City Council Highlights for Oct. 4

The South Pasadena City Council met in regular session Wednesday night with all councilmembers present.  Most of the items were perfunctory, but the issue of raising water rates in the city took up about half of the meeting.  The discussion on the proposed rates is handled in detail in “City Council Supports Water Rate Hike, with Revisions.”

South Pasadena businesswomen Ellen Daigle of Ellen’s Silkscreening, Peggy Cherng of Panda Restaurant Group, and Cynthia Bennett of Cynthia Bennett and Associates were recognized for being named by the Los Angeles Business Journal in August as three of the  100 Largest Women-Owned L.A. County-Based Businesses Ranked by Revenue. 

Other highlights were

• Presentation by members of the youth council on activities for “Walk or Bike to School Day” on Oct. 3.
• Report from the Recreation and Parks Department that there is a positive cash flow for 2012, and supporting construction of a trail along the Arroyo Seco from Pasadena to South Pasadena for walking, biking, and horseback riding.  Mayor Michael Cacciotti noted that the city has received a $150,000 grant to build the pathway.
• Employee highlight on Sergio Solorzano, five-year employee of the library
• A motion was passed to award a contract to Pacific Hydrotech Corporation in the amount of $7,869,900 for the Wilson Reservoir Replacement Project.
• A motion was passed to amend the Arroyo Seco Golf Course Operations Management Agreement with Donovan Bros. Golf, LLC, with the exception of a section allowing Donovan Bros. to unilaterally extend the agreement.  That section was referred to Recreation and Parks.
• A motion was passed to accept the first reading of an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code relating to penalties for the unlawful removal, relocation, and trimming of protected trees.
• A motion was passed with several revisions to approve proposed water rate hikes, set a public hearing for Dec. 15, 2012, and publish the Prop. 218 notice for water rates.