LCF Mayor Walker reflects on 2018 in annual ‘State of the City’ address to Kiwanians
In one of her last appearances as mayor of La Cañada Flintridge, Terry Walker affirmed Wednesday city operations are in good working order during the annual State of the City address to Kiwanis Club members held at Descanso Gardens.
“After a year with me as your mayor, you’ll be happy to know City Hall is still standing — not necessarily in the same spot — but we have money in the bank,” quipped Walker, who just last week cut the ribbon on the new City Hall building in La Cañada’s Town Center.
In an April 2 City Council meeting, Walker will pass the gavel as the council appoints a new mayor. On Wednesday, she shared highlights from City Manager Mark Alexander’s 2018 annual report of city activities.
With a general fund budget of $14,650,375, the city resurfaced and repaired 2.8 miles of roadway, completed plans for a sound wall along the south side of the Foothill (210) Freeway near Alta Canyada Road and repaired a 1,250-foot portion of the Owl Trail.
City staff oversaw 144 planning cases and processed 1,470 plan checks in 2018, while the LCF Shuttle offered 46,703 free rides and 1,854 locals rode the free summer beach bus.
By and large, however, the work of packing and selling the former City Hall building in preparation for the move dominated the schedules of many city staffers in 2018. Walker assured Kiwanians the new civic headquarters would provide a more efficient experience for citizens.
“We wanted to make it one-stop shopping, so to speak, and easy for our residents to move through the process,” she said, showing off photos of departments, new council chambers and public areas.
Also Wednesday, YMCA of the Foothills’ Chief Executive Tyler Wright announced that Vicki Schwartz, president and founder of the La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities Assn. has been named Kiwanis Club’s 2018 La Cañadan of the Year.
“I talked to Vicki, and she’s excited,” said Wright, who serves on the group’s selection committee.
The award ceremony takes place April 24 at 11:30 a.m. at Descanso Garden’s Van de Kamp Hall.
Twitter: @SaraCardine
