Defendants Christopher Lopez and Philip Guerra, both 20, will be charged with two counts each of attempted murder.

17-year-old DeAndre Netter was shot and killed in July of 2007 on the 5700 block of Golden West Avenue while walking with his twin brother and a Latino friend.

According to the Los Angeles Times Homicide Report, Netter and his brother had previously been involved in fights with the two defendants, who are both from the area.

Netter was struck in the torso, and died at Arcadia Methodist a short time later.

According to news reports from the Pasadena Star News, inconsistencies in the testimonies of Netter’s twin brother and friend led to a hung jury.

The first trial in April was declared a mistrial when jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, the Star News reports.

Due to the retrial, prosecutor Teresa Sullivan was unable to comment on the case.

Defendants’ attorneys did not return calls for comment.

The use permit was approved with a 4-1 vote by the city’s planning commission and would allow the 54-foot tower to be built as a “monopine” – camouflaged as a pine tree, at the Victory in Jesus church, located at 5221 El Monte Avenue.

According to city reports, wireless company T-Mobile is erecting the tower due to many complaints about a lack of reception in the area. The company would rent the area of the church property used, and would maintain the facility on a monthly basis.

However, a neighboring resident appealed the commission’s decision over concerns of health and design.

According to City Manager Jose Pulido, the staff is working with T-Mobile’s representatives to come up with alternatives that would fit in with the character of the residential neighborhood.

At the October 13 planning commission meeting, neighbors of the church expressed concerns with radio frequency emissions and the aesthetics of the project.

However, the city attorney pointed out case law that shows that there are no negative health effects from the tower, and that the city council cannot legally deny the use permit based on the health concerns.

Neighbors were also concerned about whether the tower would fit in with the neighborhood.

“The church is a pretty small building, so you’re definitely going to see that monopine,” said Community Development Manager Joe Lambert. “The applicants will have to work with me on a couple of different options: for instance, it’s always a good thing the more these things are disguised.”

A wireless facility at another church in Temple City was disguised within the bell tower, he said.

“That’s really a win-win situation,” he said. “In this case it’s going to be a little more challenging because the building is so small, and it’ll be difficult to achieve the height they need.”

Lambert said the company might be able to disguise the tower as a kind of religious based structure, such as a cross.

Some neighboring residents said the tower would an “eyesore” for their residential area, and preferred it be located somewhere more commercial. Others expressed concerns that it might cause property values to decrease.

The tower would be located between the church building and the home of resident Pastor Jesse Cisneros.

Though the pastor said he preferred the tower to be located further away from the front of the church, which is off the main street, he said he did not have any issues with the tower being built.

Cisneros has been a pastor at the church for eight years, and said he has heard many people complain about not getting cell phone reception in the area.

“If it goes up- great. If it doesn’t, I won’t be upset or surprised,” he said.

On May 11 three area high school students were involved in a high speed collision on South El Monte Ave. near the disputed Daines Drive intersection. Witnesses told reporters that the car “flew” into the front yard of the home.- Photo by Terry Miller

After seeing positive results from a similar initiative in San Fernando, new city manager Jose Pulido has proposed a citywide traffic study and master plan that would give the city the power to resolve problems that state and federal guidelines fail to address.

Pulido said the driving force for the study was an accident that occurred on El Monte Avenue and Daines Drive– which he learnt about through watching city council meetings before he was appointed.

“I could see the council was getting frustrated because they wanted to take control of traffic issues and they couldn’t,” he said.

According to the city manager, the state and federal guidelines have standards that are better suited to large cities, such as a stop sign only being implemented if there are enough collisions to warrant it.

“It’s kind of a one size fits all, and smaller communities have a hard time adjusting to that – it encourages you to have more collisions,” he said. “Obviously we don’t want to have any. If you want to have a proactive department, you have to be ahead of the curve.”

Pulido initiated a similar study for the city of San Fernando in 2004, where he served as the city administrator.

“Unfortunately it took a (traffic-related) death to get the council back there to change,” he said. “CalTrans guidelines are difficult to meet for small cities and Temple City is a small city.”

According to Temple City Public Safety Officer Brian Ariizumi, the intersection of El Monte Avenue and Daines Drive where the accident occurred has been a concern for many residents due to the high number of traffic collisions.

The collision involved a teenage driver with three other occupants who was speeding down El Monte Avenue, Ariizumi said. The vehicle crashed and injured all occupants, with one near fatality.

Following the accident, the city council directed staff to look into ways to better control traffic under the state and federal guidelines.

Ariizumi said that the state has certain warrants, or requirements, in addition to federal requirements for dealing with traffic problems.

