BLOG: What’s Happening in Compton City Hall? (Dec. 22)
Emily Henry | 12-23-2009 | Comments |
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A beautiful day deepened into a stunning evening in Compton Tuesday. The air was as cold as Christmas and the clouds hung like baubles in the sky. Inside the council chambers, festive spirit was certainly present... unlike Mayor Eric J. Perrodin. The session began an hour late. Public comments: Council meeting frequenter Joyce Kelly wore a santa hat and green suit as she stood before the microphone and read Alice Hansche Mortenson's poem, "Ready for Christmas?" But the gesture was more than a timely distraction... Kelly's choice in poetry was meant to be a direct comment to the city council. (To read the entire poem, click here.)
“Ready for Christmas? What do you mean?
Ready for Christmas when only last week
You wouldn’t acknowledge your friend on the street.
“Ready for Christmas, while holding a grudge?
Perhaps you had better let God be the judge,
Why, how can the Christ-child come and abide
In the heart that is selfish and filled with pride?"
Next year, said Kelly, she hopes that there will be more transparency in the council and less intimidation from the mayor. She also requested that the council "stop giving away our tax dollars" and that the city manager include fewer items on the agenda so that council members have sufficient time to contemplate matters. William Kemp, another council meeting regular, suggested that the public be able to "cross examine" the council, rather than having a one-way dialogue with them each week. During her public comment concerning the lack of scrutiny with regard to the backgrounds of city contractors, citizen Lynn Boone chastised the city council for failing to maintain the proper decorum:
"I think it's really rude that we have to pay attention when you're speaking, but you're laughing and turning away when we're speaking," said Boone.
The three citizens brought the following concerns to the attention of the council:
Housing and Development Commission:
- The report on the rehab and first-time home buyers program has not been disseminated to the public. The city manager replied that the report is available from his office upon request.
- Information about housing is not being distributed to the people who need it most, and more action needs to be taken regarding Compton's homeless population.
Public Finance Authority:
- The $4.5 million assigned to the CRA for expansion of the home buyers program needs to be accounted for.
- The purpose of the city's new attorneys, costing the city $300,000, needs to be determined.
- The record needs to more accurately reflect the public comment portion of the meeting.
Urban Community Development Commission:
- Contractors hired by the city should be thoroughly screened, from educational qualifications to credit checks to finger printing.
- The city needs to help the small business on Compton Boulevard revitalize their buildings.
- The city needs to spend less money on "superficial" events and more on substantial changes.
Compton Gaming Commission:
- Concerns were raised about the consistent amount of $20,000 coming from the city's casinos. The council responded stating that they had made an agreement with the casinos, in lieu of the economic downtown, to cap the revenues owed to the city at $20,000 when the profit made by the casinos is less than approximately $90,000.
Notes from the Compton City Council Meeting:
After the public hearing was postponed, awards were presented to Jayson Levia and Chris Wilcox for their success at the Junior Olympics. The boys won gold medals this past summer, and broke the national and junior record for the 800m relay. According to the team's coach, the entire team can complete the relay, which is twice around the 800m track, in two minutes and twenty seconds. The public hearing concerned T-Mobile's application to construct a cell tower on the open space by the intersection of Greenleaf Boulevard and Northwood Avenue. The applicant had been previously denied by the planning commission, and council members - as well as members of the public - were concerned about the health and safety of Compton residents, in addition to the effect on the aesthetic appeal of the area. The results of the public hearing are yet to be determined (N.B.: We're awaiting confirmation from the planning commission and will update this post as soon as information becomes available.)
UPDATE by Deborah Spottsville: "I wasn't taking notes, but sitting in for a friend whose firm was on the Consent Agenda. I left after that business was over. But there was public comment about Ralph's hiring out-of-state workers from Utah and Colorado -- comment from a union representative, as well as an out-of-work Compton citizen. Also, there were a few items that were pulled from the consent agenda because there were not enough council members present to vote. Four (4) votes are needed to pass a resolution. Only three council members were present: Councilpersons Dobson, Arceneaux, and Jones. Mayor Perrodin and councilperson Calhoun were both absent. I left the meetiing the meeting at that point."
Do you have something to add to this account of the December 22nd council meeting? Please comment or email us at southla@usc.edu.
Tags: blog chris wilcox city hall compton council meeting gold medal jayson levia junior olympics mayor perrodin what's happening in compton city hall