[Editor’s Note: Third in a series about Dep. City Attorney David McCarthy, a U.S. Marine reservist, and the hot national debate over post-traumatic stress disorder for returning military veterans. Having undergone counseling at the end of his latest tour of duty, Mr. McCarthy was ordered to be further checked out when he attempted to return to work. See Part 2, “After Five Marine Call-ups, Lt. Col. McCarthy Is Weighing No. 6,” April 28.]
Never before.
What was different about this time?
Did a veteran member of the School Board speak out imprudently at the April 15 Board meeting?
And then possibly compound the action last night by refusing to back down?
Open Houses, job responsibility and priorities were on Dr. Dana Russell’s mind at the earlier meeting when he launched into a stern criticism of Principal Leslie Lockhart of El Rincon School, according to eyewitnesses.
“We the Veterans,” a unified alliance and fellowship with America's military Veterans, recently was represented on behalf of Operation Firing For Effect , a leading Veterans organization headquartered in Rochester, NY, to file a Congressional Complaint against California’s senior Senator, Diane Feinstein.
They demanded either the full and absolute cooperation of her West Los Angeles staff or the immediate termination of her District Director, Trevor Daley.
Unchained from a team of perceived adversaries whom he believed were a little too happy, a little too enthusiastic in the way they thwarted his agenda every week for the last 6 years, Vice Mayor Gary Silbiger reacted the way other newly liberated men have in the past.
He hoped. to even the score for years of alleged mistreatment in one try.
Monday night marked the opening of a new City Council season, and Mr. Silbiger, long victimized in his own eyes, had pledged to friends and family, this Council season would be different.
Last Thursday, , the MTA Board voted to increase the Expo Line budget by $54 million for a Culver City overpass, increasing the project budget to $862 million dollars for the 8.5-mile light rail line from Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City.
Of the $54 million, $4 million came from the City of Culver City while the remaining $50 million came from state Prop. 1B, the $19 billion transportation bond that was passed by voters in November of 2006.
In a visit to City Hall last evening that eventually wandered down strongly emotional avenues, Albert Vera spoke candidly about each member of his family as he basked in the fresh air of a rare appearance at his old workplace
“First time here in two years,” said the three-term former City Councilman, still held in reverential regard in certain neighborhoods of Culver City.
Vilifications of the past were vanquished.
Offended feelings melted.
Starting with a nicely staged club-like reception in the decorated courtyard of City Hall at 6 sunny o’clock last evening, the final lingering fumes from personal slights evaporated as three unusually strong Culver City politicians were bade farewell by the cream of foe, friend, family and stranger.
In less than one shaky hour last night, the newly seated City Council turned into the Jeremiah Wright and Michelle Obama of City Councils.
A train-wreck. A nightmare. Embarrassing.
Pity Scott Malsin. The very talented newly elected Mayor of Culver City figures to lose a lot of sleep in the next year trying to keep these directionless varmints vaguely in line.
Before the three term-limited members of the (now) old City Council could mount their steeds last night, ride out of town and yee-haw into the next chapter of their lives, the just sworn-in new Council majority was trying to overturn the last controversial act by their predecessors.
Perhaps the Entrada Office Tower is not a done deal, as suggested by the old Council’s split vote two weeks ago.
An ultimate call may lie in the hands, and perhaps the law books, of City Atty. Carol Schwab.
For an amateur politician — amateur only in the sense you couldn’t make a living from the token pay — Mayor Alan Corlin so adroitly mastered the mechanisms of running Culver City government that he looked and acted as if he came with the wallpaper, the lighting fixtures and the flooring in Council Chambers.
He acted and looked like the Mayor from Central Casting, even though at City Hall the position is described as ceremonial.
On the contrary, Mr. Corlin — who loves playing prankster and sprang more puns at his colleagues than anyone on the last five City Councils — took each of his two one-year terms as Mayor with deadly seriousness.
