[00:00:04]
COUNCILWOMAN[CALL TO ORDER]
S DEJAS TON, VICE MAYOR ALLEN.[ROLL CALL]
COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.UM, NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN MARY ZENDEJAS FOR OUR MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THANK YOU, VICE SSM MAYOR, AT THIS MOMENT
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
I'D LO LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE, UM, FOR ALL THE, THE BLESSINGS THAT WE HAD IN 2023 AND ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT WILL COME TO US IN 2024.FOR THOSE THAT ARE ABLE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN FACING OUR FLAG FOR A FLAG SALUTE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO, UH, THE CONSENT CALENDAR, UM, ONE THROUGH 12.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WANTS ANY ITEMS PULLED? OKAY.
UM, I SEE IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED.
[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 12.)]
PUBLIC COMMENT.ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, LET'S GO TO, UH, NON-PUBLIC COMMENT, NON AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR THAT? OKAY.
DO I HAVE A LIST? WE HAVE GREAT WOOD.
PRESTON PIO, ANTONIO DIAZ AND HERBERT THEODORE, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
IF YOU COULD JUST LINE UP IN THAT ORDER IS FIRST.
OKAY, GREG, I WAS FORCED, SO I'M GONNA, OKAY.
SO GREG, PRESTON, ANTONIA, AND HERBERT.
GREG CAN'T HEAR MR. GREG, YOU'RE UP FIRST.
I'M HARD OF HEARING AND DIDN'T SAY MY NAME.
UM, SOME OF THE OFFICES IN THE CITY OF LA I MEAN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, SORRY, ARE, SEEM TO BE BLACK HOLES.
UM, YOU CALL THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, YOU ASK FOR ENGINEERING, YOU LEAVE A MESSAGE, NO ONE EVER CALLS YOU BACK.
THE ONLY TIME I GOT SOMEBODY TO RESPOND FROM PUBLIC WORKS IS WHEN I CALLED THE PERMIT DESK AND ASKED THEM TO SEND A MESSAGE TO ENGINEERING.
IT'S THE ONLY TIME I EVER GOT A MESSAGE.
THE OTHER ONE SEEMS TO BE FIFTH COUNCIL DISTRICT.
SINCE JULY, I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE THREE TIMES, EMAILED ANOTHER TIME, AND I GET EXACTLY NO FEEDBACK.
SOME OF THESE ARE SAFETY ITEMS THAT COULD COST THE CITY MONEY DOWN THE ROAD, BUT FOR NOW, FIFTH DISTRICT'S A BLACK HOLE.
SOMEBODY FROM MY OFFICE WILL COME OUT AND SPEAK WITH YOU, SIR.
SAY SIR, IF YOU WAIT, SOMEONE FROM MY OFFICE, WE'LL COME OUT AND SPEAK TO YOU, UH, IN THE BACK.
I'M A WRITER AND FORMER SEMI-RETIRED SUPPLY CHAIN EXECUTIVE.
UH, BORN AND RAISED IN THE STATE OF KANSAS.
MY LOVELY WIFE SHANNON AND I HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH FOR TWO YEARS AND IT BEATS SEATTLE.
IT'S DONE WONDERS FOR OUR COMPLEXION AND, UH, OUR MOOD AS WELL.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT: IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ]
IN MID-DECEMBER, WE HAD HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF HOOPLA, UH, COMING FROM THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, AND WE WANTED TO CHECK OUT THE DECEMBER 19TH COUNCIL MEETING TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.I, I WAS SHOCKED, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU.
UM, I NEVER THOUGHT IN MY LIFE I WOULD HEAR BABY KILLER NOT BE THE WORST THING A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR WAS CALLED.
[00:05:01]
ALL THE THINGS OF ALL THE MANY TERRIBLE THINGS THAT I SAW AND HEARD DONE, UH, TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT NIGHT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WAS JUST HOW MEMBERS OF OUR COMMISSION, OUR EQUITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, USED RACIAL DIVERSITY AS JUSTIFICATION FOR HATE SPEECH.I COUNTED MANY, UH, THAT, THAT DID THAT.
I THINK THREE COMMISSIONERS THAT DID THAT.
AND I ALSO DIDN'T LIKE HOW, WELL, ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD ALSO HOPE IS THAT OUR COMMISSION MEMBERS, WHEN THEY VOTED FOR THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION WITH ALL OF THE PROBE PALESTINIAN LANGUAGE AND VERBIAGE IN IT, DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT PART OF THE WORLD, ALL THEIR LEGISLATION IS BASED ON SOMETHING CALLED SHARIA LAW.
SHARIA LAW ISN'T VERY EQUITABLE TO WOMEN, AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT EQUITABLE TO THE QUEER COMMUNITY COUNSEL.
