10A
Date: December 16, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk | [email protected] Subject: City Clerk – Discuss and Provide Direction on Amending the Torrance Municipal Code to Combine Commissions or Change Meeting Frequency of Commissions.
Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Clerk that City Council discuss and provide direction on amending the Torrance Municipal Code with respect to City Commissions by combining Commissions or changing how often they meet.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
At the City Council meeting date of July 8, 2025, Councilmember Mattucci received concurrence for the City Clerk to bring back an item to discuss combining or dissolving Commissions.
Additional consideration could be made to alter how often Commissions meet.
The City of Torrance currently has 13 Commissions, as shown below. •Airport Commission
•Civil Service Commission
•Commission on Aging
•Cultural Arts Commission
•Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission •Historic Preservation Commission
•Library Commission
•Parks and Recreation Commission
•Planning Commission
•Social Services Commission
•Traffic Commission
•Water Commission
•Youth Council
1 City Council
December 2, 2025
8 0
9 The City Clerk collaborated with Commission Liaisons to discuss possible combinations. City Council could also review commission duties and decide whether to dissolve the commission or change the frequency of meetings, if they desire. Budgetary savings would be realized by combining commissions from the amount of staff time and minutes secretary. A natural attrition would occur, whereby no new commissioners would be appointed as commissioners term out, until the commission was back down to a total of seven members. If the City Council chose to combine commissions, the recommendation of the City Clerk would be to start the combined commissions at the start of the new fiscal year, July 1, 2026.
For awareness, the City is not currently a Certified Local Government (CLG) and, as a result, does not qualify for any special grants for historic preservation. Being a CLG would allow the City to apply for historic preservation grants for such things as community educational programs, staff trainings, and technical assistance activities through National Park Services, when available.
To qualify as a CLG, there are certain requirements that must be met including:
1. One member with a professional background in design or construction, with at least two years of experience with historic preservation; and
2. One member who meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for History or Architectural History, or with a demonstrated background or experience in researching, writing, teaching, or interpreting history or historic materials.
As it is possible there may be future historic preservation grant opportunities, staff would recommend the above two criteria continue to apply if the Historic Preservation Commission is combined with another commission.
Based on discussions with Commission Liaisons, the changes below are being proposed for City Council’s consideration.
• Combine the Planning and Historic Preservation Commissions. • Combine the Library, Cultural Arts, and Parks and Recreation Commissions and change the name to the Community Services Commission.
• Combine the Library and Cultural Arts Commissions.
• Combine the Commission on Aging with the Parks and Recreation Commission. • Convert the Commission on Aging to an advisory committee, meeting on a rotating basis at the three senior centers in Torrance.
• Change the Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission to meet at least once every quarter, additional meeting may be held at any time, if needed. • Change the Water Commission to meet ten months out of the year, going dark in November and December due to their meetings being canceled due to following on the holidays.
The City Council may choose to make additional recommendations for changes. If City Council directs the City Clerk to make changes to any of the commissions, the City Clerk recommends the changes take effect July 1, 2026 .
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026 Local Appointments List
2. December 2, 2025 - Agenda Item 8H - Public Comment Report 2 Revised 11/18/2025
CITY OF TORRANCE MADDY ACT
2026 LOCAL APPOINTMENTS LIST
TERMS EXPIRING JUNE 30, 2026
See reverse for additional information on the processes for applying for a Torrance Advisory Commission.
