Covina
FaLL 2015
Today
ALSO INSIDE:
New trailer aids recycling PAGE 3 Meet Jarno, the police dog PAGE 5 A balanced budget PAGE 9
Cougar Park NEW PLAYGROUND CELEBRATES HERITAGE
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City Manager: Enhance services to residents Responsiveness. Priority setting. Effective communication. Engaged leadership. Creating value. These are among the areas of focus at City Hall. Below, new City Manager Andrea Miller answers questions about priorities. What are the city’s most pressing challenges? The city is grappling with a budget shortfall resulting in part from rising costs of providing services, static revenues and repair and replacement of aging infrastructure. While challenging, these obstacles are not insurmountable. The city has taken steps to right Covina’s budgetary ship and is currently drafting a long-term economic sustainability plan that seeks to assist decision-makers in understanding the future impacts of policy decisions being made today and ensure that resources will be available to meet service needs. What are your top priorities? Restoring Covina’s economic strength and stability. Doing so will, in turn, enable us to focus on another critical priority, which is to take advantage of opportunities to enhance the level of services to residents. Do you have any specific services in mind? Our sights are set on a long and growing list of items large and small, from repairing our roads and public buildings to the opening of a new park to being responsive to everybody who lives, works and plays in Covina.
City Manager Andrea M. Miller in front of City Hall
You’ve only been City Manager for a few months, what are your impressions of the city so far? With fewer than 50,000 residents, Covina is still modest in comparison to many of its neighbors. But I’ve quickly learned that this city’s dreams and accomplishments have never been limited by its size. Covina is positioned for a bright future. Why did you recommend layoffs so quickly after joining the City’s team? Over the last several years, the City has used reserves, or its savings, and
Andrea Miller Previously: Interim City Manager, San Bernardino; Attorney, Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP; City Manager, La Mirada
Associations: Executive Director, San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
Education: J.D., Western State University; MPA, Long Beach State University, B.A., Cal State Fullerton
Personal: Married, two children and four dogs, including two retired police K9 officers.
“She said I need you to come in and I need to talk to you. I’ve been on the finance committee for five years. That never happened before.” Mark Cook, 57, owner of Taco Bell in downtown Covina, father of four and grandfather of two. Cook is on the city’s Budget Advisory Committee.
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“She’s got about a dozen things she wants us to look at. Where can we find ways to raise more money, save more money, become more efficient?” Rich Jett, 75, Chairman of Covina’s Finance Committee and a Covina Irrigating Board member. A retired banker, he is also on the board of directors of the AltaPacific Bank in Covina, as well as a father of five and grandfather of 12.
one-time funds to balance the City’s annual operating budget. This practice is unsustainable. The City must reduce operating costs. While this has been difficult for the entire organization, these steps are necessary to restore the City’s financial health. In light of the recent budget cuts, why spend money on a publication like Covina Today? This newsletter is part of another top priority – communicating more frequently and effectively – so residents know what we are doing and who we are. We want the community to be engaged, and one of the best ways for us to accomplish that goal is to provide useful information and invite residents to join the conversation. What message do you want to send to anyone who works or lives in Covina? We are working to create an atmosphere of caring. This does not mean always saying yes or making promises that are impossible to keep. It means treating people with respect, listening, proposing reasonable solutions, and following through in a timely manner. I invite your feedback. Please call or email me, and please follow us and engage with us on social media. ■ www.covinaca.gov
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City’s major streets sport fresh new look The drive along Covina’s most traveled streets is much smoother today thanks to a recently completed resurfacing and restriping project. The project included improvements on Hollenbeck Avenue from Arrow Highway to the city limits, south of San Dimas Wash; Hollenbeck Avenue from the Metrolink rail right-of-way to San Bernardino Road; Cypress Street from Citrus Avenue to the city limits, west of Cedar Drive and Cypress Street from Badillo Street to the city limits, west of Asherton Avenue.
Road improvement remains a city priority. the life cycle of the roads.
“The systematic maintenance of our streets will improve safety, enhance traffic circulation, and prevent more expensive road repairs in the future,” says Public Works Director Siobhan Foster.
Once the analysis is complete, the Public Works Department will begin preventative measures such as slurry sealing, overlays and reconstruction.
