City of Glendora (626) 914-8200

Bi-Monthly Report to the Residents of Glendora
Glendora Report
Published by The City of Glendora
What Pays for our City Services?
Having established the fact that the State of California is mired in seemingly permanent budget dilemmas, the popular media is giving greater attention to how local governments make ends meet. What is the componentry of on-going revenue versus expenditures for municipal operations? Closer to home, just how is it that the City of Glendora,
faced with continuing economic decline, keeps police on the street, its library doors open,
and parks available for leisure activities?
Most cities in the post-Proposition 13 era rely on their share of property tax and sales
tax. For the City of Glendora, this is especially true. In fact, nearly 67% of the General
Fund revenues are derived from these two sources.
Property Tax
PROPERTY TAX
The illustration
demonstrates
the
split of the base
property tax paid by
property owners in
the City. The largest
percentage of each
dollar paid goes to
the County and State
of California. It is
surprising for many
to learn that the City
10% 7.2% 4.8%
15.6%
18.1%
16.2%
28.1%
LA County City of ERAF Other
GUSD
Education
LA County
of Glendora retains
Glendora
Fire
Augmentation
General
(12)
only 10% of each
2.2%
District
Fund
Citrus
dollar paid in local
College
property taxes.
An example is useful. A residence with an assessed valuation of $250,000 pays a property tax bill of $2,500. The City of Glendora will receive $250 for the tax year.
The percentage allocation of property taxes distributed to individual cities varies
depending upon the mix of public service responsibilities of the individual city at the time
Proposition 13 became law in 1978. Cities that did not provide fire services at that time
generally receive relatively lower property tax allocations. This appears to be the case in
Glendora, a municipality in which Los Angeles County provides fire service coverage.
“Glendora has a unique challenge in that we provide a near full slate of public services -- such as library police, and recreation -- but we receive a low proportion of the local
property tax,” observed Finance Director Josh Betta. “By contrast,” he continued, “ La
Verne gets 18.6%; Azusa 14.9%; and Covina 15.4%.”
Despite the lower share for Glendora, the City’s collections still amount to about $8.4
million annually.
Sales Tax
The second largest source of revenue for the
General Fund is the City’s share of the sales tax.
The graphic that follows illustrates the distribution of each sales tax dollar paid by a consumer.
Clearly, the biggest beneficiary of the
sales tax is the State of California. Glendora
receives only about 12 percent of each dollar
paid. This means that the purchase of a new
car in our city at a $23,000 sales price results in
a sales tax of $2,012. Of this amount, $242 is
returned to the City.
See
50%
State
SALES TAX
Impacts of Unwinding
Redevelopment Agencies
are seen
With the Supreme Court’s ruling that Governor Brown and State
Lawmakers can dissolve the State’s 425 Redevelopment Agencies, the
impacts are now being felt by communities. With many state legislators
openly admitting that their ultimate intention was not eliminate these bodies but to find a creative way to have them help share the financial burden
California currently faces.
Senate President Pro Tem Steinberg was quoted as saying after the passage of AB 1x 26 to his fellow Senators that “this bill is the fair and right
choice because it does not in fact eliminate redevelopment, but reduces its
size.”
The Governor’s finance team had estimated that eliminating
Redevelopment Agencies would bring redistribution of $1.8 billion to various local governments. However, a recent review by the independent
Legislative Analyst’s Office cast serious doubt on the Administration’s
forecasts. In the special report titled “The 2012-13 Budget: Unwinding
Redevelopment,” Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor says that the numbers
presumed by the Department of Finance are high because the administration underestimates some significant costs that the 425 agencies still have
to honor.
Neighboring Azusa effort to eliminate
Substandard Housing halted
For many communities, projects that had been planned have now been
shelved. Locally, the City of Azusa had begun to purchase numerous
apartment buildings in the Atlantic Gardens complex. The complex has
about 40 buildings and had long been a source of neglect by owners and
home to serious crime issues over the years. The goal of the city was to
raze them and rebuild about 200 low-income units and veteran housing
under one owner with contracted maintenance standards.
With the dissolving of the Azusa Redevelopment Agency, the 18 buildings that have been purchased will be sold at some time in the future and
it is doubtful the problems that have existed will be dealt with now. In
addition, the hopes of providing housing for homeless veterans have now
been lost. Azusa officials have no idea as to who will ultimately end up
owning the 18 properties or when those vacant lots may be developed.
See
City of Glendora
6%
Public
Safety
12%
Transit
April/May 2012
(626) 914-8200
www.ci.glendora.ca.us
City of Glendora
116 E. Foothill Blvd.
Glendora, CA 91741-3380
12%
City
10%
County
CITY SERVICES on page 2
IMPACT on page 2
Postal Customer
Glendora, CA 91740-91741
PRSRT. STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT# 92
GLENDORA
ECRWSS
Glendora Report Page 2
IMPACT continued from page 1
CITY SERVICES continued from page 1
Habitat for Humanity worries about redevelopment loss
If a resident were to spend $45 on a dinner in one of Glendora’s fine restaurants, the tax
paid will be $3.93. This translates to $0.47 coming back to the City.
On an annual basis, the City’s share of the sales tax amounts to about $6.5 million. City
officials indicate that approximately 70% of sales taxes collected are the result of economic
activity occurring in the Auto Centre/Wal-Mart/MarketPlace & Diamond Ridge shopping
centers. In fact, just 12 businesses in that corridor generate about 55% of the City’s total collections.
While we have over 1,900 businesses with a sales tax permit, those generating the most
receipts for the City is concentrated in a very few businesses. Glendora City Manager Chris
Jeffers elaborated. “Just 100 of the 1,900 licensed businesses generate 93% of all sales taxes
in the City. Of the remaining businesses, it isn’t so much that they aren’t successful endeavors, but when the tax is applied to a $6 lunch or $10 worth of copying paper, the tax resulting
is obviously very little.”
