2UrbanGirls
  • Home
  • Local
    • Compton
    • Education
    • Inglewood
    • Los Angeles
    • Orange County
  • News
    • Elections
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Opinion
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Word on the Streets
  • Things to Do
    • Arts & Culture
    • Entertainment
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Mediakit
  • Shop
    • Cart

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

What's Hot
March 27, 2023

One dead, three injured after possible overdose in El Monte

March 27, 2023

Sheriff’s deputy involved in traffic collision

March 27, 2023

Angel City FC loses opener

Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • One dead, three injured after possible overdose in El Monte
  • Sheriff’s deputy involved in traffic collision
  • Angel City FC loses opener
  • Man fatally assaulted near DTLA
  • Person shot while sitting in vehicle near LA
  • Authorities ID driver killed after vehicle goes off bridge near DTLA
  • Palmdale shooting leaves one dead, one wounded
  • Pedestrian critically injured after driver hits them in Long Beach
Facebook Twitter YouTube TikTok Instagram
2UrbanGirls
  • Home
  • Local
    1. Compton
    2. Education
    3. Inglewood
    4. Los Angeles
    5. Orange County
    6. View All

    Compton College Diverse Workforce Hiring Meets Benchmarks

    March 22, 2023

    Compton College to host job fair March 25

    March 21, 2023

    Authorities offer $20,000 reward for help solving murder of former NBA player’s father

    March 21, 2023

    Compton shooting leaves one dead

    March 17, 2023

    LAUSD, unions reach tentative labor deal with assistance of Mayor Karen Bass

    March 25, 2023

    Inglewood school board meeting erupts into chaos during vote on school closure

    March 24, 2023

    LAUSD schools reopen as three-day strike ends

    March 24, 2023

    Cerritos College looks forward to a permanent Child Development Center

    March 23, 2023

    Inglewood Target to hold grand opening April 2

    March 27, 2023

    Inglewood Transit Connector JPA to hold meeting March 29

    March 26, 2023

    El Camino College Board Trustee Ken Brown has died

    March 23, 2023

    Inglewood Councilwoman-elect has yet to resign from water board seats

    March 21, 2023

    Metro train hits ANOTHER pedestrian

    February 20, 2023

    LA city council approves relocation assistance for tenants following rent increases

    February 7, 2023

    LA Mayor makes new appoints to police commission

    February 7, 2023

    LA council committee backs ending COVID testing for unvaccinated employees

    February 7, 2023

    Off-duty Orange County deputy dies in single-vehicle crash

    February 9, 2023

    2 dead after wrong-way driver causes multi-vehicle crash in Orange County

    February 6, 2023

    Pedestrian killed while crossing street in Orange County

    February 6, 2023

    Man faces life sentence for kidnapping, rape of girl in Orange County

    February 4, 2023

    Herbalife sued over wrongful termination allegations

    March 27, 2023

    CA governor announces end of some water restrictions

    March 27, 2023

    Powerball jackpot grows to $122 million

    March 26, 2023

    SuperLotto Plus jackpot grows to $45 million

    March 26, 2023
  • News
    • Elections
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Opinion
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Word on the Streets
  • Things to Do
    • Arts & Culture
    • Entertainment
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Mediakit
  • Shop
    • Cart
2UrbanGirls
You are at:Home»Local»How does the city of Inglewood plan on addressing traffic issues
Traffic crawls at a snails pace near SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Credit: 2UrbanGirls)

How does the city of Inglewood plan on addressing traffic issues

1
By 2UrbanGirls on March 14, 2018 Local

The Robert Group (TRG) is a Los Feliz based company that provides expertise in community outreach, strategic communications and public relations.  Despite them not including conducting traffic studies, the Inglewood city council awarded this company a $300,000 no bid contract, under the guise of their providing a special event traffic plan and a neighborhood traffic plan.  Although the city’s Municipal Code allows for exceptions to the competitive bidding process, it doesn’t appear that TRG has met those requirements.  Another huge component to this studies completion is the passage of legislation directly tied to the new NBA and NFL projects.

TRG was highly instrumental in getting the city of Inglewood to approve the NFL stadium project by recruiting city employees to pose as both Chargers and Rams fans at many highly publicized meetings and the annual State of the City put on by the Inglewood Airport Area Chamber of Commerce.

