The Pomona Charter Review Commission completed its work on May 23 and submitted their final report to the city clerk on May 26. The commission has now been disbanded per the current charter. I've done a complete rundown on the proposed charter amendments on the Eye On Pomona blog. Unfortunately, they don't allow commenting, but I'll certainly read any comments posted here or on the Eye On Pomona Facebook page.
I promised myself that I'd try to keep my posts on this blog social or at least short so as not to move this blog too much into a political diatribe. So I'd like to use this space (thanks Meg) to acknowledge the work of my fellow commissioners.
Co-Chairs Eunice Russell and Lucille Lyons (and Victor Caseres who was replaced after the District 5 election) who, somehow, managed to keep a semblance or order when everyone had an opinion and wanted desperately to express it. And to Celia Gomez, Frank Delgado, Carlos Goytia, Arturo Jimenez, Debra Martin, Veronica Michalowski, John Nolte, Jerry Perez, Julie-Roberts-Fronk, Bernardo Rosa, Luis Rosales, De'Andre Valencia, and Ed Simian (also replaced after the District 5 election). They all contributed greatly to the final document. While we didn't always see eye-to-eye on every issue, we were all respectful of each others opinions and in the end we did a job that I wasn't sure could be done by a 15-member commission.
And lastly I'd like to thank the city staffers who help guide us through the process, Assistant City Manager Mark Gluba, City Clerk Marie Macias (along with her assistants), and Assistant City Attorney Andrew Jared.
The next step is to convince the voters to approve our hard work in November 2012. I look forward to working with many of my colleagues to see that it happens.
Thank you all for the wonderful experience.
Showing posts with label city clerk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city clerk. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Monday, November 1, 2010
November 2--VOTE
While M-M-M-My Pomona is a place where diverse opinions often clash, I'm sure that all of us here at can agree, your vote counts. Regardless of party, candidates supported, or issues, PLEASE, get out and vote.
In Pomona, we have two tax initiatives, one for an increase in the utility tax, and a parcel tax for schools in PUSD. In Districts 2, 3, and 5 we have council seats up for election.
If you need to know where to vote, you can get polling place information at http://www.lavote.net/LOCATOR/. Just type in your address and it will tell you where to go and vote.
The message? VOTE.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Applicants Sought For the City's Charter Review Commission
The following is from the Pomona Chamber of Commerce blog.
Me again: This will be an important commission. The original deadline was Jan. 27 but it was extended due to a lack of applicants. If you're concerned about how the city is run and want to have a say in city government, this is your opportunity. There will be 15 people appointed to this commission, two by each councilperson and three by the mayor.
Pomona City Council seeks individuals interested in serving on a Charter Review Commission. Commissioners will have an opportunity to make a difference in the community by providing recommendations to the City Council to update the City Charter. Commissioners serve on a volunteer basis and are appointed by the City Council. The City of Pomona is seeking individuals with a strong interest in the community to be considered for the commission.
A link to the Charter Review Commission Application Form can be found on the City's website at www.ci.pomona.ca.us. Applications are also available at Pomona City Hall, Office of the city Clerk, 505 S. Garey Ave. The deadline for filing an application has been extended to Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 5:00pm. Applications should be filed in the City Clerk Development.
For further information, please contact the City Clerk's Office at 909-620-23411.
Me again: This will be an important commission. The original deadline was Jan. 27 but it was extended due to a lack of applicants. If you're concerned about how the city is run and want to have a say in city government, this is your opportunity. There will be 15 people appointed to this commission, two by each councilperson and three by the mayor.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Mills Act is NOT a Tax on Historic Districts
I guess we live too far on the edge of Lincoln Park. I received a couple of emails about a flyer that was being passed out in the district (but not on my street) warning residents of a new TAX that was going to be discussed at next Monday's city council meeting. The flyer is attributed to John Mendoza, who has run a series of petition drives for various subjects and was a candidate for School Board in the last election.
His scare flyer is wrong on many of the details, although to his credit he did include the notice for the issue.
Monday's meeting actually does include two items of importance to the residents of Lincoln Park as well as the other two districts, but it's NOT a new tax. The Mills Act was created as the main tool by the state to encourage owners of historic properties to renovate and maintain their property in a historically accurate manner. The Act allows property owners to enter into contracts with the city whereby the property will be taxed, not by the value of the property, but as if it were a rental business. This can result in tax savings of up to 60% depending on the assessed value of the property and the rental rates within the area.
In exchange for the property tax savings, the property owner agrees to use those savings to do an approved (within the contract) number of renovation projects. The idea is that this is a win-win as the property owner can use tax savings to improve the property and the city ensures that their historic properties are maintained in a historically accurate manner.
Pomona has had the Mills Act in place for some time. However, the original city version of the act was so restrictive that we only have three current contracts in the city. Pomona's Mills Act requirements were much more difficult than any of the surrounding cities. Pomona Heritage worked hard with city staff to review and revisit the act and to see how it could be improved to make it a better tool for historic Pomona.
The version of the Act that passed the Historic Preservation Commission will greatly enhance the way that Mills Act contracts are done in Pomona. Monday's meeting does have a twist that had not previously been discussed. Under the current Pomona version of the Act there is no fee. However state law allows cities to charge an application fee to recoup the costs of processing Mills contracts. The City Clerk has determined that cost to be around $2,400. Pomona Heritage is concerned that this upfront cost would be onerous, and hope to argue at Monday's meeting that the fee be more in line with other cities in the area whose fees range from nothing to under $500.