“One of the things we wanted was to look at the installation of traffic control,” Ariizumi said. “Unfortunately this intersection did not meet the warrant. For more traffic control, they require us to have more crashes, but we’re trying to get away from that.”

One of the criteria is that before a stop sign can be installed, five or more traffic collisions must occur in a 12-month period, in addition to a certain number of vehicles that drive on the street daily, Ariizumi gave as an example.

The city must also go through CalTrans for speed humps and four-way stop signs, and only after a fatality occurs, Pulido said.

Pulido said he would like to council to consider a shift from the reactive to a proactive approach to traffic calming, and take advantage of the opportunity to gather data.

The item will be presented to the City Council at the December 1 meeting for the councilmembers to discuss.

The study would take about two years, after which an engineer would be brought in to give a recommendation, Pulido said.

“Not too many cities do this because it takes a long time and it’s a lot of work,” he said. “But it lets the whole community take over through the traffic and safety commission and allows citizens to be more involved with street closures and other things that we just can’t do right now.”

According to the city manager, it is too soon to determine the cost, but no appropriation of funds being requested right now.

“We’re still in the exploratory phase – if it’s not feasible to do this, we don’t do the traffic calming,” he said. “The major expense is going to be to hire a traffic engineering consultant to do data collection, but we do that every couple of years already,” he said.

Though costs were outlined in a staff report for the city of San Fernando, the city manager said those numbers cannot be applied due to changes in the economy.

Pulido also said that after the study was done in San Fernando, formerly dangerous intersections no longer had fatalities.

Rethinking the way traffic is conducted would also serve to divert crime by preventing easy access to escape routes that go from one city to another, he said.

“It is something that really works,” he said. “In conjunction with traffic calming, it really made the community safer.”

Kovacic was also selected as California’s nominee for the prestigious National Teacher of the Year competition.
The teachers are nominated by their faculty and go through a series of interviews and evaluations at the county and state levels till the pool is narrowed down to five teachers in the state.

“Our five California Teachers of the Year are outstanding educators and amazing instructional leaders,” said State Superintendent Jack O’Connell in a statement. “Each Teacher of the Year has many stories to tell about overcoming obstacles, achieving goals, and igniting inspiration. I am honored to congratulate each of them, and I hope that their successes will encourage other educators and aspiring teachers who are working hard each day to make a difference in students’ lives.”

Kovacic is a Social Studies teacher for eleventh and twelfth graders at The Preuss School, an intensive college preparatory school for low-income student populations located on the University of California San Diego campus in La Jolla.

“I was really honored to be recognized and it was obviously very exciting but I was also very humbled,” she said. “As someone who grew up in public schools all throughout Arcadia I had really good teachers, who really cared about students doing well, that I found very inspiring, and they made the content very interesting,” she said.

Kovacic said she chose to go into teaching after tutoring U.S. history at the Pruess school in its first year of opening, when she realized firsthand the difference teachers can make in students’ lives and help to change and end the cycle of poverty.

“I think the challenge that any teacher faces when working with the population that I do is that they come from very difficult life and lot of obstacles they’re having to overcome,” she said. “There’s a lot of the real world they have to deal with at an age where they shouldn’t have to deal with those issues.”

Kovacic said part of the challenge is to reach out to her students and help them recognize the importance of doing well, providing support to them as they go through other challenges being in a position of poverty and helping them to see school as a stable place where they feel safe and know they have adults to care for them, she said.

In terms of improvements in the education system, Kovacic said she was disappointed to see that the first thing the state and federal government cut in a budget crisis is education.

“When you look at the amount of money poured into prison systems – if that money was put into education it would resolve so many problems hat put people in prison in the first place,” she said.

The education system could also be improved by recognizing that teachers are professionals and treating them as such, she said.

“We should be creating an environment where teachers are held accountable but also given a support system with opportunities for training,” she said.

Kovacic said that while not all schools are in the situation to work like the Preuss school, many of the strategies can be translated to different types of schools and she would love to see the idea of smaller learning communities where students get smaller classes, extended school days and years.

According to her father, Arcadia Councilmember Gary Kovacic, the recipient has been a natural born teacher from a very young age.

“She’s a very caring individual, she cares about each and every one one of her student and wants to make sure they can achieve to their fullest potential,” he said. “She truly believes that if someone is given an adequate opportunity to achieve, he or she can be a success.”

Gary Kovacic said Kelly works long hours, tutors after school and on Saturdays.

“I think it’s her dedication and her passion, and her commitment to making sure that her students get every opportunity.”

According to her father, Kelly Kovacic is a “true product” of the Arcadia school district, having attended from kindergarten through high school.

“What I experienced throughout my years in Arcadia was a really rigorous curriculum, so I felt like I was constantly being challenged academically and intellectually but I was also given the necessary support to live up to those expectations,” she said.

