Yesterday was the first official day of posting the MB City Council candidates who will be vying for your vote in November 2022. See list below.
Suzanne Hadley and Hildy Stern are running for re-election, but the others looking to unseat them are some of the old familiar faces getting back in the game.
Will MB see some fresh faces this year? New ideas and solutions are refreshing.
Our 5300+ MB subscribers are engaged and have been asking us election and campaign questions, so we will be covering the facts.
The deadline to throw your hat in the ring is August 12th. Contact the MB Clerk’s office at mbvote@manhattanbeach.gov for more information, or call (310) 802-5056.
A City Council Member’s primary responsibility is to represent the will of the residents and protect our city. But sometimes Council Members lose their way in the midst of their daily tasks and forget this American, self-governed principle. They need a gentle reminder. Open City Council meetings are one venue where residents can express their opinions and take their rightful role in public decision-making, while Council Members watch, listen, and respond accordingly (btw, the same principle holds true for our School Board).
Tonight, at 6:00 in City Hall (1400 Highland Ave.), residents are gathering and will be speaking publicly at the Council meeting about the erosion of the MB Fire Department and the impending danger of losing it to LA County.
MB Firefighters/Paramedics and Captains will also be speaking.
The decision to restore the Fire Department to its former place in providing the best services to our community is ultimately up to the residents it serves and the taxpayers footing the bill.
Attend, speak, and provide Council direction on this issue.
On July 22, the City plans to force more changes that will further erode the operations of the department and reduce the quality of our emergency services to the public. The Council should lift that date. Forcing controversial changes that affect public safety is unwise.
The Council Members are not experts in emergency medical and fire services, nor are they expected to be. Under a functioning department, they would rely on the Fire Chief who would be the leader of the department and an expert on management, operations, and communications. But he’s been largely absent, as have the past 4 Fire Chiefs hired by the City. The Firefighters and Captains, who are qualified and experienced to serve as the MB Fire Chief, have stepped up with solutions.
See yesterday’s newsletter for the 5-points from the department on how to immediately fix the problems. Click here:
New Idea: Residents with knowledge and passion to keep MB emergency medical and fire services the best available for our community, should consider forming a permanent Ad-Hoc Committee consisting of a few residents, a couple of members of the Fire Association, the Fire Chief, and a City Council member. The purpose is to prevent the demise of the Fire Department from ever happening again, bring ideas and solutions to issues that arise, and find additional ways to further engage the public about the services the MBFD provides and why it has been the country’s model FD.
As of Monday, July 18, 2022.
About MBStrong…
We are MB residents bringing common sense, not politics, to the conversation.
Email us your opinions, we love to hear from the residents: MBStrong2021@gmail.com.