The meandering history of the California sales tax offers a fascinating insight into
California politics – and their effect on local government. The sales tax was first adopted in
1933. It exempted three classes of transactions: goods sold to the Federal Government, sales
of gold bullion, and household utilities (electricity, gas and water). Today the State Board of
Equalization, the State agency tasked with administering the sales tax, maintains a sales tax
exemption register of more than 50 pages in length. It is estimated that these exemptions add
up to between $10 and $15 billion in lost sales tax collections each year.
The elimination of redevelopment agencies has also begun to
impact other non-government groups like Habitat for Humanity. In a
recent article in the Press Enterprise, they indicated that officials from
the Inland Habitat for Humanity could be derailed in their mission of
helping working families build their own homes by the state’s decision
to end redevelopment. At least 39 of California’s 49 Habitat affiliates
have used redevelopment dollars, according to officials.
Tammy Main, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Inland
Valley, said Redevelopment loss “could result in more Californians
becoming homeless or living in overcrowded or substandard living
conditions in the coming years.”
Habitat officials have indicated that some of their private support
has also shrunk over the last few years due to the economic recession.
Officials are now looking at increasing the mortgages from 30 years to
maybe 50 years to help bridge some of the assistance loss.
Local officials express outrage over elimination of city loans
Within the new law dissolving redevelopment agencies, Legislature
classified loans made to any agency after two years from their inception are now considered gifts and thus will not be paid back. Local
officials have denounced the State for ensuring that Wall Street Bond
Holders are guaranteed payment but city residents are being shown the
door. This action lead to a consortium of nine cities lead by the City
of Cerritos, raising constitutional challenges to AB 1x 26 that were not
brought up in the original ligation by cities. Communities like Long
Beach are owed some $119 million, Signal Hill is owed about $8.5 million and Glendora may lose $6.5 million.
“These loans were made in good faith by cities decades ago to help
finance projects and bridge the lean years for agencies,” said City
Manager Chris Jeffers. “These are local tax dollars that were invested
locally to benefit our communities. Once again elected officials in faraway places have made sure Wall Street is taken care of, while Main
Street suffers.”
An initial ruling by a Sacramento Superior Court Judge indicated
that cities were unlikely to prevail in light of the California Supreme
Court decision and thus denied their request for an injunction against
the State from enforcing that part of the bill.
City officials indicate that the practice of making these interagency
loans was pretty common and may total close to a billion dollars of
loans being wiped out. “I have heard cities like Huntington Beach may
lose $80 million and Alhambra $11 million, which were to help remediate properties and build parking structures for communities,” Jeffers
indicated.
City Services Support by the General Fund
Every City of Glendora department receives some share of the General Fund. Some, however, receive a greater share of the General Fund as a percentage of their operating budget.
While the Public Works Department has a total operating budget of over $16 million, only
$1.8 million comes from the General fund. This is because most of their revenues are derived
from special sources like water consumption charges, gas taxes for road construction and
improvement, and special grants for infrastructure development.
The City’s Library, with a General Fund allocation of $1.9 million, is almost exclusively
by the General fund at $1.9 million.
Some City departments generate user fees for services rendered. The Community Services
Department, with many recreation and leisure program offerings, creates income of $500,000,
so their total General Fund budget of $3.4 million actually results in a draw on the General
Fund of about $2.9 million. The Police Department is somewhat similar. It has a budget of
$12.5 million, yet their enforcement activities generate about $1.3 million in annual General
Fund revenues, so the net draw upon the General Fund is $11.2 million each year.
The City’s total General Fund budget is about $22.5 million. Those wishing to learn more
about Glendora’s budget can visit the City’s website and see the most recent budget and annual financial reports under the Finance Department page at www.ci.glendora.ca.us. Also, the
2011-2012 Mid-Year Report can be seen by clicking on the City Council meeting of February
27, 2012 video.
With California unemployment at 11.3%
more individuals to be layoff
Officials Remind Homeowners that
Fire Season is Always Present!
It is estimated the elimination of some 400 redevelopment agencies
will cause anywhere from 2,500 to 3,000 job cuts statewide, said Jim
Kennedy, interim executive director of the California Redevelopment
Association (CRA). Many of those job losses have occurred immediately for cities like the City of Los Angeles which let go 189 employees in February. San Francisco and Oakland, for instance, are expected to layoff at least 100 employees each.
For most agencies the number of layoffs will be less than 10, which
is the case for Glendora. In February, five individuals were given
notices of intent to eliminate their positions as of June 30th. Officials
explained the delay was twofold. First, that these individuals have
served the community very well and their misfortunes are due to
Sacramento’s fiscal problems. Second, that they have needed institutional knowledge for the Successor Entity to obtain so that in winding
down the assets and obligations are done in manner that is responsible.
“While devastating to them, we are working to make their transition
easier by helping with references, educating them on their benefits,
giving them time for job interviews and keeping their employment
going until July,” indicated Interim Human Resources Director, Bob
Blackwood. “We have already seen one the employees get a new job
due to the skill set they have developed. We are hoping all will be just
as successful.”
Glendora’s beauty is its majestic Foothills and the view it provides to residents every day.
The Foothills are home to recreational opportunities from horseback riding, hiking to running.
For those that are fortunate to live in the lower areas of the Foothills, you enjoy an even
greater relationship and appreciation of their charm.
Yet, whether you live along the Foothills or view them from afar, we face a danger every
day of the year with wildland fires. Unfortunately, wildland fires are all too often a reality for
us as we experienced one of the worst years of fires in many areas of Southern California in
2009. This danger is even more evident for the upcoming summer months as a result of a
very wet winter and the increase brush that comes with a wet season.
