Most Culver City voters know we have five elected City Councilmembers.

But those five people are only the most visible part of a much larger system.

Behind the Monday-night City Council meetings is a network of City Council subcommittees, commissions, committees and boards. Some consist of elected councilmembers. Others consist primarily of appointed residents. Some advise. Some conduct hearings. Some have specialized responsibilities.

And some important policy discussions can occur long before an issue reaches all five councilmembers for a final vote.

I didn't fully appreciate how complicated this system was until I started paying much closer attention to local government.

So, in Episode 26 of The Strange World of Politics, let's open up the machinery and see how it actually works.

First: Four Words That Don't Mean the Same Thing

You'll repeatedly encounter four terms in Culver City government:

Subcommittee. Commission. Committee. Board.

Here's the simplest starting point.

BodyWho Generally Serves?What Does It Do?City Council SubcommitteeUsually two councilmembersConcentrates on a particular policy area or assignment and may develop recommendations for the full CouncilCommissionAppointed community membersHas continuing responsibilities in a major area such as planning, parks or cultural affairs; exact authority depends on the lawCommitteeAppointed community membersUsually studies and advises the City concerning a particular subjectBoardAppointed membersPerforms a specialized function established by City law or policy

There is an important warning, however.

The name alone doesn't determine the body's power.

A commission isn't automatically more powerful than a committee, and a board isn't automatically more powerful than a commission.

You have to look at the law, ordinance, resolution or other authority establishing the particular body.

City Council Subcommittees: Two of the Five

A City Council subcommittee generally consists of two members of the five-member City Council.

Why two?

Because all five councilmembers cannot practically conduct detailed preliminary work together on every City issue.

Two councilmembers can concentrate on a subject, interact with City staff, consider alternatives and help develop recommendations or policy ideas.

But remember:

Two councilmembers are not the City Council.

When an ordinance, budget, contract or other decision requires action by the full Council, the matter still has to come before the five-member body.

That distinction is extremely important.

Standing vs. Ad Hoc Subcommittees

There are also two different kinds of Council subcommittees.

A standing subcommittee deals with an ongoing area of City business.

Housing isn't going away.

Neither are transportation, economic development, sustainability or City finances.

An ad hoc subcommittee, on the other hand, is created for a particular and limited assignment and is supposed to end when that assignment is completed.

This distinction also matters for California's open-meeting requirements. Standing committees composed of members of a legislative body generally fall within the Brown Act, while a qualifying temporary advisory committee composed solely of less than a quorum of that legislative body can fall outside the Act.

Now let's look at what these groups actually do.

CULVER CITY'S STANDING CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEES

Housing and Homelessness

Councilmembers: Bubba Fish and Yasmine-Imani McMorrin

This is one of the City's most consequential subcommittees.

Its subject matter includes Culver City's continuing work involving housing affordability and homelessness.

That can potentially encompass affordable housing, housing programs, homelessness services, housing production, renters, property owners and the City's responses to state housing requirements.

Why should voters care?

Because housing policy affects almost everybody—but not everybody in the same way.

A renter may have one concern.

A homeowner another.

A small landlord another.

A developer another.

And someone sleeping on the street has an entirely different and immediate problem.

Housing policy requires balancing those interests rather than pretending they are identical.

Economic Development

Councilmembers: Freddy Puza and Albert Vera

This subcommittee focuses on Culver City's economy and business environment.

Its work can include issues involving local businesses, commercial districts, tourism, entertainment, economic activity and programs intended to support or attract business.

Its agendas give voters a good idea of how broad "economic development" can be, including discussions involving small businesses, Downtown Culver City, special events, tourism and entertainment-related initiatives.

Why should voters care?

Businesses provide jobs and services, but they also generate economic activity and revenues that help support City government.

The question is how Culver City maintains a healthy business environment while protecting residents and neighborhoods.

Mobility

Councilmembers: Freddy Puza and Bubba Fish

Mobility basically means:

How do we move around Culver City?

Cars.

Bicycles.

Pedestrians.

Buses.

Parking.

Traffic.

Street design.

Public transportation.

