Lawndale Tribune AND lAwNDAle News The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - February 4, 2016 Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................4 Classifieds............................3 Food.......................................4 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals............................2, 6-7 Pets........................................8 Police Reports.....................3 Seniors..................................6 Sports....................................5 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 72˚/48˚ Saturday Sunny 75˚/52˚ Sunday Sunny 81˚/54˚ Lawndale City Hall Building The City Council provides overall policy direction for the City of Lawndale while ensuring efficient and effective municipal services. The City Council responds to citizen issues in a proactive manner, maintaining quality customer service goals. Photo by Peter Thornton Katrina Manning, Don Harris Close to Nomination as Hawthorne City Council Stalemate Continues By Derrick Deane diligently went out into the community and Beneficial California Inc. The case was The stalemate in finding someone to fill the stirred up votes and met with of people, spent resolved and appealed within weeks and the vacated seat on the Hawthorne City Council tens of thousands of dollars to bring in the case file was destroyed in 2006 pursuant to continues. vote. The people of Hawthorne have spoken Superior Court Code. During a special meeting last Thursday, the with their votes on the election that was run.” “I don’t see how this person can get the city Council went through another eight rounds Other residents were more concerned with out of the hole that it is in if they can’t take of candidate nominations while continuing not knowing anything about some of the care of their own tax problems,” Donaldson said. to ignore residents request to honor election candidates who had applied. Manning responded via email to this results. “We have no idea what these people stand publication saying that, “I have no doubt There were several times when it looked like for,” resident Aba Ngisa said of the candidates that Hawthorne citizens will see through the a majority choice was about to be made only who had applied for the vacant seat. “I’m questionable motives of Patricia Donaldson in to have the hopes dashed when Councilman just uncomfortable with the fact that we’re maligning my character by mischaracterizing Hadir Awad decided to nominate a different looking at people who did not campaign, decades old matters that have been remedied candidate. Three of the four council members who did not give the citizens of Hawthorne and resolved.” must nominate the same candidate in order the opportunity to question what their views Manning added that, “These assaults are for the vacant seat to be filled. and stance are.” untimely, irrelevant, and not reflective of my Mayor Alex Vargas continued his adamant After failing to come to a majority decision character and reputation and raising them in support for candidate and former Hawthorne once again, the realization that the city would this manner is disrespectful to not only my City of Commerce president Don Harris. On a be locked into a costly special election began family, but to the citizens of Hawthorne, who couple of instances, it looked like Harris might to dawn on the council. have gotten to know me during my actually get the seat after Councilman Nilo With Mayor Vargas out of town for the first welldocumented public service in the community.” Michelin sided with Vargas, but Awad made part of the week, Michelin pushed to have as sure that the nominating process continued. many special election meetings as possible Meanwhile, Councilwoman Angie Reyes before the February 9 deadline. English continued to back up her words from Vargas and Michelin went back and forth the recent regular meeting when she spoke out for several minutes with the mayor asking for against the nominating process. The majority the councilman to accommodate his schedule of English’s nominations were candidates much like the council had done in the past who had run during last November’s election for Michelin and fellow councilmembers. including Katrina Manning, Amie Shepard, The longer the process is drawn out, the and former Mayor Pro Tem Olivia Valentine. more past transgressions are being brought to Speaking of the election, residents – at least light. Chamber of Commerce president Patricia those who weren’t there to voice their support Donaldson brought a Los Angeles Superior for Harris – continued to implore the council Court case file to the attention of the council. to honor the November election results. The Donaldson did not name the candidate who request has continued to fall on deaf ears as was named in the case involving “tax liens the council did not comment on the matter. and judgments on their credit.” “I believe the people have spoken,” Pastor The candidate not mentioned is Manning David Manila of the New Beginnings Church who, in 1995 was a defendant in an L.A. said. “The community had an election. They Superior Court case levied against her by Manning was one nomination away from being selected to fill the seat in three of the eight rounds, but was denied by Awad who instead chose candidate Robert Pierto all three times. The recently elected councilman’s selections seem to have been narrowed down to Pierto and Valentine. The council will meet again on Thursday, February 4 at 5:30 p.m. for yet another round of candidate nominations. If no one is selected then, a final meeting has been scheduled for the next day at the same time. Should those two rounds prove unsuccessful in filling the vacated council seat, the city will be locked in to a special election that could cost an estimated $80,000 to $100,000 in June. This debt would be added on what the city is still trying to dig itself out of after years of dubious leadership. •
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