Hermosa Beach City Council Voting Record
Kit Bobko & Michael Divirgilio are the dissenting votes or absent for all of these City Council Meeting votes?
1) Voted 3-2 No on Outsourcing Parking Meters
1) Voted 3-2 No on Outsourcing Parking Meters
2) Voted 3-2 Yes Hiring Tom Bakaly as new City Manager
3) Voted 3-2 Yes to Ban Polystyrene
4) Voted 4-1 Yes Banning Smoking on Strand & Pier Plaza
5) Voted 4-0 Yes (Bobko Absent) Banning Smoking on Beaches
6) Voted 3-2 Yes Approval of Bank of American Banking contract
6) Voted 3-2 No Suspend City Treasurer Cohn who was a victim of extortion.
The City Council seems to have a clear divide on most voting issues in recent months as described above. However, I often have to scratch my head to understand the logic behind some of the dissenting votes in recent months. Bobko and Divirgilio are clearly working as a team and it all seemed to culminate immediately after both launched a PR campaign to promote their oil settlement. The big question is: Why were the two of these guys negotiating our oil settlement deal together? Shouldn't they have had Duclos, Fishman or Tucker in the room negotiating? Neither Bobko or Divirgilio own a home in Hermosa Beach. It would have been impossible for a third City Councilman to participate in the negotiations because it would have been in violation of the Brown Act. Were the residents represented properly? I don't think so. What business, lobbyists or people are motivating these two individuals to make make their voting decisions or press their unpopular agendas?
4) Voted 4-1 Yes Banning Smoking on Strand & Pier Plaza
5) Voted 4-0 Yes (Bobko Absent) Banning Smoking on Beaches
6) Voted 3-2 Yes Approval of Bank of American Banking contract
6) Voted 3-2 No Suspend City Treasurer Cohn who was a victim of extortion.
Oil Drilling Settlement Negotiations
The City Council seems to have a clear divide on most voting issues in recent months as described above. However, I often have to scratch my head to understand the logic behind some of the dissenting votes in recent months. Bobko and Divirgilio are clearly working as a team and it all seemed to culminate immediately after both launched a PR campaign to promote their oil settlement. The big question is: Why were the two of these guys negotiating our oil settlement deal together? Shouldn't they have had Duclos, Fishman or Tucker in the room negotiating? Neither Bobko or Divirgilio own a home in Hermosa Beach. It would have been impossible for a third City Councilman to participate in the negotiations because it would have been in violation of the Brown Act. Were the residents represented properly? I don't think so. What business, lobbyists or people are motivating these two individuals to make make their voting decisions or press their unpopular agendas?
Outsourcing Parking Meters vs Replacing With Credit Card Machines
Kit made faulty parallel assumptions that it works for Newport Beach, why not in Hermosa? His PR was recognized in the national media blaming $100,000 meter maids as the problem? Why did Kit conveniently leave out that installing credit card machines would have $0 cost to the city and would be profitable immediately. This does not require outsourcing. So, what his suggestion to outsource politically motivated or does he have the best interest of our city at heart? Does he or his law firm RWG have any political ties to the large outsourcing firms that manage parking meters? Does Kit once again have a conflict of interest he would like to explain? Was he motivated to get a "deal" in return for some political donations down the road.
Kit routinely makes statements and negotiates deals that are not backed with any financial analysis. Kit also does not appear to see the big financial picture or have a cohesive fiscal strategy as it relates to the affect on the community. Kit is not a property owner and has no skin in the game. He simply seems to look for revenue opportunities or ways to save money to further his political platform. I wish Kit would simply more rational decision based on what is right for the community and not based a political ideology. I am a conservative voter and thinker myself, however, I don't agree with much Kit's thinking or ideas as they pertain to what is best for our community.
Councilmen Howard Fishman said the city should move immediately on replacing coin-operated meters with credit card parking meters to solve 90% of the problems. City Treasurer wrote a memorandum to the council encouraging the installation of credit card-accepting meters as other municipalities have done in order to increase funds and efficiency. “With credit card meters, revenue goes up overnight,” Pete Tucker said. Former Police Chief Greg Savelli, who now runs the parking enforcement department of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, also spoke against outsourcing, saying the service the officers provide “goes beyond the balance sheet.”
“What we have now is fantastically expensive,” Kit Bobko said who seems adamant about cutting costs and saving money no matter what the outcome. Outsourcing to save money or outsourcing to generate (oil drilling) is going to be a common platform for Kit to propel himself to a higher political office. Kit gave no credible financial arguments justifying his outsourcing position.
Hiring Hermosa Beach City Manager Tom Bakaly
"First, let me say that I think without question that Tom was an impressive dude, and I think that he provides a lot of earned and demonstrated skills that meet our needs and that match quite nicely with our uniqueness," said Councilman Michael DiVirgilio. Council votes 3-2.
"In Hermosa Beach, we're whistling past the graveyard because we are not having any financial troubles yet,” Bobko said. “We weren't going to stand firm and ask of our leader, the person who is in charge of our city's staff, to do what we want the staff to do, which is to pay for his own first contribution. That is deeply disappointing and I think a failure of leadership for this council…
I don't think either of these guys have much experience running a business or hiring and firing people. My philosophy has always been to hire the best CEO you can get and pay him top dollar. There are a lot of problems in the City right now and we need a strong, competent, financially oriented person to do the job. I am confident Tom Bakaly was a great hire and will help turn the City around that has been neglected in many areas.
Banning Polystyrene in Hermosa Beach
Bobko and Divirgilio have been routinely voting together. Bobko is a Registered Republican and Divirgilio seems to be a Democrat having worked for Jane Harmon. However, the two of them seem to be singing to the same song when it comes to local voting matters. They also don't seem to be able to sway the other 3 council members very often on their views. Both Bobko and Divirgilio were dissenting votes (3-2_ as well on Hermosa Beach polystyrene ban. This was shocking since Michael Divirgilio once led the Green Task Force in Hermosa Beach and pounded the table in his campaign about a City that needs to become "carbon neutral".
Banning Smoking on Strand, Pier Plaza & Beaches
It goes without saying who was the lone voter in the 4-1 vote to ban smoking on the Pier and Stand. Kit Bobko does not support banning smoking on the Pier or Strand. Kit Bobko was also conveniently absent for the 4-0 that banned smoking on the beaches. Does he have your health at interest or his political views?
Hermosa Beach Renegotiates Banking Contract First Time Ever Recorded
Bobko and Divirgilio Accuse Treasurer Cohn of Sloppy Non-Transparent Work?
Sloppy? Transparency? Do Mr. Divirgilio and Mr. Bobko have a personal issue with Treasurer Cohn? Aren't they being hypocritical about the City Treasurer lacking transparency in the bank bidding process of 12 banks? Correct me if I am wrong but you are the same to 2 councilmen that negotiated a $17.5M settlement with any transparency and 1 oil company? They seem to think the backroom oil deal is justified because of the ongoing litigation but you did brought in a 3rd party without any bidders. Their lack of due diligence and transparency on this deal is appalling and speaks for itself. We are talking about saving money in a banking relationship of $50,000 per year in banking fees vs a $17.5M check they wrote without any bidders while jeopardizing the health and safety of its citizens. I think the two of them have some explaining to do. Their hypocritical voting record speaks for itself. E&B loaned the City of HB $30M to settle the lawsuit with Macpherson. How many companies got to bid on this? Only 1 company sourced by Gary Brutsch and Michael Divirgilo and Kit Bobko. Why doesn't the LA Times investigate this?
