Meghan Sahli-Wells: Community Organizer and Sustainability Advocate

This is the fourth in a series of one-on-one sit down interviews with each of the six individuals running for four open seats on the Culver City Council in the April 10 elections.

City Council members are regular fixtures in the community.  People know their names and faces and stop and talk to them on the street, in coffee shops and, of course, following council meetings.

The same can be said for Meghan Sahli-Wells. The only difference is she hasn’t been a member of the city council. yet. Not only is her name and face instantly recognizable throughout Culver City, you can also chat to her after Monday night council meetings. She’s been in attendance at practically every single one of them for the past several years.

In addition to making sure she’s up to date on the latest City issues, you’ll also find her at most meetings speaking in the public comments portion of the evening, and if she’s unable to attend she’ll often submit a written statement.

Sahli-Wells' favorite turn of phrase is that she’s “boots on the ground,” and she wears it well. She’s a tireless community organizer and is one of the City’s greatest champions of sustainability. Anyone who knows Sahli-Wells knows she walks the walk. She had only china plates and silver cutlery at her campaign kick off, and she turned up to her interview with Patch on her bicycle, helmet in hand.

Patch: There are three candidates running who already have extensive experience sitting on the Culver City Council. Is that a hindrance for you?

Meghan Sahli-Wells: I do have experience. Being a very active person in the community, and having gone to nearly every city council meeting for the past three years. It’s a language that I understand. I’ve worked closely in the community on a broad range of issues from development to sustainability issues to alternative transportation. Obviously I’m very active in our schools and I’ve worked closely with many City staff members.

You also have to think of what the point of a city council is. You want representation from the City. We’re not asking people to be professional politicians. It’s not a full time paid job. We’re asking for people to come and help to form policy as residents of the community. That’s something I feel uniquely qualified to do since I’ve been a community organizer, involved in grassroots community organizing since 2008. I see myself as a mediator between residents, businesses and how the City functions.

Patch: You lost by 32 votes in the 2010 election. Is there anything you have learned that you are doing this time round that you think will help you get elected?

Sahli-Wells: Everybody who is on the council right now lost the first time they ran. With very few exceptions most people don’t get on [the council] the first try. Voters like to see that you don’t just give up. If you really want this job you have to show that you’re willing to give it your best shot and not just one time.

In terms of what I’ve learned and doing things differently, I was shy of the media before. Over these last two years I’ve developed relationships with journalists. I feel more prepared this year because it’s two more years of city council meetings I’ve attended and I’ve learned a lot.

Patch: Is it or isn’t it an issue that there currently aren’t any women on the City Council?

Sahli-Wells: Of course it’s an issue. We’re more than half of the population. There have been so few women in Culver City government. Quite frankly when I’m canvassing there are many people who feel that women need more representation. We bring certain thing to the table that men don’t.

Patch: Such as?

Sahli-Wells: One of the things I’m looking for is making sure we’re supporting our schools as much as we can. Historically there’s been a difficult relationship between our council and our school board. Maybe it’s a female thing or maybe it’s just me. I’m the only candidate that’s been endorsed by our entire school board and have kids in our schools and have been an active volunteer more than some men. It’s hard not to sound sexist. I don’t want to say men don’t care about our schools, but maybe I care a little bit more because I’ve been boots on the ground, trying to raise funds and supporting our schools in every way I can. I think it’s maybe more of priority to me as a Mom than to an historically male-dominated [city] council.

Patch: So do you believe city council members should be involved in school board issues, and let’s talk a little bit about your decision to not sign the parent petition over the ACE vs. adjuncts issue?

Sahli-Wells: I read the petition very carefully and I talked to people on all sides of the issue. It has certain statements that are simply not true, like implying that volunteers won’t be able to volunteer in the classroom. As I posted on [Culver City Patch], I think that [School Superintendent] Patti Jaffe took pains to try to rectify that and it’s still on the petition.

