EL SEGUNDO HERALD August 6, 2015 Page 3 Letters El Segundo Does Care We had a very successful day at the Los Angeles Veterans Hospital on July 15. Thanks to the generosity of the community and the dedicated volunteers We need donations of clean, usable clothing for our next visit scheduled in September. The men especially need shoes, belts, socks, and walking shorts. The women appreciate getting accessories such as purses, scarves, and jewelry. Everyone can use grooming items, playing cards, games, puzzles and small books. No matter the size of a contribution, every little bit helps a vet in need. So, once again, the El Segundo Cares volunteers’ thank everyone for their donations. You are the greatest. – Jan Cruikshank 15-2536ps_sby-ie-15-014 ©2015 lacmta Metro Rail is Turning 25! Thank you, LA County, for 25 years of Metro Rail! With your support, we’ve expanded Metro Rail from one line to six lines that now span 87 miles across the region… and we’re not done yet. Learn more and >nd out about the festivities and free events at metro.net/25. Gold Line and Expo Line Testing Continues Metro Rail's Gold Line and Expo Line extensions are one step closer to opening as train testing continues. The Expo Line Phase II Project will extend Expo Line service from Culver City to Santa Monica and the Foothill Extension Project will extend Gold Line service from Pasadena to Azusa. Each extension is scheduled to open in 2016. Learn more at metro.net. VetsGo511: Helping You Find the Resources You Need Use VetsGo511, the one-stop source for veterans and others in the military community, to >nd reliable resources for housing, education, healthcare, employment and more. You’ll also >nd a calendar of events to connect you with your community, and a trip planner to get you there. To learn more, visit vetsgo511.com. See something? Say something. Almost one million people are victims of human tra;cking each year. Many of them are right here in LA County. If you have reason to believe someone might be a victim of human tra;cking, don’t be silent – report it. Call 888.950.SAFE. To learn more, visit metro.net/dontbesilent. metro.net @metrolosangeles losangelesmetro Douglass M O R T U A R Y “Our Family Serving Yours Since 1954” B U R I A L - C R E M A T I O N - W O R L D W I D E T R A N S F E R P E T M E M O R I A L P R O D U C T S 500 EAST IMPERIAL AVENUE EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA 90245 Telephone (310) 640-9325 • Fax (310) 640-0778 • FD658 Unanswered Financial Questions? Can I really afford to retire? • Do I take a lump or annuity? How do I pay for college? • Where is my paycheck going? Are these the right investments? • How can I reduce taxes? We provide sound objective advice for a planned and secure financial future. Call us for a free no obligation get acquainted meeting. 310.706.4123 Eileen S. Freiburger, CFP • El Segundo Resident ESF Financial Planning Group Twenty-Nine Years of Experience in the Industry • www.esfplanning.com No commissions, no pressure, and no long term contracts. ‘Iron Man’ Powell Continues Long-Time Commitment to Schools By Brian Simon Oh, how the time flies. It certainly felt that way to local resident Chris Powell when he recently got together with a group of long-time friends celebrating the 40th reunion for the El Segundo High School Class of 1975. Despite the passage of decades, many of the alumni remained in the community with the list including a number of successful business owners and the town’s current Mayor, among other notables. As for Powell, he remains one of the most well-known individuals to emerge from that graduating class thanks to his lengthy involvements with local schools, the El Segundo Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce. At the same time, he is arguably less renowned for his day job as CFO for the Gardena-based Washington Iron Works. A fourth-generation family business founded in 1921, Washington Iron Works is a large commercial steel union contractor that fabricates and erects structural steel, miscellaneous metals and ornamental iron. “We are the ‘go-to’ contractor for the most difficult projects and tightest construction schedules,” Powell said while noting that the company’s resume includes work at LA City Hall, Staples Center, LA Live, the Getty Center and Villa, US Bank Tower, LAX, Dodger and Angel stadiums, UCLA, USC and the currently-under-construction Wilshire Grand that will soon become the tallest building in Los Angeles. Though a dynamic business that continues to evolve in changing times--and as demand grows for larger projects and increased involvement in design and engineering in addition to just the construction aspect--Washington Iron Works also makes sure not to forget its roots. “As an example of our emphasis on traditions, our past and our founders, the company’s conference room houses the original anvils