City Of Monrovia: City Manager's Update | October 1, 2021

Press release from the City of Monrovia:

10/01/2021 10:14 AM

Hello Monrovians,

Yesterday, some of you may have seen a bear make its way to a tree at Primrose and Linwood, spending the day up there. Normally, this is not news (unless our media helicopters are sent out for footage). But when bears and mountain lions come below Foothill, we keep a watchful eye on them. The reason I mention it is that the bear remained in the tree all day and there was concern that it would try to cross Foothill again during the busy evening commute. A few of our park naturalists took turns keeping watch on the bear throughout the evening to help ensure a safe passage across Foothill Boulevard as it made its way back into the foothills. I'd like to give a special "thanks" to Steven Garcia, Rose Carabes and Chris Kirby who are compassionate and caring.

There are always exciting projects and activities happening in Monrovia and I encourage you to come join us and hopefully have some fun too. You’ll also find details regarding upcoming scheduled power outages, the first-ever OAKtober celebration, and much more.

Sincerely, 
Dylan

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

Highlights in this Issue  

• Scheduled Power Outages in the Northeastern Section of Monrovia   
• Celebrating OAKtober
• California Clean Air Day 
• Foothill Transit Forward

Scheduled Power Outages in the Northeastern Section of Monrovia   

Southern California Edison (SCE) has planned power outages to take place in the northeastern section of Monrovia. Beginning Friday, October 1, SCE will begin to upgrade aging infrastructure, make needed improvements, and complete other repairs. SCE and their contractors will work between Foothill and Greystone from Canyon through Grand Ave. and will hold periodic outages as follows: 

• Saturday, October 2 (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
• Sunday, October 3 (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.) 
• Tuesday, October 5 (8 a.m. – 2 p.m.) 
• Thursday, October 7 (8 a.m. – 5 p.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. 

Happy OAKtober!

No, that’s not a typo.  We’re dedicating the 10th month of the year to celebrating the oak tree.  There are several types of oak trees that are native to Monrovia, including the Coastal Live Oak, Engelmann Oak, and the Leather Oak.   Throughout the month, we’ll be highlighting information, tips on care and fun facts about this majestic tree.

California Clean Air Day

Wednesday, October 6 is California’s Clean Air Day! California is known for its beautiful scenery, great weather, and unfortunately it’s terrible air quality. Our air is ranked as some of the worst in the country, but we’re hopeful we can work towards creating a change! In an effort to make improvements, the City is joining the Coalition for Clean Air and pledging to take action to improve our air and protect our health. To do our part, the City will be planting a tree on the west side of Library Park and pledging as an organization to work towards creating healthier air for our entire community. Looking to learn more and take the pledge? Visit the California Clean Air Day website to take the pledge and learn more about the efforts in creating cleaner air! 

Please use the following tips to learn how to do your part to improve our air quality:

• Change or clean your home air filter
• Change your car cabin air filter
• Replace gas-powered yard tools with electric or hand-powered tools
• Make all online purchases in one order each week 
• Buy local produce
• Eat no meat for at least one day
• Plant a home garden or plot in our community garden
• Plant an indoor plant in your office/and or home
• Walk, bike, or scoot to local areas 
• Carpool 
• Take public transit

Foothill Transit Forward

How can your transit experience be improved? Foothill Transit Forward is a study that will evaluate the current Foothill Transit system and determine where improvements can be made. The goal is to create a service plan that will make Foothill Transit a more convenient and useful transportation option across the San Gabriel Valley.  

Your participation is important to the success of Foothill Transit Forward and we encourage you to share your feedback on your experience. Visit the project's website to take a survey or sign-up for the mailing list to receive project updates and information on future activities. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Drive 

Bethel AME Church of Monrovia, along with Impact Southern California, will host a COVID-19 vaccine drive on Saturday, October 2, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., at 148 W. Lime Ave., Monrovia, 91016. 

Community Meeting Regarding Possible Dog Park

The City of Monrovia is considering adding a dog park to Recreation Park and invites you to share your thoughts. Save the date for October 2, 10 a.m., at Recreation Park for a community meeting. Join us to learn more and provide feedback related to this proposed project!  

Old Town Monrovia Wine Walk 

The Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board and the merchant community is pleased to announce the launch of the 4th Annual Wine Walk in Old Town Monrovia! This event will take place on Saturday, October 9, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 

Enjoy the charm of Old Town Monrovia as you stroll down the street and explore each business, all while sampling various wine offerings. Registration is required and tickets will sell out quickly!

GoMonrovia Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Are Ready For Use!

The first EV charging stations in Old Town Monrovia are now open at 124 E Lemon Avenue. To celebrate the inauguration of these new services, the City will offer free charging through October 15, 2021!

Charging your car battery is easy with the Powerflex charging app. Here’s how it works: 

1. Download the Powerflex app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store
2. Follow these steps to set up your account
3. When you arrive at our charging station, launch the Powerflex app and scan the QR code on the station.

Once drivers have completed charging, please move it to a non-charging space so others may utilize the charging stations. Happy Charging!

For more information about the EV Charging Pilot project, please contact Chris Castruita at (626) 256-8224 or email ccastruita@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

Water Conservation is a Way of Life 

Water Conservation is a primary focus for Californians due to the extreme heat and dry conditions.  Historically, summer creates the potential for higher water use. As the climate continues be warm, we must be aware of our water usage.  As the State has been urged to reduce water use by 15 percent, let us please be mindful of our water usage while we are at home.

In partnership with the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), we're proud to offer residential and commercial rebates on indoor and outdoor devices as well as turf replacement through their SoCalWater$mart Program. In addition, the City adds supplemental funds to these rebates. Residents and business owners can apply for these rebates directly through the SoCalWater$mart website and receive rebate checks that include both the MWD and City contributions.

Before purchasing, check www.socalwatersmart.com for qualifying devices and application process. Some rebates require pre-approval.

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.

The winner for this week’s drawing is… Dolores Marchetti! Since June 2020, we have received 5,808 reports for abandoned bulky items! 

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.

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

• Monrovia City Council Meeting | October 5 | 7:30 p.m. 
• Old Town Monrovia Wine Walk | October 9 | 6 p.m. 
• Virtual Military Academy Day | October 16 | 9 a.m.  
• Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste Drive-Thru | October 30 | 9 a.m.  
• 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
• Request your Water Conservation Kit

Job Opportunities with the City of Monrovia 

• Management Analyst, Public Works & Administrative Services 
• Police Officer 
• Police Communications Operator (Part-Time) 

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 423 service events, resulting in 73 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.