Politics & Government

City Of Monrovia: City Manager's Update | November 5, 2021

Food ED needs your help in raising $10,000. They are doing so by selling homemade pies for $100 each, which can be picked up the week of ...

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Press release from the City of Monrovia:

11/05/2021 10:57 AM

Hello Monrovians, 

Find out what's happening in Monroviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hello Monrovians, 

Food ED needs your help in raising $10,000. They are doing so by selling homemade pies for $100 each, which can be picked up the week of Thanksgiving or you can also donate a pie to Foothill Unity Center for their Thanksgiving meals. A purchase of a pie will go towards supporting garden and food science in the San Gabriel Valley.

Find out what's happening in Monroviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Since establishing, Food ED has launched new and exciting garden and food science programs in Monrovia and at soon-to-be five Monrovia Schools! 

Have a wonderful weekend!
Dylan

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

Highlights in this Update  

  • Measure K Community Meetings
  • Visiting Monrovia Canyon Park
  • Volunteers Make a Difference
  • Art in Public Places New Online Map
  • Job Opportunity: Development Services Technician
  • Join the Bobcat Fire Clean-Up Crew
  • Veterans Day in Monrovia
  • Thankful & Grateful Holiday Gathering ad Tree Lighting Ceremony
  • Foothill Gold Line Construction Update
  • 2021 Monrovia O2breathe Virtual Event
  • Call 811 Before You Dig
  • Community Prayer Breakfast
  • Centre Stage presents Beauty and the Beast

Measure K Community Meetings

How would you spend $15,000,000 to better Monrovia? The Monrovia City Council wants to hear from you and City staff are holding outreach activities to hear your ideas, thoughts and preferences for how to spend this money. Come join friends, neighbors, business owners and the city manager and staff at a town hall meeting. Below are meetings dates and times.

  • November 13, Station Square Park, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. 
  • December 4, Library Park, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. 
  • December 11, Station Square Park, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.  

If you can’t make it, please submit your ideas at www.cityofmonrovia.org/measurek. 

Visiting Monrovia Canyon Park

Reservations will no longer be required when visiting Monrovia Canyon Park on the weekdays.

Those interested in visiting Monrovia Canyon Park on the weekends will still be required to make a reservation. To make a weekend reservation, please visit www.cityofmonrovia.org/CPreservation.

Monrovia Canyon Park is open Sunday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. On Tuesdays, Monrovia Canyon Park is closed to vehicles for routine maintenance, but still accessible for those walking or biking in.

For the safety of the community, the park will be closed during any rain event. To stay informed on changes to park hours, please follow the City of Monrovia on Facebook and Instagram, or call the Monrovia Community Center at (626) 256-8246.

Volunteers Make a Difference

The Volunteer Center of the San Gabriel Valley hosted the 31st annual Make a Difference Day event on October 23, 2021. Make a Difference Day is a national day of doing good! Over 210 volunteers dedicated four hours on a drizzly Saturday morning to lend a helping hand and make a positive impact on the community. Community members and local organizations completed numerous projects throughout Monrovia. Some of the projects included home and landscaping improvements for low-income families and seniors, park clean-ups and beautification, Monrovia High School and Santa Fe Middle School landscaping and Foothill Unity Center Food Sorting. Monrovia is lucky to have so many great volunteer groups that wanted to come out and make a difference.

Volunteers Groups included: Second Baptist Church,  Kiwanis Club of Monrovia, Monrovia Area Partnership Leaders, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Good Samaritan, Let's Get Checked Labs, Rotary Club, EPIQ Lending, Bahá'í Faith, Upward Bound Study, Chromologic and Library Teen Advisory Board.

In addition to the projects, residents had the opportunity to discard big bulky items at ten designated drop-off locations courtesy of Athens Trash Services. 

Thank you to our amazing sponsors! Make a Difference Day would not have been a success without the generosity of the year’s sponsors: City of Monrovia, Wendy's, Cal Blend Soils, EPiQ Lending, Jersey Mikes, Rebuild Together, Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, Home Smart Real Estate, Home Depot, and Athens Trash Services.

Looking forward to Make a Difference Day 2022! 

Art in Public Places New Online Map

The City of Monrovia recently published an interactive Art in Public Places Map. Monrovia’s public art is a vital element of the City’s character and plays an important role in making it a vibrant and culturally rich community.

Do you know there are over 120 pieces of public art in Monrovia? The map was designed with the goal of utilizing art as a vehicle to encourage walkability.

