Monrovia City Manager Says Goodbye

[Statement from Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa in his weekly report.]

"This week, I was appointed by the Glendale City Council to become their next City Manager, effective January 3, 2012.
It is awfully bittersweet to leave this job, this organization and this community. Over the nearly 19 years that I've worked here, and over the last 7½ that I've had the privilege of being City Manager, I've gotten to know many, many amazing people. Giving and kind neighbors in the community, visionary Mayors and City Councilmembers, and dedicated and expert professional staff and employees - all of these folks comprise a city that is, pound-for-pound, one of the best in the state.
 
"Whether it is building a new library, planning the redevelopment and future growth of our town, or simply making it through the Great Recession, Monrovia's can-do spirit and consistency make it a truly special place.
 
"Thank you, Monrovia, for a wonderful run."

 
- Brad Haugaard

Board of Education election endorsements of Board of Education memberAlex Zucco

Re-Elect Gililland and Wong, Elect Covarrubias to Monrovia School Board
I have had the pleasure of serving on the Monrovia School Board for the past 2 years and encourage the voters to re-elect Board President Ed Gililland and Board Member Bryan Wong. I am also supporting Janeane Covarrubias. I  believe she would be a great addition to the Board and serve our community well.
Ed and Bryan each bring strengths that none of the other candidates offer; experience in school finances at the local, State and Federal levels. They also work through our many existing community partnerships, maintain a healthy cooperative relationship with all of our employee associations and show a deep understanding of how steady improvement in instruction and community involvement has lead to continued growth in Monrovia Schools. As we  enter 2012 and face the possibility of “trigger cuts” that could wreak havoc on our education community, we will have an even greater need for Ed and Bryan’s experience in navigating the uncertain future thoughtfully.
Ms. Covarrubias would bring her strong dedication to seeing that all of our students are challenged and parents are engaged. She brings a new perspective through her own experience in both private and public education and has good ideas for easing the transition to public. While the Monrovia Schools and community have formed many award-winning partnerships, having a new voice and resource for bringing new partners into our Monrovia “family” can only work to our schools' benefit. And finally, her own personal connections to Monrovia and her community involvement with organizations like the Monrovia Latino Heritage Society, Girl Scouts and our PTAs will bring a broader, more representative look to the Board.
Monrovia Schools have continued to perform well even in this financial meltdown.  That is a testament to our staff, students and their families. Monrovia is the only school district in our area to show an INCREASE in enrollment. This clearly demonstrates that the work done in our “world class schools” by our “world class students” is not going unnoticed, nor did it happen by accident. In order to continue our excellent forward progress, we must stay on message and avoid political grand-standing, personal agendas or using our Board as a spring board to higher State office. Now is the time to stay vigilant and ensure the good work continues to happen and send good people to represent Monrovia Schools.
Vote November 8th for Ed Gililland, Bryan Wong and Janeane Covarrubias.
Alex Zucco
Monrovia School Board Member

Sketch of Monrovia Kidnapping Suspect

Here is a sketch of the guy suspected in an attempted kidnapping in Monrovia. http://goo.gl/AensB
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Senator Honored by Lawsuit Abuse Group

State Senator Bob Huff, who represents Monrovia, has been recognized as "Legislator of the Year" by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. http://goo.gl/830DI
 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Wildcats Over Temple City :-)

Monrovia over Temple City in football, 45-0. http://goo.gl/dSEsv
 
- Brad Haugaard

Attempted Kidnapping of Boy in Monrovia

Attempted kidnapping of 6-year-old boy reported. http://goo.gl/iCQgS and http://goo.gl/pfzq4



- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia School Board: Should State Make It Easier for Schools to RaiseTaxes?

