City Council - Regular Meeting

Production, we're waiting for the city clerk.

Okay, good evening. I will call the City Council meeting to order at 5.01 p.m. City Clerk, may I have a roll call, please?

Council Member Gerson? Present. Council Member Kartzonis? Present. Council Member Lewis? Present. Council Member Liu? Present. Council Member Shaik?

Present.

Mayor Kalani?

Present. The Council will now recess to close session to confer with the City Manager and City Attorney on agenda items listed under 13A, Conference with Legal Counsel, Existing Litigation. 13b, Real Property, Conference with Real Property Negotiator. 13c, Conference with Legal Counsel, Anticipated Litigation. And 13d, Conference with Labor Negotiator. A closed session on these matters is authorized by California Government Code Section 54956 54946.8, 54956.9 and 54957.6. We will return after closed session. Thank you.

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Testing 1, 2, 3. This is Kevin. Testing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Good test.

7, 8, 9.

I can hear you, Kevin.

10, 11, 12.

I can hear you, Kevin. Can you hear me?

Yeah, I can hear you.

Okay, I can hear you. We're good. We're good.

Testing 1, 2, 3. Can you hear me?

I can hear you, Crystal. Yes, I hear you in Chambers. Chambers mic test. I hear Crystal. I hear Kevin. Chambers mic test. We're good.

Chambers mic is very low for me.

Eddie, Eddie, put broadcast all the way up, Eddie. Broadcast all the way up, please. Just like, just like that. And I am talking a little bit low. This is normal test, test one, two, chambers audio test, chambers audio test. Yeah, you come through good, Val. You're good, Krista, you can hear, so we're okay?

Yes, that was better.

Okay.

Hanging up.

Thank you. Thank you. Bye.

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Okay, good evening. I'll now reconvene our City Council meeting at 6.31, and we are glad that you are all here. I want to welcome you for joining the meeting tonight in Council Chamber, as well as those watching remotely. We have been in closed session. City Manager, do we have any actions to report?

Good evening, Your Honor. No actions to report. Thank you.

Thank you. And now we're moving on to item two, the flag salute and invocation. We honor those who make it possible for us to be here today. Is there anyone here in the audience who is on active duty or a military veteran? Please stand or raise your hand so that we may recognize you. Thank you. Our flag salute tonight, if you remain standing, will be by Councilmember Kartzonis and our non-secreting invocation by Councilmember Lewis.

All right, please rise if you have not already. Remove any caps. Face the flag over here, and you may begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Please remain standing. Gracious Lord, we come before you in gratitude for our city and its new leaders and continuing leaders. We ask for your guidance, your wisdom and your peace. Unite our leaders and our city with a shared vision for the common good and grant all of us with the strength to serve with integrity, humility and compassion. We also pray that you inspire all of us to work together for fairness and prosperity of our great city. May your love and light guide us forward, amen.

And now we have a special presentation and announcement. We have a special person in our staff our city manager, Mr. Aram Chaparian, celebrating 25 years

Happy anniversary to you. Happy anniversary to you. Happy anniversary, dear Mr. Chip Marion. Happy anniversary to you.

Thank you. We're coming for a photo. We're coming for a big photo. I'm not going to blow for protocol's sake.

I'm going to sit off the fire.

Is that 52? I would agree that's 52. Put your smile on. It was cake.

Thank you for letting us do that. It's really important. We really appreciate you, sir. So now we're moving on to item three, announcements of withdrawal, deferred, and or supplemental items.

Where do I begin? Thank you, Your Honor, Mayor and Council. I truly appreciate your kind gesture. It was 25 years ago on July 16th that I walked into City Hall as an intern. who would have thought 25 years later we'd be here celebrating. But I really appreciate all of you and the prior mayor and council members, including Mr. Jackson and Mayor Giordano, who were instrumental, and Kim Turner, who gave me my first big boy full-time job. So thank you. With that, Your Honor, there are no supplement materials available on the city website. Thank you all.

All right, thank you. We'll go ahead and move on to item four. I'll take a motion to wait for the readings of resolutions and audiences after a number entitled if we have any.

So moved. Second.

Start voting, please.

Are you having problems?

I may need some assistance.

Thank you.

Thank you for the help.

Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Thank you very much. Moving on to Item five, council meeting minutes and staff announcements. I would like to invite social service commission chair Karen Pryor to the podium to introduce the back to school supply drive.

Good evening. Thank you, Mayor Kalani. Thank you. So awesome to say that. Members of City Council and all you fabulous people up here, my name is Karen Pryor. I am the chair of the Social Services Commission, and we would like to encourage the community to participate in our annual back-to-school supply drive. This is held in partnership with Torrance Unified School District. Every donation helps provide students in the district who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness with the essential school supplies they need for a successful school year. Requested donations include, but are not limited to, backpacks, lunch bags, notebooks, folders, binders, umbrellas, hair products, and other essential school supplies. Collection boxes are currently located in the City Hall Lobby, Permit Center, Walteria Library, and North Torrance Library. The supply drive ends, it says this Friday, June 23rd, it's June 24th, you know, we'll take them into next week, I think. To view the complete list of requested items, please visit torrentca.gov forward slash help others. And if you have any questions, please call 310-618-5880 or email socialservicescommission at torrentca.gov. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Chair. Commissioner Pryor. Chief Dumais.

Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, Mayor and members of the City Council. David Dumais, Fire Chief. I would like to remind the community that the Torrance Refining Company will be conducting the monthly test of the community alert sirens on Wednesday, August 5th at 1130 a.m. That's two weeks from now. As a reminder, this is only a test. The test will include a one minute all clear chime, followed by a two minute siren tone, and another minute of the all clear chimes. Total testing time will not exceed five minutes. It is important to note the siren tone may be heard farther than the chimes. During an actual emergency, you will hear the sirens, we encourage the community to take action to shelter shut and listen for instructions from the city shelter in place means if you are outside while at home go inside close all windows doors and vents and turn off air conditioning listen for instructions from local cable radio social media sites and through the torrents alert app If driving, continue to drive. Close all windows and vents. Set air conditioning to recirculate. Turn your radio to 1620 AM city sounds for local instructions. If you're in your car, do not start the engine. Close all windows and vents and turn your radio to 1620 city sounds for instructions. Listen for the chimes that signal the all-clear message to signal the emergency has concluded. For additional information, residents may contact the Torrance Refining Company Community Relations at 310-212-1852. That's 310-212-1852. We also encourage Torrance residents and businesses to sign up for Torrance Alerts, which is Torrance's emergency notification and warning system. Torrance Alerts delivers early warning and real-time updates during emergencies such as earthquakes, fire, fires, or public health events. When action is needed, like evacuations, avoid, or shelter in place, you'll receive alerts by phone, email, text, or through the Torrance Alert app. For more information regarding Torrance Alerts, please go to the City's webpage at www.torranceca.gov forward slash Torrance Alerts. Thank you, Your Honor.

thank you chief demay we're now moving on to community matters with 6a our next item is a special recognition from our community services department the city's proud to recognize the friends of the torrance theater company for their generous 35 000 donation to support this year's torrance theater company 2026 summer musical frozen The Friends of the Torrance Theatre Company have long supported the city's productions by funding the live orchestra each season. This year's contribution will also help offset the additional costs of bringing this spectacular production to life, including scenery, costumes, and puppet-building materials. Frozen opens Saturday, August 8, 2026, and closes Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the James Armstrong Theater, located at 3330 Civic Center Drive in Torrance. This production is directed by Jim Hormel, choreographed by Swan Throbridge, with music and vocal direction by Bradley Hampton. The show is selling out fast, so you'll want to get your tickets right away at www.torrenstheatercompany.com or at the James Armstrong Theater box office by calling 310-781-7171. 310-781-7171. Along with tickets to the show, you can purchase VIP packages at torrenstheatrecompany.com, including a royal coronation ceremony, the Irwindale Welcome Station, and Let It Snow family photo experiences. Now I'd like to ask Harry Jordahl from the Friends of the Torrance Theatre Company to say a few words and present the donation check.

thank you mayor council uh everyone else up here i appreciate the time we've just uh you said it perfectly no notes um the uh we've just continued to support the city uh by raising money to continue to bring quality live theater to the residents of the city and beyond and so we're just happy and proud to be here to to uh present this $35,000 check to the city for Frozen. And we appreciate all the information that you provided, because now I don't have anything else to say.

