Hawthorne Press Tribune The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - February 16, 2017 ECHS Student Presentations on Community Forum Day Eleventh grade students present to community members about their intersession projects on Community Forum Day at Lawndale’s Environmental Charter High School (ECHS) on February 2. Pictured left to right: David Ramirez, Cristina Valadez, Franyelika Ortiz and Abel Escobar. The 11th graders explored the question, “What Role Do Changes in Demographics and Property Play in the Process of Gentrification?” In order to better understand the process of gentrification, students researched changes in property and demographics of their local community and analyze the role that they play in this process. (Photo by Ken Deemer) “It’s not that we’re going to have a five-year term from now on. It’s just this one time.” Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................2 Classifieds............................3 Community Briefs...............4 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals................................ 6-7 Pets........................................8 Sports....................................5 Weekend Forecast Friday Rain 60˚/55˚ Saturday Rain 60˚/55˚˚ Sunday Mostly Sunny 62˚/54˚ Council to Get Five-Year Term as City Shifts to Even-Year Election Cycle By Derrick Deane Awad explained that the terms were still In the first meeting of February, the four years, but because of the election cycle Hawthorne City Council set out to explain changing in an odd year (2017), the current an upcoming shift in the election cycle. cycle would have five years. There is also Specifically, the shift to even-year elections the potential that the entire process could would create a one-time situation in which be changed again in later years, based on the current Council would hold five-year an increase or shift in voter turnout. “By terms. “I usually come here and you see me having greater participation in our elections, in the peanut gallery and I don’t get up here it would change the whole dynamics of our and say anything until I see something that elections,” City Attorney Russell Miyahara I need to say something about,” Hawthorne said of any possible amendment to the resident Tim Haggerty said of the proposed election cycle in later years. change. “You’re going to have to prove your honesty when you vote for this and the only way that you can is to vote against it.” The issue was listed on the agenda for introduction and public comment, although the Council will ultimately make a decision soon. “It’s just not right that you’re voting yourself an extra year to your term because there are other ways you could do it,” Haggerty Mayor Alex Vargas also reiterated that he continued. “Hawthorne has just changed the has always been against the Mayor’s term Mayor’s term from two years to four years, being changed from two years to four years. which I didn’t agree with, and now you’re “For the record, I highly opposed the move doing this. You all want a five-year term?” from the two-year term to the four-year term Mayor Pro Tem Hadir Awad explained that for the Mayor’s position,” he said of the the shift to “an even-year election cycle” was change approved by voters during the recent going to go into effect whether the Council election. “I guess the person who proposed it voted for it or not. If there was no successful ran for the Mayor’s position, but they didn’t vote, the City would still end up shifting to get their four year term.” Noting the irony, even-year elections. Vargas added, “It’s just kind of interesting City Manager Arnie Shadbehr stated that the way that turned out.” Hawthorne would basically be operating Miyahara explained why the shift was “out of compliance” with the rest of the Los occurring and why Hawthorne was involved Angeles County cities that were switching to with it. “There was a new law that was even-year elections. “If we didn’t act on this, passed which would require cities to hold we’d be forced onto an even-year election their elections in even-numbered years if either way,” Awad said. “It’s not that we’re the voter turnout has been lower than 25 going to have a five-year term from now percent in statewide elections for the past four on. It’s just this one time.” election cycles,” he said. “In our case, we’ve met that threshold because the difference in voter participation has been dismally low.” Miyahara noted that in the most recent election, Hawthorne’s voter turnout was 12 percent--whereas during statewide elections, the results were much higher. That difference is one of the reasons the City will shift to even-numbered years when there are statewide elections, as opposed to the local elections which often occur in odd-numbered years. “This is not something Councilmembers are doing because they want to do it,” Miyahara said. “It is by State law because we want greater voter participation. Twelve percent participation is not good enough and the State does not think that either.” Hermosa Beach and Rolling Hills have already adopted the even-numbered election cycle. Other cities don’t need to adjust because their elections already occur in even-numbered years. Miyahara reported that there are other cities thinking about making this change. “We had the County Clerk call us several times to find out when we plan to act on this because they want to know so they can send out notices to our residents about the change,” Miyahara said. Councilman Nilo Michelin went a step further and asked if terms could be shortened and after a brief exchange with Miyahara had the issue tabled until further information could be provided. “I’m a little uncomfortable about voting for the one-year extension to terms,” Michelin said during his closing statement. “I understand the arguments on both sides.” Michelin added that he would like to move forward on the matter only after he has heard all options from Miyahara and the City Attorney’s office. •
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