The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo Herald Publications - El Segundo, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 105, No. 8 - February 18, 2016 Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.....................14 Classifieds............................4 Crossword/Sudoku.............4 Film Review..........................4 Legals............................ 12,13 Police Reports.....................3 Real Estate.....................7-10 Sports....................................5 Weekend Forecast El Segundo Boys U10 All-Stars Headed to Sectional Tournament The El Segundo Boys U10 All-Star team won the regional tournament Feb. 6. The team won every game and will go on to represent El Segundo at the Sectional Tournament in Riverside on Feb. 21. Back row from left to right: Coach Geoff Lister, Mateo Heredia, Conrad Herring, James Baldino, Danial Gomez, Jacob Delfino, Coach Ron Heredia. Bottom row left to right: Gavin McKinnon, Benji Kerin, Judson Lister, Michael Seversen, Dominik Kopecky. Photo by Ryan Baldino. • Council Candidates Weigh in on Issues at Woman’s Club Dinner By Brian Simon The five candidates vying for three open seats on the El Segundo City Council presented their views on several issues of local importance at a forum last Wednesday night during the El Segundo Woman’s Club’s annual potluck dinner. The event was not open to the general public. After providing information about their backgrounds, why they chose to run and their goals should they be elected in April, the group of hopefuls fielded questions from the audience. This year’s candidates are incumbents Dave Atkinson and Marie Fellhauer, former Councilmember Don Brann, Economic Development Advisory Council Chair Drew Boyles and Education Foundation CEO Carol Pirsztuk. Helen Bell served as moderator for last week’s program. Touching upon their general priorities, Pirsztuk spoke of making the City prosperous and maintaining a balanced budget. Brann identified the four biggest issues as the increase in crime, noise pollution from the airport, City employee morale, and an assessment of benefits/compensation to ensure the City is competitive. Boyles’ top goals are to keep El Segundo safe so that people outside of the community never think the town isn’t safe, bring more businesses here, and treat the City more like a business through fiscally prudent decision-making. Fellhauer listed the need to be fiscally solvent, keep the town’s “wonderful services” such as police, fire, libraries, parks and public works that exemplify El Segundo’s self-reliance as a “truly independent city,” and to continue to build relationships with legislators as the only feasible way to force the County to increase El Segundo’s low share of each property tax dollar (a situation that goes back to the time of Prop 13 when the City had other now-defunct revenue sources). She pointed out that the City only receives 6.3 cents of each property tax dollar compared to 26.2 for Los Angeles and 14.6 for Manhattan Beach. Atkinson said it is critical that voters pass the upcoming Measure B that would increase the tax on local hotel patrons from the current 8% up to 12%. “Everyone thinks the City of El Segundo is in tremendous shape—we’re not,” he said, noting that the City will be on the hook for an additional $1.6 million next year in CalPERS retirement costs. He added, “Measure B costs us nothing and the City will get $3-4 million.” Asked what one thing they would want to change if elected to Council, Pirsztuk spoke of the need to fix the morale problem at City Hall See Council Candidates, page 11 Friday Sunny 65˚/51˚ Saturday Sunny 67˚/53˚ Sunday Sunny 72˚/56˚ City Council to Adopt Ban on Marijuana Facilities By Brian Simon At its Tuesday night meeting, the El Segundo City Council introduced an ordinance See City Council, page 11 that will expressly ban medical marijuana dispensaries in town as well as any commercial cannabis activities. The need to clarify the City’s policy came in the wake of legislation (Assembly bills 266 and 243 and Senate Bill 643) signed by Governor Brown last fall that establish State licensing parameters for commercial medical marijuana uses while still protecting local control. According to Planning and Building Safety Director Sam Lee, the City’s three options were to set up licensing and permitting for such businesses in the community; expressly prohibit any such activities; or do nothing at all. Taking no action would give the State sole licensing authority so that a medical marijuana business could set up shop without a City permit. Staff recommended proceeding with the ban—an action also taken by 100 other cities across California--with Lee explaining that the move will help fight rising crime. Police Chief Mitch Tavera
Herald_021816_Wed_FNL_lorez
To see the actual publication please follow the link above