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Getting on the same page in Redondo
by George Wiley
Department heads and elected officials for the City of Redondo Beach gathered last week to lay out a series of long-range goals and, in the words of Mayor Greg Hill and City Manager Lou Garcia, to "get everybody on the same page."
Defining that "same page" was retreat facilitator Marilyn Snider, who asked the assembled city government leaders to set some specific goals for themselves to keep track of the city's progress in attacking the problems that face it.
Those goals dealt with both the major needs of the city-upgrading streets and sewers, for example-and finalizing partial achievements. Among the latter were getting approval for a major upgrade of Aviation Park, and arriving at a definite plan on what to do with the AES power plant and surrounding land.
Snider's format for defining Redondo's future was to set major three-year goals, and under each of those goals to define specific six month objectives.
One of the three-year goals was to improve public safety.
By Aug. 1, the police department is to increase enforcement of suspended and revoked driver's licenses, increase traffic enforcement staffing by 20 percent and establish a vehicle impound fund. Another objective was to obtain grants for traffic enforcement.
It didn't take long for the police department to act on the first of those objectives. Early this week, the department announced that it would hold a driver's license inspection and safety checkpoint this Saturday, Feb. 12, on Inglewood Blvd. between Manhattan Beach Blvd. and Robinson Street. The checkpoint is to be held from noon to 5 p.m.
A second objective was to develop a plan to get state and federal support to combat "a regional methamphetamine problem." According to Police Chief Mel Nichols this effort will largely entail lobbying elected state and federal officials and state and fed agencies to get funding for regional methamphetamine enforcement.
Nichols said that methamphetamines are becoming the drug of choice now for hard drug users. Because labs are easy to set up, they are difficult for local departments to track. The drug is becoming more popular even with high schoolers, said Nichols.
"It's impossible for me to quantify the level of usage," Nichols said. "We're seeing more and more of it all the time." Under one regional enforcement effort involving Los Angeles County last year about 300 drug labs were closed down, Nichols said, but only one of those was in Redondo.
A third public safety objective was to have the police chief, the fire chief and the city manager, again by Aug.1, explore funding mechanisms for new police and fire facilities.
Replacement of the aging, outdated police station has been on the city's wish list for years. Nichols said the current station is too small and "falling apart." It also does not meet earthquake safety standards. The detectives' division has been moved two blocks away to the basement of a building next to Redondo Union High School, Nichols noted. He said his ultimate goal would be to expand from the current 25,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet. City manager Lou Garcia agreed that the current police station is "very antiquated and outmoded."
A second three-year goal for the city is to achieve financial stability and economic growth. Strategic objectives laid out under this goal included the following specific actions:
* With regard to the AES power plant: By March 10 the city manager is to have an advisory panel in place to work with a team of experts on the AES project. By May 15, community workshops are to begin on AES planning. By June 15 the city manager is to submit a specific AES plan and environmental impact proposal, along with a proposed development agreement, to the city council.
* On improvements to Aviation Park being undertaken in conjunction with the Beach Cities Health District, Recreation and Community Services Director Sue Armstrong is to present a comprehensive plan, architectural contract, financial plan, sublease agreement, loan agreement, promissory note and contribution agreement to the city council by April 1.
* On revenue sources, by June 1, the city treasurer Ernie O'Dell is to submit to the city council an analysis of "impacts, constraints and reliability of existing" funds coming into the city.
By Aug. 1, the city council is supposed to discuss whether to put a measure to extend, cancel or modify the utility user's tax on the March 2001 city ballot.
A third three-year goal is to focus on upgrading the city's infrastructure. City manager Garcia said that effort will focus mostly on sewer repair, street repair and doing a review of street signage, street lighting and other city properties. Already, Garcia said, TV cameras are being snaked through sewer lines looking for trouble spots about to cause blockages. He emphasized that in some cases sewer lines are close to 100 years old. He also said streets are being assessed one by one to see which repairs are most urgent.
The strategic objectives under infrastructure call on Garcia and fellow city staff members to recommend a five-year capital improvements program for upgrading by May 15, and to finish a large part of the review by Aug. 1.
A fourth three-year goal that was formed at the retreat was to implement a long-term technology plan. This goal calls on all city department heads by April 1 to submit technology (computer) needs and a wish-list to the city manager. By Aug. 1, webpage and Internet plans are to be developed and submitted.
A final three-year goal defined at the retreat was to improve quality of life in the neighborhoods. This goal calls on the city to develop plans to lessen the impact of new construction on residents, to develop architectural design standards, planning requirements and assessment standards for traffic and infrastructure impacts of new construction. The city is also calling on itself to develop a plan to increase communication between city staff and residents at the neighborhood level by Aug. 1.
City councilman John Parsons, who along with Mayor Greg Hill sat all day through the session, said he wanted a follow up "alert" from city staff for those items not on schedule. "Something should really make the issues stand out so we know what's going to hit us," said Parsons.ER