1 THESE MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL,
CULVER CITY PARKING AUTHORITY,
CULVER CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD,
AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CULVER CITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD
SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING – CITY WORK PLANS March 4, 2025
MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, 4:00 p.m.
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
Mayor O’Brien convened the special budget meeting – City Work Plans of the City Council, Successor Agency to the Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Housing Authority Board and Culver City Parking Authority to order at 4:03 p.m. in the Mike Balkman Chambers at City Hall via Webex.
Present: Dan O’Brien, Mayor
Freddy Puza, Vice Mayor
Bubba Fish, Council Member
Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Council Member
Albert Vera, Council Member
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Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor O’Brien led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Land Acknowledgement
Mayor O’Brien read the Land Acknowledgement.
March 4, 2025
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Community Announcements by City Council Members/ Updates from Commission, Board and/or Committees/Information Items from Staff
None.
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Joint Public Comment – Items Not on the Agenda
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, read the Culver City statement on hate speech.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Laurent Meler indicated being a producer of LA Fashion Week; he provided background on himself and on the event; he asked for an off -cycle sponsorship for marketing support rather than financial support; discussed Culver City Fashion Week at One Culver on March 22; and he thanked the City Council for consideration of his request.
Mayor O’Brien received clarification that the City Council had not provided consensus to put the item on an agenda and that information had been sent to the Special Events Manager, and he received unanimous consensus to agendize consideration of an off-cycle grant for Culver City Fashion Week.
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Receipt and Filing of Correspondence
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCMORRIN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
VERA AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE AND FILE CORRESPONDENCE.
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March 4, 2025
3 Action Items
Item A-1
CC:HA:PA:SA – (1) Presentation and Consideration of Current and Proposed Work Plans for City Departments; and (2) Direction to the City Manager as Deemed Appropriate
Dana Anderson , Human Resources Director , introduced her management team; thanked the professional and dedicated staff; she provided an overview of priorities for the Human Resources Department Mid-Year Fiscal Year 202 5-2026 Work Plan ; she discussed core functions ; project highlights; work plan priorities; and impacts of potential cuts.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding vacancy rates, and length of time to fill vacancies.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
No requests to speak were received.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding varied vacancy rates across departments; size of the Human Resources Department; repurposed positions; personnel costs; cross training in different competencies; varied responsibilities of the department; the Employee Engagement Survey; exit interviews; employee recognition; wellness fairs; holiday events; summer socials; the voluntary benefits program; enhanced, robust benefits for employees; anonymous surveys; average length of service; eligible retirement benefits; percentage of retirement -eligible employees; succession planning; historical knowledge and retention; overall
sustainability of Culver City; appreciation for the work plan status update on the REAP (Racial Equity Action Plan) and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) work; the pace of work being done; survey response; community sessions planned; potential collaboration with community org anizations or the School District; cost-sharing opportunities; partnerships; corporate sponsorships; the student work program with CCUSD; work with West Los Angeles College (WLAC) for a paid internship program; a request for supplemental funding for temporary staffing while an employee is out on maternity leave; potential requests for additional staffing; building out a calendar to incorporate training; contingency budgets; conducting an analysis of programming priorities and benefits; consideration of current March 4, 2025
4 workload; the impact of potential cuts; and appreciation for the presentation and for the efforts of staff.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding a request for information on the length of time from job posting to start date for employee s; identification of potential issues; the upcoming vacancy presentation prior to budget adoption; departments struggling with retention; high turnover of bus operators; the challenging position; City-wide text messaging; keeping employees engaged; communication; candidate messaging; Council Member training; electronic onboarding; preparing people f or their entrance into the organization; employee requests for physical fitness resources; wellness resources; facilities; employee appreciation; the great resignation; the comparative salary analysis; and the Community Conversation event.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
No requests to speak were received.
