SIERRA MADRE EDITION

 SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018 

VOLUME 12 NO. 24

REMEMBRANCE

SIERRA MADRE CITY COUNCIL 
ADOPTS NEW BALANCED BUDGET

ARTHUR ‘ART’ CONTRERAS

June 16, 1922 – June 3, 2018

Sierra Madre has lost another
treasure. WWII U.S. Army Veteran 
Art Contreras passed away last week 
just shy of his 96th birthday. Masonry 
was his chosen vocation, something he 
truly loved. He continued to visit job 
sites with his partner until last year.

Art attended McKinley Jr. High School 
and was on the football team where he 
was first noticed by his wife. He went 
on to graduate from Pasadena High 
School. Shortly thereafter, Art joined 
the Army and served in the Infantry 
during World War II. 

Art and Sally lived in Sierra Madre 
for 55 years. They had two children 
Elizabeth and Arthur, four 

grandchildren, Thomas, Gina, Marcus 
and Vance, and 3 great grandchildren, 
Rebecca, Shane and 

Ryan. He also has 3 great great 
grandchildren. Art loved spending 
time with all his family, especially the 
great great grandchildren to whom he 
would tell them stories of when he was 
a little boy,

He was an active member of 
VFW3208, the Knights of Columbus 
and the St. Rita Men’s Club.

The family has requested a Memorial Service, followed by a Reception, at St. Rita’s on Saturday, June 16, 
2018 at St. Rita’s Church, 322 N. Baldwin, Sierra Madre. 

While other cities find themselves facing serious financial shortfalls, on Tuesday, Sierra Madre City 
Manager Gabe Engeland and staff delivered to the City Council the FYI 2018/2019 balanced budget 
with a few dollars to spare. It is expected that the city’s general fund revenue’s will increase by 
approximately $700,000 over the previous fiscal year. Recently the city received $628, 199 from the city 
of Laguna Beach, the result of the sale of the city’s SCE allocation which certainly helped. (For details 
go to http://mtnviewsnews.com/v12/htm/n20/index.htm). General fund expenditures will increase 
however, by approximately $521,000 primarily due to rising costs.

The General Fund for Sierra Madre unlike other cities has no significant income other than property 
taxes and the utility users tax. Sales taxes are relatively non existent as the town has very little 
commercial or retail activity. However, despite those challenges the new budget shows a surplus of 
$300,000 in the general fund at the end of the year.

In the staff report presented to the council, the details show exactly how, with increased costs in 
some areas, and some reductions in spending in others, the balanced budget was accomplished 
with minimal impact to the services provided to residents. (Go to: http://cityofsierramadre.hosted.
civiclive.com/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=13213123)

City Manager Engeland is quite proud of the new budget and noted that, “The city council budget 
reduces overall spending, provides for a surplus in the General Fund, and invests more than two 
million dollars of investment in water infrastructure.” The council unanimously approved the 
budget without controversy, quite a feat for Engeland who has only been with the city since 2017. 

S. Henderson/MVNews


PRIOR COUNCIL RULING OVERTURNED - 
1ST STONEGATE HOUSE AUTHORIZED

 In an effort to avoid more costly litigation, the 
current council voted to reinstate the 2014 Planning 
Commission decision to permit construction 
of 610 Baldwin Court in the development 
known as Stonegate. (Formerly 1 Carter). 

Prior to the Planning Commission's approval in 
2014, there were a dozen public hearings on the 
project.

The 2014 council blocked the project from moving 
forward and the developers, CETT, filed 
suit against the city in 2015 citing among other 
things, the prior settlement agreement of 2010 
and the developers compliance with numerous 
changes mandated by the planning commission. 

The latest agreement between the city and the 
developers also allows for CETT to proceed with 
processing of the remaining lots via the planning 
entitlement process agreed upon in 2010, for an 
18 month period.

The decision to move forward is certain to raise 
the ire of preservationists in Sierra Madre as since 
the inception, the development has been deemed 
by many as 'out of character' for Sierra Madre.

In the council's ruling on Tuesday, it was declared 
that its decision was final.

For complete details, go to: http://cityofsierramadre.
hosted.civiclive.com/common/pages/DisplayFile.
aspx?itemId=13213117



Your Tax Dollars At Work:

STREET CLOSURES ON WEST GRANDVIEW AND 
WEST HIGHLAND AVENUES

Sierra Madre Public Works Street Project continues. June 19th and June 25th. The following streets 
will be closed to all traffic between the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00 pm:

West Grand View Avenue from Baldwin Avenue to Hermosa Avenue. All intersecting streets will be 
closed and not accessible until 7:00 pm.

West Highland Avenue from Auburn Avenue to N. Lima Street. All intersecting streets will be 
closed and not 
accessible until 7:00 
pm. Auburn Avenue 
intersection will be 
closed. N. Lima 
Street intersection 
will be open.

Residents and visitors 
should park their 
vehicles outside 
the project area. 
Overnight parking 
restrictions will not 
be enforced in the 
project area.

Thank you for 
your patience and 
cooperation.


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