The action was at Tuesday's regular council meeting.
The Council also authorized the Mayor to execute an agreement with FPL and Associates for $76,000 for the preliminary engineering work on the plan which includes raised, landscaped median islands on Paramount Boulevard between the southern City Limit at Gardendale and Leeds Street.
The local agency must provide 20 percent of the total project cost to be eligible for the grant.
Upon completion, the project is expected to offer a pleasant and welcome entry statement at the Downey City Limit, welcoming motorists to the City of Downey and enhancing the community image.
The preliminary work by FPL is for preparation of plans, specifications and estimates.
Councilman Keith McCarthy was particularly pleased by this project, which he feels will be an attractive improvement.
The forum, based on Thomas Jefferson's contention that democracy depends on an informed electorate, will also celebrate Downey's 45th year as an incorporated Charter City, and will begin with City Manager Gerald Caton reviewing the history of how we became a Charter City.
A panel of students from Downey and Warren High Schools will offer questions and comments, as will the public. The forum will be moderated by Jane Harmon, president of Cerritos College.
The Downey High student panel will consist of Alison Davis, Lori Mairena and Steve Chu. The Warren panel will consist of Paul Marian, Jessica Sawyer and Eugene Kim.
Thirty years ago the League toured City Hall and received briefings from administrators on how city government worked. It is hoped these forums will work in similar fashion to enlighten all interested residents on how city government works today in Downey.
For information, call 904-7286.
The action was at Tuesday's regular Council meeting.
Some change was mandatory after the results of the 2000 census revealed that the districts in the city had grown out of balance by population numbers.
These numbers are within the 5 percent allowable margin.
The move, which was approved by a unanimous 5-0 vote, has no significant fiscal impact.
However two key items, the appeal for a Conditional Use Permit and an appeal for a Zone Variance were put off for further study and will be considered at the Council meeting Jan. 22.
Approved by unanimous 5-0 votes by the Council at the regular Tuesday meeting, were a resolution certifying an Environmental Impact Report; a resolution granting an appeal and approving a General Plan Amendment; and introductions of an ordinance granting an appeal of a zone change, and withdrawal of a zone change.
Steve Sheldon, speaking for the developer, appeared pleased with the terms.
As Councilman Bob Winningham pointed out, the open space was not open before, as it was always behind locked gates, and the community will be getting more than seven acres in open space with the development of the nearby NASA/Boeing property.
The church also agrees to allow public use of the playing fields.
In other action the Council:
* After a public hearing, introduced a Code Amendment to delete certain sub-zones and uses of the OS (Open Space) Zone. (An action continued from Nov. 27, 2001).
* Approved a cash contract for city-wide street rehabilitation and resurfacing (for streets damaged by El Nino).
* Approved a cash contract and a letter of agreement for the Paramount Gateway Streetscape.
* Approved $69,000 in asset forfeiture funds for new carpeting of the Police Station.
* Approved the Budget Calendar for 2002-03.
* Approved the carrying forward of appropriations of $1,364,755 for fiscal year 2000-01. * Appropriated $10,000 from the Gas Tax Fund and $12,600 from the General Fund for the City's membership in the I-5 Consortium of Cities Joint Powers Authority.
* Reduced the budget of the State Literacy Grant by $1,454.
* Approved Downey Downtown Multimodal Concourse sidewalk improvements complementing the Downey Avenue Streetscape project, authorized the Public Works Director's letter of agreement with Metropolitan Transportation Authority on the project, and allocated $478,000 in an MTA Grant for the plan, while authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with Ishii Engineering for preliminary engineering work for $46,730.
* Approved the replacement of the Joint Powers communication center Computer-aided Dispatch and Record Management System.
* Approved and accepted the Fire Act Grant and appropriated funding for Fire Department Training.
* Adopted a resolution supporting the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and Transportation Funding Bill.
* Reappointed Meredith Perkins to the Board of the Greater L.A. County Vector Control District.
