October 19, 2019 Neighborhood Meeting Summary

Preparation: E-mail reminders

Attendees: 5 members

Acknowledgments: Susan brought cookies

Meeting

Agenda Items:

• Pasadena City Community Priorities Survey
• Keep Pasadena Moving Survey
• Council District 4 Community Meeting – Thurs Nov 14
• City Council and Mayor Election in March
• Local Crime Summary
• anything else attendees wish to discuss
  • Rabid Bat found in Pasadena

The meeting began about 11:25 am

Pasadena City Community Priorities Survey

• An online survey by the City of Pasadena’s Department of Housing to help determine how over $2 million in Community Development Block Grant funds the City receives each year should be spent over the next five years.
• The survey is supposed to be taken by residents.
• It asks for spending priorities among various public services, economic development activities, housing services, and infrastructure improvements.
• www.surveymonkey.com/r/pasadenaCDBG

Keep Pasadena Moving Survey

• The organization formed in response to the proposed (and now dead) “road diet” of Orange Grove Blvd has posted a survey for opinions on transportation issues in Pasadena.
• Results are to be used to inform future transportation discussions in Pasadena.
• As is true of all surveys, this one does have wording and construction that favors the agenda of its creator, but it still might be worthwhile.
• www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z6G66PQweb
• There is reportedly a link being passed around to a spoof of this survey which has very sarcastic questions and can be taken as many times as desired.

Council District 4 Community Meeting – Thurs Nov 14

• The yearly community meeting.
• Thursday November 14.
• Details not yet provided, but undoubtedly in the evening.

City Council and Mayor Election in March

• For the first time, City elections will be held at the same time as the General Election for state and country offices.
  The primary election will be March 3rd.
• The election for Pasadena’s next Mayor heated up this past month with the announcement that long time City Councilmember Victor Gordo is running against current Mayor Terry Tornek. Since they’ve both been Pasadena office holders for many years, their voting record and public discussion can be checked.
• Our current District 4 Councilmember, Gene Masuda, has two announced challengers: Joe Baghdadlian and Charlotte Bland. While Masuda has a record to defend, information about the challenger’s positions is, so far, scant at best.

Local Crime Summary

• For the last month in our neighborhood, from crimemapping.com: (the time is typically when reported, not when it happened)
  • Fri Sep 27, 5:33 pm, 3200 block E. Foothill Blvd, Battery
  • Sat Sep 28, 10 pm, Sierra Madre Villa at Culver Alley, Drug/Alcohol violations
  • Sun Oct 6, 2:18 am, 3200 block La Tierra St, Residential Burglary
  • Tues Oct 8, 10:13 am, 3200 block E. Foothill, Grand Theft Auto
  • Tues Oct 8, 2:03 pm, 3200 block E Orange Grove Blvd, Residential Burglary
• The two residential burglaries in our area were the only ones reported in our vicinity north of the freeway, but there are quite a few south of the freeway.
• Last month a crimemapping report of an armed robbery on Sierra Madre Villa was reported. More information was disclosed by Pasadena Police in a “community brief” of September crimes in Pasadena. Here is the text for that incident:
• “September 5, 2019, 11:50 a.m.: Officers responded to the area of the 400 block of Sierra Madre Villa Ave regarding an armed robbery. The victim was gardening at a residence when the suspects approached him. One suspect pointed a gun at the victim while the other suspect grabbed the victim’s lawnmower and placed it in the suspect’s vehicle. The suspects both fled the area in a vehicle. After the information regarding the robbery was broadcast to other officers, an officer was sent to the 3000 block of Landfair Rd. regarding found property. Apparently a similarly described vehicle had sped through the area and a lawnmower fell out of the vehicle. After checking the area, officers were unable to locate the suspects. The victim identified the lawnmower as his and it was returned to him. The victim was not injured during this incident and the investigation is ongoing.”

anything else attendees wish to discuss

• Rabid Bat found in Pasadena
  • A dying rabid bat was found in west Pasadena on Tuesday October 15. It was on the ground near State Street and South Fair Oaks Ave. 
  • There may be others around.
  • If you see a bat, or any wild creature, exhibiting odd behavior, call Pasadena Humane Society.
  • Do not touch bats or allow other people or animals to do so. They may be carrying rabies without showing symptoms.
  • Rabies exposure requires treatment within a limited time to avoid the fatal disease. See a doctor immediately if you’ve had contact with a bat. All pets should be vaccinated, and if they’ve had contact, take them to a vet immediately.
  • On average, 35 rabid bats are found in LA County every year. But that’s just those that have been picked up and tested.

Next EEWNA meeting is November 16, 2019 at 11:15 am, in Hastings Branch Library meeting room