[00:01:43]
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
AND ALSO, I GOT THE CHANCE TO BE HERE A LITTLE EARLY, SO ALSO STAFF.
I, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING, SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE AS WELL.
MY NAME IS CHIEF COLEMAN, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO INTERVIEW FOR THIS ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION, WHO FIRST ASKED ME TO TELL YOU WHAT QUALITIES THAT I HAD THAT WOULD MAKE ME A GOOD MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
NUMBER ONE IS MY DEEP, UNWAVERING LOVE, I'M SORRY, OF LONG BEACH.
UH, I WRITE IN MY APPLICATION THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY SINCE THE AGE OF FIVE.
UH, BUT REALLY IT WAS WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE LEADERSHIP LONG BEACH YOUTH PROGRAM, UM, THAT REALLY CEMENTED MY LOVE FOR THIS CITY.
EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE WORKED, UH, EITHER WITH LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON, DC ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRYING TO MAKE THIS GREAT CITY EVEN BETTER, UM, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN SERVICE.
UM, BUT EVEN NOW, I'M, I'VE MAINTAINED THAT.
I CAME BACK, UM, AND I SIT NOW ON A BOARD OF THE LONG BEACH, UH, ECONOMIC INCLUSION CENTER.
I ALSO SIT ON AN ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THE CITY PROSECUTOR, UM, BECAUSE I REALLY DO BELIEVE IN GIVING BACK TO THE CITY THAT MADE ME WHO I AM.
SECONDLY IS THIS COMMITTEE, UH, COMMISSION HAS THE WONDERFUL ABILITY TO BOTH, BOTH ADVISE, UM, OUR LAWMAKERS IN MAKING POLICY AND LAW.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT I'VE, I'VE WORKED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND HELPED PASS LAWS RELATING TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
I'VE ALSO HELPED WRITE POLICY THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BY THE WHITE HOUSE THAT GIVES ME THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO KNOW NOT ONLY HOW TO WRITE LAW AND MAKE POLICY, BUT HOW TO WRITE CLEAR AND CONCISE POLICY.
ALSO, IN MY CURRENT CAPACITY AS A LAW CLERK FOR THE LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT, I HAVE SEEN LAWS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN MADE CLEAR.
I UNDERSTAND HOW, WHAT THAT CAN DO, NOT ONLY TO A LAWYER, BUT ALSO TO THE AVERAGE, UH, CITIZENRY.
SO WE WANT LAWS AND POLICIES THAT ARE CLEARLY WRITTEN THAT PROMOTES FAITH IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIRDLY, UM, IS I BELIEVE I HAVE A STRONG MORAL COMPASS.
I WROTE ABOUT THIS IN MY APPLICATION, UM, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GO TO A PROGRAM ON PEPPERDINE'S CAMPUS.
AND THE FORMER, UH, LATE CHANCE WOULD BE RENOLDS SAID THAT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THESE FIVE POINTS OF LIFE LIGHT, IT GUIDES YOUR MORAL COMPASS TRUE NORTH.
UM, I WON'T TELL YOU ALL FIVE 'CAUSE OF MY LIMITED TIME, BUT THE ONE THAT I THINK IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT RIGHT NOW IS INTEGRITY.
IT'S DOING THE RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING.
AND I BELIEVE I, I STRIVED TO DO THAT TENANT, UH, EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE.
AND LASTLY, DIVERSITY, MY DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BOTH MY YOUTH SOCIAL ECONOMIC, UH, STATUS.
UH, GROWING UP I WAS IMPOVERISHED.
I LIKE TO SAY I WAS POLLED BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD THE R UM, UH, AND ALSO MY DIVERSITY, BUT ALSO I HAVE A DIVERSE, UH, PERSPECTIVE ON ETHICS BECAUSE I HAD THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY ABROAD IN SOUTH AFRICA.
UM, THERE I SAW WHAT AN UNETHICAL GOVERNMENT LOOKS LIKE, AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT, UM, WHAT A, THE FIRE POOL.
BUT IF YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE, IF YOU HAVE SOME TIME LATER, GOOGLE PRESIDENT ZUMA FIRE POOL, AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT AN UNETHICAL GOVERNMENT LOOKS LIKE.
I WOULD NEVER WANT THAT TO HAPPEN IN THIS GREAT CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SECONDLY, YOU ASKED ME WHAT MY INTEREST WAS IN BEING A PART OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, NUMBER ONE, AND I TOLD YOU I WOULDN'T BORE YOU WITH ALL FIVE POINTS OF LIFE.
BUT THE LAST ONE COMES INTO PLAY SERVICE.
UH, AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT SERVICE IS THE NUMBER ONE, UM, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE PARTS OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE A STRONG MORAL COMPASS.
AND SO I TRULY BELIEVE, UM, THAT, UH,
[00:05:01]
BEING A PART OF THIS COMMISSION WOULD ALLOW ME TO SERVE, UH, LONG BEACH IN A ROLE THAT I THINK I WOULD BE GOOD AT SEEING, SEE THE QUALITIES THAT I LISTED, UH, EARLIER.ALSO, UH, A COMMITMENT, UH, THIS, THIS HAS BEEN IN MY, UH, HOME SINCE THE AGE OF FIVE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO BE GREAT.
