The La Cañada City Council meeting held on Tuesday had a perfect balance of welcoming new members and saying farewell to a longtime employee, with discussions on issues ranging from pickleball to trash haulers.
A new emergency services coordinator was appointed at the meeting. Jared Hartel will be taking on the role, which includes being responsible for emergency preparedness and management of the city.
He has 10 years’ experience as an emergency medical technician, eight years of experience operating a medical academy at the high school level and training EMTs through adult education. He was also a safety coordinator for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.
“I am very happy to be here, and I cannot wait to start working and collaborating with everyone,” said Hartel.
TRASH HAULER TERMS
Councilman Kim Bowman brought up an issue for discussion that extended the terms for the three trash haulers in LCF to a month-to-month basis. The issue had been placed on the consent calendar, which are items that are set to be voted on by one motion and roll call vote.
“We have to kind of have a conversation around the way we handle waste in the city,” said Bowman. “The CAP work that we did, the preliminary proposed items we have and a great deal of discussion amongst community members. It starts and sometimes ends with, why are there three? And why do we do it this way? And is this the best way?
“I tend to agree that it does not make sense that we have three different providers and that every street gets nine trucks and that we have different things happening in a city this size.”
The current agreement with the trash haulers, which is annual, is set to expire on June 30 and the city is moving to go on a month-to-month basis to have the ability to terminate the contract each month if that is what they desired.
Mayor Keith Eich explained how he understands where Bowman is coming from and had to battle the issue out in the subcommittee on waste haulers — which includes only Eich and Councilwoman Terry Walker — but when organics recycling became a state requirement, they wanted to see how the city would function.
PICKLEBALL
Director of Administrative Services Arabo Parseghian updated the City Council on the skatepark conversion to a mixed-use basketball and pickleball court. The city was able to acquire a vendor that took ramps and equipment out of the park free of charge, and the project is set to be done in less than two months.
CITY MANAGER RETIRES
Mark Alexander officially retires next week, and the meeting on Wednesday marked the last regular city council meeting of his career as city manager.
“We had a retirement party about two months ago, but there were some folks who couldn’t make it, and the folks that did make it, wanted to come back out again,” said Eich. “This is Mark’s last regular city council meeting. After 44 years of public service, almost 35 years of the city in 20 years specifically as our city manager.”
Members of various organizations were called up to thank Alexander for his years of service and provide gifts.
Captain Robert Hahnlein from the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station presented Alexander with a scroll in recognition of his 20 years as city manager and a solid silver challenge coin from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
“I brought an entourage because we’re all in support of Mark and I really want to thank him for sharing his wisdom and his guidance to me to make me a better captain for you guys, for the community. I’m very sorry that you’re gone, but we wish you very well in your future endeavors,” said Hahnlein.
Other organizations that came with gifts and gratitude for Alexander included the L.A. County Fire Department, YMCA of the Foothills, NASA JPL and the La Cañada Unified School District.
The outgoing city manager received gifts that ranged from a lifetime membership to the YMCA of the Foothills to a selfie from JPL’s Mars Perseverance rover.
The LCF Chamber of Commerce was among the organizations, where Chairman of the Board Mike Leininger and CEO/President Pat Anderson gave farewell remarks to Alexander.
“You will be remembered not for the power of your position, but for the power of your compassion and dedication as exemplified over your 20 years as city manager,” said Leininger. “Thank you for your clear and direct guidance to the City Council and city staff. Thank you for being sensitive to the needs of our retail and business community and your thoughtful suggestions for the chamber.”
The City Council and staff also jumped in on the thank you train. They gifted Alexander two mini football helmets; one was a UCLA helmet signed by all the City Council members and another was USC. They also gave him his desk to take home that he has sat in for 20 years.
Lastly, the council gifted Alexander, “a city emeritus, which is the designation of bestowed upon a city official appointee, employee or volunteer who has demonstrated outstanding and consistent long-term service, dedication or personal sacrifice, in furtherance of the betterment of La Cañada Flintridge, the community and its ideals,” said Eich.
City staff gifted Alexander a photo book filled with events and moments that they shared with him and a red pen to signify all the corrections he makes on staff reports.
Director of Public Works Patrick DeChellis gifted Alexander a street sign with his name on it.
“I’m very fortunate to have worked for some outstanding city councils during the last 20-year period,” said Alexander. “When I came here in 1988, you don’t think that it’s going to be your life’s work. But that’s what La Cañada Flintridge ended up being, and I’m the privileged one for having that. So, thank you. Thank you to the community. Thank you to all the organizations. Thank you to staff. It has been my pleasure.”
First published in the June 8 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