/s/ Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk
November 18, 2025
AIRPORT DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Eugene Krc
Gary Sefarian
07/08/2025
08/09/2022
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
Yes
No
-
CIVIL SERVICE DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Mia Kartsonis
03/25/2025
06/30/2026
No
COMMISSION ON AGING DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Unscheduled Vacancy
Mary Hileman
07/01/2022
07/01/2022
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
No
No
CULTURAL ARTS DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Steven Hsiao
Unscheduled Vacancy
Unscheduled Vacancy
07/01/2022
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
06/30/2028
No
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY &
ENERGY CONSERVATION DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Estela Hill
Susan Jendrucko
07/01/2022
07/01/2022
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
No
No
HISTORIC PRESERVATION*
*requirements for appointment see
Ordinance No. 3822
DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION
ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Gene Higginbotham
Unscheduled Vacancy
07/01/2023
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
Yes
LIBRARY DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Unscheduled Vacancy
Joy Sun
07/01/2021
07/08/2025
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
No
No
PARKS & RECREATION DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Chet Craft
Zohra Muhammed
07/01/2022
07/01/2022
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
No
Yes
PLANNING DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Tony Yeh
07/01/2022
06/30/2026
No
ATTACHMENT 1
3 Revised 11/18/2025
SOCIAL SERVICES DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Stephen Leys 07/01/2022 06/30/2026
No
SST CITIZEN’S OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Craig Neumann
Michelle Polcari
07/01/2023
07/01/2023
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
No
No
TRAFFIC DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Arohi Sharma
Lucas Thoma
8/09/2022
08/09/2022
06/30/2026
06/30/2026
No
No
WATER DATE APPOINTED TERM EXPIRATION ELIGIBLE FOR
REAPPOINTMENT
Charles Deemer
07/01/2022
06/30/2026
No
ABOUT COMMISSIONS
• Commissions and boards are advisory to the City Council. • Appointments will be made by the City Council in DATE TBA. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m..
DATE TBA(postmarks not accepted)
• Commission applications are accepted anytime throughout the year and are available online at www.torranceca.gov/government/commissions, in person at the Office of the City Clerk, 3031 Torrance Blvd. or by calling (310) 618-2870.
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY
• Contact the Office of the City Clerk at (310) 618 -2891 to add your name to the interest list to receive specific written notice.
• Applicants must be active registered voters in the City of Torrance and have completed the city-sponsored Commissioner Certification Training. Online Commissioner Certification training is available by contacting the City Clerk’s Office. Applications will not be accepted if the Commissioner Certification expires before appointments. • Historic Preservation has specific requirements to be appointed (Ordinance No. 3822).
AFTER APPOINTMENT TRAINING AND PUBLIC FILING REQUIREMENTS • All appointed commissioners will be required to take two (2) additional state mandated trainings within one (1) year of appointment:
o AB 1234 – Ethics Training for Local Officials (2 hours every 2 years) o Non-Supervisory Harassment Prevention Training (1 hour every 2 years) • Free online training is available on the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) website under “For Local Officials” at http://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/public-officials-and-employees-rules-/ethics- training.html.
• After January 1, 2011, all appointees will be required to file a Statement of Economic Interest (Form 700), which are public records, reflecting the Torrance Conflict of Interest Code. • Re-certification is required every two years in order to remain current.
TERMS
• Commissioners may serve up to two consecutive four-year terms. • Applicants appointed to fill unexpired terms may serve two consecutive terms in addition to completion of the unexpired term.
COMPENSATION
• Compensation is made for expenses at $ 10* per meeting attended, with most agencies meeting once a month. (Refer to specific commission for meeting days) You may waive compensation by emailing the City Clerk.*Once Ordinance is adopted.
4 Revised 11/18/2025
VACANCIES & NOTICE
• Notices of unscheduled vacancies are post ed in the Office of the City Clerk , on the City Clerk's Public Notice Board, and in the Civic Center Library within twenty days of the vacancy. • At least 10 working day notice will be given before any unscheduled vacancy is filled. • Notice is given through public announcements as well as written communication to the certified eligible list.
CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION 5 8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be pulled by a Councilmember from the Consent Calendar and considered separately.
8H. City Clerk – Discuss and Consider Combining or Dissolving Commissions. Expenditure: None.
Name
Mike Griffiths
Comment 12/01/2025 12:00 PM : (Against)
Hello Mayor and Councilmembers
I am saddened to see this item to combine or dissolve City Commissions being brought forward. I'm not sure what the benefits would be to combining or dissolving commissions, besides reducing staff time required to operate these commissions, which they have done successfully for many, many years, and staff has already benefited greatly by reducing the number of Council meetings by at least half during the pandemic. The small amount of financial savings is negligible compared to the benefits of continuing the commissions as they are, or with some nonstructural minor changes.
To my knowledge, there have been rarely any times where there hasn't been an excess of interested community members willing to serve on our commissions. Having the community involved in our City government is a huge testament to why Torrance has historically been such a well run City.
Community involvement is something that should be encouraged, and not reduced unless it is having a negative impact.
