MB Weekly 10/17/2024

MB WEEKLY – AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH: MB Salaries – Epilogue
by Paul Wafer (Manhattan Beach)

MBW An Inconvenient Truth

I hope the newly elected council members and whoever is hired as the new city manager will consider reducing costs versus advocating for increased taxes. We need to reduce the number of full-time employees and restructure some salaries. Let’s take a look at a few areas of possible savings.

The HR Department manages 558 full-time (328) and part-time/seasonal (230) positions. For this relatively small number of positions, they have a Director, Manager, Executive Assistant, Office Assistant, a Senior Analyst, a Risk Manager, and three technicians with a total price tag of $1,397,352. By comparison, Redondo Beach has 794 full- and part-time positions, including one director, two analysts, one technician, and two office assistants. Their total price tag is $646,580, less than half the cost of MB. We can indeed find “savings” in our HR Department.

The City Clerk position has a total compensation package of $296,905. In addition, there is an assistant city clerk with a total compensation package of $166,603, for a total cost of $463,508. The City of Redondo Beach has a City Clerk with compensation of $208,996 and a whole and part-time Deputy City Clerk at a combined $136,343 for a total cost of $345,419, over $100,000 less. We can indeed find “savings” in the City Clerk’s Office.

Manhattan Beach has an Urban Forester with a total compensation of $143,151. No other local city has this position. Shouldn’t this be contracted on an “as needed” basis?

The city should also look at “outsourcing” some city jobs. Mayor Franklin stated that hiring engineers it saved the city money. Does that savings include pension obligation costs? What is the incremental savings? We can eliminate the additional costs for pensions and benefits by contracting and outsourcing some positions.

This is not a complete list, but I believe these are examples of the many opportunities within the city to reduce costs without additional taxes. As stated in my initial comparison, if Manhattan Beach’s average compensation was the same as El Segundo’s, we could save over $8 million annually. We are not lean by any means.

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MB WEEKLY – EXCLUSIVE VIDEO:
Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival

Manhattan Beach Food & Wine Festival Video Link:
https://youtu.be/dI3KrpeH5tM


MB WEEKLY – NO REPLY:

Four candidates for the Manhattan Beach City Council have failed to respond to inquiries about their attendance at City Council meetings over the past four years. *Karen Komatinsky, *Joe Marcy, *Brenda O’Leary, and *Nina Tarnay didn’t reply when MB Weekly asked (twice) about their participation at City Council meetings over the last four years. Since current Mayor Joe Franklin and Steve Charelian were required to attend as part of their duties, they were exempt from the question. MB Weekly believes transparency is crucial in public service, and residents have the right to know whether candidates refused to respond.


MB WEEKLY:
The Faces of Manhattan Beach
Luke Olesiuk, M.Ed.
(Principal MB Middle School)

Q: WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
A: I was born in Sonora, CA – a small town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California near Yosemite National Park.

Q: HOW DID YOU FIRST MAKE YOUR WAY TO MANHATTAN BEACH?
A: I joined the MBMS team in August of 2022 as a Vice Principal.

Q: WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN SCHOOL?
A: In college, I majored in Liberal Studies/Teacher Education and minored in Mathematics along with earning my teaching credential. I also earned my Master’s degree in School Leadership along with my Administrative Services Credential.

Q: WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF RUNNING THE MANHATTAN BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL IN A POST-COVID WORLD?
A: At MBMS, we always want to keep improving academically and socially, so a continuing challenge in my role as principal post-COVID is working hard to ensure our staff and students have the tools and resources they need to meet the needs of every student every day.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR BEST ADVICE TO PARENTS OF MIDDLE SCHOOLERS?
A: My best advice is to stay connected with your children through whatever methods work best for you and your family. This can be a chat about what happened at school during the carpool home, asking open-ended questions during dinner, or setting a day during the week to review grades and assignments. Middle school students are starting to mature and this means that the relationship between parents and child(ren) is changing, but the parent/child(ren) bond can and should still remain strong even if it might look different than in elementary school.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME?
A: I am a huge Harry Potter fan! I love re-watching the original movies and can’t wait for the extended re-make to come out in 2026!

www.MBMSWaves.com


Meet The New Mayor Of Manhattan Beach:

Newly appointed Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Thomas Howorth, October 15, 2024 to August 5, 2025. Her Council Term expires in December of 2026.


