Community Corner

Monrovia City Manager's Update | August 14, 2020

Thank you to everyone who has continued to support Monrovia businesses through these challenging times.

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Press Release Desk, News Partner

Press release from the City of Monrovia:

August 14, 2020

Hello Monrovians,

Find out what's happening in Monroviafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Earlier this week, the Monrovia Old Town Advisory Board recommended the extension of outdoor dining on Friday evenings to the end of the year.

Several weeks back, I had asked for the community's assistance in making this program successful by following all the health guidelines and I am so proud to say that Monrovians have really stepped up. Thank you to everyone who has continued to support Monrovia businesses through these challenging times.

Find out what's happening in Monroviafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe, Monrovia!

Sincerely,
Dylan

Highlights in this Issue

Monrovia Canyon Park & HWP Closure

Due to elevated temperature and poor air quality, Monrovia Canyon Park and the Hillside Wilderness Preserve (HWP) will be closed beginning today, Friday, August 14, and will remain closed throughout the weekend. The closure may be extended if weather conditions do not improve. If there are any changes, the community will be notified at that time.

Additionally, through this period, you may see an increased presence of the fire department in the foothill neighborhoods as we increase patrol.

LA County COVID-19 Rent Relief to Launch August 17

In an effort to assist renters with limited means affected by the COVID-19 crisis, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has provided $100 million in CARES Act funds to create a COVID-19 Rent Relief program, operated by the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA). The program is set to launch on Monday, August 17, and will remain open for a two-week period, closing on August 31. The program’s goal is to assist between 8,000 to over 9,000 households.

The emergency rental assistance provided is intended to meet the needs of low-income renters who have struggled to pay their rent and/or who are behind on paying rent due to the economic impacts caused by the pandemic. Those who are most at need will be targeted with more assistance.

The program is available to all residents of the County who qualify, with the exception of residents living in the City of Los Angeles, as the City also received its own allocation of CARES Act funds. A W-9 and participation agreement are needed from the property owners to receive rental income on behalf of their qualified tenant; property owners must agree to the terms of the participation agreement. Citizenship documentation will not be requested from any party (renter or property owner).

A list of Frequently Asked Questions with more program detail is available at rentrelief.lacda.org

LA County Cooling Centers

The Los Angeles County has designated cooling centers to provide the public relief from the heat. Residents who do not have access to air conditioning are encouraged to take advantage of these free cooling centers. To find a location near you, visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat or call 211.

The health and safety of staff and visitors at cooling centers is priority. When visiting a cooling center, the following are recommended:

  • Staff and visitors are instructed to stay home if they do not feel well. Any person reporting or exhibiting signs of illness is advised to seek appropriate medical care.
  • Staff and visitors are required to wear a face covering at all times.
  • Staff and visitors are advised to practice social distancing by standing at least six feet away from other persons, except for family members. Tables, chairs and other physical layouts are arranged to ensure appropriate distancing. Occupancy is reduced by more than half to prevent crowding.
  • Signage is posted throughout cooling centers reminding staff and visitors of key protective actions, including the proper way to wear face coverings, washing hands, covering sneezes and coughs, and to avoid touching their faces.
  • Cooling centers follow cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Frequently contacted surfaces like door handles, handrails, counters, seating, bathrooms, and floors are cleaned more often. Trash is collected and disposed of regularly.

Elevated temperatures may cause heat-related illnesses, which can occur suddenly. During the heat, please take the following precautions:

  • Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.
  • If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen.
  • Cars get very hot. Never leave children or pets in cars and call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.
  • Beware of heat-related illness, like heat stroke and call 911 if you see these symptoms: high body temperature, vomiting, and pale and clammy skin.
  • Check on those at risk, like those who are sick, older adults, pregnant women, and children.
  • Avoid strenuous work outs wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purposes; this means avoiding contact with others while you work out.

MAP Educational Community Meeting

MAP Educational Community Meetings (MAP-edu) are offered to keep the community educated on current topics in the community and to highlight opportunities for involvement. Although we have gone virtual, this remains a great opportunity to engage and become educated on the important matters occurring presently in and around the Monrovia community.

The next community meeting will take place on August 22 at 11 a.m. The topics at this meeting will be the following:

  • MAP Updates
  • Meet Your Monrovia Police Officers
  • Mayor Tom Adams gives insight on the Monrovia Ad Hoc Committee
  • Q&A with Monrovia City Manager, Dylan Feik

If you would like to join us, please RSVP .

Bus Stops along Huntington Drive Have Been Touched Up

The Public Works team has completed much needed touch-ups to the bus stops along Huntington Drive. Over the past week, staff pressure washed and painted each canopy.

Thank you to our Public Works team for ensuring that are public spaces are maintained!

Library Park Fountain

If you have been by Library Park lately, you might have noticed that the fountain is not operating. Unfortunately, one of the fountain pumps failed and needs to be repaired. Staff is working to with our maintenance contractor to source the needed parts but we are anticipating that the fountain will be down for about the next 4 weeks. If you have any questions or comments, please call the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575.

Support an Eagle Scout Project

On August 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nathan Schwandt will be hosting a donation drive at Methodist Church at 140 E. Palm Ave., Monrovia . He will be collecting blankets, sleeping bags, tents, and brand new socks for his Eagle Scout Project. The blankets and sleeping bags can be used, but they must be washed before brought to the collection day.

For those who would like to assist but don't have blankets, Nathan will also be collecting monetary donations. The money will be used to purchase new items that are still needed after the collection day. All items will be donated to Foothill's Kitchen.

If you would like to donate prior to the collection day, please contact Nathan at 626-253-0185 to arrange a drop-off time.

