FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
Volume 13 Issue 285
Santa Monica Daily Press
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS SEE PAGE 3
Brock says he’ll return developer money BY DAVID MARK SIMPSON Daily Press Staff Writer
BERGAMOT STATION One candidate who
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THE ELECTION HEATS UP ISSUE
Notable Santa Monicans pass BY DAVID MARK SIMPSON JOHN M. BOHN
Daily Press Staff Writer
CITY HALL A quiet City Council meeting ended with wet eyes on Tuesday. Members of council spoke about three notable Santa Monicans who died in the last month.
Mayor Pam O’Connor tried to read a statement about former Councilmember John Bohn but ceded to tears. She passed the statement to Councilmember Bob Holbrook, who choked up but continued to read.
promised not to accept money from developers says he will return two campaign contributions he accepted from developers. In July, Recreation and Parks Chair Phil Brock, alongside numerous other City Council candidates, hoisted a large yellow “No” sign in the air. The event was a Residocracy candidates’ forum and the question was: “Are you, or do you plan to accept campaign contributions from developers or their associates?” Brock was one of the first to raise his paddle. Almost everyone said, “No.” Nick Boles and Frank Gruber declined to answer. Only Mayor Pam O’Connor raised a definitive “Yes” paddle. The crowd jeered and laughed. Less than two weeks later, according to campaign disclosure statements, Brock’s campaign accepted a $325 contribution from Jim Jacobsen, an executive member of the 26Street TOD development team, which, at the time, was trying to win council’s support to add, among other things, a hotel and office space to the Bergamot Station Art Center. A month after that, in September, Brock, who’d been initially critical of the project, wrote to members of council: “In discussing the potential for land use and in keeping with the now established use of Bergamot as an art, museum and theatre venue I believe that 26Street/TOD Partners is the best developer to enhance the site.” Brock went on to express caveats: A hotel should be limited to three stories, he said in the letter. Creative office space should be limited or removed from the agreement, he said. Parking, he said, was a major issue. Two days later, council ignored recommendations from city staff, the Arts Commission, and Brock, selecting, instead, Jeff Worthe Real Estate Group for potential development of the site. Less than a week after that, Scott Ginsburg, who’d been another executive partner on the 26Street TOD team, made a
Bohn, who was 94 years old when he died, was a pinch hitter of sorts. He was elected in 1960 to fill the seat of a mayor who’d died in office. The term expired nine months later and Bohn, who was very active in the community, did not seek reelection. SEE OBIT PAGE 11
FRIENDRAISER
Courtesy photos
Orchestra Santa Monica opened its season with a preview performance at the Jonathan Club last week. Pictured are Allen Robert Gross, Orchestra Santa Monica’s Music Director and Conductor, OSM Board Member Barbara Bishop, and friends of OSM Jane Mirshak and Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor, Tracy Lucast and Wolf Noe of Agensys, Inc., OSM musician Gudrun Noe, Dennis Haggerty and Jeff Bauer of Keyboard Concepts in Santa Monica join Allen and OSM President and musician Cindy Bandel. Visit http://orchestrasantamonica.org for more information.
SEE MONEY PAGE 12
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