AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date:
Item Number:
April 12, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Keith Sterling, Chief Communications Officer
Subject: REQUESTS TO USE THE COUNCIL CHAMBER TO CONDUCT
CANDIDATE FORUMS FROM THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE OF
BEVERLY HILLS/BEVERLY HILLS NORTH HOMEOWNERS
ASSOCIATION AND THE SOUTHWEST BEVERLY HILLS
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
Attachment: 1. Email from Municipal League of Beverly Hills
2. Email from Southwest Homeowners Association
RECOMMENDATION
Staff seeks City Council direction on these two pending requests with the Municipal League of Beverly Hills/North Homeowners Association and the Southwest Beverly Hills Homeowners Association.
INTRODUCTION
The City was approached by representatives from the Municipal League of Beverly Hills/North Homeowners Association and the Southwest Beverly Hills Homeowners Association requesting the use of City resources for separate candidate forums. This report seeks Council direction related to the two requests.
BACKGROUND
The City of Beverly Hills will hold a municipal election on June 7, 2022 to fill three City Council seats and the position of City Treasurer. Traditionally, a number of community groups hold forums to educate voters on the candidates. The forums are provided to the community as educational forums and are meant to be transparent and impartial. City funds cannot be used to support any campaign activity.
Similar to years past, the organizations have submitted requests to use the Council Chamber for their public candidate forums. Both have requested that the City Council waive the fees for use of City facilities and staff costs for the forums. In addition, they are requesting the forums be livestreamed and rebroadcast on local Beverly Hills D-11
Meeting Date: April 12, 2022
Television (BHTV 10). Based on chamber availability, the following dates have been proposed:
Municipal League of Beverly Hills/North Homeowners Association Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28, 7-9 p.m.
Southwest Beverly Hills Homeowners Association
Tuesday, May 3, 7-9:30 p.m.
The Council Chamber and adjacent meeting rooms are available to accommodate these dates. They have requested that fees and charges associated with their events be waived, including room rental, and staff costs, which include Cable TV, park rangers and facilities workers. The City Council has granted similar requests in previous elections.
FISCAL IMPACT
If approved by the Council, City staff would manage the facility and the re-broadcasting of the candidate forums. In the past, the City has absorbed all staff and facility costs for these events. The cost is approximately $3,000 per forum, inclusive of cable, park rangers and facilities staff.
George Chavez,
City Manager
Approved By
Meeting Date: April 12, 2022
Attachment 1
Meeting Date: April 12, 2022
From: Thomas A. White
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 1:49 PM
To: Keith Sterling <[email protected]>
Subject: Confirmation of Candidates Forum / Beverly Hills North and Municipal League CAUTION: External Sender
Use caution when clicking links or opening attachments
Dear Keith –
Thank you for assisting the Municipal League of Beverly Hills and Beverly Hills North Homeowners Association in securing the Council Chamber for their jointly sponsored Candidates Forum as follows:
Wed April 27th, 2022
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. [program]
Thurs April 28th, 2022
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. [program]
I understand these dates and times now appear in the City’s calendar. The two adjacent conference rooms will be needed on event nights, and the City will provide all staff and services sufficient to ensure a high quality, successful Forum, including staging, live sound reinforcement, live televising, videotaping for later cablecasting, and other customary elements, etc.
The Forum will be moderated by Bob Tanenbaum and Thomas White. At this time, we anticipate individually interviewing each candidate to ensure uniformity and accommodate all 14 contestants which are known at this time.
I would be grateful for your return confirmation of the foregoing, and remain happy to answer any questions you, staff or the Council may have.
Thanks again.
Thomas White
(310) 657-9831
Meeting Date: April 12, 2022
Attachment 2
Meeting Date: April 12, 2022
From: Ken Goldman
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2022 8:48 AM
To: Huma Ahmed <[email protected]>; Keith Sterling <[email protected]> Subject: Southwest HOA Candidates Forum
Good morning Huma and Keith—
Hope you’re both doing well.
Our Homeowners Association is planning to have its televised Candidates Forum again this election season.
Huma—Could you please email me the final list of the mayoral candidates—their names and email addresses—after final signing today. We will need to notify the candidates of the date, procedures, etc.
Huma and Keith—
1] We will need to get a date for the Forum. We’d like to have it—as we always have—in the City Council chambers. At 7 pm for 2 to 2-1/2 hours (given so many candidates).
2] My sense is to have it a week or so before mail-in ballots go out. 3] A day or two before the Forum, I’d like to meet with the television crew to go through the program (as we’ve done in prior years).
Please let me know your thoughts and any questions or further information.
Thanks very much.
Ken
Ken Goldman
Law Office of Kenneth A. Goldman
10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 300
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Tel: (310) 772-2207
Fax: (310) 772-2206
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kaglegal.com