Thank you. So we're going to come down for a photo opportunity. Thank you.

All right, boys and girls. Short people here.

Are we streaming?

Thank you.

Okay, moving on to 6B from our city clerk.

Thank you, Your Honor. Rebecca Poye, City Clerk. It is my recommendation that City Council take action to fill vacancies on various commissions by appointing qualified applicants. All applicants have been verified as registered voters of the City of Torrance who have completed commission certification training and if a current seated commissioner completed ethics AB 1234 and non-supervisory harassment prevention trainings. The appointment process will be as follows. Applicants in attendance will be asked to stand as their name is called. Then the mayor will allow members of the public to have an opportunity to speak. Mayor will call for nominations from council. If a council member wishes to nominate, they may request to speak, and the mayor will acknowledge them. Council members may only nominate one applicant. Please speak into your microphone and state the name clearly. Once an applicant has been nominated, they do not need to be nominated a second time. Council members may choose to concur with the applicant that has already been nominated or remain silent. Council members may choose not to nominate an applicant as well. The nomination process should narrow the field of applicants for voting. After nominations are closed, Mayor will request a roll call vote. Council members will clearly state the name of the candidate they are voting for. Please speak into the microphone. To be appointed, the applicant must receive a majority of votes from the City Council per Council Rules of Order Section 4.8. If there is a tie, a coin toss may be used to determine the terms. Your Honor, I will now call the applicants' names. It should be noted that Applicant Fury and Applicant Pascal are unable to attend tonight. Russell Aikiyama, Adam Bettino, Charles Deemer, Paul Fox, Judy Gerber, Cameron Henson, Phil Hong, Mia Kartzonis, Kenneth Liu, Steven Lays, Brennan Mendez, Michelle Pocari, Adam Razek, Gary Safarian, Arohi Sharma, Tyler Stivers, Joy Sun, Alex Truman, Christopher Truman, Tremaine White, and Tony Yeh. I now turn the process over to you, Mayor.

Thank you very much. We will designate up to 10 minutes for members of the public to comment. City Clerk, has anyone signed up to speak prior to the start of the meeting?

No one signed up for this item, Your Honor.

I'm so sorry, everyone. You can sit down. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Lewis. does anyone from the public wish to be heard on the appointments you have up to three minutes to address the council okay i see no one we'll now take remote participants callers can press star 9 to raise their hand staff is there anyone that would like to speak your honor there are no remote callers Okay, thank you very much. I will now start to accept nominations for the Planning Commission. And I think we'll go ahead and start to my left with Council Member Gerson.

I would like to nominate Adam Rasek.

I would like to nominate Arohi Shama.

I would like to nominate Adam Bettino.

Council Member Schenk.

Mine have been nominated, thank you.

Mine have been nominated already as well.

Sorry, Your Honor. To clarify, the nominations were Adam Raznick, Adam Bettino, and was there a third one?

Arohi Shama.

Okay, thank you. My apologies. Are you closing the nominations? Okay. Would you like me to start the voting?

Yes, please. Okay. Please start the voting.

Council Member Gerson.

Adam Raznick.

Oh, I'm sorry. You picked two.

Arohi Sharma.

Council Member Clarksonis, please pick two.

Ms. Sharma and Mr. Patino.

Council Member Lewis.

Patino and Sharma.

Council Member Liu. Arohi Sharma and Adam Patino. Council Member Shaikh.

Ms. Sharma and Adam Lurzak.

Mayor Kalani.

Adam Bettino and Aurore Sharma.

Your Honor, I have Rohit Sharma with six votes and Adam Bettino with four. That does ratify. You have met the council rules of order. I would suggest that since Ms. Sharma got more votes, she get the longer term and Mr. Bettino get the shorter term.

Do you need a motion for that?

No, we do one motion at the end of all the appointments. Okay.

Mayor Kalani, can I interject one question? I'm going to have to be recused from some of these. So when we do one motion at the end, do we?

We could, if you'd like, I apologize, council member, I forgot you will be recusing yourself. Why don't we do a motion now for planning? Thank you.

Thank you. I'd like to make a motion. Arohi Sharma take the term expiring in 2030 and Adam Bettino taking the term that expires in 2029. Second.

Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Thank you and congratulations to both of you. So correct me, please correct me if I'm wrong. Clerk Poirier, please stay so that you can.

Yes, please stay at the end of all of the appointments. Those who are appointed will be asked to come forward and take the oath of office.

Thank you. I'll now accept nominations for the Civil Service Commission, and we'll start to my right with Council Member Cartsmans.

I'm going to nominate Mr. White.

And that is all of our potential nominees for this commission.

Well, we did have one other person who was on the list, but he got appointed to the previous one.

That is correct.

Sorry, that's why I was waiting for that.

Is there anyone that would like to make a motion?

I move that we appoint Tremaine White to the Civil Service Commission ending in 2030. Second.

I second that. No, wait. She said it.

Council Member Luce, did you second that?

I did. Okay.

Could you please click in, please?

I'm stuck.

Council Member, yeah, there you go.

Okay. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Thank you. Congratulations. I will now accept nominations for the Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission. We're going to start with Commissioner Liu.

I'd like to nominate Russell Akiyama and Brennan Mendez.

You may only nominate one applicant.

One at a time. I'll do Mr. Akiyama first.

Paul Fox.

Adam Razek.

Mine were nominated. Thank you.

Oh, pardon me.

I will nominate Mr. Mendez.

I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you, Council Member Gerson.

Mendez.

Mendez, okay.

Okay, we're ready for a roll call.

Council Member Kartzonis, please vote for two.

Mr. Akiyama and Mr. Fox.

Council Member Lewis, please vote for two.

Akiyama and Fox.

Council Member Liu, please vote for two.

Akiyama and Mendez.

Council Member Shaik.

Akiyama and Fox.

Council Member Gerson.

Akiyama and Mendez.

Mayor Kalani.

Akiyama and Fox.

Your Honor, I have Akiyama with six votes and Fox with four. Both terms expire at the same time. Would you like to take a motion to confirm those?

Yeah, let's take a motion to confirm both Russell Akiyama and Paul Fox onto the Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commission. So moved. Second.

Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations, gentlemen. The next Historic Preservation Commission, we have one person for two seats. Do we want to take a motion to appoint Ms. Hanson?

I would like to make a motion to appoint Cami Hanson to Historic Preservation to a term expiring in 2030. Second.

I'll second that.

Start voting, please.

Did you vote?

Council Member Liu, thank you. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations, Ms. Hansel. Okay, moving on to nominations for the Airport Commission.

Let's quickly remove... Mayor Kalani, I'm going to ask that I be recused for this item as my wife is on the... appointment list, and although the compensation to these positions is very low, it is a potential conflict of interest from a financial standpoint, so I'll be right behind that door.

Thank you. And just confirming that everyone that's on our commission list is still... Yes. Okay, so we're going to start with Council Member Schenck.

Yeah, and I'll nominate Mr. Gary Safarian.

I will go ahead and nominate Adam Razczak.

Mine are already taken. Council Member Liu.

Mine are taken.

Council Member Kurtzon.

I'll nominate Mia Kurtzonis.

Okay. Thank you, Your Honor. I'm getting ready. I've got to cross off names and do things down here. Let's see. Did we have a motion? Oh, no, we're voting. Sorry. Council Member Lewis, pick two, please.

Razak and Safarian.

Council Member Liu, pick two, please.

Razak and Safarian.

Council Member Shaik, pick two, please.

Razak and Safarian.

Council Member Gerson, pick two, please.

Razak and Safarian.

I'm sorry, what was your second choice?

Gary Safarian.

Okay, thank you. Mayor Kalani.

Razak and Safarian.

Your Honor, they both got five votes. Both terms end in 2030.

I move that we appoint Adam Razak and Gary Safarian to the Airport Commission, terms expiring in 2030.

Second. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carries with Councilmember Cartstone as recused.

Commission on aging?

Yeah. Council Member Lewis wishes to speak.