Bulky Item Pick- Up Program

Due to COVID-19, Athens Services discontinued bulky item pick-ups in some cities, but have continued in Monrovia. During the pandemic, Monrovia's regular daily average went from 30 items per day to 90 items per day.

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. Bulky items include any nonhazardous, household items (furniture, appliances, and large boxes, mixed waste) that will not fit into your cart of bin.

Please schedule these collections at least two-days prior to your normal collection day. Once schedule, please place these items out with your normal trash for collection.

To schedule a bulky item pick-up, please call Athens Services at (855) 557-1007. For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Public Works at (626) 932-5575

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:

Raffle tickets will be pulled each Thursday and the winners will be notified by Public Works Staff.

Since June 4, we have received 1209 reports for abandoned bulky items! Thank you for reporting these items! The winner for this week’s drawing is…. Dick Singer!

Athens Services Transitioning Back to Normal Operations

As the public is aware, service delivery methods were impacted due to COVID-19 in most sectors imaginable and solid waste was no different. In response to COVID-19, Athens Services implemented changes to how their customers waste was collected and sorted. Beginning in April, Athens was utilizing a single pass collection system where all customer bins were collected in a single truck. At the materials recovery facilities (MRFs) the sorting was transitioned away from hand sorting and was only done mechanically. These measures were implemented to maximize the safety of their staff and the public.

As of August 1, Athens has returned to the separate collection of all customer bins and the MRFs are back to nearly 85% of capacity in terms of hand sorting. Barring any changes to CDC recommendations or other regulatory orders in light of COVID-19, Athens will continue forward in resuming normal operations.

Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to call the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575. Learn more about the City's Solid Waste Programs and view informative videos about how it works.

Rate Adjustments Approved for Solid Waste Services

On August 4, the City Council reviewed and considered a proposed rate adjustment from Athens Services to all solid waste accounts across the City. The approved rate adjustment includes consideration for impacts related to AB 1594, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and wage considerations. As outlined below, the adjustment of 5.66% includes:

AB 1594 Impacts: 3.64%

Annual CPI Adjustment: 1.70%

Annual Minimum Wage Adjustment: 0.32%

Total Requested Adjustment: 5.66%

When applying the adjusted rates, the typical customers will see monthly increases of:

Residential (3 X 90 Gallon Carts): $ 1.88 / month

Multi-Family (1 - 3yd bin x 1/week): $10.72 / month

Commercial (1 - 3yd bin x 1/week): $10.91 / month

The updated rates will be reflected on the next billing cycle and will include retroactive billing to the period beginning July 1. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact Athens Customer Service at (888) 336-6100 or the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575.

August is “National Water Quality Month” and we are Participating National Mayor’s Challenge for Conservation

The EPA has designated August as National Water Quality Month! As the City of Monrovia is responsible for providing water to the community, water quality is a key priority for our organization! Every July, the City releases the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, also known as the Consumer Confidence Report, for the preceding calendar year (2019). The report provides information related to the source of your water, what is in it, how we treat it and how it measures in comparison to all State and Federal drinking water standards. We are happy to report that, again, for 2019, the City of Monrovia has met all water quality standards. View this report (and the previous 10 years) and learn more about the City’s water quality online.

In addition to water quality, another key priority related to our water operations is conservation. As everyone is likely aware, the State of California and the San Gabriel Valley, in particular, have been in a fluctuating state of drought for the last several years. In order to sustain sufficient water resources for all of our needs, we need to work on making conservation a way of life. As we have in previous years, the City is again participating in the Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. To support the City’s participation in this and our commitment to water conservation, please visit www.mywaterpledge.com and commit to conserving water! The Challenge will recognize and award Cities with the highest level of pledges so please join us in doing your part.

If you have any additional questions about water quality or conservation, please visit the City website or contact the Public Works Department at (626) 932-5575 or pwcomments@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

COVID-19 At a Glance

Latest Facts & Figures

Jurisdiction

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

Monrovia Renewal Construction Updates

Work is underway in the Northeast Section of the Monrovia Renewal project. This represents the final section of work for Monrovia Renewal, which is the largest public works project in City history! The Northeast project section includes the area of the City that is bound by the City limit to the east, Myrtle Avenue to the west, Greystone Avenue and Hillcrest Boulevard to the north, Colorado Boulevard and Royal Oaks to the south.

  • Phase 1: May & June
  • Phase 2: July & August
  • Phase 3: September & October
  • Phase 4: November & December

We appreciate your patience and support while we work to execute these improvements throughout our community! Should you have any questions, please call the Public Works at (626) 932-5575 or email monroviarenewal@ci.monrovia.ca.us.

For the week of August 17, work will include:

Concrete restoration, asphalt slot patching, and cleanup on the following streets:

  • Encinitas Avenue, Palm Avenue, Lime Avenue, Canyon Boulevard, Jasmine Avenue, Heliotrope Avenue, Wildrose Avenue, Shamrock Avenue, and Oakdale Avenue

48 Hour Construction Notice/ No Parking Signs distributed to the following streets:

  • Streets South of Greystone: Poinsettia Avenue, Grand Avenue, Aspen Drive, Pearl Avenue, Sierra Vista Avenue, Heliotrope Avenue, Poppy Avenue, Shamrock Avenue, Mountain View Avenue, Poppy Avenue, Valley View Avenue, Ocean View Avenue, and Madeline Drive

Excel Paving, the contractor for this project, will be circulating notices to impacted residents prior to initiating work and posting necessary park restrictions in the work area. Please keep a look out for any notifications and abide by any parking restrictions. Regular street sweeping will not take place in the work area during construction so please focus on the posted construction parking signage.

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 or Building Monrovia webpages.

Key Dates, Programs & Virtual Events

Neighborhood Watch Report

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 380 service events, resulting in 76 investigations. View the Neighborhood Watch Report.

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

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