City Of Monrovia: City Manager's Update | July 30, 2021

Press release from the City of Monrovia:

07/30/2021 9:26 AM

Hello Monrovians,

If you don’t already know, Monrovia’s own Cravon Gillespie will be competing in the 4x100 meter relay next week. Mark your calendars and schedule time to watch and cheer on Cravon and Team USA.
 
We have a couple wonderful events coming up for you. On Saturday, July 31, the Monrovia Area Partnership, also known as MAP, will celebrate 15 years of service to our community by hosting a Block Party! This will be MAP's first in-person event for some time and it will be a good one. Please come join us at Julian Fisher Park for free BBQ, music, games, and raffle prizes. Drop by anytime from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and enjoy an evening getting to know your neighbors!
 
Then on Tuesday, August 3, our Monrovia Police Department will be hosting National Night Out, our annual community-building event where you can meet our police chief and many wonderful police officers. Enjoy some music and food and perhaps win a raffle prize. The event will take place at Library Park, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
 
There are so many things that make Monrovia the Gem of the Foothills. Personally, one of my favorite things is community events that bring us together to laugh, eat, have some fun, and make memories together. I hope to see many of you next week!

Dylan

Email: dfeik@ci.monrovia.ca.us 
Phone: (626) 932-5585

Highlights in this Issue  

• 4th of July Concert & Fireworks Show
• National Night Out with the Monrovia Police Department
• GoMonrovia, Wherever you go!
• Monrovia Police Department to Conduct DUI / Driver's License Checkpoint
• Now Hiring: Library Associate
• Southern California Edison GRC Proceeding

4th of July Concert & Fireworks Show

Monrovia was the place to be to celebrate 4th of July! There was delicious food in Old Town Monrovia, fun entertainment and the most spectacular fireworks show. Thank you to all who joined in on the celebration! 

Each year, the fireworks show takes months to plan and prepare for, including ensuring sufficient fire suppression is on standby. For those who were wondering, the fireworks are deployed off of the Monrovia Public Library's roof. Check out the video below for a behind-the-scenes look!

National Night Out with the Monrovia Police Department

We hope you can join the Monrovia Police Department for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Library Park

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police / community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. This year’s event will feature music, food, and raffles with a chance to get to know members of the Monrovia Police Department and our partners!

GoMonrovia, Wherever You Go!  

The City of Monrovia is excited to announce the new GoMonrovia website! It’s the one-stop shop to find alternative modes of transportation for all who live, work, and visit Monrovia, such as: 

• Biking for Bucks - Track your bike activity for a weekly chance to win a $50 gift card to a Monrovia business of your choice
• Lyft - Take a Lyft ride anywhere in the Monrovia service area at a reduced rate
• Monrovia’s Dial-a-Ride - Book a ride through an easy registration and scheduling system designed specifically for ADA passengers
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - Find charging stations near you and enjoy 30 days of free charging

GoMonrovia support alternative modes of transportation by reducing obstacles, enhancing opportunities, and inspiring future communities. We invite you to visit gomonrovia.com to keep up on the best form of transportation for you!

Monrovia Police Department to Conduct DUI / Driver's License Checkpoint

Monrovia Police Department will be conducting a DUI / CDL checkpoint on Friday evening, August 6, 2021.  Vehicles entering the checkpoint will be stopped.  Drivers will then be evaluated for being under the influence of alcohol and checked for having a valid driver’s license.

Over the course of the past three years, there have been 292 DUI investigations with 27 of those resulting in collisions with injuries, harming our citizens and neighbors of Monrovia. 

In California, this deadly crime led to countless deaths because someone failed to designate a sober driver.  Alcohol and drug-impaired deaths still make up the largest category of overall vehicle fatalities, with 29% of all deaths being caused by a drunk driver.

Monrovia Police Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun without a DUI:

• Always use a designated driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation
• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive?  Take their keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home. 
• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
• Hosting a party?  Offer nonalcoholic drinks.  Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not!  Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time. 

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to Monrovia Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Now Hiring: Library Associate

We're seeking an individual to join our team as a Library Associate!

The City of Monrovia is actively cultivating and promoting employee engagement and internal communication strategies to help build camaraderie between team members. We are focused on building an inclusive workplace for all individuals focusing on advancing social and racial equity, where unique talents and different perspectives are valued, and creative thinking is encouraged. If you're interested in joining the Monrovia team, submit your application today!

Southern California Edison GRC Proceeding

On Aug. 30, 2019, SCE had requested a rate increase in its General Rate Case application (GRC) (A.19-08-013) for 2021, 2022, and 2023.  In this application, SCE asks the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or Commission) for an authorized base revenue requirement of $7.601 billion to become effective January 1, 2021. Including sales reductions and a $87.1 million in one-time memorandum accounts recoveries, the request represents a $1.295 billion, or 20.1 percent, increase in 2021 over currently authorized base rates. Increases for 2022 and 2023 are $366.5 and $534.2 million.