I THINK THE TIME IS NINE FOR A SCRUTINY OF THIS COMMISSION.
WE NEED A FRESH PERSPECTIVE AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT UNDERSTAND DIVERSITY, IT'S NOT EQUITY AND RACIAL DIVERSITY IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT A VIRTUE.
WE SAW PAIN LAST NIGHT, A HELL OF A LOT OF IT.
UM, MAYBE IT WAS A SIMILAR PAIN OF PREJUDICE THAT YOU FELT OR YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
MAYBE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO TURN WITH YOUR VOTE.
MYSELF, I, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT SOME OF THAT PAIN SPECIFICALLY.
ALL I DO HAVE IS A DECADE OF E UH, OF EXPERIENCE IN THE E-COMMERCE INDUSTRY.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT E-COMMERCE IS, IS THAT IT IS A PLACE TO ACCESS EQUITY.
UM, THE INTERNET AND THE FREE MARKET, I FEEL ARE GREAT ENGINES THAT DRIVE US TOWARDS EQUITY.
AND WE CAN DO THAT HERE WITH EDUCATION IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T NEED VIRTUOUS SPOUSAL THAT ONLY SEEKS TO DIVIDE US.
I THINK THE COMMISSION COULD, SHOULD CONCERN ITSELF WITH ISSUES LIKE THIS INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL GRANDSTANDING FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T GONNA BE SATISFIED.
ANYWAY, I I APPLIED TODAY TO BE A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
I KNOW THE MAYOR ISN'T HERE, UM, TO, TO, TO REVIEW THAT.
I KNOW THAT HE APPROVES THEM FROM TIME TO TIME.
COUNSEL, ALL I JUST ASK OF YOU IS TO REVIEW MY APPLICATION AND, UH, SEE THAT I CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT TO THIS, THIS COMMUNITY THAT I, THAT I LIKE BEING A PART OF.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ON JUNE 10TH, 2023, I EXPERIENCED A LIFE-ALTERING EVENT WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY A CAR AT THE INTERSECTION OF OCEAN AND ATLANTIC AVENUE.
THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FLED LEAVING ME IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
THE IMPACT THAT THE INCIDENT RESULTED IN MULTIPLE SEVERE BRAIN HEMORRHAGES, WHICH IS ALSO, WHICH ALSO LED TO LOSS OF VISION ON MY RIGHT EYE, THE JOURNEY TO RECOVERY HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO REQUIRE ME TO RELEARN BASIC FUNCTIONS SUCH AS TALKING, RIDING, WALKING, DRIVING, AND OTHER DAY-TO-DAY TASKS WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED.
THE FIVE WEEKS I SPENT IN THE HOSPITAL WERE THE MOST DIFFICULT.
TWO WEEKS AGO, I NEARLY, NEARLY AVOIDED ANOTHER INCIDENT, JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE INITIAL ACCIDENT.
THIS REOCCURRING INCIDENTS ARE MAKING THE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT LIVING HERE DOESN'T FEEL SAFE.
THIS SENTIMENT IS SHARED BY MANY RESIDENTS.
AS THE CITY BRINGS IN MORE REVENUE WITH THE NEW HARD ROCK HOTEL AND OTHER ONGOING CONSTRUCTIONS, THE RISKS OF INCIDENTS WILL ONLY KEEP GROWING.
IN LIGHT OF THOSE, UH, IN LIGHT OF THESE CHALLENGES, I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF THE CITY AIMS TO ENHANCE ITS REVENUE, PRIORITIZING THE WELLBEING OF THE RESIDENTS SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT.
I URGE YOU TO REFLECT DEEPLY IN THIS MATTER AND TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES THAT WILL GENUINELY ENHANCE SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ONE LAST COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED, MY PARTNER REACHED OUT TO THE INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE OF MY CASE AND HE SIMPLY ASKED A FEW QUESTION AND SAID HE HAD OTHER FATAL INCIDENTS THAT REQUIRED MORE OF HIS ATTENTION.
A LOT OF THESE ACCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING ALMOST EVERY DAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND I THINK WE'RE, THE LBPD IS LACK OF ENFORCES LIKE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM CARRY ON WITH ALL THESE MULTIPLE CRIMES
[00:10:01]
THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.AND I HONESTLY, I CAN SEE IT HAPPEN ALMOST EVERY OTHER DAY AT, IN OUR INTERSECTION.
'CAUSE I LIVED ON THE STREET ON OCEAN IN ALAMITOS.
I THINK THAT LBPD NEEDS MORE HELP FROM JUST TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE ON ALL THESE CASES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY WITH, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF HOMELESS ISSUES, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE RUNNING LIGHTS, PEOPLE RUNNING, LIKE NOT RESPECTING THE, THE SPEEDS.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT MORE CAMERAS IN THE STREET, LIKE CITY CAMERAS AND UM, METERS AND IT'S ONLY GONNA GET WORSE.