Slay Italian Kitchen:

“Crafted with passion, served with love, our dough is hand formed & fermented for at least 48 hours.”

www.SlayItalianKitchen.com


MB WEEKLY – READER POLL:
3% Of Kids Report Using Adderall – Is It Time To Rethink ADHD Treatment?

According to the latest MB Weekly Reader Poll, 3% of students in grades 8, 10, and 12 have used Adderall within the past year. While this figure may seem small, it reflects a significant reality: many of these children are diagnosed with ADHD and rely on the medication as prescribed. The data highlights the delicate balance between the necessity of Adderall for managing ADHD and the potential for misuse in academic environments. Experts urge parents and educators to stay informed and engaged about children’s ADHD diagnoses and treatments. As public awareness of ADHD continues to grow, discussions about its treatments, such as Adderall, are increasingly important.

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MB WEEKLY – COMMENTARY:
by Sharon Arias (Manhattan Beach)

Contrary to what Manhattan Beach bond tax measure RLS proponents are saying, it is a new tax that WILL raise taxes and will increase annually. Per the ballot, it is a NEW tax (even though it replaces an existing tax about to expire) of $32 per $100,000 assessed property valuation. It WILL increase by 2% per year (as property valuations increase per Proposition 13). Most importantly, this proposed bond tax will NEVER expire. Previously, their proposed Measure MB tax was overwhelmingly rejected by voters. Vote NO on RLS!

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MB WEEKLY – ENDORSEMENTS:

** There are a number of well qualified candidates running for Manhattan Beach City Council. You should vote for candidates who have a record of community volunteer service, diverse experience and fresh ideas to improve our community. Don’t be swayed by candidates who have numerous campaign signs illegally on city property and vacant lots or who run numerous slick ads and mailers with the usual rhetoric and empty promises. As a former two-term Manhattan Beach Mayor and current Los Angeles County Commissioner, I urge everyone to do their due diligence and research candidates for all offices and especially the ballot propositions. Most importantly, you vote in elections periodically, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in. —- Wayne Powell (Los Angeles County Commissioner / Former Manhattan Beach Mayor/Councilmember)

** I am endorsing Mayor Joe Franklin and Steve Charelian for Manhattan Beach City Council. —- Mike Michalski

** I would like our next City Council to explore the merits of adopting a City Charter, so our City can have maximum local control of land use, zoning and other municipal affairs. We can no longer afford to be a general law city that is legally bound to follow all state laws. Also, with pension debt at $80 million and unfunded pension liability at $28 million, I would like our next City Council to examine reducing staffing and salaries with a goal of reducing the $108 million in pension debt/unfunded liability. Finally, I would like our next City Council to declare a moratorium on all new City buildings in Polliwog Park. “Hometown” Joe Marcy has promised to strongly support all three! That’s why he is my #1 Choice. Brenda O’Leary also supports all three and she would also be a welcome addition with her private sector finance expertise. For me, these two are the “gotta haves” for strong leadership in a new Council. Of course, Joe Franklin is our community’s best cheerleader who always shows up. The final three candidates are all qualified. Two are associated with our schools. I like to separate our schools and City allegiances. The final candidate is our former Finance Director who is a fine fellow who did a disastrous job as Finance Director including being the champion of the City issuing $91 million in pension debt resulting in our City paying $5.5 million for a total of 22 years and our per capita debt going from $500 to $3,000. —- Mark Burton (Former Mayor of Manhattan Beach)

** I am open to vote for Nina – she seems a reasonable woman. As a moderate voter, I do have some questions for her though. ONE: I have read the appeal to Manhattan Beach voters you posted 4 years ago. You asked them to vote against MBUSD Board candidates that you called “conservatives” and that you wrote “represented a threat to our school district.” Do you think you can represent also constituents who are “conservatives” and why do you consider being conservative a “threat”? TWO: You promise to be fiscally prudent. Still you supported and campaigned for Measure A, which was not fiscally prudent and was rejected by the majority of MB residents. Given this past support, why should we trust your promise? THREE: You wrote the following about the people who were against Measure A “these are the same folks who have lead the no mask, no vaccine, no CRT ‘Critical Race Theory’ movement.” Given that the majority of the MB residents rejected Measure A, do you stand by those derogatory comments? Since you were in favor of CRT in our schools, do you plan to implement CRT principles in the government of our city? —- Lucia La Rosa (Manhattan Beach)


MB WEEKLY – LENS:

