SPECIAL MEETING OF THE April 4, 2023
CITY OF CULVER CITY/ 2:00 p.m.
WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE
LIAISON COMMITTEE
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
The special meeting of the City of Culver City/West Los Angeles College Liaison Committee was called to order at 2:03 p.m. in the Dan Patacchia Room and via WebEx.
Present: Dan O’Brien, Council Member, Culver City
Freddy Puza, Council Member, Culver City
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC
Absent: Michelle Long-Coffee, Public Relations Director WLAC
Staff: John M. Nachbar, City Manager, Culver City
Yanni Demitri, Public Works Director, Culver City
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk
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Pledge of Allegiance
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Public Comment for Items NOT on the Agenda
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk reported that no requests to speak had been received for Items NOT on the Agenda.
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City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
April 4, 2023
Receipt of Correspondence
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, indicated that no correspondence had been received.
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Consent Calendar
Item C-1
Minutes of the February 16, 2021 CC-WLAC Liaison Committee Meeting
MOVED BY MEMBER LIMBAUGH, SECONDED BY MEMBER O’BRIEN AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY OF CULVER CITY/WEST LOS
ANGELES COLLEGE LIAISON COMMITTEE APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 16, 2021 (ABSENT MEMBER LONG-COFFEE).
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Action Items
Item A-1
Selection of Presiding Officer
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, noted that past practice has been to have a Council Member serve as Presiding Officer and she discussed responsibilities.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members resulted in agreement that Member Puza serve as Presiding Officer.
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Item A-2
Update and Discussion of the 10100 Jefferson West LA College Construction Project
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC, provided an update on the 10100 Jefferson West LA College Construction Project; discussed the selection process for the developer; the filing and withdrawal of a complaint by Hackman Capital; negotiations between the Community College District and the developer, Hudson; jurisdiction of the land; project concept; county and City jurisdiction; work with the City; and the neighbors.
City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
April 4, 2023
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding retail and restaurant; easements; the soundstages; tenanting; the food desert; prop management; the Creativity Studies Lab; and use of facilities.
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Item A-3
Update on Jefferson/La Cienega Building Construction
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC, indicated that the Jefferson/La Cienega building construction was not under their jurisdiction.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, indicated that the item had been on the agenda two years ago.
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Item A-4
Discussion of Food Insecurity Partnership
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC, discussed initial conversations about the Food Insecurity Partnership; the basic needs program; temporary housing; renovation and new building projects; sponsorship by the WLAC foundation; the partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank; the percentage of students still online; connectivity; students who are
supporting their families; student recruitment; housing; increased dual enrollment with Culver City High School; challenges; fundamental differences in post-pandemic college; and identification of programs that provide a market advantage.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding online students; Project Homekey; ways to collaborate to assist unhoused students; the agreement with the Regional Food Bank; career training; encouraging people to attend WLAC rather than Santa Monica College; changing attitudes; student housing; proximity to the Oil Field; clarification on who housing would be provided for; the inability to provide subsidized housing; allowing for a competitive edge; the need to provide student services; private funding; county land; county funding; opinionated neighbors; and previous discussion of efforts to raise money to procure more food, discussions between Amazon City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
April 4, 2023
and WLAC to enhance community partnerships, training for below- the-line workers, and partnerships with trade unions.
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC, discussed things that have happened since the last meeting; achievements;
demographics; workforce development; rigor of the programs; internships; collaboration with the trade unions; recognition of the importance of the programs by other institutions; application of course credits to other schools; obligation to help students; money put into community colleges; the effects of climate change on marginalized communities; helping educate communities about climate change; California Center for Climate Change Education; support from the state to make WLAC a national model for climate change education; bringing together
representatives from the community colleges; and transformation of the campus.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding agreement to send invitations to Council Members to an upcoming event; academic development for the climate change program; location of WLAC; employees who are interested in getting certification; interest in the program beyond enrolled
students; plans for new facilities; costs for improvements; sustainable elements to the projects; amenities; landscaping; design of the building with students in mind; ease of flow; taking future needs into consideration; providing the feel of a rural, wooded campus; being welcoming to the community; age of the buildings being torn down; clarification that parking lots were surface level; students who are getting tired of taking online classes; students who travel to the school from all over Los Angeles; unknowns with regard to the future; use of swing space in preparation for construction; appreciation for the passage of county measures that funded infrastructure upgrades; the growing dental program; use of sustainable modular buildings; the pandemic; and encouragement to attend the fireworks on the 4th of July and the Car Show hosted by WLAC.
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Items from Members
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding pathways for students to be employed by Hudson through
internship programs for students; the Circulator; finding a more direct route for students to get from the Metro to campus; City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
April 4, 2023
ridership levels; the need to align service hours with class hours; on demand service; and renewal of the Sheriff’s contract.
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Public Comment for Items NOT on the Agenda
Council Member Puza invited public comment.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk reported that no requests to speak had been received.
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Item A-5
Discussion of Next Steps, Future Agenda Items, Next Meeting Date/Time
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding course ideas; the Economic Development Subcommittee; the Olympics; potential development of a portion of unincorporated Los Angeles; community engagement; the comprehensive community engagement plan from Hudson; and communication with condo associations along Jefferson.
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Items from Staff
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, reported that applications were being accepted for youth seats on Committees, Boards, and Commissions (CBCs) and she asked about spreading the word to WLAC students who are Culver City residents.
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC, indicated willingness to help and asked that information be sent to him.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding potential future meeting dates.
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City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
April 4, 2023
Adjournment
There being no further business, at 3:07 p.m., the City of Culver City/West Los Angeles College Liaison Committee
adjourned.
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_____________________________________________________________
JEREMY BOCCHINO
SECRETARY of the CITY OF CULVER CITY/WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE
LIAISON COMMITTEE
APPROVED ____________________
_____________________________________________________________
FREDDY PUZA
COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY COUNCIL
Culver City, California
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that, on the date below written, these minutes were filed in the Office of the City Clerk, Culver City, California and constitute the Official Minutes of said meeting.
_________________________ _________________________
Jeremy Bocchino Date
CITY CLERK