AND LAST, SECONDLY, I'M A SOLUTION MAKER.
I THINK, UH, IN, IN RECENT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN RECENT DAYS, WE'VE SEEN THAT THERE'S KIND OF THIS BELIEF THAT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT, OH, OUR GOVERNMENT ISN'T WORKING FOR US.
FOR US, I DON'T THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THE, UH, CITIZENS JUST HAVE, UH, DON'T HAVE A FAITH IN OUR COMMUN, UH, OUR ELECTED LEADERS.
I BELIEVE THAT SOMETIMES OUR ELECTED LEADERS DON'T ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO HAVE THAT, UH, BELIEF.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMISSION CAN HAVE, CAN ALLOW OUR LOCAL, UH, CITIZENS TO HAVE FAITH IN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OUR CITY GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR THEM.
AND I THINK THAT LEADS QUITE WELL INTO MY LAST POINT HERE.
YOU ASKED, WHAT WOULD ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT WOULD, THAT I WOULD MOST LOOK BACK AT THE END OF MY TIME.
BI TOOK A GLANCE AT THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THIS COMMISSION, AND IT SAYS, IT STRIVES TO ADVANCE PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE CITY'S GOVERNMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT AT THE END, IF I WAS SELECTED AT THE END OF MY COM, UH, TIME, IF MY COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY THAT OFTEN SAYS, OH, THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T WORK FOR US.
OH, THEY'RE JUST DOING THINGS DOWN AT CITY HALL, THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW I'M A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
THEY KNOW I'M A STRAIGHT SHOOTER, AND THAT WHEN I GIVE MY WORD, WORD, I'LL EITHER, I'LL EITHER DELIVER OR WILL DARN NAIL KILL OVER FROM TRYING TO DELIVER ON MY WORD.
AND SO I BELIEVE I CAN BE IN, IN THOSE SPACES AND TELL THEM, HEY, THIS IS HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
COME, COME TO A COMMISSION MEETING, TALK TO ME, AND THAT, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, AND SO FOR THOSE REASONS, IT'S WHY I BELIEVE THAT, UH, I HAVE THE QUALITIES TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION.
WHAT, WHY I WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMISSION AND WHAT ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT I WANNA DO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
MOVE NUMBER TWO HERE, CATHERINE, RIGHT HERE.
WILL YOU GO AND SIT DOWN? WE'RE NOT GONNA START.
[00:10:50]
I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.I'M LIKE, I CAN'T FILL 15 MINUTES.
MY NAME IS CATHERINE WELLS AND I AM HERE TO INTERVIEW FOR, UM, BEING ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT QUALITIES DO I, UM, HAVE THAT WOULD MAKE ME A GOOD, UM, ETHICS COMMISSIONER COMMISSION MEMBER? THAT'S MY MOUTHFUL.
UM, I'M A CRITICAL THINKER PROBLEM SOLVER.
I HAVE A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, WHICH GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE THAN THE NORM THAN, YOU KNOW, THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON ON, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I HAVE INTERNED WITH THE CITY DURING MY MASTER'S, UM, UM, INTERNSHIP.
AND MOST OF ALL THOUGH, IS A COMMITMENT TO LONG BEACH.
I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2011, AND I LIVED IN WEST LA FOR A LONG TIME, AND I REMEMBER THINKING LONG BEACH, EW, GOD, I WAS THAT SNOB,
BUT THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, LIFE BROUGHT ME HERE AND I WAS A SINGLE MOM WITH A KID, AND THIS COMMUNITY EMBRACED ME, AND I JUST AM VERY LUCKY TO BE HERE.
MY DAUGHTER'S GONE TO SCHOOL FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH, UM, SHE'S A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL NOW.
SO I AM A VERY INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AND I FEEL THAT I BRING THE PERSPECTIVE OF HAVING BEEN IN DIVERSE GROUPS TO THE TABLE.
AND I, UM, THAT IS THAT QUESTION.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS, MY INTEREST IN BECOMING IN THE CITY ETHICS COMMISSION IS A STRONG BELIEF IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, SINCE I GREW UP, UM, IN A CHURCH, WE WERE ALWAYS DOING WORK FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN INGRAINED IN ME.
AND ALONG WITH CHURCH COMES THE, THE FRAMEWORK FOR MORAL COMPASS.
WHILE I DON'T ADOPT MOST OF, A LOT OF, WHILE I DON'T ADOPT SOME OF THE MORE EXTREME VIEWS THAT I DID DURING RELIGION, I DO UNDERSTAND THE FRAMEWORK OF SETTING A GUIDELINE AND BEING, MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THAT, ON WHAT THOSE GUIDELINES ARE.
