City Manager's Update

City Clerk’s Office

• City Commissions, Committees, and Boards Applications - Applications for current vacancies on various City Commissions, Committees, and Boards are currently being accepted! More information and the online application form can be accessed here: https://www.culvercity.org/Government/Misc/Commissions.aspx. The first deadline is March 11. Please call (310) 253-5851 for more information.

Community Development Department

• Southern California Hospital – The Watseka Parking Structure reaches its maximum capacity around noon each weekday. To help alleviate the condition, 10 employees from Southern California Hospital (formerly Brotman) were relocated from Watseka to the City Hall parking structure to make those parking spaces available to others. Southern California Hospital will be charged the City’s standard monthly parking rate for the use of the City Hall parking spaces.

• Parcel B – In partnership with the Downtown Business Association, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) exhibited its “Driven to Explore” exhibit at Parcel B on Wednesday, February 19. Approximately 1,000 individuals visited the exhibit throughout the day.

Staff executed a license agreement with Wondros Production for use of Parcel B as a base camp to produce a Humira television commercial.

The terms and conditions of a proposed parking license agreement for use of the Ince Parking Structure by Combined Properties / Hudson Pacific for the Parcel B project was presented to the City Council on February 24. Staff is modifying the parking license to reflect the negotiation instructions received by the City Council.

• Former Fire Station 3 – The input received by staff during a neighborhood meeting regarding conceptual plans for the former Segrell Fire Station were presented to the City Council on February 24. Staff is now preparing a draft Purchase & Sale Agreement for review by the buyer for the sale and redevelopment of the property into three single family homes.

• 10745 Cranks Road – Staff is currently reviewing a draft Purchase and Sale Agreement for sale of the 10745 Cranks Road property to a potential buyer and will present it to the City Council in open session on March 10 for consideration.

• Washington/Centinela – Over the next five months, the City’s Public Works general contractor will be using the northeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue as a construction yard for a nearby City street paving project.

• Media Park – To reinvigorate Media Park, three proposals were received by coffee brewers to establish a coffee concession in the park. A draft lease is being prepared that reflects the negotiation instructions staff received from the City Council.

• Business Assistance – Last week staff searched for 1,000 square feet of available space for lease for a startup business that will focus on acupuncture and holistic services with some retail.

• Beats Project – The front of the building has been extensively renovated with the new parking structure in the background, located at 8550 Higuera Street:

A view of the interior of the existing building undergoing extensive renovations:

The rear of the 8550 Higuera Street new parking structure:

The front of the 8600 Hayden Place building. The existing building belongs to Beats and is undergoing extensive renovations:

• “The Waffle” – This office/parking structure project, located at 3585 Hayden Avenue, is under construction:

• The "Pterodactyl" – This project, under construction at 3540 Hayden Avenue, includes new offices incorporated into an existing parking structure:

• The Platform project – This mixed use project is under construction and located at 8840 Washington Boulevard:

Fire Department

• SCE Drill - On February 12 Southern California Edison (SCE) completed a drill with 86 cities in Los Angeles County using the Emergency Notification e-mail system. The City of Culver City participated in the drill which tested the dedicated conference call phone system capable of hosting over 500 callers. SCE stated that these communication systems were created in part based on the suggestions made after the November 30, 2011 Windstorm in the San Gabriel Valley. SCE went on to say that these drills are examples of how the ongoing dialogue and feedback from cities are informing SCE emergency planning and preparedness efforts.

• Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Training – Los Angeles County’s Office of Emergency Management is providing free EOC courses to all of its City partners through the end of March. The core curriculum focuses on defining clear operating procedures, and staff roles and responsibilities. Two Culver City employees have attended the training thus far and found it to be extremely informative and useful.

• Project Shadow – On February 18 two students from Culver City High participated in Project Shadow and visited Fire Station #1. Project Shadow is an opportunity for the students to see first-hand the different type of work performed by firefighters. They were provided information on qualifications required to get hired, what the initial training consists of, and what on-going training and education is necessary. Besides seeing station, apparatus, and equipment maintenance being performed, the students also got to hear about or observe daily training activities, hydrant maintenance, fire prevention activities, etc. The students seemed to enjoy themselves and left with a better understanding of their fire department and the variety of services provided.

