Citizen Meghan Becomes Council Member Sahli-Wells

Disa Lindgren

On April 10, 2012, Meghan Sahli-Wells was elected to a full term on the Culver City Council.  After four years of grassroots activism, Meghan begins a new kind of service in our community.  What will inform her leadership as a newly elected official? 

One significant influence is the family of strong women that Meghan comes from!  A suffragist on her father’s side and Meghan’s maternal grandmother, Dr. Eleanor Haburton, are particularly inspiring. In the 1940s, Eleanor was the first female editor of a small town Missouri newspaper who was initially denied the job. After the male editor hired instead of Eleanor proved inadequate to the task, Eleanor went to the newspaper owner’s home early one Sunday morning to ask why he didn’t want a woman to take charge; the bathrobe-garbed man who came to the door finally bowed to her persistence and offered her the job as editor that very day. Eleanor also pushed to desegregate Orlando dime store lunch counters in the 1960s.  She and an African American friend whom she worked with at Valencia Community College had to wait hours for a waitress to take their coffee order; they always left immediately after being served and paying, declining to drink a single drop.

Meghan’s activism began during her elementary and junior high school years when she was growing up in Culver City.  Her involvement with the L.A. Student Coalition as an anti-apartheid activist, AIDS walk participant and NOW demonstrator for reproductive rights, along with time spent registering voters (before turning 18), were all in keeping with the example set by her forebears.  Meghan’s mother and  grandmother passed on their love of reading, language and the arts.  Meghan developed a keen interest in the world beyond Culver City and L.A. while studying at UCLA and in France.  She traveled extensively while in college and as a sometime volunteer in Madagascar, Île Sainte-Marie, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Togo.  Meghan lived in France for 15 years where she met her husband, Karim, and gave birth to their two sons, Emilien and Lucien, before returning with her family in 2007 to her childhood home in Culver City.

So what can we look forward to now that Meghan is a member of our City Council?

• Support for public participation—Meghan considers her electoral victory a mandate for Culver City residents to speak up and be heard.  As an attentive listener who works well with people of diverse perspectives, Meghan will engage community members in thoughtful dialogue about pressing issues so that our Council can make sound decisions informed by residents’ concerns.
• Strengthening the democratic process—as a Councilmember, Meghan is committed to reaching out to youth and areas of our city that have felt ignored.  Meghan would like us to take a serious look at consolidating our elections to improve the pitiful 19.7% turnout of our most recent election and to save money.
• Harnessing the tremendous expertise found in Culver City—involving more community members to identify solutions to challenges we are facing will result in improved outcomes.  Meghan wants to explore ways to utilize the collective genius of our community; this can also save the city money. 

·         Championing sustainability—Meghan believes that there will be interest in moving forward on a host of environmental and transportation measures within the city’s purview, given that four Councilmembers received support from the L.A. League of Conservation Voters during the recent election. Meghan recommends starting with the adoption of a ban on single-use plastic bags coupled with an education campaign for the public about the advantages of doing so. 

• Culver City can do more to support our schools—the Council can offer the use of its Chambers to the School Board for regular meetings to accommodate the public and make it possible for the proceedings be televised on the local government cable channel. Meghan knows there are many other ways that the Council and School Board can collaborate for the mutual benefit of students and the community.  She is ready to develop a closer partnership.
• Crafting a budget that reflects our priorities—Meghan’s commitment to a budget process that is open, respectful and inclusive is based on valuing the input of all stakeholders in our community. This is especially important during times of economic stress and change. 

Meghan was a regular at City Council meetings during the four years before she was elected. She knows how to do her homework!  But while Culver City can look to Meghan for leadership, she is also depending on us to participate actively.  We all need to get involved in order to: strengthen our neighborhoods, build the local economy, step up efforts to green Culver City, improve our transportation and affordable housing options, demand transparency at City Hall, make sure new developments are a good fit, celebrate our local art and music scene, value cultural diversity, contribute our expertise as residents and City employees, support our children, youth and elders, and assure that the most vulnerable members of our community are respected and kept safe. 

Meghan was elected because of a tremendous grassroots effort; now ALL of us need to work together for positive change and to assure that Culver City continues to flourish.

Disa Lindgren was the Co-Campaign Manager for Meghan Sahli-Wells for Council in 2010 and 2012.

The Future of Homelessness Services in Culver City

Christopher King

Members of the Culver City Homelessness Committee learned how attempting to address the needs of the homeless of Los Angeles County is a multi-faceted and complex process.  Recently, the City’s Housing Department scheduled a tour for the Committee of the Winter Shelter located on the Veterans Administration’s facility on Wilshire/Federal.  First to Serve, which was the organization selected by Los Angeles County to run this shelter for the 2011/2012 winter season, informed and enlightened the Committee on its operations, policies, successes and challenges.

A Bit of History

As a recently appointed member of the Culver City Homelessness Committee, I have a limited amount of knowledge about the long-term functioning of the Winter Shelter in Culver City.  However, the Culver City Housing Department did supply me with all of the minutes from the Homelessness Committee since its inception.  My information is based upon my reading of all of those minutes plus other information that I have been given on the issue being a committee member.  I have not reviewed this article with Housing staff, so please forgive small errors; however, the crux of what I write below is accurate.

The Winter Shelter has been operating in Culver City since at least July, 2004, at which time the Culver City council created a “Good Neighbor Policy” for the operation of the “Cold Weather Shelter.”[i]  The shelter began operation and continued operation at the Armory located at 10808 Coombs Avenue.  The City of Culver City owns this property, but for quite some time (again, at least since July, 2004) the City has leased this property on a long-term lease to the United States National Guard, which used it for their activities.  Since the National Guard had limited use for the property, during the winter months starting in 2004, the National Guard, on the urging of Culver City, sub-let the property to various agencies to use as an overnight cold weather shelter.

The National Guard leased the property from the City of Culver City for $1 per year: clearly a good-faith effort on the part of our city leaders to show deference to our military. 

The operation of cold weather shelters throughout the entire county of Los Angeles is handled primarily by an umbrella organization called the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA).  Being that homelessness is a social challenge that does not have neatly contained borders, it can make senses for cities to partner with a larger, regional organization to handle the complex issues surrounding homelessness.

Each year, (I would imagine, per the terms of the lease described above), the National Guard had to agree to sub-let the property to LAHSA.  LAHSA annually seeks locations for its cold weather shelters to serve homeless populations throughout Los Angeles County.  The Armory in Culver City provided a convenient location for many of the homeless throughout the Los Angeles west-side.   LAHSA, in turn, contracts with smaller agencies that would handle the actual operation of the shelter on a night-to-night basis.  Some of these organizations included Volunteers of America (VOA) and The Center for Human, Economic and Community Development (EIMAGO, Inc.). 