UM, THROUGHOUT MY, THROUGHOUT MY, UM, RESIDENCY HERE AT IN LONG BEACH, I SERVE ON DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, CHAIR FOR LONG BEACH MOMS, AND I'M ON THE BOARD FOR, UH, THE LGBT CHAMBER, AGAIN, GIVING ME A WIDE PERSPECTIVE, DIVERSE, UM, POPULATIONS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND AN IDEA OF WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS AND WHAT THEIR DESIRES ARE.
SO I FEEL THAT'S IMPORTANT AND BENEFICIAL IN, UM, BEING ON A COMMISSION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, UM, MOST WHEN I LOOK BACK UPON THE END OF THIS SER THE END OF MY SERVICE, IS TO HAVE RUBBED PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY,
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, I'VE LEARNED RECENTLY AS I'VE STEPPED INTO HIGHER LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, THAT IT MEANS PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA LIKE YOU.
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT, OR GIVE ADVICE OR STATEMENTS THAT DON'T GO WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC SOMETIMES.
AND YOU'VE GOTTA BE WILLING TO TAKE THAT.
SO LET'S SEE HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT.
UM, I TALKED ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE, HOW THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, I'VE DONE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK.
I RECENTLY GOT BACK INTO, UH, PHILANTHROPY AGAIN, I'M JUST WANNA EXP LIKE, EXPLAIN LIKE ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I HAVE A FOOT IN THE DOOR.
AND, UM, THE OTHER DAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH MY NIECE HAVE HER BABY AT MEMORIAL.
AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IS BECAUSE MEMORIAL'S ONE OF THE BIG, UM, SPONSORS FOR THE ORGANIZATION THAT I CHAIR.
AND TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE AND SEE WHAT THAT THEY PRACTICE, WHAT THEY PREACH, IT WAS SO TOUCHING TO SEE
[00:15:01]
ALL OF THE VALUES THAT ARE SHOWN THROUGHOUT THE, UM, STAY.AND SO I BRING THAT TO THE COMMISSION'S ATTENTION.
I BRING THAT TO SAY THAT, UM, I WANT AT THE END OF MY TENURE FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR FROM ME.
LIKE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH REALLY IS WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE.
THEY REALLY ARE, YOU KNOW, ETHICAL, YOU KNOW, PLACE TO LIVE.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE.
I FEEL LIKE UNDERACHIEVER SINCE YOU FILLED EVERY SECOND.
AND I'M LIKE, OH GOSH,
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY.
DON'T BE ALARM THAT WE'RE NOT ASKING QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE CAN ONLY ASK IF WE DIDN'T FEEL THAT YOU REALLY EXPLAINED SOMETHING FULLY.
THAT IS WHEN WE'LL BE ASKING THE QUESTION.
BUT OTHERWISE, ANY QUESTION WE ASK HAVE TO THIS.
TEND NOT TO BE GREAT WITH MICROPHONES.
IS IT ON? HE'S MONITORING THE MONITOR IN THE BACK.
UM, SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS, UH, WELL AGAIN, GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS ANDREA GUN EATON, UH, BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.
CAME BACK HERE TO RAISE MY KIDS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT.
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT SPECIFIC QUALITIES DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU FEEL WILL MAKE YOU A GOOD ETHICS COMMISSION MEMBER? I BELIEVE THAT I EMBODY THE CITY'S VALUES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, EQUITY, IMPARTIALITY, DIVERSITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY.
I HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE ABOVE ALL OTHERS, BUT I HOLD OTHERS TO ACCOUNT AS WELL.
IMPARTIALITY, I'M FAIR-MINDED.
I HAVE A STRONG MORAL COMPASS.
AND I RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY IN GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO IN PUBLIC SERVICE MORE GENERALLY.
I'M HARDWORKING, RELIABLE, TRUTHFUL, I'M A GOOD LISTENER, BUT I CAN ALSO MAKE DECISIONS AND TAKE ACTION WHEN APPROPRIATE AND WHEN CALLED UPON TO DO SO, I THINK THIS IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE.
I SERVICE AS THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE.
AND DURING COVI, UM, WE HAD TO EVACUATE 60,000 PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
IT REQUIRED A TEAM APPROACH, AND I PARTICIPATED AS A PART OF THAT LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT MADE THOSE HARD DECISIONS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT I WAS A CRITICAL PART OF THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
[00:20:02]
I'M FRIENDLY AND COLLABORATIVE.I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE THAT DOESN'T COME ACROSS.
I'M KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE RELEVANT STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE WORK OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
AND I HAVE PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE IN LAWS PERTAINING TO THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION, THOSE LAWS AROUND PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT INVOLVE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN PARTICULAR.
AND LASTLY, I CONSIDER MYSELF A SERVANT LEADER, FOCUSED ON THE GROWTH AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE, OF THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH IN THE COMMUNITY I BELONG TO
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, WHAT IS YOUR INTEREST IN BECOMING, UH, INVOLVED WITH THE CITY'S ETHICS COMMISSION? MY INTEREST IS REALLY TWOFOLD.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOME TIME FOR A FURTHER WAY TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN LONG INVOLVED IN VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, BUT I'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, UH, GOVERNMENT SERVICE, GOVERNMENT RELATED SERVICE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, UH, CAME UP WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY, I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A NATURAL FIT FOR MY INTERESTS AND MY PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND FRANKLY, MY PASSION AS I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PASSION.
