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The La Kiwanian
The Weekly Bulletin of the La Cañada
Kiwanis Club
Serving the Children of the World |
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007 |
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The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada meets
every Wednesday at Noon
Visitors
Welcome
Van
de Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada, CA
91011 |
Upcoming Events
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March 21, 2006
George Pennacchio,
ABC Entertainment News
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens
March 28, 2006
COURAGE COMMUNITY - Carlana
Stone
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens
March 31, 2007
TRAVEL ADVENTURE
A Canal Adventure in England,
Scotland, and Wales
7:30 p.m. Saturday at Flintridge
Prep School Auditorium
April 5, 2006
BOARD MEETING FOR CLUB AND
FOUNDATION
7:00 p.m. on Thursday Evening @
CitiBank, La Cañada
Click
on the following button to view
the long term calendar
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The Prez sez . . .
President Steve
recognized Mel Wilson and Chuck Gulick, both of
whom received the Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award for their
work in the House Committee, setting up and tearing down the
meeting room every week. The awards were presented to them at
the Governor’s Luncheon on March 10. Prez Steve modestly
suggested that he only talks while they and other members do the
actual work. Everyone gave them a grateful round of applause.
Joel Smith was unable to attend the Governor’s
Luncheon because he was attending his father’s 97th
birthday celebration, but was also honored with the
Distinguished Service Award for his continued and relentless
work with the Soap Box Derby.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Bob Wallace,
Membership Chairman, welcomed and inducted two new members.
Mary Gant presented her sponsee to the Club, Pam Ferterl,
owner of Berkshire Travel. Al Restivo presented his
sponsee, Dan Danieley, who recently earned his Doctorate
in Chiropractic and practices at Maloof Chiropractic in
Montrose. Both were enthusiastically welcomed by the
membership.
Bob Wallace with Mary Gant and new member Pam Ferterl
(center)
THE PROGRAM – STATE OF THE
CITY
City Manager and
Kiwanis member Mark Alexander introduced Mayor
Greg Brown. Greg has served on the La Cañada Flintridge
City Council for four years, and on the City Planning
Commission for five years. He is a corporate attorney, and his
daughter is studying law and will follow in his footsteps. He
and his wife Joyce live with their family in La Cañada.
The State of the City address is traditionally delivered at the
end the Mayor’s term.
Mayor Greg Brown
Mayor Brown used a
power point presentation to deliver a captivating testament to
the accomplishments of the City during the past year. He began
by paying tribute to the other members of the City Council,
Laura Olhasso, Dave Spence, and Steve Del Guercio
(who was not in attendance due to City business re the 710
Freeway) and the members of the City staff, who he claimed did
all the work. He said they made up a cohesive team that worked
well together, making it possible to accomplish a great deal.
He said the most important accomplishment was the approval of
the La Cañada Town Center, and said it may be the most important
accomplishment of the City since its formation. He showed a map
of the site, the location of Building A, which will house the
largest Sport Chalet in their chain, and explained that only two
buildings now located within the boundaries of the Town Center
will stand: The Sport Chalet Corporate Headquarters and
Taylor’s Steak House.
He said the Olberz
family donated a ¾ acre park within the Town Center to the
people of La Cañada. There will be seven buildings available
for lease to retailers, each designed by a different architect.
There will be a walkway through the area. A restaurant will be
located in what is known as Building B, the second largest in
the complex, on the corner of Foothill and Angeles Crest
Highway.
Mayor Brown said the
City is fiscally sound, has a 9.6 million dollar budget, and
there will be no tax increases this year. The City maintains a
reserve of 13.5 million. 28% of the City’s revenue comes from
property taxes (with only 7% of each LCF real estate tax dollar
staying in the City, the remainder going to Sacramento). 20% of
the revenue comes from sales tax, (with only one cent of every
8.25 cents staying in La Cañada). 16% comes from building
permits, and 13% comes from vehicle licenses. The remainder of
the revenue comes from various sources, each bringing in a tiny
percentage.
