@pasindependent
Arcadia Weekly
Advertise your business here. Call 626.301.1010
arcadiaweekly.com
Thursday, August 5 - August 11, 2010
Community News, Arts & Opinions Since 1996
90 Year-Old Legally Blind Monrovia Resident Author of 3 Books - A Man of Faith and Vision
Volume XV, No. XXX
For Whom the Bell Tolls: Top Area City Execs Pay Comes to Light By Terry Miller
Franklin Murdoch a three time widower, says his faith in God and his inner vision has led him on the quest to write. In addition to using technology, Murdoch also maintains a social networking presence on Facebook - Photos by Terry Miller By Terry Miller
T
he Best is Yet to Come is not only the title of this prolific writer’s latest endeavor but also his philosphy. An author of some considerable note, Murdock lives at the Gables in Monrovia and suffers from macular degeneration . Despite this seemingly enormous obstacle for a writer, Franklin Murdock re-
fuses to let the disability put a crimp in his life and work. His work is deeply religious and thoughtful. We caught up with Murdock at his home at the Gables in Monrovia last week as he was putting yet more research into one of his 15 hour days. We found Murdock to be a charming and immensly likable man with a truly colorful life and wonderful sense of humor. Murdock has not only
outlived three wives but says he has somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 plus grand and great grandchildren as well as step grandkids. One these “kids” is the famous hockey player Luke Robitaille who is a grandson by marriage. He spends his days and nights studying the Bible and analyzing the text therein. His office is littered with research books, manuscripts and papers studying the
word of the Bible. His first poem was published in 1937 and his work has since appeared in numerous publications including The Salt Lake Tribune, Desert News and Deserette News as well as his own publishing house. His life’s work has been a journey thanks in no small part to his mother and her strong religious beliefs.
Quite unlike the famous Hemmingway novel which describes in graphic detail the horrors of the civil war, the Bell Controversy is extremely disturbing on a far different level but does show how the horrors and inequity of our government can deeply affect those it is entrusted to provide for. In the wake this contemptible controversy, local cities are feeling the heat to disclose top officials’ salaries hoping to avert any potential fallout like the embattled Bell. Distrust of politicians and the way their cities are run is not a new phenomenon but the national attention Bell has received has opened the floodgates for transparency at the highest levels. Former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo, was making close to $800,000. Rizzo, after media and public pressure, resigned in disgrace last month. Bell is known as one of the poorest California cities and therefore even
Please see page 13
Sierra Madre to Defer any Water Increase Pending “ Education, Outreach and Dialogue with the Community” Editors Note: A final press release was issued by the City of Sierra Madre on July 29 regarding the status of the water rate increase protest. At the July 27 regular City Council meeting, the Sierra Madre City
400 S. Baldwin Ave. Arcadia CA 91007
Council decided to defer any increase in city water rates, even though the majority protest that would have been required to prevent a rate increase was not achieved. During the meeting, Sierra Madre City Clerk Nancy Shollen-
berger stated that a total of 1719 valid protests were received, compared to the required majority protest amount of 1847. The Council decided to defer any increase pending education, outreach and dialogue with the com-
munity. Mayor Joe Mosca stated, “It was clear that a significant number of community members had concerns with the current proposal.” The City Council ap-
Please see page 2
Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck’s annual salary is the highest in the immediate area at about $265,000 - Photo by Terry Miller
Family Flicks on The Promenade Join Westfield Santa Anita every Wednesday now through September 1 for free outdoor movies. For a complete list of showings and event details, visit westfield.com
more vulgar that the city manager pocketed a salary twice that of the President of the United States. It is not only the salaries and benefits that caught the media high intensity spotlight, it was the bonuses and numerous perks afforded that city council. In an effort to garner trust, media outlets across California, including this newspaper group, filed official records requests with local cities for similar information for all senior staff. Beacon Media requested local cities provide documents involving key employees of each City/District/Agency for the calendar year ending 12/31/2009 pursuant to the CA Supreme Court decision S134253. The city of Sierra Madre is by far the lowest in compensation but also one of the smallest cities of those we looked into in the San Gabriel Valley. There are also other considerations when taking these salaries into account. For example, Pasadena is a Charter City as opposed to a General Law City. What is the difference? Essentially a Charter City has supreme authority over municipal affairs whereas a General Law city is bound by the state’s general law. Charter cities are not bound by the Elections Code and public funding of election campaigns is lawful. Here’s the basic breakdown per City starting with the city of Arcadia.
Please see page 16