It’s easy to ignore politicians when they give a state of the universe because it rarely hits home. Not so with the local mayor’s message.
It’s as local as they come.
Mayor Sue Kempf recently recited it for Laguna Beach, and call us romantic, but we actually enjoyed it – maybe because it was less than 10 minutes long. You can watch it on YouTube.
On paper, if you’ve been paying attention at all, there’s nothing new here but it’s worth highlighting a few things.
First, to the city’s credit, there has been a lot of work done over the last couple years. Not all of it is well-known or visible, but it’s still important – things like much-needed infrastructure improvements, property acquisitions, zoning changes.
Frankly, these are the things cities should be doing.
Noise pollution was the very first thing mentioned. Yes! Loud motorcycles, amplified car exhaust, leaf blowers, etc. It’s been a pet peeve of ours for many years.
“Our police department remains dedicated to addressing loud vehicle noise and other quality-of-life issues in our neighborhoods, beaches and parks,” Kempf said.
Better ambulance response time. More music and art activities. Continuing undergrounding of power and utility poles. Better bike lanes. Climate initiatives. Ongoing work to improve the downtown.
And, at least officially, there will be more work on affordable housing. Yes, we know it’s been said before, but there was a new spin on this proclamation. Kempf seemed very specific about the challenge facing our artists.
“Designated artist live-work units are needed to support our dwindling artist community,” she said. “Supporting our local artists is imperative. Not only are artists cherished members of our town, but the arts are a prime economic engine of our economy.”
A “dwindling artist community.” That acknowledgement alone is important.
Kempf also mentioned several internal improvements that are happening within the city that are expected to improve efficiency and customer service.
“OK, this is not sexy, but if you’re nerdy, this is cool,” she said. “We’re introducing lean process engineering, a proven method widely used in the private sector to reduce waste and boost productivity.”
The last thing she said that caught our attention was her closing statement. Kempf has never been a fan of the boorish behavior of social media, so was this a plea to stay classy? Maybe.
“Let’s come together with optimism, creativity and civility, fueled by our love of Laguna Beach.”
