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Title:
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A Joint Item of the City Council and Redevelopment Agency to Provide Input and Direction Regarding Holiday Celebrations, and the decoration of poles located in the Culver Boulevard Median between Duquesne Avenue and Venice Boulevard.
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City of Culver City, California
A Joint City Council/Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council (the “Council”) provide input and direction
regarding holiday celebrations, and that the Redevelopment Agency (the “Agency”)
provide direction and input regarding the decoration of poles located in the Culver
Boulevard median between Duquesne Avenue and Venice Boulevard.
BACKGROUND:
On November 5th 2007, the Agency was asked to authorize the purchase of a 22-
foot tall holiday tree and reuse of existing decorations that are installed on light poles
in downtown, and the Council was asked to provide direction and input regarding
holiday celebrations. The purchase of a holiday tree was authorized by the Agency,
and the Council requested that the celebration and decoration discussion be
continued to the next available meeting.
Also on November 5, 2007, the City Council considered the recommendation of the
Economic Development Subcommittee to combine the two holiday tree lighting
ceremonies into a single event.
During the November 5
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discussion, the Council also expressed its concern
regarding a potential conflict between the holiday celebration scheduled at Veteran’s
Auditorium (“Vets”) and the Fire Department’s disaster preparedness exercise,
which were both tentatively scheduled for December 7, 2007.
Meeting Date: 11/14/07 Item Number: J-1
AGENDA ITEM: A Joint Item of the City Council and Redevelopment Agency to Provide
Input and Direction Regarding Holiday Celebrations, and the decoration of poles located
in the Culver Boulevard Median between Duquesne Avenue and Venice Boulevard.
Contact Person/Dept.: Todd Tipton Phone Number: (310) 253-5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Consent Item: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Public Notification: Master Notification List on November 7, 2007; the Downtown
Business Association on November 7, 2007, the Chamber of Commerce on November 7,
2007.
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (11/07/08)
Executive Director Approval:
Jerry Fulwood (11/08/07)
Fiscal Impact Approval:
Marlee Chang (by M. Noller) (11/07/08)
City of Culver City, California
A Joint City Council/Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
• Celebrations
During the discussion of the tree lighting celebrations, the Councilmembers voiced a
number of thoughts ranging from the availability of more space at Vets, to having
indoor space in the case of inclement weather, to having an additional opportunity
for the Community to gather together. The general feeling from that discussion was
that the City Council preferred to continue to hold two separate events.
To resolve the conflict with the Citywide Disaster Preparedness Drill, the Vets event
is now being rescheduled to December 5, 2007.
• Decoration of Poles
The decorations in question are those installed during the holiday season on the
existing light standards located in the Culver Boulevard median. Over the prior four
years the decorations have become worn due to being exposed to the elements and
being installed/uninstalled multiple times. Considering the decoration’s condition,
the DBA recommends that they be replaced. New decorations are expected to last
approximately four to five years.
Due to the Agency’s cash flow, staff recommended that the existing decorations be
reused and that this item be revisited in June 2008 when the two-year budget update
is presented to the Agency for consideration. During the November 5
th
discussion,
the Council directed staff to identify additional options for decorating the poles.
Based on the Council’s direction, staff believes banners, lights and decorative wraps
are options. In discussing this with the Public Works Director, he prefers lights and
banners because his staff is not accustomed to decorating poles. While researching
banners, staff was able to locate the holiday banners used in downtown prior to the
decorations being acquired by the DBA. There are a sufficient number of banners to
adorn at least one side of the 23 light poles in the Culver Boulevard median between
Duquesne Avenue and Venice Boulevard. The banners are in good condition.
Staff’s research indicates that 25-foot strings (70 bulbs per strand) of Light Emitting
Diode (“LEDs”) can be obtained for as little as $30 per strand. Assuming there are
23 light poles in the median and that two strings of lights would be required per pole,
the total cost is estimated to be $1,380. The lights could be installed by Public
Works staff, which is expected to take approximately 20 hours to complete.
City of Culver City, California
A Joint City Council/Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
During the November 5
th
discussion, the Agency authorized the expenditure of
$15,050 to acquire an artificial tree. For that discussion staff recommended that
additional expenditures for new decorations be considered during the mid-term
budget process (June 2008) due to the Agency’s cash flow constraints. In an effort
to assist the Agency, the DBA agreed to pay the ongoing cost of
installing/uninstalling the tree and storing it (approximately $2,000 annually).
Acquisition of lights to adorn the poles in the Culver Boulevard median is expected
to cost $1,380. The cost of staff time to install the lights (20 hours) is anticipated to
be approximately $865 which would be absorbed in Division 10163300. Sufficient
funds exist in 59190400, Administration – Contract Services to fund the acquisition
of the lights.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Provide input and direction regarding holiday celebrations; and
That the Redevelopment Agency:
1. Provide input and direction regarding decoration of light poles located in the
median of Culver Boulevard between Duquesne Avenue and Venice Boulevard.