“We remind residents in the Foothills of the need to clear the 200 feet of brush from any
structures on their property,” said Chief Rob Castro of the Glendora Police Department. “It
is important that residents have the proper defensible space between their homes and flammable vegetation.”
Community Preservation Officers will be conducting increased inspections of residential
areas in and close to the foothills of our community. These inspections will be in addition to
the those normally done by the Los Angeles County to make sure property owners are very
aware of the dangers associated with a lack of clearance between vegetation and structures.
Glendora officials remind all visitors to our forests and Foothills of the need to be fire safe
when visiting these beautiful areas. For more information on fire safety, please visit the following web sites or call (626) 914-8880, Emergency Services.
You may find other resources at www.fire.lacounty.gove, www.fire.ca.gov and
www.ci.glendora.ca.us.
Glendora Report Page 3
City Financial Issues Glendora’s Property Values placed at
to be Discussed at over $5.2 billion by County Assessor
Public Workshops
City Officials released the dates and locations which the
public is invited to hear firsthand about the fiscal issues facing the city due to the State of California’s elimination of
Redevelopment Agencies on February 1, 2012. Glendora
Department Directors will be making presentations on their
recommended budget reductions as the City grapples with
a $1million deficit for the fiscal year 2012-13.
The workshops will held on:
April 4, 2012 at Crowther Teen & Family Center
(241 W. Dawson Ave.) at 6:00 pm
April 5, 2012 at Bidwell Forum
(140 South Glendora Avenue) at 6:00 pm
Given the importance of these workshops in explaining
the challenges facing Glendora and that families with children find it difficult to participate in these night events,
Community Services Department will be providing services to watch children during these two workshops free of
charge. The Community Services Department is limited to
children between the ages of 5 to 14 years of age. Pizza and
drinks will be provided those attending the event so that
parents do not have worry about dinner.
“These are important efforts to reach out to the community to explain why we have a financial challenges and what
expenditure reductions are likely to be proposed to the City
Council in the May budget hearings,” said City Manager
Chris Jeffers. “We are also trying to make it as convenient
as possible; especially those that are getting home from
work or may have school age children.”
City officials will detail where the city gets its revenues
and what has changed in which Finance Department is now
projecting a nearly $1 million deficit. All Department
Directors will present their proposed reductions and what
they believe the service impacts will be if implemented.
The various departments were given the following given
the following General Fund reductions targets:
$305,000
Community Services
Police
$225,000
Library
$194,000
Non-Department
$125,000
Leg/Finance/Admin
$65,000
$56,000
Public Works
Planning
$30,000
According to Glendora Finance Director Josh Betta, the
target reductions represent percentage reductions of
between 2% to 11% of the General Fund budget for the various departments. Police is the lowest with an approximate
2% reduction to Non-Department cost center being targeted with about an 11% reduction.
Betta added that these reductions are in addition to the
reductions the departments have been making over the last
four years in response to the economic recession. City documents indicate that the General Fund has been reduced
from a high of just over $25 million in 2007-2008 to $22
million in 2010-11. Along with that reduction has been the
elimination of nearly 20% of the city workforce.
The workshops will be taped for playing on the City of
Glendora website at a later date if residents are unable to
attend. Information on the city’s finances and these workshops can be accessed by going to www.ci.glendora.ca.us.
Recent data released by the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office has Glendora’s total property
value at $5,282,930,810 as compared to $5,187,106,681 for 2011-12 or a 1.8% increase. The largest
categories of value lie with residential property which accounts for nearly 83% of the total and commercial/industrial accounting for 14.3% of the total value. The remaining categories cover institutional, vacant and recreational owned pieces of property.
Glendora was ranked about 39 out of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County in value growth. The
top three cities seeing growth were Walnut at 4.644%, San Marino with 4.156% and Temple City
seeing 4.014% increases in value. The bottom three cities are Azusa at -1.353%, El Segundo with
-1.703% and Irwindale topping the decrease in values at -2.576%.
City officials were not overly surprised by the modest growth in value. “The fact that the housing market is still impacted by the economy and that most residents own and thus stay in their homes
for many years because we are such a desirable place to live all impact the growth in value,” said
City Manager Chris Jeffers. The Assessor’s value is based on the assessed value which is often different from the market value, especially for homes that were purchased 15 or more years ago have
assessed values much less than they likely could sell them for according to city officials.
In 2011, there were a total of 428 property transactions as compared to 406 the previous year representing a change of $47,025,203 in value between the two years. Single family homes accounted
for only 401 sales which was a decrease from the 2010 calendar year. According to County records,
the number of single-family homes sold has been on the rise since 2007 when the transaction number stood at 340 properties sold.
The City of Glendora officials believe the number of sales increasing is directly related to the
value and low interest rates which make home ownership a real buy, especially when you see the
quality of schools you have in Glendora. The median price of sale in the community for 2011 was
$360,000 which has not been seen since 2003.
As to what 2012 values will do is still unknown to city officials. “We don’t see values increasing
much through sales per se, yet we expect sales to increase slightly more than this past year,” indicated Jeffers. “There are still a large number of Proposition 8 claims with the County, where owners
are requesting for their home values to be reduced based on market conditions. If granted, that could
actually keep growth pretty flat.”
Proposition 8 allows for the property owner to apply for a reduction of their assessed value, which
is what determines their property tax amount. These applications are usually accompanied by evidence of other similar properties in their area selling at levels less than their property is being
assessed at. In 2008 the number of owners making such application was 458, 2009 it jumped to
1,852, 2010 it was 2,257 and 2011 the number was 2,073. The Assessor has up to two years to act
upon the request and the number applications county wide has pushed the processing to the maximum time allowed. The estimated value of claimed reductions is in excess of $320 million according to applications filed with the Assessor’s Office.
