BREA

Rather than hire a new firm, the City Council agreed Tuesday to allow Santa Monica-based KAKU Associates Inc. to continue providing analyses of parking in the downtown redevelopment area. The council voted 4 to 1 in favor of keeping KAKU and agreed to spend no more than $35,000 on the service. Councilman Steve Vargas cast the dissenting vote, saying he did not have confidence in the consulting group based on answers to some of his questions.