GETTING TO KNOW…
MANHATTAN BEACH CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES 2020
TOPICS: BRUCE’S BEACH, POLICING, SMALL BUSINESSES,
SCHOLARSHIP
Source:
mitchward.com
1. What is your full position on Bruce’s Beach
and the Change.Org online petition (currently signed by over 12,500 people)
regarding Bruce’s Beach? Please feel free to share with me anything you
would like to in regards to Bruce’s Beach.
Mark Burton
I am the only candidate to publicly state my
position on the Petition to “Address the full history of Bruce’s Beach”. (See TBR, 8/6/20 Edition; I previously
provided you copies of my several LTEs)
From day one, I fully supported the Petition’s request for our Council
to publicly address the full history of Bruce’s Beach and change the plaque to
conform to those facts.
Additionally, I’ve urged the Council to place
the Petition on the agenda as soon as possible.
I also support the history of Bruce’s Beach be taught in MBUSD
schools.
Chaz Flemmings
I've signed this petition but I'm going
farther and doing the work in understanding and teaching the issues surrounding
Bruce's Beach. I'm currently working with the Bruces' family representative
who is expressing the families wants and needs. I'm looking forward to
what the current council will provide with means of information and the topic
of compensation. Here we are in a time in California where the State Assembly
has passed an Assembly Bill to give reparations to victims such as the
Bruce Family, and I'm proud of the CA Assembly Black Caucus for providing the
thought with the action. Now it's waiting for the Governor's signature to
become law.
Now it's time for the Manhattan Beach City
Council to follow suit as the cards are turning.
Grettel Fournell
First I want to commend you for your work in
naming Bruce’s Beach. I know that was not an easy task, but it was an important
step only made possible because of your commitment and tireless leadership. As
a Latina, I have very personal experience with racism. I wish I could say my
experiences were all in the rearview mirror, that in 2020 we are not still
dealing with prejudice and injustice. But of course, the road toward true
inclusion and equality is long and we take steps along the way. It is obvious
another step forward must be taken in Manhattan Beach. What happened to the
Bruce Family was hateful and wrong. The harassment that they and other black
families, including the Clintons, endured was unconscionable. The racism our young
people feel today in our schools and on our streets must be addressed and
course corrected. And a petition that gathers 12,500 signatures on any topic
deserves to be considered. As a Councilmember I will do all I can to ensure
residents of all backgrounds feel welcome and safe in Manhattan Beach. At this
point, that means listening and learning more about the experiences of
residents. I am actively meeting with leaders and residents to discuss these
issues and possible solutions. And I am eager to hear from Mayor Montgomery’s
task force which I know will carefully study all recommendations. I
participated in the marches this Spring and I commend the Council, Police Chief
Abell, and Superintendent Matthews for holding a town hall meeting with
residents to discuss the issues of racism in our community. I do hope these
discussions with residents and leaders continue. Information builds
understanding and understanding leads to truth and thoughtful solutions.
Joe Franklin
There is no doubt that what happened to the
Bruce Family was grossly unfair. We need to acknowledge the racist acts of the
past so we learn from it and make sure it is never forgotten nor repeated.
Restitution, Restoration and Reparations
Over the course of 100 years the Bruce family
presumably had access to legal recourse to pursue any apparent or provable
legal basis to a claim. The two dozen other families, Black and white,
reinvested their payments into other land and properties within the boundaries
of Manhattan Beach. Another complicating factor is the city’s limitation on
gifting public funds. Also, there is no way to know if the Bruce’s enterprise
would have survived the challenges of Prohibition (1920-1933) and the Great
Depression (1929-1941) which ravaged many businesses and family fortunes.
As such, my position is that there can be no
restitution, restoration or reparations of funds or assets to the Bruce Family
from the City of Manhattan Beach.
Honor the Past with a new Memorial
The full history should be displayed in an
unvarnished and frank manner. Let’s not perpetrate the sin of omission. Bring
the entire story to light as was attempted in 2006. I am in favor of
recommissioning a more appropriate memorial to the Bruce Family in the
immediate area of the existing park or on the Strand by the County Lifeguard
Station.
