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La Habra Heights council accepts donation vehicle for fire department, adopts resolutions and previews strategic planning
Summary
Council honored retiring Deputy Hector Beltran, approved a mechanism for tax‑deductible donations to support the fire department, adopted multiple routine resolutions (including unpaid brush‑clearance liens and CDBG corrections) and reviewed strategic‑planning findings on staffing and finances.
La Habra Heights — The City Council opened its January meeting by honoring Deputy Hector Beltran for roughly 28 years with the sheriff's department, then moved through consent and several resolution votes covering donations, unpaid brush‑clearance liens and administrative filings.
City Manager Rafferty introduced Deputy Hector Beltran, who served La Habra Heights across two stints and who was presented with a gift before he retires; Beltran thanked the city and introduced his son.
On the consent calendar, council accepted a monetary donation for the fire department and discussed establishing a local charitable entity to facilitate tax‑deductible donations. Council Member Greg described forming the La Habra Heights Community Foundation as a 501(c)(3) that would allow qualified charitable distributions and anonymous gifts; he said former city officials have agreed to serve on the foundation's board. The council voted to accept the donation and move forward with the foundation work.
Staff presented a public hearing on unpaid brush‑clearance costs for a single repeat offender property and recommended adopting a resolution to confirm the costs and place assessments as liens on the tax roll effective Jan. 12, 2026. The council overruled any protests, adopted Resolution 2026‑01 and authorized assessment placement as recommended by staff.
The council also adopted a 2026 legislative platform to guide letters of support and opposition on state and federal bills, approved the FPPC Form 806 posting and filing related to outside stipends (Resolution 2026‑02), and corrected a CDBG program year and allocations by adopting an amended resolution (2026‑03).
City staff said the street improvement project has kicked off (clearing, grubbing and drainage) and advised residents about upcoming grind‑and‑pave no‑parking notices. In a longer administrative update, the council reviewed findings from a recent strategic‑planning workshop: Council Member Greg summarized staffing declines since 2010 and urged that the city consider new local revenue options to sustain services, citing stretched staff workloads and a diminished revenue base.
The meeting concluded after brief member reports and public comment.
Details of council actions and votes are recorded in the official minutes and resolutions.
