BLUE FOLDER ITEM
Blue folder items are additional back up material to administrative reports and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MAY 2, 2023
L.1 CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING TO SOLICIT INPUT ON PUBLIC SERVICE GRANT
RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO ADOPT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FY 2023-2024 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN:
a. Reconvene the Public Hearing and take testimony;
b. Consider public service grant recommendations; and
c. Adopt the FY 2023-2024 Annual Action Plan.
CONTACT: CAMERON HARDING, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
From: Mark Nelson (Home Gmail)
To: CityClerk
Cc: Communications; info; Garth Meyer; Tyler Evains; [email protected]; [email protected]; Holly J.
Mitchell
Subject: Public Comment 5/2/23 Meeting
Date: Sunday, April 30, 2023 11:56:20 AM
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The District (SBHD renamed BCHD) was formed to benefit the “residents who reside” in the District according to the legal filings of the District. That condition represents the voters formation of the District.
It is unclear due to BCHD lack of recordkeeping how much taxpayer funding flows out of the District via services to Non-residents.
For example, the 5/2/23 Agenda Packet for the Redondo Beach City Council meeting states:
Community Services Program – The Beach Cities Health District provides case management and direction by a team of social workers to seniors in the South Bay beach cities. (p 589/884) BCHD must fully account for non-resident spending and provide resident vs. non-resident expenditures in its budget documents.
Councilmember Horvath reported the Beach Cities Health District held a kick-off event for the Alcove Mental Health Facility. (p 32/884) BCHD is funded for service provision to all of SPA8, a total of 1.4M population.
BCHD must fully account for the use and cost of taxpayer, land, assets, buildings, staff, and other material for residents vs non-residents. Furthermore, in order to shield taxpayers from malfeasance tax liability, BCHD must demonstrate that it fulfilled the use of any funding across the 1.4M equitably.
05/02/2023 INV PD 03/2023 BCHD EIR PEER REV (p 129/884) The City continues to spend funding on BCHD’s EIR review with no public documents or disclosure.
The public has an AFFIRMATIVE right to access of the work product reviewing BCHD FEIR.
From: Linda Davis
To: CityClerk
Subject: City council public comment
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 1:41:43 PM
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I’m Linda, and I’m a mother of two young children. I saw in a Facebook group an announcement for this meeting. I’ve been struggling to find childcare that doesn’t eat up a majority of my income for almost a year now, and I was really hoping there would be news of a childcare program being funded at this meeting. I am writing to urge you to prioritize funding for childcare programs in the community. As you are well aware, affordable and accessible childcare is essential for families to thrive, and yet it remains out of reach for far too many parents.
Especially with everything going on these days, it's been so tough for so many moms and dads to balance work and childcare responsibilities. I can't tell you how many times I've had to scramble to find a last-minute babysitter or call in sick because I couldn't find anyone to watch the kids, and can say same for all of my friends that have kids.
But it's not just about making things easier for parents (although that would be amazing).
It's also about supporting our kids and their development. Good quality childcare programs can help our little ones learn and grow in a safe and nurturing environment, and give them the skills they need to succeed later on in life. I know that quality has been my top priority on my childcare search, and something that has made it difficult to find childcare providers I feel comfortable with. I urge you to consider what the community needs when making these funding decisions. It would make such a huge difference to moms like me who are just trying to do our best for our families.
All my best,
Linda D.
From: James Rodriguez
To: CityClerk
Subject: Public Comment - Annual Action Plan - Redondo Beach - May 2, 2023 Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 1:25:44 PM
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Dear City Council members,
As a father and resident of Redondo Beach, I strongly urge the council to prioritize funding for child care initiatives in our city.
As we all know, child care is an essential service that allows parents to work and provide for their families. However, it can be a significant financial burden for many families, especially those with low to moderate incomes. Studies have shown that investing in early childhood education and care can lead to significant benefits for children's cognitive, social, and emotional development. By providing access to high-quality child care, we can give our children the best possible start in life and help prepare them for success in school and beyond.
My family and I were excited to see a childcare initiative on the agenda and I strongly recommend that the City Council allocates funding toward it.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
James Rodriguez
From: Daniella Miller
To: CityClerk
Subject: Redondo Beach City Council Meeting Public Comment Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 1:45:34 PM
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Dear City Council,
As a single mother, I am frustrated and overwhelmed by the lack of affordable and accessible child care here in Redondo Beach. Trying to balance work and parenting without adequate child care is an impossible task, and I know I am not alone in this struggle. I urge the Council to take immediate action to invest in initiatives and programs that will make child care more affordable and accessible for families like mine. The stress and uncertainty of not being able to find quality child care is taking a toll on our families.
