INGLEWOOD – Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. returned to this week’s council meeting, remotely. On the agenda was approval of the (not fully funded) Inglewood transit connector, and worker’s compensation claims for three Inglewood police officers.
“No public money will be used,” said Butts when addressing questions about how the project will be funded.
The mayor indicated the project is “shovel ready”.Â
In this case, the City is awaiting funds from Sacramento and Washington D.C. as the City lobbies for the project as a crucial component of the 2028 Olympics, which Los Angeles is hosting.
Neither the City, nor Trifiletti Consulting addressed the displacement of nearly 100 small businesses along the approved route. The only business addressed was Vons who will rebuild the store as some of the site space will be used for a maintenance yard for the transit connector.
City Attorney Ken Campos asked for settlement authority for three workers compensation claims, for three Inglewood Police officers (one of which retired in July 2020) , and the mayor abstained for all three votes.
It is not known why the mayor abstained, which is not common. The last time we recall him abstaining was when it involved the city’s trash contract being awarded to the company where his brother worked.
Last week, during the April 5 council meeting, a $60,000 petty cash check was on the warrant register, for IPD, which possibly indicates the return of the Narcotics Division.
