Council votes: lease for Lord Heigl House, settlement on pension claim, budget amendment, appointments and directives

The Venice City Council took a series of routine and substantive votes at its meeting, including a lease for the historic Lord Heigl House, a settlement of a pension dispute, a budget amendment that adds a police training position, several appointments and directives for staff.

Key votes and outcomes

- Lord Heigl House lease (Consent item 25‑0191): The council approved a lease agreement with Black Gold Coffee Roasters LLC to manage the Lord Heigl House coffeehouse. The lessee representatives said the business will operate a café, host music and events, and collaborate with the Venice Museum and Archives. Council discussion confirmed the lease is 57 pages long, that the first six parking spaces adjacent to the house (two handicapped and four regular) are dedicated to the café, and that revenues from the lease will go to the city’s journal/general fund. The agreement passed unanimously.

- Settlement of pension dispute (25‑0192): Council authorized a confidential settlement with a retired employee, resolving a dispute over whether compensatory time should be included in average final compensation under an older pension plan. HR Director Alan Bullock told council the dispute arose under a pension plan that has not accepted new members since about 2014 and that the situation was unique to the retiree involved. The settlement was approved unanimously.

- Budget amendment (Ordinance 2025‑18): Council adopted an ordinance increasing total revenues and expenditures by $1,494,951. The amendment funds several items including theater and pier work, airport projects, and a police department request to add a full‑time training manager (budgeted for part of the fiscal year so the hire can occur before Oct. 1). Council discussed timing and necessity of the training position; a suggested amendment to remove the FTE failed for a lack of a second. The ordinance passed 5‑1.

- Zoning and quasi‑judicial items: Council approved ordinance 2025‑15 (rezoning for properties at 3520 Laurel Road East) on the record; there were no public speakers at final hearing and the ordinance passed unanimously.

- Appointments and civic items: The council reappointed Hayden Heaney as the student member of the Citizens Advisory Board (term 06/01/2025–05/31/2026) and unanimously appointed Lloyd Weed to fill City Council Seat 1 (the appointee will take the oath of office and a ceremonial swearing is scheduled). The council also passed a motion to refer a proposal to name the City Hall park and adjacent properties the “Lavalley Municipal Campus” to the Citizens Advisory Board for vetting.

- Directives to staff: Council directed staff to organize a public educational session on homelessness and the police department’s outreach efforts (will be scheduled and publicized), and to develop a policy on third‑party presentations to council (to address time expectations and scheduling).

What council and staff said

Black Gold representatives described adaptive reuse plans for the Lord Heigl House: a café, live music and a community gathering space. “Our plans with the Lord Heigl House, first and foremost, it is such an honor for us to be a part of this project,” Alyssa, representing the lessee team, said.

HR Director Alan Bullock told council the pension dispute centered on interpretation of average final compensation and was specific to a closed plan with very few active members. Finance Director Linda Seni described the budget amendment’s funding and confirmed the training position would be budgeted in the current year to allow hiring before the next fiscal year.

Votes at a glance (selected items)

- 25‑0191 Lease with Black Gold Coffee Roasters LLC: approved unanimously. Notes: 57‑page lease; first six parking spaces on site dedicated (2 handicapped, 4 regular); revenue to journal/general fund; second floor not ADA‑public‑accessible (storage/office/private meeting use proposed).

- 25‑0192 Settlement agreement re: pension calculation (retired employee): approved unanimously. Notes: case involved retired lieutenant Jessica Chapa (named in the record); HR said matter arises under an older pension plan with few active members.

- Ordinance 2025‑18 (budget amendment): approved 5‑1. Notes: increases revenues/expenditures by $1,494,951; includes temporary funding for a police training manager FTE to be hired before Oct. 1.

- Ordinance 2025‑15 (rezoning, Laurel Road East): approved unanimously.

- Appointment: Lloyd Weed to Council Seat 1 (unanimous); ceremonial swearing May 27.

- Reappointment: Hayden Heaney, student member, Citizens Advisory Board (06/01/2025–05/31/2026) (unanimous).

- Naming referral: Direct staff to send proposal to name City Hall Park the “Lavalley Municipal Campus” to the Citizens Advisory Board (unanimous referral).

- Staff directives: Host public educational session on homelessness (unanimous); develop policy for scheduling third‑party presentations to council (unanimous).

Why it matters

The lease and naming referral are part of the council’s ongoing stewardship of City Hall property and historic assets. The pension settlement and the budget amendment both have immediate fiscal implications; the pension settlement resolved a long‑running dispute tied to an older pension plan, and the budget amendment both funds capital work and restores a full‑time training role in the police department that city officials said is critical to compliance and officer readiness.

Footnotes

All motions, vote tallies and speaker attributions are taken from the publicly posted meeting record and live transcript provided by the City of Venice for the May meeting.