The rigor of the curriculum and the many leadership opportunities available prepared Kovacic for her undergraduate and graduate education, as well as real-world experience such as working with adults.

Kelly Kovacic had a strong interest in her Advanced Placement U.S. History and Government classes, and was an active participant on the Constitution Team at the high school.

Her father said that this award, like all others, has many people deserving of the recognition, but that it gives an individual teacher an opportunity to send a message out to a greater population.

“I think that it will give Kelly an opportunity to talk with people throughout the state who are looking for some encouragement about the state of public education,” he said. “I think she sends a message that someone with a good education who went to UCSD and Stanford chose to go back into a profession that isn’t high paying, and is often looked at very skeptically by the public, because she really wants to make a difference.”

The state superintendent also chose Kovacic to represent California in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
“I am delighted that Kelly Kovacic is representing California at the national level,” he said in a statement. “Ms. Kovacic is an exceptionally knowledgeable and effective teacher. She demonstrates an unparalleled passion and commitment to her students and school community that extends beyond the school day and the school yard.”

The National Teacher of the Year winner will be selected in April of 2010 by a panel convened by the Council of Chief State School Officers, according to the state department of education. All candidates in the program will be honored at a White House ceremony.

“I am extremely proud of all teachers, here in California as well as across the nation, who in the past year, have had to endure devastating cutbacks in funding and programs as well as layoff notices and elimination of positions,” O’Connell added. “It is more important than ever to honor people who chose to become teachers and to celebrate this most noble of professions.”

Kovacic said she is not thinking as far the national competition, but is instead focusing on how she can use the state honor to make a difference.

“I want to … be an advocate for teachers and our students, and I hope to use this forum to really speak about the necessity to not let our kids down,” she said. “We are modeling to them what we expect of them – to really show how much we value education through the resources we put into it.”

Kovacic said her students were very excited to see her receive the award.

“What I keep telling them is the award isn’t so much about me as it is them – they are so incredible,” she said. “They make my job so worthwhile and I really believe I learn as much, if not more than they learn from me. I really hope that what this brings is a lot of recognition for them.”

Kovacic said she feels blessed to be teaching where she is today and to be part of the education community.

“Teaching is a really amazing profession where everyday you touch and change somebody’s life for the positive,” she said. “What an amazing opportunity to truly make a difference in society!”

Potential locations for a Temple City farmers' market include areas adjacent to the commercial parts of Las Tunas Drive such as Temple City Park or closing off a smaller street such as Kauffman Avenue or Golden West Avenue, Lambert said. Another option is to strike an arrangement with the school district to use this parking lot. - Photo by Terry Miller

With the support of the city council and many community residents, the Temple City’s plans for a farmers market to address struggling commercial corridors are underway.

Currently, the city’s Chamber of Commerce is working with consulting firm Avant Garde, Inc. to collect information and evaluating the plan’s feasibility.

“What we want to do is just make sure that if we start something, that it doesn’t severely cost a lot of money and that everyone involved can be somewhat profitable or at least break even, including a profit margin for the Chamber of Commerce,” said Robert Paz, program director for Avant Garde.

Since April, the firm has been conducting a study not only for redevelopment in the city, but also economic development for struggling commercial areas.

“What makes it a good time (for a farmers market) is that in this economy, people are shopping for economic value and social value, and they’re looking for a good return on their value,” Paz said. “They want to know is this the best, is the healthiest (product)?”

According to Paz, a farmers market also provides a place for family and friends to eat, grocery shop for organic products or look at crafts and other goods.

“It really is a place to gather,” he said. “You have the little league fields and soccer fields in the city, but there are people without children or children who have moved on,” he said.

Paz said local merchants will be given the first opportunity to participate and will receive a discounted rate for participation.

The consulting firm held three town hall meetings in September to garner community feedback, which came back positive in regard to the farmers market.

“The idea is to generate more interest in shopping in Temple City on Las Tunas Drive, and to draw people to the community at a time where they might not come here,” said Joe Lambert, Community Development Department Manager for Temple City.

Aside from increased commercial activity and building a sense of community, the market would also fit in with the character of the city.

“Temple City has a lot of activities through the parks and recreation department, and the Camellia Festival, Harvest Festival and Halloween Festival,” he said. “Temple City has a big tradition of positive community activities and this would kind of be in keeping with that tradition.”

The farmers market, which would be held weekly, could help businesses by providing a space for them to increase their business profiles, he said.

Potential locations include areas adjacent to the commercial parts of Las Tunas Drive such as Temple City Park or closing off a smaller street such as Kauffman Avenue or Golden West Avenue, Lambert said. Another option is to strike an arrangement with the school district to use their parking lot.

