Resolution No. 2015-013RESOLUTION NO. 2015-13
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
VERNON EXPRESSING THE CITY'S FIRM SUPPORT OF THE
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE AND THE SPACE AND
MISSILE SYSTEMS CENTER AND STATING THAT ANY
RELOCATION ATTEMPT OF THE SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS
CENTER WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO NATIONAL DEFENSE AND
THE MISSION OF THE LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE
WHEREAS, the Los Angeles Air Force Base ("LAAFB") and the
Space and Missile Systems Center ("SMC") are critical assets to the
aerospace industry and the nation's ability to design the military
technology necessary to adequately provide for our national defense;
and
WHEREAS, the SMC has provided the nation with highly
sophisticated intelligence gathering infrastructure that has
significantly contributed to the U.S. military's advancement in
missions such as Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi freedom;
and
WHEREAS, LAAFB and the SMC have proven to be critical assets
to our national defense both in the past as well as for the
foreseeable future; and
WHEREAS, any relocation attempt of the SMC would be
detrimental to national defense and the mission of the LAAFB; and
WHEREAS, by memorandum dated March 17, 2015, the City
Administrator has recommended that the City support the Los Angeles Air
Force Base and the Space and Missile Systems Center and stating that
any relocation attempt of the Space and Missile Systems Center would be
detrimental to national defense and the mission of the Los Angeles Air
Force Base; and
WHEREAS, we, the members of the Vernon City Council, do
hereby urge the members of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives
and the President of the United States to reevaluate our nation's
defense priorities, recognize the strategic importance of maintaining a
strong national defense through the full utilization of Los Angeles Air
Force Base in its present location in E1 Segundo, California, and
remove L.A. Air Force Base and its Space and Missile Systems Center
from the U.S. Defense Department's base realignment and closure (BRAC)
list.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
finds and determines that the above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 2: The City Council of the City of Vernon finds
that this action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA), in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule
that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the
environment.
SECTION 3: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
states its firm support of the Los Angeles Air Force Base and the
Space and Missile Systems Center and stating that any relocation
attempt of the Space and Missile Systems Center would be detrimental
to national defense and the mission of the Los Angeles Air Force Base.
SECTION 4: The City Clerk, or Deputy City Clerk, of the
City of Vernon shall certify to the passage, approval and adoption of
this resolution, and the City Clerk, or Deputy City Clerk, of the City
of Vernon shall cause this resolution and the City Clerk's, or Deputy
City Clerk's, certification to be entered in the File of Resolutions
of the Council of this City.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 17th day of March, 2015.
ATTEST:
M ria E. yala
City Clerk / zevufy�
Name: W. Michael McCormick
Title: Mayor
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
I Maria E
ss
Ayala City
Clerk / of the City
of Vernon, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution, being
Resolution No. 2015-13, was duly passed, approved and adopted by the
City Council of the City of Vernon at a regular meeting of the City
Council duly held on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, and thereafter was duly
signed by the Mayor or Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of Vernon.
Executed this day of March, 2015, at Vernon, California.
(SEAL)
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Maria E . Ayala
City Clerk / Brut, ^_ 171 =1__W—
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TRANSMITTAL COMMUNICATION
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 19, 2015
TO: Mark Whitworth, City Administrator
FROM: Deborah Juarez, Records Management Assistant *
RE: Resolution No. 2015-13 — A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vernon
Expressing the City's Firm Support of the Los Angeles Air Force Base and the Space and
Missile Systems Center and Stating that any Relocation Attempt of the Space and Missile
Systems Center Would be Detrimental to National Defense and the Mission of the Los
Angeles Air Force Base
Transmitted herewith is a copy of Resolution No. 2015-13 referenced above, which was approved by City
Council on March 17, 2015.
Thank you.
Attachment
c: Resolution No.2015-13
STAFF REPORT
MpR 12
C\ly CLERKS OFFICE
STAFF REPORT
CITY ADMINISTRATION
DATE: March 17, 2015
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Mark C. Whitworth, City Administrator
RE: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Vernon expressing the City's
firm support of the Los Angeles Air Force Base and the Space and Missile
Systems Center and stating that any relocation attempt of the Space and
Missile Systems Center would be detrimental to national defense and the
mission of the Los Angeles Air Force Base.
Recommendations
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find the adoption of the resolution proposed in this staff report is exempt under the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3),
the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the
environment.
2. Adopt a resolution expressing the City's firm support of the Los Angeles Air Force Base
and the Space and Missile Systems Center and stating that any relocation attempt of the
Space and Missile Systems Center would be detrimental to national defense and the
mission of the Los Angeles Air Force Base.
Background
The Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB) and the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC)
are critical assets to the aerospace industry and the nation's ability to design the military
technology necessary to adequately provide for our national defense. As national defense
continues to rely more on intelligence gathering, the role the SMC has played in developing,
acquiring, fielding and sustaining our military space systems cannot be overstated.
The SMC has provided the nation with highly sophisticated intelligence gathering infrastructure
that has significantly contributed to the U.S. military's advancement in missions such as
Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi freedom.