Mobile History Exhibit
Along with this step, I propose a mobile
historical exhibit be created so residents across the city can view and learn
the Bruce’s story. The 2012 Centennial Committee, of which I was a member,
created a mobile exhibit of Manhattan Beach’s 100 year history. Throughout the
Centennial Year it was taken to all parts of the city including the Pier,
Manhattan Village Mall, the Creative Arts Center and Polliwog Park. Thousands
of residents and visitors were able to view it. The mobile historical exhibit
could reside in the County Library, Joslyn Center, City Hall or rotate among
the schools when it is not traveling.
https://www.citymb.info/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/20805/35?seldept=9&curm=8&cury=2012
https://patch.com/california/manhattanbeach/manhattan-beach-centennial-parade-photos
Teach the Bruce Family history in Manhattan
Beach Schools
Along with this I would suggest that our
school system develop the necessary curriculum to teach the story of the Bruces
in all our schools. This is an opportunity to bring to life, and provide
perspective on, issues of civil rights, discrimination, and peaceful protest.
This curriculum could take shape like the Mission Project in the fourth grade
where students study the material and take a field trip to see the subject
matter firsthand.
I’m in favor of developing each of the above
items with a Task Force dedicated to Bruce's Beach.
Moving forward, I ask only that Manhattan
Beach residents are judged, not for the racist acts perpetrated by past
generations, but for how our residents react to any such acts in the present.
Phoebe Lyons
In an effort to increase transparency in our
local government and out of respect to the Bruce family, we need to view and
examine the facts of the case before coming to a conclusion, as with any issue
that comes before the MB City Council. While eminent domain has its place in
city planning, it appears that in this case the provision was not used
appropriately. Should the facts indicate that the Bruces were undercompensated
for the land, Manhattan Beach has the opportunity to set historic precedent for
addressing inequities such as these.
In 2006 the plaque at the park did not originate
at the City level, it was advocated for by Leadership Manhattan Beach, a
private organization. Two councilmembers, including fellow candidate and
current mayor Richard Montgomery, voted against the renaming of the park in
2006. I fully support the call for the City to make the full history known, on
the plaque, in our schools, in community conversations. I expect the report by
Staff at the 8/18 Council Meeting to provide a basis for further investigation
and analysis.
I have signed the petition and I support it
as a means of illuminating the issue. It is shedding light on this incident
that the City Council should have addressed long ago. We should not need a
petition to tell us the right thing to do. Should I be elected, I will be a
leader in addressing Bruce’s Beach.
Richard Montgomery
I was pleased with our staff’s thorough
presentation on Bruce’s Beach on August 18. I am hopeful that with all the
facts now before us, we can have thoughtful discussions with the community.
I have asked for a task force to be set up to
discuss our next steps. I know that we need to address the plaque and I also
like the idea of an art piece that describes the details of the history so that
anyone visiting the park will know what happened in the 1920’s. I am also happy
to hear that the school district will be looking at curriculum to be sure
Bruce’s Beach is included in the discussions regarding the City. With regard to
restitution, I need to hear from our community to understand what people want
us to do.
Clearly the land belongs to the County, so
that is not an option to discuss. But I’m open to hearing discussions about
Parks & Rec programming to bring young African American students into MB to
learn about the ocean, environmental issues, etc. I would also like to look at
scholarships, if we can do that, similar to what you had done during your
tenure. My preference is to provide programs or contribute to nonprofits
helping young African Americans looking forward and changing their future
paths, rather than looking backwards. With regard to the petition, I am
concerned that so many of the signatures are from people across the country,
rather than our own citizens. While all voices are important, my priority is to
listen to our residents to determine next steps.
Steve Napolitano
Bruce’s Beach represents many things. It
represents a specific act of racism by the City of Manhattan Beach against
Charles and Willa Bruce and the other African American families whose property
was wrongfully condemned under false pretenses in the 1920’s. It represents the
general racism and Jim Crow laws of that time that were used against all
African Americans to deny them their civil rights through intimidation and
wrongful acts. And it’s a reminder of how much farther we have to go as a community
to properly recognize, understand, and learn from it so that we can better
identify, address and prevent racist acts going forward. We need to reconcile
our past with our present to have a better, more inclusive future. Bruce’s
Beach is a stain on our history. It’s not a stain to be covered over or
ignored, we need to own it.