According to Interim City Manager Cathy Burroughs, however, not much has changed from a feasibility study done in the early 1990s that reported a farmers market would not be practical at the time.

“I think it needs to be studied very hard,” she said. “I think the comments that were made back in the 90’s are still pertinent today.”

Burroughs said that the prospective Sunday time may not be the best time to do it, especially considering that many businesses are closed on Sundays.

“I think one of the things that might make it different now is the farmers’ markets have been around for quite a while now, they were new back then,” she said. “And the ones that are still around are very established, farmers are probably not going to leave those, so it’ll be more of a challenge.”

Burroughs said that the market would be very well received by the community, but it would be a challenge to get growers to commit.

“The study (from the 1990s) brought up certain issues and challenges … such as other communities had very successful farmers markets and they were held (on the same days), so it’s going to be difficult to compete with them,” Lambert said.

Some local business owners located on Las Tunas Drive near to the proposed locations said that while a farmers market would be good for the community, it might not increase commercial activity due to the types of stores that are in the area.

“It’s a different kind of market,” said Lynn Wang, owner of I Do Concepts, located on Las Tunas Drive.

Aside from restaurants, the businesses on Las Tunas Drive include a number of nail and beauty salons, dental offices, bridal shops and more.

“We don’t sell anything that would be at a Farmers Market,” said Nan Chow, who runs Echo Base Toys on Las Tunas Drive.

Chow said that while the market probably would not bring in more business for his shop, it might cause problems with parking.

“Most of the farmers markets I’ve been to, they close off a street,” Chow said. “But even if they do it at a park, there’s not much parking by City hall – parking is already tight as is.”

Other business owners said that while they already have a regular customer base, a farmers’ market would be useful for residents so
they do not have to go outside the city to attend one.

“I think it would be a positive thing and everyone thinks so,” Lambert said. “We’re having Avant Garde and the Chamber of Commerce get more information for more discussion. The way it’s going to work hasn’t been nailed down yet.”

The parties will return to the council at the December 1 meeting, where they will present details of the plan.

“Like most things in this economy, it’s difficult to put on,” Paz said. “People want assurances, so we’re trying to meet that.”

Candidates Matt Smith and Joe Walker, who are running for re-election, and Kenneth Knollenberg spoke at the October 24 forum organized by the high school’s Junior State of America club and a student-run community publication, the Temple City Voice.

The program started out with introductions by each of the candidates.

Knollenberg, a lifelong resident of Temple City, attended the district’s schools growing up and went on to get his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona.

He worked in the United States Navy in Long Beach for 25 years in engineering and 6 years in special projects, with a total of 14 years of project management.

Knollenberg said he has an expertise in environmental groups, as well as putting together detailed plans and executing them from the very concept all the way through to the actual installation, training and running of projects.

His years working for the federal government and on the supervising committee for the Credit Union supplied him with a budget and strategic planning background, he said.

“If there’s one thing that I think that the school board lacks is a detailed strategy, or strategic planning sessions where they identify specific things that are going to get done and then keep monitoring till they are done,” he said. “They need to set goals and the goals need to be measurable, they need to be doable and they need to be definable enough so you know what you’re doing.”

Candidate Matt Smith, who is running for re-election, has served as head of the school board for the past eleven years. He received his bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University, and went on for further education at Cal State LA. Smith works for AT&T for 28 years as a technical sales manager, and has three sons who went through the school district.

Prior to his work with the board of education, he worked with the youth in the community as a manager and coach of sports teams and was a part of the school site council in the district for three years.

Earlier this year, Smith was recognized by the California Parent Teachers Association for his involvement, he said.

Smith said he is running for re-election because he has a unique background and experience.

“If I could sum (my campaign) up in one word, it’s stability,” he said.

Smith said he has been a part of the board through many issues, and that this background will lend itself well to the many new changes in staffing.

Joe Walker introduced himself as an active member of the community who has lived in Temple City for about 16 years. He worked for the LA County Sheriff’s department as a crime analyst, analyzing crime patterns, trends and series. He has a son and daughter in who are in the school system.

“Being on the school board you’re able to affect some really good stuff,” he said. “ It’s been a thrill and an honor to serve on this board for four years and I hope I will continue for another four years.”

Walker said he would like to continue to increase the district’s test scores and set high benchmarks.

“One thing people know about me is that I’m willing to listen to everybody,” he said.

Maybe too much so and I get criticism, but that’s okay, I can take it. I just want to continue what we’ve been doing … I’m in it for the long run.”

The candidates were asked questions on what they saw as necessary improvements for the students’ education, and what the most pressing needs were in the district.

Knollenberg said the fundamental need is to have a basic long term plan that is fully funded on a continuous basis.