Heather Baker, City Attorney, thanked City for putting their trust in her; expressed appreciation for the professional and dedicated staff; discussed core functions of the Legal
Department; primary responsibility and mission of the
department; and she provided an overview of priorities for the Legal Department Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the legislative platform; City Manager purview; the need for a government affairs position ; appreciation for the
responsiveness of the department; Bet Tzedek; review of City Council policies on the City Council Policy Committee; the Free Speech Policy; and identification of the largest source of liabilities for Culver City.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding AB1234 trainings; in -house trainings; collaboration with City departments; benefits to an in -house legal team; tracking collaborations with departments; the work plans; the constant stream day-to-day; attorneys that cross departments; understanding trends within departments; annual review of AI (Artificial Intelligence) use; concern with environmental impacts and over -reliance on AI ; appreciation for
accomplishments and attention to de tail; priorities moving forward; items carried over from one year to the next; providing March 4, 2025
5 more specifics for priorities moving forward; trends; being proactive; and appreciation for status updates on cases.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding benefits and drawbacks to ever-evolving AI technology; public records requests; last year’s performance indicators; information on liability payouts; cost of liabilities vs. cost of delayed capital improvements; estimated percentage shift of work that was previously contracted out; various examples of items now handled in-house; and year over year comparisons.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, reported that no public comment had been received.
J.R. Wright, Chief Information Officer, introduced staff; discussed goals and core functions of the Information Technology Department; and he provided an overview of priorities for the Information Technology Department Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the work done on the upgrades and for being able to use Zoom to get onto City meetings; accessibility; websites available for people to understand City finances; other cities that provide the ability to suggest an ideal budget; examples of potential AI usage; examination of risk; work with Risk Management; the GovAI Coalition; discouragement of using things in the public domain; training; concerns and
opportunities; location of p ublic Wi -Fi in Culver City; potential expansion of Wi-Fi to areas of high pedestrian traffic or public areas of Culver City; desire to establish public Wi - Fi over the past 15 years; decreased demand; creating a model of the City; expediting Planning approval; platforms to expand and facilitate better communication between the City and residents; Indiegov; transparency; and mechanisms to facilitate communication.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for upgrades to Council Chambers; the evaluation to phase out less effective equipment; appreciation for the expansion of transparency with dashboards and portals; providing an open data site similar to what other cities have; additional acces s for CBCs (Committees, Boards, and
Commissions); the decision not to expand Wi-Fi in parks; COVID as highlighting the digital divide across the county; programs March 4, 2025
6 on bridging the digital divide; the importance of having access to the internet; digital equity asset mapping; alignment with providing better transparency of information and data for the public; partnerships with other local agencies; the City of Los Angeles Digital Asset Survey; identification of communities that lack access to technological resources; asset management; digital inclusion; uplifting existing assets and strengths; collaboration with the Finance Department to provide asset information to the public; creation of a data hub; the meeting with the IBCC (Intergovernmental Broadband Coordinating Committee; collaboration with the county and the region; appreciation for the updates; technology on buses; amount of work done with each department; the full service department that works with the entire City; increased transparency and
collaboration; and overall IT goals.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding cautious optimism; reducing mailing costs;
cyberattacks; tracking; difficulty of knowing if someone has gotten in the system; offline conversations; accumulation of media; having a backup system; enhanced communication with the public; cataloguing outfacing communication; not replicating video, photography, and graphics; evaluation of data sets; data loss prevention; evaluation of audio and video recordings; cost of storing data; the trac king system on the Circulator; audio issues; room acoustics; people using poor audio at home; speaker routing; volume adjustments vs. clarity; the search engine for the City website; use of a chatbot; and a suggestion to provide Wi-Fi in the parks for SB1000 neighborhoods.
