City Council Meetings– San Gabriel City Council - Regular Meeting

6. The meeting is called to order at 6:30 p.m. The pledge of allegiance will be led by me. Please rise. Put your hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Clerk, roll call, please. Mayor Manaka, here. Vice Mayor Champ here. Council member Ding here. Council member Herrera Aila, present. Council member Woo here. Close session report.

Thank you, honorable mayor, council members. Uh, one item was considered by the council in close session and that's anticipated litigation under government code 54956.9D4. No reportable actions were taken by the council in close session. Thank you. We will now have some announcements from our clerk. Tonight's meeting is livereamed on the city's online platforms. If you wish to address the city council during tonight's meeting, request that you please complete a speaker card and hand it to the clerk at this time. When speaking, please state your name for the record. Please note that interactions between the city council, city staff, and the public during meetings are subject to the city's rules of decorum.

Okay. Approval of agenda order. Are there any obje objections to the agenda order? Hearing none, the agenda order is approved. Let's see. Next item please. Presentations. Uh the first presenter is Athens presentation complying with SB 1383. The presentation is made by Athens services senior vice president government affairs. John Harrington will make the presentation. All right.

Good evening Mayor, honorable mayor and council. Love what you've done with the place. Love these decorations. Looks beautiful. So, tonight we're going to be talking about SB 1383, which is the the state's mandated organics diversion program. Um, it's really designed so that we as a as a state and we as a city get as much organics out of the waist stream as possible. Um, so next, oh, I haven't used your slide, believe it or not. There we go. So, what is SB1 1383? The title is California shortlived climate reduction law. But what really what what really are we trying to accomplish is to get as much organic material out of the waist stream as possible. We currently have a a two-stream system, which is your black can and your green can. The state is really pushing for all all cities, all um organizations to have what they call three stream, which is the blue can would be the third stream in this system. Um the the idea here is to get as much methane out of there's a climate pollutant, so it's a climate law. Get as much methane uh out of the system as possible. We accomplished that by diverting the organics and re um composting it and and just bringing it back into reuse. And I one of the things you're going to hear from me several times tonight is this is unfunded and that's a big piece of this. This is something the state's having the city and the haulers figure out a way to pay for this. Um next slide. So what is a three stream? Easy right there. Three Three cans. That's why we call it three streams. We try and keep the waste um the black black is is trash. Green would be your yard waste and organics. Blue is your recycling.

Um so this is what's called source separation. So rather than you this city's been used to for years and years and years. Athens has done a really good job of taking that trash and everything that goes in it and diverting as much from the landfill as possible. We like to call ourselves a diversion company. We are not a trash company. We try to divert as much as we can from the landfill. That's our business model. We make our money by diverting from landfills because that's our highest cost. And as you see, this is the standard threecolor system. It's mandated by law. And that's that's people ask why why are they colored like this? Everyone does it the same. Well, it's a law. California loves to regulate everything. Um, so the next is how how does this program work, which is um why we're making the change. California has in in SB 1383 has mandated that we divert 75% out of the waist stream. That's one way to comply. The problem with that is it requires a facility to get as much out of that black can as possible. One thing we don't have control over is what's going into that black can. So if you don't get 75% going in, you can't get 75% coming out. there they're they're the the solution to that is the three stream that's an automatic compliance. So if we go if we switch to a three-stream program San Gabriel is automatically compliant. The state um does not does not look at the actual diversion uh threshold of 75% anymore. They look at RU3EA. So, that's an that's the way to go as far as um complying with the mandate is they really are pushing to a three-stream system. All right. So, what does that look like? So this so our what Athens has done is we've figured out that for commercial and multif family residences there's going to be an added cost because this blue you can imagine

the infrastructure of now there's more routes there's more trucks there's more labor there's more uh infrastructure we have all these cans so we have to be able to pay for them there will be no residential increase to this um and that's really um what we're trying to do is accomplish this through the commercial program. Um, and as you see, what we're doing is called a bundling bundling of the rate. So, right now, we have uh your typical C uh commercial customer would have the the three yard bin and the 64 gallon green organic sparrow. Their current cost is $438.80. That's your typical customer. There's a lot of variances. People do all kinds of different streams. So, it could be bigger, could be smaller, more frequent. Um, so there that's just we would say a typical customer. If if a small business starts up, that's usually what they're going to get. They're required to go to organics and they're required to have trash. What we're moving to is what we call a bundled system because the state is requiring us to do this trash the the I mean the recycling on top of the trash and the organics. There's an added cost to that. So what we're if you look at the bundled rate, you can notice it's slightly higher. It's 481.22, which is a $4242 difference. that is the cost of of of purchasing and servicing that recycling uh uh barrel for the for Athens and that's what we've passed on to our commercial customers. So here this slide shows some options that we're offering all of the commercial clients. So if you look at that top left the current rate standard service that's what I just described at for 3880. So the bundle shows the added capacity which is that blue that the next one over to the right is that the blue bin which is the blue barrel I'm sorry the blue barrel which is your recycling. So we're we're going to a bundled rate

where you're going to get all three waist streams. However, we know we know from experience there's a lot of variance in what people their waste needs. So by adding this recycling capacity there are some businesses that don't they regularly don't fill that threeard bin. So they can move to a smaller smaller bin. And what we do in that case is if you sometimes we'll go to a smaller bin and if you notice on the far right there's two recycling barrels. Let's say you're a business that generates a lot of paper and things that recycle that shouldn't go in the trash. You get that added capacity. And as you see, even with the the new proposed rate, it's actually you can you can some businesses will be able to reduce uh reduce their from what they're paying now to the future because now that recycling costs them less per per capacity. The other class of of um customers we have are what we call organics waivers. So right now someone that does not have a green because their service has been waved it's $312.36 per cal guidelines they're still required to subscribe to the three stream. Um, so what we do in those cases is we typically move them to a smaller service, a 1.5 yard bin, and to recycling. Um, with the idea that they're more than likely going to be able to make that that reduced capacity from the three yard to the 1.5 up with recycling because most businesses that don't have organics typically are high recyclers. All right. So, what does our program include? We're already doing this for San Gabriel, but it I just want to have a refresher from from before. So, the main thing that most people see is our collection program. That's when you see your truck come along and collect your trash or your organics. But there's many other pieces to 1383. Um, if you notice that jeep there, people always say, "What are these things doing?" We we're we're obligated under the law to check for contamination and to report contamination and keep records for the

state. They come along and audit the city. They audit Athens. They aud waste assessments. If you see that really fun job of emptying out a trash truck and going through it by hand. Uh we we actually source we separate and figure out what the what our what our waist streams look like. We do a lot of outreach and education. You see us at a lot of city events and other places where we we we educate the public, educate uh we actually outreach also to every single business every single year. Do education. We educate restaurants how to how to recycle organics, how to recycle food waste. So, we do a lot of education. And then also, you'll notice the procurement part of the law requires us to bring our recycled organic materials back to the cities. And what we do with that is we do your composting events and your folks get a the gardeners and the people that need compost have it's a free city service that your garbage your organics come right back to you and you get to put them to good use. The other thing we do is very robust recordkeeping. We we get it we have very good records. Um so we get audited all the time. Um cities audit us, county audits us, state audits us. So we're very good at keeping records for for our customers. And then the last is the food recovery. That's a big component of this. There's a a large amount of food that gets tossed out or has been historically tossed out. Um uh St. Gabriel is a member of the COG food recovery. that's who who really helps helps San Gabriel with its food recovery program and we'll talk about that in a future presentation. So, we do a lot of uh community outreach. If you notice here, there's two flyers that one I wanted to show you, one in Spanish and one in Chinese. We have in our in our customers support. We speak any language that's spoken in San Road, Athens. We have customer service. We have folks that go out and speak to businesses. We really do a good job of communicating in people's native

language. So, we want full understanding of what we're trying to accomplish. Um, we have all kinds of things. What we have inserts in bills, websites, we have social media kits for the city. We do lots of videos. You see that postcards, direct mailers, you name a way to communicate, um, we do it. We do calling to all the customers, emails. So we we have no shortage of our ability to educate and outreach to our customers and to for the city. This is an example of Athens website. You'll find a you'll notice that it's tailored per the city. This is just a screenshot. If you keep scrolling down, there's a lot more examples of the what goes where. So what you would do when you're on Athens website as a as a resident or as a commercial business, you would go down there, click the city, and decide and take that. Right now it's highlighted red for residential. You would click on that and there's all kinds of online uh support of when you can't figure out, wait, is it this is a pizza box. Does it go into recycling or does it go into organics? And it just depends. Does it does it have food waste on it? Does it not have food waste? If it's clean, it can go into the recycling. If it has cheese and sauce on it, you want to put it in the organics. You don't want to put it in the trash. But all of those questions get answered in multiple languages. Um, anything spoken in in in St. Gabriel is almost I can almost guarantee you you're going to find it in that language. We do a really good job with that. So this is this is a kind of our our cheat sheets or shortcuts on what goes where. So this is another thing you'll find when you click there. We have QR codes if people want to keep it on their phone. We encourage people to print these out and have them I see a lot of people that post them right above where they keep their trash so they know where to put it. We have other folks that keep it in their kitchen because they source separate out the kitchen. They put all their organics in one and they put their recycling in another. Lots of people that are designing their kitchens now. You'll notice they have three trash bins in their kitchen. Um you'll So you'll see a lot of that. Um we're really good

with this and we will we're here to assist the city and and staff to help the customers, help our clients and uh we really encourage you to reach out. So with that, I'll take any questions that council or staff may have. Are there any questions? I'm sorry. Oh, did you raise your hand? Oh, any questions? Yes, mayor. Sure. Thank you, Council Member Woo. Thank you very much, John. Uh, Mr. Harrington. Yes, sir. This is so Honorable John Woo.

It's so weird that I I would talk to you like this, but thank you so much for the presentation. I do have a couple questions about um about the new program that is a mandate. So when you say the you know three streams for the multifamily how do we define the multif family usually for example one to four it could be considered as a residential but multif family is that two units or more that will be considered as a multifamily no it's five or more we we use we use the HUD standard so five or more will be considered as a multif family multif family then they will be using the commercial level or yes correct

and um for so what about for those uh apartment or condo townhouse they're in a community and but they use bean. So um are they considered as residential or commercial? State that the the for example a community that they have like um maybe six or eight uh like pods or they have different uh like a the same house but it's just easement.

