* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. HERE. COMMISSIONER [00:00:01] GARA. HERE. COMMISSIONER LOVE HERE. COMMISSIONER ROSSO ENTE. RIGHT. ASSISTANT CHIEF JOHN DAVIS. WOULD YOU, UH, LEAD US IN THE FLAG SALUTE? GOOD MORNING [CALL TO ORDER] ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR, AND ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I [ROLL CALL] KNOW THIS IS A ONE ITEM AGENDA AND UM, IT'S ACTUALLY WE'RE GLAD TO SEE A MEMBER OF DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP, UH, ATTENDING. THANK [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] YOU. YEAH. ALRIGHT. UM, PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ON ITEMS RELATED TO THE AGENDA. IS THERE ANY REQUEST AT THIS TIME? OKAY. SINCE WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM, I THINK WE CAN BE A LITTLE FLEXIBLE ON, UH, HEARING FROM OTHERS LATER IF YOU SO JEWS AS WELL. ALRIGHT. UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ASUNA, VICE PRESIDENT, GORDON PETERSON. THANK YOU. VIDEO. [PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on agenda items. ] UM, COMMISSIONER GARA, YOU HAD ACTUALLY BEEN THE ONE TO SPECIFICALLY REQUEST THAT WE HAVE, WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION TODAY. SO I WOULD JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SET ANY FRAMEWORK IF YOU WERE WANTING TO. UM, WELL, I KNOW THAT WE SENT OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS TO THE CITY MANAGER. UM, WE DID RECEIVE A REPLY [1. 24-52436 Recommendation to discuss and possible action on the proposed Charter Amendment for Civil Service reform.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AND I, I MEAN, I THINK WE, IT'LL BE, UH, A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO SEND OUR FINAL THOUGHTS. I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT QUITE FINAL, FINAL AS THIS IS STILL SOMETHING THAT'S ONGOING UNTIL IT GETS ON THE BALLOT. UH, BUT CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO WRAP IT UP AT COMMISSION AT SOME POINT. SO, UM, NO NECESSARY FRAMEWORK. I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO, UH, MENTION BASED ON THE RESPONSE THAT WE GOT FROM THE CITY MANAGER, IS THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE, HIS RESPONSES ARE IN THEORY, IF YOU WILL, UH, AND THEY ARE PROBABLY THE BEST CASE SCENARIO, UH, BUT WITH THE AUTHORITY THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM, THESE THINGS COULD CHANGE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. AND SO THAT IS MY CONCERN. UM, ESPECIALLY IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, HE WROTE THE, UH, PRO ARGUMENT FOR THE LAST TIME THIS WAS ON THE BALLOT. UM, AND SO IF HISTORY TELLS US ANYTHING, THEN I CAN SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING. AND AS GUARDIANS OF THE MERIT SYSTEM AND OF THE APPEALS PROCESS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN, UH, INDEPENDENCE, THAT WE MAINTAIN A STAFF, AND THAT WE MAINTAIN THE ABILITY AND AUTHORIZATION TO INVESTIGATE WHERE NEEDED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST REALLY FEELS AT THIS POINT THAT CERTAINLY MINES ARE MADE UP. AND NO MATTER WHAT WE SAY TO THE EFFECT, THOSE OF US THAT ARE DOING THE WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT, AND WE KNOW HOW THIS WORKS, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOME REBUTTAL TO IT. BUT WE KNOW IN PRACTICE THIS IS NOT HOW THINGS WORK. SO, UM, ESPECIALLY HAVING HEARD FROM HR THAT ANYTHING THAT'S AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE GOES TO CITY COUNCIL. UM, BUT I BELIEVE IN MR. MOCA'S RESPONSE, IT SAYS THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT ABILITY. SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE, UM, HOW IT'S GONNA WORK IN PRACTICE, UH, BUT NO PARTICULAR FRAMEWORK. OKAY. UH, ANYONE ELSE WANT TO, I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS, BUT I DON'T WANNA DOMINATE. UM, SO IF THERE ARE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS ANYTHING BEFORE YES. VICE PRESIDENT GORDON PIERCE. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. OKAY. UM, SO I DID SHARE A, UH, I DID READ, UM, THE LETTER, UH, THOROUGHLY. AND, UH, THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY SENTENCES THAT KIND OF CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, BUT THERE WERE SOME DOOZIES OF A FEW SENTENCES IN HERE. SO I WANNA GIVE YOU [00:05:01] A SAMPLE OF WHAT I THINK ARE KIND OF THE HALF-TRUTHS THAT ARE BEING EXPRESSED OR THE, UM, LACK OF CONTEXT, LACK OF, UH, ANY REAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS, THIS COMMISSION FUNCTIONS THAT'S BEING EXPRESSED HERE. SO ONE OF THE SENSES THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE NEVER PORTRAYED A DESIRE TO UNIVERSALLY ELIMINATE ALL BANDING. OKAY. CLICK. I KNOW SOME OF YOU ALL IN THE DEPARTMENTS ARE HERE. THAT ALL IS DOING A LOT OF WORK FOR YOU, . UM, I'VE, I'VE HEARD PRETTY EXPLICITLY FROM TOM. I MEAN, TOM RAISED HIS VOICE AT ME TO TELL ME THIS AT ONE POINT, THAT HE DOES NOT LIKE BANDING. THAT ALL IS DOING A LOT OF WORK. SO, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY LISTS OUT OF OUR HUNDREDS DO YOU THINK SHOULD STILL HAVE BANDING? ONE, TWO, MAYBE A DOZEN. SO THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS ALL OF THEIR PREFERENCES ARE POINTS BASED. POINTS DO NOT MATTER IF THERE IS NO BANDING, IF THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR RANK CONSIDERATION. SO TO SELL THIS TO THE PUBLIC AS PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PREFERENCES AND THEN GIVING THE CITY MANAGER AND HR THE ABILITY TO ESSENTIALLY RENDER POINTS MEANINGLESS IN A POINT-BASED PREFERENCE SYSTEM, I THINK WE ALL UNDER SHOULD UNDERSTAND. HOPEFULLY WE ALL DO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WOULD APPEAR DISINGENUOUS. THAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE A CONTRADICTION. IT WOULD BE APPEAR THAT WE'RE SELLING A BILL OF GOODS TO THE PUBLIC AND, AND, AND THAT DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT. THAT, THAT FEELS LIKE AN INTEGRITY ISSUE FOR THE CITY. IF THAT'S HOW WE'RE SELLING THIS IS THROUGH THESE PREFERENCES. AND LOOK, I KNOW THE MAYOR, HE'S TOLD ME THAT THE PREFERENCES ARE HIS PRIMARY, UM, THING THAT HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOING OUT AND HAVING, UH, C COMMUNITY GROUPS GET EXCITED ABOUT ARE THESE PREFERENCES. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE PREFERENCES IF YOU DON'T HAVE BANDING. YOU DON'T HAVE PREFERENCES IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CONSIDERATION. 'CAUSE WE HAVE POINTS. POINTS ARE WHERE OUR PREFERENCES ARE FOUND. UM, SO I I JUST THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE HONEST. I HAVE NOT HEARD A SINGLE PERSON FROM DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP GET UP AND SAY, WE INTEND TO ADVOCATE FOR CONTINUED BANDING. NOT A SINGLE ONE. YEAH. UM, SO, UH, IF IT'S NOT IN THE CHARTER, IT DOESN'T EXIST. IT'S A, IT'S A PROMISE WITHOUT ANY ENFORCEABILITY. AND AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CHARTER THAT WOULD PROTECT BANDING OR RANK CONSIDERATION. UH, ANOTHER SENTENCE I PULLED OUT. THE CIVIL SERVICE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CIVIL SERVICE STAFF. CURRENT ROLE IN THE DISCIPLINARY APPEALS PROCESS IS ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE AND NOT IN AN, IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY. UM, COMMISSIONERS, I'M GONNA ASK YOU QUICKLY, I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT ANY SPECIFICS OF ANY OF OUR HEARINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IF ANYONE HAS AN OBJECTION TO ME SHARING SORT OF GENERALLY HOW WE OPERATE IN CLOSED DOORS. UH, WHEN IT COMES TO HEARING, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? NO, NONE FROM ME. NONE FROM ME. OKAY. I SEE NO OBJECTION FROM THE COMMISSION. UM, LET ME BE VERY, VERY CLEAR. CHRISTINA IS NOT THERE SIMPLY IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY. NOW WE MAKE THE DECISIONS, WE HEAR THE EVIDENCE, WE PROCESS THE EVIDENCE. UH, WE TRY TO MAKE AS NEUTRAL RULING AS POSSIBLE BASED ON THE RULES AND WHAT IS PRESENTED. UM, BUT WE'RE CITIZEN LEADERS. WE ARE NOT CONTINUITY. WE ARE NOT THE PERSON WHO HAS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. WE'RE NOT THE PERSON WITH HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE. WE'RE NOT THE PERSON WHO CAN PULL THE ROLE FROM THE BACK OF THE BOOK, UM, AND BRING IT INTO THE CONVERSATION. UM, WHAT I WILL SAY, UM, CHRISTINA HAS DONE, AND CHRISTINA AND GARY BOTH SIT IN THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE