go through some of the pages. The section about adoption of director of finance to serve as general purchasing agent is how to do making purchases of supply and equipment. Supply's equipment. I'm a little confused about the objective, but then at the same time bypassing the formal bidding procedure. Under B, it says, okay, the deregifying and show insure city acts to procure the need of quality and supply of the equipment at least expense of the city. So what I know is about open bid policies that we will select the lowest bidder usually. And that is to, it's not a perfect system because you usually end up to be change orders and change orders. I don't know to what amount. And it's not very cheap at the end. So, but that I think we are obligated to select the lowest bidder. But if we were to adopt this ordinance, then we would not have the formal bidding procedures, and we're not insure the least expense. So, can our director of finance kind of share your thoughts on this one. How would you achieve the objective if we remove the open bit, the formal bidding procedure? Good evening. For disorning, the change is the purchasing limit. So currently what we have is the threshold is at 3500, well actually the threshold is at 50,000. Anything, any items that is over 50,000 would, that trigger a formal bidding process. I currently, so the finance director has the current authority for any items that is over 3500 to 25000. The city manager has authorization under 50,000. So tonight's ordinance is changing the threshold. The threshold for the regular non-public projects are increased from 50,000 to 60,000. Or the public projects is increased from 50,000 to 200,000. So basically, the open bidding process. For public projects it's currently goes through a CO bid process. So it is we do to select the lowest bid. The only difference is that now instead of over $6,000, it'll be over $200,000. And during the last couple years, the projects and everything, labor, material costs and everything has been increasing. So therefore, we're trying to follow the state process where this is the state process, the dollar threshold that they change over 15, 20 years ago. It's just that we always adopted our own threshold. Now we're just following the state process. Okay, so stay with me here. So how would you, for under B, how would you ensure that there's quality at least expensive city if it's not formal bidding procedure? So are you going back to a list of vendors from the past? How do you invite? How do you decide which vendor to use for purchasing? Are you referring to a de-want clarification on items that are over 50,000 right now? Because over 50,000 we have, we basically put it in the journal, we publish it in advertisement in order, and also there's a list of vendors that depending on the projects, the city sends the list to and the public slides again in the journals. Okay, understand. So then now the same process happens. You're still doing that where you're noticing the bid, you're putting it in the journals, you're advertising it out. So what about purchases are under 60,000? So under 68,000? So under 60,000 there is a different method. So basically you do a, let me take a look. From, we followed the informal bidding process. And that is under exhibit let's see exhibit C. So under exhibit C on page, let me see. Under exhibit C, 3.40.010, C levels of bidding required, C2, informal bidding process, anything that is from 60,200. The notice inviting bids are mailed to the trade journals. The notice can be provided to a list created by the city for category or work to be bid. Notice can be sent to any other contractors and construction trade journals. Product service is proprietary in nature and they can limit the notice to those contractors. And then notice have to be sent at least 10 days before the bid process and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. So this is a process for informal bidding. So you're right now just referring to the contract, the public projects. Yes, for public. Okay, you're in charge of that as well. You're very busy. referring to the public projects. Yes, for public projects. OK, you're in charge of that as well. You're very busy. I didn't realize that. So I have a question about how, what happens to the workforce policy that we adopted? Is that, will that be changed by this? No. Okay. So I have a question for you. In terms of the bidding process, I'm kind of concerned about this. Under the informal bid process, first of all it's called informal. That kind of sets a ref flag for me. I'm not sure when formal means. So it means that a notice of inviting bit is not sent and published in the basically the newspaper. You're not going through a COBIT process. That's what informal means. That's what I have a problem with. The way I read it and correct me by wrong, trying to learn this what you're doing. So I'm speaking from a position of knowing a little bit, so you could definitely correct me by wrong. This is how it feels to me, is that we have a project for bit. The first group will be informed, has been formed. The second group will be informed, has been informed. The second group can be informed, but they seem to have to take extra step to be informed. That is not fair. That's how I read it, because the second group says, OK, maybe the first one. Levels of bidding required, inform a bidding procedure, this is for project up to $200,000. Okay, I'm right there. A, notice inviting bids must be mailed to construction trade journals. Okay. So they will automatically get the invitation to bid on the project. B, notice can also be provided to list created by City for a Caliburary Award to be bid. Notice can be sent to any other contractors or construction trade journal. There seems to be like two different groups