OFFICIAL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CULVER CITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD,
CULVER CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD
AND CULVER CITY PARKING AUTHORITY BOARD
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
May 16, 2022
3:00 p.m.
Mayor Lee called the regular meeting of the City Council, Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Housing Authority Board and Culver City Parking Authority Board to order at 3:03 p.m. in the Mike Balkman Chambers at City Hall.
Present: Daniel Lee, Mayor
Albert Vera, Vice Mayor
G~ran Eriksson, Council Member
Alex Fisch, Council Member
Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Council Member
*Council Member Fisch exited the meeting at 4:45 p.m.
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MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FISCH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
MCMORRIN AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, CULVER
CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD, CULVER CITY PARKING AUTH ORITY
BOARD , AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CULVER CITY REDE VELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION.
Closed Session
At 3:04 p.m. the City Council, Culver City Housing Authority Board, Culver City Parking Authorit y Board, and Successor Agency 1 May 16, 2022
to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board adjourned to Closed Session to consider the following Closed Session Item:
CS-1 CC - Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation Re: Significant Exposure to Litigation (1 item)
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d) (2)
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Regular Session
Mayor Lee reconvened meeting of the City Council, Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Housing Authority Board, and Culver City Parking Authority Board to order at 3:55 p.m. with all Council Members present. oOo
Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Lee led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Report on Action Taken In Closed Session
Mayor Lee indicated nothing to report out of Closed Session. oOo
Community Announcements by City Council Members/Information Items from Staff
Council Member Fisch reported that he would not be able to attend tomorrow and would have to leave the current meeting early to get to a conference in Paris but indicated that he would be watching the budget hearings and would provide comments when appropriate.
Mayor Lee reported attending the Abortion Rights Rally on Saturday and discussed L.A. Clean Tech Incubator.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, noted that sound issues were being worked out on Webex.
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Joint Public Comment - Items Not on the Agenda
2 May 16, 2022
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Khin Khin Gyi wished everyone a happy Asian American Heritage month; reported that the state had just increased the minimum wage to $15 per hour therefore a discussion of minimum wage increases was premature; discussed state law; triggers for inflation growth above 7%; pandemic pressures; and she proposed prioritizing more important issues until staff vacancies are filled.
Paul Ehrlich asked about implementation of water restrictions; questioned what actions would be taken to address the decline of the Senior Center; requested one-, two-, and five-year budget projections; discussed availability of the budget online; making an informed decision; operating costs of the two motels; costs of the proposed minimum wage ordinance; increased electricity costs; costs of the fiber optic cable; and he noted the profit made on fiber optic cable in Santa Monica.
Melissa Sanders was called to speak but indicated wanting to speak on Item A-1.
George Montgomery, Arts District Business Improvement District (BID), highlighted areas of focus in the presentation given on the Arts District at the last meeting; discussed restoration of the Ballena Creek Monument; LED Street lights for palm trees along Washington Boulevard between National and Fairfax; making the Melvil Parklet closure permanent; implementation of a cleaning agreement to ensure that the area is kept tidy; positive impacts to the City; and the MOVE project.
Michael Russell echoed comments made by George Montgomery in support of projects proposed by the Arts District BID; discussed accountability for upkeep and maintenance; and he felt the simple projects would have a tangible, positive ripple effect throughout the district.
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Receipt and Filing of Correspondence
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIKSSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
FISCH AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE 3 May 16, 2022
AND FILE CORRESPONDENCE .
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Item A-1
CC:HA:PA:SA - Budget Study Session - City Manager's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023: Presentation of the Proposed Budget for Each City Department by its Respective Department Head
Lisa Soghor, Chief Financial Officer, provided a presentation on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023; thanked staff for their efforts; noted an update to page 28 of the budget document to refine the ten-year budget forecast; discussed updates on the website and copies available for the public in Council Chambers; the decrease from the current fiscal year; carryover funds; the increased budget; returning to service levels decreased during the pandemic; enhancement requests; Project Homekey; the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS); unfunded accrued liability; pension costs; new employees; employee cost sharing; General Fund revenue and expenditures; and Enterprise Funds.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts; creating a financially stable City with political independence; budgeting money for information and staff time to develop the business license fee monetization for the November ballot; tax cuts for small businesses; competitiveness with surrounding jurisdictions; support for the suggestion of the City Manager to put the one time income from Measure RE into the pension trust; supporting the baseline operations of the City; money allocated to the Methodist Church Community Corporation Development; Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) obligations; support for the Arts District request; restoration of Item A-1 from the October 25 City Council meeting including extended outreach for the General Plan Update (GPU), impacts of Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) on housing, and geographic work in Blair Hills; rezoning required by October; setting aside money for a presentation on the livable communities initiative; community development; single stair reform; and providing an employee cash out for parking.
