REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES - CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Minutes
Redondo Beach City Council
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Closed Session - Adjourned Regular Meeting 4:30 p.m.
Open Session –Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m.
4:30 PM - CLOSED SESSION – ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
A. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
An Adjourned Regular Meeting of the Redondo Beach City Council was called to order at 4:30 p.m. by Mayor Light in the City Hall Council Chambers, 415 Diamond Street, Redondo Beach, California.
B. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Behrendt, Kaluderovic, Loewenstein, Obagi, Mayor Light
Councilmembers Absent: Nehrenheim
Officials Present: Eleanor Manzano, City Clerk
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
Laura Diaz, Records Management
Coordinator/Deputy City Clerk
C. SALUTE TO THE FLAG AND INVOCATION - NONE
D. BLUE FOLDER ITEMS – ADDITIONAL BACK UP MATERIALS
There were no Blue Folder Items for Closed Session.
E. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS AND NONAGENDA ITEMS There were no public communications on Closed Session items and non-agenda items.
F. RECESS TO CLOSED – 4:34 p.m.
City Clerk Manzano read title to the items to be considered in Closed Session.
City Manager Witzansky announced that the following would be participating in Closed Session: City Manager Mike Witzansky, City Attorney Mike Webb, and Outside Legal Counsels Abby O’Brient, Jon Welner and Alexander Frank.
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Motion by Councilmember Loewenstein, seconded by Councilmember Kaluderovic, and approved by voice vote, to recess to Closed Session at 4:34 p.m.
Motion carried, 4-0. Councilmember Nehrenheim was absent.
F.1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
Yes in My Back Yard, a California nonprofit corporation; SONJA TRAUSS, an individual v. City of Redondo Beach; City Council of the City of Redondo Beach; City of Redondo Beach Department of Community Development, and DOES 1 through 25 inclusive
Case Number: 23TRCP00325
F.2. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
City of Redondo Beach, et al. v. California State Water Resources Control Board
Case Number: 20STCP03193
F.3. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
New Commune DTLA, LLC and Leonid Pustilnikov v. City of Redondo Beach and City Council of the City of Redondo Beach
Case Number: 22TRCP00203
F.4. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
New Commune DTLA, LLC v. City of Redondo Beach; City Council of the City of Redondo Beach; City of Redondo Beach Department of Community Development, et al.
Case Number: 23STCP00426
F.5. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege,
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Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
New Commune DTLA LLC v. City of Redondo Beach; City Council of the City of Redondo Beach; and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive Case Number: 23STCV10146
F.6. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
9300 Wilshire, LLC v. City of Redondo Beach; City Council of the City of Redondo Beach; City of Redondo Beach Department of Community Development; and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive
Case Number: 23STCP02189
F.7. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
In re 9300 Wilshire LLC
Bankruptcy C.D. Cal. Case Number: 2:23-bk-10918-ER
F.8. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
Don B. Laughton v. City of Redondo Beach; Redondo Beach Unified School District, Does 1-50
Case No: 23TRCV00414
F.9. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
Debra Barker v. City of Redondo Beach, VLMD, LLC, dba Abbracci Med Spa, Abbracci Aesthetics, P.C., et al.
Case Number: 21STCV38177
F.10. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege - Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
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Name of case:
Diana Trejo v. County of Los Angeles; City of Los Angeles; City of Redondo Beach, and DOES 1 to 25
Case Number: 23TRCV01219
F.11. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - The Closed Session is authorized by the attorney-client privilege, Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).
Name of case:
Daniel Mendoza-Conner v. City of Redondo Beach, et al.
Case Number: 23TRCV00481
G. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION – 6:00 p.m.
Mayor Light reconvened to Open Session at 6:00 p.m.
H. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Behrendt, Kaluderovic, Loewenstein, Nehrenheim, Obagi, Mayor Light
Officials Present: Mike Witzansky, City Manager
Laura Diaz, Records Management
Coordinator/Deputy City Clerk
I. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS
City Manager Witzansky announced Assistant City Attorney Cheryl Park joined in for all Items under Closed Session, via Zoom.
J. ADJOURN TO REGULAR MEETING
Motion by Councilmember Loewenstein, seconded by Councilmember Kaluderovic, and approved by voice vote, to adjourn to the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m.
Motion carried, 5-0.
