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CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MAY 24, 2023
The regular adjourned meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Davis at 8:35
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
Also Present: City Manager David White
City Attorney Douglas Sloan
Acting Clerk Maria Dacanay-Wisner
CONVENE On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 8:35 p.m., with all
members present.
STUDY SESSION:
7.A Five-Year Financial Forecast Update, FY 2023-25 Proposed
Biennial Budget, and FY 2023-24 Proposed Capital Improvement
Program Budget, continued as presented. (Continued from May 23,
2023)
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Receive the FY 2023-24 through FY 2027-28 May Five-Year Financial
Forecast Update;
2. Review and provide direction to staff on the FY 2023-25 Proposed
Biennial Budget, including the FY 2023-24 Proposed Exception-Based
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget;
3. Review and provide direction to staff on proposed fee changes;
4. Review and comment on the Cultural/Art Organizational Support
Program (OSP) funding recommendations for the FY2023-25 funding
cycle; and
5. Direct staff to proceed with setting the FY 2023-25 Budget Adoption
public hearing on June 27, 2023.
The Mayor restated the motion that was last on the floor:
Motion by Councilmember Torosis, seconded by Mayor Davis, to approve
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the staff recommendation, and direct staff to incorporate a waiver of fees for
Landmarks submitted by non-profits, and take steps to repay the Housing
Trust Fund by returning to Council in October with a supplemental budget
and plan for repayment.
Councilmember Torosis amended the main motion to include restoring
monthly meetings of the Landmarks Commission, explore streamlining
Community Development Department (CDD) processes such as demolition
review pending the City Attorney’s analysis, funding a Traffic Engineer
position with Transportation Impact Fees (TIF), and taking $200,000 from
the City Manager’s Office Community Partnerships Program proposal and
using $50,000 for the Promenade Revitalization Project in the 1200 block
and $150,000 for program activation and on-going improvements at Reed
Park. The seconder found the amendment friendly.
Councilmember Parra proposed a friendly amendment to pull Capital
Improvement Project (CIP) funding for the Parking Study and deferring it
for one year. The maker of the motion did not find the amendment
friendly. Councilmember Parra rescinded her amendment and requested
that staff keep the Council updated on the Parking Study.
Questions asked and answered of staff included but was not limited to:
additional funding for Reed Park augmenting CIPs for the park and later be
used for programming; how TIF funding became available for the Traffic
Engineer position; if LA28 has a Planning Committee and the need for a
Community Partnerships Administrative Analyst and Consultant and the
next time the budget can be reassessed.
Substitute motion by Councilmember de la Torre, seconded by Mayor Pro
Tem Negrete to approve the staff recommendation, and direct staff to
incorporate a waiver of fees for Landmarks submitted by non-profits,
restore monthly meetings of the Landmarks Commission, explore
streamlining CDD’s processes such as demolition review pending the City
Attorney’s analysis, returning to Council in October or by fall with a plan
for repaying the Housing Trust Fund, funding a Traffic Engineer position
with TIF, and take the $412K from the City Manager’s Office’s
Community Partnership’s proposal to allocate $250,000 to the Police
Department for an additional police officer position and the remaining
funds to Youth Services.
Additional questions asked and answered of staff included: how quickly
can the police officer vacancies be filled and the benefit of allocating funds
to an additional position if there are still vacancies; if the remaining funds
for youth services be split between Virginia Avenue Park, Childcare
Recreation Enrichment Sports Together (CREST) and Police Activities
League (PAL); how the additional funding initially proposed for Reed Park
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could be used; clarification on the revenue projections for Community
Partnerships Programs such as the digital kiosk project; and if Council can
add to the City’s Unfunded CIP List.
Councilmember Brock proposed a friendly amendment to the substitute
motion to add the following projects to the Unfunded CIP List: maintaining
or demolishing the kiosk at the 1200 block of Arizona on the Third Street
Promenade, and building a dog park at Reed Park. The amendment was
friendly to the maker and seconder of the substitute motion.
Councilmember Brock proposed a second friendly amendment to the
substitute motion to keep the funding for the Community Partnerships
Analyst position in the City Manager’s Office’s instead of allocating it to
Youth Services. The amendment was friendly to the maker but not to the
seconder.
Councilmember Brock proposed a third friendly amendment to the substitute
motion regarding the remaining funds for youth services to split it and
allocate $75K to plant and maintain new trees to increase the City’s tree
canopy and $75K to support free aquatic instruction to third graders in the
City. The amendment was not friendly to the maker.
Councilmember Brock proposed a fourth friendly amendment to the
substitute motion regarding the remaining funds for youth services and
allocate $75K to support free aquatic instruction to third graders in the City
and $75K to VAP. The amendment was friendly to the maker but not the
seconder.
Councilmember Brock supported the substitute motion as is and rescinded
his first amendment.
Councilmember Parra proposed a friendly amendment to the substitute
motion regarding the $412K from the City Manager’s Office’s Community
Partnership’s proposal to allocate $85K to the Police Department for
technology upgrades, $177K to CREST and return the remaining $150K to
the City Manager’s Office’s Community Partnerships Program. The maker
and seconder found the amendment friendly.
Discussion ensued on the need to support revenue generating positions and
programs to fund other City needs, and improve safety, infrastructure and
programing at Reed Park.
The substitute motion as amended was approved by the following roll call
vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Parra, Brock, de la Torre,
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Mayor Pro Tem Negrete
NOES: Councilmember Zwick, Torosis, Mayor Davis
ABSENT: None
ADJOURNMENT On order of the Mayor, the City Council meeting adjourned at 10:28 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Maria Dacanay-Wisner Gleam Davis
Acting Clerk Mayor
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