LAHSA operates, via its various partners, these shelters throughout Los Angeles County from about mid-October through the end of February.  The intent is that emergency shelters be available to homeless individuals during times of the most severe cold and rain in Los Angeles.  Individuals are picked up from designated areas throughout Los Angeles in the early evening and are bused to the shelters.  From a technical standpoint, individuals are not allowed to simply “walk up” to a shelter and be admitted.  They must first go to a designated pick-up location and then they are bussed, free of charge, to the nearest shelter.

The organizations that run each shelter first screen the individuals when they arrive to be sure they are not intoxicated, provide dinner that night, provide a cot, provide a sack lunch the next morning, then bus the individuals back to the location from which they were picked up.

The two closest locations for bussing to the Culver City shelter were located at the Venice Pier and at the Westchester Park.

Culver City Cold Weather Shelter 2011/2012 Season

This last winter season, we did not operate the Cold Weather Shelter in Culver City.  The Armory’s lease was set to expire around the date that the shelter would normally go into operation.  Because of this, the Armory was not able to commit the facility via sub-lease to LAHSA.  As a result, homeless individuals in and around Culver City would most likely have made use of the bussing that would take them to either the VA facility on Wilshire/Federal or a shelter that LAHSA arranged for in Inglewood.

The Culver City Homelessness Committee toured the facility located at the VA at Wilshire/Federal which LAHSA partnered with First to Serve to run.  First to Serve gave the committee an enlightening tour as the first busses of individuals were arriving showing us the shower facilities, the intake station, the kitchen and the sleeping area.  The set-up is essentially in a very large warehouse space where approximately 150 cots are assembled at one end.  At the other end, there are tables.  In the middle, First to Serve had assembled chairs around a large television set, which was playing the local news.  The sleeping area is divided with men in cots on one side of the room and women on the other side.  They also have an area monitored by staff where individuals can place some of their belongings.

We met with the staff of First to Serve who were serving meals.  We also met with the intake staff.  The intake staff attempts to gather as much data on the homeless individuals as they are willing to supply.  This helps the staff to connect those who are interested with social services including medical care, psychiatric care and housing.  Unless an individual is a danger to him/herself, however, the staff cannot mandate that they take or receive services.   From our observation, the staff maintains a well-functioning facility that is respectful of the neighborhood (individuals, once they enter, are not permitted to leave until they are bussed out in the morning).  Once the busses take the individuals back to pick-up locations, First to Serve must immediately break down all cots, clean the area, and remove their items so that the military can use the facility for their business.  In the late afternoon, the process begins all over again.

Conclusion
This should probably be an article that I write over the course of several months because the Homelessness Committee is involved in more than just the Cold Weather Shelter (which no longer exists in Culver City).  For example, there is weekly (and daily, if needed) outreach to Culver City homeless by the Saint Joseph’s Center.  Additionally, police and fire also interact with and serve the homeless population, as well as Culver City citizens and businesses, when there are issues or complaints.  Since parks can be a safe and clean environment, they are often the location that homeless individuals will attempt to stay in during the day and evening hours, so there are relationships with the Parks and Recreation Commission that our Committee engages in.  Additionally, our city has a variety of amazing organizations that seek to serve various homeless populations such as Upward Bound House and non-profit, volunteer organizations such as Shoes for the Homeless. 

Committee members are also responsible for listening to the needs and concerns of residents and businesses.  And our committee then advises City Council on all of the above items. 

From a policy standpoint, the City is now considering how it will use the Armory facility now that the National Guard has left.  Once strong possible candidate according to recent conversations with the City and Chamber of Commerce would be the Wende Museum—one of the premier museums that focuses on the Cold-War era.  The excellent proximity of the museum to our burgeoning downtown could be an additional draw for tourism and cultural events.  On the other hand, city leaders will look at and weigh alternate uses of the facility.

The intent of this article is to educate not to polarize.  I’m hopeful that it will spark conversation and interest in what I consider to be a vitally important societal issue: how we treat and deal with those less fortunate in our society.  I welcome questions and/or comments.  And if there is interest in attending a Culver City Homelessness Committee meeting, they are open to the public, and I am happy to provide information on dates and times.  Please contact me on my cell phone at 831-682-5647 or by email at cpk@cpkmortgage.com.   

Christopher King is a Member of the Culver City Homelessness Committee.

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[i] Letter from Jerry B. Fulwood, Administrative Office, City of Culver City, August 30, 2004.

Taking One Day to Celebrate the Earth

Michelle Weiner

Earth Day in April 1970, the first Earth day, was paradoxically inspired by a devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969.  Senator Gaylord Nelson promoted the idea of a national teach-in on the environment, bringing environmental protection to the forefront of the national political dialogue, leading to a lasting legacy of that first Earth Day, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Since the early 1990s, Earth Day has become a global celebration, a day of education and action.  

Today, in addition to celebrating Earth Day, I’d like to pause and remember Earth Day 2010 – which we marked by mourning the beginning of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster.  On April 20^th of that year an explosion and fire on the drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico killed eleven people and injured 17 others. For 36 hours the rig burned before sinking. Devastation mounted as oil poured from the under-water well, eventually resulting in 205.8 million gallons of oil and 1.8 million gallons of chemical dispersant released into the Gulf, effecting 665 miles of coastline – an entire bio-region was severely impacted.

This disaster was difficult to contain because of the well’s placement in deep water (5,000 feet). Taking just over two months to cap, it tragically illustrates the heavy toll on the environment that leaves little to celebrate, as oil companies scramble to extract harder-to-reach oil.

Oil that was once thought of as too expensive to extract is now prized, regardless of the risks involved.

Locally, oil scarcity plays out as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), an extraction process that injects thousands of gallons of fluids (water, chemicals and sand; experimentally, bio-slurry) under high pressure into a well, and creating cracks that allow hard-to-extract oil to flow up and out of hydrocarbon-bearing formations.

There is little data on local fracking available and there are currently no reporting requirements in California, although there is evidence that fracking has been used here for years and fracking was used in two wells in the Inglewood Oilfield in January of this year and September of 2011. California’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Regulations (DOGGR) was given extra funding last year to develop fracking regulations; however, there is still little information that agency can provide, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group  (http://static.ewg.org/reports/2012/fracking/ca_fracking/ca_regulators_see_no_fracking.pdf). The authors recommend specific measures to ensure transparency regarding fracking and to increase our protections (see Footnote).  

The link between oil scarcity, our reliance on petroleum, and our proximity to the Inglewood Oilfields creates a gestalt that’s a call for local action:  reducing our dependency on petroleum. It is an imperative, but how do we go about it?  We can avoid purchasing petroleum-based products, using our creativity to find non-plastic alternatives or to re-purpose what we already own.  More importantly we must face directly into our car addiction and challenge ourselves to de-habituate. Reducing, with its association to dieting, does not sound very celebratory; we are being asked to renew our commitment to deny ourselves.