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department

• Veterans Memorial Building (VMB) and Rental Operations – WiFi is now available to the public inside the VMB. The WiFi service is provided by Time Warner Cable in partnership with the City of Culver City. Renters are provided with two hours of complimentary WiFi access daily. Time Warner internet subscribers have unlimited access and additional time can be purchased by non-subscribers. More information on VMB rentals is available by contacting the Rental Office at vmc.booking@culvercity.org or at (310) 253-6625.

• The Culver City Historical Society – The Culver City Historical Society's Archives Resource Center is open the first and third Sundays of every month (this month: March 2 and 16) from 1 pm to 3 and by appointment. The ARC is located at the rear of the VMB, and the entrance is located near the Recreation Registration Office. Gene Kelly's red and white striped jacket from MGM's Take Me Out to the Ballgame is currently on display through the end of March. More information is available by visiting http://www.culvercityhistoricalsociety.org or by calling (310) 253-6941.

• Jon Lindsay Productions – Jon Lindsay Productions returns to Veterans Memorial Auditorium on March 8. More information is available by visiting http://www.lindsayproductions.com.

• Vox Femina - Vox Femina Los Angeles, a 2014 Culver City Performing Arts Grant recipient, presents a free concert titled Half The Sky: Hear Our Voices on March 16 at 3 pm at the Culver City Presbyterian Church. More information is available by visiting http://www.voxfemina.org.

Police Department

• Culver City High - Student Career Day - On February 17 two Culver City High students spent the day at the Police Department as part of Career Day. The students enjoyed a tour of the station, meeting members of the Department, and participating in a ride-along.

• La Ballona School Meeting - On February 18 Captain Ron Iizuka and Sergeant Pete Hernandez met with members of the La Ballona school safety committee. The committee was interested in safety ideas and emergency preparedness plans.

• West LA College Students - On February 19 several students from West LA College met with Lieutenant Allen Azran and discussed a number of topics facing law enforcement, along with seeking a career in law enforcement.

• Downtown Business Association - On February 26 Captain Ron Iizuka participated in a panel discussion regarding crime trends and quality of life topics related to the downtown.

Public Works

• Street Improvements near Linwood E. Howe Elementary Scheduled to Begin – In October 2010, the City was awarded a $450,000 State Safe Routes to School competitive grant for Linwood E. Howe Elementary School. Funds were designated to address street improvements needed to ensure safe routes to schools for students. The planned improvement project includes several intersections surrounding the Elementary School. Construction will include bulb-outs/curb extensions, high-visibility crosswalks, and perpendicular curb ramps. Construction is scheduled to begin on March 17 and will continue through the end of May.

• New Web Based Software for Facility Maintenance – The Public Works Department, in collaboration with the Transportation and Parks, Recreation and Community Services Departments, has begun utilizing a quality control service request program called CleanTelligent quality control software. The web-based program is being implemented through the City’s janitorial services contractor, Haynes Building Services, and allows City staff from these departments to submit service requests for janitorial needs at all City facilities (excluding fire stations and the Police station) and track the scope of work for each facility as identified in the contract between the City and Haynes. This new program will streamline the communication process with Haynes and ensure the janitorial needs of all City facilities are met more effectively.

• Community Outreach at La Ballona Elementary School for Grant Opportunity –

Caltrans will soon release a first Call for Projects under the Active Transportation Program (ATP), which encompasses the State Safe Routes to School program as well as bicycle and pedestrian related programs. The deadline for applications is May 21. The Public Works Department will invite the La Ballona Elementary School neighborhood to a community meeting to explore its support for infrastructure and non-infrastructure components relating to a Safe Routes to School program for La Ballona School. The community meeting is anticipated to take place in April 2014.

Transportation

• Culver City Hosts the City of Columbus, Ohio - In fall of 2012, the Equipment Maintenance & Fleet Services Division hosted staff from the City of Columbus, Ohio for a week long training and education program about shifting the paradigm to alternative fuels. Staff instructed Columbus personnel on the operation, use, maintenance, and costs of moving away from diesel and traditional fossil fuels, into alternative fuels - specifically compressed natural gas (CNG) as a transportation fuel. Staff also demonstrated Culver City’s technical proficiencies regarding facilities and CNG fueling station operations. The City of Columbus has stated in several different media forums, its appreciation to us for our time, education and instruction. Here is a mention of Culver City in a recent publication: http://www.ngtnews.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.9503#utm_medium=email&utm_source=LNH+02-20-2014&utm_campaign=NGT+Latest+News+Headlines