[Editor’s Note: Here is the Interim City Manager’s fourth bi-weekly update for the community/]
City Manager’s Office
League of California Cities Legislative Action Day — On June 2, Vice Mayor Mehaul O’Leary, Councilmember Scott Malsin, and the Assistant to the City Manager went to Sacramento to meet with legislators at the League of California Cities’ annual Legislative Action Day. Councilmembers and staff met with Speaker Emeritus Karen Bass, Sen. Curren Price and their staff and heard presentations from legislators and Gov. Schwarzenegger. The primary topics of discussion were the state budget, budget impacts to Culver City, and key legislation.
Utility Users Tax Collection — In a cooperative effort involving the Finance Dept. and the City Attorney’s Office, on June 10, the city received a payment of approximately $58,000. The payment resolved outstanding utility users taxes owed the city from a company that had previously not been known to the city, but was subject to the city’s UUT ordinance. In addition to this payment, the company is now fully aware of the ordinance and will remit UUT collections to the city on the customary monthly basis.
Brotman Medical Center Claims — The City Attorney’s Office has been informed that claims from the Brotman Medical Center bankruptcy are now being settled (at about 35 cents on the dollar). While the city and the Redevelopment Agency were not large creditors to Brotman, the city will receive approximately $400. The Redevelopment Agency is expected to receive approximately $5,000 on its claim.
Community Development Department
Homeless Services/Jefferson Encampment — During the week of June 14, staff from Code Enforcement, Housing, St. Joseph Center (SJC), and the Police Dept. (CCPD) will meet to discuss the strategy to conduct outreach and offer shelter/services to the homeless persons residing in the encampment on Jefferson Boulevard. Based upon observations from CCPD and the SJC Outreach Team, it is estimated that 1 to 3 persons are residing in the area. The first phase of the strategy will involve CCPD making contact with the homeless persons, informing them that the area is scheduled for cleaning and asking them to seek shelter/services with SJC. The second phase will take place on the next day when the SJC Outreach Team will make contact and offer shelter/services. If necessary, a third engagement will be conducted with both CCPD and the SJC Outreach Team offering shelter/services. These events will take place from June 22 – June 29. Sanitation plans to clean up the area on June 29. Housing staff will also instruct the SJC Outreach Team to be present during the clean-up.
Housing staff is prepared to provide emergency motel vouchers to the homeless individuals. Housing will also coordinate with Sanitation for the possible transfer of recyclable items located at the encampment to a local recycling center so the homeless persons can receive the proceeds.
Brotman Hospital property — Jewish Home for The Aging plans to use the property as a proposed senior congregate care facility. Staff continues to meet with the applicant to review the development proposal.
5660 Sepulveda Blvd. — Staff sent a reminder notice to Developers Diversified Realty, pursuant to the Disposition and Development Agreement amendment for this site, that the first of two $25,000 payments to the city is due by June 23, when its tenant, Sprouts Farmers Market, opens for business at this location.
Artwalk Culver City — Approximately 10,000 people attended the 5th annual event last Saturday. The new interactive family events were all well-attended, and the Los Angeles Times sent a photographer to capture the surprise performance by Contra Tiempo Dance Company at Helms Walk. The photo should appear in Brand X, a Times weekly tabloid.
Baldwin Site (12803-23 W. Washington Blvd.) — Axis Mundi signed the Fifth Implementation Agreement allowing it another year to complete the close of escrow for the purchase of this site from the Agency. Axis Mundi plans to construct a 37,000-square foot commercial building. The ground floor will have 6,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and the second and third floors will be office condominiums. The project includes 39 metered spaces of publicly available parking, and incorporates many sustainable design features, such as solar panels, bio-swales, and a sedum roof.
Fire Dept.
Expansion of the city’s Online Permit Process — Fire Prevention is currently working with Building & Safety and Engineering to explore software and hardware options available to expand the city’s online permit process. The goal is to implement a system that coordinates with Planning, Building, Engineering, Code Enforcement, and Fire Prevention divisions and includes online plan check and fee processing, as well as the ability to input inspector data during the actual inspection. The city of Santa Monica has an online permit process, which the Building Official and Fire Marshal will review and evaluate in the near future for possible implementation.
Emergency Medical Services Report Form Scanners — To continue to deliver high quality Emergency Medical Service (EMS) during this challenging economic environment, the Fire Dept. is researching ways to achieve greater efficiency. Two vendors made presentations this week on EMS Report Scanning technology in conjunction with Ambulance Transport Billing. The scanners would greatly decrease the data entry time for Firefighter/Paramedics in the field, reduce the workload of the Fire Dept. Secretary, and expedite the recovery of our ambulance transport revenues.
