Magical Mystery Show at

Duarte Performing Arts Center April 27

Magic is on the menu when the Duarte Kiwanis Club and the City of Duarte present the second annual Magical Mystery Show starring Las Vegas magician, Garry Carson at the Duarte Performing Arts Center, Saturday, April 27, at 5:30 p.m. The Duarte Performing Arts Center is located at 1401 Highland Ave. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or online by clicking here.

Dinner and refreshments will be available for purchase prior to the show beginning at 4:30 p.m., prepared and served by Duarte Youth Entrepreneur Groups, the Duarte Lemonade Brigade from Mt. Olive Alternative High School and the ROP Culinary Arts Catering from Duarte High School. Snacks and refreshments will also be available for purchase at intermission.

Master illusionist Garry Carson and his family provide shows for non-profit organizations around the country. Carson began his professional career at the age of 14. From the premiere opening of the MGM Grand Hotel and over 8,000 shows over a 2 ½ year period, to appearances on national and international television shows including Good Morning America, Inside Edition and the Fox special Masters Of Illusion, Carson presents a family friendly show.

Proceeds from the Magical Mystery Show will benefit the Duarte Kiwanis Club which supports many philanthropic community activities, including donating scholarships for Duarte Senior Center activities and Duarte youth summer camp programs. Duarte Kiwanis also provides support to the Foothill Unity Center, Duarte Community Service Council, Santa Anita Family YMCA, Duarte Education Foundation, and Friends of the Duarte Library.

In 2012, the Duarte Kiwanis provided $3,500 in scholarships to local high school seniors, and donated financial support to various local youth organizations including the Duarte Area Resource, and Duarte’s Promise -- The Alliance for Youth, and Duarte Teen Center.

For further information and tickets, contact Filippo Fanara at (626) 255-1124 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . More information is available on the web at www.DuarteKiwanis.org.

Duarte and Bradbury Join Hands

in Earth Day 2013 Activities April 20

Duarte and Bradbury will honor Earth Day 2013 with a variety of joint community volunteer projects starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 20. Volunteers will plant trees and drought tolerant plants, and clean up trails throughout both communities.

Some 70 volunteers including 50 teens from the Duarte Area Resource Team (D.A.R.T), Cardinals Helping Youth Live Life (CHYLL), Teen Nutrition Council, and Share Mentoring Program will participate in the Earth Day activities. Participants will be treated to both breakfast and lunch. Duarte Mayor Margaret Finlay and Bradbury Mayor Richard Pycz will kick off the luncheon at the Duarte Teen Center by thanking volunteers for their service. A speaker from the Los Angeles Regional Agency, a consortium of 16 environmentally-conscious large and small member cities in the Los Angeles County committed to state mandated recycling, will also address the volunteers.

The community Earth Day project is made possible through the support of sponsors, the City of Bradbury, California America Water Company and Burrtec Waste Industries. For more information, or to volunteer, call Duarte’s Promise — The Alliance for Youth at (626) 357-7931, ext. 267.

Duarte's Feb. 27 State of the City,

School District, and Citrus College

Video Available for Viewing Online

The Duarte Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual State of the City, State of the School District, and State of the Community College District at a luncheon February 27. It was presented by The Gas Company. Other sponsors included Rutan & Tucker, LLP (Program Book); Burrtec Waste Services; City of Hope; and Southern California Edison.

Mayor Margaret Finlay, Duarte Unified School Board President Ken Bell, and Citrus College Superintendent/President Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D., provided updates to business and community members gathered at the City of Hope, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

A video of the event is made available by Duarte's DCTV Public Access by clicking here.

Mid-Year Budget Review Projects Duarte to End

Fiscal Year with Higher than Expected Surplus

Mid-year budget projections estimate that the City of Duarte will end fiscal year 2012-2013 with a surplus of $588,000 instead of a previously projected $62,100 amount.

Assistant City Manager Kristen Petersen noted the increase in dollars is "largely due to a one-time residual payment of $800,000 from Los Angeles County that represents the City's small share of the $9.4 million that the former Redevelopment Agency was forced to turn over to the county." Barring any unexpected expenses or takeaways, said Petersen, the $588,000 surplus will leave the year-end General Fund reserves at $13.4 million.