As we re-calibrate our lives to include making most of our daily trips on foot, by bike or on public transportation, there is much to celebrate. Thinking globally and acting locally has cycled well beyond Earth Day; it’s a way of life for many. In Culver City we are poised to set a higher standard of alternative transportation, as we soon enjoy our connection to the Expo Light Rail system. Throughout the country and the world there are models we can look to and projects we can replicate, and of course there are our own Earth Day dreams to actualize.

Here’s an inspiring video of one such model, about alternative transportation infrastructure in the Netherlands: http://www.streetfilms.org/from-the-netherlands-to-america-translating-the-worlds-best-bikeway-designs/ .

Happy Earth Day…..We Can Do It!

Footnote (Recommendations sited in EWG study):

1. The Division of Oil and Gas should update its fact sheet to clearly acknowledge that fracking is currently taking place in California and has been for decades.

2. The Division should identify and track where fracking is taking place and post the information on a state-run website.

3. California state agencies should develop regulations that require oil and gas companies to disclose what chemicals they are using to frack each well (with volume and concentrations), the amount of water used, the source of the water, and whether any radioactive tracers are being used. This will allow regulators, scientists and landowners to learn what substances to test for in nearby water supplies.

4. Landowners within at least two miles of proposed drilling or fracking operations should be notified and given an opportunity to weigh in on permit decisions.

5. Oil and gas companies should be required to pay for testing and monitoring of nearby groundwater before and after drilling and fracking by independent laboratories selected by potentially affected landowners. The federal EPA recently made a similar recommendation to New York State authorities.

6. Water recycling should be mandatory for oil and gas operations.

7. Because of its inherent risks, drilling and fracking should not be allowed close to residential areas or drinking water sources. The state should rely on the best available science to establish areas where drilling and fracking should be prohibited

Michelle Weiner is the Director of Transition Culver City and a Former Member of the Culver City Martin Luther King, Jr. Planning Committee.

Making it Easier and Fairer to Become Involved in Culver City

Gary Silbiger

Once a year, Culver City’s 5 Councilmembers vote to appoint members to serve on its 4 commissions and several committees, including both Culver City committees and multi-jurisdictional ones.  This is one of the most significant tasks of the council since appointed officials both serve as an important part of the decision-making process and are groomed to potentially run for public office themselves at some later point.  Of the most recent 8 former council members, 7 served as commissioners before their term on the council.  For that reason alone, we need to ensure that we have a fair process for selecting these important people.

The proceedures for choosing Culver City Commissioners and Committee members now give any 3 Councilmembers voting as a block the opportunity to select 100% of their chosen members.  In fact, during the past 4 years, 3 Councilmembers voted exactly the same for all Commission and Committee appointments, skewing the results and affecting the outcomes of the important work that needs to get done.

So what would be a fair procedure for elected officials to select city commissioners and committee members?  In Culver City, the 5 Councilmembers, all of whom represent the full city because no Council districts exist, vote for each open commission and committee position annually in May or June. In a distortion of democracy, 3 Councilmembers, totaling 60% of the 5 elected officials, often decide almost 100% of who will be selected on those crucial bodies.  Of course, not every commission appointment is contested by the elected officials, but when they are you could be sure for the past 4 years that Scott Malsin, Micheal O’Leary, and Andrew Weissman regularly voted as a block.  These yearly selections allow each of the 5 Councilmembers to nominate his (there were no women Council members from 2008 until April of this year) choice.  The mayor asks each Councilmember to name his favorite candidate.  When 3 or more Councilmembers have verbally selected one person, the nomination is completed, and the official vote is then taken.

At the June 2, 2008 Council meeting – the first vote taken to select Commissioners by Christopher Armenta, Micheal O’Leary and Andrew Weissman - there were opposing nominations for the 2 Planning Commission seats and for the one Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission position.  For the first Planning Commission seat, Armenta, Malsin, O’Leary, and Weissman nominated Marcus Tiggs and I named Mark Salkin and Mary Ann Webster.  For the second Planning Commission seat, Malsin, O’Leary, and Weissman chose Tony Pleskow while Armenta and I nominated Mark Salkin.  The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission selection split with Armenta nominating Karlo Silbiger; Malsin, O’Leary, and Weissman choosing John Richard Hudson; and I recusing myself because my son, Karlo, was a candidate for this position.  Therefore, during all 3 contested positions, Malsin, O’Leary and Weissman voted together thus having their favorite candidates selected as Commissioners 100% of the time.

The next annual selection meeting took place on May 11, 2009 when the Councilmembers disagreed on one of the two Planning Commission appointments and the Landlord-Tenant Board selection.  Malsin, O’Leary, and Weissman nominated Scott Wyant, and Armenta and I favored Mark Salkin.  Additionally, Armenta, Malsin, O’Leary and Weissman voted for Robert Pine while I favored Michelle Woolner Weiner.  Again, the same 3 Council members got their way each time.

The third annual selection took place on June 14, 2010 which resulted in unanimous appointments except for the Cultural Affairs Commission seat which had Armenta, Malsin, O’Leary and Weissman choosing Michelle Bernardin while Jeff Cooper nominated Greg Guzetta. For the third year in a row, Councilmembers Malsin, O’Leary and Weissman joined forces to select all commissioners.

The fourth annual selection occurred at the May 23, 2011 Council meeting when all commission and committee seats were chosen unanimously by the Council.

During all of these yearly appointments, one or more Councilmembers encouraged those not selected to “stay active”, and “apply again” because there were so many qualified applicants.  You couldn’t tell that there were so many “qualified applicants” by the votes of certain Councilmembers.

There are several solutions that should be implemented.

First, each Councilmember should be able to select one of the five Commissioners and Committee members for each entity in place of the current practice of having all positions selected by majority vote.  After all, each Councilmember is 20% of the Council and should receive that amount of selection power.  If each Councilmember could make one selection, the Commissions and Committees would be more diverse and reflective of our community.  For instance, during the past few years, many very qualified individuals, such as Tom Camarella (former Democratic Club President), Jim Clarke (newly elected Councilmember), Michael Hersh (labor lawyer), Rebecca Rona (Culver City’s Martin Luther King Celebration Committee member), Karlo Silbiger (President of Culver City’s School Board), Mary Ann Webster (leader of the Sierra Club), and Michelle Woolner (environmental leader), failed to be chosen for a seat based on the political views of the Council majority,.  By the way, I also unsuccessfully applied 3 times for a seat on the Parks and Recreation Commission prior to my terms as a Councilmember.

