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Volume 2 |
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June 2009
Monthly Report
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Number 6 |
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City of Cerritos Recreation Services Division Won 1st
Place Team Accomplishment Award During Public Service Recognition Week

On May 6, 2009, The City of Cerritos’ Adaptive Recreation program won
the Team Accomplishment Award at the Public Service Recognition Week
Award Luncheon hosted by the Greater Los Angeles Federal Executive Board
and the Combined Federal Campaigns of Greater Los Angeles and Orange/San
Bernardino. The award is presented to teams, groups or organizations
that have made exceptional accomplishments based on their overall
performance and dedication to public service.
The Recreation Services Division complies with the Americans with
Disabilities Act to offer the Adaptive Recreation program which include
the After-School Special Training, Recreational Socialization Program,
Adaptive Activity Nights, Adaptive Art, Adaptive Teen Nights and many
adaptive sports programs such as Basketball, Bowling, Gymnastics, Soccer
and Golf clinic.
(From left: Congresswoman Linda Sánchez District
Director Bill Grady, Director of Community and Safety Services Greg
Berg, Recreation Supervisor Carlos Espinosa, Councilmember's Jim Edwards
and Carol Chen, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho (holding the trophy) ,
Recreation Services Superintendent Sherré Titus, and Recreation
Supervisors Heide Xitco and Ernest Vital)
Judy Chu Is the Top Vote getter in a Special Election
for the 32nd Congressional District; Now Faces a July 14 Runoff Election
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On May 19, 2009, State Board of Equalization Vice Chairperson Judy Chu,
PhD. won the most votes for the open 32nd Congressional
District seat to replace Hilda Solis who was appointed by President
Barack Obama to be Secretary of Labor. Because she fell short of an
outright majority (50% +1 of the vote), she will have to face the top
Republican vote getter, Betty Tom Chu, and the top Libertarian vote
getter, Christopher Agrella, in a July 14 runoff.
Judy
Chu, a former member of the Garvey School District, Monterey Park City
Council and the State Assembly, campaigned on her experience and deep
roots in the district and worked hard |
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to build coalitions across ethnic lines. She is expected to easily win
the July runoff in the strongly Democratic district.
On May 1, 2009, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho hosted a reception for Judy Chu
at his Artesia office. The reception was co-sponsored by ABC Unified
School Board member Mark Pulido, Hubert H. Humphrey Democratic Club
President Nikki Noushkam, Former President of the Whitney Foundation
James Kang, Former President of the United Federation of Indo-American
Pat Patnaik and President of the Chinese American Club of Southern
California. Supporters in attendance included La Palma City
Councilmember Larry Herman, Downey City Councilmember Luis Marquez,
Water Replenishment District Board member Lillian Kawasaki, Cerritos
College Board member Tina Cho, ABC School Board member Armin Reyes,
Buena Park School Board member Jerry Kong, City of Cerritos
Commissioners Alon Barlevy, Ph.D., Kenneth Cha, Nick Kim, Samuel Kim and
Chong Sop Yi and President of Mid-Cities Korean Chamber of Commerce
Henry Park, Korean American Federation of Orange County President Jaejun
Chung, Korean American Federation of Orange County former President Dr.
Oh Ku.
(State Board of Equalization
Vice Chairperson Judy Chu
(3rd from left in front row) with supporters at the reception)
State of The City of Cerritos Showed
A Snapshot of the City's Financial Health
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On May 21,
2009, Mayor Bruce Barrows and City Manager Art Gallucci gave
presentations on the accomplishments made during the City’s 2008-2009
fiscal year, and gave an outlook for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The
annual State of the City address was held at the Cerritos Center for the
Performing Arts, and hosted by the Cerritos Regional Chamber of
Commerce. City manager Art Gallucci said that he was preparing a balance
budget without tax increase and no layoffs. Due to the reduction of
sales tax revenue and interest income, the City projects that by June
30, the end of the current fiscal year, total revenue will fall short by
approximately 8 percent from the level estimated at the beginning of the
fiscal year. The combined budgetary total of all City/Agency activities
for the upcoming fiscal year 2009-2010 is projected to be around $124.5
million. |
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The
City of Cerritos has not been immune to the economic downturn. Overall,
Cerritos businesses saw a 10 percent drop in sales last year, and in
particular, the Cerritos Auto Square saw a 21 percent decline in
business. The drop in Cerritos business sales translated to a drop of
$2.5 million to the city’s sales tax revenue, but the City has enough
reserve funds to weather this economic hardship. In the past year, as
soon as one business moved out, another was poised to fill the space.
