The City Council voted to allow Rodeffer Investments Inc. to fill a tapped-out quarry, 85 acres by 165 feet deep, with 10 million cubic yards of dirt, gravel and concrete. The plan still must get the approval of the state and local water quality boards, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the CA Integrated Waste Board and the County Health Dept.
The City Council asked Bill Woolard, 50, the City's Planning Director and Employee of the Year in 1993, to resign last month, then rehired him a week later as a temporary consultant.
Wendell Griffith, 35, of Monrovia, a track supervisor who was fired after 2 female employees accused him of sexual harassment, is going to work at the track as a janitor. Background on the case is given.
Terrance M. Towner, former Pasadena resident and school superintendent in Los Gatos, will be next superintendent for the Arcadia Unified School District. The Arcadia Board of Education selected Towner after a 4-month search. He replaces Stephen Goldstone, who left in September to become superintendent with the Chino Unified School District. Mr. Towner will earn $91,000 per year.
City of Arcadia will reopen City Hall and other facilities to the public as part of the Safer At Work and in the Community Order issued by Los Angeles County. Beginning June 15, open facilities now include City Hall, Arcadia Fire Department, Public Works, and city parks and open spaces. The Arcadia Police Department, Community Center, Arcadia Public Library and Museum remain closed. Arcadia City Council meetings will still be conducted virtually in June.
Survival-of-the fittest strategies have swept City Hall, where employees fearful of looming budget cuts are waging campaigns against their colleagues and other departments in an effort to protect their jobs.
About 40 Arcadia High School students showed up outside City Hall at 3:15 to demonstrate against the city's 50 year old curfew, which subjects those under 18 to a misdemeanor citation if they loiter in public after 10 PM.
Gerald A. Parker, last years's City Employee of the Year, has been appointed director of finance. Parker replaces Alan Murphy, who died earlier this month after a long battle with cancer.
James Romo, an education attorney and school district volunteer, has been selected to fill the vacant seat on the Arcadia School board. He will replace Michael Lamb, who resigned from the board last month.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital workers vote to unionize. The nearly 700 technical employees, nursing assistants and other workers have voted to join the Caregiver Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU). The CHEU is a sister union to California Nurses Association. The employees want to win strong union representation, better benefits and improved conditions for employees and patients.
Nine City Council candidates discuss the salaries of city employees who make over $100,000, the salary survey requested by citizens, and the hiring of Don Penman, Assistant City Manager.
127 city employees have agreed to postpone their salary increases for 6 months to help close the city's projected $2.2 million shortfall. This action would save the city $466,000.
The school board on Tuesday night unanimously approved a framework for change concerning grades. The details of the district's grading standards will be worked out over the coming months.
23 "heroes and heroines" in the Arcadia Unified School District were honored by the Board of Education in the first "Profiles in Excellence" awards. The awards were presented to "individuals who maintain a standard of excellence in their work and who represent those values and qualities which make Arcadia a special place for students." Names and positions of winners are given.
Arcadia Announces Limited Reopening of City Facilities by Appointment. The City of Arcadia is reopening City Hall to the public for services by appointment only for essential activities in response to the revised Safer at Home Order issued by Los Angeles County on May 13, 2020. These include building permits, inspections, and planning related services. Tennis courts are now open for modified use. All players must abide by posted rules and those who ignore the guidelines will not be allowed to play.
Area dropout rates for Arcadia Unified School District showed a 50% increase during the past five years. The latest figures are reportedly inaccurate because of a district reporting error.
Health care workers and employees at Arcadia Methodist Hospital voted to unionize. They voted to join Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU) for a stronger collective voice on patient care issues, especially in improving safe staffing.
Assemblymember Mike Fong, D-Alhambra, secures $4.5M for San Gabriel Valley cities. The cities Fong represents include Alhambra, Arcadia, El Monte, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, South El Monte, South Pasadena and Temple City. The money is for investing in infrastructure that will increase access to park space, library services, and athletic facilities and enhance public safety for the 49th District.