Culver City Observer -

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a ‘double whammy’ before,” said Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells, as she took to the “well” in the Mike Balkman City Council Chambers on September 8, to swear in both the new police and fire chiefs of Culver City.

Lines of police officers and fire fighters stood in the back and on the sides of the auditorium as a full house lauded the new Police Chief, Scott Bixby and the new Fire Chief David Lawrence White.

Sahli-Wells, before administering the oaths of office, described the lives and careers of both men.

Of Bixby, Sahli-Wells noted that he had developed his ambition to become a police officer in grade school, “when Policeman Bill” visited his school and told the students what his job was like.

Surrounded by his family, Bixby took the oath, which not only contains the standard phrases said by all public employees, but features the promise of maintaining “the public trust which requires integrity and high moral character.”

Bixby thanked the council for “having faith in me,” and said that his goal for the police department is to “provide the best service possible.” Of the employees of the Police Department he said “I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

Of Fire Chief White, Sahli-Wells spoke of his originally volunteering for the U.S. Fire Service and participating in the extinguishment of a brush fire that got him “absolutely hooked” on fire service.

“I am honored beyond words,” said Chief White following the swearing-in. He gave praise to the employees of the Fire Department for doing the good job that he knows they will continue to do.

The City Council also gave a certificate of commendation to the Didi Hirsch Center’s suicide prevention program. September 8-14 is Suicide Prevention Week.

The council gave the proclamation to Dr. Kita S. Curry, CEO of Didi Hirsch.

In the proclamation, it was stated that a person dies from suicide every 13.3 minutes and that suicide is the third largest cause of death in persons between the ages of 15 and 34.

Many of these suicides came about because people either were unable to receive or did not know about behavioral health services. This is where Didi Hirsch has provided help for those who have been fortunate enough to contact the center or have someone contact the center for them.

One of the beneficiaries of the center was Janet Hoult, who read two poems, one read while she was in the “well” with members of the Disability Advisory Committee, and one later in public comment.

In the first poem, Hoult described how she contemplated suicide after the death of her son.

After receiving counseling from Didi Hirsch:

“It took some time but I learned to cope

“I lived my life again with hope.”

Dr. Curry informed the council and audience that she had brought with her some blue wristbands with Didi Hirsch’s suicide prevention hotline phone number—877-727-4747.

In other actions, the Council took up the issue of parking restrictions on the 10700 block of Farragut Drive.

The Grace Lutheran Church requested a change to the restrictions which allow parking by permit only, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Church wanted 2-hour parking, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., in order to accommodate their patrons.

While Sahli-Wells wanted no changes to the current format, the other council members suggested lifting all parking restrictions and doing a traffic impact study.

The council directed staff to gather more information and come back with the study at a later time.