LAAFB's and SMC's location bolsters its strategic importance to our national defense due to the
following factors:
• Access to an unmatched skilled workforce available only in Los Angeles provides
LAAFB with unparalleled built-in benefits to advance our nation's defense mission. This
brain trust, consisting of 5,879 directly employed military, civilian, and contractor
workers and 11,776 indirectly employed, has made its home in Los Angeles and would
be unlikely to migrate anywhere else if either the LAAFB or SMC moved some of its
operations.
• Los Angeles County remains the top location for aerospace and defense in the nation —
still home to major prime contractor operations, such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed
Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and Honeywell, as well as home to more small and mid -sized
companies in the A&D supply chain than anywhere else in the nation.
• Los Angeles County graduates more engineers than any other region and has developed
sophisticated programs at community colleges and universities to meet the needs of the
aerospace and defense industry well into the future.
The LAAFB and the SMC have proven to be critical assets to our national defense both in the
past as well as for the foreseeable future. Los Angeles provides LAAFB and SMC vital talent
and connections to the country's largest aerospace manufacturing base. Any relocation attempt
of the SMC would be detrimental to national defense and the mission of the LAAFB.
We must remain vigilant so that these assets to our national security and regional economy are
not threatened by closure or relocation.
On February 2, 2015, City of Vernon Mayor Michael McCormick attended Los Angeles Mayor
Eric Garcetti's "Meeting of the Mayors," where 4th District County Supervisor Don Knabe
announced that he would be introducing a motion in support of LAAFB at the Board of
Supervisor's meeting on February 3, 2015. Mayor Garcetti urged the mayors in attendance to
sign a letter in support of the LAAFB to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Air
Force and to issue individual letters and resolutions. Mayor McCormick signed the letter in
support of the LAAFB along with Mayor's from the following cities: Los Angeles, El Segundo,
Downey, Temple City, South El Monte, South Pasadena, Artesia, Lomita, South Gate, Palos
Verdes Estates, Paramount, Torrance, Monterey Park, Carson, Claremont, Duarte, Maywood,
Industry, Montebello, Glendale, Lynwood, and Hermosa Beach. Additionally, on February 24,
2015, the city of South Gate adopted a resolution opposing the closure or relocation of the
LAAFB and the SMC.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with adopting the attached resolution.
Attachment
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
VERNON EXPRESSING THE CITY'S FIRM SUPPORT OF THE
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE AND THE SPACE AND
MISSILE SYSTEMS CENTER AND STATING THAT ANY
RELOCATION ATTEMPT OF THE SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS
CENTER WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO NATIONAL DEFENSE AND
THE MISSION OF THE LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE
WHEREAS, the Los Angeles Air Force Base ("LAAFB") and the
Space and Missile Systems Center ("SMC") are critical assets to the
aerospace industry and the nation's ability to design the military
technology necessary to adequately provide for our national defense;
and
WHEREAS, the SMC has provided the nation with highly
sophisticated intelligence gathering infrastructure that has
significantly contributed to the U.S. military's advancement in
missions such as Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi freedom;
and
WHEREAS, LAAFB and the SMC have proven to be critical assets
to our national defense both in the past as well as for the
foreseeable future; and
WHEREAS, any relocation attempt of the SMC would be
detrimental to national defense and the mission of the LAAFB; and
WHEREAS, by memorandum dated March 17, 2015, the City
Administrator has recommended that the City support the Los Angeles Air
Force Base and the Space and Missile Systems Center and stating that
any relocation attempt of the Space and Missile Systems Center would be
detrimental to national defense and the mission of the Los Angeles Air
Force Base; and
WHEREAS, we, the members of the Vernon City Council, do
hereby urge the members of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives
and the President of the United States to reevaluate our nation's
defense priorities, recognize the strategic importance of maintaining a
strong national defense through the full utilization of Los Angeles Air
Force Base in its present location in El Segundo, California, and
remove L.A. Air Force Base and its Space and Missile Systems Center
from the U.S. Defense Department's base realignment and closure (BRAG)
list.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
finds and determines that the above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 2: The City Council of the City of Vernon finds
that this action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA), in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule
that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the
environment.
SECTION 3: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
states its firm support of the Los Angeles Air Force Base and the
Space and Missile Systems Center and stating that any relocation
attempt of the Space and Missile Systems Center would be detrimental
to national defense and the mission of the Los Angeles Air Force Base.
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SECTION 4: The City Clerk, or Deputy City Clerk, of the
City of Vernon shall certify to the passage, approval and adoption of
this resolution, and the City Clerk, or Deputy City Clerk, of the City
of Vernon shall cause this resolution and the City Clerk's, or Deputy
City Clerk's, certification to be entered in the File of Resolutions
of the Council of this City.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 17th day of March, 2015.
ATTEST:
City Clerk / Deputy City Clerk
IWWIC A,WN
Name:
Title: Mayor / Mayor Pro-Tem
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
) ss
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
I, , City Clerk / Deputy City Clerk of the City
of Vernon, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution, being
Resolution No. , was duly passed, approved and adopted by the
City Council of the City of Vernon at a regular meeting of the City
Council duly held on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, and thereafter was duly
signed by the Mayor or Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of Vernon.
Executed this day of March, 2015, at Vernon, California.
(SEAL)
City Clerk / Deputy City Clerk
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