6:00 PM - OPEN SESSION – REGULAR MEETING
A. CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Redondo Beach City Council was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor Light in the City Hall Council Chambers, 415 Diamond Street, Redondo Beach, California.
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Tuesday, August 13, 2024
B. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Behrendt, Kaluderovic, Loewenstein, Nehrenheim, Obagi, Mayor Light
Officials Present: Mike Witzansky, City Manager
Laura Diaz, Records Management Coordinator/
Deputy City Clerk
C. SALUTE TO THE FLAG AND INVOCATION
Mayor Light invited Veterans and Active Military to stand and recognized them for their service.
Eli, Seventh Grader, St. Lawrence Martyr School, led in the salute to the flag.
Mayor Light called for a moment of silence.
D. PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember Nehrenheim talked about the recent District 1 Community Meeting at Alta Vista and announced the upcoming Riviera Village Sidewalk Sale.
Councilmember Loewenstein announced the District 2 Community Meeting on August 28th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Community Development Director, Marc Wiener, will be the special guest. They will talk about the police and fire bond for November to rebuild the fire station and police station.
Councilmember Kaluderovic commended RBPD for the success of the recent National Night Out and the RBFD for their recent help to a person in the City who needed size 17 shoes.
Councilmember Obagi announced the District 4 Community Meeting on August 29th starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Perry Park Senior Center. Community Services Director, Elizabeth Hause, will be the special guest. They will talk about the teen, senior and diversity programs and will also discuss the response from all the noise coming from Inglewood and the bonds coming up.
Mayor Light spoke about the festivities at National Night Out; thanked fellow Councilmembers for the help with writing the ballot arguments for the upcoming elections; spoke about the last Council meeting and discussions about ranked choice voting (RCV) and apologized for letting his passion get ahead of his civility and promised to keep himself under better control in the future.
E. APPROVE ORDER OF AGENDA
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Motion by Councilmember Obagi, seconded by Councilmember Loewenstein, and approved by voice vote, the order of the agenda, as presented.
Motion carried, 5-0.
F. AGENCY RECESS - None
G. BLUE FOLDER ITEMS – ADDITIONAL BACK UP MATERIALS
G.1 For Blue Folder Documents Approved at the City Council Meeting Deputy City Clerk Diaz announced Blue Folder Items for Items No. J.1 and N.1.
Motion by Councilmember Kaluderovic, seconded by Councilmember Loewenstein, and approved by voice vote, to receive and file Blue Folder Items.
Motion carried, 5-0.
H. CONSENT CALENDAR
H.1. APPROVE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 13, 2024
CONTACT: ELEANOR MANZANO, CITY CLERK
There were no public comments on this item.
Motion by Councilmember Nehrenheim, seconded by Councilmember Obagi, and approved by voice vote, the Consent Calendar as presented.
Motion carried, 5-0.
I. EXCLUDED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
J. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
J.1 For eComments and Emails Received from the Public
Mayor Light invited public comments.
Georgette Gantner, District 2, referenced the May 7, 2024 City Council Meeting where Mayor Light proposed the combining of commissions and that the Public Art Commission be renamed to the Cultural Arts Commission to save $53,000; stated that on May 22, 2024, the Public Art Commission unanimously voted down the consolidation and the renaming of the commission to the Cultural Arts Commission; noted the Commission
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followed up with a letter saying the same on July 25, 2024; listed her reasons for opposition to Council’s recommendations; urged Council not to approve the proposal and maintain the Public Art Commission as it is currently structured.
Rolf Strutzenberg, speaking as a Member of the Redondo Beach Board of Education, stated that upon the advisement of counsel, he is bringing forward the following matters:
he has violated the Charter of the City of Redondo Beach and continues to do so; stated he has received compensation with a total approaching $100,000 in a four-year term; reported that compensation for Members of the Board of Education is specifically prohibited by the Redondo Beach City Charter; apologized for the fraudulent misappropriation of public funds for personal benefit and to taxpayers, students and parents of students that this has harmed; stated that as a Member of the Board of Education he is subject to the board policies set forth and adopted by the Board of Education and as such, unable to comply with the mandate of the Redondo Beach City Charter and noted he will continue his pursuit to reveal any such illegal actions and bring them to an end.