I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO RESTORE CREDIBILITY TO OUR GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
WE ALL KNOW THAT TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AND IN OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS HAS ALL BEEN ERODED.
THIS COMMISSION, THIS ETHICS COMMISSION SEEMS DESIGNED TO HELP RESTORE TRUST.
AND IF I CAN PLAY SOME ROLE IN THAT, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT IN, I'M ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN A FAIRLY NEW ENTITY IN OUR CITY AND THE CHANCE TO HELP SHAPE ITS IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY IN THE YEARS TO COME.
AND THE LAST QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD BE ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU MOST HOPE TO LOOK BACK UPON AT THE END OF YOUR SERVICE? AS AN ETHICS COMMISSION MEMBER, I'M DEEPLY INTERESTED IN TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AND I WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION'S WORK.
AND SO I WOULD BE, UM, I WOULD MOST HOPE TO LOOK BACK ON THE ABILITY TO PARTNER IN THE DEVELOPMENT, FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENGAGING TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM SO AS TO HELP FOLKS BETTER UNDERSTAND APPLICABLE ETHICS LAWS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS MORE GENERALLY, AGAIN, IN STORING, RESTORING THE PUBLIC'S TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND IF I'M LOOKING AT METRICS, THERE'S GOTTA BE DATA DRIVEN.
I THINK AT TIMES I WOULD WANT US TO BE AS CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLIANT WITH THE MANDATORY HALF HOUR TRAINING, MANDATORY HALF HOUR ETHICS TRAINING AT THE END OF MY SERVICE.
THAT'S, THAT ASSUMES I WOULD HAVE BE APPOINTED TO THE FOUR YEAR FULL TERM AND NOT THE SHORTENED TERM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
WE'RE RUNNING EARLY, SO OUR NEXT INTERVIEW MEETING IS NOT SURE.
SO I THINK YOU RAISED A GOOD QUESTION.
THAT PROBABLY IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE THE CANDIDATE HAS.
UM, SO WE HAVE THIS VACANCY BECAUSE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL APPOINTEES BY THE COMMISSION, LUKE IS, HAS LEFT LONG BEACH, AND THEN THE TERM, THIS TERM EXPIRES AT THE END OF JUNE THOUSAND 24.
SO THIS APPOINTMENT IS REALLY TO FILL THAT POSITION THROUGH THE OF 24.
UM, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, WHOEVER IS APPOINTED TO THAT POSITION, JUST LIKE THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS, IF THERE IS AN INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THEIR SERVICE, WILL BE REAPPOINTED FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I'M ALWAYS VERY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LIVE IN THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THINGS YOU FORGET JUST HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE WE, THE CITY AND THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE AND HOW LUCKY WE'RE TALKING TO MY NIECE EARLIER, UH, ABOUT AN ISSUE.
AND THEN ALWAYS SAD ME HEAR THE EXPERIENCES THAT SHE'S HAD IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT SHE LIVES IN, WHICH IS SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO HEAR BACK.
SO EVEN IF YOU AREN'T THE CANDIDATE SELECTED AT THIS TIME, UM, KNOW THAT MY TERM IN, IN JUNE, 2025, I WAS APPOINTED BY MAYOR GARCIA.
SO THAT WILL OPEN A DOOR FOR MAYOR RICHARDSON TO APPOINT SOMEBODY IN AT MY REPLACEMENT.
COMMISSIONER SHOTWELL AND COMMISSIONER WHITE WERE BOTH APPOINTED BY, UM, AUDITOR DOW.
NOW THERE ARE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR POSITION IN TERMS OF HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF ETHICS LAWS AND, UM, I THINK THIS WAS AUDITING.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT APPOINTED, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO EITHER OF THOSE S IF YOU FEEL YOU WOULD NEED THE QUALIFICATION AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY START THE
[00:25:01]
MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO REPLACE US SO THAT THEY HAVE PEOPLE READY TO STEP IN WHEN OUR TERMS ARE UP.AND WITH MY POSITION, THE ONLY THING THAT THE MAYOR CANDIDATE NEEDS IS TO HAVE HAD ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WILL BE THREE MORE POSITIONS OPENING.
SO IS IT OKAY WITH THE PERMISSION AND OKAY.
DANA, YOU CAN READY TO GO? I CAN GO.
UM, CAN I START? JUST GIVE US ONE SECOND.
FLIP OVER TO WHERE YOUR PAPERWORK IS.
EVERYBODY READY? HI, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UH, SO QUALITIES THAT I WOULD BRING TO THE COMMISSION, PERSONAL QUALITIES.
I, UM, TAKE INTEGRITY VERY SERIOUSLY.
IT'S PARAMOUNT IN MY LIFE AND EVERYTHING I LIVE SAY AND DO.
