Proposal:

Public Advisor’s Report

Synopsis:

This report highlights the Public Advisor, Local Government, Small Business Assistance and Economic Development activities for the month of August, 1996. Comprehensive reports on these efforts are set forth below in Sections I, II, III and IV, respectively.

Committee:

Not applicable.

Recommended Action:

Receive and file this report.

James M. Lents, Ph.D.
Executive Officer

SECTION I - PUBLIC ADVISOR ACTIVITIES

Staff participated in the activities, programs and events listed below. A statistical report of these activities also is included.

Contact: La Ronda V. Bowen, Public Advisor, 909.396.3235

BUSINESS OUTREACH

ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY’S ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY UPDATE - AQMD staff spoke to more than 100 business owners describing the new AQMP and several new rules that would affect small businesses.

RULE 1171 TASK FORCE - AQMD staff participated in the discussion and development of outreach plans that would be necessary to publicize the need for switching from petroleum-based solvents to water-based systems for parts cleaning.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

PUBLIC MEETING - AQMD staff provided support staff to SSC for the coordination of a public meeting at which more than 350 people commented on an AQMD permit issued to the LAXT coal and coke terminal in San Pedro.

KIDS CARE FAIRS - This year the AQMD co-sponsored the fairs held at 35 sites between Augugust 17 and 24. The 1996 Kids Care Fairs offered vision and dental screenings, immunizations and information about public health services for communities. The District provided air quality information and materials for each site and staffing at 10 sites.

SMOGBUSTERS CLUB UPDATE - Nearly 2,500 students have now joined the AQMD’s Smogbusters Club and received the latest Smogbusters Activity Sheet in August. The goal of the Club is to promote the voluntary reduction of air pollution through education and providing information. The Smogbusters Club was initiated for 9-12-year-olds during the summer of 1994 by the creation and distribution of the Smogbuster Activity Book. Since then, four quarterly activity sheets have been mailed to members, featuring experiments, class projects and updates. Public Advisor staff facilitated the mailings and coordinates the membership activities.

*The District uses an automated phone system that provides callers with self-service access to information on meetings, workshops, air quality readings and forecasts by simply entering their zip codes. Callers can also request rules or publications, obtain updates on District programs or speak to a public information representative (during regular business hours) for answers to detailed questions. The system is operational 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.

**Data for total calls during the month of June is incomplete because of a computer malfunction June 6-24.

SECTION II - LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES

Highlights of the activities of this reporting period are listed below.

Contact: Larry Rhinehart, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, 909.396.2898

or Oscar Abarca, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, 909.396.3242.

LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH

Intergovernmental Affairs Directors met or had contact with the following legislators and/or their staffs regarding air quality related issues:

• U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (Alex Padilla, Field Representative) - 8-27
• U.S. Congressman George Brown - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman Chris Cox - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman Julian Dixon - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman David Dreier - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman Steven Horn - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman Jay Kim - 8-19
• U.S. Congresswoman Juanita McDonald - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman Buck McKeon - 8-19
• U.S. Congressman Carlos Moorhead -8-19
• U.S. Congressman Ed Royce - 8-19
• State Senator Rob Hurtt (Kim Barone, Chief of Staff) - 8-1, 8-16
• Assemblyman Ted Weggeland (Cheryl Osbourne, Staff Assistant ) - 8-27

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OUTREACH

Intergovernmental Affairs Directors made presentations on AQMD programs to the following city councils, and attended/participated in meetings with the following governmental organizations:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY - WESTERN REGION

• Lomita City Council Meeting
• Manhattan Beach City Council Meeting

LOS ANGELES COUNTY - EASTERN REGION

• Cudahy City Council Meeting
• Huntington Park City Council Meeting
• Industry City Council Meeting
• La Puente City Council Meeting
• SELAC’s AB 2766 Workshop

ORANGE COUNTY

• Buena Park City Council Meeting
• Los Alamitos City Council Meeting
• Orange County AQMP Advisory Group
• Orange County Council of Governments EMC Meeting
• Orange County Council of Governments TAC

