I spoke Friday morning with Matthew Raymond, who is in Communications at the MTA. He informed me that the MTA has adopted a new name for the Sierra Madre Villa Station, based on requests made to the Executive Staff and the Board of Directors of the MTA by the City of Pasadena City Council. Because the request was unopposed, the MTA has adopted a new name, which Mr. Raymond stated that he would verify and get back to me with. It has been reported elsewhere that the new name is to be the East Pasadena station. Mr. Raymond tells me that while the new name has been adopted, no action has as yet been taken, and that because the organization moves somewhat slowly, there is still a possibility that the issue can be revisited by the Board and the Executive Staff, if opposing viewpoints are brought forth. Mr. Raymond stated that the best way to have the issue revisited would be to have those opposing viewpoints directed to the MTA and the City of Pasadena City Council. He recommended physical letters and E-mail. To that end, we encourage you to contact Maria Guerra, Chief of Staff at the MTA, and voice your opinion on the issue. Address your comments to:
Maria Guerra, Chief of Staff
One Gateway Plaza
Mail stop 9925-1
Los Angeles CA 90012-2952
Phone No. (213) 922-2202
e-mail: guerram@mta.net, or to
Matthew Raymond, same physical address, e-mail at raymondm@mta.net.
The City of Sierra Madre is currently paying a public relations firm a reported $80,000+ per year of taxpayer money to put the words Sierra Madre in front of the media, to help grow awareness of our town. To keep the name Sierra Madre Villa Station accomplishes that exact goal, at no cost to the City. We have quite a few new businesses and business owners in town right now, and we’d like to see the revolving door slow down. Sierra Madre business owners should all take a moment to write a letter AND send an e-mail to the MTA, and to the Pasadena City Council, requesting a return of the name to Sierra Madre Villa Station. Reasons that have been expressed for the name change is that when people get off the freeway eastbound at Sierra Madre Villa, they have to do a little driving to get into the station, and west bound on the 210, there is no Sierra Madre Villa off-ramp. I understand that, but don’t understand how naming it East Pasadena station helps, since there is no East Pasadena off-ramp, either. Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard can be contacted by e-mail at bbogaard@ci.pasadena.ca.us, and mail can be sent to 100 N. Garfield, Pasadena, 91109. Other council members can be reached at the same physical address, their names are Joyce Streator, Paul Little, Chris Holden, Steve Haderlein, Victor Gordo, Steve Madison, and Sid Tyler. We also encourage you to contact the Sierra Madre City Council, City Manager Tammy Gates, and the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, and urge them to lend their voices to this effort by writing letters and any other means within their power. Here is a web page that has a list of the names of the Board of Directors for the MTA, and all Executive Staff members. I suspect they can all be reached with physical letters at the One Gateway Plaza address above. www.mta.net/press/pressroom/facts.htm