here. The second group gets, can get notice for bid, invitation for bid, but it's not automatic. It's not required. That's what I'm concerned about. Why are they being treated this way? There's different ways for journal, it's public size. And then if they're in an authorized list or we know if there's a list of vendors that we have, then the department would also send the information to them. But it's also posted on the website too. So we're trying to reach out to different vendors in order to get as much bid as possible. It's not excluding people. It's more like different types of advertisements. I see. So I'm glad that we have this discussion. So the language is so confusing. I interpret that way that they can be invited, but they may not be. Because when you re-length, when I re-wards this high, I interpret can be, it doesn't mean always. It doesn't mean a guarantee. Can't be means you're permitted. You're allowed to be invited, but it's automatic and it's not required. So I like, I want to change that the whole thing to be that everyone is treated, the language is the same for everyone. I'm not sure how you would inform, send notice a bit to the other group that does not have the trade journals. If they, do they know that they could look up on the website anytime? It's always posted at the same time as the it's published in the trade journals. So basically the vendors that do they work on these public projects they they look at our website because we post our notice of bids there and we publish and I think believe the advertisement and newspaper too as well. Not at this time no our code allows us to post in three public locations, and then we do post on the website. Any contractor or interested party can subscribe to a notification through the website. So anytime a new bid or RFP is posted, they get a notification through the email. That's something that's been posted. So that there is a guarantee that both groups will see the invitation to bid at the same time. Is there a guarantee of that? If they don't check their email and I their, basically, their bidding to us, then we can, we have the information. But I can't guarantee that all of them, it's made of, you know, they're not looking at their mail, then they're not going to get it. Oh, I understand. You cannot, maybe, say them. I mean, they check their emails, they check their emails. Yeah. If they don't, then they lose the opportunity to be informed. Okay, understand that. So I like to see that then there's no harm in changing the language. Can be is very misleading to me. Can be means that it just seems like they have the goals of extra layer of paperwork to get informed. So why don't we just say notice for two B and C for those two different groups. Just make it the same. Notice we'll be posted. I don't know how you want to. We'll be posted at the city website. At the same time. How do we how do we work that? This is a second reading, right? Yes, this is a secondary. And just for clarification that if I could add a little bit um this language is lifted Chris it like literally verbatim from the public contracts code this is the language that the public contracts the state public contracts code uses it's the state public contracts code says if you want to use capca the uh uniform cost accounting rules, then this is the language you have to include in your code. So we've just lifted that language and dropped it right into the city's code so that the city can utilize this procedure. Previously we had two levels of bidding under 50,000 and over 50,000. This is meant to streamline some of the projects so that you will still have that lower level. It's now under 60,000 and you will have the higher level. Every project will come to the council over 200,000. But between 60 and 200,000, there's this quote, informal process. The informal process is the last couple pages of your agenda packet. You can see it's it's pretty detailed for being informal and That's the process you are required to follow in order to use this process under state law So it's really setting up three tiers I think approximately I think the finance director looked because we were curious. I think it's approximately something like 16% of the city's contracts fit in that middle tier. So we're just trying to expedite the processing of that level of contracts. They're still bidding. We still have to give it to the low, the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. They're still outreach and notification opportunities. It's just that we don't have to also put it on the agenda and get the council to approve the contracts in that middle range. And so it's just meant to expedite things and get projects done quicker in the city, especially these days when you know there's delays and Sunset's on money, etc. It's hard to do much over 200 that or under to that $ dollars, any significant project in the state. I, Vice Mayor, I hear your concerns and I think that it is addressed as pretty well detailed. And this is the city opting into a system that the state set up to allow for more flexibility. And I would, I, I, I, I, person would oppose any changes here because I would make us go back to first reading of a delay the whole process even longer. What I did request from staff previously and I'll reiterate here is that is that we monitor that middle section, you know, how, how, how we are if this goes through contracts are awarded up to $200,000 without coming before the council, especially things that we would have seen previously. I'd like to know that maybe on a twice a year, something like that quarterly basis, maybe just say, here are the contracts that were approved under our new procedures. So we can see what's happening. If we see regularities, we can opt out of this. We could change it, we're