City Of Monrovia: City Manager's Update | January 7, 2022

Press release from the City of Monrovia:

01/07/2022 12:34 PM

Hello Monrovians, 

Happy New Year! This first week of the year has passed us by with incredible fashion! I was raised in Utah and I remember a saying which goes something like "If you don't like the weather in Utah, wait one day. It will change." That is how I feel our first week of the year has passed us by. We are seeing multiple updates to health orders, CDC guidelines, and safety protocols. At work, school or our favorite retailers and restaurants, we are seeing limited staffing available due to COVID-19 and the omicron variant. There is so much happening and its happening so quickly, I'm sure we are curious - and possibly a bit nervous -  how the new year will continue to unfold.

As the year does unfold, the City will push forward with regular business including city operations, special events, programs/activities and more so long as we have the ability to do so, and so long as health guidance allows. In some cases, we may limit operations to protect health and safety and ensure business operations continue without interruption. For example, we temporarily closed the lobby at our Police Station for 2 weeks. We are doing this to ensure our 24/7 operations continue despite COVID-19. 

This update has been prepared to share with you a few things that will be taking place over the next few weeks. At a glance, you’ll find details regarding the State of the City Address, COVID-19 updates, water conservation, and much more. 

Sincerely, 

Dylan

Email: [email protected] 
Phone: (626) 932-5585

Highlights in this Update

• 2022 State of the City Address 
• COVID-19 Updates 
• Implementation of Phase II of the Water Conservation Plan
• Water Smart Home Program
• Request a Water Conservation Planner
• 2022 Residential and Commercial Solid Waste Rate Schedule
• Job Opportunities with the City of Monrovia 
• Virtual MAP-edu Meeting
• e-Notifications for Meetings
• Monrovia Historic Preservation Group presents Historic Walking Tour

2022 State of the City Address

Join us for the annual State of the City Address where our Mayor and City Council will come together to share some of the City’s accomplishments from the past year, and give you a first look at upcoming projects! This year’s event will take place on January 24, at LOOK Dine-In Cinemas, at 7 p.m. 

In-Person attendees must be vaccinated and wear a mask. For those unvaccinated or who would like to watch from home, the event will also be livestreamed for your convenience at cityofmonrovia.org/StateoftheCity.

COVID-19 Updates

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health has modified its Health Officer Order to include additional safety measures as a result of the increased circulation of the highly transmissible Omicron and Delta variant. Specifically, there are two updates to the Health Officer Order that the community should be aware of. 

Masking Requirements
Employers are required to provide their employees who work indoors in close contact with others with well-fitting medical grade masks, surgical masks, or higher-level respirators, such as N95 or KN95 masks by January 17. According to the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, these upgraded masks are better at blocking virus particles from going through the mask. 

Isolation & Quarantine Requirements
Isolation and quarantine requirements have been revised to align with State Public Health Officer’s guidelines as follows:

• Isolation – all persons who test positive regardless of vaccination status, previous infection or lack of symptoms, must self-isolate for at least 5 days
• Quarantine – All unvaccinated/vaccinated persons eligible for a booster but who have not yet received it, and who are in close contact with someone with COVID-19, must quarantine for 5 days. May only end quarantine after day 5 if (a) asymptomatic and (b) negative COVID test.
  • All fully vaccinated persons (2 doses plus booster for those eligible, 2 doses for those ineligible), do not need to quarantine following COVID exposure.

For additional information, please view a summary presentation on the new changes to the Health Officer Order. 

Implementation of Phase II of the Water Conservation Plan

Despite recent rainfall, California has experienced historically high temperatures and lack of adequate rainfall over years, resulting in drought conditions and increased reliance on groundwater which has lowered our water availability to near-record levels. 

In July 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom called upon the entire State of California to reduce water consumption by 15% and declared drought conditions in a vast majority of counties, including Los Angeles County.   

As Monrovians, we must do our part to reduce water consumption. In December, the Monrovia City Council implemented Phase II of the Water Conservation Plan, requiring a mandatory 10% reduction in water consumption to reach the statewide reduction mandate. It is important to note that as a result of establishing a Phase II water emergency, penalties will apply for violations of the mandatory requirements. Violations of the “prohibited acts” in the Municipal Code can be prosecuted as administrative violations. For customers who fail to reduce water usage by at least the required 10%, the proposed resolution will establish a penalty of two times the cost of a water billing unit (748 gallons of water) for each billing unit in excess what is permitted.

Moving forward, residents and commercial entities should not exceed 90% of their base period allocation. The base period allocation is defined by actual water usage during the same month of 2020. City staff are still finalizing public notices and outreach. We are preparing flyers to be distributed with utility bills but each water customer must be proactive in reducing water usage to ensure we conserve. This is a statewide effort and Monrovia is actively taking steps to ensure we meet our target. 

On Tuesday, January 4, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted several rules we should abide by to help conserve water:

• No watering lawns for 48 hours after a rainstorm 
• Do not let sprinklers run into the sidewalk 
• Do not wash cars without a shutoff nozzle 
• Do not hose down sidewalks 

Water Smart Home Program 

Did you know you can make your home water efficient… for FREE?! The Upper San Gabriel Water Municipal Water District has provided the opportunity for eligible residents to choose a variety of conservation items to be installed in their home, free of charge. Showerheads, meter monitors and smart irrigation controllers are just a few of the available options to be installed by a licensed contractor on a first come first serve basis. 

Request a Water Conservation Planner

In partnership with Smitten on Paper and BeWaterWise.com, we're excited to offer Monrovia residents planners filled with native plants and water conservation tips. Our hope is that you can use this planner on a daily basis and have it serve as a constant reminder to practice water conservation.