TESTIMONY, THEY SIT THROUGH ALL OF THE HEARINGS. UM, WHAT CHRISTINA HAS DONE VERY EFFECTIVELY IS NOT DIRECT US TO A CONCLUSION, UM, BUT PROVIDE CLARIFYING INFORMATION, UM, PROVIDE, UH, QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER AND ASK. UM, SOMETIMES SHE ASKS QUESTIONS OF GARY THAT ARE VERY INFORMATIVE. UM, AND GARY REPRESENTS THE COMMISSION, BUT WE ALSO KNOW YOU WORK IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A [00:10:01] INTEREST OF THE CITY ATTORNEY IN THESE, UM, HEARINGS. AND SO GETTING THAT BALANCE BETWEEN CHRISTINA AND GARY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR WORK, UM, WITH AS MUCH, UM, THOUGHTFULNESS AND CONTEXT AS WE CAN. UM, I THINK THAT STATEMENT MADE COULD ONLY COME FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER SAT THROUGH AN APPEAL, HAS NEVER, HAS NO IDEA, NO CONTEXT FOR HOW OUR APPEALS ARE CONDUCTED. UM, AND FRANKLY, I FELT IT WAS A BIT DISMISSIVE. UM, AND, UH, I, I WOULD'VE EXPECTED BETTER FROM OUR CITY MANAGER, FRANKLY. UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S INTERESTING, AND THERE'LL BE A COUPLE OF PLACES WHERE THIS COMES UP, UH, THAT TOM AND HIS RESPONSE BACK TO US LEANED A LOT ON THE CITY ATTORNEY. AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, REALLY LIKE GARY. I ACTUALLY LIKE YOUR BOSS, GARY. I REALLY LIKE, UH, DON. UM, GARY, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY TIMES THE CITY ATTORNEY POSITION IS MENTIONED IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT? NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. NO, I COULD NOT. WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF TIMES IS ZERO. SO TOM'S RESPONSE THROUGHOUT HIS MEMO IS, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S GONNA BE, TAKE CARE OF THIS. THE CITY ATTORNEY'S GONNA PROTECT YOU. THE CITY ATTORNEY'S GONNA, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S GONNA BE THE ONE ADVISING. HOW MANY TIMES IS THE CITY ATTORNEY MENTIONED IN THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT? ZERO, ZERO TIMES. I MEAN, AGAIN, I LIKE YOU GARY. I LIKE DAWN. I MEAN, I THINK IF WE WANNA HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COMMISSION MOVING OVER TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND BEING AN EXTENSION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT DOES, AND IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY BLATANTLY FALSE TO LAY IT OUT AS IF IT DOES. UM, SO ANOTHER SENTENCE. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT ENSURES THAT A PROPER LEVEL OF CHECKS AND BALANCES REMAIN IN PLACE TO ENSURE INTEGRITY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS. LOOK, THIS IS JUST POINT IN FACT, HR HAS GOTTEN UP AND SAID ALL THE POWERS THAT THEY PLAN ON TAKING AWAY FROM THE COMMISSION. UM, EVERYTHING ELSE IS IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. THERE, THERE ARE VIRTUALLY, THERE IS ONE POWER LEFT TO THE COMMISSION IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. AND THAT IS THE POWER TO RECEIVE A REPORT ONCE A YEAR ON HIRING AND IN THEORY TO CONDUCT APPEALS. BUT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE, UH, DISCIPLINARY APPEALS. THERE IS NO OTHER AUTHORITY LEFT TO THE COMMISSION TO AFFECT ANY SORT OF CHANGE IN HIRING. NOW, TOM DOES MENTION SOME THAT HE THINKS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE COMMISSION. UM, SO I MEAN, HE MAKES VERY CLEAR HE'S GONNA TAKE THE EXTENSION OF NON-CAREER HOURS AWAY FROM US. HE'S GONNA TAKE PROVISIONARY APPOINTMENTS AWAY FROM US, PROBATIONARY PERIODS AWAY FROM US, ELIGIBILITY LISTS AWAY FROM US, CLASSIFICATIONS AWAY FROM US, AND REVERSIONS OF CLASSIFIED POSITIONS. HE'S GONNA TAKE ALL THAT AWAY FROM US. HE MAKES THAT CLEAR IN HIS MEMO. THERE'S NOBODY'S QUESTIONING THAT. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT HE SAYS HE'S GONNA DO. WHAT HE SAYS HE'S GONNA LEAVE TO US IS APPLICATIONS. SO THE ABILITY TO ACCEPT LATE APPLICATIONS, EXAM COMPONENTS. SO THE ABILITY TO HEAR ABOUT EXAM COMPONENTS, CALCULATION OF SENIORITY DURING LAYOFFS AND DISABILITY RETIREMENTS. WELL, DISABILITY RETIREMENTS IS ACTUALLY IN THE LANGUAGE WITH, UH, DISCIPLINE APPEALS. UM, BUT NONE OF THOSE OTHER THREE ARE ANYWHERE IN THE CHARTER LANGUAGE. THAT'S, I CAN'T FIND ANY OF THOSE. IF ANYBODY ELSE CAN FIND THAT AND POINTED OUT TO ME, I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE THAT. BUT THAT'S NOT IN THE CHARTER LANGUAGE. SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME THAT SOMEONE WHO IS ESSENTIALLY CONSUMING OF MUCH OF THE HIRING POWER AS POSSIBLE WILL VOLUNTARILY GIVE SOME OF IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION WHEN THE CHARTER SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE TO. THAT'S, THAT'S A LEAP OF FAITH THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT, UH, THAT FAITH HAS BEEN EARNED. UM, YET. UH, LAST ONE. UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY IS THE LEAD DEPARTMENT RECEIVING THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT AND DISSEMINATE IT TO PROPER STAFF AS NEEDED. AND THE CITY COUNSEL RECEIVE A REPORT ON ANY INVESTIGATORY FINDINGS. AGAIN, I JUST ASKED HOW MANY TIMES IS THE CITY ATTORNEY ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT? ZERO. THE CHARTER AMENDMENT [00:15:01] ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT INVESTIGATORY INVESTIGATIONS WILL HAPPEN UNDER THE POWER OF THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER IN THAT SENTENCE JUST SAID THE LITERAL OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE CHARTER AMENDMENT SAYS. NOW, THIS IS, THIS IS PRETTY BOLD AND I JUST THINK WE ALL NEED TO KIND OF TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT THIS. TOM SENT THIS LETTER TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, TO THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THAT'S THE TWO HERE. THERE ARE LATENT DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN WHAT HE IS CLAIMING IN THIS MEMO, THIS LETTER, AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN PLAIN TEXT LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. THAT'S, AGAIN, THAT SPEAKS TO AN INTEGRITY ISSUE THAT I HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT. UM, AND IT'S ONE THING TO TREAT THE COMMISSION WITH DISRESPECT. THIS TREATS THE MAYOR AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH DISRESPECT. UM, AND I I'M VERY CONCERNED AS A CITIZEN, BUT AS A PROPONENT OF DEMOCRACY PERIOD, UM, THAT THAT WOULD BE SEEN AS AN ACCEPTABLE THING TO DO. SO, UH, THOSE WERE MY THOUGHTS. COMMISSIONER ENCINA. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT FROST HOLLANDS. UM, AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO FIRST OF ALL, UH, WRITE THE LETTER OF CONCERN FROM THE COMMISSION AND THEN TAKING THE TIME TO DISSECT THE CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSE. UH, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PUT INTO THIS. SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEING PART OF, UH, REFORM MOVEMENTS. I'VE BEEN PART OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. I'VE BEEN PART OF HELPING THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES REFORM, ITS PROBATION DEPARTMENT. UM, AND YOU KNOW, THIS PROPOSAL FOR ME AND ALL OF THIS LANGUAGE, ALL OF THIS RHETORIC COMING FROM THE CITY MANAGER IS NOT REFORM. THIS IS A SLOW DEATH FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT. IT'S A SLOW DEATH FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS BECAUSE IT, WHEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REFORM, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE ROLE THAT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS PLAY IN THIS PROCESS. WHEN WE REFORMED THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID WAS DECIDE THAT THEY NEEDED STAFF THAT, THAT THAT COMMISSION THAT WOULD OVERSEE THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, THAT WOULD HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THAT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AROUND DISCIPLINE, AROUND BUDGET, THAT THEY WERE FULLY STAFFED UP. THEY HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HER NAME IS WENDY JULIAN. SHE ACTUALLY LIVES HERE IN LONG BEACH. SHE HAS A STAFF. AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT HAD TO BE VERY INDEPENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT NEEDED REFORM. YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, I AM APPEALING THIS PERSON'S DECISION, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THAT PERSON FOR YOUR DEFENSE IN MANY WAYS. AND WHATEVER OTHER POLITICAL DEALS THEY'VE CUT BEHIND, CLOSED DOORS, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M SURE THAT I WON'T BE LONG FOR WHATEVER THIS COMMISSION BECOMES OR DOESN'T BECOME. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. THAT'S, LET'S PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. IF I'M DECOMMISSIONED TOMORROW, IT'S OKAY. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I'M NOT TIED TO ANY PARTICULAR POLITICIAN. I'M NOT TIED TO THE CITY MANAGER. I BELIEVE IN OUR MAYOR. I SUPPORT REX. I BELIEVE [00:20:01] IN MANY OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT HE ENVISIONS. I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS APPROACH. I'M NOT BEHOLDEN TO ANYBODY, NOT EVEN THE COMMISSION ITSELF. BUT WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I'M PRESENTED WITH THIS FROM A MAN THAT CAME AND DISRESPECTED THIS COMMISSION AND HAS NOT APOLOGIZED YET, I'M NOT ASKING SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T GIVEN MYSELF. I'M ON THE RECORD APOLOGIZING TO A STAFF MEMBER HERE AT CITY HALL BECAUSE I DISRESPECTED THEM, BECAUSE I WAS OFFENSIVE TO THEM. 'CAUSE I WAS RUDE AND UNKIND. I WOULD EXPECT OUR CITY MANAGER TO DO THE SAME WITH THIS COMMISSION. AT THE LAST MEETING THAT HE PRESENTED TO US, HE WAS DISMISSIVE. AND HE WAS, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT, HE WAS 100% REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHITE PATRIARCHY THAT HAS HARMED THIS COUNTRY FOR CENTURIES. NOW. THAT'S HOW I FELT. AND IF ANYBODY CHOOSES TO CHALLENGE THAT, LOOK AT MY RESUME. AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT MY PROFESSIONAL RESUME. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE LIVED AS A HUMAN BEING. I CAN SAY THAT I'VE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF THE WHITE PATRIARCHY THAT MANY OF US HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED IT NEEDS TO BE RID OF HERE IN THIS COUNTRY. SO FOR ME, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL IT WAS. IT WAS, IT WAS ANOTHER FLEX OF, OF, OF THAT MUSCLE THAT WE NEED TO FORGET ABOUT HERE IN THIS COUNTRY. UM, IN THIS LETTER, IN THIS RESPONSE, AND THIS WAS SAID TO TOM AT THAT MEETING, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DIALOGUE. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR LEARNING. THERE'S SUCH CLOSE-MINDEDNESS HERE. THERE'S SUCH, THE DECISION IS HAS BEEN MADE AND YOU'RE SIMPLY BEING INFORMED. SO I'LL END WITH THIS WITH WHAT I STARTED. THIS IS NOT REFORM. THIS IS A SLOW DEATH FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS HERE IN LONG BEACH. WE'RE NOT MAKING IT BETTER. WE'RE KILLING IT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. AND IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO, LET'S CALL IT WHAT IT IS AND NOT PAINT IT. THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE. THANK YOU. SO I FEEL LIKE I'VE, I'VE SAID A WHOLE LOT ALREADY, UM, LEADING UP TO THIS MEETING AND, UH, ECHOING WHAT, WHAT PRESIDENT, UH, FROST HOLLANDS AND COMMISSIONER ASUNA SAID. I WON'T REPEAT THAT. UH, BUT I DO FIND THIS, THIS RESPONSE FROM OUR CITY MANAGER, VERY TROUBLESOME. IT'S IN, UH, DISINGENUOUS FROM THE FIRST MEETING WE HEARD, UH, AT THE PORT, UM, TO AGAIN, WHAT I, WHAT I BELIEVE THE, THE REAL ISSUES ARE, OR THE REAL, UM, AGENDA BEHIND THIS IS, UH, I BELIEVE AGAIN, IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, WHAT COMMISSIONER ASUNA SAID, A A SLOW DEATH FOR THE MERIT SYSTEM HERE IN LONG BEACH. AND UNLESS YOU'RE DOING THE WORK DAY IN, DAY OUT, MYSELF INCLUDED, PRIOR TO BEING ON THIS COMMISSION, I DIDN'T FULLY GRASP THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MERIT SYSTEM AND OF THE APPEALS PROCESS DOING THIS WORK FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS NOW. I MEAN, I'M FULLY IMMERSED IN, IN WHAT WE DO, AND I FULLY BELIEVE IN WHAT WE DO. AND NOT THAT I DIDN'T BEFORE, I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF IT. AND I ASKED THIS QUESTION NOT ONLY TO OUR CITY MANAGER, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, TO THE VOTERS OF LONG BEACH. DO WE WANT SOLUTIONS OR DO WE WANT THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE CONTROL? THIS IS BEING DRESSED AS SOLUTIONS, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T. WE'RE TAKING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND MOVING IT TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT. THAT'S NOT INNOVATIVE. THAT'S NOT SOLUTIONS. [00:25:03] IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE PROCESS, LET'S FIX IT. THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE ALL OF THIS TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT. I MEAN CONVERSATIONS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT. I'M GLAD THIS PROCESS HAS GONE AS PAINFUL IT IS AS IT HAS BEEN . 'CAUSE IT'S REALLY TAXING TO, TO TRY TO CONVEY AND ARTICULATE THE WORK THAT THIS DEPARTMENT AND THIS COMMISSION DOES TO SOMEONE WHO HAS THEIR MIND MADE UP. THAT'S REALLY EXHAUSTING. UM, BUT WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT? WE WANT SOLUTIONS. AND IN THIS PROCESS, LIKE I SAID A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, WE HAD THIS COME TO JESUS MOMENT BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT. AND WE HEARD CONCERNS. AND SO I WROTE DOWN WHAT I WAS HEARING, RIGHT? AND SO WE HEARD THAT OUR STAFF IS GREAT. FANTASTIC. 'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, LAST MEETING, IT'S WHEN WE GET PRAISED, THE DEPARTMENT, THE STAFF DOES. IT'S LIKE THEY'RE CALLING MY KIDS CUTE AND SMART DON'T TALK ABOUT MY BABIES. UM, SO ASIDE FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE, THE FIRST, UH, HURDLE OUT OF THE WAY. IT'S NOT A HURDLE. WE LIKE EACH OTHER. WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. THAT'S THE FIRST STEP. NOW THAT WE HEARD WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, IT WAS ALL ABOUT A PROCESS. OKAY, WE CAN DO THAT. WE CAN, WE CAN LISTEN AS WE HAVE TO. WHAT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE SAYING IS AT HAND WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, WHAT WHAT DOESN'T WORK. WE HAVEN'T QUITE HEARD WHAT WORKS, WHICH WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL. BUT IN THIS PROCESS, IT'S HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO HEAR WHAT DOESN'T WORK. WE COULD WORK WITH THAT. AND IN FACT, WE, WE HAVE INVITED IT FOR THE ABOUT SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION. WE'VE SAID IT A LOT THAT WE WANT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AT THIS MEETING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR STAKEHOLDERS ARE, WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES, WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS? BUT THAT HASN'T, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE. SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT MEETING HAPPENED THAT EVENING WHERE WE GOT TO HEAR FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS BECAUSE I COULD WORK WITH THAT. AND OUT OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT, UH, WE CAN WORK ON. ONE IS THE PROCESS, TWO IS WAGES. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE. DURING THESE, THESE MEETINGS, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN TODAY. I INVITE OUR CITY MANAGER TO WORK ON WAGES. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HE CAN AFFECT THAT WILL HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE WORKERS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WE DO NOT PAY WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES PAY. AND THAT HURTS US IN THE HIRING PROCESS AND THE RETENTION PROCESS. THAT'S NOT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, BUT THE PROCESS OF THE, OF THE MERIT SYSTEM AND THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS IS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW THAT WE CAN WORK ON. AND I INVITE MR. MOCA TO WORK ON THE WAGES. SO TOGETHER WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION AND IMPROVE OUR HIRING AND RETENTION IN THE CITY. SO AGAIN, DO WE WANT SOLUTIONS OR DOES, DO WE WANT SOMEONE TO HAVE CONTROL? IS IT ABOUT CONTROL OR SOLUTIONS? THANK YOU. MY COMMENTS WILL BE BRIEF. MY COMMENTS WILL BE BRIEF BECAUSE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE COVERED MANY OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD SAY. AND I, I TAKE A DEEP BREATH WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT I FEEL HAS BEEN A SYSTEMATIC DISMANTLING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS. PEOPLE, THIS DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN. IF YOU THINK THIS PROPOSAL WAS VETTED LAST YEAR AND THEN PRESENTED, IT WAS NOT. THIS HAS BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT AND YOU HAVE BEEN WITNESSING IT, BUT YOU DID NOT KNOW WHAT YOU WERE WITNESSING. I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN UNDERSTAFFED SINCE 2008. [00:30:02] THERE ARE FIVE LESS PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ATTRITION RATE FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THEY ARE STEADILY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THEY HAVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GIVE THE SERVICE. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT GROWN EXPONENTIALLY LIKE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WHY? IF YOU EXPECTED THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT, IF YOU EXPECTED THEM TO HIRE AT BREAKNECK SPEED, WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE THEM THE PERSONNEL TO DO SO? YOU ARE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT THEY ARE OVERWORKED, THAT THEY ARE DOING THE JOBS OF ONE AND A HALF PEOPLE. YOU KNOW IT AND YOU'VE DONE NOTHING. WHY? BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU INTENDED TO DO. LET'S JUST BE HONEST ABOUT IT. THIS DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN PEOPLE. AND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT WHERE IT STARTED, GO BACK, YOU CAN SEE THAT A PROPOSAL WAS MADE BEFORE TO DISMANTLE CIVIL SERVICE. AND LET'S BE FRANK, HR AIN'T DOING THAT GREAT OF A JOB. COME ON NOW. EST TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT EVERYTHING. LET'S BE HONEST. AND BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU TELL A HALF TRUTH, YOU'RE LYING. I'M GONNA PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR YOU TOO. WHEN YOUR COMMENTS CONTAIN A HALF TRUTH, YOU ARE TELLING A LIE. AND AT THIS POINT, I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE BEING BAMBOOZLED AND LIED TO. YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET SOMETHING? LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S ON THE PLATE. I AGREE WITH MY MAYOR WHO I SUPPORT. I WANNA MAKE THAT UNEQUIVOCALLY CLEAR. I AGREE WITH HIM ADDING HIRING PREFERENTIAL. I WANT THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH TO GET EVERYTHING THEY HAVE COMING TO THEM. I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO BUY HOMES IN LONG BEACH. I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN LONG BEACH WHERE THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL. IF YOU'VE ATTENDED LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, CAL STATE, LONG BEACH, CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS, I DO WANT YOU, IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, MY FATHER WAS A VETERAN, I WANT YOU TO HAVE THOSE HIRING PREFERENCES. I BELIEVE THEY'RE EARNED. WE CAN DO THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DISMANTLE CIVIL SERVICE TO GET IT THROUGH. YOU CAN REVISE THE CHARTER AND ADD THOSE, THOSE HIRING CONDITIONS. WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS HAPPENING TODAY IS YOU'RE BEING SERVED A PLATTER. AND ON THAT PLATTER IS A BEAUTIFUL FILET. MIGNON BEAUTIFUL. IT SMELLS GOOD AS COOKED TO PERFECTION. NICE BAKED POTATO WITH SOUR CREAM ON IT MAKES YOUR MOUTH WANNA WATER A COUPLE OF PIECES OF ASPARAGUS JUST SLIGHTLY NOT OVERCOOKED. AND OVER IN THE LEFT OF THAT PLATE, YOU DIDN'T SEE IT. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF POO ON THAT PLATE. I'M TELLING YOU THIS. NOW, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THAT PLATE, YOU WANTED TO EAT THAT STEAK, YOU WANTED IT. THOSE ARE THE HIRING PREFERENCES THAT NICE JUICY STEAK. AND AS YOU LOOK AT THAT BAKED POTATO AND THE BUTTER JUST LAYING THERE GLISTENING AT YOU, AND AS YOUR EYES MOVE AROUND TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THAT PLATE AND YOU SEE THAT SCOOP OF POO, YOU GOING TO EAT THAT STEAK? YOU REALLY WANT THAT STEAK. I WANT US TO LOOK AT THIS WITH AN OPEN EYE. I'M NOT TELLING YOU YOUR VOTERS, YOUR EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY AND YOUR VOTERS, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION. I DON'T MAKE THAT FOR YOU, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'VE GOT A STAKE ON A PLATE AND IN THE LEFT CORNER OF IT, THERE'S POOP. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GETTING HERE. THIS IS NOT TRANSPARENT AND THERE IS NO NEED FOR A FIRE DRILL. WE CAN TAKE OUR TIME AND FIX IT. THERE ARE PROBLEMS. I THINK I WOULD BE LYING TO YOU IF I TOLD YOU THAT I HADN'T SEEN PROBLEMS. I'VE SEEN THEM. THERE ARE ISSUES. BUT YOU CAN'T RIDE THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION TO THE PROMISED LAND TRYING TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THE ISSUES ARE ALL HERE. YOU NEED TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVEN'T DONE. AND THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE. I WAS VERY ANGRY WHEN THE COMMENT WAS MADE, BUT I'M ALSO A VERY RESPECTFUL PERSON. I GIVE RESPECT TO [00:35:01] EVERYONE. 'CAUSE GOD CREATED EVERYONE AND THEREFORE THEY'RE WORTHY OF MY RESPECT UNTIL THEY SHOW ME SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND I KEPT SAYING, IF THERE WAS SUCH A PROBLEM, WHY DIDN'T YOU EVER COME TO THE COMMISSION? THAT'S WHAT I ASKED BECAUSE I WAS CLUELESS. I SAID, THERE, THERE YOU, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. YOU ALL GATHERED IN AND CAME UP TO THE PODIUM AND SPOKE AND SAID YOU HAD A PROBLEM. HOUSTON, THERE'S A PROBLEM. BUT I NEVER SAW YOU BEFORE THAT MEETING. YOU NEVER CAME AND SAID A WORD TO ANY OF US. AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS? WE KEPT TELLING YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IF SHE DIDN'T TELL YOU, UH, I DON'T KNOW. YOU DON'T KNOW. YOU ARE SITTING AT THE HEAD OF THE FOOD CHAIN. IF SHE WASN'T TELLING US, WHY DIDN'T YOU? THAT'S YOUR JOB. IF IT WASN'T GETTING DONE, WHY DIDN'T YOU COME AND STEP TO THE PODIUM? WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL THE PRESIDENT AND SAY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM. YOU DIDN'T. I'M TELLING YOU TO YOUR FACE. YOU DIDN'T BECAUSE IF YOU HAD HAVE SAID SOMETHING, YOU WOULDN'T BE GOING HERE TODAY. YOU WOULD NEED TO CHANGE A CHARTER BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE MET YOU TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU SAY YOU'RE HAVING. WE COULD HAVE SAT TOGETHER IN A ROOM AND DETERMINED WHERE THE BLOCK IS SO THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T THINK WE KNOW WHERE THE BLOCK IS, YOU'RE SADLY MISTAKEN. BUT WE COULD DO THESE THINGS TOGETHER. BUT INSTEAD THAT ACCOUNTABILITY ON SLIDE 18, UHUH NO, THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IF YOU FELT THERE WAS A PROBLEM ENOUGH TO PUT A CHARTER AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT, NOW YOU WANNA GO TALK TO THE CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH AND TELL 'EM HOW JACKED UP CIVIL SERVICES. AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE A 22% VACANCY FACTS AND YOU'RE LYING. IT IS NOT CIVIL SERVICE ALL BY ITSELF. LET'S BRING IT ALL OUT INTO THE OPEN. THAT'S MY PROBLEM. THAT'S A HALF TRUTH. THAT'S A HALF TRUTH. I WANT ALL THE TRUTH. I'M OKAY WITH SAYING CIVIL SERVICE HAS ITS ISSUES. BUT WHAT ARE, WHERE ARE THE OTHER ISSUES? SHOES. SO WE HAVE ONE DEPARTMENT HOLDING BACK THE HIRING PROCESS OF THE CITY. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD? THAT'S NOT TRUTHFUL. THAT'S A HALF TRUTH, MAYBE A QUARTER TRUTH. AND THAT'S MY ISSUE. I WANT IT ALL. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO AND YOU HAVE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THERE IS A DEMISE OF CIVIL SERVICE, BE TRANSPARENT. TELL THE VOTER THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED. THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T DO ANY HIRING TO IMPROVE A DEPARTMENT THAT YOU KNEW WAS UNDERSTAFFED. THAT'S WHY YOU DID IT. THAT'S WHY YOU ALLOWED IT. