Maywood, California
Maywood is a small working class city in Los Angeles County, California, with a population of more than 30,000. At 1.14 square miles (3.0 km2), Maywood is the third-smallest incorporated city in Los Angeles County. As of July 1, 2010, Maywood became the first municipality in California and perhaps anywhere, to dismantle its police department, lay off all city employees, except for the city manager, city attorney and elected officials, and contract with outside agencies for provision of all municipal services, historically, a move apparently unprecedented among California cities.' Maywood is now billing itself as the first American city to outsource all of its city services.
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.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.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, gamblers were successfully removed from the city. Maywood Parks and Recreation built Maywood Park, had its beginnings in the 1930s, when a large meadow was turned into the present day baseball field. The Golden State Baseball Association made Maywood Park its home in the early 1950s.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. When the City of Commerce was incorporated in 1961, that corner was annexed as were several in the surrounding area. Lockheed A-29 HudsonWillys-Overland built its California factory in Maywood, California, in 1929. Over 900 people were employed at the new $1.5 million assembly plant. Willys-Overland became the second automobile manufacturer to build a major plant in the city. After the United States entered World War II, automobile production for civilians was phased out and in November 1941, automobile assembly at Maywood was stopped. A great many automobile plants were retooled to manufacture war machinery and for three years during the war, the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation rented the plant building from Willys-Overland for that purpose. Equipment was installed for the manufacture of subassemblies for Hudson Bombers until the war ended. Willys-Overland began to manufacture the first Jeeps (CJ-2As) for civilians in 1945. As the demand for Jeeps increased, the reconditioning of the plant back to automobile assembly was began early in 1947 and by November, Willys was building 'West Coast' CJ-2As. By the end of November, 108 Jeeps had been assembled. Jeep Trucks and Station Wagons were incorporated into the West Coast Division's 'final assemblies' production lines in 1948. The Maywood plant produced the entire CJ-3A model production duration and about 5% of all CJ-3As were assembled in California. In 1952, Willys-Overland introduced a new post-war model car, the Aero, and they were assembled in both Maywood and Toledo. The entire plant was shut down in 1954.Postwar Maywood was a flourishing blue-collar town, a multi-ethnic suburb of Los Angeles. There were plenty of industrial jobs in aerospace, food processing, auto and furniture manufacturing. But, the early 1970s saw these jobs disappear with the pressure of higher taxes, increased local and state regulation, and the desirability of cheaper land and labor in other markets. The multi-ethnic Maywood of earlier years was changed in the next two decades by the influx of Hispanic immigrants.
2010 city layoffs
Maywood officials were given notice in June 2009, that the city would lose its insurance coverage unless they implemented a 20-point performance plan. Also, Maywood owed the California Insurance Authority $927,135 and had been making interest-only payments. Mainly because of the troubled history, including multiple lawsuits, and the dubious reputation of the Maywood Police Department, 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.' An outside audit found that Maywood was losing approximately $620,000 annually from its $10 million general fund budget under the previous seven-year contract with Cudahy, because they had neglected to bill 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 in the last six years. 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. Perez said that negotiations disintegrated in February, after Philips resigned. 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. 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. But, during a fierce City Council meeting in June 2010, opponents of the plan accused council members of mismanaging the city by failing to maintain insurance coverage. 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 spoke out as a private citizen, and was laid off as part of the cuts.Though Maywood officials stopped short of filing for bankruptcy or even giving up the city's municipal status, the city still faces a serious problem with a huge deficit.. The city did keep a few employees as independent contractors when they outsourced most city functions to Bell and police duties to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Maywood is now looking into the most efficacious way to end their contract with the City of Bell and rebuild its own city government.Unlike Bell, which superficially had seemed a solid, politically peaceful city, Maywood's last five years have been marred by political crises— from recalls to a city clerk accused of trying to contract a hit man to kill Councilman Aguirre. In early 2006, a newly elected Aguirre called Maywood a 'sanctuary city' for illegal immigrants, arousing sometimes keen debates among the city's overwhelmingly Latino residents.We're caught in a situation where we need to move forward,' said Maywood Councilman Felipe Aguirre. 'We don't want to be distracted by things that are not germane to our city.' In September 2010, the city of Bell agreed to cancel the contract to handle the day-to-day operations of neighboring Maywood.
Current Community
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.Today, many changes are seen in Maywood, including four new shopping centers, the new 2.8 million dollar Multi-Purpose facility, an industrial complex on Maywood Avenue and new businesses opening in the city.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.
