This week’s city council meeting got off to a rather unusual start—a celebration of the 100th anniversary of a speech by Harry Culver, city founder, proposing the creation of our enduring city.
“If you draw a straight line from the Story Building to the oceanfront at Venice, at the halfway mark you will find three intersecting electrical lines, the logical center for what we propose to develop as a town cite,” read councilman Jim Clarke in a re-enactment of the original speech. Also in Culver’s 1913 speech: “the question of a subway,” which received many laughs from the audience.
Following the re-enactment, council members presented certificates of appreciation to volunteers in the community holding such positions as city planning commissioner, landlord-tenant-mediation board members, and members of the cultural affairs committee.
Mayor Jeffrey Cooper said, “these are people who have been very giving of their time as volunteers.” Council members then decided to postpone the City Customer Relations Management item, and proceeded to give a brief speech in memoriam of the recently passed Sheryl Williams, former owner of the Crystal Rose banquet space.
Issues raised by citizen speakers at the meeting included the need for greater traffic control on Higuera Street and the proposition of more stop signs near the existing traffic circles as a possible solution, a welcome statement to the new residents of the Tellefson Park neighbourhood by the neighbourhood association president, a complaint about a property violation at 4366 Sepulveda regarding a chain link fence, a complaint about the continuing traffic violations near Linwood E. Howe School, and an announcement about this year’s Fiesta La Ballona which will include food trucks, rides, bands, and a costume celebration on Aug. 23, 24, and 25.
Regarding the traffic violations near Linwood E. Howe, specifically stop sign running, speaker Cary Anderson proposed that the city use more police personnel to catch offenders, suggesting that the increase in tickets would pay for the extra personnel cost.
The most item at the meeting however, was the Levy for the Sewer User’s Services Charge for the fiscal year 2013-2014, which was ultimately approved.
The levy is a maintenance fee for all households that will amount to about a two-dollar increase each month.
One concerned citizen spoke out against the fee increase complaining about the difficult economic times and the burden of taxes, especially for retired people on fixed-incomes. However it is important to note that the fee increase is not a tax.
“The fee is based on how much it costs to provide the service, nothing more, nothing less,” explained councilwoman Meghan Sahli-Wells.
The council also noted that this will be the first increase since 2007, despite indications that the fee ought to have been raised during those years, but that the council held off due to the economic downturn during that period.
Councilman Michael O’Leary requested that staff look into some form of outreach for the community to educate them on lowering their water usage as a way to counteract the fee increase (which is calculated based on a person’s total water usage).
Another citizen speaker expressed concerns about the overall usefulness of a fee increase as opposed to other plans to maintain or revamp the aging system.
Finally, the council took action regarding the proposed new parking meter rate of $0.25 per hour, which would affect all meters in Culver City.
The council will be further discussing this issue in later meetings. The next scheduled city council meeting will be held Monday Aug. 12 at 7 p.m.