Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, October 15, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, October 15, 2022 

SIDEWALK PROBLEMS 
AND SMOKING BAN 
CITY COUNCIL DISCUSS 
ISSUES OF HEALTH AND 
SAFETY AT TUESDAY’S 
MEETING 

By Kevin McGuire 

City Council met to discuss several 
topics that directly affect the 
health, well-being, and safety of 
the residents of Sierra Madre. A 
small group was in attendance 
during the regular meeting on 
Tuesday, October 11th. Here are 
the highlights. 

Sidewalk Assessment 

The City is looking to create a 
four-year sidewalk lift repair program 
and authorization for the 
City Manager to enter into a contract 
with Precision Concrete that 
does not exceed $242,000. There 
would be a new assessment in the 
program's fourth year to measure 
progress and further repair needs. 

City Council received a brief presentation 
of the Assessment from 
Chris Cimino, Director of Public 
Works. 

Over the past seven years, 24,000 
square feet of sidewalk and 168 
curb ramps were improved to 
meet new Americans with Disabilities 
Act standards. In 2021, 
Precision Concrete found that 
2,535 areas in Sierra Madre had 
deficiencies, displacements, or 
hazards. That totals to a whopping 
81,552 square feet in need 
of repairs. These areas have ¼” 
to 2.5” sidewalk lifts. It was also 
discovered that 319 lifts >2.5” had 
excessive deterioration and would 

need to be replaced entirely. Trees 
are the main culprits of most of 
the extreme sidewalk damage in 
the city. 

Damaged sidewalks, of course, 
can also lead to tripping hazards, 
serious injury, and potential lawsuits 
against the City. 

The funds for sidewalk repairs 
would come from Metro Funds 
Measure M and Measure R, some 
of which are also used for street 
repairs. 

City Council received and filed 
the Assessment and will review 
the contract proposal at a future 
session. 

Smoking Ban

The last time the City Council 
met on the issue of prohibiting 
smoking in multi-unit residences 
and common areas was on May 
10, 2022, when two amendments 
to Ordinance 1457 were recommended 
to City Attorney Aleks 
Giragosian. 

The City Attorney made the following 
requested changes to the 
Ordinance. 

• Reduce the threshold 
from multi-unit residences of 5 
or more units to 4 or more units, 
and 
• Remove the exemption 
from the Ordinance for designated 
smoking areas. 
Though City Council Members 
voiced concern about the legalities 
of enforcing a smoking ban 
in owner-occupied multi-unit 
residencies, in condominiums, for 
example, it was found that there is 
“no constitutional right to smoke” 

and that the City may exercise its 
rights to protect the health and 
safety of their residents. 

On September 14, 2021, Alisha 
Lopez, Director of Tobacco Programs 
from Day One of Pasadena, 
spoke before the City Council on 
the harmful effects of secondhand 
smoke. Studies have shown 
that second-hand smoke can seep 
through vents and other areas of 
units and into other units affecting 
those with infants and children 
and underlying conditions 
such as asthma. 

As of April 1, 2022, 74 municipalities 
in California have enacted 
100% smoke-free multi-unit 
housing. 

The Ordinance, as it reads now, 
suggests a date of notification of 
the landlords by January 1, 2023, 
and an implementation date of 
March 1, 2023. 

City Council introduced the first 
reading of Ordinance 1457 by title 
only and requested an amendment 
to change the noticing date 
to landlords to March 1, 2023, and 
implementation of the law to September 
1, 2023, as Council Members 
felt the original notification 
date was too close to the holiday 
season. 

Building and Fire Codes

On January 1, 2023, the updated 
California Building Code and Fire 
Codes will become effective statewide. 
City Council was presented 
with introductions to Ordinances 
for new Building and Fire Codes 
by title only, and the staff was directed 
to conduct the first reading. 

ROTARY CLUB OF SIERRA MADRE 
CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY 


Driven by the Rotary International vision that “together, 
we see a world where people unite and take 
action to create lasting change — across the globe, 
in our communities, and in ourselves” and believing 
that the citizens of the small, tight knit community of 
Sierra Madre embodied these values, a group of business 
and civic leaders came together 25-years ago to 
form the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre. The Club was 
chartered on June 27, 1997. 

Since its beginning, the members of the Rotary Club 
of Sierra Madre have sought to promote the spirit of 
the Rotary motto Service Above Self by working with 
and for the community of Sierra Madre and partnering 
with the City to share ideas and promote goodwill. 
Some of the many community service projects 
of the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre have included 
the donation of the Town Clock at Kerstings Court, 
donations and service to the Sierra Madre Library 
for the renovation and construction of the Library’s 
Children’s Room, on-going beautification work at 
Goldberg Park, services to the students and staff at 
the Sierra Madre Elementary and Middle Schools, 
holiday decorating of the City, community youth 
programs including Team Leadership Camp, Youth 
Leadership Awards and the Dan Stover Music Contest 
and many more! 

Thirty-six Rotarians and guests, including charter 
members Steve Garrett, Jennie Jacobsen-Huse, Kris 
Poulsen, Pete Siberell and Rob Stockly gathered together 
on Wednesday, October 5th at the Memorial 
Park Hart House to celebrate the 25th anniversary 
of the charter of the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre. 
While savoring spectacular wine and charcuterie, attendees 
enjoyed a video which included photos and 
memories of Club members and events over the past 
twenty-five years. A lovely gourmet meal featuring 

salmon caught by member-spouse Mike Swisher was 
served after which President Julia Brady welcomed 
everyone for the evening program. 

