1 TO: City Council
FROM: Andrew Vialpando, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Andrew Vialpando, City Manager
MEETING DATE: February 3, 2026
SUBJECT: Amendment No. 1 to Professional Services Agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) to Conduct a Community Priority Survey
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approve Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No. 2025-02 with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates (FM3) adding an amount of $28,250, for a total amount not to exceed $61,500, to conduct a resident budget and priority survey; and, appropriate $28,250 to the City Manager’s Department from General Fund Available Balance.
BACKGROUND
At its meeting on January 21, 2025, the City Council approved Agreement No. 2025-02 with FM3 to conduct a community survey to gauge residents’ priorities in order to guide the City Council’s future budgetary goals and strategic outcomes. Some 73% of respondents said there is a need for additional funding for Lomita City services, and that public safety services and investment in infrastructure are at the top of the list of priorities per respondents to the survey.
DISCUSSION
State law allows local taxing authorities (i.e. City of Lomita) to access portions of the sales tax allotment beyond the 1% Bradley-Burns local return. Lomita voters overwhelming passed Measure L in 2020, providing an additional ¾-cent portion of transaction and use sales tax to be collected and used exclusively in Lomita for general services such as public safety and infrastructure.
The recent passage of Los Angeles County’s Measure A for Countywide homeless services included the repeal of Measure H, which was implemented in 2017 as a ¼-cent transaction and use tax. The repeal of Measure H has created a situation where any local
CITY OF LOMITA
CITY COUNCIL REPORT
Item No. 7f
2 taxing authority may access this newly available ¼-cent sales tax portion with voter approval. Numerous agencies such as AQMD, Metro, and LA County may attempt to introduce a measure on the June 2026 ballot to access this ¼-cent unused portion of sales tax, resulting in the possibility of local sales tax revenue being redirected for purposes outside of Lomita. Lomita has an opportunity to capture the ¼-cent sales tax if approved by voters through a ballot measure.
The additional work proposed by FM3 (Exhibit B) involves conducting a final scientific snap poll to examine whether voters perceive there is a need for additional funding for top priorities and identify how voters would like potential funding to be used. After execution of the survey, FM3 will complete an analysis of the results and present the findings to the City to guide next steps.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed Amendment to Agreement No. 2025-02 adds an additional $28,250 to the contract, for a total amount not to exceed $61,500. If approved, an additional $28,250 will be appropriated from the General Fund Available Balance.
VISION, MISSION, VALUES, AND STRATEGIC OUTCOMES
The City’s Vision, Mission, and Values set the standard for the organization, establish priorities, uniformity and guidelines; and provide the framework for policy decision making. The Strategic Outcomes were implemented to provide a pathway to achieving the City’s Vision. This item aligns with Strategic Outcome No. 3: Community Engagement & Communications - Building trust through open, inclusive communication.
OPTIONS
Approve recommended action.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Professional Services Agreement with Proposal (Exhibit A)
2. Amendment No. 1
3. Exhibit B
Approved by:
. .
______________________
Andrew Vialpando
City Manager