“Even though there is a series of different initiatives that have started, it’s very difficult to tell what the total life cycle process will be on the plan,” he said. “The state of California is going down the path of adding additional computer tracking school systems that will help monitor each and every student. The number one area is to be able to identify needs in every student and find some way to bring that person up to their full potential.”

According to Knollenberg, the system will take three years to fully implement, but there has not been a presentation for the public record on the total cost, how it till be put in place and whether or not those paying for it will get a return on their investment.

“You can’t run programs without knowing the total costs, especially if you’re going to do it over a three year period,” he said.

Knollenberg said the most pressing need is to change how the district makes the money they have and the mindset that the budget has to be balanced by cuts.

“We never look at the side of how can we go on and get money through grants or other programs that will bring us revenue for special programs to help offset our costs,” he said.

Knollenberg also said he would like to see the budget monitored at each meeting so the district can monitor the actual budget versus expenses on a month to month basis rather than reviewed as a packet.

Another concern is deferred maintenance at some of the schools, such as air conditioning.

“If those go out, there is going to be a very difficult problem before them to come up with enough funding to fix them,” he said.

According to Smith, the most critical issue is to have a stable budget.

“During my tenure of 11 years we’ve had to make budget cuts six out of those 11 years … and it causes nothing but stress for people throughout the district,” he said. “The current level is $38 million but our budget has been going down,” he said. “We’re back to where we were four years ago and that’s not right – especially with increased student enrollment,” he said.

Smith also said he looks forward to seeing the database system that helps identify where to strengthen the curriculum for each student and that it is another reason he wants to stay on board.

“We are a district in a transition – we are basically having a complete turnover of school board members in the last four years with the exception of myself,” he said. “All that is going to be well for us but its going to be a transition.

“We’re doing a good job, I’m very proud of us as a school district,” he said. “Our success doesn’t happen by accident but by good, thorough, detailed planning.”

Joe Walker said that the improvement he sees necessary is for the district to address the needs of students at all levels.

“We have students who have 4.0 GPA’s and we have “C” students who have interests in vocational arts, mechanics, etc.,” he said. “I want to make sure all our students get a top notch education.”

Walker said that in terms of the budget, the district may not have the ability to generate money but they can monitor what is there.

“There’s nothing pressing, there’s no emergency situation,” Walker said. “We just need to watch the money, watch every cent. There’s no guarantee, if they say right now it’s at 38 million, what happens if in a year they say it’s going to be 36 million? We need to be prepared.”

The segment for audience questions began with a question of how the relationship between the city and district is, and how it can be improved.

According to Smith, the relationship has gotten a lot better in the past few years.

“There was a lot of talk of how horrible it was though I wouldn’t use the word horrible, he said. “The district accomplished a lot with the prior council … All in all the relationship has gotten a lot better.”

Walker said the relationship has changed because the council has changed in a positive way.

“We’re going to keep asking for some big ticket items because they have the resources and we have the room,” Walker said. “It’s a good relationship and it’s really getting better.”

Knollenberg said although he does not have a personal reference, he has attended both city council and school board meetings and that they both have a vested interest in taking on projects that enhance citizens’ experience.

“You get a feel for what’s happening in the city because in a sense the school system is a number one employee for the city,” he said. “The school system is one of the reasons that property values are stable … The city council is building upon what the schools are doing and the schools are building on what the city is doing with business and redevelopment.”

Candidates also answered questions on what are the primary concerns the teachers have that are not being addressed.

“We would have to ask teachers that, but they might say they’re not being included in the decisions,” Walker said. “But our teachers are not a quiet group, they let their feelings be known.”

Knollenberg said feedback from school board meetings show that there is a credibility issue between what the school board says and what the teachers believe.

“Whether it’s true or not is up for debate maybe, but the perception is that the school board is not always candid enough with the teachers and what they’re going to do in the future with the school system,” he said.

Smith said that after meetings and talking to teachers one on one, the district may not be as transparent as it should be.

“We do work very hard to be transparent of what we’re going to do and why and we seek their input,” he said.

The candidates were also asked what top three things they would address if the district passed a bond.

All three candidates agreed there were facilities that need to be renovated.

Knollberg said he would like to see a bond issue structured so that it would have a long term benefit.

“If it were used for air conditioning maintenance, (we should) re-do the entire system to offset the utility costs which will then drive down your total cost of the bond over the life cycle of the bond,” he said. “The other one is to start looking in terms of green energy types of projects, where you lump series of projects together where they accomplish something that helps the environment at the same time as it drives our cost down.”

Smith referenced a bond for $55 million proposed in 2007, which garnered 77% of community support based on a consultant’s survey but did not meet the required two-thirds vote to place it on the February ballot, he said.