To that end, I supported having a full
discussion of the history of Bruce’s Beach at our Council meeting of August 18,
2020. After hearing that presentation, I put forward a number of
recommendations, including (1) removing the current plaque and replacing it
with a significant public art project that incorporates the true history of
Bruce’s Beach to serve as a landmark for education and understanding, (2)
issuing an apology by the city to the Bruce family and all victims of racist
acts past and present, (3) considering the renaming of Peck Avenue, which is
named after George Peck, who directly and indirectly played a part in the
harassment of African Americans using Bruce’s Beach, (4) consider a possible
scholarship fund for disadvantaged African American students, and (5), the
formation of a City task force to consider these recommendations and make
others as appropriate. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, not even close,
so I look forward to working with a good cross section of the community to come
up with more.
I appreciate that the change.org petition
demands action immediately, but government is a deliberative, inclusive process
which takes some time. Not a lot of time, not an endless amount of time, but
after nearly 100 years of getting it wrong, I’d rather get it done right than
get it done fast. That includes a discussion regarding the demand for
restitution and the legalities involved.
I’ve heard from a lot of folks on this issue
with a multitude of viewpoints. I have no illusions that we’ll be able to make
everyone happy. But no matter what, we’re going to do the best we can to make
it as right as we can so that we finally and rightfully own our past, create
opportunities to learn from it, and move forward with better understanding and
tolerance for all.
2. What will you do to alter the perceived or
real notion that Manhattan Beach is not a city welcoming to Black and Brown
people? What policy proposals will you recommend to be implemented by Manhattan
Beach City Council which would ensure that people of color know that they are
always fairly and equally treated when they encounter our police officers?
Mark Burton
Manhattan Beach is a welcoming city to Black
and Brown people. More so today, than
any time in our history. We are a
destination city for all, including residents from adjacent cities such as
Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox and other South Bay cities.
MBPD is required to have, and does have, a
citizen complaint process. Regular,
periodic reviews of these complaints will reveal if there is any pattern and
practice of, or instances of, unconstitutional policing by MBPD. To date, I understand MBPD has an outstanding
culture of constitutional policing.
Chaz Flemmings
I'm a black man running for Manhattan Beach
City Council showing we can have "Manhattan Beach For All!". I want
to represent the change in which Manhattan Beach will hopefully carry on. We
have to work together and individually on policy changes to better our
community. When it comes to our City's Risk Management Team, we need to be
strong in implementing implicit bias training along with our Police Department
being verse in modern day Sex Trafficking Prevention & Training even having
stronger training dealing with sex crimes and prevention. We have leaders
in the middle of our Government (MBPD) who are being held responsible to
lead/make the changes in the community but we need it to happen at the
TOP!(City Council) Our excuses are the reasons why we must succeed...
Grettel Fournell
The issue is not simply one of changes to
police policies. We need to start with ourselves. Too many times residents call
the police because they see someone “suspicious” and it was the Postmates
delivery person who was Black. I have lived in Manhattan Beach for nearly 30
years, raising my 4 kids and volunteering throughout all of the PTAs and this
experience has shown me how good this community can be when we pull together.
With my strong ties to the MBUSD community (serving on several PTA executive
boards and committees and the wife of a former MBUSD School Board Member), I
will commit to working with MBUSD to increase awareness and diversify the
curriculum in our school communities. In terms of ensuring that people of color
will always be fairly and equally treated when they encounter our police
officers, this type of non-welcoming behaviors is sometimes innate and
difficult to change. Yet, change it must. City Council can require police
procedures ensure equal treatment of all persons. The Police Department would
then review its current “encounter” procedure and update this procedure as
needed. There are many reforms occurring nationwide, and police policy is
complex, but the bottom line is that Council should be open to dialogue and our
City should always want to improve what we do to serve all.
Joe Franklin
All are welcome in Manhattan Beach. I don’t
share the idea that Manhattan Beach is not a welcoming city. My children were
active in sports and played many games with opposing teams made up of people of
color while their team was predominately white. I never witnessed (nor would
have tolerated) any bad language or bad behavior on any side of the field. And,
I never witnessed such behavior when we were the visiting team at other venues.
That’s not to say it never happened but I would not characterize Manhattan
Beach as an unwelcoming city.
We elected a two term Black Mayor. We have a
Black Police Chief who, for thirty years, worked his way up the ranks. We came
together as a community to comfort and support the Clinton family when they
were the victim of a hate crime. I don’t see Black residents wanting to leave
Manhattan Beach, which would be the case if they felt unwelcome. I see our
stores and restaurants welcoming people of color and I see them enjoying the
beaches and pier, all without incident.