IF THANK YOU, YOUR TIME HAS CONCLUDED.
WE'RE REALLY, UM, THANKFUL THAT YOU SURVIVED.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? UM, THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED CRIP WITH THE SEA, THAT'S THE CITY, UM, OF LONG BEACH ENFORCE.
IT'S A, UH, INSPECTION PROGRAM WHERE, UH, UNITS BUILD PROPERTIES THAT HAVE FOUR OR MORE UNITS ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE CITY GOES OUT AND INSPECTS IT AND SEE IF EVERYTHING'S UP TO CODE.
UH, SO MY RENTAL WAS SUBJECT TO THIS.
THE, UH, LANDLORD, THE THE UNIT, UH, THAT I LIVE IN WAS, HAD VIOLATED.
IT HAS VIOLATED THREE VIOLATIONS, UH, THREE CODES, UM, GENERAL PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL.
I'VE BEEN LIVING IN A LAUNDRY UNIT THAT'S BEEN CHANGED TO A RENTAL FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
I PAID ON TIME RENT AND UM, IT WAS ISSUED THIS, UH, ISSUED ON THE, UH, 29TH OF NOVEMBER.
UM, YOU GUYS GIVE US CITY GIVES US 60 DAYS.
UM, ACTUALLY BACK UP, UH, THE LANDLORD WAS ISSUED THE, UM, VIOLATIONS.
HE IN TURN ISSUED ME A 60 DAY NOTICE TO MOVE.
SO NOW AFTER ALL MY RESEARCH, AFTER MY LOOKING HERE AND THERE, I HAVE 21 DAYS TO FIND, SOMEWHERE TO GO.
SO THE THING IS, UM, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED RELOCATION ASSISTANCE THAT IS TO BE GIVEN TO, UH, TO TENANTS WHO, UH, HAVE STAYED IN A PLACE, I THINK IT'S OVER ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM.
THEY, BUT BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, UH, THERE IS, UM, THERE'S THIS.
AND SO FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS, DECEMBER AND JANUARY, I PAID RENT, CONTINUED TO PAY RENT.
UM, THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING, HE, UM, HE'S BEEN NOTIFIED OF.
I'VE ASKED HIM FOR ASSISTANCE.
SO THIS IS KIND OF A CALL TO ACTION TO YOU TO HELP ME.
I NEED ASSISTANCE GETTING TO MY NEXT PLACE, TRANSITIONING TO MY NEXT PLACE.
I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT SINCE THE CITY HAS ISSUED THIS MORATORIUM ON HOMELESSNESS, THEY'RE NOT ENFORCING IT.
THEY'RE NOT, UM, WHAT IS IT? UH, BEFORE YOU WOULD JUST, PEOPLE WOULD GET THAT STICKER ON THE DOOR, THEY GET KICKED OUT.
WE NEED LIKE SOMETHING LIKE PEOPLE, AN EMERGENCY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE PEOPLE GO TO AND THEY CAN, THE CITY WILL HELP 'EM WHEN THE LANDLORD DOESN'T, WHEN THEY GOTTA GET OUT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M HERE FOR.
IT'S KIND OF A CALL TO ACTION FOR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
AND AB 1482, I DON'T BELIEVE IS BEING ENFORCED BY THE CITY AND, AND ENFORCED ONTO THE LANDLORDS FROM THE CITY.
AND UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TO SPEAK TODAY.
SO WE ARE GONNA GO TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT PART OF THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YEAH.
UM, I ASK THAT WE ADJOURN TONIGHT'S MEETING IN RECOGNITION OF A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY FOR A VERY SPECIAL LONG BEACH RESIDENT, UH, MARLENE TEMPLE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW MARLENE, SHE'S EASILY THE MOST ENERGETIC AND GIVING PHILANTHROPIST, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK THERE IS A CHARITABLE, CHARITABLE EVENT THAT SHE DOES NOT ATTEND, UH, ANNUALLY.
SO, UH, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WISHING MARLENE A VERY HAPPY AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS NUMBER 90TH BIRTHDAY.
[00:15:01]
THANK YOU.I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY.
SO LET'S ALL MAKE SURE THAT WE APPRECIATE THOSE WHO ARE IN PUBLIC SAFETY WATCHING OUT FOR US.
AND IN THE, UH, I SEE THAT OUR SIXTH DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER IS ABSENT.
AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO JOIN THE UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY PARADE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 13TH AT 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 10 KICKOFF.
I KNOW MANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IT'S A SPECIAL DAY IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, SO, FANTASTIC.
YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
OR, OKAY.WHEN WE ARE, UM, I CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AND WE ARE OFF
[ADJOURNMENT]
TO STAY TO THE CITY.