CC MINS 20180130 SPC MINUTES
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
JANUARY 30, 2018
CALL TO ORDER:
A Special meeting of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council was called to order by
Mayor Brooks at 6:08 P.M. at Fred Hesse Community Park, Fireside Room, 29301
Hawthorne Boulevard, notice having been given with affidavit thereto on file.
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Alegria, Cruikshank, Dyda, Duhovic, and Mayor Brooks
ABSENT: None
Also present were Doug Willmore, City Manager and Emily Colborn, City Clerk.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
City Clerk Colborn reported that there were no requests to speak.
REGULAR BUSINESS:
1. Interview Applicants for the Planning Commission.
Council Members interviewed the following applicants for the Planning Commission:
Evan R. Cole; Maureen Dowd; Hany Francis; David Jankowski; Tae-Yoon Kim; Allan
Ku; Jeanne Lacombe; Naresh Nakra; Stephen Perestam; Lan Saadatnejadi; Mathew
Vitalich.
No action was taken.
Mayor Brooks called for a brief recess at 7:06 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 7:14
P.M.
CLOSED SESSION ITEMS ANNOUNCED:
City Attorney Aleshire announced the items to be discussed in Closed Session.
1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
GC 54957
Title: City Attorney (Specialty position)
2. POTENTIAL LITIGATION AGAINST THE CITY
GC 54956.9(d)(2) and (e)(3)
A point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the local
agency on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and
City Council Minutes
Special Meeting
January 30, 2018
Page 1 of 3
circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the local agency,
based on email communications from Mr. Michael Huang to the City Attorney and
City Council, on miscellaneous dates including October 16, 2017, alleging that an
email sent by Mayor Campbell dated October 4, 2017, regarding the November 7,
2017 election, impugned Mr. Huang's character and damaged his reputation, and
demanding the City take an official position regarding the communication by Mayor
Campbell. Significant exposure to litigation is further based on a cease and desist
letter from Mr. Jeff Lewis to the City Attorney and City Clerk dated October 24, 2017,
alleging that the urgency item placed on the October 17, 2017 closed session
agenda, addressing Mr. Huang's communications as described herein, violated the
Brown Act. The communications from Mr. Huang and Mr. Lewis are available for
public inspection at the City Clerk's Office.
3. POTENTIAL LITIGATION AGAINST THE CITY
GC 54956.9(d)(2) and (e)(2)
A point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the local
agency on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and
circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the local agency,
based on a letter from Green Hills Memorial Park's attorney Ellen Berkowitz, dated
December 4, 2017, relating to potential California Public Records Act violations by
the City, former Mayor Brian Campbell, and Planning Commissioner David Tomblin.
The letter is available for public inspection at the City Clerk's Office.
4. POTENTIAL LITIGATION AGAINST THE CITY
GC 54956.9(d)(2) and (e)(2)
A point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the local
agency on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and
circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the local agency,
based on a letter from Green Hills Memorial Park's attorney Ellen Berkowitz, dated
December 21, 2017, regarding alleged bias against Green Hills by Planning
Commissioner David Tomblin, and specifically relating to alleged bias by
Commissioner Tomblin at a permit hearing on November 28, 2017 before the
Planning Commission; as well as a request for an investigation relating to alleged
suspected closed session leaks. The letter is available for public inspection at the
City Clerk's Office.
RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION:
At 8:13 P.M., the Council recessed to Closed Session.
RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION:
At 9:35 P.M., the Council reconvened the meeting to open session.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT:
City Council Minutes
Special Meeting
January 30, 2018
Page 2 of 3
City Attorney Aleshire reported that with regards to Closed Session items #1-4, matters
were discussed with no reportable action taken.
ADJOURNMENT:
At 9:36 P.M., Mayor Brooks adjourned to 5:30 P.M. on February 6, 2018, to conduct
interviews for the Planning Commission.
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City Council Minutes
Special Meeting
January 30, 2018
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