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Dear Neighbors,
We urge you to speak up Monday in support of Dan O’Brien. Tell Council to keep Dan on the FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games subcommittee.
Continuity, experience, and effective representation matter.
The Council will be discussing, again, committee assignments for the FIFA World Cup and Olympics. It is clear from the discussion at the last meeting that a majority of the Council want to remove Councilmember Dan O’Brien from this committee. We disagree.
As you will read below Councilmember O’Brien has been networking, negotiating, and discussing, and working hard to bring people to Culver City for these games. Read below for the analysis of A-3.
Culver City Council Meeting - When: Monday, Feb. 23, 2026
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Agenda Item A-3
Despite being framed as a discussion of committee structure, the practical effect of Agenda Item A-3 is clear: a Council majority is seeking to remove Councilmember Dan O’Brien from the FIFA World Cup and Olympics preparation subcommittee.
The stated justification is a claimed conflict of interest related to his role with the Culver City Chamber of Commerce.
This argument does not hold.
What is happening now is political.
What A-3 Formally Covers
The City Council will discuss how it wishes to organize its involvement in planning and preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Options include:
• Maintaining the current ad hoc World Cup/Olympics preparation subcommittee with new appointments
• Designating a single Councilmember to work directly with City staff
• Providing other direction regarding coordination and structure
In practical terms, this item concerns replacing Councilmember Dan O’Brien and Mayor Freddy Puza on the preparation subcommittee, while also addressing how other Councilmembers may participate.
This discussion is not yet about specific projects, but about how the Council structures its role in planning, coordination, and oversight.Currently, Councilmembers Puza and O’Brien serve on the preparation subcommittee.
Analysis
At the February 9 City Council meeting, Councilmember O’Brien’s participation on the preparation subcommittee was questioned following a complaint filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission alleging a conflict of interest.
Councilmember O’Brien’s ContributionsDan O’Brien has been a consistent, effective advocate for Culver City’s engagement with regional Olympic and World Cup planning efforts.
His work has included:
• Meeting with representatives from more than 40 nations
• Negotiating with the New Zealand Olympic Committee, resulting in the creation of an inclusive Fan Zone at the City Steps
• Engaging directly with LA28 officials
• Speaking at regional conferences on Games-to-Cities coordination
• Hosting Consuls General and international delegations in Culver City
• Facilitating Consular Corps engagement involving dozens of nations
• Supporting international partnerships designed to connect visitors and economic activity to Culver City
With eight World Cup matches scheduled at SoFi Stadium, regional coordination is critical. Connecting visitors to Culver City supports local businesses and City revenues.
Culver City relies heavily on its business community. Economic activity generated by these events directly affects the City’s fiscal health.
Why This Matters
Replacing representatives midstream risks disrupting established relationships, negotiations, and ongoing coordination efforts.
City Attorney Guidance
Our Position
We support allowing Dan O’Brien to remain on the FIFA/Olympics preparation subcommittee.
Please email the City Council and, if you are able, attend the meeting to urge them not to remove Councilmember O’Brien.
Council decisions benefit from broad community input, particularly when continuity and effectiveness are at stake.
We urge you to speak up Monday in support of Dan O’Brien. Tell Council to keep Dan on the FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games subcommittee.
Continuity, experience, and effective representation matter.
The Council will be discussing, again, committee assignments for the FIFA World Cup and Olympics. It is clear from the discussion at the last meeting that a majority of the Council want to remove Councilmember Dan O’Brien from this committee. We disagree.
As you will read below Councilmember O’Brien has been networking, negotiating, and discussing, and working hard to bring people to Culver City for these games. Read below for the analysis of A-3.
Culver City Council Meeting - When: Monday, Feb. 23, 2026
- 6:30 pm Recognitions
7:00 pm Council Meeting
Where: Mike Balkman Council Chambers, 9770 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, or online - Read the Full Agenda: City Council Agenda PDF
- Sign up to speak:View online only: Click “In Progress” at www.culvercity.org/meetings or watch on the City YouTube channel. Culver City Legistar
- Send an email:
- dan.o'[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
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Agenda Item A-3
Despite being framed as a discussion of committee structure, the practical effect of Agenda Item A-3 is clear: a Council majority is seeking to remove Councilmember Dan O’Brien from the FIFA World Cup and Olympics preparation subcommittee.
The stated justification is a claimed conflict of interest related to his role with the Culver City Chamber of Commerce.
This argument does not hold.
- The Fair Political Practices Commission declined to take action.
- The City Attorney did not prohibit his participation.
- No legal or ethics determination disqualified Councilmember O’Brien from serving.