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

• Murietta City Council Meeting
• Riverside County Transportation Commission Meeting
• Temecula City Council Meeting

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

• SANBAG Administrative Committee Meeting
• SANBAG Plans, Programs and Policies Committee
• San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors

OTHER

• Contract Cities Association
• Independent Cities Association
• L.A. Division of League of Cities
• SCAG Regional Council
• SCAG Legislative Summit
• South Bay Cities Association

As a result of their interaction with the organizations listed above, the Intergovernmental Affairs Directors communicated with the following officials by phone or in person:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -WESTERN REGION

• Chuck Bookhammer, Council Member, City of Hawthorne
• James Cragin, Council Member, City of Gardena
• Geogg Dalon, City Manager, City of Manhattan Beach
• Joe Dawidziak, Council Member, City of Redondo Beach
• Dave Doyle, Assistant City Manager, City of Manhattan Beach
• Margaret Estrada, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Lomita
• Kim Fuentes, City of Torrance
• Mike Goodson, Administrator, City of Hawthorne
• Garland Hardamann, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Inglewood
• Amit Hotari, City of Inglewood
• David Knehn, Planner, City of Signal Hill
• Aaron Kunz, City of Beverly Hills
• Abbe Land, Council Member, City of West Hollywood
• Mike Mitoma, Mayor, City of Carson
• Lawson Pedigo, Mayor, City of Lomita
• Marcine Shaw, Council Member, City of Compton

LOS ANGELES COUNTY - EASTERN REGION

• Jill Anderson, Staff, City of Norwalk
• Eileen Ansari, Mayor, City of Diamond Bar
• Bob Bartlett, Mayor, City of Monrovia
• Hal Bernson, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
• Louis Byrd, May Pro Tem, City of Lynwood
• Tom Calderon, Montebello Unified School District
• John Carver, Staff, City of Paramount
• Ed Chavez, Mayor, City of La Puente
• George Cole, Council Member, City of Bell
• Cristina Cruz-Madrid, Council Member, City of Azusa
• Sharron Daniels, City of Long Beach
• Bob Drpin, Planner, City of Santa Fe Springs
• Chuck Ebner, Planning Director, City of Lakewood
• Al Fuentes, Membership Services, SCAG
• Rodolfo Garcia, Mayor, City of Bell Gardens
• Manuel Garcia, Council Member, City of Industry
• Larry Glenn, Mayor, City of Glendora
• Rita Gonzales, Planner, City of Bell
• Dante Hall, Asst. to Council Member Joyce Streater, City of Pasadena
• Tom Jackson, Mayor, Huntington Park
• Bea La Pisto-Kertley, Council Member, City of Bradbury
• Steve Lefever, Planner, City of South Gate
• Alicia Ley, AB2766 Administrator, City of Artesia
• Joe Lim, Planner, City of Compton
• Jessica Maes, Mayor Pro Tem, Huntington Park
• Edith Martinez, Planner, City of Maywood
• Steve Masuray, Planner, City of Huntington Park
• Isidro Menizes, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Artesia
• Barbara Messina, Council Member, City of Alhambra
• Carman Morales, Admin. Assist. City of Bell Gardens
• Gilbert Moranes, The Gas Company
• Marshall Mouw, Council Member, City of Glendora
• Teri Muse, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Baldwin Park
• Jose Pulido, Planner, City of Montebello
• Dorothy Ramirez, Council Member, City of Maywood
• Paul Richards, Mayor, City of Lynwood
• Raul Romero, City Manager, City of Commerce
• Karime Sanchez, Pacific Telesis
• Reggie Tabor, Assist. City Manager, City of Compton
• Margo Wheeler, City Manager, City of Bellflower
• Kevin Winso, Planner, City of Vernon
• Gerald Wintenbum, Planner, City of La Mirada
• Ron Yoshike, Planner, City of Downey
• Bob Zarrilli, Planner, City of Commerce

