Council Meeting Recap: June 22, 2021

All council members were present for the Tuesday, June 22 City Council meeting. Open session started at 5:01 p.m. and ended at 5:55 p.m. Here's what you missed:

Real Run Basketball League returns to the City of Carson. The Real Run Basket Basketball League will make its return to Veterans Sports Complex and will include a youth component called Little Real Run. The council met with league operator DeAnthony Langston who provided details on the upcoming program. Real Run is an adult competitive basketball league which first debut in the City of Carson during the early 2000's. Registration is strictly for college athletes and current/prospective NBA players within 100 miles of the gymnasium. "We don’t have the old players like Paul Pierce and Baron Davis. We have the younger guys like LaMelo Ball, Josh Christopher, Zion Williamson, Evan Mobley are all going to be in the draft this year," explained Langston. According to the staff report the league will run from July 6 through August 5, will contain 8 teams in total, and the registration fee per team is $1,500. Prior to Real Run matches, Little Run will also host basketball scrimmages for kids and will give the youth an opportunity to interact with professionals. Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes, originally having come up with the idea for Little Real Run, emphasized that youth component is specifically for Carson kids to have something to do during the summer months.

The council approved Councilmember Jawane Hilton's motion to cosponsor the program, waive the Veterans Sports Complex facility rental fees at $21,729 and provide a couple summer youth workers to help operate the league. Real Run would still need to pay $3,348 for Veterans Sports Complex staff. Mayor Davis-Holmes and DeAnthony Langston concluded discussions sharing their goal to make Carson the HUB for basketball in the southland.

Council reviews Status of upcoming Events. Many of the traditional city-wide, parks, and program specific events held prior to the pandemic will return either virtually or in-person while some will be postponed to next year. Following the elimination of state issued health protocols, the disaster council and city staff made recommendations to the council as to how to proceed with these events coming between July to October. The council made a motion to proceed with planning (and finding Co-sponsors) for 4th of July Community Friendship Day, White Linen, Gospel Fest, and Samoan Flag Day which previously were marked as ‘postponed’. City staff will come back with details on fee waivers and co-sponsorships for those events.

Disaster Council Reopening Recommendations. The disaster council met on June 17 to make additional reopening policy recommendations for the City council’s concurrence, following Los Angeles County’s adoption of the ‘Reopening Safer at Work in the Community Revised Order’. With new protocols allowing the operation for indoor and outdoor mega events, the disaster council recommended eliminating capacity limits for swimming pools, cooling centers, gyms, and the Carson Event Center. Private events held at the Carson Events Center can have food service, however participants must be seated, wear a mask while indoors and have their food served to them (no self-service for buffets.) City Manager Sharon Landers informed the public that employee telecommuting practices have been discontinued saying, “We are now back in full operation.” As of June 1, City Hall has been open to the public during regular operation hours via appointment only. However, City and Summer Youth staff will have to continue mandatory regular COVID 19 testing to ensure a safe working environment. The council unanimously approved the recommendation to activate the Youth Commission beginning in September to coincide with the reopening of schools and allow the rest of Commissions, Committees, and Boards to be reactivated on a rolling basis. According to the staff report, currently the only CCB’s authorized to meet are the planning; parks, recreation, and Cultural Arts; Economic Development; Mobile Home Park Rental Review; and Women’s Issues.

Notice of Special Election posted on City Website. On June 29 a notice was officially given calling for a Special Municipal Election to fill the positions of City Clerk and Council Member of the 4th district to be held Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. Nominations begin Monday July 12 - Aug. 6 and can be given to the City Clerk's Office via email (jcarroll@carsonca.gov) or by phone (310 952-1720).