Nick’s News for February 2021

Good morning everyone,

Welcome to the second edition of "Nick's News," which is my monthly newsletter covering the latest stories, developments, and upcoming events in the City of Burbank. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends. If you know someone who would like to be added to the recipient list, please ask them to visit my community page and sign-up to receive it. In this edition of Nick's News, we will cover:

A brief recap of the developments at City Hall in January 2021.
An overview of the goals and priorities adopted by the City Council for 2021.
A preview of upcoming and important City Council meetings.
Upcoming community activities and events.

But first, I would like to share that one of my top priorities this month will be working to improve COVID-19 vaccine distribution.  In the coming weeks, I will work collaboratively with our state elected officials and local health care providers to find ways to improve accessibility to the COVID-19 vaccine in our community.  Moreover, I will continue to look for ways to connect our residents with city services.  For example, I recently worked with our Assistant City Manager to match volunteers from Burbank's Project Hope with our senior citizens in need of help securing an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine.  

Additionally, I will be working tirelessly in the coming weeks to save our jobs and small businesses.  At our last regular meeting of the Burbank City Council, for example, I introduced a successful motion to craft an urgency ordinance capping the fees that third-party delivery providers (e.g., DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats) can charge our local restaurants.  This proposal would also prevent these companies from reducing the pay of the delivery driver as a result of this "fee cap." 

Lastly, I look forward to a discussion later this month about creating a Burbank Economic Recovery Taskforce, which is something that I have long advocated for.  I envision this taskforce will provide policy guidance for City Council as we strive to offer support to our workers, as well as the small and micro businesses that call Burbank "home."  I believe that we can set the course for a sustained period of economic growth and recovery by adopting sound policies with input from our community stakeholders.

Recap of January 2021

The last month was an eventful one for the Burbank City Council. Our first meeting was on January 5th. During this meeting, the City Council appointed a new community member to the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission. We also considered the feasibility and obstacles to establishing a local health department in the City of Burbank, as well as creation of a health officer position. Notably, the City Council also approved our proposed meeting calendar for the remainder of 2021. Click here to watch the recording of this meeting.

The City Council next met on January 12th to adopt a resolution extending the local state of emergency caused by COVID-19. I also participated in a lively discussion about the City's ongoing efforts to mitigate power outages caused by mylar balloons. Click here to watch the recording of this meeting.

The City Council's last regularly scheduled meeting took place on January 26th. After receiving an update on the City's efforts to enforce the face covering requirement, the City Council unanimously voted to extend our contract with a private civilian enforcement group with recommendations for more stringent enforcement. As stated above, my proposal to impose a cap on third-party delivery fees (e.g., Uber Eats) passed unanimously. The final step will be adoption of an urgency ordinance later this month! Click here to watch the recording of this meeting.

Outside of City Council meetings, I have been representing the City of Burbank on the Board of Directors for the Valley Economic Alliance. I have also been regularly attending meetings of both the Sustainable Burbank Commission and the Burbank Police Commission to serve as a resource for the commissioners.

I was also thrilled to join the Magnolia Park Merchants Association at their January 2021 Board meeting to discuss ways that the City of Burbank can foster the growth and retention of small and micro businesses in Magnolia Park.

Burbank City Council Goals & Priorities for 2021

On January 27th, I joined my colleagues for a special meeting of the City Council to discuss and identify our goals and priorities for 2021. Each Councilmember was asked to prepare a list of ten (10) goals for the upcoming year before engaging in a collaborative exercise to narrow the list to 5 goals for the entire City Council.

After extensive discussion with my colleagues, I am pleased to share that the Burbank City Council selected the following five (5) goals for city staff to prioritize in the coming year:

(1) Economic Recovery/Development.
(2) Housing/Homelessness.
(3) Sustainability.
(4) City Services.
(5) Quality of Life.

In the weeks ahead, city staff will come back to City Council with actionable items that we can take in furtherance of these goals. Needless to say, that our focus both individually and collectively will be on helping our residents stay housed and fostering an environment where businesses can thrive. Click here to watch the recording of this meeting.

Upcoming Events

When I ran for Burbank City Council, I promised that, if elected, I would have open conversations with the community each month. Please join me for my next "Community Conversation" at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 20th. We will be discussing:

Protections for Tenants and Homeowners.
Methods to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the City of Burbank.
Questions about city programs and resources.
Ideas to improve our community.

If you would like to join me for my community conversation, please RSVP by visiting: https://www.nickforburbank.com/events.

I also encourage you to visit the City of Burbank's calendar of events to learn more about some of the latest happenings in our community, including upcoming Board and Commission meetings.

Upcoming City Council Meetings

The Burbank City Council will be meeting three times during February 2021. Below is a tentative list of meeting dates and important agenda items:

February 2, 2021 - There will be no City Council meeting today.

February 9, 2021 - City Council will be considering recommendations from the Burbank Police Commission regarding programs and services of the Burbank Police Department. City Council will also be discussing and approving the City's comment letter regarding the Los Angeles Zoo Vision Plan - Environmental Impact Report. City staff will also be presenting an update on homelessness in Burbank. Lastly, City Council will be making appointments to fill two (2) vacancies on the Burbank Transportation Commission. Please click here to view the meeting agenda once it is posted.

February 16, 2021 - There will be no City Council meeting in observance of President's Day.

February 22, 2021 - City Council will be conducting a special meeting at 5:00 p.m. to consider whether to modify, suspend, or revoke the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) issued to Tinhorn Flats Saloon and Grill.

February 23, 2021 - City Council will be considering adoption of an urgency ordinance to amend the administrative use permit process. We will also consider authorization of a Design-Build Contract to replace playground equipment and shade structures at Robert Gross, George Izay, and Miller Parks. Moreover, City Council will review the General Fund's financial status, review the Central Library Design Study, and approve the Community Development Block Grants CARES Act Funding Allocation. Lastly, City Council will receive an update on our City's Economic Development Recovery Plan and consider my suggestion of creating a Burbank Economic Recovery Taskforce. Please click here to view the meeting agenda once it is posted.

Staying in Touch

As a reminder, you will find my latest press releases, blog posts, and upcoming events on my community page. I encourage you to keep in regular contact with me by regularly visiting my community page or by following my social media accounts (see links below).

I will send out the next edition of "Nick's News" during the first full week of March. In the meantime, please stay safe and be well. Thank you for reading!

Your Friend,

Nick

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