Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 27, 2021

Mountain View News Saturday, February 27, 2021 6 Mountain View News Saturday, February 27, 2021 6 
City ClassAction 
Lawsuit 
Dismissed

 Pasadena city officials 
announced the dismissal 
of a class action lawsuit 
that challenged the annual 
transfer from the power 
fund to the City’s General 
Fund. A Los Angeles 
County Superior Court 
Judge granted Pasadena’s 
motion Wednesday to 
have the case dismissed. 

 According to Pasadena 
Public Information 
Officer Lisa Derderian, if 
the city were unsuccessful 
in the lawsuit, it faced 
the loss of approximately 
$18 million annually in 
General Fund monies. The 
General Fund is the City’s 
primary operating fund, 
and provides a number 
of essential services to 
Pasadena residents and 
businesses.

 The lawsuit was originally 
filed in 2017, alleging the 
use of electric rates to 
fund the transfer to the 
General Fund violates the 
California Constitution. 
Pasadena voters had 
established and confirmed 
Charter provisions 
allowing the General Fund 
transfer a total of seven 
times, dating back to 1934. 

 In March 2020, the 
city was unsuccessful in 
obtaining a dismissal of 
the lawsuit, where the 
City had argued that 
Pasadena voters had 
approved the Charter-
authorized transfer a 
total of seven times. As 
such, in July 2020, the 
City Council placed the 
Charter provisions for 
the transfer on the ballot 
for the eighth time. In 
November 2020, almost 84 
percent of Pasadena voters 
resoundingly approved 
Measure P, confirming 
that voters clearly approve 
of having a portion of their 
electric rates fund the $18 
million annual transfer to 
the General Fund. 

With Pasadena voter 
approval of Measure P, and 
a January 29 published 
(precedential) appellate 
decision approving of 
Sacramento’s utility 
fund transfer, Pasadena 
sought reconsideration 
in its case. The court’s 
decision yesterday 
reverses its March 2020 
decision against Pasadena. 
Rather, the court decision 
yesterday recognizes that 
Measure P and the court 
decision on Sacramento’s 
transfer both require 
“new and different orders 
granting [Pasadena’s] 
motion for summary 
judgment.”

 “I am pleased that justice 
prevailed. The transfer 
continues to be approved 
by Pasadena residents, 
and for good reason,” 
Pasadena Mayor Victor 
Gordo said. “Pasadena 
has proven that our 
residents have confidence 
in receiving high quality 
essential services, and that 
residents want to ensure 
that our General Fund and 
tax dollars are protected 
from class action lawsuits.” 

City BeginsInstallingSuicide 
MitigationMock-upPanels 

 Pasadena city workers along 
with Custom Design Iron 
Works, Inc started installing 
several full-scale suicide 
mitigation mock-ups Monday 
along the Colorado Street 
Bridge. 

 According to city staff the 
panels, at two separate locations 


along the Colorado Street 

alcoves and length of bridge 

Bridge, will provide different 

• Install a total of five (5) full size 
vantage points for visualization 

temporary mock up panels at 

from both on and off the bridge. 

two locations on the bridge that 

The Barrier Mock-up 

are independently supported on 

Installation includes: 

top of the bridge balustrade 

• Three design options chosen 
• Adjust existing bridge light 
for mock up fabrication, 

poles to accommodate panels 

displaying two types of mesh 

• Weave existing temporary 
patterns. 

fence with mock up installation 

Option A- Curved lamp post 

to maintain continuous vertical 

treatments at alcoves with 

barrier 

straight stainless steel mesh for 

• Mock up displayed for two to 
length of bridge 

three weeks for public viewing 

Option B-Curved lamp post 

and survey 

treatments at alcoves with 

• Once community viewing 
curved stainless steel mesh for 

period has passed, uninstall 

length of bridge 

mock up panels and return 

Option C- Straight pickets at 

AbilityFirst CompletesMerger With FVO Solutions 

 
AbilityFirst (formerly known 
as the Crippled Children’s 
Society) completed its merger 
with FVO Solutions, Inc. 
(formerly known as Foothill 
Vocational Opportunities). 
The two longstanding leading 
nonprofit organizations will 
operate under the widely-
recognized AbilityFirst, with 95 
years of experience and more 
than 50 years in Pasadena,

“After thoughtful discussion 
and due diligence, we 
celebrate a major milestone 
having merged with FVO 
Solutions,” said AbilityFirst 
CEO Lori Gangemi. “There is 
an incredible opportunity to 
expand each of our exceptional 
services while ensuring that 
people with disabilities and 
their families have a wider 
access to a variety of programs 
that can help to transform their 
lives.” 

