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Home My Public Portal AboutM2004-10-26-CC_SpLYNWOOD CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 26, 2004 The City Council of the City of Lynwood met in a Special Meeting in the Council Chambers, 11330 Bullis Road on the above date at 4:45 p.m. Mayor Byrd presiding. Councilman Pedroza, Rodriguez, Santillan, Vasquez, and Byrd answered the roll call. Also present were Interim City Manager Wang, City Attorney Beltran, City Clerk Hooper and City Treasurer Pygatt. City Clerk Hooper announced that the agenda had been duly posted in accordance with the Brown Act. PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (Regarding Agenda Items Only) NONE PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATIONS NONE DISCUSSION ITEMS Item #6: PROPOSED MEDIANS ISLANDS FOR ABBOTT ROAD (ATLANTIC AVENUE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD) !. Median Islands are being proposed on Abbott Road (Atlantic Avenue Martin Luther King Boulevard) as part of the street improvements to enhance traffic safety. Due to the fact of certain traffic patterns changing a public hearing is recommended for public input. Director of Environmental Services/City Engineer Yadi Farhadi -Provided Council with a proposed Medians Islands Project for Abbott Road from (Atlantic Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard). Councilman Pedroza -Stated that he would like to know what is the project time in redoing the streets, and what kind of delay would the City have if Council does approve the Median Islands. Director of Environmental Services/City Engineer Yadi Farhadi -Explained that it would probably take up to a year for the accomplishment of this project. Mayor Pro Tem Vasquez -Stated that she believes this is a wonderful project, but one of the concerns is that how is the City going to maintain these Median Islands, also this project is going to cost the City over one million dollars and this is of course money that the City has not budgeted for this Fiscal Year. One of the things that Council had agreed was to prioritize the streets that Council had already approved, and what I am concerned about is that Council is going to end up shifting the money away from these streets and putting it into this project, which I do not feel it is a priority I have driven through out the City and looked at some of the streets that are on the priority list and they are horrible. Questioned if Council can complete this project without affecting the funding for the priority streets [hat Council has already approved. Director of Environmental Services/City Engineer Yadi Farhadi -Explained that the funds for the City streets that are on the priority list cannot be used for any other projects, also the funding for the Median Islands cannot be used for other projects. Councilman Rodriguez -Questioned if staff has considered the possibility of the Islands being filled with concrete cement and then painting it green, that in the long run would be saving the City a lot of money this would be an alternative. Councilman Pedroza -Stated that if staff is going to put Median Islands then I would like to do it the right way and put trees and plants. The City needs a nice entrance from Atlantic going west on Abbott like a water fountain or a sign saying Welcome to the City of Lynwood. My concern is that the City is getting worst and worst with the maintenance department and how is staff going to deal with it. Councilwoman Santillan -Explained that her concern is that some of the City's streets do not have sidewalks, would like to know if this would be part of the project. Director of Environmental Services/City Engineer Yadi Farhadi -Stated that yes this project is going to include the streets sidewalks. It was moved by Councilwoman Santillan, second by Councilman Rodriguez to set a public hearing to receive public input on the proposed installation of Median Islands on Abbott Road and direct staff to schedule the hearing for November 16, 2tJO4 City Council Meeting and also to have staff bring back more landscape options and a welcome component with a water fountain feature or a sign. ROLL CALL: AYES: COUNCILMEN PEDROZA, RODRIGUEZ, SANTILLAN, VASQUEZ AND BYRD NOES: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT: NONE Item #7: LONG BEACH BOULEVARD PROPOSED MASTER PLAN CONCEPT The purpose of this item is to present the City Council a preliminary concept for the future street improvements of Long Beach. Director of Environmental Services/City Engineer Yadi Farhadi -Provided Council with the Long Beach Boulevard Proposed Master Plan Concept. Councilman Rodriguez -Stated that this project is going to help the City of Lynwood especially with the cruising that the City has had in the past, and is going to beautify the City. Councilman Pedroza -Stated that this is a great vision for the City of Lynwood, this will bring more developments into the City, and I see this as a positive project. Councilwoman Santillan -Questioned that how would the Council acquired the piece of land, if it is feasible. Director of Redevelopment Services Louis Morales -Explained to Council that what this does is provides more prime retail space along the Boulevard. Deputy Director of Redevelopment John Perfit -Stated that this is a great project for the City. It was moved by Councilman Pedroza, second by Mayor Byrd to receive staff's presentation. ROLL CALL: AYES: COUNCILMEN PEDROZA, RODRIGUEZ, SANTILLAN, VASQUEZ AND BYRD NOES: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT: NONE CLOSED SESSION -~ Item #8: CLOSED SESSION ITEMS a y City Attorney Beltran stated, with respect to every item of business to be discussed in Joint Closed Session Pursuant to Section 54957.6: A. Lynwood Employees Association B. City Manager It was moved by Councilmen Pedroza, second by Mayor Byrd and carried to recess the Joint Closed Session at 5:50 p.m. Councilman Pedroza -Stated that he would like for the City Manager to be more proactive with the graffiti issues, it is getting out of hand. Would also like for staff to bring this issue as an Item for the Council Agenda. Council reconvened at 7:30 p.m. City Attorney Beltran stated that Council met on the aforementioned matters and reported on: A. Lynwood Employees Association: All Council supporting the further instructions given to the negotiators on the item briefed ~' by the staff. B. City Manager: Further instructions were provided regarding the issue I would be communicating those instructions provided again with council reaching consensus. City Attorney Beltran -Announced to Council that he received a fax from Councilman Pedroza regarding the possible litigation that would sue to prevent the closing of King Drew Trauma Center, I did obtain this morning a copy of the complaint that is to be filed tomorrow alleging a number of violations under Federal Law and State Law their interest is to determine if the City wishes to participate somewhere down the road to join the lawsuit, but at this point the lawsuit is to be filed tomorrow I indicated to Councilman Pedroza that because this is a special meeting a subsequent need item will not be permitted but that I will go ahead and schedule this for Close Session discussion as a possible litigation matter next Tuesday I only wanted to be able to convey a sense of the Council to the Plaintiff Attorneys of whether the City has a belief that this would be productive for the City to support, hopefully to prevent the closure of King Drew Trauma Center. It was moved by Mayor Byrd, second by Councilman Rodriguez and carried to proceed with the King Drew Trauma Center litigation. ADJOURNMENT Having no further discussion, it was-moved by Councilman Rodriguez, second by Councilman Pedroza and carried to adjourn the Regular Council Meeting at 7:40 p.m. ~aa ~~ Louis Byrd, Mayor LSFZ~.Leti ~' ~'~ Andrea L. Hooper, City Clerk