The Weekly Newspaper of Torrance Herald Publications - Torrance, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 7, No. 23 - June 8, 2017 Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................2 Classifieds............................6 Community Briefs...............3 Crossword/Sudoku.............6 Legals....................................7 Politically Spreaking..........5 Real Estate...........................8 Sports....................................3 TerriAnn in Torrance..........4 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 67˚/60˚ Saturday Mostly Cloudy 67˚/59˚ Sunday Partly Cloudy 67˚/58˚ Las Amigas Strut the Runway for Torrance Memorial Hospital Members of Las Amigas, a support group that plans, fundraises for, and facilitates the annual Torrance Memorial Holiday Festival, modeled ready-to-wear looks from local retailer CJ Fashions at the group’s first annual Fashion Show event on May 9. Attendees took in the runway parade while enjoying a high tea and champagne menu. Front row: Mary Hoffman, Bev George, Terry Ragins; back row: Susan Swinburne, Carolyn Snyder, Robin Comer Taub, Terry Furey, Michelle Rand. Photo by Deidre Davidson. Contract Approved For Rideshare Consulting Services By Cristian Vasquez A three-year contract with Kim Fuentes in the amount of $196,560 was approved by the Torrance City Council on Tuesday, per the recommendation of Community Development Director Jeffrey W. Gibson, for commuter transportation (rideshare) consultant services. The contract will be in effect from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020 and includes a couple of one-year options. Fuentes, who is no stranger to the City of Torrance, was retained in 1994 as a consultant for the implementation of the South Coast Air Quality Night of Recognitions During School Board Meeting By Cristian Vasquez The Torrance School Board dedicated its first meeting in June to recognizing and honoring students, employees and retirees from the 2016-2017 school year. Parents, students and district employees gathered with colleagues and loved ones in the Torrance City Hall chambers to celebrate the recognition ceremony. This year’s retirees from the Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) included Seaside Elementary School Teacher Julie Bergeron, Jefferson Middle School Custodian Ninh Bui, Lynn Middle School Teacher James Childers, Griffith Adult Center Parent Education Teacher Jeannine Harris, Arnold Elementary School Teacher Eileen Hirata, West High School Principal Pamela Metz, Richardson Middle School Learning Center Teacher Arshia Mufti, Carr Elementary School Principal Richard Peterson, North High School Principal Ronald Richardson, Richardson Middle School Teacher Elaine Richmond, from Transportation Services Charles Russell, and Richardson Middle School Staff Assistant I Shelley Stallings. The School Board also used the meeting to recognize TUSD’s 2017 California Gold Ribbon School Awards winners. The California Gold Ribbon School Program honors the state’s outstanding public schools that have made “exceptional gains See School Board, page 5 Management District (AQMD) Rideshare mandates. “Fuentes was selected due to the depth of her experience in the field of transportation demand management, as well as for her cost-effective proposal,” states the staff report signed by Gibson. Fuentes’ experiences traces back to her management responsibilities with the Los Angeles County Trip Reduction Program and includes additional management experience with local cities and employers. The City of Torrance released a Request For Proposals (RFP) in March of this year in search of commuter transportation demand management consulting services. While the RFP was sent to 15 consulting firms and the City received several questions from potential applicants, only a bid from Fuentes was submitted. “I have seen this in other situations where an RFP is sent out and only one bidder responds out of multiple people who were sent RFPs,” said Councilman Mike Griffiths. “It is just a little bit concerning that we don’t understand why people chose not to and I am just wondering if this is something the City could do better to get some feedback and understand why there is less participation.” Deputy Community Development Director Linda Cessna was unsure of why the large volume of questions regarding the RFP failed to translate into and equal number of bids. However, she expressed her confidence in the unique programs implemented in the city, and the high standards to be met by each program. “They appeared to be interested initially, but when it came right down to it we only had one proposal,” said Cessna. In the past the City has used and benefitted from working with contractors. Through See City Council, page 6
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