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE UNMITIGATED GOAL TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOT HIRING PEOPLE. WHY SHOULD I COME WORK TO YOU FOR YOU IF I CAN DRIVE A COUPLE MILES AWAY AND GET SIX OR $7 MORE AND A BETTER PENSION WHEN I RETIRE? THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS A TRAINING GROUND FOR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA PAY. BUT HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE PAYING IN TEMPORARY STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS? OH, THE MONEY'S THERE. WE ARE JUST NOT GIVING IT TO OUR STAFF. AND THEN WE GOT A COMPLAINT THAT WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE, THAT IT'S CIVIL SERVICE. YOU HEARD WHAT JOANNE? YOU HEARD WHAT COMMISSIONER GARNICKA SAID. SHE SAID, COME UP WITH THE WAGES, BUT YOU'LL GO INTO SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE AND TELL THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO PAY. CLEAN YOUR OWN HOUSE FIRST. IF YOU'RE UNDERPAYING YOUR STAFF, PAY THEM A, A LIVING WAGE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. AND C, WON'T OUR JOBS BE MORE ATTRACTIVE? COMMISSIONERS SAID THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR THE TEST OR HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL COME BACK. WE DON'T CONTROL THAT. WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE BY THEIR HOUSE AND PICK 'EM UP? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? YOU WANT ME TO LOAD UP A BUS OR GO HAVE THE POLICE VISIT THEIR HOUSE AND SAY, YOU'VE, YOU, YOU SIGNED UP FOR A TEST, YOU'VE GOT A REPORT. OR WHEN I SEND YOU A JOB OFFER AND YOU CLAIM YOU WANT THE JOB AND THEN YOU DON'T ACCEPT THE JOB. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? FORCE YOU TO TAKE A JOB WHEN YOU CAN GO TO LA AND GET MORE MONEY. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE TRUTH IS ON WHY WE HAVE A 22% VACANCY FACTOR. [00:40:01] AND DON'T POINT THE FINGER AT CIVIL SERVICE. GET INTO THE ROOM AND LET'S FIX THIS. BUT NOW YOU'VE GONE TO THE VOTERS, YOU MARKETING THIS CAMPAIGN WITH HALF. AND THAT'S MY PROBLEM WITH IT. ONCE I, FOR ME, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR ME, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ONCE SOMEONE TELLS ME A HALF TRUTH, I DON'T TRUST THEM ANYMORE. I DON'T TRUST YOU WHEN YOU TELL A HALF TRUTH 'CAUSE YOU'RE LYING. AND WHAT I WANNA CLOSE WITH IS THAT SLIDE 18 IN ACCOUNTABILITY. I'M GONNA SAY THAT UNTIL THE DAY I LEAVE THIS COMMISSION, A LOT OF THESE THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED WITHOUT ALL THIS FATHER ALL. SO THEN IT MAKES ME WONDER, HOW DID WE GET HERE? YOU KNOW HOW WE GOT HERE? BECAUSE THIS WAS THE INTENT ALL ALONG. AND I CHALLENGE ANYONE TO SAY THAT IT WAS NOT, NOT WHEN YOU PURPOSEFULLY UNDERSTAFF A DEPARTMENT FROM 2008. WE'RE DOWN JUST FIVE PEOPLE FROM 2008 AND YOU HAVEN'T HIRED ANY MORE PEOPLE, BUT YOU'VE HIRED THEM IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE GROWN COMPARED TO CIVIL SERVICE. THIS IS A CONCERTED EFFORT. AND I HAVE TO GIVE YOU YOUR CREDIT. YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EVEN SEE YOU COMING. YOU'VE, YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. YOU'RE TO BE COMMENDED 'CAUSE YOU'RE FLYING A FLAG AND EVERYBODY'S BELIEVING AS IT WAVES THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET SOMETHING FROM IT. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AT THE PLATE, LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE BEING SERVED AND LOOK IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER AND SEE THE POOL ON THE PLATE. THAT STAKE MAY NOT LOOK AS GOOD AS YOU THINK. I'M NOT GONNA MAKE ANY MORE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS. I'M JUST SIMPLY GOING TO SAY THAT THERE ARE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS BEHIND EVERYTHING. AND YOU SHOULD BE LED BY YOUR ETHICS. YOUR ETHICS. ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER, LOVE. GOOD MORNING. UM, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS SAID IT BETTER THAN I EVER COULD. I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WHEN THIS WAS FIRST MENTIONED TO ME, MY RESPONSE WAS, I'M NOT AGAINST IT. I JUST WANNA SEE THE DETAILS. AND AS THE DETAILS ARE COMING OUT, I'M NOT PLEASED. THE BALLOT MEASURE SAYS ONE THING, CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSE SAYS ANOTHER. I, I'M, I'M SORT OF GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE I'M THINKING THIS BALLOT MEASURE IS GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AS A A GOOD THING. THE THE INCENTIVES ARE BEING PUSHED UPFRONT AND THOSE ARE A GOOD THING. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THOSE. BUT IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE. AND, AND THE DETAILS, I THINK DO NOT DO JUSTICE TO THE CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH, TO THE CIVIL SERVICE STAFF, TO THE COMMISSION. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT SEEM TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THIS IS HUMAN RESOURCES. IE THE CITY MANAGER, UM, IF I'M WRONG, CORRECT ME, BUT THE CIVIL SERVICE WAS ESTABLISHED TO BE INDEPENDENT SO THAT THEY PROTECT THE EMPLOYEES, THE CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH. AND THAT'S BEING TAKEN AWAY. AND I HAVE YET TO HEAR, IN MY OPINION, A LEGITIMATE AND A VALID REASON WHY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. A QUICK QUESTION, DO WE HAVE A MEMBER OF THE LEADERSHIP OF ACE, THE ASSOCIATION OF CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES? OKAY, I'M GONNA DO A LITTLE NAMING AND SHAMING HERE. UM, MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN THIS DEPARTMENT BELONG TO ACE. UM, SHAME ON ACE FOR NOT BEING HERE. SHAME ON ACE FOR NOT GIVING OUR EMPLOYEES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE REPRESENTED IN THEIR, THEIR OWN FUTURE. SHAME ON ACE FOR CLAIMING TO BE AN EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE AND THEN SERVING AS A FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT. UM, WE NEED A NAME IN SHAME. UH, AND I I ALMOST LOST MY COOL. HMM. I GOT, I THINK I ACTUALLY HAVE LOST MY COOL A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THIS PROCESS, BUT I ALMOST LOST [00:45:01] MY COOL WHEN THE CITY MANAGER SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BARGAIN, OR WE'RE GONNA MEET AND CONFER AROUND THE CHARTER LANGUAGE AND ONLY THE CHARTER LANGUAGE. AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON EMPLOYEES. IF THIS PASSES ONCE EMPLOYEES AND VOTERS HAVE NO CHOICE, HAVE NO POWER LEFT, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTS. THAT'S SHAMEFUL. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS OWNED BY THE CITY MANAGER. HE'S CREATED THIS PROCESS. UM, BUT IT'S ALSO OWNED BY THE EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE NOT HERE TODAY BY THE CONFIDENT, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT REPRESENTING CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES. THAT'S SAD. UM, COMMISSIONER, I'M SORT OF NOT SURE I I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, COMING TO SOME SORT OF CONCLUSIONARY THOUGHT I HAD INITIALLY IN MY HEAD AS LONG AS THERE WAS AN OPENING TO, UM, TALKING ABOUT A BETTER PRODUCT TO GO BEFORE THE BAR, THE VOTERS, UM, NOT INCLINED TO TAKE A POSITION. I THINK THE CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSE TO US MADE CLEAR THAT HE HAS NO INTEREST IN A BETTER PRODUCT, UM, TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS. I AM THEREFORE INCLINED TO ACTUALLY TAKE A POSITION ON AT LEAST WHAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO US SO FAR AND TAKE AN OPPOSED POSITION ON WHAT HAS AT LEAST BEEN SUBMITTED TO US SO FAR. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THE REST OF THE COMMISSION IS THERE YET. I WOULD, UH, CONCUR WITH THAT. UM, AGAIN, IT IS, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE PROCESS, BUT WE HAVE TO WRAP UP AT SOME POINT. AND SO OUR WORK WILL CONTINUE. UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE RESPONSE FROM THE CITY MANAGER DESERVES A RESPONSE AND ESSENTIALLY SUMMARIZING WHAT OUR THOUGHTS ARE HERE. AND I JUST KEEP GOING BACK TO, IS THIS ABOUT SOLUTIONS OR IS THIS ABOUT CONTROL? AND I WOULD LIKE THAT SENTENCE TO BE INCLUDED BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, UM, I, I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S INCLINED TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN VERY EXHAUSTING TO JUST MENTALLY EXHAUSTING TO TRY TO CONVINCE SOMEONE OR TO JUST SHARE HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS. AND IT'S LIKE TALKING TO A WALL. THE MINDS ARE MADE UP AND THAT'S OKAY. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE. HOWEVER, I WILL STICK TO THE POINT OF THIS. DO WE WANT SOLUTIONS? I THINK WE ALL DO. SO I WOULD ASK THE QUESTION OF THE CITY MANAGER, IS THIS ABOUT SOLUTIONS OR IS THIS ABOUT CONTROL? AND IF IT'S ABOUT SOLUTIONS, I INVITE HIM TO WORK ON WAGES WHILE THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT WORKS ON THE PROCESS. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER . UH, COMMISSIONER UNA. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT FROST HOLLANDS. UM, I CONCUR WITH COMMISSIONER GARCA. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST PUT SOME NUMBERS OUT THERE. UM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSAL AND TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE QUALITY OF A PRODUCT. HE IS OUR CITY MANAGER. THERE ARE 482 CITIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE ARE THE FOURTH WORST MANAGED CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THERE ARE 88 CITIES IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. WE ARE THE WORST MANAGED CITY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THIS DATES THROUGH REPORTS, ARTICLES, ALL THE WAY FROM 2021 TO AS RECENTLY AS JANUARY OF 2024. SO FOR ME, [00:50:02] OUTSIDE OF ANYTHING ELSE, I'M ALSO LOOKING AT QUALITY. I QUESTION THE QUALITY OF A PRODUCT THAT IS PRODUCED BY A CITY MANAGER THAT IS MANAGING THE WORST MANAGED CITY IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. I JUST WANT ALL OF US TO CONSIDER THAT, THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS PROPOSAL AS GOLD FROM SOMEBODY THAT IS AT THE HEAD OF A CITY THAT IS THE WORST MANAGED CITY IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD TO BE AT THE TOP OF A LIST OF THE FOURTH WORST IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. I DON'T THINK CIVIL SERVICE HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH US. AND THOSE RANKINGS, THOSE RANKINGS ARE BASED ON HOW THIS CITY IS MANAGED. AND THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT HAS THE TITLE OF CITY MANAGER HERE, AND THAT'S TOM MONICA. SO I WANT US TO CONSIDER THAT HOWEVER WE FEEL ABOUT IT. I'M ALSO LOOKING AT THE QUALITY BECAUSE JUST AS COMMISSIONER LOVE SAID, AS THE DETAILS COME OUT, I'M FINDING POORER AND POORER QUALITY INCONSISTENCY AND PLAIN OUT NON-FACTUAL STATEMENTS IN THIS PROPOSAL, IN THE RESPONSES IN EVERYTHING. I LIKE SOUNDING SMART, COMMISSIONER LOVE. 'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE ME WITHOUT A SUIT AND ASSUME THAT I HAVE NO INTELLIGENCE IN MY BRAIN. SO I LIKE TO USE IT WHEN I CAN. THANK YOU. BUT I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D BE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE COMMISSION TAKING A POSITION AND MAKING THAT POSITION BE KNOWN. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SIN. UH, JUST FOR MY, UM, KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE ARE THOSE RANKINGS, UH, WHO PRODUCES THOSE RANKINGS? THE ONE THAT WAS MOST RECENT WAS DONE BY WALLET HUB. WALLET HUB. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, ANYTHING FURTHER? MM-HMM. I CONCUR. OKAY. UM, SO I WOULD TAKE AS A SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT FRIENDLY, UH, AND THE MOTION WAS BY COMMISSIONER ASUNA, THE SECOND, BY, UH, VICE PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON, UH, TO TAKE A POSITION OF OPPOSE, UH, TO THE, UH, CHARTER AMENDMENT AS OUTLINED AND, UH, TO DIRECT THE PRESENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PREPARE A LETTER, UH, SUMMARIZING OUR CONVERSATION TODAY. IT'S THAT, UH, AN ACCEPTABLE MOTION. UH, COMMISSIONER ASUNA? YES. YES. UH, COMMISSIONER GORDON PETERSON, VICE PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WE WANNA HAVE ON THIS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, I THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO VOTE. THIS MOTION CARRIES THE COMMISSION IS OPPOSED TO THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. EXCUSE ME. OH, WE STILL HAVE, SORRY. SORRY. WE STILL A COUPLE ITEMS. SORRY. ANNOUNCEMENTS. I WANTED A VERY DRAMATIC MOMENT THERE, . AND YOU SPOILED IT. CHRISTINA, SORRY. ARE THESE DARN RULES CLEARLY FOR MY NAILS? I'M A DRAMATIC PERSON. THAT, THAT THAT MOMENT WAS, UH, ALL RIGHT. UM, ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? UH, CHRISTINA, WE HAVE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT I DO THINK YOU HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. YES. ANYONE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS? I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK AND, AND, UM, IT'S NOT MUCH OF AN [ANNOUNCEMENTS] ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT OF, UH, AN ECHO OF WHAT I'VE SAID BEFORE, OF HOW PROUD I AM OF CIVIL SERVICE STAFF AS A COMMISSIONER, WHERE MY LIVELIHOOD ISN'T AT STAKE AND MY, UM, MY SEAT AT THIS TABLE IS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE FOR MY PERSONAL VALUE. UM, I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN FOR STAFF. UM, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ME AS A COMMISSIONER. IT'S JUST MENTALLY TAXING. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S DRAINING TO, TO TO TRY TO ARTICULATE WHEN NO ONE'S LISTENING. WELL, AT LEAST THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO LISTEN. UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU STAFF. YOU KNOW, I'M A, I'M A BIG CHEERLEADER FOR YOU. I KNOW YOU DO GREAT WORK AND KUDOS AND ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS COMMISSION I CAN SAFELY SAY, UM, SUPPORTS YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH. AND THAT GOES AS WELL FOR OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GARY TOO, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT PART OF THIS [00:55:01] DEPARTMENT. . , THANK YOU. REALLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF. YOU ALL ARE AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. UH, CAN SHARE. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT. UM, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MARCH IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FRIDAY THE EIGHTH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY DAY. SO I WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND HONOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE WOMEN NATION, UM, DURING THIS MONTH. AND ALWAYS, WE ALL COME FROM A WOMEN'S SONG. I THINK EVERY DAY SHOULD BE WOMEN'S DAY. THANK YOU. LET'S CALL . RIGHT? ANYTHING FURTHER? RIGHT? SEEING NO FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WILL MOVE US INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS? YES, PLEASE, SIR. DO I NEED TO PUSH? OH, NO, YOU'RE ALL, YOU'RE ALIVE. OKAY. I'M ALIVE. PULSE. PULSE IS REALLY BEATING RIGHT NOW. UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU. I, FIRST TIME I'D BEEN IN THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. UM, I DON'T [PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Civil Service Commission on non-agenda items. ] KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE, BUT LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT MYSELF. UM, AND LIKE YOU, I GET EMOTIONAL SOMETIMES WHEN I START TALKING ABOUT THIS CHARTER CHANGE AND STUFF. I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS TWO PREVIOUS TIMES. AND, UM, IT'S DRAINING. IT'S DRAINING. AND UNFORTUNATELY THE PUBLIC IS IGNORANT OF WHAT'S GOING ON. THEY REALLY ARE. UM, THEY'RE PITCHED THAT THE REASON WE HAVE THESE OPENINGS AND THIS PROBLEM IS BECAUSE OF, EXCUSE ME, SORRY. CAN YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF? OH, I'M SORRY. . UH, MY NAME IS HERMAN LONG. I AM A, UH, CITIZEN OF LONG BEACH. ALL MY LIFE WENT THROUGH ALL THE SCHOOLS HERE IN LONG BEACH STATE AND EVERYTHING. UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE REASON I GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT. 'CAUSE I WAS A SOLE SERVICE EMPLOYEE FOR 32 YEARS. I STARTED OUT AS AN ENTRY-LEVEL, UH, UM, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST. THEN THEY CALLED IT AN ASSISTANT EXAMINER IN 1975, WHEN I WAS HIRED JANUARY 10TH. I RETIRED IN 2008 OCTOBER. AND I'VE HEARD ONE OR TWO OF YOU MENTION, UH, LACK OF STAFF. UH, MY DIRECTOR WANTED ME TO STAY ON FOR A COUPLE MORE YEARS, AND I SAID, I'VE HAD IT. I'M TIRED OF THIS, DO MORE WITH LESS. I CAN'T DO IT. AND I RETIRED AND I DON'T REGRET RETIRING. UM, I WORKED MY WAY UP FROM, UH, ASSISTANT ANALYST BASICALLY IN 1975. AND I CAME UP THROUGH THE RANKS, UH, AS A, UM, PERSONNEL ANALYST, AN ASSISTANT PERSONNEL ANALYST, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR. AND WHEN I RETIRED IN 2008, I WAS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR NUMBER TWO IN THE DEPARTMENT. THE COMPASSION AND THE HARD WORK THAT THE STAFF PUT IN TO TRY TO HAVE A GOOD SYSTEM WAS ENORMOUS. IT'S, YOU CAN'T EVEN MEASURE IT. I MEAN, THEIR HEART AND SOUL WAS IN THIS TESTING PROCESS, TRYING TO MAKE THINGS EQUAL FOR EVERYBODY. UM, I'VE GOT A FEW NOTES, IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS. AND, AND CAN WE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PAUSE THE TIME ROOM. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY, UH, OKAY. YEAH, YEAH. I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, I HOPE. UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAVE AS ONLY AN EMPLOYEE, BUT AS A CITIZEN, IS THIS WHOLE THING OF, UM, HAVING A CREDIBLE PROCESS. UM, NOT ONLY WAS I AN EMPLOYEE WITH THE COMMISSION FOR 32 YEARS, I TOOK A LOT OF EXAMS AND INTERVIEWS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. UM, I SHOULDN'T SAY A LOT. I TOOK SEVERAL, UH, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS, THE PREDETERMINED OUTCOME WAS, I WAS NOT GONNA STAND BY AND LET DEPARTMENTS DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS WITHOUT HAVING SOME COMPETITION. I TOOK MANY CIVIL SERVICE TESTS, SOME I DIDN'T DO SO WELL ON. I HAD TO GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN. IN 1975, I CAME OUT IN, YOU KNOW, IN A REASONABLE POSITION, GOT HIRED. AND, UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY [01:00:01] IN THE PROCESS, HAVING BEEN THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND OCCASIONALLY THE ACTING DIRECTOR. I COULD SEE THROUGH WHAT WAS GOING ON. I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. AND IT WAS PRETTY BLATANT IN SOME CASES. NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS DID THIS. SOME DID WORSE THAN OTHERS. OTHERS WERE SAYING, I DON'T LIKE THE SYSTEM GONNA, I'M WORK WITH THIS SYSTEM, UM, FOR EMPLOYEES. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS ROOM ISN'T FULL WITH EMPLOYEES, ISN'T FILLED WITH EMPLOYEES. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE. UM, I WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE COMMISSION TO HAVE THE OVERSIGHT THAT'S WARRANTED. I WANT THE COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS IS THERE. AND IT REMAINS. I'VE SEEN IT GO THE OTHER WAY. I'VE BEEN, I'VE EXPERIENCED IT PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. UM, NO MATTER WHAT THE CITY'S TRYING TO SELL TO THE POPULATION. AND I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT SOME OF THE LEADERS NOW BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T HERE WHEN I WAS THERE. BUT TOM WAS, UH, HE CAME IN AS THE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT WHEN I WAS AN EMPLOYEE HERE. SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TOM, BUT UH, I'M NOT BLAMING HIM OR ANYBODY ELSE. ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT WHEN I HEARD THAT MAYOR STATE OF THE CITY SPEECH, I ALMOST FELL OUTTA MY CHAIR. 'CAUSE IT WAS THE SAME OLD THING. DO MORE WITH LESS, BASICALLY. UM, THE SYSTEM'S INEFFICIENT. UM, THERE'S DUPLICATION. UM, IT'S SLOW. THIS DEPARTMENT IS IN A, AND NOT THIS, THIS DEPARTMENT, ALL DEPARTMENTS, ALL AGENCIES, THEY'RE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION NOW. I'VE NEVER SEEN A, UH, EMPLOYMENT, PRO EMPLOYMENT SITUATION THAT WE HAVE NOW. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK. THEY DON'T COME FOR INTERVIEWS. I WOULD, I WOULD SHOOT MYSELF IF I SCHEDULED MYSELF FOR AN INTERVIEW AND I DIDN'T SHOW UP. YOU KNOW WHAT, WHY, WHY AM I GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS IF I'M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ALL THE WAY? YEAH, I KNOW WHO THEY WANT, BUT I'M GONNA GO THROUGH IT ANYWAY. UM, BUT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY, THE CREDIBILITY, THE TRUST, THE INTEGRITY. AND I KNOW THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMISSION STAFF AND I KNOW THEY WILL DO THEIR BEST. AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE THEIR BEST TO ENSURE THESE THINGS OCCUR. UM, IN 2010, WE HAD MEASURE GG, WHICH WAS ANOTHER LAST ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE CHARTER TO DILUTE YOUR POWER. AND I SAY POWER 'CAUSE I'VE HEARD YOU SAY CONTROL AND POWER A FEW TIMES. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL IT IS. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO INVENT PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO COME TO WORK. YOU'RE NOT GONNA RETAIN PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO WORK HERE BECAUSE THEY FEEL THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED. UM, I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO LEAVE TO GO TO LA COUNTY AND LA CITY AND US GOVERNMENT, BUT I LIVED IN LONG BEACH. I ALSO WORKED IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY BEFORE I CAME TO LONG BEACH. AND I KNOW THE CUTTHROAT STUFF THAT GOES ON IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME TO LONG BEACH. MY DAD WAS AN, UM, WORKED IN THE ENGINEERING ONE OF THE FIRST, I THINK THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN IN PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING. AND HE CONVINCED ME TO COME HERE. I WAS TRYING TO GO ON AT MCDONALD DOUGLAS. HE SAYS, EH, CITY MAN, YOU KNOW, THE PAY IS NOT THAT GREAT, BUT THE LONG TERM ADVANTAGES ARE THERE. AND AFTER SEEING ALL MY FRIENDS GET LAID OFF AT MCDONALD DOUGLAS OVER ON LAKEWOOD BOULEVARD, , I SAID, MM, NO, I'LL GO FOR LOWER PAY. AND LOOK AT THE BENEFITS SIDE OF THINGS. WELL, KIDS THESE DAYS DON'T LOOK AT BENEFITS. THEY LOOK AT WHAT'S THE HOURLY AND HOW FAST AM I GONNA MOVE UP? IT TOOK ME 32 YEARS TO GET WHERE I WAS. I'VE INTERVIEWED PEOPLE THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A JOB LIKE YOURS. AND I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE. YOU'RE JUST APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST JOB. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 25 YEARS. YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THAT INSTANT GRATIFICATION. AND, UM, A COUPLE OF SPECIFICS. WHEN I STARTED, YOU HAD THE RULE OF ONE OR MAYBE THE RULE OF THREE FOR PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS. TOP ONE, TWO OR THREE ON THAT LIST, GET THE OFFER OR GET CONSIDERATION. UM, THEN THEY WENT TO RULE OF FIVE FOR PROMOTIONAL. THEY WENT TO BANDING, WHICH AT THE TIME I DIDN'T THINK BANDING WAS GOOD BECAUSE I BELIEVED IN COMPETITION. UM, AND TO HEAR SOMEONE SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS NOT A FAN OF BANDING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT OPENS UP THEIR POSSIBILITY OF SELECTING MORE PEOPLE THAN STRICT RANKING. UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY MIND BOGGLING TO ME THAT, [01:05:01] BUT IT IS AND IT ISN'T BECAUSE HAVING BEEN IN WITH THE CITY FOR THIS NUMBER OF YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE TRANSITION THAT SOMEONE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE SLOW GRIND, THE SLOW DEATH. I'VE SEEN IT AND IT IS OCCURRING. UM, AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR, I DON'T KNOW WHO IN CIVIL SERVICE NOW HANDLES THE, UH, CERTIFICATION SECTION. THE ELIGIBLE LIST MANAGEMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, I'M SORRY, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER. OKAY, THAT'S A, THAT IS A TASK. AFTER DOING IT FOR 18 YEARS OR 17 YEARS, I GOT SO FED UP WITH THESE PEOPLE. WHEN I SAY THESE PEOPLE, I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE, ALL THEY WANNA DO IS CIRCUMVENT THE LIST, YOU KNOW? UM, AND I KNOW WHO'S, I CAN LOOK AT AN APPLICATION TO SAY, OH, THIS PERSON USED TO WORK FOR SO-AND-SO, AND THEY'RE IN THE DEPARTMENT AND OH, THEY'RE IN BAND C. WELL, WE'RE NOT AT BAND C YET. AND THEY WOULD DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POSSIBILITY. THEY COULD DO TO LET'S KILL BAND A. LET'S KILL BAND B. I GET TO SEE, I'LL MAKE A HIRE. LET'S STRING IT OUT UNTIL ALL THESE PEOPLE QUIT COMING AND QUIT SHOWING AND QUIT RESPONDING FOR THEIR INTERVIEWS. THAT WAS A TACTIC. NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS DID IT. MANY DID. UM, AND THEN WE HAD THE ARGUMENT OF, WELL A CAN, UH, C CANDIDATES ARE NOT QUALIFIED. AND I SAID, THAT'S BULL. I WAS A C PLUS STUDENT IN LONG BEACH POLY. I WAS A, A MINUS STUDENT AT LONG BEACH STATE. FOCUS WAS DIFFERENT. UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I SUCCEEDED. AND TO TELL ME THAT SOMEONE IN A B BAND OR C BAND IS NOT QUALIFIED, WELL, THEY WERE QUALIFIED IF THE PARTICULAR PERSON YOU WANTED TO HIRE WAS IN THAT BAND. OKAY. SO THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE ELIGIBLE LISTS IS A TASK THAT, YOU KNOW, I COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER THAT DOES THAT. 'CAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS ARGUING WITH PEOPLE. YOU'RE ALWAYS ARGUING WITH THEM. UM, EVEN SOME CANDIDATES, YOU KNOW, AT THE TE I DID A LOT OF TEST PREPARATION. I DID RECRUITING. UM, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING BUDGET. I DID THE BUDGET FOR 12, 15 YEARS. UM, AND ALL YOU COULD SEE WAS THE NUMBERS GOING DOWN, THE STAFF GETTING SMALLER. AND HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO WORK WITH THAT? YOU CAN'T, UM, WHEN YOU'RE COMPETING WITH LA COUNTY, LA CITY, ORANGE COUNTY, SANTA ANA, YOU CAN'T, WHEN THEY'RE PAYING MORE, YOU CAN'T. UM, RETENTION, UM, THAT WAS A BIG ISSUE WHEN I WAS IN, UH, IN THE CITY. UM, PEOPLE WOULD GET ON THE LIST, THEY'D GET HIRED, THEY MIGHT STAY FOR A FEW YEARS. IT WAS DID TURN OUT TO BE IN SOME POSITIONS OF TRAINING GROUND AND MOVE UP TO LA COUNTY, LA CITY, MOVE OUTTA THE STATE, WHATEVER. BUT THE EMPLOYEES, AND MANY OF 'EM, LIKE, I STILL GET CALLS AND I'VE BEEN RETIRED SINCE 2008. CAN THEY DO THIS? CAN YOU KNOW? AND THAT I CAN DETECT THEIR UNHAPPINESS IN THEIR VOICE. I CAN'T WAIT TILL I RETIRE. I ONLY GOT TWO YEARS TO GO. JESUS. LET ME SURVIVE. OKAY. UM, AND WHEN YOU RETAIN TO RETAIN PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY HONEST WITH THE SYSTEM, THE PROCESS. THEY HAVE TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE WANTED. THE INTEGRITY IS THERE. I DIDN'T GET THE JOB, BUT I DIDN'T GET THE JOB BASED ON MERIT. YEAH. NOT BASED ON OTHER FACTORS. UM, I HAVE NOT READ ALL THE MATERIALS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU AT YOUR LAST MEETING. IN FACT, I LOOKED AT IT AND I SAID, I'M GOING TO PLAY GOLF. I'M NOT READING THIS STUFF , YOU KNOW WHY. BUT I DO HAVE IT. AND UM, I HAVE LOOKED AT BITS AND PIECES OF IT. UM, HERE'S SOME LANGUAGE FROM 2010. SO SIR, IF I CAN, UM, 'CAUSE WE, I DO WANNA LIKE GET EVERYTHING YOU WANNA SAY AT SOME POINT. UM, YEAH. WOULD YOU MIND, I'M GONNA WALK UP AND I'LL GIVE YOU MY CARD. UM, I'D LIKE TO HAVE JUST A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION WITH YOU AT, UH, SOME POINT. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO SOME FOLLOW UP WITH THIS DEPARTMENT AS WELL. OKAY. I, I'VE PRETTY MUCH SAID EVERYTHING I WANTED, BUT LET ME GIVE YOU ONE. YEAH. ONE EXAMPLE OF CERTIFICATION ISSUE OR TWO, I'LL DO IT QUICKLY. UM, I RAN AN EXAM ONCE AND, UH, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT HEAD WAS NOT HAPPY BECAUSE THERE WAS A CERTAIN PERSON THAT WAS NOT ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST. UM, I NOTIFIED THAT [01:10:01] APPLICANT, I SAID, YOUR APPLICATION IS NOT COMPLETE. I SENT HIM TWO, SENT THAT PERSON TWO LETTERS SAYING, WE NEED THIS, WE NEED THIS. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A DEADLINE. I KNOW YOU GOT YOUR APPLICATION AND WE NEED THIS DOCUMENT. IT'S REQUIRED OF EVERYBODY. AND THAT PERSON WOULD NEVER RESPOND OR NEVER SEND IT IN. WELL, WHEN WE STARTED CERTIFYING THE NAMES OF THE QUALIFIED PEOPLE, THE DEPARTMENT HAD CALLED ME AND CHEWED ME OUT. AND YOU KNOW THIS. AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, WE WERE HAVING A MEETING MYSELF AND THE DIRECT, MY DIRECTOR AND THAT, UH, DEPARTMENT HEAD, AND I THINK IT WAS A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. AND IT WAS A VERY SHORT MEETING. ONCE THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOUND OUT THAT, HEY, I'VE GIVEN THIS APPLICANT TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING STUFF IN. THEY HAVEN'T DONE IT, THEY WON'T COMPLY. THAT DEPUTY CITY MANAGER SAID, THIS MEETING'S OVER, WHY'D YOU BRING ME, BASICALLY, WHY'D YOU BRING ME UP HERE FOR THIS? YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM. UM, TWO, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE OTHER ONE WAS NOW. BUT ANYWAY, UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S JUST A TASK. OH, THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, IN MY 32 YEARS, WE WERE REVIEWED A COUPLE TIMES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FAIR, UH, FAIR EMPLOYMENT, HUMAN, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER DFEH. AND, UM, WE NEVER HAD A CONSENT DECREE THAT SAYS, YOU'RE DOING THINGS BAD. IN FACT, YOU'RE THE ONLY CITY WE'VE NAILED SUCH AND SUCH. WE'VE NAILED THIS CITY. YOU GOT A CLEAN BILL OF GOODS, YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT. I DUNNO IF THAT'S STILL THE CASE SINCE 2008. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT IS. BUT WE REVIEWED A COUPLE OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS A CITIZEN. I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER AGENCIES WHERE THE CITIES ARE GETTING HIT WITH THESE LAWSUITS AND MY TAXPAYER MONEY IS GOING OUT TO PAY FOR THINGS THAT WERE DONE IN A DEPARTMENT THAT WERE NOT PROPER AND NOT LEGAL. I JUST DON'T, UM, WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE, I'LL TAKE YOUR BUSINESS CARD WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. SURE. AND I THINK I DID CUT YOU OFF ON SOMETHING THAT, UH, VICE PRESIDENT GORDON PETERSON SAID SHE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HEAR. AND THAT'S THE, UH, YOU, YOU WERE GONNA REFERENCE SOME LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED IN 2010 NOW. UH, YEAH, IF YOU CAN OH, OKAY. SHORTLY. YEAH. OKAY. I JUST, I CAN HIGHLIGHT HIGHLIGHTED. UM, THIS IS IN, IN OUR DEF IN THE DEFENSE, WE'RE THE WATCHDOGS. WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PROTECT NOT ONLY THE INTERESTS OF THE PROSPECTIVE JOB CANDIDATES, THE EMPLOYEES, BUT OF THE, FOR THE CITIZENS. OKAY. WE'RE THE WATCHDOGS. WE WANNA ENSURE THAT PROTECTION OF THE MERIT SYSTEM. UM, WE DON'T WANT POLITICAL ENCROACHMENT. WE DON'T WANT BUREAUCRATIC ABUSE. IT'S A VITAL PART OF OUR DEMOCRATIC CHECKS AND BALANCES SYSTEM. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DID READ IN THE CITY MANAGERS, ONE OF HIS COVER LETTERS WAS THAT ALL THESE OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE IT WELL. WE ALWAYS HEAR THAT, UH, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. AND I DON'T, I THINK THAT APPLIES IN THIS CASE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE A UNIQUE CITY. UH, MANY CITIES DON'T HAVE A HARBOR. THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE AND FIRE AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES. THEY DON'T HAVE UTILITIES. SO WE'RE UNIQUE. FIFTH LARGEST CITY IN CALIFORNIA, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE STILL THE LARGE FIFTH LARGEST. UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FORGET THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM WAS IN, UH, INCORPORATED IN 1907, YOU KNOW? YEAH. THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT. AND THERE'S STILL AN EXISTING REASON. UM, HUMAN NATURE HAS SHOWN THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A FEW WHO WILL GET AHEAD THROUGH UNETHICAL USE OF FAVORITISM. AND BY MY, BY MAINTAINING A STRONG CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM, CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH CAN CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT THE SELECTION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IS BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB MERIT. OKAY. UM, I HAVE OTHER LANGUAGE. I MEAN, I'VE, THAT'S GREAT. WELL, WE APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. IT DOES. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, SIR. AND I WILL DEFINITELY GIVE YOU MY CARD. LET'S, LET'S HAVE A EXTENDED CONVERSATION. 'CAUSE I WANNA UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW OVER THOSE YEARS. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND, AND IF MY LAST PARTING THE, IN 2010, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE STATISTICS, BUT EVERY TIME THERE'S A VOTE, THE MARGIN OF VICTORY TO MAINTAIN THE MERIT SYSTEM GETS SMALLER AND SMALLER. YEAH. AND IT WAS REAL SMALL IN 2010. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK, THANK YOU. YOU, MR. LAW. [01:15:03] ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS? I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IS THE GOAT, THE GOAT . SO IF YOU WANNA KNOW HOW I CAME ABOUT AND HOW I KNOW EVERYTHING, I KNOW I DO MY BEST TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CAPRICE. ALRIGHT. UH, COMMISSIONER SUPPOSED WITHOUT, WITHOUT, UH, ADDRESSING PUBLIC COMMENT, GARY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO. UM, I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, HOW GREAT IT IS TO HAVE TO HEAR SOME INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO SHARE WITH US. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? SEEING NONE. AND THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, UH, AGENDIZED. UH, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10 34. WE WILL RECONVENE FOR A HEARING, A CLOSED DOOR HEARING AT 1115. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.