Torrance City Council Meeting - April 21, 2026

On April 21, 2026, the Torrance City Council held a regular meeting beginning at 6:47 p.m. (after a closed session from 5:00 p.m.) in the Council Chamber. The meeting included recognitions, consent calendar approvals, and public comments addressing both city services and an alleged conflict of interest involving a councilmember. The meeting adjourned at 10:02 p.m. after a second closed session.

Community Recognitions & Proclamations

• 2026 Hometown Heroes Banner Program: 30 new banners honoring active duty military, veterans, and deceased veterans were presented. The banners will be displayed during the Armed Forces Day Parade on May 16, 2026.
• Retirements of Police Officers: Resolutions No. 2026-33 and 2026-34 were adopted unanimously, honoring Officer Chuong Vo (25 years of service) and Officer Craig Shiosaki (21 years of service) upon their retirements.
• Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation: Mayor Chen proclaimed May 2026 as Mental Health Awareness Month. Human Resources Director Heidi Kajabi accepted the proclamation, highlighting city investments in employee mental health resources including the employee assistance program, therapy dog "Moose", and wellness initiatives.

Consent Calendar

• Item 8E (Measure M Funding Agreements) was deferred by the City Manager at the start of the meeting.
• All remaining consent items (8A through 8I, excluding 8E) were approved unanimously on a single motion without discussion. These included:
  • 8A: First amendment for business license compliance services (Hinderliter, de Llamas, and Associates) – no expenditure increase.
  • 8B: Declaration of City Council Dark Nights for July-December 2026.
  • 8C: First amendment for unarmed security guard services (Citiguard, Inc.) – not-to-exceed $137,796.34.
  • 8D: Second amendment for tree maintenance services (West Coast Arborists) – not-to-exceed $500,000.
  • 8F: Purchase order for three refuse trucks (McNeilus via Haaker Refuse) – not-to-exceed $1,936,209.52.
  • 8G: Change order for two ambulances (Republic EVS LLC) – $238,447.49.
  • 8H: Annual membership renewal with California Transit Indemnity Pool (CalTIP) – not-to-exceed $1,116,602.
  • 8I: First amendment for on-bard video surveillance system (Transit Solutions, LLC) – $19,293.51.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Charles Salinas: Thanked the city for the Hometown Heroes banners and broached the idea of a "ciclovía" event on Torrance Boulevard, comparing it to successful events in West Los Angeles.
• Florina Ravundra (Torrance Prevention Team): Announced the DEA National RX Take Back event on April 24, 2026, in partnership with Torrance PD and Fox Drugs, where residents can drop off unused medications.
• Sandy Reagan: Alleged that Councilmember Kaji violated the California Political Reform Act by failing to recuse himself on September 26, 2023, regarding an agenda item (WTC 22-0008) involving Crown Castle, in which Kaji was a shareholder with 10,000 to 100,000 in shares. She stated that Kaji actively met with Crown Castel representatives and attempted to persuade the community to support the cell tower in the north end of Torrance.
• Unnamed speaker (second on the conflict issue): Reinforced the allegation, stating that Kaji admitted in the September 26, 2023 meeting that he was meeting with Crown Castel representatives, and that he violated the Political Reform Act by participating and voting despite his financial interest.
• Carol Tetsumi: Asked questions about Item 8D (tree maintenance contract), including number of trees covered, cost per tree, and whether the city has considered other contractors besides West Coast Arborists. She requested that staff follow up.
• Speaker (Earth Day advocacy): Urged the council to take action on climate change by reducing emissions, conserving water, planting native trees, investing in transit, and supporting safe walking and biking infrastructure.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (except Item 8E, deferred).
• Retiement Resolutions: Approved unanimously.
• Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation: Issued.
• Closed Session: No reportable actions from either closed session (5:00 p.m. and after the regular meeting).
• Next Meeting: Adjourned to Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. for closed session, with regular business at 6:30 p.m. April 28, 2026, is a City Council Dark Night.
• Alleged Conflict of Interest: The allegations regarding Councilmember Kaji were raised during Public Comments; no council action or discussion occurred in response.