Mayor's Corner

By Mayor Ross J. Maza

Happy Lunar New Year, Alhambra! May your year be filled with abundance, health, and happiness. Are we really in February already?!

As 2024 is now in full swing, work at Alhambra City Hall has not slowed down. There is the typical everyday work happening, which keeps the city running smoothly day in and day out, but there is also a lot of long-term planning and projects taking place simultaneously. The city council will be conducting the annual “Strategic Planning” meeting on March 13, 2024, and I encourage you to attend. During this meeting, the City Council meets to organize and prioritize longer-term activities and projects. The meeting is open to the public, and I encourage you to share your thoughts and opinions about any issue that will enhance our beautiful city.

As Mayor, I had the tremendous privilege of attending the annual US Conference of Mayors. I am proud to say that the City of Alhambra, in conjunction with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG), was recognized for its recycling efforts by The US Conference of Mayors and the American Beverage Association, and awarded First Place nationally for a medium size city. The prize for this recognition was a very welcome $175,000! These funds will be used to enhance our recycling efforts related to Senate Bill 1383. Many of the local cities have pooled resources to maximize and expand recycling operations. Alhambra’s/SGVCOG’s focus, which led to this recognition, was based primarily on the Regional Food Recovery Program (FRESH SGV), which aims to keep edible food out of landfills. This effort has a number of tremendous benefits. Two of the bigger benefits are the redirection of fresh edible food from landfills to food pantries, which can put it in the hands of those facing food insecurity, and the reduction of methane gases being emitted from our landfills. I was very proud to represent Alhambra as it received this award. A big thanks to the hardworking staff at Alhambra City Hall and at SGVCOG. A video highlighting this recycling program is available on the city website, cityofalhambra.org.

Please know that I am always available to all of our residents to discuss your thoughts and concerns about our beautiful city. I look forward to continuing to connect with many more of you in the upcoming months. Best wishes always.