Joan Irvine, District 1, spoke about her support for the legalization of cannabis in Redondo Beach; noted the disappointing speed in which the City has addressed the topic; talked about Council’s upcoming consideration of the ordinance and approval process; stated she does not believe allowing applicants ten minutes to present is enough time for the public to feel comfortable about City Council’s decision; announced that she will be interviewing companies on her radio show, Your Best Life, starting in September so the public can have more than 10 minutes of information . Additionally, she asked the public to send questions to [email protected] about what they would like to ask the various cannabis companies ; announced she will ask candidates to hold educational meetings in the community and podcasts on social media to address resident concerns; noted the importance of transparency.
Barry Ogle, District 4, wanted to voice his frustration that the owner of a blue Chevy Malibu, License No. 5U84442 has been able to talk his way out of the street sweeping ticket two weeks in a row; mentioned the owner parked on Friday between 9:00 a.m. to noon and lives at 1922 Condon Avenue; added he takes the battery out of one vehicle and puts it in another to move it, and has three other vehicles; he asked that the City enforce the laws they post.
There were no other public comments and Mayor Light closed this portion of the meeting.
K. EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS - None
L. PUBLIC HEARINGS - None
M. ITEMS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS AGENDAS – None
N. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION PRIOR TO ACTION
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N.1. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL INTERVIEWS OF COMMISSIONER
APPLICANTS FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE CITY COMMISSIONS
PROCEDURES:
A. Conduct applicant interviews; followed by
B. Councilmembers submitting recommendations for appointments to the Mayor by Wednesday, August 28, 2024;
C. The Mayor proposing Commission appointments at the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 17, 2024; and
D. The City Clerk administering Oath of Office to new and reappointed Commissioners at the City Council Meeting of October 1, 2024, or before each Commissioner begins their term at the October Commission Meetings.
CONTACT: ELEANOR MANZANO, CITY CLERK CITY MANAGER ITEMS Mayor Light reviewed the procedures as listed; noted questions regarding the Youth Commission and the status of it is under Blue Folder Items; noted each candidate gets one minute to state why they want to be considered for the commission; noted that after the minute each Councilmember has the ability to ask questions to the candidate; mentioned that changes have been made to some commissions so if they changes affected the candidates they can let Council know; stated the Public Amenities Commission is a newly formed commission so if anyone is interested to please let them know.
Mara Lang reported she would like to continue working on the Recreation and Parks Commission; she also understands that they will undertake more duties that fell under the Historical and Library Commissions as well as some others; mentioned she just completed an 18-course certificate program in interior architecture through a UCLA extension; voiced the importance of historical preservation and her passion for recreation and parks.
In response to questions from Council, she addressed being on the Board of the South Bay Parkland Conservancy and reported she was part of the subcommittee that brought the first community garden to Redondo Beach; additionally, she has been a part of Youth Sports in coordination with the School District and the utilization of field space.
Councilmember Obagi pointed out that Mara Lang is a huge activist for trees and played a role in that ordinance being passed. He thanked her for all her activism.
Councilmember Nehrenheim asked Ms. Lang what she would like to do moving forward.
Mara Lang discussed things she would like to continue working on including the Parks Infrastructure Subcommittee and would like to figure out ways to expedite future needs more quickly; spoke about Council empowering the Commissions a little more.
Councilmember Loewenstein reported that she has been outspoken about the use of
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artificial turf and asked her to expand on it.
Ms. Lang explained the research she has done; stated that all studies show it is a subpar material and it breaks down into micro plastics; it is dangerous for the children playing on it and creates more trash in landfills. She feels another material would be better to use.
Councilmember Kaluderovic commented on the use of park spaces and diversifying how parks spaces are set up to accommodate different ages and asked Ms. Lang if that is something she would want to tackle.
Ms. Lang confirmed she is passionate about getting more people outside and that is something that she would want to take on.
Mayor Light called up Raymur Flinn; mentioned she has been recommended by the School Board and would like to curtail any questions after she speaks.
Raymur Flinn spoke about being inspired to apply because of a Leadership Redondo class she took and she heard the Youth Commission was being re -invigorated; her experience on the School Board and her passion for education and getting the youth involved in the civic process compelled her to want to help.
Mayor Light highlighted that Councilmember Kaluderovic was responsible for bringing this forward; added that he felt the City is missing the Youth’s perspective in City government.
