1 David Yakobson
From: Nikki Kolhoff <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 11:58 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox; Gleam Davis; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis; Oscar de la Torre Subject: City Council 8/27/24 Item 5I - Greg Morena's Special Lease - OPPOSE
EXTERNAL
City Council and City Manager -
I urge you to OPPOSE special treatment for Greg Morena. The city is broke and you tell us the city can't afford to open our libraries, but you can afford to give your buddy Greg a special deal on a pier lease? This is unacceptable.
In short, here are the concessions:
- he gets to own 2 restaurants when city policy says 1 is the maximum - his lease doesn't have to get bid out to ensure RESIDENTS are getting the best deal - he doesn't have to do the tenant improvements required by the lease - he does get the rent abatement provided to the prior tenant, despite failing to comply with the lease Furthermore, the timing is a cause for raised eyebrows. Greg hires Harding Larmore to threaten litigation against the city, both the lease and litigation were CLOSED SESSION items on May 28, 2024, there was "nothing to report" out of the lease matter and staff withdrew the litigation matter.
Then in June Greg gets appointed BY ACCLAMATION to Rec & Parks Commission with no community support on the record for his appointment, and now he gets special treatment on his lease. Lana Negrete is also on one of his boards, which should be reviewed for conflicts of interest.
While our city is struggling economically, and residents have been forced to sacrifice their safety, services, and well-being, it's appalling that you feel like THIS is an appropriate thing to do. We deserve better.
Regards,
Nikki Kolhoff
Santa Monica resident of 26 years
Item 5-I
August 27, 2024
Item 5-I
August 27, 2024
2 David Yakobson
From: Stanley H Epstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 10:53 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fwd: Items 5 G and 5 I on Tuesday’s Agenda
EXTERNAL
Kindly include in written comments for both Items specified above.
Thanks. Stan Epstein.310 393 7619
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: Stanley H Epstein <[email protected]>
Date: August 26, 2024 at 6:40:19 PM PDT
To: David White <[email protected]>
Cc: David Martin <[email protected]>, Phil Brock <[email protected]>, Douglas Sloan <[email protected]>, City Clerk <[email protected]>, John Alle <[email protected]>, Oscar de la Torre <[email protected]>, Lana Negrete <[email protected]>, Gleam Davis <[email protected]>, Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>, Christine Parra <[email protected]>, Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Items 5 G and 5 I on Tuesday’s Agenda
There is still time for you to do the right thing and restore something to your professional reputation by immediately issuing an order that the current Chase Bank and Pier ( involving Greg Morena) leases be attached to their respective Agenda items to be acted on tomorrow evening. Your failure to do so , or to rationally explain why you differ with your predecessor, will not be forgotten.
Stan Epstein
Sent from my iPad
On Aug 26, 2024, at 6:27 PM, Stanley H Epstein <[email protected]> wrote:
Item 5-I
August 27, 2024
Item 5-I
August 27, 2024
3 Dear David. Neither you, nor anyone on your behalf, has responded to the inquiry below. It seems you want Staff to to hide essential information on the Agenda from Council and the public, and that you are reversing the totally important and wise policy of your predecessor. I think this to be a significant measure of your poor performance in your position.
Stan Epstein
Sent from my iPad
On Aug 23, 2024, at 9:36 AM, Stanley H Epstein
<[email protected]> wrote:
Dear David. About 5 years ago, at my suggestion, the then City Manager instructed all Senior Staff that whenever there is an item for Council affecting an existing lease( by modification, extension, cancellation, or otherwise), that the Agenda include an attachment of the existing lease.
As an attorney with decades of work on significant leases, I know that neither I nor my client would ever deal with a change to an existing lease of any kind without having that existing lease available . Our City should be just as careful!
The attachments for 5 G and 5 I ( Chase Bank and Greg Morena deals) both lack the respective existing leases, thus depriving the public and Council of extremely important information.
Therefore, please instruct David Martin today to have the Clerk promptly add attachments of both existing leases to the Agenda.and thereby remove a major objection to the items.
Incidentally, I am aware that informed and valuable
community activists have major problems with the
proposed Greg Morena transaction.
Sincerely, Stan Epstein. 310 393 7619
Sent from my iPad
Item 5-I
August 27, 2024
Item 5-I
August 27, 2024