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May 24, 2023
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MAY 24, 2023
A special meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Davis at 6:03 p.m., on
Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at City Council Chambers, 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA.
Roll Call: Present: Mayor Gleam Davis
Mayor Pro Tem Lana Negrete
Councilmember Phil Brock
Councilmember Oscar de la Torre
Councilmember Christine Parra
Councilmember Caroline Torosis
Councilmember Jesse Zwick (arrived 6:14 p.m.)
Also Present: City Manager David White
City Attorney Douglas Sloan
Acting Clerk Maria Dacanay-Wisner
CONVENE/PLEDGE
On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 6:03 p.m., with all
members present except Councilmember Zwick. Councilmember Torosis
led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance.
AGENDA
MANAGEMENT
Motion by Mayor Davis, seconded by Councilmember Torosis, to hear item
12.A. before all other items. The motion was unanimously approved by
voice vote, with Councilmember Zwick absent.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
IMPASSE WITH
ADMINISTRATIVE
TEAM ASSOCIATES
(ATA)
12.A. Government Code Section 3505.7 Public Hearing on Impasse
with Administrative Team Associates, was presented.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section
15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Adopt the Factfinding Report dated March 7, 2023, as the official report
in the matter of the impasse between Administrative Team Associates
(ATA) and the City of Santa Monica (City) (Attachment A); and
3. Adopt and Direct staff to implement the Last, Best and Final Offer
authorized by City Council and presented to ATA on February 15, 2022
The Councilmembers present did not have ex-parti communications to
report, with Councilmember Zwick absent.
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May 24, 2023
(Councilmember Zwick
arrived at 6:14 p.m.)
The Mayor opened the public hearing and Alexander Volberding of Liebert
Cassidy Whitmore presented and gave rebuttals on behalf of the City, and
Administrative Team Associates (ATA) President Benjamin Steers and
Attorney Richard Levine presented and gave rebuttals on behalf of ATA.
ATA shared their remaining time with Public Services Administrator Alex
Mendoza and Forensics Administrator Lisa Jackson Robinson.
The hearing was open to public comment and member of the public Jerry
Rubin spoke on the recommended action.
Public comment was closed and questions asked and answered of both
parties included but was not limited to: whether the fact finding included a
difference in service or performance for certain positions held by people with
and without bachelor’s degrees; how many vacant positions have been
difficult to fill; why some Departments offer education bonuses, whether
there has been a staffing shortage since these changes were first proposed in
2016; the number of applications the City typically received before and after
the pandemic; whether subject matter experts determined that it was not
necessary that individuals possess college degrees to perform the jobs in
question; and clarification on the number of years of experience both parties
are proposing.
Discussion ensued on topics including but not limited to: equity issues if
different compensation is created for staff with and without degrees; the
City’s current staffing shortage and urgency to gather a large pool of
qualified applicants; eliminating non-essential degree requirements or other
barriers for applicants and current staff; and workforce development.
Motion by Councilmember Torosis, seconded by Councilmember Zwick, to
adopt the staff recommendation.
Councilmember de la Torre proposed a friendly amendment to require four
years of additional experience instead of two years as an alternative to a
bachelor’s degree. The amendment was not friendly to the maker and
seconder.
The main motion was approved by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers de la Torre, Torosis, Brock, Zwick,
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Mayor Davis
NOES: Councilmember Parra
ABSENT: None
PUBLIC INPUT ON
REMAINING AGENDA
ITEMS:
No members of the public signed up to comment on the remaining agenda
items.
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May 24, 2023
CONTINUED ITEMS:
SUSTAINABILITY,
ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE & THE
ENVIRONMENT
8.A. Appointment to one unscheduled vacancy on the Commission on
Sustainability, Environmental Justice and the Environment for the
term ending on June 30, 2024, was presented. (Continued from May 9,
2023.)
On order of the Mayor, the floor was opened for nominations.
Councilmember Brock nominated Mark A. Gold.
Councilmember Zwick nominated Gerda Newbold.