The reserve total includes a $7.5 million transfer from the Redevelopment Agency made in February 2011 as a repayment of a City loan advance made to the Agency in prior years. In the event the transfer is deemed invalid by the state, the $7.5 million would be eliminated from the General Fund and surrendered to the county. Such a scenario would reduce the City's reserves to $5.9 million, 48% of the General Fund expenditures.

General Fund revenues are projected to be $12,849,000 at fiscal year-end, an increase of $867,000, or 7.2 percent as compared to the adopted budget. General Fund expenditures are expected to be $12,262,000, an increase of $220,000 or 1.8 percent.

In addition to the $800,000 residual payment from the county, the City received several grants. A $334,000 grant from California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP), of which $84,000 will be spent in the current fiscal year. Grant monies will be directed to Duarte youth programs, including the boxing program, Youthworks, and D.A.R.T., and to help pay for a special assignment deputy and a L. A. County probation officer. A $25,000 Public Safety Prevention and Intervention grant from the Los Angeles County Chief Administrator's Office will assist in funding programs including the City's recreational financial assistance program and youth programs. The Gold Line Authority awarded the City $100,000 in funds for the hiring of consultants, engineering and other services that will expedite or enhance work related to the design and development of the Duarte Gold Line station. The City has allocated $50,000 of the grant to be used in the current fiscal year.

Expenditure highlights include major City pool repairs and the AQMD mandated replacement of the pool heater and Fitness Center boiler that will cost more than $150,000 by the end of the fiscal year.

The City budget has also benefited from expenditure savings. A Supreme Court decision ruling that the county was overcharging cities for administrative services related to the collection of property tax has forced the county to revise its calculation, resulting in a savings to the City of approximately $39,000. The City has reduced postage expenses by approximately $13,000 by consolidating the Parks and Recreation schedule with the Public Safety and Community Newsletter. Code enforcement legal services expenses are projected to be reduced by approximately $6,000 as a result of the City Attorney restructuring the City's legal services contract.

"Overall, it was a positive sign to finally have a mid-year report with an unprecedented surplus after navigating a very difficult economic path for local governments over the past several years," noted City Manager Darrell George.

Duarte Named “Most Business-Friendly City”

with 60,000/Under Population in L. A. County

The City of Duarte has been named the “Most Business Friendly City” with a population of 60,000 and under in Los Angeles County.

Duarte was awarded the distinction by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) during its 17th Annual Eddy Awards on Nov. 8 at the Beverly Hilton.

The award was presented in recognition of the City’s outstanding efforts in proactively promoting business-friendly programs and services. Duarte, competing as a finalist for the third consecutive year, was selected for the top honor over four other finalists in the competition, besting the cities of Commerce, El Segundo, Glendora, and La Mirada.

“It is very exciting to receive this recognition from the LAEDC. Duarte has worked hard to foster a business-friendly atmosphere while maintaining a 'small town' feel. We are proud that our success in attracting, retaining and growing businesses has helped create much-needed jobs and generate necessary tax revenue for important public programs,” said Duarte City Manager Darrell George. "Business retention, expansion, and attraction has been and will remain at the top of our priority list even as we confront the challenges of difficult economic times, staff reductions, and the State's abolishment of redevelopment agencies."

Duarte provides cutting edge business development strategies and professional assistance, including a one-stop permit center, an updated strategic plan, an Economic Development Element in its General Plan and a hands-on City Council regularly in touch with businesses. Duarte’s incentives include free business seminars, no utility users tax, business, residential, and youth surveys, a low crime rate and distinguished schools.

LAEDC created the “business-friendly” award category in 2006. LAEDC is an economic development leadership organization dedicated to promoting job growth, economic expansion, and the overall global competitiveness of Los Angeles County, its surrounding regions, and the state of California.

