Massage Talk Postponed, Slated for May 18

South Pas City Council pushed back discussion to add regulations for massage establishments. 

"Why does the council keep postponing?" resident Ellen Daigle asked Patch in an e-mail Friday morning. 

While the topic was listed on the City Council agenda  and May 4, it was postponed both nights. Mayor Mike Ten said it has been a result of other important issues. 

"We ran out of time; we spent two hours on the issue," Ten said about Wednesday night's meeting. "Nothing more than that."

Pasadena Star-News reported Thursday that there are 11 massage businesses in South Pasadena—seven of which have opened since 2010. Additionally, the city receives two to three requests per week from business license hopefuls, it said.

"We have seen a recent spike in these uses coming to our city in spite of the city’s recent efforts to crack down on license requirements in conjunction with state laws, including spot checks handled by the ," resident Lisa Pendleton wrote to Patch in Febuary.

Because of the California Massage Therapy Council established by state law in 2008, masseuses are offered but not required to be certified by the state. Those that are certified massage therapists (CMT), however, have completed at least 500 hours of massage education and training at an approved massage therapy school.

The item is slated to be put back on the agenda and brought before City Council May 18.