From Their Hands to Yours…
100 Years of Glendora Library Service
From 1908 to 1912, the Glendora Woman’s Club nurtured and grew the library reading room. One
hundred years ago (in May 1912), the reading room was entrusted to the City of Glendora and
became the community’s Glendora Public Library.
Join us and celebrate:
The Library is working on a list of the Top 100 Favorite Books of Glendorans. So, tell us: What
is YOUR favorite book? You can submit your title and author by emailing us at library@glendoralibary.org , by visiting our website at www.glendoralibrary.org or you can stop by the library and fill
out the Favorite Book form. Adult and children’s books are welcome. On May 1, 2012, see if YOUR
book made the list!
On May 19, 2012, the Library will have an “Eatable Book Contest” and ice cream social from
2:00-4:00 p.m. Glendorans of all ages can bring in cakes, cupcakes or pies decorated around the
theme of their favorite book. The entries will be judged by members of the Glendora Woman’s Club.
The winners of the “Eatable Book Contest” will receive a green tote bag with library goodies. Crafts
will be available for the kids. For more information on the “Eatable Book Contest,” go to our website at www.glendoralibrary.org or call us at 626/852-4895.
Celebrate literacy, the love of reading and the joy of community at your Glendora Public Library.
This program is sponsored by the Glendora Public Library, the Glendora Public Library Friends
Foundation and the Glendora Woman’s Club. The Glendora Public Library is located at 140 S.
Glendora Avenue. For more information on this and other programs contact the library at 626/8524891 or visit the library’s website at www.glendoralibrary.org. All events are open and free to the
public.
Glendora Report Page 4
Glendora Village chalks it all up
to fun with Annual Chalk Walk
on Saturday, April 21
For five years, artists of all ages have transformed Glendora Village’s sidewalks into colorful canvases during the annual Chalk Walk. They will do so again on Saturday, April 21
(rain date, April 28).
Not only do they create works of art, but they compete also for cash prizes sponsored by
Village businesses.
Top prize is $150 for Best of Show. For the adult, student and junior categories, there will
be three prizes: Best Technique, Best Use of Color and Crowd Favorite. Adult prizes are $50
each, $25 for student prizes and $20 for junior prizes.
Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for students and youth under 18 years old. Forms
are available throughout Glendora Village and are to be returned to Kids Art, Southland
Properties or the Village Book Shop along with their registration fee. Details for artists will The 2011 Chalk Walk winner for Crowd Favorite and Best in ShowAdult. The next Chalk Walk will be held April 21 in Glendora Village.
be available at that time.
New fun will be the Children’s Chalk Garden in the parking lot adjacent to Southland Properties. This is an opportunity for the little ones who are too young to participate as an actual artist to try their hand drawing with chalk on 2-foot by 2-foot squares for 50 cents for a small bag of chalk.
Just like last year, there will be the Paint A Car activity where participants can decorate an automobile with an unlimited rainbow of paints for just 50 cents.
The 2012 Chalk Walk is presented by the Glendora Village Business Improvement District.
For more information, contact Carol Gill at Undercovers Intimate Apparel, (626) 963-7868; Gary Boyer at Southland Properties, (626) 914-6999; Deborah Gould at
Village Book Shop, (626) 335-5720 or Monica Eck at Kids Art (626) 857-0708.
2012 Wine Walk donates to War Memorial and Police Auxiliary
Glendora Village’s 2012 Wine Walk was another success, and a portion of proceeds were donated by the Business
Improvement District to the Glendora War Memorial and the Glendora Police Department Auxiliary. The War Memorial
received $1,000 and $500 was donated to the Police Auxiliary.
The Spinning Wheel spins into history
The Spinning Wheel gift shop has closed, because owner Helen Elliott is retiring. “I’m 83, so don’t you think it’s time
for me to retire?” she said with a laugh.
The shop has been in Glendora Village for five years, following 28 years in downtown Sierra Madre.
Mrs. Elliott is a longtime Glendora resident, and opened The Spinning Wheel when she retired from an escrow company in Covina. She bought and built the Sierra Madre location, which burned to the ground just before Christmas in 1985,
but she just started over.
The Spinning Wheel featured her own hand-sewn items as well as manufactured gifts. But retirement won’t keep Mrs.
Elliott from sewing; she’ll be selling many of her hand-made gifts at the La Fetra Center’s Holiday Bazaar.
Her ties to Glendora run deep. She and her husband George owned the building that once housed the Orange Tree Bazaar
antique mall that he operated. With his passing 10 years ago, the business was too much for her to manage, so she and son,
Lee Garver, sold it. Garver still runs his GMW Guitar Works in that building.
Gary Andrews presents a $1,000 donation
to the mother of Lt. Cpl. Blake Howey for
the Glendora War Memorial, as Glendora
City Manager Chris Jeffers looks on.
Under construction
Construction has begun on new store and office space where the Village Manor was located next to Coldwell Banker Millennium. Plans include a two-story building.
The first floor will have two shop fronts and two office spaces in back. The second floor will have a restaurant that will feature rooftop dining with prime views of the Village
and mountains.
Amgen Tour of California Coming Back to Glendora
Known as the largest cycling event in America and one of the world’s prestigious races, the 2012 Amgen
Tour of California is coming back to Glendora. Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France style cycling
road race that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding 800
mile course from May 13-20, 2012.
Beginning with the inaugural year in 2006, the Amgen Tour of California quickly became the most successful race in the United States with regards to economic benefits to California, global recognition and the
level of competition. The race continues to set records in attendance for a single sporting event in the State
of California, as well as any cycling event ever held on U.S. soil, with more than 2 million spectators in
the previous years.