and hand tools used nearly 100 years ago as well as a large mural of the history of the firm,” Powell said. “We are known for our long-term relationships with our clients and for our commitment to our employees. Many of our employees who come to work for us never leave, and they become part of the Washington Iron Works family. The future is never certain in construction and can change dramatically over the course of a year. The one constant is our commitment to our clients and our employees.” After high school, Powell earned a degree in accounting at Loyola Marymount and embarked on a career as a CPA. He joined Washington Iron Works in the late 1980s. “I always worked with contractors and I enjoy the constantly changing projects and challenges that large commercial construction entails,” he explained. Powell has served as Washington Iron Works’ CFO for the past 20 years and also sits on the firm’s board of directors. In addition to financial reporting, his work encompasses budgeting, risk management, human resources, cash management, IT and legal operations. While he enjoys his job duties, he spoke of the importance of being employed by an outfit that allows him to devote the time to give back to his home town. “I am fortunate that I work for a company that has always been supportive of my community service work and allows me the flexibility to do both my professional work as well as my volunteer service,” Powell said. Washington Iron Works has also made its mark in El Segundo, including projects for Chevron, Kilroy Realty, Continental Development Corporation, and several aerospace companies. “Currently we are doing a large renovation for the DirecTV facilities on Imperial Highway and we have eight different projects under construction right next door at LAX.” The company also makes annual donations to Rotary’s Movie in the Park, the Ed! Foundation and Run for Education. In the past, it also provided steel for the Stevenson Field baseball scoreboard and El Segundo Scout House. See Iron Man, page 6 Department, Infrastructure Needs May Lead to Budget Shortfall By Brian Simon At first glance, projections for the City of El Segundo’s 2015/16 budget looked promising. Figuring in expected revenues, expenditures and various transfers--and even with an increase in general fund reserves from 18 to 19 percent— staff estimated a “surplus” of about a quarter of a million dollars. Acting Finance Director Misty Cheng presented those preliminary numbers to the El Segundo City Council during Monday evening’s strategic planning session only for reality to set in moments later. The proposed budget was much like buying a new car where you can opt for a less pricey “base model” a little light on features--or pay more for extras you really can’t do without. In this case, the base budget did not include a plethora (more than three dozen) of notable extras requested by each department, as well as a slate of capital improvement projects deemed most critical for the City to continue providing adequate services. All told, the department heads asked the Council to approve another $2.56 million in expenditures, with an additional $984,000 slotted for 11 potential projects. The Planning Commission will weigh in on the capital projects first before the Council makes a final determination. On Monday, the Council members (minus Mike Dugan, who was absent for the meeting) went over each department line item to indicate their initial funding preferences and to see if there was any way to shave down that $2.5 million sum. Mayor Suzanne Fuentes called the requests a “solid list” with “nothing fluffy” on it. The group was unanimously in favor of appropriating $440,000 to reinstate three sworn police officers in order to help Chief Mitch Tavera address the dramatic increase in Part 1 crimes and service call volume. Tavera also hoped to secure $38,000 to promote an officer to sergeant to bolster oversight and risk management, and $100,000 for document imaging/scanning in order to reduce paper clutter currently taking up an entire jail cell. Information Systems Division Manager Larry Klingaman reported that there are 70 identified IT projects through the various departments with cost estimates between $2.9 million and $4.86 million. Examples include software upgrades/replacement, document management, recreation software, permitting systems, website and intranet. However, current funding sits at just $800,000. The Council will see the final IT plan and proposed implementation schedule at the next strategic planning meeting (August 31, 6 p.m. at the El Segundo Public Library). The Council identified some possible wiggle room with Fire Chief Kevin Smith’s requests for two new fire engines and a couple of rescue ambulances—with the possibility to just fund See Strategic Planning, page 4
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