June 13, 2006

The Santa Monica City Council began the meeting of June 13, 2006 by proclaiming June 29-July 5, 2006 as National Clean Beaches Week, encouraging all residents to visit, enjoy and protect our greatest natural resource.  The week will be kicked off nationally by an event here in Santa Monica on June 29.

CONSENT CALENDAR  Among matters not requiring extensive discussion, the following were approved by Council:  a $280,000 contract with Jones & Stokes Associates to prepare a comprehensive update to the city’s Historic Resources Inventory, with direction to staff to return with options on keeping the inventory current; the methodology for calculating the annual adjustments to the Affordable Housing Fee as provided for in the Municipal Code; a contract with Los Angeles County for design and inspection services of the Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard Stormwater Diversion Project, a $4.53 million contract with Mladen Buntich for construction of the project and a $984,358 appropriation from the city’s CIP fund for additional project costs; a $60,000 contract with Cowan Communication Arts for graphic design services for environmental programs outreach; a contract with the South Coast AQMD for participation in a bio-diesel fuel demonstration project; a $1 million contract amendment with JAS Pacific to pay for plan check and inspection services performed through the end of this fiscal year, with a contract for next year deferred until June 20 when staff will provide cost and usage analysis on contract services versus employee-provided services as part of a more expansive policy discussion on contracting; a lease agreement with Perry’s Café and Rentals for operation of four beach concessions; and a resolution executing an amendment to the MOU with the Santa Monica Firefighters union regarding work assignment bonuses and compliance with CalPERS regulations.

CLOSED SESSION  The Council in open session approved payments in two cases discussed in closed session:  a $1.9 million jury-awarded payment to Haruon Mehdipour, who was seriously injured in a bus accident; and a $57,500 settlement to Wendy Maceri, who was injured on the beach bike path.

HOMELESS UPDATE REPORT   The Council received a report from City Manager P. Lamont Ewell on the recent activities of the city’s regional representative on homeless issues, former L.A. County Supervisor Ed Edelman, which include being named to a six-member search committee to help select the new executive director for the L.A. County Homeless Services Agency, joining the City Manager at a meeting with local food providers to encourage moving their programs indoors, and meeting with court officials on the continuing effort to establish a community court.  Further progress on the last two efforts will be reported to Council in July.

The Council also received a report from SMPD Captain Mark Smiley on the Police Department’s efforts on the homeless front, in partnership with Human Services staff, Mr. Edelman and staff in the Manager’s Office, and the social service providers in the community.  Captain Smiley outlined the role and accomplishments of the six Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) Team officers, who are seen as a model resource for other communities, and the 16 (and soon to be 20) park rangers.  He also recounted successes of enforcement activities, the Serial Inebriate Program through which the CLARE Foundation meets with homeless individuals arrested for public intoxication before they are released from jail and encourages them to detox and receive services at their facility, the freeway “outreach” done several times recently with other city staff and providers to move homeless individuals off freeway embankments and encourage them to take advantage of services.  In the last quarter, SMPD has had contact with 700 homeless persons and made 200 arrests, and has been challenged by service-resistant individuals who are most in need.

Councilmembers made mention of a negative editorial in a local paper regarding the city’s contract with Mr. Edelman.  They took the opportunity to underscore the importance of the work the former supervisor is doing, the doors he is opening, contacts he is making and the big picture, regional efforts he is advancing that will take time to come to fruition.  These efforts must progress side-by-side with the quality of life local enforcement outlined by Captain Smiley and the Chronic Homeless Project and Continuum of Care efforts coordinated by the Human Services Division in concert with providers and other city departments.

ORDINANCES  The Council held second reading and adopted ordinances:  1) allowing enforcement of land use permit conditions by private civil actions against property owners; 2) allowing for expedited processing and review of charitably funded public facility development; and 3) modifying the options for meeting affordable housing requirements to require on-site or off-site development of affordable housing units in conjunction with multi-family ownership housing development.

PURCHASE OF SEARS PROPERTY AT 402 COLORADO  Council authorized the city's acquisition for a future public purpose project, which could include a light rail terminus, parking, affordable housing and supportive retail, of the Sears property on the southeast corner of 4^th and Colorado for $35,450,000 in Big Blue Bus Railway reserves.

BANNING EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE   After hearing from local restaurant owners (both pro and con), plastics manufacturers, the Polystyrene Council, environmentalists, environmental groups and others, the Council voted to ban all unrecyclable food-related packaging within Santa Monica.  Council also directed that unrecyclable food packaging be discontinued from use at all City of Santa Monica facilities and city-managed concessions and events.  Council directed the city attorney to prepare an ordinance on the ban to include a hardship waiver for businesses in certain cases and directed staff to prepare a plan to phase-in the ban and notify and educate businesses on compliance.  Further, Council encouraged the plastics and restaurant industries to conduct public education campaigns to discourage use of non-recyclable packaging and littering and directed that the city’s ban be reviewed after two years to evaluate its success and level of compliance.

ELECTION RESOLUTIONS  Council adopted resolutions calling the General Municipal Election to be held on November 7, 2006, to be consolidated with the statewide General Election, requesting services from the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder and authorizing the City Clerk to obtain consultant services and supplies required to conduct the election.

BALLOT MEASURES/CHARTER CHANGES  Council discussed a recommendation of the City Manager to place ballot measures on the November ballot amending the City Charter.  The measures would remove department head positions from the classified service and convert them to "at will" positions, serving at the pleasure of the City Manager, remove outdated references to certain department head positions, grant the City Manager ultimate authority to make appointments to all department head positions without obtaining approval of a board or commission, change the certification process for non-promotional recruitments from “rule of 3 names” to “rule of 3 ranks”, and eliminate the 90-day time limit on temporary appointments pending completion of a recruitment to fill the position permanently.  The Charter changes were recommended to enhance accountability and productivity, to modernize the city’s personnel structure and correct outdated Charter provisions.  Council directed that the City Manager get official input from the Personnel Board and that staff return as soon as possible with options for ballot language, which should also include time standards for temporary appointments (rather than just eliminating the 90-day limit) and clarification of the City Clerk and Clerk’s staff status in Civil Service.  The Council will consider placing the measures on the ballot no later than the August 8 Council meeting.

APPOINTMENT  An appointment to the Social Services Commission was continued.

COUNCILMEMBER ITEM  Council voted to encumber the $33,560 balance in the current year Council contingency for the next fiscal year.  Council also directed staff to recommend a process and standards for allocating funds from the Council contingency funds, for matters that arise unexpectedly during the year.  Council voted to support AB 32, the "California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006," co-authored by Assemblymember Fran Pavley and Senator Sheila Kuehl, and directed staff to convey the city’s support to the Governor and appropriate state legislators.

ADJOURNMENT  The meeting was adjourned in memory of Chuck Allord, Santa Monica native, long-time neighborhood activist and candidate for City Council in 2002, who died tragically at age 43 from complications following surgery on June 11.  Council expressed shock at his passing and great sympathy to his family and many friends in the community.