El Segundo weighs charter city status ahead of possible November ballot vote
The City of El Segundo is getting serious about changing its governance from its current general law city status to charter city status.
California cities operate under one of two systems. General law cities follow uniform rules set by the state for most municipal matters. Charter cities, by contrast, adopt a local “constitution” — a city charter — that gives them broader authority to govern their own municipal affairs, subject to certain state and constitutional limits.
El Segundo has operated as a general law city throughout its history; a draft charter presented in the city’s June 16 City Council agenda packet, paired with a town hall held yesterday has put a shift toward home rule before voters as a live option.
The proposed charter keeps El Segundo’s existing council-manager structure intact, with the City Council setting policy and the City Manager handling daily operations.
Additionally, it largely preserves state requirements on prevailing wages, public contracting, and elections. But two provisions stand out: a revenue retention clause stating that money raised by the city stays within the city and is shielded from involuntary reduction by any other level of government, and a land-use article asserting that El Segundo’s local zoning and planning rules may take precedence over conflicting state law.
That land-use language echoes arguments charter cities elsewhere in California have used to push back against state housing mandates, including regional housing allocations and recent ADU streamlining laws — a tension the city acknowledges directly, noting that desired local land-use authority may not survive a challenge when an issue is deemed a matter of statewide concern.
The City Council is scheduled to take the matter up again on July 7 at 6 p.m. If it moves forward, the charter question would go before voters at the November 2026 general municipal election.
Hawaiian Gardens, sheriff’s department host anonymous firearm buyback today
The City of Hawaiian Gardens and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are hosting a firearm buyback event today, offering residents gift cards in exchange for firearms.
Participants can trade in firearms anonymously for gift cards ranging from $50 to $300, depending on the weapon, with values assessed on-site. Gift card quantities are limited, and the city reserves the right to limit the number of cards issued per person, regardless of how many firearms are turned in. Limits apply to 3D-printed and homemade firearms.
Firearms must be unloaded and transported in the vehicle’s trunk; no ammunition will be accepted.
The buyback runs 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. today, Thursday, June 25, Public Safety Center, 11940 E. Carson St., Hawaiian Gardens. For more information, call (562) 496-1026.
West Hollywood names Odious Ari as Drag Laureate
The West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously at its June 15 meeting to appoint Odious Ari as the city’s next Drag Laureate, making Ari the first drag king to hold the title anywhere in the world.
Ari was selected through an application process reviewed by a committee drawn from the city’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, LGBTQ+ Commission, and Transgender Advisory Board.
Ari succeeds Pickle, who served as West Hollywood’s inaugural Drag Laureate after the position was created in 2023. As Drag Laureate, Ari will serve a three-year term beginning July 1 and will appear at roughly 15 civic events throughout the year, including WeHo Pride and West Hollywood Day.
“West Hollywood has long been a place where LGBTQ+ artists, performers, and visionaries have challenged conventions, expanded representation, and helped shape culture,” said West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman, adding that Ari’s creativity, humor, and musicianship embody the spirit of the city.
Ari, known for a stage persona built around a 103-year-old vaudevillian character, performs with an eclectic mix of instruments, including accordion, ukulele, banjo, and squeaky toys.
The Drag Laureate program falls under the city’s Arts Division, which also oversees the Poet Laureate position, the WeHo Pride Arts Festival, and the Urban Art Program.
For more information, contact Arts Manager Rebecca Ehemann at (323) 848-6846 or rehemann@weho.org.
Calabasas, LA County Fire Department advance wildfire-mitigation efforts
The Calabasas City Council adopted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) on June 10, formalizing a roadmap for reducing wildfire risk through defensible space, home hardening, evacuation readiness, and public education.
The plan was developed with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, local Fire Safe Councils, and input from residents gathered through community workshops. City officials credited the planning process to sustained public participation and said continued community involvement will be key as implementation begins.
Separately, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, in coordination with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), has scheduled a prescribed plot burn in the Santa Monica Mountains near Santa Maria Road and Dirt Mulholland Road, weather and environmental conditions permitting.
The burn will be conducted one plot at a time over up to eight hours using a mosaic approach intended to slow wildfire movement between canyons and communities, with crews remaining on-site throughout under a Chief-approved burn plan.
Officials ask residents not to report visible smoke from the project area as a wildfire, and note that nearby trails and roads will see temporary closures.
The burn is scheduled 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, June 26, near Santa Maria Road and Dirt Mulholland Road, Santa Monica Mountains above Topanga Canyon. Residents sensitive to smoke are advised to limit outdoor activity if smoke is present; for air quality updates, visit aqmd.gov.
Diamond Bar City Council appoints Ryan McLean as next city manager
The Diamond Bar City Council voted unanimously, 5-0, at its June 16 meeting to appoint Assistant City Manager Ryan McLean as the city’s next city manager. McLean will take over July 1, succeeding Dan Fox, who led the city’s daily operations for the past nine years.
McLean’s roots in Diamond Bar run deep — his parents moved to the city when he was young and still live there, and he attended Diamond Bar schools before earning an economics degree from UC Irvine. He began his career with the city’s recreation team in 1997, joined the city directly as a recreation coordinator in 2001, and rose through the ranks to deputy city manager in 2014 and assistant city manager in 2016, overseeing Parks and Recreation, Human Resources and Risk Management, the City Clerk’s office, Information Systems, and Community Relations.
During his tenure, McLean led development of the City Council’s first Strategic Plan, guided the city’s transition from at-large to district-based council elections, and worked on the city’s long-term fiscal sustainability efforts.
