Letter to the Editor: A Good Shift on City Council

Dear Editor:

Newly elected Manhattan Beach City Council members Mark Burton and Tony D’Errico have added a much-needed increased maturity and leadership to the Manhattan Beach City Council, resulting in reestablishing the seat of public policy making from the city manager to the council.

Further, their presence is providing the opportunity for Council members Lesser, Howorth, and Powell to renew their commitment and competence towards achieving political accountability by demonstrating the will to overcome the prior failures of the previous council, many specifically resulting from the toxic effects of the now departed council members [Nick] Tell and Richard] Montgomery.

The failures include the demise of the much-proclaimed open government initiative, lack of civic engagement by residents as evidenced by a voter turnout in the last municipal election of only 21 percent and distrust of residents as substantiated by council’s fear of empowering us to significantly participate and make recommendations in such areas as labor relations, strategic planning, community development and budgeting.

Further, it failed to stem the tide of increased threats to our public safety and the growing alcohol and tobacco-related harms in our community. In addition, it failed its own mission statement of “preserving our small beach town character.” It failed to ensure management accountability by not obtaining the required adequate performance by city management.

In essence, the Manhattan Beach City Council will achieve political accountability to the extent it creates our government in the words of Abraham Lincoln as etched in our Civic Center Plaza: “Government of the People, By the People, For the People.”

Sincerely,
Edward C. Caprielian, Ph.D.
Manhattan Beach resident