- Councilmember O’Brien was duly appointed by Council vote.
- Culver City has previously had individuals serve simultaneously as Councilmembers and Chamber leaders, including Steve Rose and Edward Wolkowitz. This arrangement is neither unprecedented nor prohibited.
What is happening now is political.
What A-3 Formally Covers
The City Council will discuss how it wishes to organize its involvement in planning and preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Options include:
• Maintaining the current ad hoc World Cup/Olympics preparation subcommittee with new appointments
• Designating a single Councilmember to work directly with City staff
• Providing other direction regarding coordination and structure
In practical terms, this item concerns replacing Councilmember Dan O’Brien and Mayor Freddy Puza on the preparation subcommittee, while also addressing how other Councilmembers may participate.
This discussion is not yet about specific projects, but about how the Council structures its role in planning, coordination, and oversight.Currently, Councilmembers Puza and O’Brien serve on the preparation subcommittee.
Analysis
At the February 9 City Council meeting, Councilmember O’Brien’s participation on the preparation subcommittee was questioned following a complaint filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission alleging a conflict of interest.
- The Council voted to pause subcommittee actions pending the FPPC response.
- On February 20, the FPPC declined to take action.
- Neither the FPPC nor the City Attorney issued any determination prohibiting Councilmember O’Brien from serving.
Councilmember O’Brien’s ContributionsDan O’Brien has been a consistent, effective advocate for Culver City’s engagement with regional Olympic and World Cup planning efforts.
His work has included:
• Meeting with representatives from more than 40 nations
• Negotiating with the New Zealand Olympic Committee, resulting in the creation of an inclusive Fan Zone at the City Steps
• Engaging directly with LA28 officials
• Speaking at regional conferences on Games-to-Cities coordination
• Hosting Consuls General and international delegations in Culver City
• Facilitating Consular Corps engagement involving dozens of nations
• Supporting international partnerships designed to connect visitors and economic activity to Culver City
With eight World Cup matches scheduled at SoFi Stadium, regional coordination is critical. Connecting visitors to Culver City supports local businesses and City revenues.
Culver City relies heavily on its business community. Economic activity generated by these events directly affects the City’s fiscal health.
Why This Matters
Replacing representatives midstream risks disrupting established relationships, negotiations, and ongoing coordination efforts.
- Transitions at this stage introduce unnecessary uncertainty and may slow progress during a critical planning window.
- Removing Councilmember O’Brien would jeopardize continuity, institutional knowledge, and international partnerships already developed on behalf of Culver City.
- Committee assignments should not be rewritten for political convenience.
City Attorney Guidance
- Council organization is constrained by the Brown Act.
- Because Olympic and World Cup planning overlaps across policy areas, expanding participation outside publicly noticed meetings presents legal risks.
- Conclusion: Expanded Council involvement must remain limited or occur publicly.
Our Position
We support allowing Dan O’Brien to remain on the FIFA/Olympics preparation subcommittee.
Please email the City Council and, if you are able, attend the meeting to urge them not to remove Councilmember O’Brien.
Council decisions benefit from broad community input, particularly when continuity and effectiveness are at stake.
CCNU Stands Up formally joining the national resistance
Dear Neighbors,
Culver City Neighbors United believes that the orders, actions, and policies of President Donald Trump and his administration go beyond partisan politics and demand clear moral scrutiny.
We can no longer treat these actions as matters of political opinion. Therefore, we join a growing movement of Americans calling on our government to be held accountable for:
We urge our neighbors to stand up, speak out, and stay engaged. Our silence cannot be mistaken for consent. The health of our nation—and the soul of our democracy—depends on it.
United we stand,
Culver City Neighbors United
Culver City Neighbors United believes that the orders, actions, and policies of President Donald Trump and his administration go beyond partisan politics and demand clear moral scrutiny.
We can no longer treat these actions as matters of political opinion. Therefore, we join a growing movement of Americans calling on our government to be held accountable for:
- The use of fear, coercion, and retaliation to silence dissent;
- The undermining of the rule of law and the independence of our judiciary;
- Arbitrary and politically motivated funding cuts under the pretense of “waste and fraud,”
- Discriminatory actions against immigrants and communities of color, including the abuses committed by ICE;
- The targeting and dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across federal agencies and educational institutions;
- The suppression of scientific, medical, historical, and social research vital to public health and progress;
- And the dismissal of dedicated public servants, particularly people of color, as part of a broader campaign to erode democratic norms and institutional integrity.
We urge our neighbors to stand up, speak out, and stay engaged. Our silence cannot be mistaken for consent. The health of our nation—and the soul of our democracy—depends on it.
United we stand,
Culver City Neighbors United