STAY HOME......STAY SAFE.......STAY HEALTHY......WEAR YOUR MASK!


VOLUME 14 NO. 20

 SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 

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CITY PUSHES FOR 
CITY CLERK TO BE 
A NON-ELECTED 
POSITION

City Council unanimously approved a 
resolution to add an ordinance to the 
November ballot which would allow voters 
to change the City Clerk position from an 
elected to an appointed office. 

Traditionally, the City Clerk’s responsibilities 
were limited to duties including roll call, 
administering oaths, tallying votes and 
maintaining city records and minutes. In 
more recent days, the expectations of a City 
Clerk have expanded greatly after the passing 
of the Public Records Act, Brown Act, Political 
Reform Act, among other state laws. The 
City Clerk’s office also oversees the election 
process. 

With these added responsibilities in mind, the 
City Council’s push to add a ballot ordinance 
may allow them to appoint a person with 
the suitable qualifications needed to fill the 
position adequately, rather than risking a less 
qualified person being elected to office. The 
City would use a more competitive recruitment 
process and may appoint someone based on 
their education, experience and professional 
skills. In addition, it would allow to keep a 
City Clerk beyond a normal four-year elected 
term. 

The current City Clerk, Sue Spears, was 
appointed to the position in 2018 to fill the 
unexpired term of Melinda Carrillo, who 
resigned from her elected seat after just two 
years served. 

“The legal and technical duties performed 
by the office of City Clerk requires that the 
person be fully trained and work full-time 
for the city,” Spears said. “I fully support this 
proposal and feel the city would be better 
served by having a full-time appointed City 
Clerk who is a city employee to make sure 
the city is in compliance with all of the legal 
requirements and technicalities of the job, 
for failure of which to comply can result in 
lawsuits against the city,” she stated. 

Sue Spears presides over the official oversight 
functions of the Office of the City Clerk, while 
Administrative Services Manager, Laura 
Aguilar handles much of the administrative 
functions of the office. 

If the ordinance passes, the city will also save 
$3,000 annually for the stipend paid to the 
City Clerk.K. McGuire/MVNews

THE REOPENING OF SIERRA MADRE

City Discusses Plans to Reopen

By Kevin McGuire 

The Sierra Madre City Council had a lot to 
discuss on Tuesday, starting with stay-at-home 
orders still in place until possibly mid-summer. 
California's Governor Newsom has allowed 
the reopening of some “low-risk” businesses as 
early as May 8, 2020, as part of the first step into 
Stage 2 of California’s Pandemic Road Map. So 
the question discussed was, 'what about Sierra 
Madre?'

Stage 1 of the state's four-tier plan called for 
safety and preparedness to be in place including 
COVID-19 testing, making sure Personal 
Protective Equipment is available, and that 
essential workplaces are operating as safe as 
possible. 

Our current stage, Stage 2 of the plan includes:

•Creating opportunities for lower risk sectors to adopt and reopen 
•Expand the workforce safety net
•Address issues regarding schools and childcare facilities


Stage 3 will involve opening higher risk businesses 
such as hair and nail salons. And by Stage 4, the 
COVID-19 risk will be low and the stay-at-home 
orders will be lifted. Sporting and concert events 
can resume during this stage and theme parks 
may reopen. 

The reopening stage will be gradual. Among those 
businesses that can open right now under Stage 
2: bookstores, clothing stores, florists and music 
stores, with curbside pick-up made available. The 
hope is that shopping malls, swap meets, and 
dine-in restaurants (with reduced seating) can 
also open eventually in this stage, but that is not 
the case as of yet. City and State orders will still 
need to be followed and guidelines will have to be 
in place as businesses slowly re-open. 

So What About Sierra Madre? 

Assistant City Attorney, Aleks Giragosian 
addressed City Council about the expectations at 
the May 12th meeting. “We can expect in the next 
couple weeks dine-in restaurants operating at 
lesser capacity. Within a couple weeks, probably 
sometime in June, we can expect the opening of 
more high-risk businesses like gyms and movie 
theaters,” Giragosian said. 

Some local business had to shut their doors since 
the order to close non-essential businesses came 
down back in March. Other businesses, such as 
restaurants, clothing and hardware stores are 
trying to figure out creative ways to increase 
sales and utilize the outside parking lot space and 
adjacent curbsides for merchandise pickup. 