Council Member Fisch exited the meeting.
Lisa Soghor, Chief Financial Officer, continued her presentation on the proposed budget; discussed the Refuse Fund; increased 4 May 16, 2022
costs; SB 1383; the Transportation Fund; and Capital Improvement Projects.
Mayor Lee invited public input.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Paul Ehrlich expressed disagreement with the budget submission and approval process; discussed the need for a budget committee; the importance of public input; the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC); CalPERS; fuel costs; inflation; the instability of the Property Transfer Tax; increased interest rates; and he noted that there were many ways of cutting.
Denise Neal felt that much of the budget presentation was rushed and cryptic; she questioned how residents could participate in the allocation and reallocation of funds and improvement of services; discussed people who are marginalized due to
gerrymandering; inclusion of constituents; and the need for a local voice and for clarity.
Melissa Sanders was called to speak but had not joined the meeting.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding concern that the document could be challenging for community members to access; length of the document; providing a copy of slides for the community to see; the participatory budget process; a suggestion to provide clarity with regard to the amount being allocated to each department; the need to improve accessibility; preparation of a Budget in Brief document with charts to make the material more digestible; the budgeting program used by the City; using FEMA trailers for outreach providers; rental of space at the motels for people based in the service area to provide outreach services; monetizing unused space at City Hall by renting to non-profit service providers; providing operating funds beyond the first year for Project Homekey; recycling; providing a breakdown of cannabis revenue by storefront; the presentation to the FAC on Participatory Budgeting; staff effort required to engage in Participatory Budgeting; and the multi-year process to move Participatory Budgeting forward.
Khin Khin Gyi discussed the elimination of police officer positions and the addition of management analysts; the low ranking of Culver City in terms of safety; nighttime population vs. daytime population; future increases in population; the 5 current vacancy rate in
(CCPD); the obligation
incidents in Buffalo and
CCPD funded at 100%.
May 16, 2022
the Culver City Police Department
to provide Public Safety; recent
Laguna Nigel; and she wanted to see
Manny Cid, Police Chief, introduced CCPD staff; discussed the proposed enhancements to the Culver City Police Department budget for 2022-2023; organizational values; department specific goals; staffing; employee wellness; equipment; and contract services.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the increase in requests for the department; disproportionality of funding in the overall budget to CCPD; routine complaints about the unhoused; funding needed to address the number one issue in the community; meeting current needs; balancing money spent in CCPD being taken away from other locations; safety; vehicle fatalities vs. the number of homicides over the past ten years; property crime; Vision Zero; grants; the 2021 Public Safety review; providing quarterly updates to the community; combating misinformation; providing community benefit; wellness aspects; funding for the Mobile Crisis Team; effectiveness and efficiency; reclassification of positions; cuts to sworn staff replaced by professional positions; clarification that 90% of the budget is staffing; ensuring that the City is prepared for emergencies; recent crime occurring nearby and afar; and maintaining the focus on the traffic portion of the department.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to CCPD for their efforts with limited resources; allocation of resources; additional foot and bike staff around the Ivy Station, the Metro Line, and the Creek; funding for the school crossing guards; a suggestion to ask the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) to participate in funding; incorporating paramedic capabilities into the BEARCAT (Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck); clarification that CCPD funds 911 though it is shared with several other departments; the importance of an enforcement, education, and engineering approach with regard to traffic; encouraging people to follow the rules and drive more safely with increased police presence; educating drivers, cyclists and pedestrians; components of Vision Zero; the need to fill vacancies; the Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) re quest; coordination with surrounding cities that already have systems in place; clarification that Culver City is the only city on the westside that does not have ALPRs; privacy issues; control of data by the owner agency; a recent presentation at the 6 May 16, 2022
Independent Cities Association; companies that contract with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement); police substations in Beverly Hills; and future needs.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the work of CCPD staff during a difficult time; programs and training; monthly workshops; the importance of mental well-being; equipment requests; armored vans; the need to be able to provide safety; use of a robot; grant funding; real-time use of ALPR; locating investigative leads and follow-up; shared data and collaboration with other agencies; enforcement and Vision Zero; the importance of visibility in deterring crime and traffic violations; directed enforcement; overall health and longevity of police officers; concern with the long-term sustainability of operating with insufficient staffing levels; length of time to fill a position; and support for the recommendation of the City Manager.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding outsourcing functions; moving crossing guards to Parks and Recreation; impacts of moving Parking Enforcement; the Wellness Workshop; transport vans; privacy concerns with ALPR; normalization of ALPR; the photo redlight enforcement program; use of ALPR in parking enforcement for the past 5-10 years; the Request for Proposals (RFP) process; transparency; providing safeguards; and budgetary changes due to salary obligations.