AND IT IS BASICALLY THE DRIVER FOR DECISIONS THAT I MAKE.
UM, I, SECOND THING IS I AM PART OF THE NEURO NEURODIVERGENT COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, THE WAY MY BRAIN WORKS BECAUSE OF THAT, I HAVE AN INNATE ABILITY TO TAKE FAIRLY LARGE, COMPLICATED IDEAS AND, UM, OBSERVANCES AND SIMPLIFY THEM AND REALLY PARE DOWN TO THE, TO THE GUT OF THINGS VERY EASILY AND ALSO AM ABLE TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS, UM, READILY.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF AN IMPORTANT THING FOR THIS POSITION.
UM,
UH, I HAVE NEVER GIVEN ONE DIME TO A CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN MY LIFE.
ONE OF THEM BEING I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, UH, THAT MONEY SHOULD BE A FACTOR IN, UM, ELECTEDS.
ANOTHER THING THAT AGE BRINGS, UH, I'M WILLING TO SPEAK UP AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO TAKE RISKS.
UH, AS ONE OF THE CANDIDATES WAS ALLUDING TO, SOMETIMES YOU'RE PUT IN A POSITION AND THESE KIND OF THINGS WHERE YOU'RE NOT WHERE REAL POPULAR TO SOME PEOPLE.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
UH, I AM, UH, A BIG FAN OF A DECORUM AND, UH, HAVE AN ABILITY TO DISCERN AND, UH, PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS A SENSITIVE COMMISSION FOR THINGS LIKE THAT, SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, A CITIZEN OF LONG BEACH FOR 44 YEARS, VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M, I'M NOT GONNA LIST EVERYTHING.
YOU HAVE MY RESUME AND MY APPLICATION IN FRONT OF YOU, I'M SURE.
UM, BUT WITH THAT BRINGS TRUST.
I THINK I HAVE A REALLY GOOD REPUTATION IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, WITH INTEGRITY, AND I HAVE THE TRUST OF A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND THEN EXPERIENCE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, I WAS A COMMISSIONER FOR FIVE YEARS ON THE ASSISTANCE POLICE COMPLAINT COMMISSION, WHICH, UM, YEAH, THAT COMMISSION WAS AN EXPERIENCE.
THE SUCCESSFULLY ON THE BALLOT LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THAT.
SO WITH, WITH MY EXPERIENCE HAVING SERVED ON A COMMISSION, UM, THAT IS NOT, UH, A KIND OF A LIGHTWEIGHT COMMISSION, IT WAS A PRETTY HEAVY DUTY COMMISSION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE BROWN ACT, ROBERTS RULES 700 FORM, ALL THAT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
SO VERY, VERY, UM, FAST AND LOW LEARNING CURVE.
MY INTEREST IN BEING, UM, ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION, UH, I READ THE CHARTER VERY, VERY, UM, THOROUGHLY STUDIED IT.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT IT'S AN ADVISORY COMMISSION ONLY AND ONLY MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS.
[00:30:01]
DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY, UM, HAVE FINDINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UM, CAN BECOME POLICY OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.AND WITH THAT, I THINK THAT, UH, PUSHING OUTREACH AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, LIKE TAKING THAT CHARTER AND JUST PUSHING IT TO THE POINT WHERE MAYBE PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING HOW FAR CAN THIS COMMISSION TAKE THINGS, UM, I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD THING BECAUSE AS, AS EYES, EARS, AND VOICE OF THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S PARAMOUNT TO HAVING THE COMMISSION, UM, BE SUCCESSFUL IN, IN ENDEAVORS OF BEING IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY, IF, IF I'M APPOINTED TO THIS COMMISSION, THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE SOME ELECTED TO SOME STAFF THAT MAYBE MIGHT MAKE THEM UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE OF MY REPUTATION FOR BEING HONEST AND BLUNT AND CALLING OUT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CALLED OUT.
AND I THINK THAT IF THIS COMMISSION IS NOT MAKING SOME PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE THAT THE JOB IS NOT BEING DONE, I THINK THAT OUTREACH IS, UM, MASSIVELY IMPORTANT AS THE EYES, EARS AND EVERYTHING OF THE PEOPLE.
I THINK THAT THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT THIS COMMISSION AND KNOW HOW TO SAFELY, UH, REPORT THINGS THEY SEE, UM, IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, SO IN LOOKING BACK THROUGH THE WORK, UH, THAT I WOULD MAYBE BE DOING ON HIS COMMISSION, I THINK THAT EXPOSING, UM, AREAS WHERE THERE'S LACK OF INTEGRITY IN ETHICS HAPPENING IS, UM, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I WOULD HOPE TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND ALSO TO, UH, BASICALLY END UP WITH A TRANSPARENT, TRUSTWORTHY GOVERNING BODY WHERE ETHICS AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY ARE THE NORM AND LONG BEACH BECOMES THE MODEL FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE.
ONE FOLLOW UP, AND THAT IS, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT ONE FOLLOW UP,
UH, AND I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT JUST DOUBLE CHECKING.
