Editor’s note: This story is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city’s expenditures appearing on upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agendas. Consent agenda items are routinely passed by the City Council with little or no discussion from elected officials or the public. However, many of the items have been part of public discussion in the past.
CITY HALL — Hoping to make more money off the recently renovated Annenberg Community Beach House, City Hall officials are aiming to market the property as a filming location and venue for business meetings.
Marketing firm Hospitality Atelier has already been advertising the seaside property as a place for private events, and tonight the City Council is expected to approve an additional $60,000 to expand the scope of the company’s work to include pitching the property to Hollywood.
The new contract lasts through June and brings total marketing costs for the beach house to $129,000.
The council is also set to approve more money for a law firm that assists City Hall with employee disciplinary matters.
The firm Liebert Cassidy Whitmore had a $140,000 contract for this fiscal year, but because of “an unusual volume of complex personnel litigation early in the year” the council is being asked to approve an additional $60,000, a report prepared by the City Attorney’s Office said.
The council is also expected to sign off on a plan to relocate six families in order to make way for a new affordable housing project at 430 Pico Blvd.
The proposal by the Community Corp. of Santa Monica is to build 32 two- and three-bedroom affordable apartments on a site where there are currently 14 residential units and a commercial building.
The costs of relocating the six families that reside in the existing units will be paid by CCSM, according to a report from City Hall.
nickt@www.smdp.com
