Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 11, 2011

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Mountain Views News Saturday, June 11, 2011 

 Mountain Views News Saturday, June 11, 2011 


DUARTE DUWOP

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA DOMINATED BY GOLD LINE PROJECT

The Doo Wop sounds of 
summer will be flowing from 
Duarte Park on Wednesday, 
June 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 
8:30 p.m. with the kickoff of 
the popular Duarte Summer 
Concerts in the Park series. 
California America Water 
will sponsor the evening’s 
entertainment by The Story 
Tellers and the In Crowd Band 
featuring classic ‘50s and ’60s 
tunes for listening and dancing.

Duarte’s summer concert 
series offers a fun and stress-
free way to enjoy a warm summer evening in the 
company of family and friends. Concert-goers 
are invited to bring along a lawn chair or blanket 
and pack a picnic dinner, or enjoy something 
good to eat from one of several food booths that 
will be open for business beginning at 6 p.m. 
There will be more than music to enjoy. Each of 
the four scheduled concerts will also feature an 
entertainment and play area for children, and a 
raffle hosted by the Route 66 Parade Committee. 
Duarte Park is located at 1344 Bloomdale Ave., 
just east of Buena Vista St., and adjacent to the 
Duarte Teen Center. Free bus transportation to 
and from the park is available by Duarte Transit.

Other concert dates in the series are The Blue 
Breeze Band playing Motown, R&B and Soul on 
July 13; Sean Wiggins country-rock band on July 
27; and Los Retoños del Norte & Mariachi Latino 
on Aug. 10. In addition to California American 
Water, sponsors of the series are Rutan & Tucker, 
LLP; Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. 
Antonovich; Burrtec Waste; Foothill Transit; and 
Performance Nissan. For more information, call 
Duarte Parks and Recreation at (626) 357-7931.

DUARTE HISTORICAL MUSEUM VISIT


The June 7 City Council/Redevelopment Agency 
Board agenda featured only two significant items 
of business - the proposed sale of real property to 
the Gold Line Construction Authority (GLCA) 
and consideration of an amended and restated 
service agreement with Athens Services for street 
sweeping through 2016.

MRA PH-1 was a joint public hearing of the 
City Council and Agency Board and concerns the 
proposed sale of 13.87 acres of property owned 
by the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency (the 
former Sweda, Foodmakers and railroad spur 
properties) and the City of Monrovia (a portion 
of “little” Duarte Road located north of the 
existing METRO right-of-way). The negotiated 
purchase price is approximately $39.6 million, 
plus the construction of $16.5 million in public 
improvements and infrastructure, as well as the 
construction of a public parking structure near 
the proposed Gold Line station for use by transit 
patrons. The proposed purchase price is based 
on the City/Agency’s total cost to date for the 
property, as well as consideration for potential lost 
sales and property tax revenue, and City fees.

Monrovia staff have evaluated the GLCA’s 
supplemental environmental impact report (SEIR) 
for the proposed Maintenance & Operations 
Facility and determined that the GLCA has 
appropriately addressed concerns directly related 
to this proposed project. The property is currently 
zoned “planned development” and features a mix 
of manufacturing, retail, storage and construction 
materials uses. The proposed use of the site, a 
maintenance and operations facility for electric 
light rail passenger cars (as opposed to a yard for 
heavy rail, diesel cars), is not an inappropriate use 
for the site.

An impacted property owner has filed a lawsuit 
against the GLCA and Monrovia. The two causes of 
action pertaining to Monrovia allege that Monrovia 
is, in considering and/or approving this land sale, 
breaching an existing settlement agreement with 
the private property owner (Excalibur Holdings) 
in which the Monrovia Redevelopment Agency 
covenants to not condemn or cause to condemn 
Excalibur’s property. Obviously, Monrovia - 
neither the Agency nor the City nor the Housing 
Authority - is not acquiring or condemning 
Excalibur’s property. Claims that Monrovia is 
causing the condemnation of Excalibur’s property 
are equally specious - Monrovia does not control 
either GLCA or METRO, does not vote on their 
respective boards, does not have land use control 
over them, cannot compel them to condemn a 
third party or preclude them from condemning 
a third party. Ultimately, Monrovia is considering 
selling its own land to GLCA; nothing more and 
nothing less.

Staff recommends that the City Council and 
Agency Board approve the proposed purchase 
and sale agreement and necessary resolutions.

AR-1 is the proposed amended and restated 
agreement with Athens Services for the 
continuation of street sweeping services in the 
amount of $176,573 for FY 2011-12. Currently, 
the City has an interim agreement with Athens 
for this service. Athens began providing street 
sweeping, separate and apart from trash collection 
services, in July 2010. At that time, staff reviewed 
street sweeping prices around our region and 
negotiated a very attractive price of $15.95/curb 
mile. In considering this proposed amended and 
restated agreement (which would replace the 
existing interim agreement), Athens has agreed 
to hold their existing price for the 2011-12 fiscal 
year. Subsequently, pricing would be adjusted by 
CPI, pursuant to positive annual performance 
reviews. Over the last year, Athens performance 
has been exceptionally strong. The proposed 
agreement term is five years; research indicates 
that similar agreements range from three to seven 
years. Staff recommends approval of the amended 
and restated agreement with Athens Services for 
street sweeping services.

