Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 19, 2022

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 19, 2022 


SMRFA 2023 FLOAT DESIGN CONTEST WINNER 

The Sierra Madre Rose Float Association is proud to announce the winning design concept for 
our 2023 Float, designed by Sierra Madre Resident, Greg Dohlen. The design depicts a Papa 
Bear riding in the park with his three curious cubs up a tree. Congratulations Greg. 

CORRECTION: In the pictured above at the Rotary Clock dedication are, l to 
r, Former Mayor Rachelle Arizmendi, Mayor Gene Goss, Rotary President Marc 
Garlett, Rotary President-Elect Julia Brady and Immediate Past President, Karen 
Swisher. Photo by MVNews 


SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER 

SIERRA MADRE POLICE DEPARTMENT WEEKLY 
ACTIVITY REPORT 

March 6 - March 12, 2022 

The following represents a summary report of some of the major incidents handled by the 
Sierra Madre Police Department during this period. This list is not intended to be considered 
exclusive or all-inclusive. 

Sunday, March 6 

Theft 
Officers responded to Bailey Canyon Park for a reported theft. The vicitm discovered his 
wallet missing from his unlocked vehicle while he was hiking in the area.
The Detectives' Bureau is following up on this incident. 

Monday, March 7 

ForgeryA victim filed a report regarding possible forged signatures that were used to obtain a film 
permit in the city. The Detectives' Bureau is following up on this incident. 

Wednesday, March 9 

Suspicious PersonOfficers responded to the area of 2200 Santa Anita Ave for a report of a suspicious male on 
a property. Officers made contact with one male, who was placed under detainment. The 
reporting party stated that the male was unknown to them, and the suspect was placed 
under private citizens arrest for trespassing. The suspect was transported and booked at 
Pasadena jail, where he was released on citation. The Detectives' Bureau is following up on 
this incident. 

Thursday, March 10 

Traffic StopOfficers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Santa Anita Ave and Arno Dr for a vehicle 
code violation. It was later determined that the driver was in operation of a motor vehicle 
without a license. The driver was cited and released on scene. 

Friday, March 11 

Theft 
A victim filed an online report that unknown suspect(s) had stolen and altered checks worth 
approximately $52,000. The Detectives' Bureau is following up on this incident. 

CITY LOOKS TOWARD ASSEMBLYMAN 
HOLDEN FOR LIBRARY FUNDS 

Cost considered for repair, expansion, and rebuild 

By Kevin McGuire 

City staff will be sending a letter to Assemblymember Chris Holden requesting funds to 
be used for Library renovations or possibly a total rebuild on the current site. Mayor, Gene 
Goss, is expected to sign the letter on behalf of the city. 

Library repairs have been a topic of discussion in Sierra Madre for several years. City staff 
and the Library Board of Trustees have met a few times to discuss the fate of the building 
and adjacent lot. There was even talk of losing the property at 440 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. to 
the highest bidder. Due to the strong community support for the library, including groups 
such as Friends of the Library, the city is looking at all its options to save this cherished 
building. 

The only acceptable options seem to be repair, expansion, and a total rebuild. All three options 
are costly, so with a good pitch to the right person or group, the city hopes a funding 
source is out there somewhere to accomplish one of these choices. 

Repair 
This is the lowest cost option but falls between the $1.2 to $2 million range. It would involve 
repairing the entire 8,700 square-foot property, including new electrical wiring, retro-
fit for earthquake protection, and up-to-code Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 
facilities. But this option would not change the present structure design of the building. 

ExpansionWe would see the library extend an additional 5,000 square feet in this option. In addition 
to the repairs mentioned in the Repair section, the extra space will accommodate the 
library’s collection and create more basement space for archives. The adjacent lot would be 
open “green space,” and there is also talk of a second building for book sales on the property. 
The total cost is between $2 and $5 million. 

Rebuild 
The last and most expensive choice would require tearing down the current building and 
replacing it with a brand-new state-of-the-art facility on a 14,000 square foot lot. The inside 
would include community meeting areas, quiet study rooms, energy-efficient HVAC 
systems, and many other goodies mentioned in the Repair and Expansion sections. We are 
looking at a 17-million-dollar facility. 

It's unclear if the city will pitch the highest cost first to Mr. Holden or one of the other 
two options. In addition, the city is looking into applying for the California State Library’s 
Building Forward grants. The grants could give the city 50% toward critical infrastructure 
needs. News about the grant award won’t come until April this year. 

SOLAR PROJECT UPDATE 

The Sierra Madre Solar Project is nearing its 
completion. Land preparation and grading has 
been completed and installation of solar panels 
and supporting equipment are about done. The 
contractor is now preparing the electrical connection 
phase of the project before the final 
commissioning of the project, which is now estimated 
for April 15th. The work has been delayed 
on a few occasions with the discovery of massive 
natural boulders (up to 2 tons) and other inert 
materials that the equipment had to mitigate. 
The City appreciates everyone’s patience during 
the construction activity and we look forward to 
finally “flipping the switch on” next month. 


This project is estimated to offset 948,332 kWh 
of energy from the Water Department’s distribution 
costs. This translates to approximately 
$60,000 in savings year one, escalating to approximately 
$210,000 in year 20 for a net savings 
of over 2.6 million dollars in energy costs needed 
to get your water from the City’s wells to your 
tap. It will eliminate 693 tons of Co2 emissions 
and eliminate the need for 1,457 barrels of oil 
per year. Equivalent to driving nearly 1.7 million 
miles or 68 times around the Earth. 

Documents regarding the project can be found 
here: www.cityofsierramadre.com/business/
city_projects/solar 

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