Mark Muenzer, Planning and Development Director, introduced staff and different divisions within the department; discussed goals and core functions of the Planning and Development Department; he provided an overview of priorities for the Planning and Development Department Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; and he presented a video on the new online permit system.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding feedback from business owners on length of time it took to get their businesses opened; permitting contractors; reduced time with the common practice of using project consultants; reasons for online permitting; monitoring the workflow; identification of issues; collaboration with the City Manager’s Office and the IT (Information Technology) Department to develop reports; reduced timeframes since hiring the new Planning Director; the soft rollout of the online system; the intent to transition more March 4, 2025
7 of the customer base to the online portal in 2025; bottlenecks for housing production; actions to facilitate the development of housing; by -right residential development; Specific Plan processes; the update to the Density Bonus Ordinance and Objective Design Standards; financing; the current Housing Element; SB423; ensuring that RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) numbers are met; annual progress reports; the Housing Pipeline Report; proposed vs. actual housing units; comparisons to other cities; citie s subject to the Builder’s Remedy; creation of standard plans for different housing types; SB9; SB1123; options for subdividing lots; buying and selling of ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units); and appreciation for the energy being put into creating more housing in Culver City.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the ADU Design Standards; maximizing streamlining opportunities; online permitting; support for more housing in the community; in lieu updates; sustainable
landscaping; integrating a formalized place for feedback and complaints in the portal; updating the in-person suggestion box; tree placement; vegetative management plans required in high fire severity zones; online permit checks; inspections; different construction types that do not lend themselves to online inspection ; digitization; time and cost savings; appreciation for reports provided to the City Council;
population growth estimates; the General Plan; environmental studies and protections; projects that do not come to fruition; reliance on private developers to build housing; SB1037 providing enforcement powers to HCD (Housing and Community Development) use of ministerial approval for certain housing projects; cities subject to enforcement action; tracking ADU production and usage; permitting ADUs with multi -family buildings; zoning-related constraints; encouraging hotels and hospitality uses; incentivizing hotels; increased area for mixed use zones that allow for by-right development; extended stays; development standards; the absence of under -utilized sites; height limits; state and city density bonus; the implementation item from the Housing Element; and review of the height limit in certain portions of the City.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding soft story retrofit; cities that are able to meet affordable housing requirements; meeting RHNA requirements for total housing numbers; providing incentives for development along Ballona Creek to provide public right of way creekside enhancements and beautification; Prop 4; the Hayden Tract Specific Plan; fluctuation with setbacks and Floor Area Ratio March 4, 2025
8 (FAR); litigation related to the FAR; the original City Council decision to reduce the footprint of single -family homes in response to mansionization; the General Plan Update to increase the capacity for housing; and reduction of single family home areas as part of increasing housing across Culver City.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
Nancy Barba was called to speak but could not be heard.
Yanni Demetri, Public Works Director, discussed different divisions within the Public Works Department; accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2024 -2025; core functions; and priorities for the proposed Public Works Department Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Nancy Barba acknowledged work to help the community by the Public Works Department; discussed street safety;
implementation of Measure HLA; committing to make streets safer; increasing safety for cyclists and pedestrians every time there is an opportunity for repaving; and she encouraged Culver City to make a commitment to implementing the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the commitment of Public Works to enhanc e everyone’s safety; efforts to time enhancement projects with paving projects; pedestrian enhancement measures; sidewalk bulb outs; increased pedestrian visibility; the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan; staff experience; projects that have been implemented countless times in the past; funding; efficiency; constraints that prevent traffic calming measures from being implemented; the process; requests made by the public; perception vs. reality; funding; priorities; the process for serious injuries or fatalities; design issues; the uptick in traffic violence incidents; collision data from CCPD; assessment of locations by certified Traffic Engineers working for Culver City; state and federal standards; the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices); human factors not related to engineering; the Emergency Vehicle Preemption System; and SB1383, organics collection.