The city is also developing a pavement management program to improve the surface of all city streets while extending
“Regular maintenance is required to achieve the full, useful life of pavement,” Foster said. ■
Meet Covina’s community hero Robert (Bob) Ihsen jokes that his principal qualification for being the President of the Covina Valley Historical Society is that he is the oldest native the city could find. We disagree. Bob is a city treasure and for that he was crowned the city’s Hero of the Year at Covina Day at the Los Angeles County Fair on Sept. 25. For one thing, Bob has made it his mission to preserve, promote, and protect the rich history of this area from the time of the Tongva natives, through the age of the citrus industry to the recent past.
Bob was born in Covina in 1932 and graduated from Covina High School in 1950 and then Pomona College in Claremont Robert Ihsen in 1954. After earning his master’s at Claremont Graduate University, he taught, mostly history, for more than 35 years at Covina High School. Bob has been named City of Covina Elder Citizen of the Year and was the Covina Chamber of Commerce Golden Heritage Award Recipient for 2014. ■
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Capital improvement program seeks to keep the city inviting and vibrant “Infrastructure is like the bones of the city, so you’ve got to make choices with the long view in mind.” Dan Hoornweg, an urban planning and sustainability expert at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, recently had those words of advice for the World Bank as part of ongoing studies on the state of city roads, sewers and other infrastructure. Covina city leaders could have just as easily said them, because this past summer they went to work on a longrange program to systematically identify and prioritize issues facing the city’s aging infrastructure. The “Ten-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP)” acknowledges the critical importance of maintaining a strong municipal infrastructure, says Siobhan Foster, Covina’s Director of Public Works. “Our city has many infrastructure repair and replacement needs – including streets, sidewalks, water system, parks, sewer collection system, median rehabilitation, trees, street sign upgrades – and limited resources to fund enhancements,” Foster explains. “The CIP is a tool that will enable the City Council to review, on a big-picture basis, all of those needs and then prioritize projects, both on a shortterm and long-term basis.” Foster says the council will establish criteria for prioritizing projects.
City’s new truck and trailer will aid Covina’s efforts to recycle water.
vehicle helps city recycle 160,000 gallons per year Covina has acquired an innovative water trailer that will help the city re-use tens of thousands of gallons of water a year. The trailer, which can hold up to 1,000 gallons of water, will be employed in a variety of ways. For one, it can be used during the repair of line breaks. When water crews need to relieve pressure on a line to make a repair, they often must “bleed” water by opening a fire hydrant. Using the trailer, they will now be able to re-capture the hydrant water and take it to city parks, trees and other locations in need of a drink. The trailer will also be employed to re-capture water used to flush the approximate 160 “dead ends” in the City’s water distribution system each year. About 1,000 gallons is used for each flush. With the trailer, that water will be recaptured and sent to other thirsty locations throughout the city. The upshot: The re-use of approximately 160,000 gallons of water annually. City officials call their new water trailer “an innovative water conservation measure and one that displays environmental stewardship.” ■
Examples of the criteria will include 3
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Siobahn Foster, Covina’s Director of Public Works
the following: •Does the project address a community safety need? •Is the facility/infrastructure’s current condition adequate to meet community needs? •Are routine maintenance efforts no longer feasible for keeping this particular infrastructure in good working order? “One of the most important aspects of this Capital Improvement Program is that it encourages community engagement and government transparency,” Foster says. “Residents will have opportunities to comment on the CIP in the development process and then on individual projects as they go through the conceptual design and formal design processess before construction begins. All of this will help increase residents’ involvement and www.covinaca.gov
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confidence in city government.” In addition, a CIP that carries the City Council’s stamp of approval will allow Foster and her team to seek federal, state and other grant funding for projects contained in the CIP. Applications for such funds require that projects have the approval of policy makers before the funding agencies will consider the city’s applications. Residents should see the CIP in action later this year, Foster says, as the city accelerates several key projects. Among them: the rehabilitation of Grand Avenue from Arrow Highway to San Bernardino Road as a joint project with the County of Los Angeles; and the reconstruction of Joslyn Center (the city’s center for senior residents) on North Barranca Avenue. In addition, the city plans to implement a multi-year citywide pavement
