OFFICIAL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL
PROPOSED DEPARTMENTAL
BUDGET PRESENTATIONS
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Call to Order & Roll Call
May 19, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Mayor O'Brien called the regular meeting of the City Council for proposed departmental budget presentations to order at 3:04 p.m. in the Mike Balkman Chambers at City Hall.
Present: Dan O'Brien, Mayor Freddy
Puza, Vice Mayor Bubba
Fish, Council Member
Yasmine-Imani McMorrin, Council Member
Albert Vera, Council Member
oOo
Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor O'Brien led the Pledge of Allegiance.
oOo
Land Acknowledgement
Mayor O'Brien read the statement of Land Acknowledgement. oOo
Community Announcements by Members/Updates from Commissions, Boards and/or Committees/Information Items from Staff
Responding to inquiry from Vice Mayor Puza, Heather Baker, City 1 May 19, 2025
Attorney, discussed public comments indicating concerns with a potential conflict of interest related to a member of the church involved in the Jubilo Village project that participated in the Vice Mayor's 2022 campaign, and the determination that
participation in the campaign did not create legal issues that would require recusal.
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Joint Public Comment - Items NOT on the Agenda
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, read the statement regarding hate speech.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Steve Siegel discussed a letter referencing $250,000 for outreach; concerns with effectiveness; he suggested including information regarding potential impact to the neighborhood; discussed use of consultants; having staff do outreach; significant fiscal issues; other area cities nearing bankruptcy; the need for an independent analyst to make a determination of the feasibility of funding Jubilo Village; and he asserted that a five or six story building was inappropriate for the
neighborhood.
Jamie Wallace discussed a press release from Culver Crescent on May 19; the assertion that the City budget process is broken; more money spent by the City than was taken in; interim and transitory housing; management requirements; funding that never came through; money spent on homeless outreach and caring for people; lack of funding; concern with spending more than is coming in; money in the budget for pensions, benefits and salaries; concern with assuming that average citizens are better at making decisions than City employees; what is being received for money spent; responsibilities; and good people doing the work.
Ken Palmer expressed concern with funds being directed toward Jubilo Village; indicated that he thought the church would be donating the land or helping the project rather than being paid $12. 5 million dollars; noted that it was unclear as to what would happen to Jubilo Village when the lease is over; and he urged Culver City to spend money throughout the City to address the needs of the community.
2 May 19, 2025
Karim Sahli discussed the need to change the status quo that prioritizes the same department year after year; he asked the police to stop defunding Culver City; discussed broadening the definition of safety; making streets safer for all vulnerable users; better and faster transit; tackling climate change and local pollution; supporting schools; better green space and after school programs; providing better social services; the loud conservative minority that pretends to be democrat; fulfilling the progressive promise and being as bold as the platform during the campaigns; following values; the billboard and mailers; and he encouraged Council Members to fight noting that they were not alone.
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Receipt and Filing of Correspondence
MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCMORRIN, SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR PUZA
AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE AND FILE CORRESPONDENCE.
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Action Items
Item A-1
CC:HA:PA:SA - Budget Study Session - City Manager's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026: Presentation of the Proposed Budget for Each City Department by its Respective Department Head
Mayor O'Brien asked to be notified of public speakers as they arise.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, noted
presentations had changed; presented
indicated that public speakers would
department makes the presentation.
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment.
that the order of
the new order; and
be called when their
The following members of the public addressed the City Council :
Mark Herscovi tz was called to speak but was not present in person or online.
3 May 19, 2025
Carlo Marcucci requested a $40,000 budget enhancement to help the Arts District BID (Business Improvement District) cover their projected shortfall and to continue showcasing district businesses and community events.
Francesco Sinatra indicated being the owner of Pasta Sisters and a member of the Arts District BID, echoed comments of the previous speaker; noted the growing community; efforts to make the Arts District a better place with beautification and community engagement; and asked that the funding request be considered as an improvement for the community.
Mayor O'Brien indicated that the item would be addressed during the City Manager's comments on May 20.
