Meeting Time: August 04, 2020 at 6:00pm PDT
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Agenda Item

E. PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 MINUTES PER PERSON) Speakers may provide public comments on any matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council, including items on the agenda. The Mayor may determine whether an item is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. While all comments are welcome, the Brown Act does not allow City Council to take action on any item not on the agenda. Pursuant to Governor Newsom's Executive Orders No. N-25-20 and No. N-29-20, City Council Chambers is not open to the public. In the interest of maintaining appropriate social distancing, the City Council encourages the public to participate by submitting comments in advance of the meeting, no later than 5:30 PM, August 4, 2020 (the day of the meeting), via: 1) eComment at http://www.citymb.info/ecomment; 2) email to cityclerk@citymb.info; or 3) telephone message recorded at (310) 802-5030. All of your comments provided by the deadlines above will be available to the City Council and the public prior to the meeting. In addition, you may participate by joining Zoom during the meeting: If you wish to speak on any item on the agenda, please register in advance by clicking the following link: https://citymb.seamlessdocs.com/f/publiccomment 1) Join Zoom Meeting via the internet: Direct URL: https://comb.zoom.us/j/98365682559, Meeting ID: 983-6568-2559 During the meeting you will need to use the "raise hand" button through Zoom at the time the Mayor invites the public to provide comments. 2) Join Zoom Meeting via Phone Conference (Voice Only): Phone Number: (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 983-6568-2559 During the meeting you will need to enter *9 on the phone's dial pad at the time the Mayor invites the public to provide comments.

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    Jordan Wyner over 3 years ago

    I'm a resident of MB, this wealthy white enclave par excellence where the property values are some of the highest in the state. Had the Bruce Family been allowed to stay on their land, they too would share in this wealth. This city, however, engaged in a vile, yet common form of racism and expelled this family and take from their future generations tremendous wealth. This is brought to your attention; if you do nothing then you are complicit in racism. Be the light for other towns to follow.

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    Alison Chavez over 3 years ago

    Please address the issue of police reform. Let’s look at alternate policing models. I do not hate the police nor individual officers.
    I want a better system. Specifically to MBPD, there has to be a better policy than “stop everyone who looks like they don’t belong”.
    Chief Abell, this behavior has to be condoned at the top, or it wouldn’t be happening; From what we’ve heard from commenters,
    we won’t believe “it’s not systemic”.

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    Madhu Chatwani over 3 years ago

    The City Council of MB represents all the residents of MB and we must address and be held accountable for the theft of Bruce's Beach from the Bruce family. The uncomfortable truth needs to part of the local history taught in elementary school and reparations to the Bruce family are necessary. We must take action and move towards becoming an anti-racist community. I am also writing to support Councilmember Hersman's call to open debate.

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    Jaya Loharuka over 3 years ago

    The refusal to deliver justice to the Bruce family for their stolen land and livelihood represents the City's continual failure to recognize its role in enacting systemic racism against its (very few) Black residents. Many believe there is no race problem in Manhattan Beach simple because there is no representation of race in this predominantly white suburban neighborhood. Restitution to the Bruces is the first step in rectifying Manhattan Beach's erasure of the Black community.

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    Rodney Polk over 3 years ago

    Anytime I have ever been to Manhattan Beach I have been stopped and harassed by the police. Asking me where I am coming from and where I am headed. It is a degrading experience I don't wish upon anyone. So to recently find out the history of Bruce's Beach is unsettling to me. I’m writing in support of Councilmember Hersman’s call to open debate about Bruce’s Beach on the City Council. The land that was stolen should also be returned to the Bruce Family.

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    Katherine Elias over 3 years ago

    I urge the City Council of MB to address the historic injustices perpetrated against the Bruce family when their land was stolen from them under eminent domain. It is clear that the MB City Council's use of eminent domain at this time was to enforce racial segregation in Manhattan Beach. It is vital for Manhattan Beach as a community to recognize and rectify the injustices of the past, and such action begins with the City Council.

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    Cecelia Allen over 3 years ago

    The City Council of MB, regardless of the change in leadership and time passed, remains accountable for the theft of the Bruce's land. Until City Council actively undoes their wrongdoings through restitution to the Bruce's and restoration of their land, they uphold the same white supremacist ideology that drove the Bruce's out of Manhattan Beach. Their inaction is racist. Their complacency is racist. MB must work towards becoming an anti-racist community, justice for the Bruce's is a start.

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    Jonathan Chapman over 3 years ago

    HI! I write once again to echo the need for the city to right a wrong in the matter of Bruce's Beach.
    Of course, any plaque commemorating the history should be updated to correct any inaccuracies. That would, however, be a hollow gesture. A solid action would be to restore title to all persons who were forced to leave Manhattan Beach as a result of what most likely was a cynical act of expropriation. Depend not just on anecdotal information; perform a forensic audit of records.

