City Manager's Update

August 2, 2013

City Manager’s Office

· Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Recognition - As part of its recently released Final Report, the County of Los Angeles 2012-2013 Civil Grand Jury ranked Culver City #3 of the County’s 88 incorporated Cities for the City’s outstanding performance in its fiscal health, governance, financial management, and compensation programs. The Grand Jury’s Final Report can be accessed on the Grand Jury’s website at http://grandjury.co.la.ca.us/gjury12-13/Final%20Report%20%2012-13.pdf and on the City of Culver City’s website at www.culvercity.org (the report on cities’ fiscal health begins on page 103).

Community Development Department

• 4043 Irving Place – The project is 82% complete and within budget. The project is scheduled for completion in October 2013.

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) – Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment and Chairman and CEO of SPE, and Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of SPE have announced that SPE and Tom Rothman will launch TriStar Productions on September 1. The joint venture will augment the studio's output of motion pictures and television programming. TriStar will produce approximately six movies annually from their Culver City-based studios.

Fire Department

· Sister City Tour – On August 1 personnel assigned to Fire Station #1 provided a station tour for our Kaizuka, Japan Sister City visitors. The Fire Station tour provided Culver City Firefighters an opportunity to show our visitors around the facility, provide an up-close view of the apparatus and equipment, and a brief overview of the services provided by the Department. While the guests seemed to enjoy touring the station and looking at the apparatus and equipment, judging by the smiles on their faces, they enjoyed the firefighters demonstrating donning of their personal protective gear, including self-contained breathing apparatus, the most. It was not only an educational visit but more importantly an opportunity to demonstrate friendship and goodwill.

· Reading For Kids – On August 6 Culver City Firefighters participated in the Culver City Friends of the Library “story time” and crafts event. Firefighters were invited to the event and were given the opportunity to read some of their favorite stories to the children. They also utilized this opportunity to provide some fire safety tips, share stories, and answer questions. The children seemed to enjoy the interaction with the firefighters, and the firefighters seemed to enjoy it just as much.

Information Technology

· Culver City Recognized as a Leader for its Online Communications Strategy - Tripepi Smith, a hybrid marketing-technology-public affairs firm based in Orange County, performed an assessment of the online presence of the 88 incorporated cities in Los Angeles County and released the Los Angeles County City Internet Strategy Analysis with the results. Tripepi Smith’s report reviewed all cities’ Internet strategies, and the analysis focused on the ways in which cities embrace social media, offer greater transparency and increase citizen access to their government. In the report, Culver City is named as the number one most effective online presence, sharing the top honor with the City of Sierra Madre. A copy of the report can be accessed by clicking on: http://www.tripepismith.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/LACityWebsiteAnalysisJuly2013Final.pdf

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department

· Administration – On August 9 the Senior Center hosted a visit from Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell. Mayor Jeff Cooper, Councilmember Andrew Weissman, members of the Senior Center Association and the PRCS Director provided the Assemblywoman and her staff with a tour of the facility, and she took the opportunity to chat with seniors during lunch.

· Senior and Social Services – On Friday, August 23 come and enjoy all the festivities planned for seniors at Fiesta la Ballona, including line dancing at 4 pm and the Jumpin’ Joz Band, swinging in with live singing and rockin’ at 4:30. There will also be early bird food specials for seniors from 4:30 to 6 pm. Fiesta la Ballona takes place at Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of Culver Boulevard & Overland Avenue on August 23 to 25.

Police Department

· Two New Police Officers - On August 1 the Culver City Police Department welcomed two new police officers to its family. The new officers are Nick Wells and Adam Penner. Officer Wells was named the Honor Cadet of the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department Academy class. Both new officers will soon be patrolling the city.

· National Night Out - On August 6 the Culver City Police Department hosted its first National Night Out event held at Lindberg Park. The event was well attended by the community and co-sponsored by Westfield Culver City, Target and Burger King. The Police Department would also like to thank all the volunteers from the Lindberg Park Neighborhood Watch, Fire Department, Parks, Recreation, and Community Services and Public Works.