For example, when the Volvo dealership moved out, it was quickly
replaced by a Volkswagen dealership, and when Hummer moved its
dealership across the street, a Smart car dealership took its place. At
the Los Cerritos Center, when Mervyn’s went into bankruptcy, Forever 21
stepped in to take its place.
Despite the real estate slump, the assessed valuation of property in
Cerritos went up last year by 4.3 percent to $7.2 billion, and it is
expected to jump to $8 billion once the new construction at the Cerritos
Towne Center and the renovations at the Los Cerritos Center are
completed. The renovations include a new 138,000-square-foot Nordstrom
store, and a 36,000-square-foot adjacent retail space. A new five-story
office building at the Cerritos Towne Center is ready for occupancy. The
building was recently topped by an open dome. The open dome is the
largest piece of public art in the county. The building is expected to
generate $77 million in rent and tax increment revenue for the City over
the next seventy five years.
The presentation materials from the State of the City Luncheon are
available on the City’s website at
http://www.ci.cerritos.ca.us/stateofthecity09.pdf
(Upper photo: Mayor Bruce Barrows, Bottom
photo: City Manager Art Gallucci)
“Never Give Up” Team Participated In the Relay for Life to Raise Money
for the American Cancer Society
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The
American Cancer Society event, Relay For Life, was held on May 16 and
17, 2009 at Gahr High School. Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho, Ph.D.
participated in the Relay for the third year in a row with his team
“Never Give Up”. The team was led by co-team captains Property
Preservation Commissioner Alon Barlevy, Ph.D. and Planning Commissioner
Kenneth Cha. The team had about 50 members including Parks and
Recreation Commissioner Nick Kim, Community Safty Committee member Chong
Sop Yi, Let Freedom Ring Committee member Samuel Kim, Mid-Cities
Korean-American Realtor Association President Phil Ahn, Korean-American
Cancer Survivor Kyu Kyung Lee and their families. |
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Entertainment was provided Saturday afternoon on a center stage and
included the Korean girls choir Voice of Little Arirang, the Valley
Christian Middle School Jazz Band and the International Peace Choir. Later that
evening, participants gathered together to take part in a Luminaria
Service in remembrance of those who had succumbed to cancer and to
celebrate those who had survived their battle with the dreaded disease.
(Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho
led the last lap with Korean cancer survivor Kyu Kyung Lee (left most),
Community Safty Committee member Chong Sop Yi (second from left) and
Property Preservation Commissioner Alon Barlevy, Ph.D. (thrid from
left))
Cerritos Memorial Day Ceremony
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On
May 25, 2009, the City of Cerritos Memorial Day Ceremony was held near
the Cerritos Veterans Memorial at the Cerritos Civic Center in honor of
those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while defending our nation’s
freedom. Mayor Bruce Barrows, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho, Council members
Carol Chen, Jim Edwards and Laura Lee and 1st Combat Engineers Battalion
Major David C. Morris participated in the ceremony. More than 200
community members including the Southern California Philippine-US Veterans Association also participated
in the ceremony. Prelude music was performed by the Cerritos College
Concert Band. The ceremony included a presentation of colors, comments
by the City Council, wreaths laying and a moment of silence. |
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At the ceremony, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho, Ph.D. invited Cerritos Korean
War Veterans to an appreciation event including dinner, a concert and
symposium, which will be held on June 21 and 22, 2009 in Las Vegas,
Nevada. The event is sponsored by the Friends of American Veterans of
the Korean War, and will provide Korean War Veterans and their spouses
full accommodations for the night of June 21 and all meals associated
with the two-day program.