rehabilitation project for repairs to virtually every road in need of them, as well as a five-year city tree-trimming and planting program. “Our goal is to put the financing in place for these projects sometime this fall,” according to Foster. Foster says the importance of maintaining the city’s substantial infrastructure can’t be overstated. “Ongoing enhancement of public infrastructure not only improves the quality of life in our neighborhoods and business districts, it makes Covina welcoming to visitors on a day-today basis and to new investment and economic development,” she says. “The right kind of economic development increases the tax base and city revenues, which in turn allows the city to construct more improvement projects and perpetuate Covina’s cycle of economic vitality.” ■
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Meet Covina’s new crime fighter The city of Covina has a new crime fighter working the streets. He only takes orders in Dutch, though, and has a funny habit of chewing up newspapers. Jarno, pronounced Yarno, is a Malinois (a Belgian shepherd dog) and he has come here all the way from Holland. You might have seen him in the last couple of months, riding in the back seat of officer Ryan Rasmussen’s patrol car. The pair even share a house, along with Rasmussen’s wife and four kids. “He’s part of the family,” says Rasmussen, who joined the force in 2012. Jarno is the city’s first police dog in 12 years. The department at one time had three canines. But when the last one retired he wasn’t replaced — due to funding cuts. About a year ago, though, canine crime fighting was back on the agenda. This time the department turned to the community, and three members stepped up: The Covina Chamber of Commerce, the McIntyre Co. and the Champion Family Foundation found the $10,000 needed for the purchase of a dog plus $5,000 for training. “These are all generous people from the community,” Lt. Tim Doonan says. “They were able to take care of us.” For one thing, a canine partner is better than a bullet-proof vest when it comes to protecting officers, particularly during the search of a house or business. For another, they help build a bridge between the police department and the community. “Jarno is a very social dog,” Rasmussen says. “He loves people. He feeds off my 5
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Officer Ryan Ramussen and his new partner, Jarno. energy. If I’m calm, he’s calm.” Rasmussen took his partner to a festival at a city park and kids swarmed for photos.
Arts, presented a donation of $2,100 to purchase a full body bite suit for the K-9 program.
At a recent council meeting, Jean Adair, of the Covina Center for the Performing
The department posted its gratitude on its Facebook page. “Thank you to the www.covinaca.gov
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Tribute to fallen officer wins ‘People’s Award’ On Sept. 30, 2014, Officer Jordan Corder was on patrol as a motorcycle officer when he was killed in a crash.
Officer Ryan Ramussen introduces Jarno to some local children that are playing in a fountain. community who helped Jean raise this donation in just four days! We are again reminded how fortunate we are to work in a community that generously supports their police department. Thank you!” Jarno has gotten so many emails, the department is now working on creating a Facebook page just for him. The shepherd was only 14 months old when he arrived here in February. Rasmussen had to learn about two dozen commands in Dutch. After completing a six-week K-9 Academy together, the pair hit the streets in July. So far they have aided in a number of searches Jarno is about two thirds the size of a German shepherd, but at 70 pounds, more slender, faster. “He is sleek. Athletic. You can see the muscles showing through his fur,” Doonan says. “He is a big strong boy and is quite capable of taking a man to the ground.” The goal, however, is for a suspect to give up before that happens. Rasmussen hopes that Jarno will remain his partner until he retires, which is usually age 8 or 9 for police canines. “Then he’ll retire and have some fun.” ■ www.covinaca.gov
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Police agencies are like family, and losing a family member strikes everyone deeply. “We were so busy caring for Jordan’s family and also taking care of the burial arrangements that we really didn’t have time to grieve or reflect right away on what had happened to Jordan,”said Covina Police Department Sgt. Gregg Peterson. “We decided to enlist a video crew to capture and memorialize all the events for the Corder family and our own staff.” Brass Star Productions shot hours of footage, editing it into a heart stirring five-minute film to honor Jordan and his family. The film, later submitted to the 36th annual Telly Awards (honoring the best in film and video productions), won the 2015 People’s Award in the non-broadcast division (for videos that only appeared online). A link to the video can be located on the Covina Police Department’s Facebook page. “Being that our community voted and helped the film about Jordan receive the award, makes it even more special because Jordan cared so much about his community,”Peterson said. Jordan was a local boy, growing up in Covina and graduating in 2004 from Charter Oak High School where he lettered in swimming and water polo.
Officer Jordan Corder He then followed in the footsteps of his father, a retired Covina Police Captain, and his uncle, a retired Covina Police Officer. As a police officer, Jordan became a courtcertified expert in DUI recognition and a traffic collision investigator. Five years in a row he was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for the number of DUI arrests he made. In 2013, MADD presented Jordan with the Century Award, for arresting more than 100 DUI drivers in one calendar year. He also earned a Media of Merit after he arrested a robber lying in wait. “Aside from being an outstanding police officer, Jordan was an outstanding human being,”Peterson says. “Jordan’s quick wit, love of life, and sense of humor are missed by all who knew him.” ■
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Some local children enjoy the opening day of the new park.
