Azusa officials and guests filled the antique wooden seats in Azusa’s City Hall to celebrate the city’s achievements in its state of the city event on Thursday, April 20.
This year, the city focused on the collaborative efforts made to restore historic infrastructure, support local businesses through pandemic recovery and enhance existing city services.
“Ultimately, the story of Azusa is a testament to the human spirit,” Mayor Robert Gonzales said. “It is also the result of the hard work and efforts of countless individuals — some whose names we remember, and others we don’t.Many of you have heard the old adage that ‘it takes a village’ to raise a child. Well, the same is true for acommunity.”
For the first time, the mayoral speech, dubbed “Azusa — Better Together,” was accompanied by a video starring key city figures updating viewers on the city’s endeavors.
A feature highlight was the successful transport of the Old Schoolhouse from North Angeleno Avenue to its new home at Veterans Freedom Park on Foothill Boulevard.
The city purchased the schoolhouse from Azusa Unified School District . The architecturally significant, wood-framed schoolhouse is a leftover from race-based segregation policies — a space used to separate Mexican students in the early 1900s to teach English and “Americanization” classes.
State Sen. Susan Rubio and Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, D-West Covina, were instrumental in securing the $3 million used toward the project.
Susan Rubio dropped by the night’s address to celebrate the accomplishments with the community.
“Azusa will always be my second home and I’m really happy to be here today,” said the Azusa Pacific Alum.
Local businesses shared the spotlight with city officials, outlining how financial aid initiatives uplifted them in their times of need.
This was done a few ways:
• The city set aside half-a-million dollars and implemented a Small Business Support Grant Program for 10 local businesses trying to come back stronger following the pandemic.• The city also supported large-scale developments. OneLegacy opened its doors last year, along with The Orchard, and another key mixed-use development – the Lumia Project – which is under construction.• The city council directed departments to research how to “streamline” business licensing and permitting procedures.
Azusa Light & Water submitted designs with specifications for a new 4 million gallon steel reservoir to replace a 90+ year old deteriorating 2.5 million gallon concrete tank. The existing concrete South Reservoir is leaking and the replacement of this tank aligns with the City Council’s goal to sustain public infrastructure. Gonzalez commended help by Assemblymemer Rubio and Senator Rubio for securing $3 million in state funding.
Even though no design team or general contractor has been selected, the project is included in the city’s 2022-2026 Capital Improvement Program, but there is no reported timeline for its completion.
Azusa was acknowledged for its fiscal stability, Gonzalez cited a strong credit rating and the anticipated reserves total to be $39.8 million by the end of the fiscal year.
For 2022, the city received certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting for the 7th Consecutive Year and well as Government Financial Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its second year.
“Azusa has a special place in my heart,” Sen. Rubio said. “Just seeing the city grow since I was a ‘starving student’ to what it is now — I’m so impressed with the work.”
