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Gardena council renews $84,000 contract with Townsend Public Affairs amid council questions
Summary
The Gardena City Council approved a one-year renewal with Townsend Public Affairs Inc. for legislative advocacy and grant funding services for $84,000, 4-1. Council members debated the value of outside lobbying and asked for regular progress updates.
The Gardena City Council voted 4-1 to approve a one-year agreement with Townsend Public Affairs Inc. (TPA) to provide legislative advocacy and grant-funding services for $84,000 from the general fund.
Townsend representatives and city staff told the council the firm has worked with Gardena since March 2022 and helped the city win state and federal funding for several priority projects. “We’ve had a three‑year run…we’re really proud to say that we’ve secured over $12,000,000 in state and federal funding for the city,” Mr. DeLuca, senior manager for Townsend Public Affairs, said during the presentation. DeLuca also recalled prior district- and federal-level work and outlined upcoming state and federal grant opportunities.
The contract drew questions from multiple council members about the value-for-money and the firm’s role versus city staff. Council member Mulock said she had spoken with legislative offices and some neighboring cities and remained uncertain whether the city was receiving distinct services beyond what the city’s staff and elected officials could accomplish. “I still struggle with this agenda item,” Mulock said, asking for clarity about what Townsend does beyond sending project lists to legislators.
Townsend’s senior manager said the work involves drafting applications, building narratives, meeting with legislative staff, and following up on requests in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. He offered to provide the council with regular updates; Council member Francis asked for semiannual reports. The Townsend representative agreed to provide written monthly updates to the city manager and staff and said he would coordinate on frequency with the city.
A motion to approve the agreement carried, with Mayor Serta, Mayor Pro Tem Tanaka, Council member Henderson and Council member Francis voting yes. Council member Love voted no.
The contract covers continued pursuit of state and federal appropriations and grant-funding efforts tied to council priorities, including park projects and other capital needs. The city manager told the council that Townsend’s fee has not increased since the firm began working with the city in 2022 and that to date the city has paid $252,000 while the firm says it helped secure about $12 million in awards for Gardena projects.
The council instructed staff to require periodic written updates on Townsend’s work and to coordinate with the firm on any new applications.
Action details and vote tallies are below.