The Tour of California is one of only two American races listed on the international professional cycling calendar. As such, the Amgen Tour of California
awards important world-ranking points to the top finishers. This year, 16 teams, including some of the world’s best international and domestic squads, are competing in the 2012 Tour of California. In 2012, the race will play an even more significant role as it will be where top competitors test themselves in preparation
for the Tour de France and the 2012 Summer Olympic Games taking place in London, this summer.
Stage 7 is when the Tour makes its way through Glendora, along Sierra Madre Avenue to access Glendora Mountain Road on its way to the finish at Mt. Baldy.
The legendary steepness and switchbacks of Glendora Mountain Road are one the closest experiences to the actual races through the mountains in Europe.
“The City of Glendora is again excited to be part of this very prestigious event that brings world class athletes and spectators to our community,” said City
Manager Chris Jeffers. “ We are certainly hoping the community comes out to cheer the cyclists along Sierra Madre Avenue as they make their way to Glendora
Mountain Road”. To learn more about the 2012 Amgen Tour of California, visit their website, at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
Glendora Report Page 5
Homeowners Guide To CalPERS Adjusts Assumed Investment Earnings
Fire Safe Landscaping
One key to landscaping in fire-prone areas
is to selectively replace highly flammable
native plants with low-growing, less flammable plants of equal root depth and root
strength. In reality, optimum rooting depth and
fuel volume generally work at odds with one
another. That is, low-growing plants usually
have relatively shallow root systems and tall
plants have relatively deep and broad lateral
root systems. Landscaping requires a compromise between minimizing fuel volume and
maximizing root depth. Drought tolerance and
sprouting ability are also important considerations when selecting plants. The plant's ability
to survive on little water and re-sprout after a
fire can mean savings over the years on water
bills, Deep-rooted coyote brush is a good
drought tolerant ground cover for moderately
steep slopes. Maintenance costs, replanting
costs, and hillside repairs. Semi-woody
ground covers like vinca and ivy, woody
ground covers like coyote brush, hedges such
as oleander and myoporum, and even some
coniferous trees like Canary Island pine and
Chir pine do not need to be replanted because
they re-sprout readily. Most native Chaparral
plants also re-sprout, and some native shrubs
such as sugar-bush, scrub oak, ceanothus,
sumac and chokecherries can be nurtured into
short stemmed trees. At spacing's of about 25
feet, these plants can be kept relatively fire
safe through occasional pruning. Re sprouting
broad-leaved trees, such as oaks, California
pepper, sycamore, black locust, and California
laurel, to name just a few, can be effectively
blended into the landscape setting. For fire
safety, trees must be pruned and should be limited to the number necessary to provide shade
and slope stability.
The use of herbicides must be closely monitored in hillside landscaping. Over application
can kill landscape plants and sterilize soils.
The deepest rooted chaparral shrubs are the
hardest to kill with herbicides. Since these
shrubs serve the dual function of anchoring the
soil to the bedrock and extracting water out of
the ground, soil slippage is minimal where
they are present. Mortality of such plants often
results in soil slippage 5 to 10 years later, after
the roots have rotted away. The original cause
of such delayed slippage is seldom recognized.
Test plantings such as these indicate that
Acacia Ongerup (arrow) is a highly drought
tolerant and fast growing woody ground cover.
Slopes recommended. However, there is no
guarantee that the species prevent slippage
when the soil becomes saturated. Inter planting ground covers with shrubs and trees, as
discussed earlier, will maximize slope stability.
For further information please call (323)
890-4330 OR write: County of Los Angeles
Fire Department, Prevention Bureau, Forestry
Division, 5823 Rickenbacker Road, Rm #123,
Commerce, CA 90040-3027.
At the March Board meeting of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) approved lowering the “discount rate” or “rate of investment return” from 7.75% to 7.5% in its assumptions when performing
the actuarial for employer contribution rates. While each employer has a specific actuarial performed annually
based on their particular workforce experience and pension plan elements, the assumed rate of which their assets
will earn interest is a common assumption among all the government entities that contract with the System. The
actual impact will vary from employer to employer, however every employer will see their contribution rates
increase.
While it is not known what the impact will be upon the City of Glendora, which has contracted with CalPERS
since the 1950’s when voters approved joining the pension program, the initial suggestions by program administrators are that sworn safety plans will rise between 2% to 3% of payroll and for miscellaneous plans the rate will
increase between 1% and 2% of payroll beginning in fiscal year 2013-14.
This will impact the city’s financial forecasts according to Glendora Finance Director Josh Betta. “With the
elimination of redevelopment by the state, we already were looking at a structural million dollar issue; this just
widens the gap more.”
The City of Glendora has had the foresight for the last five years to develop a 5-year financial forecast system
to keep track of revenue and spending trends so that decisions could be made at the front end which hopefully
would not require as drastic of a decision that would come by waiting until the problem is at the City Council’s
doorstep.
This was true with Glendora Redevelopment Agency which would have ended in 2019; the City Council has
already developed a wind down process where the City would begin to reducing the revenue from the agency to
the city by about $200,000 annually. “This gave us about a decade to withdraw from depending on about $1.8
million in resources from the agency with natural growth of revenues we believe would happen,” said City
Manager Chris Jeffers. “Yet, despite the best laid plans and forecasts, you have impacts due to others that require
us to adapt. This is another example of us now having to adapt and plan for these costs increases.”
City of Glendora has already negotiated with its employees for them paying from 8% to 9% of their compensation towards the existing pension plans. New miscellaneous employees will be enrolled in a pension plan that
provides about 20% less in benefits along with paying 8% of the pay towards the cost of providing the plan. The
City is still negotiating with the police management association in a new pension plan for future employees that
would provide about a 25% reduction in benefits. Both sides are confident an agreement can be reached shortly.
Foothill Extension Project Status
Pasadena to Azusa Update
The Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture team is continuing to conduct design and pre-construction activities. In March, crews will continue their surveying, geotechnical work and utility
locating activities along the 11.5-mile corridor.
