Mayor Rosenthal called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

MOMENT OF SILENCE – in memory of former Assemblyman Bill Lancaster

PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBER: BALDONADO, HELD, LEIGA, SMITH, ROSENTHAL

ALSO PRESENT: Glenn Southard, City Manager; Bridget Healy, Assistant City Manager; Sonia Carvalho, City Attorney; Dick Guthrie, Human Services Director; Robert Moody, Police Chief; Betty Sheldon, Community Services Director; Russ Brown, Police Captain; Tammy Gates, Assistant to the City Manager; Mike Maxfield, Community Information Coordinator; Carrie Corder, Financial Services Manager; Jim Lewis, Management Analyst; Lynne Pahner, City Clerk

CEREMONIAL MATTERS, PRESENTATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS - None

Mayor Rosenthal requested Unfinished Business be addressed at this time.

10. Continuation of Approach to Community Dialogue – Oral Report

Mayor Rosenthal announced that now is the time and place for persons in the audience to make comments on items that are not covered on the agenda. Members of the audience may address the city council about items on the agenda at the time those items are considered by the council.

Michael Warshaw commented it is unconscionable the JPIA could prevent leaders from joining the vigil in a show of unity and simple bonding. Mr. Warshaw read a prepared statement in which he questioned the scheduling of the special meeting on January 10. He indicated the public should have received more advance notice of the meeting and it should not have been held behind closed doors. He discussed the duties of the city manager and the duties of elected officials. He indicated City Manager Southard has overstepped his bounds and inflamed the current situation. He requested City Manager Southard resign. He also requested the resignation of Mayor Rosenthal and Councilmember Leiga.

Obee Landrum stated the Council, at their meeting on January 3, expressed the need for the community to take on reconciliation and healing. He indicated he was amazed that he did not see a single councilmember at the vigil tonight, although he heard that one councilmember was there. He stated he is doubtful the Council is sincere. He referred to Mayor Rosenthal and said if she is afraid she is going to be misquoted, then she should not speak to the media. He asked, with regard to the apology, what was Council apologizing for and to whom. He stated the Council must address itself as the problem.

John Cook, 626 6^th Street, expressed his support in favor of the Police Department. He noted if someone comes through Claremont and is armed, they should be apprehended as they are a threat to the community and his family. He noted he has known Officer Hanna for a long time and he has always been professional. He stated he is appalled this has gone on so long. The officers did what they had to do to protect the community and themselves. He stated his support for the officers and the city manager, who is the only person who had the nerve to do what this community needed to do.

Katherine Armstead, Irvin Landrum’s grandmother, stated there is misleading evidence with regard to the shooting. She asked how there could be a threat when the gun was never fired. She asked for answers.

Linda Dow, 505 West 8^th Street, stated this issue has outraged her. She noted she is a physician and when a physician makes a mistake and a loss of life results, the physician is not vilified nor glorified, instead there is a review and an effort to learn from what occurred. She indicated racism does exist here in Claremont.

Patty Earl stated she can not believe this has gone on this long. She noted she is a retired police officer and was in a shooting herself. She related an incident in which a suspect pointed a gun at her and in front of dozens of witnesses, she said the gun had fired and it had not. She stated it was not a lie and it was not a cover-up. She also indicated there is no reason to expect fingerprints on the gun as anyone who handles a gun is continually wiping it down. She expressed her support for the police officers.

Bruce Pock, Bowling Green Drive, said Mayor Rosenthal’s handling of this situation has been horrible. He indicated Claremont is not a white haven, it is a mixed community and should be more mixed. He discussed the sobriety checkpoints and who gets moved through and who gets pulled over. He suggested conducting a candid evaluation of the situation. He indicated he appreciates Councilmembers Held and Smith’s participation on the ad hoc committee as it is a good beginning. He stated City Manager Southard should be removed with great embarrassment for how this has been handled.

Evan Wagner, stated he is aware of the racial problems that exist in the community. He compared Irvin Landrum and City Manager Southard by saying they both took action without thinking about the consequences of their actions. He said the City must say more than "I’m sorry". The City must provide answers by stating these are the facts, this is the truth and these are the mistakes that have been made.

