By Kevin Herrera
Daily Press Staff Writer

August 8, 2006

CITY HALL — Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Santa Monica. Happy birthday to you.

For those out of the loop, the shining city by the sea celebrated 130 years of existence in July, and with that, Louise Gabriel, the founder of the Santa Monica Historical Society Museum, decided to author a pictorial — complete with rare photos from private collections and loads of trivia tidbits — celebrating the “pearl of the Pacific’s” colorful history.

On Tuesday night, Gabriel presented an autographed copy of “Images of America: Early Santa Monica” to each member of the City Council.

“Early Santa Monica,” now on sale at the museum, chronicles events from the initial land auction of July 15, 1875 by forefathers Col. Robert S. Baker and U.S. Sen. John P. Jones — which commanded prices of between $75 and $500 for a plot — to the heyday of the Gold Coast, when celebrities like Marion Davies, Cary Grant and Shirley Temple were seen about town, in the same vein as stars like Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro and Jennifer Garner can be spotted today dining at Houston’s or Casa del Mar.

The book also features sections on everyday life during the early part of the 20th Century, as well as chapters on Muscle Beach and the rich sporting legacy of Santa Monica, including the daring car races on Ocean Avenue.

Gabriel first became involved in preservation in 1975 as a member of the Santa Monica Centennial Committee.

“I know we are going to have a lot of fun looking at this,” Mayor Bob Holbrook told Gabriel, as the two posed for pictures in front the average-sized crowd of about 20 onlookers.

“I’m glad it’s a picture book,” joked Councilman Richard Bloom. “It’s just our speed … beautiful.”

So beautiful that a few members had a tough time taking their eyes off it, perusing the pages when they should have been paying attention to the debate at hand. In their defense, elected officials are known to be apt at multi-tasking. How else would they be able to do all of that campaign fundraising, hold down a job and tend to city business?

NEW FACE IN THE CROWD

Speaking of history books, the council — minus Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Shriver, who was in New York on business, and Councilman Ken Genser, still recovering from a broken femur — penned a few more chapters Tuesday night, beginning with the introduction of the new Director of Planning and Community Development, Eileen Fogarty, and her husband, John Clendening, a former employee at the Smithsonian Institute and an accomplished painter.

City Manager Lamont Ewell, who made the decision to select Fogarty following an extensive, cross-country search, gave a brief introduction, during which he listed the qualities Fogarty possesses, including a dedication to community outreach in each of the cities she’s worked in over the last 22 years as a planning director, including Alexandria, Va; Annapolis, Md; and just up north in Santa Cruz. All three are cities near the water, with a tourism industry critical to the local economy.

“It is really a pleasure and an honor to be here,” Fogarty said. “My decision to come here was based on two things. First, I thought Santa Monica brought together all of the elements of the incredible places I’ve lived.

“My husband and I have been driving up and down the streets for the last five days house hunting, and I was pleased to see that each neighborhood is really different and unique,” Fogarty added. “Each one is walkable, the sale is comfortable and the retail areas are so vibrant.

“Plus, you have all of the issues I look forward to working with you on — traffic, development,” Fogarty said. “This is clearly a fantastic place where clearly everyone is involved.”

SAY IT AIN’T SO, JOE

While her official start date isn’t until Sept. 25, Fogarty got an earful from gadfly Joe Natoli, who bashed past practices and what he feels is the gentrification of Santa Monica, where many residents earn minimum wage and can’t even afford to buy a shirt in the retail store they work in.

Later on, Natoli became especially critical of the council and the Bayside District Corp., calling out the public-private management company’s executive director, Kathleen Rawson. Natoli accused Rawson of lying to the council in regards to Bayside’s involvement in managing the Third Street Promenade and the Farmers’ Market there.

“She lied to your faces,” Natoli charged. He was so forceful with his comments that Holbrook cut him off in mid-sentence.

“I don’t like your tone,” Holbrook said. “I’m not going to allow you to scream at people … You’re done, Joe.”

Natoli challenged the mayor’s demand he step away from the microphone, but eventually walked away quietly when his time expired.

T.C.B.

All things considered, the meeting was fairly pedestrian. Council members managed to breeze through several items, ending the meeting just after 10 p.m., pretty amazing.

Amongst the issues approved, a handful of initiatives for the Nov. 7 ballot, such as the proposed law to make adult marijuana use the Santa Monica Police Department’s lowest priority. Council members said they were reluctantly voting in favor of placing the measure on the ballot, doing so only because they were so required by state law.

Another initiative, the “Good Government Act of 2006,” was also approved for the ballot. The initiative, if approved by voters, would replace an existing law passed in 2000 that set strict limits on campaign contributions and gifts council members and other public officials can receive from those with business before City Hall.

Both initiatives — marijuana and good government — should make for an interesting election season, with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and the police officer’s union planning to aggressively fight their respective passage.

HITTING THE WALL

There were two study sessions as well. Officials with Big Blue Bus gave an update on the construction of a new maintenance facility and parking for BBB employees and the clean-fuel burning fleet of buses. The project had to be scaled back because of concerns about ever-increasing construction costs. That means no more aesthetically pleasing administration building to spruce up the Corner of Seventh Street and Colorado Boulevard. Instead, officials will have to settle for artwork and some landscaping to disguise what will ultimately be a wall running along the perimeter.

The wall definitely needs work, said council members, who were visibly disappointed that instead of an active street corner brightened by foot traffic and a new building, they’re left with a wall.

Homeless Czar Ed Edelman offered some uplifting news in his report. A new director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which oversees homeless services in the county, should be on board by the end of September.

The Santa Monica Homeless Court is progressing and should be up and running soon, as is a deal to bring groups that host public feedings for the homeless in doors.

“We’re pleased that we have been successful in convincing the larger (food providers) to accept the idea that they can better serve the homeless by coming inside where there are services available,” he said. “We should have something in the next two months, hopefully sooner.”