Council Reviews Outdated Policy and Operations Manual
Council Members Support CicLAvia Open Streets Event
BY MICHAEL WIT TNER
BY MICHAEL WIT TNER
No legislation came out of the City Council’s Aug. 3 Study Session, and that’s just the way Beverly Hills residents want it. The Council reviewed a number of changes that city staff made to bring the city’s Policy and Operations Manual, a 102page guide to city government and history, fully in line with the Beverly Hills Municipal Code. At the end of the discussion, Council advocated for a significant rewrite of the Manual, which they felt was unfocused and unwieldy. The meeting got off to a rocky start after word got out that staff was changing the Manual to allow legislation to be passed
during afternoon Study Sessions, which begin at 2:30 p.m. Fifteen angry residents wrote or phoned in to accuse the city of underhandedly attempting to deprive working residents the chance to watch and weigh in in real time. “All legislation should only be passed during the formal Council meetings and not during the Study Sessions,” resident Georgia Pine wrote in, echoing many strongly worded letters. “The public deserves transparency from its legislators. We do not accept silent passage of ordinances. We are a republic, not a dictatorship.” But to the surprise of even many council members, the Municipal Code has actually allowed the Council to pass legislation during Study Sessions since 2008, and staff was updating the Manual, which had previously barred any binding legislative action from being passed during Study Sessions. (Policy and Operation Manual continues on page 15)
Nonprofit CicLAvia sponsors open streets events throughout LA County It’s tough to imagine Santa Monica Boulevard without a single car, but at some point in 2022 it may be filled with booths and bikes instead. At the Aug. 3 Study Session, Transportation Planner Jessie Holzer presented council members with a first look at the CicLAvia Open Streets event, a potential partnership
with West Hollywood and Los Angeles to extend car-free streets all the way from East Hollywood to the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Beverly Drive for an entire Sunday in either April, May or August of next year. (CicLAvia continues on page 16)
Solidarity Dinner to Combat Hate BY ANA FIGUEROA
Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Southwest, Dr. Hillel Newma, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti hosted a solidarity dinner for a discussion on combatting hate and discrimination on July 29. The dinner took place at Pat’s Restaurant in the Pico/Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles, after the restaurant was targeted with Anti-Semitic vandalism earlier this year. Leaders from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, African American, and Asian American community came together to find
AUGUST 6, 2021
common threads and speak about how to rise above hate together. Other VIP guests included LAPD Chief of Police Michel Moore, LA City Councilmember Paul Koretz and California State Senator Sydney Kamlager. “I appreciate the attendees for sharing their intimate stories and struggles with overcoming hate. As a community of diverse backgrounds we can overcome hate together,” said Newman.
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