Users can easily navigate the map to see images, name of the artwork, its location, the artist and type of art. The map includes annual Signature Art Programs such as Art on the Box, Samson Bears, Footnotes and Neighborhood Treasures, as well as the Bob Bartlett Memorial, Mark Twain bronze statue, the Angel Wings and Myrtle Avenue’s Gateway Sign.

For information regarding the Art in Public Places Art Map, please contact Kerri Zessau at the Community Development Department at 626.932.5564 or [email protected].

Job Opportunity: Development Services Technician

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

  • Development Services Technician 

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!

Join the Bobcat Fire Clean-Up Crew

Temporary job opportunities are available for those who are interested in joining the Bobcat Fire Clean-Up Crew. Participant will be part of a crew assisting with the clean up of damages due to the wildfire. 

For more information, please contact: 

If you are interested in Bobcat wildfire temporary employment, training or workforce services, please sign up at www.mcscalifornia.com/wildfires. 

Veterans Day in Monrovia

To honor our Veterans, our "Field of Honor" will be displayed in Monrovia Library Park from Monday, Nov. 8 - Thursday, Nov. 11,. From the hours of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. you can visit our City Booth and remember a veteran by writing a message of appreciation and tying it to a flag pole. City staff will be available to hand out tags for those wishing to thank a veteran

We will also celebrate Veterans Day with a ceremony to honor those who have served and are currently serving the country. The ceremony will be, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., on Thursday, November 11, at Monrovia Library Park. 

Thankful & Grateful Holiday Gathering and Tree Lighting Ceremony

Join your neighbors and friends at Monrovia Library Park for a Thankful and Grateful Holiday Gathering! This FREE event will include: Live Entertainment, Truck Petting Zoo, Community Booths, Arts & Crafts and Hay Rides. At 7:30 p.m., don't miss a special guest who will assist in the lighting of the Holiday Tree in Library Park!

Foothill Gold Line Construction Update

The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority held a meeting to present an update on the extension project from Glendora to Montclair. Those interested in receiving additional updates can sign up to receive construction alerts at www.foothillgoldline.org. 

2021 Monrovia O2breathe Virtual Event

Join the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) and show your support of the PH community by registering for the 2021 Monrovia O2breathe Virtual Event! Fundraising dollars will power more research and fund more support for everyone living with PH. The virtual celebration will take place on November 6, at 10 a.m.

Join the event on Saturday: meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1462604353
Meeting ID:  146 260 4353 

Call 811 Before You Dig

SoCalGas would like to remind the community to call 811 before you dig. Underground pipeline can be located anywhere and hitting one of these pipelines can cause serious injury, property damage, and loss of utility service. 

Before any construction or projects that require digging, contact Underground Service Alert at 811 at least two days before excavating. Underground Service Alert will coordinate with SoCalGas® and other utility owners in the area to mark the locations of buried utility-owned lines. This service is free of charge. 

The Underground Service Alert is available between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays).

Community Prayer Breakfast

The Monrovia Chamber of Commerce invites all to attend the 55th annual Community Prayer Breakfast. With the theme of "All are Welcome in Monrovia" this year's event will feature Pastor Christopher A. Bourne Sr. of Second Baptist Church of Monrovia as the main speaker. 

The Community Prayer Breakfast will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott, on November 19, at 8 a.m. Those who are interested can register, for $30/person, by contacting the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce's office at 626-358-1159 or emailing [email protected]. 

Centre Stage presents Beauty and the Beast

Step into the enchanted world of Broadway's classic, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, presented by Monrovia's Centre Stage Inc at the IFGF Church located in the heart of Old Town Monrovia. 

The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. This "tale as old as time" is filled with spectacular costumes, and theatrical magic and a great opportunity to bring our entire community together for family theatre at its best. 

 

Monrovia Historical Museum Reopening

After an 18-month closure, the Monrovia Historical Museum will reopen on November 7! 

During the hiatus, the museum used it as an opportunity to expand and enhanced their exhibitions. New features include an updated Monrovia High School exhibit with yearbooks; a Monrovia Fire Department exhibit; and an upcoming display on the city's diversity created in conjunction with Monrovia ChangeMakers; and so much more.