March 4, 2025
9 Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the public comment and dedication of staff; issues rolling out organics to multi-family; vacancies; the process for people to submit concerns; prioritization; the complaint-based process; inequitable outcomes; tracking the location of investment in the community; implementation of new software; asset management programs; appreciation for
collaboration and increased transparency; demands for electric charging; state regulations; the prohibition on the sale of gas only vehicles in 2035; pursuit of grants; opportunities to partner with companies; pursuit of additional chargers; meeting the needs of the community; conducting a feasibility study for solar; sidewalks and potholes; liability and litigation; taking preventative action; alignment of priorities with the General Plan and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan; overarching goals and objectives; prioritization based on funding sources; design as an important piece of safe intersections; weighing the history of dangerous intersections with what it would take to commit to a formalized implementation of Measure HLA; safe streets and mobility improvements during repaving projects; engineering, education, and enforcement; encouragement for people to alert the City to specific locations of concern ; defining dangerous intersections; access points; volume; being data driven; data about collisions; unreported accidents; patrol and enforcement; improvements planned for Doverwood and Green Valley Circle; appreciation for increased safety and
infrastructure; and continued feedback and data collection.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the importance of the Public Works Department; appreciation for department responsiveness, for their teamwork, and for their excellent customer service; support for increasing the Sustainability Business Program; the Sustainability Subcommittee; federal funding; natural vs. cement storm water basins; effective treatment; addressing copper wire theft; tree removal and replacement; homeowner requests for tree removal; outreach for the streetlight replacement program; incorporation of feedback; the meeting with design engineers; costs;
undergrounding utility boxes that take up the public right of way; Ballona Creek maintenance; lack of response from the county; Specific Plans for the Hayden Tract; safety along National and making the area more walkable ; bioswales; addressing rain that collects near Ballona Elementary School and at Culver and Elenda; the Hotspots List; addressing the issue by improving drainage; lack of drop zones heading westbound downtown; being sensitive to those with mobility March 4, 2025
10 challenges; turning an existing parking space into a green zone for short-term parking; and access to nearby parking structures.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
Nancy Barba was called to speak but was not present in person or online.
Diana Chang, Chief Transportation Officer, introduced
Transportation staff and commended their important work; discussed accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2024 -2025; core functions; and priorities for the proposed Transportation Department Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts; demographics served; non-resident riders; ensuring all riders have a voice; marketing platforms for riders; social media; ways people get their news; serving the region with Culver City Bus; expansion of the Circulator; Metro BikeShare; Transit Signal Priority;
installation of infrastructure; extra green lights for buses; enhancing reliability and speed of buses; hiring challenges; length of time between job posting and employees beginning work; collaboration with Human Resources; reduced vacancies; working creatively to improve efficiencies; factors that go into recruitment; being able to attract candidates; the upcoming World Cup, Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympics; realistic goals for delivering major phases of MOVE Culver City projects; regional funding to support project implementation; the ambitious plan; expanding headways; constraints to increasing frequency; funding challenges; capital funding; and exploration of additional operational funding.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the presentation and for the leadership of the Transportation Department; community
engagement; a suggestion to add Blue sky to social media outreach; centralizing platforms; support for having Culver CityBus on Instagram and for more frequent posting; the ambitious timelines for phases; community support; strategy to ensure community support; opportunities for growth in terms of resident buy -in for transit shifts; less ons learned; the importance of listening to the community; focus groups, community events, workshops, and meetings; creating something that is context sensitive and responds to needs; understanding demographics; different needs ; culture shifts; the car - dependent society; the climate crisis; transit rider surveys; March 4, 2025
11 focus groups that include transit riders and businesses; acknowledgement that people who rely on transit do not typically participate in meetings; continued feedback and data collection for MOVE Culver City indicating increased bike and transit ridership and pedestrian volumes over the previous year ; the inability to make apples to apples comparisons; bus driver retention; salary compared to what is offered in the region; real time updates; the Circulator; providing feedback through live customer service, e mailing [email protected], or through Contact Culver City; the importance of feedback to help address issues; the Youth Pass program; incentivizing transit ridership with young people; navigating federal uncertainty; the Comprehensive Mobility Plan; examining mobility services overall; accommodating needs; alignment with General Plan goals and objectives; needed services; working together to identify and create funding sources as a region; best practices; the 20 Year Plan; appreciation for the impressi ve amount of grants received; number of staff and consultants working on grants; the Zero Emissions goal; bus lane enforcement; increasing safety and effectiveness of bus lane use; trends and patterns; the period for enforcement without citations for 60 days followed by citations; and meeting sustainability and transportation goals.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Co uncil Members regarding appreciation for work done and data collected; expansion of the Circulator; results of Culver City Your Way; being mindful of equity; work in concert with the General Plan; the TDM (Transportation Demand Management) process; items that were put on hold due to staffing issues; the Short Range Mobility Plan; Dial-a-Ride; on call micro -transit as potentially more effective than the Circulator; getting people who do not use transit involved; and the upcoming community virtual workshop on March 13 for the Culver City Your Way Project: and the Culver City Comprehensive Mobility Services Plan with additional information available at ccyourway.com.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin noted that Culver City was growing, therefore additional and modernized essential services were necessary; she urged caution with making cuts noting that Culver City did not want to be DOGE ; discussed publicly identifying colleagues as unnecessary or expendable; identification of being mindful of the human impact of discussions; securing more March 4, 2025
12 funding rather than cutting essential services; Measure H funding; working with county partners to explore ways to bring in more funds; and trusting the expertise of City staff about what is needed.