So those are typically on a case by case basis. We do have some that'll have a common bin like a three-yard bin and they all throw in it. others. We have others that the way they wrote their their agreement is they each have their own bin and they pay for it separately. Some are paid for by an association. So, it really depends. Um, we have both. We have some that have common um and they would be treated like a commercial customer because typically it's one payer when you have one bin. It's not eight people paying for one bin. Um, so yeah, it would and some we've have we have some I don't know about St. Gabriel, but we have some customers where there's one bin and the organics is paid individually. It's just there's a lot of different um models that are used. So for those um we we call the uh homer associations properties

that um if they have already got the the existing concrete structure that will be fitting one trash bean. So how you can add more on that limited space? So we have a team that comes out and assesses the site. Uh that's what they do every single day. they come out. Um, we have situations where they designed the enclosure

to fit exactly at three yard bin because, you know, they did it 30 years ago and they never thought of other waist streams and it's just it is what it is. I'll give you a good example. I'm a trash nerd now. So, I was driving along with my daughter and there's an enclosure and if you go, you know, in front of the right here on on Las Tunis, you'll see that with a po Loco and the donuts, you'll see that they have a green bin outside because they have their their threeyard bin barely fits in their enclosure. They have it locked. So, they have it with we have a fee to for us to unlock a bin like that so that the public doesn't throw stuff in. And they have it just chained to the side of the enclosure. That's the best they could do. Sometimes we can downsize. Sometimes we can't. Worst case scenario, we do what's called a split bin. So, it has two separate lids that lock with a divider down the middle and it can it can keep the recycling and and the um trash in the same bin, but there the truck comes along, unlocks one lid, does it, and then comes along a little later, unlocks the other lid. And so, there's there's a there's a way to do that, and then you really only have that one green usually to deal with. So, we come along and we assess. There's ways to get around it. Even right now, you have sites where there's a a barrel outside and a bin in an enclosure. Some places decide to put their recycling, they just keep the recycling inside their building and take it out because recycling is usually clean. So, there's there's a lot of different ways that that we get compliance. Worst case scenarios, we do get some outside and we typically just have the customers lock them and then either a combo lock that our drivers have or um sometime some people just unlock at the day of service and they don't pay for the unlocking fee. There's just different ways of doing that. So does that means if they will be sub like a with a divider between the beans. So that means that community probably will need more frequently to get the trash collected because they have a like smaller area for this trash and there will be smaller area for the recycle.

So that that could increase that as well. Right. That's a potential that could happen. Yes. I'm I'm not going to tell you oh no that never happens. It does. Sometimes frequency goes up, but it's not duplicative where if you're paying X, it's 2x to get it serviced twice. There is a diminishing cost to that. So yeah, it's all in the we have that right now in the rate sheet like serviced once a week, twice a week, up to seven days a week. So some businesses have a lot of trash and they're every single day. Um but yeah, that that that is a potential issue. So we have a in our city, we have like approximately 18 projects, ongoing projects. So many of them are mixeduse. So how you deal with that? Is that considered as commercial? Right.

It would be commercial. Yes. So, it's a multif family commercial. Their their billing is the same on those, but obviously their trash is a lot different between a business use and a home use. Typically, businesses have a higher volume of trash in a different profile.

But yeah, that's something what what we like to do, especially when you have new projects, is get get those plans. Athens has the ability to coordinate with the developer and make sure that they'll have an idea of what they're, you know, obviously the number of units and what types of businesses that they're targeting. And we can work with the developer to make sure their trash enclosure is both the the correct size and we always like to say the best area for service also. We also want not to disturb a lot of people. We want to make it convenient both for the people to put their trash and everything away as well as for us to service it. So that is something we do with a lot of cities. Um I've talked I've spoken to Mark about that about hey let's get all your new designs over so that Athens can take a look at it and we we can have some input on that.

Okay that's great. And I I think the last one is not question but it's just a suggestion and I I realize that you actually translated in different languages. I read I didn't do that. Yeah I know that's that's why I I think this is reasonable. I can tell you I would just give you a suggestion. Maybe you need someone to proofread it before it published. I hope this is not a done deal yet. This one is is that been released to the public? I couldn't tell you. It it might have been because I took it right off our website, right? I mean, this is a I was in most of the It's not offensive, is it? I mean, some words even not reflect, you know, correctly. So, okay,

for example, there it shows maybe it's like a your representative, but it shows your business. So that is a really total different meaning but you have some funds it's even not showing because they probably used the wrong font. Oh okay. So that that's just a recommendations. So get everything proof check proof read. Yes. Proof rate before yeah released to the public. So appreciate all the eagle eye. Thank you. Thank you by by a live person because AI is not quite there yet. Uh we don't use AI. Any uh any other questions? May I? Yeah. Madam Vice Mayor,

um well, thank you. Very informative, first of all, but uh real quick, uh can if you can give me a quick explanation of what uh just a general kind of uh idea of what food recovery support means.

So the food recovery component of this, so we there's there's grocery stores and restaurants um that there's two two components that they can have edible food and then they can have food that's just waste. So the recovery part of that is when there's food that we that's good for human consumption and we right now the city's working with COG to be able to get that to people that can distribute that to people that need that have a need for that food. Good example is all of our supermarkets. They have a lot of uh food that's

past the date but it's not bad because those dates are are suggestions and so they have lots of items like that that they recover. By recover, they mean it's perfectly fine for human consumption, but they just can't sell it. Okay. No, I've actually, thanks for the explanation. I've always thought that that should happen, but I think your legislators thought the same thing, but but I think there's a lot of waste that goes on. Yep. We're trying to stop we're trying to help stop that as well. Thank you, sir.

Any any more questions? Council member Herrera Avula. So I want to ask the question and I want the community to understand that we did pass something 2020 for SB 1383 and now the state has deemed that that with the two streams Athens is not meeting those rates because those rates are getting more and more harder to meet. So, I kind of wanted to get your take and explain to the community what that means and what that means for our community.

Gotcha. Thank you, sir. So, in you're correct. In 2016 when they wrote this law, they had an escalating um diversion percentage. It started out a little bit lower about 50% and they've scaled it up to 75%. There's multiple ways to comply with that. One would be what's called a high diverting MURF material recovery facility. I'll say Murf because it's easier to say. That's that's one of our facilities where we take your organics and and and your trash and we process it. We get everything out of the trash that it would be organic and and or recycling and we get it out of the waist stream. The goal is to get 75% of of all the organics by weight out of out of the trash and back into um back and recovered so it does not go into a landfill. That's where we get our compost and we get our mulch. Well, 75% diversion is a very high number. And if you go on to Cal Recycles website, um there is not a MURF in Southern California that gets that that processes city waste that gets to that high diversion standard or certification for count. So that's why they have the back backup of if you don't have a high diverting murf available then you can use three streams three source separation. The thought process there is at least we're getting everything sorted from the source. We're getting the maximum possible diversion. Um and and so the two ways to imply is that 75% or the maximum diversion. That's that's the cal guidelines. In practicality, they've I would say they haven't legislated us out of the two stream system. They've kind of regulated us out of it by just I I have a feeling if we everyone started getting 75% they would have gone to 80 and they would just keep moving that goalpost until their real goal is to get three streams. They just that's they just wanted to do it. But if they had done that, let's say we had done this in

2022, we we would have been talking about the three stream in 20.2 and the rates would have already gone up and they would have been escalated a few times already. So, we've saved the city and the repairs a little bit of money by delaying this as long as we could, but now we're at the point where we have to do it. It's a state mandate.

Understood. Um, yeah, because it's difficult to uh source separate when some of the contaminations that you were talking about like the pizza boxes are not put have been put separately like on the blue trash can. So, right. So I understand that that's very difficult to to reach that. Um so now with the presentation, it's my understanding that we're going to need a couple more trucks, right? Because now we're going to it looks like we're going to deploy the blue trash cans to be more sustainable and to meet those mandates that California has placed on us.

Um do we know how many trash cans uh or how what's that impact? So, our trash trucks that we're going to we're looking at two extra trucks with a lot of extra obviously pickups. Um, the commercial is around six I'm sorry, the residential is around 6,000 barrels that we're going to be deploying to the residents. I believe we have 19 I don't want to mix my cities up. I don't remember if we have 900 or 1900. It's one of those. Maybe Brandon knows. Brandon, would you nine 900? I knew there was a nine in there. We have about 900 commercial customers.

Got it. And then some more questions related to um to the trash cans. I haven't really paid attention to the trash cans in my house. I don't take care of that. Once in a while it's always dark, but um are they hot stamped or they with the instructions already or are they like those little sticky things that you put and they fall off and they deteriorate with the with the weather?

So, I have a mix at my house. I don't have stickers, but um mine are old hot stamped. Um I can't speak to every single one, but we're going we're moving with hot stamp on everything. And correct me if I'm wrong. See, I have some some memory left up here, but yeah, they're hot stamped. Yeah, because I've seen the the the alternative with non hot stamp and they become an issue because uh you don't have the instructions clearly after maybe a year or so they deteriorate and now that creates a lot of extra work. So if we do decide to go with this I would recommend that we look at the hot stamp other rather than the the alternative

for sure. I would tell you that our company takes pride in all of its equipment. That's why you see really nice trucks rolling down the road. We replace our bins, we replace our barrels. We have a huge amount of resources just in maintaining these these re these uh assets. So we really do take pride in that. How how long do you feel um the deployment is going to take to a deployment and education?

So the education will be ongoing. We never stop that. But we're going to have a really focused about two months of education, but it's going to happen much faster than that. In fact, we're going to start the the recycling education long before we ever enter into a contract because we just want people to be educated in general. We're probably starting with commercial in the next week or so with what is what's going to be happening because we want people not to just have a blue barrel show up out of the blue. I mean, out of the blue, good one. Out of the blue and just what's this? So, we're trying to educate. Um, but that's ongoing. We we go to every single customer every single year for commercial and and we we speak to them. you assess like what is your waist stream and are where are we meeting your needs you know do you need more capacity less capacity so that's an ongoing thing the education is really going to be we have we have a very robust education plan for every city that we deploy like I said we do social media we do in bill inserts we do direct dial to every customer we do emails so however you receive your bill you're also going to get communication that way as well as more than likely if you're a commercial customer you'll get a phone call and you'll get a site visit so If someone's not educated, I don't think it's a failure of trying. And we educate in like so for example, we go to a business and they want it in Mandarin, it's in Mandarin. If it's they need Spanish, it's in Spanish. If it's in Vietnamese, they get it in Vietnamese. So, we meet them where they are and do it in their native language.