Of course, there have been, and still are, many excellent Commissioners and Committee members.  Yet, the existing system gives too much power to a majority of Councilmembers while too often excluding the opportunity to make Culver City a more politically diverse city.  Many Culver City residents have told me that they would love to serve as members of a commission or committee but know that the makeup of the Council precludes their selection.  However, we need everyone’s participation to become the most vibrant community.

Having Council equality in choosing Committee members has at times been effectively realized. For instance, each Councilmember made individual appointments to the City’s Charter Review Committee, the City’s extensive Ten Year Visioning Project, and Culver City’s Committee regarding Free Speech and signs in the public right of way - all of which functioned excellently.  

Second, the City should send a letter to each unsuccessful candidate encouraging them to remain active in Culver City and list the many opportunities available to them.  They should also be placed on the e-mail notification list for the commission or committee they applied for.

Third, each commission and committee should discuss additional areas of work needed to be accomplished and form subcommittees to fulfill these tasks.  The commissions and committees could then contact each “unsuccessful” applicant to learn of what work he or she would want to do and then place them in that interest area or subcommittee.  The more volunteers we have, the better Culver City will become.

Our greatest resource is the people who live in Culver City.  Let’s be creative and use the abilities and interests of everyone.

Gary Silbiger is the Co-Editor of the Culver City Progress Blog and the Former Mayor of Culver City.

5 Lessons from the 2012 City Council Election

Karlo Silbiger

There is no question that the 2012 Culver City Council Election will go down in history as one of the most unique to date. It is the first in modern history to elect 4 of 5 council members and the first to have a mix of full and partial terms (where the order of the candidates really mattered). With a slate of 6 candidates (including 4 who had run previously) competing for 4 seats, there were few in Culver City willing to make predictions about the eventual order at the finish line. But it’s always fun to analyze after the fact! Here, then, are my 5 Lessons from one of the most interesting elections to date.

The Best Campaigning is Sustained Activism in Your Community
What do 79%, 78%, 70%, and 67% have in common? They are the amount of voters that cast ballots for Jim Clarke, Meghan Sahli-Wells, Scott Malsin, and Andy Weissman in the respective neighborhoods in which they live. Each finished first in that precinct, which is not unusual in ours or any community. Those who know us best, who are our neighbors, who conceivably share our local issues and concerns, are most likely to want us representing them in public office. However, for near 80% of voters in some communities to all support the same hometown candidate points to a more interesting phenomenon: voters are looking to elect those who have been active in their neighborhoods. Jim Clarke, Meghan Sahli-Wells, and Scott Malsin all served at one point in the elected leadership of their neighborhood association, potentially a new road to elective office. It will be interesting to see whether more and more candidates come out of this type of neighborhood experience and whether we continue to see such disparate results from precinct to precinct throughout our community.

2nd Time’s the Charm
Of the council members who took their seats on the dais tonight and will serve for the next 2 years, 80% (all but Mr. Clarke) lost their first city council election before winning in their second attempt. Of those who served prior to tonight’s changing of the guard, 100% fell into that same category. In fact, in 5 of the past 7 city council elections, at least 1 (and as many as 3) of the winning candidates were running after a losing effort previously. This has become the norm in our community. It is likely a mix of the added name recognition and fundraising capabilities that come with running a second campaign and a community-wide sense that we want to promote and reward sustained activism. Meghan Sahli-Wells has exemplified that over the past 2 years, becoming more and more active in a variety of civic activities after very narrowly losing the election in 2010, and the community responded by giving her the 2nd most votes (ahead of an incumbent, a former incumbent, and less than 200 votes behind yet a third incumbent).

3rd Time’s Not the Charm
Scott Malsin has been a very popular figure in our community since 2001, when he was appointed to the Planning Commission. He came within a few hundred votes of an incumbent in his first attempt at elective office in 2006, easily winning a seat. 4 years later he beat the field by about 500 votes, a true accomplishment. However, in this election, Mr. Malsin received only 2,370 votes, a reduction of over 20% of those who voted for him just 2 years ago. We at the Culver City Progress Blog have posted numerous stories outlining the concerns that some residents had regarding Mr. Malsin’s retirement in order to secure lifetime health benefits for his family and the game that was being played with the voter-approved term limits. Obviously, these were widely held concerns among the voters and a reminder to all elected officials that we are public servants and need to respect the will and direction of those who send us to the dais.

Culver City Gains in Some Diversity Categories, But Loses in Others There are many ways of thinking about diversity in relation to the leaders of our community. We all know that a diverse group of elected officials provides better representation in decision-making and ensures that all voices are included in the conversation. In some ways we are doing a pretty good job. The 2 new members elected to the council immediately become the youngest and oldest members currently serving (and among the youngest and oldest at the time of their election in history). So, we’re doing well in age diversity (with about a 30 year gap). The 5 council members live in 5 distinct neighborhoods of Culver City (Downtown, Raintree, Rancho-Higuera, Studio Estates, and Vets Park) and all voted in different polling places on April 10th, so we’re doing pretty well in neighborhood diversity. With the election of Meghan Sahli-Wells, we have chosen the 5th elected woman to the council after 4 years of a council composed of all male members. We are still waiting for the first council with more than 1 woman. But with the loss of Christopher Armenta, we are back to an all-Caucasian council. This is not an issue that can be addressed overnight, but we live in a very diverse community and deserve to be led by a group that looks like those they serve.

Voters are Tired
April 10th was just over 5 months after last November’s school board election. It fell less than 2 months before voters will be asked to go to the polls once again to elect candidates to a variety of local, state, and national offices in the June primary election. While I will choose to participate in all 3, over 80% of my fellow registrants in Culver City rebelled earlier this month, they said that this is 1 vote too many. I don’t know what the best fix is for this unfortunate situation. Some suggest dividing the city into districts so that candidates can find the time to talk to more voters. Others suggest consolidating this election with either the primary election in June, the school board election in November, or both as a way of combating voter fatigue. Ultimately, we as a community will have to take a serious look at these and every other potential fixes because I hope we can all agree that this is just not acceptable for a community as engaged as ours.

Karlo Silbiger is the Co-Editor of the Culver City Progress Blog, the President of the Culver City School Board, and the Former President of the Culver City Democratic Club.

Six Compete for Los Angeles County's Top Prosecutor Job

Sylvia Moore

As Steve Cooley prepares to retire after three terms as Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor, the race to succeed him will be the hottest show on the June 5 primary ballot. Six candidates are officially running for District Attorney, a non-partisan office. The cast includes front-runner and current L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich; Cooley’s protege, Chief Deputy DA Jackie Lacey; Democratic Party favorite and Senior Deputy DA, Danette Meyers; Deputy DAs John Breault III, Bobby Grace and Alan Jackson. The race is also notable for the number of African-Americans (Lacey, Meyers, and Grace) and women (Lacey and Meyers) running. Two candidates, Mario Trujillo and Steve Ipsen, dropped out last month.

