Hawaiian Gardens Post Office Seeks New City Location

By Jerry Bernstein

The Hawaiian Gardens Post Office is looking for a new location in the city and is asking residents for their input.
Speaking before the city council this week, John Fraher said the Post Office plans to move to a smaller location and be open for business by Oct. 1.
He said the new Post Office would offer residents the same service they now receive, including post office mailboxes, the mailing of letters and packages, selling Stamps etc. “The only difference is all outgoing mail will be sorted at the Los Alamitos Post Office for distribution. Mail will be delivered in Hawaiian Gardens the same as it is now, and residents should not notice any difference in service.
Fraher said they would like comments from the residents on the selection of a new location. Comment sheets are available at city hall and the Post Office and can be dropped off at the Post Office located on the southwest corner of Norwalk Boulevard and Centralia Street. The council will place the matter on its next agenda for public comment.
In other business the council presented Ferguson Elementary School with a $5,000 donation for its 6th Grade Science Camp. Principal Mayra Lozano said the camp is held on the first week in June and consists of the school’s two sixth grade classes with 28 students in each class. Ferguson is a Title I school serving a total of approximately 427 students.
The Council voted to amend the Community Development Block Grant Residential Rehabilitation Program guidelines. Community Development Director Joseph Colombo explained the program was established to provide financial assistance to low and moderate income homeowners and mobile homebuyers in the preservation of decent, safe and sanitary housing and to rehabilitate hazardous and/or deteriorating residential units. Colombo said currently the program offers financial assistance to low and moderate-income homeowners and mobile homeowners.
Councilmember Barry Bruce asked why the city’s mobile home parks appear to be getting “more grants” than other city residents. He said the mobile home residents receiving the grants are “overwhelming” compared to the rest of the city and questioned the legitimacy of the situation. He also said he didn’t understand how people who receive a “$3,000 or $5,000 grant complain because they have to wait 10 years before they can apply for another grant.”
“I think our city is pretty amazing to give grants in the first place. We give lots of money away as a city” to those in need. Bruce commented.
“If you get a $5,000 grant, just accept it and say ‘thank you’ and not ask for more,” he commented. Bruce said he would like to see more $5,000 grants going to other areas of the community.
The council also amended the city’s fee schedule for municipal services provided by Hawaiian Gardens. In his report to the council, Director of Human Services Steve Gomez said changes were being presented to the council for approval to assist groups in their fundraising goals while at the same time allowing the city to properly monitor the use of the facilities. He said it has become a practice to permit residents to use city facilities for receptions at no cost. In the future they will be obligated to purchase liability insurance.
The amended proposals also increase the hourly rate charged for a Recreation Leader to work at the facility rental from $20 per hour to $25 per hour.
Gomez said the increase would allow the city to stay within the budgeted amount of funding available for staff work. The council also approved a change governing temporary signs and banners lowering the current fee of $107 to $25.00.
A request from the Community Development Department to accept the repair of the existing shade and patio structure located between the City Hall and the Robert Lee Gymnasium in the amount of $59,450 was approved by the council. Councilmember’s Reynaldo Rodriguez and Barry Bruce complimented the workers of the H.D. R. Construction Co. of Hawaiian Gardens for their excellent work.