Forum follows community concern over 'e-bike assault'
Councilmember Dean Francois will host a Community Forum on Monday, December 1, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Hermosa Beach City Council Chambers (1315 Valley Drive).
The forum will be the first since the November 21 incident in which a group of teenagers on e-bikes are alleged to have seriously assaulted a man in his 50s near the pier, sparking widespread community outrage. Two juveniles have been arrested in connection with the attack, and police have so far identified five suspects total, all between ages 13-15.
Mayor Rob Saemann recently held a Public Safety Town Hall on November 13 focused on e-bike enforcement, where Police Chief Landon Phillips discussed the possible use of contract officers to assist in e-bike enforcement issues.
Francois' forum provides residents an opportunity to meet with the councilmember, ask questions, and discuss issues facing the city. Given recent events, public safety and e-bike enforcement are likely to be top concerns for attendees.
Residents are welcome to attend, and RSVPs are encouraged but not required. The meeting will not be available via remote participation. Those wishing to RSVP can email dfrancois@hermosabeach.gov.
Hermosa Review
Hermosa Review
The City is spending $8M to $12M a year fixing things. Available project funding for next year: $4.7M. A pandemic-era cushion that papered over the gap is gone and the unfunded backlog has now grown to somewhere between $148 million and $280 million, with the Pier replacement now added to the list.
A $3.2 million structural deficit has been sitting under Hermosa Beach's budget for five years, masked by pandemic relief, vacancy savings, and unspent carryforward. With all three now exhausted, the council inherits a problem its predecessors chose to defer.
Council meeting opened by recognizing two pillars of the community — a gold-medal winning hockey coach and a century-old civic club — before working through a heavy agenda that included a contested fee study, Little League field improvements and police vehicle contracting.
City budget squeeze laid bare as council prepares to consider a series of difficult options to balance the books.
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