October 13, 2007 Meeting Summary

Preparation

Ballot box was created and located at Hastings Branch Library.
Online voting form was created.
E-mail about vote was sent out late on October 5.
Flyers, including a absentee ballot and a brochure from Pasadena Marathon organizers, were put together and then delivered throughout neighborhood from October 6 to 10.
Susan phoned some members on the phone contact list.  (Laura forgot to do reminders.)

Acknowledgments

Susan brought delicious brownies.
Thanks to Susan, Laura, Victor, Kathy, and Leah for distributing all the flyers.

Attendees

7 members

Meeting

Agenda Items:

• Ice Rink status
• Vote on whether to endorse Pasadena Marathon & Bike Tour
• Voting process
• Earthlink Wi-fi network deal with city is dead
• anything else attendees wish to discuss

The meeting began about 11:25

• Ice Rink status
  • Mention made in a couple of recent city council meetings (9/10, and 10/8)
  • Ice rink operator wants some different terms for promissory note and incentive bonus in the Operating Agreement then the Council approved last year.  City manager mentioned having to do with what the city pays for.  Council’s Finance Committee has told staff to bring back options and a recommendation.
  • City Manager mentioned that at the request of the ice rink management a “peer review” has been completed of the design of the building.  Did not say anything about the outcome of that review.
  • City Manager mentioned on 9/10 that staff is putting together bid documents for construction. On 10/8 mentioned budget issues and wanting to put it out to bid to find out what the costs really will be.
  • City manager indicated the whole package for final council approvals for the ice rink is expected to come to a meeting soon (on 9/10 she said she hoped in October).
  • Also, on 10/8, Council very deliberately exempted sending the Ice Rink back to the Design Commission during discussion of giving that commission more authority over public development projects.
  • Comments in both meetings indicate they are now getting really worried that the ice rink will now delay the Conference Center project.
• Vote on whether to endorse Pasadena Marathon & Bike Tour
  • Attendees who had not already voted absentee filled in and deposited their ballots.
  • Near the end of the meeting the box was opened and ballots were counted.
  • 5 ballots were submitted via the Internet, 6 by absentee paper ballot, 6 by in person ballot.
  • Final vote tally was 16 in favor, 1 against, endorsing the Pasadena Marathon.
• Voting process
  • This vote not controversial, but need to think about potential future votes
  • Absentee voting issues
    • verifying voting eligibility and avoiding box stuffing
      • this is why absentee voters needed to include name and address
      • in a controversial vote, however, folks may not be comfortable with open balloting
    • untended ballot box subject to vandalism.  No problems this time.
  • Notice timing
    • Draft by-laws calls for notification at least a week ahead of time.  Were not able to manage that this time as it took longer then expected to obtain the materials
    • Have to allow at least a week for distribution of flyers, so need to start notice distribution at least two weeks before the end of voting
• Earthlink Wi-fi network deal with city is dead
  • Earthlink and city had negotiated a deal last year under which Earthlink was going to hook up the entire city in a wireless Internet network.  Wireless hotspot devices would be mounted on city light and utility poles.  In return the city guaranteed itself as a customer at a particular level. Residents would have option to buy service for $20/month.
  • Earthlink has now backed out of it.  Financial problems led it to reconsider.
• anything else attendees wish to discuss
  • Has anyone moved into the Stuart, the new apartments just north of the Gold Line station?  No one knew the answer.  None of the attendees has toured it since model units completed.  Lowest priced apartment was to be $1400 a month.  Balconies on south-west corner have odd plexiglass cover – guessing they have something to do with deflecting noise.  Some of the palm trees are planted in locations that seem guaranteed to cause problems.
  • Panera Bread being built where IHOP used to be looks like it will be open soon.
  • Somebody was filming a movie or t.v. show or something on the Allstate property the week before last.
  • No news about potential Allstate or theater lot development.
  • Gold Line to Union Station to shuttle service to LAX works well.  Going to LAX from Union Station via Blue Line, Green Line, and then bus, takes much too long.
  • Gold Line usage is up quite a lot and people feel comfortable using it even at night when might not feel safe on a bus.
  • Chit chat about traveling, etc.

Next meeting is November 10.

Adjourned about 12:05 pm