AGENDA FOR May 2, 2011 MEETING
7:00 – 9:00 PM SMASH/Muir Library – note new venue!
All ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MEETING CHAIR 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN DISCUSSION IS WELCOME. ONLY DIRECTORS MAY VOTE ON ISSUES BEFORE OPA.
TO FACILITATE AN EFFICIENT AND RESPECTFUL DISCUSSION, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL CALLED UPON BY THE MEETING CHAIR BEFORE SPEAKING.
NOTICED BOARD MEMBER ABSENCES: Fresco, Nafshun, Winterer
Presentation by Linda Gamberg, City of Santa Monica, Big Blue Bus - Proposed service changes (20 min).
7:00 to 9:00 PM REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
1. Introduction to OPA (Ludwinski - 1 minute)
2. Announcements
3. Actions taken since last Board meeting
4. Approval of minutes from March Board meetings; see Attachments 1
5. Relocation of John Muir Elementary School Monthly Fundraising Event (Amy Hopper/Helene Seisay, 15 min.)
6. Candidate transparency in funding – proposal to post results from the Transparency Project on the OPA website. See also proposed letters for approval in Attachments 3 and 4 (Marlow, 30 min)
7. Events Committee status (Nafshun 10 min.)
8. SMO Airport updates and action item (Perrone 5 min.)
9. Treasurer’s report (Godon-Tann 10 min.)
10. Membership report (Huq, 5 min.)
11. Neighborhood survey status action item (Taylor, 5 min.)
12. Proposed policy on membership-wide email blasts; see Attachment 2 (Ludwinski, 10 min.)
13. Future agenda items – note that June 6th meeting will also be at SMASH/Muir Library
Attachment 1
Preliminary Minutes
Meeting Date: April 4, 2011
Time: 7-9 PM
Location: Joslyn Park
Board Members in Attendance
David Auch
Pauline Bohannon
Patricia Godon-Tann
Jeffrey Jarow
Jan Ludwinski
Mary Marlow
Lori Nafshun
Michele Perrone
Bob Taylor
Noticed Board Member Absences
Dana Ehrlich
Sadat Huq
Susan Lewis
Roger Swanson
Other Board Member Absences
Nina Fresco
Ross Furakawa
Topics Discussed
Introduction to OPA
President Jan Ludwinski introduced the guest speaker at 7:05 PM
Discussion with by Randy Little / SM Public Landscape Manager
Responded to questions about the Torrey Pine trees in the beach lot at 2030 Barnard Way.
• Torrey Pines are the smallest species available for this grant, which is specific to CA Native plants
• City received funding from US Forest service to plant 1,000 trees
• Trees help to meet AQMD air quality programs as well as tree cover calculation for City
• Planting on the beach lot at 2030 Barnard Way to be on April, 30, 2011
• New trees will be pruned to not block views from Sea Colony condos and surrounding areas
• City to replace the palm trees at the end of OP Blvd with native palms Fall/Late 2011
Presentation by Miriam Mulder/ SM City Architect
Discussed public works projects planned for the next 5 years, including:
• 17th Street Expo Station
• Colorado Esplanade
• Pier Bridge (2014)
• Freeway Capping
• Palisades Garden Walk
• Village (Public/Private – Fall 2011)
o Housing
• Civic Auditorium (Nederlander Group, Design/Build)
• SM High School
• Cultural Facility at Civic Center
• UCLA Medical
• St. Johns
• SM College
• Pico Branch Library (8300 Sq Ft)
• eGenesis
• Bergamot Expo Station
• Village Trailer Park
• Hines/Papermate Site
• SMC Academy on Stewart
• Expo Maintenance
Infrastructure:
· California Incline (2013 / 1 yr to 18 mos)
· 1000 Trees
· Bike Path improvements city-wide
· Expo Rail
· 20th and Cloverfield
· OP Blvd Improvements
City is reviewing all project schedules in order to best coordinate the efforts and inform the public.
Question: What about Lincoln Blvd?
· The City expects to get control of LB by end of year
· Patching is planned, but nothing further at this point
Miriam Mulder to send overview URL to Jan.