“I was in support of it and still am,” he said. “Bonds are hard to think about in these economic times … but the maintenance needed is really serious, the conditions are a little scary.”

Walker also said there were buildings at the high school that need to be replaced, and agreed with the green solar aspect, green technology

There’s lots of great tax savings, you get money back from it,” he said. “That’s the only way were going to be able to move forward.”

The audience also asked how the candidates would fund nonacademic programs in the current economic state.

“All the programs have some direct or indirect benefit,” Walker said. “We do reach out to our community a lot for donations and fundraisers, almost every Saturday there’s a car wash. Unfortunately those of us who have kids occasionally have to reach in our own pockets.”

Knollenberg agreed with Walker, adding that the difficulty is there is no way to measure the significance of some of the programs.

“The end product is to have someone graduate,” he said. “In some cases going through these special programs is the only reason some students stay in school. There are people who came before this board that were into chess club and those four to five people have done exceptionally well in the chess tournament nationally and because of that I think they will graduate from school with no problems at all.”

“We need to encourage people to be able to fund these specials programs,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of effort to raise the money but it is one of the things that helps increase the participation of the student in the school system.”

Smith said this last year in looking at the budget, the board did not look at nonacademic budget reduction.

“There’s a certain amount of money a year to support those programs, that’s a good start,” he said.

He also referenced the success of booster clubs for sports and performing arts.

“Giving these kids an extra reason to come to school ….is a big plus,”he said.

In terms of community fundraising similar to that of San Marino and South Pasadena, Walker said it is unfortunate that Temple City does not have a business base to support school activities.

Knollenberg said that both San Marino and South Pasadena have hired full-time staff which allows them to raise the amount of money they to, and that to reach similar levels, Temple City would need to get out and look for the same.

The candidates also answered questions regarding the allocation of funds for students with special needs, strategies to increase parental involvement in a diverse district, and the candidates experience and views with the recent evaluation of the superintendent’s contract.

The groups have previously co-hosted similar forums for the 2009 city council election and the 2007 school board election.

According to Sophia Chang, Editor-in-Chief of the Temple City Voice, the forum went smoothly in terms of how it was run.

“In terms of everything being organized and executed well, it was definitely a success,” she said. “However, in terms of garnering the attention of our target audiences, students and workers of Temple City, we did not quite hit the mark.”

For viewing of the forum, please visit the Chamber of Commerce website:

http://www.templecitychamber.com/TCUSD_Forum_09/forum_video.html

Candidates Matt Smith and Joe Walker, who are running for re-election, and Kenneth Knollenberg spoke at the October 24 forum organized by the high school’s Junior State of America club and a student-run community publication, the Temple City Voice.

The program started out with introductions by each of the candidates.

Knollenberg, a lifelong resident of Temple City, attended the district’s schools growing up and went on to get his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona.

He worked in the United States Navy in Long Beach for 25 years in engineering, including 14 years of project management.

His years working for the federal government and on the supervising committee for the Credit Union supplied him with a budget and strategic planning background, he said.

“If there’s one thing that I think that the school board lacks is a detailed strategy, or strategic planning sessions where they identify specific things that are going to get done and then keep monitoring till they are done,” he said.

Candidate Matt Smith, who is running for re-election, has served on the school board for the past eleven years. He received his bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and has worked for AT&T for 28 years as a technical sales manager.

Prior to his work with the board of education, he worked with the youth in the community as a manager and coach of sports teams and was a part of the school site council in the district for three years.

Smith said he is running for re-election because he has a unique background and experience.

“If I could sum it up in one word, it’s stability,” he said.

Smith said he has been a part of the board through many issues, and that this background will lend itself well to the many new changes in staffing.

Joe Walker introduced himself as an active member of the community who has lived in Temple City for about 16 years. He worked for the LA County Sheriff’s department as a crime analyst, and has a son and daughter within the school district.

Walker said he would like to continue to increase the district’s test scores and set high benchmarks.

“One thing people know about me is that I’m willing to listen to everybody,” he said.
Maybe too much so and I get criticism, but that’s okay, I can take it. I just want to continue what we’ve been doing … I’m in it for the long run.”

The candidates were asked questions on what they saw as necessary improvements for the students’ education, and what the most pressing needs were in the district.

Knollenberg said the fundamental need is to have a basic long term plan that is fully funded on a continuous basis.

“Even though there is a series of different initiatives that have started, it’s very difficult to tell what the total life cycle process will be on the plan,” he said.

Knollenberg also brought up the computer tracking system to monitor student academic patterns and needs that districts in California are in the process of implementing.

The system will take three years to fully implement, but there has not been a presentation for the public record on the total cost, how it till be put in place and whether or not those paying for it will get a return on their investment, he said.