The other issue on Monday's agenda will be the use of alternative materials in the historic districts. This is an issue that was supposed to be discussed in the study sessions that were postponed and then canceled. So this will be the first opportunity that the council will have to hear this issue, and they're planning on voting on a policy.
If you're interested in either of these issues, we hope that you will be at the council meeting on Monday, April 21. Council meetings start at 7:00 pm in the council chambers at city hall.
His scare flyer is wrong on many of the details, although to his credit he did include the notice for the issue.
Monday's meeting actually does include two items of importance to the residents of Lincoln Park as well as the other two districts, but it's NOT a new tax. The Mills Act was created as the main tool by the state to encourage owners of historic properties to renovate and maintain their property in a historically accurate manner. The Act allows property owners to enter into contracts with the city whereby the property will be taxed, not by the value of the property, but as if it were a rental business. This can result in tax savings of up to 60% depending on the assessed value of the property and the rental rates within the area.
In exchange for the property tax savings, the property owner agrees to use those savings to do an approved (within the contract) number of renovation projects. The idea is that this is a win-win as the property owner can use tax savings to improve the property and the city ensures that their historic properties are maintained in a historically accurate manner.
Pomona has had the Mills Act in place for some time. However, the original city version of the act was so restrictive that we only have three current contracts in the city. Pomona's Mills Act requirements were much more difficult than any of the surrounding cities. Pomona Heritage worked hard with city staff to review and revisit the act and to see how it could be improved to make it a better tool for historic Pomona.
The version of the Act that passed the Historic Preservation Commission will greatly enhance the way that Mills Act contracts are done in Pomona. Monday's meeting does have a twist that had not previously been discussed. Under the current Pomona version of the Act there is no fee. However state law allows cities to charge an application fee to recoup the costs of processing Mills contracts. The City Clerk has determined that cost to be around $2,400. Pomona Heritage is concerned that this upfront cost would be onerous, and hope to argue at Monday's meeting that the fee be more in line with other cities in the area whose fees range from nothing to under $500.
The other issue on Monday's agenda will be the use of alternative materials in the historic districts. This is an issue that was supposed to be discussed in the study sessions that were postponed and then canceled. So this will be the first opportunity that the council will have to hear this issue, and they're planning on voting on a policy.
If you're interested in either of these issues, we hope that you will be at the council meeting on Monday, April 21. Council meetings start at 7:00 pm in the council chambers at city hall.
Monday, March 3, 2008
City Clerk Updates Web Site
For those of you who might regularly try and navigate the city's web site, I'm sure you're as frustrated as I am at times. As someone whose been writing HTML code since the late 1980s and has been webmaster for over a dozen sites and helped to create oscars.org, I have a pretty good understanding of what it take to do a web site. And Pomona's has been just plain bad.
However, I saw a notice today on the Foothill Cities blog that the city had joined the ranks of those who posted council minutes. I immediately had to check it out for myself. What I found was that the City Clerk page has been completely reworked and will be including a lot of great additions. Among those are: Minutes, Agendas, Legal notices (no longer have to pour over them in the classified section of the DB to find the few regarding Pomona), winners of bids, election information, city codes (which have been there but hidden), public records, campaign statements, statement of economic interest filings, city claims forms, and information on the city's commissions, along with the form for applying for a commission seat.
I immediately contacted Maria Macias, our very professional city clerk (I had wanted to let her know what a great idea I thought it was that she had to have high school students working at the polls on election day) and let her know that I thought the changes to the web site were terrific and hoped that it might have an effect on other departments web offerings. She indicated that in addition to the agendas, that it is her intent to also post complete meeting packets as well (this will be a boon to those of us who try and read them 15 minutes before the meeting in the lobby).
She also apologized that the agenda for tonight's meeting didn't get posted, but it is a victim of the migration to her new page. She then forwarded the agenda to me via email (Thank you!).
This is a great start. I had been asked by Publius of The Foothill Cities blog to write up a critique of Pomona's web site which I'm still planning to do (don't worry Publius, it's coming). Again, kudos to Marie Macias for making communication with our city a little easier.
However, I saw a notice today on the Foothill Cities blog that the city had joined the ranks of those who posted council minutes. I immediately had to check it out for myself. What I found was that the City Clerk page has been completely reworked and will be including a lot of great additions. Among those are: Minutes, Agendas, Legal notices (no longer have to pour over them in the classified section of the DB to find the few regarding Pomona), winners of bids, election information, city codes (which have been there but hidden), public records, campaign statements, statement of economic interest filings, city claims forms, and information on the city's commissions, along with the form for applying for a commission seat.
I immediately contacted Maria Macias, our very professional city clerk (I had wanted to let her know what a great idea I thought it was that she had to have high school students working at the polls on election day) and let her know that I thought the changes to the web site were terrific and hoped that it might have an effect on other departments web offerings. She indicated that in addition to the agendas, that it is her intent to also post complete meeting packets as well (this will be a boon to those of us who try and read them 15 minutes before the meeting in the lobby).
She also apologized that the agenda for tonight's meeting didn't get posted, but it is a victim of the migration to her new page. She then forwarded the agenda to me via email (Thank you!).
This is a great start. I had been asked by Publius of The Foothill Cities blog to write up a critique of Pomona's web site which I'm still planning to do (don't worry Publius, it's coming). Again, kudos to Marie Macias for making communication with our city a little easier.
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