Expenditures include 26% of
the revenues going to Public Safety, 17% spent to Public Works,
16% to Planning activities, and 9% to Parks.
Note: For the quickest
response in an emergency, call 957-2918 instead of 911 if
you are calling from your cell phone and are in La Cañada or La
Crescenta. Use 911 when calling from a regular phone. When you
call 911 the call goes to the California Highway Patrol, who in
turn patches you through to the CVG Sheriff if you are in LCF or
La Crescenta, so you may be saving precious moments and you will
be keeping the 911 lines free for other calls.
Violent crime is at a 12
year low. Crimes against persons (murders, rapes, and
assaults) dropped from 50 in 1995 to 20 in 2007. Part 1 Crimes
showed a slight downward trend, and most are preventable by
locking your doors and windows.
Mayor Brown
expressed appreciation to the Developer of the Town Center,
Maddox Development, who made the houses within the Town
Center area available to the L.A. County Fire Dept. for a
training exercise. After complex hurdles with Air Quality
Management Department and other entities, our local fire
fighters were able to get rare, hands-on experience in knocking
down house fires. Pat Anderson, Executive Director of the
Chamber, got to suit up and help extinguish the blaze. Mayor
Brown was able to start the fire, which he said he had been
wanting to do for years.
Public Works constructed
curbs and gutters on Baptiste, alleviating chronic flooding
conditions. They reconstructed the road that had washed away on
Chevy Chase, and finished adding sidewalks and reconstructing
the road on Inverness Drive. Angeles Crest Highway received a
solar powered speed sign. Medians have been constructed,
complete with landscaping, on Foothill Blvd. Glenola Park
received attention, and work was done on the horse trail. The
La Cañada Elementary Drop Off Zone has been elongated and is now
much safer. The storm drain next to LCE has been repaired.
Design of the Angeles Crest medians is complete. Caltrans
refuses to construct the medians so the City is going to take on
the project. The NBSSR Sound Wall Study is complete and will be
considered by the City council soon. Anticipated completion of
Sewer District #3 is anticipated in the Fall of 2007. Sewer
District #5 is being studied for alternative systems. The State
has shut down low interest loans. The City will refinance and
lower the sewer assessments there by about $200 each.
5500 tons of construction
materials were recycled by LCF this year. Joint Use has been
expanded, including the LCHS library, Lanterman House, Skate
Park, and the Oak Grove Field. Lights have been added to the
Oak Grove field. Music in the Park has been expanded; The
missing link in the loop of the horse trail is almost finished.
Edison has finished a concept plan to make a park from their
property that runs through the City, and may receive $150,000
from the County toward that project.
Regarding Transportation,
there are three buses operating within the City. The shuttle
Bus, an Access Bus for the disabled and those over 60, and the
Beach Bus, which had 2,000 riders this past summer.
Regarding Senior Services,
the community has an expert in this field. Her name is Nancy
Turney, and she is available to all with problems or
questions in this area. She is located at the YMCA 790-0123,
Ext. 225.
The citizens of La Cañada
have grave concerns about the proposed completion of the 710
Freeway project, since the completion of that freeway will
connect it to the 210 Freeway, greatly increasing traffic
through the City, especially the worst kind, trucking traffic.
The USC School of Medicine has determined that lung diseases
and asthma increase when children are exposed to heavy
traffic and since all of our schools are built along the 210
Freeway we need to guard against increasing traffic.
Glenola Park turned
30 years old this year. R-1 Standards and Guidelines were
revised disallowing design concepts that don’t fit in with the
neighborhood. LCF Presbyterian Church expansion is
progressing nicely.
