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Dan O'Brien Newsletter — August 10, 2026
Dan O'Brien | Culver City Council Update | August 10, 2026
Hello, Culver City,
This weekend I bagged the Mount Baldy summit again, this time with my friend's son and one of his buddies. That hike humbles everyone who tries it, but the payoff at the top never gets old. When I was a kid growing up next to the 10 Freeway in Ontario, I could barely make out Baldy through the smog. Standing on that peak now, knees aching and grinning anyway, I was reminded why we work so hard to protect the places and the community we love. Speaking of which: we have a City Council meeting tonight, big news out of City Hall this week, and a 75th birthday party coming to Veterans Memorial Park. Let's get into it.
🏛️ Tonight at City Hall
🔹 City Council meets tonight at 7 PM. We'll be in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers for our regular meeting, and you can join us in person or virtually. Your voice genuinely shapes these discussions, so I hope you'll tune in or stop by.
👉 View meeting details and agendas
🔹 Catching up on our July 27 meeting. The City published its summary of our last Council meeting this week, and there was a lot in it. A few highlights:
→ 🚚 Food trucks in our parks: We dug into a proposed pilot program that would bring food truck vendors to City parks from January through June, with trucks at two different parks per week and up to eight vending engagements a month. As someone who has spent years advocating for our parks, I love ideas that bring more life to them, as long as we get the details right on waste, sustainability, and fairness to vendors.
→ 🅿️ Parking fine schedule updated: We voted unanimously to update our parking violation fines for the first time since 2008, with a target start date of January 1, 2027 so there's time for real public outreach first. Our fines remain below the average of surrounding cities, and we were careful to weigh affordability concerns residents have raised.
→ 💵 A new Affordability Subcommittee: The Council created a standing subcommittee focused on what it actually costs to live here, from rent and childcare to transportation, utilities, and food access. This is exactly the kind of resident-first lens I want on everything we do.
👉 Read the full meeting summary
💼 Economic Development
🔹 Telling Culver City's story for LA is Open. On Friday, August 7, I sat down at the historic Culver Hotel for an interview with LA is Open, the regional campaign working to boost our economy and tourism as Los Angeles gears up for the world's biggest events. I'm looking forward to the story, and I made sure the Heart of Screenland got its close-up. When visitors come to LA, we want them eating, shopping, and staying right here.
🔹 Calling all creatives: the 2028 Cultural Program. With the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming in 2028, the City has opened a call for proposals from creative partners who can bring new artistry, energy, and performance to our community. If you're an artist, producer, or cultural organization, this is your invitation to help shape how Culver City shows up on the world stage. In a town built on storytelling, I know we have the talent.
👉 Learn about the 2028 Cultural Program
💰 Budget & Finance
🔹 New leadership for our City's finances. This week the City announced Erin Spragan as our new Chief Financial Officer and elevated Stephen J. Agostini to Assistant City Manager of Fiscal Sustainability and Transparency. Erin comes to us from BART, where she serves as Assistant General Manager of Finance, and previously led finance for the City of Oakland.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: We're beginning implementation of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget, and disciplined, transparent financial management is how we keep delivering services without surprises. You deserve a budget you can understand and trust, and this team is built to provide exactly that.
👉 Read the finance leadership announcement
🏠 Housing & Human Services
🔹 Paths Home: the people behind Project Homekey. The City published a moving set of resident spotlights this week introducing Danny, Melody, and Peter, three neighbors living at Project Homekey. Each of their journeys is different, but the common thread is powerful: a safe, stable place to live gives a person the room to focus on what comes next. These stories are the reason I believe in leading with compassion and asking how everyone's needs can best be met. I'd encourage you to take five minutes and read them.
👉 Meet Danny, Melody and Peter
🎡 Fiesta La Ballona Turns 75
🔹 Mark your calendars for the Party at the Park. Fiesta La Ballona celebrates its 75th anniversary this year at Veterans Memorial Park (4117 Overland Ave.), and for the first time ever there will be two entertainment stages. Entry is free, ride wristbands are on sale now, and the whole weekend is packed with live music, food, carnival rides, and family fun. Few things capture what makes this community special like Fiesta does.
→ 📅 Dates and times: Friday, August 28, 4:30 PM to 10 PM. Saturday, August 29, 12 PM to 10 PM. Sunday, August 30, 12 PM to 8 PM.
→ 📸 Got Fiesta history in your garage? The City is collecting photos, posters, programs, trophies, vintage attire, and other keepsakes from the past 75 years, and select items may be displayed as part of the anniversary celebration. If your family has been part of this tradition, here's your chance to share it.
👉 Read the Fiesta announcement
📅 Dates & Community Events
🔹 Summer Sunset Music Series, Thursday, August 13 at 7 PM. The free concert series continues in Town Plaza at The Culver Steps, with the final show of the season on Thursday, August 20. Grab dinner downtown, bring a friend, and soak up these last summer evenings.
👉 See the Summer Sunset lineup
🔹 Committee meetings this Wednesday, August 12. The Disability Advisory Committee meets at 6:30 PM and the Finance Advisory Committee meets at 7 PM. These volunteer bodies do important work, and your input makes them stronger.
🔹 Weekly Markets. Every Tuesday, 2-7 PM: Downtown Farmers Market. Main Street. Grab produce, support local growers, and say hello to neighbors.
👉 Visit the Farmers Market page
🔹 How to watch and participate in meetings. Agendas post Wednesdays before Monday meetings. You can attend in person or virtually.
🙏 Closing Thoughts
Whether it's a summit trail or a council agenda, the lesson is the same: the climb is worth it when we do it together. Thank you for reading, for showing up, and for caring about this community the way you do. If something in this update sparked a question or an idea, hit reply and tell me about it. I read every message. See you tonight at 7, and I'll see you at Fiesta on August 28.
