The City of Redondo Beach announced on Tuesday that lease terms had been agreed upon that will allow it to relocate its Recreation and Community Services Department to Artesia Boulevard.
The agreement, finalized in the City Council’s closed session Tuesday night, is a nine year lease with two five year extensions. The city will pay $17,400 per month for the 8,400 square-foot building that was formerly the Cotton Shop. According to City Manager Bill Workman, the city will move about 30 employees into the building, including a small police substation meant to better enable the city to monitor ongoing issues in North Redondo.
“The location of the building adjacent to the new North Branch Library gives the City a strong presence on Artesia in North Redondo Beach,” Workman said in a statement.
“It’s a great accomplishment for North Redondo, and for the City,” said Councilman Steve Diels, whose district includes Artesia.
The city had paid $302,000 annually for the RBUSD property at 320 Knob Hill. The two parties negotiated unsuccessfully for the last three years to come to new lease terms on the building.
“All we’ve been looking for is market rate, and we got it,” Diels said.
The city takes possession of the building on Jan. 1 and expects to complete improvements and move in by June. Prior to Tuesday’s agreement, the city had planned to move from Knob Hill to trailers on its own property at Aviation Park.
All mail-in election
The City Council Tuesday night approved an all-mail March 8 election. City Clerk Eleanor Manzano made the recommendation, which will save the city an estimated $40,000 and includes canceling the “city” portion of the election. The election will be the first in the city’s history conducted in this manner.
The filing date for the election was Dec. 10, and no candidates filed to run against the four incumbent municipal candidates in the city. Councilmen Pat Aust and Matt Kilroy ran unopposed, as did the city clerk and City Treasurer Ernie O’Dell. The race for two open seats on the Redondo Beach Unified School District attracted three candidates: Anita Avrick, Arda Clark, and Laura Emdee.
Mayor Mike Gin expressed support for the all-mail election but urged the city clerk’s office to aggressively market the change in procedures.
“I think if we were going to try an all-mail ballot, this would probably be the election to do it,” Gin said. “…I just want to make sure – this is a major change, and we need to make sure this goes over as smoothly as possible and make sure to the greatest extent possible we do not alienate people from voting and make it as easy as possible.”
Councilman Bill Brand emphasized that the election passes state election code muster and saves the city money in a difficult financial time.
“There is only one race that is any contest here and everyone is going to get a ballot and it will save $40,000,” Brand said.
Ballots will be mailed out the first week of February, Manzano said. Additionally, postcard reminders will be sent out later in the month, notifying voters there will be no precinct polling stations. Voters must turn in their ballots by March 8. The City Clerk’s office will serve as a de facto polling station on Election Day, as voters can still come to the office, fill out a ballot, and turn it in that day.
“It’s really not all mail – it’s mail, or come in to one polling place that is open,” said Diels.
School board candidate Emdee told the council she approved of the change because of the cost savings the city would realize.
“Anytime we can save money, I have to agree with the city clerk,” Emdee said. “I am fine with it.” ER