Lisa Soghor, Chief Financial Officer, thanked staff for their work on the budget; noted that corrections and formatting inconsistencies would be made for the final adopted version but the numbers were solid; she provided a presentation on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026; discussed highlights of the budget; past receipt of awards for budget excellence from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers; the November 13, 2023 City Council adoption of Strategic Goals for the next five years; City Council strategic priorities; maintaining existing services and shoring up newly implemented Housing and Human Services programs while managing and offsetting rising expenditures to avoid exacerbating the City's operating deficit; submission of the budget in accordance with the City Manager's duties; recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; direct support to individuals and local governments from the federal government; economic slowing over the past few years; uncertainty at the state and federal level; risks to state and federal funding sources; the budget and economic outlook; updated business tax rates; difficulty keeping up with ongoing business costs; use of General Fund reserves to cover the deficit for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 budget; the unsustainable trajectory; lack of capacity in the budget for new commitments; the $137. 6 million decrease from the adjusted budget; funds from multiple Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs); the City-wide budget; encumbrances carried over from the prior year; the projected decrease to the General Fund budget; one-time enhancements made in the current year; the commitment to providing increased services for unhoused residents; operating expenditures that exceed revenue; the amount of General Fund Reserves needed for the proposed budget; revenue funds and special revenue funds; 4 May 19, 2025
revenue sources; General Fund overview; tax revenue and trends; yield from a potential quarter cent sales tax; windfalls used for one-time costs; revenue enhancements; housing aid and human service initiatives; retirement costs; General Fund budget adjustments; personnel adjustments; Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) funding; Jubilo Village; General Fund
expenditure overview; internal service funds; Cul verConnect; General Fund Reserve balance; contingency reserves; the 10 year financial forecast; public input opportunities; and the budget schedule.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts; a request for earlier access to documents for Council Members and the public to allow for review of items before City Council meetings; appreciation for the public engagement; Council policies that dedicate money to specific committed funds; Appendix B of the budget containing financial policies; General Fund Reserves; non-spendable reserves; monies placed in the pension trust based upon City Council decisions; initial funding; good market returns; Real Property Transfer Tax; terms of a Section 115 Trust; the unfunded liability; volatility in General Fund revenue; the small amount of property tax revenue received; the amount of General Fund revenue generated by economic activity; the need for a healthy reserve to address volatility; the General Fund Reserve requirement in Culver City vs. in other area cities; and the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) subcommittee set up to study reserve policies of other cities.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding increased emergency personnel in Public Safety; the salary matching ordinance from 1953; non-sworn personnel in CCPD (Culver City Police Department) and the Culver City Fire Department (CCFD); reapproval in the matching to Los Angeles city and county; impacts of passing a sales tax measure; projected surplus in 2031; room to grow services; depletion of emergency reserves; requirements for different reserves; measures that will need to be taken in order to go below the 30% reserve; the requirement for a plan to get back to 30% reserves; and the Salary Initiative Ordinance that is mirrored in the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the emphasis on education; Policy 502; a suggestion to add the years to reserve information gathered for context; understanding when certain dedicated funds were created; addressing historic and new needs; telling the 5 May 19, 2025
story of how community needs are being addressed; language used to frame the deficit; housing as a human right; the exclusionary nature of Culver City; specific groups who were not allowed to buy in Culver City; history of the City as a Sundown Town; books such as The Color of Law that provide context for current conditions; providing opportunity; supporting neighbors who struggle with housing insecurity; historic support for other resources and departments; concern with framing the funding of housing as being the cause of the deficit; the undercurrent of conversations; financial constraints; the importance of taking care of one another; continued efforts to make Culver City a welcoming a place rather than continuing exclusion; liability; increased premiums; and reducing the likelihood of claims being brought against Culver City in all departments.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their work and to the City Manager for dedication to increase reserves for Culver City;
acknowledgement of the serious situation; pension payouts; the CalPERS amortization for the UAL (Unfunded Accrued Liability); the 20 year amortization schedule; the inability of CalPERS to consistently meet the rate of return on investments; money in the pension trust; use of the money to soften the peak payout; the financial forecast model; revenue sources; potential revenue from the kiosks; increased PRCS (Parks, Recreation and Community Services) fees; reexamination of parking citation amounts; capturing revenue from short-term rentals; the need for more City Council direction and approval for certain items;
clarification that revenue is not included in the forecast until it is virtually certain; evaluating efficiency of programs; the Jubilo Reserve Fund; timing and terms of the ultimate agreement; CIPs; carryover funds; length of projects; examination of funding shortfalls; caution with starting new projects in 2025; battery backups added to traffic signals; Local Return from Measure Rand Measure M; keeping existing projects going; and a request to organize fund 430 by department.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding eagerness to look at additional revenue generation; evaluating the capacity for more hotels in Culver City; the need to update policy; potential revenue from kiosks; the Facilities Planning Reserve that is mostly spent on facilities maintenance; money spent on homeless services; clarification that cities the size of Culver City usually do not provide the same type of housing services that Culver City does; the decision to step in to provide services that the county was not providing; and the 6 May 19, 2025
unusual amount of General Fund monies being used to provide support.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding a request to provide a copy of the presentation and the pie chart of General Fund expenditures; use of a new budgeting platform; the online portal where people will be able to examine the budget; the required budget book; allowing people to look at what they are interested in online; and availability of the video to watch.