OPA BOD Call to Order
President Jan Ludwinski called the meeting to order at 7:50 PM
Announcements
• Lori – special event taking place
• Jerry Rubin – Big Blue Bus realignment 5/10 City Council and Petition
• Bob – Need to get notice of Events in OP. Lori to contact Kate at the City
Actions taken since last Board meeting
• Letter sent to City Council regarding Main Street signage
• OPA had a table at the Grand Re-Opening of the Ocean Park Library on Saturday, March 12. Patricia and Jan attended the event on behalf of OPA. No significant traffic at OPA table.
• A formal stance of the Board was communicated to City Council at the most recent Council meeting regarding the Hines/Papermate Project. Michele presented on behalf of the board.
Approval of Minutes
Motion to approve March 7, 2011 meeting minutes, as amended, passed unanimously.
Relocation of John Muir Elementary School Monthly Fundraising Event presented by Amy Hopper.
Amy Hopper, John Muir Volunteer and Parent, briefly described the school’s plan to permanently re-locate the monthly fundraising Flea Market event from the Olympic High campus to the Muir/SMASH school parking lot, located between 5th and 6th street on Ocean Park Boulevard. On behalf of the school, Amy requested that OPA give the plan its blessing. The event will be held in the school parking lot, and attendees will be expected to park in local streets. The event will be held every month on a Saturday until further notice. The School Board has already given their approval of the move from the current site location at Ocean Park Boulevard and Lincoln. The Borderline Neighborhood group voted in favor of the relocation. While the Borderline Neighborhood group does not encompass the school location, there are Borderline families with children at the school. There has been no prior notice of the move to neighbors of the school nor has there been discussion with the neighborhood about potential impacts of the move. There is no plan presented regarding handling of parking or how to deal with days when events are already being held in the park. There was no consideration of holding the flea market in the park and having flea market attendees park in the school parking lot. No other sites are under consideration at this point.
Lively discussion followed, including comments addressing: need to support the school, concerns about impact on the neighborhood. It was determined that we know too little about the schools plans or impact to officially support the move.
Motion: To request a formal meeting with the school district to discuss their plans for the Flea Market and its impact on Ocean Park and the neighborhood.
Vote: Yes 6, No 2. Motion Passed
Neighborhood Survey
Bob gave the status report:
• Survey has been written.
• Bob will send out the survey for comments.
• Discussion held about the dynamic and potentially ongoing nature of the survey.
Neighborhood Council Report
David reported on the March 19 meeting that included several topics:
• 3/31 Neighborhood mailers to be (and were) sent
• Miriam Mulder presentation of upcoming public works and infrastructure projects
• 4/7 Transparency Meeting @7pm, 933 20th Street, Unit A
• 4/26 SM City Council discussion regarding RDA Funding Priorities
• New/renewed Neighborhood Organizations: Mid City Neighbors and Northeast Neighbors
• 5/10 SM City Council meeting discussion regarding Big Blue Bus realignment and changes.
Events Committee status
Lori recapped the first parade meeting that was held on Friday March 30th. Grand Marshall ideas were discussed and solicited.
Candidate Transparency in Funding
Mary Marlow reported on the development of a group called The Transparency Project. This is a grass roots initiative by Santa Monica residents following the 2010 City of Santa Monica elections. The goal of the group is to provide ongoing public awareness with respect to the amount of funds donated to participants in City-wide elections. The effort is underway to collect donation information and it is being determined how to best present the data to the public. Initial data was presented by members of The Transparency Project at the recent City Council meeting at which the Papermate project was discussed. Currently, meetings of the group are not public. Jerry Rubin suggested that the group should consider opening its meetings to the public.
SMO Airport updates
Michele made the SMO Airport report with the following highlights:
• SMO Webtrack site has launched. Michelle to send a link and draft letter to membership.
• Rand study is starting about optimal uses of the airport upon expiration of the lease in 2015. Will begin interviewing residents.
• Kevin McKeown letter was discussed. It appears less likely that the FAA will move forward with a Finding of No Significant Impact from the new flight pattern.
• Henry Waxman legislation was introduced in the US Congress regarding safety at SMO.
• Comment: Need for improved resident reporting mechanism
• Comment: Red Cross is apparently against closing the airport because of its potential usefulness during a disaster.
