Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 31, 2012

COUNCIL (from page 1) frozen at the last round 
of budget cuts, which resulted in a $900,000 savings City-
wide, prior to approval of the 2011-2013 budget. Those two 
positions would remain, but in their frozen state, unfunded.

 

While the administrative services department would actually 
see some increases in staffing, that would be because of 
the shifting of Human Resources into the department. Administration 
would also see the loss of the Administrative 
Services Director.

 

Several people spoke to the Council urging them to take 
a closer look at finding ways to increase revenue, or at 
least wait and see how some of the areas where things 
are in flux end up, before laying long time employees 
off. One speaker bemoaned the potential loss of a long-
time library employee to create a position that would 
update the website and post City documents online and 
asked the Council to put humans ahead of technology. 
One staff member reminded the Council that while it 
was true that some full-time positions were becoming 
part-time positions, effectively allowing the report to 
imply that there will be minimal loss of employees, that 
full-time worker might need to look elsewhere for full-
time work in order to feed a family or maintain health 
benefits, meaning the loss of another experienced staff 
member by the City. David Crochetiere, chair of the 
Community Services Commission spoke eloquently 
and with passion about the Community Services department, 
noting that he feels he has been handed down 
a trust from generations of volunteers before him on the 
Commission to act as a steward, and that he felt that by 
eliminating the director positions for the department, 
the City was, in effect, rendering the department voiceless 
in future policy decisions that would affect the department. 
He also referred to an earlier report presented to 
Council which discussed the cost of recruiting and hiring 
personnel, and urged council to consider that when deciding 
whether or not to eliminate experienced staff to bring in 
new, lower paid, or part-time staff to replace them.

 

The Council decided to delay any decision on the reorganization 
until at least the March 27th meeting.

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 31, 2012 


Women’s Safety and Empowerment Night 

Sierra Madre, CA – The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. To spread awareness and educate 
women, Alverno High School is hosting a Women’s Safety and Empowerment Night on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. 
The event will take place from 7:00pm – 9:00pm on Alverno’s campus. The workshop is open to families at 
Alverno as well as the local surrounding communities. All are encouraged to attend the event that will focus on 
the realities of sexual violence, prevention strategies, and self defense skills. 


“It is important to educate women on prevention and self defense,” said Cam Gonzales, Director of Activities/
Dean of Students. “We are happy that we can offer this program and we encourage everyone to attend.”

Please wear comfortable exercise attire. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Cam 
Gonzales, Director of Activities at (626) 355-3463 ext. 222

REMEMBRANCE

GARY SKOUSEN 

 Longtime Sierra Madre resident Gary Skousen, age 
67 years, died peacefully on February 19, 2012 at Hoag 
Hospital in Newport Beach, California. He suffered 
from lung problems for several years. He was surrounded 
by his family at the time of his death. 
Gary is survived by his wife, Sharon Teague Skousen 
and a son, Timothy Skousen and a daughter, Susan 
Skousen from Oregon and a daughter, Mary Skousen-
Radford from Sierra Madre. He had four grandchildren. 
Skousen attended Sierra Madre School, John Marshall 
Junior High School, Pasadena High School and Pasadena 
City College.

Beginning April 1, 2012, overnight parking permits will be 
available for purchase online.

 

Overnight parking permits can be purchased online 
through the city’s website at: www.cityofsierramadre.com

 

Parking permits are required to park vehicles on city 
streets between 2:00AM and 5:00AM. Annual and temporary 
permits will be available online. The cost for an 
annual overnight parking permit is $80.00 per vehicle per 
year. Temporary overnight parking permits are also available 
for $1.00 per vehicle per day.

 

The new online service will accept payment by credit card 
or check. This service was created to make the purchase of 
overnight parking permits more convenient for the community 
and eliminate the requirement to visit the Police 
Department in person. All that is required is internet access 
and the ability to print the permit.

 

Residents and guests that do not have internet access can 
obtain permits at either City Hall or the Library during 
normal business hours. Off-hour requests must be processed 
online.

 

Overnight parking permits only allow vehicles to park on 
city streets overnight and do not exempt the vehicle owner 
from any other city municipal code or state vehicle code. 
For more information please contact the Sierra Madre Police 
Department at 626-355-1414.

Overnight Parking Permits 
Now Available Online