The design team is working on multiple elements of the project’s design and continues to
provide the Authority submittals, per the schedule. As reported previously, major construction
is anticipated to begin in late 2012.
I-210 Bridge Construction Update
Installation of the temporary support
structure (called false-work) began in
February and will continue through
mid-March. To date, Skanska has
closed all lanes of the eastbound I-210
Freeway 15 times for this installation,
and will have another 8-10 nights of full
eastbound closures to complete the
work. Closures have gone smoothly so
far, and have resulted in a 5-10 minute
delay as vehicles utilize the detour
route. Below is a photo of the falsework completed to date:
Skanska has generally done an
excellent job. They have finished all
substructure elements, three column
structures, and the two bridge abutments. All have been performed efficiently and with good results. Additionally,
with more than 34,000 work hours performed at the end of January, no safety incidents have been reported.
Other Updates
In February, the Construction Authority agreed to terms to acquire the last several properties needed for the
project’s maintenance and operations facility. The last two acquisitions (with Excalibur Property Holdings, LLC
and the City of Monrovia and its Successor Agency to the MRA) will be completed in the coming weeks, as the
judges overseeing the eminent domain cases issue their formal rulings. Importantly, these agreements also settle
all claims and litigation pending against the Authority, which had the potential to cost the project an estimated
$100 million.
With these issues settled, the Pasadena to Azusa Extension is on schedule for a late 2015 completion.
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Glendora Report Page 6
Library Happenings
Glendora Public Library has something for everyone! Join the excitement by attending one
of these events, proudly presented by the Glendora Public Library and Friends Foundation:
April 2nd - 30th / Main Floor
“The Library is the Heart of the Community” In honor of National Library Month, the
Glendora Library, which is the heart of the community, will hold a food (non-perishable) and
toiletry item drive for Shepherd’s Pantry. The library will provide a collection box for the community’s donations. For a list of needed items, please visit the library’s website at www.glendoralibrary.org
April 7th - 14th / Main Floor
“Super 7 Day Sale” Come to the library starting on Monday morning and browse the sale
tables for bargains on Finance & Business books.
April 14th 9:30 am-3:30 pm / Bidwell Forum
“Tutor Training Workshop” Learn to tutor other adults to read and write better at this all
day workshop. For more information or to register, call (626) 852-4897.
April 21st 2:00 pm / Bidwell Forum
“The Dawn Mission” Second in a series of lectures presented by the NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory Speakers Bureau. Dr. Marc D. Rayman, JPL chief engineer and Dawn mission
director, will share amazing pictures and other data being collected from the spacecraft.
April 23rd - 28th / Children’s Room
Drop in during the week and have fun making crafts which are Earth Day friendly.
April 25th 5:30 pm / Friends Room
“Novel Idea” Book discussion group featuring The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by
Donna Andrews.
April 28th 10:30 am / Bidwell Forum
“Wildlife Company” All ages will enjoy this live animal show.
April 28th 9:00 am to 3:00 pm / Library Plaza
“Earth Day Celebration” Workshops, exhibits, tours, children’s activities and more! Earth
Day Celebration is free to the public and presented in partnership with the City of Glendora
and the Glendora Public Library.
May 5th - 12th / Main Floor
“Super 7 Day Sale” Come to the library starting on Saturday morning and browse the sale
tables for bargains on Gardening & Decorating books.
May 7th - 12th / Children’s Room
Drop in during the week and have fun making crafts.
May 10th 3:30 pm / Children’s & Friends Room
“Children’s Book Party” Children will have fun with interactive games that evolve around
the Sisters Grimm series.
May 12th 2:00 pm / Bidwell Forum
“Opera Talks” Do you want to learn more about the opera? This an interactive presentation led by members of LA Opera's Speakers Bureau. This is the third in a series about the history of opera and will be featuring La Bohème.
May 14th 7:00 pm / Main Floor
“Books Alive!” Book discussion group featuring A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.
May 19th 2:00- 4:00 pm / Bidwell Forum
“Book Eating Contest and Ice Cream Social” 100 years ago the Glendora Woman’s Club
Reading Room was entrusted to the City of Glendora and became the Glendora Public Library.
In celebration, we are having a Party! Glendorans of all ages can bring in cakes, cupcakes or
pies decorated around the theme of their favorite book. The entries will be judged and prizes
awarded. Then we will enjoy an ‘ice cream social.’ Please visit the library’s website at
www.glendoralibrary.org for more information.
Weekly Children’s Storytimes / Friends Room
Mondays at 10:30 am – Mother Goose for Infants & Toddlers
Mondays at 7:00 pm – PJ Family Storytime for 3-5 years old & their families
Tuesdays at 10:30 am – Preschool Storytime for 3-5 years old
Tuesdays at 11:30 am – Mother Goose for Infants and Toddlers
Wednesdays at 10:30 am – Preschool Storytime for 3-5 years old
Saturdays at 10:30 am – Preschool Storytime for 2-5 years old
Unless otherwise noted, events are free to the public and will take place at the Glendora
Public Library, 140 South Glendora Avenue. For more information call the Library at (626)
852-4891.
Welcome to the Dawn Mission!
Please join us on Saturday,
April 21st, 2012 at 2:00 pm in
the Glendora Public Library’s
Bidwell Forum for a lecture
on the “Dawn Mission” featuring Dr. Marc D. Rayman,
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL) chief engineer and
Dawn mission director. This
Lecture will take you beyond
our planet Earth.
Dawn drives new technology innovations, and achieves what's never
been attempted before. Its goal is to characterize the conditions and
processes of the solar system's earliest epoch by investigating in detail
two of the largest protoplanets remaining intact since their formations,
Ceres and Vesta.
