Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................7
Classifieds............................3
Entertainment......................2
Finance..................................7
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Lawndale..............................4
Legals.................................4,6
Pets........................................8
Seniors..................................7
Weekend
Forecast
Clippers Press Conference Adds
Hope for NBA Return to Town
Last week at a press conference, Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (shown in the photo with Inglewood and Los Angeles Clippers officials) formally introduced legislation to assist the City of Inglewood
in bringing NBA basketball back to the community by providing CEQA streamlining relief for the new arena project. The bill, AB 987, will ensure the new Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center
Project meets strict environmental standards and enhances local services while still protecting vital community interests. Photo: City of Inglewood. •
Inglewood Year Ends on Positive
Financial Note Despite Challenges
By Haleemon Anderson
Despite ending the fiscal year with a positive
audit and salary increases for law enforcement,
Inglewood officials continue to face opposition
from residents who see the City Council as
fast-tracking an entertainment development
without regard for renters. The Uplift Inglewood
Coalition held a press conference on
City Hall grounds prior to Tuesday’s Council
meeting, announcing a lawsuit filed against
the City of Inglewood. Inside the meeting,
members of the coalition lined up single-file
to speak during public comments.
“We are trying to insure secure housing
for working families,” said Michael Wilson,
a member of Uplift Inglewood. Wilson announced
the group’s lawsuit against the City,
and attempted to hand a manila envelope to
the Council. As Wilson’s one-minute comment
time expired, Mayor James T. Butts
directed Wilson to hand the documents to
the City Clerk. Wilson refused to relinquish
the podium, saying, “No, we’ll do this now.”
With more than 20 people waiting in line, the
mayor called for adjournment.
Uplift Inglewood is comprised of “residents,
businesses, faith groups and community
organizations…” according to its website.
Their lawsuit claims the City’s deal with
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer violates the
surplus land act.
Speaking after the meeting, Derek Steele
said, “There’s a lot of excitement around
this new development. One of the unintended
consequences is a spike in rent costs.”
Steele, a vocal member of Uplift, has lived
in Inglewood 11 years with his wife and two
daughters. He noted that displacement is a big
issue. “Homeowners are not the only people
who are long-time residents of Inglewood,”
said Steele, who claims 64 percent of
Inglewood residents are renters. He added
that Uplift is suing because the City has to
make surplus land available for affordable
housing. In addition, Steele said the group
has collected 13,000 signatures to put rent
control and rent stabilization measures on
the November ballot.
In action items during the meeting, the
Council approved a salary ordinance for fiscal
year 2017-18. In a review of compensation
against job descriptions and duties, several
categories of jobs may increase in salary for
next year. There were no changes in compensation
for executive staff, mayor and council
positions or part-time staff. Inglewood police
officers and police management personnel
will receive a 5 percent salary increase, per
terms of their union MOUs.
Brian Groomer of Lance Soll & Lunghard,
the City’s auditing firm, reported on the
year-end financial statement that cited only
four audit findings. The Council accepted
the report, with Butts saying, “When I came
here, we were behind in our audits. Now
we’re all caught up.”
Councilmember Ralph L. Franklin recalled
prior years when audit findings numbered in
the double digits. “We have put many procedures
in place,” he said, noting the work of
the audit firm in resolving past issues.
The Council adopted an ordinance to increase
free parking hours at the Crenshaw-Imperial
Library branch. The library recently increased
hours of operation to include Wednesday
and Saturday.
In other public comments, resident Diane
Sambrano objected to consent calendar items
6 and 7, an agreement with WOW Media to
provide electronic billboards in town. Sambrano
said the City is lowering rates for commercial
billboards while increasing fees to residents
at parks and other facilities. Sambrano also
objected to “salary increases, and mentioned
the protest outside.
Residents Willie Agee and Jim Braun expressed
support for the raises. “Evidently they
deserve it,” said Agee. Braun said he supports
raises to maintain law enforcement and any
other employees who are doing their job.
Another resident noted a hearing in Sacramento
on Thursday regarding AB 987 and the
environmental impact report for the proposed
Clippers arena. The bill was introduced last
week by incoming Assemblywoman Sydney
Kamlager-Dove and is designed to fast-track
the Clippers arena by limiting legal challenges
to the development under the California Environmental
Quality Act (SEQA).
Kamlager-Dove, speaking last week at a
formal press conference of the majority stakeholders
in the project, said, “This bill has the
potential to put tens of thousands of jobs in
my district. That’s jobs and an increased tax
base… and without public funds.” She said the
bill limits litigation against the project, but still
ensures it meets strict environmental standards.
Representatives of Uplift Inglewood plan
to be at the Sacramento hearing, according
to Steele.
The Inglewood City Council meets every
Tuesday, unless otherwise noted, at 2 p.m.
in the council chambers on the 9th floor,
Inglewood City Hall. •
Friday
Mostly
Sunny
72˚/63˚
Saturday
Sunny
72˚/64˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
72˚/62˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood
Daily News on a Weekly Basis - Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - June 21, 2018