Fire Personnel Training and Reporting — The Fire Dept. is researching the following two areas in order to maintain the Fire Dept.'s “Best Practices” designation in EMS delivery: 1) the role of a Nurse Educator from UCLA's Center for Pre-Hospital Care to provide Continuing Education (CE) to our on-duty personnel; and 2) a review of our EMS Reports as part of a mandated Quality Improvement Program. Engaging a Nurse Educator benefits the city by both eliminating overtime expenses for fire personnel obtaining CE credits while off duty and by continuing those functions that enable us to rapidly treat our emergency patients utilizing Standing Field Treatment Protocols.
Fire Personnel Changes — The Fire Dept. announces that in addition to Chief Chris Sellers’ appointment to Fire Chief, Dave White was appointed to the position of Assistant Fire Chief, and Darryl Wells was promoted to Battalion Chief.
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Dept.
Pedestrian Safety Workshop — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, has informed Ron Durgin, President of Sustainable Streets, that Culver City has been selected as a demonstration site for the Pedestrian Safety Workshop: “A Focus on Older Adults.” Over the course of the year-long project, Sustainable Streets will receive $2,500; technical assistance from pedestrian safety experts; and time to network with other communities who are also teaching the workshop.
PRCS Booth at the Culver City Expo — PRCS staff will be hosting a booth at the “Culver Expo” on Wednesday, June 23, from 3:30 to 7. The Expo offers the public a chance to visit more than 100 businesses displaying their products and services.
Police Dept.
Police Personnel Changes — Mike Shank has been promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant. Lt. Shank was promoted due to the retirement of Lt. Craig Bloor and will now be one of the three Lieutenants in Patrol.
Lt. Carlos Reynosa has moved from the Patrol Section of the Operations Bureau to the Traffic Bureau, taking retired Lt. Bloor’s position. On June 28, Lt. Ron Iizuka and Lt. Milton McKinnon will be switching positions (Lt. Iizuka to Community and Media Relations and Lt. McKinnon to Patrol).
Public Works Dept.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan — The final Public Advisory Committee Community Workshop for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) will be held on Saturday from 10 to 1 in the Garden Room at the Veterans Auditorium. The focus of this workshop will be to present the draft Master Plan and seek feedback from the community. The public comment period for this phase of the BPMP development process will end on Friday, June 18. This will conclude the first round of public review, prior to the formal public comment period during the plan adoption phase.
Exposition Light Rail Project — The construction activity along the Exposition right-of-way adjacent to the East Culver City Neighborhood is continuing with the use of heavy machinery and the compaction of the dirt in the track area. Expo/Flatiron Construction, FCI/Fluor/Parsons (FFP), with Mayor Chris Armenta, Councilmember Malsin, and Public Works and Transportation Dept. staff members in attendance, held a community meeting on June 3 to provide information on the anticipated construction activities, impacts and mitigations to the East Culver City Neighborhood. Community participants at the meeting voiced strong concerns about ongoing construction activities within Culver City and City of Los Angeles. City staff continues to work with Expo/FFP to address the neighborhood’s concerns. As previously advised, on Saturday, June 5, FFP implemented a 7-day a week work plan, which will end on July 2. The work hours are in compliance with the Municipal Code, and no special permitting was required. The construction hours are as follows: Monday through Friday, 8 to 8; Saturday, 9 to 7; and Sunday, 10 to 7.
Cranks Road Sewer Diversion Project — The construction of a 200-foot sewer diversion project is nearing completion between Hill Road and Culview Street. This project will divert most of the public sewer flow from a sewer line in a steep private property side yard into the existing sewer line on Cranks Road.
Transportation
West Los Angeles College Bus Service — On an ongoing basis, Culver CityBus has supported working with the Crest neighborhood and West Los Angeles College regarding bus service to the campus. Per WLAC’s request, starting this past Wednesday, Culver CityBus Lines 3 and 4 will no longer enter into the college campus, yet will pick up and drop off students outside of the campus. Culver CityBus will continue to stop at existing stops near the campus entrance on Overland Avenue, and WLAC will provide a shuttle to assist bus riders and to meet Americans with Disability requirements. WLAC has notified its employees and students of this change, and Culver CityBus has posted notices to its customers inside of all of the buses.
Memorandum of Understanding with WLAC Regarding WLAC Shuttle Service — Last Sept. 2, the city entered into an MOU with WLAC allowing WLAC shuttle buses to utilize a bus stall at the Fox Hills Transit Center. Due to the negative impacts the WLAC Shuttle Service has on Culver CityBus’ ridership and revenue, WLAC agreed to compensate Culver CityBus for its loss of revenue. The compensation was set at $108,757 per year to be paid at the beginning of each year. To this date, the city has received the first payment (for the year 2009), and staff was informed that the College District will process the second payment (for the year 2010). On Tuesday, June 8, staff was informed by WLAC that it will discontinue its shuttle service, and the payment for this year should be half (approximately $54,378) of the annual payment. Staff is looking into the need to amend the MOU to reflect this change.
Mr. Ewell may be contacted at lamont.ewell@culvercity.org
