Maywood is a small working class city in Los Angeles County, California, with a population of over 30,000.[6] At 1.14 square miles,[7] Maywood is the third-smallest incorporated city in Los Angeles County.[8] As of July 1, 2010, Maywood became the first municipality in California and perhaps anywhere,[9] to dismantle its police department, lay off all city employees, except for the city manager, city attorney and elected officials,[10] and contract with outside agencies for provision of all municipal services, historically, a move apparently unprecedented among California cities."[11] Maywood is now billing itself as the first American city to outsource all of its city services.[10]
History
The land on which Maywood now stands had been populated by Native American tribes for centuries. After Spain took over California, the slightly more than a square mile of undeveloped property, was originally deeded in 1781 by the monarchy, to Spanish War veteran Manuel Nieto. When the settlement of Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles was recorded, it included the cow pasture that as eventually turned into a rancho.[12]
In 1919, a popular young woman who worked for the real estate corporation developing the 2,300 acre ranch into home tracts, agreed to lend her name to the property. She was May Wood and her name was given to the property and she entered into posterity. The development of Maywood later survived a bitter challenge to dissolve the prospective city in early 1924.[13]
On September 2, 1924, Maywood citizens voted to incorporate and about 300 people turned out for the dedication, including Miss May Wood. By 1924, the population of Maywood had reached 1,000. The city featured homes, stores and a movie theater. In the 1930s there was a successful sweep out of undesirable gamblers. Maywood is proud of its Parks & Recreation Department, which has an interesting history. The Maywood Park, located at 58th St. and Heliotrope Ave., had its beginnings in the 1930s, when the present day baseball field was a large meadow. In the early 1950s Maywood Park became the home of the Golden State Baseball Association.
Chrysler Corporation had an auto assembly plant in Maywood from the 1920s until its closing in July 1971. It was located at 5800 Eastern Avenue at Slauson , south-east corner, and was generally referred to as the "Los Angeles" Plant.[14] When the City of Commerce was incorporated in 1961, that corner was annexed as were several in the surrounding area.[15]
Willys-Overland built its California factory in Maywood, California, in 1929.[16] The new $1.5 million assembly plant employed about 900 people. Willys-Overland was the second major automobile manufacturer to build a factory in the area. As the United States became involved in World War II, civilian automobile production was restricted and many factories retooled to produce war machinery. Automobile assembly at Maywood ended in November 1941. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation leased the building from Willys-Overland for three years during the war. Lockheed installed equipment to manufacture subassemblies for Hudson Bombers [17] until the end of the war. In 1945, Willys-Overland started to manufacture the first Civilian Jeeps (CJ-2As). Demand for Jeeps continued to increase and early in 1947, work began to recondition the Maywood plant for automobile production again. By November Willys was turning out "West Coast" built CJ-2As and had assembled 108 by the end of the month.[18]. A year later, at the end of 1948, Jeep Trucks and Station Wagons were added to West Coast Division's "final assemblies" production lines. Maywood was open for the entire CJ-3A production span and about 5% of all CJ-3As were assembled in California. Willys-Overland introduced a new post-war car, the Aero, for the 1952 model year and the Aeros were assembled in both Maywood and Toledo. The facility was closed in 1954.[17]
After World War II, Maywood was a booming blue-collar town with good jobs, a multi-ethnic suburb of Los Angeles. On the 25th anniversary in 1949 of Maywood's incorporation as a city, the town celebrated with a beard-growing contest, a rodeo, and wrestling matches in City Park. But, the early 1970s saw these industrial jobs in aerospace, auto and furniture manufacturing, and food processing evaporate under the pressure of higher taxes, increased local and state regulation, and the attraction of cheaper land and cheaper labor elsewhere. The multi-ethnic Maywood of the post-war years was transformed in the ’80s and ’90s by the wave of Hispanic immigrants.[19]
2010 City Layoffs