By joining forces, AbilityFirst 
and FVO Solutions deliver 
critical and transformational 
support services to an expanded 
population of more than 2,000 
people with developmentally 
disabilities and their families 
in the greater Los Angeles 
community during a time 
when the unemployment rate 
is at a historic high as a result 
of the global pandemic. 
According to the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics, nearly 80% of 
individuals with developmental 
disabilities are unemployed, 
adding to the growing number 
of unemployed people in Los 
Angeles.

 “Through our enhanced 
programs we offer people with 
developmental disabilities 
employment preparation, 
training, and experience 
needed to lead full productive 

lives as active members of our 
community,” said Gangemi.

 The AbilityFirst and FVO 
Solutions merger provides 
innovative, person-centered 
employment opportunities 
for more individuals with 
developmental disabilities 
living in Los Angeles. 
AbilityFirst will expand 
its newest programs: 
ExploreAbility, DiscoverAbility 
and PossAbility. Now, with FVO 
Solutions under AbilityFirst, 
the organization provides its 
participants with wider access 
to FVO Solutions’ enterprising 
manufacturing program, 
which has been renamed to 
AbilityFirst Manufacturing 
Program.

The COVID-19 pandemic 
has been a challenging time 
for many companies and 
nonprofits, the merger of 
AbilityFirst and FVO Solutions 
allows the two organizations 
to consolidate operations, 
maximize operational 
efficiency by reducing duplicate 
expenses, and increase service 
to its participants by expanding 
programs.

Together, AbilityFirst and FVO 
Solutions are better positioned 
to advocate for people with 
developmental disabilities 
in the greater Los Angeles 
community and support efforts 
toward diversity, equity and 
inclusion.

 The combined organization 
is led by AbilityFirst CEO 
Lori Gangemi, and remains 
headquartered on Green 
Street in Pasadena. AbilityFirst 
looks beyond disabilities, 
focuses on capabilities and 
expands possibilities. To learn 
more about AbilityFirst, visit 
abilityfirst.org. 

bridge to existing conditions

 During pubic meetings the 
community consensus was also 
to keep all alcoves open.

 Construction is set to be 
completed next week. Cost for 
the installation of temporary 
mock up panels is just over 
$160,000.

 During installation, traffic 
control measures will be 
Implemented to ensure safe 
vehicular 
travel and the sidewalks along 
both the north and south side 
of the bridge will be closed 
to pedestrian access during 
installations they said. 

ApplicationDeadline 
for CPOC is 
March 15

 Pasadena city officials 

announced they are accepting 

applications for the initial 

nominations for appointment 

to the commission, with 

appointments to occur in 

the coming weeks. The 

application for those interested 

in serving as a commission 

member is available online at: 

cityofpasadena.net.

 In October 2020, the 

City Council established a 

Community Police Oversight 

Commission (CPOC) by 

ordinance. The purpose of the 

commission is to enhance, 

develop, and strengthen 

community-police relations, 

and review and make 

recommendations regarding 

the ongoing operations of the 

Pasadena Police Department 

to the chief of police, city 

manager, and/or City Council.

 The CPOC will be composed 

of 11 members, with each City 

Council member nominating 

one (for a total of eight), and 

three members nominated 

from community-based 

organizations. No later than 90 

days after appointment to the 

commission, commissioners 

must participate in a ride-

along with the Pasadena Police 

Department, and receive 30 

hours of training in relevant 

subject matter areas. Further 

information about the 

qualifications and duties of 

commissioners can be found 

in the Pasadena Municipal 

Code, Chapter 2.60.

 In the near future, the City 

Council will consider, and 

adopt by resolution, a policy 

for appointment of members 

to the CPOC. Those who 

are interested in serving are 

encouraged to apply by 5 p.m. 

on March 15, 2021, to be part 

of the pool of applicants to 

be considered for the initial 

appointments to the 11 

available vacant positions.

 For questions, additional 

information, or to be sent an 

application by mail, please 

contact the mayor’s office at 

(626) 744-4333. 