Plan your visit now to see all the new changes. Beginning November 7, the regular operating hours are Sundays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Measure K, the Keep Monrovia Revenues Local Sales Tax Measure

During the months of October and November, city staff will visit different community groups to share an update on Measure K, the Keep Monrovia Revenues Local Sales Tax Measure. As you may recall, Measure K ensures that new sales tax revenues stay in Monrovia and are reinvested into our community. On April 1, 2021, the new sales tax measure went into effect, and based on projections, the estimated revenue generated by Measure K is $10.8 million for Fiscal Years 2021-23. Measure K funds are put towards projects that align with the Monrovia City Council’s goals of Financial Management, Infrastructure, Customer Service and Relationships. So far, the Monrovia City Council has only approved $3,574,916 towards: one-time infrastructure improvement projects, increasing financial reserves, battling cages at Barney Glenn Baseball Field, and the American Disability Act Transition Plan. 

Residents, along with in-town business owners, are encouraged to fill out a form on the City's website with spending suggestions for the new sales tax revenue received from Measure K. 

Tree Trimming Schedule

West Coast Arborists (WCA), the City’s contracted tree trimming company, will continue tree trimming in Grid 3 this week as they work between Colorado and Foothill from Madison through Fifth.

Grid 3 is the area between south of Foothill Blvd to the southern City limit, between Mayflower Avenue and 5th Avenue.

All City trees are pruned on a regular basis using best practices from the international society of arboriculture. Trees are trimmed in a manner that will encourage good development while preserving their health, structure, and natural appearance. During the trimming, traffic control will be in place and minor traffic delays may occur. Please be mindful of all posted signage.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575.

California Native Plant Sale

The California Native Plant Society, San Gabriel Mountain Chapter, will host a Native Plant Sale on Saturday, November 6, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the Monrovia Historical Museum. 

A good variety of reasonably priced California native plants and wildflower seeds appropriate for gardens in the Los Angeles basin will be available, including plants for attracting birds and butterflies to your home garden. Knowledgeable chapter members will also be on hand to answer questions.

For more information, take a look at the video below featuring Barbara Eisenstein of the California Native Plant Society. 

 

 

Monrovia Unified School District presents State of the Schools

The Monrovia Unified School District Board of Education cordially invites you to attend the 2021-22 State of the Schools Address! Join the Board of Education in celebrating Monrovia Unified's scholars, teachers, and community on Wednesday, November 17, at 6 p.m. This event will be held at the Louise K. Taylor Performing Arts Center. 

 

 

Scheduled Power Outages in the Northeastern Section of Monrovia

Southern California Edison (SCE) has planned power outages to take place in sections of Monrovia. SCE will continue to upgrade aging infrastructure, make needed improvements, and complete other repairs. SCE and their contractors will perform work at the following location:

  • Tuesday, November 9 
    • Greystone and Grand Avenues (6 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
    • 700 block of South Canyon Boulevard (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) 

Customers that will be impacted by this outage have received notifications from SCE. During a power outage, SCE customers can view current information regarding the outage and the estimated restoration time by visiting SCE Online

Should you have any questions, please call SCE outage phone number at 888-759-6056.

 

On October 19, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency and asked all Californians to do more to conserve water.  He added eight counties, including Los Angeles, to a list of counties in serious drought conditions and is asking everyone for a voluntary 15% reduction of water usage. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has responded by asking all communities, including Monrovia, to help conserve limited water resources.

To help us reach that goal, the City of Monrovia is doing its part by offering residents FREE water conservation kits! Together we can help the effort to conserve more water.

Please submit the following form to request a kit for pick up at the Public Works Yard located at 600 S. Mountain Avenue. Please note, limit one kit per household.

Water Conservation is a Way of Life 

Are you interested in having a great looking yard while also using less resources? The Los Angeles County Public Works Department is hosting a series of webinars to help our residents learn more about Smart Gardening. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to expand your knowledge, the LA County Public Works has a series of webinars for all areas. They are currently offering four subjects this fall: Intro to composting, Water-Wise Gardening, Organic Gardening, and Small Space Gardening. 

Report Bulky Items around Town and Be Entered to Win a Gift Card

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 hours.

Since June 2020, we have received 5,833 reports for abandoned bulky items!

How to Report Bulky Items:

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

This weeks winner is…Bobby Gray! Since June 2020, we have received 5,978 reports for abandoned bulky items! 

 

COVID-19 At a Glance 

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

Job Opportunities with the City of Monrovia 

  • Firefighter 
  • Principal Accountant 

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 

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 396 service events, resulting in 75 investigations. View the Neighborhood Watch Report. 

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

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