By Natalie Kim 

Diamond Bar – The December 6 Diamond Bar Council meeting began with the closing with the exciting reorganization of the City Council. Mayor Nancy Lyons formally handed down the gavel to mayor pro tem Jimmy Lin. Council member Ruth Low was then nominated and appointed the mayor pro tem. The Council then gave a presentation honoring outgoing mayor Lyons, thanking her for her hard work and the dedication she has given to the City as mayor. Following a brief reception and the public comments, the Council announced the schedule of future events, which is as follows: the Holiday Diamond Ride will shuttle Diamond Bar residents 18 years or older to or from Diamond Bar Shopping centers for free from November 25 to January 1, 2017; a Traffic and Transportation meeting on December 8 has been cancelled; a Planning Commission meeting on December 13 has been cancelled; and the next City Council meeting on December 20.

The Council then approved all items on the consent calendar, including the minutes from the City Council meeting of November 15; the Parks and Recreation Commission minutes from the meeting of October 27; the Traffic and Transportation Commission minutes from the meetings of July 14 and SEptember 8; the Planning Commission minutes from the meeting of October 11; the ratification of a check register totalling $2,597,356.20; the Treasurer’s Statement for the month of October, 2016; approval of adjourning the December 20 City Council meeting to January 17, 2017; a resolution amending the 2016-17 Fiscal Year Budget in the Public Works Department, eliminating the Park Maintenance Inspector classification, and establishing the facilities and assets maintenance technician and maintenance worker job classifications and salary grades effective December 10; appropriation of $8,507 from the General Fund Reserves and approval of amendment no. 8 to the contract with Brightview Landscape Services Inc. for landscape maintenance services at Diamond Canyon Park for the December 3, 2016 through June 30, 2017 period in an amount of $20,377; and an authorization for an approval of expenditures up to $60,000 payable t Alliant Insurance SErvices for the purchase of tenant user liability insurance and special event insurance for fiscal year 2016-17.

Following individual reports and comments, the Council adjourned to January 17, 2017.