I would like to get council concurrence to accept more applications for the commission on aging. Can I have a concurrence to accept further applications on the commission on aging?

I think we have it. There's a request for concurrence to accept more applications for the commission on aging rather than choosing this.

Your Honor, that would be to direct the city clerk to advertise and solicit more applications, correct? Yes.

Okay, let me revise that. To direct the city clerk to re-advertise to openings on the commission for aging. Do we need a concurrence or do we need a vote?

You could do either. Would you like to vote? You can make a motion.

What do you prefer? Make the motion? Okay. I make a motion that we direct the city clerk to re-advertise the openings on the commission on aging.

I'll second it. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion fails with Councilmember Gerson, Kartzonis, Liu, and Sheik voting no.

Okay, so we have two seats with two applicants, Kenneth Liu and Christopher Truman. Is there a motion to appoint them both to the commission?

I'd like to make a motion that we appoint Kenneth Liu and Christopher Truman to the commission on aging. Both terms expire in 2030.

I second.

Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carries with Councilmember Lewis abstaining.

Okay, thank you. Congratulations. Okay, we're moving on.

Your Honor, please pause so that I can update the grids. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Your Honor. I'm ready.

Yeah, I appreciate that. City Clerk, would you please go down the list and tell us who is already on a commission now at this point?

So for cultural arts, the applicants that have not been appointed to any other commission so far, Alex Truman, Pascal Cardozo, Judith Gerber, Brennan Mendez, Tyler Stivers.

Thank you. We'll go ahead and start again with Council Member Gerson.

Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to start with nominating Judith Gerber.

Council Member Liu.

I'd like to nominate .

Council Member Lewis.

I'd like to nominate Brendan Mendez.

Council Member Shaik.

I'd like to nominate Alex Truman.

Council Member Kartzonis.

I apologize. City Clerk, could you let us know who's nominated right now? I'm sorry? Could you let us know who's nominated?

Alex Truman, Pascal Cardozo, Judith Gerber, and Brendan Mendez. Okay, all my nominees are nominated for this commission. Thank you.

I have no other nominees as well.

There are three open positions on this commission, so you'll be voting for three. Council Member Shaik, please vote for three.

Thank you. Alex Truman, Pascal Cardozo, and Judith Gerber.

Thank you. Council Member Gerson, please vote for three.

Alex Truman, Judith Gerber, Brennan Mendez.

Council Member Cartsonis, please vote for three.

Gerber, Cardozo, and Truman.

You said Gerber, Cardozo, and Truman? Yes, I did. Thank you. Thank you. You went out of order, so I had to check.

I apologize.

Council Member Lewis, please vote for three. uh truman cardozo and gerber council member lou please vote for three alex truman pascal cardozo and judith gerber mayor kalani please vote for three truman cardozo and gerber Your Honor, I have Alex Truman and Judy Gerber with six votes and Pascal Cardozo with five votes. I would recommend the two with the six votes receive the two longer terms and the one with the lesser votes receive the shorter term.

I move that we nominate Alex Truman and Judith Gerber to the Cultural Arts Commission with terms expiring in 2030. and Pascal Cardozo to the Cultural Arts Commission expiring in 2028.

I'll second that.

Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously. Congratulations.

Okay, moving on to the Library Commission.

One moment, Your Honor.

Sure, thank you. Sorry about that.

Thank you, Your Honor. I'm ready now.

Thank you. Could you please let us know what applicants are still available for the Library Commission?

Yes, Your Honor. Joyce Sun, Stephen Lays, and Tyler Stivers.

Thank you. We'll go ahead and start the nomination process with Councilmember Kartzunas. We can come back to you. Council Member Schenck.

I nominate Joya Sun, please.

Council Member Lewis.

Nominate Tyler Stivers. Council Member Liu.

I nominate Stefan Leis. Okay, so that's everyone that's available. We can please go for roll call.

There are two terms, both end in 2030. You'll be voting for two. Council Member Gerson.

Stephen Lays and Tyler Stivers.

Council Member Kartzonis.

Sun and Stivers.

Council Member Lewis.

Sun and Stivers.

Council Member Liu.

Joy Sun and Steven Lays.

Council Member Shaik.

Ms. Sun and Tyler Stivers.

Mayor Kalani. Sun and Stivers. Okay, if my votes are correct, I have Joy Sun and Tyler Stivers each receiving five votes.

I make a motion that we appoint Joey Sun and Tyler Stivers to the Library Commission, both terms expiring in 2030.

Second. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations. Okay, moving on to the Parks and Recs Commission.

One moment, Your Honor. Pardon? I said one moment, Your Honor. Thank you. Thank you. Your Honor, for Parks and Rec, you have two terms and only one candidate available.

Stephen Lace. And the available candidate is Mr. Stephen Lace.

Yes, Stephen Lace. Can I make a motion to appoint Stephen Lace to Parks and Rec Commission expiring in 2030?

I second that. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations. Okay, moving on to the Social Services Commission. Could you please let us know what candidates are still available?

One moment, Your Honor. Okay, Your Honor. Social Services, there is one term and one applicant available, Brendan Mendez.

I make a motion that we appoint Brendan Mendez to the Social Services Commission with one term ending 6-30-2030. Second.

Start voting, please. You're under that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations. And I'm going to wait until the clerk tells me she's ready.

OK. Ready for traffic. Not SST. I'm sorry. Yes.

Okay. Moving on to. SST should be last. It's a committee, not a commission. Moving on to the traffic commission. City Clerk, can you tell us who is. Mayor Kalani.

I'm going to need to recuse myself. All right. Apologize. For the same reasons as before.

We'll give a moment for Council Member Kartzonis to leave. If you could please let us know who's still available.

Yes, Your Honor. Phil Hong and Mia Kartzonis. And there are two terms.

Thank you. We're going to start with Council. Since there are just two people, can I just make the motion? Yes, please.

All right. I move that we appoint Phil Hong and Mia Kartzonis to the Traffic Commission. Both terms expire in 2030. Seconded.

I second. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carries with Councilmember Kartzonis recused.

Congratulations. And if my... If my notes are correct, we have one seat with one available applicant for water. Is that correct?

That is correct, Your Honor.

So we'll take a motion.

I make a motion to appoint Charles Deemer to the Water Commission with a term expiring 6-30-2030.

I second.

Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations. And our last one, our SST Oversight Committee, we have three seats and three applicants.

But one term expires in 29, right? So how would you like us to handle it?

We'll take a vote for two. Do you want to do that? I'm sorry? If we take a vote for two, then the person with the least number of votes.

I would recommend Michelle Porcari, since hers is a reappointment, that she gets one of the longer terms. OK.

Would you like me to make that motion or wait till the end?

Either way you would like to do it.

We still have one longer term and one shorter term. Correct. So do you want to take a vote on Furey or Truman for the longer vote or the longer appointment? Go ahead, please.

I'll give a thumbs up. I take Furey. I make a motion for Furey for longer term.

I'll second that. Please click in your motion, please. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Let me make it official then. Let me also, a motion to nominate I'll carry also to the 2030 term.

You could do one motion and do pull carry to 2030 and Christopher Truman to the 2029.

I will add Chris Truman to the SST Citizens Oversight Committee as well with the term expiring in 2029.

I second that.

Start voting, please. Y'all know that motion carried unanimously.

Congratulations.

Your Honor, that concludes the commission appointments. Thank you.

You want to move on? Oh, yeah.

For all of those appointed, please meet me up here at the podium.

about three years ago. Yeah, they're here.

Raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I do solemnly swear.

I do solemnly swear.

That I will support and defend.

That I will support and defend.

The Constitution of.

The Constitution of.

The United States of America.

The United States of America.

And the Constitution of. And the Constitution of. The State of California. The State of California. Against all enemies. Against all enemies. Foreign and domestic. Foreign and domestic. I will bear true faith and allegiance. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of California that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion And I will faithfully discharge. And I will faithfully discharge. The duties upon. The duties upon. Which I'm about to enter.

Which I'm about to enter.

Congratulations. Please follow Teresa. She will give you your oaths to sign and your welcome package.