Phoebe Lyons
Addressing Bruce’s Beach is paramount. The
issue has already received widespread attention and taking action to take
responsibility for and redress the mistakes of the past will be widely
recognized as a meaningful step.
Following the county’s example, the City
should concur with the determination that racism is a matter of public health
and commit to addressing it as such. We should also support the county-level
proposal of an antiracist policy framework where all policies are examined with
the intent to combat inequity.
I will advocate for supplemental training for
Manhattan Beach Police Officers that specifically addresses implicit bias,
conflict de-escalation, peer intervention, and other methods designed to
prevent an encounter from becoming violent or dangerous for the citizen and the
officer. We should make police policy, standards, and statistics available for
viewing on the city website, including weekly reports on Calls for Service,
arrests, non-emergency calls. Hermosa Beach has already taken similar
significant steps toward police transparency and we should as well.
Richard Montgomery
As I mentioned above, I would like to see
programming in our City to bring in kids from predominantly Black communities
to help educate them about the ocean and the environment. These are
important issues for our future and we need to be sure all kids - not just
kids who live by the ocean - understand the impacts we are having on our
planet. With regard to policies, we are working with our police department to
be sure all officers treat everyone fairly and with dignity, and we will
be sure that our officers take training to understand their role. I
believe our Chief works with his officers to understand this and we need to
continue to make sure the officers know what is required. If they make
mistakes, they need to be reprimanded and held accountable accordingly and
perhaps given further training. If their actions continue to show bias,
however, our Chief needs to consider removing that officer from the department.
I want all residents, visitors and anyone coming into our City to be
treated equally and fairly.
Steve Napolitano
The Manhattan Beach of today is not the
Manhattan Beach of the 1920s. We are a very welcoming city and that can be seen
everyday in the faces of the people all of us encounter as we go about our
daily routines in this city.
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder and
resulting civil unrest in cities across our nation, I asked our Police Chief
for a report back on the 8 Can’t Wait reform measures and how we can
incorporate such reforms in the Manhattan Beach Police Department’s practices
and procedures. The Chief has incorporated most of the 8 Can’t Wait reforms to
date and we continue to look at others. I also agree we should look at our data
for traffic stops and arrests to better understand what the numbers are and
what they mean. I support a review of all of our Police Department’s police and
practices to make sure they aren’t discriminatory in word or deed.
I would also support a review of City
programs to make sure they’re diverse and inviting for all to participate.
Again, I’m not claiming to have all the
answers and that’s why I supported the creation of a City task force, to review
not only Bruce’s Beach remedies, but also to discuss ways Manhattan Beach can
be more diverse and equitable. I look forward to starting those discussions and
hearing from others.
3. How do you feel about staff, other than
police, being available and on-call to handle quality of life issues
(construction, noise, etc.) on holidays, weekends, Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays? Will you commit to reviewing all weekend construction ordinances and
strengthen protections for residents against such noises where need be?
Mark Burton
Yes, I commit to reviewing all weekend
construction ordinances and strengthen protections for residents against such
noises where need be. Our Community
Development Department employees and code enforcement officers should be
available for weekend deployment. City
should bargain for such in a meet and confer process.
Chaz Flemmings
We have a responsibility and necessity to
modernize our City Code Enforcement. This includes Housing. Our City Community
Development is committed to getting with the times but the need a little push
and guidance but also support. I'm an enforcer who believes we need to protect
all residents (owning and leasing) from unnecessary pollution (i.e. Noise,
Water, Environmental, and Even Political)
Grettel Fournell
I would absolutely consider a proposal to
make individuals available on weekends and holidays to address the needs of
residents, if economically feasible. With the Pandemic we have learned that
there are different models of work and surely there is a way to accomplish
this. Additionally the protocol for residents to understand when and how to
engage this staff needs to be easy to find and clearly communicated. As a
professional I worked with businesses large and small to determine how to make
their systems more efficient and effective for customers. As a Councilmember,
my customers are the residents and I am committed to ensuring our City properly
serves our residents. I am definitely open to reviewing all weekend
construction ordinances to ensure that they make sense, are clearly spelled
out, and enforced. This includes strengthening protection for residents against
such noises (construction), as needed.
Joe Franklin
Enforcement is something I will take very
seriously. We have banned cigarette smoking outside, yet I have never seen a
citation issued. Same for failure to pick up after pets, and citations for pets
on the pier.
