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WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 PLANETARIUM SHOWS ..................PAGE 3 LETTER TO THE EDITOR ..............PAGE 4 CRIME WATCH ..................................PAGE 5 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ................PAGE 6
MONDAY
01.30.17 Volume 16 Issue 67
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Settlement reached to close Santa Monica Airport
Santa Monica Daily Press
City awards $2.9 million to woman hit by Big Blue Buss BY KATE CAGLE Daily Press Staff Writer
File Photo
CLOSING TIME: After years of fighting over the future of the airport, the Federal Aviation Administration and City of Santa Monica have come to an agreement regarding closure of the facility.
BY MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor
The City of Santa Monica has negotiated the authority to close the Santa Monica Airport on Dec. 31, 2028. At a special meeting on Jan. 28, the council announced a deal with the Federal Aviation Administration and the United States government that dissolves all pending legal disputes between the agencies and sets a date for closing the facility. Under the terms of the agreement, the airport can close on Dec. 31, 2028, the runway will be immediately reduced to 3,500 feet (from 4,973 feet) and both sides agree to adhere to the terms without interfering with each other’s rights.
City Hall will regain control over the reclaimed runway land with six months according to City Manager Rick Cole. That land can be used as the city desires with an exception for an airport right of way that would prohibit uses of the former runway land that would interfere with airport traffic. “This agreement ensures local control. As part of that, as part of the future planning, many things are on the table,” said Interim City Attorney Joseph Lawrence. Staff said shortening the runway will reduce current jet traffic by about 40 percent and the shorter runway will eliminate the possibility of charter flights into or out of the airport. The agreement also allows the city to pursue its munic-
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ipal takeover of airport services and allows for Santa Monica Airport to develop a pilot program for the sale of unleaded fuel. City Hall had previously voted to pursue closure of the airport by 2018, however its efforts resulted in multiple legal disputes with the FAA and airport users. A prior court ruling had said the airport could close no earlier than 2023 and multiple complaints have been filed with the FAA over the city’s actions at the airport. Lawrence said compromise between the FAA and the city resulted in the city agreeing to extend the closure date to 2028 and the FAA agreeing to the immediate reduction in runway length. He said SEE AIRPORT PAGE 3
The City Council agreed to settle a lawsuit involving an LAX employee who was hit by a Big Blue Bus employee driving a utility vehicle $2,875,000 after a closed session meeting Tuesday night. Lisa Fuqua was in a marked crosswalk at Avion Dr. and 98th Street near the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Westchester when a truck hit her on Sept. 24, 2013. The BBB employee behind the wheel, Ramon Barba, was on his way to repair a bus near LAX when he hit Fuqua, according to court documents. The former management analyst for the City of Los Angeles will likely deal with her injuries from the crash for the rest of her life, according to her attorney David A. Azran. “She was actually attending a course that was being put on by the City of Los Angeles for her advancement,” Azran said over the phone from his office in Encino. “She was in management and was attending a course and actually on her way to obtain some materials from her car to go back to the
course when she was struck.” The crosswalk was marked by a stop sign. The impact of the truck sent Fuqua flying several feet before hitting the pavement. Because she was working for Los Angeles at the time, part of Fuqua’s settlement will go toward reimbursing her worker’s compensation benefits. Fuqua could not be reached to comment on her settlement, but Azran says she was relieved to avoid the stress of a jury trial that could have lasted up to three weeks. “This would have been an expert driven trial,” Azran said. Forensic accountants, medical experts, accident reconstruction and biomechanical engineers, as well as life care planning experts would have likely been called at trial. Acting City Attorney Joseph Lawrence declined to comment on the settlement to the Daily Press. Insurance will cover most of the multi-million dollar pay out, with $1 million in City funds going toward defense costs and the plaintiff. The City will likely pay out the settlement in the next 90 days. kate@smdp.com
SMMUSD begins budget cut discussions BY MARINA ANDALON Daily Press Staff Writer
School District officials have begun their budget process with a workshop last week that focused on the local ramifications of the state budget. The Santa Monica - Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board held a Budget Workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The Budget Workshop was presented
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by Associate Superintendent, Businesses Services, Janece Maez. The release of the Governor’s Budget Proposal for 2017-18 began the process for legislative consideration of the Budget and it also provides critical information for development of school agency budgets like SMMUSD. The purpose of the meeting was an opportunity for board members to begin SEE BUDGET PAGE 8
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