The Rialto Revealed: A 
Landmark Restoration 

 
The South Pasadena Public 
Library is set to host an 
illustrated virtual talk on the 
exterior renovation of the Rialto 
Theatre, featuring founder 
of the Friends of the Rialto, 
Escott O. Norton. Norton, a 
lifelong preservationist, was 
an advisor to the restoration 
work carried out by theater 
owner the Shomof Group and 
will share his vast knowledge of 
the theater’s history along with 
stories and photos from the 
effort to restore it to its former 
glory. The Rialto Revealed will 
be presented on the Crowdcast 
platform at: crowdcast.io/e/ 
rialto. The event, March 10 
at 7:00 p.m. is free and open 
to the public, but an internet 
connected device is required.

 Constructed in 1925, the 
Rialto Theatre is an iconic 
landmark in South Pasadena 
and one of the few remaining 
single-screen theaters in 
Southern California that reflect 
the majesty of the golden age 
of cinema. The Rialto has not 
been an active theater since 
2007, and was purchased by 
the Shomof Group in 2014. 
The Shomof Group is known 
for projects in downtown Los 
Angeles completed under 
the City’s Adaptive Reuse 
Ordinance, which encourages 
the conversion of older, 
economically distressed, 
or historically significant 
buildings to residential or retail 
uses.

 Escott O. Norton grew 

City of Pasadena PublicHealth Department Update 

 Pasadena Public Health 
Department and Huntington 
Hospital are planning a series 
of community-located clinics 
in the coming weeks and 
months to serve older adults 
with less healthcare access. 
Even with limited quantities of 
vaccine allocated by the state 
to Pasadena, the City’s priority 
is to ensure that all eligible 
residents and workers in the 
hardest hit communities have 
easy and equitable access to 
vaccines.

 Over the past month, 71 
percent of Pasadena residents 
age 65 and older have received 
at least one dose of COVID-19 
vaccine.

 COVID-19 mortality is 
highest among seniors. Over 84 
percent of COVID-19 fatalities 
in Pasadena have been in 
people over age 65. Vaccinating 
this group remains a high 
priority. Pasadena residents 
65 and older who need access 
to COVID-19 vaccine can 
submit an inquiry form online, 
or contact the Citizen Service 
Center for more information 
at (626) 744-7311, Monday-
Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

 Currently, only healthcare 
workers, residents and staff 
at long-term care facilities, 
emergency workers and first 
responders, and Pasadena 
residents who are age 65 or older 

up surrounded by theater 
and architecture. His mom 
founded the OXY Summer 
Drama Festival, and his 
father designed and built 
all of Norton’s childhood 
homes. Continuing the family 
tradition, Norton is now the 
4th generation in a family of 
quality home developers. His 
consultation company, EON 
Design, specializes in historic 
buildings, with a primary focus 
on historic theaters. Escott 
founded Friends of the Rialto 
35 years ago to advocate for the 
preservation and reactivation of 
his favorite theater. He was also 
the Executive Director of the 
Los Angeles Historic Theatre 
Foundation, a nationally 
renowned non-profit that has 
landmarked and protected 
dozens of historic theaters 
across Los Angeles County.

 For more information visit: 
southpasadenaca.gov/library. 

are eligible to be vaccinated. 
Over 30,000 Pasadena residents 
have received at least one dose, 
which is one in four residents 
16 and older. As of February 23, 
over 44,000 doses of COVID-19 
vaccine have been administered 
to Pasadenans. There continues 
to be a scarcity of vaccine supply 
and variability in the amount of 
vaccine received from week to 
week, without information on 
future allocations from week to 
week. To date, Pasadena Public 
Health Department has been 
able to order 39,820 doses of 
vaccine.

 Pasadena Public Health 
Director and Health Officer 
Dr. Ying-Ying Goh said “In the 
coming months, everyone who 
wants a vaccine will have access 
to a vaccine—it’s not a matter of 
if, it’s a matter of when. Partners 
like Pasadena City College and 
Huntington Hospital have been 
instrumental in working with 
us to expand vaccine access for 
the community, and we look 
forward to expanding these 
partnerships in the upcoming 
weeks and months.”

 The next sectors eligible for 
vaccine are education and 
childcare center workers, and 
food and agricultural workers.

 For more information 
on vaccine availability at 
local pharmacies, visit: 
cityofpasadena.net. 


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