Members of the Duarte Kiwanis Club were 
in for a treat this week. They had their meeting 
at the Duarte Historical Museum and 
were hosted by Irwin Margiloff, curator of 
the museum and local history buff extraordinaire! 
Irwin treated the Club to descriptions 
of the origins of the Duarte Rancho in the 
mid-1800’s to the current boundaries of the 
original property lines – in Arcadia on 10th 
Avenue. Mr. Margiloff was able to confirm 
that, indeed, Glenn Miller lived in a home on 
Bettyhill in Duarte and shared various surveyor’s 
maps with the club. All in all, a delightful, 
insightful and interesting adventure. 
Mr. Margiloff has also created a brochure 
which lists all 29 of the historical museums 
in the San Gabriel Valley. 

The brochure can be found on the site: http://
www.duartehistory.org/index.html

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL INVESTIGATORS 
POST SUSPENSION NOTICE AT THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS, 

501 WEST DUARTE ROAD

In February 2011, the Detective Bureau’s 
Special Enforcement Team assisted Alcoholic 
Beverage Control investigators in their 
undercover operation at the House of Spirits 
Liquor Store located at 501 West Duarte. The 
Alcoholic Beverage Investigators arrested 
one of the store clerks for selling marijuana 
and receiving stolen property. This week, on 
Thursday, June 2, the Alcoholic Beverage 
Control investigators will post a suspension 
notice at the House of Spirits. The House 
of Spirits will not be allowed to sell alcohol 
for 25 days and the liquor license will have 
to be transferred to a new owner within 
180 days. The Alcoholic Beverage Control 
investigators requested the presence of the 
Special Enforcement Team at the suspension 
posting. The Alcoholic Beverage Control 
investigators stated “the assistance provided 
by the Monrovia Police Department was 
invaluable in making the arrest.”

Monrovia Police Blotter

During the last seven day period, the Police 
Department handled 566 service events, resulting in 
77 investigations. 

Following are the last week’s highlighted issues 
and events:

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 28 at 2:09 a.m., an officer on patrol 
observed a vehicle traveling south on Myrtle 
at Central and noticed it was weaving on the 
roadway. The driver failed to use a turn signal and 
was stopped. During the investigation, the driver 
was determined to be under the influence and was 
arrested.

Vandalism In-Progress / Minor Consuming 
Alcohol / Possession of Controlled Substance / 
Three Suspects Arrested

On May 28 at 7:12 p.m., a business owner was 
driving in the area of Ivy and Walnut when he 
saw two male subjects tagging city property with 
spray paint. The suspects fled in a vehicle and 
the witness called police. Officers saturated the 
area and located the suspects in the 100 block of 
East Colorado, still in the vehicle in a parking lot 
behind a bar. As officers detained the suspects, 
a female subject exited the bar to inquire what 
was going on, as she owned the vehicle. Through 
investigation, it was learned the female was under 
age and had used false identification in the bar and 
had consumed alcohol. During a search, she was 
also found to be in possession of cocaine. She was 
arrested and taken into custody. The male subjects 
were positively identified as the suspects who spray 
painted City property and were also arrested. The 
witness will be contacted to receive the $100 Stop 
Graffiti Bounty for reporting a graffiti vandalism 
which led to an arrest.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 29 at 3:34 p.m., an officer noticed 
a vehicle exit the 210 Freeway and drive north 
on Myrtle. The driver was weaving on the 
roadway and was stopped by the officer. Through 
investigation, the driver was determined to be 
under the influence and was arrested. The driver 
was booked and later released on a citation.

Commercial Burglary

On May 29 at 10:30 a.m., an officer was 
dispatched to a business in the 400 block of South 
Myrtle regarding a burglary. The suspect(s) pried 
open a window, made entry into a business, and 
then pried open the door to the office of another 
business. Once inside the second business, the 
suspect(s) ransacked the office and took cash from 
a filing cabinet. They also took electronic items 
from both businesses, which included a flat screen 
television, three computer monitors and four 
computer laptops.

Driving Under the Influence - Suspect Arrested

On May 31 at 1:44 p.m., an officer was flagged 
down and told there was a possible drunk driver 
at a business in the 100 block of East Duarte Road. 
The officer stopped the vehicle in the parking lot. 
The female driver was determined to be under the 
influence and was arrested. She was in the area 
to pick up her children from school. The school 
office and principal were notified. She was booked 
and held for detoxification.

Vehicle Burglary

On June 1 at 3:49 p.m., an officer responded to a 
residence in the 1200 block of Encino. The victim 
reported that someone had broken into her vehicle 
and had stolen property, and that her credit card 
information had been used.

Battery

On June 1 at 5:10 p.m., a 16-year-old male 
victim of battery was brought to the police station 
lobby by his father. The victim reported that he 
had walked a girl home on Monterey after school 
when a male suspect struck him in the head with 
a skateboard and grabbed him in a choke hold. 
The suspect then let go of him and left the area. 
The victim went home and his father brought 
him to the station when he got home from work. 
Investigation continuing.

MONROVIA POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RECEIVE 

$20,000 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL GRANT

The Special Enforcement Team applied 
for an Alcoholic Beverage Control Grant for 
Fiscal Year 2011-2012 (July 1, 2011 to June 30, 
2012). The Special Enforcement Team’s grant 
proposal was selected to receive $20,000 for 
Alcoholic Beverage Control activities. The 
Monrovia Police Department will implement 
the strategies of education and enforcement 
to address alcohol related problems within 
the City. The enforcement portion will focus 
resources on licensed establishments that 
have a disproportionate amount of calls for 
service. The goal will be to reduce the overall 
number of alcohol related offenses and calls 
for service at these locations. The Monrovia 
Police Department will implement the 
Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s 
best enforcement practices in combating 
these issues. The grant money will pay for the 
overtime expenses and necessary equipment 
to conduct several enforcement activities.


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