Feb-March Issue
Hermosa Beach "State of the City Address"
» Contributors »» Allison Salzman » Events »» Hermosa Beach
Published: 03/18/2010 by Allison Salzman
State of the City Address
Hermosa Beach, California
March 4, 2010
Hermosa Beach Mayor Michael DiVirgillio delivered the eighth annual “State of the City Address” on March 4 to a crowd of over 50 people clustered into a conference room at The Beach House Inn. The Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitorʼs Bureau hosted this event. Almost all types of community members were represented, from educators to city officials to residents.
Hermosa Beach is small, only 1.3 square mile, and DiVirgillio opened his address with a challenge to this small town to become a leader within the Los Angeles South Bay Area.
The main point of his speech was that, despite threats and economic hardship, Hermosa is poised to become a leader and innovator for the Beach Cities because of its nimble economic situation and its close-knit community.
He spent the first part of his speech discussing the Hermosaʼs 12 year lawsuit with McPherson Oil Company. He announced that the city lost appellate court appeal, but that “if push comes to shove, we are going to fight this thing until the end.”
The lawsuit began in 1992 when the city violated a contract with McPherson about the right to drill on Valley Blvd., which runs through the center of town. DiVirgillio said he understands why that contract was breeched, and that the residents have a right to stand up for themselves. Moreover, he is hopeful, because the appellate court ordered that the case be heard in front of a jury, and that the subject of drilling safety be put on the table.
“The residents in the future will look back at these years - look back on this trial weʼve been going through for decades - and actually recognize that our community is better off for it,” he said. DiVirgillio estimates that Steve Burrell, the city manager, spends 20 to 40 percent of his time in the McPherson case, and expressed the need to solve the problem “smartly.”
He then moved on to discuss the School District, praising the dedicated parents, who raise at least 10 percent of the schools budget. He briefly described Project Forward, a new initiative to integrate city and school board efforts.
The Hermosa Beach city budget, he noted, has suffered similarly to all the other Beach Cities: revenue has decreases and costs have gone up. However, he also noted that since the recession struck, this fiscal year is the first year that Hermosa has seen a decrease in budgetary allowance. Hermosa is heavily residential, and therefore not dependent on sales tax. It is not highly impacted from the loss or gain of itʼs businesses.
In order to rectify this yearʼs decrease, DiVirgillio proposed several measures. He suggested the first ever property tax decrease, coupled with a hiring freeze in city employment, a fire department consolidation, an increase in grant requests, and a re-evaluation of the pension system.
He then spent the last half of his address discussing infrastructure and innovation. Hermosa Beach generates a lot of its annual income in grant money from other government agencies and has generated more than $ 2.5 million in stimulus packages.
DeVirgillio gave a special mention to the storm water infiltration system, in its trial phase currently. If the system can successfully filter storm drain run-off before it is dumped into the ocean, then it will be implemented in other cities as well.
He also mentioned the Police Volunteer Program, which allows community members to volunteer hours to help the police force manage less high-profile police “beets,” such as traffic control.
He praised the efforts of the Hermosa Mural Project, a brand new innovation. The project leaders are raising money to beautify the city with murals and paintings.
He then turned to the cityʼs environmental goals. He announced that City Council has set a goal of carbon neutrality. The Green Task force routinely offers advice and policy change suggestions to city council about “going green.”
City Council will also launch it first Economic Development Project, an enterprise that will assess how to best stimulate the local economy and attract businesses that are friendly to the environment. The city will favor new businesses that employ solar and wind power. “The idea is to watch our energy output rigorously and do everything we can to produce energy,” he said.
DeVirgillio concluded his “State of the City Address” with thanks and recognition to numerous service clubs and businesses. “It is a pleasure to be your mayor,” he concluded. “There is nothing that could make me more proud than being the mayor of Hermosa Beach.”
Hermosa Beach is small, only 1.3 square mile, and DiVirgillio opened his address with a challenge to this small town to become a leader within the Los Angeles South Bay Area.
The main point of his speech was that, despite threats and economic hardship, Hermosa is poised to become a leader and innovator for the Beach Cities because of its nimble economic situation and its close-knit community.
He spent the first part of his speech discussing the Hermosaʼs 12 year lawsuit with McPherson Oil Company. He announced that the city lost appellate court appeal, but that “if push comes to shove, we are going to fight this thing until the end.”
The lawsuit began in 1992 when the city violated a contract with McPherson about the right to drill on Valley Blvd., which runs through the center of town. DiVirgillio said he understands why that contract was breeched, and that the residents have a right to stand up for themselves. Moreover, he is hopeful, because the appellate court ordered that the case be heard in front of a jury, and that the subject of drilling safety be put on the table.
“The residents in the future will look back at these years - look back on this trial weʼve been going through for decades - and actually recognize that our community is better off for it,” he said. DiVirgillio estimates that Steve Burrell, the city manager, spends 20 to 40 percent of his time in the McPherson case, and expressed the need to solve the problem “smartly.”
He then moved on to discuss the School District, praising the dedicated parents, who raise at least 10 percent of the schools budget. He briefly described Project Forward, a new initiative to integrate city and school board efforts.
The Hermosa Beach city budget, he noted, has suffered similarly to all the other Beach Cities: revenue has decreases and costs have gone up. However, he also noted that since the recession struck, this fiscal year is the first year that Hermosa has seen a decrease in budgetary allowance. Hermosa is heavily residential, and therefore not dependent on sales tax. It is not highly impacted from the loss or gain of itʼs businesses.
In order to rectify this yearʼs decrease, DiVirgillio proposed several measures. He suggested the first ever property tax decrease, coupled with a hiring freeze in city employment, a fire department consolidation, an increase in grant requests, and a re-evaluation of the pension system.
He then spent the last half of his address discussing infrastructure and innovation. Hermosa Beach generates a lot of its annual income in grant money from other government agencies and has generated more than $ 2.5 million in stimulus packages.
DeVirgillio gave a special mention to the storm water infiltration system, in its trial phase currently. If the system can successfully filter storm drain run-off before it is dumped into the ocean, then it will be implemented in other cities as well.
He also mentioned the Police Volunteer Program, which allows community members to volunteer hours to help the police force manage less high-profile police “beets,” such as traffic control.
He praised the efforts of the Hermosa Mural Project, a brand new innovation. The project leaders are raising money to beautify the city with murals and paintings.
He then turned to the cityʼs environmental goals. He announced that City Council has set a goal of carbon neutrality. The Green Task force routinely offers advice and policy change suggestions to city council about “going green.”
City Council will also launch it first Economic Development Project, an enterprise that will assess how to best stimulate the local economy and attract businesses that are friendly to the environment. The city will favor new businesses that employ solar and wind power. “The idea is to watch our energy output rigorously and do everything we can to produce energy,” he said.
DeVirgillio concluded his “State of the City Address” with thanks and recognition to numerous service clubs and businesses. “It is a pleasure to be your mayor,” he concluded. “There is nothing that could make me more proud than being the mayor of Hermosa Beach.”
Photo Gallery