I want to say thank you to everyone that applied. If you weren't appointed tonight, I encourage you to apply again. Torrance is very fortunate to have so many residents willing to volunteer on a commission. So thank you again. Okay, we're gonna go ahead and move on to oral communications number one. This portion of the meeting is reserved for comments on items under the consent calendar or items that are not on the agenda. Under the Ralph M. Brown Act, city council cannot act on items raised during public comment, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed. Request clarification or refer the item to staff. Speakers under orals are limited to either oral communications number one or oral communications number two and no longer than three minutes per speaker. For in-person participants, the time starts when you step up to the microphone. If presenting handout materials, time starts when you step up to the microphone. And handouts should be provided 11 copies to the City Clerk before speaking. Handouts will be distributed while you speak. In accordance with California State Senate Bill 707, the City has implemented remote public participation through Zoom to provide members of the public with an additional option to address the Council during public comments. Members of the public attending remotely may call by dialing 1-669-444-9171. Callers can press star 9 to raise their hand if they would like to speak. When the last four digits of your number are called, you will be prompted to unmute. Telephone participants should press star 6 to unmute before speaking. City Clerk, has anyone signed up to speak?

Yes, Your Honor, Charlie Salinas.

Good evening, honorable Mayor Kalani, city council. Congratulations to the new council people. And Mayor Kalani, for those of us that assisted on your campaign, boy, are we glad that's over with. And we got what we wanted. But although now our work is over, yours is just beginning. And I think we have to give credit to Mayor Chen for turning over a well-functioning city And we have Chief Dume with your fire department, keeps it a number one, top of the line fire department, just like throughout its history. Chief Dunn, coming on, putting his foot down, strict, no fooling around, and he earned the respect of the police officers. And I think the community is behind you. I, for myself, you can count on me anytime, anywhere. Good evening.

Thank you. Does any member of the public that did not sign up wish to be heard at this time? If so, please step up to the mic. You have three minutes.

Greetings, Mayor Kalani and city council members. I, Danielle Johnson, invite you to the Torrance Art Museum to experience Studio System, From a Greek Isle, and Culture Ride. The exhibitions will be on display from August 1st through August 29th. In lieu of an opening reception, there will be a closing reception on Saturday, August 29th from 6 to 9 p.m. Studio system and experimental artist residency project transforms the main gallery into a studio. Visitors are encouraged to peek behind the curtain and engage with the artists while witnessing their process. And gallery two from a Greek aisle showcases the fruit of Torrance Art Museum's partnership with Cycladic Arts in their joint residency program from 2023 through 2025. As part of the residency, Southern California artists create work during the 25-day stay at an artist-run space in akiperos greece and the dark room culture ride documents a motorcycle journey from los angeles to new york to brooklyn and back capturing conversations with folks in the art world about creativity community and the arts world and sustaining democracy in america Nomad, Trist, and Odyssey will return to the Dilemma Crossing. Nomad is a pop-up fair for Southern California artists. Trist is the world's largest art fair dedicated exclusively to artist-run initiatives, collectives, and independent organizations. During these fairs, join TAMA and its Odyssey to support the museum by donating $100 in exchange for art or treating yourself at the refreshment bar. The main event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, August 8th through 9th, from noon to 6 p.m. A VIP opening reception will be held on Friday, August 9th at noon. Then at 3 p.m., Odyssey opens for TAMA members. Friday's event will be open to the public at 4 p.m. and conclude at 6 p.m. For more information about the museum and its projects, visit torrensarmuseum.com. To become a member, especially to get in early on the Odyssey event, support the museum, and enjoy Old Tama Talks, check out tamadvocates.com. Thank you and good night. Thank you.

Good evening, Torrance City Council. It's great to see all six of you, especially Mayor Kalani and my councilman, David Kartzonis. My name is John Clifford, and I know that eventually we're going to have to have the seventh seat billed, so I'd like to know when they'll be considering candidates for either a special election or an appointment. I hope you'll do an appointment because I would like to recommend someone whose family's involved in the city of Torrance for many, many years, many generations, and he's been involved with historical preservation. His wife's worked with the school district, so they bring with experience there. He's a proud supporter of the Torrance Theater Company. I think you may know who I'm referring to, and I hope I'll be able to make a recommendation for him in the future. Thank you.

Thank you. There's an item later on the agenda for that.

Okay.

Thank you. Anyone else wishing to speak on Oral Communications 1 in person? Okay, we'll now take remote participants. Callers can press star 9 to raise their hand. Staff, is anyone on the line that would wish to speak?

Your Honor, there are no callers.

Okay. Thank you very much. Um, the time for public comment then we'll go ahead and end and we're now moving on to the consent calendar. Do any council members wish to pull any items under the consent calendar? Council member Lewis.

I like to pull eight E please.

That's eight E as in Edward.

Yes, ma'am.

Eight E as in Edward. Anyone else? okay so item 8e was removed and do i have a motion to approve the consent calendar with the exception of 8e you do mayor you have a motion to approve all the consent calendar except 8e second start voting please your honor that motion carried unanimously thank you council member lewis on item 8e please

So this is a very exciting project to start with our Torrance Regional Transit Center parking structure and at a price tag of $32,662,000 and I can kick in the $154 if you want and it would be my contribution but we wanted to go through the funding mechanisms of how that's set up.

Got it. Good evening, Your Honorable Mayor, honorable members of the City Council. I'm Milton Sinabria with the General Services Department. I did want to give kind of a brief overview of this project since it is a bit large, as you mentioned. So before you tonight is a recommendation to award a design-build agreement for the Torrance Regional Transit Center parking structure project and to approve a First Amendment to the Owner's Representative Services Agreement. So this was following a competitive design-build procurement process, and staff recommends awarding the contract to McCarthy Building Company as the highest-ranked proposer based on the technical qualifications, project approach, and costs. In addition, staff is also recommending to approve and amend the MOCA Systems Agreement to continue providing owners representative services throughout the construction phase. This project includes the construction of a four-story, approximately 1,000-space parking structure, along with the surrounding surface parking lot. I'd also like to take this moment to recognize the collaborative efforts of the many city departments and staff whose dedication and partnership have been instrumental in bringing this project to this important milestone. Thank you specifically to community development and the fire team as well as public works. So once this project is completed, this project will significantly expand parking capacity at the transit center improve access and convenience for transit users and support the City's long-term transportation and mobility goals. With that, we're available for any questions if you have any. As far as the funding mechanisms go, this is funded through a measure. I want to say it's a metro funds. That was what was originally given to the city. The balance of it is to be still worked through, but some of it is going to be from the general fund, and the other portion will probably be from the transit enterprise fund, depending on some splits that I think the finance team was working through.

Your Honor, If I may chime in, the goal of this project is to be completed by LA28 Olympics. And as such, the award at this time will help us bridge that gap in timing to make sure that we're able to construct a surface lot, then start the project. We will continue to work with our metro and regional, any potential partners to identify external funding for the balance of the project. And we also did not want to compromise the number of parking stalls given Torrance's future growth opportunities as a sports, entertainment, tourism attraction hub. As such, we will recommend council approval at this time, and we'll return back to you with additional options how to completely fund this project. Thank you.

Council Member Shek.

Thank you. That was my question. I hope we complete this project by L.A. 28 Olympics. That will be wonderful. And also, I think this project is just for the capital part of it, the operation when we're ready. So we should have something already in plan, what we're going to do to support the Olympics and also from, I know, from Torrance to Florence project and things like that so we could help our community to park the cars and go a different operation. Yes, sir.

including overnight parking. We will have a parking, automated parking management plan, security plan, coordination with TPD to ensure that it's safe and secure. Bless you, Jamie. And we'll make sure that, again, it is incorporated in our planning for LA-28. Thank you.

Well, thank you. Congratulations. Great job. Hopefully we do it.

Thank you. Council Member Kartzonis.

Thank you very much. It's a very exciting project. I look forward to seeing it built before the Olympics. Just the one comment I had is that there is a comment in here about rooftop solar. I really hope that we find a way to make that work. My understanding is that there are some grants that may still be out there that may be expiring. So hopefully we can expedite the thought process on that and move that forward because I think this is a fantastic opportunity to offset some of our energy expenses, but this is just great. Looking forward to it. Thank you.

