Lawndale Tribune
The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale
Rams Fit for Smith School Visit
Last Friday, the Los Angeles Rams organization visited Lawndale’s Lucille Smith Elementary School to remind students why health and fitness matter. Photo by Principal Rosa Isiah
Healthy Budget Shaping Up for Lawndale
By Haleemon Anderson
policy.”
The mid-year budget report found the
In the public safety report, the attending
City of Lawndale in good shape, as Director
officer gave an overview of bullying on
of Finance Ken Louie reported on positive
school campuses, citing the national statistic
adjustments to the general fund at Monday’s
that 28 percent of sixth to 12th grade
meeting of the Lawndale City Council.
students report being bullied at school. The
Louie said the City has taken in $279,000 in
officer cautioned parents to look for signs
unplanned revenue, including motor vehicle,
of harassment and injury and to question
encroachment and planning and building
their school-aged kids about relationships
fees. Salary savings in unfilled positions
at school.
within the City and Sheriff’s Department
Library Manager Jose Parra reported the
have netted another $173,000 in unspent
Helping Hands project was a success. He
general funds.
said the youth group created prosthetic
The Council approved policy changes on
hands to donate to underdeveloped countries.
the use of parks and recreation facilities.
Helping Hands donated a 3-D printer to
The action cancels open space permits,
the library. Parra noted programming for
revokes the use of jumpers and bouncers in
Black History Month will include a maskmaking
all parks, and requires groups of over 100
workshop on Feb. 20. On Feb. 21,
to have security through the county police
department. The action also changes the fee
structure: instead of 100 percent up front,
reservations will now require a 25 percent
non-refundable fee. Reservations will still
be taken for athletic fields and space in the
Lawndale Community Center. Monday’s
vote was unanimous, with Councilmember
Jim Osborne absent.
Community Services Director Mike
Estes explained the action separates out
the policies governing parks from those
of the Community Center. “In 2012, when
the Community Center opened, the policies
were combined. We’ve had several new
facilities open since,” said Estes. “Now we
are working on a new Community Center
the library will sponsor a drum circle and
a jobs skills workshop.
Steve Koonz reported on traffic violations
and drug activity. Marge Heineman asked
the Council to consider getting another code
enforcement officer. She cited a stalled car
on Inglewood Avenue that snarled traffic
for several hours.
Sam Pena, formerly of Republic Services,
announced he has accepted the position of
executive vice-president with the Inglewood/
LAX Chamber of Commerce. He thanked
the Council for his 10-year stint as municipal
relations manager. “It was a great partnership.
It never felt like work,” said Pena.
“In your job, you have to become a part
of the city. Sam, you’ve done that,” said
Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles. Republic
Services provides recycling and trash and
solid waste collection for the city. It sponsors
an annual Bucks for Bulk contest.
In his new post, Pena said he hopes to also
promote business in Lawndale. The mayor
thanked Pena for his service and commitment
to the city. “You understand economic
development and business retention,” said
Pullen-Miles. “We do welcome collaboration
with the City of Inglewood.”
The consent calendar was passed
unanimously, after discussion on two items.
Item #4, a proposal for a natural gas station
for city vehicles, was tabled. Initial planning
costs are estimated at over $50,000. City
Manager Steve Mandoki noted that staff
drive over two hours to fill up their service
vehicles. Councilmember Pat Kearney
suggested waiting to see if state funding
grants would be available in the future.
Pullen-Miles asked that the Lawndale
Rotary Club be added to the list of nonprofit
vendors approved to sell Fourth of July
fireworks. Mandoki said the matter could
be brought back at the next meeting, but
the organization has missed the application
meeting and deadline before.
The Lawndale City Council meets every
first and third Monday, unless otherwise
noted. As the President’s holiday will fall on
Feb. 19, the next meeting of the Lawndale
City Council is Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6:30
p.m., in the Lawndale City Hall Council
Chambers at 14717 Burin Ave. •
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................5
Classifieds............................3
Film.........................................2
Finance..................................2
Food.......................................5
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Legals................................ 6-7
Looking Up......................... 6
Pets........................................8
Police Reports.....................3
Politically Speaking............4
Sports....................................4
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Sunny
71˚/56˚
Saturday
Sunny
65˚/55˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
68˚/54˚
AND lAwNDAle News
Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - February 8, 2018