Also, calling this a lawsuit. It’s not. They filed a grievance and it’s not the same as going into court. I feel a certain responsibility as a private citizen but even more so as a public figure to be certain that if I’m signing my name to something that it’s accurate and if I know something to be inaccurate I really couldn’t put my name to it. I haven’t taken a stand either way. [Not signing] doesn’t mean I’m against parent-funded positions. On the contrary, I actually financially contribute to the Linwood Howe program. I’m interested in making sure we have a fair and clear process.

I don’t know if [council members should take a stand]. I think a role of a council member can be helpful as a mediator and maybe this is where a council member can make sure people are being heard and maybe being able to provide a forum for them to express their concerns. The role could be information gathering.

Patch: What do you consider are the top three issues facing the city and how would you address them?

Sahli-Wells: Number one is budget and the structural deficit. We haven’t been looking at it in the broad scheme of things. Rather than going in program-by-program and cut-by-cut we need to have a large community discussion about the budget. Some people don’t want to be taxed at all and in order to pass any taxes or assessment districts; we need to be able to have the community on board because they’re going to have to vote on it.

Fire and police are two of our fundamental services that we need to protect. Can there be more efficiency in the police department? Maybe. In terms of do you have a sworn officer doing secretarial work? Those are not earth-shattering changes to make but they are something and they can save money.

With the loss of the Redevelopment Agency we have to make sure that we’re keeping our quality of life and finding new and creative ways for the arts. Some of the downtown restaurant owners say the arts bring in business. I do think we need to put in some money – not to break the bank – but a little bit of money and then have that matched by grants funding and make it really easy for the community to give as well, maybe through a Kickstarter campaign. We need to look at creative solutions. It’s not business as usual but we have to create a climate where it’s not just all or nothing.

Patch: What are some of your ideas to bring in revenue?

Sahli-Wells: I don’t think residents want huge mega-developments but the rules that developers have to comply with are the same for small developments as for huge developments. We need to make some tweaks in some of those requirements in terms of the fees. It makes it harder for smaller developments to move forward. We need to work with our development community and maybe revise some of these rules so that we’re not excluding some of these smaller developments.

There are some businesses that feel that they are given certain rules and then the rules change on them and it makes them want to leave. We need to have a business round table to talk about, ‘How can we keep you here?’

Patch: What’s your second most important issue?

Sahli-Wells: Sustainability is also really big for me and it’s something I try to embody as an individual. I helped to craft the bicycle and pedestrian Master Plan. I really want to make sure we’re making the link between Culver City and the Expo Line coming in. When the school board got a sustainability committee they were able to embark on an amazing solar panel project. They’re actually going to be working on lowering their energy bills and saving money.

You see other cities where government entities are putting up solar panels on public buildings. Wouldn’t be amazing to cover the buildings over the Hayden Tract with solar panels or make green roofs or a combination.

We do have local solar companies. I think we should do a nice, big cost-benefit analysis to see if we can put solar panels on our city buildings. There still are incentives to do that and specific grants to do it in public spaces. We need to at least be looking that. It supports local businesses, it helps save the environment and it’s a way of saving energy.

The third thing? A group of residents and I got together to form the (now inactive) Neighborhood Action Network to address public input in the development process and to begin studying the General Plan. We pushed for - and got - a Town Hall meeting, where we were able to present new guidelines for the development process, which were adapted and adopted by the council. Since then the projects that have gone through this new process [like] Tilden Terrace [and the] Washington/Centinela Market Hall), have had much better outcomes. What I'm looking to do is to build on this success, and make sure we're refining and improving our communication with residents, through better noticing, better online communication and better neighborhood outreach. 

Patch: Do you feel you have the necessary regional and national contacts to be able to help lobby for Culver City?

Sahli-Wells: Well, look at my endorsements. I have Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, and Congresswoman Karen Bass. As the first vice president of the Culver City Democratic Club I also have strong ties to some of our Democratic elected officials. I’m already very involved and I’m going this weekend to Sacramento to lobby for funding as part of a PTA delegation.

Patch: If your campaign had a bumper sticker what would it say?

Sahli-Wells: “The Power of Community.”

To read more about Meghan Sahli-Wells' election campaign, visit her website at www.vote4meghan.com

Click the links below to read other council candidate profiles:

Scott Malsin

Stephen Murray

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