SO THE SYSTEMS POLICE POINT COMMISSION, YOU'RE, UH, ARE YOU CURRENTLY ON THAT COMMISSION OR HAVE YOU TURNED OFF TODAY? I TURNED OFF IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
[00:41:15]
OKAY.[00:41:15]
I'LL SIT IF THAT'S OKAY IN FRONT OF YOU.SO FOR QUESTION ONE, AND HOPEFULLY YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME.
I, YOU KNOW, THE QUALITIES I REALLY THINK ABOUT IS THE QUALIT OF COMPASSION.
I ACTIVELY WORK ON COMPASSION BECAUSE COMPASSION HAS TWO ELEMENTS TO IT.
IT STARTS WITH EMPATHY, BUT THEN IT ENDS WITH A REASON.
AND SO, UM, I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR AND I DO A LOT OF INTEREST BASED CONVERSATIONS.
AND, AND SO FOR ME IT'S REALLY UNDERSTANDING EVERYONE'S INTERESTS FIRST, BUT THEN ULTIMATELY MAKING A DECISION THAT IS BASED OFF OF FACTS AND NOT FEELINGS.
UM, AND FOR THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE, I'M ALSO VERY NEUTRAL.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, QUALITY THAT I LOOK FOR AND TRY TO AGAIN, ACTIVELY WORK ON BECAUSE NEUTRALITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO FOR AN ETHICS COMMISSION, OR FOR ME, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO BEING A SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR, IT REALLY IS LOOKING AT, WE HAVE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS.
WE HAVE PARENTS, WE HAVE TEACHERS, WE HAVE ADVOCATES, LAWYERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION IS VERY CONTENTIOUS.
UM, IT'S REALLY TAKING ALL OF THAT IN AND STILL STAYING NEUTRAL BECAUSE WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT FEDERAL LAW.
SPECIAL EDUCATION IS, IS DRIVEN BY FEDERAL LAW.
SO, UH, THAT PART FOR ME IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL THE STAYING NEUTRAL.
AND LASTLY, I HONESTLY JUST BELIEVE IN, IN PUBLIC GOVERNMENT, I REALLY DO, I'M A BIG BELIEVER OF OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
AND SO FOR ME, IT, IT'S A DRIVING FORCE.
UH, I, IN ORDER, I, I REALLY BELIEVE IN IF IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, YOU'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO TRULY LIKE ALLOW IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO THAT QUALITY FOR ME IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT'S LIKE I AM A HUGE BELIEVER AND I THINK WE ARE OF BENEFIT WITH OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
AND I CAN JUST JUMP TO NUMBER TWO.
UM, SO WHAT IS MY INTEREST? HONESTLY, I THINK I WILL CIRCLE BACK TO THE FACT THAT LIKE, I REALLY AM A BELIEVER OF THE PUBLIC INSTITUTION.
AND SO AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AS A MOTHER, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AN EDUCATOR, I WANT TO SEE US SUCCEED HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I'M LIKE THE INFORMAL AMBASSADOR TO THIS CITY.
AND SO FOR, FOR ME, THE SUCCESS OF THIS CITY IS IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT SUCCESS.
UH, I BELIEVE DIVERSITY'S IMPORTANT AS WELL.
SO I MAY NOT CHECK ALL THE BOXES THAT SOMEONE WOULD SAY AN ETHICS COMMISSIONER HAS, BUT I, I BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
I, I AM ENGAGED WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND REALLY, TRULY WANT TO SEE MY KIDS GROW UP HERE AND LIVE HERE, AND IT BE US BE A SUCCESS.
AND I'M USING US VERY INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE I DO FEEL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
AND THEN I'LL JUMP TO NUMBER THREE.
I THINK MY ACCOMPLISHMENT WOULD BE IF, LIKE ONCE I, IF I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ONCE I LEFT, I WOULD JUST WANT TO LOOK BACK AND SEE THAT CHANGE WAS MADE, THAT LIKE, THERE ARE TANGIBLE THINGS THAT WE DID TO BE, BE MORE TRANSPARENT.
I THINK THAT TRANSPARENCY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE THIS JUST LIKE REALLY INHERENT BIAS AGAINST GOVERNMENT AND THEY THINK THAT, AND I, AND I MEAN, I'M AN ADMINISTRATOR, SO LIKE I DO THIS ALL THE TIME AS I'M, AS I'M WORKING WITH OUR UNIONS, RIGHT, IS LIKE, THAT PIECE OF TRANSPARENCY IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO WALK AWAY AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ARE MORE TRANSPARENT AND WE HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS.
[00:45:01]
MY WORK AS A DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR AND, AND FUNCTIONING WITH TWO DIFFERENT UNIONS, LIKE RELATIONSHIPS MATTER AND THEM KNOWING THAT WE ARE TRANSPARENT IS, HAS GOTTEN US REALLY FAR.AND I FEEL THAT IF I COULD WALK AWAY AND SEE THAT WE ARE MORE TRANSPARENT, WE HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS, AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE, I'VE BEEN A SUCCESS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? AND IS THAT GONNA ASK TO THE OTHER CANDIDATES NOT HAVING ANY QUESTIONS? IT'S OKAY.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU'VE COVERED EVERYTHING AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS SO THAT WE DON'T FEEL NEED.