Cougar Park: Where history and fun intersect Cougars and … oranges? Most people probably would never imagine the two together, but as it happens, they co-star in a fascinating chapter of the City of Covina’s long and eventful history. And when it opened on September 19, the new Cougar Park was celebrated as a beautiful and tangible bridge between the city’s past, present and future. For a time in the late 19th Century, cougars – also known as mountain lions – were hunted in the San Gabriel Mountains 7
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north of Covina and the San Jose Hills south of the city, according to historian and author Barbara Ann Hall, Ph.D. This coincided with city pioneers’ establishment of Covina’s thriving citrus industry, and the big cats and local oranges became forever linked in local lore. “The Cougar orange crate label series was one of the most popular ones used by the Covina Citrus Association Packinghouse,” Hall explains. While the Cougar brand and label now belong to a bygone era, Cougar Park will pay tribute to Covina’s past even as it welcomes www.covinaca.gov
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City urges wiser watering Some are replacing their lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping. Others are watering less often. Everybody is dealing with the challenges of preserving water while keeping their property looking fresh during California’s severe drought. The City has taken similar steps, dramatically cutting water used on center medians and parks. The result: the lush appearance is fading. But, warns Community Development Director Brian Lee, it is important that the grass and other plants do not completely die.
Nearly 100 people, including dozens of children, enjoyed the fun at the park’s opening day event. present and future generations to its abundant amenities. Amy Hall-McGrade, Director of Covina’s Parks & Recreation and Library Services, says there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the new park. “This truly is a park that was designed for the community’s needs and wants,” she says. Indeed, the park’s design was completed based in part on residents’ input gathered during a series of city-sponsored outreach events. With that input as inspiration, in 2011 the city applied for park financing available through state grant funds and redevelopment funds. No city General Fund monies were used. The city submitted the grant during the final grant cycle for the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006. The bond contained limited funds for park development – and Hall-McGrade says the competition for them was fierce. In fact, Cougar Park was one of just 64 projects selected from more than 400 www.covinaca.gov
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applications submitted. The last park to open in Covina was 17-acre Wingate Park, later renamed Russel Kahler Park, built in 1997 with funds from the 1992 Safe Neighborhoods Act Bond Measure for Los Angeles County. Hall-McGrade credits the community’s input for helping to secure funding for Cougar Park. The result, she says, is a park that will be a community resource in every sense of the phrase. To be sure, despite its modest size of one acre, Cougar Park packs a punch in terms of its offerings, which include a “Splash Pad,” Community Garden, a new Community Center, picnic tables and more. HallMcGrade notes as well that Cougar Park was built to meet environmental building standards. It features two holding tanks to capture rainwater that can be used to water the Community Garden.
“While residents and business owners are encouraged to limit outdoor watering, it is recommended that they not completely stop watering their lawns and landscaping materials,” he says. “When the lawn or landscaping completely dies, it results in other issues including fire hazard, soil erosion and dust pollution.” The City recognizes the need to create standards to address the drought and is working to develop new water-wise and drought-tolerant landscaping standards. ■ For questions regarding water conservation, contact the City’s Public Works Department at (626) 384-5487 or Code Enforcement at (626) 384-5470.
Pay water bills at City Hall Residents wanting to pay their water bills in person should bring them to the Finance Department at City Hall, 125 E. College Street, on Monday-Thursday between 7 a.m.6 p.m. Payments can also be deposited into the white payment drop box 40 feet of the City Hall driveway on E. College Street.
■ Cougar Park is located at 150 W. Puente St. For more information, please call
The city will no longer accept payments at the
the Covina Parks & Recreation Department at
City Yard, 534 N. Barranca Ave. in person or
(626) 384-5340.
in the dropbox there.
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City works to enhance financial stability The atmosphere was anything but easy at City Hall this summer as city officials wrangled with ways to bring longterm strength and stability to Covina’s municipal budget.
were nearly depleted after being used to cover shortfalls from prior years’ budgets. Adopted by the City Council, this year’s budget holds the line on costs without impacting services to the community.
Driving the budget discussion was a commitment to maintaining and, ultimately, improving programs and services for residents as the city’s financial health improves.
