State of the City Brand offers an address ‘for the public’
Mayor Bill Brand speaks during a Q&A portion of his first 2018 State of the City address at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. Photo
Mayor Bill Brand was the picture of relief following his first State of the city address at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center on Monday. The nerves subsided as residents and supporters greeted him with hugs and congratulations.
“Everyone told me I did great, so it feels good,” Brand said in the auditorium’s lobby. “When you’re in the middle of it, you’re not quite sure how it’s coming off.”
The evening’s State of the City was a departure from the existing standard for Redondo’s annual Mayoral address. Typically, the address takes place at a ticketed breakfast luncheon, sponsored by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Despite past disagreements with the Chamber, Brand said there was no ill-will.
“I wanted to have a public State of the City address, where anyone could come for free, and it was conveniently timed for the public,” Brand said.
During a town hall-stye speech before more than 100 people, Brand hit the major beats of what’s going on in the city, with no surprises.
Brand addressed the Final Environmental Impact Report for the planned South Bay Galleria redevelopment, which seeks to add hundreds of residential and office units to the retail site. He encouraged the public to weigh in on the project.
“When it comes to Planning Commission, it’s going to be interesting to see how it all goes…the project may never come to City Council. Planning could approve it, and if no one appeals it, that’ll be it.”
Brand also addressed sale talks for the AES power plant and the update to Redondo Beach’s General Plan, which are both in progress, as well as the revitalization of Artesia Boulevard.
Brand pepped up when discussing city events, including Saint Rocke owner Allen Sanford’s Beachlife Festival, which will take place in King Harbor in the fall.
“They told me not to mention any names,” Brand said, before sandwiching “Steve Miller Band” between stage coughs.
Redondo’s bid to host Olympic events was also discussed. Brand touted the work of Ilya Klinger, a predictive analyst who brought hopes for making Redondo an Olympic site to Brand’s attention.
However, it sounds like Redondo is all but out of the running, Brand indicated, based on meetings with the LA 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee.
“They explained how they sort out events in clusters, so StubHub, in Carson, has events, and they’ve got clusters of events in Long Beach — the reason they do that is security and expense…it’s not effective to spread everything everywhere,” Brand said. However, he’s hopeful the city will be kept in mind for the Olympic open water swim and water polo events.
Brand will give a second State of the City address on Feb. 23, at 7:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Tickets for that event are $40 and can be purchased at redondochamber.org.