Steve’s Side: Midnight Express!
Once again, our Culver City Council’s Agenda ensures that important decisions are made during the midnight rush to go home after a long day at work and then a city council meeting.
An agenda that has six presentations to or from city council, twenty Consent Items (that some are talked about) two public hearings and then the important Action Items does not allow the business of the public to be seen in the daylight that it deserves. I’m not even mentioning the city council personal announcements and travel itinerary that some members of the council think is more important than the business of government.
The city council must take control of the agenda process from a policy point of view by placing the business of the public first on the agenda, putting their announcements to the end of the meeting, and following city council policy guidelines on limiting public input to three minutes a person for the first 20 minutes of the meeting and the rest at the end of the meeting. While on the subject of controlling time, the city council should discuss and implement guidelines on the amount of time and the number of presentations at a city council meeting. There truly seems to be an inflationary trend in the amount and standards of city council presentations.
The City Council Meeting is a business meeting of city government where the public is invited to attend. It is not a public meeting that the business of government is decided at midnight when most smart people are home and sleeping.
That’s what I think…
Steven J. Rose, ACE
President/CEO
Culver City Chamber of Commerce
Lachoff to Lead the Chamber in 2015
The Annual Installation of Officers and Awards Luncheon is set for noon on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton, L.A. Westside, located at 6161 W. Centinela Ave. in Culver City. Prepaid tickets are $30 but $35 at the door. RSVP should be made by 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015.
Kevin Lachoff of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, leading commercial real estate brokers, was elected 2015 Culver City Chamber of Commerce Chair for the 2015 year. Lachoff is currently Chair-Elect of the Chamber of Commerce and serves on Culver City’s Planning Commission. Kevin is married with two children and resides in Culver City.
The Chamber Executive Committee for 2015 will have Colette Moore serving as Chair- Elect; Ms. Moore is the owner of the local franchise of Pridestaff, one of America’s leading employee placement organizations. Pridestaff, Culver City was recently named as one of the top hundred women owned businesses in the Los Angeles area. Joining Mr. Lachoff and Ms. Moore are Bill Reider, GM of the DoubleTree by Hilton, LA, Westside as Immediate Past Chair; Vice Chairs of the Board are Elizabeth Flynn, Walter N. Marks, Inc., (Helms Building); Paul Goldstein, GM of Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary; Sue Robins, Ascend Training Solutions, LLC (Member of the Culver City Board of Education); Geoff Maleman, Maleman Ink; and Don Ziss, GM of Westfield Culver City.
Joining the Board of Directors are newly elected and appointed members Keith Jones, Marina Martial Arts; Brian Bunnin, Bunnin Chevrolet; Mike Harriel, Southern California Gas Co.; Jamie Hemann, NFL Media; Ed Wolkowitz, Attorney-at-Law; Janice Beighey, Tower Insurance Associates, Inc.; Rich Kissel, Kissel & Co./Keller Williams Realty; Rich Hibbs, Richard S. Hibbs CPA; Michael Hamill, Grandview National, Inc.; and Goran Eriksson, esi Techtrans, Inc.
For registration information, persons interested can visit: http://business.culvercitychamber.com/events/ details/installation-of-officers-luncheon-15-01-783 or call Barbara Brody at (310) 287-3850.
Culver Chamber leads coalition to oppose Rental Rate Controls
On Monday, Dec. 8, during the Culver City Council there was an agenda item to discuss affordable housing issues and rental rates in Culver City.
A coalition lead by the Chamber, Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA), Beverly Hill/Greater Los Angeles Board of Realtors turned out a great number of speakers along with an email campaign that encouraged the city council not to further discuss control of rental rates in Culver City.
In the wee hours of Tuesday morning a motion was passed to further discuss the “creation of affordable housing” and work of the Landlord/Tenant Mediation Board.
Councilmembers Clarke, Cooper and Weissman were solidly opposed to government interference on economic controls of local rental units, while Mayor Sahli-Wells spent time trying to include government regulations on rent in any further discussions. Vice Mayor O’Leary recused himself from the conversation over what he felt was a conflict of interest.
Labor Law Seminar 2015: A Vital Seminar for Pro-active Employers…
The Culver Chamber and the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD) will co-sponsor the 2015 Labor Law Seminar Minimizing Employer Liability: A Practical Guide for Employers on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015.
The seminar will take place at DoubleTree by Hilton – Los Angeles, Westside, located at 6161 Centinela Ave. in Culver City. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with the seminar scheduled from 8 a.m. to Noon.
The seminar will include updates on federal and state decisions, laws, regulations, and trends and changes; developing and implementing proactive payroll and personnel policies; recommendations for best practices and more. This event will be led by Betsy Johnson with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. one of California’s finest employment law firms.
No matter the size of your business, the 2014 Labor Law Seminar can help you avoid labor problems before they occur.
Entrance is $75 if prepaid registration is completed by Jan. 20, 2015. Prepaid registration after Jan. 20, 2015 cost $85. Tickets are non-refundable.
More information about the seminar available at: http:// www.culvercitychamber.com or by calling (310) 287-3850.