Master of Ceremonies, Dan Alle opened the program 
by introducing the charter members and past presidents 
in attendance. The Club presented a tribute 
to deceased charter member Ron Hutson and past 
member Frank Hall, both of whom were instrumental 
in the organization and growth of the Rotary Club 
of Sierra Madre. Edda Hutson, spouse of Ron Hutson 
and Patricia Hall, spouse of Frank Hall were in attendance 
and recognized. Charter member Rob Stockly, 
currently the Club’s vice-president, shared some of 
the Club’s chartering history and entertained attendees 
with a game of Rotary Club Jeopardy. Charter 
and current member Kris Poulsen talked about notable 
past projects. 

Tom Hale and Susan Nunnery, both charter members, 
were unable to attend the event but sent videos 
of congratulations. Past presidents Susanne & Rudy 
Hayek gave a reflection and benediction. President 
Julia Brady gave a presentation about current projects 
and events of the Club. 
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation 
of a Paul Harris Fellow Award by past presidents 
Marilyn Diaz and Jeff Porter to member-spouse Mike 
Swisher in recognition of his many contributions to 
the Club. Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary in 
1905 and this award was established in his name to 
recognize, encourage and show appreciation for substantial 
contributions to Rotary. 

For more information about the Rotary Club of Sierra 
Madre visit our website at www.sierramadrerotary.
org or contact us at sierramadrerotaryclub@gmail. 
com 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis 

“Fifteen men on the dead man's chest— 
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest— 
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
But one man of her crew alive,
What put to sea with seventy-five.” 

“Fifteen men of ’em good and true-
Every man jack could ha’ sailed with Old Pew-
There was chest on chest full of Spanish gold,
With a ton of plate in the middle hold,
And the cabins riot of stuff untold,
And they lay there,
That had took the plum,
With sightless glareAnd their lips struck dumb,
While we shared all by the rule of thumb-
Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!” 

This fearsome pirate biding his time outside the Buccaneer 
brought to mind those fifteen men on the dead man’s 
chest, right out of Robert Louis Stevenson’s immortal tale, 
“Treasure Island.” The second poem, part of a piece, “The 
Derelict” written by Young Ewing Allison in 1900, was 
based upon Stevenson’s story. It's a bloody poem about sailors abandoned on the barren island 
by their infamous captain, Blackbeard, who left them only a barrel of rum. 


That one man of the pirate crew left alive is haunting Sierra Madre, keeping watch outside the 
Buc during the day but, oh my friends, at night, when the moon dodges behind the clouds and 
the ghostly goblins come out to play, this pirate stalks the streets searching for the treasure. Up 
and down our quiet town he wanders, frightening cats and coyotes, bothering bears and making 
sleeping dogs howl. He’s lost his map, you see; the one where X marks the spot. 

All this conjecture about pirates and their history made me think of one of the best pirates 
ever, 

Sir Henry Morgan (1635 - 1688). Morgan was a Welsh privateer who fought for the English 
against the Spanish in the Caribbean during the 1660s and 1670s. He is remembered as the 
greatest of the privateers, amassing huge fleets, attacking prominent targets, and being the 
worst enemy of the Spanish since Sir Francis Drake. Although he made numerous raids all 
along the Spanish Main, his three most famous exploits were the 1668 sack of Portobello, 
the 1669 raid on Maracaibo, and the 1671 attack on Panama. Morgan was knighted by King 
Charles II of England and died in Jamaica a rich man. A privateer, in case you didn’t know, was 
a pirate with a license to loot! 

Our Buccaneer pirate could very well have sailed with Morgan through the Caribbean and 
buried chest on chest of Spanish gold. Unlike our Sierra Madre pirate, Morgan continues to be 
quite a celebrity with some lovely places named for him, such as Morgan's Valley in Jamaica 
and Morgan's Cave on San Andres Island. 

Of course, the most important part of this whole story is the fact that his dashing face and 
figure are on the label of Captain Morgan’s spiced rum, which is the major ingredient of the 
Mai Tai. You can find one of those right inside the Buccaneer. Just walk past the pirate, saluting 
him for his past endeavors on the Caribbean seas and order yourself a Mai Tai. Or a rum 
punch. And imagine yourself on a beautiful hotel veranda in Jamaica with the ocean in front of 
you and a tropical scented breeze blowing gently around you as you watch the sun slowly sink 
into the ocean. Maybe today you’ll see the green flash. Jimmy Buffett also comes to mind… 
“A Pirate Looks at 40” 

“Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you callWanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tallYou've seen it all, you’ve seen it allWatched the men who rode you switch from sails to steamAnd in your belly, you hold the treasures few have ever seenMost of 'em dream, most of 'em dream.
Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too lateThe cannons don’t thunder, there's nothin' to plunderI'm an over-forty victim of fateArriving too late, arriving too late.” 

There are so many great scarecrows around town. There’s a fabulous witch on her broomstick, 
wearing a flowing purple cape at the corner of Grandview and Mountain Trail. Another marvelous 
witch by The Secret Bookers, holding a flowered parasol is celebrating 200 books at the 
NE corner of Lima and Grandview. Across the street on the SE corner of Lima and Grandview 
is a hideous haunted tree and a headless, bloody handed person in long pink underwear! Get 
out there, friends and neighbors, and check out all these marvelous creations by our talented 
townsfolk. 

Keep watching for scarecrows. See what flights of fancy they bring out in you. You’re certainly 
reading all of mine this month. 

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 
Where you’ll find “Sunrises and Sunflowers Speak Hope”
And “A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter”
Both of these books are stuffed with hope and a good recipe or two.
All five of the Emma Gainsworth pumpkin adventures are available on Amazon.comThey’re guaranteed to make you laugh and want to see what happens to Emma next. 


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