October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2019 

VOLUME 13 NO. 43

Jan Greteman 626.975.4033jan@jangreteman.com 
jangreteman.com #01943630 
Judy Webb-Martin 626.688.2273jwmartin@dppre.com #00541631Katie Orth 626.688.0418korth@dppre.com #00942500Who We Are:
Residents & business owners 
of Sierra Madre selling real estate 
since 1975 & proudly giving back 
to the community.
Your Story.
Your Home.
Your Team.
Together Stronger.
30 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre 91024Contact Us For a FREEProperty Assessment.
THEWEBB-MARTIN GROUPTrick-or-TreatFun in Sierra MadreTrick-or-Treating3:30-5:00pm | DowntownStop by our office!
30 N. Baldwin AvenueCostume Parade5:00-5:15pm | Kersting CourtCostume Contest5:30-7:30pm | Memorial Park
SIERRA MADRE CERT 
SURPASSES 200TH MEMBER



The Sierra Madre Community Emergency Response Team 
(CERT) graduated its 2019 class last Saturday, and surpassed 
its 200th member thanks to an overwhelming response after 
the July 4th and 5th earthquakes. The week-long training is a 
25 hour FEMA certified course on disaster preparedness. The 
classes are designed to ensure residents have the basic skills to 
act safely while assisting themselves, their families, and neighbors 
during a major disaster. CERT members may also volunteer 
to assist the fire department when resources are stretched 
to the limit.



Over 60 people were involved in the final day’s exercise, including 
15 Sierra Madre CERT mem-bers, overseen by CERT President 
Amber Moyers. Six firefighters and paramedics from the 
Sier-ra Madre Fire Department, under the direction of Captain 
Brent Bartlett, provided expert train-ing in cribbing and fire 
suppression.



Carolyn Simon provided the moulage (makeup) services for 
the 20 Sierra Madre Middle School’s Service Club “victims,” 
who suffered from an assortment of cuts and bruises, burns, 
arterial bleeds, broken bones, and head wounds. The realistic-
looking wounds help the trainees assess what appear to be actual 
injuries. The Sierra Madre Drone Association documented 
the disaster exercises from overhead.



CERT would like to thank the City of Sierra Madre and Gabriel 
Engeland, City Manager, for supporting CERT and allowing the 
use of the Emergency Operations Center for the training, and 
the city council chambers for the search and rescue operations.



The training was provided by a group of five volunteers: Derrick 
Carter, Paul Dutton, Joel Gay, Jon Hainer, and Lead Trainer 
Deb Halberstadt, a volunteer with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s De-
partment. The graduates, after their final training exercise and 
a written test, were awarded FE-MA certificates by President 
Moyers and Lead Trainer Halberstadt. As part of their training, 
graduates receive a CERT backpack with their personal protection 
equipment.



Sierra Madre CERT is funded entirely by donations and grants. 
Backpacks and training supplies were provided by a special 
grant from the Sierra Madre Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, 
who presented CERT with a $2000 check at Tuesday’s City 
Council Meeting. Additional funding this year has come from 
the J Chadwick Co in Monrovia, Sierra Madre Civic Club, Sierra 
Madre Ro-tary Club, Wayne Williams of Professional Advisory 
Services in Arcadia, Athens Services, and Sierra Madre 
Woman’s Club. CERT also holds a fundraiser each year selling 
glow sticks on Hal-loween, so be sure to support CERT on 
Alegria Ave.



Sierra Madre CERT got its start in 2009 under the guidance 
of Caroline Brown, Gary Hood, and Mike Kinney. CERT’s 
purpose is to educate citizens for emergency preparedness 
and to assist the City of Sierra Madre when called out by 
the Sierra Madre Fire Department. Over the last five years, 
CERT’s roll in the city has been evolving as the fire department 
moves to full time staffing and no longer has 40 volunteers 
at its disposal. It is critical that residents continue 
to get trained and learn how to prepare themselves ahead 
of time, and take care of themselves in the initial hours 
and days after a major disaster. As part of educating Sierra 
Madre in disaster preparedness, CERT distributes informative 
material at numerous city events. For information 
about CERT, their monthly meetings, or the next Sierra 
Madre CERT training in 2020, check their website at www.
sierramadreemergency.org or send an email to info@sierramadrecert.
org.