Maywood officials were put on notice in June 2009,[20] that the city would lose its insurance coverage unless they implemented a 20-point performance plan, which included hiring a permanent city manager. In addition, Maywood, at the time, owed the California Insurance Authority $927,135 and Maywood had been making interest-only payments. Largely because of the troubled history, including multiple lawsuits, and the dubious reputation of the Maywood Police Department,[21], the city’s Liability and Workers Compensation insurer, notified the city in August 2009, that it would cancel its coverage effective July 1, 2010. When the city was unable to find coverage elsewhere, it disbanded its police department, laid off all city employees, except for the city manager, city attorney and elected officials, and contracted with other agencies to provide all municipal services, a move apparently unprecedented among California cities." [11]
An outside audit found that Maywood was losing approximately $620,000 annually from its $10 million general fund budget [11] under the previous seven-year contract with Cudahy,[10] because they were not billing Cudahy for administration, vehicle maintenance or insurance; The firm concluded that Maywood was losing about $620,000 a year, or a total of about $4 million over the last six years.[22] George Perez, Cudahy's city manager, said Maywood's "politics have been getting in the way." Perez said that he and then-acting Maywood City Manager, Paul Philips would agree on a new contract, but the Maywood City Council would then send Philips back for further negotiation. Maywood officials complained that "Cudahy never really wanted to negotiate." Perez said that negotiations disintegrated in February, after Philips resigned. Philips said that Maywood actually desired to contract with the city of Bell and that city leaders were delaying negotiations. "It became hopeless in my mind," he said. "It's so sad what's going on there." [20]
"We're limited in our choices and limited on what we can do," Councilman Felipe Aguirre said. "We don't want to file for bankruptcy. We don't want to disappear as a city." Aguirre said filing for bankruptcy was not an option for Maywood because its problems were related specifically to insurance coverage and not cash flow.[11] Several cities in the state have said that they are close to bankruptcy because of the sharp drop in sales and property tax revenues caused by the deepest recession in decades.[11] But, during a fierce City Council meeting on June 21, 2010, that stretched late into the night, opponents of the plan accused council members of managing the city incompetently by failing to maintain the city's insurance coverage.[11] Under the plan adopted by the City Council that night, council members would continue to be paid to set policy, but all services would be contracted out.
"You single-handedly destroyed the city," Lizeth Sandoval, the city treasurer, told the City Council. Sandoval, a city employee speaking out as an ordinary citizen, was laid off as part of the cuts.[11][23]
Though Maywood officials stopped short of filing for bankruptcy or even giving up the city's municipal status, with a large deficit, the city still faces daunting problems.[24] From now on, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will patrol the streets, while the neighboring City of Bell, will be compensated to oversee other functions, such as staffing City Hall.[6][20] Although she has resigned from her role in Bell as part time Assistant City Manager, where Angela Spaccia was collecting $376,288 a year, more than the top administrator for Los Angeles County, Spaccia was continuing her employment as the interim city manager for Maywood. [25] For the last three months, Maywood had been paying Bell $10,000 a month for Spaccia's services. Magdalena Prado, a spokeswoman for Maywood, said Spaccia's departure will not affect a $50,833-a-month contract with Bell to run municipal operations, including finance and parks and recreation. [26]
Current Community
Maywood Village Shopping Center SW corner of Atlantic Blvd and Slauson Ave
In the more than 80 years since incorporation, Maywood has strived to keep its small town atmosphere, despite being surrounded by large commercial and industrial cities. Maywood offers a comfortable residential community for those who work inside and outside its boundaries.[7]
Today, many changes are seen in Maywood, including four new shopping centers,[citation needed] the new 2.8 million dollar Multi-Purpose facility, an industrial complex on Maywood Avenue and new businesses opening in the city.[27]
The Senior Center offers exercise classes, day trips, bingo games and more. Free Breakfast is offered for Seniors at Maywood Senior Center at 8:00 a.m. Lunch is also served at the Senior Center at 11:30 A.M. at minimal cost, Monday through Friday. Fitness classes are offered at Maywood Park for citizens over age 55.[28]
It is 8 miles (13 km) southeast from Downtown Los AngelesFinancial District and only 2 miles (3.2 km) miles east of the Los Angeles city limit on Slauson Ave and Alamada St in the Central-Alameda neighborhood.[29]. Maywood is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County area. Maywood is bordered by the city of Bell on the south, Vernon on the north and west, Huntington Park on the southwest, and Commerce on the east.
