Monrovia City Council Balances Celebration and Infrastructure Planning

Monrovia Councilmembers with the new Community Services Director, Rebecca Romero, and her family (Photo – cityofmonrovia)

The Monrovia City Council spent Tuesday night looking both backward and ahead, honoring a decade of service at City Hall while grappling with the financial realities of a long-anticipated community center and critical water system upgrades.

By Shashank Tongaonkar

The meeting opened with the recognition of Community Services Director Tina Cherry’s retirement. Since joining the city in 2014, Cherry has overseen Monrovia’s parks, recreation, and library programs, helping shape the services that anchor daily life for residents. City Manager Dylan Feik announced that Rebecca Romero will step into the role, signaling continuity in leadership as the city advances several major initiatives.

While the community center project remains a key part of the city’s vision for a modernized Ivy Avenue, the “how” of financing it is still a puzzle of budget updates and fee schedules the Council continues to piece together. Earlier in the evening, officials hosted a study session on the proposed community center, spending the hour hashing out funding strategies and examining the broader fiscal picture.

The Council also moved to upgrade the city’s aging water system, awarding a $75,762 contract to Robert Brkich Construction Corp. for the 2025–2026 Valve Replacement Project, an incremental but necessary step in maintaining reliable infrastructure.

Infrastructure needs extended beyond new construction. The Council unanimously awarded a $75,762 contract to Robert Brkich Construction Corp. for the 2025–2026 Valve Replacement Project, part of an ongoing effort to modernize the city’s aging water system and maintain service reliability.

On a lighter note, Public Relations Manager Kevin McManus brightened the room with the introduction of the Pasadena Humane Pet of the Month, and the Council took a moment to proclaim February 19 as “World Cholangiocarcinoma Day,” bringing visibility to the rare and devastating cancer.

The night ended as the Council adjourned in memory of Romana Rudnyk, a longtime Monrovia resident. The Council will return to the dais on March 3, likely to pick up the thread of the community center debate and ongoing fiscal year budget updates.

Monrovia councilmembers with retired Community Services Director Tina Cherry (Photo – cityofmonrovia)