Even our cute furry friends read MB Weekly. Feel free to send your photo to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net


MB WEEKLY – COMMENTARY:
by Lee Phillips (Manhattan Beach)

Proposition 36 offers a common-sense solution to California’s intertwined crises of crime, homelessness, and addiction. Overdose is now the leading cause of death among Californians aged 15-44, and homelessness has surged, with drug abuse and mental health issues playing significant roles. Proposition 47’s reduction of drug and property crimes to misdemeanors removed vital tools for enforcing accountability. Prop 36 aims to reverse these trends by mandating addiction treatment for offenders and imposing stricter penalties on repeat criminals. It’s a practical, nonpartisan solution supported by law enforcement, crime victims, and community leaders to reclaim our streets and protect lives. Vote YES on Prop 36.

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MB WEEKLY – MEET:
Meet Ingo (Manhattan Beach)
YES OR NO QUESTIONS

  • Have you smoked at least one cigarette in the last year? YES
  • Have you ever been river rafting? HELL, YES
  • Do you think tattoos are tacky? YES
  • Are you in favor of the proposed sales tax increase in Manhattan Beach? F—K NO!
  • Did you watch any of the Olympics on TV? NO
  • Have you ever kissed a married man? SADLY, I HAVE
  • Have you ever gone to a Manhattan Beach City Council meeting? NO
  • Do you have a Manhattan Beach library card? YES
  • Have you ever visited New York City? YES

MBW CONSUMER REPORT

If crime in the area is really down, then why are these signs all over the CVS stores in Manhattan Beach. Please share your comment: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net (Maximum 100 words)


MB WEEKLY – COMMENTARY:
by Fred Taylor (Manhattan Beach)

Historically, most of us vote the way our parents voted. We vote ‘party’ election after election. And I submit that’s why we’re experiencing a dysfunction in our governance. In a recent public gathering, Al Muratsuchi boasted about his bill, AB 1825. This will take school library authority out of the hands of school districts and put the state in control… That’s because “Many schools refused Gender Queer” [a porn comic novel]… and Al wants our kids to have access to it. How does this happen? Far too many of us vote ‘party’ over policy. At a fundraiser just the other night for a CC candidate, the gracious host, a legal immigrant of many years, testified she was a lifelong Democrat, and now she is voting for policies that promote ‘American Values’ [my term] and no longer an obligatory “D” ticket. Do we want open borders, human trafficking, a war on fossil fuel, a weaponized D.O.J. & F.B.I., deadly healthcare mandates, and soaring gov’t spending giving rise to costly & unaffordable inflation? We can’t sustain these policies in the long term. I LOVE America more than I hate the mean tweets… vote for policies that bless our nation and not curse it!

Agree? Disagree? Please share your comment: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net (Maximum 100 words)


Sloopy’s Beach Cafe:

French Toast Sprinkled With Powdered Sugar
www.SloopysBeachCafe.com


Ex-LA Kings Coach Todd McLellan Has Listed His Manhattan Beach Property For $9 Million:

A home owned by former Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan was put on the market for just under $9 million, and the posting shows it is under contract. Six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a basement cinema and gaming room with a wet bar make up the 6,312-square-foot house. McLellan acquired the new home in June 2019 for $6.772 million. The house is in the Hill Section, a wealthy neighborhood with contemporary mansions on large acres. The listing is by Bayside’s Bryn Stroyke.


MB WEEKLY – LENS:

Welcome to the newest MBPD officer. Recently, Chief Johnson swore in Officer Chang. Feel free to send your photo to: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net


Dive N’ Surf:

When you purchase any full price full wetsuit from our shop you get a free Dakine poncho with it.
www.DiveNSurf.com


MBW CRIME

Manhattan Beach Crime Summary
October 3 to October 9, 2024

  • 812 Service Requests
  • 14 Arrests
  • 18 Traffic Accidents
  • 47 Reported Crimes

Notable Events:
** A suspect took a leaf blower, charger, and battery from the LA County Beaches and Harbor office in the 3600 block of The Strand between October 1 and 2. Authorities found no forced entry.

** Between 7 and 8:30 p.m. on October 4, police responded to a house burglary in the 1200 block of 9th Street. A burglar broke a first-floor window to enter and ransack numerous bedrooms. Stolen items included jewelry, purses, and watches.

** Police responded to a house burglary in progress in the 400 block of Chabella Drive early October 8. The culprits escaped before police arrived, but detectives spotted a door forced open. A 500-pound gun safe with many guns was taken, police said.