SCE’s 2021 General Rate Case request reflects that customers and the State face unprecedented short-and long-term risks driven by climate change that SCE must help mitigate. Installation of covered conductor is SCE’s primary grid hardening wildfire mitigation solution, which in general terms, provides insulation over wire that is designed to withstand incidental contact from foreign objects. In the General Rate Case, SCE requests sufficient funding to install approximately 6,272 miles of covered conductor in High Fire Risk Areas in the service area between 2019 and 2023.
 
On July 9, SCE received the proposed decision on its General Rate Case from the CPUC, that would approve increases for some activities and decreases in others. The proposed decision largest and most concerning reductions are related to wildfire risk mitigation. Specifically, the proposed decision would reduce the amount of work necessary to replace bare distribution conductors with new covered conductor by 55%, resulting in 3,522 fewer miles of covered conductor than SCE’s request over the 2019-2023 period. This is inconsistent with State fire mitigation goals to reduce the risk of wildfires in high fire threat areas, and to reduce the use of Public Safety Power Shutoff events to mitigate ignition events as soon as possible. In addition, the proposed decision would significantly reduce funding necessary for tree trimming and tree inspections that take place throughout the year to help mitigate wildfires.
 
Opportunities for the public comment on the proposed decision and other matters will take place at the CPUC’s Business Meeting, which will occur on August 5. The earliest date the Proposed Decision may be voted out (made final) is at the Commission’s August 19, 2021, Business Meeting. 
 
If you are concerned about the Proposed Decision, you might consider adding your voice through outreach to the state legislature or the CPUC regarding these wildfire mitigation programs.

MAFA Summer Art Walks in Monrovia 

Monrovia Association of Fine Arts (MAFA) is excited to present Summer Art Walks in Monrovia! Here’s a chance to stroll in the cool evening breeze, listen to musical entertainment, meet up with friends and visit the great shops and restaurants in Old Town Monrovia all while viewing art work from MAFA artists. The Summer Art Walks will take place in Old Town Monrovia this coming Saturday, July 31, as well as August 28, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Monrovia Community Garden Accepting Applications for Garden Beds 

Want to join the Monrovia Community Garden? We are now accepting applications for the third year of the program!

The garden is located at 303 West Colorado, and there are 21 raised garden beds available for rent on an annual basis. Garden beds are open to Monrovia residents and families enrolled in MUSD. If you're interested in renting a garden bed, please download an application and submit it by September 10, 2021. The fee is $60 annually and scholarships are available to those who qualify. The program will run from October 2021-October 2022.

To contact Garden Director for more information, please send an email to info@monroviacommunitygarden.org.

Water Smart Home Program

Upper San Gabriel Water District is proud to announce the debut of its Water Smart Home Program!  Qualifying Monrovia residents may be eligible to receive up to six types of water conservation items to be installed in their home, free of charge, by a licensed contractor.

Qualifying residents must either: 

• Reside within the designated program area (purple shaded area) of Upper District’s service boundaries, or 
• Be enrolled in an income- assisted water bill program with the City of Monrovia for an address within the Upper District’s boundaries.

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.

How to Report Bulky Items:

• Call Public Works at (626) 932-5575; or
• Email bulkyitem@ci.monrovia.ca.us
• Be sure to provide our name and address to be entered into the raffle.

Raffle tickets will be pulled each Thursday and the winners will be notified by Public Works Staff. The winner for this week’s drawing is… William Deets! Since June 2020, we have received 5,068 reports for abandoned bulky items! Thank you for reporting these 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

Monrovia Strong  

Monrovia Strong  

The Monrovia Strong webpage was created to share with the community different resources to help you and your family get through these challenging times. 

Visit Monrovia Strongto explore the many activities and resources. We're in this together, Monrovia! 

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

• Monrovia Area Partnership Block Party | July 31 | 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
• MAFA Summer Art Walk | July 31, August 28 
• Monrovia City Council Meeting | August 3 | 7:30 p.m.
• Summer Concerts in the Park | weekends in July & August 
• Summer Movies in the Park | August 21 & August 28
• Make an Appointment for Passport Services at Monrovia Community Center  
• Monrovia Street Fair & Market | 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. 
• E-Waste Drop-off | Daily | Monrovia Public Works Yard   
• Subscribe to e-Notifications for Meeting Agendas
• Request a Bulky Item Pick-Up

Job Opportunities with the City of Monrovia 

• Recreation Coordinator
• Senior Development Services Technician   
• Library Associate 

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 342 service events, resulting in 47 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.