I suggest we prioritize violations by the
degree to which they are a public nuisance and start dedicating our limited
code enforcement resources to these high-nuisance violations. If it makes sense
to use police officers, since they are available 24/7, then they should be used
before authorizing staff with possible overtime implications or raising the
full-time employee count, both of which have a negative impact on budgets.
Phoebe Lyons
Enhancing quality of life for residents is
one of the most important issues for the City
Council. Enforcement of local ordinances is a
large issue and has not been properly prioritized in the past. I myself have
had experiences with dismissive responses from the city to complaints about
leaf blowers and noise near my home. There should be a non-police staff member
available at any time to field calls about code violations and those violations
should be promptly handled. As part of my larger effort to give teeth to our
quality of life ordinances, I will certainly review these ordinances, their
enforcement, and how they affect residents.
Richard Montgomery
We do have several staff on call for
emergencies on holidays and weekends. We’ve had sink holes that needed to be
repaired on weekends and they are there to take care of these issues. With
regard to quality of life issues, we have Code Enforcement, although not always
available. If someone is having a party that is very noisy, neighbors should
call the police to get them to turn down the noise. With regard to construction
noise, we have worked hard to make sure our Code Enforcement team handles these
issues. At the beginning of the pandemic, we originally stopped construction
because we knew people would be working from home and kids would be trying to
take classes online. However, the state considered them essential workers and
we had to lift the ban. As a result of the Pandemic and the States
rules, I plan on asking for additional funds to restart our Construction
Officer Position we started in 2006. That would add another layer of protection
for our residents.
Our council is also looking at the noise
attributed to gas powered landscaping equipment. While leaf blowers have been
banned, we are considering banning all gas powered equipment. This is for
environmental reasons but also for the noise generated in our neighbors.
Steve Napolitano
I support the use of Community Service
Officers and other staff to handle quality of life issues and I have already
discussed the addition of more code enforcement officers in our budget
sessions. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has been a budget challenge that necessitated
cuts rather than additions, so we’re going to bring this back at the mid-year
budget review. I will make the addition of more code enforcement officers a top
priority. And yes, I’ve already committed to review the weekend construction
hours and noise issues. In fact, I supported a council action to agendize this
item with a staff report earlier this year, which has been delayed due to staff
working on many COVID-19 related items, but it will be back on the agenda very
soon.
4. What will you do to ensure all small
businesses in Manhattan Beach, including those on the Sepulveda Blvd, Rosecrans
Ave, Aviation Blvd, Artesia Blvd and other corridors are afforded equal
consideration when it comes to our city’s local subsidies that have not
traditionally been aimed at assisting and promoting these businesses outside
the downtown corridor?
Mark Burton
Our Downtown and North Manhattan businesses
receive a great benefit by having Business Improvement Districts (BID). I would assist the Sepulveda Corridor
businesses and the Rosecrans Corridor businesses in forming BIDs. I would also enlist the help of the MB
Chamber’s President Kelly Stroman in assisting these business in this effort
for form BIDs.
Chaz Flemmings
I support Small & Micro Businesses. We
are in a new type of economy regarding how we handle business in our City. The
City of Manhattan Beach represents so many different types of new businesses.
The Gig Economy makes up a new branch of Micro Business owners in the city from
independent contractors to travel nurses and they need our support. We cannot
discount that Manhattan Beach is majorly Micro Businesses including
Landlords. We have a City Council Member and Incumbent Steve Napolitano who
said he'll take the 'Short-Term Rental' Ban all the way in his words "all
the way to the Supreme Court". We can not stifle or forget about the true
heart of Manhattan Beach which are the residents and businesses that we should
be representing indefatigably as City Council Members, and i know i will be
staunch in that representation.
Grettel Fournell
I have always believed that local government
is at its best when residents/businesses/ partners alike have input, are heard
and acknowledged, and work together for the well-being of their community, and
in this case their business corridor. It is important to understand that
different business corridors have very different specific needs and each
business corridor should be afforded equal consideration and equitable
representation when it comes to subsidies. The City can do a better job here. I
will advocate for a policy and/or task force which would handle the submission
and promotion of ideas which cultivate a thriving business community (in each
corridor) and strengthens our local economy.
Joe Franklin
The best approach to ensure small businesses
are well-represented is to form formal or informal business associations to
better represent the collective needs of the group. The Downtown Professional
and Business Association is a good example. Ad Hoc committees can be formed for
special mutual areas of interest like grants, or special development funds
available from the city or state. Sharing these resources saves time and
provides a wider awareness of available resources and solutions.
