At the City Council meeting on the evening of Tuesday, September 22, Council Item 20A called for, “Staff Recommendation: Discuss and Consider Restructuring the Annual Gardena Jazz Festival.”
The issue came to a head after California State Senator Laura Richardson wrote to the council, seeking the opportunity to bring more sponsorship to the event. Speaking at the meeting, she questioned former state senator Steven Bradford’s ongoing involvement, adding that he hasn’t been helpful during the transition period.
Bradford co-founded the event, and naturally feels very attached to it. Tempers boiled over at the meeting, with Mayor Tasha Cerda having to warn speakers, including Bradford, on more than one occasion.’
“This was never about an elected official,” Bradford was reported as telling EURweb. “The community started this 23 years ago — eight community members living in Holly Park at the time when the city of Gardena was bankrupt — and we put this together as a way of galvanizing and bringing the community together in celebration and, you know, uplifting the community at a time when we were very concerned about the city’s future.”
The council agreed to bring the proposal back at a future meeting and offer rebuttals, as Richardson’s role is determined. That passed 4-1, with Council Member Paulette Francis the one no vote.
Earlier, Community Development item 14A called for the council to, “Conduct a Public Hearing, Receive Public Comment, and Authorize Staff to Submit the FY 2025-2026 CAPER to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). That report was submitted, while Administrative Services Item 13A was received and filed:
“Acceptance of the California Municipal Treasurers Association (CMTA) Investment Policy Certification.”
