SIERRA MADRE JULY 4TH CELEBRATIONS....SECTION B


SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 2014

VOLUME 8 NO. 26

 

Of surprise to no one, the current drought has 
reached crisis levels throughout the state, and 
the issue appears to be even more urgent for the 
city of Sierra Madre. At Tuesday’s City Council 
meeting, the main topic was the city’s water 
dilemma and what to do about it.

 The matter was placed on the agenda by newly-
elected Councilwoman Denise Delmar who 
requested staff come back with recommendations 
on how we should address our water problems. 
The report included three possible solutions (see 
inset) that, as explained by City Attorney Terri 
Highsmith, could be enacted individually or in 
any combination.

 Director Bruce Inman informed the council 
that our situation was “particularly acute 
because of our limited water supplies.” Since 
our wells have been shut down because of the 
dangerously low levels in October 2013, we have 
been purchasing water from the Metropolitan 
Water District (MWD). That commitment is 
only for a two-year period and, since we are 
not members of MWD, our water issues are 
secondary to MWD’s member cities’ needs when 
that commitment runs out. We do belong to the 
San Gabriel Valley MWD (commonly called the 4 
cities water district – Alhambra, Monterey Park, 
Sierra Madre and Azusa). Inman noted that the 4 
Cities District gets its water from the State Water 
Project, which is reliant on the Colorado River. 
It has been determined that the Colorado River, 
under the current drought conditions, only has 
enough water for two years.

 The MWD connection has been a thorn in the 
flesh of Sierra Madre residents who have had to 
go from pristine well water to chemically laced, 
discolored water. When asked if we could turn 
off the MWD connection now, Inman said, “we 
only have enough water to last about 2-3 months 
and then we would have to go back to MWD.”

 Without a crystal ball or direct Divine guidance 
as to when the drought is going to end, it 
impossible for anyone to project when conditions 
may change. Sierra Madre resident and EENR 
Commissioner Marguerite Shuster noted during 
public comment that “It really is an emergency” 
and that the scientific community has determined 
that we have “for the last 200 years been unusually 
wet”. While advocating for the enactment of both 
the Building and Water Moratoriums she warned 
that regarding a change in the drought “what we 
should look forward to is not improvement but 
something much worse”. 

 Councilman Goss asked about the current 
weather predictions of an El Nino this winter. 
Inman stated that with a level amount of rain for 
a sustained period of time, it will take 3-5 years 
for our wells to recover. If the El Nino yields 
torrential rains as it did in 2005-2006, we will not 
be able to capture all of that groundwater and it 
will therefore not resolve our problems.

 Mayor Harabedian favored implementation 
of Phase III of our current Mandatory Water 
Conservation Ordinance because it deals with 
several issues at once. If enacted, residents 
and businesses will have to increase their water 
conservation efforts; it would immediately stop 
any new water hook ups and it does not have a 
mandated expiration period. When and if our 
water situation improves the city could scale back 
the amount of conservation.

 Councilman Gene Goss also agreed that he 
felt Phase III was the best course for immediate 
action. 

 Councilman Capoccia basically agreed. 
However, he noted that he would like to include 
requirements for coming up with a plan similar 
to the requirements on the Building Moratorium. 

 Councilwoman Delmar expressed a desire 
to pass both the Phase III and at least the Water 
Moratorium as an added protection against new 
development. 

 Both Mayor Harabedian and Councilman 
Capoccia made it clear that the council’s actions, 
whatever they end of being, are not attempts to 
dictate land use policy. 

 The council decided to hold Public Hearings on 
all three alternatives at the next council meeting 
as required by law. 

(See notices on Page 8. Related Story Page 5)

AS WATER SITUATION WORSENS COUNCIL 
CONTEMPLATES WHICH ACTIONS TO TAKE

Tighter Conservation Measures Appear Inevitable - Moratorium 
Implementation Uncertain By Susan Henderson

Breaking News:

BODY OF MISSING ARCADIA 
FIREFIGHTER FOUND Story from Contra Costa Times

 The body of missing Arcadia 
firefighter Mike Herdman was 
found Friday by rescuers in 
the Sespe Wilderness, Ventura 
County Sheriff’s Capt. Dan 
Aguilar said.

 Authorities identified Hedman 
through dental records, VCSD 
officials said in a televised 
press conference. The cause of 
death has yet to be determined 
pending an autopsy.

 Herdman’s body was found 
1,200 feet above the Sespe River 
Bottom where he and fellow 
Arcadia firefighter Taylor Byars 
were camping during a four-
day hiking trip.

 Herdman went missing June 
13 when he ran off chasing 
his dog, Duke, barefoot only 
wearing a T-shirt and board 
shorts, according to a statement 
by Byars given to sheriffs.

 “Our hearts are broken 
individually and collectively 
by the news of Mike’s death,” 
Arcadia Fire Department 
spokeswoman Beth Stogner 
said in an email. “We are forever 
indebted to the Ventura County 
Sheriff’s and Fire Departments 
for their gallant and exhaustive 
efforts to find our brother and 
friend and bring him home.”

 “We extend our deepest and 
most heartfelt sympathy to 
Mike’s family and stand ready 
to assist them in the difficult 
days, weeks, and months to 
come,” she said.

 The sheriff’s Search and 
Rescue team began looking 
for Herdman on June 16, the 
day after Byars reported him 
missing.

At one point, about 100 people, 
including dogs, were searching 
for Herdman and Duke. Duke 
was found Sunday about 
12 miles away from where 
Herdman’s body was eventually 
found.

