By Julie BUTCHER

“Demonizing and dehumanizing the mom and pop landlords of our community is not good and I don’t like where it leads,” commented Councilmember Ara Najarian on the harshness and divisiveness expressed by some of the people who called into this week’s Glendale City Council meeting. He referred to those advocating for various responses by the city to the novel coronavirus crisis – some moderate, some extreme.

The council acted on Tuesday night to extend its emergency protections against residential evictions and to freeze rents for another month, until Aug. 31. Unlike the state provisions that lapsed in the past days, the city requires tenants to provide documentation and notice to their landlords that they cannot pay rent in advance of the day the rent is due.

Next, the council acted to authorize the police department to enforce the requirement for the public to utilize face coverings, including instructing staff to update regulations to include health codes and allow for fines starting at $400 for non-compliance.

“The message of tonight has to be that the City of Glendale affirms a $400 fine for the non-use of face coverings. It’s already on the books but it’s important that folks understand this is not ‘same old, same old.’ The police chief is right; we don’t want to be putting grandma in handcuffs but I want the police to have the discretion to say, ‘I could be writing you a $400 ticket but instead I’m giving you one last warning,’” Najarian said, expressing the importance of wearing masks. “If we’d all been super conscientious about this maybe we’d be looking more like Italy – back up. But it’s not too late.”

Councilmember Dan Brotman agreed. “We really need [the community] to know this is not optional.”

Councilmember Paula Devine had opened the meeting pushing for fines.

“It’s evident to me that folks are taking this as a suggestion rather than a requirement.” She urged Glendale to take action as cities such as Santa Monica, Calabasas, and Beverly Hills.

In initial council comments, Councilmember Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian asked for a report on the local impact of the nationally reported coin shortage, particularly in areas where parking meters require coins, such as in Montrose. He questioned if relaxed enforcement was possible and asked for an update on the progress of installing alternative means of payment.

Kassakhian also requested the city study an environmentally preferred purchasing plan.

“This plan would entail a bidding preference for green products and companies, products manufactured or sold locally, and products sold by minority run businesses. A few weeks ago, I asked staff to look into purchasing preferences for local companies and in particular for those run by women and minorities. This would be in addition to that and the primary goals of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)would make sure that the city reduces toxicity, conserves natural resources and maximizes recycled content.

“We must lead by our own example. And when we ask others to change their pattern of behavior or habits that may cause harm to our environment and planet, we must be willing to do the same ourselves. Simply put, an EPP is a program that minimizes environmental impacts whenever possible and, by considering these impacts in public purchasing while being fiscally responsible, the City of Glendale can reduce its burden on the local and global environment. So I’d like us to start by asking staff to look into this and bring us back a report and actionable options as soon as

possible.”

Councilmember Brotman added the elimination of single-use plastic for future consideration.

Then, noting another recent pedestrian fatality, Brotman called for the city to consider a “Vision Zero” plan to work towards zero pedestrian deaths.

“There is no reason we should have any deaths, let alone be famous for how dangerous it is to walk and bike here,” he said.

Brotman and Kassakhian both expressed concerns about the city’s finances, with Kassakhian calling for the possibility of employee furloughs.

Fire Chief Silvio Lanzas updated the council on the latest statistics of the pandemic.

“The numbers throughout California and in Glendale are not good,” Lanzas noted. He ran through the numbers: more than 14 million cases worldwide with more than 611,000 deaths; over 3.8 million cases and 140,000 deaths in the U.S.; 400,000-plus cases in California with 7,700-plus deaths; more than 159,000 cases and more than 4,100 deaths in Los Angeles County; 2,001 cases and 123 deaths confirmed in Glendale.

“The seven-day average hasn’t dipped under 20 since July 1,” Lanzas observed, a key metric. When the city reopened and cases started spiking, he explained, “there were 2,000 new cases per day in LA County. It is now 3,000.”

“There are 554 total hospital beds currently available in the county and only 91 ICU beds. That’s the lowest it’s ever been,” the chief added to his report. “I feel the need to respond to the caller who said that this is not real. This is very real. Wear the face coverings.”

Finally, the council heard a preliminary report, “Fostering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion In the City of Glendale,” which calls for the city to join the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) and to adopt a resolution stating the city’s inclusive intent. After much debate and input from callers, staff was instructed to come back with a more detailed report with more extensive community input and action steps.

According to its website, the GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Across the country, governmental jurisdictions are:

• Making a commitment to achieving racial equity

• Focusing on the power and influence of their own institutions, and

• Working in partnership with others

“When this occurs, significant leverage and expansion opportunities emerge, setting the stage for the achievement of racial equity in our communities.”

The council authorized the $5,000 expenditure to join the group.

  Julie BUTCHER