Editor's note: MB News has offered each candidate for city council the opportunity to publish a "closing argument." Three were published Monday, and three on Tuesday. The order of publication was randomly selected.

----------------------------------------------------

To the Voters of Manhattan Beach,

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you—the incredible residents of Manhattan Beach—for your support, thoughtful feedback, and kindness throughout this campaign. It has been a true honor to meet and reconnect with so many of you. Every insightful, inspiring, and rewarding conversation has reaffirmed my commitment to serve this community.

There are six uniquely qualified candidates in this race, but I am the only one with a proven track record of fiscal responsibility across both public and private sectors, backed by over 10 years of public board management experience. From 2010 to 2020, I had the privilege of serving this community as an elected member of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board. During that time, I played a key role in strengthening local property values by leading three successful bond campaigns. I also helped the district navigate both economic uncertainty and significant growth. My experience extends to understanding federal, state, and local funding structures, as well as the fiduciary responsibilities essential to public service.

I bring a professional background deeply rooted in Human Resources, with expertise in strategic planning, governance, employment law, and organizational management. These skills are critical as the city prepares for a pivotal leadership transition, including hiring a new City Manager and other key management roles. My ability to guide strategic and structural changes will allow me to be a strong asset on the City Council, ensuring smooth and effective leadership.

Driving meaningful progress requires experience, insight, persistence and a willingness to ask tough questions.  I am not afraid to challenge the status quo.  Inflated salaries, long wait times for permits and delays in city services are pressing concerns that surfaced during the campaign.  As the only candidate with a background in organizational performance, I know we can do better by asking if we are using effective performance metrics for our employees and measuring outcomes to identify efficiencies.  Is adding more staff really the solution?  These are the kinds of questions I ask every day in my professional life, and now is the time to apply that mindset to city governance.  

Infrastructure maintenance and long-term planning are also urgent priorities. Several projects have been promised without adequate funding to see them through. The loss of an aging parking lot should not have been a surprise. Our community deserves thoughtful, long-term infrastructure planning, including the establishment of capital reserve funds that grow throughout the lifecycle of each asset. Relying on additional debt for maintenance is reactionary. I have hands-on experience in facilities master planning and project execution, and I know how to bring sustainable solutions to our city.

I am proud of my accomplishments as a community leader, advocate, and public servant. I am deeply honored to have the support of both former and current elected officials, as well as hundreds of community members who have seen how I lead and govern.

This campaign has been a humbling and energizing experience. Whatever lies ahead, I am grateful to be part of such a vibrant, engaged, and remarkable community.

Please vote for Karen Komatinsky by November 5th!