Yeah. I mean, the goal is to get, you know, to become compliant with with the state. And um and to do that, it takes a lot of approaches and one of them is education. And I believe from different from my experience at other company before I'm not going to mention who um we had like route like people checking the routes too right we're doing that here as well right and educating and then stamping them and flagging them and after three offenses we have some kind of approach I I believe I'm not sure for contamination you mean

yeah we we're trying really to educate and modify behavior the last thing we want to do is send a fine I don't think we do that very often in St. Gabriel. Um there's when you get someone that just decides to throw all their trash in recycling, they're going to get eventually we have to change their behavior and that really comes to a fine at one point. I can tell you we typically give them two to three warnings before they even you we'll get them we send it on their bill say hey your last and sometimes we don't we we don't collect it. We tell them you need to get this corrected. That's the best behavior modification and we educate them. We say look your bin your your recycling is full of trash. You can't do that. you need to you need to take that that trash and put it in the trash, not in recycling. So, yeah, we we'll we will send someone out to and we'll we'll put us we'll put a note on it and say give us a call

and and I'm assuming that thank you for that. And I'm assuming last thing I'm assuming that we're going to have a lot more outreach where be you'll be present. I mean, I think for the most part they're already you guys are already present in most of our all of events and educating the community. I would like to see I would like to see the little mighty truck here. I don't know if it Let's do it. Yeah, we love to have that on. The kids love it. The the old old adult kids like me love it. It's a great thing. Yeah. So, if you you don't mind explaining what it is.

So, it's a miniature trash truck that we had. We converted a truck into it looks just like a small it's a I I don't remember what model it was, but it's like a standard pickup truck that they had converted into a trash truck. So, it's mini mini Mike. Yeah. Well, anyways, thank you. Thank you for your time and thank you for for coming to explain the whole process. Appreciate it. Thank you for your questions. Appreciate it. Okay. Any question any further questions? Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Harrington. Yes, sir.

Okay. So uh the uh first of all I want to see the current your facility only can reach out what's the percentage for the for the compost and the recycle. So the we have different facilities but right now St. Gabriel is hitting well over 60% on diversion. Okay. Um just with the mixed waste processing. Okay. I can't I mean I can get you exact numbers. I have to email them to you. We report it every single month. 60%. Well over 60%. But the state the requirement it's 75%. They've moved it to 75. Yes. On organic.

So based on the current facility, is it possible use the new technology you can increase that too or? Well, not really. Simply because we don't have control over what goes into the waist stream. So put it this way. If you put 40% trash into the stream and 60% organics and recycling. We can't get 75% of this because we can't recycle trash. So, we are at the mercy of what's what gets put in the can. I can tell you we get about as much out as you possibly can. Like, and then there's a financial incentive for us. Mhm. Whatever gets diverted out of the landfill, we pay less to dispose of it. Okay.

And so, that's why I like to say once again, we are not a trash company. We're a trash diversion company. Okay. So, so that's why only one choice have the have the separate bean like currently you add on like a recycle bean and organic bean. Correct. Right. Yeah. We're we're we're we're I would say we're mandated into that decision. It's not an Athens choice that we're making. It's really a state direct. So, it's it's really increase the percentage to recycle. Yeah. It was set in 2016. I think that was their goal was to kind of move people to mixed ways and then move people to source separation. Okay, it was because if they had done it all at once way up in 20 if they had just done it in 2016 the okay

first of all no one had the infrastructure to do that it would have been kind of expensive for the entire system that had a very big system shock. So they've kind of rolled it in over years so that people have time to make the investments get the new infrastructure because imagine this these trucks are well north of $500,000 each. So if we're buying two trucks, that's a million dollars that we have to pay right now. Mhm. Just to service the new blue bins. Okay. So, oh, did you have any statistic uh with the another city? They already did this kind of recycle. So, what's the percentage right now? Um, so we don't we have recently we just did South Pasadena.

It's a little too soon to start telling you the reporting. We've had good um good feedback. Um people are really learning and complying quickly. We just did West Coina. We just deployed last month. We did Norwok. Um so they reach out to the 75% already or no? Well, no, they did not reach 75%. It does not change your diversion percentage. It just changed that you're compliant now. So you're not we're not getting to 75% by doing this. We're just complying with the law because that's one of the ways to comply. Okay. Thank you. Clarify. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. So, and uh then it's really concerned regarding the so we have the you have just mentioned that we have the six,000 for the single resident or or or like a one or two uh the family. Right. Correct. We're going to be deploying about 6,000 resident barrels. The 900 business it's it's really business or include the multi- family. It includes multif family total 900. Total of 900. So we have we call them commercial customers but it includes what you would think of as a business and then a multif family.

Okay. I feeling we have a lot of multif family. It's near to the near to the I living it's a lot of the apartment and and the condo media and I think the both on the variable one have a the near to variable have have a lotood of condom media I feel should be more than that to yeah well I mean if you see a big condo meaning like a big project we treat that as one customer so it's not like 300 customers in there it's One just one. Yeah. So it's one complex is treated if it's paid for by one bill. That's a bill. Yeah. One bill. Okay. One bill.

There might be several bins or several, you know, collections more than once a week, but it's still one customer. One customer, but but they should be have several being not just one being. So maybe it's their bill might have five, might have 10, could have any number. It depends how many unit they have. Right. Okay. Yeah. And it could be more than once a week also. Could be multiple day service like Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot of so it's all depends on their space because there's you have a you have a formula of space and frequency. If you don't have enough space, you need to get emptied more often.

Yeah, you mentioned the space. So that's the I think we have existing I it's I think really we think about we need to think think about the business but we also but but yeah business is really effective small business they are they are cost going higher even maybe they just a one office building or couple office building you mean like like an insurance agency perhaps

yeah okay Yeah. Okay. I know that cost but but I I I I want to have the same question for the multif family. So it's some small condo median they don't have enough space. So if you increase the these two and that's how do you handle it and maybe they say oh I I we don't have space we put on all this extra being it's in front of my our the community. That's not good for our city too, right? It's not good for the city. It's just something that that's the that's the

the the deck that we are handed to play or the hand we're we're given to play. And like I said, you'll see sometimes there will be a green barrel outside of the enclosure and they just lock it up so that other people don't don't use it. Um we do do the best we can to work with our customers to solve it.

Not every single situation is solvable. Yeah. So the topic is because it's existing you already designed the bigger bean right but when you separate it actually for my feeling especially for the recycle carbon carbon the the the the box something like that this will be take up more space but the recycling it's 96 gallar but maybe they previous is already it's a lot of capacity for the old the the the largest three trash being maybe if you separate it the trash maybe the less than. So how do you think about it? And you maybe have the some reduce the size for the trash and really put on like some really I think the boxes even right now every day you go to Amazon or Costco. I saw a lot of it's really cost space.

That's something where our folks come in, like I said, we go with every single business and we help you what we we like to call it right sizing. So if your trash has way more capacity than you need, we reduce it. you need more recycling, we can add barrels or give you a bin. They have recycling bins as well. So, you can go one and a half yards of recycling, one and a half yards of trash. So, it's it's that's why I said your typical customer is a 131, which is the one three yard bin service once a week with the organic 64 organics 96 recycle. But there's a mill there's an infinite ways to size that stuff. Okay. So when you talk to res especially for the multi-resident so they just they reach out you or you will be re reach out to them to solve the the we reach out to them

to we make appointments with either the property manager or the association whoever represents the association and HOA president right yeah yeah we have contacts for whoever is our contact on the bill we'll make we'll make an appointment and say we'll be at your your building you know Friday morning 8 a.m. or whatever is convenient for you. We have we're always one of our folks in your city. So we can all we meet we meet them when when and where they need to meet. That's that's our folks job. They go there and do a waste assessment and and they figure out what do you need.

Okay. So if also I think about it because you say like separate I also future maybe worry about it like for the multif family maybe before that once a week or two time a week but after them maybe need like two time or three time for them not just simply increase the the the monthly fee for base. Yes. But but also like probably double that too. So we have a rate sheet. You can see it. It's published. Um it's typically if you go up to two to three to four, it's not a straight line calculation. Typically it's a little bit reduction the more you get it serviced the the less each time.

Okay. Um that's typical because you know we're we're out here six days a week anyway. Okay. So to to add you doesn't cost us a whole extra trip. Okay. If you want special service and just one truck just for you, it's going to be expensive. Okay. All right. So, uh another last question is for the financially impact. Okay. I know that you you need to provide more rod to pick up the car and uh and uh cost of the your ch the the barrel the the material something like that. estimate in our cities how much total you you have to put on your company put on the money on that

you mean like upfront how much we're going to invest yeah that would be for the first first it's a one time the cost and then also the sec for the future long term yeah there's labor every day there's there's fuel every day there's insurance every day yeah there's an ongoing cost to all of that um we typically I can tell you a truck like I said is well north of 500,000 about 550 560 to get it outfitted and ready for deployment. Okay. Um and and it takes a while to get those. So they don't So you know when you guys order a fire truck it takes a long time to get. You don't get it the day you order it. They have to get it outfitted for Athens needs. And every one of our trucks is outfitted for purpose for what it's going to be doing, who it's going to be servicing. Okay.

So there's that. And then we have a whole bunch of barrels on order right now cuz we're doing this with about 20 plus cities. And Okay. We have a whole bunch. And you'll see a lot of our parking lots are full up of barrels and we half the time don't know where to put them. We end up parking on the street and barrels are taking up our parking spots. But yeah, it is a big financial investment. Um the exact figure, I don't think we're going to tell you the exact figure because we're a private company, but I can tell you it's significant. I imagine those barrels are not You can see they're durable. Like I've had my barrel at my house for 20 plus years. Never had to have it changed. Yeah.

