SPECIAL MEETING OF THE May 9, 2025
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 at City Hall.
Present: Dan O’Brien, Mayor, Culver City
Freddy Puza, Vice Mayor, Culver City
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, WLAC
Michelle Long-Coffee, Public Relations Director WLAC
Staff: John Nachbar, City Manager, Culver City
Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager, Culver City
Elaine Gerety Warner, Economic Development Director,
Culver City
Jeremy Bocchino, City Clerk
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Pledge of Allegiance
The City of Culver City/West Los Angeles College Liaison Committee recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Public Comment for Items NOT on the Agenda
No requests to speak were received.
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City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
May 9, 2025
Receipt of Correspondence
No correspondence was received.
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Consent Calendar
Item C-1
Approval of the March 19, 2024 CC-WLAC Liaison Committee Meeting Minutes
MOVED BY MEMBER LIMBAUGH, SECONDED BY CHAIR PUZA AND UNANIMOUSLY
CARRIED, THAT THE CITY OF CULVER CITY/WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE LIAISON COMMITTEE APPROVE MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF MARCH 19, 2024.
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Order of the Agenda
No changes were made.
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Action Items
Item A-1
2028 Olympics Update
Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager, provided a report on the 2028 Olympic Games; indicated that the City is in the process of negotiating an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with New Zealand for City Council approval; discussed plans for a hospitality house at The Steps during the Olympic Games; discussed plans by New Zealand to open the plaza to the public free of charge, rent the Culver Hotel, and utilize the upper steps as a private space; several other nations interested in potential hospitality house and high performance center locations; facilities considered by LA28 for practice and high performance center locations; plans to engage in a Cultural Olympiad; the county-wide initiative that is separate from the Olympics but involves joint scheduling and marketing cultural events in Los Angeles county; options recommended by the Cultural Affairs Commission for City Council consideration; the City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
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May 9, 2025
list of Culver City facilities that could be used that did not include West Los Angeles College facilities; and staff
attendance of a countywide gathering convened by LA County, where it was learned that the Olympics will be car-free with designated remote shuttle lots for spectators and that
coordination between cities is limited.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding the nature and purpose of hospitality houses; the U.S.
hospitality house during the 2024 Paris Olympics; variations in the amount of space to be used; high performance centers including space to practice, work out, and eat nutritious meals; use of a high school or college campus; the presentation deck of venues developed in coordination with local property owners for hospitality house activation; disappointment expressed by Dr. Limbaugh of West LA College regarding the lack of
partnership and follow-up; lack of an organizational management system for anything outside of event cities; the distinction between event cities and non-event cities and associated tradeoffs; decision making entities; clarification that there is no directory of who to contact; inward-facing hospitality houses; those that do not allow the general public in; those that charge entrance fees; nations that have visited Culver City to explore hospitality house and high performance center locations; communication between WLAC and Culver City; acknowledgment of the missed opportunity and a commitment to move forward collaboratively; effort being put in by Council Member O’Brien; the ability to integrate WLAC facilities into the ongoing process; the valued relationship; agreement of West LA College to prepare a presentation packet of its facilities and provide it to Jesse Mays; the point of contact for interested nations; the National Olympic Committee convening in Los Angeles on May 19 and 20; and the positive international attention generated by New Zealand’s decision to locate its hospitality house in Culver City.
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Item A-2
Update and Discussion of the 10100 West Los Angeles College Construction Project
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding the status of the 10100 Jefferson project; clarification that no active construction plans currently exist for the site and City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
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that the last awarded bid was canceled after the vendor sought to materially alter the terms of the bid, effectively
constituting a breach of contract; and the preliminary concept for a community garden on the site in connection with the College’s climate program, which remains in very early stages.
No requests to speak were received.
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Item A-3
West Los Angeles Community College Construction Update
Dr. Brian Stokes, WLAC Administrative Services and Innovation, provided an update on campus construction projects; discussed completion of the renovation of the fourth floor of the Student Services Building (SSB); near-completion of renovation work in the Fine Arts Building (FAB); inclusion of student services and programs to support students with food insecurity and clothing needs; low voltage disconnection planned in December 2025; demolition of campus buildings constructed between 1969 and 1971; selection of a construction contractor and groundbreaking anticipated in October 2026, with a projected completion date of approximately 2030; the Facilities Plant Center and Shops replacement project with construction underway and 80% of Lot 8 cordoned off; expected construction duration of approximately 29 months; the Diane Watson Soundstage; and Measure LA funding of approximately $500 million allocated to WLAC for
infrastructure, remodeling, and improvement projects including athletic facilities, Wi-Fi upgrades, and a dental hygiene simulation laboratory, with no new construction permitted under the measure.
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding agreement to provide Culver City with information on
organizations providing student support; projects being completed with funding already in place; the major Hellman Center project funded by Measure LA; the impact of construction noise and disruption on neighboring Culver City residents beginning in January 2026 and continuing for approximately five years; clarification that housing would be located at City College rather than at WLAC; permitted use of Measure LA funding; determining priorities; length of the bond fund; use of remaining Measure CC funds; normal delays; the Olympics; the security of Measure LA project funding from changes by the City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
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current federal administration; the approximately 20-year bond fund timeline; concerns that construction costs may increase by 25 percent or more due to tariffs, labor shortages, postfire displacement, and demand from World Cup 2026 and the Olympic Games in 2028; Measure LA parameters permitting expansive remodeling of existing structures but prohibiting new construction; the WLAC Climate Center; encouragement for Culver City to reach out with any information regarding potential student placement working for Culver City or other entities; new and returning degrees and courses offered at WLAC; campus features; grants; externships; potential collaboration on development of the Culver City Climate Action Plan; and encouragement for students to attend Sustainability
Subcommittee meetings.
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Item A-4
Discussion of Next Steps, Future Agenda Items, and Next Meeting Date/Time
Discussion ensued between staff and Committee Members regarding coordination between WLAC and Culver City staff regarding potential locations at WLAC for Olympics use; future agenda items, including West Los Angeles College construction update, a presentation on Climate Palooza scheduled for October, a report on student population trends and demographics, and collaboration on the City’s climate action plan; regular community outreach meetings regarding construction; potential funding for WLAC from the multi-million dollar initiative coming out of LAEDC; the Culver City circulator shuttle service connecting downtown to the Metro station; evaluation conducted as part of the Comprehensive Mobility Services Plan currently under development; additional data needed before a
determination can be made; denial of housing due to transit access challenges for students traveling to the West Los Angeles College campus; service gaps between Metro stations and the campus; a previous plan for expanded service on Jefferson Boulevard that was not realized; appreciation for the increased bus service to campus; increases to online classes; bicycle parking availability on campus and the possibility of a survey to assess demand; the annual AQMD survey on how WLAC staff commutes; trends in student populations; and agreement that the next meeting would be held quarterly in August 2025.
City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
May 9, 2025
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Public Comment for Items NOT on the Agenda (Continued)
None.
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Items from Members/Staff
James Limbaugh, Ph.D., President, West Los Angeles College, reported that the College is petitioning the state to be designated a Black-Serving Institution, noting that nearly 20 percent of the College’s student population identifies as African American, and he expressed confidence that the
designation would be achieved.
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City of Culver City/West Los Angeles
College Liaison Committee Minutes
May 9, 2025
Adjournment
There being no further business, at 3:06 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 ____________________
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FREDDY PUZA
VICE MAYOR, 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