[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6327826,"mediaKeyId","2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362","parentId",2321998,"title","Council, successor agency approve ROPS and consent calendar; public protests tow contract award","audioSeconds",4157,"startMs",3913000,"endMs",8070000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362&start=3913&end=8070","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362/thumbnail_3913000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6327826/Montebello/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-successor-agency-approve-ROPS-and-consent-calendar-public-protests-tow-contract-award","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327826-91305756abf1b3731e299d9e23167c83/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183826&Signature=inK44cmOLf~eap7R3qKU4OF42stbPLG7SEG-KrH8DxiBoYC9i1Ii0Y6DaATgrlCBhVarDz3DN952Vnwi0N0PqNl5GyWvR~ga2Fm0krYJEtE76aRkkziPdB44nFi3qTanaq4OWJtJsxwkQgsHUg5rbXgSFwDd~~024SewedM2DXKlUSU7iluLzN6dMbG7cs26HSBgrRlCpTioAnbRVGcppAK5Mc-Ja8oAJvELKp4O0huVaIlbI5c6XaVf7USHmkeC2FuDYqspuwQYUFk29Q6MypWhN-0qP6Dnwrh-Pv5EYe6DWvRk5CmN9fdweapHVLHQpIX1KfnKsuPigvgG3mLVNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Montebello - Government","date","2025-01-22T00:00:00Z","article","The Montebello successor agency approved its Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS) and administrative budget for fiscal year 2025–2026 in a unanimous roll call during the Jan. 22 joint meeting. The successor agency vote was recorded as Aye for Member Torres, Member Peralta, Vice Chairperson Tamayo and Chairperson Melendez.

Later in the meeting the City Council approved the consent calendar (items 8–14) in a single motion and roll-call vote. The consent calendar included a towing services contract that drew public comment prior to the vote. The council voted to approve items 8–14 with all present members voting aye.

Several public commenters urged the council to revisit the towing procurement and evaluation. Rania Hassan Juliet, the owner of Helms and Hill, told the council she had not been notified of the proposed contract award and asked the city to commission a review of the procurement process. She said changes between the 2019 and 2025 RFPs — including changes to maximum response-time language and the elimination of mandatory facility inspections — disadvantaged Helms and Hill and local yards. \"We request that you commission an evaluation into the sufficiency of the procurement process and the potential benefit to the residents of Montebello if a second tow service provider were added to the rotation,\" she said.

Other public speakers said the winning vendor's closest facility is outside Montebello and warned of longer response times and additional burdens on residents and police officers. Commenters suggested alternatives such as awarding two tow contracts so that at least one vendor maintains a yard inside city limits.

Formal votes recorded at the meeting:
- Successor agency: Approve ROPS and administrative budget for fiscal year 2025–2026 — Passed, 4–0 (Torres, Peralta, Tamayo, Melendez — all Aye).
- City Council: Approve Consent Calendar (items 8–14), including towing services contract (item 10) — Passed, unanimous roll call (all present voted Aye).

The council did not pull item 10 for separate discussion at the Jan. 22 meeting; public records requests and petitions related to the procurement were raised by members of the public and will remain part of the public record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","This Is The City Of Montebello City Council Meeting (01/22/25)","oneSentenceSummary","On Jan. 22 the Montebello City Council and successor agency approved the successor agency ROPS and the council's consent calendar (items 8–14). Several residents used public comment to protest a tow contract awarded to a company with a yard outside Montebello and asked for a procurement review.","taxTitle","Montebello, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",3840,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6327831,"Council hears six candidates for District 5 seat, continues appointment to Jan. 29 after public controversy",7928,7102000,15030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362&start=7102&end=15030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362/thumbnail_7102000.jpg","/articles/6327831/Montebello/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-hears-six-candidates-for-District-5-seat-continues-appointment-to-Jan-29-after-public-controversy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327831-9fb680e6c73f997697ea6b65f73246f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183826&Signature=HQ4TRRihHYVm8SH8a7YprF7~sB2WRfBlDS60E97NM-nlPJP-L-RfED~74penEdfnIrryAalPMfp-v9Prf-lc505hefyxwRzDNT4T~ePAShtGYNR2xwOdpw1aSrKbJTxfGz4Sd99OthT3PGpc7lQzPvukLk9mAJvzur3123KYr5U0rPbejvoUXM6FBMPBcMsW9VX5TOGipPQHDMErwqtVcz4BIs8ndJDUeE5Z2JBkZqDRSdhZjka6N4BYjk2aHTDANQhH3AdtStkO8HpDRjLp2O7ffes551Y9GjprrGmeKpOheulO2EhX~-tx~K2LnT0RDv2cIRnnnzmXYI42kht7sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council on Jan. 22 held public interviews with six applicants seeking appointment to the vacant District 5 seat and heard about a dozen public commenters before continuing the item to a special meeting set for Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.

The council invited each of the six qualified applicants — Rafael Santoya; Rocio Beru; Ricardo (Rick) Alonso Ugalde; Joseph Sanchez; William (Bill) Palisso III; and James J. Santana — to give a two-minute opening statement and to answer four council-selected questions about experience, priorities for District 5, balancing community needs with personal values, and how they would allocate $1,000,000 of general-fund dollars at city and district levels. Candidates emphasized public safety, economic development, park upkeep and neighborhood maintenance.