Yeah, I know. It's an expensive proposition. Yeah, you're a private company but the resident should be interesting that the cost. So I I just want to maybe something like that's for your business size also need to think about it. Okay, you should be absolved some financial impact for the long run. You still have business, right? The hopefully it's less impact for our residents. That's I I I I I feel try have voice for for the

I tell the public that that the money that we're investing it's going to take longer than five years of this rate increase just to to get back to what we're investing today. that I can tell you that we are making a big financial investment and we're not putting it all on the rate payers. Athens absorbs it and then gets it back over 5 years. Um, a truck life is typically at Athens about 8 years of of mainline service and then we push it other doing other things. Um, they're they're they're typically what the manufacturers say. It's about eight years of service. M so we're just barely in those last couple years squeezing out some actual profit, but it's they're not paid back for a while. It takes us we're not for example if we said

hey we want the rate payers to pay for this there'd be a gigantic rate increase right now. We want to be pay upfront. So we are putting a lot of money up front and it's getting advertised over years. That's what the rate increase pays for. It's advertising that investment over years. It would have been a much larger rate increase across the board for everybody had had we tried to had we tried to put the financials into it.

Yeah. Why are you asking this financial the the in the question? I also wonder like I know the multi especially focused on the multif family or apartment. So the most they maybe it's a low income doesn't mean they really maybe still a high income living there too. Okay. The most right. So hopefully because if they increase the landlords probably will be increased to their rent. So so how can they we like really like less impact to them to house help them to like uh just first of all understand it and the second it's a hope not a really impact to the this kind of people. Yeah. I mean so if you're talking multif family are really they're case by case but I don't I've never heard of a multifamily low-inccome discount in the industry

but I talking about the apartment like I know the on the next to the valley blue one it's really it's a lot of people living in the the tenant they living inside they even I go outside they tell me about that too you know. Oh no I I feel it every day. Yeah everything's going up all the time and Athens is just in line with everyone else. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Thank you. So, thank you for 45 minute presentation. I said 10. I do it in 10. I love your question

for Athens. That's the longest I think I've seen. Uh, I'm just going to s summarize it by saying, you know, we're going to need a lot of education, evaluation on a case-byase basis and to um make sure you have the city be your partner in pushing this out to educate because we have um you know, we have our PIO and um we can have that direct contact with our businesses with our economic development team also. So, it's going to take a partnership with the city. So, uh, hoping that's in the plan somewhere. I'm sure it is. And thank you so much.

Thank you. Looking forward to it. Right. Okay. So, next item, Adam. The next item is Women's History Month. The full text of the proclamation is available on the city's website. Mayor Makaco will make the presentation.

Okay. As we gather tonight, I would like to take a moment moment to recognize that March is women's history month. A time to honor the extraordinary contributions of women throughout history and within our own community. Today, the council das is adorned with purple flowers, the official color of the celebration. From trailblazers who fought for equal rights and opportunity to the everyday leaders who strengthen our families, businesses, schools, neighborhoods, women have shaped the story of our nation and our city in powerful and lasting ways. Here in St. Gabriel, we are fortunate to be surrounded by strong, resilient, and cap compassionate women, entrepreneurs, public servants, educators, volunteers, mothers, daughters, and mentors who continue to uplift and inspire those around them. Women's History Month is not only a time to reflect on progress, but also reminder of the work that remains to ensure equity and opportunity for future generations. On behalf of the city council, we celebrate the achievements of women past and present, and we affirm our commitment to building community where every girl and woman can thrive. to honor Women's History Month. I will now like to invite the women who work for the city uh for a group photo and then then we'll follow by the full council. Another

angle or you good with this one? Okay. One, two, three. Next item, please. Public comment. This is the time set aside for members of the public to address the city council on consent calendar items and on items of interest that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Sable City Council. Mayor, we have uh three public comments. Uh the first speaker is Mandy Lou. Hello. Um, I was here last time at the city council and I didn't have time to say what I want to say and I want to come back here tonight. Uh, last time my sister and I were here because we receive um violation for the backyard where I live. I live in a my property is a two uh is a two houses on the property. am the only one live in the back house. The front

house has been vacant since 2022. And um uh I received this notice uh when I first time we see the notice is already a second notice for the backyard. So uh we have asked to like uh be given some time some weeks to work on the backyard but it was never given. uh instead I was told one time by him by Aldo that uh he's going to give me an extra week for the Chinese New Year but after I I appear at the city council now he deny he denied that anyway so I I was the second thing I'm requesting is that um I was traumatized in uh a few years ago when the California California Department of Food and and agriculture came to my yard because I was trying to uh get my chickens out, my pet chicken out the yard, I got uh handcuffed. I was pushed in the ground and handcuffed. So I was very traumatized and I have asked whether like after I clean the backyard, I can send in some picture or video instead of like having someone come inside my backyard and I would be subject to those trauma. uh again and the third thing is that um this person that I have been like by uh the city uh co- enforcement call his name is Aldo I have been harassed by him last time I I didn't know even the right word to say it it's like rude and look uh you know uh put out but no it's harassment he have been very verbally abusive insult to the point that one time when I listen to his um left

message on my phone I I have an anxiety attack. My heart had palpitation and I've been sick. I was sick for few days afterward. David Sanchez knew about this and I have been trying to ask if I can work with someone else besides him because every time like I thought like okay he's the only one I have to work with. He's going to come and then he's going to say something that you know the insult will you know will come my ways again. I was yell at in front of my house in in the yard. So I really cannot work with this person. I my house had been affected greatly. I'm asking the city council and the attorney and the manager. We had a meeting today that is there someone else. I understand he's the only co- enforcement for the

I'm sorry your time is up but but thank you thank you for your comment. Okay, next speaker next speaker is uh toeer mats.

Uh good evening mayor, city council members. Uh my name is Toeer Mats. Uh I'm a pro program manager with Active Sangro Valley. We're a local nonprofit uh dedicated to realizing a more livable, sustainable, and active Sangro Valley. Uh today I join you to share with you an exciting program that we're offering residents of your city. Uh the GO SUV's equity membership program. Uh our program offers lowcost um healthy way for participants to get around their city via pedal assist ebikes. Um we are offering classic commuter bikes memberships for $6.26 26 a month or $75 for a year. Our program is unlike traditional ebike share programs. Uh it is a long-term ebike share program that allows participants to take the bike home with them instead of needing to return the ebike to a traditional docking system. Participants also receive a charger and a lock uh with their membership. This project is made possible with the funding from the Metro Express Lanes net toll revenue return program and is administered by the SUV COG. um to promote the program to your residents. We've created a toolkit that includes social media and newsletter blurbs that you can share with that we can share with you uh so you can share with your community members. Uh if you or your staff have any questions about the program or like to promote the program to your residents, uh you can contact us at infobg.com. Um thank you so much and have a good night. Bye. Next speaker is Paulie S.

Mayor, we have no more public comments. Okay. Next item, please. Next item is a consent calendar. All items listed under the consent calendar are considered routine and recommendations will be approved in one motion unless a member of the city council requests separate discussion. Would any council member like to pull an item for separate discussion? I see none. Um, can I have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda? Madame Mayor, I'll move to approve. Okay,

second. Who would like to second? I'll second. Okay, let's Motion passes by a vote of 5-0. So, next item.

Mayor, we have no public hearing or continue business. Next item is new business. uh service update and agreement with Chinatown Service Center for case management services in the amount of $58,879.73 cents annually. Committee service sorry assistant committee service director u Matthew Morales Stevens will make the staff presentation.

All right, good evening honorable mayor and members of the city council. Uh with me tonight I have Carrie Citu who is the uh director of programs with the Chinatown Service Center and she's been uh with the program uh directly with San Gabriel since its inception in 2024. So she's very familiar with all the offerings. She helped put the package together and what it looks like today. So we're very appreciative to have her here tonight. Thank you. Good evening member of council. You want me if you you go ahead. Okay. Yeah.

All right. So she will be here for any questions. um if you have any clarifying questions throughout the night um and she'll be happy to assist. Uh so we'll get kicked off. So as um Adam mentioned, we are presenting item 7A which is the service update and agreement with Chinatown Service Center for case management services in the amount of 58,87 I get stumped on the number every time. Uh 58,879.73 annually. Uh just a a brief overview. The city of St. Gabriel contracted with the Chinatown service center in 2024 as a direct result of requests made uh by community and commission members as well as the city council to assist persons in need of mental health or general resources. The service has worked in tandem with the San Gabriel Police Department's mental evaluation team and was developed to serve participants through a more proactive approach to enhance residents living conditions mentally and physically. So um again working in tandem with the Met team. We're capturing people before hopefully before issues arise or bec before they become more severe or more critical and entering into to the need to bring in the MET team. Uh furthermore, a case manager is on site at the community recreation center Monday through Thursday 10:30 to 5. There's a full office setup with a a meeting location so there's full privacy and availability for the case manager to help them um from start to finish. Uh the case manager provides one one-on-one services um on the following which is eligibility screening and needs assessment referrals to community based and government programs short-term case management benefits navigation such as medical Calresh and social security personally I've seen our case manager help several people with the benefits

navigation and each one of them is extremely grateful for all of the work and uh helping navigate that process especially if English is not their first language or their primary language. Uh some of those application processes can be quite cumbersome and making sure that they're pulling the correct documents to upload. Uh so she's actually helping them from start to finish on those applications, not something of here's a flyer with the information. She helps them through that entire process. The Chinatown Service Center also offers free tax preparation services. So that's something that's above and beyond what we initially anticipated. Um, so that's on site at the community recreation center uh during tax season. It's uh each Wednesday as well as technology classes for seniors. So, not only is our case manager fantastic at helping people with their individual situations, uh she is also leading the technology classes uh in a small group setting at the community recreation center. Uh the service has operated as mentioned from May 2024 to present. Uh the Chinatown Service Center has uh since requested a fee increase from $53,328 to $58,879.73 for an annual increase of $5,551.65. as you can see it is to the penny because they are very uh costconscious and making sure that they are um ma pulling that exactly towards the services provided to the city. Um that really isn't including all of the network of team uh team members that are part of car's team. So if there's something that our case manager that's on site doesn't have an answer to, she can pull upon that broader team of case managers or or Carrie uh to fill in that that knowledge gap. Uh some of the key accomplishments and

highlights uh since the service started in 2024 include um a total of 463 encounters. Of those 29 289 were unduplicated clients. Uh that was in 2024. From January through October 2025, there were a total of 387 encounters, of which 151 were unduplicated clients. The program services, some of the most the some of the city's most vulnerable residents. Of those that have been served, approximately 40% are between the ages of 65 and 74. This is ahead of the 75 to 84 age group which makes up approximately 20% of the participants that have received service. So therefore over 60% are seniors that are serviced by directly through the case manager. Approximately 87% of the service has been provided in a language other than English with Mandarin and Cantonese being the primary languages utilized. uh participants have primarily needed assistance with housing and or homelessness, health care, and food access. Food access made up 45% of the service needed, which includes enrollment, renewal, and troubleshooting programs such as Calresh. One of the larger programs or an um items that Chinatown Service Center stepped in with again kind of outside of that initial realm that we partnered with them on was the Champion Motel closure response in uh May 2025. Uh so the in May again in May 2025, the Champion Motel was uh closed due to multiple safety and health code violations displacing over 20 residents, primarily lowincome, minority, and Mandarin speaking tenants. Um, Chinatown Service Center quickly responded along with the Met team uh to assist with on ground translation, tenant advocacy, and case management. As you can imagine, that's quite an overwhelming um time for