Ken Powell,
presentation
Budget.
Fire Chief, introduced staff
on the Fiscal Year 2022-2023
and provided a
Fire Department
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts and for the Dashboard; effectiveness; transparency; the importance of wellness in the high stress jobs; the active department; staffing; mutual aid agreements; adding an additional unit staffed with three people; CCFD management of the radio system for the entire City; allocating extra funding for CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams); addressing pollution in the Creek due to homeless encampments; County Flood Control; Los Angeles County Public Works; first responder mental health services; paramedic school; staffing levels; downgrading the paramedic engine to an assessment engine; PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for firefighters; costs for new fire fighters; reduced reliance on Los Angeles and reduced response time with the new unit; the recent Creek fire; appreciation for CCFD support of the situation with the unhoused; cleanups of the Creek by Public 7 May 16, 2022
Works; CCFD response on the Creek; notification of other jurisdictions after an incident; compensation for CCFD
deployment as a strike team; female department members; outreach and education; and distribution of supplies to the homeless.
Heather Baker, City Attorney's Office, provided a presentation on the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 City Attorney's Office Budget; she discussed anticipated legal needs; and she noted that
unanticipated issues could arise at any time during the year.
Mayor Lee received confirmation that there were no additional requests to speak on any items.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the work of staff; template agreements; the municipal fiber network; encouragement to staff to seek additional funding for training and education if needed; complex enforcement matters; homeless issues; and proposed ballot initiatives.
Armando Abrego, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director, introduced staff; provided a presentation on the proposed enhancements to the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department budget; discussed adjustments for the larger budget process; reported approval of a county grant for the Stonehouse and Lindberg Park picnic area rehabilitation; and he noted adjustments to language on page 254 to better define the scope of the RFP to select the contractor of choice for the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts; the importance of community building; community wellness; the importance of the department; support for additional investment in the department; providing something tangible to the community; investing in support for youth mental health; crossing guards; synergies and realignments where they make sense; safety; community
programming; the action plan to address mental health issues among teens; staffing issues; items that live in various departments; Vision Zero; providing tangible outcomes; creating a fitness package for the parks; promoting health and wellness; work with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration); the creation of drone airports; providing control to municipalities; appreciation to staff for the field upgrades; things that can be accomplished with time and resources; partnerships with other departments; the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between CCUSD 8 May 16, 2022
and the City; mutual support; parks as set up for active play for 14 years and under; equal use of community investment; the contract with Walk and Rollers; outsourcing crossing guards; employing Street Safety Ambassadors; encouraging
intergenerational activities; the RFP for the Facilities Master Plan; plans for the Veterans Memorial Facility; Mobile Crisis Response; a suggestion to collaborate with UCLA to provide mental health support for staff being brought online; the issue of homeless encampments by the Senior Center; the shared space; the process to engage and encourage services; increased tension with difficult individuals; security that is working to manage and maintain the standards of the operation; education; efforts to provide housing and services; work being done; openness to everyone's concerns; the feeling that the situation is
improving; seniors being pushed out of housing; services available in other areas where it is cheaper to live; having a specialized Section 8 program for seniors; working toward early communication before people are at the point where they are on the street; coordination with the VA (Veterans Administration); age of those living outside of the Senior Center; providing training for budgeting and being able to pay for living space in the future; differences in what a fixed income will cover; use of the Senior Center as a cooling center; SHARE; workshops and presentations; empowering seniors to make educated
decisions; social work schools that can assist; SSG (Special Service for Groups); Wise and Healthy Aging; contracting for supervision; Field Number 4; the Community Garden; finding underutilized space; making use of the flat area around Bill Botts Field; and concern with fencing in parts of the parks.
Mayor Lee congratulated Senior Management Analyst, Patricia Mooney on her retirement.
Rolando Cruz, Deputy Transportation Officer, introduced the Virtual Strategic Leadership Team and provided a presentation on the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Transportation Department Budget.
