SIERRA MADRE EDITION

 SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2018 

VOLUME 12 NO. 20

SETTING THE TOWN ON 'FIRE':

KIWANIS ANNUAL CHILI COOK OFF A REAL 
WINNER FOR KIDS!

WINDFALL TO BENEFIT GENERAL FUND

 Sierra Madre Mayor Denise Delmar presided over 
some really good news at the her first full council 
meeting earlier this month. The council approved 
the sale of the city's Overhead Power Lines Allocation 
to the City of Laguna Beach which will yield 
a net $628,199 of unrestricted funds to the Sierra 
Madre General Fund.

 The actual allocation from Southern California 
Edison (SCE) has accumulated over the years and 
is currently a balance of $1,142,180. This amount 
can be compared to a 'line of credit' that the city 
was entitled to should it have the need to convert 
any overhead power lines to underground. If 
the city had any qualifying projects, SCE and the 
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) 
would allow use of the allocation with repayment 
of the funds being made by rate payers, local 
funds, tax proceeds or private funds.

Use It or Lose It

 However, under CPUC Rule 20A, unused allocations 
may be sold to other municipalities in real, 
albeit discounted dollars with the proceeds going 
to the selling entity's General Fund. 



 The City of Laguna Beach asked to purchase Sierra 
Madre's allocation at the discounted rate of 
$.55 for each dollar. That would yield the general 
fund $628, 199 in unrestricted revenue. City staff 
recognized that this was a more desireable use of 
the allocation rather than to possibly lose it should 
the program be abolished by the CPUC as it is rumored 
to be.

 Sierra Madre is not the only city that has sold 
their allocation to Laguna Beach and the rate for 
each purchase is the same for all sellers.

Why was the allocation never used?

 SCE has very specific criteria for what the allocation 
could be used for. " In order to qualify for 
a Rule 20A project, using rate proceeds, a project 
must produce a benefit to the general public, not 
just customers in the affected area, by satisfying 
one or more of these criteria: 

•The location has an unusually heavy concentration 
of overhead facilities.

•The location is heavily traveled.

•The location qualifies as an arterial or major
collector road in a local
government's general plan.

•The overhead equipment must be located
within or pass through a civic, recreational or 
scenic area.

The last 'undergrounding' project in the city that 
qualified for the program was done on Baldwin 
Avenue. According to City Manager Gabe Engeland, 
"the city has no plans in place nor any locations 
that would qualify" in order to use those 
funds. 

 The Sierra Madre City council, after reviewing 
the staff report, Memorandum of Understanding 
with the City of Laguna Beach and discussing the 
matter at their May 8th meeting, voted unanimously 
to sell the allocation to Laguna Beach. 

 Sierra Madre will receive the funds within 10 
days of approval of the MOU by both parties.

S. Henderson/MVNews


The Contestants (above). Below, Kiwanians Ken Anhalt and Joe Pergola. Photos by Mary Lou Caldwell

 On Saturday, the Sierra Madre Kiwanis 
Club held its annual 'Member For A Day' 
Chili Cook Off and as in previous years, 
the highlight of the evening was the diverse 
array of chili prepared by contestants 
that included an entry from a High School 
student, local business representatives 
(non restauranteurs), a real Chef and was 
is growing into a real rivalry, several city 
employees!

 The event, the brainchild of Kiwanian 
Joe Pergola in 2011, raises money to 
support the club's philanthropic activites 
such as the ImagineArts program that 
benefits students at Sierra Madre Elementary 
School.

 The competition is judged by both Celebrity 
Food Critic Peter Dills and The 
People's Choice. Attendees were able to 
vote for their favorite chili). The Father 
Daughter team of Charlie and Carlton 
Guillen submitted a spicy, tasty chili that was literally full of 'snake bites' and rabbit! Winners for 
this year's event were:

CRITIC'S CHOICE: 1st Place James Carlson,Hotter Than Not Chili

2nd Place Jay SullivanBottle Shop Bourbon Chili

3rd Place Joe OrtizSMPD Lock Up Chili

PEOPLE'S CHOICE: 1st Place Chef Lisa ThayerWhite Chicken Habnero Chili

2nd Place Joe OrtizSMPD Lock Up Chili

3rd Place Charlie & Carlton Guillen Snake Bite Chili 


STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT BEGINS

Street Improvement Project 
is set to begin on May 21, 
2018

The City of Sierra Madre FY 2017-18 Street 
Improvement Project is scheduled to begin 
on May 21st. Residents have been notified 
that the construction will include concrete 
improvements to Sidewalk, Curb & Gutter, 
Cross Gutter, ADA Ramps, and the removal 
& replacement of existing Asphalt. It is estimated 
to be completed by July 6, 2018. 

Daily working hours shall be between the 
hours of 7:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Monday 
through Friday, except legal holidays. Hardy 
and Harper, Inc., the company chosen to 
complete the work have committed to make 
every effort to keep driveways to homes open 
at all times, but there may be a time when the 
driveway may be temporarily inaccessible. 

Hardy & Harper has committed to try to 
minimize any inconvenience to residents and 
businesses. Emergency vehicles and all other 
services will have access throughout the duration 
of the Project. There will be “No Parking” 
signs posted on your street indicating 
the specific dates work will be performed on 
the street. 

During construction, access to through traffic 
may be delayed and residents are asked to 
do the following: 

1.Please do not park your vehicles on the
roadway 

2.Please do not allow water to run on the
roadway 

3.Please do not allow children to play in the
roadway 

4.Please do not place trash cans or other debris 
on the roadway 

Regular trash days will not be interrupted. 
Residents are asked to direct any questions 
to Hardy and Harper, Inc. at (714) 444-1851 
or the City of Sierra Madre at (626) 355-6615.


COUNCIL TO DISCUSS WATER RATES/LIBRARY 
SURVEY RESULTS AT MAY 22nd MEETING

Go to: www,cityofsierramadre.com


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com