charter city rate. We have the ability to set our own rules here. Maybe that's a good idea in the future, but for now, especially now at the second reading, I think we had all let it go through. This is pretty well thought through pretty well detailed. There's a lot of similar programs through the state where cities, local governments are allowed to do their own thing. But if you want to get higher thresholds, meaning you have more flexibility, the state says adopt this and we'll let you do that. So that's what we're doing here and I think it's a good idea for the city, especially costs have gone up so much over the last few years. It's really hard to get anything done. And I don't want to saddle staff, excuse me. I don't want to saddle staff coming to us for a $65,000 contract or $60,000 contract to get a full sealed bid procedure that takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. You can publishing is expensive these days too. So it is, I think ultimately it's a cost savings, but I would like to see that backed up by kind of a report a few times a year as to what we're doing there. And we're still going to see the big ones, anything over 200,000, we're still gonna see it. So that's not gonna change. So I understand a rational streamlining of government business, but I still don't like the language. So if it's looked directly, word by word, we cannot change anything. We have the dot as is. Well, I mean, if you change it, you would have to make it. I'd have to look at all the changes in the parent state law. What we don't want to do is, is in order to, we have to qualify using this with the state. And I just don't want to do something that's going to disqualify us from participating in this state program. Okay. If the council wants to adopt this, the only concern I have right now, based on what our director says, I'm gonna take your work for it, that they will be able to see the projects post on our website, and I didn't know that it would to look. Is that, I think that's what you're saying. Because I wanna make sure we have fair share opportunities of jobs for everyone, instead of some people are not, are behind on being notified. Mayor, I have a question. Are Councilman Maloney mentioned something separately? Is it possible for us to bring something once we adopt this policy that would, because I fully support the accountability of that we have to, you know, be, and we have to be accountable for that amount of money. And if we can do that like on a quarterly basis, then I think that that would help with the transparency. Can we do that separately? Well, certainly staff can issue a memo to the council. Every quarter or six months or whatever, just listing the projects that were awarded under the new process, so you're aware of it. And then, should the council wish to agenda as a further discussion of it after receiving that information you certainly could. Okay. Okay. You know, I would support that. And I mean, I think staff is hearing the concerns and there are certain things that the council can indicate what its desire is without having to change. You know, what is essentially kind of a state program here. I think you hear the concerns and the idea that we're getting at. We can open and transparent and make sure that everyone has the ability to get the information equally and put in their places. Okay. Yes. Staff can bring up, bring, basically, communicate with Council on a quarterly basis and bring back any contracts that are over 50 to 200. Well, list of contracts so you're aware of them. Okay, I'm fine then. As long as we have we have ongoing monitoring, making sure that as much as we can, that we have fair share job opportunities for everyone who wants a bit on our city projects. Okay, so for now, I think that kind of settles my concern. My big concern is making sure we're being fair. Any other comments from our council members? Questions? I do, not on that one, but on item 9. Thank you to Luma Cammond for highlighting some of these issues there. I think that the one might be just something that was discrepancy. It might be overlooked in the various codes and the ordnance that we have on point here. So I'll leave that there. I do want to kind of focus on the segment of Main Street between Huntington and Fremont and then again from Fremont to Raymond. You know, as we mentioned before, that is one of the few areas, what's the only area on Main Street, at one point has four lanes going in each direction. It is, I don't know the history of that, but I do know that that four lanes eventually turns into two lanes in each direction. And it doesn't seem that there is any dire need to have, you know, what is almost like a freeway running through there when we have businesses and homes right on this street front there. So we're looking at these things as part of our bike and ped plan. We're planning some things for that median there for stormwater capture. I think it is a good opportunity for us to look at whether or not that configuration of the streets makes sense. If we are looking at a collision rate of 2.147 and 2.048 when the expected collision rate is 0.89 in both those locations, that tells me something is a little off there. And we should be looking at something more significant than the speed limit, I think, removal of lanes. It may be changing one of the lanes there to diagonal parking for the businesses there. I think we really got to take a look at that. I don't want to spend too much time tonight, but I want to point that out because that's something that I've always looked at. And so that doesn't really seem like it is appropriate for that stretch. I really did drive it home last year where one of the parents at my kids school came up and said I heard about the accident on Main Street. I didn't know