The action was without comment as part of the consent agenda at Tuesday's Council meeting.
USC Economics Professor Peter Gordon and his associates in the Engineering School will complete the four month Financial and Economic Impact Study, the scope of which includes analysis of documents included in a previous economic impact study completed on the same subject. The goal is to determine the true cost to local cities in southeast Los Angeles County of the new law.
The cities maintain that implementation of the new law and limits will be a stifling economic hardship on the local communities. One alternative is to seek federal funding for a pilot project which would consider measures for meeting the requirements. The USC study is one tool to help secure funding for the federal pilot project.
The total cost of the USC study will be $100,579 the cost to be divided among 21 cities within the Coalition. (Downey's share will be $5,000).
The action was at Tuesday's regular City Council meeting.
The new medical facility would include a 350-bed hospital, and employ 3,000 well-paid personnel, including doctors, nurses and technicians.
George summarized major terms and conditions which have been agreed to including:
* The site area will include approximately net 30-acres.
* Kaiser will construct approximately 1,000,000 square feet of medical center uses, including 650,000 square feet of hospital and 350,000 square feet of medical offices. At an appropriate time in the future, Kaiser intends to apply for entitlements to expand the medical center by up to 400,000 square feet.
* Kaiser will be responsible for any payment required by the General Services Administration (GSA) over the sale of Parcel 4, which has been preliminarily estimated by the GSA at $1.8 million. Kaiser will also be responsible for an appropriate share of public road construction costs. Should the City elect to construct a new multi-purpose conference center within the learning center complex and within reasonable proximity to the Kaiser medical center, Kaiser would make a $500,000 contribution toward its construction and pay a proportionate share of its operating expenses.
Assuming these contingencies can be worked through, staff anticipates that a development agreement can be brought before the Council by July 2002. The execution of that development agreement would allow construction of the first medical office building to begin by the first quarter of 2003.
The new medical center will include 82 departments; 351 licensed beds including; 34 critical care beds; 18 LDRs; 49 NICU/ICN beds; 48 post partum beds; 20 pediatric beds; 182 medical/surgical beds; 13 operating rooms; an 88 bay Emergency Department; plus full ancillary, general, member and administrative services and outpatient subspecialty clinics.
The project is slated for completion by November 2007.
Councilman Keith McCarthy, noting the facility will be in his 1st District, asked Kaiser's representative how the Downey site was chosen.
Greg Adams of Kaiser, responded that 30-acres was needed, and that the proximity to patient membership also worked in Downey's favor. And he also applauded the cooperation of Darrell George and City Manager Gerald Caton who he said worked tirelessly to make the agreement work.
Councilman Bob Winningham called it "exciting."
McCarthy added he looked forward to working with Kaiser.
Mayor Meredith Perkins said the $300 million investment made this the biggest project in the city.
Councilman Richard Trejo welcomed Kaiser, noting the new medical facility will include an emergency room.
The death of Gonzolo Martinez was videotaped by a crew from Channel 52-TV, which subsequently showed it several times on the air.
The protest speakers before the Council Tuesday claimed there was no need to shoot Martinez, who had no gun, and that the number of bullets fired by officers was unnecessary.
One woman said Downey High School had refused to allow a car wash by students who wished to raise money to help with the funeral expenses.
There have been several small protest demonstrations at Brookshire Avenue and Firestone Boulevard (adjacent to Downey High School) demanding "Justice for Gonzolo Martinez" since the shooting Feb. 15.
Police said he refused to stop and sped away, running stop signs and red lights and getting on the I-5 Freeway at the Lakewood onramp. He then entered the transition road of the southbound I-5 to the southbound 605 and apparently lost control, running off the transition road onto the freeway embankment. Police said he continued down the embankment and attempted to re-enter the freeway, but was prevented from doing so by a guardrail which he struck with his car.
Police said he then tried to run down officers who tried to approach his car on foot. They fired several rounds at him at this point. He continued however, getting back on the transition road and fleeing into a nearby residential neighborhood. A Downey officer, in an effort to end the chase, hit the rear of the suspect's car at Newville Avenue and Farm Street, spinning it out. The suspect's vehicle hit a parked car and a second officer pulled his patrol car to the rear of Martinez's car, to keep it from backing into officers.