residents trying to quickly find a a new location and trying to find um resources. Um, and Chinatown Service Center was there um to to step in as needed. um that included one-on-one support uh assistance for tenant for a tenant who had recently lost her son and coordinated relocation efforts including temporary housing for four families uh to at Elmani's Valley Inn. The Chinatown Service Center also ensured ongoing follow-up and resource access for all affected tenants. Finally, working closely with city, county, and other nonprofit partners, the Chinatown Service Center bridged language and cultural barriers, ensuring effective communication between tenants and agencies. Through these efforts, displaced residents received financial relief, safe relocation, and continued social service support, helping them navigate the crisis with dignity and stability. Um, just a quick reminder of the um the cost comparison. Um when we initially brought this forward, we uh reached out to a a couple of agencies, one of which was the YWCA of the Sangabil Valley. Um they provide similar services, although after working with Carrie and her team, I will say that not quite as direct to our population as well as quite as robust. Um not only have they grown here in St. April. They're growing in a multitude of other facilities around with the the newest facility, correct me if I'm wrong, um nearby in Alhhamra off of Main Street. And uh so not only if if the case manager can't help them uh with a direct service, there's kind of neighboring Chinatown service center locations that uh the seniors or anyone that's coming through the doors can can seek help from. uh that includes the the behavioral health centers or the PACE

center amongst other things. Um so the quote initially received from YW.CA was 93,000. Um so with the 5,000 approximately $5,500 increase um it's still a much more cost-effective option to go with the um Chinatown Service Center. Uh moving on to the fiscal impact. Should the city council approve the continued partnership with Chinatown Service Center for Contracted Case Management Services, there would be a cost increase of 50 $599.97 for fiscal year 2025 in 2026. The increase for fiscal year 2526 can be absorbed within the current adopted budget. Additionally, an increase of $5,5516765 would be needed for fiscal year 2627, which would be included through the um budget process. Finally, the staff recommendation is that the city council continues to partner with the Chinatown Service Center to provide case management services to the public and authorize the city manager to execute the professional services agreement with Chinatown Service Center. Be happy to answer any questions. Okay. Um, does anyone have any factual questions for staff? Okay. Oh, we have one. Okay.

Well, thank you, mayor, and thank you so much, uh, Matthew, for the presentation, and I I just want to express that how I just cannot express how grateful I am that to see the program that can be implemented to the city of St. Gabriel that I have seen that uh it's just a lot of help. Uh my question is I do see that you have you especially that you mentioned 289 unduplicated clients. So what is the definition of duplicate clients? That mean they visit one more more than once. Sure. And for the same issues or it's come with a different questions or problem. Yeah. So Carrie feel free to correct me if I'm wrong or do you want to step in on this one?

Sure. Um I just thank you council member Wu for the question and uh uh on behalf of Chinatown service center we uh just want to express our gratitude of like a partnership with the city especially with Matthew and under his leaderships we were able to provide a target of service to the uh resident and we look forward this relationship to continue and to answer the question encounter it's uh uh it uh the touch point encounter and why unduplicated is referring to that uh you need you need uh clients. So that that it's a common uh measure in in the nonprofit world. So sorry for that that dragon or terms acronym um a lot we use. So um yeah.

Okay, I see. So um and you're providing six six hours at six and a half hours per day and for four days each week right? So will remain the same. Uh yes it will remain the same on the fifth day we will uh uh Angela is the current case manager that uh assign to this site. Uh what would Matthew and his team and uh on Friday she user will bring back the case load and we have a internal discussion. So usually those have more than admin day and we will look into uh the challenge the problem that she work during the day and then we will figure out how we could support her because she's here by herself. So uh yeah okay

well

that's the current uh uh work arrangement and uh yeah we uh in the cases of currently now today we're talking about uh Angela's actually got pulled into the Aladina community center because uh we are uh uh partner with the LA county for the uh LA County emergency rent relief program and this is the round two and with this specific need in the area of Aladina who were impacted right by the Eden fire. So she got pulled into that location. So I am working remotely with Matthew and his team to support the case management need. So uh we try to be as flexible as we can but maintain our service in in the city. So, so we do whatever we can to uh address the issue or answer to the core and we work with would uh ask her um um and her team to support uh any of that issue that she encounter uh especially in the area of uh home homelessness and uh mental challenging issues. So yeah, I'm not sure if I answer your question. So we try to step up when we see the problem arise.

Thank you. And uh for this so we are not excluding any other um people who is in need. Uh we are not limited to the residents in city of St. Gabriel. We also open the service to That's correct. Is that right? That's correct. Yeah. I see. And I was told that uh uh recently that um uh the cse has purchased a new properties in our city and uh so we look forward to work closer with the CSC. I just heard about the good news. So thank you for bringing that up. We're very excited. This is the 211. You so that tells that how much I pay attentions on CF.

I'm also on the board for 211. So thank you. So, little bittersweet, but I'm I'm happy that uh you'll be there and we have a new location now. Thank you. Thank you. We are very excited and look forward to this uh partnership. Yeah. Are there any more clarifying questions? C can you wait till after public comment, Council Member Woo? That's fine. Thank you. I mean, Council Member Ding, I'm sorry. Okay. Are are there any public comment? Mayor, we have no public comments. Okay. So, we're going to take a recess uh for five minutes. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

is uh is restarted at 750 p.m. Uh Madame Mayor wasn't feeling well, so uh she had to uh to leave and so I will be continuing uh running the meeting. All right. So now it's time for council discussion on this issue. Who would like to start? Where? Okay. Where's the Carrie? Okay. She's did also step out, but I'm happy to answer any questions.

But yeah, I I just want to say something. It's really appreciate the your report especially for the Chinatown service center. It's really give it us like a overview to the whole program. how they help a resident. So I like like I think a council member already asking so the service is not just for the sab resident right for the our the neighborhood if they have problem they still can't come into that's correct anyone that walks in the doors or calls

we don't rest restrict the the the resident of St. behavior. Okay. So based on the report I saw some like uh you have the report and 24 25 okay increase like some it's a more than two visit some three visit three four visit five visit that's meaning one person they visited couple of time correct it that's okay it's really help okay then I see the they have majority group at age is like a senior person too. I I feel they really need this kind of help.

Uh but I also hopefully but the different ages the people especially at 25 45 maybe they don't need us much more service maybe they need it. Hopefully we can for the future to like uh more advertising. Maybe if they they really needed to and uh it's interesting food access say if they looking for the full assess so so usually so we just bring there to the food bank or what are they we do

yeah so it depends on the individual's uh circumstances or what they're actually in need of um so in the surrounding community there there's not a ton of of food resources there are some some food banks including at the mission um who distributes food. I believe a few Sundays a month. Um but otherwise the if they need ongoing or a set amount of um resources then CalFresh is really their best option especially if it's a family. Um so then the case manager would be walking them through the application process whereas a food bank uh would be more of directing them to um that since it's typ food banks typically don't have a a large uh application process like Calresh would

okay yeah you mentioned Calresh so actually their service also provide a consultant or service for the calresh I so I have the medical okay that's correct okay that's good to know so maybe I I have because of my business I have a more chance to some people asking for usually I just let them go to the the medical office directly but the it's a little bit far away waiting so long probably they can use this opportunity to to to come to our senior center to looking for exactly

and and and the Monday to uh Thursday it's onsite person right Friday is it's Friday still have it or just appointment only so there's no one onsite um but Angela being fantastic and the Chinatown service center going above and beyond um she is still at a site. I believe she either goes to the Alhhamra location or in at the downtown location. So, she will help clients uh if it's a phone call or email. Oh, okay. Not like sitting at our the community center. Correct. Not on those practice.

Okay. So, any like uh they even walking the client. So, so the another staff to help them to call Angela. That's correct. by the buy the phone used their own lang most maybe Mandaring or Cantonese right or Vietnamese okay all right that's good to know so yeah I I really like like this uh pro program so uh I just listen the rest of council member otherwise otherwise I just want to moving to

well councilman Ding let's give everyone else to make com discussion. Thank you. I'll just keep it brief. Matthew, thank you. You're like wearing multiple hats today, man. What's going on? You were the photographer and now you stepping in. We try.

But thank you for the presentation and thanks I want to thanks thank uh the China Town Service Center. Great great service and it's news to me. I guess they're moving to the 211 building. So that's an additional location. Um so they will be moving their behavioral services um which are currently located in a different city to San Gabriel. Um but they will still have um their newest building um in Alhhamra plus their main center at in uh downtown LA at at in Chinatown. Um amongst a few other smaller locations. Interesting. Thank you. That's all I got. Great. Yeah. I would just want to move to approve um that city of St. Gabriel.

Oh, are we done? Oh, no. I had uh just just a little bit of comment. That's all. Um

no, that thank you, Matthew. And uh no, I just want to echo my my colleagues here and I mean I I see the great work that the Chinatown Service Center has done for our city and and uh yeah, I'm I'm excited to continue our relationship and uh looks like the city gets good value from CSSE and our our residents definitely benefit. So um yeah, that that's my comments, but uh yes, at this point I would like to entertain a motion. Yeah, I I move to approve to the for the I uh the nuisance item eight, right? So, should I read it? Uh 7

just uh 78 uh to uh the staff recommendation the staff recommendation and the city council continue to partner partner with the Chinatown service center to provide case management service to our to the public and uh authorize the city manager to execute a professional service agreement with the CSC. Um I'll second. So, um, and if I may, uh, request that, uh, we vote, but we all take a voice vote since, uh, we kind of got switched around last minute. Okay. Um, may I do that? Okay.

Okay. Roll call. Roll call vote. Yes. Uh, roll call vote. Uh, Vice Mayor, Vice Mayor Chan, yes. Uh, Council Member Hera Aila. Hi. Uh, council member uh, Ding. I, Council Member Woo, I. All right. Motion passes by a vote of 40. Thank you.