The November 2016 contract calls for TRG, in conjunction with two traffic planners, to create traffic plans for the city.  The ruse was almost discovered when residents got irate with the parking of cars at the Inglewood Park Cemetary.  By IMC definition, TRG wouldn’t qualify to receive a no bid contract.

Section 2-198.1. Exceptions to Competitive Bidding Requirement.

Professional Services. Nothing shall be construed to preclude the city from awarding a written contract for professional type services, as defined by case or statutory law, without complying with the provisions of this Article. The term “professional services” means services entailing a high degree of specialized technical or mental skill. Such services include attorneys, physicians, architects, engineers, appraisers, accountants, collection agency, detective agency, draftsman, mortuary, hospitals, escrow agency, travel agency, insurance broker, employment agency, advertising agency, real estate, chiropractics and optometry.

2UrbanGirls contacted Christine Robert, the owner of TRG, on March 8th, to inquire if she was being paid to provide the study or outreach to get the projects passed for the NBA and NFL.

TRG:  So here’s the deal, this effort is not a political campaign and therefore would not require a campaign ID. The purpose of our effort is to support and recognize the many positive accomplishment and attributes of the community. It is to be a vehicle for Inglewood resident and business people to tell their own positive story of life in Inglewood thereby promoting civic pride. This is in response to what is often seen or described by the press which are negative story’s and connotations about the City. Inglewood is a wonderful community to raise a family, open a business and just to live and we think that story has to be told. Hope this is helpful. Continued best.

2UG:  Is the city paying for the mailers or is it part of your contract?  I’ve called several folks in the mailer who explicitly state they were approached by a member of your staff for inclusion, free of charge. Which means either TRG has a charity arm or this came out of the $300k you got for that study.

TRG:  You have just accused me of something illegal.

On the same date, the page was quickly updated to reflect that Murphy’s Bowl LLC paid for the campaign.  Both the mailers and website bear the same address where TRG is located:  111 N. La Brea Ave. #409.

2UrbanGirls contacted Jay Wierenga, Fair Political Practices Commission Communications Director, for further clarification of the legality of the mailers and website she is producing and whether it was a form of lobbying.

“This would be lobbying and subject to any local lobbying rules or ordinances,” said Wierenga.

The city’s municipal code does not regulate lobbying activities.

Related:  CLIPPERS PAY FOR – AND INGLEWOOD CITY GOVERNMENT ADVERTISES – WEBSITE MADE TO LOOK LIKE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT

Mayor Butts has also been lobbying city employees, via his city email, to have them use their social media accounts to counter the negative narrative surrounding the proposed project.  Employees have shared the email with 2UrbanGirls fearing they would be retaliated against if they didn’t go along.  Current and former employees share similar sentiments.  “The mayor has had several key employees fired for going against him.  Former assistant city manager Mike Falkow, former IPD Cpt. Martin Sissac, former SEIU 721 employee president Joe Watson and many others have all been let go for various frivolous reasons. What should we do,” said the employees who refused to be identified for fear of being fired.

The employees went further.  “Mayor Butts has spies all over the Eye on Inglewood Facebook group and he spends all day on there too.  Members of the executive team, the HR assistant director and other city personnel report back if we comment publicly against the project.”

According to the city of Inglewood Civil Rules and Regulations this use of city email could be considered “unauthorized use of city property”.

A huge piece of this arena/stadium transportation puzzle hangs on the passage of legislation centering around creating a new train.

Mayor Butts consistently references the good old days when Hollywood Park was a racetrack and the city had three professional teams playing at the Forum and that parking wasn’t an issue.  Back then the parking problem was not an issue for the events at the Forum because they were held during the hours the racetrack was closed and their parking lot was used for overflow parking.  With it being gone, the city doesn’t have the capacity to house the number of cars expected to fill these new venues.  Thus the need for an additional transportation option.  Metro.

Based on plans released to the public, the proposed area seems visually awkward to accommodate the ambitious plans of Murphy’s Bowl LLC.

Senate Bill 789, introduced by Sen. Steve Bradford, will be reintroduced this session after being defeated by lobbyists on behalf of Madison Square Garden.  The bill attempted to attach the project to the Olympics, which drew a public response by the City of Los Angeles.  They emphatically stated they did not need the Metro project planned in Inglewood for transportation issues surrounding the games.

After the bill’s introduction, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city hadn’t asked for the CEQA exemption for the Olympics projects and didn’t need it. Organizers behind the city’s bid requested that Bradford remove the Olympics from his bill entirely.

