Jan
24
Trash settlement talks reach impasse
Filed Under 2012 Issues, City Council Meetings, Trash contraact | 3 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 1/24/2012) At last night’s Special Los Alamitos Council Session, Mayor Edgar announced in open session that the City’s settlement talks with Citizens for a Fair Trash Contract have reached an impasse.
According to Edgar the Council plans to move ahead with the Read more
Jan
23
At last: Last Tuesday’s Council Video
Filed Under 2012 Issues, City Council Meetings, Decency, Teamwork | 1 Comment
(Los Alamitos, 1/23/2012) I’m told downloading CSMP’s videos to YouTube take as long as the video, which means it took someone over four hours to put this online. Thanks, Larry!
You can click here for the Agenda, if you want to follow along or note the high (or low) points excerpted from the agenda below.
You can enlarge the size by clicking the rectangular box in the lower left corner, or go to full screen mode by clicking the icon just to the left of the rectangle.
Probably the items of greatest interest would be:
5. PRESENTATIONS
A. Presentation of Certificates of Appreciation to the Los Alamitos High School Girls Volleyball Team for winning the 2011 CIF Division 1 Championship
B. Presentation by Colonel Read more
Jan
18
Los Alamitos’ “Council Member Cellophane”
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Decency, Teamwork | Leave a Comment
(1/18/2012, Los Alamitos) From J.M. Ivler’s Council Comments last night:
There is a wonderful song from the musical Chicago called “Mr. Cellophane,” where a man laments that he can’t be seen, and is non-existent.
We have Council Member cellophane here in this chamber. When this council member speaks, it is as if nothing has been spoken. When a request is made, it is as if nothing has been said.
The words exist, because we can see them in the meeting minutes, but alas, it’s like attempting to get light from a black hole in space, it just never happened.
If Mr. Edgar says “I want Read more
Jan
17
Your reporting and comments on tonight’s Los Alamitos Council meeting, 1/17/2012
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Your reporting & comments | 26 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 1/17/2012) Tonight’s 7 p.m. Los Alamitos City Council meeting may get off to a bit of a late start, since the 5 p.m. meeting to appoint Commissioners has the last 15 minute interview set for 6:45. . . and they were running late when I left around 5:30.
In any case the agenda (linked below) has several interesting items which have generated a fair amount of discussion here already (see links below).
So set your DVR for LosAl TV 3 from 7 – 10 or so, and/or show up in person, & let us know Read more
Jan
16
Does this letter violate the Brown Act?
Filed Under 2012 Issues, City Council Meetings, Decency, Trash contraact, Troy Edgar | 4 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 1/16/2012) This is a followup to our post on Tuesday’s Council Meeting, “Council to Consider prosecuting Member Kusumoto.” When I read the following letter, I thought it was a diplomatic expression of a frustrated Council Member.
What do you think?
Time saving tip # 1: If you want to skip trying to figure out Council Member Kusumoto’s alleged Brown Act violations for yourself, scroll down to where I reprint the letter, bolding the 4 “violations” Ms. Levin used your tax dollars to “uncover.”
December 5th, 2011
To the Honorable Mayor Kenneth Stephens
City of Los AlamitosDear Ken;
After careful consideration and thoughtful prayer, it is best for the Council Majority that I Read more
Jan
14
Council to consider prosecuting Council Member Kusumoto: Agendas for 2 Tuesday Los Al Council Meetings
Filed Under 2012 Issues, City Council Meetings, Decency, Teamwork, Trash contraact, Troy Edgar | 16 Comments
(1/14/2012, Los Alamitos)The first meetings of the New Year gives our divided City Council a clear choice between making a new start by finding ways to work together, or to further waste our city’s resources on fighting battles that further divide the town they all call home.
M.L.King Jr. Day has pushed Monday’s 7 p.m. regular Council meeting back to Tuesday, and the need to fill five commission vacancies has added a special meeting at 5 to interview eight candidates, including four incumbents.
The agenda for the 7 p.m. Regular meeting includes:
- “Discussion of violations of law related to published letter [from Council Member Kusumoto] regarding Read more
Dec
19
Your reporting & comments on tonight’s Council Meeting, 12/19/2011
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Decency, Teamwork, Your reporting & comments | 15 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 12/19/2011) It’s here. . . the last regular City Council meeting of the year, the last for City Manager Jeff Stewart, the last for Ken Stephens as Mayor. And it’s got plenty of interesting items on the agenda.
Will a new spirit of peace break out? Will Troy Edgar back up his words with actions?
