TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Eric Brinkman, Senior Recreation Supervisor
SUBJECT:Title
Selection of Memorial for the Fallen Design, Honoring Manhattan Beach Service Members Who Lost Their Lives in Active Duty (No Budget Impact) (Parks and Recreation Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 45 Min.)
A) DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
B) APPROVE
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council select James Dinh’s Portal of Honor proposal, consistent with the recommendations of both the Arts in Public Places Committee (APPC) and the Cultural Arts Commission, and select one of the three viable locations.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
On October 7, 2025, the City Council allocated $150,000 from the Public Arts Fund for a memorial to honor Manhattan Beach service members who lost their lives in active duty. Funds currently allocated are sufficient for the project.
BACKGROUND:
On October 3, 2023, the City Council directed the Parks and Recreation Commission to develop a commemorative program honoring Manhattan Beach service members who died while on active military duty. The project was initially referred to as the Fallen Soldier Memorial and was subsequently renamed Memorial for the Fallen to recognize service members across all military branches.
Community member Gary McAulay helped initiate the project, develop proposed eligibility criteria, and compile a preliminary list of 21 service members connected to Manhattan Beach.
In Fall 2024, the project transitioned to the Cultural Arts Commission (CAC), where the Commission applied its expertise in public art and guided the artist selection process. The ad-hoc Arts in Public Places Committee (APPC), established in May 2025, provided an additional forum for community input on public art projects.
The City issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solic...
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