Council Member Fish asked that the City Council agendize consideration of a proposal to strengthen community
participation in Culver City's budget process; he discussed building a more transparent, equitable, and sustainable future with a process that invites meaningful input from residents and creates space for structural improvements based on that input; discussed the ongoing deficit identified in the last budget cycle; the declaration of a fiscal emergency; the call for a quarter cent sales tax on the ballot; evidence that the proposed sales tax will not be enough; annual estimated revenue; little room to invest in programs and services that the community relies upon; the Olympics; the importance of a heal thy and sustainable City budget with economic uncertainty under the current federal administration; the plan to avoid significant cuts to programs and services if possible; limited public engagement; City policy; the need to allow for additional participation; appreciation to staff for their efforts to educate the public about the budget and for their assistance in developing the proposal; he thanked staff and Council Member McMorrin for their assistance in crafting the request to include a budget enhancement of $250,000 in Fiscal Year 2025-2026 to support the development and implementation of a transparent community-based participatory budget process for Fiscal Year 2026-2027; current processes that leave the public out; risks to weakening the quality of programs and the public trust; conversations with Heal thy Democracy; justification for spending the money; and the importance of investing in a more inclusive process and the long-term fiscal sustainability of the community.
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Marie Aragon, Culver
herself; discussed an
City Hospital,
incident where
provided background on
two men broke into her
7 May 19, 2025
home; appreciation to Sergeant John Ogden and Officer Rico Gutierrez for their assistance; the fear of being unsafe in your own home; restoration of a sense of safety by CCPD; and she asked the City Council to continue to prioritize the resources, staffing, and support that CCPD needs to do their job
effectively.
Jessica Greer, Southern California Hospital, provided
background on herself; discussed devastating effects of the decision made to disband the police department in her hometown in Alabama; loss of the community; increased crime; her sense of safety in Culver City; the visible and engaged safety presence; appreciation for being able to become familiar with dedicated members of CCPD and CCFD through work; the importance of a strong partnership between law enforcement, emergency responders, and the community; and she urged the City to recognize the importance of maintaining critical services.
Jason Sims, Police Chief, introduced staff and provided a presentation on the proposed Culver City Police Department (CCPD) Budget with enhancements, cost reductions, and revenue generating opportunities for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their service; money generated by reclassification of staff for the redlight camera program that goes into the General Fund; the equipment reserve request; replacement of bullet proof vests; backup vehicles; vacant sworn officer positions; rotating staff; the temporary proposal to freeze two positions for reevaluation next year; limitations with the use of part-time retired police officers, or
annuitants, for administrative duties; vacancies in patrol; the ability of any sworn officer to do patrol; and money saved by use of annuitants.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the experience working on the budget this year vs. previous years; comparisons of expenditures; the change from $50 million in 2023 to $60 million in 2026; understanding what goes into figures; anticipating trends; average budget increase for CCPD; personnel costs as the primary driver of budget increases; CCPD as currently 30% of the overall budget vs. being 35% of the budget in 2015; the addition of Housing and Human Services that has decreased the percentage; and appreciation for opportunities to reduce.
