Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 9, 2013

7

Mountain Views News Saturday, February 9, 2013

ANTONOVICH HELPS SECURES $250,000 PARK GRANT FOR MONROVIA

MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW PROJECTS 
DUARTE TO END FISCAL YEAR WITH 
HIGHER THAN EXPECTED SURPLUS

 Mid-year budget projections estimate that the City of Duarte 
will end fiscal year 2012-2013 with a surplus of $588,000 instead 
of a previously projected $62,100 amount. 

 Assistant City Manager, Kristen Petersen noted the 
increase in dollars is “largely due to a one-time residual payment 
of $800,000 from Los Angeles County that represents the City’s 
small share of the $9.4 million that the former Redevelopment 
Agency was forced to turn over to the county.” Barring any 
unexpected expenses or takeaways, said Petersen, the $588,000 
surplus will leave the year-end General Fund reserves at $13.4 
million. 

The reserve total includes a $7.5 million transfer from the 
Redevelopment Agency made in February 2011 as a repayment 
of a City loan advance made to the Agency in prior years. In the 
event the transfer is deemed invalid by the state, the $7.5 million 
would be eliminated from the General Fund and surrendered to 
the county. Such a scenario would reduce the City’s reserves to 
$5.9 million, 48% of the General Fund expenditures.

 General Fund revenues are projected to be $12,849,000 
at fiscal year-end, an increase of $867,000, or 7.2 percent as 
compared to the adopted budget. General Fund expenditures 
are expected to be $12,262,000, an increase of $220,000 or 1.8 
percent. 

 In addition to the $800,000 residual payment from 
the county, the City received several grants. A $334,000 grant 
from California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention 
(CalGRIP), of which $84,000 will be spent in the current fiscal 
year. Grant monies will be directed to Duarte youth programs, 
including the boxing program, Youthworks, and D.A.R.T., 
and to help pay for a special assignment deputy and a L. A. 
County probation officer. A $25,000 Public Safety Prevention 
and Intervention grant from the Los Angeles County Chief 
Administrator’s Office will assist in funding programs including 
the City’s recreational financial assistance program and youth 
programs. The Gold Line Authority awarded the City $100,000 
in funds for the hiring of consultants, engineering and other 
services that will expedite or enhance work related to the design 
and development of the Duarte Gold Line station. The City has 
allocated $50,000 of the grant to be used in the current fiscal 
year.

 Expenditure highlights include major City pool repairs 
and the AQMD mandated replacement of the pool heater and 
Fitness Center boiler that will cost more than $150,000 by the 
end of the fiscal year. 

 The City budget has also benefited from expenditure 
savings. A Supreme Court decision ruling that the county 
was overcharging cities for administrative services related 
to the collection of property tax has forced the county to 
revise its calculation, resulting in a savings to the City of 
approximately $39,000. The City has reduced postage expenses 
by approximately $13,000 by consolidating the Parks and 
Recreation schedule with the Public Safety and Community 
Newsletter. Code enforcement legal services expenses are 
projected to be reduced by approximately $6,000 as a result of 
the City Attorney restructuring the City’s legal services contract.

 “Overall, it was a positive sign to finally have a mid-year 
report with an unprecedented surplus after navigating a very 
difficult economic path for local governments over the past 
several years, noted City Manager, Darrell George.”

MONROVIA – A 1.8 acre park that had 
its aging and vandalized playground 
equipment removed more than two years 
ago will finally get some of the funding it 
needs.

 On Tuesday, Councilwoman Becky Shevlin 
announced that Los Angeles County 
Supervisor Michael Antonovich awarded 
a $250,000 grant to the City of Monrovia 
for the refurbishment of Julian Fisher Park, 
at Almond and California Avenues. The 
money is coming from Safe Neighborhoods 
Parks Propositions of 1992 and 1996, 
commonly referred to as Proposition A/Los 
Angeles County Regional Park and Open 
Space District. It is expected to be received 
by the City in three months.

 It has not yet been determined what exactly 
the money will be used for in refurbishing 
the park, “but we are extremely excited and 
thankful to have the funds and look forward 
to putting it to good use in the near future,” 
Councilwoman Shevlin said. 

 Mayor Mary Ann Lutz said she is 
grateful to both Supervisor Antonovich 
and Councilwoman Shevlin for working 
together to secure these funds for a park 
that has been on the forefront of many 
community members’ minds.

 “We have heard from residents for 
several years now that they want to see 
improvements at Julian Fisher Park,” Mayor 
Lutz said. “It is refreshing to be able to say to 
the community that not only have we been 
listening, but we finally have some funding 
to make a change.”

 The Julian Fisher improvements and 
equipment upgrades have been on the City 
Council’s approved Parks Capital Projects 
list for many years, but as an unfunded 
project. The playground equipment alone 
has a $350,000 price tag. Adding restrooms 
and upgrading the basketball courts, water 
fountains, gazebos and picnic benches are 
also on the improvement list but are still 
unfunded. 

 Family members of Mr. Fisher said they 
are elated that the park will be restored, and 
that it is a reminder to continue fundraising 
efforts to make up for the remaining 
funding gap.

 “On behalf of the Fisher family, we are 
ecstatic to hear that we have received this 
funding,” said Betty Thomas, a longtime 
Monrovia resident and granddaughter of 
Mr. Fisher. 

 The park is named after Julian Fisher, one 
of Monrovia’s first African American police 
officers. Mr. Fisher was educated in the 
Monrovia schools and was the first African 
American male to graduate from the high 
school. He also played as a semi-professional 
baseball player for the Monrovia Merchants. 
Mr. Fisher was a respected member of the 
community and the police department, 
where he served for 30 years. He passed 
away in 1979 at the age of 82. 

