By Marla Koosed
[Editor’s Note: The writer, a member of the Cultural Affairs Commission, sends along her remarks from the Commission’s latest meeting, Tuesday, May 14.]
My comments are not intended to slight the City Manager (John Nachbar) or Asst. City Manager Martin Cole’s efforts on behalf of the Cultural Affairs staff, the Commission or the foundation. I am extremely appreciative of Mr. Nachbar. I understand and respect his fiscal responsibility to the City of Culver City.
On the heels of the new city budget presented last night, with no changes in sight for Cultural Affairs, it is time to speak out and make public what happened to Cultural Affairs on April 24, 2012:
Thirteen fulltime regular employees and one fulltime limited-term employee were issued layoff notices as part of a reorganization plan due to the now dissolved Culver City Redevelopment Agency. Each fulltime regular employee was offered a choice of reassignment to another position, acceptance of a paid leave severance package or acceptance of an early retirement incentive (if eligible). The vacated 14 positions were proposed for a city savings of $2.3 million annually to the city’s General Fund.
Of the 14, three made up the entire Cultural Affairs division, the only staff Cultural Affairs had. Thankfully, each chose to accept reassignment, so at least we kept the employees in-house. Susan Obrow, Performing Arts and Special Events Coordinator, was reassigned to Parks and Rec, with her previous duties adding the management of Vets Auditorium and other Parks and Rec administrative responsibilities.
Jeremy Green, former Administration and Special Projects Coordinator, was reassigned to the City Manager’s office, leaving Christine Byers, Public Art and Historic Preservation Coordinator, with an odd pairing, Transportation four days, Community Development one day. Essentially the one day allotted was for Ms. Byers to take care of her previous job description during that eight-hour day. I would elaborate on Ms. Byers’s complete job description. Suffice to say, it is impossible to perform her job in any way. It is ironic that the person responsible for coordinating the Art in Public Places program was reassigned this year, when we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Art in Public Places Program/Ordinance.
In one moment, Cultural Affairs was dismantled and defunded without any discussion involving the Commission, the foundation or more importantly the public. Now it is one year later, and staff, the Commission and the foundation have been patient, hoping for a minor adjustment to current Cultural Affairs staff for the new fiscal year.
The problem lies with the fact that the Cultural Affairs division and Commission were established by the City Council in 2001, bearing the responsibility to oversee the Art in Public Places program and Historic Preservation. That same Council adopted the Community Cultural Plan with a 5-0 vote in March 2003. The public voted for, and trusted, the 2001 City Council and future City Councils to carry on that legacy, promise and responsibility.
The decision to dismantle and defund Cultural Affairs was done under the auspices of solely a financial decision. Sort of a sequestered approach to the state’s dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency.
This decision is not a financial one.
It is about the fact that there was no public input, no discussion about the impact this would have on a department that had worked well over the last decade, putting Culver City/Cultural City on the map. No discussion about the legacy that the 2001 City Council established. It was the only division that was cut by 70 percent.
Currently staff, Commission and the foundation are nurturing Cultural Affairs to the best of their abilities. However, with current staffing levels, they have had to cut out all but essential parts of their job descriptions and work programs. Staff is unable to apply for grants (without a Herculean effort involving Commissioners and foundation board members). Staff cannot manage and apply for quality interns, oversee foundation fundraising and has had to cut non-relevant sub-committee meetings for the Commission and the foundation.
We cannot continue to operate with 30 percent of our former staff , burn them out and lose them. We cannot underestimate the institutional knowledge that the Cultural Affairs staff has in their grasp, along with their professional relationships that benefit Culver City tremendously. Their expertise is just the tip of the iceberg if we lose them. We are severely disabled temporarily. That could be permanent if no action is taken.
Culver City stands to lose it’ place and brand as a Cultural City. The City of Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica and West Hollywood all have Cultural Affairs departments that are absorbed into the General Fund, not Redevelopment. None of our sister cities was affected to the degree Culver City was.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of our Art In Public Places program, advocate for taking the first small step to shore up a weak foundation by reinstating Ms. Byers’s position to fulltime in Community Development for the 2013/2014 budget year. Make us 70 percent operational for the next few years while we figure out a long-term solution to fund and re-imagine Cultural Affairs, post-Redevelopment Agency.
Take action. Speak up and out to your City Council members via email, phone and all social media before next Monday and Tuesday or during the scheduled budget hearings from the departments. One week from tonight, at 6:30, there will be a special Cultural Affairs Commission meeting with the City Manager to discuss this topic.
Attend to show your support.
On Monday, June 10, the City Council is scheduled to adopt the new budget. If we don’t act now, we risk losing much more than the savings would be, to restore one fulltime, highly specialized, dedicated staff member.
