1 March 18, 2025
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MARCH 18, 2025
A special meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Negrete at 5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA.
Roll Call: Present: Mayor Lana Negrete
Mayor Pro Tem Caroline Torosis (Arrived at 5:09 PM)
Councilmember Jesse Zwick (Arrived remotely at 5:10 PM) Councilmember Dan Hall
Councilmember Ellis Raskin
Councilmember Barry Snell
Councilmember Natalya Zernitskaya (Arrived at 5:03 PM)
Also Present: City Manager David White
City Attorney Douglas Sloan
City Clerk Nikima S. Newsome
CONVENE/PLEDGE On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 5:00 p.m., with all members present except Councilmembers Zwick, Zernitskaya, and Mayor Pro Tem Torosis. Councilmember Raskin led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
STATEMENT OF
ACCOUNTABILITY
(LAND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT)
The City of Santa Monica is located on the land of Tovangaar. With great respect, the City acknowledges the Gabrieleño/Tongva as the First People of this ancestral and unceded territory of Kuruvungna, a village that we know as Santa Monica. We honor their elders, past and present, and the Gabrieleño descendants who are part of the Gabrieleño /Tongva tribes.
We recognize that these peoples are still here, and as settlers and kuyam (guests), we recognize our responsibility and obligation to care for their land in partnership with them. The City of Santa Monica commits to work in partnership with the Gabrieleño/Tongva people to uplift their voices and visibility on their ancestral land.
The City of Santa Monica Statement of Accountability (Land Acknowledgement) was read into the record by Councilmember Raskin.
LEVINE ACT
DISCLOSURE
Pursuant to the Levine Act (Govt Code Section 84308), any party to a permit, license, contract, or other entitlement before the Council is required to disclose on the record any contribution, including Docusign Envelope ID: ACF12D8A-4D4B-49BF-A1DB-5C1FABCBEB6A 2 March 18, 2025
Councilmember Natalya
Zernitskaya arrived at 5:03
PM
aggregated contributions, of more than $500 made by the party or the party's agents within the preceding 12 months to any City official.
Participants and agents are requested to make this disclosure as well.
The disclosure must include the name of the party, participant, or agent, and any other person making the contribution; the name of the recipient, the amount of the contribution, and the date the contribution was made.
No Councilmembers recused themselves from any items on the agenda pursuant to the Levine Act.
CLOSED SESSIONS
Mayor Pro Tem Caroline
Torosis Arrived at 5:09 PM
Councilmember Jesse Zwick
arrived remotely at 5:10 PM
On order of the Mayor, the City Council recessed at 5:06 p.m., to consider Closed Sessions.
5.A. Public employee appointment - Gov. Code § 54957(b): consider public employee appointment; title: City Manager; Gov. Code § 54957.6: conference with labor negotiator; City negotiator:
Mayor/Personnel Director; unrepresented employee: City Manager This matter was heard with no reportable action taken.
5.B. Conference with labor negotiator – Gov. Code § 54957.6:
agency designated representatives: Interim City Manager Elaine Polachek, Human Resources Director Dana Brown, and Human Resources Manager Sarah Rebensdorf; bargaining units:
Administrative Team Associates (ATA), AFSCME Local 4819- Management Team Association (MTA), California Teamsters Local 911 (IBT), Municipal Employees Association (MEA), Public Attorney’s Legal Support Staff Union (PALSSU), Public Attorney’s Union (PAU), Santa Monica Fire Executive Management Association (FEMA), Santa Monica Firefighters Local 1109 (LOCAL 1109), Police Officers Association (POA), Supervisory Team Association (STA) and SMART TD - International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers - Transportation Division, Local 1785 (SMART TD)
This matter was heard with no reportable action taken.
Docusign Envelope ID: ACF12D8A-4D4B-49BF-A1DB-5C1FABCBEB6A 3 March 18, 2025
ADJOURNMENT On order of the Mayor, the City Council meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Nikima S. Newsome Lana Negrete
City Clerk Mayor
Docusign Envelope ID: ACF12D8A-4D4B-49BF-A1DB-5C1FABCBEB6A