Climate
The climate in the city of Maywood is very warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 80's and cool during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 50's.[7] The warmest month of the year is August with an average maximum temperature of 89.40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 47.30 degrees Fahrenheit. [citation needed]Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 24 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 22 degrees Fahrenheit. The annual average precipitation at Maywood is 15.07 Inches. The wettest month of the year is February with an average rainfall of 3.75 Inches.[30]
Demographics
Some news accounts have said its official population reaches about 45,000 when illegal immigrants are counted.[31] As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 28,083 people, 6,469 households, and 5,699 families residing in the city. The population density was 9,188.9/km² (23,887.2/mi²). It is the eighth most densely populated city in the United States.[32] outside the New York Citymetropolitan area. There were 6,701 housing units at an average density of 2,192.6/km² (5,699.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 42.99% White, 0.36% African American, 1.14% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 50.48% from other races, and 4.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 96.33% of the population.
There were 6,469 households out of which 62.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female head of household, and 11.9% were unrelated households. 8.4% of all households were made up of a single individual and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.33 and the average family size was 4.47.
In the city the population was varied, with 37.0% under the age of 18, 13.2% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 13.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.4 males.[citation needed]
The median income for a household in the city was $43,000, and the median income for a family was $40,522. Males had a median income of $43,646 versus $40,397 for females.[citation needed]
Immigrant population
Several news accounts have said Maywood's official population reaches approximately 45,000 persons when undocumented immigrants are counted.[31] A significant percentage of its residents work in the factories at nearby Vernon and Commerce.[33] The city has been at the forefront of illegal immigration debates. It is speculated that one- third of Maywood's residents population lives in the U.S. illegally.[34] The city, 96% of which is Latino, and more than half are foreign-born, has declared itself as a "Sanctuary City" for undocumented workers.[35][34] Councilman Felipe Aguirre stated: "I think we needed to amplify the debate by saying that no human being is illegal. These people are here ... making your clothes, shining your shoes and taking care of your kids. And now you want to develop this hypocritical policy?" [35]
But Maywood's actions have made the town a lightning rod for criticism on conservative radio shows and websites. On KFI's "John and Ken Show," the host blasted Mayor Thomas Martin for making the city a "magnet for illegal immigration." [36]
Government and infrastructure
Maywood City Hall and Former Police Station
City government
Maywood City Hall is located at 4319 E Slauson Avenue. The City Council of Maywood is constituted by Veronica Guardado, Mayor, Ana Rosa Rizo, Vice-Mayor, and council members Felipe Aguirre, Edward Varela, and Tomas Martin.[37] Maywood was the first California city with an elected Hispanic City Council and Council meetings were sometimes conducted in Spanish.[citation needed]
WiFi Internet access
City of Maywood Wireless Hot Zone street signs along Atlantic Blvd
The City of Maywood offers a free WiFi network service to residents, businesses and visitors. Maywood originally provided free WiFi internet access only along the business corridors of Slauson Avenue and Atlantic Boulevard. It is now city-wide. The coverage is highly dependent upon location and proximity to wireless access points along Atlantic Boulevard and Slauson Avenue. Indoor coverage is severely limited due to the inherent nature of WiFi coverage. Netlogix is the provider of the service. The city is the only one in the Southeast Los Angeles area with free WiFi.[38]
The city can be reached by Atlantic Boulevard which runs North and South through the city and Slauson Avenue which runs East and West through the city. Maywood is also accessible via the I-710 on Atlantic Boulevard. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) provides bus services to the city, Metro Local Line 108 and Metro Rapid Line 358 on Slauson Avenue[44]. Metro Local Line 260[45] and Metro Rapid Line 762[46] on Atlantic Boulevard. Metro Shuttle Line 611 runs through the westside and northside of the city.[47] The city of Maywood also operates a local bus service to its residents called Dial-a-Ride. The shuttles pick up residents at their location and transport within the city limits for a one way fee of $1.00. The service is free to senior citizens, age 62 and over, and handicapped individuals. Seniors and the handicapped must come to City Hall to pick up their free pass.[48]
Education
K-12 schools
Maywood is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The city has also joined
South Gate, Huntington Park, Cudahy, Vernon, and Bell in the Southeast Cities School Coalition to improve the education of the children of the Southeast.[49] Several council members from each city are part of this group. The city is offering scholarships to students planning to attend Community Colleges and Universities. This may change with the city reorganization.