ORANGE COUNTY

• Ron Bates, Council Member, City of Los Alamitos
• Don Bone, Council Member, City of Buena Park
• Art Brown, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Buena Park
• Candy Haggard, Council Member, City of San Clemente & AQMD Governing Board Member
• Wally Linn, Council Member, City of La Palma
• Patsy Marshall, Council Member, City of Buena Park
• Bev Perry, Council Member, City of Brea
• Charles Sylvia, Council Member, City of Los Alamitos
• Richard Tefank, Police Chief, City of Buena Park
• Marti Winn, City of Garden Grove

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

• Troy Butzlaff, Assistant City Manager, City of Indian Wells
• Ron Parks, Council Member, City of Temecula
• Ron Roberts, Council Member, City of Temecula
• Jack vanHaaster, Mayor, City of Murrieta

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

• Bill Alexander, Mayor, City of Rancho Cucamonga
• Jeff Bloom, Director of Community Development, City of Upland
• Dave Eshelman, Mayor, City of Fontana
• Joe Guzzeta, City Administrator, City of Rialto
• John Longville, Mayor, City of Rialto
• Jon Mikels, Supervisor, County of San Bernardino & AQMD Governing Board Chairman
• Barbara Riordan, Supervisor, County of San Bernardino

Intergovernmental Affairs Directors also met or had contact with the following local and state agency, business and community representatives regarding air quality related issues:

• Joe Anguli, Resident, City of Glendora
• Deborah Barmack, Director of Administrative Services, SANBAG
• Gary Boyles, San Bernardino County Deputy Fire Chief
• Pam Burmich, ARB Representative
• Debra Chase, The Planning Center
• Christine Diemer, Executive Director, BIA, Orange Co. Chapter
• Helen Hall, President, Board of Trustees, Walnut Valley Unified School District
• Darryl Halls, Manager, Policy Development & Legislative Services, O.C. Div., League of California Cities
• Roberta Hughan, ARB Representative
• Janet Huston, Executive Director, League of California Cities, O.C. Division
• Darren Kettle, Government & Public Affairs Rep., SANBAG
• Bob Levy, Citizen
• Mike Merchant, Los Altos High School Vehicle Solar Team
• Jim O’Connell, Vice President, A-Z Bus Sales
• Phyllis Papen, Boyle Engineering
• Michael Perry, General Manager, Department of Water & Power, City of Big Bear Lake
• Mark Pisano, Executive Director, SCAG
• Griselda Reed, The Partnership
• Mary Ann Ryono, Walnut Valley School District
• Susan Sonolio, Panasonic Corporation
• Carla Walecka, Transportation Corridor Agencies

The Intergovernmental Affairs Directors continued to provide administrative oversight for the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund and Subvention Fund programs. The IGA Directors also attended/ participated in the following activities:

• Electric School Bus "Roll Out" Event, Walnut Valley School District
• Retirement Event for Wes McDaniel, Executive Director, SANBAG

SECTION III - SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES

This month, the program is highlighting AQMD efforts to increase permitting and compliance assistance at field locations throughout the air basin. A statistical report of business assistance activities is also included.

Contact Lee Lockie, Director, (909)396 - 2390

PERMIT ASSISTANCE CENTER MARKETING PLANS

In January, the Office of the Public Advisor assumed responsibility for providing staff support to the seven Permit Assistance Centers. Technical staff support is provided from the Small Business Assistance Office.

To assure that businesses make the best use of these field locations, individual resource and marketing plans have been developed for each center. Prior to completion of these plans, each center recently received communications support in the form of computers, modems, and upgraded software to allow access to headquarters’ databases and e-mail. In these plans, staff members have identified area-specific strategies for improving technical assistance and business awareness of the nearest field permit assistance center.

Attachment 1 shows the signs that are displayed at most of the centers which direct the public to the AQMD hotline on days when staff members are not present at the centers. Attachment 2 shows the volume of permit activity at each of the permit assistance centers. Attachment 3 is a compilation of marketing plans from each permit assistance center.