Whoever gets more than 50 percent of the vote on June 5 will avoid a runoff in November. California primary elections tend to have among the lowest voter turnout, so only a fraction of voters could determine who gets to run the largest prosecutorial agency in the country responsible for prosecuting 60,000 felonies and 130,000 misdemeanors a year. The DA’s office is also at the forefront of some of the most pressing matters facing California’s criminal justice system, from three strikes to the treatment of juveniles to the death penalty. So who are the candidates and where do they stand on the major issues?

CARMEN TRUTANICH

Elected as L.A. City Attorney in 2009, Trutanich promised during that race that he would not seek higher office before completing two terms. In an about-face, Trutanich decided in jump into the DA’s race before even finishing his first term. That move brought heavy scorn from local media. Nevertheless, the former Republican and current independent is still the front-runner in the race, having received endorsements from many in the L.A.-area political establishment, from Democrats to Republicans. He also landed the endorsement of several labor groups, including the powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.

Trutanich has been lauded for going after special interests like billboard companies, but he has been criticized for his bellicose attitude toward Occupy L.A. protesters and medical marijuana dispensaries. One of Trutanich’s rivals, Alan Jackson, successfully sued to keep the City Attorney from designating himself “Los Angeles Chief Prosecutor” on the ballot. Adding fuel to his critics’ fire, Trutanich has had a habit of skipping candidates forums.

Trutanich has indicated support for Cooley’s three strikes policy of allowing prosecutors more discretion in how to apply the controversial law. He says he wants to expand anti-gang programs in schools, get more job training for youth, and strengthen laws against sexual predators.

JACKIE LACEY

Though Cooley encouraged Trutanich to run for Los Angeles City Attorney, he’s now backing his Chief Deputy DA for the top prosecutor job. Lacey had endorsed Cooley - instead of her fellow Democrat, Kamala Harris - in his failed bid for California Attorney General, so perhaps he felt an obligation to return the favor. At a recent Culver City Democratic Club candidates forum, a Lacey surrogate (Lacey herself was unable to attend) said the chief deputy would continue Cooley’s current policies if elected as District Attorney. Lacey’s top priority is rooting out corruption among public officials - an important concern in light of the recent scandals in the cities of Bell and Vernon. Besides Cooley, Lacey has the endorsement of several Los Angeles-area lawmakers, public safety officials and community leaders.


DANETTE MEYERS

Meyers, a 26-year veteran prosecutor, has positioned herself as the choice among the Democratic Party base. Her endorsements include the Culver City Democratic Club and the L.A. County Democratic Party, having beaten out fellow Democrats Jackie Lacey and Bobby Grace. Among Meyer’s priorities are curbing the number of death penalty cases, reforming the juvenile justice system, and boosting the number of environmental crime prosecutions. In a dig at Cooley, Meyers has been highly critical of the promotions process at the DA’s office, and what she claims has been retaliation in the District Attorney’s office after Cooley and county officials were sued over collective bargaining rights. At the Culver City Democratic Club forum, Meyers said that life sentences for petty theft is a waste of money, and that she would give senior prosecutors more discretionary power over three strikes cases. Meyers is best known for prosecuting actress Lindsey Lohan.

JOHN BREAULT III

Breault, a Deputy DA, is the mystery man in this race. So far, he isn’t campaigning and hasn’t put up a web site.

BOBBY GRACE

Known for prosecuting serial killer Chester Turner, Grace has served as a Deputy DA since 1988. His top issues are fighting local government corruption and fraud, fixing the juvenile justice system, stopping child abuse and addressing truancy. Grace stated at the Culver City Democratic Club forum that he wanted to see all counties in California apply Los Angeles’ policy regarding three strikes. He added that he supports Gov. Jerry Brown’s prison realignment plan, which transfers the supervision of low-level offenders from the state to the county jails. As an elected board member of the union representing Deputy DAs, Grace said he supports the right of workers to unionize. All three Democrats in the race - Grace, Lacey and Meyers - said they support the right of Californians to access medical marijuana, but stressed that marijuana dispensaries should be strictly regulated. Grace is endorsed by Culver City Democratic Club member and former Los Angeles City Controller, Rick Tuttle.

ALAN JACKSON

Jackson, the registered Republican in the race, made his claim to fame prosecuting fallen music mogul Phil Spector and appearing regularly on cable’s Court TV. A prosecutor for more than 17 years, Jackson also spent time in the DA’s gang unit. He is backed by several prominent local Republicans and public safety officials. Jackson is a strong supporter of the death penalty, believing that the policy serves as a deterrent. However, Jackson has stated that, if elected, he would continue Cooley’s policy regarding three strikes. He believes that Deputy DAs should receive more training to prepare for Gov. Brown’s new realignment policy, but says prison overcrowding could be handled by contracting to send prisoners to jails in other states. Jackson also wants to strengthen the office’s ability to prosecute gang offenses, government corruption, high-tech crimes and environmental crimes. Jackson successfully sued to prevent Carmen Trutanich from designating himself “Los Angeles Chief Prosecutor” on the June 5 ballot.

Sylvia Moore is the Vice President of the Culver City Democratic Club, the Blog Editor for California One Care, and a Delegate from the 47th Assembly District to the California Democratic Party.

Come On Culver City, Let's Work Together To Bring Equity To Our Schools!

Claudia Vizcarra

As the El Marino Adjuncts controversy gets resolved, the community can turn its attention to looking at equity.

Over the last few months, a controversy has been brewing in Culver City schools. The issue is whether booster clubs can use funds they raise to hire helpers in the classroom. The debate centers around a program at my child's school, El Marino Language School, where over the last 20 years, parents have raised money through the school's booster club (ALLEM) to hire adjuncts for the Spanish and Japanese language immersion programs. As fluent speakers of the target language, adjuncts work with students, modeling the language.

Recently, I was asked to sign a petition to "save" our adjuncts by a group called Parents Have Rights, formed by some parents at El Marino and other schools. Parents talked about how the adjuncts program was at risk. They said that ACE, the district's classified workers union wanted to shut down the program.

I learned that the "threat" was a letter requesting that the District negotiate with ACE over the adjuncts. Instead of letting the community speculate about what would happen to the adjuncts or who was to blame, the School Board held a Study Session to discuss the issue openly and address community concerns.

I attended the Session and this is what I learned:

• District Counsel clarified that ACE is not threatening the District. The District is required to negotiate with representatives of its employees whenever work is being done that resembles work being performed by them (Educational Employment Relations Act).