Denise Neal echoed comments made by Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin; discussed the future ahead; getting the budget right to address the structural deficit; working with Apple, the hedge fund representative, National Corps, and Rockwood Capital;
understanding what workers n eed; stressed out drivers in Transit; and proper union representation.
Lisa Soghor, Chief Financial Officer, introduced Finance Department staff; discussed her commitment to succession planning; staff vacancies; awards and medallions received; and core functions of the Finance Department.
Elizabeth Shavelson, Assistant Chief Financial Officer, presented priorities for the proposed Finance Department Work Plan for 2025-2026.
Lisa Soghor, Chief Financial Officer, thanked Finance Department staff for their hard work and willingness to embrace change to improve processes; expressed appreciation to other departments for work with the Finance Department through the budget process and throughout the year; and she discussed following the municipal code and the law.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding other revenue streams for Culver City to be considering; the potential for a quarter cent sales tax to bring revenue to solve the current structural deficit; the actions of other cities; parking occupancy tax; consultants who help track revenue; bringing businesses into compliance; potential revenue through auditing; the User Fee Study; annual review and fee schedules with a CPI (Consumer Price Index); budget processes from other cities; ideas to increase public input; the Strategic Plan Workshop; engagement; support for the budget workshops; outreach that went into the General Plan; Complete Streets; polling around existing services; theoretical budgeting vs. being practical; brainstorming about ways to engage the public; and appreciation for the awards received.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the presentation; community
comments; the role of the City Council to provide policy direction to preserve and improve the quality of life in Culver March 4, 2025
13 City; accountability and transparency; expanding the public safety toolbox; community budget workshops; determining who and what gets resources and when; the importance of words; the fact that highlighting practices from neighboring communities and asking for information in light of the budget deficit does not equate to DOGE and has nothing to do with what is happening at the federal level; appreciation for the Chief Financial Officer and openness to new systems; the hope for more public
participation; effe ctive government; appreciation for the attention to detail in the forecast; the Budget Audit
Subcommittee; the newer consultants; awareness efforts for the new CIP (Capital Improvement Project) portal; building multiple years of data; work with the Communications Manager to raise awareness of the meetings and where to go to find information; updating progress on CIPs; a feature that updates progress on CIPs; continuing to find solutions and collaborate; county partners; participatory budgeting in unincorporated areas; the budget as an expression of values; making the connection; continued partnership with the community to meet their needs; and appreciation for the awards and the updates to systems.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding timing; the potential to lose the quarter cent tax if Culver City does make an attempt to secure it ; the ability of the county to enact the tax resulting in revenue that would not come back to Culver City; congratulations on the awards received by the Finance Department; appreciation for succession planning in real time; evolution of the budget process; the update to Measure BL; a community budget survey done by Manhattan Beach; de-mystifying the process; City -wide text messaging; getting people involved by polling them on priority of services; hotels; land value assessments; and ideas for the Economic Development Subcommittee.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the importance of the fee update; the forecast; potential revenue from digital kiosks; budget focus polling; opinions on departments; annual polling; outreach to a broader group; and informal polling as a way to invite people into the budget process.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Denise Neal received agreement from the City Manager for an appointment to look at all departments and determine the March 4, 2025
14 relationship between Finance, Economic Development, and non - profits.