 Mrs. Thomas said she will be announcing 
the receipt of the grant and the continued 
fundraising efforts at a Black History Month 
event hosted by the Monrovia-Duarte Black 
Alumni Association on Saturday, February 
9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Julian Fisher Park.

 “Receiving this funding will hopefully 
light a fire under the community as work 
to continue to raise funds for this park,” 
Thomas said. “Our main concern has been 
the full utilization of the park, and hopefully 
this funding and future fundraising will 
allow us to do that.”

Julian Fisher is one of seven parks in the 
City.

“In working with our cities and town 
councils, developing parks and open space 
recreational areas is a vital part of the 
County’s effort to improve the quality of life 
for our residents,” Supervisor Antonovich 
said. “We are pleased to announce $250,000 
to the City of Monrovia to refurbish Julian 
Fisher Park.” 


MONROVIA DUARTE BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESENTS BLACK HISTORY 
MONTH 2013 

“At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington” By Joan Schmidt

 The Monrovia/Duarte Black Alumni Association has some exciting, fun-filled events planned for February with all ages in mind. 
On Saturday, February 9th, from 5:00pm-8:00pm will be Celebrating Black History in Film. This Family Movie Night and Food Truck 
Event will be featuring the Pasadena Cow Girls and will take place at Julian D. Fisher Memorial Park, 915 South California Avenue, 
Monrovia. In case of rain, the event will relocate to the Monrovia United Methodist Church, 140 east Palm Avenue, Monrovia. (626) 303-
2783.

 At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality will take place Sunday, February 24th from 2:00pm-5:00 pm at the Monrovia 
United Methodist Church, 140 East Palm Avenue, Monrovia. (626) 303-2783. The Soul Food Luncheon will be served from 2:00pm-
3:00pm. Adults-$10, children under 10- $5. Program/Reception will be held from 3:00pm-5:00 pm.

 Several area libraries and have special displays for Black History Month. The Duarte Historical Museum has Children Marching 
Through Black History 2013: Children’s Art Exhibit. This past Saturday, there was a special program that included exhibits, recognition 
and entertainment. The Museum is opened Saturdays, 1:00pm-4:00pm and is located on 777 Encanto Parkway, Duarte. (626) 357-9419. 
(Through February there also is a special tribute to the great author, Ray Bradbury).

MONROVIA CITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES ANNIE BECKWITH MEMORIAL LARGE 
PRINT BOOK DONATION TO MONROVIA LIBRARY By Joan Schmidt

 At a recent Monrovia City Council Meeting, Mayor Lutz read a Certificate of 
Recognition for the Annie Beckwith Memorial Large Print Donation which was then 
presented to Annie’s family, who were in attendance.

 Who was this Annie Beckwith? Annette Simpson, Librarian II came to the podium 
and gave a short account of Annie’s life. Annie was born in Oklahoma in 1911 and 
was orphaned, but raised by relatives. She appreciated what she had and wanted to 
give back to our country, so she joined the Woman’s Army Corps during World War 
II. Her husband Thomas also was a World War II 
Veteran. They had only one child in 1934, who 
passed away shortly after birth. (In those days, prior 
to antibiotics and modern wonder drugs, that was 
not uncommon.)

 Annie eventually retired in Duarte and her family 
brought her to the Monrovia Library to check out 
large print books. She found the Library to be a 
place of comfort and believed reading was a very 
important part of her life. As she aged, her hearing also deteriorated, which increased her love of books 
more.

 This past March, Annie passed away at age 100! She was buried with full military honors at 
Riverside National Cemetery with her beloved Tom. Because of her love for the Library and Large Print 
Books, her family wanted to do something very special in Annie’s memory. They presented the Library 
with a $9000 donation through her estate. This will pay for approximately 100 books each year or 300 
books over 3 years.

 Attending the City Council Meeting were Annie’s niece, Bonnie Kaufman and her great-nieces, 
Monica Gibson and Carol Ann Kaufman and their families. They were very proud to accept the Certificate 
and had brought Annie’s flag, (That had been used for the services) in a glass case to the meeting.

 Annie’s family owns Creative Woman, and anyone who drives on Myrtle Avenue, below 
Huntington Drive, knows the store with the “big bra” in the window. (The store is wonderful and has 
many items- not just the special undergarments you may need when wearing a formal gown, etc.) 
What people may not realize is the Kaufmans are GREAT SUPPORTERS of the Library and realize 
the importance of reading. They have been extremely generous over the years donating money to the 
Summer Reading Club and Literacy Services. 

 A VERY SPECIAL “Thank You” to Annie’s family. Both my parents suffered from glaucoma. 
Daddy’s eyes went first, but Mom went to our library every week and checked out books for him to read. 
It was a godsend. Then many years after Daddy passed, Mom’s eyes got bad. This time my sister took 
Mom EVERY WEEK for those large print books! The residents of Monrovia surely will benefit from the 
generous donation of Annie’s family.


DUARTE STATE OF THE CITY/SCHOOL DISTRICT/COMMUNITY 
COLLEGE 

District Talks at Duarte Chamber Luncheon, February 27 

The Duarte Chamber of Commerce will host its annual State of the City, State of the School District, 
and State of the Community College District at a luncheon, Wednesday, February 27. 

Mayor Margaret Finlay will present his assessment of the State of the City; while Duarte Unified 
School Board President Ken Bell will report on the State of the School District, and Citrus College 
Superintendent/President Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D., will update the community on the State of the 
Community College District. 

 The luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at City of Hope, Cooper Auditorium, 1500 
Duarte Road. Tickets to the luncheon are $25 per person.

 For more information and reservations, call Duarte Chamber of Commerce, (626) 357-3333 
or visit www.duartechamber.com.