• The District can't consider the adjuncts "volunteers" as the Parents Have Rights supporters suggested, because they are compensated by ALLEM (Education Code section 35021).


• The situation at El Marino is unique, because it has existed for so long. The District's legal counsel recommended a solution that is narrow and pragmatic. They said that typically, school districts are not allowed to "contract out" services in order to reduce costs. But the District could contract with ALLEM under a specific statute (Education Code section 45103.1) that allows school districts to do so, if a contract was entered into before January of 2003. While a written contract does not currently exist between the district and ALLEM, legal counsel believes that it could be argued that an implied contract has existed over two decades. Counsel also recommended the Board enter into an agreement with ALLEM that specifies the work that adjuncts do, and the group's responsibility to screen and supervise employees and protect the District from liability.


• Finally, the Superintendent clarified that booster clubs from other schools that are recognized by the District can "pass through" funds to hire District employees

This last option is not without benefits. Students are protected, as district employees are screened, hired, trained and supervised by district staff, instead of by parents. Parent groups are able to stretch their dollars, since they don't have to cover the expenses of a payroll service, workers compensation or liability insurance. And workers benefit because they get sick and vacation days and get paid the same as others who are doing the same work.

The unique situation at El Marino calls for this pragmatic solution, but it does not resolve all the issues.

El Marino, unlike schools like La Ballona, El Rincon and Linwood Howe, does not receive Title I Funds. These are federal funds for schools with a larger number of students receiving free and reduced meals, the measure the government uses to determine whether students are facing the impacts of poverty. These funds are designed to help support student learning. Schools that receive Title I funds have an additional requirement added by the No Child Left Behind Act. Their instructional aides must be highly qualified, which means they must have an Associates or comparable degree.

And while parents at El Marino are able to raise nearly $150,000 every year to cover the adjuncts' pay and related expenses, schools that receive Title I funds are typically less able to raise the same amount of funds consistently. Of course, how much a school raises is not a measure of how much parents care or how committed they are to their children's education. But in the end, students in one school will continue to have more individual attention than students in other schools, which is contrary to the ideals of public education.

So where does that leave us? What can we do?

• We can work together to bring more funds to our schools. Just like we did last year, when we helped pass Measure EE, this November we will have a chance to vote to bring more funds to our schools. We are likely to have two initiatives on the ballot, one proposed by the Governor, and the other one by the PTA. I, for one, plan on voting for both, to make sure one passes.


• We can learn more about how other districts are dealing with the equity issues we face. For example, last November in Santa Monica, the School Board approved a policy that allows parents to raise funds for additional learning supports like computers, etc. through their booster clubs - but requires funding for staffing to be centralized through the District.


• We can work as a community. We have to at least agree that we share the same interest: doing right by our kids. We don't have to choose between our kids interests and those of the people who work tirelessly to serve them, the front office staff that greet them every morning, the cafeteria workers that feed them, or the maintenance workers that clean up after the school day is done. And we can't forget that soon enough, when our kids leave their elementary years, they will grow and learn together in the middle school and in the high school.

Claudia Vizcarra is a parent of a 5h grader at El Marino and an 8th grader at Culver City Middle School. She also works as Policy Director for LAUSD Board Member Steve Zimmer and previously worked at UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access and then LA City Council Member Jackie Goldberg.

Culver City Election Results: By The Numbers

For all the political geeks, here are the results broken down in a variety of interesting ways. Come back on Wednesday for Karlo Silbiger's 5 Lessons from the 2012 City Council Election.

Total
VOTER TURNOUT: 4927 (19.88%)
Weissman, 2630, 63%
Sahli-Wells, 2491, 60%
O’Leary, 2439, 58%
Clarke, 2348, 56%
Malsin, 2013, 48%
Murray, 841, 20%

Vote By Mail Results
VBM TURNOUT: 1994 (48%)
Weissman, 1208, 61%
O’Leary, 1111, 56%
Sahli-Wells, 1109, 56%
Clarke, 1050, 53%
Malsin, 953, 48%
Murray, 437, 22%

Precinct Results
PRECINCT TURNOUT: 2190 (52%)
Weissman, 1422, 65%
Sahli-Wells, 1382, 63%
O’Leary, 1328, 61%
Clarke, 1298, 59%
Malsin, 1060, 48%
Murray, 404,18%

Precincts 1/3 (East Culver)
TURNOUT: 290 (17%)
Sahli-Wells, 179 , 62%
O’Leary , 170 , 59%
Clarke , 168 , 58%
Weissman , 137 , 47%
Malsin , 127 , 44%
Murray , 69 , 24%

Precincts 2/17/18 (Tellefson / La Ballona)
TURNOUT: 334 (15%)
Sahli-Wells , 205 , 61%
O’Leary , 200 , 60%
Weissman , 182 , 54%
Clarke , 157 , 47%
Malsin , 149 , 45%
Murray , 88 , 26%

Precincts 4/6/55 (Downtown / Gateway)
TURNOUT: 426 (20%)
Sahli-Wells , 331 , 78%
Clarke , 247 , 58%
Weissman , 213 , 50%
O’Leary , 180, 42%
Malsin , 137 , 32%
Murray , 75 , 18%

Precincts 7/8 (Carlson Park)
TURNOUT: 411 (27%)
Weissman , 310 , 75%
O’Leary , 267, 65%
Clarke , 232 , 56%
Sahli-Wells , 219 , 53%
Malsin , 214 , 52%
Murray , 67 , 16%

Precincts 11/13/16 (Vets Park / Studio Estates)
TURNOUT: 457 (21%)
Weissman , 305 , 67%
O’Leary , 285, 62%
Sahli-Wells , 249 , 54%
Malsin , 228 , 50%
Clarke , 227 , 50%
Murray , 93 , 20%

Precinct 14 (Blair Hills)
TURNOUT: 119 (30%)
Weissman , 87 , 73%
O’Leary , 84 , 71%
Sahli-Wells , 80 , 67%
Clarke , 62 , 52%
Malsin , 50 , 42%
Murray , 23 , 19%

Precincts 22/24 (West Culver)
TURNOUT: 263 (19%)
Malsin , 184 , 70%
Weissman , 159 , 60%
O’Leary , 144 , 55%
Clarke , 131 ,50%
Sahli-Wells , 127 ,48%
Murray , 59 ,22%

Precincts 25/5/44/45 (Lindberg Park / Condos)
TURNOUT: 372 (18%)
Clarke , 237 , 64%
Sahli-Wells , 230 , 62%
Weissman , 208 , 56%
O’Leary , 207 , 56%
Malsin , 182 , 49%
Murray , 69 , 19%

Precincts 27/28/71 (Sunkist Park)
TURNOUT: 549 (25%)
Weissman , 374 , 68%
O’Leary , 341 , 62%
Sahli-Wells , 328 , 60%
Clarke , 298 , 54%
Malsin , 278 ,51%
Murray , 106 , 19%

