City clerks often earn six figure salaries. Pasadena has the highest paid clerk in the San Gabriel Valley with an annual salary of $143,006, and 10 cities have clerks that make more than $100,000. The City Clerk is responsible for all city records and for orchestrating city elections. Arcadia's city manager Don Penman said the role of city clerk as chief record keeper is essential and the pay is justified because of the level of responsibility the position demands. Arcadia's city clerk is paid $90,870 per year.
Arcadia residents may vote again on street lighting fees. Under the new proposal, single family homes on arterial streets would pay about $17 a year, while those not on arterial streets would pay about $27 a year, making the assessments more fair. Voters in 2008 rejected a proposal to fund the lighting and now the city is considering another mail-in vote.
Arcadia certifies city council election victories for John Wuo and Gary A. Kovacic. The results were certified this week after election officials were able to verify and count 661 of the remaining 681 ballots of the April 10 election. There were 105 ballots that had to be disqualified because voters selected more than 2 candidates in the all-mail election. At least some of those were caused by an error in the ballots' Chinese-language instructions that directed voters to select no more than 3 instead of 2 candidates, prompting the city to send out correction notices. Gene Glasco was elected City Clerk. Measure D, the hotel room tax, passed.
The City of Arcadia is asked by election consultant Martin and Chapman Co. to split the cost of the $10,000 ballot error that was sent to the city's nearly 29,000 voters. The error was in the Chinese language instructions, directing voters to choose up to 3 City Council candidates, in the race for only 2 open seats.
After a five-year hiatus, Arcadia City Council is considering reinstating a policy that would let property owners pay to be assigned a more auspicious house number, which some believe would improve the value of their home. The number 4 in a street address is considered a bad omen in many Asian cultures. In Mandarin language, the word "four" sounds like the word for death, while the number eight is considered lucky, because it sounds like the word for prosper. Arcadia's Asian population is approaching 60% and most potential buyers will be Asian. In a 3-2 vote, Arcadia City Council endorsed the move in principle and directed staff to report back on the costs involved.
Arcadia City Council has decided to leave in place a city policy that imposes term limits for serving on City Council, restricting residents from running for more than two consecutive council terms. Had council voted to remove the restrictions, local voters would have had a chance to vote on term limits as a local ballot measure. Arcadia's city charter requires council members who have served two consecutive 4-year terms to take a 2-year break before they can run again for another term.
Arcadia city's nearly 29,000 voters were sent election ballots last week with a critical error in its Chinese language instructions that could cause votes to be invalidated. The mail-in ballots directed voters in Chinese, to choose up to 3, instead of 2, City Council candidates, in the race for two open seats. City Manager Don Penman said the error is estimated to cost between $7,000 and $10,000 and that the election consultant Martin and Chapman Co., in Anaheim, should reimburse the city.
City of Arcadia to split cost of fixing critical ballot error with Anaheim-based election consultant Martin and Chapman Co. Both the city and Martin and Chapman have agreed to pay $5408 each to fix a Chinese language error in the April 2012 City Council election.
Arcadia, Sierra Madre and Bradbury are holding elections today on tax measures and city council members. Arcadia voters will choose two City Council members from the candidates running--Gary Kovacic, John Wuo, Sho Tay, Henry Nunez, and Mary Dougherty--and vote on Measure D, the extension ofthe hotel room tax from a 30-day maximum to a 90-day stay. Arcadia's election is being conducted through an all-mail ballot for the first time.
In lieu of pay raises, Arcadia City Council members and city employees will see an increase in the city's contribution to their health benefits. "It is fair because in these economic times, we couldn't afford to give (employees) anything else," said Mayor Peter Amundson. The total fiscal impact will be $56,750 for all employees.
Pension reform is happening with Arcadia city employees. Arcadia City Council approved an ordinance last week whereby police officers and firefighters hired by the city are now required to pay their full employee share, or 9 percent, of their pension costs--an amount previously covered by the city. In addition, tentative agreements are in place with 4 out of 5 employee unions, to have members pay their full share by the next 3 years. Annual increases in employee costs during that period would be offset by equivalent annual raises. Other San Gabriel cities may follow suit.
Voters choose Tom Beck (District 2) over challenger Bob Harbicht, for City Council seat. Incumbent Roger Chandler (District 5) narrowly defeats challenger Joyce Platt. Preliminary numbers are in. This is the city's first district-based election.
None of the three Chinese-American candidates received enough votes to win one of the three open seats in Tuesday's Arcadia City Council elections. With the departure of Mayor John Wuo, who was the second Chinese-American to be elected to the council, Arcadia, an ethnically diverse city, is reverting to an all Caucasian council for the first time in 12 years. Many in the Chinese community prefer to relay a concern to someone of their own race and culture "because this person understands what they say, what their concern is based on," former council member Dr. Sheng Chang said. Councilman Roger Chandler, however, believes that the city has enough volunteers, associations and resources to facilitate communication and to aptly handle any issue that could come up.
Mayor Gary Kovacic and former councilman John Wuo were leading yesterday in the early returns for two City Council seats, but former school board president Mary Dougherty was close behind. About 6,500 of the city's nearly 30,000 voters had already cast their vote as of early Tuesday evening.
Arcadia City Council will discuss whether a measure to end term limits should be placed on a future citywide ballot. The City Charter requires council members that have served two consecutive four-year terms to take a two-year break before they can serve another term. The charter can only be amended by a voter approved measure.
PETA and City of Arcadia reach deal over coyote plan. Group had sued after city planned to start trap-and-kill program. Arcadia will pay $15,000 to settle the lawsuit that contended the city council approved the contract without an environmental report mandated by the California Environmental Quality Act. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 10, July 6, 2017.
Arcadia city wants ban on single-use plastic bags just 6 months before a statewide referendum goes to California voters. If adopted, it would affect approximately 36 Arcadia businesses and be implemented in two phases. Phase 1 would begin in early June and would apply to grocery stores with $2 million+ in annual sales, such as Vons, Albertsons, 99 Ranch Market. Phase 2 would include smaller businesses, like pharmacies and convenience stores, and would be implemented 6 months later. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, April 21, 2016.
Measure A appears to be failing, newcomers likely to join council. Voters on Tuesday shot down Measure A (repeal of Utility Users Tax) and appear to be electing Peter Amundson and April Verlato for Arcadia City Council. Measure A did not pass. 64 percent of votes were cast against the measure, which needed a simple majority to pass. Amundson and Verlato will be sworn in April 26.
Arcadia City Councilman John Wuo resigned, citing health and personal reasons. He had served on council for 12 years, including as mayor for 3 terms. His resignation comes on the heels of a lawsuit and intense scrutiny of his alleged involvement with GemCoin (digital currency) and alleged violations of the Political Reform Act's statement of economic interests disclosure requirement and conflict of interest.
Measure A seeks to repeal utility users tax in Arcadia, on the April 12 ballot. The utility users tax is a source of revenue expected to generate $7 million for the city this year. Arcadia charges residents 7% for gas, water, and electricity, and 5% for telephone on utility bills. The city estimates each household pays less than $10 per person per month on average. The tax is 12.5% of the city's $54.9 million general fund budget. If repealed, it would mean a 12.5% cut to city services, including cutting 12 police officers, closing a fire department, increasing blight, street sweeping would be reduced from weekly to every other week. Programs for children and seniors would be eliminated and library and museum hours would be reduced significantly. Larry Papp helped author the initiative.