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
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
May 17, 2022
3:00 p.m.
Mayor Lee convened 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: 05 p.m. in the Mike Balkman Chambers at City Hall.
Present: Daniel Lee, Mayor
Albert Vera, Vice Mayor
G~ran Eriksson, Council Member
Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Council Member
Absent: Alex Fisch, Council Member
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Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Lee led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Community Announcements by City Council Members/Information Items from Staff
None.
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Joint Public Comment - Items Not on the Agenda
May 17, 2022
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Carolyn Libuser discussed meeting time; equity and inclusion; concern with the dangerous situation with tents at the Senior Center; the Creek Fire; she encouraged people to visit
www.commonsenseculvercity.org to see videos of the fire; noted the inability of Culver City Police Department (CCPD) to clean up the Creek; expressed concern with toxic materials and trash going into the Creek; discussed development of a large parcel by Redcar Properties on Jefferson; and she hoped that the City would help the county address damaged chain link on Ocean Drive.
Mayor Lee expressed agreement regarding meeting time; reported receipt of a report about the Senior Center indicating that things are improving; discussed incorporating concerns from people who use the Senior Center; efforts to connect people with permanent supportive or transitional housing; various
jurisdictions involved in Ballona Creek; the recent cleanup of the Creek by Los Angeles county and the Sheriff's Department; regular cleanups by Ballona Creek Renaissance; responsibility for cleanings; and efforts to address what is happening on the Creek.
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Receipt and Filing of Correspondence
MOVED BY VICE MAYOR VERA AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ERIKSSON THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE AND FILE CORRESPONDENCE.
THE MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES : ERIKSSON, LEE, MCMORRIN, VERA
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: FISCH
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Item A-1
CC:HA:PA:SA - Continuation of the Budget Study Session - City Manager's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023:
2 May 17, 2022
Presentation of the Proposed Budget for Each City Department by its Respective Department Head
Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director, recognized Di vision Managers who worked on the budget and provided a presentation on the proposed Community Development Department budget enhancements for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
Tevis Barnes, Housing Programs Administrator, presented the Housing Programs Matrix created to detail housing programs and related expenditures; discussed items to be determined; grant funding; funding sources; funding utilization; continuing labor-intensive programs; and the focus currently being placed on Project Homekey.
Mayor Lee invited public input.
No requests to speak were received.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts; quantifying staff resources allocated to homelessness; providing more support to address the critical issue; ensuring that funding allocation mirrors the commitment; making it clear who is being served; evaluating need; data regarding the number of unhoused people in the community; criminalizing people in distress; the fact that the general budget did not come to Housing until recently; the importance of funding fundamental needs of the community; addressing complicated, nuanced issues; looking at the
demographics of who is being served; rooting the process in true need; the importance of providing proper funding to Housing; and lack of dedicated staff to pursue grants.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the agreement with United Methodist Church; benefits to the City; City contribution to get low to moderate income housing units; the partnership between the City and the Church; City Council review and approval of the work plan; placeholders; concern with the process; City Council purview; the request for additional monies; City Council direction to move forward with the pallet shelters after Project Homekey is complete; potential housing programs; allocation of General Fund money for housing issues; housing as a county issue; Proposition H; money collected by the county vs. what is received from the county; costs to the City for Project Homekey; the need to put more pressure on the county to contribute back to the City as a local return; the state surplus; making it possible for private money 3 May 17, 2022
developers to build affordable units; cities that have sued the state about the unfunded mandate; responsibility of the City; and opposition to using General Fund monies to address housing issues.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding pallet homes; direction to focus on Project Homekey before other items are addressed; staff time required to move forward with pallet housing; the number of programs brought forward; code amendments; soft story retrofit; the contract with Rally for outreach and education; addressing myths; development of messaging; neighbor concerns; staff agreement to contact The Daughters of St. Paul; state requirements related to the Housing Element; the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) and lease agreement with the Actors' Gang; City obligations; the process to close Melvil; funding deadlines for Project Homekey; crosswalk improvements; increased pedestrian activity around the train station; Vision Zero; support for the Culver United Methodist Church; Council determination of City priorities; using more of the General Fund for Housing; providing a dynamic response; funding for a development professional and ongoing operations; allowing a non-profit that does outreach to locate in the motel space; allowing Saint Joseph Center to co-locate; utilizing empty space at City Hall; identifying opportunities for non-profits and service providers that work on housing and homelessness; the 100% affordable housing development on Tilden; the decision of a previous City Council not to build affordable housing; support for using General Fund money for housing; addressing health and safety; using videos to communicate about housing and transportation in addition to press releases and social media; questions about additional funding requested by United Methodist Church; the loan commitment; the importance of strong communication; support for an additional budget
enhancement for a grant writer or development person; and appreciation to staff for their work.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding money allocated through the Redevelopment Agency for mobile home preservation; City-ownership of the affordability covenant; placeholders vs. real money; the opportunistic program; number of people served; the inability to bind future Councils; concern that the amount allocated is more than what the City Council agreed to; increased costs; cost of previous outreach videos; the emergency rental assistance program; Feed Culver; addressing immediate situation s; and taking action that m attered to residents during the pandemic.
4 May 17, 2022
Michele Williams, Chief Information Officer, introduced staff and provided a presentation on proposed Information Technology Department budget enhancements for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding employee access via VPN when working from home; phishing attempts and network attacks; denial attempts; spam filters; staff training; allowing all meetings to be hybrid; community interest; providing access; equity; withstanding a ransomware attack; backups; providing Wi-Fi and USB outlets on the bus; the public Wi-Fi hot spot at the Skatepark; and Wi-Fi available at Veterans Park.
