Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 15, 2020

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 15, 2020 

City Issues 
Presidents’ 
Day Closures, 
Reminders


House Passes Schiff's Rim 
of the Valley Corridor 
Preservation Act

 
Pasadena City Hall and 
many City services will 
be closed Monday, in 
observance of Presidents’ 
Day.

 The City’s Citizen Service 
Center, (626) 744-7311, 
will be open 8 a.m. to noon 
for calls from the public.

 Pasadena Public Health 
Department’s Travel and 
Immunization Clinic will 
be closed Presidents’ Day.

 Pasadena residents and 
businesses with any power 
emergencies should call 
Pasadena’s Water and 
Power (PWP) Department 
at (626) 744-4673. For 
water-related emergencies, 
call (626) 744-4138. PWP’s 
Customer Service Call 
Center will be closed for 
the holiday, but customers 
can access their accounts 
and make payments 
through the automated 
phone system at (626) 
744-4005 or online at: 
PWPweb.com.

 The City’s Municipal 
Services Payment Center 
at City Hall will be closed, 
as will the Parking Office 
for citation payments. All 
parking meters will be free 
and parking time limits 
will not be enforced on 
Presidents’ Day. Violations 
for overnight parking 
restrictions, red curb 
parking and blocking fire 
hydrants will be issued. All 
parking meter enforcement 
resumes Tuesday.

 Trash, recycling and yard 
waste collection will occur 
on Presidents’ Day. There 
will be no delay in pickup 
for residents. Pasadena 
Transit buses will also 
operate on their regular 
schedules.

 All Pasadena Public 
Library sites will be closed 
Sunday, and Monday. 
All community centers 
operated by the City’s 
Human Services and 
Recreation Department 
will be closed Monday. 
All parks will be open for 
picnics, fun and play, but 
no site reservations are 
accepted for the holiday.

 Pasadena Fire and Police 
Departments will continue 
to provide patrol, jail, 
fire, paramedic and other 
emergency services during 
the holiday. For life-
threatening emergencies, 
remember to always 
call 9-1-1. For non-
emergencies, call Pasadena 
Police Department at 
(626) 744-4241. If you 
“See Something, Say 
Something.” Report 
suspicious activity to the 
police department at (626) 
744-4241. 

 Pasadena City Council 
will not meet on Monday 
night. The next council 
meeting is scheduled for 
Monday, Feb. 24.

For more information 
visit: cityofpasadena.net 
or call the Citizen Service 
Center, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday at 
(626) 744-7311.

Answers Sought After Fire Chief Reassigned 

By Dean Lee 

 Two Pasadena city 
councilmembers, Monday 
night, thoroughly questioned a 
recent move by City Manager 
Steve Mermell that reassigned 
Fire Chief Bertral Washington 
to the City Manager’s Office 
working on a Wireless 
Emergency Alert system for the 
city. The move was made after 
Washington came under fire 
with members of the Pasadena 
Firefighters Association.

 Members of the Pasadena 
NAACP, including President 
Allen Edson, asked if 
Washington’s rights had been 
violated. 

 “The reason for the chief’s 
dismissal has not been made 
public,” Edson said. “Why has 
the fire department association 
not spoken up on his behalf? The 
association is a strong supporter 
of the firefighters bill rights that 
puts in place basic procedural 
safeguards that recognizes the 
unique role of first responders… 
the bill of rights says, ‘a fire chief 
shall not be removed by a public 
agency or appointed authority, 
without providing that person 
with written notice, the reason 
or reasons for removal and an 
opportunity for administrative 
repeal.”

 Although, Mermell later 
corrected Edson saying 
Washington was not fired and 
remained a city employee, 
he said he refused to discuss 
personal issues in public and 
takes employees right to privacy 
seriously. Mermell also said 
Washington maintained his 
salary as chief. 

 “I cannot and will not comment 
on a personnel matter,” Mermell 
said adding that he did not 
know if Washington wished to 
be a subject of public discussion.

 Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton 
said he was taken aback then 
he leaned of Washington’s 
reassignment —knowing 
his commitment and that 
Washington lives in the city. 

 “So because a small group of 
minority individuals who work 
within the fire department 
have decided that they have 
had issues with the fire chief, 
for our city manager to decide 
to reassign him, is extremely 
disappointing,” Hampton said 
to a packed room. “I expect 
every one of you to come back 
until our fire chief is reinstated.” 

 Councilmember John Kennedy 
said he was also troubled by 
whether Washington’s rights 
where being violated? He asked 
that they take the issue up in 
close session. 

 “I would like to know… if 
the city manager consulted 
with any member of the city 
council before whatever the 
disposition of the fire chief is 
presently, before he made the 
decision,” Kennedy said. “I do 
not understand how we hired 
someone do a specific job, that 
person was doing the job… no 
department head is perfect, not 
even the... CEO Steve Mermell. 
Often times if there are areas 
where they need assistance that 
assistance is provided through 
additional training, coaching, 
executive coaching, etc.” 

 Mayor Terry Tornek expressed 
concern over employee privacy 
rights.

 “It’s not within our purview 
to share by opening peoples 
personal records, share 
evaluations, do the kinds of 
things some people have been 
demanding,” he said. “We 
have to be very careful about 
safeguarding people’s rights.” 

 Tornek also cautioned against 
elected officials getting involved 
with the city’s hiring and firing. 

 Mermell said Deputy Chief 
Bryan Frieders had been named 
acting fire chief.

 Rep. Adam Schiff applauded 
the landmark, bipartisan 
passage of The Rim of the 
Valley Corridor Preservation 
Act, Wednesday, which 
would add more than 
191,000 acres of the Rim of 
the Valley Corridor to the 
Santa Monica Mountains 
National Recreation Area 
(SMMNRA). The bill passed 
the House on a bipartisan 
basis with 231 Yeas and 183 
Nays.

 Schiff first introduced 
this legislation in 2017, 
and Senators Dianne 
Feinstein and Kamala Harris 
introduced companion 
legislation in the Senate. It 
recently passed out of the 
Senate Energy and Natural 
Resources Committee on a 
bipartisan basis.

 “I am thrilled that the 
House of Representatives 
has passed the Rim of the 
Valley Corridor Preservation 
Act, legislation I have 
championed for nearly 20 
years,” Congressman 
Schiff said. “Preservation 
of the open space in our 
communities is not only 
good for our environment, 
wildlife, and ecosystems, but 
it is beneficial for the health 
and wellbeing of residents 
of all ages. The Rim of the 
Valley corridor is an area of 
striking and breathtaking 
natural beauty, and we 
must do whatever we can 
to preserve that beauty for 
the benefit of LA residents, 
the millions each year who 
visit, and for generations to 
come.”

 “Today’s vote in the House 
is a win for the Rim of the 
Valley Corridor and the 
millions of Los Angeles 
County residents living in the 
surrounding communities,” 
said Senator Feinstein. 
“Preserving this unspoiled 
terrain will protect sensitive 
habitat for California 
wildlife and open space to 
benefit local economies. I 
am glad that Congressman 
Schiff was able to pass it in 
the House and look forward 
to doing the same here in the 
Senate, where it has already 
advanced out of committee.”

 “The Rim of the Valley 
corridor is home to some 
of Southern California’s 
most beautiful wildlife and 
landscapes,” said Senator 
Harris. “That is why we 
must take immediate steps 
to protect this area’s habitats 
and natural resources. I am 
grateful to Congressman 
Schiff for his leadership on 
this issue and I applaud the 
House of Representatives 
for prioritizing the 
preservation of this area 
so it can be enjoyed by 
future generations. I look 
forward to working with my 
colleagues in the Senate to 
get this bill across the finish 
line.”