 The full-scale search had been 
downsized Sunday. Arcadia 
Fire personnel continued 
searching for him until 
Wednesday and had planned to 
return this weekend.

 When Herdman disappeared 
on June 13, Byars spent 24 
hours looking for him with no 
luck before he was able to make 
it out of the forest on June 15 
and report his friend missing to 
authorities.

 Rescuers searched for 
Herdman for 11 days before his 
body was spotted.

 “The pilot and crew had just 
dropped off a search crew when 
the pilot glanced down and 
spotted the body,” Sheriff Geoff 
Dean said. “He was laying 
over some of the terrain and 
partially covered by brush.”

 Herdman was found barefoot 
wearing board shorts and a 
black T-shirt, he said.

 Dean said foul play is not 
suspected.

 Herdman grew up in Southern 
California and had visited the 
Sespe Wilderness four times 
prior to this trip.

 Herdman’s friends described 
him as an athlete and an avid 
adventurer who meticulously 
planned trips. He and Duke 
were inseparable, according to 
family friend Mike MacGregor. 
Besides surfing and cycling, 
Herdman was also an 
experienced sailor.

 He graduated from Cal Poly 
San Luis Obispo.

 Herdman is survived by 
his wife, Bridget Herdman 
and 6-year-old daughter, 
MacGregor said.

 He would have turned 37 
Sunday.

1. Building (Land Use) Moratorium – This 
is commonly used, but limited in time. Stops 
all new building projects for a total period of 
approximately two years. A one-time only 
ordinance, it requires the city to come up with 
a plan to alleviate the conditions that triggered 
the moratorium. According to the California 
Government Code, “there must legislative findings 
that there is a current and immediate threat to 
the public health, safety, or welfare, and that the 
approval of additional subdivisions, use permits, 
variances, building permits, or any other applicable 
entitlement for use which is required in order to 
comply with a zoning ordinance would result in 
that threat to public health, safety, or welfare.”
2. Water (Water Hook Up) Moratorium 
– This measure is rarely used. However, because 
Sierra Madre is a public water supply distributor, 
it could be enacted. The Water Moratorium would 
prevent any new water hook ups until the water 
situation improves.
3. Implementation of Phase III of current 
Sierra Madre Mandatory Water Conservation 
Ordinance. Phase III calls for a mandatory 
reduction in the amount of water residents and 
businesses use. It also prohibits any new water 
hook ups.


COUNCIL CHOICES

PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 
SUPERINTENDENT JON R. GUNDRY ANNOUNCES 
PENDING DEPARTURE

Board Appoints Brian 
McDonald, Ed. D., 
Interim Superintendent

Pasadena, CA – Pasadena Unified School 
District (PUSD) Superintendent Jon R. Gundry 
announced today that he has been selected as 
the sole finalist to be the next Superintendent 
of the Santa Clara County Office of Education. 
Gundry was appointed superintendent of PUSD 
in July 2011. 

 “It has been an honor to work with the students, 
educators, community members and families 
of Pasa-dena Unified,” said Superintendent 
Jon R. Gundry. “The district is well-positioned 
to continue raising student achievement and 
preparing students for success in the 21st 
century.”

 With an emphasis on 21st century learning, 
Gundry led the implementation of the 
district’s Strategic Plan and Common Core 
State Standards. Under his leadership, the 
district entered into a partnership with the 
City of Pasadena as part of the School, City 
and Community Work Plan and won a multi-
million dollar federal grant to create magnet 
schools in the district’s historically underserved 
neighborhoods. 

 “Jon is a fine educator whose expertise as an 
educational leader has had a positive impact 
on our stu-dents, teachers and schools,” said 
Board of Education President Scott Phelps. “The 
Board wishes Jon well in his future endeavors. 
Parents and community partners can be assured 
that, regardless of the change in leadership, our 
students will continue to learn and thrive in 
PUSD schools.”

 The exact date of Gundry’s resignation has not 
been set. The Board will discuss the appointment 
of an interim superintendent during a closed 
session special board meeting to be held on 
Thursday, June 26.

 The Santa Clara County Office of Education 
(SCCOE), located in San Jose, California, 
is a regional ser-vice agency that provides 
instructional and business services to the 31 
school districts of Santa Clara County.

Inside this week: 

 


CALENDAR Pg. 2

SIERRA MADRE NEWS

 Pg. 3

PASADENA/ALTADENA

 Pg. 6

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 7

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 7

PUBLIC NOTICE

 Pg. 8

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 9

Gundry speaks at Sierra Madre Middle School Groundbreaking in 2013 

Photo courtesy Pasadena Now

FOOD & DRINK

 Pg. 10

BEST FRIENDS

 Pg. 11

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Pg. 12

THE GOOD LIFE

 Pg. 13


SECTION B 

July 4th Special

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE WORLD AROUND US

 Pg. B2

 BUSINESS NEWS Pg. B3

 OPINION Pg. B4

REMEMBER!

No Fireworks In 

Sierra Madre

YOU ARE INVITED: 

St. Rita Church is sponsoring aLuncheon & Guest Speaker "Caring for the Caregiver." on 
Sunday, July 6 at 1:15 pm in St. Rita Church O'Malley Hall. Cost $10. Info/reservations: 
Marilyn 355-1292 x233 or Marilyn@st-rita.org. St. Rita Church, 322 N. Baldwin, Sierra 
Madre. Enter parking lot from Grandview; O'Malley Hall is level with the parking lot

 LEGALS Pg. B5

SMTV CHANNEL 98

 B 12