Precincts 31/34 (Crest / El Rincon)
TURNOUT: 469 (30%)
Weissman , 326 , 70%
Clarke , 294 , 63%
O’Leary , 293, 62%
Malsin , 225 , 48%
Sahli-Wells , 224 , 48%
Murray , 99 , 21%

Precinct 42 (Raintree)
TURNOUT: 208 (32%)
Clarke , 165 , 79%
Weissman , 152 , 73%
Sahli-Wells , 137 , 66%
O”Leary , 135 , 65%
Malsin , 88 , 42%
Murray , 19 , 9%

Precincts 73/76 (Fox Hills)
TURNOUT: 121 (9%)
Sahli-Wells , 78 , 64%
Weissman , 78 , 64%
Malsin , 66 , 55%
O’Leary , 61, 50%
Clarke , 46 , 38%
Murray , 38 , 31%

Precincts 74/75 (Fox Hills)
TURNOUT: 165 (11%)
Sahli-Wells , 104 , 63%
Weissman , 99 , 60%
Malsin , 85 , 52%
Clarke , 84 , 51%
O’Leary , 72 , 44%
Murray , 36 , 22%

Weissman
1st Place 6 (Precincts 7, 11, 14, 27, 31, 73)
2nd Place 3 (Precincts 22, 42, 74)
3rd Place 3 (Precincts 2, 4, 25)
4th Place 1 (Precinct 1)

Sahli-Wells
1st Place 5 (Precincts 1, 2, 4, 73, 74)
2nd Place 1 (Precint 25)
3rd Place 4 (Precincts 11, 14, 27, 42)
4th Place 1 (Precinct 7)
5th Place 2 (Precincts 22, 31)

O’Leary
1st Place 0
2nd Place 6 (Precincts 1, 2, 7, 11, 14, 27)
3rd Place 2 (Precincts 22, 31)
4th Place 4 (Precincts 4, 25, 42, 73)
5th Place 1 (Precinct 74)

Clarke
1st Place 2 (Precincts 25, 42)
2nd Place 2 (Precincts 4, 31)
3rd Place 2 (Precincts 1, 7)
4th Place 5 (Precincts 2, 14, 22, 27, 74)
5th Place 2 (Precincts 11, 73)

Malsin
1st Place 1 (Precinct 22)
2nd Place 0
3rd Place 2 (Precincts 73, 74)
4th Place 2 (Precincts 11, 31)
5th Place 8 (Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 25, 27)

Saving the Arts in Culver City

Arleen Chikami

NOTE: This is the sixth in a series of Culver City Progress Blog articles highlighting local community groups doing good work in Culver City. Please see the postings on the Culver City Sister City Committee here and here, on the Martin Luther King Planning Committee here, on Shoes for the Homeless here, and on the Culver City Youth Health Center here.

Support for the arts is a tradition in Culver City. With the establishment of the Cultural Affairs Commission in 2001, the adoption of the Community Cultural Plan by the City Council in 2003, and the creation of the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation in 2006, Culver City residents recognized the need to develop an arts infrastructure that could support and develop memorable creative programming in the visual and performing arts, as well as historic preservation, for all to enjoy. These efforts resulted in the creation many cultural events like the Culver City Music Festival, Made in Culver City, Music in the Chambers, Rainbow Day, and Speak Easy. Over the years, thousands of residents have enjoyed these free programs, and all were made possible by support from the Culver City Redevelopment Agency, which, unfortunately, was dissolved in February.

In response, the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation has recently stepped up efforts to implement a grass roots fundraising plan, now known as the Cultural City Campaign. As money is donated towards the Campaign, it increases the chances that these great programs will survive in some fashion—or better yet, thrive. The Campaign was approved at the Foundation’s last meeting on March 21, 2012, and is being implemented by City staff.

The first goal of the Cultural City Campaign is to raise funds for the programs which have lost funding due to the elimination of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency. They are:

• 2013 Culver City Music Festival - $75,000 for eight performances



• Speak Easy - $20,000 for two spoken word/live music performances



• Made in Culver City - $10,000 for one outdoor film screening



• Rainbow Day - $10,000 for two family-oriented performances



• Music in the Chambers - $10,000 for one classical music concert

Donors may make contributions for a specific program or for general support, and all donations are tax deductible.

Currently, donations are being accepted by check. Individuals and businesses may make checks payable to: Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation and mail to: Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation, 9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232. More information is available by calling 310-253-5716.

A donation webpage is being created at www.culvercity.org/donate which will allow residents to make electronic contributions. A press release will announce the launch of the website, and other fundraising developments.

In addition, the Foundation is applying to more than a dozen private foundations to supplement individual donations. A business contribution plan is also being initiated.

Through these unique events, Culver City residents have been enriched by an amazing roster of world-class artists including members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, playwright and MacArthur Genius Awardee, Luis Alfaro, jazz musicians Bill Cunliffe, Hubert Laws, and Patrice Rushen, and award-winning dance company Diavolo Dance Theater, to name a few. The calibre of these free programs have not only revitalized our neighborhoods, but they’ve also defined our city as a place that values creativity, quality of life, and community engagement for all of its citizens.

Indeed, the commitment to arts and culture was evident at the most recent Music in the Chambers concert, where audience members donated more than $750 upon learning of the Foundation’s Cultural City Campaign. On behalf of the Cultural Affairs Foundation, I want to thank those donors for their generosity—especially during this time of transition. If you love the arts and want these vibrant programs to continue in our city, please consider making a donation now.

Let’s keep Culver City a Cultural City!

Arleen Chikami is the Chair of the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation.

Does $1.5 million Per Month in Pension Liability Sound About Right for Culver City?

Neil Rubenstein

For the last 3 years, Culver City has spent on health benefits for eligible retired Councilmembers and their dependents the following:
2008 $47,385
2009 $45,455
2010 $53,020

Numerous inquiries have surfaced regarding Culver City employees and the amounts of their monthly pensions. The top ten are:
1. Cerris Black $14,732
2. Michael Thompson $13,618
3. Jerry Fulwood $11,773
4. Craig Bloor $11,035
5. Jim Davis $10,917
6. Mary Chang $10,246
7. Steve Cunningham $10,179
8. Michael Webb $10,019
9. Wallace Duval $9,915
10. Mitchell Oshinsky $9,882

At the other end, the ten smallest monthly pensions for Culver City employees are:
1. Theresa Kollios $4
2. Sarah Lowery $6
3. Hazel Spicer $12
4. Dorothy Collier $42
5. Ed Wolkowitz $56
6. Jacqueline Pachtman $57
7. Jozelle Smith $69
8. Gerrod Mack $76
9. Gary Silbiger $91
10. Edward Rose $99

Other pensioners worth noting include:

Don Rogers $9,385
Dale Jones $8,971
Mark Scott $8,858
Syd Kronenthal $8,814
Mark Ambrozich $5,413

Presently CalPers reports Culver City has over 550 retirees receiving almost $1.5 million each month. On March 21, 2012 a Public Records Request was submitted with the following questions:
1. The number of years worked
2. The departed last worked in
3. Their job position
4. Their previous twelve months of salary/wages
5. List the amounts of all non-wage benefits in their previous twelve months
6. Date of retirement

Also on March 21, 2012 another Public Records Act request was submitted which reads, “Based upon the most recent correspondence from CalPers, is our Culver City retiree accounts under-funded and if so by what amount”?

