Second “Public Comments” Period Returns

Residents will now be able to address the City Council at the beginning and near the end of each city council meeting.

On Tuesday, April 7, 2009, the City Council voted 4-0-1 to insert a second “public comments” section. Mayor Pro Tempore Fernando Vizcarra was absent.

The City Council had three options to consider.

One, the City Council could leave the “public comments” section at the end of the agenda. Two, the council could move the “public comments” section to the beginning of the agenda. Or, three, the City Council could have two “public comments” periods, one at the beginning and one near the end of each council agenda.

According to city staff, the city council agenda previously had dedicated two “public comments” periods, but one was eliminated beginning May 2006.

Dan Arrighi, then a city councilman, brought the item back to the city council’s attention in August 2006. Arrighi sought to reinstate the old system with two “public comments” section.

The former City Council did not agree with Arrighi’s suggestion and voted 3-2 to maintain the system with one “public comments” period. Arrighi and then councilwoman Judy Wong both voted in favor of two periods, while current councilman David Capra voted with the majority to have only one period.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, councilman Capra explained that the previous City Council voted to have one “public comments” section because a lot of residents were making repetitive comments, especially as the City Council was debating the “Piazza Las Tunas,” now known as the “Piazza at Temple City” proposal.

Councilman Vincent Yu, who placed the “public comments” item on the agenda, noted there were advantages to having two “public comments” sections. Yu stated that residents would not have to wait until the end of a meeting to voice an opinion.

Yu’s point was echoed by Linda Payne, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Temple City Chamber of Commerce.

Temple City resident Mary Burke, who had urged the previous City Council to keep two “public comments” sections in 2006, stated thoughts about agenda items sometimes occurred as the meeting progressed. Burke added that when the previous City Council removed a section, she felt the council wanted to discourage residents from speaking.

Without much opposition, the City Council, including councilman Capra, voted to add a second section.

Existing restrictions, such as a 20-minute limit per item and a 5-minute speaking limit per person, will remain.

 

This article was written by Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice on July 10, 2009.

‘09: It’s Their Time to Shine

Family and friends packed the bleachers of the high school football field on Friday, June 19, 2009, to watch the graduating class of 2009 take the next steps in their lives.

The Senior Service, Dragonflicks, and Associated Student Body (ASB) passed out programs, collected flowers and balloons, and set up the chairs on the field as well as the technical equipment. Student and teacher honor guards led the seniors out on the field.

The ASB vice president, Susan Deng started the ceremony by leading the flag salute. This was then followed by the ASB president, Crystal Tung’s speech. Senior Class president, Christine Wang also spoke, followed by a performance by the BrighterSide Singers.

Salutatorian Michelle Leong and valedictorian Paras Savla presented their messages to the graduating class. Principal Mary Jo Fosselman King shared a poem as her gift to the seniors before awarding them with their diplomas.

When the last diploma was handed out, the ’09 graduates tossed their caps up into the air to celebrate the end of their high school careers.

Senior class vice president Jason Fujioka gave the dismissal and the sea of green and gold robes dispersed towards the bleachers, towards their family and friends.

With cameras flashing left and right, the graduates accepted flowers and congratulations from their friends and families. Even though many hugs were given and tears were shed, they knew that it was not time for final good-byes yet. The class of 2009 still had grad night to look forward to and the rest of summer before moving into college dorms.

 

This article was written by Christine Keung.  It was published in the Temple City Voice on July 10, 2009.

City Council Selects Avant Garde

The City Council of Temple City chose Avant Garde to be its economic development and redevelopment consulting firm at a special city council meeting on Monday, March 23, 2009.

Avant Garde, an economic development consulting firm, was one of three consultants present at the meeting. Buxton and Urban Futures, a firm that had worked with Temple City in the past, were also considered.

“The target audience is an attractive couple walking their dog along the streets of Temple City, “ stated Robert Paz, program director for Avant Garde.

Avant Garde hopes to incorporate three phases in their proposal submitted to city hall: commercial revitalization, increase the tax base and conduct a feasibility study of the project expansion area. Paz commented that the Alpha Beta site, Albertsons, K-Mart, the intersection of Rosemead Boulevard and the downtown as areas of opportunity.

