Council makes 2025 Appointments for Boards and Subcommittees

As part of their duties as council members, each of the five members of the Culver City Council agreed upon assignments for boards and subcommittees at Monday night’s City Council meeting. The outside boards allow Culver City to maintain representation in the Greater Los Angeles Area, while the subcommittees allow council members to tackle specific issues within the city.

Vice Mayor Freddy Puza will serve on 15 bodies this year, the same as Mayor Dan O’Brien. Councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin will serve on 12 bodies, and Councilmember Bubba Fish will be on 11. Councilmember Albert Vera has the least assignments this council year, with eight total.

Here is the complete list of bodies and the members who will serve on them: 

Outside Boards

Bold indicates a new appointment or role

1. Los Angeles County City Selection Committee: O’Brien (Representative), Puza (Alternate)
2. League of California Cities-Los Angeles County Division: O’Brien (R), Vera (A)
3. Independent Cities Association of Los Angeles County: Vera (R), O'Brien (A)
4. Los Angeles County Sanitation District Number Five: O’Brien (R), Puza (A)
5. Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG): O’Brien (R), Puza (A)
6. Disaster Management "Area A" Executive Board: City Manager John Nachbar (R)
7. Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG): McMorrin (R), O'Brien (A) 
8. Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICI System): Puza (R)
9. The Clean Power Alliance: McMorrin (R), Fish (A)
10. LAX Noise Roundtable: Puza (R), O’Brien (A)
11. Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy Board: Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department Manager Francisca Castillo (R)
12. Baldwin Hills Community Standards District Community Advisory Panel: Fish (R), Vera (A)

What Stands Out: McMorrin said she has been blocked from serving on the Westside Cities Council of Governments and was interested in the board this term. O’Brien was also interested in serving as the primary representative, leading to a vote that ended in favor of McMorrin, with Fish and Puza also voting for her as the primary representative.

McMorrin questioned the ability of Vera — the alternate during the previous council year — to attend Clean Power Alliance meetings when her day job and other conflicts interfered. Vera says he was never notified when McMorrin could not attend. Staff noted confusion about whether both representatives could attend meetings, which may have led to this communication breakdown.

However, Vera deferred to Fish, who works in Downtown Los Angeles where the body's meetings are held and showed interest in the role.

City Subcommittees

NOTE: Standing Subcommittees have meetings available to the public and discuss broad issues. Ad Hoc Subcommittee meetings are not open to the public and focus on specific issues or issues within specific time frames.

1. Joint Finance and Judiciary Subcommittee: McMorrin, Fish 
2. Treasury Investment Subcommittee: McMorrin, Fish
3. Audit, Financial Planning and Budget Subcommittee: McMorrin, Fish
4. Standing Economic Development Subcommittee: Vera, Puza 
5. Culver City Unified School District/City Council Liaison Subcommittee: McMorrin, O'Brien 
6. Standing Sustainability Subcommittee: McMorrin, Puza
7. Standing Mobility Subcommittee (Formerly Standing Mobility, Traffic and Parking Subcommittee): Puza, Fish 
8. City Council-West Los Angeles College Liaison Subcommittee: O'Brien, Puza 
9. Ad Hoc City Council Policies Subcommittee: Vera, Fish
10. Ad Hoc Short Term Rental Policy Subcommittee: O’Brien, Fish 
11. Ad Hoc Equity Subcommittee: McMorrin, Puza
12. Ad Hoc 2025 and 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics Preparation Subcommittee (Formerly Ad Hoc 2028 Olympics Preparation Subcommittee): O'Brien, Puza
13. Ad Hoc Minimum Wage Subcommittee: O'Brien, Puza 
14. Ad Hoc General Plan Subcommittee: Puza, McMorrin 
15. Ad Hoc Signage Subcommittee: Vera, O'Brien 
16. Ad Hoc Digital Kiosk Program Subcommittee: O'Brien, Vera

What Stands Out: McMorrin recommended that Fish serve on the City Council Policies Subcommittee, saying it's a great way to learn about the city and that he would benefit as a new council member. McMorrin called the Short Term Rental Policy Subcommittee "critical," but she said she was willing to step aside.

She also noted that Fish and O’Brien hadn't had a body on which they worked together, which led to the two accepting nominations to the Short Term Rental Policy subcommittee.

Several name changes were also made to reflect the intent of several subcommittees better. Puza wanted to change the name of the Olympics subcommittee to include the 2026 World Cup, and O’Brien also mentioned the Club World Cup coming to the Rose Bowl for six matches this year from June 15 to June 25.

Fish also sought to compartmentalize the Standing Mobility, Traffic, and Parking subcommittee as simply the Standing Mobility Subcommittee, arguing that the other two terms fall under the mobility umbrella and that the subcommittee's name should represent its focus on all modes of transportation.

With the General Plan process completed, McMorrin wanted to restart discussions surrounding a holistic approach to public safety, a section of the General Plan cut out during the draft process. Instead of creating a new subcommittee, discussions will be held within the General Plan Subcommittee, prompting McMorrin to join.

New Subcommittees

1. Ad Hoc Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Events Grant Program Subcommittee: O’Brien, Puza
2. Ad Hoc 2025 Legislative and Policy Platform Subcommittee: Puza, McMorrin
3. Ad Hoc 2025 Police Policies Subcommittee: Vera, Fish
4. Standing Housing and Homelessness Subcommittee: McMorrin, Fish
5. Standing Governance Subcommittee: Fish, McMorrin

What Stands Out: Councilmembers proposed two new subcommittees on top of the three that will replace dissolved bodies.