Ron Maroko talked about his work in the Historical Commission, the Library Commission and other groups in the City including Preservation; expressed excitement especially when Council decided to have more Path of History markers; reported he would ask for only a two-year term and discussed a current project of digitizing the Daily Breeze.
David Klewan spoke about his experience working for a non-profit in professional sports and his interest in recreational opportunities for the youth; talked about making facilities sustainable and encouraging more participation from all ages in the City.
Mayor Light asked David Klewan if he understood that they combined the commission and it is now the Public Amenities Commission.
David Klewan said he understood and has a lot of pride in the City.
Christopher McCauley, Member of the Recreation and Parks Commission; stated he is seeking to renew for the combined Public Amenities Commission; he understands the meetings will be longer and more intense due to the combined commissions and asserted his commitment to serve.
Councilmember Obagi asked what he was most proud of since he has served on the
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Recreation and Parks Commission.
Mr. McCauley said he is very proud of the new structure to Dominguez Park, starting up the subcommittee for the youth groups and pushing for more dialogue between the School District and the City for more park space.
Marci Klein mentioned she owns Klein Creative Media; talked about her service on the Public Arts Commission for almost eight years and her interest in the Harbor Commission; mentioned her passion for the ocean and being a member of the Yacht Club; stated her interests in water sports and boating.
Councilmember Obagi asked her if there was anything frustrating about her time serving on the Public Arts Commission.
Ms. Klein discussed challenges related to the high turnover of liaisons between the Commission and the City; noted that due to the turnovers nothing was able to get done and felt their hands were tied.
Mayor Light asked her thoughts on the CenterCal project and the amenities plan for the Harbor.
Ms. Klein commented that she has not seen the Harbor amenities plan and felt the CenterCal project doesn’t have anything to do with the Harbor. She wants to keep the Harbor beautiful and clean.
Alfred Mejia reported applying for the Public Works and Sustainability Commission; stated he works as an environmental protection specialist; he provided information about his background and work experience, which included being an Environmental Engineer for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and expanded on his interest in sustainability.
Mayor Light asked what his driving passion is for the City of Redondo Beach.
Mr. Mejia stated he would like to bring more of the new practices of sustainability; he has been working on projects that divert waste from landfill to recycling centers and that is what drives him. He also clarified that he works as a chemical engineer.
James Gorbin, District 2, Engineer, talked about his work experience , background and expertise in engineering, planning, and cultural affairs; reported he currently serves on the Historical Commission and is interested in serving in the new Public Amenities Commission.
Mayor Light asked if he would also be interested in the historical preservation of the City.
Mr. Gorbin answered favorably to this.
Michelle Gold spoke about her love of art and her interest in the Public Art Commission; mentioned she is an alum of Redondo Leadership and since then has wanted a way to
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participate in the community; stated she is currently the Philanthropy Chair at Adams Middle School and spoke about her participation in Portraits of Hope, an organization that helps beautify cities with art. Additionally, she responded to questions from Council regarding her vision for public art along the Artesia corridor, overcoming challenges in terms of having a consistent staff liaison and the importance of communication and opportunities to build private partnerships.
Grace Peng, via Zoom, spoke about her educational experience and background in math and chemistry; mentioned she moved to Redondo Beach about 25 years ago to be a weather and climate risk analyst at the Aerospace Corporation; she moved on to work at the Weather and Climate Research Data Archive at the National Center for Atmospheric Research; discussed her autoimmune disease and her use of an eBike as an assistive device; noted she has learned a lot about what goes on in the City riding her eBike. Councilmember Loewenstein asked Dr. Peng what her opinion is on population density and its effect on city streets and roads in the community; she stated the City needs to figure out how to get more cars off the streets and for households to own fewer cars.
Councilmember Obagi commented on the importance of Commissioners establishing a relationship with any Councilmember in order to stay connected and let him/her know what is going on at the Commission level.
Desiree Galassi spoke about serving on the Preservation Commission and the Subcommittee for Minor Alterations; reported she has loved her time serving, has learned a lot and has been a part of creating historic districts; discussed her background and work experience and confirmed that she would be interested in participating in the Public Amenities Commission. Councilmember Loewenstein commented on her advocacy of pickleball and commended her on her ability to advocate but not berate.
