Malibu Community Labor Exchange Board President Kay Gabbard honors the late Russell McMonigle
The Malibu City Council began its meeting by presenting a City Tile to Parker Davis for seven years of service to the City of Malibu.
“I just want to thank the council for an opportunity to recognize my seven years of service in Malibu. It has been a truly unique and exciting experience to grow skills, explore interests, and learn how the government operates,” Davis said. “I really enjoy my seven years here and, I’m looking foward to more to come.”
Public Safety Director Susan Dueñas presented the Proclamation for declaring April 21-27, 2024, to be National Volunteer Week.
“Malibu Volunteers on Patrol worked 8,663 hours in 2023, providing traffic control at incidents that happen throughout the year; they issued over 14,961 citations for illegally parked cars, contributing significantly to the public safety efforts in Malibu, whereas the Malibu Community emergency response team, volunteered over 1,526 hours in 2023, working towards improvement on communications ability, maintaining emergency supply bins, conducting refresher training for the team and the community, and assisting with conducting two Community Emergency Response Team classes, wheras Arson Watch volunteers worked 3,599 hours in 2023, patrolling our neighborhoods at all hours of the day, during at times of high fire risk, to identify fires early before, when it’s easier to have them extinguished,” Dueñas said. “Volunteers help promote positive change with their efforts regardless of the size of the action; volunteerism strengthens communities and overall enhances Malibu.”
The City of Malibu honored volunteers at Malibu Volunteers on Patrol, the CERT Team, and Arson Watch.
“The City Council and the City of Malibu declares April 21 through April 27, 2024 as National Volunteer Week and recognize the many volunteers that help make Malibu a better and safer place to live and enjoy,” Dueñas said.
Malibu Volunteers on Patrol Team Leader Mark Russo said it’s been great working with the CERT Team, Arson Watch, and Malibu Search and Rescue.
“We have a really good working relationship with the city and we have a lot of really good members that love contributing their time to patrolling the city of Malibu,” Russo said. “Given the weather and a lot of traffic issues that we’ve had, it actually been a busy first part of the year for us as we come into summer we’re starting to feel an influx of visitors to Malibu so we try to be very concentrated on the weekends as much as possible, but it’s shaping up to be a very busy year.”
Yolanda Bundy presented the City of Malibu’s New Development Application Portal. Planning, building, and safety staff have created and designed a development portal to submit projects to view the status on projects, manage documents as well as collect fees.
Councilmembers thanked Bundy and staff for their work on the report.
“I look forward to the improved customer service that this is going to bring and hopefully making everyone’s work day just a little more pleasant as you go through it,” Councilmember Marianne Riggins said.
For public comment, Malibu Community Community Labor Exchange Board President Kay Gabbard spoke and honored Russell McMonigle, who passed away on April 12 at Zuma Beach.
McMonigle was found at Zuma Beach by an LA County Beaches and Harbor maintenance employee with a head injury and was pronounced deceased at the scene. According to Malibu/Lost Hills Sgt. Chris Soderlund, the medical examiner said the incident was a natural death. No evidence of foul play was found.
“Malibu lost a local icon, Zuma Beach lost a familiar face, Russell McConigle, 73, quietly left us early that morning, most likely from a heart attack. He passed very quickly into his next life away from his beloved beach, birds, and friends,” Gabbard said. “For 15 years we have watched Russell walk up and down Zuma picking up trash and treasures. The last six or seven years pushing or pulling various cards loaded with his current fully stocked belongings more and more hunch from arthritis and sleeping on hard, cold surfaces. Many of us walked by him with a smile, some offered him food or a new cart, and listened to his stories. He left us the day after our two outstanding People in Concern outreach workers took him to see the apartment that could be his in Santa Monica. He loved us knowing he had friends and was loved for who he was.” 
Gabbard thanked the people who helped McMonigle and organizations who help those experiencing homelessness in Malibu.
“Thank you, City Council, for your support of the People in Concern and your current review of The Malibu‘s Housing Element Program but mostly, thank you, Russell, for trusting us enough to let us be your friends,” Gabbard said. “To know you was not easy, but you know you was to love you. Rest in peace, Russell.”
For city updates, City Manager Steve McClary provided a brief update on traffic, road closures, and upcoming events such as the State of the City on May 10.
For the permanent skatepark, Community Service Director Kristin Riesgo said they are going through the final details to get through plan check and will share those with the city manager this week.
“It is in their hands to get us those final designs so we can start that process,” Riesgo said.
Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Soderlund provided an update on crime, safety, and traffic.
Soderlund said 16 people, year-to-date, have been arrested for reckless driving and/or racing in the City of Malibu, and 24 people have been arrested for DUI.
Soderlund also announced the upcoming event, “Safe on PCH.” The weeklong program focuses on safe driving, and will engage students and families in the role we all play in keeping our roads safe to make Malibu a safer community. To see the list of events can be viewed on the city’s website malibucity.org.
Public Works Director Rob DeBouxx presented the Floodplain Variance – 19750 Pacific Coast Highway.
To end the meeting, the council received a presentation from the Planning Department describing the Formula Retail Clearance process established by Ordinance No. 431.
The next city council meeting is on May 13 at the council chambers.
CAPTION (for any of the McMonigle photos)
During the Monday, April 22, Malibu City Council meeting, Community Labor Exchange Board President Kay Gabbard honored the late Russell McMonigle, whom she called a “local icon” at Zuma Beach. Contributed Photo
Parker Davis
The City of Malibu honored Parker Davis for seven years of service at the Monday, April 22, City Council meeting. Photo Courtesy of the City of Malibu
The City of Malibu declared April 21 through April 27 National Volunteer Week during the City Council meeting on Monday, April 23. Photo Courtesy of the City of Malibu.