* Supported the Orange Line Planning study and appropriated $1,030 from the Gas Tax Account.
* Introduced a code amendment adjusting the boundaries of Council districts.
* Heard a report on the reduction of the city budget by $500,000, and then approved same. The reduction will be achieved with no staff cuts, and no loss in public services.
* Approved City Council committee assignments for the coming year.
* As the Community Development Commission, carried forward $180,727 from fiscal year 2000-01.
* As the Community Development Commission, contributed $5,000 to the Gateway Cities Council of Governments (COG) for creation of a comprehensive regional economic strategy.
* A woman complained about the way the police handled her stolen car and its recovery.
Councilman Richard Trejo congratulated the Downey Rose Float Association for the trophy the float won in Pasadena.
Councilman Bob Winningham asked staff to work out a permit alternative for owners of homes with short driveways who get ticketed for blocking sidewalks with their vehicles on street sweeping days.
Councilman Keith McCarthy expressed pleasure at the start of the median plan for Paramount Boulevard as well as the extension of Downey Avenue Streetscape to the new Transit Terminal.
And Mayor Meredith Perkins said he worked as a volunteer flowering this year's rose float and said the satisfaction in its achievement in winning the Founder's Trophy in Pasadena is immense.
City Manager Gerald Caton noted that the Army Corps of Engineers formally declared the LACDA flood control project complete on Dec. 20, making the easing of flood control insurance required by FEMA possible.
The next public City Council meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, at City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Ave.
And, judging by the ebullient and optimistic note Hirai sounded last Saturday on the occasion of Downey Y's open house, the Y's financial woes seem to have been thoroughly exorcised.
In analyzing what went wrong, Hirai cited the virtual flattening of the revenue curve last year (it only grew an anemic .03 percent) due to a softened economy, while total expenditures went up 12.4 percent, much of it attributed to a disturbing 34 percent rise in utility costs.
Other contributory cost factors, he said, included a staff structuring and cross-training program meant to raise service levels across the board in anticipation of more robust and more varied demands on the Y's facilities in the coming year, and the transformation of its Healthy Lifestyle program into a bigger presence, necessitating more investment. It will displace the area heretofore occupied by its pre-school program which is expanding its capacity and is relocating to Trinity Baptist Church.
Positives to look forward to, Hirai says, are: "One, we anticipate an increase in membership this year (it, too, suffered a dip last year). Two, we have instituted more stringent controls such as a more cost-effective staffing ratio (a few staff members have had to be laid off), plus we're keeping an eye on occupancy costs. This means utility/energy costs and the like. Third, we're looking for greater effectiveness of resource use all around."
"In my mind, our biggest problem is getting the word out about who we are, how we're different from the next organization here in Downey, and how we're here not just simply for kids but for the whole family. Further, we're not just a fitness place with facilities and equipment to address the community's physical fitness needs, although this is important. We're here to help people across the spectrum deal with their emotional, mental, spiritual and social sides as well. We're here to offer a positive environment where people will feel like family."
Hirai continued: "Once people realize what the Y can do, we can then help them lead a 'healthy lifestyle'." He said the Y will direct attention to the dangers related to obesity, to the lack of proper nutrition and sufficient exercise and such other factors as will affect one's quality of life. "We've got to build awareness of all this through education," he said.
When this reporter noticed the heavy representation of medical service centers at last week's open house, Hirai said: "Well, they take care of curing the patient, while our job is to help people from getting sick in the first place. It's a good fit."
Referring to what thankfully turned out to be a blip, albeit a scary one, on the fiscal radar screen last September, Hirai had this to say: "A good leader doesn't duck his responsibility to his constituents. Whatever problems come my way, whatever its source, they become my problems, and it's up to me to solve them the best way I can."
"I'm excited about this year. Everybody's excited. The turnout to this open house was excellent. We'll do just fine," he said.