Today, the Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG) elected Mayor Kevin McKeown as chair for the coming year, 2020-2021. Mayor McKeown takes the seat in August.
“Besides our six jurisdictions’ long-standing commitment to shared issues and pooled resources, we now all face the challenge of eradicating persistent institutional racism and redefining how we deliver just and equitable public safety services,” said Mayor Kevin McKeown. “We are independent entities who will each continue to engage our communities in seeking solutions, but we are also, combined, a powerful regional voice for meaningful change. We will tackle transportation challenges and homelessness together, as we have already committed to do, but I hope my time as Chair will see us also unite on issues of equity, race, and reform.”
The WSCCOG is comprised of representatives from six jurisdictions on the westside, including Beverly Hills, Culver City, the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood.
The COG’s primary priorities have been determined by issues that affect us as a region, such as environmental policy and social service programs. Most recently these have been focused on mobility/transportation and homelessness. The COG is also a unified voice for advocacy at the regional, state, and national levels.
Then Councilmember McKeown helped organize what became the WSCCOG in 2003, and has represented Santa Monica on the COG as delegate or alternate continuously since then. He previously served as Chair in 2016-2017.