Sandra Santiago

The council meeting included agenda management discussions, such as the withdrawal of amendments to the hotel worker living wage ordinance and a commitment to align hotel worker wages with those of Los Angeles. The City Manager provided a report on upcoming local events, including World Cup activations and Pride events, and introduced an adoptable pet from the animal shelter. The council also recognized the participants of the One Santa Monica People's Academy and issued a proclamation for Juneteenth, honoring the legacy and resilience of the African American community.

The board meeting included a community engagement and programming presentation detailing staffing updates, new youth and family service appointments, and various ongoing programs including Pokémon gaming, toddler story time, and library play dates. Future events were announced, such as pajama story time with the Mayor, the Arts and Literacy Festival, and the summer reading program themed around library anniversaries. Additionally, the board discussed the ongoing recruitment of new librarians following recent authorized position expansions and administrative realignments.

The City Council meeting included agenda management, the removal of specific items from consideration, and updates from the city manager regarding a new police substation and upcoming Pride Month and World Cup programming. Special recognition was given to the Department of Transportation and Big Blue Bus team for their work on electric bus charging infrastructure. Additionally, a proclamation for Pride Month was presented, featuring artwork and discussion on the importance of creating inclusive spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community.

The board discussed a standing report on well permit requests in the Santa Monica subbasin, noting one city production well and two other inquiries from contractors. The meeting also focused on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's revised well permit application form, which now requires coordination with the GSA for projects within its area. Members considered developing standardized email responses for different permit scenarios, such as production wells versus monitoring wells, and discussed the GSA's authority to require specific information from applicants to ensure sustainable groundwater management and compliance.

The meeting included discussions on the coordination between the GSA secretary and the County of Los Angeles regarding well permit applications, with no new applications reported. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the status of a new seawater intrusion monitoring well, including the selection of potential sites and the collaboration with the United States Geological Survey. Additionally, updates were provided on the first periodic evaluation of the groundwater sustainability plan.