Speak out
Dear ER:
There’s something profoundly heartbreaking happening in our small Hermosa community—something that stands against the very values we all hold dear.
I want to be very clear: this letter is not about personal attacks. City Manager Suja Lowenthan has always been kind and respectful toward me. This is not about her character. It’s about her skill set and the broader culture that has grown around City Hall.
I believe Lowenthal is doing her best. But despite best efforts, the results have been disappointing: over-budget projects, controversial decisions, lawsuits, division among council members—both past and present—key employee turnover, and still no meaningful update to our long-overdue zoning code.
But this letter isn’t just about City Hall’s operational problems. It’s about something more troubling:
A cult-like atmosphere has formed around the City Manager’s office. In this environment, anyone who dares to question or critique City Hall is attacked, shut down, or silenced, especially on social media.
These have been basic, respectful questions. They deserve answers—not censorship. What makes the United States special isn’t just our wealth or our success—it’s our freedom of thought, our openness to diverse opinions. That’s what sets us apart from places like Russia or parts of the Middle East. When we allow only one narrative and silence other voices—not with debate, but with intimidation—we are betraying the very freedom we claim to stand for. Asking questions isn’t dangerous. Silencing them is.
The role of City Manager was never meant to be political, and it was never meant to be controversial. And yet, here we are—more divided than ever. You can choose to ignore it, stay quiet, and hope not to be targeted yourself. Or you can choose transparency, honesty, and fresh leadership. Let’s return to being a community that welcomes open dialogue, respects different views, and honors the freedom that makes us who we are.
Ed Hart
Hermosa Beach
Truth or consequences
Dear ER:
Our republic relies on the voters’ ability to separate fact from fiction. Hermosa Beach Mayor Dean Francois, Councilmember Michael Keegan, and a handful of detractors of Hermosa Beach City Manager Suja Lowenthal hope residents accept fiction as fact, as their recent claims about the city manager show.
Claim #1: Suja “has developed a culture more suitable to a large city …. [h]eavy on bureaucracy and staff,” with rising staff costs. Fact: Staff costs have risen because the City is fully staffing its Police, Fire, and Public Works departments for the first time in decades.
Claim #2: “The City has become business unfriendly.” Fact: The Chamber of Commerce has lauded its constructive partnership with the City. Sales tax receipts have risen under Lowenthal. Multiple studies of City policy show an environment in which businesses can (and do) thrive, and a recent informal survey showed downtown vacancies at a mere 4%.
Claim #3: Lowentha “allowed our ‘Housing Element’ to be delivered late to Sacramento.”
Fact: In the words of our longest-tenured Planning Commissioner, the State’s delay in approving the Housing Element was “not the fault of [City] staff.”
Claim #4: “Infrastructure projects are delivered years late and millions of dollars over budget,” citing just two projects.
Fact: The scope and schedule for the Clark Building and Park Restrooms – two of many infrastructure projects Public Works has completed – increased to ensure these projects deliver generational investments to your City infrastructure.
Claim #5: “Basic requirements like street paving and sewers are years behind.”
Fact: Prospect, Hermosa, and Pier Avenues were recently repaved, and further repaving projects, often coinciding with timely sewer repairs, are ongoing at a consistent pace.
Claim #6: Lowenthal “has brought in a stream of highly paid consultants.”
Fact: The City uses consultants to provide expertise on large projects at the same rate they have always been.
Claim #7: Suja “has plans for a $150 million new City Hall” and “you will be paying the bill.”
Fact: The City Council approved a community working group and public outreach and infrastructure consultants to consider improvements to core City facilities, and whether the improvements can be done at $0 cost to the City through a public-private partnership. There are no plans for a $150 million City Hall.
Claim #8: “The homeless problem in Hermosa Beach has not been tackled … effectively.”
Fact: The City developed a Homelessness Plan in 2018 after several public meetings and uses on-call mental health professionals, homeless court, police, and other services to keep you safe.
Claim #9: “The parking permit program has been botched.”
