Culver City : Agenda Compromise OKd

The City Council may have quelled a battle between slow-growth advocates and the rapid-development council majority Monday night when it unanimously approved a measure that allows items to be placed on the agenda for discussion by a single member.

The measure was introduced two weeks ago by Councilmen Steven Gourley and Jim Boulgarides. They contended that because it took majority approval to place an item on the council agenda, either for discussion or action, their slow-growth issues were never up for discussion. At that meeting, their proposed measure was opposed vehemently by Mayor Paul Jacobs and council members Jozelle Smith and Mike Balkman.

The opposing trio said that items not on the agenda could be discussed at the end of council meetings.

But Gourley said it was important to place items on the agenda before the council meetings in order to let “the public know what we’re trying to discuss.”

The five members agreed to a compromise, suggested by Chief Administrative Officer Jody Hull-Esser, that allows an item to be placed on the agenda for discussion but not for action.

Balkman insisted that the reasons for the measure were “purely political.”

Gourley retorted: “To oppose something on this council because it’s political is like a swimmer opposing something because it’s wet.”