about it. I went by and sure enough there was a little memorial there. A father had been crossing the street there and got hit by a speeding car and died. So one pedestrian death is too many and I think it is a good opportunity for us in the next couple of months to maybe look at that area and see what changes could be made. So with that, though, I won't mess with this tonight. I'd like to make a motion for the consent agenda. I'll second. There's a motion. A second? Or a call please? Maza. Yes. Maloney. Yes. Andrade Sadler. Yes. Lee. Yes. Next we have public comment for non-agentized items. Do we have any speaker cards from the public? I guess Madam Berry, I believe you have two speaker cards for this item. We have two. The first one will be Ms. Lucy Benuelos. I just want to address some concerns that I have regarding the Parks and Recs Commission. And one being that I first want to ask each one of you a question. How many commissioners do you both do each of you a point to the commission? I know the answer I just wanted to know if you guys know it. I think it was three at one time, it's two. It's two. Okay. Do you all know that we currently have six commissioners and we are vacant four spots? Do we all know that? Councilman Maloney, do you know that you're missing two commissioners appointed for the Parks and Rights Commission? I do, but that you're missing two commissioners appointed for the Parks and Recks Commission? I do but thank you for the reminder. Okay If you could just look at the finished comments so we could answer questions at the end we wish to Well, that's that's what I'm leading to The importance of having Commissioners for the Parks and Recks or any other commissions is important. I've served on two planning commissions, I've served on a transportation commission, I've served twice on a Parks and Rex commission, and I've never seen it where the length of time to appoint commissioners has gone this long. So we are going on probably month six, six months, almost half a year, and we haven't filled our positions. And I'm going to tell you why it's important because back in, I want to say the month of May or the May of June, I'm not sure. You can quote me on that on the minutes, but we wanted to vote for our president and we wanted to vote for our vice president for the Parks and Rex Commission and we had a quorum to vote at that time. And unfortunately, I will only say Commissioner Jacobi put a motion to table that for the August meeting because we're in break in July. So unfortunately the meeting was canceled because of lack of quorum in August and then in September this month again we had a lack of a quorum due to the fact that one of your appointees is on vacation. So we're going now on October, and we still don't have a president or vice president in the Parks and Rex Commission. And now I have residents that ask questions and want certain things moved along. And I trust director Macias, he's done a very good job in his staff, but I know that he also needs the support from the commissioners to do some other work as well if we want to introduce new projects or new things to the commission. And all these constituents, I know Councilor Mimeloni, your full force on a election that nobody's running against you, but we do need you to appoint somebody And I just want to come up here and just tell you if you're having a hard time finding somebody I can find you somebody That's not a problem. You just need to come and ask me. That's all I'm saying but I would like For us to move on and have you appoint two commissioners. Can I have your word, Councilman Maloney, that you'll have somebody for the next meeting in our two people, two commissioners for the October meeting? Is that the end of your comment? No, I have a question. I'd like for you toanswer that. I understand the urgency to be responsible. I think the formalized that therefore you to finish your comments in five minutes and then the council wants to make a minute. Yeah, giving you comments you would like to make people respond. I, I just want to know are you going to have somebody are you going to appoint your commissioners? Because we do have a lot of work to do. And we would like to vote. And we had that opportunity in June. And like I said, your commissioner, Jacobi, she tabled that vote for President and Vice President for the August meeting. And we haven't had a quorum. And we need six commissioners there. So if you appoint your commissioners, like I said, you can count on me and ask me, I have people in the community that is willing to work. And that's all I have to say. So I'd like for you guys to answer my questions before I get off. That's okay Mike. Thank you for your comments. I just wanna follow the process. I will respond. I'll leave it to the council member if you want to respond. For myself, I have one vacancy. I just recently interviewed someone over the phone. She hasn't got back to me. She wants to check with her employer. So I'm working very hard to replace that one vacancy. So I do understand your concern as well taken any other council member wish to respond before we continue. I'll do my best Lucy. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Okay, and I if you can relate the same message to Councilman Perez, I would really appreciate it. I'll be calling her as well, but please I'd like to not have to come back here next one. Thank you. The next speaker is Mr. McKennan? I always like to give out something in writing. I'm a very visual learner. It's easier to follow things that way. Just very briefly here tonight, updating you on the California Housing and Community Development department's review of our housing element. Our staff here was very prompt in getting the changes that you adopted at your last meeting to them. Within two days, it was in the hands of CAHCD. They had it in their hands and clocked it in as of August 28th. That initiates the 60-day review period. The 60-day review period went in on the Sunday, so they backed it up and said they're going to try to get it out by October 25th. It's been assigned to Larissa Wells, who's the same person who did the last review. Last time she took the full 60 days on it, we've had some times where it's gotten back to us in less time than that. Larissa Wells is not known for setting speed records. I saw one of hers that was about a month and a half overdue at one time. But hopefully we will have it back certainly by October 25th. Might even come back a little bit earlier because the zoning code that was forwarded up included more than just the changes that were relevant that they had asked for, it included a bunch of other material about public storage and stuff like that. So they may want to spend some time looking at it, but our staff has done everything they're supposed to do. We've done what we're supposed to do now, hopefully they'll do their job on the other end. And just to let you know on our committee's a little short staff too and it has been a problem on getting quirms. We were in the process of setting up earlier this month to review for the consolidated annual report on the federal funds coming in. And we weren't able to get a quorum for that meeting. We're down three people out of ten. So if one person can't make it, you're right on the borderline. If two can't make it, which is a little tough during the summertime, it does throw us where we can't make it your right on the border line if two can't make it, which is a little tough during the summertime. It does throw us where we can't meet. But we're going to, I know Lucy and Randy have been working very hard trying to get together a special meeting so we can get that formally reviewed before it comes before you for your next meeting. So thanks very much. Thank you, Mr. McKellen. Do you have any speakers via Zoom that wish to speak? If so, please raise your hand. Now, you'll be able to mute yourself when your name is called. Madam Vice Mayor, it looks like we do have one raised hand from A. A, you can go ahead and speak now, please. City Council meeting and I and my family have a long-blown stuck-in-and-rosion situation that's been ongoing and law enforcement personnel are participating in including a bell and a police department. I've reached out to Chief Kennedy and Ms. B. Plus about these concerns that serve my last presentation to say to say, infamous B. Plus, I'm just unmetable. Even with one of which state at the time, there be go, there has been in touch with me, I had issued, I responded to this, being with some of the men, and I guess it's an example that I had no idea that the lieutenant was as well, that never had, that was ever the honor of the Chicago government to conduct it, and that does not receive any further respect to anybody. I guess I shouldn't been surprised that these partners are responding by laying and making false statements. Also, Mayor Perez told me to go to stand in the line for somebody to pay. And that could be nobody from the City Council or Mayor's Office has been in contact with me and by say them why. The police department knows that there's enough evidence to support high times, but they're choosing to do, nothing about it. And far because they are protecting their own means, voting law enforcement personnel, the type of behavior from law enforcement personnel, should not be tolerated on any level since we entrust them to act with them, and to act honorably. The type of behavior from law enforcement personnel seems to be as serious problem because they know it is something they can easily get away with, in which very few are willing to discuss or deal with. I think the State of Texas want to manage that because the police department is refusing to do their job for personal reasons or whatever. Excuse me. We are having a hard time hearing what you're saying. There's anyway for you adjust your volume or speaker. Are you speaking through a cell phone or a computer? We could hardly understand what you just said. I think that we took a lot of the questions that I can hear you guys perfectly. So the only thing I can think about is doing a change in my headset, but I don't know. No, it's your technology. I'm not sure you're using cell phone or a computer. Speak microphone. But go ahead. Mayor, may I recommend that they write a letter and send that or email and that might get to us sooner? Yes, that's a good suggestion. We're having a problem. I don't think it's just me to understand what you're saying. It's your device that you're using. So if you could please go and email us or call the city manager, then we could be better informed of what you're trying to convey to us. If that's okay with you. Thank you. Next we have Council Communications. Anyone like to start? Council Member Mausolem, looking at you. No comments from me. Thank you. Go ahead. None from me, either except I want to thank the students for being here. It's incredibly important to see your here and civic participation. So thank you students from I think Ohio and Ohio. Thank you very much, I think, Alhambra High. Thank you very much for being here. Very good. Thank you. Thank you, Council. Making the announcements. The first one, Alhambra Fire Department will host the annual 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony on Wednesday, September 11th at Fire Station 71, starting at 9 a.m., right and early. Second announcement, celebrate Latino Heritage Month at Fiesta, El Hambra on September 15th at 10 a.m., right alongside the farmers market, right and early for everyone. 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