• Discussion: Bill Rosendahl position
Treasurer’s report
Patty made the Treasurer’s report, including the following comments:
• Quarterly Report
•Starting Balance: $2451 (General Fund)
•Ending Balance: $2253
•Grant was signed and received
o Need to spend the money by 6/25
•Patty to send the quarterly report to Jan
Membership report
Sadat was not present at the meeting so discussion was deferred until next month.
Policy on membership-wide email blasts
Further discussion on the proposed policy on membership-wide email blasts was postponed until the May meeting.
• Jan reminded that guidelines had been sent to the board along with Board meeting documentation
• Jan to resend the guidelines in a dedicated email communication to the board
Future agenda items
Meeting minute approvals for the 4/4/11 minutes
Monthly reports:
• Treasurer
• SMO Airport
• OP Blvd.
• Membership
4th of July Parade
Neighborhood survey
Policy on email blasts
Meeting Close
Next Meeting, May 2, 2011 (location TBD) 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Action Items
What: Letter to School Board regarding the move of the Flea Market
Who: David
When: Draft in two weeks
What: Send link and email regarding airport and Webtrack to the Board and Membership
Who: Michele
When: within two weeks
What: Resend membership email guidelines to the board
Who: Jan
When: within two weeks
What: Get link from Miriam Mulder regarding Public Works and infrastructure projects. Consider posting the link on the OPA-SM website.
Who: Jan
When: within month
Attachment 2
Proposed Policy for email Blasts
Respecting our members’ busy lives and limited time availability, we endeavor to limit our email to only those considerations that are most important and worthy of their attention. It is therefore our policy to restrict all-membership emailing to the following purposes:
1) Notification of official OPA meetings
2) Notification of important pending business that is coming before a City Commission or the City Council that affects Ocean Park and that is to occur prior to the next OPA Board meeting
3) Provision of factual information aimed at educating the membership regarding upcoming ballot initiatives
4) Relaying of local government announcements, including transportation-related concerns, that are deemed of general interest to our membership
5) Conduct of membership business
6) By specific direction of the OPA Board
Attachment 3
Letter to CA Assembly Elections & Redistricting Committee Supporting AB1148
April 26, 2011
Honorable Paul Fong
CA Assembly Elections & Redistricting Committee
1020 N Street room 365
Sacramento CA 95814
Re: Assembly Bill No. 1148
Dear Chairperson Fong and Committee Members,
The Ocean Park Association, a nonprofit representing a neighborhood of over 8500 residents in Santa Monica CA strongly supports Assembly Bill 1148 introduced by Assembly Member Julia Brownley. As residents, we urge this change to the law governing slate mailers and the organizations that create them to make it clearer to voters that these are commercial advertisements, particularly in the case of those mailers that claim to be a “Party Voter Guide”.
In the last weeks before the Nov. 2, 2010 election Santa Monicans for Quality Government, a group later revealed to be funded by developers and their associates, put out a “Democratic Voter Guide” that endorsed state and local candidates and measures. It appeared to be an official party publication both in color and layout. There was a bold letter notice in a contrasting color urging voters to take the guide with them to vote. Many voters believed it to be an official party publication and took it with them when voting. The current disclaimer, required on only one page of the mailers, uses tiny print that is easily overlooked by busy voters. The disclaimer changes, especially the inclusion of a prominent boxed notice clearly stating the mailer is “Not an Official Political Party Organization” described in AB 1148 will make it clearer to voters which candidates and measures are behind these types of paid advertisements.
The current asterisk system to identify paid endorsements from some of the candidates is ineffectual. For example, in our local election, City Council candidates Gleam Davis and Pam O’Connor had asterisks by their names as having paid for the slate mailers. But in reality they didn’t make a minimal payment for them until after they were re-elected, according to the January 2011 SMQG filing. Candidates Terry O’Day and Bob Holbrook appeared in the mailer with no asterisk although the majority of the cost was paid for by large developers supporting them. We applaud the proposed revision that requires an asterisk if payment is received from any source supporting a candidate.
We believe that increased transparency in political advertisements will help reduce voter confusion and deception.