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal discussed a documentary about breach of information in local law enforcement agencies; use of the ham radio tower in the event of an emergency; Spanish speaking constituents; providing Spanish audio for meetings; real-time interpretation; compliance with the law; and ensuring that residents and staff are on board with what is happening in the City.
Onyx Jones, Assistant City Manager, introduced new Human Resources Director, Dana Anderson.
Dana Anderson, Human Resources Director, provided a presentation on the proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget for the Human Resources Department.
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Co uncil:
Denise Neal welcomed Dana Anderson; expressed appreciation for the sexual harassment com ponent; discussed employee concerns with inadequate compensation; and the importance of levelling up the City to ma ke it better than it is .
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding prioriti zing employee wellness; ensuring that em ployees feel valued and want to stay; positions added at mid-year; st atus of vacancies ; improving efficiencies with cross utilization; streamlining processes; consideration of priorities; medical profiles; delays in bringing people on board; strate gies to bring people in; incentives; lateral moves; the need for bus 5 May 17, 2022
drivers; prioritization; burn out; and appreciation to staff for their efforts.
Lisa Soghor, Chief Financial Officer, provided a presentation on the Finance Department budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
Denise Neal was called to speak but did not respond.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding ensuring that equity needs are incorporated; the Equity Action Plan in process; the planned reorganization; the outside contractor collecting business license fees; collection of cannabis taxes; collaborative purchasing with Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) and other cities of a similar size for increased sustainability and saving money;
reclassification of the Warehouse Supervisor to assist the Purchasing Manager; streamlining Purchasing and Procurement goals for the department; language in the staff reports regarding piggybacking; and application of the same competitive terms as other cities.
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal discussed transparency; set aside contracts for procurement and micro-businesses that are generally left out; those that are not allowed to participate in the local economy; licensing and permits; she indicated that she is in the part of the City that is served by Los Angeles and Culver City and is not recognized as a Culver City business; and she asked if a framework could be created to allow businesses to participate.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding clarification about the ham radio tower; CCARE S (Culver City Amateur Radio Emergency Services); and clarification that Los Angeles businesses can·operate in Culver City with a business license.
Onyx Jones, Assistant City Manager, highlighted recent changes to the organization of the City Manager's Office and the Administrative Services Division.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, discussed propo sed enhancements to the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget for the City Clerk's Office. 6 May 17, 2022
Christine Byers, cultural Affairs Manager, provided a
presentation on proposed enhancements to the Fiscal Year 2022 2023 budget for Cultural Affairs.
Onyx Jones, Assistant City Manager, discussed the request from the Internal Audit Division to fund training.
Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager, discussed the request for additional funding for conferences and conventions for the City Council, and budget enhancements for the City Manager's Office for Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal received clarification regarding the Cultural Trust Fund and the Community Cultural Plan; discussed involvement of local artists; and the inability of local businesses to get a license in the City.
Christine Byers, Cultural Affairs Manager, discussed
restrictions on the Cultural Trust fund by the municipal code; the annual grant program; funding allocation; additional information available on the City website; and she agreed to follow up with Ms. Neal.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the efficient presentation; maintaining the focus on equity work and the Mobile Crisis Teams; examining the race and ethnicity of who is receiving grants; the void in information about what the City is doing; effectiveness of communication by CCPD; concern with misinformation; the General Plan process; support for youth involvement; appreciation to the City Manager and staff for their efforts; continuing the work started on a Mobile Outreach Program; assistance by the consultant; the preliminary RFP; providing sufficient time to accomplish each task; piggybacking on the work of Los Angeles; efforts to improve communication; resources and resource allocation; election expenses; staff calendars; the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Program; support for putting memberships to organizations and seminars back into the budget; appreciation for leadership of the City over the past two years; addressing structural deficits; Vote 16; restoration of La Ballona and the Hanging Gardens; needed repairs to the monument at the entrance to the Arts District; restrictions on the use of funds from Fund 7 May 17, 2022
413 to support visual and performing artists; adding banners that are works of art to the Arts District monument; repair of the Lion's Fountain; and appreciation to staff.
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Public Comment - Items Not on the Agenda
Mayor Lee invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal expressed appreciation for assistance with her questions; she proposed brainstorming sessions about solving the homeless issue with an Active Living Matrix or Strategic Partnership Matrix online for people to access and add to in order to share their ideas; and she asked who she could speak with about replicating the Workforce and Opportunity Centers for Arts and Technology program in Pittsburgh based on equity and inclusion issues that need to be resolved.
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Items from Council Members
Council Member McMorrin questioned what work might be necessary from the Minimum Wage Subcommittee related to having an issue on the ballot.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the petition circulating about the health care minimum wage; the Notice of Intention to File; the Title and Summary from the City Attorney; and clarification about the process.
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Council Member Requests to Agendize Future Items
None.
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8 May 17, 2022
Adjournment
There being no further business, at 6:15 p.m., the City Council, Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Housing Authority Board, and Culver City Parking Authority adjourned to the regular meeting on May 23, 2022.
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Jeremy Bocchino
of Culver City, California
f the City Council and SECRETARY of the
Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Parking Authority, and Culver City Housing Authority Board
Culver City, California
DR.
MAYOR of Culver Ci y, California and CHAIR of the Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Parking Authority, and Culver City Housing Authority Board
Date:
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