Thanks. Milton Strong with General Services. Again, I just wanted to also emphasize that part of our project does have the infrastructure capability built in so that we could advance such an initiative in the future. And city manager's office has already tasked us to find every avenue to see if we can actually implement that. So we'll be continuing to explore all grant options that may become available in the near future.

Thank you. Council Member Liu.

I just want to quickly say that this Mary Giordano Corns Transit Center is going to be a great project, I believe. I've used the Transit Center quite many times by now, and it's a wonderful hub for transportation. And I can only see that it will get better as it attracts more and more patrons when more and more people know about it. So I encourage everyone to use it. this wonderful transit center and its name is dedicated to a prior deputy city attorney, assistant city attorney, Mary Giordano, who worked very hard on this project a while ago. And that's why we named it after her. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other council comments? Okay.

Your Honor, before you take a vote, my sincere appreciation to everyone that worked on this project, Sean , , MoCA partners, Danny Santana, Finance Director Kim Turner, Godfrey Ofeigu, if I'm forgetting anyone, my sincere appreciation, I think we, Carlos Huizar, and again, everyone that's still going to continue to ensure that we get a state-of-the-art parking structure, which Torrance will be very proud of for the future. and CDD for all their approvals behind the scenes. Michelle Ramirez, to be exact. Thank you.

Thank you. No, really, thank you to everyone. And for those that don't know, I don't know if anybody wants to talk about the Transit Center. It's available for events, and this parking structure will help support that as well.

Yes, we are actively promoting shuttle service throughout FIFA. As you know, we transported the fans. as well as concerts to Hollywood Bowl, SoFi, Dignity Sports Center, Dodgers, the Galaxy, really becoming a wonderful alternative to driving and significantly less in parking fees compared to those facilities. So again, sincere thanks to the transit ops team for being able to manage, and all of our bus operators, because you need people to drive these shuttles, as Councilman Liu experienced and others. So My sincere appreciation to the entire organization.

Sure.

And to Mayor and Council for your support.

Thank you. And there's space there for events as well, correct?

Yes, we do have a wonderful state-of-the-art event space. And please, torrentca.gov, Torrent Transit, or email me, haparian, torrentca.gov, and we'll connect you to the folks for bookings.

Thank you. All right. If there's no other comments, is there a motion to approve item 8E as an edward?

I move that we accept the recommendation of the General Services Director that we award a design-build agreement for the Torrance Regional Transit Center parking structure with McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. of Sacramento, California, in the amount of $32,662,154 and authorize a 10% contingency of $3,266,215.40. for a total not to exceed amount of $35,928,369.40 for a three-year period beginning July 21st, 2026 and ending July 20th, 2029, and approve a first amendment to contract services agreement with MOCA Systems Inc. for owner's representation services for the Torrance Regional Transit Center parking structure as described.

I second all that. Start voting, please.

I know that motion carried unanimously.

Go ahead, Council Member.

Oh, I just missed that. I was going to ask which district was that in? I'm just kidding. It's the three.

Thank you. There are no hearings, so we're going to be moving ahead to Administrative Matters 10A to discuss and provide direction on filling the District 4 Councilmember unscheduled vacant seat. Is there a staff presentation, please?

Thank you, Your Honor. Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk. It is my recommendation that the City Council discuss and provide direction to the City Clerk for filling the District 4 unscheduled vacant Council seat with a term expiring March 7, 2028, created by the election of District 4 Council Member Sharon Kalani to Mayor. On June 2nd, 2026, voters elected District 4 Councilmember Sharon Kalani as the mayor. She took office on July 14th. Government Code 1099-A states a public officer, including but not limited to an appointed or elected member of a governmental board, commission, committee, or other body, shall not simultaneously hold two offices that are incompatible. Government Code Section 1099-B states that when two public offices are incompatible, a public office or shall be deemed to have forfeited the first office upon a seating to the second under torrent city charter section 603 a any council i'm sorry i think it's 403 any council um sorry it's 403a um any council vacancies occurring in in any of the elective offices provided for this in the charter with the exception uh... i'm sorry wishes i'll be a field by appointment by the city council torrent city charter section four three b states the in the event that the city council fails to fellow they can see by appointment within sixty days after such vacancy occurs the city council must immediately after the expiration of said sixty days cause an election to be held to fill such a vacancy The 60 days began the day of the installation of the new office and ends on September 13th. The last City Council meeting scheduled that would meet this deadline is Tuesday, September 8th. The City Council has the following options. Appointment based upon nominations from the City Council. Solicitation of applications, interviews of applicants, and appointment by City Council nomination, and voting on those nominated. Upon expiration of the 60 days, call a special election. Per Government Code Section 36512, the special election would not be held until Tuesday, March 2, 2027. If the council chooses to solicit applications, the prior practice has been for the city clerk to advertise by way of written notice in the Daily Breeze, post on the city's website, post on the city's social media pages, make announcements at city council meetings, notify community organizations. Previously, the council has requested that persons wishing to be considered for appointment complete an application form, supplemental questionnaire, and submit them to the city clerk's office. All the information and given deadlines are provided to council below. The following dates are suggested if city council direction is to solicit applications. Website posting and email notices to public groups Wednesday, July 22nd. Daily Breeze ad publication would, the Daily Breeze takes a couple days once we submit an ad, so it would either come out on Friday, July 24th, or Saturday, July 25th. Applications and supplemental questionnaires would be available beginning in the city clerk's office, online or via email beginning tomorrow. And the deadline for receipt of applications would be delivered in person, email, or U.S. mail. Postmarks are not accepted. City clerk's office is not responsible for email errors not getting there by the 5 o'clock deadline. Thursday, August 13th is the deadline by 5 p.m., City Council action to appoint would take place on Tuesday, August 25th. The interim appointment would last from the date of the appointment, the installation of an elected successor after the March 7th, 2028 election. If City Council fails to make the appointment by Tuesday, September 13th, the special election must be called. California Government Code Section 36512 states that an election to fill a vacancy must be held not less than 114 days after the date of the order of the election. As I stated, the Los Angeles County Register Recorder conferred with me, and March 2nd, 2027 would be the election date. They were unable to provide me a quote. They said it would take three weeks, so I was unable to get a quote for tonight's item. I request that your honorable body provide direction for the use of application process or determine alternate methods as a special election is unbudgeted and would occur additional funding, work to find the funding for that. If the application process is preferred, the meeting prior to the end of the deadline is August 25th, and there is sufficient time to allow for interested parties to submit applications and also for council to interview the applicants. And again, the appointed member would serve only until the March 7th, 2028 general municipal election results are certified and adopted by the city council, which are usually April of that year. With that, I am available for questions. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you. Would you repeat that, please? I'm sorry?

I said, would you repeat that, please? Seriously? No, I'm kidding. Okay. Thank you. Clerk, has anyone signed up? Thank you for the presentation, and thank you for all your work. And I'm going to jump back and say thank you for all your work on the commissioner appointment process as well. Thank you, Your Honor. Has anyone signed up to speak on this matter? Not prior to the start of the meeting, Your Honor. Thank you. Is there anyone in the public who would like to speak that did not sign up? Please step up to the mic. Okay, I see none. We'll now take remote participants. Callers can press star 9 to raise their hand. And staff, is there anyone who signed up to speak?

There are no callers, Your Honor.

Thank you. Are there any questions from the council? I see Council Member Kartzonis.

Thank you very much, Mr. City Clerk. I know you said there is no quote. I just want to clarify, I think based on previous quotes from them, we're talking in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for a special election.

It could potentially go that high. It depends. So how the county assesses costs of an election, it depends on how many cities are on that ballot, and the costs are shared amongst the cities, the sanitation districts, the water boards. At this time, from what I understand, if we were the only ones, we would bear all the costs, so it would probably be higher. Thank you.

Council Member Schick.

Thank you, Madam Clerk Poirier, for the presentation. Do you think there's a chance we could bring this in November elections?

No, it's too late for the November election. Nominations period is already going on for that election. We would have had to call that election by July 6th.

And we missed that deadline.

And we couldn't have called the election because Council Member Kalani had not vacated the seat to the mayor's office.