Mayor Brown
entertained questions after the meeting was adjourned.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Patsy Christianson
announced the annual Project Child Save Golf Tournament,
to be held at the LCF Country Club on May 21. Early Bird Entry
fees are $175 per person or $700 per foursome. After March 31,
Entry fee per person is $200 and a foursome is $800. The price
includes Green Fees, Golf Cart, BBQ Lunch, and Dinner (steak,
salmon, or pasta) with wine. Dinner only for non-players is
$75. A donation of any amount can also be made if you are
unable to attend. Reservations and donations should be mailed
to Project Child Save, 2629 Foothill Blvd., #395, La
Crescenta, CA 91214, or can be faxed to 866-378-6806. All
major cards are accepted. The founder of Project Child Save
is Ty Ritter, who travels all over the world and puts
himself in harms way on a regular basis, to recover children who
have been abducted. Many of these children are sold into sexual
slavery. Here’s a chance to change the world one child at a time
if there ever was one! For more information visit
www.projectchildsave.org.
Mary Gant announced
that for the first time, Non-Profits will be invited to join our
Soap Box Derby as a fund raising project for their group by
setting up a booth to sell their wares or promote their cause .
She also reminded everyone that the Soap Box Derby will be held
on Saturday, June 2, this year instead of on Memorial Day
Saturday.
Mary Gant
Bachy Bachmayer
reminded everyone to donate to our Children’s Hospital project
via the tubs on every table.
Frosty Boyd gave his
SLA (Sick, Lame, or Ailing) report. He said Dick DeGrey
isn’t getting as many phone calls as he once did, so don’t stop
calling. Shirley is about the same. Frank and
Violet Ragazzi never answer their phone. Hopefully they’re
out playing. Hal Thomas is on a difference floor than
Julia, but he spends a good part of each day with her.
Tom Slaughter’s shoulder is healing as expected. Sheree
Ingram had a fall and spent several days in Verdugo Hills
Hospital but is home now. Linda Magarian had a fall and
has a hairline fracture in one of her foot bones.
HAPPY & SAD BUCKS
Mary Gant gave a
‘Joke’s on me’ buck because she called Mike Leininger to
tell him she got a great parking space for the LCHS basketball
game only to learn the game was the next night.
Clyde Hemphill gave
a buck for Mike Whatshisname to draw attention to Mary’s
brain fade. Ellie Wildermuth contributed hopeful bucks
to wish Ohio State and UCLA success in the NCAA Tournament.
FACTS AND FICTION
Music: Tom
Burrows played the piano and, as usual, donated his tips to
the Club. Ed Moulton lead us in God Bless America, Hi
Neighbor, and You’re in Kiwanis Now.
Tom Burrows
Opening:
Mark Alexander
led us in our flag salute. The Inspirational was a Prayer for
the World, led by
Bachy
Bachmayer.
Guests: We had 16
guests counting the Mayor, many of whom were present to hear
the Mayor’s address on the State of the City. They included
Chamber of Commerce staff members Stephanie Brashears and
Starr Frazier; City Council
members Laura Olhasso and Donald Voss,
City Staff
members Ann Wilson
and Public Safety Coordinator
Dave Stegner, wife of Kiwanis
member Jeanne Broberg, St. Francis alumni
and Insurance broker
Adam Liebelt, and Key Club
members Robert Ha, Caroline Koo, Megan Nathan, Kristi
Tena, Irene Chow, Michelle Lee and Julia Yu.
Key Club members
Master of the Cash Box: Patsy Christianson
Birthdays: John Landrum was
another year older on March 1 and was happy to finally belong to
the Century Club.
John Landrum
Gigi Schlueter sweetened the pot in
honor of her March 7 arrival into the world. Pat Anderson
joined the Century Club to celebrate the future birth of her
first grandchild.
Gigi Schlueter
Anniversaries: Chuck Gulick
donated $24 in honor of 24 years of marriage.
Chuck Gulick
Fines: Numerous people got
honest about not remembering their pin, and not shaking the hand
of the secret greeter.
Secret Greeter: Mary Gant
This Week's Editor: Diane
DellaValle
Photographs: Clyde Hemphill
The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada meets every Wednesday at Noon
Van de
Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada,
CA 91011
P.O. Box
33, La Cañada, CA 91012
Website:
http://lacanadakiwanis.org
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