 The proposed expansion 
is based on a six-year study 
of the region completed by 
the National Park Service in 
2015. This legislation would 
expand the SMMNRA to 
include many, but not all, 
of the land included in the 
study. The lands included 
within the expansion will 
be known as the Rim of the 
Valley Unit and stretches 
from the Simi Hills and 
Santa Susanas to the 
Verdugos and on to the San 
Gabriel Mountains. The bill 
will enable NPS and the 
local community to better 
protect natural resources 
and habitats, and provide 
members of the community 
with improved access to 
nature for recreational and 
educational purposes.

 To view a map of the 
proposed expansion under 
the Rim of the Valley 
Corridor Preservation Act 
or to view the fact sheet 
about the legislation

 The Rim of the Valley 
Unit now stretches from 
the Simi Hills and Santa 
Susanas to the Verdugos 
and on to the San Gabriel 
Mountains.


Chief Washington

Applicants 
Sought for 
Citizens 
Oversight 
Committee

 The Pasadena Unified 
School District (PUSD) 
Board of Education seeks 
applicants to fill vacant seats 
on the Measure TT Citizens 
Oversight Committee. The 
volunteer committee is 
responsible for monitoring 
project management and 
expenditures for the $350 
million local school facilities 
bond passed by voters in 
November 2008.

 State law requires 
that the members of 
the Citizens Oversight 
Committee include parents, 
representatives from the 
business community, 
senior citizen groups, 
taxpayer organizations, and 
individuals experienced in 
finance and construction.

 Applicants must complete 
an application available 
here or the Facilities Office 
located at 740 W. Woodbury 
Road, Pasadena, CA.

To qualify, applicants must:

Be at least 18 years of 
age and a resident of the 
state in accordance 5 with 
Government Code section 
1020.

Not be an employee of the 
Pasadena Unified School 
District directly related to 
the construction of school 
facilities in the District or an 
official of the District.

Not be a vendor, contractor, 
or consultant of the District.

One of the new members 
must be active in a taxpayers’ 
organization.

Applications must be 
submitted on or before 
March 31.

Please submit completed 
applications with résumés:

Via U.S. Mail to: 

Chief of Facilities

Pasadena Unified School 
District

740 W. Woodbury Road, 
Pasadena, CA 91103

 For more information visit: 
pusd.us.

City Fights for Local Zoning

 

 According to city officials, 
Senate Bill 50 (SB-50) recently 
failed to pass in the State 
Senate. SB-50 was originally 
intended to increase housing 
construction by limiting 
local restrictions on density 
near transit corridors and by 
allowing fourplexes in single-
family areas. As originally 
written, SB-50 would have the 
potential to affect single-family 
zoned neighborhoods in every 
California city and would 
have significantly eroded local 
control on this important 
zoning issue, they said in a 
statement.

 The City’s planning and 
community development staff, 
along with outside legislative 
experts and lobbyists, worked 
closely with partners and 
state legislators to support 
local control on these types 
of zoning and planning 
issues. They voiced the City’s 
opposition as SB-50 proceeded 
through the legislative process. 
In addition to submitting 
letters of opposition at various 
points, staff communicated 
directly with the bill’s author 
and his staff numerous times 
about concerns regarding local 
control, protection of historic 
resources, and preserving 
character of single-family 
neighborhoods. While these 
conversations resulted in 
changes to the bill that would 
have provided for some local 
flexibility, the bill’s failure 
in the Senate allows more 
time for dialogue on housing 
production.

 “The City of Pasadena 
recognizes the current housing 
and affordability crisis that 
exists statewide. We will 
continue to address these issues 
through local planning efforts. 
While state intervention 
may be needed to ensure 
all jurisdictions are doing 
their fair share, a ‘one-size 
fits all’ solution is the wrong 
approach,” says David Reyes, 
the City’s director of planning 
and community development.

 Members of the City Council 
Legislative Policy Committee 
have directed staff to continue 
working with like-minded cities 
and organizations to ensure that 
Pasadena’s significant efforts 
toward housing production 
are recognized and result in 
protections for local planning 
and zoning to preserve the 
character of our city.


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