Council Meeting Recap: Aug 3, 2021

All council members were present for the Tuesday, August 3 City Council meeting. Open session started at 5:01 p.m. and ended at 8:38 p.m. Here's what you missed:

Jawane Hilton calls out City Manager for Workplace Harassment. Councilmember Jawane Hilton gave a public comment as a Carson resident, calling out City Manager Sharon Landers for workplace bullying and discrimination. “I’m here today to shine a light on Sharon Landers. Your bullying and discriminatory ways must stop,” said Hilton, “I’m requesting as a resident that you [the city council] put her evaluation that is long overdue on the city agenda.” City Attorney, Sunny Soltani, clarified her office never received any complaints from city staff when the issue was brought up at an earlier City council meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Jim Dear, who claims employee morale is currently at the lowest it has ever been since the incorporation of the city, pointed out that the City Attorney was directed by the City Council to reach out to each City employee, asking them to share their grievances regarding the City Manager. At the time, the City Attorney only provided her email and phone number. In addition to the City Manager evaluation, Hilton also requested to add an item to acquire a confidential investigator independent of the City Attorney to the future agenda as the City Attorney has a legal obligation to protect the City.

Sanitation District Reveals Ongoing Construction Projects. Supervising Engineer of Construction Management Russ Vakharia from the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts presented information on two ongoing construction projects which Carson residents may have noticed driving around the city. The first and much smaller project is the installment of a new sewer line along Figueroa st approximately between Carson St. and 230th St. which will replace the existing deteriorated sewer. That project is set to be completed by September 2023. The second project is a 7-mile Clearwater Tunneling Project from the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant in Carson to Royal Palms Beach in San Pedro. This project aims to install a new effluent outfall tunnel at the main wastewater treatment plant that is up to earthquake standards. Currently the plant uses two tunnels which were built not to seismic standards in 1937 and 1958, have never been inspected, and run across two earthquake faults, according to Vakharia. He states that if an earthquake were to compromise the tunnels, raw sewage could potentially spill into the Dominguez Channel and flow into Los Angeles Harbor. The tunneling portion is scheduled to end in 2025 while the entire project should finish in 2027.

Pexi-Glass Dividers to be installed in Council Chambers with No Definitive Opening Date. The City Council approved the Disaster Council’s recommendation to install plexi-glass dividers in Council Chamber audience seating and established a capacity limit in preparation for in-person council meetings. Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes calls the move ‘proactive rather than reactive’ as no date has been set yet for the reopening of Council Chambers. Whenever that day comes, only 18 audience members will be allowed during live council sessions. Any additional members wishing to attend the meeting will be seated at the Community Center.

Pop Up Vaccination Clinics in City Parks. Out of the 10,435 total COVID-19 cases recorded in the City of Carson, 400 happened in the past month alone according to Emergency Services Manager Raymond Cheung. He attributed the lack of current deaths and hospitalizations to the city’s high vaccination rate which currently is at 73.2%. Councilmember Cedric Hicks proposed an 85% target vaccination rate and requested staff to bring back an incentive for those individuals on the fence at the next council meeting. If you are looking to get vaccinated, check your nearest park for these upcoming pop-up vaccination clinics:

• Dolphin Park: Ends Aug 14, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 21205 Water Street, Carson, CA 90745

• Foisia Park: Ends Aug 17, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. 23410 Catskill Avenue, Carson, CA 90745

• Stevenson Park: Ends Aug 18, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. 17400 Lysander Drive, Carson, CA 90745

• Veterans Park: Ends Aug 20, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. 22400 Moneta Avenue, Carson, CA 90745

The council made the following Proclamations:

· Recognizing Dustin Young, Founder and CEO of OUR OWN

· Recognizing Pop Up Vaccination Distributors

Upcoming Workshops to gather Public Input for Redevelopment of Northern Victoria Golf Course. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation are holding two workshops to gather ideas from the public for a new recreation area. The project would involve the redevelopment of the northern portion of Victoria Golf Course by Avalon Blvd and MLK Jr. St into a new park. The first meeting takes place Thursday, Aug 5 @ 6 p.m. and the second workshop is on the following Monday, Aug 9 @ 6 p.m. Please join and provide your input on which amenities you would like to see in your community. You may also fill out the Parks and Recreation Survey for Victoria Golf Course North Parcel to share your preferences for new recreational amenities.

*Please note that the City Council will not meet again until the first Tuesday of September.