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By Jerry Bernstein

editor@cerritosnews.net

Tempers flared momentarily at the Hawaiian Gardens City Council meeting Mar. 13 over a request by

Councilmember Barry Bruce for an inde-pendent outside financial audit of the city.

Bruce reminded the council it had unan-imously approved the audit request before the city election and yet nothing has been done. Finance Director David Sung said five bids were sent out and only one came back and it did not qualify. Bruce asked if any other bids came in after the fact. Sung said one telephone call did. Councilwoman Michiko A. Oyama-Canada said she did not think an external audit was necessary and she would vote against having one. She said. “We can use the money an audit will cost elsewhere in the city.”

The Mayor asked the city administrator if there was another way to have an audit beside having an outside firm come in,.” Bruce interrupted him saying he originat-ed the audit request because he felt it was needed. “We’ve never had an outside audit, It may turn out there is no overspending or underspending by the city departments and that would be fine and we could get on with the city’s business.” He accused the Mayor, Mayor Pro tem and Councilmember Oya-ma-Canada of having no respect for our (Councilmembers Reynaldo Rodriguez and Bruce) opinion. “What’s going to happen is now that the financial audit has been stalled since before the election, you are going to kill it and nothing will happen.” The Mayor tried to rule him out of order.

City Administrator Ernesto Marquez said he had met with the Public Finance Committee, hoping they would share some ideas on how to save some money. He said it was difficult to get the council members together for a meeting since they each have various obligations to meet.

Bruce said, “ My main concern was not to save money but to get a real good au-dit to look at all of our departments. I do not trust the audits we have been receiving. That’s why I asked for it. I knew when it was granted it would eventually be killed.”

He added, “We will not have the audit I requested because you will shut me down. We will have a 3-2 vote again.”

Oyama-Canada accused Bruce of jump-ing to conclusions. “I have a right to say what I want,” she exclaimed. “The May-or and Mayor Pro Tem have not said how they will vote. You are jumping to conclu-sions.”

Bruce said all he is asking is what the council had previously agreed to do.

Mayor Pro Tem Victor Farfan said he was in favor of the outside audit and the council should go forward with it. The council voted in favor of the audit in a 4-1 vote and instructed the Finance Director to issue 15 bids.

In other business Hawaiian Garden res-ident Alba Valenciano was sworn in as Ha-waiian Gardens Public Housing Authority Director City. Clerk Sue Underwood gave her the oath of office.. She replaced Bar-bara Martin who resigned in December.

The Council also approved a resolution amending the comprehensive fee schedule to add a fee pertaining to the new tobacco retailing license and adjusted fees related to document reproduction. Director of Com-munity Development Joseph Columbo said the resolution provides for some minor ad-justments for the sale of tobacco products within the city in compliance with federal and state laws.

Hawaiian Gardens Approves Outside Financial Audit of City Departments

County to Host Used Oil Recycling Event in Artesia

Los Angeles County Public Works Department will host a free used motor oil and oil filter recycling event at Artesia Park, 18750 Clarkdale Avenue, on Mar. 24, from

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In exchange for turn-ing in their used oil, participants will be rewarded with free oil containers, oil filter containers, shop towels and funnels while supplies

last.In addition, residents can drop-off used

motor oil and oil filters for free at weekend County-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Waste (HHW/E-Waste) collection events or at local Certified Col-lection Centers.

These centers will typically accept up to five gallons of uncontaminated used mo-tor oil, and some will also accept used oil filters. Residents are asked to prepare their items for drop-off by placing used oil fil-ters in sealed plastic bags and storing used motor oil in leak-proof containers without mixing the oil with any other liquids.

For more information about upcom-ing used motor oil and HHW/E-Waste collection events, or for the location of Certified Collection Centers, visit www.CleanLA.com or call 1(888)CLEAN LA. You can also call Joanne Tanyongkul at 213.683.2101 or email her at Jtanyong-kul@saeshe.com.

Cerritos 1st CEB Adoption Committee Hosts Third

Annual Fiesta Bowl-A-ThonThe Cerritos 1st CEB Adoption is host-

ing its third annual Fiesta Fowl-A-Thon Mar. 24 at the AMI Cerritos Lanes, 18810 Carmenita Road.

Committee Member Joanne Witt said the public is invited to join in the games. Registration is at 12:10 p.m. with the tour-nament starting at 12:30 p.m. Entry fee is $25 and includes two games, shoes, ball and goody bag. Bumpers will be available for children. Reservation required. Call Joanne Witt at 562-860 2036, or Laurie Forward at 310-738-3187.

Business owners may advertise their business as lane sponsors for $50 for a full size company name sign, or $25 for a half page sign to be displayed on the lanes. Non bowlers may sponsor a Marine to bowl that day. Checks cane be made out to CEB Adoption Committee. Donations accepted.

The Bowl-a-thon benefits the 1st Com-bat Engineer Battalion stationed at Camp Pendleton.

Artesia Library BooksaleFriends of the Artesia Library booksale

this Saturday, March 17 from 9-2pm. at 18722 Clarkdale Ave, outside the library. Hardbacks, paperbacks, childrens, etc. Great bargains. $2 a bag sale at 1pm.