Next item, please. The next item is presentation acceptance of the annual comprehensive financial report and other audit reports for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. Uh assistance finance director uh Tang will make the staff presentation. Um, good evening, vice mayor and member of the city council. I'm Linda Tang, the assistant finance director for the city of St. Gabriel. Before we begin, uh, we would like to note that attachment A, the, uh, June 30, 2025 annual comprehensive financial reports was inadvertently omitted from the original posting. That has been corrected as of today. The annual comprehensive financial report has been available on the city's website since midFebruary 2026. Um, we will proceed with the presentation and if additional discussion is desired, the item can be brought back at a future meeting. With that, tonight it is my pleasure to present to you the annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 in accordance with the city's fiscal sustainability pro policy which was adopted by the city council in May of 2019 2019. It requires the annual comprehensive financial report to be formally submitted to the city council on an annual basis with the city auditor's presence. Representing the city's audit firm of Moss Levy and Harenheim is our audit manager Terry Robbertson to my left here in the audience. Uh Terry will be available for questions after a presentation if any. In tonight's presentation, we will review the results of the audit as well as conduct an

analysis of the financial results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. The first report, which is the independent auditor's report, where the auditors define the scope, responsibility, and process of the audit. Most importantly, provide the auditor's opinion on the fair presentation of the financial statement. Um, I'm happy to report the auditors issued a clean or unmodified opinion on a fair presentation of the financial statement. In regard to the second report on the city's calculation of the appropriation limits, the auditor's verification of the city's calculations of the appropriation limit reported no exceptions. Moving on to the analysis of our financial result. This slide summarized the revenue expenditure and net changes in fund balance for the general fund which is the city's main operating fund. For fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. The general fund had revenue and transfers in of 56,973,000 expenditure and transfer out of 55,184,000 which resulted in a positive net change in fund balance of 1,789,000. With the positive net change in fund balance, the general fund ending balance increased to 22,960,000. This is the seventh year in a row that the city has achieved a positive net balance change in net net change in fund balance. Going on to a little more detail. This slide present the fund balances of fund balance of the general fund by type and compare fiscal year 2023 24 to fiscal year 2425. Starting at the bottom, overall general

fund balance increased by 1.7 million for a total fund balance at June 30, 2025 of 22 million 22.96 million. The fund balance assigned to reserve or contingency is 13.78 million for June 30, 2025. This is represent our 25% goal in our reserve or reserve which really is 25% of expenditures. Um per council directions 9.2 million in fund balance is committed to fund the city uh other proposed employment benefit or retirey health liability and capital replacement. The next category up there is non-spendable shown at the top which are related to a couple of prepaid expenditures and gas 87 for rental revenue recognitions um entries. Therefore, they are non-spendable. The slide present a line chart of the general fund fund balance from fiscal year 2020 2021 to 202425. As you can see from the line chart, there is consistent improvement in general fund balance um which resulted in the city meeting our reserve goal since 2020 2122 and actually also meeting an increase reserve gold up to 25% in fiscal year 223 to date. Going into general fund revenue these this slide provides the gen the revenue by major categories and compare the current year versus the prior year amount. Overall the revenue increased by 1.8 million from prior year. Tax category has the highest increase of

close to 1.3 million. Um some of the category and uh to the right is due to property tax. Property tax in lie of vehicle license fee, transient occupancy taxes and utility users tax are the categories that shows an increase in the year. Uh in a governmental although it's showing a negative uh 69,000 there was actually increase in federal and state reimbursement just such as from fire responses. Um there are other like uh host reimbursement which is our homeless outreach service team program. There are increases but they're showing a negative because fiscal year 2425 is a off year. There were no prop a exchange. That's why you're seeing a negative. Um next category charges for services has an increase of 362,000. Some of the ey line item include increase in planch checking, fire services and ambulance fee collection. For fines and forfeiture, we have an increase of 86,000 mainly incrementing fines revenue. The category of license and permit has a negative 212,000. Um overall J building plumbing electrical permit decrease in fiscal year 22 24 in amount investment income has an increase of 147,000 due to basically this is an increase in investment uh earning and the other category we have a negative 848,000s we got comparing to prior year the reason is because we got lower workers comp reimbursement ment revenue. That's a good thing. Uh la prior year there were also some recognition of safekeeping revenue and sales of city

property that happened in the prior year and there was not as much I mean we obviously did not have the big sales of property and a large safekeeping revenue recognition in the current year. Therefore uh we have a negative 800 something thousand there. Transfer in have an increase of 1,65,000. This is transferring from the city retirement fund. That's a dollar for-doll reimbursement back to the general fund for uh retirement expenditure. Moving on to expenditure by department and it compares the current year versus the prior year. Again, overall the general fund expenditures were higher by 5.45 million. The primary drivers of the increase across all departments were due to increase in personnel cost, retirement cost and some contractual cost. Um going down to capital outlay, we have an increase in 229,000. These are for projects which include I mean it's showing theirs as Delmar underground project. We have a mod PD modular trailer project and also fire equipment purchases and um and also on top of that we have other smaller projects too such as the PD community services roof repair uh common class study that also falls within that category. Moving on to debt service category. This is showing I mean this uh the amount there is basically showing just for our fire motor radio uh lease purchase payment that we that we got into as well as sabidas which stand for subscriptionbased information technology arrangement entry that's our Gatsby requirement transfer out from the general fund increased by approximately 1.4 4 million

133,447s are to mission playhouse and 1,585,000 to capital to to capital and special project fund which is a fund now we use for one-time capital replacement and or multiple year project expenditure funded by the general fund. So these are projects that has been approved and have been appropriated in fiscal year 2425 that has not been completed by year end. So therefore we are transferring it to another fund just to make it clearer to uh to show what's available in the general fund. This slide presents the city's pension and other post-employment benefits liabilities. The pension liability decreased by 1.85 million and our u opep other postemployment benefit liability decreased by 2.2 million. These liability are based on actuarial calculation. Um I want to say there are a number of factors that impact and create fluctuation in these liabilities. They can range from changes in assumption difference between expected and actual experiences in the pool. There's different between projected and actual earning on investments then changes in the valuation interest rate that causes loss of fluctuation. On top of that, the city decisions on uh compensation will also affect this number these numbers. So, uh please do not be surprised that there's a lot of fluctuation because here you go. I'll show you on the next slide here. So, this chart just shows you the liabilities for the two between

202021 fiscal year to 2425 fiscal year. As you can see, there are some more more so on the pension liability um than the OPAP. Um but again, these are due to a lot of different factors from the actuarial other than the general fund. We also have a lot of other funds. We have five major funds in the city as well as um another 17 other non- major funds. So going from the top quickly down retirement uh tax fund, you can see the revenue in green and an expenditure which net out to a negative 294,000 in a retirement fund leaving a fund balance of 747,000 in our retirement fund. These funds account for taxes restricted to pay retirement related expenditure. Just as I mentioned earlier when we were looking at the general fund transfer in, we got over 10 million from the retirement fund to reimburse dollar for dollar to the general fund for retirement related expenditure. Development impact fees fund got a net increase of 1.1778,000 leaving a fund balance of 17,267,000. And this funds account for fees on development restricted to pay for uh for city facility. Our next fund major fund is sewer assessments fund. It's got an increase of 974,000 ending with a 7.8 million in fund balance and this this fund accounts for fee restricted to for repair and replacement of the city sewer system. Measure R got an in a decrease of 323,000 with a fund balance of 447,000.

Um and this fund is for the city share of the half cent sales tax approved by the voters of Los Angeles County in 2008. And this fund is mainly used for street projects. other grants. So other grants um account for fun I mean this funds account for state and federal grants that we receive multiple we got a decrease over 1.5 million leaving a fund balance of a negative 73,000 um and I just want to say even though it's negative I mean there are grants that we sometime do get payment upfront and then there are those that are reimburseable in nature So we have a lot more that is deferred revenue is not showing here because we're just showing the revenues and actual revenue and expenditure within these fund. Those are the major uh major funds. Then comes to our non- major governmental fund. we have an additional 17 m uh I'm sorry special revenue funds to account for carrying out specific activities um with for each fund and to total there's an increase of 1.98 million leaving a aggregate 8.9 millions of fund balance at June 30 2025 of those non- major we pulled out the mission playhouse just because um we believe that you're interested did in December for the mission playhouse. As you can see there, the revenue for fiscal year 2425 is 961,000 and total expenditure is 1.4 million with a net a net dec uh decrease of 430,000 and a fund balance of 37,000 at June 30, 2025.

And for the 35th year in a row, the city received a certificate of excellence in financial reporting from government finance officers association. The June 30, 2025 annual comprehensive financial report has been submitted to the GFOA for consideration of our 36 award for for excellence in financial reporting. Um, I would like to certainly extend uh some acknowledgement and thanks to all city staff, my finance team, as well as the whole city team for, you know, working throughout the year, working through the audits and get us here. Um, and with that, I would like the staff would like to recommend that the city receive and file the annual audit report for fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. and will um Terry and myself just available for any questions or comment.

Okay. Thank you, Linda. Um does any council member have any factual questions for the staff or the auditor?

