Hello Downey!

Fall is here again. Cooler weather and shorter days serve as a reminder that the year is winding down and with this it pushes us, the City Council, to continue moving forward with our priorities and goals we set as a group at the beginning of the year. This is has been an amazing year for the City but even more so this summer was full of excitement with all the events that took place.

One event that stands out is the celebration of Dr. Mary Stauffer’s 100th birthday. Over 200 people attended the celebration at the Columbia Memorial Space Center. Guests included past Los Angeles Supervisor Don Knabe, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Senator Tony Mendoza, several past City of Downey mayors, members of the Downey Unified School District and past recipients of the Mary R. Stauffer Foundation scholarships. Dr. Stauffer has impacted the lives of so many in our community and celebrating her milestone birthday was an honor to all those who were present with her.

With school back in session, City Hall has once again received phone calls with regards to speeding issues and traffic congestion during drop off and pickup times at our local schools. As residents and responsible adults, it is us our responsibility to slow down and obey all traffic laws. Not only because it is the law, but for our children’s safety. We are setting the example for our future drivers, so please let’s all drive safer and keep our children’s safety in mind.

Recently the City installed a “Safe Exchange Zone” in front of the Downey Police Station and City Hall. This will provide a place for online buyers and sellers to meet and exchange goods in a safe area. There have been numerous reports from all over the country about robberies where the victim made arrangements to meet someone to see an item for sale and even though the location is in a public place such as a convenience store parking lot, they still end up getting robbed. Having a place close to our law enforcement helps lessen this chance.

The Safe Exchange Zone will also serve as a safe, neutral exchange area for people to conduct custody exchanges. The safe area will help to reduce the potential trauma for children who may otherwise be exchanged inside a police station.

This summer we were informed by the Institute for Local Government that the City was chosen as recipient of not one but two Beacon Spotlight Awards. For more than 10 years, the Beacon Program has encouraged, supported and recognized voluntary action by local governments throughout California to address climate change, promote energy innovation and create more sustainable communities.

For our achievements, we were presented with the Gold Level Award for 13% Energy Savings and a second Gold Level Award for Sustainability Best Practices. I would like to thank our Public Works Department for their commitment to our city and their efforts to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy.

This has been a busy year and our City is filled with innovations and accomplishments. I welcome you to view our City Accomplishments Book for Fiscal Year 2016-17 located on our City website. If you would like a hard copy, please come to City Hall and our Council secretary can provide a copy for you.

On Saturday, Oct., 14 at 9 a.m., Mayor Pro Tem Sean Ashton will be hosting his “Coffee with the Mayor Pro Tem” event. Join him at Vazza Cafe for a cup of coffee and an opportunity to discuss any ideas or concerns you may have about your city. Your voice and opinions are important so please come out and be heard.

CalMet Services, Inc., the City’s waste hauler, will be providing Downey residents with free mulch on Saturday, Oct. 2,1 from 8 a.m. to noon. Residents may receive up to 32 gallons of mulch, but must bring their own containers.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is estimated that more than 300,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone. To help bring awareness, the Downey Police Department will be volunteering as servers at The Lazy Dog Café in support of the Pink Patch Project on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Pink Patch Project is a collaborative effort with more than 175 agencies nationwide and is designed to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer and to support cancer research organizations. Any tips the officers receive will be donated to a local cancer research organization. Shirts, a pink version of the police departments patch and challenge coins will also be available for purchase at the event.

For further information, please contact Lieutenant Loughner at sloughner@downeyca.org or (562) 904-2346. As we display pink ribbons and wear pink clothing to raise awareness, we also support those courageously fighting breast cancer and honor the lives lost to the disease.

As your Mayor, it is a privilege to serve and represent you. As always, I welcome your comments, concerns and questions. You can reach me at (562) 904-7274 or at fvasquez@downeyca.org.

Fernando Vasquez
Downey Mayor

Mayor's Corner: October 2017