Geography
Maywood is located at 33°59′16″N 118°11′12″W / 33.98778°N 118.18667°W / 33.98778; -118.18667 (33.987864, -118.186553).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²), all land.It is 8 miles (13 km) southeast from Downtown Los Angeles Financial 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. 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. The warmest month of the year is August with an average maximum temperature of 89.40 °F (31.89 °C), while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 47.30 °F (8.50 °C). Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 24 °F (−4 °C), and moderate during winter with an average difference of 22 °F (−6 °C). The annual average precipitation at Maywood is 15.07 inches (383 mm). The wettest month of the year is February with an average rainfall of 3.75 inches (95 mm). Maywood-area historical tornado activity is significantly above California state average. It is 75% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On November 7, 1966, a category 2 (max. wind speeds 113-157 mph) tornado 6.2 miles (10.0 km) away from the Maywood city center injured 10 people and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages.
Demographics
As of the census 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). 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 householder with no husband present, and 11.9% were non-families. 8.4% of all households were made up of individuals 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.The median income for a household in the city was $30,480, and the median income for a family was $30,361. Males had a median income of $20,646 versus $16,397 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,935. About 23.1% of families and 24.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Immigrant population
Several news accounts have said Maywood's official population reaches approximately 40,000 persons when undocumented immigrants are counted. A significant percentage of its residents work in the factories at nearby Vernon and Commerce. The city has been at the forefront of undocumented immigration debates. It is speculated that one- third of Maywood's residents population lives in the U.S. illegally. The city, 96% of which is Latino, and more than half are foreign-born, has declared itself as a 'Sanctuary City' for undocumented workers. 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?' 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.'
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. As of August, 2010, the previously-mentioned members of City Council were being investigated by the FBI for possible municipal corruption. Maywood was the first California city with an elected Hispanic City Council and Council meetings were sometimes conducted in Spanish.
WiFi Internet access
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.
Emergency services
City officials in Maywood disbanded the Maywood Police Department and contracted with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for law enforcement services. On Saturday, August 7, 2010, the Sheriff's Department went out walking in Maywood streets and knocking on resident's doors to survey the safety and policing needs in the community. The nearby East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station will address non-emergency police questions and concerns including requests for police reports. Fire protection in Maywood is provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Ambulance transport is provided by Care Ambulance Service. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will continue to provide police and aerial support to the city of Maywood.
County government
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier, serving Maywood.
State and federal
In the state legislature Maywood is located in the 22nd Senate District, represented by Democrat Gil Cedillo, and in the 46th Assembly District, represented by Democrat John A. Perez. Federally, Maywood is located in California's 34th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +23 and is represented by Democrat Lucille Roybal-Allard. Supervisor Gloria Molina represents Maywood.The United States Postal Service Maywood Post Office is located at 4357 Slauson Avenue.
Transportation
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. Metro Local Line 260 and Metro Rapid Line 762 on Atlantic Boulevard. Metro Shuttle Line 611 runs through the westside and northside of the city. 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.
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. 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.
Public primary schools
Maywood is served by several public elementary schools, including:Fishburn Avenue Elementary School (Maywood)
Heliotrope Elementary School(Maywood)
Loma Vista Elementary School(Maywood)
Maywood Elementary School (Maywood) (opened 2005)
Nueva Vista Elementary School (Bell)
Public middle schools
Maywood is served by several public middle schools, including:Nimitz Middle School(Huntington Park)
South Region MS #2(Bell) Opens September 2010
Public secondary schools
Maywood is served by several public secondary schools, including:Bell High School(Bell)
Huntington Park High School(Huntington Park)
Maywood Academy High School(Maywood)
Most of Maywood is zoned to Bell High School, while a portion is zoned jointly to Bell and Huntington Park high schools. 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. Maywood Academy is a showcase 'green' school in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). In the time since its opening, it has made the case that, aside from reducing environmental impact, sustainable design can dramatically improve a school's learning environment, and hopefully, even its attendance rates. Data is being gathered; it is too soon to demonstrate that this 'green school' is fulfilling its goals.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 to find an alternative site for the school.
Private schools
Private schools include Maywood Christian School (K–12), an independent private school, Betania Christian School (1-12), an independent private school, and St. Rose of Lima School (K-8) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Public libraries
County of Los Angeles Public Library operates the Maywood César Chávez Library at 4323 East Slauson Avenue.
Parks and recreation
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. 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. 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.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 (64 km) 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. As the city reorganizes, future plans are on hold.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, who attended local rival, Bell High School.The ABA team, the Beijing Aoshen Olympians played their inaugural season at the M.A.C. during the 2005–2006 season. They reached the playoffs, but lost to the SoCal Legends in the Great Eight Tournament in Rochester. After the season, the Olympians relocated, and now play on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.
Maywood Street Fair
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 In July, 2010, Over 600 people attended the First Annual 4th of July Family Fun Day Celebration at the Maywood Activities Center, to honor our nation’s birthday.
Notable natives and residents
Dana Plato from Diff'rent Strokes was born on November 7, 1964 in Maywood, CAJim Messina, Loggins and MessinaChristie Repasy, American floral artist