Thank you mayor. Well, thank you so much Linda for the presentation and thank you uh all our financial teams that has done a really great job um and especially that we got an we we have been issued and you know a clean outedited opinions on financial statement. So um my couple question is about the Kalpers. So our funds which is a public employees retirement funds that earning because I do see the numbers is really a good it's a dropping which is good sign. So uh we are earning the net on according to the report that you you have here that the net earning of return is 11.6%. So compared with their originally you know their original expected net rate of return was only 6.8. So that will led by you know our pension decreased by like a how much it's like a

our pension decreased by 1.8 million

1.8 million and all decreased by 2.2 million. So um but our city still have unfunded pension liabilities like 86.8 million. what is a long-term strategy that we can further reduce the liability and also what is the right percentage for the current depth that we have. Um which being said what is the the break even point for our uh net rate of return that will be safe that if we drop below that number then we are cooked. Oh well let me just first state that uh I don't know if I can provide you with a good rate or a good number because uh as I kind of mentioned there are different assumption that is in the actual error evaluations that uh come up with these numbers and let me just uh clarify that these numbers here are from measurement date of June 30, 2024. First of all,

um, so the valuation report from Cal PERS as well as as as our other postemployment benefits, uh, valuation, they're are they are a year kind of behind. Um, so this is at June 30, 2024. Um I certainly want to say like I've mentioned with all of the different category that I've kind of mentioned and assumptions the mortality rates the compensations all of these kinds of changes and assumption do change our ending balance from year to year and it fluctuation. Of course, you see that the probably the OPE is a little bit more consistent. Uh we s we have been contributing to other than the normal uh contribution that we do. We do a 250,000 a year that we would send directly to our trust fund for that as well as changes in ourus changes that we have implemented I believe just two years ago in 2023. So you will slowly see the overap hopefully as it should be going down because we have ended uh we have changed the benefit. So things like that decision certainly makes a difference here. Um pension as you see is a little bit more uh up and down simply because it's not just based on city's decision. I mean obviously city's decisions such as uh cola increases um who we hired certainly make a difference but uh all the other assumption comes into play as like I mentioned like mortality rates uh a like um there's age how long um when people retired when they do and what comes after that they off get

factor in when they're doing these actuary reports as well as of course one of the more important thing as you mentioned is investment return uh or also investment loss. So all of those factors certainly get uh gets into play and and they make assumptions such as pay increases even though we don't necessarily you know line up and they make in basically benefit increases assumptions as well. So pension liability is a though more harder to predict and I won't I don't want to say that I can predict a number for you. I don't know if Will has anything to add. Thank you.

He doesn't have the crystal ball. I know.

But I I I think that because uh if that will be if that the the net rate of return to be 6.8 8 instead of the now is 11.6 which being said we will have less than 50% of our current uh decreased number. So we will have like a more depth instead of like we are getting like a decrease by 2.2 millions of all pack and then 1.8 million of the pension. So then that means we probably have only like a 1 millions reduced from the uh the liability. So is is there a right way that I can interpret it that way over a number of years? Right.

Council member Woo, maybe I can step in and just so I understand your question. So the the 6.8% return is an assumption that PERS has and if they were to invest all the money they have on account for the city of San Gabriel and it returns the exact 6.8% 8% in all of the stocks and bonds and mutual funds and property and everything else that they um invest in. If it returns 6.8% then our um liability stays even all other things being equal. So that break even point is

that's the break even point. It will always um bear out and we will not get any further bills for unfunded liability for that specific uh investment year. They do it year by year by year. If they happen to do better than that return, in the case of of the year we're looking at, it was over 11%. So that 5% difference is creating more value for us. So our liability actually goes down. Yes.

Conversely, in years where um we have a worse return, they send us a bill for that year. And so our not only does our liability increase on that balance sheet, but we get a bigger bill for that year and every year going forward we have to pay for about 30 years until we um retire that. So it hits us in in two places. One on the chart you're seeing and one in our expenses every year for our unfunded liability.

Got it. So that's why when you since we are not getting 6.8 8 and below otherwise we will write a check out but because we have 11.6 six now. So that is like a a surplus. So we are actually we reduce the liabilities numbers there for that one specific year. It's only one specific but they do the same thing when we when we have a good year they advertise that over 30 years as well. So we only get a very small part of it every year. So they all kind of net themselves out and we end up with a very large number for several years until we retire all of those debts if we have to pay the difference. So, is that from our general fund?

Right now, our retirement tax is covering that amount. But on the slide that Linda showed you that has the expenses and the revenue for the retirement fund, this this slide, the very top row uh retirement tax fund. So, the revenues, which is the amount of tax we receive from our community, is about 2.3 million. The expenditures, which is the check that we had to write this year, was about 10.5. I'm sorry I said 2.3. I meant 10.3. The the check that we have to write to Kalpers for that year is 10 five. So you can see we're already underwater. We do have a fund balance and you can see on the last column 747,000. That's what our fund balance is. We project that in the current year we're in, we're going to have to pay with our general fund for that amount. It's all kind of considered general fund because we use it in our general fund to pay just that pur dollar amount. But the general fund is going to have to make up for that difference.

But I remember our property tax I mean for the residents in seat of St. Gabriel that retirement tax fund is part of the property tax. So does that mean that if we have more transaction so the value actually is it would gone up then lu. So what what what is this um retirement tax fund here? Would does that mean they will be also increased because the value of the property has been re uh like a re reassess the value which is higher. So we are getting more from that. That is correct. You're exactly right that um as our property tax uh value goes up

because of those assessments either through new development or as you said when somebody is reassessed or they sell their home and and somebody buys it and it's assessed at a higher value all of that amount increases our um property tax for our general fund but also the retirement tax. I see. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you. Vice Mayor. So, um, just trying to understand how all this works. I mean, I I don't think I could figure it out in Okay, no problem. We're here. We're here.

But, um, it's a lot of numbers and it just makes me understand how complex the city is and kudos to you and your team for putting and crunching all these together for us. Um, I I want to understand, help me find um grant money that uh maybe it's not a line item. I see other grants, but where is the grant money that we're securing through California um consulting? Is that projected here?

Okay. So, California Consulting is our vendor, our consultant to try to find and locate grants as they become available. Um, and I certainly can tell you from the number that's reflected on here, there's probably just one grant that is reflected, which is our cyber security that we have actually made some expenditure for. It's a small amount of like approximately 30 something thousand. These this other grant fund can will account for a number of grants that we receive. For example, homeland security, uh, assistance to the firefighter grants. Uh we have some cow grants uh cow recycle grant like the be uh beverage container grants uh that we would also put in this other grant fund. Um, but if you're specifically asking for grants that kind of be a result of a consulting firm, it is u like I mentioned just the one that we have actually have made some use on. There are there are definitely grants that we've been awarded uh but we are still working on and have not made expenditure for it and yes they will be reflected in this fund when that when that happens.

Interesting. So, right now, my understanding is that with California Consulting, um, we're using them. Is it like a part-time or can you help me understand how we we've hired them? Uh, they're they're not like a full-time employee. It's just a consulting company. Is that correct?

I mean, they certainly have monthly um meeting with city representative from the different departments. And this department after they're selected have certainly communicate what each department needs are and the consultant would go and look for the different grants available out there that certainly we're just depending on city staff we have no knowledge of. So they're there to help facilitate to understand the city needs and go out there and look for grants and they provide the city with information and say you know we need this information if you would like are interested in a grant uh provide some information provide the information that's required actually I should say that um they will kind of help us through and uh work with us to let's just say for example a certain grant would need matching fund they will communicate with the city staff and say now we need to put together something to be able to put in the application and apply. So, they certainly helped the city through steps until we get our awards and which we I'm I'm happy to say we did receive a few awards already, but as I mentioned, it's just because it takes time uh to certainly either procure, find the right vendors to be using the expenditure because as we all know grants is very restrictive. So um in fiscal year 24 25 we have one grant that actually u made some expenditures and there's more coming in 2526.

Interesting. Thank you. Um the last question. So with this consulting company would you say that we're definitely seeing is there a way to assess them? Are we seeing the return in and the investment with them? Um I'm they I want to say certainly with their services we have located grants that we never know we probably would never know if we if they weren't around to help us to kind of look for it. So I'm going to say in the long run it probably is because our grant figures um what's been awarded has been of a decent amount and it will be definitely helpful to the department once we use it. Thank you,

Councilman Ding. Yeah. Okay. So, for the general fund change of the fund balance, the the that page. Okay. I saw the like uh change uh bad. Yep. One more. One more page. One more pay. No general fund. It was for general fund. the general fund and one actually this chart one more

that one yeah oh this chart this chart yeah yeah yeah okay this chart okay it's we talking about we adopt the budget 202425 should be like uh have uh surplus it's 5 574 right final the budget we proved It's uh will be deficit 2,164 but actually so we have the surplus 1.7 correct

89. So that's that's great. That's good. So but how can we have the looks like because previous the budget it's is betting it's like two million something the loss but right now it's opposite. So that's meaning almost 1.7 million. Oh it's 37 million increase. Yeah. So what what's the happen to help us to understand it? Yeah. So certainly uh let's follow let's go with the columns.

So 2425 adopted budget. Let's just say that is uh in June of 2024. The council adopted the budget that with calculation of estimated revenue and expenditure we will end up with a surplus of 57 574,000. That is our estimate. basically starting out the year July 1 throughout the fiscal year coun uh staff reports uh from council agenda council has approved and basically approved more projects that have increased expenditure

and also at the same time if there were revenue stream that actually comes with those changes we the council have to adopt a resolution to increase a budget. So for revenue um between the the original adopted budget and the final budget you there was some increase as well expenditure. So with the expenditure when we increase this as you can see from 54 million in expenditure to 57 that's because we're assuming everything that was adopted of course plus everything that you have added throughout the year uh assuming 100% expended. Let's just say that. Okay. Because assume we're assuming 100% revenue of everything we've estimated and assume 100% use of expenditure.

If that was the case, we would be in a negative 2.2 million.

But um that kind of like the same as an assumption the difference between assumption estimate versus actual. So in actual at the end of a fiscal year uh after we close the book the June 30 2025 the actual is what you're seeing in the third column there of revenue uh which exceeded our budgeted amount and ex and expenditure we got savings. So we expanded 96% of our estimated budget. So therefore there you see the difference in in your estimated net change versus actual net change. Thank you explainer. think that the financial department and and market the leadership too and actually so when I got I I think six years ago I get on board it's really like a consideration I know I right now your explanation I I understand it we try do the like conservative for the for the tax the revenue and uh also try maximize the estimate for the expenditure so That's the this kind of philosophy will be helped to finally can get the like if possible it's even you estimated deficit but probably it's like uh I really happy to see that it's still continue have a surplus. Thank you. Good good job.

I would ask the city council to hold on to that good feeling for two weeks because we're going to do our midyear next uh at the next council meeting. Okay. We are a little bit less conservative next year because of or or for the current fiscal year because of the increases that we gave to our employees. So I hope you have the same good feeling in two weeks when the numbers are a little bit upside down. Give me the surprise. Right. Right. Okay. Mark the debits and the credits and when we um we get some credit sometimes this will be the credit and next week will be the debit. Okay. All right. Thank you Mark explain. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. Thank you, Linda. Great job always. And uh Will and your team and and the auditor. Um quick uh just a quick uh easy question, I guess, a reminder question for me. U I was reminded when uh Councilman Herrera Aila was asking about the the grants and uh our relationship with California Consulting. Uh can you remind me how that works? Do do we pay them a fixed fee or do they take a percentage of the grants that they find us or or accommodation or how how does that work? Oh no. So we do not pay them by percentage. We do have a contract with them when they I mean then get monthly basically a monthly invoice for services rendered.