Another good example was when there was a
measure in 2019 to raise the hotel Transient Occupancy Tax. The hotels in
Manhattan Beach formed an association to collectively give them a bigger voice
with the city in the crafting the measure and use of the funds.
Phoebe Lyons
It’s clear that the Downtown area and more
recently North Manhattan have been prioritized for business development while
Sepulveda and other areas are largely overlooked except for large projects. All
Manhattan Beach businesses should be equally afforded support from the City and
the Chamber of Commerce.
Especially during this difficult economic
time we need to support our local businesses wherever they are located in the
City. The City should do everything possible to ensure that Manhattan Beach
businesses are able to survive this substantial economic hit.
Richard Montgomery
As Mayor during this pandemic, I have
strongly supported all businesses in MB. Every time discussions have turned to
the downtown or El Porto businesses, I reiterate that all businesses -
Sepulveda, Rosecrans and the rest - are to be included in our policies.
Living on the east side of MB, I am well
aware of the feeling of being “left out” of the discussions and I have worked
very hard to include all residents and all businesses in our consideration of
policies.
Steve Napolitano
I recognize each of our business corridors as
unique and have supported giving them equal consideration, as each plays an
important role in the overall health of our city. After other councils cut
funding some years back, I supported the restoration of a yearly investment in
our Chamber of Commerce, which advocates and assists businesses city-wide. We
have done studies and improvements not only in the Downtown but also in the
North End and Sepulveda. Rosecrans, Artesia and Aviation are streets that are
jointly owned and controlled by several agencies, including our adjacent cities
and in some instances, Cal-Trans. On the Manhattan Beach side, we make
infrastructure improvements to improve the flow and look of these areas. Just
recently, we joined the Beach Cities Health District and Redondo Beach in
reimagining making Aviation Blvd into as a “livable street” that incorporates
more pedestrian and environmentally friendly improvements. When COVID-19 hit,
we relaxed parking standards city-wide so that all restaurants and retailers
outside of the Downtown could also have outdoor dining and retail if they
desired. The same goes for the 3 month extension of our business license due
date, and the elimination of any late penalties for anyone who pays late but
does so by September 1. We also don’t charge a utility-user’s tax, which is
imposed by nearly all the cities around us, so that the cost of doing business
city-wide is more affordable and friendly. The Downtown is undoubtedly the
heart and soul of business in Manhattan Beach and needs a lot of upgrades since
its last streetscape improvements in the 80’s, but I also understand that the
majority of our sales tax dollars are generated by our other business districts
outside of the Downtown.
What I hope to do over the next four years is
to help establish business improvement districts along Rosecrans and Sepulveda
to create even more investment in these areas. We hear about the Downtown so
much because they have a very active Business Improvement District (BID) to advocate
for their needs. Same for the North End. If we can establish BIDs in our other
commercial areas, we’ll be able to better identify and act on their needs on a
regular basis.
5. If you are financially supported by an
organization or a Political Action Committee (PAC) will you fully disclose
these groups on your printed political literature where possible and always on
your political website? Feel free to provide your web link URL of this
disclosure with your answer.
Mark Burton
My campaign website is not up and running at
this time. Not applicable. Website update 9/12/2020:
burtonforcouncil.com
Chaz Flemmings
No Pac Money or Organizations are funding
Chaz Flemmings For Manhattan Beach City Council. The only special interest I
have are the people of Manhattan Beach.
Grettel Fournell
I am currently not supported by an
organization or PAC and would disclose if I was. This disclosure would be
included on my website and printed material. My website is grettelfournell.com
Joe Franklin
I am not funded by any PAC. I am funded by
personal contributions to my campaign and by contributions from individuals,
all duly disclosed and reported, as required by law.
Phoebe Lyons
I am not currently financially supported by
any organization or PAC and I am not seeking financial support from any such
organization.
Richard Montgomery
I am not financially supported by any
organization or PAC. My website is Montgomery4council.org
Steve Napolitano
I’ve received the endorsement of the BizFed
PAC. BizFed is a large grassroots alliance of L.A. based businesses that
advocates for business friendly practices. I’ve posted their support on my
endorsement page on my website at stevenapolitano.com. I’ve worked with BizFed
since my days at LA County to streamline regulations and reduce government
fees. They’re the only group or PAC that has endorsed me and they’ve given me
no financial assistance.