(From right: Councilmember
Laura Lee and Jim Edwards, 1st Combat Engineers Battalion Major
David C. Morris, Mayor Bruce Barrows, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho,
Councilmember Carol Chen
and Veterans widows at Cerritos Veterans Memorial)
Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho Sponsored
a Korean Community Round Table Meeting

On May 23, 2009, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho invited leaders of the
Korean-American community in Cerritos to a community round table meeting.
At the meeting, Korean community leaders discussed various community
issues and upcoming events such as Korean Garden Cherry Festival on June
6, 2009. They also decided to launch the Korean Community 2010 Census
Complete Count Committee and hold an energy saving seminar to be
sponsored by the Southern California Edison Company in July 18, 2009. At
the meeting, long time Cerritos resident and former president of the
Whitney Foundation James Kang formally announced his candidacy for the
ABC Unified School District Board of Education in the upcoming elections
of November 2009.
Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho in Various Community
Activities
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Cerritos Library
Teen Contest Reception
Date: May 4, 2009 7:00 PM
Place: Cerritos Library Skyline Room
Cerritos, CA
(Back row from right: Mayor Bruce
Barrows, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho, Councilmember Carol Chen and
Friends of Cerritos Library Board Members)
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58th Annual National
Day of Prayer
Date: May 7, 2009 7:30 PM
Place:
First Evangelical Church of Cerritos
Cerritos,
California
(From right: Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho
and Councilmember Carol
Chen)
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Congresswoman Linda Sánchez
Artistic Discovery Award Ceremony
Date:
May 9, 2009 10:00 AM
Place:
Cerritos College Student Center
Cerritos, California
( On behalf of
Congresswoman Linda
Sanchez, Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho presented an award to the winner from
the 39th Congressional District Xochitl Castillo (4th
from left), who will be invited to a reception at the Capitol, and her
work will be
displayed for a year in the hallway of the Capitol, Washington D.C.) |
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Southern California Korean Christian Association
Korea Cup Tennis Tournament
Date: May 9, 2009 12:00 Noon
Place: Cerritos Regional Park, Cerritos, California
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CCC Information Services, Inc.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Date:
May 11, 2009 12:00 Noon
Place: Cerritos Towne Center
Cerritos, California
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 California
Contract Cities Association 50th Annual Conference and Seminar
Date: May 14 - 17, 2009
Place: Renaissance Esmeralda
Indian Wells,
California
(From right: Mayor Pro Tem
Joseph Cho, Orange County
Sheriff Coroner Sandra Hutchens and Cerritos
Sheriff Station Captain Joe Gonzales)
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Date: May 14, 2009 6:00 PM
Place: 3699 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, California
(From
right: Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho, 6th Chancellor of SNU Dr. Jang Mu Lee)
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Date: May 22, 2009 12:00 Noon
Place: Mary Bragg Elementary School
Cerritos, California
(Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho with 5th grade teacher
Ms.
