Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 21, 2011

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Mountain Views News Saturday, May 21, 2011

From the Desk of the City Manager...

by Scott Ochoa

Gold Line Update


Happy 125th Anniversary, Monrovia!

Thursday night’s Monrovia Day Parade and Saturday’s festivities 
in Library Park marked the 125th anniversary of the founding of 
Monrovia. 

The Thursday night parade, drawing from the success of the 
evening Holiday Parade, featured larger crowds than the usual 
Saturday morning parade (competing with baseball, soccer, karate, 
etc, is tough!). We’ll perform an evaluation of the event and also solicit 
feedback from residents and businesses.

Saturday’s Fountain to the Falls Race was a great event as well. We 
had 280 runners embark on the seven-mile roundtrip run/walk. The 
men’s division winner took home the 1st place trophy with a time of 
43 minutes - amazing! The overwhelming feedback was the event was 
well-executed (especially for the inaugural run) and well-organized. I 
think next year will bring even more runners and walkers.

Saturday was rounded out by the MAP Neighborhood Conference, 
the Fire House Pancake Breakfast, and a special Concert in the Park. 
We had great weather, a great series of events and a great community 
to share it with. 

Congratulations and huge thank-you’s to the Community Services 
Department, the CMO staff, the MAP team and the Fire Department 
for putting Saturday together. 

Truly, a great day for Monrovia!

A New Sheriff - err, 

Interim Chief in Town

Given all of the uncertainty surrounding the most recent chapter 
of the Gold Line project - the lawsuits filed against the City and 
Gold Line Construction Authority (GLCA), specifically - it seems 
that we are in a holding pattern. Obvious though it may seem, 
nothing can be done until something is done. And Monrovia will 
do something.

In the coming weeks, the City of Monrovia will notice the 
requisite documents so that the City Council/Agency Board may 
take up at the regular June 7 City Council/Agency Board meeting 
the proposed Purchase & Sale Agreement, as well as the proposed 
Public Improvements Agreement, by and between the City/Agency 
and the GLCA.

Given the status of the lawsuits - the plaintiff’s attorney has 
recently filed an “intent to amend” his lawsuit (presumably because 
it currently has no basis and is not ripe) - it appears that if left 
alone, the situation will remain in limbo for the foreseeable future. 
Instead, we will move forward with considering the transactions 
that we have negotiated in good faith with GLCA, and allow both 
the Gold Line and the plaintiff to decide upon whatever course of 
action they propose to take.

No doubt, more information will become available on this matter 
as we move closer to the June meeting.

With the recent retirement of long-time public servant and friend 
of Monrovia, Police Chief Roger Johnson, we have commenced an 
executive search to recruit his replacement. As we proceed through 
this recruitment process, Captain Jim Hunt will assume the role 
of Interim Chief of Police. Jim is an outstanding law enforcement 
executive and will do a great job in this assignment.

I anticipate that the recruitment period will last through mid-
summer, and we will commence with interviews in early August. 
We will subject applicants through a battery of panels including a 
community panel, a professional panel, a department panel, and 
others. My hope and goal is to have a permanent Chief appointed by 
September. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions 
about this process.

Monrovia Fine Arts Association 
Recognizes Councilman 

Clarence Shaw

City Council Preview

Though we have quite an extensive closed session agenda, the 
regular agenda for the May 17 Council meeting is relatively light. 
Indeed, there are two items on the business agenda to consider. 
Though we list two public hearings on the agenda, the first 
(concerning a proposed ordinance relating to massage regulations) is 
being requested to be opened and continued to the June 21 meeting. 
Item PH-2 is a public hearing regarding the appeal of a Development 
Review Committee (DRC) decision concerning a fence height 
between two single-family residences on the 1000 block of Briarcliff 
Road. Given the topography and terrain that these two homes sit on, 
and the limited number of mitigation techniques available to resident 
installing the fence, staff is recommending that the Council deny the 
appeal.

Lastly, AR-1 is the First Quarter update of the performance 
indicators for Operation Safe Neighborhoods. By nearly every 
criterion, the anti-gang injunction appears to be well-implemented 
and effective. Staff recommends Council receive and file the report.

As always, if you have any question about any item on the agenda, 
please feel free to contact me directly.