Council Member McMorrin indicated that she had missed a few minutes of the presentation.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the commitment of staff to ensure that people can get around the City safely; support for CityShare, MOVE, and the electric bus; fulfillment of plans; appreciation for the leadership and progress made by the City; appreciation for Mobility Subcommittee presentations; ridership; the successful K-12 program; free TAP Cards; the focus placed on getting 9 May 16, 2022
children to school; safety; lessons learned; adding more buses when they fill up; the labor shortage; capacity on Line 6; data from the service analysis about potential riders; providing more options within the City; cleanliness of buses and stops; lessons learned from COVID; homelessness challenges; coordination with CCPD; costs to move bus stops; recruitment efforts; conducting a wage analysis; retention; the Circulator; reliability; marketing; mistakes made and lessons learned; the pilot program; the video at the bus stop; Next CCBus; funding for further infrastructure around MOVE Culver City; providing additional bike lane connections; getting people out of their cars; connections to regional transit; quick-build projects; Wi-Fi; providing USB ports or outlets; perception of Culver City Bus vs. Metro Bus or the trains; providing shelter so that homeless individuals do not utilize the bus as living space; climate change; the unprecedented state surplus; the inability to separate climate from transportation; infrastructure; analysis and assessment; and funding options.
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal discussed climate and morale issues; making part time drivers full-time so they may receive benefits; housing incentives; state surplus; the need for more #6 buses; expansion of the fare equity program beyond K-12; the need for safe lanes; nighttime bus stops; improving the circuit and the circulators; the need for more Next CC signs; allowing businesses in the Hayden Tract to increase ridership; expanding service to where people actually need to go; being more strategic; pursuing additional public input; getting more drivers to stay by doing right by the drivers who are already in the City; and allowing people to live in the City they work in.
Karim Sahli expressed appreciation for the presentation; noted the shift to prioritize pedestrians, then bicycles, then buses and cars; discussed shifting away from a car-centric model; the budget; electric bikes; the success of MOVE Culver City; he expressed support for extending MOVE Culver City to Elenda and Adams, expanding the fareless program, and community meetings to gain input on a vision for Downtown Culver City; ensuring that the Jefferson Boulevard corridor is bike friendly; he questioned the intention of Public Works to bring in grants and funding to implement new projects; he wanted to see the bollards implemented on Main Street this year; and he noted that money 10 May 16, 2022
had been taken away from bicycle infrastructure to implement the outdoor dining program.
Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director, introduced staff; provided a presentation on the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Public Works Department Budget; reported that projects discussed by the Mayor and Mr. Sahli were part of the work plan; and he discussed staffing levels.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for the presentation and for their efforts; departmental comparisons; community awareness of staffing levels; disproportionality of funding; grants; populations being served; efficacy of dollars; safety; creation of a designated team or person to provide accountability; the importance of investing in public space; Committee
recommendations; providing a mechanism to ensure that bike lanes are clean; parking structure maintenance costs; the Main Street bollards; traffic safety; collision rate; Subcommittee and Committee collaboration and feedback; building maintenance costs; age and number of City-owned buildings; appreciation for enhanced safety around schools; the grant to upgrade the bike path along the Creek; piecemeal projects; connecting everything together; focusing on Ballena Creek as the best bike path in town; the Sustainable Business Certificate program;
consideration of closing off Main Street on an upcoming City Council agenda; the CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) determination; the closure of Melvil Street; items returning to the City Council for final decisions; concern that once something is in the budget it happens; support for spending more money to resurface the streets; deterioration of the streets over the past few years; the large project list; the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for the City; comparisons to surrounding cities; Average Annual Daily Traffic; number of collisions; acknowledgement of staffing issues and Council demands; the Safe Routes to School consultant; government programs; demonstrated track record; grants; recycling; the agreement with the county of Los Angeles; SB 1383; outreach to businesses and residents; compliance; CalRecycle; enforcement; education; using the closure of Main Street as an opportunity to advertise Culver City Transit and other City services and projects; coordination with Los Angeles on the bike lane at Washington and Robertson; and addressing proje cts that have been in process for years as well as new ones .
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11 May 16, 2022
Public Comment - Items Not on the Agenda
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal questioned whether going fully electric would jeopardize the water supply, and she asked for information about the consultant selection process.
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Items from Council Members
None.
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Council Member Requests to Agendize Future Items
None.
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12 May 16, 2022
Adjournment
There being no further business, at 9:38 p.m., the City Council, Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Housing Authority Board, and Culver City Parking Authority Board adjourned their meeting to May 17, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
oOo
Jeremy Bocchino
K of Culver City, California
EX-OFFI I o the City Council and SECRETARY of the
Successor Agency o the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Parking Authority Board, and
Culver City Housing Authority Board
Culver City, California
MAYOR of CUlver Cit, Ca ifornia and CHAIR of the Successor Agency to the Culve City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Parking Authority Board, and Culver City Housing
Authority Board
Date:
13