I could've sworn Downtown Santa Monica Inc was supposed to be a board to bring more business to the Promenade . And is supposed to be separate from the City, unlike the Planning Commission or Rent Control Board. I know this due to trying to make record requests to the City for DTSM, and being told it is a separate entity from the City.
If this is the case, why can the City Council remove valuable stakeholder board members, for activists, lobbyists, corrupt former City politicians, and current city employees? Especially with a secret application process.
Please note as of July 8, 2025, Elaine Polachek became a part time City employee. I mean how can you get rid of the person who knows where all the bodies are buried?
So by the City Council's action, are they trying to stack the City's Boards and Commissions with City employees? Considering Susan Cline, the formal representative from the City Manager's office, is one the board already.
And I'm still baffled about what the emergency was to cause the board change. Considering CEO Andrew Thomas' leaving is due to not getting the pay increase he wanted. Which the maker of the motion on the City Council, Barry Snell didn't even know.
And since Barry Snell didn't clearly define the emergency. I don't think that the former DTSM Board members disagreeing with the City Council's plan to raise parking rates, constitutes an emergency.