Belated congratulations to our own Clarence Shaw, who was 
recognized Saturday, May 7, as the Renaissance Award recipient by 
MAFA. A stalwart of the arts and humanities, and the unity that 
can be derived from artistic expression, Clarence has been a driving 
force in developing and supporting the arts in Monrovia. Drawing 
on the existing Art in Public Places Ordinance developed by Mayor 
Pro Tem Joe Garcia, Clarence has demonstrated the power and 
excitement of getting folks involved. Most recently, the Gospel Fest 
he helped bring to fruition was a crowning achievement. Great job 
and congratulations, Clarence!

MONROVIA CALENDAR –

Tues., May 17, 7:30 p.m. - City Council Meeting

Monday, May 30, Memorial Day - City Hall Closed

Tues., May 31, 6 p.m. - Budget Study Session

Sat., June 4, 11 a.m. - Relay for Life, Recreation Park

Sun., June 5, 11 a.m. end - Relay for Life, Recreation Park

Mon., June 6, 6 p.m. - Budget Study Session

Tues., June 7, 7:30 p.m. - City Council Meeting


What’s On 

YOUR Mind? What 
D0 YOU Think? 

Contact us at: 

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Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven day period, the Police 
Department handled 556 service events, resulting 
in 96 investigations. Following are the last week’s 
highlighted issues and events:

Vandalism

On May 6 at 3:45 a.m., an officer was flagged 
down regarding a shattered front window at 
a business in the 300 block of West Foothill. 
The owner of the business was notified and an 
investigation was conducted. It was determined 
that there was no theft at the location. 

Outside Assist - Alhambra Police Department - 
Suspect Arrested

On May 6 at 9:49 p.m., a subject entered the 
Monrovia Police Department lobby requesting 
advice from an officer regarding a dispute he had 
with his girlfriend in Alhambra. While talking 
with the officer, the subject stated he had been 
involved in a minor altercation in Alhambra. 
Alhambra was contacted and advised the officer 
that the subject was wanted for assault with a 
deadly weapon involving a firearm. The subject 
was detained for Alhambra Police Department. A 
search of the suspect’s vehicle in the parking lot 
rendered the recovery of the firearm. The suspect 
was taken into custody by Alhambra Police 
Department.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 7 at 2:42 a.m., an officer on patrol in 
the area of Myrtle and Evergreen observed a 
suspicious vehicle. The driver was leaning to one 
side as he drove the vehicle. The officer stopped 
the driver when he failed to use a turn signal in the 
100 block of Montana. During the investigation, 
it was determined that the driver was under the 
influence and the driver was arrested

.

Unlawful Sexual Intercourse - Suspect Arrested

On May 8 at 2:45 a.m., officers responded to a 
hotel in the 1100 block of East Huntington after 
receiving a 911 call from a citizen. The citizen 
reported hearing a female screaming for someone 
to get off of her from inside the hotel room. 
Officers arrived, contacted several subjects, and 
discovered a 19 year old male who admitted to 
having consensual intercourse with a 16 year 
old female. The suspect was arrested. The female 
subject was later released to a guardian.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence - 
Suspect Arrested

On May 9 at 12:51 a.m., officers responded to 
a solo vehicle traffic collision in the 500 block of 
West Duarte Road. The vehicle had crashed into 
a light pole and a tree on the south sidewalk. The 
driver was identified and officers determined he 
was under the influence of alcohol. The driver was 
arrested.

Possession of Burglary Tools - Suspect Arrested

On May 9 at 9:02 p.m., the manager of a business 
in the 900 block of West Huntington called to 
report a subject on their roof. He was concerned 
because of recent burglaries at their store, so 
he called the police. Officers arrived and were 
informed that a male white subject, thin build, and 
balding had just left on a bike. Officers checked 
the roof area and found a storage shed, which is 
normally kept closed, was now open and several 
backpacks were found. The backpacks contained 
burglary tools, including a lock-pick set. A male 
subject matching the description of the suspect 
was detained within minutes by officers. The 
subject was known by the officers to have recently 
been arrested for possession of burglary tools. He 
told the officers the bags and contents on the roof 
of the business were his. After being identified by 
a witness who saw him in possession of one of 
the bags a short time earlier, he was arrested and 
charged for possession of burglary tools.


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