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    Monique Bolsajian over 3 years ago

    The Bruce family deserves restitution for the loss of their land, their business, and the civil rights violations committed against them. The City should invite Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson to a Council Meeting to discuss Bruce's Beach, as her expertise is essential to this conversation. This is Manhattan Beach's opportunity to speak out against injustice and commit to an anti-racist future -- we need to take it. It is imperative that the City actively work towards righting MB's past wrongs.

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    Lola Heffernan over 3 years ago

    Justice must be actively restored. The fact that there has been no remediation for all of these years does not indicate that no action is warranted, but rather that it is incredibly overdue. Reparations accounting for the loss of generational wealth are the only option to properly acknowledge and remedy the injustice MB is responsible for.

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    Matthew DuMont over 3 years ago

    The city of Manhattan Beach must take action to identify how it can rectify the injustices of the past. Councilmembers like Suzanne Hadley have claimed that this is a settled matter because none of the owners of the Bruce Resort are alive today. The recent LA Times article makes it clear that the injuries sustained by the Bruces are still very much felt by their descendants today. Exploring the truth and reconciling our community’s mistakes will make us stronger, not weaker.

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    Danielle Tyukody over 3 years ago

    I would be proud if MB took action regarding Bruce's Beach.It's clear that some feel this issue was settled long ago, reflecting a tendency to erase the past because it's easier than dealing with the upsetting realities of the situation.The effects of the Bruce's family land being taken away is a trauma most residents of MB don't have to face, but that does not mean that it is not there or that MB should ignore it and shelve the issue until the next national movement.Let's rectify injustice now.

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    Josh Lesser over 3 years ago

    No matter what is said by Russ Lesser and Mark Burton et al, the discussion around Bruce's Beach cannot be centered on fiscal matters. The land was taken from the Bruces via White Supremacist policies. We cannot undo that. The question now is whether we want to continue to live and govern under White Supremacist policies, or do we today want to take steps to dismantle the bias and bigotry that led to Bruce's Beach in the first place, and, perhaps repay (get it?) those who were harmed,

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    Alex Davis over 3 years ago

    Please take action on Bruce's Beach. I support the petition calling for the city to take action on this issue. The plaque contains inaccuracies and misrepresentations. This needs to be fixed and the city must take the effort to more raise awareness of this history. Work with Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson, an expert on leisure sites in LA during Jim Crow. The Bruce family should be compensated for what was taken from them and the city should consult with the family to come to an agreement.

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    Elizabeth Keller over 3 years ago

    The city must return the land it stole from the Bruce family to its rightful owners, and provide restitution for loss of revenue and monetary damages for violation of their civil rights. The city should also replace the current plaque, which fails to address the full history of Bruce’s Beach, and issue a public apology taking responsibility for the theft of the Bruce family land and acknowledge that Manhattan Beach is not only not immune from racism, but also has actively participated in it.

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    Sarah Keneipp over 3 years ago

    The city must return the land it stole from the Bruce family to its rightful owners, and provide restitution for loss of revenue and monetary damages for violation of their civil rights. The city should also replace the current plaque, which fails to address the full history of Bruce’s Beach, and issue a public apology taking responsibility for the theft of the Bruce family land and acknowledge that Manhattan Beach is not only not immune from racism, but also has actively participated in it.

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    Zoobia Jilani over 3 years ago

    It is imperative that the city of Manhattan Beach properly and respectfully addresses the racist history of how the Bruce family had their land stolen from them. The idea that this issue was settled when the land remains stolen and no adequate monetary compensation has been granted is extremely disappointing to see. To think that a vague plaque that no one is required to read is enough to rectify harmful racist actions clearly demonstrates a deep ignorance and is the height of arrogance.

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    Lily Kohler over 3 years ago

    The city must return the land it stole from the Bruce family to its rightful owners, and provide restitution for loss of revenue and monetary damages for violation of their civil rights. The city should also replace the current plaque, which fails to address the full history of Bruce’s Beach, and issue a public apology taking responsibility for the theft of the Bruce family land and acknowledge that Manhattan Beach is not only not immune from racism, but also has actively participated in it.

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    James Smith over 3 years ago

    As an MB property owner and taxpayer I feel this issue was settled 100 years ago and any attempt to hold present day residents responsible should not be considered.

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    Natalie Olivares over 3 years ago

    MB's City Council needs to return the land to the Bruce Family and commit to anti-racist work as individuals and collectively. The lack of empathy for Black residents and community members expressed by the council through a continuous delay of conversing with the local anti-racist organizers is appalling. The council also needs to urge Chief Abell to answer anti-racist calls to defund the MBPD with an open attitude, rather than his current approach of ignoring the Black community needs.