Councilmember Obagi spoke about her being clearly communicative and effective and commented on her advocacy for more senior programs.
Samantha Schwarz spoke about her background and experience in Redondo Beach, her passion for art and volunteering; discussed her vision for more color and life along the Artesia corridor and responded to questions from Council regarding her participation in Little League and Youth Sports. Councilmember Behrendt gave positive feedback on her work.
Lee Coller, District 3, spoke about his background and experience in the City; reported he is interested in the Harbor Commission; he is a boater and owns a boat; reported he is a member of the King Harbor Yacht Club and Leadership for the Southern California Yachting Association; he is familiar with and supportive of the Amenities Plan and looks forward to its completion. Councilmember Kaluderovic asked Mr. Coller why he has never applied to the Harbor Commission before; he responded that he has been too busy as an Oracle software architect but is retiring in October and that will free up time for him.
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Eric Shanker ( via Zoom), M.D., Air Force National Guard ( previously Air Force Reserves), expressed his interest in the Traffic and Public Safety Committee ; stated he was on the Traffic Advisory and Safety Advisory Committee in Loma Linda keeping the city and traffic safe; moved to Redondo Beach five years ago. Councilmember Kaluderovic mentioned his number one choice was for the Planning Commission but sounds like he is more interested in Public Safety; he clarified that Public Safety would be his first but Planning is also something he is interested in.
Leslie Chrzan, District 2, currently finishing her first term as Chair of the Harbor Commission; stated she would love to continue on; spoke about her background and experience as a boater and serving on the Harbor Amenities Plan Subcommittee; reported she was just assigned to the Boat Ramp Subcommittee starting in September and indicated there is a lot going on that she would like to see through. Councilmember Nehrenheim asked how she planned to get the word out to the public regarding all the work the Harbor Commission is doing; she responded that she is a big proponent of that and is working with the City’s PR in order to make people aware of what they are doing; spoke about updating the website to highlight the positive actions such as Seaside Lagoon, dredging, and the new boat ramp; stated her educational and professional background as a Mechanical/System Engineer and business owner.
Aidan Shea, Manufacturing Engineer, Impulse Space, just moved to Redondo Beach about a year ago, spoke about his interest in city government and more specifically planning; mentioned his work in the City helping on the machine shop floor side; he helped with the layout of the machinery; reported as a cyclist he notices lots of situations that need solutions throughout the city and that is why he would like to be involved.
Jaclyn Cheves, District 3, spoke about being a parent, an AYSO Soccer Coach and volunteers at the Washington Elementary garden and at Hands-on-Art at Jefferson; lived in Redondo Beach for four years; stated she is the Director of Policy and Partnerships; discussed her background in public health and policy; talked about issues she would like to address in the City to improve public health and safety.
Councilmember Obagi commended Councilmember Kaluderovic for the increased participation of District 3 residents.
Austin Carmichael, District 5, currently serving on the Public Safety Commission, spoke about his background as a software engineer and tech writer and work experience as an HR consultant; stated that one perk of being on the Public Safety Commission is the ability to once a month thank RBPD and RBFD for their work; mentioned he enjoys being on the Public Safety Commission because it allows them to lead with empathy and curiosity; commented on the future of the Commission and what he would like to accomplish and gave examples of what he envisions.
Nick Sherbin, currently on the Budget and Finance Commission, spoke about his education, extensive work background and experience serving on the Commission; expressed his interest in continuing on the Budget and Finance Commission. He
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mentioned he is looking forward to developing more adequate ways of supporting the Council and would like to continue this pursuit by continuing to serve on the Commission.
Steven Anderson, District 5, indicated his interest in the Harbor Commission; reported he is a state licensed professional engineer solely working on public work civil design; spoke about his background and experience in the City and having a long history of public service; addressed being an example to his children regarding the importance of volunteer service; listed areas of expertise where he could help; confirmed that he would like to be considered for the Harbor Commission and the Public Works and Sustainability Commission. He responded to questions from Council regarding the importance of District 5 representation at it relates to the Harbor including the importance of maintaining access to all areas within the City.
Councilmember Obagi announced needing to leave due to a prior obligation but will continue to watch the meeting online. He left the meeting at approximately 7:36 p.m.