This can become controversial because the same street may simultaneously serve drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, buses, businesses and nearby residents.

Why should voters care?

Because transportation decisions affect your commute, your neighborhood, traffic congestion, parking, pedestrian safety and whether children and adults can safely travel by bicycle.

When we redesign a street, there are almost always tradeoffs.

Sustainability

Councilmembers: Yasmine-Imani McMorrin and Freddy Puza

This subcommittee focuses on Culver City's continuing environmental and sustainability policies.

Subjects can involve climate policy, conservation, energy, water, waste, landscaping, electrification and other environmental programs.

Why should voters care?

Environmental policies can produce important public benefits, but they can also impose costs on taxpayers, homeowners and businesses.

Voters should therefore ask:

What problem are we solving?

Will the policy actually solve it?

How much will it cost?

Who pays?

Governance

Councilmembers: Bubba Fish and Yasmine-Imani McMorrin

"Governance" sounds like bureaucratic language.

In simple English, it means:

How should our government itself operate?

This can include Council procedures, election-related issues, campaign-finance matters, public participation and ways of improving how City Council meetings and other governmental processes operate.

Why should voters care?

Because the rules of government determine how residents participate in government.

Transparency and accountability depend heavily on those rules.

Public Safety

Councilmembers: Bubba Fish and Yasmine-Imani McMorrin

This deserves special attention because the assignment changed during 2026.

Earlier information identified a Police Subcommittee, with Bubba Fish and Albert Vera assigned to it.

But that is no longer the current structure.

On April 27, 2026, the City Council dissolved the Police Subcommittee and created a broader Standing Public Safety Subcommittee, consisting of Bubba Fish and Yasmine-Imani McMorrin.

That is the corrected current assignment.

The change is also interesting because "public safety" is broader than "police."

The new subcommittee can consider subjects including policing as well as other approaches to community safety, such as crisis-response programs, lighting, traffic-safety measures and ambassador programs.

Why should voters care?

Because public safety isn't one program or one department.

Police are part of it.

So are traffic safety, emergency responses, mental-health crisis intervention, street conditions and other strategies.

And this correction illustrates another lesson from this article:

Don't assume an old City document tells you who is working on an issue today. Subcommittees can change.

Financial Subcommittees

Several Council subcommittees have specialized financial responsibilities, including bodies dealing with treasury investments, audits, financial planning and the budget, as well as functions established under the City's municipal structure.

These financial bodies allow councilmembers to examine issues involving City investments, audits, long-term financial planning, budgets and financial controls.

Why should voters care?

Because every political promise eventually encounters a budget.

Police cost money.

Homelessness programs cost money.

Parks cost money.

Street repairs cost money.

Employees cost money.

Bike infrastructure costs money.

Environmental programs cost money.

The appropriate question isn't merely:

"Would this be nice to have?"

It is also:

"How much does it cost, where is the money coming from, and what are we giving up to pay for it?"

City Council / CCUSD Liaison

This is particularly interesting because Culver City and the Culver City Unified School District are separate governments.

The City Council doesn't run CCUSD.

The elected School Board does.

The liaison structure provides a place for representatives of the two governments to address matters of mutual concern.

That can include shared facilities, programs, youth issues, safety and other areas where City and school responsibilities overlap.

Why should voters care?

Because "Culver City" doesn't have one giant pot of money.

City government and the school district have separate legal responsibilities and finances.

When they cooperate, voters should understand:

Who is responsible?

Who is paying?

City Council / West Los Angeles College Liaison

This provides a similar connection between Culver City and West Los Angeles College.

The two institutions can discuss issues of mutual concern rather than operating completely independently of one another.

Why should voters care?

West Los Angeles College is an important institution next to Culver City, and issues involving education, transportation, development, community programs and other matters can cross jurisdictional boundaries.

AD HOC CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEES

Culver City also creates temporary subcommittees for specific assignments.

These can change much more frequently than standing subcommittees.

Examples of subjects handled through ad hoc subcommittees during this Council period have included:

Legislative and Policy Platform

This work concerns Culver City's positions on state and federal legislation.

In other words:

When Sacramento or Washington considers legislation affecting Culver City, what should our City support or oppose?