· Joint Active Shooter Training at Culver City High - During the week of August 6 the Police Department, Fire Department and the Culver City Unified School District personnel participated in a four day active shooter training exercise held at Culver City High. The training included full scale exercises designed to ensure a rapid and effective response to an active shooter incident and allowed all of the first responders to actively train together as a team to ensure that each agency knows its responsibilities and role. The exercises enabled public safety personnel to practice the ability to deploy tactical teams, joint police and fire rescue teams, and joint operations at a unified command post. The training also included members from the Beverly Hills Police Department, Santa Monica Fire Department, and Los Angeles City and County Fire Departments.

· Neighborhood Watch Meeting - On August 13 the Tellefson/Tilden Neighborhood Association held its meeting at the Quest Church. City Manager John Nachbar, Housing Administrator Tevis Barnes and Captain Iizuka participated in the meeting.

Public Works

· Braddock Drive Sewer Lining Project Update – As part of the $4 million citywide sewer rehabilitation project, the City’s contractor has installed approximately a mile of cured-in-place pipe liner inside the existing sewer main along Braddock Drive from Sawtelle Boulevard to Overland Avenue. The contractor has completed pressure tests and pipe tie-ins at each access pit near the Sawtelle Boulevard and Overland Ave intersections. The contractor is currently working on the final connection to the Los Angeles City sewer main located at the intersection of Braddock Drive and Overland Avenue. The contractor is working to complete the project on Braddock Drive before school begins on August 26.

· Citywide Sewer Main Line Rehabilitation Project Update – As part of the $4 million citywide sewer rehabilitation project, Notices of Imminent Construction were mailed out to all affected residents and businesses. The City’s contractor has begun pre-cleaning and video camera inspection of the sewer main lines and will continue to the next 2-3 weeks throughout the identified project areas. The sewer main lining for these areas will begin in mid/late September.

· Washington Place Streetlight Improvement Project, Phase II - On April 8 the City Council awarded a contract to construct the Washington Place Streetlight Improvement Project, Phase II, to Unique Performance Construction. The project will replace and upgrade the existing streetlight system along the south side of Washington Place between McLaughlin Avenue and Albright Avenue.

The construction phase of this project began in early July 2013. To date, the contractor has completed the underground installation of the conduits, construction of the streetlight foundation, and installation of pull boxes. The streetlight poles are tentatively scheduled to be delivered and installed by August 26. Staff anticipates completing this project by early September.

Expo Light Rail Construction Update - Balfour Beatty Joint Ventures (BBJV) will be pouring concrete into the falsework for the Venice Boulevard Bridge over Robertson and Venice Boulevards in the City of Los Angeles.

Date

Closure

Time

Sunday

August 18th

Robertson

9 PM-10 PM

Sunday

August 18th

EB Venice

10 PM-6 AM

Thursday

August 22nd

Robertson

9 PM-10 PM

Thursday

August 22nd

EB Venice

10 PM-6 AM

Traffic Impacts during the Full Closure of Robertson Boulevard, south of Venice Boulevard:

· Robertson Boulevard, in both directions, will be closed between Hoke Avenue and Venice Boulevard, and traffic will be detoured at Washington and Venice Boulevards to National Boulevard.

Traffic Impacts during Closures of Eastbound Venice Boulevard:

· Eastbound Venice Boulevard will be closed to through traffic from Culver Boulevard to Robertson Boulevard, and traffic will be detoured at Bagley Avenue/Main Street or Culver Boulevard to Washington Boulevard.

· Right turns on to eastbound Venice Boulevard from Culver Boulevard will be prohibited.

· Left turns on to westbound Venice Boulevard from northbound Robertson Boulevard will be prohibited.

· Through movements across Venice Boulevard from northbound Robertson Boulevard will be prohibited.

Transportation

· Access Services Board of Directors Appointment - Culver City Transportation Director, Art A. Ida, has been elected to the Access Services Board of Directors. As one of two Board members representing the Los Angeles County Municipal Fixed Route Operators, Mr. Ida’s service on the Access Board is critical to providing safe and dependable ADA paratransit in the region.