Politics & Government

Mayor Focuses on Careful Planning in State of City Address

Live updates from the Diamond Bar State of the City Address. Refresh this page for updates as the evening progresses.

Live from the State of the City Address. Refresh the page for updates.

6:40 p.m.: City Manager Jim DeStefano is at the podium with introductions. 

6:43 p.m.: DeStefano said job is to translate policy into action and manage daily activities and would be impossible to fulfill responsibilities without staff. 

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6:45 p.m.: Rick Yee says congestion is top concern and is a high priority and a new project will allow staff to monitor and adjust traffic signals in real time in a more efficient manner. Footage centers on DB Blvd and Grand — with good reason. 

6:48 p.m.: Slurry seal program provides new slurrying of roads on 7 year cycle in 7 zones and slurry seal is way to reduce damage to roads, said Assistant City Engineer Kimberly Molina. 

Find out what's happening in Diamond Bar-Walnutwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

6:51 p.m.: Parks and Maintenance Superintendent Anthony Jordan. Greenspace in city total over 100 acres and keeping this amount of vegetation requires a lot of water. City recently completed from manually managed system to centralized computer version and will save water from over-watering. System self-adjusts and takes into consideration the amount of water lost in evaporation. Electronically sends alert to city if there is a problem. Can easily monitor settings from any internet-conected computer. 

6:52 p.m.: Community Services Coordinator Alison Meyers seeks out grant opportunities for the city. One of the big projects was a series of improvements at Sycamore and started in 2001, this trail has benefitted from new trailhead, viewing areas, reparian habitat, security lighting, and information kiosks. Habitat restoration and installation of new parcourse will occur later this year. 

6:58 p.m.: Mayor Tye said 67,000 square foot office building that will house a and will mark a significant development for the city. Citizen support has DB well-positioned to face this year with confidence financially. 

Mayor Steve Tye takes the podium

7:00 p.m.: Secure financial foundation even in these difficult times in Diamond Bar. Thanked Carol Herrera and acknowledged focus on careful and long-term planning of the city. Paraphrase Lionel Richie: "once, twice three times a lady and four times our mayor." Unprecedented four time mayor.  

7:05 p.m.: Roll call.

7:07 p.m.: Financial difficulties at regional levels and with so many agencies struggling to remain solvent, Diamond Bar is fiscally sound.

7:08 p.m.: Diamond Bar hasn't cut programs, personnel or public safety. Takes a team effort to responsibly augment general fund dollars and grants for roads, parks, specialized public safety programs. 

7:10 p.m.: "As we approach 25 years of age, we must develop new plans to attract kinds of business to ensure long-term stability of local economy. With no end to state financial trouble in sight, it's really up to us and tonight I ask fellow residents to think critically about our community."

7:12 p.m.: Tye asks everyone in to shop in Diamond Bar. Date night suggestion: "Get gas at Mobil on Diamond Bar Boulevard, then get flowers at Xavier's Florist. Eat dinner at Chili's, Whole Encilada, or East 180 — and then go see a movie in Brea." 

7:15 p.m.: City capitalized on record-low prices got the new city hall and hopefully . City hall "going from cramped, rented apartment to new home" and will be able to provide more efficient services. City hall on second floor has been designed and early summer with be construction and renovation phase. 

7:17 p.m.: "new library excites us most." Current facility has served admirably but with many significant drawbacks. Only 9,000 sq. feet and no room for collection of materials and we're all aware of the parking challenges. For years, have pursued avenues to get more improvements for building and technology. In the end, these efforts did not result in improved library we deserve.

7:19 p.m.: "Crime rate reduced again and speaks volumes about the public saftey officers. Visible presence of Sheriff's on streets and neighborhoods. Fire department continues to save lives every day."

7:22 p.m.: Recent study found 57 freeway interchange is 7th most congested in the country. With partners from MTA and industry have made improvements but now need hundreds of millions of dollars and as we continue fight for state and federal funding — have signal sychronization technology — fighting traffic problem from multiple fronts. 

7:24 p.m.: Mayor announced new smartphone application to be released later this year called MyDiamondBar. Residents can photograph or map problems around town and can send to staff for correction — documents and information available at your fingertips. 

7:27 p.m.: Questions begin. City of Bell salaries raised concern. Tye said staff compensation is available online.

7:30 p.m.: Second question addresses the stadium project. Tye said it will be a great economic opportunity for the city if it happens but is a "waiting game" now. The project could make commercial development very desireable in currently open locations. Cit will also plan for case that teh stadium does not end up being built as well.

7:34 p.m.: Last question regarded public safety in light of the Japan earthquake. Tye said the city is working on public saftey measures and stressed personal preparation for a disaster.

7:35 p.m.: This meeting is adjourned and  is finally caught up with typing. A full transcript of the mayor's comments will be available tomorrow. 


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