By Raymond Mendoza

Members of the Diamond Bar City Council honor former Traffic and Transportation Commissioner, Jen Mahlke, with a City Tile, a distinction which represents years of hard work for the City. (Photo By Raymond Mendoza)

Diamond Bar – Residents and proud family members attended the Diamond Bar City Council meeting in high numbers on Jan. 20, which included the award ceremony for the City’s annual “Through My Lens” photo contest.

To start, council members gave out two City Tiles: one to former Traffic and Transportation Commissioner, Jen Mahlke, for her outstanding service to the City from March 2011 to October 2014; and the other, to former Planning Commissioner – and newly appointed council member – Jimmy Lin. Both Mahlke and Lin were thanked for their service to the City in their respective positions and their years of hard work.

The Council then welcomed and congratulated nearly 20 Diamond Bar residents for their award winning participation in the 2014 “Through My Lens” photo contest, which had residents snapping shots around town for categories including people, places, nature, pets and digitally altered. The contest was also split between youth and adult participants.

Mayor Steve Tye thanked all the residents for their outstanding work and for continuing to show off the City through the perspective of their camera lenses.

“The Contest was started in 2008, and has focused positive attention on our community, which we’ve accomplished,” Tye said. “The result has been a win-win for residents and the City.  Residents get to exercise their passion for photography and the City gets a collection of incredible random art photographs to showcase throughout the year.”

After all the category and honorable mention winners were announced, Tye proclaimed that resident, Alfred Bertulfo, was this year’s grand prize winner.

The Council then moved to the list of future events, which included the Parks and Recreation Commission Jan. 22 meeting, the Planning Commission Jan. 27 meeting, the City Council Feb. 3 meeting, and the Household Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Roundup on Sat., Feb. 14 from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. at the Gateway Corporate Center in the 1300 block of Bridge Gate Drive.

The Council then approved all the items on its consent calendar including the minutes for the Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 City Council and Traffic meetings, and the Oct. 9 and Nov. 13 Transportation Commission meetings, the ratification of check register dated Dec. 31 through Jan. 14 totaling $986,081.06, the authorization from the City Manager to execute any necessary documents/agreements from Winstream for 36 months of phone service in an amount not-to-exceed $50,000, and the authorization from the City Manager to execute any necessary documents/agreements from SC Fuels for 36 months for City vehicle fuel card services in an amount not-to-exceed $100,000.

With no more public hearings for consideration, the Diamond Bar City Council officially adjourned at 7:13 p.m., with plans to meet next month on Feb. 3, at 6:30 p.m., at 21865 Copley Drive.