The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo Herald Publications - El Segundo, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 106, No. 30 - July 27, 2017 Inside This Issue Calendar of Events.............3 Certified & Licensed Professionals.....................14 Classifieds............................4 Community Briefs...............2 Crossword/Sudoku.............4 Film Review..........................6 Legals............................ 12,13 Politically Speaking............7 Real Estate................8-11,15 Sports.............................. 5,14 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 73˚/66˚ Saturday Sunny 75˚/67˚ Sunday Partly Cloudy 75˚/67˚ El Segundo Boy Scout Troop 267 Roughing it at Circle X Camp Recently, Boy Scout Troop 267 went to a week-long camp at Forest Lawn Scout Reservation near Lake Arrowhead. The camp was called Circle X and a total of 60 merit badges were earned during the week by Troop 267. During their stay, the scouts also hiked the Reservation Overlook trail which was a six-mile round trip trek. Photo by Gregg McMullin. • City Council Faces New Financial Challenges in Changing World By Brian Simon Public Employees Retirement System] board During the first strategic planning session made a policy decision in December 2016 to of the summer of 2016, Finance Director lower the discount rate [assumed annual rate Joseph Lillio delivered the good news that of return] from 7.5 percent down to seven the City of El Segundo expected surpluses percent. This decision had an enormous fiscal between $1 million and $2 million annually impact on all CalPERS contract cities.” At the through 2020/21. The upbeat estimates had behest of Councilmember Don Brann, the City allowed the El Segundo City Council to finally recently formed a subcommittee to address undertake long-range strategic planning after the potentially crippling financial impacts of previously operating on a year-to-year basis CalPERS and to look at possible solutions. just as a way to piece together a balanced Other items adversely affecting the City’s budget. Of course, the caveat issued at the coffers include infrastructure costs higher than time from City Manager Greg Carpenter was that the financial predictions were “based on what we know today” and could easily El Segundo High School Principal change given any number of variables. Fast-forward a year to this month’s strategic Tedford Tackles a New Challenge planning meeting when the Council learned that Carpenter was correct in his assessment. By Duane Plank and community members—to kick the The latest multi-year forecast for the City is not June 2 was a tumultuous day in the tires on the Tedford resume, so to speak, nearly as rosy as before, with the current $1.1 Beverly Hills Unified School District before making a final decision on the million surplus becoming essentially a wash (BHUSD). Not only did Beverly Hills new principal. by 2017/18 and then evolving into growing High face the always bittersweet day of Dr. Melissa Moore, ESUSD Superintendent, deficits with each ensuing year. According to student graduation, but those in the know who led the validation visit, the most recent projections, expected general also realized that they would be losing their said all involved “sang her [Tedford] fund expenditures and increasing retirement/ longtime beloved District administrator praises. She is beloved there. People pension costs could put the City in the red and teacher, Dr. Jennifer Tedford, who started crying because she was leaving. by as much as $5.6 million by 2022/23. So would soon be assuming a new role as What really stood out were the personal what happened? the principal at El Segundo High School. stories they told, and the tremendous A combination of planned and unplanned The El Segundo Unified School District impact [she had] on their lives.” increases will drive up the City’s already (ESUSD) principal search representatives Said longtime Beverly Hills High considerable pension costs, according to Lillio. made their “validation visit” to Beverly English teacher Julie Goler, a colleague “The City was aware of the planned increases Hills later that day to meet with a plethora and friend of Tedford: “You guys scored. and had developed these into the forecast, of BHUSD stakeholders, including It was a huge loss for our school district. but the unplanned increases were not in the administrators, teachers, parents, students See Principal Tedford, page 3 forecast,” he said. “The CalPERS [California current resources or expected future resources, growing maintenance fees, and challenges with traditional revenue sources such as utility user taxes and sales taxes. Also, based on past history going back to 1927, a recession occurs on average every 6.8 years. The so-called “Great Recession” ended in 2010, leading prognosticators to suggest another downturn is inevitable sooner than later. In addition to dealing with the CalPERS liability, the Council members will have to See City Council, page 2
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