Most of Maywood is zoned to Bell High School, while a portion is zoned jointly to Bell and Huntington Park high schools.[51][52] Any student who lives in the Bell or Huntington Park zones may apply to Maywood Academy High School; Maywood Academy, which opened in 2005 and moved into its permanent campus in 2006, does not have its own attendance boundary because it lacks American football, track and field, and tennis facilities.[53]
On November 3, 2009 the voters in Maywood, in an advisory vote, voted against the acquisition and demolition of properties to build a new high school, 1119 No, 435 YES. The construction of the new school would demolish the homes of over 200 families in Maywood. The voters also voted to have more studies and to find an alternative site for the school, 1038 Yes, 442 No.[citation needed]
Private schools
Private schools include Maywood Christian School (K–12), an independent private school,[54] Betania Christian School (1-12), an independent private school,[55] and St. Rose of Lima School (K-8) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.[56]
M.A.C at Maywood ParkAccess to LA River Bike Path at Riverfront ParkMaywood Park and Aquatic Center
Maywood has two major parks and one small pocket park. The existing Maywood Park at 4801 E 58th Street and the new Maywood Riverfront Park at 5000 Slauson Avenue are currently the largest parks in the city, both are in the east side of the city.[citation needed] Maywood Park has a baseball field and the Maywood Activity Center, which opened in 1999. The Parks and Recreation Department currently maintains all of the parks in the city and offers many activities for all ages, seniors, adults, kids and youth. Mr. Aldo Perez joins the city of Maywood as its new Director of Parks and Recreation.[24] The Maywood Activities Center (M.A.C.), is available for general public use and offers a wide variety of classes, specialty rooms, indoor basketball court, gymnasium. a half-sized olympic pool and place for clubs and classes to meet.[58]
The new Riverfront Park is located next to the Los Angeles River and has handball courts,a basketball court, and soccer field. It also includes an access pathway to the LA River Bike Path that travels through 40 miles of Los Angeles County, including Griffith Park and Long Beach
A small pocket park is located in the west side of the city, Pixley Park at 3626 56th Street. Two small pocket parks were proposed to the city in 2008, Maywood Avenue Park and Pine Avenue Park are to be built in the future in the west side of the city.[citation needed]
The only sports team located in the city is the Maywood Buzz, which features former NBA star Cedric Ceballos. The team plays in the Maywood Activities Center, also known as the M.A.C. They are an ABA (American Basketball Association) team. Several famous baseball players have played at Maywood Park including former MLB player Marvin Benard. [citation needed]
Every Memorial Day weekend the City of Maywood holds their annual Street Fair. It is a place where families, friends, and neighbors get together to experience a variety of food, music, games, rides, and multi-cultural activities. Street fair presale ride tickets will be available at City Hall until sold out. Location : On Slauson between Pine Avenue and Loma Vista Avenue [59]
Places of worship
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