“We want to make the Chamber [of Commerce] go ninety miles an hour,” said Paz.

Paz’s goal also includes arts and culture, as well as businesses opening pass 6 and 7 p.m.

“We want everyone to know exactly what we do,” he pledged.

In January 2009, the previous City Council voted to preliminarily hire Avant Garde after they made a presentation to the council. Councilmembers had decided to give the firm 30 days to come up with a more detailed proposal.

At the special city council meeting, the new council and City Manager Charles R. Martin inquired about additional parking, open spaces and eminent domain.

“We need some change,” stated Martin.

Mayor Pro Tempore Fernando Vizcarra added, “We need a consultant to tell us how we fix the whole darn thing.”

In response to some of the questions posed by the city council, Avant Garde stated approximately 40 percent of Temple City residents are foreign-born, 75 percent of which come from Asia. Paz also noted that eminent domain would be “absolutely the last resort.”

“They have done their homework” said councilman Tom Chavez, who supported the council hiring Avant Garde. Chavez was one of two councilmembers elected in March.

After additional deliberation, the City Council voted 4-1 to hire Avant Garde. Councilman Vincent Yu, who supported hiring Avant Garde, voted against the proposal because he insisted on giving the other firms adequate time to make their presentation.

The previous City Council had made several attempts to improve Temple City’s economic state during the past twelve months.

In June 2008, the council approved the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) proposal, lobbied by the Temple City Chamber of Commerce.

The council also attempted a moratorium on non-retail businesses in April 2008, only to dismantle it in September.

In December 2008, the council then voted to join the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership (SGVEP), a regional economic organization. Membership with the SGVEP cost Temple City $5000.

City Manager Martin, in his weekly report on March 26, 2009, wrote, “It is hoped that with the help of [Avant Garde], we will be able to find and implement the ‘stepping stones’ to a better and more successful Las Tunas Drive and other business centers.”

 

This article was written by Randy Shun. It was published in the Temple City Voice on June 19, 2009.

Opinion: Lagging Behind in Technology

Pop culture is becoming more technology driven, with services like Twitter and Facebook emerging from every corner.

But underneath this glorified façade, American technology is lagging far behind its foreign counterparts. That goes to say a lot.

Over the years, e-mail has replaced the traditional “paper to pen” method of transcribing and writing letters. Many businesses now depend on intranet networking to relay data across their respective branches all over the country, perhaps even around the world.

In Japan, broadband internet speeds are easily ten times of what is offered by American cable companies, which offer the quickest speeds in the American broadband market. The crisp high-speed broadband image made possible by improved technology quickly dwarf the grainy and slower images Americans encounter.

The bullet trains offered in Asia and in Europe, which boast speeds of up to 300 miles per hour, are also quick to mock the American Amtrak system.

Though given the moniker “train,” Amtrak is anything but – with its frequent stops and a metal shell seemingly reminiscent of a train, Amtrak is nothing more than an underground bussing system.

It is a wonder as to why our train system has not become mainstream, especially in an environment and economy desperate for more dependence on public transportation.

 

This opinion was written by Leslie Wu. The views of this author do not reflect the views of the Temple City Voice or its staff. It was published in the Temple City Voice on June 19, 2009.

‘09 Graduates to Get Red Carpet Treatment

While other California Schools often send senior graduates to theme parks for post-graduation celebrations, Temple City will once more follow its own sixteen-year tradition and host “Grad Nite” held on the high school campus.

This more centralized event allows graduates a safe, supervised ground for festivities and camaraderie. The event will take place on Friday, June 19 and will run from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the following morning.

With the glamorous theme “I Love L.A.,” 2009 graduates will be granted full red-carpet treatment, enjoying entertainment, an all-you-can-eat buffet, and a hypnotist show. They will not be permitted to leave campus until the event is over.

Publicity Chair of the event, Karen Scauzillo, led fundraisers to provide extra funds for the “huge undertaking” at hand.