UM, JUST COVER A COUPLE OTHER THINGS, HOUSEKEEPING THINGS.
THIS IS FOR THE REMAIN COMMISSIONER'S POSITION, WHICH IS THROUGH JUNE OF 2024.
THEN THERE WOULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE REAPPOINTED TO A FOUR YEAR TERM.
AND WE WOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU THAT TIME, SEE IF YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IF YOU ARE THE COMMISSION.
BUT AS I ALSO TO THE OTHERS, THERE ARE THREE OF US THAT WILL BE TURNING OUT IN 2025.
I WILL, MY POSITION IS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR, AND THE OTHER TWO POSITIONS ARE APPOINTED BY THE CITY AUDITOR.
PLEASE LOOK AT THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY OFFICER.
MY NAME'S LYNN WILLIAMS. I REPRESENT THE REALLY OLD PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH
UH, I'VE BEEN IN TOWN SINCE, UH, 1970.
UH, SO I'VE BEEN IN TOWN SINCE, UH, THE LAST 53 YEARS.
I MOVED HERE TO TAKE A POSITION AT TUR WYOMING WITH US CUSTOMS AS A SPECIAL AGENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR.
AND AFTER A NUMBER OF YEARS, I BECAME A BUREAUCRAT.
THAT'S HOW I, WHEN I WAS READING, UH, ONE OF THE PAPERS, I SAW THIS POSITION AND MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, WELL, I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT JOB.
UH, I'VE DEALT, UH, I HAD, UM, WHERE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS ABOUT 6,000 EMPLOYEES.
UH, I WAS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE, AND SO I SERVED OVER 8,000 EMPLOYEES, UH, SEVEN WESTERN STATES IN THE PACIFIC.
UM, I'VE DEALT WITH ALMOST EVERY ISSUE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HERE IN THE 23 DEPARTMENTS THAT THE CITY HAS.
UH, I, I ATTACK PROBLEMS DIFFERENTLY THAN SOME OF THE OTHER PREVIOUS SPEAKERS.
[00:50:01]
COMMISSION BASICALLY TO PROTECT THE CITY RATHER THAN JUST BE SUCH A LET'S ALL GET ALONG TYPE.SO I MAY NOT BE YOUR CHOICE BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER PROTECT THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY'S CITIZENS FROM TORT CLAIMS IN THIS TYPE OF, UH, THING.
UM, I'VE RECEIVED TRAINING IN ALL THESE ISSUES.
UH, WHEN NEW TECHNOLOGY CAME IN, UH, I ATTACKED THAT ALSO.
I GOT THE VERY FIRST RICO CASE, RACKETEERING INFLUENCE, CORRUPT ORGANIZATION WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, OR WEST OF NEW YORK CITY, ACTUALLY IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, UH, OVER THE FBI AND THE OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
I OF, UM, LOOKED AND I KNOW PERSONNEL ISSUES.
I KNOW UNFORTUNATELY DISCIPLINARY ISSUES AND I KNOW HOW TO REVIEW 'EM.
AND YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST ANSWER, ANSWER GOING, YOU CAN READ, UH, MY RESUME.
UH, I'M VERY VAGUE, BASICALLY JUST OPEN UP, CUT AND DRIED.
UH, MY WIFE SEEMS TO THINK I'M A LITTLE TOO CUT AND DRIED BECAUSE THERE, SHE TOLD ME THERE WAS GRAY AND I ONLY THOUGHT THERE WAS BLACK AND WHITE.
I LOOK AT SOME OF THE ISSUES, ETHICS ISSUES.
I HARDLY HAVE A HARD TIME COMING UP WITH GRAY WHEN SOMEONE ACCEPTS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, TO ME THAT'S BLACK.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE POSITION, UM, THAT I WOULD TAKE.
UM, I, UH, WAS SENT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS AND I WENT AND AUDITED THE ENTIRE STATE AND RE-CERTIFIED THE MEDICAID FRAUD UNIT.
I UNDERSTAND BOOKS, RECORDS, MONIES, THIS TYPE OF THING.
UH, YOUR INTEREST IN BEING, WHY AM I THE INTEREST I HAVE, THE FIRST THING I DID DID WAS I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GONNA BE IN ARRESTED.
SO I PULLED UP THE CHARTER, I FOUND OUT IT WAS ON THE BALLOT OF 2018.
I READ YOUR 2021 AUDIT REPORT.
AND SO I SAID, YES, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REPORT SAYS, AND THAT'S HOW I ATTACK ATTACKED IT.
UM, I DEVELOPED A PERSONAL MOTTO IN 1971, NOVEMBER 72, AND IT'S THE TURTLE.