Sierra Madre officials have been limited in their 
capacity as far as what they can do to help local 
businesses. They are bound by county and state 
regulations. But, City officials met with the 
Chamber of Commerce on May 13th to discuss 
plans for reopening, getting grants and loans 
to struggling businesses and easing permit 
requirements when possible so that owners can 
utilize needed outdoor space. Temporary Use 
Permits could be available for businesses who 
need to use their parking or curbside areas 
to assist their businesses. City Manager Gabe 
Engeland hopes to be able to waive fees for such 
permits. 

Mayor John Capoccia encouraged residents to 
support local businesses and consider buying 
an extra meal to help out area restaurants. Area 
schools will remain closed for now with many 
offering online learning opportunities. All events 
including the Huck Finn Fishing Event and 
campout have been canceled or as is the case 
for the Mt. Wilson Trail Race, postponed. eight 
COVID-19 cases in Sierra Madre (See Public 
Health Update as of press time on page 7)

CITY ANNOUNCES EXPANDED AL FRESCO DINING 
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH “SIERRA MADRE CARES 
INITIATIVE”

 Sierra Madre Cares is an initiative designed to 
provide assistance to Sierra Madre residents and 
business owners during the current COVID-19 
pandemic. As part of that initiative, and in an 
effort to assist Sierra Madre food establishments 
during the County’s Safer at Home reopening 
strategy, the City of Sierra Madre is announcing 
a plan to provide opportunities for outdoor 
seating and dining throughout Downtown Sierra 
Madre.

 “Our local restaurants have done a tremendous 
job of operating safely and in compliance with 
the State and County Safer at Home orders” said 
City Manager Gabriel Engeland. “Allowing restaurants 
to expand their outdoor seating capacity 
will enable them to serve more customers 
while still practicing social distancing.”

 Through the City’s analysis of the Downtown 
areas, staff identified locations on West Sierra 
Madre Boulevard and North Baldwin Avenue 
that could be transformed to provide expanded 
outdoor seating and dining that can accommodate 
social distancing, while increasing restaurant 
capacity, allowing customers to dine. This 
feature of the Sierra Madre Cares initiative will 
provide for: 

- Permitting the use of some private parking 
lots to use as dining areas.

- Permitting the use 
of sidewalk areas 
beyond traditional 
constraints.

- Permitting the use 
of some street parking 
stalls for seating.

- Permitting areas of Kersting Court (details still yet to be determined).

 In all cases, permits will be required. Permits 
will be administrative and there will not be a 
fee charged for the permit. However, the permits 
include provisions to protect public safety, 
including keeping the areas clear of trash and 
debris, maintaining Americans with Disabilities 
Act (ADA) rights, and closely following the 
County Health Department guidelines for business 
reopening requirements.

 “Sierra Madre cares about our local restaurants, 
where we spend time with our families and meet 
our friends and neighbors while enjoying a wide 
variety of cuisine. Our restaurants make Sierra 
Madre the “Gem of the San Gabriel Valley”, and 
we’re so happy to be able to help in this small 
way to keep them viable while keeping employees 
and guests safe!” said Mayor John Capoccia.

 The City collaborated on this program through 
their partnership with the Sierra Madre Chamber 
of Commerce.

 Chamber President Luther Tsinoglou said, “The 
Sierra Madre Chamber and City recognize that 
our local businesses are struggling from the effects 
of COVID-19. We want to work with the 
City to help out businessesand the community 
as much as possible. This is a step in the right 
direction.”

 City staff will reach out to qualifying business 
in the upcoming weeks. To apply for a permit, 
please contact

Chris Cimino, Director of Public Works at 626-
355-7135 or ccimino@cityofsierramadre.com.

MOUNTAIN 
VIEWS 
NEWS TO 
HONOR 
2020 GRADUATES

The June 6th edition of this paper will be 
dedicated to the Class of 2020! In order to be 
included, please send your grads senior picture, 
their full name, age and school. These 
grads are making history, our the Mountain 
Views News wants to give them something 
else to remember! 

Send to: editor@mtnviewsnews.com

Subject: Class of 2020


INSIDE THE MOUNTAIN VIEWS 
NEWS THIS WEEK

ARTICLES/INFORMATION ON DEALING WITH COVID19 
CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THIS EDITION

COVID UPDATES.........................................PAGE 7

SMPD CHIEF ROD ARMALIN SPEAKS....,...Page 2

MORE SIERRA MADRE NEWS......................Pgs 3,4

PASADENA NEWS ......................................Page 5

ARCADIA/MONROVIA & MORE................Page 6

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY.................Page 7

EDUCATION & YOUTH.................................Page 8

SENIOR.COMMUNICATIONS......................Page 11

OPINION......................................................Page 12