Page 14 January 12, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD City Council from front page otherwise make their voice heard. Look for increased uses of technology to accomplish this in 2017.” Councilmember Don Brann expressed concern that on the way walking to/from Richmond Street Elementary School, students confront absent sidewalks (e.g. 400 west block of Mariposa Avenue on the south side and the 300 block of Pine Avenue on the south side) and either must walk in the street or across uneven yards. “This situation needs to be corrected to prepare safe paths for children and all pedestrians,” he said. Brann added that work/live projects appeal to today’s youthful employees who reject lengthy commutes and desire a more sensible lifestyle. “Given the existing inadequate housing inventory and the growing El Segundo job base, it is time to review the City’s long-standing prohibition against residential dwellings east of Sepulveda and have an open conversation about why or why not to revise the policy,” he said. Explaining that El Segundo has seen a surge in the arts with Brian and Eva Sweeney’s investment in the El Segundo Museum of Art and Jeff Cason’s five Broadway in the Park major musical productions as examples, Brann contends that to create a reliable funding source to support all the arts, the City should establish a developer fee for assessment on new commercial projects. “Such a collection could be a game-changer for El Segundo arts without any cost to taxpayers,” he said. “El Segundo can become the ideal blend of arts and tech. Children’s self-esteem can be enhanced through participation in and appreciation of the arts--not just sports. The newly formed City Cultural and Arts Commission should discuss this idea.” To kick off the year, Councilmember Mike Dugan wishes for El Segundo to have a meaningful Centennial celebration. “It’s a credit to our previous City leaders that El Segundo is celebrating 100 years since it was first incorporated in 1917,” he said. “It is my hope that in a year from now when we look back at 2017, that we are able to say that we recognized and celebrated our past accomplishments and that we are positioned for an even better future.” Dugan also hopes to finalize all outstanding labor contracts, noting that he and his colleagues have worked hard on this for over two years and need to bring the matter to a resolution. “It is my belief that the City of El Segundo should pay fair and competitive wages and benefits that are consistent with reasonable compensation for similar positions in comparable cities and that all contracts should be accurate and definitive,” he said. Noting that the City has higher-than-average workers compensation and general liability slips, trips and falls claims compared to other municipalities with which El Segundo jointly purchases insurance, Dugan said it’s important to “understand why El Segundo is an outlier and take appropriate action to minimize future risk exposure.” With four open department head positions (including the new Information Technology Director), Dugan called it critical to bring in “unique individuals with the right combination of leadership skills, subject matter expertise and demonstrated commitment to be a collaborative member of a successful leadership team to help guide El Segundo into the future.” As for an agenda item he will personally bring to the table, Dugan hopes to establish a living report of the City’s budget status that shows financial trends of performance in real time to allow citizens to see current and forecasted future financial impact of Council actions. “I envision it as a type of flight gauge or some other form of quick visual representation that shows how we are performing relative to our budgets,” he said. Mayor Suzanne Fuentes’s number one wish is to hire an emergency manager and to advocate for disaster preparedness. “El Segundo is in a unique location surrounded by an airport, a refinery, two energy-generating plants and Hyperion,” she explained. “Each has the potential to have accidents, explosions, etc. and be the target of terrorist attacks. We have a responsibility to prepare for disaster recovery.” Fuentes also wants to see major inroads made in the area of information technology. “We are operating with resources teetering on obsolescence if they aren’t already obsolete,” she said. “It’s hard to make a case for being the city where big ideas take off when we still send out hard copy water bills and paychecks. Our website is underwhelming. Sadly, it may be the first introduction to our town for some people and businesses. Our employees who maintain the website do the best they can with the tools they have. It’s our responsibility to provide them with leading-edge tools.” The Mayor added that LAX continues to be a source of frustration, with much time spent dealing with noise, traffic and air quality impacts--as well as those who park in El Segundo to avoid paying fees. She called residential sound insulation a priority and confirmed that the City regularly communicates with airport officials and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “Congressmember Ted Lieu has advocated to no avail,” Fuentes reported. “I’d go as far to say the federal government-- Representative Lieu excluded--doesn’t care about El Segundo, but we will continue to chip away at LAWA [Los Angeles World Airports] and the FAA.” Fuentes also promised to work with California Fish and Wildlife (CFW) to make El Segundo less desirable to coyotes. “Sightings and reports have decreased, but CFW said it’s the season for them to mate and have pups—so they’re not out and about as much.” Councilmember Carol Pirsztuk called for a new City website and system upgrades to provide the community with access to up-todate and in-depth information as well as the opportunity to register for Recreation and Parks classes or pay for business licenses online. “Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to be on the new Technology Committee, El Segundo is poised to be transformed into a high-tech city in 2017,” she said. Pirsztuk also pointed to the importance of continued safety for the community by providing police and fire personnel with the tools and resources to maintain the high standard of services that the citizenry deserves. “The El Segundo Police and Fire departments do an amazing job of ensuring the safety of our residents and the business community,” she said. Highlighting the importance of community engagement, Pirsztuk invited everyone to join in on the 100th anniversary celebration set to take place at Library Park on January 18 from 3-5 p.m. “Our community is what makes El Segundo wonderful,” she said. “Together let’s celebrate our city’s historic past and in turn work to enhance the community for future generations to come.” As for a specific agenda item she plans to bring forward, Pirsztuk said her mission is to help the City develop a long-range strategic plan to ensure continued growth and success. “I will work with the City staff to finalize a strategic plan to be put on the agenda and implemented throughout 2017,” she pledged. • Visit us online: www.heraldpublications.com C e r t i f i e d a n d L i c e n s e d P r o f e s s i o n a l s handyman BILL’S HOME & APARTMENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR QUALITY at Handyman Prices. We cover everything from A-Z. 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