Council forms ad hoc with Lopez, Garcia to update Mall Association MOU

City staff told the San Fernando City Council they have been negotiating a successor memorandum of understanding with the Mall Association to modernize governance and financial accountability for the downtown Mall Assessment District.

Deputy City Manager Kanika Kith summarized the history: the city created the original parking and business improvement area (Area A) by ordinance in 1965 (Ordinance 912) and added Area B in 1968; Area B funds have supported promotion, events, decorations and limited maintenance. Kith said the proposed MOU would adopt best practices for business improvement districts, clarify board structure and representation, strengthen financial reporting and address which party is responsible for special events and associated costs.

Staff recommended that the council appoint an ad hoc committee to work with staff and the Mall Association board to draft the new MOU. Councilmembers agreed and moved to create an ad hoc committee; Councilmember Patty Lopez and Councilmember Victoria Garcia were appointed as the two-council-member ad hoc, with staff to return with recommendations within about 30'45 days.

Councilmembers discussed specific goals for the MOU including bilingual communications, merchant promotion and clarity about who pays for public-works or police support for special events. Staff said the city has historically provided enhanced parking-lot street-sweeping and traffic control for the outdoor market and that some maintenance tasks remain city responsibilities.

The council motion to form the ad hoc committee passed on a roll call vote.