“I worked with the committee during the year,” Scauzillo said, “and we got the word out about fundraisers, various events, and volunteer opportunities.”

The theme also required extensive development, both in the idea stage and further bringing it to life.

“The Grad Nite theme last year was ‘Hollyweird,’” Scauzillo added. “The practical idea is to develop a theme somewhat related to the previous year so you can reuse some of the props. [Grad Night] requires a lot of props and backgrounds, as well as an enormous amount of money.”

Karen participated in the creation of props that could not be reused.

“It’s a ton of work,” Scauzillo admitted, “because we start meeting in September and we start working in January. On Saturdays and Wednesday nights, we have work parties where make props and decorations.”

While graduate guests cannot view the high school’s decorations beforehand, public tours will be available from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. the same day. They are $2 per person and grant a full walkthrough and complete viewing of the school’s alterations.

Soon-to-be graduating seniors have been excited for the event for some time.

“I’m pumped,” senior Ramandeep Kaur said. “It should be fun. It’s like a last get-together with your senior friends; ones you [might] never see again. It seems like it will be really exciting. I can’t want to hang out with my friends.’”

With all the planning, secretiveness, and resulting anticipation, Grad Nite 2009 is sure to be a success: a night to remember.

 

This article was written by Katie Brown. It was published in the Temple City Voice on June 19, 2009.

Temple City Voice: Congratulations, Class of 2009!

The Temple City Voice would like to congratulate each member of the Temple City High School Class of 2009. Good luck and best wishes!

Club Focus: Model United Nations

Unlike any other club at Temple City High School, Model United Nations–or as club members called it, MUN–is a club dedicated to giving students a taste of the real United Nations located in New York City.

Every year, they attend two main conferences: UCLA’s, around November, and Berkeley’s, around March. Students work in pairs and are assigned different countries in order to research their countries’ policies and to develop resolutions for different problems. As Vice-President of Model United Nations, junior Ivy Vuong explains what MUN is all about.

What is Model United Nations?

Model United Nations is basically a simulation of the United Nations. Students assume the roles of delegates and represent a specific country. As diplomats, we are required to represent the policies of our country and then work with other countries to form resolutions to world issues.

What is the purpose of Model United Nations?

In all, the purpose is to be more aware of world issues and to allow each delegate to formulate possible resolutions through research and debate.

What type of events does Model United Nations hold?

We have two main events that we attend each year–the UCLA Model United Nations Conference usually held in November and the Berkeley Conference held in March. We also have Mock Conferences held before each conference to give participants a sense of how the conference flows.

What have you learned from MUN?

From attending the conferences, I learned a lot on how the United Nations runs. Moreover, I learned a tremendous amount on my specific topics from the past- disarmament, obstacles to International Humanitarian Aid, and protection of indigenous cultures.

Are there any improvements that MUN can make next year?

Next year, I plan to do weekly activities focusing on each aspect of the conference. I also plan to have a fundraising activity for the members to help alleviate the cost of the trips.

 

This article was written by Aiden Leong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on June 12, 2009.

City Expenditures Increase Due to Piazza Legal Troubles

The city of Temple City has spent approximately $150,000 to pay for legal fees associated with the Piazza legal case, according to City Manager Charles R. Martin.

“Our expenses are up by about 5 percent with the increase in attorney fees due to the costs of outside counsel and the Piazza controversy” wrote Martin in the March 19, 2009 City Manager’s Report.

In April 2008, the City filed a suit against Piazza owner and developer Randy Wang in anticipation of a breach in the developer’s agreement.

Wang countersued in September 2008, accusing Temple City Mayor Judy Wong, councilman David Capra, former councilwoman Cathé Wilson and former city council and state assembly candidate Scott Carwile, of bribery.

In exchange for support of the project, Wang alleges he gave Capra, Carwile and Wong $13,000 in cash during the March 2007 city council elections. He also claims Wilson demanded one of the 52 one-bedroom condominiums.

Capra, Wilson and Wong have all publicly denied the allegations.

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office-Public Integrity Division has been investigating the case since last year.

