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Dan O'Brien Newsletter — July 19, 2026
📬 Councilmember Dan O'Brien | Culver City | July 20, 2026
Hello, Culver City,
The biggest tournament on Earth ended Sunday, and a much smaller contest quietly began right here at City Hall: nomination papers are now open for two seats on your City Council. One of those stories drew a billion viewers. The other one, I would argue, matters more to your daily life. This week's newsletter covers both, along with thirty neighbors who just finished a big assignment, a recap of last Monday's Council actions, and live music every Thursday for the next month.
🗳️ Community: Two Seats on the Ballot. Could One Be Yours?
🔹 The candidate nomination period for City Council is officially open. It began last Monday, July 13, and voters will choose two Councilmembers in the General Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 3. Those elected will be sworn in on December 14 and serve four-year terms. To qualify, you need to be at least 18, a Culver City resident, and registered to vote here. That is the whole list. No political pedigree required.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: I will not be one of the names on that ballot, which means at least one of these seats belongs to someone new. Who fills it will help decide how this city handles housing, budgets, public safety, and everything else we write about in this space each week.
→ 🎯 My take: When I was a kid in Idaho, my dad got tired of the gravel road in front of our house, so he petitioned the neighbors and pushed an unwilling school district until the street got paved. That one small victory planted a belief in me that has shaped my whole life: anybody can be empowered to make a difference in their community. If you have ever sat in the back of a Council meeting thinking you could do this, the paperwork is waiting. Talk to your family, call the City Clerk's office, and take the first step. I am happy to answer questions about what the job really involves, and I mean that.
👉 Learn how to run for City Council
⚽ Economic Development: The World Cup Ends Where Its LA Story Began
🔹 Spain won it all, and Culver City watched together one last time. Sunday's Final at MetLife Stadium finished 1-0 after extra time, with substitute Ferran Torres burying the winner in the 106th minute against an Argentina side chasing back-to-back titles. Fittingly, the champions were the same Spanish squad that survived the tournament's only Los Angeles knockout match at SoFi Stadium earlier this month. Back home, Town Plaza hosted the free community screening of the Final, closing out the Kick It With Culver City series that carried neighbors from the opening USA match in June all the way to the trophy.
→ 💡 What this means: Over five weeks, our city put on six free public screenings across three parks and plazas, using our own LED screen, our own staff, and our own local partners. City staff have said plainly that these events were a measuring stick for what Culver City can host, and the community answered every time. That experience now feeds directly into our planning for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
→ 🎯 My take: Five weeks ago I stood in a stadium crowd and watched strangers from opposite ends of the world cheer side by side. What our Parks, Recreation, and Special Events teams pulled off since then brought that same feeling home, no ticket required. My sincere thanks to Edgar Varela and the whole events crew, the Downtown Business Association, Afro Village, and Bahati House Sports Lab. You made a global tournament feel like a neighborhood block party, and that is a skill this city will use again soon.
💰 Budget & Finance: The Civic Assembly Finished Its Homework
🔹 Thirty of your neighbors wrapped three full days of deliberation on Saturday. The second and final Civic Assembly session ran Thursday through Saturday, its participants chosen through a civic lottery built to mirror the city's full mix of ages, neighborhoods, and backgrounds. Their charge fit in one sentence: figure out how to bring more residents into shaping the City's budget. With the session complete, their final report is now being prepared for delivery to the City Council.
→ 💡 What this means: This was not a survey or a comment box. It was ordinary residents given real time, real information, and real support to think hard about how their own government should listen. The recommendations headed our way come from living rooms, not lobbying firms.
→ 🎯 My take: I pushed for a fair, competitive process when this idea first came to the Council, because something this important deserved to be done right. From everything I have seen, it has been. When that report lands on the dais, my commitment is simple: I will read every page before I form an opinion, and I hope you will read it with me.
👉 Read about the Civic Assembly
🏛️ At City Hall: What Happened Monday, and What's Next
🔹 The Council extended the pause on new drive-through permits. At last Monday's meeting, my colleagues voted 4-0 to extend the temporary moratorium on new drive-through development into next year while the Planning Commission and City planners work on permanent zoning updates. I recused myself from that item because of my role as President of the Culver City Chamber of Commerce, so I will point you to the meeting record rather than offer a view on the merits.
→ 💡 What this means: Recusal rules exist so that decisions like this one are made, and seen to be made, without any question of divided loyalty. When an item touches an organization I lead, the right move is to step away from the dais and let the process work. The zoning conversation now continues at the Planning Commission, and public input will shape whatever rules come back to the Council.
🔹 The next regular Council meeting is next Monday, July 27, at 7 PM in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers. The agenda posts this Wednesday, and you can attend in person or virtually. If you have never given a public comment before, summer is a fine time to try it. The chambers are air conditioned, and your two minutes count just as much as anyone's.
🎶 Arts & Culture: Thursday Nights Belong to Town Plaza
🔹 The Summer Sunset Concert Series continues this Thursday, July 23, at 7 PM. Now in its fourth year, the free series runs every Thursday evening at Town Plaza through August 20, with a different genre taking the stage each week. Stage-front seating goes to whoever arrives earliest, and there is designated space where you can spread a small blanket or set up a low-back chair. One friendly tip from the organizers: parking gets tight, so consider Culver CityBus, a bike, or your own two feet, then make an evening of it at the restaurants around The Culver Steps.
→ 🎯 My take: We talk a lot in this newsletter about budgets, ballots, and zoning, and all of it matters. But a plaza full of neighbors dancing on a warm Thursday night is the version of Culver City all that other work exists to protect. Go stake out a spot and stay for the whole set.
👉 See the Summer Sunset Concert Series details
📅 Dates & What's Ahead
🔹 Thursday, July 23 at 7 PM. Summer Sunset Concert Series at Town Plaza. See above.
🔹 Friday, July 24. City Hall is closed. Plan any in-person business, including candidate filing appointments, for another weekday.
🔹 Monday, July 27 at 7 PM. Regular Council Meeting, Mike Balkman Council Chambers. Agenda posts Wednesday.
🔹 Thursday, August 6. Artist Laureate Victoria Marks brings HUG to The Culver Steps, a participatory performance built entirely out of public affection. Show up at 5 PM to join the 6 PM activation. Hugging partner optional; partners will be provided.
👉 Read about HUG with the Artist Laureate
🔹 Friday to Sunday, August 28 to 30. Fiesta La Ballona celebrates its 75th year.
👉 Browse the city events calendar
🔹 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 Thought
The world packed up its tournament on Sunday, and what stays behind is everything that was already here: a plaza with a concert calendar, a Council chamber with an open agenda, and a filing window where two futures for this city are waiting on signatures. Big events come and go. The people who stay and serve are the ones who decide what a place becomes.
My gratitude this week goes to the thirty residents who handed a chunk of their summer to the Civic Assembly, and to everyone who filled Town Plaza one last time on Sunday. Now here is my nudge: if a Council run has ever crossed your mind, even briefly, do not let the filing window close on a maybe. Ask me anything about the job. This week especially, I am hoping my inbox fills with questions that start "so about that Council seat."