CA Legislators also didn’t like that eminent domain would be used in order to complete the project.  From the Los Angeles Times:

It would appear that TRG can’t produce any sort of traffic plan unless SB 789 passes.  In the meantime TRG provides PR for Ballmer, Kroenke and now the LA Youth Philharmonic.

Has the city bitten off more than it can chew?

Related

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
2UrbanGirls
  • Twitter

2UrbanGirls has been cited in Daily Breeze, Daily News, Inglewood Today, Intersections South LA, KCRW, KPCC, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Wave, LA Weekly, LA Watts Times, Mercury News, New York Times, Orange County Register, Sports Illustrated, The Atlantic, and Washington Post. Former contributor to CityWatchLA.

Related Posts

Herbalife sued over wrongful termination allegations

CA governor announces end of some water restrictions

Powerball jackpot grows to $122 million

1 Comment

  1. Pingback: Metro Goal Line Task Force fails to deliver Inglewood parking & traffic plan and is dismantled | 2 Urban Girls - an alternative community news source

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Most Read
Crime
March 10, 20230

Orange County movie theater evacuated after fight breaks out

ORANGE, Calif. – A movie theater was evacuated after a fight broke out which lead…

March 25, 2023

Winning Mega Millions lottery ticket sold in Long Beach

March 12, 2023

New York bank shutdown closes LA, OC offices

March 9, 2023

Women ordered to strand trial for the death of a woman seeking a BBL

Elections
March 24, 2023

Early in-person voting begins Saturday in LA special election

March 21, 2023

Grace Yoo announces candidacy for Los Angeles Council District 10

March 21, 2023

2022 election data shows Republicans gained in majority Latino districts

March 11, 2023

Gloria Gray maintains lead in Inglewood runoff election

Entertainment
March 26, 2023

`John Wick: Chapter 4′ opens with $73.5 Million

March 25, 2023

Netflix sued over images used in reality TV series ad

March 22, 2023

Walmart presents Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water Festival

March 21, 2023

Kim Fields, Nathan Mitchell among celebrity presenters for 42nd College Television Awards

Business
March 22, 2023

Should I use credit cards to pay my insurance premiums?

March 21, 2023

Ways your business can give back to charity

March 21, 2023

Black Tech Week returns to Cincinatti this summer

March 20, 2023

Sofi’s campaign to stop the student-loan payment pause

Transportation
March 25, 2023

Biden nominee withdraws nomination to head FAA after Republican attacks

March 25, 2023

CA Transportation Commission awards millions to LA County for infrastructure projects

March 24, 2023

County Supervisor issues statement on extending law enforcement contracts for Metro transit services

March 24, 2023

Inglewood requests cancellation of Centinela Grade Separation project, wants funds shifted to transit connector

Sports
March 27, 2023

Angel City FC loses opener

March 26, 2023

Former NFL star sued over attack at West Hollywood club

March 20, 2023

Magic Johnson part of group making bid for Washington Commanders

March 20, 2023

Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium in danger of losing 2026 World Cup hosting rights

Real Estate
March 24, 2023

California may scale down new loan program designed to assist first-time homebuyers

February 28, 2023

In a World of Shrinking Apartments, L.A. Rentals Got Bigger – Here’s Why 

February 27, 2023

Homes owned by Black families appreciated the fastest during the pandemic

February 17, 2023

Top 50 Most Expensive L.A. County Neighborhoods in 2022

Legal
March 16, 2023

Former employee identified in lawsuit against Encino doctor

February 7, 2023

Black tenant seeks to intervene in ongoing discrimination case

February 2, 2023

Juice bar chain pays $175,000 to settle federal discrimination claims

February 1, 2023

Grand Jury indicts disbarred attorney Tom Girardi for embezzling $15M from clients

Newsletter

Recent Posts
  • One dead, three injured after possible overdose in El Monte
  • Sheriff’s deputy involved in traffic collision
  • Angel City FC loses opener
  • Man fatally assaulted near DTLA
  • Person shot while sitting in vehicle near LA
Recent Comments
  • Anonymous on Affordable housing projects in Inglewood have stalled for years
  • 2UrbanGirls on Inglewood school board meeting erupts into chaos during vote on school closure
  • Fre’Drisha Dixon on Inglewood school board meeting erupts into chaos during vote on school closure
Copyright © 2011-2023 2UrbanGirls.
  • Cookie Policy
  • DMCA
  • Privacy Policy

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

 

Loading Comments...