8 May 19, 2025
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding asking more for less; clarification that sworn staffing has not increased since the 2016-2017 budget; growth of Culver City; current overall staffing levels vs. 2015-2016 staffing levels; and appreciation for inventive thinking and use of innovative programs.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding hardship programs for citations; looking at other cities for rate comparisons; the upcoming recommendation to adopt the average rates of other area cities; the long-standing practice of housing animal control and parking citations in the police department; reliance on parking enforcement officers to assist with traffic control; housing different sections under different departments; collecting coins from the parking meters; a suggestion to research the viability of moving animal control and parking enforcement officers to a different department; determining efficient use of personnel; other cities that have parking personnel in other departments; and unanimous consensus was achieved to direct staff to research the viability of moving parking personnel and animal control to another department.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding competitive salaries; recruitment and retention; the competitive market; staffing levels; collective bargaining; fines for moving violations set by the state; the need from the department being filled by annuitants; looking at limited cost saving opportunities; overtime costs due to the need to fill shifts from vacancies; the District Attorney Liaison position and Investigative position in the Traffic section; CCPD as accounting for 36% of the General Fund in 2021-2022; RIPA (Racial Information and Profiling Act) and Use of Force; training; monitoring and adjustment of training to be mindful of settlement payouts and potential liability; mitigation of liability; exposure to liability; focusing on training; transparency and accountability; ensuring positive impacts; trackable training; assertive and involved supervisors; information available on culvercitypd.org; the 24% decrease in Use of Force incidents in 2024 over 2023; the review process for each Use of Force incident; number of Use of Force Incidents vs. total number of incidents in Culver City; clarification that 99% of the Use of Force incidents were Limited Force, Restrain and Detain incidents; updated in-house training; required training; staffing costs; clarification that programs and community outreach are included in staffing costs; staffing costs as 90% of the budget; clarification that CCPD and CCFD require 24/7 staffing; and ongoing evaluations of overtime. 9 May 19, 2025
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding transitioning the current Police Ad Hoc Subcommittee to a Public Safety Committee; privacy policies; safeguarding the privacy of civilians; job descriptions for annuitant positions; collaboration with Human Resources; the Special Reserve Fund for CCPD and CCFD; rollover of unused funds; de escalation techniques; de-escalation events; and changing the ad hoc subcommittee to a standing subcommittee .
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Arif Sayed, King Fahad Mosque, provided background on himself; expressed appreciation for the outstanding work of CCPD; discussed outreach to the diverse community; strengthening relationships; earned trust; support for equipping CCPD with the tools and resources necessary to keep Culver City safe; and he proposed expanding initiatives focused on cybercrime prevention and community engagement programs within the department.
T'Ana Allen, Deputy City Clerk, indicated that no requests to speak had been received for the Fire Department presentation .
Ken Powell, Fire Chief, introduced staff and provided a presentation on the proposed Culver City Fire Department Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for staff efforts, for the presentation, and for taking opportunities to save on costs; the Mobile Strike Unit; turnout gear; the decrease in contacts with unhoused neighbors; resources that have been directed to the unhoused population; reduced numbers of people on the street; this year's budget process vs. the process last year; extra effort put into cost savings and increased revenue; appreciation for the itemized figures and attention to revenue opportunities; increased calls for service in 2024; response times; finding ways to continue service with existing equipment and the current budget; looking at ways to improve; fire incidents in Blair Hills and the Crest; community meetings; and brush clearance.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding staff retention; reaccreditation; the potential for degraded response times with additional call volume; turnout 10 May 19, 2025
time; the mutual aid system in California; other agencies having problems; issues in Los Angeles; ensuring Culver City can help themselves; the timeline for transitioning part-time ambulance operators to full-time; staffing history; number of positions and personnel for each Engine Company; efficiency and safety of four vs. three people per fire engine; deployment on certain call types; incidents handled outside of Culver City;
clarification that a Public Safety Impact Fee would not be feasible; the proposal for a fee revenue increase; an EMS (Emergency Medical Services) assessment fee; instituting a fee when paramedics are deployed but the patient is not transported; and a suggestion to consider the feasibility of charging an annual subscription fee to cover potential transport.
Mayor O'Brien invited public corrunent.
The following members of the public addressed the City Council:
Mark Hescovitz discussed the amount of money that the Jubilo Village project would add to the City's budget; asserted that funding the project was not feasible and asked that the project be removed from the budget; questioned why Jubilo Village was still in the budget when staff members and advisors had indicated that it was not a good financial plan; asked how the City could declare a fiscal emergency with a proposed tax increase to prevent a deficit and then add a $20 million dollar expenditure to the budget; and he questioned justification of passing a budget with such a large amount dedicated to a singular project, especially after the budget clearly shows a 10 year deficit and a proposed tax that has not yet passed.
James Richardson was called to speak but was not present in person or online.
Disa Lindgren discussed the origins of Jubilo Village back in 2016; the critical need for housing for families; and approval of Upward Bound House in Culver City in 2008.
Michelle Weiner expressed pride that Culver City had committed to support neighbors in need of housing; discussed temporary housing and services; commitment to providing permanent housing; years of un-investment; criticism about the project not being exclusively for residents; permeable boundaries in Culver City; neighboring cities not willing to make a bold commitment such as is being done by Culver City; being a trend setter and a model for other cities; strong values reflected in this portion 11 May 19, 2025
of the budget; and appreciation to the City Council for upholding values.