SIERRA MADRE MIDDLE 
SCHOOL AVOIDS CLOSURE

By Kevin McGuire

Parents, students, teachers, and many 
community members patiently waited 
for their turn at the podium to voice 
their displeasure to the Pasadena Unified 
School District Board and District as they 
prepared to vote to possibly close more 
schools.

It was a standing-room-only event, and 
public comment alone lasted close to two 
hours. Prior to entering the PUSD Elbie 
J. Hickambottom Board Room, Board 
Members were met outside by protestors 
who completed their march from 
Pasadena City Town Hall late in the 
afternoon. 

This meeting was greatly anticipated after 
two Town Hall events were attended 
by hundreds of concerned supporters of 
Pasadena Schools who heard the name of 
their school brought up in a list of seven 
options proposed by a Subcommittee to 
be presented to the Board. 

Attendees represented Marshall, Washington, 
Wilson, McKinley, Sierra Madre, 
Pasadena High, Muir, Blair, Franklin, 
and Eliot. All spoke from the heart with 
the same message. Don’t close our school.

When the smoke cleared at around 9:45 
p.m., after much discussion, the School
Board, led by President Lawrence Torres, 
passed two resolutions. The first was 
Resolution 2530, keeping open all four 
area high schools, Marshall Fundamental 
School, Pasadena High School, Blair 
High School and John Muir High School. 
The vote passed 5-1 with Board Member 
Patrick Cahalan voting no, and Kimberly 
Kenne abstaining. 

Member Cahalan expressed budget concerns 
and fears of a possible recession 
down the road for reasons not to justify 
keeping all four high schools open.

The second was Resolution 2536 keeping 
three stand-alone middle schools open, 
Eliot Arts Magnet Academy, Washington 
STEAM Multilingual Academy, and 
Sierra Madre Middle School. In addition, 
Blair School grades 6-12, Marshall 
Fundamental School grades 6-12, and 
McKinley School grades 6-8 will also remain 
open. But, Wilson Middle School, 
which has faced dwindling attendance 
numbers over the last few years, will 
close. The final vote was 4-3 with Board 
Members Michelle Bailey, Patrick Cahalan, 
and Kimberly Kenne voting no. 

Board Member Bailey requested the 
Board look into combining Willard Elementary 
School with Wilson Middle 
School, which they were not prepared 
to discuss at this time. Board Members 
Kenne and Cahalan voiced concerns over 
boundaries. Cahalan cited that the closest 
available school to Wilson, is Eliot, 
which is seven miles away.

President Torres hopes that decisions 
made tonight will prove to be positive 
moves that help shape a brighter future 
for PUSD, children, parents and educators. 
“What we are attempting to do 
is give you our best educated guess,” 
he said. “But, the best guess of the path 
forward.”

So the long road ahead begins as Wilson 
Middle School parents and staff will have 
to decide on a destination for their next 
school year, as School Board members 
vow to make this as smooth as a transition 
as possible for all. 

The big question is: Is this it? Or will 
Board members and parents be facing off 
again in a year or two? Time will tell. 


COUNCIL POSTPONES DECISION ON FILLING 
VACANT COUNCIL SEAT - Photo by Laura Aguilar

 After numerous presentations from the community and elected officials and a 
reception thanking Former Mayor and Councilwoman Denise Delmar for her 
years of dedication and service to the city, on Tuesday, the remaining councilmembers 
called the city council meeting back to order and, among other things on the 
agenda, discussed in great detail what the process should be for filling the seat 
vacated by Delmar.

 The council basically has sixty days to determine whether or not they will appoint 
someone to fill the unexpired portion of her term. Options include holding 
a special election in March, 2020 or having the seat filled on the General Election 
Ballot in November, 2020.

 Council decided to direct staff to amend the existing code as it relates to filling 
vacancies to allow the council more flexibility in the selection process. The discussion 
will continue at the next council meeting.


SIERRA MADRE

VOTE YES ON MEASURE S!

Visit your polling site to cast your vote. 
Vote-by-Mail voters may mail their 
ballots or deliver them to City Hall. 
Sierra Madreans who vote in person 
will also have the chance to use the 
new Voting Machines!


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