Some have suggested the City’s finances will be so bleak in the next 4 or 5 years we just might declare bankruptcy. Now I’ve been told a Chapter 9 bankruptcy will enable the city to cut retirees medical and pension benefits. We'll have to wait and see how our pension liability will impact our city's finances.

Neil Rubenstein is a former Culver City Disability Advisory Committee Member and a former LA County Commissioner.

New Solar Project Will Bring $400,000 To Our Schools

Culver City Unified School District's Environmental Sustainability Committee

The Environmental Sustainability Committee is thrilled to announce that CCUSD is now moving forward with the solar energy project which will provide 750 kW-AC of energy at the high school, middle school and Farragut. The latest analysis from the independent energy analyst and So CA Edison project that after maintenance expense, an average of $400,000 per year ($10.4 to $16.4 million over 30 years) will be pushed into the unrestricted general fund.

This project has been pursued for over 3 years and, still has a number of hurdles, but we thank school board President Karlo Silbiger, school board members and Superintendent Jaffe for taking the necessary steps to move this valuable project forward, to benefit Culver City kids education.

The Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) has pursued the solar project because of the multi-pronged value that it will bring to the district. Firstly, the solar installation will cost approximately 3.8 million dollars or, possibly less. That money will come from our capital improvement dollars which is a bank of money that can only be used for capital improvements and not for direct education. The energy savings combined with State of California solar incentives will push desperately needed funds into the general fund, while creating an environmental benefit equal to planting 4,956 trees Per Year!

Secondly, the use of solar energy will provide a unique opportunity to educate our children about climate change, how we currently meet our energy needs, the benefits of alternative forms of energy and, how solar energy generation works.

And finally, CCUSD will become part of a growing movement across California and the nation to “green our schools.” Currently, the ESC has a pilot project up and running at Linwood Howe to both recycle and create a more energy efficient school. To support our districts new recycling initiative, we have just this week been awarded a $23,800 grant from CalRecycle. As this project expands to other campuses within CCUSD, combined with solar, CCUSD will be well on its way to becoming a green school district.

According to the independent solar consultant Clyde Murley at the March 13th Board meeting, the next steps to bring our solar energy project to completion includes the following:

• Staff brings vendor selection recommendation to Board.
• Staff negotiates contract with selected vendor.
• Board brings signed contract to Board for approval and Notice to Proceed to winning vendor.
• The Vendor begins engineering and design work with construction to begin in summer and conclude in the fall.

Concerns and further recommendations which are yet to be addressed include the following
• The district is currently requesting a plan from bidders connected to and, dependent upon the creation of a new sports complex. The full complex is dependent on additional state funding. A backup plan should be created in case the sports complex is delayed due to issues beyond the control of the district prior to finalizing contractor agreements.

Assuming that this issue is resolved, we look forward to the creation of a greener, more sustainable school district which will reap the financial benefits of this very important solar energy project.

CCUSD Environmental Sustainability Committee:
Todd Johnson, Chair
Jon Barton
Cully Nordby
Shea Cunningham
Kathleen McKernin

It's Election Day, 2012

The Culver City Progress Blog has been posting election articles now for nearly 4 months. We have covered important issues, candidates' forums, and measure x. We have given voice to some of the community's concerns and allowed you to comment back. Now it is time to vote. If we're lucky, 25% of registered voters will turn out today in an historic election to select 80% of the new city council. We know that all Culver City Progress Blog readers will participate, but we hope that you will go the extra mile and make sure that your friends and neighbors also go to the polls. We have now had 2 elections in a row where the difference between the winner and the loser was less than 35 votes. In Culver City, every vote does truly count.

If you do not know about the candidates, please go to www.smartvoter.org (run by the League of Women Voters). They have information about all 6 candidates and links to their respective websites.

If you don't know where to vote, go to www.lavote.net/locator to find out.

Come back to the Culver City Progress Blog tomorrow for results and analysis.

The Ideal Superintendent

Debbie Hamme

A little more than a year ago, the Culver City Unified School District went through the complex process of selecting a new superintendent. At that time, The Cosca Group was hired to do the superintendent search and held numerous staff and community meetings in an effort to select the best possible candidate for our district. Long into the process, which had narrowed the candidates to a final three, the board allowed Patti Jaffe to be considered for the position, and the rest is history.

With Ms. Jaffe's announcement that she is retiring in June, the board is once again beginning such a search. This time around I think it is important to decide the parameters of the search and stick to them. Stakeholders will still have varying opinions over what qualifications they would like to see in our new superintendent, but our small district has been through a lot of turnover in the last few years and we need a sense of security restored to CCUSD. To that end, it would be nice to find a superintendent that plans to stay with us for quite some time.

Of course it is important for a candidate to possess the experience that makes them capable of doing the job and prepares them for the challenges they will face in a new district. This may mean that the candidate has had previous experience as a superintendent in another district, but since every district has its own peculiarities, a transitional period will have to be expected regardless of our final choice. Our new superintendent will need experience in many facets of education: teaching, curriculum, testing, the achievement gap, and other critical issues that directly affect our students. Our new superintendent will need to be cognizant of the demographics of our district and the importance of providing equal access to services and support for all students to ensure that every student receives the same opportunities for success.

Honesty and integrity are equally as important as experience. A superintendent should be honest, open, and approachable—someone who stays true to their word and their vision. We will need someone who realizes the importance of researching all aspects of an issue thoroughly and understanding the data completely before making a decision. Once the research has been done and all input considered, the superintendent needs to be confident enough in the process to not only make a decision, but be able to explain it effectively.

And, lastly, I would like to see a superintendent with a history of fostering and facilitating good working relationships with all stakeholders in the districts in which they’ve worked—staff, parents, community members, and yes, the bargaining units, too. For CCUSD, it is important, now more than ever, for us to work together to unify our district by focusing on our commonalities and not our differences.

Debbie Hamme is a Staff Writer for the Culver City Progress Blog and the President of the Culver City Association of Classified Employees.