As a current Historic Preservation Commissioner, a former 10year City Councilmember, and a commissioner for over 9 years, the benefits of participating on commissions are significant. Commissioners have historically been a frequent source of City leaders. Commissioners provide beneficial assistance to the work of City Council. Commissioners learn better how our City functions. Commissioners help represent our City at various functions. Commissions help improve the transparency of government and allow for better outreach to the community on issues of importance to our residents and businesses.
Specifically, with regards to the City's newest Commission, and the one on which I serve, the Historic Preservation commission, would be negatively impacted if suggested changes are implemented. Council created this commission with the understanding that Historic Preservation is a very specialized area of concern for our city, and it is the only commission with specific requirements needing to be met by a subset of the commission.
Speaking for myself, as someone who is passionate about historic preservation, if the commission was folded into the Planning Commission as staff is suggesting, I would have no interest in serving. I suspect that many, if not most, of my fellow Historic Preservation Commissioners would feel the same way. And conversely, should the duties of the Historic Preservation Commission be rolled into the Planning Commission, I would suspect that the Commission would not be as effective in understanding the unique issues associate with historic preservation, resulting in less than ideal outcomes. One reason that there has been some challenge getting commissioners to serve on this commission is that the requirements are not clear to the public, and I have recently recommended to staff ways to improve the public's understanding of the unique needs of the commission.
Falsely, many people have the perception that you couldn't apply for this commission unless you possessed the unique requirements required of just a fraction of the commission.
If anything, encourage staff to adjust meeting schedules to better reflect the workload. If there is a lack of urgent business for a commission, then the commission should go dark for that meeting. That can still save some staff time, yet keep all the benefits of having our community involved in our City government. Also, to address a possible perception of less interest in commissions, I believe that commission opportunities should be better advertised. There used to be a well publicized and popular inperson 'Prospective Commissioner Training' class maybe that should be reconsidered to be brought back. I realize that online training is easier, but it doesn't generate the interest or excitement about commissions as being part of a big inperson group of residents interested in serving our community.
The bottom line is, if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it. If the benefits are greater than the negatives (staff time is not a negative), then why change it? Please keep the community MORE involved in our government, NOT LESS.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns on this issue.
Mike Griffiths
1 PUBLIC COMMENT REPORT
FOR AGENDA ITEM 8H
ATTACHMENT 2
6 8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be pulled by a Councilmember from the Consent Calendar and considered separately.
8H. City Clerk – Discuss and Consider Combining or Dissolving Commissions. Expenditure: None.
Name
Mike Griffiths
Comment 12/01/2025 12:00 PM : (Against)
Hello Mayor and Councilmembers
I am saddened to see this item to combine or dissolve City Commissions being brought forward. I'm not sure what the benefits would be to combining or dissolving commissions, besides reducing staff time required to operate these commissions, which they have done successfully for many, many years, and staff has already benefited greatly by reducing the number of Council meetings by at least half during the pandemic. The small amount of financial savings is negligible compared to the benefits of continuing the commissions as they are, or with some nonstructural minor changes.
To my knowledge, there have been rarely any times where there hasn't been an excess of interested community members willing to serve on our commissions. Having the community involved in our City government is a huge testament to why Torrance has historically been such a well run City.
Community involvement is something that should be encouraged, and not reduced unless it is having a negative impact.
As a current Historic Preservation Commissioner, a former 10year City Councilmember, and a commissioner for over 9 years, the benefits of participating on commissions are significant. Commissioners have historically been a frequent source of City leaders. Commissioners provide beneficial assistance to the work of City Council. Commissioners learn better how our City functions. Commissioners help represent our City at various functions. Commissions help improve the transparency of government and allow for better outreach to the community on issues of importance to our residents and businesses.
Specifically, with regards to the City's newest Commission, and the one on which I serve, the Historic Preservation commission, would be negatively impacted if suggested changes are implemented. Council created this commission with the understanding that Historic Preservation is a very specialized area of concern for our city, and it is the only commission with specific requirements needing to be met by a subset of the commission.
Speaking for myself, as someone who is passionate about historic preservation, if the commission was folded into the Planning Commission as staff is suggesting, I would have no interest in serving. I suspect that many, if not most, of my fellow Historic Preservation Commissioners would feel the same way. And conversely, should the duties of the Historic Preservation Commission be rolled into the Planning Commission, I would suspect that the Commission would not be as effective in understanding the unique issues associate with historic preservation, resulting in less than ideal outcomes. One reason that there has been some challenge getting commissioners to serve on this commission is that the requirements are not clear to the public, and I have recently recommended to staff ways to improve the public's understanding of the unique needs of the commission.
