By Julie BUTCHER

At a short business-like meeting on Tuesday night, the Glendale City Council accepted $33,000 in Measure H funds from the County of Los Angeles to help provide workforce services to unhoused residents; approved an extension to an agreement to secure additional electrical transmission capacity from the City of Los Angeles; approved routine financial audits; heard from a handful of callers; and deliberated over the extension of emergency orders related to the novel coronavirus.

First, Councilmember Dan Brotman alerted the council and the community of the availability of rebates up to $250 from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for electric lawnmowers. Brotman explained that the rebate is available in exchange for turning in gas-powered lawnmowers that he noted are extremely polluting.

“One hour of operation [of a gas mower] is equivalent to driving 350 miles, according to the EPA, and that’s driving around your own home,” Brotman said. “Lawn equipment accounts for 5% of U.S. air pollution.”

The city’s Parks Department reported on the pilot started on Aug. 4 of utilizing electric equipment in four “green zones” across the city. Information on the SCAQMD rebate is available at https://tinyurl.com/y4p8vu59.

Deputy Fire Chief Bill Lynch updated the council on California’s current wildfires and Glendale’s participation as part of its system of mutual aid, then offered a report on the latest COVID-19 numbers.

Chief Lanzas was “up north” helping combat the fires, Lynch reported, during these “unprecedented times.” There have been more than 7,000 fires in the state, burning more than 1.4 million acres so far in 2020, compared to 56,000 acres at this time last year, with 1.2 million of those acres burning in the last week.

Mayor Vrej Agajanian asked where the closest fires to Glendale were on the map. Lynch pointed to Lake Castaic and another spot.

“We would get the same assistance from [those firefighters],” he said. “That’s what mutual aid means.”

Glendale has sent 27 firefighters to help.

Lynch noted that the coronavirus numbers are starting to show some “positivity.” Right now, there are 5,715,567 cases and 176,617 U.S. deaths; 235,386 cases and 5,633 deaths in LA County and, in Glendale, 2,943 confirmed cases and 157 deaths. There were 14 new cases and no reported deaths due to COVID-19 in Glendale on Tuesday, the deputy chief reported.

Daily hospitalizations are down 45% from July and deaths are down from 44 per day to 28 per day.

“We continue to utilize every precaution – these numbers are fairly positive,” said Lynch.

Police Chief Carl Povilaitis updated the council on the department’s activities in enforcing the city’s mask requirements. In more than 507 “observations,” police have found general compliance. Approximately 25 citations have been issued and there have been a couple of incidents at businesses, including one that involved assaults among customers, and one investigation that resulted in arrests for unrelated activities. Povilaitis shared that the department’s experiences in general have been promising.

City Attorney Mike Garcia provided a report and an update on actions taken and pending by state entities that could impact local decisions on extending the city’s moratorium on residential evictions. Protections put in place by the California Judicial Council, the rule-making arm of the California court system, will sunset on Sept. 1. The state is “seriously considering” extending protections for renters and forbearance for non-corporate property owners in AB 1436 and the county is considering a countywide measure for areas without protections in place.

Councilmember Ara Najarian expressed “grudging” support for extending all three orders for another 30 days.

“I’m opposed to letting the county set policy for us,” he said. “I’m in favor of local control. So, grudgingly, I support extending for 30 days, hoping the state is looking at aggressive help for property owners as well as tenants.”

The council voted unanimously to extend the moratorium against residential evictions and rent increases and the citywide mandate to wear face masks for 30 days.

  Julie BUTCHER