Thank you for clarifying. The reason I asked, a lot of people did question that to me, and thank you for clarifying that. Thank you.

Anyone else? Council Member Gerson.

Nobody's discussed it, but I would like to go the direction of nomination. I think it's the most fiscally responsible. And if the council does will to go that way, I wanted to discuss the application a little bit. Would now be an appropriate time? Mayor? Yes. I wanted to make some recommendations to the council on the questionnaire portion. Can we do that?

Yes, it is up to council. This application and these supplemental questions are what council has used prior historically. No council has changed them since the last time they were used. So if you would like to update them, please feel free to do so.

Since Council Member Lewis was appointed?

I believe she was the last one, yes.

To help everyone up here follow me, I've created some copies of the changes I'm gonna ask, so I'm gonna pass these out. Would you please take one and pass them down? And city clerk, I have a copy for you to make things easy. Thank you. Well, you can have my copy when I'm done. Sorry, Mr. Sullivan, I know I normally go to you, but the one that looked legal, I ignored it. Thank you. The first one's a simple one. So when I looked at number one, I wanted to ask that we separate those two questions into two different numbers. So number one remains, why do you want to be appointed to the city council? But number two becomes, what do you feel you bring to this position? So I just wanted to split that up. Number three seemed a little... weird to me, asking about future plans of seeking for elected and appointed office at any level of government. And I just wanted to keep it confined to something that might be useful to this council. So number three, I asked it to be written to, if appointed, do you tend to seek election to the city council seat? When this term expires, please explain your current intentions. Based on what I've heard, that could be an important distinction for some members of the community. Skipping down to number nine on our list, I think it's number eight on, let me make sure. Yes, number eight. Changing that to, what do you see as the biggest challenges facing the city and omitting next year? Just what are the biggest challenges facing the city? And the work that we do rarely gets fixed in one year. So the changes we put into place are just allowing a more long-term look. Number 10 is just switching three and top. So it says, what are your top three priorities for the city rather than the three top priorities? Okay, getting to the real one, number 11 seemed like it was important at the time that Council Member Lewis was appointed. It says circumstances outside the city's control, and it talks about an impacted budget, but due to the passage of SST, our budget is actually in a very good position, and so I've just asked that number 11 be stricken completely. Number 12 and 13 were both yes-no questions, and I don't know how useful that is. So rather than a yes-no question, changing it to a more open-ended question. So this was regarding the city budget. Based on your review of the city's current budget, what do you believe are the city's most significant fiscal opportunities or challenges? as opposed to, have you seen the budget? And number 13 was, have you reviewed the city's general plan? Again, very generic. So based on your review of the city's general plan, what goals or policies do you believe should receive the greatest attention during your tenure as a council member and why? And then number 14 was a run-on sentence, and even though I mostly taught math, I did teach some English. And so I wanted to rewrite number 14. Describe your involvement in the community, including civic organizations, volunteer activities, boards, commissions, neighborhood groups, or other public service. How have these experiences prepared you to serve on the city council? So if you would entertain those changes, I'd appreciate it.

Council Member Shea.

I'd like to understand, will that delay the process for, if we make any of those changes, will that have any impact?

We would have to make the applications available Thursday just so we had time to change this tomorrow. But if you vote on it tonight with these changes, we could change it tomorrow and have the application packets ready for Thursday morning.

For our city attorney, even though the one, the second, I think it's number three there you're asking to strike the first part, what future plans do you have for seeking elected or appointed office? What happens if we, if this person says no and then you decide to run for election, is there any?

The voters can hold them accountable, but there's nothing to prevent someone from saying I won't run for office and then changing their mind.

Do you see any benefit of changing like this?

It's truly up to the council. I know in the past, back when Harvey Horwick was like our super sub for a while, he always said that he wasn't going to run. That meant something to some council people, that they didn't want to have that person being able to run as an incumbent. But the city can't prevent someone from doing that. But they can ask if they want.

Right. Madam Clerk, are we doing any background investigation for this role?

We do not do background investigation. The only part that the city clerk has is to check with the register recorder to make sure they are registered in the city of Torrance. That is as far as our investigative process would go. The city clerk doesn't have investigative authority, nor does it have enforcement duties.

I'd like to request that we should have some kind of background investigation for.

Well, we do have a resolution coming back to council to have council and commissioners fingerprinted. That would be the extent of that. Okay. And once that resolution is adopted, whoever is appointed would have to comply with that.

Perfect. Thank you.

Councilmember Lewis I like all of the changes that councilmember Gerson bought forward except for number three and I'm sorry, number two on the original number three on his. I think the question is good the way that it's listed because once you start to venture into this, you maybe don't know what your future plans are until you get into it to see what the job is really about and to make someone commit on an application and then later hold them accountable if they change their mind. I don't think that that's where we want to go. This question allows that individual to be able to basically say, well, so for me, I never thought I would run for public office at all. So I think I'd like to see the question remain the way that it is, but I'm okay with the rest of the changes.

Can I read the two? Just back to back so we hear them. As it is in the application, it says, what future plans do you have for seeking elected or appointed office at any level of government? And the change is, if appointed, do you tend to seek election to the city council seat when its term expires? Please explain your current intentions. So all it does is kind of take out the Higher levels of government, it's still kind of the same, but if you want to keep the same one and someone wants to go against, well, they can't go in the primary, so they can't go against Sayo or Erickson.

I'm sorry, I missed the last part.

I was just naming some candidates who are going for state office, because when I think that's probably what they're thinking, state. I understand what you're saying, though, but- We can keep it the same, and if they're going for county supervisor in the next election, then they might say that.

That would be on them, but I wouldn't want to try to discourage anyone from applying if they you know, if they don't want to do elected office. I mean, it could go either way. It could be somebody that might want to, may want to come in and try out being a council member for short term and has no intent of running and could still contribute. I don't want to exclude those folks by saying, explain your current intentions. Don't know until you get into the job. So I would think that number three basically does, maybe we can take out any level of government, maybe, as a compromise.

We can strike the whole question and just not ask at all. And in interview, if someone's interested, they can ask. Because we are going to have the opportunity to interview them, so.

We could do that as well.

It's just a leftover from previous, and I didn't like the way it was written. I was just trying to make it better, but we can strike the whole thing.

I'm okay with striking the whole thing.

Okay. That's okay with me, too.

I'm okay with the keeping assets for the number three, but all other that you're recommending, I think they're pretty good for me. Thanks.

So on the on the request to speak I have shake still Oh Council member cartons.

Thank you. I was just gonna add that I'm Actually in favor of keeping three either as it was or as it has been recommended. I'm happy with either way. I think It'll get

answer but I'm I'm in favor of keeping it I think so to be clear you're talking about number three on councilmember Gerson's page not number three on my page thank you yes that's important to know thank you I would like clarification so you you want to keep it the way it was or the way councilmember Gerson has changed it

fine with it either way um i don't know i don't know how we're gonna parse that out um but i'm i'm kind of keeping track so do you want you like the way it was or the change i like the updated version okay thank you council member

I think that instead of these broad questions that we have in the current draft, Councilman Gerson's edits are asking for more specific information, and I believe that the specific information would give us council members more information about the, not just more information about the applicants, but perhaps even come up with some creative ideas of how to improve our city. So I would like to take... not Trustee Gerson, Council Member Gerson edits as it is.

Okay, and I have a suggestion. I actually, because of my financial background and experience in unexpected situations, I like number 12 because it talks about circumstances outside the city's control, can and have impacted dramatically the city's budget. What approach would you take as a council member to balance the budget or address the issues? we don't have an issue right now, but another pandemic, and we just might. So I would like to see that, that left in personally, otherwise, I three doesn't matter one way or another, because I can always ask the questions, if I'm interested in if someone's seeking higher office, but I do like the more open questions of the balance of the changes. So thank you for taking the time to do that council members and

have one go back thank you I just wanted to remind my colleagues and for the public that these applications that we will be receiving our public record so they're not just for our eyes only the public will be able to review all of the applications so as you as we continue to discuss that this is a public record so please keep this in mind

Thank you. So how would the council like to proceed? Are we making any changes to, are we separating one and two? Yeah, should we take it one at a time, city clerk?