Tevis Barnes, Housing and Human Services Director, introduced staff; provided an overview of Housing and Human Services; and she provided a presentation on the proposed Housing and Human Services Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Roger Braum, Assistant Fire Chief, discussed assistance with improving services as it relates to the medical component of what is offered by the Mobile Crisis Team (MCT) of the Housing and Human Services Department; the proposed model; proposed expansion of the MCT; current costs per service for the MCT vs. for the contracted service currently providing limited medical services to the unhoused; and the proposal to expand services to include a medical component by adding a full-time Advanced Practitioner to the team noting that the scope of service is consistent with what is provided by the contracted medical provider.
Dr. Daniel Richardson, Human Services and Crisis Intervention Manager, reported that he supervises the MCT and he discussed advantages to adding an Advanced Provider to the MCT.
Roger Braum, Assistant Fire Chief, provided a cost analysis and discussed projected cost savings.
Tevis Barnes, Housing and Human Services Director, pointed out a typographical error; discussed staffing requests;
reclassifications of existing positions; total adjustments requested; cost savings by bringing services that are currently contracted out in-house; internal control; maintenance of hours of operation while bringing in the healthcare component; reductions to current outreach services; appreciation to the Assistant Fire Chief for his assistance; potential timeline for implementation of expanded services; the current contract for street medicine; the proposed transition from the existing contract to the internal provider; janitorial costs; changing the role of Urban Alchemy; changes to outreach services to include the Rodeway in; security service providers; increases vs. offset; the intent to expand service and save money; revenue; and she expressed appreciation to Housing and Human Services staff, in particular, to Marna Johnson who was going be retiring soon.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff; replacement of Healthcare in Action 12 May 19, 2025
services with the expansion of MCT; termination of outreach covered by the Urban Alchemy LOVE Team; outreach conducted by the MCT; maintenance of the hours of service from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days per week; response to comments received;
appreciation for expanding services; the plan to have services reimbursed by Medi-Cal; wound care and urgent care;
clarification that there is no cost to the patient; the proposed vehicle for the medical provider; repurposing underutilized pool vehicles so as not to have to buy anything new; case management services currently provided at Paradise Inn vs. those currently provided at the Rodeway Inn; clarification that all services would be handled in-house except those provided by Urban Alchemy; providing a continuum of care; sharing of information between providers; outreach being provided when they are not on a specific call; the new reporting dashboard; being proactive; client follow-up; supplies offered during outreach;
appreciation for ways to expand while reducing costs in the process; and pride in the services provided by Culver City.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation for the leadership and the work of the new department since 2022; the budget process this year as compared to the budget process last year; the three years of funding for the Foster Youth to Independence {FYI) program; the MOU with the Department of Children and Family Services {DCFS); appreciation for the cost per service breakdown; privacy concerns with tracking of medical resources; current
recordkeeping; concern with tracking individuals; changes happening everywhere; communication; potential partnerships and opportunities; sharing of best practices; communication with the county, the state, and other cities; concern with a slight mission drift for the MCT; and recording and tracking of referrals from all sources including co-responses.
Further discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding reclassification requiring training; best practices; moving services in-house; budget and cost savings; handling of medical records; medical malpractice insurance; the oversight component; working with federally qualified heal th centers; meeting people where they are; barriers to get people to services; limited availability of the federally funded mobile clinics; clarification that the level of service provided by Culver City is far superior to that provided by the county; response to domestic violence situations after the fact; providing additional support to CCPD and CCFD; and necessity of an initial law enforcement response.
13 May 19, 2025
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding Culver City as an example of best practices for other cities and counties; filling gaps to do the work that others are not; county grants; the request to the county from staff about unspent monies that resulted in Culver City receiving $1.2 million dollars; money secured a few years ago by a former Council Member for Project Homekey; the grant received by the county to be used; the NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability); money that has not yet been awarded; unprecedented work being done by Culver City; money spent to address inadequate service from the county; money the county receives from Culver City property tax and sales taxes; necessary services; and feedback from an unhoused individual at Wellness Village who wants to open up their own facility to help others.
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment .
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, indicated that no requests to speak had been received.