** Police responded to a triggered burglary alarm at Jiffy Lube in the 1100 block of Sepulveda Boulevard on October 9. According to video surveillance, A motorcyclist broke the glass garage bay doors and stole tools.


MB Weekly:

“Once A Week, But Never Weakly”

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MBW QUIZ
How Well Do You Know Manhattan Beach?

Q1: How many feet above sea level is Manhattan Beach?
A. 1,050 feet \  B. 120 feet \  C. 55 feet

Q2: What is the average annual rainfall in Manhattan Beach?
A. 22.78 inches \  B. 2.2 inches \  C. 12.07 inches

Q3: Average summer temperature in Manhattan Beach?
A. 85º F \  B. 70º F \  C. 110º F

ANSWERS:
Q1: Elevation: 120 feet above sea level.
Q2: Rainfall: Average annual rainfall of 12.07 inches.
Q3: Temperature: Average temperature is 70º F in summer.


MBW Bulletin Board


1. ** Mayor Franklin’s nonsensical response to the obscenely high Manhattan Beach salaries was embarrassing. What a hack. —- Jennifer G., Manhattan Beach

2. ** Part-Time (Flexible hours) MB Weekly is looking for a part-time, flexible-hours advertising salesperson for South Bay’s largest digital publication. Approximately 10 hours a week. If you’re interested, please write to us at —- MB Weekly: MBWeekly@TimeWire.net

3. ** Mayor Franklin’s response to the article on outrageous Manhattan Beach salaries was embarrassing weak, lacked substance, and relied on empty platitudes. Balancing the budget is like protecting your virtue: sometimes, you must say no. Fiscal responsibility demands tough decisions, not vague reassurances or less than half-hearted defenses. —- Steve C., Manhattan Beach

4. ** Dr. Adwani, M.D., in Manhattan Beach, is an outstanding physician known for his exceptional care and dedication to his patients. Though appointments are hard to secure due to his popularity, the wait is undoubtedly worth it. I praise his expertise, compassionate approach, and attention to detail, making him a standout doctor in the community. —- Layla C., Manhattan Beach

5. ** City of Torrance. Everyone now dumps trash here. —- Hal K., Manhattan Beach

6. ** Please explain why individuals believe I want to hear their YouTube while having breakfast, lunch, or supper at a restaurant. Why do they not use earphones? —- Lesley Z., Manhattan Beach

7. ** See where the Uber driver is heading and verify your receipt afterward. I have been scammed twice. —- Michael U., Manhattan Beach

8. ** We expected Hamas to try to kill Jews. We didn’t expect Americans to celebrate when they did. —- Mike M., Manhattan Beach

9. ** My company is at 505 N Sepulveda Blvd. Please be informed that our building has had three break-ins in the previous five days. But do not worry; “crime is down.” Yeah, right! —- Yolanda W., Manhattan Beach

10. ** Manhattan Beach needs a unique politician. Our community is in dire financial shape. Thanks, Bruce and Steve. —- Holland T., Manhattan Beach

11. ** Kamala doesn’t require teleprompter for first time ever while going on sex podcast. —- Gallagher T., Manhattan Beach

12. ** Calling Spectrum for customer service makes my soul feel as it has been pierced with a knife. —- Angela L., Manhattan Beach

13. ** Disneyland ticket price increase breaks through the $200 barrier. The company also hikes Magic Key annual pass prices by 6% to 20%. F—k them! —- Kimberly S., Manhattan Beach

14. ** Today, I picked up my dry laundry at Strand Dry Cleaners and found it was closed. I was never contacted to pick up my clothing. —- Samantha G., Manhattan Beach

15. ** Democrats perplexed why candidate nobody ever voted for is slipping in the polls. Yikes. —- Rebecca G., Manhattan Beach

16. ** Manhattan Beach backyard camera caught a coyote around 5 AM in the 1700 block of 11th Street. —- Howie T., Manhattan Beach

17. ** Why do so many women wear giant eyeglasses? —- Hunter T., Manhattan Beach

18. ** Food quality at Islands in Manhattan Beach makes Denny’s look like The Four Seasons. —- Dabney C., Manhattan Beach

19. ** Gascon is a dead man walking. —- Lawrence G., Manhattan Beach

20. ** Find YOUR Why —- www.MichaelLevineConsutlting.com

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