Werner Warmbrunn stated it is important to speed up the process to obtain clarity from statements made under oath at a trial. He urged the City to push for a trial as quickly as possible. He noted the gun is crucial and every effort must be made to track the gun and either prove or disprove that Mr. Landrum owned the gun. He suggested the appointment of a police commission to serve as liaison between the police and the community. Any person of color who feels they have been treated unfairly could bring their concerns to this commission.

Unidentified speaker stated Irvin Landrum also enjoys being innocent until proven guilty and the only thing linking Mr. Landrum to the gun is the word of the two policemen who shot him. He noted the gun belonged to an Ontario police officer. He claimed Attorney General Janet Reno said it looks like the Claremont Police Department shot themselves in the foot with a throwaway gun.

Mike Noonan, 643 South Indian Hill Boulevard, stated the news of Claremont’s situation has spread around the country and the world. He encouraged the light of rationality and truth to shine upon this situation. He said straight answers are needed and noted the media is out of the committee’s hands. He stated there will be no peace before justice.

Gregory Tolliver stated Irvin Landrum was on summary informal probation for carrying a concealed weapon. The City’s fact sheet discusses the fact that Mr. Landrum was on probation for carrying a concealed weapon but does not explain it was under the misdemeanor code and not the felony code. He noted the concealed weapon was a set of brass knuckles found in the trunk of his car by policemen who were searching his car after it had been carjacked. A violation of his probation would have resulted in a fine and as much as thirty days in jail. He stated Mr. Landrum did not fear a long prison sentence and would not have pulled a gun on the officers. He suggested the Mayor contact the Los Angeles Times if she did not use the word vicious. He introduced Mr. Warshaw, discussed his family history as being the son of a woman who escaped from a Russian pogrom, and asked Mayor Rosenthal to explain the evidence that he and Mr. Warshaw are anti-Semitic.

Cliff Dean stated he loves Claremont and will be very disappointed if the City Council and City Manager Southard bow down to these demands and resign. He encouraged the council and manager to stand up to the threats being made, stay in their positions and keep up the good work. He stated the Landrum supporters can not handle the truth no matter what is told to them.

Jason Null, Claremont High School student, stated this situation saddens him to a great extent. He indicated he feels for the Landrum family and thinks the entire city has mishandled the situation. He noted the decisions of City Manager Southard may not have been the most educated or well thought through. He stated he wants to know the truth about what happened and he wants this to end. He indicated he is glad the Council is taking steps toward resolution, however, the process needs to needs to move faster. Mr. Null stated removing Council and staff will not solve the problem. He expressed his hope that Claremont would continue to be known for the best colleges and best schools and not as a racist town.

Wayne acknowledged there is racism in this country. This situation is out of control and the actions of some Los Angeles police officers makes it even more difficult. He urged the Council to resolve this and get the City back to normal. He expressed good luck to everyone.

Jeff Johansen indicated one thing he enjoys about this community is the colorful personalities of all those who live here. He suggested focusing on the good things instead of the negative. It is an incredible community even though there are problems. He noted hindsight is 20/20 and said if he had been condemned for every mistake he has ever made, he would not be anywhere. He stated there is a lot to work through, however, the City is on the right track but will not get anywhere with negative thinking. It is time to come together and act like a family.

There were no further requests to speak.

At 8:17 p.m., the City Council recessed.

At 8:30 p.m., the City Council reconvened.

Mayor Rosenthal invited public comment.

There were no requests to speak.

Written Communications, Outside – None

1. Warrant Register

Received and filed warrants totaling $697,319.57 and $795,216.73.

2. City Council Minutes of 10/6/99, 10/26/99, 12/14/99 Special Meeting and 12/14/99 Regular Meeting

Approved and filed.

3. Architectural Commission Minutes of 10/27/99 and 11/10/99

Received and filed.

4. Community Services Commission Minutes of 12/9/99

Received and filed.