This is the place for members of the public to Read more
Dec
15
New Mayor, emergency repairs, trash, expanded staff & more onMonday’s Council Meeting
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council, City Council Meetings, Trash contraact, Troy Edgar | 10 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 12/15/2011, revised 12/16/2011) Monday night, 12/19/2011, will be the last Regular City Council meeting of the year, the last for City Manager Stewart, and the last for the next four weeks. There’s no shortage of interesting items on the agenda:
- Yet another “Consent Calendar” recommendation to postpone the second reading of the proposed trash contract revision, probably to Read more
Dec
5
Avery unanimous choice: Your reporting & comments on tonight’s Council Meeting, 12/5/11
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Teamwork, Your reporting & comments | 2 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 12/5/11) 7:30 p.m., breaking news: Our Council tonight unanimously approved the 3 year contract with current Parks and Recreation Director Angela Avery to serve as Los Alamitos City Manager beginning next month. Kudos to one and all for a timely and unanimous appointment from within!
Tonight’s Los Alamitos City Council meeting is bookended with closed sessions, but the agenda for the public portions has several items of interest (Click here for Friday’s report on the meeting’s agenda).
At 7:05 the Council moved out of the closed session, with Mayor Stephens indicating the results of the closed session relating to Angie Avery’s pending appointment would be discussed later in the meeting.
Interestingly, Council Member Poe Read more
Dec
1
Angie Avery slated to become our new City Manager
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings | 15 Comments
(12/1/2011, Los Alamitos) It looks like we’re getting a new City Manager that just about everyone can agree on!
Consent Calendar Item 8E calls for the Council to hire our award winning Parks & Recreation Director Angie Avery (above) to a three year term as City Manager for a net annual salary of Read more
Nov
28
Special City Council Meeting tonight, 11/28
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Trash contraact | 2 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 11/28/11)The Los Alamitos City Council has scheduled a Special Meeting for 7 p.m. tonight, 11/28/2011.
The agenda calls for public oral communications, then a closed session with the City Attorney to discuss 3 items:
1. Appointment of a “City Manager/Interim City Manager.”
2. “Conference with Labor Negotiator” regarding the contract, salary, etc. of the “City Manager/Interim City Manager.”
3. “Existing Litigation,” (City of Los Alamitos vs. Citizens for a Fair Trash Contract)
Nov
21
Your reporting & comments on tonight’s Council Meeting, 11/21/11
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Trash contraact, Your reporting & comments | 2 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 11/21/11) Mystery? Controversy? City Manager Jeff Stewart’s 2nd to last meeting?
The only way to know for sure is to be there, or to watch or set your DVR to record starting at 7 tonight.
I’m still not sure exactly if tonight’s Consent Calendar item D means the Council will or will not be voting on removing the “lowest responsible bid,” and that’s Read more
Nov
17
Staff recommends delaying passing trash amendment
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Decency, Trash contraact | Leave a Comment
(Los Alamitos, 11/17/11) The Los Alamitos City Council Agenda and attachments for this Monday’s 7 pm, 11/21/11 meeting is up, and it has what may be a pleasant surprise:
Consent Calendar Item 8D, which appears to be Read more
Nov
13
“This process is again corrupted!” Citizens, Part 2
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Trash contraact | 2 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 11/13/11) Last Tuesday I posted the first of three public comments made at last Monday’s Council meeting by representatives from The Citizens for a Fair Trash Contract.”
Below is the second statement, made during public comments by J.M. Ivler.
In it he focuses on the way the amendment to the trash ordinance that later passed 3-2 made it to the Council seemingly on it’s own.
Well worth reading!
Public Comment of J.M. Ivler, 11/7/11: A couple of years ago the City Council wanted to ensure that the exclusive solid waste franchise went to the lowest responsible bidder.
They held a public meeting to discuss it and then had a vote, after it was discussed with public feedback, to request that the City Attorney re-write the City Code ensuring that the exclusive solid waste franchise be awarded by public bid process to the lowest responsible bidder.
When the code was rewritten by the attorney it was sent back to the City Council where it was read twice, discussed twice and voted on twice.
Today we get a code change, not asked for, not requested, not Read more
Nov
8
Complete video of Monday, 11/7/11 Los Al Council Meeting
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Trash contraact | 5 Comments
Here’s the the complete video of Monday night’s 4 hour and 20 minute Regular Los Alamitos City Council Meeting, 11/7/2011:
The first 50 minutes was devoted to three presentations: OC Human Relations, OCTA options on widening the 405 south of Valley View, and SCE 125th anniversary. The trash contract comes up after the “Consent Calendar” and stretches well past half way. You can move the cursor to about the point you want to get to.
After roll call, flag, invocation etc. the agenda is as follows:
5. Presentations -
a. Becky Esparza, OC Human Relations
b. Niall Barrett, OCTA Project Mgr, on 405 Freeway Improvement Project
c. representative for Edison Smart grid
6. Oral Communications about 50 minutes, followed by city attorney response at 1:30 minutes seems to just go into 9A from there.
7. Major Expenditures
8. Consent Calendar
9. Introduction of Ordinance No. 11-10 – Amending Sections 2.60.130 and
8.12.015 of the Los Alamitos Municipal Code and Adding Section 2.60.140 related to the Award of Services Contracts,
NOTE: The video is missing about 40 seconds when had to change disks at the completion of agenda item 9a.
10, Race on Base management contract Read more