Mark A. Gold was appointed by the following roll call vote:
Gold: Councilmembers Parra, Brock, de la Torre,
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete
Newbold: Councilmembers Zwick, Torosis, Mayor Davis
Councilmembers Zwick and Torosis, and Mayor Davis changed their votes
to Gold, thereby appointing Mark A. Gold unanimously to the Commission
on Sustainability, Environmental Justice and the Environment, with all
members present.
HUMAN SERVICES
COMMISSION
8.B. Appointment to one open seat on the Human Services Commission
for the term ending in June 30, 2025, was presented. (Continued from
May 9, 2023.)
On order of the Mayor, the floor was opened for nominations.
Councilmember Brock nominated David T. Pisarra.
Councilmember Torosis nominated Luis B. Castanon.
David T. Pisarra was appointed by the following roll call vote:
Pisarra: Councilmembers de la Torre, Brock, Parra,
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Mayor Davis
Castanon: Councilmembers Torosis, Zwick
DISABILITIES
COMMISSION
8.C. Appointment to two unscheduled vacancies on the Disabilities
Commission for terms ending on June 30, 2025, was presented.
(Continued from May 9, 2023.)
On order of the Mayor, the floor was opened for nominations.
Debra Senopole was appointed unanimously by acclamation.
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May 24, 2023
Staff was directed to continue to advertise the second vacancy.
TRANSIENT
OCCUPANCY TAX (TOT)
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
8.D. Appointments to Five Seats on the Newly Created Transient
Occupancy Tax Advisory Committee for Five Partial-Terms Ending on
6/30/2025, was presented. (Continued from May 9, 2023.)
Staff read a correction that applicants Danielle Goller and Sam Jagger are
applying for the two seats for representatives of a local hospitality and not
for the one seat for a representative of the homeless behavioral health
services community as incorrectly indicated on their applications.
On order of the Mayor, the floor was opened for nominations.
Danielle Goller and Sam Jagger were appointed unanimously by
acclamation.
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete nominated Albin Gielicz for one of the two seats
for residents.
Councilmember Zwick nominated Natalya Zernitskaya for one the seats for
residents.
Councilmember Brock nominated Rosemary Regalbuto for one of the seats
for residents.
Albin Gielicz and Natalya Zernitskaya were appointed by the following roll
call vote:
Gielicz and Zernitskaya: Councilmembers Torosis, Zwick,
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Mayor Davis
Gielicz and Regalbuto: Councilmembers de la Torre, Brock, Parra
Staff was directed to continue to advertise the vacancy for the remaining seat
for a representative of the homeless behavioral health services community.
ORDINANCES:
CATALYTIC
CONVERTERS
10.A. Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Adding Santa
Monica Municipal Code Section 4.08.830 to Prohibit Unlawful
Possession of Catalytic Converters, was presented.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding that the proposed ordinance is not a project for purposes
of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), or, if considered a
project, it is categorically exempt under Section 15061(b)(3) (Common
Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines.
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May 24, 2023
2. Introduce for first reading an ordinance adding Section 4.08.830 to the
Santa Monica Municipal Code establishing regulations prohibiting the
unlawful possession of catalytic converters within the City of Santa
Monica.
Questions asked and answered of staff included but was not limited to:
whether someone in possession of a converter detached from a vehicle can
currently be charged if a victim cannot be identified; other laws comparable
to the proposed ordinance involving possession of an item that is generally
legal to possess; exemptions for people such as mechanics or transporters
with legitimate reasons for being in possession of converters; types of
documentation that can be provided as proof of ownership or being in legal
possession of a converter; etching converters to help prevent theft and sales
of stolen converters; whether converters can be reinstalled back onto
vehicles; why the fine is $500 which is typically less than the cost of repairs,
increasing insurance rates and/or replacing a vehicle; which model and year
of cars are typically targeted; and the City of Los Angeles’ ordinance and
how it differs from the proposed ordinance.
Motion by Councilmember Torosis seconded by Councilmember Brock, to
approve the staff recommendation and introduce and hold first reading of the
ordinance reading by title only and waiving further reading thereof. The
motion was approved unanimously by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Zwick, Parra, Brock, Torosis, de la Torre,
Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, Mayor Davis
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ADJOURNMENT On order of the Mayor, the City Council meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Maria Dacanay-Wisner Gleam Davis
Acting Clerk Mayor
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