That might be helpful because he renumbered on his and some of you talked about his numbers and some, the other numbers.

Should we separate on the current questionnaire item one into two questions? That's the first question. Do you want to take some kind of role?

Are we giving thumbs up for that?

We can do thumbs up.

However council would like to do it. It can be a thumbs up. It can be a motion.

Separating question one and two. So that's a 6-0. Changing question three to council member Gersom's recommendation. Thumbs up or not?

On mine, it's number two.

Okay. The current questionnaire number two, changing it to Council Member Gersom's recommendations or not?

Two or three? I have three.

It's three on Council Member Gersom's page, number two on my page. I'm trying to keep it clear so that I can...

It's the question about future plans. I'd like to keep assets.

Okay.

So it's a 3-3, so it stays as it is. Question 11 on the existing questionnaire versus 12 on Council Member Gersom's recommendation. Keep it as is or change it? Thumbs up to keep it as is.

Versus striking it.

Your Honor, there wasn't the one recommendation on number, current eight. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the city? Strikeout next year.

Oh yeah.

Oh, that is correct. Thank you for keeping us straight. I'm fine with striking out next year. Okay. Six. So do you want to take over city manager? Okay. So on Councilman Gersom's number 10, what are your top three or your three top?

Top three.

Okay. Top three? Top three. Top three is a 6-0? No. Number 11, on the existing questionnaire, circumstances outside the city's control can and have impacted dramatically the city's budget. What approach would you take as a council member to budget that? Council Member Grissom suggested a total strike. Thumbs up to recommend to leave it as is.

Can I just ask you to amend that, that we spell council member correctly per our code?

amended Okay Leaving it fine. Okay. Looks like it is a five one more information leave Oh, it's fine to leave it as is five one, but correcting the spelling of council members And that was number 11 on my sheet number 12 on Gerson correct, okay, so So the next one is 12 on the existing and becomes 13. So it goes from a closed-ended question to based on your review of the city's current budget, what do you believe are the city's most significant financial opportunities or challenges? Thumbs up to change it to the open-ended question of Gerson. 5-1. Council Member Gersom's number 14 versus the existing 13. 13 is have you reviewed the city's general plan? That's a yes or no question. He changed it to based on your review of the city's general plan, what goals or policies do you believe should receive the greatest attention during your tenure as a council member and why?

Thumbs up to change.

That's a 6-0. And then finally is number 14. Have you attended and or participated in any civic meetings? And if so, which ones? And describe your participation. His change is on number 15. Describe your involvement in the community, including civic organizations, volunteer activities, boards, commissions, neighborhood groups, or other public service. How have these experiences prepared you to serve on the council? Thumbs up to change it to Gerson's. Okay. 6-0, did that work? Did that help?

Yes, thank you very much.

All right. Any other questions? I still see Council Member Liu's name. I spoke already. Okay. Thank you.

So after we speak, you don't, you know, withdraw anything? Oh, she's supposed to do it?

Yeah. She can remove it or I can remove it. Mayor Chen liked to remove it, so I don't remove it until I give her a chance. Are you making a motion?

Okay. Are we in a position to make a recommendation of motion on item 10A? Oh, Council Member Liu. Council Member Gerson. You can do it. Go ahead. Do you want to do it?

Okay, go ahead. It's your edit, so. Yeah, go ahead.

I will make the motion that we go the appointment route and that we alter the questionnaire portion of the application as we went through together and the city clerk recorded.

I second that. So to clarify, because there was an appointment or an appointment by application, you are picking the appointment by application and supplemental questionnaire as changed by council?

That sounds perfect.

Thank you. Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Thank you, and thank you for everyone's patience on that. Okay, we're moving on to 10b, to appoint members to outside regional boards and agencies. Is there a staff presentation, please?

Yes, Your Honor. Charles Wieser, Management Associate with the City Manager's Office. Item 10B is a recommendation of the Mayor that City Council concur with appointments as voting delegates and our members and alternates to the National League of Cities, the League of California Cities, the Sanitation Districts of LA County, the Southern California Association of Governments, South Bay Cities Council of Governments, Independent Cities Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, West Factor Control District of LA County, and the Torrance Sister Cities Association. and directing the city clerk to updating them post form 806 on the city's website. Due to the most recent Torrance municipal election, the city council has gained council member Betty Liu and David Garconis, which is necessary for the mayor to appoint members to outside regional boards and agencies. It has been the policy of the city council that members are appointed by the mayor to the various regional boards and agencies. The mayor has made the following appointments to the outside boards and agencies. For the Independent Cities Association, the primary member would be Mayor Sharon Kalani, with the alternate member being the Mayor Pro Temp. The League of California Cities LA County Chapter would be Mayor Sharon Kalani as the primary member, and then the Mayor Pro Temp as the alternate. National League of Cities will also be Mayor Sharon Kalani as the primary member. with the Mayor Pro Temp serving as alternate. Southern California Associations of Government or SCAG also will be Mayor Sharon Kalani as the primary member with the Mayor Pro Temp as the alternate. The U.S. Conference of Mayor will be with Mayor Sharon Kalani also as primary, with Mayor Pro Temp as the alternate. For the Sanitation Districts of L.A. County, also will be Mayor Sharon Kalani as a primary, but with Councilmember David Carzon as the alternate member. For the West Vector Control District of L.A. County, Councilmember Assam Shaikh will be serving as the primary member, with Dr. Jeremy Gerson serving as the alternate. For the South Bay Cities, Council of Governments Board, Council Member Bridgette Lewis will serve as a primary, and then all city council members have the option to serve as an alternate as available. For the South Bay Cities Council of Governments for the Housing Trust, Council Member David Carsonis will serve as a primary, with Council Member Aslam Shaikh serving as the alternate. For the Torrance Sister Cities Association, Dr. Jeremy Gerson will serve as a primary, with Mayor Sharon Kalani serving as the alternate. And then this is just going to be some legal jargon, but please bear with me. Fair Political Practices Commission, FPPC, amended the California Code of Regulation Title II, Section 18702.5, which authorizes public officials to vote on their own appointment. In order to do so, Section 18702.5 requires a Form 806 to be adopted by the public agency and then posted on its website. Okay. Form 806 requires public agencies to list the following. 1. Each appointed position for which there is a material financial effect on a public official's or official's immediate family personal finances of at least $250 in any 12-month period. 2. The salary or stipend for each appointed position. 3. The name of the public official, if any, who has been appointed as an alternate. 4. The term of the position. The city council adopted the most recent form, 806. This was back in, I believe, April of 2024, and it is available on our city's website. We did release a new updated city website, so the URL is correct on the staff report. As such, city council members may vote on their own appointments to compensated positions on various types of boards of admissions. However, just for awareness, there's no compensations for members that serve on the South Bay Cities of Council governments. Should your honorable body concur with the mayor's appointments, the city manager recommends that your honorable body direct the city clerk to update the FPPC Form 806 to reflect the above appointments and to post the updated form on the city's website.

city staff is available for any questions thank you so much for your presentation um city clerk has anyone signed up to speak no your honor do any members of the public who didn't sign up wish to speak at this time please step up to the microphone okay i see none we'll now take remote participants callers can press star 9 to raise their hand staff has anyone signed up to speak

There are no callers, Your Honor.

Okay. Any questions from the council? I see none. How would the council wish to proceed on this item?

I would like to make a motion that we concur with the mayor's appointments and direct the city clerk to update FPPC form 806 to reflect the above appointments and to post the updated form on the city's website.

I second.

Let's start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.

Thank you so much, sir. Moving on to Item 10C, Select and Appoint Chairs and Members to the City Council Committees. Is there a staff presentation?