Public commenters urged different outcomes and raised procedural concerns. Several speakers supported Rick Alonzo and said he would represent South Montebello; others urged appointment of William Palisso and highlighted his civic work, including a local historical-resource nomination. Multiple speakers asked for more resident input; some urged a special election rather than an appointment.

Several residents requested that Councilmember Peralta recuse herself from the appointment due to prior campaign endorsements and donations to one applicant. Will Severo told the council, \"I insist that councilwoman, Scarlett Peralta, recuse herself from voting process on the next city council meeting,\" and asked the city attorney to examine potential conflicts and public-records related to council communications. Other commenters raised Brown Act concerns and asked for full transparency in deliberations.

After candidate interviews and council discussion, Mayor Melendez opened the floor for nominations. A motion to appoint William Palisso received two affirmative votes and two negative votes and failed to carry. A subsequent motion to nominate James Santana failed to receive a second. Council then agreed to continue the matter and Mayor Melendez set a special meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 6:00 p.m. to finish the appointment process.

No appointment was made on Jan. 22; the council directed staff to post notice for the continuation and to provide the record of applicants and public comments to council before the special meeting.","The Montebello City Council heard two-minute statements and standardized questions from six applicants for the District 5 vacancy on Jan. 22. Public commenters urged recusal, raised Brown Act concerns and debated a recent towing contract; the council continued the appointment to a special meeting on Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6327836,"Army Corps outlines Whittier Narrows dam upgrade, warns of multi-year Lincoln Avenue impacts",815,4170000,4985000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362&start=4170&end=4985","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321998-9cce981a27493c17a740d2e095608362/thumbnail_4170000.jpg","/articles/6327836/Montebello/Los-Angeles-County/California/Army-Corps-outlines-Whittier-Narrows-dam-upgrade-warns-of-multi-year-Lincoln-Avenue-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6327836-2d01776e686f30618471dcf40c5f5ee7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183826&Signature=fUf8I5gH2f1ihzW2dRk3~pX0sg7MnUSrLV7FU7RATyjc7WPOCYk5ZfXbb9UspnAJPL4Fw~ACSxmayEFKRV4VZ84Quv5woIE6Bj7eIMU9Os~jgecNQIq4Vpxvwcw9MULh~BBMnj2nM4QCmQ32blkNOqDGbSpwlVPU0XJ8oCkytueB1jqD9lqMFZQI2jeSwHdGGecZ6pMqjNLsM~JC-Hzv78RaMJBh2PNONi5E~6TtfUOBseA1qNH77~WAAuNO7-jIOTBdpmWB0FId5RgKZCHja9iKdLxJrtt~7ZOOjs1XcMj1ZOfB6hqCrXfSZ8qCXwBijBCpd65f-CM0f4245054kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented a dam-safety project for Whittier Narrows on Jan. 22, telling the Montebello City Council the work will include major construction on Lincoln Avenue, multi-year preconstruction and construction periods, and temporary impacts to trails, traffic and nearby recreation areas.

Project manager George Sonny of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Whittier Narrows \"is about a 3 mile long dam\" that protects roughly 1,000,000 people downstream and is normally dry but can impound large flows during major storms. He said the corps has identified erosion risks under the dam foundation and potential overtopping during extreme storms, and the project is designed to address those weaknesses.

Sonny described the work planned through a large contract now in procurement: roughly two years of preconstruction coordination, including extensive utility relocation and city coordination, followed by about five years of major construction. \"You can expect that there's going to be major construction, most likely to start about 2027 and last about 5 years,\" Sonny said.

On impacts, the corps said Lincoln Avenue would be raised approximately five feet and shifted southeast about 60 feet to reduce overtopping risk and accommodate utilities. The agency also expects short-term lane reductions on Rosemead Boulevard but intends to keep the four lanes open for most of the work. Sonny warned of expected construction noise, vibration and dust and said some trails in the Whittier Narrows area would close during heavy construction for public safety.

Council members and staff pressed the corps on local coordination. Councilmember David Torres asked about communications between contractors and the city; Sonny said the contract will include a preconstruction period and a contractor with \"utility relocation expertise\" so issues are addressed before construction begins. \"We're spending some time investing in that utility relocation expertise,\" Sonny said. Mayor Pro Tem Tamayo praised the corps' planned public engagement and asked whether the city could use the construction to address chronic dumping near Lincoln Avenue; Sonny said he would check with his team and follow up with the council.

Sonny also said the corps has hired communications specialists to improve public outreach and will coordinate with Los Angeles County Parks and Public Works to restore trails after construction.

The council did not take formal action on the project; the presentation was informational and the corps said it will return with additional updates as construction approaches.","The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers briefed the Montebello City Council on planned safety upgrades at Whittier Narrows Dam, describing a multiyear construction schedule that will raise and shift Lincoln Avenue, affect trails and recreation, and require extended coordination with the city and utility owners.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council, successor agency approve ROPS and consent calendar; public protests tow contract award

Council hears six candidates for District 5 seat, continues appointment to Jan. 29 after public controversy

Army Corps outlines Whittier Narrows dam upgrade, warns of multi-year Lincoln Avenue impacts