City Manager's Update

May 10, 2013

City Manager’s Office

· Culver City TV – Culver City TV is now available on AT & T’s U-verse system, through Channel 99. Time Warner Cable customers may view the broadcast on Channel 35, and Verizon FiOS customers can view the broadcast on Channel 37.

City Clerk’s Office

· Application Deadline - The application period for the City’s commissions / committees / boards ended on Tuesday, May 14

• Juice Served Here – Building plans have been submitted for a tenant improvement for a food manufacturing facility located at 3731 Robertson Boulevard.

· Bastion Culver – A building permit has been issued for a new four-story mixed use building with subterranean parking located at 13365 Washington Boulevard.

• Café Vida – Building plans have been submitted for a new restaurant located at 9810 Washington Boulevard.

• Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – Building plans have been submitted for a tenant improvement and an addition of 182 square feet for a new store located at 10705 Washington Boulevard.

· Pacific Standard Time Presents (PSTP) – Modern Architecture in L.A. is the latest Getty initiative celebrating Southern California’s contributions to post-World War II cultural life. This second phase specifically focuses on modern architecture and includes the Culver City based design firms of Eric Owen Moss and Thom Mayne. Both Eric Owen Moss and Thom Mayne are included in Culver City’s Art in Public Places Program for structures designated under “Architecture as Art” and commissioned permanent public artworks. The City of Culver City was a partner in the first phase of Pacific Standard Time with the presentation of a spoken word and live music performance featuring Rachel Rosenthal and Amy Knoles in November 2011. A picture of the banner is featured below.

· Parcel B Exhibition: The Center for Land Use Interpretation in partnership with the Getty Museum has rented Parcel B for a Pacific Standard Time exhibit. The exhibit, entitled “On-Site Office Trailers: Invisible Architecture of the Urban Environment” will be open from May 17 to June 16 with visiting hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 pm.

· Entertainment Studios, Inc. - Has announced its lease of a 75,000 square foot television and film production studio in the Hayden Tract. Entertainment Studios, Inc. is an independent producer and distributor of first-run syndicated television programming for broadcast television stations and owner of the following eight 24-hour linear HD television networks: CARS.TV, COMEDY.TV, ES.TV, MYDESTINATION.TV, PETS.TV, RECIPE.TV, LEGACY.TV, and JUSTICE CENTRAL.TV.

· Cranks Rd/Segrell Property Disposition - Staff received five responses to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to hire a broker to sell the Cranks Road lot and former Fire Station No. 3. Staff is in the process of analyzing the responses to formulate a recommendation to the City Council.

· Business Retention Meetings – Staff and the Chamber of Commerce President/Chief Executive Officer conducted business retention meetings in the Art District on east Washington Boulevard. The business operators expressed concerns related to trash, landscape, signage, business visibility, the special event permitting process and parking meter signage. Staff explained that many of these items could be addressed long term via the formation of a Business Improvement District (BID). The business owners expressed interest. Staff plans to conduct follow up meetings this summer.

Fire Department

· YMCA Healthy Kids Day – On Saturday April 27 members of the Culver City Fire Department participated in the YMCA’s annual “Healthy Kids Day” at the Westfield Mall. This event is intended to raise awareness of the growing concern for childhood obesity and the importance of developing healthy habits and activities for children.

· SMART Classroom Training – The Culver City Training Facility was recently equipped with SMART Classroom technology. This new technology allows training, developed through the Los Angeles Regional Training Group, to be delivered live or delayed directly to our training facility. This technology will allow the Los Angeles Region to more easily standardize operations throughout the County of Los Angeles and enhance the service delivery and safety for the communities we serve and our firefighters.

