Culver City Observer -

Looking forward to working with newly elected Meghan Sahli-Wells and the other Council members, Jim Clarke says he hopes to bring an outside perspective to his fellow councilmembers and wants to maintain an ongoing dialogue, generating support for his ideas.

“Whatever proposals I have, I have to sell the ideas to three of my colleagues,” Clarke said.

Clarke, who held nearly a 400-vote margin over veteran councilmember Scott Malsin, who resigned on December 12, will complete Malsin’s unexpired two-year term.

Driving the revenue side of issues and with widespread economic uncertainty, Clarke said the first priority of business is securing financial security for the City. Clarke went on to say the biggest challenge is addressing the financial situation, because the City stands to lose $26 million in redevelopment funding.

“Our focus will be on redevelopment, looking at existing contracts and searching out the competitive field of grant opportunities from both private and public partnerships,” Clarke said. “Because of my experience in reviewing grant opportunities, I can help the City move forward with finding new sources of revenue, which is another reason for entering the City Council race.”

As the Council gears up for a busy agenda, Clarke also expanded on the issue at hand, which is the budget.

“We immediately have to jump into the budget issues, because we have to pass a budget that starts the fiscal year July 1, 2012. There’s no time for a learning curve.”

Slated to brainstorm several ideas for the City, Clarke said he would like to create a central community calendar, where people can go to one place and see all the activities happening in the city.

Since the first phase of the new Expo light rail arrived at Culver City’s eastern side on April 28, with a 0.7-mile extension into Culver City set to arrive this summer, which brings people from other communities, Clarke hopes to implement a shuttle service that will take people into the business district.

Clarke also wants to build on the idea of creating a vibrant cultural corridor, spotlighting already existing art galleries and museums like the Wende Museum that houses Cold War artifacts, which is set to move near Veteran’s Park after major renovations and the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Museum that preserves the academic collection of African American history and culture, second in size to the renowned Schomburg Collection in the New York Public Library.

Clarke’s long term vision for the city is to build on what once was considered early technology of the movie studios.

“I would like to build on the idea of the City’s founder, Harry Culver, who was able to attract movie studios to set up shop in Culver City as early as 1917 and soon became known as the “Heart of Screenland,” Clarke said.

Clarke’s idea builds on that same concept in terms of making Culver City an attractive place for businesses to relocate.

“I want to be aggressive in marketing Culver City,” Clarke said. “IndiCade, the International Festival of Independent Video Games, hosts their annual event here, which raises technology awareness. It would be great to build and elevate the creative community in order to attract high-tech businesses, just like the Silicon Valley creative community.”

When taking time away from work, Clarke keeps himself busy as a member of the Culver City Historical Society, AMVETS Post #2 and St. Augustine Catholic Church.

He revealed the remnants of sunburn from riding his bike in the recent fourth version of the car-free, 10-mile CicLAvia bike/walk event that began in downtown Los Angeles. Clarke added that he also enjoys a game of tennis and a round of golf.

“I haven’t played golf or tennis since the beginning of the campaign,” Clarke said. “Now that I am not traveling as much, I have the time now to play a couple of hours of tennis on Saturday mornings.”

The new City Council member became official April 23. Just moments after City Clerk Martin Cole administered the constitutional and loyalty oaths, Clarke already conducted Council business, helping to secure Andrew Weissman as mayor and Jeffrey Cooper as vice mayor.

Before announcing in good humor from the dais that he is the ‘oldest’ member of the Council, Clarke then thanked the voters of Culver City, promising to pay attention to their needs.

“It’s a vote of trust,” Clarke said.