Knollenberg said he would like to see the budget monitored at each meeting so the district can monitor the actual budget versus expenses on a month to month basis rather than reviewed as a packet.

According to Smith, the most critical issue is to have a stable budget.

“During my tenure of 11 years we’ve had to make budget cuts six out of those 11 years … and it causes nothing but stress for people throughout the district,” he said. “The current level is $38 million but our budget has been going down,” he said. “We’re back to where we were four years ago and that’s not right – especially with increased student enrollment,” he said.

Smith also said he looks forward to seeing the database system that helps identify where to strengthen the curriculum for each student and that it is another reason he wants to stay on board.

“We’re doing a good job, I’m very proud of us as a school district,” he said. “Our success doesn’t happen by accident but by good, thorough, detailed planning.”

Joe Walker said that the improvement he sees necessary is for the district to address the needs of students at all levels.

“We have students who have 4.0 GPA’s and we have “C” students who have interests in vocational arts, mechanics, etc.,” he said. “I want to make sure all our students get a top notch education.”

Walker said that in terms of the budget, the district may not have the ability to generate money but they can monitor what is there.

“There’s nothing pressing, there’s no emergency situation,” Walker said. “We just need to watch the money, watch every cent.”

The segment for audience questions began with a question of how the relationship between the city and district is, and how it can be improved.

According to Smith, the relationship has gotten a lot better in the past few years.

“There was a lot of talk of how horrible it was- though I wouldn’t use the word horrible, he said. “The district accomplished a lot with the prior council … All in all the relationship has gotten a lot better.”

Walker said the relationship has changed because the council has changed in a positive way.

“We’re going to keep asking for some big ticket items because they have the resources and we have the room,” Walker said. “It’s a good relationship and it’s really getting better.”

Knollenberg said although he does not have a personal reference, he has attended both city council and school board meetings and that they both have a vested interest in taking on projects that enhance citizens’ experience.

Other questions posed to the candidates involved teachers’ concerns that the board might be overlooking, the recent evaluation of the current superintendent, and what priorities each candidate would have if a bond were passed.

While Knollenberg said he would like to see a bond structured to ensure it has long term benefits, all three candidates shared views on facility maintenance for a number of the campuses.

Smith said the bond that had been proposed two years ago should have been passed, and that he was still in support of one.

In 2007, the district hired a consultant who surveyed the community, reporting that 77% were in favor of a bond. However, the vote to put the resolution on the February ballot did not meet the two-thirds vote, he said.

Smith said that although a bond was difficult to ask in these economic times, the maintenance needed at the schools was serious.

The candidates also answered questions regarding the allocation of funds for students with special needs, community fundraising similar to San Marino and South Pasadena, as well as way strategies to increase parental involvement in a diverse district.

The forum was the third sponsored by the two students groups, who previously co-hosted forums for the 2009 city council election and the 2007 school board election.
According to Sophia Chang, Editor-in-Chief of the Temple City Voice, the forum went smoothly in terms of how it was run.

“In terms of everything being organized and executed well, it was definitely a success,” she said. “However, in terms of garnering the attention of our target audiences, students and workers of Temple City, we did not quite hit the mark.”

By Sameea Kamal

Pulido served as a city administrator in San Fernando for eight years and for the City of Montebello for almost ten years before that.

Pulido received his Bachelor’s degree in Social Science and Chicano Studies and a minor in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. He received his Masters Degree in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Former City Manager Charles Martin was fired in May due to an IRS flagging of the contract, following his announcement that he already had plans to retire. Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Burroughs has served as the interim city manager since then.

Pulido, who was present at the meeting, expressed his pleasure at being selected to serve the current and coming generations of Temple City staff and residents.

“I’m privileged to be entrusted by such a beautiful community,” Pulido said.
According to Mayor Fernando Vizcarra, Pulido was selected not just by one vote, but by the whole council.

“When it came down to the final two, he was a notch above the other candidate,” Vizcarra said. “He is very qualified and very enthusiastic.”

Vizcarra said the new city manager came in well-prepared on Temple City issues.

“He came in, he’d done his homework and he understood the goal of development in the city,” he said. “That convinced us.”

The mayor said it would be the City Council’s duty to be clear in their expectations and communicate that to Pulido.

“Development in the city is a big area under discussion,” Viscara said. “Our expectations would be for him to implement it, to take issues like parking problems in downtown and jump in and take them on.”

Interim City Manager Cathy Burroughs said it would be Pulido’s challenge to bring additional sales tax to the city, revitalizing the commercial district and working with a new council.

“One challenge is just bringing some stability to the city,” Burroughs said.”It’s been a year of change and that’s a positive thing. I see the appointment of the city manager as one of the final steps of the change.”

