Candidate: Karen Komatinsky For Beach Cities Health District

REDONDO BEACH, CA — The 2020 election is heating up in Los Angeles County, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but voters will also decide the outcome of state representative and senate seats.

Closer to home, Patch has asked candidates for municipal races to discuss their campaigns, publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

In the South Bay, Karen Komatinsky is running for one of the three open seats for the Beach Cities Health District.

Age (as of Election Day)

55 years old

Town/City of Residence

Manhattan Beach, CA

Office Sought

Board member for Beach Cities Health District

Family

My husband and I have two kids, one is in his 3rd year of college and our daughter is a junior at Mira Costa High School. Additionally, my mother now lives with us and is enjoying being a senior citizen in Southern California.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

Bachelors Degree in Marketing and Psychology

Occupation

HR consulting and Executive Recruiting

Campaign website

www.KomatinskyForBCHD.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Trustee for Manhattan Beach Unified School District—have held office for 10 years.

The single most pressing issue facing our (state, district, community, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

While it is not the only issue for BCHD, the biggest issue facing the District is the proposed Healthy Living Campus. This single topic is the most pressing and burning issue for the people in South Hermosa and in Redondo. It is a "pressing issue" because the community surrounding the area has not felt heard and the public engagement has been minimized. If elected, I would want to organize a series of public workshops and meetings to re-address community interest and desire for the facility (and District). Depending upon the timing of things, these meetings should encompass open conversations with the community and City leaders spanning proposed timing, budget projections, environmental and community impact (and planning) as well as communication strategy with local schools, neighbors, and other businesses and community entities.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

While I have deep experience with facility master planning and large scale project design and construction management, it is also important to know that publicly funded projects are only as successful as the amount of hours and effort put into community engagement, partnership and communication. To that end, I am willing to ask hard and uncomfortable questions about budget, revenues and expenses as well as the tough questions surrounding the proposed HLC.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency).

I have spent hours walking the neighborhoods and talking over the phone with many residents across the South Bay and believe that there are great inconsistencies in communication. While Redondo is carrying the largest load of responsibility of BCHD by way of physical location, community members in both Hermosa and Manhattan Beach know very little about BCHD with much of it tied to the remains of the South Bay Hospital. If you are a parent with school-aged children or someone with a senior family member who utilizes the senior/PACE programs, then the value of the programs is quite clear. However, there is a large number of people who are unaware and therefore uninterested in the offerings. There needs to be clear and communicated plans identified that support the public health needs and interests for all residents across the South Bay.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I have been serving in a public officer and Board position for the past 10 years, which speaks to my abilities and understanding of how to manage public funds during a time when fiduciary responsibility and communication are paramount. I also believe that open, transparent and outward facing communication skills are also critical when serving the community. This entails being open and willing to engage with the community when the community wants and needs you.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been a part of a leadership team with oversight of an annual budget $83M, managing over 800 employees and supporting over 6800 students. I understand the challenges when working with public budgets and the tedious navigation needed with the California State budget. Professionally, I have worked in the healthcare industry as an HR Executive Leader helping identify and build leadership teams based upon organizational mission and vision. I have brought various leaders and teams together to then forge commonly agreed upon pathways. As I am awed by the wonderfully lengthy list of endorsement supporters throughout the entire South Bay, I am also humbled by every person who came out to meet me on the street to share their ideas as to what they would want (and need) from BCHD. I have purposefully listened to each and every comment and I will bring that to this role.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

While addressing the community concern surrounding the HLC, I would like to see BCHD actually embedded and integrated in each community by establishing satellite locations (in available commercial space). The physical location of a site in each city would then enable and strengthen the relationship between each city, school district, Chamber and other key civic based groups. Additionally, I would like to see a community health survey implemented across the 3 cities so that BCHD can really understand what the community wants and needs from a public health entity.

Why should voters trust you?

I have the ability to create relationships based upon a willingness to listen without judgement and then act with great passion and drive. I do not claim to be the expert in all areas, but I have had the honor of serving for 10 years in a similar kind of role. As I have things to learn about BCHD, I do bring experience in understanding the management of public monies and the importance of mirroring relationships with the public. I have created and built lasting relationships with many other civic leaders and understand the importance of continuing to build and deepen these connections.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

As a public board member, I believe that it is very important to be willing to ask questions relating to the scrutinization and forecasting of all funding sources. At the same time, it is important for the public to trust that funds are being analyzed, evaluated and assessed properly and consistently. While many programs offered by BCHD are amazing and free, there has to be a close assessment surrounding impact, success and cost of these public funds in order to insure that their relevance is sustainable. Additionally, I believe it will be important for BCHD to investigate revenue streams, outside of the HLC conversation, that will support some of their current program offerings (like that of Medicare reimbursements, etc). I realize that these kinds of things are exhaustive, however, given the loss of tax revenue in 2020 and early 2021, many public organizations will most likely experience some level of budget cut in the coming year or two.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was ......

From a college professor who said “There will never be a right time to do the wrong thing and there will never be the wrong time to do the right thing. Just keep it that simple!”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am ready to step into this role and willing to work tirelessly in building community relationships and partnerships with other civic leaders across the South Bay because it is the right thing to do for the community.

Liz Spear contributed to this post.