By Natalie Kim

Diamond Bar – The August 16 Diamond Bar City Council meeting began with a special presentation to several girls softball teams. The Council presented Certificates of Recognition to girls softball teams in the age brackets of eight and under, twelve and under, and fourteen and under for participating in the Junior Olympic State Championship and for the twelve and under, and fourteen and under teams for earning a spot at the Junior Olympic National Championship. The Council also presented a Certificate Plaque to Jimmy John’s, located at 22438 Golden Springs Dr. as the new Business of the Month for August 2016.

During the City Manager reports and recommendations, the City Manager discussed updating the General Plan. The City’s current General Plan is now far outdated and mostly fulfilled, and must be updated to reflect the current Diamond Bar and the future that the current residents wish for the City. The City will also begin creating a General Plan Commission to ensure that Diamond Bar residents will be able to voice their hopes and plans for the future of the City.

Following the public comments, the schedule of future events was read, the schedule included the next Planning Commission meeting on Aug 23; the next Parks and Recreation meeting on Aug 25; and Labor Day holiday on Sep 5, during which City offices will be closed.

The Council approved all items on the consent calendar, including:

• The minutes from the City Council meeting of Aug 2; Planning Commission minutes from June 28; and Parks and Recreation minutes from June 23.
• Ratification of a check registers totaling $1,368,995.02.
• Adjourning the Aug 16 City Council meeting to Sep 20.
• A resolution approving plans and specifications and establishing a project payment account, as well as awarding the construction contract for the Washington Street cul-de-sac at Lincoln Avenue to CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc. in the amount of $101,450 and authorize a contingency amount of $8,550 for contract change orders to be approved by the City Manager.
• Approval of a consulting services agreement with Kimley Horn to develop a procurement and implementation plan for an adaptive traffic control system in the amount of $209,081, plus a contingency amount of $30,000 for project change orders to be approved by the City Manager.
• A resolution authorizing and approving the sale of $600,000 of Proposition A fund to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
• Appropriation of $85,286.54 from the Quimby Fund Reserves to the fiscal year 2016-17 Capital Improvement Program budget, as well as a resolution approving plans and specifications and establishing a payment account, accepting a letter of withdrawal from Principal Contracting, Inc. and awarding the construction contract for the Stardust and Peterson Park Improvement Project to ACE CD Inc. in the amount of $435,667.88.

Two items were brought to the Council for their consideration. The first was the first reading of Ordinance 0X (2016), which would revise the City’s purchasing system, amending the Diamond Bar Municipal Code and Rescinding Ordinance No. 07 (2014) in its entirety. The second was an approval of a betterment agreement with the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority and the City of Industry for Lemon Avenue interchange improvements to be done in conjunction with the Fairway Drive Grade Separation Project. Both items were approved by the Council.

Following individual reports and comments, the Council adjourned to Sep 20 at 6:30 p.m. at 21865 Copley Drive.