Measure K Citizen Advisory Committee Members to be Appointed Next Year

By Vicky Nguyen

An application process for appointing members of a Measure K Citizen Advisory Committee was dismissed at Monrovia City Council Meeting on Tuesday.

The passage of Measure K during the special election leaves the city to make important decisions on how the approximate $4.5 million raised annually in local taxes should be spent. Following outreach to the community, a 5-year spending plan will be approved, and members will then be appointed to a committee by councilmembers to oversee the expenditures of funds.

While most oversight committee members are directly appointed by City Council, an application process was considered for the Measure K committee. The idea was scrapped in favor of direct appointments. Mayor Tom Adams and Councilmember Alexander Blackburn said during the meeting that those wanting to be on the committee can reach out to City Council members directly to express their interest.

“To me, it just seems like adding another layer of bureaucracythat doesn’t need to be added. Why collect applications and do interviews? Wedon’t do that for a variety of other oversight committees,” Blackburn said.

Councilmember Becky Shevlin expressed some support for an application process.

 “I think this is a little different. Those were projects that we chose. We didn’t go out to the community for their input,” Shevlin said.

The City Council will make their committee appointments after the new year.

The tax increase will go in effect on April 1, 2010.

City Council also approved the front of the Monrovia HistoricalMuseum as the location for a memorial recognizing Francisco and Felix J.Gutierrez.

This has been a change from the previous suggested locationon the southeast corner of Shamrock Avenue and Lemon Avenue.

“I felt pretty strongly the place where this monumentbelongs was in front of the museum,” Councilmember Gloria Crudgington. “When wetalked about putting the monument right in front of the museums it felt soright for so many reasons, not the least of which is that it gives Felix Gutierrezthe last word.”

The monument will celebrate the Mexican American father andson duo who fought to desegregate Monrovia. Francisco Gutierrez was a cementforeman who helped build Monrovia. His son, Felix J. Gutierrez was a civilrights advocate.

Felix F. Gutierrez, who is the grandson of Francisco and sonof Felix J. was present at the meeting.

“I hope you will see this as a way to recognize two pioneerswho contributed to make this city the city it is today and the city it can bein the future, that it can be an inspiration to others,” Gutierrez said.

The monument was funded by an Art in Public Places Funds of$31,000. It was designed by Jose Antonio Aguirre.

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