Military Banner Recognition Program

Honoring military service to the nation is at the heart of a Military Banner Recognition Program. Duarte residents with family members currently serving in the military will have the opportunity to honor their loved one's service in the United States Armed Forces with a Military Recognition banner placed along the City's main corridor, Huntington Dr.

City of Hope has partnered with the City of Duarte to launch the banner program and has provided funding to underwrite the first 30 Military Recognition banners. These banners will be made available at no-cost to the first 30 military personnel who complete a program application, provide necessary verification documents and are deemed eligible. Additional banners are available for purchase or sponsorship at a cost of $155 each.

The program is designed to honor current military personnel who reside in the City or unincorporated county area of Duarte, or an immediate family member of a Duarte resident.

For more information, call Duarte City Hall at (626) 357-7931.

Sign of the Times:

Duarte Temporarily Suspends Enforcement

of Temporary Signs to Help

Boost Success of Local Businesses

In a move to help support the success of local businesses in tough economic times, the Duarte City Council has voted to suspend enforcement of certain temporary signs for a 12-month period beginning July 1, 2012.

It was just a year and a half ago that the City adopted an updated Development Code that included new regulations barring hand-held signs, inflatable signs, and limited the display of balloons and temporary banners. But last February, City staff met with the Chamber of Commerce’s sign ordinance committee as well as attended a community-wide sign ordinance forum to gather input from businesses. It was determined that a short-term suspension of the enforcement of certain types of violations for temporary signs could help the business community at this time.

“We appreciate the Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to facilitate the needs of local business here in Duarte,” said Darrell George, Duarte City Manager, adding, “the sign ordinance committee was instrumental in making this amnesty period happen.”

During the amnesty period, hand held signs will be permitted during daylight hours when not interfering with the safe flow of traffic. Small balloons up to 12 inches in diameter will be allowed with an approved temporary banner permit up to 105 days per year and a maximum of 30 consecutive days at a time. The display of inflatable signs and identification devices that utilize airflow to operate will be permitted during daylight hours when not interfering with traffic flow.

Two other concerns businesses raised with the City are also being addressed. City code enforcement staff has refocused duties in the commercial zones of the city on property maintenance and aesthetic issues, and on serious sign violations that create clutter. Since the February meeting, the City has also developed sign information brochures that are available at City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, on the City's website www.accessduarte.com or you can download the brochure by clicking here.

Duarte Businesses Collect Batteries

Making Recycling Easier

Two businesses in the City of Duarte are part of 38 establishments in the San Gabriel Valley participating in a pilot program that aims to increase battery recycling within the City and throughout the Valley. The state of California banned batteries from disposal in landfills in 2006 in an effort to recycle more metals and to reduce groundwater contamination caused by the presence of batteries in landfills.

The following locations are participating in Duarte as battery take-back sites:

• Frontier Hardware, 2137 Huntington Dr.
• Route 66 Car Wash, 2110 Huntington Dr.

Residents can conveniently bring any household batteries (rechargeable or alkaline that weigh less than 11 lbs.) and cell phones to the take-back locations. This means that old lithium-ion cell phone and camera batteries along with traditional AAA-D batteries can be brought to the same convenient take-back location. Signs on store windows identify take-back locations. Customers can turn in their batteries at the marked battery recycling boxes inside the store. Simple instructions on how to safely recycle batteries are located on each take-back box. Full boxes of batteries are mailed to recycling facilities at no charge to the participating businesses.

Thanks to an approximate $396,000 grant from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) has been able to facilitate a pilot-recycling program for household batteries. The SGVCOG is working to make battery recycling more convenient by partnering with local businesses to become battery take-back locations. The Call2Recycle® program is paying for all disposal costs associated with the battery recycling. This take-back process reduces costs to the public because battery producers pay for the shipping and recycling. Furthermore, recycling is more convenient for consumers because local retailers throughout the San Gabriel Valley host collection locations.

For more information about the battery-recycling program or to find a take-back location near you go to www.SGVCOG.org/batteryrecycling or contact Nicholas Conway, SGVCOG Executive Director at (626) 457-1800. For more information about CalRecycle go to www.calrecycle.ca.gov.

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