Facts: The City freed up parking for residents and visitors by eliminating unnecessary and fraudulently obtained permits. Residents continue to enjoy preferential street parking at nominal cost.
Other former City Councilmembers and I collectively served under four City Managers over several decades, from Steve Burrell to Lowenthal. We know the buck stops with the City Council, and we know Suja Lowenthal makes Hermosa better and should remain our City Manager.
Justin Massey
Hermosa Beach
What’s the plan
Dear ER:
Hermosa Beach Mayor Dean Francois —without a shred of transparency—has thrown Hermosa Beach, City Manager Suja Lowenthal and our dedicated city staff into unnecessary turmoil. Instability at the national level has trickled down to the city level. And he’s doing it during one of the busiest, most critical times for our city. His actions have sown confusion, wasted time and resources, and chipped away at the trust and morale of a staff that shows up every single day—ready to serve this community with pride. This is deeply damaging. And it’s all happening under the guise of “governance.”
So we have to ask: Did the Mayor ever sit down with the City Manager—the one employee the City Council is actually responsible for? Did he talk about her performance? About her goals? The challenges she’s facing? Or any improvements he hoped to see? Because that’s what real leadership looks like. That’s Leadership 101.
This community deserves honesty. Transparency. Real engagement. Not half-truths. Not personal vendettas. And not pressure from a small group that’s had the City Manager in their sights since day one.
Many of us have witnessed the hostility. We’ve read the emails. We’ve heard the comments—comments that were disrespectful, threatening, and at times, misogynistic and racially charged. That kind of behavior has no place in Hermosa Beach.
This isn’t about job performance. This is political maneuvering. And it’s putting real, measurable progress at risk.
Progress that—ironically—was celebrated just days ago by the Mayor himself during the State of the City. And progress that will be showcased during the upcoming Capital Improvement Study Session.
The City Manager and her team delivered a seamless State of the City. The Mayor praised her leadership. He couldn’t stop celebrating the city’s direction. He rightfully applauded our staff. He applauded everything Hermosa Beach has achieved.
Now—less than two weeks later—we’re watching a sudden, unjustified reversal. One that feels far less like accountability… and far more like retaliation.
And here’s the kicker: right after leading the charge to terminate the City Manager, the Mayor stepped back on that same stage—smiling for the crowd and the cameras—to recognize Congressman Ted Lieu for his support of two vital community programs: HB Cares and the Real Time Crime Center. Programs that wouldn’t exist without the leadership of the very City Manager he’s now targeting—and the hard work of our staff.
So again I ask—what changed?
Like many of you—and like the City Manager herself—we still don’t know. We’re all scratching our heads. Clueless.
So maybe it’s time for a real conversation about accountability. Because this city deserves leadership grounded in integrity, fairness, and facts. Not personal agendas. The Mayor cannot hide behind closed-door decisions and political spin—this community deserves answers in the light of day. And if the Mayor truly believes in transparency, he should be willing to look the City Manager in the eye, look the city staff in the eye, and look this community in the eye—and explain exactly why we’re here.
Because that is what real leadership looks like. Hermosa Beach deserves better. Much better.
Raymond Jackson
City Council
Hermosa Beach
Performance politics
Dear ER:
At the April 29 Hermosa Beach City Council meeting former members of our council, police officers and residents attended to show support for City Manager Suja Lowentha, who was scheduled for a performance review in closed session. We must continue to speculate as to the reasons for the turnout in support.
More important is the precedent this sets for future councils. Unfortunately, showing disrespect for council members is not an unusual occurrence if they’re not on the “in.” As for me, we spend too much money; we have a proposed 50-foot tall apartment building that must be stopped; we continue to spend money on consultants instead of using common sense; we don’t need a new Civic Center; we don’t need to be a Sanctuary City; we don’t need artificial grass made from oil; I don’t need an electric vehicle to replace my gas guzzler and we don’t need politicians who support schools at the expense of parental rights!
Gary Brown
Hermosa Beach