Planners will be available in the upcoming weeks. Due to a limited supply, submission of a form does not guarantee a planner. Once the form is submitted, you will be notified when the planner is available for pick-up.

2022 Residential and Commercial Solid Waste Rate Schedule 

Pursuant to the City’s current contract with Athens Services, the company is allowed annual rate increases. Representatives from Athens Services notified the City of their formal request to institute a 4.61% increase for solid waste services effective January 1, 2022. The actual dollar cost impact of the rate adjustment is projected to be as follows: 

• For the typical residential customer enrolled in the 90-gallon trash / recycling barrel program), solid waste services will increase by $1.56 / month, from $34.91 / month to $36.47 / month.

• For the typical commercial customer enrolled in the one 3-yard bin, which is serviced once per week, solid waste services will increase by $9.06 / month, from $203.62 / month to $212.68 / month.

Job Opportunities with the City of Monrovia 

The City of Monrovia is now recruiting for the following position:

• Director of Public Works
• Senior Accounting Assistant
• Fire Cadet (Volunteer)

Are you interested in joining the City of Monrovia? Our mission is clear..."We exist to serve the people of Monrovia to create a community that offers a premiere quality of life." If you are interested in joining us, submit your application today. 

Virtual MAP-edu Meeting Saturday, January 29, 2022 

The MAP team is hosting their quarterly MAP-edu meeting virtually on Saturday, January 29, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. With the start of the New Year, recovering from holiday spending and/or budgeting for the year may be a top priority. That being said, our meeting will offer great topics ranging from creating a budget to resources offered in Monrovia to care for our seniors. Please join us virtually at our upcoming MAP-edu meeting to talk about financial wellness and more. Register on Eventbrite today! If you have any questions or concerns, contact the MAP team at [email protected]. See you there!

e-Notifications for Meetings

View the Subscriptions page on the City’s website to sign up to receive e-Notifications for City Council meetings, as well as for several commissions and committees, including the Community Services Commission and the Library Board. Those who subscribe will be sent an email when meeting agendas are published.

 Monrovia Historic Preservation Group presents Historic Walking Tour

The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group will host another historic walking tour this Saturday, January 8. The cost is $5 per person and the tour lasts about 2 hours. It's a great way to start the new year by learning about Monrovia's history. Meet at the SE corner of Myrtle and Palm Avenues at 10 a.m. We will be walk to Olive Avenue and back (8 city blocks total) during the tour.

Work around Town 

Power Outage - Southern California Edison has planned power outages to take place on the following dates and times: Saturday, January 15, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the 300 and 400 block of West Hillcrest Boulevard, and Sunday, January 16, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at 1026 Norumbega Drive. 
Contact: Southern California Edison, 1(800) 655-4555

Bulky Items in Monrovia

Have you seen bulky items around town? If you report them into Public Works, you will be entered into a raffle and could win a $50 gift card to a Monrovia Business! If you are out and about around town and see furniture, boxes, or other items in the Right of Way (not on Private Property), please report them to Public Works. In turn, Athens Services will pick these items up within about 48- 72 hours. 

How to Report Bulky Items:

• Call Public Works at (626) 932-5575; or
• Email [email protected]
• Provide your name and address to be entered into the raffle.

Athens Services provides two (2) scheduled bulky item collections, at no cost, for residential customers. To arrange for a bulky item collection, please contact Athens Services at (855) 557-1007. 

Christmas Tree Recycling 

To recycle your Christmas Tree, place it curbside on your regular trash collection day. Please remove all ornaments, tinsel, plastic bags, nails, lights, and plastic or metal stands.

For more information, please contact the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575.

Latest Facts & Figures 

Residential / Non-Residential Settings in Monrovia 

Residential / Non-Residential Settings in Monrovia 

Facilities that have no reported positive COVID-19 cases for 14 days are considered to no longer have an outbreak and removed from the list. Confirmed cases of employees from residential/non-residential settings get counted under their home city.

Additional details on cases and deaths were not provided by the County of Los Angeles. View the Public Health Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Patient Privacy.

Stay Informed  Resources

Development Spotlight

Several significant projects are working their way through the review process and stages of construction here at the City. Among these are the Adaptive Reuse of the Monrovia Market Building (approved on Oct. 1), the Overton Moore Pacific Self Storage Project in the former Verizon Building in Old Town (approved on Nov. 19), 127 Pomona Multi-Family Development with 310 units at Station Square (approved on Jan. 21), the Alexan Multi-Family Development with 436 units at Station Square (approved on Feb. 4), and the Arroyo at Monrovia Station Multi-Family Development with 302 units (Planning Commission approved on Feb. 12). For more details, visit the Development Spotlight webpage.

Key Dates, Programs & Virtual Events 

• City Council Meeting | January 18 | 7:30 p.m. 
• Join the Bobcat Fire Clean-Up Crew
• Make an Appointment for Passport Services at Monrovia Community Center 
• Monrovia Street Fair & Market | Fridays | 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
• E-Waste Drop Off at Monrovia Public Works Yard | Daily
• Subscribe to e-Notifications for Meeting Agendas
• Request a Bulky Item Pick-Up
• Report Abandoned Bulky Item 
• Request your Water Conservation Kit
• Shop the City of Monrovia Official Store

City of Monrovia Job Interest Card

The City of Monrovia offers interested individuals a chance to keep themselves notified on our job openings through the job interest card. This card will help interested individuals receive notifications about positions that open within the city without having to continuously log on to view our employment opportunities page.

Neighborhood Watch Report 

This report lists the total number of calls for service received over the last seven-day period. View the Neighborhood Watch Report. 

This press release was produced by the City of Monrovia. The views expressed here are the author’s own.