Okay. So um I believe we have about 50 something,000. Okay. Budgeted for California consulting. Okay. So that's that's the to the extent of what they can charge us for the fiscal year and and any any grant that they can help us get the award as I mentioned earlier certainly that that's higher um and good and better for better for the city. So I think overall we we still get a a good value from for what we pay for that. Okay. Thank you. Um that's all I have for now. Uh let's see clerk. Do we have any public comment on this issue? Uh, we have no public comments.

I'm shocked. What? Not a whole bunch of people clamoring to ask accounting questions. Oh, sorry. Oh, boy. All right. Um, it's now time for council discussion. Who? Well, oh, I guess there's no We had our discussion. So, this item is just to receive a file. So, uh, if there are no objections, that's what we'll do. Thank you. Um, all right. So, now, uh, it's time for city manager report.

Uh, thank you, Vice Mayor. I just wanted to mention and I'm sure that um several of you will mention during your own comments but had a tremendous time with you at uh ICA and it's such a a great conference and for those of you that were able to make it such a a great conference to be at and I enjoy learning at the same time as you all do and being able to collaborate on on new things that we learn and find out what other cities are doing. Sometimes we feel good about what we're doing compared to them. Sometimes we feel like we need to catch up, but I feel like it's a good use of all of our time.

Thank you, Mr. City Manager. And um now we'll move to council comments and conference meeting reports. Um we'll start with uh Councilman Woo.

Well, thank you, Acting Mayor. Uh from February 20th to February 22nd. Thank you so much, Mark, for the heads up. and I attended the A um the independent cities association winter seminar uh together with you know mayor vice mayor and also Mark um but the conference is not only provide an opportunity that we meet um our colleagues from other city but also offer uh this conference offers many informative sessions that refresh my understanding of conducting the city's business and this seminar covered a number of the public uh very important topics including the costal uh uh commission policy cyber security planning and response and municipal governance. So one of the most informative I would like to share with everyone here is about the smart revenue strategy. Uh you know that was u uh presented by this um the council member from Glendel along with the representative from the state treasury office and discussed how the city can strengthen their budgets without rising taxes or cutting services. And one key point discussed was uh how the city should approach their uh signed raina numbers, the housing numbers that while building the new housing units including affordable housing that city should view housing as a form of economic development by integrating housing with live, work, shop concepts. So cities can comply with arena requirements, address uh density and uh you know improve the shopping centers and retail uh corridors. But I'm very grateful the city of St. Gabriel that is already on the right track. Currently we have 18 projects under on underway that uh adding housing while also creating new job opportunities and supporting business developments through the mixeduse projects that will help

revitalize the entire city. And another topic was a short-term rentals. Um as everyone knows that aside of the hotels, our city currently prohibits short-term rentals for 30 days or less. So from the time to time that I hear concern from our residents that about the neighborhoods that being affected by the unpermitted Airbnb type rentals that operate quietly without paying TOT while causing noise uh parking and safety issues. So from a legal perspective that um the conference provided value valuable insight into more effective ways to enforce municipal codes and I believe that uh we gain useful ideas that how to secure the right resource to better manage and address those unpermitted short-term rental business in the city of St. Gabriel. And so overall the IC I greatly value the information and insight provided by IC conference. um on February 29th in the um that I attended a appreciation ceremony hosted by the Good News LA church in Temple City that together with the International Youth Fellowship, Council Member Ding and I presented the certificates to community volunteers who have been actively supporting uh and helping with many communities event including those held in Ced St. Gabriel. So, and also I attended Sher Luna, Robert Luna's lunchon organized by Temple City's Chamber of Commerce where we received updates regarding the public safety issues. On February 28th, I attended Hong Kong Business Association of Southern California event at St. Gerber Hilton and also joined the Lunar New Year dinner hosted by the Chinese American Military Support. It was truly an honor to meet so many mens and women that currently serving our country as well as val of the veterans that who

have dedicated their lives and protect our freedoms. I'm very proud to attend this event along with our mayors and many elected official from neighboring city. And the last thing is just a recommendation for our staff that um since our city's website and also our domain name will be officially changed from St. Gabrielcity.com to st gabriel.org.gov. Uh maybe that in the future that our agenda especially on the 11 adjoinment after that we have those um like a website that we can update it to the stabil.gov gov and also some of the uh translation service that can be requested from the city clerk at sgch.org that can also be formalized to our current uh domain name. So I would say um people will get used to the new domain names in the future and while we are still in the transition that we are still able to be accessed by those old emails but it's good to display the new one. So, that concludes my report. Acting mayor, thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Woo. Uh, Councilman Herrera Abula, I'll keep it brief. Um, just want to say I'm happy to announce that the League of uh, California Cities have has appointed me to a policy committee that's going to be the the revenue and taxation policy committee. And I just wanted to report on that. And that's all I have. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Herrera Abula. Councilman Ding.

Thank you, Vice Vice Mayor. Okay. The February 18, I have chance to we nearly joined the the contra city the ball meeting. It's really the the the event hosting our county uh fire department uh headquarter training center. It's really uh experience a good experience to to attend it. Okay. And uh we we are like uh actually the council member who mentioned the ICI because I I already register but finally have some issue. I cannot I wish I can attend I can get receive this wonderful message the council member will share and u February 19 I have the chance to see the special movie uh actually should be ch the uh should be used the English name called a Shanghai okay they it's actually used my hometown dialogue to perform the movie it's it's really help. So I glad still in our our sabi valley to have you have chance to uh have decent culture and the February 28 have a lot of event holding on at it's it's for the golden crown award they hosting and our sheritan okay there it's a lot of the business woman they're successful one of the one of the is it's our diamond bar the current council member former mayor Dr. and the wife get received this uh reward. It's it's a really good uh event to our city hosted in our city and uh the afternoon

they also I have the chance called IYF it's hosting uh at good news at uh church temple city I have chance with our council member vu together so uh I even the church they we I can see a lot of our sabi resident too okay and uh I have a chance to to the camp Chinese American military support. Uh I think I go too early and and council member will go later. we have the with our our mayor together and the last that that the last one it's calleding a ming association is our neighbor they hosting our name neighborhood city it's a it's a rose and the March 1st I have chance to visit uh have a chance to to join the uh the councelor general of for Vietn uh have the spring uh gathering okay like Luna New Year's festival and uh they have allowed the local uh Vietnamese or Vietnamese Chinese American they they join it and uh I I used this opportunity chance say hey our city have some population the Vietnamese we have the city agenda we have ch translation for the Vietnamese they they are really happy about that okay so that's referred our I was city cultural and uh today's morning morning I have I go to far away it's corona to join some uh business relocation called th send thunder uh they distribute a lot of our actually it's it's most our daily life the the food or like merchandise through their

the warehouse it's really good uh to attend in it and uh hopefully they can give it to us our city the business uh business owner or business is a good supply and then we have the good food good merchandise in our city and then we can get a more tax revenue okay that's all thank you

thank you m thank you council ding um as madame mayor manaka is uh had to leave early today I will do do a brief report on her behalf. She also uh attended the Independent Cities Association conference with a few of us and uh it and she attended all the the classes and I'm sure she got a lot out of them. Um then switching to my report on the same topic. Um yeah, there were there were quite a few interesting discussions and topics. I think my colleague uh Councilman Woo already mentioned most of them, but uh but yeah, a few that really impressed me were uh uh using drone technology and there was a a couple of uh I guess demonstrations and uh it's it's amazing what modern technology can do and so th those kind of things are are helping cities improve safety and u those kind of uh issues. Um, also using social media to help cities communicate better. You know, I think uh our city does a great job, but you know, as technology just again, like I said, technology just gets faster and faster and you know, it's harder to keep up, but you know that there are a lot of uh opportunities uh to help cities communicate and use technology. Well, um, there was an is, uh, oh, again, previously mentioned by my colleague, Councilman Woo, uh, there's an interesting discussion on how to manage short-term rentals like Airbnb, Airbnb in our cities and try to make it so they don't get out of control and um, and they don't uh, cause a negative uh,

effect on our communities, especially uh, cities like St. Gabriel where we are we pride ourselves in being a very uh familyfriendly community and you know sometimes we want to keep uh a certain level of safety and uh uh quietness and not have it overrun by wild parties and things you hear on the news about when Airbnb goes wrong. So, um, on the 24th, uh, I, uh, attended a business networking meeting, uh, Mixer at Luna's just next door. So, again, uh, helping our our own St. Gabriel City restaurants and businesses, you know, improve and uh, thrive. On the 27th, I attended USC Arcadia Kek Hospital charity fundraiser and it was an event host uh the hosted and honoring Dr. Shirleyqi and it was a a very nice event and uh they do some great work. On the 28th, I attended Alhhamra's Lunar New Year celebration along with uh Madame Mayor who couldn't be here at the moment, but yes, uh she pres presented the uh certificate of congratulations on our city's behalf and it was a very nice event. Um also on that same day, uh I was with uh St. and Gabriel's own pastor Eric Chen, not me, Pastor Eric Chen. We get confused with each other all the time. Um, and he actually happens to, besides being a pastor, he actually happens to be a Gabrielino High School speech and debate coach. And so he was gracious enough to invite me to an event uh to watch some of our Gabrielino students compete at Lockinata High

School. And I'll tell you that I watched some of their events. They are very talented team. And so um that concludes my report. So let's move on to the next item. The vice mayor, can can I say something? Actually, today's Latin festival day today. Oh yeah. Oh, okay. Actually, so uh I just want to like community know we on the on our March 21st have a city event for the Latin festival. Today is the exact day. Oh, happy happy Latin festival.

Yeah. Oh, I did not realize that. Thank you for the reminder. And uh for everyone, yes, please remind remember remember to come to St. Gabriel's Lunar New Year Lantern Festival event on the weekend of March 21st and 22nd. We're doing two days, right?

Yeah. Hardcore. Two days. Yeah. So, so you've got a little bit of uh pre um warning and notice. So, please put it on your calendar for March 21st and 22nd. And um if that's all with the conference meeting reports, then we see that the we have no closed session this evening. And um okay, so the next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be held Tuesday, March 17th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. Now, I know that that is uh St. Patrick's Day and you be thinking of partying instead of coming to city council meeting, but don't do it. Come to city council meeting. All right. This meeting is adjourned at uh 8:54