Special Events Grant Program

This involves the City's process for evaluating support for qualifying community events.

Why should voters care?

Because public money and resources are involved.

Residents should be able to understand what the City supports and why.

FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics Preparation

Major international sporting events can affect transportation, tourism, businesses, policing, public safety, City operations and spending.

A temporary subcommittee gives councilmembers a way to focus specifically on Culver City's preparations.

This is a classic example of an appropriate ad hoc subject:

The event happens.

The City prepares.

The work eventually ends.

The subcommittee can then disappear.

City Council Policies

This assignment involves reviewing and updating the Council's own policies.

Think of it as:

Review the rulebook and determine what needs to be modernized.

Equity

This work has been associated with development of Culver City's racial-equity planning and related City policies.

Because the assignment is specific, an ad hoc structure can be used rather than creating another permanent body.

Short-Term Rentals

Think:

Airbnb and similar rentals.

Questions include:

Should residential properties be used as short-term rentals?

What rules should apply?

How should they be enforced?

What happens to neighbors?

What happens to the housing supply?

This is a good example of an issue where homeowners, renters, visitors and nearby residents may have very different interests.

Signage

This work involves policies governing certain signs, including questions involving off-site signage.

That can affect advertising, businesses, property owners, neighborhoods, aesthetics and potentially digital signs.

Something as simple as a "sign" can therefore become a complicated land-use and economic issue.

Film and Media Policy

This one makes particular sense in Culver City.

The City's history is deeply connected to entertainment.

This work examines policies affecting film and television production and ways Culver City can remain attractive to production while balancing impacts on residents and neighborhoods.

Why should voters care?

Because filming can generate jobs, spending and economic activity.

But productions can also affect parking, traffic and neighborhoods.

Again, government is about balancing competing interests.

Civic Assembly

The Civic Assembly is an experiment in a different form of public participation.

Residents can be brought together to learn about, deliberate over and make recommendations concerning a public issue.

A Council subcommittee can help develop the process, consultant arrangements and other details necessary to establish it.

Women and Girls

This newer effort concerns the City's approach to supporting women and girls, including questions about leadership, programs and the structure of the City's continuing work in this area.

And Some Subcommittees Have Already Disappeared

This is important.

Culver City's subcommittee list isn't carved into stone.

Temporary bodies can be dissolved.

Assignments can change.

During 2026, for example, the Police Subcommittee was dissolved and replaced by the broader Public Safety Subcommittee.

Other temporary subcommittees have also completed their work or been dissolved.

That is why voters—and candidates—need to check current City records instead of relying upon an old list.

I learned that lesson myself while researching this article.

NOW, WHAT ARE COMMISSIONS?

Commissions are different because they generally involve appointed community members rather than two elected councilmembers.

Some of Culver City's most recognizable commissions include the:

Planning Commission

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission

Cultural Affairs Commission

Their exact authority varies.

Planning Commission

If you care about development, zoning and what gets built in Culver City, learn this name.

The Planning Commission deals with land-use and development matters assigned to it under City law.

Depending upon the particular matter, it may conduct hearings, consider development applications, make decisions or send recommendations to the City Council.

Why should voters care?

Because waiting until a controversial development reaches the City Council may mean you've missed an important earlier stage of the process.

Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission

This commission focuses on Culver City's parks, recreation facilities, programs and community services.

Why should voters care?

Parks aren't simply grass and playgrounds.

Questions involve facilities, programming, maintenance, public access, recreation and how limited City resources are allocated.

Cultural Affairs Commission

This commission focuses on arts and cultural matters, including areas involving public art and cultural programming.

Why should voters care?

Public art and cultural programs involve public spaces, community identity and sometimes significant public or development-related resources.

WHAT ARE COMMITTEES?

Citizen committees generally focus on more particular areas and provide community advice and participation.

Examples include the Finance Advisory Committee, Disability Advisory Committee, and Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee.

Finance Advisory Committee

This gives community members a role in examining and advising on City financial matters within its assigned responsibilities.

It doesn't replace the City Council's authority over the budget.

Why should voters care?

