West Covina City Council Meeting | Facebook Photo
Part IX of “Proactive People Must Protect Own Neighborhood” Series
Fredrick Sykes tried to stop the alleged decline of morality or bravery in the West Covina City Council. These words are not of the columnist but those of West Covinian Steve Bennett, who posted a comment on “West Covina: Soon a ‘City of the Future.”
Mr. Bennett said: QUOTE. Fred Sykes is THE reason it was on the Agenda in the first place. He may have voted against it, but BECAUSE of Fred Sykes, Athens (Services) was able to present a 25-year contract instead of the existing 15-year contract.
You can argue he “voted against it,” but the fact is, had he not asked to “renegotiate” that contract, we would still have a 15-year contract. So, the blame rests with his lack of understanding how a board works. UNQUOTE.
This columnist (the founder and chief administrator of said Facebook Group) replied: QUOTE. @Steve Bennett So, the four other Councilmembers who voted to approve the 25-year new “evergreen contract” in 2012 with Athens Services, are you attributing the dissenting vote to the first-time Councilmember Fredrick Sykes? Like what you, Mr. Bennett, argue? Have you studied Philosophy and its discussions on syllogism and logic? That is, if you reached college in any country? I’ll repost this thread in the Facebook Groups where it was first posted. Thanks, Mr. Bennett, for doing the best service this month for former Mayor Fredrick Sykes, whom you are indirectly praising to high heavens. UNQUOTE.
The Facebook Group called “West Covina, Soon a City of the Future” will once again be the first to share this latest article. It will also be posted in other Facebook Groups, including most of the 85 that this columnist founded since 2010.
FINANCIAL BONANZA FOR WEST COVINA CLIENTS OF ATHENS SERVICES.
Today, this series also discusses how West Covina’s approximately 3,410 registered businesses and housing units, numbering some 34,834, could receive a windfall from Athens Services of an estimated $2,000 per business and housing unit. Or even higher an amount. This represents an estimated minimum of one-third of the quarterly amounts paid to Athens Services for failing to provide the third recycling bin. Businesses may get more than housing units, as they are charged higher than households.
“Voters must ask their fellow citizens from West Covina who are running for election (or reelection) to the City Council (which is composed of only five members) if they have the guts of Fredrick Sykes, who questioned the city contract with Athens Services.”
They may also get a share of the punitive damages that a jury may award the City of West Covina, to be paid by Athens Services and the City Councilmembers who enabled the garbage-collection firm to withhold the third recycling bin for nearly 14 years and for its allegedly overpricing practices. The basis for the computation is another garbage-collection firm that charges households and businesses in the City of La Puente, the next-door city neighbor of West Covina. According to unofficial claims of some La Puente residents, their GIGO collection quarterly fees are 20% to 30% lower than those paid by West Covinians. The City Manager of West Covina should now prepare the computations to be provided to the Offices of the State Attorney General and/or the Legal Department of the County of Los Angeles, which may file criminal charges for RICO allegations.
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal law (codified at 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-68) targeting organized criminal activity and racketeering. RICO enhances existing criminal penalties and creates new causes of action for acts done as a part of an organized criminal enterprise. For more details of the RICO Act, you may read an article published by Cornell University.
Voters must ask their fellow citizens from West Covina who are running for election (or reelection) to the City Council (which is composed of only five members) if they have the guts of Fredrick Sykes, who questioned the city contract with Athens Services. As Steve Bennett confirmed, what this journalist gathered from other sources was that Councilmember Sykes, in his first quarter as a member of the City Council, questioned the city’s contract with its garbage-collection contractor. But he was outvoted, allegedly by a margin of 4 to 1. Then Councilmember Sykes was a brave but solitary voice in the City Council, which was like the epicenter of an urban wilderness of city politics.
Quo vadis, Candidates for the City Council of West Covina in the November 3, 2026 election? Will you be brave like Fredrick Sykes? Or act like the coward of the county, oops, city that Kenny Rogers described in his blockbuster hit?