BEHOLD THE TURTLE, HE ONLY MAKES PROGRESS WHEN HE STICKS HIS NECK OUT.
I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS, EVALUATE THEM, AND BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT YOU'VE COME UP WITH.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, YOU GO BY THE RULES THAT WE HAVE A SET OF GUIDELINES AND THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS ASKED FOR IN 2018.
YEAH, I'VE GOT A EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
I'M AN OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER BEFORE I BECAME A SPECIAL AGENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I, I ENJOY TEACHING.
SO I BELIEVE ONE OF THE JOBS OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS WHEN NEW EMPLOYEES COME ON, MANAGERS, WHATNOT, THEY ARE BRIEFED AND TOLD WHAT YOU CAN DO, WHAT YOU CAN'T DO, AND WHY.
UM, I'VE DONE THAT FOR MANY YEARS.
I'VE OPERATED A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUDGETS FOR THE WEST COAST.
I RETIRED 27 YEARS AGO, BUT, UH, THAT'S BECAUSE MY SON BECAME AN AGENT.
UH, THE LAST THING, UH, AND I'LL GET OUTTA YOUR HAIR, IS THE ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
MY WHOLE STICK HAS BEEN INTEGRITY.
THE ONE WORD I WOULD LIKE TO BE KNOWN ABOUT IS INTEGRITY.
YOU EITHER FOLLOW THE RULES OR YOU DON'T.
YOU'RE A GOOD LISTENER OR YOU'RE NOT.
YOU WORK WELL WITH OTHERS, HOPEFULLY YOU DO.
WHEN I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE FOR THE WEST COAST, I DEALT WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SEVEN WESTERN STATES.
I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS OH, MY TIME IS UP.
DOES FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
[00:56:31]
WOW.I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, THE REASON I'M INTERESTED IN DOING THIS IS THIS WILL ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY.
JUST LIKE THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME, I'M ONE OF THE OLDER CROWD.
UM, I BELIEVE IT ALLOWS ME TO WORK WITH A TEAM THAT LOOKS AT THE BASICS, TAKES A LOOK AT THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES, AND MAKES THE BEST DECISION.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT ALLOWS US TO ACHIEVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL DUE DILIGENCE AND BEING FAIR MINDED.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMISSION IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A FAIR SOLUTION THAT IS ADVISORY FOR THE COUNCIL AND BETTER COMMUNICATION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT WOULD ALLOW ME TO BE PART OF A TEAM THAT IS HELPING TO RESTORE THE PUBLIC TRUST WHILE DOING THE RIGHT THING WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING.
UM, I WAS AN FDIC LIQUIDATION SPECIALIST.
THAT MEANT I WENT INTO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UM, IN ABOUT 41 DIFFERENT STATES.
WE CLOSED BANKS FOR AS LARGE AS 1 BILLION AND AS SMALL AS 30 MILLION.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN CHARGE OF LENDING LOANS, PROPERTIES, SELLING SPRING LAMBS IN A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.
I WAS A COMMUNITY LIAISON AND LEGISLATIVE ANALYST FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IN THE NINTH DISTRICT.
I ALSO WORKED AS A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE FOR JUANITA MILER MCDONALD.
I WAS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE NORTH PROJECT AREA COMMITTEE PRESERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR.
UH, NEIGHBORHOOD'S, USA GRAND PRIZE RECIPIENT TWICE HELEN PUTNAM AWARD FOR HELPING DEVELOP POCKET PARKS AND THE FIRST POCKET PARK IN, IN LONG BEACH.
AND I JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED A US ARMY CIVILIAN SERVICE AWARD.
AND THIS IS JUST TO NAME A FEW.
THE LAST ONE WAS THE TOUGHEST QUESTION FOR ME.
WHAT WOULD BE MY ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT? THERE'S A LOT OF ACCO.
I'VE HAVE DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS, UM, GATEWAY CITIES, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT I THINK THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT BE TO BE IS TO TURN A NEGATIVE INTO A POSITIVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE THIS COMMISSION DOES.
UM, IT'S NOT COMPROMISING, IT'S BEING ACCOUNTABLE.
IT'S HAVING INTEGRITY AND HONESTY.
[01:00:01]
AND I THINK WALKING AWAY FROM, FROM THE COMMISSION KNOWING THAT WE WORK TOGETHER FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY AND COMMUNITY IN HELPING RESTORE THE PUBLIC TRUST.ARE YOU, DO YOU RESIDE IN DISTRICT FOUR OR DISTRICT NINE? DISTRICT NINE.
THE APPLICATION SAYS FOUR OH,
SO I, I GATHERED IT WAS A TYPO, BUT I JUST, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S A TYPO.
YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU HAD RECEIVED, I THINK RECENTLY THE US ARMY
WHAT, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF THE AWARD AND HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE GIVEN UP? UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE GIVEN OUT, BUT I RECEIVED IT, UH, WITH MY WORK FOR THE, THE LONG BEACH VETERANS DAY PARADE, WHICH I JUST RECEIVED IT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY A YEAR OLD ALREADY.