Sincerely,
Jan Ludwinski, President, Ocean Park Association Board of Directors
Cc: Assembly member Julia Brownley
Assembly member Dan Logue
Assembly member Susan Bonilla
Assembly member Tony Mendoza
Assembly member Sandre Swanson
Assembly member David Valado
Santa Monica City Attorney Marsha Moutrie
Santa Monica City Clerk Maria Stewart
Santa Monica Democratic Club
Neighborhood Associations
Attachment 4
Letter to FPPC
April 25, 2011
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Chairperson Ann Ravel
Fair Political Practices Commission
428 J Street, Suite 800
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Chairperson Ravel and FPPC taskforce members,
|
Ocean Park Association, a nonprofit representing a neighborhood of over 8500 residents, writes in strong support of two important issues that are currently under discussion at the FPPC. First, we urge the FPPC to move forward with the Secretary of State and local jurisdictions to create a single, searchable online database for all data that is required to be reported by the Political Reform Act. Second, we urge the FPPC to revise the rules for slate mailers, and particularly those mailers that claim to be a “Party Voter Guide,” to make it clearer to voters that these are commercial advertisements, not official party materials, put out by professional political consultants and paid for, in part, by some of the candidates “endorsed.”
We believe there are a number of steps that can and should be taken now to clean up the campaign disclosure process and to make it transparent, fair, and easy to access. These reforms would prevent the irregularities specified below from recurring in every election cycle in Santa Monica or elsewhere in California and eliminate voter confusion.
Adopting an Online Searchable Statewide Database for All Election Activities
In our recent Santa Monica election, Santa Monicans for Quality Government (SMQG) registered with the State as a state slate mailer organization in order to produce and mail a series of inaccurate and misleading mailers solely concerning the local city council race. SMQG flouted the local law requiring it to file a copy of its campaign disclosure reports with the Santa Monica City Clerk and filed them instead in paper form with the Secretary of State. SMQG then refused to make the reports available to the community, claiming it had complied with its state filing obligations.
The group, a front for wealthy developers with large projects pending in Santa Monica, used a local sounding name – Santa Monicans for Quality Government -- and a local address in connection with its series of misleading and inaccurate mailers.
SMQG’s deliberate strategy of bypassing Santa Monica’s local e-filing system worked to SMQG’s benefit (and the developers who funded the group) by effectively concealing the developers’ identities and contributions until the election was over.
Implementing a consolidated web-based method for statewide electronic filing mandatory for all qualifying state or local committees would end this gamesmanship and provide needed transparency in election campaigns while simplifying compliance for filers.
Revising Slate Mailer Requirements So that Voters Are Not Deceived
Just prior to the Nov 2, 2010 election, SMQG put out a “Democratic Voter Guide” that endorsed state and local candidates and measures. It had the appearance of an official party publication and voters were encouraged to take it into the voting booths with them to guide their voting. We’ve heard from poll workers in Santa Monica that many residents used them to vote, mistakenly believing them to be FROM the Democratic Party.
This means that the disclaimer currently required by the FPPC does not make the lack of party affiliation clear enough. A clear, bold and large text subheading, directly under the title “Democratic Voter Guide” which states that this is “NOT THE OFFICIAL SLATE OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY – IT IS PAID COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING” needs to be required, there and on every page of the booklet.
The asterisk system to identify paid endorsements from some of the candidates is also ineffectual. For example, in our local election, City Council candidates Gleam Davis and Pam O’Connor had asterisks by their names as having paid for the slate mailers. But in reality they didn’t make a minimal payment for them until after they were re-elected, according to the January 2011 SMQG filing. This delay meant there was no way for voters to have this information before the election. This information needs to be made meaningful – by providing a better explanation and by requiring the mailers be paid for when they are mailed, so that the related disclosures are discoverable before voters cast their votes.
Finally, where “big money” is behind these slate mailers, as was the case in Santa Monica, where only a few developers and those who do business with them bankrolled mailers costing over $40,000, the top payees over a certain threshold amount should be named on the mailers with a readable footnote (paid for by Hines Corporation, Armbruster law firm and X) so voters know who is behind the mailers. Without that, the electorate is left in the dark.
Each of these changes is doable and each goes to the heart of making our democracy work by eliminating voter confusion and deception.
Sincerely,
Jan Ludwinski for
Ocean Park Association
CC: Santa Monica City Attorney Marsha Moutrie
Santa Monica City Clerk Maria Stewart
Santa Monica Democratic Club
Neighborhood Associations