McMorrin suggested bringing back a Housing and Homelessness Subcommittee, arguing it is particularly pertinent given the wildfires in Southern California and associated issues like price gouging. Fish concurred with McMorrin and argued it would take many years to undo the decades of policy that created the current conditions.

O’Brien suggested a vote citing the additional work it would give staff, and Vera wanted to agendize it to receive staff input before creating such a body. But Fish was adamant about the body's importance and wanted to vote on the creation Monday night and discuss specifics in the future.

McMorrin agreed, saying housing was the number one issue at the doors during election season. She also argued that the recent wildfires have made Culver City more attractive and, consequently, more susceptible to rising costs.

Puza noted that there are committees for other issues and argued that housing and homelessness are at the top of the list. The three council members who supported the committee succeeded in creating it Monday night.

Fish said he was looking to improve the city's governance and create election reform. He argued that unprecedented money came into the past election with little disclosure required, and there were other key laws the city needed to look into for future elections. He also asked questions about how meetings could be made more effective, from how they are advertised to how public comment is received.

This led to the creation of the Standing Governance Subcommittee, which broadly covers the operation of the city's government and elections.

Terminated Subcommittees

1. Ad Hoc Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Special Events Grant Program Subcommittee (replaced) 
2. Ad Hoc 2024 Legislative and Policy Platform Subcommittee (Replaced)
3. Ad Hoc 2024 Police Policies Subcommittee (Replaced) 
4. Ad Hoc MLK Jr. Event Subcommittee 
5. Ad Hoc Bill Botts Fields and Veterans Memorial Park Feasibility Study Subcommittee
6. Ad Hoc County Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) Projects Subcommittee

Bodies by Councilmember

The following is a list of council members and which bodies they will serve on.

Mayor Dan O'Brien: 7 Boards, 8 Subcommittees

1. LA County City Selection Committee
2. League of California Cities-Los Angeles County Division
3. Independent Cities Association of Los Angeles County
4. Los Angeles County Sanitation District Number Five
5. Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
6. Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG)
7. LAX Noise Roundtable
8. Culver City Unified School District/City Council Liaison Subcommittee
9. City Council/West Los Angeles College Liaison Subcommittee
10. Ad Hoc Short Term Rental Policy Subcommittee
11. Ad Hoc 2025 and 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics Preparation Subcommittee
12. Ad Hoc Minimum Wage Subcommittee
13. Ad Hoc Signage Subcommittee
14. Ad Hoc Digital Kiosk Program Subcommittee
15. Ad Hoc Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Events Grant Program Subcommittee

Vice Mayor Freddy Puza: 5 Boards, 10 Subcommittees

1. Los Angeles County City Selection Committee
2. Los Angeles County Sanitation District Number Five
3. Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
4. Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICI System)
5. LAX Noise Roundtable
6. Standing Economic Development Subcommittee
7. Standing Sustainability Subcommittee
8. Standing Mobility Subcommittee
9. City Council-West Los Angeles College Liaison Subcommittee
10. Ad Hoc Equity Subcommittee
11. Ad Hoc 2025 and 2026 World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics Preparation Subcommittee
12. Ad Hoc Minimum Wage Subcommittee
13. Ad Hoc General Plan Subcommittee
14. Ad Hoc Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Events Grant Program Subcommittee
15. Ad Hoc 2025 Legislative and Policy Platform Subcommittee

Councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin: 2 Boards, 10 Subcommittees

1. Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG)
2. The Clean Power Alliance
3. Joint Finance and Judiciary Subcommittee
4. Treasury Investment Subcommittee
5. Audit, Financial Planning and Budget Subcommittee
6. Culver City Unified School District/City Council Liaison Subcommittee
7. Standing Sustainability Subcommittee
8. Ad Hoc Equity Subcommittee
9. Ad Hoc General Plan Subcommittee
10. Ad Hoc 2025 Legislative and Policy Platform Subcommittee
11. Standing Housing and Homelessness Subcommittee
12. Standing Governance Subcommittee

Councilmember Bubba Fish: 2 Boards, 9 Subcommittees

1. The Clean Power Alliance
2. Baldwin Hills Community Standards District Community Advisory Panel
3. Joint Finance and Judiciary Subcommittee
4. Treasury Investment Subcommittee
5. Audit, Financial Planning and Budget Subcommittee
6. Standing Mobility Subcommittee
7. Ad Hoc City Council Policies Subcommittee
8. Ad Hoc Short Term Rental Policy Subcommittee
9. Standing Housing and Homelessness Subcommittee
10. Standing Governance Subcommittee
11. Ad Hoc 2025 Police Policies Subcommittee

Councilmember Albert Vera: 3 Boards, 5 Subcommittees

1. League of California Cities-Los Angeles County Division
2. Independent Cities Association of Los Angeles County
3. Baldwin Hills Community Standards District Community Advisory Panel
4. Standing Economic Development Subcommittee
5. Ad Hoc City Council Policies Subcommittee
6. Ad Hoc Signage Subcommittee
7. Ad Hoc Digital Kiosk Program Subcommittee
8. Ad Hoc 2025 Police Policies Subcommittee

EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story indicated Councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin and Vice Mayor Freddy Puza were on the Ad Hoc 2025 Police Policies Subcommittee. This error has been corrected.