At its Nov. 9 meeting (agenda: http://goo.gl/JGmKs ), the Monrovia School Board will:

~ Consider whether to support a proposed state senate constitutional amendment that would allow school districts to raise parcel taxes by a 55 percent majority rather than the current two-thirds majority. http://goo.gl/ert5O

~ Discuss pushing the state to stop cutting school funding, to provide a less-volatile funding source ("revisit Proposition 13 and the property tax arena"), give districts maximum local control, and pony up years of money the state already owes districts. http://goo.gl/DIwGD

~ Consider refinancing a loan, bringing the interest rate from 5.3 down to 3.3 percent and saving $380,000. http://goo.gl/lzZA9

~ Consider creating two new positions, a Campus Supervisor job ( http://goo.gl/sMmhT ), which will replace a discontinued job and save the district $3,400 a year, and an "Instructional Assistant-Special Education" ( http://goo.gl/c7uEs ) which will be paid for by an outside funding source.
- Brad Haugaard



Man Who Shot Himself on Myrtle Identified

The man who shot himself in front of Library Park last week was 45-year-old Sue Chee Ng, of Allen, Texas. http://goo.gl/yCfmm
 
- Brad Haugaard

Lunch at The Flame Broiler


Tried the new Flame Broiler (next to Sprouts on Huntington). It is a rice bowl type restaurant. New, clean, and very fast. I got the chicken bowl, which was fine. Good place especially if you are in a hurry.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Unity Center Has Most Clients Ever, Needs Turkeys | McCarthy to USC?

~ Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center reports that while "we are barely into November, and we're on track to register the most client families ever for our Thanksgiving distribution. That has us talking turkeys. We're going to need more of those than ever before, too. (Or gift cards for them.) Our freezers in Monrovia and Pasadena are waiting. Call Joan at (626) 358-3486. http://goo.gl/pTfnL
 
~ USC really wants to get Monrovia defensive tackle Ellis McCarthy ( http://goo.gl/HEC70 ) and Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox would like to see them get him ( http://goo.gl/k4dO0 ).
  
- Brad Haugaard

SGV Tribune Endorsements for Monrovia Races

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune is endorsing:

~ Bruce Carter for Citrus College Board of Trustees. 

~ Ed Gililland, Terrence Williams and Bryan Wong for Monrovia School Board.

 
- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia is Most Business Friendly Small City in LA County

Monrovia has won the Most Business-Friendly City in LA County in the under-60,000 population category in the LA County Economic Development Corporation's 16th Annual Eddy Awards ceremony. http://goo.gl/1rAXH


The award was presented at a ceremony tonight.


Monrovia was up against four other finalists: Commerce, Duarte, Gardena and La Mirada.


Criteria LAEDC considered in selecting the winner were:


~ Demonstrated commitment to economic development as a priority

~ Excellence in programs and services designed to facilitate business entry, expansion, and retention

~ Economic development activity over the past three years

~ Competitive business tax rates and fee structures

~ Availability of economic incentives

~ Effective communication with and about business clients


- Brad Haugaard

Tree Festival to Support Monrovia Boys & Girls Club

A new charitable event, The Festival of Trees, will support Monrovia's Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills. The event, a long-time tradition in communities throughout the United States, will feature a display of Christmas trees and wreaths donated by individual and corporate sponsors, and decorated by local florists and artisans. Full-sized, fully-decorated trees, as well as wreaths and table-top trees, will be available through raffle tickets and a silent auction. Trees will be delivered the following day to the winners’ homes. Pasadena florist, Jacob Maarse, will decorate the grand prize tree. The event, also featuring the Citrus College Singers, dining and dancing, will be held from 6-10 p.m. on Dec. 3 at the Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena. For tickets or more information, call: 626-305-5353 or email foothillsfestivaloftrees@gmail.com.
 
- Brad Haugaard (from press release)

Two Monrovia Candidates for Citrus College Board of Trustees

In addition to the three seats open for the Monrovia School Board, there is also a contest for who will be the next Citrus Community College District trustee for area 5 (that's us). The choices are Bruce Carter, retired college professor, and Joanne Montgomery, the incumbent. Here are their websites:
Bruce Carter: http://goo.gl/pFlAZ
Joanne Montgomery: http://goo.gl/6MO3a

Remember, the election is this coming Tuesday, Nov. 8.
- Brad Haugaard

Moving a Drain for Gold Line | Burnett & Son | Miyachi Unitek



Moving a storm drain.

~ Moving a storm drain pipe and demolishing the old bridge's foundation to put in the abutments for the new Gold Line bridge near Santa Anita Avenue.

~ Burnett & Son Meat Co. is purchasing new x-ray packaging and contaminant detection systems. http://goo.gl/UHFGp

~ Spot-welding and music ministry. Jack Lantz of Monrovia's Miyachi Unitek. http://goo.gl/BkkLD

- Brad Haugaard
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