Dana Anderson, Human Resources Director, introduced staff and expressed gratitude for their efforts, and she provided a presentation on the proposed Human Resources Department Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding appreciation to staff for their efforts; fee schedules; budget requests; lack of an agreed upon equity framework; analyzing different opportunities based on equity; the Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP); examination of processes by the consultant; helping the City Council make equitable decisions; money allocated to labor negotiations; renegotiation of contract agreements with the four safety groups; the need for context to make a decision on the request for money to support the Arts District BID; understanding how other areas of the City are being supported; appreciation for staff efforts with the Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee (EHRAC) Courageous Conversations event; and gratitude for the focus on making sure that everyone is being taken care of.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the overall decrease; temporary funding for a limited term position; this year's budget process as compared to last year's process; vacancy rates; providing an anonymous reporting tool; wellness programs; budget constraints that have put creation of a wellness facility for employees at City Hall on hold; support for providing a facility for employee benefit and 14 May 19, 2025
a request that staff return with an estimate for creating such a facility; legal services as being paid for as they are used; employee data; Transportation terminations; people who do not complete the initial 6 week training period to become a bus operator; challenges to being a bus operator that one does not realize until they are in the position; the significantly larger number of male employees than female employees; looking at ways to recruit more female talent; outreach; looking at having more women in the trades; continued work to address issues; the efforts of CCFD; male-dominated occupations; and looking at the culture in the Women and Girls item.
Heather Baker, City Attorney's Office, introduced and thanked staff; provided a presentation on the proposed City Attorney's Office Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and she expressed appreciation to the City Council for their support and for the continued opportunity to serve.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the amount budgeted for outside services from 2023 vs. 2024; the small budget for the size of the City; money reserved for anticipated expenses; the difficulty of corning back to the City Council for additional funding; efficiency; types of legal services that are contracted out; use of people with different special ties; the budget experience this year vs. last year; consistent efforts to reduce legal services; appreciation for readily available support provided by the City Attorney; and the increased number of Public Records requests.
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment.
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk, reported no requests to speak.
J.R. Wright, Information Technology (IT)
presentation on the proposed Information
Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Director, provided a
Technology Department
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding usage and implementation of AI (Artificial Intelligence); risks associated with AI; creation of a City-wide AI policy;
guardrails before implementation of AI; ensuring AI eliminates all forms of bias; measuring AI outcomes; guidance to staff; disclaimers for whenever AI is used; providing original source materials; other software to explore before using AI; indiegov; mass email; the content record management system; the
availability of SMS messaging; targeted approaches; the ability to respond to email about similar issues built into indiegov; 15 May 19, 2025
software that would increase responsiveness to constituents; continued research into the matter; inclusion of the
Communications and Public Information Manager in the
conversation; and appreciation for staff efforts and assistance.
Additional discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding concerns around AI use and environmental impacts; ease of budget creation due to the assistance of the Finance Department; tracking email volume; blocked email;
identification of trends; indiegov or other tools that are not being taken advantage of; increased efficiency; optimization of Microsoft licensing; transitioning people to new applications; timing; unanimous City Council consensus was achieved to request a presentation on AI grant writing and management systems; advantages of being a first adopter; identification of grants; drafting appropriate language based on prior grants; likelihood of receiving the grant; and reporting mechanisms.
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Public Comment - Items Not on the Agenda (Continued)
Mayor O'Brien invited public comment.
The following member of the public addressed the City Council:
Nancy Barba noted that previous budget discussions observed that the budget is a reflection of City priorities; she asked the City Council to explore ways of reducing funding for things like the additional security put in place in late 2024 for City Council meetings; uncertain need for such security; she noted that the additional security was not inviting to guests; and she expressed support for the City loan to fund the Jubilo Village Project and its 93 affordable homes.
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Items from Council Members
Council Member McMorrin asked that the meeting be adjourned in memory of Malcom X.
Discussion ensued between staff and Council Members regarding the agreement for security with Good Guard and consideration of reducing security during the City Manager's report or whenever is appropriate.
16 May 19, 2025
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Council Member Requests to Agendize Future Items
City Council consensus was achieved to agendize the following:
• direct staff to research the viability of moving parking personnel and animal control to another department and
provide a report back to the City Council
• receive a presentation on AI software that helps write, draft, and find grants, and evaluates likelihood of getting grants and include a discussion of indiegov
• consider the CCFD proposal for a fee revenue increase with fees charged for EMS evaluation associated with non
transport
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MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCMORRIN, SECONDED BY MAYOR O'BRIEN AND
UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADJOURN THE MEETING IN MEMORY OF MALCOLM X IN HONOR OF HIS lOOTH BIRTHDAY.
oOo
17 May 19, 2025
Adjourrunent
There being no further business, at 9:15 p.m., the City Council adjourned in memory of Malcom X to a meeting to be held on May 20, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.
oOo
u ,�
remy Bocchino
CI o Culver City, California
LERK of the City Council
Culver City, California
18