“I believe the state of Malibu is strong, but we are at risk—and it’s not a risk of nature—it’s at risk of each other, tearing each other part,” California Senator Henry Stern said last Friday.
This was the message echoed by state, county and local officials at the annual State of the City address, hosted by the City of Malibu and Malibu Chamber of Commerce on May 10 at City Hall.
The event, held this year in the Civic Theater, was well attended by local residents—especially by those who are and have been involved in various city commissions and organizations.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance and “The Star-Spangled Banner” led by the Malibu High School choir, Lenise Sorén, chair of the Malibu Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, held a moment of silence for the people of Paradise, Calif., who lost their entire city to last year’s fire.
Stern then took the stage to address his hometown.
“You know, I grew up here; this is our home. And in our town, we have struggles and we’ve had our fights like every small town does, but I don’t think we’ve ever been tested like we have this last year,” he said, calling 2018 the hardest year of his life.
Then, he took to addressing the community spirit.
“I’m concerned about the state of our city,” he said. “But not because of our competence, not because of our financial condition or our infrastructure, but because of our relationships with each other.”
He then talked about the importance of unity, a segue into a surprise announcement: Each year, legislators are allowed to choose a nonprofit organization in their district for Nonprofit of the Year recognition; this year’s honoree for Stern’s district is the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu.
He explained the organization transformed itself as a “direct conduit to helping people get back on their feet immediately when they needed it.”
In final remarks, Stern said about the Woolsey Fire: “Many of you stayed behind because you love this place so much, and I do not fault you for that because that expression of love and commitment to be able to sweat and hurt yourselves to defend this town is a huge act of courage and we need to do better to help support you this next time around.”
Third District LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, who spoke after Stern, shared similar sentiments, but began by detailing facts for community members.
In LA County, she said, 1,323 properties were still working with the county to clear debris six months after the Woolsey Fire, while 482 had been cleared and another 142 were ready for rebuild as of two weeks ago.
Kuehl also detailed a draft report analyzing the Woolsey Fire response and recovery—created by a special task force—anticipated for this fall. Once the report is ready, it will also be presented to the community for discussion.
“People do understand what you’re going through,” she said, adding that the county would “be there” to help Malibuites.
Malibu Mayor Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner then took to the podium, beginning by commending Kuehl for her work.
“You know, Malibu is one percent of your voting base, and 50 percent of your problems,” he said, sparking laughter from the audience.
He spoke of “a great deal of division internally” and that people needed to come together, to see things in a more balanced way.
Though his speech was only a few minutes long, Wagner had strong words for his fellow council members.
“We need to do that [remain balanced] legislatively, and I’m looking to the council,” he said. “We made some promises when we ran.”
He specifically touched on the city’s Earth Friendly Management Policy, Airbnb ordinance and the “invasion of the ESHA [environmentally sensitive habitat areas].” He promised to work with the city manager, Reva Feldman, and staff to take the issues “out of staff Siberia.”
The speeches culminated in a video featuring photos and footage from during and after the Woolsey Fire, narrated by Wagner himself. The images struck a chord with the audience, leaving some in tears.