Because residents should have a window into how government manages their money.

Disability Advisory Committee

This body helps bring the experiences and concerns of people with disabilities into City government.

That can involve accessibility, programs, services and policies.

Why should voters care?

A government program can look perfectly reasonable to someone without a disability and still create a major barrier for someone with one.

That perspective belongs at the table.

Equity and Human Relations Advisory Committee

This committee provides a forum for issues involving equity, inclusion and human relations within the community.

Why should voters care?

Because difficult community issues benefit from public discussion rather than decisions occurring exclusively inside City Hall.

WHAT IS A BOARD?

A board usually has a more specialized function established by City law or policy.

A good Culver City example is the:

Landlord-Tenant Mediation Board

This body operates within Culver City's landlord-tenant framework and has responsibilities involving mediation of landlord-tenant disputes.

It isn't simply a group discussing whether landlords or tenants are right.

It performs a specialized function within an established City process.

Why should voters care?

Because this demonstrates an important distinction:

Some citizen bodies primarily advise.

Others can perform specific administrative, hearing, mediation or other legally assigned functions.

Always look at what the particular body is legally authorized to do.

AND THEN THERE IS CITY STAFF

There is one more group that voters frequently overlook.

City staff.

These aren't elected officials or citizen commissioners.

They're the professional employees who operate Culver City.

Planning.

Public Works.

Finance.

Housing.

Police.

Parks.

Transportation.

The City Attorney's Office.

And many others.

Staff members research proposals, prepare reports, calculate costs, administer programs, analyze legal requirements and implement policies.

Sometimes an idea originates with staff.

Sometimes with a councilmember.

Sometimes with a subcommittee.

Sometimes with a commission.

Sometimes with residents.

There isn't one universal path.

How an Idea Can Travel Through City Hall

A simplified example might look like:

Resident or Councilmember has an idea

↓

City staff researches it

↓

Council subcommittee discusses it

↓

Commission, committee or board may become involved if appropriate

↓

Staff prepares a report

↓

Full five-member City Council considers it

↓

Council votes

↓

Staff implements the decision

But don't assume every issue follows that exact sequence.

Some matters go directly to Council.

Some require Planning Commission proceedings.

Some are handled under authority already delegated to staff or another City body.

The important thing is to follow the particular issue.

Why Should Voters Care About Any of This?

Because by the time you see an item on a Monday-night City Council agenda, you may be seeing the end of the story rather than the beginning.

The issue may already have been researched.

Alternatives may have been discussed.

A subcommittee may have considered it.

A commission may have held a hearing.

Residents may already have spoken.

Staff may already have written recommendations.

Then suddenly the average voter hears:

"The City Council is voting on this Monday."

That is why understanding these smaller governmental bodies matters.

Follow the Subject You Care About

Concerned about housing or homelessness?

Watch Housing and Homelessness.

Concerned about traffic, bicycles or parking?

Watch Mobility.

Concerned about police or public safety?

Watch Public Safety.

Concerned about City spending?

Watch the financial bodies and Finance Advisory Committee.

Concerned about development near your house?

Watch the Planning Commission.

Concerned about parks?

Watch the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission.

Concerned about landlord-tenant issues?

Understand what the Landlord-Tenant Mediation Board is doing.

You don't have to follow everything.

Follow what affects you.

One Final Question Every Voter Should Ask

The next time someone says:

"The City decided..."

ask:

Who exactly decided?

Was it City staff?

A City Council subcommittee?

A commission?

A citizen committee?

A board?

Or did all five elected City Councilmembers actually vote?

Those are not interchangeable.

And then ask:

Where did the proposal originate?

Who worked on it?

Who was represented?

Who wasn't represented?

What did staff recommend?

Was there public opposition?

Did the recommendation change along the way?

And who ultimately had legal authority to make the decision?

Once you start asking those questions, a City Council meeting looks very different.

You realize that the five councilmembers sitting on the dais may be making the final decision—but an enormous amount of government exists behind that final vote.

And sometimes the best opportunity for a resident to influence a decision is before it ever reaches those five chairs.

That's another lesson from The Strange World of Politics.