At its regular meeting on Tuesday, La Cañada Flintridge City Council honored Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station’s dedicated resource officer Deputy Eric Matejka, who is retiring, with a commemorative plaque and kind words for all his work over the years.
Matejka spent about 20 years at the CV Sheriff’s Station post, investing a lot of hours at La Cañada High School, other local schools and community-wide functions.
“We’re super happy for you but we’re a little bummed out that you’re leaving us,” said Mayor Mike Davitt. “But you’ve done such a great job in our city and you’re such a key member of our community and part of the fabric of everything that goes on here.”
Matejka did an especially fine job when it came to educating the community and local youth about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, said Mayor Pro Tem Jonathan Curtis, as well as consistently helping out at community events such as the LCF Chamber of Commerce mixers. The deputy also helped support and grow the local neighborhood watch groups, he added.
“You’ve taken them from about three groups to upward of about 40 neighborhood watches; it’s not just about crime, it’s about safety,” Curtis said.
For his part, Matejka gave an emotional farewell: “I came to work every day, happy, and not a lot of people can say that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
COUNCIL AWARDS FOOTHILL BIKEWAY PROJECT
City Council approved the plans and construction contract for the Foothill Boulevard Link Bikeway and Pedestrian Greenbelt Project to Sequel Contractors Inc. for about $2.58 million.
The project, first approved by City Council in October of 2018, includes new bikeways on the north and south side of Foothill Boulevard, a new, raised center median, “Greenbelt” landscaping and new sidewalks. The project extends from 2111 Foothill Blvd. to the 2 Freeway on- and off-ramps at Hillard Avenue.
Construction of the project is tentatively scheduled to begin in September and will finish about 100 working days thereafter.
According to a traffic mitigation plan, Director of Public Works Pat DeChellis said that Foothill Boulevard will be open at all times during construction with a minimum of one lane of travel in each direction. There will be no parking on either side of Foothill between Hillard Avenue and the Ross Dress for Less parking lot and turning restrictions along the route, with right turns only, and no U-turns permitted.
“This traffic control plan will ensure that there is no congestion on Foothill during construction but it also will slightly inconvenience those who live and get access off of Foothill,” DeChellis said.
Councilmembers expressed excitement to finally kick off the project, which has been in the works for nearly a decade.