5. Human Services Commission Minutes of 10/13/99 and 11/3/99

Received and filed.

6. Planning Commission Minutes of 11/16/99 and 12/7/99

Received and filed.

7. Claims for Damages: Caffey and Kolodge

8. Authorization to Prepare the 2000-01 Landscaping and Lighting District Annual Report

Adopted Resolution No. 2000-100, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, DIRECTING THE FILING OF AN ANNUAL REPORT PERTAINING TO ASSESSMENT DISTRICT NO. LL001 (pursuant to the Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972).

9. Final Tract Map No. 46812, Subdividing 28.1 Acres on the Southwest Corner of Padua Avenue and Mt. Baldy Road. Applicant – Premier Homes

Adopted Resolution No. 2000-101, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING FINAL TRACT MAP NO. 46812.

 

¨ ¨ ¨ END OF CONSENT CALENDAR ¨ ¨ ¨

 

This item was addressed earlier in the agenda.

13. Revised Investment Policy

Financial Services Manager Corder reviewed the staff report and recommendation that the City Council approve the revised Investment Policy.

Mayor Rosenthal invited public comment.

Mike Noonan, 643 South Indian Hill Boulevard, stated the function of the Investment Policy was to take away the city manager’s authority in investing. He suggested this is a good example of a trend that should accelerate with the city manager’s other responsibilities.

There were no further requests to speak

Mayor Rosenthal noted the revisions are minor with the change of titles and commented the Investment Committee is comprised of outside financial managers from institutions such as a hospital and the colleges. The policy was developed some time ago.

City Manager Southard stated the city manager has never been involved in the investments of the City; it has always been the City Treasurer, appointed by the City Council.

Councilmember Baldonado moved to approve the revised Investment Policy, seconded by Councilmember Held and unanimously carried.

 

14. Year 2000 Summary

Councilmember Held stated that last night the City Council met in closed session regarding the evaluation of the city manager. The dialogue concerning the roles of the city council and city manager was productive and the outcome was positive. He indicated that any breakdown in their capacity as policy makers and administrators of the City is a shared responsibility. The Council and City Manager will work hard to clarify their roles in the immediate future. Council and the City manager are committed to working together for a better Claremont.

Mayor Rosenthal reported she attended a Foothill Freeway Corridor Design Authority JPA meeting. The Caltrans office in La Verne is having an open house this weekend to discuss sound wall issues and Claremont is invited. The route has been walked and the request for bid process will begin. She noted 35 owners have not yet come to an agreement regarding the easement. She stated Indian Hill Boulevard is now open, Mills Avenue is closed and Towne Avenue should be open in another week or so. Mountain Avenue will be closed when Towne opens. She indicated the District has a very informative public safety program for schools, especially the elementary schools close to the freeway corridor. She reported the Sanitation District sponsors 55-60 toxic waste events a year and has signed four firms for contracts. They spend $7 million over three years in order to provide sites for residents to drop off hazardous waste. She noted the FAA has decided the aircraft problem from Ontario has been fixed as they thought it was caused by planes flying into LAX on their landing approach. They aren’t even aware that it is Ontario Airport causing the problem. She asked Councilmember Held to respond to the FAA to inform them of the problem. She announced the library needs volunteers to assist with moving books in preparation for the carpet installation. She requested the Council contribute cash donations toward refreshments for the workers. She stated volunteers should contact Lenore Jacoby at library for a work schedule as hundreds of volunteers are needed.

COMMISSIONS - None

City Manager Southard reported the new police chief, Tom Scheidecker, has been appointed and will start on February 14, 2000. He indicated he and the new chief will participate in a manager/police chief team building workshop. He requested Council concurrence to invite Mitch Dorger to the next Council meeting to thank him for a job well done. Council concurred. He noted the City is beginning the tree review process on College Avenue as many of the Eucalyptus trees are aging. Staff is working with the colleges that abut College Avenue and Claremont Heritage as well as the Community Services Commission as some trees will need to be removed and a tree-planting program established. There are safety and historic issues to be considered.