Mike Bruckner, Assistant City Manager, discussed the 2024-2025 Work Plan for the City Manager’s Office; core functions; and priorities for the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Work Plan for the City Manager’s Office.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the many different items the City Manager’s Office is spearheading; shifting priorities; indicators that determine who is responsible for which items; City Council direction; department capabilities; work to keep the
organization in alignm ent with the City Council; lack of a formula; instinct and experience; staffing levels; purview; appreciation that the minimum wage issue will be coming forward, but regret that it has taken so long; shifts that have occurred; appreciation for leadership; review of the Homelessness Emergency; the need to update language; short term rentals; the community survey; the science behind surveys; ensuring that goals are clear in what they are trying to ascertain; narrowly tailoring questions; the strategy around succession planning and cross-training; ensuring that the team is well supported; reliance on line department staff for support; troubleshooting and problem solving; facilitating to meet deliverables on time; appreciation for partn ership to address continuing staffing issues; evaluation of successes as the City moves forward; and daily assessment of how things are going.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the need to enforce short term rentals or find a creative and beneficial way to move forward that aligns with strategic goals ; the text message system; expanding the GovDelivery system; a recent meeting with Indiegov; Visit Culver City; and Vice Mayor Puza received unanimous City Council consensus to agendize consideration of a quarter cent sales tax.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding underground tanks; studying fuel consumption; and location of the tanks.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, introduced City Clerk department staff; discussed core functions; Fiscal Year 2024-2025
accomplishments and metrics for the City Clerk’s Office ; and priorities for the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Work Plan for the City Clerk’s Office.
March 4, 2025
15 Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the well -run department and dependable processes; the Governance Committee; making public records for each item truly public; transparency; lobbying; accessibility; adding on the existing processes; timing; appreciation for the cross-training and succession planning; the online form; increased efficiency of processes; making the minutes Control F searchable; appreciation for the seamless transition to the Senior Center when Council Chambers was being upgraded; updating the website and agendas to make them more accessible; the actions of other cities; information on childcare, how to speak, and how to join meetings; and appreciation that everything is ready when needed and questions are answered.
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, indicated that no public comment had been received.
Elaine Gerety-Warner, Economic Development Director, discussed core functions of the Economic Development Department;
priorities for the proposed Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; and status updates for the 2024-2025 Work Plan.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for efforts to bring more cultural opportunities and support businesses in Culver City; relationship with the Chamber of Commerce and different business districts across Culver City; the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chamber of Commerce; the Downtown Business Association; the Arts District; unofficial business associations; the process to form a Business Improvement District (BID); measuring feedback on programs and events; engagement in cluster meetings; regional trends; organic feedback at events; input from businesses; comparative data; visitation software indicating increased visitation; Visit Culver City; and frames installed in Beverly Hills that encourage people to take pictures.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the Rose Bowl float; support for the Love Local program and ensuring that the same parts of Culver City are not always being prioritized; collaboration with BIDs; appreciation for willingness to consider different options; bus wrapping to market events or for the tourism initiative; the previous Discover Culver CityBus wrap; workforce development with WLAC; the Summer Music Concert Series; additional meetings with WLAC; the After Work Activation program; the Vibes after Five program March 4, 2025
16 in collaboration with KCRW; building community; the right of way banner in the Arts District; the study on weight bearing for the parking structures; appreciation for the work of the department; the request for support of Art Walk 2025; the set aside for the 4 th of July fireworks; City -wide events run by outside groups; providing a budget for established events rather than having a request made every year; off-cycle requests; planned on-cycle events; Mayor O’Brien received unanimous City Council consensus to look into making a longer term plan with all events in mind ; and a suggestion to make QR codes on the street to signify movie locations a permanent feature to encourage tourism.
Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager, introduced staff; presented priorities for the 2025-2026 proposed Work Plan for Cultural Affairs; discussed core functions; and she noted that status updates of the 2024-2025 Work Plan had been provided to Council Members.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding Olympics planning; activating the space for the Frame for a Tree project; the active pocket park behind the tree; historic markers; examination of language on plaques; new opportunities to honor people; the relationship with the Culver City Arts Foundation; and the Artist Laureate program.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding collaboration with other departments and community organizations; level of detail in work plan priorities; meeting timelines; continued expansion of the Artist Laureate Program; the Mark Fornes project; establishing systems and plans for decommissioning artwork; mechanisms to provide opportunity for feedback; support for the Rotating Art program and the Wrap Program; other gateway opportunities; smaller activations; the MOU with the Cu lver Arts Foundation; potential sponsorship opportunities; use of the Olympic torch symbol; tree surrounds; different film festivals in Culver City; growing film festivals to attract a wider audience; and appreciation for the work of the small team.
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Public Comment – Items Not on the Agenda
Mayor O’Brien invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
March 4, 2025
17 Denise Neal expressed appreciation for the reports; discussed follow up on information she had provided to May or O’Brien; securing appointment time to share information about funding sources; follow up on meetings with Manchester Bidwell and arts funding; and strategizing to match up with missing funding.
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Items from Council Members
None.
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Council Member Requests to Agendize Future Items
Council Member McMorrin re quested City Council consensus to agendize a report back on requesting that departments consider what they would do with an allocation of 5% more or 5% less , including clear staffing numbers and whether corresponding budget allocation was received from the last budget cycle as a point of information.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding concern with potential cuts to staff; having a conversation for information purposes; perception of the request as making cuts to City staff; acknowledgement that budgets affect people; the request for information on what could be done with a 5% increase; making substantive changes based on information given; practices of other cities; the request for information that can be used to better serve the community; the City Charter; the budget recommended by the City Manager; providing options; the focus on reductions; concern with the pushback on a request for information; potential benefits to the exercise; the growing City; increased need for services; finding a way to grow revenue; names associated with positions to be eliminated; the different situation if needs in the City were shrinking rather than growing; work being done across departments; challenges ahead; optimism about what can be accomplished; chaos at the federal government level; best us e of public funding; having the space for nuanced discussions without scare tactics; temporary challenges that can be solved by working together; having clear-eyed conversations about all options; the ongoing structural deficit; critical examination of spending in all departments to ensure that the needs of all residents are being met; opportunities to expand; whether asking questions is an March 4, 2025
18 austerity exercise; smart budgeting; working collaboratively as a body; informing the process going forward; creating a more informed public; significant negative impact on the morale in Santa Monica when a similar exercise was done ; the Brown Act; support for improved efficiency; concern with moving forward with cuts; commitment to a long -term process of examining the budget and looking at things in new ways; concern with a truncated process; agreement to provide information to Council Members on the amoun t of personnel vs. services for each department; clarification that a cut in personnel was never suggested; varying levels of personnel in comparison to the total budget; when it could be appropriate to have a
conversation about 5% more or less outside of a budget
conversation; being afraid of information; concern with the idea that having a discussion creates fear; and the fact that discussion indicates consideration.
Consensus was achieved to agendize the following items:
• consideration of an off-cycle grant for Culver City
Fashion Week
• discussion of a quarter cent sales tax
• consideration of making a longer-term plan for special events with all events in mind
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March 4, 2025
19 Adjournment
There being no further business , at 11:35 p.m., the City Council, Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Board, Culver City Housing Authority Board and Culver City Parking Authority adjourned the meeting to March 10, 2025.
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Jeremy Bocchino
CITY CLERK of Culver City, California
EX-OFFICIO CLERK of 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
DAN O’BRIEN
MAYOR of Culver City, 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: _________________________