A standoff ensued for several minutes, according to police. They said the suspect refused to comply with police commands in both English and Spanish to place his hands over his head. He then placed a cigarette which was in one hand, to his mouth, and then reached behind him. Officers fired multiple shots at that point, hitting him several times.
He was treated by paramedics, then rushed to St. Francis Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Protestors at Tuesday's Council meeting also expressed outrage over several bullets which hit a nearby home, narrowly missing a sleeping 13-year-old.
Police spokesmen later said deadly force is acceptable when an officer fears for his life.
Witnesses said no gun was seen on the suspect or in his car. Neighbors said they heard six to eight shots.
Protestors at the Council meeting alleged an automatic weapon or "machine-gun" was used by a police officer.
The case is being investigated by the Downey Police and the District Attorney's Special Investigation Division Officer-Involved Shooting team.
Mayor Meredith Perkins at Tuesday's meeting, asked for a full report on the incident and the investigation from the City Manager.
Several protest speakers accused the Downey community of refusing to accept the fact it is more than half Hispanic, saying it resists change and clings to a double-standard in incidents such as the shooting. One protest speaker broke into tears, and could not finish her presentation. She was invited back to the microphone and allowed to complete her comments later after she was more composed.
Several counter-speakers, including Connie Sziebl from Congressman Steve Horn's office, and Maria Larkin of the Chamber of Commerce, spoke in defense of the Downey community, saying it is not racist. Sziebl is of Mexican heritage and was born in that country.
The action was at Tuesday's regular Council meeting.
The property, which includes the old Simpson Buick site, with a combined frontage of 550 feet and a depth of 320 feet, is slated for a new retail and entertainment center.
The Council held a second public hearing, and then introduced an ordinance for a zone change on property at 12531 Paramount Blvd. (Owner Alvaro Banegas), from C-2 (General Commercial) to R-3-0 (Medium Density Multiple Family Residential).
In other action, the Council:
* Presented the City's new Soaring Eagle Award to Lee Cole, Police Assistant, Property-ID Bureau, for the month of January, and Lorry Morris, junior accountant-Finance Department, for February.
* Presented certificates of appreciation to the Downey Razorbacks Youth Football PeeWee Team's accomplishments, which include a national championship won in Las Vegas.
* Acting as the Community Development Commission, approved the appropriation of $400,000 for Amendment No. 4 of the Redevelopment Project, and $160,000 to the Woodruff Redevelopment Project.
* Approved the referral of an appeal of the denial of a permit for massage technician to Mi Suk Chong to a hearing officer.
* Set a hearing for March 12 on an Environmental Impact Report on property at 12214 Lakewood Blvd., (Owner/applicant Kaiser Permanente), a Specific Plan to guide development of the 160-acre Boeing/NASA site.
* Denied a request for an appeal of a decision by the Planning Commission to receive and file a request for City initiation of a General Plan Amendment to reclassify property at 11221 Paramount Blvd., (zoned for C-3 and M-1) Central Business District and Light Manufacturing), owners James Ferber, Richard Ferber, Executor of Estate).
* Approved an agreement between the City and USC for further study on the financial impact of regulations on storm water and trash runoff on local cities.
* Adopted a resolution on the Hazard Elimination Safety (HES) Program, and approved a grant application for safety improvements on Firestone at Dolan and Patton be submitted to the State.
* Reappointed George Boose and Louis Apodaca to the Golf Course Authority from District 4 and 1.
* Introduced an amendment on speed limits on Third Street.
* Introduced an amendment on employee relations. The move was at the suggestion of the City Attorney and is merely to "clean up" old language.
* Approved a sales agreement between the City and Kaiser Permanente for 30 acres of the Boeing/NASA property.
Several speakers from the audience, including Connie Sziebl and Maria Larkin, spoke in defense of the community. Mayor Meredith Perkins asked the City Manager for a complete report on the incident and the investigations.
Councilman Kirk Cartozian said he will attend a read-in at his old elementary school, Gallatin Friday (today, March 1).
Councilman Keith McCarthy noted that the musical "Brigadoon" continues through this weekend at the Downey Theater.
Councilman Bob Winningham said he too enjoyed the Independent Cities Conference, and added the Northwest Downey Little League kickoff and pancake breakfast is Saturday.
Mayor Meredith Perkins asked the City Manager for a report on why the skate park slated for construction at Independence Park may not be completed by this summer.
