by Garth Meyer
Redondo Beach voters soon will decide whether to spend $93 million to fund two new fire stations, a new police headquarters and refurbishment of the police annex. The city council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to put a bond for these projects on the ballot, in November or next March.
The vote would pay for two completely new fire stations and a completely new police station, replacing buildings from the 1950s.
City Councilman Nils Nehrenheim opposed the package, after saying he would support it if it included money to revamp the Public Works yard.
A motion by Councilman Scott Behrendt suggested limiting the bond to $76 million, for only a police station refurbishment instead of a whole new building, and Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic – also wanting to be conservative about what is asked of the public – floated an amendment to keep the new police station in the bond but take out the annex work, for a total of $80 million.
What was key, suggested City Manager Mike Witzansky, was the council’s unity on the matter, in order to best present it to the public.
Councilman Todd Loewenstein advocated for “just a few dollars more per year from an average taxpayer for making sure everything’s done right.”
The police annex building is “office space,” as described by Police Chief Joe Hoffman. It does not house essential police services such as 911 dispatch, the jail or evidence lockers. A city consultant told the council a refurbished annex could last another 25 to 30 years.
As the council neared an agreement Tuesday, Behrendt asked Witzansky if he had any further thoughts.
“Our best chance to get a positive outcome,” Witzansky said of what he leaned toward. “Any victory is a victory for us. We’ve never done this. Certainly in my time with the city… If we can get the $93 million I’ll do a couple of cartwheels in the new courtyard. I might not get up after it, but I’ll do it.”
Robert Carlborg, Redondo Beach Police Officers Association president, underscored the situation.
“The station is 74 years old. It’s so old there were only 48 states in the union when it was opened,” he said.
“This is going to be close, this is not a gimme,” Behrendt said during the discussions.
All of the council, and Mayor Jim Light, spoke of the need to address these buildings’ conditions – Fire Station 1 (Broadway), Fire Station 2 (Grant Avenue) and the main police station next to city hall, which, as described by Chief Hoffman, the city has long outgrown. He began his career at the building in 1994.
A bond would need voters’ 67 percent approval to pass — unless State Proposition 5 passes in November, which would drop the threshold to 55 percent.
The city council has to decide in the next two weeks when to schedule the bond election.
“I’m very cautious of the November ballot,” Nehrenheim said, noting its long list of state and federal races and measures – while the next city election in March is stocked with local items such as three city council seats and the mayor’s.
Starting off the bond discussion Tuesday, the council first took in a report from Adam Sonenshei, senior vice president for FM3 (Los Angeles), a public policy research firm which surveyed 438 likely Redondo Beach voters. He concluded that a $98 million bond for police and fire department infrastructure could be successful – if Proposition 5 passes in November.
He named a potential challenge.
“(Redondo Beach) city government has positive ratings (from the public) but also a relatively low perception of need,” he said, regarding voters’ current belief in how much funding the city requires to bring its facilities up to a desired standard.
FM3 also asked about a hypothetical, expanded bond including city hall and Public Works yard improvements.
“An expanded bond does not seem viable at this time,” Sonenshei said.
Mayor Light said later that he was proud of the council for taking on the issue, and noted the financially-supportive comments from the public during recent hearings about keeping the fire department local, instead of contracting with the county.
“Now it’s time for the community to put their money where their mouth is,” the mayor said. ER
