Council gives OK for storm water project
At Monday’s meeting, the City Council approved a contract with G.B. Cooke Inc. to begin construction of a storm water treatment facility in the Civic Center. City officials said the facility will remove pollutants such as oils, grease and solid items from storm water that are traveling into the Malibu Lagoon. It will also treat and discharge that water before it enters the Malibu watershed, according to the city.
The project costs $5.8 million, with $1 million coming from a Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission grant and additional money coming from Clean Beaches Initiative grant funds ($4 million), a grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board ($500,000) and the city’s General Fund ($300,000).
According to a city staff report, the facility could be ready for operation by October.
Point Dume trails meeting scheduled for April 4
A community meeting hosted by the city government will take place on April 4 at Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School to discuss the Point Dume Safe Routes to School Walkway Project. The school is located at 6955 Fernhill Drive. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Call 456.2489 ext. 339 for further information.
Assembly bills could challenge rehab programs
State Assembly member Bill Emmerson (R-Riverside) has introduced three bills designed to deal with what some California local government leaders are saying is a problem with drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers being placed in residential neighborhoods. Several Malibu neighborhood leaders have pleaded with the city to do something about this, with the city officials saying they have unsuccessfully spoken to the state about it several times.
AB 3005 would permit a city and county to submit to the state director of social services evidence that the location of a rehabilitation center should be moved, and the director would be required to consider the evidence. AB 3006 would force the state Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs to maintain a Web site with a searchable database of the location of each rehabilitation facility that is licensed by the department. AB 3007 would create a state policy to prevent the excessive concentration of rehabilitation centers in neighborhoods.
The three bills were introduced last month and could go before a committee review later this month.
Chamber executive director resigns
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tina Lyn Firestone announced late last week that she would stepping down after the end of this month to take a job with the Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber’s Board of Directors will be developing a job description and a search committee will be interviewing possible candidates to be Firestone’s replacement.
‘The White Album’ selected as city book
One Book, One City Month officials announced at Monday’s City Council meeting that Joan Didion’s collection of essays, “The White Album,” was selected as the book for this year’s program. In May, several events will take place in the city revolving around the book. This is the fourth year of the program.
Scholarships available to Malibu students
The Malibu Woman’s Club is accepting applications from local high school seniors and fifth-grade students for its scholarship program.
The club awards scholarships to seniors who exemplify an overall excellence in academic achievement, community service, extra-curricular activities, general fitness and employment.
Students are required to submit a personal essay or autobiographical statement for review by the club. Applications are located in the college advisor’s office of the various high schools in and around the Malibu area.
Fifth-grade students will write essays as a class project as their entries for the scholarship contest.
Applications from the seniors must be postmarked no later than March 29. For more information about the senior scholarships, contact Teri Lubash at 457.1843.
For more information regarding fifth-grade awards, contact Agnes Peterson at 457.0972.
Child safety seat inspections to take place in Malibu
The California Highway Patrol and Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station will offer inspections of child safety seats on Saturday at Malibu Colony Plaza parking lot. Technicians certified by the National Highway Traffic Administration will inspect the seats from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-Daniella Bosio and Jonathan Friedman