Members of the D.A.’s office conducted searches at the homes of Capra, Carwile, Wilson and Wong in February 2009. The home of the first Piazza construction manager, Jay Liyanage, was also searched. In addition, the D.A.’s staff also visited City Hall, but according to City Manager Martin, they took “nothing of value.”

The D.A. seized tape recording the developer secretly recorded while conversing with city officials in January 2009. This incident followed the questioning of councilmembers in December 2008.

Months of negative news stories about the developer’s allegations, by the Pasadena Star News and Los Angeles Times, have dogged Temple City and city officials.

Earlier this month, former councilmembers Wilson and Ken Gillanders were ousted by Temple City voters. Both had voted for the Piazza development in May 2006.

The Piazza at Temple City, formerly known as the “Temple City Galleria” and “Piazza Las Tunas,” once promised 52 one-bedroom condominiums and a large retail center. The project included a proposal for a banquet facility, a wish the Temple City community has desired for years.

Since its initial approval in 2006, there have been two ground breakings and three different construction management firms in charge of the project. The developer proposed changes in 2007 and again in 2008.

In December 2008, the City Council sent the developer’s newest changes to the Planning Commission for review. Wang, who has not yet filed a new proposal with the city, is expected to do so shortly.

The developer has until August 23, 2009 to complete the construction of the Piazza at Temple City. If Wang fails, the city has the option to purchase the 3.7 acre lot for $5 million.

A court hearing to discuss the Piazza’s original development agreement has been set for July 2009.

 

This article was written by Matthew Wong. It was published in the Temple City Voice on June 12, 2009.

Events Leading up to the 2009 TCHS Graduation

With the last school day and thus graduation looming closer and closer, seniors at Temple City High School (TCHS) are in the process of finally checking out of high school.

Even though, as senior Esther Cai, who will be attending the University of California, Riverside next fall, says, “it still hasn’t really sunk in yet because I still [have] some classes for which I [have] to do work.”

The first of the upcoming events is the senior finals.

Seniors will begin taking their finals Friday, June 11th. The finals then continue on Monday, June 15th and Tuesday, June 16th.

Seniors are obligated to take their finals earlier than the rest of the school, because when the underclassmen are taking their finals, seniors will be busy with mandatory graduation rehearsals.

The next milestone that seniors reach is Baccalaureate at St. Luke’s church on Sunday, June 14th.

Baccalaureate is a non-denominational inspirational program that will begin at 3:00 p.m. Graduating seniors must wear their graduation gowns but not caps over formal attire.

The graduation itself will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 19 at the Arthur North Field at TCHS.

Each graduate will receive 6 tickets to portion out to friends and family, who will be seated on the bleachers overlooking the field. The procedure to the ceremony itself is mostly privy only to those who have previously attended graduations.

Cai states that “I’m completely clueless about it [graduation] because they don’t really clue us in until rehearsals.”

Immediately following graduation is the Class of 2009 All-Night Party, affectionately known as “Grad Nite” to all those involved. It will be held at the high school itself from 10:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. and will involve dancing, a casino, rides, and an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

The theme of the 2009 Grad Nite is “I love L.A.”

Members of public will be invited to take tours of the Hollywood-themed festivities for a $2 donation. The tours will take place from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. before the graduates arrive.

Senior Andy Huang, a future Massachusetts Institute of Technology student, feels that Grad Nite is important because “it’ll be the last I see of a lot of classmates, [even if] I’ll see the people who I’ve gotten really close [during] the summer.”

 

This article was written by Angela Wen. It was published today in the Temple City Voice.

Breaking News: Sternquist Appointed to City Council

The City Council of Temple City appointed former Parks and Recreation commissioner and Planning Commissioner Cynthia Sternquist to the City Council early this evening.

Sternquist, who ran in the 2007 city council elections, was appointed by a 3-1 vote. Councilman Tom Chavez cast the lone dissenting vote.

Three other nominees were also considered. They include former Temple City councilman Dan Arrighi, former Planning commissioner Carl Blum and businessman Thomas “Guy” DeMarco.

The Temple City Voice will publish a more lengthy story at a later time.