The next public meeting of the City Council will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Ave.
The $700,000 devoted to what really is a pilot project with heavy inputs from such institutions as USC, UCLA, the Arthritis Foundation (Southern California Chapter), and The Edward R. Roybal Comprehensive Health Center, was carved out of the $11.7 million appropriated in 1999 by Congress to support the "National Arthritis Action Plan, A Public Health Strategy (NAAP)," which purports to "establish a solid scientific base of knowledge about arthritis prevalence and impact." It also is designed to look into "communication and education about the importance of early diagnosis and arthritis management, [as well as] programs to prevent the onset of arthritis and its related disability."
The preliminary findings were presented by Dr. David E. Hayes-Bautista, director of the UCLA School of Medicine's Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture. Among its significant findings were: 1) The existence of misconceptions among the Latino population (as among the general population) about the types of arthritis diseases (there are, for example, more than 100 types), the most effective types of treatment available, how to obtain diagnosis and treatment, what kinds of exercise are most helpful, what community resources are available for education and support, and what constitutes proven and unproven remedies; 2) The general lack of awareness among the Spanish-speaking, low-income residents of East Los Angeles about federal or county services such as Medicare that they may avail of, but may not realize their eligibility or how to access such services; in this connection, however, the community has been found to be active in seeking information about arthritis and has a holistic approach to its treatment (this is evidenced by the group's receptivity to information and various kinds of treatments including social support, exercise, medications, and proven and unproven remedies; and 3) The current curriculum for the training of internal medicine physicians may not adequately define the role of rheumatology specialists in the early management of Latino patients with inflammatory disease.
To implement the $700,000 research and program dollars, a partnership was formed among the USC Medical School, Division of Rheumatology, under the direction of Dorothy A. Johnson, RNP, DScN; The Edward R. Roybal Comprehensive Health Center, Rheumatology Clinic (where the press conference was held), under the direction of Dr. Francisco Quismorio, Jr.; the Arthritis Foundation, Southern California Chapter, under the direction of Lori Harrison Port, MPH; and the UCLA School of Medicine's Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, under the direction of David Hayes-Bautista, PhD.
The Arthritis Foundation says arthritis affects one in every seven Americans, and it affects people of all ages, including children. It is usually chronic. Some warning signs are pain, stiffness, occasional swelling and difficulty moving a joint.
They also say, however, that you can take steps to avoid arthritis or to reduce pain and keep moving.
Indeed, in addition to the research, the project also has in the meantime provided free arthritis and education support programs to the East Los Angeles community, where course leaders were recruited from the lay community and trained by Spanish-speaking Arthritis Foundation staff. The Arthritis Self-Help Course and People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE) programs were offered in Spanish. And in addition, the foundation has provided education and information in Spanish at community health fairs, lectures and a Spanish language telephone information and referral services. Since 2000, more than 2,000 Latinos have participated in the programs.
The final results of the study are being prepared for publication in professional journals. But the program aspect of the Spanish language project will continue in the East Los Angeles area. The foundation will continue to deliver low or no-cost programming about arthritis in Spanish. The foundation also will continue its work as an ancillary support to the county health care system by providing arthritis education and exercise classes, support and information and referral assistance to help people navigate the health care system and be effective in living with and managing the chronic disease.
In all this, the foundation is continuing to seek funding to support and expand its Spanish language programs throughout Southern California.
The effort is a trumpet note sounded to fight arthritis, and therefore it's welcome news to sufferers of the disease. Again, as medical journals and doctors would say, early detection and early prevention are key in thwarting its advance. But what the study tells us, and its results indicate, is that by fusing the energies of all the concerned agencies and everyone involved in the assault against arthritis, determination, unselfishness, and informed and enlightened leadership such as what Congresswoman Roybal-Allard has shown, should light the way towards future success.
The 18 San Antonio Guild members then selected officers for the coming year and discussed plans for the annual Spring Fling, to be chaired by Lois Rossi and Lois Brabant. Terri Head will be decorations chairperson.
All profits from the event will go to provide hope and help for the 250,000 seriously ill, disabled and injured children treated at the medical facility each year. Many of these children come from Downey. CHLA has been named one of the top five pediatric hospitals in the nation for the 11th year. The selection is by a vote of 2,400 physicians.