City could take charge of Farmers’ Market selection
City Manager Jim Thorsen announced at Monday’s City Council meeting that the city is in discussion with Los Angeles County officials about the Malibu government selecting which organization will run the Malibu Farmers’ Market.
There are currently three applicants who want to hold the weekly market at the county-owned Courthouse property on Civic Center Way. They are the Cornucopia Foundation (which ran a market there until 2005), Malibu couple Cameron Losey and Jeannie Yamamoto, and Calabasas-based Raw Inspiration. In order to hold the Farmers’ Market, an organization would need a lease with the county and a conditional-use permit from the city.
There is currently no plan in place for how it should be decided who could run the Farmers’ Market, or even if all three organizations could do it. Thorsen said on Monday that how the new process would work will not be decided until a deal is finalized between the county and city. But he said he believed it would probably function with the city issuing a request for proposal, or RFP, and then selecting the best respondent based on a determined criteria.
County, city to discuss library issues
City Councilmember Pamela Conley Ulich said on Tuesday in an interview that Los Angeles County and city of Malibu officials would begin talks shortly on creating a memorandum of understanding that would allow Malibu to take charge of making enhancements to the Malibu Library. The previous day she had expressed anger during the City Council meeting because she said the county had been uncooperative with the city about creating such a document because the county was unsure about the future of the property, and whether it would be selling it.
Meanwhile, a draft document has been issued by a city consultant examining whether Malibu should breakaway from the county system and create its own library. A final draft of the document is expected to be ready by the end of the month, Conley Ulich said. She said it would then be available for public review. A meeting to discuss the document will take place at the library on July 12.
Resolution could be near for SM City Council/SMMUSD conflict
Amended language to former school district Chief Financial Officer Winston Braham’s resignation agreement approved last week by SMMUSD Superintendent Dianne Talarico could allow Braham to speak with the Santa Monica City Council as some of its members have requested.
A clause in Braham’s resignation agreement that states he cannot speak with any third party about the district’s financial situation has aroused suspicion among Santa Monica City Council members, with some threatening to possibly reject the city’s staff recommendation to increase the annual municipal contribution to the district from $6.5 million to $7.2 million. The City Council is expected to vote on that increase later this month.
Although the added language would allow Braham to speak with the City Council, according to the district, Braham himself has not said whether he is interested in doing so.
Braham resigned shortly after refusing to endorse the proposed 5 percent raise for district teachers, which put him in opposition with Superintendent Dianne Talarico. Braham never publicly stated if he quit because of this disagreement.
Rocking fundraiser to help build ‘Legacy’
Zuma, this year’s Battle of the Bands winner, will headline Malipalooza! 2007, a city festival at Bluffs Park. With stage performances, children’s activities, booths for nonprofit organizations and businesses, and a special film screening, the festival, to be held on June 24 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., will benefit the Malibu Legacy Park Project’s Build The Legacy Campaign.
The festival will conclude with the 40th anniversary screening of Malibu local Lou Adler’s rock festival film, “Monterey Pops,” featuring rock icons like The Who and Jimi Hendrix.
The live-performing band, Zuma, includes Malibu High School eighth- and ninth-graders Austin Danie, Dylan Hayes, Brianna Coleman, Conner Hayes and James Burnette. Also to be showcased at the festival is the Battles of the Bands runner-up, New Dogs, Old Tricks. More acts will be announced later, including special guests, according to the city.
A ticketed reception in the Michael Landon Center will feature bonus footage from the film, in which The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel and other icons were introduced.
Admission to Malipalooza! 2007 is free. Tickets to the private reception are $250 or $500 per person. The $500 tickets, to include recognition on the Park’s planned honor wall, will go on sale, May 25.
For booth information, call Kristin Riesgo at 310.456.2489 ext. 350. For sponsorships, which range from $1,500 to $25,000, or private reception information, call Susan Shaw at 310.305.2033.
Lifeguard tryouts this weekend
There will be tryouts for the Leo Carrillo Junior Lifeguard team this Saturday at Malibu High School, located at 30215 Morning View Drive. The tryouts will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 310.457.5775.
-Jonathan Friedman