RPVCCA_CC_SS_2013_04_16_02a_Renaming_Council_Chambers_In_Honor_Of_John_McTaggartCITY OF
MEMORANDUM
4o Rl\NCHO PALOS VERDES
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
REVIEWED:
HONORABLE MAYOR &CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
MAYOR PRO TEM JERRY V.DUHOVIC
APRIL 16,2013
RENAMING OF CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN HONOR
OF JOHN McTAGGART
CAROLYN LEHR,CITY MANAGER ~
RECOMMENDATION
1)As provided in the Council Rules of Procedure (Study Session 3.6),take action
this evening to:A)Approve the renaming of the Fred Hesse,Jr.Community Park
Multi-Purpose Room the John McTaggart Memorial Hall and Council
Chambers;B)Denote the new name with a tasteful placard at the entrance to
the chambers;and,C)Ensure that if and when the Council Chambers are ever
relocated,said Chambers will continue to be named in honor of Mr.McTaggart.
2)Alternatively,if Council decides to take no action at this time,direct staff to place
this item on the May 7,2013 Council agenda as a Regular Business item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mr.John McTaggert served the City of Rancho Palos Verdes with distinction in an
official capacity for twenty plus years,spanning over half of the entire time the City has
existed.Whether or not someone voted for Mr.McTaggart,supported him,or agreed
with his positions on the various issues,it is undeniable that his level of service and
devotion to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes was exemplary.He is clearly an example
of a true public servant..
In recognition of his service and significant contributions to our City,and for the fact that
I believe that it is highly unlikely that his level of official service will ever be matched in
the future,it is entirely appropriate for this Council to memorialize his service by naming
the Council Chambers in which he spent so much time in his honor.
SS2a-1
Renaming of City Council Chambers in Honor of John McTaggart
Page 2of4
April 16,2013
BACKGROUND
By way of background,Mr.McTaggart (August 13,1930-November 4,2009)
moved to the then unincorporated area of the Palos Verdes Peninsula (now
Rancho Palos Verdes)in 1962,.He was one of the Founders of our City.He
served as a PVP Advisory Council Board Member two years before the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes was incorporated.He was appointed by the first City
Council to the Planning Advisory Committee for two years and worked with the
RPV City Council on the subcommittees regarding the General Plan and the
Zoning Code.He also served as a member of the Planning Commission for eight
years,serving a term as Chairman.
Mr.McTaggart served on the RPV City Council for 20 years.During his 20 years of
Council ~ervice,he:
•Served as Mayor four times;
•Served as Mayor Pro Tem five times;
•Authored a landslide abatement grant bill in 1984 that netted $2 million.This bill
was co-authored by Jerry Felando and Bob Beverly;
•Was one of the authors of the Prop M View Ordinance;
•Negotiated the transfer of Shoreline Park from the County of Los Angeles to
Rancho Palos Verdes;
•Worked for the preservation of open space through the NCCP program;
•Along with Tom Hollingsworth and Supervisor Don Knabe,negotiated the
elimination of millions of dollars in Los Angeles County liens against residential
property owners;
•Served as a member of the RPV Cable Franchise Committee,establishing an
educational television channel;
•Served as a Board Member and President of the California Contract Cities
Association;
•Served as a Board Member of the Los Angeles County/City Liability Trust Fund
Oversight Committee;
•Served as SBCCOG Aviation Issues Committee Chair and member of the
Steering Committee;
•Served on the PV Transit Board;
•Served on the County Sanitation Districts #5 and South Bay Boards;
•Represented RPV on the MAX Transit Board;
SS2a-2
Renaming of City Council Chambers in Honor of John McTaggart
Page 3 of 4
April 16,2013
•Served on the SCAG Community Economic and Human Development
Committee,SCAG Growth Visioning subcommittee,and SCAG Water Issues
Task Force.
Outside of the city,but on behalf of the city,Mr.McTaggart was a:
•Member of the SCAQMD Advisory Council for 7-1/2 years;
•Board Member and past chairman of the California Marine Affairs and
Navigation Conference,(CMANC)a lobbying group for all of the ports and
harbors of California;
•Founder of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments and was Chair for
the first 2-1/2 years;
•Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Task Force Board Member/Alternate;
•Los Angeles County West Vector Control Board member for ten years;
•Vice chair of the MTA South Bay Sector Governance Council;
•Board Member of the Inland Empire Composting Authority that designed and
built the largest indoor composting plant on the West Coast;
•Founder and President of the Palos Verdes Village Homeowners
Association;
•Past President of the Palos Verdes Sunset Rotary;
•Docent member of Los Serenos de Point Vicente.
DISCUSSION
Per Council Policy Number 37,with respect to Individual/Organizational Recognition,
the naming of City facilities in honor of individuals or community organizations will be a
rare event,and will be considered under the following conditions:
1.The individual,a family or a community organization has made
exceptional contributions to the City,including one or more of the
following:a)financial gifts,b)public service as an elected official,c)public
service as a community volunteer,or d)long term sponsorship
agreements.
2.There should be a well-defined connection between the contributions of
the individual or community organization and the City facility.
3.The significance of the contribution from the individual/organization needs
to be evaluated in relation to the impact of the City facility.Individuals and
organizations that have made contributions of regional or community-wide
significance may be considered for naming of facilities that serve the
entire City.Individuals and organizations that have made significant
contributions to a particular area or neighborhood may be considered for
SS2a-3
Renaming of City Council Chambers in Honor of John McTaggart
Page 4 of 4
April 16,2013
the naming of facilities that serve these areas or neighborhoods within the
City,including recreational and other amenities within City parks.
4.When considering naming a City facility after an individual,a period of at
least three (3)years shall have passed following the death of such person
to allow perspective and an appropriate period of reflection.
5.Only a current Mayor or City Councilmember may nominate an individual
to have a City facility named in his or her honor,and the determination will
be made by the City Council.
I believe the renaming of the RPV City Council Chambers in memory of John
McTaggart meets all of the aforementioned conditions.
ALTERNATIVES
Take no ·action.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of approving the recommendation is minimal.The only cost should be
the cost of creating and mounting an appropriate placard.
SS2a-4