Yes, Your Honor. Again, Carlos Guizar, Management Associate of the City Manager's Office. Item 10C is a recommendation of the City Manager that City Council select and appoint chairs and members to the City Council Standing and Special Standing Committees in accordance with the City Council Rules of Order. It is the policy of the city council that chairpersons and members are selected for the six city council standing committees and three special standing committees. The current committee assignments were last selected and appointed on April 23rd of 2024. This report provides an overview of the selection process for city council ad hoc committees, special standing committees, and then standing committees as outlined in the council rules of order. We're going to be covering the ad hoc and then working groups first. Section 9.3 of the rules of order provide that the mayor may form ad hoc committees and designate the chair of each unless otherwise ordered by the city council. At this time, the only active ad hoc body is ad hoc naming a public facility committee. The mayor has elected to eliminate this committee with the intent to reestablish it in the future if the city was to receive a new public facility renaming application in the future. In 2022, the City Council directed staff to form an informal working group with the Torrington High School District, TUSD, to establish a joint use agreement for shared public facilities and exchange services. Resolution 2023-55 was subsequently approved on May 23, 2023, formalizing the agreement. While the agreement has been executed, the Mayor wishes to continue this working group. The Tuesday working group will consist of four members total, two city council members selected by the council to represent the city, and then two members selected by the Torrance Unified School District Board at their discretion to represent the school district. Per the mayor's selection, the following members from the city council have been selected to be appointed to this working group. Dr. Jeremy Gerson and Council Member Aslam Shaikh. For special standing committees are established under section 9.4 of the rules of order. This includes armed forces committee as well as a federal and state legislative advocacy committee. And these chairs and members are appointed by the mayor. Below are the proposed appointments from Mayor Kalani for council confirmation. For the Armed Forces Day Committee, Councilmember Bridgette Lewis will serve as chair. Councilmembers Betty Liu and David Carsonas will serve as members. For the State Legislative Advocacy Committee, Mayor Sharon Kalani will serve as the chair, with Councilmembers Betty Liu and Assam Shaikh serving as members. For the Federal Legislative Advocacy Committee, Mayor Sharon Kalani will serve as the chair, with Dr. Jeremy Gerson and Bridgette Lewis serving as members. For standing committees, the City Council selects chairs and members of the six standing committees as established under Section 9.2 of the Rules of Order. This is based on a rotational selection process that is based on seniority. 1. Each council member, excluding the mayor, selects one standing committee on which to serve as chair in the order of seniority. 2. Each council member in reverse order of seniority selects a second standing committee on which to serve as a member. Each council member in the order of seniority then selects their third standing committee on which they will serve as a member. Section 10.3 of the Rules of Order establishes the length of continuous service in office which determines the seniority. Where two or more members are elected or appointed at the same time, the member receiving the highest number of votes at their initial election holds greater seniority. Under Section 9.6, the mayor serves as the permanent voting alternate members for all standing committees. In the absence of any member, the mayor may participate in the call of a committee meeting or act as a voting member at the meeting. Based on this criteria, the City Council's current seniority ranking excluding the mayors as follows. One, Council Member Assam Shaikh. Two, Council Member Bridgette Lewis. Three, Council Member Dr. Jeremy Gerson. Four, Council Member Betty Liu. Five, Council Member David Garconis. And then we have a vacancy for number six. As we have a new council, a new selection process is required. But by providing each council member with an equal opportunity to select committee assignments based on their respective level of seniority. With a six total starting committees, each council member will serve on a total of three committees, one as chair and two as members. So at this time, we will go ahead and proceed with the rotating process.

All right, so for this first round, it would be- Please, there's a question from Council Member Lewis.

Carlos I have a quick question so according to the council rules of order for section 9.1 standing committees the Citizens Development and Enrichment Committee has the responsibility of assigning the school district liaison and generally in the past whoever ended up on the committee would end up as the TUSD working group Board do we want to separate that out or change that? Because that would mean that Either Jeremy or Assam would have to select that committee If it's up to this councils if that's what they decide we can make that modifications to the rules of order Yeah to just to just strike it out of the rules of order and no longer be the school district liaison in the description of

We'd have to bring that back, but we could do that because the rules of order were adopted by Rezzo.

Okay, well, so that will leave us with an issue then.

Unless we both wind up on the committee.

Well, it all depends on how, well, all three of you would have to end up on the committee. Okay. So it's whoever, so whoever chooses that committee as chair, and then the other two would have to be you or Assam.

Yeah, that's fine.

Is that fine? Yeah.

Okay.

Well, it... Let's see how it turns out.

We can see how it turns out, but because the school board has only five trustees, five school board members, they would only send two people out. Correct. And I don't think that it would be right if we send three people out and they only send two. We only send two. Okay, just two and two, right? That's more fair. Okay.

So I think the question is, does Council Member Dr. Gersom want to chair that committee?

You still have to do it by seniority, though.

What do you suggest, Mr. Sullivan?

I guess, like I said, if that's the way the rules are written, then we follow the rules, unless you want to push this. but I guess we could also revisit it, or as I think Dr. Gerson said, we just see how it works out tonight.

Just do that, and then if we need, we can bring an amendment, and then, or separate the school board, the appointment, the joint committee, until we bring that back as a separate item.

Okay, so we're going to go ahead and move forward then with the standing committees and see what happens, right?

Works. So to be clear, if Patrick... If I want to be the chair for citizen development, it's okay. Yeah, exactly. All right, thanks.

Ready to proceed? Perfect. All right, so based on the current seniority ranking, Councilmember Shaikh, you go first.

I'll go with the chair for citizen development and be the member for strategic and transportation.

So we'll go first through the chairs first and then we'll, yeah, it's going to be a three rotations.

No problem. Citizen development as a chair. Thank you. Thank you.

Council member Lewis.

Employee relations and public safety.

Dr. Gerson. Finance and governmental operations. Council Member Liu.

Strategic plan.

And Council Member Carsonas.

Community planning and design.

And then we do have that one vacancy. So Patrick, can we designate the chair for the appointee or just leave it as vacant?

That's the only position that would be open to them unless they decide to redo it when they come on board, but right now you can designate it as District 4.

Okay.

All right. All right, for the second round, Council Member Karsonis.

Oh, shoot, forgot it was me first. Employee Relations and Public Safety.

Councilmember Liu.

Transportation.

Dr. Gerson. Citizens Development and Enrichment.

Councilmember Lewis.

Citizens Development and Enrichment.

And Councilmember Shaik.

I'll go with strategic.

All right. So this is the last third round. We're going to go in the order of seniority. Council Member Shea.

Transportation.

Council Member Lewis.

Finance and government operations.

Thank you. Dr. Gerson.

Strategic plan.

Council Member Liu.

Finance and government operations.

And Council Member Carsonis.

We have a bit of an issue.

We do. We have no numbers for design.

How do we?

Well, I mean, in the worst case scenario, the mayor can serve as a voting member. Anyone want to trade with me?

Yeah. I was going to say. I'm already on that. Community planning. Oh, you're already there, too.

Is there anyone willing to make a change?

I can make a change. Just for awareness, we don't have a chair for transportation, so that's.

Hmm.

That may pose an issue.

It's district four unless we want. District four? District four, yeah.

So how about I temporarily come off of finance and government relations and then go on to wherever you guys want to put. Community planning.

Community planning.

I can go to community and planning and design.

All right.

So I take finance and. Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Council Member Lewis.

It works out perfect.

And then, so that means for community planning and design, as well as for the employee relations and public safety, we'll assign a district floor appointee for that member role.

That's what I have as well.

All right. Let me go ahead and just confirm. For Citizens Development and Enrichment, we have Councilmember Assam Shaikh as the chair, Dr. Jeremy Gerson and Councilmember Bridgette Lewis as members. Community Planning and Design, we have Councilmember Carsonas as chair and then Councilmember Lewis and then future District 4 appointee as members. Employee Relations and Public Safety, we have Councilmember Lewis as chair. and then Council Member Carsonas and then the District 4 appointee as members. Finance and Governmental Operations, Dr. Gerson as chair and then Council Member Carsonas and Liu as members. Council Member Liu as chair for the strategic plan with Council Member Shaik and Dr. Gerson as members. And then for the Transportation Committee would be the District 4 appointee with Council Member Liu and Shaik as members.

Very good, thank you. If there's no other questions, how does the council wish to proceed? Oh, does that solve our, that solves our situation with the TUSD working group as well? Do you concur with that, Mr. Sullivan? Okay.

What a team, what a team.

Yeah, I'm very impressed. Okay, do we have a motion?

I move that we accept and file the select and appointed chairs and members of each committee as has been spoken and chosen by us.

I will second that.

Start voting, please. Your Honor, that motion carried unanimously.