Falsely, many people have the perception that you couldn't apply for this commission unless you possessed the unique requirements required of just a fraction of the commission.
If anything, encourage staff to adjust meeting schedules to better reflect the workload. If there is a lack of urgent business for a commission, then the commission should go dark for that meeting. That can still save some staff time, yet keep all the benefits of having our community involved in our City government. Also, to address a possible perception of less interest in commissions, I believe that commission opportunities should be better advertised. There used to be a well publicized and popular inperson 'Prospective Commissioner Training' class maybe that should be reconsidered to be brought back. I realize that online training is easier, but it doesn't generate the interest or excitement about commissions as being part of a big inperson group of residents interested in serving our community.
The bottom line is, if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it. If the benefits are greater than the negatives (staff time is not a negative), then why change it? Please keep the community MORE involved in our government, NOT LESS.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns on this issue.
Mike Griffiths
2 7
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be pulled by a Councilmember from the Consent Calendar and considered separately.
8H.
City Clerk – Discuss and Consider Combining or Dissolving Commissions. Expenditure: None.
Name
Kenneth Johnson
Comment 12/01/2025 04:32 PM : (Against)
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
I’d like to thank the City staff for their review and report on the commission structure. I understand that this item came about because of concerns regarding efficiency, staff workload, and applicant shortages. I understand that the intent is not to remove responsibilities, but to explore alignment. However, I want to express my belief that commissions offer one of the most accessible ways for Torrance residents to participate in local government, provide transparency to the public about issues they might not otherwise know about, and provide focused expertise on the issues they cover.
I would also like to raise concerns about some of the proposed mergers.Several of the proposals have commissions with very different missions being combined. This risks diluting subject expertise and burying important topics under large agendas. I’m also concerned with the idea of removing the Aging Commission altogether. I would ask for the council and staff to have clear criteria on mission alignment, workload, and impact on public engagement. It may make sense to merge some commissions or reduce the frequency of meetings for others, but we should be careful to make sure those always done to strengthen public engagement not reduce it.
Regarding the applicant shortage, I would suggest the city to expand outreach and recruitment through the library, social media, and other means to encourage more civic engagement before making any changes. It may also make sense for some commissions to expand their scope to address growing needs of the community. I support examining opportunities to modernize our commissions thoughtfully, but please proceed carefully to preserve strong public participation and effective advisory bodies.
Thank you for considering my input.
Respectfully,
Kenny Johnson
Commissioner, Social Services Commission
City of Torrance
3 8
-----Original Message-----
From: Adam Schwartz <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2025 3:37 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>; Chaparyan, Aram <[email protected]>
Subject: Item 8H Commissions
Dear Members of City Council-
I am proud to be a commissioner for the City of Torrance. Moreover, I am a passionate member of the Historic Preservation Commission. I believe in the specificity of our mission, and that our work is far from over.
When I sought my appointment to this specific commission, I did it not for the clout nor title, but rather because I have a specific interest. Our city’s commission program is both meaningful and strong due to the specificity of these groups. The more specific a purpose a commission is given, the greater the probability that council can find someone with a passion in that field. Conversely, the more vague you make a commission, the more vague applicant’s motivations will be. Please- do not scrub away the specificity of our commissions. The city is not well served by “do you know who I am” clout chasers, rather truly passionate commissioners enrich our city.
Also, please do not limit the amount of meetings any commission can have. If there isn’t enough material to justify a meeting in any given month, it is much easier for staff to cancel a meeting rather than having to plan a special session if an important issue comes up. Trust staff to make that call.
Commissions in their current form enrich how the city can interact with residents. Finding seven experts in a variety of fields yields valuable insight on specific issues. It is much easier and more efficient for a group of 7 experts to interact with the public and carefully form a recommendation to council. Combining commissions would water down the efficacy of this communication. As members of council, you only have so much time in your day to get acquainted with the myriad of diverse issues facing our city. It’s more efficient for you to have ready made teams of experts in specific fields to guide your creation of policy. Let us do our job, so that you can be more confident in yours. We are all a part of a diverse city ecosystem of ideas, and you would be wise to not limit the counsel you receive.
Respectfully,
Adam Schwartz
4 9