Dawn is currently in orbit around Vesta. This amazing spacecraft is
returning a wealth of astonishing pictures and other data. In July 2012,
Dawn will leave Vesta’s orbit and travel to dwarf planet Ceres, which it
will reach in 2015. This ambitious mission would be impossible without
ion propulsion, a technology first mentioned in science fiction!
This program is sponsored by the Glendora Public Library and the
Glendora Public Library Friends Foundation. The Glendora Public
Library is located at 140 S. Glendora Avenue. For more information on
this and other programs, contact the library at 626/852-4891 or visit the
library’s website at www.glendoralibrary.org. All events are open and
free to the public.
National Library Month in Glendora
supports Shepherd’s Pantry
The Glendora Public Library will be celebrating National Library
Month from April 2nd to 30th. As part of this celebration, the Glendora
Public Library will hold a food (non-perishable) and toiletry item drive in
support of Shepherd’s Pantry. The library will provide collection boxes
on the main floor during the month of April for community members to
drop their items in.
Items needed by Shepherd’s Pantry include canned goods such as
vegetables, beans, tuna and fruit; Jars and packaged food such as rice,
potatoes, pasta, cereal, peanut butter and jelly; and non-food items such
as diapers, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, toothpaste and clothing for
men and children. A complete list of recommended food items is available on the Shepherd’s Pantry website at www.shepherdspantry.com.
Please check the labels of food items to be sure they have not expired.
We all work together to make Glendora the wonderful town that it is.
Your library wants to do its part by responding to the needs of our community, both inside and outside of our library walls.
The Glendora Public Library is located at 140 S. Glendora Avenue.
For more information regarding donations, visit the library’s website at
www.glendoralibrary.org or call us (626) 852-4891.
Opera Talks at the
Glendora Public Library
The Glendora Public Library and Glendora Public Library Friends
Foundation are pleased to partner with the LA Opera to present a series
of Opera Talks - interactive presentations led by members of LA Opera’s
Speakers Bureau. Each Opera Talk will be an insightful talk addressing
the history, literature, philosophy and fine arts within the context of opera.
The third Opera Talk will be held Saturday, May 12 at 2:00 pm in the
Glendora Public Library’s Bidwell Forum. It will highlight La Boheme
by Giacomo Puccini and will be conducted by Patrick Summers. In this
opera a poet discovers true love with a fragile seamstress, as a painter and
a vivacious cabaret singer rediscover their on-again, off-again passion.
Surrounded by the evocative rooftops, cafes and garrets of Paris, these
lively bohemians experience exhilarating joy and irretrievable loss.
Glendora Report Page 7
CSI at work in Glendora
Every week on
television we see
crimes being solved
with high tech DNA
tests. Well it has
come full circle with
the Glendora Police
Department. In partnership with Los
Angeles County’s
crime
lab,
the
Department
has
increased the collection of samples of hair, blood and skin left behind by
suspects at crime scenes, resulting in positive hits that have solved crimes
and identified previously unknown suspects. Without this technology,
these files would have likely remained unsolved.
DNA is an acronym that stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid, which is
found in the nucleus of a cell. It is the genetic code and thus unique to
every living creature. While DNA testing has been around for some time,
there have been limits to its applicability with public safety uses.
According to Glendora Police Chief Robert Castro, the use of this evidence has evolved greatly over the last decade. “Most departments
reserved the use of DNA for serious crimes because one needed larger
samples, the time it took to receive results and the costs to have the process
done just did not warrant its use on say property crime cases,” Castro said.
“Now, like everything else, the costs have dropped substantially and the
time it takes along with the sample size has made it much more practical
for a wider use for crime solving”.
Yet, the biggest change that has impacted the success of DNA tests to
solve crimes may be linked to the voters of California. In 2008, the voters of California passed Proposition 69 which required samples be taken
of any adult arrested or charged with any felony offense. The courts have
narrowed that ability to only adults who have been convicted of a felony
offense since that time, but the database of DNA samples has expanded
ten-fold, according to public safety officials.
Where DNA testing had been used to confirm or rule out a specific
suspect, it now allows police to test against a large pool of known persons.
This has allowed police to now solve lower level crimes like burglary and
auto theft. This has been a positive evolution just like it was for fingerprints when they were placed into computerized databases. California
police agencies have a database containing hundreds of thousands of samples that can be searched in a very short time. The only drawback has
been the money needed to do the testing and cross checking by local crime
labs.
It still costs nearly a $1,000 for each test, and each sample has to be of
a certain quality to make it a valid identification based on evidence standards established by the courts. “Like every new tool it takes a while for
policy makers to appreciate its value and for the infrastructure to get established,” Chief Castro added. The legislature has begun to add more
money for local crime labs to access, to push the huge back log of requests
that have piled up.
In the past few months, the results have been positive for Glendora.
“Six previous cases without suspects now have suspects identified,”
according to Captain Tim Staab. Many of these cases are residential burglaries. “These are cases where we had no idea who committed the crime,
and now we have solid evidence in which two people have been arrested
and four others have been identified and arrest warrants issued.” Most of
the suspects are from out of the area and did not appear in local police
records, according to Captain Staab.
Unlike Hollywood’s portrayal of DNA tests, Law enforcement still
can’t identify a suspect within hours using DNA tests. But with the
decreasing DNA test backlog and increased funding, this technology will
assist law enforcement in solving crimes that would have otherwise gone
unsolved. The Glendora Police Department has trained their Community
Service Officers in crime scene processing including the collection and
preservation of DNA evidence. The police department has employed several new technologies in the past year that have improved criminal investigations.
Community Services
Special Events
Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 7, 2012, Activities will be held at both Gladstone and Finkbiner parks, beginning at
9:00 a.m. The Easter Egg Hut will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. Special prizes will be awarded for
finding the “Golden Egg”. In case of rain, activities will be held in the Teen Center, 241 W. Dawson
Ave.