Mercedes Van Pelt, District 3, spoke about joining the Redondo Beach Leadership Program and discovering the opportunities the City has to be involved; provided some history and experience with the City; confirmed her interest in the Public Amenities Commission but is open to any commission where she can be of help.
Sandra Buchan, District 5, spoke about her background and experience serving and volunteering in Redondo Beach and working in public policy; mentioned she had run for City Council 15 years ago and split the vote, two-term commissioner for Park and Rec, worked in the domestic violence group, took the leadership training, and several other events she participated in; she took a hiatus from Redondo Beach work when she went to UCLA and worked in financial engineering; she currently works for RAND Corporation in public policy; noted she would like to reengage with the City of Redondo. In reply to questions from Council, she reported working 20 years for the CIA; she did undercover work; stated she came out from undercover when she started doing more public service; stated she loved working there and she felt she made a positive impact there.
Masood Yousufzai, currently serving on the Recreation and Parks Commission, reported he was appointed by the late Mayor Brand; discussed why he would be a good fit for the Public Amenities Commission and requested consideration for the Budget and Finance Commission; addressed his professional and work background for an accounting firm specializing in local government; mentioned his work with all levels of government in finance; spoke about his experience as a coach and as a new father, there being public parks for his child to play in. In reply to Council questions, he commented on the importance of preserving local history, on his family’s history in Redondo Beach, on maximizing use of park and open spaces and potential conflicts of interest having worked for other municipalities.
Doug Boswell, District 3, currently serving on the Planning Commission; announced he will continue to serve, at City Council’s pleasure; noted he is the only Commissioner that never missed a commission meeting; reported that serving has been one of the high
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points of his life, that every Planning Commissioner is a super star; dedicated to leaving no stone unturned” and that he would love to continue serving. He responded to questions from Council regarding the pace of projects moving through the City and the work done on the appeal of the South Bay Galleria.
Anneke Blair spoke about her family’s history and experience in Redondo Beach; reported she is currently serving on the Recreation and Parks Commission ; stated her interest in the preservation of Redondo Beach; stated she works in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a Fortune 500 company, builds strategy for companies that have more people than the City of Redondo Beach and does not shy away from topics that may be controversial. In reply to questions from Council, she talked about the need for a Master Parks Plan, a publicly available basketball court and finding a balance of amenities across the board for all of Redondo Beach.
Bhuvan Bajaj, District 3, currently serving on the Public Works and Sustainability Commission, spoke about serving on the GPAC, his family’s background, experience and involvement in the City and City programs; talked about his professional and work experience as a City Traffic Engineer for one-third of the City of Los Angeles. He expressed interest in continuing to serve on the Public Works and Sustainability Commission.
Dave Bader, Business Owner, spoke about his background and history in the City; expressed interest in the Public Safety and Sustainability Commission, Recreation and Parks Commission, and Budget and Finance Commission. In response to questions from Council, he addressed his vision for the City relative to establishing partnerships and sponsorships.
Victoria Pitzele expressed interest in the Public Arts Commission; spoke about her recent retirement from the Design Committee at Hands-on-Art; spoke about having more time for the Public Arts Commission but will continue teaching; mentioned her passion for photography and hoped to join the Public Arts Commission to contribute her expertise.
There were no other candidates to interview nor public comments on this item.
Holly Osborne (via Zoom) stated she has been watching the meeting and has never seen such a good group of candidates for Commissions and thanked everyone that attended this evening.
Mayor Light thanked everyone participating and commented on next steps in the process.
O. MAYOR AND COUNCIL ITEMS - None
P. MAYOR AND COUNCIL REFERRALS TO STAFF - None
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R. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION – None
The Closed Session meeting was cancelled.
S. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION – None
The Closed Session meeting was cancelled.
T. ADJOURNMENT – 8:20 p.m.
There being no further business to come before the City Council, motion by Councilmember Loewenstein, seconded by Councilmember Nehrenheim, to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 p.m. to an Adjourned Regular meeting to be held at 4:30 p.m. (Closed Session) and a Regular meeting to be held at 6:00 p.m. (Open Session) on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 in theRedondo Beach City Hall Council Chambers, 415 Diamond Street, Redondo Beach, California.
Motion carried, 4-0. Councilmember Obagi was absent.
All written comments submitted via eComment are included in the record and available for public review on the City website.
Respectfully submitted:
Eleanor Manzano, CMC
City Clerk