Pulido’s official start date was announced as October 26, 2009.

Crews work on a Habitat for Humnaity project on Sherman Ave. in Monrovia in May of 2009. - Photo Courtesy of SGV Habitat

After attending a recent presentation for the housing improvement group, council member Cynthia Sternquist proposed that the city look into collaborating with Habitat for Humanity as a possible avenue to address the state mandate for affordable housing.

The nonprofit, which was founded in 1976 and has built thousands of homes worldwide, has had a San Gabriel Valley local affiliate for 16 years.

The group aims to eliminate substandard housing and help families who live in areas like Southern California where it is getting more difficult for families to afford to improve their homes, according to a presentation at the meeting.

The proposed partnership would require the city to pay anywhere from $60,000 to $150,000 per unit depending on a city’s density goals and city requirements, with Habitat for Humanity providing the rest of the money.

Aside from electric, plumbing, and other licensed trades, all other work for the projects is done by volunteers, which dramatically reduces the cost, officials from the organization said.

A selection committee would choose families who demonstrate both need and ability to afford mortgages, as well as 500 hours of “sweat equity,” or volunteer hours on either their own home or another project, said Damien Allen, Director of Corporate & Community Sponsorships for Habitat for Humanity’s San Gabriel Valley affiliate.

Sweat equity not only shows participant dedication but also enables them to learn how to maintain the homes, since most of them are first time home owners, he said.

Residents already living in a city get preference and must be legal residents. Though the house would be owned by Habitat for Humanity, homes are sold to the families with no interest and no profit. Mortgages are used to pay for other homes in the program.

While the properties are sold to families, the organization has second mortgages on the homes that would prevent them from being rented or sold and protect them from predatory lenders.

According to Allen, all 39 homes in the San Gabriel Valley are up to date on mortgage.

Habitat for Humanity works with many city agencies to help them meet their housing goals, some of which pertain to affordable housing, he said.

“Temple City is working to find new ways to meet their goal, and we would be a good vehicle for them to do that,” Allen said. “It is a legitimate approach to meeting the state mandate.”

The organization serves people who earn 30 to 50 percent of the local area’s median income. The most recent data available from Temple City reported the median income to be about $48,000.

Despite Temple City being an expensive place to buy into, Allen said there were still possibilities for development.

“Even in the more affluent communities, there’s always going to be a lot or a household we could rehabilitate,” he said.

Currently the only other communities in the San Gabriel Valley who have partnered with Habitat for Humanity are Monrovia and Glendale.

The city of Glendale is partnering up for their sixth housing development with the group, their biggest so far.

According to Mike Fortney, housing project manager for the city of Glendale, the high costs of constructing units for sale has led the city to build more units for rent, despite a general decrease in housing costs.

“For sale units have been possible with Habitat, mostly because they rely on volunteer work,” Fortney said. “They have the ability to take advantage of volunteer labor as well as donated materials that keep the cost down.”

While the city felt the group did a great job in their selection of homeowners and their construction of the project, the dependence on volunteer labor means the projects can take up to twice as long to complete, he said.

The city of Monrovia also had a positive experience with the group and felt they incorporated themselves into the community well, said Lauren Vasquez, management analyst for the city of Monrovia.

Temple City residents at the meeting said the partnership would build a strong sense of community and improve the city’s reputation. Others expressed their interest in volunteering.

The city is currently investigating pieces of property that might be available and reviewing the program to decide if it is a viable option for Temple City.

By Sameea Kamal

The council voted unanimously to approve the changes in response to comments from citizens who wanted to have five days to take advantage of what the city offers, said Council member Tom Chavez.

Despite the changes, city staff will maintain their work schedule of four days a week, ten hours a day. The days on which some of the staff work will simply be shifted, Chavez said.

“Our staff felt that they were okay with that, they were in favor of that,” he said. “We went with what they wanted as well, not only what the residents wanted.”

The approved plan would have full service every day, with less people working on Friday. The city anticipates Mondays would be busier days, and that certain city departments may keep more staff work on days that would have more activity.

City hall’s hours will remain 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m, which councilmembers say allows people to come in before and after work.

At the meeting, the council discussed the alternative nine day, eighty hour schedule with every other Friday off before approving the current schedule.

Councilmember Cynthia Sternquist voiced concern with waiting till January to implement the changes, but city staff reported that the winter holidays would need to be adjusted in order to start the new schedule sooner.

Councilmembers also said that since there are only three months left in till January, it would be an easier transition rather than uprooting the schedule now.

The cost of the additional day would be around $3,000 to $4,000 per year, according to city staff.

“We thought it was important just to have a presence in the city, especially with all the changes that are going on,” Chavez said.