Upcoming Teen Center Trips
All registrations for Teen Center trips are taken at the Teen Center - Cash or Check Only. Sign up at
least 24 hours in advance to ensure your spot! For more information, please call the Crowther Teen
& Family Center at (626) 914-2357.
Santa Monica Pier & Beach
Saturday, March 17, 2012 ~ 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Cost: $15
Huntington Beach
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 ~ 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Cost: $10
Upcoming La Fetra Center Special Events
For more information, please contact the La Fetra Center at (626) 914-0560.
Partners of La Fetra Casino Night
Saturday, April 21, 2012 ~ 6:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 (Non-Members)
Tickets: $20 (Partners Members)
Tickets: $30 (at the door)
Mother’s Day Tea & Fashion Show
Co-sponsored by Partners of La Fetra
Saturday, May 12, 2012 ~ 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $13 (Partners Members)
Tickets: $15 (Non-Members)
Older American’s Luncheon
Co-Sponsored by Partners of La Fetra
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 ~ 11:30 a.m.
Upcoming Trail Activities
For more information please send inquires to please contact Dick Swinney at
dswinney@roadrunner.com.
Glendora Trails Day South Hills Park
Saturday, April 14, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Co-sponsored by the Glendora Rotary Club, ETI Corral 35, & Glendora Community Service
Event Will Be Cancelled in Case of Rain
Volunteers are needed to maintain the trails in South Hills Park. Each participant will receive a free
commemorative patch and lunch for helping their local environment.
Individuals are asked to bring gloves, water, sunscreen, and bug repellent. Participants should wear
long pants, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, a bandana or hat, and bug repellent. Adults must supervise interested youth groups under age 18. Tools for trail work will be provided. Each individual will be asked
to sign a liability release form. Youth without a sponsor must be 18 years of age.
For additional information on this project or for pre-registration procedures, contact Dick Swinney at
963-5668 or dswinney@roadrunner.com, or Gordon Rowley at gonoro@verizon.net.
Little Dalton Canyon/ Mystic Canyon Trail Trail
Saturday, March 31, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. This is a strenuous five mile hike. Park at the first horseshoe
curve on Glendora Mt. Road 1 mile north of Big Dalton Canyon Road. There is limited roadside
parking. There used to be a campground at this location. If the gate on Glendora Mt. Road is closed,
park at the gate parking lot, approximately 3/4 mile north of the junction of Big Dalton Canyon Road.
We will hike up the Lower Monroe Motorway along the Little Dalton Canyon stream bottom. The
motorway turns southward and continues to the junction of the Mystic Canyon Trail. The group will
follow this trail down to Big Dalton Canyon and follow the roads back to the parking area.
South Hills Trails
April 28, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. This is a moderate 1.5 mile walk, starting at the South Hills City Park at
the east terminus of Mauna Loa Avenue. From Glendora Ave., turn east on Mauna Loa Ave., and continue to the end. The group will be using the Big Dalton Wash, Alosta Canyon, East View, North Spur,
South Hills, Wild Iris, and Tonyon trails.
Dalton Canyon Trails
May 26, 2012 ~ 8:00 a.m. The following trails will be used: Wren-Meacham, Big Dalton Canyon
Trail, Pavil Canyon Trail, Keiser Trail, Coulter Pine Trail, Dunn Canyon Trail. This is a 4 mile walk.
Park your car at the Glendora Equestrian Center. This hike begins and ends at the equestrian center.
Glendora Report Page 8
Glendora Meeting Dates:
City Council Meeting
2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
Beautification Committee Meeting
Meets Quarterly, call (626) 914-8210
City Hall, Council Chambers
BID Advisory Board Meeting
1st Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
Glendora Library, Bidwell Forum
Community Services Commission
3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
Historic Preservation Committee Meeting
4th Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
Investment Advisory Committee Meeting
Meets Quarterly, call (626) 914-8210
City Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Rm
Library Board of Trustees Meeting
3rd Monday, 7 p.m.
Glendora Library, Bidwell Forum
Planning Commission Meeting
1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
Trails Committee Meeting
Last Monday of the Month, 6:30 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
Water Commission Meeting
Meets Quarterly, call (626) 914-8210
City Hall, Council Chambers
Credit Cards are accepted
for payment at City Hall, Library,
Police Department and the
Community Services Department.
Contact Information
Glendora City Council
Douglas F. Tessitor, Mayor
Gene Murabito, Mayor Pro Tem
Karen K. Davis, Council Member
Judy Nelson, Council Member
Joe Santoro, Council Member
www.ci.glendora.ca.us
Animal Control……………….....……914-8275
Building Permits/Inspection…...……914-8222
City Clerk ………….………........……914-8210
City Council …………….....…………914-8201
City Manager ……………….......……914-8201
Code Enforcement …………........…. 852-4825
Non-Emergency Police ...…....…….. 914-8250
Graffiti Hotline ……………….....….. 963-8540
Household Hazardous
Waste Collection…….…….....1-888-253-2652
Housing Programs ...……………..... 914-8208
City Job Line ……………….....….….914-8206
La Fetra Senior Center ……...….….. 914-8235
Glendora Library ……………....…... 852-4891
City Mini Bus System ……….....…… 914-8233
Overnight Parking Information ….... 914-8279
(recorded message)
Community Services ……....……….. 914-8228
Planning & Redevelopment …......… 914-8214
Public Works (Streets/Engineering) ....… 914-8246
Teen Center ……………………....…. 914-2357
Water Emergency (8 am to 5 pm) .....… 914-8246
Water Emergency (After 5 pm) ….....… 914-8250
Utility Billing (City) …………..……. 914-8239