Kerry Flores and students)
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Date: May 25, 2009 6:00 PM
Place: La Palma Central Park
La Palma, California
(From
left: Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho, Congressman Ed Royce, City of Hanam
Mayor Hwang-Sik Kim, City of La Palma Mayor Mark Waldman, Councilman
Henry Charoen and City of Hanam Council Vice Chair Young Il Mun) |
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Date: May 26, 2009 7:00 PM
Place: Cerritos City Council Chamber
Cerritos California
(Front
Row of left photo from left: Former Friends of the Arts Board member
Susan Sung, Former Let Freedom Ring Committee members Michelle Yun and
Jennifer Hong and former Economic Development Commissioner Pino Pathak,
Front center of Right photo: Former Community Safety Committee member
Jeanelle Padre)
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Carver
Academy’s Enrichment Cluster Celebration
Date: May 29, 2009 9:00 AM
Place: Carver Academy
Cerritos,
California
(Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho
with Carver Academy Principle Deborah Berlyn)
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ABC
Adult School
International Day
Date: May 29, 2009 10:00 AM
Place: ABC Unified Scholl District Headquarters, Cerritos,
California
(Mayor Pro Tem
Joseph Cho with ABC Adult School
student
models participating in a Traditional Korean Fashion Show)
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Tetzlaff
Middle School 3rd Annual
Red Carpet Media Festival
Date: May 29, 2009 6:00 PM
Place: Tetzlaff Middle School, Cerritos, California
(From left; Mayor Pro Tem
Joseph Cho, Mr. and Mrs. Stan Chambers, KTLA reporter who was the Judge
of the Festival and Councilmember Carol Chen)
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Cerritos
Family Fun Day
Safety Expo
Date: May 30, 2009 1:00 PM
Place: Cerritos Swim Center
Cerritos, California
(From Right: Mayor Pro Tem
Joseph Cho, Parks
and
Recreation Commissioner Nick Kim, Recreation
Services
Superintendent Sherré Titus and Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mark
Anthony Ruiz)
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Indo-American
Senior Heritage’s
an Evening of Laughter-Kavi Sammelan
Date: May 30, 2009 6:30 AM
Place: Jain Center of Southern California
Buena Park, California
(Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho
(3rd from left), President Uka Solanki, Secretary Anil Parekh
and
Cerritos Economic Development Commissioner Pat Patnaik)
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2009
International OB Soccer Tournament
Date: May 31, 2009 9:00 AM
Place: Cerritos Sports Complex
Cerritos,
California
Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho’s
Upcoming Events
- 2009 Creative Expression Recognition Ceremony
Date: June 2, 2009 7:00 PM
Place: Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Cerritos,
California
- Los Angeles County Water Summit
Date: June 3, 2009 8:00 AM
Place: Queen Mary
Long Beach, California
- Rally in support of the Employee Free Choice Act
Date: June 3, 2009 11:00 AM
Place: Senator Feinstein’s LA Office
Los Angeles, California
- Cerritos Chamber of Commerce 46th Installation Luncheon
Date: June 4, 2009 11:30 AM
Place: Cerritos Sheraton Hotel
Cerritos, California
- League of California Cities LA County Division Meeting
Date: June 4, 2009 6:30 PM
Place: Metropolitan Water District
Los Angeles, California
- Korean American Special Education Autism Symposium
Date: June 5, 2009 9:30 AM
Place: Thanksgiving Church
Buena Parks, California
- Los Angeles County Sanitation District
2009 Ocean Inspection Trip
Date: June 6, 2009 8:00 AM
Place: San Pedro, California
- Korean Garden Society Cherry Festival
Date: June 6, 2009 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Place: Phelan Cherry Farm
Phelan, California
- Cerritos Family Art Festival
Date: June 7, 2009 11:00 AM
Place: Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Cerritos, California
- City of Cerritos FY 2009-2010 Budget Study Session
Date: June 8, 2009 6:00 PM
Place: City Council Chamber
Cerritos, California
- Our Lady of Fatima School Award Ceremony
Date: June 12, 2009 10:00 AM
Place: Our Lady of Fatima School
Artesia, California
- Neighborhood Park Meet and Greet
Date: June 20, 2009 12:00 PM
Place: Gonzalves Park
Cerritos, California
- Korean War Veterans Appreciation Concert and Symposium
Date: June 21 - 22, 2009
Place: Palace Station Hotel
Las Vegas, California
- City of Cerritos 2009 Youth Baseball Award Ceremony
Date: June 22, 2009 6:30 PM
Place: Liberty Park
Cerritos, California
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Joseph Cho Cerritos City Councilmember - P.O. Box
4115, Cerritos, CA 90703 (562) 547-4434
This site was last updated
June 12, 2009
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