After a long debate, the City Council, in an unusually expeditious governmental move, agreed Monday to an emergency meeting for Feb. 15, 8 a.m., at City Hall. The council will consider introducing a $15 million bond measure to put on a ballot in a special June election. The reason for the hasty meeting is that an ordinance has to be introduced before Saturday to get a bond issue onto the June ballot. However, the actual decision as to when it will go onto the ballot will be made at the next council meeting.
The measure would make it possible for the city to purchase open space for parks, ballfields and a community center. The bond measure follows the November approval of advisory bond Measure O.
The proposed bond measure has the support from community activists who were divided over land use issues in the past. Ozzie Silna, Steve Uhring, Laureen Sills, Deirdre Roney, Georgianna McBurney and others met recently at the home of Silna to discuss the bond.
The council and community members could not decide whether it is best to put the measure on a June or November Ballot. Some thought November would bring too many distractions from the measure, while others were concerned about moving too quickly and making irreparable mistakes.
“We need to buy the land or we’re gonna be forever held hostage to a development agreement,” said Laureen Sills, a proponent of the measure. “The bond issue empowers our city and levels the playing field.”
“We need to define sacred spaces,” concurred Georgiana McBurney, who campaigned for measure N in the fall.
“There is a momentum that has built up in this community, let’s not let this opportunity pass by,” said Silna, a community activist who spent more than $25,000 supporting measure P in November.
However, the council was cautious about deciding on the timing of when the bond will be presented to the voters because this is a one-time shot.
Some councilmembers were concerned that, without a clear objective, the bond measure will fail to get the required two-thirds vote.
In other matters, although a few councilmembers were a bit hesitant, the council approved a $50,000 matching fund grant for the Malibu Stage Company. The company had met a prerequirement to raise $50,000 in matching funds.
The council looked favorably on the company’s proposal to enter into a joint-operating agreement with the Point Dume Community Services District, also known as the Malibu Community Center, for the rental and operation of the Stage Company’s theater facility at 29243 Pacific Coast Highway.
The Malibu Community Center would serve as the Malibu Stage Company’s exclusive rental agent in the booking of its theater. This will provide an opportunity for the company to improve the utilization of its facility, while providing the Malibu Community Center the ability to continue with its programs since the facility the center previously used has become unavailable.
Beverly Hammond, president of the Point Dume Community Service District, urged the council to rule favorably since the endeavor would benefit the community culturally.
Jacky Bridgeman, president emeritus and board member of Malibu Stage, is happy about the outcome. “The money will be used to pay the rent, pay bills and for the production of plays,” said Bridgeman.
Richard Carrigan, chairman of the Malibu Stage Company until March 2000, indicated that, although there was hostility within the organization in the past, the company has grown older and wiser now, and it will provide a necessary cultural entity to Malibu as a whole.
During the public speaker’s segment of Monday’s council meeting, Jennifer MacColm, who operates the Pacific Palisades Farmers’ Market, came in force with farmers, cooks, community members from neighboring towns, vendors and the like, hoping to get a favorable response from the council for a second market in Malibu.
But council suggested that two farmers’ markets would not be in the city’s best interest. It favored the idea of the nonprofit Cornucopia operation, which, despite its flaws, serves the community well.
“We do need fine-tuning like any new organization,” said a supporter of Cornucopia.
Debra Bianco, president of Cornucopia, said the market was founded by residents, for residents. The organization has worked for two-and-a-half years to get it going and the market will get a fresh start in the spring.
Council also discussed commission assignments and procedures.
Some city commission members were frustrated because they lack direction from council, but when council gave them an outline prioritizing their tasks, some commissioners thought it was too restrictive.
The purpose of the outline is to minimize impact on staff resources, which are limited. Council indicated that commissioners cannot require staff time for objectives that are not assigned at the moment, but the commissioners can work on them independently if they wish.
In other matters Council:
- Appointed Councilmembers Jeff Jennings and Sharon Barovsky to serve as an Ad Hoc Committee to meet with Santa Monica City councilmembers and school board members to explore ways to improve relations among the agencies and improve funding for the schools.
- Adopted a housing element plan that includes the provision of 14 new affordable housing units.
- Approved a proposal to fly Planning Commissioners and planning staff over Malibu at a cost of $1,000.
- Selected Digital Map Products for Phase 1 of a GIS program.