6. I began the Manhattan Beach Youth Recognition
Award scholarship in the early 2000s. It
was given out annually to one Manhattan Beach student and a Los Angeles County
inner city student who possessed academic excellence and who needed financial
assistance to achieve their dream to attend higher education after high
school. Will you commit to start your
own program similar to the MBYRA while on city council or encourage your
council colleagues to fund one similar to the MBYRA that will assist young
minority students of need annually?
Mark Burton
As First Vice President of the El Camino
College Foundation and a member of the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club, we provide
hundreds of thousands of dollars for scholarships to inner city children to
attend a higher education. Further,
while serving as President of the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club, my theme was service
to children in need and we donated funds for scholarships and educational
opportunities for inner city children.
Finally, as a Board member for the Roundhouse Aquarium, we have proud of
our educational equity policy and program of providing free bus transportation
and classes for kids from Title I schools.
Chaz Flemmings
I'm committed to creating and continuing in
liberating youth who deserve to be recognized for their strides in our
community including those from neighboring communities. We have one of the Best
High Schools in the Country in our neighborhood but in our neighboring
communities they're aren't quite the same opportunities or benefits. I want the
opportunity to be able to open more Youth Programs especially to our youth who
are making other choices and need support in life. We have to have a City
entity that gives all Youth a chance to succeed and be able to be recognized
because Love Liberates and Manhattan Beach has waves of LOVE!
Grettel Fournell
Thank you for your tremendous leadership on
this issue that is near and dear to my heart! For 20 years I have served
Sandpipers, a local non-profit organization which has granted scholarships to
local students since 1941. Last year Sandpipers granted $300,000 to 58
students. I served on the Sandpipers Scholarship Committee for several years
and have seen first-hand how these well-deserved scholarships can change the
life of a young person. Recognition of academic excellence is unquestionably of
great importance. The boost in confidence it gives these students cannot be
measured. It is also vital to provide financial assistance to those students in
need so they may continue their education and achieve their dreams. Yes, I
would commit to starting a scholarship program similar to the MBYRA which you
began and to encourage my city council colleagues to participate in the funding
of such a scholarship.
Joe Franklin
Yes. I have two initiatives I’d like to
pursue to provide assistance for academic excellence and to assist and mentor
high- risk, or at-risk students. I cannot provide details of the first one as
it requires coordinating with an existing scholarship program which I could
help to expand.
The other program is the Big Brothers/Big
Sisters organization. I was a Big Brother and it was a valuable and fulfilling
experience for my Little Brother and me. We have an amazing reservoir of talent
amongst our public and private high school students who, with as little as one
hour per week, could participate in the Big Brother High School Mentoring
program or the College Preparation program to support mentees with their
successful transition to college. We could involve our robust Older Adults
Program for mentoring, as well. There are several city resources we can
reasonably bring forth to make a positive, long term impact with inner city
youth within these two programs.
Phoebe Lyons
Higher education is a proven means of social
and economic mobility and it is paramount that the opportunity is not exclusive
to certain groups. I am strongly in favor of funds such as these and will
encourage the City to take action in support of minority students seeking
education.
This City-directed fund should be targeted to
Manhattan Beach residents; however, I am supportive of private funds supporting
county-wide programs such as this. It is important that anyone who wants to
better themselves through education be able to.
Richard Montgomery
Yes, i was on the council that continued this
award in 2005 when i joined. I was even a judge of the applicants one year. I
will not start my own program but would rather propose a "Restart" of
this successful program. Monetary donations came from many sponsors with the
city acting as a facilitator.
Steve Napolitano
I’ve worked with countless nonprofits and I
don’t think I could or should come up with my own program when so many of our
current nonprofits are hurting because of COVID-19, especially when they’re
already doing incredible work in this area. Rather than reinvent the wheel or
take up City staff time, I would rather work to provide direct grants and/or
fundraise for nonprofits that assist young minority students. As a former
President of the El Camino College Foundation, I would like us to consider
providing scholarships in the City’s name for deserving minority students to
continue with their education that El Camino would administer. We could also
provide further assistance to the Roundhouse Aquarium to subsidize field trips
for schools in underprivileged areas (where many of the kids haven’t even been
to the ocean) who otherwise couldn’t afford to make the trip. These are the
efforts I’d like to focus on over the next four years.
Source: mitchward.com