Thank you for your time.
Daniella
From: Linda Davis
To: CityClerk
Subject: Agenda Item: L.1. 23-5696
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 2:17:43 PM
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Council:
I am writing to express my concern about the lack of accessible and affordable child care services in our City. As a child care provider, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles that families go through in order to find quality child care that fits their needs and budget. It is essential that our city recognize the importance of providing safe and nurturing environments for children to grow and thrive. Access to high-quality early childhood education and care not only benefits children but also supports working families by allowing parents to pursue their careers. The struggle to find child care was one of the main reasons I started my daycare, which is now the main source of income for my family. We were excited to hear that the City was exploring ways to support our businesses and help us thrive, so we can serve more families. However it looks like Council is going back on this. Why is the WeeCare program not being considered for funding?? How does the City plan to help support our businesses? Without child care providers, many families would not be able to maintain their jobs.
We dedicate our lives to helping the lives of others, it would be nice if the City would consider this when offering support to the community.
From: Michael Martinez
To: CityClerk
Subject: L.1. 23-5696
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 2:44:17 PM
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To whom it may concern,
My name is Michaela Martinez and I am a resident of Redondo Beach where I live with my husband and children, 5-year old and 8-year-old. I am also the owner of a home daycare business. I have been in the field of child care for 15 years and in my recent location for over 2 years. I am currently licensed for 6 children and care for 5 children.
Being a family child care provider is very rewarding because I get to see the impact of the work that I do within my community. I get to see families and their children growup and be part of their lives. Last year I was invited to the high school graduation of one of the children that I used to take care of when they were little. Knowing that I have contributed to this family in a positive way is what keeps me motivated to stay open. As a mother, being able to impact my community and take care of my own family, as well as being able to financially contribute to my household is important for me. Being able to raise my children and be here for my family is the best part.
One of the biggest challenges that I face, and many other of my fellow childcare providers, are the low wages and compensations. I currently have one family, and I would like to take more families, but the rates are so low and it does not allow me to operate my business efficiently. If my husband did not work, I would not be able to keep my doors open.
If the wages were higher, I would be able to invest in myself, my education, and professional development. I would also be able to provide a better learning environment for the children I care for. As the children grow up, their needs expand and I would love to be in a position to help foster their growth and development.
Another thing that would be helpful for me is to make the licensing process easier to navigate, provide more resources for us, and make it easier to expand our license to care for more children. I have 15 years in the field, and because I moved to a new location, I had to start all over again. My previous 12-years experience as a provider did not count towards the new license and I've had to wait two years to increase my capacity! I could be caring for more children right now.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I would like to ask that you consider us, the family child care providers, in your future budget planning. This will not only increase the quality of life for me and my family, but also my colleagues, all the families we care for and our community. Please invest in child care!! From: David Williams
To: CityClerk
Subject: submitting a comment
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 2:43:15 PM
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Hi there,
This is Dave. I'm a father of 3 and I take my youngest to a local family home daycare provider.
They mentioned a new program coming that they were excited about, and I'd like to express my support for any funding that goes towards supporting local childcare providers. They do a lot for the community and I'm grateful for them.
Thank you.
Dave
From: Patricia Jones
To: CityClerk
Subject: Topic on Council Agenda is L.1. 23-5696
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 2:50:33 PM
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Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council:
I am a recently retired childcare, early education advocate! Since the start of the pandemic, it has become increasingly difficult for parents to find care options. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of childcare as an essential service to support working families and the local economy. Many families struggle to balance work and caregiving responsibilities due to various childcare centers closing as a direct result of COVID. We need to ensure that families have access to the resources and support they need to be successful. I urge the City Council to prioritize investments in childcare services to support the health and wellbeing of our community. This could include initiatives such as increasing funding for childcare providers, exploring subsidy programs and partnerships, expanding access to highquality early childhood education programs, and partnering with businesses to provide childcare benefits for working parents.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue. I hope that the City Council will take action to improve access to affordable and quality childcare services in using CDBG funding. If funding is not available, I would encourage the Council to explore alternative funding streams like American Rescue Plan Act Funds or even General Funds. I have seen very innovative cities decrease general fund obligations while improving services by funding programs like WeeCare's BOOST program.
Thank you for your time...
Patty