EL SEGUNDO HERALD March 15, 2018 Page 5
Scot Nicol from front page
Scot Nicol.
facing El Segundo and what would you do
to address those?
SN: 1. Bringing the community into the
conversation at City Hall regarding the financial
future of our small municipality: What I will
do as a council member is become the public’s
voice inside City Hall. 2. Identifying additional
streams of revenue: Our town is one of
the last true gems in the South Bay. To ensure
this high quality of life remains intact, we must
find additional streams of revenue to be able
to cover the ever-growing costs of deferred
maintenance to our city’s infrastructure and
previously committed to pension liabilities.
What is one agenda item you would personally
bring to the Council for consideration,
if elected?
SN: I would recommend amending the Council
bylaws to incorporate a structure similar
to what is seen at the Planning Commission
level. This change includes holding public
comment as agenda items come up rather
than limiting comments to the beginning and
end of discussion on all new/unfinished business
items. I would also encourage language
that gives Council the opportunity to call on
members of the committees and commissions
for public testimony when items from their
respective area is on the agenda.
Public Safety: How are we doing and
what should improve?
SN: We as a city need to improve the
relationship we have with our public safety
employees. These men and women are tasked
with keeping our town safe and tasked with
saving our lives if asked. They need to feel
supported by the electorate and the city
manager’s office. Providing the safety we so
dearly desire will not come without a cost.
Together I believe the citizens and our public
safety staff are doing an amazing job keeping
El Segundo safe.
Seniors: Are we taking care of our seniors?
What else should we do?
SN: There are several senior programs
through Recreation and Parks, but I know
we can have more. Park Vista is aging and
discussion regarding raising rents there is just
wrong. Our seniors made money at a time that
has long passed and their fixed incomes can
hardly support the current cost of life. I will
encourage more youth groups to work with the
seniors. More Meals on Wheels, more bridge
groups, more walks around the park -- even
a community garden at Park Vista.
The City: Are the City and current council
going in the right direction in meeting the
service needs of residents and businesses?
SN: I do not agree with all actions of the
current council and wish they would take more
time discussing items and actually listen to each
other’s voices. Meeting needs is not enough.
Every council should strive to exceed expectations
and enrich quality of life for residents
and businesses. On the Planning Commission,
I’ve stated publicly on numerous occasions
that we as a city need to stop reacting to the
world and start becoming proactive regarding
the changing world around us.
Priorities: How should our local government
be spending/prioritizing taxpayer
money?
SN: Start with safety, go to long-term
financial health, then on to facility management
and overall quality of life. The City has
a clear vision of the future, but needs work
towards that versus constantly reacting to what
is happening in the immediate. We all make
plans. Then we make choices each day that
should lead us along the path to the future
plans we have made.
Downtown: What would you do to boost
business in downtown El Segundo?
SN: I have made this statement on numerous
occasions. Angled parking on 200-400 blocks
of Main Street. Go down to two lanes of traffic
and slow people down. More parking invites
more guests to easily access our shops and
restaurants. I would also get behind any effort
to create bike lanes throughout town. If we
incorporated rental bike kiosks at the hotels,
in our downtown and at El Segundo Beach,
we could pedal consumers to Main Street.
Smoky Hollow: How should we revitalize
that district?
SN: Current building code and parking
requirement are too strict and force property
owners and developers to game the system
with areas of “research and development” on
their plans that have a less dense parking requirement.
We also see triple-tandem parking,
which in my opinion doesn’t solve anything.
By switching some of the roads to one-way
traffic, staff believes we could add over 100
parking spots to the area and in turn look at
changing the parking requirements.
Positions on Key Topics
On TopGolf coming to The Lakes site or
elsewhere in town:
SN: I’m in favor of a Top Golf facility at
the current Lakes location. Five years ago, Top
Golf was a new name in the golf world. Now,
it’s a household name and winning awards for
helping grow the game of golf. We would not
want to see an opportunity for a facility such
as this in our city go away. The RFP process
is underway. Only time will tell what options
the Council will have to consider once bids
are received.
On the regulation of short-term residential
rentals:
SN: I have gone on the record at Planning
Commission meetings that we must set regulations
to clearly distinguish who is utilizing
short-term rentals in the proper manner and
not detrimental to the identity of our housing
element. Regulations give power to the City
to step in and protect citizens in this quickly
changing landscape. Neighbors should not be
tasked with self-policing an area. Regulating
rentals and doing six-month reviews with staff
will help Council stay engaged on the subject.
On residential housing east of Sepulveda:
Should the Council make the decision on
that or should local residents via the ballot?
SN: A decision as large as the residential
landscape of our town should not be decided
by three council people. That is the type of vote
that would have the public believing council
See Scot Nicol, page 13
Eagles Boys Soccer Best in SoCal!
By Gregg McMullin
After the El Segundo High School boys
soccer program won its first-ever CIF Southern
Section soccer title, what was next?
Well, aside from maybe going to Disneyland
being the next goal (pun intended), it was
to win the school’s first Southern California
Region State Division IV championship
in any sport. With a thrilling 3-3 win over
Hesperia on penalty kicks, the Eagles
cemented their place in school history. The 23
members of this history-making team will now
walk the halls of El Segundo High as rock stars.
El Segundo’s dance partner in the Southern
California CIF Division IV Regional would be
a familiar opponent. The Eagles had already
defeated Hesperia 2-0 in the CIF Southern
Section finals in a physical game. The Southern
California Regional final matchup would be no
different -- and at times tested the officials for
control. In a back-and-forth contest that ended
in regulation 3-3 and saw a scoreless overtime
period, it went to penalty kicks where the
Eagles prevailed 4-3 for their championship
run to immortality.
On a cool, rain-soaked night that saw no
mercy of any showers stopping throughout the
contest, the enormous crowd weathered the storm
with umbrellas, parkas and rain slickers. The
faithful Eagle supporters were wet, but enjoyed
each moment and it didn’t dampen their spirits.
Head coach Andrew Kelly, a 2001 El Segundo
High standout, knew his team was about to take
on an opponent bent on redemption. “I told the
boys I had full faith in their ability,” Kelley
said. “I knew if we played to our potential, we
would come out and get the victory.”
These two teams would end up battling two
40-minute halves, plus a 15-minute golden goal
scoreless overtime period and then wrapping
up the game on penalty kicks. The athletes on
both teams were concluding a long, successful
season, so they were competing on pure
adrenaline if not courage.
Casey Lund got the scoring started when
he took a rebound off a throw-in and netted
his goal in the opening two minutes of the
game. El Segundo had numerous opportunities
in the first half, but came away empty. The
Eagles certainly controlled the first half, but
the Scorpions found an opening in a scrum
for the ball and German Mejia slid the ball
past Eagle goalie James Amerault to even the
score at 1-1.
In the second half, Hesperia’s Cesar Roque
scored on a cross to give the Scorpions a 2-1
lead. The Eagles answered in the 62nd minute
when Jack Finders powered his leg through a
loose ball past Scorpion goalie Adrien Gallardo
to knot the score at 2-2.
Sophomore defender Christophe Charles
made his way deep into the zone and found
a loose ball in front of the Hesperia net and
knocked it in for a 3-2 El Segundo lead in the
72nd minute. With the Eagles knocking on
Junior forward Jack Finders on the attack. He scored once in regulation and another during the penalty kick phase of the state championship.
Burkley Brandlin
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Eagles celebrate their Southern California state championship.
See Eagles, page 15
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