Among the highlights, says City Manager Andrea Miller:
“The budget session was framed and then guided by the question, ‘How can we change the way our city manages its finances so that it results in better and tangible customer service for residents?’” City Treasurer Geoffrey Cobbett said. The early summer discussions began with the stark reality that the city faced a budget shortfall, a result of stagnant revenues that are being outpaced by the rising costs of essential city services. In addition, the city’s budgetary reserves
• The $33.2 million budget is balanced and the City is positioned for a strong financial future. • The budget maintains the city’s commitment to public safety. • Employees will pay more of their retirement costs. • The City will focus investments on upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure and facilities. • Covina is also making investments in public information and community outreach.
• Revenue projections are due to increased economic activity, property and sales taxes and developmentrelated revenue. • The city has earned high credit ratings. The city is working on a 10-year financial plan that will forecast revenues, expenditures, and reserves for all City funds over the long term to ensure that resources are available to meet the service needs of the community. “This information will help decision-makers better understand the future impacts of policy decisions being made today and guide the key assumptions incorporated into each budget,” she said. “The goal is to establish a framework to maintain a structurally balanced budget by requiring financial discipline in making policy and service level decisions and make the City fiscally sustainable over the long term.”
FY 2015-2016
General fund Appropriations $33,198,207 Non Departmental $808,644 Community Development $1,138,184 Culture & Recreation $3,811,208
Transfers $180,080 Administration $2,812,888
General fund revenue sources $33,293,855 Charges for Services $2,313,230 Intergovernmental $782,880 Licenses & Permits $808,000
Fines & Forfeits $860,000 Other Financing $682,316
Property Tax $10,080,870
Other Taxes $2,287,810
Public Works $1,867,987
Franchise Taxes $1,664,000
Fire Suppression $8,878,670
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Police Department $14,408,776
Utility Tax $5,200,000
Sales Tax $8,776,200
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Meet the executive team Danielle J. Tellez is Covina’s Director of Human Resources and Risk Management Division Manager, and has spent 14 of her 19 years in public service specializing in human resources and risk management. She is a graduate of California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Amy Hall-McGrade is the Director of Parks & Recreation and Library Services, just the latest way in which she has served the city for the last 35 years. She also volunteers for Boy Scouts of America, joining events with her youngest son.
sharon clark is the City Clerk The former long-time resident has experience as a small business owner, event coordinator. She also served as the Deputy City Clerk of Glendora. sclark@covinaca.gov
ahallmcgrade@covinaca.gov
dtellez@covinaca.gov
Kim Raney has served as Chief of Police for 15 years, and as a police officer for 38 years. He has served as the President of the CA and Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association.
Brian K. lee is the city’s Community Development Director. He is also an Eagle Scout and has been a city planner for more than 30 years. blee@covinaca.gov
sfoster@covinaca.gov
kraney@covinaca.gov
Gold turns into cash in Covina’s coffers The City of Covina has hit Gold in the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, becoming the sixth city to achieve this status. In order to reach Gold, Covina had to show 15 percent energy savings at municipal facilities, host at least two community outreach activities, participate in Southern California Edison (SCE) Demand Response (DR) programs and complete an energy action plan for the future. The payoff: The city is now eligible for higher incentive amounts per kilowatt-hour. Specifically, the city saw an annual energy savings of $113,000 and a one time incentive of more than $100,000. www.covinaca.gov
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Siobhan Foster joined the city in May as Director of Public Works. She has a master’s of Public Administration from the University of Kansas and spends what spare time she has cycling.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ featured at 65th Christmas Parade The public is invited to join the fun at Covina’s 65th annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. The theme: “It’s a Wonderful Life.” When the city’s Christmas Parade Volunteer Committee asked residents to tell them why it’s a wonderful life, more than 300 children and adults responded. The comments, which will be featured during the parade, ranged from “because Cheetos exist” to “because I’ve shared life with a great helpmate for 69 years” to “because Steven likes to get Christmas presents… signed, Steven” to “because I’m not homeless.”
Library offers family literacy program Join more than 100 adults and children whose participation in Covina Library literacy programs has helped them achieve citizenship, new employment and other goals. The library is offering an excellent new program called “Family Literacy Nights” – with the next session from 5:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9 at 234 N. 2nd Ave. The programs are funded through grants.
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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Covina, Ca 91722
Permit No. 120 ECRWSS
COVINA POSTAL CUSTOMER
CoMING SooN:
A new look on the web. Covina is redesigning its website in an ongoing effort to improve the way it serves residents. Below is the new home page. Soon, the city will unveil its new site.
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