In the Pink!

A week ago I blogged about a photo opportunity with firefighters in pink shirts.

On Monday night, Pasadena City Council members donned pink shirts during their weekly meeting here at City Hall.

Vice Mayor Victor Gordo (left) and District 6 Councilman Steve Madison are in the top photo.

Below: District 3 Councilman Chris Holden and District 2 Councilwoman Margaret McAustin.


And here are City Clerk Mark Jomsky and Mayor Bill Bogaard:


Firefighters came in their pink shirts and received a proclamation from Mayor Bogaard for showing solidarity this week with breast cancer awareness and women's cancer research.


I snapped this shot in the anteroom behind the council chamber, with District 1 Councilwoman Jacque Robinson in the middle:


Real firefighters wear pink!

It Was a Grand Re-opening!

Robinson Park re-opened on Saturday with plenty of sunshine beaming down on the spectacular new field as the rain clouds started moving in again.

But nothing could rain on this parade! It was a perfect example of the city/community partnership that made the renovation possible.

A formal program got things started, with dignitaries including Chris Holden (above), City Manager Michael Beck (below) and other city and community leaders.


The official ribbon was cut by Councilman Holden and Mack Robinson's widow, Delano Robinson, surrounded by community leaders and city officials.


Then it was on to an exhbition softball game with city staff (team name: The Pasadena Bureaucrats) vs. a community team. Due to wet dirt (some might call that mud!), the new football field doubled as a baseball diamond.

Delano Robinson, wearing her brother-in-law Jackie's Dodgers training jacket, threw out the first pitch:


The city's team warmed up with stretching exercises.


Here's Bill Huang up at bat, with California Assemblyman Anthony Portantino serving as umpire. Bill is the director of our Housing Department.


City Clerk Mark Jomsky on the pitcher's mound:


Brian Biery of the Flintridge Operating Foundation (left), Steve Lizardo and Vannia De La Cuba, field representative to Vice Mayor Victor Gordo, gave magnificent color commentary!


In the catcher's position: Martin Pastucha, director of the Public Works Department.


Fire Chief Dennis Downs making a bee-line to first base:


The team shirts are part of our City of Pasadena souvenir collection. That's Patsy Lane, director of the Human Services and Recreation Department, on the left and Debbie Humphrey, executive secretary for the Libraries/Information Services Department.


Meanwhile, on the other side of the park, Pasadena police commanders were cooking hot dogs and there was a line-up of information about City of Pasadena programs and services. That's Alejandrina Flores, manager of our Neighborhood Connections Office, in the blue jacket at the first table.



I took all of the photos in this posting with the exception of two: the ribbon cutting and the first pitch, both courtesy of the Pasadena Star-News.

Ice Cream Social at City Hall

Yesterday City Manager Michael Beck hosted a lunch-hour ice cream social in the courtyard for employees.

For the invitation the mighty Zack Stromberg, my brilliant and talented graphic designer in the Public Affairs Office, did a take-off of "The Endless Summer" movie poster:

Several department directors pitched in to help with scooping duties. Starting with the city manager in the foreground and moving to his right: Michael Beck, Fire Chief Dennis Downs, City Clerk Mark Jomsky, Finance Director Andy Green, Assistant City Manager Steve Mermell, Deputy Police Chief Chris Vicino, Human Services and Recreation Director Patsy Lane and Housing Director Bill Huang.


An ice cream social wouldn't be complete without all the trimmings! That’s Susan Soto, a graphic designer in our Print Shop, facing forward.


Below are (left to right) Jackie Scott, who manages the adaptive recreation program; Peggy Palmer, executive secretary in the Fire Department; and Robert Gorski, accessibility and disability coordinator in the Human Resources Department.


Thanks for the fun break, Michael!

Welcoming Mark Jomsky

Mayor Bogaard and the City Council hosted a reception on the "bridge" at City Hall this afternoon to formally welcome Mark Jomsky, who was recently appointed by the council as Pasadena's city clerk following the retirement of Jane Rodriguez.

I love this shot that I took while Mayor Bogaard was singing Mark's praises and Mark was holding his darling daughter Ariela.

Dear Jane:

We miss you already and it has only been three days since your retirement party!

Former (!) City Clerk Jane Rodriguez has left the building after 35 years of public service. Service is the operative word. Jane always went out of her way to keep impeccable records, provide accurate information, help anybody out, serve the council and much more.

Former California Attorney General John Van De Kamp and his wife offered their lovely estate for the party, which was an early evening affair with a number of senior city staff, elected officials and community leaders, all of whom came to bid farewell to the best city clerk Pasadena has probably ever had. Van De Kamp was chairman of the council-appointed Task Force on Good Government several years ago, and Jane was staff liaison to that task force.

Here are some photos.

Everybody gathered in the back yard.



Claire Bogaard and Al Moses:



Richard Bruckner and Ralph McKnight (and Linda Centell in the lower left):



John Van De Kamp, Victor Gordo and Victor's son Michael:



District 5 Field Representative Vannia De La Cuba, former District 5 councilman Bill Crowfoot and PUSD Board of Education member Steve Lizardo (who is also Vannia's husband):



Mayor Bogaard and his former field representative, Betty Ho:



Former District 2 councilman Paul Little and his former field representative, Margo Fuller, who is now field rep to Margaret McAustin.



Mayor Bogaard presented Jane with an official commendation:



Margaret McAustin presented a framed photo of the famous Pasadena City Hall stairway shot by Tavo Olmos.



Jacque Robinson presented a gift from Rose Bowl Operating Company, which is partially in her district.



There's a new bundle of joy in San Diego named Jack Henry! Barney Melekian rushed down there on Friday afternoon to meet his very first grandchild and had to miss the party. Julie Gutierrez and Stephanie DeWolfe, the assistant city managers, presented Jane with her official retirement gifts from the city: a clock and a plaque, both recognizing her 35 years of service.



Jane surrounded by the sterling City Clerk's Office staff.



The Wednesday Lunch Group presented Jane with kind words and a photo. This is a group of past and present city employees who, as the name implies, have lunch together every Wednesday. Left to right: Ted Reynolds, former assistant city attorney; Steve Mermell, director of finance; Judy Kent, field representative to the mayor; Stephanie DeWolfe, assistant city manager; Jane; Larry Newberry, former assistant city attorney; yours truly; Maria Stewart, former city clerk; and Robert Person, former assistant to the city manager. Nick Rodriguez, assistant city attorney, was on his way to a wedding and couldn't be there.



Jane thanked everyone, including her children, parents, brothers and sisters, some of whom were at the table in the foreground:



Then was a small after-party at Stephanie DeWolfe's house, made up mostly of Wednesday Lunch Group past and present plus just a handful of other special guests.

Steve Mermell, Ted Reynolds and Maria Stewart:



Library Director Jan Sanders and Mark Jomsky, our new city clerk:



Project Planner Leon White and Steph's dad:



Steph's parents, who are visiting from Michigan.



Jane is now retired, footloose and fancy free!



We miss you, Jane, but we'll see you soon.