By: Emilie St. John
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Inglewood city council is expected to approve this week’s warrant register during the Feb. 7 regular city council meeting which includes invoices for outside media services totaling nearly $50,000.
The council adopted the FY 2022-2023 budget that noted a nearly $6 million surplus. The surplus was due in part to an injection of $31 million of federal ARPA funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City is sitting on close to $16 million in ARPA funds that have not been allocated.
The City Clerk and Finance Department continue to evade releasing documents submitted under an October public records request for lien assessments that the Finance Department requested be placed on the tax roll last July. Residents believe the staff reports are only generated to justify the movement of money when documents can’t be produced when requested.
On this week’s warrant register is a check for Hannibal Media, for stage and production services for $33,000. The expense is attributed to the Parks, Recreation, and Library departments.
City Clerk Aisha Thompson is spending $12,000 in radio ads on KJLH for her “Register to Vote” campaign.
Residents vividly recall getting automated robocalls from City Hall from Thompson reminding people to vote in the 2020 election when she was on the ballot to succeed former City Clerk Yvonne Horton.
Thompson has not made any announcements of voter registration activities during the Jan. 24 or Jan. 31 city council meetings despite there being a runoff election for District 1 on March 7.
Residents in District 1 will be able to vote in person between Feb. 25 through March 7 at Church of Hope at 9550 Crenshaw Blvd.
Thompson has started a newsletter that you can sign up for by either calling 310-412-5280 or email cpadilla@cityofinglewood.org.