· Strike Team Mutual Aid – On May 2 at approximately 9:45 am Culver City personnel were deployed as part of XLA 1075A Strike Team and sent to the “Camarillo Springs Fire” in the Newbury Park/Camarillo area. The Strike Team, designated as XLA 1075 A, is comprised of units from Culver City, Santa Monica, and Beverly Hills. These units provided structure protection and perimeter control during their 52 hour deployment. Culver City personnel were emergency recalled to provide normal staffing levels within our own city. Personnel returned from the Springs Fire on Saturday afternoon and reported they had no structures lost and no injuries to personnel.

Information Technology

· Southern California Geographical Information Systems (SoCalGIS ) User Group Meeting - On May 9 The Information Technology Department coordinated and hosted the SoCalGIS User Group Meeting. SoCalGIS is comprised of city and county agencies across Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The group meets annually to showcase emerging GIS technology and its use in local government.

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department

· Administration - The Parks Manager and Director met with staff from the City of Beverly Hills at Culver City Park to provide them a tour of the Boneyard as well as the new play equipment installed there last year. They were very impressed with the collaboration between the City and the Friends of CC dog park as well as the modern equipment installed there. Future plans in that city will probably include a similar structure to what Culver City has.

· Westside Baseball – Staff has been very pleased with the partnership of Westside Baseball and particularly their President, Chris Lynch, who has shown a strong willingness to work with the city and address problems in a joint manner. Parks staff will be meeting with him to address some irrigation issues related to turf maintenance.

· WiFi at the Veterans Memorial Complex - Working with the City’s Information Technology Department, staff is exploring the possibility of installing WiFi at the Veterans Memorial Complex. The potential additional service will expand the pool of rental users who need internet access for their various meetings and workshops.

· Recreation Division - Another successful Global Youth Service Day was held on April 27 28. Many of the youth will continue to volunteer their time in shelters to ensure animals get their voices heard.

· The Youth Mentoring Employment Program - This program is now accepting applications for summer employment with the City. This program provides at-risk youth an opportunity to work in various departments of the City. A mentor will be assigned to each applicant. Applications will be accepted until May 24 and applicants must be Culver City residents.

· Culver City Rotary Club - The Culver City Rotary Club will be honored by the installation of a plaque at the Culver City Teen Center on May 29.The Teen Center would like to thank the Culver City Rotary Club for its continued support.

· Culver City After School Recreation Program (CCARP) – This program began its recycling contest on Earth Day, April 22. All of the after-school programs are competing in a contest to see which site can collect the most CRV recyclable plastic bottles and aluminum cans. CCARP - Linwood Howe Elementary has taken an early lead with 315 recyclables collected.The contest will end on May 31.

· Senior and Social Services – Join us on Wednesday, May 29 at 10 am for National Senior Health & Fitness Day. The Senior & Social Services Division is offering free giveaways and exercise classes. Wendy Ida, 2012 Miss Senior Culver City California Pageant, will be the guest speaker.

· Senior Center Art Exhibit - The Senior Center will host its semi-annual Senior Center Art Exhibit on Monday, May 20 through Thursday, May 23. The public can stop by and check the watercolors, ceramics, oils and more created by senior center members.

· Senior Center Entertainment - The Culver City Strummers and Hula Ballroom Dancers will present a Ukulele & Dance Showcase on Tuesday, May 21 at 1 pm at the Senior Center.

· Older Americans Month Celebration – The public is invited a party to celebrate Older Americans and to recognize Culver City’s “Senior of the Year” Coco Rubalcava on May 24 at 11:30 am. Tickets are available at the business desk at the Senior Center for $3.50.

Police Department

· El Marino’s Walk n Roll Wednesday - On May 1 officers from the Traffic Bureau participated in Walk n’ Roll Wednesday with students from El Marino School.

Public Works Department

· Bike Week LA – The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is sponsoring Bike Week LA activities from May 13 to 19 to encourage people to ride bicycles to work, school and other destinations throughout LA County to reduce traffic and air pollution.

· Sewer Lining Project - The City Council recently awarded a construction contract to Insituform Technologies for the $4 million citywide sewer rehabilitation project that will begin construction this month.

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